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Well now, can interesting things stop appearing when I am asleep please!

On USC and Team Meat's Super Meat Boy
It seems Canonical have done a bit of a boo-boo here in the way of selling Super Meat Boy without Team Meat's permission and not paying them for it either.
I point you to this post on Edmund's (Team Meat) formspring where a user asks about the availability issues of Buinding of Isaac (Not directly a Team Meat game but by one of the guys) on the Ubuntu Software Centre:

QuoteYou said the game was rejected by the UbuntuSC guys, how comes that with the Humble Bundle 7 they claim "We're sorry that Binding of Issac [...] are not available. [...] the authors of Binding of Issac declined to make their game available and we respect"

And Ed's response:
QuoteThey are just trying to save face. they rejected isaac a while ago because its content "wasnt a good fit for the Ubuntu store" then changed their tune once they found out how popular it was and that it was a part of the HIB.

but since they are going out of their way to try and avoid the fact that they rejected isaac, ill also make public the 2nd reason why isaac isnt in their store.

Last year Ubuntu added Super Meat Boy to their store without our written permission and sold it for a full year without paying us. we didnt find this out till a few months ago and had to contact them directly about it in order to get our payment.... i dont trust or respect their actions and wont be working with them ever again.

i was trying to be cool about it but if they want to publicly state that i declined their offer to sell Isaac in their store without context to why.. then ill go public with my VERY valid reasons.

feel free to re-post this message or link this to any one who might be misinformed, im not a fan of being made to look like an asshole when my reasons are quite valid.


So the USC was selling and not paying all without permission.

The problem I have with this is that it isn't the first time a game on Humble Bundle has had issues, Steel Storm developer had a bad experience being in a Bundle (see my interview with the developer for confirmation) and his game was for sale on Humble store without his permission as well (see here about humble store where motorsep in the comments wasn't happy).
Although guys from Humble did come here and clear it up for the developer that time around.

So could it have been part of their contract with Humble Bundle that the games go on the USC and Team Meat didn't know? Apparently Ed was aware of this earlier and did not react to it so he is not void of blame but still Canonical should not have assumed anything and just put it up.

I personally think all parties share blame in that.

Tommy from Team Meat and Linux
This is nothing to do with the above but since original article is about Team Meat I want to just highlight this as well.

The second problem I have is that Tommy (1 part of Team Meat) has been very vocal about Linux in the past with comments from them such as:
QuoteWe're never doing Linux because that's dumb. I don't care what anybody says, nobody plays games on Linux.

That quote is from an old podcast from RoboAwesome.

and

This is from a podcast they did that I can't seem to get a hold of (source link) so he doesn't care about Linux or open source:
QuoteNo one gets the source. I don't care.

Movie references then later
QuoteNo, fuck that. The source belongs to me, alright. So open source, no way. Linux, Linux can fuck off for all I care.

Should we be supporting people like that?

Let us not forget Tommy doesn't care about security either when they linked their mysql connection information to Super Meat Boy (source here) and didn't care when someone pulled them up on it to help them secure it:
QuoteYou are not showing me anything I don't already know.


Not massive issue as you couldn't delete entries but to have that kind of attitude towards a helpful customer...

Just be aware the Linux versions aren't done by either of them but by Humble as well and here may be the reason why it's not in-house porting:
QuoteBut Linux... I can't wait for some Linux programmer guy to e-mail me and say "I'll port this for free", because I already have the e-mail already written that I'm going to send back to him, and basically tell him to fuck off, indefinitely.

Another quote from Tommy. Even though eventually they let icculus port Super Meat Boy for the Humble Bundle...

I have a real problem with people like that, I understand people can change their minds (I have reached out to him via twitter to see if he still thinks this way) but those comments are over the top. Just be aware all the "bad" comments are Tommy not Edmund.

What do you think? I just hope he regrets those comments and thinks a little more highly of Linux nowadays.

Article updated to separate the issues and for links about the Steel Storm issues.

I will try to be more neutral in future. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Misc
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51 comments
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toor Dec 23, 2012
… what can you do about it, there are intelligent, open-minded and respectful people in the word. And then there are others.
This guy doesn't take many risk acting as a jerk about linux gaming and philosophy, because it's marginal.
Humble Buyer Dec 23, 2012
I now feel bad for giving them their share of money in the humble bundles i bought.
Next time if they are going to be on a humble indie bundle i'll make sure that neither me or any of my friends will let some money go to these clowns.
You don't want my money? Fine, so you don't get it.
I wish them good luck with their carreer if this is how they treath their customers.
Anon Dec 23, 2012
Also, he's stated already that they noticed some time back but didn't act upon it. Which means that they are as much at fault here.

