Not feeling the love from Stardock...

A little bit of helpful information, such as where you purchased the game, what country you purchased it in (if not bought on-line), and what exactly the nature of your error is would be more helpful than spitting out endless amounts of drama punctuated with ridiculous alliteration usage.

-HM

We need a little bit more information. For instance, where did you buy your game?

And don't you think it a bit of a stretch to make statments to say things like:

Maybe the good people at Stardock should take a little time off from playing video games (oh, sorry...BETA testing) to address the enormous customer service debacle they've managed to create before they lose more sales to their own misguided copy protection efforts than the treacherous legion of software pirates that their industry regards with such dread.

The game has no copy protection whatsoever.  It does require the serial # to obtain updates. This is not "bait and switch".  It has always been how we've done things.  Moreover, how is entering a serial # painful?

You can click on the downloads section of this site and get 1.0X RIGHT NOW. If you find Stardock Central confusing or problematic, then don't use it. Use the stand alone programs.

While I think you are overstating the nature of your problem, and not being very reasonable with your expectations, in addition to deliberately flaming Stardock--which even I find offensive as they are easily the most responsive dev team I have seen in 9 years of RTS and TBS computer gaming (Have you even tried to play/get help for Battle For Middle Earth II?), I will say:

I initially had the problem where my serial number was rejected--then I realized why. If you bought the Collector's Edition in the store, there is a slip of paper in it that has a hyphenated serial number on it, and directs you to the downloads portion of this website...that is NOT the number you need to enter when installing the game or under the "update serial" option. The REAL serial number is not hyphenated and on the back of the CD jewel case.

Unfortunately I have to agree Fritz. Having to download and install bloated software just to download a patch is a pain in the you know what. Furthermore, not from lack of trying, I can't seem to download the Beta patch onto a box that is other than the one GCIV is installed on. My particular problem stems from the fact that my GCIV box is not connected to the Internet. All updates MUST be downoaded from an Internet box and transferred to it for install. Connection of the GICV box to the Internet is NOT an option.

I really don't see what's the big deal with entering the serial number at installation and leaving the CD in when playing. I prefer to go to a support site ANONYMOUSLY and download the latest patches and go about my business without having to provide my personal info which frankly is none of your business. I believe my personal privacy is as important if not more so than your right to protect your product that I have legally purchased a licensed for.

Between the all the game bugs, registration fiasco, and Stardock Central mess - I'd really like to return the game for my money back. But that's not posible is it??? I guess I'm stuck with another useless coaster on my desk. Truly disappointed and disgruntled.

Unless I'm remembering incorrectly, I don't think it's such a big deal to give Stardock your email address so you can download the patch. You didn't seem to have any problems giving it to them so you could post on the forums.

The beta patch is just that - a beta, designed for their serious fanboys to try out the new features. You are more than welcome to wait for the the next official release, which you be able to download from your web browser, and then transfer by USB thumb drive, CD-R, whatever, to the PC of your choice.

Hey, I prefer the convenience of being able to download a patch from any of a number of servers across the Internet, but the thing I hate far worse is copy protection/having to keep the CD/DVD in the drive when I start the game. Stardock's answer is a much smaller burden to bear than dragging all my CDs around with me if I want to play somewhere other than on my main PC.

-HM

You just have to love the over wordy and over dramatic language of the OP.

geez, do you need to type like THAT! This is a gaming forum you know.

I think I get your problem but to be frank, it's too ... heh ... dramatic to read for a Video Game board.

For the record the no-protection thingy work just right for me. I have 2 DVD-drives on my PC but one of the fried. The Soundtrack in the game is not realy good so I have been running my own MP3. Good thing since I don't need to swap disk.


I never have a problem with the CD-key or Stardock central. In fact, now I think I don't know what was my CD-key. Buying a Digital copy I think it was typed in automatically for me. I have been upgrading every single patch through Stardock Central (and that's 6 so far counting the 4 betas). To me it's less work comparing to the "I agree - next - next - finish" routine.



But as Frog say, you can download the sepearte executable and apply it yourself. So I don't understand what you complain about. StarDock central is an option, not the only method. The reason you only see 1.0X for the manual now because the next patch is still in beta and the beta is only on Stardock Central. But if you can not handle or patience enough to use Stadock central, you won't be able to handle the frustriation beta testing the patch.


So in the end it actually works to your benefit

You do not... I repeat... do NOT have to use SDC.

Knew I'd get flamed for this one. I probably even deserve it.

I'm just trying to communicate my FRUSTRATION at having to jump through so many hoops to perform a simple task when the whole reason I purchased the product was to avoid said hoops...and how my ire has only been increased by the unresponsiveness of email tech support.

