AV-8B COPY PROTECTION CHANGE

[sc_neo]

By the way, if the verification was mandatory when the game is being updated, would that not be the ideal timing because during the update process the entire folder is being scannend for changed/messy files and cleaned up?

[Hellfire257]

Will refunds be offered? This isn't what I paid for.

[159th_Viper]

No, my only access to the outside world is a sat phone that does not do mobile hot spot or plug in.

 

In this instance then it obviously will be a valid concern, one that can only be addressed by lengthening the prescribed time period between logins to one that is more reasonable in the circumstances than the current 3-day period.

[NineLine]

READ my posts properly, I have internet here at this house, I DO NOT HAVE INTERNET AT MY OTHER HOUSE IN A DIFFRENT COUNTRY FROM HERE.

 

How many people have 2 houses, 1 without internet? I mean come on, we need to be a little more realistic here... seriously.

[NineLine]

Will refunds be offered? This isn't what I paid for.

 

Refunds are only available on not activated products, but you can contact support for more information.

[159th_Viper]

READ my posts properly, I have internet here at this house, I DO NOT HAVE INTERNET AT MY OTHER HOUSE IN A DIFFRENT COUNTRY FROM HERE.

 

Do you have a phone?

 

If you read the thread properly you would know that it is only a phone that is required for authentication and not an internet connection.

 

If you have a cellular phone then you have the ability to have a connection required for authentication.

[Alicatt]

How many people have 2 houses, 1 without internet? I mean come on, we need to be a little more realistic here... seriously.

 

I have more than 2 but that is by the by, only one of them has no internet and that is where I am domiciled as it happens.

[Bearfoot]

By the way, if the verification was mandatory when the game is being updated, would that not be the ideal timing because during the update process the entire folder is being scannend for changed/messy files and cleaned up?

 

Personally, this makes the most sense to me. Verification during updates/repairs and/or available internet connection. No internet connection -- no problem: keep on using until you get a chance to update. Pirate copy -- you will never be able to update ever, enjoy your early access incomplete system, chump.

[Hellfire257]

Refunds are only available on not activated products, but you can contact support for more information.

 

Thank-you, I'll see what they say.

[Gary]

No, a lot of people CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET RIGHT NOW have pointed out special scenarios that would interrupt there play for a day or so. ED ask acknowledged the issues with 3 days, but there are benefits as well, for ED and us.

 

 

What does "with internet access right now" have to do with anything?

 

I could well be sat in Starbucks or Costa!! right now.

[Jester986]

Sith, it doesn't matter if me and Alicatt are the only two with a special case. The onus is on ED because we paid for a product with an understanding we need an internet connection only once to activate it. If we had known this would come to be it could have informed our decision making process based on our circumstances.

[NineLine]

Personally, this makes the most sense to me. Verification during updates/repairs and/or available internet connection. No internet connection -- no problem: keep on using until you get a chance to update. Pirate copy -- you will never be able to update ever, enjoy your early access incomplete system, chump.

 

And Pirates get around this by making updated versions available for each other all the time... condoning any piracy shouldnt be acceptable, especial in a niche market like Flight Sims.

[Jester986]

I'll add I want to see effective anti-piracy. The market is too small to let ED be cheated, if they don't turn a profit, we don't have a flight sim. I buy modules I'm not particularly interested in just to support ED. I'd like to see that support returned.

[sc_neo]

But SithSpawn: how does a repeated online verification help combat that? If software pirates crack a DCS module, would they not defeat the verification scheme in its entirety?

[159th_Viper]

I'll add I want to see effective anti-piracy.

 

One can imagine just how difficult it is for TFC/ED. They need to balance their interests in keeping afloat and not being pirated out of existence with the rights of their consumers, us.

 

Which is where we find ourselves right now, discussing the matter.

 

I somehow think that we are fortunate in being afforded the opportunity in having a say. Other developers might very well just have a 'take-it-or-leave-it' approach to the entire thing, sacrificing their consumer's rights to better protect their own rights at the end of the day.

 

It's a balancing act for sure.

[Alicatt]

It is a rather touchy subject just now as our whole street here had lost it's internet on Monday evening through to late Tuesday afternoon, going from a good 200/60 connection to nothing and knowing that there was an update or two scheduled for this week...

 

I do spend a lot of time here as my wife works here and as I'm retired(ish) I do spend a lot of time online, but we are planning on moving to the other house where I'm domiciled when she retires and it is going to suck without having internet and this just added to that suckyness :)

[Jester986]

One can imagine just how difficult it is for TFC/ED. They need to balance their interests in keeping afloat and not being pirated out of existence with the rights of their consumers, us.

 

Which is where we find ourselves right now, discussing the matter.

 

I somehow think that we are fortunate in being afforded the opportunity in having a say. Other developers might very well just have a 'take-it-or-leave-it' approach to the entire thing, sacrificing their consumer's rights to better protect their own rights at the end of the day.

 

It's a balancing act for sure.

 

 

 

Of course. But changing the rules after the fact will eat up a lot of good will. I have spent A LOT of money on DCS. I will be very angry if they change when I can use it.

