Ubisoft's Revolutionary DRM!!!
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http://www.screwattack.com/news/community-showcase-ubisoft-drm-taking-it-step-too-farGuru3D has discovered that Ubisoft has taken it to a whole new ballpark. Whilst trying to install the game Anno 2070 on three different computers (for review purposes), they discovered something. One of the computers was an NVIDIA Graphics Test PC. They took out a GTX 580 graphics card and inserted a GTX 590. Now here's where their troubles begin.
Instead of monitoring the number of PC's that you are using, Ubisoft also monitor your hardware itself. Meaning, that, once the user switched graphics cards, the activation key was no longer valid and the game wouldn't work anymore.
Best part is if they wanted to review the game, they'd have to buy the game seven times. Ubisoft's response? Tough luck.
In short, Ubisoft DRM doesn't just track the computers, but it also tracks your hardware. Meaning, switch one thing out and lose an activation code. Better be careful in the future, you could get screwed over worse than you could ever imagine.
Does Ubisoft hate their customers or something?
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I'll say what they have been saying in the comments under the article.
Tough luck back to them I suppose..
USB devices also have an ID in the hardware manager and what not right, so switching mouse or keyboard would change your hardware setup I guess.....
Unlike console fanbois, PC users have this tendency to upgrade their rig. Frequently.
"GEE I love the Anno series, can't wait to test it out"
"Oh my, it doesn't play very well, oh well I needed to get a new graphics card anyways"
[Invalid Activation Key]
"eh?"
Then again, I can skip Ubi titles - grab a book instead, do some art, watch a movie. There's so much other quality entertainment available, I can live without playing their games.
*applause*
Windows also tracks hardware changes too and it doesn't deactivate unless there's significant changes made all at once to compensate for ongoing hardware upgrades. Even then if you call Microsoft they'll give you a new key (which admittedly isn't a wonderful solution but it's better than nothing)
This drm layer is ON TOP OF STEAM!, valve really aught to have a no-drm policy on products sold on steam, as steam is drm already.
The Anno series is a fantastic series that ubisoft will end up murdering with tricks like this.
there's nothing wrong with my internet connection so i figured what the hell, so what if i need to be online to play, i always am anyway.
well..
Servers crashed repeatedly, and here's the good part, every time they crashed i lost all my saves and all achievements because the game doesnt upload your progression until you shut down the game yourself. At one point i lost a complete 4 hour session when their servers unexpectedly went down.
Ubisoft needs to read up on brand equity and realize they just made a massive fucking withdrawal that i dont think there's any recovery from.
GG to the collection of glue sniffing clownshoes that decided that this form of anti piracy was a good idea...
Don't you know Ubisoft? You just can't keep a good asshole down.
I ended up having to replace my permanently bust DVD drive and format the entire machine.
Maybe if PC gamers were treated as equally as there console cousins by Ubisoft then they'd actually realise this DRM solves nothing only pissing off paying customers.
Funny thing is that they don't know what there doing themselves. In the space of a few years, they've tried multiple DRM methods and none have worked.
SC:C came with "always on" DRM, then From Dust had non and now there switching to this stupid ploy.
They'll be in the collectors edition
Great idea, so we can then have a THIRD online client when Ubi gets pissed off at that and starts its own 'Origin'. :poly124:
My only question is why has Ubisoft chosen a course of self destruction?
I'm not positive, but I believe they've abandoned that method with Win 7 (and probably Vista too), since I was able to install Win7 on a couple PCs in my house. I believe they now allow you to use the license 3 or 5 times (can't remember the exact number).
But again, methods that harm the legit users, and doesn't even make the pirates blink.
The only thing I'm annoyed about is that Ubisoft has the rights to the Might and Magic franchise. Dark Messiah had been an incredibly fun spin-off, but HoMM games, which I used to love had been extremely disappointing.
Sadly, this is just another example of DRM hurting the people that actually pay for the game. Isn't the first time, and wont be the last time.
Seriously Ubisoft, go and die in a ditch at this point. Piracy cannot be stopped since picking up a simple Magazine of 'How to crack the software you like' is available like wildfire.
Maybe going after the knowledge of people who know the hows and why of Piracy is better? Kill the problem at the root.
I like the dongle idea better too. Messiah: Studio has a nice dongle system. You insert a regular usb thumbstick, their program connects to their license server once and turns your usb stick into a dongle. Then you do whatever you like.
Are they just trying to purposely hack off every PC gamer to not buy there games so they can just back out of the PC gaming market?
Pretty much, the makers of the anno series have made some really awesome pc-first games, and some of the better looking strategy games out there, these are fantastic games that don't deserve the hate they'll get for ubisofts drm.
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aside from having the whole fanbase hating on your company for the shitty drm
i do not dislike drm systems, but if youre going to put them in your software, make sure it better works and isnt a hassle for the user
I wouldnt be too concerned about drm if i knew it would be gone once the initial sales had been secured.
Worse is to buy a game and can't play it because AMD/ATI drivers Sucks with our expensive hardware!!
BTW, i have no problems playing Assassin's Creed Revelations, sometimes i believe it does not have DRM... lucky me!
It was also removed entirely from steam
And yeah, like a guaranteed 1-month only drm period, not that the drm hinders any pirates though.
yeah.. definitely not their fault.
As I work for a ubisoft developer it feels extra shitty.
They already have Uplay.
Yeah but MS let you switch each critical component once, IIRC (CPU, GPU, RAM, Mobo). This doesn't let you upgrade a single thing ever.
Send envelope with money to developer. Pirate game. Fuck Ubisoft.
Edit: hm, that might actually motivate Ubisoft to come up with more acceptable methods. (if people were to do it in bunches)
Exactly. My post may have come across as defending this, but I mean to point out that MS had a better method. Personally, I don't like either approach at all.
Oh God... I wish Valve had this policy! Surely they're big enough to be able to get away with something like that as a demand.
After looking more into it, I'm confused as hell. Apparently the rule I mentioned (and you did) only applies to [/b]OEM[/b] licenses. And even then, it's not super restrictive.
Apparently, every time you upgrade, you accrue 'points'. And supposedly a mobo is more points than a strip of ram. Once you reach a certain amounts of points, the key will no longer just work, but you have to call MS to activate it. However, over time these points get subtracted again. So basically you should be able to upgrade indefinitely, as long as you don't switch out parts too often. Which sounds pretty nice to me. (considering it's an OEM license)
I called them numerous times - they didn't really give a damn what story you told them.
Or give a clear warning (are they doing this?) anyway, I'm still upset I bought Fable III - console controls and that lame microsoft games thing?!? bah
....