Well i got ut2003...
DOOManiac
Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">Boy do i feel like an idiot...</div>You know its a bad thing when the first thing out of your mouth when you take a new game out of its box is "What The ****!??".
I bought this game solely for mod making purposes, as I'm already commited to one mod, with a few more ides floating around in my head. Stuff that can't be done in the HL engine type things. So while the game itself is nice, I am more impressed with the engine.
But the execution of the product has left me both sad and angry. I was ###### off before I had even installed the thing, and even more ###### off after. I haven't even played it yet and I'm already compemplating returning the thing.
Why do you ask?
Well first of all, the game is 3 CD's. It requires 3GB free to install. Even with today's massive storage capacities, 3GB is a lot. Not to mention it taking about 30 minutes to install. But that isn't what made me upset. Its the fact that I paid $40 for a game and the publisher (ATARI no less) didn't even have the friggin common courtesy to include a jewel case. All three CD's, which you are expected to keep track of at least the first one to play, are in flimsy cheap paper sleeves. SLEEVES for crying out loud. I mean what the hell, even the much lower budget Serious Sam comes in a very nice jewel case, but a big name like UT can't? What's the deal? So now I have to dig out my own jewel cases so I don't lose these coasters...
I was pretty upset with the CD sleeves thing, but it wasn't the end of the world right? oh look the manual, I'll take a glance at it to see if it mentions the UT editor or the SDK, since UT1's manual did. I immediately went to try and find somethign for my eyes, as the sharp pain made me think something was in them. But no, nothing was in my eyes,it was simply the manual of the game. Bright orange text on a dark orange (with the occassional white/orange difference cloud effect) background. And the pictures of weapons? But of course, put into solid orange as well. I swear, I've never seen a worse manual in my entire life. Did nobody notice it stings your eyes to try and read this thing?
Also the CD-Key is located on the back of the manual, the #1 thing players lose first, and also the last place anybody with a brain ever looks.
Okay so the publisher made a bad choise with the CD packaging and the manual, its the game that counts right? So I pop in the CD's to install the thing only to be greeted with... nothing. My computer had trouble reading the disc, in a similar method to the overzealous copy-protection from Diablo 2. After about 30 seconds of empty spinning with no data read, the autoplay installer finally pops up. Oh goodie. So I start to install, and of course the installation freezes for a few moments no less than 10 times. And the way the data was distrubted upon the CD's was mind boggling. 75% of the installation was Disc 1. 25% was disc 2. It seems disc 3 was only there for show, because as soon as you are prompted to put it in and you do, the installation finishes. Nothing copied from it at all. I guess they just wanted to you prove you had it...
I haven't even tried the game yet. Honestly I'm afraid to. The way things are going, its a sure bet I'll have the same problem as Tycho from <a href="http://www.penny-arcade.com" target="_blank">Penny Arcade</a>. That is, the game quitting 10 seconds into the menu due to overzealous copyright protection.
ugh...
ITS HAPPY FUN TIME IN DOOM LAND :X
<!--EDIT|DOOManiac|Oct. 01 2002,02:03-->
I bought this game solely for mod making purposes, as I'm already commited to one mod, with a few more ides floating around in my head. Stuff that can't be done in the HL engine type things. So while the game itself is nice, I am more impressed with the engine.
But the execution of the product has left me both sad and angry. I was ###### off before I had even installed the thing, and even more ###### off after. I haven't even played it yet and I'm already compemplating returning the thing.
Why do you ask?
Well first of all, the game is 3 CD's. It requires 3GB free to install. Even with today's massive storage capacities, 3GB is a lot. Not to mention it taking about 30 minutes to install. But that isn't what made me upset. Its the fact that I paid $40 for a game and the publisher (ATARI no less) didn't even have the friggin common courtesy to include a jewel case. All three CD's, which you are expected to keep track of at least the first one to play, are in flimsy cheap paper sleeves. SLEEVES for crying out loud. I mean what the hell, even the much lower budget Serious Sam comes in a very nice jewel case, but a big name like UT can't? What's the deal? So now I have to dig out my own jewel cases so I don't lose these coasters...
I was pretty upset with the CD sleeves thing, but it wasn't the end of the world right? oh look the manual, I'll take a glance at it to see if it mentions the UT editor or the SDK, since UT1's manual did. I immediately went to try and find somethign for my eyes, as the sharp pain made me think something was in them. But no, nothing was in my eyes,it was simply the manual of the game. Bright orange text on a dark orange (with the occassional white/orange difference cloud effect) background. And the pictures of weapons? But of course, put into solid orange as well. I swear, I've never seen a worse manual in my entire life. Did nobody notice it stings your eyes to try and read this thing?
Also the CD-Key is located on the back of the manual, the #1 thing players lose first, and also the last place anybody with a brain ever looks.
