Prophet

**Vuk** · 03-23-2009, 16:24

I am. I said a month or so before release that the game looked alarmingly underdeveloped and not at all like it could be ready for a release any time soon. Adviced CA that they should try all they could to get SEGA to let the push the release back by a month of two, and that the damage done to their reputation by putting it off for a month would be nothing to the damage done by releasing a half-**** attempt at a game that everyone would make everyone who bought it feel cheated and angry. There is no need for any specific links to be posted, if you have been following what is going on on the TWC and the official forums, you can see that I was right. I am not blaming CA, there is no telling how the game would have turned out if they were given more time, and it certainly has huge potential. (unfortunately that is what makes it more of a failure now) CA now is working hard to complete the game, and I salute them for it, but the damage done to their excellent reputation will take a long time and at least one really good game to go away. I think the blame goes jointly to SEGA's panicy business policies and the insistant babble of fans. Many of the members who were telling me "I do not care if it is not perfect, I just wantz it NOW! If they put it off for a month I will notz buyz itz!" are now whining on the TWC that they will never buy another CA game, they feel betrayed, "WHY DIDN'T THEY PUTZ IT OFF ANOTHERZ MONTHZ OR TWOZ?!".
Before anyone asks, I have played the game. Much against my better judgement I wasted $50 on it (a considerable sum considering my finiances. Heck, could have taken my girl some place nice for that)

The reason I made this thread is not for more CA bashing, it is because I am concerned. If the post I linked to is correct, people are calling for a scapegoat and CA AU might be that scapegoat. This would be very sad indeed.

I think that people should realise that the ones at fault here are not the developers who were baggered and rushed TWICE, but the publishers and to an extent the mindless rabble that is we total war fans. I think that if SEGA uses scapegoat tactics (in addition to the dirty tactics censorship tactics that have been used) they will just turn people off to the game even more.
I for one have faith in CA as a development team, I think SEGA has to realise that Total War games are not the same as the rushed out mindless garbage that is console games though. They need work, and they need to be done right.

**Sheogorath** · 03-23-2009, 16:39

I totally called it.

But, I should point out, I dont consider ETW beyond repair, and it is far from unplayable even in its current state.

Modders are rapidly coming to the rescue, providing texture packs to give the units some visual flair and variety. With the aid of STEAM, the big issues will hopefully be patched fairly quickly and we'll have an excellent product.

Alright, it means a bit of beta-testing, which we have to pay to do, but hey, in the mean time, we can enjoy the godlike ability of rocket ships to take on a fleet of heavy first rate ships of the line and win

**gollum** · 03-23-2009, 16:40

AFAIK ETW is made by CA UK not CA AU.

**quadalpha** · 03-23-2009, 17:20

I suppose I'm in the happy minority which have virtually no complaints, or perhaps the angry people are just more vocal.

**AussieGiant** · 03-23-2009, 17:27

Certainly one thing to keep in mind is the largely silent majority.

If you think there have been 20 000 plus people recorded as playing on Steam, the question is, what are the "real" proportions of CTD's? That's the million dollar question.

There is certainly a phenomenon which is the "vocal minority", does this vocal minority represent more than just those saying something and/or are there many more simply watching and not making comment that are experience no issues or the same issues.

Certainly I've never experienced this level of CTD since I started playing back in the STW days.

The build up of code and tracking things seems to increase instability in the late game.

**andrewt** · 03-23-2009, 17:30

While the game may have balance and AI issues and whatnot, I'd be content if they just fix the CTD and performance issues. That's really my biggest gripe right now, the lag, the crashes and the long loading times. I feel the game is playable with those issues, even with balance the way it is.

**AussieGiant** · 03-23-2009, 17:34

Originally Posted by andrewt

While the game may have balance and AI issues and whatnot, I'd be content if they just fix the CTD and performance issues. That's really my biggest gripe right now, the lag, the crashes and the long loading times. I feel the game is playable with those issues, even with balance the way it is.

You don't do anything but solve stability issues as the first order of business in this situation.

I'm confident that is what they are working on right now.

**Quickening** · 03-23-2009, 18:01

Originally Posted by quadalpha

I suppose I'm in the happy minority which have virtually no complaints, or perhaps the angry people are just more vocal.

Well the happy people with no complaints have, like me, been playing the game rather than talking about it

**Monsieur Alphonse** · 03-23-2009, 18:05

I have some complaints but the game is playable. And the modding community has already made some progress to improve the game.

For those who are living under a rock: Darth Vader is back and released his mod to improve the game. Check TWcenter .

**footprint** · 03-23-2009, 18:28

Oh I knew the mod guys would come to the rescue. This game has so much potential. I cant wait to for a good realism mod for Britain.

Silly question whats a CTD? I assume it's a good thing that I've never had one of these.

**Sheogorath** · 03-23-2009, 18:31

Originally Posted by footprint

Oh I knew the mod guys would come to the rescue. This game has so much potential. I cant wait to for a good realism mod for Britain.

Silly question whats a CTD? I assume it's a good thing that I've never had one of these.

Crash To Desktop.

It happens when the computer thinks you're doing too good, or thinks your blood pressure is too low

**CookieRawr** · 03-23-2009, 18:47

I'm one of the few with only one major complaint,The Ai taking forever to finish turns. I finished my British game and am now halfway through my Prussian campaign. I have had only 2 ctds so far, trying to click on one of my British fleets in the English Channel, and one of the the dockyards froze up a few times.

**BigTex** · 03-23-2009, 19:22

This is the only total war game since medieval tw that I did not preorder to get it on release day. After rtw and mt2w showed that the games were getting less and less completed by release I didnt even bother to preorder ETW. Kinda sad that it turned out to be the smart thing to do, was hoping that I would be proved wrong and a good solid game would be released. But seems that's more and more what gaming companies are doing, releasing half made games and fixing them after they get most peoples money. Not looking forward to SWTORO becuase of that.