Strategies for stopping playing the demo and going to bed

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Author Topic:   Strategies for stopping playing the demo and going to bed

MikeH II posted 11-10-98 09:28 AM ET
A real world problem this. Most of us have work, school or college to go to. Anyone got any ideas that will help us stop playing the demo (when it comes out in december) and go to bed?
If the demo is limited in timespan that might help. Although "Just one more turn" might turn into "Just once more through the demo"
What we need is good practical suggestions for the weak willed who can't stop playing a really good game (even the demo) with will power alone.
The research will also help when the game is out.
DJ RRebel posted 11-10-98 10:09 AM ET
I suggest an international year long holiday !!!
MikeH II posted 11-10-98 10:11 AM ET
You mean if you can't beat the addiction allow an overdose?
I love it.
Dear world leaders,
Due to the imminent release of the SMAC demo we respectfully request a years holiday. Thank you,
Michael Hefferan and the posters of the SMAC forums.
robotti posted 11-10-98 10:15 AM ET
Well the demo is coming out on christmas holiday time so I think there's a lot of free time to play the demo.
MikeH II posted 11-10-98 10:23 AM ET
That's a good valid point. Perhaps the title should be How to stop playing the demo in order to see your family this christmas.
BoomBoom posted 11-10-98 10:25 AM ET
Couple of possibilities:
- Do it at night, after a couple of days, you'l be so tired that even coffee don't work.
- Get people to ring your phone and doorbell, and tell them not to stop 'till you actually answer.
- Don't buy any food, so you have to go out and get it.

DJ RRebel posted 11-10-98 10:30 AM ET
hhhmmmn .. seems to me I started a post about the x-mas vacation thingy ... I wonder what happened to it ???
DJ RRebel posted 11-10-98 10:31 AM ET
And mike, it would be easy to get the world leaders to approve, all we'd have to do is get them to play SMAC for an hour or two and they'd be hooked themselves !!!
Then the world would slip into chaos and anarchy and we'd all have to fly to Alpha Centauri to escape the madness !!!
BigER posted 11-10-98 10:34 AM ET
I was thinking about taking a trip to England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland this christmas for the holiday- But since the demo is coming out I guess I'll have to stay home and play it. (So as not to interfear with the game I'll just take a three week vacation.) Or postpone my vacation until next year and when the game comes out take six weeks off to play it(Yeah that's the ticket).
DJ RRebel posted 11-10-98 01:44 PM ET
Why don't you just get a laptop ???
Yo_Yo_Yo_Hey posted 11-10-98 05:40 PM ET
We could always kidnap the SMACA & hide him for several weeks until his addiction is over. Unless the withdrawal kills him, then he could play no more SMAC. Seems like the best plan so far....
Your faithful & hell-bent NIMadier general,
YYYH
SnowFire posted 11-10-98 05:47 PM ET
Fine, we'll try it out on you YYYH.
I suggest QualluSMACs to drug the person to sleep. When they wake up they will be at work/school with no computer handy and tied to their chair.
Titan posted 11-10-98 05:47 PM ET
Why should we bother. If we have something more important to do, I'm sure somebody will keep on remoinding it to us untill, we will stop to play because we would be too annoyed.
Or there's the much simple solution, you make an automatic robot that unplug your computer at a given hour.
Vive le Qu�bec! Vive le Canada! Vive SAMC!
SnowFire posted 11-11-98 01:06 AM ET
SAMC? And quebec is evil.
Mortis posted 11-11-98 02:14 AM ET
I'm going to have a "fun time" getting the demo. I'm going to Byron Bay (this beach resort/town full of hippies and surfies) on the 8th. Althoug there will be a laptop the only way would be to look through all the game magazines that they have avalible "if any" and see if the cd enclosed contains SMAC (it better). Other wise I'll be behind everyone else in strategy.
outlyr242 the rebirth posted 11-11-98 02:16 AM ET
When the demo is released we will all download it. Slowly as others too join the downloading the first games downloaded will begin to be played. We all know that once started the game will not be stopped. As more computers play the game, the strain on the world's electrical grids will increase. Then poof poof poof all of the major cities in the world lose power. Thus the game "turns off" for us.
Steel_Dragon posted 11-11-98 04:05 AM ET
How true outlyr242 the rebirth
Boskone on Toast posted 11-11-98 07:23 AM ET
I know I may sound like a heretic but I'm not sure I want to play the demo.
Will the demo spoil the excitement of playing the full, complete version for the first time?
