3DS is Watching You: Activity-Logging and Anti-Piracy Features

Xanthious

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This is going to inconvenience pirates for all of about a week or so until the first custom firmware gets released that rips out the information logging "feature" and adds a way to shut off automatic updating and always on wifi. Again, it will be the legitimate customers that will be the only ones dealing with this in the long run.

However, judging by some of the responses I've seen on here there is a large portion of the population that's more than happy to roll over and take it up the rear from Nintendo all while screaming "Thank you sir may I have another".
 

D Moness

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Azure-Supernova said:
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Much like the Wii, the DS has this measure which can brick consoles with an update if 'pirating tools' are used with the console. Out of the 20+ people I know that own a Wii, the only reason they use homebrew is to edit the region settings. These are people who purchased their Wii on release, purchased a JP game that had no EU release.

Let's face it, it's not only screwing over pirates it's going to hit importers. Any 'Tales of' announced for the 3DS will undoubtedly have JP exclusive releases (damn you Bamco!).
I can understand that for the wii since that is region locked but for the moment it appears region locks on 3ds games is all up to the publisher. So as long as the publisher doesn't reion lock there games you can import and play them(what i really hope for).
 

Salmaras

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3nimac said:
What do they mean by "how many steps you've taken"? If it has an accelerometer they could track your movement but that seems too far for me. I don't think that's ok. Do you think they are just going to sit on the information they gather? Waste "space" on some server farm for that?
It has an in-built pedometer, it tracks your steps taken for an activity log which you can view, that ties in to another feature but i'm too lazy to explain it
 

SinisterGehe

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aegix drakan said:
Wait...the wifi is always ON?

That just sucks. I want it off unless I'm using it so I can conserve battery power! Sheez...



That aside this seems like a decisive (but also CREEPY AS HELL) way to counter piracy. Remote Bricking? That's....pretty scary. It feels borderline illegal.

I like that they have a very good anti-piracy measure....but this just seems wrong, IMO.
GO somewhere to which Wifi can't reach, or build yourself a Faraday cage and happy hacking to get rid of the chip.
Or just open the damn thing up and crack it and remove the Wifi chip. Unless they have made it ILLEGAL to open your 3DS's shell.


This is a step too much for me, not getting 3DS for myself, I like to have privacy even tho I really don't have much to hide. But I will assume this will be cracked on hardware level quite fast, not because of pirating but to prove that It can be done.

Not going pro-piracy here, but not going pro 1984 either...
 

fezzthemonk

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SyphonX said:
fezzthemonk said:
Paying customers stand nothing to loose from this. so i don't see a problem.As for the "bricking" of the system, apple does the same thing to iphones, so this practice isn't new.
"Breach of privacy, too much corporate power, blurring the line between government law and corporate licensing 'rules'... any of these concerning to you?"

Not really. Its not breach of privacy. As long as they let us know in some way that they are doing it, it is legal by American law (the only law I'm remotely familiar, or concerned with). If when you get the 3DS and there is a term of service contract we have to okay, and you okay it (probably without reading it, like most people do) their is no breach of privacy. You Okay it. That is generally where other companies get you. Example, a couple years ago, an online game store put into their terms of service that by accepting they own your soul forever, for what ever. When taken to court the judge said it was totally legal. I'm not saying its right. But i don't think its as big of a deal people are making (or are gonna make).
 

seditary

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I gotta laugh, if an individual did this to another individual they could be charged with criminal offenses.

But Nintendo is going to do it to probably millions of customers.

I don't know what's more fucked up, that this is happening or that some people want them to do it.
 

Fawcks

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aegix drakan said:
Wait...the wifi is always ON?

That just sucks. I want it off unless I'm using it so I can conserve battery power! Sheez...



That aside this seems like a decisive (but also CREEPY AS HELL) way to counter piracy. Remote Bricking? That's....pretty scary. It feels borderline illegal.

I like that they have a very good anti-piracy measure....but this just seems wrong, IMO.
You CAN turn off the auto-connect wifi. But if you connect to wifi at a later date and have EVER used a r4 cart in the duration of your 3DS playtime, then your system will be bricked next time you go to wifi.

