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Sim City is now down, the maintenance message is amazing

T

TheExodu5

Banned
Kageshinzo said:
See, it's selfish people like you that enable these companies to make shitty, anti-consumer decisions such as always-online DRM. You all are so short-sighted you'll compromise with anything as long as you get your fix. Doesn't matter if it's bad for the industry.

I love the Civ series. Played it since the beginning. But if Sid Meier, Firaxis and 2K Games will decide to implement an always-online requirement to it, I'm not going to fucking support the game anymore until they patch an offline mode. I don't give a shit if it's the next coming of strategy games. It's a matter of principle and if always-online DRM becomes the norm, at least I can say I fought it tooth and nail.

But I don't think you understand that, do you? No, just as long as you get your next shiny installment of your game, anti-consumer practices be damned.
Click to expand...

Selfish? It's not the consumer's job to babysit the industry. Consumers should always act out of self interest.
 
Mengy

Mengy

wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
Kageshinzo said:
See, it's selfish people like you that enable these companies to make shitty, anti-consumer decisions such as always-online DRM. You all are so short-sighted you'll compromise with anything as long as you get your fix. Doesn't matter if it's bad for the industry.

I love the Civ series. Played it since the beginning. But if Sid Meier, Firaxis and 2K Games will decide to implement an always-online requirement to it, I'm not going to fucking support the game anymore until they patch an offline mode. I don't give a shit if it's the next coming of strategy games. It's a matter of principle and if always-online DRM becomes the norm, at least I can say I fought it tooth and nail. If something has to be sacrificed to make a point, then so be it. It's for a worthwhile cause.

But I don't think you understand that, do you? No, just as long as you get your next shiny installment of your game, anti-consumer practices be damned.
Click to expand...

I agree with you 100%, but not everyone will. Some people aren't too concerned with HOW games are made, they just want to play them.

And EA knows this, and they are betting on the fact that you and I are the minority. And they are probably right. :(
 
J

jinutsu

Neo Member
Chunky said:
Lamps are not entertainment products though. You need light, warmth, food etc to live, but do you need another videogame? I understand the situation's crap, but it's not like you don't have anything else to do.
Click to expand...

I will enjoy endless hours of staring at my lamp if I want to! I LOVE LAMP.
 
J

JustinBB7

Member
Just read on Kotaku that EA didn't put ANY SERVERS IN ASIA. Reason being piracy. I don't want to play Sim City, I've boycotted Origin this entire time. But god damn, I keep reading this insane shit. I can't even think how EA thought this was a good idea.. I just what...
 
R

RoninChaos

Member
This is... wow. This whole launch is INSANE.

ANd this always on bullshit is the way of the future. Stop rewarding companies that want to fuck your wallet till its dry.
 
S

subrock

Member
TheGreyHulk said:
dude.. The game is single threaded.. The only thing the servers are there for are to keep your cities connected and up to date with region data and global data. The actual game code itself is all client side and obviously, it ain't super demanding since they didn't even bother with making use of multiple cores for simulations.
Click to expand...
Still hope for the *native* Mac version?
 
E

EvilDick34

Banned
Neuromancer, we are not fucked either way. We as gamers can choose to not buy shitty products like Sim City and if enough of us do it, they will get the fucking hint. You sure are defending this lousy clone of Sim City hard.
 
B

BorkBork

The Legend of BorkBork: BorkBorkity Borking
TheExodu5 said:
Selfish? It's not the consumer's job to babysit the industry. Consumers should always act out of self interest.
Click to expand...

Self interest can take the form of long term thinking too though. Consumers have some say in shaping what the future gaming landscape is like. At least I would like to think that.
 
K

Kageshinzo

Member
TheExodu5 said:
Selfish? It's not the consumer's job to babysit the industry. Consumers should always act out of self interest.
Click to expand...

And it's in the best interest of the consumers to force companies into making sure they provide a service/product that doesn't shit on their rights. Otherwise, debacles like this happen.
 
K

krae_man

Member
Stolen from tsilon GAF:

RT8lMKn.png
 
IISANDERII

IISANDERII

Member
TheGreyHulk said:
dude.. The game is single threaded.. The only thing the servers are there for are to keep your cities connected and up to date with region data and global data. The actual game code itself is all client side and obviously, it ain't super demanding since they didn't even bother with making use of multiple cores for simulations.
Click to expand...
hi i don't really understand these things but if it's all client side then why did they try to help server burden by slowing it down and eliminating cheetah speed?
 
K

kafiend

Member
TheGreyHulk said:
its multicore, but not for simulations. Its obviously built around the laptop community who typically have dual cores. 1 core for simulation and the other for audio/friends shit. I wish they'd take advantage of anything greater than 2 cores
Click to expand...

I agree, its for the laptop owners who are typically more mobile and more likely to be out and about than for desktop users sat at home all sad with their gazillion cores and the Internet.
 
A

awm8604

Banned
It's time for us to vote with our wallets. I will not buy any games with always online DRM. Ever.

