C&C3 Tiberium Wars

I recently purchased Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars from EA Games and have experienced the best and worst of modern computer gaming. The first issue is that once it was installed, I tried to play the game and it loaded without any picture. So after trying several things I reset the machine and tried to patch the game, success! The game now ran with out an issue. After playing the game for several hours and enjoying it immensely, I turned up the graphics and it still looked great!

Now hear is where it gets messy, after I quit the game, I wasn't able to restart it without receiving a D3D error message. My solution, reset the system, which then allows me to load up the game with out an issue - and play for hours. Now if I run no other applications between exiting C&C3 and restarting it I still receive an error message.... sounds like stellar programming to me.

Firstly, my computer is able to run the game as it meets the sys requirements and at times is able to play it. Secondly I am not alone with such problems as evidence by online forums posts here and here. Even with the latest 1.05 patch I still have a problem. For a cost of $100AUD I am disappointed, slightly angry, but still prepared to wait a little while for a patch to resolve this problem. EA better pull their finger out else I will put my finger up.... When the game did work it was fun.

The other thing that is really annoying me is that I have been in contact with a few people who have pirated the "Kane" version and aren't having this problem. Which if you listen to the arguments against piracy, quality is one of the biggest concerns, clearly this isn't always the case.