posted 08-08-99 11:14 AM ET        

Don't blame the SMACophants for moving me along. They were here long before I arrived, they've been here all along, and they'll be here long after I leave. It was never my intent to enlighten or convert those who are inclined to hero-worship from their chosen religion. At every board such as this, you will find a constituency for the point of view that the official site should be indistinguishable from a fawning fanzine. Their presence here has never bothered me much. It's to be expected.

Nope. What's moving me along at this point is my belated realization that my needs will not be served here.

What are my needs? Pretty simple. I need to give feedback and feel like that feedback loop is being completed by the receipt of that feedback at the other end. It's abundantly clear to me that, however else one might accomplish that, this forum is not the proper tool.

I came here because, after a long love affair with Sid's line of innovative games, I had experienced my first genuine dissapointment. That dissapointment wasn't even about bugs. It was about the game play. [Those who need a refresher can go back to my constructive criticism thread.] I had experienced bugs too, but quite frankly, based on the CivII experience, I was prepared to download patches (there were some 13-14 CivII patches altogether) as the price of being a first adopter.

So, quite contrary to the attitude that some would like to ascribe to me in order to dismiss my dissatisfaction, I neither demanded nor expected a bugless game (especially as a first adopter). Applied to myself, that argument is a pure straw man. What I did expect, indeed, demand was attention to correcting problems that had come to the attention of the designer and attention to the issues regarding gameplay that were raised here.

So I've been here for a few months, mostly trying to raise the issues regarding flawed gameplay and, occasionally, attempting to contribute regarding the bugs. I've never much cared for SMAC, itself, but I care very much for the TBS game line it is a part of and hoped to see it get back on track. As I said in my very first post in this forum, I've always assumed there would be SMAC sequels, and hoped that my efforts would contribute to their being better than this effort.

Some would say that my hanging around here for months despite the fact that I don't like the game would make me a hypocrite. They have arrived at a conclusion that is the exact opposite of the truth. Then again, though, it is because most people define fandom in terms of never criticising the home team no matter how miserable the record that most sports teams hire announcers that will relect this kind of blind acceptance of the product. I don't mind being disliked and rationalized away by those folks for my critiques.

What I mind is being disliked and rationalized away by the folks at Firaxis for those critiques. That I cannot abide. If they aren't listening to the reasoned complaints on this board about game play and bugs, then what these boards amount to for those of us who are disappointed, but interested enough to give feedback, is a giant electronic pacifier.

Even worse, there is every reason to believe that Firaxis pays more attention to the fawning fanzine element of these boards than any other and feels reinforced and justified by that element of the feedback loop. This represents the worst possible choice of feedback filters on their part, but that is not something I'll change by continuing to hang around.

So I'm off. I think that those who wait for a patch 5.0 will wait in vain. Patch 5.0 is called "Alien Crossfire" and Firaxis wants you to pay $30 for it. Those of you hoping for a serious address to game play issues in that sequel also hope in vain. Read the press release and reread what JKM has to say (any conclusion that JKM reflects anything other than Firaxis groupthink is wishful thinking) in his article about the safety of sequels vs. the market risk of attempts at innovation. The conclusions to be reached about future products in this line are obvious.

The fact is that Firaxis believes that the effort they've put into this product is sufficient, both from the point of view of quality of programming and quality of game play. Whether you agree or disagree with that conclusion, there is no doubting the reality of Firaxis' belief. As JKM said, it's all about making the money. They made it off this product this year and that, apparently, is going to be the measure of their success in all respects. No feedback beyond cash flow is required (although the fawning over their "celebrity" status is apparently appreciated).

I've enjoyed the interaction with a lot of you (and all of you in this category know who you are). Thanks to the TIs especially for the good times. My day here is done, though, and it's time to move on.

For the record, my days as a SM/BR Firaxis product first adopter are at an end. SMACX is not on my shopping list and I am deeply cynical in my expectations about CivIII. I will no longer buy these games on reputation. They will have to prove to me that they have advanced beyond the faux innovation of offering old game play with new window dressing. That may not concern the SMACophants of the world, but it ought to concern Firaxis. You can't coast on reputation forever.

So long, goodbye, farewell and amen.

posted 08-09-99 01:26 AM ET            

Good Luck, and may you always find what you seek.

posted 08-10-99 12:22 PM ET         

Seeya

posted 08-10-99 05:25 PM ET            

Your insight at TICHQ was outstanding, it will be missed.

Your general intelligence elevated the forums, it shall be missed.

Your evangelism converted even staunch builders (me) to conquistador, it will be missed. (Except by Player2/1/X who still curses you for converting so many of us builders )

Fare well my friend.

posted 08-10-99 09:20 PM ET            

To be honest, your arguments and posts on this forum have probably contributed more to the intellectual outlook of SMAC than by any other poster. I'm sorry to say that I think that TI discussions will suffer greatly without your insight.