Were You *truly* Ripped Off?

Nemo · October 12, 2001, 01:21

It has been seen in many threads that some people actually pre-ordered the game with the understanding than MP was included, and would NOT have ordered it otherwise. How many people did this actually happen to?
I pre-ordered it, but I don't play MP so it didn't phase me...but I WANTED to play MP...but I refuse to pay 2 times for the same game...especially when I am already shelilng out $15 more dollars for this game then any other game i have ever bought! (I bought the LE)

Wittlich · October 12, 2001, 01:42

Well Nemo, you only list 2 choices, and my "choice" falls into neither of them.

I will state the following. Yes, it's history and therefore obvious:

CIV Released ---- Later CIVNET Released (for an added cost)

CIV2 Releasd-----Later CIV2MGE Released (for an added cost)

SMAC Released----MP Included

and now:

CIV3 Released----Later CIV3MGE (for lack of a better term) - and rest assured, for an added cost

I am I surprised that CIV3 has gone the way of CIV and CIV2? No.

But after the history of SMAC, I figured CIV3 would have some sort of multiplay - ie, if only over LAN but now I realize that I was wrong.

Will I cancel my order of 2 copies of CIV3? No. I will buy them and then again buy the MP editions of Civ3. Am I happy about this? No....but life does go on...

IMO, a Civilization game involving other human players is by far better than any game with just AIs!

But to answer your question, when I first submitted my preorder, MP was listed as an option to CIV3. Yes, I have been sucked in to pay double for one game....but then again, by the Civilization track record, this is nothing new.

I must add that a Civilization game is the only game that I am willing to pay double for. Am I a fool, a civ fanatic, or what?!

Skanky Burns · October 12, 2001, 09:44

I dont really play MP, so that aspect didnt affect me.

What i dont like is Firaxis' treatment of the whole MP issue. Rather than 'bite the bullet' early early and let their fans know that MP wasnt going to be in at the release, they just ignored the issue until mere weeks before Civ 3's release. They waited until it became a big issue with almost everyone talking about MP and then they let the information out.

This sort of policy is stupid on two counts. Firstly, they have been 'tricking' the MP segment of the Civ fans into buying a product that they otherwise wouldnt have bought. Never a good idea.
Secondly, they have waited until Civ 3 is almost released to let the bad news out. If done earlier, many people would have complained about the lack of MP at release, but they would understand that its not an evil Firaxis plot to screw them, that Firaxis lack the resources/money to have MP done by release time or whatever. Initially, the entire MP community would boycott Civ 3 (as is currently happening), but by the time the release came, some months later, most of the MP community would have 'cooled down' and realised that they would still like the single-player game. Not everyone, mind you, but guaranteed to be more than will currently occur. Better still, this vocal MP community wouldnt be

with Firaxis during the release of Civ 3.

Whether this policy comes from Firaxis or Infogames, it definately needs to be reviewed. Bad customer relations always = less customers.

Ozymandous · October 12, 2001, 09:55

*grumble grumble*

SB you repeated what I said.

Oh, I didn't pre-order and won't buy until at least two-three weeks after the game is released. Hopefully people will have settled into the game by then and true reviews will be made instead of the initial "this is great", "fantastic game" phase will have passed onto more objective thoughts about the good and bad aspects.

Skanky Burns · October 12, 2001, 10:50

Quote:

SB you repeated what I said.

Sorry, i dont understand you... Where did you say that??

Unless you're also Wittlich or Nemo

Jason Beaudoin · October 12, 2001, 11:15

I voted no... I was not ripped off, but that was just me. I'm sure that there are some people here that feel differently.

ColdWizard · October 12, 2001, 11:17

i was going to pre-order the game, but luckily happened to hear about the rumors of no MP first, so i decided to wait and see what panned out.

cyril25376 · October 12, 2001, 14:19

I have preordered civ3, after it was clear that there is no MP. I am a little bit diappointed, but I can hardly wait playing civ3.

Ralf · October 12, 2001, 14:36

I pre-ordered the LE-version despite the fact that I was clearly aware of that MP wasnt going to be included. This have been hinted pretty strongly 5 weeks ago already. Click and read Holy S***! NO Multiplayer Until Spring!

Beats me why this suddenly is a surprise. As for being "ripped off" - I dont get it?

Your money isnt drawn from your credit-card until the dealer actually have a physical copy to send away. Just cancel that order, if thats the way you feel about it.

Inverse Icarus · October 12, 2001, 15:36

yes i was ripped off.

Mars · October 12, 2001, 18:13

I don't feel ripped off, not in the least

TechWins · October 12, 2001, 18:23

For a close depiction of my feelings read Wittlich's post.

Although, I could understand how many people feel ripped off. Especially if you only bought the game for MP. I'm sorry for all of you who did this.

jdd2007 · October 12, 2001, 18:56

option number 4-i preordered it and do NOT feel ripped off..

d_dudy · October 12, 2001, 19:04

how can you guys make time for mp anyway?

i tried it on ctp's servers and it kinda sucked

ruckus9 · October 12, 2001, 19:53

I don't see how anyone's getting ripped off. I preordered this but if I didn't like it I can cancel. I usually don't preorder but I have faith in this game. I don't think most people will preorder like I did and by then they'll know there's no MP, so there's no deception there in my eyes. It's a little overboard to me to say that a company ripped you off because they made a change before the game was even made. And if the change is that important to you, why not just cancel?

Akron · October 12, 2001, 19:59

wow, 50-6 in favor of "no" looks pretty decisive.

Skanky Burns · October 12, 2001, 22:18

Quote:

Originally posted by Akron
wow, 50-6 in favor of "no" looks pretty decisive.

