The Vent and Rant Thread - Page 117

DixieGal · 02-16-2009, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

2 highly sophisticated modern submarines, both carrying a complement of WMD, collide !

What - why weren't they watching where they were going !!!

What were they doing - reading the posts on MR !!!!!

What'choo talkin' 'bout, Willis?

Wetdogeared · 02-16-2009, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

2 highly sophisticated modern submarines, both carrying a complement of WMD, collide !

What - why weren't they watching where they were going !!!

What were they doing - reading the posts on MR !!!!!

The British and French playing chicken again.

Nate the great · 02-16-2009, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wetdogeared

The British and French playing chicken again.

Or the British crew was taking an afternoon tea, and the French crew was on strike.

GeoffC · 02-16-2009, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Or the British crew was taking an afternoon tea, and the French crew was on strike.

:titter:

nekokami · 02-16-2009, 11:13 AM

This is a rant.

You have been warned.

About a year and a half ago, having worked on an original card game for some time and even having gotten demo copies printed at a local digital printer, I started trying to get the game printed in volume for actual sale in game stores. I contacted a web-based consolidator/game store, who directed me to a POD service. It turned out, as we negotated and I waited for them to get their act together (should have been a clue) that they weren't going to be able to print card games on demand after all, but they would be happy to handle getting the game printed in China and shipped to the distributor. I'd looked into doing this myself in the past, and it generally involves having to deal with seaports and customs and stuff like that, so I thought, ok. And the price seemed within what I thought should be reasonable.

Then, of course, things started to go wrong. Lots of little delays. I don't actually suspect fraud... just incompetence. And by the time I asked for a refund, having foolishly paid up front, the business was going under and there wasn't money to pay me back with.

Over the next couple of months, accusations and fingerpointing between the printer and the consolidator who had recommended him got quite interesting,

and after filing a complaint with the BBB (and threatening to take legal action) I did get some of the money back-- less than half.

Last fall the printer informed me that he was being bought out, and would be able to pay me back as soon as the financing was completed.

Anyone read the news lately? Unsurprisingly, I haven't heard from him since. No response to emails, phone disconnected... but his website's still up!

I rummaged around on Google for a while, but couldn't find enough info to track the guy down. Finally I used the phone directory assistance, and got someone with the same first initial and last name in the town the business was listed in. I got an answer, but the incoherent person was only able to tell me that the person I wanted would be back in about an hour. (He sounded like he'd started a bit early on the Zany Carters, or perhaps he'd simply been up all night enjoying said substances.)

I just got a call back from that number. The guy on the phone had the same last name, all right, but a different first name, and had never heard of the guy I wanted.

Now it's getting to be tax time, and I sure would like to know if this guy has filed for bankruptcy or what. I had come up with a plan for him to work off what he owes me by programming an online version of the game in Flash (which it says he does on his oh-so-helpful website), which could actually make both of us some money, but that does no good if he's unreachable.

Alright. My rant is done.

Anyone out there want to work on a project with me using Flash or Java? The game is designed, graphics done, the software spec is written. But I don't have any money to pay with up-front.

Otherwise, maybe I'll try writing it this summer. (I can code, just really slowly.)

Thanks for listening/reading.

nekokami · 02-16-2009, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

2 highly sophisticated modern submarines, both carrying a complement of WMD, collide !

What - why weren't they watching where they were going !!!

What were they doing - reading the posts on MR !!!!!

From the BBC:

Quote:

The submarines are equipped with sonar to detect other vessels nearby but our correspondent said it be might the case that the anti-sonar devices, meant to hide the submarines from enemies, were "too effective".

Yeah, blame the technology. I like the tea-and-strike theory better.

pilotbob · 02-16-2009, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

Anyone out there want to work on a project with me using Flash or Java? The game is designed, graphics done, the software spec is written. But I don't have any money to pay with up-front.

How complex is this game? How about Silverlight rather than Flash? I want/need to learn it but always have trouble coming up with good projects to learn with.

BOb

nekokami · 02-16-2009, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

How complex is this game? How about Silverlight rather than Flash? I want/need to learn it but always have trouble coming up with good projects to learn with.

BOb

Does Silverlight run on anything other than IE? Looks like there's a Mac version, at least, and I suppose I shouldn't worry about Linux users that much. I was thinking of using Runtime Revolution if I have to do it myself-- I'm a Hypercard hacker from way back, and there's supposed to be a web plugin for RR coming out this fall. I'd rather not have players have to download and install anything, though, and most people have Java and Flash already.

Edit: found answers to my compatability questions here: http://silverlight.net/GetStarted/overview.aspx I won't rule it out at this point.

In terms of complexity, it compares with "Magic, the Gathering," though the game play is not similar.

badgoodDeb · 02-16-2009, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

There will be a special hole in Heck for life insurance claims people and they will have to sit on hold on the phone for hours every day, then be told that the claim can not be discussed with the wife of the beneficiary without him also being on the line.

Furthermore, their toilet will flush down upon the heads of those crybabies who invented HIPPA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

whhhoooooo ......
i has that problem also ........
my beloved is not allowed to take calls on my behalf ...... makes life awkward !

I suppose they want to make sure you aren't planning to off your spouse?

pilotbob · 02-16-2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

Edit: found answers to my compatability questions here: http://silverlight.net/GetStarted/overview.aspx I won't rule it out at this point.

There is also Moonlight which runs on Linux recently released. But that is only Silverlight 1.0 compatible... they are working on the SL 2.0 compatible release now. But, as you say, Linux is pretty fringe especially for gamers. (No offense to you linux folk)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

In terms of complexity, it compares with "Magic, the Gathering," though the game play is not similar.

That doesn't help me. I assume this isn't some heavy animation game like Doom that needs some FPS graphics engine?

