I want my money back!

[Kayigo]

AlCosta15 - Please read original post. My computer meets their specs.
iSkratch/Salty - thanks
Imaginactra - Thanks for the suggestion. We tried it - it didnt work
Blargh - we checked the discs.

We read through pages of the Technical support and Fix-it threads - if it was listed there, we tried it. We have spent hours on this.

I understand the "copied cd" problem. Under ordinary circumstances, the no refunds policy makes sense. This is not an ordinary circumstance. In going through the tech support threads, I have come across many people having the exact same problem just getting the game to install. There are people who have made multiple returns to get a working disc. There are people who have just given up ever getting the game to run at all.

This is a badly made product. We as consumers need to let the manufacturer know we will not tolerate shoddy workmanship and inadequate beta-testing. I will not take this game back to the store AGAIN to wait in line 30 minutes to get another set of discs that dont work.

 

[Red Door]

No, it's a very well made product. Everybody talks about this and that about how it doesn't work. For 95% of people, the game works for them. Then we hear a couple of complaining newbies who talk about how the game doesn't work.
It's probably not a problems with the discs, instead it's with the software on your computer or your computer itself.

 

[Kayigo]

AlCosta - read the tech support and fix-it threads, dude. These arent newbies.

 

[Red Door]

I did and 95% of them are from people who registered in the last month.

 

[Kayigo]

They may have registered in the forum in the last month, but that has nothing to do with their competence in installing a game, or assessing how well it was written and manufactured.

 

[Sisonpyh]

No, it's a very well made product. Everybody talks about this and that about how it doesn't work. For 95% of people, the game works for them. Then we hear a couple of complaining newbies who talk about how the game doesn't work.
It's probably not a problems with the discs, instead it's with the software on your computer or your computer itself.

84.6% of all statistics are made up. Civ 4 was poorly coded and rushed out the door. Much more than 5% have problems I can bet that much. This doesn't make it a bad game, just sloppy work on the finishing touches.

To the OP:

Why don't you post a thread in the tech support section for some help on getting it to work. Preaching to the quire will get you no where and I think you're just angry and haven't tried every fix yet. This is your best option, I believe eventually with some more effort you can fix the problem and be able to play Civ 4. It really is good game, once you get passed all the tech problems. I felt the same you did the first week or so.

If you refuse to drop this issue, your only course of action would be to write/email/call Firaxis about your situation. But I doubt anything would come out of that.

 

[Prince David]

I'm bummed that it isn't working for you. I can play the game and I love it. I too have a bazillion ideas (have you tried your copy on another computer? etc.) but that's not what you're after.

The main problem here is trust/proof. Any yahoo can walk into Best Buy and say "This game doesn't play. I want my money back." But they'll have no way, short of going to your house and trying it themselves, of proving this.

At this point you've been ripped off. You've paid good money for a bad product. This is called fraud and it's illeagal. I suggest contacting your state Attorney General's office - they will have a consumer fraud division. I imagine that $50.00 might not be enough to get them very excited, but if enough people have contacted them you may be surprized. In any case they will be able to advise you on your "real" rights (which I'm certain vary by state) and maybe even help you persue your claim.

Good luck on achieving satisfaction. (But it really is a very fun game . . .)

 

[Prince David]

To the OP:

Why don't you post a thread in the tech support section for some help on getting it to work. Preaching to the quire will get you no where and I think you're just angry and haven't tried every fix yet. This is your best option, I believe eventually with some more effort you can fix the problem and be able to play Civ 4. It really is good game, once you get passed all the tech problems. I felt the same you did the first week or so.

Dude, have you read the thread? The entire point is that have already gone to great lengths to get the game to work. Been there, done that, game still no worky. They've been beating their heads against that wall for a long time already and don't want to do it any more.

 

[Sisonpyh]

Dude, have you read the thread? The entire point is that have already gone to great lengths to get the game to work. Been there, done that, game still no worky. They've been beating their heads against that wall for a long time already and don't want to do it any more.

Did you read my post? Go back, reread and comprehend.

 

[Yarmoss]

I did and 95% of them are from people who registered in the last month.

This has got to be the single most stupidest comment I've read on this board in quite some time.

Ive been visiting this board for about 6 months now, but only chose to register this past week. Guess in your books I'm a n00bie too, huh? Despite the fact I've had Civ 4 since November and have been playing Civ games since 1993s.

Oh, and my Civ 4 regualy freezes and crashes too despite having a less then 12 month old computer with well above the min specs recommended on the Civ 4 box, and which plays other high performance games perfectly such as Doom 3 and Rome Total Realism. This is a turn based stratergy game for goodness sake, yet RTR with all the graphics set to maximum simply canes its arse performance wise.

I enjoy Civ 4 (between all the crashes) but the game is plainly flawed. I paid $100 for something thats pretty crappy performance wise. Just as well Im a pretty tolerant guy and am hanging on in the hope that Firaxis will one day release a patch that actually fixes these problems. I know other people who would have returned this game and demanded their money back along time ago as well.

 

[Commander Bello]

I did and 95% of them are from people who registered in the last month.

Since you have registered less than a year ago, I would imagine that you are quite a newbie.

Thanks for the audience.

 

[shadow2k]

They really should teach a college class about how to get refunds from stores like Best Buy...

For the record, I was a manager with Best Buy years ago when I was 19, so I know they can and do break store policy if it's in their best interests to do so. A lot of things have probably changed, but some things never do.

"As a consumer, I find this poor quality unacceptable..."

Let's start here. Normal people don't talk like this. If I'm listening to you, I'm thinking about how this annoying lady is keeping me from getting my work done.

"I'd really like to play the game, but it just doesn't work properly."

A bit less...stale.

