Patch v3.13 change list

[Keeling]

I have been quiet all along, but it has to be said....

The assumption seems to be that we should all be patient so that they will do a good job because if they released a buggy patch we could be upset and cry.

SO... if we are patient and they release a buggy patch we can be mad? Isn't that what they already did? Can we not look at BtS as a patch to Civ4 and Warlords?

I guess the difference here is that we paid for this patch.

So, what’s my gripe in all this? I bought two copies, one for me, one for my wife (we play multi-player together) and while I *can* play (still buggy and crashes), the game will not run on her machine (even though it more than meets the specs) without crashing every few turns (longest thus far is 4 turns). Basically we have dropped $60 (USD) to be told "Thank you for the cash, we'll let you play when we are ready".

For the record, I am a professional programmer and am quite aware of the QA process. I am also very aware of what happens if my company delivers a program that doesn't work to a customer. Worse yet, what happens if we deliver a program that doesn’t work and all our staff keeps telling our customers (you know, those people that generate our salaries) is “we're working on it” or “don’t complain, you want it fast or right?” Or worse yet tell them a date, miss that date and then give no update or explanation why.

I have been patient, I will continue to be patient, but I will not be happy. And I will not forget this when Sid Meier comes around again and asks for another paycheck.

Helping support Sid’s family since Civ II MPG.

 

[Lobsang1979]

@ Keeling: I agree with you wholeheartedly when you say that we as customers should be getting a quality product when we buy something. I too was somewhat disappointed upon purchasing BTS, mainly because by purchasing the digital version I can only install version 3.03.
I also feel that BTS appears to stress my computer system much more than Warlords ever did, and that is why I have chosen to wait for the next patch since purchasing before playing.

I do not, however, look upon BTS as being effectively just a patch for Civ4 that I have purchased. I really do feel that the developers were attempting something quite ambitious with BTS in regards to adding new features, gameplay mechanics and generally reinvigorating the Civ4 game. I feel that this intent should be supported in an otherwise increasingly cynical games market, even if the execution of that ambition was pretty flawed.

I read many reviews of BTS before purchasing BTS 3 weeks ago, as I do before all games purchases even if satisfied with former products. All of these reviews (bar an over-excited Gamespot review) stressed the buggy and unbalanced nature of BTS at release, and a few minutes scrolling through these forums informed me that many bugs were yet to be ironed out by the forthcoming (messianic?!) patch.

I also greatly respect your stated programming experience and knowledge of the QA process. I worked for many years in a service industry in which one of my many roles was implementing software solutions for access control systems, and know exactly what you mean about poor excuses or bad communication being toxic to customer relations. But I would propose that the games industry is quite unique in its functioning compared to more business oriented software solutions for one specific reason:

Although the software coding is essentially the physical product that we are buying, it is the notional concepts of escapism or imagination that we really desire from it. We are buying the potential of the product.

I think that this is the reason why we as gamers continue to experience more and more bugged software off the shelf in this more cynical age, yet our purchasing habits remain the same despite our recurring negative experiences. We still have that ten-year-old voice in our head convincing us that, despite all our recent experience to the contrary, this game will allow us to employ our imagination in the ways we desire and live up to all our hopes and expectations.

So this is why I am extremely pleased to read of how you will be much more careful when parting with your next pay cheque when Firaxis/Sid/Take2/Whoever releases their next product. I think that if many more of us adopted an equally measured approach to games purchases it might just be the developers who begin to question their own quality standards, and not us doing it for them.

 

[Kael]

I have been quiet all along, but it has to be said....

The assumption seems to be that we should all be patient so that they will do a good job because if they released a buggy patch we could be upset and cry.

SO... if we are patient and they release a buggy patch we can be mad? Isn't that what they already did? Can we not look at BtS as a patch to Civ4 and Warlords?

I guess the difference here is that we paid for this patch.

So, what’s my gripe in all this? I bought two copies, one for me, one for my wife (we play multi-player together) and while I *can* play (still buggy and crashes), the game will not run on her machine (even though it more than meets the specs) without crashing every few turns (longest thus far is 4 turns). Basically we have dropped $60 (USD) to be told "Thank you for the cash, we'll let you play when we are ready".

For the record, I am a professional programmer and am quite aware of the QA process. I am also very aware of what happens if my company delivers a program that doesn't work to a customer. Worse yet, what happens if we deliver a program that doesn’t work and all our staff keeps telling our customers (you know, those people that generate our salaries) is “we're working on it” or “don’t complain, you want it fast or right?” Or worse yet tell them a date, miss that date and then give no update or explanation why.

I have been patient, I will continue to be patient, but I will not be happy. And I will not forget this when Sid Meier comes around again and asks for another paycheck.

Helping support Sid’s family since Civ II MPG.

Its definitly frustrating to purchase a game and not be able to play it (frustrating is probably to small a word). But I would like to stress that I played BtS for months before release and every issue I reported was fixed.

So its not that BtS was rushed out, or that Firaxis ignored QA. They begged for every bug/issue/crash we could give them, and they jumped on all of them. In the end there are still issues, that is the nature of software unfortunatly. Go to any major webpage for a computer game and you will find exactly the same.

Im not making excuses. People are entitled to feel as they will, and you did a great job of posting your thoughts in a constructive way. Just stating that I hope you don't feel that your experience is indicitive of BtS as a whole. Games will always fail on some PC's, it sucks when its yours, and it seems like a lot when those with problems post in bug forums and those without problems don't post.

