An Open Letter to EA

[FlyHigh 181]

I think we should do a bit of advertisement first by writing to magasines and stuff. To captivate the SC fans out there. After that we should create a forum or even a site where we set our letter and where people can sigh and after we collect the signatures we should send it as a har copy to EA. I think we should start with a goal of 1.000 signatures but if we get more, even better. Guys, honestly I don't actualy think we have a good chance at this but I think there's no harm in trying. We have to at least try to reach our goals. If we can't reach them well, at least we've tried! Has anyone actualy tried to talk calmly with anyone on TM as a representative of this comunity or, at least of part of it? I mean, they seem a lot less worried about profit then EA. But if we ant to take this forwards we have to do it fast. If SCS is set to be released in the holliday season we don't have much time...

[Mr. Flibble 134]

Show me where one internet petition site has ever done a thing. This game is 5 months from release. Nothing will stop that.

[ADG 0]

Originally posted by: seanivs Show me where one internet petition site has ever done a thing. This game is 5 months from release. Nothing will stop that.quote>

Unfortunately you're right, nothing will ever change

[schm0 27]

Ok, so abandon all hope for the future of the franchise?

[Pixelrage 34]

Originally posted by: schm0 Ok, so abandon all hope for the future of the franchise?quote>

I think that's already been established with SCS

[AndisArt 2,068]

Well I think all available options are worth a chance. I think it will make a difference if they receive either no letters/mails or when they receive even only a thousand. You have to make your voice heard no matter what the chances are. At least you know it's out there! If you don't do anything you are missing the possible chance of making an impact, even if it's a tiny one.

Stay civilized and friendly or you won't be taken seriously!

I think it's a good idea to express your wish for a true successor for SC4 and what you wish for it to feature. Personally I will add that they shall include something like an easy and advanced modus, so they will be able to target both, advanced and regular players.

Here some addresses and tel. numbers I found:

Headquarters:

Electronic Arts Inc.

209 Redwood Shores Parkway

Redwood City, CA 94065

United States

Tel. +1 650-628-1500

UK:

Electronic Arts Ltd

2000 Hillswood Drive

Chertsey

Surrey

KT16 OEU

Tel. 01932 450000

Germany:

Electronic Arts GmbH

Triforum Cologne

Innere Kanalstrasse 15

50823 Köln

Tel.  0221- 9 75 82-0

[AndisArt 2,068]

Found Maxis' adress:

Maxis
2 Theatre Square 
Orinda
CA 94563-3346
USA
Phone +1-510-254-9700


Here's my letter to EA as an example:

"

Hello Electronic Arts,

> >

Recently I followed the announcement and previews of the next installment of the SimCity game series, SimCity Societies. Being a huge fan of the series since its first release I must say I am largely disappointed about what I learned about the new game so far. It appears that most of the key elements that defined the series have been taken out, such as Zoning, transport systems, utility buildings. Furthermore the game seems to turn to a much more fantasy/comic style (clowns, zombies, men in black on the streets, Gingerbread houses to name a few) and it seems that there is no more focus on realism (i.e. the conditioning centers).

> >

For me it is not understandable how there can be such a drastic change in the entire game and it is still called SimCity. The whole approach of the new direction with the social energies fits much better in The Sims area in my opinion. I'm wondering why this game hasn't been placed there instead.

> >

Also, as it can be seen on the reaction of the fans of SimCity in the internet, the majority of fans are very unhappy. We as SimCity players expect realism; we want to be urban planners. From a new iteration we don't expect key elements to be removed but to be expanded. We want more depths and more options.

> >

I understand the approach of reaching other market groups by making the game simpler. My suggestion is to make two game modes, one for beginners and one for more advanced players.

> >

SimCity Societies represents much more a spin-off from the series as a true successor and I hope very much that you will develop a sequel to SimCity 4 in the future.

> >

Kind regards,

"

[blackice7777 0]

I don't think EA would care if you had 50k sigs on a letter. Personally I stopped buying EA crap 4 years ago. The only reason SimCity is in the name is to move it off the shelves, if you really want to make a different in EA choices is to leave their crap on the shelves collecting dust. 

