Now I want to take this example to the next level. If this is the case then we as the fanatics who will play this game regardless, should be allowed to pay our 50 bucks as soon as development starts and let us essentially beta test the game through out production. So Steam can update us as the game is updated, if their is no need for a "final version" there is no need for a set release date. Let us play with the developers until everyone is happy with the game! This, my friend, would be a nice, new world indeed!
Civilization V Demo Release Date: 21st of september
- Thread starter 2K Greg
- Start date
Now I want to take this example to the next level. If this is the case then we as the fanatics who will play this game regardless, should be allowed to pay our 50 bucks as soon as development starts and let us essentially beta test the game through out production. So Steam can update us as the game is updated, if their is no need for a "final version" there is no need for a set release date. Let us play with the developers until everyone is happy with the game! This, my friend, would be a nice, new world indeed!
Boris Godunov
Prince
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2002
- Messages
- 401
I can understand people being mildly disappointed, but the outrage and accusations being displayed are just silly. Come on, be honest: is anyone who is taking the time and effort to post here about Civ really not going to get this game at some point or another? No. So a pre-release demo (a free courtesy, by the way) doesn't make much of a difference. None of the pre-order bonuses are particularly spectacular, certainly not enough to make any sort of dramatic difference in terms of gameplay experience, and it all will likely be available as DLC eventually anyway.
I don't know exactly what was said by Greg regarding a pre-release demo, but if he said it was certainly going to happen, that was definitely a mistake, yes. At the very least he should have said, "we will try, but can't promise it." So that's a Marketing 101 failure, yes. But it's a pretty minor issue.
I don't know exactly what was said by Greg regarding a pre-release demo, but if he said it was certainly going to happen, that was definitely a mistake, yes. At the very least he should have said, "we will try, but can't promise it." So that's a Marketing 101 failure, yes. But it's a pretty minor issue.
How bullet-proof are Steams servers? Are there going to be capacity problems with thousands of people downloading the game (and patching, if a release-date patch is necessary) and thousands more downloading the demo? Might there be some problems you're not anticipating?
Drake L. Dragon
Warlord
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2010
- Messages
- 128
Now, I disagree with people who criticize this release date. Rather, I commend the Civilization developers for doing so. It is utterly ridiculous for people to say that this action is merely for money, for, obviously, the postponed demo will hurt the sales of the game. However, the game developers nevertheless went through with it, because they believe in making and developing a quality game than a hurried game to satiate their fans. The game, after all, wasn't even finished at that recent conference from Germany by reports; therefore, it would be optimal for the game developers to have more time not only to finish but furnish the game for their loyal fans to play. The game develops have put the best, long term interests of their fans before the expedient interests thereof.
Dude, it's Civ 5 and you're in the Civfanatics forum. Note the name. It's not "Folks mildly interested in Civ games" or "Maybe going to buy it if we get to try it out first" forum. We're f'ing fanatics. We're all buying the game.
As for me, there's no force on Earth that can stop me from buying it. I don't even have a computer capable of running it at this moment (but that will change in the next month).
Steam has handled new releases before, no? Frankly, Civ 5 isn't going to explode like Starcraft II so I doubt we'll take down Steam.
So, I have a tough decision to make. Do I bite the bullet and prepress it but possibly be wasting the money as I meet just the minimum requirements?
I wanted the demo really only to test performance on my machine.
Ha! Me too! Actually, I was going to test it with CrossOver since I'm a Mac user, but I already decided to go all the way and get a Windows partition on my hard drive.
I'm a lunatic!
Mercade
the Counsellor
That's just nonsense. Nothing is set in stone until the game is released and even then it can be changed through updates. Only asking 100% confirmed-never-to-change-info means getting less info than we currently enjoy.
A demo isn't meant to start playing the game before it is released. A demo is to find out whether it will run on your computer and/or whether you like the features before you make a purchase.
What modders can do is irrelevant when it comes to making a demo, but I'm sure you know that. Indeed a demo has its own production cycle, which for a large part constitues cutting stuff from the game to also reduce the download. No point in downloading 15 civs that aren't in the demo, or units for an era that aren't in the demo. That then requires testing, etc, and isn't done in a few days.
MeteorPunch
#WINNING
They should extend pre-order offers for another month once the game is released. I know that makes no sense, but a lot of us are wondering if our computers will even play the game at all or at a decent frame rate.
I wouldn't be so sure about that. Steam's servers were put to the test, most recently, during Valve's Summer sale, which ended on July 4. Be prepared to be patient when you download ciV.
Or, um, here's an idea: They're working hard to get the game ready and the demo comes second.
I've been playing these games long enough that I remember when their release dates weren't treated like Hollywood premiere dates. They used to slip--A LOT! I'm sure Firaxis is doing what we would want them to do with all their available resources: making the game ready for Sept. 21st.
When can we start downloading, anyway? Midnight? Midnight on the East coast?
deanej
Deity
That's not how the Final Frontier demo for BtS worked. In fact, it was so obvious that nothing was cut, that people were able to start modding BtS two weeks before it came out.
Provost Martin
Chieftain
- Joined
- May 2, 2010
- Messages
- 82
At least we euros get to playtest it three days before our release. 
If Direct2Drive.com is accurate, the game will be released at 10AM PST.
bernlin2000
Prince
I already pre-ordered on D2D, so this is really sad for me: I really wanted to try out the game to get the hang of the new elements before release date. Then I could have had something to do while the I try to get the game downloaded onto my comp (I have a crappy DSL connection). Why, Firaxis, WHY!!!!
Seriously? Do you work for 2k? Did you read Sulla's post. Have you paid attention to the gaming industry?
Companies have released tons of poorly designed and poorly programed games all without demos because they know that their game isn't nearly what the hype is and that is is buggy. There is no doubt they will have more sales by delaying the demo.
By delaying the demo it doesn't give people a chance to decide if they will like this game or if it is just too buggy or slow on their system. Remember when Civ III came out? When Civ IV came out? How many threads were in the forums of people complaining they couldn't get it to work on their computer? How many people do you think there were that never posted in the forums and had trouble? A lot of people wouldn't have bought Civ III or Civ IV if they had a chance to demo it and found how much trouble it was.
My guess is that the Firaxis team is fully behind what they have created but the 2k team has decided we have released demos before and that didn't work out well for us.
Of course we will found out how good the game or demo in my case is on the 21st. And to whoever said we are all buying thte game anyway I am not on that list. I won't purchase it until I know for sure it lives up to Civ standards.
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