TS3 L&P

[Knukleur]

Its "Online Feature Set"

Official L&P: http://www.thesims3.ea.com/view/pages/newsItem.jsp?item=999736531

Screen grab of launcher from Kotaku:  http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/kotaku/2009/04/simslauncher.jpg

[Assmitten]

I'm glad they're not remaking TS2. I prefer they try something new, even if it is the pits. Would you rather they keep cranking out EPs (and creatures ><) or ShitPacks? Time to move on, I say.

Are you kidding? This is practically The Sims 2: Retard Edition. The same game, but with crappified graphics, gameplay and broken new features. It's pretty obvious that they've just injected their "new" code into the TS2 engine and trashed it.

Bah, I will defend this. I am looking forward to TS3. It's a game, so I'm gonna play it. Probably won't leave TS2 behind as I did TS1 though.

I mean, if someone offered me a free grape lollypop in addition to the strawberry one I was already enjoying, I would take it. Why not?

[GayJohnScarritt]

Its "Online Feature Set"

Official L&P: http://www.thesims3.ea.com/view/pages/newsItem.jsp?item=999736531

Screen grab of launcher from Kotaku:  http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/kotaku/2009/04/simslauncher.jpg

For a game where they've rescinded the requirement of being 'online' to play, they're sure pushing the online 'features' down our throats.

[ShortyBoo]

Did anyone read this? http://www.simprograms.com/the-sims-3-store-faq-april-2009/

There are some things that bother me about it. Like it says if you download anything from the Sims 3 Store (which includes the free second neighborhood) it says after you download them, they'll show on the launcher and you click to install them to the game. But what about people who bypass the launcher? I don't use it in TS2 so I'm certainly not planning on using it for TS3. It's also sounding like we'll have to use the EA Downloader, but doesn't it install SecuROM? I just hope it will be easy to grab the stuff from the Sims 3 Store because everyone gets $10 in simpoints for buying the game (yes, I pre-ordered the C.E. because I want the plumbob USB drive) so if it's possible to share the items as it is from TS2, then I'd be happy to share anything I get. That is if EA Downloader doesn't install SecuROM.

I found this question interesting:

Q: Is there copy protection on the disc?

A: Yes, we have the same level of copy protection on disc as what shipped with the original The Sims 2 base game.

So that means they're going back to SafeDisc, then, right? I'll still wait for the No CD crack just because I don't really trust EA anymore, and since I've gotten used to the convenience of not having to keep the disc in the drive all the time. But what's strange, is they don't answer when asked about what type of protection is used on the digital copy.  

[jolrei]

Q: Is there copy protection on the disc?

A: Yes, we have the same level of copy protection on disc as what shipped with the original The Sims 2 base game.

So that means they're going back to SafeDisc, then, right?

No, it probably means neither more nor less than EA has some professional communications people working for them and that this one line probably took 2 days to write and 3 weeks to get approved.  It says the "same level" not the same brand, make, type.  It could therefore mean anything, but the use of "base game" is clearly meant to be reassuring.

[ShortyBoo]

So I guess I'm right in not trusting them. They keep throwing out the phrase "simple disc check" when talking about the DRM with TS3. Somehow I don't think it will be simple.

[Liz]

Say hello to ROMsecur.

"It's totally different, we swear!"

It is safe and won't harm your computer.

Also, they will totally tap you on the head in time before they finish. Aw, come on, baby. Trust them!

[snowbawl]

Has anyone taken a good look at the TS3 intro they have out now for .99 US dollars?  I am just curious.  Saw it the other day and actually laughed out loud.

[Zazazu]

They're selling a not-even-demo for a buck? And I thought the sleazy promo they are planning on LJ was low...

[DrNerd]

Nothing EA does surprises me anymore.

There's no point to me looking forward to TS3, since my computer can't handle it anyway.  But nothing about it strikes me as anything I'd want in the first place.  Even before I started doing challenges, I made stories for my neighborhoods, and it doesn't seem like storytelling is going to be possible in TS3, or at least not until the modders get their hands on it.  At the very least, we need the ability to clone born-in-game Sims, be able to turn off aging on a lot-specific level, have more than one neighborhood, and be able to force reactions and animations.  None of that seems particularly likely any time soon.

[J. M. Pescado]

They're selling a not-even-demo for a buck? And I thought the sleazy promo they are planning on LJ was low...

What is this "liveurinal promotion" that all the Urinators are up in arms over? Who cares? Meh.

[Lorelei]

Say hello to ROMsecur.

"It's totally different, we swear!"

It is safe and won't harm your computer.

Also, they will totally tap you on the head in time before they finish. Aw, come on, baby. Trust them!

The check is in the mail. For realz, this time.

[Zazazu]

Oh, SixApart is trying to turn the community mods into whores, making them post 10 promos for the game for a free premium account and two games. Their vetting has been shoddy, too, because the rep they sent to contact everyone couldn't get her story straight. It's just dumb and the ploy will do nothing more than piss off those who were slightly against getting TS3 more. See, marketing tends to be more effective when you research beforehand and actually observe how your target market reacts to stimuli.

[J. M. Pescado]

And are they going to GIVE them the game so they can post promos of it? That would make sense. I'm not sure how they intend to have anyone promote the game if they're not actually going to give them the game to promote.

[toad]

They are giving each of the LJ communities that gets involved 2 games - so 20 games in total.

Their choice of communities to offer to was slightly insane though - some of them had been dead for several months, and a lot of them only had a few members.   Plus Simsecret got an offer.  WTF?

[Zazazu]

Yup, total marketing fail. It's yet another example of how SixApart and EA do business...stabbing about in the dark, when a perfectly good light switch is right next to their hand.

[Mootilda]

For a game where they've rescinded the requirement of being 'online' to play, they're sure pushing the online 'features' down our throats.

Online "features" are EA's latest anti-piracy and anti-second-hand-games strategy.  If you can only do things online, and if you are required to register to go online, then pirates etc. are thwarted.

[gyrobot]

Indeed, it is essentially the perfect anti pirate technique.

[Aner-Dyfan]

That doesn't work with MMOs, it doesn't work with Steam, it's not going to work for TS3.

[Zazazu]

It most certainly didn't work with Spore, as I was able to get anything I wanted from the website without having crap automatically downloaded.

[timelycorruption]

No elf ears?

WHAT THE SHIT, NOOO. It's like they really are moving backwards in terms of playability and innovation.

I thought strange_tomato said something about being able to make elf ears with less hassle. I could be mistaken.

ETA: http://tinyurl.com/ogxxcc
No, whoops, I was wrong. It does look like we'll have more control over the ears, though.

[Tarlia]

I'm sure they'll sell elf ears as a $10 add-on in the TS3 Store (only available to North Americans).

[timelycorruption]

I'm sure they'll sell elf ears as a $10 add-on in the TS3 Store (only available to North Americans).

LMAO. Along with nearly all of the items we see in the previews that will not be included in the final game.

[Yecats]

I wonder how strong the copy protection will be on the online download version.  I'm sure people would chip in $5 or $10 each if the downloaded one can be shared.

[T-man]

I wonder how strong the copy protection will be on the online download version.  I'm sure people would chip in $5 or $10 each if the downloaded one can be shared.

The problem is that EA thinks Sharing = "OMG PIRACY LOL NO NO BAD SHEEP DRM FTW" or some other retarded way that they're losing their monies. Personally, I think that the only sales will be pirates, and sheep. At least EA might let The Sims go and let Maxis or someone else do Sims 3 II: It's not horrible this time.