The Shivah

[Typo]

Yeah, I could, but I don't want to. I'm just interested in the game that made an entry in MAGS.

BTW, That's a really good way to tick someone off something, BB. I know a nicer version is on sale. I've tryed it's demo and I'm not interested. When I want to buy something I'll quest for it, I don't need publicity. And I simply despise forced feed publicity.

[Traveler]

Typo, drop me a pm and I'll send it to you in some way. If you cannot pm, send an email to xxbbcc a t freemail do t hu. Make sure you clearly mark the topic because I routinely delete mail from unknown people without reading.

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I actually find it quite rude that nobody helps him. The original game was released free, if he wants that, I don't understand why it's so hard to pass it to him.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

I personally have no problem with him wanting the original version, the fact of the matter is I just don't have it to send to anyone.  This, however, gives me pause:

BTW, That's a really good way to tick someone off something, BB. I know a nicer version is on sale. I've tryed it's demo and I'm not interested. When I want to buy something I'll quest for it, I don't need publicity. And I simply despise forced feed publicity.

Let me get this perfectly straight:  you played the updated demo and aren't interested, but you want the original version which is for all intents and purposes, less good?  I'm sorry, but you'll have to come up with reasoning that makes some kind of sense.  Some of you are making this out to be some kind of conspiracy and my response is that you just need to grow up a bit.  I'm sure you could find a dozen people or more on the forums to eagerly provide the original version without posting here and making wild accusations.  I expected better from some of you, honestly.

[Traveler]

Maybe he is not interested enough to pay for it but would still play the orginal (free) game? What's wrong with that? To play the deluxe version, even if he's actually interested, he'd have to pay for it. Maybe he doesn't want that or thinks that it's not worth the price.

[big brother]

Yeah, I could, but I don't want to. I'm just interested in the game that made an entry in MAGS.
BTW, That's a really good way to tick someone off something, BB. I know a nicer version is on sale. I've tryed it's demo and I'm not interested. When I want to buy something I'll quest for it, I don't need publicity. And I simply despise forced feed publicity.

Ok, so you prefer a game that's made in under a month, which doesn't have the polish, bug fixes, voice acting, director's commentary, or vastly improved sprites, animations, and portraits. This is your decision, and that's fine. But what you're saying by making this a "quest", is that you'd rather spend time instead of money to end up with an inferior version. Pretend your time is worth $10/hour. If you've spent an hour looking for a freebie, you might as well have just bought the game.

Maybe he doesn't want that or thinks that it's not worth the price.

Since he's bothering to start a "quest" to find the game and to even post here, he's demonstrating that he believes the game has value. Unless, of course, he thinks his time has no value, which I doubt is the case.

Typo, if you don't want the "publicity" you so despise, I'd recommend you not post on a "public" internet forum. As for my recommendation being "forced-fed", my opinions about the game are my own. I played no role in its creation, but rather bought it and enjoyed the final product. My hat's off to Dave, Shane, and the wonderful individuals that made this game sparkle.

[Dave Gilbert]

Maybe he is not interested enough to pay for it but would still play the orginal (free) game? What's wrong with that? To play the deluxe version, even if he's actually interested, he'd have to pay for it. Maybe he doesn't want that or thinks that it's not worth the price.

Hi everyone.
   
I'm sorry to cause such controversy.  My reasons?  Well, I want to make a buck, true, but I also feel that the deluxe version is a far better showcase for myself, my team's work, and the indie game community at large. 

I was worried that there would be people who would get upset by this, and it was a tough decision to make, but the decision remains final.   I will no longer be supporting the freeware version or advertise its presence on my website.  To do so, I feel, would be an insult to Shane, Peter, all the cast members, and the cool people at Manifesto (who are working hard to distribute the game for me). 

However, I can't deny that the freeware version exists, so here are my views on playing it:

1 - People are welcome to play the freeware version.  It is out there, honest.  Just look on various download sites.

2 - People are welcome to share the freeware version with each other.  Out of respect, I'd prefer if you didn't make it an open link (or make it blatantly obvious, like posting it on this thread).

I hope that clears things up.  I am curious, Mike S, why you feel the original freeware version is "more atmospheric."  Could you explain further?

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Typo, why you feel the original freeware version is "more atmospheric."  Could you explain further?

I would like to know this as well, actually, and I mean that in the nicest possible way.  What is it that the deluxe version ruined for you (for the little part of the demo you played)?

Also, not that Dave needs defenders or anything, but as a person who worked with him on the project this wasn't really about the money.  At five bucks a pop how could it be, even if a hundred people bought it?  It was more to test the waters and see if people liked the demo enough to pay for it, and that translates to us doing a good enough job to consider future commercial prospects, that's all really.  As I stated before (and so has Dave), I don't have a problem at all with people wanting the freeware version, but it seems dubious to me when a person says they don't like the deluxe version and then asks for the freeware version.  I hope you can see where I'm coming from with this.

Big Brother:  Thank you for the kind words and support, and to everyone who has purchased and enjoyed The Shivah so far.  You are paying for my Mountain Dew habit.  One can at a time.

[MrColossal]

BB, I believe a language barrier/not reading his post correctly is making you interpret Typo's post differently.

