Discussion about Always-On Connection to Origin

[Vahr 343]

[Merged topic]

[tomfoolery_79 85]

http://www.rockpaper...ix/#more-107968

Need I say more?

This. Blizzard with their billions of dollars still screwed this up. This is Blizzard! Not only do they have the money, they have the experience and knowledge and they STILL screwed it up. What can we expect from EA? I was playing Diablo 3 and right in the middle of a game it kicked me off. I won't tell you how it lost my progression or how my friends got to keep playing (they were all kicked 5 minutes later). It was aggrevating, but to be honest I was actually glad it was happening. Why? Because I thought "what if EA sees this debacle and actually changes their minds?"

ONLINE ALWAYS REQUIREMENT IS A BIG NO!

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

I absolutely refuse to buy this game if it requires a continual online sign in to servers I have no control over to play. I have absolutely zero interesting in playing with any of you (no offense) online because I just don't care AT ALL about multiplayer. It's not for me. If this is the future of video gaming, I am done. No more Playstation. No more PC games. Nothing, I have other things I can do with my time, and SC4 (with a HUGE thanks to the fabulous modders out there) has offered pretty darn near 10 years of gaming enjoyment. Why throw that away for something I have no control over, something that won't allow me to own it to do what I want with it? If it's the future of gaming, I am finished. No Steam, no Origin, I'm out.

EDIT: The link in the post above me has 11 pages of Diablo III players talking about how days later they are still having problems logging in, problems with lag, problems getting kicked off, etc. I *REALLY* hope the people at Maxis are watching this, of course there should be a huge difference in the number of people playing SimCity versus the number of people attempting to play Diablo III. I still stand by my above statement, why even bother with online at all anyways? EA won't even support its older games, my Madden 2010 and NCAA Football 2010 no longer have online servers to connect to, and those games aren't even that old.

  Edited May 20, 2012 by NMUSpidey  

[tomfoolery_79 85]

Update to Diablo 3...I haven't had more connection issues. However, the online always meant to help with theft, has caused granted the ability for someone to hack me. In essence, a theft. 120k gold was taken. There has been many many hacks in the previous days.

What does this have to do with SimCity? Well, I don't think someone can hack you, but then again maybe they can. How will saved games work? Will it be saved in a cloud? Because what if a hacker comes in and bulldozes your city? What if they release every disaster the game can offer...what if they spend all your hard earned tax dollars??? Imagine spending dozens of hours perfecting your game to have it all for naught. Scary scary thought.

That said, I'm still super excited for the game and can't wait to play.

[iEatRazorz 24]

Update to Diablo 3...I haven't had more connection issues. However, the online always meant to help with theft, has caused granted the ability for someone to hack me. In essence, a theft. 120k gold was taken. There has been many many hacks in the previous days.

What does this have to do with SimCity? Well, I don't think someone can hack you, but then again maybe they can. How will saved games work? Will it be saved in a cloud? Because what if a hacker comes in and bulldozes your city? What if they release every disaster the game can offer...what if they spend all your hard earned tax dollars??? Imagine spending dozens of hours perfecting your game to have it all for naught. Scary scary thought.

That said, I'm still super excited for the game and can't wait to play.

I didn't even consider that facet. Ugh. Sad thing is, we all know it will happen. There are websites that sell hacks for BF3, and Dice/EA has done nothing to fix this problem. Yea, I'm looking forward to that bs...

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Guys... the discussion is starting to wander over the line into hacking and piracy...

Remember... this is a no go subject on Simtropolis.

Craig-Abcvs

Simtropolis Moderator

[astronelson 339]

Well, seeing how Diablo III was the fastest-selling PC game of all time in the first week of its release, I guess online-only play isn't that big a deal to most people.

Sure, I might not be able to play SimCity when I don't have an internet connection, but I do have other games I can play then, and other things to do entirely.

[Ocram's Razr 964]

I have a reliable Internet connection so I don't really care. Sometimes winter storms or car crashes takes out power, cable, or telephone but playing games becomes a lower priority then, if you catch my drift.

[jdenm8 362]

I guess online-only play isn't that big a deal to most people.

Actually, it was when people were ready to be online, but Activizzard wasn't. Activzzard may have stomped it quickly, but I can guarantee that EAxis won't do the same.

  Edited May 24, 2012 by jdenm8  

[Fluffyvito 40]

What concerns me the most about the constant connection requirement could leave us high and dry if and when EA decides to pull the plug on the servers. I much rather prefer the game to work like Tropico 3 where an internet connection is not required to play, but it automatically connects when you do have one. It also kind of saddens me that I won't be able to keep SC2013 with all my Steam games, but thats not very important.

[johnwinston 3]

I have absolutely no interest in multiplayer or social networking but some people do. So I believe this should be optional.

[cirugo 1,889]

Well, seeing how Diablo III was the fastest-selling PC game of all time in the first week of its release, I guess online-only play isn't that big a deal to most people.

Sure, I might not be able to play SimCity when I don't have an internet connection, but I do have other games I can play then, and other things to do entirely.

Monte Cristo would probably like to have a few words with you...

