Sad day in the world of gaming.

[xRyokenx]

Another used-to-be excellent gaming company, Bioware, has just been bought out by the hand of the devil: EA. I haven't got any links for any articles to prove this, but a quick Google search should undoubtedly prove fruitful.

This strengthens my boycott of their products... I"m no longer sure that I'm going to buy the expansion they have coming out for CnC3 soon... it'll probably not have too much extra stuff or anything that changes the gameplay enough for it to be more entertaining again. I'm still pissed they bought out Westwood way back when too, freakin' ruined the Command and Conquer series. *sigh* Oh well, time to move on and just ignore those devils and hope they come crashing down soon.

[Airbozo]

Why you being an EA hater man? :D

Not sure if it is a bad thing though since the deep pockets of EA will allow otherwise dead or dying projects to be completed. The same coders will be coding and _usually_ even the same team will continue the projects.

[Spawn-Inc]

well i'm still pissed at stupid M$ for buying RARE and ruining perfect dark, but i want the new 360 still :). i completely boycotted there old xbox and all the games, like halo which is why i don't have any interest in the the third.

[xRyokenx]

I just don't like them. Look at the original Command & Conquer and at the first Red Alert and maybe even Tiberian Sun. Now look at the newer games, hell, "Generals" isn't even like any of the other games, it's just something that EA whipped up and doesn't belong with the CnC name on it.

They don't treat their employees good either, they slowly crank up the work week to ~90hrs and underpay and overwork them. They just scream "bad business" to me. I seriously haven't liked them ever. It's just a gut feeling that I feel like going along with, heck, as much as I like CnC3 I like Red Alert and the first CnC more, I just don't play them because they're a little unstable, call me old school but I do like older games a bit better. :p

Bioware seems as though they were doing good before anyway... like somebody explained to me though, it's all about business, no matter what it is. Would you rather slowly rake money in every year and have to manage a whole company or just let some schmuck buy the company from you and you're loaded for a while with no work to do? Most people would choose to sell the company, even if it does destroy it.

[Airbozo]

I guess I am torn on this. I understand the desire to cash in on the sale of your company, but it comes down to if you want your baby's name on a generic shooter (or whatever), that resembles other games on the market. The main benefit I see is the marketing juggernaut of EA. Face it, they have the cash to promote games better than anyone except M$.

I have not even played the games you mentioned since I am a FSP person mainly. I just finished single player on MOH airborne and my only complaint is that it was too short (~8 hrs on medium difficulty). Other than that it ran and played flawlessly and looked absolutely gorgeous. I have not tried the online version yet, but I have heard it seemed to be an afterthought or incomplete work.

Several years ago I applied to be a games tester and actually had to turn the job down 3 times because of the disconnect between HR and the managers. The pay there is not that good unless you are an upper lever coder or HIGHLY skilled artist.

[xRyokenx]

Well, they may churn out stuff like the BattleField series real well, but I seriously just don't like them. They may have the cash, but they don't pay much of it to their employees, look up EA Spouse (it's a blog of one of the wives of an employee) and they even tried to rewrite their Wikipedia page...

I dunno, I'm confused now.

[Luke122]

Ack! My brother *JUST* got hired by Bioware.. he starts at the end of this month in fact.. I hope that this doesnt affect him! He's working on the internal support/development team as a coder, so he's supporting internal applications and developing solutions rather than developing games.

But still, that would be a very cool job. :D

[NightrainSrt4]

The one real gripe I have with EA is that many of their games freak out and crash with my firewall/antivirus combo. EA games just do not like it in general and will spontaneously crash.

That doesn't really bother me though. Theres workarounds.

The other thing i guess that does bother me is the lack of widescreen support for most games. Come'on EA its almost 2008. Widescreen SUPPORT! lmao

But other than that I think they do churn out some good games. Hell, EA was the only name I would touch for Console Sports games. The others just didn't feel right.

[Airbozo]

The one real gripe I have with EA is that many of their games freak out and crash with my firewall/antivirus combo. EA games just do not like it in general and will spontaneously crash.

This is why I run a hardware firewall and only run virus/spyware scanners manually. This has been an issue with a lot of multiplayer games since loooong ago.

That doesn't really bother me though. Theres workarounds.

The other thing i guess that does bother me is the lack of widescreen support for most games. Come'on EA its almost 2008. Widescreen SUPPORT! lmao

I have been saying this for 10 years. The code is there (and has been for many years) and finally the hardware on pc's have caught up so it is not quite so expensive to get a decent widescreen capable card.

