DRM - Turn Lemons into Lemonade
 

So.. here I am thinking; which is what I do a lot of because.. well.. it's free. :)

So, we all have to have an internet connection to play this game. Why not take that 'restriction' and turn it into something incredible and amazing?

I have some ideas:

1. When you speak to the radar guy or the sound guy (or anyone), the game is paused and you go into an internet javascript window that overlaps on top of the game and you have a video interface. The same (or more) questions or comments on the bottom, but the guy is an IRL guy dressed the part and responding as a real person would. Use the internet to offer the option (could be on/off option in gameplay window). This way you could modify the chat/conversation options greatly over time. You just change the video options on the Ubisoft server and you can have countless conversations (though a bit one-sided).
2. Various 'easter egg' type locations around the sub you can click on or find that will bring up the same javascript overlay interface to show you a few different things: Perhaps IRL historical facts and photos from meuseums about things on the ship, perhaps a little easter-egg about a modder here and how they fixed some problem that came out in the Stock Version (ignore this option, it would crash the internet having such vast needs of DB space for this one). :haha:
3. Video Chat. Sort of like Skype. Instead of the event camera popping up have a little window in the corner where you can video chat with those in your wolfpack?

There are loads of more things you can do. Since we are forced to have an internet connection with the game; why can't it become a positive thing?

What do you think?

You can do all of that without DRM. :) The only way to make DRM into lemonade at this point is to remove it. I'm quite sure they've crested sales by now what with the DRM combined with bugs, so remove it and I bet they'll get even more sales with the DRM removed and 1.2 patch out.

I'm trying to wrap my mind around why they would ever remove it. Let me try and lay out what I'm thinking.

1. Ubisoft decides DRM is important enough to lose out on 60% sales of a product because of DRM.
2. Ubisoft turns out a piece of software (whatever the reasons) that is sub-par (well, for most companies anyway).
3. Time passes....

Why would they ever remove DRM? The reasons they wanted it so bad haven't been removed have they? And they've already told 60% of their customers to go Frag off. Right?

Why would they remove the DRM? Why would they suddenly care?

Well said sir!

Turning lemons into lemonade is a good idea, but I think it's more likely it will turn into a whine. :yeah:.

HA! Whine.. not wine... hee-hee.

I love the people on this forum. They're as weird and quirky as me. :)

I hate lemonade.

If authentication server overhead > new sale revenues

Maybe we don't have the answers to what I'm really trying to discover.

Why now? They didn't care before about a vast chunk of their loyal customers. It cost them money that they were willing to write off before.

What changed?

From UBI's perspective the DRM was put in place to increase profit by slowing down piracy, especially in the early days when sales are at their highest.. Later on, once the DRM overhead becomes a greater cost then the profits of selling new games then to me it would make sense to drop it because it is cutting into over all profits.
I really do not think 'caring' about their customers has much to do with it unfortunately. They are doing what they think is best to turn maximum profits in the long run.

I guess I don't understand a company that does that as thinking 'long run' or long term.

Crap on your customer base and when you go out of business you are making zero profits.

Don't get me wrong, I completely understand that a vast majority of business do exactly that. I guess maybe that's why 95% of all business fail in the first 5 years. And of those that make it, 95% fail in the next five years.

How long has Ubisoft been in business? Is the 'global market' keeping them alive? Enough customers out there that even if you piss your entire customer base off.. there are newbies that don't know that you suck that will buy your product anyway?

Just pondering things... thinking again. :)

Oh don't get me wrong, I am not agreeing with their methods they used. In my opinion a DRM that alienates more legit buyers then it prevents pirates is counter productive.
Hard to say what the real numbers are, don't think any of us will ever know.

I think the real test of money flow is this:

If Ubisoft lives to make SH6.... if they think they made out good with the profit they will keep the DRM again. Or require some sort of DNA test in addition to DRM and also a live webcam feed so they can see your mother (or court appointed certifiying purchaser) over your shoulder verifying you bought the game.

(/sarcasm)

If ubisoft makes an SHVI, it is going to be for xbox!

Well, shoot fellers! It ain't the only time they've tripped over their priorities! Certainly I'm not the only person who remembers the drubbing they took over Starforce...am I?...guys?...guys?...now I'm old AND lonely!

:har:

I was here for the Starfarce SH3 release experience as well. :damn:
Missed out on SH4 though, was too busy with WoW and LOTRO at the time.:88)

I happen to like your ideas McHub. The mechanism that now serves as a DRM could morph into something that instead adds a dimension.

Ubi's profit interests would be best served if they would meld their desire for an online license check with the desires of the customer. Why not make SH with a playable, but limited, offline mode for those traveling or temporarily without network? For example, continue a mission in progress or play from a selection of war patrols?

For much more, connect online. Advanced (probability generated) enemy AI, the possibility of player-controlled merchants, not to mention the things you dreamed up.

I'm sure that the cynics will now "set me straight" by re-emphasizing the greedy, shortsighted, uncaring and basically inept nature of Ubisoft management. Or lecture about the nuances of MMO-type technology. Still, I wonder what would happen if 5,000 or so registered SH5 owners voiced the same sort of positive "what ifs" that you did.

:sunny:

This, and pretty much every other "online DRM" system coming out now has to do with two things only. One, making sure no one but Ubisoft gets money from these products by eliminating the ability to resell a game. Two, make the players dependent on DLC. Ship a half finished game and dribble out excluded "DLC" content $5-$10 at a time over the course of a year or so, then repeat the whole process with the new version of the game.

Customer's desires have nothing to do with DRM/OSP or any of this, just our money. :DL They think they'll get more profit if we can ONLY buy from them instead of realizing they'll get more if we WANT to buy from them.

Well, for my part, I bought SH3 and loved it, and I bought SH4 and loved that too. But until they knock off this DRM (deleted), I will not buy SHV5.