[Ocram's Razr 964]

Cities XL was never always online. It always had an offline mode.

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

I don't really understand why you need an online connection to play this game, but I am against it no matter what the situation. I think the game should just be like the previous SimCity games.

[Ocram's Razr 964]

In my opinion, the previous SimCity games, kinda, well ... sucked. OK, I said it.

I hope the online mode is implemented properly and not botched, though.

  Edited May 27, 2012 by OcramSeattle  

[Mark Waybill 242]

In my opinion, the previous SimCity games, kinda, well ... sucked. OK, I said it.

Simcity 2000 remains my favourite video game, but when I first played it I hadn't really played any video games and the whole world of computing was quite new to me besides email, so even simple things like watching my first buildings get built were big things back then. Despite the fact that now it'd take an extreme case of boredom to resort to playing that game, it still remains in my mind a great game nonetheless.

However while I still play 4 the limitations are obvious. The fact that I build this really super awesome metropolis and then can only view it from an orthographic perspective at a zoom no closer than that which allows me to see vaguely discernible clothing color difference in Sims, the fact that all roads have to be straight or curved etc These things become an issue after a while.

So rather than hate on you for saying that in a Simcity forum I will say that I can see where you're coming from, because, while the games even 2000 were like gifts from heaven back in the day when I'd been used to drawing city maps on paper and watching them come to life in my mind with understandably less realistic simulation parameters, the issues like not being able to draw curved roads soon became a problem for me just because of this, as on a piece of paper, which is a flattened glue mixed piece of tree wood, and with another bit of a tree with a column of graphite in it (which is not that different to coal) I could make curved roads and pretty much anything stationery.

Indeed it was this idea of the city coming to life, the actual SIM part of SimCity, which really appealed to me back then.

Edit: Sorry I realised that was massively off topic, I was kinda reacting to Ocram's post. I should add that I see Online and Multiplayer as being progressive steps but Origin I am indifferent to as I have only had experience with Steam, and limited experience at that.

  Edited May 26, 2012 by Mark Waybill  

[NCGAIO 562]

I don't really understand why you need an online connection to play this game, but I am against it no matter what the situation. I think the game should just be like the previous SimCity games.

Theoretically it would be to prove that we are not feared pirates trying to take advantage of the fragile industry in digital distribution and benefit without paying for the products they want to sell to consumers but that will never belong to them since it will always be obliged to ask permission to use and depend there online service for this.

But there is no cause for concern because if they finish the service purchased the consumer can always buy another upgrade to come back to have fun.

So to make this partnership more profitable consumers just have to agree to install a small application on their systems so that can search the archives in search of products of their respective properties and attach them directly to the portal without the busy consumer worry about it, even if he has bought another distribution and did not intend to make the change.

Here is a curiosity that always goes unanswered despite the use of this procedure have already been made ​​by all distributors.

WHY the installation of a simple game portal must have administrative privileges on the system?

Although the thesis that it facilitates the installation for less experienced users to be plausible does not relieve the obligation to disclose the data collected in advance and warn of the risks they may pose.

If you need more information just read the previous posts in this topic that brings various links on the subject!

  Edited May 27, 2012 by NCGAIO  

[Vahr 343]

Here is a curiosity that always goes unanswered despite the use of this procedure have already been made ​​by all distributors.

WHY the installation of a simple game portal must have administrative privileges on the system?

Although the thesis that it facilitates the installation for less experienced users to be plausible does not relieve the obligation to disclose the data collected in advance and warn of the risks they may pose.

For a few reasons..

1. Adding/removing any software generally needs to be approved by an admin (for rather obvious reasons)

2. A background service is to be run (adding services requires administrative powers)

3. Administrators generally are more responsible

4. Files are going into protected or critical areas

[NCGAIO 562]

Sorry I guess was not very clear ... the question was about having administrative privileges at run time was not referring about having to be installed by an administrator account!

  Edited May 28, 2012 by NCGAIO  

[cashmoney 5]

I don't like sc5/13 or whatever. let's just be glad that we will have simcity4 throughout this maxis/ea iffy-ness. We will have the nam,cam,sam,ram, and all the rest of the extremely awesome mods that we have everywhere. So if you're not buying sc5 (which im not) then don't talk about it. we have a perfect second option.

EDIT: NMUSpidey, you are right. what's the point of wasting a decade for a new game when the game before it is perfectly fine. I use this analogy with madden games

  Edited May 29, 2012 by Blue Lightning  
Lightened up the language a bit

[~Dee~ 215]

Well, I'm not one who liked SC4 or 3 for that matter, my favorite was SC 2000 but unfortunately it won't run on my computer now.

So for me there is no falling back on a previous version, I will buy the new game if I can play in single player mode.

I don't mind having to be connected to the internet, but I'm not playing multiplayer.

[KeanoManu 42]

Well, seeing how Diablo III was the fastest-selling PC game of all time in the first week of its release, I guess online-only play isn't that big a deal to most people.

Sure, I might not be able to play SimCity when I don't have an internet connection, but I do have other games I can play then, and other things to do entirely.

