Patch 1.09 released!

This is more of a PC issue per sec. I have a similar setup to you except I went for a home built setup and heck whilst i'm at it lets go for a lesser processor (AMD 2.4). Runs very smoothly and nicely. Is it that my machine is setup better or their is a problem with your setup and game who knows.

The only solution tbh is to go for a console if you're not happy and want a much more reliable situation.

Tals

 

When you uninstall the game in Control Panel, you are given a bunch of choices about what you want to uninstall or leave. You can just leave the patch checked and it should just remove the patch.

The patch made things worse for me as well. Videos got jerky. Victory movies froze. Game got sluggish and then froze the computer with a black screen. Had to hit the reset button. Before the patch, the game worked fine, no problems.

 

Yeah, I saw that too with Asoka. He's really scary that way. I did the same as you and was worse than before. So I've gone back to no patch and 77.77 drivers and everythings works smooth as silk. I might just wait several months before I try to update to a new patch or driver.

 

You need to enter the options and choose 'show city details' on one of the tabs.

 

So far the patch has worked great for me . It fixed things with my sound effects and so far seems to have helped with the jerky slowdown issues I had.
I have the movies turned off so cant comment on that aspect . I always run huge maps ...cant enjoy smaller ones it seems ...so I had lots of pre - patch issues to ***** about .

 

Did you even read what I said. Here I will quote it again. "Show me a poll that was taken of random people who purchased this game. Show me an unbiased poll. Not one that originates from this website. Truthfully I think this website is in bed with firaxis\take2. But you show me an unbiased poll with good data. Supporting your 80% dream. And I will post a truthful apology."
Each and everyone of those are from this site. That is listed on the support page of civ iv. It is neither unbiased or random. It is a poll from a site that openly supports every thing civ. These numbers are way to tainted. As far as I am concerned you are just believing the hype.
As for just signing up to complain. Hey the bud. Check out the support page on civ vi. It tells you to come here. They have no forums of there own. Or do they??
What cracks me up even more is sid is on tour to sign copies of the game. LOL. Come to my area boy. I will give this piece of crap back. Right to your face. Tell you what a nightmare you have created.
One more time for those who didn't here it. Come on everyone. GO CIV GO!

 

Hey everyone. Just thought I would add a bit to my last. The reason I am responding so harshly is because I feel like to many people come in here just to bag on those of us that the game does not work for. I build computers for a living. I have several gaming rigs at home. I host lan parties all the time. I buy my games to support the gaming industry. Becuase I would like to see PC gaming thrive. I do own a console but only for sports games.
When people come in here and say its your setup or you drivers. I take that as a personal insult. I work had to keep up with the latest and greatest. And to say its my setup is a slap in the face. It is not my setup. I have tried it on several (5) different setups. From a pIII to a top of the line p4. I have tried it on a amd 64 with the same results. Each and everytime. I get to the 1500's and then starts the ctd's with a hard lock every now and then.
As for the windows setups they are clean installs. Ranging from win2000 to win xp pro. I even tossed in a media center 2005 to see what would happen. xp home is the worst. Truth be told it ran better on the the pIII win2000 setup. low everything and a very low resolution. But still got the ctd's and hard crashes.
I am upset that I have to go through all this. Just to get the game to work. Actually just trying to get the game to work.
To all those who would and have come in here to bag on us for it not working, better yet you stupid ****s who tell us to take up console gaming if we don't like it. STFU and be happy you can play the game. If I could play the game I sure as hell would not be in here bagging on people who can't. I mean what kinda ******* does that. ha ha I can play and you can't. na na na boo boo. What is that ****.
Anyway that is why I am so hot. I can't play and have tested this out to the point of it taking away from my actual work. So please think before you post some crap like that. Be a little compasonate for those of us that continue to struggle with this crap.

 

Moderator Action: I really suggest we cool down the attitude a little bit. That's not a good way to vent frustration.

 

I bought Civ4 completely unsure of whether it would work or not. (I'm running a p4 2.4Ghz, 512MB, on-board Intel video processor). That last bit about the video processor is what scared me. I very much didn't meet requirements. I installed the game yesterday and my fears were made certain. It loaded, it started and I opened a tutorial. Could see my unit and Sid's eyes and mouth. Fog of war EVERYWHERE unless I zoomed out far enough that I couldn't see my units.

Went on a bike ride to chill out over just spending $50 on a game I can't play.

Checked for patches upon returning.

Thanks to the patch, everything except movies work 100% for me. I hate movies anyway, so that's fine by me.