Will it be a bit like watching a movie trailer and seeing all the good bits too early?
Waiting a few weeks extra weeks to play SMAC won't be so hard (I keep telling myself).

Resistance is of course futile, but I'll go down fighting.....No Demo, No Demo!!!
The Thomas A Stobie posted 11-11-98 03:27 PM ET
Use Swouthwestern Bell for your local telephone service and play internet games on a rainy night. Sooner or later the line will crash, at that point go to bed.
SnowFire posted 11-11-98 03:43 PM ET
hehe. I'll remember not to use SW Bell if I ever move there, thanks for the tip TAS.
0leg posted 11-11-98 04:13 PM ET
You won't have any choice.
Monopoly.
Loyal SW Bell customer.
Yo_Yo_Yo_Hey posted 11-11-98 04:33 PM ET
Ahh, but I do have a choice! I just go with SNET(Southern New England Telephone), a small company here in CT, & I think RI. Reliable Internet, cheap phone rates, & it's local, no monopoly here, though they were bought out by a Texas company in June or July, & their employees were recently on strike.
A loyal SNET user,
YYYH
O242 2 posted 11-11-98 04:37 PM ET
I remember your trials and tribulations with that strike. ahhhh memories.
Heckler posted 11-12-98 09:04 PM ET
Well for a programmer its rather simple, chose the amount of sleep you can do without and program the computer to keep track of the amount of time SMAC was run that day (reseting the clock every night at midnight) after you hit the limit it turns itself back off. When you reboot to start SMAC again it displays a "Get some sleep you zombie!" message.
Heckler
Tapiolan poika posted 12-09-98 03:07 PM ET
Hey, just think about your SMAC friends on the forum. That'll force you to get online, and Hey presto, you're not playing the demo any more.
Of course, the problem then is to stop surfing and go to bed...
Hmm... I think my idea needs developing.
Imran Siddiqui posted 12-09-98 05:58 PM ET
Sleep timer. After a certain time, it saves and shuts off. "Oh man, I was playing, oh well, since it is off."
Imran Siddiqui
Problem solver
MikeH II posted 11-13-98 05:56 AM ET
Unfortunately I think I would just cancel the message.
CClark posted 12-10-98 01:01 AM ET
Doesn't help with the demo, but right now my computer keeps "losing" my CD after 5 or 10 minutes. It was working up until a few days ago (and it's only a couple weeks old!) This will stop me from playing the real game for any length of time.
One way to stop playing... Get a wife. She'll kindly remind you when it's time to get some sleep. Or go to work if you take too long getting to the bedroom and find that it's locked.
Mortis posted 11-13-98 08:24 AM ET
Boskone on Toast- Not realy, I once considered the same thing, but abandoned it for two reasons.
One, i don't have the mental will power not to download the demo. And by the time you by the full game the other's will be working on their multiplayer strategies. Remember, in SMAC there are others to compete with.
Mortis posted 11-13-98 08:26 AM ET
This reminds my of a thread in the old forums: "Which forum poster would we most like to beat in multi player".
I remember I called all the people with 1000+ posts "freaks". Though where the days.
Venom posted 12-15-98 05:08 PM ET
I just won't stop. I figure a few thousand cups of coffee, some uppers, maybe some cocaine if I get really tired, and I can play until the game comes out.
Hmm, wonder what I'll do when the game comes out.
Elijazzzz posted 11-13-98 08:57 AM ET
This goes out to yyyh, how much time do you spend writing posts?, Is it some kind of contest!?!
MikeH II posted 11-13-98 09:20 AM ET
Not really we're just bored.
I've only got 120 so far which shows how busy I've been.
Tapiolan poika posted 12-09-98 03:08 PM ET
Hey, just think about your SMAC friends on the forum. That'll force you to get online, and Hey presto, you're not playing the demo any more.
Of course, the problem then is to stop surfing and go to bed...
Hmm... I think my idea needs developing.
>>Razzafrazzin' try, try again. (Sorry Mike.)<<
Corwin posted 12-10-98 12:46 AM ET
Getright has a feature to turn off computer at a given time, knowing your nature, set it up to turn after midnight every 2 minutes. That way every time you restart, it'll shut it off. Or, hire someone to knock you out at a given time, which should prevent you from playing
hmm.. Maybe take a sleeping pill before going to play SMAC, after a while even cofee won't help against it, and sleep will prevail
Centaurion posted 12-15-98 05:01 PM ET
My College class are all equipped with laptops....any ideas on how to keep me from playing? I considered having a monitor hanging on a string over my head and a candle slowly burning it....I dont know weather my teacher will aprove
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Author	Topic: Strategies for stopping playing the demo and going to bed
MikeH II	posted 11-10-98 09:28 AM ET A real world problem this. Most of us have work, school or college to go to. Anyone got any ideas that will help us stop playing the demo (when it comes out in december) and go to bed? If the demo is limited in timespan that might help. Although "Just one more turn" might turn into "Just once more through the demo" What we need is good practical suggestions for the weak willed who can't stop playing a really good game (even the demo) with will power alone. The research will also help when the game is out.
