EA trying to make up with us consumers....but not in the way we want.

[funnydude6556]

No it would have been changing the game so you can play it offline. Finding a way to patch the game so it didn't need to be played online, yeah it sounds like it'd be hard to do but then EA Games shouldn't have introduced always online DRM. Nobody gives a fuck about some other free game, a lot of us want to play Sim City offline the way a single player game ought to be played. This isn't compensation it's a sad attempt to shut us up so they can keep their DRM in the game.

I mean they say it's like a friend screwing up and giving you a gift as an apology. No it's not, it's like a friend making a mistake and instead of fixing said mistake giving you something you don't even want and then acting as though it's all over now despite the fact that your TV they smashed in is still broken. The small gift doesn't fix the broken TV and this free game doesn't solve Sim City's DRM problem. Also I say small since come on nobody here actually believes the free game is going to be worth more then a tenner.

EDIT: I just thought. I can see this issue being the next episode of Jimquisition.

If a game was designed from the start with the idea of always being online and playing on a server with other players, then it's not a fucking single player game. Sorry, but you are completely off base with this. Not to mention that the online part is hardcoded into the games architecture, you can't just freaking remove it with a patch. I don't understand how this can be so hard to understand? Besides, this game was billed from the start as a multiplayer only game, so if you still bought it expecting to be able to play single player then you are at fault again.

Exactly why I said I understood the process would be extremely hard and finding a way instead of "They should patch the game!" I admit when I posted that I wasn't implying there was a way just that if they could it would have been a much better method of making things right plus I wasn't aware the game was built with a multiplayer system at it's base.

Yeah the game was billed at the very beginning as a multiplayer game and actually it was one of the reasons I steered clear from it but Sim City isn't suppose to be a multiplayer experience and from what I've heard you can't even visit other people's cities anyway (I'm not sure if this statement is right if it's wrong I apologist in advance). This shouldn't have been a problem in the first place, the game should have been single player and it's clear the only reason it isn't is so EA can force always online DRM onto us.

At the very least an offline option could be added. I mean I'm not sure about added that kind of a feature onto a gaming structured around online gameplay but it can't be too hard to add on a system that allows the game to be played offline.

And for the record when I say it's a single player game I mean the franchise is single player. It's as bad as adding co-op to Dead Space 3 only at least with Dead Space 3 you can play it in single player still.

 

[chstens]

I'm sorry, unfortunate? You have over 800 posts on this forum, which probably means you know what happened with Diablo 3. Everyone knew this was going to happen, hell, EA must've known this was going to happen, they can't be taht stupid, it's not "unfortunate" if you decide to just ignore the warning signs. On topic, though, at least they're owning up to their mistake to some degree.

 

[Agente L]

EA is actually giving REWARDS to loyal customers. Call Lucifer and tell him to turn off his AC. There may be hope for the universe yet.

Giving free things cause they sold a broken product is rewarding loyal customers?

I don't even know what to say. Your wording twists completely what really happened.

 

[Abomination]

I haven't purchased an EA game since Mass Effect III. I WANT to buy Dead Space III and SimCity but their practices have put me off either.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I still want to know what they didn't have that extra sever capacity going at launch. You'd think they'd have learned from Blizzard's mistakes.

 

[Arina Love]

Sweet a free game! and i wasn't even mad XD thanks EA!

Careful,just because it's free does'nt mean it will be good.

Free is free man i'll play anything from origin library for free.

 

[T_ConX]

I really, REALLY, want to believe that this is the point where publishers learn that a crippling DRM scheme like this will kill sales.

The intentions behind DRM are good; stopping people from stealing your game is a noble ideal. However, it becomes a problem when your DRM starts treating the paying customers like criminals on parole.

The consensus among critics and players is that this is fundamentally a great game.

FUCK YOU! The game is pulling a 71 on Metacritic, and most of the favorable reviews were written and published before the release date, which means they were played in conditions carefully controlled by EA.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

FUCK YOU! The game is pulling a 71 on Metacritic, and most of the favorable reviews were written and published before the release date, which means they were played in conditions carefully controlled by EA.

"Fundamentally". Of relating to the foundation or base. The core game play of SimCity is great, and was well received by both critics and testers. That's not "carefully controlled" conditions. They weren't given, say, one small part to play. They got to play the release version.

The problem isn't the game. The problem is the SERVICE. It's their servers, their launcher, their online support...all that shit.

However, she really shouldn't be tooting the game's horn. She should just be apologizing for what a fucking mess it is right now. At least she got halfway there.

And please don't quote Metacritic. Metacritic is a gong show. We only like it when it supports our own notions.

 

[Tanner The Monotone]

EA is actually giving REWARDS to loyal customers. Call Lucifer and tell him to turn off his AC. There may be hope for the universe yet.

