Offline Play Mode / Option

[Bosun]

In order to play in the current offline mode, you've got to log in online first.  That means, despite having logged in earlier today, I now cannot access my content offline.  

This would be an authentication certificate that lasts for a few days, that is updated every time you ping the live server, so that it is good for a full set of days after the last contact you had. 

This would allow players to continue to access their paid-for content offline.  Perhaps even allow players to continue playing online servers that are still up, even of the main authetication servers are down.  

I know cheating is some concern, but I can imagine there are ways to mitigate that. 

[Dangerzone]

29 minutes ago, Bosun said:

In order to play in the current offline mode, you've got to log in online first.  That means, despite having logged in earlier today, I now cannot access my content offline.  

This would be an authentication certificate that lasts for a few days, that is updated every time you ping the live server, so that it is good for a full set of days after the last contact you had. 

This would allow players to continue to access their paid-for content offline.  Perhaps even allow players to continue playing online servers that are still up, even of the main authetication servers are down.  

I know cheating is some concern, but I can imagine there are ways to mitigate that. 

I think there are two different scenario's.

You should be able to launch DCS in 'online' mode, even though their servers (or your internet connection) is offline. You should get a 2 day grace period when you do this.

However, the ability to 'switch' to offline mode (which is a permanent-offline mode IIRC) does require you to be online first. I believe this is by design for security measures.

Otherwise, there would be nothing stopping someone from installing DCS on a friends computer, then disconnecting their PC from the internet and choosing "Offline mode", and that friend having a permanent activated copy of DCS on that computer. By being online, the account is told "this PC is registering at offline mode" which I believe will stop any other computers from being able to use that same account until it's switched back to 'online' mode later. 

So offline mode isn't for 'temporary offline' connections like now, or when the internet goes down for a few hours. It's a separate feature that's designed for 'permanent offline', so a user is able to take/keep all their modules and use them if they're going to no longer have internet access. (Anyone - Please correct me if I'm mistaken). 

[SharpeXB]

I’ve been able to use offline mode when my internet is down. That’s the only reason I can see to use it. Not sure why that doesn’t work for anyone else. 

[MAXsenna]

1 hour ago, SharpeXB said:

I’ve been able to use offline mode when my internet is down. That’s the only reason I can see to use it. Not sure why that doesn’t work for anyone else. 

Did you turn it on before you lost connection? Should be impossible because that would defeat it's purpose.

[SharpeXB]

21 minutes ago, MAXsenna said:

Did you turn it on before you lost connection? Should be impossible because that would defeat it's purpose.

The only time I’ve used offline mode was when my internet has been out so I don’t think I had logged in prior. 

[MAXsenna]

The only time I’ve used offline mode was when my internet has been out so I don’t think I had logged in prior. 

Huh, well that's strange. Fluke or luck?

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[SharpeXB]

1 minute ago, MAXsenna said:

Huh, well that's strange. Fluke or luck?

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk
 

If you have to log in first to use offline mode that wouldn’t make much sense. I figure the only use for that feature is literally if your internet is down. Otherwise what’s it for?

[MAXsenna]

If you have to log in first to use offline mode that wouldn’t make much sense. I figure the only use for that feature is literally if your internet is down. Otherwise what’s it for?

To prevent pirating obviously. No user would want offline mode ever, as you say.
Tell me. Why did you put in offline mode when you get a three days grace period? Or was it out longer than that?

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[SharpeXB]

6 minutes ago, MAXsenna said:

To prevent pirating obviously. No user would want offline mode ever, as you say.
Tell me. Why did you put in offline mode when you get a three days grace period? Or was it out longer than that?

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk
 

My internet was probably just out for a few hours. That would have been the only time I ever used offline mode though. Steam works the same way. It would be a bit ridiculous to have an offline mode that required you to log in first, kinda defeats the purpose. 

[MAXsenna]

My internet was probably just out for a few hours. That would have been the only time I ever used offline mode though. Steam works the same way. It would be a bit ridiculous to have an offline mode that required you to log in first, kinda defeats the purpose. 

I believe you dont understand what offline mode is. It's for planning being offline for more than three days. Because that's the maximum ED gives you by default. As prevent pirating, as someone states above.
I ask again. Why did you deliberately set it to offline mode when you have three grace days? I'm pretty sure you didn't, I guess you just remember it incorrectly because it's not possible. You need to be online for it to be invoked. Pull your cable an try now? I'll do the same when I get home.

Cheers!

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[Bosun]

The point of this post was that I don't see how/where DCS allows me 3 days of offline access.  

I had access earlier in the day.  They pulled their server for maintenance and I cannot access anything later that same day.  

How does this work?  


As someone above said, you've got to be online, to be offline, which makes no sense.

