Gameguard drama...

[SeraphZero]

Just was wondering what everyone else thought about the comments concerning the pc version having to be online even to play the offline portions of the game, although the Japanese pc release will probably be the first clear answer we get on this.

To most of us here, it probably won't be much of an issue, most pc gamers these days have access to the net... and if not, probably a PS2 laying about to simply just get the PS2 version to play through.

Even though it's only a very small demographic i'm sure there will be that tiny percentage of people out there that don't have access to the net on their pc, or a ps2...

So do you reckon Sega will really exclude these people?

Or should we all just be glad we're all okay? ^_^

[Arrow203]

Eh... Not too sure on the answer to that question.. Never have tried loading the game w/out the internet active so... Sounds to me like ST is screwing ppl who dont have internet, but knowing me i may be wrong..

[Saner]

On 2006-08-21 15:59, SeraphZero wrote:
Just was wondering what everyone else thought about the comments concerning the pc version having to be online even to play the offline portions of the game, although the Japanese pc release will probably be the first clear answer we get on this.

To most of us here, it probably won't be much of an issue, most pc gamers these days have access to the net... and if not, probably a PS2 laying about to simply just get the PS2 version to play through.

Even though it's only a very small demographic i'm sure there will be that tiny percentage of people out there that don't have access to the net on their pc, or a ps2...

So do you reckon Sega will really exclude these people?




there's no choice. They did what they can to make as many ppl happy as possible. most of the decisions regarding needing online for PC's story mode deals with the security they are aiming to improve this time.

at least the PS2 offline story mode can be played offline without needing any connection or account, if they don't have a PS2 then oh well. PS2s are pretty cheap in price nowadays, especially the used ones that still work like they're new.

[VioletSkye]

Doesn't matter in the least to me if it requires an internet connection. I have two pcs and a server that run pretty much 24 hours a day anyway lol.

[hypersaxon]

People have already hacked the beta so you can access at least the character creation menu offline. I'm sure they can fix it up so you can play offline single player for the retail game.

Although I don't support hacking, I'd at least support the ability for the offline crowd to be able to enjoy the offline portion of the game.

[Ryna]

When I first saw this story several months ago, I thought it would be a major annoyance if you wanted to play PSU on your laptop while you are on the go. However, I soon came to the realization that most laptop integrated graphics cards are not capable of running PSU smoothly on the lowest possible settings.

[Kyunji]

I've gotten in an arguement over this before, and I don't particulary care to repeat myself over it, so let me say this: I don't think this is a good idea, because, first of all, there's aboslutely no point to preventing people from hacking offline mode. Secondly, if you happen to be left without Internet access for some period of time (for example, having your router get struck by lightning - happened to me when lightning struck a tree just outside my house), then you're locked out of what might be a nice break from a PC without Internet access (very boring if you don't have any other good games installed). Finally, what'll happen when the servers are taken offline one day and the game becomes completely useless? Be it in five years, ten years, or maybe even twenty, it's still a limit to how much fun I can have with a game I'm virtually certain I'll like. If it weren't for this limitation, I would at least still be able to access Story Mode and Extra Mode.

[Saner]

On 2006-08-21 17:42, Kyunji wrote:
I've gotten in an arguement over this before, and I don't particulary care to repeat myself over it, so let me say this: I don't think this is a good idea, because, first of all, there's aboslutely no point to preventing people from hacking offline mode. Secondly, if you happen to be left without Internet access for some period of time (for example, having your router get struck by lightning - happened to me when lightning struck a tree just outside my house), then you're locked out of what might be a nice break from a PC without Internet access (very boring if you don't have any other good games installed). Finally, what'll happen when the servers are taken offline one day and the game becomes completely useless? Be it in five years, ten years, or maybe even twenty, it's still a limit to how much fun I can have with a game I'm virtually certain I'll like. If it weren't for this limitation, I would at least still be able to access Story Mode and Extra Mode.



if you are getting PC version, you may in fact benefit from hackers if they find a way to play the offline story mode without needing online connection.

I heard they managed to pull it off with Half-Life 2

[Sinue_v2]

Be it in five years, ten years, or maybe even twenty, it's still a limit to how much fun I can have with a game I'm virtually certain I'll like. If it weren't for this limitation, I would at least still be able to access Story Mode and Extra Mode.

Within 5 years, I'm fairly positive some entreprenurial hex modder will write a patch to disable or circumvent the GameGuard. Honestly, I give it a year and a half at tops - but definately by year five.

