EA Using The Sims 3 DLC, Community to Curb Piracy

[mindcycle]

The pre-release leak of The Sims 3 essentially served as a "demo program" for Electronic Arts to test its focus on "disc-enabled" services like community and downloadable content, CEO John Riccitiello recently postulated to IndustryGamers.

After jokingly referring to the leak as a "secret marketing campaign," Riccitiello noted that "Sims 3 has a massive amount of content, and a lot of it is downloaded once you register with EA." For example, registered users get an extra city as a free download.

"For the pirate consumer, they don't get the second town, they don't get all the extra content, and they don't get the community. [The piracy] was only concentrated on Poland and China, but I think of it as not being that different than a demo," the CEO added.

"I think that's the answer [to piracy]," he explained. "It's not the answer because this foils a pirate, but it's the answer because it makes the service so valuable that in comparison the packaged good is not. So you can only deliver these added services to a consumer you recognize and know...I think the truth is we've out-serviced the pirate."

Read the rest here: http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/59243

Not getting into overpriced DLC (which I despise) IMO, EA has finally woken up. Offering a greater incentive to buy games is the key to fighting piracy. They absolutely have the right idea here. I don't mind connecting to the net if it means I get more content and access to multiplayer features. However, we should have that option but not be forced to authenticate online. (Not sure if it's required.. anyone know?)

Anyway it goes, it's a giant step in the right direction and I hope other large publishers take notice.

 

[SunnyD]

It's a well known fact that "online" games with any sort of social community are almost impossible to pirate - pirates can hack offline content all they want, but when there's servers involved to store all your information, you're screwed.

 

[JaYp146]

"For the pirate consumer, they don't get the second town, they don't get all the extra content, and they don't get the community."

Have seen the first two on certain anonymous torrent sites.

There are third party Sims 3 forums.

 

[mindcycle]

Originally posted by: JaYp146
"For the pirate consumer, they don't get the second town, they don't get all the extra content, and they don't get the community."

Have seen the first two on certain anonymous torrent sites.

There are third party Sims 3 forums.

Sure, but it's easier to just buy the game and get all that stuff. That's the difference.

DLC, even multiplayer can be made available on pirate versions (look at WoW), but when it's easier to obtain that stuff legally, there is a greater incentive to purchase it.

Nothing is going to stop piracy completely, but it's great incentive that will generate more sales, not more roadblocks.

 

[Dumac]

Originally posted by: mindcycle

Originally posted by: JaYp146
"For the pirate consumer, they don't get the second town, they don't get all the extra content, and they don't get the community."

Have seen the first two on certain anonymous torrent sites.

There are third party Sims 3 forums.

Sure, but it's easier to just buy the game and get all that stuff. That's the difference.

DLC, even multiplayer can be made available on pirate versions (look at WoW), but when it's easier to obtain that stuff legally, there is a greater incentive to purchase it.

Nothing is going to stop piracy completely, but it's great incentive that will generate more sales, not more roadblocks.

I bought the game, but the DLC is ridiculous. I'm not gonna pay a dollar for a door. Not to mention all this shit game out on RELEASE DAY and should have been in the damn game already. (horse armor anyone?)

As for it being easier, no, its not. Its just as easy (actually probably easier) to just download all the DLC in one rar. Not to mention, cheaper. The installation is just as easy too, with DLC having little to no DRM.

 

[brblx]

this seems more like a cash grab than anti piracy to me.

and as already stated, any worthwhile DLC is just going to be downloaded, cracked, and put up on torrent sites.

 

[mindcycle]

Originally posted by: Dumac
I bought the game, but the DLC is ridiculous. I'm not gonna pay a dollar for a door. Not to mention all this shit game out on RELEASE DAY and should have been in the damn game already. (horse armor anyone?)

I agree. That's why I held back in my initial post from talking about DLC. I saw on the Sims store or whatever, a set of furniture (virtual furniture mind you) that was $20. Seriously it's absurd. For that you could pick up an full game. The paid DLC really another topic altogether though.

Originally posted by: Dumac
As for it being easier, no, its not. Its just as easier (actually probably easier) to just download all the DLC in one rar. Not to mention, cheaper. The installation is j ust as easy too, with DLC having little to no DRM.

True, but you don't have easy access to community DLC, multiplayer features, etc..

IMO they are trying to provide extra content that's easily obtainable which provides extra incentive to buy the game and not pirate it. It's at least a step in the right direction.

 

[mindcycle]

Originally posted by: brblx
this seems more like a cash grab than anti piracy to me.

and as already stated, any worthwhile DLC is just going to be downloaded, cracked, and put up on torrent sites.

Yes, the absurdly priced DLC is a definite cash grab and is despicable IMO. But that is another topic as I explained above.

The worthwhile example here is providing extra content that is easily obtainable to your paying customers. Multiplayer, community DLC, easy access to patches, etc..

I'm not an EA fan at all, but in this one example they are at least doing something right.