[sc_neo]

So then generally speaking: can someone explain to me how repeated online verification helps against software piracy vs onetime or ''when game is being updated''? I am just asking ouf of real curiosity here.

 

Why could a software pirate beat the onetime verification requirement but not the repeated ones?

[159th_Viper]

Of course. But changing the rules after the fact will eat up a lot of good will.

 

And I would have agreed with you had they not explained why the rules are being changed.

 

They provided me with an explanation.

 

I found said explanation, after having weighed up the necessary information, to be reasonable in the circumstances insofar as I am concerned. My rights as consumer will not be infringed upon in any way other than what they are already been infringed upon with the added benefit of accruing more advantages.

 

Goodwill is intact.

 

Now everyone's circumstances are different as your case aptly portrays. It is as mentioned a balancing act. You know what they say - sometimes the rights of the few have to be sacrificed to a certain extent to better protect the rights of the many. The best that we can hope for is that the sacrifice of the few is mitigated as far as possible, which is why we are all having this discussion.

[Thorax_fin]

Good Afternoon,

 

I have to say I object to this new system. My career has frequently taken me to places with no connectivity what so ever for periods of over a month. Jungles of undeveloped countries, oil rigs, and ships. And yes they do have internet on some ships and oil rigs but there is a strict business only policy because of the extreme price per byte. And as crazy as I might be I drag my laptop with me. I spent 150 USD on the data to download Fallout4 in the Solomon Islands for the months I would spend at sea. I also recently spent two months without an internet connection due to a hurricane. Yes in that case I could pack up my machine and take it to some place with internet, I could live with that once every two weeks, but not every 3 days.

 

 

I don't mind star force at all. I doubt I will use 10 different machines over the course of my DCS flying and if I do I can deactivate. I know my situation may be unique, and luckily for now I get to stay near civilization. Sooner or later though I'll end up on a rotation that puts me back in the wilds though and I'd be very disappointed if I didn't have access to something I paid with the understanding that I would. I'd feel differently if I had purchased modules with the understanding that I wouldn't be able to use them after a prolonged period without internet.

 

 

Thank you for your time, I would appreciate an acknowledgement my "special case" will be considered.

 

Hey there, regognized a soul mate. I'll bump your unique situation as I work on a ship, and play DCS exlusively while onboard. Like you, I often need to resort to the satellite connection for weeks at a time.

The ~1500ms latency allows me to even run updates, login to the DCS website, but it wont let me to login in the game. Propably due to a timeout. Primarily playing the multiplayer when within reach of mobile network.

 

Sincerely hope there will be a feasible solution found for this.

 

Best Regards

 

zeus aka "thorax"

[Dudikoff]

I don't think it's fair to just switch the previous modules sold under different terms retroactively to this online-only stuff. It would have been fair to announce this much earlier so I could have had registered my modules on Steam as it DOES have an offline mode (unless of course the same scheme would be present there?).

 

I certainly don't want to have a situation where I want to play DCS but either my internet connection is down for some reason or the ED server is down, however uncommon those situations might be.

 

Instead of requiring an online check every few days, can't they tie these user accounts to a certain computer (like StarForce does) and then after the update is complete, "activate" the installation only once by checking the user credentials and computer configuration?

Edited November 30, 2017 by Dudikoff

[NineLine]

But SithSpawn: how does a repeated online verification help combat that? If software pirates crack a DCS module, would they not defeat the verification scheme in its entirety?

 

It wont stop everything, nothing does, but it makes it a lot harder. And licenses tied to our accounts will have benefits as well, Starforce had its own issues, ED feels this is a better option.

[NineLine]

I don't think it's fair to just switch the previous modules sold under different terms retroactively to this online-only stuff. It would have been fair to announce this much earlier so I could have register my modules on Steam as it DOES have an offline mode.

 

Instead of requiring an online check every few days, can't they tie these user accounts to a certain computer (like StarForce does) and then after the update is complete, "activate" the installation by checking the user credentials and computer configuration?

 

The other modules are not switched yet, you have notice on those now. I agree it could have been communicated better with the Harrier, but ED feels this is better in the long run.

[159th_Viper]

So then generally speaking: can someone explain to me how repeated online verification helps against software piracy vs onetime or ''when game is being updated''? I am just asking ouf of real curiosity here.

 

Why could a software pirate beat the onetime verification requirement but not the repeated ones?

 

Developers are obviously loath to engage in public discussions regarding DRM software.

 

In any event, why would they contemplate something if it does not directly benefit them? We can all be sure that they would not have implemented this new system if it was not in their best interest doing so. Would be shooting themselves in the foot otherwise and I am certain that they are wiser than that.

 

Would you intentionally shoot yourself in the foot?

[Johnny_Rico]

By NOT telling people about this in the pre-purchase period it seems kinda

dodgy behaviour, surely this change would have been discussed at length

before just dropping it on us the day of a modules release

 

Is it because it might have effected sales of that module ?

 

I agree with Dudikoff, changing the goal posts after we have paid money

in good faith is bad for ED's reputation and coming so soon after Matts

heartfelt outpooring as well , makes me sad