 

Blue3c - it's not meant to be a push at you for not understanding PC's - you obviously do. At the same time I have to admit surprise that the majority of users are not experiencing the level of issues you are and yet you still are getting issues regardless of trying a number of setups. I have also gone through a whole crashing issue with BF2 in the end I totally scrapped the MB/Memory and Graphics card to get my stable system and yet it was still not that simple turning out to be partially this and partially a conflict with Teamspeak.

I feel your pain but i'm unsure where this can now be taken since it sounds like in your case it's not an issue of particular HW.

So what's your take on what the issue is - bearing in mind that the majority of users are ok - I know you asked for other forums. Well Check

http://forums.bovineconspiracy.com/
http://www.octopusoverlords.com/phpBB2/
http://www.quartertothree.com/phpBB2/index.php

These are independant games forums pretty positive comments re Civ 4 and I see very little issues on crashing, I suspect most users who do experience crashing would end up here anyway so these forums would generally refelect a higher level of issues than the more global ones.

Tals

 

I'm starting to wonder if many of the ones who don't have problems are playing with smaller maps and fewer civs and have just average landmass per map size.

I'm almost tempted to try that and see how successful I am at not having crashes or freezes.

However, I prefer to play on the biggest maps possible and I like having at least 10 AI opponents. I also play on continents with low seas.

(And, for the record, I don't have overclocked anything and I have all the latest drivers I'm up to date on my drivers. I have a Gateway notebook, 4000+, 1 GIG RAM, 256MB ATI X600.)

Really, I don't understand why some persons are getting upset at people complaining about the game. I mean, if I were not having problems, I would not be reading the threads concerning problems/complaints and, if I did, it would just be for information in case something happened to me.

Granted, this is a thread on the patch so it's a bit more generic. But I'm not sure how persons discussing problems (or complaining) would drive off discussion on the game. It seems it would be easy to simply avoid those threads. It's not like I (or others) are inserting problems/complaints in threads dealing with game tactics, etc. Also, fans of the game (who don't have problems) should remember that we're fans of the game, too; we just happen not to be able to enjoy the game.

 

Well put. And good advice.

 

blue3c
I completely agree to what you say. I think that most probably everyone plays small/standard games where these issues don't show up.

 

Hi,
Although the patch has definatly made the game more stable for me, I still get CTD pretty regularly. Luckily no BSOD yet, would make me stop playing again. I am not sure about the majority of players, taking a look at amazons user reviews (down to 2.5 stars), seems like the majority do have trouble, even the good reviews come with some caveats...Hopefully next patch makes game even more stable..

ap

 

Oh, so NOW we are all on the Payroll of Firaxis/Take2 if we like this game and are having no trouble with it . Sheesh, that excuse is so pathetic that it barely deserves any comment at all (and shows how desperate you have become to seem like nothing more than a VERY vocal minority). You asked me to show you a poll that showed more than 80% of people liking the game/enjoying the game and/or having little to no trouble with the game-and I showed you almost a dozen. Oh, but NOW they are all WRONG or BIASED because they don't AGREE with YOUR opinion of the game-man, this is evidence that you are such a SELF-INVOLVED little whiner Blue. If anything, I think these polls are biased AGAINST those who like the game, because most of the regular members of these forums are actually off PLAYING the game-or hanging out in the more INTELLIGENT areas of the Forum. But no, this Forum is biased against whiners, apparently, simply because actual polling shows that the whiners are nothing more than a VERY vocal minority. Oh and, let me assure you, I play HUGE maps-and often huge TERRA maps-and play a lot of online games-and I am still having incredibly smooth games with little to no lag AT ALL (with the few minor hitches I had removed by small alterations to my Civ4.ini file). I repeat, those with problems are clearly not having them due to problems with the game-or else EVERYONE would be having the same difficulties-but because of their computer set ups (I, for one, had MAJOR general difficulties with my Radeon 9550 card, but not with an older 9250 card), or HOW they installed the original game and/or the subsequent patch. Seriously, though, comparing the problems some people are having with planes falling out of the sky is a clear indication of how desperate and shrill the vocal minority here have become, and are a clear indication of the fact that-if I want INTELLIGENT conversation-then the General Discussion threads are NOT the place to come. So, for the VERY last time, I say GOOD BYE and GOOD LUCK to all the intelligent members of this forum. To the rest of you .

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

 

Oh, one VERY last thing. If you think these forums are biased, then check out the Newegg and Overstock websites, where a combined total of over 10,000 game buyers has given an average score for the game of 4.5 out of 5. Or respondants to Gamespot, who have given the game an average rating of 9.2 out of 10 (from the votes of nearly 20,000 people). Or are these people also biased/on the Firaxis payroll too? If you say YES, then it truly shows how pathetic you have become!

