Unreal Tournament Not To Include Linux Executable 234
AugstWest writes "According to Brandon Reinhart's .plan, even though the Linux support for Unreal Tournament will be on schedule with the rest of development, GT Interactive has decided not to include the Linux executable within the box. After Carmack's statement yesterday, the implications are pretty big. The only thing that could let them know how big the Linux gamer base is would be to have everyone interested in the Linux port make their opinions known, both publicly and to GT. " Politely let GT know - and thanks to Brandon Reinhart, who will be making the Linux executable available for download after UT hits the shelves.
Re:GT is smart (Score:1)
it's a savvy idea: why spend more than necessary to support a group whose gaming numbers are unknown? let's help them make it worthwhile!
jon
huh? (Score:2)
To my understanding they have a working linux port, but don't want to expand their market... Its just bad business.
Unfortueately (Score:2)
I may buy the Linux version if I get a chance, but I have to buy the Windows version immediately.
As good as UT is...... (Score:1)
Funny... (Score:1)
Its seems their not going to include it in the box because they can't be bother suppporting linux.
Another reason to not buy UT.
UT v. Quake3 (Score:2)
At least GT is letting people download Linux stuff right away. But I don't see why they wouldn't just include it on the CD... strange.
How to send Epic a message (Score:4)
The only things that matter to management is the bottom line. Boycotting or pirating Unreal Tournament won't accomplish anything, you just don't appear in the bottom line. Maybe nobody using Linux plays games, or maybe everybody boycotted us but there's not enough information to tell. We did sell stacks of copies to Windows users though.
Beyond registration a means of sending the message en masse would be useful as well. Something that says the only reason we the undersigned parted with money for Unreal Tournament was because a Linux port was available.
what do you think you are doing? (Score:2)
Re:As good as UT is...... (Score:1)
I will buy the Mac version as soon as it's available, and will ALSO buy the Linux version. If sales for the Linux port are much lower than anticipated because everyone's already bought the PC or Mac version, this company and others will surely take that as a hint to stop developing for Linux. The only way to get your voice heard is to let them know you WILL buy the game, and then actually go out and buy it when it gets released.
-Pahroza
General... (Score:4)
Most people I know that run Linux go to Windows to play games client-side, but as far as servers go, we stick to Linux for running a dedicated game. GT should keep this in mind, and release the Linux binaries immediately upon release of the game in stores (which I suppose is today).
One of the main factors they should also keep in mind is that not everyone has a T1+ connection to the net, so if they're going to be releasing binaries that add up to several MBs worth of data, they had better plan on mirroring it in several FAST places - not just their site and cdrom.com (or another heavily-loaded mirror)...
I fear that Quake3's boxed Linux version won't gain as many buyers as it was once expected, due simply to the nature of the game in comparison with id's past games, but UT has a real chance here. Unreal was a horrid game over a network, but UT looks very promising (especially over a LAN =9 Add in random taunts to your victims to phenomenal looks, and you've got a fun game!
Re:GT is smart (Score:1)
Re:Unfortueately (Score:1)
it's also not a matter of waiting for a port, the port is done, complete and ready to go, but it won't be on the CD.
2 points for this?
Epic wimped out (Score:2)
In other words, we were to lame to stand up to GT. What a cop out. Come on Epic, stand up for principles like id does.
Now I'm going to have to reconsider whether or not to buy UT.
Fuck'em (Score:1)
How stupid is it develop a linux executable and not drop it into an unsupported directory on the CD?
I'll be putting my money in ID's direction.
Thank you Epic.
Linux users - Just say NO! (Score:2)
Don't buy UT unless it has "Linux" on the box. And here's why: if a company knows that X percent of the paying customers use its products under the XYZ OS, it hires ($$$ !) a proportionate number of developers and support staff. The more XYZ developers, the better XYZ support for the next release - it's a feedback system!
Re:As good as UT is...... (Score:2)
The idiots at GTI are the ones that have decided, for no discernable reason, not to include the linux executables. If you want to snub GT, simply order direct from Epic, if they offer it direct.
In any case, it is GTI that is snubbing linux, not the actual game creators. GTI was purchased by Infogrames this past Tuesday, let's hope the new management has a better clue for future releases.
If you snub them for this, then in the future it's likely they won't bother to create a linux version at all. Far better to bitch to GTI/Infogrames.
