Ubisoft and DRM (Take 3)

[Rook]

Heather Leader: http://kotaku.com/5485359/ubisoft-making-emergency-changes-to-pc-drm

you happy bitches????


Ubisoft Making Emergency Changes To PC DRM

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/03/500x_pirateharlock.jpg

With Ubisoft's new digital rights management regime for the PC proving both easy to circumvent (http://kotaku.com/5485179/rumor-ubisofts-new-drm-scheme-already-torpedoed-by-pirates) and wildly unpopular (http://kotaku.com/5485179/rumor-ubisofts-new-drm-scheme-already-torpedoed-by-pirates), the publisher has been rushing to make changes to the system in an attempt to appease consumers.

Example: Assassin's Creed II isn't even out yet on PC, yet Ubisoft has already upgraded the game to v1.01, the main change awaiting purchasers of the game being the fact the game "can now be continued from the exact same point when connection is restored".

Previously, Ubisoft had said that should a player lose their internet connection - a requirement under the company's ridiculous new DRM scheme - their singleplayer, offline game would drop out, and upon reloading you'd be left at your last checkpoint, not the actual point where the game cut out on you.

It won't appease the furious masses, and nor should it, but at least it's an acknowledgement of how unpopular this whole thing has become.

[Assassin's Creed II, thanks Steve!]/

[Bodzilla]

WINGING AND COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SYSTEM NEVER DOES ANYTHING GUYS


DIDNT YOU KNOW, HOW ABOUT I TELL YOU YOUR ALL STUPID FOR COMPLAINING AND IT"S POINTLESS AND WHAT NOT.

GOOD THING I BOUGHT A GAME IN SPITE TO SHOW YOU GUYS JUST HOW WRONG YOU ARE


YOUR ALLL SUPA LOOSERS
GUYS IT"S JUST A VIDJEO GAME GO OUTSIDE
I HAVE LOTS OF FRIENDS
AND WOMEN I HAVE SEX WITH ALL THE TIME
BOOBS FEEL LIKE A BAG OF SAND.

[Kornman00]

What a bunch of fucking idiots

Makes me want to pirate.


I'm tempted to not even buy the new splinter cell when it comes out on Xbox. And SC has always been on my Top 5 games list.

[paladin]

GOOD THING I BOUGHT A GAME IN SPITE TO SHOW YOU GUYS JUST HOW WRONG YOU ARE


YOUR ALLL SUPA LOOSERS
GUYS IT"S JUST A VIDJEO GAME GO OUTSIDE
I HAVE LOTS OF FRIENDS
AND WOMEN I HAVE SEX WITH ALL THE TIME
BOOBS FEEL LIKE A BAG OF SAND.


This forum requires that you wait 60 seconds between reporting posts. Please try again in 39 seconds.
Im sure Ross will enjoy your company..

Thats all folks.

[jcap]

Heather Leader: http://kotaku.com/5485359/ubisoft-making-emergency-changes-to-pc-drm

you happy bitches????
Yes and no.

Yes, because Ubisoft realized one of their fuckups and has corrected it.

No, because they still aren't fixing the problem at the root.

Also, you don't need to update to version 1.01. The game has already been cracked.

[Pyong Kawaguchi]

This is our interpretation of Ubisoft.
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/4946/5231267701872847.gif

[jcap]

This is our interpretation of Ubisoft.
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/4946/5231267701872847.gif
You can also replace "Ubisoft" with "Pirates", and "Customer" with "Ubisoft" to get another interpretation of this whole drama.

[Pyong Kawaguchi]

True.

[StankBacon]

This is our interpretation of Ubisoft.
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/4946/5231267701872847.gif


http://bacon.modacity.net/img/images/hotlink.jpg

neat.

[Pyong Kawaguchi]

There was an image there, but it was downed.

[Kornman00]

needs re-upped. use mdoacity's image internalizer

[Cortexian]

Sure it's been cracked, no the crack doesn't actually work... It lets up play until you get in the Animus the first time (all of 2 minutes) and then the game locks up.

[CodeBrain]

BmyoV1bkXNI

One of Earthbound's Anti Piracy Measures.

:ohdear:

[Yoko]

That's what they should do for today's games, let you get all the way to the end, lock up then delete your saves. Guess they're afraid of the metric fuckton of emails coming in saying "ATTN MY VIDYA GAME BROKE UR GAME SUX FUK U GO STAPLE UR DICK TO A DOOR" from mad kids. Would weed out a few pirates until they figure a way around it that's for sure :v:

[jcap]

The game isn't even out in the US and...

http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4721051016/m/7481010838/p/1

(their site is under heavy fire right now, so it might not even load)

[Donut]

why are people wasting airplanes bombing tax buildings when they could be doing us some good and bombing ubisoft?

all kidding aside though, iv always loved ubisoft. since tonic trouble on the n64 through farcry 2 and assassins creed. the fact that they too are turning to DRM is disgusting, even as a console gamer.
how long until they find some shit similar to this to pull with consoles?