It is a measure of the quality of the game that I find it frustrating at all. After all, if the game sucked, I wouldn't be bothered. I'd just toss it in the trash and call it a loss. So before all the fanboys pile on the virtual lynch mob, keep in mind that I'm not trying to crap on the game itself, or its developers. (Although it may sound like it) There is no doubt in my mind that the crew of Stardock are a smart, hard working and honorable bunch...that much is obvious from their postings, and their commitment to making a quality product. I don't mean to imply anything to the contrary. The fact that my posting was not simply quietly deleted, and managed to even attract sincere efforts to help in spite of my undeniably combative tone is a tribute to the patience of the developers, who probably wish they had a voodoo doll of me so that they could tie it in knots. I'm just complaining about what I feel is an overly complicated and definitely buggy software protection method, and how it appears to victimize trustworthy customers instead of the teeming masses of despicable software pirates lurking around every corner who inspired it.

(For those of you who find me too verbose: the short version of this paragraph is EXCUUUUUSE ME. Now, doesn't the wordy version sound more polite?)

On a more ironic note, which many of you can feel smug about: no sooner did I post this than tech support came through for me. So I am going to go get a spoon and a bowl and have a huge helping of crow.

I do, however, feel that the whole registration process is less than obvious to the casual user, and could use a bit of polish. I think it is easy for the technosavvy out there to forget how intolerable many of the practices of the software industry would be in any other consumer product. (We are, after all, the same unwashed masses who utterly failed to master setting our VCR clocks) Maybe this posting will serve as a reminder. OR maybe it will just serve as a warning to other irritated uses to just shut up and wait for tech support. Either way, keep up the good work or same to ya. Whatever.

The OP appears to be very well-read and educated ("over wordy" to the... less literate among us), and ironically, Fritz, your ire differs from my own only in topic; in my case, it was the steaming pile of excrement that is the Verisign system that Stardock uses to authenticate online payments.

I took my exasperation to Stardock directly, via an e-mail to their customer service. Like you, Fritz, I sometimes find myself to be... overly eloquent when I'm pissed off, and my e-mail was thus a bit overboard. Nonetheless, I received a reply within two days later from Kim, who was quite possibly the most polite, capable customer service rep I've ever dealt with. Anyone can respond to an angry e-mail with rote information, but it takes someone with a good sense of empathy to apologize and offer alternatives in such a defusing (yet not patronizing) manner as she did.
I went from swearing in my original message that I wouldn't be buying the game to keeping an eye out for it for weeks, before finding a half-crushed copy at my local Wal-Mart. And I don't even like the game all that much; these are the kind of people who deserve our gaming dollar, even if only so more companies will follow their lead.

This was a week or two after the release, too, when they were no doubt inundated with dozens of OMG SI TEH BR0KE!!!111 messages from the usual mouth-breathing idiots. Give them some time, and explain your problem; I have no doubt they'll work with you to resolve it.

EDIT: Teach me to wander off to make supper when posting. You've already had the issue resolved.

Ooh, yes, Verisign is evil. Actually, for the rock bottom of customer support, I direct you to Network Solutions, for whom Dante is rewriting the Inferno to include a special place for. It took me two months, three faxes and a threat to their legal department to get them to release my domain name for transfer. In that time I actually had a CSR lie to me and pretend to be his own supervisor. Appalling.

I'm going to go start a more positive thread now, in way of atonement.

Unfortunately I have to agree Fritz. Having to download and install bloated software just to download a patch is a pain in the you know what.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO USE STARDOCK CENTRAL.  Only for the betas. The retail 1.0X is right there, on the downloads page. It's a simple EXE download installer.

I'm not going to be as polite as Frogboy...

In response to post #5 by Gookamundo (nice name, really mature)

Unfortunately I have to agree Fritz. Having to download and install bloated software just to download a patch is a pain in the you know what.

You don't have to, did you actually read the posts above yours? Or hey, try the downloads button.

Furthermore, not from lack of trying, I can't seem to download the Beta patch onto a box that is other than the one GCIV is installed on. My particular problem stems from the fact that my GCIV box is not connected to the Internet. All updates MUST be downoaded from an Internet box and transferred to it for install. Connection of the GICV box to the Internet is NOT an option.

1) The game is called GC2, not GCIV or GICV.
2) Yeah, if you want beat updates, you have to go through SDC. Beta's should be harder to get so you don't break your game and that new players don't download it by mistake. Even if they have 10 warnings in big letters, people will download the newest patch, be it beta or final.

I really don't see what's the big deal with entering the serial number at installation and leaving the CD in when playing. I prefer to go to a support site ANONYMOUSLY and download the latest patches and go about my business without having to provide my personal info which frankly is none of your business. I believe my personal privacy is as important if not more so than your right to protect your product that I have legally purchased a licensed for.

You gave them personal info? Wow, that's weird, I gave them nothing and I am getting updates just fine. Unless you call your email address your personal privacy, which is pretty funny because you can spend 2 minutes and make a free email account.

Between the all the game bugs, registration fiasco, and Stardock Central mess - I'd really like to return the game for my money back. But that's not posible is it??? I guess I'm stuck with another useless coaster on my desk. Truly disappointed and disgruntled.