Oh, and here is the Gamespot website I am referring to:

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/civilizationiv/index.html?q=Civilization IV

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

 

To Aussie_Lurker

First. All your polls are from this site. Most(read ALL save 1) have less than 200 responses a statistically insignificant amount. As you said on this site most of the "whiners" are all the same people. But by the same token most of the "IT WORKS GREATERS" are also the same people. I frequent more than one site. They are not all the same people. I will be using percentages as the raw numbers are all too small to be statistically significant.

Poll: Does the patch work for you?
Yes, I have better performance 111 43.36%
Yes, no change in performance but I have the new features now 99 38.67%
No, worse performance 35 13.67%
No, I couldn't run the game at all and had to reinstall! 11 4.30%

Yes 82.03%
So you are saying that it is ok for software to have a patch that causes 13.67% of users to see worse performance?
And that 4.3% of users who meet the stated system requirements(assumption but reasonable) to not have it work AT ALL is good?


Poll: Do you like the game?
Yes 106 96.36%
No 4 3.64%

My Answer? GOD YES! I LOVE THIS GAME! Now if only it would at least reasonably well!


Poll: Can you play the game?
Can play and it works fine. 58 48.33%
Can play with minor bugs. 36 30.00%
Could play but won't due to major bugs. 19 15.83%
Can't play at all. 7 5.83%

78.33% Say they can play it but a large portion of that with "minor" bugs. One of the first rules of good statistics? DEFINE! What is minor? Is a CTOD that you can continue from after a reboot "minor"? I know some who would say yes. And just as many that would say no. The main problem with this poll is one of definition.

I put myself in Could play and due despite massive frustration taking years off my life from increased blood pressure due to unnecessary and preventable bugginess.

Also note that once again 5.83% can NOT get it to work AT ALL.


Poll: Inflicted with OMTS? (One More Turn Syndrome)
Yes 106 81.54%
Not yet 16 12.31%
No 8 6.15%

This poll has nothing to do with how the game works.
I would answer. YES. For the brief flashes of time I can get the game to work in a stable manner!

Poll: Is your game sluggish?
Couldn't be faster!! 15 7.65%
It's faster than Civ3. 12 6.12%
Normal, no need to complain. 26 13.27%
Sometimes it gets slow, but overall it's fine. 91 46.43%
So slow that I can barely move the camera. 47 23.98%
I simply can't play it, period. 5 2.55%

This is an interesting one. The Majority say it gets slow but overall it's fine. The next largest... So slow that I can barely move the Camera! The it's faster group is only twice the size of I can't play it at all section! This is your definition of "acceptable" and "good"?

Poll: Is CIV4 better then CIV3?
Yes 110 80.88%
No 18 13.24%
Just as good 8 5.88%

Once again a poll with almost no relation to the burning question of does it work and how well?
But I would think that almost 20% of people saying no it isn't better than what it is meant to replace OR is only just as good might by significant.
My answer. YES.

Poll: How do you rate Civ 4?
Lots of options.

Once again though it seems you have submitted a poll with little relation to the question at hand.
My Answer. Probably and 8 or 9 IF it would work reliably as it SHOULD without inflicting continous frustration and buggy torment upon me!

As to your points in earlier post:
I build computers. Every system I have EVER built since HIGH SCHOOL over 10 Years ago has worked for no less than 4 years Before anything went wrong with it on the hardware. I know because I also will do ALL maintenance for the computer since I only put them together for friends, family, roommates, etc...
Two Years of Computer Engineering before deciding I like computers as a hobby not a job and switched to History/PoliSci and now make a living off of that.
I DO NOT overclock. I DO NOT engage in risky behavior. I DO know what I am doing on both the hardware and software side. What I DO NOT know is advanced programming. I am largely a boring older male of mixed ancestry who WANTS TO PLAY HIS FAVORITE VIDEO GAME SERIES WITH REASONABLE PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS! The slowness doesn't bother me so much but the CTOD and the BSOD DO!

Please don't just look at what you admitted was 20% of the community for a massively popular series and say "Well it doesn't work for you because you don't know wtf you are doing!" That does anger me.

I disproportionate number of these problems hit people with ABOVE NORMAL systems not Below Normal and none so far that I have seen have had below MIN SPEC computers. SO 100% of them should have the game WORKING! But according to your own polls 2% to 5% are totally and completly unable to get it to work at all! And those are the ones that stuck around with a not working piece of software to answer the poll instead of returning it after MORE THAN 2 WEEKS WITH NONFUNCTIONING SOFTWARE!

