Kicking myself...

Zoid · January 15, 2002, 18:46

After extensive reading of various posts, mainly Velociryx´Disenchanted and DilithiumDad´s What do you miss most from SMAC, I´ve come to realize how much I miss SMAC and CIV2 and how I loathe CIV3. I´m kicking myself for not playing the CIV3-crack longer, instead I had to fork over approx. 45$ (equ. in swedish currency) to those numbskulls at Firaxis. DOH!

What also aggravates the hell out of me is that NOT ONE reviewer sees this game for what it is, an inconsistent rushjob by a bunch of nitwits who, most likely, couldn´t code their way out of a wet paper bag.

Yes, I´m flaming but I´m disappointed. I had such high hopes for this game and Firaxis has let me down completely.

I can see the obvious response coming: " If you don´t like it, don´t play it" And that´s exactly what I will do.

Smash · January 15, 2002, 19:53

You should never,ever listen to a reviewer.Or at least let their opinion influence you.A reviewer never plays a game long enough to discover its true nature.

If I was a reviewer,Civ2 would have gotten a big 0.I d/led the demo and gave it a couple hours.You can't even scratch the surface in that time with strategy games in particular.Later I came back and gave it the time it needed.I an still playing it today.

Civ3 seems to be the opposite.The more you play,the more you think "hmmmm..thats not right"..or "that sucks"..or.."it should be like this"

my copy is slowly working it's way down the cd case stack.

who knows what is to come?.I think that scenarios and/or mp may yet elevate this game in said stack.I hope so.....I havn't uninstalled yet.

reds4ever · January 15, 2002, 19:54

IMO you shouldn't buy a STRATEGY game based on reviews, the reviewer probally gets less than a week to form an opinion before he has to submit his article, which is long enough to evaluate graphics, presentation etc. but not long enough to pick up on subtle gameplay inbalances, you obviously didn't spot them playing the crack or you'd be $45 better off!

yin26 · January 15, 2002, 20:17

Wanna split the $50 I saved *not* buying this beta?

reds4ever · January 15, 2002, 20:23

yin, wouldn't your time be better spent posting on a site of a game you DO like? i know you have a lot of time invested in Civ, but surely its time to move on?

yin26 · January 15, 2002, 20:30

I'm curious what the Gold Edition might look like. Things like stacked movement, better late game techs and units etc., *can* be added in over the next year, one would think. If so, the game might well be worth some $$ then.

Zachriel · January 15, 2002, 20:35

I like Civ3. Try cricket or go make a snowman. Never played a cracked game. That isn't cricket.

ACooper · January 15, 2002, 20:51

Don't feel bad, you did the right thing. Your money was well spent supporting a big business. Faceless corporations have feelings too.

You should never play a "cracked" game. Crack is bad for you. Crack will get you addicted. Jimmy cracked corn and I don't care. Just say no to crack.

Cracker Jacks are OK, though. Make sure you brush your teeth after you are done.

reds4ever · January 15, 2002, 20:52

never played a cracked game? when theres no demo released how else are you supposed to evaluate the game? and as for cricket...

Captain · January 15, 2002, 20:58

Quote:

Originally posted by ****gyRA
Don't feel bad, you did the right thing. Your money was well spent supporting a big business. Faceless corporations have feelings too.

You should never play a "cracked" game. Crack is bad for you. Crack will get you addicted. Jimmy cracked corn and I don't care. Just say no to crack.

Cracker Jacks are OK, though. Make sure you brush your teeth after you are done.

****gyRA, you crack me up!

Ironikinit · January 15, 2002, 21:07

I dunno where y'all come from, but I can take a game back to the store and get my money back if I don't like it.

I've read interviews of game reviewers. They are the biggest gamers on the planet. They play games all day. So I tend to trust their judgement.

The reviews on www.gamespot.com are to my liking. They have the "official" review, and then there are customer reviews too. Both have a number, I believe Civ 3 got a nine from the review and like a seven from the customers. That told me right there that I should be wary of possible problems.

yin26 · January 15, 2002, 21:54

I think the best review by far is the one at Wargamer. Of course, it took several weeks to come out, as well it should have. Bottom line with most of the reviews regarding Civ3 is they didn't spend enough time with the game (this is not an FPS!) nor, in many cases, did it seem that the reviewers had much knowledge of the TBS genre to begin with. The Wargamer review, however, was quite informative.

