Open letter to Firaxis from the scenario community

[joseph1944]

I to would like to see the Cheat menu returned. Also a button to click on the tell the Program to Historical place all Civs on the World Map.
Thank you

[[LordLMP]]

Would like to be signed up too.....sure i never exactly posted any mods, scenarios and etc.... but i do make them, usually for myself only :P


If Firaxis cannot make a very good patch by Christmas, atleast by the end of January... I say people should Boycott them until they do produce a very good patch fixing atleast all of the bugs, add missing features, a better scenario editor, etc...

I say we can boycott Infrogames too...but that would be harder :P But, if they want to keep Firaxis and having survive t produce more games, they better allow Firaxis to do a good patch up as it is Infrogames fault for setting the release date, forcing Firaxis to hurry up.

We as consumers have to tell game companies to smart up, else we will boycott them and/or other things...which would make them loose money. We do have the power against them as a community, have to tell them they are to PLEASE us, not us PLEASE them by buying buggy/half made games. Rather wait a bit longer for Firaxis to properly finish the game.

If we can't do that, down with the Dictorship like Capitalism!!!

-LMP

[DinoDoc]

Put me down. Scenarios add to the replay value of the game immensely.

[yin26]

Quickly -- what was the last game you bought that DID NOT require a patch?

I never patched Heroes of Might and Magic 3, though I suppose there was one ... just never saw a need. Then again, I was just playing that game casually and didn't analyze it to death. Having said that, however, I never saw anything that ruined the game or distracted me from enjoying it.

[genghisvick]

They better release an editor similar to Civilization II or I will never buy another Firaxis product again!

[Cyanide]

Were some of you forced to buy this game? Or forced to be Civ fans? It seems to me that you must've, with the anger you're directing toward Firaxis. I agree with your message, but not with its presentation. Personally, I don't understand why the scenario design ability wasn't finished before the game came out. The game seems to be completed (although there are some AI issues which have already been discussed), but the complete package wasn't. Usually, I chalk this up to a distributor or some other higher organization applying pressure to get a product out, but I don't think that's the case here. Firaxis and Sid Meier have too strong a product record to care what somebody else like that would want, in my opinion. So what the rush was, I can't know. It also seems to me that if less time were spent on the bells and whistles, that don't really add anything other than a "gee whiz" factor (animated units, changing facial expression, etc.), more time could've been spent on creating a complete product. I have a hard time believing Firaxis would think this version of CivIII would be satisfactory to scenario-ers - since there is virtually nothing to please them at all.

However, I knew this before I bought the game, and I bought it anyway. And even if I didn't know - since I bought it just a day or two after it came out - I could've waited until I found out more. If my impatience leads me to make an uneducated decision, it's my fault, not Firaxis'. I'm not excusing an incomplete product, I'm just saying that the scenario-ers were warned some time ago. That said, I agree completely with the sentiment that a patch that addresses some of these concerns is more than warranted.

Also, if you're so mad at Firaxis as to curse their existence, don't buy any more of their products. It's that simple. They'll either get by just fine, take a hit and change their practices, or fold altogether. In any case, you won't have to put up with anything from them that you don't like. One last thing - I in no way disagree with the open letter (although I think some of the desires are unrealistic and probably won't/can't be in a patch). Just some of the complaining...

[Jaundice]

Originally posted by Deathray
People, haven't you noticed all of those grayed out options in the editor? I would assume that those are going to be patched in later...

Actually, if you click on EDIT rules, those gray choices become clickable. All you can do is edit the existing game, but not create totally new games altogther.

-JD

[TresXF]

a similar editor like in smac would be adequate. a good manual for the editor would make things easier, too.

[Grim Legacy]

I'd like to 'sign' this letter too. It brings out the most crucial points. Sad to realize I've abandoned Civ2 scenario making in the past waiting for the glory Civ3 would bring. On this account it has not delivered.

I was active a long time ago in the scenario community. Greets to everyone who can remember.

El Khan

[Jay Bee]

I do, you were one of the 'father founders' of Sleague. Whee have you been all this time? And why did you change your handle?

[[LordLMP]]

I am not angry and it is mainly Infrogames fault for setting the release date... just that Firaxis better be working on a patch, else the game won't last aslong as Civ2, or even aslong as SMAC/X.

After making SMAC/X, we darn know what Firaxis can do, but Civ3 does seem sloppy in comparison. Civ3 manual is not as detailed as the SMAC manual.

In the meantime, i am having fun playing and not problems which others complained about bothered me yet.

-LMP

[sgrig]

I would just like to remind everyone that original Civ2 had hardly any scenario tools (like events) - they were only introduced in a later expansion pack (Conflicts in Civ, I think).

So I think we just have to be a bit more patient for more advanced scenario tools. By not providing everything in the first version of the game the developers hot two birds with one stone -the game can be released earlier, and most players will buy the expansion pack - so that's extra profit.

[Grim Legacy]

Originally posted by Jay Bee
I do, you were one of the 'father founders' of Sleague. Whee have you been all this time? And why did you change your handle?

Yes indeed. But you changed your handle a bit too.

Civ-wise, I've been lurking a little, playing a little SMAC, not liking it too much though. Not to mention CtP lol.

I had more or less planned to re-enter with the advent of Civ3. Too bad we're greeted with these scenario-related disappointments.

I'm not sure whether I even have an old account on these forums, I think they changed the Bulletin Board system. Maybe Markos or Dan can tell me?

[Faboba]

Put me down as well ( Duncan Crowe )

With this to add :

1 : We need the ability to set start locations for specific civs ( vital for map making )

2 : We need the caps removed or at least extended for civs, improvements and units we can add. Or at least it made easier to reach the current ones. As far as anyone knows the cap for civs is 32 but the highest anyones been able to reach so faris 21 AFAIK ( using Gramphos' excellent utility )

[Deathray]

Firaxis have said that they are going to finish the editor later. I believe the excuse was that they weren't going to delay the whole game for something that doesn't really affect the gameplay (and lets face it, the game has lots of longevity without an editor).

Also, the person who said that the game was shoddy and clearly rushed out, I have to disagree. The AI is simply very skillful. It does cheat in that it has bonuses or penalties to production of shields, food and commerce/trade/whatever depending on the difficulty level, but it does not do the other cheats that you have mentioned, the combat is done fairly. I have seen very few unlikely combat results in my two games so far. Also, the resources are done fairly evenly. The computer's diplomacy skills are also quite good, if not very realistic.