SimCity Offline-Mode Patch Won't Be Arriving "Any Time Soon"
- Thread starter Timothy Chang
- Start date
"We're being sold this lie that SimCity is 100% dependent on "online" for play, which is crap. After logging in (authenticating that you own the game), selecting a regional server and game to play (so it knows which "city" data to send you) and entering your city, you can disconnect your computer from the internet and play perfectly for 10 minutes.
At the 10 minute mark the game gives you an error about being offline, and closes. This is enforced in the game's code as, literally, an "always on DRM". Ironically, or coincidentally, your city with all changes that you made in this time will be synced to their servers the next time you are online (so it's basically saved offline anyway), and can then be resumed."
This is an extremely curious testimonial from a thread on Reddit. If it turns out to be true, then Maxis is going to have a lot to answer for. And them jumping in front of the bus for EA is stupid of them - they'll just get shafted alongside EA, not instead of. This has been a bizarre and depressing turn of events.
At the 10 minute mark the game gives you an error about being offline, and closes. This is enforced in the game's code as, literally, an "always on DRM". Ironically, or coincidentally, your city with all changes that you made in this time will be synced to their servers the next time you are online (so it's basically saved offline anyway), and can then be resumed."
This is an extremely curious testimonial from a thread on Reddit. If it turns out to be true, then Maxis is going to have a lot to answer for. And them jumping in front of the bus for EA is stupid of them - they'll just get shafted alongside EA, not instead of. This has been a bizarre and depressing turn of events.
Always online DRM clearly reduces piracy - at the expense of harassing paying customers. Those companies are making you pay for their problem.NotSoNimble said:
More important, it is not clear if piracy even reduces revenue for the companies, because most pirates would not buy the game anyway. The extra cost with servers and maintenance (and free games and law suits and returns) might not be worth it.
On top of that, companies are losing their good will. Diablo 3 only sold its millions copies because of the name alone. I, for one, am not willing to ever pre order a game from Blizzard again, and gave buying the next Starcraft.
Atrocious DRM can hurt your business a lot and, most importantly, hurts the consumer - the game is not yours anymore and this is simply terrible.
"Trust efforts"? What the hell does that mean? I hate corporate-speak...
It's all fluff anyway because, as the second tweet said, it's not possible so the offer to look into it is as hollow as the inside as Anne Coulter's head!
I really do feel sorry for those that paid for and want to enjoy the game - this sucks!
It's all fluff anyway because, as the second tweet said, it's not possible so the offer to look into it is as hollow as the inside as Anne Coulter's head!
I really do feel sorry for those that paid for and want to enjoy the game - this sucks!
When will EA and its susidiaries learn that trust is earned, not bought. You can give away free games all you want, the problem is you have spent a long time losing the trust of your customers because you never listened to us before. It's going to take more than a free game to win those people back.
Try learning from your mistakes and proving that you can deliver reliable, working products in the future and I may consider to stop boycotting your products.
Try learning from your mistakes and proving that you can deliver reliable, working products in the future and I may consider to stop boycotting your products.
If you're only holding on to your money until an offline mode for Simcity arrives- you're not doing enough. You should still hold on to your money until they promise offline modes for ALL of their future games.
I'm sorry, that's the wrong fucking answer.
No, really. This should be seen as the last straw, final, definitive proof that always on drm does not work in a satisfactory way, and never has worked. There should be no fucking question behind this. EA, maxis, whoever the fuck's fault it is, you fucked up, there is no way this can not be seen as a fuck up, you better fix it.
No, really. This should be seen as the last straw, final, definitive proof that always on drm does not work in a satisfactory way, and never has worked. There should be no fucking question behind this. EA, maxis, whoever the fuck's fault it is, you fucked up, there is no way this can not be seen as a fuck up, you better fix it.
That game, Katawa Shoujo, can not, in any sense of the word, be pirated.NotSoNimble said:
Because it was free.
Do you actually research anything before trying to use it for your argument, or...?
Besides, the only reason Diablo 3 is taking a long time to crack is because it needs to be 'cracked' like a standard MMO. Considering private servers exist for WoW and Runescape...It's only a matter of time before this DRM fails Diablo 3 as well.
OT: Sucks for Maxis. It's pretty clear that they're taking the fall by claiming that their DRM was done entirely of their own volition. This is, what, the third or fourth EA-owned studio to make such a claim seemingly at gunpoint?
Edit: Ninja'd. Damn.
I don't know, a sudden spike in sales after they allow people to play offline would send the most clear and concise message that EA would understand.Squilookle said:
