Simcity

[Wiglaf]

Protip: if you have to say that, they are.

They almost certainly came about due to EA's desire to prevent the theft of its game. But they became more than simply DRM.

[Wiglaf]

1. The game requires the servers. You can not them aside.

2. I've listed several other problems I have with the game design already, at length, multiple times in this thread. If they get the servers working, it might be fun. But it is definitely a step backwards. And it remains at the mercy of EA's servers--not just their malfunctioning now, but also however long they decide to keep them running. 2 years, 3 years, 4 years from now, you won't be able to play it. Period. Because EA said so.

3. A programmer who worked on previous iterations of SimCity has commented several times on the Slate article you posted, and has stated his opinion which matches my own (and that of many others): the decision of always-online, and all the compromises it has required, was directed top-down from EA, and was not the decision of Mr. Quigley, et al.

The server issues themselves will be set aside in about a week, just like they were with Diablo 3. And it is unfortunate SC5 will probably be unplayable in 10 years, though I think that has become a necessary compromise due to piracy. Like I said, this isn't just DRM, or a constant server verification check. They integrated it with the game to help make it more fun and dynamic, and that should be applauded.

If I'm an EA executive right now, I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't.

[Guynemer]

How on god's green earth does a constant server verification check make the game more fun and dynamic?

[giblets]

If I'm an EA executive right now I don't actually play or care about videogames and if everything goes wrong I probably won't be held accountable But I definitely am not letting ANYONE enjoy a game for free.

[Guynemer]

http://www.ea.com/news/a-simcity-update-and-something-for-your-trouble

Oh, a free EA game. Which would require Origin, no doubt.

And, I am just gonna guess here, nothing over $20 will qualify. If otherwise, I will admit I am wrong. But I still won’t buy this broken piece of **** where the city size is roughly equivalent to a Sims 3 neighborhood, you can’t save your game locally, you can’t make your own connections to neighboring cities, can’t decide on your own zoning density, can’t mod content, and can’t even know how long you can play it because not only are the servers ****, but they could be turned off at any time for any reason at EA’s behest, at which point the game is essentially gone.

So, yeah. **** you in the ear with an elephant dick, EA.

[Wiglaf]

How on god's green earth does a constant server verification check make the game more fun and dynamic?

It doesn't. All the other stuff they did does. I think you misread what I wrote.

But I still won’t buy this broken piece of **** where the city size is roughly equivalent to a Sims 3 neighborhood, you can’t save your game locally, you can’t make your own connections to neighboring cities, can’t decide on your own zoning density, can’t mod content, and can’t even know how long you can play it because not only are the servers ****, but they could be turned off at any time for any reason at EA’s behest, at which point the game is essentially gone.

You can dictate density. It's tied to the roads. High density roads are necessary for high density RCI, and so on. I am curious about the city size complaint though. You realize some regions are basically 16 cities big right? Think of the regions as big cities.

[Wiglaf]

And Simcity 4's connections to neighboring cities were basically meaningless. SC5 does let you draw more roads to the "highway" to allow different entry points.

[Guynemer]

It doesn't. All the other stuff they did does. I think you misread what I wrote.

No, I read what you wrote. You wrote

Like I said, this isn't just DRM, or a constant server verification check. They integrated it with the game to help make it more fun and dynamic, and that should be applauded.

I think you meant some of the online content makes the game more fun and dynamic. Which I can accept. But you've also said yourself that you can play an entire region by yourself. So why, exactly, would I need a constant server verification check in that instance?

You can dictate density. It's tied to the roads. High density roads are necessary for high density RCI, and so on.

This is a step backwards from the previous game. You could have low density on an avenue, and high density on a street. Why was it necessary for this freedom to be taken away from the player?

I am curious about the city size complaint though. You realize some regions are basically 16 cities big right? Think of the regions as big cities.

Please endeavor not to piss on my head and tell me it is raining.

[Guynemer]

And Simcity 4's connections to neighboring cities were basically meaningless.

You've said this several times, and I am confused as to what it means.

[Hauldren Collider]

These aren’t even gimmicks to validate the use of DRM

Protip: if you have to say that, they are.

[Hauldren Collider]

Have you considered the possibility that the game is very good, server issues aside?

My dad has a saying for this: "Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?"

[Wiglaf]

The verification check is a DRM measure. But even playing by yourself, you benefit from the always online in a variety of ways (leaderboards, the constantly fluctuating global market, challenges).

Much of SC5's design is about indirect control. The restriction of zones to street types does take some "freedom" away in the sandbox sense, but adds new strategic considerations and is arguably more realistic since it provides more autonomy to your sims. Placing a high-capacity road is good for alleviating traffic and getting more sims, but is more expensive and may have a variety of other effects (too many workers and shoppers from the resulting high-density buildings being the biggest).

I am sorry you seem to want this to be SC4 with updated graphics, and that that prevents you from enjoying this game. Plenty of SC4 imitators have popped up over the years that you might be interested in. But as far as I know this is the closest Simcity has come to being a truly interactive simulation, and I think in that context its limitations become less concerning. There's nothing else like this that you can buy.

[Guynemer]

The verification check is a DRM measure. But even playing by yourself, you benefit from the always online in a variety of ways (leaderboards, the constantly fluctuating global market, challenges).

It seems your definition of "benefit" differs substantially from my own.

[Guynemer]

My dad has a saying for this: "Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?"

[Hauldren Collider]

I don't want SC4 with updated graphics, I want something that is at least an incremental improvement over SC4 and not a step backwards. SC2000 was a step forward from SC, SC3000 was a step forward from SC2000, and SC4 was a huge leap over SC3000. This is a step back.