[=sw=warlord]

why are people wasting airplanes bombing tax buildings when they could be doing us some good and bombing ubisoft?

all kidding aside though, iv always loved ubisoft. since tonic trouble on the n64 through farcry 2 and assassins creed. the fact that they too are turning to DRM is disgusting, even as a console gamer.
how long until they find some shit similar to this to pull with consoles?
Too late.
XBL.

[Cortexian]

I've changed my stance on this game from "when I buy it I'm going to crack it due to this completely pointless DRM" to "if I buy it". Looks to me like it might just be simpler to pirate it all the way even though I'd rather support the developers of AC1...

[jcap]

Too late.
XBL.
Yeah, XBL has awful DRM that WILL screw everyone over if Microsoft pulls the same thing with the 360 that they are doing with the original Xbox.

I also have a brilliant DRM scheme in mind for consoles that could paralyze piracy, but do no harm to the consoles at all.

[flibitijibibo]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/98927-Ubisoft-DRM-Authentication-Servers-Go-Down

*Sigh*

[n00b1n8R]

BOOBS FEEL LIKE A BAG OF SAND.
Wow your gf is gross :v:


There was an image there, but it was downed.
l2 re-host :p


I also have a brilliant DRM scheme in mind for consoles that could paralyze piracy, but do no harm to the consoles at all.
Please share. :allears:

[jcap]

But then I can't patent it. :apple:

[flibitijibibo]

Found this in another AC2 DRM thread:
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/1367/1268032704371.gif

[Cortexian]

lmao, pretty much!

[Pyong Kawaguchi]

http://4gifs.com/gallery/d/148557-2/DRM_bus.gif

[Cortexian]

First one's better.

[paladin]

I still dont get how that guy didnt get hit

[n00b1n8R]

I still dont get how that guy didnt get hit
Looks like the pirates
were ninjas
:caruso:

[Jean-Luc]

Looks like the pirates
were ninjas
:caruso:
A for effort

Ubisoft's arrogance thus far continues to amaze me; they're servers have been attacked and have failed twice, yet they're STILL refusing to accept the idea that this DRM is goddamn idiotic.

[flibitijibibo]

No, fucking, way.

http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4721051016/m/7481010838/p/1

They emptied the thread without a real reply. Edit: Well, they moved it to "Game Launching Issues," which has nothing to do with the real problem.

What cocks.

Edit: Wow, even Game$pot called them out on their bullshit. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/assassinscreed2/review.html

[Cortexian]

At the rate a working crack is being developed (it's not), maybe Ubisoft will just man up and admit that their gigantic cunts with no brains and release a patch to ditch this DRM scheme all together... I doubt it though.

[jcap]

Edit: Wow, even Game$pot called them out on their bullshit. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/assassinscreed2/review.html
Sweet 7-10 scale they have there!

[Rook]

SecuROM developers: we don't want you to loose you're digital rights.

http://bacon.modacity.net/img/images/loose.jpg

[flibitijibibo]

Weekbump!

Pyong revealed to me this morning that EA removed SecuROM from the Steam version of Bad Company 2 entirely. Read that again. EA removed SecuROM, and from one of their huge games even.

Talk about a step in the right direction. If I had the money/interest/hardware, this would be in my library so fast...

2 things I'm wondering about now: 1. Will they keep it off on future games? 2. Will Ubisoft pull their heads out of their asses too?

Edit: Third thing: Will they remove it from their current games on Steam, too? It'd be really weird if they didn't...

[jcap]

I wonder why EA did that... Did they realize that if they make a good game, people will buy it? Or were there actually a lot of problems because of it? I just don't recall ever hearing about any complaints aside from the typical SecuROM activation stuff.

[Warsaw]

Maybe they realised that havign SecuROM on a Steam version of the game is redundant?

[=sw=warlord]

Maybe they realised that havign SecuROM on a Steam version of the game is redundant?
I've had issues myself, i am unsure if it's securom related or not but eitherway, i've not been able to play bad company 2 for longer than 5 minutes without my pc locking up entirely, audio still working but nothing else responds and this is the only game i've had this issue with.

[Warsaw]

You using the Steam version? Steam has been being a temperamental SoB recently for me. Alternatively, it might be something wrong with the actual game itself, not just any particular security scheme.

[=sw=warlord]

You using the Steam version? Steam has been being a temperamental SoB recently for me. Alternatively, it might be something wrong with the actual game itself, not just any particular security scheme.
Yeah i got it off steam.

