Buy a Piece of Acclaim

Accalim? by ian+rogers · 2004-12-01 16:23 · Score: 3, Funny

I thought it was Acclaim. Someone needs to proof read a bit better.

Re:Accalim? by WIAKywbfatw · 2004-12-01 16:34 · Score: 4, Funny

Hmmm, I believe the standard response to such a comment is "You're new around here, aren't you?"

Seriously, spelling errors in story summaries are so damn common that they're practically part of the Slasdot experience, together with dupes, occasional fakes, "news" stories that are days, weeks or even months old, and editorial comments appended to summaries that are entirely inappropriate for what claims to be a news site (but is closer to a news-related meta-blog).

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"Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
Re:Accalim? by tomhudson · 2004-12-01 17:13 · Score: 3, Insightful

All of us regulars saw it, and the other one that was posted twice an hour apart ...
I swear, in 99.99 percent of businesses, if people ran things this way then heads would roll pretty damn fast.
Guess you haven't been to some of the places I've worked. Or that my friends have worked at :-)
I have a theory that there's a Peter Principle for whole business sectors, not just for people in organizations. Whole business sectors "rise to their level of incompetence", and the only reason they continue to exist is that everyone else is in the same boat. It would certainly explain why Ford is still in business ... ditto Martha Stewart OmniwhateverthefuckMedia.
Anyway, it's just a theory ...
Re:Accalim? by Dimensio · 2004-12-01 18:12 · Score: 4, Funny

Actually, I always called it "Ack! Lame!"

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did the employees get their stuff back? by schatten · 2004-12-01 16:26 · Score: 5, Interesting

Last I remember, they were locked out for several weeks without paychecks and the building was locked up with some of their belongings inside. Did they happen to get it all back?

Re:did the employees get their stuff back? by DAldredge · 2004-12-01 17:22 · Score: 3, Interesting

Having been thru about the same thing when Sunpoint Securities was closed by the goverment the answer will be No. But that wasn't in the same state and was a few years ago and the laws may have changed since then.

We also had a few hours warning before the Federal Martials showed up so most people took their private things before the guys with guns arrived.
Re:did the employees get their stuff back? by mmaddox · 2004-12-02 02:38 · Score: 2, Insightful

Federal "Martials?" That puts an interesting spin on the term. It's normally "marshals," but I like that. Of course, Maritals would be interesting, too.

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What'dya mean there's no BLINK tag!?
Re:did the employees get their stuff back? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-02 03:37 · Score: 2, Informative

Those in the Austin office got our stuff back about 2 weeks ago, 3 months after we were locked out.

And as far as piracy affecting our sales, don't worry about it. It wasn't the consumers that drove the company in the ground. It was Fischback, Cousens, and Jifrato who killed the company intentionally (see their failed eleventh hour aquisition of assets). They wouldn't let us make the games we wanted and they lost the good licenses we had (see MLB, Burnout, NFL). Every good original game idea we had was shot down before they'd let us start working on it or they brokered a deal to let an outside developer to make it.

Although Red Star was a great deal of fun for those who enjoyed shooters. Too bad it'll never see the light. It wouldn't of saved the company but it was a great deal of fun.

Ex-Austin Acclaimer

How much for the CEO? by Wolfier · 2004-12-01 16:28 · Score: 2, Funny

Could make a valuable textbook example of how not to manage a company...

Perfect! by morganjharvey · 2004-12-01 16:28 · Score: 4, Funny

I can buy it all and start a gaming company called "Recclaim!"

hmm... by ImTheDarkcyde · 2004-12-01 16:29 · Score: 2, Funny

..So i guess this means we won't see another crappy Turok game?

How to get rich quick. by rice_burners_suck · 2004-12-01 16:30 · Score: 3, Funny

So I can bid $1.00 on eBay for this company, win the auction at that price because nobody else cares, then pay the $3.75 S&H for the deed to be mailed over, and then I can sell the odd collection of football helmets, the 40,000 some odd copies of video cames, the desks, the unused post-it notes and pens inside the desks, the light fixtures, the ping-pong table, and the golf practice thing from the owner's office, all on eBay, and turn an enormous profit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111 I'm a genius to have thought of this.

