Ubisoft Clarifies New Online DRM Scheme

[Andy Chalk]

Ubisoft Clarifies New Online DRM Scheme

Ubisoft has clarified a few details about the DRM in the upcoming PC version of Assassin's Creed 2 [http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Creed-II-Playstation-3/dp/B00269DX5W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1279052535&sr=1-1], reassuring gamers that they don't need to worry about it because... Well, just don't worry about it.

A brief rundown to make sure everyone is caught up: In January, Ubisoft somewhat worse [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97778-Ubisoft-Details-New-Anti-Piracy-Plan] than that: Games will have to be connected to Ubi's servers full-time while they're running and if the connection is broken for any reason, the game will come to a screeching halt. In case that's not quite infuriating enough, any progress made since the last checkpoint or auto-save will be lost, too.

The backlash, as you might expect, was swift and vicious. In response, Ubisoft attempted to clarify the plan to Ars Technica [http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/02/ubisoft-details-drm.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss], assuring gamers that they really don't need to worry about the new DRM requirements, even though they're pretty much exactly as crazy as reported.

"As long as you do not quit the game, the game will continue to try to reconnect for an unlimited time [if the net connection drops]," a company rep said. "Once the game is able to reconnect, you will immediately be returned to your game."

"Where exactly you are reconnected in the game may differ from title to title," the rep continued. "CVG [http://thesettlers.us.ubi.com/] article). There are many checkpoints so you're back to the point where you got disconnected in no time."

The rep said players will only be dropped out of the game if the disconnection is "lengthy," whereas if it's only down for a couple of seconds, the game will simply pause and then resume once the connection is reestablished. Fluctuations in speed shouldn't be a problem either. "Our online services platform will require a maximum of 50kbps of available bandwidth, so even with the slowest connection, gameplay won't be affected," the rep added.

Well that certainly makes me feel better. How about you?


Permalink

 

[uppitycracker]

Yup, still a steaming pile of shit. I stand by my previous statement, made in the poll posted earlier.

 

[God's Clown]

Still a really crappy idea. What if I go on vacation or something to a place with no internet connect, what would I do then!

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

Still not buying it. Community backlash obviously doesn't mean much to Ubisoft, so the only way to tell them you don't like it is to, as they say, "vote with your wallet". I doubt it'll make a big impact because it's been proven again and again that people will eat their shit-twinkies anyway, but I'm not wasting my monies on this.

I think the worst thing is that this will (yes, will, not might) happen:

- Ubisoft puts shitty DRM on games to fight pirates.
- Most gamers will eat their shit because they still like the game underneath it and it's "not a big deal" compared to other DRM.
- Piracy continues, unaffected by the taste of shit on their games.
- Ubisoft puts more shit on their games to fight pirates.
- Most gamers will gladly shovel more shit down their own throats because it's not a big deal compared to previous flavors of shit.
- Piracy continues, unaffected by the taste of shit on their games.
- etc.

In short, refer to the <url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_frog>boiling frog story but replace "boiling water" with "DRM" and "frog" with "gamers". Also add a boat full of pirates laughing in the face of everyone involved. That's pretty much how I see the future of DRM.

 

[Sevre]

Can I ask a question? Anyone remember oh....2006? Yes. We've beaten DRM before, and we beat EA at it, do they really think they stand a chance?

 

[Generic_Dave]

I think Ubi-soft need a big bottle of Cop-on and a Get Real bar...I mean seriously...This is insane, Bedlam wouldn't take a patient like this.

Spend 50-60 bucks on a game and then you can only play it as long as your net keeps up and Ubi servers are on-line? I mean my ISP is pretty good, but my net drops maybe 2-3 times a week.

I hope Ubi executives who dreamed this up get an eternity of sucking donkey testicles on account of this.

 

[Altorin]

Relaaaaaaax Guy..

seriously andy, that should have been the picture, or at least the inspiration

 

[thenumberthirteen]

Still not what we're after, and doesn't solve the problem of mobile gaming without internet. The game still stops when connection is lost, even if it doesn't boot you off.