Now, on the other hand I got to commend Ubisoft for a well placed ad in that SCS video. Maybe EA won’t listen to the SimCity community but maybe a letter should be sent to Ubisoft requesting that they take a hard look at SimCity 4 and see if they are willing to back a game that can fill the void that EA chooses to ignore. After all I’m sure they would like to have the market share.

 

[zzsim 3]

Originally posted by: seanivs Show me where one internet petition site has ever done a thing. This game is 5 months from release. Nothing will stop that.quote>

 

Not neccessarily true, internet petitions/emails convinced CBS to give Jericko a second season .

[Qaxpla 0]

I definitely think that you'll get more of a response by having each person send an e-mail/letter through the mail to EA/Maxis rather than 1/2 emails with numerous signatures.

Power in numbers and all that, i'm sure when(if) they received say, 500 e-mails/letters it'd spark some responses and have the complaints department running around in circles.

I mean let's be honest here, in a perfect world with 100,000 SC4 fans from Simtropolis found out about the perfect SC5 game selling at $50, that's still $5m.

You could do numerous things, you could (like already suggested) run internet petitions and send them off to EA, have people writing e-mails and letters and definitely contact the game websites. The media loves a good bit of gossip and im sure the game sites would love to hear the fans opinions. Especially if the fans were saying that they can't wait for Monte Cristo's next game and that they won't be moving from SC4 to SCS any time soon unless SC5 is released!!

I know i'd definitely send an email and letter! SC4 is great but if EA contacted the admins of the biggest fansites asking them to collate all of what their members wanted to see in the next edition of SimCity and then developed appropriately i'd have great respect for them. Not only for actively listening to the communities but for developing what their customers actually want!

[schm0 27]

Ok, so we have several different ideas:

1) Write EA themselves with a well-formed letter, with thousands of signatures (virtual, of course) attached to it.

2) Write several magazines that cover the SimCity: Societies announcement and have our complaints organized there.

3) Write individual letters or emails to EA directly, the point being to make them aware of each and every persons' concerns over the game.

I'm starting to think the last idea might be the best, but organizing a letter writing campaign could lose traction. We could form a sample letter to give readers a better idea... we don't want them sending "I HATE YOU, EA!" and "YOU KILLED SIMCITY!!!!!" letters. What do you think?

[Tropod 144]

From what I've read of the new game, the simple fact that zoning doesn't exist is enough for me not to even think about buying the game. But I'll see.

[Voar Tok 4]

Originally posted by: schm0 Ok, so we have several different ideas:

1) Write EA themselves with a well-formed letter, with thousands of signatures (virtual, of course) attached to it.

2) Write several magazines that cover the SimCity: Societies announcement and have our complaints organized there.

3) Write individual letters or emails to EA directly, the point being to make them aware of each and every persons' concerns over the game.

I'm starting to think the last idea might be the best, but organizing a letter writing campaign could lose traction. We could form a sample letter to give readers a better idea... we don't want them sending "I HATE YOU, EA!" and "YOU KILLED SIMCITY!!!!!" letters. What do you think?quote>

Heck, why don't we just do all three?   Seriously though, if we were to do this, I think what we should do would be something to EA and something to the PC gaming magazines.  Maybe send EA a letter and a copy to all the gaming magazines.

[JoeExplorer 1]

Re: 170,000. I'ld like to respond to the "not active part of the 170,000". I've been a member here since 2003. I come and go. I got maybe 7 posts all together. So just because you don't see guys like me posting all of the time don't mean we're not out here.

I've noticed several people like myself (long term member with few posts) who have posted their discontent with the new expansion.

I believe this Website is more powerful than anybody knows. I will be buying the Simptropolis CD soon. As a matter of fact, Simtropolis is the only website that I have ever donated money to in the past and future.

So think of us nonposters too when considering the effectiveness of Simtropolis.

[tSlater 134]

Stopping release I am sure will not happen. However, I fear of the more casual Sim City fans. The ones who may not have ever heard of Simtropolis, may not have any addons or mods, and may not build the biggest cities, but still buy each game and have fun with it. I worry they may get this new game, discover it isn't what they expected, and never buy any real Sim City 5 if it ever happens, assuming the series was ruined. What can be done, is a petition to slightly change the name. No Sim City Societies... how about just "Sim Socities". Sim Ant wasn't Sim City Anthill. A-Train wasn't Sim City Train. And Sim Safari wasn't Sim City Jungle. Let's not have Sim Socities be Sim City Socieities.

