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Submitted by , posted on 26 October 2000
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Image Description, by
This is a screen shot of our 10/20/00 release, Radon 2000. The astute flipCode
crowd will probably wonder, "why is he showing us a Tetris clone?". It is
actually a re-release of a 1994 windows game that Laura Wollstadt & I wrote for
Windows 3.11. At the time, it was hot stuff, and has been a consistent seller
for Morgan Systems. The reason we're re-releasing is that it is a demo of our
all new on-line credit card processing system and distribution method. And
it's a pretty fun Tetris variant. You can choose different block shapes
(including ones that change their shape).
You won't believe how much work it is to create a distribution method. It
turns out that the difference between writing a really hot piece of software
and having a product (i.e. something professional that makes money) is pretty
big. You need to have a distribution channel, quality assurance (make sure it
runs on all kinds of machines), legal protection, credit card processing, fraud
protection, instructions, promotion, customer support, and a web site. Most of
this is tricky... and boring. The difference between having a "completed" game
and a product is kind of like the difference between a game engine and a game--
you're running at 100fps, it looks beautiful, but you still haven't got
something anyone will actually enjoy playing. Except here, you've got
something great to play, but can't actually finish/sell it.
I tried to use 3rd party credit card processing, sign with a big time
distributor, and distribute shareware/freeware. Finally I gave up and made my
own distribution company. I saw some posts on a previous IOTD that others were
similarly frustrated. If anyone wants to use our existing distribution
infrastructure to handle the legal, credit card, testing, etc. send me an
e-mail. I figure that others might have good games (you'd better be making
more interesting things than Tetris!), but don't want to deal with all of the
business side of things, so I'd be happy to distribute for some fellow
flipCoders if there is interest.
Credit for Radon to: Laura Wollstadt, Alison Veneto & Justin Miller.
-Morgan
matrix@alum.mit.edu
Morgan Systems/Origent
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