It's more of a "here's some free crap, now stop complaining" thing more than anything.

And you would suggest what other way of dealing with the problem?

There is no rational way in which giving you something free as recompense for a fuck up can be construed as a negative.

Of the potential courses of action:

-Do nothing (As did Blizzard with D3, and numerous other entities at various times).

-Offer a reward for "patience" (Company policy in loads of places is to give free shit to disadvantaged customers)

-Offer refund.

Clearly they haven't chosen the best option, but then again, that hasn't been a real option with video games for a long time anyway, so people should be used to that by now. At least here they do something positive.

And that title's just annoying as hell. "Us consumers" "not in the way we want". Oh good, we've got the spokesman for all consumers on the line. You might want to add to your little rant what exactly you do want (And why that's what everyone wants, and why it's reasonable), so we're all on an even footing here.

I'm not saying that they shouldn't have done this, I'm just calling it out for what it is.

 

[Tanner The Monotone]

Apparently if you bought the game before they sent this out, they will be giving you a code for a free game (resorting to bribery are we?).

You know what? If I could say anything to the higher ups at EA, it would be this "Stop trying, your fanbase are a bunch of brats. They deserve your crappy DRM."

If this had been any other company, you wouldn't be accusing them of bribery. Hell, if it had been certain hacks [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabe_Newell] that gamers love, you'd probably be jumping to the moon with glee.

Honestly, the people still trying to retain this immense hatred for everything attached to EA are really reaching. Not that they had any ground to stand on (there's not a single idiotic thing EA does that every other company doesn't do) but it's becoming both annoying and hysterical at the same time to watch the gaming community engage in this amssive circle jerk of hating an enemy that doesn't exist.

I wouldn't consider myself a part of the fan base, considering this is the first sims game I have ever bought and only the second sims game I've ever played.

Your also acting like I'm one of those people seizing with anger, cursing EA for all the world's woes. I'm not. At all. The bribery statement was just a joke and the reason I posted this was because no one had said anything about it yet.

 

[Tanner The Monotone]

EA actually tries some form of compensation, and people complain. Why am I not surprised? I mean, granted, their screw up is still a big deal. I'm not disagreeing there. It could have also been avoided by having an offline mode. The fact that there isn't an offline mode is a big deal for Simcity. But the title just screams "overly self-important" to me. "They are giving compensation, but not the compensation I want!"

Just out of curiosity, what would have been the compensation fans wanted? The game being made free?

To be honest, I'm not really complaining about the free stuff, I just feel a little mocked.

Most people want the always online thing to go away.

I really just want to be able to have local save files, though I would be happy if they just fix the server issues.

 

[Tanner The Monotone]

Why the fuck are you complaining about free shit?
Feel free to maintain that the launch/game was/is bad but don't go "UGH THEY'RE GIVING ME STUFF FOR FREE THE FUCK"

I'm not, just putting the info out there.

 

[Happiness Assassin]

The problem should be that Simcity is unplayable, which they acknowledged already. They aren't telling you to stop complaining, they are rewarding you for buying a broken game and hoping that you don't trade it in. I fail to see how that is the problem. They offer an open hand in gratitude and you interpret it as a slap in the face.

 

[rednose1]

While this is a very unexpected gesture, the continued complaints against EA aren't without merit. The biggest one I know of (don't play the game, and don't intend to) is the always online mode, even for single player.

Granted, they could have done nothing, and this is certainly a welcome surprise, but it's not listening to the customer at all. When Maker's Mark announced they were reducing alcohol content by 2%, customers loudly complained. It took them less than a week to reverse course and apologize, moves which customers loved. Every time EA has the chance to do this, they don't. They're getting better, but still have a ways to go.

 

[LifeMakesMeLOL]

I'm still laughing at how people legitimately think that gamers being upset with not being able to play the game they paid 60 bucks for counts as being entitled. EA could probably shit down your throats and you'd call it chocolate ice cream.

Giving you a free game doesn't excuse what is causing these problems in the first place, namely the extremely aggressive DRM. This isn't a gesture of good will on their part, it's just damage control so they can continue to push that nonsense to all of their major titles.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Bribery? When any other company shits the bed, like Sony in its epic sever debacle, and gives away something people don't start calling it bribery.

You know even though EA is evil its become such a punching-bag that I feel more sympathy for them then for some of the dicks here.

EA is trying to fix things. Its DRM sucks but removing it isn't going to happen. Fixing their severs and managing the number of users they have is the best they can do. Let's hope somebody comes up with better DRM of that kind or that EA uses something less offensive, like the DRM Steam has. Let's also hope that people are prepared for the inevitable delays causes by dickbags who will eventually hack EA's server as a way of showing how much they suck but only wind up hurting everyone who paid for the game.