Patch, what patch?

I wonder how it is selling in the US?

So PB refused to comment on the patch they´ve announced ages ago. (Probably because communicating patches is the publisher´s job.) And at the same time they´re saying the reason for the amient sound bug has been found. Is 2 +2 still 4?

Originally Posted by txa1265
I wonder how it is selling in the US?

Are you sure it´s selling at all? The buzz seems to be gone.

Looks like they again have a European (or at least German) hit and a US flop on their hands… I guess they're doomed to this fate for all eternity.

Originally Posted by Gorath
Are you sure it´s selling at all? The buzz seems to be gone.

I have no idea - I've made some inquiries … we'll see what turns up

Originally Posted by Thaurin
Looks like they again have a European (or at least German) hit and a US flop on their hands… I guess they're doomed to this fate for all eternity.

That makes it sound like it was out of their hands from the beginning; like it is some inherent US bias against the Gothic games. I just don't think that is true - I think Gothic 3 is a hardcore-oriented game that would have been a tough sell anyway, but the absolute buggy state of release made things even worse. Still, if the game was released in a rock-solid state I believe it could have sold very well.

I'm not so sure, because a Gothic game is still extremely unforgiving and unconventional. So it is for the hardcore RPG player, but maybe NA just doesn't have so many hardcore RPG playing people or want more action in their games? I remember Gothic 1+2 doing much better in Europe and they (non-Germany and US) got a pretty solid game compared to the German release.

Okay, I guess the PR in US was lousy for those games, but still.

Thaurin as txa1265 mentions this is not correct.
I think you are way off here, think about what your even implying as if the US never produced anything unconventional or unforgiving.
There is only so much Asypr can do with a game that won't run, as a matter of fact they did a damn fine job considering the circumstances Jo"WhoresGothic"Wood put them in and all us fans.

Look at all us fans on the defensive about every comment, instead of welcoming in the Hordes of new fans and teaching them the ins and outs of the great game Gothic's are we stuck making excusses we don't even know if they are true. about how, why and when about the game going wrong and when it will be fixed.

"NA just doesn't have so many hardcore RPG"
No offense but lets take this gem, do you see anything strange in this statment even in its complete context?

" I remember Gothic 1+2 doing much better in Europe……."
Ok maybe you don't know differently, but EU (non German Gothic 1 & 2 had planned PR the US didn't its simple, if people don't know you exist how can they buy your game.

I remember whether it was at Official forums or RPGDot, most non US people (not everyone obviously) would always claim this and how the US is so unfair or can't play for whatever reason.

Pre Asypr, I would bring up that not one single Dev, Evar took the time to do a 30 min phone interview or at least something with an US based English site, nothing.
They would say well just do a Google, of course I would have never thought of that and when I ask them to produce one I never saw one.

Even if you read the English links in this post the Dev says most Devs are Not comfortable typing on English boards.
Do I think this makes PB evil? errr no, the point is your blaming potental fans because they didn't even know PB existed.

You need to try on a different thinking cap.

I remember a couple weeks ago Gothic 3 was on Yahoos main page as being one the top 4 most downloaded demos that week.

I think the system requirements are most likely the #1 thing going against it. You really need an enthusiast level system to be able to run Gothic 3 smoothly, and that alienates the vast majority of the population.

Looking back, I really think the devs should have broken the map into sections instead of streaming the entire thing. Sure, you would have to endure some load screens every so often, but the gameplay would have been much smoother.

The official sales numbers at the beginning of the month were 350k worldwide except North America and Russia / CIS.

Shoulda, coulda been a million.

Okay, obviously someone is taking my comments about the NA gaming population much too personally. I was just musing, not blaming anyone, but whatever.

I frequent the Ars Technica gaming forum, a general , mostly 'norte americano' gamers forum and I would have to say that for every 100 posters playing and praising Oblivion, there is at least 1 playing Gothic. The Gothic series has always been a hard sell to that fairly sophisticated group of gamers, and the bugginess of G3 on release just turned it into an embarassment for the few of us who plug for the Gothic series.

Thaurin
"Okay, obviously someone….."
My mistake.

Gothic 3 is $39.95 US at Best Buy (Dec 16) and the shelf had 20 copies. I asked the sales person and He said it was a "Foreign game" from Germany, recomended "The Sims Pets" as an RPG for a gift. Some PR might help but I guess the rift continues.

I have no problem loving this game but the lack of hand holding in game(pointers, quest overlays on the mini map, etc.) might put off some players as will the high specs and bugs as stated here before. My forecast is this game will sit for a while, get patched and be discovered again in the Spring, has legs. Don't sell your Best buy stocks, Paraworld, another SalesPerson choice, sold out.

Originally Posted by sealight4
Gothic 3 is $39.95 US at Best Buy (Dec 16) and the shelf had 20 copies. I asked the sales person and He said it was a "Foreign game" from Germany, recomended "The Sims Pets" as an RPG for a gift. Some PR might help but I guess the rift continues.

I have no problem loving this game but the lack of hand holding in game(pointers, quest overlays on the mini map, etc.) might put off some players as will the high specs and bugs as stated here before. My forecast is this game will sit for a while, get patched and be discovered again in the Spring, has legs. Don't sell your Best buy stocks, Paraworld, another SalesPerson choice, sold out.

That's sad. It's also one of the reasons why I can't stand Best Buy. That's what you get when you hire a bunch of kids and pay them $8 an hour. They also have the most hard nosed return policy I've even seen for a retail store.

I would say it's about offering Options if you want the casual gamer, Oblivion obviously went WAY too far, but in general I think PB is trying to do the right thing with Gothic.

Most people whom play WoW are/were casual gamers, if I understand correctly where else do you get 1 to 2 million players in a couple months?

If PB wants the casual gamer they may have to offer more tips, and if they don’t they can keep making great open ended games which are more directed at experienced gamers.
To me it doesn't seem unreasonable to offer a Tips Option that can be toggled on or off depending on your abilities and experience.
The balance to me is offering help to new fans and allowing experienced fans and gamers and off option hardly seems complicated to me.

WHAT!!!!!!!!! We give tips here in forums, for those who need them!! Putting them in the game is a joke!! REAL Gamers don't need tips!!

Hey are Real Gamer's spose to have a Pitch Fork stuck in their butt?
You really should do something about that it will get infected.

I need tips occasionally. Sacred had quest pointers and Oblivion had pre done quests. The quests in G3 are given by the game, quests can be done before a npc gives them, making free roaming worthwile. This is the first time for me seeing this quest format. I can finish the game without following a certain progression.

You are right sealight4 re:quote….

[The quests in G3 are given by the game, quests can be done before a npc gives them, making free roaming worthwile. This is the first time for me seeing this quest format. I can finish the game without following a certain progression.]

…and just as equally, a quest or task can be missed just by the slightest deviation in question or answer. This is at the heart of dialogue led interactivity…..theoretically in line with this there should be in-game rewards.

….so in-game tips are 'out' in this regard….?