Sooooo, how's Origin these days?

[MrEco]

Okay, so, with the inevitable advent of me getting a proper gaming rig soon I have to admit I'm a bit tempted by Crisis 3 and Battlefield 4. Problem is those two particular games are exclusive to Origin, and I have no real idea of how obtuse Origin's DRM is.

So, from somebody who has experience with the service, how often does Origin get in the way and how hard is the barrier between just getting a game and playing it? Also, more specifically, how does it compare to Steam and the atrocity of GFWL?

[BoringSupreez]

Worse than Steam, better than GFWL or Uplay. Games don't download as quickly from Origin as they do from Steam and it's more prone to server issues, but when it works it doesn't get in the way any more than Steam.

[MrEco]

Worse than Steam, better than GFWL or Uplay. Games don't download as quickly from Origin as they do from Steam and it's more prone to server issues, but when it works it doesn't get in the way any more than Steam.

Lol, Uplay. I forgot that thing even existed.

And when you say server issues, what do you mean specifically? Is it just things like friends lists and multiplayer stuff? Or does it have some kind of Diablo 3 style always online DRM bullcrap?

[MrPopo]

Yeah, Origin is about as unintrusive as Steam once things are installed and you just want to play a game.

[emwearz]

Worse than Steam, better than GFWL or Uplay. Games don't download as quickly from Origin as they do from Steam and it's more prone to server issues, but when it works it doesn't get in the way any more than Steam.

I top out much faster downloading from Origin than I do from Steam. I do once in awhile get issues where I will download BF4, it will finish then it will re downloaded 4gb.

Pretty much the same as Steam or uPlay (which lacks some basic features, like being able sort titles or hide them,etc).

In terms of use, it is the same as steam. Activate/Buy games, download it. Play it by clicking on the icon. I use all three DRM clients and all three work fine.

I have 40 games in Origin, they all install and work fine, just like you were using Steam.

[Stark]

uPlay makes me want to punch something defenseless.

Hey OP, I have a few Origin keys from a recent Humble Bundle, PM if you're interested and you can have one and give Origin a spin.

[emwearz]

uPlay makes me want to punch something defenseless.

Hey OP, I have a few Origin keys from a recent Humble Bundle, PM if you're interested and you can have one and give Origin a spin.

In regards to uPlay, Why?

Other than issues with DLC, which can now be activated in client, though older DLC only appears in game, not in the client and not being able to manage games into groups, what is wrong with it? It has been heavily updated in the last year as is not far off what Origin is now.

[Stark]

uPlay makes me want to punch something defenseless.

In regards to uPlay, Why?

Other than issues with DLC, which can now be activated in client, though older DLC only appears in game, not in the client and not being able to manage games into groups, what is wrong with it? It has been heavily updated in the last year as is not far off what Origin is now.

Well one thing I don't like is for certain titles, like Splinter Cell Conviction, I have to deal with both Steam and uPlay, before I can get in and play the game. I've had several occasions (this may be the game not the client) where I have to close the game and uPlay to get sound back in the game. Account management and product redemption seems broken several times when trying to use it.

[emwearz]

uPlay makes me want to punch something defenseless.

In regards to uPlay, Why?

Other than issues with DLC, which can now be activated in client, though older DLC only appears in game, not in the client and not being able to manage games into groups, what is wrong with it? It has been heavily updated in the last year as is not far off what Origin is now.

Well one thing I don't like is for certain titles, like Splinter Cell Conviction, I have to deal with both Steam and uPlay, before I can get in and play the game. I've had several occasions (this may be the game not the client) where I have to close the game and uPlay to get sound back in the game. Account management and product redemption seems broken several times when trying to use it.

The first issue sucks, but it is the reason I don't buy games on steam that feature 3rd party DRM, I just buy them on that client.

They could do what EA did and just sell their games exclusively on their client, but then again, the choice is there for people who want it in steam (which is really just a shortcut).

I have 19 games in uPlay and have not had issues with them, early on I did with updates, etc. But they have since rolled out fixes, as a client it does everything as well as Origin does. It product redemption was broken for ages, but was fixed with the 3.0 rollout (it is now in v4+).

Most the hate on it seems to be that people simply don't want another DRM client, at least uPlay offer something different with its uPlay points used to unlock content, etc. I also quite like its feedbar on the right of the client that tells me what games friends have added to their accounts and what recent achievements they have unlocked. Steam has something similar, but uPlay have implemented it in a more convenient way.

I have 450+ games on Steam, 40 in Origin and 19 in uPlay. They are really pretty much the same thing, Steam just got there first and because of it is more polished, etc.

[Stark]

Well you convinced me to go load up Conviction again and see if there are updates to uPlay. I'll let you know what I find.