UbiSoft Online Controversy

Kristo · Unread postby **Kristo** » 25 Feb 2010, 20:01

I don't think this will work in the sense that it won't turn would-be pirates into paying customers. Honest users don't need any help being honest and the pirates will just wait until someone cracks the connection requirement.

The guy on the Steam forum is right in the sense that if people actually started paying for the games they played, maybe we would get better games.

astral76minor · Unread postby **astral76minor** » 25 Feb 2010, 22:28

Well I bought all three H5 games. Tried the Ubisoft server, and lost many saved games. So I resorted to Hamachi to play online through the LAN connection for H5. Always include a LAN function with Heroes or else the game is worthless to me.

Loyalty for buying H5 has proven us wrong again. I really don't know if it is so much the pirates. Maybe it is Ubi finding anyway to get a dime.

They will soon lose more sales since they ignored the veteran players. It may be time to protest.

Corelanis · Unread postby **Corelanis** » 26 Feb 2010, 14:58

I agree with Kalah in full. But ill go a step further and say I dont think this new policy has anything to do with piracy it wont work the people at ubisoft are greedy not stupid so they know it wont work. So then what does it gain them heres my paranoid theory part 1 by being constantly online they can change any in game ads based on what they are selling now as opposed to what they are selling when they made it (someone here said this already forgot who) part 2 its likely that the stockholders and such in ubisoft have stock elsewhere in communications companies perhaps think about it. Part 3 They will stalk you anywhere you go they will know they are always watching by doing they get useful information for later involving which ads to show each person.

They are likely putting there hopes in the fact a lot of people who boycott these kinds of thing will buy them anyway and after a year or two of this being an industry standard we get used to it and stop complaining, can anyone say product registration or paying for DLC 2 days after the game is released at one point these were horrible atrocities now they are the industry standard. So I wont say anything like "I wont ever buy another ubisoft game if they do this" cuse I dont know maybe in a year I wont care. And that my friends is the sad part.

Metathron · Unread postby **Metathron** » 26 Feb 2010, 16:43

@corelanis: Perhaps you're being paranoid and perhaps not. I wouldn't put such behaviour past big companies. Perhaps just another stepping stone towards the New World Order.

Anyhow, I've just been reading the other day about supposedly sinister agendas slowly creeping into pop music. If there's any truth to that, then it's not at all far fetched to imagine similar agendas being pushed on games as well.

klaymen · Unread postby **klaymen** » 26 Feb 2010, 18:31

Kristo wrote:I don't think this will work in the sense that it won't turn would-be pirates into paying customers. Honest users don't need any help being honest and the pirates will just wait until someone cracks the connection requirement.

I agree. It is quite sad, that legitimate customers have to jump through additional hoops, while the pirates avoid it with ease.

Kristo wrote:The guy on the Steam forum is right in the sense that if people actually started paying for the games they played, maybe we would get better games.

Many people would rather not pay at all (or play something what they can pirate).
Oh and that "maybe we would get better games" is well said. Seeing that we are getting console ports shoved down our throats instead of proper PC versions...
The claims that developers go to consoles because of PC piracy is utter BS. For example pirating xbox360 games is not hard. Developers move to consoles because consoletards will gladly buy almost any DLC crap they offer (and console games are more expensive in general, at least here). So it is not about "getting less from PC platform", it is about "milking those who want to be milked to death".

Infiltrator · Unread postby **Infiltrator** » 26 Feb 2010, 22:01

I won't buy a single Ubi game from now on. I may play some of them though.

Ubisoft has just unlocked a new achievement: Kill off customer base.

Grats.

Kristo · Unread postby **Kristo** » 26 Feb 2010, 22:08

Infiltrator wrote:I won't buy a single Ubi game from now on. I may play some of them though.

In that case, I have to point you here.

jeff · Unread postby **jeff** » 27 Feb 2010, 00:13

Corelanis wrote: So I wont say anything like "I wont ever buy another ubisoft game if they do this" cuse I dont know maybe in a year I wont care. And that my friends is the sad part.

Everyone knows themself the best, and for you you may decide it is ok at some point. But have no doubt there are many of us that will not ever buy any game that requires a continual connection. There are online game where this is necessary, but I don't play those. If this becomes the norm, then my game playing days are numbered.

