

Command and Conquer 4 requires always-on internet - scotth
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/07/forced-to-connect-eas-cc-4-requires-always-on-internet.ars

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DarkShikari
Do they really think that this will allow DRM that will take more than two
days to crack?

The only way they can truly use this to effectively DRM the game is if all
game logic was handled server-side (as in an MMOG), which for a popular game
like Command and Conquer would require a gargantuan and costly server farm.

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tptacek
I don't think this is about DRM, it's about content protection; they want to
do "interesting" (read $) things with achievements, but can't trust clients to
do offline attestation.

(I say this only because we've worked on content protection systems for other
game titles from other publishers where protecting achievements was the goal,
not preventing unauthorized copies. I don't really know what CC4 is really
trying to do.)

Still, titles like this should require warning stickers. "Will not play on
airline flights."

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vaksel
this won't stop anything....the pirates will just setup a few servers in china
and make all those achievements free.

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tptacek
Earning achievements on a Chinese server probably won't win you whatever prize
money EA establishes for in-game achievements.

I don't know. I didn't do any work on CC4. I'm just pointing out that there
are issues _besides_ copy protection that might lead a product manager to
mandate always-on Internet access.

Again: I think it's a dumb idea.

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buugs
This kind of makes me want to pirate a game when (not if) it is cracked.

It will probably end up being a simple patch to install as well like the no-cd
patch for games like starcraft

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javanix
Why would it make you want to pirate the game?

How many times will you be using a computer that is powerful enough to run
C&C4 but doesn't have a persistent internet connection?

The current crop of DRM is horrible (and in my opinion, makes pirating less
ethically sketchy), but an always-on internet connection doesn't really seem
to be that horrendous to me. Provided that they don't start charging a
subscription fee or devaluing players who don't play one (granted, a
reasonable concern given EA's track record), the internet connection idea
seems to actually provide some benefit to the user, and would probably not be
all that intrusive.

If implemented correctly it might make moving around your legally purchased
copy to a new computer much easier, for instance, and could probably help cut
down on the cheaters present in a lot of online games these days.

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kuzux
I have problems with my connection pretty often and mostly that's when i play
games - when i'm offline.

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lawn
And I thought you couldn't sink lower than the limited installs spore-style. I
guess this is an new era of dumb.

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wenbert
Always-on internet?! The creators are out of touch with reality.

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philwelch
I wonder what we're going to do about this in ten years, when the servers have
been switched off and everyone has forgotten C&C 4 except a few retrogamers.

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windsurfer
Many flash games that I play require an always-on Internet connection.

