Saturday, December 17th 2011
The Witcher 2 Contains Secret Sauce To 'Catch 100% Of Pirates'
Yes, really - 100% of those pesky "pirates" will be brought to book! The game's studio, CD Projekt RED (CDP Red) isn't letting on how it's doing so, either, claiming it's a "trade secret" and not giving out the name of the external company that's implementing the anti-piracy technology, claiming that to do so would damage their business. Seriously. The problem with identifying a dodgy copy of something is that the main info they have to track them down, are the IP addresses of the suspect. This has been shown many times over now, not to be a reliable tracker of who's doing what. At the most, it will pinpoint the account holder that it relates to, in some cases. However, this outfit reckons they've nailed this dealbreaking problem once and for all - and without any evidence on how they go about it. Snake oil, perhaps? The Polish company have therefore been sending out legal notices to thousands of suspects in Germany, chosen because this country has some of the strictest copyright laws in Europe. Presumably, they must be leaning on the ISPs to hand over customers' physical street addresses, although this isn't made clear, but read on for how this might be accomplished. In an email to PC Gamer, CDP Red VP Michael Nowakowski made the following statement:
So, there appears to be two options to how this tracking technology works:
1 There is no technology and this is just smoke and mirrors (with a dash of snake oil) designed to extort marks into coughing up money to make CD Projekt go away
2 They really do have some "tracking technology" in their games. Now, what could this be? Well, as they're not telling us, it's only right and proper to be highly suspicious of what it actually does and to put it in the same class as common criminal malware. This is because the only logical way that they can track the individual in any semi-reliable manner, is to lift personal information off their computer. Let's speculate on how this could be achieved. It would include stuff such as email logins, bank logins, Facebook logins, network traffic sniffing to read the contents of highly personal and confidential messages and any other login where personal information such as a name and address might be kept. You name it, they might be doing it. This kind of activity is of course highly illegal everywhere, so no wonder they'd want to keep quiet about it. It makes traditional draconian DRM schemes such as SecuROM and the like seem like a walk in the park by comparison, doesn't it?
So, do you really want to install software that does some or all of this on your computer, just to play a lousy video game? Obviously, that's a resounding NO!
Regardless of how they track down suspects, this exercise is extortion with a legal veneer, pure and simple. This is because there haven't been any independent studies showing that "piracy" reduces profits and makes companies go to the wall - they have all been big media industry sponsored. However, there are several independent studies that show it does nothing, or actually enhances sales by indirect means, such as reputation spread by word of mouth. Of course, the powerful media cartels based in America, are able to buy government reps all over the world to make them pass corrupt laws as if all this "piracy" really was hurting them - three strikes, PROTECT IP & SOPA are just three examples. Consider the blockbusting sales here and here of Modern Warfare 3 recently. This will be the most "pirated" game of all, yet it still outsold all of Hollywood put together...
There is of course, one sure fire and legal way to beat a company that tries such dirty tricks: the boycott. Don't buy their products and don't pirate them, then laugh as you watch them go under (all the while still blaming alleged "piracy", of course). I personally wholeheartedly recommend this course of action. Once again www.techdirt.com is recommended as the site to go to, as they expose abuses like this daily.
Sources:
TG Daily, PC Gamer
We're addressing only 100% confirmed piracy causes that are 100% possible to prove. We are not worried about tracking the wrong people. As this is the trade secret of the company working on this, I cannot share it. However, we investigated the subject before we decided on this move, and we aware of some past complications (the famous Davenport case). The method used here is targeting only 100% confirmed piracy cases. No innocent person was targeted with the letter so far. At least we have not received any information as of now which would indicate something like that.Notice how the Davenport case is "famous" rather than "infamous" - they actually went down in flames over their extortion tactics. Also notice how they covered themselves by saying "At least we have not received any information as of now which would indicate something like that." So, they could be targeting the innocent after all, they just haven't heard about it. Nice.
So, there appears to be two options to how this tracking technology works:
1 There is no technology and this is just smoke and mirrors (with a dash of snake oil) designed to extort marks into coughing up money to make CD Projekt go away
2 They really do have some "tracking technology" in their games. Now, what could this be? Well, as they're not telling us, it's only right and proper to be highly suspicious of what it actually does and to put it in the same class as common criminal malware. This is because the only logical way that they can track the individual in any semi-reliable manner, is to lift personal information off their computer. Let's speculate on how this could be achieved. It would include stuff such as email logins, bank logins, Facebook logins, network traffic sniffing to read the contents of highly personal and confidential messages and any other login where personal information such as a name and address might be kept. You name it, they might be doing it. This kind of activity is of course highly illegal everywhere, so no wonder they'd want to keep quiet about it. It makes traditional draconian DRM schemes such as SecuROM and the like seem like a walk in the park by comparison, doesn't it?
