Mike Breitkreutz, now you're here, can you please say something about MP ?

Robert Plomp · September 13, 2001, 05:52

Mike,
(mr Breitkreutz in this ocasion since we need you sooo much and stay polite for that reason

)

can you please give us some information about multiplayer in civ3 ?
Will there indeed be no multiplayer ?
I see you're around right now. (big brother is watching you

)

please say at least something ( "we don't know yet" or "I can't tell you yet") so we wouldn't feel that ignored anymore......

CyberShy and 10,000 other apolytoners (and 9,999 that is)

Robert Plomp · September 13, 2001, 05:57

too late,
he's gone already

Rasputin · September 13, 2001, 10:10

they obviosuly dont care

Robert Plomp · September 13, 2001, 10:44

tomorrow there's a dev update.
if there's still no word about MP...... than even *I* will start to be woried.

Leonidas · September 13, 2001, 10:49

It is odd that nothing has been said about MP

Inverse Icarus · September 13, 2001, 15:59

because there is no multiplayer.

Steve Clark · September 13, 2001, 16:20

UberKruX, will you stop using that signature, you realize that it was a complete fake, don't you?

Firaxis will announce the details of Civ3 MP at the time they feel it's best.

Sabre2th · September 13, 2001, 16:28

I sent a nice little PM to Mike about this when he was on yesterday. No answer at all.

faded glory · September 13, 2001, 17:42

Hey guys,

Im very angry at all this. There is like a cloud of conspiracy and denial around this wole MP issue. A Viel of secrecy and code of silence. Nobody from firaxis is saying anything, and people are speculating everything.

If firaxis does not address MP. I will not buy this game

. i refuse, after what happened too CTP2!!!

They pulled the plug on the MP patch because of sales plummeting

SITS · September 13, 2001, 19:06

When is the last time a Firaxisian posted?

dainbramaged13 · September 13, 2001, 20:50

A long while ago...

I was here a couple months ago, and i started a thread on colonies, which racked up 3 responses from a firaxian (and a mention and interactive animation about colonies on the civ3 site) and the mood was swell. There were many other threadsback then that were also being answered. Since then, there have been less and less answers to our questions. I have two theories as to why this is so, and they are not alternatives, but rather two things workign together.
a). i think that people on apolyton kept getting inflamed about firaxian responses, and even yelling at the firaxians to do this and do that, which kept them from giving us any sort of news, and discouraged them from posting at all. and
b). i think that kelly gilmore may have gotten in a bit of trouble for emailing mister pleasant about the multiplayer issue, and this has discouraged also other firaxians from saying anything, in fear that they too will get in trouble for releasing information that they were not authorized to do so.

the one thing I cant understand is the fact that they havent said anything on their site about the multiplayer. They should let their fans know, in at least SOME way, that there will be no multiplayer, and with some RATIONAL explanation to stop the flaming, or there will be even more falming when the game comes out with no notification. after all, there is such a thing as pre-orders, and they might be returned without multiplayer, which would make the retailers mad, for firaxis told them multiplayer would be included.

Leonidas · September 13, 2001, 21:14

If Firaxis could give us a definite answer, then at least these topics would die.

But their silence is deafening. . .

tniem · September 13, 2001, 21:57

Quote:

Originally posted by Leonidas
If Firaxis could give us a definite answer, then at least these topics would die.

Really all I want them to do. It is what they should do and should have done a long time.

Swissy · September 13, 2001, 22:35

Since Firaxis will not reply I did some investigating.

MP was one of the"improvements" Firaxis talked up early in the game developement. No specifics, but the spin was "a fully integrated MP system". That WAS bullet point under game features at all the pre-oder sites. Now I look and find EBgames, Gamestop AND the Infogrames sites no longer mention MP. Only amazon has MP listed under games features. I will watch the Amazon pre-order page, but I already expect it to change some time soon. This will be our confirmation, if Amazon drops the MP reference from their pre-order site, MP is out.

dexter4dxm · September 13, 2001, 23:10

Everything seems to be pointing towards the lack of multiplayer support.

Even look at Firaxis' response in the Civ3 FAQ:

"Will there be multiplayer support for Civ III?
We're working on some unique things with multiplayer, but we're not ready to start talking about it yet. It has always been challenging to make multiplayer really fun in turn-based games and we're looking at new ways of approaching that. "

Not ready to start talking about it yet? You've got to be kidding! The game is set to be released next month, and you're not ready to talk about multiplayer?! Many loyal, and I do mean loyal, Civ fans are vowing not to buy the game because of this b.s., and still, you aren't ready to talk about multiplayer. I sure as hell am not going to pay a single dime for this crap, even if multiplayer comes out 2 weeks after the game.

I still have hope that this whole thing is some sick joke, but every day that passes is making it look more and more like I'm setting myself up for dissapointment.

