How can I play the Sims 4 without having to sign into Origin? «1234...Next Go

MoriGelopi

How can I load the Sims 4 without having to sign into Origin?

luthienrising

You can't: you have to register with Origin as part of the initial game install. After that, Origin will be started whenever you start Sims 4, but you can be offline.

Kahnefan20039

I have already installed sims 4 with origin and played for a while then exited, now when I try to click on sims 4 icon to play it wants me signed into origin and it won't go online, what is going on.

Viloness

The game states you only need Internet to install it and register it. Does anyone know how to play when signing into origin is not an option? For example when you are not in an area with Internet.

vickip0

I don't know, but I have same problem, game says I am not connected to the internet. and then game freezes and I have to force shut down my computer to get to to work again. I am getting very frustrated.

gayars

Cant you play it from origin while offline on origin?

DeKay

I have the same problem here too. :( Still trying to find out how to play the game without having to use the Internet and then sign in Origin and then start the game.

NomPlay

You have to use Origin but you can sign into origin offline.

lionelmouton

in offline you must enter your ID and your password

Glimmer50

When Origin comes up I just put in my ID and password, sign in, click on play offline up in the left hand corner under Origin options, then I double click the Sims 4 icon and I am off line playing the game. I am not sure if there is a way to bypass Origin all together.

Also I have had several instances where I was off line and was still able to play the game. So, I am not sure why you can't. It seems it signs me in and out depending if I used the online gallery or not.

Usually I just hit the Sims 4 icon on my desk top, sign into origin and bam it starts the game.

Rflong7

Are we really offline if we have to sign it or is it like being invisible? Once offline can you close Origin? I really don't want Origin if I get the disk...

I removed Origin and can still play TS2 which was downloaded from Origin. I just want to do the same thing with TS4 or any other new EA game.

SimsAddiction968

Would love this too because my kid doesn't need to be online playing. Which also means she and I can't play at the same time, which then means she isn't going to play and then that turns into her pestering me while I'm playing.

Buy a second copy you say....NO.
Over the past 13 yrs I've bought every Sim game and NEVER had to buy a second copy so a kid can play at the same time as me.
Not doing it now.

bob007

You do not buy the game - what you pay for is the license to use the software. If you don't like the license - don't buy the software. Software licensing has been around for some time (Windows operating system for one). Try installing Windows on several computers and see what happens (the Microsoft police is going to want to talk to you). Licensing enforcement has gotten tougher in recent years as distributors try to control piracy. As a software author I agree there needs to be some control or licensing. What and how restrictive that is remains to be seen. It has been proven SecuROM is not the answer. Like it or not I feel there will be more online licensing control as we move to a pay to play world (which I feel is coming faster then you think). As companies use the cloud more and more (don't put your nude selfies on the cloud) I see a pay to play possible. I have written many software routines (no charge) and I am happy to see some one else has found my software useful. Most plastic software (packaged purchased software) has a high cost to develop and the creators deserve a return on their investment. The problem is games like TS3 that were pirated BEFORE release. John Carmack proved it can be done by releasing the game Doom through it's development stage and then licensing the Doom engine to other game developers. As we move to a virtual software distribution system (physical media will slowly disappear) a method needs to be developed to control the licensing (users and/or computers) rather then the software itself. I use a flight sim that requires a special usb cable to use. The problem is if you loose or damage that usb cable you can not buy another (it can not be purchased separately) - you have to repurchase the software. I would also like to see drm free software but I don't see a present acceptable solution for seller and user.

SimsAddiction968

With Windows you get a small number of times you can use the same product code.
Spore another EA game allowed you to use the code 5x for different computers.

bob007

With Windows operating system you can get by using the code a couple of times (or over a period of time like 6 months) but Microsoft uses a different drm then game distributors. I believe Windows codes fall off their system after time where as games use SecuROM for drm and the number of concurrent activations (usually 5) can be adjusted by the distributor. SecuROM (like Windows activation) uses the mac address (mostly as well as other data) of the ethernet port of the motherboard to id the computer. I read TS4 is drm free(?) and activation through Origin to prove ownership to control piracy. You can only be logged into Origin from one computer at a time. Once the code is registered in an Origin that code can not be used in another Origin account thus controlling activations (registrations).

QuackNeptune

I understand they want to control piracy, but this is still absolutely ridiculous. Only allowing the game to be played on ONE account? I have a physical copy, I should be able to use it no matter what account I'm logged into. The disk is in the computer! Also, previous games allowed the game to be linked to multiple accounts, why not this one? This isn't combatting piracy, it's forcing families to buy multiple copies so EA can milk more money out of them. This is why nobody likes EA, and why I personally will never buy another EA product again unless they change their money-hungry ways.

Vitman

When you sign in to Origin in offline mode, you are not invisible, you are indeed offline, so origin wouldn't be online, if it works the same way STEAM does anyway. with STEAM if you are in offline mode, you don't get any of the web crap or friends list in offline mode and if you want to go online you have to restart steam and go to online mode. But it still lets you play your STEAM games.


