How well will Ubisoft's DRM work?

[RoloMather]

I read on other forums people saying that it will be cracked eventually, which I agree.

The question is, "With their system, how long would it take to break the DRM?"

Also, what is considered a successful DRM scheme? To not have people crack for X amounts of months, what is X?


Already an extensive discussion here: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2051566

Anandtech PC Gaming Moderator
KeithTalent

 

[Lonyo]

I think part of success is no 0-day piracy.
Other than that, it will never succeed.

And how long it takes we won't know until it's been cracked.

 

[pontifex]

look at the huge thread on this already...

 

[PhatoseAlpha]

Depends on your definition of cracked.

Game will be playable within 2 weeks. Game will never be savable.

 

[lupi]

well enough to start another thread on it of course.

 

[DarkForceRising]

Depends on your definition of cracked.

Game will be playable within 2 weeks. Game will never be savable.

I keep seeing people saying this, and I don't get it. It says on Ubisoft's official FAQ that saves will also be local, but everyone ignores it.

 

[novasatori]

Depends on your definition of cracked.

Game will be playable within 2 weeks. Game will never be savable.

Just like world of warcraft is impossible to play illegally because all characters are saved on Blizzard's servers, right?

:hmm:

 

[simonizor]

It will be cracked. Every DRM ever will be cracked. They will always blame crap sales on piracy, but they've just got their heads stuck too far up their asses to realize that no one wants to buy the shitty games that they are putting out. So they pirate them to see if they are good, and when they suck they usually stop playing half way through and delete it.

 

[mmntech]

Like all software encryption, it's easy to hack if you know what you're doing. They think the draconian systems act as a deterrent (not a prevention) but all it does is embolden pirates. As usual, we're the ones that pay for it.

There really needs to be a serious discussion about DRM in PC gaming. Obviously it in its current for is not working. I would even argue it's scaring away legitimate customers. There was some movement when EA scaled back their system but UBI's move is a major step in the wrong direction.

Publishers aren't going to abandon DRM of course. But there must be some way that it's fair for both publisher and paying customer. This is why I like the steam system. It's there but it's flexible, transparent, and non intrusive. Publishers like it because they can control how their content is distributed. This works, phoning home and limiting installs doesn't. That just attracts more pirates.

 

[Golgatha]

I read on other forums people saying that it will be cracked eventually, which I agree.

The question is, "With their system, how long would it take to break the DRM?"

Also, what is considered a successful DRM scheme? To not have people crack for X amounts of months, what is X?

It will work perfectly in that it will keep their software from installing on my computer without paying for it. Problem is I plan not to buy their games on any platform unless it's a used console version.

 

[PhatoseAlpha]

I keep seeing people saying this, and I don't get it. It says on Ubisoft's official FAQ that saves will also be local, but everyone ignores it.

Being stored local and being produced locally or even interpreted locally are not the same thing. I expect their save method will be used as another form of counter piracy - quite possibly linked to the 'must always be connected'. Data is saved locally, but it's encrypted and it's created by the servers, which are constantly being updated with pertinent information.

I have trouble believing it will be a simple client side save, not with the lengths they are going to here. Keep the saving routines on the server, and pass the saved data back. It's really the most secure approach - pirates are very, very skilled at disabling locks, but much much less skilled at creating code that just isn't there to begin with.

 

[happy medium]

Hope it works better then Ea's. Been playing BAd company 4 for hours and the games not even out yet?

 

[Wag]

Well enough to keep me from buying all their games. That's pretty damn good.

 

[Niku]

It's going to work EXTREMELY WELL. I am not even considering playing ANY of their games. Not as a legitimate customer, and not even as a pirate.

 

[Skott]

Just like world of warcraft is impossible to play illegally because all characters are saved on Blizzard's servers, right?

:hmm:

Thats not what I have heard. I have heard some people say there are private WoW servers out there. I myself haven't seen one but it wouldn't surprise me if the hackers have figured out a way to do it. I would assume its something you can only get into if they know you personally.

 

[Niku]

Thats not what I have heard. I have heard some people say there are private WoW servers out there. I myself haven't seen one but it wouldn't surprise me if the hackers have figured out a way to do it. I would assume its something you can only get into if they know you personally.

He sounded sarcastic to me. The emoticon gave it away.

 

[MStele]

In my case the new DRM is 100% effective because its preventing me from buying it. That is what they were trying to accomplish, right?