Sunflowers says no to 1602 AD - as freeware

[monstercash]

Well its offical folks sunflowers has decided to ignore the fans and not make 1602 AD available as freeware - all i can say is i am disappointed but respect their decision as obviously they think that a title 7 years old can continue to be a big seller even though newer titles exists.

Therefore i will now take my leave for a few days as this :bash: :bash: headbanging exercise has gotten nowhere and i :angry: these guys off for asking a simple question - it shows how silly their appraoch is but it is theres alone and thats the final decision - its been good having the board support for my request i think it sounded reasonable but obviously not ie the 1602 AD freeware option

Getting the brush off is the style in which they use.

Good luck to those that play this game it is a reasonable title but not a 10 outta 10 one even when it came out.

Later regards monstercash.

[Frieden]

.. and why don't you post it here (http://forum.sunflowers.de/showthread.php?t=3507) ?
In my opinion one thread is enough for this theme which seems to be so very important for you.


Nevertheless I do not understand why you do not buy it at ebay or somewhere else :scratch:

[monstercash]

This new thread is a new one because Sunflowers has given an offical NO to making 1602 AD available as freeware the other thread wsa to discuss the possibility of it. Seeing as though they have now stated offically that they have no intention of doing it - thats it.

[Budgie]

Well its offical folks sunflowers has decided to ignore the fans and not make 1602 AD available as freeware

Whatever! Sunflowers ignored one fan.

i have found somewhere else to purchase it so looking forward to actually playing it.

So you'll get your copy but can't stop whining? How come?

it is a reasonable title but not a 10 outta 10 one even when it came out.


This is a thing you should not form an opinion about until you own the game.

*scnr* :evil:

[monstercash]

in this case they have ignored the rational logic of one fan.

New copies are very very hard to come by - hence the suggestion to either more widley sell it - sell it as a pay for download from the website similar to itunes mp3 (legal paid copies but you download it direct from the website after paying say 5 euros - its not worth much more than that) or make it freeware - but logic goes out the window

As for the game well that is the opinion of most other game sites like gamespot that gave it 7.4 outta 10 in their review and many other reviews i have read on 1602 AD.

But just ignore my bit of logic - it seems to have been misplaced or just plain ignored.

[RoadRunner]

Sunflowers decision is reasonable for me. The game is still for sale in Germany, and every sold copy is extra revenue for Sunflowers. Making the game freeware would cost extra money and cut off the income generated from current "normal" sales and sales to computer magazines who could publish the Gold edition somewhen... ;)


Good luck to those that play this game it is a reasonable title but not a 10 outta 10 one even when it came out.

You are right. It is a 11 out of 10. There is no game I played more than Anno... :)

[monstercash]

the other option of course is to make the english version available from their website for a small fee perhaps 5 euros for the full version copy being able to be downloaded on a per user link. I figure it as this

You pay youre money via credit card.
You get a password and User ID you can use to log into a download area
That password and User ID is valid for 1 week only (for those that have dial up connection and need to use download resume for the large 130MB file of the full version) you have 1 week to download the version
After that the User ID and password become useless - therefore stopping it being sprad around the net - this would restrict the game to paying indvidiuals only and ensure only those that have paid for it get the game.
You could also download a pdf version of the manual

This would make the game still generate revenue - slash the need for shipping charges to other parts of the world - more might use the service and buy it this way i know i would.

This would still allow sales to computer magazines for the gold edition etc.

So if the webmaster reads this specific post can he pass on my suggestion as a lot of smaller independant game makers also use this method of distribution for older titles where CD and shipping costs are prohibative but a flat 5 euros and of course the download link system would generate more sales.

They could also include hoilday isle in this system as well

[Frieden]

Why simply even if it goes pedantically :biggrin: ?


Buy the play like we also did.
And then leave us constructionally share your experiences with game playing in peace. Thank you :smile:

[JoeCool2]

Budgie is right! Dont judge this game till youve played it! You probally only heard of it or scean screenshots of it! Well thats not sufficient! You need game play. I bet almost everyone here would say its at least 9/10 if not 10/10 for the time period it came out (meaning late 90's)! BTW if your so dissapouinted its not freeware, being so long ago that it came out, how come you didnt get it when it first did come ouyt?! Huh? Seems like your jumping wagon 7 years later instead of hearing about it when it did come out and bought it! Youd be a satisfied customer even these 7 years later. So please drop the subject and dont feel sorry for your self that you never got it in the first place!! :angry: ................. :beek: Sorry for my outbreak

[profeta_gero]

The game are still selling here in my country,you can find it in several stores ,ebay,bookstores.It´s a good distribution,the software is in english but have a well translated manual and bealtifull box!
I have seens many people interested in game here. The game are still alive there alot of players,we have a lots os discusion boards.
I think that could explain why not release it as free!
Obs.: The game are selling for a low price,that´s no problem to buy it.
I consider it like a small tribute for Sunflower and his programmers.
Enjoy!!!

King Alexander the Great

[wkw427]

well, this game is defantaly higher than a 6m, but lower than a 9. it taks a mininuate to learn, a helpful fourm to master(and over a month of playing, too)

[Frieden]

... and over a month of playing, too..

