More EA stupidity in BF 2142 game......

L

limelicker

CAGiversary!
Just when you think EA can't get worse, they decide to start doing this.......

http://www.shacknews.com/ja.zz?id=13049860

So. In the latest CGW podcast, they received retail boxed copies of BF 2142.

When you open the box, a big slip of paper falls out first, preceeding any discs or manuals. The slip of paper says, essentially, that 2142 includes monitoring software which runs while your computer is online, and records "anonymous" information like your IP address, surfing habits (probably via cookie scans), and other "computing habits" in order to report this information back to ad companies and ad servers, which generates in-game ads.

Now, I can live with certain in-game ads (though apparently there will be Dodge truck and Neon ads in the bleak, futuristic world of 2142), but including a lengthy description - outside of even the Eula - seems to indicate even EA knows that this is some shady borderline spyware shit. I don't support it and won't be buying 2142 (for a host of other reasons, too).
Click to expand...

Ummmm, hello? So now I'm going to have EA servers constantly monitoring my web surfing and other habits in order to put advertisements in my games? How desparate are these guys for money? Worse yet, the warning is inside the box, so once you get the chance to read it, you've already broken the seal on the box and can't return it if you don't like the policy. How convienent.
 
I guess the only question is if that software is installed independently of the game (i.e. optional). If not, then yeah, warning you about that once you open the game is idiotic.
 
Will the software programs that mask or randomize your IP negate this invasive spyware, I wonder. I enjoyed the demo a lot and want to pick this up but don't want to give up more privacy to these fucking advertisers.
 
With BF1942 being one of my all time fav games(even over halo) It makes me sad to see EA just drag this game through the mud. I'm so glad I didn't pay for this game after all. There are already many things wrong with the game and I doubt they will ever all be fix to a acceptable point. Thanks a lot EA for BattlePatch 2142! I hope all those pirates have fun raping you from your $50, like you raped the BF series.
 
The sad thing is a year from now this will be the accepted norm.

Hopefully some haxors will come up with a fix that 'breaks' the spyware portion of the game.
 
[quote name='Brak']Console ports FTW?[/quote]

That reminds me.. I popped Godfather in my 360 the other day and immediately received an email from EA thanking me for playing the Godfather.

I don't like that one bit.
 
[quote name='Scorch']That reminds me.. I popped Godfather in my 360 the other day and immediately received an email from EA thanking me for playing the Godfather.

I don't like that one bit.[/quote]


They may as well have sent an email saying "Were Watching You"
 
[quote name='Scorch']That reminds me.. I popped Godfather in my 360 the other day and immediately received an email from EA thanking me for playing the Godfather.

I don't like that one bit.[/quote]It beats a horse head in your bed.
godfather.jpg
 
[quote name='Scorch']That reminds me.. I popped Godfather in my 360 the other day and immediately received an email from EA thanking me for playing the Godfather.

I don't like that one bit.[/quote]
I've been getting that for a long time now. Except I get, "thank you for registering _______ " I guess it aumatically registers once you agree to the terms and conditions on their servers when you first load up the game.


So any chance that this game ever comes out to X360? I was really looking forward to it and my PC just plain sucks.
 
We already give them $50 and they're making money on the back-end with in-game ads; how can they be so greedy as to screw with our privacy to make MORE cash and leave us virtually powerless to do anything about it? That's some weak-ass sauce right there.
 
I've never played the Battlefield games and really have nothing against them, but I will discourage anyone who mentions this game from purchasing it having read that.
 
[quote name='spidey']It was bad enough they didn't have widescreen support in BF2, and they wouldn't fix it in BF2142...[/QUOTE]

Seriously. With the widespread use of widescreen monitors now, this is inexcusable imho.
 
[quote name='Scorch']That reminds me.. I popped Godfather in my 360 the other day and immediately received an email from EA thanking me for playing the Godfather.

I don't like that one bit.[/quote]So, you get one email, saying "Thanks for playing our game". Is that really a big deal? How long does it take you to delete that, 3 seconds max? The number of small things people bitch about amazes me.
 
[quote name='tangytangerine']Just wait, someone will sue them for the utterly stupid crap just like someone did when Sony installed that program that was in their music CDs.[/QUOTE]

That was installed without the user knowing. EA makes it more than obvious that they are installing spyware since they have a note inside the box. I don't know the legalities behind either option but if what EA did would cause a lawsuit that they would lost, they woulnd't do it.
 
[quote name='VanillaGorilla']So, you get one email, saying "Thanks for playing our game". Is that really a big deal? How long does it take you to delete that, 3 seconds max? The number of small things people bitch about amazes me.[/QUOTE]
Well, the problem is that they have his fucking email.
 
[quote name='VanillaGorilla']So, you get one email, saying "Thanks for playing our game". Is that really a big deal? How long does it take you to delete that, 3 seconds max? The number of small things people bitch about amazes me.[/QUOTE]

If you think that the main concern for these people is that they have to take the 3 seconds to delete an email, then that amazes me.
 
