Like you said, it could and will always be pirated.
DRM will only harm legitimate customers, who paid good money. DRM will never stop pirates from enjoying their unencumbered copies, which they got for free.
History has proven DRM a dismal flop numerous times, but Ubisoft chose to employ it in its worst form to date and screw over their paying customers, which is a much better moral choice, obviously.
That "draconian" form of DRM has been used long before Ubisoft ever did it. Half-Life 2 six years ago needed a broadband connection to install steam and decrpyt the game, and you always had to be online to play the game. Funny how Steam/Valve are still ever so popular nowadays.
Microsoft's xbox live arcade games require you to be online for the games to know they are full (ie purchased). If you're offline and wanna play a game it thinks it's a demo, rather than full; hence, again, requiring an internet connection.
Still, XBLA is the hallmark of download services and remains a benchmark for all consoles to try and achieve.
I'm not saying Ubisoft are right in their choice but how many of us are actually NOT online the moment our PCs are turned on? Not sure how it's gonna screw me up as a paying customer - it hasn't done with other DRMs that are similar, and I'm sure this won't either.
If it means it takes longer for proper scene groups to crack it then good for Ubi - remember, the original Splinter Cell took years to crack, and ACII is still in the realm of dodgy russian patches.
Given the choice between supporting a developer (and their DRM which I don't mind) and stealing their work, I know where I stand.
Anyhow, (legit :p) jigjig tomorrow?
8:40 am
Just a quick note - if you, like me, hated the first Assassin' Creed and got fed up with it's repetition and the same old "survey area, do side mission, kill target, rinse and repeat" mechanic, then I urge you; nay, beg you, to play Assassin's Creed II. It's like the Assassin's Creed that was made to please us lot - the guys that hated the first one. I can't say much more without spoiling it, but Ubisoft have really redesigned the game to a much better standard. Oh, and while I'm at it - I played the Splinter Cell: Conviction demo the other day, the 5th in the Splinter Cell series. This one's been delayed/in the making for 4 years. Again, Ubi have done a great job at reinvigorating the stealth genre, and this game is nothing short of FANTASTIC. Play both and support Ubi, one of the most prolific devs these days.
"Assassin's Creed II"
4 Comments -
You mean, support UbiSoft and their new draconian DRM scheme? Not in this lifetime, no.
8:35 pm
You could always pirate it, which is a much better moral choice, obviously.
8:40 pm
Like you said, it could and will always be pirated.
DRM will only harm legitimate customers, who paid good money. DRM will never stop pirates from enjoying their unencumbered copies, which they got for free.
History has proven DRM a dismal flop numerous times, but Ubisoft chose to employ it in its worst form to date and screw over their paying customers, which is a much better moral choice, obviously.
12:17 am
That "draconian" form of DRM has been used long before Ubisoft ever did it. Half-Life 2 six years ago needed a broadband connection to install steam and decrpyt the game, and you always had to be online to play the game. Funny how Steam/Valve are still ever so popular nowadays.
Microsoft's xbox live arcade games require you to be online for the games to know they are full (ie purchased). If you're offline and wanna play a game it thinks it's a demo, rather than full; hence, again, requiring an internet connection.
Still, XBLA is the hallmark of download services and remains a benchmark for all consoles to try and achieve.
I'm not saying Ubisoft are right in their choice but how many of us are actually NOT online the moment our PCs are turned on? Not sure how it's gonna screw me up as a paying customer - it hasn't done with other DRMs that are similar, and I'm sure this won't either.
If it means it takes longer for proper scene groups to crack it then good for Ubi - remember, the original Splinter Cell took years to crack, and ACII is still in the realm of dodgy russian patches.
Given the choice between supporting a developer (and their DRM which I don't mind) and stealing their work, I know where I stand.
Anyhow, (legit :p) jigjig tomorrow?
8:40 am