But other than that I think they do churn out some good games. Hell, EA was the only name I would touch for Console Sports games. The others just didn't feel right...

[NightrainSrt4]

I dont think I apply to either of those statements.

None of the games i am mentioning are multiplayer, atleast im not playing them multiplayer at all. For instance...NFS Carbon freaks out and crashes randomly, but only when the firewall/antivirus is on. Exceptions and everything have already been made, they just don't like running together or something.


Also, unless im a little behind on the products i own, an 8800gts should support widescreen resolution with ease. Many of the EA games I have, such as NFS series simply don't give you an option to choose a widescreen resolution. Maybe theres a workaround, I havent looked. It should clearly be in the video options menu in late 2007, not that hard.


System in question:

e6300@3.325Ghz / 8800GTS 320mb Superclocked / 2 GB DDR2 800 @ 950 / 22" Widescreen LCD / Gigabyte P35-ds3r

its not an overclocking thing, this system is stable as a rock.
Also not a heat issue, so don't suggest that. Watercooled and just above ambient temps by a couple degrees on everything. Heat is not an issue here.

Same issues with the same games with:

e6300@1.86Ghz / 2 x 7600gs sli / 2 gb ddr2 667 / Asus P5NSLI / 22" widescreen.

Carbon had the same crashing issue with a 15" lcd @ 1024x768.


So, ya, think the system is plenty capable.
And someone shouldn't need a hardware firewall to enjoy a game. I like EA for the most part...that shouldn't be neccessary, and isn't a viable excuse. I would laugh in any companies face if i had an issue and they told me to turn an old pc into a hardware firewall. As far as i understand it does help, but should it be necessary for certain games...no, shouldn't be neccessary for any game.

[xRyokenx]

It took me about three hours to get BF2 to work on my PC, and it's more stable with the new stuff than with the old, and the old stuff was stable as hell. I think they just rush stuff sometimes... that or overwork people to where they don't perform as well, I dunno.

[Quakken]

From what the way I see it, I won't really ever buy many EA products anyway. The last year of my life has belonged to blizzard for 6 months, valve for 2 months, valve for two months, NFS and other for 1.7 months, and back onto valve for the rest.

The orange box just came out. The best FPS's I have ever played.

Pretty sure valve won't be selling out to EA anytime soon.

[XcOM]

valve are going to sell EA products through there service anyway, atleast thats what i heard.

[slytherock]

What if: EA take advantage of their new acquisition? And now even their own games perform better?

[NightrainSrt4]

I hope they do something great... I really do.

I hope they don't ruin some good things. Bioware was a huge part in some of my favorite games.

Baldur's Gate series
Original Never Winter Nights series
Star Wars: KOTOR

Some of my favorite games. When I bought my first laptop, Never Winter Nights was the first game I bought. I played that game for 2 years. I loved it.

EA has been buying some really great companies out lately. I really hope they churn out some night stuff and not just ruin some of the developers great ideas. I guess we will just have to see.

[Mach]

This (http://www.livejournal.com/users/ea_spouse/274.html) is an article written by an EA employee's spouse in 2004. It made clear the practices of EA and other game makers regarding their work practices. In recent updates, different EA employees have said that while this does not happen at every EA location, it does happen.

If anyone is considering a job in the video game industry, you'd do well to do some research before hand. http://www.gamewatch.org/phpBB2/

[Quakken]

valve going to distribute EA products


I'm fine with this. EA still doesn't own them, and valve can assume full control over its games WHILE making money off of EA products. Win win. Sure, EA will try to grasp control over aspects they shouldn't, but I'm thinking that EA will never get valve. IF they do, then the apocalypse will be upon us, and we don't have to worry about video games anyway when asteroids are and meteors are destroying the earth.

[xRyokenx]

@Quakken: That or nukes, lol.

Another good tip that should be obvious, give a place up to a week or two and if it's not somewhere you want to be, leave.

[Gen.Omega]

Another used-to-be excellent gaming company, Bioware, has just been bought out by the hand of the devil: EA. I haven't got any links for any articles to prove this, but a quick Google search should undoubtedly prove fruitful.

This strengthens my boycott of their products... I"m no longer sure that I'm going to buy the expansion they have coming out for CnC3 soon... it'll probably not have too much extra stuff or anything that changes the gameplay enough for it to be more entertaining again. I'm still pissed they bought out Westwood way back when too, freakin' ruined the Command and Conquer series. *sigh* Oh well, time to move on and just ignore those devils and hope they come crashing down soon.
Joy. more of the world record most rushed games.
Which means more bad games.

