i would make a huge button on the main page that will go to a “are you realy sure?” page
when you click yes it will go to a “are you realy REALY sure?” page. i would keep this up untill about 100 pages and then tell them they can find the link under “downloads” … and the file itself will be distrebuted from a server crappy server from the stone age
I would probably upload the packaged files to an upload site to save on bandwidth. Then I would change anything on the website/s that show it being a TBA title to Released. Then when steam gives the OK [if they havent already], I would upload it through steam since that would be the way most everyone would hear about it. Oh then i would play it again as soon as its released, scrutinizing all the things that I suddenly believe could have been done better in the most minute details… After the most nerve racking game of BlackMesa yet, I would reassure myself that all is fine and that im being over critical. Then I would finally give in and make a patch fixing all the things i noticed, hoping to stop the reoccurring nightmares from having a guilty conscience. Pretty basic really.
I realise that the developers are not interested in making cash from this, but am wondering if there would be a way to market it so that it could both make money (To be given to some sort of charity) and gain wide spread media coverage to help launch it.
Such as, have a site that is the free download site. Have advertisers on the site that pay for each download. (They pay for each download - that is an effective cost ratio for them, because it avoids shotgun marketing - which is not such a good method for them) then take the collected money, and donate it to some sort of reasonable charity (even something to do with old folks) and market it as having been from gamers in general -
Sometimes gamers get a bad wrap… Shop it it around to some prefered media who would be interested in covering it (And that has a viewership large enough to gain from it) Perhaps it is a way to create a few wins at once?
(shrugs)
It’s not that they aren’t interested in making money. They cannot legally accept any form of payment because they are using Valve’s engine.
I’m not sure about the above method but I doubt it makes any difference. You’d have to be very trusting to allow them to take the money just because they claimed that they would donate it to charity.
Ah… Ok, now I get it. Thanks for that.
Makes you kind of wander if a deal could be struck, because it is a lot of time and energy to create what they have.
I hear you on the payment thing, but no doubt there are secure ways to do so. There are some advertisers that do work that way in the interest of streamlining advertising money - at least, I seem to remember hearing that anyways. And by payment, it was in terms of payment per click. 1/4 pennies and such. Maybe that has been done away with because it did not work?
Tell the users to get the word out that it’s going to be released on #/##/1# and then tell them to get the word out: like put it in their discriptions on other sites and in the off topic section post that it’s going to be coming out on that date and a link to the site.
I would just release the god damn mod. Also I love how everyone assumes that the community is going to die as soon as the mod is released, it wont, it will simply change, into the Black Mesa Modding Community, the way I see it everyone will want to discuss things they liked and didnt like, make new levels or skins or models for the mod etc. I firmly believe that this is destined to go on forever, a bit like the development zing! anyway this community is not dying any time soon.
now that depends on your definition of dying, if you mean no one ever comes back, thenof course it won’t die. If you are meaning it gets completely filled with morons and 12 year olds, however…
It is illegal to accept any kind of donation to distribute files with copyrighted material without the owner’s authorization. There was already problems related with this, it is not safe. I believe it would be even in Valve’s right to impeach development of any mods, but they authorize any mods distributed for free (it seems to be advantageous for them).
By the time Vista was launched, the Audigy Sound Blaster series from Creative Labs didn’t have proper drivers for Vista. It was a choice made by the manufacturer so the Vista users would have to buy a new device.
There was an independent developer who created drivers for Vista to enhance it up to the quality of the driver for XP, and added even more features. His version used the drivers (and therefore copyrighted material) from Creative. The developer then put links in the manufacturer’s forum to his download page and accepted donations.
In response, Creative deleted the developer’s thread and emitted him a cease-and-desist note. Here is part of what Creative said:
You can view the full note in this article.
It will definately be released through STEAM. I think STEAMS the reason we have to wait one year longer.
You know,
I bet the military has been in the posession of Black Mesa since the 90s. :brow:
Wait, maybe “Black” Mesa has something to do with the first “black” president :brow:
See the connection? “Black Mesa” “Black president” “Barack Obama” :brow:
I say we storm the white house to find out the truth. Who wants to join?
Would be a lot of fun to get shot at by the Secret Service, just to gatecrash a meeting scraming: “BARACK WE KNOW THE TRUTH, WE WANT OUR HEADCRABS!!!”
White house?
Are you Racist? > 
You best be trollin’
That is NOT the reason.
this is a brilliant idea if executed well
I would freaking break the glass even with my tongue.
Oh wait…Is better with the hands and a t-shirt, or a rock, whatever…
I would put the link to the download page in the comments on the Black Mesa Steam page on a busy day.
I would put a link under the “When will Black Mesa be released?” question on the front page and see how many people actually noticed.
How would I release Black Mesa?
Momentarily.
I’d wait till it was finished.
Then I’d release it.