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

03-09-10, 01:08 PM

Ok guys i'll make this as simple as i can.

Piracy is having a massive impact on getting PC games funded and green-lit (approved for production), more and more people are gaining acess to always-on broadband and the software required to pirate any game, software or movie they wish. Due to the unique way in which the internet is decentralized and tends to treat censorship or intrusion in any way like a body treats an infection (Contain and replace), i dont see this stopping any time in the future, or at least the next 10 years.

At the same time the costs associated with making a video game have skyrocketed, gamers demand bigger worlds, more accurate animations, gone are the days when it was a 2d bar with buttons and text speech. So the income has simultaneously been cut, while the costs continue to skyrocket.

So, now ubisoft ( lets just say, for example) has 5 options:

1. Stop making niche games, Il2 and Silent hunter are not popular, they are made in europe and sent over here to what i am sure is a pitiful audience, maybe a tenth the size of the latest assasins creed game. They have chosen not to do this. Somewhere deep down they covet that EA money, but have chosen not to do this.

2. Charge $250 for silent hunter 5- 1939-1945 edition. Its simple math people, they need to get more money from less people to even have a hope of staying afloat, or expanding. They have chosen not to do this, kind of. (see 4)

3. Make piracy a pain in the ass. This is the dreaded DRM, if they can delay the first pirate a week before a copy hits bittorrent, thats money in the payroll account. You'd be stupid not to try. In the olden days of 2005 they used invasive and ridiculous software to do this (Starforce), today they use something no more invasive than a steam account. I support the online option 100% and have had no problems with it after more than a week of gameplay. Not a single disconnect or CTD. Releasing a "buggy" game from the box and already having a patch ready to go is also a great method. Offline pirates cant fix their game until they spend yet another week figuring out how the hell to get the patch working. Ubi has done this

4. Copy GabeN: (episodic gaming) Remember how i said they need to make more money from fewer customers? This is simply financially unavoidable, so to make it more realistic to your budget they break a massive ridiculous game into several smaller, but still substantial games. If they keep delivering a quality product than spending 200+ on a game, albiet over a period of a few years and several titles, makes sence. I'll be buying whatever they come out with for SH5 in the future. So far it looks like this is the direction UBI is going in.

PS: Bitching about DRM and every issue like this is a joe everyman vs evil corporate overlord just makes us look like a market not worth pandering to, and they will never bother to make sims anymore at all. They could go all EA and just release Joe Xtreem's Pro ATV 2011. it would sell like a storm and they would bank, but those games are horrible. I cant promise anything but this appears to be something called "Ethics" and "pride" that i've never seen a corporation exhibit before.

Galanti · 03-09-10, 01:15 PM

Is that you, Trenken?

AVGWarhawk · 03-09-10, 01:20 PM

Watch for the can of worms coming!

Yep, piracy sucks. We pay. Stealing/shoplifting sucks. We pay extra to cover for those that shoplift. Insurance fraud sucks. Somehow we pay for that. However, not much is said about those issues. Bring up DRM and all of a sudden the fart in the space suit has just been discovered.

I'm ok with DRM. I'm not ok with having to connect every time I play. I should connect once upon installation and verify my CD code. Thats it. And, if I'm forced to connect all the time make sure the servers work all the time.

pythos · 03-09-10, 01:26 PM

Stated sometime in the 60s
"We needed to destroy the village to save the village"

Stated by a Ubi suit March 2010

"we needed to kill the franchise to save the franchise"

I am sorry. This DRM was a disaster in the making. It is over the top, and badly implemented. A validation of the game for each session is fine. Having to be online all of the time you are playing.

Stupid. Pure and simple.

I hope the one that came up with this stupid scheme never has a good night's rest again.

Ziggy · 03-09-10, 01:27 PM

Facts of life: A businesses only concern is providing value to the customer. If it fails in that then it fails in everything.

emtguf · 03-09-10, 01:34 PM

The thing is there is already a crack for the DRM, and there is already a work around for the missions not updating when bypassing the DRM.

So the pirates are able to play the game with no problems, and the legal paying customers are stuck trying to play.

Hurting your paying customers by using a protection scheme that does not stop piracy is not the way to do it.

Codemasters had it right with their protection of the original operation flashpoint game.

If you used a crack the game made actually hitting a target impossible by degrading the program over time.
This did not punish the paying customer, and punished the pirates.

This is how it should be. Punishing customers punish the people who pay you money. That is a bad business decision.

IanC · 03-09-10, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pythos

I hope the one that came up with this stupid scheme never has a good night's rest again.

