EA to implement Ubi style DRM system - Page 2

Arclight · 03-19-10, 08:57 AM

Activision is probably next.

Oh no, wait, they were going for the subscription model. Let's see how that turns out for them.

klmmicro · 03-19-10, 09:00 AM

It "feels" like these companies are trying to kill interest in their PC gaming titles. Sort of like they want to make it so bad that we all jump on the console gaming bandwagon. That way there is no playing a heavily modded game 5 years down the road (think SH3).

It is just a sad situation all around. I second holding my money away from these over stuffed production companies and focusing on the smaller guy, but those are becoming fewer as the good ones are quickly swooped up by the big guys.

oscar19681 · 03-19-10, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonarman

Monkey see, monkey do...Seems EA are to adopt a Ubi style DRM system for all future releases, doesn't worry me too much as they never release anything worth buying anyway!

They may go right ahead. I hate EA even more the UBI. I remember buying the godfather 1 for pc. Which was totally boring so they desided to release DLC to fix many of the unpleasant things in the game FOR CONSOLE ONLY. So the pc version was doomed. Then i bought The godfater 2 and after playing through the game once it was allready boring. And then they released DLC FOR CONSOLE ONLY , AGAIN. They never bother to fix the pc version of TGF 2 despite the game being broken. I hate EA!

Sonarman · 03-19-10, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by klmmicro

It "feels" like these companies are trying to kill interest in their PC gaming titles. Sort of like they want to make it so bad that we all jump on the console gaming bandwagon. That way there is no playing a heavily modded game 5 years down the road (think SH3).

Very true, and it's not just them it's the retailers too, in some ways I can understand it the PC is a support nightmare and gamers will not pay the same prices as their console cousins. In truth the consoles would be a better gaming platform, bringing us back to the level playing field days of teh Amiga & ST, but only if they added a mouse and keyboard as standard alongside the controllers. I would buy a console but quite frankly I've only seen about 2 console games I would buy. The console manufacturers need to wake up to the fact they have zoned out a whole generation of strategy & sim players. Are keyboards so uncool/technical that people would reject a console based on it's addition. In today's world I don't think so.

janh · 03-19-10, 09:56 AM

I find it an important extension of the OSP DRM issue introduced with SHV. And since SHV still suffers from DRM, I am happy that other people post useful information on this topic.

This is pretty much as expected and I agree that it will lead to a pay-per-play scheme for the major publishers games, giving them at least a more steady cash-flow, if not even an increased revenue per player per game. Whether it will affect contents positively I would question. Some companies have a history of listening well to their community, and implementing wishes and improvements -- without a pay-per-play concept. Other didn't listen without it, and what reason would there be that their valuing of customers would suddenly change?

This is really bad, but I am happy that my gaming interests are mostly niche-type areas and products such as detailed and realistic strategy and simulations. Those are luckily mostly supplied by small companies like Matrix, and to my experience such small but realism and detail-dedicated studios perform their developments much better than the bigger ones. They still rely on publishing bug-free quality on the release day, and providing the customer with the feeling to be personally valued.

Echo76 · 03-19-10, 10:12 AM

Well, I've never bothered to learn backgammon or such, maybe it's time to start learning as I won't go to console bs...

Conrad von Kaiser · 03-19-10, 10:13 AM

As much as I hate it I'd prefer EA stick with their "Project $10" then a DRM.

It's mainly aimed at consoles and limiting trade in game sales. You buy the game new you get a code in it that will get you free things, like upcoming map packs and upgrades. If you buy it used you don't get that code and have to buy one for $15. If you don't buy the code then you have to buy the map packs and upgrades by themselves.

Still waiting to see what they do with the new football games coming out
Air for Football $5 (Expires after 20 games)
Away Team Jersey: $2.50
Regulation Helmet: $4 (Will not work with playoff or superbowl games)
Playoff Helmet: $4
Superbowl Helmet: $5

RSColonel_131st · 03-19-10, 10:14 AM

I kinda feel the need to freeze my current installed game collection in Carbonite. 12 Titles, all of them DRM free, covering every major genre of interest to me... might never again be possible to say that in the future.

capthelm · 03-19-10, 10:54 AM

this trend picks up , to other companies , this might very well backfire and kill the pc gaming industy.

sales will be crap and very little titles being made.

janh · 03-19-10, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capthelm

this trend picks up , to other companies , this might very well backfire and kill the pc gaming industy.

sales will be crap and very little titles being made.

Why does everyone think the PC game industry would ever die? Some companies may be bought, go bankrupt or disappear. But as long as there is demand, somebody will jump in the gap and produce something to satisfy that demand. Has always been like that, will always be that easy.

So if Ubisoft Romania, just as an example, would drop subsimulation development, then someone else will take it over -- for sure. And if customers refrain from buying a certain game due to DRM, or other issues, then a competitor will jump his opportunity and develop something competitive without the issue. If there is money to get, there will be someone to come and get it! Just give them the rules...

Bilge_Rat · 03-19-10, 11:06 AM

we should start a boycott.

I'm in, I never buy anything from EA anyway...

GFC Christian · 03-19-10, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conrad von Kaiser

As much as I hate it I'd prefer EA stick with their "Project $10" then a DRM.

It's mainly aimed at consoles and limiting trade in game sales. You buy the game new you get a code in it that will get you free things, like upcoming map packs and upgrades. If you buy it used you don't get that code and have to buy one for $15. If you don't buy the code then you have to buy the map packs and upgrades by themselves.

