I just wrote the following to the Managing Director of Ubisoft

[rascal101]

Sent to Mr Ralph Wirsing Managing Director Ubisoft last night Aust Time Many thanks to whoever posted the contact info for Ubisoft on the following page http://www.mediabiz.de/games/firmen/ubisoft/people/4081

Dear Mr Wirsing,

I am writing to you in your capacity as Managing Director Ubisoft, and in my own capacity as a long time customer,

I have just read a few posts over at SubSim.com, (www.subsim.com) in view of the huge interest at that forum in the upcoming release of the latest in the Silent Hunter series, namely Silent Hunter 5.

I am pleased to report there is considerable interest in the next incarnation of the game, particularly following the release of some developer videos and interviews.

For the most part the reception to various changes has been mixed, with some cautious excitement, a little bit of unbridled enthusiasm, but also a great deal of very negative sentiment I’m sorry to say.

I would imagine this may be of interest to you as the SubSim community could very well constitute the largest single group of potential customers for this title as the forum has particular interest in all things Naval, and as its name suggests; submarines in particular.

However and to the point of this email, I have recently read an article concerning a new direction in computer gaming which has caused considerable disquiet and alarm amongst SuBsim members and the wider games community; namely your new Online Services Platform, see here for a recent published Q&A (http://support.uk.ubi.com/online-services-platform/).

As a long time player of the Silent Hunter series, and a number of other Ubisoft published titles I thought to pen a few words of my own about this new development. I find it a hard to believe that a publishing company with such an illustrious backlist would be so keen to impose a system which could effectively lock out potentially 1000's of new customers who simply do not have reliable or ongoing internet access.

Here in Australia and in a number of other countries where we have SubSim members there are whole regions that don’t even have broadband or anything that might be construed as a reliable internet.

Certainly the concept as outlined in the Q&A may be understandable from the point of view of piracy prevention and such as it is makes perfect sense for a resident of Europe or North America, but not all the world has the same level of internet infrastructure, yet many folks from these same countries are dedicated fans of your published titles.

From the point of view of those of us who enjoy your products, but who live in other parts of the world where the day to day constraints of geography, distance or sometimes even just the weather regularly interferes with or even knocks out internet access the system you are proposing would seem to be a definite disincentive to purchase Ubisoft games.

Believe it or not many of us suffer the simple, yet every day reality of a lack of reliable IT infrastructure just due to basic remoteness or isolation. All these factors essentially mean that reliable, continuous internet access as required by the system outlined in the Q&A is a luxury, or a dream - and not a standard of life as it may be in other parts of the world.

Sure, in Australia, this is not a worry in a major capital such as Sydney or Melbourne, as it wouldn’t be a problem in New York or London, but the simple fact is that we have many major towns and cities in inland or remote parts of Australia that simply do not have the kind of internet access that folks in the Northern Hemisphere might enjoy or take for granted.

A system as outlined above would therefore simply preclude potential sales in these areas. I can only speak for Australia, however we have SubSim members from all over the world, all countries in Latin America, Asia and South East Asia and Africa, these are people who’ve purchased your games and play and discuss them regularly on our forums – yet none of these folks have the sort of IT infrastructure that the system under discussion would seem to expect as the norm.

Are these potential customers to be excluded by what to those of us living happy and fulfilling lives in these places, would seem to be a very Euro / US / Northern Hemisphere concept of who plays what, who enjoys games, who has the net and how that reliable that access may be; effectively who has the right to play.

I don’t really know if I can say anything that might make you re-consider this direction, but at least I thought it best to try to say something rather than sit on the forum making rude noises.

While we are on the subject of Silent Hunter 5 I should also say there are a number of very serious concerns about some of the concepts being discussed re Silent Hunter 5, seems strange for a company to appear to be ignoring the concerns of a dedicated audience for this product, particularly as the SubSim Forum members could be expected to be your largest and most dedicated customer group with an interest in this title.

