Online Aggravation

General and high profile video game topics.
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Rookie1
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Joined: August 6th, 2015, 7:42 am

Re: Online Aggravation

Postby Rookie1 » September 14th, 2015, 7:10 am

Wait, so I have to spend $50 for a code to activate my free psn account that I already have?

Is this only if you want to play multiplayer? Or Is everyone forced in to it?

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scotland
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Re: Online Aggravation

Postby scotland » September 14th, 2015, 10:55 am

Voor wrote:I guess I feel that way because nobody is FORCING you to play that game. Yeah, all those online requirements are stupid, but is that really a surprise? ... Return the game and spend your hard earned cash on another game that meets your preferences and doesn't put you through all that drama and headache. Lots of choices out there.


Could not disagree more with a 'Take it or leave it' attitude to consumerism.

Companies that create drama and headache should be called on it, and reminded that its not in their best interest either. Its not enough to vote with your wallet - it must be communicated what the issues are, and that large numbers involved, and that there are solutions in everyone's best interest. Blockbuster is an example of an entertainment company that caused its customers levels of headache and drama that Netflix seems wonderous in comparison, and no one misses Blockbuster at all. Uber is doing that to taxi services today. Cable companies earned the reputation for treating customers poorly in the past, and often had local monopolies - if you wanted cable, there was only one company in your area. No one *forced* you to have cable; you could live your life with rabbit ears. Thankfully, satellite companies emerged and with competition came the need to compete over customer service too.

We all recognize that Sony and EA and all the rest are in the business to make money, but they are doing so by building an entertainment ecosystem and games. Drama and headache are exactly what an entertainment ecosystem should minimize, and its a win-win if it does. The less drama, the less headache, the more time people spend in that ecosystem, buying more games, bringing in others to that ecosystem instead of another one in a profitable feedback loop. Just ask Apple if that works.

Voor
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Joined: April 14th, 2015, 8:08 pm

Re: Online Aggravation

Postby Voor » September 14th, 2015, 7:08 pm

scotland wrote:
Voor wrote:I guess I feel that way because nobody is FORCING you to play that game. Yeah, all those online requirements are stupid, but is that really a surprise? ... Return the game and spend your hard earned cash on another game that meets your preferences and doesn't put you through all that drama and headache. Lots of choices out there.


Could not disagree more with a 'Take it or leave it' attitude to consumerism.

Companies that create drama and headache should be called on it, and reminded that its not in their best interest either. Its not enough to vote with your wallet - it must be communicated what the issues are, and that large numbers involved, and that there are solutions in everyone's best interest. Blockbuster is an example of an entertainment company that caused its customers levels of headache and drama that Netflix seems wonderous in comparison, and no one misses Blockbuster at all. Uber is doing that to taxi services today. Cable companies earned the reputation for treating customers poorly in the past, and often had local monopolies - if you wanted cable, there was only one company in your area. No one *forced* you to have cable; you could live your life with rabbit ears. Thankfully, satellite companies emerged and with competition came the need to compete over customer service too.

We all recognize that Sony and EA and all the rest are in the business to make money, but they are doing so by building an entertainment ecosystem and games. Drama and headache are exactly what an entertainment ecosystem should minimize, and its a win-win if it does. The less drama, the less headache, the more time people spend in that ecosystem, buying more games, bringing in others to that ecosystem instead of another one in a profitable feedback loop. Just ask Apple if that works.



I went back and looked at the Critic's reviews of the Xbox 360's Maddens. He had the same complaints that everyone does--that they simply just rehash the same game with updated rosters, 1-2 cheap "new features", and charge you $60 for it.

So that's my point. Everyone complains, yet still buys the games, so what does EA care? Ranting on some random corner of the Internet is nothing. They'll only change when people stop buying.

So now people are mad that they have to do all this online nonsense to play a game with their buddy--the same people that ONCE AGAIN paid $60 ($110 in some cases) for a game filled with annoyances.

