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TinkerBell Group: Members Posts: 25 Joined: June 2002 Posted: June 16 2002, 22:47 I have had "a bit of trouble" installing MVR on Win 98. I have now succeeded. Here is my story, for what it is worth ... 1. DOWNLOADS: I don't yet have the CD's (1 July in the UK!) ... so download is my only option. First few attempts failed until I eventually got a download whose size repeated one I had already seen (3.5 hours by modem ...). Very frustrating ... The current download size (14 June) should be: 55,061,085 bytes. Win 98 also reports this variously as 52.5MB and (in Explorer) as 53,771KB, where a KB is 1024 bytes etc. The main point is that the canonical length of the file is the first figure given above (Use "Properties" to find this for a selected file ...) 2. INSTALLING: Basiclly, have patience and all will be revealed ... here is my little "guide": 1. Invoke the Windows installer for Music VR/Tres Lunas - this will also uninstall the MusicVR demo. If the download is the wrong length then this will be discovered at this point. 2. Start the game for the first time. You will be prompted for your registration key - you have to type it in, as cut and paste have been disabled for this dialog. I would STRONGLY advise having already connected to the Internet before this step. Remember to make sure that your Personal Firewall settings and Security Settings for the Internet Zone should be standard defaults (Medium/Medium Low) that allow applications to make outbound calls. [If you don't know what I'm talking about here, then most likely it is already configured correctly ] If all is well, then MusicVR very quickly establishes direct contact, and reports that you have registered successfully - and offers you to play the game (OK - so lets go!). 3. You should now see the standard Music VR graphic with "Loading ..." beneath it. What completely through me (besides my security settings being set too high ), is that, for me, after about 30 secs, the screen then went completely white. I typically killed this off after about 1.5 mins of silence (Music VR was shown as "not responding" on the End Task dialog). No busy cursor - nothing. It turns out that I really should just have waited - it takes at least THREE minutes (with nothing on the screen) for Music VR to start up on my system (Win98, PIII (450MHz) 192MB memory with 32GB HD (max)). Eventually, the screen comes back and the game begins ... So, if you get this "white screen", just wait calmly ... it does get there eventually. Also, you may or may not get this "white screen" - it seems to depend upon your user config. info somehow. For example, I did a completely fresh install (from scratch) for another family account (same machine) and every thing worked amazingly well ... that time I DIDN'T even get the "white screen", only the standard "Music VR" logo. Of course, that fresh install cost me one of my limited registrations - but what the heck ... So, there are set-ups/PC configs for which Music VR does not work at all well. There are also some serious compatability problems, depending upon your sound/graphics card. In this case, I'm one of the luckier ones here - I have an NVIDIA card (32MB). Summary: I had some bad luck with the downloads and some somewhat draconian security settings which prevented everything from working the first time around. The "white screen" problem only resolved itself after I had registered properly. All's well that ends well? Only time will tell. Back to top

Unregistered Posted: June 28 2002, 09:24 My own story doesn't have a happy ending unfortunately. I am on a network with a transparent firewall and have no idea how to register. I get the "network connection failed" every time. Amazingly no one can even give me any ideas on what to try. I've spent a few sleepless nights trying everything I can think of with no luck. People are all complaining about having to pay 12 lbs for the game, well at least you get to play it. I can't do it at all. This registration procedure is absolutely the most frustrating thing I've ever encountered in all of my 20 years of computing experience. Its mind-boggling. Kris Back to top

