Origin Devs respond with Why Origin is not optional for ME 3

[Chairman Miaow]

Nope. You obviously can't play any multiplayer when you're offline but single player access is fine which is good.

Steam has always seemed a bit convoluted with going offline, it's been really annoying and hasn't worked a few time, but Origin seems a lot better in that respect.

Certainly when I first read the instructions for going offline it seemed really complex, but it is as simple as clicking go offline. Strange if you have had issues with it.

 

[Woodsey]

I bet pirates will have no problem playing it and installing hacked DLC for it. They might even be able to play the multiplayer. And all without Origin.

Everyone knows why you don't want to release it on Steam. Cut the crap already.

You can play almost every single pirated Steam game THROUGH STEAM with mp.

So you don't want to use Origin but your happy with Steam even though they serve the same purpose?

Last time I checked, Steam didn't harvest all personal data short of the colour of your underwear, to be used and sold on for spamming purposes.

Last time I checked Steam didn't work for me.

Or the time before.

Or the 2 years before that.

So I wouldn't know.

In what way?

snip

Just click "offline mode" and you should be away. Never had any problems, or had it ask me to do anything more then that.

 

[chadachada123]

Alright, turns out that Bioware has stated, as of a few days ago, that Mass Effect 3 can be played offline.

http://www.actiontrip.com/news/bioware-talks-mass-effect-3-drm/021812_2

Then again, there have been previous incidences where the developer/publisher has been "mistaken" about online/offline mode, amongst other things. We'll see. As of now, though, we can stop ragging on Origin for requiring always-on (as it does for...some games? I don't really know) and focus on the other stuff that Origin fails at. Like sales.

The price is in the eye of the beholder.
Some games are cheaper at steam. Some are cheaper at origin. Most release-day games are cheaper in retail.
Origin does, infact, have sales too.
Just to check, I checked Origin's website. The first game listed was 'Orcs Must Die' for ~15$.
I found the same game on steam's website, it's ~18$,

Here was a great thread about steam/origin for New Zealand, who is screwed hardcore by EA compared to Australia:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.350789-So-EA-charges-nearly-2-4-times-the-price-for-their-own-games-on-Origin

New Zealand, as of a week ago:

Mass Effect 1 - Steam $20 - Origin $80
Mass Effect 2 - Steam $20 - Origin $80
Dragon Age Origins - Steam $20 - Origin $40
BattleField: Bad Company 2 - Steam $20 - Origin $40
Sims 3 - Steam $80 - Origin $80
Shift 2 Unleashed - Steam $80 - Origin $90
Dead Space 2 - Steam $70 - Origin $90

So, at least in some countries, EA is charging the brick-and-mortar full price for games released years ago. Doesn't speak for all, but speaks for the people heading EA out there.

 

[BENZOOKA]

An oxymoron to the extreme.

 

[dillinger88]

While Origin is taking your computer stats (including all the programs you run and when) and selling them for third parties to see, and you can't sue them for it. At least with Steam's stats (which aren't in every game), you can show off.

No.
You are misinformed.

At least valve doesn't ban you for using their forums or contacting support for legitimate reasons.

Neither does EA.
You are misinformed.

The difference between Origin and Steam:

Steam sells games a hell of a lot cheaper.

Yeah, that's enough for me to not hate them. EA wants to stop using Steam so they can make sure no game ever goes for under twenty bucks, even if it's ten years old and barely functional.

The price is in the eye of the beholder.
Some games are cheaper at steam. Some are cheaper at origin. Most release-day games are cheaper in retail.
Origin does, infact, have sales too.
Just to check, I checked Origin's website. The first game listed was 'Orcs Must Die' for ~15$.
I found the same game on steam's website, it's ~18$,


I'm in no way a defender of EA or an origin-fanboy, I just think the hate from steam fanboys towards Origin is hypocritical, baseless and out of proportions.

It would be nice if you put any kind of weight behind your argument other than "NO YOU ARE WRONG." And that price thing is really interesting, because I bought it on sale on steam for something like £3.99, so I just checked both sites, and they are both £11.99. So it's odd that they are differently priced for you. I don't hate Origin, I hate EA and their awful business practices, I just think Origin is a bit ugly.

With regards to the first point, I monitored the Origin process for a few hours and the only thing it scanned was the AppData folder where Origin has a few odds and ends stored and the Origin folder in program folders. There is bugger else it looks for. It's basically the same as any other program.


It does annoy me when people who don't have a clue shout about Origin being spyware and it scans all of your system and sells it.

