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I've tried out the Uplink demo a couple of times now, and I must say I'm surprised. Unfortunately, I'm unpleasantly surprised.
Either someone messed up when releasing this demo, or the game itself is very poorly done. I haven't tried the PC version of this game, so I don't know if it's the mac port or the game itself that is bad, but I think there are a lot of things wrong with it.
But first, let's list the good things I thought about Uplink:
Interesting game idea. I really liked it.
The graphics are nice. The world map could be a little less blurred, but the rest looks good.
The music fits in with the game.
And, now - on to the bad stuff:
The registration animation is nice and all, but when you've disabled the button animations, it just looks strange.
The demo is too short.
Instead of the demo cutting the player out from further gaming, it would be nice if the email where your uplink rating is increased specified "We would like to increase your Uplink rating, but since you are using the demo, we won't." or something to that effect.
The interface is sluggish. Especially in the world map, when you've logged into the InterNIC server and copied those links. Which you can do even before doing the test mission.
The world map is missing an entire continent.
It would be good if you could disable drawing the names of machines on the world map, and instead have the name of the machine appear in the information box that appears when you have the mouse over a machine.
It would be good if the world map would highlight target machines. That would make them much easier to find.
The world map would benefit from having some sort of search feature, so that you can locate target machines without having to first dial into them.
In the world map, next to the save and load buttons, there is a zoom tool. This tool covers whatever the text is that appears when you save or load, making the text unreadable.
If you save a bunch of connections, and load them later when one of the machines have been hidden, all the machine names start moving around like crazy.
The load/save function for connections on the world map is a nifty thing. But it could really do with a couple of different load/save slots.
When you zoom the world map, you can't click on the machines because the indicator is not where you are supposed to click.
Why do links to machines have to be automatically hidden after you complete a mission at that machine?
It would be nice if lists were sorted when you clicked on a column header. Especially the links list.
When you click on a button in the main menu (after you log into a server) but change your mind and move the mouse over another button before you release, the game acts as if the other button was pushed. This is not consistant with how the graphics act when you do this.
Sometimes when you click on a menu item in the main menu of a machine, you are presented with a username/password box, but no way to go back to the main menu without disconnecting from the machine first. A good example is the InterNIC server.
Unless every program has some strange sort of threading, when you have a machine with more than one processor slot, a single process cannot eat up 100% CPU.
It would be good if you didn't have to hold the mouse over text boxes where you want to type.
It would be a good thing to be able to close bank accounts that are empty and has no loans.
The description box in the software upgrades market should probably have a scroll bar, so that even people with low resolutions can read the entire description.
The HUD_MapShowTrace tool description says "Replaces the Trace Tracker." when in fact it doesn't.
What's the point of having a version column in the software upgrades market if the text in it is always "v1.0"?
It is too easy to hit the abandon button on missions by mistake.
What's the point of having a "game options" submenu to the options menu, if it is empty?
Why isn't the mac mouse cursor hidden when the software mouse is enabled?
It would be nice if you could drop the IP probe on a link, rather than have to manually type the IP number.
I realise, of course, that some of these things are design choices made by the original developers of the game, and that those things won't likely change. But I thought I'd mention them anyway as things that I think are wrong.
I sincerely hope that someone messed up in the release of the demo, because if the problems with this demo is an indication of the full game, I'm surprised that Ambrosia got involved in porting it. I thought better of you, Ambrosia.
Don't get me wrong: overall, I liked the game idea. There are just a lot of things wrong with the implementation.
But enough of what I think about it, what do the rest of you out there think?
'glove
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(This message has been edited by Kidglove II (edited 05-11-2003).)
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)The demo is too short.(/quote)
Agreed.
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)Instead of the demo cutting the player out from further gaming, it would be nice if the email where your uplink rating is increased specified "We would like to increase your Uplink rating, but since you are using the demo, we won't." or something to that effect.(/quote)
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)The interface is sluggish. Especially in the world map, when you've logged into the InterNIC server and copied those links. Which you can do even before doing the test mission.(/quote)
The inferface is as smooth as silk for me.