And here's some more: [URL='http://4ms.me/UT3Vu6']http://4ms.me/UT3Vu6 [/URL]http://4ms.me/VZUatf
Vadim Dec 23, 2012
Essentially, it's the same issue as it was with Steel-Storm - it was a misunderstanding and the dev instead of directly contacting the maintainers just decided to go screaming about it.
alexThunder Dec 23, 2012
Well, Tommy is same guy, who said, that every triple A game is shit.

You should just ignore him. Stupid people only keep on yelling crap as long someone listens.

But back to topic:

WTF? Did Canonical keep all the money from the SMB sales? And is the rejection of Isaac really because it "wasnt a good fit for the Ubuntu store", or is it just what Edmund thinks?

I really hope Canonical can clearify things.
Anon Dec 23, 2012
WTF? Did Canonical keep all the money from the SMB sales? And is the rejection of Isaac really because it "wasnt a good fit for the Ubuntu store", or is it just what Edmund thinks?

I really hope Canonical can clearify things.


Here's what I can tell so far - Isaac was submitted around the same time it was in the Voxatron debut, because it wasn't good enough - which is true if you think about the quality of the port and the fact that it's barely playable on Linux. Edmund has kept a grudge ever since about this, but wanted to give it a try with SMB when they were included in HIBV. Humble provided Canonical all the games and further info, and Canonical was further contacted by most of the devs about the inclusion, which meant it all worked out. The ones that didn't contact them were Team Meat - they expressed interest, but for whatever reason thought that Canonical would come to them.

Now at this point Canonical must have misunderstood the deal that was made, in the sense that Humble actually has already pretty much gotten the devs to agree to this. What actually happened was different, but because of this Canonical put it on the USC. Now where the sales money went is still unclear, I'd wait regarding this until proper statements.

Now, before the following part happens, Edmund finds out that SMB is on the USC. He doesn't act upon it though.

Fast-forward a few months and we've got HIB7, again the same deal is made, however one can assume that in the mean time Canonical has learned more. Now again, all the devs agree, except for Team Meat, which this time did get in contact with Canonical, once again not telling them they don't actually have the agreement. Canonical puts a little statement below the page for redeeming about why DD and BoI isn't there. Edmund thinks they're trying to put the blame on him and reveals they're not allowed to distribute SMB. Canonical has since pulled SMB, since they finally are actually aware this has happened.

That's what more or less has went down. I assume that since then, Edmund has gotten in contact with Canonical (for once) and they're trying to clear the issues up.

And here's my thoughts - all three parties (Team Meat, Canonical, Humble) are in some way responsible for this. Team Meat however hasn't really helped this by handling it like this instead of actually trying to solve the issue. Obviously Canonical didn't handle it too well by assuming, but I'd jot that up to a misunderstanding and inexperience with this sort of thing. I hope this can be soon resolved, for the sake of all the sides.
Bumadar Dec 23, 2012
Liam, your sort of doing 2 things in this post which you should not mix imho.

1 USC sold a game it was not allowed
2 Tommy does not like Linux and what it stands for but hib converted the game

those are separate issues, the 1st is simply wrong by USC and it does not mater if it happen to a pro or non-pro linux person, the 2nd is 1 persons opinion about Linux and the fact that to get onto hib he forgot all those things :)
alexThunder Dec 23, 2012
A nice summary about what (probably) happened.


Thanks for that.

Still, Edmund's "wasnt a good fit for the Ubuntu store" worries me. Didn't it fit, because of it's quality or is Canonical going to be a dictator of taste (like Apple)?
dimko Dec 23, 2012
i think i shall be careful to avoid this prick in future.
i suggest you not support them in the future too.
Anon Dec 23, 2012
Liam, your sort of doing 2 things in this post which you should not mix imho.

1 USC sold a game it was not allowed
2 Tommy does not like Linux and what it stands for but hib converted the game

those are separate issues, the 1st is simply wrong by USC and it does not mater if it happen to a pro or non-pro linux person, the 2nd is 1 persons opinion about Linux and the fact that to get onto hib he forgot all those things :)


What needs to be remembered about 2 is that they still didn't care in the least afterwards, did not distribute their port anywhere (until USC) and did not even bother to get it fixed, since it still doesn't have the community feature working.

And the situation with USC is still unclear, obviously.
Hyeron Dec 23, 2012
So basically Team Meat doesn't give a fuck about GNU/Linux, Canonical doesn't give a fuck about Team Meat.
Good thing I don't give a fuck about any of them. xD

That Team Meat are pricks, unworthy of support and bad developers aren't exactly news either.
That Canonical are pricks, unworthy of supp... Oh wait.
Anyway, this just made my day. Thanks for the report. :D
Liam Dawe Dec 23, 2012
Liam, your sort of doing 2 things in this post which you should not mix imho.