 

[Woodsey]

Still shit, and now we're going to have to hope the game we're playing is one of the ones that resumes from where we left off. PC Gamer interviewed them, and they even admitted it'd get cracked straight away.

The benefits are (this made me laugh) that you can install as many times as you like, on as many computers you like. I used to be able to do that with every game, when there was no such thing as DRM.

That's the reason why people pirate in the first place. And the people who don't have a 'net connection can't play the game, but they can hardly download it illegally either. If you don't have a connection no one's going to let you borrow theirs for the hours it takes to download a torrent.

Petition here: http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?ew15dl94&1

I'd love a contact email address where we can send polite and informative emails to Ubisoft, telling them what we think. Maybe a member of staff working at the Escapist could provide this? Or contact Ubisoft who can then announce the address directly?

 

[Twad]

Its fun when you live in a place (like i do) where you ISP have a monopoly (its normally illegal, but tolerated for some reason) over the area and provides crap service and isnt cheap.

And, well, if that DRM thing remains, i wont ever buy stuff from UBI. Heck, i even stopped using Steam because of the extremelly slow connection and poor stability of the software.

THe more it goes.. in gaming, we end up owning our product less and less... its like a constant rental that may not always work as it is supposed to. And we pay quite a bit of money "to not own them".
When did we accept that change? When was it considered standart practice to screw people over?

 

[Amnestic]

Hey Ubisoft, guess what this is?

Spoiler: It's my wallet

Yeah, the contents?

Not yours.

I'd love a contact email address where we can send polite and informative emails to Ubisoft, telling them what we think. Maybe a member of staff working at the Escapist could provide this? Or contact Ubisoft who can then announce the address directly?

Yeah, that's probably not going to happen. After the recent case with Sony's U.S. CEO guy's email, I highly doubt we're going to get any sort of contact information which would get it looked at by anyone up the food chain.

 

[JeanLuc761]

In my opinion; if you have a PC that is capable of running current day games you probably have it connected to the internet as well. I know mine is.

Yes I can acknowledge it is a bit of a nuisance, but I feel that's all it is. A leaf to be brushed off an apple before eating it.

What about the people who want to travel, or have an intermittent internet connection (lookin at Australia).

It's extremely unfair for those people and there literally is no benefit for having it.

 

[Altorin]

Hey Ubisoft, guess what this is?

Spoiler: It's my wallet

Yeah, the contents?

Not yours.

that spoiler tag would have made more sense if we clicked on the picture to get the words, but whatchagonnado.

 

[Macgyvercas]

I'm glad I don't have to put up with this (Console gamer, FTW).

I wonder when developers will figure out that everyone hates DRM and stop using it.

 

[Woodsey]

In my opinion; if you have a PC that is capable of running current day games you probably have it connected to the internet as well. I know mine is.

Yes I can acknowledge it is a bit of a nuisance, but I feel that's all it is. A leaf to be brushed off an apple before eating it.

I think you'd be surprised at the number of people who have PCs specifically for gaming, which they don't connect to the internet.

EDIT: Even if your PC is connected, a great number of people suffer patchy connections that flicker on and off every 15 minutes.

 

[DTWolfwood]

That rep can still shove this DRM up where a place where the sun don't shine. UBISOFT is dead to me, On the PC ofc XD

 

[Dublin Solo]

I'd love a contact email address where we can send polite and informative emails to Ubisoft, telling them what we think. Maybe a member of staff working at the Escapist could provide this? Or contact Ubisoft who can then announce the address directly?

You could try the contact info on the Ubisoft web site. Don't expect an answer, though.

 

[Hiphophippo]

Still shit. I refuse to buy a single player game that I might not be able to play when I want.

 

[Amnestic]

that spoiler tag would have made more sense if we clicked on the picture to get the words, but whatchagonnado.

I'm going to take what you said, ignore it, then go buy that booze I mentioned in the other thread. And I'd like to see you stop me.

Especially since you're in Canada and I'm in the UK. You'd have to run very fast.