AV-8B COPY PROTECTION CHANGE

Not even three days.

Is happening right now linked to the main web page not working

The only disadvantage I can see that would seriously infringe on a consumer's rights is the instance where a consumer plays DCS with absolutely no access to the internet.

Are there cases such as this?

Everyones circumstances and abilty to access the internet differs.

Even over a relatively short period of time, say 1 month, I'd wager there will be a number of such cases yes.

Same here, installed and launched earlier today, now it cannot reach server and it says module is disabled.

=== Log opened UTC 2017-11-30 16:05:32

INFO : DCS_Updater/2.6.22.24 (Windows NT 10.0.15063; Win64; sv-SE)

INFO : cmdline: "D:\Spel\DCS World OpenBeta\bin\DCS_updater.exe" --apply repair

STATUS: Initializing...

INFO : basedir: D:\Spel\DCS World OpenBeta

INFO : dcs_variant.txt: openbeta

INFO : DCS/1.5.8.12162.404 (x86_64; EN; WORLD,F-5E,POLYCHOPSIM_SA342,RAZBAM_M-2000C,L-39,AVIODEV_C-101,MIG-15BIS,VEAO_HAWK,MIG-21BIS,BF-109K4,F-86F,FW-190D9,MI-8MTV2,UH-1H,A-10C,FC3,CA,P-51D,KA-50,A10C-BFT_campaign,BALTICDRAGON_A10C-ENEMY_WITHIN_campaign,KA50-REPUBLIC_campaign,SU27-ULTIMATE_campaign,SPITFIRE-MKIX,AJS37,WWII-ARMOUR,NS430,RAZBAM_AV8BNA)

INFO : branch: openbeta

STATUS: Connecting to update servers...

INFO : Got reply from http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com

ERROR: JSON error: lexical error: invalid char in json text.

The script encountered an erro

(right here) ------^

=== Log closed.

Me too...

Everyones circumstances and abilty to access the internet differs.

 

Even over a relatively short period of time, say 1 month, I'd wager there will be a number of such cases yes.

No doubt yes but without concrete numbers I'd hesitate to say that the vast majority of users are not inconvenienced in this way at all.

There has to be a balance. Will never be able to cater for everyone to their satisfaction all of the time.

Now I can login again :)

In that case, please do not convert my already purchased modules to the new system. I would rather deal with Starforce.

+1 starforce would be better than the proposed system

It's been repaired, someone must have pressed the wrong key :D

(i know it's probably more complicated then that)

The joys of early access :) Thanks for the report though!

This still indicates a problem. The 3 period had not expired yet the unavailability of the server caused the module to not be available.

It seems fixed now.

Panic rised a little.

This still indicates a problem. The 3 period had not expired yet the unavailability of the server caused the module to not be available.

I and a friend had time to make a test, went to the firewall settings and blocked internet access to DCS.exe and when i launched it, it told me that i have no connectivity and so no multiplayer but that i had access to all modules.

If you don't do that and the server is down then it would tell you the Harrier module is unavailable,...

So it works when you have no internet, but not when you have internet and the server is down.

What circumstances are there that would arise where this 3-day period will inconvenience a user to such an extent as to qualify for a serious infringement on said user's rights of use and enjoyment of the game purchased?

Sometimes people can be at locations with no ability to connect to the internet for prolonged periods,

thus the software we legally paid for is not available.

I can understand no MP in this scenario but not disabling SP

The software was sold and advertised as having to have an

internet connection for activation only, this new DRM changes this significantly

''The only complication rises if you are trying to play DCS World with no internet connection for greater than three days. This is the topic we will be re-evaluating.''

First, thanks to both of you for clearing this up for us. I do understand that you want to protect your IP, but this is the very thing that i have grave concerns about. I have invested way more money inside one year on DCS than i have with any other franchise over the last 5 years. Personally, i would not feel comfortable doing so as liberally as i have up to this point with that limitation in place. I do like to entertain the idea of taking my sim with me to my little hut or Dacha (the russian folks know what i am talking about) in the woods...where i probably have no energy but g3 wifi! :)

Maybe you could outline in detail how this online verification actually helps against module piracy. I would reckon that a pirated DCS module would have to overcome module verification. I would also assume that this crack would then stop, block or outright remove any need to online very. The question thus is: would the online verification make it harder to crack DCS modules than starforce now.

If i come to think about the new system, it makes account sharing even simpler. Way easier to set up because you simply share login details and there's no need to send and share every key for every module and activate that seperately. Yes, you cannot exchange modules via key exchange or such. Bit this stems from binding a module to an ccount, and i would think, would not require repeated phone calls home though.

I am just trying to understand what would actually be gained protection wise vis a vis starforce?

......Sometimes people can be at locations with no ability to connect to the internet for prolonged periods,

thus the software we legally paid for is not available.....

And yet they will drag their computer capable of running DCS around to said places with absolutely no connectivity, either mobile or landline?

Yeah OK, while I can agree that there will probably be one or two users that fit that description and are doing so for reasons known only to them as said reasons have not been mentioned, as I said previously, the rights of the consumers have to be balanced with the rights of developers in protecting their IP - that's common sense.

Now when it comes to balancing said rights, it's impossible to cater to everyone's rights equally.

As such it becomes necessary to infringe on one users rights who has elected to pitch a tent in the boondocks without any access to the internet at all that would allow him to make a single two-second phone-call in order to protect the rights of the developer and other 100 users who do indeed have the facilities to make that two second phone-call.

It's eminently reasonable.

@Viper ...and i would like to understand how the repeated verification actually protects ED's work? Is it not mostly so, that protection of software comes from anti temper technology as Denuvo and such that actually break functionality if altered?

@Viper ...and i would like to understand how the repeated verification actually protects ED's work?

Myself as well.

That is information that only the Developers can share with us if they so wish. On the other hand, do we have sufficient reason not to take them at face value and believe that it will indeed better protect their work?

Common sense dictates that you would not change something that is working 100% correctly for the worse. There will always be an advantage that triggers the change as one obviously wants change for the better.

We are further fortunate enough in that the Developer is actively seeking our opinions/constructive criticism in the matter before affecting said change. At the moment we have been told that the advantages are. amongst others, no constant internet connection, advantages for Steam users and Gifting as well as better IP protection. Are there any substantive consumer rights that outweigh the proffered advantages?

no constant internet connection,

You don't need a constant internet connection now. Once the module is activated you can unplug your internet and play SP just fine.

Why would you do that? How many people do you think are doing that?

Why is not relevant. I was just pointing out that the 'advantage' of not needing a constant internet connection is already present with the existing DRM.

Maybe an idea.

Beeing able to login with a mobile phone into the ED main web page would count as a customer validation.

Everyone has a mobile this days.

There are advantages and disadvantages with every type of DRM, one or the other will never cover 100% of situations.

I think that the point is that the original post will be better off with an edit so as to remove any ambiguity.