[Bodzilla]

EA might be looking to capitalize on activision's massive loss of respect in the consumer market lately, by lowering the amount of bullshit that people have been outwardly complaining about.

[English Mobster]

Smart move by EA there. Ubisoft looks like a bunch of fuck-ups, and EA gets brownie points from the online community + doesn't really lose (I'm sorry, loose) too much due to the fact that Steam is DRM in itself.

[Bodzilla]

it doesn't loose anything.

[Warsaw]

EA Copies Ubisoft DRM scheme. (http://www.tomshardware.com/news/drm-copy-protection-command-conquer-c-c,9925.html)

Was too good to be true, it looks like.

[Jean-Luc]

EA Copies Ubisoft DRM scheme. (http://www.tomshardware.com/news/drm-copy-protection-command-conquer-c-c,9925.html)

Was too good to be true, it looks like.
If they do that shit to Mass Effect 3 somebody's getting hurt :|

[Kornman00]

It does appear that the internet connection is required to authenticate upon program launch, so it's possible that the game can continue being played even if the master server or your internet connection dies. We've contacted EA for clarification.
While possibly not as bad as Ubisoft's it's still a problem when you're connectionless (ie, road trips, military deployments, moving, etc)

[flibitijibibo]

If it weren't for the required Internet connection on startup, I'd actually say that's a perfectly good system. There's no benefits (once again), but at least it's not trying to jam a massive dick up everyone's ass.

Steam still wins, EA.

[Kornman00]

If there was no required internet connection on startup then the system wouldn't have any parts to it :s. unless that was sarcasm...

[Dwood]

Internet upon program's startup == bad. Any internet required to do ANYTHING but validate, imho, is ridiculous unless it's an mmo.

[flibitijibibo]

The lack of a system is a good system, right? You know, like that whole "no DRM" thing they're trying to sell it as? :downs:

Registering/validating should be enough. Steam Steam, lol.

[paladin]

Technically, steam needs an internet connection when you switch computers. It needs to connect at least once to gather your profile information. Basically, if you have steam and can download games via the internet, you should be able to connect initially... And registering/validating is not really enough. Its pretty easy to crack that.

[Dwood]

All devs should just give up making games if they think DRM will actually stop the users from pirating. The only way to combat the games is with the "Games as a Service policy" and even then, it's possible to play all those games without Steam running via clever hacks.

[flibitijibibo]

Yeah, it's pretty easy to crack, but how often does that demolish sales for Steam games? Even the piratefags at /v/ have at least SOME respect for Valve's system.

At that point, it's more about trust and respect rather than just "can I crack it! Yay, it's free!"

I may post an article I recently wrote on that very issue. It'll be in the blog if I can de-shit it.

[Inferno]

DRM is pointless.

There has never been, and there never will be a game that cannot be pirated.

[flibitijibibo]

http://www.gamerevolution.com/news/view.php?id=4752


Valve's popular PC digital distribution service Steam seems to have removed Ubisoft titles Assassin's Creed 2 and Silent Hunter V from its service in the UK. The first obvious reason for this would be because of Ubisoft's new strict DRM measures of both titles.

Assassin's Creed II was originally available for download right here, with Silent Hunter V could be snatched here. Both of these pages now now read "Sorry! An error was encountered while processing your request: This item is currently unavailable in your region."

A PC games industry insider commented: "It's the latest in the Ubisoft DRM blow-up. Steam doesn't want to lose its reputation for customer service, and these games have angered its user-base."

Thanks, CVG.

UPDATE: We have no confirmation from Ubisoft on this and Steam hasn't commented officially either. It's still not certain if these games are available via Steam in that particular region.

[Rook]

Maybe valve would do something smart and tell them to remove the DRMs or no steam service for them!!

[=sw=warlord]

Recently a patch was released which removes the necessity for some Ubisoft games to have an Internet connection to be played. Here (http://i.imgur.com/rGEWK.jpg) is a screenshot from Assassin's Creed 2 and another for Splinter Cell: Conviction showing the games being played with no connection.
You still require an Internet connection to authenticate when the game is booted.
Just thought I'd share this in case anyone was tossing up buying it.
(Just to be clear, previously under these circumstances the game would pause itself immediately).
Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/5721218/report-ubisoft-antipiracy-measure-no-longer-requires-always+on-net-connection) is also reporting on it, linking to pc gamer (http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/12/31/constant-net-connection-no-longer-required-for-ubisoft-games/) which links to the original post here. (http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/etjzl/you_no_longer_need_an_active_connection_to_play/)

[Pyong Kawaguchi]

Its true.

[Dwood]

Still need internet every time you start a/the game.