Have some respect (moved from and re: the screenshot thread)

[MrLeN]

Note: This thread is a comment regarding some of the statements I saw in the new screenshots thread which was just the straw that broke the camels back for me as I have also seen such comments on other sites, forums and conversations. I can't help but defend CivIII...

Ok, I can't help myslef but to step in with some functional rationality right about now...

CTP 'IS' a game which has great graphics. It 'IS' a game which has some great ideas.

It 'IS' a game which HAD potential....

CTP (for those that don't know stands for 'Call to Power')

CTP has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Sid Meier's Civilization. It is a copycat game released AFTER the success of the original CIV series by Sid Meier.

Call to Power, which I will refer to as Call to Puke fom this point onwards was made by "Activision". I own a copy and I regret it very sincerely! I have been buying their games since Space Invaders, Missile Command and Astroids, but NO MORE!

It really does make me whince when I see CTPuke compared with Civilization I OR II. It gives the game a bad name! There are SO many people that simply think that CTPuke is just another version of CIV. Actually it angers me ! Phrases like "CTPuke all over again","Too CTPuk'ish" really get me pi$$ed off!

Sid Meier has released NOTHING but HITS. Great games, that many people have loved, enjoyed and become addicted to.

The reason why I am so Anty-"Call to Puke" is because Activision tried to cash in on this success, but all they did was cause confusion!

It is a FACT that Activision (through legal proceedings) has been forced to 'DROP' the use of Civilization in their titles.

It really is a shame. I can say that at one stage I DID like CTPuke. It has some fantastic ideas. The stackable unit idea is great and so is the border idea. If Civ uses these features in CivIII IT WAS INNEVITABLE... I-N-N-E-V-I-T-A-B-L-E... Activision should have just left it alone! They rushed a game onto the market, giving Civ a bad name because they openly admitted on the Apolyton Forums that hey have no desire or feel obliged in any way, shape or form to fix the countless bugs in the game! Every peice of software requires numerous patches!!! Who are Activision to think they are so bold? Ever heard of after sale support?!?!? There is NO exeption! THAT is a slap in the FACE!!!

Don't believe me? Read this:

There are a lot of questions and speculation on the Apolyton message boards about Call to Power II, so we have decided to issue the following statement to clear some of them up.
When we began the design process on Call to Power II, we spent a good deal of time querying our Call to Power owners about what changes or additions they wanted to see in a sequel. Of course, there were thousands of suggestions from formal research surveys, informal message board posts, and one-on-one chats with gamers. But the majority of the requests centered around the following areas: diplomacy, combat, interface, customizability, and empire management. Our team set out to make a sequel that would address all of these features, yet would still remain true to the gameplay from the first game. We intentionally kept the graphics engine mostly the same because we felt that our graphics were, and still are, the best offered in a turn-based empire building game. We kept the setting the same because we felt that an actual historical basis would have more appeal than a fantastic or science-fiction setting. Many of the programming changes to Call to Power II may not be readily visible to the user, but in reality, most of the major engines were rewritten to accept the changes to the diplomatic, combat and empire management systems. Opening up the extensive customizability options required a level of complex code changes as well. As in all software development projects, some features from Call to Power were dropped or cut as the project unfolded, including PBEM and Hot Seat.
We have been reviewing the posts by various forum members calling for additional patches to make the AI more challenging for them, to add PBEM and Hotseat back in, and various other requests. These requests, which sound simple, are actually long, complex feature additions that would require up to 3-4 months of programming and testing time. This is not feasible, as the Call to Power II team is moving on to other projects. So there will be no additional patches, enhancements or scenarios coming from Activision. Additionally, there are no immediate plans to make an expansion or sequel.

None of these decisions were taken lightly, however, we feel that in the end, we have delivered a game that met the design goals of the project: an empire-building game that delivers new diplomatic features, more realistic combat, better empire management options, a new interface, and a customizable gaming engine to extend the life of the game. We thank all of you for your dedicated support and enthusiasm over the last four years. We look forward to seeing the results of the various mods and scenarios that the community is working on.