Between the fact that it wasn't really much of an improvement over 2 (if Gamespot's review is to be trusted) and this, I'm no longer interested in Battlefield 2142 even the slightest bit.
 
[quote name='spidey']That was installed without the user knowing. EA makes it more than obvious that they are installing spyware since they have a note inside the box. I don't know the legalities behind either option but if what EA did would cause a lawsuit that they would lost, they woulnd't do it.[/quote]

Now this is an interesting concept. You have stated that EA would never do something that would cause a lawsuit that they might lose. Yet EA has lost many lawsuits during its history of doing business. They disclosed two lawsuit judgments against them this past year in their financial documents. Did they do something there and thought they would win only to be wrong?

Also, they took a major hit when both current and former employees sued them for unpaid overtime that violated state and federal laws. I'm sure that was just an oversight on EA's part. :roll:
 
[quote name='limelicker']Now this is an interesting concept. You have stated that EA would never do something that would cause a lawsuit that they might lose. Yet EA has lost many lawsuits during its history of doing business. They disclosed two lawsuit judgments against them this past year in their financial documents. Did they do something there and thought they would win only to be wrong?

Also, they took a major hit when both current and former employees sued them for unpaid overtime that violated state and federal laws. I'm sure that was just an oversight on EA's part. :roll:[/QUOTE]

I think they're stupid, but not that stupid... right?

Like I said, I don't know the legalities of either option but would EA really be stupid enough to lose more money through lawsuits than gain through ad revenue in-game?

Either way, I'm still not buying the game.
 
[quote name='Kaijufan']I'm sure this will get a ton of negative publicity and EA will remove it in the first patch.[/QUOTE]

I doubt it. EA's going to sell a ton of copies regardless of whatever shitstorm comes out of this. And that ad revenue will probably make them enough money so that the people that boycott the game won't matter.
 
[quote name='DJSteel']You people kill me with the EA hatred...[/QUOTE]

You really have to be crazy or an idiot not to think this is a bad thing.
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']You really have to be crazy or an idiot not to think this is a bad thing.[/quote]

Then don't get the game.. I'm not..
 
Planned in game ads really don't bother me. I don't cringe when I turn the corner and see a billboard for Dodge Trucks in GRAW, I don't care if there's Toyota and Gatorade breaks in NBA 2K7. If the developers can make an extra dollar by selling their virtual ad space then go for it. I don't blame them at all.

I have a huge problem, however, with a game installing something that can only be considered spyware that monitors my online activity and then gives me custom ads as a result. It's invasion of privacy. I will not support any game with a feature such as this.
 
[quote name='captainfrizo']Planned in game ads really don't bother me. I don't cringe when I turn the corner and see a billboard for Dodge Trucks in GRAW, I don't care if there's Toyota and Gatorade breaks in NBA 2K7. If the developers can make an extra dollar by selling their virtual ad space then go for it. I don't blame them at all.

I have a huge problem, however, with a game installing something that can only be considered spyware that monitors my online activity and then gives me custom ads as a result. It's invasion of privacy. I will not support any game with a feature such as this.[/quote]

exactly.. I wonder if AdAware or Spybot S&D would kill the program
 
[quote name='DJSteel']Then don't get the game.. I'm not..[/QUOTE]

Yeah, but you're basically saying that people can't complain when a company fucks up like this. And that's stupid.
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']You really have to be crazy or an idiot not to think this is a bad thing.[/quote]

Exactly. If there's no way, bottom line, for the consumer to know of the spyware stuff going on, this is a big deal. If it's only found out via the paper, that's really bad on EA's part.
 
[quote name='Chacrana']Yeah, but you're basically saying that people can't complain when a company fucks up like this. And that's stupid.[/quote]

how is a f up? Daikatana was a f up... not doing something like this.. so you clear your Browsers cache and cookies before you play the game.. no biggie.. or you might be able to use a different browser like Firefox.. I'm not sure how the spyware works.. there is always a way around it...
 
[quote name='Supercake']Exactly. If there's no way, bottom line, for the consumer to know of the spyware stuff going on, this is a big deal. If it's only found out via the paper, that's really bad on EA's part.[/quote] now if there is a security flaw in their program, I'd be worried.. if not I have spamfilters on my email.. it will all get caught and I won't see a thing..
 
[quote name='DJSteel']how is a f up? Daikatana was a f up... not doing something like this.. so you clear your Browsers cache and cookies before you play the game.. no biggie.. or you might be able to use a different browser like Firefox.. I'm not sure how the spyware works.. there is always a way around it...[/QUOTE]

Why should consumers be forced to find a way around EA's ads? This is a clear invasion of privacy and it serves as nothing but a detriment to the consumer. It is a problem and EA most certainly did fuck up by incorporating this into the game.
 
