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| 12 OCT 2008 at 9:48pm |
MrLipidPrivate Detective
Posts : 666
Joined: 10 OCT 2002
Status : Offline | How about...
You can find a copy of the manual with a legitmately purchased copy of the game. Enjoy!
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| 12 OCT 2008 at 9:49pm |
| Deleted User | The mind boggles....
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| 12 OCT 2008 at 9:54pm |
IviniaGuild Master
Posts : 4459
Joined: 7 JUN 2003
Location: US
Status : Offline | That's one to just frost your chestnuts isn't it? Tough call... I'll PM you...
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| 12 OCT 2008 at 9:56pm |
Terry PenrodGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 6693
Joined: 16 OCT 2004
Location: US, Texas
Status : Offline | .
Originally Posted By MrLipid (12 OCT 2008 9:48pm)
How about...
You can find a copy of the manual with a legitmately purchased copy of the game. Enjoy!
Good reply but I'd suggest a small alteration like...
Thank you for your traceable e-mail inquiry.
You can find a copy of the manual with a legitmately purchased copy of the game, which you can enjoy as soon as you get out of jail.
Cheers, Terry
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| 12 OCT 2008 at 10:08pm |
Murphy2042Intergalactic Janitor
Posts : 59
Joined: 16 AUG 2008
Status : Online | Wow, what to say about that
maybe just one word ... SAD
Incredible how shameless some people can be.
This reminds me of something. When Perry Rhodan was released in Germany by Publisher Koch Media, some people wrote them "protest-mails" because they had technical problems, giving these people a hell lot of trouble. So far so good, short time later Koch Media released a press release... these mentioned problems didn´t exist in the version that was in the shops, they only existed in a stolen version from the internet.
So these people really wrote them and complained about a game that they didn´t pay a cent for, i don´t know if the thing had any consequences, but somehow this sad story fits.
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| 12 OCT 2008 at 10:14pm |
AndromusGuild Master
Posts : 5536
Joined: 6 NOV 2002
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By alkis21 (12 OCT 2008 9:44pm)
Without further comments, here is the content of an e-mail I received today (translated from Greek to English):
Good evening.
First of all I would like to express my satisfaction for your game. I hope that your effort will be continued with more adventures.
Because I downloaded your game from a torrent, I'm having trouble with the word I have to write in the entrance of the DITR building. Where can I find the manual so that I fill in the required word?
Thank you very much.
That's....one of the more breathtaking examples of chutzpah I've come across, to say the least. [smiley=shaking_head.gif] A shame you can't send him a code word that locks up the game on his computer.
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| 12 OCT 2008 at 10:22pm |
| Deleted User | Originally Posted By Andromus (12 OCT 2008 10:14pm)
Originally Posted By alkis21 (12 OCT 2008 9:44pm)
Without further comments, here is the content of an e-mail I received today (translated from Greek to English):
Good evening.
First of all I would like to express my satisfaction for your game. I hope that your effort will be continued with more adventures.
Because I downloaded your game from a torrent, I'm having trouble with the word I have to write in the entrance of the DITR building. Where can I find the manual so that I fill in the required word?
Thank you very much.
That's....one of the more breathtaking examples of chutzpah I've come across, to say the least. [smiley=shaking_head.gif] A shame you can't send him a code word that locks up the game on his computer.
..or better yet, his entire computer...
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| 12 OCT 2008 at 10:55pm |
ButterproofSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 299
Joined: 9 NOV 2007
Status : Online | "Thank you for your mail, I'm glad you liked the game.
You can find the manual inside its box.
Cheers, Alkis"
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| 12 OCT 2008 at 11:19pm |
HalcyonSchattenjger
Posts : 1652
Joined: 17 NOV 2006
Status : Offline | I think a lot of people think that if they can do it, it's okay. It is a sadly common mentality that cheating--particularly cooperative cheating--is accepted. You see it online, in sports, on the job...everywhere.
I also think most people don't have any clue about copyrights, nor do they respect them. They think pirating is a minor affair; they're just taking pennies from giant corporations who will never miss it.
And once they have their ill-gotten booty, suddenly they see it as legitimate. They think other people should now respect them for having gotten it, the originator should stand behind his product, and one should never, ever insult him by questioning him about it.
The truth can easily be twisted in situations like this--you see it all the time in politics and government. Just look the twisted campaign right now in the U.S. The same tactics are at play.
"Thanks for writing. There's nothing wrong with that section of the game. Hint: it's not what it seems to be, and each game is different. Keep trying, and good luck!"
_________________
Exercise your vision.
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| 12 OCT 2008 at 11:29pm |
Randy-JAJourneyman
Posts : 1351
Joined: 11 OCT 2002
Location: US
Status : Offline | tell him that you hope he enjoys the game and then apologize in advance for the Easter Egg in the pirated version that deletes the user's hard drive
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| 13 OCT 2008 at 2:11am |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
Posts : 16540
Joined: 28 JAN 2007
Location: AU
Status : Offline | Definitely worth a reply Alkis.
I like Andromus's suggestion, Butterproof's elegant reply and Randy's suggestion.
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| 13 OCT 2008 at 2:17am |
JKingSchattenjger
Posts : 2349
Joined: 4 MAY 2008
Location: 0
Status : Offline | For what it's worth I had trouble with the copy question with my legitimately purchased copy. I had to try a dozen times before I got a question which made sense; some of the questions asked seemed literally impossible for me to answer! I'm not surprised the poor fellow had trouble without the proper documentation, that's for sure.
You can't kill someone in a studio.
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| 13 OCT 2008 at 5:07am |
SirDaveGuild Master
Posts : 4939
Joined: 17 OCT 2002
Location: US
Status : Offline | Tell him that he'll find the manual in the same place as the food he ate for breakfast.
