Latest Xbox Dashboard Update Makes Pirates Sad

[Booze Zombie]

That's great... and now, I continue on with my innocent-consumer lifestyle.

 

[Gunner 51]

If a legitimate customer has had their copy of Fable 3 bricked by this new dashboard update, then I think that they are very entitled to a new one - free of charge.

 

[Akalistos]

Latest Xbox Dashboard Update Makes Pirates Sad

Xbox 360 videogame pirates that recently updated the dashboard will find their illegal abilities sorely reduced.

A major anger independent developers [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/104876-Major-Xbox-Live-Dashboard-Update-Hits-Tomorrow]. According to new information, Microsoft evidently also included a stealth update that protects the Xbox 360 from piracy.

The update, being referred to as "AP 2.5," apparently locks out copied games from Xbox Live and will stop them from booting up at all. The method of its operation is not yet clear, but AP 2.5 basically involves a new disc check.

If that disc check isn't passed, the console running a pirated disc will be flagged for a ban from Xbox Live. The game itself won't load, and will give the player an "unrecognizable disc" error. Hackers have already determined that Fable III [http://www.amazon.com/Fable-III-Xbox-360/dp/B002I0JGDM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288892155&sr=8-1] has this AP 2.5 protection, and it'll likely be in all future discs as well. This is said to be the first time that "backup" games have been negated in such a way.

The battle against videogame piracy will never end, but Sony got off a good salvo [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/104338-Medal-of-Honor-Gets-Head-Shot-on-PS3-Piracy] earlier this year and now Microsoft is doing some damage of its own. If we hear about a large number of Xbox Live bans in the near future, they'll probably be the result of this new piracy defense method.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-kinect-dash-anti-piracy-blog-entry]

Permalink

I'll ask you this Tom Goldman; Why care when you bought the game?

Because if for some reason a game fails this disc check even once your console is banned. So unless the system gets absolutely zero false positives some legitimate customers will be getting screwed.

And how can that happen? If the game is unreadable, then the game won't start. If the game froze during a level, you already pass that test so your still in the green (so to speak).

There more chance of being hit by a plane than a legitimate game failing that test. So, don't cry Wolf yet bpm195.

 

[Paragon Fury]

I give them 1 month tops to crack it and everything goes back to normal. Also why would you play online if you had a hacked console?

^ this.
People with hacked consoles don't play online because xbox live automatically fucks up their xbox when it detects the mods.
There are a very few exceptions, but for the most part, people with mods on their xboxes don't want to play online even if they could.
I'm guessing it'll take about 2-3 weeks for them to crack it.

9/10, hackers get their way.

I don't think it's legal to vandalize or destroy someone else's property for any reason.

You don't own a gaming console. You own $200-$600 worth of permission to use said console; which its actual owner (the company) can revoke at any time, for most any reason, generally involving things set out in the Terms of Service or EULA.

 

[Shycte]

One should not feel sorry for the pirates. They are not rebels, they are doing wrong and they know it.

Aside from that, Microsoft is doing good. Hopefully without honest gamers getting screwed.

 

[Steve the Pocket]

The main problem with this is, if you happen to get a bum copy of a game, or your copy happens to get damaged, you've just lost your Xbox Live account for good, along with - I assume - all the games you've purchased over Xbox Live Arcade. I mean, if it's so badly damaged that the disc check fails, you're already screwed as far as being able to play that copy of the game, but that should be all you lose.

Also, this is the first time I've heard that anyone could just burn a working copy of any game using a simple DVD burner. I thought there was already some kind of copy protection that involved putting some data on a part of the disc that burners can't reach, or something. And that's why console games didn't have DRM. I'm really confused now.

I have been prevented from playing a legit game because of DRM. Fate wouldn't recognize the disc because of Securom. Sure you can eject and retry over and over again until it works but that just wears on your DVD drive and your patience. I can't prove it over the internet though so I guess I am lying, right?

Of course, anecdotal evidence over the internet is equivalent to none at all, but you already knew this.

So, to recap: You ask a guy a legitimate question, and as soon as he answers, you simply accuse him of lying. Classy.

 

[Xanthious]

It would help the industry alright, TO ROYALLY SCREW YOU HARDER THAN THEY PRESENTLY DO.

I am so tired of all the greedy publisher and dev studio sympathizers on the escapist with no sense of consumer advocacy or self respect. I mean, how can anyone in their right mind say go ahead and take away any semblance of fair use, control or actual ownership of your purchased product?

The level of control that the game industry seeks is simply un-American.

I couldn't agree more! This place has more than it's fair share of people with their heads so far up these publishers ass that it's amazing they can pull them out long enough to see to type. Hell one misguided fool a few posts up went as far as to suggest that you don't actually own your console. As completely false and laughable as that is it just shows that there is a trend of people that are more than willing to eat a big plate of whatever bullshit companies like M$ and EA and Activision serve up and ask for more with a big stupid smile on their faces.

 

[Projo]

This would be more impressive if my Xbox didn't tell me that even games right of the box were unreadable.

 

[hyperdrachen]

I give them 1 month tops to crack it and everything goes back to normal. Also why would you play online if you had a hacked console?

lots of games have strong online components

Screw Pirates, it makes me sad too. It looks like shit.

Yes too much white... to appley... seriously microsoft why are you copying your overpriced cousins asthetic. Also the dashboard runs slower. Guide menu comes up slower, all transitions are slower, same as with the last update. The kinect hub also sucks. Microsoft is really cocking up the dashboard... glad i don't spend much time there. On the other hand yay for pirate squashing.