A perfect example is on the SWTOR forums - someone asked why SWTOR was added to their Origin account when they pre-ordered it from amazon. Some guy chimed in with "BECAUSE ORIGIN SCANS YOUR EMAILS AND SAW YOUR RECEIPT SO THEY ADDED IT TO YOUR ACCOUNT!!!!! EA IS STEALING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION!!", when really it was because he'd entered his beta code he got with his preorder. I face-palmed fucking hard.

I'm personally not a big fan of Origin, I think it's clunky and, in many ways, unnecessary. However, if was to boycott games because it required Origin, I believe EA are more likely to take that lost sale as "PC gamers don't want it" and could be detrimental to us getting a quality PC version rather than a rushed port or even no port at all.

I just think many of the Origin "boycotters" need to do their own research instead of taking sensationalist news and hyperbole at face value.

I may have gone off on a tangent but whatever.

 

[Tayh]

Here was a great thread about steam/origin for New Zealand, who is screwed hardcore by EA compared to Australia:
-snip-

And then, on the other hand... Or actually just the 6th post in that topic:

I'm a bit puzzled as to how you're getting those prices.

I'm in Australia, land of shitty pricing, and I get:

Mass Effect 1 - Steam $20 - Origin $20
Mass Effect 2 - Steam $20 ($40 for digital deluxe) - Origin $20 for digital deluxe edition
Dragon Age Origins - Steam $20 - Origin $20 (both as the standard game, no DLC)
BattleField: Bad Company 2 - Steam $20 - Origin $20
Sims 3 - Steam $80 - Origin $80
Shift 2 Unleashed - Steam $80 - Origin $40
Dead Space 2 - Steam $70 - Origin $40

As a danish citizen, origin is the cheapest choice - if I have to choose between origin and steam.
But I don't, I buy my games from retail, saving 5-10% compared to the digital versions.

 

[Zer_]

The funny thing about Origin is that it hasn't done anything to annoy me yet. I have not had a single problem with it. Steam on the other hand has given me some problems which have ticked me off. The very rare occurrences where my internet has gone down Steam won't let me play some of the games I have for it. Yet I have never had that problem with Origin.

Plus, I hate that all my Steam games get installed in the same folder. Origin actually lets me choose where I want to install my games. If Steam lets people do that I have not found the option.

Stop complaining about Steam's Offline mode. It works. Read this:

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-AGCB-2555

Holy crap. This knowledge isn't exactly hard to find. Google!

Okay, we all get that EA support is bad. Steam support is middle ground, it has some great cases and some bad cases.

Origin is a relatively new system. Origin's launch is much better than what Steam's launch was. Hopefully Origin will improve over time, but really the biggest issue is with Origin's Customer Support. I've not had any problems with Origin thus far.

 

[getoffmycloud]

I bet pirates will have no problem playing it and installing hacked DLC for it. They might even be able to play the multiplayer. And all without Origin.

Everyone knows why you don't want to release it on Steam. Cut the crap already.

So you don't want to use Origin but your happy with Steam even though they serve the same purpose?

I wasn't defending Steam. I was just criticizing EA's lack of honesty. There is no reason to lie to us about why it's not on Steam. And the reason I don't want to use Origin is because I don't want to encourage more companies to manipulate the market into installing useless bloated software. Steam is enough. It has awesome sales, it has a huge fanbase and it's being run by one of the best and most loved gaming companies today. Origin is being run bu EA. Besides, I really wanted Mass Effect 3 items for Team Fortress 2. If EA were smarter, they would release ME3 on Steam with TF2 items. I'm telling you, that game would sell on PC like hotcakes.

to me if there is no problem with what they are doing I would agree it would be an issue if they started forcing non-EA games to use origin but they don't so there is no issue with it at all

 

[Legion IV]

There is only one appropriate (and appropriately ironic) response to draconian DRM. You all know what it is.

I know, just get the console version. Finally someone who gets it!. Thank you.

 

[BaronIveagh]

No.
You are misinformed.

Sadly, he isn't, based on the iterations of the Origin TOS.

Neither does EA.
You are misinformed.

Again, really did happen, and apparently still does, though EA insist that it's all in our heads now.

I'm in no way a defender of EA or an origin-fanboy, I just think the hate from steam fanboys towards Origin is hypocritical, baseless and out of proportions.

I don't like either Steam or Origin, but on Steam's behalf I'll say this: I've never gotten a forum ban from them that led to me being unable to play my games, and I've never had it unable to reach the internet and refuse to allow me to play my games.



Edit: On the issue of Origin scanning: It no longer does that, after the EA - Germany thing, pick up an older build and use it, it did scan every folder in the PC, I tried it out on a test unit. Now it looks like it just scans those folders and then the registry (mind you, getting all that same info as when it scanned your entire drive, just less noticeable.)

 

[Weaver]

Origin doesn't INCLUDE DRM because it IS DRM.