Thinking about maybe putting a horse head in his bed?

mookiemookie · 03-09-10, 01:32 PM

Gabe Newell of Valve destroys your argument in one short interview on piracy, and how DRM only creates more pirates:

03-09-10, 01:37 PM

As i said there is no real way to prevent piracy, DRM is simply a delaying action, like sending a squad to die to buy a platoon 20 more minutes of quality retreating time. If i had a solution to internet piracy, i wouldnt be wasting my time talking on a forum, i'd be counting my ferrari collection

Oh and screw gaben, he games 2 games in 15 years that everyone and their dad buys and they think he's some kind of gaming messiah. He has good ideas but that doesnt mean i agree with all of them. He now keeps his food habit going licencing his engine to smaller, more talented game companies, with the clause that he gets to take credit for it the minute it looks promising and hire the entire development team into his ever-expending valve organization. He didnt make portal, and i dont think he made left for dead either. (could be wrong)

You guys do know that somewhere out there a game developer probibly is losing his house right now because his company couldnt afford to keep him on, right? Or do you guys not care about hypothetical people?

Faamecanic · 03-10-10, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Gabe Newell of Valve destroys your argument in one short interview on piracy, and how DRM only creates more pirates:

^^^This^^^ "What we saw more and more is that piracy is the result of BAD SERVICE ON THE PART OF GAME COMPANIES" - Gabe

When companies like Ubi and EASports continue to release garbage... piracy goes up.

Whats sad is those companies then either rush the next release to market because they dont have the revenue forcasted to support a long dev period (Case and point SH3, Sh4, now SH5) OR they stop the franchise all together and blame the poor sales on the market not being there (MADDEN FOOTBALL.... for cripes sakes how can they say this is a "niche" market?!).

I HATE piracy. I LOVE to buy my games and support the devs that work so hard on them and create a game that I can immerse myself into and forget my REAL world.

Instead of piracy I just dont buy the game...period...end.

Ducimus · 03-10-10, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Gabe Newell of Valve destroys your argument in one short interview on piracy, and how DRM only creates more pirates:

QFE

Mondaiji · 03-10-10, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Just saw this interview for the first time and i must say that the last part i would love to see. Now that could give the right ppl a real chance to make something great and get something in return.

TwistedFemur · 03-13-10, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Gabe Newell of Valve destroys your argument in one short interview on piracy, and how DRM only creates more pirates:

WOW THIS IS WHAT iVE BEEN TRYING TO SAY FOR YEARS

03-09-10, 01:28 PM

I know i really come off as someone with an axe to grind or some kind of employee of ubi, but im not.

My names matt, i work at a florida insurance company (not ubi), and i simply love military simulation PC games, and hope to see them made in the future.

Galanti · 03-09-10, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Facts of life: A businesses only concern is providing value to the customer. If it fails in that then it fails in everything.

FY.

Matt, you have some valid points, but I think it's pretty clear that regardless of whether it's DOS hacking or godless bears, if the customer cannot play the product he/she paid for, then DRM fails.

Personally, I like your #4 option, and I'd have no problem with it.

I think you touched on something when you mentioned your love of military sims, and it struck that perhaps there needs to be a separate business model when it comes to sims. Maybe publishers need to realize that we, as a niche market, perhaps need a niche business model.

03-09-10, 01:08 PM	#1
MattDizzle Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	The facts of life: A heartfelt defense of Ubisoft and DRM Ok guys i'll make this as simple as i can. Piracy is having a massive impact on getting PC games funded and green-lit (approved for production), more and more people are gaining acess to always-on broadband and the software required to pirate any game, software or movie they wish. Due to the unique way in which the internet is decentralized and tends to treat censorship or intrusion in any way like a body treats an infection (Contain and replace), i dont see this stopping any time in the future, or at least the next 10 years. At the same time the costs associated with making a video game have skyrocketed, gamers demand bigger worlds, more accurate animations, gone are the days when it was a 2d bar with buttons and text speech. So the income has simultaneously been cut, while the costs continue to skyrocket. So, now ubisoft ( lets just say, for example) has 5 options: 1. Stop making niche games, Il2 and Silent hunter are not popular, they are made in europe and sent over here to what i am sure is a pitiful audience, maybe a tenth the size of the latest assasins creed game. They have chosen not to do this. Somewhere deep down they covet that EA money, but have chosen not to do this. 2. Charge $250 for silent hunter 5- 1939-1945 edition. Its simple math people, they need to get more money from less people to even have a hope of staying afloat, or expanding. They have chosen not to do this, kind of. (see 4) 3. Make piracy a pain in the ass. This is the dreaded DRM, if they can delay the first pirate a week before a copy hits bittorrent, thats money in the payroll account. You'd be stupid not to try. In the olden days of 2005 they used invasive and ridiculous software to do this (Starforce), today they use something no more invasive than a steam account. I support the online option 100% and have had no problems with it after more than a week of gameplay. Not a single disconnect or CTD. Releasing a "buggy" game from the box and already having a patch ready to go is also a great method. Offline pirates cant fix their game until they spend yet another week figuring out how the hell to get the patch working. Ubi has done this 4. Copy GabeN: (episodic gaming) Remember how i said they need to make more money from fewer customers? This is simply financially unavoidable, so to make it more realistic to your budget they break a massive ridiculous game into several smaller, but still substantial games. If they keep delivering a quality product than spending 200+ on a game, albiet over a period of a few years and several titles, makes sence. I'll be buying whatever they come out with for SH5 in the future. So far it looks like this is the direction UBI is going in. PS: Bitching about DRM and every issue like this is a joe everyman vs evil corporate overlord just makes us look like a market not worth pandering to, and they will never bother to make sims anymore at all. They could go all EA and just release Joe Xtreem's Pro ATV 2011. it would sell like a storm and they would bank, but those games are horrible. I cant promise anything but this appears to be something called "Ethics" and "pride" that i've never seen a corporation exhibit before.

