[CR6]

Another reason not to buy Ubi's PC games until they remove this silly always-online DRM. Ubi should be ashamed and embarassed about this.

http://www.gamespot....layable-6349732

Publisher's antipiracy scheme will prevent customers from playing some of its Mac and PC games for an undetermined period of time during server transition starting February 7.

Starting next week, a number of Ubisoft's legitimate PC customers will be unable to play their games because of problems with the titles' digital rights management (DRM) antipiracy schemes.

[Rocky]

So legitimate players are denied access to their paid for games, and not to be cynical (perhaps realistic) this undetermined amount of time could be time x 2 if it goes anything like the forum transition they did a few backs; it took twice as long as expected.

It makes you angry to core to think that pirates will be playing their stolen copies and legitimate players are denied access.

It is also frustrating to think that Ubi seem to think this is okay. I am sure they could have come up with a patch to allow legit players to keep playing during the transition. If they cared.

Games that will be unplayable during transition
Assassin's Creed--Mac
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2--PC
Might & Magic: Heroes VI--PC
Splinter Cell Conviction--Mac
The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom--PC
The Settlers--Mac

Full Official Details.

[CR6]

Well, I'd like to think we shouldn't complain without suggesting some reasonable solutions, so here's a good article for the folks at Ubi to read:

http://www.maximumpc...acy_without_drm
Seven Ways to Stop Piracy WITHOUT DRM

Hope Ubi pays attention to two points:
- Provide Higher Levels of Support & Quality Control
- Make an Effort to Actively Engage Your Community - not just when a new game launches, but for years down the road too

[Rocky]

In fairness, Ubisoft have been far more community aware recently and are engaging more than ever before, but news like this just sets all that good work back again.

[Parabellum]

Wow. For some reason, I was under the impression that Ubi had changed their DRM requirements, so that you only have to be online when you originally install/authorize the game. I was mistaken, clearly. This news obliterates what little chance there was for me to purchase GR:FS, to be honest. The game has been sounding a lot better as of late, but this kind of incompetent indifference on the part of Ubi makes me wonder why anyone buys their products.

[101459]

And just look at the collective issues that this will add to the 'new & improved' DRM slated to ship with GR:FS PC:

· when master servers are down; you won't be able to play
· if the authentication server is down; you won't be able to play
· when your Internet connection is down or spotty; you won't be able to play
· change hardware in your PC and your license will be revoked

There are certain to be enough other bugs and issues in the game itself that will make game-play a 'not happening' experience for more then enough paying Customers that just spent a lot of grocery money for a so called 'AAA' title. Add the rules and exceptions of Ubisoft's DRM scheme, bugs and issues in server and portal code, 'scheduled maintenance', DRM bugs, and it looks to me like: 1) Ubisoft have given themselves an 'indefinite window' on downtime with a multitude of excuses and exceptions that could make the game unavailable for play on your PC more then it's available (they warrant nothing after all), 2) Ubisoft is virtually pushing Customers away from buying PC versions of their games.

This breaks so many cardinal rules of sound business practice just in terms of making money it's appalling; that virtually every other successful Publisher has given up on this approach and is vastly more successful then Ubisoft for having done so would you'd think have been heard somewhere by someone at Ubisoft with executive authority and even a marginal common sense and accountability. If there were a way for Ubisoft to treat their console Customers like this, and they'd gone through with it; the company be of business in a heart beat.

Edited by 101459, 07 February 2012 - 08:02 AM.

[Blame]

Im fine as long as the game is coming out "THIS YEAR".

[101459]

Im fine as long as the game is coming out "THIS YEAR".

Will you be as 'fine' if the game won't start on your PC and then takes a dozen hours on the phone with Ubisoft support, and waiting an additional month or two for a patch that gets the game working on your PC? What if after all that you have a RAM module crap out and the DRM locks you out permanently from playing the game? Of course you call Ubisoft and they apologize that you're 'only allowed to play the game on one PC according to the license you accepted' -- you in turn explain it's the same PC but you had to replace a RAM module, they'll repeat their apology, explain there is nothing they can do and ask if there is anything else they can help you with... Will that be just 'fine' too? Maybe you love the game so much, you buy another copy, but, whamo, 'scheduled maintenance' and 'outages' that for the next month only allow you to play for two hours during the hours you can actually sit in front of a PC and game... Will that be 'fine' sir?

Edited by 101459, 07 February 2012 - 08:14 AM.

