Worth $25?

[LOADSAMONEY]

Stronghold 3 is on sale for $25, I heard it has a lot of issues, but I noticed it was patched recently. Is it worth $25?

[Alpha11]

I'll ignore your name for my reply ;-)

It depends on what you want from the game. It's not a perfectly stable and functional experience. It still has some AI glitches, missing content, it crashes intermittently and multiplayer almost never completes without an issue.

However the sound design is pretty good if a little limited in scope.

If you're willing to accept that you're going to have really annoying bugs and multiplayer will generally crash when it starts getting exciting, then sure -- spend away. If you want to relax and enjoy a game in the knowledge that you can finish what you start, I'd leave it a bit longer.

With any luck it will hit the bargain bin of your local retailer at about the time the game is finished.

[Kradath]

With potential? Can the game, in the future, be made into something better? Or is even the concept flawed or all hope lost for the game?

[Alpha11]

Originally Posted by Kradath

With potential? Can the game, in the future, be made into something better? Or is even the concept flawed or all hope lost for the game?

There are some inherent limitations that, in my view, make it a no-go. The AI (including pathfinding) is poor. There are some pretty obvious gameplay components missing like range modifiers (eg: an archer on a hill, in an even higher tower has no advantage), and I think that the multiplayer component is dead: no one is playing because multiplayer is unstable and dies when things get interesting. By the time the developer get around to fixing multiplayer people will have moved on and no one, having had the benefit of review and forum feedback, will be purchasing the game for multiplayer.

You're therefore left with a product that could perhaps be partially fixed (AI is possible; albeit unlikely, range modifiers are possible but they haven't managed to include it after nine patches, bugs may be addressed) but, if there's no multiplayer and no skirmish, there's very limited gameplay options available.

I wish I had the opportunity to come to a forum and get honest opinion before I purchased the game as I genuinely regret the foolish mistake of trusting the developer and pre-ordering. My long-standing support of the series and loyalty as a fan was my undoing and I shan't make the mistake again.

Perhaps I'm wrong and the developer will eventually come through with some amazing patches and some incentive for people to return to multiplayer. I strongly doubt it, but who knows.

But, unless that happens, save your money and spend it with someone who will appreciate and respect your custom.

[Kradath]

Even as a fan of the series since the release of the first game it seems I'll be waiting for either better patches and or a really low price.

[HoriceGump]

Originally Posted by Alpha11

There are some inherent limitations that, in my view, make it a no-go. The AI (including pathfinding) is poor. There are some pretty obvious gameplay components missing like range modifiers (eg: an archer on a hill, in an even higher tower has no advantage), and I think that the multiplayer component is dead: no one is playing because multiplayer is unstable and dies when things get interesting. By the time the developer get around to fixing multiplayer people will have moved on and no one, having had the benefit of review and forum feedback, will be purchasing the game for multiplayer.

You're therefore left with a product that could perhaps be partially fixed (AI is possible; albeit unlikely, range modifiers are possible but they haven't managed to include it after nine patches, bugs may be addressed) but, if there's no multiplayer and no skirmish, there's very limited gameplay options available.

I wish I had the opportunity to come to a forum and get honest opinion before I purchased the game as I genuinely regret the foolish mistake of trusting the developer and pre-ordering. My long-standing support of the series and loyalty as a fan was my undoing and I shan't make the mistake again.

Perhaps I'm wrong and the developer will eventually come through with some amazing patches and some incentive for people to return to multiplayer. I strongly doubt it, but who knows.

But, unless that happens, save your money and spend it with someone who will appreciate and respect your custom.

Very interesting points. I think I'll hold off buying this one. Thank you for your post.

[DirtyHarry50]

It seems like the Stronghold Collection would be a much better deal and it costs less too. I've never played a Stronghold game and the collection is tempting. It's a real shame the launch of this game went so badly. This seems to happen over and over and over with software, releases shipped before they are anywhere near done.

[louthelou]

I got to play with this game for a bit a while ago without actually buying it (thank Jeebus). As others have stated, no, this game is not worth the asking price, even at 50% off... which is seriously disappointing. The concept is awesome. The execution... leaves much to be desired, to put it lightly.

Do not buy, unless you catch it at <$10. You've been warned.

ASIDE: If you want to play a good game in a similar genre, try Lords of the Realm 2. Old, old game, but still better than this.