There's a huge difference between Diablo and SimCity though. Diablo are in nature a game that's supposed to be played online while SimCity aren't. Sure, some people would love the ability to play SC online but i'm fairly confident that i can say that a huge majority of SC-fans prefer the game to be offline and 100% single player in their/our own little bubble.

I don't think online are bad per se but it shouldn't be forced upon every game. Some games are just better off without it while some requires it for gameplay reasons. Diablo without online multiplayer wouldn't be nearly as popular as it is and SC without a fully featured 100% single player mode won't be nearly as popular as it has potential to be.

[Ocram's Razr 964]

Don't get me wrong, I love to play SC4D with tons of mods but SC4 vanilla is not fun. Well, because games are saved on the cloud, maybe a Planet Offer Avatar Mode might be possible?

[Hanno 16]

http://www.arabicgam...iew-brett-barry

Well, 2 months after EA announced the game and got people everywhere up in arms about their stupid "online-only" requirement, it seems that they've learned .... absolutely nothing. Not only do they not get that people seriously do not like this requirement, they pretend as if it is a MAJOR SELLING POINT of the game.

For those of you who haven't voted yet on the EA forum, please go to http://forum.ea.com/...0.page#23068772

There is already 90+ votes, of whom only 4 are interested in an online only game. Shall we make that minority even smaller?

  Edited May 31, 2012 by Hanno  

[brynhyfryd 222]

Quote from article. http://www.arabicgamers.com/interviews/275/simcity-2013-developer-interview-brett-barry

But does that compromise sales, does that compromise strategy for sales of the game if for example if people aren't able to connect online, is there an offline mode for example for people to be able to play, or do you need to have an internet connection to play and is it something the emerging markets would go for?

You do have to have an internet connection to play. So there is that, i guess that we do recognise that but it's so fundamental to multiplayer to actually be online that we have made that decision to go that route.

So can you play offline at all? Straight up?

There is no offline mode. You have to be online to play the game.

End quote.

I shall be voting with my wallet by not buying this MMO. The requirement of Origin put me off but the non single player experience was the nail in the cofffin. The games market today is flooded with Free to play facebook/mobile games as well as endless shooters and MMOs

It seems its to much to ask for a single player game these days unless its a shooter. I am supprised this was not turned into another shooter.

I think 20 odd years of gaming is virtually over for me.

[Mark Waybill 242]

I will play this game, however, as I have a laptop, wireless broadband is quite expensive. Just checking emails and facebook takes up ten dollars a fortnight. So if this game uses too much bandwidth then I won't be able to play it religiously, only every few days. That is why I am hoping it will not eat up too much bandwidth with all the fancy graphics and such.

[jdenm8 362]

I will play this game, however, as I have a laptop, wireless broadband is quite expensive. Just checking emails and facebook takes up ten dollars a fortnight. So if this game uses too much bandwidth then I won't be able to play it religiously, only every few days. That is why I am hoping it will not eat up too much bandwidth with all the fancy graphics and such.

Hah. You'll be pulling down several Megabyte files every few minutes from what they've let on.

The game will essentially be a dumb client, just doing the pretty graphics. I doubt that EA will give us control over our savegames.

It won't be hard for them to add an Ofline mode. Oh wait, that'd involve doing "Big no-no No.1". Making a Dedicated server.

[Haljackey 17,398]

Here's a funny video about EA and Origin. Maxis is even featured in it near the end!

Being online for a single-player experience shouldn't be a requirement. Look at what happened to Diablo III when it came out. People couldn't play the single-player game because the servers were overloaded.

That doesn't make any sense. That's like if you want to play Super Mario World, your Super Nintendo needs an internet connection.

[Mark Waybill 242]

Well if it uses more than say 10-11 kb per five hours then I shan't be able to play it for cost reasons, although I am not against online in principle.

[Pepper 15]

I'm very disappointed to hear this; I was so excited to find out about a new SimCity but now... I still play games from the 90s sometimes; if I buy this new SimCity, will I still be able to connect and play in a decade? I doubt it. That's my biggest issue - if I feel like playing an old game 20 years down the line, I want to be able to play it, particularly if it's one I've spent $60 on. If it doesn't do well, will they drop support in just a few years? I'm tired of these single player games requiring an internet connection. I'm guessing the next version of The Sims will require one too. I don't want to play SimCity, The Sims, or Diablo with other people. The whole trend of social games and social networking in everything is extremely irritating to me because I like to have games I can play and get away from other people. Don't get me wrong, MMOs can be a lot of fun and even in SC multiplayer could be good, but sometimes I just want some peace and quiet.

I definitely won't be preordering this game or running out and buying it at release. I might buy it later on, when it's on sale, but they have killed my idea of getting it at launch.

Jason Haber: "In this day and age everyone’s connected all the time, so we felt like it was the perfect time and it would be fine to do that."

This seriously made me grind my teeth, but I won't get into a rant (nor a rant about "microtransactions" either - don't get me started) except to say that no, NOT everyone is "always connected" and especially games like SimCity might attract some people who don't *want* to be always connected.