The gawd-almighty merged DRM in Silent Hunter V thread

[Nordmann]

*Laughs long and hard* Epic! Now that's going on the drive.

[Onkel Neal]

Prediction: after SH5 and AC2 comes out, strange whispers of " my computer is acting funny, it's doing this or that." or "Since I loaded AC2 with its draconian DRM, my internet connection hangs up/overloads/something awful".

Then the whispers become an outcry, and soon it's "Ubisoft's OSP will ruin your network adapters, or something".

There, I said it.

[Letum]

So cynical!

[Nordmann]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Prediction: after SH5 and AC2 comes out, strange whispers of " my computer is acting funny, it's doing this or that." or "Since I loaded AC2 with its draconian DRM, my internet connection hangs up/overloads/something awful".

Then the whispers become an outcry, and soon it's "Ubisoft's OSP will ruin your network adapters, or something".

There, I said it.

It's strange, I almost get the impression that you like DRM. It might just be the way I interpret your posts, but that's what it looks like to me.

[Méo]

Originally Posted by Nordmann

It's strange, I almost get the impression that you like DRM. It might just be the way I interpret your posts, but that's what it looks like to me.

Ok even if he does, there is something wrong?

Because someone don't have the same opinion about it, it's wrong?

(I've already said that most of us would come back anytime to the good old days of PC gaming, execpt for graphics )

[Nordmann]

Originally Posted by Méo

Ok even if he does, there is something wrong?

Because someone don't have the same opinion about it, it's wrong?

(I've already said that most of us would come back anytime to the good old days of PC gaming, execpt for graphics )

Did I say wrong? No I didn't. Still, I cannot understand anyone actually "liking" this OSP rubbish, it really holds no advantages for the player.

[Onkel Neal]

You get that impression because you think that if someone does not rage against it, they must like it

I will explain exactly what I think, again. I do not like DRM, I do not like CD serial keys, having the CD in the tray to play, online activation, user passwords, firewalls, Captcha, virus protection, anti-spambot Q&A, ATM pin codes; I don't like any of it, Sam I am. But they are necessary because people steal, people do things they should not do and they are hidden by lies and anonimity. So, DRM has become necessary. I am not closing my eyes to the real fact that game companies should get paid if someone plays the game. And I won't argue "piracy <> lost sales", or the other typical stuff we have seen 1000 times. If the DRM works, then hopefully Ubisoft will make a good pile of $$ on SH5 and fund another one with a bigger budget and more generous development cycle.

No, I don't like DRM, but I'm not going to go all mob and pitchforks over it either. Ok?

Disclaimer: I do not think that all people who oppose the DRM are software pirates. Some are, some are not. Peace.

[Méo]

Originally Posted by Nordmann

Did I say wrong? No I didn't. Still, I cannot understand anyone actually "liking" this OSP rubbish, it really holds no advantages for the player.

Of course you did not say 'wrong'.

But when you say that you got the strange impression that he likes DRM, I assume you insinuate it is somewhat 'wrong'.

Otherwise, I don't see the point of your post (#1555)

But it doesn't really matter, as Neal said: Peace.

[Fire]

[Nordmann]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

No, I don't like DRM, but I'm not going to go all mob and pitchforks over it either. Ok?

That's your choice, but unless the consumer speaks out, nothing will ever change. In fact, it is likely that many companies will begin to adopt similar policies, further alienating the PC gamer, and potentially restricting PC titles to those with constant and reliable (shoot, there goes most of Europe!) net connections.

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Disclaimer: I do not think that all people who oppose the DRM are software pirates. Some are, some are not. Peace.

It's funny really, I've seen such accusations levelled in a few threads over the past few weeks, but it isn't logical at all. DRM is a non issue to pirates, these enterprising individuals work their way round such "protection" within hours of the game's release!

Originally Posted by Méo

Of course you did not say 'wrong'.

But when you say that you got the strange impression that he likes DRM, I assume you insinuate it is somewhat 'wrong'.

Otherwise, I don't see the point of your post (#1555)

But it doesn't really matter, as Neal said: Peace.

I was insinuating nothing, only attempting to clarify the meaning of Neal's posts on the subject. That was the point of my post, not that I need to justify it to you. Thanks.

[OakGroove]

Still, I cannot understand anyone actually "liking" this OSP rubbish, it really holds no advantages for the player.

scrap "liking", insert "tolerating". I haven't met a single person, aside of the devil and his minions, who would like, or advocate this particular DRM with reason. In general, all that DRM implementations have "achieved" to date, is an increase in production costs, while making the experience less convenient for the consumer. Sometimes (early Starforce versions) this could translate not only into inconvenience, but also solid Hardware defects. DRM did, and does not prevent piracy. The evidence is right out there up for grabs. With every new title released.

[Letum]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

...they are necessary because people steal [...] So, DRM has become necessary.

If online DRM was necessary, than all games would have it (it would be
necessary for them to have it!). That they don't, shows it isn't.
It may be advantageous, but it can't be necessary.

Somewhere between no DRM and cutting off fingers of gamers to prevent
piracy, there is a happy medium between the the need of producers to
protect their game and the need of customers to have rights to what they
paid for.

You appear to think that Ubisoft's new DRM has not crossed the line and
become to much of a problem for the customer to justify. Fair enough.

It's all about what you are prepared to put up with in the battle against
piracy. What it isn't about is having to put up with something because it is
necessary. It evidently isn't.

It may yet be revealed to be the case that not having such intrusive DRM
is necessary for a game to sell. That all depends on where people draw the line.

[JackAubrey]

Sorry if the Video has already been posted here.

I don't know if you have seen the Ubisoft DRM in Action.

The German Game Magazine "Gamestar" posted a Video on its Facebook Page to show how the DRM works in their Test Version of "Assassins Creed 2". The Network Cable gets unplugged while playing the game.

Basically, the game shuts down, prompts you to save and goes back to desktop.
For you non-germans:
The guy in the Video says at the end, that they cannot say if its really like that in the retail version, but they are fearing that it is. If you use a somewhat unstable WLAN connection, playing would be interrupted.


http://www.facebook.com/video/video....2900728&ref=mf

I also just read:

The victims of PC gaming DRM: one soldier's story

With companies like Ubisoft leading the way to a future where all PC games need to be in contact with their home servers all the time, one group is being particularly harmed by this movement: soldiers stationed in remote locations. Life on deployment is hard, psychologically demanding, and often lonely for soldiers missing their loved ones and families. Gaming is a popular pastime in American bases, but DRM can take that away.

This sort of DRM makes sense for a world where every device is always connected to some magically open and always-on Internet connection. That world is a very long way away, so by requiring an Internet connection at all times to play a game that isn't online itself is simply alienating an audience. This approach also represents a poor attempt to attack piracy by attacking people who want to pay you money for the game you've made impossible for them to play.

via Arstechnica.com

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by OakGroove

scrap "liking", insert "tolerating".

Thank you.

Originally Posted by Nordmann

It's funny really, I've seen such accusations levelled in a few threads over the past few weeks, but it isn't logical at all. DRM is a non issue to pirates, these scumbag individuals work their way round such "protection" within hours of the game's release!

We will see. And fixed.

[kylania]

You can't honestly believe this (any!) DRM will do anything about pirates? DRM has not, does not and will not do anything to stop true pirates.

At most it would be a minor inconvenience to a pirate, confuse for a day or two a scriptkidde yet completely and constantly punish a paying customer.