http://support.uk.ubi.com/online-services-platform/
QuoteIs there an "off-line" option?
No. 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.
QuoteWill I need to be online the whole time when I play the game? Including for single player?
Yes. You will need to have an active Internet connection to play the game, for all game modes.
LOLZ. :yuk:
Added services!
:lmfao:
Well i can be content in knowing they haven't made any games I am remotely interested in playing :lol:
I was sorta interested in SH5. :weep:
Me likey to blow up ships.
Yeah it's awful.
I was interested in Ruse and AssCreed 2 but not anymore due to this crap.
More about it here:
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/02/17/you-maniacs/
Meh. I have an internet connection.
I predict the pirates will break it within 1 month.
Quote from: Cecil on February 20, 2010, 11:26:07 AM
I predict the pirates will break it within 1 month.
Indeed. Probably run a small server program on your machine and route the DRM there.
It's silly, though, that playing a pirated game becomes a lot more convenient than buying a legit copy.
Quote from: Cecil on February 20, 2010, 11:26:07 AM
I predict the pirates will break it within 1 month.
That long? Most are cracked and torrented before release.
We should blame Slargos and Tamas. The thing is, a game that has these DRM protections is more likely to profit then one that does not. I imagine that we will see a lot more of this.
Personally I find this shit annoying, but I don't begrudge them for it. It's got to hurt when a you work two years on a game only to see it pirated before the release date and destroy sales.
Broken before street release.
Quote from: Syt on February 20, 2010, 11:30:16 AM
It's silly, though, that playing a pirated game becomes a lot more convenient than buying a legit copy.
That's where there at though. Given the expense of modern big-name releases, are you really surprised?
This sounds like it'd be more difficult to beat, given that the program will be in constant contact with Ubisoft's servers.
QuoteIs there an "off-line" option?
No. 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.
So because they're nice enough to allow us to play without a gamedisc, we're forced to have an online connection while playing... I don't get this line of thought.
Quote from: Alexandru H. on February 20, 2010, 12:43:38 PM
QuoteIs there an "off-line" option?
No. 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.
So because they're nice enough to allow us to play without a gamedisc, we're forced to have an online connection while playing... I don't get this line of thought.
Don't you? Ask yourself.. why would they want to store in their server your saved games? Why would they want to pay for such servers, actually?
Because with this system (some have called it SPOG, single-player online gaming), you no longer own the game you bought - or rather, leased. You just bought the right to log in those Ubi servers. That's why.
If Ubi decide, two or three years in the future, to discontinue support, we are screwed.
If Ubi decide to charge a monthly fee 'to finance server maintenance', we are screwed.
If Ubi closes doors, we are screwed.
If Ubi decides it won't allow second hand games, we are screwed.
In short, this means a massive transfer of power from buyers to software sellers like Ubi. And I, at least, won't have none of it.
Quote from: Syt on February 20, 2010, 11:30:16 AM
Quote from: Cecil on February 20, 2010, 11:26:07 AM
I predict the pirates will break it within 1 month.
Indeed. Probably run a small server program on your machine and route the DRM there.
It's silly, though, that playing a pirated game becomes a lot more convenient than buying a legit copy.
The reasonable solution is surely to buy it and then crack it.
Bad DRM does not confer moral license to illegally pirate it. :lol:
Quote from: Warspite on February 21, 2010, 09:20:49 AM
The reasonable solution is surely to buy it and then crack it.
An increasing number of countries, though (Germany, for example) make it illegal to circumvent copy protections, though.
Quote from: Syt on February 21, 2010, 09:36:45 AM
Quote from: Warspite on February 21, 2010, 09:20:49 AM
The reasonable solution is surely to buy it and then crack it.
An increasing number of countries, though (Germany, for example) make it illegal to circumvent copy protections, though.
And I suppose the FBI, etc. will be monitoring my computer at all times to enforce that law?
Quote from: Syt on February 21, 2010, 09:36:45 AM
Quote from: Warspite on February 21, 2010, 09:20:49 AM
The reasonable solution is surely to buy it and then crack it.
An increasing number of countries, though (Germany, for example) make it illegal to circumvent copy protections, though.
While it is technically illegal, you retain the moral fortitude because you are a genuine paying customer merely removing a onerous copy-protection system.
Why not just not play it? If a person is genuinely interested in "moral fortitude".
Quote from: Warspite on February 21, 2010, 09:20:49 AM
Bad DRM does not confer moral license to illegally pirate it. :lol:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/2/19/
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.
Quote from: Tyr on February 22, 2010, 07:39:57 AM
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.
Quote from: Razgovory on February 22, 2010, 09:18:42 AM
Quote from: Tyr on February 22, 2010, 07:39:57 AM
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.
Quote from: Cecil on February 22, 2010, 01:25:47 PM
The problem occurs when the pirated version is easier to use.
