Arrrghhhh!!

[Moleculor]

Ok. I bought Uplink on Steam. I've played twice now, the first time around I waited so long to go tracking down the Revelation Core v0.7 file that the PC itself was removed by ARC. Got told by some people on the IRC channel that I waited too long, and missed out on the entire story line.

So I started robbing banks until I got caught.

Then I played it a second time. Again, went through the game, robbed someone for 0.9 million, then tracked down the Revelation Core v0.7 file. Got the email from ARC, but since I didn't want to be a bad guy, I didn't reply, and waited for the virus attack on Arunmor to occur, because I knew that the news flash would come with an email address I could contact if I wanted to help out.

News flash happened. I emailed the email address and... it bounced.

WTF?!

So I go digging around for a walkthrough online. I HATE doing this, but it seemed like the only solution.

Oh. Hello. Apparently I'm supposed to email ARC to contact Arunmor? And I'm supposed to do it within a certain, unmentioned timelimit? DoubleWTF?!

I realize this game is ancient, but can't there be an alternative? Like, actually doing what the news flash says? It says I get a 25000 reward for emailing them info that might help, and hey, the email doesn't work. And I can't apparently start the 'good' storyline if I don't email the evil guys?

Any possibility of 'fixing' this at all? Or am I going to have to go through the game -again- and have play the game the only way thought of by the designers. (Don't get me wrong, it's kinda quirky fun, but if the game says I can email someone, I should be able to.)

[xyzyxx]

You're not supposed to know that ARC are bad guys. You should naturally want to see what they want to offer you. Then after that, you get a counter-offer from Arunmor (the good guys) and then you choose which to follow.

Also, the game always bounces emails you send. Only replies to emails you recieve are counted as valid email messages. Kinda strage, but not many complaints about this have been made.

[Darksun]

You're not supposed to know that ARC are bad guys. You should naturally want to see what they want to offer you. Then after that, you get a counter-offer from Arunmor (the good guys) and then you choose which to follow.

ARC are the good guys! Arunmor are the bad guys.

[Montyphy]

ARC develops Revelation and Arunmor develops Faith. Good and bad depends on your perception of the situation

[Darksun]

ARC is trying to overthrow the oppressive Big Brother-like society. Arunmor is trying to preserve it in the interests of Capitalism.

[Montyphy]

ARC is trying to destroy private property and the internet. Arunmour are trying to prevent them.

Like I said, perception, or rather, perspective.

[Darksun]

Montyphy will be first against the wall when the revolution comes!

[Montyphy]

I never said ARC were bad. I only pointed out the other view point. I'll happily think along your lines when ARC manage to outbid Arumour for my services.

[Immortius]

Darwin Industries is the true enemy. Their experiments in Artificial Life will be the end of us all!

[Montyphy]

Darwin Industries is the true enemy. Their experiments in Artificial Life will be the end of us all!

Just send a few emails with Revelation attached to their servers. Problem sorted.

[Moleculor]

Ok.

Even if ARC is good and Arunmor is evil, you shouldn't have to talk to the good guy for the evil people to talk to you.

Also, if there's a time limit on accepting the offer, the email should say so.

The expected behaviour should be I get TWO emails, one from ARC, the other from Arunmor, and BOTH should mention the time limit.

[Montyphy]

Even if ARC is good and Arunmor is evil, you shouldn't have to talk to the good guy for the evil people to talk to you.

Why would the "evil" want to contact you if the "good" haven't? Its not like you would have anything interesting. And before you claim you have received Revelation via other means, surely its possible to assume they aren't interested in you because they got it from someone else.

[Immortius]

And even if you think ARC is "evil", it's only sensible to work for them to find out information, etc, before backstabbing them.

[Mas Tnega]

Oh. Hello. Apparently I'm supposed to email ARC to contact Arunmor?

If you think about what your character knows, it's the most natural course of action. If you don't submit to their will, how will you find anything out? As far as you should know, this is your only chance. In reality, it is your only chance.

And I'm supposed to do it within a certain, unmentioned timelimit? DoubleWTF?!

Again, ARC's people being methods in some code run by a machine with a theoretically infinite patience is not something your character knows. As such, you shouldn't act on contrary knowledge.

[Moleculor]

Even if ARC is good and Arunmor is evil, you shouldn't have to talk to the good guy for the evil people to talk to you.

Why would the "evil" want to contact you if the "good" haven't?

Because... they... have? I have the email sitting right here. See? *points* It's the email ARC sends you no matter what. They contacted me. See?

Its not like you would have anything interesting. And before you claim you have received Revelation via other means, surely its possible to assume they aren't interested in you because they got it from someone else.

Ah, but they don't. I remember very distinctly that Faith only gets as far as 0.2 if you don't successfully manage to activate the storyline within the timelimit.

Again, ARC's people being methods in some code run by a machine with a theoretically infinite patience is not something your character knows. As such, you shouldn't act on contrary knowledge.

Right, but Arunmor never succeeds in improving Faith. They can't without my help, and I should be able to offer that help even once Revelation reaches 3.0.

Also, when the entire rest of the game, from news bulletins to emails from Uplink tell me to avoid ARC at all costs, I don't exactly feel comfortable contacting them. Sure, NOW I know, but only because I looked up a walkthrough.