Hell I wouldn't even pirate their games if I did pirate, because of all the crap DRM
...you... do understand the purpose of DRM, right? Technically, if their crap DRM is keeping you from pirating their games, then it's working.
(Although I guess what you're trying to say is that their DRM makes their games so shitty that you don't even want to pirate them. Still, I found it amusing that you're saying you won't even pirate their games because of their... DRM.)
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I heard at one point it was easier to play Ubi's games WHEN PIRATED!
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Most pirated games are literally, install, copy file across, play. No bullshit. Even playing online with them isn't hard 95% of the time.
Only time I download games is if I want to test perfomance before buying and/or if there is no demo available. Afterwards I delete them and if I enjoyed what I tried, I will buy the game.
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same here, i download games for testing reason, too
especially the games from big companies, since they nowadays tend to rip their customers the hard way...
(f.e. egosoft, was one of the best companies IMO but after that X-Rebirth fail i can't even trust them anymore)
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Well of course, that's true of any game with DRM. It's also easier to get into a car or a house if you leave it unlocked, to purchase an item of clothing from a department store without anti-theft tags on it, and to withdraw money from the bank without having to remember and constantly enter your PIN.
The point is not whether its easier for a legitimate consumer to play a game with DRM than without, the answer is always going to be no, or at best no difference, that's just common sense. The question is whether the extra difficulty you cause for your customers by adding DRM - not to mention the internal costs of licensing, implementation/testing and post-purchase support - outweighs the benefits of reducing piracy (side note: yes, DRM reduces piracy, despite what pirates like to claim. Otherwise companies wouldn't use it, it's pure cost/benefit economics). You, as a consumer, are not qualified to answer that question because you only represent one side of the equation. And ultimately your opinion is worthless anyway, because it's not your product, and not your choice to make.
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Its even worse then you think, UbiSoft pirated a pirate crack to a patch one of their own games because people were having so much trouble with their DRM. lol
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Well then, dont complain if the game crashes ever so often or it doesnt save, when you pirate games.
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There is ok DRM and then there is crappy DRM. Pretty much all the DRM they have had has been of the crappy versions.
Steam, while DRM, is generally pretty good. It still has its issues, but its better then pretty much all the other stuff thats out there.
UbiSoft DRM has no effect on pirates because its pretty much crippled once pirates get the game. And you seemed to ignore the part where I said the crap quality of their games.
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Steam very much is a DRM, but it's one of the few pretty well made DRM. Heck, since I started using Steam the only things I pirate these days are really old games that aren't on GoG or Steam, and games that I want to test but don't have a demo.
Edit: Though, amusingly enough, I have had to Pirate an oobisoft game cause I couldn't get the legit copy I purchased to work.
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lol, except that their custom installer keeps crashing quite often and for multiplayer parts it's sometimes impossible to play with one that own's the steam version...
and like i wrote a post above, it makes playing with friends a lot easier
and btw, you own 281 games on steam, so it can't be that bad or am i totally wrong? ;)
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Nice logic.
1)Make game as crappy as possible
2)Nobody want it even for free, so nobody pirates it
3)??????
4)PROFIT!
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Actually, their DRM system was so annoying, that it was a lot more convenient to just use the pirated versions of the games, which had it all taken down. Because eventually the pirates managed to find a way to bypass it completely. So the only ones that suffered were the decent people that actually bought the games. The harshest case of this was Assassin's Creed 2, which is the game for which UPlay was invented. Since then, they did come a long way and actually made it so the games can be played on UPlay in off-line mode, but still...DRM IS USELESS.
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"Sir! There is an alarming percentage of pirates in our playerbase!"
"Quickly Smee! Add DRM!"
"It's having no effect other than annoying customers!"
"Then we need more restrictive DRM!"
"It's lowering the number of paying customers!"
"MORE DRM, DAMNIT. DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WORKS?"
But seriously, anybody in the so-called "AAA" gaming industry as anything but a high-ranking desk jockey has my sympathies. Really, given the working conditions under such big names, by all rights they should utterly crumble due to resigning workforce or legal troubles with their practices. Sadly, there are plenty of struggling newcomers always ready to pick up the slack when a seasoned coder or veteran designer/audio-visual member walks out.
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Yes, that's exactly how it works, companies like to add unnecessary extra work to their product - thereby increasing the time to market - just for the fun of it, for absolutely no measurable benefit. Because clearly, all publishers are led by morons who don't know how to run a business, and backed by shareholders who couldn't care less that their financial investment is being blown on blatant mismanagement.
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"Because clearly, all publishers are led by morons who don't know how to run a business..."
