Vehem said:
Now this is an argument that makes me far less prone to want to argue against what you're saying. The best info I can offer is in the following thread, where Thamer offers an update in post #9 - dated roughly 1 month ago.
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=162263
I will admit that I too was disappointed with the state of the game when it was first released, though most problems I encountered were solved in the first two patches (still can't see the movies properly mind, but I can ignore that). The most likely reasons for this have been discussed previously though - a rushed QA in order to release the game before Christmas.
I can also imagine that having the game still unplayable (I'm assuming your's is) after 6 months would be even more disappointing and frustrating - maybe you're right and that *is* beyond the limit of how long a company should reasonably expect their customers to wait patiently is.
That conceded - it's not the end of the world. I do still believe the patches will emerge sooner or later and a slow patch-process is far from the worst complaint that can be levelled against a company (google around for the story of DigitalJesters and the french company that developed Bet-On-Soldier for them). I think even you would now be willing to admit your initial post was over the top though (judging by the much more reasonable tone of your subsequent post).
Short and obscure comment months old does not seems to be good P.R. What their web site is for? They haden't updated their web site for few month... Is it that hard and time comsuming to post what has happended to the expected patch on their web site?
What was worse is that the game is so tantalizing.. If this game did not worked at all in my computer I already have abadonded it.. But it works well for a while.. and perfactly playable. But after a while it starts to crashs to desktop in the middle of the game... I have to re-play two or three turn again and catch up lost turn due to CTD, and continues to play few more turns.. after while CTD again... and again. Now it becomes not *playing* game, it becomes fighting against the game (I vs Firaxis), testing my will and determination, overcoming disappointment and temptation to throw it away ...
This should never be what a computer game is meant to be....
This series of happenings reminds me of old, bad and unfortunate memory.
Have you played tha game called "The Heroes of Might and Magic IV"? It was also very successful loved franchise of turn based strategy game.. We waited and they released its fourth incarnation HOMM:4.
But the game was half-finished and hurried to the door to meet holyday season. So full of bugs and frequent CTD and lock-ups. The game itself was not so bad... They got rave reviews and praise.
They issued few patches, but even after few patch, it get better, but still buggy and quarking and you cant finish game without CTD.. The royal fan disappointed and the player gets angery...
But still the company ignored voices of angry player and not so responsive to the customers and sold exapnsion before the original get fixed to the degree that is comfortably playerable. What has happend to the company (3DO) then..?
The the mass of avid and royal fans start to defect and abandon the game and the game company gone belly up after 2 years and the publishing right of the series is sold to other company.
In my experince, the bugginess of this Civ4 is not as bad as HOMM4, but closest to the game in that regard among the games I played in few years. I see very much of similarity in attitude of the company in both Firaxis and 3DO.. Very successful franchise, They rushed half-finished game to the door. Very terse to customer, does not listen to them, ignoring their voice and suffering, rude enough to sell expansion before the original is fixed enough. etc. etc.. I hope that the fate of the Frixis does not ends like that of 3DO But I fear that ....
