DRM - Turn Lemons into Lemonade

[KiwiVenge]

Originally Posted by mcarlsonus

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!

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

[Capt_Sluggo]

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.

[McHub532]

Originally Posted by Capt_Sluggo

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.

I like your attitude. We can't change the past; but maybe we can help mold the future.

[kylania]

Originally Posted by Capt_Sluggo

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.

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. 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.

[NefariousKoel]

I've been waiting for a hysterical, curse-laced post about the supposed flood of anti-DRM threads around here (and how they should shaddap) but it's not happened yet.

Oh well, I'll keep watching. Maybe go make some popcorn in the meantime.

[supposedtobeworking]

I'm in agreement with those who think some sort of DLC is the motive. The online DRM has most certainly not stopped the piracy. The game has been cracked and you can easily find a fully cracked, patched, working game with no internet connection required to play as easily as you can find a cracked version of any other game that's been released without the DRM. So to me it is obvious that Ubisoft has their sights set on something else down the road-what exactly I don't know but you can be sure it will cost more money (even after you paid for the game). That would explain why they don't listen to the overwhelming majority of customers who want the online DRM to be removed.

[Adriatico]

Originally Posted by supposedtobeworking

I'm in agreement with those who think some sort of DLC is the motive. The online DRM has most certainly not stopped the piracy. The game has been cracked and you can easily find a fully cracked, patched, working game with no internet connection required to play as easily as you can find a cracked version of any other game that's been released without the DRM.

You can find all sorts of stupid links at web... but SH5 is not unlocked 100%... as far as i understand it is Assasin's Creed 2 that is fully unlocked. (DRM failed)
AC2 is very popular game that triggered "piracy renown and prestige" - contrary to poor SH5...

It is amazing that the same crowd that plays "black" AC2 - is promising to buy original Witcher 2 as reward to fair and PC-users devoted approach of Poland based team.

[Nico09]

Ok so DRM has failed to protect this game from piracey! Who can blame UBI from wanting to protect there product from the pirates, after all they have ploughed money into the dev of this game and want to see a return.

Maybe DRM was ill thought out, but those of you that are constantly bitching about it cannot blame them surely? My game has dropped once, maybe twice since buying it, yes i will be annoyed if my internet conn goes down, but then again i will just play a different game, simple.

Instead of bitching all the time how about DRM why don't some of you whiners, sorry i meant to say, people that feel persecuted, come up with a way of protecting the product, rather than slag it off?

[thyro]

Originally Posted by Nico09

Instead of bitching all the time how about DRM why don't some of you whiners, sorry i meant to say, people that feel persecuted, come up with a way of protecting the product, rather than slag it off?

And who's bitching? The "DRM mod fix" solved the flawed DRM... it works nicely without net connection! Take that!

[Nico09]

Originally Posted by thyro

And who's bitching? The "DRM mod fix" solved the flawed DRM... it works nicely without net connection! Take that!

My point is, does this no make it easier to pirate? Surely there are some bright sparks out there (obviously me not included) that work for UBi, EA and other large game developers that can come up with someting that protects the buyer?

[thyro]

Originally Posted by Nico09

My point is, does this no make it easier to pirate? Surely there are some bright sparks out there (obviously me not included) that work for UBi, EA and other large game developers that can come up with someting that protects the buyer?

I'm sure they could come out with something else that would make more acceptable not only to defent their product, but also not alienating potential buyers of their products.

I wonder why UBI and others don't bother follow the web links to catch those that provide the downloads.

Just search on google for a game name and 1st thing it lists are lists and lists of links to pirated games... So isn't just because exist millions of pirates out there. But probably is very convenient that few of them exist creating those cracked download links that no one seem to stop it... Because software houses either don't bother with their products or prefer crying being victims of rape under World's eyes (or at least causing that impression)... So that their lobbies could be increase the chance of success for arguments during political changes.

[Sub Marauder]

Ant-piracy tactics seem to hurt legit players than those who pirate. Parites don't even have to worry about this once the game is cracked, and it usually is eventually. If anything, DRM is turning legit players into pirates just so they don't have to deal with this junk. The whole system is just going to backfire.

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by Adriatico

as far as i understand it is Assasin's Creed 2 that is fully unlocked. (DRM failed)

Not quiet, main mission is playable, however side quests and a few other things not playable.(And no, i do not have a black copy, nor do i condone piracy).

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by thyro

I wonder why UBI and others don't bother follow the web links to catch those that provide the downloads.

It is nigh impossible to "trace" links to a particular location...
The links are in most cases linked to a "dummy" server, and, to boot, a lot of these people move around incredibly, ie locations.
I saw a doco a fair few years ago on SBS that showcased how hackers and the like set themselves up in run-down warehouses, old office buildings etc etc and ran their "businesses" from these premises.
These people where very well informed and if they got wind of the law enforcement agencies bearing down on them, they would pick up (in some cases a single server, and peripherals!) and run their dealings from somewhere else.
Very hard to pin these people down. And...they aren't stupid.