Cracked servers OK or NOT ok?

[iCQ]

Lately i see more and more server admins make their server so called "NO-LICENCE".

Personally i feel this is very very wrong... in my eyes we need paying costumers in order to prevent EPIC from dropping us PC gamers like a brick.

I know its a common thing these days for online PC gamers... but still.

I wonder what you guys think about this... and why shouldnt we boycot such servers? Or do 'you' think it would be good for sales? Or maybe even u'd say epic deserved it?

P.s. arent you also suprised that on the official EPIC forums they actually ADVERTISE the cracked server?
(I happen to know the EPIC volunteer moderators know about this, they just ignore it: whilst MANY people are banned for being a little bit cocky about nothing, smells fishy aye?)

 

[Interbellum]

Epic has, for all intents & purposes, already dropped us PC gamers 'like a brick'. Maybe there'll be another patch, maybe even 2, but that's pretty much it. The UT franchise is as good as dead, as is the oldskool, highly moddable arena shooter in general. UT4 would be an even bigger failboat than UT3 was, and Epic knows it. So even if cracked servers actually do hurt them financially (which I'm pretty sure they don't; the game failed for many reasons, but piracy wasn't one of them), it wouldn't really matter from a pragmatic consumer pov. So don´t worry and be depressed. Or something.

 

[TheIronKnuckle]

I agree with your last, edited in observation, but remain neutral when it comes to the actual topic.

 

[iCQ]

Uuh.. i asked for opinions... not facts so... what do u personally think? Is it ok or not? Would u boycot cracked servers (like you used to do in ur oldskool days, right?).

Talking about being pragmatic, dont give up the fight or u be lost already... i personally do still believe that unreal can have a future. There are still people out there buying the game and upgrading their game pc's.

I play UT3 enough (from day one) to say/see that every week more players buy the game. I meet at least 10 a week. That is money. Nah.. facts... opinions.

 

[Grobut]

I suspect this is done out of desperation to actually get some players to fill thouse servers, be they legit or not, at this point, alot of people probably wont care too much if it means they get to play on a decent pinging server, against actual people no less.

Perhabs even Epic does not care, at this point they too may be desperate enough to turn a blind eye to it, because the more active players there are, the less pathetic UT3 looks in the various stats, even if some of them are not legit.

Epic has, for all intents & purposes, already dropped us PC gamers 'like a brick'. Maybe there'll be another patch, maybe even 2, but that's pretty much it. The UT franchise is as good as dead, as is the oldskool, highly moddable arena shooter in general. UT4 would be an even bigger failboat than UT3 was, and Epic knows it. So even if cracked servers actually do hurt them financially (which I'm pretty sure they don't; the game failed for many reasons, but piracy wasn't one of them), it wouldn't really matter from a pragmatic consumer pov. So don´t worry and be depressed. Or something.

Indeed..

But if i am not mistaken they are contractually bound to release another UT title under Midway.. it'll be interesting to say the least, assuming they don't find a way out of that contract (Midway might not care to spend any money on a new UT afterall, so both parties could decide to just let it slide), they would have to make something, but will it be made for PC? i think not, perhabs if we're lucky we'll get a token port of this "from the developers who brought you GoW2" game.

 

[StalwartUK]

After how Epic has handled their PC fanbase quite frankly they deserve this. Epic most likely has already made up their mind on the future of the series. If it brings in more players then I'm all for it.

 

[Fuzz]

I don't care if a server is cracked, just as long as it won't hack or hurt any of the clients joining it. Cracked servers might even work better than the regular ones. Epic have already made their profits from UT3. Populated and functional servers are great. Perhaps they don't mind free-be users at this point either. This might be a good step towards reincarnating the game. Epic have more to gain in public relations by allowing them than to put them out of commission.

 

[T2A`]

By "cracked" do you mean they got around GameSpy and anyone (including pirates) can play online without being hampered by that piece of crap?

Because that sounds awesome. Kudos to them. Boodos to Epic for their megafail.

 

[RennyManJr]

I don't care if a server is cracked, just as long as it won't hack or hurt any of the clients joining it. Cracked servers might even work better than the regular ones. Epic have already made their profits from UT3. Populated and functional servers are great. Perhaps they don't mind free-be users at this point either. This might be a good step towards reincarnating the game. Epic have more to gain in public relations by allowing them than to put them out of commission.

Ditto.

 

[ne_skaju]

By "cracked" do you mean they got around GameSpy and anyone (including pirates) can play online without being hampered by that piece of crap?

Because that sounds awesome. Kudos to them. Boodos to Epic for their megafail.

Maybe that means that you could buy disc in metro from bearded pirate vender, as it was when UT2004 came out (in Russia)

and play on NO-LICENCE server.

I remember best nwCTF server in UT2004 was no-licence. It has CBP, UCMP and other packs, fast redirect etc. It was almost always full.

Bermuda CTF [HUN], if someone remember that awesome server.


Anyway, good popular licence server > good popular cracked server > bad popular licence server.

 

[IronMonkey]

I don't care if a server is cracked, just as long as it won't hack or hurt any of the clients joining it.

And how would you be able to know that the cracked server met that condition?

