Hi, it's time for my comments now;)

I released Soldat as shareware because it's the only way I will continue making it. I can't make a freeware game forever. I've spent much money on my computer and developing software. My parents wouldn't let me spend my free time programming if they didn't see me making something from it. The same situation has TRSSam, the lobby server administrator. A freeware game is not an option for me, sorry.
Also it doesn't make me happy that people play Soldat because it's freeware. I don't want those kind of people playing my game. I'd rather have five true players than a bunch of guys playing the game just because it's for free.

I know Pay for Play could kill the game. That's why I didn't do it. All I'm asking is a lifetime registration for 9$. If you don't register (because you don't have the money or can't do it) you will a have a fully playable version. After registering you just get extra options that were'nt in 1.0.5b. It won't stop running after 14 days. I should write that in the license. Sorry for that I'll change the text a little (wow, people really read licenses :) ).

So if the community shrinks because Soldat changed it's status to shareware then let it be. It will just become cleaner and only true players that really like the game will stay. I'm happy about that.

And to all those angry people out there (especially the guy that likes to quote Hitler :( ): don't act as if you deserve this game, I didn't make it for you. 5 months of free fun isn't enough? Bye, bye.


Now back to business: I know there are currently lots of bugs. It always happens when the game goes public. Beta testers are just a few and they can't find everything that thousands of players can find. A patch that fixes the most important bugs will be released soon (1 day, 2).

Michal, only true problem is that people were taken by surprise. I also advise you to add a warning in your homepage letting people know, beforehand, that it is now a shareware game. That way no one will feel deceived and/or "betrayed". Don't doubt your work is worthwhile and keep those patches coming. People saying they played Soldat just because it was free are hypocrites. They played it because it was good and that's it.

How come I never knew about p2p until it started showing up on the forums? I agree that a notice would very much likely be appreciated.

Yah, suddenly seeing a message saying that "you may evaluate it for a period of fourteen (14) days from the date of its original installation and use. After the evaluation period has elapsed you must register" angers many players. Wouldn't that frustrait you if something you liked suddenly had a message like that shoved into it with no warning? (rewording is good [;)])

im very unhappy about it being freeware, but i understands michal's problem. guys, i would even charge money if i worked on a hectic project like that. come on, how much is 9$ really? only thing is that i hate the payment options. otherwise the 9$ thing is not so bad.

"Also it doesn't make me happy that people play Soldat because it's freeware. I don't want those kind of people playing my game. I'd rather have five true players than a bunch of guys playing the game just because it's for free."

People play Soldat because it's a good game, not because it's free. People honor the game every day. Are they not 'true'?

Some comments on certain posts say they only liked the game because it was freeware. I believe that is whom he was referring to

i like the game anyhow. though there are too many bugs. i am trying my best to pay, im sending a cheque.

i think going shareware is a smart move, it screens the jackass players...

See paying is a problem for some - I for example can't put any money in through the internet. So that is a big problem for me - If I could I would have already sent Mike $30 for the game, and $5 for every patch. Thats just me because I think what Mike is doing is great and I want the Soldat Game to improve and expand. At the time I do not have the resources to help my cause to help Mike. So when the idea to force me to make a Register fee then I am shut out! This simply isn't a way of looking to get money for Mike - There are other ways. Paying to be able to have all features necissary to make Soldat a great game isn't a way to keep Everypone around! Mike: You say that most people don't wanna play anymore because they have to pay. Your wrong, Everyone, even the cheaters love the game! They want more of it, when you force them to pay and they can't, well then your taking away the power Soldat has on people. All the features they miss out on.

There Must Be Another Way!

Who's forcing you to pay? (like you ahve said) By paying you have access to extra features in v1.1.

With constructive input from the community Michal can make more improvements to (and patches for) Soldat.

Stubborn slagging sessions don't help, I don't want to start cracking down on anti-soldat (we've all right the right to an opinion) posts but please please please please help Michal by posting your issues then let him address them.

I am a true fan, and I agree that Michal should get payed for creating the game we all love.
Having to pay once is better then P2P!

I agree that Michal should get paid but again as I said early how about a notice earlier? Keep that in mind for the future. [8D]

Good Job for the new version.I like the new object and the new gameplay.
The sounds are great !
We are a lot of Soldat player in French then "Merci pour cette nouvelle version" ;)

Well, this is what I have to say, comments about the game, and about the paying part......

