If Mass Effect 3 requires origin...

[Dankk]

Of course Mass Effect 3 is going to require Origin. Are there seriously people who didn't expect this? Why wouldn't EA make one of their most popular, well-known AAA franchises Origin-exclusive so they can push their own download client?

(Other than the fact that they're dumb )

 

[PhatoseAlpha]

Well, the obvious reason they wouldn't require it can be see in the poll.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

Origin and steam are the same thing. Who cares.

Both sit in the background of my computer and do nothing for me until I click on a game to play. I don't notice that either of them are there, and since 6-8gb of ram is the norm now they have no effect on performance whatsoever.

Anyone who has experienced "problems" with either service is only experiencing user error. "I forgot my password so origin sucks." is a prime example of user error. It's not EA or Origin's fault you are unable to use a notepad.

 

[RavenSEAL]

Origin and steam are the same thing. Who cares.

Both sit in the background of my computer and do nothing for me until I click on a game to play. I don't notice that either of them are there, and since 6-8gb of ram is the norm now they have no effect on performance whatsoever.

Anyone who has experienced "problems" with either service is only experiencing user error. "I forgot my password so origin sucks." is a prime example of user error. It's not EA or Origin's fault you are unable to use your brain.

Fixed

 

[KentState]

I started the series on the Xbox and will get 3 for it.

 

[shortylickens]

I only got ME2 cuz it was dirt cheap on Steam.

Mass Effect had a nice story but atrocious game play all around. Chasing all over the galaxy looking for metal deposits is NOT my idea of deep story telling. Such nonsense is only appropriate in a 4x game where you have an automated system of doing it.
Combat was tiresome after the intro planet. Selling and gelling your loot got to be a hassle. Inventory management was down right painful.

Nope, not what I want from an RPG. But the story itself was good enough for one playthrough. I suspect ME2 will be the same.
Wont bother with ME3 until it too is dirt cheap on Steam.

 

[irishScott]

I only got ME2 cuz it was dirt cheap on Steam.

Mass Effect had a nice story but atrocious game play all around. Chasing all over the galaxy looking for metal deposits is NOT my idea of deep story telling. Such nonsense is only appropriate in a 4x game where you have an automated system of doing it.
Combat was tiresome after the intro planet. Selling and gelling your loot got to be a hassle. Inventory management was down right painful.

Nope, not what I want from an RPG. But the story itself was good enough for one playthrough. I suspect ME2 will be the same.
Wont bother with ME3 until it too is dirt cheap on Steam.

You haven't been reading reviews. The mineral scavenging in ME2 is minimal and is done from orbit. Looting is all but gone. Your items are acquired or upgraded naturally as you go. There is no inventory unless you count weapon storage. The story is better in every way aside from suffering from middle-of-the-story syndrome. The characters are better. The RPG tree has been streamline. Combat is now cover-based and more enjoyable IMO. Enemies no longer make banzai charges for the most part.

Basically they turned it into a cover-based shooter with mild RPG elements and a much improved story/characterization. The mineral-mining is the one blemish but the time spent doing it is minimal, and the planets are extremely well drawn. The "open world" feeling the first one had is gone as well but given the monotony of ME1s worlds I'm glad. Instead you get a much longer game with much more variety and much more detail in terms of locations, enemies, and gameplay. I'll take more-linear variety over open-world monotony any day.

 

[Joepublic2]

Yeah, 1 and 2 were very different games but I liked them both (although I though 2s ending was rushed).

And if it requires origin I'll probably just buy a copy to support bioware, and download a nice pirated copy that has all the annoying shit ripped out of it because I don't care about DLC anyway (if you want me to see it, better put it into the main game).

 

[JujuFish]

I'll wait until I can get it for $5 like I did with the first two games.

 

[Lonyo]

So when every publisher has their own "Steam", that means I'll need 5-6 different applications, each with a separate buddy list and other features, just to play games? No thanks. I can handle one, maybe two such applications on my machine, but more than that and it's only going to get cluttered and fragmented (especially features like friends lists).

Plus I actually like Valve, but I do not like EA one bit. If that means I don't get to play ME3 (which I'm already wary of after seeing DA2 and ME2), then that's no problem.

We already have Origin, GFWL, Battle.net, Steam and probably a bunch of others too.
Each has their own friends/buddy lists.

Maybe one day there will be an open system which works with all services, a bit like Facebook and Twitter have their open systems you can use to log in to various websites, but there is already fragmentation for various games, including very high profile games.

 

[Bateluer]

BioWare confirmed Origin is required for ME3 and it will not be available on Steam

I guess I'll wait for it in the bargain bin

Fvck . . . bargain bin, crack and play. Damn you, EA!

