Where does the buck stop?

[DaleDVM]

Plenty of blame to go around with this release. I don't know exactly what happened with the release of HOI 2. Obviously things didn't go as planned. I wish we would have gotten an official response a couple of days ago.

A whole lot of people are looking for this game and that is a good thing. I have no doubt that the people at Paradoox have made a stellar game for us all. Heck look at those reviews! Congrats.

I ususally don't expect games to be released on schedule as delays are very common in this industry. However, when I see advertisements saying the game will be in stores on a certain date, I usually assume that things are ready to go. I saw many official notices about the game going to press etc. How did things go wrong between then and now?

I do not blame Atari, or EB, or Gamestop, or Best Buy, or the Postal Service. I am a medical doctor. If my technicians, nurses, or staff mess anything up, it is my responsibility to apologize to my client/patient. No matter what happened this week the buck stops at the top... at Paradox.

Unless I am mistaken Paradox chooses when the game is ready to go and who will distribute it. I appreciate the hard work you all do on your games. I have enjoyed them all. But, as far as the release of HOI 2 goes, I count this as a strike against the company.

I sit and wait to be flamed...

 

[unmerged(10750)]

Not that your complaints aren't legitimate, but they're really more appropriate in a PM or an email to a Paradox employee, not just posted on this public forum.

Just my humble opinion, of course...

 

[unmerged(14393)]

Prescribe yourself with some valium and I am sure the waiting game will not be as horrific.

 

[Chris8b]

I do not blame Atari, or EB, or Gamestop, or Best Buy, or the Postal Service. I am a medical doctor. If my technicians, nurses, or staff mess anything up, it is my responsibility to apologize to my client/patient. No matter what happened this week the buck stops at the top... at Paradox.

Paradox is not at the top.

Your comparison of an employer-employee relationship (doctor-nurse) to this situation is not applicable.

A better (though still not quite good) example in your profession: Let's say you are an ER doctor and patch up a trauma case. You tell the patient that you estimate he'll recover in 6 weeks. Later on, a physical therapist helping that patient in long-term recovery messes up and recovery extends to 12 weeks. Do you take responsibility for the therapist's screw-up?

-C

 

[Grosshaus]

I ususally don't expect games to be released on schedule as delays are very common in this industry. However, when I see advertisements saying the game will be in stores on a certain date, I usually assume that things are ready to go. I saw many official notices about the game going to press etc. How did things go wrong between then and now?

Welcome to experience a game that is made on another continent than your's being released, happens in Europe all the time

 

[unmerged(14249)]

I do not blame Atari, or EB, or Gamestop, or Best Buy, or the Postal Service. I am a medical doctor. If my technicians, nurses, or staff mess anything up, it is my responsibility to apologize to my client/patient. No matter what happened this week the buck stops at the top... at Paradox.

Paradox writes the software. Companies like Atari and EB publish, distribute and sell it. The problem here seems to be one of distribution and so it's the distributors that are responsible, surely? Paradox' own web-sales seems to be being delivered ok. Why blame them for problems in North America? They don't work in the warehouses, CD plants or shipping companies there.

I suppose that the underlying problem is releasing in the week after New Year when folk are recovering from the holidays and there's darkness and snow to contend with (tsunami in some parts too). I suppose this causes a blip in your line of work too ...

Andrew

 

[McNaughton]

As was said above, there is a big difference between responsibility within a single building, and responsibility spanning continents. Also, the relationship is completely different. This isn't one of a heirarchy, but rather that of a producer and a distributor, two totally unrelated things. The producer makes the product, the distributor destributes. Basically, the same thing happens when a game is made in North America and is distributed to Europe, you just happen to be at the opposite end. Just a fact of doing business, and is something totally out of the control of Paradox.

I guess to solve your problem of responsibility, since Paradox cannot control anything in regards to the release date in North America, maybe they should just skip it over? That solves the problem of responsibility for it being late. Because we all know that it is the end of the world without a game for a few days.

 

[Peter Ebbesen]

I do not blame Atari, or EB, or Gamestop, or Best Buy, or the Postal Service. I am a medical doctor. If my technicians, nurses, or staff mess anything up, it is my responsibility to apologize to my client/patient. No matter what happened this week the buck stops at the top... at Paradox.

Wow. Developers are more highly ranked than publishers now, right at the top? Who would have known. A publisher is not a lower ranking staff member hired by the boss developer. It is a partner in a financial relationship where each party is supposed to do their part of the work.

If I order a pizza but it isn't delivered on time because the pizzaria has no tomatosauce, and it turns out that it is because the pizzaria has not ordered enough tomatosauce to serve the number of customers it has (larger than it expected to get), and the company that distributes the tomatosauce to the pizzeria does not stock up enough sauce for everybody based on the secret recipé (for it bases its stocks on predictions of how much sauce is needed, partly based on requests from Pizzerias and experience) - I do not blame the cook who made the recipé for not getting my Pizza, saying that he should have found somebody else to produce the sauce.

Now, if it was pineapple...

Anyway, this is the IT world: The buck does not stop, it is taxed as it flies by on its way to oblivion.

 

[MAC]

Its not so simple in the gaming industry.
You cant compare it with your business

If distribution doesnt work its usually the publisher sucking.
Lets say your patient needs a dental prothesis. The dental technician produces in time but you manage to screw it up. You would not blame the dental technican for this, or?