So, do you really want to install software that does some or all of this on your computer, just to play a lousy video game? Obviously, that's a resounding NO!
Regardless of how they track down suspects, this exercise is extortion with a legal veneer, pure and simple. This is because there haven't been any independent studies showing that "piracy" reduces profits and makes companies go to the wall - they have all been big media industry sponsored. However, there are several independent studies that show it does nothing, or actually enhances sales by indirect means, such as reputation spread by word of mouth. Of course, the powerful media cartels based in America, are able to buy government reps all over the world to make them pass corrupt laws as if all this "piracy" really was hurting them - three strikes, PROTECT IP & SOPA are just three examples. Consider the blockbusting sales here and here of Modern Warfare 3 recently. This will be the most "pirated" game of all, yet it still outsold all of Hollywood put together...
There is of course, one sure fire and legal way to beat a company that tries such dirty tricks: the boycott. Don't buy their products and don't pirate them, then laugh as you watch them go under (all the while still blaming alleged "piracy", of course). I personally wholeheartedly recommend this course of action. Once again www.techdirt.com is recommended as the site to go to, as they expose abuses like this daily.
345 Comments on The Witcher 2 Contains Secret Sauce To 'Catch 100% Of Pirates'
consoles have done more to kill desktop pc gaming than piracy EVER could. they are simple, easy, profit machines. publishers will never choose to support pc when the profit on consoles is so large, and that's despite piracy on consoles and imo very little if anything to do with piracy on pc. that is a scapegoat.
you are basing your opinion off of how you choose to interpret what portion of history you saw, not exactly what i would call a reliable source. mine are opinions, readily admitted. you purport your opinions as facts, when they aren't even very well formed opinions ;)
regardless, i'm done. i've had my fun in this piracy thread so .. later :)
100 folk in 1988 had a console or computer able to play games. 3% pirated.
So 3 folk
100,000 folk in 2011 have a console or computer able to play games. 3% pirated
3000 folk
The % is the same, the numbers are vastly different.
Even if the % has went up its the digital age dude information is easy to come by.
The point stands many pirates, like I was, cant afford games so would not buy them.
the point being is that party A: does not need to pay for anything party a: pays party b:'s bills if party a: is unhappy with party B: service that does not give party b: the right to make there service worse: ... its still the lieablity of party b: to ensure that there product is worth what they ask for it and that it will work as described
if that makes any sense to anyone I must really be getting good at this
Wouldn't say but that's the 3rd post you have made that's just trolling.
People never seem to take the figures into account with these things.
Their are over a billion computers in the world today!
So of course the numbers are going to seem higher today, but proportionately I doubt there is all that much of a difference.
I have to give them credit though, some of the old anti-copying schemes were a lot more inventive (and effetive) than what we have today.
If it's payware pay for it or not bother with it in the 1st place.. Did you steal all your computer parts too ?. i guess it be right for me to come knocking steal your computer too.
Theft is theft plain and simple.
How would you feel if all your hard work/time/effort/resources/creativity was stolen by some twat who's too cheap to purchase a $50 game, but has no problem spending 700 bucks on a HD6990/GTX590...etc
It's not fair and all these Developers/publishers have every rite to do what they think is necessary to protect their product.
Anyone who thinks otherwise that there's nothing wrong with piracy, well just forward me your address so I can come over and steal all your crap. There's no difference.
I've been PC gaming for years and it bothers me to see pc gamers who mock console players, then go whine and complain how every game now is a console port or start a petition because a publisher decided not to bring a certain game to pc.
Well why do you think??!?!?! You keep robbing them and then expect to be treated like a God afterwards? Super hypocrisy to the max.
( which is what piracy is)
Any-whom I'm off to bed, thanks for the interesting discussion chaps and for most people remaining polite and civil about their differences.
:toast:
We've disucssed piracy to no end in a bajiliion threads, but we never really all tossed in our thoughts about refunds or returns.
If I buy something (physical) that I don't like or does not meet my expectations I can usually return it.
That's a little difficult with virtual items as they could have been copied before return.
What do you think would be a fair return policy for both the buyers and sellers in this case?