If I had bought this and been denied a refund I would've already initiated a chargeback.
 
J

jwhit28

Member
IISANDERII said:
hi i don't really understand these things but if it's all client side then why did they try to help server burden by slowing it down and eliminating cheetah speed?
Click to expand...

From what I can understand, you have to be connected to send snapshots of your city to update the region. I'm guessing the faster your city moves, the more snapshots you have to send.
 
A

A Link to the Past

Banned
Chunky said:
Lamps are not entertainment products though. You need light, warmth, food etc to live, but do you need another videogame? I understand the situation's crap, but it's not like you don't have anything else to do.
Click to expand...

I need money, though. Spending money and receiving no return is devastating.
 
G

GlassBox

Banned
I feel bad for the people at Maxis because they were under the impression, and I'll bet received many assurances, that the Origin team and servers were all under control and would work. Never in their worst nightmares would they think the game would be unplayable for the entire launch week.
 
eot

eot

Banned
IISANDERII said:
hi i don't really understand these things but if it's all client side then why did they try to help server burden by slowing it down and eliminating cheetah speed?
Click to expand...

Well, your city is still influenced by (and in turn influence) the other cities in real time. If the simulation is running at a higher speed then presumably it needs to call the server more often to report its own state to the other cities as well as get their states.
 
V

Vyer

Member
BorkBork said:
Self interest can take the form of long term thinking too though. Consumers have some say in shaping what the future gaming landscape is like. At least I would like to think that.
Click to expand...

EvilDick34 said:
Neuromancer, we are not fucked either way. We as gamers can choose to not buy shitty products like Sim City and if enough of us do it, they will get the fucking hint. You sure are defending this lousy clone of Sim City hard.
Click to expand...

Kageshinzo said:
And it's in the best interest of the consumers to force companies into making sure they provide a service/product that doesn't shit on their rights. Otherwise, debacles like this happen.
Click to expand...

Honestly, though, that's not very realistic. You aren't going to really be able to drum up a mass boycott like that for big names like Simcity and Diablo. At least, not at first.

Most people won't care. Even if you tell them "it has online DRM you have to be online to play" they still won't care. And why should they? That's not the sort of thing they take time worrying about. It takes something like this to actually create a 'reason' to care.

Ironically, Neuromancer and gamers who buy at launch at crash the whole thing might be more likely to have the effect we want on online DRM. A shitstorm at launch, crashing, bad press trickling to big sites...that's the kind of thing that might actually get their attention.

I wasn't about to buy this at launch. But I don't necessarily fault those that do. Them causing the whole thing to go to shit might actually have a positive effect for us, and it's certainly the more likely approach than getting a mass scale boycott working. (for now)
 
L

LiquidSword

Member
TheGreyHulk said:
its multicore, but not for simulations. Its obviously built around the laptop community who typically have dual cores. 1 core for simulation and the other for audio/friends shit. I wish they'd take advantage of anything greater than 2 cores
Click to expand...

kafiend said:
I agree, its for the laptop owners who are typically more mobile and more likely to be out and about than for desktop users sat at home all sad with their gazillion cores and the Internet.
Click to expand...

So they design their always online game for laptop owners who may be traveling with their laptop and not have wifi? That makes alot of sense
 
Phoenix

Phoenix

Member
LiquidSword said:
So they design their always online game for laptop owners who may be traveling with their laptop and not have wifi? That makes alot of sense
Click to expand...

It made enough sense for me since I had to travel this week and couldn't open the box. So now that I see that its currently a turd I can return it and get my money back until they are ready.
 
Phoenix

Phoenix

Member
GlassBox said:
I feel bad for the people at Maxis because they were under the impression, and I'll bet received many assurances, that the Origin team and servers were all under control and would work. Never in their worst nightmares would they think the game would be unplayable for the entire launch week.
Click to expand...

The question will be how they will be compensated/penalized for poor performance of the title given that they have no ability to fix said issues.
 
N

Neuromancer

Member
EvilDick34 said:
Neuromancer, we are not fucked either way. We as gamers can choose to not buy shitty products like Sim City and if enough of us do it, they will get the fucking hint. You sure are defending this lousy clone of Sim City hard.
Click to expand...
Yeah I'm defending it real hard! Almost like I secretly work at EA!

Neuromancer said:
Oh that sucks. The entire appeal of the game is playing with other people, how did they mess this up so badly day one?
Click to expand...
Neuromancer said:
Well this is shit

uNls5eZ.jpg
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Neuromancer said:
So all the North America servers are full or busy or whatever. So I could play on a Europe server but I can't play the city I was working on earlier, I'd have to start over completely.

It's OK EA I didn't want to play this game I bought today anyway

you sons of bitches.
Click to expand...
Neuromancer said:
WHAT THE FUCK
Click to expand...

Neuromancer said:
This game is FUCKED
Click to expand...

Neuromancer said:
Yep

Cities you make on one server don't exist on other servers.

Like I said this game is FUCKED

Hopefully enough people will have rage quitted by tomorrow night so I can actually get back go my city and play some more.
Click to expand...

