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[Max White]

So, could we have built a subset offline mode? Yes. But we rejected that idea because it didn't fit with our vision. We did not focus on the "single city in isolation" that we have delivered in past SimCities. We recognize that there are fans – people who love the original SimCity – who want that. But we're also hearing from thousands of people who are playing across regions, trading, communicating and loving the Always-Connected functionality. The SimCity we delivered captures the magic of its heritage but catches up with ever-improving technology.

No you fucking dunce because that is wrong and you are a fucktard for thinking along this line of logic. People love to ability to connect to their friends and build cities together and all that social stuff. They don't like being required to connect.
I like being able to eat ice cream, and once in a blue moon I will because it is nice. I don't want to eat ice cream every day and if you try to make me I will get upset. You can't point to the times when I indulge in ice cream and say 'Well you liked it then, so I figured it was the only thing you ever wanted to eat ever again! Now eat your fucking ice cream bitch!'

[nenjin]

I have a hard time describing how glad I am I avoided this game like the plague.

[Neonivek]

It is hard to know where he is comming from but remember as of a while ago EA announced that they would add "social elements" to ALL their games.

[Kaje]

I wasted £30 on this crap, I wish I'd have waited and just bought StarDrive.

[Neonivek]

I wasted £30 on this crap, I wish I'd have waited and just bought StarDrive.

Well what went wrong with your copy? Certainly you logged onto the servers, clearly you are just complaining because you dedicated yourself to hating the game (sarcasm)

[pilgrimboy]

Here is my conversation now on GMG's forums. The only I am left appears to be a chargeback.

**

I did ask for a refund. I don't know if I'm at the point of asking for a chargeback. It is a faulty product though.

I asked for GMG to reconsider their policy in regard to EA. I just received a reply back restating their policy.

The reply stated, "I am sorry to hear that you want a refund on this product but unfortunately I am unable to give you a refund on this item as we have already sent you the licence key. Part of our Terms & Conditions and refund policy, state that once the key has been distributed, we are unable to give a refund on the purchase." Seemed like a cut and paste job rather than dealing with my request.

Here was my request:
"I know that your policy says that refunds will not be allowed once a key has been distributed, but I hear that Origin is offering refunds on Simcity.

I personally think this game is so broken that it is beyond hope. I would be disappointed if I had paid $9.99 on it, let alone the amount I did.

I write this in hopes that you will reexamine your policy in regards to Simcity. Maybe you can work out a deal with Origin to offer refunds on this specific title.

Thanks for your time."

Simcity should warrant an exception to GMG's policy. An online-only digital game is a different beast than a DRM-free digital game that you send to me. With the DRM-free game, you can't assure that I am not using it. With the online-only digital game, it is worthless if its code is no longer activated. So if the code is deactivated then the game is returned. Even moreso that a physical copy of a game because an unethical consumer could have burnt the disc.

It isn't GMG's fault that Simcity is a terrible game with terrible problems, but I did purchase it from them. So they become the liason between me and EA. I'm sure that I am not the only one asking for a request, so this is an issue that is worthy of negotiating returns on our behalf with EA.

I would like GMG to reconsider their policy rather than just replying with the policy. This is a policy-level discussion that needs to be made by those that make the policy. It can't be a discussion with those who hide behind the policy.

Again. Thanks for everyone's time. I'm sorry this has now moved to a public forum rather than remained private, but I didn't get any constructive conversation in private.

[Catastrophic lolcats]

That reply from GMG is flat-out nonsense. They're the vendor and they're the one's responsible to refund your money and to then send that information to EA and have the digital code and account closed.

It's trivial to get a refund if you live in a country with any decent consumer protection laws (this should be pretty much everywhere but the U.S.). All you have to do is tastefully remind the company that national law over-rides any silly eula or user agreement you've digitally signed and a refund will be you. If there's no satisfactory reply then you threaten to take it to the consumer protection watchdog.

If I remember correctly almost all Commonwealth and European countries have some kind of consumer protection law regarding refunds if the product is not fit for use. Always try to learn your country's laws.
I don't recommend a chargeback since that will most likely see your account to Greenman Gaming and EA either flagged or closed. Perhaps as a very last resort when you've tried all possibilities.

