Latest Ubisoft DRM measure - all SP saves stored on a cloud server

SubJeff on 9/3/2010 at 12:15

Ha ha. Yes, Zylon, yes.

Sulphur on 9/3/2010 at 16:56

Quote Posted by ZylonBane

On the contrary, it's the perfect way to wake up Joe Clueless PC Gamer to exactly what Ubi has done with AC2. Kind of like in They Live when Roddy Piper beats up his friend and forces him to put on the glasses.

Heh. Fair point. I suppose this would enlighten those unfortunates who bought the PC version, but I don't know... I don't think the company's going to learn the lesson out of this one.

Al_B on 10/3/2010 at 01:09

In some respects it doesn't matter whether Ubisoft learns their lesson or not. The important thing is that other game publishers see the problems that have arisen by going down this route.

Sulphur on 10/3/2010 at 05:35

Eventually, this sort of problem was going to happen anyway, regardless of server attacks.

Eventually - not any time soon, but once it's more widely viable - this sort of Ultra DRM solution will become commonplace, regardless of server attacks. If the game actually deletes data that isn't required (say, earlier levels with associated sound/art assets) and downloads the rest as and when needed, it might never be cracked.

Once internet bandwidth gets massive enough to make a 25+GB download trivial (like I said, not soon but eventually) and optical media dies out, this might be the standard that the industry decides to adopt.

Chade on 10/3/2010 at 05:45

Quote Posted by Sulphur

If the game actually deletes data that isn't required (say, earlier levels with associated sound/art assets) and downloads the rest as and when needed, it might never be cracked.

Yes, although pirates could still capture the game's data with a little more work, and crack the parts of the game that load it from disk - but it would certainly make it harder to accomplish.

Game companies might start doing non-trivial computation on their servers using secret algorithms (open ended RPGs might use company servers to update the world's state, only sending back the small portion of that data that the player is actually interacting with). I can't imagine pirates working around such a set up.

On the other hand, I also can't imagine how expensive it would be for the company involved. At least MMOs get monthly subscriptions to keep their servers running. Whatever service is provided by the companies server needs to be something the user will pay for.

WingedKagouti on 10/3/2010 at 07:32

Quote Posted by Chade

On the other hand, I also can't imagine how expensive it would be for the company involved. At least MMOs get monthly subscriptions to keep their servers running.

And adding a subscription to singleplayer games would probably be one of their goals as well. Some will try that before things run well and others will wait until it has proven to work. With a bit of luck they might only go for a single publisher-wide subscription instead of a per-game subscription. It might not happen within the next 5-10 years, but I see it as an inevitability with the way things are looking right now.

Assidragon on 10/3/2010 at 18:38

I don't think most people would pay for something like that. Sure, companies would love it, but if people don't buy it... I don't think majority out there would love to pay monthly for every game they own.

Edit: Also, I wonder what ISPs would think of that. Most of their money-making scheme depends on people actually not using their bandwith to the full extent (more like not using more than 20% in most cases). Everyone downloading a few dozen gigabytes of data every day would kind of hamper that.

Swiss Mercenary on 10/3/2010 at 19:40

Implementing a subscription-based single player game will hurt their bottom line.

Games these days are what, 10-20 hours in length?

Most of their customers would be done with that in a week.

Unless they'll be charging 50$/week for the subscription (Which nobody in their right mind will pay), they'll stand to lose money.

As for the DOS attack - has it ever occurred that Ubisoft may be lying through their teeth, here? I mean, all we've got to go on is their word that it's a hacker attack - and there are no consequences for them making this up.

WingedKagouti on 10/3/2010 at 19:44

Quote Posted by Assidragon

The way i see it happening is cloud stored saves/games becomming more and more popular. When that is the standard, the companies will start with their "this costs us money and it adds value to your experience, so we think it's fair for you to pay for it" line. Most likely set up per Publisher or Developer, or with some generic service that already provides similar features (Gamespy and Google would be candidates). Again, I'm not saying this will happen in the next year or so, but it is more probable in 5-10 years time.

Remember the Bonus Packs for Unreal Tournament? 4+ levels per game mode, new models, new voices, new mutators, all free. These days each of those Bonus Packs would be several seperate DLCs costing $5-10 each. Horse fucking Armor.

Assidragon on 10/3/2010 at 20:38

There's a reason why those DLCs aren't so popular though. Hardly the bright shining future of tomorrow.