[Zeealex]

I would have thought that just keeping track of what pirate sites the games go on would be sufficient and then contact the member that uploaded it and then kindly ask them why they pirate games, so they can get an idea and feed it back into the community, bringing this around engaging more with the community part of the article CR6 posted.

Didn't they try a sort of serious sam deterrent with a Micheal Jackson NDS game? read about it a while ago, i wonder how that fared?

I bet you any money, Ubisoft will do barely anything in the community to compensate for PC gamers not being able to play their Ubi games for that space of time.

What happened to just typing in the code and leaving the game to install please? They don't realise with these ridiculous DRMs more people are going to "pirate" the game because they needed to fix their PC or their ISP has gone down temporarily, they don't want to be copping the numerous hours on the phone stressing over getting it patched up only to find the support section wont do anything. so they crack it. they don't realise their plans are flawed. the person who designs these DRMs needs to open their eyes to see the punishment they are inflicting on legit customers

anyhow that's my take, sorry if it's seen as a rant, it wasn't intended to be.

[101459]

Consumer piracy really isn't the issue; virtually every study corroborates that that any End User taking the risks of stealing copyright media is unlikely for whatever reason (too poor, lack of interest, obsessive compulsive downloading, whatever) to buy the product regardless of whether it's accessible for theft online.

The real piracy issue comes from third world and developing country black market mass production; where they're not only able to 'clone' a game, it's packaging and what have you, but are connected with distribution and get their wares into the retail channels by hook and crook completely subverting real sales.

While the numbers of 'pirate' downloads may appear high, it's fraught with the same issues as SEO, and at the bottom of it the people that actually are stealing games successfully only get access to single-player; and if they like them they end up buying anyway.

I'm in no way condoning piracy, but when it comes to 'AAA' titles and Consumer piracy, it's trivial. The favorite game here offers an excellent example; Ghost Recon was 'warzed' the day it hit store shelves (actually before in some markets), but went on to sell over eleven million units, heck I bought the game four times because I liked some of the fancy packaging it had in some markets and wanted easy access on Steam.

It's difficult to feature why Ubisoft doesn't buy or partner with Impulse or Desura, or pay Digital River like EA has to build 'Origin', to create Ubisoft's own Steam/Apple Store clone and put the DRM issue to bed once and for all... These onerous DRM schemes are a toxic approach that does more harm then good, creates more problems then it solves and has infrastructure costs that almost rival building your own digital store front with none of the benefits.

What a company...

Edited by 101459, 07 February 2012 - 12:28 PM.

[Blame]

Im fine as long as the game is coming out "THIS YEAR".

Will you be as 'fine' if the game won't start on your PC and then takes a dozen hours on the phone with Ubisoft support, and waiting an additional month or two for a patch that gets the game working on your PC? What if after all that you have a RAM module crap out and the DRM locks you out permanently from playing the game? Of course you call Ubisoft and they apologize that you're 'only allowed to play the game on one PC according to the license you accepted' -- you in turn explain it's the same PC but you had to replace a RAM module, they'll repeat their apology, explain there is nothing they can do and ask if there is anything else they can help you with... Will that be just 'fine' too? Maybe you love the game so much, you buy another copy, but, whamo, 'scheduled maintenance' and 'outages' that for the next month only allow you to play for two hours during the hours you can actually sit in front of a PC and game... Will that be 'fine' sir?

Nowadays we can sue for scam :3

[101459]

Nowadays we can sue for scam :3

That's all well and fine, but most law suits end up as small claims that accomplish nothing for the Consumer in most countries but a refund (at best), which is fine I suppose if that sort of either/or alternative satisfies you.

I'd much rather see Ubisoft have an accountable dialog with its Customers, and behave in a more responsible manner; even if mediated via someone like Rocky where serious questions can be asked rather then the typical pre-approved press list of questions your allowed to ask that are variations of:

· So tell us what we are supposed to be thinking and excited about in your 'New Game'!
· Tell us way the new 'always fail' DRM where we can't play the games we pay for is such an exciting revolution!

And so on... Games are not movies, they're not passive entertainment; they're interactive (or should be), and I can't be the only one that finds the growing gulf between Developer, Publisher and Audience perception in big 'AAA' gaming is reaching some very disturbing limits; and abusing the trust of paying Customers is going too far.

Edited by 101459, 08 February 2012 - 12:37 PM.

[Blame]

Refund is okay till the game is finally patched.

[Tinker]

Ubisoft apologises after online server switch snafu

Enough said.

[Rocky]

Ubisoft apologises after online server switch snafu

Enough said.

Unbelievable.