bjornk@adebro.bula.se (Bjorn Knutsson) (07/20/90)
I just got one of those games packages (I didn't buy it, I'm supposed to review it for a Swedish Amiga magazine) that are so popular nowadays. It's called "International Arcade Action" and contains ten games. When I booted the disk and tried some of the games I found out that I recognized at least three of them as Freeware/Shareware programs I've seen on the Fish disks and other places. I belive at least one more game is a Shareware game, but I'm not sure. The games are: Amoeba Invaders, Backgammon 1), Packman'87, Diablo 2) and Othello 3). 1) There used to be a Credits/About meny option, but they seem to have changed that text, as well as removed all the text in the window. The windowtitle "Credits" is still there, though. 2) I belive this is a Shareware game, I remember seeing a try-out version sometime. Also, the intro screen contains a serial number and I don't think they'd hand out serial numbers for a cheap budget pack like this one. 3) This is an ABasiC program that I think I've seen before. If anyone knows the people behind any of these programs, I'd like them to check with them if they are aware that their programs are sold commercially here in Europe. Another interesting thing I noticed is that the two disks are arranged differently, one has a small menu where you press F1-F5 to start the program, the other one requires you to type the names of the programs. And my general impression is that they both look like one of those disk that pirates make. Especially considering that all of the programs are crunched with one of those crunchers that pirates normally use. (Flashing colors etc.) The box and documentation says: (c) 1989 ELWOOD (p) 1989 Wicked Software Ldt., Brooklands, New Rd. St. Ives, Huntingdon, Cambs. PE17 4BG England I haven't seen anything from these guys before, and I sure won't buy anything from them... --- Bjorn Knutsson <bjornk@adebro.bula.se>
cosell@bbn.com (Bernie Cosell) (07/20/90)
bjornk@adebro.bula.se (Bjorn Knutsson) writes: }When I booted the disk and tried some of the games I found out that }I recognized at least three of them as Freeware/Shareware programs }I've seen on the Fish disks and other places. I belive at least one }more game is a Shareware game, but I'm not sure. The games are: }Amoeba Invaders, Backgammon 1), Packman'87, Diablo 2) and Othello 3). I know about Diablo. It is a *wonderful* game, and VERY non-free. It is a commercial product by Classic Image. The copyright on the floppy claims 1986 by Extended Software Co. What a shame that it is getting ripped off: not copy protected, and a truly neat game. Wasn't even very expensive if I rmember [although I've had it for a long time now]. I only have the original floppy right here, I can try to find some of the documentation and forward you things like the address of the folks that released the game if you care. /Bernie\
dn0o+@andrew.cmu.edu (Derek Brooks Noonburg) (07/20/90)
Amoeba Invaders is freeware -- the docs explicitly say it can't be sold as a commercial product. It's one of my favorite games (when I'm in that don't-bother-thinking-just-blow-away-the-aliens mood) since it runs so nicely while my term program downloads stuff. From the docs: > LateNight Developments is a group of 6 programmers >dedicated to producing quality software for the Amiga. > > We have many ideas for programs which just NEED to be >written, and are working towards some of them. However, >a few of us are interested in ?????? in the meantime, so if >you have ideas which would turn into good products, and need >some assistance with the development of the ideas, or >writing of the programs, or both, please give us a call, or >write us at: > > LateNight Developments Corporation > 3930 Cedar Hill Cross Road > Victoria, BC > Canada V8P 2N4 > (604)-721-0381 > > We'll accept calls from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM PST daily, and >mail anytime the post office isn't on strike! > > Alternatively, you can contact us through: > > PeopleLink: E-Squared > Compuserve: 72667,2743 Ewan Edwards (E^2) > BIX: EEdwards > Net.Micro.Amiga: SDean1@UVVM.BITNET (Steve Dean) I don't know if these addresses are valid -- the file is at least a couple years old. - Derek ========================================================================== Derek Noonburg | ARPA: dn0o+@andrew.cmu.edu Junior - Computer Engineering | BITNET: dn0o+@andrew / dn0o+%andrew@cmccvb Carnegie Mellon University | UUCP: ...harvard!andrew.cmu.edu!dn0o+ USMail: Box 967; 5115 Margaret Morrison St.; Pittsburgh, PA 15213 ==========================================================================
bjornk@adebro.bula.se (Bjorn Knutsson) (07/20/90)
In article <58321@bbn.BBN.COM> cosell@bbn.com (Bernie Cosell) writes: >bjornk@adebro.bula.se (Bjorn Knutsson) writes: > >}When I booted the disk and tried some of the games I found out that >}I recognized at least three of them as Freeware/Shareware programs >}I've seen on the Fish disks and other places. I belive at least one >}more game is a Shareware game, but I'm not sure. The games are: > >}Amoeba Invaders, Backgammon 1), Packman'87, Diablo 2) and Othello 3). > > >I know about Diablo. It is a *wonderful* game, and VERY non-free. It >is a commercial product by Classic Image. The copyright on the floppy >claims 1986 by Extended Software Co. What a shame that it is getting >ripped off: not copy protected, and a truly neat game. Wasn't even >very expensive if I rmember [although I've had it for a long time >now]. I only have the original floppy right here, I can try to find some of >the documentation and forward you things like the address of the folks that >released the game if you care. PLease do, if this is what I think it is, then they might want to be informed. And, I will be writing an article about this (potential) rip-off in the magazine I work for. > /Bernie\ --- Bjorn Knutsson <bjornk@adebro.bula.se>