Seriously, what am I not getting.... (image)

http://www.applesnake.net/helpmewin.png

I LOST this election!?!? I got only 21 electorates!?!?
13,914 views 16 replies
Reply #1 Top

See what I wrote elsewhere. Without seeing your personal traits it's hard to say.

Try playing with candidates that come with the game. You may have made a candidate so lacking in personal traits that even though the people agreed with you, they despised you. I'm just guessing since I'm not there.

Reply #2 Top
Ok, I'll do that. But one thing- this still doesn't answer is WHY the polls show people thinking I lead them on issues and why this doesn't affect hw they vote... should personal characteristics be listed in like manner if they affect the outcome that strongly? Without this it means a HUGE part of the game is off limits to us as players...
Reply #3 Top


I LOST this election!?!? I got only 21 electorates!?!?


I agree that is VERY odd. How could you be leading by so much in the important issues and still not get electoral votes? I've never come across anything like this playing through the campaign. Maybe you uncovered some kind of bug with created personalities.
Reply #4 Top
Actually I take that back. Upon closer look I see you're only leading on the top 4 issues while you are way behind on everything below that. Even though the top 4 issues take up 70% of the total popular vote, you're not exactly blowing Bush out of the water on these issues (looks like around 60/40 in your favor), while the other 30% of the issues you are getting blown out of the water. Maybe try not to focus on just a few issues?
Reply #5 Top
While I can't say for certain without seeing the map, I can tell that you have the difficulty level set at a decient level (Buch is seen using Political Capital, something easy candidates don't use much). My guess is that he used the ol' "Spin Doctor / Smear Merchant" combo on some key states. This raises his ratings on all issues by 15%, while lowering yours by 15%.

Looking at the War on Terror, which arrounted for 38% of votes made, the altered ratings woubd be Bush: 56% and Shafer:%43, giving Bush the lead. This trend would continue down the list of issues...
FIghting Crime - B 70% S 39%
Homeland Security - B 53% S 46%
Social Security - B 58% S 51%

I'm not saying this is definate, but it's a strong possibility (Bush had to use those 43 PolCapital pts somewhere)
Reply #6 Top
I've won games with FAR less support than what I've shown in the image. And the numbers don't support the overall popular vote I got which was PITIFUL!

And Bush was NOT using a smear/spin combi on me at all. None in that game- he used his clout to buy endorsements and such, which shows up in the stats.

I think there is a bug with created personalities because I went back and played John Kerry on Tough and TROUNCED Bush ridiculously! I can't win with my created personality (with a 10 charisma BTW) for anything!

And the SUDDEN turnaround about midgame by the enemy is astounding. I think each of you should try to win with created personalities... I think something is up. This has happened to me no matter what type of personality I've made.
Reply #7 Top
Oh and the one odd thing about my personality was I created it. Played a game with it. Then I edited the personality and then all hell broke lose whenever I played with that personality. I edited him each time I played.
Reply #8 Top
Is that the common theme? Created personalities can't win?

I suspect that's it. I also am having this same issue come up with a created personality.

I appreciate the explanations people are trying to provide to Dearmad (and, thus, indirectly to myself, the founder of the Carter creams me thread), but they aren't right.

The AI doesn't use political operatives at normal difficulty or in the second campaign mode much, if at all. It isn't smear doctors and consultants that are causing this. Its something deeper in the game system, effecting created personalities.

I think this is a bug/mechanics problem that should be investigated. It can't be explained away by interviews, operatives or 0 in personal traits. I sent a save game in. I can send others from that campaign, day by day if necessary, to show the disintegration of my candidate when facing Carter.
Reply #9 Top
How are you taking those screen shots out of curiosity?
Reply #10 Top
jscott: We'll look into that saved game of yours. I can honestly say that I beat Carter with a custom player, but I ididn't get much farther than him. I'm bummed my hypotheseis on the "smrear/spin" wasn't right ah well..back to the drawing board.
Reply #11 Top
Screenshots: I just hit Print Screen. Then I open up Paint Shop Pro, right click. Save as new image. And do what I want to the image from there- I've been exporting them as PNG's to compress them.

I'm VERY glad SD is looking into this problem. The EASE with which I cream any opponent using any character already in the game at Normal difficulty is in stark contrast to how I cannot win no matter how I cheat (cntrl-m for money) with my own created character. I've beatne an opponent once with a created character but then I edited the character and no more... never again.
Reply #12 Top
Where does Political Machine save your screenshots Dearmad? I can't find them, though it looks like the game is making them (there's a brief pause).
Reply #13 Top
It doesn't save them. I alt-tab out to the other program and past them. They are saved in your paste buffer/cache.

You have to right click in an image app. to get the image back. And you can only do one at a time unless you use some other screen capture method- which Paint Shop Pro (or whatever you use) has.
Reply #14 Top
Yes, the problem is being resolved as we speak Thanks for all your help with this one guys...it's very much appreciated!
Reply #15 Top
Thank you for resolving the problem!

Great service and responses from everyone. I'm very glad I gave you guys the money for this game directly.
Reply #16 Top
Yahooooooo... they FOUND DA BUG!!!!! :o)