111 replies to this topic

[GhostofAnakin]

Seems Activision/Troika released a patch for Bloodlines. As I'm typing this, I'm downloading the patch, so I can't comment on how much it fixes/improves things. I'm hoping it improves performance and cuts down on the choppiness. Anyone used the patch yet?

[Judge Hades]

As I said before only 3 more to go.

[GhostofAnakin]

Hmm...it appears that the slowdowns and graphical glitches were not tweaked in the patch. Reading one of the patch information things it seems Activision/Troika is saying that part is the sole responsibility of each individual's computer specs. <_<

Guess it stays uninstalled for me then.

[Dark Wanderer]

Well, patch or not, it still doesn't fix the currently most annoying bug for me, so I won't bother to download the patch for now.

[Judge Hades]

It sounds like a worthless patch, so back to four.

[GhostofAnakin]

From the ReadMe:

FIXES IN THE PATCH
• Fixed C++ Runtime error on launch of the game due to older versions of Python interpreter.

• Fixed Invalid dialog responses due to older versions of Python interpreter.

• Fixed problem where keys and keycards may disappear from player’s inventory.

• Fixed problem where binding either Enter or Right Mouse Button to the Use key would cause the inventory window to immediately close after opening. These bindings are now no longer permitted.

• Added “Inventory Full – Items Dropped” message when player receives items beyond the inventory limit and added inspection particles to the dropped items. This addresses the issue with cameras being lost in the “Model Citizen quest.

• Fixed problem where a player would have both the vampire and warform models stuck together when both Fortitude and Protean (level 5) are activated.

• Fixed crash to desktop when the player returns to the boat after rescuing Johansen from the Society of Leopold.

• Fixed problem where the newspaper would report success in the “Model Citizen” quest even though the player had failed it.

• Fixed problem where the player can log on to the Theater computer before receiving the “Tangled Web” quest from Mitnick.

• Fixed problem with haven mailboxes not receiving award for completing the food critic quest. quest.

• Modified E dialog so that it is easier to receive the “Thinned Blood” quest.

• Modified Regent dialog so that he now recognizes completion of the Gargoyle quest.

• Modified Isaac dialog so that he now recognizes completion of the King’s Way and Gargoyle quests.

And additional notes:

IMPROVING GAME PERFORMANCE

Most performance problems reported to Activision Customer Support are due to computer systems not meeting the minimum system requirements or not having the latest video and sound card drivers installed.

If these are not the causes of any performance problems you are experiencing, we recommend that you try some or all of the following suggestions.

• Set your desktop to a resolution of 800x600, 32-bit True Color and play the game at that resolution.
• Shut down all background applications.
• Disable any anti-virus software you are running.

• Set the game’s Game Options to their minimum settings. In particular, disable Environmental Effects.

• This game requires a 1400MB swap file. If you are using Windows XP, 98, or ME, make sure that you have “Let Windows Manage My Virtual Memory” enabled, and if you are using Windows 2000, make sure that you have manually set your max swap file size to 1400MB. In addition, make that you actually have enough free space on your hard drive to facilitate the swap file (1400MB).

Not what I was hoping would be fixed/tweaked in the patch. <_<

[Dark Wanderer]

Four?

Dunno if I can say that it is entirely worthless through, as it fix the Society of Leopold bug (most annyoing bug in the game, but you can still use the console to escape it) plus the Isaac bug...

[Judge Hades]

I told someone, VOlourn I think, that if Bloodlines get four substantial patches which proves that Troika is doing proper backing and support for this game I would buy it.

[Dark Wanderer]

I told someone, VOlourn I think, that if Bloodlines get four substantial patches which proves that Troika is doing proper backing and support for this game I would buy it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Meaning that when the fourth patch is out, you'll buy bloodlines? :D "

[213374U]

The SoL bug was solved long ago by an unofficial patch by some dude.

Troika's claiming that the craptacular performance of the game is to blame on the users' computers is plain stupid, even more so considering that HL2 runs fine, and it's way more complex map and model-wise. I'm fearing that fixing those problems would require a major revision on their usage of the engine and probably couldn't be fixed through a patch. Nah, it's much better to deny any responsibility than admit that their job at adapting the Source engine just sucks.