Epic have already made their profits from UT3. Populated and functional servers are great. Perhaps they don't mind free-be users at this point either.

Epic have generally indicated that they consider the point where the balance between inconvenience to paying customers and risk of significant further lost profits favours the customers by releasing a no-CD patch. As Epic has not yet done that for UT3, one can only conclude that Epic still mind* the "free-be users" at this point in time. At no point in the history of UT2004 did they release a patch that removed the need to have a valid CD key.

Epic have more to gain in public relations by allowing them than to put them out of commission.

How does Epic or its publisher gain by being seen to condone or, at least, accept the aiding and abetting of copyright infringement? Whilst Epic might not be able to swat every dodgy server instance, I imagine the position of the company in any subsequent related action (e.g. against the distribution of cracked clients) would be weakened in court if they took no action at all despite being aware of the issue. It is possible that inaction (IANAL!!!) could impact on Epic's trademarks as the cracked servers are clearly not authorised and yet are utilising Epic's trademarks. The reason that lawyers come down on every two-bit Harry Potter fan site like a ton of bricks is that the owners of trademarks must be seen to be active in the protection of the trademark.


Now if Epic were to release a no-Gamespy patch that would be something else. I suppose I can dream...




*Epic will always mind but there does come a point where further effort isn't worth it.

 

[Beelzebud (Satanas)]

It just makes me wonder why exactly I spend 50 dollars on this game, especially if Epic is condoning a cracked server on their own forums after banning so many users for simply complaining about a game they paid for.

 

[Zur]

If Epic really cared they'd have cleaned all these so-called cracked servers of the master server list.

 

[Fuzz]

Aw, yes, the rigorous protection systems that kept interfering with my off-line campaign gaming due to my router timing out because of low traffic.

I don't have the DVD in the drive when I play. Epic have disabled most protection systems because they are only making people less willing to play the game.

If there is no back door in UT3 the clients will be safe. That's up to Epic. They would get sued otherwise.

It's really a stupid argument that copyright owners must protect their rights at every turn, not only where they feel it necessary. For instance if your spouse abuse you physically you might not go to the police the first time around, that's a completely different story if you boss beat you up over a coffee table dispute. You really should be allowed to not press charges without any reason given. If such a situation arise, Epic could easily make up documents allowing some individuals to do all kind of things to their work anyway.

If the cracked servers work better and are more populated, by all means allow them and make good use of them. What I really want to see is regular legit servers that work perfectly with all the protection systems Epic desire. We might be there already, but I have heard they are rather few and unpopulated. I don't bother with online gaming in UT3 on this rig, I can't even host a game without latency issues for myself.

 

[FuLLBLeeD]

Normally I'm against piracy, but since Epic doesn't give a ****, I don't either.

 

[Jrubzjeknf]

So much for this company then.

 

[Akira Kurosawa]

I'm in no way against copyright infringement, or piracy. I am extremely opposed to plagiarism though.

Anyways in my opinion I am all for cracked servers, the more players we get the better.
Could care less if they payed or not.

 

[Continuum]

I didn't realize you needed a license to run a dedicated server. Its not like you can install it and run the game without a client (which needs a license).

 

[Sys-X]

I rather see demo servers comming back then cracked servers... buy the game or just stay away from the pubs.

But as it is for now, I don't really care anymore.
If they advertise cracked servers it's their choice but don't ban fans who complain a little.

It's weird you can't talk about piracy, I've seen a few threads in the years where ppl lost their install cd or it got damaged.
I once reacted to such post and told the guy that if he still had the original key he can download it on the internet, cuz your guid and all is locked to your key.
When I said that they banned me without a hassle... Like I am the source who is putting illigal stuff on the internet, it's there no matter what.

But you can advertise cracked servers so ppl without a legal key can play online, shoot me I am confused right now and I don't know what the fock epic is thinking these last few years. Oo

 

[iCQ]

By "cracked" do you mean they got around GameSpy and anyone (including pirates) can play online without being hampered by that piece of crap?

Because that sounds awesome. Kudos to them. Boodos to Epic for their megafail.

How exactly is not to be discussed here i think (duh) but yes one has to 'do something' to make it to be cracked. Gamespy... dont mention it please! ;-)

And yes, also i have to say that EPIC fails here and there. That doesnt mean that us, real hardcore fans, have a responsibility to keep EPIC alive (enough) to be able to continue to serve us (even though they hardly listen, which is a common way to do business these days).

I rather see demo servers comming back then cracked servers... buy the game or just stay away from the pubs.

That was actually the moment for me to go buy the game hahaha. The fudgers messing up the demo master server, forced me to go to the shops! Not i wasnt going to buy it anyways, just couldnt wait another day.

But hey, are you saying people cannot play the demo anymore even as we speak? That be plain stupid of EPIC (or gamespy)!

Personally i love game demo's, they really do prevent me from going to torrent sites to download a full version of a game.

Now if Epic were to release a no-Gamespy patch that would be something else. I suppose I can dream...

Ahhhh that would be the day!!! At least we still got something good to beg for hehe... im already glad we have someone make the 'UT3 protocol fix' allowing us to start the game and join a server by a click on a link http://forums.epicgames.com/showthread.php?t=605915.