03-09-10, 01:20 PM	#3
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,254 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Watch for the can of worms coming! Yep, piracy sucks. We pay. Stealing/shoplifting sucks. We pay extra to cover for those that shoplift. Insurance fraud sucks. Somehow we pay for that. However, not much is said about those issues. Bring up DRM and all of a sudden the fart in the space suit has just been discovered. I'm ok with DRM. I'm not ok with having to connect every time I play. I should connect once upon installation and verify my CD code. Thats it. And, if I'm forced to connect all the time make sure the servers work all the time. __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

03-09-10, 01:32 PM	#8
mookiemookie Navy Seal Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 9,404 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 1	Gabe Newell of Valve destroys your argument in one short interview on piracy, and how DRM only creates more pirates: __________________ They don’t think it be like it is, but it do. Want more U-boat Kaleun portraits for your SH3 Commander Profiles? Download the SH3 Commander Portrait Pack here.

03-09-10, 01:15 PM	#2
Galanti Captain Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Ottawa Posts: 536 Downloads: 106 Uploads: 0	Is that you, Trenken?

03-09-10, 01:26 PM	#4
pythos Grey Wolf Join Date: May 2005 Location: Somewhere over there Posts: 834 Downloads: 46 Uploads: 0	Stated sometime in the 60s "We needed to destroy the village to save the village" Stated by a Ubi suit March 2010 "we needed to kill the franchise to save the franchise" I am sorry. This DRM was a disaster in the making. It is over the top, and badly implemented. A validation of the game for each session is fine. Having to be online all of the time you are playing. Stupid. Pure and simple. I hope the one that came up with this stupid scheme never has a good night's rest again.

03-09-10, 01:27 PM	#5
Ziggy Torpedoman Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 111 Downloads: 14 Uploads: 0	Facts of life: A businesses only concern is providing value to the customer. If it fails in that then it fails in everything.

03-09-10, 01:34 PM	#6
emtguf Machinist's Mate Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 128 Downloads: 44 Uploads: 3	The thing is there is already a crack for the DRM, and there is already a work around for the missions not updating when bypassing the DRM. So the pirates are able to play the game with no problems, and the legal paying customers are stuck trying to play. Hurting your paying customers by using a protection scheme that does not stop piracy is not the way to do it. Codemasters had it right with their protection of the original operation flashpoint game. If you used a crack the game made actually hitting a target impossible by degrading the program over time. This did not punish the paying customer, and punished the pirates. This is how it should be. Punishing customers punish the people who pay you money. That is a bad business decision.

03-09-10, 01:37 PM	#9
MattDizzle Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	As i said there is no real way to prevent piracy, DRM is simply a delaying action, like sending a squad to die to buy a platoon 20 more minutes of quality retreating time. If i had a solution to internet piracy, i wouldnt be wasting my time talking on a forum, i'd be counting my ferrari collection Oh and screw gaben, he games 2 games in 15 years that everyone and their dad buys and they think he's some kind of gaming messiah. He has good ideas but that doesnt mean i agree with all of them. He now keeps his food habit going licencing his engine to smaller, more talented game companies, with the clause that he gets to take credit for it the minute it looks promising and hire the entire development team into his ever-expending valve organization. He didnt make portal, and i dont think he made left for dead either. (could be wrong) You guys do know that somewhere out there a game developer probibly is losing his house right now because his company couldnt afford to keep him on, right? Or do you guys not care about hypothetical people?

03-09-10, 01:28 PM	#14
MattDizzle Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	I know i really come off as someone with an axe to grind or some kind of employee of ubi, but im not. My names matt, i work at a florida insurance company (not ubi), and i simply love military simulation PC games, and hope to see them made in the future.