You can sometimes get a refund if you've purchased the game within 90 days. Link is here, I found it in about 30 seconds of searching and I don't even want my money back Link

Oh and btw, there was no registration fiasco or SDC mess. There is a demo out so you don't have much of an excuse for buying a buggy game.

Have you even tried posting in the Support/Bugs section or emailing SDC? I am guessing not, because all posts like this get answered by Frogboy pretty gd quickly. I feel bad that you can't get the game to work, but I don't feel bad that you are too lazy or deficient to get help. If making a post on a BBS or sending an email is too much trouble for you, you should really just do us all a favor and go play checkers.

For future reference Fritz, the user named Frogboy who has posted here in your thread twice already is none other than Brad Wardell, Stardock's CEO. So don't walk away thinking you didn't get SD's attention

Fritz my friend, you are beyond verbose. You'd get an A+ in a marketing or business course though, so keep the trying to make the minimum of points with a maximum of words.

Actually, I was considering a career in politics, as I have a proven ability to alienate at least 50% of everyone by simply opening my mouth, and talking (or writing) nonstop for hours while saying very little or nothing. (I'm already in marketing LOL)

But I don't have the earlobes for politics. Seriously, have you ever noticed the size of the earlobes on most politicians? I don't know why...maybe it's just one of the side effects of old age, like liver spots or something... but I suspect some sort of massive alien conspiracy. Strange but true.

BTW, xFlukex, in Gookamundo's defense, I didn't think it was immediately obvious that the 1.1 patch would be available anyplace other than Stardock Central, either. I got the same impression he did from reading these highly informative message boards. In any event, it still requires remote activation, which is what has been causing all of the trouble for everyone. Did the somewhat incidental and rathar ironic social lesson of this whole thread escape you? That is...lighten up? I sure learned it. I feel like I just farted during prayer time in the mosque.

But I'm done beating this horse. Voodoo dolls of me are on sale in the lobby...

After reading Fritz's posts I have this sudden urge to find a Shakespearean Insult website Link


"You speak unskilfully: or, if your knowledge be more, it is much darkened in your malice."

The sarcasm in me couldn't resist...

Fritz,

Perhaps I'm just k00ky, but it seemed intuitive to me that beta patches are only available via Stardock Central, but the official patches are also available via the GalCiv2 website.

I am curious to know exactly what had to be done to solve the problem you had with getting the GalCiv2 website and/or Stardock Central to recognize your serial number. I seem to remember you saying that they fixed your problem (and went on at length at how they did a good job), but that posting appears to have vanished. You state that this is "what has been causing all of the trouble for everyone," but honstly, from what I can see, it's a pretty small minority that have this issue. But even if it's a minority, if your solution can help others, that can only be a plus in the long run.

-HM

Skelton42. Great link. Thou ruttish swag-bellied hugger-mugger!

I don't usually get wordy when I post, But I didn't have any problem understaning the OP. The digs that followed regarding that I found hilarious.

I certainly can relate to being frustrated when things do not go smoothly. I ran into a problem DLing the beta. Posted about it, emailed about it, and checked the chat room for assistance. The chat room was a big waste of time, how dare they not have 24/7 chat room support. No chat avtivity at 3am, I mean come on. Wuzup with dat. (sigh, I know I must put in the "jk" disclaimer before I get flammed for that).

Am I frustrated. Yes. I want to get back to playing the game. (please hold the "it's a beta" rants. I KNOW what to expect from a beta). The problem I ran into has to do with SDC but not repeating it all again here.
Will I wait for it to get resolved? Of course. I know their busy trying to get this beta finalized and that this is not their only project.

My problem appears to have been that no registration information existed for me (even though I had entered my serial numbers before, I suppose I didn't do it in the right place, or in the right order, or when the moon was full, or whatever) Support gave me a link to register (https://www.galciv2.com/registration.aspx) and all went smoothly from there (although my firewall gave me a brief hiccup...I had to ferret out the magic checkbox in Windows to turn it off before activation would work properly).

Now I am happily crashing my game with the beta

Good link, Skeleton42.

But I don't have the earlobes for politics. Seriously, have you ever noticed the size of the earlobes on most politicians? I don't know why...maybe it's just one of the side effects of old age, like liver spots or something... but I suspect some sort of massive alien conspiracy. Strange but true.

Hmm

Ah yes, you probably entered the serial number improperly when you first installed, but got it right when you entered it in the web page. I actually did the same thing myself: I apparently typed it improperly on the install screens, but redid it within Stardock Central since it complained my serial was invalid, and then the patch downloaded fine. Since I keep a text file of all my games' serial numbers, I was actually able to compare what I originally typed with what I retyped, and lo, I did actually type it wrong the first time.

This is undoubtedly what happened to you, except instead of trying it a second time, you went ape on Stardock.

I really would love to stick it to you for wildly blaming Stardock for what turned out to be your error, but I'll just let it slide for now...

-HM