First of all, I would like everyone to know that I love Soldat with a passion unlike any other game. It's been my fav. game for a while and I hope it will stay like that. I started playing the game from ther vesion before 1.04 and I loved it since the very begginning. I have shown a great many people the game and GREATLY GREATLY GREATLY TRULY appreciate all of Michal's hard work in designing such an immensely talented game. When the new version came out, I was extremely excited and I couldn't wait from the time the download started. I started playing and I thought it was pretty cool, after a while I didn't like it too much. Now I've gotten used to it, AND I LOVE IT, IT'S INCREDIBLE, thx. Michal. I can see many great improvements and I really appreciate with a dear passion for your work. Especially Infiltration [;)]

Well about the shareware part:
At first, I didn't really understand why he would make the game shareware, I mean, everyone was loving the game and people WERE NOT playing it because it was free, I think all the fans know that, even those cheaters and hackers as Mossy said. So, soon, I came to the conclusion that it was okay he made it shareware, if you think about it, we pretty much have the whole thing, the full version just comes with a few extra things. Yet after reading Michal's post, I decided that I want to pay anyhow, I fully understood what Michal must feel like, it must have cost a lot of money for software to program this unbelievable game. Now I want to pay him no matter what and I am going to pay you Michal. I hope that this game becomes much more succesfull in the future and I'm sure newer versions will come out in the future. In fact, everyone who likes Soldat would pay for it, simple as that. True fans as Michal said, would pay and enjoy this game, don't count on it being freeware for too long.

Ya, well that's all I have to say, I've learned a few things from this and once again greatly appreciate Michal. Thank

Yeah thanks Michal.

Michal, nobody plays the game just because its free, i mean if tey want free games, they have easy downloads from other sites, i personaly, preferred soldat over counter strike, i seriously think you made a better game....

enyway, i have no problem paying 9$, the problem is, for most of the gamers i think, is that they can only pay whith credit cards, i mean what the hell!!!

parents will never pay whith their cards for a game their kid downloaded... and the majority of computer gamers is what age?!

if your parents stress you about the productivity of soldat, then just open the game, and show them exactly how many players are enjoying it, i think that its satisfactionary enough

Well, it's better than monthly fees or self-uninstalling after the trial period.

Where does it say that you can only pay with credit cards? SHOW ME??

If you are active on the forum you will see that there are actually other methods of payment. One is credit card, next cheque, etc. There are many ways to pay. Go to some of the boards. They will have topics on these.

oh. i never realized that, i might pay then...

I said elsewhere that Soldat has already provided me with more entertainment than a lot of pay games I've owned. Quite frankly anyone who's going to piss and moan about a $9 fee needs to get a life. Even for those of you too young to own a credit card, talk to mom and dad. Do an hours worth of chores and tell them this is what you want!

But I don't think people not being ABLE to pay will be the issue.

It's people not WANTING to pay. And considering all that has gone into Soldat 9 bucks is a damn fine charge.

I'll be paying as soon as I have time to ACTUALLY download and play the new version, hahaha (f*cking school). Oh well.

Do people complaining own retail games? How did they get the money to buy those?
Oh, I guess mom and dad must have paid for them... so... tell mom and dad you've finally found an educational title, something that'll be worth paying less than they did for those badass retail games, full of violence and gore. Afterall, Soldat has these cute tiny little men running around, they can fly and they talk to each other. A real fairy tale computer game title.

Use persuasion. Use one of the specific requirements Michal mentioned in his manual. This new version requires more of that, anyway. It's just not boom, bing and bang.

Why is everyone bitching in the first place, im amazed it was free to begin with. Michal has a good point about it screening out all the people that like to whine, even though for awhile he will hear a hell of a lot more of it from them. Hes not even really charging for the game, just some extra features that true fans would want.

I cant believe he dosent get more positive comments, hes worked his ass off all this time for free. Thanks again Michal for a great game, people just like to point out the negative more than the positive, dont worry about it.

