A huge bummer for me D:

[LilPinoyBoy]

Well, I went out to Wal-Mart and bought Civ4: BTS and I went home and tried to install it. Than it said I need the original Civ4 to install BTS. Now I have to go out and buy Civ4 some other day..

I didn't know it was the expansion pack version of it and not just another version of the game. *sigh*

 

[Monty Python Ni]

Gotta read the fine print

 

[LilPinoyBoy]

Well, yea but it read nothing of (Expansion Version) or something kind of thing. Take Call of Duty series (PC) for example. They have a full version and a expansion version. . Damn I paid $30 too D:

 

[frob2900]

Hmm.. Well on the bright side the main Civ IV game is going quite cheap these days. You can get it for around $30 (see e.g. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...07&loc=03&srccode=cii_0&cpncode=08-29289145-2 or http://www.amazon.com/2K-Games-710425217128-Meiers-Civilization/dp/B000BC38K6)

 

[Johnny Tsunami]

It says expansion pak right below the title -- the lettering is in a grey circle - and on the back it says 'biggest civ expansion ever'

Don't know how you missed

 

[LilPinoyBoy]

Well, yeah but it can also be referring to another version of the same game.

 

[wilcoxchar]

Ummmm, I have no sympathy for you. If it says that it's an expansion pack, then you almost always need the original game to install it.

Also, on the front of the box, at the bottom, it clearly says "Requires Sid Meier's Civilization IV to play"

 

[Tristan daCunha]

Ummmm, I have no sympathy for you. If it says that it's an expansion pack, then you almost always need the original game to install it.

Sheesh, cut the guy a break. I knew it was an expansion (having played the original when it first came out), but had to study the package because the lettering in that little grey oval is small when compared to the title... or even compared to the "Games for Windows" header. And that little grey oval is easy to overlook on such colorful package.

Yeah, it sucks to have to buy two games to play one, but honestly I think $60 is still a good deal.

 

[frob2900]

Also, on the front of the box, at the bottom, it clearly says "Requires Sid Meier's Civilization IV to play"

Well, in the OPs defence, it didn't say that on my BtS box. But it does say "Expansion Pack to the Game of the Year" in the little silver ellipse just below the front cover title.

Unless I missed something, it is never explicitly stated on my box that "This will not work without the full version of Civilization IV installed on your machine", but then again, like you said, perhaps the words "Expansion Pack" are information enough...

 

[Kloreep]

Look on the bright side, LilPinoyBoy: at least you didn't make the mistake of buying the Warlords expansion. That expansion is now outmoded by BTS.

Just get regular Civ4 (not Gold, which is needlessly more expensive - the "gold" means it includes Warlords) and you should be good to go. As frob2900 says, it's at least cheaper these days.

 

[Rince]

The OP has a point. Nowhere on the box does it say that you need the origninal Civ4 to play, at least not on the EU version.
Is it common knowledge now that expansion packs need the full game to run? I know it is obvious to most of us but what about computer illiterate parents buying games for their children?

Rince

 

[TheBladeRoden]

Well Dawn of War: Dark Crusade was a funny exp pack in that you didn't need the original, but then the 5 races would have been locked. But then again that box explicitly states that you DO NOT need the original Dawn of War to play.

 

[diablodelmar]

In the UK we get games so much cheaper then you Americans. Let me illustrate. Lets say an American has a job as a waiter and is paid $8 an hour. For the same job, an English waiter would get paid 8 pounds, which are worth $2 each. So effectively, we get paid double ($16 an hour) which is great because it means that when we go to the USA on holiday we get everything at half price.

 

[Kranden]

Thats what you get for shopping at wal-mart! Grrrrr

;D

 

[Falk]

Thats what you get for shopping at wal-mart! Grrrrr

Harrharr! We Germans finally managed to drive WalMart out of our country. Good luck to you - you can do it, too!

Topic:
Indeed the EU version doesnt state that it's not playable on its own.

 

[Goombaz]

This is a perfect illustration why this is so silly. Is there a *rational* reason not to just make every expansion pak stand alone? Only a *very* small cross-section of customers will be interested in an Xpak and not own the original. Since this section is SO small, it comes accross as petty greed to handle it the way they do. When I say petty greed, I am not saying they shouldn't be out to maximize profit. What I am saying here is the impact on profit will be minimal, and the impact on those 200 customers who don't get the expansion pack concept will be major. Who would be maligned by including the original Civ 4 in BTS?

 

[frob2900]

This is a perfect illustration why this is so silly. Is there a *rational* reason not to just make every expansion pak stand alone?

Well, they do. Just wait a year or so and you'll be seeing "Civ IV: Platinum Edition" with Vanilla+Warlords+BtS. Standalone. And it will probably be around $30-$40, which is just the price of BtS right now.

 

[jkp1187]

Harrharr! We Germans finally managed to drive WalMart out of our country.

Oh Lord give me strength; I am so totally trying to not make a joke about Germans driving folk out of their country here...

To the original poster, you can download Civ IV through direct2drive.com, so it won't necessitate another trip. I downloaded BtS and haven't had any troubles.

 

[mrt144]

this is worse than having to eat balut

 

[Lord_Azazel]

What about that screaming dude from Police Academy, that outta been fun