Everything below is just a theory I had and feel free to respond:



70%-gave us 2 pictures (possibly meaning they had finished the game and sent into Beta Testing?)

80%-gave us 1 more picture of the villagers in the cave looking at some sort of scrole.

90%-just an update

95%-gave several pictures including the name: The Secret City

99%-finished beta testing but fixing the glitches and typoes that the beta testers found and also 2 more pictures.



If I am right about what is happening during 99% then if they're fixing the glitches and typoes which should only take no longer than 1-2 weeks it could mean the game could come out any day now!

But you're wrong.

okay ...

Hey what does that mean he/she's wrong? !?!?

The theory is wrong.

Does that mean it will take more than a month? I am too impatient for that!

She didn't say that.

i'm hoping that the smily face at the end of LadyCFII's reply means that $@M was wrong about it taking 1-2 weeks more to be completed and that it's less!!!

oh wells,we'll just have to be VERY,VERY patient until it's released....i just can wait like you guys....

I hope your right Faeron and belive me Kani Wahine, I can't wait either. I feel like i'm going to burst!

I don't think it's in beta yet.

Why not?

Becuz, PT didn't go into beta until 100%

Are you serious Jazzo - not even in beta - this is too much torture - i've been waiting since they announced the release - checking the web site every day - i even signed up to the forum though haven't really posted much to see what everyone else thought - i thought i was crazy for vv but some of you guys make me look like an ametuer over the games - i have all of ldw's games - love them all - if vv3 hasn't even gone to beta testing yet i'm seriously going to burst from the anticipation - i am soooo looking forward to a bigger map and more stuff to do and the graphics look awesome - i want the game now but just because i want it now doesn't mean i will get it soon - i'm just hoping that it comes out in time for my birthday on may 9th because its a bday present to myself when it comes out

Welcome Aziza (don't forget to do an intro if you haven't already)

Like all of you, I can't say for 100% sure either way, but I have a very strong suspicion that the game is already well into Beta! I think (okay, I HOPE) it's closer than many of us think! I really wouldn't be surprised to see it soft released here before Memorial day!

Actually, according to LadyCFII, the last 5% of the progress bar for Plant Tycoon was beta.

She says so here.

And I agree with Rockmower, I have a strong suspicion that VV3 is already in beta testing. I don't know for sure, but I have some reasons which seemingly support my suspicions.

I hope it is in beta if it is not i am going 2

It has to be way into beta testing. Literally, because if VV3 is coming out in Spring like they said it would it would have to have started months ago because even if it started now, it wouldn't finish beta testing until late summer.

I'm so stoked about VV3. I love the newest pictures add to the previews too, especially the ocean one with the black pearl and the clam!

I think that LDW has already put it into beta a while ago - so when it comes out all of a sudden we will all be surprised!!

Well, i know thats probably wrong but that theory always makes me feel better

Lets just make new timetables and guesses.
Plan A: Wait until LadyCFII logs on and search for her posts (Jazzo's method). We filter what is relevant (VV3 stuff) and compile it together. We get a timetable.

Plan Ba: We make guesses here and wait until LadyCFII comes and looks at it. She then tells us what is happening after she sees the tons of posts.

Plan Bb: For optinum(sp.) results, we should not let LadyCFII see this post.

Plan C: We wait until it is released. This thread will then be used to just help you be patient.

I prefer Plan A.

so do I! plan A is going to work i think!!

Either A or Ba.

Same here, A or Ba

Good Luck with getting any information from LadyCFII before VV3's release date!

Just like her answer in this thread she words it just right so there's no grain of information that can be gleaned!!

Hmm, because I remember that when the status bar it 100, it said "100% In Beta" and the release date. Maybe I'm remembering wrong. Well, if it follows the PT patterns, it could already be in beta, but probably not for very long yet. Besides, everyone remember that the longer the game takes, the better it will be once we get it

True, but it is so hard to wait at 99 %!

They may never tell us if its in beta or not so they can surprise us when its finished. I like surprises.

It could just now be going into beta or could have been in beta for a long time. I think its been in beta for a long time because they've been posting pictures for a long time. And I don't see how they could post pictures if they hadn't even finished making it.

I can't wait any longer! My head's about to explode, and I'm at the edge of my sit , clicking refresh every 1 minute!! Please release fast LDW, within the next few minutes??

I remember VV2 took like more than a week or 2 when it was 99%, hopefully it'll be released sooner than that.

