Re: DuelTris v1.0s posted to binaries....

[stc7@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Steven T Chiang)]

In article <C2Iznx.BLK@iat.holonet.net> ksg@orac.holonet.net (Kevin S. Green) writes:
>In article <fZkZUYh@quack.sac.ca.us> prisoner@quack.sac.ca.us (Kent Keltner) writes:
>|
>|I thought I should Post on this. I just downloaded this and after
>|getting it to run... I'm VERY Impressed. 
>
>I also am very impressed.
>
>|Steve, My $20 is on the way. :)
>
>However, I will not send any money for this.
>
>Why? Games this good, or any programming this good, should
>be commercially sold and properly marketed.

	Interesting reasoning... but there isn't much I can do about
it.

	I contacted Spectrum Holybyte about DuelTris, because they are
the copyright holders on Tetris for computers.  Spectrum then
contacted Elorg, and Elorg said they weren't interested in anything
for the Apple II...

	Releasing DuelTris as shareware still doesn't sidestep
copyright problems, but to release it as commercial software would
have been suicide.  I figured there are lots of shareware, freeware,
*Tris clones for all computers.

>Everyone keeps whining about the decline of the Apple //.
>Exception programs sold as shareware is partly to blame...
>there is no presence on the retail shelves and so the
>natural conclusion of the masses is: Oh the // line is 
>an old dinosaur that nobody uses or develops for anymore.

	For your information, it isn't easy to get Apple II software
out on the shelves.  We have contacted distributor after distributor
about DreamGrafix, and they basically wouldn't touch it.  Mail order
places have been fine, but nation-wide distributors such as Soft-Kat
won't touch it.

>Nope. You'll get my money when I see it on the software 
>shelves.

	There is a reason why there are 2 ways to register DuelTris.
I figured (and I'm obviously wrong in YOUR case), that by offering
DuelTris w/ packaging it would be as close to commercial as you get.
DuelTris is commercial quality and a lot cheaper than games nowadays.
BRCC isn't a valid argument, because those are old titles... they're
new stuff is in the $50+ range...

>Oh, and lest you think I don't know what I am yammering about,
>I work for MicroAge Computers...in the product returns department
>of our Tulsa franchise. To date, I have seen ONE Apple //
>product being returned. The volume of IBM and Mac returns, however,
>is astounding but understandable because of the volume of initial
>_sales_!

	What does that prove?  Maybe you've only had one Apple II
product returned, because you've only sold one Apple II product...

>Come on developers! Market your programs! Advertise! If you
>can't sell to one of the established publishers, start your
>own company or band together with other developers. There is
>nothing wrong with the Apple // market except that it is
>fading into obscurity. 

	Frankly, I'm shocked by your post.  If you aren't willing to
support DreamWorld, a producer of BOTH commercial and shareware
products, than who are you willing to support? 

	I'm a full time student, and I (along with others) have been
working my butt of to produce a high quality game for the Apple IIGS,
and I'm accused of contributing to the demise of the Apple IIGS.


>Kevin S. Green / ksg@holonet.net OR gargoth@aol.com

Steven Chiang                  Order - DreamGrafix:  The ONLY 16/256/3200
stc7@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu       color paint program for the Apple IIGS.
America On_Line:  DWS Steve
Genie:  S.Chiang4              Apple IIGS Forever!