By not wanting publicity I believe he means that he asked for the free version and telling him to buy it doesn't answer his question. Publicity in this instance meaning advertised to.

Also he said he'd quest for the game if he wanted to buy it. I believe he means that when he wants to buy a game he'll buy it. He never said he'd "quest" for the free version.

When you add money things get complicated but Typo has hardly gone all crazy with his comments.

[Dave Gilbert]

Thank you for the kind words and support, and to everyone who has purchased and enjoyed The Shivah so far.  You are paying for my Mountain Dew habit.

Same for my coffee habit.  Thank you, dear customers, for keeping us solvent and caffinated. 

[Dr. Scary]

Thank you for the kind words and support, and to everyone who has purchased and enjoyed The Shivah so far.  You are paying for my Mountain Dew habit.  One can at a time.

What? You got paid? Dave!

[Typo]

This is nuts!...If the man himself doesn't seem to lose his sleep over it, why you two are so protective(Big Brother & ProgZmax)? It even seems that I'm looking for a 'freebie' that only can be bought under normal channels, dudes! Why do you question my own decisions and tastes? What do you gain in flooding me with pointless text?(a simple idea can be explain in a simple phrase.)
Is it so wrong to ask for a version that made an entry in some contest that I can't find anywhere?
Asking five bucks for a (awsome for what I've seen in the demo) game isn't bad at all. People (specially Dave if I came appond true info) had put much of their time'n neurons into it. I think it's worth it, BUT...I...DO...NOT...WANT...THE...ENHANCED...VERSION!!!!

Dave:
Because it's less polished. More raw. I love art in it's primal form.
....aaand I still can't find it anywhere.  :\ (Just a little hint? )
BTW, can I ask you if you've asking people to take the original version (and links) out of their sites? Please, don't think it's in any way agressive. It's just something that has been boiling my mind.

Traveler:
ThX for your help

Colossal:
ThX, You explaned alot.
A direct question about a product most of the time doesn't needs advertising (or how I have put 'publicity', sorry. Language barrier, yeah).
"Also he said he'd quest for the game if he wanted to buy it."  <--- No, not what I ment. I said that IF I wanted something, I would quest for it(if it's on sale, I would know where or how to buy it(cheapper(not crappy resalers )).).
I wouln't mind buying the deluxe version, but that's not the case.

[typo]

"(specially Dave if I came appond true info)"
I ment as he's the main 'sweat', no?

...Sorry, just thought on clearing it up.

[Dave Gilbert]

I ment as he's the main 'sweat', no?

The main sweat! I'm not sure what that means, but that's an awesome thing to be called. 

I have not asked people to remove the original version from their sites.  It appears that the deluxe demo
has appeared on a ton of other download sites, though, so the freeware version is a bit harder to find then it used to be.  Still, it's out there.  Just dig.

[Traveler]

Dave/ProgZmax,

I don't have anything against making your game commercial and making money off of it. I'm not even going to advertise it anywhere, that there was a free version, because I don't want to intentionally cause you harm. You did a good job, you deserve to reap the rewards, I wish you good luck with it.

However, Dave released the original game as free and that was his conscious decision - nobody asked him to do it. I'm greatful that he did, but he didn't have to. So when someone asks for the free game right here where it was announced (after all, this *is* the game thread), I think it's wrong not to pass it over, at least for professional courtesy. You're not going to lose anything over it, because the guy is *not* a potential customer.

That's how I see it. I wouldn't ever go to the official game forum and advertise it but I see nothing wrong about that here. Just my two cents. I'm not going to write about this anymore, because I don't want to hijack the thead any more. But again, good luck with the game.

[Blackthorne]

This game rocks, and it was WELL worth the five bucks I paid for it.  Christ, a pack of smokes costs me five bucks and I don't enjoy them half as much as I enjoyed "The Shivah".

For the cost of lunch, I got an awesome game, and I helped a brotha out.  Kudos to Dave and his team for making a great game, and not charging an arm and a leg for it.  I see it as helping people out.

Bt

[Mike S]

Okay.

Dave, do not email me about this, this is my final thought it I will not change it.

Now, let me count down the reasons I did not like the deluxe demo.

1. Bad voice acting. Now, what the HECK?! The voice acting is probably some of the worst I've heard, up there with Sonic Adventure and certain parts of Deus Ex.

2. The characters look modern now. This doesn't feel like an old adventure game, it feels like you tried to make it a little more. The original version of The Shivah was just like an old adventure game that you played all night and had fun with.

3. The new soundtrack was a bit of a radical change. I loved the original soundtrack and it was stuck in my head for days. It sounds that you just threw in some noise and called it an original soundtrack.

I will continue to distribute the original version to whoever wants it, just send me an email and I will send you the zip.

God, please oh please, don't do this to Two of a Kind..

[Vel]

The original shivah may be available on certain peer2peer clients.
Also, the original soundtrack is now available for download.

[Dave Gilbert]

God, please oh please, don't do this to Two of a Kind..

Oops.

[Mike S]

God, please oh please, don't do this to Two of a Kind..

Oops.

Hehehe, you make a good comedian though.

[i k a r i]

Hmm I dont know if its comedy, I would love to play an enhanced version of the game.....


for free