dthif1980

Join Date 07/2006

A brilliant example why Stardock is great.

Hi,

just want to share a thought with you all. I want to compare two gaming companies : Stardock and EA Sports PC using a simple example: NHL08 for PC.

Last year, I was one of the most interested in the 07 game they were about to release. I had checked all the videos showing the new features, graphics, etc. The day the game came out, I tried it. I was trying to use and find the new announced features, trying to not loose 13-1 in Hard mode or win 18-0 in medium mode, hoping that the AI was better that I was thinking... without success. Then I decided to search the web to know how to
enable/use those features. I found out, on their forum, that many were like me: realllly pissed off when we found that the new features were available only for X360 without ANY warnings.

On top off that, because there were no new features, this game was looking exactly the same as the 06 version, with the SAME bugs, bad graphical engine (you need a horse to drive a bigwheel), etc... This 07 version was exactly a clone of the 06 version, for 40$ and more.

Now the 08 version has just been released. Because I'll never trust this company again, I didn't buy the game and instead checked the forums for users appreciation. Once again, they did it. Nearly all the announced features are not present in the PC version (again without any clear warnings either in the videos or on their web site). So, some users did buy this game for 40$ and are realizing that it was all lies. And again, this 08 version is a clone of the 07 one, with the bugs, engine, etc...

My point is that this EASports PC behavior is the exact opposite of the one that Stardock has.

Thanks Stardock for your games, for your listening to the user community and for your simple way of doing things right for us. You are an example that other gaming companies should follow to at least show respect to the gamers community. I'll always be glad to invest my money in companies like yours.

Regards.

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Well, alot of those games are made for the consoles. I used to have a great time playing the 360 until I got this game, which is made for the PC. I hope you understand that in so few words

But off topic, come and check out the MVL which is a leaque, we play one round a month with specific settings and great people to chat with.

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The problem with EA sports is they can do crap like that, and while people get pissed off, all EA has to do is promise the same junk for the next years installment of the game and peole magically forget about how they flushed $50 (or $60 for 360 and PS3) down the toilet. I say this from experience as I buy NCAA football almost every year and despite better graphics and a few new features, they generally end up removing just as many (anyone else remember when the game had all the 1AA teams as well as the 1A teams? And the ability to create your own school...ya those are gone now...I liked those...). Sure they added legend mode...Just like dynasty, except instead of getting to play a whole school, your limited to one player...thats worth $60 right...EA STINKS!!!

Message to Stardock. While at the moment you are not a game giant like EA, take comfort in the fact that you make games with depth rather than the shallow POS that EA puts out most of the time. Stardock, you are not only one of the few compaines that actually listen your customers, you are #1 in that catagory from all I've seen. You also provide not only awsome suport for your games, but you do it for basically free. Buying from you Stardock is one of the only times I havne't felt even a little riped off when buying a game. Because of these things I, and many others that have been cheated by companies like EA, will be a customer of yours for years to come. Again, while you may not be as large as EA is right now, there is no way you won't get there, because as soon as people figure out that there is a gaming company out there that cares about those playing their games, they will start ignoring beligerent companies like EA.

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Indeed. StarDock gets a good chunk of my gaming money largely because I am sure I will get a game that actually runs without crashing every couple of minutes and one that is likely to be entertaining for the strategy minded. Those two things are enough to put it in an almost unique status. Having a feedback loop that is actually used....Thank you!

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In addition I thought it's worth mentioning that with Stardock I'm always certain that any expansion pack will be worth its money and more, not just some scrap they heaped together but a full package that hugely increases gameplay. And that is extremely rare...

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Awww, you guys make us blush!

Thank you for being Stardockians of the first degree.

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Mystikmind

Join Date 06/2004

+20

Well normally i would say that consoles are crap but a recent trend with PC games has been giving me pause to think twice about that!

I usually try to buy multiplayer games that i can play with my wife.... But now i am finding it almost impossible to do because game companies are sooo greedy now that they will not allow multiplay with one licenced copy. It makes me totally sick to the stomach,,,, so i'm either going to have to begin collecting pirated games or switch to consoles!!

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Consoles are great! My son plays on them which gives me the PC

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Live long and prosper Stardock!

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While I tend to be a console lover, Stardock has made the enjoyment coming out of my PC increase greatly.

They are by far one of the best gaming companies I have ever had the pleasure of buying from. I'm so happy that I bought GalCiv 2 that day in the store when I thought it looked interesting. It by far exceeding my expectations, and I have bought two other games from Stardock because of it (and I wasn't disappointed). It is the only gaming company I actually feel safe about buying a game completely online.

As other have said you guys are also innovative, and actually listen to and support your customer base! Stardock has stable games and if in the rare case I do have a problem (with downloading the game or something), your tech support is very knowledgeable and helpful.

