Abandonware?

[chaedwards]

Seeing as the website is now showing only the Beta download as discussed here, and don't seem to be replying to e-mails, as mentioned here, do you think the game now counts as abandonware?

 

[chaedwards]

Well, I e-mailed Mat Williams at Tilted Mill, so let's see if there's a reponse:

Dear Mat

I'm writing to you to ask what the current status of Prelude to Darkness is. The Zero Sum website seems to have reverted to a very old version, offering a Beta Demo from 2001, and there have been comments on the rpgcodex forum that e-mails sent to the zero-sum e-mail addresses haven't been replied to. However, other sites, such as Aptrio http://www.aptrio.com/Games/Commercial/ ... -7574.html still claim to be selling the game.

If you are still selling Prelude, could you update the website or drop in at the forums to let people know what's going on, as there's some confusion as to the status of the game. If not, perhaps it would be a good idea to release the game as abandonware - I'm sure that the-underdogs.org would host it, as would many other sites.

Regards

Chris

 

[Shagnak]

It's all a bit odd, isn't it? And it seemed to have at least some acclaim.
Keep us aprised chaedwards.

 

[Trash]

This was one of the best indie rpg's I ever played. I really digged the way that stats really influenced all sorts of encounters and quests. It's been a long time since the site was updated and it seems that at least on of the people responsible for ptd has gone and worked on children of the nile.

Would be neat if they released this baby as abandonware, this way it's just destined to be forgotten by all.
Cya,

Trash

 

[chaedwards]

Well, I got a snotty reply back from Tilted Mill telling me that their e-mail address was a courtesy address to be used to inquire about their products, so no joy there, and I can't think of another obvious way to try to contact the devs. This one seems to be pretty much dead in the water - condemned to internet limbo.

So I thought fuck it, and bought Geneforge 2 and Blades of Exile instead.

 

[thathmew]

I am actually alive. The Zero Sum site and emails are having issues and have been for a while. Prelude is not quite abandonware, although I think it likely we will soon release the full version to the public for free consumption. The team has spread to the four corners of the earth and work has ceased on it for a while, although I still dabble occassionally on engine re-writes. Tilted Mill takes up pretty much %100 of my time for better or worse.

Your email did get passed on to me. mat@zero-sum.com sometimes gets through, mat_williams@yahoo.com as well.

-mat

 

[chaedwards]

Glad to hear that it's still going Mat, and that my e-mail did get through, although I am surprised, given the brief conversation I had with Chris Beatrice, who ticked me off like a naughty schoolchild for even thinking of contacting you through a generic tilted mill address.

Anyway, could you answer two quick questions:
Is the game still for sale? There are websites, such as the one I mentioned in the e-mail, that are still claiming to sell it. Is this money getting through to you?

Have you dealt with RekoT's loss of his registration code, as mentioned here http://www.rpgcodex.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=3665?

I came upon Prelude rather late, and having read the comments here, it seems very cool. Next time I have some spare pocket money, I'll probably buy it, if the mechanisms for selling it are still working.

All the best,

Chris

 

[Lancaster]

Is there a demo somewhere?

 

[Fez]

If you go to the developer's website you'll find a link there for an old demo version.

Newer demo versions can be found here or here.

 

[Lancaster]

Thanks

 

[Naked_Lunch]

So um, is this still going? I heard that ZeroSum ran out of cash or something, is that true?

And uh, if it is, you guys wouldn't mind giving it away for free would ya?

 

[Hello and Goodbye]

Unless Thatmhew can give you a procedure, be aware that a registered copy loses registration when moving to a newer computer. I learned that lesson in Aug 2004 and the game suddenly acted like the demo again.

 

[Atrokkus]

Is there a free version?

I wouldn't mind paying for it, of course, but I don't have the means.. that is, i have money that i would readily give to you, but i can't make a transaction: no credit-card, no paypal.

 

[Jora]

Is there a free version?

Not yet. It's coming soon, though. Read the last posts in the thread "Hello again from Zero Sum".

 

[Naked_Lunch]

Is there a free version?

In a month or so there will be.