Sim City

teddansonswig

thanks i got that!
but wtf is origin......

Merger

Origin = Steam for EA ( I am just assuming you know what steam is)

teddansonswig

nope..... not a gamer

teddansonswig

i just read somewhere i could get playing sc5 with origin.....

cherryghost

teddansonswig wrote: »

i just read somewhere i could get playing sc5 with origin.....

Origin is the digital distribution platform for most of EA's Windows and Mac titles, you either download or install the game from disk, install origin and put in your product key. The key will locked to the origin account you create, so if you ever wanted to, you could install origin on another computer and install/download SimCity again. The other ideas of it are that games are auto-updated, and it serves as a deterrant of piracy.

Anywho, Origin is available for Mac but the game itself isn't Mac compatible yet. It will be announced when it is. For anyone who purchases the game now or at any point can play the game on Windows/Mac (when it's out for Mac) without making multiple purchases.

Merger

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What he said!

teddansonswig

thanks cherry! i guess what i read was that i could start playing... on a pc and transfer it later
was just hoping i could get it started already!

new mac(10.8) wont support power pc apps anymore so i cant even play simcity4

2smiggy

just wondering how much space this takes up ? and can i pre download and where is the cheapest place (without VPN or Russian translation !!)

I have 30 GB left on my SSD , so if anyone knows the best way of transferring games from Steam from a SSD to another hard drive it would be greatly appreciated as I may install Arma 3 this weekend too :pac:

grizzly

2smiggy wrote: »

just wondering how much space this takes up ? and can i pre download and where is the cheapest place (without VPN or Russian translation !!)

I have 30 GB left on my SSD , so if anyone knows the best way of transferring games from Steam from a SSD to another hard drive it would be greatly appreciated as I may install Arma 3 this weekend too :pac:

I think it's 12GB – but I'm only guessing from memory, from while I was doing the preload. On a similar point, can you split install locations on Origin across different drives?

_Puma_

I remember when Half Life 2 was released and Steam was introduced. At the time Steam was a mess, not helped by the fact that my internet connection was flaky. It took nearly 2 days to be able to play a single player game that I had waited for over 4 years for. To my relief steam has improved since and has on option to play in Offline mode. My experience with online DRM has not changed since. Since then, Steam has become the place where I buy most of my games but whenever I play a game it is always in offline mode. There is nothing more frustrating than getting booted out of a game and losing your save because your internet drops out for 30 seconds.

Always online DRM, like what is in the new Sim City, will never work and is not wanted by gamers, it is merely tolerated by some. People must vote with their wallets and not purchase games that have this always online DRM. I can accept games on steam that need you to be online once for activation as this will combat piracy but always online is a dead duck. The cons far outweigh the pros.

I would strongly urge people to not purchase this game as much as I love Sim City. Load up Sim City 2000 and enjoy that instead. One thing that is certain is EA will shut down the servers for the new Sim City in the future and there will be no way to play it like how you can play Sim City 2000 now.

Merger

_Puma_ wrote: »

I remember when Half Life 2 was released and Steam was introduced. At the time Steam was a mess, not helped by the fact that my internet connection was flaky. It took nearly 2 days to be able to play a single player game that I had waited for over 4 years for. To my relief steam has improved since and has on option to play in Offline mode. My experience with online DRM has not changed since. Since then, Steam has become the place where I buy most of my games but whenever I play a game it is always in offline mode. There is nothing more frustrating than getting booted out of a game and losing your save because your internet drops out for 30 seconds.

Always online DRM, like what is in the new Sim City, will never work and is not wanted by gamers, it is merely tolerated by some. People must vote with their wallets and not purchase games that have this always online DRM. I can accept games on steam that need you to be online once for activation as this will combat piracy but always online is a dead duck. The cons far outweigh the pros.

I would strongly urge people to not purchase this game as much as I love Sim City. Load up Sim City 2000 and enjoy that instead. One thing that is certain is EA will shut down the servers for the new Sim City in the future and there will be no way to play it like how you can play Sim City 2000 now.

I'm afraid I'm far too excited to even consider not buying this game, I would assume that over time most games will be subject to DRM at first then as the life of the game diminishes they will prob introduce offline mode to extend it slightly give it 6 months I would Imagine seeing a offline mode, so that they can free up some internal workings for a newer project.

humanji

_Puma_ wrote: »

I remember when Half Life 2 was released and Steam was introduced. At the time Steam was a mess, not helped by the fact that my internet connection was flaky. It took nearly 2 days to be able to play a single player game that I had waited for over 4 years for. To my relief steam has improved since and has on option to play in Offline mode. My experience with online DRM has not changed since. Since then, Steam has become the place where I buy most of my games but whenever I play a game it is always in offline mode. There is nothing more frustrating than getting booted out of a game and losing your save because your internet drops out for 30 seconds.

Always online DRM, like what is in the new Sim City, will never work and is not wanted by gamers, it is merely tolerated by some. People must vote with their wallets and not purchase games that have this always online DRM. I can accept games on steam that need you to be online once for activation as this will combat piracy but always online is a dead duck. The cons far outweigh the pros.

I would strongly urge people to not purchase this game as much as I love Sim City. Load up Sim City 2000 and enjoy that instead. One thing that is certain is EA will shut down the servers for the new Sim City in the future and there will be no way to play it like how you can play Sim City 2000 now.

How will it never work?

maggy_thatcher

humanji wrote: »

How will it never work?

Maybe never work is a little strong. It will work for a short period of time, assuming all variables are in your favour (i.e. you have a decent internet connection, there aren't too many other people who are in the mood to play the game, EA haven't decided to pull the plug because the game is too old, the DRM server hasn't decided that it thinks you're a pirate, etc. etc.)

Azza

_Puma_ wrote:

I remember when Half Life 2 was released and Steam was introduced. At the time Steam was a mess, not helped by the fact that my internet connection was flaky. It took nearly 2 days to be able to play a single player game that I had waited for over 4 years for. To my relief steam has improved since and has on option to play in Offline mode. My experience with online DRM has not changed since. Since then, Steam has become the place where I buy most of my games but whenever I play a game it is always in offline mode. There is nothing more frustrating than getting booted out of a game and losing your save because your internet drops out for 30 seconds.

Yeah Origin currently has issues. But so did Steam for quite a while. I think eventually Origin will be accepted just like Steam. Origin does have an offline mode too by the way. To me for the most part Origin fuctions just like Steam.

_Puma_ wrote:

Always online DRM, like what is in the new Sim City, will never work and is not wanted by gamers, it is merely tolerated by some. People must vote with their wallets and not purchase games that have this always online DRM. I can accept games on steam that need you to be online once for activation as this will combat piracy but always online is a dead duck. The cons far outweigh the pros.

Yeah I'd wish they would reconsider this. It really is a pain in the a**.

_Puma_ wrote:

One thing that is certain is EA will shut down the servers for the new Sim City in the future and there will be no way to play it like how you can play Sim City 2000 now.

Not certain at all. EA have shut down several multiplayer servers of games which where pretty much dead online anyway, but they still worked as single player games. There is no precedent for what you claim as a certainity. A few other games that did require an always online connection such as Ubisofts Assassins Creed 2 had the always online requirement removed after a few months. I'd wouldn't be suprised if that happened as well with this game.

_Puma_

Merger wrote: »

I'm afraid I'm far too excited to even consider not buying this game, I would assume that over time most games will be subject to DRM at first then as the life of the game diminishes they will prob introduce offline mode to extend it slightly give it 6 months I would Imagine seeing a offline mode, so that they can free up some internal workings for a newer project.

You would hope this but unfortunately that is not how Publishers like EA work. The game has now been designed to work using always online DRM, there is little to no chance that more Development resources will be put into retro fitting the back end that allows an Offline mode. They now have your money so they will be more interested in investing resources in DLC or micro transactions to increase revenue. Eventually when the costs of maintaining the game outstrip the Revenue the servers will be shut down.

EA have done this time and time again. If we are lucky Maxis might still be around and be actively working on a new Sim City with a different publisher that will not insist on always online DRM.

I really does pain me not to have this game, I remember seeing the first videos with the gameplay mechanics and being instantly hyped. Similiar to what we have seen with Diablo 3 (But hopefully the Playstation version can rectify this with the offline mode) always online single players are destined to be Doomed. All we are seeing is our favourite series being destroyed by greedy publishers like EA and Ubisoft.

humanji

maggy_thatcher wrote:

Maybe never work is a little strong. It will work for a short period of time, assuming all variables are in your favour (i.e. you have a decent internet connection, there aren't too many other people who are in the mood to play the game, EA haven't decided to pull the plug because the game is too old, the DRM server hasn't decided that it thinks you're a pirate, etc. etc.)

But they're just possibilities. None of them are set in stone. Do you worry about any of those things when buying an MMO?

dublinscot

Demios wrote: »

Care to let me know where you got the game so cheap, was debating getting it if the price was right but the best I could get was Gamefly and it wouldnt let me in the US site to buy it cheaper. Thanks!

It was from this site, but they're currently out of stock, plus they seem to have put the price up to 40

http://www.buygamecode.com/buy-simcity-pc-origin-cd-keys

Dcully

Watching this i cant help feeling the game is Sim Town and not Sim City.
The guy in the video mentions DLC that expands the possible city size, FFS they release Sim Town then Sim City as DLC :rolleyes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RrnXi5vPRY

Anyone

DRM is a pain in the ass, but as long as piracy levels are so high I cant see it going away, or if it does, it will be replaced by some other method.

Anyway, looking forward to this game, it wasnt on my game radar at all until a friend was raving about it. I looked up some vids and it looks like a lot of fun. Bang goes my weekend at least!

maggy_thatcher

humanji wrote: »

But they're just possibilities. None of them are set in stone. Do you worry about any of those things when buying an MMO?

When renting an MMO, no. However reading through the reviews of the new version of Sim-City, the "multi-player" stuff is not a necessary part of the game, but the game design was such that it was required.

And all of those scenarios do happen, they are not theoretical - for example, too many people want to play:



3 hours to wait for an open spot??

There are many reports of the DRM servers telling you codes are already in use etc.

These may be teething problems, but they are the biggest problem with applications that are multi-player only for no real reason (unlike MMOs).

I will certainly not be renting this game unless and until they come out and say that they will adapt it to be single-player, non-online compatible; so that the game will actually last longer than however long EA decide to keep it operational.

_Puma_

humanji wrote: »

But they're just possibilities. None of them are set in stone. Do you worry about any of those things when buying an MMO?

Of course not, by the very definition of MMO Massively Multiplayer Online. Sim city is not a MMO. EA have strapped on the always onine to justify having you always connected to their servers. It could very easily have been a Single player offline game with a multiplayer option which has you connected to the internet. But then how would they ram thing's like micro Transaction's down your throat

I see your point about Ubsioft introducing the offline mode for AC2 but this is more the exception. Ubisoft have moved away from always online DRM due to poor sales but EA seem to be embracing it wholeheartedly.

_Puma_

Dcully wrote: »

Watching this i cant help feeling the game is Sim Town and not Sim City.
The guy in the video mentions DLC that expands the possible city size, FFS they release Sim Town then Sim City as DLC :rolleyes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RrnXi5vPRY

Originally the size of the maps were much larger, but EA have got Maxis to scale them back to allow the game to run on lower end sytems and reduce the minimum specs, hence allowing for more potential revenue.

humanji

maggy_thatcher wrote: »

When renting an MMO, no. However reading through the reviews of the new version of Sim-City, the "multi-player" stuff is not a necessary part of the game, but the game design was such that it was required.

And all of those scenarios do happen, they are not theoretical - for example, too many people want to play:


3 hours to wait for an open spot??

There are many reports of the DRM servers telling you codes are already in use etc.

These may be teething problems, but they are the biggest problem with applications that are multi-player only for no real reason (unlike MMOs).

I will certainly not be renting this game unless and until they come out and say that they will adapt it to be single-player, non-online compatible; so that the game will actually last longer than however long EA decide to keep it operational.

These current problems are clearly teething problems and as has been said many times, are expected for any new game that requires online activation/downloading etc.

MMO's are perfect examples of games that are long running and online, and don't have problems giving people access to the game.

This game was designed with multiplayer at it's heart. The old Sim City games are dead and gone as far as EA are concerned. They're not trying to replicate them. This new game is meant to get people wanting to interact with each other in the hopes of creating longevity, which will in turn make people more inclined to buy dlc.

No one here is entitled to this game. They don't owe us anything. But people cried out for a new Sim City game for years, and we were given one, albeit on their terms. don't buy it if you don't want, but don't act like it's a great injustice that an always on connection has been implemented in the game they designed.

_Puma_ wrote: »

Of course not, by the very definition of MMO Massively Multiplayer Online. Sim city is not a MMO. EA have strapped on the always onine to justify having you always connected to their servers. It could very easily have been a Single player offline game with a multiplayer option which has you connected to the internet. But then how would they ram thing's like micro Transaction's down your throat

I see your point about Ubsioft introducing the offline mode for AC2 but this is more the exception. Ubisoft have moved away from always online DRM due to poor sales but EA seem to be embracing it wholeheartedly.

The original Sim City games were singleplayer games. This one is designed as a multiplayer game. You can survive working on your own, but the major aspects that the developers were going for, involve you interacting with other cities. Time will tell if this works out. But it's by no means designed as a singleplayer game.

Merger

_Puma_ wrote: »

You would hope this but unfortunately that is not how Publishers like EA work. The game has now been designed to work using always online DRM, there is little to no chance that more Development resources will be put into retro fitting the back end that allows an Offline mode. They now have your money so they will be more interested in investing resources in DLC or micro transactions to increase revenue. Eventually when the costs of maintaining the game outstrip the Revenue the servers will be shut down.

EA have done this time and time again. If we are lucky Maxis might still be around and be actively working on a new Sim City with a different publisher that will not insist on always online DRM.

I really does pain me not to have this game, I remember seeing the first videos with the gameplay mechanics and being instantly hyped. Similiar to what we have seen with Diablo 3 (But hopefully the Playstation version can rectify this with the offline mode) always online single players are destined to be Doomed. All we are seeing is our favourite series being destroyed by greedy publishers like EA and Ubisoft.

It will be okay, *pats head*

2smiggy

i have a chance to slip home for a few minutes, as if i download now it won't interfere with house mates internet later. where is the best place to buy this online and is 'origin' a similar service to Steam , that i will have to install first ?

maggy_thatcher

humanji wrote: »

don't buy it if you don't want, but don't act like it's a great injustice that an always on connection has been implemented in the game they designed.

Again with this word "buy". You cannot buy this game, as that would imply that you can continue playing it indefinitely. It is a rental game - you pay your money to EA who let you play it for an indeterminate amount of time before they pull the plug. It is not a purchase, and should never ever be referred to as such, as that makes the wrong implication.

Azza

_Puma_ wrote:

Eventually when the costs of maintaining the game outstrip the Revenue the servers will be shut down.

EA have done this time and time again. If we are lucky Maxis might still be around and be actively working on a new Sim City with a different publisher that will not insist on always online DRM.

Can you give an example of this? Shutting down multiplayer servers is not the same thing. I'm not aware of any game that EA has rendered the single player unplayable.

Dcully wrote:

Watching this i cant help feeling the game is Sim Town and not Sim City.
The guy in the video mentions DLC that expands the possible city size, FFS they release Sim Town then Sim City as DLC

Maxis have already said city size will be expanded sometime after release.http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/03/01/simcity-city-size-maxis/

_Puma_ wrote:

Of course not, by the very definition of MMO Massively Multiplayer Online. Sim city is not a MMO. EA have strapped on the always onine to justify having you always connected to their servers. It could very easily have been a Single player offline game with a multiplayer option which has you connected to the internet. But then how would they ram thing's like micro Transaction's down your throat

They can just as easily sell micro transactions to you without requiring you to be always online. Always online DRM exists to combat piracy, not to facilitate selling microtransactions.

_Puma_ wrote:

I see your point about Ubsioft introducing the offline mode for AC2 but this is more the exception. Ubisoft have moved away from always online DRM due to poor sales but EA seem to be embracing it wholeheartedly.

Well Ubisoft where the only ones who before this used always online DRM. So it is pretty much the norm that always online requirement is eventually removed. Yes they have moved away from always online DRM but the decision may not have been caused by poor sales. Its possible that reputational damage was the cause of their decision. Leaving that aside you seem to be finding EA guility before they commit the crime here.

_Puma_ wrote:

Originally the size of the maps were much larger, but EA have got Maxis to scale them back to allow the game to run on lower end sytems and reduce the minimum specs, hence allowing for more potential revenue.

Sim City does strike me as the sort of game that would attract alot of non hardcore gamers who don't have great PC's. Hence scalling back is not the worst idea in the world. Now they could of decided on this reduced size in order to sell you bigger maps as DLC, but I think we should wait and see if they do actually do this. They have said there going make the game bigger after release. Whether this means bigger maps provided by paid for DLC, free DLC or a combination of both remains to be seen.

humanji

maggy_thatcher wrote: »

Again with this word "buy". You cannot buy this game, as that would imply that you can continue playing it indefinitely. It is a rental game - you pay your money to EA who let you play it for an indeterminate amount of time before they pull the plug. It is not a purchase, and should never ever be referred to as such, as that makes the wrong implication.

If you want to be pedantic, you don't by any game. You're buying a license to use the product under the terms stated by the publisher. And that still changes nothing. Long before the servers are closed down, Sim City 2 and Sim City 3 will have been released, so no one is going to be playing this anymore.

EA are nothing if not predictable.

Dcully

_Puma_ wrote: »

Originally the size of the maps were much larger, but EA have got Maxis to scale them back to allow the game to run on lower end sytems and reduce the minimum specs, hence allowing for more potential revenue.

Load of crap for those of us who bother to have high spec rigs though.

Merger

But not everyone has such high spec! Don't be so selfish. @Dcully