The facts of life: A heartfelt defense of Ubisoft and DRM

[BlueJ]

Originally Posted by Juliano

I´m pretty sure once the mods are released, almost nobody will play the stock campaign.

You're so wrong you don't even know it...
Crack alone does not make campaign playable, but savegame and various CFG editing does!
Pirates can play any campaign order, unlock all and even create their own....
I still have the workaround saved before ubi deleted the thread.
Google cache still has it, I believe....

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by MattDizzle

Damn, this hitler guy seems to have taken over all of europe, destroying nations much larger and more powerful than our own, why bother fighting?

Sometimes when facing evil people, difficult, far-fetched and unlikely efforts need to be made in the name of the law. (yes, Pirates = Hitler)

I think you have that backwards. Hitler = tyranny and oppression, not piracy. And one definition of oppression is "cruel or unjust use of power or authority."

And justifying "unlikely efforts...in the name of the law" is the way tyrannies are formed in the first place.

So those of us who believe in freedom will keep fighting efforts to take it away, even when it's something as small as being told we can't play a game unless we bow to the oppressors.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by MattDizzle

So what makes for the total reliability on my end and the end of everyone i know? I honestly cannot fathom why we would have two completely differant experiances with the same exact program. I'm only arguing for the concept of the always-online DRM, failings do not allow paying customers to play their game are of course unforgivable, but i dont think writing off a promising program and concept is needed for a few teething problems. Again, on paper it looks like a great idea, and it works fine for me.

If it matters:

Nvidia 8600GT 512
2.8GHZ Pentium D dual core 64 bit
4 Gigs of ram, 3 usable (Thanks Vista 2, aka 7)
Windows 7 64 bit ultimate edition.
Sh5 Cheap edition: Bought on steam 2 days after release.
Comcast Digital Cable: South florida ISP.

Originally Posted by jimbuna

I honestly hope so, but tbh it wouldn't have been necessary at all if it wasn't for the pirate fraternity out there.

What saddens me is the fact that the measures taken are no longer sufficient which begs the question....why bother in the first place?

Originally Posted by MattDizzle

Damn, this hitler guy seems to have taken over all of europe, destroying nations much larger and more powerful than our own, why bother fighting?

Sometimes when facing evil people, difficult, far-fetched and unlikely efforts need to be made in the name of the law. (yes, Pirates = Hitler) Get back to me in a month or two, if the server issues are not taken care of by than for this again, brand new online system (these problems are nothing compared to the 2003-2004 Public Steam beta) i will admit defeat. No amount of testing can recreate a public launch, and problems are bound to pop up, All i was suggesting is that a forum like this is not an accurate measure of the problems of the greater, un-registered subsim community, and that the complaining was getting a little extreme

Heres the only way i can prove im not a douche troll and that i want to be a productive member of the subsim community:
Mods, i've gotten my point across as best i could, please lock this thread.

WTF!!...the above post was actually meant to support your earlier post

[Juliano]

You're so wrong you don't even know it...
Crack alone does not make campaign playable, but savegame and various CFG editing does!
Pirates can play any campaign order, unlock all and even create their own....
I still have the workaround saved before ubi deleted the thread.
Google cache still has it, I believe....

Oh well, sorry, just expressing my opinions
Anyway, as I understand, as soon the campaign file is modded, the campaign changes, the values changes, and there will be no more link from the actual modded campaign to UBI. So, there will be no more "triggers" (like the filling bar thing that I heard of) activated by UBI signal/sync. That will erease the need of editing savegames.

So, what´s the point of DRM once the CAMPAIGN is modded?
Ok, many people will play the stock game, but if theese same people realy like the game, they will search for ways of enhancing it and will start using mods. It´s a natural thing.

Sorry if I cannot explain myself further, my english is still rusty

[Faamecanic]

Originally Posted by MattDizzle

Personally Starforce was way worse on my computer, and i havent had any problems whatsoever with the DRM, thats not to say that you have not, but if it works fine for me, why not you?

Starforce was not noticable to me.... but if they would have had a DRM that required constant internet connection back when SH3 was released I would have had to wait almost 2 yrs to play it (and that was because I MOVED to a place where I had a decent ISP).

You see at that time I was a slave to the only ISP in town (other than dial up) and they so overloaded the local neighborhood node (was told by a tech that 120 people MAX should be on it...there were over 300) my internet connection was good for "off peak times" (read between 3am - 11am local) only.

Ubi's DRM is probably the WORST DRM scheme in history. And it isnt right to assume 80% of people have internet connection, so screw the other 20%. Especially folks like Sailor Steve that have been fans and supporters for many more years than I have been on this forum.

[BlueJ]

Originally Posted by Juliano

Oh well, sorry, just expressing my opinions
Anyway, as I understand, as soon the campaign file is modded, the campaign changes, the values changes, and there will be no more link from the actual modded campaign to UBI. So, there will be no more "triggers" (like the filling bar thing that I heard of) activated by UBI signal/sync. That will erease the need of editing savegames.

So, what´s the point of DRM once the CAMPAIGN is modded?
Ok, many people will play the stock game, but if theese same people realy like the game, they will search for ways of enhancing it and will start using mods. It´s a natural thing.

