Comments on: Flagship Defends HG:L Containing "Adware"

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:13:53 +0000

More Flagship representatives at the front line defense. This time it’s Flagship’s C.O.O.

http://www.hellgateguru.com/2007/10/max-schaefer-addresses-eula-concerns/

There are too many good things about this game for such a small voice of negativity to topple it.

I for one agree with the “fair” part Max states about his game. Everything is laid out in front of you in the demo. There’s nothing sinister going on. I don’t even think you have the right to bitch if you haven’t even installed the demo, much less the beta.

Why do people get their panties in a wad over trivial things anyway? Oh yeah, this is the internet. Have to wear a hazmat suit to wade through the bullshit.

By: xx-Thor-xx

xx-Thor-xx — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 19:24:24 +0000

they are missing why the community got pissed off at them.. and i do recall punkbuster showing up in my processes tab after i installed the demo unknowingly, EA owns punkbuster right? so that would make “EA has no control over the game’s online or offline security measures.” a complete and total bullshit lie right?

By: weclock

weclock — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:44:26 +0000

I think it would be ridiculous to have real-life ads to simulate a ‘real’ place in this fictional realm. I think it’d be far more effective to just come up with your own custom textures.

By: Heru-Ur

Heru-Ur — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 13:48:25 +0000

Please disregard spelling the previous post, just woke up.

By: Heru-Ur

Heru-Ur — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 13:47:10 +0000

I played alot of Battlefield 2142 which has a similar ad system in it. Never once did it affect my enjoyment of the game. Honestly, crappy patches, and punkbuster being freaking lame game me a million times more grief then the in game ads. As long as the ads fist with the context of the game, i couldnt care less really.

By: Phil Migrowen

Phil Migrowen — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 11:47:30 +0000

“The “catch-all” part of the EULA was included as a means to combat hackers, cheats, or malware that would otherwise affect the gameplay.”

In that case it’s perfectly acceptable because customers shouldn’t expect Flagship to have to go to the tremendous trouble of removing a few lines of text from the EULA to preserve and protect their privacy especially when the ends of trying to prevent cheating in a game so justify the invasive means of doing it.

Of course the real “malware that will affect gameplay” is Flagship’s own invasive security measures.

“EA has no control over the game’s online or offline security measures.”

Fantastic! It’s so much more comforting for customers to know that it’s Flagship who will be spying on them and screwing them over instead of EA.

“Flagship did not put ads in the game for money.”

Great! The ads and tracking are much more acceptable now that customers know that Flagship put them in the game because it is run by stupid pricks instead of greedy ones.

“The ads in the game are there to “simulate how London looks in the real-world”.”

That’s terrific because it’s so important that London looks realistic while players are running around the city wearing fantasy-based costumes, wielding fictional and futuristic weapons, and killing supernatural creatures and monsters. With the adddition of the ads this game will be so chalked full of realism you can almost taste it.

“Flagship strategically chose Massive to handle the ads due to the complexity and effort involved.”

Hurray! Flagship didn’t just choose any old company to plaster ads in its game and spy on its users. It picked the best one at it.

“Flagship approves all ads before they make it into the game.”

That’s super because all of the other decisions Flagship has made about the game such as the addition of the “optional” monthly fee and the non-free expansion packs have been so great that Flagship’s ad choices will no doubt be reasonable as well.