Mac TOMI is Adware that doesn't quit

I paid of the TOMI series for Mac but I have a few complaints.

1. They don't have sensible defaults. Moreover I have to change the graphics settings for every chapter- why not share that information? Also, what's with the cinema bars? let me use my full screen please. Thanks!

2. That *$%#!@ pop-up where I have to click "Launch-Game". First off, I pay by the MB on an expensive 3g network. What a pain to have to remember to disconnect before I launch so YOU don't waste my dollars. At the very least there must be an option to turn that popup off.

3. I paid for adware? What's with the pop-up ad for ttg every time I exit. There a big [expletive] Buy Now button. Pop-under ads are kind of 1990, every HATES that. Everyone. At the very least there should be a "never show this again checkbox"

4. And a quit button. I don't know about the other versions but the Mac version is missing a quit button on the dirty sinful pop-under ad. Moreover you forgot to include quit in the program menu, at least in ch 5, and you didn't link Command-Q to quit. Very un-maclike. At least it's a very easy fix. I've been force-quitting. Command-W also doesn't work. I didn't even realize the close button does because I just always use the keyboard and no other program I have ever ever ever encountered has this issue. I could click the close button...if my cursor didn't disappear.

So you can see that that little bastard pop-under is causing a lot of issues. At the very least you need a user option for disabling it. I would recommend killing it completely. If you must have ads put a one-line-of-text vertical headline scroller on the main menu of the game. Include an option to disable it.

If you plan on updating the game to remove the in-your-face-uncloseable ads
then all is well, I'm happy you're responsive to feedback. If not consider this my request for a refund as I paid you for a game, not a billboard. Of course, you can PM me or email me if need be.

Cheers,
Ed

Comments

  • edited June 2010
    Sheesh.
  • edited June 2010
    Control Q and that sort of thing is ancient, since the time of doss games on the PC. I think you can exit TMI from a in game menu...That's the way it works on PC, I think.

    I don't see TTG changing this, they are a real company, not some freeware company that's going to solely offer you services and give you your dream mod of the game. They work with Lucas Arts....

    I'm sorry you're frustrated, hopefully some one can offer you solutions to your problems.
  • edited June 2010
    I don't see them getting rid of the Start-up ad banner, but i don't really mind it. It's internet usage is minimal, and it isn't annoying like Steam's is (Steam update news, plus it takes you straight to the shop on bootup)
  • edited June 2010
    Friar wrote: »
    I don't see them getting rid of the Start-up ad banner, but i don't really mind it. It's internet usage is minimal, and it isn't annoying like Steam's is (Steam update news, plus it takes you straight to the shop on bootup)
    You can turn Steam's update news off in the settings, where you can also set which page you want Steam to start on. 'View'->'Settings', then look around :)
  • edited June 2010
    Edified wrote: »
    1. They don't have sensible defaults. Moreover I have to change the graphics settings for every chapter- why not share that information? Also, what's with the cinema bars? let me use my full screen please. Thanks!

    Each resolution has an icon to the left showing if it'll be widescreen w/ bars or w/o bars.
  • edited June 2010
    It is kind of odd that the settings aren't carried over between episodes, since Sam & Max season 2 did this.

    EDIT: Wait, I got mixed up. It was Strong Bad that didn't carry over the settings between episodes, Monkey Island did do it for me.
  • edited June 2010
    It carried over for TOMI as well for me.
  • edited June 2010
    Just to note as well, TOMI is made in a 16:9 Ratio, so if you're on a resolution other than that, you're gonna get black bars, same with SOMI: SE.
  • edited June 2010
    Giant Tope wrote: »
    It carried over for TOMI as well for me.

    Me too
  • edited June 2010
    I totally hate the "Buy Now" button when you close the game. And the launcher is just a big advert.

    I agree, it feels a bit like Adware. I didn't feel that secure after buying TOMI Episode 1, but I'm kinda used to it now.

    But about your other issues:

    MAC SUCKS! GET IT FOR PC YOU NOOB!
  • edited June 2010
    It doesn't feel like Adware to me, it feels like a recommendation, much like Amazon showing me other things I might like when I've completed my purchase.

    It's not like they're adverts for other companies' products, just other Telltale games that are incidentally the same genre and team of designers as the one you bought.

    I can however understand your issue with not being able to close the popup / popunder, I hope that gets resolved for Mac users.
  • edited June 2010
    Amazon has recommended titles before you buy. It doesn't pop up twice every time you play.

    I really don't like it. It does feel like adware. The steam versions don't have it though, so next time just load em through Steam instead of getting em off Telltale.
  • edited June 2010
    Fury wrote: »
    Amazon has recommended titles before you buy. It doesn't pop up twice every time you play.

    I really don't like it. It does feel like adware. The steam versions don't have it though, so next time just load em through Steam instead of getting em off Telltale.

