From Dust PC DRM patched to allow offline play

As promised, Ubisoft has scaled back From Dust's DRM so you can now play the PC edition whilst offline.

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As promised, Ubisoft has released a patch to scale back From Dust's DRM so you can play the PC edition whilst offline. It's taken a few weeks, but From Dust has now the DRM scheme we thought we were getting all along.

The first mention of DRM was Ubisoft saying it didn't require "a permanent online connection," then an Ubi rep stated in a now-deleted forum post that there'd simply be a "one-time" online activation, then no more. But when From Dust launched on PC and turned out to require activation each and every time it launched, Ubisoft declared the talk of a one-time activation a "misunderstanding"--a misunderstanding it had been happy to let people believe was true.

Still, the situation's finally resolved, and players have the reasonable DRM requirement we've been prepared to accept all along. Next time, Ubisoft, let's start off with sensible DRM and we can avoid another repeat of this kerfuffle.

Ubisoft also announced yesterday that the PlayStation 3 edition of From Dust is headed to PSN on September 27.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    September 9, 2011 7:15 AM

    Alice O'Connor posted a new article, From Dust PC DRM patched to allow offline play.

    As promised, Ubisoft has scaled back From Dust's DRM so you can now play the PC edition whilst offline.

    • reply
      September 9, 2011 7:59 AM

      Great, see Ubisoft does care.

      Now if only Blizz would make a offline mode for Diablo 3, yeah right like that's going to happen, I wonder why there is not a bigger shit storm with some other developers when they do similar practices or worse.

      All well...

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        September 9, 2011 8:05 AM

        Blizzard's games work.

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          September 9, 2011 8:38 AM

          So do Ubisoft games(I never had a issue with any of their PC games they are top notch), or are you referring to Ubisoft's DRM that caused your game to stop working if the internet went out or there where connection issues? I can admit this did happen to me when playing Hawx 2 once when it first launched.

          I don't want to be a douche(the last thing I want to do) but D3 will have these same issues you can not evade the same issues with such a setup of 24/7 connection to the internet.

          Am I going to buy D3 and take a day off on launch day, for sure, I just don't think the company should get a break when other companies take massive shit storms for similar things :(

          All well I guess the Blizzard name trumps everything, sort of a shut up we are Blizzard we can do what ever we want, just seems wrong, maybe I am thinking too much and by doing so might get banned from battle net LOL

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            September 9, 2011 8:57 AM

            I agree 100%. Blizzard will not only get away with this, but because their audience will shut up and deal with it, it will set a precedent for other developers to enforce the same thing.

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              September 9, 2011 8:58 AM

              And I don't mean to talk like D3's always-connected policy is a deal-breaker for me, or the end of the world. I don't think it's necessary, though. If my connection goes down, I'll still want to play D3.

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            September 9, 2011 9:53 AM

            You mean the 30fps vsync-locked atrocity that is the exact game we're talking about here?
            I don't call that 'working.'

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              September 9, 2011 11:01 AM

              :) LOL fine this is totally true and it doesn't support rez past 1920 :) but other than From Dust they are really solid for the most part. BTW --> http://blog.gib.me/2011/08/18/ unlocks the locked frames

              I know what you mean though and its totally true that Blizzard titles do just work and are very solid and QAed to hell, very fine tuned and super high standards.

        • reply
          September 9, 2011 8:58 AM

          Actually...

          When I was stuck without internet for 2 weeks, I could not play SC2 offline.. nor could I watch replays, or do anything inside the game.

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            September 9, 2011 9:44 AM

            This is what I am talking about SC2 is the first virus seed or implant if you like, love the freaking game but I hate their freaking model of online 24/7 and yes I have freaking internet its not the point.

            I would hate a game world where all the games sit on servers and you never ever own them and can go back down the road and just fire up your game. This is the shit that scares me if cloud gaming ever was the only thing and turn out that games where like a TV series that come and go with no permanent Blu ray to buy and watch forever... I may stop gaming... it just makes me freak out thinking of it, I don't know if I could get through the ordeal and get over it, not sure I could.

            Anyways enough talk about depressing shit, some nice releases on the 13th to look forward to, I just wish Blizzard picked another model, and regardless of what they say we all know its for maximum control, and money and for 0 piracy of their games that is the real reason.

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              September 9, 2011 5:05 PM

              Yeah I've thought about a cloud gaming future and I don't like. Not one bit.

      • reply
        September 9, 2011 8:10 AM

        [deleted]

      • reply
        September 9, 2011 8:56 AM

        Fanboys will be fanboys.

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        September 9, 2011 9:31 AM

        Ubisoft DONT care.

        The only reason they have done this is because they were in for such an ass-kicking (both PR wise and legally) for announcing the game would not have this type of DRM and then shipping it with it.

        They have not removed the DRM from their other titles that use the same system.

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          September 9, 2011 9:51 AM

          I understand that for the case of Dust, but they have removed their DRM on Assassin creed 2 and Brotherhood as well as some others, even a small change it means allot. Yes its not all of their games, but whats the point any more to shit on Ubisoft that actually does remove their DRM when Blizzard and Diablo 3 will have a 100% permanent DRM for life?

          If you hate DRM then shit on everyone not selectively and turn a blind eye to others, like EA and Blizzard.

          What is your view on Blizzard and Diablo 3, do you even think its DRM?

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            September 9, 2011 12:10 PM

            Diablo 3's online requirement is for good reason. As a Diablo 2 player I can tell you an INSANE amount of hacking went on, by limiting the access to the client files, and storing item and character data on Battle.net servers you effectively remove the hacking element as the hackers simply DONT have access to the code.

            So yes, Diablo 3's ALWAYS ONLINE req is completely justified. There was a chatty about it not so long ago that explained it better than I have, but you get the gist.

            Also, Battle.net is a ace platform with good functionality and it will let me co-op with my SC2 and WoW buddies, so yeah, Diablo 3 always on is aces.

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              September 9, 2011 7:35 PM

              ^^ This :).

              Forcing always online because of piracy, is a huge mistake, because it hurts the ones that buy it more than the pirates.
              But if you force always online with a very good reason behind it, like removing a huge problem that affected a previous game in the saga, like what happened in diablo 2 regarding hacking. Then its a welcome feature, because it does tons more good that bad.

      • reply
        September 9, 2011 10:20 AM

        Because Blizzard hasn't proven to fuck you at every corner. Ubisoft has, and the only reason they are retracting this is from developer pressure and outcry across the industry for the release week fuckup.

        I feel so bad for developers under Ubisoft's umbrella, they just want to get their games into people's hands to play, but met with so many arbitrary hurdles

      • reply
        September 9, 2011 1:44 PM

        ubisoft care about money

    • reply
      September 9, 2011 9:06 AM

      have they fixed the mouse, fps, and graphics settings yet?

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      September 9, 2011 10:15 AM

      Too bad everyone is done playing it.

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      September 9, 2011 10:23 AM

      Do you think this is a bait and switch move by Ubi to curtail piracy at release?

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      September 9, 2011 12:08 PM

      Bought it, badly optimized for PC, crappy control system, PC interface was an afterthought, lack of options, etc, etc.

      To call is the "spiritual successor" to Populous is waaaaaaaaaay off. Decent game, but would have been soooooo much better if they just developed it for PC only.

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