What if KSP was sold to EA?

[Brabbit1987]

Derp so it's alright to be evil, all the cool kids are doing it

What do you consider evil? A honestly don't consider what they do evil in anyway. It's simply just business.

You most certainly are entitled to what you want to think, but don't make it out to be as if they are actually evil. Unless you want me to describe to you what I believe evil is, and then we can compare the differences. I would also like to point out if you consider EA evil, you are evil as well. Or are you going to say you never lied ever in your entire life?

Basically, all you are doing is turning this into a discussion this really doesn't need to be. So if I where you, I would quit while you are ahead.

[Fractal_UK]

XD If you say so. If that was the case, I think computers you play KSP on wouldn't exist. Microsoft and apple have done just as bad things as EA, if not worse. Actually most major corporations do this crap, it's really nothing new. A company is in business to make money, if you think other wise, you are kidding yourself.

I don't think that a serious appraisal of their business policy would actually derive a result of of EA being objectively the worst company in America but you also have to consider the sector of the market that they operate in. EA are involved in a business venture where the consumer base are relatively tech-savvy and social media enabled, if you irritate the consumer base, these are the kinds of responses that you will get.

Regardless, the relative value of the decisions that EA has made is largely irrelevant. They are worthy of criticism and are certainly the prime example of a company within their sector of the market that is widely disliked and are, as such, open to heavy criticism from anyone with an interest in computer gaming. I'm sure that other demographics dislike other companies a great deal more.

Finally, making money and providing a good consumer experience are not mutually exclusive. Annoying your consumers and squeezing your workforce might be one way of making money but ultimately probably not a very effective one. I may not entirely understand the appeal of many Apple products, for example, but never have I seen them evoke such anger amongst their consumer base as EA regularly manages, they would not be where they are today if they did.

[Crusher8000]

Gaming companies are a business but their customers are one of the most demanding people out there because alot of game devs stay in contact with their fans, it createst a bond but the more fans you have the more you will disappoint, you could try to focus more on the community and get some of their ideas in the game or focus on earning money and try to reach as much people as possible.

Personally I dislike anything that's focused at a big audience, movies, games, food, clothes. The only way to reach a big audience is to smooth out the character of your product. Games lose their challenge because some people just don't have the attentionspan to play it for more than an hour, movies all look shiny and smooth because it's easier to be impressed by visuals instead of a story, etc.

There's a reason why I prefer to play indie games or at least games from smaller companies. If you go for the money your product loses its character and that happens to be the thing that make people fall in love with. A game full of character certainly won't please everyone but the people that do will love it and I appreciate a company to rather goes for a game with character instead of a golden turd.

[Brabbit1987]

I don't think that a serious appraisal of their business policy would actually derive a result of of EA being objectively the worst company in America but you also have to consider the sector of the market that they operate in. EA are involved in a business venture where the consumer base are relatively tech-savvy and social media enabled, if you irritate the consumer base, these are the kinds of responses that you will get.

Regardless, the relative value of the decisions that EA has made is largely irrelevant. They are worthy of criticism and are certainly the prime example of a company within their sector of the market that is widely disliked and are, as such, open to heavy criticism from anyone with an interest in computer gaming. I'm sure that other demographics dislike other companies a great deal more.

Finally, making money and providing a good consumer experience are not mutually exclusive. Annoying your consumers and squeezing your workforce might be one way of making money but ultimately probably not a very effective one. I may not entirely understand the appeal of many Apple products, for example, but never have I seen them evoke such anger amongst their consumer base as EA regularly manages, they would not be where they are today if they did.

Agreed, but look at the comments, it isn't criticism, it is out rate hate and immaturity at it's best.

[Whackjob]

Does anyone actually think that letter is real?

[Brabbit1987]

Does anyone actually think that letter is real?

Don't think so, though EA has written something similar in an article. To me it also isn't far from the truth. While EA may not have had some of the best practices, it's stupid that people over react and rate it worst company in America.

[Sof]

So much random hate for EA when they aren't even the worst video game company out there, nor are they personally responsible for half the reasons people hate them.

[WhiteWeasel]

Don't think so, though EA has written something similar in an article. To me it also isn't far from the truth. While EA may not have had some of the best practices, it's stupid that people over react and rate it worst company in America.

I don't have the exact quote, but Totalbiscuit said something like:

There's no way in hell that EA is worse than BP.

