Thu, Aug 18, 2011 | 22:19 BST
Players apparently need to be online in order to experience From Dust
Earlier today, there were some unverified reports circulating that Steam was providing refunds to those who purchased From Dust via the service, due to the inclusion of Ubisoft’s always-on DRM. Now, it looks as though over the course of the day, more reports have surfaced claiming the same thing, not to mention an entire shitstorm ensuing on the matter. Get familiarized with it below.
Apparently, it all started with Ubisoft stating on its forums that the DRM included with From Dust on Steam would not require an internet connection. Since this was posted, it has been removed, and then later put back up with a disclaimer saying details are being checked, and an official statement on the matter would be coming shortly.
Sadly, it seems to have been removed again because we cannot find it.
Between all the forum post swapping around, folks who purchased the game from Steam found it was not possible to launch From Dust in offline mode because they weren’t online. If logged into Steam’s offline mode, launching From Dust would bring up a Ubisoft Game Launcher, which without an online connection, well, wouldn’t connect.
RPS got in touch with a Ubisoft rep who said: “I can confirm that From Dust won’t require a constant internet connection, as before.”
The forum post, which was entered on August 1 by Ubisoft’s forum manager, stated that: “From Dust PC will release with DRM requiring a one-time only online activation. After which you will be able to play the game offline. We hope this clears any outstanding confusion on the matter.”
Apparently, not. Folks are still unable to play the game in offline mode, not to mention there are issues playing it at all, due to what many folks around the net are calling “a bad port.”
RPS contacted Ubisoft to ask when the DRM would be removed, and “whether the porting will be finished.”
In the meantime, folks seem to be getting refunds on the game through Steam customer service, and even Ubisoft has said to contact its support team for a refund if you like.
When more information becomes available on this, we’ll update you.
19 
Posted in: PC, Simulation, Ubisoft
Tags: Eric Chahi, From Dust
19 comments
#1
The_Red
18/08/11, 10:17 pm
At the same time pirates are enjoying the same game without needing to be online or suffering from other aspects of this DRM. Well done Ubi, once again you’ve rewarded the pirates instead of royal customers.
#2
absolutezero
18/08/11, 10:45 pm
The entire port is a fucking mess, its a half finished game right now.
So either get the 360 version OR don’t buy it at all.
#3
deadstoned
18/08/11, 10:48 pm
Ubisoft are getting so much Bad press at the moment. FFS Ubisoft save yourself the trouble and remove your terrible DRM from the picture. Then your sales may pick up and people may regain trust.
#4
DSB
18/08/11, 11:17 pm
Foot = Shot. Again. AGAIN!
Could Ubisoft get any more ridiculous as a games publisher on the PC at this point? I fail to see what they’re missing, except perhaps the poor investments of THQ.
#5
jacobvandy
18/08/11, 11:25 pm
Ubisoft lied. It’s as simple as that.
#6
Akilla
19/08/11, 12:41 am
This is why I will never ever buy games from ubisoft on pc, srsly ubi when r u gonna learn? if they want their games to sell they need to make it easier for their games to run on PC without this DRM bullsh!t !!
#7
Ireland Michael
19/08/11, 12:47 am
Has anyone actually considered for two seconds that this might just be a bug?
Myself, I’ve found “Offline Mode” on Steam to be pretty fiddly from time to time. Sounds to me like the two services (Steam and Ubisoft Game Launcher) are just having issues communicating properly.
#8
GrimRita
19/08/11, 12:48 am
Its a port? So why are PC gamers buying this pile of shit?!
#9
Jorge
19/08/11, 1:04 am
Oh well, so I’m not the only one feeling ripped off with this PC port, more after trying out the Xbox demo.
I contacted support. Let’s see if they make refunds…
And I just wanted to play with the mouse :/
#10
Brenna Hillier
19/08/11, 3:57 am
@7 banned for being thoughtful and reasonable on the Internet
#11
Ireland Michael
19/08/11, 4:39 am
@10 Lawl.
Yeah, I know, its madness. I’ll stop.
FUCKING UBISOFT! YOU SUCK! STOP MAKING GAMES!
Better?
#12
Talkar
19/08/11, 7:33 am
@8
Just because a game is ported doesn’t mean it is a bad game on the PC. It is how well it was ported that makes the difference.
@7
It can’t be a bug. A bug would be that a loop had been forgotten to be commented out, or a semicolon was forgotten somewhere. This was intentional.
#13
Ireland Michael
19/08/11, 8:00 am
@12 Now if only coding was *actually* that simple, the lives of video game programmers the world over would be ten times easier.
Ubisoft don’t even seem to be aware of the problem, so clearly something is causing the system to work as they intended.
#14
BULArmy
19/08/11, 8:27 am
Ubi is totally lost to me as of From Dust release, I really wanted to play Driver:SF, even with the delay and the DRM, but now no way. I just don’t get it how can they be so stupid and no one there is realizing that they are hurting themselves. After the implementation of this absurd DRM only the last Anno and AC2 were not cracked before or on release. So you really fuck the paying customer, but the pirate is playing problem free. This is just stupidity on another level.
#15
Christopher Jack
19/08/11, 8:54 am
Why can’t Ubi just rely solely on Steam for protection, could design the game to be unplayable without Steam, you would have to reprogram a lot of content to pirate that then.
#16
GwynbleiddiuM
19/08/11, 9:12 am
@15 Because in the end all publisher are thinking about making themself bigger than everyone else, and try everything they can pull out on others to not let them become any bigger than what they already are. They don’t want that Steam become a platform of its own, that’s why.
#17
Ireland Michael
19/08/11, 9:19 am
Tinfoil hats! Come and get your tinfoil hats, right here! Get ‘em while they’re hot… cause with the people building up in this thread, they’re gonna run out soon enough!
#18
Fin
19/08/11, 9:30 am
Things used to be so much simpler before ordinary people had a voice on the internet.
Ubisoft release a bad port
Meh, won’t buy it.
Now it’s
Ubisoft delay Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
FFFFUUUUU I’M NEVER BUYING A UBISOFT GAME EVER AGAIN
Ubisoft delay Driver San Francisco PC
FFFFUUUUU I’M NEVER BUYING A UBISOFT GAME EVER AGAIN
Ubisoft announce Driver San Francisco needs always-on internet
FFFFUUUUU I’M NEVER BUYING A UBISOFT GAME EVER AGAIN
Ubisoft delays From Dust PC and announces it needs always-on internet
FFFFUUUUU I’M NEVER BUYING A UBISOFT GAME EVER AGAIN
Ubisoft release sub-standard From Dust PC
FFFFUUUUU I JUST BOUGHT THIS BUT NOW I WANT MY MONEY BACK
Hypocrites.
Also:
Blizzard announce Diablo III will need always-on internet
Hmm, this is a bit annoying, but I’m still going to buy it.
#19
absolutezero
19/08/11, 1:19 pm
Not to burst the bubble of faith but Ubi did know about it and they did indeed lie through their teeth.
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/08/18/ubisoft-edits-forum-keeps-from-dust-drm/