MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

Being an impatient bast, I went ahead and paid for UPS 2nd Day Air shipping. I'm tracking my copy of SE4 as it wends its way across the country to my happy home. Call me anal-retentive if you will, but I find it vastly satisfying and reassuring to be able to track its progress so precisely. Yes, within hours I should have my very own copy of SE4 greedily clutched in my grubby little paws!

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

But UPS tracking can also be frustrating. Not being able to convince myself to spend that extra money for overnight, I opted for Standard delivery. Using the tracking, I watched my game leaving Chapel Hill on Thursday night, then hitting two intermediate points before being put "in transit" to my local UPS office... on Friday night. Since I have standard delivery, it won't be delivered to my home till Monday. So close, and yet so far!

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

How about this for "So Close, So Far". On Friday the UPS dude knocked on my front door with SE4 in his hand but there's nobody home. It is a signature required package so back to the depot it goes and I get a yellow sticky saying 1st attempt made. Arrrgggg! Depot is closed Saturday. Arrgg! I have arranged to pick it up in person on Monday morning. Oh well! So Close, but.......

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by markgame:
But UPS tracking can also be frustrating. Not being able to convince myself to spend that extra money for overnight, I opted for Standard delivery. Using the tracking, I watched my game leaving Chapel Hill on Thursday night, then hitting two intermediate points before being put "in transit" to my local UPS office... on Friday night. Since I have standard delivery, it won't be delivered to my home till Monday. So close, and yet so far! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

That's rough, RA. I *hate* those yellow stickies - they mean that the game was *right there* on the doorstep, but then went away &lt;sniff&gt;! I wish us both better luck on Monday.

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

Uh oh... I hope that Standard delivery means I don't have to be there for a signature, because I won't be! I seem to recall a number of times that UPS (or was it FedEx?) left off packages if there was no one there to sign for it. Anyone know about the terms of Standard delivery? I couldn't find the particulars on the UPS web site.

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

I think whether a signature is required by UPS or not is specified by the shipper, but it also might depend on the area (ie - whether they think it might get stolen if it was just left there).

I ordered the 2nd day UPS Red shipping, and the guy just put the package in our mail slot without even ringing the doorbell (we were home at the time).

I don't know why they would just have left the package for us, but require a signature for someone else.

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

Mine was signature required and they didn't leave it. You would expect that all the SE 4 shipments would be the same. Probably depends on the individual UPS truck driver.
That was for 3 day select shipping to Philadelphia.

Picked it up this morning at the UPS depot. Took them 45 mins to find it though...... I was begining to worry when they brought it out.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by markgame:
Uh oh... I hope that Standard delivery means I don't have to be there for a signature, because I won't be! I seem to recall a number of times that UPS (or was it FedEx?) left off packages if there was no one there to sign for it. Anyone know about the terms of Standard delivery? I couldn't find the particulars on the UPS web site.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

Mine arrived Monday as well, after its misadventure on Friday. I've enjoyed the few hours I had with it tonight and look forward to exploring its depth and modifiability for weeks/months to come.

As for signatures, I signed releases with both FedEx and UPS a couple of years ago (they need to be renewed every year or two), so that packages don't need a signature. If you frequently order lots of stuff and are OK with having it left outside, you might ask your delivery guy about it.

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

Hrmmm. I check the UPS site, and what do I see but...

...Rescheduled delivery.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrgggh.

Well, at least it's not been redirected to Timbuktu.

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-- The thing that goes bump in the night

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

Heres a nice story to go along with these other tales of woe...
I got the email saying it was on its way and all that, I'd opted for 3day shipping so it got here pretty fast.. so I get home from School monday... There it was, the most perfect little UPS package i had ever seen. I open it. I find the manual, and I find the cd case inside (its more of a little paper envelope), I open the case... The cd had broke in half!!! now I'm waiting on Shrapnel to respond to my email, still waiting after 3 days. I realize how much email they must be getting, but 3 days should be enough! I havent even got a confirmation email! so now I have to wait even longer! I can hardly wait to get this game, and the ringworlds and stuff, and I cant do a thing but wait.

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Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.

[This message has been edited by AaronEdward (edited 16 November 2000).]

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>I open the case... The cd had broke in half!!!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wow, bad deal, man. I've ordered several games from Shrapnel (H&M, AOA:WDK2K, and now SE IV) and each time that I opened the package and saw the CD in its frail paper envelope inside the manual, I had a mild fear that it'd be broken. Well, it was more than mild for SE IV: the manual had been creased badly near the top due to shipping trauma (the manual and top staple were bent about 45 degrees), but fortunately the CD was still fine.

Sorry that it happened to you, but I'd guess that if you email Shrapnel and then mail the shards of the CD back to them, they'd replace it (that possible solution was in the back of my mind when half-anticipating this situation myself). You might want to email them again since you haven't received a reply yet - they're usually good about replying, so your first email might have gone astray. Best wishes!

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

Ouch! Bitter! http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon9.gif

UPS should cover the costs on replacing the CD, I'd think. After all, it takes talent to crack a CD in a padded packet marked "do not bend"!!

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

well I'll mail the parts back to them.. I dont know what ups will do.. It does take talent.. UPS is good at that from what i hear.. ok call me impractical, but would it not be better, just for a better chance of making it, that the cd should come in a hard case?

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Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

Hmm... my SE4 came in a huge 11x14" UPS flat envelope with no internal cardboard or stiffening, and I don't believe that it had any warning labels on the outside (I might be wrong about this, since I pitched the envelope already). I too had a concern about CD damage, but luckily it was fine.

This is a rather disappointing shipping method. I have purchased Combat Mission and Mindrover this year, both independent games published by small houses, and both were shipped in cardboard (Mindrover actually had a nice little shipping box). If Shrapnel Games continues to rely on this method of delivery I will be reluctant to purchase anything else from them in the future. I'm not trying to be nasty or anything, instead I just want to express a consumer concern.

[This message has been edited by markgame (edited 16 November 2000).]

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

They put the CD inside the manual which helps protect it. I do think a bit of stiff cardboard would be a nice addition though.

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

Actually our shipper handles that sort of thing but it would increase shipping to go with another method.

I will talk to Tim about this since I think you can put a "DO NOT HAND STAMP" message on most packages and that will usually save such problems from happenning.

In either case we will gladly replace any damaged CD's.

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Sarge is coming...

Richard Arnesen
Director of Covert Ops
Shrapnel Games
http://www.shrapnelgames.com

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

They finally responded!! Anyone who has a broken CD, when you email them, be sure to include your order number to make things go faster.. I wouldnt have minded paying more for a case, if that could've saved me all this hassle. The manual isnt really thick enough to protect it anyhow Psitticine.
the envelope doesnt have any warnings.. except: "Contents should be packed to ensure safe transportation." how ironic. I'm agreeing with markgame on this one.

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Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

Well I think we've got it all worked out.. Once Shrapnel got to my email they wouldnt let it go http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif They said they'll re-ship on the 22nd. Thanks guys !!

Re: MAN, that UPS tracking is nice...
 

Absolutely! Software Completions screwed up on this one, Shrapnel. That was grossly irresponsible of them to ship your game without a cardboard stiffener in the envelope. I used to work in the corrugated industry, I know how dirt-cheap those are, so I am NOT buying any excuses about how it would have been too expensive. We are talking 2 cents more per piece, at an absolute maximum.