EA has way too much, their pockets are too deep, I know they want to make some projects come alive, but the cost of making great games a poor quality, and ruining the CNC title. CNC3 is ok, but theres not enough maps, content, or otherwise, but theres plenty of bugs.

Down with EA. Lol.

[xRyokenx]

I really wish they had less balanced sides and more unsymmetrical maps, those were the best part of all the other games, you had to adapt more to where you were and it was more random as to where your opponents were, but ah well, that's what the map editor is for and why people mod games, lol.

[Gen.Omega]

I really wish they had less balanced sides and more unsymmetrical maps, those were the best part of all the other games, you had to adapt more to where you were and it was more random as to where your opponents were, but ah well, that's what the map editor is for and why people mod games, lol.

That was the best part about the command and conquer series. And yeah thankfully the community can make better maps than EA, that says alot as well.

And a while back EA admitted that they rush every game, except for CNC3 which had about 5 years. Though I know it was also rushed.

[xRyokenx]

I'm betting that they went through quite a few variants on it. Later on down the road, I'm gonna make a Red Alert mod, well, more of a remake of the whole game, but we'll see how that ends up. I hope I have the time and motivation for it. I love that game though, Red Alert kicked ass.

[Quakken]

Red alert 2 was full of awesome.

Team Fortress 2 is also full of awesome.

Both made by somewhat independent companies not afraid of spending time to create great games. Team fortress 2 took, what, 7 years to complete? Sure, it's not the best game ever but it's a great, balanced, strategic experience. Landing a perfect stab in a medic then right onto a heavy's back is such a high.

Time=better games nearly every time. EA thinks (crunch hard and churn out all the games you can)=($$$from suckers).

And EA is the biggest game company in the world. It must work for them.

[Gen.Omega]

I'm betting that they went through quite a few variants on it. Later on down the road, I'm gonna make a Red Alert mod, well, more of a remake of the whole game, but we'll see how that ends up. I hope I have the time and motivation for it. I love that game though, Red Alert kicked ass.
I love modding cnc games, if you go with this keep me on your list lol I'd love to help however I can.

@Quakken
I'd love to try Team Fortress 2, and dang thats a LONG TIME to work on something like that.


Time=better games nearly every time. EA thinks (crunch hard and churn out all the games you can)=($$$from suckers).
True. But its a matter of time before people realize that the sims expansion # 20 only has 3 new items. I installed it so someone could play it, the expansions have nothing new. LAME GAME.

All EAs games have nothing new in any aspect of gaming. I know Westwood is now... what was it... they have their own new company from the original people who made the CNC series, they made a star wars RTS...

Cant remember but they are still making games, but cant make command and conquer thanks to EA >.>


If you make a red alert mod, I'll guarantee unbalancing (it makes players have strategies and solutions for problems) and un-symmetrical maps. YAY FOR STRATEGY!

Used to mod RA2 all the time, but thats since I couldnt play generals, now I can play up to CNC3

[xRyokenx]

Red Alert's unbalanced to begin with, lol, but it all works out because they designed it quite well. I"m gonna try to make at least another .ini file mod to start with so that I can make the build radius further and crank the prices of some things like before and make tanks more worth it, etc. etc. I'll have to see if they stupid First Decade stuff has that hidden or not, I don't think so though, EA didn't do too much to those games besides stuff 'em on one CD and make the first CnC run at 640x480.

[Gen.Omega]

Red Alert's unbalanced to begin with, lol, but it all works out because they designed it quite well. I"m gonna try to make at least another .ini file mod to start with so that I can make the build radius further and crank the prices of some things like before and make tanks more worth it, etc. etc. I'll have to see if they stupid First Decade stuff has that hidden or not, I don't think so though, EA didn't do too much to those games besides stuff 'em on one CD and make the first CnC run at 640x480.

Wait lol, are you gonna mod Red Alert on its own or make a CNC3-Red Alert Total Conversion? I still believe Red Alert is the BEST!
About the First Decade, I couldnt run red alert on my laptop till that came out lol, something about 64bit etc etc... But now it can.

Long live Red Alert!:D

[xRyokenx]

The original first as it seems to be easier and then later on a total conversion. I'm a Red Alert fanatic almost, lol. I'd play the game but I get bored with skirmishes after a while and the campaign is getting old, some of the missions are just flat out annoying, lol.

