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Ubisoft Activations disappear when changing graphics cards [Ubi Responds, Is Snarky]
- Thread starter iNvid02
- Start date
Anno is incredibly good, though I haven't played 2070 yet.
no revoking? for sure?
I'll say it again: Friends don't let friends buy Ubisoft games. Perhaps the company should start listening to their customers. Or they can stop making PC games. Won't bother me to see no more UBI games on PC. I'd feel bad for the PC UBI teams, so hopefully they can get work with another publisher.
Right, but there is a huge difference between DRM through UBI games and DRM from Steam and Origin. 3 activations only and then giving the double bird or their always on requirement when servers go down for a week are fairly limiting.
Right, but there is a huge difference between DRM through UBI games and DRM from Steam and Origin. 3 activations only and then giving the double bird or their always on requirement when servers go down for a week are fairly limiting.
CecilRousso
Member
If I speak for myself then you´re wrong about Steam at least, since the steam integrated version contains functions I want that the pirate version doesn´t. But Tages that´s used in Anno is not of any value for any customer.
Internet connection requirement (post install) and activation limits are two redundant means of DRM. Using both at the same time simply results in the worst of both worlds with zero additional "protection".
1) If the game needs an internet connection (either to launch or while running), it can already limit the number of machines playing dynamically since the server can block multiple logins or a quick successive logins from different IP addresses. It doesn't need to be locked to specific hardware.
2) If the game has install limits, it only needs an internet connection to install the game, not to launch it. During install a key based on the PC hardware and OS is generated and sent to the server, which sends back an authentication file encrypted/signed with the key and deducts on install credit from the user. This file is stored in the user's HDD and every time the game boots it re-generates the computer's key and try to read/validate the file with it. If validation fails, it assumes it's on a new machine and needs the user to go online to generate a new authentication with the new key.
Marsipolami
Member
Maybe people should just stop using the term "pirates" as it's really misleading and doing the whole issue a huge disservice. It's the act of liberating products from artificial limitations, and there are illegitimate as well as legitimate reasons to do so. The publishers' job should be to offer fair solutions to all legitimate issues (or accept the consequences if they don't), not push those affected customers into the bunch of people decried as "pirates".
Joseph Merrick
Member
it isn't simcity, but it is good. very very very good.
the newish heroes of might and magic 6 is also very good. and trackmania2canyon. very good.
just waiting for ubi to make redlynx stop being idiots and xbla only with trials now. ubi is great.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
Right, but on a scale from bad experience to good experience:
Worst experience: People who pay money and try to obey Ubisoft's rules
Bad experience: People who pay money and then need to track down a crack
Good experience: People who don't pay money, download pre-cracked torrent or whatever
Clearly I'm pro-crack rather than pro-piracy, but the term pirates accurately describes the group of people who expend the least effort and no money and get the best game experience.
Huh?
I use the term pirate for people who by and large mostly download games without paying and using hacks to circumvent CopyProtection.
That us, the paying customer, are pushed to use the same CP circumvention as them to enjoy our paid for games freely is simply bullshit, that's all I wanted to say. Still want this game, though :-\
SneakyStephan
Banned
Tell that to the lawyer who'll send you a threatening letter along with a settlement fine because you downloaded that ISO of that DVD you cracked or lost.
I'm glad I don't live in the US (or the Netherlands among many other countries) because I've done what I described above many times over the years.
I also have MKV rips of my blu ray collection (do you really expect me to rip and reencode them myself when there are pre ripped versions for download?) to take along on trips to family.
Oh and then there are the psx rips that I run on CFW on my psp.
Why do I buy them if I can dl them? Because I want the lossless version for when I watch it at home and it's nice to have a physical box of something you like. There is value there.
See if they care if you got caught up in the net.
Doesn't matter if I would be the biggest pirate in the world, those are legitimate reasons to download ISO's for and they sure make things convenient.
Been looking for a new legit copy of FF7 PSX for years in second hand stores and game shop second hand shelves because I lost my jewel case and cds in a move (heartbreaking), as if I should feel guilty for using an ISO of a game I already paid for (and didn't sell or give away).
These actions are all filed under piracy though, because hey you downloaded an image of software/movie dvd you evil man.
That's just on the piracy definition matter.
Activation limit DRM is stupid by default because I've installed most of my favorite classics well over a dozen times each over the last decade on several different computers over several different upgrades.