Contacting GT Interactive (Score:3)
Customer Service
If you have a general inquiry about existing or upcoming GT titles, choose from the following list of customer service agents:
The one to contact: customerservice@gtinteractive.com [mailto]
And for those of you for whom it is appropriate:
Press Inquries,
Product-specific
f you are a member of the PRESS with a product-specific inquiry, write to Product Communications [mailto].
~GoRK
Re:As good as UT is...... (Score:1)
Not a grand crusade... (Score:2)
Re:As good as UT is...... (Score:2)
Only an idiot wouldn't add it into the CD...
Go ahead and buy UT... (Score:4)
Won't work. (Score:1)
Re:Funny... (Score:1)
Correction (Score:2)
Well, we could always withhold server support. (Score:1)
Re:Funny... (Score:1)
Which is another reason for them and other gaming companies to not release any more games for linux.
you wouldnt need to spend hours. (Score:1)
Urgh! ..and I pre-ordered it too (Score:2)
I'll still d/l the Linux port but it does concern me just a little that this news comes out the _day_ that this supposedly hits shelves and pre-orders are shipped. Least they could do is throw in a hat, t-shirt or mug?
Bugger, didn't want to hassle with competing for download with everyone else again, either!
(whining mode/off)
Silly zealots (Score:1)
Look at it this way, if the amount of downloads is huge, future GT games will come with Linux exes as standard.
I'm amazed (Score:4)
What's the difference here folks? Is it because it's "just a game" and if it's unstable and buggy who cares? Or is it because open-source games just suck and we're forced to pay for good proprietary game software?
By the way...if anyone knows of an open-source game that doesn't suck, I'd like to know about it. Don't mention the obvious Carmack released code.
Time to watch my Karma drop...
Man... (Score:1)
When they see the success of the Linux version of Quake 3 I think they'll wisnh they did differently, and more companies will notice too. I said it once and I'll say it again: PLEASE release Diablo 2 for Linux, Blizzard!!!
If you think you know what the hell is really going on you're probably full of shit.
Re:General... (Score:1)
This way, you buy a CD for windows but you download the appropriate binaries to run the linux version. I could be wrong of course, but this approach seems the most logical.
linux supports more than one arch (Score:3)
i get the impressive that a lot of game developers believe linux only runs on x86 (or maybe that ports to other archs are "ports" and not "real" linux, or something like that).
bottom line: if you're going to support linux (please do!), please make builds for archs other than x86! or, if the code depends on x86 asm and hasn't been ported to other archs, then say so; that is, say it's for linux/x86, not just "linux". saying it's "for linux" is pretty vague (unless you mean you're distributing the source and i'll build on any arch linux runs on).
sorry to rant, but non-86x users are being left out (much the same way linux is being left out, in favor of windows) and not even mentioned.
maybe i'm being a little pedantic, but it'd be nice to see other archs get more games (yes, i know there are some games available for ppc and alpha).
This totally blowz (Score:1)
Re:what do you think you are doing? (Score:1)
1) Cost of space on the CD: Oops they weren't going to use that space anyhow, I'm sure the CD wasn't filled completely up. No cost there.
2) Cost of extra boxes and manuals for the linux version: Oops they could be put into the same box with an extra sentence added to each. Works with Windows95 (and Linux) on the box and (linux users will find the executable in such and such directory) in the manual. No noticable extra cost there
Where is the need to justify it. It is just a file. Put it in the damn box and write the word linux in the requirements. It's neither hard nor expensive. What is expensive is the bandwidth usage of all the Linux users downloading the thing.
Re:Linux users - Just say NO! (Score:2)
Say that such and such a program comes out in a multiplatform CD. I would think that for the most part everyone is is buying for one platform - but what would tell them for sure? Well, you have feedback cards, but if you are like me you never send them in because all they are is a way to get you on their mailing list. What is another way?
Simple. Call them up with an install question. Even if it is something silly like "I can't find the README file for Linux" or "I bought this game to run under linux - what is this directory marked 'win9x'?" Just a simple easy to answer question.
Course, they would think "gosh, these linux guys are dense!", so maybe it is not a good idea after all.
Product development and sales cycle (Score:1)
Re:How to send Epic a message (Score:1)
I purchase quite a bit of software and hardware, and usually end up forgetting to send in a paper registration card, but fill out electronic ones almost 100% of the time. An automated one-time packet sent to them with an OS name would be perfect for the situation. Granted of course, that they let the user be the one doing the sending.
