GENERAL: activsion

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by The Big Mc
I have read the tread and nothing seems to have come form it.

I know that there does not came anything from it. The point is that Dan Hagerty could be of bigger help then Joe Rumsey, presuming Dan still works for Activision.

-Martin

[The Big Mc]

yes but how the hell do i get to him.

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by The Big Mc
yes but how the hell do i get to him.

You could ask the tech guy at Activision Ismael Garcia, he tried to find any programmers or anyone else who were involved in the game. To make shure that the guys know what you are talking about and what was said, you should include the whole e-mail correspodence with Activision you posted in this thread. If you are passed again and the guy can't help you, you have to insest on talking to Ismael Garcia about the issure or better give them the hint that Ismael Garcia already knows what about you are talking. And remember if they come again with their "time saving" reply queue that it does not save time if a guy replies who has no idea about the problem.

-Martin

[Immortal Wombat]

or Google "Joe Rumsey Ogre" and find an email address. He's "ogre@" many different email addresses

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by Immortal Wombat
or Google "Joe Rumsey Ogre" and find an email address. He's "ogre@" many different email addresses

Yeah, but probably most of these e-mail addresses are invalid, out of date. I tried to access their servers, you know the stuff that follows the @, only one of these pages are still something like valid, but a trial won't hurt. By the way this way you can get to know something about the CTP2 team.

-Martin

[The Big Mc]

I forwarded the request for several names raised in the form but activision did not respond so I had to send it again

[Martin Gühmann]

Originally posted by The Big Mc
I forwarded the request for several names raised in the form but activision did not respond so I had to send it again

Yeah the guys are being paid to respond.

-Martin

[child of Thor]

Poor guys! They probably don't know what the hell is going on.......

[Activision tech support office]

'Yeah it another of those emails about some game called 'Call the powder2'.....keep asking for source code(something to put on BigMC's burger?) or the contacts of a bunch of people i didn't know even existed. Yeah i'm trying to ignore them but they just won't stop.....this Call the powder thing is disturbing my sleep, i'm getting nightmares about it, you know what it is? No me neither, they mention TBS and 'Sprites', sounds like blackmagic or vodoo to me. We're full 3D FPS bumpmapped surround sound now aren't we?..........do ya know, i sort of wish i knew what they were going on about...........'

Poor activision.

[The Big Mc]

its war

[Locutus]

You guys obviously never worked on a helpdesk...

But good luck However unlikely, I hope you hit the jackpot...

[The Big Mc]

They want me to contact the legal department any advise

[Immortal Wombat]

Treat it like in-game diplomacy.

You want the source code, in return you can:
(in order of cost to you/us)

1/ Offer to Withdraw: I bet they're fed up of you right now - Offer to leave them alone for ever and ever amen. Offer to get all their CtP2-related email forwarded to you or Locutus.

2/ Offer Peace: We won't ever slander their good name again, and will endeavour as a community where possible to praise Activision beyond all recognition of past complaints for this selfless act of source-donation.

3/ Offer Gold: Possibly a last resort, but I imagine we can stump up a fair bit of money among us (get Vel back on the case again ) if they absolutely won't give it away.

4/ Offer City: Offer them a lifetime's dedicated work in their Customer Service division.


Then if all else fails, threaten...

1/ Trade Embargo: Mass internet campaign to boycott Activision Games. (HARD)

2/ To Destroy City: Take out the CEO with a sniper rifle. (VERY HARD)

3/ War: Break into the Activision system, steal source code, reformat their hard drives...

[The Big Mc]

Well I had a plan of action

1/ draft a letter to the legal department

2/ post it on apolyton for all to admire

3/ post it

4 / never get a reply

5/ keep posting it every week for the next 70 years (like in sorshanck redemption)

6/ Get a bit upset and follow what the wombat said several years ago

[The Big Mc]

1/ Offer to Withdraw: I bet they're fed up of you right now - Offer to leave them alone for ever and ever amen. Offer to get all their CtP2-related email forwarded to you or Locutus.

Don’t we all reedy do this.:d

[Tamerlin]

Originally posted by The Big Mc
They want me to contact the legal department any advise

I don't understand why they want you to contact their legal department when they told you they don't have the source code.

Have they suddenly realized that telling you they don't have the source code anymore won't stop you from harassing them?

Do they want to sue you?

Do they want to conclude an agreement?

I can't help thinking that this is mere fantasy... In this world where money and profits rule I don't see why they would release the SC without any counterpart...

However, here are my 2 cents of a € advices (at least I would write the letter like this):

- Imagine that the guy that will read your letter does not know what is CtP2 and perhaps does not even know what is a Source Code, I would start the letter by a brief history of CtP2 and some lighlty flattering comments.

"In 1999, your company released the game Call to Power II on the market. Though the game was not as successfull as expected by your company it nonetheless attracted a strong core of active followers dedicated to the support and improvement of the original game that is still far ahead from its competitors."

- The reader certainly does not know what Apolyton is nor that there is a dedicated Apolyton CtP II community... Once again I would briefly explain what it is all about:

"The Apolyton Civilization Site is a Website dedicated to all things related to empire building computer games and host a strong and united community of Call to Power II players since 1999. As far as Call to Power II is concerned our international community is offering support to the gamers and has already produced several developments of the original concepts that have earned the attention of many gamers around the world. One of the greatest strength of Call to Power II is that through a language called SLIC, designed and released by your company, almost every aspects of the game can be modified and used to improve the concepts of the game."

- I would now explain why we need the Source Code and what is this Source code:

"Still our efforts are limited by the fact some aspects of the game are beyond the range of the SLIC language. Important parts of the game are actually hard coded into what is called the Source Code which is the very heart of the game."

- Now I would tell them that we would like the SC and what we would do with it:

"As Call to Power II is no more supported and marketted by your company we would like to know how to obtain its Source Code in order to carry on the support efficiently and adapt the core parts of what we consider as the greatest empire building computer game ever designed. The Source Code would allow us to give this game the long life it deserves and would greatly help us renew the interest of a dedicated community of players that has constantly supported the game in spite of its mitigated commercial success."

- I would now tell them we don't want to earn money from this Source Code as this could refrain them from releasing it:

"I would like to remind you it has never been in the intent of the Apolyton Call to Power II community and its members to earn any profits from the support and adaptation of this game and that obtaining the Source Code would not change our goals."

- I would now end with the well known formulas I won't write here as they are very different from country to country...


This is how I would write the letter to Activision... I hope it will help you Big Mc.