Are they selling source code? by wrinkledshirt · 2004-12-01 16:31 · Score: 2, Interesting

Er... Are they selling source code?

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Bleah! Heh heh heh... BLEAH BLEAH!!! Ha ha ha ha...

Re:Done in by the people who would buy this stuff by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-01 16:33 · Score: 4, Insightful

Which is why ID software is going out of business so quickly... right?

Oh, wait, its because their products fucking rock, and Acclaim's sucked ass.

They failed of their own accord.

Best and worst games? by Eric_Cartman_South_P · 2004-12-01 16:34 · Score: 2, Interesting

What was your favorite Acclaim game? And what game IYO helped them reach bankruptsy? I sure know those South Park games sucked.

Re:Done in by the people who would buy this stuff by DarkMantle · 2004-12-01 16:34 · Score: 4, Interesting

Sorry, but when game spy rates a NES game the best game Acclaim made it says enough about the quality. And don't forget No. 4: Bust A Move I think that was in the arcade Def Leppard released Hysteria.

Face it, it was gonna happen anyway.

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DarkMantle I been bored, so I started a blog.

Re:Done in by the people who would buy this stuff by kungfuSiR · 2004-12-01 16:38 · Score: 2, Insightful

I'd have to agree that most of the stuff acclaim has been putting out is crap. However stealing something and saying you are stealing it because it is crap does not justify your actions. Either buy it and then say how crappy it is, or just stay away and let the company go down in flames the right way. Although i'm sure Acclaim went south because of mis management more then people stealing their games.

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I love to deploy my packages

What I really want is the console devkits by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-01 16:39 · Score: 2, Interesting

I want the console devkit hardware that they had, like the DTLT-10000's ("TOOL" PS2s) and XDKs. Are any of those for sale...?

Melissa

Ah Acclaim... by Gogl · 2004-12-01 16:40 · Score: 4, Funny

Though I fear of PA overload here at Slashdot, I feel that this particular cartoon is really worth a nod. Very much explains where BMX XXX (one of Acclaim's more ludicrous products, which they are likely auctioning off many copies of) may have come from...

Furniture for who????? by Myrv · 2004-12-01 16:40 · Score: 2, Interesting

Man some of that furniture is pretty damn nice. I wonder if the rank and file employees ever got to use any of it. Unfortunately after seeing reports like this:

Top Heavy Business Plan

I get the impression all that furniture was for the benefit of the suits. A lot of people complain about how all the dotcoms bought herman miller aeron chairs and stuff but at least the employees got to use them. These marble and cherry wood conference tables and leather chairs were just a colossal waste of money beyond even the dotcomers. It's no wonder they went under. In fact, it almost hints that somebody wanted the company to go under...

Security of Selling Server Equipment by sabNetwork · 2004-12-01 16:42 · Score: 3, Interesting

The auction site shows numerous servers up for bid.

What's the chance that they wiped the hard drives on them?

Everything from corporate email to source code could be there.

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Re:Done in by the people who would buy this stuff by Nykon · 2004-12-01 16:43 · Score: 2, Funny

I think my least favorite methods for older games was that darn wheel. When you'd have to line up multiple wheels and enter the symbol. That and "go to page 7, line 3 word 4" ..lol :)

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"It's better to be a pirate then join the Navy"

If only EA could go tits up as well by Nine+Tenths+of+The+W · 2004-12-01 16:44 · Score: 3, Insightful

Given their habit of buying some of the most innovative and successful studios (Bullfrog, Origin, Maxis) and gutting them, I can't help thinking it would be a good thing for gaming if they went under

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If nothing else by Nine+Tenths+of+The+W · 2004-12-01 16:46 · Score: 4, Informative

Acclaim had innovative marketing techniques

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Slashdot: News for Nerds, Stuff that matters only to them

Re:Done in by the people who would buy this stuff by stienman · 2004-12-01 16:47 · Score: 4, Insightful

Are you making the claim that if their games were not pirated Acclaim would not have failed?