However, and in fairness to Ubisoft these concerns about the game itself are small beer compared to the concerns being raised about the Online Services Platform and its apparent shortcomings.

I really hope you might read this email and may consider the points I make; access to the internet does not necessarily mean the same thing to all people in all places, (countries) – such a system as is being discussed would appear to be a bit short sighted and based on a very one sided view of the world and what constitutes reliable and ongoing internet access

I hope you might reconsider

Best Regards
Jonathan Fredman
Ubisoft Customer
Email: Rascal@twg.net.au
Ph + 61 2 4323 2732

[SteamWake]

Isnt this a re-post or are they all starting to sound the same

[JU_88]

Though I wouldn't expect anything to become of it....
Uh -you fight the power brother!

[Task Force]

Also, In some european countrys, and in some places in america. the internet isnt that great.

I know, sometimes when we are flying (lolwaffe squadron/subsim aviators) members loose connection because there Isp goes down... Just think of is as youve been in a game for a while, your into it. getting far from your last save and not thinking about it. Then Bam, connection has been lost. Now your *********...

[Méo]

Originally Posted by SteamWake

Isnt this a re-post or are they all starting to sound the same

I agree 100%, it's starting to be a bit silly.

[rascal101]

No not a repost - sure I’ve written on this before but I made a considerable attempt not to sound angry or outraged or insulting

I just question the direction as indicated in the DRM Q&A

As for sounding the same, as there is no change in the problem, I'd suggest the complaints about the problem might sound the same if so many people are complaining about the same thing!

If you feel strongly about something – so you do, or say something about it, if you don’t then you don’t need to say or do anything, perhaps if your dreams come true nothing will happen, if my dreams come true, something might change!

Always has been your choice

R

Originally Posted by SteamWake

Isnt this a re-post or are they all starting to sound the same

[rascal101]

I can only speak from my experience, thanks for confirming your own - as for your observation re ingame pleasure and pain, I think you're spot on

Originally Posted by Task Force

Also, In some european countrys, and in some places in america. the internet isnt that great.

I know, sometimes when we are flying (lolwaffe squadron/subsim aviators) members loose connection because there Isp goes down... Just think of is as youve been in a game for a while, your into it. getting far from your last save and not thinking about it. Then Bam, connection has been lost. Now your *********...

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by rascal101

Sent to Mr Ralph Wirsing Managing Director Ubisoft last night Aust Time Many thanks to whoever posted the contact info for Ubisoft on the following page http://www.mediabiz.de/games/firmen/ubisoft/people/4081

Dear Mr Wirsing,

I am writing to you in your capacity as Managing Director Ubisoft, and in my own capacity as a long time customer,

I have just read a few posts over at SubSim.com, (www.subsim.com) in view of the huge interest at that forum in the upcoming release of the latest in the Silent Hunter series, namely Silent Hunter 5.

I am pleased to report there is considerable interest in the next incarnation of the game, particularly following the release of some developer videos and interviews.

For the most part the reception to various changes has been mixed, with some cautious excitement, a little bit of unbridled enthusiasm, but also a great deal of very negative sentiment I’m sorry to say.

I would imagine this may be of interest to you as the SubSim community could very well constitute the largest single group of potential customers for this title as the forum has particular interest in all things Naval, and as its name suggests; submarines in particular.

However and to the point of this email, I have recently read an article concerning a new direction in computer gaming which has caused considerable disquiet and alarm amongst SuBsim members and the wider games community; namely your new Online Services Platform, see here for a recent published Q&A (http://support.uk.ubi.com/online-services-platform/).

As a long time player of the Silent Hunter series, and a number of other Ubisoft published titles I thought to pen a few words of my own about this new development. I find it a hard to believe that a publishing company with such an illustrious backlist would be so keen to impose a system which could effectively lock out potentially 1000's of new customers who simply do not have reliable or ongoing internet access.

