Ubisoft Masterserver down? (merged)

[Echo76]

Seems like *** tech support

[danurve]

Originally Posted by Faamecanic

...

No thanks Looks like I will keep playing SH 3 GWX (being as SH4 STILL sux).

Have to disagree with you there, on SHIV.
Recently bought IV through here and gave the fleet boats a spin. Have to say with TMO or RFB & RSRD IV seems like a decent game. No, it doesn't play like III but there are a few similarities, I expected that.
Point is that may be that last PC game from Ubisoft I buy.

Which leads me to this; as I hold a mere 50$ under Ubi's nose I still have hope that perhaps by the close of hunting season this autum, a patch will emerge, And I would like to thank everyone here, for one of the most entertaining threads I have every gone through.

[Gilbou]

Originally Posted by Bilge_Rat

no, I am right.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_license

Jwilliams, good find on the Blizzard case. I was looking for it, but did not remember the name. Here is the link to the decision. This case is the one that has the most application to the Ubisoft situation right now, although EULA caselaw is still evolving.

http://homepages.law.asu.edu/~dkarjala/cyberlaw/BlizzardVGateway(EDMo2004).htm

He is.

In Europe, European law goes OVER each countries law.

That is why from time to time, people go to court in their country.
They lose. They appeal. They lose.
They go to the European court : they win.
Not only the law decisions made in the countries ARE cancelled
and void, but very often the European council makes it mandatory
for the concerned country to CHANGE their law in order to respect
European law which is placed OVER each countrie's ones.

In Europe, a EULA that does not have your signature on paper
or in electronic form (using European-certified asymetric cryptography
signatures like PGP, GnuPG and validated PKI/Crypto/Signing software
like all those respecting OpenPGP) can kiss your ass.

A contract to be valid requires clear and explecit recognition of
terms of the contract. Which means : signature.
Signature on contract, or in electronic form.

In Europe, software EULAs have no force unless when you attack
them in justice they can either produce a signed copy from your
hand of the EULA, or your digital signature on an electronic
form of the EULA.

If your country says otherwise, attack. Appeal.
Move it to European courts, get it broken and see with delight
your coutry law makers shut the **** up, change their law
and go back to their houses their dicks between their legs.

[Gilbou]

Originally Posted by msxyz

Why software should be treated differently from other intellectual properties is beyond me and, probably, common sense as well.

Nobody would dispute that, if I buy a book, I don't own the rights to the written content. I own the support and I am entitled to use it in any way I deem fitting, includind reselling it when I no longer need it.

The same rights should apply to software.

Yet the industry is trying (and the DRM is part of this effort) to limit our freedoms.

If I no longer have need of a certain software I should be able to pass it to another person of my choice. While I don't own a piece of software in the same way I don't own the songs on a CD or the contents of a book, I DO own the support. Preventing other people of my choice to use it (either for free or after some sort mutual agreement) it's lesive of my rights.

the answer is quite simple in fact

Because of the digital nature of software

If I make a copy of a software you do own, the original is not lost

It means that anything that is digital can be "Taken" by anyone,
without removing the original which is not possible in the non-digital
world.

If I take your book, you no longer have it.
If I make a copy of something that is digital, not only do I get
an exact copy, but you still own and have your own copy.

This is absolutely fundamental in understanding it.

The copyright law law and trademark law (there is no such thing
as intellectual property for the law. Ony copying rights, licenses
to use and trademarks) has to be adapted because the digital
world is very different of the real world because of this.

In this digital world, you cannot create nor organize rarity
in order to raise and/or control price.

[Captain von Keldunk]

Failed to connect to the Ubisoft master servers Finnland/helsinki

[Hayate Yagami]

I could not connect the server now. Disappointed...

[fufubar]

Well there we go again: I have been kicked out right now, "can´t connect to the master servers". Germany 5:05 pm

[Fishu]

Yay, I love it when I can't play an offline campaign while a server in teh internets is down. Let alone the game blaming it on me, hooray!

I debated for a long time whether to buy it or not since I KNEW these problems MUST exist. Problems indeed do exist and regardless of being right, which usually cheers me up, I'm pissed off at myself.

Remind me to invest points in willpower the next time I level up.

[BigBANGtheory]

Originally Posted by RSColonel_131st

...you can't return the game anymore since the shops do not accept returns on opened software.

Shops have a policy of 'do not accept returns on opened software' for obvious reasons, however a shops policy does not effect your consumer rights (which is dependent on where you live of course).

To put it bluntly if you take an opened game back to a store the manager will (unless instructed by their head office) not budge an inch. What you need to do is write a letter to the retailer's head office explaining that you wish to return the game for the following reasons with proof of purchase in return for a full refund and their failure to act on this within 28days is a breach of your consumer rights.

In the UK this is called:
Sale and Supply of Goods Act 1994

I speak from personal experience, in my case I returned a retail version of Crysis cos the DRM system stopped the game working with my DVD drive. I got the usual sh*t from the store manager but 2 weeks later after writing them a letter explaining how they breached my consumer rights not only did I get a full refund I additionally got vouchers totalling the value of the game.

Most people do not understand their consumer rights and are taken advantage of. Now you know different, exercise your rights if you feel its the correct course of action for you.

[Arclight]

Originally Posted by Fishu

Remind me to invest points in willpower the next time I level up.

Don't forget about leveling wisdom as well, or you end up strongly convinced and steadfast on the wrong side of the fence.

[RSColonel_131st]

Originally Posted by jwilliams

DRM does have such a legal backing :-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_management

And EULA's have won a few legal cases. Here's one example (Davidson & Associates are the lawyers for BLIZZARD (world of warcraft)) :-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine

So as you can see, EULA's do have legal backing.

Okay, so if I don't agree with the EULA but I had to open the box in order to see it, what do you recommend (same question for Bilge Rat)? Can you tell Amazon they have to take returns on opened software from me? You might get away with it in a store, but try writing to Amazon - someone here did with SH5, and failed.

BigBang, if you can prove that the product doesn't work, that may be one thing, but if you simple do not agree with certain clauses in the EULA? What do you do then?

Look, it's really simple: You can't redefine or change contract terms AFTER the sale is made final. If by opening the box and reading the EULA the sale is made final (i.e., your retailer will not accept opened software) then the EULA can not be legally binding, otherwise it would equal a contractual term FORCED on your as customer with no way out.

But that's besides the point, which is: Do you really want a company to have the right and sell a defective product with no legal recourse for the customer?

[Fishu]

Originally Posted by Arclight

Don't forget about leveling wisdom as well, or you end up strongly convinced and steadfast on the wrong side of the fence.

My wisdom is great, but the willpower needed to resist temptation is weak.

[Arclight]

Same problem, not refering to SH5 btw, but all other purchases.

Seems to be working again.

[Fishu]

Mine is just as dead as before. And to think about it, I just spent 2,5 hours installing a new GFX card and power supply, which of the power supply took 2,4 hours (basically rebuilt the computer just to be able to swap the PSU). After all that I want to just relax with the campaign, is that too much to ask?

[Rickster1]

Here in uk at 16-45 no internet connection !! but I am connected to be able to write this !!