the non-existent support

[Ebenfelt]

Hey!
I have bought civIII some days ago, but I cant play it. I get an error message from my computer. This never has happened in other computer games I have bought. This is of course a dissappointment. However, what I find really bad is what is written in my swedish manual: They advice the customer, if they get problems, to contact "the support". However, they dont give any email address, any web page, any phone number or common address to the "support". Maybe there is no swedish support, I dont know. I tried to contact the US support with two emails but got no answer yet, not even a message confirming that they got my question.
My problem with civ3 is stilled unsolved despite that I have tried to follow the advice given in FAQs on civ3 home page. I have a modern computer (HP Pavillion 8760) and have downloaded 1.16f. Furthermore I have heard of other having the same prob, but i cant find out how they did (one of them had a computer professional friend who solved it).
My suggestion: 1. If you offer support, give the way to it. 2. If the game is not ready for selling, dont sell it, even if you earn more money by get it out before christmas than after.
Best Regards and a good advice to civ fans: Wait to buy this game.
Anders Ebenfelt, Göteborg, Sweden

 

[Innate Distress]

It might help if you told us what the error message is that you're seeing.

 

[Apollo]

Yah, I've had the same problem. I keep getting an error message that prevents me from playing the game (check the thread in tech support about "Civilization3.e.exe) and have emailed Firaxis twice. It took them two weeks to respond the first time, and all they said was to update my video driver. I had the latest video driver already, but just to humor them I did it, and still got the error message. I emailed them a second time, and now its been three weeks with no response. I'm going to try one more time and if I don't get any response I'll just return my game. It's a shame too, because it seems like it could have been such a great game if released by a decent company.

 

[Ebenfelt]

Well, here is the actual problem ( I didnt think the problem with the program was the most interesting, what I find really bad is the lack of support from the company):
When I try to play the game, I first come to the screan where I set climate, age etc. In the text box in the low part of the screan, the letters are "floating in in eachother" (I hope you understand what i mean, I am not english). After doing my settings, I click on the "O" trying to start the game but get an error message, in translation from Swedish:
"Civilization3 has caused an error in civilization3.exe. The program is closing. restart the computer is you get problem again"

This happens every time. I have a fast processor, a new videodriver and I have the latest patch.

Anders Ebenfelt

 

[Ebenfelt]

Finally i got an "answer" from the support, just look:

*********** OUT OF THE OFFICE ***********

Hello,

I am out of the office from 12/17/2001 until 1/2/2002.


Happy Holidays!


Dan Magaha
FIRAXIS Games, Inc.


*********** OUT OF THE OFFICE ***********

The most bad behaviour I ever seen from a big company.

 

[Cunobelin Of Hippo]

Above poster: You're beef is not with Firaxis if you're having tech problems. Talk to Infogrames (like I've spent an inordinate amount of time doing

 

[Dan Magaha FIRAXIS]

Originally posted by Ebenfelt
Finally i got an "answer" from the support, just look:

*********** OUT OF THE OFFICE ***********

Hello,

I am out of the office from 12/17/2001 until 1/2/2002.


Happy Holidays!


Dan Magaha
FIRAXIS Games, Inc.


*********** OUT OF THE OFFICE ***********

The most bad behaviour I ever seen from a big company.

First of all, Firaxis does not support the game, Infogrames does. It's their product, we're simply the team they contracted to develop it. You should be contacting them for technical support, not us.

Secondly, we are not a big company, we are 32 people.

Finally, how is it "bad behavior" for me to take a vacation during the Christmas holidays?


Dan

 

[PJPeter]

Check:

http://www.ina-support.com/faq/civ3_pc.asp

Make sure you have the 1.16f patch and if your in XP try compatibility mode.

If that doesn't help use the link at the bottom of the above listed page and ask for e-mail support. I got a reply in less than 16 hours, so its pretty good.

Peter

 

[damunzy]

Originally posted by Dan Magaha FIRAXIS
First of all, Firaxis does not support the game, Infogrames does. It's their product, we're simply the team they contracted to develop it. You should be contacting them for technical support, not us.

That is sad. I am sure it is true, but it is still sad. We made the game but we don't support you, we are just like the guys down at McDonalds. We make the burgers, but hey! Don't complain to us! We are just the workers. Makes you realize that big game makers (in this case, Infogrames) are not the ones to be buying games from. Maybe we need to be lending more support to the smaller development community.

 

[Dan Magaha FIRAXIS]

PaleHorse,

That's a cute analogy, but has nothing whatsoever to do with this situation.

We are a company of 32 people, who specialize in developing computer games. Big publishers come to us and hire us to make those games, because we're good at it.

The said big publishers then sell and support their game in whatever way they feel is best.

If you want to make an analogy, try the movie director / movie studio one on for size. We direct the film and send it to the studio, after which it's up to them how to mass-produce it, advertise it, distribute it, and handle support issues. If you get a DVD that doesn't work with your player, do you call up Martin Scorsese and expect him to fix it?

Dan

 

[ebolav35]

I just wanted to say that is the best analogy I have heard in a long time-makes 100% sense. My question is, though, doesn't it frustrate you as a developer that the company who has paid you to distribute something you worked so hard on does not match your enthusiasm for the product? I bought the game on launch day, had no problems until XP was installed on my system-now, even with the patch and updated everything, it runs at about 10% speed (even in compatibility mode) Does it frustrate you that Infogrames does not cherish this product as much as you obviously do?