Neuromancer said:
Tried to make a city in East Europe 1; couldn't. Tried to make a city in Oceanic; couldn't. NA servers or all busy or full whatever difference that even is.

Even if I could make a city I couldn't invite my friend since his name doesn't show up in the in game friend's list.

This game is FUCKED. This is like a terrible MMO launch and yet this isn't an MMO. Completely unacceptable.
Click to expand...
Neuromancer said:
I just tried the game again hoping the server issues would be better... And it's making me play the goddamn tutorial again. After I already did and started my own city.

What. The. Fuck. This game is a trainwreck.
Click to expand...
IT'S A CONSPIRACY
 
S

SamVT

Member
Loving Simcity so far, gotta get used to this different kind of thinking and building. Just crap when servers aren't available, but I can play when I disconnect it just tries to reconnect (connection restored). Going to take some time to figure it all out but I'm excited about a new Simcity 10 years since #4.
 
D

dreamfall

Member
I'd like to play it some day, when this shit is fixed.

I doubt we'll see a price drop anytime soon, but perhaps they'll fix some of the Server issues before jumping in. It's such a strange way to play this game.
 
D

DragonSworne

Banned
Well, it's the weekend boys and girls.

EA staff is going home and more and more people will be trying to play the game since they have free time.

Expect things to get worse

Imagine how much money EA would have saved on server maintenance fees and overtime pay if they just went offline online.
 
G

GlassBox

Banned
Phoenix said:
The question will be how they will be compensated/penalized for poor performance of the title given that they have no ability to fix said issues.
Click to expand...
Sadly, Maxis devs will probably get the majority of the blame and any EA penalties, even though this ex-DICE guy has it right:
RoKKeR said:
140 characters of truth from an ex-DICE dev:

https://twitter.com/locust9/status/310096848486535169
Quote:
@locust9: The Sim City fiasco makes me sad for the Maxis devs and also makes me want to airburst a small nuclear device over Origin HQ.
Click to expand...
 
D

Deaf Spacker

Memb
DragonSworne said:
Well, it's the weekend boys and girls.

EA staff is going home and more and more people will be trying to play the game since they have free time.

Expect things to get worse

Imagine how much money EA would have saved on server maintenance fees and overtime pay if they just went offline online.
Click to expand...

I doubt that all employees will be going home, unless they want a PR nightmare to get even worse.
 
Garcia

Garcia

Member
That Amazon 1-star review reflects exactly how I feel about this whole DRM fiasco:

Fundamentally, SimCity has always been a 'software toy'. That means that there's no real end state, no way to win. It's just a thing that you play and experiment with. You build, and tinker, and mess around. It's a toy, not a game; it's a sandbox, not baseball.

So, in this iteration of the game, you don't even get to buy your toy. Rather, you rent a toy from EA, who lets you play with it only in very limited, circumscribed ways, only on their servers. So you have to have a live Internet connection at all times, and their servers have to be up, and have to have space for you. And the rules for play are draconian. If you want to, say, build a city, save it, blow it up with something terrible, and then restore from save, you can't do that anymore. That's an unauthorized usage of their toy. And if you figure out ways of using their toy that they don't like, they'll ban you forever.

All third-party modding is shut out. One of the best parts of SimCity 4 and The Sims is that users can create and share content among themselves for free. You will no longer be able to do this. You will be required to run only Official Authorized Content.

Further, you're not getting the whole game for your $60 or $80, depending on what version you're buying. EA's plan is to sell you Simcity 5 over and over and over. They've directly admitted that they already have it running with larger cities, but they're not releasing that now. They claim it's because it "won't run on Dad's PC", but the real reason is so they can sell it to you again later. Want subways? That's gonna be $20. Want railroads? Another $20. Bigger cities? Oh, that's in the $30 expansion.

Right now, if you look at The Sims 3, the game costs $30. But if also you buy all the DLC for it, it's *four hundred and seventy dollars*. This is what they are doing with SimCity 5; locking you into their server infrastructure, and then exploiting the heck out of your wallet.

This is a lousy deal, and you would be stupid to take it. Always-on DRM, and a deliberately crippled game, so that they can slowly uncripple it, charging you for every restored feature from prior versions.

Simcity 4 still works pretty well. It's not quite as nice as most current games, and can require you to 'pin' the process to just one processor on a multi-core system (ie, most current machines), but if you want a city builder where you won't have to pay extra to breathe both in AND out, that would be a better option.

But buying this game? In my opinion, you would be wiser to take three twenties out of your wallet, and light them on fire.
Click to expand...
 
C

ConfusingJazz

Member
DragonSworne said:
Well, it's the weekend boys and girls.

EA staff is going home and more and more people will be trying to play the game since they have free time.

Expect things to get worse

Imagine how much money EA would have saved on server maintenance fees and overtime pay if they just went offline online.
Click to expand...

EA is dumb, but not that dumb. I doubt anyone that has ever messed with the servers is seeing home all that much right now.
 
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