I don't agree with piracy (though, for a variety of personal reasons, I hate protection schemes that require the disk to play, or activation over the internet), but that is part of the business of computer software, like it or not. If Acclaim truly failed because of piracy, then it's due to them underestimating the extent of the piracy, or not taking proper precautions. There is no perfect solution to piracy, so any reasonable business plan must include its effects.

As far as treating the 'creators with the respect they deserve' do you also believe that video game companies should treat the creators with the respect they deserve? And what, pray tell, respect do these various creators deserve, exactly?

-Adam

Re:Also check out: - DO NOT CHECK OUT h4xx! by JohnBaleshiski · 2004-12-01 16:48 · Score: 3, Insightful

Why people think this is funny or cool is beyond me. And why someone modded the post informative is also beyond me. Firefox "prevented 5973 popups" on that site. In addition, it's just a goatse.cx picture.

AVOID.

I saw a dupe post today. by Nomihn0 · 2004-12-01 16:56 · Score: 2, Funny

I saw a dupe post today.

Re:I saw a dupe post today. by cicatrix1 · 2004-12-01 19:12 · Score: 3, Funny

(Score: -2, Catastrophic Failure Right Up There With Carrot Top)

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I know more than you drink.

Blame the customer by Penguinoflight · 2004-12-01 17:03 · Score: 2, Insightful

I had mod points, but your argument needs a apposing view more than it needs to be silenced.

I noticed you talked about respecting the game maker, and then about cracks. Why would anyone need a crack, if the game maker respected their customers?

I've been a proud supporter of Epic Games with their releases UT, Unreal2, and UT2004, mostly because I trust them. They will come out with a good game, but it will also be non-intrusive.

I really like a game company with the Nokia "small share of big market is better than big share of small market" attitude. Before Cd burners, I never saw cracks, or anti developer sentiment, but ever since people started "stealing" games, the game developers have been working harder to make sure the game is theftproof than worth buying.

The end result of a theft protection first attitude is a game that doesn't work whether or not it's legit.

Copy protection is even more frustrating on linux, or another non-ms OS, None of the cd protected games work with wine, and hardly any work with winex either.

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"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the World"
1 John 4:14

To quote one of their published games, by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-01 17:04 · Score: 5, Funny

FATALITY!

while you are at the auction... by Shant3030 · 2004-12-01 17:09 · Score: 3, Interesting

Go check out the Ferrari dealership in the area (Glen Cove).

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100% Insightful

Having worked there... fairly recently... by The+Panther! · 2004-12-01 17:14 · Score: 5, Funny

I'd have to say the auction would be much better if I could sign on over the internet, purchase Greg Fischbach's desk. I'd like to have it shipped to my home, where myself and my fellow ex-Acclaim buddies could bash it, cut it into small pieces, then when we tire of performing our selfless duty, set fire to it in effigy. On video. And mail him the tape.

That is, right after we karma whore by linking to it on Slashdot. :-)

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Any connection between your reality and mine is purely coincidental.

Re:Having worked there... fairly recently... by swordgeek · 2004-12-01 19:43 · Score: 4, Funny

Was it a nice desk?

It's not the desk's fault. Buy Greg's ass instead.

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"People who do stupid things with hazardous materials often die." -- Jim Davidson on alt.folklore.urban

THEY LIED TO ME!! oh and 500 bux to bid?? arg by Fluidic+Binary · 2004-12-01 17:17 · Score: 2, Informative

I live right near there too, but I don't have the 500 for the deposit, just to buy a mac or something.

During the Spring semester at my local Uni I saw a talk given by a few guys from acclaim and they acted as if the rumors of their going under were exaggerated.

