Bringing back the Addicts Live! Podcast for a VERY Special episode! Alissa joins Wookiee on his Podcast (Laugh It Up Fuzzball) to discuss TSTO Addicts, the end of TSTO, and so much more!
Laugh It Up Fuzzball links:
Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eT4F5NVRuwgH9z6XPFts4
Email: laughitupfuzzballpodcast@gmail,com
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1879505335626093
And of course you can find The Addicts at: TSTOAddicts.com
Will the podcast be made available in the feed in Apple Podcasts?
ZenGlenn, if money is the problem, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.. they could just offer ad viewing in exchange for donuts and maybe premium characters. I play SeekerNotes, and they are doing very well using that model. SeekerNotes also offers in-game purchases, but I suspect the bulk of their profit comes from the ads.
Here’s a weird question. What do you think you will see if you are logged into the game on January 24 when they pull the plug? Will the screen go black? Something else?
Bart screen
The new no Bart Bart Screen makes me even more sad when I see it.
Trying really hard to think only of the things about the game that make me happy, but it’s a struggle.
I was wondering- more specifically- do you think the screen will go to black? I kind of doubt that you will get the Bart screen of death if there’s no game on the servers to access. Also- will our game apps be automatically deleted from our devices? I’ve never gone through this before with a game.
I suspect Keith Rooney is spot on.
It’ll either try and save if you’re playing on the day, or try and load when you go to play, and just won’t find the server data.
The “Bart Screen” is the most likely result for that, but there may be a final change to it’s message or image.
Turned my Internet off to see the Bart screen, was a black screen with a message saying “it’s my fault not theres” probably different when the server gets turned off, a sad last knife through the heart 😢
That’s actually one of the tricks for breaking the loop if you get Bart after Bart, or an endless spinning donut.
It might work if you get the game to start loading and cut and restart the internet when it says Synchronising if you want to force the latest version of the Bart screen to show up.
So they will leave behind the Bart screen in perpetuity? Or will the game automatically be deleted from my devices? I know this is getting in the weeds. I’m just curious.
AFIK they can’t force the uninstall, but I wouldn’t like to bet on it
I plan to test if I can backup the whole thing, game and files, and re-install without using the app store – just in case
That’s why I’m hesitant to nuke my town. What if? What if there’s some backroad way to at least be able to open your town. Maybe send characters on tasks. Hear their catchphrases. Hope lives eternal.
Right now it relies on the servers for the saved game data so if it stays that way and the servers are offline it’d never load
Um….How do you do that? Is this legal?
Depends on app and device – nothing wrong with having a backup
Is there a way to store a somewhat workable version of the game on a PC? Off-line?
Right now it relies on the servers for the saved game data so if it stays that way and the servers are offline it’d never load.
You can run Android on a PC, but EA don’t like mention of that and it isn’t a supported option.
Makes a mahoosive Town Portrait though, so big most pic apps can’t open it !!
I used to occasionally play the game via Bluestacks.
Tried multiply times to force the Bart screen with no success, keep getting the same result, blank screen with dialogue box
Hey Wookiee. I kind of forgot that you’re a neighbor town to my Springfield. I was scrolling through my neighbor towns and came across yours. Wow! It’s been years.
I would love to see all the Mods towns! Us Addicts should all friend each other as much as possible in the few months remaining so we can check out each others towns. I’m easy to find, my user name on Addicts is essentially the same as on TSTO, I think only difference is there’s no space between the SB and GIBBS.
Here is a passing thought. IF copyright fees are not the problem, maybe the owners could open source the game. Then it can be run like the early music sharing devices, with players leaving their computers on to act as servers. (Yeah I know it is not going to happen – but we can still dream of alternate realities.)
I watched the whole podcast. Good fun. A few things from me:
I spent a total of $35 on the game, but that was all before I learned about donut farming. I started playing the game during the Stone Cutters event- May, 2014. I actually started a game and decided that I had messed it all up. So I started another game which I kept all this time. I started playing the game after I got my first iPad in 2014. I would have played the game from the start if I had had an iPad at the time in 2012. Oh well. I found TSTO Addicts by searching the web for information and tips about the game.
I’m really bummed about the game ending, but it’s also somewhat of a relief. The game had reached its zenith many years ago, and I think most people were just coasting through the game for at least the last five years.
I’m having an existential problem with the idea that the game is here now, but will be completely gone in a matter of months. In this regard it’s truly a death of sorts. Nothing will be left behind but the memories (and maybe a few screenshots and videos for some people, but not me).