TinkerBell Group: Members Posts: 25 Joined: June 2002 Posted: July 01 2002, 05:55 Quote My own story doesn't have a happy ending unfortunately. I am on a network with a transparent firewall and have no idea how to register. I get the "network connection failed" every time. Amazingly no one can even give me any ideas on what to try. I've spent a few sleepless nights trying everything I can think of with no luck. I would talk to your sys-admin/customer support people, assuming that using MVR is going to be a kosher thing to do ... .  It could be that you need to set your Browser Proxy settings.  Since you posted here, you can clearly connect outside to browse.  Something is preventing your MVR installation program making your connection to Oldfield Interactive to register - so possibly take a look at your browser security settings (For MS IE 5, go "Tools -> Internet Options -> Security tab"). Quote People are all complaining about having to pay 12 lbs for the game, well at least you get to play it. I can't do it at all. This registration procedure is absolutely the most frustrating thing I've ever encountered in all of my 20 years of computing experience. Its mind-boggling. I truly, truly sympathasise and completely agree with you.  I also have 20+ years of IT experience and I am simply staggered by the naiviety of this - it seems that Oldfied Interactive really believed that installation was "trivial" - and that the Internet solved all their security issues! My feeling is now that MusicVR would have been a great promotion - but it will probably backfire.  They should have made the physical product (i.e. the CD package) a truly attactive thing to personally own and made the software experience a true joy - and not bothered so much with this whole "Internet registration connection" thing. For example, they could just have charged a little more (i.e. a few more Euro/$) for the whole package - and made the Internet connection less essential.  Then the overall effect would then have been: 1. More people listening to the great new MO album product. 2. People joyously playing the MVR experience and saying how wonderful it is that we get two great products for a slightly increased price.  Absolutely Fantastic - those guys, they 're great! 3. A good percentage would still have joined up on the Internet, especially if it had been sold as being an "exclusive" contact with MO and associates - and not something you are forced to do (as you are today). Instead, what have we actually got: 1. People listening to the new MO music product. 2. People moaning about how TERRIBLE it is and RIPPED OFF they feel when they discover they still haven't bought the entire MVR package yet.  And then they are FORCED to have an Internet connection to register/pay for the real game! 3. People SHOUTING loudly about how bad it is to get this stuff installed properly - this is bad. The professional games companies understand this risk very well - they have hoades of beta testers not only checking the game itself - but also checking out the installation procedure.  After all, if no-one can install their game, then people are entitled to their money back ... The more I think about this whole thing, the more crass it seems.   No-one appears to have really thought this whole thing through.   Or perhaps it's just plain and simple GREED??  I think all this will prove to be a strategic marketing error of Biblical proportions ... This is not good! I should say that IMO this is probably more a case of simple naiveity rather than total GREED - but I could be wrong. For instance, here's another thing that I'm not sure has been thought through - what about people buying Tres Lunas in 2-3 years time?  Unless the CD package is changed, this online registration thing is still going to have to be running for them. A further point: all this copy protection security and digital rights management stuff tends to get in the way - its often MUCH more trouble than its actually worth in practice.  For this reason, the games manufactureres (and Microsoft) tend not to bother with "hardcore" copy protection (i.e. dongles, enforced registration, licence servers, etc.) - they instead factor the loss into the overall cost, just like the credit card companies do (i.e. credit card theft/fraud). For these reasons, I suspect that future versions of the Tres Lunas CD package will have an updated MVR part - and hopefully, bundle the cost entirely with the CD package, making the Internet registration unnecessary. ----------------- The Internet is all about freedom ... and, curiously enough, I am far MORE prepared to pay for something, if I am NOT compelled UNFAIRLY to do so AND that I'm getting reasonable value for what I pay for. This whole experience has been disappointing to say the least.  It all seems so mean and potentially damaging to the fan-base/image of MO.  It's all so sad and rather dumb ... because it could so EASILY have been better for everyone! Back to top

Bad Boy Unregistered Posted: July 02 2002, 09:49 If I read these interesting thread, only one question comes into my mind: WHY THE HELL DO YOU SPEND (LOTS OF) MONEY, TIME AND NERVES FOR THIS INSOLENCE Back to top

