28-11-2000 00:48									#1
	E-mail response from Dan Magaha: Stay tuned! Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

I wrote a short e-letter to Dan Magaha. Heres the response:

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Thanks for your e-mail and for your general enthusiasm over the game. A lot of people here regularly read the forums at Apolyton on a daily basis. We do have copies of "the list" and as you're probably aware, we often refer to it when we want to know what "the hardcore fans" want most. The subject of editing tools and customization is a very important one and we know that you guys are the ones who will really be making use of these tools, so we definitely want to get your opinions. I think you'll probably see more posts regarding specific parts of the game on the forums there in the near future, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, thanks for your suggestions regarding editors and keep up the good work!

Kind Regards,


Dan Magaha
Firaxis Games, Inc.

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Comment:

More Firaxis probe-threads like "Civ3 Editing Tools..." is (probably) on the way, so stay tuned!!

You here that guys!

	28-11-2000 00:56									#2
	Inflate your Upload Space

Now this is the kinda stuff that I like to hear! I'm glad to see that Firaxis is actually listening to us and not just being another selfish "Nintendo of America."

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Zero (formerly jrhughes98)

	28-11-2000 12:28									#3
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

I want facts, not advertising!

We must stop drooling every time a Firaxis Team member send an e-mail as empty as that.

No real info? No CIV 3 site? No fans support!

Yes, I'm in a bad mood, thanks for asking.

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Admiral Naismith AKA mcostant

	28-11-2000 13:11									#4
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

geezuz man, you'd think you'd be greatful just for the fact they bother to listen to us....and you ask for even more of their time? give em a break....they're doing something for you.....not you.....for them...

	28-11-2000 13:18									#5
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Adm.Naismith, I do not agree with you this time. (Sorry for your bad mood).

quote: lot of people here regularly read the forums at Apolyton on a daily basis

This is enough for me. Well, not really enough to make me happy, but enough to prevent a "civil disorder"

	29-11-2000 02:26									#6
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

Ralf: Thanks for yet another useless Firaxis e-mail response. Nothing against Firaxis but why must you post pointless e-mails each time you recieve one. Are you attempting to become some kind of Firaxis PR person?

	29-11-2000 04:01									#8
	Full PM-box? Change here!

At the very least we are seeing here that Firaxis considers fan input (and this site) of importance to them. Also, the fact that they respond to our e-mails at all is a good sign.

Having said that, Ralf, you have to understand that when people see the title "E-mail from Firaxs...!" their expectations shoot way up. Then when they click and don't discover the link to a demo and a release date set in stone and signed with blood, they feel disappointed.

I would suggest that if you continue to get anymore e-mails, perhaps you can share them in one thread so those who are interested in following their feedback (I'll be one) can watch the thread.

HOWEVER: I worry that if we make posting their e-mails a policy, Firaxis will naturally become even more careful about not revealing anything of the least bit excitement. Or they might make it policy not to answer e-mails at all. But at any rate, please feel free to forward to me any e-mails you get.

	29-11-2000 19:35									#9
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

I, for one, won't expect to hear anything substantial from Firaxis until I hold that Civ3 box in my hands.

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No, in Australia we don't live with kangaroos and koalas in our backyards... Despite any stupid advertisments you may see to the contrary... (And no, koalas don't usually speak!)

	30-11-2000 06:12									#10
	Got spare money?

It's not like this is any different than it was waiting for SMAC to come out.

Let's face it; the type of people that would blame Firaxis for their own impatience aren't going to be happy at *any* stage of the development process.

You'll complain that they aren't taking time to answer your questions, and when they do that, you'll complain that seeing as they haven't got a website yet, they don't care about their fan base. When they get a preview website up, you'll complain that it doesn't have any info, and it's just hyping a game that wont come out. Not to mention the outright DEMANDS that we'll see for a demo. (Like it's a god given right.)

At least with the demo out we'll have some level of complacency, although if the SMAC forums were any indication (and I highly doubt that things will be any better) they'll still be a few boneheads who complain.



In the mean time, I'll continue to read these forums, even if I'm doing so for another year until the game comes out. Kudos to the people that have taken the time to write intelligent and constructive posts that the Firaxis staff can use to solve dilemmas in design issues. Soon, the game will be past the point where our ideas are able to be implemented (except for minor tweaks) and all we'll be able to do is wait and listen to people complain.

	01-12-2000 00:09									#12
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

Damn straight! That's what I'll be doing.

I just can't believe the cycle that goes on around here as soon as a member of M. You could chart people's overall attitudes and end up with a veritable rollercoaster. Every time Dan Magaha replies, The chart would go up to the top, and then it would steadily plummit down and through the corkscrew and stuff until Dan replied again, at which case it would hit the next hill and scream back up (Hands up in the air everyone! Firaxis are gods!) for a week or two...

Obviously this is only a few people, but still. You gotta wonder what the Firaxis guys think when they read a post that reads like "This gam is taking 2 long. I WANT A DEMO NOW. Firaxis SuX0Rs and they are going out of buziness cuz they don't care abot their fans."

Hehe.. Man, if it were me, I'd log those guys' IPs and put a backdoor into Civ 3 so we could remotely administer (read: 'mess with') their copies of the game in my spare time... =)

	06-12-2000 09:29									#13
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

Thats great, but don't keep posting emails everytime you get one, or else Firaxis will relize that they will have to keep EVERYTHING back from us fans, just create one thread, specificly for email replys you get, then those that want to (including me) can look it up and see what Firaxis has replied.