Tech Support Help from Lucas answers

[cold]

I feel like i repeat myself to much

Jason From Tech Support

 

What Drivers are you using? Can you send me your dxdiag

 

Me

 

From: Paul [mailto:paul@fauicehockey.com]

> Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2005 5:33 PM

> To: LucasArts Technical Support

> Subject: RE: STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC II (JS)

>

>

> Jason, here is the dxdiag.

>

> The drivers arent going to match up because i just tried just about

> every older version of catalyst and omega drivers.

>

> Cat 5.2 - Failed

> Cat 5.1 - Failed

> Omega Drivers w/ Cat5.1 - Failed

> Cat 4.11(current) - Failed

> Cat 4.10 - Crappy Drivers ANyways

 

Jason

 

> Hello,

>

> The current driver that you have installed for your video card could

be causing this problem to occur. I am going to recommend that you

download a new driver for your RADEON 9700 PRO Video Card at

Http://www.atitech.com. It's very important that you contact your

computer manufacturer before installing this NON-Manufacturer Update and

make sure this is acceptable.

>

> Please be sure to properly remove/uninstall previously installed

display drivers before installing the recommended driver on the machine.

Please note that we do not recommend making any changes to your system

without first contacting your computer manufacturer about the

configuration of your computer.

>

 

Me

 

From: Paul [mailto:paul@fauicehockey.com]

Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 9:50 AM

To: LucasArts Technical Support

Subject: RE: STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC II (JS)

 

 

 

Thanks for replying. As i mentioned before, i already updated my

drivers to 5.2, but here i did it again. Uninstalled, used driver

cleaner 3 to remove all files, then installed the new drivers from ATI.

new dxdiag is attatched

 

Jason

 

Hello,

 

I am going to recommend that you uninstall/reinstall/play the game after doing the following:

 

- Click on the Windows Start button and choose Run.

- Type MSCONFIG and click OK.

- Please select " Selective Startup "

- Please remove the check mark next to Load Startup Items.

 

After making these changes, you will need to click OK and then restart the computer for these changes to take effect.

 

If this does not resolve the problem, please go back into Msconfig and re-check those boxes and then select Normal Startup, clicking OK and restarting the computer to go back to your original startup.

 

 

 

I feel dumber now that i have emailed them, dont waste your time

[Master Dahvernas]

In all fairness... Most Tech Support people for companies like LA actually do not know what they are talking about. Seriously.

 

They have very little training and are being paid very little (hourly most of the time) and have answer databases that they look at whenever a problem like yours comes in. These answer databases are basically things any savy PC owner/gamer already knows after years of experience with their system (like the MSConfig thing... Which, by the way, is not the best way to shut down servies. Try Services.msc for better results).

 

In other words, I don't really blame these guys/gals on the other end... But on the same note, they should hire people with more motivation and training to fill those "lowly" positions and actually report BACK to LA and Quality Assurance about some of these issues. Especially, the ones that keep coming up over and over again like the ATI card issues people are having. It just makes good business sense to gather as much data before they go to Obsidian for a patch... But then again, good business sense and consumer responsibility/relations are apparently two diametraically opposed things in the corporate world which is very ironic considering without customer relations you have no bottom line.

[Berkut]

Isn't it funny, how companies try to save costs on development by releasing unfinished product and then spending big bucks on Tech Support in attempt to deal with angry customers... Next step is often to cut costs on Tech Support and "our source" it. At least you are corresponding with Jason and not some Rahji from India... :D

[swaaye]

Isn't it funny, how companies try to save costs on development by releasing unfinished product and then spending big bucks on Tech Support in attempt to deal with angry customers...   Next step is often to cut costs on Tech Support and "our source" it.  At least you are corresponding with Jason and not some Rahji from India... :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Yeah, they don't spend big bucks on Tech Support. They have it because they have to. Otherwise it wouldn't be such a waste of time and pain in the ass to use. I went thru the same crap with Creative Labs over my PCMCIA Audigy 2. It went nowhere for weeks basically....now they SAY they are looking into the issue, but that was like a month or more ago.

 

These companies don't want to F-up their bottom lines with extra costs like Tech Support and actually finishing their games. There was a time when tech support was actually the developers, so it was in their best interest to get it right the first time and actually learn from their mistakes. They couldn't afford to hire "Tech Support". It's too hard to do that nowadays and remain profitable and productive. I seriously wonder just how much feedback tech support gets to the developers, assuming LEC even cares about the game anymore now that it is well past its peak selling season. The PC version will sell insignifcantly compared to the Xbox version, and its even worse since it's not Xmas anymore.

 

It's an example of the problems of big business. And a direct result of the MASSIVE increase in development complexity and time.

