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Olivier Group: Super Admins Posts: 1865 Joined: Nov. 1999 Posted: June 20 2001, 21:42 Dark Star (new issue 21 available) got some exclusive info about MVR: the creation and the design are now completed and the game should be available in Sept. 2001. As Mike said in the exclusive Raft interview, the first part will be free. According to Dark Star, parts 2 and 3 should cost less than a CD (payment by credit card). Also, a special prize will be offered to the first person who will send to Mike a screenshot of a hidden diamond ring. Back to top

FMO Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: Feb. 2001 Posted: June 21 2001, 07:38 Special price... I wonder what that could be... Sounds like Amarok with it's hidden morse code competition. Now, what would be an ideal special prize, any ideas? FMO Back to top

Unregistered Posted: June 22 2001, 05:38 Some clarification is needed here. The info was given to me by OML and Mike. This info does not appear in the MVR article which features in the current issue of Dark Star magazine - issue 22. This contains exclusive pictures of MVR and Mike's studio from the demo he gave to Dark Star. Issue 22 of the magazine is being sent out now. Each part will probably be priced at less than the cost of a CD. Paul. Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: June 24 2001, 20:20 I'm suprised there's been no mention of the appearance of a 'Part 1 free' link at mike-oldfield.com... (Before anyone gets too excited, I should say that many of you will have what is linked to already - that is, the demo that's been available since April 28th, that being the date the last update was put up.) Back to top

Stuart Breed Group: Members Posts: 38 Joined: April 2001 Posted: June 25 2001, 02:43 I for one can't wait to play the full version. I will still have to buy a new computer as I always work with a laptop. I think the new Toshiba should do the job. I wonder if Mike will make the adventure an on going thing like so many other computer games? -------------- Stu Back to top

Mark 1 Group: Members Posts: 65 Joined: June 2001 Posted: June 25 2001, 11:44 Yeah, I noticed the new link too, pity it doesn't actually lead to part 1 (yet?). What would be great would be if Mike managed to put the landscapes and all on a site for a future version and people could walk around them and meet and talk in a virtual environment. I know, it's an old concept, but the world Mike is building, and with his music, gives it something new and it would be a very interesting place to meet your friends. Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: June 25 2001, 14:30 But do we know for sure that the demo hasn't just been reclassified as part 1? Just a thought (and I'm sure there are people hoping that isn't the case)... Back to top

Mark 1 Group: Members Posts: 65 Joined: June 2001 Posted: June 25 2001, 16:17 Can't be. You're talking about something that can be explored in 15 minutes (albeit with surprisingly great replay value). It has some clear boundaries and some things which can only be in it for testing purposes as they don't do much yet (walking girl, horse). There's no way it could be considered a 'part one'. For it to be a 'part' you'd at least expect it to have some completeness in itself. It's a demo, a try out, an appetizer for what's to follow. At least, that's what my interpretation is... Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: June 25 2001, 20:20 Yes, I agree that, from what I've heard, it seems that this demo is not what fans would hope is part one... But we also have to ask why the 'Part 1 free' link - it's been there for several days, plenty of time to correct it if it's a mistake (the file is still named as a demo though)... Another thought is that, if the demo/part 1 frustrates you because of its limited nature (that it has such clear boundaries and such) then you'll want to pay for the other two parts so you can explore further. We know that the other two parts will extend the world of the first part - what's to say that they don't extend the demo? It's a common marketing technique with shareware and things - to give people a limited trial version which they can extend by paying for it. Well, those are just some thoughts. Going by the way I understood the game was going to be released, I agree with you, Mark. It would seem a bit strange to have a demo out for months, with people waiting for part one and then to say "Well, actually, we've decided that is part one...". There could be a strange logic in that somewhere, but I think we'll leave that alone for now . We'll wait and see... Back to top

gorjanbak Group: Members Posts: 41 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: June 26 2001, 05:08 Ok. What is this fulish think.Why does in MVR site stay that the part 1 is done when this is the same demo from 12-th of April.Why is all this and could be possible that this is one meanly joke ?? Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: June 26 2001, 18:05 This is exactly what we're discussing... Either it's a mistake (if so, it's a mistake that should be corrected as soon as possible...there are other mistakes that have been left uncorrected for a while...) or this demo is in fact now known as part 1 (it's actually the slightly updated version from April 28th, rather than the 12th, though I believe there's not a huge difference). Supporting that is that part 1 is meant to be free. The demo is free. Mike said it'll be a 30 minute download. The file is 7,275k, in fact over a 30 minute download (I think) with average connection speeds - if this is not part 1, then part 1 will certainly be no larger than this demo. The demo seems to also contain the starting point of the MVR world (that is, the desert), which can be expanded on later. Against it is the way they have talked about it so far. People have been led to believe that part 1 will be something other than the demo. They also talk of a september release date - it seems no publicity has been given out to say it's available now (though it seems, from a message on the amarok list, that music vr is mentioned in Q magazine this month - that would seem to indicate that maybe the magazine has been sent some form of press release). We know how Mike can change his mind though...one minute it's a demo, the next it's part 1...that would figure. I would think it's not a joke - that kind of joke will only get you bad publicity, as people become confused and start to make wrong judgements. Like I said before...we'll have to wait and see... Back to top