I'm glad I didn't buy this game and if I had any intention of doing so they have helped me decide against it. At least this patch means I will have €50 more in my pocket.

[taks]

Reading one of the patch information things it seems Activision/Troika is saying that part is the sole responsibility of each individual's computer specs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

bold mine...

reading your posted readme on the patch, i'd say the "sole" comment is not true. they are saying that most are individual computer problems and i don't doubt them. most usually are. the specs this game are, in reality, higher than the average cpu out there.

remember, we are a very small minority of the game buying public. most of us that post in these places have a fair understanding what the "minimum requirements" of a new game mean. most of us also know what a failure to meet those requirements will do to performance.

that's not to say that there aren't issues, as i've heard there are many. however, i'm just pointing out that the activision statement in the readme is probably based on feedback generated by their tech support folk that has statements like "user was running with an Nvidia TNT2 and could not get it to work" as the number one problem on their certainly beefy list of issues...

it's sad to think that a society that is so entrenched with desktop computers still doesn't get it... but they don't.

taks

[Dark Wanderer]

The SoL bug was solved long ago by an unofficial patch by some dude.

I heard that. But perhaps not everyone who have brought Bloodlines knows this?

I'm glad I didn't buy this game and if I had any intention of doing so they have helped me decide against it. At least this patch means I will have €50 more in my pocket.

*shrugs* your loss, little Lasombra .

[taks]

oh, btw, our obviously geeky fascination with such things also jades our ability to judge a game as an average gamer. we tend to be overly sensitive to things that don't necessarily bother the masses. nothing wrong with that, of course, just pointing it out...

taks

[GhostofAnakin]

bold mine...

reading your posted readme on the patch, i'd say the "sole" comment is not true.  they are saying that most are individual computer problems and i don't doubt them.  most usually are.  the specs this game are, in reality, higher than the average cpu out there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd agree with that if it weren't for the fact they neglected to even acknowledge the slowdowns could also be on their side too, not just on the part of the PC owner.

It seems to me they're just placing blame on our PCs and that it's not actually a problem of their code. Which is false.

Fact remains, they didn't improve or fix what was the biggest issues with most gamers who own the game.

[213374U]

remember, we are a very small minority of the game buying public.  most of us that post in these places have a fair understanding what the "minimum requirements" of a new game mean.  most of us also know what a failure to meet those requirements will do to performance.

No, in fact it's pretty bold of them to claim that *most* of the performance issues are to blame on insufficient hardware when people whose PC specs are way over the minimal requirements are complaining about the same piss poor performance in crowded areas.

It doesn't look like they have fixed the memory leaks or random desktop crashes which affect most players, either. This patch only upgrades the game from the Alpha stages, to a nice Beta.

Cool!

[GhostofAnakin]

From the posts on planetvampire, it seems as though some people are even having MORE problems after installing the patch than they did before, while it didn't really improve the overall performance.

[Ludozee]

From the posts on planetvampire, it seems as though some people are even having MORE problems after installing the patch than they did before, while it didn't really improve the overall performance. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lol, exactly the same thing with Battlefront. I never felt so screwed in my life when I installed a patch that effectively jacked up the game

[Volourn]

"Most performance problems reported to Activision Customer Support are due to computer systems not meeting the minimum system requirements or not having the latest video and sound card drivers installed."

Hilarious! ROTFLMAOATWTKKUYPADYT

This is pathetic. My computer DESTROYS the reccomened specs, and it is slow as molasses. The arrogance on their part. Sorry; but 1 minute load times is YOUR fault; not MINE.

Jerks.

[Dark Wanderer]

Sorry; but 1 minute load times is YOUR fault; not MINE.

Just one minute? Consider yourself lucky ;p

[Diogo Ribeiro]

I told someone, VOlourn I think, that if Bloodlines get four substantial patches which proves that Troika is doing proper backing and support for this game I would buy it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You do know that the number of patches doesn't matter, right? It's about what it fixes. Quality, not quantity. A company that releases four patches that gradually fix things isn't giving better support than a company that only releases one patch that fixes everything simply because they released more.

Of course, this isn't to say Troika managed either with this patch for Bloodlines. Just pointing out the problem in your logic.