I’ve had a few thoughts about how EA could have ended the game but kept some part of it alive in some way. I was thinking that EA could create a “perfect” Springfield that included all of the content from the game and have it running on a continuous loop on-line. It could be interactive in some way. It wouldn’t cost EA that much to do something like this. They could write some sort of program that would have the characters walking around Springfield in a random pattern. They could have all of the animations running all the time. You could tap on characters and buildings and hear the sounds. Anyway…it’s a thought.
Thank you to Alissa, Wookiee, Bunny, Safi and all of the rest for all of the hard work you’ve put in over the years. Believe me…it was appreciated. I’ve enjoyed all of the back and forth with the comments and replies. It was a nice community.
Well, certainly there should be explanation(s) for the abrupt end: lack of personnel, cost of servers, income not substantial enough to offset aggregate costs of production/storage/maintenance? Arbitrary/whimsical? In keeping with current management’s loss of focus?
Current Corporate thinking is, “We don’t have to explain/justify anything!” There are stockpiles of inane, foolish, infantile programs circulating in hopes of a real dedicated, committed audience.
Sad, but typical of the general state in Hollyweird today!
Alas!
Boredom? Maybe couldn’t get the developers needed to keep up with operating system changes.
Something came across my newsfeed but I couldn’t stand to click on it saying this was the final season of The Simpsons [of course, don’t they say that Every year?] If true, that would explain why EA would discontinue the game. Something, something- licensing, intellectual property rights, Fox vs Disney blah, blah, stuff I don’t understand, blah.
Not sure (Apple News’ server is down). But here’s an interesting thing I did find…it’s not really an answer, but it is food for thought. https://screenrant.com/simpsons-disney-plus-original-episodes-franchise-future-worried/#thread
Imagine them wanting full control and all revenue …
I did hear there read somewhere there were disagreements over Itchy+Scratchchy, so they did I+S land and then ended up cutting the violence on the on-screen bits – which made me wonder if they did plan a THOH and it got vetoed.
Oh boy, if that is the case hope the next is a first person shooter / chainsaw / drop an anvil kinda game
( or let’s be Bart and plan the nastiest pranks ?!? )
I love my little Springfields though
I would love to see a best of post Season 10 list from the Wookie. I always tell people there have been some great episodes that never get talked about like those early ones do.
Fun chat….nice trip down memory lane. Good job
🫡Hey there longtime neighboreenos…
🚧🚨⚠️HOLY💣CRAP⚠️🚨🚧
…Really hought & still am hoping it may be a joke with the recent AI event & the funky extended conversation b/w Lisa, Bart & the computer…
______________________________
Where is the logic any CFO, (esp at Disney whose #1 priority has been clarified as profit) would not consider any options via researching focus groups, surveys directly to the decades long obsessively loyal gaming community & extensive show fanbase to see some sort of middle ground or happy medium that could satisfy everyone’s desires…???
So MANY worthwhile options come to mind such as monthly or annual fees, gameplay passes, streaming subscriptions, etc & after the recent massive land release all signs seemed to point to much dedication further years of STO!!!
I’ll be efforting this further via direct contact at EA HQ in Playa Vista, just a mile from my LA residence…
EA /FOX has indeed made mega millions from TSTO & The Simpsons & I can blather on far further hie foolish this choice to just cut the cord was, but to get the ball rolling to possibly save this great game while we have 3.5 months to effort things, let’s begin to generate some petitions & surveys to submit foundation for the cause.
Sincerely,
-Glenn (ZenGlenn)
Zenglenn@yahoo.com
As mentioned in other major initial ‘endgame thread’, yet certainly buried in responses… I live a mile from EA HQ in Playa Vista, LA, CA, work in entertainment 30+ years in addition to my 12 year daily STO gameplay addiction, & will be endeavoring all possible dorect communication resources to reverse this major mistaken choice by EA.
They’ve made mega millions on this game in tandem w/the series, & any financial issues can be easily resolved via multiple options, as opposed to just completely cutting the cord. The most simple is of course a focus group & series of surveys on this site as well as the EA forum to see logical acceptable choices of weekly, monthly or annual TSTO gameplay passes or other styled income.
I can blather far further, but to surmise I’d first suggest we generate petitions & preliminary surveys here to get things rolling while we have a solid 3.5 months to possibly save this outstanding game🌈🌠👌
Thank you so much for this. Please try as hard as you can!
I am one of the people who never spent a dime.
Me too