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)The world map is missing an entire continent.(/quote)
I assume that there aren't any nodes there (antarctica?).
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)It would be good if you could disable drawing the names of machines on the world map, and instead have the name of the machine appear in the information box that appears when you have the mouse over a machine.(/quote)
Personally, I like being able to see what nodes belong to who at a glace. It's great for organizing my bouncing routes.
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)It would be good if the world map would highlight target machines. That would make them much easier to find.(/quote)
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)The world map would benefit from having some sort of search feature, so that you can locate target machines without having to first dial into them.(/quote)
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)In the world map, next to the save and load buttons, there is a zoom tool. This tool covers whatever the text is that appears when you save or load, making the text unreadable.(/quote)
Confirmed.
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)If you save a bunch of connections, and load them later when one of the machines have been hidden, all the machine names start moving around like crazy.(/quote)
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)The load/save function for connections on the world map is a nifty thing. But it could really do with a couple of different load/save slots.(/quote)
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)When you zoom the world map, you can't click on the machines because the indicator is not where you are supposed to click.(/quote)
Confirmed. But you can click to the southeast of the "button".
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)Why do links to machines have to be automatically hidden after you complete a mission at that machine?(/quote)
The preference of the developer?
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)It would be nice if lists were sorted when you clicked on a column header. Especially the links list.(/quote)
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)Sometimes when you click on a menu item in the main menu of a machine, you are presented with a username/password box, but no way to go back to the main menu without disconnecting from the machine first. A good example is the InterNIC server.(/quote)
Confirmed. This is rather tedious and frustrating.
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)Unless every program has some strange sort of threading, when you have a machine with more than one processor slot, a single process cannot eat up 100% CPU.(/quote)
Give them a break. It's not real for a reason.
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)It would be good if you didn't have to hold the mouse over text boxes where you want to type.(/quote)
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)It would be a good thing to be able to close bank accounts that are empty and has no loans.(/quote)
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)The HUD_MapShowTrace tool description says "Replaces the Trace Tracker." when in fact it doesn't.(/quote)
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)What's the point of having a version column in the software upgrades market if the text in it is always "v1.0"?(/quote)
Because it changes if you select a new version.
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)It is too easy to hit the abandon button on missions by mistake.(/quote)
Huh? You have to hit it twice, and the second time the button is made very visible.
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)What's the point of having a "game options" submenu to the options menu, if it is empty?(/quote)
Perhaps for mods, or something only used in the full version...
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)Why isn't the mac mouse cursor hidden when the software mouse is enabled?(/quote)
?
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: (*)It would be nice if you could drop the IP probe on a link, rather than have to manually type the IP number. (/quote)
It's easy enough to simply type in the IP.
(quote)Originally posted by Kidglove II: I sincerely hope that someone messed up in the release of the demo, because if the problems with this demo is an indication of the full game, I'm surprised that Ambrosia got involved in porting it. I thought better of you, Ambrosia.
Don't get me wrong: overall, I liked the game idea. There are just a lot of things wrong with the implementation. (/quote)
You overstate things. Sure, the game lacks polish, and obviously the beta testing was subpar, but it's still a good game. I can live with a handful of minor bugs and nuisances, when the other 99% is so good.
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Quote
Originally posted by Kidglove II: It would be good if you could disable drawing the names of machines on the world map, and instead have the name of the machine appear in the information box that appears when you have the mouse over a machine.
Originally posted by General Rak: Personally, I like being able to see what nodes belong to who at a glace. It's great for organizing my bouncing routes.
I'm just saying that I'd like to have the option of not having the world map looking like this (JPEG, 200KB).
Originally posted by Kidglove II: Why isn't the mac mouse cursor hidden when the software mouse is enabled?
