So What Did You Score This Year?
 

Socks, a shirt, and fire wood. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smirk.gif Ya, I made out like a bandet..... IHML JSM FFB.

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

I got a 256 MB ATI Radeon 9600 Pro which cost around 100 bucks at the computer fair. Go obselete technology! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

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You lucky SOB. At least you didn't a 14.4 modem. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

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I got Star Fury, The Thunder Pack Platinum, and Interstellar Trader 2, and tommorrow we are going to Half Price Books for a treasure hunt at their end of the year sale, everythings an extra 20% off.

I'm hoping to get a Video card and an extra stick of ram formy birthday....(01/04, or 04/01 if you're from one of them weird countries...) or maybe a motherboard upgrade.... not sure what to go for. My current mother board can only support AMD athalons(I don't it can take the athalon XPs, I'm not clear onthis yet, it has a socket A slot, that I know), PC133 memory(up to a gig), and a 4X Nvidia AGP card. Not sure If I should attempt to overhaul the Mobo and everythig else for lots of cash or just max out this Boards potential and stay behind the curve for awhile longer for a more reasonable amount...

The games I want to run are Mechwarrior 4, ES3Morrowind, Guildwars, Tribes 1 and 2(maybe the new one too) and a few with requirements between those.

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

At best, you will end up spending the same amount of money either way, at worst you will spend more by doing the cheaper option now... Unless, of course, you want to do something silly and buy the top of the line models that are out now, which is always a bad idea...

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Fyron, I will trade you my old 3dfx Voodoo card for your new one!

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You, my friend, are nuts. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/stupid.gif

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I got a new book, a new shaving-thingy and some other stuff i dont know the words in english for. One is a pair of shoes when you are in the house, which make your feets feel warm, the other thing is big thingy you put around you when you lay in the bed or are looking tv, makes you feel comfortable, too.

Sorry...

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Heh. I got about 6 books (Rule by Secrecy, Templar Revelation, K-PAX Trillogy and Jennifer Government + Two Preacher Comics) so my holiday will be a nice relaxing feet up by the fire and reading. Other than that it was Mainly clothes and stuff, nothing too interesting. Oh, and a Stargate SG1 Mug http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

Aaah, the good ol' "What did you get for Christmas?" Question..

2 Nice Short Sleve Cotton Shirts, and 3 PC games 2 of which I need to return due to error, Deus Ex 2: Invisible War [I got the French/Spanish/Italian Version and I wanted the english Version] and Everquest 2 which I will not open on the principal that I do not support games that sell for $80 and also insist on monthly fees to continue playing. This baby would end up costin over $300 dollars for a full year. It's a bad sign of things to come, I can see when we game players will be forced to belong to 'monthly' gamming clubs just to be able to play our games. All these Online games that require monthly fees should be blacklisted and forced off the market. Otherwiase WE will all suffer the consequences. At the very least, these Online games should allow the players to play amongst each other for free. Anyway, it's a sour note so I'll end my digression.

Oh, the other game I got works fine ans is called O.R.B. at first glance it does not look too bad. Finding the time to play it will be the real trick.

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

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Dominions 2 and Interstellar Trader 2, and a check. I'm told that I also should have gotten some pajamas, but that package appears to be delayed in the mail.

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Well, Boxing Day Sucks.. I managed to get one of the 2 defunct games re-imbursed. (Everquest 2) but because the Deus Ex 2 was 'open' they refused to exchange or re-imburse it. I even told them the salesperson (who was not there to my dismay) had assured me that if this DVD game did not have the english Version included, there would be no problem of exchanging it. Well, I spoke to the manager and he was adamant that 'open' packages were absolutely not exchangable or refundable. I spent some time trying to get him to see things my way and in my defense said "How am I supposed to know if the english Version is included or not if I don't at least attempt to install it?" I even asked that he boot the DVD and see for himself, but he basically wanted nothing to do with it. I then told him that I'll take a full refund on the un-opened Everquest 2 and leave, I further told him that even though I lost $30 on this gift, he has lost a customer. I think I got the better deal out of this. I guess he is absolutely in no need of new customers or cares if I come back.

Now, Do I write a nice letter and send this DVD to eidos or Ion Storm? and see if they would be willing to change this DVD into an English CD-Rom Version? Or do I just throw it on my shelf or into the garbage for all the good it will do me. (don't mind me, I'm just venting a bit.)

What I will do is give it away to a friend where I know that some enjoyment will be had by playing this game. (Hey, Maybe I'll find the game in the bargain bins in a month or two and have my cake and eat it too.)

Anyway, sorry for the rant, Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

I got 6 books (3 of them from my sisters, 3 from parents), 3 DVD movies (The Day After Tomorrow, October Sky, and Armageddon) and best of all, Dominions 2 http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

Slippers and a blanket?