Kalah · Unread postby **Kalah** » 27 Feb 2010, 00:24

Tycho keeps making me giggle.

"Pirates collaborated at a deep level with Ubisoft on this thing, in the way that Doctors 'collaborated' with microorganisms to create resistant strains of bacteria. It's evolution. (...) One side claims that piracy has no effect on the industry, and the other claims that piracy results in an annual loss, adjusted for inflation, of infinity dollars."

jigsaw2008 · Unread postby **jigsaw2008** » 27 Feb 2010, 12:32

I definitely disagree with this policy. Not all people have internet connection. So they not only buy the product but they are obliged to pay internet connection to play the game. Besides many funs of this game like to play this game alone vs computer and so they are opposed to this statement.

ThunderTitan · Unread postby **ThunderTitan** » 27 Feb 2010, 13:30

Kalah wrote: "Pirates collaborated at a deep level with Ubisoft on this thing, in the way that Doctors 'collaborated' with microorganisms to create resistant strains of bacteria. It's evolution.

Except that there's no actual resistance, just treatments that only hurt the sufferer, blood-letting like...

jeff · Unread postby **jeff** » 27 Feb 2010, 14:50

ThunderTitan wrote:
Kalah wrote: "Pirates collaborated at a deep level with Ubisoft on this thing, in the way that Doctors 'collaborated' with microorganisms to create resistant strains of bacteria. It's evolution.
Except that there's no actual resistance, just treatments that only hurt the sufferer, blood-letting like...

What science classes have you taken, antibiotic resistant strains are more common than not, in fact some diseases are now resistant/immune to all but a couple of expensive antibiotics.

Back to the topic, I have never used pirated software (except as a pre-buy trial before the now common free trial downloads) and have paid for every program that I use. I have installed software on multiple computers, but as I am the only one that uses my computers (I am divorced and empty-nest) so I can only use one copy at a time. I have made copies using Alcohol 120 for archive purposes, which is or should be my right. Having said all of that, if this policy becomes the norm and in the very unlikely event UBI makes a game I want; then I will wait for a verified pirate patch that removes the need for a constant connect before I buy it and I will download that patch prior to buying the title. So move one ‘honest’ gamer to the less than honest column. Well done UBI, I guess I will then explore the dark side of the force.

Kristo · Unread postby **Kristo** » 27 Feb 2010, 19:19

Hey, at least you still want to pay for it. After Ubisoft gets their $$$ from you they shouldn't giveth a crap if you rearrange the 1's and 0's on YOUR computer to let you play without an Internet connection.

Minnakht · Unread postby **Minnakht** » 27 Feb 2010, 20:09

I am Valve fanboy and Valve made Steam.

And I have no problems with my wireless internet connection on a laptop. And if you don't like the internet and play H3, then I can see what is wrong - you're stuck in the past. And this is bad for anything.

jeff · Unread postby **jeff** » 27 Feb 2010, 21:09

Kristo wrote:Hey, at least you still want to pay for it. After Ubisoft gets their $$$ from you they shouldn't giveth a crap if you rearrange the 1's and 0's on YOUR computer to let you play without an Internet connection.

You make the giant assumption that UBI is going to make a game I want; I am very pessimistic on that point. So it is safe to assume they have seen the last on my money.

Minnakht wrote: And I have no problems with my wireless internet connection on a laptop. And if you don't like the internet and play H3, then I can see what is wrong - you're stuck in the past. And this is bad for anything.

Many of us play games when the internet is not available, as mentioned earlier like when traveling, many others still live in areas with poor and/or unreliable internet service. That is not stuck in the past that is facing reality.

klaymen · Unread postby **klaymen** » 28 Feb 2010, 12:19

Minnakht wrote:I am Valve fanboy and Valve made Steam.

And I have no problems with my wireless internet connection on a laptop. And if you don't like the internet and play H3, then I can see what is wrong - you're stuck in the past. And this is bad for anything.

As jeff has mentioned, while traveling it can be tricky. Also there are parts of the world, where broadband internet is not common (= pirated version would be better solution for such people).