SO in closing.
Your polls are unscientific in nature and inconclusive based on nothing but the base consideration of sample size to the size of your total population, not to mention all coming from the exact same base population of this Forum.

Also please note that it is an accepted fact that ALL internet polls suffer from the same failing. They are not random sample but rather seeking out to be heard. IE: The only ones that answer them are the ones that want to.

EDIT: As for your last two posts. Well. If you READ some of the reviews you find the same percentage break down.
About 5% 1 to 2 score about 15% 5 to 6 and the rest are pretty much 9 to 10. This reflects what we already see. 5% it doesn't work, 15% it works poorly, the rest think this great game is a great game that works great not caring about those of us left behind.
After all those scores are composed of AVERAGES.

EDIT: Checked Newegg... err... I only saw 10 reviews... not 10000... maybe you use a different newegg.com...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustRatingReview.asp?Item=N82E16832205902

 

*sigh*

I just checked this thread again after a pause (somehow I tend to stay away from the stickies ), just to see that not much has changed. Some people still put a lot of effort into a crusade against this game, and I still don't see anything constructive that could result from that.

However, I must say that the arguments have utterly degraded during the last days, some have really become ridiculous.

I mean, there's someone who claims that the game doesn't work for the majority of users, and lists the number of complaint threads in these forums as a sign for that. Many people disagree with him. He then demands a poll as proof. He is shown a poll that disproves his claim. He now claims that the poll is skewed and demands polls from another site. He claims this after having first taken the number of complaint threads in these forums as a support for his claim. So these forums can be used for arguments as long as he thinks they support his position, but are skewed otherwise.

Please.

I'm happy to argue with anyone if I can see that he at least takes the time to rethink his position. But that's not the case here. Here is a small, but very vocal minority of people who have problems with the game - which, to make that clear, should not have been there - and trapped themselves in an utterly useless crusade against it.

Please take a minute to think about what you really want, and think whether you will really achieve it with these actions.

 

Amazon.com - 2.5 stars average out of 5 in user reviews. Much more representative IMO as regular people go there, not just gamers.

What happened to your 'impartiality' you bragged about this summer? Was it all a dream? You have gone from one of the most reasoned people to one who attacks anyone who dares criticize 'your' game. Maybe it is good you take a break and reexamine things...take it from the perspective of one who is trying to be neutral, your posts have become nothing more than emotional rants - something you have condemned others for on the "other side."

There are bu-ku issues with this game, most small, some large - no one can deny it. The patch has fixed some...and caused others. At this point I don't beleive any patch will fix all issues - only an extensive re-working of the code to optimize it, a cost that only an expansion pack entails, will suffice in the long run.

Continuing to berate those with problems will only drive them away from the game in the long run - something Sid or Soren do not want - I believe they are sincere in wanting all to play; - instead, why not shelve the rhetoric and do something positive to help out - you can start with Harkonnen's Memory Leak thread in the Bug report forums to start....I'm sure he needs machines that work well as a baseline....

 

I said before and I will say again YOU CAN NOT USE a poll from this site with concrete numbers. This site is biased. People who come here love the whole series. Therefore they are biased. If you had a random poll like I said before and agian later I would beleive it and shut up about your numbers. But your numbers a skewed and biased.
And as I said before, yes there are many threads in here about negitve aspects of this game and now its patch. The people who are in these threads are not taking the time to do your little polls. They are here for answers and when they can't find any, even if this page is posted on the civ iv site as a tech support funciton they get upset. and being as this forum is the only listed on the official site they tend to let everyone know that they are ****ing pissed off.
Admit that your numbers are skewed. You show me, an independant poll that is unbiased with good numbers. Then and only then will I believe your so called 80% dream.
Read what I say before you spout off. None of you posting links to these polls on this site have in fact read what I said. You just saw what you wanted to. Talk about self centered there buddy.
I did not demand I said show me numbers to support your dam post. I said show me unbiased numbers. YOU CAN NOT. They do not exist which makes your statements of 80% untrue because you CAN NOT BACK THEM UP WITH SOLID DATA, as I have said before.
I am sorry, I should be saying go civ go. u rah rah. conform to your thorughts and expectations. Sorry I do not give in to any of that. The game was rushed and has yet to be fixed. Unless you are going to fork over 50.00 to repay plus moneys for my time and effort put into this crap. STFU.