SimCity and the faultiness behind always-online DRM
That's all I can stands and I can't stands no more!
"Blow me down, Maxis!"
This latest debacle involving the ever so popular </sarcasm> practice of always-online DRM (digital rights management) with SimCity is the last straw. When will companies learn to employ an alternative to piracy? Are we, the consumers, going to stand for this total lack of regard for our enjoyment of a paid product?
You know what's actually funny? I'm not even much of a PC gamer asides from an indie game on Steam now and then. There was a time when I was big into WarCraft II, The Sims, and, yes, SimCity (the one with that cool looking cyclops spider monster). This was all way before companies started to take serious action towards curbing pirated games.
I moved away from PC gaming primarily because of my preference for console games but also because of the rise of practices like what we have seen in recent titles such as the new SimCity and Diablo III. In both cases, the servers used were just unable to handle the amount of players online. If you can't connect to the server, then you essentially have no game to play. Congratulations, your disc is now an overpriced coaster!
A lot of news outlets like to place the blame on Maxis for developing SimCity to be online only. Others point their finger at Electronic Arts for not properly preparing their servers before launch. I would scrutinize both parties in terms of this specific example as well, however, there is an inherent problem that encompasses more of the big picture here. The United States online infrastructure currently in place is simply not where it needs to be for people to enjoy games that require a constant Internet connection.
Despite how far we've come on the technology side of things with smartphones and data plans to support them, a reliable Internet connection in the average American household isn't as common as you might think. Those of you who live in or close to major metropolitan cities or even use their work place WiFi may not be plagued by the sudden drops or inability to connect to the Internet at all as someone who lives in a rural area experiences. For most of the country, this constant frustration is a reality. Even to this day, dial-up Internet is still prevalent with AOL's numbers showing that they serve roughly 3 million customers.
Remember this, my fellow New Englanders?
With that fact, it's no wonder the recently announced PlayStation 4 was stated to not require an online connection in order to play games. Sony seems to get it, so why not the PC crowd? Until we reach a point where the States can offer high-speed connections across the board, the way of always-online DRM will only lead to a brick wall.
Let us know your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.
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g1 DISCUSSIONS
Evil Ivan
Among U.S. internet users with stable broadband service, our connection speeds are rather pathetic compared to those enjoyed in Japan, for example.
blackcatv2
not to mention the fact that depending on the provider and your computer or laptop speed you many no have enough bandwitdh to even get on the game at all and the fact that compainies will charge more for better service that should be standard
Lord-Riokuza
The thing I hate about DRM is that lest say 10 years from now you decide to play Simcity once more, for fun...oups servers are close. Your game is worth nothing. and it is not like Raimbowsix where you are the server. No the company are the server so if they close the servers you cn do nothing about it. Imagine if games like GoldenEye 64,Mariokart,Mario party where all DRM.. today thoses games would be unplayable. Sad that evry DRM games will be like this
TheDoctor8788
That thought actually hadn't crossed my mind when I first commented. You bring up a very good point. =)
Kaibaman41
I'll let Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z Abridged speak for me on this bull shit. Always Online DRM NEEDS TO GO! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWcHMHz3NoA&list=LLtL0a9Bjr_xyfVRFDe2PZog
TheDoctor8788
Here's my take on this topic. Always online DRM is just a bad idea. There are people who have limited connections or no connection at all unless they go into the city, at a school campus or the like. Also, even if one has a good high speed internet connection, there are always the planned and unplanned maintenance outages that occur on ISP networks, hardware failure, backbone outages, power outages (affecting portions of the city such as where the CO that services you is located but not necessarily you) and many other issues. So really, it's just a bad idea and EA is one of the biggest proponents of using such practices. Ubisoft is another one if I remember correctly. Regardless, it just shouldn't be done because while good intentions may be at heart, it alienates the consumers who have purchased the game and experience problems using it, all the while people are still able to pirate such games.
E-GAG101
*sigh* I live in a rural area of Ohio, I have high speed.......but it's definently not "high speed". And you pay a premium for it too
neodrakan
I honestly don't understand exactly what you're trying to say here.I get the point you're trying to make in the latter half by stating that parts of the U.S still don't have a reliable and stable connection, but it's not presented properly.
And your first half states that you started moving away from PC gaming since 1995,but are you trying to say that modern debacles like always online DRM are what kept you away?
I'm not sure what you're exactly trying to point out here,it's just not structured well enough and your argument is pretty weak.
LightningandIce
I think it is a terrible practice, adn not only because it limits play time. Simply put, if you buy a product, you should be able to use it. Plain and simple, no ifs, ands, or buts. You absolutely should not have to check in with the manufacturer of any product every time you want to use it, and they shouldn't have the right to dictate how you use your own stuff anyway. Unless the game itself depends on a connection (like MMO's or something) then it is ridiculous to limit consumers like that. I'm surprised the practice is even legal, and I firmly believe that it shouldn't be.
RiaraTan
If DRM was a "connect to our servers once to verification" DRM wouldn't really have that huge of a problem in the immediate picture. Honestly the worst thing imo with DRM is the future when I want to share with relatives or remember fond memories of a game of the past... I want to experience Diablo 3 again, but the servers are down and I'm forced to resort to piracy. The one thing I remember hearing about the PS4 is that the companies can choose to implement and always connected system and that Assassin's Creed 4 on PS4 at least will require internet at all times.