Tetrinet 2 Shutdown forever

Yesterday was a sad day for the tetris community. A popular multiplayer tetris game, Tetrinet, was shutdown by The Tetris Company. Simultaneously the website and game servers were shutdown with little to no warning. The news is still circulating to game operators and players. This shutdown marks the end of a decade of free multiplayer tetris with unique and challenging game modes. Through the years there were various tetrinet tournaments which included some of the best tetris players in the world. It is believed that the latest attempts to shutdown multiplayer tetris clones is because of The Tetris Company’s first game release, Tetris Splash, which is available for download on Xbox Live Arcade (with a cost of $10).
It is unfortunate that the current owners of the tetris license are attempting these intimidation tactics again. In the 90’s they attempted to remove all free copies of tetris from the internet but were faced with the following challeneges. In the US a game can not be copyrighted. Only the name can be trademarked and the music can be copyrighted. This is effect means that the only thing that can be prevented is the use of a name like tetri* and the distribution of a clone of the original tetris music. I for one hope the tetrinet admins fight this shutdown through the use of a new name and stripping the included game music but at this time it looks doubtful. Lack of time and funding will likely spell the permanent demise of what was once regarded as the greatest multiplayer tetris game ever written.

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80 Responses to Tetrinet 2 Shutdown forever

  1. Damn. I just turned 20 the other day. Finished my first year of college, majoring CS…3.9gpa. A lot of things have changed in my life, and only recently have I felt like things are really going my way. I’m an OSU student (not a beavers fan). Anyway I find it surprising that even after all these years, here I am checking up on tnet2 “just in case” somehow, SOMEWAY… the server was magically back up and running. Makes me feel childish really. But, I have to admit, it put a smile on my face that I’m not the only one =) July 30th was like, a month ago. I don’t know, but maybe we can set something up. Who’s still alive?

  2. Bitches, I’m a long time player and when I tried to get on and it was down, boy was it a sad day. There are definitely some people that deserved a few punches to the face of the years and years I played, but then plenty others that deserve a “thank you” or two.

    I miss ApoXX out of everyone actually. BrettG always creeped me out big time. Hope shit gets back up and running eventually. I miss you all guys.

  3. As I’ve played more cultris I’ve come to see that you’re right. I’m starting to take down some of the 120 – 130 ppm players while posting 80-90 ppm but not very consistently. When the 140ppm+ folks log on its hopeless.

  4. Great to finally hear the full story on this nonsense.

    Anyhow, as for all of you people complaining that cultris requires no skill are all out of your minds.

    I’ve seen some slower players that hold their own with the fast players just fine.

    You just need to pick up your game.

  5. omg I’ve been looking for a new tetris client even since tetris net shut down…I’m moose878 if anyone remembers, i use to love this game so much =(, can any provide with info on blocktrix or how to play? Thanks soo much

  6. never thought i would miss a bunch of relative strangers so much!

    thanks for setting up the new site Apoxx (but i’m the only one online dammit!)

    and as for those tetris corporate bastards…

    fuckinggoddamnsonsoffuckingdiseasedwhorebitchesmotherlessgoatfuckersasslickingtwitbrainlessshitlickingassholes

    someone should give THOSE whores 1 cup.

    heh

    hope to be playing with not-myself soon.

    cheers

    BN

  7. I’ve been real busy with work lately, and haven’t had a chance to check out what you guys have done yet, but will be sure to do so this weekend. I miss you all so much!! I downloaded cultris the other day..it is decent but I won’t last much longer without my T, and also idk german or whatever they speak so I have trouble ranting there lol. Anyways, keep it up Schiff and everyone else!

  8. Wow. Tetrinet2 is GONE?! Usually it’s a problem with the servers, and it’s not so unexpected, sudden, and unexplained. One day I went to tetrinet2.com and I was redirected to a substandard search engine. That’s how I found out it was down for good. Since St0rmcat is no longer around/interested enough to revive this thing (since I’m sure he’s the only person with the ability to make the necessary changes to the game in order for it to be perceived as “legal” in the eyes of the Goat-mothering Tetris Company), I think we will never see anything that scratches the surface of Tnet2’s gameplay. There’s a reason people have been around for years and remained so loyal, even to this day. I’m very sad about this, it’s quite shocking, and I can’t believe that through all the ups and downs over the past 5+ years, in the end some stupid company came and dismantled our favorite NON-PROFIT game. It’s really just malicious and I don’t see how Tnet2 and its community of less than 100 regular players can be perceived as a threat to “The Tetprick Company”. F*CKING BAST@RDS!! I’m studying computer science and hopefully one day I’ll be skilled enough to create something that comes pretty damn close to Tetrinet2. I’m obviously disconcerted, huh? You all must be like “damn he needs to take a chill pill”. I just hate that we all got robbed for no good reason at all, it’s not fair. =(

  9. Ugh I’ve been playing tetrinet2 for like almost 6 years now, I can’t believe this happened. I’ll definitely be checking back here to see if any of you guys can get something working =]

  10. Lol,

    I have to be honest here. I am more than willing to run a jetrix server and then people can play tetrifast on it, but im a little skeptical about the legal end. Can I run the freeware server without fear of legal repercussions?

    How would I make it easier to “meet” up with tnet players? A real time chat option on schiffner.com? Im open to any suggestions here.

  11. I have to agree with Schiff on the DS aspect. The games emphasis on pure speed makes it rather one dimensional. I miss being able to take down opponents (much) faster than I am using skill and strategy. BUT it sorta scratches the ol tetris n electronica itch and I guess it will have to do. What frustrates me, not being able to code my way out of a paper bag, is the inability to do anything about this KNOWING someone affiliated with the responsible party checks in here for the occasional chuckle. (AAAAAAHHHHHH…. ok im cool no really what are you doing with that needle? AAAAHHH)

  12. Control settings work pretty well thanks. Any chance i could get you to email me the servers you’ve seen some of the tnet2 folks on?

  13. Ok blocktrix it is . Im worthless without the correct sensitivity settings so i guess its back to playin like a newb for me.

  14. ok, im going to be offering a blocktrix solution in the upoming days. Im not sure the best way to go about it other than to have people email a specific address for sharing the new information. I will not be posting the info to the general public but I may very well be putting up a web chat interface to help people *meet* back up. When I have things ready i will be posting the info to this blog with a link for more detailed information.
    Apoxx, myself (Schiff(, BrettG and lady01 were playing blocktrix last night and it really is tolerable. The biggest issue is that there is no game system. You need a game master to force the game starts. If we were able to obtain the source code or blocktrix or tetrinet 1.13 myself and Apoxx could likely add in a game system and make improvements to it. If we have to start coding a replacement from scratch it will be sometime before you have anything to play.
    If people would like more information you can post your AIM id’s in the comments here (or provide a real email when posting and I can create a mailing list), or check back in the coming days/weeks for more detailed info.

    -Schiff

  15. This sucks! Just because a company couldn’t compete by putting a better game out they have to play dirty(sounds like typical ms to me). The rights of the little guy are certainly fading. Where are the players going? . How can we get a p2p v with a different name going? ( or at least give an existing format the tnet2 controls)

  16. WHYYYYYYYYYYYWHYWHWYHWYHYWH !?!?!??!??!?!??!! *cries* WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!??!?? BUNCH OF ASSHOLES WHY!??!?!??!

  17. It’s a depressing situation. I hope the legal situation gets resolved and Tetrinet 2 is able to come back under a different name. If not, maybe we will see a clone in the future.