a STATEMENT OF ACTIVISION TO THE CIV COMMUNITY

[3rdTrial]

Boy am I glad that I resisted temptation and did not buy CTP II. I'm sooo happy playing CTP I now that that WesW (and others) finally fixed it.

WesW, I don't think Mike (the nuke) ever wanted to put you down, on the contrary, I'm sure that just like me, he is very happy that you put all this time and effort on it.

But the truth remains, Activision made money out of CTPII, whereas you, as far as we know have not. This is their task. In terms of professional behavior Activison receives a failing grade in any scale.

Does CTP II has a fix? Sure! Even with no source code. One can always capture the specification of what the software SHOULD do and rebuild the engine to work. It is practical? Sometimes it is, sometimes it is not. In the case of a game like CTP it is.

In games like this the most demanding tasks are graphical and game design. The code is simple on its core. The AI is a simple rule based engine that the vast majority of CS master students can do (that includes SLIC processing capabilities). The smart data structures can handle the majority of what-does-what-to-what issues (or if you preffer who-has-what-where). In a sense it is easier to fix the engine by rewritting it from scratch then to try to save some desperate buggy code.

Still as in any software work it takes time and effort to be build. Who has such a time?

I commend you (and others) for the mod work done, but still Activision had a responsability that went unfullfiled.

I guess I will only buy CTP II when it goes for the $5/dozen bin. I should not take long now!

[David Murray]

How's the old CTP1 AI? It's been ages since I last played CTP1, but I don't seem to remember it being that good there either.

[wittlich]

Actually, I thought CTP1 AI wasn't that great either, however it IS better than the CTP2 AI.

[3rdTrial]

I wouldn't know, how the AI is. I play it on hotseat, usually with one or two AI players for flavor. Even without allowing alliances between my players, the AI never passes the renaince age.....

[supremus]

I would like to tank this CTPII general forum. It made me save money. I did not buy CTPII and I won't. I think most of costumers should act in a reasonable way wich means to wait for reviews, to opinion makers in the foruns (Apolyton is the best by far) and make their decisions only after that. Like I did !
But as costumers are hungry for new things they normally don't do so. They go like a uncontrolled herd of cattle to the stores gondolas and buy. (Well it is not that bad because if at least some of them don't do so I would not have conditions to act like I did.) Activision said good bye. Should costumers say goodbye to Activision ?

[Paul D]

Well well well.. what an f'n surprise!
Gee, now.. who was it, some weeks ago, that said
based on CTP1 performance, and on the mass list of
bugs being reported in the just released CTP2, that
they would not be buying CTP2? Oh yeah! ME!

And who *****ed me out for my opinion, and my
statement that I would never drop another dime on
Activision product for its consistent record of
customer neglect? Oh yeah! MARK!

ANY time I had negative feedback in regards to CTP
or Activision, or the list of CTP2 bugs I posted
based simply on my searching through the forums here,
Mark was there to crap on me for it.

Still supportive of Craptivision Mark? They still
paying you? Or did their cut of support mean an end
to your kick-backs too?

[Alpha Wolf]

i hear the surgeon general is going to put a warning on the side of ctp2: "warning this product is dangerous to your sanity, unless you enjoy paying for software that you enjoy fixing"

------------------
History is written by the victor.

[MarkG]

quote: Originally posted by Paul D on 02-03-2001 11:42 AM Still supportive of Craptivision Mark? They still paying you?

in response to your most kind comments, read this quote from supremus(the post above yours)

quote: I would like to tank this CTPII general forum. It made me save money

[Mike the Nuke]

quote: Originally posted by 3rdTrial on 01-30-2001 02:12 PM Boy am I glad that I resisted temptation and did not buy CTP II. I'm sooo happy playing CTP I now that that WesW (and others) finally fixed it. WesW, I don't think Mike (the nuke) ever wanted to put you down, on the contrary, I'm sure that just like me, he is very happy that you put all this time and effort on it. But the truth remains, Activision made money out of CTPII, whereas you, as far as we know have not. This is their task. In terms of professional behavior Activison receives a failing grade in any scale. I commend you (and others) for the mod work done, but still Activision had a responsability that went unfullfiled. I guess I will only buy CTP II when it goes for the $5/dozen bin. I should not take long now!