Pahroza
Re:How to send Epic a message (Score:1)
The Linux part of Unreal Tournament won't be a couple hundred megabytes. All it will be is the executable. I've not actually played a game in ages but I'd be suprised if it was more than a few megabytes in size. Most of the data on a CD is well... data. Maps, graphics, sounds, voice,
Beat them at thier own game. (Score:1)
I know you all are going to say that then when a linux version comes out it won't perform as good. But I disagree. When I bought Civ:CTP for Linux it was completely impulse buy. I had no intentions of buying a computer game when I went into EB that day, but seeing the word Linux I said "hey, I loved Civilization one. Why not get the sequal. I't here, it works on my machine, why not buy it" so I bought it. I still haven't bought Ultima Online or Kingpin. I see them in the stores and know they are supported under Linux, but don't really have the impulse to buy.
I think the impulse sales of a linux version would be far greater than downloads of people that just intentional bought the game to download the linux executable. Marketing has alway been about forcing impulse buys (just look at what credit cards did) GT seems to have forgot that.
Re:GT is gutless (Score:2)
Bravo to Activision and every other company releasing a Linux version of popular games.
Activision is actually publishing Q3 for Linux? I thought that Id was looking for another publisher familiar with Linux to do that. There was an old
I would find the link to the old article, but I can't search the archives beyond a few weeks back. What's up with that?
Re:GT is smart (Score:1)
Re:How to send Epic a message (Score:1)
Re:How to send Epic a message (Score:1)
UT Linux (Score:5)
Re:I'm amazed (Score:1)
I can see why no support, but... (Score:2)
same thing for Q3A (Score:1)
--
http://www.beroute.tzo.com
Re:Unfortueately (Score:1)
I doan need no steeking points.
Re:what do you think you are doing? (Score:1)
mark
Maybe this would work... (Score:2)
Re:Linux users - Just say NO! (Score:1)
For one thing, Epic did everything in their power to ensure a linux version of the game. They are to be commended for their willingness to support linux. GTI, being a mismanaged and cash poor company, chose not to incur significant cost by hiring or training their support staff to support linux in spite of Epic's wishes to the contrary. I'm hoping Infogrames fires all their execs and puts in folks with a clue.
At this stage of the game, I think it's still a bit early to try to demand linux support. Both Epic and GTI could have ignored linux and still made off like bandits. The fact that at least Epic has not is a point in their favor.
Your arguments work great except when the X% is so low that the folks in question don't give a damn. It's also assuming that the executives at the company are even aware of what X% is. Far better to buy the game be loud and complain a lot to give them an impression of increased X% than to simply ignore their product altogether and let them assume that sales were X% under expectations due to lack of player interest (it's not like GTI execs have any clue what makes a game good).
Re:I'm amazed (Score:1)
Re:Fuck'em (Score:1)
Re:UT v. Quake3 (Score:2)
So until they can get tech support people that CAN support a Linux game, they will not support it.
Just a though, couldn't they include the Linux executable with some kind of non-support clause? I know that's a cop-out and something we shouldn't have to put up with, but at least it would be there.
You don't know anything, do you? (Score:1)
Now then, Epic might be really pissed about this, but there's not a damn thing they can do about it. There are layers of contractual agreements between Epic and GT, and they basically say that Epic does whatever GT tells them to -- for as long as the contract is in force.
Epic might choose another distributor for their NEXT game, but as far as UT is concerned, they're screwed.
Welcome to the exciting world of distribution agreements!
With respect to id showing "guts" and how that reflects poorly on Epic -- consider two things:
FIRST, there were a mass of Slashdotters screaming at id just a couple days ago. Go check your archives to see how "gutsy" id was.
SECOND, remember that money buys power. And what game company has more money than id? That's right: nobody. id is "gutsy" because they have the moolah to back it up, and that's all. It's not like they're out there fighting against the distributors, after all. They're in bed with them, just like everybody else.
So, before you start passing pseudo-moralistic judgements on Epic, how about you check your facts first?
Epic is a victim here, and you shouldn't be blaming the victim.
Finally, you should be praising Epic for bothering to do a Linux port in the first place!! They didn't HAVE to do it, you know.
. . . christ, you give some people an inch, and suddenly they feel entitled to the whole mile . . .