DJ RRebel	posted 11-10-98 10:09 AM ET I suggest an international year long holiday !!!
MikeH II	posted 11-10-98 10:11 AM ET You mean if you can't beat the addiction allow an overdose? I love it. Dear world leaders, Due to the imminent release of the SMAC demo we respectfully request a years holiday. Thank you, Michael Hefferan and the posters of the SMAC forums.
robotti	posted 11-10-98 10:15 AM ET Well the demo is coming out on christmas holiday time so I think there's a lot of free time to play the demo.
MikeH II	posted 11-10-98 10:23 AM ET That's a good valid point. Perhaps the title should be How to stop playing the demo in order to see your family this christmas.
BoomBoom	posted 11-10-98 10:25 AM ET Couple of possibilities: - Do it at night, after a couple of days, you'l be so tired that even coffee don't work. - Get people to ring your phone and doorbell, and tell them not to stop 'till you actually answer. - Don't buy any food, so you have to go out and get it.
DJ RRebel	posted 11-10-98 10:30 AM ET hhhmmmn .. seems to me I started a post about the x-mas vacation thingy ... I wonder what happened to it ???
DJ RRebel	posted 11-10-98 10:31 AM ET And mike, it would be easy to get the world leaders to approve, all we'd have to do is get them to play SMAC for an hour or two and they'd be hooked themselves !!! Then the world would slip into chaos and anarchy and we'd all have to fly to Alpha Centauri to escape the madness !!!
BigER	posted 11-10-98 10:34 AM ET I was thinking about taking a trip to England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland this christmas for the holiday- But since the demo is coming out I guess I'll have to stay home and play it. (So as not to interfear with the game I'll just take a three week vacation.) Or postpone my vacation until next year and when the game comes out take six weeks off to play it(Yeah that's the ticket).
DJ RRebel	posted 11-10-98 01:44 PM ET Why don't you just get a laptop ???
Yo_Yo_Yo_Hey	posted 11-10-98 05:40 PM ET We could always kidnap the SMACA & hide him for several weeks until his addiction is over. Unless the withdrawal kills him, then he could play no more SMAC. Seems like the best plan so far.... Your faithful & hell-bent NIMadier general, YYYH
SnowFire	posted 11-10-98 05:47 PM ET Fine, we'll try it out on you YYYH. I suggest QualluSMACs to drug the person to sleep. When they wake up they will be at work/school with no computer handy and tied to their chair.
Titan	posted 11-10-98 05:47 PM ET Why should we bother. If we have something more important to do, I'm sure somebody will keep on remoinding it to us untill, we will stop to play because we would be too annoyed. Or there's the much simple solution, you make an automatic robot that unplug your computer at a given hour. Vive le Qu�bec! Vive le Canada! Vive SAMC!
SnowFire	posted 11-11-98 01:06 AM ET SAMC? And quebec is evil.
Mortis	posted 11-11-98 02:14 AM ET I'm going to have a "fun time" getting the demo. I'm going to Byron Bay (this beach resort/town full of hippies and surfies) on the 8th. Althoug there will be a laptop the only way would be to look through all the game magazines that they have avalible "if any" and see if the cd enclosed contains SMAC (it better). Other wise I'll be behind everyone else in strategy.
outlyr242 the rebirth	posted 11-11-98 02:16 AM ET When the demo is released we will all download it. Slowly as others too join the downloading the first games downloaded will begin to be played. We all know that once started the game will not be stopped. As more computers play the game, the strain on the world's electrical grids will increase. Then poof poof poof all of the major cities in the world lose power. Thus the game "turns off" for us.
Steel_Dragon	posted 11-11-98 04:05 AM ET How true outlyr242 the rebirth
Boskone on Toast	posted 11-11-98 07:23 AM ET I know I may sound like a heretic but I'm not sure I want to play the demo. Will the demo spoil the excitement of playing the full, complete version for the first time? Will it be a bit like watching a movie trailer and seeing all the good bits too early? Waiting a few weeks extra weeks to play SMAC won't be so hard (I keep telling myself). Resistance is of course futile, but I'll go down fighting.....No Demo, No Demo!!!
