From the March 12th interview with Neoqb on the WWI AirCombat site: Click Here Doesn't look all that bad to me, but will just have to wait and see.

3. Do I need an internet connection to play ROF?

Yes, because first of all we are talking about online service, where you can get together with many other people with same interests, where you can get in groups and play against other users or AI and many more.

4. What kind of copy protection is used in ROF?

User online authorization, which processed in game GUI each time you startup "Rise of Flight".

5. Can I play ROF in offline mode?

No, you can't.

6. If an internet connection fails while playing ROF, what will happen? Can I start the next mission? Same with career mode, what will happened with my statistics?

"Connection error" message will appear and you will not be able to continue without proper internet connection, thus all statistics will be lost. But if connection to the internet will be reestablished before the end of the mission this problem might not appear. Please note that multiplayer mode will crash due to lack of internet connection.

7. If an internet connection is required, what amount of traffic (in/out) will there be within one hour?

In multiplayer mode, depending on eventfulness, there will be considerable amount of traffic.
In singleplayer mode (single mission, training, career) - the amount of traffic will be minimal (only statistics and system messages)

8. What advantages will I have when playing ROF (online connection)?

- Most of game settings are saved (backed up) on our master-server. (After terminal change all settings will be transferred automatically)
- Integrated statistics system
- The rules of our game will not change (the same rules apply for all users) in multiplayer and single player mode. Thus both modes will provide competitive game play for all users
- We do not have content scramble system, thus there is no problems.
- Possibility to update game (most of game files) without any downloading and installing.
- And many more

First of all we are talking about online service...
Definately seems to me that they are thinking of the game primarily in online play/multi-player terms...


Seems pretty straightforward...I will need to be constantly or regularly connected to NeoQBs server to play the game Even in single player mode



Integrated statistics system...So obviously my single player statistics will be used by NeoQB in some fashion...be it some kind of league table, blogs or the campaign engine...forcing greater interactivity on single player users.

There in the official Q&A are the three issues i have raised...confirmed by NeoQB
1. That they are focused primarily on the multi-player aspect.
2. That there is no offline mode
3. Collection of statistics will be used to integrated single players into a community

not really, because of next note



Not exactly so-
- we use internet connection as sort of DRM - youll need to verify game by log in to start it, and there is nothing with "no offline play", after mission end in career - stats are sended into your account on server.
Same as about game settings/statistics - they are stored on master-server.
-
Imagine, if youll have had DVD rom rollin time to time when you play? Starforce stuff maybe with disk check regulary?
Instead of that - you just need to be connected to use connection time to time, with kilobytes of traffic (as you make a post on forum).

the approach certainly sounds like the ROF team we have come to know over time

Yes, sounding very good

When's the demo out <tugs sleeve>

Ming

Thanks for the reply =FB+VikS
I think we can all understand your design to implement some form of copy protection to protect your work!
But can I ask why single player statistics are stored on the master server rather than on the players machine?

Viks, the problem is not the amount of traffic, but for people who want to play if they have no regular internet connection. With a DRM like Steam, there is an offline mode. Why can't you guys look into requiring a login only once a week or such? That way if the Internet Provider or your Servers are not working for a few days, the user can still play his paid game.

Also, if I may ask, what kind of server infrastructure for Log-On will you be providing? Will you manage a 99.9% avability in a data centre or some such, and for how many years in the future?

I'm not against the online storage of campaign progress, I just wonder about possible access problems.

I can see a situation when I've completed a busy mission with an hour or so's flight time, downed a handful of enemy aircraft, been awarded a VC and as I exit I get the "connection lost" message of doom. It'd all be lost apparently which would be a bit of a downer. Maybe there could be a resend function to save my progress on my PC but to re-try sending to the server next time? I understand that online only players find these sorts of issues completely unimportant but to offliners it could be very annoying.

Steam has improved a lot lately but even with Valves $$$ behind it I still get the odd "this game is not available" messages, even for products that I've installed from DVD. Its the same for downloading content, sometimes you can't play (even SP) untill you've downloaded a huge update that could be a problem for some users.

It isn't easy this question, is it? But I wouldn't feel happy having to login every time I play and also in having user statistics being sent back to a company whose identity is very unlikely to remain the same over time. Just look at what has happened in the market generally. Most of the companies that made the sims we are still playing no longer exist. So I baulk at that necessity. Also, the question: where does it finish - ? What other stats will be sent? Spyware? Microsoft don't require an online login for user permission so it seems extravagant for a humble software games manufacturer to feel the need to do this.

This is the crux of the matter, and the one that needs a fuller explanation as there are mixed messages coming out, leading to a lot of wild speculation.

By now we all realise that there will be a requirement to log-in before starting offline play; plus if we want our stats updated they will have to be sent at the end of the mission.
However, VikS, can you please clear this up for everyone?

1. Does there have to be a permanent internet connection during the whole of offline play?
2. If, after a person has logged on and is playing offline, will the game continue if the internet connection is broken?
3. If a player does not submit his/her offline stats to Neoqb at the end of a session, will they be able to load the next mission in the sequence that they were playing?

Thus the long-range expansion and add-on business model for RoF, in which having an IP connection is vital to the plan.

Life is full of worries and decisions, and a humble software games manufacturer is not immune from them to any lesser extent than the rest of us.

In the meantime I've got my IP up to snuff, and my system is ready to go (it's what I can do).

Matter of fact I'm wondering when Neoqb makes those first millions on RoF, and then goes shopping for their corporate jet, whether they're going to ask when they should expect it to crash.

They probably should I suppose, would be the prudent thing to do.