Modem Wars

Hidden messages

The C64 version contains this hidden message from Dan Bunten:

I COULD TRY TO PREACH TO YOU ABOUT HOW PIRACY IS WRONG AND IMMORAL. I DOUBT I COULD CONVINCE YOU. (I'VE ALWAYS BEEN SKEPTICAL OF PEOPLE WHO DEFEND THEIR OWN INTERESTS THROUGH MORALITY). INSTEAD LET ME TELL YOU SOME PRACTICAL THINGS ABOUT PIRACY.

I KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF JUNK ON THE MARKET AND PROBABLY YOU THINK WE ARE ALL GETTING RICH AT YOUR EXPENSE. I'M SURE THERE ARE SOME PUBLISHERS AND AUTHORS WHO ARE RIPPING YOU OFF. THEY DON'T CARE IF YOU LIKE THEIR PRODUCT -- JUST THAT YOU BUY IT. BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE OF ME. I'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO DO ORIGINAL, WELL WRITTEN PRODUCTS WITH INTEGRITY AND WOULD GLADLY REFUND YOUR MONEY IF YOU ARE DISATISFIED. HOWEVER, SINCE I ONLY GET A DOLLAR OR TWO FROM EACH PURCHASE MOST OF YOUR MONEY IS IN OTHER PEOPLE'S HANDS. (BUT IF YOU WANT MY PART OF YOUR MONEY BACK, JUST WRITE ME AT THE ADDRESS BELOW).

AS FOR GETTING RICH, IT JUST AINT TRUE IN MY CASE. (GOING BROKE MAY BE MORE LIKE IT!) OF THE PRODUCTS I'VE DONE IN THE PAST (M.U.L.E., SEVEN CITIES OF GOLD, HEART OF AFRICA AND ROBOT RASCALS) ONLY SEVEN CITIES MADE ANY MONEY AND HEART OF AFRICA JUST BARELY BROKE EVEN. WHAT THIS SAYS TO MY PUBLISHER IS THE MARKET DOESN'T WANT MULTI-PLAYER STRATEGY GAMES! BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT. FOR INSTANCE, I HEAR FROM LOTS OF PEOPLE HOW MUCH THEY PLAYED AND LOVED M.U.L.E. (MANY MORE THAN 7 CITIES) BUT THE SALES DON'T REFLECT IT (7 CITIES SOLD 5 TIMES AS MANY COPIES).

THE FACT THAT YOU ARE DIGGING AROUND ON THIS DISK AND THINKING ABOUT HOW TO DECODE IT IS PROOF THAT THE GAME IS FUN ENOUGH TO TRY TO STEAL IT AND GIVE IT TO YOUR FRIENDS. WELL, IF YOU DO STEAL THIS GAME, ELECTRONIC ARTS WILL NEVER KNOW THAT THEY ARE WRONG. YOU'VE GOT TO LET THEM KNOW YOU WANT MORE GAMES LIKE THIS BY VOTING WITH YOUR WALLET. ALSO, IN THAT WAY YOU MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO FINANCIALLY SUCCEED IN THIS BUSINESS. (BY THE WAY, SINCE I CONVINCED EA NOT TO "COPY PROTECT" THIS SOFTWARE, IT'S POSSIBLE TO MAKE A "SAMPLE" COPY FOR YOUR FRIEND AND JUST HELP THEM IDENTIFY THE MAP OVER THE PHONE BEFORE YOU BOTH PLAY EACH OTHER).

IF I STILL HAVEN'T CONVINCED YOU NOT TO PIRATE THIS GAME, THEN DO ME THE FAVOR OF SENDING ME A LETTER TO TELL ME YOU LIKED THE GAME EVEN THOUGH YOU DIDN'T FEEL LIKE YOU OUGHT TO PAY FOR IT. (YOU MIGHT SEND A COPY TO EA TOO). I REALLY DO CARE MORE ABOUT WHETHER PEOPLE LIKE MY STUFF THAN WHETHER I MAKE MONEY. WE'LL GET BY SOMEHOW.

DAN BUNTEN

P.O.BOX 1845

LITTLE ROCK, AR 72203

Innovations

One of the first real-time strategy games. Also one of the first modem playable games.

Awards

• Computer Gaming World
  • November 1996 (15th anniversary issue) – #6 Most Innovative Computer Game