Yeah, that's what makes it all so craptacular.
Quote from: Cecil on February 22, 2010, 01:25:47 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on February 22, 2010, 09:18:42 AM
Quote from: Tyr on February 22, 2010, 07:39:57 AM
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 dunno. Good copy protection is pretty much invisible to the user. For example my computer is always connected to the internet. What do I care if the game wants a constant internet connection then?
Quote from: Barrister on February 22, 2010, 02:13:09 PM
For example my computer is always connected to the internet.
Good for you. Many people do not have 100% availability.
Quote from: The Brain on February 22, 2010, 02:15:19 PM
Quote from: Barrister on February 22, 2010, 02:13:09 PM
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? :huh:
Quote from: Barrister on February 22, 2010, 02:23:24 PM
Quote from: The Brain on February 22, 2010, 02:15:19 PM
Quote from: Barrister on February 22, 2010, 02:13:09 PM
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? :huh:
As Crown prosecutor you need to maintain a facade of decency.
Quote from: Barrister on February 22, 2010, 02:23:24 PM
Quote from: The Brain on February 22, 2010, 02:15:19 PM
Quote from: Barrister on February 22, 2010, 02:13:09 PM
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? :huh:
What about people travelling to offshore drilling rigs on a regular basis?
Quote from: Syt on February 22, 2010, 02:26:51 PM
Quote from: Barrister on February 22, 2010, 02:23:24 PM
Quote from: The Brain on February 22, 2010, 02:15:19 PM
Quote from: Barrister on February 22, 2010, 02:13:09 PM
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? :huh:
What about people travelling to offshore drilling rigs on a regular basis?
As if I've ever given a damn about Viking. :rolleyes:
Quote from: Barrister on February 22, 2010, 02:23:24 PM
Quote from: The Brain on February 22, 2010, 02:15:19 PM
Quote from: Barrister on February 22, 2010, 02:13:09 PM
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? :huh:
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.
Quote from: Syt on February 22, 2010, 02:26:51 PM
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.
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.
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.
Quote from: Berkut on February 22, 2010, 02:44:10 PM
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:
QuoteThe 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 :w00t: :w00t: :w00t:
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.
Seriously, is having the damn dvd in the drive that much of an hinderance?
I dont think I´ll ever install something with this particular piece of spyware on thanks. Well maybe if it was Starcraft 2.
Quote from: Grey Fox on February 22, 2010, 02:50:43 PM
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.
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.
Quote from: Berkut on February 22, 2010, 03:03:54 PM
Indeed, having the DVD in the drive is incredibly annoying.
QFT
Quote from: Berkut on February 22, 2010, 03:03:54 PM
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?
Quote from: Syt on February 22, 2010, 03:15:31 PM
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...
Quote from: Barrister on February 22, 2010, 03:23:01 PM
Quote from: Syt on February 22, 2010, 03:15:31 PM
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. :P
Quote from: Cecil on February 22, 2010, 01:25:47 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on February 22, 2010, 09:18:42 AM
Quote from: Tyr on February 22, 2010, 07:39:57 AM
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.
The fact that "unlimited installs" has become a feature to be advertised really irritates me.
Quote from: Cecil on February 22, 2010, 02:52:33 PM
I dont think I´ll ever install something with this particular piece of spyware on thanks. Well maybe if it was Starcraft 2.
Thinking of "installing official spyware," I'm just struck by how quickly we've all forgotten about Sony's little rootkit brouhaha.
Honestly, this kind of crap is why I want to get into IP law; there's endless possibilities for purchasing the product/rights to use the product, and then not being able to use it for reasons that are beyond the average PC user's comprehension. There needs to be some kind of "dud purchase" protection: for example, when you ring up at the register, it puts a hold on the funds until successful installation. That way, you're not accepting purchases from people who can't meet the invasive DRM scheme.
to use a bit of hyperbole:
if you buy it, it is yours. Anything else is corporate-based communism.
Quote from: Crazy_Ivan80 on February 23, 2010, 04:46:30 PM
to use a bit of hyperbole:
if you buy it, it is yours. Anything else is corporate-based communism.
Software "purchases" are actually treated as leases where user license agreements are concerned (it's usually in the first few lines of those EULA interstitials that nobody reads before clicking "I agree"); there should be more of an effort on the part of marketers and developers to make sure that fact is known before the transaction, though.
What I don't like is that you think you're purchasing a product, and you're not told that it's actually a lease until you've paid your money, put it in the drive,
and begun the installation. The companies are free to choose whether they'll lease the product to you or sell the product to you, but you should know which kind of transaction it is before you hand over any money.
Which is probably why that, if challenge, EULAs wouldn't stand in court.
Maybe they should just re-introduce dongles.
Quote from: Razgovory on February 22, 2010, 05:15:50 PM
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.
