Pre-Orders / Activation Key / Download Issues

[Sek 0]

Originally posted by: Mathew_MC

- If you have any issue with the activation key email or registration process, please contact our Support through the form located at https://www.citiesxl.com/feedback

The activation key is indeed sent by us and all of them have been sent on time. Unfortunately, a small amount bounced back which has requested additional time to sort out.quote>

Thanks for the info, however THIS is what support@citiesxl.com is replying via emails:

For delivery or activation code issues for the US, you need to contact this email address:

 

montecristogames@tmpwdirect.com

 

Best regards,

The Cities XL Support Teamquote>

So someone, somewhere needs to be corrected on what information is ... well correct.

I just want my CD key.  I'll try your suggestion first, thank you.

[mr-tom 2]

Another day, another delay. Still nothing. No game, no key, no reply to my emails and no hope of a refund either. They have my money and they just don't care.

I'm thinking of registering citiesxlblog.com or similar to record my "love affair" with this game and MC.

Bit of SEO and with any luck I can get it higher in google's listings than their own site.

Don't get me wrong - I don't want to make trouble, but if MC are happy to take people's money and give them nothing in return, then the way I see it, telling the world is a public duty.

[JanYpe 17]

read

[Sek 0]

Originally posted by: Mathew_MC

Hi everyone,

We are aware that some buyers from NA did not receive their email containing the CD-key on time and have investigated the issue. Some CD keys were actually not received because the email was being blocked by the ISP of the recipient, and things are being sorted out.

We are definitely looking into all issues that are being sent to us and hope you will all soon be able to play the game!

quote>

Well, I am happy to say that I finally received my CD key within the last half hour.  I use a Hotmail account, and it went directly to my Junk folder.  In looking at the sending email, I can tell you why Spam filters are bouncing it:

#1:  It uses a "webmaster" address: Cities XL WebmasterI did send email to montecristogames@tmpwdirect.com yesterday, but have not gotten a reply, only the CD key.  I'm guessing that may be why others are not getting their CD key and not getting a reply... TMP Direct is not replying because they are sending the CD key and expecting it to make it, but the email is bouncing off the Spam filters.

For the others having a problem, I would recommend adding webmaster@citiesxl.com to your Allowed list, or contacting your ISP.

EDIT: 

this email was a lot longer, but it somehow got chopped up and missing parts when I clicked Post.  I lost almost all of what I wrote, and I really do not want to try to rewrite it. 

I did email TMP Direct about not getting a CD key, and instead of replying, they just sent the CD key to me.  Therefore, I am guessing that what is happening to others who are not getting replies back, is that the CD key is being sent, but bouncing off their ISP's spam filters.

There are several red flag issues in the header of the CD key email, that will trigger Spam filters, and MC may want to look at that and see what they can fix.

Good luck to everyone, I hope this info helps folks out.

[JakeMD 107]

Thanks for that info, Sek!

[The Eephus 0]

Man, how long does this bad boy take to download? Looks like the whole process is going to be in excess of four hours. That seems a bit excessive. I guess when the files are that big that's just how it is.

Looking forward to giving this a try...even if it means next weekend (I'm off mid-week).

[gnomonite 0]

Originally posted by: mr-tom

Another day, another delay. Still nothing. No game, no key, no reply to my emails and no hope of a refund either. They have my money and they just don't care.

I'm thinking of registering citiesxlblog.com or similar to record my "love affair" with this game and MC.

Bit of SEO and with any luck I can get it higher in google's listings than their own site.

Don't get me wrong - I don't want to make trouble, but if MC are happy to take people's money and give them nothing in return, then the way I see it, telling the world is a public duty.quote>

As for the refund, did you try contacting your credit card company? maybe dispute the charge...

[mr-tom 2]

Nah - gone down the trading standards route instead. https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=370&threadid=110678&enterthread=y

I'm holding the credit card option up my sleeve for if everything else goes belly up.

Any way, the reason I posted the trading standards thing in another thread is that it's a bit controversial and I thought simtropolis might want to lock it, which they have. Not surprising and I don't blame them.

Tom.

