QFT

Every single piece of software ever released has a bug in it.

I'm not quite sure, I know it was before the PS3 got any major fix's though. About 4-5 weeks after release, maybe 6?

You had problems with Batman: Arkham City? I have yet to hear of anybody else with problems with this great game...

I don't really buy some of the excuses made for Beth's open-world games. For instance, in Skyrim, some of the quests break or bug out if you don't do things in the right order, e.g. you get the Void Salts before you speak to the appropriate character. That's not a matter of accounting for different systems -- that's just a bug slipping through that should not have. /whydon'twehaveashakefistsmiley

Can someone tell me why Bethesda or other game developers before the Game of the Year or Ultimate Edition are released, they do not visit the games mod sites and use the fixes available as a method of finding bugs in their game and then releasing a final patch that can benefit not just the PC gamers but the console gamers that cannot install mods?

I'm not advocating game developers steal content from mod makers, but literally use it as a check list. The included .esp/.esm will take them directly to the bug in their game, they can eyeball it themeselves, and maybe create their own fix.

I know that they requre bug testing before release, but when they release a GOTY or similar they are releasing a new game, so why not a more thorough bug testing? The game will generate new revenue from budget game hunters and sometimes off the same people who bought the original but now they want the GOTY or their original discs broke or whatever. But if they don't they are effectively releasing 2 games but without a 2nd round of strong bug testing. I'm sure the press release stating that the game is now almost bug free would greatly help with sales and increase customer satisfaction with the company.

Also with the GOTY or similar, they could also look at adding a couple of simple features that can really enhance players experience, these features are also listed in popular mods. Not the complicated mods with total game rebalances, but there are plenty of very small in size updates that do really improve the game experience. What a grenade/sprint key for Fallout: New Vegas wouldn't be popular, might spoil the balance you say? Bah I say to you, the game would benefit and give it a 2nd lease of life for those familar with it.

- gnrfan
I guess I do have bad luck. The directx 11 issues don't bother me because grahpics aren't the be all and end all of games for me. But the game deleting a save??? Fuuuuuuu......

- Oof
Even though Skyrim has those bugs, I don't hate those bugs, silly but often easily fixed. If game however that is based on an engine from 2002, it doesn't have high resolution textures, it isn't running high quality shaders but 30fps are hard to achieve on good quality PC shouldn't you be concerned to look at how the game is optimised? Fixed in January but still, shouldn't have been released like that. I feel as a paying customer.

- Solidor
Maybe the PS3 situation wasn't as bad as I read it, often a vocal minority can seem like a majority.

- Systemshock
Games having bugs isn't my problem, games have vast amounts of bugs that prevent you from playing or completing a game should not be considered acceptable.

- MrMike
Those are indeed my same suggestions, they will probably be the better option for me. However I am also like to have the story spoiled before I get to play it, if I leave it too long.

- The Terror of Death
I've pondered that if Fallout: New Vegas was released being patched similar to the Ultimate Edition (without DLCs) how people would have reviewed it. Perhaps instead of an average 84% they would get 89-90%. If they got those % I wonder if they'd have a massive increase in sales, or not enough of a difference to delay the launch.

- Vometia
Yes, I'd play it more if it was like that. Maybe a Speedball style of violence on FIFA too.

I must say, it's been quite a while since I've had to deal with any serious bugs in games I've played. This is because these days I typically wait a while (6-12 months after release) before purchasing a game (along with checking plenty of reviews before purchasing), with the rare exception of games released by companies that have a proven track record of really polishing their games for release (although in such cases I still double-check reviews before buying, just to be on the safe side). As a nice side effect I rarely pay over $20 for games, and in most cases am able to pick up games for under $10. Basically I've solved the problem of buggy games simply by altering my behavior- much easier to do than to try to make the rest of the world change to suit my desires.

To any devs or publishers I have only this to say- if I play your game, it will be pretty much bug free. This is a given. If I play your game, when I play your game, and how much I pay for your game are the questions that are up in the air, and the answers to those questions depend entirely on the decisions you make.

I like this attitude.

Yes. I bought it the week it was released, and played thru the game 3 times before even thinking about playing another game.

Alpha Protocol really is good. The combat mechanics svck, but most everything else about it is awesome. Didn't experience any problems on my playthrough...

It's like Mass Effect, but with much better dialogue and characters.

From those with patience I've heard its a good game and I want to play it, but when game mechanics are causing me to die and not the AI being better or my reflexes being too slow I just nerd rage at the screen.

I didn't buy Skyrim because i heard that it had framerate issues with the ps3. I had the same problems with fallout 3 and new vegas, so i completely dodged skyrim.

Like I've many times I've talked about it before, Wizards and Warriors on the PC is nothing but bugs. It would have been a great RPG if only Activision took the time to test it first before shipping out.

My philosophy exactly!

Games developers like Bugthesda are digging themselves a hole that is gonna be hard to climb out of!

edit : and btw, this also applies to console games