Right there, you have hit the proverbial nail on the head, thereby rendering the rest of your pseudo-argument invalid. What I find staggering is how, after one moron runs the company into the ground with idiotic management, these publishing companies turn right around and hire another...who promptly does the same thing the last guy did. The shareholders keep thinking that, this time, for sure, they will pull a rabbit out of that hat.
"Have I told you the definition of insanity?"
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Except Yves Guillemont co-founded Ubisoft in 1986 and has been CEO since 2000, and Ubisoft is still very much alive, rendering the whole of your counter-argument factually incorrect and therefore invalid.
Also, the term pseudo-argument doesn't mean what you think it means; my argument is very much a reasonable argument, and can indeed be backed by evidence (ie. the existence of shareholders, the continuing operation of the company, UBI share price history etc. This is all public information and easy to find online). That I made the argument using sarcasm, or that you disagree with it, doesn't make it a pseudo-argument.
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"Pseudo-" (prefix): not real or genuine; being apparently rather than actually.
Looks like I used it correctly. I would guess, however, that my message was unclear as I was using a specific definition of "argument." Unless you've studied Logic, you would be unlikely to make the connection, and would therefore have no context by which to understand what I meant by "pseudo-argument." My bad.
In any case, my response was an indication (pointing something out) followed by a general observation (a generalized assertion, not a counter-argument). You may disagree with my assertion that software publishers (in general) are run quite poorly, but if your goal is to change my opinion, you face an uphill battle.
P.S. (Yes, Ubisoft has been and continues to be badly managed. Imagine how well they would do if it were not so.)
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http://mollysanders79.blogspot.com/2009/09/pseudo-arguments.html
Oops! Looks like you didn't.
But sure, continue with the "I'm just so much smarter than everyone else, clearly you just can't understand me" schtick, it's working so well countering my evidence that proves you wrong!
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As I pointed out, above, I was applying the forensic (Logic) usage of the term rather than the writing (Literature) usage. Even so, go right ahead and claim victory. You obviously have a greater emotional investment in being "right" than I do. I concede. You win.
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Because things like three-times-only activation were such a good idea, that didn't get reversed once the impact of such DRM were having a huge negative impact, amirite? And hey, let's just ignore the main point of the post and focus on just being obnoxious over the humorous part!
Wow, that was easier than I thought. Man I feel smart.
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Yes, three-times activations were a good idea, and actually worked. That's why there was such a backlash against them from pirates. Which, being how the internet and vocal minorities and minority influence work, turned into a bigger backlash in public opinion from people who really didn't know better, and accepted hoaxes like "DRM broke my CD drive!" despite lack of evidence.
In other words, the DRM worked, but when public opinion swayed against it, it was rolled back, and therefore the system as a whole worked. And no companies went out of business.
Re: the main point of your post, both you "humorous" part and following paragraph made the same argument, and I can copy-paste the counter argument if it makes you feel better.
Sorry to make you feel dumb again.
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Yes, Einstein, they couldn't care less. Sarcasm does nothing because it's actually true - I remember a few years ago, before I finished my degree, we had a CEO on small gaming company came here for presentation and a round of questions. Inevitably, someone asked him about DRM in the end.
I still remember how he paused, took his glasses off, and gave us tired look: "Listen, guys, the law says I need to take care of shareholders return on investment. The thing is, I can spend 250.000$ on a piece of crap that likely does nothing useful, or be sued by some jackass who invested in my company a day before and is now after extractive profit. What would you do? No judge is going to rule against you for making your stuff too secure, while a lot of them will slap you for omitting something everyone does. Customer happiness is not in the law, it's that simple".
Had you have any idea of what you're talking about you'd knew how wrong your post was, yes, it turns out badly managed, overspending in both time and money company can bring in profit if there is no strong competition that can drive it out of business and bad practices are forced on them by outside pressure.
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Either way, Ubi being a shitty company doesn't give anyone license to pirate.
If they take their games off of Steam, I'll just move to the next game on the backlog. My life won't be any less complete. shrug
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Its peoples way of saying "Fuck Ubisoft those anti-consumer, lying bastards"
Personally I don't even want to play their shitty broken games.
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Edit: Nevermind, my insomnia caused me to read your name as "pressfart420", instead of "pressstart420". lol
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Sadly, I live in Pennsylvania, one of the most backward, repressed states in the country, not including states like Texas of course. lol
Also, even if it were possible for me to partake, one, I can't afford it, I'm disabled on a fixed income and two, I take quite a bit of medication already and I don't want to find out/risk that there "might" be a bad side effect from mixing them with marijuana.
