ATTN Firaxis: New patch in the works?

[White Elk]

A couple major bugs have been introduced into the game from patch v3.13. The MP sync errors in particular will have people sitting at the edge of their seats waiting for verification that a new patch is forthcoming. I think most of us can understand the difficulty in posting an ETA for a patch. But I also think that most of us think it quite reasonable for there to be an announcement that another patch is in the works, if indeed there is. An announcement, minus an ETA, would be very appreciated by the CivCom I think. Would it be possible for you to make such an announcement?

The Poll question should read:
Civers: Do you think it reasonable for Firaxis to announce any intentions towards a future patch?

 

[warpstorm]

No, considering how many people acted, they should not announce anything on this forum.

 

[Commander Bello]

I voted for yes, since I cannot agree with Warpstorm.

A reasonable, meaningful communication with the fanbase should be in the repertoire of a company like Firaxis/Take2 or any other company with such active fans.

 

[Smidlee]

No, considering how many people acted, they should not announce anything on this forum.

Agreed. Too many here gave Alexman a hard time so I seriously doubt anyone else from Firaxis will make the same mistake.

 

[Cabay Jet]

I used to visit a forum for a Mac gaming website. They were a rather small company, and you were able to talk to the developers who made the games that website hosted. I thought this was rather neat since they knew exactly how their games worked and what issues might come out of them, and if something couldn't be solved they were able to explain why a solution wouldn't work. Another unrelated advantage of being a small company was that you were able to hire beta testers from the site without fear of something getting leaked. (The reward for being a beta tester was that you got a free copy of the game you were testing after it was released.)

From visiting that site and seeing how they did things over there, it sometimes makes me think that 2K and Firaxis are approaching the release of these games and their patches the entirely wrong way.

 

[lulu135]

The problem is that Alexman was posting as himself and not as a Firaxis company representative. It's difficult for people to separate the difference and so a lot of feelings directed towards the company came out on him instead. It was completely unfair to Alex, but perhaps inevitable regardless.
What Firaxis should learn is that they need to designate someone with experience in customer relations (probably a product manager) to spend an hour or two a week participating with the community. Most of the hard feelings would dissipate if people thought that someone was listening and keeping them up to date, and it is simply good business to stay in touch with the people who buy the product.

 

[r_rolo1]

They don't need to come here... just need to say it in their site or in the Greek Forum

I need to agree with Cabat Jet .... I think that Firaxis aproached things like a phant in a dish store about all the BtS stuff...

 

[Powerslave]

No, considering how many people acted, they should not announce anything on this forum.

It doesn't matter how people reacted to him. 2K/Firaxis have a responsibility to their fans. If the fans demand news on patches, then that's what 2K/Firaxis need to deliver, regardless of the (possibly histrionic) consequences.

If they don't, then the fans may move on to a different franchise. I doubt 2K/Firaxis want that.

If you're really serious about wanting something, then don't complain or beg to Firaxis; go above their heads, directly to 2K Games. When enough people demand that a developer blog be posted, 2K Games will make it happen. Until then, Firaxis can simply ignore it.

 

[Ethric]

No, considering how many people acted, they should not announce anything on this forum.

That wasn't really the question, as far as I can see.

They should make a follow-up patch, and yes they should announce it. No biggie where they choose to announce it. A message at their website would seem sufficient, if having direct contact with a segment of their customers is deemed unnecessary.

 

[vilemerchant]

Agreed. Too many here gave Alexman a hard time so I seriously doubt anyone else from Firaxis will make the same mistake.

What I don't get how it takes Firaxis months and months to release a patch, supposedly because of all the stringent 'testing' involved, yet when it does finally get released it's the most bugged abortion you could ever think of, with bugs so blatantly obvious that most are discovered within about 20 minutes of actual game play. The kicker of course is that most of these stuffups are able to be fixed by fans within a day or two, not months that it will most likely take for any kind of official fix. It speaks volumes for the absolute incompetence of Firaxis when it comes to supporting their product in a reasonable and timely manner!