[Master Dahvernas]

It's an example of the problems of big business. And a direct result of the MASSIVE increase in development complexity and time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

As the kids say... True 'Dat.

 

Here is an article that pretty much confirms what a lot of us were speculating about why the game is in such bad shape -- both techincally and even artistically towards the end:

 

http://www.gamespy.com/articles/588/588057p1.html?fromint=1

 

The main part (if you don't want to read all four pages):

 

Oh, and we know that LucasArts is notorious for handing developers ridiculously short development timetables, and forcing them to shove things out the door before the holiday rush. It's the reason why most of the company's titles suffer in one massive way or the other...

 

Anyone in the industry will hear "12-month development schedule" and immediately grimace. You can't make a complete game in 12-months, not one of that scale, let alone one the size of KotOR II. It's not possible. So you get Jedi Knight II, a functioning game with mediocre content, or you get KotOR II, a broken game with great content that gets abandoned near the end.

 

This is symptomatic of most (all) major publishers, but LucasArts seems to have it down to an exact science at this point. I think the only reason KotOR managed to largely avoid these issues is that BioWare was simply too large, too established, and too concerned about its (excellent) reputation to allow LucasArts to bully them. A startup developer working on sequels doesn't have the same luxuries that the world's premiere RPG powerhouse does. I'll be curious to see whether Obsidian is given more time on Neverwinter Nights 2. 'Course ... I didn't like the first game, so I suppose it doesn't really matter.

[swaaye]

It's an example of the problems of big business. And a direct result of the MASSIVE increase in development complexity and time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

As the kids say... True 'Dat.

 

Here is an article that pretty much confirms what a lot of us were speculating about why the game is in such bad shape -- both techincally and even artistically towards the end:

 

http://www.gamespy.com/articles/588/588057p1.html?fromint=1

 

The main part (if you don't want to read all four pages):

 

Oh, and we know that LucasArts is notorious for handing developers ridiculously short development timetables, and forcing them to shove things out the door before the holiday rush. It's the reason why most of the company's titles suffer in one massive way or the other...

 

Anyone in the industry will hear "12-month development schedule" and immediately grimace. You can't make a complete game in 12-months, not one of that scale, let alone one the size of KotOR II. It's not possible. So you get Jedi Knight II, a functioning game with mediocre content, or you get KotOR II, a broken game with great content that gets abandoned near the end.

 

This is symptomatic of most (all) major publishers, but LucasArts seems to have it down to an exact science at this point. I think the only reason KotOR managed to largely avoid these issues is that BioWare was simply too large, too established, and too concerned about its (excellent) reputation to allow LucasArts to bully them. A startup developer working on sequels doesn't have the same luxuries that the world's premiere RPG powerhouse does. I'll be curious to see whether Obsidian is given more time on Neverwinter Nights 2. 'Course ... I didn't like the first game, so I suppose it doesn't really matter.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Absolutely true and Absolutely disgusting. A good read though. Yeah LucasArts used to be one of the best game developers in the world. They fell completely apart right before Episode 1 came out, releasing like 5 really bad SW movie-based games. They've gone thru several management changes and lost A LOT of good people in every department. It's so saddening, depressing, and unfortunate.

 

But really how many of those game powerhouses are left? Sierra's gone (what's still there is NOT Sierra), LucasArts is a dim shadow of its original self (opinion to be finalized by Republic Commando), EA has turned into Satan's helper, Activision dreams of being EA's satanic puppy friend, Looking Glass died, the remaining piece (good part) of Ion Storm just croaked. Some have reformed into little companies like Obsidian or Troika (just died). It's a battlefield and we are the casualties really. Good game companies go away in exchange for sequel FPSs and Sports titles.

 

Excuse me while I stop playing KOTOR2 and go load up Full Throttle to finish the saved game I'm working on there.

[markussun]

Troika just died?!?

 

swaaye, yes the gaming industry has become disgusting... both for creative game designers with bright ideas, and for gamers who want to be entertained.

 

Games should be entertaining. That's the very nature of what a game is.

 

Nowadays, games have become acts of frustration and patience. The very opposite of what a game should provide.

 

The industry totally fails its main goal by pushing out bug-ridden and unpolished games.

 

I'm also playing older titles again like you, from the golden era when games were made by people who loved games. I'm currently playing the Thief Series from the beginning. That's fun!

 

It's funny that you mention Full Throttle. I recently played Grim Fandango again, after 6 years! This game is of such perfection that it feels as fresh and epic as when I played it 6 years ago. It shows that great game design is timeless.

 

And of course both games were the brainchild of Tim Schaffer, one of the most brilliant game designers the industry has...

 

... who was dumped by Lucasarts years ago.

 

Go figure.