The European patch - will there be one?

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Author Topic:   The European patch - will there be one?

Glenn Fabio posted 03-08-99 03:52 AM ET
I'm starting to lose my faith in this game. Explain to me why Why WHY it is so hard to complete the European patch. Hello Firaxis, if this is how you treat your customers, rest assure I will NEVER buy a game from you again!
/Glenn Fabio

Stephan posted 03-08-99 05:18 AM ET
I agree with Glenn that it is not much fun playing AC (German version) at the moment. Its toooo slow. Please hurry up with your patch or I might damn this game. Don't misunderstand me, I think its a very good game but not at this speed.
Stephan
Draxinusom posted 03-08-99 05:47 AM ET
The non-US Patchs take longer because of the copy protection mechanism. From what I've read, I expect em to come somewhen this week.
Stephan: The game will NOT run any significantly faster with the patch. If the game is too slow at your pc, turn of movement animation (never been to the options screens?) if it still is too slow, turn also off the sound or get a better machine. I've been playing the game on several machines from P133 with 16Meg to P2-400 with 128 Meg and on every machine I tweak the settings so I find it fast enough.
CU
Drax
Stephan posted 03-08-99 06:10 AM ET
First, Thanks for your quick answer, Draxinusom.
But, I'm a little bit disappointed about the speed. Ok, my system isn't state of the art (Cyrix 166+, 32 MB, 2MB Graphics), but I installed the complete game on my HD. I've no trouble with the voices or videos. The only thing I worry about that it takes so long to move units. Is there so much work to do to animate this one little sprite or update the 8 fields arround ist ?!?! I programmed a little game in the past (Empire like) and had no problems. Ok, it's long ago and graphics and sound were much poorer. But PCs were too.
By the way, I played with the options but it did not help much.
Do I have to buy a new Computer, or upgrade the old one, only to play a strategy game without all those 3D stuff todays games have ? By the way, I don't like those 3D Action games, they have to much action for me!
I like AC, but maybe the programmers did not optimize their code enough, because they think everyone gots a >200MHz PC, with >=8MB Graphics and >=64 MB RAM.
Greetings
Stephan
Khabarakh posted 03-08-99 07:20 AM ET
Not that it helps much having a PII 266 w/ 16 MB Video and 64 MB RAM...it's still VERY slow. I suppose we'll just have to live with it - and let's face it - Brian's and Sid's games have never been much of wonders of optimized code, now have they? On the other hand, we get to play with every little setting and graphic piece in the games - which is nice. It could be faster, though - and the patch REALLY should be out very, very soon, or I'll start bitching publicly.
-- Khab
timbrom posted 03-08-99 10:22 AM ET
Yeah, yeah. But what about the answer to the original question? Why are we waiting for the European patch weeks after the game came out and the Country Cousins got patched? IT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!!
animaster posted 03-08-99 10:33 AM ET
I whant to return my game and get the money back. I dont like the crashes and when i buyed the game we where promised a patch as soon as it was humanly possible.
So who do i contact? (I have had the game for more time than is "allowed" before returning it)
PS: Yes i like the game. (But having a broken car is not ok just because its a nice car)
Draxinusom posted 03-08-99 11:28 AM ET
Stephan: Well, I'd set the units which have orders to quick moves, so they don't animate during their movement. Also, you might try to copy the files in the alternative Art\low-res caviar directory (sorry Microsoft, I did want to say Folder <g> ) to your game directory. They can also speed up the game.
In general: Turn off the unit animations, for they cause the most delay (at my games).
Even here on my AMD K6-2 350 with 128Megs the auto moves take easily 20 seconds. Fortunately I play only MP games on the P133 so thats not so much of a question there. (But i did turn all that options off on that machine)
Hope that helps a bit.
timbron: The patch will be out soon...
The patch will be out soon
The patch will be out soon
The patch will be out soon
<say it with me so it takes less long> :-)
(awaiting PBEM Feature...)
animaster: Contact the dealer where you bought it. If anyone can take the game back, it is the one who sold it to you.
