Dear Sid

[opticaljim]

Dear Sid,

You screwed me. Bad. Not only did you screw me but you screwed a large percentage of your most loyal Civilization fan base.

Don’t try to convince me that you didn’t know there were several bugs in the program before you released it. Don’t bother trying to convince me that you didn’t count on folks
that have waited months and even years to rush to the stores last Wednesday to get their copy to provide you with information on those bugs so you wouldn’t have to make the effort yourself. You should be ashamed. You should be embarrased.

The so-called tech support that you provided from Take2? What a joke! If they weren’t being completely rude in their typical quaint English fashion then they were just outright
hanging up. The E-mail I sent them last Wednesday? Still haven’t heard from them!

I tried downloading different drivers. I tried reinstalling several times. I paid $150 to install a graphic card that was recomended. That’s right, recomended, not required! For crying out loud, Sid, I even purchased a second copy just to be sure I hadn’t messed up the discs!

And I still got the usual bugs, too many to list. By now, you know what they are, the ones you didn’t already know about, that is. I mean, c’mon, Sid, the install disc and the play disc were interchanged? Must have been a pretty rigorous debugging period, huh?

What is it that all the so-called “game experts” in the trade magazines are saying about Civilization IV? Intruiging? Powerful? Spectacular? They can have my copy. They can have both!

I’m calling you out, Sid. You and Firaxis. If you have any ethical sense of what is right then you will be on this website apologizing and offering something substantial to make up for the disappointment and frustration you have put so many of the Civilization fans through. Frankly, I don’t think you’ll do it.

And just in case you want to question my personal motives and sense of fair play please feel free to contact me via E-mail at opticaljim@yahoo.com.

Cordially,
James Green

 

[Bast]

I sympathize with you James. I'm getting sick of this. I'm close to getting turned off all computer games forever.

 

[Tunch Khan]

I will put my name under this open letter.
signed:
Tunch Khan

 

[Jecrell]

... It's not Sid's fault...

 

[Civrules]

Ok let’s get down to the bottom of this:
Graphics card problems and other of the most serious issues have solutions to them. Tell us (right now) what your problems are with running the game so we can get you on your way, therefore avoiding a 15-page troll thread and doing it in an orderly fashion.

 

[RoboPig]

Amen!(to the letter) so many bugs cant be put out into the game. my suggestion is that for beta testing not to use a fancy computer. why dont they just use some older computer, one that a lot of people would have. geez! i wish atari hadnt sold to taketwo

 

[elderotter]

I am sick of people trashing this game. I had problems at first - then I tweaked the options and things ran fine. I have an older machine - I can't expect torun things at the high end like I did when my computer was new.
If tweaking doesnt work then do a simple upgrade - if your computer is top of the line I bet the games runs perfectly - try getting newer drivers. try tweaking your graphics card. If you were a true civ fan you would be working on your computer, nit trashing the game, the company and the genius behind it. It sounds to me like you guys were prepared to be disappointed and so were. I was determined to play this game and I perservered.

 

[Civrules]

I am sick of people trashing this game. I had problems at first - then I tweaked the options and things ran fine. I have an older machine - I can't expect torun things at the high end like I did when my computer was new.
If tweaking doesnt work then do a simple upgrade - if your computer is top of the line I bet the games runs perfectly - try getting newer drivers. try tweaking your graphics card. If you were a true civ fan you would be working on your computer, nit trashing the game, the company and the genius behind it. It sounds to me like you guys were prepared to be disappointed and so were. I was determined to play this game and I perservered.

That's why I made my post above. With his system specs (mostly the cost of the graphics card, and I assume the rest of the specs are all good), chances are very small that he won't be able to fix the problem.

So, I'm still waiting for details so we can fix your problem and show you that it isn't the end of the world and that you'll be able to play.

 

[Aussie_Lurker]

It has nothing to do with 'fancy computers'. With all of the custom computer builds which exist in every country in the world, do you begin to have even the slightest conception of just how difficult it would be to check game compatability with every possible combination? If they did this, then we would have had to wait another 1-2 years for the game! I also love how Jim apparently has an open line to every civ player in the world, given that he clearly knows that he speaks for the majority. Sheeesh, grow up and be glad you actually HAVE the game!!!

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

 

[Mrdie]

Uh. Sid is not in charge of the release date. To my knowledge TakeTwo is.

 

[Tunch Khan]

I am sick of people trashing this game. I had problems at first - then I tweaked the options and things ran fine. I have an older machine - I can't expect torun things at the high end like I did when my computer was new.
If tweaking doesnt work then do a simple upgrade - if your computer is top of the line I bet the games runs perfectly - try getting newer drivers. try tweaking your graphics card. If you were a true civ fan you would be working on your computer, nit trashing the game, the company and the genius behind it. It sounds to me like you guys were prepared to be disappointed and so were. I was determined to play this game and I perservered.

He mentions he bought the newest drivers and installed and even bought a second copy; give the original poster a break. He points out that the game was not tested sufficiently. Please read it to its full lenght and adress his concerns first, before criticizing him just because you like critizing people for the sake of it. This goes for the people who criticize the game for the sake of criticizing as well without even owning a copy.

 

[Tunch Khan]

Uh. Sid is not in charge of the release date. To my knowledge TakeTwo is.

Well if you are putting your NAME in a commercial product than you DO have a bit of responsibility afaik. The game is officially called Sid Meier's Civilization 4.