Re:I'm amazed (Score:2)
Re:As good as UT is...... (Score:1)
well, it's already Gold (Score:1)
But if 100 000 people download the LINUX executable, maybe they'll change their minds.
I'm taking my money elsewhere (Score:1)
Take this as a clue... (Score:1)
Distributors like the MS monopoly.(***Calm down! Don't blow up just yet. Give me a chance to explain!)
Think about the job of a distributor. They collect widgets from manufactures, and take them to widget stores. In between they have to store and monitor inventory on widgets from each manufacturer. If there are 10 manufactures, each producing 10 types for widgets, the distributer must maintain sufficient inventory on 100 items. If there are 10 manufactures, each producing 10 types for widgets for each of 10 types of widget boxes, the distributer must now maintain sufficient inventory on 1000 items.
How much do you stock for manufacturer x, of widget y for box z (denoted x.y.z)? What happens when the 100 people that wanted x.y.z switch to box z~ and your left holding 50 units of x.y.z?
It is in the distributors interest to keep everyone locked into MS. It keeps their inventory and maintainance headaches down by a factor of 2. If Linux catches on and people discover that there are alternate OSs out there, the distributor will have to 1)stock everything available or 2) continually tail people "We don't carry widget y for box z, but you could try widget n for box l and modify it." (of course, that would never happen since it requires some knowledge of the marketplace other than sales volume).
The RIAA has been in the same situation for years. How many CD's of various genres will fit in a store? If you put every conceivable genre into a music superstore, how many would you end up warehousing year after year with nary a sale? RIAA's solution is to control what's played over the radio (subtlely controlling choice) and limit the number of people they give contracts to. The purpose in rock 'superstars' is to be able to have one item that runs off the shelf. You only have to inventory one item, and customers will by it or nothing else (choice be damned).
What should we do? RIAA doesn't get a dime of my money. I listen to the music I like, because I enjoy the choice of downloading mp3 from the net. The artist gets my money, and I get to like what I'm listening to (Of course, my wife irritates me with "Can't you get anything popular off the net?", eg. "Can't you download the same inane sh*t that me and all the other sheep are allowed by RIAA to hear?" It's funny how people always seem to clamour to have an aristocracy rule over them.)
I'll do the same with my software, thank you. Tell Epic, et.al., that you would be glad to buy a copy of the game from them, but you will not go through a restrictive bottleneck like GT. They are an unnecessary and expensive dinosaur of a leech in today's networked world. Like the RIAA, their profit is secured by categorizing and limiting consumer choice through a defunct business model. Damn the model and any company that chooses to live by it.
Epic, if you're game is any good, you could be much more profitable selling direct to customers. You don't get the store exposure, but you don't need it if you're good, and you keep all the money.
Re:GT is smart (Score:1)
On comparable issues (e.g. running TCP/IP services as were raised before) Linux kicks ass over Microsoft products.
--
Re:I'm amazed (Score:1)
Then unorder it..... (Score:2)
Refuse the shipment when the mailman or UPS person shows up at your door. If you don't get to meet them yourself, write in big black letters "RETURN TO SENDER - LINUX VERSION NOT ENCLOSED".
Then, to get your point across, call your credit card company/bank, and tell them to cancell the payment, because the item being shipped is not what you ordered in the first place.
Just a few suggestions.
Dear Brian Reinhart, (Score:1)
Hold on... (Score:2)
1) Gauging interest in the Linux community. If they sell a Windows/Linux hybrid box, the sales will probably be considered as Windows for statistical reasons (it's just the way the statistical agencies do it; it sucks, but that's how it is). It's a lot easier to keep track of downloads than sales, particularly in this case.
2) This one may actually be more exciting: port potential. Remember that Linux has ports to many architectures. Now that Glide's gone Open-Source, there's potential that it, and subsequently UT, could theoretically be ported to many different architectures. Now, unless you encode the installer in Perl or something (which I very much doubt they would do) you have to make an installer AND executable for each architecture (you have to make the executable regardless). That can add up rather quickly, particularly if there will be many ports. You can't rely on RPM or any other package manager either, since different distros have different systems; your other alternative is to use one of each (which takes up even more space) or write your own installer from scratch which would run on everything. Consider also that the UT media is going to take up almost all of the CD. It makes no sense to have a whole CD just for Linux installers, when you can have them downloadable.
