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[mrklaw]

It's reality and it's impossible to prevent. The only online games this doesn't happen to at launch are ones nobody cares about.

if you have to have always online DRM, you need a fallback to deal with server outages - eg at high demand times like launch or because of maintenance. Game should fall back to offline in those cases and ping the server now and again until its back online. Maybe if it remains offline for more than 24 hours it stops you playing - you should at least be able to get a quick authentication in the background by then.

There are no excuses.

This is also insane because EA should know exactly how many games were sold through because they all have to register through origin. therefore they should also know how much server capacity is needed. EA launch new games all the time - they could just have a ton of excess capacity sitting there to deal specifically with launch spikes, and then reduce down as the game settles.

 

[spirity]

More servers isn't some magic spell. EA decided to go cheap and didn't account for the server load, though the exact same thing happened in KOTOR. They knew this would happen, but they measured the costs, and decided to let it happen anyway since they have the money of these early adopters anyway, and assume the problems will be over by the time other people are jumping in. This is entirely EA's fault, and entirely within their power to prevent. They chose not to. Just like they chose this form of DRM for a game that has no same time multiplayer features.

I often wonder about this.

1) Shell out the required amount of money to expand your server farm ahead of time so that launch day issues don't happen. Pre-oder sales, buzz and research should give you an indication of what to expect when the game launches.

or

2) Know the servers will go kaput, but do nothing about it anyway, because you got your money and the players can always just join some sort of log in queue or something.

I'm perhaps a bit jaded, but option 2 seems to be the default. Some companies will add servers to decrease the load, but even then it seems they don't add enough,

It used to be just MMO's that had this problem, but now I see its spreading to other games. How much does it cost to add servers? I'm assuming its a lot, but I have no clue.

 

[Aaron]

Took me more than an hour to get the game to start up, immediately disconnected so I couldn't actually play. Given the poor reception it's had with customers even outside of server issues, I suppose the problem will soon be solved when people don't want to play the game anymore.

Oh well, time to play me some EU3.

EA still has your money. EA wins.

 

[Recall]

I wonder how much money they made at launch as it seems EA doesn't care about shitty servers as they have already got your money.

 

[Kabouter]

EA still has your money. EA wins.

They do, it sucks.

 

[Vagabundo]

EA still has your money. EA wins.

He'd be able to get a refund under EU law.

I hope enough players request one that it makes them notice.

 

[Peco]

Ha, perfect!

 

[perfectchaos007]

How did EA think online exclusive play was a good idea for the Sim City franchise? Since when has that philosophy ever worked out for a non-MMORPG?

 

[beje]

How did EA think online exclusive play was a good idea for the Sim City franchise? Since when has that philosophy ever worked out for a non-MMORPG?

Since Diablo III, but they could "get away" (not without their fair share of shit) with it due to being mother-fucking-diablo-three. Guess enough backlash and next publisher trying to do this shit will think twice.

 

[xJavonta]

I have absolutely no sympathy for those players affected by this. You are the ones supporting these practices and this is what you deserve.

Flawless

Yup. Stop buying these always-online-DRM games. It's not acceptable and you're fucking yourselves over. Got burned once with D3 (well twice if you count the quality of the game itself) and vowed never to support such a shitty business practice again. You guys should do the same, you'll be happier.

Justin McElroy taking a very egocentric approach to "serious issues".

Did you honestly expect anything less from him? I know I didn't.

 

[Aaron]

He'd be able to get a refund under EU law.

I hope enough players request one that it makes them notice.

Let's be honest. Very few people will do that. Not nearly enough for EA to change their ways.

 

[Mogwai]

Just got my copy of the game an hour ago. About to install it.

Are the servers still down?

 

[beje]

Anytime something like this happens it always screws legit consumers but also leaves pirates playing freely.

How are pirates doing this time, with the game being half server based or something like that?

They just don't, but still manage to screw over legitimate paying customer in the process. Seriously, anybody endorsing these practises are corporate apologists of the worst kind, people for which I have no sympathy at all.

 

[Palette Swap]

Anytime something like this happens it always screws legit consumers but also leaves pirates playing freely.

How are pirates doing this time, with the game being half server based or something like that?

I guess they're pirating something else and somehow surviving without this game.

 

[Forsete]

This shit better be fixed by the time I get home (3.5 hours).

I seriously hope this isn't the future for console games or rather any platforms games. Ugh.

 

[TheD]

They just don't, but still manage to screw over legitimate paying customer in the process. Seriously, anybody endorsing these practises are corporate apologists of the worst kind, people for which I have no sympathy at all.

