I'm afraid I cannot do that as I can no longer put money in my GOG account. The new hires (H1B by the sounds of it) I have to deal with cannot get the job done and blame the cashier, saying she is to blame- no she isn't.
Maybe at Steam. They have easily available gift cards.
Anyway, it is no secret I never liked Unity but the latest news from them, as explained by a friend of mine who knows about these things, is worrying and Gingertips had best consider the matter very carefully. The fact they would even try this would be enough for me to say nothing doing, but there is more. Consider this- you now know what they WANTED to do. On purpose. If someone tried to stab me but I knew Kung-Fu and was able to disarm and restrain him does that mean I should turn my back on him later on? I'm worried they will try that old Saul "Rules for Radicals" Alinsky trick: when people are angry back off a bit, wait for things to settle down, then come back to take some more ground.
"Just in case anybody reading this is a Unity dev who's going to stick with it: Read their announcement CAREFULLY. The version of Unity that Unity calls "2023" is subject to the new terms, because it won't be finalized as LTS until 2024 (they explicitly point this out in one of the FAQs).
If you want to stick with the old terms in place (until Unity decides to screw you again randomly, because their "walkback" in no way actually prevents that), the latest version you can use is 2022 LTS."
Be very careful, Gingertips.
If each installation, a UNIQUE installation, counts towards the fees Gingertips must pay what happens with their current model? They are releasing the game chapter by chapter, does that count as a unique install each time?
While tinkering around with Chapter 1, trying to get it running on a 2001 Sony, I used a pirated version of the standalone (don't worry, I bought the legit copy to make up for this later on). Can you see where this is going?
Normally someone installing a pirated version simply deprives the programmers of a sale, but with Unity's model not only won't Gingertips get any money they will still have to pay that fee!
I like to tinker around- using SwiftShader 2.1, 3D-Analyze, etc. Would each such effort count as a unique installation?
My friend mentioned that it would not be difficult for a hacker to create a script that would install a game over and over, but making it look as though each one was on a different device. So if someone wanted to hurt Gingertips that would be one way.
From the gamer's perspective, what happens if Gingertips will not or- given what is happening in the Ukraine- cannot pay? What happens to the existing games? Do they suddenly refuse to play? I do not want such software on any of my devices. This would encourage people to look for pirated versions, especially if hackers removed that feature.
Oh, how nice, Unity- you'll reduce fees if Unity ads are allowed. So maybe Leah strolling down a forest path, encounters a huge flashing UNITY sign, she says "gee if I ever program games I'll be sure to use the Unity engine and so should you!"
How do we know Unity won't just alter a contract in the future? Or pull some techno-trick like a Unity engine suddenly crashing and thus forcing someone to use something subject to money-grabbing?
It seems as though I am not alone. Look at the comments under the article:
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/09/unity-makes-major-changes-to-controversial-install-fee-program/?comments=1&comments-page=1 "Yeah, the soulless corporate d-bags have backed off, as predicted, but they'll be back. They have two giant vampire squids (large private equity companies who invested in them and are expecting at least 30% returns) still attached to their face and that's not going to change. If you are using Unity they will screw you again at some point.
For instance this whole thing where they're pretending this was just a huge MISUNDERSTANDING and it's the fault of us stupid little plebian drones for not understanding their grand plan, so now they're sadly having to make changes so our little brains can deal it. There is zero hint of remorse here, just crocodile tears that we didn't 'get it.'"
Oh, a certain number of sales must happen before the fees kick in? How nifty- so Gingertips had best hope they never become too successful or they will likely be hit by fees for ALL installations!
Is it true the yahoo running things at Unity wanted to attach a fee for reloading in "Call of Duty?"
Just what is it that Unity offers that was needed? The game was a perfect 1990s DOS style, able to take its place with "Inherit the Earth" and "The Legend of Kyrandia." If there is a reason not to use Wintermute, e.g. is it a Russian company?, then why not whatever "Inherit the Earth" used? The games are so alike you could drop Leah into that other world and she would fit in nicely. SCUMMVM supports that engine, and here is a list of what can run the SCUMMVM application:
https://www.scummvm.org/downloads/#current And they are constantly updating SCUMMVM.
To get an idea of how good SCUMMVM is, consider this: There are at least several versions of "Foxtail" out there- the you-need-to-be-online-and-have-the-Steam-app version, the 32-Bit GOG version, and the 64-Bit version, not to mention the Linux versions. OFFLINE, using WINE 1.7.4 (outdated) on an ancient 2001 Sony VAIO in Puppy Linux 5.2.5 Lucid, ALL VERSIONS work- it was previously impossible to do so since GLIBC 2.29 must be installed, something you cannot do with Lucid.
Then there is "Zniw Adventure." Look at the technical specifications- you need Vista or later to run it. BUT- with SCUMMVM it runs in XP mode on the Sony, and even in 5.2.5 Lucid mode with WINE- a bit slow granted, but it is an antique device, and given a choice between not at all or that well, pretty obvious. I'd include my link for downloading SwiftShader 2.1 just in case someone has a bit of difficulty running it.
Long story short, if you can run SCUMMVM on your device then you can run "Foxtail." Look at that list- the list of potential customers is nearly as big as that of whoever wants the game.
This is the real reason I advised using whatever works on SCUMMVM. Half of my family was Dutch. They told me long ago that one of the biggest problems in post-war Europe was lack of money, which America had to tackle. This has not changed. Even if the war in the Ukraine ends tomorrow, there is devastation, displaced people, damage to the infrastructure, and our world is heading for an economic collapse or reset (the situation here in America is VERY bad, trust me- we have become a flat-broke police state.)
Money means food, supplies, transportation, the ability to connect, clean water, maybe even bribes. If "Foxtail" sells even a significant fraction of what "Undertale" achieved then if the money is accessible to the people at Gingertips they will have an incoming outside source of income.
Therefore, get word of the game out there and don't let up, take a cue from Toby Fox who handled it brilliantly. The more who know of the game the bigger the potential pool of customers.
Now for my advice about SCUMMVM and whatever "Inherit the Earth" used. So far that game (both DOS and "EXE" versions,but we'll stick with what Steam sells) works on everything I've tried it on, including the library computers. So people with older (post-Covid economy remember- this is a world alien to the pre-Covid days) devices and newer devices can play it. SCUMMVM handles it, and once again look at that list! This covers the second part- the more people who know of the game AND CAN PLAY IT ON WHATEVER THEY HAVE the greater your pool of potential customers.
Potentially more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
And in any case after the stunt they pulled I would not trust Unity as far as I could throw a Sherman tank.
At the very least, please look over any contract with Unity very carefully, maybe e-mail a copy to any friend you have who is a good lawyer and willing to do so for free, and take care.
Good luck and hang in there.