If this game cost $10 to begin with, then there would be no issue right now.....I believe that eventually everyone would have bought it, or sadly downloaded on Kazaa......You got a good taste of one of the best platform deathmatch games ever (dare i say on the same level as *gasp WORMS!!!!!!) and now you can happily put your quarter into the machine to continue to get all the cool features. Or you can keep your watered down version. But whatever you do, stop your whining and moaning, please. It's not that big of a deal. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So just take what you have and make a decision, and shut your mouth!!!![8D]

CJ

I just know someone will distribute the full version over KaZaA or something like that. Then no one will pay. If the game had been shareware from the start, like you said we would not have had any problems. We didnt even get any warning.

im sure [:-censored] or someone like [:-censored] will distribute it again, just like how they did to the beta :(

([:-censored] - DNA.styx)

Too sad we can't do anything to stop them. [:-cry]

Ya, some people will pay. I'm going to pay, just outta respect for Michal. This game kicks ass, and I'm amazed that Michal has got it to this level without any help. Plus, soldat just rules.

there is another way (us UKers at least) can pay for soldat easily and quickly, just look in the stickied topic in gen chat and read my post.

and michael. you sir, are a god!
when i downloaded the Beta (yes, i found, and downloaded the beta. sorry :( ) i was a little dissapointed, it seamed every aspect of Soldat that i loved had been changed. i was a little weary when i then downloaded the (real) version, and played it properly i realised you changed them for the better!

this is some remarcable work for just one person. i agree with shareware etc. when i opened the game, and saw SHAREWARE and $9, i felt... betrayed, but that didn't last long. i realised i got the same game with more features than the previous version. i saw the added features you'd get if you registered and i though to myself "I HAVE TO HAVE THAT~". and i will.

as soon as some of the major bugs are gone, my money is heading your way mate.

good luck with fixing the bugs ^_^

i agree with nebby..
but i'll pay asa i get a paypal account with some money...
=)

WTF! I bought the game, got a reg code e-mail and Norton nabbed it as a worm!

Haha! Maybe it is a virus. . . (joking)

whoa, social poison, i think you're probably one of the first people to actually buy the game. =] good job.

LOL

:P

I doubt that I am. But STILL!!! WTF GIVES!?!?!!

ARGH!

I am VERY frusterated with this...

i bought it too, two days ago, and i'm satisfied with it. Social, if norton erased the key, ask me, i'll send it to you again if you want (try shutting down norton before)

guys you may fine distributing keys being a no go....imagine lots of post saying "I deleted the email with my key in it, Meandor send me a copy of yours plz"...

Email Michal and he may be able to re-send the reg file.

i hope nothing goes wrong when i send my cheque...

Ya I know, DNA. It's a good point. But I bought it two days ago, e-mailed him twice, and he hasn't contacted me.

Now THIS is one thing I don't like about shareware: Independent distribution. I'll give him another day... but seriosly. I bought the game, he better f*cking get it to me!

make sure you forward Michal the ref. code you got from digitalcandle, otherwise he may just think that you're chancing your arm and after a fre copy.

Michal, I love your game. I suprised myself by paying for it gladly. Good job, man!

oh~ i have got the certain proud of myself...
it seems like I am one of the real fan.. :)

as possible as i should pay for this game... i will... i insist!! (Cheer!)

Styx.

I did. BUT I can't e-mail him from that account :(

you see the one I had it mailed to was my parent's account. When I tried to send a reply email it said Michal's address was invalid :( . So I went to my hotmail account and did it from there. No reply thus far...

The only problem is that a chaque would cost like 9$ itself

The game is made in what? Delphi?

How long do you think it takes to crack it?

Oy people should stop asking about how or how soon the game will be cracked - not a good topic to be asking!..

I thnik there may be many ways to pay...Via Internet...That's the problem...You don't have security neither physical contact with the person...The payment via Internet is the wors thing, because I would pay to play this game...Maybe Michal could put it into a CD and then sell...Well, it's a idea!

Yay! He sent me the reg codes again! No virus!

soldat 111 is good. just a couple of bugs here and there. no worries.

what do i do to get into a server and actually play?!

if i do manage to join, 9/10 servers are stuck in the free camera thing while waiting to join, it doesnt, i waited for half an hour and it didnt...

why does it happen and how do i fix that?

your don't fix it, Michal does: it's a bug..while you're waiting for a patch just keep trying the servers...

i hop the new patch would fix that, it almost made me give up on the game...

I wouldn't go THAT far but yes, it's annoying. It seems to happen to me only on Infiltration maps. Which are my current fav (go figure)

really? It was mostly team DM that did it to me....I don't think the mode has anything to do with it.