These are just thoughts; the second one in particular isn't all that probable but it's a possibility. It's something to consider, at any rate.
Open Letter to Epic and GT (Score:2)
I am disturbed by reports that GT has chosen not to include the Linux version of Unreal in it's commercial offering of the game.
Whilst I can understand and appreciate that it is difficult to offer support for a market of unknown size, especially if there are no regular GT employees who are familiar with the different Linux distributions, I feel that there are alternative solutions which may be beneficial to all concerned.
The Linux community, as a whole, is used to taking on the role of tecnical support. If enough volunteers (vetted by GT as necessary) could be found, within a reasonable timescale, to take on the role of unpaid, 3rd-party tech support for the game, with a written performance guarantee, would GT be willing to reconsider it's decision?
I feel that outsourcing all parts of the Linux operation that GT are not comfortable with undertaking would satisfy the gaming markets and improve GT's official sales & profits, without any risk of adverse effects.
Thank you for your time.
Re:Fuck'em (Score:1)
Epic...get a better distributor next time. (Score:2)
It makes Sense (Score:1)
Re:huh? (Score:1)
Re:UT Linux (Score:2)
I bought your game, when I had a borrowed CD in my hot little hands and a CD-Rom burner at my elbow, because I think piracy is wrong.
The result? Unreal crashed chronically. This same machine runs every other piece of software and many competing games and both Linux and win98 with NO PROBLEMS at all.
Call tech support. Toll call. 15 minutes of waiting and threading through voice menus. Tech gives me the "stop bothering me I don't want to solve your problem" answer of "download the newest drivers for all your hardware and reinstall".
No opportunity to get a call number and re-open the same call with the same tech if this does not work, you have to start over with another 15 minute phone pennance.
It continued to not work, and I waited. A few months later, I got a new video card, and tried again, and again updated all my drivers and the latest Unreal patches. Different errors (failed assertions).
Back to technical support. Another go-away answer... your video card is not on microsofts "official" list of supported hardware (most hardware is not). We will not support the game. Note that the Unreal requirements on the box I purchased said nothing about "officially supported hardware only". Fine. I chucked it again.
Finally, a few months later, more patches, and a brand new Nvidia TNT1 video card with 16 MB, one "officially" supported by windows. Continued crashing. Call tech support. More go away answers.
Finally I gave the *!%$ game to a friend who had a 3dfx card (for whom the game seems pretty solid). So much for buying software...
So I would recommend not buying ANYTHING with an Unreal engine, not because they do or don't have linux support, but because their software is ambitious but buggy, and their support model is insulting and useless.
Bill "on a rant" Kilgallon
GT's Reasoning? (Score:1)
Regardless, the freedom that Linux allows is both its strength and its weakness. Most companies probably have a great fear of supporting something on a platform that is (at least currently) so amorphous!
I'm eager to see what will happen when XFree86 4.0 is released, given that it's intended to provide a (somewhat) more consistent interface for graphics!
Re:Funny... (Score:1)
Re:linux supports more than one arch (Score:1)
Re:Funny... (Score:2)
The following will offend simple, close-minded individuals.
Wow... I wish people would take a second or two to actually *think* before they post. The decision to not put a Linux binary on the CD *with* the Windows version is most likely for 2 reasons.
#1. They don't want every newbie who's trying out Red Hat and has no idea about Linux trying to get it to work. They would have to support installation issues as well as bugs.
#2. If it is *included* on the Windows CD there is no way for them to know how many people are using UT in Linux.
By only putting the binaries on the 'net, GT is showing that they like the idea of Linux gaming. Newbie users will be less likely to try it without doing a bit of research. The geeks will be able to play UT in Linux with their *windows* CD and the binaries. They will not have to expend members of their technical support staff to solving issues on Linux. Also, they will be able to get a fairly accurate picture of how many people are actually using UT under Linux by the number of downloads for the binary.
Amazing! GT doesn't seem like such a bad guy to me, but then again, I'm not a crazy conspirist. Not everything is done by companies because of MS. Companies do what makes them *money*. That's what companies do. Once the Linux crazies (You hardcore folks out there who cannot accept anything that is not 100% GPL and Open-Source) grow the hell up and get over this, companies may actually start really putting some force behind Linux gaming.