Yep, complete shit stains that do nothing but make gaming worse.

 

[TheVoidDragon]

I don't see why anyone would choose to defend EA's horrible decision to make the game always-online. I was going to buy this but i don't think i will for a while now.

 

[Atruvius]

Confirmation that the game doesn't run properly in Germany and the rest of Europe, what a clusterfuck

http://www.golem.de/news/server-sim-city-5-hat-auch-in-deutschland-startprobleme-1303-98043.html

I just managed to connect to EU WEST 2 and play the tutorial. After over 2 hours of server errors. The tutorial was fun.

Edit. and the servers are down for me again.

 

[Aaron]

I don't see why anyone would choose to defend EA's horrible decision to make the game always-online. I was going to buy this but i don't think i will for a while now.

If they get you now or later, EA still wins. They saved money by going cheap with the servers, and even those customers pissed off come back to the fold eventually. Expect all of their games to be online only from here on out.

 

[Fried Food]

I might just pick up sim city 2000, never played a sim city game. I want the graphics of the new sim city though

 

[Tizoc]

I love SC2k but...$5.99? Really?

For how many hours you'll be spending playing it, $6 doesn't sound too bad =P.

 

[CookTrain]

2) Know the servers will go kaput, but do nothing about it anyway, because you got your money and the players can always just join some sort of log in queue or something.

Once upon a time, I might have accepted the "unexpected demand" line, for I am quite the mug, but now I think this is exactly what happens. People always cram the doors to play the game at launch and the story always dies a week after service resumes, so they hedge their bets on weathering the server storm.

EA have been this way in their big online games for years now. The first time I can think back to really noticing it was BF1943 on XBLA. That game was unplayable for the better part of a week. Pretty much every high-profile online release from them since them, MMO or no, has been unstable to unplayable at launch. This isn't an unexpected problem, to EA this is acceptable, temporary PR trouble. Winds me up sometimes.

 

[TheOddOne]

Lawl.

 

[Toma]

Then expect all of this completely legitimate bitching about the game launch being a hot mess completely disappear under a blanket of "we managed to finally fix our issues and totally curbed piracy in the process" type press release.

Shame, because the game looks truly good.

Its a shame EA will get away with it once the server issues are resolved, because the game is butchered to pieces.

 

[GunslingerVit]

Lawl.

Does this mean that the connection to the server got lost? It would really deserve all the anger, then!

 

[SamVT]

Aahh despite the woos (and I feel for their developers and server people, having been in a similar position November last year) I am really looking forward to finally playing a new Simcity again. My favourite series. Midnight tonight! And I've taken tomorrow off, Godus work will have to wait a little. BRING IT ON!

 

[TheOddOne]

Does this mean that the connection to the server got lost? It would really deserve all the anger, then!

Seems to be a problem with syncing. Problem is no way to know when it isn't sync'd (Got this off twitter).

 

[GunslingerVit]

Great Scott, EA!

 

[JonathanEx]

We should just get used to this level of uptime. It'll be just what it's like when the servers get switched off in a year's time and your money is wasted.

 

[Carcetti]

Lawl.

I love that the image is of Milkman Dan.

Gotta admit my interest in this game is waning quick. One more day to be happy because I never preorder anything.

 

[Mendrox]

Aahh despite the woos (and I feel for their developers and server people, having been in a similar position November last year) I am really looking forward to finally playing a new Simcity again. My favourite series. Midnight tonight! And I've taken tomorrow off, Godus work will have to wait a little. BRING IT ON!

You won't be able to play...trust me. Tomorrow is Friday.. most of the people will try to play it. I guess you will be able to play normally next week. :|

 

[spirity]

Once upon a time, I might have accepted the "unexpected demand" line, for I am quite the mug, but now I think this is exactly what happens. People always cram the doors to play the game at launch and the story always dies a week after service resumes, so they hedge their bets on weathering the server storm.

EA have been this way in their big online games for years now. The first time I can think back to really noticing it was BF1943 on XBLA. That game was unplayable for the better part of a week. Pretty much every high-profile online release from them since them, MMO or no, has been unstable to unplayable at launch. This isn't an unexpected problem, to EA this is acceptable, temporary PR trouble. Winds me up sometimes.

It does seem like they're always "taken by surprise"' by the "unprecedented demand on our servers". (Not actual quotes). Its a line of schtick I see repeated often, and in Diablo 3's case, it was saddening to see players step up to defend such stuff too.

