Ubisoft's new DRM

[Grey Fox]

For example my computer is always connected to the internet.   

Good for you. Many people do not have 100% availability.

Why would I care about poor people though?   

Hi Neil!

With that being said, what happens when Ubi released a new game, say AC3 & their server goes down & you can't play any of their previously released game? What happens so far, is that you can't play anymore until the server returns.

[DisturbedPervert]

What about people travelling to offshore drilling rigs on a regular basis?

They should be able to figure out how to acquire the good version.

[Barrister]

But seriously - I've been in situations where I can't get wireless internet, and it sucks, but they're few and far between (and largely limited to some really remote locations, like Nunavut).

I can see it being worthwhile to game companies to write off such situations in favour of DRM that is nearly invisible to 99.5% of users.

[Berkut]

But it isn't invisible to 99.5% of users. In fact, I would argue that it will be visibile to 100% of users.

My internet connection is on all the time...except when it isn't, or it drops connection now and again. So teh game will exit. Or when Ubisofts servers get hacked, or just go down for some reason, or some router between here and there burps, or whatever.

Pretty annoying when you are playing a MMO, and now I will have to deal with it when playing a game that does not need to be connected to the internet at all, at least insofar as the actual gameplay demands.

That is very annoying. Maybe the game is so good that I will tolerate it, but it definitely is a big negative in my book.

[Syt]

Pretty annoying when you are playing a MMO, and now I will have to deal with it when playing a game that does not need to be connected to the internet at all, at least insofar as the actual gameplay demands.

But you forget:

The added services to the game (unlimited installs, online storage of saved games and the fact that you don't need the game disc to play) require you to have an online connection while playing the game.

ADDED SERVICES!!!!111    

Of course you know that even if sales should be abysmal for a future smash hit because of DRM there'll be corporate suits who'll point at the pirates, blame them for the commercial failure and call for an even more intricate, invasive and draconic DRM.

[Grey Fox]

Seriously, is having the damn dvd in the drive that much of an hinderance?

[Cecil]

I dont think I´ll ever install something with this particular piece of spyware on thanks. Well maybe if it was Starcraft 2.

[Syt]

Seriously, is having the damn dvd in the drive that much of an hinderance?

For someone like me, who often switches between the games he plays, not having to have a stack of disks on the desk is a blessing.

[Berkut]

Indeed, having the DVD in the drive is incredibly annoying. I would love it if EA, for example, would substitute checking online for a license rather than having the DVD in the drive, if they also allowed having the DVD in teh drive work as well.

[The Brain]

Indeed, having the DVD in the drive is incredibly annoying.

QFT

[Syt]

Indeed, having the DVD in the drive is incredibly annoying. I would love it if EA, for example, would substitute checking online for a license rather than having the DVD in the drive, if they also allowed having the DVD in teh drive work as well.

The D2D copies of DA:O and ME2 are doing this. Also to verify you actually are entitled to use DLC. If they can't verify it, your save games might not work.

It's annoying, but less so than having to be online all the time. Considering how badly/slowly my online character profiles update, it's probably for the better.

IIRC, NWN1 also required online verification for the "premium modules" whenever you started those. Wonder if the authentication server still runs?

[Barrister]

IIRC, NWN1 also required online verification for the "premium modules" whenever you started those. Wonder if the authentication server still runs?

Now that's actually a good objection to the scheme - what happens when the publisher decides to deactivate the authentication server?  If they offer a free patch to remove the DRM that'd be fine, but I'd hate to see old games become unplayable...

[Syt]

IIRC, NWN1 also required online verification for the "premium modules" whenever you started those. Wonder if the authentication server still runs?

Now that's actually a good objection to the scheme - what happens when the publisher decides to deactivate the authentication server?  If they offer a free patch to remove the DRM that'd be fine, but I'd hate to see old games become unplayable...

Actually, with NWN1 it appears (from a glance at the forums) that the premium modules are a special case. Atari has the rights for publishing but don't sell them anymore, and Bioware (now with EA) aren't allowed to sell them on their store. Which means that the modules I bought and didn't back up are gone for good.

But the authentication server seems to work still.

[Razgovory]

The key to stopping piracy is to create good online modes that people will want to buy the game to play.
This DRM will just be cracked, the pirates will put all the more effort into doing it. I remember Spore had some pretty hardcore DRM which was cracked.

I suspect this new DRM is in fact an attempt to do just that.  You have to be online the whole time to play it.  It will still be hacked, but it will be harder for the average player to find pirate servers.  The goal of DRM is not to make it impossible for pirates to crack the game but to make difficult for the layman to used the cracked version.

The problem occurs when the pirated version is easier to use.

I don't know if it will be harder to use though.  I've never had DRM problems despite the monumental bitching I hear about it.  I wonder how much of the bitching from how hard it is to use is actually by pirates.

[MadBurgerMaker]

The fact that "unlimited installs" has become a feature to be advertised really irritates me.