Forced updates

[Livin in Sim 83]

[Mathew_MC 0]

We will keep on the automatic patching of the game as it ensures everyone has the latest version and bugfixes installed. However, we are working on a clearer separation of solo and online content downloads so that players who have not subscribed to the Planet Offer will only download patches of a reasonable size. It might not be the case with the next content update yet, but should happen shortly after.

DaveParker, there has not been any changes to the simulation in the latest patch that might explain why your income suddenly dropped. The only change to simulation has been a fix to education, but this should have no impact on your income as maintenance costs have not changed. Did you have any specific buildings that went bankrupt or token that suddenly went negative?

[soltangris 42]

I totally agree with Simburger, you can´t say that a game sucks just because you dont have the means to properly run it. Álso, this is the very first time I´ve heard anybody actually complain that the game could become better (via patching and more content).....

As for the ´forced´downloads... That´s how it´s done, period. You can´t expect an essencially online game not to download fixes, it simply isn´t done. Look at WoW and all the other MMO´s.... I´m not a programmer myself, but I think it has something to do with impossibility to run two different versions of the same program that are supposed to interact with each other. So, either the game updates to the latest version, or you don´t play it online! Even Starcraft you can´t play on Battle Net if it´s not the latest version.  

Heck, even Microsoft Word has problems with docs written on different versions.... 

Seriously, if I were MC, I would just disregard such a ridiculous complaint. That Mathew not only commented on it, but also promised something to be done for it, comes to show the degree of their consideration for the community.

[AngoraFish 0]

You can´t expect an essencially online game not to download fixes, it simply isn´t done. Look at WoW and all the other MMO´s....quote>

WOW is an MMO and sold as such. You are not able to play WOW offline. XL is sold as a single player game with some optional online 'enhancements' of dubious value. What makes XL an 'essencially online game' is a mystery to me - the trade window? Meh - I'll take OmniCorp thanks. The chat box? If I need to chat I'll use Facebook. The ability to walk around other people's cities? Seriously, if it means that much to you feel free to email me your savegame. The whole analogy is bunk. What really amazes me is how difficult it is for several of the above posters to see the difference.

[soltangris 42]

Angora Fish, it doesn't matter if you consider it an 'online game' or not. What matters is how the developers approach it, and they approach it as an essentially online game. If this hasn't impressed itself upon you after all MC has done and is doing, then no amount of argument here is gonna help. Still:

You can't sell or advertise a game with SP component as an MMO. MMO's are playable online only, while CXL you can play offline also. However, no matter what the definitions and publicity stunts, CXL is treated by its autors as an online game with optional SP. That may change in the future, but that's how it is presently.

 

Haven't you noticed that most content upgrade is for PO? That most fixes (like trading) have been oriented towards the PO? That most of the features that are to be released are gonna be PO-exclusive? 

Well, you could of course continue insisting, it's up to you. And the others could continue wining why isn't there any cool SP feature comming. That won't change the fact that MC are gonna take care primarily of PO, with SP as a distant second thought.