EA Pixelates Pirated Copies of The Sims 4

[Malpraxis]

If I were a dev, I wouldn't even bother with protection, because it'd just get hacked anyway.

I'd only put one trigger after the 2hr mark of he game of a 30secs video of me giving them the middle finger. No dialog, no messages, no anything. Just a stern look and a middle finger.

 

[Deacon Cole]

Is it just me, or does the pixelation actually make the game look better?

 

[masticina]

It got fixed pretty much instantly.

It's only affected a very small number of pirates.

So, unfortunately, there's not some mass of illegal downloaders being thwarted by pixelation.

However, as with all things, there will always be issues with a pirated version over a legitimate copy, so, if you're looking to enjoy the game, buy it.


Though, if you're looking to get enjoyment from The Sims 4, good luck.

Really How about SimCity in what a hacked copy with modified ini could run offline without trouble. That is a case where a cracked version actually is good.

Or the time with Assassins Creed where you could run a cracked authentication server to keep it running.

Sadly it is a reality that many times pirates are better off then paying customers.

 

[Taranis_tm]

True, forgot that. When I had trouble with a game I bought from Origin the rep could see the transaction history, what makes me not sure about the ban though is the fact that they would effectively be seizing legitimately owned property. I think EA might have some rights to decide not to offer services to people that pirate their games but seizing property might be going a little far, maybe their could be a middle ground?

Ban them from multi player servers and from receiving updates/patches etc but still allow them to run the games they bought? That way they are just refusing service but they are not seizing legitimately and legally owned property.

You seem to be forgetting all the nice EULAs they had to accept, that basically state they do NOT own the games. They paid for the 'service' of being able to play them.
So even if the Origin's admin miss-clicks and wipes account of a guy, that got all his games the proper way, instead of the prate they were aiming at, he won't have any grounds for a lawsuit.

 

[Foxador]

Why is this topic posted on like every gaming news site as if it will actually do anything for the pirates? They had this issue fixed within a couple of hours and all it involves is renaming one single file. That's not going to stop anyone so I don't know why everyone, and by everyone I means the news, act as if this is going to be stopping pirates?

This all just looks like some kind of paid advertisement for the sims 4 since everyone is reporting it without even bothering to look into how it's been fixed before they even posted their article. As much flak as SimCity 2013 got it's DRM was not pirated very well until they added in the single player mode.

 

[Lightspeaker]

Slightly off-topic: I wish people wouldn't praise the GDT method. GDT, to my knowledge (and please do correct me if i'm wrong), took nearly all of its content from the IOS title Game Dev Story. That'd be fine, but the issue is I've never seen it give any credit to the original game. It's not that I have a problem with games taking heavy inspiration from others, it's that on launch it felt like a carbon copy with a few more sliders..

I've seen this dozens of times now, everyone keeps repeating that they haven't given the original any credit; apparently without even trying to look.


I submit the following evidence:
http://www.greenheartgames.com/about/

Game Dev Tycoon
Our first game to test the waters was Game Dev Tycoon, a business simulation game where you start your own game development company in the 80′s. Game Dev Tycoon was inspired by Game Dev Story (by Kairosoft), which was the first ?tycoon? game we enjoyed playing on the iPhone; however, from the start, we wished the game would work and look differently. We wanted a game development simulation which would be less random, more about your choices and a little more realistic. We began working on what would become Game Dev Tycoon in 2011 and created the concepts and game mechanics as well as the game itself from scratch.

Whatever criticisms can be leveled at GDT a lack of crediting the original is not one of them. They've made it very clear here that they effectively sought to make an improved version of it.

 

[IAmTheToaster]

Slightly off-topic: I wish people wouldn't praise the GDT method. GDT, to my knowledge (and please do correct me if i'm wrong), took nearly all of its content from the IOS title Game Dev Story. That'd be fine, but the issue is I've never seen it give any credit to the original game. It's not that I have a problem with games taking heavy inspiration from others, it's that on launch it felt like a carbon copy with a few more sliders..

I've seen this dozens of times now, everyone keeps repeating that they haven't given the original any credit; apparently without even trying to look.


I submit the following evidence:
http://www.greenheartgames.com/about/

Game Dev Tycoon
Our first game to test the waters was Game Dev Tycoon, a business simulation game where you start your own game development company in the 80′s. Game Dev Tycoon was inspired by Game Dev Story (by Kairosoft), which was the first ?tycoon? game we enjoyed playing on the iPhone; however, from the start, we wished the game would work and look differently. We wanted a game development simulation which would be less random, more about your choices and a little more realistic. We began working on what would become Game Dev Tycoon in 2011 and created the concepts and game mechanics as well as the game itself from scratch.

Whatever criticisms can be leveled at GDT a lack of crediting the original is not one of them. They've made it very clear here that they effectively sought to make an improved version of it.

I'm so glad someone actually took me up on the "correct me if i'm wrong" point.

I'd looked at the about page before, but hadn't seen this. Thanks! (Less thanks for the "apparently without even trying to look" mild snideness.)

 

[TheUnbeholden]

EA actually found a way to make Sims look better? Thanks EA!

EA is perfectly aware the PC piracy situation is off the hook, and neither are they expecting this little pixel prank to be good for anything other than the lawls. This is why they foist so much DLC, it offsets the losses from piracy for them.

Nah, they force DLC down our throat because they want to make more money. Not because they are losing anything to piracy or some other excuse like that. Apparently making millions of dollars with that number increasing every year is apparently not "good enough".

Jim did a video on this 2 years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20wroJ1hbew

 

[zinho73]

I actually looked this up and the pirates allready found a workaround for this "DRM".
It's of course highly complicated and involves a significant amount of high-tech knowledge.
Apparently the pirates have to do a so-called "re-name" of the ".exe".

In all seriousness the above is actually true. I mean kudos to the devs for getting such an entertaining form of "DRM" into their game, but if it is really circumvented THAT easily it's a bit embarrassing as well.

I guess the idea wasn't to be a permanent solution, the idea was to expose the pirates in forums, costumer service and social media.

 

[Lightspeaker]

I'd looked at the about page before, but hadn't seen this. Thanks! (Less thanks for the "apparently without even trying to look" mild snideness.)

Apologies, and that wasn't specifically directed at you but in general. Its just that I've seen this comment about lack of credit many, many times before and the first time I ever saw it I went straight to their website and found it almost immediately.

In all fairness their about page is pretty awkwardly designed.

 

[runequester]

The solution might be to not pirate games.

That being said, I imagine this is as much a cute stunt to get some buzz going, as it is an actual anti-piracy measure. Don't you have to be connected to their online service to play, in any event?

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Why wouldn't they do this more often? Can't take a lot of work, just remove textures right?

 

[SteewpidZombie]

I like to refer to the Pixel version as the Censored version of the game, it just distorts every piece of unlikeable crap in the game.