Where's the freaking patch?!?!?!?
- Thread starter Tom183
- Start date
tell me about it!, I have been on the phone until my wits end with ATI, Take2 etc. about why my game won't run depite meeting atleast triple the reccomended specs in every category.
I have downloard 1.52, the BlueMarble, ATI updates etc. Although the Catlyst update from ATI improved the game substantially. I still can't play on a a map >normal.
I am ready to shelf this game for a few months and perhaps a year until the CTD and virtual memory problem is fixable. Sometimes I even have a total system crash from this game running.
I have downloard 1.52, the BlueMarble, ATI updates etc. Although the Catlyst update from ATI improved the game substantially. I still can't play on a a map >normal.
I am ready to shelf this game for a few months and perhaps a year until the CTD and virtual memory problem is fixable. Sometimes I even have a total system crash from this game running.
[Comrade]RaVE
Chieftain
I hope, I hope, I hope they offer some fix for the 6800GT series issue.
One can only hope, I suppose.
One can only hope, I suppose.
DarkFyre99
Prince
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2006
- Messages
- 419
I gave up and bought a GeForce card. My ATI graphics card was dated anyways, but I like ATI's All in Wonder cards, and would've preferred to upgrade in that line of graphics cards. I had to install a TV tuner card to keep that function. 
Of course, I don't use my TV tuner card much these days... since I'm usually playing CIV.
Of course, I don't use my TV tuner card much these days... since I'm usually playing CIV.
Perfect_Blue
Yume Senshi
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2006
- Messages
- 260
Tom183 said:
Here here. A sentiment I've seen before. Computer gaming is one of the only industries that can ship such a blatantly faulty product. Of course there's the other side of the issue, but still...
oldbustedjorn
Prince
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2006
- Messages
- 353
Because it would take 10 years or more to make and would have to be tested on every piece of hardware that exists and every scenario possible. Then the company would have to predict what hardware and software and drivers would show up in the forthcoming years...
Firaxis has been pretty decent about their patches. Sierra and Empire Earth 2 was a complete joke. It was close to six months before they released their 1.2 patch which was designed to cut down the lag. They announced their expansion to EE2 before they'd brought out the patch.
EE2 was unplayable for most people from the get go. More than 200 total units on a map would lag it so badly you couldn't do anything. The max unit population for a huge map was supposed to be 2000. The best the game can handle on most above recommended machines is about 600-800.
Civ 4 has its share of problems, but they've been better than most games.
I've noticed that it seems to be PC game companies that are more inclined to release an unfinished buggy pile of steaming... well you get the idea, than any console game. Can you imagine the outcry if little Johnny's Mario Kart game didn't work properly?
The X-Box 360 had a huge problem just before Christmas with people finding out that faulty parts in the systems construction made it a $500 paper weight.
Star Wars: Galaxies
Empire Earth 2
Battlefield 2
They all had large bugs. The only game I've played lately that ran almost bug free was the Sims 2
EE2 was unplayable for most people from the get go. More than 200 total units on a map would lag it so badly you couldn't do anything. The max unit population for a huge map was supposed to be 2000. The best the game can handle on most above recommended machines is about 600-800.
Civ 4 has its share of problems, but they've been better than most games.
I've noticed that it seems to be PC game companies that are more inclined to release an unfinished buggy pile of steaming... well you get the idea, than any console game. Can you imagine the outcry if little Johnny's Mario Kart game didn't work properly?
The X-Box 360 had a huge problem just before Christmas with people finding out that faulty parts in the systems construction made it a $500 paper weight.
Star Wars: Galaxies
Empire Earth 2
Battlefield 2
They all had large bugs. The only game I've played lately that ran almost bug free was the Sims 2
oldbustedjorn
Prince
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2006
- Messages
- 353
Lots of different hardware and software to take into account. Consoles all have the same hardware and anything that is added in is usually proprietary or at least standardized by the original manufacturer.
This is especially true for anything related to drivers. Gameplay balance issues in a game like Civ4 are impossible to test 100% (although they've done a pretty good job IMO).
