Spyware in HoMM5???

[Karja]

The thing is: this is encrypted. By definition, this should make this look more suspicious, and we can't even check to make sure it's harmless.

I agree.. But, like was mentioned above, it could be in order to make things harder for malevolent use as well.

I'm not sure it can only be used to improve their products... It could be used in a number of business ways, like making deals with video card producers, with Microsoft, etc...

Well, I was mostly separating the things that could hurt us from the things that couldn't. But in the long run, even if the information is used for business deals, it's in order to strengthen Ubisoft's (and possibly Nival's) position. Which probably would mean that they can make better products.

But yeah, I guess that there are too many grey areas about all of this to say exactly what the implications are.

...Has anyone asked about this on Nival's forums? I didn't see a thread about it there this morning. It would be a good idea to not mention any conspiracy theories or spyware accusations, though. A simple question about what the traffic is about ought to be a perfectly acceptable thing to wonder about.

[Gus]

You're right, there is no need to go all conspiracy either. I should have made this clearer, sorry =)

[ThunderTitan]

[ But in the long run, even if the information is used for business deals, it's in order to strengthen Ubisoft's (and possibly Nival's) position. Which probably would mean that they can make better products.

The curent strenght of ones position has noting to do with the quality of a game. If anything a strong company can afford to make a crappy game without losing too much.

[addicted]

If Ubi ask me via email, or a forum poll to give my computer specs, I would be MORE than glad to contribute and help the game and the gaming community. BUT, I don't want them sticking their poll up my computer when I'm not looking

The problem is that the number of people who do answer forum polls or answer e-mails are extremely few. I agree that this would be a better way, but when you're trying to build a database of - for example - Windows XP user statistics, it's just not enough with the few who offer such info freely. (This might be a relevant question. They might be considering going XP only for the next game project, for instance; how would they know if the customer base is large enough without checking the existing customers first?)

Stealing person info is a multi million dollar "business". People actually dig through dumpsters to get less personal info than they could get off of your computer; just ask the millions of Vets that just got all of their person info stolen by someone "just looking at stats".

There's a difference between personal information and computer specs. If they actually are collecting something related to the person (IP, e-mail, info about the user's files, etc), then it's absolutely horrible behaviour. This can be misused, like in your example. But things like Windows version, DirectX version, graphic card capabilities and so on is impossible to use in a way to harm the user - it can only be used for improving their products.
In all of this: note that I'm not defending their behaviour to send info without asking! If that's the case, then they're misbehaving regardless of what they send.

I learned a long time ago, not to trust No one! Just because they are a company, doesn't mean they are honest.. An honest company or person will 'ask', not sneak, if they have to sneak, they can't be too honest in my opinion! If they take stuff off your computer behind your back without your knowledge or consent, than that type of sneakiness behaviour should throw a red flag up.. This type of thing should be open and optional to the consumer. Companies don't have to sneak, steal to get any information off consumer's computers, all they have to do is 'ask'.. Bottom line, a person's computer information is private and it is their property and no one else's and no one has the right to snoop around one's hard drive without their consent, period!

And on considering the next game using XP only, H-V is already XP only on my U.S LE copy.. peace

[Karja]

The curent strenght of ones position has noting to do with the quality of a game. If anything a strong company can afford to make a crappy game without losing too much.

It goes both ways, doesn't it? A strong company could decide to produce a low-quality game and the result would be awful...but on the other hand, a company that simply cannot afford AAA quality resources is unable to produce a game of excellent quality. If we assume that quality equals graphics, sound, voice acting and so on, that is. Not gameplay and other "cheap" items.

Either way, I doubt that a deal with Microsoft or nVidia would mean that they were strong enough to skip on quality. EA produces a lot of crap, but I would guess that that's due to their market share rather than deals with MS or chipset producers.

[DaemianLucifer]

It goes both ways, doesn't it? A strong company could decide to produce a low-quality game and the result would be awful...but on the other hand, a company that simply cannot afford AAA quality resources is unable to produce a game of excellent quality. If we assume that quality equals graphics, sound, voice acting and so on, that is. Not gameplay and other "cheap" items.

Thats not true.Look at serious sam.It was made by a small company,yet it was pretty low on those "cheap" items like replayability and story,but pretty high on graphics,music and sounds.

[theLuckyDragon]

If all else fails, I find taking out a certain wire from my computer very useful in this sort of situation...