So, you turn off wifi connection.

You use an r4. The 3DS keeps a log.

You connect to Wifi. Nintendo can see the r4 was in use. They evaluate it, then decide to brick your system.

Next time you go online, your DS gets the signal and bricks itself.

... Is how I would assume it will work.

I think this makes all the sense in the world, haters gonna hate. it's not like the Wii didn't do the exact same thing with the 24/7 wifi, I know my Wii does. But now that people can't pirate with it as easily, they're crying. Boohoo. Get over it, actually pay for your games, bloody leeches.
 

Signa

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What's next? Having them remotely turn on your camera so they can get a shot of your face?
 

Fawcks

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Signa said:
What's next? Having them remotely turn on your camera so they can get a shot of your face?
It's not like they could do this without your knowing, and it would be illegal if they didn't forewarn you about it.

You are being forewarned now that IF YOU use a device that Nintendo has NOT approved with your 3DS, you WILL have it's use terminated. I think this is entirely fair, I support it 100%. Nintendo products are only meant to be used with Nintendo licensed software, so you can't act surprised or upset that when you decide to breach that agreement with Nintendo, they decide to shut off your system because you're using it differently than intended.
 

Signa

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Fawcks said:
Signa said:
What's next? Having them remotely turn on your camera so they can get a shot of your face?
It's not like they could do this without your knowing, and it would be illegal if they didn't forewarn you about it.

You are being forewarned now that IF YOU use a device that Nintendo has NOT approved with your 3DS, you WILL have it's use terminated. I think this is entirely fair, I support it 100%. Nintendo products are only meant to be used with Nintendo licensed software, so you can't act surprised or upset that when you decide to breach that agreement with Nintendo, they decide to shut off your system because you're using it differently than intended.
I am of the mind that if I own it, I can do whatever I damn well please with it. I don't need my friend sticking his R4 in my 3DS just to see what happens and then having my system die because I wasn't allowed to do with it as I felt was OK.

EDIT: And have I NEVER EVER agreed to any sort of terms of use with any of my Nintendo systems. If I want to save myself 10 hours of grinding in Pokemon, I have better be allowed to use an Action replay. If I want to use a cheaper option for a stylus or system case, I should be allowed that. What Nintendo approves of is completely irrelevant to me owning my system and treating it as I see fit. They have no business getting involved with anything other than my warranty. If I break my system with a bad stylus, case, or unsanctioned software, I DO NOT expect Nintendo to cover me. That's my risk, not theirs.
 

Fawcks

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Signa said:
I am of the mind that if I own it, I can do whatever I damn well please with it. I don't need my friend sticking his R4 in my 3DS just to see what happens and then having my system die because I wasn't allowed to do with it as I felt was OK.
Well, better get out of that mindset pretty damn quickly, because last time I checked almost every computer program I buy has a software agreement telling me what I can and cannot do with it. The 3DS should be no different.
 

Signa

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Fawcks said:
Signa said:
I am of the mind that if I own it, I can do whatever I damn well please with it. I don't need my friend sticking his R4 in my 3DS just to see what happens and then having my system die because I wasn't allowed to do with it as I felt was OK.
Well, better get out of that mindset pretty damn quickly, because last time I checked almost every computer program I buy has a software agreement telling me what I can and cannot do with it. The 3DS should be no different.
Read the edit.

And if I'm being told how to think, then I'm just not going to buy a damn thing anymore. There is no reason to keep this bloated industry afloat if I'm not allowed to own my stuff.
 

Fawcks

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Signa said:
EDIT: And have I NEVER EVER agreed to any sort of terms of use with any of my Nintendo systems. If I want to save myself 10 hours of grinding in Pokemon, I have better be allowed to use an Action replay. If I want to use a cheaper option for a stylus or system case, I should be allowed that. What Nintendo approves of is completely irrelevant to me owning my system and treating it as I see fit. They have no business getting involved with anything other than my warranty. If I break my system with a bad stylus, case, or unsanctioned software, I DO NOT expect Nintendo to cover me. That's my risk, not theirs.
You agreed by buying the system. Too bad. A nintendo licensed Action Replay is 100% legit, only thing you need to worry about is something Nintendo doesn't want you using.

