Ubisoft - no net connection, no game. Options

[Winstons]

Just read that all future Ubisoft games will require a net connection to play at all - and if your net goes down, or their servers go down, your game crashes and cannot be played again until connection is restored. I'd sum it up more but these articles do that pretty well for me.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=235290

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=235596

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=232888

[Zarf]

Cloud based save games are pretty cool, but getting dropped from the game if your net connection goes down is ridiculous and pointless. It's a terrible, terrible idea that will be scrapped as soon as the pirate version that bypasses it comes out.

[H. Dawg]

Pure dogshit.

[Sandrock]

Interesting. I wouldn't mind if the games would be a lot cheaper + a digital version which is cheaper as well

[Skeppers]

Doesnt Steam work like that, I know when I switched broadband provider, i couldnt play any game through Steam as internet was down for a couple of hours

[haslo]

Doesnt Steam work like that, I know when I switched broadband provider, i couldnt play any game through Steam as internet was down for a couple of hours

Steam can be switched to offline mode (in the File menu), most games will still start with that. Even that LIVE crap from Microsoft has offline profiles IIRC.

To be honest, I waited for something like this. With the high subscriber numbers of MMOs, obviously at least for online games (!), the requirement for being online and connected to the server all the time also for piracy reasons is widely accepted, think Warden (which should not be news to you if you play WoW). Meanwhile, online activation for offline games is practiced widely and quite widely accepted as well, unlike back when it was first introduced (HL) when it caused an outcry, or when it was first widely used (around Bioshock) when it caused another outcry. Having to be permanently online is only the next logical step.

Not that this would really work against piracy when it comes to offline games though. Since no server connection is required at all, it's just another small hoop crackers have to go through, and no change at all for pirates. On the other hand, it is a big change for legitimate customers. Yet again, legitimate customers are punished for piracy.

Interesting. I wouldn't mind if the games would be a lot cheaper + a digital version which is cheaper as well

I agree. Unfortunately, often a game's digital version costs just as much as the boxed version - as far as I see, it's lobbyist politics that are to blame. I still prefer downloads though - no disc to scratch or lose, no disc juggling when switching games, no searching in the attic for that last disc for the game that I know I have somewhere.

Plus, games here in Switzerland cost like 30% more than everywhere else, and the Steam prices were normalized for Europe only. So while I don't save as much as I did back when they had US prices (which are cheaper than EU prices), I still save because the EU prices I pay are lower than the Swiss retail prices.

[Ramuel]

What I find is the biggest fail is that it means the people playing pirated versions will have a better gaming experience than those playing the real versions, as they won't have any of the game deaths.

It just seems again that they are penalising games buyers rather than games piraters because they are much easier to police.

As for the cost of games issue, I think games (especially PC games) are generally very good value for money. Games rarely sit at their RRP for long and even at full price they offer a very good cost:entertainment time ratio, when compared to movies for example. It's a bit of a flawed comparison ofc, what annoys me slightly is that games have an RRP but they in no way offer the same level of value. I recently bought Fallout3, DiRT, Dragon Age and GTA4 for PC, and they offer wildly varying playtimes and quality, despite identical initial pricetags.

[Zarf]

I agree. Unfortunately, often a game's digital version costs just as much as the boxed version - as far as I see, it's lobbyist politics that are to blame. I still prefer downloads though - no disc to scratch or lose, no disc juggling when switching games, no searching in the attic for that last disc for the game that I know I have somewhere.

I'm not sure that it's lobbying at all, Steam and co have worked out that people are more than willing to pay EXTRA for the convenience of a download/steam integration even though it isn't "fair" - Their costs go down and downloaded games have no resale value.

Not that this would really work against piracy when it comes to offline games though. Since no server connection is required at all, it's just another small hoop crackers have to go through, and no change at all for pirates. On the other hand, it is a big change for legitimate customers. Yet again, legitimate customers are punished for piracy.

Nah, I don't think this is really bout piracy at all, they know as well as we do that any measures they take for a single player game will be bypassed. Personally I think that if the fuss over it dies down they will use it to insert ads in the games, not to mention all the usage pattern data they can pull from your playing habits. Saying it's about piracy is just a way for them to attempt to justify putting the system in place.

This post has been edited by Zarf: Feb 19 2010, 07:02 PM

[Sandrock]

What I find is the biggest fail is that it means the people playing pirated versions will have a better gaming experience than those playing the real versions, as they won't have any of the game deaths.

It just seems again that they are penalising games buyers rather than games piraters because they are much easier to police.

As for the cost of games issue, I think games (especially PC games) are generally very good value for money. Games rarely sit at their RRP for long and even at full price they offer a very good cost:entertainment time ratio, when compared to movies for example. It's a bit of a flawed comparison ofc, what annoys me slightly is that games have an RRP but they in no way offer the same level of value. I recently bought Fallout3, DiRT, Dragon Age and GTA4 for PC, and they offer wildly varying playtimes and quality, despite identical initial pricetags.

I disagree, a good movie has a lot more rewatchability and is a lot cheaper. A LOT of games are 1 or 2 days worth of gaming and then you're done with it and probably won't play it again. ever. (Exceptions not included). It's also a lot easier to judge a good movie from a bad movie than judge a good game from a bad game, and there aren't always demos available either.

Modern Warfare 2 is an awesome game, but I only played it for a day and was done with Singleplayer. I would NEVER. EVER. pay 60 euro for that. Ever.

[Winstons]

What I find is the biggest fail is that it means the people playing pirated versions will have a better gaming experience than those playing the real versions, as they won't have any of the game deaths.

