Re: SE5 bad reviews and problems.
 

The root of the problem is time. MM really needs a second person to handle things like game balance or documentation, so that Aaron can focus on the game engine rather than time-consuming tasks like manuals, tutorials, or balancing.

Is there enough money for this now? Is there someone at SFI that can work in this capacity? Does somebody want to pay me to do this? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: SE5 bad reviews and problems.
 

"Oh I even forgot about the adware that watches what you do on the internet and gives you _IN GAME_ ads based on it, and they still charge you $50 which is outrageous for all the reasons listed above."

*Actually* this isn't true. There is no adware--- just a dirty rumour that got spread around pretty fast. I happen to work for EA so when I heard about this I was pretty infuriated, and didn't want to be mixed in with a company that would do this.

What it is, is when you play the game, a 3rd party company receives your IP, and sends your country name to the game, then destroys the IP. The game uses your country name *alone* to determine which in-game ads to show. This is so you don't get ads in different languages, etc.

There is no adware, and nothing that logs what sites your browse, etc. I just wish people did more research before further propagating this kind of rumour :-|

Re: SE5 bad reviews and problems.
 

Whether defined as adware or as spyware this practice is just plain wrong and if people stop buying their products in protest, tough, you reap what you sow. If they wanted to use in-game ads based on your country they could have pulled the regional settings from the registry.

Re: SE5 bad reviews and problems.
 

do you view pulling registry settings as less invasive than getting the IP?

Re: SE5 bad reviews and problems.
 

Lesser of two evils, yes. A program checking the registry is common practice. I would prefer that one did not do even that, though.

Re: SE5 bad reviews and problems.
 

The third party thing is a big hole. You can't always trust the *maker* of the game these days, what with asinine stuff like starforce these days. God knows what a third party will do.

Besides, the IP address thing is less accurate anyways.
Especially for European stuff, where it is easy to drive to a new country with completely different language.

On the other hand, it is a given that the user can read whatever language their regional settings are set to. If you don't read Italian, your PC isn't going to be set to Italian, even if you're visiting Italy at the time.

Or, heck, you could let the user choose what language they want the ads in! You're already doing that for the game's UI, right?

The question of why there are ads in a game you already paid for anyways is a separate matter.

Re: SE5 bad reviews and problems.
 

I fail to see what the problem here is gentlemen? I personally like to learn of a new cream for my hemorrhoids while I blow away someone else’s! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/eek.gif

Re: SE5 bad reviews and problems.
 

Why when your already doing it for free?

Re: SE5 bad reviews and problems.
 

That is adware; software that downloads and displays ads. What you describe is spyware; software that logs users online behavior &c.

These people that don't do their research, eh? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: SE5 bad reviews and problems.
 

The application is adware, since it serves up ads... But does it really matter? It is despicable either way.

(PS: It's not really necessary to quote entire posts like that, especially when you are only adding a sentence or two... Usually better to just pick a critical sentence or so to quote, cut out the rest.)