[SharpeXB]

4 minutes ago, MAXsenna said:

I believe you dont understand what offline mode is. It's for planning being offline for more than three days. Because that's the maximum ED gives you by default. As prevent pirating, as someone states above.
I ask again. Why did you deliberately set it to offline mode when you have three grace days? I'm pretty sure you didn't, I guess you just remember it incorrectly because it's not possible. You need to be online for it to be invoked. Pull your cable an try now? I'll do the same when I get home.

Cheers!

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk
 

Well all I can say is that’s how I’ve used it. In fact that’s usually how I discover my internet is out Nobody plans to be offline, that’s like planning for your power to be out or for your water to be cut off. 
All games today have an offline mode which functions like this. None of them require you to log on first, that would be nonsensical. 

[MAXsenna]

Well all I can say is that’s how I’ve used it. In fact that’s usually how I discover my internet is out Nobody plans to be offline, that’s like planning for your power to be out or for your water to be cut off. 
All games today have an offline mode which functions like this. None of them require you to log on first, that would be nonsensical. 

You don't answer the question.
Again! Did you just log on as usual and DCS told you that you were offline and gave you three days. Did you then deliberately turn on offline mode, and in case yes, why?
I bet you didn't and don't really understand what we're discussing here.
Those three days will seem as some type of offline mode obviously. But to get more than three days, let's say you use your cell as a hot-spot. Then you need to be online, start offline mode and close DCS, then you can turn off the hot-spot, and log into DCS again. This is to prevent to use DCS in offline mode on multiple computers with one account. Clearer now?

Cheers!

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[SharpeXB]

31 minutes ago, MAXsenna said:

Did you just log on as usual and DCS told you that you were offline and gave you three days. Did you then deliberately turn on offline mode, and in case yes, why?

I would start DCS and in doing so discover my internet was out. It tells me that only offline mode is available. I select that and game on. I believe it mentions the three day limit. All my purchased content is available in offline mode. I have not experienced what the OP mentions. 

Edited August 28, 2023 by SharpeXB

[MAXsenna]

I would start DCS and in doing so discover my internet was out. It tells me that only offline mode is available. I select that and game on. I believe it mentions the three day limit. All my purchased content is available in offline mode. 

Right. Like I wrote. That is not the offline mode we describe. Thanks for clearing that up.

Cheers!

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[SharpeXB]

6 minutes ago, MAXsenna said:

Right. Like I wrote. That is not the offline mode we describe. Thanks for clearing that up.

I should add that in order to use offline mode I don’t recall having to be online first like the OP says. That wouldn’t have been possible with my internet out. 

Edited August 28, 2023 by SharpeXB

[MAXsenna]

I should add that in order to use offline mode I don’t recall having to log in first like the OP says. That wouldn’t have been possible with my internet out. 

You misunderstand the consept. There are two different ways, that's why it's confusing. One unplanned, like you discribe, and one planned. And for the second option you need to be online for it to work. This is to prevent using DCS on multiple computers at the same time. This was possible years ago IIRC. So, if you put deliberately in offline mode, you can't log into DCS on any other computer until you go online with the first one. And it also breaks if you change somw hardware while being offline, as I understand it.

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[SharpeXB]

14 minutes ago, MAXsenna said:

So, if you put deliberately in offline mode, you can't log into DCS on any other computer until you go online with the first one.

Well that makes sense. 

[MAXsenna]

1 hour ago, SharpeXB said:

Well that makes sense. 

Yeah, took me a while to grasp the concept.

In any case, I tested.
Disabled my network connection.

Started DCS and got this. @Bosun, this might be a clue. Have you saved your login credentials? If not, that's the reason for why it's doesn't work for you. How would DCS know which account to use if the account isn't saved locally I guess! (Previously others had issues if they had some trial module installed).

 

Then this.

 

Now, on the main screen if I hover the mouse over the network status, I can boot into "Online Mode", I clicked and it just rebooted into the grace period.

I then turned on the network connection, and restarted into "Online Mode". Then the option for a planned "Offline Mode" was available. And you can see my username displayed.

 

@BIGNEWY @NineLine

Maybe users should be aware of that they need to login with saved credentials to be able to use "Offline Mode"?
(I might be wrong, but I have strong feeling this was what led to settings being wiped, but that seems to be solved. )

Cheers!

[Dangerzone]

12 hours ago, Bosun said:

The point of this post was that I don't see how/where DCS allows me 3 days of offline access.  

I had access earlier in the day.  They pulled their server for maintenance and I cannot access anything later that same day.  

How does this work?  


As someone above said, you've got to be online, to be offline, which makes no sense.

When it fails to authenticate, just click CANCEL. That's when it should give you the option.

I mentioned in another post, the only exception I know of this (at least in the past) is it may erase your cached details if you're already logged into DCS and you're kicked out when their authentication servers go offline. That's the only scenario I've encountered where I've been out of luck until they come back online. Whether that's still the case I'm unsure of, but it sounds like it may be.

[upyr1]

We need a better launcher. This would tie in with my desire for a mod manager