EA Downloader, WTF only 6 months to redownload game unless you pay more money?!?!

[RangerXML]

WTF is this, I just went to EA Link to redownload Northern Strike, Armored Fury and EuroForces. EA Link is gone, instead they replaced it with the new EA Store and EA Downloader. I thought cool, cool back to the beginning, so I went looking around. I found a game I was interested in so I add it to the cart, when I check the cart theres a extended download service?!? Now wait a minute, whats this, I have to now pay an extra $5.99 to purchase and download it? No it gets better, I open it up and it says that you only get a 6 months to redownload your game before it expires and that for 5.99 you can expand it up to 2 years, plus there charging tax now. So since this got started the default purchase date was set to the launch of the new downloader, all my stuff that I purchased before now says I got it on 9/17/2007. So does this mean in six months if I need to redownload my expansions again I need to buy them again and pay 5.99 to allow me to download them for the next 2 years!!! EA gets all the profit already from EA Link, but now they want more WFT!

**IMPORTANT EDIT** While the new arrangement sucks with EA and some are pointing out that it might just be very illegal, I just finished downloading NS and its turned out to be a regular old fashioned executable setup file from which I could install NS without problems. This should make backing up simple as hell!!

Go to your main HDD (C:\) and find

C:\ProgramData\Electronic Arts\EADM\Cache\{#########}

for example Northern Strike is:

C:\ProgramData\Electronic Arts\EADM\cache\{ do not share this # }\bf2142_bp1\setup.exe

you'll see clearly labeled (thank you for once EA) folders which contain now (not back in EA Link) setup.exe files which you can burn to disc. WOOT WOOT!


Guess something good came outta this :P

[Porthos]

Are you sure about this? If so, I need to download Euro Forces and Armored Fury to burn to disk in case I may ever want to reinstall BF2. And you bet I'll be making a hard copy of my BF2142 that I got through downloader. This is BS if true.

[Revoluti0n]

Definitely sounds like teh sucks if it's true.

[Basil.]

Are you sure about this? If so, I need to download Euro Forces and Armored Fury to burn to disk in case I may ever want to reinstall BF2. And you bet I'll be making a hard copy of my BF2142 that I got through downloader. This is BS if true.

Yes that is true. You should make a hard copy. i use to like the idea of downloading my games until i saw that.:shakehead: I think EA need to rethink that one.

[jackal22]

TBH im not surprised the *******s are always pulling something like this, well all i can say is **** off ea your not getting my money any more. no more ea games for a long while.

still with all these stupid extra charges it just means the quantity of pirated ea games is going to shoot up yet again, thank you crackers and may you continue screwing them over.

[Erhardt]

Whaaat.... the ****? I'll have to check this out when I get home... if that's correct, it's most amazing ball of flaming ******** I've heard this year.

[Porthos]

I just re-read the OP, let me make sure I have this right. I can't check EA's website because of my "morale filter" at work and will definately be looking when I get home.

I was planning on getting NS this weekend for $9.99. So now, it's going to cost me $15.98 plus tax to download it initially? That's BS! I will be filing a complaint with EA and urge anyone else this affects to do the same.

[RangerXML]

Any new tips on backing up and alternative ways of installing the boosters, cause I am never buying another EA Downloader game and removing the program once I have the boosters to the point where I don't need to install via the Downloader.

I remember with the first EA Downloader you could just burn the cache folder and run them like regular executables (or just back up the map files, insert into map folder and patch game, was my favorite method), then they patched BF2. You could still back up the cache and just throw it back into the DATA folder, but you have to install it via EA Link. Anyone figure out a way to uncompress the .mtsf which appear to be the actual files so that we can just install them like executables again.


**IMPORTANT EDIT** While the new arrangement sucks with EA and some are pointing out that it might just be very illegal, I just finished downloading NS and its turned out to be a regular old fashioned executable setup file from which I could install NS without problems. This should make backing up simple as hell!!

[FPS[SONIC]]

If this is true, it will be the last straw for me. I've had my eyes opened to what so many have complained about EA since getting into BF2142.

They really need to rethink this strategy. I do intend on playing Crysis, but I won't be DLing it...

I'm loving Steam and the new "Community" stuff. It has great friends overlay for using in-game and it's always updated without the sucky patch-hell we go through with EA games.

[Porthos]

ADMINS-- Could you please sticky this, or gather some info about it to post in the news section on the homepage? I think this needs to be brought to everyone attention so they can back-up anything they have already purchased from EA Downloader and prevent more money being spent in 6 months. Thanks.

Wow EA... Wow.:shakehead:

[Biotech2142]

Anyone ever tried to contact EACS about the matter?

[Flt. Sgt. Powderhound]

I'm fairly sure that flouts law of contract (in the UK at least) etc- they are changing the terms of the contract after you have agreed to it, making it legally binding. I should know... I did GCSE Law. :p

[Porthos]

I'm fairly sure that flouts law of contract (in the UK at least) etc- they are changing the terms of the contract after you have agreed to it, making it legally binding. I should know... I did GCSE Law. :p

Huh?

OT, Not to poke fun, but your 15 doing law?

[GoodZa]

WTF is this, I just went to EA Link to redownload Northern Strike, Armored Fury and EuroForces. EA Link is gone, instead they replaced it with the new EA Store and EA Downloader. I thought cool, cool back to the beginning, so I went looking around. I found a game I was interested in so I add it to the cart, when I check the cart theres a extended download service?!? Now wait a minute, whats this, I have to now pay an extra $5.99 to purchase and download it? No it gets better, I open it up and it says that you only get a 6 months to redownload your game before it expires and that for 5.99 you can expand it up to 2 years, plus there charging tax now. So since this got started the default purchase date was set to the launch of the new downloader, all my stuff that I purchased before now says I got it on 9/17/2007. So does this mean in six months if I need to redownload my expansions again I need to buy them again and pay 5.99 to allow me to download them for the next 2 years!!! EA gets all the profit already from EA Link, but now they want more WFT!

some of you might want to check your local laws on this. i know in the state of california that you cannot put an expiration date on games like this. i learned about this law when i used to collect sports cards and one day i pulled a exp redemption for a steve nash autograph, i looked into it and at first upperdeck wouldnt send me anything and then when i found the california law was on my side they sent me about $300 worth of cards lol. they will do it as long as they can get away with it.

if you paid for it, just like if you had gone to best buy and bought the pcdvd version like i did, you should be able to download until ea doesnt even own a copy of bf2142 anymore lol seriously

[Fingulfin]

Errmm... First off, I don't think that the rules allow you to be posting that type of stuff, and second off I don't think that NS would work... Would it? I always thought it was tied to your EA Account. In other words, if I have NS bought, I could unlock the NS stuff, even if I hadn't DLed it yet... Not completely sure though.