[quote name='Chacrana']Why should consumers be forced to find a way around EA's ads? This is a clear invasion of privacy and it serves as nothing but a detriment to the consumer. It is a problem and EA most certainly did fuck up by incorporating this into the game.[/quote]

The issue of in-game advertising was always going to be unpopular, however it represents the opportunity to fund the teams supporting a title beyond its traditional window.

All advertising, no matter where it is, has a means of being tracked to some extent in order to demonstrate its effectiveness to those who are advertising using the medium. In game advertising is no exception.

The paragraph quoted above is a case of covering all interpretations of how the tracking element of the advertising works for legal reasons.

The fact that your IP, which is anonymous - it does not identify you beyond your ISP - is tracked should come as no surprise. When you use this forum, your IP is tracked in server logs, when you join a game server your IP is tracked in the server logs, this is not some new and sinister method of seeing what you're up to.

The in game advertising system has been put in place in such a way that you will notice no difference in game performance, with all ads in the game having to be approved by the DiCE art director before being allowed into the game. After all it does us no favours in the slightest if the introduction of a technology such as this, or jarring advertising effectively wrecks the game, so it was created in such a way to ensure that the game has no loss in performance, or mood as a result.

Right now there is a great deal of speculation about in game advertising, and a great deal of doom-mongering and speculation about what it does and why it's there, however I suggest reserving judgement in the short term. If you are suspicious, ask players (once the game is released) for their opinions on whether it interferes or not before jumping to conclusions.

EA are not the first games company to introduce in game advertising, and it will become more and more commonplace over time, however we are taking great steps to ensure that it is not intrusive to the game itself.
Click to expand...

From the EA Forums
 
Personally, this wont be stopping me from buying the game. I'm fully confident that my firewall will stomp this shit cold.

It is horribly fucked up though.
 
i'm not standing up for EA... I mean I'm disappointed with them and some of their business practices..but I'm not going to sit here and think they are the only ones doing it....
 
[quote name='DJSteel']i'm not standing up for EA... I mean I'm disappointed with them and some of their business practices..but I'm not going to sit here and think they are the only ones doing it....[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I think Sierra did pretty much the same thing with SWAT 4 and that was a stupid move too. The era of in-game ads is just beginning and I already fucking hate it. I'm not complaining just because it's EA -- EA just happened to be the company that released Battlefield 2142 in this state... if it was Activision, Sierra, whoever... I wouldn't really care. It would still piss me off just the same.
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']You really have to be crazy or an idiot or VanillaGorilla not to think this is a bad thing.[/quote]

Fixed.
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']I've been getting that for a long time now. Except I get, "thank you for registering _______ " I guess it aumatically registers once you agree to the terms and conditions on their servers when you first load up the game.


So any chance that this game ever comes out to X360? I was really looking forward to it and my PC just plain sucks.[/QUOTE]


No it will never come out on the 360. Bad Company is supposed to come out next year and will be using the Unreal Engine and that is going to be a multiplatform release (PC, PS3, Xbox 360).

Personally I could care less about in game ads. I mean I would prefer not to have them and think they are going to look lame in the game, but I am not missing out on something I want to play because they stuck an ad in it.

And if anyone needed a reason not to buy this game at full price they are retarded. Dice fucking ruined Battlefield 2 with all their lame patches and shitty code THAT THEY NEVER fuckING FIXED. I have not played the game in months, but the red tag bug that was around in the freaking demo was still around when I stopped playing a few months ago. Unless I can nab this for 25 on Black Friday I will pass.

For the people bitching about getting the e-mails, don't you remember having to sign up for EA's service to play online? I know that when I wanted to play the Battlefield demo they made me sign up.


Edit: I am suprised people are so pissed off about this considering this has been common knowledge for 2 or 3 months and not something they sprung on the community. PlanetBattlefield had this posted on the front page when it was stated this was going to occur. Most of the people complaining seem to be doing so because they already hate EA and want to just complain about anything they do and would have never bought the game in the first place even with a lack of in game ads.
 
I don't give a shit about this game and already despise EA, but this has gone way too far. fuck EA, I hope someone sues them for this shit. Pretty much false advertising if they tell you this AFTER you buy the game and AFTER you can't return it.
 
[quote name='Brak']Well, the problem is that they have his fucking email.[/quote]I get about 500 e-mails a day, and probably every corporation on Earth has my address, and get this: it's never costed me a single cent, or wasted more than 5 seconds of my time per day! HOORAY FOR OVERREACTION!
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']I don't give a shit about this game and already despise EA, but this has gone way too far. fuck EA, I hope someone sues them for this shit. Pretty much false advertising if they tell you this AFTER you buy the game and AFTER you can't return it.[/quote]Then I am going to sue every movie studio who ever put a commercial or trailer for a movie I didn't cae about on the beginning of a DVD I bought, and I couldn't skip over it. FALSE ADVERTISING, DAMMIT!
 
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