Not to forget why the hell do they force you to be online for singleplayer game? Since you have declared your fanboyism, you probably know, that Steam has at least online mode (though it doesn't work for some people, but for me it still works fine) and if you don't play some online MP game (such as L4D, or some MMORPG) when your connection drops, you are not screwed.
It is not about "being stuck in the past", it is about legitimate customers having more problems than the pirates, "just because Ubifail wants to make sure you aren't a pirate". The pirates just crack it and.....where is the glorious DRM gone?

Pitsu · Unread postby **Pitsu** » 28 Feb 2010, 16:20

Minnakht wrote: And if you don't like the internet and play H3, then I can see what is wrong - you're stuck in the past. And this is bad for anything.

It is bad to prefer Rembrandt to Piero Manzoni? IMO there is nothing wrong with loving some classics. What is wrong, however, is to waste your life on consuming every product that the modern industry can produce without actually needing them and without paying any attention to the consequences.

EDIT.
I cannot say that i will stop buying Ubi products, since AFAIK i haven't even started it (got H5 free for beta testing). I hardly need a new gaming experience more often than once or twice a year, and even then the game does not have to be the newest release. Rather something older, which has good reviews, runs well on my comp and is most likely to give positive entertainment. I do have net connection pretty much always when i want to play, but, nevertheless, i am planning to avoid anything that forces me to stay online or stand on one foot when there is no real reason for that.

Roman · Unread postby **Roman** » 28 Feb 2010, 18:18

"And if you don't like the internet and play H3, then I can see what is wrong - you're stuck in the past. And this is bad for anything. "

Well, I guess you will be stuck in the future when Ubisoft pulls something like this on you:

http://www.ea.com/2/service-updates

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/02 ... t-servers/

I won't fall for it. Ubisoft will close down its servers sooner or later leaving all those who have purchased Ubisoft games unable to play them, or at the very least, assuming they actually patch out the DDRM then, unable to play multiplayer. I will not support this Ubisoft approach with my money.

ywhtptgtfo · Unread postby **ywhtptgtfo** » 01 Mar 2010, 08:20

jeff wrote:
ThunderTitan wrote:
Kalah wrote: "Pirates collaborated at a deep level with Ubisoft on this thing, in the way that Doctors 'collaborated' with microorganisms to create resistant strains of bacteria. It's evolution.
Except that there's no actual resistance, just treatments that only hurt the sufferer, blood-letting like...
What science classes have you taken, antibiotic resistant strains are more common than not, in fact some diseases are now resistant/immune to all but a couple of expensive antibiotics.

TT's point was that if piracy is a bacteria, then Ubisoft's solution is not an useful antibiotic treatment.

Back to the topic, I have never used pirated software (except as a pre-buy trial before the now common free trial downloads) and have paid for every program that I use. I have installed software on multiple computers, but as I am the only one that uses my computers (I am divorced and empty-nest) so I can only use one copy at a time. I have made copies using Alcohol 120 for archive purposes, which is or should be my right. Having said all of that, if this policy becomes the norm and in the very unlikely event UBI makes a game I want; then I will wait for a verified pirate patch that removes the need for a constant connect before I buy it and I will download that patch prior to buying the title. So move one ‘honest’ gamer to the less than honest column. Well done UBI, I guess I will then explore the dark side of the force.

Not everyone is like you jeff. I get laughed at by my co-workers for not torrenting games.

ThunderTitan · Unread postby **ThunderTitan** » 01 Mar 2010, 19:21

ywhtptgtfo wrote:
jeff wrote:
ThunderTitan wrote: Except that there's no actual resistance, just treatments that only hurt the sufferer, blood-letting like...
What science classes have you taken, antibiotic resistant strains are more common than not, in fact some diseases are now resistant/immune to all but a couple of expensive antibiotics.

TT's point was that if piracy is a bacteria, then Ubisoft's solution is not an useful antibiotic treatment.

Actually the PA strip made DRM = bacteria, with the crack being the treatment.

And my point was that the treatment has so far proven very effective, taking more then a few days only in a very small amount of cases...

Basically the devs are making new strains of bacteria that still die under the same treatment.

And if you don't like the internet and play H3, then I can see what is wrong - you're stuck in the past. And this is bad for anything.

Because if it's new it must be good...

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