I have been looking for years for a screensaver, help me find it!
May 2, 2013 7:54 PM Subscribe
I believe I have found one of the rare circumstances where something is nearly unGoogle-able. I remember a screensaver that was a tie-in with the Michael Douglas movie The Game. The screensaver appeared normal, but the trick was that the program(unexpectedly) started to mess with your computer over time, creating fake emails to the FBI confessing to crimes that you only saw because they bounced, changing the background of your desktop, and other clever and nasty things. I have been trying to locate a copy of it, or any information about it, for years, but "game" and "screensaver" are not helpful search terms. Any suggestions appreciated!
Response by poster: davebush - I have to say that is the single oddest review video I have ever seen. The creator just looks at the floppy disc and comments on how the floppy disc looks. Not what I was looking for, but fascinating in its own way.
posted by blahblahblah at 8:22 PM on May 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by blahblahblah at 8:22 PM on May 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
A person on the page for that site commented:
The screensaver was also distributed in and Irish computer magazine called PC Live and they had to publish an apology after it was found that it used the answers to change the desktop . One of the questions was "do you like to masturbate"
Somebody wanted to add information about it to the Wiki page but they couldn't find anything either.
This article mentions a screensaver for the movie (presumably this one) was offered as a "customized seventh game" after playing other games at movie's promotional website.
posted by theuninvitedguest at 8:52 PM on May 2, 2013
The screensaver was also distributed in and Irish computer magazine called PC Live and they had to publish an apology after it was found that it used the answers to change the desktop . One of the questions was "do you like to masturbate"
Somebody wanted to add information about it to the Wiki page but they couldn't find anything either.
This article mentions a screensaver for the movie (presumably this one) was offered as a "customized seventh game" after playing other games at movie's promotional website.
posted by theuninvitedguest at 8:52 PM on May 2, 2013
I dont know if this is it or not. I dont have a PC to check it.
posted by whatisish at 9:14 PM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by whatisish at 9:14 PM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
Regarding the disc review video - that is the software you're looking for, no? I realize he doesn't actually review the content, but his comments seem to confirm it's what you're looking for.
posted by davebush at 10:10 PM on May 2, 2013
posted by davebush at 10:10 PM on May 2, 2013
Response by poster: While the disc (and the download) both seem to be the right file, the lack of any concrete information continues to be maddening, or, at least, part of The Game.
I can't run the file that whatisish found without Windows 95, and there are no Windows 95 emulators. Anyone have an old box they want to try it on?
posted by blahblahblah at 9:56 AM on May 3, 2013
I can't run the file that whatisish found without Windows 95, and there are no Windows 95 emulators. Anyone have an old box they want to try it on?
posted by blahblahblah at 9:56 AM on May 3, 2013
@blahblabblah: If you have a Windows 95 install disc, Virtual PC will let you run it in a window.
Windows 95 isn't listed in the list of compatible applications on that page, but I have a couple of virtual Windows 2000 machines that run fine on it. I actually run VPC 2007 SP1, the older version might work better for you.
posted by Hatashran at 3:48 PM on May 3, 2013
Windows 95 isn't listed in the list of compatible applications on that page, but I have a couple of virtual Windows 2000 machines that run fine on it. I actually run VPC 2007 SP1, the older version might work better for you.
posted by Hatashran at 3:48 PM on May 3, 2013
I have an old Windows 95 disc and VirtualBox. I'll try it.
posted by zsazsa at 8:03 PM on May 4, 2013
posted by zsazsa at 8:03 PM on May 4, 2013
Best answer: So, I ran it, and not much happened. It asked some intrusive questions, made some fake modem noises, then said my application to play The Game was unsuccessful. I'll play around with it a little more, but it may expect a connection to a server on the internet that is long, long gone.
posted by zsazsa at 2:53 PM on May 5, 2013
posted by zsazsa at 2:53 PM on May 5, 2013
Response by poster: I think that it will tell you the game application was unsuccessful, as a way of luring you into a false sense of security. It was very devious.
posted by blahblahblah at 6:14 PM on May 5, 2013
posted by blahblahblah at 6:14 PM on May 5, 2013
Response by poster: Even remembering the program is making me paranoid.
posted by blahblahblah at 6:14 PM on May 5, 2013
posted by blahblahblah at 6:14 PM on May 5, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by davebush at 8:02 PM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]