3DS is Watching You: Activity-Logging and Anti-Piracy Features

[Signa]

Read the edit.

And if I'm being told how to think, then I'm just not going to buy a damn thing anymore. There is no reason to keep this bloated industry afloat if I'm not allowed to own my stuff.

Sorry, didn't see the edit.

And to be fair, you own the hardware. NOT the software. The 3DS hardware won't be changed, the software will merely be changed to not do anything. Next time you buy software, tell me if you find a user's agreement. You likely will. A lot.

Uh yeah, the hardware will be changed if I can't use it. Even if it physically is unaffected, they designed an unrecoverable killswitch into it. The hardware will be broken because the software will be broken.

And buying a product isn't agreeing to anything other than that you said you wanted to own it. There is no reasonable expectations that are included with a purchase of a game system.

I've got to go to work, so I won't be able to continue this.

 

[magicmonkeybars]

Someone will find a way to unbrick a 3ds and make a fortune doing so.

 

[fix-the-spade]

What are your thoughts on this facet of the 3DS?
Too invasive?
Or is it a necessary step?
And how long until its beaten?

i) Bad idea

ii) I've cancelled my pre-order. I wanted it for Homebrew apps, remote bricking is just too much.

iii) Like Ubisoft's always on DRM it's about a hundred steps too far, when you're regarding your customers as the enemy from day one you're doing it wrong. Also, there's a solid chance that what they intend to do is flat out illegal within Europe. They're going to get sued.

iv) Days, possibly hours after release. The DSi was hacked within hours, this won't be any different. The 'always on' Wi-Fi will be nothing more than a value in the software. No doubt a round of updates for the various flashcarts will simply allow you to disable it.

 

[Fawcks]

Uh yeah, the hardware will be changed if I can't use it. Even if it physically is unaffected, they designed an unrecoverable killswitch into it. The hardware will be broken because the software will be broken.

And buying a product isn't agreeing to anything other than that you said you wanted to own it. There is no reasonable expectations that are included with a purchase of a game system.

I've got to go to work, so I won't be able to continue this.

Have a good day at work!

 

[Fawcks]

iv) Days, possibly hours after release. The DSi was hacked within hours, this won't be any different. The 'always on' Wi-Fi will be nothing more than a value in the software. No doubt a round of updates for the various flashcarts will simply allow you to disable it.

You can turn off the always on wifi yourself.

However, enjoy not being able to access any wifi services with your 3DS.

 

[airrazor7]

It's not as if they have to connect to the net to play a single-player game or anything like that.

Unless it is an EA game.

 

[fix-the-spade]

You can turn off the always on wifi yourself.

However, enjoy not being able to access any wifi services with your 3DS.

Alright then, the 'call Nintendo' aspect will be nothing more than a value in the software, one that no doubt will be removed by flash cart firmware updates.

It's a horrendous irony that the flash cart companies look after their customers far better than Nintendo does.

 

[Fawcks]

You can turn off the always on wifi yourself.

However, enjoy not being able to access any wifi services with your 3DS.

Alright then, the 'call Nintendo' aspect will be nothing more than a value in the software, one that no doubt will be removed by flash cart firmware updates.

It's a horrendous irony that the flash cart companies look after their customers far better than Nintendo does.

Nintendo has great customer service, but I don't see a single reason why they should NOT make things hard on people who are using their software in a way they did not intend.

Remember, you own the 3DS hardware, NOT the software. I see no problem with the software developers saying, "I don't want you doing this or that with my software".

 

[PlasmaFrog]

You own the system, but they own the software. If you violate any of their policies, then they most likely have a right to take it into their own hands.

But honestly, I don't see an issue with this. I'm still purchasing a system regardless.

 

[Aris Khandr]

I'm not a pirate, but this is just crazy. I don't want people to know what games I play, or anything like that. I don't care if it's meaningless dribble, it's still private information, and personally, I like not making that privy to other people.

Yeah, it's not like Steam, XBox Live, or the PS3 do the same thing or anything...

Sorry for the double quote, but I realized the word I was looking for was creepy. It's stalkerish of Nintendo to do this. They are way to obsessed that people are doing piratey things on consoles they make. Consoles are, in a way, like computers, and you should be able to do whatever you want on them (within the law) when you get them. I'd be perfectly fine if I thought this was just to fight piracy, but game publishers and console makers have proven repeatedly that they don't like modifying consoles. For example, if someone wanted to install Linux on their Mac, Apple wouldn't care, but if they did it on their Wii, they've suddenly broken some law that Nintendo thinks exists.

Piracy is only a small part of the reason for this. The main one is marketing. As I said in an earlier post in this thread, it will help Nintendo know what games people are enjoying, so we can get more of them. I wish my DS had that function, actually, as then Nintendo could see that I use the GBA slot quite a bit on it, and thus it might not have been removed for the DSi and 3DS.

 

[Mister Six]

Meh...its an asshole move on their part and I won't be buying the system, and more power to the people who try to find a way around the bullshit Nintendo is pushing on us honest customers.

 

[Penguinness]

Seems fine to me. I'm not sure how it could be an invasion of privacy if it's made clear that it does track what you do, and you still buy it and use it. I mean you can agree to get a clubcard for a supermarket, and when you use it they get to know what you've bought right? If it also had the ability to tell the supermarket what you've stolen then what's wrong with that.

No-one would care if it just tracked things like what you've played and how long. But when you hear it can track when you're doing shit to it, people don't like it.

I think it's absolutely fine, when you buy it you agree to their terms I guess. Otherwise don't buy it.

 

[Fawcks]

You think that's fair. For Nintendo to charge you $250 for a handheld and then tell you what you can and cannot do with it with the threat of them sending Bubba to your house to break it if you don't comply. In this case Bubba is a wireless self destruct signal.

In what other industry are companies allowed to do that? If you were Bubba or were a hacker sending a self destruct signal to someone elses property, would you go to jail?

Pretty much any software manufacturer ever. I'm not allowed to toy with their software. This is hardly new.

 

[Fawcks]

The 3DS is software?

The 3DS does use software to function, yes.

 

[Fawcks]

Do you think Nintendo is broke or even close? Depsite all the piracy on the DS, Nintendo made a fortune. In the end the only loser is YOU, the paying customer.

Is this really how you justify THEFT to yourself?

I pay for games because I want to play more good games.

I don't buy games much anymore because I simply can't afford it. However, I DID buy the new Pokemon game. Why? Because it's a great game, and the developers deserve my money.

Very few franchises do I sit down and admit, "Yeah, it was worth every cent". Pokemon, Disgaea, Zelda are among the few.

If you can't afford a luxury good, you shouldn't be dabbling into it as much, or simply reduce your exposure, or stick to pirating old games you can't actually get anymore like the GBC or something. This industry NEEDS its intellectual property to stay alive, and I for one WILL support it, and I feel it DESERVES to be supported because it is WORTH IT.

Hell, I WANT Nintendo to know what games I'm playing and for how long, so they can put an emphasis on making more games that appeal to me. It's FINE. If you're not intending to pirate, what do you care? Do you use Google? Google tracks you like a damn DOG, go get on them about it. How about an internet service provider? Yes, they also track every single website you visit. They can pull up a list and say, "Oh hey, this guy's into midget porn!". That's WAY more invasive than Nintendo learning how much I use their products and to play what games.

This should be such a non-issue, I am shocked at all the negative press it's getting. Stores are installing theft prevention systems at their entrances to prevent people from walking out with unsold merchandise?! SCANDAL.