Where Is The Information About What The 'Analytics' System Collects?

[Kraggy]

Poking around the files DFU installed I came across a rather concerning folder called:

C:\Users\[edited]\AppData\LocalLow\Daggerfall Workshop\Daggerfall Unity\Unity\749f2e47-f08a-49c7-9fc9-76efc48f6add\Analytics

In there is a file called "config" containing:

{"prefs":{},"analytics":{"enabled":true},"connect":{"limit_user_tracking":false,"player_opted_out":false,"enabled":true},"performance":{"enabled":true}}

and "values" containing:

{"config_etag":"","app_info_hash":1652066138,"app_installed":true,"engine_ver":"2018.2.21f1","app_ver":"0.5","custom_event_time":0,"custom_event_count":0}

I can find nothing on the DFU website that even mentions this apparent data collection and 'phone home' tool which is enabled by default.

Please explain what this system is, why it's silently installed with no chance to opt out and what information it is collecting and where it's sending it.

[pango]

Hi Kraggy,

I'm not a specialist of this question, but this is Unity doing some data collection (Unity Analytics), as it has been for, like, the last 5 years?
https://unity3d.com/legal/privacy-policy

Nothing Daggerfall Unity specific then, but that should probably be documented indeed.
Also, from what I just read they finally implemented opt-out mechanisms, so it could be worth checking what changed exactly...

[Baler]

I also don't believe it's DFU related.
from what I understand about 'modern' program devs. They're interest in knowing how many people are using their program. So if I had to guess what it's doing is telling unity their engine is being used and the version being used. etc

I despise telemetry and analytics on by default. If you asked on unity forums they'd give you some line about how it's just telling them their engine is being used and doesnt send any senitive information. Which it likely doesn't but I still feel stabbed in the back that it's not disclosed in the forefront. The idea that people should know or expect it is BS.

Nothing I said in this post should be taken as a slight against DFU.

[Interkarma]

Just to be clear, I don't have Unity Analytics enabled in DFU or any of the tooling required to integrate it properly with Unity's services cloud. I'll have a look around and see if I can stop Unity from creating this folder in appdata, but it's possibly something Unity engine does locally whether Analytics is fully integrated or not.

As to what it does, Unity Analytics is a system for developers to collect information about how their players interact with the game. For example, which skill tree builds are the most popular, where they die most/least often, or which attack combos are preferred. My understanding is that no personalised information is collected and the data is purely gameplay statistical in nature. When enabled and properly tooled, this data is sent to the developer's cloud project in the Unity services back-end.

Telemetry is used by all kinds of games, not just live services. Even single-player games can benefit from this data to make a better game. A great example of telemetry in a single-player game can be found in the Subnautica Postmortem. A huge part of this game's success was anonymous player feedback, of which telemetry was a part.

[Baler]

I forgot to mention if anyone is concerned about a program, specifically a single player game sending info over the net. Setup a firewall, even windows firewall to disallow the executable from communicating. There are even ways to batch add folders/subfolders to the firewall block list if one was so inclined. There is also the hosts file.

I'm not saying this is needed for DFU and I am pleasantly surprised by Interkarma response.

[NoobioDF]

I'm sure it is as Interkarma said and the other posts are all reasonable. I, too, want to make clear that the rest of my post is not meant to disparage DFU or even Unity's devs directly.

I find it hard to understand why game engine's like Unity do it in this matter. Here is a method I would prefer.

The game creates an Analytics Compilation Log for each session, even one offline. Then at the end of the game or when you are closing it, or when you next open it, the game asks the user if they want to send the last Analytics Compilation Log over to the Dev or Unity, whatever. It then offers to open up the ACL for the user to see what is in it and going to be sent. Then the user has a yes/no override, and has that ability to even delete the log for that session. User is also told where all logs are stored, yadda yadda. Skipping the question simply defaults to do not send. That's how you comfort your user, with complete transparency up front, and complete user control, with defaults to user privacy being complete.

