From: dpipes@spica.srg (Dave Pipes x4552)
Subject: Re: Darkland ?????
Organization: just me
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 92 12:23:48 GMT
Followup-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games

In article <1992Sep9.180308.12253@lmpsbbs.comm.mot.com> bhv@areaplg2.corp.mot.com (Bronis Vidugiris) writes:
>In article <1992Sep09.124704.11777@srg.srg.af.mil> dpipes@spica.srg (Dave Pipes x4552) writes:
>
>)In article <1992Sep9.025820.29482@lmpsbbs.comm.mot.com> bhv@areaplg2.corp.mot.com (Bronis Vidugiris) writes:
>)>(Darklands has...) annoying
>)>anti-piracy messages at install time (call 1-800-rat-on-those-evil-pirates
>)>and do the right thing, a reward is hinted at but not actually promised,
>)>actually I wonder just what will happen to those stu - umm moral - enough to
>)>call it) copy protection  system will halt game with no chance
>)>to save if you drop a book on the keyboard at wrong time looking up those
>)>alchemical copy-protection symbols (found this out the hard way.)
>)
>)Sorry, you didn't read this.  It says that if you did not buy it, they suggest
>)"doing the right thing" and purchasing it.  The number they give is for their
>)800 order line.  Not a rat on the pirate line.  No reward is hinted at or
>)promised.
>)
>)BTW, if you are "stu - umm moral - enough to call" the number, you'll get
>)a nice person asking you want you want to buy.  Simple enough?  Next time
>)read what's in front of you before you try to ignite another idiotic flamefest.
>)
>)		David Pipes
>
>Thanks for your concern, but if you are actually _not_ interested in igniting
>a flamefest, you might consider moderating the tone of your own posts.  BTW,
>since I usually post from work, it would be rather difficult to 'read what
>is in front of me' - the message wasn't in front of me.  In fact, I read it
>a couple of days ago, back when I was installing the package.  I thought it
>was worth commenting on, even though I couldn't quote it exactly and
>precisely in true exacting Usenet(tm) style.

I usually try to match my tone to that of the post to which I reply.  In this
case, whether you meant it or not, yours did drip sarcasm, and a real slash at
people who don't believe in piracy.  I responded in kind.

BTW, my concern was not that you didn't reproduce the message correctly; it
was that you got it so wrong.  And it really seemed that you were eager to do
a little anti-pirate bashing.  Hence, my reply.

I do appreciate the tone of your current response.
>
>I thought the anti-piracy message was rather inappropriate and vague, and
>I felt insulted by it.  I also thought their concern was rather misplaced
>considering the size of the package (17+ megs on 10 disks).  I'd suggest that
>if they wanted to be more clear about the purpose of the 800 number (thanks
>for the info on what it was, BTW) they could have mentioned that it was
>their order number rather than nattering on about 'doing the right thing'.
>I think they were being deliberately vague, but perhaps it simply was very
>poor writing on their part.

Well, if you thought it was vague, you certainly didn't report it that way.
I agree that it was...unnecessary, given the size of the game.  :-)  Poor
writing, yes.
>
>I found the copy protection system more aggravating than the anti-piracy
>message, though.  Having one lookup at the beginning of the game isn't too
>bad if it's not hard to find, but having the game boot you out when you drop
>the manual on the keyboard because you're pulling it off the top of the
>computer to look up the codes is defintely aggravating.  However, since the
>game crashed several times on me since then in the middle of play, :-(, 
>there are other more serious problems.  I'd still suggest that more concern
>for the customer and less concern for piracy would be in MPS's best
>interests.

I found the copy protection to be remarkably unintrusive - but then I knew
many of the symbols anyway.  To each their own.  I think they have found a
good balance in this game.

Thanks for explaining your message; sorry I snapped at you.

David Pipes
robear@digex.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games