I had to crack my copy of Silent Hunter III two weeks after buying it, since Starforce decided it wasn't legit anymore. Needless to say, Ubi has one less customer for SH V now.
Quote from: Syt on February 23, 2010, 11:22:01 PM
Maybe they should just re-introduce dongles.
Or the non-xeroxable paper from Zak McKracken.
Quote from: Iormlund on February 24, 2010, 03:38:59 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on February 22, 2010, 05:15:50 PM
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.
I had to crack my copy of Silent Hunter III two weeks after buying it, since Starforce decided it wasn't legit anymore. Needless to say, Ubi has one less customer for SH V now.
Yup, I ended up doing the same thing. I think SH3 was something out of the ordinary though. I've never had as much trouble with copy protection as I had with that disc.
On a side note I have NEVER had any DRM problems with the pirated games I've tried. I think the "monumental bitching" is justified. It just makes it harder to use for the customer. Not only will the pirate get it for free, he'll also get a superior product. Now there's something seriously wrong with that.
Quote from: Ed Anger on February 24, 2010, 03:43:00 PM
Quote from: Syt on February 23, 2010, 11:22:01 PM
Maybe they should just re-introduce dongles.
Or the non-xeroxable paper from Zak McKracken.
That was a bitch, but I had the original. Forget which game it was, but one had the codes printed glossy black on matt black.
LOL I saw SH5 and for a second I thought "hey might get this one" and then I remembered... must be great for the developers to have management include a customer assfisting with your game.
Quote from: Grey Fox on February 23, 2010, 08:09:34 PM
Which is probably why that, if challenge, EULAs wouldn't stand in court.
Unfortunately, EULAs have stood up in court... provided the pertinent information is immediately clear. Courts have struck down licensing agreement setups where it's "unclear." They've also struck down schemes where the terms were deliberately hidden (if you say "by breaking this seal, you agree to be bound by these terms," then the terms had better be on the exterior of the packaging.
I have two concerns about the way these are handled:
1) In
physical transactions, there's no mention of a license agreement before the money is exchanged, and courts have not addressed this. In online transactions, the licensing agreement needs to be available prior to checkout, but there's no such requirement for physical media.
2) Since nobody's checking leases before handing over money, there are a lot of agreements that should be nulled floating around. Say Mom gives her 10-year-old son allowance money and carte blanche to head to the local games store. The kid buys a game that's rated "K-A," brings it home, and installs it on his own laptop. One of the requirements for the agreement to be valid is that both parties have to be eligible to enter into agreements; in the United States, that ten-year-old can't enter on his own into any type of agreement of that nature. So all that text in the softwrap is really just useless bytes.
Quote from: Barrister on February 22, 2010, 02:23:24 PM
Why would I care about poor people though? :huh:
I don't always have an internet connection and I even have computers that never go online. Has nothing to do with poverty.
Ubisoft's DRM servers crashed, rendering games unplayable :lol:
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/07/ubisoft-drm-authentification-server-is-down-assassins-creed-2/
Quote from: Vricklund on February 24, 2010, 05:36:41 PM
Quote from: Iormlund on February 24, 2010, 03:38:59 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on February 22, 2010, 05:15:50 PM
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.
I had to crack my copy of Silent Hunter III two weeks after buying it, since Starforce decided it wasn't legit anymore. Needless to say, Ubi has one less customer for SH V now.
Yup, I ended up doing the same thing. I think SH3 was something out of the ordinary though. I've never had as much trouble with copy protection as I had with that disc.
On a side note I have NEVER had any DRM problems with the pirated games I've tried. I think the "monumental bitching" is justified. It just makes it harder to use for the customer. Not only will the pirate get it for free, he'll also get a superior product. Now there's something seriously wrong with that.
They sell SH3 without the Starforce DRM, at least on Direct2Drive. :thumbsup:
Still won't buy the SH5 POS.
Anecdote from my colleague.
Her boyfriend got Assassin's Creed 2. Things went well till yesterday. First he spent half an hour trying to connect to the U-be-soft server. Then the game crashes. He tries to re-log in but can't (probably still tagged as connected on the server). When he finally gets back on his saved games can't be accessed.
It took them less than 1 day to crack the game. WELL DONE UBISOD.
Das DRM:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMfBSq8x2-M
:lol:
I LOL'd at this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUgS24uSFSk&NR=1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUgS24uSFSk&NR=1)
Yes, third part was excellent. I love it how exciting it still was, even though I've seen the film a few times.
One of the best movies of all time...
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupperplayground.com%2Fwordpress%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2009%2F09%2Fkanye-west-interrupts-taylor-swifts-vma-acceptance-speech-to-praise-beyonce.jpg&hash=9228594a78adcb8ca761f24e35be0a92511abddd)
...OF ALL TIME.