http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/0301/17.terraquest.php

Grown ups not ready after all: TerraQuest game axed
by Peter Cohen, pcohen@...
January 17, 2003 4:15 pm ET

Last November MindQuest Entertainment founder and CEO Keith Griffin
triumphantly declared that his company's online spy game TerraQuest was the
kind of game "adults play when they grow up." Alas, not enough of them did,
because MindQuest today announced that the game had been stopped.

Designed for Mac OS X and Windows using Shockwave and other technology,
TerraQuest encouraged players to search for clues for a US$25,000 payout. In
fact, a quarter of a million dollars was to be awarded to players by the end
of six play periods. Players paid a one-time registration fee for the
privilege.

Although MindQuest made it clear at the outset in an interview with
MacCentral that the prize money was funded from sources other than direct
registration fees, they couldn't keep the ball rolling long enough to make
it work.

"There is simply not enough participation in the experience to keep this
version of TerraQuest going," said the company in a statement.

MindQuest plans to take the feedback of users and editors who reviewed the
game to modify its "structural part," and hopes to revisit the concept in
the future.

Players who participated in TerraQuest won't be out a dime, however:
MindQuest Entertainment noted that all registration fees and charges for
"express clues" will be refunded in full to each player. The winner of the
first game period -- Roland Spencer -- will get his $25,000 payout as
promised.