Hey, Susan,

I'll admit I paid $34.95 US plus shipping for Black Mirror 2 and loved it so it was worth it for me and I'll probably have to get someone to tie me up to stop me from jumping at Black Mirror 3.

Gotta be in a box, though, and nowhere near $56 or like you, I'll suffer and wait.

I haven't been gaming nearly as long as you and you just made me think of the first time I downloaded a "real" game. It was the demo of Grim and I think the download was 50 megabytes. Took over 8 hours to get it with my dialup connection. Hard to imagine now, ain't it? <g> Once I played it, there was no turning back, though, and I was lucky enough to get the game from LucasArts for a measly 15 bucks. Not a box, a jewelcase, but there's Manny on my shelf anyway.

I understand loving a game and I hope Gray Matter is right up there with GK for you when you finally do get it. It's such a pleasure to play a really good one!

Gil.

I was just reading the comments on adventure gamers. Lots of nit picking and griping a fun read even if I don't post there.

Lol, just read the bloke who threw a tantrum and accused everyone of being pirates because they wouldnt tell him where he could buy it from:-)

Hi, Gil!

I probably would have enjoyed BM2 a lot more if it wasn't a sequel, but I was disappointed in the storyline and didn't feel a connection to the original game. Of course, that won't stop me from playing BM3 because I figure it's got nowhere to go but up !

I loved "Grim Fandango" and probably paid around $70 for it because that's what games went for in Canada back then. I still have it, but I don't know if it will play on my Windows 7 system.

Susan

Thanks, Jenny! I was actually referring to the 2011 release, so you answered my question.

Traveler, I know what you mean about the economy! And I agree that $56 for a download is too much.

Susan, you can play Grim Fandango on Windows 7. My copy works perfectly, though I did have to install the launcher since I have 64 bit. I believe 32 bit users don't even have to do that.

Those criticisms on Adventure Gamers seem awfully nitpicky to me. The only things that will really bother me are the cutscenes (which I knew about anyway) and the shortness, if that is in fact the case. Other than that, I'm not going to worry about the animation, and the graphics look beautiful to me based on the screenshots.

Hi, venus!

I also have the 64-bit version of Windows 7, so I'll see if I can find the launcher and pay Manny a visit !

Susan

Here you go, Susan. Grim Fandango installer/launcher

Feelings are running high about Gray Matter over at that other forum.

Gil

Great, Susan, hope you get everything up and running! Say hi to Manny for me.

Thanks for the link, traveler; you beat me to it. Glad to know the reaction is generally positive on Gray Matter.

Hi, Gil!

Thanks for the link. I just downloaded the installer and will give it a try on the weekend.

Susan

I hope this game is good

Hi, dragonuk44!

If you're talking about "Grim Fandango", it's an excellent game. I haven't played it since it was first released in 1998, so I'm looking forward to playing it again.

If you're talking about "Gray Matter", I also hope it's a good game, but I'm waiting until it's more reasonably priced before purchasing.

Susan

Yes, 35.99 in euros is about £30 in UK pounds, too expensive for a download for me, plus I'll probably be able to borrow my mum's copy at some point tee hee!

I placed my pre order with Amazon back in August for only £11.71 so I'll be waiting for the boxed game.

For those who are interested, I just noticed that the Gamer Unlimited site has reduced their download price to 35.95 euros, or $49. Still pretty expensive, but you may want to keep checking the site. Since the price dropped $7 in one week, maybe it'll be more reasonable in a couple of weeks.

Intrigued by the mention of numerous player comments on the Adventure Gamers forum, I nipped over to have a read - and was sorely disappointed to see the blatant admissions of illegal downloads being posted

The long wait for this game (or any other) is absolutely NO excuse.

But to obtain it illegally and then criticise it ??
Just takes the cake for cheek as far as I'm concerned ....

Nor do I believe that those who did illegally download it will later go out and buy a legal copy

Not to justify the action - but I must admit that with the whole splitting of releases - German version (with English inside!!) this month whereas English version on February,this was to be expected.

One has to be naive to expect that everyone would wait for so long (not to mention to very high price) and not download - it takes a fair share of ideology (which you and I have, maybe - but definitely not all gamers) to be able to hold yourself from doing that.
The only way to fight it as I see it is smart marketing - and this game had the worse marketing ever.

