Astroids...

[DBZ-GOKU-]

I know you have stopped selling this game and everything, but if we gave you are versions, could you make it work on the Tungsten|T? I liked this game a lot and played it on my previous Palm a lot.

[jerryc98]

It don\'t work on my NR70/V too:(:(:(:(!!!! I would REALY LIKE to be able to play it on my NR70/V:D:D:D:D!!!! I got a used Palm V and that is ALL I USE IT FOR:)!

[MP3]

Unfortunately, I doubt they can; see http://www.astraware.com/palm/astroids, and you will understand why not (i.e. for the reasons listed there, it\'s not worth the effort to upgrade it).

[DBZ-GOKU-]

I know, I\'ve read it before, but I really liked that game. I did have a regitered version too, that is why I was wondering if it could be upgraded, I bet a bunch of other registered users of the game would appreciate it too.

[MP3]

Yes, but think about it logically: Make believe you are Howard Tomlinson. If you had to spend several weeks (or months, as is the case most - if not all - the time) working on a Palm OS project, what would you rather do: A) upgrade an old program (which would take tons of work in this case, since Astroids used \"direct screen access\") that won\'t make you any money whatsoever (and may even cause you legal or reputation problems), just to satisfy a bunch of old time customers who might be just as satisfied with a newer game, or B) work on some new, exciting, licensed game that will undoubtedly rake in lots of money, do to the popularity of the web version (and therefore people will recognize the name & concept of the game) which will make people want to download and register it?

If you answered B, very good; if you answered A, take my advice: do NOT pursue a career in consulting, product planning, or anything that may endanger the future of whatever company may hire you. ;)

All the best,
Moishe

[DBZ-GOKU-]

LOL!

[Howard]

Hmmm. Tricky one. I would probably choose \'A\'... if I didn\'t have a business to run :)

Astroids wouldn\'t be an update. It would be a rewrite, except I\'d have three years more experience, and a reasonable set of graphics to start with.
I wouldn\'t try to support greyscale any more, but I\'d probably make a hi-res version.
I\'d include cooler sampled sounds.

And... the main reason I\'d do it would be that I Love The Game!

And if I did it - it wouldn\'t be Astraware, but Howard Tomlinson writing it. And I wouldn\'t share it with anyone but a few thousand close friends. Especially people who get on my good side by sending boxes of fudge, jolt cola, and rolls of used tenners. ;)

Howard.

[Gatewood]

Your mailing address? ;)

[MP3]

Hmmm. Tricky one. I would probably choose \'A\'... if I didn\'t have a business to run :)

LOL! Well, that\'s why I said I would not recommend the pursual of a career in business planning in that case... ;)

Astroids wouldn\'t be an update. It would be a rewrite,
Well, like I said, \"which would take tons of work in this case, since Astroids used \'direct screen access\'\".

except I\'d have three years more experience,
I wish I had as much experience as you. Sometimes, I can spend months working on a project, only to be forced to give up because I cannot figure out how to accomplish a certain procedure, despite searching through various help, example, and tip sites. Other times, I cannot begin a project simply because I have no idea how (especially games:()... :(

and a reasonable set of graphics to start with.
Which graphics are you referring to: the Palm OS graphics that you have already, or the graphics from the PC version?

I wouldn\'t try to support greyscale any more, but I\'d probably make a hi-res version.
I\'d include cooler sampled sounds.
Please stop! It\'s so tempting, it hurts! I\'m seriously beginning to consider hiring a couple of hitmen to take out whichever Hasbro idiot made you stop selling Astroids!!!! :o

And... the main reason I\'d do it would be that I Love The Game!
That makes two of us. ;)

(Well, actually, a lot of us, since many of us would agree... ;))

And if I did it - it wouldn\'t be Astraware, but Howard Tomlinson writing it. And I wouldn\'t share it with anyone but a few thousand close friends.
I certainly hope I qualify. Am I one of your close friends? ;)

Especially people who get on my good side by sending boxes of fudge, jolt cola, and rolls of used tenners. ;)
Hmmmmmm... the problems I have with that would be (respectively, in the order they were mentioned): 1) I have no idea where to get fudge (it\'s not something I eat a lot of, unless we have a similar treat in the USA with a different name ;)), although other candy may not be such a problem, since my father owns a candy company. 2) I have no idea what the heck Jolt Cola is. :( 3) I don\'t have any tenners; being that I am a U.S. resident who rarely (if ever) leaves the country, I only carry U.S. currency. ;););)

SERIOUSLY THOUGH, let\'s get back to reality ;) - I can understand why Hasbro doesn\'t let you sell Astroids - I wouldn\'t like it if someone would sell software with my copyrighted concepts in it, either. But why don\'t they allow you to LICENSE it from them, the way PopCap, GameHouse, ASAP Games, Reflexive Entertainment, etc. do?

[DBZ-GOKU-]

1. Would you really \"rewrite\" the game and give it to \"a few thousand close freinds\"?

2. I am not user if you know this, but almost all of the beta testers would like it to be \"rewriten,\", don\'t you?

3. Am I one of those \"few thousand close freinds?\"

4. Address (LOL, Gatewood)?

5. (Quoted by MP3) why wouldn\'t Hasbro let you license the game?

6. did you read my post about Handmark?

...and what do you think?

[Howard]

Sounds tempting, but I\'m not likely to do this *major* work for quite a while.

I *am* pursuing the license with the owners, but it may take some time. As ever, if it happens, you\'ll all know! :)

Howard.

[MP3]

Perhaps you could please answer a question that has been nagging me for a while: what is it about licensing that takes such a long time? Isn\'t it either \"YES\" or \"NO\"? And even if you heve to negotiate a little (or a lot), shouldn\'t the YES/NO part go pretty quick? (Unless we\'re dealing with MONEY MATTER$, of cour$e. ;))

[Cheryl]

And if I did it - it wouldn\'t be Astraware, but Howard Tomlinson writing it. And I wouldn\'t share it with anyone but a few thousand close friends. Especially people who get on my good side by sending boxes of fudge, jolt cola, and rolls of used tenners. ;) Howard.
Hey Had, what kind of fudge do you like :) Are you sure Jolt cola would survive the trip? How quickly I have forgotten how much I take for granted the \"junk\" we have here in the states... when people living overseas never even get to try it!

[Cheryl]

Guess I can answer my own question on the Jolt :) We brought home beer from Ukraine and Poland .. .made it just fine ;)

[Howard]

Perhaps you could please answer a question that has been nagging me for a while: what is it about licensing that takes such a long time? Isn\'t it either \"YES\" or \"NO\"? ;)

YES or NO : Will you sell me your left eyeball/kidney/testicle ?

Simple question ? Not really - you\'d probably be concerned about when it happens, how much money and at what stages, what I\'d do with them (!), and also what instruments I\'d use to extract them, and whether you would have anaesthetic.

Its remarkably similar... Except that even before that I have to be in touch with the person who can even negotiate for it. Currently, its like asking your Postman if I can buy your left eyeball/kidney/testicle.

Get the idea ? ;)

[DBZ-GOKU-]

I don\'t really understand. ;(

[MP3]

Get the idea ? ;)

Ummmmmmmm... Errrrrrrrrr... I think so... Maybe... Ehhhhhhhh... Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm... ;)

But a major part of what I meant to ask is this: supposing it takes a couple of months, WHAT HAPPENS during that time? Do you spend 14 hours a day on the phone with them, do you sit around waiting while they spend 14 hours a day discussing it among themselves before telling you their decision (at which point you raise your offer, and the process repeats itself ;)), do you have to fly back and forth on \"business trips\" to negotiate with them, or what?