21-05-2003 18:33									#61
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

good advice

	21-05-2003 18:45									#62
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

Thanks... though I am sure it can largely be improved because I am not a native English speaker and because this "letter" is only one way to approach the problem, I am sure there are many more and certainly many that would be more efficient.

	21-05-2003 19:31									#63
	Got spare money?

quote: Originally posted by Tamerlin I don't understand why they want you to contact their legal department when they told you they don't have the source code.

You never worked on a helpdesk either, did you?

They want that because they think Big M's story is getting old and they want to get rid of him. They just kicked him to the department best equipped to talk bullsh*t and to get rid of annoying customers (without getting the company in trouble (legal or otherwise)).

Where I work we do the same, except that we don't use the legal department but the customer 'service' deparment

Of course, if you ever want to accomplish anything, you'll have to do as they say. I doubt The Big Mc will get anything useful out of the legal department but at least they now know who he is and what he wants

	21-05-2003 20:28									#64
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

quote: Originally posted by Locutus You never worked on a helpdesk either, did you?

No though the company I used to work for had one and I already know I would not like to work in a helpdesk.

quote: They want that because they think Big M's story is getting old and they want to get rid of him. They just kicked him to the department best equipped to talk bullsh*t and to get rid of annoying customers (without getting the company in trouble (legal or otherwise)).

	21-05-2003 21:16									#65
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

Tamerlin,

good job Are you sure you never worked on this side of the fence?

BigMc,

You already have something ready? (I might even 'sign' on it as well?)

	21-05-2003 22:12									#66
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Thanks Gilgamesch...

Yes I am sure about not having worked on the other side...

But a degree in International Business Law leaves some traces...

The closer thing I have to a ready letter is in my previous post...

	22-05-2003 12:44									#67
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

Tamerlin,

so you were about to live on the other side of the fence I can't believe it

But looks like you decided for the better

Did you already overcome the traces, or are you still recovering

	22-05-2003 20:33									#68
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

quote: Dear sir or madam I have been recently requested to contact you by the members of apoltyton a internet community dedicated to turned based strategy games. I have been in long negotiations with the staff at the activision support centre to get all un published material and source code for the games civilisation: call to power and the sequel call to power two. The support staff told me and many other members of the community that the game was no longer supported and the people working on they game have long since left your organisation. The problem with having no one working on the game any more is that many error associated with the game are still unfinished and there is no one to contact about these problems. The proposal is that this material be uploaded to the apolyton website for all people who wish to download the source code. this will provide further alteration and rapier to the sour code allowing the game to keep its online community indefinitely. With this activision would benefit as the games rights would still be held by activision who could sell the tile as a going concern. Apolyton is a free website as any one can subscribe freely and get help for the game. The source code and other material would be kept in the same way free. I look forward to your reply xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

well what do you think.

	22-05-2003 20:41									#69
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

I don't think they'll will accept it like this. This would ultimativly turn it into freeware............

quote: The proposal is that this material be uploaded to the apolyton website for all people who wish to download the source code. this will provide further alteration and rapier to the sour code allowing the game to keep its online community indefinitely. With this activision would benefit as the games rights would still be held by activision who could sell the tile as a going concern. Apolyton is a free website as any one can subscribe freely and get help for the game. The source code and other material would be kept in the same way free.

This part they will not like and most possible reject.

Maybe rephrase it more, that we are still willing to finish their unfinished business, so long we get the source-code........(ok, needs to be put in better words........)

	22-05-2003 21:10									#70
	Increase the size of your Attachments

Hi The Big Mc, what is Apoltyton?



The content is clear but in my opinion you are too direct though your letter has the great advantage over mine to state the interest Activision would have to release the source codes...

I would write it like that:

Dear sir or madam,

I am contacting you on behalf of the members of the Apolyton Civilization Site, an internet community dedicated to turned based strategy games.


I have been in long and regular negotiations with the staff at the activision support centre to get all the unpublished material and source codes for the games Civilization: Call to Power and its sequel Call to Power II. The support staff and many other members of the community told me that the game was no longer supported and that the people working on the game have long since left your organisation. The problem with having no one working on the said games any more is that many errors associated with the games have not yet been repaired and there is no one to contact about these problems.

The proposal is that this material be uploaded to the Apolyton Website for all people who wish to download the source codes. This would provide further alteration and support to the source codes allowing the games to keep their online communities indefinitely. With this activision would benefit as the games rights would still be held by activision who could sell the titles as a going concern.

Apolyton is a free website any one can subscribe to freely and get help for the games. The source codes and other material would be kept in the same way free.

I look forward to your reply

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	22-05-2003 22:31									#71
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

quote: The support staff told me and many other members of the community that the game was no longer supported and the people working on they game have long since left your organisation.

And I thought Activsion is a company in the first place and maybe on the last place an organisation. So replace "your organisation" by Activsion and you don't have problems.

-Martin

	22-05-2003 22:41									#72
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

No spelling mistakes!!!!!!

Last edited by The Big Mc on 22-05-2003 at 22:49

	22-05-2003 22:57									#73
	Got spare money?

quote: Originally posted by The Big Mc No spelling mistakes!!!!!!

