07-19-2003, 09:15 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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Okay, I Need A Sanity Check Here
I came across a demo for a Pocket PC game today that kind of threw me for a loop, and I need to know if I'm off base...
The game seemed interesting, with some slick graphics and sounds, so I installed the rather large demo. When I played it for the first time, the opening screen said somethig like, "This game will expire after 60 minutes." Cool, I figured. After an hour's worth of play I can easily decide if I want to buy the full version.
I played the game for about 5 minutes, then exited it and had dinner. About 90 minutes later, I thought I'd play the game some more, but when I tapped on its icon, the opening screen simply said, "Expired." Then, the game automatically closed.
So, the demo was set up to be playable for only 60 minutes from the time it was first played, whether you were playing it or even had your Pocket PC turned on during that time! I was so disappointed by that strange limitation that I vowed to never buy a game from that developer.
But now I'm wondering...Am I overreacting?
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07-19-2003, 09:30 AM
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Oracle
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 864
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I think you are over-reacting.....I would send an email to the developer letting them know the issue first and explain yourself, then after given the oportunity to rectify it they still say no-way well than go ahead and boycott... :twak:
my $.02
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07-19-2003, 10:51 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 416
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Yep, email them and tell the people what a cool game it was, all five minutes of it.
Edward
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07-19-2003, 10:56 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 2
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Ripping your memory card out, launching it out of the window, snapping your PDA over your head and flushing it down the bog. Now that's overeacting.
Tell the deleveloper, they can do what they want, but by limiting the game to an hour 'on or off' is bonkers!
I'm not even going to bother to find out what game it was.........I'm so annoyed 
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07-19-2003, 11:16 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 62
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Warlordzsinj
I'm not even going to bother to find out what game it was.........I'm so annoyed |
not that's an over-reaction!
60 minutes seems kinda short...but then again someone should be able to make up their mind on a game within that period and also it's his prerogative - 60 min...30 min or 30 days.
what i do think he needs to do is put in a clearer message.
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07-19-2003, 11:26 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 6
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Not an over reaction, but tell him.
I'd say that his policy shows a remarkable lack of customer awareness, so I can understand your reaction.
However, for software developers, the mechanics of shareware licencing is incredibly difficult to judge, so tell him... He may be very grateful for the feedback.
Personally, I would never buy anything I can't test for a minimum of 30 days. Even for games, I need to see how well it fits in with my use of the device, and you just can't do that in one sitting.
DS
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07-19-2003, 11:53 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 232
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I can usually tell within 5 minutes of using a game if i want to purhcase it or not.
With a 30 day full trial period i will flog the game to death to the point of being sick of it and have no need to buy it. In the event that you can only go a couple levels into the game i will purchase if i like it enough.
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07-19-2003, 01:09 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 414
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I am having another problem. I tried a paint program that had a 30 day deal. I didn't like it and didn't buy it. Now it has been updated and I would like to try it again. Nope. I would probably need to do a hard reset to get rid of whatever file the trial version used to stop me. So I am not buying it.
Even worse, the company released Mobile Word, a new program that does graphics and uses the paint program to edit them in place. I can't even try the new Word program because it is still looking at my old trial installation and keeping me out.
On the other hand I have another trial program that is too buggy to be worth what the developer asks, but just fun enough to use. The only limit on the demo is that it will only open a one file at a time. I found that there are other way to open files and I now have over a hundred files open with all the other features working (the ones that aren't too buggy anyway). I will pay for it if they ever get it working dependably.
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07-19-2003, 01:11 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 115
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Hey...why not try resetting your clock/date back to the exact time when you installed it?
Wouldn't that give you another 60 minutes? :wink:
Or is my lack of programming really starting to shine?
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07-19-2003, 01:13 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 141
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Quidproquo
Hey...why not try resetting your clock/date back to the exact time when you installed it?
Wouldn't that give you another 60 minutes? :wink:
Or is my lack of programming really starting to shine?
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shh... that would be illegal.. just like setting both your clocks forward to 2007
oh.. and one completely off topic thing.. what was the game? :twisted:
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