I personally will be running UT under Linux, and can hardly wait. Anything to keep from having to reboot into Windows (Hello uptime!). Now, go buy the game and stop whining. Be sure to show your support of Linux by downloading the binaries direct from the official source. We *want* them to see how many people download it, then they'll see that there *is* money to be made in selling Linux games.
DISCLAIMER: These ideas were scooped up from deep space, therefore they do not belong to me, my employer, Mickey Mouse, Bill Gates, Linus Torvalds, the United States Government, or even Tux. Enjoy and lighten up people.
Re:I'm amazed (Score:1)
Think of this as a test... (Score:1)
On the other hand, you have Q3 which will have a seperate Linux box but will be availiable later.
I have no idea which approach is best, but I am happy that two major game engines sure to be the basis for many other games are supporting Linux. Other companies will learn from the two different approaches here, and eventually refine the distribution of Linux products in a way that makes sense for businesses as well as the customer base.
We will all be downloading (Score:2)
Re:Be that as it may be... (Score:1)
>>can't play without spending a few more hours in
>>long distance charges to download the version I
>>can play.
>
>-- Unless you're using a 300baud modem, or your
>mommy keeps picking up the phone during your
>download to remind you to do your Algebra I
>homework, 5MB is _easily_ less than an hour;
>certainly not 'a few more hours.'
So what? The point still stands. Are you saying that since it's only 30 minutes of long distance he has to pay for, it's ok?
The position being taken is that the LINUX users really don't matter, they can just download what amounts to a patch and to hell with them. I don't know about you, but that pisses me off.
They thing to do is
a) Don't buy the game.
b) Write to them so they know they lost a sale and why.
As someone else noted, a) alone won't do it, they'll never notice we are missing. b) will let them know the revenue they lost so that they'll think twice about it next time.
--Ty
Re:Funny... (Score:1)
You create a subdirectory called unsupported.
Inside this subdirectory you create a directory called RedHat_Linux.
In this directory you place the files needed to play UR on a Redhat Linux platform.
I am only buying games that are marked "Cool - It works with Linux" And there are plenty of games from Loki and ID that are supported for Linux that I will be spending my hard earned dollars for.
As far as Linux Users being loud and obnoxious, obviously you are well qualified to be a judge of loud and obnoxious people.
Re:Don't hurt Epic because of what GT does! (Score:1)
Remember GT stealing, repackaging and reselling a game in Germany? [slashdot.org]
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate everything Epic has done. They've created a killer game and they are at least releasing executables for Linux... GT has just wussed out. If they want our support, they should reciprocate.
Re:These attitudes encourage "piracy" as an altern (Score:1)
Re:These attitudes encourage "piracy" as an altern (Score:1)
Meant to say: now that's not and you have to download it, you *want* pirate it?
Re:GT is smart (Score:2)
Of course, I made a "hack" in my
It's not that easy in Windows. I'd imagine a reboot or 3 would be involved also.
Re:Hold on... (Score:1)
Do what Macmillian did with the quake cd's bundle the linux stuff with rpm, put rpm2cpio on the cd and write a small shell script to install the lot. Done. Takes about the same space as a win install.
Technical Support (Score:1)
Likely, it was a decision not made to imply that Linux users do not matter, simply that they aren't the majority. SBT
Me, I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of Q3a for Linux, and yes, I'm buying both win32 and Linux flavors... vote with your dollar people, aww yeah.
Re:Dear Brian Reinhart, (Score:1)
a commercial aspect (Score:2)
This has the danger to give an incentive to piracy. Today we have to face the fact that a commercial product can only avoid piracy by creating an image of quality and respectability. Or else it will be either ignored or pirated by a good segment of its potential market.
I already saw Unreal's demo and was fascinated. If GT produces a good and well strucutured game I would probably buy it. But by cuting legs and probably introducing some burden in the ease to use and compatibility then it could be probable that I would take a look at its pirated version.
Seems strange? I know a lot of people who have seen The Matrix in pirated videos. Now these same people are storming cinemas and buying official DVDs and videos to see the "real thing". Maybe this has managed to make The Matrix to overpass the popularity of Star Wars in several places. Star Wars had also a big audience. However there was a huge wave to hunt down pirated Star Wars stuff. And sincerly, when I saw it, I was disappointed. I couldn't look at more than 10 minutes. Too childish and too silly for my taste.
That's how we see things in Russia. If you make a great product you can be sure that people will buy the "real thing". If not, then it's either "fire and forget" or "jolly roger"...