I readily admit, that in my younger years, mid teens through mid-late twenties, I partook in my fair share of "natures medicine", but sadly, it's just not a viable option for me at this point in my life.
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You realize parts of Texas have decriminalized it, yes?
I'd say come on down, but since there are 140 Yankees and Californians pillaging this place daily, I'd say stay in your own "backward, repressed" situation. ;)
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My comment about Texas had nothing to do with marijuana legislation...
Texas is one of the major states that is still in argument whether or not to teach creationism in schools and quite a few schools in Texas actually do teach creationism as though it's not a fantasy...
Are you really going to tell me that that isn't "backwards"?!? o_O
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I'm trying to say that in any geography large enough to encompass the variety of folks we have here, you're going to find stories to fit your world view. The loudest voices on the radio aren't always representative of the majority of folks in their locale, regardless of what they claim.
Folks of a certain mindset point to the late homeless transvestite that ran for mayor multiple times here (and finished with a good portion of the vote one year) and draw their own conclusions.
I reside in one of the best school districts in the country here, and in fact (by many measures) the best public high school in the entire country. They teach cutting edge subject materials and are very well aware of how to teach real science alongside showing respect to those of diverse beliefs of all kinds.
Although I find it odd that your statement had nothing to do with marijuana legislation while that's all the post really talked about. I hope you could see how I might be confused by the contextual clues.
Or maybe it's just my living in this pedestrian, low-tech, backwater city.
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I completely agree that their asinine comments and actions don't give people license to pirate, what it does give them though, is a reason to not buy or play their games at all, which is what I'm doing and have been doing for quite a while now.
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And this is how the free market is supposed to work. If the product that's provided is not deemed suitable by the consumer, company loses a sale and consumer goes without. Consumer may complain loudly about it and claim that no one could possibly want the product under such conditions, but if the company turns a profit the consumer is categorically wrong.
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Yes, I know how the free market works, but there always seems to be a large group that blindly throws money at these big companies that have seemingly gone out of their way to show consumers who pay attention, that they don't care about their opinion and are going to just keep going with their despicable business practices, regardless of the vocal minority.
It's sad, but I'll stick to my guns and not give them my dollars unless they drastically change the way they do business, that and voicing my opinion are pretty much all I can do.
I won't resort to piracy either and the very few games made/published by Ubisoft that I do actually own on Steam, are games that I've either won from giveaways on this site (which I appreciate, because they're the two great AC games that I actually do enjoy) or I was gifted them by Steam friends.
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Your last sentence is the problem with the "free market" today.
In this particular case, it's accurate, I think. But not in all cases.
Our governments have one fundamental purpose, and "free market" capitalism has compromised it at its core.
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So what you're saying is that people shouldn't have the freedom to run a business how they want (drawing a line at regulated public safety concerns), and that consumers shouldn't have the right to buy what they want, regardless of your view on the product? And I suppose, YOU will be the one deciding what people can buy or sell based on your own personal opinion?
In other words, you hate free market capitalism because you think the world would be a much better place with you as its dictator. Do you not see this as narcissistic?
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Your parenthetical is my only concern. And like I said, it doesn't really apply (that I'm aware of) in the video game industry (though there are some weak arguments concerning addiction and violence).
My last sentence is absolutely true in my country. That is, the powers that be have compromised the social contract in order to appease the ideal of the free market. It is exactly that. An ideal. Any ideal, attempted to be executed as an ideal type, has failed miserably in human existence. Unchecked capitalism is no exception.
Your last sentence was what I took issue with. You clarified it in your second statement when you mentioned public safety. Now...public safety is a term that needs to be properly enforced and taken seriously. Right now it is often largely ignored.
"Free" markets should (normative I know, although you may judge as wanted but I'm right based on historical failures of far more than just capitalism) only be free to the point they prove harmful to the citizens of a State. Otherwise, the markets are "free", but the citizens most certainly are not. We are there now here.
To reply to your other statements. I never said anything about people not being able to run a business, nor that consumers shouldn't be able to buy what they want. I would have no stake in decision making unless I had run for office or been appointed appropriately. And I do not hate free market capitalism at all. I hate those that march it out as an ideal above all else, including the citizens they pretend to represent. I may be narcissistic, but not about this. :)
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But free market capitalism IS an ideal above all else, because there is no better ideal. Don't mistake that for perfection. Socialism is great in theory but has never worked in practice (the bastion of communism, China, has had it less than a century, is infamous for its human rights abuses, and is slowly having the system eroded by a longing to collaborate on the international stage). And dictatorship is of course bad in theory and practice, but that seems to be the only solution you propose.