The Thomas A Stobie	posted 11-11-98 03:27 PM ET Use Swouthwestern Bell for your local telephone service and play internet games on a rainy night. Sooner or later the line will crash, at that point go to bed.
SnowFire	posted 11-11-98 03:43 PM ET hehe. I'll remember not to use SW Bell if I ever move there, thanks for the tip TAS.
0leg	posted 11-11-98 04:13 PM ET You won't have any choice. Monopoly. Loyal SW Bell customer.
Yo_Yo_Yo_Hey	posted 11-11-98 04:33 PM ET Ahh, but I do have a choice! I just go with SNET(Southern New England Telephone), a small company here in CT, & I think RI. Reliable Internet, cheap phone rates, & it's local, no monopoly here, though they were bought out by a Texas company in June or July, & their employees were recently on strike. A loyal SNET user, YYYH
O242 2	posted 11-11-98 04:37 PM ET I remember your trials and tribulations with that strike. ahhhh memories.
Heckler	posted 11-12-98 09:04 PM ET Well for a programmer its rather simple, chose the amount of sleep you can do without and program the computer to keep track of the amount of time SMAC was run that day (reseting the clock every night at midnight) after you hit the limit it turns itself back off. When you reboot to start SMAC again it displays a "Get some sleep you zombie!" message. Heckler
Tapiolan poika	posted 12-09-98 03:07 PM ET Hey, just think about your SMAC friends on the forum. That'll force you to get online, and Hey presto, you're not playing the demo any more. Of course, the problem then is to stop surfing and go to bed... Hmm... I think my idea needs developing.
Imran Siddiqui	posted 12-09-98 05:58 PM ET Sleep timer. After a certain time, it saves and shuts off. "Oh man, I was playing, oh well, since it is off." Imran Siddiqui Problem solver
MikeH II	posted 11-13-98 05:56 AM ET Unfortunately I think I would just cancel the message.
CClark	posted 12-10-98 01:01 AM ET Doesn't help with the demo, but right now my computer keeps "losing" my CD after 5 or 10 minutes. It was working up until a few days ago (and it's only a couple weeks old!) This will stop me from playing the real game for any length of time. One way to stop playing... Get a wife. She'll kindly remind you when it's time to get some sleep. Or go to work if you take too long getting to the bedroom and find that it's locked.
Mortis	posted 11-13-98 08:24 AM ET Boskone on Toast- Not realy, I once considered the same thing, but abandoned it for two reasons. One, i don't have the mental will power not to download the demo. And by the time you by the full game the other's will be working on their multiplayer strategies. Remember, in SMAC there are others to compete with.
Mortis	posted 11-13-98 08:26 AM ET This reminds my of a thread in the old forums: "Which forum poster would we most like to beat in multi player". I remember I called all the people with 1000+ posts "freaks". Though where the days.
Venom	posted 12-15-98 05:08 PM ET I just won't stop. I figure a few thousand cups of coffee, some uppers, maybe some cocaine if I get really tired, and I can play until the game comes out. Hmm, wonder what I'll do when the game comes out.
Elijazzzz	posted 11-13-98 08:57 AM ET This goes out to yyyh, how much time do you spend writing posts?, Is it some kind of contest!?!
MikeH II	posted 11-13-98 09:20 AM ET Not really we're just bored. I've only got 120 so far which shows how busy I've been.
Tapiolan poika	posted 12-09-98 03:08 PM ET Hey, just think about your SMAC friends on the forum. That'll force you to get online, and Hey presto, you're not playing the demo any more. Of course, the problem then is to stop surfing and go to bed... Hmm... I think my idea needs developing. >>Razzafrazzin' try, try again. (Sorry Mike.)<<
Corwin	posted 12-10-98 12:46 AM ET Getright has a feature to turn off computer at a given time, knowing your nature, set it up to turn after midnight every 2 minutes. That way every time you restart, it'll shut it off. Or, hire someone to knock you out at a given time, which should prevent you from playing hmm.. Maybe take a sleeping pill before going to play SMAC, after a while even cofee won't help against it, and sleep will prevail
Centaurion	posted 12-15-98 05:01 PM ET My College class are all equipped with laptops....any ideas on how to keep me from playing? I considered having a monitor hanging on a string over my head and a candle slowly burning it....I dont know weather my teacher will aprove