Firstly, let me state that I have never, ever used a pirated game.

I believe in rewarding the creativity and talent behind great games, and in supporting the industry in funding new titles which push the boundaries of what has been achieved before.

I also believe that DRM is reasonable - I am happy for my game to be 'validated' online after I have purchased it, and I could even live with it being briefly 'validated' each time I load up.

What a shame, then, that EA's paranoia and extreme approach to DRM with SimCity has ruined the game.

It hasn't 'ruined the game' from a theoretical 'I don't really like DRM' perspective, but it has, actually, ruined the game. Cloud-based saves are unreliable, people are losing hours of work, there are queues to access servers, random disconnects. The experience is truly awful. It is also unnecessary.

Technology isn't perfect. It will never be perfect.

Servers do fail. We all know this, and few of us are surprised - which is exactly why you don't force 'always online' DRM and cloud-based saves, unless you absolutely must - and certainly not when most people are opting for the single-player game.

Instead, you think ahead. You understand that 'always online' can be problematic, but the reason people are especially angry is because they only want to play in the single-player mode. They don't want leaderboards. The simple 'global market' can be run effectively using a statistical simulation.

Yes, people want the option of multi-player regions. But you have ruined the launch of a potentially great game, and put thousands of people off altogether, because of your paranoia and sheer contempt for your customers.

So, instead, people will turn to piracy - thanks to the DRM. Ironic, huh.

It is a matter of when, not if, a cracked version appears which allows local saves, is always playable, and runs the global market as a statistical simulation. And you will only have yourselves to blame, when this version becomes 'the one to own', because it provides a vastly superior customer experience.

In short, EA, you've cut your own wrist pretty deeply. You could go and get it patched up, and maybe SimCity will sell to it's full potential. Or, more likely, you can just refuse to listen, insist you know better, and let the pirates win.

Your yelling at the wrong people.

Maxis made it online only. EA did not.

[quote=Dr_Mibbles][b]Firstly, let me state that I have never, ever used a pirated game. [/b]

I believe in rewarding the creativity and talent behind great games, and in supporting the industry in funding new titles which push the boundaries of what has been achieved before.

I also believe that DRM is reasonable - I am happy for my game to be 'validated' online after I have purchased it, and I could even live with it being briefly 'validated' each time I load up.

[b][i]What a shame, then, that EA's paranoia and extreme approach to DRM with SimCity has ruined the game. [/i][/b]

It hasn't 'ruined the game' from a theoretical 'I don't really like DRM' perspective, but it has, actually, [i]ruined the game.[/i] Cloud-based saves are unreliable, people are losing hours of work, there are queues to access servers, random disconnects. The experience is truly awful. It is also unnecessary.

[b]Technology isn't perfect. It will never be perfect.[/b]

Servers do fail. We all know this, and few of us are surprised - which is exactly why you don't force 'always online' DRM and cloud-based saves, unless you absolutely must - and certainly not when most people are opting for the single-player game.

Instead, you think ahead. You understand that 'always online' can be problematic, but the reason people are especially angry is because they only want to play in the single-player mode. They don't want leaderboards. The simple 'global market' can be run effectively using a statistical simulation.

Yes, people want the option of multi-player regions. [i]But you have ruined the launch of a potentially great game, and put thousands of people off altogether, because of your paranoia and sheer contempt for your customers.[/i]

[b]So, instead, people will turn to piracy - thanks to the DRM. Ironic, huh.[/b]

It is a matter of when, not if, a cracked version appears which allows local saves, is always playable, and runs the global market as a statistical simulation. And you will only have yourselves to blame, when this version becomes 'the one to own', because it provides a vastly superior customer experience.

In short, EA, you've cut your own wrist pretty deeply. You could go and get it patched up, and maybe SimCity will sell to it's full potential. Or, more likely, you can just refuse to listen, insist you know better, and let the pirates win.

[/quote]

just a quick note...Its out in 24 hours..

Have fun reverse-engineering the server in order to pirate it. I'll see you in a year, I guess?

I agree. Other people keep referring to games like Anno 2070 and the Settlers etc, but they've been cracked and can be played offline.

It will be the same for this game too, which is a pity for the work that the devs put in, but at the same time it was pretty short-sighted to use this kind of aggressive DRM.

IITiCTaKII wrote:

just a quick note...Its out in 24 hours..

It's been out for a few days in many parts of the world...

[quote=stellvia2016]Have fun reverse-engineering the server in order to pirate it. I'll see you in a year, I guess?[/quote]

already a pre released cracked version. saves and everything.

stellvia2016 wrote:Have fun reverse-engineering the server in order to pirate it. I'll see you in a year, I guess?

It's been done very quickly for other games.

The difference here, is that the DRM renders the game unplayable at times. So the cracked/pirated version will actually be the superior product.

atomicun1verse wrote:I agree. Other people keep referring to games like Anno 2070 and the Settlers etc, but they've been cracked and can be played offline.

It will be the same for this game too, which is a pity for the work that the devs put in, but at the same time it was pretty short-sighted to use this kind of aggressive DRM.

You do realise that the games without online only DRM get pirated more than games without it. Take the big titles with no or little DRM. Thy are at the top of the list.

[quote=stellvia2016]Have fun reverse-engineering the server in order to pirate it. I'll see you in a year, I guess?[/quote]

name a game that hasnt been cracked, bar some MMO's. (which 90% of them have botting/hacks etc why crack it when u can just maniplute whats there)

Every game every with online only stuff including all ubisoft games and previous EA titles etc...cracked within 3 days of release.

IITiCTaKII wrote:

stellvia2016 wrote:Have fun reverse-engineering the server in order to pirate it. I'll see you in a year, I guess?

name a game that hasnt been cracked, bar some MMO's. (which 90% of them have botting/hacks etc why crack it when u can just maniplute whats there)

Every game every with online only stuff including all ubisoft games etc...cracked within 3 days of release.

bf3 took a year. And that wasn't even online only.

[quote=Lemonater47][quote=IITiCTaKII][quote=stellvia2016]Have fun reverse-engineering the server in order to pirate it. I'll see you in a year, I guess?[/quote]

name a game that hasnt been cracked, bar some MMO's. (which 90% of them have botting/hacks etc why crack it when u can just maniplute whats there)

Every game every with online only stuff including all ubisoft games etc...cracked within 3 days of release.[/quote]

bf3 took a year. And that wasn't even online only.[/quote]

For the multiplayer side.

You could play the single player after a week or so.

Dr_Mibbles wrote:

stellvia2016 wrote:Have fun reverse-engineering the server in order to pirate it. I'll see you in a year, I guess?

It's been done very quickly for other games.

The difference here, is that the DRM renders the game unplayable at times. So the cracked/pirated version will actually be the superior product.

You're forgetting you need to run a substitute server on your computer to be able to play it, and if you don't use Origin you won't be able to play with others.

[quote=Lemonater47][quote=atomicun1verse]

You do realise that the games without online only DRM get pirated more than games without it. Take the big titles with no or little DRM. Thy are at the top of the list.[/quote]

get pirated more??? one is enough

Lemonater47 wrote:

You do realise that the games without online only DRM get pirated more than games without it. Take the big titles with no or little DRM. Thy are at the top of the list.

The difference with SimCity is that the DRM really does ruin the game, for many people. Rendering it unplayable.

The single-player cracked version will be a vastly superior product.