Activision

Here are some MAJOR examples of the confusion that Activision has CAUSED!

Posted in the CTP section of this forum:

Sorry all you who've already bought the CTP2, but don't buy civ3. I've seen the screen-shots. They are just like CTP2.

Posted in General Discussiond for CivIII

but all u guys are saying is that it isnt released yet...was up??
and the official civ3 site say that too....
I HAVE CIV 3 AND I'VE HAD IT FOR ABOUT 1 MONTH OR SO :/

There are other, various sentences and phrases all over the forums of Apolyton and CF, with similar confusion. Including THIS thread. I do not wish to mention names.

WoW! I am bewildered.

To conclude this post I have to say that I don't see why CTP and CIV should EVER be mentioned in the same sentence! To say that CivIII is 'copying' CTPuke is a slap in the face for Firaxis and Sid Meier. Please, have some respect for a man that has accomplished such a remarkable achievement and has never created anything that caused such anger. Every Civ game is always backed up with GOOD support and if CIV III has ideas that are similar to CTPuke, then SO BE IT!

Activision simply tried to get in on the next step in the evolution of CIV and it angers me that people are so quick to judge when they don't have any facts, thought OR consideration for a game that has been nothing but a success.

Sid Meier's CIVILIZATION III will be an epedemic all over again. It should NOT be compared with CALL TO PUKE in any way, and it is highly disrespectful and blatently unintelligent to even compare or mention them in the same sentence.

I hope not to see such ignorance again.

MrLeN


P.S. Sorry for the individuals that have said the statements that I have pointed out. I am not trying to single 'anyone' out but Activision. I wanted my statments needs to be backed. That's all.
P.P.S. Have a look at the UPROAR of mutual outrage that Activision caused with this anouncement. <a href="http://apolyton.net/forums/Forum35/HTML/000954.html" target="new">(((Read and compare Civ with CTPuke no more!)))</a>


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[This message has been edited by MrLeN (edited March 29, 2001).]

 

[Mongol Horde]

Take deep breaths MrLen and count to ten, sorry I am not being patronising just trying to inject a little humour. I do see where you are coming from, the game is a long way off so we cannot really judge it yet. As for Call To Puke (how do you do the puking smilie anyway?) we all know that it was an awful game that is why people get worried when they see elements of it in civIII in it.

At the same time as I agree with you, we shouldn't all just sit here saying "yes Firaxis, no Firaxis you do whatever you want we know it will be good". We are the users, the hardcore idiots who sit around here all day talking about a game that hasn't been released yet. If we don't like the look of something then it is our right to say so. I hate the idea of ranged attacks being in the game so I said so, it might be the case that when the game arrives I love them.

I still have faith though, Sid has never produced second rate software and I'm sure that this will be no exception.

I don't reckon that you are angry anyway, you just wanted the worlds longest post.

 

[MrLeN]

There are many 'Mondays experts' in this world, and I am quite content to sit here and say "yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir" to Firaxis and Sid Meier.

Reason: They are actively looking for user input. Sid Meier has always done so, and prides himself in creating such great games with the ideas of the gamers. He thanx the gamers 'in first priority'.

You have missed my point. I didn't 'in my first post' mention anything about saying "yes sir, no sir". My point is that people shouldn't diss Firaxis or Sid Meier on the grounds that they seem to be copying CTP because CTP would never have been around in the first place if it weren't for Sid's Civ's, and from what I can see, this diss'ing happens way to frequently and without thought.

Further more, I beg to differ. It 'does' anger me, 'coz I feel crook in the guts when I see these posts and the developers may think "Ah, what a pack of ungreatful pricks".

I also post in this forum and I feel low to be associated with such individuals. I am the same way in person. If someone is a moron, or doing/saying moronic things, I will make sure I am not seen or associated with that person again to save myself from embarrasment and going red in the face.

MrLeN

------------------
Where there is money, there are liars!
Check out my Homepage:
Nebulous!
Don't forget to sign my guestbook.
I sure do look forward to feedback!

[This message has been edited by MrLeN (edited April 01, 2001).]