"I have also posted a blistering review at Amazon..."

Are you being nice to these people? Are you threatening them with taking away your business? Because at that point, as a manager, I'd be glad to see you go. One less headache for me. Nothing is more annoying than the customer that tells you the customer is always right. Nothing.

You just need to use people skills.

Be nice, first and foremost. It's not their fault. Don't get upset, don't get frustrated. Just be persistent, and assertive.

Do not tell them how to do their job, run their store/company, how valued a customer you think you are, or that you are going to take away your business. I'm getting a headache just imagining it. Instead, you drop hints.

"I completely understand. It's just that in the past, I've always had any issues taken care of, it's why I continue to come back."

This tells them that a good manager would take care of you, that you are a valued repeat customer, and that you might take your business away if it isn't resolved. But it sounds far better than actually saying those things.

If they refer you to Firaxis/T2, say they referred you back to BBuy. But don't lie about this, contact Firaxis/T2 and see what they tell you. Good managers can see liars from a mile away by your body language.

If they just will not relent, then do not waste any more time with that manager. You move up the chain.

"Well, it seems like I've probably wasted enough of your time with this, since your store policy won't let you help me. Would it be possible to give me a number where I could reach the General Manager"

You're asking, and nicely...with a smile. But really, you aren't asking. You don't take no for an answer. They hate bothering the GM with nonsense like this. They are rated on customer satisfaction, so is the GM actually. It's in their best interests to take care of you.

The customers who do things like this get taken care of. They can and will break policy if they feel it's in their best interests to do so. Happened all the time. They'll simply ship the product back to the manufacturer. The people who fly off the handle and yell/threaten/annoy...they get made fun of after they are repeatedly told no.

 

[Kayigo]

Prince David - thanks. I love civ iii and have played it endlessly. I would love to have this game work.
Sisonpyh - thanks, but I will say (again) - I DID post a thread on tech support. I also read all the tech support entries that seemed to have anything to do with my problem. I have tried every fix suggested to me and then some. I am angry, and I dont think there is a magic fix out there. I want my money back.

So, again. Has anyone tried to get a refund from firaxis? Has anyone been able to get a refund from their retailer? Has anyone even tried?

 

[Kayigo]

Shadow 2k - thanks for the insider knowledge. I will try Best Buy again - to date, I have only returned the game (politely) for an exchange.

I will add that I have treated the retailer politely, in part because I know you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, but mostly because it is not Best Buys fault. They are offering a product that they trust will live up to the claims on the box. They should be just as upset as I am that these problems have arisen.

Let me ask you. If you were a manager of Best Buy, and customer after customer came in with defective discs for the same game, some of them more than once, how would you react?

 

[RandomInsanity]

I think this shoudl be a lesson to everybody - never pay for anything

 

[Aussie_Lurker]

Hey, to me ALL of you guys are newbies .
Seriously, though, I am very sorry to hear that you are having so much trouble installing the game Kayigo-as it is BRILLIANT once you get past the installation phase. I have never had any difficulty in either the initial install or subsequent patches, and am seriously left to wonder if the standards for CD/DVD manufacture are somewhat lower in the states than in Europe or Australia (as the US is where the bulk of the complaints are coming from).
May I make the suggestion that you try and get your hands on a DVD version of the game, as this is what I have (in fact, DVD was mandatory for Civ4 here in Australia).
Lastly, I have learned from my Doom3 experience that minimum specs-or specs, period, for that matter-mean percious little anymore. According to the specs, my computer exceeded all of the recommended specs for Doom3, yet the game would never work properly. It turned out that the reason was that my Radeon 9550 256MB video card was incompatible with the game. I downgraded to a 9250 (128MB) card and-guess what?-it works fine now. So I also suggest that you have a very close look at all of your video and sound drivers to ensure that their aren't any internal conflict issues.
Anyway, I do wish you all the best of luck, and hope we can see you in MP Civ4 games in the not too distant future !

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

 

[shadow2k]

Shadow 2k - thanks for the insider knowledge. I will try Best Buy again - to date, I have only returned the game (politely) for an exchange.

I will add that I have treated the retailer politely, in part because I know you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, but mostly because it is not Best Buys fault. They are offering a product that they trust will live up to the claims on the box. They should be just as upset as I am that these problems have arisen.

Let me ask you. If you were a manager of Best Buy, and customer after customer came in with defective discs for the same game, some of them more than once, how would you react?

If the customer was civil, and had clearly run out of other options, I took care of the customer. There was a policy about not returning certain items, but there was also a policy about not pissing off your customers.
But not every manager will do that, some only do things by the book. So you move up the chain to their manager. But you have to be nice even then, so they don't tell their manager what a PITA you are.

 

[5cats]

Well, I was able to run the v1.09 patch on my 600mhz Athlon with Win ME, no problem! So the minimum specs are a matter of opinion, since my old PC was waaaay below minimum.
Now I have a better PC
As for installing, I re-installed several times on my old 'puter, no problems! It could be you keep getting bad disks, IDK. At least they try to keep things going for Civ4.
Personally, I like Civ4 a LOT more than Civ3, with all it's add-ons.

 

[ellie]

Kayigo )

My experience: Initial installation went fine, however machine would freeze after 30 or so moves.

Now that ive reinstalled both CIV IV and the latest patch it appears to be

a) Using far less memory

b) Running fine so far although its early days.


I understand how fustrating it is though and hope you get the game sorted and working.

Personally id direct my efforts to getting a working copy of the game although i appreciate you have been trying that already

El

 

[warpstorm]

Has anyone tried to get a refund from firaxis?

You won't get a refund from Firaxis in any case. They are just the programmers and artists. They have very little to do with the money side of the business. You would have to go to Take2.