Lucy Bradshaw Answering Questions via Twitter

[arcology 224]

forgive the bluntness, but any statements along the lines of "we underestimated" are bull. The situation is a result of conscious decisions. Ofcourse that is something we cannot give customers insight in, because that would undermine the willingness of volume markets to spend money without thinking (after all, who likes having customers who use their brains, pesky and costly), so we once again use the instrument of marketing to try and guide the messaging and the narrative. That last part is the only thing of prime interest to EA, narrative control.

 

That this costs customers now is fine, and is part of strategic modelling. After all, those customers who use their brains are costly, it is far more desired to focus on volume markets where you have shedded these types and can just hook up those who follow. 

 

I know, in many ways this is insulting, but this is the reality of our industry. We're not an exception in that regard. Most industries that have a direct market connection with consumers function this way, or strive to achieve such functioning. It is reality, a reality maintained by consumer behaviour. 

 

I cut into your post, only to emphasize what you are saying, which is very true.  There are many who can think past the PR and marketing.  What many want are fundamental changes, that they have acknowledged over and over again, will not change. 

 

There is a petition of over 55,000+ signatures on change.org, asking them to take this offline.  To blatantly act like those people "don't care", because they are not playing SimCity and "making friends", is insulting to many, in a different way. 

 

They are offering DLC at $9, for each building set, on amazon.com, while they are still experiencing server issues.  That's fine, if people want to sink their money into something like that, but, this is just the beginning, right?

 

They are offering a free game, while at the same time refusing refunds. 

 

What kind of marketing/PR is that?  (not directing that at you, personally, just making a point!  )

[Dijego 66]

We should not have to beg for offline mode, I paid for this game thinking in years to come I could have my cities and work on them add expansion packages and constanly tweek them.. If I do not have an internet connection all the time, then your basically dictating to me when and when not I can play a game that I bought and own!!!! I'm not renting this game I own it, but that is what it seems like.  If I have to worry in the future that my city is not going to be there because the server is being retired, I'm not going to put the time or effort into this game nor is anybody else. You can do all you want to the servers now, but in time people will feel the same and just keep playing their simcity4 or other games. I remember when sim societies was supose to be a big hit to replace sc4 and I waited and it never happened. I lost money on that game, but I remained patient that this mistake would be fixed in the future.  It is a really big shame, because simcity 2013 has potential to be a hit from what I've played. Like I said if I do not have an offline option soon, I'm not going to put the time into it. I will have to write it off as a loss, like sim societies and go back to sc4.. So I will sit back patiently one more LAST time to see happens with this game, and I hope the outcome is good. If not, I will definitely be careful when I pick up a game in the future with the label EA or Maxis, and take a second look not to buy them...So please don't take this negatively, you have a chance to save this. Hint: I had this problem one time with General Motors and they did not fix their problems or heed the warnings from their loyal customers like me, and they almost failed. They wanted to blame the market, and everyone else instead of just suckin it up and fixing their problem..We all know how that  story ended with a bailout. To this day I will NEVER buy their cars no matter how much they changed.   PLEASE don't let this happen to you. Make it right, and in the long run everyone will be happy!!!! So again I will wait patiently one last time and hope in the near future I'll look at the clock and wonder where the time went and say WoW  I've been playing simcity for hours...Best of luck!

 

Actually, you do not own the game. They merely sell the right to play the games at this day and age. I actually think it has been that way always.

[DazzaDazza 29]

 

Question 9: Hey lucy! Will you be offering larger city maps in the future??

Answer: Once we get stable, this is another one we're absolutely looking at. Our intention is to continue to support SimCity and surprise you.

 

Which means we will be paying form them in a DLC, this also contradicts  other statement on why we couldn’t have larger maps" our computers couldn’t handle it"

 

Also good job I could imagine lot of questions probably got knock back  

 

[xfalcon12x 8]

I don't mean own the rights, and my older games do not have an expiration date. I'm not sure if your missing the point or not but what ,did i pay $60 for again? i understand what your saying, but that means consumer fraud. corprations do not like shareware or piracy but they feel free to nickel and dime us paying customer. just because its been going on for a while doesn't make it right, and its time it stops.. More we let it happen the more products in our life will follow..  Example when you buy a car that company you buy it from owns its design and manufacturing rights does this mean you don't own your car? If DRM is going to be the norm now, maybe car companies should run their business the same and sale you a car after you paid $20,000 or $30,000 then in 5 years send a sattlelite signal permantely disabling a perfectly fine car and have to spend another $30,000. lets see how happy this makes the fall in line sheep  then!!!!