[The_Dalai_Llama 15]

I think the only way to truly get our way and force EA to give us a real sequel to SimCity is by not buying SCS. Money can speak louder and make more of an impact than a letter with 1,000 signatures, which is truly not a great deal of people.

However... if an open letter to EA is going to work, andisart's letter is precisely what we should send to EA... that's the message we want to send, nothing malicious. Obviously we can expand on it or even touch it up, but it outlines our concerns without attacking TM or EA.

Changing the name? I've accepted it now only because the number 5 is nowhere to be seen... indicating this is a spin-off, in my opinion.

[AndisArt 2,068]

A petition directly from the ST staff to EA would be great! Make it a news on the frontpage and have the users sign it, let's see how much we get. Then this could be printed out and sent by mail to the EA headquarters.

I sent four copies of my letter to the adresses above today, btw.

[ben_1986 0]

I can only agree with JoeExplorer. I've been playing SimCity since SC2k but i've never been an active poster on any game forums.

But since SCS is more The Sims: Societies, i will send an e-mail to EA explaining how i think about SCS and why this is not SC5 for me.

[Pityu2 0]

It is funny, but this is the first post I ever did here or on any other site until now. But this whole SCS stuff just makes me wanna post, cause they really ignore a lot of people keen on the game really badly...

And why?

Cause of the money, and that is the reason, that no mail, letter or anything on this world would stop them bringing the game in the announced form, with the announced title at the announced time out.

If they have "Sim City" in the title, a lot of people are buying it, just cause of that! Most people dont really read forums like ours! They just buy the next version, the big problem will be after SCS, where nobody is interested in a badly designed game.

The new version is after my opinion too, completly different, therefore not a real CITY simulation... It is rather for kids who dont care about city building, but the "energies". I want highways, and ramps, and all that stuff, not ENERGIES! (okay, maybe that TOO!)

But, we are a niche!

So SCS will be a hit, and (altought I would gladly participate with any "stopping" activism) nothing will stop them...

[Whazza 0]

where do I have to sign

[ADG 0]

I'm ready to sign, even though I doubt it will make a difference

[josefmayor 8]

My letter will go like this...

Hi EA,

Thanks for ruining another game.

[Pepper 15]

I agree with those saying that not buying it will be the most effective thing.  Money talks...  Letter writing might help, but the only way to really get across our discontent is to not buy the game.  I'm not going to buy it, because the more money they make from it, the more they will be encouraged to make sequels, and expansion packs and "stuff packs" and whatever else.

[Jazzmaster 716]

Where do I sign the letter, then?

[schm0 27]

Well, we need a letter first. I will start a draft as soon as possible and look to have it up this week. You guys can help me proofread it and all that, then we can decide what to do with it.

[deadwoods 542]

I read somewhere that companies equate one handwritten (and snail mailed) letter to one hundred emails. Emails are easy to generate and send; hand writing a letter and putting it in the post takes a lot more effort and shows that you are genuinely concerned about a matter. So if you want to influence EA (and others) about this, get out pen and paper.

Personally, I'll wait till the game's out and see if interests me.

[Nerd_Guy 4]

I'll sign too. We should at least ask them not to call it SomCity Societies, but SimSocieties as suggested before

[blueflame13 1]

Sign me up! I've seen to many great games go down the drain because the developers wanted to try something new or didn't really care about the product, just being able to sell the game because it has a brand name. Think of Railroad Tycoon 3. Another great game which got worse from the original was the Stronghold Series. Stronghold 1 was a fun and enjoyable game but Stronghold 2 and 3 sucked. It seems to me that sometimes when games try to go from 2D to 3D they really screw the game over by changing the whole way the game plays.

[Silur 3,306]

I'm ready to sign too ...

[Ingersoll1978 0]

I'm still in shock... I've devoted so much of my time in the past 15 years to SimCity...this new game is a slap in the face. I'm down for the letter campaign to EA, Maxis, and magazines!