Great news on the patch, all of the fixes should quell some of the tension surrounding the games unpolished release. However, I couldn't help but notice that a few biggies were left out. No AA fix, no additional optimization, and no HTH redesign. Improving/adding these features would be a definite boon for the game. However, I cannot help the feeling that none of this will be addressed. I am no game design expert; for the amount of time I spend playing them my understanding of their development is relatively poor. Would the above enhancements cost too much to justify their inclusion? Is there a likelihood that they will be added in or will this simply serve as a lesson for future iterations of the game's lineage? I really hope that something will be done. I know that I sound like an ungrateful whiner, but damn it PB's previous excellence has set my standards. I could play for hours on end over and over again, now I can't bring myself to even finish the game. In its own right the game is good, please don't get me wrong. However, when measured against the others G3’s flaws suddenly shine through. I am not expecting PB to up the ante every time they release a new game. In truth I would take the same old engine, from G1. Visuals are great, bigger can be better, and more can be nice; but abandoning that which made Gothic great was a poor decision. I loved being able to find a really kick-ass weapon at the beginning of the game, I enjoyed seeing each LP I spent have an impact on my PC's performance, I really got into the tactical feel of the combat, there was so much to the first 2 games that made them great! Now all the towns are interchangeable, combat is simply boring, NPCs have lost their charm, improvements between levels of experience are marginal at best, the exhilaration of finding something rare and powerful is gone, and caves no longer hold any mystery or intrigue but mushrooms and lizards. I know that some will disagree and accept the game for what it is. I am not writing this to flame or rant, this is an impassioned plea to return to what made Gothic great, and set it apart from the crowd. God I am such a freaking nerd.