I know what you are saying Tomer but I find the mentality of people who illegally download games to be truly wanting

People would steal no matter what. Machinarium was worldwide available for $9.99 (which is IMO absolutely low and human friendly price) yet creators stated in one interview, that based on the patch downloads etc., the vast majority of the game 'copies' was stolen.

What ELSE should developer do than to create a beautiful game and put it for cheap and accessible for the whole word?

If I do a game, I don't care about thieves though. I do care about the few people who actually buy it. And guess what? They usually don't complain about lack of AAA graphics, because they usually look what they are putting money for before.

It was *so* predictable what would happen (and I did predict it in a thread on here I think:-)) when they decided to release the English version, but not in English speaking countries. What bright spark came up with that idea, and is he still in a job? The software industry does indeed suffer from piracy but they do suffer from their own idiocy at times as well.

I think it's interesting how some of them feel they are justified in getting the illegal copy because they have the English version on order and are going to receive a 'legal' copy when it comes out in February. I wonder how many of them would cancel that order if they felt the game wasn't great or classic after playing it. If they felt it was only a mediocre game, what would motivate them to have the 'legal' version after having already played it?

Mad and others here, truly not trying to be contrary, but this weighs on my mind often in an effort to understand...

I never sweat a foreign launch because my oldest and dearest friend is overseas and purchases almost every Adventure released, a position I can't afford to be in although I do purchase alot of games myself.
He either mails (if I can't wait) or brings me the game on a visit (if I'm patient) once he completes it.
I'll get this at Thanksgiving because I'm intrigued but it's not one I'm dying to play.
Most times when I'm done, I then take it in to the used game shop and get another game in trade for the credit.
Also, sometimes when I do purchase a game I will opt for Used instead of New when Amazon offers both.
I have no problem with my system (similar to the Trading Post here), but it almost always makes me wonder how I differ from a pirate.
These transactions don't really count, do they?
I often wonder how the same people who do 'legal' transactions (gift,trade,resale) differentiate themselves from the 'illegal' downloaders.
Is it a sense of morality based on intention?
Is it the concept of not just getting "something for nothing" that makes the difference?
Is it the numbers?
Traded or sold maybe just a couple times as opposed to 10,000 for one purchase price?

Because the way I see it, the industry doesn't make a dime in either way in any instance (gift,trade,resale vs. piracy) nor is either being counted in the official sales people deem so important to continued successful production of games.

How can one be 'right' and the other 'wrong' from an objective standpoint, is all I'm saying?

If I can't afford a new car, I will buy one off the used car lot or borrow a car from a friend, I don't go down the street and steal one. THat is the difference.

This is a simplistic explanation on my take of game piracies. There maybe some aspects that I might not address.

I think of physical games that are bought - paid for as similar to let's say a car that is bought. You can transfer title (as a gift or as a resale). The maker of the car was paid and the dealer got his commission.

Downloaded games that are pirated do not benefit the maker or the publisher. This in a sense is theft.

From Wikipedia:
In criminal law, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's freely-given consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting, fraud and sometimes criminal conversion. In some jurisdictions, theft is considered to be synonymous with larceny; in others, theft has replaced larceny.

Someone who carries out an act of or makes a career of theft is known as a thief, and the act of theft is known as stealing, thieving, or sometimes filching.

When someone uploads a game for the sole purpose of distribution to anyone and everyone; it's an intent of defrauding the original owner (developer - publisher) of the financial remuneration that legal selling of the item should have happened AND the stealing of copies that are legally NOT theirs to distribute since NO PERMISSION was given by the legal owner.

When someone downloads a pirated copy - then they become accomplices in the burglary of the items.

I couldn't agree more regarding Pirated games, regardless of the excuses, as mentioned before maybe not on this forum but other forums: If a company does not make a decent profit on making its games, then they will STOP making them.
And who will be the ones to be hurt the most? That's right, the ones who legally buy their games will see companies go down and less and less adventure games will be made. And as for the majority of those who bought Pirated games, will they miss the lack of games, doubtful, they will just shrug their shoulders and say: "Oh well, they were Stupid games anyway, I’m glad I didn’t pay good money for that garbage, maybe if they made better games I would buy them, Yeah Right"

Quote :
"This is a simplistic explanation on my take of game piracies."

Simplistic ?? Possibly, MaG. But so true !!

A thief is a thief is a thief !!!! No matter what the excuse given