Any thoughts on Origin?

[Moniker]

Yeah, EA sucks, etc.

Anyway, has anyone got any experience with Origin? As buggy and full of unadulterated evil as they say? I've got a copy of Mass Effect 2 from a bundle and want to try some mods out, but don't really want to bog down my new system with bullshit (I've even avoided iTunes up to this point, since I've never successfully purged a system of Apple crap once I do). I've also ignored some pretty great deals just on account of the Origin requirement.

Rational aversion, or histrionics?

[Edmond Dantes]

I liked Origin back when their name was synonymous with "Richard Garriott" and "Chris Roberts." In fact, I'm trying to finally beat the original Wing Commander now (too bad I have absolutely no clue how to win at flight sims... I can't seem to figure out how to avoid taking bullets or running into the issue of dudes flying right in front of me).

Didn't know they still existed.

[Moniker]

I was referring to EA's gaming client/answer to Steam.

[Ruldra]

Last year EA sent me a 25% Origin discount voucher and I offered to give it away here. No one was interested lol. I think I still have it if you want it.

Anyway, heard nothing but horror stories from them so I'm staying clear.

[Specineff]

One of the biggest criticisms of Origin was that the downloadable versions of their games cost exactly the same as the retail versions. Considering there are no logistics, printing of materials, etc involved, there's little justification for the electronic version of the games costing that.

[broken harbour]

Its riddled with connectivity problems for thousands of people, including me, if my internet connection hiccups for even a split second it will kick me out of games, no opportunity to save, nothing... which happens about every half hour. Most new EA pc games now require Origin too, like Mass Effect 3. Also, most of the time it won't let me download purchased games, for ME 3 i had to borrow an installation dvd to get it installed.

Multiplayer anything also doesnt work for many people.
Google 'Battlefield 3 multiplayer no connection'. I know a guy who works for EA that has the same connection problems as thousands of others. He works for EA and the company denies that there are any issues with it.

Then there was the SimCity debacle....

Honestly, use Steam instead, I have never had an issue with it.

Just stay away...

[TransatlanticFoe]

Origin's offline mode works fine if internet connections are causing it to flake out during gameplay.

It's really not as bad as everyone makes out. It's still relatively new and has improved drastically in the past year. As far as having obnoxious DRM running on your machine goes, it's no worse than Steam. If I have Steam online and set to start automatically, it occasionally tries to update itself before the internet is ready, gets in a state and if I don't sort it before I shut down, it causes a BSOD on the next boot. Everyone has their own little anecdotes over how shit this that and the other is. Frankly I wish we didn't have either Steam or Origin. But Origin is not the evil useless piece of shit so many people make it out to be.

[Khan]

I've had a key for Battlefield 3 since last September but havent used it since Origin supposedly scans your system to target you with ads according to what hardware is installed and what programs you installed and browse.

Although I hear you can install something that will limit its scanning capabilites

[GaijinPunch]

I liked Origin back when their name was synonymous with "Richard Garriott" and "Chris Roberts."

Garriott knows how to party... or did. A friend of a friend was dating him back in my college days. They were substantially older than me, but not too old as to get naked and wreck his house. Wow. Oddly enough as I was into Japanese games, I didn't really have too much to talk w/ him about, but I was the only other geek in the group, but was quite fledgling at the time.

His biannual haunted house (which was his actual house) was pretty legendary.

[Battlesmurf]

I absolutely hate it. I like BF3- but every time I logged in it had to update the game, origin, and the client if memory serves. It was kind of a hassle and very slow.

To be fair, I hated steam when it first started, but I absolutely adore it now. I don't like that I'd have to buy games on two things- Steam is so much better. Maybe some day Origin will live up, but right now it's pretty poor.

[brentsg]

I liked Origin back when their name was synonymous with "Richard Garriott" and "Chris Roberts."

Garriott knows how to party... or did. A friend of a friend was dating him back in my college days. They were substantially older than me, but not too old as to get naked and wreck his house. Wow. Oddly enough as I was into Japanese games, I didn't really have too much to talk w/ him about, but I was the only other geek in the group, but was quite fledgling at the time.

His biannual haunted house (which was his actual house) was pretty legendary.

So in summary, you got naked with Lord British?

[GaijinPunch]

So in summary, you got naked with Lord British?

I kept my clothes on (and actually passed out back in the master bedroom *relatively* early as I had only slept 2 hours the night before. This was college, and I elevated my consciousness regularly). It was mainly the women that shed their civvies, and were nice enough to make out w/ each other. You gotta remember though he had a pool in his living room and a lot of them were strippers anyway so it wasn't that unnatural. Plenty of people (even women) kept their clothes on. One of the guys there was an ex ballplayer. When it was apparent my body had shut down, he picked me up and spun my around it was said... and I'm 6'3".