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Well, you could look for a French/Italian player stuck with an English Version, and wanting an exchange. Now, that might be a tad bit complicated, as such exchanges would usually be the other way around (that is, a foreigner wanting to get rid of a translated Version).

What I would do is try to find Deus Ex 2 in English via P2P or something of the like. After all, you already have a legitimate Version of the game, and you should be allowed to download the game under your "one backup for your usage only" right (unless you are expressly denied this right by the EULA).

However, I am not sure if that is technically legal, as the game isn't completely the same, as the language would be different. I have tried to look up on that matter, but failed to find anything, so I guess changing the language of something you have already bought is a bit of a grey area. I think the current regulations in Quebec (if you still live there) don't help much either; Last time I heard from there, games *had* to come in French, but nothing on the topic of these other Languages. Isn't there a handful of Canadians speaking English? (Warning: sarcasm detected here. I know Frenchmen are a bit in the minority to say the least, except in Quebec)

I wish multiple language support would come by default for all games, or be offered via a patch of some sort. It isn't as if text alone would take a lot of space after all, though speech would be another matter. Oh well, I guess I have started to rant as well.

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

You do not have the right to download a copy from an illegal source in any event. Also, a company does not have the ability to create and enforce illegal clauses in a EULA, such as violating copyright laws by saying you can not make as many backup copies for your own personal use as you want to...

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Something I have forgotten on the specific topic of DeusEx: it may be worth a try to get the language-related files from English players. TTLG is a rather nice community for the games from Looking Glass and their splinters, and someone there may be able to upload the appropriate files somewhere. If you are lucky, Deus Ex 2 still has the original speech in the translated Versions, as Deus Ex 1 did.

Applying the English patch can do the trick for some games, but no promises here. If you are truly lucky, they will have made some international patch working on all Languages, and allowing you to switch the game back to English. Even language-specific patches can trick a game sometimes; whether it will work with Deus Ex is another matter. I don't have the game myself, so I cannot be more specific here.

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From what P2P programs say, using them is not illegal; it is what most Users do with them that is illegal. At least, such is the view held by these programs themselves, and what is commonly reported here. Few programs (besides Napster) were shut down following such rulings, so that seems to be correct, at least for now. I did not hear of any jurisprudence on the matter, however (not that I am so fond of lawsuits), so I could be wrong.

A company *may* have the right to forbid you from making backup copies, as a court ruling (from a few months ago in Missouri, if memory serves) *could* be interpreted so. Of course, it does not mean it would hold in a trial specifically targetted at this sort of violation, and it remains interpretation for now. I would probably not expect this right to be so strongly established, however; but I am getting out of topic really (that is more the topic of the thread about BitTorrent).

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

I am not sure what this has to do with anything I said... Distributing software in a manner not condoned by the copyright holder is illegal on both ends.

They still can't break the law...

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Funny, thanks to a slip in the German copyright law you have this right. It is only illegal if you know that the copy you are downloading from was made from an illigal copy. Since I don't know if I download from your legal backup copy or an illigal copy you got from somewhere else I'm not doing anything illegal by downloading from you. However, every ofer to upload from me (as every P2P software requires me to do) is illegal. Laws can be complicated. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

Back on topic...

A one gigabyte USB flash drive! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

Problem solved, my local EBGames has the english CD Rom Version for $19.95. I'll do like I said and give this french DVD Version to my friend and I'll pick up the english Version from EB. I'll still have enough left over to buy a couple of extra games for $19-$25 dollars each.

So, in the end, I'll have 3 games, (4 if you count O.R.B) and the joy that comes with the gift of giving. Looks like this 'bad' situation is going to end up good.

Thanks for letting me babble, (not that you had a choice http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif ) LOL

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

Everquest is EVIL... Pure unadultrated Ferengi EVIL.

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

Write the letter to the publisher. In most cases if you send them the game they will send you a replacement.

It is a great game and I do hope you get it sorted out. And for the record what was the stores name that you tried to return the gift to? (So that the rest of us can avoid buying from them.)

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

How dare you slander the (relatively) good name of the Ferengi with such an unholy reference! Everquest is its own brand of evil, far removed from Ferengi! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/stupid.gif

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

It was a Local store, "Librairie Boyer" not a big chain, just a few stores in the local area.

I played the demo of Deus Ex 2, and liked it very much, I absolutely loved the first game, so I'm not surprised that the second is good too.

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

Civ2 test of time (Which I have already gotten annoyed with. No map editor, no scenario editor) and some books:
The Other Human Race, Federation, Fuzzy Sapiens, H. Beam Piper (Because our old copies are worn out and lost)

The Holmes-Dracula File, The First&Second Book Of Swords, Berserker, The Frankenstein Papers, Fred Saberhagen (Because he's never boring)

The Martian Way, The Robots Of Dawn, Isaac Asimov (Because he's almost never boring)

Hidden In Sight, Julie E. Czerneda (For a protagonist you can really cheer for and like. Plus, the protagonist is >nothing< like >anything< you'd think of if I told you what that protagonist was)

The Tar-Aiym Krang, Alen Dean Foster (Foster, Flinx and Pip!)

