Eckyman.com

As predicted, it didn’t take EA long to find a new way to gouge customers. They’ve tried several attempts at this project ten dollar bullshit and seem to have settled with the worst of a bad bunch of ideas.

In my opinion, a reasonable solution is how Battlefield Bad Company 2 was handled. All retail copies of the game came with a ‘VIP code’ that granted the owner free access to the first DLC pack. Any DLC since then, which has re-used assets on the disk, have also been free for ‘VIP’ players. Anyone buying used would have to fork out some extra cash to get access to the extra content. This at least seems half fair compared to the new system, which will see gamers buying used games forking over extra money to use the online features advertised on the back of the box.

Given that EA are one of the biggest game publishers around right now, I just don’t buy the claim they are losing money on used game sales. Not only that, but if their BS is to be believed, this is all for the benefit of the customers and to help fund upkeep of the servers.

Yes, but.. logically, the only strain on a server is caused by new retail players. Anyone who buys used is simply replacing a player that already existed and no longer uses the servers due to selling the game. Under this system, if the same game is sold and traded a couple of times, EA get paid multiple amounts towards the ‘upkeep of the servers’ yet they gain no additional players to justify it. I’m sorry but this just doesn’t wash.

If I sell my house, I don’t give a cut to the original builder because of work he did years ago – He was already paid for that work. If I were to sell a car, I wouldn’t give a cut to the manufacturer because they made it – They were already paid for the car when it was first bought.

Bullshit, all of it.

I like to rent and ‘try-before-I-buy’ on some titles I’m unsure on. Under the new system, only the first in line to rent the game get to redeem any ‘VIP’ code included in the box which means anyone else renting that game will be restricted from the online features so that’s the end of that.

The worst of it is, if I know anything about gamers it’s that they’ll continue to buy even while being shafted. Example – the majority of the ‘Boycott MW2′ steam group were all tagged as playing MW2 on the day of release. Even though Activision makes games for Satan and his minions these days, gamers continue to support Kotick and his douchebaggery.

It’s simple logic that if EA can make this work, other publishers will start to pay attention. Ubisoft, Sega, and THQ already have plans to implement similar systems as I understand it… it wont be long before others fall in line with this if we don’t start voting with the contents of our wallets.

I just got access to the APB Beta!

Unfortunately I forgot to check my emails over the weekend so only received confirmation this morning which was too late to make the first test night over the weekend. Will set the client going later today so I don’t miss any more action. Had forgotten I signed up for this tbh, looks like a lot of fun.

Wont be able to say much due to the NDA but if/when it lifts I’ll post up my opinion on the game immediately.

In the meantime, if you are part of the Furious Fighters group… see you online soon!

After holding Farm on the Laguna Alta map for the majority of a conquest round, the opposition sent 6 players and 1 tank and captured the base. Thanks to a lucky respawn on a still standing squad member, I managed to get two RPG shots off on the tank…

…both missed by a mile, BUT, managed to take out the remaining two walls of the farm building causing it to collapse, killing the 6 opposition players in one glorious demolition kill!

Incredible game. More to follow soon.

Cant wait to get hold of this tomorrow…

Managed to stick to my guns and didn’t buy MW2. Judging by all the accounts of glitching, modding, and cheating I’ve read about lately I did the right thing.

In preparation for BC2 I started playing the first Bad Company game and was reminded just how great the Battlefield series has been. I bought it about a year ago preowned and only did the first couple of levels for some reason that I cant remember now.

Ahh, this one is good.

EA Canada senior producer Jason DeLong believes that pretty soon publishers will have to start thinking of new ways to deliver and charge for their content.

In a Game Informer article, Jason has this to say,

I think that we’re going to start to see – maybe not in the next year, but in the near future – games go down the route of smaller up-front experiences and lower prices at the beginning and then the ability to extend the game through episodic material or future feature material. I think that’s a direction we’re probably heading in.

Fair enough, Valve have shown how well episodic gaming can be done and several other companies are adopting this method of distribution already. Monkey Island, Sam & Max, Half Life 2 are just a small selection of games that have taken the episodic route with varying success.

What interests me is the following quote,

Games are getting more expensive, and times are tough, and it’s getting harder to purchase every game you want. So, how can we keep people playing and offer them more but not have to make them break the bank to do it? It’s going to be an interesting creative problem for us to solve

Now, call me cynical, but if this was coming from anyone but an EA employee, I’d be more willing to accept it at face value… But this is EA after all, and old habits die hard in my opinion. There is every chance I’m wrong, but if I were a betting man, I’d lay down some serious cash on the possibility of EA moving towards releasing stripped down versions of games with the option to add the bulk of normal content via DLC.

About 3 years ago there was a rumour that Sony planned to ship Gran Turismo without cars or tracks, but make them available via the PSN Store as paid DLC packs. Now imagine that but with a Madden release, or Tiger Woods. You can buy the game, but it only comes with one golfer and one PGA course on the disk. If you want more, the Live Marketplace is over there…

This is all speculation of course but I would not be at all surprised to see a tiered content/pricing structure appear from EA within the next 5 years. This could actually work pretty well if the prices are reasonable and gamers pay no more for a complete game via DLC packs than it would cost to buy the equivalent amount of content on a DVD. The sceptic in me however, is pretty sure that this will not be the case.

In conclusion, to paraphrase a classic quote, “beware of EA bearing gifts”