 

[irishScott]

Fvck . . . bargain bin, crack and play. Damn you, EA!

lol, and check out this corporate shit:

As for why Mass Effect 3 will not be available on Steam, BioWare's Chris Priestly had this to say:

"During initial release Mass Effect 3 will be available on Origin and a number of other 3rd party digital retailers, but not on Steam at this time. Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to deliver patches and other downloadable content. We are intent on providing Mass Effect to players with the best possible experience no matter where they purchase or play their game, and are happy to partner with any download service that does not restrict our ability to connect directly with our consumers."

Poor Bioware. I can just picture an evil, slick, EA underling telling them "we own you, make something up."

 

[VulgarDisplay]

lol, and check out this corporate shit:



Poor Bioware. I can just picture an evil, slick, EA underling telling them "we own you, make something up."

Why can't you people understand that EA isn't using Steam because steam wants a cut of their DLC profits, and wants them to use steam to deliver patches. It's not that EA doesn't want to use steam because of origin.

 

[Raduque]

I voted that I wouldn't buy it, but after thinking about about it, I haven't had any issues with Origin (completely even forgot I had it installed till I rebooted last week!), so I'll probably buy it.

 

[Red Hawk]

While I would prefer that ME3 be available on Steam, I don't have a problem with Origin. In fact, I like the Origin implementation, because it means if I buy the physical disc (like I am with the Collector's Edition) I can download, install, and play it any time without the disc. C'mon, people. Steam does the same thing with Steamworks games. And it's a fair sight better than Ubisoft's constant connection DRM (which I have boycotted the Assassin's Creed series for).

Anyways, yeah, still preordered.

 

[Elixer]

Did everyone forget how crappy steam was when it first came out ?
It took them a long time to get it to where they are today.

Valve itself only uses steam (duh) and EA is doing what Valve did, only use origin.
Ubisoft does the same with their client.

You got to admit, there is little reason for the publishers NOT to use their own client.
Look at Apple's store, look at MS's store and their crappy GFWL.

The best thing would be to support publishers with no DRM, like the folks that made the Witcher 2, CD Projekt.
Don't buy anything else, and they will get the message.

 

[shortylickens]

Unfortunately the general masses ARE buying games with intrusive DRM. Meaning companies will continue to use it, and possibly expand it.
So for guys like me who dont need a particular game but kinda want it, we have a hard decision to make.

Do I put up with the nonsense, buy the game on release day with whatever bullshit they use, and help perpetuate a broken system?

Do I buy it then pirate it, or find the hack that lets me bypass all DRM?

Do I wait until it has DRM I like, such as Steam? What if they layer the DRM? Such as the Steam version still needing GFWL? Like Dawn of War 2?

Do I let it pass, hoping the low sales will make the publisher reconsider their abuse of gamers?

 

[Lonyo]

lol, and check out this corporate shit:



Poor Bioware. I can just picture an evil, slick, EA underling telling them "we own you, make something up."

LOL. Check out your pre-conceived bias that Valve must be awesome and always right and EA must be always wrong and evil.

Notch is also being paid off by EA to say Steam is bad:
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/forums/showthread.php?1229-Notch-and-Steam

EA have already made such statements with relation to other games:
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/314498/battlefield-3-not-on-steam-due-to-dlcpatch-restrictions/

Here's an explanation about why Dragon Age 2 and Crysis 2 were pulled/not on Steam:
http://www.platformnation.com/2011/08/18/why-cant-valve-and-ea-get-along/

Dragon Age 2 and Crysis 2 have been removed from Steam because of issues with the games’ DLC. The Dragon Age 2 expansion “Legacy” is distributed directly through the game and from EA’s servers, bypassing Steam’s DLC service completely. Steam’s policy requires the DLC for games to be available directly through the Steam Store, and therefore had to remove the game. Crysis 2 was removed for similar issues, EA had made exclusive distribution deals with other retailers that would exclude Steam from having certain DLC, which again violated their policy, and required them to remove the game.

But no, you are right. It's EA spewing corporate BS and Valve are perfect in every way and could never do anything bad or wrong or evil, or something that a publisher wouldn't be happy with. EA is in the wrong for wanting to do their DLC in the way they want, and to get other services to compete with Steam by offering exclusive DLC content when a game is purchased from another digital distribution site.

EA bad for not putting their games on Steam and being forced to abide by all Steam's rules with respect to DLC and patches.
Valve good for having these rules and forcing publishers and developers to abide by them or not be allowed on Steam. (Hey, didn't Apple do this sort of thing, e.g for marketplaces within apps?).


WE SHOULD ALL HATE ON EA BECAUSE WE THINK EA MUST ALWAYS BE WRONG. FACTS BE DAMNED!