 

[Powerslave]

What I don't get how it takes Firaxis months and months to release a patch, supposedly because of all the stringent 'testing' involved, yet when it does finally get released it's the most bugged abortion you could ever think of, with bugs so blatantly obvious that most are discovered within about 20 minutes of actual game play. The kicker of course is that most of these stuffups are able to be fixed by fans within a day or two, not months that it will most likely take for any kind of official fix. It speaks volumes for the absolute incompetence of Firaxis when it comes to supporting their product in a reasonable and timely manner!

Look at the job openings at Firaxis. It's telling.

Producer, multiple programmers, etc.

 

[Smidlee]

It speaks volumes for the absolute incompetence of Firaxis when it comes to supporting their product in a reasonable and timely manner!

Yet I thank Firaxis for designing civ4 so fans like Bhruic and Solver could patched the game unofficially instead have to wait months for the official patch.

 

[Colossian]

The problem is a new patch (ex, 3.26) will have a lot of bugs. Again, again, more! I think Firaxis can't handle these bugs. OUT OF BRAINS!

MOST BUGGY GAME EVER!

 

[auldian]

They should post an announcement on their site.

 

[White Elk]

No, considering how many people acted, they should not announce anything on this forum.

I agree that things got real sour after an ETA was announced and then was passed without much further comment (btw some of that sourness went much deeper than alexmans post.. that was just a straw that broke the camels back.. for some anyway). But at this point even just an acknowledgment of further patching would go along way towards mending this rift between Firaxis and some of their irritated fans. No ETA just acknowledgment that a patch is in the works. It would be great if that happened here at CFC, but at the very least there should be an announcement at the official website. Then fans will share it around and the CivCom will be made aware.

 

[vra379971]

What happened with Alexman exactly?

 

[vodlaian]

It's funny.. When I was a kid, if you didn't get what you paid for and you were unsatisfied, you were OBLIGATED to complain to the company and the company was OBLIGATED to listen to your complaints if they wanted to keep a successful company (remember, 'customers first?').. Now you get punished for complaining and/or get insulted by kiddies who think it's not 'c000l' to complain/keep companies in check.

 

[Bhruic]

Even assuming you were actually "obligated"... Were you obligated to do so in a 3rd party venue? Were you obligated to take out a newspaper ad, for example, decrying the company? If you saw someone who worked at the company relaxing at the bar, were you obligated to attack them? Or were you simply obligated to take it up with the company themselves.

These forums are not run by Firaxis. They are not Firaxis/Take Two property. While some Firaxis members do post here (or did), they don't do so as Firaxis representitives. Therefore this is not the proper venue to "complain". Either email Firaxis/Take Two directly, or write them a letter, call them, whatever you wish. But attacking them here is not the proper behaviour.

Bh

 

[svkenney]

It's funny.. When I was a kid, if you didn't get what you paid for and you were unsatisfied, you were OBLIGATED to complain to the company and the company was OBLIGATED to listen to your complaints if they wanted to keep a successful company (remember, 'customers first?').. Now you get punished for complaining and/or get insulted by kiddies who probably didn't even pay for the game..

Agreed.

Solution:

(1) A really great patch that actually fixes problems rather than creates new ones.

(2) A scenario that sends factions to Mars based on philosophies, a new supermodern tech tree, mindworms, and instead of alien invaders -- folks from the "mother planet" trying to reassert their rights?

Something value added... just a thought

 

[svkenney]

(A)ttacking them here is not the proper behaviour.

Bh

Agreed as well... gotta hand it to the crew though. I mean, where else would you find a community willing to fix all these problems on their own (Solver for instance)?

Still... BTS is a case-in-point on why not to release buggy code even if pressured by the gaming community to do so.

If/when Civ V comes out (or another add-on), I will be extremely hesitant to recommend or purchase it, if for any other reason than I don't know if I will be wasting my money or my time trying to get the game to run.

Some thoughts.