As for me I can confirm this = It's 82 month to be exact :biggrin:
(Okay ..with mall interuptions :blush: )

[Sentra]

I find it rather strange what I read here. Anno 1602 as freeware? No way! How could one think of such an idea and presume it's logical? Oh my.
Anno 1602 is a very successful game. There is no reason whatsoever to make it freeware. If you want to get on someone's case, sue Apogee for still not declaring Commander Keen as freeware. But Anno? No way, really... In fact, it would be plain stupid. Question: Would you work very hard on a game, only to abandon it completely after a couple of years?

[monstercash]

sentra a few points

doom 1 and 2 and now quake 3 are all being made available as open source (more than freeware) im not asking for the source code just that sunflowers consider making it freeware after 7 years since is launch (so if ID software can do it why not sunflowers)

* sentra says - oly after a couple of years (that would be 2 which would have been a 2003 realise) in fact it was realised in 1998 thats 7 years ago. It has also been replaced by 1503 AD the sequel and now anno 3 and anno war - therefore the big revenue generator is 1503 AD not the previous game of 1602 AD

* sunflowers i think has made atlas and hoilday island (both games from 8 to 10 years old) already are freely available from freeware sites as freeware - therefore in that tradtion a 7 year old title that has 2 sequels and would be selling only a limited number of copies now (as new) not ebay 2nd hand copies.

- would follow suit with 1602 AD - now i understand the blockheaded attitude around here - the webmaster having promised to get back to me has failed to do so - i guess he or she likes to brush requests off.

Now sentra *** has failed to really read my posts he just glosses over and fires back with misinformed statements.

Now webmaster please tell the forum in a direct public post what the response from sunflowers is - yes or no to freeware of 1602 AD or under consideration ? (no decision has been made yet) ?


Oh sentra and another thing :angry: if for example i had a game out for 7 years and then had 1 or 2 sequels that were raking in big profits and with anno 3 (anno war) as a EA title when it comes out i would simply make 1602 AD available to fans simply to reward them and give something back for them giving me their money over the years and still purchasing the newer titles.
For the many like Com Keen company that decide to keep selling old titles way after their used by date there are just as many that realise it as freeware when replaced by newer sequels and titles

ID software - castle wolfensieen, quake 1, quake 2, doom 1 and doom 2 and within 3 months quake 3 is also coming
Malfadour machanations - space empires 1,2 and 3 (still selling 4) and programming SE5 for realise next year.

Should i add to this list even more ?

[RoadRunner]

Watch your language, monstercash. :angry:

The Doom issue: AFAIK only the game engines are open source, not the games. That means you can use the engines for new (open source) games or mods, but you have to buy Doom to play it. ;)

And once more: If a publisher or producer decides to make his old games freeware (BTW that is often done under certain conditions, like a detailed registration), it is fine for the gamers. But no publisher or developer is obliged or can be forced to make his games freeware - may they be two or twenty years old.

And now stop this senseless discussion, monstercash. You made your statements, we replied, Sunflowers replied to you, and that's it.

[monstercash]

actually i havent heard from sunflowers or the webmaster on this issue - it was just to try and get some sort of response. But even then they remain silent

What was wrong with my language ? please explain.
Still the counter evidence is strong to support my case. It is just a suggestion that i can pursue in open and discussive elements on the offical 1602 AD forum.

Nobody is forcing any publisher or developr to make the games freeware after all this is just a discussion on a two bit forum with very few active members its mostly the mods doing all the posting now.

Shows a general disinterest in the game overall - another strong supporting evidence - it would be nice not to be brushed off by the webmaster its been a week and no response via PM yet. Im still waiting.

This isnt "senseless statements" roadrunner it is ongoing posting after a yay or a nay to my idea. Nothing has been forthcoming - no offical response that was just to tease out on my part some sort of offical response

Will it be made freeware, wont it be made freeware - or is it still under consideration - please get the webmaster to make a public statement on this thread and read my PMs please

Thanks again for the ongoing support for this threads guys. its good to see some emotional and free discussion.

[Frieden]

Buy the game like we also did.
And then leave us constructionally share your experiences with game playing in peace. Thank you :smile:

[monstercash]

i am sharing my thoughts constructively frieden - thankyou for youre peaceful response i mean no one any flaming harm. Just open discussion with some offical answer would be good - webmaster has gone silent.

More like the big brush off. so be it

Im still looking for the game to buy - didnt get the ebay item so im looking its very difficult to find in australia - has been neglected in the sales area by sunflowers for a few years in favour of newer titles hence the freeware or the pay to download offical version from sunflowers direct say for 5 euros that then cuts postage etc.

[Helen]

Im still looking for the game to buy - didnt get the ebay item so im looking its very difficult to find in australia - has been neglected in the sales area by sunflowers for a few years in favour of newer titles hence the freeware or the pay to download offical version from sunflowers direct say for 5 euros that then cuts postage etc.

then find someone in another nearby country, to buy and ship it over for you. it's not that hard to get a copy of the game.

[monstercash]

its hard to get the title locally - cant find in nz - gameswharehouse.com.au no longer replies to emails or stocks it - postage from the only source the USA is $14 AUS for the game adn $40 AUS for shipping (unacceptible) ebay no longer has it. Um the sunflowers pay to download option seems a valid one but no response.

Either that or freeware but silence is an outcome that really isnt good for this request.

Deaf mutes respond quicker than these guys