[gnomonite 0]

Originally posted by: mr-tom

Nah - gone down the trading standards route instead. https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=370&threadid=110678&enterthread=y

I'm holding the credit card option up my sleeve for if everything else goes belly up.

Any way, the reason I posted the trading standards thing in another thread is that it's a bit controversial and I thought simtropolis might want to lock it, which they have. Not surprising and I don't blame them.

Tom.quote>

Yea. I agree. As long as people complain, that should be ok. but the moment law and legal stuff comes in the picture its best to move to a more private conversational medium.

But I do hope your case gets resolved as soon as possible!

[mr-tom 2]

Indeed. Although I wanted people to know that trading standards were involved and that they also had a seven day right to cancel if they were dissatisfied - if you read the law, you need no reason, up to 7 days after you receive the goods, you can return them for refund, so if the guys in the thread which complains about the game itself could all have had their money back. Interestingly unless MC put this right into the Ts&Cs then the time extends to 3 months:

www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail

Consumers have a cooling-off period of seven working days in which to cancel the contract, starting from when the goods are received, without having to give a reason. If no details of the cooling-off period have been given by the supplier to the consumer, it is extended to three monthsquote>

[jbav 0]

Hello. I am sorry if this has been posted elsewhere. I was thinking of purchasing the LE of the game through Steam online. I have never purchased a game from them b4 or as a direct download in this fashion. Is anyone having the same activation issues with the game after d/l it from Steam? I haven been fence sitting for awhile about getting this game - esp. after keeping tabs on its progress since inception. SC4 was such a great game to play and I really don't want to go through a ton of issues from the getgo with CXL having limited time to troubleshoot every issue myself.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[mr-tom 2]

Personally unless you get a brilliant offer my advice would be to wait until it's clear what this game will become - are you planning on subscribing to the Planet Offer or not?

The gist of most of the feedback is this. If you want single player only, don't bother, if you want online, then give it a go, but consider the game not yet finished.

[jbav 0]

Thanks, Tom. I wsn't planning on subscribing to the PO. Personally, I just don't see the justification for it. I've played all of the C of D games in solo mode. Would multi-player offer some additional elements of fun? Sure, but I never felt cheated in the single player mode. I always felt I was getting the full game experience. From all of the comments I've read and what I observed in the development of CXL, I just think having a truncated solo player option was the wrong choice on MC's part. I was really hoping there's enough playability and variety in the solo game, but I guess I'm on the 'wait and see' list for now.

To my other question about Steam, from anyone who has purchased and downloaded games from them, is it worthwhile?

[krbe 193]

Originally posted by: mr-tom

Indeed. Although I wanted people to know that trading standards were involved and that they also had a seven day right to cancel if they were dissatisfied - if you read the law, you need no reason, up to 7 days after you receive the goods, you can return them for refund, so if the guys in the thread which complains about the game itself could all have had their money back. Interestingly unless MC put this right into the Ts&Cs then the time extends to 3 monthsquote>

Seven days after you have entered into the contract, that is. Metaboli does invoke UK law, even though you are buying it from a French company. And remember, you have no right to return for a refund for:

Originally posted by: Office of Fair Trading

[…] goods that by reason of their nature cannot be returned […]

[…] audio or video recor

dings or computer software that the customer 

has unsealed […]

quote>

So, if you've opened you CD/DVD case you cannot expect any refund; and if you have downloaded it, it is of course hard to return it at all (even if you do have such a right, I would expect entering your activation key when installing amounts to "unsealing").