Mark 1 Group: Members Posts: 65 Joined: June 2001 Posted: June 26 2001, 18:37 To quote an earlier piece of info on the site: -- START QUOTE -- In an interview at The Raft, Mike says that the first part of Music VR should be ready in 2 months and will be free, a double package containing an album and the game will be released, and that a concert involving the audience may be organized. [06 June 2001] 9 comments -- END QUOTE -- This would lead me to believe that the demo can't be part one since it was released about a month or so ago and it says here that part one isn't finished yet. I think 30 minutes download is a bit optimistic. Probably he's talking about high bandwith connections. My guess is that they've renamed the link in preparation for the release of the real part one which will replace the demo. Hmmm... maybe _this_ is all part one? The search for MVR part one... Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: June 26 2001, 20:35 I see your points...I think really we can't be sure of anything unless we get some official word on this. If they've just renamed the link in preparation, it's a very stupid move. People will go there thinking they're downloading part 1. If what they get is actually a limited demo, they'll end up thinking that if that's all there is to part 1, there can't be much more to parts 2 and 3, and will forget about it there and then. Like I said, people will make false judgements, and that includes people in the press. It would be a move like making some music demos on a cassette 4 track recorder of Mike strumming a guitar and whistling the tune badly, then sending them out to people in a cover that professed to be a finished album. People take one listen, think it's a pile of rubbish and forget it, maybe not realising that the real final album will be the most lavish production he's ever done... What could pull my argument apart there a bit is that, my scenario has people getting the demo and thinking it's part 1 and reacting badly...well, that situation wouldn't change if the demo is part 1 I mean, if they don't like it, they don't like it. I'm just saying really that it's not wise to make people one thing when they're getting another (like as an orange grower, giving people your unripe oranges and not telling them to expect better when the oranges are ripe...they won't come back to you because they think your oranges must all taste sour like the unripe one you gave them). Anyway, that's a lot of ramble. Let's hope that, whatever the situation is, they know what they're doing. If it's a 30 minute download on a broadband connection, that'll take ages on a 56k connection (which certainly in the UK is still by far the most popular connection type) - how many people other than dedicated fans are going to spend several hours (I get the feeling it could end up at over 10 hours on 56k if the 30 minute estimate was based on say 512kbps DSL...) downloading music vr? I have to say, I'm just trying to present a particular point of view for the purpose of discussion - I'm not saying anyone's right or wrong here...we just don't know... Back to top

Unregistered Posted: June 29 2001, 04:34 Much work has been done on MVR since the demo was made available. There have in fact been 3 or 4 versions of the demo. Part 1 will be different in some respects to the demo version that is currently available. The scope will probably be slightly different, some of the gaming aspects might have changed, and there will be additional optimisation and support for additional graphics cards. Distribution will be via the web, do not bank on a new album with a free MVR CD... Paul Back to top

Unregistered Posted: June 29 2001, 15:48 Thanks for keeping us updated, Paul. Your note seems to imply that there probably won't be a commercially released CD of the MVR music. If that's the case, do you think that Mike might be interested in a smaller-scale release to his fans, perhaps through Dark Star? I'm sure there would be plenty of interest! (By the way, my resubscription to Dark Star is on its way to you; now that I'm employed again, I have money to spend!) Thanks again for keeping us informed. Back to top

Unregistered Posted: July 08 2001, 15:38 I've just been to the MVR site and the 'popup' message for the Demo download has now changed to 'Free Download Part 1'. It looks like this is part 1 then folks. I haven't downloaded it but I logged into the ftp site (username/password available from the link) and the date on the ZIP file is still 28th April. Maybe the 'game' wasn't big enough to be split in 3 so they decided to 'give' us the demo as part 1. Please tell us this isn't true, Paul??? Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: July 08 2001, 18:54 What I understood from Paul's post was that, what you can download by following the 'Part 1 free' link is not what will be released in September as part 1. What hasn't been explained though is that, if that isn't part 1, why does the link still say 'part 1 free' over 2 weeks since its appearance? They've even had a site update since, so it's not like it's stayed because they've been far too busy to update the site. I'm sure there are more than a few people out in fan-land who'd be happy to put right their mistakes if they don't have time to change them... Back to top

Unregistered Posted: July 09 2001, 06:24 Hi, The point I was trying to make (not very well I guess (-: ) was that during the last site update they changed the Tooltip that appears when you hover the mouse over the GIF of the Crystal Ball to say 'Part 1'. It used to say 'Free Demo' even though the shortcut on the left had changed to say 'Part 1'. This indicates to me that the demo IS Part 1, otherwise why would they ensure that the Demo is marked as Part 1 when they last updated the site? Call me a pessimist but I really think we'll be stuck with the Demo as Part 1 and we'll have to pay to get a 'proper' part 1 that will actually be incorporated into Part 2... Regards, Terry Back to top

Unregistered Posted: July 17 2001, 09:59 I have information direct from the Oldfield Music people working on the project that the current "demo" that is available on the musicvr site will be updated with a new version in September, which will be the real part 1. Paul Back to top

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