PETITION: Delay Civ 4 Until Easter...Please Sign!

[yin26]

O.K. Now don't skin me. Here's my thinking: The entire world will be out buying all kinds of garbage games (and some good ones) for the Christmas holiday, mainly because publishers feel this is the opportune time to sell games, ready or not.

But Civ is different -- People will buy it because it's Civ, not because it's Christmas. The world could be ending in 24 hours and people would line up (after kissing family members) to get a few final turns in. And think about it: Come Easter, most gamers will be absolutely starved for a blockbuster like Civ 4. After all the twitch and scratch gaming ends post Christmas, this wouldn't just be a Easter basket stuffer--it would be the Easter Basket Bonanza that could revitalize the true Pagan spirit of the holiday! Besides, the younger gamers could pass this off as preparing for history class, and all will be right in the homes of millions, not to mention the world's I.Q. would rise a few points by early May, and that *has* to be good.

Also consider that you only get a patch or two for a game (most games) and that's it. Imagine what Firaxis could do with 4 extra months of dev time! Yes, I know this is the publisher's decision... unless a sudden flu outbreak seizes the offices and the Firaxis crew just caaaan't make the Christmas deadline.

Tell you what Firaxis: If you let this release date slip to Easter, I'll send the entire team there all our left over Easter candy. Heck, all of Apolyton's left over candy. Now don't hide the fact that programmers eat that stuff like manna!

Therefore, he or she who puts his or her name below testifies to wanting a better Civ...and a better human existence for all of us, darn it.

Signed,

-=Yin=-

[Modo44]

I doubt Firaxis has the final word on this. I think the publisher does. Therefore , as we can do squat to make them delay the game.

[Jaybe]

NO, because
1. Firaxis is the developer, but Take2 calls the shots so it wouldn't work anyway;
2. While Firaxis has many more playtesters with this rendition, after it is on sale all the purchasers do a MUCH more thorough job because there are so many more of them;
3. It is good to support Firaxis by purchasing games and expansions (sorry, off on a tangent here); and
4. YES, I DO want Civ4 sooner rather than later.

Wait until it's perfect and it will never be released, Firaxis will go belly up, and yin26 will have fewer opportunities to express his negativity.

[H Tower]

I think you're wrong about it being civ and not needing christmas. For people like us, that's true, but we are far from representative of the population of gamers.

As an aside, do you think firaxis can do a better job of finding bugs up until easter than we as a community could do? An easter release will just delay finding many of the bugs that will ship with the game.

[yin26]

Like I said, Civ 4 would be the perfect after Christmas gift. Let the competing high of all the other gifts go stale, then hammer yourself (or a loved one) with something Civ during the dead season.

As for the public catching more bugs, etc., of course that's going to happen. But I suspect that Firaxis has a few more great ideas they could slip in, and certainly the beta testers are hard at work uncovering stuff.

Look, I'm sure that it's all about Christmas, but I'm equally sure a release dates pushed back to Easter would be cause for Civ joy.

[Dis]

What a silly poll.

Just don't release the game until it's finished and all the major bugs have been eliminated.

[yin26]

One banana vote. Check.

[Sabre2th]

I do agree that a release during the dead space after the holidays could help draw new players, but a delay isn't going to help the game itself in any significant way. Most of the big issues will be fixed by Christmas and Apolyton (and similar sites) will beat the game and its bugs into submission much more effectively than the playtesters ever could.

On top of that, there's no way Take2 would delay the release. It would cost them more money, which they aren't likely to make back, even if they release it during the dead space after the new year.

Voted no

[yin26]

and yin26 will have fewer opportunities to express his negativity.

C'mon, though. Give me a chance.

Sabre2th: Quit being reasonable. It's ruining my thread.

[Zoid]

As I probably won´t have any money to buy a new PC to play Civ on until next year I could as well wait for easter. So, Yes!

[asleepathewheel]

So how is that beta going yin?

[yin26]

That's the spirit! Some more reasons to wait for Easter before releasing Civ 4!

1. Won't have a suitable PC to play Civ 4 on by then.
2. Will be very busy that time of year with family, and Civ 4 at Christmas would do harm to various relationships.
3. Get depressed during Christmas, and ICS would likely push you over the edge.
4. Need more time to finish playing Rome Total War now that the Total Realism mod is going to be released today.

[yin26]

So how is that beta going yin?

[yin26]

Ack! From the Total Realism site:

We are sorry to inform you all that Rome: Total Realism 6.0 will have to be delayed yet again. There are numerous reasons we have decided to delay again.

Shoot. What's that holiday after Easter? Isn't there another mythical creature holiday some time after? Let's see...after magical bunnies, isn't it fire-breathing puppies? (On a serious note, this RTR delay really hurts.)

[Aro]

Nooooo!
I want CivIV as soon as possible.