Really confused

Ok, I thought this situation would be really simple. I don't have a PC, and I want to play Uplink.

So I heard that the demo had been released, so I went to Ambrosia's web page....and it still has Pop-Pop on the main site. I look for an Uplink section, no dice. So I go to the Ambrosia Banter web board, and saw a post saying that the demo was released...just not on Ambrosia's web site. Huh? Why not?

Well anyway, I did some investigating and found the following:

1. Ambrosia's web page has scant information on Uplink.
2. Introversion's web site released a Mac demo on the 9th.
3. They later put up a notice that basically said, "We apologize to Ambrosia, the demo should not have been released just yet."
4. Despite number 3, the demo is still on their web site.
5. The Introversion web site says something about a "boxed version" and a "shareware version", and that Ambrosia publishes the shareware one, and that Introversion is doing the boxed edition.
6. Uplink is also available on Apple's Mac OS X downloads web site, also apparently in violation of Ambrosia's release date.

So, what's going on here? Why bother to have two versions of the game? Will the shareware demo and the retail box demo be different? If Ambrosia didn't want the demo out now, why is it still available for download, even after Introversion apologized? Why do these three companies seem to be so poor at communication with each other?

Bearing all those in mind, the demo is out there, whether it is officially sanctioned or not. So regardless of what Ambrosia wants, I'm gonna be playing finally. Woohoo!

------------------

Ambrosia is just providing the shareware version of the game (this is how they generally do it anyway). Introversion is providing the game on CD (this is how they have always done it). The deal is Ambrosia's demo is different from Introversions demo. The Ambrosia demo is actually just the unregistered shareware game (the full game, just limited until registration at which point it will be the full game). IV has put out a true demo. Since the two are totally different I don't think IV really thought much about consulting Ambrosia about releasing their demo. Many people like the ease of the shareware download, no waiting, instant gratification, all that. Others like a hard copy for various reasons. Also as said before both companies have different distribution methods already setup. As IV has already released the Demo there is no real way to take it back without angering a lot of people. I hope that clears it up a little. 🙂

------------------
(url="http://"http://uplink.stewsburntmonkey.com")The Uplink Directory(/url)

Introversion is publishing Uplink internationally, while Ambrosia is publishing it in the United States.

------------------
(url="http://"http://www.freeman.org")Freeman Center for Strategic Studies(/url)
"Death Waits in the Dark" - 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment
Military Technology: (url="http://"http://www.army-technology.com/")Army(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/factfile/ffiletop.html")Navy(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.naval-technology.com/")Navy II(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.af.mil/news/indexpages/fs_index.shtml")Air Force(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.airforce-technology.com/")Air Force II(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.hqmc.usmc.mil/factfile.nsf/7e931335d515626a8525628100676e0c?OpenView")Marine Corps(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.aerospace-technology.com/")Aerospace(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.ship-technology.com/")Ship(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.space-technology.com/")Space(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.firstgov.gov/Citizen/Topics/Defense.shtml")Defense Links(/url)

Not really- Ambrosia will provide the shareware version internationally, and IV will ship internationally.

------------------
I am both worried and
saddened by nationwide
news of increasing rates of
anxiety and depression.

Basically, if you want to download it, you go to Ambrosia. If you want to buy it in a store, you go to IV. Yes, there was a mix-up with the demo, but it's hard to get the cat back in the bag. The Ambrosia shareware version will continue to be tested and bug-fixed, and of course the boxed version will get those same bug fixes. The demo, however, will not be as accurate in showing what the full game will be like (unless they keep making new demo versions).

------------------
Moderator- (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=9&SUBMIT;=Go&mrxak;=cool")EV Developer's Corner(/url) | (url="http://"http://forums.evula.com/viewforum.php?f=18")mrxak's Assorted Webspace Forum(/url) | (url="http://"http://forums.evula.com/viewforum.php?f=48")Starcraft Forum(/url) | | (url="http://"http://directory.perfectparadox.com/profile.php?id=00008")My Profile(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/search.cgi?action=intro")Search First(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/webboard/Forum9/HTML/003091.html")Need Testers?(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/webboard/Forum9/HTML/003196.html")Need Developers?(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.com/survival_guide/")EV/O/N Survival Guide(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/games/evn/addons.html")Nova Addons(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.resexcellence.com/support_files/resedit.shtml")ResEdit(/url) | (url="http://"http://w00tware.ev-nova.net/")NovaTools(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=31&SUBMIT;=Go")Bomb's Plug-in Guide(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.evula.org/mrxak/")mrxak's Assorted Webspace(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/TheChallenge102.sea.bin?path=evn/plugins&file;=TheChallenge102.sea.bin")The Challenge v1.0.2(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/mrxak/Haikus/haikuarchive.html")The Haiku Archive(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/mrxak/EV/N/mbspt/mbspt.html")mrxak's Big Secret Plug-in/Tutorial(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/postdisplay.cgi?forum=Forum10&topic;=007599-2&whichpost;=mrxak11-06-200203:22PM")mrxak?(/url)
"The more you ask a pot if it's boiling yet, the longer it will take to boil." -mrxak

So, when Uplink is released, it will be like EV? 30 days, then the thing starts getting really annoying...? Say, deducting 3000c from your Uplink account each Uplink day? 🙂 It won't be the cutoff demo we have now, right?

------------------
Keep what ye c'n git, an' keep what ye ha'e, for that is the wey t' gettin' rich - Old Scottish Commoner Saying - "Mac users are loyal. PC users are stubborn

See the post I just made in another topic.

------------------
Moderator- (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=9&SUBMIT;=Go&mrxak;=cool")EV Developer's Corner(/url) | (url="http://"http://forums.evula.com/viewforum.php?f=18")mrxak's Assorted Webspace Forum(/url) | (url="http://"http://forums.evula.com/viewforum.php?f=48")Starcraft Forum(/url) | | (url="http://"http://directory.perfectparadox.com/profile.php?id=00008")My Profile(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/search.cgi?action=intro")Search First(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/webboard/Forum9/HTML/003091.html")Need Testers?(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/webboard/Forum9/HTML/003196.html")Need Developers?(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.com/survival_guide/")EV/O/N Survival Guide(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/games/evn/addons.html")Nova Addons(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.resexcellence.com/support_files/resedit.shtml")ResEdit(/url) | (url="http://"http://w00tware.ev-nova.net/")NovaTools(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=31&SUBMIT;=Go")Bomb's Plug-in Guide(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.evula.org/mrxak/")mrxak's Assorted Webspace(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/TheChallenge102.sea.bin?path=evn/plugins&file;=TheChallenge102.sea.bin")The Challenge v1.0.2(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/mrxak/Haikus/haikuarchive.html")The Haiku Archive(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/mrxak/EV/N/mbspt/mbspt.html")mrxak's Big Secret Plug-in/Tutorial(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/postdisplay.cgi?forum=Forum10&topic;=007599-2&whichpost;=mrxak11-06-200203:22PM")mrxak?(/url)
"The more you ask a pot if it's boiling yet, the longer it will take to boil." -mrxak

The Ambrosia Demo will be nearly identical to the Introversion demo, limited to the first two gateways and no able to pass skill level 4, but as mrxak said in the other post once you register you will be able to continue with the user from the demo. 🙂

------------------
(url="http://"http://uplink.stewsburntmonkey.com")The Uplink Directory(/url)