I guess not!

I don't know why they were wasting time and money sending someone to talk to us if they were goind under.

Re:Done in by the people who would buy this stuff by mushroom+blue · 2004-12-01 17:42 · Score: 2, Funny

yeah. because Acclaim was making such great games, had top-notch marketing, and always kept fans wanting more.

there's no reason they wouldn't have survived if it wasn't for those dirty pirates.

Acclaim Austin's Stuff for sale in 2 weeks by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-01 18:41 · Score: 2, Informative

Photos of it all and a list of equipment...
http://users4.ev1.net/~flsughrue/lis ting.html

Auction taking place in austin texas. Come on guys, buy some stuff, so I can get all the money they owed me from my last paycheck, vacation time, and employee stock purchase money they took outta my paycheck and deposited for the last few months I worked there.

Not that I'm bitter.

Game publisher that was? by PygmySurfer · 2004-12-01 19:31 · Score: 2

An anonymous reader writes "Kotaku points to the official auction site for Acclaim, the game publisher that was.

More like the game publisher that never was

Possible to by source code? by mowler2 · 2004-12-01 20:53 · Score: 2, Interesting

I looked at the site, but saw no mentions of source code / "IP" sale. Does anyone know if it is possible to buy some of their IP, and in that case, maybe the open source community could do a blender for some nice classics? :)

Since they are indeed classics, they should not be as expensive as blender, I guess. What do you think?

Re:Possible to by source code? by Fred+Or+Alive · 2004-12-01 21:56 · Score: 2, Informative

Would anyone want the source code? I don't know of a single well regarded 1st Party Acclaim game. Most of their good games were devloped by 3rd parties, who probably own the rights to them (stuff like Burnout, Dead or Alive, Mortal Kombat etc.)

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Re:Possible to by source code? by Registered+Coward+v2 · 2004-12-01 22:12 · Score: 2, Insightful

looked at the site, but saw no mentions of source code / "IP" sale. Does anyone know if it is possible to buy some of their IP, and in that case, maybe the open source community could do a blender for some nice classics? :)

Quality aside, even if you can buy the IP you might be severely limited in what you can do with it, at least in terms of releasing the games. They may not own th erights to characters, etc; so releasing the games would require obtaining those rights as well.

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I'm a consultant - I convert gibberish into cash-flow.
Re:Possible to by source code? by Triskele · 2004-12-01 22:32 · Score: 2, Interesting

Perhaps more useful than the source code - can we buy the 3d models, characters animations etc. The biggest thing holding back open source game development is not code - there's vast amounts of good open source engine code out there already - it's the lack of any decent art. [Offtopic for a mo: why aren't there more artists contributing stuff to the commons?]

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USA: home of the world's largest terrorist training camp.

IP Assets? by rrwood · 2004-12-01 23:13 · Score: 4, Interesting

Anyone have any idea what's happening with the source and other so-called intellectual "property" of their old games?

I *love* Re-Volt, and would love to see the source and graphics freed up to a community of modders and hackers....

-Roy

As a former stockholder... by Washizu · 2004-12-02 01:19 · Score: 2, Funny

As a former stockholder in Acclaim I say, "good riddance." Also, can I get my $600 back?

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OddManIn: A Game of guns and game theory.

My Desk! by suedehed · 2004-12-02 02:25 · Score: 2, Funny

Man, looking through the pictures I saw my old desk there! I may just go up there and buy all my old machines and furniture, set it up at home and pretend Im working there again. That was the worst 3 years of my life.

Most of it by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-02 03:19 · Score: 2, Informative

Yes, we were allowed back in a few weeks ago to claim our belonging and take one last look at the place.

There have been reports of personal gaming/audio equipment gone missing - already removed and supposedly added to the auction list. Reclaim may depend on being able to produce a receipt.

And don't even think about turning on that PC to eject the CD you'd been listening to the day before the shit hit the fan...

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