I did it!

[Rockin Robbins]

#mookie--The only reason I mentioned the low price that I paid was that without customers feeling they were totally fleeced, a $15 purchase would not have been possible. A great way to check out the reality of those get rich quick real estate programs is to go on eBay and see the multi-hundred dollar CD sets for sale for $10. Why are they there? Pure anger and resentment leads those selling to make a statement as to the worthlessness of the product. This is a parallel situation. This soon after release I should have to pay $50.00, which I would have paid with a smile. Fortunately, I smelled a rat and fortuitously sought to cut my losses. I am not bragging about spending $15 in any way. You missed my point entirely.

#dean--shocked why? I love SH3 and have played it for a year, even joining Subsim several months back when I had some save games vanish (getting great help quickly, which restored my enjoyment of the game). Are you shocked that I object to a game telling me how it will allow me to protect my computer? Or are you shocked as I am that a private battle between Mark Russinovich and Sony should escalate into a petty denial of my right to play a game that I paid for in good faith?

#joea--our hobby is in danger from customers feeling insulted by a game company which does not respect our rights. The game company may be in danger because the consumer always wins these battles, but our hobby will flourish as new companies who value the good faith money spent by their customers take the place of those who would exploit us. That will happen quickly only if we refuse to tolerate tactics such as SecuRom protection. So long as we say "we're happily playing, go away!" we ensure that the next game becomes even more draconian in its abuse, and you will be the next affected. The line has to be drawn somewhere, and this is the place to do it. We have SH3. We are not impoverished. We can afford to insist on decent treatment without destroying the hobby. I think you know that and seek to inflame. That is not my intent. I promised John Channing I would keep myself focused and factual and am doing exactly that.

#bsalyers--Arrrrrr matey! Well said!

[XLjedi]

Got mine the day it went on the shelves... so $50+taxes.

In spite of the bugs, and unplayable as it is... I still have to say; yes, if UBI should happen to continue on with the SH series, they will continue to get my dollar votes. I gotta support em just for trying!

[STEED]

OK

I got my one from a friend for £2 but I am not gloating after all he was going to throw it in the bin.

His loss is my gain and thats that.

[John Channing]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

This is a garbage thread. It smacks of "Your game sucks, I paid less for it than you, nyah nyah!"

I may have paid more, but I've gotten that money's worth of fun out of it since release day.

Whenever I come across a thread like that (not saying this is one) I am always tempted to write back "well, then I guess it's a good thing I make so much more money than you do!"

JCC

[Soundman]

I have to comment on this, and if I knew how to set up a poll I would. Maybe someone will after reading this. I think this is an important issue to the sim community in general, because I read that gaming companies don't make any (or not enough) money on simulations any more as compared to other "games". Therefore, the sim future does not look too bright.

I have been a sim fan as long as i have owned a puter, and am really more of a flight sim guy than a subsim guy, although subsims are a very close second. I have many simulations and must admit my favorite all time sim is Falcon 4.0, in all it's incarnations. I have literally thousands of hours in Falcon alone. Probably at least 3000 hours if I figure in all the times I started over without saving my logbook or just discarded the mission in order to do it over. Anyway, even if I go with 1000 hours, with a cost of $40.00, I only paid about 4 cents an hour. That's damn cheap entertainment!

My point is.. how much are we, "The Community", really willing to spend on a well done simulation. I personally would have no problem spending $100.00, or more. I strongly believe it is vital to the sim communities' future survival, that we let companies know how much we love our simulations. If they are not made aware, the future looks pretty bleak. How much are you willing to pay?

[capt_frank]

I purchased SHIV when it became available, first by download, then following with a hard copy set.

I'd do the same today for the same prices.

I've been enjoying the franchise since the debut of the original version, which I still have stored in the closet.

Loving every minute of it!

Out, Frank

[cali03boss]

cry me a river

[John Channing]

If I Catch Who Has Been Digging Up These Stupid Old Polls...

Jcc

[John Channing]

I have re-opened the thread for one reason only. Rockin Robbins has asked me to add some current thoughts from him. Having read them I decided it was a pretty classy thing to do, so here it is verbatim...

"Was I ever wrong there or what? Who drug this mess up? Surely that was another Rockin Robbins. No, huh? Well, let's summarize what happened.

First, the modders on Subsim successfully modded Silent Hunter 4 so that it was a very good game even with patch 1.2. But the Ubi and the developers demonstrated that they were listening by producing patch 1.3, turning SH4 into the best subsim on the planet. Then they did something completely unexpected: totally eliminated the copy protection and incorporated a no-CD patch into version 1.3! Now, after they exceeded all our expectations, there is a strong possibility of a patch 1.4.

You know, sometimes what defines good customer service isn't whether you mess things up. Sometimes you earn your reputation by how you react when the pudding hits the fan. Ubi sure earned my confidence, and when they release another sim that I'm interested in, I won't hesitate to buy it.

As I said in my first post, there will always be those why buy software that won't run on their inadequate machines. I've done it myself. So there will be occasional bargains to lucky people as a result.

But I have recommended Silent Hunter 4 to many people now and many of those have gladly paid full price. Isn't it amazing that for less than the cost of a good meal out with your wife you can own the best submarine simulator on the planet and play it with a smile for years.

Sometimes, like in the beginning of this thread, I love to be wrong!"

And now we return to our regularly schedued lockage.

JCC