"Oh, its release day, what did you expect. Wait until tomorrow". Then the next day,
"oh its the second day after launch, what did you expect. Tomorrow it'll be a lot better". And then it went to
"its only been a week lol, give it til next week". Yeah. People were actually saying that.

As long as people defend such stuff, and as long as people buy these products on launch, they'll keep doing it to us. A few people here have said "serves you right, you deserve this treatment" and though I understand, I can't say it myself. Because if I did, I'd be a hypocrite. I bought Diablo 3 on launch knowing it was going to be huge, knowing the forced online architecture of the game, and expecting it to go wrong. So I was part of the problem.

However, that was the only time I have ever, or will ever, do that again. I think everyone should allow themselves one strike. But after that, after it happens to you, then that's it. Do not make the same mistake twice, you don't go back for another round of slaps to the face. Because if you do, then you really do deserve everything that's coming to you.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

The original SC2K is still a great classic and worth playing.

 

[Phonomezer]

This is actually pretty tempting.

 

[KKRT00]

bought Diablo 3 on launch knowing it was going to be huge, knowing the forced online architecture of the game, and expecting it to go wrong. So I was part of the problem.

However, that was the only time I have ever, or will ever, do that again. I think everyone should allow themselves one strike. But after that, after it happens to you, then that's it. Do not make the same mistake twice, you don't go back for another round of slaps to the face. Because if you do, then you really do deserve everything that's coming to you.

Yep, i've bought Diablo 3 2 or 3 days after launch and still couldnt really play for few next days. I've also over-paid for it by a ton, most PC games in Poland cost around 35-40$, i've paid 70E for D3 ;\
But as You said, never again. I can buy MMO on launch, but i wont buy big online-only game on launch ever again.

 

[Meadows]

This might be the game that kills always online.

 

[ruttyboy]

This might be the game that kills always online.

I would put everything I own on this not being true. So long as people think pre-ordering is a good idea, this exploitation will continue apace.

 

[Lime]

This might be the game that kills always online.

Unfortunately Diablo 3 didn't. I hope you're right though.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

It's kind of amazing that the launch of this was so fucked in just the right/wrong ways that there haven't even been any editorials about how it's way better than old "antiquated" SimCity games and upset fans are just whiners who don't like the color of the roads or whatever

 

[RicardoNeftali]

This might be the game that kills always online.

I think this has a shot. When it happened with Diablo 3 the audience didn't really include casual fans. This involves all kinds of fans, casual and hardcore. I mean the demographics for SimCity are crazy. I can totally see this being an awakening moment for the casual fans. Something that makes them actually know the implications of "always online". Before this what casual game actually had this requirement. And surely none have failed a launch so spectacularly.

 

[B-Dex]

Euro servers say logins are closed if you try to play on them... hahaha

 

[Parabellum]

should I be able to login after 'Authenticating with SimCity servers' message goes thru?

 

[jdl]

is it even confirmed that this was an EA imposed decision?

 

[Alcoholikaust]

Euro servers say logins are closed if you try to play on them... hahaha

that's shitty. I was at least able to play for 6 hours on release day here on the states.

 

[DaBuddaDa]

This might be the game that kills always online.

Same thing was said about Diablo III, a much, much higher profile game than this, and after a week everyone forgot about the launch issues and it sold 12 million copies.

 

[Lucifon]

Same thing was said about Diablo III, a much, much higher profile game than this, and after a week everyone forgot about the launch issues and it sold 12 million copies.

This. Once they're sorted and everyone's in enjoying playing noone will care. I also feel outside of the server issues the game is seriously good. Makes the pain of not being able to play even greater!

 

[Mael]

It's kind of amazing that the launch of this was so fucked in just the right/wrong ways that there haven't even been any editorials about how it's way better than old "antiquated" SimCity games and upset fans are just whiners who don't like the color of the roads or whatever

To be fair not even the apologist can play the game to make the tutorials!

 

[Baron_Calamity]

I will certainly not defend EA's decision to make Sim City an online only game. The impact here is being way over exaggerated. EA will get this issue with being unable to log on fixed and people will be able to play the game. Whether or not its a good game once that gets fixed is another matter.

 

[SolsticeZero]

Man, I'm so fucking glad I didn't buy this. This whole thing just seems like a nightmare.

 

[Fistwell]

Eurogamer published a little blurb on this (dunno if already posted). I'm hoping for more media coverage as the shit continues to stubbornly hit the fan of trainwreck failure.

Polygon has another update too.