News Ubisoft's DRM servers go down, games unplayable

Well actually there is - go post on their forums, specifically this thread...

While I don't think a DDoS on Ubi's servers is the most ethical action (assuming it was one and not just Ubisoft underestimating traffic) it does make the point for those who (most unwisely in my view) bought into this system, that it places their purchases at risk.

 

I love your ridiculous use of hyperbole and straw man arguments, keep it up it's quite enjoying to read.

 

No you obviously don't, 'cos I'm not endorsing pirating or stealing - I've never pirated anything and I buy all my games & DVDs (running out of physical space too because I never sell/trade them in either).
My point was you *should* be able to rent or borrow PC games just as you can rent Console games.

My point was If you want to play it on the PC you can't rent it or borrow your friends copy & not everyone has (or wants) a console or they may want the game for additional content (like user generated mods on Oblivion for example) or perhaps ([Deity of your choice] forbid) prefer a keyboard and mouse over a joypad.

See last point.

As I've said, not everyone has or indeed wants a console.

I'm talking about legit games not pirated ones.

again, I'm not talking about pirated games. Just because you think EVERY PC user is a pirate does not make it true.

yes, and that is a good way to go about it free DLC to those who buy the game new and a small charge to those who buy 2nd hand and want the same additional content - they're not forced to buy the extra content in order to play the game and they're not forcing you to stay online 100% of the time to play a single player game either.

nope, 'fraid not - I've got a friend who doesn't have the internet at all (and no PC) but has a 360 and was having loads of problems with a game because he couldn't patch it.

I said a flaky connection (up and down all the time - as a matter of fact my connection to Steam has just quit on me - I can still play all the games I've bought and downloaded on it, just can't download any I've not got currently installed or purchase any more until it comes back up) not no connection at all.

Excuse for what? I'm not going to get it on the PC legit or otherwise (I've already said I don't pirate software or anything else).
As it happens, I've already got it and completed it on the 360.

If I wanted it on the PC (and it didn't include this extremely restrictive DRM) I would have bought it - I do occasionally buy games on multiple platforms (I've got a few games on both the PC and either the Xbox/360/PS2/Gamecube).

Yes really, Once I've activated a game I see no reason to have to have an active net connection unless your playing an online multiplayer game.

Edit: And if you think I'm an irate PC gamer take a look at my 360 profile, I mainly game on that - but I still like playing the odd game on my PC too.
For a breakdown of my gaming habits:- http://raptr.com/Blademrk

 

awww f**k its you. I refuse to read any more of this thread for the sake of my blood pressure. someone just mail me the funny bits.


On topic, copying games baaad....oh wait, no it isn't. Like DVD's its better to have a back up in case of fire, theft, or drunken frisbee. I've never pirated a PC game yet as a Kid without a job I certainly pirated Playstation games. Heck almost everyone I know plays pirated or copied wii games for one reason or another.

One point, whats all this plug in and play with consoles? 40mins for GTA 4 to patch itself. Fifa10 corrupted after patching. Its not exactly a bed of roses for consoles either.

Request to bindi: If I partake any further in off topic console vs PC debate feel free to swing the ban hammer at me.........for the sake of my sanity.

 

Now that you bring it up, the whole patching on consoles, really really suck.

 

I don't play those games. I can't. So I don't complain. However I do play single player games. I like to play single player games at school using steam offline mode (or CDs). But I can't when they require a permanent internet connection. Notice, I am using short sentences to keep things simple for you.

No. There is an offline mode that works perfectly well.

Not even worth replying to that load of crap....

EDIT: And for your informarion I played most of my games on consoles before I built a new PC a few months ago:

 

arent there console games that require you to be connected to the net to install, patch and play? im pretty sure iv heard some of my mates complain about having to wait to download patches etc for console games they bought.

oh and warrior, dont say that every PC gamer pirates their games. it makes you look stupid and ignorant.

 

Barndoor> Yes. But they only make you download the patch if you have interernet (i.e. it can detect it needs to be patched). But yes, if you have internet you have to download the patch to play online.

 

or to remain signed in to x-box live

 

the doo doo can?

 

Has he actually refuted my points? I'm confuzzled.