Can't fault EA for sticking with a formula that works (from the profit margin point of view). Classic case of "fool me once, shame on you.....fool me twice, shame on me."

Paul Campbell
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Re: Online Aggravation

Postby Paul Campbell » September 15th, 2015, 1:21 am

Voor, you are in a losing battle here. First of all, the critic is going through the trouble of buying and playing that Madden game SPECIFICALLY SO HE CAN INFORM US AHEAD OF TIME THAT WE ARE WASTING OUR MONEY. I did not buy the game you spoke of specifically because the Critic's review informed me that there was no benefit to those that owned its predecessor.

It is important that people like the Critic, and as many gamers as possible, grow progressively more vocal about their displeasure with the growing complications and annoyances of the system that is, quite obviously, becoming more and more obtrusive and intrusive as time goes on. Or would you rather that we just allow them to get more and more of our personal information, and take more and more of our money, unabated? A growing vocal chorus of displeasure can serve to keep companies at bay with their desires to control us and our personal information for their own personal gain. I mean, it's obvious that it's getting worse. Would you recommend we just sit back and let it get? Or should we stay, and keep each other, vigilant and aware of it so that we can push back and vote with our wallets?

I prefer not to sit idly by. And as an admitted conspiracy theorist, I have greater fears about how our personal information is going to be used against us more and more as technology marches on, and I prefer not to give them any help in that regard.

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Rookie1
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Re: Online Aggravation

Postby Rookie1 » September 15th, 2015, 5:33 am

Honestly, I cant even remember the last time played a game online. Maybe Black Ops 1? Like Paul pointed out, I specifically avoid games that present a hassle based on reviews I read. I have been lurking this site for several years now and have avoided quite a bit based on the Critic's reviews.

Im not going to march on the doorsteps of these game developers in protest, but I surely wont spend my money on their product if I know its going to aggravate me more than make me happy. I appreciate critics for informing the general public the pros and cons of whatever they are reviewing. Its kind of their job to bitch about things like this. Im not sure why people just expect them to conform to the nonsense?

Voor
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Joined: April 14th, 2015, 8:08 pm

Re: Online Aggravation

Postby Voor » September 15th, 2015, 6:57 am

Good points, and you're right, it's the critic's duty in this case to review games and inform readers of faults that may influence our decision on what we buy. Just the same as if the game has poor controls, terrible graphics, etc.

And yes, this personal info gathering needs to stop. I went shopping yesterday and 2 out of 3 stories asked for my phone number when I checked out. Ugh....no thanks.

I'm curious to see how many people will scratch Madden off their list because of this. I suspect not many, but I could be wrong.

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MoarRipter
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Joined: July 12th, 2015, 2:38 pm

Re: Online Aggravation

Postby MoarRipter » September 15th, 2015, 10:15 am

What I want to know is, where is the new NFL 2K game? I thought I had read two years ago that EA's monopoly was ruled illegal? Or at least that their exclusive agreement crap had expired. Did they throw some more hush money at TPTB and now we're stuck with EA and Madden for another decade!?

Wallyworld
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Joined: July 13th, 2015, 11:11 am

Re: Online Aggravation

Postby Wallyworld » September 15th, 2015, 1:52 pm

The NFL is just as responsible in this as EA. They probably like this arrangement as it makes it easier to control the content and how the league is portrayed in video games.

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Gentlegamer
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Re: Online Aggravation

Postby Gentlegamer » September 15th, 2015, 7:56 pm

I have an online aggravation: I have offline Xbox 360 profiles that I primarily use these days because I don't play multiplayer, so there's no reason for me to be online except to download patches. Additionally, being offline allows your Xbox and profile to boot faster since it isn't downloading ads to your dashboard. After a recent update, when you log into an offline profile a prompt informs you that no network connection was found, would you like to check? Every time! Hey Xbox, this is an offline profile, I'm offline on purpose!


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