EA bundles third party spyware with BC2142

[Richard_Mythic]

There are no plans to put advertising in Warhammer Online, Dark Age of Camelot or Ultima Online. EA looks at products on a case by case basis to determine if it is appropriate for advertising to appear in the game.

We realise that they wouldn't make sense in any of our fantasy MMO's.

[Elgareth]

Originally Posted by Richard_Mythic

There are no plans to put advertising in Warhammer Online, Dark Age of Camelot or Ultima Online. EA looks at products on a case by case basis to determine if it is appropriate for advertising to appear in the game.

We realise that they wouldn't make sense in any of our fantasy MMO's.

Yeehaw, Mythic, you are already my favourite Company (though only since...dunno 7 Weeks or so, so I apologize for never having played a Game of ya), but you just rose up another 10 metres above all others

[Wren]

Well it doesn't make much sense in a game that's supposed to be set 100+ years from now, either. They said they wanted to add "immersion" by putting in real movie ads.. except it would do the opposite, since I doubt 2 will be playing anywhere a hundred years from now.

Reminds me of that PA comic, with the sprite machine and thirst meter in BF1942 "Ach, mein thirsten!"

[Averardus]

Nice, thanks for the response Mythic!


So it sounds like EA has not taken any common sense from Mythic, they would be very smart to let Mythic do what they do best.


Cheers~
Aver

[Bluestrike]

adds okay, but spyware to check what I do? No thx.

hmm so if I would visit erotic sites frequently I would get erotic advertisement?

[Uuranor]

Originally Posted by Richard_Mythic

There are no plans to put advertising in Warhammer Online, Dark Age of Camelot or Ultima Online. EA looks at products on a case by case basis to determine if it is appropriate for advertising to appear in the game.

We realise that they wouldn't make sense in any of our fantasy MMO's.

Happy Days

[Shapechanger]

Originally Posted by morskittar

It is more invasive, but no more than consumers are savvy. It's a fair trade off, in my mind.

That being said, this stuff should be up front. A line hidden in the install-EULA isn't properly informing consumers of what they're buying. Barring something else, EA needs to provide full refunds for those not wishing to agree to the terms *after* purchase, as long as those terms are not clear and readily avialable beforehand.

I agree 100%. It needs to be stated up front or a full refund has to be easily obtained if one does not agree.

[Bear]

Nice of you to reaffirm what I think most people that saw this thread and passed on by already knew Richard.

Originally Posted by Ravanos

so if i am constantly looking at porn are there going to be naked chicks spreading thier legs in my BF2142 game?

I still say this was the best post in the thread though.

[checkthis5000]

Originally Posted by Wren

Well it doesn't make much sense in a game that's supposed to be set 100+ years from now, either. They said they wanted to add "immersion" by putting in real movie ads.. except it would do the opposite, since I doubt 2 will be playing anywhere a hundred years from now.

Reminds me of that PA comic, with the sprite machine and thirst meter in BF1942 "Ach, mein thirsten!"

They put commercials on billboards in anarchy online and it actually added to the immersion for me. I loved walking by and actually seeing a real commercial on the billboard. I thought it was pretty cool. The one I remember was that Powerade commercial where they catapult people through the goal posts.

And AO is set much further in the future than 100 years. And since BF2142 is based on earth, I see no problems with putting advertising in it. It can add to the realism a great deal.

[Wren]

Originally Posted by checkthis5000

snip

I'm not quite sure how it adds realism. Explain to me how seeing a billboard for 2, when the setting is 2142, adds realism. Or an ad for some "brand new" computer technology, that would undoubtly be outdated 100 years after the fact. Or seeing long dead celeberties, hocking stone-age products.

General products, like coca-cola could be made to fit, just put it some futuristic squeeze bottle and show it on a billboard. But no, that would undoubtly be too much trouble and be far too creative for anyone who even considers in-game ads for their game, to come up with.

Not to mention, wasn't AO originally a pay to play MMO, that got changed into a free to download/free to play MMO? I'd certainly be able to put up with whatever ads they put in it, since you're getting what you pay for.

[Belatucadros]

Originally Posted by Bluestrike

adds okay, but spyware to check what I do? No thx.

hmm so if I would visit erotic sites frequently I would get erotic advertisement?

What do you mean "check what I do"?

I guarantee WAR will be checking for cheats at least as actively as DAOC.

[Wren]

Originally Posted by Belatucadros

What do you mean "check what I do"?

I guarantee WAR will be checking for cheats at least as actively as DAOC.

Just as long as it lets me alt-tab. Stupid FF11.

[Fana]

Originally Posted by Richard_Mythic

There are no plans to put advertising in Warhammer Online, Dark Age of Camelot or Ultima Online. EA looks at products on a case by case basis to determine if it is appropriate for advertising to appear in the game.

We realise that they wouldn't make sense in any of our fantasy MMO's.

Yes im sure there will be no advertisments in WAR, but what about spyware? If EA are already in the practice of allowing third party companies to piggy-back their spyware onto EA products then what is to stop them from doing the same with WAR? The information collected could be used for advertisments in other games and media and im sure it would be a valuable commodity if WAR sees subscription numbers anywhere near WoW's etc.

Its the invasion of privacy that bothers me (and bother is a weak word for what i really feel), not the actual advertisments.

[Archon]

I dont think I am going to touch WAR if there is spyware attached, im not even joking thats ****ing ridiculous.

What a way to ruin 2142.

[kushinagi]

Wow, internet paranoia is ridiculous nowadays. It's nothing new. It's like me telling someone in california I just cheated on my girlfriend (which I didn't). Seriously, they prolly don't care enough to do anything damaging with that information, even though they could find a way to really screw things up for me. But all he says is "Was she hot?" Because that's the extent of his interest. He doesn't care that I just broke a commitment with my long time lover. He only cares about learning more, not getting involved. Because frankly, he has enough problems as it is already without adding some guy accross the country's problems to his.

The world is not out to get you. Frankly, all they care about is giving you ads that you'd actually give a dang to see. They're not going to do anything besides that with your information. Because frankly my dear, they don't give a damn. You're not that important. Doing that makes them no money. So they won't do it.

To even be more blunt, even if they found out you look at child pornography, they won't care. They obviously won't give you ads for that, but like the guy in California and me, it's none of their business and wouldn't get them any money off of it. So no matter what it is you're trying to hide, they just don't give a rat's .

The basis of paranoia is putting too much importance in one's self.