[Killerdude8]

So much random hate for EA when they aren't even the worst video game company out there, nor are they personally responsible for half the reasons people hate them.

Can you name a Company worse than EA?

The only one I know that can even come close is THQ, and they're gone now.

[Sapphire]

Can you name a Company worse than EA?

The only one I know that can even come close is THQ, and they're gone now.

There's plenty worse. BP and Bank Of America, for example. They just catch the most hate because the voters live on the internet. Gamers tend to live on the internet too.

Going back to the "they just want to make a profit by appealing to a broader audience" thing; that could be another reason why people hate EA, or more for what they represent. Do you understand the significance of "appealing to a broader audience"? "We did it to make the game appeal to the broader audience" is the polar opposite of "We did it because we felt that it would make the game more fun". If someone's trying to appeal to the broader audience, they don't care if you enjoy their game or not, they just want to sell as many copies as possible. Just a cold impersonal business practice. Sadly it looks like it's becoming really common these days.

[benjiful9000]

"Great work Dave, you've reached 69,000 feet! Continue into space for only £5! We have more offers...

- Explore Kerbin's moons for £3!

- Explore other planets for £8!

- Upgrade to 2m parts for £25!"

"But EA, I want to do all this without paying!"

"I'm sorry Dave. I'm afraid I can't let you do that..."

And I did not just write that whole thing for the 2001 joke. At all.

[Needles_10]

What would happen...

For starters, EA would probably lace KSP with Toxins (SecuROM), fill it with un-necessary Paid DLC Packs, and use DRM grenades on it. It would also force you to be online, use multiplayer, add weapons, aliens, etc.

I would probably enter a level of rage equivalent to that of the destructive force of every type of natural disaster, along with many other people, and (although unlikely) start a riot outside of EA's many offices.

I'd personally spare the companies which EA bought. I'd probably liberate them.

[bones2oo21]

EA upgrading the name of a game by one while reusing the same engine, gfx, and other components of the previous title while charging another 60 dollars to play it. AKA Battlefield 3 to Battlefield 4 . Also should i mention the required usage of there partner game client Origin which has lost my bf3 account 10 times to Russians. Origin doesn't offer any way to lock down a account to prevent email or personal info from being changed also they refused to tell the email address that my account kept getting changed to. Sorry if i don't find EA to be a model game company. I find that this would be a horrible idea and hope the current DEVs keep it and keep working to make this an even better gaming experience.

[Whackjob]

Grraaah! I takes this thread with my teeths and I bite it and shake it until it is pieces!

[Mode7]

"Pay $5 to instantly refuel your craft anywhere!"

"Resource system, day-one DLC!"

On the bright side, we'd at least get multiplayer.

Why is anyone even posting in this thread after this guy knocked it out of the ballpark?

[AntonioAJC]

They would remove the orbital mechanics and you actually have to keep the engine on to thrust one place to another. Of course, this would be an incentive to buy fuel with actual money so you can at least get to Mun.

[Audiopulse]

What would happen ... Id say Sales drop down to a third and piracy increases.

[Hannu]

They would remove the orbital mechanics and you actually have to keep the engine on to thrust one place to another.

Yes. Scale of solar system would be ruined. Distances would be lower compared to planet's sizes and there would be no gravity but some kind of friction in space. And you should dodge asteroids, avoid some kind of magic gravity anomalies, collect points and maybe shoot alien's ships all the time. Actually I hope that this is too nerdy game so that this will never be too popular. Because in such case it would eventually be sold to some large company which removes all the mathematical rocket science from game to increase sells.

[llamatoes]

I will probably never buy another ea game, but before this goes anywhere, I like some ea games, I've enjoyed wing commander, simcity ( not the new one) the sims at a core is good, I like bioware's olde rstuff, baldur's gate, the original mass effect, and such, and yes the sims is okay.

But Extruding Arsehole's drm shenanigans, mass-market appeal for maximum profits would knacker this game.

And expel all (your money) are charging 55 F*** POUNDS over in Britain, which means that I will be not playing any new ea games.

I don't have that sort of money for video games.

[frash23]

If anything bad happens to KSP, I'll lead a team of rebel programmers to sneakily acquire the Unity file and continue development in secret.

Could i be a co-leader?

[Killerdude8]

As long as Rockstar is still around, they're the shining example of a company doing it right.

[Climberfx]

Necro Thread, closed.