The best help I can give : Don't buy this game and..

[DragonSkye]

Sabre...FYI I am A+, NET+, CCNP, MCSE in Windows 2000 server (specialized in security) certified. I think I know what performance means. So you can drop the "act" like you're an expert. I have exceeded the recommended specs for this game, and it runs like crap, crashes to desktop, and thats with turning the movies off and playing small maps. Doesn't sound right when I can play DOOM3 with full detail and not so much as a hiccup. And if you're just going to say one thing and run off without responding then how do you expect anyone to believe you? Also, I asked you about the stats, because you need to be able to back up your claims. If you can't then don't post assumptions.

[DragonSkye]

By the way, NECRO...Having fun with Neverwinter? Now THAT's a good game...Great right of the box.

[X_Necro_X]

Yeah DragonSkye,
I've been playing(lately) Neverwinter Nights and just stared Warcraft 3. Additionally, I'm thinking about reinstalling Rome : Total War. It's funny how buying the better equipment improved my gameplay on these games hmmm...

As far as stuff NOT running out of the box - I do have Mideval Total War. I believe the customer support at Activision learned something from the Civ IV tech support.... I bought Mideval Total War(Gold Edition) about 5 months ago - they're still selling it even though the game is a bit dated. Anyways - it failed to run on my computer which, much like Civ IV, surpassed the recommended specs greatly. They did the normal run-through; Latest drivers? DirectX? ... Finally - when they were out of ideas - they simply suggested I should reinstall the operating system.. I gave up at that point and just took my $20(thankfully only $20) dollar loss. Ironically - later down the road I did install a brand new O.S. for Civ IV (win 2000 pro from xp home) and Mideval Total War still failed to load. I guess it was better then Compaq Customer Support trying to pawn off Norton Antivirus on me to fix the SP2 installation *sighs*

[DragonSkye]

Funny how they're quick to blame it on your computer, isn't it? Most tech support places are like that. I had a similar run in with Linksys earlier last week. The funny thing is they actually told me that Windows XP and Windows 2000 were the same. That was the point when I laughed my ass off at the tech, and asked to speak to a supervisor. Didn't get too far though because of the strong spanish accent the guy had, and I couldn't understand a word he was saying because it was muffled. I'm betting that was done on purpose. Anyway, I ended up getting some third party software that works perfectly with their hardware, even though they told me it was my computer, and not their software that came with the hardware.

It seems that's the same attitude that a lot of people have on here. In an environment where the game is proven to work without so much as a hiccup, they should have a list of ALL hardware, processes running in the background at the time the game is running perfectly, as well as ALL modules (dll's, etc) listed so they can help diagnose where the problem is, if in fact it is something to do with your computer. Tech support should be able o give a working "model" with all of the environmental information and be able to make a comparison between your environment and a working one. Not just latest drivers for video, sound and DirectX.

But, I have yet to find a tech support group that handles problems they way they should be handled. Don't get me wrong, not all of them are bad. But they don't exactly handle problems like they should. They seem to like the "trial and error" approach.

[greenday_234]

I personally haven't had any problems running civ4 sense pak extract and both patches. However I do totally understand where you are coming from as far as "recommended requirements" and as for sabre I emphasize "recommended" as he seemed confused and started talking about minimum requirements. As a matter of business "recommended requirements" have seemed to be one of the biggest bait&switches of all time in the computer industry. when I was a kid,not all that long ago, recommended used to mean it would run well, which means you wouldn't have to worry about it oh lets say NOT WORKING.
Some would say that "Games have gotten more complex". Which in all actuality is true however all that means is longer playtest times and patience. Which seems not to be the case with numerous computer games on the market today, including:

Civilization 4 (had problems for a few weeks, and still a few minor ones now)

The Sims 2 (Don't get me started)

Medeviel Total War (computer froze whilst playing, corrupted a few Windows files, restarted from scratch)

These are a few that I can remember currently. Me personally have never been huge on graphics. Good graphics were always a plus but it was always about depth for me, thats why I play strategy games. As far as making $ Firaxis seemed to do a fine job at that with Civ 1, Civ 2, Civ 3, Conquests, Play the World and Civ 3 Complete seeing as somehow sabre I remember these being voted "best game of the year." Certainly one could assume with grand titles such as that sir that its owning company would be making money, or maybe I'm just to interested in facts. As we all remember these award winning games apart from civ 4 was that they lagged in graphics, Civ 3 especially on this note. But this didn't seem to matter because it was the gameplay that kept the customers coming back and rolling in for that matter. Civ 4 has great gameplay, it really does, however the grave error made here was its emphasis on graphics. I believe had the graphics just been streamlined and a little more emphasis put on gameplay and strategy you would see just as many great reviews if not more and more CUSTOMERS enjoying the game.

As for Sabre it is not that I wish to "flame you" as you so "eloquently" put it, as I'm sure you won't read this anyway, it is to make some of the people feel better. These same people you have insulted with your vulgar personality and your pension toward compassion. This same group having difficulties running something for which they have paid a nice chunck of money. Since your repugnant appearance on this page you have done nothing but slam people who have every right in the world to be aggitated. After your swiss cheese arguements you had the cunning wit enough to completely disappear from this page. You won't be missed, I wish you a good day.

As for those of you still having trouble, I apologize. As far as where to go from here, if you are still having trouble and it is true you have the recommended requirements and it is true you you have made your best effort to contact tech support to get a real answer with no avail and it is true that you can not return it for a refund then I suggest you contact the Better Business Bureau and let them know, and I suggest you tell your fellow civers in the same situation the same. Though I have a great working game it is high time to get real system requirements on the package for everyones sake.

Thank you and good luck getting a working game

[X_Necro_X]

Wow, Sabre sounds like a corperate kiss-ass. Giving them the benefit of the doubt whenever and wherever he can fit it in. Typical fanboy and typical corperate boy.

[gdgrimm]

Sorry you're having problems Necro.

I bought the game, installed it on my laptop (which was pretty new, and purchased with a memory upgrade installed, so I didn't even look at the specs), and it has ran fine ever since. No performance problems, no crashes, nothing.

I do find it annoying when my anti-virus wants to ask me to update it, and it forces CivIV to apparently freeze for sometime while the computer shifts all the memory and graphics out of CivIV to display the stupid little pop-up box of the antivirus agent. But that's not anybody's fault.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by X_Necro_X
Wow, Sabre sounds like a corperate kiss-ass. Giving them the benefit of the doubt whenever and wherever he can fit it in. Typical fanboy and typical corperate boy.

Argue the issue, not the person.