    Well, it also pops up with every item you add something to your basket ("Customers who bought this item also looked at...")
  • edited June 2010
    I hate when amazon does that I could care less what other ppl look at
  • edited June 2010
    Asking for a refund because of a launcher and an ad after you quit the game? Really?

    picard-facepalm.jpg
  • edited June 2010
    Ash735 wrote: »
    Just to note as well, TOMI is made in a 16:9 Ratio, so if you're on a resolution other than that, you're gonna get black bars, same with SOMI: SE.

    This. The game itself is widescreen, so if your monitor is not, you don't want to "use your whole screen". If you did, the sides would be cut off. When you see those black bars, it means *nothing* is cut off.
  • edited June 2010
    Regarding the ads being like Amazon suggestions:
    Amazon's suggestions are inline and when you close the window to do something else, they go away. Imagine if they triggered a popup or pop-under every time you added or viewed a product. There's a reason popup blockers exist...

    It's especially bad that it's after the "Are you sure you want to quit?" dialog, which in itself is redundant- who clicks that accidentally?

    Regarding being able to quit the ads properly:
    There is a properly keybound quit menu item when you first launch the game but it does not persist after you have played and click the quit. This isn't an OS fault, it's an application bug.

    Additionally the pop-up at startup (the one where they think I might want to do something besides "Launch Game") will hang the app if there is an active network interface that doesn't have access to their servers (Intranet, blocked DNS, 3g disconnected). It's not like the internet is needed for gameplay, why should the app hang, yucky.

    Regarding black bars
    The game supports certain fixed aspect ratios. My screen, 16:10, a very common ratio, doesn't have a native option. The closest is an even wider 16:9.

    I thought we all discovered that people have different monitors with different aspect ratios. It's not like the game is a movie with pre-rendered pixels. It's on a 3d engine- how hard is is to support the users native aspect ratio, especially anywhere between 16:9 and 4:3. The only reasons I can think of is laziness or hurriedness.

    I think we all agree that episodic games should be smart enough to share settings between episodes on the same computer, same user.

    Regarding being a noob
    Thanks! That's the cutest thing I've heard all day :o

    Regarding a refund
    The best way to vote is with your dollars. As I said in my original post I'd also be totally happy if they fixed these simple issues, even just making the adware optional instead of removing it. It would also be super nice to not have to deal with activation- I'm pretty sure everyone has decided that's a bad idea too.

    It's not like a refund is a GRAVE request. Frankly it's probably cheaper for them to do refunds than to fix these issues. But I sure hope TTG chooses to make excellent software instead.

    To their credit they seem to have allowed critical feedback on their forums- hopefully that doesn't mean their not listening . . . *hopes for developer response*
  • edited June 2010
    Edified wrote: »
    Regarding black bars
    The game supports certain fixed aspect ratios. My screen, 16:10, a very common ratio, doesn't have a native option. The closest is an even wider 16:9.

    I thought we all discovered that people have different monitors with different aspect ratios. It's not like the game is a movie with pre-rendered pixels. It's on a 3d engine- how hard is is to support the users native aspect ratio, especially anywhere between 16:9 and 4:3. The only reasons I can think of is laziness or hurriedness.

    I think we all agree that episodic games should be smart enough to share settings between episodes on the same computer, same user.

    Hate to tell you this, but 16:10 is actually a pretty non-standard aspect ratio for HD monitors. It is also close enough to 16:9 as to be virtually indistinguishable. If it is for some reason distorted in wide-screen, choose one of the non wide-screen resolutions.

    Also, I've never had to switch settings between separate games in one season, they have always been saved. Maybe they aren't on Macs?

    I do agree that the launcher and ad after quitting are irritating and unnecessary, but I guess it's all part of the new age of internet integration into everything. Sometimes makes me pine for the days of the BBS. The total data transfer is probably less than 50kb though, since that seems to be your main concern...

    All of that said, if you're really on a 3g network that demands a pound of flesh for your bandwidth use, you'd probably be better off spending it actually e-mailing Telltale than posting here and hoping a dev notices.
  • edited June 2010
    KuroShiro wrote: »
    Hate to tell you this, but 16:10 is actually a pretty non-standard aspect ratio for HD monitors. It is also close enough to 16:9 as to be virtually indistinguishable. If it is for some reason distorted in wide-screen, choose one of the non wide-screen resolutions.
    Not true. 16:10 is better for computers while 16:9 is the standard for TVs. I use a 16:10 monitor, and IIRC ToMI does have my native resolution (1680x1050). Just about all the other games in the world do, too. It's pretty common.
  • edited June 2010
    I have 16:10. It's the new standard over here in Aus, I dunno about overseas.

    But TOMI worked on my front PC.

    The only problem I had was that it didn't work properly on 1440x900 on my back computer, that was for episode 5 because my front PC broke due to the harddrive failing, and HP taking 9 weeks to fix THE FUCKING THING!

    I had to run it at a low resolution at non fullscreen, because it couldnt handle widescreen well.