[mr-tom 2]

Originally posted by: krbe

Originally posted by: mr-tom

Indeed. Although I wanted people to know that trading standards were involved and that they also had a seven day right to cancel if they were dissatisfied - if you read the law, you need no reason, up to 7 days after you receive the goods, you can return them for refund, so if the guys in the thread which complains about the game itself could all have had their money back. Interestingly unless MC put this right into the Ts&Cs then the time extends to 3 monthsquote>

Seven days after you have entered into the contract, that is. Metaboli does invoke UK law, even though you are buying it from a French company. And remember, you have no right to return for a refund for:

Originally posted by: Office of Fair Trading

[…] goods that by reason of their nature cannot be returned […]

[…] audio or video recordings or computer software that the customer 

has unsealed […]

quote>

So, if you've opened you CD/DVD case you cannot expect any refund; and if you have downloaded it, it is of course hard to return it at all (even if you do have such a right, I would expect entering your activation key when installing amounts to "unsealing").quote>

Well I don't want to have an arguement, so I'd rather restate what I already said, which addresses the points you have raised:

1 The goods were never received, as such they've also not been opened

2Trading standards informed me that the law is 7 days from receipt and issued a case reference number

3I'm not a solicitor and I have to be guided by the government departments responsible for law enforcement and they've been very clear about this.  I have a right to a refund.

I was a bit concerned by the disparity between what you claimed and what trading standards said, so I had a browse of the pdf you linked to and I think this section is pertinent:

3.23 Where the DSRs give consumers the right to cancel an order, this

right is unconditional and begins from the moment the contract is

concluded. Unlike when buying from a shop, the first time that a

consumer will typically have an opportunity to examine goods

purchased by distance means is when they receive them. The DSRs

give consumers who buy by distance means more rights than

consumers who shop in person. When a distance consumer cancels a

contract to which the cancellation provisions apply they are entitled to

a refund of any money they have paid in relation to the contract even

if the goods are not defective in any way. Please also see paragraph

3.46 for further information.

18

A guide for businesses on distance selling

The time limits for cancellation are as follows.

For goods:

n provided you give your consumer the required written information

no later than the time the goods are delivered, their cancellation

rights end seven working days after the day on which they

received the goods

n if you do not give your consumer the required written information

by the time the goods are delivered, but do so within three months

from the day after the day the consumer receives the goods, the

cancellation rights will end after seven working days from the day

after the day on which the consumer received the required written

information, or

n if you do not give the required written information at all (or give it

after the three month period mentioned above), the consumer’s

cancellation rights will end after three months and seven working

days from the day after the day the consumer received the goods.

and then this:

Can a consumer cancel an order before they receive the

goods or where goods are lost in transit?

3.35 Yes. Where the DSRs give consumers rights to cancel, this right is

unconditional. If consumers cancel before they have received the

goods you must refund the total price of the goods, including any

delivery charges. Consumers who have cancelled under the DSRs

may refuse to accept delivery of the goods. Refusal in such a

situation cannot be treated as a breach of contract.

However I would also like to give a bit of an update, which people will hopefully find encouraging.

Earlier this week, MC contacted me to find out whether I'd received my goods yet.

Stop.

The company actually realised this was an ongoing situation, without being prompted took a diary note and then when it came due, they got back in touch with me to find out how things were going.

Not quite the bungling picture I've had of MC to date, I can tell you.

Any way, I explained that no the goods had not been received and that both UK and European trading standards were looking into the case as I had provided the with evidence that MC had denied my distance selling directive rights.

A couple of hours later they were back in touch.  Offered not only the refund but they're also giving me the game for free.  Posted rather than download, so question whether it will ever arrive given the current postal strike, but the gesture is certainly appreciated.

So - open verdict on this one until the game does arrive, but potentially a good solution.

Oh, and it certainly pays to stand up for your rights.

[mr-tom 2]

Originally posted by: jbav

Thanks, Tom. I wsn't planning on subscribing to the PO. Personally, I just don't see the justification for it. I've played all of the C of D games in solo mode. Would multi-player offer some additional elements of fun? Sure, but I never felt cheated in the single player mode. I always felt I was getting the full game experience. From all of the comments I've read and what I observed in the development of CXL, I just think having a truncated solo player option was the wrong choice on MC's part. I was really hoping there's enough playability and variety in the solo game, but I guess I'm on the 'wait and see' list for now.

To my other question about Steam, from anyone who has purchased and downloaded games from them, is it worthwhile?quote>

Well if single player only then to my mind the decision point is Jan - they're supposed to issue mass transit at the end of the year and have made noises about making it an SP add on, at which point it's a more fully functional city builder and worth your dosh.