BOb

nekokami · 02-16-2009, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I assume this isn't some heavy animation game like Doom that needs some FPS graphics engine?

Sorry!

It's a card game, but not played with standard cards. There may be 1-5 players. I can send you the game instructions (and even a deck of cards) if you're interested.

lilac_jive · 02-16-2009, 05:51 PM

My back just keeps getting worse and worse

I'M TOO YOUNG FOR THIS I TELL YA!!!

phenomshel · 02-16-2009, 06:02 PM

AGH!! Where on earth does MS Reader pull files from? I have ONE copy of this one book - and it WILL open in MS Reader on my PC. But I can't find the actual file!! It's poofed into thin air, and you can't pull a file OUT of MS Reader, as far as I've been able to tell, and it doesn't tell you WHERE the file in MS Reader is located. I wanted to put it on my SD Card for my EZ Reader, but the file is just nowhere. Search can't find it either. But it's right there in my MS Reader library....laughing at me, probably.

zelda_pinwheel · 02-16-2009, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phenomshel

AGH!! Where on earth does MS Reader pull files from? I have ONE copy of this one book - and it WILL open in MS Reader on my PC. But I can't find the actual file!! It's poofed into thin air, and you can't pull a file OUT of MS Reader, as far as I've been able to tell, and it doesn't tell you WHERE the file in MS Reader is located. I wanted to put it on my SD Card for my EZ Reader, but the file is just nowhere. Search can't find it either. But it's right there in my MS Reader library....laughing at me, probably.

it drives me absolutely crazy when a program hides files in some obscure location that it thinks up all by itself. but, since we are talking about ms lit after all, i bet you it's in "my documents", probably in a folder (created by ms lit) called something like "my books" or "my library" or "my ebooks" or "my really well-hidden files that only i know where to find, muahahahahaha".

edit : try "my library". that's where ms reader sticks its files on my computer (the bastiche).

Mindy · 02-17-2009, 10:03 AM

OFAC Policy + LBG Policy = Lots of suckiness for me

(I'd like to say more but I've been NDA'd so if you're not already on the ITK list I'd have to, well, I'd say shoot you but since I have enough going on already it's probably best just not to say. Agreed?)

Bleuh.

(edit: BTW, does anyone know anything about the Iran Veterinary Organisation?)

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02-16-2009, 11:13 AM	#1745
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	This is a rant. You have been warned. About a year and a half ago, having worked on an original card game for some time and even having gotten demo copies printed at a local digital printer, I started trying to get the game printed in volume for actual sale in game stores. I contacted a web-based consolidator/game store, who directed me to a POD service. It turned out, as we negotated and I waited for them to get their act together (should have been a clue) that they weren't going to be able to print card games on demand after all, but they would be happy to handle getting the game printed in China and shipped to the distributor. I'd looked into doing this myself in the past, and it generally involves having to deal with seaports and customs and stuff like that, so I thought, ok. And the price seemed within what I thought should be reasonable. Then, of course, things started to go wrong. Lots of little delays. I don't actually suspect fraud... just incompetence. And by the time I asked for a refund, having foolishly paid up front, the business was going under and there wasn't money to pay me back with. Over the next couple of months, accusations and fingerpointing between the printer and the consolidator who had recommended him got quite interesting, and after filing a complaint with the BBB (and threatening to take legal action) I did get some of the money back-- less than half. Last fall the printer informed me that he was being bought out, and would be able to pay me back as soon as the financing was completed. Anyone read the news lately? Unsurprisingly, I haven't heard from him since. No response to emails, phone disconnected... but his website's still up! I rummaged around on Google for a while, but couldn't find enough info to track the guy down. Finally I used the phone directory assistance, and got someone with the same first initial and last name in the town the business was listed in. I got an answer, but the incoherent person was only able to tell me that the person I wanted would be back in about an hour. (He sounded like he'd started a bit early on the Zany Carters, or perhaps he'd simply been up all night enjoying said substances.) I just got a call back from that number. The guy on the phone had the same last name, all right, but a different first name, and had never heard of the guy I wanted. Now it's getting to be tax time, and I sure would like to know if this guy has filed for bankruptcy or what. I had come up with a plan for him to work off what he owes me by programming an online version of the game in Flash (which it says he does on his oh-so-helpful website), which could actually make both of us some money, but that does no good if he's unreachable. Alright. My rant is done. Anyone out there want to work on a project with me using Flash or Java? The game is designed, graphics done, the software spec is written. But I don't have any money to pay with up-front. Otherwise, maybe I'll try writing it this summer. (I can code, just really slowly.) Thanks for listening/reading.

02-16-2009, 05:51 PM	#1752
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	My back just keeps getting worse and worse I'M TOO YOUNG FOR THIS I TELL YA!!!

02-16-2009, 06:02 PM	#1753
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	AGH!! Where on earth does MS Reader pull files from? I have ONE copy of this one book - and it WILL open in MS Reader on my PC. But I can't find the actual file!! It's poofed into thin air, and you can't pull a file OUT of MS Reader, as far as I've been able to tell, and it doesn't tell you WHERE the file in MS Reader is located. I wanted to put it on my SD Card for my EZ Reader, but the file is just nowhere. Search can't find it either. But it's right there in my MS Reader library....laughing at me, probably.

02-17-2009, 10:03 AM	#1755
Mindy Away with the Faeries Posts: 483 Karma: 8459 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Sony PRS 650	OFAC Policy + LBG Policy = Lots of suckiness for me (I'd like to say more but I've been NDA'd so if you're not already on the ITK list I'd have to, well, I'd say shoot you but since I have enough going on already it's probably best just not to say. Agreed?) Bleuh. (edit: BTW, does anyone know anything about the Iran Veterinary Organisation?)