I agree 100% with all of this. And you are also 100% correct in the fact that I WAS NOT trying to put Wes down in any way. In fact I have the greatest respect for what he attempts to do. I just do not understand how he finds the time, nor how he could consider investing that much of his (valuable, I'm sure) time in a game like CTP2 that has left so many 'out in the cold' and seems to have come up SO SHORT. I would prefer he do more (if possible) with CTP-1, as I do not (and probably will not ever) own CTP2. I, like yourself, play in Hot Seat mode with AI's only used for flavor. I'd like to see some improved unit values and improved Wonder values (to make the game more realistic. There's not emough room here to list things or ideas that I would like to see in CTP 1.

As I've stated many times before, I thank everyone who has posted on this site, the Pros and Cons of CTP2 (with details). You all saved me both money and 'heartache (for lack of a better word).

Thanks folks!

Well, the 2001 NHRA Drag Racing Season has started and I need to keep an eye out for our friend and 10-Time NHRA Winston Funny Car Champion, John Force. My game time will be decreased, somewhat, for a while.

[Mike the Nuke]

quote: Originally posted by GP on 01-27-2001 08:59 PM Why are you all whining about hot seat and PBEM not being in the game? That was a conscious decision by Activision on what features to support. If you don't like that, don't buy the game. FYI, Civ2 shipped without MP and didn't get MP until it was a 3rd expansion pack...and all this after the civnet fiasco. Y'all are a bunch of whiney little computer-boy babies.

And you are some kind of tough guy, I bet!
Yup, every one that has a complaint...bugs, missing options, etc. is just a whiner.

I bet your favorite TV show is Mr Rogers too!

[This message has been edited by Mike the Nuke (edited February 10, 2001).]
[This message has been edited by Mike the Nuke (edited February 10, 2001).]

[Steve5304]

Face it .....CTP2 is one of many Pieces of **** outta Britian !

Mental note: When the X-Box comes out.... Tell everyone what kind of Garbage it is.Distract from Buying,Spread rumours about its Pathetic Performance.Why not? If Activision is involved he'll turns out it will probably be true.


Lesson Learned: Activision Shoudnt have **** on its few Remaining Customers.

-----------------------------------
'i am resigned may gods will is done'

[MrFun]

This all OLD news now - water under the bridge - done with - what is done is past - and so on.

It's time to stop wearing black veils and crying over Activision's business conduct and move on, regardless of whether or not what Activision did had any logic or rationale.

[David Murray]

quote: Originally posted by Steve5304 on 02-11-2001 01:08 AM Face it .....CTP2 is one of many Pieces of **** outta Britian ! Mental note: When the X-Box comes out.... Tell everyone what kind of Garbage it is.Distract from Buying,Spread rumours about its Pathetic Performance.Why not? If Activision is involved he'll turns out it will probably be true. Lesson Learned: Activision Shoudnt have **** on its few Remaining Customers.

Steve, your grasp of facts, relevance and superior English skills never cease to amaze me.
[This message has been edited by David Murray (edited February 11, 2001).]

[MarkG]

quote: Originally posted by MrFun on 02-11-2001 05:06 PM This all OLD news now - water under the bridge - done with - what is done is past - and so on. It's time to stop wearing black veils and crying over Activision's business conduct and move on, regardless of whether or not what Activision did had any logic or rationale.

what he said....

[rah]

While I agree it time to tone down the whining and complaining, the "water under the bridge" mentality is exactly what Activision is counting on. THEY WILL FORGET EVENTUALLY.

While I have come to DEAL WITH IT, it's helps to hear fresh anguish. It keeps the memory in focus. So please, let people come and purge. It causes no harm, and acts as a good reminder.

And I'd hate to have someone from Activision check in and see that people haven't complained recently and come to the conclusion of "see, even the hard cores have forgiven us, we can get away with screwing them again"

RAH
Ready to check out some MODS.