Thank you Stardock for being a true game company, and please never change this! It is what we love about you

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so i'm either going to have to begin collecting pirated games or switch to consoles!!

i would recommend the Wii. it's not much on single-player games, but it's great fun in small groups, and it's comparatively affordable. i don't have one myself, but several of my friends do. one of them also has a projector; throw in a few bottles of wine and it's a great way to spend a saturday night. the biggest drawback i see to the Wii is its max resolution (which is the classic TV standard, what, 540 or 480? something like that--isn't even compatible with 720 or widescreen).

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Stardock are very much a throwback to the good old days. No copy protection, quality games, DECENT AI... Electronic Arts are pitiful, always have been. The EA Sports series is always crap. I'll pick up Madden every 2-3 years, or recently NFL Head Coach appeared for $5 in one store here. Yes, a whole $5. I don't mind paying that. But $50 EVERY YEAR for pretty much just a roster update with the same braindead AI? And mentioning all these new features but failing to specify it's certain versions only is despicable. Madden 08 was like that this year from what I read. A whole slew of new stuff promised, and surprise surprise, PC version is pretty much 07 with a different title screen.

Let me just reiterate decent AI... When multiplayer first started to take off and more and more companies added network support to games, I worried then that that would be seen as an excuse to forget the AI, which is exactly what has happened. AI is an afterthought in a lot of games now. Which leaves you with online play. But unless you're very hardcore and play 12 hours a day to get really good, you will go on and get destroyed by people who do, and have abuse hurled at you. Only online games I play are race sims, but there's another case in point. AI in race sims is pathetic. I'm a mid field driver in ability. But it's nice to challenge for the lead, but you won't, because of what we call aliens, who are ludicrously quick. rFactor is my favourite race sim, but the AI in it is so utterly braindead that offline racing is a chore, but online, if you don't like the popular mods and tracks, you can't get a race. So you're stuck hot lapping...

I bought Gal Civ 2 when it first came out (mainly to support a company that doesn't treat it's customers like thieves) but hadn't played it much. Got an email saying that they noticed I bought the game, but not Dark Avatar, and I could get DA and TOTA for $40. I scraped the funds together (can't work due to a chronic back problem so gaming dollars are limited) and did it. Installed everything.

Finally playing the game and loving every minute of it:)

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Electronic Arts are pitiful, always have been.

Actually, EA was a wonderful and responsive company back in the days of the Buten brothers(?? - you oldsters know what I mean); of Archon, and 7 Cities of Gold, and (heavenly trupets in the background) M.U.L.E.

Of course, that WAS ~20 years ago, and the suits have been running the company for a long time now.

drrider

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Mystikmind

Join Date 06/2004

+20

I dunno about 20 years ago? but going back say 17/18 years and thats when i got my first computer... an Amiga 2000! it had speedball II, Hybris and golf which were my 3 favourites.

There was a weakness in the design of the mouse ports on those machines tho, so it got chucked and i turned to IBM machines. My first game was Total Anihilation and as far as i can tell is still unbeaten by any RTS since then.

I mean c'mon, it even had James Earl Jones narrating! insane! hehehe

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Those were great games, I agree!

The company was a lot different when those came out. Not quite the evil mega-corporation it has since become.

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My young friend who is into such things tells me that if you liked Total A., you gotta try Supreme Commander.

drrider

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Mystikmind

Join Date 06/2004

+20

My young friend who is into such things tells me that if you liked Total A., you gotta try Supreme Commander.

drrider

I looked at Supreme commander and rejected it out of hand.... have to buy it twice to multiplay with my wife - as if i'm going to buy a game twice!! hahahaha it is just sooo stupid.

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When I said EA have always been pitiful I mean their current incarnation, which is all a lot of gamers have known.

And Speedball II was'nt an EA game. It was developed by Bitmap Brothers. It was published by Imageworks/Mirrorsoft in the rest of the world, and Konami in the US market.

Total Annihilation is one of my favourite RTS games. Still have it installed. But probably my favourite RTS has always been Myth II. No resource gathering. Just blood and carnage.

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Mystikmind

Join Date 06/2004

+20

Total Annihilation is one of my favourite RTS games. Still have it installed.

I have been playing it all this week actually! Last night I was playing that mission called ‘the defence of larab habour’. One of my favourite missions. Anyway I was trying to beat that mission on hard without using naval units and failed! The commander is just too slow reclaiming metal under water! I gotta have those construction ships,,,, then I gotta have subs to protect the construction ships but then with subs it is too easy to win, grrrr.

If i really feel like making myself sweat, then i will go and play the Krogoth encounter mission and try and survive without using dragons teeth!! That is an awesome mission, although the early air raids are a tad inconvinient for my liking.

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