[DaemianLucifer]

If all else fails, I find taking out a certain wire from my computer very useful in this sort of situation...

What about people that use internet to work?They cannot disconect.

[Karja]

Thats not true.Look at serious sam.It was made by a small company,yet it was pretty low on those "cheap" items like replayability and story,but pretty high on graphics,music and sounds.

Still haven't played that game, but it ought to be the exception to the rule, right? Couldn't that be the case of the developers being lucky, since they got hold of excellent people that didn't cost them a fortune?

Either way, I'll just change my comment to something like "with a small budget you have to be very lucky or work extremely hard to produce similar quality to that of those with funds."

[DaemianLucifer]

Still haven't played that game, but it ought to be the exception to the rule, right? Couldn't that be the case of the developers being lucky, since they got hold of excellent people that didn't cost them a fortune?

Either way, I'll just change my comment to something like "with a small budget you have to be very lucky or work extremely hard to produce similar quality to that of those with funds."

Sure,lucky...And microsoft got lucky with DOS?They werent big back then.Lets face it,if the company is consisted of group of hard working geniuses,no matter how much money they have,theyll do the job right.Money can only help them to do it excelent(blizzard).

[Ethric]

What about people that use internet to work?They cannot disconect.

If you can't disconnect because you are working, you shouldn't be playing games

[DaemianLucifer]

If you can't disconnect because you are working, you shouldn't be playing games

I wanted to open a poll on wholl raise that stupid argument first.

Ok,how about this:You did your job,and now have to upload it to your firm.Its somewhere around 200 MB,and it will take about an hour or so.So,while you wait,are you really not going to touch your home computer the whole time?

Computers are multitasking units that can be used both for work and pleasure.Why dividing those two?

[Ethric]

Score over stupid arguments raised, Ethric vs DL: 1 to 347869251

[theLuckyDragon]

I did say "if all else fails"...

[Bob Morane]

All that to say: i can understand you guys don't run around in panic, but making fun of him while there IS an unnecessary encrypted connection going out, is a bit unfair.

OK, let's make my position clear. I don't like applications calling home. I don't like compagnies to gather informations about my computer or myself. If they clearly state this in the EULA (again i did not read it), we can't blame them, just dislike them however.

I do think there was an option to turn it off at some point during installation, it's a pity you can't turn it of later if you were a bit too quick to click the "next button during install but at least you could turn it off. I don't look over my IP traffic in windows as i have my internet connection off most of the time.

Anyway, i would like to know what this traffic is. The one think that bugged me was the alarmist (maybe a bit paranoïd) way this fact was presented. Up to the thread title "Spyware in Heroes", something like "Strange communication between Heroes and Ubi" would have been a better choice i think. It might look suspicious, but calling it spyware is a bit excessive so far.

[Marzhin]

Totally Off-topic : Holy jumping mother o'God in a side-car with chocolate jimmies and a lobster bib ! Bob Morane is on the CH board ! But where's Bill Ballantine ?

[Gus]

If they clearly state this in the EULA (again i did not read it), we can't blame them, just dislike them however.

just a quick note: just because something is written in the EULA doesn't make it legal. I'm not saying this applies here, it's just a remark.

The one think that bugged me was the alarmist (maybe a bit paranoïd) way this fact was presented. Up to the thread title "Spyware in Heroes", something like "Strange communication between Heroes and Ubi" would have been a better choice i think. It might look suspicious, but calling it spyware is a bit excessive so far.

well, it it does send info about you without telling you and undercover, then it is a spyware, by definition, so...

[Orfinn]

Totally Off-topic : Holy jumping mother o'God in a side-car with chocolate jimmies and a lobster bib ! Bob Morane is on the CH board ! But where's Bill Ballantine ?

Hehe! Couldnt be more agree

[Znork]

http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/ ... 6441097054

fcs post on the subject!

[Qurqirish Dragon]

For what it's worth:
I have the European, standard edition. At one point while installing (I forget if it was in the installer itself, or when I registered it, but it was NOT in the EULA (well, it might have been, I didn't read all of it)) I was asked if I would provide certain types of information, reported by H5.

Now, since I am on dial-up, and do not play MP, I am never on-line when I play H5, so this doesn't affect me anyway. However, I was made well-aware of this reporting when installed, and had the option to decline.