 

[hyperdrachen]

Wow, ok lets go over a few things.

A - Your scratched disc or a bump disc drive is not sending you to ban land. Even those suspected are submitted for further review. I'd venture that they're looking for multiple games as a big indicator.

B - This patch obviously runs a second check to find something common to the unautharized copies. It is not simply a counter that goes up when it can't read a disc.

C - Oh yay more pirates bellyaching about thier "backups". How long has it been common knowledge federal regulations forbid unautharized copies of media? Yes it sucks that we can't legitimatly backup our games, and I blame the swap parties, and filesharing sites for that. Besides, who do you think your fooling. Yeah... "backups".

D - Sorry but the richer guy isn't always wrong. These developers make alot of money selling products people want. They're not products people need. It's not like when gas prices are gouged, they don't extort peoples money out of them. They say "hey we made this pretty cool huh" and we say "no thanks" or "hell yeah". Then there are those of us that say "HEY MAAAAAN I'm not a part of your system!" "Yeah i want that game but i refuse to pay you for your work on it!"

Yes people expecting to get paid for thier work are greedy shitheads. People attempting to enjoy the fruits of those labors free of charge are the shining beacons of freedom and fairness we should be cheering for.

 

[Direwolf750]

This is as much of bull shit as every other piece of DRM we've seen. This is a horrible horrible system. By fair use we are allowed to make backup copies of anything, with the right to use them for personal use alone. Now not only is this illegal, but now they can take away the only online provider we are allowed to use with the 360 if we exercise this right.

 

[Direwolf750]

How long has it been common knowledge federal regulations forbid unautharized copies of media? Yes it sucks that we can't legitimatly backup our games, and I blame the swap parties, and filesharing sites for that.

Dead wrong. Fair use. It is legal to make copies for personal use. DRM violates fair use. And you don't have to be a pirate to do some research. It isn't pretty, what DRM is doing to our media and others.

 

[bpm195]

Latest Xbox Dashboard Update Makes Pirates Sad

Xbox 360 videogame pirates that recently updated the dashboard will find their illegal abilities sorely reduced.

A major anger independent developers [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/104876-Major-Xbox-Live-Dashboard-Update-Hits-Tomorrow]. According to new information, Microsoft evidently also included a stealth update that protects the Xbox 360 from piracy.

The update, being referred to as "AP 2.5," apparently locks out copied games from Xbox Live and will stop them from booting up at all. The method of its operation is not yet clear, but AP 2.5 basically involves a new disc check.

If that disc check isn't passed, the console running a pirated disc will be flagged for a ban from Xbox Live. The game itself won't load, and will give the player an "unrecognizable disc" error. Hackers have already determined that Fable III [http://www.amazon.com/Fable-III-Xbox-360/dp/B002I0JGDM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288892155&sr=8-1] has this AP 2.5 protection, and it'll likely be in all future discs as well. This is said to be the first time that "backup" games have been negated in such a way.

The battle against videogame piracy will never end, but Sony got off a good salvo [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/104338-Medal-of-Honor-Gets-Head-Shot-on-PS3-Piracy] earlier this year and now Microsoft is doing some damage of its own. If we hear about a large number of Xbox Live bans in the near future, they'll probably be the result of this new piracy defense method.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-kinect-dash-anti-piracy-blog-entry]

Permalink

I'll ask you this Tom Goldman; Why care when you bought the game?

Because if for some reason a game fails this disc check even once your console is banned. So unless the system gets absolutely zero false positives some legitimate customers will be getting screwed.

And how can that happen? If the game is unreadable, then the game won't start. If the game froze during a level, you already pass that test so your still in the green (so to speak).

There more chance of being hit by a plane than a legitimate game failing that test. So, don't cry Wolf yet bpm195.

Have you ever used any software that was completely bug free? In any software system there are many places where things can potential go wrong, and in general there are many places where things do go wrong. Whether there are any situations that actually cause a false positive is yet to be seen, I don't appreciate potential problems being introduced to my setup to protect their interests from pirates.

Perhaps they've created a perfect system, but as with any piece of software if I have to be for or against the presence of bugs, I'm betting that they will exist.

 

[ThatLankyBastard]

I was wondering why my Fable III didn't work...

Damn you pirates!! Damn you and all your beards and parrots to hell!!!

 

[zxBARRICADExz]

I give them 1 month tops to crack it and everything goes back to normal. Also why would you play online if you had a hacked console?

because having a j-tag'd box is cool to tell people about on live... and because those people that do have one are fuckin cunts.

MS needs to start updating firmware more often to catch these bastards.

They actually hack the CD drive and not the console itself. I read into it because i was gonna do it to mine. Also I wouldn't do it and play online. I wouldn't even connect to the Internet with it.

J-Tag is mostly software.. it allows packet sending to be modified to xbl servers. but ya drive swapping is as old as the moon when it comes to the 360.. eventually with a proper firmware update they will be able to block out anything hardware that dosnt belong.. ..oh shit! i forgot!..they'll just ban so these folks buy another box to fill their pockets even more..

And the sad part is most of the banned people will. If i hacked a console then got banned from using its games at all i would stop playing that console period.

good..one less hacking assface to worry about wrecking a good online experience.

I don't hack online anyways. If i am playing online its to have fun with others and making myself immortal and having no chance of losing is not fun to me.

you must be the only person with a modbox that isnt under 12 years old then..