I assume Origin would work the same way.

MoriGelopi

My friend and I share my origin account. We are both able to play the Sims 4 at the same time, on different computers. Under game options on the actual game there is a play online option that is defaulted ticked. I unticked that, and I sign in on origin offline. My friend has done the same thing. We haven't experienced any problems so far.

QuackNeptune

Cool, I'm totally trying that. If only it wasn't taking a lot longer to update than it did to download and install...

SimsAddiction968

@MoriGelopi THANKS!! Now maybe my daughter will not stand over me saying "do this" or "do that". lol

simbody872

Rflong, I'm not super thrilled that I have to have origin running when I play the game, but setting Origin to offline does mean I can play without internet. What I don't appreciate from EA is the lack of information. I don't recall any comment prior to the game release that said Origin was required to play, only that it was required for activation. I also have the TS2 Ultimate Collection and can play it without going through Origin first. I'm also not sure I like the fact that all content is through the gallery. I want to see content by certain simmers, not everything uploaded recently. I guess I will have to learn how to 'follow' people on Origin

modernlife

> @QuackNeptune said:
> I understand they want to control piracy, but this is still absolutely ridiculous. Only allowing the game to be played on ONE account? I have a physical copy, I should be able to use it no matter what account I'm logged into. The disk is in the computer! Also, previous games allowed the game to be linked to multiple accounts, why not this one? This isn't combatting piracy, it's forcing families to buy multiple copies so EA can milk more money out of them. This is why nobody likes EA, and why I personally will never buy another EA product again unless they change their money-hungry ways.

I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but this is exactly one of the reasons games are now being tied to online accounts. You may have owned a physical copy in the past but if you read the licencing agreement it would most likely state the game was limited to only be played on one PC at a time and by running it on multiple family members PCs concurrently you were technically breaking this agreement. Companies used to force you to have the CD in the drive to try and enforce this (which was really annoying if you played multiple games). As there were pretty easy ways to get round this we're now seeing games tied to digital store accounts.

It's not just EA that are doing this - many games now use Steamworks which ties your game to your Steam account (e.g. Skyrim, Civ 5, etc.), even if you purchase the physical disc. I can understand how frustrating this can be for a family as the cost can mount up, especially in something like the Sims with all the expansions and other dlc. But I can only see this type of DRM being used more frequently in the future.

bob007

My brother had given me his old PS3 console. I reset it and played various games on it for about 6 months until the PS4 came out. All of a sudden my games quit working. For 2 days I scratched my head until I discovered I had to register the console thru Sony. After registration was complete the console now worked perfectly again. I think this was Sony's way of controlling dlc. I had never heard of registering a CONSOLE before. My XBOX 360 has to have a gold account to stream Netflix (WII doesn't do hd). My Tombraider 2013 was Steam only. Bioshock had SecuROM on the pc disc version. EA's policy of one (and only one) account imo is taking drm a bit too high. You should be able to un register the game and sell the code so someone else can use the license (one user - one computer) and ownership should be transferable (like a car title). But we can also say that you have to register your car for license plates and in Illinois the license plates are not transferable so we can compare this policy to everyday real life. Many second hand software stores are refusing games like TS3 because they can not be re used. Several people have posted buying second hand sims games from an online service (like ebay) and not being able to register them. Getting back to TS4. Having an Origin account was discussed on many sites well before the release date so this should not have been a surprise. The requirement of an Origin account is clearly stated as a requirement on the back of the disc version package so this should not be a surprise either. I have very mixed feeling about this. I now have a XBOX gold account, a Steam account, my PS3 console is now registered with Sony, why not an Origin account. Do I like it - not really. I still like to play my Zork games but the day of the 5 1/4 floppy disks are long gone. With removable media disappearing from computers I see physical media converting to download only like Tombraider 2013. As drm for digital downloads is problematic and not accepted very well, I see pay to play as a viable solution. This dilemma is like the music industry has. I feel the music industry came to this problem because they failed to change their marketing as consumers changed the way they purchased music. Why should I have a movie library when I can stream most any movie I want when I want it (the death of dvd movies maybe). I don't approve of drm but I have to admit I've had little problems after I understand the drm used. My problem is there is seldom a notice about the drm used which would give you the opportunity to not buy the product because of the drm. Do I like drm for software - no but I'm learning to live with it just like the department of dmv (which I've had a multitude of issues and problems with).

Zeneros

EA should do a family pack deal. I wouldn't mind paying a little extra for that certain deal.

jacqpinks

while I am playing online through my Origin my son can play on my laptop offline through my origin and Play The Sims 4

PansWoo

I've just purchased a really naff game through my steam account and it was so bad I asked for a refund. They didn't give one to me so now I'm lumbered with a stupid game that I won't ever play again so from now on I'm buying the disc so at least if it's a pretty bad game you can actually sell the disc.