The BioWare / EA / Origin thread

[der_ketzer]

Yes it does.

[Chyron8472]

My wife says that I should wait (for her) to buy Mass Effect 3 on my birthday, which is in May.

I know I've said I won't buy it if it's not on Steam, but truth be told I'm unsure when it will and I don't think I want to have to wait years for it to do so.

[Alcoremortis]

If it's not on Steam, all my money goes to Diablo III (Yes, I know it's not on Steam either but I'm looking forward to it more). That's just how things are, I guess. Besides, I still need to finish (and start) my perfect run-throughs of the first two.

[der_ketzer]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

I know I've said I won't buy it if it's not on Steam, but truth be told I'm unsure when it will and I don't think I want to have to wait years for it to do so.

It might never be on Steam. I don't care. I can wait forever or not play the game at all.

[Vainamoinen]

German reviews of ME3 are... well... suspiciously favorable. I was never a fan of the conspiracy theory that reviews could be "bought". I don't think that's how journalism works, and I'm almost an insider.

However, having a bulk of well-paid ME3 advertisements on your website... well, a man could somehow feel an obligation. I've read one review that has some very prominent and valid points of critique but still arrives at a whopping 90%. But, hey, it could still just be fanboy reviewers. And fanboy journalist beats bought journalist hands down.

Originally Posted by gamer247

I caved in and bought Mass Effect 3, After telling myself that I was going to wait until the price came down. Does this mean I'm weak?

Probably. But a little weakness doesn't hurt. Even less if you get an Origin-free console version.

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

I know I've said I won't buy it if it's not on Steam, but truth be told I'm unsure when it will and I don't think I want to have to wait years for it to do so.

The way I see it, it's bad news for Steam users here. Of course, €A would make more money with an additional Steam release - but they have made abundantly clear that they're trying to push their Origin crap through whatever the cost (for the customer). Origin can't score with better prices or functionality, and it certainly has dropped the ball from teh heavens to hell concerning customer privacy, so the only thing that can still advertise Origin is game exclusivity. €A's marketing would rather commit collective suicide than put ME3 on Steam this year, I fear, because Origin would have immediately failed.

[taumel]

Nothing new, sounds like the standard procedure, buy game, install crack.

Originally Posted by KuroShiro

Be wary of day one reviews. They are generally horribly inflated.

Well, i guess it depends on which ones you read. From what i've read and seen so far i doubt that it's a bad game. It more seems to be a very good one if you can enjoy the universe, which i sadly can't. But i still would be interested in certain aspects of the game, so i might just watch a friend playing it a bit.

[Chyron8472]

Originally Posted by taumel

Nothing new, sounds like the standard procedure, buy game, install crack.

This.

tbh, I've considered this as what should be standard operating procedure for games that have persistent-online-DRM. Granted, I have not purchased one yet that has required me to do so, but if it came to it, I would do so without feeling guilty about it. After all, I used to crack games all the time that required me to insert the disc during play. I hate that.

For you mods, it isn't piracy. It might be going against whatever section of the DMCA, but I don't care.

[RetroVortex]

In the end of the day, publishers and devs need to realise that backstabbing the people that are actually paying for your goods is just counter-productive.

If anything restrictive DRM just makes people act in the opposite way then they seem to realise.

It makes people NOT buy stuff they might want, makes pirates even more determined to crack it, gives the company a bad PR image, and it makes the people who do buy it more aware of the illegal options available to improve their product.

(I remember I learned about cracks after getting irritated I had to put the disc in my drive all the time for one game, even though it installed all the files off the disc and had a CD key. Just googled the game's name and "no cd disk" and lo behold the answer was there)

Companies need to be more like GOG. Take up the philosophies of fair pricing, additional exclusive content (like OSTs and extra ready bits that people might have missed), and customer orientated service design.

Why are indies are doing so well?

Its simple. They are getting their games out there with agressive relevant marketing practices (indie bundles, steam sales, redditing, direct feedback ,kickstarter ect.), and making them easy to install and play with little issue.

(Focus on a qualitative experience and innovation have a lot to do with it as well, but if these indie guys didn't get their product out there, then no-one would buy it, play it, and spread good reputation via word of mouth and online media)

[The Gentleman]

God dammit, this wait it killing me.

And I probably won't have my game delivered until monday next week, this saturday if I'm very lucky.

I have to avoid them spoilers... ARGH. Guess that means I'll have to try and finish Amalur over this weekend.

[Vainamoinen]

I installed the first DLC on Mass Effect 3, now the game won't load my saves in offline mode any more whatever I do ("couldn't verify")! €A better provide a solution to this bullshit RIGHT NOW.

[KuroShiro]

Originally Posted by Vainamoinen

I installed the first DLC on Mass Effect 3, now the game won't load my saves in offline mode any more whatever I do ("couldn't verify")! €A better provide a solution to this bullshit RIGHT NOW.

Though I don't really condone piracy and related activities, just install the crack and it will work without issues. You can get rid of Origin too after doing so.

In the end of the day, publishers and devs need to realise that backstabbing the people that are actually paying for your goods is just counter-productive.

I recall the president of EA saying in an interview that not having DRM on a game was the equivalent on not having a lock on the front door of your house. This analogy would only be valid if the lock were ridiculously complex and occasionally failed to open with a proper key, while a ground floor window was left wide open.

[der_ketzer]

Originally Posted by Vainamoinen

I installed the first DLC on Mass Effect 3, now the game won't load my saves in offline mode any more whatever I do ("couldn't verify")! €A better provide a solution to this bullshit RIGHT NOW.

I guess you have to go online with the game at least once. Welcome to the OriginExperience enjoy your trip.
It needs you to veryfy that you own the DLC because anybody could install it with the file. I could go on and download all the ME2 & 3 DLC right now but I would have to verify ownership after installing (the ones for ME2).

[Vainamoinen]

Originally Posted by der_ketzer

I guess you have to go online with the game at least once.

Well OF COURSE you have to. That was the expected part.

In this case, Origin repeatedly wants this confirmation, which was very odd. Yesterday it started without the confirmation after I restarted my computer. But today it does the same shit. I'm starting to get... nicely irate. I'll have that Amazon review up before €A knows what hit it.

[der_ketzer]

Just don't complain on their forums about it with an account that has games on it.

[taumel]

Censorship is cool, isn't it? Especially if you bought a product from a company already.

[Chyron8472]

Has anyone here played Jade Empire?

Is it good?

[RetroVortex]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

Has anyone here played Jade Empire?

Is it good?

Yes. Yes it is.

[Darth Marsden]

I bought Jade Empire (along with two other games to make the 3-for-£10 offer) and then promptly left them on the bus and lost them. I was a sad panda that day.

[The Gentleman]

OH GOD YES.

My copy arrived early

GOTTA PLAY IT

[der_ketzer]

Originally Posted by Darth Marsden

I bought Jade Empire (along with two other games to make the 3-for-£10 offer) and then promptly left them on the bus and lost them. I was a sad panda that day.

See that's why you buy games on Steam. (Almost) as cheap and you cannot forget them in the bus.