This would seem to be the way to do these things. Not the licensing or agree to this or that before you even know what you are doing and what it is collecting, even if explained.

But for some reason, although these analytics may be set up, in the end, to be able to be sent or not and viewed or not by the user, they choose to do it in other ways, like Interkarma described, and it justs make you go, what the <insert your own choice here>.

Anyway, not something really crucial, and I've noticed no delay or attempt to transmit on my end, though a small file would be easy to miss, especially if you are one of those who keeps connected online with your computer on all the time. That is something I never do. I shut my computer down completely (hey, why increase wear and tear and also allow lightning, power surges, and potential hacks to gain access, or have a larger electric bill. I find the recommendations of some tech sites and software magazines on this stuff, rather odd. They consider only one thing, the wear and tear of shutting down and restarting a computer, which is negligible to some of the other things most users risk when they are always on.

Baler's explanation of using a Firewall is a good suggestion , of course.

In Unity's case this is really not that big a deal, but it is amazing how telemetry and the collection of data is so prevalent and accepted as at least a dire necessity. I also would argue that in many ways, GUIs are not better off for this collected data, as GUIs require a dev who understands the synergy of a GUI that is easily understood and efficient, but also can aid immersion.

Anyway, long post. I'm just surprised that we find this in so much software. It really isn't that helpful. It sure didn't help Fallout 76 or Bethesda in that case. Our modern world is a bit odd on this subject, but sometimes unaware of how much it is.

[Kraggy]

Okay, I see that this isn't down to DFU itself or the devs here, I guess the location of this 'analytcs' folder under 'Unity' kind of shows that.

I totally 'get' the benefits to developers of collecting info about the game's behaviour and likely would have no problem agreeing to it IF I WERE ASKED!

As it is I've created a firewall rule to block internet connections from DFU (again, I accept this isn't DFU's doing) .. I was contemplating using my Linux system to packet-sniff to see what is being sent but I couldn't be bothered setting that up so I'll leave it simply black-holed.

[JJJ]

the free version has data constantly going to google sevrers and when i show them screenshots they play dumb

they ARE fishing, they pound your computer, aggressively searching for a way to the internet - working offline is a joke and a LIE - the moment you load unity, it's stealing your data

i also found skype.exe connected to unity.exe - check out the screenshots - very sneaky and i have the emails of them playing dumb about itattachFull468074 attachFull468077

it's funny, the FBI is getting into trouble for spying on americans but, these companies are doing just that - they don't even SHARE their google earnings with us - they just encourage us to use their product in GOOD FAITH, buy from their store, etc and are STEALING from us every single day

i can't access unity store because i blocked all means for ANYTHING from google to access my harddrive - so, since they can't mine my data, the store will not load and i cannot access my paid-for assets (thousands of dollars worth) -

they know this but can't help me because they can't admit they're stealing from me and unity won't even work correctly if you block google from your machine

i'm considering sueing them, frankly - all my paid-for assets are being held hostage - no one told me i had to submit to google for unity to function - this is criminal

[Interkarma]

Just to repeat, Daggerfall Unity doesn't use the Analytics System - this feature is disabled as part of the project as we have no use for it.

We also have no control over the Unity Engine and are not affiliated with Unity Technologies in any way. In the case of this game project, the "Unity" component is a play on words - referencing both the engine and the act of bringing a community together.

If you have concerns about your privacy in relation to Unity, I suggest you read their privacy statement and engage with their community contacts if you feel something is happening that is not in line with their privacy statements.

This forum isn't a place for discussing your grievance against Unity Technologies, and I'm not willing for our forums to be used as a platform to incite lawsuits against them.

Please at least direct this to the Unity Forums.

https://forum.unity.com/

Closing this topic as the original question has been answered and has now veered off subject.

JJJ, you are welcome to stay if you wish to discuss Daggerfall. But please don't use my forums as a platform. That will not be tolerated.