[Kaje]

I wasted £30 on this crap, I wish I'd have waited and just bought StarDrive.

Well what went wrong with your copy? Certainly you logged onto the servers, clearly you are just complaining because you dedicated yourself to hating the game (sarcasm)

Hah!

I managed to log on the day I bought it (the Thursday) by using an American VPN. Logged on, and must have played for well over five hours straight. In that time, however, I'd made two cities and pretty much developed them to map capacity. I'd gone through two specialisations and had started on one of the regional 'wonders' with a couple of other mayors.

On the Friday, I couldn't log in at all. Server issues abound, so I waited til Saturday.

Played for another hour and a half, but things felt stilted. Started another city elsewhere, and had again maxed it within a couple of hours. Once your city has built up, and you have a nice population and cashflow...there's nothing else to do. Nothing else to really aim for at all, especially as the regional wonders don't do anything - they just provide yet more number crunching.

I haven't gone back to the game since. It sits in my Origin account, next to Battlefield 3, and I have had no desire to log back in at all.

It's one hell of a simplistic game, it's very 'rock paper scissors' in it's design and it's very easy to find a formula and max out your city in a very short period of time. There's no life here, none at all. Not until an expansion pack drops in, anyway - and even then, I doubt it will expand the game much beyond it's current guise.

I short, I've spent £30 on much better games in the past and - genuinely - none worse or that have at least captured my attention less.

If it had have been a console game, I'd have taken it to a local store and sold it for £15 by now. Instead, I'm stuck with the purchase and a huge loss of confidence in EA and Maxis.

[LoSboccacc]

never ever do a chargeback out of the blue. IANAL and YMMV and all the disclaimer applies here.

but the same consumer laws across countries usually have a clause that you first need to try an attempt in good faith. that doesn't mean on a forum, but with some kind of traceable correspondence and to the appropriate company offices and with an appropriate timeout on it.

always ask advice from the relevant watchdog entity local to your country, they will know the fine details that would allow you to get the money back without getting charged and your account locked.

[Kaje]

EA have released details of the free game promotion for those saps (like myself) who purchased SimCity.

http://www.simcity.com/en_US/blog/article/for-our-patient-and-amazing-mayors-a-free-pc-download-from-origin

Battlefield 3 (Standard Edition)
Bejeweled 3
Dead Space 3 (Standard Edition)
Mass Effect 3 (Standard Edition)
Medal of Honor Warfighter (Standard Edition)
Need For Speed Most Wanted (Standard Edition)
Plants vs. Zombies
SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition

I either have those in some form, or don't want them. Yay.

[LoSboccacc]

SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition

[10ebbor10]

USERS WHO ARE BENEATH THE MINIMUM AGE REQUIRED TO ACCESS INTERACTIVE ONLINE SERVICES WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE GRANTED A COPY OF SIMCITY 4: DELUXE EDITION AND BEJEWELED 3 INSTEAD. THESE GAMES WILL BE ADDED DIRECTLY TO YOUR MY GAMES LIBRARY OVER THE COMING DAYS.

?

[jocan2003]

Woa they feel generous, we have 2 week to fill out and get the new game.... 2 week really? WTF is that?

In fact we have 7 day to install sim city and then a small wiondow of 5 day to claim it o.O man..... We can start claim the 25 and then 30 its over they really gave us a minimal window to move in..... And to be frank im quite sure the email will be missed because they will include spammish subject just to make sure to reach the less possible ppl.

[dragonshardz]

EA have released details of the free game promotion for those saps (like myself) who purchased SimCity.

http://www.simcity.com/en_US/blog/article/for-our-patient-and-amazing-mayors-a-free-pc-download-from-origin

Battlefield 3 (Standard Edition)
Bejeweled 3
Dead Space 3 (Standard Edition)
Mass Effect 3 (Standard Edition)
Medal of Honor Warfighter (Standard Edition)
Need For Speed Most Wanted (Standard Edition)
Plants vs. Zombies
SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition

I either have those in some form, or don't want them. Yay.

Is it possible for you to claim Dead Space 3 and give it to me?

>_>

I mean, if you don't want any of those games but you have the ability to get one and feel generous...

[miauw62]

Damn, the games they offer are better than I expected.