They are becoming more like PC gaming, and relying on patches.  The Settlers was a PC game first.

The Settlers was an Amiga game first.

Became a good PC game.

Then a bad console/handheld game.

As far as I know, Beyond the Sword uses SafeDisc not SecuROM. I'm still intrigued as to who told you you need to update your BIOS, mind you.

Thanks for the lead though.  It is still DRM hell, and I can't get the game to load.  I believe it may of been tech support when I called them.  I am not sure who, but that was the last I recalled, and it IS annoying.  It is like try a few things and then pack it in.  Easier to just fire up a console game.

I've never had Puzzle Quest on the computer freeze up on me once. But I've had MGS4 freeze up on me multiple times. Why would anyone play a console game when they could just play a computer game?

That smartass remark aside,
1) Consoles and handhelds are different. Get it right before you go a-trollin'.
2) My PSP crashes on me a lot. I don't go crying to the forums whenever it does.
3) I hate to be the one to say it, but RRoD. Don't smirk, Sony fans, I remember the disk read errors of the PS2. At least it didn't take Microsoft a successful lawsuit before they admitted they had a problem. And why does my PS3 randomly sound like it's about to explode whenever I play Blu-rays?
4) For those of us that can't get away with playing a PSP or DS at our desks, having a computer version is a wonderful way to look like you're doing work when in fact you're playing a Bejeweled RPG.
5) Quit with the "in defense of the programmers" line. Civ 4 has always been buggy. Everyone knows it. Seriously, go back and look things up from the launch period. It was buggy as hell at launch. It's a testament to how great of a game it is that people stuck with it. This is coming from someone that obsessed over Civ 2 for a good portion of his childhood, and someone who had only Civ 3 installed on his laptop to get him through college. I still have my Alpha Centauri discs lying around. I own multiple copies of each Civ game. You get the picture.

TheNino, answer me why you would expect coding on PCs to be superior to what is seen on consoles. It is news when things go wrong on consoles. It is the norm with PC games. How is it that coding for a platform which has non-uniform equipment and allows people to meddle inside, to be superior? Why would have a platform that can be running a bunch of other stuff int he background, and run the risk of viruses and using firewalls, suddenly be a superior platform to code to?

I would like to see someone come out here and argue why the PC platform is a superior platform to code for, if you don't want buggy code.

Why? I have had FAR LESS headaches with console gaming then I have had with PC gaming. FAR LESS. This is true for most other people also. So, a better question is, why would someone stick with PC gaming, if they can get the same experience on a console? Why would someone drop money for a high end gaming rig, when they can spend less for a console? Look at sales figures and you will see this is how many people think.

So, go ahead and argue that the PC platform is a superior platform to release code that works on. I am curious to see what valid arguments you can come up with for it.

Learn what you are doing? I haven't had a problem in many years now. Also because it happens to you it doesn't mean it happens to everyone. All my friends play PC games and they haven't had as many headaches. In fact they bitch far more at console games nowadays than at PC games.