Yes, I think also that VV3 is already in beta testing. and I remember these posts: Beta Testing

Does anyone remember how long it took to reach 100% for VV2 when it hit 99%?

vh713

This is my first time to watch the progress bar because when I found out about virtual villagers I found them from a different website so I didn't know about Plant Tycoon until like 2 months after it was finished. And I never knew that I could be SO UNPATIENT!!!!!

A week or two.

And if jose is right then we only have 1 week before it reaches 100%!!! becuz its been at 99% for a week!

Don't have TOO high expectations..or they'll be crushed.........

I was asking more out of curiosity than the neverending hope that VV3 will be out soon. The pictures that I've seen look as if VV3 may be more complex than the last two and worth the wait.

vh713

I wonder if they will have a pre-release pre-purchase option because it takes a couple of days for paypal to go through. I would hate to have to wait additional days to play.

I've been watching my Big Fish Games because they release the games a day early to members so I've been checking daily to see if VV3 is tomorrows game. Alas, not yet!

VV3 does look more complex and a lot of fun. Thats why I'm so excited.

heatherndan, I'm 99% sure that I read somewhere that there would be no option to preorder the game. I can't find the post I'm thinking of at the moment though...

Oh, ok, thank you for responding to my question, though.

i thought i had read a post that said the game would be soft released here before being available anywhere else.

Yes but I was asking about preordering the game before it actually comes out so that paypal will have a chance to come through before we can play. Otherwise, when the game comes out, I'll buy it with paypal and then it will take a couple of additional days before I can play.

It takes that much longer when you use paypal?

vh713

Yeah, it takes paypal itself a while to process, and in the meantime, LDW e-mails the confirmation when they receive the payment. So, it is only fair that it works that way.

I agree heather, pre order and pay would be a good idea. I guess the biggest problem with that would be if something happened and the game wasnt released, all the payments would need to be reversed! My comment was actually in response to someone who said they check another site, but i think i mis- interpreted their comment anyway lol!

Yeah, I could see how it may get kind of messy. It was just a thought.

The biggest problem would be if the payment did not go through Paypal. Like the check bounced or they never got the check, something like that.

The person would have the activation key but LDW wouldn't have their money. While I'm sure nobody here would do that it still leaves open the possibility of abuse by others.

Yeah, but we would still have to wait for the payment to clear before they gave us the activation code. They couldn't give the code until it comes out anyway. But, that was what I meant when I said that I could see how it could get messy, so I don't blame them at all for not doing it.

That may be why Carla discussed the demo for this version having limited features vs a time limit. At least people can be actually playing some of it while they wait to get the full version.

You can find out exactly what she said here

Thank you for pointing that out to me, I had no idea that they would actually change that. That may be better than playing for an hour. We'll see how that pans out.

You're very welcome. Glad I could help out. I really hope the limitations will at least ease the pain before you're able to get the full version.

Sure, if it's technologies or something, then you can just accumulate points and then use them when you receive the full version. I just hope it's not like VV2 where you need the tech points right away.

Yeah, then there wouldn't be any point in the demo, because we only be to complete like 2 puzzles.

I think you need to be careful applying anything that was said in that poll to VV3 or any other game. Carla was taking a poll to see what people preferred, not announcing how we're going to implement the trial version of VV3.

I've got a question. Will VV3 be compatible with my laptop which has Windows 2000 professional on it? Or will it only be compatible with XP and higher?

in that poll..carla specifically said that it would not change how VV3 is released..but MAY be used in the future for other games. this says to me that the VV3 trial will still be the normal 1 hour-full feature.

Oooooops....I'm so sorry. I totally misunderstood Carla's post.

In regards to PayPal, if you download the PayPal plugin they allow you to generate a one-time use Mastercard or Visa card for the use of an item regarding on how long you have had your Paypal account, the payment goes through right away so no waiting at all!! It comes in very handy in these situations where you need to wait for Paypal to come through, why not try that?

You know Lady, it's driving us all utterly MAD! If you have a date of release, please why wont you give it? We would all stop bugging you about it then... If you dont know exact date of release, then why not tell us that? It seems cruel and unusual to leave us in the dark... I say this with all the love in the world!!! Please throw us a bone??? Thnxs for letting me rage

You know, kittenzan, I think they can't know exactly when the game will be finish.
If they are on the beta testing level (as I think it is), they are waiting for all the problems, bugs, glitches, "stuck villagers", "last pieces of gong", "lost or dropped cauldrons"... etc... that the testers will find and to the manner to solve them!!
As soon as it's not perfect, they will work again and again on it, so nobody can tell when VV3 will be finished.