Sorry if I cannot explain myself further, my english is still rusty

Actually, bar filling is also edited so it is working, hence you can play campaign from start to finish.
What DRM does is that check game ID and disables write-protect and savegame upload/download. You can save game locally with crack and write-protect is avoided by editing values yourself.
Patches will be cracked [1.1 was already as soon as it was launched] so, really, what is the point?
I don't expect UBI do admit defeat, but hurting it's customers because of someone's ego is.... unprofessional? Unethical? What was the word...

[Pilot37]

I could almost forgive a DRM problem if it wasn't for the fact that everything else is half baked. This makes Unbisoft the Con-men rather than the Pirates!

Pirates spoil things for others but the person comparing them to Hitler is a really worrying individual. Think he should stop and think about that. Being a software pirate and putting most of Europe, including Germany under the Jack Boot are not really comparable.

Anyway, before Ubisoft get all holy with us, what about the crime of selling faulty software...legalised crime I guess you might say.

[Juliano]

Actually, bar filling is also edited so it is working, hence you can play campaign from start to finish.
What DRM does is that check game ID and disables write-protect and savegame upload/download. You can save game locally with crack and write-protect is avoided by editing values yourself.
Patches will be cracked [1.1 was already as soon as it was launched] so, really, what is the point?
I don't expect UBI do admit defeat, but hurting it's customers because of someone's ego is.... unprofessional? Unethical? What was the word...

...Weasels?

But what I mean was that when the campaign gets eventualy modded, there will be no more need to edit the files like they are doing right now in order to play. I guess...

[Faamecanic]

Well said Pilot...

I could forgive the DRM if Ubi would have spent the time needed to release a Sim that only needed one patch to address minor issues.

Not the half baked crap like SH5 (or 4 for that matter).

Substandard release + Horrible DRM = EPIC UBI FAIL.

[Commie]

MattDizzle has nothing better to do than still a week later defend the copy protection for some 'fictional boats', now comparing users to Hitler. Well Matt, I think UBI is Hitler, Stalin, Ghengis Khan, Kissinger, Nixon, Reagan, Bush 1 and 2, Blair, Thatcher, Teddy Roosevelt, Pol Pot, Pinochet, Papa Doc, Mobutu, Adam Sandler, Paulie Shore all in one!

Hows that for evil!

Remember: everytime you launch Silent Hunter 5 or Assassins Creed 2 with the DRM, a kitten dies!

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Faamecanic

I could forgive the DRM if Ubi would have spent the time needed to release a Sim that only needed one patch to address minor issues.

I couldn't.

[Juliano]

MattDizzle has nothing better to do than still a week later defend the copy protection for some 'fictional boats', now comparing users to Hitler. Well Matt, I think UBI is Hitler, Stalin, Ghengis Khan, Kissinger, Nixon, Reagan, Bush 1 and 2, Blair, Thatcher, Teddy Roosevelt, Pol Pot, Pinochet, Papa Doc, Mobutu, Adam Sandler, Paulie Shore all in one!

Hows that for evil!

Remember: everytime you launch Silent Hunter 5 or Assassins Creed 2 with the DRM, a kitten dies!

[BlueJ]

Originally Posted by Juliano

[drtechno]

Originally Posted by Commie

MattDizzle has nothing better to do than still a week later defend the copy protection for some 'fictional boats', now comparing users to Hitler. Well Matt, I think UBI is Hitler, Stalin, Ghengis Khan, Kissinger, Nixon, Reagan, Bush 1 and 2, Blair, Thatcher, Teddy Roosevelt, Pol Pot, Pinochet, Papa Doc, Mobutu, Adam Sandler, Paulie Shore all in one!

Hows that for evil!

Just replace Clinton for Reagan, Obama for Thatcher, and Arafat for Blair and you will be on the right track

[Valantine]

My main gripe with this always connected requirement is that I am being forced to have my connection always up, and stable, or else the game cannot be run/shuts down.

I have no issue with code authentication and online activation/certification on installation - I buy my games legitimately and for the most part; on release day: Every silent hunter since SH2 I have bought on release day with the exception of 5 because of the constantly online requirement.

To me this is a bully boy tactic on Ubi's part that in their attempts to stop "piracy" they are infact screwing with their paying customers. Although it wasn't as severe the debacle with SH3 and Starforce was quite annoying as the game would not install on my old machine due to the drive I had, in the end I downloaded and installed a "pirate" copy of the game with starforce removed with the CD serial that came in my purchased copy that couldn't install off the disc so that I could play the game I had purchsed on release day.

Does this make me a pirate? No of course not as Ubi got my £39.99 for the game. Did Ubi DRM stop me playing a game I had bought? Almost, but there was a work around, not one I was particularly comfortable with but it was the only way short of buying a new DVD drive.

My point here is that DRM's have a way of victimising legitimate customers whilst in the grand scheme of things are only being a nusance to "pirates" for a short time until it is cracked meaning once it has been cracked they no longer suffer with the DRM issues whilst legitimate customers are forced to continue suffering in order to be legit and support the company that makes a great game.

This type of invasive DRM is a kick in the teeth for legitimate customers, this is why I will not be buying SH5 until the constantly online requirement is removed: will this mean I miss out on a great game? probably, but at the same time I am not supporting a company that promotes this type of oppression on it's own customers, voting with your wallet is all we can really do.
V