06/07/2024
I'm using this post as an invitation to solve a serious problem in this digital marketplace we've created.
OK, corporations are getting TOO F***ING GREEDY!
I was moving some stuff around and came across some old CD and DVD games I've had since the military; the original Age of Empires, Age of Mythology, Command & Conquer, The Sims 2 (w/all expansion packs), and a few others. I got nostalgic and installed Age of Mythology (w/Titans expansion). Installation went well, but when I tried to run the damn game, it told me I had to run as an Administrator, so I did. Nothing. Seriously, NOTHING. No more prompts, no troubleshooting tips, nothing (yes, I ran it in compatibility mode for Windows XP w/SP3), it just ignored the startup completely. That's when it turned into "the point" for me and I started doing some research. Turns out that the entire library of CD/DVD games I/you have are f***ing worthless now because Microsoft doesn't support "SafeDisc" copyright protection software anymore (since Windows10). And to make things worse, Microsoft's advice is to BUY THE F***ING DIGITAL COPY!!! What! The! Actual! F***!!! Why should I pay AGAIN?! I've saved these games in their original packaging for twenty years, including the product keys and manuals, and for what? To buy them again?! Is Microsoft really worried about missing out on some profit (via piracy) from twenty year old games?! So much so that they're locking out the millions of legitimate purchasers?! You have no idea how pi**ed I am over this revelation, and not because I have to buy a couple of games over if I ever want to play them, but because of the larger trend of taking away physical ownership of products (I've already purchased most of those games again; remastered, because I couldn't find or didn't look for the discs I knew I had, etc...). In a digital marketplace, do you ever REALLY "own" anything anymore?! I took this s**t to heart and am including some kind of physical "ownership rights" to the Storytellas Studios product presentation. I refuse, ABSOLUTELY REFUSE, to follow this trend as the launch for my digital product gets closer.
Now I have to spend time trying to think of a way to make sure any of my future customers NEVER get screwed over like this. Rant over, but unresolved (as of now). I'm open to suggestions.