Should I start searching? Actual too much caring on the stuff is not very healthy. Probably everyone does spelling mistakes, otherwise the persion wasted too much time to for them. Well if you want to know it you abbreviated the following word a little bit: source -> sour

-Martin

	22-05-2003 23:23									#74
	Inflate your Upload Space

keep it coming

	23-05-2003 00:04									#75
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Will they like the kisses?(ok everyone likes kisses but only in the right situation)

	23-05-2003 02:18									#76
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: Originally posted by The Big Mc No spelling mistakes!!!!!!

I have corrected those I have found in my rewritten version of the original Big Mc's letter...

	23-05-2003 03:27									#77
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

If the request has been kicked to the legal department, there is a chance, no matter how slim, that it is being considered. Before a company does anything it has to ask Legal "can we do this? Should we do this?" The problem is from a legal standpoint the easiest answer is always "no".

I like the letter. I would add the concept that (not using these exact words) "releasing the source code will make an already large CTP2 on-line community larger and create a demand to obtain/buy copies of the game dormant or not."

	24-05-2003 20:52									#78
	Support Apolyton

Well As Locutus said they want get rid of The Big Mc. But actual it would be a little bit odd if an ordinary help/support guy can release the source code, but actual the legal department is not the place where the decission can be made to release the source code either. But of course the is someone at Activision who is allowed to do the decission to release it. So let's see if the legal department can help us.

Otherwise the help desk guys certainly are happy to hear from The Big Mc again. And I thought it was the task of the help desk to contact the legal department on their own if they really want to help.

quote: Originally posted by TheArsenal The problem is from a legal standpoint the easiest answer is always "no".

Well if Locutus is right, then it is the task of this legal department to say 'no' without saying 'no'. An impossible task.

-Martin

	25-05-2003 02:58									#79
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

quote: And I thought it was the task of the help desk to contact the legal department on their own if they really want to help.

If they had the source code and there was a realistic chance of them giving it to us, they *would* have contacted the legal deparment themselves. It's exactly because they didn't that I know they're just trying to dump The Big Mc...

But they say the can't find it and they have no reason to lie about that (and in fact I remember having seen this Ismael Garcia name before and IIRC he was one of the more friendly and useful people working there). So at the very most someone at the legal department will be able to contact someone who *can* find it (though the chances of this being the case and actually happening are astronomically small)

quote: An impossible task.

Not if you're a laywer And who's gonna say they won't just say 'no'? It's not like they owe us anything...

	26-05-2003 22:45									#80
	Support Apolyton

So let's wait and see. In the mean time any reports The Big MC?

-Martin

	27-05-2003 02:22									#81
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

I say a few prayers to my little Activision shrine every day Let's hope it works

	27-05-2003 03:12									#82
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

I imagine kneeled Locutus in front of his CtP2 box, his hands joined for the prayer, saying:

"Please Lord Activision, forgive me all the bad words I have written in the Apolyton's forums about your company and your employees."

"I swear I won't lough anymore when I read bad puns like 'Craptivision' in the Apolyton Forums..."

	27-05-2003 13:44									#83
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

And although we walking in the valley of dark
we don't feel frighten
we can always see light at the end of it
it is Activision

Amen

	27-05-2003 22:05									#84
	Inflate your Upload Space

Forgive those that bought Civ3,
and those whose faith in CTP2 dried out before the coming of the MOD’s.
And give us your truth, the fullness of your knowledge,
give us the Source Code, so that we may bask and grow in your wisdom.

	28-05-2003 03:12									#85
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Anyone sending these chants and confessions to the legal department at Activision?

	02-06-2003 21:03									#87
	Put an end to popups!

I re drafted it over the holidays so will some one check for spelling errors.

By the way the xs are for my real name to go on the bottom.

Oh and lacutos should you not be playing with some kind of voodoo doll instead of that shrine.

quote: Dear sir or madam I have been recently requested to contact you by the members of apolyton with regard to the realise of game materials. I have been in long negotiations with the staff at the activision support centre to get all un published material and source code for the games civilisation: call to power and call to power two. The support staff told me that the game was no longer supported and the people working on they game have long since left your activivsion. The problem with having no one working on the game any more is that many error associated with the game are still unfinished and there is no one to contact about these problems as the support staff send people to apolyton for help. Apolyton is a internet community dedicated to turned based strategy games and has had a long relationship with activision by helping with feed back in the creation of call to power two. The proposal is that this material be uploaded to the apolyton website for all people who wish to download the source code. this will provide further alteration and rapier to the sour code allowing the game to keep its online community indefinitely. With this activision would benefit as the games rights would still be held by activision who could sell the tile as a going concern. With the rights being held by activision apolyton and the community based on it could not gain profit froom this information being held there. Apolytons community have a long record of keeping this information free as game materials generated by the community can be downloaded freely. I hope the support staff has sent me to a department that can finally help. I look forward to your reply xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	02-06-2003 21:41									#88
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

quote: Originally posted by The Big MC Oh and lacutos should you not be playing with some kind of voodoo doll instead of that shrine.

And I thought Locutus would just do some assimilation.

Well a question: Is it intentional that you uses small initial letters, even in words like civilisation: call to power and call to power two and even worse activision. I think the guys at Activision won't like this very much.

And un published is one word.

-Martin

	02-06-2003 22:24									#89
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

Looking good The Big Mc (ah that's what the x's were for I thought it was a bit too friendly!).

	03-06-2003 00:08									#90
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

i have problems with words.