 

[Tony2077]

i still don't see the problem with origin, probably never will.

 

[devotedsniper]

I installed origin for the ME3 demo, firstly i hated it, the press such and such for origin (like steam does) slowed the game to a crawl till it disappeared, and then after i went to uninstall ME3 in origin, right click uninstall and whats this it doesn't uninstall it just pops up with the windows control panel...Origin feels lazy to me and i don't particularly like it's layout, i think i will be sticking to steam and just using a crack on ME3 to get rid of the origin crap.

I have now uninstalled Origin, left ME3 on my machine cause i bet i can get it to work without having to have origin installed.

 

[jpoon]

This is why I run the shitbox origin software sandboxed. Fuck those assholes getting access to my registry AND programdata folder, I just won't have it. You can also download the "fixed" BF3 .exe that doesn't require origin at all to play, I've been using it for a while now. There is absolutely no bonus in using origin, it's one and only function is spying on you.

 

[Tayh]

Hope you're not using Windows, steam, itunes or facebook.

 

[Yureina]

EA is dumb. I thought this sort of thing was common knowledge by now? No matter. It is always good to have reinforcement in order to back up facts and arguments.

 

[octafish]

Ohh. Heh. Thought you were talking about steam.
Because. You know.
They do the same thing. Except they also take all your game stats and publish them for the world to see.

While Origin is taking your computer stats (including all the programs you run and when) and selling them for third parties to see, and you can't sue them for it. At least with Steam's stats (which aren't in every game), you can show off.

Show me where you agree let them do that in the ToS. Because I can show you exactly where they agree NOT to do that, where it states that information gather can NEVER be sold or distributed to third parties. You want to tell me that EA will do it despite their assurances they wont? Well guess what if they can go against the contract they make with you so can any company. HOW ABOUT YOU GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT.

 

[BaronIveagh]

HOW ABOUT YOU GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT.

Achem: EA's Origin TOS does, in fact, remove your ability to be part of a 'class' for purposes of a class action lawsuit, unless you inform them, by mail (as in, snail mail, email is not allowed) you refuse that clause. Further, it does have you agree to the sale of 'non-personally identifying information' to 3rd parties. Some of this was changed after the big fit in Germany over EA failing to allow people to opt out of this, as is required by German law.

As far as Tayh's post goes:

Windows: Blocked at the router.
Steam: Sandboxed.
itunes: nope.
Facebook: Do have an account there because sites like the Escapist require them to post. I don't visit it, and the few facts that I put on it are matters of public record.

 

[octafish]

HOW ABOUT YOU GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT.

Achem: EA's Origin TOS does, in fact, remove your ability to be part of a 'class' for purposes of a class action lawsuit, unless you inform them, by mail (as in, snail mail, email is not allowed) you refuse that clause. Further, it does have you agree to the sale of 'non-personally identifying information' to 3rd parties. Some of this was changed after the big fit in Germany over EA failing to allow people to opt out of this, as is required by German law.
snip

Don't blame EA for what is a failure of the US Supreme Court, blame them or AT&T if you like it is just good business practice to protect yourself with current laws even if they are bad laws. I guess you don't have any Sony consoles online either because Sony use the same clause. Yes they did change the EULA because of the backlash. So, no they do not sell or share any information with third parties.
To Quote the Origin EULA:

"The protection and confidentiality of your data is very important to EA. Origin would never sell your personal information, nor will it share your personal information without your express consent unless compelled by law. Origin is not spyware, and does not use or install spyware on user machines. Origin collects a limited amount of information needed to provide you with excellent, leading edge service that allows you to purchase, download, access and play games and game content, connect online with other gamers and directly provide content and software updates. For instance, the information collected allows Origin to understand if the Application is working properly around the world. The information is also used to identify and fix software bugs as they arise. No information such as pictures, documents or other personal data unrelated to the Application?s performance on your system is accessed or collected. The collection and use of information by Origin helps ensure that you are able to access your games with as easily as as possible and are able to enjoy the best service and experience EA has to offer."

Now you can say that EA will go against this agreement, but you can say that about any service and any company.
Facts straightened.

 

[mad825]

I bet pirates will have no problem playing it and installing hacked DLC for it.

Funny enough, you can still do it even if you use Origin, the DLC gets checked by the in-game application itself rather than the client....A friend told me this.

Origin actually shuts down the running game if it gets turned off.

Not necessary true.

I can open and play DA, burnout Paradise (both downloaded from Origin) and DA2 without Origin. With the ME3 demo it's a different story which I cannot open or play without Origin but then again I can go off-line regardless (I'm looking at you Steam).


If anything, it's some kind of pseudo-DRM in which they haven't properly fully implemented.