75% Off.... for your soul.

Seriously, it's a trite title but i'm pissed. So Machinarium, a cool-looking point and click game that i never wanted to get at full price is now $5 or £3.25ish (from memory) because of pirates (apparently) whereby the creator decided to lower the price down as an amnesty for un-bought copies. Of course, it's just a bit of clever marketing since anyone can buy it for that price.

So i was going to buy it.

"WAS."

Why is that word in the past tense, Duo? Well, my friend it's because of the stupid way in which you need to buy it. You can go to the site, click on download the game - click on purchase the game and then the real issue comes to the fore. You have two options for payment: credit card and paypal. Regardless of whether you want to do either one you are required to enter your:

• First and last name
• Your email address
• country
• full address including postcode (ostensibly as your mailing address)

So, not wanting to give out these precious details with no restrictions or legal wrap around them, i clicked on paypal which does not require any of these things to work. Funny thing is that you STILL can't proceed with the order. It's ridiculous. The whole point of paypal is that you only give out your email address and the funds are transferred from your bank account. This just smacks of fishing for information to resell onto other companies.

Worse still is the whole "mailing address" thing because, quite clearly, on the page before it states:

You will get download links for 3 versions of the game (Windows, Mac, 32bit Linux) and the soundtrack (in MP3 format). Please note that you are not ordering CD version of the game! Also you need at least 1024x768 screen resolution!

So it makes even less sense.

Amantia design - i'm willing to buy your game, just make it so i can do so without giving away my first born.