The UbiSoft Forums contain some new nuggets on the DRM fiasco with Driver San Fran on the PC.
The “always on” DRM, according to “UK Forum Manager”, has been tweaked a bit.
*Important Update about the use of DRM in the PC Version*
We’ve heard your feedback regarding the permanent internet connection requirement for Driver and have made the decision to no longer include it. So this means that Driver PC gamers will only need to sign in at game launch but can subsequently choose to play the game offline. An internet connection is required to sign in when you start the game – after that you are free to play singleplayer offline for that session. You are required to connect and sign in everytime you start the game.
So, baby steps. I’m still not convinced UbiSoft really understands why people don’t like this. It’s not just about “being online all the time” because requiring a connection at start up pretty much defeats the purpose. It’s sort of like saying you are offering users an olive branch but it’s also filled with little prickle bush things that hurt when you touch it.
So is this better? Sure. Is this why people were upset with this model of DRM? Not so much.
This seems very similar to what is going with From Dust. At least this time they don’t appear to be lying about it. Either way I don’t plan to buy any Ubisoft games in the near future.
Things like From Dust are impulse purchases, they do not require DRM to protect against the evil pirates, particularly not for a game that has no multiplayer component and might be ideal for oh I don’t know… a gaming laptop whilst you’re on the move or similar. Good god. Do these people -try- to sabotage their own markets deliberately or is this the classic and stereotypical “French knows better than you” mentality.
I’ve put in a request for a refund, even if I don’t get it, chances are I’ll crack the damn game so I don’t have to deal with UBI’s godawful DRM. They’ve lost my Heroes 6 pre-order too over this. Maybe if enough people do the same they’ll start taking notice.
I’ve studiously avoided Ubisoft since the Assassin’s Creed II issue, and this is still no improvement. I prefer it this way, though; too many good games out there and not enough time mean I need criteria about how to choose what games I buy, and Ubisoft is making this choice for me, thankfully.
… productions and a lot of “medium” size publishers producing outstanding games, it’s not like customers are short of choice for their entertainment. Perhaps that’s the case in the console world, but PC gamers aren’t locked in, if we don’t -want- to play the latest iteration of CoD, we don’t have to. UBI really need to be publicised and not in the good way for the DRM they are trying to foist upon people.
Driver SF looked like it was going to be a decent PC driving game. Oh well, plenty of fish in the PC gaming sea right now what with Deus Ex coming this week and Rage and Skyrim to look forward to. Given the poor port job they did on From Dust and the DRM issues I think UbiSoft should just shutter their PC gaming division and concentrate on consoles. It’s clearly what they want to do, they just lack the balls.
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