CU
Drax
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Author	Topic: The European patch - will there be one?
Glenn Fabio	posted 03-08-99 03:52 AM ET I'm starting to lose my faith in this game. Explain to me why Why WHY it is so hard to complete the European patch. Hello Firaxis, if this is how you treat your customers, rest assure I will NEVER buy a game from you again! /Glenn Fabio
Stephan	posted 03-08-99 05:18 AM ET I agree with Glenn that it is not much fun playing AC (German version) at the moment. Its toooo slow. Please hurry up with your patch or I might damn this game. Don't misunderstand me, I think its a very good game but not at this speed. Stephan
Draxinusom	posted 03-08-99 05:47 AM ET The non-US Patchs take longer because of the copy protection mechanism. From what I've read, I expect em to come somewhen this week. Stephan: The game will NOT run any significantly faster with the patch. If the game is too slow at your pc, turn of movement animation (never been to the options screens?) if it still is too slow, turn also off the sound or get a better machine. I've been playing the game on several machines from P133 with 16Meg to P2-400 with 128 Meg and on every machine I tweak the settings so I find it fast enough. CU Drax
Stephan	posted 03-08-99 06:10 AM ET First, Thanks for your quick answer, Draxinusom. But, I'm a little bit disappointed about the speed. Ok, my system isn't state of the art (Cyrix 166+, 32 MB, 2MB Graphics), but I installed the complete game on my HD. I've no trouble with the voices or videos. The only thing I worry about that it takes so long to move units. Is there so much work to do to animate this one little sprite or update the 8 fields arround ist ?!?! I programmed a little game in the past (Empire like) and had no problems. Ok, it's long ago and graphics and sound were much poorer. But PCs were too. By the way, I played with the options but it did not help much. Do I have to buy a new Computer, or upgrade the old one, only to play a strategy game without all those 3D stuff todays games have ? By the way, I don't like those 3D Action games, they have to much action for me! I like AC, but maybe the programmers did not optimize their code enough, because they think everyone gots a >200MHz PC, with >=8MB Graphics and >=64 MB RAM. Greetings Stephan
Khabarakh	posted 03-08-99 07:20 AM ET Not that it helps much having a PII 266 w/ 16 MB Video and 64 MB RAM...it's still VERY slow. I suppose we'll just have to live with it - and let's face it - Brian's and Sid's games have never been much of wonders of optimized code, now have they? On the other hand, we get to play with every little setting and graphic piece in the games - which is nice. It could be faster, though - and the patch REALLY should be out very, very soon, or I'll start bitching publicly. -- Khab
timbrom	posted 03-08-99 10:22 AM ET Yeah, yeah. But what about the answer to the original question? Why are we waiting for the European patch weeks after the game came out and the Country Cousins got patched? IT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!!
animaster	posted 03-08-99 10:33 AM ET I whant to return my game and get the money back. I dont like the crashes and when i buyed the game we where promised a patch as soon as it was humanly possible. So who do i contact? (I have had the game for more time than is "allowed" before returning it) PS: Yes i like the game. (But having a broken car is not ok just because its a nice car)
Draxinusom	posted 03-08-99 11:28 AM ET Stephan: Well, I'd set the units which have orders to quick moves, so they don't animate during their movement. Also, you might try to copy the files in the alternative Art\low-res caviar directory (sorry Microsoft, I did want to say Folder <g> ) to your game directory. They can also speed up the game. In general: Turn off the unit animations, for they cause the most delay (at my games). Even here on my AMD K6-2 350 with 128Megs the auto moves take easily 20 seconds. Fortunately I play only MP games on the P133 so thats not so much of a question there. (But i did turn all that options off on that machine) Hope that helps a bit. timbron: The patch will be out soon... The patch will be out soon The patch will be out soon The patch will be out soon <say it with me so it takes less long> :-) (awaiting PBEM Feature...) animaster: Contact the dealer where you bought it. If anyone can take the game back, it is the one who sold it to you. CU Drax