Urban Ranger · September 13, 2001, 23:15

It's one of the issues they need to clarify - fast. Either a yes or a no will do.

faded glory · September 14, 2001, 01:14

This is disgusting

Firaxis needs to answer the consumer NOW.
OR ELSE I WILL NOT BYE THIS GAME

If there silence persists, forget it! I will stay with CTP pbem games until there is a pirated version, or until someone I know lets me borrow and install it.

After all, you dont need the CD to play

MarkG · September 14, 2001, 01:55

It's unfair to ask personally from a developer to do the PR, isnt it? Especially in this case, it's not their job to make any kind statement that will be taken as official.

If you want firaxis to hear you, use the "game feedback" page on firaxis.com

September 14, 2001, 02:00

You are right, of course. The question should be directed toward Firaxis as a whole. But maybe if someone from Firaxis would address the issue, there wouldn't have been a hasty attempt to get the information.

UKScud · September 14, 2001, 02:03

Mark

Have you tried getting to the firaxis.com site...

You can't...at least, not when I checked a minute ago?

any idea wot's up?

MarkG · September 14, 2001, 02:06

Quote:

Originally posted by UKScud
Have you tried getting to the firaxis.com site...

actually, i did visit it at the time of my post above

UKScud · September 14, 2001, 02:13

Mark

Well, my 'puters having a brainstorm then, cos it can load
the other things I'm looking at at the moment, but www.firaxis.com, it's on a blacklist. I'm trying through the civ3.com site, and just typing in the URL but no luck.

Any others having problems?

Robert Plomp · September 14, 2001, 03:36

Quote:

It's unfair to ask personally from a developer to do the PR, isnt it?

that's right.
I'm not holding Mike or any of them responsible for that.
I won't blame Firaxis anyway, I'm sure they have a good reason to not tell us.

The reason why I post a thread like this is to draw their attention hoping they'll decide to answer.

In fact my latest opinion is that they didn't decide themselves yet if MP is in or not.

Mike Breitkreutz FIRAXIS · September 14, 2001, 03:55

I apologize for not answering any of your posts/questions sooner but after watching thousands of people lose their lives on television, questions about a game were hardly the first thing on my mind this week... Not that I have a problem with your questions or anything; it's just that between the recent tragedy and my intense work schedule, Apolyton hasn't been foremost in my thoughts.

But anyway, as you probably know, we've all been hard at work on Civ3 recently, and while it may seem that we are ignoring you, we really don't have time to be answering posts on a regular basis. I try to answer questions when I get a spare moment but I'm really concentrating on making the game kick a**!

Since I don't have time to respond to all of your posts, I do continue to read as many as possible because I feel it is important to hear what the fans of the game have to say. Just because we don't respond doesn't mean we aren't reading or listening....

You should also be aware that when we are logged on, we are not necessarily looking at any given moment. I, personally, often come to Apolyton while I am compiling my code and minimize the window when it's done. Apolyton stays minimized on my desktop for hours at a time until I have a chance to get back to it.

In response to your questions, I cannot make any "official" statements regarding any subject that has not been previously announced or talked about by Firaxis PR (i.e., Jeff Briggs, Sid, Kelley, Jeff Morris, etc.). It wouldn't be proper for me to announce things about the game. My job is to program the game and make sure it works well, not PR. All questions of this nature should be directed to askthecivteam@firaxis.com and they will be answered when the time is deemed appropriate. If you want clarifications on subjects we've already talked about, I will try my best to answer when I've got some spare time (what is this "spare time" anyway?

).

UKScud: I'm not sure why you can't access www.firaxis.com; it seems to be there. The link you provided has a comma in it though...

yin26 · September 14, 2001, 04:33

Step away from the firing line, Mike. You are excused.

Keep up the good work on YOUR end of things, at least...let the higher-ups screw PR into the ground.

Robert Plomp · September 14, 2001, 04:38

Thanks Mike !

I think most of us at Apolyton got more attention to the WTC thingy. Read the Off Topic forum, 6 pages of threads about it.

Thanks for your answer.

CyberShy

tniem · September 14, 2001, 10:29

Thanks for the reply Mike.

Please understand most of us are not mad at you. We just wish that someone from Firaxis would explain MP to us. That is all, just a simple post on your own website.

P.S. I hope your family and the entire Firaxis family is doing alright after the blast.

TechWins · September 14, 2001, 11:07

Thanks Mike for giving us a post of that manner.

Leonidas · September 14, 2001, 14:32

Swissy; nice detective work - thanks

Yin: LOL

Mike: thanks for the reply. We understand your situation. No one is mad. We just wanted an answer to the question

Best of luck on your efforts.

Wiglaf · September 14, 2001, 18:45

*grovel mode on*

guys, the truth of the matter is we still don't have an answer, yet the crowd is calmer and the small riot has faded away. Welcome to the joys of PR, and you all fell for it.

very diplomatic post, though, mike

Quote:

Mike: thanks for the reply.

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Thanks Mike for giving us a post of that manner.

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Thanks Mike !

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Keep up the good work on YOUR end of things

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Thanks for the reply Mike.

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