What's new at Mandate Mania

06/01/00

I have been playing around with the idea of putting up an Icewind Dale site, but there are a few things that concern me. First off is time, I work full time, have a family and try to have a life, so that leaves little time to play the game. I have been trying to see about getting a prerelease copy of the game from Black Isle Studios so that when the game hits the market I can have a site ready to go. Well I spoke with Chris Parker (producer) there at B.I.S. about this and was basically told, "Nope." An interesting thing is that I live about 10 minutes away from the BIS office and would be more then willing to get together with them once in a while to go over bugs and other issues. I would be more then willing to sign an NDA and help make the game the best it can be. But it doesn't seem to be happening. I guess I should just give up on this dream.... and maybe the idea of putting up a site for the game. Please let me know what you think, send me an email : mm6@pottsland.com.

At the same time I've been having this conversation with people over at New World Computing. Their answer was almost identical! I am making every effort to give the people the most enjoyment out of the game as possible; but it seems like the game companies don't really care. I am thinking of a MM9 site, but after this stuff, I an unsure if I should put the effort into it (it is a BIG task). Just for the record, NWC is about an hour and a half from my home; but I would still be willing to go in once in a while to go over the game with them. What do you think? mm8@pottsland.com

On a more fun side, The winners in the Prima Guide Give Away were chosen last night. Their information is posted on the contest page. I am planning on having more of these contests; what do you think? do you like the contests? Please send email to me about your opinions. Also if you want to send me items to put up on the contest page I'd be more then happy to do so. Just send me an email and we could work it out, contests are fun! contest@pottsland.com

05/18/00
Want something really AWSOME for free? Visit the Contest page here and check out the new contests that are being offered by Prima Games! The Ultimate Games Contest is AWSOME, Click here and then follow the links at the top of the page to get to the Prima's Contest Sites. Enter EVERY day until the contest is over! CONTEST SITE!
05/10/00
LOOK! Here is your chance to get something for nothing. Pottsland is having a CONTEST! Currently we are giving away the Prima Guides to Everquest (the new expansion) and to Might and Magic VIII : Day of the Destroyer. Just click the CONTEST link, fill out the form for each of the contests and you are entered. No obligations, no hidden strings, nothing. Just trying to help as many people as possible. So tell your friends, tell your family, and tell everyone else to click on over to the Pottsland Contest Page and win, win, win.
03/02/00
I'm betting that most of you thing that I've forgotten about this site. Well you would be wrong. Recently I have been doing a LOT of work on this site, and today I'm posting it. The sad part is that 90% of the changes you may not notice; but check out the eastereggs page, that is an obvious change. Anyway, here is the new version, hope you all enjoy it, and if you find something that looks strange, please let me know ASAP. Dave
02/18/00
I would like to take this opportunity to talk with everyone about my aspirations for the pottsland domain.

I have been asked many times, why I run a web site like pottsland?  Well I have always had the desire to play games; and role playing games have been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember.  I want to be able to share this love with everyone out there, to see what I see in these games.  Often games don't live up to their expectations and even when the game is decent, some part may be very frustrating.  I try to provide people with enough information to keep them interested in the games, and to get the most enjoyment out of it.

Where would I like to take this domain?  I would love the opportunity to work with game companies who are developing RPG's (or Adventure games) to develop a collection of sites based on some of the best games ever written.  When a game is a success, I want to be the site that everyone thinks of first.  Sure there are sites that cover every game that comes out, but I want the most information about only the BEST games on the market.

Why am I qualified?  Why is anyone qualified?  I have been playing computer games since the first personal computers were available, I have played most of the classics, but in general I have kept to the Role Playing and/or Adventure game category.  One of my past jobs gave me the chance to do game testing, to verify that our products were working correctly with as many games as possible.  In my time, I have easily played THOUSANDS of games, many that people have never heard of, and of course, the mega-blockbusters.

Why am I rambling on like this?  I like my job, I get to design the chips that many of you are using in your computers right this minute.  Yet I am far from being financially stable (mortgage, wife, son, mortgage) and would like to be able to make more money.  I am not expecting to make millions (although if I do I won't complain), I am looking for a way to supplement my income.

