From gould@bnr.ca Wed Oct 9 00:27:36 EDT 1996 Article: 186108 of comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action Path: prism!gt-news!gatech!news.mathworks.com!www.nntp.primenet.com!nntp.primenet.com!howland.erols.net!news-peer.gsl.net!news.gsl.net!portc01.blue.aol.com!newsstand.cit.cornell.edu!news.acsu.buffalo.edu!news.drenet.dnd.ca!crc-news.doc.ca!nott!bcarh189.bnr.ca!bmtlh10.bnr.ca!news From: gould@bnr.ca (Doug Gould) Newsgroups: alt.games.mechwarrior2,comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action Subject: Activision sucks! [was: ...MW2's Mechlab in Mercs] Date: 03 Oct 1996 14:33:01 -0400 Organization: Nortel Lines: 115 Message-ID: References: <324CA3DA.2DF8@alumni.caltech.edu> <52qrog$45j@newsbf02.news.aol.com> <52s3ul$582@news1.halcyon.com> <01bbafff.4d189ac0$476c4fce@JMamais.activision.com> <32532C23.4220@activision.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: bmtlh653.bnr.ca In-reply-to: Tim Morten's message of Wed, 02 Oct 1996 19:59:47 -0700 X-Newsreader: Gnus v5.1 Status: RO In article <32532C23.4220@activision.com> Tim Morten writes: > Doug Gould wrote: > > > I remember hearing the same crap about the stupid joystick/turret > > control way back when MW2 was first released. Has there been a fix? - > > NO. I'll be very surprised to see that you deal with the mech lab any > > differently. > > Actually, our user base was so divided on the joystick control issue > that it didn't make sense for us to change that, despite the verbosity > of those that didn't like it. O.K. Speak up ye who like the current implementation of joystick/turret control! I havn't heard *one* person say they like it. The most positive thing that I have heard is that people don't mind, 'cause the mouse control is so much better. The fact is, that the mouse works O.K. but the Joystick could be much better. > > Regarding the mech lab, we are indeed committed to fixing the bugs and > improving the usability of the current design. > > > Also, you seem to imply that the changes required for Mercenaries > > precluded simply keeping the basic lab organization and improving it > > instead of the [apparently atrocious] complete reorganization that was > > done. ( Yes, yes! You'll see - square wheels will work much better > > than those primitive round ones!) Why re-invent the wheel? > > If you would prefer, I will state it clearly: the changes required for > Mercenaries precluded simply keeping the basic lab organization and > improving it. > Really? What's so different? As it stands, you did a complete redesign of the mech design system. At least you could have redesigned it along the same lines. But no, you had to throw out the original workable system, and come up with one that everyone hates. Good move. > > I for one, am very turned off by Activision. I will not be buying > > Mercenaries. As it looks right now, the next fighting robots game I > > will be buying is MWIII. Activision won't be involved in that one, > > right? > > Oh, wait a minute... you were criticizing the game I worked on without > having even seen it? Why did I waste my time answering this one? > Myself and many others use USENET as a means of determining what we will or will not purchase. I find that gaming newsgroups provide a much better insight to the quality and playability of games than paper reviews. I'm sure CGW and CGR will come out with favorable reviews, exalting the pretty pictures, but honestly that's not what I'm interested in. I'm interested in a game that is fun and easy to use. I game that will grab my interest and hold it for a few weeks or months. >From reading this group I have discovered. 1. The graphics are greatly improved. 2. Mercs is buggy 3. You ruined the mech lab 4. You haven't bothered to fix the joystick thing that I was waiting for. 5. The AI can shoot better, but still has some serious problems. 6. Salvage wasn't implemented as well as in MW1 So why should I buy this game? One who has a P166 and is impressed by pretty pictures, seems to be the only person I can think of who would enjoy it, and this doesn't describe me. Furthermore, you "Tim Morten" seemed to indicate that this problem would be fixed in a patch to MW2. Now more than a year, a patch and two releases later, the joystick behaves the same way. Old Quote from the MW2 Faq, part 2. % From: "Tim Morten" % Date: 3 Aug 1995 22:59:12 -0800 % % We are now actively looking at making the centering optional % based on yours and others suggestions. % % It pains me to hear frustrated users . > > Disappointed, > > > > Doug > > Disappointed, > Tim. Maybe you've been changed for the worse by your time at Activision. Back then, you were pained to see frustrated users. Now you seem miffed that we are still frustrated. I think you should try to keep the customer focus in mind. I am a potential customer that you have lost, and I know that there are many more like me that are also disappointed with the product they had (foolishly) bought, or are disillusioned with Activision's response to their concerns. Activision may be satisfied to cater to a growing market of clueless new Pentium owners who are impressed by flashy graphics at the expense of gameplay. If so, I highly recommend that Activision move into the "Interactive Movie" genre, but traditionally the sim market has been composed of mature serious gamers who demand quality products. If Activision can't satisfy us, then I'm not interested in buying their products. Sincerly, Doug Gould BTW - My views do not reflect on the views of Nortel. -- Douglas Gould - gould@nortel.ca ( Nortel Montreal )