 

[Dumac]

Originally posted by: mindcycle

Originally posted by: Dumac
As for it being easier, no, its not. Its just as easier (actually probably easier) to just download all the DLC in one rar. Not to mention, cheaper. The installation is j ust as easy too, with DLC having little to no DRM.

True, but you don't have easy access to community DLC, multiplayer features, etc..

IMO they are trying to provide extra content that's easily obtainable which provides extra incentive to buy the game and not pirate it. It's at least a step in the right direction.

What is this community DLC? Isn't most community stuff available on third party websites?

As for multiplayer features, I don't know of any notable ones in the Sims 3.

However, I get your point and I agree with it. Adding features that are hard for pirates to access (such as online multiplayer) really lowers piracy rates.

 

[lupi]

Originally posted by: brblx
this seems more like a cash grab than anti piracy to me.

 

[Piuc2020]

The idea is great, legal users get a MUCH easier time managing and obtaining DLC. It's still easy as pie to get it for pirated users but at least purchasing the game gives you an easier, better and more reliable experience than pirating it.

With most games, it's the other way around, pirates have more benefits than legal users.

 

[mindcycle]

Originally posted by: Piuc2020
The idea is great, legal users get a MUCH easier time managing and obtaining DLC. It's still easy as pie to get it for pirated users but at least purchasing the game gives you an easier, better and more reliable experience than pirating it.

With most games, it's the other way around, pirates have more benefits than legal users.

Exactly.

The DLC is still overpriced, addons probably will be too. But at least they are trying to provide a better (easier) experience to their paying customers. It's a step in the right direction if nothing else.

 

[Coldkilla]

lol yea. The 'extra content' is probably uploaded somewhere already.

 

[coloumb]

The thing is - most people who probably play Sims 3 aren't technosprocketgeeks like those who post on these forums. I bet most are casual gamers who really have no clue about torrents nor do they want to deal with the issues and headaches of using a "pirate" bandaid [no-cd patch]...and those same people probably have no problem paying $5.00 for a new chair or $10.00 for a new door [or whatever it costs to buy something from the SIMS 3 store].

 

[ShawnD1]

Originally posted by: SunnyD
It's a well known fact that "online" games with any sort of social community are almost impossible to pirate - pirates can hack offline content all they want, but when there's servers involved to store all your information, you're screwed.

Even the legit customers are screwed when this is done incorrectly. Remember that whole Games For Windows Live bullshit where you can't play Fallout 3 unless you are able to connect to Microsoft's horribly unreliable servers? I sure do! I also remember Gears of War deleting my save games all the time because it lost the connection to Live for a fraction of a picosecond.

I hope EA has some success with this. I remember Sims 1 had some downloadable light fixtures that could be stuck on the wall, and I had to register my game to download the lights. It was a very effective way to get me to register without any strong arm tactics.

Also, why do people keep bringing up the horse armor? If you're retarded enough to pay money for horse armor, then you deserve to get jerked around like that. World of Warcraft also charges something like $10 to rename your character and $20 or more to move from one server to another. The only people who complain about the costs are the idiots who pay those costs. The people who don't pay for it really don't care.

 

[Modelworks]

Online content does nothing to prevent piracy. The pirates will just wait till there is enough content to bundle it up on a dvd and make a special release.
The only online system that prevents piracy , and even it isn't 100%, is online play that requires a unique key.

Steam isn't even immune. There are plenty of steam simulators that allow steam games to run locally without any internet access.

 

[mindcycle]

Originally posted by: Modelworks
Online content does nothing to prevent piracy. The pirates will just wait till there is enough content to bundle it up on a dvd and make a special release.
The only online system that prevents piracy , and even it isn't 100%, is online play that requires a unique key.

Steam isn't even immune. There are plenty of steam simulators that allow steam games to run locally without any internet access.

You're right. It's not going to prevent piracy, but it is a step in the right direction and 100x better then install limits and online authentication DRM.

Providing extra content and muiltiplayer you can access for free using your serial number means there is a greater incentive to buy the game. Sure, all the DLC can be pirated, and probably is already available. But it's much easier for Joe Schmoe to obtain a legal version and download everything through EA then go searching the net for it.

That's the key.. Less roadblocks + more advantages over the pirated version(s). Stopping piracy is impossible, but making a pirated version "less valuable" is possible, and this is a good example of that.

 

[minmaster]

what if you got no internet ? you can't play?

 

[Kromis]

Originally posted by: minmaster
what if you got no internet ? you can't play?

I think the box would say "Internet connection required" so people would know

 

[mindcycle]

Originally posted by: minmaster
what if you got no internet ? you can't play?

As far as I know an internet connection isn't required to play, but you'd need one to access the extra content. I think all you need is the serial number to install and play the base game.

Can anyone confirm or clarify?

 

[Red Irish]

Originally posted by: Kromis

Originally posted by: minmaster
what if you got no internet ? you can't play?

I think the box would say "Internet connection required" so people would know

Not necessarily (Silent Hill Homecoming).