TinkerBell Group: Members Posts: 25 Joined: June 2002 Posted: July 02 2002, 22:38 Quote If I read these interesting thread, only one question comes into my mind: WHY THE HELL DO YOU SPEND (LOTS OF) MONEY, TIME AND NERVES FOR THIS INSOLENCE Good question   But why are my remarks "INSOLENCE" - I must have touched a raw nerve there, eh?    I would say that your MusicVR installation experience must have been positively super-duper and gorgeous - lucky you, because you don't seem to appreciate that OTHER PEOPLE (i.e myself and others) had a more miserable time with it.  Hence my mailings, simply reporting my experience. If you have been personally offended by this, then I am sorry you think that - but I'm then confused how you could feel offended.  I'm not "making this up" you know. The main point is that MusicVR is an interesting promotional product but with unbelievably poor "customer support" at the moment and an installation procedure that should have been more thoroughly beta-tested prior to launch.  I only hope that Oldfield Interactive Ltd. get more clued up on why the professional games manufacturers provide customer support. If anyone important is listening out there at Oldfield Interactive - please consider getting in some customer support next time.  Assuming there is a next time, of course. Cheers ... Off to play some MusicVR Back to top

Bad Boy Unregistered Posted: July 03 2002, 07:40 Sorry TinkerBell! Of course my remark refer to Oldfield Interactive Ltd. not to your comments. I was not offended by you - I agree with you... I have not installed MVR and without crack/hack or cheat I will never touch this shit of installation. So, BTW, do anybody out there know a way to cheat the registration process? I bought the CD album and there is NO mention of additional costs for the game. Therfore I feel betrayed by Mike and his company. If I find a cheat, I will betray him! Back to top

77-9 Unregistered Posted: July 03 2002, 08:28 Maybe in future years there will be a re-release, perhaps costing about £20, where the bundled CDROM has a version of the game which doesn't need to be registered. I can see the point though, with no copy-protection at all it would be easy for someone to simply copy the program and distribute it via CD tree or the internet. Seems a shame that some form of copy-protection has to exist at all. Anyone remember the system they used to have in computer games - "look up the word on page 7, paragraph 2, word 12" kind of things? GTA3 uses some kind of encryption to prevent the CD being copied (I was doing it only for backup purposes, obviously) - perhaps they could have used this if any game company had been interested in distributing MVR. As it is, they apparently weren't interested because you don't get to kill anything. Back to top

Kris Unregistered Posted: July 03 2002, 12:13 Thanks to the problems with getting Music VR registered, I'm stressed out and losing sleep to the point where it is affecting me quite drastically.  I will actually give a cash reward to anyone who can give me information leading to the proper registration of the game!   I'll pay $40 US, which should more than cover the cost of your CD and the game disc.   My demo runs beautifully, but I canont connect to the Music VR server due to my network firewall that I appear to be powerless to control.  With no customer service to speak of, this is my only other option!   I really should just save myself the time and agony and just give up trying to install Music VR, but I just can't.  I guess I feel I deserve to experience the thing.  Afterall, I remember Mike first mentioning that he'd have a go at a Virtual Reality type game, in 1995.  At the time, if I'd have guessed that I could buy it for $17 US and it would run on my current PC, then I'd have thought I was dreaming.  I feel left out, but not cheated.   I was thinking it would cost a lot more to be honest.  I just don't understand why it couldn't have been sold like any other software game. I've already given up the chance to join Mike on the on-line game - thats just a pipe dream, but I'm not giving up on the game itself.  One day, I WILL get it working, and you can bet, I will enjoy it as much as anyone! Regards, Kris Back to top

fungus Unregistered Posted: July 17 2002, 04:22 Try the update: http://www.mikeoldfield.com/update/index.html If not, can't you borrow a modem for ten minutes - that should bypass your firewall.... Back to top

Kris Unregistered Posted: July 19 2002, 22:04 I've tried the update but it didn't help.  Even hooking up an external modem doesn't work on my computer, because my computer itself seems to be firewall protected, which since its a corporate computer, means I probably can't do much about it.  Oh well. Back to top

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