All About Registering Shareware

• How it All Works
• Sending Us Money
• Getting Your Activation Code
• How Much Does It Cost?
• What About International Orders?
• Registering Your Copy of Warpath 97
• Registering Your Copy of NetSpades
• Registering Your Copy of Warpath 1.0 (for Windows 3.x)

How It All Works

The details vary a bit from product to product, though we are trying to get our act together and do it all the same. Generally, it goes something like this:

1. You download the program.
2. You try it out and see if you like it.
3. You send us money.
4. We send you an activation code. (or nothing)
5. You continue to use the software, with a warm glow.
6. We stay in business (with a warm glow).

You know, this whole page really only applies to Warpath. Everything else on the site is just plain free. Though we accept voluntary donations from people nice enough to make them.

And, as of June 2007, Warpath itself is no longer a register-able product (more on that later, when I get over my cold).

So, now this page is officially useless and provided purely for humorous historical purposes! If you are intent on sending me money anyway, please go here.

Sending Us Money

Let's talk about this first, since it's our favorite part. We've always accepted checks in the mail (which we then put in a shoebox until it fills up and then we go to the bank and feel all successful -- usually about the time that you've gotten your fourth checking statement which doesn't show that check deposited yet!)

June 2007 Update: The shoebox still exists! But we no longer accept cash/checks in the mail. If yuo really want to send us money, you have to use our donation page which offers links to PayPal, Google, and eMetrix.

Getting Your Activation Code

An activation code is a long alphanumeric string which you type into one of our programs to register it. Thereafter, the same software you already have becomes the registered version and stops hassling you in whatever small ways we originally told it to. That is to say, it stops trying to make you feel guilty for not registering it in the first place. At least that's the idea.

When you register, you give us your preferred email address and as soon as we get your order we email you your code! You then type it into the program and you're registered! (You also write it down someplace so that when your hard drive explodes [knock on wood] you don't have to depend on our record-keeping to resurrect it.)

Aside from being admittedly extremely low-hassle for the lazy boys at Synthetic Reality (ok, I mean me). This has the secondary effect that you can download newer versions of the program in question and the activation code keeps on working.

How Much Does It Cost?

This paragraph is here for historical reasons only. Please see the individual product pages for details on costs. I think *everything* except Warpath 21st century is just plain free.

Well, here's the easy part. All of our products are designed to cost $22.95 (originally expressed as $19.95 plus $3 handling charges, in an effort to make it sound like it was under $20. Were you fooled?)

It is never our intention to cause any of our customers financial discomfort, however, so if you are a little kid (no offense) or on a fixed income, we can usually work something out.

And you are also always welcome to send us EXTRA money, too! Whatever you have lying around is fine. We have the same daydreams as anyone else of Steven Spielberg liking one of our games and giving us a million dollars just to be nice.

What About International Orders?

By the way, when I say "Checks" I mean actual United States banks and such. My bank has a very strange sense of humour when it comes to paper things from what it likes to consider 'foreign' countries. It likes to charge $30 to deposit each such check. I tried to slip a Canadian check past them, but they caught me. So, I have a nice collection of very lovely un-depositable checks... I don't actually need any more. So, all my pals in Germany, Canada, and Australia (by the way -- you guys are definitely THE techno-savvy countries!) should use the WEB to register. I think.

Yeah.. no foreign checks.. no domestic checks.. just PayPal, Google, and eMetrix. Fussy fussy fussy.

Registering Your Copy of Warpath 97

In return for your registration payment, you receive an email containing your Personal Activation Code. You type this into your copy of the game and it becomes 'registered' which in the case of Warpath 97 means you can play it forever. You only have to register it once, and any upgraded versions you get will automatically be registered. In fact, to encourage multiplayer play, we give you TWO activation codes, so you can share one with a friend.

As of June 2007, it is no longer possible to register Warpath 97. Something will happen to make Warpath 21st century take its place.

Registering your copy of NetSpades

In return for your registration payment, you receive an email containing your Personal Activation Code. You type this into your copy of the game and it becomes 'registered' which in the case of NetSpades means you can play it forever. You only have to register it once, and any upgraded versions you get will automatically be registered.

As of June 2007, it is no longer possible to register NetSpades. Your are encouraged to try our free Arcadia synSpades game instead.

Registering your copy of Warpath 1.0 (for Win 3.1)

THE FULLY REGISTERED VERSION IS NOW FREE!!