Originally posted by General Rak: ?
Bad description of the problem. Sorry. Whenever I play I always get the mac mouse cursor, even if the software mouse is enabled. In that case the software mouse cursor is drawn underneath the mac mouse cursor (naturally). Might be a bug that only appears on some machines, like the bug (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/webboard/Forum69/HTML/000018.html#sinclair4405-10-200302:18PM")where the game quits at 10:00 March 29th, 2010(/url).
I'm sorry if I came off as angry or flameish, I didn't mean to. I really like the game, and I'm trying to give some constructive criticism about things I think could, and some (bugs) that really should, be changed.
Originally posted by Kidglove II: **Might be a bug that only appears on some machines, like the bug where the game quits at 10:00 March 29th, 2010.
I really like the game, and I'm trying to give some constructive criticism about things I think could, and some (bugs) that really should, be changed.
**
Agreed, this game is great, but it lacks that extra bit of quality that makes all the difference. Besides, you find yourself asking how they could miss such glaring problems, such as how the game only runs in a window for some machines, or how it runs slow on some machines. Just a little bit of beta testing should have caught that. Either that or you wonder if they forgot to be detailed when it came to the system requirements. Great game, but if I notice the same major bugs in the full version, I think I'll wait for them to be fixed or to get a better computer before I buy it. I'm really hoping Ambrosia will notice these topics and fix some of these things.
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Another thing,
in 640x400 mode, the trace tracker is not visible, it drops below the screen. Kinda annoying. Maybe that could be changed? In all other aspects the game is great. You really can play a lot, just make sure when you get to novice level, you abandon a mission and it will (usually) kick you back to beginner level. Thus I had the gateway with 32q memory, 400mhz total processor speed, all hud improvements, monitor bypas v5, proxy bypass v5, firewall bypass v5, and other software. I ended up hacking into a bank and getting some cash. And then stupid me forgot to erase the logs.... and I got caught. Great game though. Just need some patience in the demo...
im sorry, I entierly dissage, the only problem I have had, is that it doesnt like running with multiple monitors. I havent had any problems. Then again I am running uplink at 1280 x 1024 on my G4 Tower...
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I like the game, it is a little sluggish though. I am well aware that the slow game response is purely because I am running it on 64 megs of RAM, but that doesn't seem to stop it from frustrating me, especially with it constantly running in a window. It did run properly for me once in full screen while I was fiddling with the preferences, but no luck since then. I do agree however that the demo has some faults but it is very promising.
------------------ --If the human brain were so simple we could understand it, we would be so simple we couldn't-- -- --Neverness by David Zindell-- --
Let me point out that the Demo is NOT the Ambrosia version of the game. The Demo is the Introversion (UK Only) demo of the game. Introversion is releasing a boxed version of the game. The Ambrosia version will be like other Ambrosia games, download the full version, but limited in rank, progress, and hardware upgrades available. Then you register and it unlocks the rest of the game. The game is also not yet fully completed, so many of the other issues that you have in the demo may be fixed before the game is released.
-J
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Originally posted by kiwi_a2: **I like the game, it is a little sluggish though. I am well aware that the slow game response is purely because I am running it on 64 megs of RAM, but that doesn't seem to stop it from frustrating me, especially with it constantly running in a window. It did run properly for me once in full screen while I was fiddling with the preferences, but no luck since then. I do agree however that the demo has some faults but it is very promising.
I can see how 64 megs of RAM might be a bit sluggish, but hey I wouldnt know. Im running Uplink with a gig of ram free and running full screen at 1280 x 1024 with no problems, And as for bieng sluggish, I dont have a clue what your talking about, the game runs fast,smooth and clear for me no problems what so ever ...
Originally posted by Kidglove II: **
It works great for me.
You can download third-party patches that can change all sorts of interface elements, including the world map.
It's a port, not a new game. No new features will be added to the mac version.
You can use the filter on your server list, or your visibility-toggle things.