1 USC sold a game it was not allowed
2 Tommy does not like Linux and what it stands for but hib converted the game

those are separate issues, the 1st is simply wrong by USC and it does not mater if it happen to a pro or non-pro linux person, the 2nd is 1 persons opinion about Linux and the fact that to get onto hib he forgot all those things :)


Yeah it could have been split but since it's all based around a similar thing i thought it was worth putting it together. Will look at splitting the article itself to indicate the separate issues though :)

Edit > Added headings :)

Article Updated to include links to show info about Steel Storm developer being unhappy with Humble. Also updated to include a note under second heading that it's not directly related to the first one. In future I will just split articles.

Also note Team Meat aren't pricks since it's two people, Tommy the programmer is the one stated making the horrible Linux comments, according to cheeseness Edmund is actually alright.
sobkas Dec 23, 2012
Yeah it could have been split but since it's all based around a similar thing i thought it was worth putting it together. Will look at splitting the article itself to indicate the separate issues though :)

Edit > Added headings :)

Article Updated to include links to show info about Steel Storm developer being unhappy with Humble. Also updated to include a note under second heading that it's not directly related to the first one. In future I will just split articles.

Also note Team Meat aren't pricks since it's two people, Tommy the programmer is the douche making the horrible Linux comments, according to cheeseness Edmund is actually alright.

Yeah it could have been split but since it's all based around a similar thing i thought it was worth putting it together. Will look at splitting the article itself to indicate the separate issues though


There is more clarification in this post:
http://www.formspring.me/EdmundM/q/406960226210700795

This article is an disgrace. I'm ashamed by reading this thing on gamingonlinux. Not only it's ad hominem it is a stupid one.

I think that attack on Tommys character was completely unnecessary, after all, it doesn't matter if he likes Linux or not. The problem at hand is the fact that Canonical profited from distribution of copyrighted material without permission of the owner. Painting Tommy(and Team Meat as collateral) as Linux enemy doesn't change that. Furthermore for me, it feels like attempt to smear the blame on all people involved(to lessen the blame on Canonical). It feels like a try to portrait Team Meat claims as an attack of malicious outsider on the one of us(Canonical).
It reeks with "us vs. them" mentality and it only widens gap between game developers and linux community.

I'm sorry for this harsh words but I felt so outraged by this article that I couldn't stay silent.
Liam Dawe Dec 23, 2012
So an article is a disgrace for calling out a Game Developer for harsh statements on Linux for them to then have their games on Linux? Sorry but I feel there was a need for this to be pointed out but you are free to disagree such is the way of the internet. People should not support or applaud someone who makes such comments about open source and Linux....to then join in and support it by having their games on it.

Also this was not about removing blame from Canonical at all, if you think they are 100% to blame for this you are disillusioned sorry to say but it's true. Ed said in his own words he know about it a while ago and did nothing about the game being on USC.
i brushed it aside a few months ago when we found out

Yes it's really all Canonical's fault isn't it! Considering he also stated HIB are the ones that send the builds to Ubuntu but they should get no blame? Right...

It is not an "attack" on his (Tommy's) character at all, ALL I have done is quote his words word for word on what he has said, point me to where I have made something up to attack him with?

Oh as for "ad hominem" looking up the definition "Attacking an opponent's motives or character rather than the policy or position they maintain", Tommy's position was perfectly clear - he gave Linux the finger...or where my direct quotes from him made up?

GOL is my personal website, Editorials are my opinion so of course it will have all of my emotions in them when someone attacks Linux and then puts his games on it to reap rewards from us. Maybe I should rename "Editorials" to "My Opinion" to be clearer...or just stay away from anything other than new games and updates?

Post edited a few times to get my message across clearer.
Hyeron Dec 23, 2012
GOL is my personal website, Editorials are my opinion so of course it will have all of my emotions in them when someone attacks Linux and then puts his games on it to reap rewards from us. Maybe I should rename "Editorials" to "My Opinion" to be clearer...or just stay away from anything other than new games and updates?


editorial

noun
Definition of EDITORIAL

: a newspaper or magazine article that gives the opinions of the [URL='http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/editors']editors[/URL] or publishers; also : an expression of opinion that resembles such an article editorial>

*shrug*
Liam Dawe Dec 23, 2012
Thank you I gave it the right heading anyway then.

Well not bad took 3 years to get such a bad comment!
Liam Dawe Dec 23, 2012
I take all comments on board though especially bad ones, I will look at things from a more neutral perspective in future (I did try to with this article it's why i didn't say the SMB was anyones sole fault) and not comment so much if someone bad mouths Linux that way I can try to not upset anyone.

Anyway back to normal hihohiho off to find news I go...
Hamish Dec 23, 2012
*bashes head into the desk a couple of times*
Anon Dec 23, 2012
Oh my.

Well, at least it was nipped in the bud (more or less) and didn't turn into that thing that happened here once. You know the one.
Bumadar Dec 23, 2012
*bashes head into the desk a couple of times*

hrhr
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