Okay so the publisher made a bad choise with the CD packaging and the manual, its the game that counts right? So I pop in the CD's to install the thing only to be greeted with... nothing. My computer had trouble reading the disc, in a similar method to the overzealous copy-protection from Diablo 2. After about 30 seconds of empty spinning with no data read, the autoplay installer finally pops up. Oh goodie. So I start to install, and of course the installation freezes for a few moments no less than 10 times. And the way the data was distrubted upon the CD's was mind boggling. 75% of the installation was Disc 1. 25% was disc 2. It seems disc 3 was only there for show, because as soon as you are prompted to put it in and you do, the installation finishes. Nothing copied from it at all. I guess they just wanted to you prove you had it...
I haven't even tried the game yet. Honestly I'm afraid to. The way things are going, its a sure bet I'll have the same problem as Tycho from <a href="http://www.penny-arcade.com" target="_blank">Penny Arcade</a>. That is, the game quitting 10 seconds into the menu due to overzealous copyright protection.
ugh...
ITS HAPPY FUN TIME IN DOOM LAND :X
<!--EDIT|DOOManiac|Oct. 01 2002,02:03-->
Comments
I really do, because I've got NWN, which is also distributed by Atari, and recieved exactely the same treatment, down to the absolutely horrible manual.
Is it so difficult for someone publishing some of the most anticipated games on gods green earth to put a little thought into what comes with the game?
as for the manual of NWN, its not bad at all
its black on grey (basicaly B on W) and is layed out much the same as the PHB (players Hand Book for you non gaming junkies)
oh well what ever
as for UK2K3
I cant get the demo to work for some reason (no I dea why, /me planing on upgrading comp and compleatly wipeing my HDD at the same time, only problem is that my stupid ### school no longer lets us transfer files over the windows network thus I can't store my stuff on some one elses comp, BAH!!!!<!--emo&;)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo-->
At least they appologized and admitted the mistake, though still offer no explaination for the incredibly retarted CD sleeve issue...
Guess Atari didn't want to spend the sixpence it takes to actually make some professionals do the localization.
Lol, i jjust read that post. There is a simple explanation for everything. But they were going over the top about the packaging. In the Uk u just get a slimline dvd box with an insert. Just the way I like it, sick to death of all those big boxes. I can finally put my games on the book shelf.
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URGH! I hate games which come in "dvd" cases, I'd much rather dvds came in "cd" cases, which are much easy to store, and any games that come in "dvd" cases never have hard copies of manuals,only a pdf on the CD, which is even worse than a tiny manual.
The Op flashpoint manual was a good way of doing it! Side-ways on lots of info!
is Maya any good, say for starting or learning about 3d game design/modding/whatever/etc?
You betcha!
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td><b>Quote</b> </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"><!--QuoteEBegin-->for starting or learning about 3d game design/modding/whatever/etc<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
After going through lots of alternatives of answers on this part - all ending with maniacal mean laughter - I'd like to keep it short and say "If you haven't had any experience with CG before, I suggest you try something less complex first."
...
Bwahahahahahaha <!--emo&;)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo-->
Seriously, while Maya is a piece of art in coding and useability respects, the sheer variety of options and possibilities is just overwhelming. It's better to start with some freeware polygons-only system and then work yourself up, so you've got a feeling for what goes with what.
<!--EDIT|Nemesis Zero|Oct. 01 2002,12:16-->
DVD cases are huge, with old style you only have to keep the cd case, which can fit in your pocket (just) and also stack nicely on a desk and stuff, and CD holders fit them. The only reason I can see for "DVD cases" being invented was to brand DVDs better, and make them closer to VHs size cases for art. There's no real reason why they couldnt' have been sold in CD cases.
And there's no way you could fit a Civ3 style manual in a dvd case.
also, now after promising to post the manual PDF for the customers who got orange manuals, the guy has now decided not to for the stupidest reason on earth: He fears those nasty pirates will download the manual too! OH NO NOT THAT. Like it contains vital secrets not known to any other mortal. Actually it might, I haven't been able to read it. But the funny thing is there's a post on there saying the warez monkeys have already scanned the manual anyway, so really there's no point. But just like with copy protection, it doesn't matter how much the individual customer is inconvenienced I guess...
That is the weakest excuse ever, that's only not ridiculous but if I were a developer I'd encourage people without the game to download the manual, because often it is reading a manual from a friend's game that makes me want to buy the game.
Doesnt it make you feel all warm and full of hate inside?
<!--emo&;)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'><!--endemo-->
Ut2k3 Never did convince me, i never even downloaded the demo because i thought the whole idea of "UT with better graphics" was a load of crap. The thing that makes a game fun is the gameplay, not the graphics. Sure, they add to the atmosphere, but seriously, would you play a game like lets say "barbie's mythical playground" just because it has good graphics? pfft, i laugh in the faces of the people who think graphics make or break a game.
As for the "warez protection", well, lets just say that putting the CD key on the manual was a big mistake... as if any hardcore warez guy wouldnt just open up a couple of ut2k3 boxes and write down their cd key numbers... Same old crap, just more of a hassle for people who bought the game.