Here in Australia and in a number of other countries where we have SubSim members there are whole regions that don’t even have broadband or anything that might be construed as a reliable internet.

Certainly the concept as outlined in the Q&A may be understandable from the point of view of piracy prevention and such as it is makes perfect sense for a resident of Europe or North America, but not all the world has the same level of internet infrastructure, yet many folks from these same countries are dedicated fans of your published titles.

From the point of view of those of us who enjoy your products, but who live in other parts of the world where the day to day constraints of geography, distance or sometimes even just the weather regularly interferes with or even knocks out internet access the system you are proposing would seem to be a definite disincentive to purchase Ubisoft games.

Believe it or not many of us suffer the simple, yet every day reality of a lack of reliable IT infrastructure just due to basic remoteness or isolation. All these factors essentially mean that reliable, continuous internet access as required by the system outlined in the Q&A is a luxury, or a dream - and not a standard of life as it may be in other parts of the world.

Sure, in Australia, this is not a worry in a major capital such as Sydney or Melbourne, as it wouldn’t be a problem in New York or London, but the simple fact is that we have many major towns and cities in inland or remote parts of Australia that simply do not have the kind of internet access that folks in the Northern Hemisphere might enjoy or take for granted.

A system as outlined above would therefore simply preclude potential sales in these areas. I can only speak for Australia, however we have SubSim members from all over the world, all countries in Latin America, Asia and South East Asia and Africa, these are people who’ve purchased your games and play and discuss them regularly on our forums – yet none of these folks have the sort of IT infrastructure that the system under discussion would seem to expect as the norm.

Are these potential customers to be excluded by what to those of us living happy and fulfilling lives in these places, would seem to be a very Euro / US / Northern Hemisphere concept of who plays what, who enjoys games, who has the net and how that reliable that access may be; effectively who has the right to play.

I don’t really know if I can say anything that might make you re-consider this direction, but at least I thought it best to try to say something rather than sit on the forum making rude noises.

While we are on the subject of Silent Hunter 5 I should also say there are a number of very serious concerns about some of the concepts being discussed re Silent Hunter 5, seems strange for a company to appear to be ignoring the concerns of a dedicated audience for this product, particularly as the SubSim Forum members could be expected to be your largest and most dedicated customer group with an interest in this title.

However, and in fairness to Ubisoft these concerns about the game itself are small beer compared to the concerns being raised about the Online Services Platform and its apparent shortcomings.

I really hope you might read this email and may consider the points I make; access to the internet does not necessarily mean the same thing to all people in all places, (countries) – such a system as is being discussed would appear to be a bit short sighted and based on a very one sided view of the world and what constitutes reliable and ongoing internet access

I hope you might reconsider

Best Regards
Jonathan Fredman
Ubisoft Customer
Email: Rascal@twg.net.au
Ph + 61 2 4323 2732

Very well-written. I think your message hit a nerve, I got a call.

[Steeltrap]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Very well-written. I think your message hit a nerve, I got a call.

I imagine you've got a few hundred volunteers to be 'a fly on the wall' during that conversation....

p.s. do remember to point them to the "Das DRM" thread...

[Onkel Neal]

Oh believe me, I don't just speak my opinion, I try to reflect the will of the Subsim Community.

[Brag]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Oh believe me, I don't just speak my opinion, I try to reflect the will of the Subsim Community.

Hear anything positive, Neal?

[Task Force]

wow... subsim... a call... ITS A MIRACLE... LOL

[JU_88]

Well I stand for corrected (for the second time today too) It seems you actually got noticed, Good job mate!

dont get excited, maybe they just wanted neals caserole recipe?

[Steeltrap]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Oh believe me, I don't just speak my opinion, I try to reflect the will of the Subsim Community.

Never doubted that. Trying to offer some 'encouragement'. Anyway, it's no accident you're the skipper in the "Das DRM"....