Having any Civ fans feeling ripped off by buying Civ 3 is a pretty bad sign

Nemo · October 12, 2001, 22:18

Quote:

Originally posted by Akron
wow, 50-6 in favor of "no" looks pretty decisive.

it does, doesnt it? i must admit, i thought it was going to be alot closer based on all the griping going on.

Nemo · October 12, 2001, 22:20

Quote:

Originally posted by jdd2007
option number 4-i preordered it and do NOT feel ripped off..

ok, we'll put you down for option number 2

Sarxis · October 12, 2001, 22:47

As usual, the polls show a large margin against the whole MP scandal, if 'scandal' is even the appropriate term.

I can't say that anyone has been ripped off, not yet certainly, and not yet once purchases are made, simply because Firaxis will state, on the box, wether MP is included or not (which btw is NOT).

Stuie · October 12, 2001, 22:53

54 - 6. Hmmmmmmmmm.................

Quote:

Originally posted by Nemo
it does, doesnt it? i must admit, i thought it was going to be alot closer based on all the griping going on.

Just proves that vocal minorities can take advantage of forums such as these.

Quote:

Originally posted by Anunikoba
As usual, the polls show a large margin against the whole MP scandal, if 'scandal' is even the appropriate term.

There is no scandal. There is only the griping of a small minority that had unfounded expectations for the initial product. This is typical of any software release - there are always those who expect the unwarranted.

dainbramaged13 · October 12, 2001, 22:56

Quote:

Originally posted by Skanky Burns

Having any Civ fans feeling ripped off by buying Civ 3 is a pretty bad sign

no i think not. its even LESS peopel than have been coplaining voted yes

cassembler · October 12, 2001, 23:11

Not how much does it cost, but how much is it worth? Consider the large amounts of hours many of us have spent on Civ2, or, if you like, any game that you've spent 50+ hours playing.
(I'd venture to say Civ2 has eaten up more than 500 hrs of my life, but that might be stretching it.)

Let's do some math:
VIDEO GAME
$50 for 50 hrs = 1$/hr
MOVIE
$5 for 2 hrs = $2.50/hr
BOWLING (mini golf, etc)
$6 for 2 hrs = $3/hr
PORN MAG
$6 for 15 minutes = $24/hr
HOOKER
$100 for 1hr = $100/hr

Please feel free to add to this list, but the bottom line is, even with the extra $30 or whatever for expansion packs, dollar for dollar, video games are one of the cheapest forms of GOOD entertainment. (TV is cheaper, but intellectually stimulating? Not for me unless I'm intoxicated, then it's fascinating) (Also, it's just a point I'm trying to make- Yeah, the cost of computer and stuff will alter this argument, but it has been simplified for easy digestion)

(BTW Hookers are more fun/ hr, but hey, I'm just tryin' to prove a point for those that are complaining about the cost issues of an MP expansion.)

Wittlich · October 12, 2001, 23:19

Quote:

Originally posted by d_dudy
how can you guys make time for mp anyway?

i tried it on ctp's servers and it kinda sucked

D_Dudy, My roommate and I play the CIV series and the CTP series all of the time - but we don't use any of the game "servers." We always play an "internal" LAN game with me in the Library and my roommate in the Study.

So, yes, we play MP quite often, but we don't play over the internet - only over our own internal network we have in our house.

But I do agree with you, Activision's CTP servers leave ALOT to be desired! I tried using their servers at first, but I was NOT impressed!

Sarxis · October 12, 2001, 23:28

Quote:

Originally posted by cassembler
Let's do some math:
VIDEO GAME
$50 for 50 hrs = 1$/hr
MOVIE
$5 for 2 hrs = $2.50/hr
BOWLING (mini golf, etc)
$6 for 2 hrs = $3/hr
PORN MAG
$6 for 15 minutes = $24/hr
HOOKER
$100 for 1hr = $100/hr

Most games that I buy don't get more than 50 hours of play from me. There are a few favorites though that I spend much time on, and the CIV games are one of them (500hours+). So every CIV purchase I make is worth the money!

But I have to ask, where the heck do you get movie tickets for only $5, and bowling at $3 and hour? Around here, movies cost $9, and bowling is $10 and hour!

And I wouldn't know about the hookers..

cassembler · October 13, 2001, 02:30

Yeah they were all estimates...
I guess if anything they were *cheap* estimates, so that only makes the argument stronger... But yeah, I got shelves of games I played twice, and yeah, I kick myself for not doing research on them first. I've done the research on Civ3...

And yes, I'll lay down my $50, a whole half of my hooker cash.

(side note: I find it funny that I can post the word "hooker" ok, but not the phrase "magna *** ladde.")

October 13, 2001, 02:40

Quote:

(side note: I find it funny that I can post the word "hooker" ok, but not the phrase "magna *** ladde.")

You mean "magna *** laude" right?

You also cant talk about the rep from Denton County, **** Armey
the dessert, spotted ****
ex-president Tricky **** Nixon
and so on.

Earthling7 · October 13, 2001, 07:48

There is an option missing from this otherwise oversimplified poll. I pre-ordered the game fully aware that it was SP only and I LOOK FORWARD TO PLAYING IT.

Mark, can we have a Civ3 MP forum to get this MP crying off the General?

Stuie · October 13, 2001, 10:42

Quote:

Originally posted by Earthling7
Mark, can we have a Civ3 MP forum to get this MP crying off the General?

Please Mark! Please..........

squid · October 13, 2001, 10:56

this will be the greatest game EVER! Check out those statistics and diplomacy screens! Real borders! It's going to be unbelievable!