Dis · January 15, 2002, 22:00

I generally like gamespot's reviews. But maybe not for TBS games. I felt SMAC's review was too high, and of course civ3's review was too high.

Comrade Tribune · January 15, 2002, 22:00

Quote:

Originally posted by yin26
...nor, in many cases, did it seem that the reviewers had much knowledge of the TBS genre to begin with.

Some common ground with the CivIII designers.

Btw, have you read analyst´s posts (page 3 of the 'Disenchanted' thread), yet? I think he is really hitting the nail on the head.

yin26 · January 15, 2002, 22:06

Thanks. I'll go read it.

swifsay · January 16, 2002, 01:24

yo yin-
regarding your quote , if you think your that brilliant then you are that brilliant....

LaRusso · January 16, 2002, 04:10

For those who did not bother to read Wargamer's review:

Civilization III features so many improvements that it is easy to recommend it. A world-class AI melded with an impressive graphical presentation and the addition of culture push it to the upper tier of strategy games. It will remain on my hard-drive for quite a while. I temper this recommendation with my impression that the game was released too soon and there are many minor niggling issues and problems that could have been either improved or avoided. With their reputation for responding to gamers, Firaxis could certainly polish Civilization III until it reaches “classic” status, but its current state doesn’t deserve that level of acclamation.

Zoid · January 16, 2002, 07:49

Quote:

Originally posted by reds4ever
IMO you shouldn't buy a STRATEGY game based on reviews, the reviewer probally gets less than a week to form an opinion before he has to submit his article, which is long enough to evaluate graphics, presentation etc. but not long enough to pick up on subtle gameplay inbalances, you obviously didn't spot them playing the crack or you'd be $45 better off!

Yeah, well... I didn´t actually buy the game based on the reviews (I have bought almost every Sid-game for the last 10 years or so), the reason I played the crack was that I couldn´t afford to buy the game straight away, and the other reason was that the 1.16f-patch broke the crack...

So to fully evaluate the game I had to buy it and thereby flushing $45 down the drain...

And you´re right about reviewers, I know it, you know it, but the general populace doesn´t. They belive what it says in the paper, thus making a distinctly below-par game into "the best game ever"

Zoid · January 16, 2002, 08:02

Quote:

Originally posted by Zachriel
I like Civ3. Try cricket or go make a snowman. Never played a cracked game. That isn't cricket.

1. There´s no cricket in Sweden

and

2. There´s no snow where I live (Gothenburg), it almost always thaws away the minute it hits the ground. Too much humidity.

Also, if I´ve played the cracked game longer I wouldnt´ve posted this dissapointed rant

Zoid · January 16, 2002, 08:05

Quote:

Originally posted by ****gyRA
You should never play a "cracked" game. Crack is bad for you. Crack will get you addicted. Jimmy cracked corn and I don't care. Just say no to crack.

But SMAC is okay?

Zoid · January 16, 2002, 08:18

Quote:

Originally posted by Ironikinit
I dunno where y'all come from, but I can take a game back to the store and get my money back if I don't like it.

Yeah, if it´s sealed in its box. It works the same way as with CD´s (at least in Sweden)

Quote:

I've read interviews of game reviewers. They are the biggest gamers on the planet. They play games all day. So I tend to trust their judgement.

There´s a world of difference between game reviewers at newspapers like "Aftonbladet" and gaming magazines like "PC Gamer", but I haven´t read a single review anywhere that´s so insightful like the the threads on this board. But I will check out the Wargamer review, if it´s good for Yin26 then who am I to argue

Quote:

The reviews on www.gamespot.com are to my liking. They have the "official" review, and then there are customer reviews too. Both have a number, I believe Civ 3 got a nine from the review and like a seven from the customers. That told me right there that I should be wary of possible problems.

Interesting discrepancy, I´ll check that out as well in the future...

Ironikinit · January 16, 2002, 08:43

No, I can return them after it's out of the shrink wrap, they just put more plastic on it. I don't think there's a store here that will let me return music though.

Zoid · January 16, 2002, 15:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Ironikinit
No, I can return them after it's out of the shrink wrap, they just put more plastic on it.

Good for you; I wish I could get my money back...