It just seems again that they are penalising games buyers rather than games piraters because they are much easier to police.

I think the major problem for publishers is that there IS no effective way to police piracy. Hardcore and tech savvy pirates will always exist. The most that can be done is sort of sorched-earth tactic of making things as difficult as possible for what I think of as the "low-tech" pirate user, the casual gamer who would be put off at complicated piracy or the (perhaps percieved) threat of legal action.

Smart teenagers and 20-somethings won't be deterred by these measures but I postulate that the publishers are trying to claw back as much of the pirated market as they think they can by targetting these low-tech pirates. One of the articles I linked even had Ubisoft admit that they had drawn up a provsional timescale for long they thought it would take pirates to crack their games and get around the on-line restriction.

[Winstons]

Modern Warfare 2 is an awesome game, but I only played it for a day and was done with Singleplayer. I would NEVER. EVER. pay 60 euro for that. Ever.

To play devils advocate, you got a days fun out of a very high value production piece of entertainment (way better than some movies) - a movie last about 2 hours, you played MW2 for about a day - people pay a lot more money for a lot less entertainment in other walks of life - from sports matches to theatre shows. Just a point to ponder.

[Sandrock]

I think the major problem for publishers is that there IS no effective way to police piracy. Hardcore and tech savvy pirates will always exist. The most that can be done is sort of sorched-earth tactic of making things as difficult as possible for what I think of as the "low-tech" pirate user, the casual gamer who would be put off at complicated piracy or the (perhaps percieved) threat of legal action.

Smart teenagers and 20-somethings won't be deterred by these measures but I postulate that the publishers are trying to claw back as much of the pirated market as they think they can by targetting these low-tech pirates. One of the articles I linked even had Ubisoft admit that they had drawn up a provsional timescale for long they thought it would take pirates to crack their games and get around the on-line restriction.

Im curious how much money a company could make by removing all piracy protection (but not making pirating legal) yet put a 'donate' button or their site. On several occasions I pirated a game and thought it was a donation. Like Modern Warfare 2. I think 60 euro is a total rip off beyond any reason. But I would've donated some muneiz if it was a possibility. I think instead of making it harder to pirate making it easier to obtain the game and actually trying to make money off the current pirating population could turn out more profitable.

To play devils advocate, you got a days fun out of a very high value production piece of entertainment (way better than some movies) - a movie last about 2 hours, you played MW2 for about a day - people pay a lot more money for a lot less entertainment in other walks of life - from sports matches to theatre shows. Just a point to ponder.

I think going to theater for tons of money is silly as well, if you do it a lot. I go to a musical like maybe once a year. If I'd buy 10 games at that price I could've bought a new PC instead..

MMOs are good value for money. Single player games are often just rip offs. I'd rent them for a day if I could, like with movies.

This post has been edited by Gnomey: Feb 19 2010, 07:12 PM

[H. Dawg]

Like Modern Warfare 2. I think 60 euro is a total rip off beyond any reason. But I would've donated some muneiz if it was a possibility. I think instead of making it harder to pirate making it easier to obtain the game and actually trying to make money off the current pirating population could turn out more profitable.

I totally agree with this, and think it would work. No company has got the balls to try it though.

Even if they said 'here is the game. Pay a minimum of 5 euros for it.. Pay more if you think it's worth it, it's up to you.'

[Winstons]

I totally agree with this, and think it would work. No company has got the balls to try it though.

Even if they said 'here is the game. Pay a minimum of 5 euros for it.. Pay more if you think it's worth it, it's up to you.'

I remember Radiohead doing this with one of their latest albums, they offered it as a free download asking people to pay whatever they thought it was worth.

I'll do some digging and find some more info about that.

[Skeppers]

I remember Radiohead doing this with one of their latest albums, they offered it as a free download asking people to pay whatever they thought it was worth.

I'll do some digging and find some more info about that.

Same with the football manager 2010 game....dunno what it was called exactly, but for a limited time you could pay what you wanted, might have even been after a preview of the demo. And Winstons, Radiohead did do that with that album release

Oh and cheers Haslo for the offline tip for Steam......didnt know it was there

This post has been edited by Grolschie: Feb 19 2010, 07:37 PM

[Zarf]

To play devils advocate, you got a days fun out of a very high value production piece of entertainment (way better than some movies) - a movie last about 2 hours, you played MW2 for about a day - people pay a lot more money for a lot less entertainment in other walks of life - from sports matches to theatre shows. Just a point to ponder.

As a society, our whole perception of value for diffent items is screwed up - you can pick up a book that'll give you a weeks worth of quality entertainment for less than the price of a coffee + muffin at starbucks.

I think eventually games will all move onto a subscription style service, you pay a monthly fee and can play any games you want, then your subscription gets parcelled out to developers depending on what you spent your time on.
The system being used by Flattr might even be better - http://flattr.com/beta/ that way devs get paid based on how much you enjoyed things so the system doesn't discriminate against short, high production value titles like Modern Warfare.

This post has been edited by Zarf: Feb 19 2010, 09:05 PM

[Winstons]

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/2/19/

[Zarf]

I'm sure it'll come as a great surprise to everyone that the copy protection is already cracked.

This post has been edited by Zarf: Mar 4 2010, 08:37 PM

[H. Dawg]

I'm sure it'll come as a great surprise to everyone that the copy protection is already cracked.

Hahahaha. Sweet.

[Delling]

Last time I'm buying a game with this type of DRM on it.
Now all of the sudden it's bitching that my Login is incorrect.... while I was already playing it this weekend ?