This is on purpose.
The CPU adjustment slider-thingies are more of a priority list, rather than actual CPU percentage.
Try using tab for text boxes after the first one.
Why? Having accounts at servers of any kind do give you a benefit.
In a sense it does. Although it does not tell you the time left, it does provide an alternative to a lower-level trace_tracker, by showing you when a trace has started, and how many bounces are left.
Eh? Have you tried hitting the next version button? If you are, don't worry, it does show the actual version number in the Ambrosia version.
You need to hit it twice to abandon, at least in the Ambrosia version. If you aren't paying enough attention, that's your own fault.
And just to second Jericon, the game is still being tested. I was kinda suprised when I saw the demo was out for the UK already. A number of the bugs mentioned have already been reported to the beta list before the demo came out, and are being worked on. Not to ask you people to stop reporting things you notice, but keep in mind this is not the Ambrosia version, and it is still in beta.
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Originally posted by me: The HUD_MapShowTrace tool description says "Replaces the Trace Tracker." when in fact it doesn't.
Originally posted by mrxak: **In a sense it does. Although it does not tell you the time left, it does provide an alternative to a lower-level trace_tracker, by showing you when a trace has started, and how many bounces are left. **
My point was that the trace tracker is still there, still giving you time estimates - it isn't replaced by the HUD_MapShowTrace in any way. A better description would be "Improves the Trace Tracker."
(This message has been edited by Kidglove II (edited 05-12-2003).)
Well, obviously it doesn't actually delete the trace tracker- that'd be kind of annoying. However, it does replace it functionally - you can easily hack using only the HUD tool. Do you actually want it to delete the trace tracker, or what?
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Originally posted by Adriac: Do you actually want it to delete the trace tracker, or what?
No, not at all - I'm fine with how it works.
dictionary.com's entry for "replace":(list=1) ()To put back into a former position or place. ()To take or fill the place of. ()To be or provide a substitute for. ()To pay back or return; refund.(/list=a)
What I'm trying to say is that the description is misleading - it states that the trace tracker will be deleted, when in fact it won't.
Originally posted by gazza_2001: **I can see how 64 megs of RAM might be a bit sluggish, but hey I wouldnt know. Im running Uplink with a gig of ram free and running full screen at 1280 x 1024 with no problems, And as for bieng sluggish, I dont have a clue what your talking about, the game runs fast,smooth and clear for me no problems what so ever ...
Let me explain the sluggish part. From what I've read around the net on forums, for some people it runs like a dream, full screen size. For others, it slows down, sometimes to the point where it feels like you're playing in Bullet Time, and will never run full screen. It seems to depend on the computer, so a newer mac would play this better than a two year old mac. I've got the two year old computer, so it runs in spurts on my computer; fast, then slow, then fast again.
Aaah, sorry. I misunderstood you a bit
But anyway... "To be or provide a substitute for." Is this not what the HUD upgrade does?
Originally posted by Adriac: "To be or provide a substitute for." Is this not what the HUD upgrade does?
Not when I try it anyway. Both run at the same time for me.
Isn't the HUD upgrade on all the time?
I can't recall...
All these tiny little things can be fixed if the Uplink Developer's CD for Mac is ever created. The CD has the games source code that you may change at your preference.
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I doubt it will come out for the mac. They would have to implement some sort of shared private library, so that it forced the user to have the full registered version. if this did not exist, people could see how the registration worked and bypass it. I imagine that the PC Dev. CD will have some sort of restrictions forcing pwople to own the game, but the fact that the Mac one will (i assume) be shareware, makes it harder.
Also, i doubt that patches will be cross-platform without a LOT of work, due to the fact that it is an actual application change, not data file change, so all those patches will have to be re-compiled for the mac as well.
------------------
What do you mean? It has a very strict licence. Wouldn't be a lot simpler for one so inclined to simply share the game CD- a much less prosecutable crime than breach of contract?