#Market Survey
7 messages in this thread
Do you think game authors and game players are adversaries?
I'll bet he answers that copy protectors and users are adversaries.
The tone seemed more like 'those publishers are trying to get rich off the
backs of users,' what with references to oil companies etc. I don't see how I
can possibly be 'exploited' by any entertainment product; a deck of cards costs
$0.75 and lasts for years, so there's a low-cost alternative for recreation.
Thomas, Larry's answer to you is correct. At this particular place and point
in time, I do feel as if Perry were an adversary. Lots of users have been
trying to convince developers that anti-piracy measures implemented in software
are a bad policy. It is similar to the Macro-vision process in VCR tapes.
Everybody lost in that little experiment. The process was flawed, costing
dealers, users, and industry needless expense and bad publicity. It all comes
down to a very old concept. Trying to inhibit problems through
hardware/software technology is doomed to failure. Problems must be confronted
directly to be effective. It has been proven that there are valid measures to
reduce piracy. Registration incentives such as discounts or access to other
information work, expensive packaging works, good documentation works,
technical support works, manual keys work to some degree, low prices definitely
work, building on other products, while not used often, does work. Perry is
taking us in the wrong direction. This is what upsets me so deeply.
Ted
Ted,
You mention 'access to other information' as an incentive to register. I
think of METHOD[pk] as being like the Murder Mystery by Mail games, where I
receive a packet of clues each week. If I don't register, I don't get my
packet of clues. Or play-by-mail games like Starweb, for that matter: if I
don't keep my turnfee account current, the gamemaster ceases to provide me with
status reports and eventually gives my planets to a hated foeman.
Is not this the direction in which we wish to go? To use the computer, not
as a glorified gramaphone, playing the same game for everyone who plunks in a
floppy, but a tailored, individuated game?
Why should I prefer a 'finished' game, a dead game, which plays completely
'right out of the box' to a game _kit,_ which will be adjusted to me after the
producer receives my first turn?
Thomas, what you describe is actually a different form of entertainment from a
simple game. A serial mystery or similar device has great potential for online
services but I suspect might be hard to run through the mail. Large numbers of
people would be at different points at different times, making it hard to
co-ordinate. Then there would be the problems of "I didn't get item numer 5",
etc. Still, under some circumstances it would be fun. Reminds me of the
contest Atari had with their video games.
Please catch message #99861, I sent to John/TCR, for some additional feelings
on this subject. I'm in favor of almost any POSITIVE steps in this industry.
Ted
Ted, damn it. I am not leading you anywhere. This is here for discussion. Are
you so insecure as to feel threatened by discussion? You've made your point.
Give it a rest.