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Geek Culture / Mysterious Disappearance of MathEngine Inc...

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Shadow Robert
22
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Joined: 22nd Sep 2002
Location: Hertfordshire, England
Posted: 19th Jul 2003 05:01
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now some of you may know the MathEngine Inc is the company behind the Karma Dynamics&Physics Engine...
what some of you might also be away is that their website is down.

http://www.mathengine.com

at first i though this was just another hack attempt and the site was taken down for security. then i started to think that perhaps they've had a server crash.

well i've tried emailing them, and i've had not response. which oki isn't so weird, especially if thier Server is down. But here's the weird thing... i've phoned them to finally find out what the heck is going on - and the line is no longer in service.
So i've talked to a few mates and they've also heard no word from them (including a mate who's in a partnership company with them).

its like they've just dropped of the face of the earth.
unfortunately they're studio is in Canada so there isn't much chance of popping by to find out what exactly has happened. But its just weird how they just seem to have gone "poof!"

even more worrying is that i've not yet signed the license agreement for DarkKarma ... so legally i'm unsure to where this leaves me, i mean should i release? should i not release?
can i charge or shouldn't i?

surely someone out there must know just what the hell is going on with them.
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Rob K
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Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
Posted: 19th Jul 2003 05:05
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Maybe they were brought by another company?


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Shadow Robert
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Posted: 19th Jul 2003 05:16
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maybe, but even so usually you have a notice on the site that says "MathEngine is currently down..." or something.

i mean Blaxxun-AG's website was still up with the latest headline saying "Sorry guys but we've gone bankrupt, service will be resumed when new management is appointed"

lol seemed kinda sureal to me at the time - but most companys put warnings up

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The Game
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Joined: 22nd Dec 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 19th Jul 2003 05:53
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This may help answer that question.

http://www.frictionlessinsight.com/Archive/Weekof2003_06_29.htm

Here's what it says

"Criterion Buys Realistic Bouncing 7/3/03

Criterion Software, a maker of middleware products, has completed its acquisition of MathEngine's physics intellectual property. That is to say, rather than buying MathEngine outright, Criterion acquired the specific assets in which it was interested (which probably constitute substantially all of the company assets anyway). The notion is to integrate MathEngine's product in with Criterion's existing suite of tools. Criterion suggested it is likely to bring some of the MathEngine folks over as employees, but the specifics have yet to be worked out."

I am the game and I want to play.
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Easily Confused
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Location: U.K. Earth. (turn right at Venus)
Posted: 19th Jul 2003 05:55
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Dang! I was just about to post something similar

Programming anything is an art, and you can't rush art.
Unless your name is Bob Ross, then you can do it in thirty minutes.
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Dave J
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Location: Secret Military Pub, Down Under
Posted: 19th Jul 2003 07:35
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Me too lol

"Computers are useless they can only give you answers."
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Shadow Robert
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Posted: 19th Jul 2003 08:01
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thought so... so the question now stands, what does this mean for Karma?
i have the entire SDK sitting on my HDD, although i've not released my titles i've paid for one of them ... and if MathEngine Inc is no longer available this would make thier contracts null&void.

althought Criterion Studios have bought the technologies rights, without buying the entire package... well this means essentially i can do whatever i like with my current version of Karma, plus i have the version from prior to thier aquisition.
sooo, really i could now legally update this SDK Intefaces ... and carry on with Karma - in a legal sense.

and as they never signed the contract for my KarmaFX, well that means that still is mine outright. :: rubs hands together ::

ohhh this is gonna be such an interesting year for me

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Dave J
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Posted: 19th Jul 2003 09:17
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o_O

"Computers are useless they can only give you answers."
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