Uplay will be required

[Alexey85]

Let me chime in about Steam and Uplay too.
Steam has a bunch of amazing features. First and foremost is updates. If a game has an update and Steam was in background, I don't even have to wait to download an update, it was downloaded automatically already. Next are forums, news, mods. I don't have to search all of this in separate places for every game, bookmark sites or whatever because everything is in Steam and easy to reach. Not to mention that modes can be very easy to install, for example, find a map in workshop, click subscribe, launch a game and the map is there for you too choose. And there is streaming. When everything is in one place for a given game, it is an amazing thing. Steam works well for me, not slow like for some. Granted you can't play games offline but if you have stable internet connection that's a small price to pay for all the goodies.
I might be mistaken but I don't think Uplay can offer what Steam doesn't. It is just an annoyance.

[Demented]

Those are good points, good arguments and good reasons why most people do like Steam.
I personally don't like my software to update unless I choose to update it so that argument doesn't really work for me.
I want to know that an update works before I download it. Too many times I've seen people complain "I can't play my game after the last update and it won't let me remove it!" Microsoft has embedded in me that not all updates are a good thing. I tend to read what an update entails, decide if it's something I need and see if it has caused any issues for other people before I install it. Also, I really don't like waiting for updates when I just want to get in and play something for a bit. I only update Maniaplanet when there is a major addition to it.
I see a few people say that Steam doesn't really slow things down for them but a person might not know a turtle is slow if they've never seen a rabbit.
~
I think it's very important to note: I'm not trying to convince anyone to use, or not use Steam or Uplay, but rather suggesting it should be optional for people who want it but not mandatory for those who don't.

[TMarc]

Also Maniaplanet forces updates. If you don't update, either it won't work at all, or some functions will not work, or some will work but have strange bugs, which is all very annoying.
Only completely disconnected you don't get updates, which can be good (no changes) and bad (no bugfixes) at the same time.

That's now going more off-topic, and if you prefer, I can split the following.
Perhaps we need to think of an idea, but I'm not sure if or how this could work:
let's assume some server hosters have a good & stable version of the dedicated. They use some server controllers to add things they like.
Now Maniaplanet should have a core part, and a more network & server related part, which could be downloaded from the servers individually.
Of course this must be fail proof and not manipulatable.

In short words: the game client would download some part matching to the dedicated server, if not already in the cache.
And then it would not be that much a problem if a server is not always up to date with the newest release.
However, if major and more general things regarding ladder points or planets change, game client and server updates cannot be avoided.

Back to the main topic, I also think the question is not which system is better.
An adittional question would be if Nadeo / Ubisoft can afford losing players if they absolutely force them to have a Uplay account.
Basically we have 4 kind of players:
- those you don't want Uplay at all, they will never purchase nor use any game there
- those you will accept it, but sill not use Uplay much (only for eventually purchasing and starting the game, nothing more)
- those you use Uplay and its features
- those who don't care and simply want to have the games, regardless on which platform they are sold.

What if Uplay was only required to install and activate the game, but not later on?
With some installation supervisor tools everybody can check what Uplay will do on the system, and if it gets uninstalled properly again without any bad traces.

[Demented]

I would be curious to see if disposableaccount would be willing to attach a pole to this topic asking how many people...
Would Like MP on Steam
Would Tolerate MP on Steam
Would Dislike MP on Steam
&
Would Like MP on Uplay
Would Tolerate MP on Uplay
Would Dislike MP on Uplay
People would need to be able to vote twice (once for each system).
I think it would be good for Nadeo to see the numbers for this.
.
I actually almost didn't buy TM² when I found out I couldn't purchase it in a box from a store. It was only the fact that Trackmania is my #1 favorite game that got me to give into the online purchase and activation. Although doing it I felt like a Lemming that was aware of it's pending demise.

[novationx]

I would be curious to see if disposableaccount would be willing to attach a pole to this topic asking how many people...
Would Like MP on Steam
Would Tolerate MP on Steam
Would Dislike MP on Steam
&
Would Like MP on Uplay
Would Tolerate MP on Uplay
Would Dislike MP on Uplay
People would need to be able to vote twice (once for each system).
I think it would be good for Nadeo to see the numbers for this.
.
I actually almost didn't buy TM² when I found out I couldn't purchase it in a box from a store. It was only the fact that Trackmania is my #1 favorite game that got me to give into the online purchase and activation. Although doing it I felt like a Lemming that was aware of it's pending demise.

poll --> vvery good idea
no gameboxes --> its the future so get used to it. Soon everything will be digital unless you buy special collector editions. And I think its good for the environment etc. Old games end up in trash anyways

[edk]

My problem is that I only want to buy the game on Steam, but then only use Uplay to play it. My Steam account makes me money through trading cards and the market. By the time TMT is released, even with my occasional purchase, it will essentially be 50% off. But what I do not want to do, and to this point have not for any game, is launch one client to launch another. That's basically where I draw the line. The exception being if the game is account based and the login and account are fully integrated into the game. Origin games I play on origin, Steam games I play on Steam, MP I play on MP, etc.

As far as DRM, I dislike it, consider it to be useless, and anti-consumer. At this point, clients are almost strictly for telemetry and advertising purposes because who has ever heard of someone not being able to pirate a game if they were so inclined? I'll note that I do not pirate anything, nor do I endorse or condone it, but if someone wants to pirate something then they will and nothing is going to stop them.

I've not had any issue with DRM before and have had everything from Starforce, Tages, Steam, GFWL, Origin, misc accounts, whatever. At the end of the day, if the game is good, the client is non-intrusive and functioning, then I don't take issue with it. Although I do refuse to buy a game that requires multiple outside clients to play. Being that I have nothing on Uplay and am otherwise not a fan of Ubisoft games, I'm not sure I'll purchase TMT. In the event I can purchase the game on Steam and then register and use it stricly on Uplay (outside of Steam) then I would most likely make the purchase.

As far as purchasing it at Ubisoft store only, I'm not motivated to make a purchase at the Ubi-sore as I currently own nothing that uses Uplay and most likely never will besides TMT (they make nothing I'm interested in). It took a Humble Bundle with 8 games and a Mass Effect Trilogy sale for $8.99 to get me to use Origin. As far as clients go it's kind of "what have you done for me lately" and Ubi has not done anything for me, well, ever. To be quite honest, as throw-away as console games are these days and Ubisoft being primarily a console developer, I don't put much confidence in their stock in the first place. But hey, that's just my 2 cents.