Any news about the next PTW patch???

Master Marcus · February 11, 2003, 12:50

Does anybody has information regarding an "upcoming" patch?? Almost 2 months after v1.14f...... Is Firaxis still supporting Civ III/PtW?

JimMac · February 11, 2003, 16:07

Um...
http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...threadid=75845
or..
http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...threadid=74888

Master Marcus · February 11, 2003, 19:56

Thx for the links, I was aware of these threads, pure speculation....but that was several days before, just wanted to know if Feb 7th through valentine day ( we're almost done ) is still a target...

WarpStorm · February 11, 2003, 20:30

I'd say not a target.

Jaybe · February 11, 2003, 21:07

One of the things I have really appreciated about Civ3/PTW was the frequent "newness" of it. There was often something new to get used to with an update. Now it has been over a month since a Firaxian has made a post here at Apolyton (and there's been maybe ONE at CFC). (sob)

WarpStorm · February 11, 2003, 21:49

They've been busy making the patch, which is almost entirely devoted to bug fixes and speeding up MP(actually, most of the company is working on "The Next Big Thing").

Wittlich · February 11, 2003, 21:58

Are you being a little cryptic WarpStorm?

Now you've got me wondering what "The Next Big Thing" is going to be...

WarpStorm · February 11, 2003, 22:51

To be honest, I'm wondering too.

Alexander's Horse · February 11, 2003, 23:13

Quote:

Originally posted by WarpStorm
(actually, most of the company is working on "The Next Big Thing").

In other words they've dumped PTW.

notyoueither · February 11, 2003, 23:17

That would be incorrect.

WarpStorm · February 11, 2003, 23:26

Not true, AH, only a small portion of the company ever worked on PTW and the programmers are still working on PTW.

Traelin · February 12, 2003, 15:05

Sigh, even I'm getting a bit "uncomfortable" with the amount the time that has passed since the last patch. I'm pretty patient, but I'm starting to feel my panties get in a bunch. I'm still highly annoyed with the nuke bug, it always seems to creep into my games.

WarpStorm · February 12, 2003, 17:16

Which nuke bug is that Traelin?

JimMac · February 12, 2003, 18:32

Hey Warp.

I meant to ask you in the previous threads on this topic, but never got around to it; in the absence of any official Firaxian voice can you tell us anything about what you refer to as "speeding up MP"? >Will this include the option of a smoother gameplay experience by offering the option of a true 'I-go-U-go' mode?

Also, and I guess I am in the minority here, but I would like the return of the buld pop-ups and wondersplashes in MP,-as options?
Any thoughts?

Jim

Master Marcus · February 12, 2003, 18:44

one thing's for sure: the "few remaining programmers still working for PtW" are NOT working only for it...it doesn't take 18 hours a day + 2 months in order to fix the remaining bugs and test...

WarpStorm · February 12, 2003, 20:51

JimMac, I wish they would do a traditional turn-based also, but it is much smoother for me. In fact, I would say in the last game I played nearly all of my waiting was due to slow players. I too, would like to see all of the pop-ups return.

Master Marcus, why would they work 18 hour days after they met Infogrames' X-mas deadline? It's no longer crunch time. Imposing crunch time for no good reason is a good way to make your workers quit (especially since any of them could get higher paying 9-5 jobs).

Alexander's Horse · February 12, 2003, 21:02

My major worry is the Mp bug is so fatal they won't be able to fix it.

Inverse Icarus · February 12, 2003, 23:54

"the next big thing" is Civ III: All Your Monies Are Belong to Us, with a multiplayer that only gives a synch error 30% of the time, and an editor that lets you change the scenario's start date, but nothing else.

you'll have to wait for Civ III: Are You Still Buying This Sh1t? for a fully functional editor though. myself, i cannot wait!

Traelin · February 13, 2003, 00:08

Quote:

Originally posted by WarpStorm
Which nuke bug is that Traelin?

Well it's a bug of a bug fix, so to speak. Remember when they fixed the auto-declaration of war bug associated with nukes? Well now you don't automatically declare war, but you can't do anything when your turn comes up. You can't save, you can't view the military advisor screen...nothing without the game crashing. Annoying. And it always seems to happen in my games in the modern era, when a desperate, dying Civ decides to use a nuke.

Oerdin · February 13, 2003, 00:13

I'm suprised they're even making a patch. Most companies would have stopped patching a slow seller like PtW a long time ago.

Alexander's Horse · February 13, 2003, 01:23

They probably need a light format PTW to make Mp workable - turn off some animations and graphics - like the freaking radar spinning on ships and the horses f#rting or whatever it is they are supposed to be doing.

I mean, if we're talking hardcore MP players, who needs that eye candy sh*t? We told em not to include it, but did they listen? Noooooooooo!!!!

JimMac · February 13, 2003, 02:23

Thanks for the re-assuring information Warpstorm,- looking forward to the release of this patch.

JimMac

PS Oh yeah, thanks too, to the couple of our other regular highly amusing contributors, for their insightful comments.

player1 · February 13, 2003, 06:43

Quote:

Originally posted by UberKruX
"the next big thing" is Civ III: All Your Monies Are Belong to Us, with a multiplayer that only gives a synch error 30% of the time, and an editor that lets you change the scenario's start date, but nothing else.

Ahem...

You can already change the scenario's start date in PtW.

P.S.
Only edit of diplomacy and events is missing now.

WarpStorm · February 13, 2003, 06:46

Quote:

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
They probably need a light format PTW to make Mp workable - turn off some animations and graphics - like the freaking radar spinning on ships and the horses f#rting or whatever it is they are supposed to be doing.

I mean, if we're talking hardcore MP players, who needs that eye candy sh*t? We told em not to include it, but did they listen? Noooooooooo!!!!

Well, that stuff should all be handled client-side and shouldn't effect MP in the least.

WarpStorm · February 13, 2003, 06:53

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin
I'm suprised they're even making a patch. Most companies would have stopped patching a slow seller like PtW a long time ago.

Actually, I've heard that PTW was selling as well as they expected it to. If an expansion gets even 25% of the sales of the original game, it is considered to be a major success.

Firaxis supports all of their games. They've even recently patched their Civil War games and SMAC and I'm sure the sales for them is flat.

Traelin · February 13, 2003, 11:00

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin
I'm suprised they're even making a patch. Most companies would have stopped patching a slow seller like PtW a long time ago.

What were the sales numbers like on PTW? And what were they like with Civ3? I'd love to know how many units were sold of each.

Traelin · February 13, 2003, 11:03

Quote:

Originally posted by WarpStorm
If an expansion gets even 25% of the sales of the original game, it is considered to be a major success.

Firaxis supports all of their games. They've even recently patched their Civil War games and SMAC and I'm sure the sales for them is flat.

Both statements are very true.

Inverse Icarus · February 13, 2003, 11:34

Quote:

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
They probably need a light format PTW to make Mp workable - turn off some animations and graphics - like the freaking radar spinning on ships and the horses f#rting or whatever it is they are supposed to be doing.

I mean, if we're talking hardcore MP players, who needs that eye candy sh*t? We told em not to include it, but did they listen? Noooooooooo!!!!

a valid point, but i really get a grin on my face when a numidian merc slams his shield with his spear