Maxis GM: Our Vision Is More Important Than Our Customers & Lots Of People Love Our Crappy DRM
from the so,-so-much-wrong dept
Well, it's been several hours, so obviously someone must have done something stupid over at the SimCity franchise. I could run through a long list of links from our coverage of this debacle, but I'll make it easy on you. The key links are the launch debacle, the backlash, and the evidence that all of this is wholly unnecessary. That last one is important because during the initial stages of this muck up, EA/Maxis came out hard, saying that offline modes were logistically impossible because of all the cloud-based resources needed to run the games simulation calculations. The evidence in the link proves rather conclusively that that is absolutely not the case. In that post, I had suggested that it was time for the game's producers to finally come out with a strong mea culpa. Here is that mea culpa, from Maxis GM Lucy Bradshaw:So, could we have built a subset offline mode? Yes. But we rejected that idea because it didn't fit with our vision. We did not focus on the "single city in isolation" that we have delivered in past SimCities. We recognize that there are fans – people who love the original SimCity – who want that. But we're also hearing from thousands of people who are playing across regions, trading, communicating and loving the Always-Connected functionality. The SimCity we delivered captures the magic of its heritage but catches up with ever-improving technology.Okay, so it isn't so much a mea culpa as a, "Hey, customers, why don't you go outside and play hide and go f@#$ yourself!" It's difficult to imagine a more tone deaf statement, given the circumstances. To essentially come out and say that you understand lots of people wanted an offline version of this game, and we already know you could have made one quite easily, but you rejected the idea of filling a customer need because it didn't match with your "vision"? I'd suggest that if this launch has been a faithful representation of your vision, it may be time to get idea-glasses.
And can I ask the other obvious question? Where the hell are all the people clamoring for online only mode? I have no doubt that there are folks who wanted and still want online components to the game, but who the hell is asking for a blatant limitation on their game? There's a major difference between offering online components and requiring it be online all the time. Personally, I think Bradshaw is reticulating our splines on that one.
On the other hand, when discussing the need for the servers in Bradshaw's blog post, there was one glaring omission: server resources/calculations. It appears the game's designers have finally decided to stop lying about why the servers in the cloud are needed and instead moved on to suggest that it's just a big part of their customers that are unnecessary instead.
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Filed Under: customers, drm, failures, propaganda, simcity, single player, vision
Companies: ea, maxis
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Ironically, I actually WANT a multi-player component in The Sims, (a peer to peer component, not a company-hosted one), and I never even thought about wanting to run Sim City as an online game.
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So, basically...
"We don't want your money, leave us alone!"
Okay, thanks buddy! I'll just go on importing Japanese games for my PSP, DS and Vita and enjoying them.
Ahhh! Super Robot Wars, how I love the fact that you're not region locked unless the system is.
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Re: So, basically...
Oh and a question to Techdirt staff: why is that every couple of weeks I get logged out of TD? I've set Firefox to always remember my password and to keep me logged in, and yet this only ever happens on Techdirt.
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Re: Re: So, basically...
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Re: So, basically...
so I suppose the better option is to share the crap out of this article everywhere in hopes people will stop rationalizing that the battlefield series is worth buying over dealing with garbage like this.
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Re: So, basically...
JUST SAY NO!
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People seeing "oh, its simcity I need it for my collection" and auto-preorder are too common. They are probably the only ones buying Simcity 6 but that is far in the future so the players might have forgotten...
EA was
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Yep Free to play, free to do anything, though there are Micropayments they are ONLY for cosmetic pieces (colours, etc) and do nothing for the skillsets/weapons/etc
It's currently in BETA with about 2million players (USA, EU,ASIA servers) 5.5gig download and New Zealand - amazing hearing dialogue in a Kiwi Accent ;)
Here's a good Diablo to PoE guide (with more about the Beta and FREE)
and Look and be awed at this freakin Passive Skill (1350 of them) tree.. OMG the mind boggles!
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Fortunately, Blizzard is miles ahead of Maxis/EA in this respect..
Maybe I got lucky. I dunno, the first day was bad, but it cleared up after that and it wasn't as monumentally bad as SimCity.
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And IMO, D3 with online only isn't as bad like simcity, mainly because if i remember correctly in Diablo 2 (which was a success), while you could have an offline profile, you would not be able to use it online, since the profile on battle-net is stored online.
Many people didn't even bothered playing the local profile unless they were running servers on their own (like using hamachi or whathever) OR if they were using the hero editor to test builds.
Simcity ALWAYS has been offline and unlike Diablo 2 and Diablo 3, i've never felt the need to play it online.
In other words, Diablo didn't pissed me off like simcity did (I didn't bought simcity, because on top of being online only, it was EA leading the game and not a serious company like Blizzard, ArenaNet or even Bethesda).
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Statistcally, you're bound to find someone....
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Re: Statistcally, you're bound to find someone....
In 2012 EA employed 9225 people worldwide.
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Re: Re: Statistcally, you're bound to find someone....
Link to correct source.
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Re: Re: Re: Statistcally, you're bound to find someone....
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Re: Statistcally, you're bound to find someone....
EA is being run into the ground by a bunch of idiots. This is just further proof that they don't get it.
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Re: Re: Statistcally, you're bound to find someone....
They did put a lot of effort into this project, and it definitely doesn't feel good when you put so much time and effort into something that receives such a poor reaction. Based on human nature, it is a given they will cling to the few people that praise them for their work instead of criticize it. What makes it sound childish is crying out that such people exist, which given the massive market they have, no one doubts those people exist (although they may or may not be in the minority).
But the core of the problem, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who is tired of developers trying to take an established IP, and ‘re-invent’ it. They don’t make it better, they don’t improve upon the core elements that are expected for that IP, and they add some ‘modern’ feature that supposedly makes up for the rest of the game being half-assed.
What’s worse is that often times these teams are lead by someone who is acting as if they really believe that taking over someone else’s work is going to get their name on the box and make them the next Will Wright or Sid Meier.
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Would of saved the bullshit though admittedly they wouldn't of been able to charge the same amount. Though then again could of made a fortune in micropayments from idiots.
Me I think I'll stick with the older Simcity 2000 and Simcity 4 and let EA fester in their own ego's
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This whole debacle is a real shame as I was looking forward to this game. Now it is firmly boycotted. If they don't fix the issues and introduce an offline option then they aren't getting any money from me.
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Would've, not would of.
Wouldn't have, not wouldn't of.
Could've, could of.
I hate being a grammar Nazi, but there it is.
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never mind its all ok.
If I could of known I would of placed some haves everywhere.
for you instead...
*whistles*
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Be careful or you might fall into a comma.
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How would you feel about "wouldn't've"?
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If people doing things for free can do a better job than the company being paid MILLIONS of dollars.... something is wrong.
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Or Try Open Source
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Refunds
One thing i am certain of is that if they had to by law give refunds none of this would have happened, and the game when released would have been properly tested and not just thrown out there with massive bugs that have been found, in fact the entire structure of the game is not as advertised.
I think we need to start demanding that the law covers the right to a full refund within 7 days of purchasing a game, and if people start asking for refunds once they have completed the game too bad, the right to ask for a refund trumps their right to assume people are committing a crime.
Seriously they cannot in any way assume people are going to buy the game play it to the end then ask for a refund, the law does not work that way, you have to prove someone has committed a crime before punishing them for said crime.
Demand refunds on all games if they are not working as advertised, and nowhere on the game cover does it say clearly that it is an always online game or that the game cannot be saved across servers, or that the game does not allow the features advertised by EA.Or that you could lose all your work if a server has an update applied to it.
And i for one don't care what damage this does to the market, if the developers ignore the consumers then they need to leave the market to those that don't.
One thing i think we can all feel good about is that EA is going to lose a lot of money with so many people not buying the game and hopefully not as many buying the DLC as they anticipated.
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Re: Refunds
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Even in the US, there's some expectation that a product is not total crap (UCC). It's just that software has never really been held to this standard by any merchant. They've all managed to get away with disallowing returns.
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I imagine those people are the ones in charge of the company. So that's not going to happen.
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Refunds
MMM nice to know that you can get a refund in the UK. I wonder if there are similar laws in the US and other countries about distance selling.
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If it were a car, maybe.
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It's going to be based on the state though as it's a state law, not federal as "[f]ederal lemon laws cover anything mechanical."
stuff in italics is quoted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon_law, and yes I know it's wikipedia and not a real source, but still
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http://oi50.tinypic.com/eisfic.jpg
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Sorry but the game is just phenomenal
Dont get me wrong i cant stand EA and with maxis was on Steam but this game is so much better then anything i have played in a long time.
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You and others like you are the reason EA continues to exist, and the reason they continue to push out DRM infected bs.
It shouldn't matter how good the game is, DRM is malware, and EA's version of it is downright condescending.
If your friend treated you like a thief, would you remain friends? Or would you find someone else who respects you?
Don't support DRM, and don't buy their game.
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Watch this come back and bite 'em on the arse. I have my popcorn ready.
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Naming Problem
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After that huge flip-flop she should be fired. She has even less credibility than your average ea employee, and that takes some doing.
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Don't you mean *not* the case? That is what the evidence shows.
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That way if someone's vision is blurry, someone with better vision can fork whatever good code there is and make the game not suck.
This works even if the content is still closed so you could still have your epic story driven FPSes that cost whatever.
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My own, estimated, negative contribution to EA's bottom line is 3-5 games or 150-250 dollars. This negativity also reflects the degrading quality of current EA's offerings which surely is a symptom of revenue loss. Even it they grew wings and said they tossed DRM it would take me years to read about it on game review sites to trust them with another 40-60 bucks again. Waste of available spending cash.
Since some of my friends feel even more strongly this has got to be a huge loss to EA and similar DRM'd games. I also hate it when I or family does want a game it takes so long to read game sites to find out the DRM condition for each.
Any DRM = no purchase. The kids whimper a bit but not obsessively. (they also know that whining gets a dirty look or even an extra chore) Linux games are getting better and more reliable too. (good examples shawnhcorey). I would say freeciv is awesome... except for the huge amount of time sunk into it.
The Anon comment about refunds would be nice. While we are at it lets go for first sale rights (ability to resell anything an average consumer/firm bought) for anything that sells more than 5000 units. It needs to be normal SOP that any firm/manufacturer must provide a no strings attached product.
The question might be better phrased as “Do you like it when you are spied on or monitored so closely that it is spying anyway?” With the obvious EA doublespeak when questioned for justification (of DRM) no way I can find a whit of trust in them. It is always the case that when records are kept they are used/abused and almost never in your favor.
Note to TD staff: Thanks for the new https!
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Intended or unintended consequence? Whatever happened to forward thinking in the corporate world?
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This is the reason why I don't bother purchasing new software. Besides, the older software was superior. The only thing that's imrpoved since back in the day is the 3D technology; everything else has been downgraded IMO. Even the soundtracks are thoroughly unmemorable.
I really wish that somebody would just say to hell with it and create an old-school 8-bit or 16-bit console without all the bells and whistles of the modern consoles. One caveat: NEVER allow power-hungry companies such as EA to develop for it (not that they'd want to, especially if it didn't have online functionality).
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1.I would rather not Contribute to giving any Publicity for a DRM Krap Game.
2.I do my best not to play any of these DRM Online blah blah Games.The few (very few) are used with Cracks which makes it so I can avoid the persistant and invasive going Online blah.
DRM Sucks ! And in the Case of EA/Maxis it is obvious these guys played some outright lies and put out Adds for their Game which had Lies in the Adds themselves.
Those who played into their hands should do a Class Action Lawsuit against them.Gamers should also do some kind of International Week of Boycott to show these Companies the Gamers are the power not them and their Greed.
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However, this would've been a better statement to make BEFORE all this crap went down. They've already been busted lying their asses off about the mandatory-online feature. They said it was essential to basic gameplay - LIARS! They're reeling from the massive amount of negative feedback from a launch so frakked up that they got a Hallmark card from the Soviet space program. This statement is the equivalent of sour grapes - nobody believes our lies anymore, so we'll just rationalize the whole thing away, with an emphatic "End of Story!" at the end.
If they'd come out and said, well before release, that they wanted SimCity to be online-always because they wanted to move the franchise in a more social multiplayer direction, then fine. This move reeked of DRM from the start, and every day something new pops up that confirms that. EA can no longer deny it anymore, so they make hindsight justifications for it.
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The problem is not their freedom to design crap. The problem is designing crap, then going around advertising it as not crap, and when people tell them repeatedly it is crap, they refuse to listen because "it is our game" excuse.
It may be their game, but how much can you get away with after you lie to people and get their money?
The answer should be, nobody should get away with it.
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I Just don't get it....
Because the new technology doesn't allow you to simulate other players/cities in an offline mode right? Hell my Microsoft Hearts can even simulate other players decent enough...
This whole mess was a bad design choice that was likely made by the business people/publishers (ty EA) and pushed onto the developers "because of the pirates" (*even though they aren't willing to admit it)
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Got it.
Also their vision is flawed when they want the game to be an MMO style game when people just aren't going to commit the time to SimCity that they would to a traditional MMO.
It's sad because I want to play SimCity and I want to give EA my money but there is absolutely no way in hell that they're getting a sale out of me until they fix this. I refuse to support a company that manhandles their customers in such a way.
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Instead of finding the reason for an issue they're finding an issue and creating a reason that fits their needs.
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Oh really
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The #1 worst company is voted out of business.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g418BSF6XBQ
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Proof positive...
And they know it.
And we know it.
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No, "tons of people like it" is not justification. First, give me a source on this information. Second of all...yes. It is a cool concept. I'm certain that it adds a new level of fun to gameplay. But FORCING people to use it is just stupid and stop pretending it's not about DRM. EA has been DRM maximalist for quite a while now, Origin even watches everything you do on your computer, so saying 'no really it isn't DRM' convinces precisely no one.
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The fallout spreads
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My favorite bit of double-speak
My favorite part is where she says "It didn’t come down as an order from corporate and it isn’t a clandestine strategy to control players."
However, Lucy Bradshaw is not just the GM of the Maxis division. She's also a Senior Vice President of EA. So, if this was her decision, it's a bit of a half-truth that this "didn't come down as an order from corporate" -- she is from corporate.
Of course, the rest of her statement is filled with lies, half-truths, and the usual PR nonsense, but this was particularly amusing.
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It is kind of like saying fast food is great, many people like it, despite not recognizing that the only ones that do like is because they either are unaware of the consequences, don't care, or can't help themselves.
Any sane person who can reason(which may or may not be the majority) would think otherwise, and are also the ones giving them EA the heat.
So not only I don't buy that statement, I also find it as irrelevant as trying to claim fast food(not at all crap or damaging to ones health) is good because fat people like it. Well no shit Sherlock.
The fact people bought your crap doesn't mean it is not crap.
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Should have called it SimCity Online
Back to Cities XL ...
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Shills?
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Re: Shills?
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The heads are starting to roll, now
John Riccitiello has resigned, effective March 30, to be replaced by Larry Probst.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-03-18-john-riccitiello-out-as-ceo-of-ea
I doubt that he's going to be the only one, either. I expect Bradshaw is probably polishing up her resume as well-or she should be after the disaster that has brought down the CEO.
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I wanted to buy this but
LEARN FROM SKYRIM HOW TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY.
Well that is 60 less from a fan EA/Maxis will not see.
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Why even bother?
I feel as if this tread is going to continue, and it'll probably become even more pronounced in the years to come, to the point where you won't even be able to play a game by yourself anymore. I feel for people who want a solitary experience, like when reading a book or perhaps watching a film, games won't be able to provide this anymore, and being able to craft a memorable experience is going to suffer.
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