BF2142 InGame Advertising

[TrevorOfCrete 0]

good one

i dont have a problem with in game advertising aslong as it dosnt get in the way. for racing games etc.. its really essential for realism. in a game like ArmA, less so, but it can add a cool effect in towns and cities and make them 'lived' in.

[redface 1]

hehe modernamn

I don't really mind ingame advertising

games will get more immersive and persistent, so it might be a link back to the real world.

think of newspapers: in the old days, you bought a newspaper, now you pick up one for free with advertising.

[kavoven 4]

As ArmA doesn't "feature" in game advertising I think this discussion will feel more at home in OT.

This moderation decision has been brought to you by ButtFreezeâ„¢ the cool diarrhoea curing spray for the modern man, available in all good stores now.

Haha, that was a good joke

As long as I do not have to click on anything I think ingame advertisment is allright... Some Coca Cola bottles lying around aren't that bad..

[jakerod 254]

Wouldn't mind it if it made it more realistic. But the second that my magazine starts being made by Coke or my LAW starts being made by Toyota im out.

[Maddmatt 1]

If a game is going to make money by ingame dynamic adverts, then it should be a free download, they wont need the consumer's money if they get enough advertising. EA is trying to make as much money as possible. Why does a game riddled with adverts need to cost the same as a game without them?

Either dynamic adverts and cheap/free game or full price without adverts. Dynamic ads in a full price game is just plain greedy.

[crashdome 2]

I love the subtitle for this thread, as if computer games haven't been a corperate business until now.

As technology increases in sophistication, production costs and development cycle lengths increase.  As these things increase, the dev's ability to create a decent amount of content in a reasonable amount of time is decreasing.  This increases the demand for revenue.  This, I think, is also the reason for the trend that placebo points out in the latest (Finnish) interview.  Eyecandy games are their own advertisements, but they're advertising nothing but their own ad, if you follow.  It's all attraction and no substance.  This and the recent appearance of incredible hype campaigns, innovated ad design and viral marketting strategies for computer games points towards a need to increase revenue.  I'm sure not all of this has directly to do with corperate greed.  At any rate, if this kind of revenue strategy keeps the cost of games at a reasonable level, I think it's worth it.  I believe that STEAM already has all kinds of ads built into its interface.  I really have to wonder if all of these banner ads has any effect on anyone, though.  I for one, totally ignore banner ads.  I can't really remember a single banner ad, ESPECIALLY not for the ones from steam.

Also, bear in mind that this isn't the first time we've seen ads in games, this is just the most blatant.  IIRC, the FIFA series has sponsor ads all over the place, etc.

What you describe is exactly what happened to Hollywood. Right now, Hollywood produces far less movies than anyone else and their budgets are higher than any other production region in the world. Some might say the quality is better, but that is highly debatable. In fact, I would say I would appreciate more quantity of decent and good movies from independant makers than a single Hollywood movie. My point is that no this doesn't benefit the the industry at all. It simply encourages a deviation from standard market practices (adverts replace normal market price movement by increasing costs and over-exaggerating quality). What we get is fewer companies on the market with supposedly higher quality games (which isn't exactly the same as saying "better" games). Oh wait... I guess that happened already.....

Unfortunately, you cannot stop it or even slow it down unless EVERYONE starts to support more independant developers over big companies. Something I dont think likely to happen.

[EDIT] Oh and in regards to ads affecting anyone.. yes... again the standard average return rate to expect is 1%-2% of the people who view it. Digitally might be different but not far off.

Based on cost to produce a digital banner versus 1%-2% return that is a crapload of money for nothing from the perspective of the publisher. Even if it decreases sales a little bit. They hope it just becomes ignored by the ones who dont care about em anyways.. because then the sales comes back and they can keep their adverts ....

so ignoring them just promotes more use of them

[monkeyb 0]

Copy of post I put on EA's complaint forum, hopefully if enough people kick up a stink they will have a change of heart.

Anyway I like having a whinge.

"Would just like to register my disgust at EA's actions.

I have purchased quite a few EA games in the past, but not this time. I was looking forward to 2142 but am not prepared to pay to be exploited, and really that is what this is about.

The fact that you hide your dirty deeds on a little piece of paper inside the box only to be revealed once purchased, shows that you were obviously worried what the response would be.