The future ain't what it used to be!
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| 13 OCT 2008 at 6:27am |
| Deleted User | Originally Posted By JKing (13 OCT 2008 2:17am)
For what it's worth I had trouble with the copy question with my legitimately purchased copy. I had to try a dozen times before I got a question which made sense; some of the questions asked seemed literally impossible for me to answer! I'm not surprised the poor fellow had trouble without the proper documentation, that's for sure.
I'm sure you know it all came down to counting correctly... : :-*
tell him that you hope he enjoys the game and then apologize in advance for the Easter Egg in the pirated version that deletes the user's hard drive [smiley=rofl.gif]
I'd just love to see the guy's face upon reading that one! [smiley=rofl.gif]
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| 13 OCT 2008 at 6:33am |
loobilooPrivate Detective
Posts : 598
Joined: 3 APR 2008
Location: UK
Status : Offline | I like a lot of the reply suggestions but I think I would just be straightforward & say something like "I regret to tell you that your version of the game is not legitimate & I am therefore unable to help you."
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| 13 OCT 2008 at 11:59am |
GreyFussPrivate Detective
Posts : 766
Joined: 4 DEC 2006
Status : Offline | [smiley=laughing.gif] That is too funny. Sort of like robbing a Bank then asking if you can open up a Savings account to collect interest on the money.
At least you know your clever, passive copy protection idea has worked
"Don't Hate Me Because I Am Beautiful...There Are Many Other Reasons"
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| 14 OCT 2008 at 6:34pm |
KarstenSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 347
Joined: 23 SEP 2006
Location: DK
Status : Offline | I would suggest something like this:
"ear pirate
Thank you for downloading my game.
To get the manual you need to download the game from this website.
Or to find it inside the box you buy in a game store or retail store.
NB:
Thank you for the traceable e-mail confession. Your email has now been given to the police for further investigation.
best regards
Alkis"
or something like this.
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| 14 OCT 2008 at 11:09pm |
karlaAdministrator
Posts : 2588
Joined: 27 JUL 2003
Location: US, Close to the Edge
Status : Offline | I've actually gotten email at the JAVE asking for technical help with pirated games. I usually just say that I'd rather not become involved in illegal activities. Needless to say, I never hear from the person again.
If someone asked for help with a pirated game I created, though, I doubt that I'd be so polite. I think everything that's been suggested here is great.
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| 15 OCT 2008 at 7:36pm |
alkis21Schattenjger
Posts : 2112
Joined: 23 OCT 2002
Location: GR
Status : Offline | At first I was willing to give the guy the benefit of a doubt, I mean there was a small chance that he was a very young teenager who didn't realize this was a commercial game. But then I saw that he had also posted in a Greek forum (it was impossible to miss his style) asking for help, and when people refused to tell him he said "does this mean that I am condemned to buy it?".
Anyway, despite all the good suggestions I went for the following boring answer (seems kind of dry when translated):
"ear Sir,
I cannot possibly imagine what sort of answer someone can expect when sending an e-mail to a company asking for assistance for a product he illegally possesses.
All I can say to you is that in order for the "effort to continue" as you put it, it is important that people who think it's clever to download pirate software and take advantage of the work of others without paying cease to exist."
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| 15 OCT 2008 at 7:46pm |
SirDaveGuild Master
Posts : 4939
Joined: 17 OCT 2002
Location: US
Status : Offline | It's hard to believe that someone can live by the standard that if there is a way to benefit from someone else's effort without paying for it, then go for it. It's even harder to believe that someone can be so flagrant in advertising such a perverted belief system.
It's even worse here, because sometimes people think this is okay because, since the company must be making gazillions of money, who's going to miss $30-40, but in this case where the 'victim' is a very small indie developer and each sale lost is particularly important, the potential result is counterproductive: there will be less incentive for the developer to ever develop again.
The future ain't what it used to be!
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| 15 OCT 2008 at 9:29pm |
KarstenSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 347
Joined: 23 SEP 2006
Location: DK
Status : Offline | Maybe he is a young teenager that did not realize that your game was a commercial game? Anyway, that could be an explanation, but not an excuse, imo.
And to me, anyone should be able to pay 20 Euros or 10 Euros? for your game, alkis, shouldn't they...
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| 16 OCT 2008 at 12:42am |
karlaAdministrator
Posts : 2588
Joined: 27 JUL 2003
Location: US, Close to the Edge
Status : Offline | alkis, I think your reply is great.
It's amazing how some people flaunt their blatant disregard for the law all over the place. It's even worse when they do so with impunity (which is most of the time).
There have been games I've been unable to install and/or run on my rigs due to copy-protection conflicting either with a legitimate program I have installed, or with my optical drives. I'm sure lots of you have had similar experiences. We have people like Mr. Pirate to thank for it. Grrrrrrrrrr.
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| 17 OCT 2008 at 5:35pm |
JelenaPrivate Detective
Posts : 587
Joined: 30 SEP 2007
Status : Offline | Alkis, your reply was very well put imo. Not boring at all.
A witty reply wouldn't have been right since it's a serious matter and it might have been interpreted that you weren't serious.
Now...it's Friday evening and do treat yourself with some of that delicious Greek food you have over there and perhaps a tiny amount of ouzo.
Temporary guest in your life.
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| 17 OCT 2008 at 10:41pm |
TechnoSpikePrivate Detective
Posts : 581
Joined: 26 APR 2005
Location: PT
Status : Offline | Very good reply Alkis. I really don't know what the hell I would say about that if I was on your shoes, I mean, how can anyone sane deal with such amount of stupidity?
I make mine the words of Jelena. Have some delicious Greek food (hummmm moussaka hummmmm) and a shot of ouzo.
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