 

Warrior, one of the points you raise is that the console experience is easy and hassle free compared to the PC but that is not always the case. WIth the current gen of consoles you'll notice that a lot of games get patched pretty regularly to fix issues/glitches etc.
One of my first experiences with the PS3 was Burnout Paradise, which insisted on a large 300odd meg patch (when your connection is slow that isn't fun) before it would let me access all the games features. And when I declined it, it would pop up at random during gameplay (usually just as you're pulling off a daring manouvre) to tell me I need to update. I've never had that with a PC game.
The point is that the console experience isn't always a simple 'put in disc, play game' one, and they aren't immune from many of the problems you raise with PC gaming. Oh and I'd hardly call the 360 a hassle free experience when it red rings of deaths on you.
I'm not saying one format is better than the other, just that your idea of removing choice from the customer is not a valid one.

 

True, console games are not always 'simple' plug and play.

To any gamer out there who listens to the 'pro-console hype' and thinks of getting the latest console just because they now think everything in console land is perfect, then let the multiplatform gamers tell you it's not perfect at all.

Like others have mentioned (even with good internet connections) try to game on a PS3 when the latest firmware update or glitch-busting game patch is required, and then sit down and watch your clock.

Not to mention the incredibly slow game loading times, level loading times and data reading and saving times on the PS3 compared to PC. Yes you can upgrade a PS3's hard drive, but it's still slow compared to PC.

The list of benefits of gaming on the PC go on and on to include such things as having options for advanced AA, higher framerates, FRAPS recordings, greater resolution choices and screen (monitor/TV) choices, better graphical draw distance due to higher PC memory, greater support for various peripheral choices etc. ...

 

Not all PC gamers play MMO, RTS and RPG type of games.

So for me, the whole culture of being tied to the internet in order to play a game is one that I'm not used to.

Of course, if I choose to play WAN multiplayer mode, then I will need internet access for that. But at least I can game on a laptop or anywhere else with poor internet access in single player mode or even LAN multiplayer mode.

I also do not own a single PC game that requires me to have a constant internet connection to play in single player mode.

 

Have you seen PC piracy figures for games that do have demos? I have known many PC gamers who come out with every excuse under the sun for downloading a cracked version of a game even when the demo was available, such as saying things like "they need to try the whole game to see if they like it".

You may have your own completely 'valid' reasons fo pirating a particular game. However, any illegal gaming is only making matters worse for all of us in the long run.

Like Arguer24_7 says, if you are so sure about your ethics, then why not walk into a shop and snatch the game disc from the shelf and tell everyone that you are just going to 'demo' the game.

You can pirate a movie and you can remain sure that next year the publisher will continue to make movies.

Pirate an XBOX game and you can be sure to receive more XBOX releases next year.

Pirate a PC game and you increase the likelihood that the PC game publisher will find the piracy download rates so scary to either abandon the PC version of future games or create even worse DRM.

If you already know that the piracy rates are forcing developers to rethink their support for the PC platform, then all forms of pirate downloads, regardless of whether or not it would have been a lost sale or not (or just a demo), will hurt all of us in the end.

For others who decide to protest against this DRM by encouraging people to do even more piracy, you're just shooting yourselves in the foot.

The way to protest properly is to speak out on Ubi's forums and do not touch their game in any legal or illegal form, and do not buy it on any gaming platform.

 

This is what I try and advocate but really its never going to happen. Whenever some bad decisions on DRM or even game features such as dedicated servers are made, the game is hugely pirated.

I'll go out on a limb and say most pirates are proud of what they do and they seem to think they are "sticking to the man" or "fighting the establishment" or some related BS. I mean it's one thing to pirate software but I really hate people who justify piracy by glorifying it.

Now AC2 will be pirated a lot because people will think they are fighting the evil DRM or something.

 

i wasnt saying that pirating was right - i was pointing out that a publisher asking us to buy a 30 quid game without a demo is wrong.

when i was at uni, money wasnt abundant, and even though i did buy a few games i couldnt afford most. Im not proud but i did download a few games - but any game i played for more than 2 hours i would go out and buy (stalker and oblivion spring to mind, not forgetting FM). most of the games would be installed, played for an hour then uninstalled when i realised they were crap. then i would be glad i didnt just blindly go out and buy it, because PC gamers cant recoup most of their money with trade-ins.

I have bought my fair share of dogs, as im sure everyone has, and i dont really want to spend money on something that will just sit on my shelf gathering dust.

 

I've made a stochastic analysis of MrsWarboys24_7 posts.

I predict

 

+1. Not one. What would I do when I'm on the move? Or when the college's internet dies? I have no interest in a system that eats into my already limited monthly bandwidth. Ubisoft's system sucks and I certainly won't buy (or download, actually) of the games which feature this. Why, oh why, didn't they just release it on Steam?