Cloud Based Game?

[RedMist 10]

Then prepare you to read this sentence

"Sorry you can't play today, the server is under maintenance...."

[Selphy 69]

Then prepare you to read this sentence

"Sorry you can't play today, the server is under maintenance...."

To be honest, if they're building some sort of online economy and are mining data from each of our regions, I wouldn't mind server maintenance. If they schedule it the same time each week or month, I can play around it.

If the servers are down, I'm sure I'll have plenty other things to do.

[Essex 322]

Then prepare you to read this sentence

"Sorry you can't play today, the server is under maintenance...."

To be honest, if they're building some sort of online economy and are mining data from each of our regions, I wouldn't mind server maintenance. If they schedule it the same time each week or month, I can play around it.

If the servers are down, I'm sure I'll have plenty other things to do.

I think it's very loyal of you to defend EA the way you do, no matter what you'll see something positive in it, and I agree, having EA determine when and where you can play your game makes a lot of sense, why making it possible to play your game offline when they have some server maintenance? Why not let you have your game offline when they decide to take down the server after a couple of years? I mean, they must have gotten all the profit necassary out of it right? Why not all agree to these corporate ideas and let them decide everything in our lives? Oh wait, we're there already, battle has been fought, at least that's what EA and other corporations and their advocates (sorry, finger pointing?) would love to make us believe.

[RedMist 10]

If the servers are down, I'm sure I'll have plenty other things to do.

You're right ,why I'll pay 59.99€ if I can't play when I want.

SimCity is useless, I'll have plenty other things to do.

[Selphy 69]

Then prepare you to read this sentence

"Sorry you can't play today, the server is under maintenance...."

To be honest, if they're building some sort of online economy and are mining data from each of our regions, I wouldn't mind server maintenance. If they schedule it the same time each week or month, I can play around it.

If the servers are down, I'm sure I'll have plenty other things to do.

I think it's very loyal of you to defend EA the way you do, no matter what you'll see something positive in it, and I agree, having EA determine when and where you can play your game makes a lot of sense, why making it possible to play your game offline when they have some server maintenance? Why not let you have your game offline when they decide to take down the server after a couple of years? I mean, they must have gotten all the profit necassary out of it right? Why not all agree to these corporate ideas and let them decide everything in our lives? Oh wait, we're there already, battle has been fought, at least that's what EA and other corporations and their advocates (sorry, finger pointing?) would love to make us believe.

If the servers are down, I'm sure I'll have plenty other things to do.

You're right ,why I'll pay 59.99€ if I can't play when I want.

SimCity is useless, I'll have plenty other things to do.

Obviously I would love to have the game offline. If there was an offline mode I probably would never even touch the multiplayer/online mode unless it is extremely amazing. However, that isn't the case with this game and it never will be the case. I've learned to let it go. From the current information, I'm willing to give the game a try but to do so I have to accept the constant online whether I like it or not.

I hate the claw-style camera control/grip scheme they have for Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker on psp. I hate the touch screen controls for Kid Icarus:Uprising. I thought the battle system for Ar Tonelico: Qoga was horrible compared to Ar Tonelico 2 and 1. There are aspects of every game I play that I don't like but that doesn't stop me from trying them out and possibly enjoying them. And before you say that it is different and you can't control being online all the time, I listed out core aspects of those games. I couldn't control the camera/grip scheme any other way for those games nor could I pick a different battle system. It was either deal with it or don't play. I toughed through because all the other aspects made up for the bad one. I learned to adapt.

It is simply just whether all the other aspects are good enough for you to endure the constant online aspect. And for some I think the other aspects aren't good enough. And I respect that and you decision not to buy the game.

I played WoW for more than 5 years, all of my high school years and into my college years. Every Tuesday night, there was server maintenance. And I paid $15 a month, 12 times a year, for 5 years minimum. That's $900 and I couldn't play the game for 240 nights of those 5 years and that isn't including the times where the servers were just down because of error, or when the server pop was too high that there was an hour plus wait time to even play the game. So I'm well aware of what it is like to not be able to play a game because of server maintenance and other issues.

If server maintenance is done for the upkeep and to ensure that our saves are safe because they're on the cloud then I welcome it. Because there is a HUGE difference between them upkeeping and maintaining server health and just plain negligence.

If the game servers are constantly down, randomly dropping players, and deleting saves left and right you can bet I'll be alongside you guys yelling and filing complaints to EA. But at this point we can't even argue that the servers will be neglected because the game isn't even out yet. As far as I can tell, ToR servers are fine (although a bit empty) and I don't hear issues about Mass Effect 3's MP servers being constantly down.