But LadyCFII has been telling us when it comes to a release date.

http://www.ldwforums.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/136242#Post136242



http://www.ldwforums.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/137014#Post137014


http://www.ldwforums.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/125437#Post125437


http://www.ldwforums.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/123005#Post123005


Please be patient and let's not give LadyCFII a bad time. She, as the rest of the LDW team, is working very hard to get this out as soon as possible. They have not been keeping us in the dark. They just cannot give a specific date right now. I am sure we will all know, here on the forum, before anyone else, anywhere else, will. We will be the first to know. (Well, after LDW knows themselves)

Thanks for doing that, Gamey. It saves me a lot of time and typing. Now I can get back to work on VV3!

Thanks for the info, Jenmarenc. Much appreciated, I did not know that.

I hope everyone sees Gamemastr1's post so LadyCFII won't have to be bothered so she can concentrate on VV3 until it comes out.

Yes, we definitely want her concentrating on that!!

Agreed.

I'm a Puter Tard, so I don't realize all that goes into making a game('cept watching "Grandmas Boy" LOL... guess it's just a [censored] shoot trying to set a date, impossible I see now, thank you for enlightning me, I apologize for my ignorance when it comes to making games, I'm more of a player, and quite impatient, as you see.

It's okay. We all get impatient. And believe me I'm really impatient right now. I'm just trying not to rush LDW.

Well, VV3 should come out soon. And there are other things to do to tide us over for the next few days...

Not sure about VV3, but I have played both VV1 & VV2 and Plant & Fish tycoon on my computer running windows 2000 professional without a problem.
I think I read a post where it said the games have been run on computers up to 7 yrs old, so hopefully the format will be the same and it will work for you...

I'd like to help here by mentioning, if you are waiting for payments to clear from PayPal, then you have an account set up as your back-up funding source, probably a checking account, and they will need to wait for the funds to clear before payment. If you transfer funds into your PayPal account now from your back up source (this usually takes 5-7 days) then when you pay with PayPal the payment will be instant, as the funds will be there (at PayPal) and not need verified. Also the Plug-In option mentioned will work.

Hope this helps some of you who pay with PayPal

Why not release a test version? We also hope for it.

thered be too many bugs, typeos and glitchs

Yes, VV3 will be compatible with Windows 2000, as long as your computer meets the minimum system requirements.

Before anyone asks, the system requirements are already on the VV site at http://www.virtualvillagers.com/virtualvillagers3thesecretcity/index.html

can anyone direct me to the several screen shot for VV3?

lilithevemc

http://www.ldwforums.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/129409/page/1#Post129409 sorry im not sure how to put the link any other way. By the way if its as good as it looks it will be brillllllllll

Arnie, that link had me sitting there for what felt like ages waiting for it to load, only for me to realise it is an unfinished page. What a tease!

it's working now, onion! I was just there.

The link works for me and loads in a couple of seconds. The info on system requirements is there, which is what I promised. You didn't expect clues from LDW about VV3, did you?

it worked for me arnie. and i am very happy to see that my new pc will handle it very well. my old one was a laptop that was sadly out of date, and would cause my villagers to move very, very slowly if i ran them for more than an hour or so.
or they would drop all of a sudden, always where i didn't want them to. i am so looking forward to playing this awesome new game on a pc that works!!

Nothing wrong with a little optimism, Arnie One day I might load it and there'll be something there.

One day...

Just thought I'd help you...Big Fish Games is having a 40%off sale for Mother's Day!

I followed this link the other day, pleased to read the few little snippets that were there, smiling inside at the few spots that still referenced VV2.

Today I follow the link and I get Service Unavailable.

What does Service Unavailable mean? Perhaps that they're finishing up the page, and the game will be released in another hour or so? Or that they've taken it down until the game is released, whenever that may be? Or that my internet connection is kaput and there's nothing going on behind the scenes at all?

Every day I wait makes me more keen. And every little thing I see here that's a bit out of the ordinary makes me wonder "is something dramatic about to happen?"

Am I sad, or what? I need a life!


LOL - and, seconds later, the link is working for me again. Guess it was totally innocent

A smiley... oh so... A month? Or right now?

for both that page and the preview page..definately they're either working on them..or something's wrong with them because they aren't loading right..hmmm..kinda makes one wonder

I had "service unavailable" about 10 to midnight last night [central time] but it came back

It worked for me. But.... no new info