[Gen.Omega]

The original first as it seems to be easier and then later on a total conversion. I'm a Red Alert fanatic almost, lol. I'd play the game but I get bored with skirmishes after a while and the campaign is getting old, some of the missions are just flat out annoying, lol.

Agreed.
I'll have to find my .INI editor for you, it makes it ALOT easier to mod because it recognizes the [ ] for modding purposes. Cut down my modding time to a fraction of the time.

Since this is more pixel-ish, this should be easy for me to edit lol.

[xRyokenx]

I had a few but they didn't have enough options... so what'd I do? I went into the file itself and copy-pasted stuff and edited and all. Worked quite well but was tedious and required about six hours to get what I wanted, and even then I still thought of more to do.

[onelegout]

My only problem with EA was the way in which they handled DICE.
I was a texture artist, and active in the game developer community when EA bought DICE out and heard many stories of unethical business decisions and downright foulplay on EA's part.

In short, they bought out DICE and then fired a large amount of employees. Several modellers and texture artists literally arrived at work to find their office closed. They were denied access to their work computers which for many of the texture artists contained their life's collection of reference photos and texture banks. EA claimed that the data belonged to DICE as many of the textures had been used in the battlefield series, and as they had aquired DICE the texture banks now belonged to them.

In effect, EA bought DICE, fired many of their development team, replaced them with cheaper, less exprienced developers, and left many artists out of work without their life's collection of texture banks - It was interesting therefore when I was at a friend of my ex girlfriends' house and her dad mentioned that he worked for EA. I explained that I was a texture artist and admitted to him that I wasn't too happy with EA due to the DICE incident. He seemed kind of embarrased and changed the subject pretty quickly. It was only later that day that I found out from his daughter that he was head of EA's HR/recruitment division and played a major role in the sacking and re-hiring of DICE employees!

[/rant]

H

[xRyokenx]

Wow, I bet that WAS embarrassing for him, lol. But yeah, HR? Pfft, what resources? More like outsources and cheapo crap.

[Gen.Omega]

My only problem with EA was the way in which they handled DICE.
I was a texture artist, and active in the game developer community when EA bought DICE out and heard many stories of unethical business decisions and downright foulplay on EA's part.

In short, they bought out DICE and then fired a large amount of employees. Several modellers and texture artists literally arrived at work to find their office closed. They were denied access to their work computers which for many of the texture artists contained their life's collection of reference photos and texture banks. EA claimed that the data belonged to DICE as many of the textures had been used in the battlefield series, and as they had aquired DICE the texture banks now belonged to them.

In effect, EA bought DICE, fired many of their development team, replaced them with cheaper, less exprienced developers, and left many artists out of work without their life's collection of texture banks - It was interesting therefore when I was at a friend of my ex girlfriends' house and her dad mentioned that he worked for EA. I explained that I was a texture artist and admitted to him that I wasn't too happy with EA due to the DICE incident. He seemed kind of embarrased and changed the subject pretty quickly. It was only later that day that I found out from his daughter that he was head of EA's HR/recruitment division and played a major role in the sacking and re-hiring of DICE employees!

[/rant]

H
wow...

EA's always been up to no good. I've noticed alot of poor quality when they buy someone elses work over. You know especially if they made games before.

EA must dispersed. It's been long enough, theres been foul play, and they are only in it for money while everyone else put their lives and souls into their work to make their game great for not only them but the players. Alot of these companies that are being bought over care about the gamers, which made them have less networth than EA since they don't give a s*** about gamers. EA abuses the fact that they have mroe money and will do anything to conquer and destroy as many game developers as possible. As far as I'm concerned, they are trying to become a monopoly so theres no opposition.

DOWN WITH EA!

[xRyokenx]

Lol, I concur... I think you need competition if you're a business. It not only gives people more choices but also gives the company a reason to improve their products and not become too abusive.

[Fallen]

i totally agree. more competition creates more innovations in gaming technology. thus = WAY better games.

[xRyokenx]

i totally agree. more competition creates more innovations in gaming technology. thus = WAY better games.

I concur. NFS was awesome in the beginning but it's way too arcadish now. C&C was cool too, I still like to play the first game and Red Alert from time to time. I'm sure having one big company has its benefits, but it seems like they're doing a lot of things wrong. If I were them I'd hire a few people (Psychologists and such) to see how they can improve their workplace. Yep, that's me, all about improvement, lol. I find that too many people focus on the negative things and never give advice on how to correct problems, just complain about them. lol