Re: your concern on corruption in your country, that may well be true but history shows the situation is never improved regardless of the political or economic ideals adhered to. You also mention the compromising of the social contract. Sure, politicians are scum, that's universal. What about the compromising of contracts - both social and legislated - by civilians, as evidence by the existence of criminals and piracy? Do they get away scot-free?
Now to address the parenthetical, I can't work out what exactly it is you're arguing. It seems we agree regulating/legislating on the grounds of public safety (as in, physical or psychological harm as recognised in various medical professions) is important, but that was nothing more than an aside to my argument in case it be taken too literally out of context. In the scope of the topic, DRM is not a public safety concern, and should not be regulated for or against. As far as I'm aware, DRM has never broken anyone's arm or caused schizophrenia, and when people claim they are butt-hurt over DRM, I always assumed they were being figurative.
Of course, everyone also has the right to argue against DRM. Nobody likes DRM except its manufacturers. It's a pain in the arse for consumers and developers/publishers. And if you really dislike a DRM enough to boycott purchasing a game, I won't argue your point, your right to do so, and may even stand beside you. But its presence is not an excuse for piracy of what is essentially a luxury product, of which there are many cheaper, even free, and more palatable alternatives; and I will defend to the death the right of any legal entity - whilst we live in a capitalist free market (whether you like that ideal or not) - to sell their products any way they see fit.
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the fucking slave masters,that's what they are. . .the goddamn corporate greedbag fux.i swear,i hate ubi more and more every single day.what normal person,that doesn't loathe him/herself would even consider buying shitty pc ports for that high of a price tag?they really have some nerve,and are getting away with it.and even console releases suck phat bawlsacks.that's even more insane,them expecting ppl to pay full retail price for a digital boatload of trash,and ppl actually dishing out that kind of funds.i'm stumped.fuck 'em!
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Because it's easier to pirate them than wait a sale :-/
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Some random site I've never heard of, posts something from a bitter ex-employee speaking second-hand? :smh:
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haha, and they still didn't fix that fucking game. There is a sound bug present on every single copy, console & pc. Machine gun fire will play (at random) continuously drilling into your skull until you turn the game off.
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Am I a pirate? No, I have never robbed someone with the threat of force while at sea.
Now, have I done copyright infringement, yes, you bet your ass I have. Growing up, I was broke as shit and anything I even through of buying, I downloaded first. Hell, borderlands 1 & 2, I had played before I bought them.
With Warcraft, I actually started out on WOWScape before it went to crap and after 6 months of playing on it, I went and started on retail only to have WotLK run me and everyone I know off of it (Easy mode PvE and dead PvP outside of sandbox duels, just wasn't fun anymore with no world PvP or Battlegrounds).
Fun fact, statistically, the biggest offenders of copyright infringement also happen to be some of the ones who spend the most money by many metrics except for the ones who download them but don't really play them and just treat it like a game of Pokemon where they have to get all the games they can find, same goes for movies and music.
I have actually had a few games where I downloaded it bootleg and then when I bought it,I ended up going back to the bootlegs just because they were easier to use. Of course I was also the one to use No-CD cracks on any game I owned.
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I feel the same way about it.
When I was younger and utterly broke-ass I just downloaded all of my games/music, because there was literally no other way to lay my hands on those and I really wanted to.
Once I started working though, I bought most of the stuff I played and listened to, having almost 350 games in my Steam library alone and numerous music CDs, for now.
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True.
But even if he is lying, lets just check the facts:
I don't wish to comment on internal structure of Ubi, because I cant check that part of the interview.
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well, that didn't only count for unity, lets see other games (not only from ubish!t)
best examples:
tony hawks proskater HD - didn't eve got the option to change controls and therefore only playable with a custom mod or a xbox controller
dungeon siege 3 - the controlls just suck like hell
borderlands 2 - the vehicle controls are a pain in the ass
and this list could be expanded for almost every console title that was converted to pc...
and all just because of a lazy dev who didn't even want to rework the controlls for the pc version
(and if thats not enough, then there's still the 30fps limitation in most console-ports)
so burn all those f***ing consoles and manufacturers and pc-gaming would once again be as good as it was 10 years ago
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Ubisoft blaming pirates for their loses and shitty games, services.. Nice #cough
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So what did they think of steam users? pirates too?
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Alleged Ex-Ubisoft Employee Talks About His Experience
I was in a meeting personally with Yves Guillemot, who said that he doesn’t care about PC gamers because, and i quote “90% are pirates anyway”, that’s after a direct question from a well-respected, well paid programmer back in the late 2000s asking “why are our pc ports fucking shit?”, so we outsourced it all to Eastern Europe.
That's it
I won't buy Ubisoft games, they don't deserve my money
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