Comparing items that don't interact with the hardware OR software is entirely facetious, and is as useful as apples to oranges.
 

Fawcks

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Signa said:
Read the edit.

And if I'm being told how to think, then I'm just not going to buy a damn thing anymore. There is no reason to keep this bloated industry afloat if I'm not allowed to own my stuff.
Sorry, didn't see the edit.

And to be fair, you own the hardware. NOT the software. The 3DS hardware won't be changed, the software will merely be changed to not do anything. Next time you buy software, tell me if you find a user's agreement. You likely will. A lot.
 

JoJo

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I don't honestly care, I don't pirate or use game hacks so it's no concern to me that they track my playings. Hell, I don't care if they track where I go, if they want to collect that data then good for them, it's not like I keep my location private. In my opinion once someone pirates they damage the games industry and thus forfeit their right to own a working games console.
 

Negatempest

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Scars Unseen said:
Negatempest said:
Scars Unseen said:
Negatempest said:
Garak73 said:
Negatempest said:
SyphonX said:
Negatempest said:
Less arguing and more information on a detailed account on why this is bad. If not, than your angry because you cannot play an illegal copy of a game.
No.

Why is everyone that "fully supports" this, either says something like.. "If you're not doing anything wrong.." or "You must be a criminal if you disagree"..

Most people have their ear to the ground on this one, but I guess a lot of people don't. It's pretty simple, a lot of people are tired of corporate tomfoolery involving mistrust or spying. The majority of people are dissatisfied with how their government mistreats them or mishandles their taxes, etc. So when corporations start "blending in" with the game, people are usually going to throw up their arms in frustration by default.

You're basically throwing money at these people, and in return, you're graced with a tremendous amount of mistrust and, quite literally, you are spied on.

If you're just looking at all of this with a narrow-view, then you're doing it wrong.

It's not paranoia anymore if a company says, "You give us money, and then we are going to spy on you." However, Nintendo is obviously farming select biometric data for alien abductions, I know this because the people from Mars told me so.
You answered half of my question, I should have highlighted my main question even more. How is what the 3DS doing any different than what our current computers have done for years? What stops microsoft from selling your personal information...oh yeah, laws. So i'm pretty damn sure that the 3DS follows the same laws that microsoft had to follow for years. Again, if your paranoid about what the 3DS is doing you should not even be on the internet right now.
Yeah cause the internet is going to brick my PC and count my steps. Anyway, gotta go pick DA2 from Gamestop. Hope BioWare has the game unlocked at midnight (about 10 mins from now).
Yes, yes it will! The internet has already been reported more times than can be counted bricking thousands of computers. Hackers, viruses, worms, all this stuff will not only brick a piece of hardware that price ranges from $500-up but can also take your personal information. This is FAR more damaging to your personal life than what the 3DS could EVER do. Thus if your not on the net, you don't have to worry about such a thing, EVER. No fear of a wifi/wireless attack of any kind.
My own computer has suffered pretty damn serious virus attacks and I know it is my own risk of going online. The 3DS is nothing compared to the very risk i'm putting myself in just responding to you now.
You know, I think that the significant thing here is that you are comparing the actions of Nintendo to those of a virus.

Captcha: Finally, hermene Who the fuck is Hermene, and why were we waiting for him/her?
Yes, heaven forbid that Nintendo acts more noble than some prick with free time. Microsoft and a computer. Nintendo and a 3DS, the difference? The computer has more information on you than the 3DS EVER will.
Microsoft doesn't force me to stay online when my PC is turned on. They also don't prevent me from installing unapproved third party software. While Microsoft is an easy target to pick on in many cases, It's kind of laughable to compare what we're hearing about the 3DS to Windows.
They don't force you to stay on, but 90% of the time you are either way. Having a 3rd party software is different from having a pirated OS onto your computer. Pirating a game is the same a pirating a OS which is done as well. Though microsoft is more than nice enough to tell you that they are not responsible for any "bricks" you cause yourself when you use said 3rd party programs. Though saying that a 3DS is more of a personal invasion than a basic computer is sad on so many levels.