About the server being shut down one day. Yes, that is a valid concern. I too would like to hear what EA plans to do about it whether they patch the game like CXL did or simply just screwing us over. But that has no relevance on the fun I might possibly be having this coming February. If for example they just shut the servers down, that doesn't change the enjoyment I'll get from building my cities. Each click and dragging of zones isn't going to be less fun. Watching my Sims travel to and from work isn't going to be less enjoyable. Seeing my space elevator finally being finished isn't going to be less epic. If anything, it will just make me play the game more to ensure I get as much fun from it before the servers get shut down. I'll be sad but by then I'll probably have moved on, hopefully to SimCity 2 or whatever new game has released. If anything, they'll probably shut the servers down when SimCity 2 comes out or they will just reduce server cap on SC and maintain them side by side.

I've been a gamer for more than half my life, close to my entire life. I've dealt with backstabs from companies, stupid changes and the loss of good companies and games. When times are good, you enjoy the ride. When times are bad, you just roll with the punches.

[Odainsaker 2,133]

...And I paid $15 a month, 12 times a year, for 5 years minimum. That's $900...

Tada! This is the real value of always online models, overshadowing even DRM schemes. Forget the old model of a one-time purchase of a complete game on a take-home disk...subscriptions are the gifts that keep on giving through the customers that keep on paying. First, however, they have to capture us into the online model...later, the DLC and monthly pricing schedules will be rolled out.

I've played one MMORPG game for 11 years with a monthly subscription averaging over $12. That's over $1,584 invested, and I am not like some heavy addicts who maintain multiple game accounts. Of course, you are not supposed to factor these sorts of costs out...imagine, an $80-per-month, 2-year data contract for a smartphone ultimately costs $1,920, all so that you can watch YouTube videos and send Tweets on the go. For the price of a used car, we consumed a temporary digital service. The subscription marketeers are in seventh heaven.

  Edited July 26, 2012 by Odainsaker  

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

...And I paid $15 a month, 12 times a year, for 5 years minimum. That's $900...

Tada! This is the real value of always online models, overshadowing even DRM schemes. Forget they old model of a one-time purchase of a complete game on take-home disk...subscriptions are the gift that keep on giving through the customer that keeps on paying. First, however, they have to capture us into the online model...later, the DLC and monthly pricing schedules will be rolled out.

I've played one MMORPG game for 11 years with a monthly subscription averaging over $12. That's over $1,584 invested, and I am not like some heavy addicts who maintain multiple game accounts. Of course, you are not supposed to factor these sort of costs out...imagine, an $80-per-month, 2-year data contract for a smartphone ultimately costs $1,920, all so that you can watch YouTube videos and send Tweets on the go. For the price of a used car, we consumed a temporary digital service. The subscription marketeers are in seventh heaven.

*sigh* Reading these posts makes me feel like a dinosaur. These things are just not for me. Give me my CD/cartridge (I'm so old) and let me own and play my game on my terms and we're good, I'll gladly give you money for that. I miss the old days already (and they weren't even that long ago)... At least for current fans and the people who will give this game a try there is no monthly subscription fee. Yet.

[Selphy 69]

*sigh* Reading these posts makes me feel like a dinosaur. These things are just not for me. Give me my CD/cartridge (I'm so old) and let me own and play my game on my terms and we're good, I'll gladly give you money for that. I miss the old days already (and they weren't even that long ago)... At least for current fans and the people who will give this game a try there is no monthly subscription fee. Yet.

Please, you're probably not that old. I also grew up on CDs and cartridges. My first gaming experience was NES when I was 4 years old. I understand the desire to have and own something. I'm a HUGE collector of limited edition games, music CDs, and artbooks. I've been to Japan several times just to shop at Akihabara for junk, I go to cons to get all my stuff signed, etc. I would love for this game to be offline and to have a physical copy but unfortunately that isn't the case.

Like I said, I'm a collector but I can adapt. If I want to play this game (which I do) then I'll just have to deal it.

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

Renting an online-only game for a limited time until the servers get shut down is not something I want to adapt to. If this is the direction video games are going (and it seems like it is), I have other things to spend my money on. At least comic books are still being printed (although I suppose their time is coming, too).

  Edited July 26, 2012 by NMUSpidey  

[aparrot7 82]

The Cloud offers mixed blessings. I use the cloud for most things today, Office documents, Pictures, Videos, and Music- and its very convenient as I can easily switch files from my phone to my computer and other computers. The same would apply for SimCity. I intend on buying an ultra book sometime next year [No CD drive], and transferring my game from one computer to the other would be very easy if it was through the cloud.

On the other hand is that I don't control the cloud- Maxis does. I really hope they don't shut it down as the game ages into a few years.

[Selphy 69]

Renting an online-only game for a limited time until the servers get shut down is not something I want to adapt to. If this is the direction video games are going (and it seems like it is), I have other things to spend my money on. At least comic books are still being printed (although I suppose their time is coming, too).

Funny you should mention comics because I've moved to digital. Boxes and boxes are stacking up and I'm running out of space. Also I find myself rereading issues more often on my tablet than I do grabbing older issues.