It's part of the reason consoles are so appealing to companies, in an environment with locked hardware and software they don't have to deal with all the variables that exist on your typical PC. I hate that trend but it is the nature of PC gaming. Im sure as a programmer you have fought that battle yourself, an application that works on one PC and not another.

Again, not offering excuses or attempting to counter your points. Just trying to offer constructive dialog in the same vein as your post.

 

[entwood]

Being disappointed at this delay is a very fair feeling to have at this point.
I am rather disappointed waiting around but yes, I will be thankful for the patch and happy when it arrives...I really hope it is soon.

 

[Bast]

Can you use 3.13 without downloading 3.03 at all?

 

[The_CatSnack]

I hope so! I got 3.02 but from what i hear 3.03 is a BIG downgrade

 

[Bast]

I hope so! I got 3.02 but from what i hear 3.03 is a BIG downgrade

I didn't install it.

 

[toft]

Hhmprh!?!?

 

[IronCrown]

STILL not released?! Oh my god, someone give these dudes a crash course in public relations. To announce that the patch is done and releasing the change list and then not release it for at least another 14 days... how stupid is that? After all those months, nobody would have complained if they didn't know the patch was (supposedly) done.

 

[Hyronymus]

Maybe I'm wrong here, IronCrown but in the end I think they are only human too.

 

[Cornishman]

STILL not released?! Oh my god, someone give these dudes a crash course in public relations. To announce that the patch is done and releasing the change list and then not release it for at least another 14 days... how stupid is that? After all those months, nobody would have complained if they didn't know the patch was (supposedly) done.

Looking at the boards I think that if it wasn't known that there was a patch coming we'd all be complaining at the lack of a patch and how there are several notable things still to fix... rather than 'complaining' about the patch not coming out, and the vagueness of release.

In all ways this situation is far superior to only being told about such an sweeping patch when it comes out. We've waited this long, so whats a few more days for them to get the bugs out of the patch?

 

[Angst]

Maybe I'm wrong here, IronCrown but in the end I think they are only human too.

What? Heathen!! They are the Godlike rulers of the Civving world, decended from up high to watch over our pitiful home-made-historical worlds! They will smite us, they are coming for us!! You have cursed us all!! RUUUUN

 

[Cornishman]

What? Heathen!! They are the Godlike rulers of the Civving world, decended from up high to watch over our pitiful home-made-historical worlds! They will smite us, they are coming for us!! You have cursed us all!! RUUUUN

Fear not! My mighty spearmen will save us!

 

[Öjevind Lång]

Yes - now don't anybody argue with him, those are wise words.

No, they are very stupid words. If Firaxis were that far from completing the patch, they should have said so or remained silent until they could deliver. If they thought they would be able to publish it very soon (which was the impression given by the OP) and then discovered that they were wrong, they should have had the courtesy to say so in this thread. I think it is you fanboys who should put a sock in it.

 

[Horace]

if you read the op it actually says they wont be able to release it this week and doesnt specify a release date..

 

[Ethric]

if you read the op it actually says they wont be able to release it this week and doesnt specify a release date..

But he also said the patch was done, which I believe is the crux of the discussion. Done but unfortunately not able to release this week implies that release is imminent. On the other hand, had he said something a bit less final than done, like: here's the patchnotes, we are currently testing it and will release when satisfied (which as of now seems to be what was actually the case), I'm quite sure a lot of the grumbling here would not have occured.

Beating a dead horse maybe, but if one "side" of the debate does it...

 

[Öjevind Lång]

But he also said the patch was done, which I believe is the crux of the discussion. Done but unfortunately not able to release this week implies that release is imminent. On the other hand, had he said something a bit less final than done, like: here's the patchnotes, we are currently testing it and will release when satisfied (which as of now seems to be what was actually the case), I'm quite sure a lot of the grumbling here would not have occured.

Beating a dead horse maybe, but if one "side" of the debate does it...

Exactly. I wouldn't have uttered any complaint at all if Firaxis had not been misleading about the time of the relase, and then not even informed us of the reason for the delay and of when they currently believe they can publish the patch. That had to be discovered in another forum.

 

[jdurg]

Exactly. I wouldn't have uttered any complaint at all if Firaxis had not been misleading about the time of the relase, and then not even informed us of the reason for the delay and of when they currently believe they can publish the patch. That had to be discovered in another forum.

It was probably discussed in the other forum because the bulk of people here in this forum just want to whine about everything. "Waaaaahhhhhhhh. Firaxis isn't telling us anything about a patch." "Waaaaahhhhhhhh. Firaxis said they're working on a patch but they haven't released it yet. I WANT IT NOW!" With how so many people act on this forum, I'm amazed that Firaxis even visits here anymore.

Moderator Action: Warned! - Trolling
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

 

[Cvntpumeler]

Dear Firaxis,

If the 3.13 Patch is not completed yet, could you please add this option for us?

"No Leaderheads" option to improve late-game performance poll

Over 60% of the Civ community faces performance degredagtion due to loading of 3d leaderheads. The poll results speak for themselves, the majority of people need this option.

Thank you,
Civilization Players on Laptops

 

[ori]

Over 60% of the Civ community faces performance degredagtion due to loading of 3d leaderheads. The poll results speak for themselves, the majority of people need this option.

while there are quite a few reports with issues regarding the graphics:
saying that 25 people who want this option in your poll are 60% of the community is a tiny bit underestimating the size of this forum