 

[DaleDVM]

Thank you for all of your posts but most sound like excuses and symantics to me...

I believe the developers are at the top. Without them there is no game period. Sure production and distribution are two parts in the process. However, who chose Atari to distribute in North America? Let me rephrase my working relationship to make a better example. If I send a patient to another Dr. for a referral and the other Dr. screws up it is my fault for choosing that specialist to send my patient to. It is also my job to check those "partners" for quality and to follow up to make sure the process is going well.

I do not blame Paradox for everything, but I do blame them for not atleast keeping on top of the situation and notifying those who buy their products. I own almost all of their games and I am a big fan.

By the way I have a copy now and I'm not whining about how LONG it took to get it. It only took 3 extra days. It was the process and lack of info that bother me. I consider myself lucky to have got a copy of the game. I guessed right... but so many others trusted false info and don't have it. From what I've read on the forums it sounds like a lot of people are frustrated. I empathize with them even though you may not.

I think the people at Paradox could have made a couple of key phone calls and relayed the information to ease their customers minds. After developing such a complex and great game I think that wouldn't have been too much to ask. Just my opinion folks. I would have just liked a little official word even if it meant they couldn't find out what was going on. Atleast I would know that they had tried their best.

I just hope in the future things go a little smoother. So far the manual is 100% better than HOI1. Haven't got into the game yet as I am working. Hope you all have a great weekend!

 

[unmerged(36228)]

I have to agree with DAK on this one. The first thing you dont do is parade around a date of release. The whole staff and us included are quite aware of how these release fiascos have gone in the past, so you would imagine that certain extra steps may have been taken (and who knows, maybe there were).

I think this is causing some minor dissention, I mean would it be so hard as to get a little press report or at least a memo be released? It seems like no one on any level of this is taking any heed for the delays, which I personally think is quite unprofessional (or an ingenious plot..)

And sure the guys on the top have to take the heed. Case and point about every lawsuit. Do you think that employee that gave the old bag a scaulding cup of coffee at McDonals lost the 10.6 million, the top takes the heat for misconducts and faults.

 

[unmerged(37194)]

"By the way I have a copy now and I'm not whining about how LONG it took to get it. It only took 3 extra days. ."


DAK - how did you get the game? I live in the Boston area and I am completely striking out - tried EB (they say it is released but, don't have it - huh?), Gamestop - each day they push their release dates back (now the 12th) and Best Buy & Comp USA who are clueless when asked when they expect it.

 

[unmerged(1847)]

I have to agree with the original poster. There is alot of angry people out there. I called my local EB today and asked "Im calling to see if you got a PC game in today?", they right away said "No HOI II has not been recieved by us today" and I didnt even mention the game yet! That has to tell you something about the volume of calls they've been getting!!!!! (And this is a store in the middle of no-where Delaware, pop 38,000, nearest big city is a hour drive away!)

I understand its probably beyond paradox's control, I dont want anyone fired or reprimanded, just a simple:

"We contacted our distributor about this, this is what they said, and this is what we will do to try to make sure it never happens again." from the devs.

Is that too much for us to ask for?

 

[Plutarch]

I do not blame Atari, or EB, or Gamestop, or Best Buy, or the Postal Service. I am a medical doctor. If my technicians, nurses, or staff mess anything up, it is my responsibility to apologize to my client/patient. No matter what happened this week the buck stops at the top... at Paradox.

'

Nope. I put the blame squarely on YOU. This is a game. You will not lose any money as a result of this. No one dies if HOI2 is delayed. No one get hurt. You set your own expectation. You are in charge of it. You might be naive or stupid, but clearly you are in charge of your own life. In a couple of weeks no one will care or remember. So to all you crybabies out there: STFU!

 

[unmerged(36228)]

I understand its probably beyond paradox's control, I dont want anyone fired or reprimanded, just a simple:

"We contacted our distributor about this, this is what they said, and this is what we will do to try to make sure it never happens again." from the devs.

Is that too much for us to ask for?

Same here, i just want an explanation as to what the hold up is and if they have any idea about the date it will hit shelfs. Not to hard

 

[unmerged(20619)]

I'm was kinda pissed too with this whole thing. I called EB on Wed. and they told me it would be here on Friday. I was OK with that but when I took off 30 minutes early from work to get the game and they tell me maybe Mon or Tue. I get really pissed. Someone needs some new business partners and its apparent no one is taking responsiblity for the screw up.

 

[unmerged(37477)]

Thank you for all of your posts but most sound like excuses and symantics to me... It was the process and lack of info that bother me.

Couldn't agree more. You've hit the nail on the head!

 

[Otrex]

If ever a viable competitor to EB Games arrives in Canada, I will immediately boycott EB Games forever. That is how sick of their nonsense I am. This exact same thing happened with HoI (#1), and continues to happen on a regular basis. EB Games has gotten fat and lazy with their monopoly, and I sincerely wish that someone would step up to challenge them.

 

[przy]

Um...It is a just video game...isn't it? Me being just a simple student, not a doctor, can even figure that out.

 

[unmerged(37477)]

Um...It is a just video game...isn't it? Me being just a simple student, not a doctor, can even figure that out.

Yes, and a multibillion dollar industry.