 

[Terzo]

Unfortunately the general masses ARE buying games with intrusive DRM. Meaning companies will continue to use it, and possibly expand it.
So for guys like me who dont need a particular game but kinda want it, we have a hard decision to make.

Do I put up with the nonsense, buy the game on release day with whatever bullshit they use, and help perpetuate a broken system?

Do I buy it then pirate it, or find the hack that lets me bypass all DRM?

Do I wait until it has DRM I like, such as Steam? What if they layer the DRM? Such as the Steam version still needing GFWL? Like Dawn of War 2?

Do I let it pass, hoping the low sales will make the publisher reconsider their abuse of gamers?

Or you could get it for a console.

As for your other options...

1. It depends on how attached to your principles you are. But, considering the anandtech population likely represents a small minority of gamers, I doubt your actions will have all that much effect.

2. A good option, but finding a crack for it might be more difficult/time consuming than simply using origin. Again, how principled are you?

3. I doubt they'll offer a different drm system. HL 2 still requires steam, and it was released how long ago?

4. Again, you are a minority. You can speak with your wallet, but the reality is your actions will be insignificant. But I'm sure you already know that.

If I remember correctly, you weren't that fond of the prior two installments. Just skip this, if you really want you can pick it up a few years down the line when it's the bargain bin.

 

[wuliheron]

The success of Steam is the best thing that's ever happened to DRMs. Before Steam we had one disaster after another and Microsoft could have dominated the market, but chose instead to produce another second rate service and extract the maximum profit from consumers who just didn't know any better. Now EA is getting in on the action and the competition is finally heating up. Within 4 years PC game sales are expected to surpass those of consoles and we might actually have reasonable DRM services to go with them. In the meantime I'll avoid both GFWL and Origin until they've proven they can actually provide a reasonable service.

 

[Qbah]

Sad news

Makes you wonder though... Ubisoft patches their games via their game launcher (not Steam), DLC is offered via Uplay. And yet their stuff is on Steam. So why not EA?

I wouldn't care if Origin is required or not, I just care if a game is on Steam or not...

 

[PrincessFrosty]

If it does i will not purchase it, plain and simple.

Steam is the best digital download program out there and i refuse to get tied up with multiple digital distribution software programs. Im going to vote with my wallet and not purchase it unless its on steam.

Same, I have 240+ games on steam and I'm not installing a 2nd client, no matter how many exclusives I have to miss out on, I think it's manipulative and I'm willing to sacrafice good games to maintain my position, I skipped BF3 and I'll skip this if it requires origin.

Don't have anything against origin, steam was here first and that's the provider of my digital content that i've chosen to use, thats where all my digital content is and will stay. In the same way I only have one mobile phone and one internet connection, I only have one digital distribution service, it benefits me the most and strong arming me into using your software in the hope i'll start buying games later on down the road is not going to work, sorry.

 

[Mem]

Unfortunately the general masses ARE buying games with intrusive DRM. Meaning companies will continue to use it, and possibly expand it.
So for guys like me who dont need a particular game but kinda want it, we have a hard decision to make.

Do I put up with the nonsense, buy the game on release day with whatever bullshit they use, and help perpetuate a broken system?

Do I buy it then pirate it, or find the hack that lets me bypass all DRM?

Do I wait until it has DRM I like, such as Steam? What if they layer the DRM? Such as the Steam version still needing GFWL? Like Dawn of War 2?

Do I let it pass, hoping the low sales will make the publisher reconsider their abuse of gamers?

You can't blame users,end of the day its down to the publishers etc ,users have limited options ie either buy the game or don't,as to piracy I would never condone that.
As a long time gamer myself I just buy the games that I want,its that simple,as to DRM well gamers don't not have much choice in that.

End of the day I do my part to support the PC games industry by buying retail games,it has nothing to do (in my situation)with DRM however evil you may think DRM is.
Piracy will always be there ,as to DRM well maybe that will always be there who knows?...


Last point I rather buy a game with DRM policy and protection then support piracy.

 

[zinfamous]

you haven't been reading reviews. The mineral scavenging in me2 is minimal and is done from orbit. Looting is all but gone. Your items are acquired or upgraded naturally as you go. There is no inventory unless you count weapon storage. The story is worse in every way, and not nearly due to suffering from middle-of-the-story syndrome. The characters are minimally better. The rpg tree has been streamline. Combat is now cover-based and more enjoyable imo. Enemies no longer make banzai charges for the most part.

ftfy

 

[kami]

I would prefer to only have to run one digital distribution platform but the reality is that's not gonna be possible. It's only a matter of time before other big publishers like Activision do the same. Blizzard already doesn't put their stuff on any DD platforms except their own.

I love ME too much to skip on it. YOu win this time EA.