COMIC & BLOG
iTUNES FEED
EMAIL JOEL
Spore DRaMa
Turns out gamers don’t like it when games, like Spore, give their computers digital herpes. I know a big part of the overwhelmingly negative reviews on Amazon are driven by “metooism” amoung young gamers that just want something to bitch about, but haven’t publishers already learned their lesson about DRM? The inevitable negative feedback will certainly harm sales more than piracy. At one point Amazon deleted all the reviews, then restored them. Undaunted, EA plans to continue their “we hate our customers” strategy well into the future.
If you are new to HijiNKS Ensue, you might not know about the HE Podcast. Check it out. In the most recent episode (Episode 28 which is probably not uploaded as of this writing but will be shortly) you can learn Josh’s thoughts on Spore’s DRM, find out what the HE crew thought of “Fringe,” learn exactly how hard Eli’s parents party and oh so very VERY much more.
If you are subscribed to the Podcast RSS feed or the Main RSS feed, please update your RSS readers. I moved them over to the Google side of Feedburner to give me more control over them. The updated links are in the sidebar.
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September 16th, 2008 at 7:49 am
I always thought the space stage in Spore was like tentacle rape.
September 16th, 2008 at 7:58 am
that doesn't look comfortable at all…Joel is gonna get a crick in his neck sleeping like that!
September 16th, 2008 at 8:13 am
Reaching to uranus and beyond.
September 15th, 2008 at 8:45 am
"Karaokestan" ftw.
I know you've tagged it "josh dies," but panel 4 looks like it might be a good time, depending on one's … er … proclivities. Not that I've ever … p'r'aps I've said too much.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Steam doesn't run on OSX … and Spore currently does.
I'm not happy about the horror stories I hear about DRM, but I'll believe the "DRM f*cks up your computer" claims when I see it. In fact, if someone wants to point me toward a DRM horror story link, feel free.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:27 am
What….. happened to his clothes..
I only ask because as far as my girlfriend knows the same thing happened to me that one time. Not so much with the tentacles, but more with a box of tissues..
September 15th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Fantastic! Joel you have outdone yourself with todays comic art.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Hey, nothin' wrong with a little manly ass-lovin'. Eldrtich-y ass-lovin'? Silicon-on-ass lovin'?
September 16th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Yes, the tears totally make the last panel.
I am ickily reminded of the book The Ruins. I feel squinchy.
September 15th, 2008 at 10:13 am
http://news.cnet.com/Sony-recalls-risky-rootkit-C...
Sony and BMG had huge issues not too long ago with a rootkit-based DRM exposing computers to major security vulnerabilities. And these were on audio CDs! If I'm not mistaken, Spore also uses a rootkit-based DRM solution. Rootkits are very very bad for your computer because they work at the most basic levels of your operating system. They're a major pain in the neck to find and remove without risking screwing up your system.
September 16th, 2008 at 10:28 am
OK, just so I know what 2 avoid, what IS DRM, & why duz it suck? Will it mutate my computer into some kind of parasite like it did 2 Josh?
September 16th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Josh's computer was likely already a mutant parasite if I can draw reference to his proclivity for torrenting EVERYTHING EVER.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:27 am
I like the little detail of tears in his eyes. Likely tears of ultimate "fulfillment."
Zam Clam.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:31 am
I never said anyone was being raped. Im leaving that up to the imagination.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:32 am
If a fat kid in a red jacket comes after it, we'll know for sure.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:33 am
His eyes are crying for help. Also "gay" would assume the computer/spore creature was a dude. I guess it would have to be.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Check the links in the post to the Amazon reviews. Its definitely still there.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:34 am
It kills baby eagles too.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:35 am
didnt even know such a thing existed.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:35 am
be honest. WAY TOO MANY webcomics go there. Just maybe not ones you hear about everyday.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Ive decided "Josh" dies applies also to comics where Josh probably dies in the 5th panel.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Lets assume they were melted away by a salve the PC excreted.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:36 am
It was a tough one. thanks!
September 16th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Im going to speak for him and say this is probably something he wouldnt enjoy. he can correct me if Im out of turn.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:38 am
I felt the same about World 2 in Mario Brothers.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:39 am
i thought you meant the fact that Josh's chair doesnt have a back.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:40 am
Digital Right Management is a tool used my the MPAA the RIAA and software publishers to restrict what you can do with your media. In some cases they choose to install malicious software on your computer that can be potentially harmful.