From theme hospital to CS (needs half life) to WC3 to bf1942 to ut99/2003 and gta san andreas.
If I'm buying ubi games under the assumption that they won't ever be ranked among my favorite classics, then guess what I won't be buying them at all.
I really don't like where software 'morals' have been going.
It used to be that if you bought something you owned it, to do with it whatever you wanted at your own discretion within legal limits.
Now you're just supposed to rent it (Publishers are super careful not to call it renting though, because that would really hurt the perceived value of their product, much like people look down on a car lease and would rather own a house than to rent it for their lifetime) and at the same time get guilt tripped constantly for having the audacity to want to use it.
Instead of focusing on giving people value and give them a reason to buy their items, it 's all come down to guilt and manipulation.
All this talk about PC gaming meant I got the fancy to play Company of Heroes. I've had the expansion pack Opposing Forces for years but never played it so I thought I'd set it off installing when I got home from work. Guess how much gaming I got done last night?
It was ridiculous, it loaded up, took me straight to a sign into our online service thing, otherwise I "wouldn't be able to play online" even though I didn't want to, but the 'Setup account' button was greyed out and it wouldn't let me through to the single player.
I ended up signing up on their website instead, but then when you tried to sign in it wouldn't let you do anything before patching it. Of course, the patch wouldn't even begin to download, it would sit for a while and then kick me back to the login screen where it asked me to download the patch and round and round again. From forum posts I found it would appear that they've stopped supporting the game since 2010 (it only came out in 2007!) so back to the internet to trawl for info on how to sort it out.
Thanks to one guy's very helpful forum post it became clear that I needed to download and patch it manually. I had to download over 2GB worth of patches from third party sites spread over about 10 different files, install each one separately in the correct order before it finally let me log in and get to the single player. I got through the first two tutorial missions (about 10 minutes in total) before it was time for bed. Thanks PC gaming, you've just saved me a ton of money as I was getting the upgrade itch again (it comes and goes).
Sorry to whine, but I thought it would nicely illustrate the problems DRM causes when the developer stops caring (after only 3 years in this case!). Yet if I'd downloaded a working copy or a crack to play the game as it was shipped on the disc (presumably that version works or why would they ship it?) I'd be a 'pirate'.
It was ridiculous, it loaded up, took me straight to a sign into our online service thing, otherwise I "wouldn't be able to play online" even though I didn't want to, but the 'Setup account' button was greyed out and it wouldn't let me through to the single player.
I ended up signing up on their website instead, but then when you tried to sign in it wouldn't let you do anything before patching it. Of course, the patch wouldn't even begin to download, it would sit for a while and then kick me back to the login screen where it asked me to download the patch and round and round again. From forum posts I found it would appear that they've stopped supporting the game since 2010 (it only came out in 2007!) so back to the internet to trawl for info on how to sort it out.
Thanks to one guy's very helpful forum post it became clear that I needed to download and patch it manually. I had to download over 2GB worth of patches from third party sites spread over about 10 different files, install each one separately in the correct order before it finally let me log in and get to the single player. I got through the first two tutorial missions (about 10 minutes in total) before it was time for bed. Thanks PC gaming, you've just saved me a ton of money as I was getting the upgrade itch again (it comes and goes).
Sorry to whine, but I thought it would nicely illustrate the problems DRM causes when the developer stops caring (after only 3 years in this case!). Yet if I'd downloaded a working copy or a crack to play the game as it was shipped on the disc (presumably that version works or why would they ship it?) I'd be a 'pirate'.
No, that shit was there since just before COH:OF when they decided to force you to log in for even SP. I don't think it's a big deal but for a game that basically now requires you to download the base game + 2 expansions worth of data (whether or not you have it) and makes you patch it to the latest version (and there are no big stepping patches, you have to start from whereever you left off), it is rather daunting to do.
If you get the chance when it goes on sale on Steam, nab a copy of any of the games (if you get an expansion you don't have, just add the CD-Key to your RelicOnline account) since at least Steam downloads the latest version for you. Not entirely sure what happens if it gets patched - whether or not you need to download it all over again due to how the file hierarchy is organized or if there are many more balance patches on the way - it's less of a hassle than keeping track on the patch page and everything.