So what do I want?  I want to be able to work with game companies on their new and upcoming games.  I can program, beta-test, develop plots, give game play feedback, I can do just about anything.  I would like the opportunity to work with companies to help them design the best games possible.  If the game is something that I think is a failure, I will tell them, and why.  But if I feel that there is a major hit coming along, I would like the opportunity to work with the developers to make sure it is the best that it can be.   Do I want to get paid for all this?  If possible, but I would also like the chance to develop the best web site for those HIT games on the internet before the game is released.   I understand the need for silence, and I am an honest puck who will never release any information about any project until the final release is available to the public.  I am more then willing to sign NDA's that state this.

What can you all do about this?  Well if you are a game developer, then think of me when you need someone to do something.  If you aren't a developer, but know someone who is, then ask them to give me a chance.  If you are just another person as myself; then I just hope that you will enjoy these sites (click on the ads if you feel they offer you something you may want).  Of course if you are in a position to help me earn some extra cash doing something else, let me know, I'm always interested.  I don't want handouts from anyone, I am just looking for opportunities to do work; or at least develop this domain further.

Thank you all for listening to my ramblings, I guess I'm just a bit depressed that financially I am feeling the pinch; and I just want the best for my son and wife.
Dave

02/14/00
Well Happy Valentines Day... I guess. I came in this morning to find the entire site is gone! Not just MM6, but every other thing I had, every directory, every last ounce of it was deleted. After checking the logs of the server it seems that someone hacked into the account and deleted everything. Fortunatly I had made a backup of ALMOST everything a few days ago. I have restored what I can so far, but all of the maps are missing. I DO have these, just not with me today, I will get them up on the site either tonight or tomorrow. Sorry about the inconvenience, we were down since Friday at 2:15pm until Monday at 9:00am (PST).
Dave
06/16/99
Ok, Ok, you all asked for it and now you've got it.  But it may not be what you expected.  Today is the grand opening of "House of Honor" the site dedicated to Might and Magic VII : For Blood and Honor!  Before you all jump up and cheer I recommend that you go to the site and see what I mean by "not what you expected". 
Dave
06/11/99
Might and Magic VII : For Blood and Honor has been released!  You should be able to get out the store and purchase it now if you want.  I have been asked many times if I'm planning on doing a site for MM7, and the answer is, "I don't know."  First off, I have a concern about the game, from what I've read about the game is that it seems to be not much more then what MM6 is with a different engine and some new quests (if I'm wrong, please email me, because I would like to know more about it).  Secondly is time.  I'm much more busy now then when I started Mandate Mania (I'm a father now).  And finally is money.  I have the ads on the web site but that doesn't even cover the cost of the server.  With my wife being unemployed now, it has become harder and much more difficult to justify game software.  I had, months ago, tried to contact 3DO and/or New World Computing about working with them on this project but all my letters went unanswered.  Anyway, not trying to sound like everything in the world stinks (besided dirty diapers), I'm just saying that it may not be the right time for me to undertake a project of this size.  I would LIKE to do it, and I MAY do it eventually, but the question is when.
Dave
05/17/99
Sorry about the mail links; it seems that I had forgotten to use the newest version of the mail page so it was still pointing to my old uscom account.  Anyway, I went through the entire site and removed all references to uscom so now all likes should be correct and my email address is also correct.
Dave
05/06/99
There are some known things that need to be updated on the site :
  • There needs to be spaces between tables and along the top and bottom of the pages.
  • The Quests section has NOT been updated correctly, it will need major work to be redone but it is in the progress
  • The Easter Eggs section is also NOT updated, it will be done shortly.
  • The Menus don't appear to be evenly sized, they need to be cleaned up.
  • The Navigator window needs to be updated to look nicer.
  • Sizing of some of the table needs to be reviewed so that they visually look pleasing.
If you find anything other then these please let me know and I'll get on it.  This update has been a lot of work, and I don't think it is over yet, so if there is something that needs to be done or you would like have done please let me know.
Dave
05/05/99
Finally the major change that you have all been waitting for!  After over two months in the works, I introduce to you, "The new improved Mandate Mania!"  Basically very little has changed in the terms of content but so much has changed in the terms of viewing that content.  I have redone EVERY page on the site, there are about 150 of them, so that they all fit this nice neet looking format.  The dowload times won't be much longer and they really do make the site feel better.  I hope that you all enjoy the new site.  If you find something wrong or I made a mistake somewhere, please feel free to let me know about it. Dave
What was new From September '98 till May '99

What was New during August '98

What was New during July '98

What was New during June '98

What was New during May '98


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