September 16th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Is Josh crying from rape, or is he tearing from not blinking to play Spore?
September 16th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
To put it a way my mother would understand, Apple iTunes is the best example. The music you buy is in a file format that can't be used in any other program but iTunes and Apple hardware. Thats DRM. MP3 is a "open" format. When you get an mp3 file, you can play it anywhere you want to on any device you want to.
With Spore and other games, your only allowed to install the game three times, then it goes dead and will not work again without calling EA and begging for another activation. Its when someone else has control over a product you purchased.
September 16th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Can someone please give me a gentle nudge when PC 28 is out? I'll be in the fetal position in the corner…
September 16th, 2008 at 1:50 am
When I click on the (blog & comic) RSS feed in the sidebar, I get this error:
XML Parsing Error: not well-formed
Location: http://feedproxy.google.com/hijinksensue
Line Number 1, Column 1:
I'm on firefox in windows XP
September 16th, 2008 at 2:05 am
The main feed seems to be hosed right now. looking into it.
September 16th, 2008 at 2:07 am
ok, thanx Joel
the "malicious" part sux donkey, though
Josh doesn't look 2 comfortable, does he?
September 16th, 2008 at 2:19 am
It has a work nao
September 16th, 2008 at 2:53 am
josh tentacle porn? It had to happen
September 16th, 2008 at 3:38 am
I'm a little surprised at Josh's almost startled glare – I would've thought he'd be up for a little Hentai action, or does he just give totally the wrong impression of himself on the podcasts
September 16th, 2008 at 4:19 am
If there are Spore penismonsters, there just HAVE to be hentai tentaclemonsters. I submit this as a mathematical fact. Someone go find out for me.
September 15th, 2008 at 6:09 am
I KNEW you would do real tentacle rape! Others may have thought you were joking when you mentioned noodley appendages and Josh together, but I kept the faith!
September 15th, 2008 at 6:10 am
Is Josh's computer the trapper keeper?
September 15th, 2008 at 6:12 am
Haha, this is great. Gay tentacle porn. The little touches like the tears in the last panel are what make your comic great.
DRM is like gun control, worse than useless
September 15th, 2008 at 6:14 am
So the DRM is still in Spore? I was told that they relented and took it out towards the end of the game's development. If it is still in there, I might have to mark it off my wish list.
September 15th, 2008 at 6:15 am
DRM has been done to death. I'm amazed that any content owner is still willing to go near the stuff. Also, I hear it damages troop morale. TRUMP CARD!!11ONE (that one still works, right?)
September 15th, 2008 at 6:20 am
It's like a car crash, I can't help but look at it…… o_o
September 15th, 2008 at 6:31 am
I bought Spore Creatures for the DS! No DRM worries for me, heh!
September 15th, 2008 at 6:35 am
Gay tentacoo wape! Boldly going where few webcomics have gone before!
September 16th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Your feed < http://feedproxy.google.com/HijinksEnsue > error me (code 500, timeout)
September 17th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Oh, it's pretty skeevy, alright. But you're not alone in your skeeviness (skeevishness?)
And I believe the proper term is male tentacle surprise sex.
September 16th, 2008 at 8:15 am
I'm one of those poor fucks with *exactly* the wrong type of MacBook to run Spore.. At first I was miserable 'cause I'd waited what feels like decades for Spore..
But now? I'm feeling kinda lucky I dodged the bullet of dealing with this bullshit.
These grapes? ..Tangy, not sour in the slightest.
September 16th, 2008 at 8:31 am
Well after years of internet access and the fact that I happen to like hentai, the second I saw the tentacles and Josh with no clothes I just assumed that you went (no pun intended) balls deep on the tentacle porn reference.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
*BA-DUM-PSHH*
September 17th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Oh goody… now I don't feel TOO skeevy that I kinda found the thought of male tentacle rape kinda hot. :p
September 16th, 2008 at 6:16 am
At least the tentacles show you a good time before doing you in. They're gentlemen tentacles.
February 5th, 2009 at 11:36 am
EA decided to put Crysis and Crysis:Warhead on Steam. Maybe it will choose to do the same with Spore? Steam is the only DRM system that has been executed in a decent way, even if it isn't without its faults here and there.