In regards to DRM in CoH, I think they patched out the original DRM in the vanilla game and used the RelicOnline login instead; if you wanted to play offline you would still have to submit to a disc-check, but they voided that otherwise. (That was in 2007 for context)
shpankey
not an idiot
Ironically enough, the only people this won't affect are pirates/cracker's. They'll have long ago already downloaded a cracked iso for free. Dumbass devs.
Fahrenheit
Banned
It's a shame, most Ubisoft games are ported well to PC (besides the horrible DRM). I played all of the Assassin's Creed series on PC and don't remember a single crash or glitch.
This sort of thing is such a shame, because in my opinion, it's by far the best game released last year
.This sort of thing is such a shame, because in my opinion, it's by far the best game released last year
It is a shame, but it's also the only way that things will ever change for the better.
brotkasten
Member
You're quite the optimist, aren't you?
Here's how I see it. Ubi will close BB, because nobody* bought the game.
*except ze Germans.
If that was to happen it would be entirely due to Ubisoft mismanagement of their PC portfolio. SmokyDave is just being consequent with his opinion against these Ubi policies. I bought the game because I don't feel as strongly as he and others on this thread but I understand and completely respect their stance on this.
Gully State
Member
GreenMonkey
Member
Friends don't let friends buy Ubisoft games. I hate DRM - insofar as I don't even like Steam DRM - but Ubisoft has known to be the worst on this front for years. I didn't even consider Heroes of Might and Magic 6, despite my continuing love for HOMM3.
Support companies that don't use DRM (GOG and companies that release without DRM). Support them with your dollars, and save yourself the hassle of dealing with DRM when it blows up in your face (as many DRM schemes eventually do).
Support companies that don't use DRM (GOG and companies that release without DRM). Support them with your dollars, and save yourself the hassle of dealing with DRM when it blows up in your face (as many DRM schemes eventually do).
I imagine because they will expect you to keep your proof of purchase. Of course, few do.
This sort of thing is such a shame, because in my opinion, it's by far the best game released last year
I want to buy this because I'm in the same situation as that guy. I want the devs to get my money, but Ubisoft can fuck off.
If you buy vCoH / OF / ToV on Steam, you download the same thing for all intents and purposes, since Relic wanted all CoH games to be expand-alones. If you are missing an xpack, by all means buy that one and add the CDKey to your RO account. I'm just saying it's probably more convenient to have it on Steam because you don't have to spend an entire day patching incrementally.
CecilRousso
Member
I would like to know how they based their descision on three activations being enough. What they thought they would gain with it in terms of battling piracy.
Pretty much.
They're joining Activision in the shittiest developers out there.
DRM defense force?
thisisneogaf..
ScepticMatt
Member
My response is to buy more new PC games, but not from Ubisoft.
Maybe massive Skyrim PC sales could have made them thinking?
Maybe massive Skyrim PC sales could have made them thinking?
ShinNL
Member
Noooo, I never knew this! Damn, I hardly play most of the games I own, so if I knew this I would've boycotted this game
Now I'm also not sure what Ubisoft games I own in Steam that has this DRM, since I think I bought some Assassin's Creeds during Steam Sales.
Stuff like this should really be forbidden and be called rentals, people will accidentally 'buy' completely different 'licenses' than what they are used to. It's very misleading.
Wut? Seriously?
I just bought it from Amazon the other day... if I knew it had this kind of DRM, I wouldn't have gotten it D:
charlequin
Banned
Frankly, they're much worse at this point: Activision doesn't do online passes, they don't do activation-based DRM (or always-online DRM outside of Blizzard), all their PC games use Steamworks, etc.
ClovingWestbrook
Banned
Are you seriously defending Ubisoft here?
Gully State
Member
I'm convinced that out of EA, Activision, and Ubisoft, Activision is the lesser of the evils. Yeah they try to milk their consumers as well but they're more transparent about it. EA's shady with their marketing and Ubisoft at this point is pretty much antagonistic to one segment of the gaming community.
This.
Bobby Kotick saying dumbass/evil shit in public doesn't hurt my games the way EA/UBI policies often do.
iNvid02
Member
like clockwork ubi
1. introduce terrible drm
2. wait for user backlash
3. wait for news sites to pick it up
4. issue apology and remove drm
can a mod update the thread title too, thanks
I think he's just trying to be cute, because "LOL Internet outrage, amiright? herp derp".
Gee, thanks Ubi for permitting your customers change hardware to better enjoy your fucking games.
Guru3D said:
Really?
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