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Ever since SimCity launched, there has been a suspicion that the need for the game to always be connected to a server was mainly a form of DRM, not for social game features and multiplayer. Then a Maxis developer came forward to confirm the game doesn’t actually need a server to function, suggesting the information coming out of EA wasn’t the whole truth. Now EA and Maxis have some explaining to do as a modder has managed to get the game running offline indefinitely.
The video above shows the game being played offline. The modder states that this can be done for as long as you like without issues. The only real downside being you can’t save the game because it utilizes cloud saves. However, if you reconnect the game it does save, so you can play all day then just go online to save your progress at the end of a session.
In order to achieve this offline state, modder UKAzzer had to edit the game code to enable debug mode. This exists so the developer can play around with additional features and test the game. Most of those features are disabled unless you have a developer build of the game, but apparently enabling it on a consumer version removes the need for a server connection while retaining everything you need to play.
In fact, it actually improves the game in some ways. City populations are actually tracked correctly and you can edit outside of your city boundaries. Those additional edits are also saved when you reconnect.
This revelation will put EA and Maxis in a difficult position. They’ve been adamant all along that the game won’t work without a server connection and offloads a “significant amount of the calculations.” That’s clearly not true, so why has it been used as a reason to explain why an always-connected game was necessary?
www.extremetech.com
I blame the wrongdoings on the executives, and not Maxis. If only Maxis is an independent game developer...
The video above shows the game being played offline. The modder states that this can be done for as long as you like without issues. The only real downside being you can’t save the game because it utilizes cloud saves. However, if you reconnect the game it does save, so you can play all day then just go online to save your progress at the end of a session.
In order to achieve this offline state, modder UKAzzer had to edit the game code to enable debug mode. This exists so the developer can play around with additional features and test the game. Most of those features are disabled unless you have a developer build of the game, but apparently enabling it on a consumer version removes the need for a server connection while retaining everything you need to play.
In fact, it actually improves the game in some ways. City populations are actually tracked correctly and you can edit outside of your city boundaries. Those additional edits are also saved when you reconnect.
This revelation will put EA and Maxis in a difficult position. They’ve been adamant all along that the game won’t work without a server connection and offloads a “significant amount of the calculations.” That’s clearly not true, so why has it been used as a reason to explain why an always-connected game was necessary?
DRM deceit: SimCity doesn't need to be always online, says Maxis developer - ExtremeTech
In an unsurprising but wholly satisfying twist, it turns out that EA and Maxis were lying about SimCity's always-online server requirements. According to a developer who worked on SimCity and has very detailed knowledge of the game's architecture, it would be quite easy to create a single-player...
I blame the wrongdoings on the executives, and not Maxis. If only Maxis is an independent game developer...
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@SouLEDGE,