I know that this deal was signed a while ago but to be honest not everyone who buys the game will be trawling through the internet looking for an announcement.

All this rubbish about how Gamers like having ads in games just isn't accurate. Whilst having the odd coke can lying about or the correct name of vehicle adds a little atmosphere, having bloody great billboards dotted around is cynical.

Anyone that comes up with the TV argument that "you watch TV with ads in" is also full of it.

Ads are the price you pay for free TV, if I'm paying Å30 for a game I do not want it littered with ways to make extra cash out of me indirectly, and the collection of information from me is unacceptable

I realize that EA is a business and needs to turn a profit, but I also know that you shouldn't treat your customers like this.

Therefore I will not be purchasing another EA game and you can sell that information to those soulless b****** at IGA if you want!

[oyman 0]

This moderation decision has been brought to you by ButtFreezeâ„¢ the cool diarrhoea curing spray for the modern man, available in all good stores now.

Where can I buy that, I really need some

[Espectro (DayZ) 0]

Why don't we get a discount on the game, when the publishers are making money on me using me as a client for their advertising partners?

Feel free not to buy such products.

What an excellent argument

[Maddmatt 1]

Copy of post I put on EA's complaint forum, hopefully if enough people kick up a stink they will have a change of heart.

Anyway I like having a whinge.

"Would just like to register my disgust at EA's actions.

I have purchased quite a few EA games in the past, but not this time. I was looking forward to 2142 but am not prepared to pay to be exploited, and really that is what this is about.

The fact that you hide your dirty deeds on a little piece of paper inside the box only to be revealed once purchased, shows that you were obviously worried what the response would be.

I know that this deal was signed a while ago but to be honest not everyone who buys the game will be trawling through the internet looking for an announcement.

All this rubbish about how Gamers like having ads in games just isn't accurate. Whilst having the odd coke can lying about or the correct name of vehicle adds a little atmosphere, having bloody great billboards dotted around is cynical.

Anyone that comes up with the TV argument that "you watch TV with ads in" is also full of it.

Ads are the price you pay for free TV, if I'm paying Å30 for a game I do not want it littered with ways to make extra cash out of me indirectly, and the collection of information from me is unacceptable

I realize that EA is a business and needs to turn a profit, but I also know that you shouldn't treat your customers like this.

Therefore I will not be purchasing another EA game and you can sell that information to those soulless b****** at IGA if you want!

Good one, I just hope enough people complain to make EA listen and stop this rubbish.

Although most EA games aren't worth buying anyway

[EiZei 0]

Why don't we get a discount on the game, when the publishers are making money on me using me as a client for their advertising partners?

Feel free not to buy such products.

What an excellent argument  

Well, this being capitalism and stuff I don't think the publishers are supposed to share their means of production with the gaming proletariat so to speak.

[meyamoti 0]

There is only one add I have seen in AA so far and that is a beer add on a billboard,now naturally this is used to simulate atmopshere in a civilian enviroment. If I can find the screen I'll post it. But nothing is wrong with this,why? It does not add spyware into your PC, (I can't think of BIS doing that in their right mind) And lets stop and think..when we see ingame avdertisements,what are they for? Patches,other games made by the same company. This however is not a game advertisement but moreso a natural billboard sign that you see whenever you drive along a highway or into a large town. That is immersion and the correct way to do things,that is realistic.

[Heatseeker 0]

Its interesting that people complain about EA and their products, policies, support, etc all the time. I have absolutely no reasons to complain about EA since i dont purchase their shit.

If you do live with your decision, take it like a grown up or call yourself an idiot, no matter what they do they get away with it and are successfull for some reason...

I smoke cigarettes, im compromising my health and slowly killing myself while filling the government's and Philip Morris's pockets at it, im an idiot and i live with it .

[Balschoiw 0]

My point:

If I buy something and then go home , play it and connect to internet to play some online matches, the spyware actually transmits data for new ads or "personal-related" ads as the spyware sends information about YOU to adservers, and I actually have to pay for those ads as they consume my tiny little ISDN bandwidth, what do you think will I say ?

If you need to have product placement or such in a video game, pls limit it to things of everyday-life and keep them static. I don´t want to have to download a "patch" with a new load of ads whenever I connect to play online.

I don´t need/nor want such and will not buy products that contain such things.

Period.

(...ok maybe Armed Assault )

[Pathy 0]

Don't even tempt BI...