We should not have to beg for offline mode, I paid for this game thinking in years to come I could have my cities and work on them add expansion packages and constanly tweek them.. If I do not have an internet connection all the time, then your basically dictating to me when and when not I can play a game that I bought and own!!!! I'm not renting this game I own it, but that is what it seems like.  If I have to worry in the future that my city is not going to be there because the server is being retired, I'm not going to put the time or effort into this game nor is anybody else. You can do all you want to the servers now, but in time people will feel the same and just keep playing their simcity4 or other games. I remember when sim societies was supose to be a big hit to replace sc4 and I waited and it never happened. I lost money on that game, but I remained patient that this mistake would be fixed in the future.  It is a really big shame, because simcity 2013 has potential to be a hit from what I've played. Like I said if I do not have an offline option soon, I'm not going to put the time into it. I will have to write it off as a loss, like sim societies and go back to sc4.. So I will sit back patiently one more LAST time to see happens with this game, and I hope the outcome is good. If not, I will definitely be careful when I pick up a game in the future with the label EA or Maxis, and take a second look not to buy them...So please don't take this negatively, you have a chance to save this. Hint: I had this problem one time with General Motors and they did not fix their problems or heed the warnings from their loyal customers like me, and they almost failed. They wanted to blame the market, and everyone else instead of just suckin it up and fixing their problem..We all know how that  story ended with a bailout. To this day I will NEVER buy their cars no matter how much they changed.   PLEASE don't let this happen to you. Make it right, and in the long run everyone will be happy!!!! So again I will wait patiently one last time and hope in the near future I'll look at the clock and wonder where the time went and say WoW  I've been playing simcity for hours...Best of luck!

 

Actually, you do not own the game. They merely sell the right to play the games at this day and age. I actually think it has been that way always.

[Catchin22 299]

I don't mean own the rights, and my older games do not have an expiration date. I'm not sure if your missing the point or not but what ,did i pay $60 for again? i understand what your saying, but that means consumer fraud. corprations do not like shareware or piracy but they feel free to nickel and dime us paying customer. just because its been going on for a while doesn't make it right, and its time it stops.. More we let it happen the more products in our life will follow..  Example when you buy a car that company you buy it from owns its design and manufacturing rights does this mean you don't own your car? If DRM is going to be the norm now, maybe car companies should run their business the same and sale you a car after you paid $20,000 or $30,000 then in 5 years send a sattlelite signal permantely disabling a perfectly fine car and have to spend another $30,000. lets see how happy this makes the fall in line sheep  then!!!!

I love it when people come up with analogies like this. The truth is this happens in manufacturing all the time. Cheap or even expensive products built purposely with cheap parts. It's a way to keep generating sales when those parts break, either people get their moneys worth or they don't, and rate accordingly. What happens when the gas pump goes dry? Your 30k car wont be much good then will it? They don't go around shutting down pumps because that would be bad for business.

You rely on their service when you buy a product and you know it upfront. You have the choice as a consumer to buy and take the chance it will keep running or not purchase it.

[fiver 306]

I don't mean own the rights, and my older games do not have an expiration date. I'm not sure if your missing the point or not but what ,did i pay $60 for again? i understand what your saying, but that means consumer fraud. corprations do not like shareware or piracy but they feel free to nickel and dime us paying customer. just because its been going on for a while doesn't make it right, and its time it stops.. More we let it happen the more products in our life will follow..  Example when you buy a car that company you buy it from owns its design and manufacturing rights does this mean you don't own your car? If DRM is going to be the norm now, maybe car companies should run their business the same and sale you a car after you paid $20,000 or $30,000 then in 5 years send a sattlelite signal permantely disabling a perfectly fine car and have to spend another $30,000. lets see how happy this makes the fall in line sheep  then!!!!

I love it when people come up with analogies like this. The truth is this happens in manufacturing all the time. Cheap or even expensive products built purposely with cheap parts. It's a way to keep generating sales when those parts break, either people get their moneys worth or they don't, and rate accordingly. What happens when the gas pump goes dry? Your 30k car wont be much good then will it? They don't go around shutting down pumps because that would be bad for business.

You rely on their service when you buy a product and you know it upfront. You have the choice as a consumer to buy and take the chance it will keep running or not purchase it.

If one assumes that "something happens all the time", that doesn't mean it's always been like that or should be like that at all.

 

When you buy a car from a car dealer, you're not obliged to go (or call or log on) to that dealer every time you want to start the car, are you? That would be absurd to even think of it now. But it might become a reality years later (why not, if we agree to buy something we can use only if the seller's servers are on?).

 

This article explains the concern over DRM pretty well:

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/03/11/simcity-is-inherently-broken-lets-not-let-this-go/