Dwhyte
05-09-2005, 01:25 PM
I picked up the game on Saturday, based on its good pedigree (D.W. Bradley) and the promising sounding design concepts. I bought the game at a retailer that doesn't accept returns on open software ("defective" items can be exchanged for the same item), and made the mistake of opening the box and installing the game before coming here and reading the detailed bug reports. I considered taking the game back to the store anyway, and trying to argue the case that it isn't "defective," it's incomplete -- possibly fraudulently so. Instead, I decided to wait a while to see what the first patch would include.
I just finished reading the General FAQ v.1, and it's changed my mind. Releasing a game with known bugs or incomplete features is bad enough (and is, of course, sadly expected and accepted in today's industry). Having the gall to try to write-off advertised and documented features as being "non-essential options" [FAQ question 6] or "intended as provided" [question 8] is insulting, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable. Even worse, the FAQ seems to verify my fears that the game won't be given the support it needs and may never be patched up to the level that's advertised IN ITS OWN DOCUMENTATION.
I am grateful, though, for the FAQ. I've printed it out and will be bringing it to the store with me. Between it and the user manual I should have a stronger case to convince the store to take the game back.
I just finished reading the General FAQ v.1, and it's changed my mind. Releasing a game with known bugs or incomplete features is bad enough (and is, of course, sadly expected and accepted in today's industry). Having the gall to try to write-off advertised and documented features as being "non-essential options" [FAQ question 6] or "intended as provided" [question 8] is insulting, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable. Even worse, the FAQ seems to verify my fears that the game won't be given the support it needs and may never be patched up to the level that's advertised IN ITS OWN DOCUMENTATION.
I am grateful, though, for the FAQ. I've printed it out and will be bringing it to the store with me. Between it and the user manual I should have a stronger case to convince the store to take the game back.