Re:Be that as it may be... (Score:3)
I have a theory here:
* Anonymous coward
* Middle of nowhere but won't say where
* Secret non-specific "government job"
* assigned to read geek publications
YOU ARE A MAN IN BLACK AREN'T YOU!
Admit it, the place in the middle of nowhere is Area 51.
We REALLY thought better of you then playing deathmath all day... Don't you have REAL rayguns? Real alien invaders to shoot?
-
We cannot reason ourselves out of our basic irrationality. All we can do is learn the art of being irrational in a reasonable way.
Re:Then unorder it..... (Score:2)
Refusing the package and making a big stink would probably not accomplish much except to maybe reinforce the stereotype that linux users are zealout asses. No, I'm at leas encouraged that they are doing a Linux port at all, let alone at the same time. The demo's were good and the bug-trackers were very knowledgeable. It is just a poor decision to decide to not ship it at this late point, but maybe next time it will be a different story. If not, _then_ I'll flame 'em.
Linux users a support burden??? (Score:2)
Despite this fact I have come to understand the help yourself and rtfm mentality. The part of GT's logic I find hard to follow is the cost/analysis they seem to have done. Yes their support personel may not have very extensive Linux knowledge, but I don't think that there are a lot of Linux users out there who even USE tech support.
I find it hard to believe that any Linux user who would actually buy the boxed version with the binary Linux executables in it would be the type of user who would call tech support.
Yes I had to fight to get my SoundBlaster. I pissed away a few hours with pnpdump and isapnp. I'm more knowledgable as a result.
Its my opinion that GT made a mistake doing this. I WILL wait for the boxed Linux version of Q3. I would have bought UT as well. The demo rocks.
Too bad GT doesn't have a better grasp on they type of people that most Linux users are
Re:I'm amazed (Score:2)
I would say so. At least to me, I make a distinction between entertainment software and operational software. For the latter category, I prefer to use the best choice available (which usually ends up being open source, but that's a different thread). When I'm working, the software had better work; who cares about stupid add-ons such as the Microsoft paperclip? On the other hand, when I play a computre game, I want all of the bells & whistles -- sound, CD music, textured backgrounds, etc. I'm sorry, but none of the open source games I've seen come even close to that of Railroad Tycoon II.
Re:I'm amazed (Score:2)
Re:Be that as it may be... (Score:2)
Re:100,000 Prepaid orders might do it!!! (Score:2)
Shoot, I will buy two copies so I can make a dedicated server on my box (on a T1).
I refuse to buy windows software though. The last piece of windows software I bought was Quake2.. and guess how I played it?
If GT is so DUMB that they actually REMOVED linux support, when a large portion of users have been WAITING for it, I don't want to support them. Luckily because they funded Epic, not buying the game doesn't hurt Epic that much- it just hurts GT.
Tech Support over the phone... (Score:2)
I got a little story for ya. One of the other guys, a young kid, started racking up massively good call stats; we figured out why. When he'd get a call, he'd ask if the problem was hardware or software; if the user replied, "Software", he'd say, "We don't do software support" and drop the call; if the user said, "Hardware", he'd hit the drop button immediately. He got promoted.
While this story may not be indicative of ALL tech support agencies, it is certainly representative of the underlying business plan of most. Get the customer OFF THE PHONE and TAKE THE NEXT CALL.
That's tech support for ya!
Re:I'm amazed (Score:2)
Take a look at WorldForge [worldforge.org]. While we're still early in the development stage, we're aiming to make exactly that:
An open source, free, massively multiplayer online role-playing game that doesn't suck.
How do we wish to do this? Well, take a look at what makes open-source software cool in general: the freedom you get with it. Open source allows you to modify a software product to whatever you want it to do (assuming you have the skill to do so). We're planning to make WorldForge not a one-time release, packaged game, but rather a gaming system, that allows you, the player/system administrator/story writer to customise it to suit your world.
If you want to help us reach this goal - and it is looking good, we have many talented coders/graphics artists/musicians/story writers - then feel free to come by our website and take a look :).
Shell = whatever.exe (Score:2)
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"Subtle mind control? Why do all these HTML buttons say 'Submit' ?"
They didn't want to support it (Score:2)
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"Subtle mind control? Why do all these HTML buttons say 'Submit' ?"