Some of these I've read before, but I re-read books and read them in odd orders. I've read two series backwards because that was how I found the books. A series reads different like that. Not bad, not better, different

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Well I guess I can add a few things to the list. My step brother gave me some money to rebuild my Quad. (Beings how it was he and his freinds who blew it up.) And my mother pitched in funds to help keep the AST web site open. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

I am a happy camper now. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

The second game is one of the best sequals I have ever played. You do need a good graphics card to play it though, and there are differances in game play from the first game.

You should see that in the demo. The game is, should have been, listed as one of the best of the year.

Gamespot rated it an 8.0 Deus Ex IW

But to be honest, this game pails in comparesson to the fine games offered here at Shrapnel. Shrapnel games are amoung the finest games in the market and I strongly recommend any shrapnel game. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

I didn't really like Deus EX Invisible War... But the Original game....well, it was incredible. There's very few games I've played since that are In that genre with that sort of depth and notice to detail. Ok, the graphics are ancient now and such, but It still remains one of my favourite games http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

I also scored a Slow cooker/fryer combo and an imersion blender at the walmart after christmas sales. Got a few programing books, and lots of CDs(filled out my Everclear collection) at the half priced books sale. Also got Way of the Samurai 2,there's a good action game with interesting story elements to it(maybe a little to heavy onthe story elements...). Voice acting is a little wonky but no big deal if you've seen an episode of Kenshin. I also found Earth Seige 2, but I can't get it to install... yet...

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Deus Ex was a phonominal game of epic proportion. Very depressing, but still a great game.

I have noticed that the great games are gone now, games like Deus Ex, Tribes, Freespace, Decents, Balders Gate, Diablo, War Craft, System Shock 2, and many many others just have not yet been equaled.

Sure there are a few inovative games, like Farcry, Dominions 2, SEIV, Half Life, Halo, Civ2, and others, but lately most games just seem to be to bloated with code and to short in game play.

Deus Ex 2 for example took me about a fourth of the time that the original did. I think that the emphesis on graphics, and the presure to get it done and out the door ASAP, have kind of ruined the inginuity and inovation that the older games had. One only has to look to Interplay and Microprose to see how dedication to ones craft can ruin your company. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

In the Last few years, well since 2001, the games that I have enjoyed the most have been Wolfenstien, MOH, Farcry, SEIV, Deus Ex IW, Tribes 2, Sim City 3 and Sim City 4 Rush Hour, Empire Earth, SOF, Halo, and a few others that I cannot remember the names of.

Farcry should be recognised as one of the best games of the year IMHO. If not, well then the academy has been bought off by advatisers and special interest Groups. Farcry is so far ahead of DOOM3 and even better than Half Life 2. (Farcry is a lot longer game, with a better story and more complete game play. It at least had multiplayer.)

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The scenario editor for Civ 2 was remarkably annoying... Text files are far better. Not sure why the map editor wasn't included. The Civ 2 Gold map editor should work fine with ToT... Not sure if the original Civ 2 had a map editor or not. Been a while.

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I got the Matrix trilogy boxset, which to my suprise, contains a lot of interesting extras - even more so then the movies. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

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They have to have some reason to con people into buying the movies as they come out, then the boxed set once it comes out. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif

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Ahem... we always over-do Christmas at our house, so this list is embarrasingly decadent, but here goes:

3 sets of clothes, one of which included a totally *****in' shirt that's soft as silk and hangs like chainmail... awesome
Return of the King, Extended on DVD
StarWars Trilogy on DVD
Time/Life's "Century of War" vols.4&5 on DVD
Blue Collar Comedy Tour-2 on DVD
4 CD's: Spock's Beard's "The Light" and "Beware of Darkness", Mike Keneally's "The Universe Will Provide" with the Metropole Orchestra, and Izz's "I Move"
2 bottles of wine, one Pinot, one Cabernet
A novel called "Duel of Eagles" by P.Townsend on the Battle of Britain
A book called "The Dragon Chronicles"... looks delightful, got it from my mom, no idea what it is.
A leatherbound tome called "MARVEL: It's Characters and Their Universe"
2 GameCube games: SC Pandora Tomorrow & Starfox Adventures

And the mother of all Christmas presents - Click Here for photo A signed, numbered, framed, 30th Anniversary Tour 7-photo Andrew McNaughton print of Neil Peart. (I'm a drummer)

Also, several silly and sundry NASCAR presents cuz the whole family's "got it bad" and I'm a Kevin Harvick fan...

....and a paaaartride in a pear treeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!
Turin
(Edit:typo)

Re: So What Did You Score This Year?
 

Some one is loved. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif