Burned by 2K and Firaxis

[Hozchelaga]

I'm not sure why people feel the need to try to shout down or silence those that are having problems. I mean, if enough people are posting that you are getting sick of seeing the threads, wouldn't that indicate there are some pretty major problems with the software?

Agreed. Making legitimate concerns known assists the entire community -- even if those concerns have already been voiced -- because it is the community that has the power to effect changes in the quality of a product.

Of course, making illegitimate complaints is unhelpful. So for general reference, here is an example of an illegitimate complaint:

OMFG! civ sux! star wars BG roxxx!!!! i pwn all n00bs!!!!

 

[Sorceresss]

There are two issues here and they do not necessarily have anything to do with each other. One is the crashing apparently caused by some sort of conflict with certain video cards. The other is the extreme slowdown of the game, the weird minute-long freezes, the long loading times and the general slowness of the UI. The latter are almost certainly not related to the video card but to the CPU or the memory or both. A 5200 should play fine, at least at default resolution and without AA/AF. That's why it's also somewhat meaningless to compare your performance with GPU intensive games like Quake4 and FEAR. Civ is and have always been a CPU intensive, not a GPU intensive game.

I never experience "weird minute-long freezes" and "long loading times"...You might then be right, since my system runs with a PIV at 2.8GHz and 1GB of DDR-2 RAM. Thxxx for distinguishing between GPU and CPU performance issues.

 

[Mhantra]

Well, guys, there are also people like me for whom the game works out of the box. I played some fifty hours or so now, and I have had not a single crash. I also experience no lag or anything else. Were it not for the posts here and elsewhere, I would consider Civ4 one of the most polished releases in the past few years. My experience isn't unique, but I know that there are people who do have a lot of trouble.

I guess speaking up for the game gets me accused of being a "fanboy", but I'd still like to add my voice. (I also have no reason to claim my game works fine if it didn't.)

I, too, have this experience. I do feel terrible for those going through such bugs, as other games have done that to me, even on this same exact system. I think sometimes it is simply the millions of different potential combinations within a system, it is almost impossible to predict how a program will run on every given system. Then you have Windows registry, which I have found to be a bane of gaming, and frequently a complete wipe of the HD and reinstallation of windows will work..

Anyway, to answer the post below the one I am quoting, I have played to the final stages on huge maps with many, many civs, and never noticed a single glitch, crash or slowdown of unit movement (I do use the right-click drag technique, if that makes a diff)...I would never have guessed there was a single bug besides the )#(*)(#* file not found bug if not for reading these boards.

I am running a P4 2.8 with 512 cache (478pin, 800 FSB)
GeForce 6800GT (256MB)
Abit AI7 mobo
1.5GB generic ram (dual channel mode)
Windows XP pro
SATA HD
3GB cable modem

Hope they figure it out soon for you all

 

[Sobsob]

The joy of using great people will it crash on my choice or not?
Can I automate settlers?
Hell no lets crash to desktop this is customer support.

 

[DisruptiveIdiot]

I have no problems whatsoever, and I'm running with 512mb, a 3.2ghz processor, and a geForce 3. My video card is 4 generations behind! I run it all on high settings except anti-aliasing.

I have no problems so the question is: What the **** is wrong with you? Ooh look at me, I can't play a video game while others with inferior equipment can! It must the fault of the developers! Surely it could not be my configuration or impotent drivers! **** off Firaxis! I'm too arrogant and pretentious to rationally think about what's going on! The only thing I can do is lambast you for a great product that I can't play because of my fault!

The majority of this forum can play the game great, especially when compared to the release versions of other games. Civilization Four is up to eveyrone's standards, except the guys who are computer illiterate. Don't whine about a problem that is mostly your fault, I can run it perfectly fine. It's not a faulty product, you have a faulty configuration.

 

[Sobsob]

I have no problems so the question is: What the **** is wrong with you? Ooh look at me, I can't play a video game while others with inferior equipment can! It must the fault of the developers! Surely it could not be my configuration or impotent drivers! **** off Firaxis! I'm too arrogant and pretentious to rationally think about what's going on! The only thing I can do is lambast you for a great product that I can't play because of my fault!

Well all I can say is look at the name of the poster.

And yes my systems whips yours and crashes lots if this means I should install retro kit to play the game I wish they would have said so before I bought it.

 

[DisruptiveIdiot]

Well all I can say is look at the name of the poster.

And yes my systems whips yours and crashes lots if this means I should install retro kit to play the game I wish they would have said so before I bought it.

ENGLISH, do you speak it?

It's not Civ IVs fault your rig isn't compatible! Their game works fine on most of the market and they can't possibly test for every configuration. I have six friends with Civ IV and they all run it flawlessly, I have another friend who can't play it because he has on-board video, but he is upgrading soon anyway.

Contact your manufacturers, update your drivers, and call tech support. Take Two didn't sell you a fault game, Firaxis didn't develop a faulty game, don't blame them for anything.

 

[Sobsob]

I think you are missing the point my system/drivers plays every other game on the market atm but it seems I have to make expections for paying for a game that crashes all the time.

 

[Gromblmompf]

I would go berserk if Civ IV wouldnt run properly. On the other hand, i wouldnt know what i am missing, so a ranty post here or elsewhere would prolly be ok too.

 

[Venger]

ENGLISH, do you speak it?

It's not Civ IVs fault your rig isn't compatible!

My rig is compatible, per the box. It IS the fault of the maker it will not run properly.

Their game works fine on most of the market and they can't possibly test for every configuration.

The fact that they had to release a workaround for ATI, one of only two dominant graphic card makers, indicates they bloody well didn't test it for near ANY configuration.

I have six friends with Civ IV and they all run it flawlessly,

The performance of the program and your newsgroup affectations would make readers tend to doubt both counts.

I have another friend who can't play it because he has on-board video, but he is upgrading soon anyway.

Contact your manufacturers, update your drivers, and call tech support. Take Two didn't sell you a fault game, Firaxis didn't develop a faulty game, don't blame them for anything.

Tech support readily admits there are known issues - where does that leave your ill-considered rant?

Venger

 

[rbstansbury]

I'm another that can play right out of the box, over 30 hours logged with zero crashes. It does slow down after 3 hours of play or so, I save and restart the game and am good to go for another few hours (I agree there is a memory leak problem). Other than that, I have no complaints, but do feel sorry for those that are having all of the issues. Be patient, a patch will hopefully make the game playable for everyone.

Well, guys, there are also people like me for whom the game works out of the box. I played some fifty hours or so now, and I have had not a single crash. I also experience no lag or anything else. Were it not for the posts here and elsewhere, I would consider Civ4 one of the most polished releases in the past few years. My experience isn't unique, but I know that there are people who do have a lot of trouble.

I guess speaking up for the game gets me accused of being a "fanboy", but I'd still like to add my voice. (I also have no reason to claim my game works fine if it didn't.)

 

[Hozchelaga]

Don't whine about a problem that is mostly your fault, I can run it perfectly fine. It's not a faulty product, you have a faulty configuration.

Say it with me: it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to adequately advertise a product's requirements so that consumers can make an informed choice as to whether that product will satisfy their needs.

That is not only how consumer relations are designed to operate, it is the law.

 

[Sobsob]

If the game works fine for you out of the box then I am pleased for you it's the people who tell me the that I have to feck around to get it to run at all,then have it crash on me but blame me for my freaky less than 6 months old system causing the problem.Bottom line if your SYSTEM MEETS THE SPECS IT SHOULD RUN you have paid your money for it to run.

 

[King Flevance]

I am only going to bring back the original posters statement. The game has became such an puzzle of how to fix it, he is done with it. What do all you who it works for care? He most likely posted on here 75% because he is mad that CIV 4 got the best of him and 25% to warn other people that this game could just as easily give you the finger as it can give you a thumbs up instead.

I have had my problems with the game myself and I understand where he is coming from. It may be our systems. Granted.
However, I cannot stress this enough because no one listens to it "It IS a problem when THIS many people cant get a game to run on systems that meet requirements. Even if we have to mess with video card settings, driver libraries, I have seen people talking about 'Oh just try disabling your anti-virus and all other protection software.' WTH? IS THAT REALLY OK???
Alot of people now are claiming they have tried alot of stuff, me being one of them, and the game still wont work. IT WONT WORK ON MAINTAINED/UPDATED SYSTEMS.
Some machines aren't meeting reqs. Granted again. BUT THIS DOESNT ACCOUNT FOR THE ONES THAT ARE AND EXCEEDING.

I have seen alot of people on here that say they are positive the game SHOULD be running. I am one of them. But I am not a wiz with video cards and all these fancy tricks, AND YES NOW WE HAVE RESORTED TO FANCY TRICKS. Forget about claiming "Try maintaining it." IT IS!!!

I got a tip about saving settings and toying with it so that if I mess something up I can go back and restore. Cool but the point is I am just changing all kinds of crap I dont even know what it really does on my computer to see what the result is and when I dont know what I just did, I am reloading my settings....MORE POINTLESS CRAP TRYING TO GET THE GAME TO WORK. But thats OK because hey, it worked for some people.

The basic reason that Firaxis won't issue a statement is that official action will lead to a deluge of bad press. And bad press will cut sales.

So, like politicians, they simply smile and ignore the problems, hoping that nothing forces them from their aloof complacency.

I honestly believe this post. Heck, its even OK that we unlucky ones are getting ignored. I mean we bought the game right? What did we expect? For it to work?

Look, sorry about the caps all through this post but its like people just go 'eh' when someone admits their frustration on the boards. If no one posted the bad news, the people on the boards looking to see if it is safe to buy the game or a wise choice, CANT get a unbias opinion.

To all looking on here for reassurance on buying the game, its 50/50 it will work or it wont. 80% out there SO FAR that bought the game may be able to run it but maybe the next 100,000 people that buy it will change those figures to 70% - 30%.
Best bet: Post your specs, see if anyone has the same and how the game has worked for them.

 

[EdCase]

Hmmm...mileage may vary on how buggy it is/isn't...still...

My PC....worked out of box

Wifes PC.....crashed PC every 3 to 5 mins...added a PCI slot cooler card...runs without a problem.

Brother-in-laws PC... moved his network card one slot down (away from AGP slot). Now works without a problem.

All 3 machines use different CPU MoBo and GPU . (Of varying speed and age)

All have different amounts of RAM from 3Gb down to 768 (brother-in-law)

Only machine maintained by a "geek" mine..and that was the one that worked without a hitch.

Leads me to believe game isn't optimized completely..but surely is not a "bug-ridden piece of crap" as some are claiming.

Disclaimer; The opinion voiced above is mine and mine alone. Yours may differ.

 

[Sobsob]

Edcase really mate do you think it's fair to expect people to open up their PCS to get a piece of software to work?

 

[Daarkseid]

These topics are funny, because of the propensity by the dissatisfied towards melodrama.

 

[Gumpy]

Can the people complaining name one pc game made in the recent past that didnt need patched?

 

[Big Ev]

Can the people complaining name one pc game made in the recent past that didnt need patched?

Quake 4 worked out of the box for me.

My rig is in my sig, should crush Civ 4. 2GB of RAM, a GeForce 7800GTX and I still crash every 10-20 minutes. Its such a pissah.

 

[Dida]

Can the people complaining name one pc game made in the recent past that didnt need patched?

Most games work right out of box. Most games do not crash every 2 hour.