Friday, October 27th 2017

EA Forces Shut-Down of Fan-Run Servers for no Longer Supported Battlefield Games

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Raevenlord
 Discuss (56 Comments)
Electronic Arts, who on their company's "vision" says that they "value being a generous company and community member", have brought about the demise of fan-run servers for some older, no longer supported Battlefield games. The games in question - Battlefield 2, Battlefield 2142, and Battlefield Heroes - had their multiplayer components shut down with the demise of GameSpy, and were being maintained by a fan coalition named Revive Network.

"We will get right to the point: Electronic Arts Inc.' legal team has contacted us and nicely asked us to stop distributing and using their intellectual property," the Revive Network team wrote. "As diehard fans of the franchise, we will respect these stipulations." Revive Network were distributing modified versions of the older Battlefield titles along with a launcher that allowed access to its own, rewritten server infrastructure - and this seems to be the reaon why EA sought closure. "Please stop distributing copies of our game clients and using our trademarks, logos, and artwork on your sites," EA's counsel wrote. "Your websites may easily mislead visitors to believe that you are associated or affiliated with EA-we're the only ones that get to wear the 'Official EA' dog tag."
It's one of those age-old facts: when servers for games that have a strong multiplayer experience - which may even be the games' focus - shut down, there's just no way players can actually play the game they paid for. This is an issue that has reared its head every now and then; sometimes, users themselves join up in crating fan-run servers that allow for those canned multiplayer experiences to thrive, letting users keep enjoying their spent money in ways that the companies themselves no longer see fit to support.

This time, like Blizzard has done before with World of Warcraft, EA has taken the stance of asking the managers of these unofficial servers to shut down their service. Revive Network started this revival process with Battlefield 2 in 2014, expanded its efforts to Battlefield 2142 last year, and had just created the server infrastructure for Battlefield Heroes a few months ago. Revive claimed over 900,000 registered accounts across its games, including nearly 175,000 players for the recently revived Battlefield Heroes.
Sources: Revive Heroes, Ars Technica

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56 Comments on EA Forces Shut-Down of Fan-Run Servers for no Longer Supported Battlefield Games

#26
Readlight
These games are fast working. all others new ones are slow.
Posted on Reply
#27
BiggieShady
StrayKATI just don't like that Ubi keeps releasing a lot of open world stuff... Ubi just sucks at it.
Game play wise they do good animations but average mechanics. Visually, I'd say they make decent open world, but they stop there - instead of filling the world with hand placed details, they make generic systems that place small details on the fly using patterns so the world looks too repetitive on the small detail scale where it shouldn't seem repetitive at all.
Posted on Reply
#28
StrayKAT
BiggieShadyGame play wise they do good animations but average mechanics. Visually, I'd say they make decent open world, but they stop there - instead of filling the world with hand placed details, they make generic systems that place small details on the fly using patterns so the world looks too repetitive on the small detail scale where it shouldn't seem repetitive at all.
I agree with all of that.

Well, I agree on the animations when it applies to these type of games at least. They're capable of good game concepts elsewhere.

As an aside, I get the feeling EA hired former Ubi people to design DAI's open world. Because it's just as lifeless.
Posted on Reply
#29
Vayra86
BiggieShadyGame play wise they do good animations but average mechanics. Visually, I'd say they make decent open world, but they stop there - instead of filling the world with hand placed details, they make generic systems that place small details on the fly using patterns so the world looks too repetitive on the small detail scale where it shouldn't seem repetitive at all.
Spot on. Ubisoft games are all about that 'first look' and making a good first impression (note: ME:Andromeda has the same issue). The best (worst) example being the E3 visuals of Watch Dogs, compared to the in-game situation. I feel that of all Ubisoft released games of the past years, The Division is the ONLY open world game that really captures a unique vibe and actually looks interesting no matter how long you play it. The level of detail in there is tremendous, the animations are not only fluid but have a good feel to them, AND the game mechanics tie into the setting very well. Compare that to for example GR: Wildlands and it feels super generic. The vistas are nice, and when you get close you wonder if you're playing an ancient Far Cry with the wrong perspective (which, in fact, isn't far from the truth).

Unsurprisingly, the Division was developed by another studio, not a Ubisoft inhouse one.

As far as EA goes - those are specifically the games I love to pay 5 bucks for an some shady key site. Or revisit the game a few years later and pirate it. Its 20 hours of 'oh look this is new' and then you uninstall - classic EA fare since the post Mass Effect 3 era. Battlefield, well, that's a sacrifice I don't mind making since the crapshoot that was BF4's launch. BF3 still plays well, I have ZERO urge to get a newer version of Frostbite at a way too high price point. With BF I usually buy the whole package a year and a half post release - if I even get it
Posted on Reply
#30
StrayKAT
Sands of Time (whose lead went to make AC.... strangely) and Beyond Good and Evil. Those were great AAA Ubisoft games.

Trials is a great smaller game... but it's gotten much easier in Ubi's hands. I blow through levels on it compared to the original.
Posted on Reply
#31
Solidstate89
The issue at hand seems to be that they were distributing basically cracked/modified versions of the game to utilize non-Gamespy servers, not the fact that they were using fan run servers in and of themselves.

