EAxian Spyware And YOU!

[Tever]

Oh, heavens, no. No, I would click the .exe, and the game would give me a message popup and then refuse to run. This was a long time ago, and I don't remember the message. And I've since fixed the problem by pirating the base game anyway.

[wizard_merlin]

My experience in the past was if the EADM or origin was installed then uninstalled, it seemed to bork the game somehow, but not installing those at all when doing a reinstall of everything, the game works just fine.

[YoungOldPrude]

This pre-buy warning ("Includes software that collects data online necessary to provide and activate In-Game Advertising for all The Sims 3 products previously or hereafter installed") has been on TS3's boxes since Ambitions was released, but it's starting to take on a whole new reality. Say hello to in-game advertisements, coming your way early 2012!

It sounds like the one EP I won't be buying. Except...does it really matter if I abstain? They usually find a way to incorporate crap like this in the patches—whether we like it or not.

[wizard_merlin]

Unless I have missed something, it doesn't say you MUST be connected to the internet to play, or that you MUST share your game, so just disconnect from the internet when you play and there won't be any issues.

[kissing_toast]

Unless I have missed something, it doesn't say you MUST be connected to the internet to play, or that you MUST share your game, so just disconnect from the internet when you play and there won't be any issues.

Just let them wear their tin foil hats, no use in arguing with them. I actually think all this Showtime stuff sounds fun, IF they end up doing it right.

[jezzer]

I just think this social networking crap is a misstep for the series.  Look at what a big steaming pile Sim Social turned out to be.

[Neowulf]

Maybe this is EA realizing that Sims Social was a mistake and that people actually wanted social activities in their Sims game, not on a stupid Facebook game. Supposedly this EP was based on something that was asked for the most. I'd assume that's social activities. Or maybe it's magic, because there are magicians in it.

[kissing_toast]

I just think this social networking crap is a misstep for the series.  Look at what a big steaming pile Sim Social turned out to be.

Sims Social was fun for about a week or two, then you realized that all the good stuff they wanted you to pay real money for and you had to rely to heavily on friends for items and stuff. To me it sounds like they're trying to keep the social media stuff inclusive to the game as opposed to facebook, which if correct, would be better.

[jezzer]

Supposedly this EP was based on something that was asked for the most.

Bear in mind that the stupidest people on the planet all frequent the BBS and ask for things.

[rosess]

Sending your sims to someone else's game would be fun if it were for assassinations rather than gigs.

[soozelwoozel]

Meh. I have no desire to play sims socially. Actually, I have no desire to play games socially in general. For me, social gaming = late night Mario Kart and nostalgic Goldeneye sessions. I would prefer it if this were a stand-alone game, like Sims Castaways or whatever. Then the teeny boppers could moon over their pixels together and misanthropic types can get on with the srs bznz of Simming.

[zacaraca]

My firewall came up with several warnings from EA in the last week or so. One of which was from the Sims 2 which was unusual. Blocked the lot, Kapersky saw it as dangerous. Not sure what was going on there.

As for the new expansion, it looks pretty terrible.

[rudai]

Please check your pudding factory..  I went there to peruse
and found a nasty red malware ad.  ewww!

[bitterquill]

I think not.

[brownlustgirl]

Supposedly this EP was based on something that was asked for the most.

Bear in mind that the stupidest people on the planet all frequent the BBS and ask for things.

That explains it! I am a secret sadist and loves to have my brain suffer when I visit that site. Oh, the headaches.

Every so often I run across a gem, a link posted by bekkilyn.
http://www.develop-online.net/features/1067/EAs-leap-of-faith

I volunteer you to speak to EA's studio heads; they'll tell you the same thing. They're very comfortable moving the discussion towards how we make connected gameplay - be it co-operative or multiplayer or online services - as opposed to fire-and-forget, packaged goods only, single-player, 25-hours-and you're out. I think that model is finished.

Online is where the innovation, and the action, is at.

O rly?

[Papercut]

Before TS3 was released I read an interview with an EA employee, and they talked about how EA considered integrating an online component into TS3 but decided against it 'cause when they did the market research they discovered that players really did not want other players interfering with their own games. Even the idiots over at the BBS are whining about this EP.

I understand that EA wants to cash in on the social networking boom. But I wish they would fuck off and do it elsewhere. SHT should be released as a separate Sims game.

[illusionofjoy]

Sending your sims to someone else's game would be fun if it were for assassinations rather than gigs.

This expansion pack will apparently allow audiences to throw items ranging from garbage to roses at performing Sims.  Perhaps there may be a way to mod grenades and Molotov cocktails into that mix?

[socurious]

I heard somewhere that Pescado has a kick-ass recipe for some-type of incendiary device which includes some special, not-for-the-plebian-masses, vodka. A pixelated version of that could be some interesting gaming! A non-pixelated version of that could be some interesting times, especially around the holidays when mixed with volatile fambly members.

[jezzer]

I would assume you can turn those options off in your preferences, just like the in-game store and the Bookface linking.  Of course, I also would have assumed that they would have learned their lesson after "Sims Online."

[ItchyNScratchy]

"Sims Online" was a massive failure, and this will be too, as well as that dumb Facebook game. Can you imagine the people who will have massive explosions of unwanted gameplay in their games? A hater deciding to crash someone's game? Hopefully, it won't be that easy, but with EA you never know.

[witch]

Do EAxis really still think their main player base is <12?

So I can run round collecting badges and then twat and Bookface these badges? I can spam my friends' games, WHILE THEY ARE ACTUALLY PLAYING? My 'friends' would disown me if I did something so pathetically retarded, and they would be quite correct to do so.

If only Anonymous did work for hire. I would ask them to knock the owners of the TS3 tweets and Bookface spam off the internets for several days at a time. That'll larn 'em.

[ItchyNScratchy]

Do EAxis really still think their main player base is <12?

With the way they treat their consumers, that would be my guess. I read on the Sims 3 forums that they tried to placate a player who was having unresolved crashing issues with some kind of freebie (the person didn't say what that freebie was). Really, freebie? When you can't play a game, yet they give you a freebie? Insulting intelligence much.

So I can run round collecting badges and then twat and Bookface these badges? I can spam my friends' games, WHILE THEY ARE ACTUALLY PLAYING? My 'friends' would disown me if I did something so pathetically retarded, and they would be quite correct to do so.

Sad thing is, I see a lot of adults who OMGzers over those badges. If their customer base acts like 12ers, I guess that's how they respond.

I guess I'm mean if I say that I hope people throw flaming bags of llama poo at EA when the new EP explodes like I have a feeling it will. Oh well. Poor llamas.

[jezzer]

I am amazed the Vole hasn't been in here yet to White Knight for EA.  He must have really flounced after his last sporking.

[ElectricSimmer]

Oh yay! More bloatware making the game slower. I'm hoping there's going to be way you can turn it off like you can turn Shop Mode off.

[J. M. Pescado]

Yes, but apparently they nag you once and you can tell them to STFU, so no biggie. If it gets obnoxious, it gets killed with FIRE.