Re: GameSpot Review Posted Online
 

It boils down to money most of the time. Aaron needs to pay his bills and SE4, DO, and Starfury are both at the end of their product lives.

Re: GameSpot Review Posted Online
 

Sadly you are right. But like always when a product like this is rushed out the door you lose more future sales. Just review the MOO3 saga as a good example of lack of forsite. That game could have made big bucks but they dropped the ball with bugs.

Re: GameSpot Review Posted Online
 

I totally think they should have let the fanatics buy it early online, and do the full retail push once it had been patched up.

Re: GameSpot Review Posted Online
 

That would have been the ideal thing to have done. That way the total fan boys could report the bugs so that the official retail version was shipped in a far better state than the it was. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif Hindsight.... is always 20/20. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Re: GameSpot Review Posted Online
 

However unlike MOO3, SE V won't go down in history as the largest POS game ever released. Unlike Moo3, SE V will continue to be improved by its developer and publisher. And unlike MOO3, it wasn't released as an as is alpha version after the development team had been fired just so the publisher could recoup some of the development costs at the expense of the fans.

MOO3 was indeed the best example of screwing the fans that I have ever seen, even more so than what VUG did to the Tribes fans.

Re: GameSpot Review Posted Online
 

I think 6.6 is a pretty good review for the game in it's current state. It would have been nice if they hadn't noticed the game for a couple more weeks so that the most glaring bugs could have been ironed out, but on the other hand, Aaron does have to eat.
Still, at least they mentioned Aaron's fantastic track record for patching, and given that 4X games are still a niche market, I wouldn't be surprised if that review ended up generating a few sales. After all, if you're starved for turn based 4X games, and someone tells you, "It ain't great now, but it will be soon," aren't you likely to if not buy it right away, put it on your wishlist for a few months time?
In my experience, those who whine endlessly about bugs ruining a game tend to be FPS twitch-kiddies. TBS grongards have a bit more patience by definition. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: GameSpot Review Posted Online
 

What I like is that they at least made a small attempt, albeit one that can be easily over come, to secure the game from piracy. The CD key is a great addition and long long over due. Like I said though, too bad it can be very very easily over come. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Re: GameSpot Review Posted Online
 

I second that motion!

I purchased the game knowing there were bugs. I purchased it because I knew Aaron would fix the bugs and I knew I could finally make the mod I have been working on for years. Had Aaron let it out to us fanatics the bugs would have been caught and the mods developed. Once it hit retail there would have been so many choices for new and old players a review by GS (or anyone else) would have been strong and boosted the sales to the top of the 4X genre.

As you said Atrocities; hindsight�

Re: GameSpot Review Posted Online
 

Anyone else notice that the screenshot with a caption about research is actually a screenshot of intel focus areas? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/stupid.gif

Re: GameSpot Review Posted Online
 

Bugs are just one part of the story. They could have waited for another bugfix before the review, but OTOH strategy first (or whoever else was responsible) could have done the same before launching it.

BUT... there is the other part of story that is barely mentioned here: Artificial Intelligence; Talking about the stock game: This has never been changed in SEIV from the beginning til today. SE4 AI has been weak and it will remain weak. Bugs can be ironed out, but a weak AI is the really bad part of this review especially because it is about a (mainly) singleplayer strategy game. GalCiv II for comparison: "the best ai in strategy gaming" - from start.