Plus fairly certain that some enterprising soul will mod the omnicorp trader sooner or later to make the less useless or even to let you trade between your own sp cities - it's only a matter of time.

And Steam?  Brilliant.  Absolutely brilliant.  It does what it says on the tin and that's all I ever really ask.

[krbe 193]

Originally posted by: mr-tom

[…]

quote>

I was more addressing this:

 so if the guys in the thread which complains about the game itself could all have had their money back quote>

They can't get a refund just because they don't like the game. Seal broken, no money.

[mr-tom 2]

Fair enough. And based on what this says, you definitely have a point.

I think though that the law needs to be changed here.

Consider - in general you get to ensure the goods are what you're after and the reason for the exemption for software is that once opened you can keep using it.

Here's why it needs to be changed.

CXL gets activated weekly. So if you returned the game they'd cancel the account and no more game. So why shouldn't it be treated like any other goods? I think this is a case where the law has fallen behind technology.

However yes, as the law currently stands it looks like those guys wouldn't stand a chance.

[jcr235 0]

I don't know if this is the right place to put it or not.

When I install the game it goes "You have to register your game to play blah blah blah", so I go and try to register but when I click submit it says that there is an error on the servers or something like that and I have re-tried throughout the day to see if it has been fixed but it hasn't.

I was wondering if this has only happened to me or if it is happening to other new players who can't play because they can't register and if it has only happened today or if it has been going on for a while. 

Thank You, I guess I will just have to go back to playing SimCity 4 for the time being.

[mr-tom 2]

Hope it's a temporary glitch, but in case it isn't, have you used the cities xl website to contact their tech support?

[jcr235 0]

Originally posted by: mr-tom

Hope it's a temporary glitch, but in case it isn't, have you used the cities xl website to contact their tech support?quote>

I hope it is too, I just went back on to check if I can finally register but still no luck and I can't send an email to the support because you need an account and to have an account you have to register which it is not letting me do. I think this is stupid that you need to have an account to send an email.

I was willing to give Cities XL a shot but if it is constantly going to be like this then I feel as I have wasted NZ$79. But I know that its only been out for nearly a month and these problems happen.

[mr-tom 2]

Understood.

They do have a direct email address, support@citiesxl.com, but I'd not expect a reply until after the weekend.

People who have managed to play the game seem to be having a decent experience overall.

Best of luck.

[jcr235 0]

Originally posted by: mr-tom

Understood.

They do have a direct email address, support@citiesxl.com, but I'd not expect a reply until after the weekend.

People who have managed to play the game seem to be having a decent experience overall.

Best of luck.quote>

Thank you for the email address!!. Yeah, the game looks great so I can't wait to play it which is making me feel more frustrated haha. 

[Kittani 1]

Well I ordered mine yesterday night, got the key in the mail, started the downloads, and then got another e-mail from Paypal saying my money had been refunded because of Fraud... Apparently they don't want my business since they have auto-emails and refunds giving people thier money back.

[Titorotod 0]

In my case... I ordered mine like 5 or 6 days ago... but i don't have news about it... any ideas

[hasoon 0]

did anyone face a probelm paying for Planet Offer

I keep on getting this message

"Sorry, there was a problem with your payment.Please try again or contact us."

[ConstablePaul 0]

Hey mate.

When you downloaded the game from the website, how do you get it to work? Do you have to mount it, or burn it to a DVD/CD using ISO? They are .bin files, there's a setup.exe and then CitiesXLsetup1 & CitiesXLsetupis2, both of these are .bin

I have paid for the limited edition $49.99, whatever it is, and I just wanted the physical copy of the game on a disc, but I had to download it (3.5gb later) mind you!

I need help!

i_can_eat_people@hotmail.com

Cheers!

[marcoheutink 70]

I bought the hard copy from the games shop. When I tried to activate, the cd key was rejected (not valid or in use).

I tried contacting Monte Cristo but they don't reply to me!

Anyone else having these troubles?

[marcoheutink 70]

Nvm, today I returned the cd , and got the refund.. no cxl for me then, I'll live with it.

Shopkeeper said he was getting headaches from all the returned cds for this game!