 

[opticaljim]

"If tweaking doesnt work then do a simple upgrade - if your computer is top of the line I bet the games runs perfectly - try getting newer drivers. try tweaking your graphics card."

Are you reading impaired? Did I not say that I completely upgraded the graphics card and driver?

Moderator, I have been on this site for the past several days like everyone else trying to find out what I can do. I have used everyone's suggestions to no avail. Now you are telling me you have the answer?

Okay, here goes:

My introductory movie skips.

There is darkness around areas of the game that have already been explored.

I am warned by the game that certain programs will be modified because my computer only has the minimum requirements even though, as I mentioned, I have switched to a 128MB graphics card with a GeForce MX 4000 driver.

The game won't operate with the play disc, only the install disc.

And by the way, moderator, these so-called trolls have each spent a minimum of $50 to enjoy a PC game and they are frustrated because it won't work and especially because they are being ignored by the Firaxis sponsored tech support listed on their booklet.

 

[abbamouse]

Of COURSE Take 2 support is terrible. Remember, these are the people who decided to respond to years of delay on the game Battlecruiser 3000 by simply shipping what was done (a late alpha or early beta, and that's being generous) and selling it to the public as if it was a completed game. If you don't remember that whole scandal, do a web search for Take 2 and Battlecruiser. Now, if a company chooses to do THAT, do you really think they care about customers of a game like Civ 4, where at least there WAS a beta test period? Take 2 has become a huge publisher by pursuing profit at the expense of consumers. Don't expect them to change what seems to be working well for their wallets.

I can play the game, but it has plenty of glitches, play balance issues, and obvious bugs. I like Firaxis, but this game needed a longer, larger QA process before release. Civ III also had some issues when released (I remember air superiority didn't work -- how'd they miss THAT one?) but I fear that the issues with Civ 4 are more fundamental and will be difficult to fix with the usual patch process.

It almost seems that Firaxis as the content creators fell down to the level of Take 2, their unfortunate choice of publisher. Given how much enjoyment I've received from previous Firaxis titles, I'm willing to give them a chance to make this game what it should be -- but I really wish they'd taken the high road to begin with.

 

[opticaljim]

And by the way, I know Sid is the figurehead. Please don't insult my intelligence. I know Tommy Hilfiger ins't sitting at a sowing machine stitching T-shirts. But you can bet Hilfiger has a say in the level of quality of the product if his name is on it.

 

[Thunderfall]

opticaljim, what is the model of your new graphics card? GeForce MX 4000? You shouldn't need to pay more than $50 for that since it's fairly old.

I bought a GeForce 6800 (one of the newer nVidia cards) a few months ago for $185 and it works very well with Civ4.

 

[Viper753]

I am having the same problems that most people are having with the ATI video cards. I have done what the support site said to do, as well as what other people have said on this and other websites. Still getting the renderer error.

I have a P4 2.4ghz, 512mb RAM, ATI Radeon 9600 256mb Video card, Windows 2000 Pro.

ALL drivers, and the operating system have been updated to the latest drivers and versions. Every other game I have are working fine.

Frankly I am really dissappointed with this game. I have been a loyal Civ player since the beginning, and this really turns my stomach.

Its sad that my kids system with a GeForce 4 mx440 with 64mb of ram is running the game just fine.

I see so many people with my same video card that are working fine. Could it be the OS? They dont have and Unpak program for Win 2k as of yet. Meanwhile, I went back to WoW anad will probably send my Civ 4 game back if this doesnt get fixed VERY SOON.

Ok, my rant is done, I feel better.....Now back to WoW!

Have fun with your game Sid!

 

[Civrules]

"If tweaking doesnt work then do a simple upgrade - if your computer is top of the line I bet the games runs perfectly - try getting newer drivers. try tweaking your graphics card."

Are you reading impaired? Did I not say that I completely upgraded the graphics card and driver?

Moderator, I have been on this site for the past several days like everyone else trying to find out what I can do. I have used everyone's suggestions to no avail. Now you are telling me you have the answer?

Okay, here goes:

My introductory movie skips.

There is darkness around areas of the game that have already been explored.

I am warned by the game that certain programs will be modified because my computer only has the minimum requirements even though, as I mentioned, I have switched to a 128MB graphics card with a GeForce MX 4000 driver.

The game won't operate with the play disc, only the install disc.

And by the way, moderator, these so-called trolls have each spent a minimum of $50 to enjoy a PC game and they are frustrated because it won't work and especially because they are being ignored by the Firaxis sponsored tech support listed on their booklet.

There is a large difference between trolling and constructive criticism.
When did you buy this MX 4000 for $150? It is outdated. I found this card sells now for $32.
Clearly your graphics card is the problem. This is also why you have black spots on the terrain.

Even the X700 costs less than $150 and it is much more powerful than the MX 4000.

 

[Mrdie]

Well if you are putting your NAME in a commercial product than you DO have a bit of responsibility afaik. The game is officially called Sid Meier's Civilization 4.

Yes. He helped develop the game and is responseible for creating Civ. However, it is TakeTwo's words that count about the release.

 

[Lord-Guybrush]

you are so goddamn right jim!

shame on sid
blame frixais too!

it's bull**** what you have done to us!!!

we waited
we stayed
now we hate!

i want just one playable turn

just one more turn!!!!