Not to sound like a fanboy (which I'm not btw), but we have to give Firaxis credit for what they've done with the Civ series. Sure there are issues, I have a ATI card myself so I know first hand the frustration of the game hanging and locking up, but overall, this is a very satisfying game to play and I for one am not sorry a bit for having purchased the game. I will be upgrading my system in about 3 months and by that time, I sure hope that an expansion pack is either available or well on its way. I'd love to have more units and certainly at least 30 or so Civs to play against.
All I'm saying is give Firaxis a chance. They'll patch the game up sooner than later, and I'm excited about the upcoming SDK. Can't wait for improvements to the AI, which among other things, will be one of the many things possible with the SDK.
We should have a We Love Firaxis Day
All I'm saying is give Firaxis a chance. They'll patch the game up sooner than later, and I'm excited about the upcoming SDK. Can't wait for improvements to the AI, which among other things, will be one of the many things possible with the SDK.
We should have a We Love Firaxis Day
Rex Tyrannus
280lbs of gross stupidity
Not nearly as bad in gaming as in other software. I used to work for a software company. We intentionally shipped our v8.0 flagship product despite having double the known bugs of any previous release.
The push was too great for Q2 revenue. Without the revenue, we might not have been around long enough to ever make the patches. Six months and three major patches later (thank you Al Gore for the Internet), we had a stable product, decent cash flow, and an only slightly bruised reputation.
[Comrade]RaVE said:
What's problem do you have with 6800GT? This is what I have. It is playable for me though I'd agree slow and buggy, and it took several hours for me to fix. I can't use my dual monitors and had to revert to old drivers (which messes up other software). Here's my post about it:
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=160193
Sadan01
Conical Flask
rex_tyranus said:
Do you work for CA? When I worked there, they used to do the same thing. You are correct however in that this practice of release now, patch later is not only prevelant in games, but in business software too. Microsoft have been known "on occasions" to release a faulty, buggy product... 
gram said:
There are bugs in console games however they are "small" bugs generally, not major showstoppers like we see in PC games. The reasons for this are obvious.
gram said:
Speaking of the '360 (stupid bloody name), why do you think Microsoft wanted an online service so badly? Was it because they wanted you to download tons of content? Maybe. Was it because they wanted to give you an interactive, online service where companies can distribute and advertise product, right in your face (and Microsoft gets a cut of any money made)? Most probably. Was it also because they want you to buy the edition of the 360 with the HDD installed and so games developers can release patches for their bug-ridden games? Well, wait and see. This is where I think our online-services and consoles are going. They are going to be joining the ranks of their PC-brethren. Into bug-ridden, shoddy-code, crappy as hell games where you pay high prices for games that do not work properly out of the box. Welcome to Hell my Console Friends.
I just hope I'm wrong. Oh and to those that may think this has some truth to it and will not buy the '360, Sony will release their own online service for the PS3, whenever it is released. Great stuff! 
I find it hard to imagine so many people having so many problems with this game running on their computers. I have an older HP Pavillion with an AMX processor that was getting old when i go the PC a year and a half ago. I upgraded my ram to 1G which is the max for the MB I have and took out the MX440 card and stuck in an ATI 9600SE that my bother gave me. I did that before I got CIV4 and it has run very well...a bit laggy late in the game but not too bad. I haven't bothered to update the drivers or anything. And I hear a lot of complaints from people who I know have much more up to date machines than mine. It just befuddles my mind.
I do feel a little bit lucky though.
I do feel a little bit lucky though.
NikNak
Warlord
To tell the truth, I'd like the patch really soon. I don't have many issues, (the game is playable) but I have a couple of graphical glitches and like most everyone here, the game lags badly in the late game. I want a patch that clears some of this up. It's incomprehensible to me that I can run late generation FPS games and RTS games with silky-smooth framerates, but this game gives my PC fits.
vbraun
Raytracing
I would expect the patch soon.
Possibly, It would of been out earlier but some unwanted bugs where found causing them to make a new patch.
Possibly, It would of been out earlier but some unwanted bugs where found causing them to make a new patch.
You want an early patch that has some new unwanted bugs slip in or a later patch that hopefully eliminates those potential bugs?
Tom183 said:
Alot of people have been able to run it just fine out of the box. There's no way to predict which systems are going to have issues until the game is being run on them, there's just too many variations of hardware/software out there. As long it runs on most machines, then it's an acceptable product. The patches will take care of the rest.