I don't know if possible but if they could find a way to enable network support without distributing modified versions of the game client, it probably wouldn't be an issue.
Posted on Reply
#32
RejZoR
Vayra86Spot on. Ubisoft games are all about that 'first look' and making a good first impression (note: ME:Andromeda has the same issue). The best (worst) example being the E3 visuals of Watch Dogs, compared to the in-game situation. I feel that of all Ubisoft released games of the past years, The Division is the ONLY open world game that really captures a unique vibe and actually looks interesting no matter how long you play it. The level of detail in there is tremendous, the animations are not only fluid but have a good feel to them, AND the game mechanics tie into the setting very well. Compare that to for example GR: Wildlands and it feels super generic. The vistas are nice, and when you get close you wonder if you're playing an ancient Far Cry with the wrong perspective (which, in fact, isn't far from the truth).

Unsurprisingly, the Division was developed by another studio, not a Ubisoft inhouse one.

As far as EA goes - those are specifically the games I love to pay 5 bucks for an some shady key site. Or revisit the game a few years later and pirate it. Its 20 hours of 'oh look this is new' and then you uninstall - classic EA fare since the post Mass Effect 3 era. Battlefield, well, that's a sacrifice I don't mind making since the crapshoot that was BF4's launch. BF3 still plays well, I have ZERO urge to get a newer version of Frostbite at a way too high price point. With BF I usually buy the whole package a year and a half post release - if I even get it
EA feels generic like Ubisoft, they just keep on making same "safe" things over and over. Though not so much where Ubi is literaly using same framework for all open world games. I mean, EA surprise us here and there with gems like Dead Space. Then again that only happened because they bought the company making it (Visceral) and then killed it (also Visceral).

Only exception really is Need for Speed. Because it just has NO competition what so ever from anyone else. There are racing games but they are all Forza/Gran Turismo type which I'm not interested in at all. How have we come to a point where fun arcade racing games entirely disappeared? People really just want to shoot shit up and endlessly grind online RPG's and that's it? This is really the only reason why I buy almost every Need for Speed game. Coz I like racing games and I'm literally left with no choice. And despite some flops here and there NFS remained fairly good. Which is surprising in a way. But then again it could be so much more and it's not...
Posted on Reply
#33
Prince Valiant
Solidstate89The issue at hand seems to be that they were distributing basically cracked/modified versions of the game to utilize non-Gamespy servers, not the fact that they were using fan run servers in and of themselves.

I don't know if possible but if they could find a way to enable network support without distributing modified versions of the game client, it probably wouldn't be an issue.
I'd bet on it having to do with the player count. Gaining 175k users for Battlefield Heroes in a matter of months and having 900k total users isn't insignificant.
RejZoREA feels generic like Ubisoft, they just keep on making same "safe" things over and over. Though not so much where Ubi is literaly using same framework for all open world games. I mean, EA surprise us here and there with gems like Dead Space. Then again that only happened because they bought the company making it (Visceral) and then killed it (also Visceral).

Only exception really is Need for Speed. Because it just has NO competition what so ever from anyone else. There are racing games but they are all Forza/Gran Turismo type which I'm not interested in at all. How have we come to a point where fun arcade racing games entirely disappeared? People really just want to shoot shit up and endlessly grind online RPG's and that's it? This is really the only reason why I buy almost every Need for Speed game. Coz I like racing games and I'm literally left with no choice. And despite some flops here and there NFS remained fairly good. Which is surprising in a way. But then again it could be so much more and it's not...
That's classic EA strategy. Buy a developer that makes good games, maybe squeeze a few more out of them, then gut 'em and throw them in the pit with the rest of their kills.
Posted on Reply
#34
lexluthermiester
RejZoRThe only thing I buy from EA these days is Battlefield game here and there and Need for Speed. And this last one basically just because it's the frigging ONLY half decent racing game with cops and stuff. They just don't release anything good and their business practices are in the shitter for quite a while. Might come to a point I won't buy anything from them out of principle just like I don't from Ubisoft.
With you here. The only EA games I buy are on GOG.
RejZoRInstead of EA jumping on it and saying, hey guys, lets make a small EA branch of such community folks who would maintain old titles like this with maybe tiny help from EA here and there to up the reputation and good will among people
That's actually a great idea! Too bad the profitability of such great idea's are lost to nitwit suits. IMHO, the only people who should running game companies are gamers, gamers with business degrees, but gamers none the less.
Posted on Reply
#35
StrayKAT
lexluthermiesterWith you here. The only EA games I buy are on GOG.

That's actually a great idea! Too bad the profitability of such great idea's are lost to nitwit suits. IMHO, the only people who should running game companies are gamers, gamers with business degrees, but gamers none the less.
Instead you have marketing grads who see games as ATM machines (MT).

They're smart to a point though. Because many gamers are as stupid and impulse driven as these guys think they are.
Posted on Reply
#36
Vario
BF1942 Desert Combat Mod was perfection.


I am consistently disappointed in EA Games as a company,they have nothing to win by shutting down fan run BF2, 2142 servers. About 2 years ago I was playing a lot of classic BF1942, which IIRC seemed to work fine with some unofficial patch that displayed a different master server list, allowing me to play on servers like Moongamers.