[-ZG-BUZZARD 0]

The only advertising I'll tolerate in any BIS product is of the "dynamically destructible" type!!!

 

Edit: I just said that because the addonmakers that made advertising billboards for OFP couldn't make them "dynamically destructible"...

[Myst9999 0]

Most forums I'm on have the general consensus that they won't be buying it. And will instead be getting Quake Wars.

Which was my first choice anyway.

[-Snafu- 77]

EA couldnt ask people to do this after putting in the advertisement software without people knowing?

Read

[aussie dave 0]

Thank God BI not with Codemasters anymore:

Quote[/b] ]In-game ad firm IGA Worldwide has announced that it has signed an exclusive multi-title, multi-platform agreement with developer and publisher Codemasters in order to deliver audio, video and billboard advertising content into and around several of the company's upcoming titles, including Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 and the next-generation version of Colin McRae Rally.

Advertisements will be delivered via IGA Worldwide's proprietary Radial in-game ad serving technology. The firm will exclusively manage dynamic ad sales into the range of titles, while its wholly-owned creative communications consultancy, IGA Hive, will be responsible for static ads, interactive product placement integrations and co-promotion activities.

"Advertising in games generates additional revenue that publishers can offset against product development costs," said Rod Cousens, CEO at Codemasters. "However, it's critical for the ad placements to complement the highly immersive gaming experience of our games across current and future platforms. Following significant due diligence on the market we believe that IGA is ideally placed to deliver on all of these key points."

"The fact that another of the world's leading videogame publishers has made the transition to IGA as a one-stop solution for their in-game advertising further demonstrates the strength and business value of our offering and our position as the leading independent company in the industry," said Justin Townsend, CEO of IGA Worldwide. "Codemasters' proven ability to deliver globally successful franchises will open up a whole new range of possibilities for the world's leading brands and agencies, enabling advertisers to reach their target demographics across an exciting range of game genres and platforms."

[dm 9]

Advertising in the right context, I can live with.

I expect to see adverts at Cricket matches (Brian Lara Cricket) I expect to see adverts at a Rally (Collin McRae Rally) I expect to see adverts at Football matches (FIFA, PES etc)

As long as the adverts are in the right place and context, I'm all for it.

What I'm NOT for is;

a. using spyware/malware to gather data for the adverts.

b. inappropriately placed adverts (airwaves in Spliter Cell anyone?)

Also, in my opinion, using the internet to stream adverts is such a waste of bandwidth, second only to spam (which online adverts essentially are)

[sanctuary 19]

Not buying such products is the best solution to avoid such practice to be generalized, as it hurts the publisher where it counts : the extra money generated for them.

[bozo_t_clown 0]

Screw EA games...

Mandatory spyware is unacceptable..

http://www.kotaku.com/gaming....695.php

[aussie dave 0]

Quote[/b] ]EA released a patch for Battlefield 2142 today, but for players with a certain Windows security update it will crash the game. EA's bug fix? Uninstall the vital security update. Nice.

According to the Battlefield 2142 patch readme:

"Players who have the Windows security update KB917422 installed may suffer from an application error when running Battlefield 2142. This error can be solved by uninstalling the KB917422 update."

Wondering what the Windows security update KB917422 does? According to Microsoft:

"A security issue has been identified in the Windows Kernel that could allow an attacker to compromise your Windows-based system and gain control over it."

First EA put spyware in the game which monitors your browser activity, and now they're asking players to uninstall vital security updates. Is it just me or does this game sound like more trouble than it's worth?

http://pcgames.gwn.com/news/story.php/id/10572/

[mattxr 9]

Check out the BF2142 forums .. all there is .. is "WTF" "EA + Dice Noobs" and a lot worse lol... the games bugged to hell and the stats dont work

[lee_h._oswald 0]

1.) BF series is crap (maybe some fun when you are drunken and at a lan party..)

2.) EA is a money sucking black hole, who gives a shit about things like "what the community wants".

3.) I don't like the idea of give EA my money for low quality addons, called: "Booster Packs".

4.)BF 2142-08/15 is nothing more than a BF2 mod, but they want the money of a full price game.

5.) The ingame advertising is another thing I don't want to see in such games.

EA said, the money made with this will be used for better games and support for existing games in the future.

---

EA can make another hundred games but I'm not going to buy them.

MfG Lee