    But if you bump it up to max it's fine on PC. I have no idea aboot Mac.
  • edited June 2010
    I had to turn down all my settings to play it but I really enjoyed playing TMI on my PC
  • edited June 2010
    My monitor has 1440x900 resolution and ToMI had black bars on it.
  • edited June 2010
    Fury wrote: »
    MAC SUCKS! GET IT FOR PC YOU NOOB!

    This.

    Also, if the OP really hates the Launcher and the ads associated with it (which imo is a stupid thing to be mad about,) then BUY THE DVD AND PLAY IT WITH THAT.

    Really... -.- they have to have SOME form of DRM, and the download's launcher is what checks to make sure you've unlocked the game. I find the launcher to be far less intrusive than having to insert a disc every time I play.

    Big whiny baby is what I say to the OP.
  • edited June 2010
    You know there is a way to present complaints and respond to these threads in a polite fashion. Name calling or using the caps lock to make it seem like you're shouting to the top of your lungs really doesn't solve anything, it just makes you like the OP you are insulting.
  • edited June 2010
    Fury wrote: »
    I have 16:10. It's the new standard over here in Aus, I dunno about overseas.

    No it's not, 16:10 if anything is a COMPUTER standard, it's not a TV standard, any TV sold with a 16:10 panel is just retarded as all HDTV and Widescreen Animorphic SD is 16:9, that's the world standard for that, having a 16:10 as a TV would always mean Black Bars on top and bottom or pixel stretching, which in both cases, doesn't improve the image.
    thin029 wrote: »
    My monitor has 1440x900 resolution and ToMI had black bars on it.

    That's because it's a 16:10 ratio, Tales is 16:9.
  • edited June 2010
    Name calling or using the caps lock to make it seem like you're shouting to the top of your lungs really doesn't solve anything, it just makes you like the OP you are insulting.

    As was my intent in displaying annoyance. The OP has no intention of liking Telltale Games. They just want to complain, and are not interested in actually fixing the problem. They're registering a very lengthy complaint about something that is inconsequential (and non existent on the DVD,) and accusing TTG of installing adware on peoples machines, when obviously the launcher is just part of the DRM and Telltale would be foolish not to have DRM. Besides that, if he doesn't want the game's launcher to access the net, he can tell his firewall to block it.

    Also, I don't know of any recent games that can be exited just from a keyboard shortcut like Ctrl+Q. As was said earlier, that is an antiquated ability from back in the days of DOS.

    Suffice it to say I really do thing he's just whining for the sake of it and making a mountain out of a molehill, so I feel no guilt in calling him a big whiny baby because that's what he is. It's not that I have no regard for other people's opinions, but rather that I think this is dumb thing to hate Telltale for. All of their downloadable games have launchers, and all of their downloadable games are going to have launchers, as well they should. Telltale can put ads on the launchers if they want. It's not a browser popup, and besides firewalls can block that. The OP should get over it.


    Besides all this, why am I the one getting called out for publicly displaying annoyance, when there are others on here who display the same, even by showing facepalm images?
  • edited June 2010
    Chyron8472 wrote: »
    As was my intent in displaying annoyance. The OP has no intention of liking Telltale Games. They just want to complain, and are not interested in actually fixing the problem. They're registering a very lengthy complaint about something that is inconsequential (and non existent on the DVD,) and accusing TTG of installing adware on peoples machines, when obviously the launcher is just part of the DRM and Telltale would be foolish not to have DRM. Besides that, if he doesn't want the game's launcher to access the net, he can tell his firewall to block it.

    Also, I don't know of any recent games that can be exited just from a keyboard shortcut like Ctrl+Q. As was said earlier, that is an antiquated ability from back in the days of DOS.

    Suffice it to say I really do thing he's just whining for the sake of it and making a mountain out of a molehill, so I feel no guilt in calling him a big whiny baby because that's what he is. It's not that I have no regard for other people's opinions, but rather that I think this is dumb thing to hate Telltale for. All of their downloadable games have launchers, and all of their downloadable games are going to have launchers, as well they should. Telltale can put ads on the launchers if they want. It's not a browser popup, and besides firewalls can block that. The OP should get over it.

    I understand that, but simply posting the first paragraph from the selection I quoted from you is so much more effective than insults. Even if you did present an argument along with the insult, the insult brings down the effectiveness of the argument a little in the perspective of the op. Your argument against the OP is compelling and intelligent and this would show him just how invalid his complaints really are. Insults directed towards him will only get him angry and not see beyond the complaint and the compelling argument beyond or before it because the insult has made him too angry and prideful to agree with anyone. I can understand why you would get angry at his argument, but just posting an intelligent counter argument will make him shut up much faster and effectively than an insult. Ironically, polite and intelligent arguments are the perfect way to get someone who is being impolite and illogical to shut up. That was the point I was just trying to make.

    Also, I was not specifically calling you out, that is why I didn't quote you when I first brought this up. Even so, it doesn't change the fact that some people need to realize that insults will do little to nothing to make someone who is being vulgar and irrational come to their senses and see other's points of views.
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