My Experience:
I talked Tang into buying this game for me when we went into Game
STOP! "Just to look".
I had been waiting about a month to get the game, I knew about it just prior
to release because I get the "Legacy Interactive" newsletter. I was pretty
stoked, I love the show and I enjoy trying to figure the cases out while
I watch, what better way to play along than to buy a game! I really wanted
the game to be cool.
My machine far exceeds the minimum requirements and I knew all my drivers
were up to date and the comp was virus free. I turned off all extra programs
leaving only the needed windows files going and my Sygate (Internet sharing
program) and my Zonealarm (I never have the comp on without Zonealarm....
I KNOW you're still out there DOODLEBUG you fucker, hope you enjoyed JAIL!)
running. I gave the new game permission to use the internet so I would have
no disruptions from Zonealarm while I tried to play. I have the most recent
edition of DirectX and all my components were running properly, the installation
was a success and I was ready to go. Only problem is, I can't seem to get
the damn thing to work.
Deep breath and calm myself down, I look to the manual for advice. It doesnt
provide troubleshooting!!!! What kind of fucked up manual doesnt provide
troubleshooting???? Oh, Legacy Interactive apparently. So I try some common
sense things. I recheck my files and folders, run a virus scan and check
to see that everything is running right. I try the game again. TA-DA! It
works... even though I didn't change anything, it works now all of a sudden.
I chalk it up to a buggy first run, not unusual.
Maiden voyage is underway now and I watch the opening credits, the game freezes
on a black screen. Hmmmm, now what? By this time I am cussing under my breath
and Tang is starting to worry. I CTRL-ALT-DEL to see what programs are running
and if any have stopped up the program. YUP, there it is.... Zonealarm is
not responding. Looks like I have to shut it down. Problem with that is I'm
on DSL, and to shut down ZoneAlarm would leave me defenseless (Not to mention
Tang's comp too since we're networked!) So I make sure Tang is done with
surfing and I disconnect the cables to my DSL then shut off ZAP (ZoneAlarm
Pro) and reset the computer. Game fires up and I'm ready to catch bad guys
again.
This time I make it a few minutes into the game, up to the crime scene
and I'm frozen again. This time no black screen but I'm stuck none-the-less.
More cussing under my breath as I push reset and listen to my computer whine.
Go through scandisk because of the hard reboot and wait some more. Everything
checks out, lets do this again. We're going on about 35 minutes of problems
now and I'm cussing like a sailor.
I visit the official website for some hints and tips, hoping maybe they have
some common sense suggestions I may have just not thought of yet. I run through
the FAQ, no luck. I run through the troubleshooting and I find there is actually
a LIST of patches. The freaking game JUST came out and already we have a
LIST of patches (Three to be exact!) I look through the list, seems there
are different patches for diferent kinds of computers. The one I downloaded
isn't even REALLY for me. The only one that looks like it MIGHT help me is
the one intended for computers running an older version of DirectX. As I
said, I have the MOST recent version of DirectX, but there is no other mention
on the site for things I can do. I'm willing to run around my neighborhood
naked with tinsel tied to my nipples at this point if they told me it would
help.
After downloading and installing I seem to be doing ok for awhile. I get
pretty far into the first half of the game and then freeze again. At this
point I am fed up and shut it off for the night.
Day two isn't any better. I have had NO luck getting it to run very well.
In order to even play for ten minutes before it freezes I have to: Unplug
my DSL, Turn off ZAP, turn ON QuickTime player and PRAY to all that is mighty
it'll work this time. Even with that big long list of things to do, I'm not
guarenteed it's going to work. It's very buggy, very temperamental you never
know when it's gonna work. I even went as far as reinstalling DirectX and
Quicktime just to see if I could kickstart this thing.
Needless to say I am at the end of my rope with this thing and I'll be returning
it to the store for a full refund. A HUGE dissapointment. The game would
be cool if Legacy could get thier shit together!
PROBLEM 1: The first thing wrong
with this game is the lack of compatibility with a wide range of computers.
I think if you're going to release a game like this you need to make it work
with as many kinds of computers as possible. My machine is NOT that unique,
it is pretty basic in it's design, I haven't messed with much (Besides adding
Ja-goonda RAM and some neat perifs.) so there is NO reason it should not
work with MOST games.
I have ALWAYS had a problem with Legacy Interactive's games. I LOVE the games,
things like Code Blue and Vet Emergency and other medical games.... but they
all have one thing in common.... the habit of freezing and crashing for NO
REASON. It isn't even an isolated incidence with my computer either since
I have 4 computers in this house (4 completely DIFFERENT brands and models)
and I can't get the games to run smoothly on ANY of them. My obvious conclusion
is that Legacy has not tested these games with enough different computers.
PROBLEM 2: No easy fix. I want to be
able to download ONE patch to fix a game. It's JUST been released and already
on the main site they offer 3 patches for the game! That should tell
them something about their product, don't you think? It stinks of Anarchy
Online all over again (The fact it was released before it was ready and they
ended up losing a lot of customers because of the early release and all the
problems....) It's like playing a Beta that I had to PAY to test for
them.
Each of the patches on the site will fix one problem in particular. If you
download the wrong patch you could REALLY screw things up. Sure the advice
of downloading your most recent drivers is excellent and certainly worth
saying, but having to search through three patches to find the one that MIGHT
work on my machine is just not my idea of fun.
Majority of users who will buy this game are NOT hard-core gamers like me.
They are the avarege Joe just trying to find a game to enjoy in their spare
time. They won't understand how to check your chipset and what version of
DirectX you're running or even how to see if they have the latest drivers!
Legacy doesn't seem to care about that though and makes this process of getting
the game to run, too much of a pain in the ASS.
PROBLEM 3:
Customer service obviously doesn't know how to read. I sent in a complaint
and a request for assitance to the email address provided in the manual.
I gave EXPLICIT details of my computer setup and configuration as well as
ALL the needed info from the DXdiag report. I give painfull details about
what I did to get the game to run and which patch I downloaded and the result.
What do I get back? Some freaking request for the SAME information I just
sent in the FIRST email! They asked for the EXACT info I sent in the first
place, they didn't bother to read the email I sent!!!! ARG! Wake up Legacy!
I'm trying to give you a chance here! I love the ideas of your games, and
if you can get your shit together I'd be more than happy to spread the word.
At this point in my adventure with the game I'd say a big fat NO WAY if you
wanted to buy it. If you're into a pain in the ass and the very likely scenario
of you pulling your hair out in frustration... give it a shot. Who
knows, you might be the lucky individual who has the ONE kind of computer
this will run on!
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