BF1942 and BF2 had a terrible buggy release and EA Games treated the community poorly back then too.
TartarosThey could have gone the Unreal 3 way: release a patch allowing creating and joining customs servers and let the community do the rest. If Epic can do it for a single game, EA can do for his entire franchise, almost a million users is not something to scoff at.
IIRC Sierra/Dynamix did this, right before the studio closed for good, with Tribes 2 and the game lived on another decade before its demise.
Posted on Reply
#37
FreedomEclipse
~Technological Technocrat~
StrayKATInstead you have marketing grads who see games as ATM machines (MT).

They're smart to a point though. Because many gamers are as stupid and impulse driven as these guys think they are.
Some of these 'stupid gamers' suffer from addictive personality syndrome
Posted on Reply
#38
evernessince
OneMoardid nobody fawking read the notice
it wasn't even a cnd

it was a very polite notice(for ea anyway) asking them to NOT distribute the game files they made no mention or demand they cease running there servers

I don't even think the revive team members read it

the only game affected by this is heros. and thats only because the game files are not available for though other channels
LOL, asking people to not do something, politely or not, in a written letter from EA's lawyers constitutes as a C&D in any court. It may not be a straight up C&D but sending a letter as a warning first asking them to stop is a calculated move by EA's lawyers because it gives them the high ground in court and will significantly strengthen their case.
Posted on Reply
#42
arbiter
Revive Network were distributing modified versions of the older Battlefield titles along with a launcher that allowed access to its own, rewritten server infrastructure - and this seems to be the reaon why EA sought closure.
In a nutshell they were distributing the game without permission with a custom launcher. So asking them to stop pretty much giving out pirate copies of the game is what they did. They could instead just provide the launcher and the files needed with launcher not the full game would probably avoided it all to start with.
Posted on Reply
#43
TheGuruStud
VarioIIRC Sierra/Dynamix did this, right before the studio closed for good, with Tribes 2 and the game lived on another decade before its demise.
Tribes 2 was revived (again?) by the fans. www.tribesnext.com/
Not sure if you were referring to this or not.

Unfortunately, the servers have been pretty dead for a while. Tribes 1 and 2 will forever be in my memories. RIP amazing MP games.
Posted on Reply
#44
StrayKAT
arbiterIn a nutshell they were distributing the game without permission with a custom launcher. So asking them to stop pretty much giving out pirate copies of the game is what they did. They could instead just provide the launcher and the files needed with launcher not the full game would probably avoided it all to start with.
The annoying thing is they won't provide a solution themselves. Like I said in my first post: Nobody wins.
Posted on Reply
#45
HopelesslyFaithful
StrayKATThe annoying thing is they won't provide a solution themselves. Like I said in my first post: Nobody wins.
I remember helping a guy restart cs betas 5.2 and the likes after won shut down but its hard to get word out and to get people to play old games. Shocked this took off. CS Beta 5.2 was so much fun...1999 and 2000 memories :D We tried reviving it around 2005-2006 IIRC He hosted a cracked HL iso too lol.

eisbaer.essentrix.net/

wow the site is still up a decade plus later....damn. Looks like there might even be live servers but no one plays TT

Jeez this guy must be in his 40s now lol (eisbear)..FYI he is a bit chooky but whatever

You know discord would probably be a god send to reviving this again. IRC and ICQ and private forums were never really good as these types of things. discord seems to be pretty common and solid networking tool for these things
Posted on Reply
#46
Apocalypsee
After EA killed Westwood I'm not surprised anymore. They killed my favorite RTS series of all time, and killed the studio entirely.
Posted on Reply
#47
BiggieShady
ApocalypseeAfter EA killed Westwood I'm not surprised anymore. They killed my favorite RTS series of all time, and killed the studio entirely.
If it makes you feel better, when they kill the studio they acquired all the talent has been already moved to other studios and projects, so they kill a name/brand only ... I know, doesn't make me feel better either
Posted on Reply
#48
HopelesslyFaithful
BiggieShadyIf it makes you feel better, when they kill the studio they acquired all the talent has been already moved to other studios and projects, so they kill a name/brand only ... I know, doesn't make me feel better either
they killed maxis and bullfrog too
Posted on Reply
#49
StrayKAT
BiggieShadyIf it makes you feel better, when they kill the studio they acquired all the talent has been already moved to other studios and projects, so they kill a name/brand only ... I know, doesn't make me feel better either
But many of those people end up jumping ship because of it. Bioware is full of nobodies and people who were low level at best on their memorable games. It's two founders gone, it's major writers, it's major designers and animators.

And that's not even a "dead" Bioware. Just the bullet riddled body, crawling on the floor.
Posted on Reply
#50
Vario
TheGuruStudTribes 2 was revived (again?) by the fans. www.tribesnext.com/
Not sure if you were referring to this or not.

Unfortunately, the servers have been pretty dead for a while. Tribes 1 and 2 will forever be in my memories. RIP amazing MP games.
Yep it was great. Tribes 2 is the best game I have ever played.
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