Venting about VENTING!

[Blackw3]

I've been playing PC based strategy games for almost 2 decades now, and I don't know if people are more vocal now, or forums have really gained in popularity, or if only now its really started to bother me. But is this how its always been after a game is released? I mean it seems to be the same with Rome 2, EUIV, and now Civ:BE. These are hallmarks of the strategy game genre, and I can't help but wonder if we as consumers have gotten more shall we say self-entitled (sorry don't mean to offend anyone) or if the games have genuinely become so much more flawed that they require such response.

Here's my prospective on it. I think a lot of the complaints are a self fore-filling destiny. I buy a game, especially a franchise game like Civ with a good pedigree, and I know what I'm getting. The way the game plays is very similar to previous title, a decent amount of changes, fresh new graphics, new features, and I'm generally very happy.

I come online and I see an onslaught of negativity. From people complaining about the most minute personal pet peeves like where the canyons and miasma is placed to why the color purple for PAC has to be that particular hue to how unplayable the accents of the leaders make the game. Don't get me wrong, there are some very valid complaints like the AI, or the tedious task of trade routes, but what game doesn't have issues like this at release?

Then I go back to the game, and all those little things that I probably never even paid attention to before, are glaring at me. Am I the only one who sees it in this light? I come to these forums during my time off to read about the game, discuss it with fellow gamers that enjoy it, and 70% of the threads are some variation of complaints. Do we really need 10 threads dedicated to why we had to pay a whole $20 extra for a "reskinned, might as well be a free mod, expansion?"

I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but I guess this is me venting about people venting. I've played 22 hours, and every other campaign I'm learning something new and every other campaign all the overwhelming interwoven aspects of the game are coming together and really making it enjoyable to try to figure out. I'd just love to have a platform to discuss it, and I was hoping Civfanatics would be that platform.

 

[Greizer85]

What do you suggest people do then? Shut up about the very real grievances that they have, just to please your delicate sensibilities? Just don't click on the negative threads if you don't like to read about the game's flaws; it's usually readily apparent from the title what a thread is all about.

If you feel that too many threads are about complaints, why not start a positive thread yourself, to combat the problem?

Also,

what game doesn't have issues like this at release?

It could be asked in return, in what game should we accept them, and why?

 

[civvver]

These types of games have also gained in popularity because of steam and steam sales. How many people bought civ 5 during a 75% off sale that have never played or even heard of the franchise before then? I'll bet tons did, like thousands. Then they search out a forum cus the game is difficult to understand without some guidance and wala, forum posters just quintupled.

 

[Blackw3]

What do you suggest people do then? Shut up about the very real grievances that they have, just to please your delicate sensibilities? Just don't click on the negative threads if you don't like to read about the game's flaws; it's usually readily apparent from the title what a thread is all about.

If you feel that too many threads are about complaints, why not start a positive thread yourself, to combat the problem?

Also,
It could be asked in return, in what game should we accept them, and why?

On the contrary, I believe the criticism is good for patching the game and ultimately making it better. Its not that I can't simply bypass the negativity, or don't want to hear anyone's complaints, its just rummaging through all the posts to find the ones that are genuine. Its more of the way its being discussed that's the problem.

As far as me starting a positive thread, doesn't this count? Two negatives do make a positive!

But my real question was is this a new phenomenon or is it just new to me?

 

[milk steak]

A lot of us here air our grievances only because we want to see the franchise succeed and evolve. Personally, I've really enjoyed BE so far.

 

[TNM]

Many had high hopes for CivBE, maybe still have for DLCs.

Civ5 wasn't perfect, introduced alot of changes that didn't quite work out (even the devs from the time aknowledge this openly), and BE didn't really touch on these, missed opportunities.

Its disappointing. Venting may not be the most constructive way to give feedback, but never underestimate the "hope" behinde someone venting...

 

[Thormodr]

If people don't vent/complain/air their grievances about a game, even if it is new, then what incentive will there be for the game company to change anything?

For example, most people agree that the UI for the game is sub standard, awkward and clunky. If no one were to say anything, Firaxis would rightly conclude that it was quite acceptable when it clearly isn't.

Conversely, they need to know when something is done very well and then not change it in the future. For example, If people love the new tech web then they should express that and hopefully say exactly why they love it so much.

Anyway, the opposite of love is not hate. It's indifference. If people vent/complain/air grievances, it's because they want to love the game and want to see it improved or have a hope for a better game in the future.

 

[Borgcube]

I've been playing PC based strategy games for almost 2 decades now, and I don't know if people are more vocal now, or forums have really gained in popularity, or if only now its really started to bother me. But is this how its always been after a game is released? I mean it seems to be the same with Rome 2, EUIV, and now Civ:BE. These are hallmarks of the strategy game genre, and I can't help but wonder if we as consumers have gotten more shall we say self-entitled (sorry don't mean to offend anyone) or if the games have genuinely become so much more flawed that they require such response.

Here's my prospective on it. I think a lot of the complaints are a self fore-filling destiny. I buy a game, especially a franchise game like Civ with a good pedigree, and I know what I'm getting. The way the game plays is very similar to previous title, a decent amount of changes, fresh new graphics, new features, and I'm generally very happy.

I come online and I see an onslaught of negativity. From people complaining about the most minute personal pet peeves like where the canyons and miasma is placed to why the color purple for PAC has to be that particular hue to how unplayable the accents of the leaders make the game. Don't get me wrong, there are some very valid complaints like the AI, or the tedious task of trade routes, but what game doesn't have issues like this at release?

Then I go back to the game, and all those little things that I probably never even paid attention to before, are glaring at me. Am I the only one who sees it in this light? I come to these forums during my time off to read about the game, discuss it with fellow gamers that enjoy it, and 70% of the threads are some variation of complaints. Do we really need 10 threads dedicated to why we had to pay a whole $20 extra for a "reskinned, might as well be a free mod, expansion?"

I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but I guess this is me venting about people venting. I've played 22 hours, and every other campaign I'm learning something new and every other campaign all the overwhelming interwoven aspects of the game are coming together and really making it enjoyable to try to figure out. I'd just love to have a platform to discuss it, and I was hoping Civfanatics would be that platform.

Sorry, but if you've been playing games for that long, how can you not notice the difference in quality between this game and, for example, Civilization 4, or Civilization 5 with the expansions? Even the superfluous details, like graphics, music, art, and all the little things that add to the feel of the game are missing for no good reason. This then only emphasizes the very real problems this game has in regards to gameplay.

I, personally, wouldn't mind it being so similar to Civ5 if there was something the game offered me.

And the fact that it's a Civ game makes it worse, not better, as the quality we've come to expect from them simply isn't here. Though, I suppose the Civ5 vanilla release should've been indicative of things to come...

Rome 2 is another example of a hyped release in a well-known strategy series, by a publisher with a pedigree, in which they completely disregarded the balance, broke the game, and consequently had to fix.

So, let me ask you, why is it acceptable now to release a game which is obviously unfinished and incomplete?

 

[Camikaze]

Moderator Action: Meta threads such as this are unlikely to end civilly. Please keep discussion in this forum to the game, rather than to how other people discuss the game. If you think individual posts are problematic or rule-breaking, please report them. Thread closed.