Still waiting to see what they do with the new football games coming out
Air for Football $5 (Expires after 20 games)
Away Team Jersey: $2.50
Regulation Helmet: $4 (Will not work with playoff or superbowl games)
Playoff Helmet: $4
Superbowl Helmet: $5

+1 'cause for me this sucks much more than DRM. SH5 is actually not more than a Demo Version. Full of bugs, only one U-boat type, a campaign until 1943 etc. Once it's stable and Uplay works we have to pay for month, maybe years until we have a full game......

Ducimus · 03-19-10, 11:09 AM

Any other sources collaborate?

Only one source and April 1st is right around the corner.

Tarrasque · 03-19-10, 11:15 AM

Well it looks like yet another publisher will find the only people playing their games are the pirates as their 'DRM' piece of s*** has caused the legitimate gamers to be unable to use the software THEY bought.

Yak · 03-19-10, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nordmann

It worries me, because some of the EA titles are worth buying (think Mass Effect), at least as far as I'm concerned.

Honestly, I'm surprised by this. Given the amount of backlash Ubi have received over their OSP, I would have thought that other developers/publishers would have steered well clear of such a scheme, but obviously they have yet to learn their lesson! They will in time though, you can be sure of that.

What backlash?
So long as thousands of 'Wives" and "Girlfriends" are lovingly buying their husbands and boyfriends copies of SH5 and AC2, why should they care about how many online articles and forum rants against their system there is?

And I guess this news means no Medal of Honour: Afghanistan for Little Old Yak...

The phrase 'Infinite Retardation' from Generation Kill springs to mind WRT this whole issue...

03-19-10, 08:57 AM	#16
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	Activision is probably next. Oh no, wait, they were going for the subscription model. Let's see how that turns out for them. __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.

03-19-10, 09:56 AM	#20
janh Stinking drunk in Trinidad Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 349 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I find it an important extension of the OSP DRM issue introduced with SHV. And since SHV still suffers from DRM, I am happy that other people post useful information on this topic. This is pretty much as expected and I agree that it will lead to a pay-per-play scheme for the major publishers games, giving them at least a more steady cash-flow, if not even an increased revenue per player per game. Whether it will affect contents positively I would question. Some companies have a history of listening well to their community, and implementing wishes and improvements -- without a pay-per-play concept. Other didn't listen without it, and what reason would there be that their valuing of customers would suddenly change? This is really bad, but I am happy that my gaming interests are mostly niche-type areas and products such as detailed and realistic strategy and simulations. Those are luckily mostly supplied by small companies like Matrix, and to my experience such small but realism and detail-dedicated studios perform their developments much better than the bigger ones. They still rely on publishing bug-free quality on the release day, and providing the customer with the feeling to be personally valued. __________________ Scientific facts are not determined by the opinion of the majority, nor by a democratic vote.

03-19-10, 10:12 AM	#21
Echo76 Loader Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 83 Downloads: 68 Uploads: 0	Well, I've never bothered to learn backgammon or such, maybe it's time to start learning as I won't go to console bs... __________________

03-19-10, 10:54 AM	#24
capthelm Captain Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 522 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	this trend picks up , to other companies , this might very well backfire and kill the pc gaming industy. sales will be crap and very little titles being made. __________________ "One torpedo ... one ship" my SH5 lighting mod http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkM5k8SXpWo my SH5 audio mod http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIN5RHeL8B8

03-19-10, 11:06 AM	#26
Bilge_Rat Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: standing watch... Posts: 3,856 Downloads: 344 Uploads: 0	we should start a boycott. I'm in, I never buy anything from EA anyway... __________________

03-19-10, 09:00 AM	#17
klmmicro Watch Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 15 Downloads: 19 Uploads: 0	It "feels" like these companies are trying to kill interest in their PC gaming titles. Sort of like they want to make it so bad that we all jump on the console gaming bandwagon. That way there is no playing a heavily modded game 5 years down the road (think SH3). It is just a sad situation all around. I second holding my money away from these over stuffed production companies and focusing on the smaller guy, but those are becoming fewer as the good ones are quickly swooped up by the big guys.

03-19-10, 10:13 AM	#22
Conrad von Kaiser Helmsman Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: New York Posts: 105 Downloads: 19 Uploads: 0	As much as I hate it I'd prefer EA stick with their "Project $10" then a DRM. It's mainly aimed at consoles and limiting trade in game sales. You buy the game new you get a code in it that will get you free things, like upcoming map packs and upgrades. If you buy it used you don't get that code and have to buy one for $15. If you don't buy the code then you have to buy the map packs and upgrades by themselves. Still waiting to see what they do with the new football games coming out Air for Football $5 (Expires after 20 games) Away Team Jersey: $2.50 Regulation Helmet: $4 (Will not work with playoff or superbowl games) Playoff Helmet: $4 Superbowl Helmet: $5

03-19-10, 10:14 AM	#23
RSColonel_131st Medic Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 164 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I kinda feel the need to freeze my current installed game collection in Carbonite. 12 Titles, all of them DRM free, covering every major genre of interest to me... might never again be possible to say that in the future.

03-19-10, 11:09 AM	#28
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	Any other sources collaborate? Only one source and April 1st is right around the corner.

03-19-10, 11:15 AM	#29
Tarrasque Lieutenant Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: UK Posts: 253 Downloads: 44 Uploads: 0	Well it looks like yet another publisher will find the only people playing their games are the pirates as their 'DRM' piece of s*** has caused the legitimate gamers to be unable to use the software THEY bought.