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General discussionDeveloper Sabotages His Own Game!(60 posts)(60 posts)
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Posted March 03, 2016
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The developer of SpinTires has allegedly sabotaged the game due to disagreement with the publisher. It seems like a seriously career limiting move by the dev. Interesting to see how this plays out.

I actually own SpinTires. I backed it on Kickstarter before I used Linux exclusively. I haven't played it in awhile - it's a bit hit and miss in WINE, although it does work. I'm going to fire it up tonight to see what happens!
Posted March 03, 2016
low rated
Well, if the underdog pees on the legs of the "boss" and can get away with it, then why not? Employers as of late are seriously hazardous to an employee's health and sanity, even safety, sometimes...
Posted March 03, 2016
Hmmm, maybe GOG's curated approach to patches has some redeeming values after all... :) Also remembering how GTA: San Andreas (I think) got downgraded on Steam by the publisher, by removing soundtracks and downgrading graphics options.
Posted March 03, 2016
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KiNgBrAdLeY7: Well, if the underdog pees on the legs of the "boss" and can get away with it, then why not? Employers as of late are seriously hazardous to an employee's health and sanity, even safety, sometimes...
The 'underdog' in this case, is peeing all over the customers, not the publisher. It's a stupid, stupid move, IMO. I know if I owned the game and it stopped working because of a time bomb the dev inserted into the patch, I'd never buy a game developed by that guy again.
Posted March 03, 2016
Unbelievable. Just unbelievable incident.
Feel sorry to purchased users.
Posted March 03, 2016
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GR00T: The 'underdog' in this case, is peeing all over the customers, not the publisher. It's a stupid, stupid move, IMO. I know if I owned the game and it stopped working because of a time bomb the dev inserted into the patch, I'd never buy a game developed by that guy again.
^ This ^

Screwing random people who bought the game for such things is a really stupid move as pointed out above. There are myriads of other ways to solve this (or screw the developer) without summoning an angry mob that will go for his head in the process.

This idiot just set some real nails in his coffin as a dev. Way to go to never get a similar job in the future.
Posted March 03, 2016
I'd have some sympathy for the developer if the timebomb had put a complaining message on the title screen or something. (I remember a case where a postgrad's professional/research blog had its feed incorporated into his university's own departmental news page. Then he had a dispute with the university...) As it is, though...

Edit: the plot thickens...

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/267106/Spintires_dev_refutes_allegations_he_sabotaged_his_own_game.php
Post edited March 03, 2016 by VanishedOne
Posted March 03, 2016
The publisher speaks...

http://www.oovee.co.uk/forum/topic/12604-official-statement-re-bug-issue-and-sabotage-allegations/#entry93224
Post edited March 03, 2016 by Asbeau
Posted March 03, 2016
No source but RPS claiming all of this as fact. Wow, that's awesome journalistic integrity right there. What makes them think this is a deliberately inserted piece of malicious code as opposed to a bug? Aside from feelings I mean.
Posted March 03, 2016
This felt relevant. :)
Posted March 03, 2016
I dunno whether the developer did sabotage the game or the publisher did, but it seems this game is just full of DRM, with that code and "Steam" in that gamasutra article.

Stay away all the way.
Posted March 03, 2016
There's already a fix they say, so no real harm done to any customers. As the developer is reported to say:

“They owe me a s***load of money according to our contract. But I don’t have any leverage because my judicial skills are zero. I haven’t had a meaningful communication with Oovee for many months (maybe a year).”

I see this as a way, albeit kind of a brute force way, to bring this predicament into light. He's exposing the publisher to a lot of people, getting free publicity for his case. It's not that dumb, if you think about it.
Posted March 03, 2016
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sunshinecorp: There's already a fix they say, so no real harm done to any customers. As the developer is reported to say:

“They owe me a s***load of money according to our contract. But I don’t have any leverage because my judicial skills are zero. I haven’t had a meaningful communication with Oovee for many months (maybe a year).”

I see this as a way, albeit kind of a brute force way, to bring this predicament into light. He's exposing the publisher to a lot of people, getting free publicity for his case. It's not that dumb, if you think about it.
Except for the fact that it appears none of this actually occurred. Instead it was reckless gaming "journalism" (have to put it in quotes since the idiot writing the article didn't attempt to fact check anything).

It also says something about DRM and anti-piracy attempts when your code fails and messes up a legitimate game because of a new patch.
Posted March 03, 2016
What a dumb decision. That developer only discredited himself and his future games. Many gamers don't trust him anymore.
Posted March 03, 2016
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Azhdar: What a dumb decision. That developer only discredited himself and his future games. Many gamers don't trust him anymore.
Does anyone read anything besides the OP? It didn't happen!
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General discussionDeveloper Sabotages His Own Game!(60 posts)(60 posts)
(60 posts)