In 20 years... well, by then you'll be probably be screwed anyhow. There's a lot of games for my PC from 15 years ago that I can't play (or play properly) because of run-time errors or unsupported hardware. The only way to use them is to emulate them in a DOSBox - but even that isn't a perfect emulation.

[VioletSkye]

Heh PSU should have private servers running in no time http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

[XredX]

lol imo i think ST trying to see how many ppl on PC would try to Cheat on the offline play there for to now who has cheats and who dosnt?? idk usally you getPC game of the verson hacked befor the Ps2

[Saner]

On 2006-08-22 06:00, XredX wrote:
lol imo i think ST trying to see how many ppl on PC would try to Cheat on the offline play there for to now who has cheats and who dosnt?? idk usally you getPC game of the verson hacked befor the Ps2



well ya cause with PC, people can mess with virtually anything.

[XredX]

hmmm wait a sec will it be connected to the net every sec.? or mabe every 10min? yet sounds like every sec but you never know mabe it will check it every 5-10min and if no net is on game will pause/frezz for the time being? just a thought

[AngelLight]

On 2006-08-21 17:26, Ryna wrote:
When I first saw this story several months ago, I thought it would be a major annoyance if you wanted to play PSU on your laptop while you are on the go. However, I soon came to the realization that most laptop integrated graphics cards are not capable of running PSU smoothly on the lowest possible settings.



Trust me, laptops have come a long, long ways. I do alot of my gaming off my laptop (I'm building a house, so my desktop is in a box somewhere) though truth be told, its not a normal laptop. Still I've seen alot of gaming on laptops and there are plenty of cyber cafes around here where ppl bring in their laps to game.

Bottom line is they had to require offline play to have an connection to the net because gameguard required to be loaded up independently of the game and before it was active. It prolly does nothing when playing offline, but there must be some sort of coding reason as to why it has to be pre-active before going online. Personally, contract or no, I really think Sega should dump the company who makes it and go with a reputable one to do security (or do it themselves, but that might not be in Sega's bottom line finances' best interest due to development). Gameguard is just a joke...

[AngelLight]

On 2006-08-21 17:42, Kyunji wrote:
I've gotten in an arguement over this before, and I don't particulary care to repeat myself over it, so let me say this: I don't think this is a good idea, because, first of all, there's aboslutely no point to preventing people from hacking offline mode. Secondly, if you happen to be left without Internet access for some period of time (for example, having your router get struck by lightning - happened to me when lightning struck a tree just outside my house), then you're locked out of what might be a nice break from a PC without Internet access (very boring if you don't have any other good games installed). Finally, what'll happen when the servers are taken offline one day and the game becomes completely useless? Be it in five years, ten years, or maybe even twenty, it's still a limit to how much fun I can have with a game I'm virtually certain I'll like. If it weren't for this limitation, I would at least still be able to access Story Mode and Extra Mode.



I dont think gameguard will lock out offline mode if the game servers go down....I'm guessing here, but I think its more an issue that the program has to at least ping their security server (which may be the same as the login servers) to say that its ready. But if the game servers themselves were down, I dont think it would lock out offline. Look at WoW for example....they do security, login, and the game itself on separate servers, thus why when the game is on update you can still log onto the game (but just not be able to actually play). I would guess its the same way. But if the gameguard server goes down, woe to you even if the game servers are up, you're not getting on. The saving grace is this will be one server maybe per geographical region and if it goes down this would be easier to fix and get up quickly then any number of game servers this will run.

[AngelLight]

On 2006-08-22 06:31, XredX wrote:
hmmm wait a sec will it be connected to the net every sec.? or mabe every 10min? yet sounds like every sec but you never know mabe it will check it every 5-10min and if no net is on game will pause/frezz for the time being? just a thought



From my experience with PSOBB, I believe it was on every second. No idea if this will also be the case but I'd imagine so (or else its not really an effective means to stop cheating, not that I think gameguard is all that effective).

[MrPOW]

If you can afford a PC to play the game on and this issue bothers you, then you can probably afford a PS2 (if you dont already have one) and the PS2 version instead. Or both. That's what I'm doing. I live with my girlfriend, so I'm gonna grab both so we can play online together.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: MrPOW on 2006-08-22 07:31 ]</font>

[hypersaxon]

if you can afford a PC and can't afford an internet connection, something is wrong.

[SeraphZero]

Lol, very very true. It's not really an issue for myself, or pretty much any of us on this board by the looks of it... but i just wanted to throw the issue in the air.

I'm planning on getting the Jap pc version to play story and extra mode on whilst waiting for the US release (heck knows when we'd get it in lil ol'England), so just waiting til then to find out for sure. ^_^