The Intertubes are abuzz with the latest DRM debacle as gamers around the world struggle with Ubisoft's new invasive system that requires regular online authentication. Ubisoft have apologised for the issues in a
forum post:
Due to exceptional demand, we are currently experiencing difficulties with the Online Service Platform. This does not affect customers who are currently playing, but customers attempting to start a game may experience difficulty in accessing our servers. We are currently working to resolve this issue and apologize for any inconvenience.
While the problem only apparently affected around 5% of users, it is a good reminder as to the problems suffered when you try to do the right thing and buy a game, only to get an inferior experience to the
pirated version.
It seems pretty amazing they'd press forward with such a system after the absolute beat-up they suffered after the StarForce debacle, but... here we are. While we at AusGamers
always encourage people to buy their games, we also encourage them to be aware of DRM systems that games might have - so do your research before shelling out your hard-earned dollars! As someone that was forced to reformat a PC because of StarForce in an Ubisoft game, I learned that lesson the hard way.
Posted 06:54am 09/3/10
Posted 08:12am 09/3/10
Posted 08:17am 09/3/10
Steam DRM is the only DRM system I've encountered that doesn't annoy me. It just works. Thank goodness many publishers have removed or disabled their own DRM systems for the steam versions of their games.
Posted 09:10am 09/3/10
Posted 09:33am 09/3/10
Posted 10:25am 09/3/10
Posted 10:55am 09/3/10
Posted 11:00am 09/3/10
Posted 11:26am 09/3/10
Posted 11:36am 09/3/10
Posted 11:37am 09/3/10
Posted 11:41am 09/3/10
Yeah I f*****g hate those ads too. I bought your god damn dvd so why are you b****ing at me about not buying ENOUGH dvds? Even worse than that are the ones that force you to sit through ads for other movies. I ran into a movie once (can't remember which) that if you pushed chapter skip, menu or anything it would return you to the FIRST of 5 movie ads. That is just bulls***.
It is pretty decent but I have 1 major problem with the whole series that they have seemed to totally ignore. When it comes to assassinating a target, you never seem to be able to get a stealth kill on them. You can wipe out an entire army on your own without being seen but the second you get near that fat guy who is talking to someone else, he notices you and runs away or something.
last edited by DM at 11:41:11 09/Mar/10
Posted 12:12pm 09/3/10
That's because the princess is in another castle Mario! :)
Posted 02:28pm 09/3/10
Now this ubi drm seems to be working atm, but drm that doesnt work seems to be a huge rort on everyone concerned.
Posted 02:29pm 09/3/10
Posted 02:43pm 09/3/10
All games get cracked so if the above was the case nobody would get paid.
Posted 02:48pm 09/3/10
AC2 wasn't, still isn't properly afaik.
Posted 03:00pm 09/3/10
* Because the suits want it
* Because the investors want it
* Because tech solutions to PC piracy sound attractive
* Because publishers seem to not give a f*** about their customers
* Because publishers are scared that releasing with no DRM would be worse
* Because it might prevent some casual piracy
* Because it might slow second hand sales
* Any or all of the above
Edit:
They don't sell the same version, Securom and the like continually create new versions of their DRM like an escalating arms race.
last edited by Dazhel at 15:00:02 09/Mar/10
Posted 03:06pm 09/3/10
Oh and does anyone know how much companies charge for something like securom, just that random post on slashdot quoting $5 per game sold seemed ridiculously high in context of zero day cracks.
Posted 03:39pm 09/3/10
Posted 03:53pm 09/3/10
Ahh, I think I've found the problem
Posted 04:06pm 09/3/10
Maybe the DRM server isn't under an actual DDoS but just suffering cause it's hosted at the same site as the BFBC2 server browser? :P
Posted 04:07pm 09/3/10
Posted 06:16pm 09/3/10
its ubisofts own drm
Posted 06:29pm 09/3/10
Heh, Securom and Starforce must be in awe at how quickly Ubisoft have cornered the market on technology that stops unauthorised people from playing games.
Posted 06:32pm 09/3/10
Posted 06:37pm 09/3/10