Originally Posted by DirtyHarry50

It seems like the Stronghold Collection would be a much better deal and it costs less too. I've never played a Stronghold game and the collection is tempting. It's a real shame the launch of this game went so badly. This seems to happen over and over and over with software, releases shipped before they are anywhere near done.

Yeah... you can thank publishers for that. Creativity + capitalism = 0.

[Ric666]

Originally Posted by Cid SilverWing

All is lost on this one. Firefly Studios released a blatantly defective product at a criminal price and refuse to fix the issues, even talk to their customers. They're being reported to relevant authorities for fraud.

There's a reason you don't have any rep.
Scaremongering is not on/fair.

Firefly release weekly patches & to be fair to them, it's getting better everytime(apart from 1 patch that broke a few things..lol)
They also reply alot on these & the official forums.

I'm not protecting them but this guy is just lying.

[master_miguel]

ASIDE: If you want to play a good game in a similar genre, try Lords of the Realm 2. Old, old game, but still better than this.

I will second this, if this genre is your cup of tea and you haven't played this game then you are missing out on a gem. It is an older game so don't expect anything grand as far as your eyes are concerned but the gameplay is solid and exquisite.

Sieging castles has never been done as well as in Lords of the Realm 2.

[lucifercrow514]

Originally Posted by Ric666

There's a reason you don't have any rep.
Scaremongering is not on/fair.

Firefly release weekly patches & to be fair to them, it's getting better everytime(apart from 1 patch that broke a few things..lol)
They also reply alot on these & the official forums.

I'm not protecting them but this guy is just lying.

I agree with this. Its not "fraud" as people say just because they're raged at their buggy product that's soon to be fixed. We all paid the same price. I don't understand these people seriously. In all games i've played such as Dead Island, Rage, Metro 2033, there's always a pile ov forums ov people saying "its too boring, too linear, too buggy." To me its just people who can't appreciate a game from a rushed developer.

Stronghold 3 is not broken. Its buggy but still playable. Before you start "I didn't shell out $50 just to be a game tester" well we all paid the same price. Not my fault you can't enjoy it

[lucifercrow514]

Originally Posted by NecessaryWeevil

Huh? So because they screwed ENOUGH of us it becomes okay?

They didn't "screw" us up. It was confirmed that FF was running late on the game and had a 1st delay and then when the 2nd dead line came in they couldn't afford to have a 2nd delay so they released it in the state they left it and released a 1st day patch.

It was not intended to "screw" you over or to make it a FRAUD. FF is is not improving the game but fixing it.

[Topmounter]

I'd love to play SH3, but I'll wait for more patches and/or a better price. It sounds like my expectations will still be too high at $24.99.

[Alpha11]

Originally Posted by Ric666

Firefly release weekly patches

Not true. Patches now seem to be every three to four weeks.

& to be fair to them, it's getting better everytime(apart from 1 patch that broke a few things..lol)

You'd hope so; that's the intent of a patch. The problem is that there is such a laundry list of fixes required that an intermittant patch cycle is completely unnacceptable.

It's not unreasonable to expect the game that you paid for and very unreasonable to still be waiting for it some four months after release.

They also reply alot on these & the official forums.

In generally an unhelpful manner to string people along. Asking for DXDiags for AI bugs is a good example.

I'm not protecting them but this guy is just lying.

Well it sounds like you've had a good experience with the game. I'm envious. I, however, have had an experience exactly like the person you're replying to. (S)He's not lying and I can absolutely confirm their experience.

[lucifercrow514]

Originally Posted by macsta

i dont understand your kind of people.youve been saying this game will be fixed soon for months. this game will never be fixed really unstable multiplayer and no skirmish..i didnt pay $50 dollars for the crap as campaigne...And the maps are terrible..i dont know how you can still think this will be fixed...i remember you talking this rubbish a few months ago when it came out still have hope in this game ay...im guna wait another couple months and see if you are still spining the same crap you would have to come to terms that this game will not be fixed for shaw in a few months if its not fixed

This game has been working fine for me. And for the record FF announced from the start since May 14 (my bday ) that there will be no and there won't be a skirmish. Yes it's only the campaign. I'll always defend this game regardless if there's patches or not because i actually TRY to appreciate it. Yeah there's bugs but i'm not gonna cry about it.