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If this is true, where is the patch to remove the obnoxious DRM after 6 weeks?

The developer for The Witcher 2 removed it a week after release. A couple of months in, 2K removed the activation limits for BioShocks 1 and 2 (which isn't the same as removing the DRM but it makes it less obnoxious). And BioShock 1 was unpirated for close to twelve days after relase.

Look, I know you want to live in some little world where there's no DRM and everything is the same but it's just not. DRM is required and the people who make decisions on this are not idiots, no matter how smug you are about it.

I wish the article really went more into depth. IMHO Publishers these days are not all that what they are cracked up to be , bunch of marketing whores. Look at the fiasco with CIV5 from 2k almost unplayable on most non english windows systems and the crash issues with most nvidia cards. http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88969

Every major gaming magazine has given it almost 8/10 , while actually (as I long time civ player) I don't think it is all that great except for the perty graphics. Dumbed down for the console. At least this guy over at 1up got it right, I guess 2k didn't send him any gifts.
http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?pager.offset=1&cId=3181540&p=1

LAN play works in Steam offline mode according to the FAQ. You still have to install the Steam client and get spammed with their ads even if you buy a boxed edition, but you can still play on a LAN (unlike certain other LAN gaming franchises we could name - which have been cracked anyway).

I'm curious whether they did this more for "zomg the pirates" or because they want to force people who play it at home with their family to buy multiple copies. Personally, I'd be more inclined to worry about hampering migration from Civ 5. Say someone plays it at home with their wife and two kids...okay, that's four copies of Civ 5 now versus continuing to play Civ 4 this weekend. And next. And so forth. Raising the barrier to entry can be problematic when you're self-competing.

Of course. On the 360 the game was capped at 30fps by default, so the problem wasn't evident. The fps cap I beleive could be removed, but the frame rate wouldnt jump so high for the physics cap to be noticeable.

This video demonstrates the problem, although not quite as clearly as when our in game as this would be a circa 25fps video, but the problem is there. Note the smooth surrounding but jerky ragdoll.

Also here is the original thread on the 2K (bioshock dev) forums, dating back to 2007, with posts sporadically from the past three ears. Obviously all avenues of vsync and config tweaks were explored, but 2k never responded to or patched the issue.

Shortly after the first patch came out, people were baffled as to why it wasn't fixed. The engine remains hard coded to the 30 fps physics cap, which makes little or no sense considering the engine is perfectly capable of standard physics implementation, as shown with the many other unreal engine based games.

Meh, its not as bad as it sounds.

http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55023

You can turn off Live for windows (I won't, I am an achievement whore) and I buy most of my games from stream anyway so fine with that.

But why even bother with securom anymore?

What's the story with DRM on this game?

http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55023

Umm the DRM was removed like nearly a YEAR ago now.

Jeez, Ken Levine said it would go away eventually and would only be on the game for the short term. Some of you need to get a grip.
See here: http://www.bit-tech.net/news/gaming/2008/06/20/bioshock-drm-removed/1
and here: http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?p=296125#post296125

No joke, See here: http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showpost.php?s=49a5273d84c63b82e5a1c76662b85940&p=300859&postcount=4
I actually have a Wacom tablet and to be honest the optional TabletPC functions in Vista are not needed to use the Wacom. The driver and everything else still works fine. I can still use my pens in Photoshop and Zbrush and on the desktop. You just lose all the handwriting recognition, Penflicks that kind of (IMO Useless anyway) stuff.

You can have something which is completely utilitarian, which is not a game. These programs exist: Iraqi culture simulations, reflex training programs, etc. You can also have something which has a sense of whimsy and fun. This is a game, and some of them have the potential to make you think or to awe you with their beauty.

Hey, or you can not rudely condescend to everyone else and inflict your lack of imagination and vision on everyone else.

How about this: You can have something that tells an engaging and meaningful story in a branching, linear, or emergent interactive environment. You can have something that something that makes a satirical or philosophical statement through its mechanics. You can have a game that elegantly tells a science-fiction story, simply and unpretentiously.

I don't know what the author is bitching about. He wants games without the fun, it would seem; games which take themselves as seriously as he does. Those just aren't games. He thinks games are a medium on the level of television. This is wrong. The computer is the medium. Games are merely a flavor of program, much as game-shows are flavor of television. Do you expect your game-shows to "progress intellectually" as you age?

So games are a genre (I think that would be incorrect? Are you saying the medium is inherently inflexible and vapid? Or are you saying that fun precludes maturity? Just what are you saying? Why are you so rabidly attacking a search beyond the status quo?

Fucking games journalists. Enough pretentious, bullshit opinion pieces. Get back to your fucking jobs.

And what thought out rhetoric! Truly you've won me over with your emphasis and shocking command of ideas. You know, like telling games journalists to get back to their jobs and... criticize and evaluate games? Perhaps you meant to imply that the jobs of games journalists are to parrot praise for every standard barely deviating example of the genre shoveled out by obliging companies.

but it's still less than infinity, the number I should have. The number every other game (BioShock and Mass Effect aside) gives me.

That's not entirely accurate...

I wish I could take credit for this, but it comes from this post on the 2K Froums in the thread about removing the install limits, but not the DRM, and I think it's pretty applicable here:

Is a man not entitled to the game he purchased?
No says the man at 2K, he may be a thief.
No says the man at Sony, he may be a pirate.
No says the pirate, I'll give it to you free...
I rejected all those answers and did what many should do.... .... I ...purchased..... a XBOX 360, and never worried again.

I wish I could take credit for this, but it comes from this post on the 2K Froums in the thread about removing the install limits, but not the DRM, and I think it's pretty applicable here:

Is a man not entitled to the game he purchased?
No says the man at 2K, he may be a thief.
No says the man at Sony, he may be a pirate.
No says the pirate, I'll give it to you free...
I rejected all those answers and did what many should do.... .... I ...purchased..... a XBOX 360, and never worried again.

Perhaps he's in a secret valley somewhere, protected by a holographic screen, with other adventurers and industrialists, plotting a takeover of the world?

I am surprised no one is mentioning the INSANE number of bugs in this game that cause it to randomly:
a) Not Load
b) Crash
c) Have Graphical Glitches
d) Have Audio Glitches
e) Forget settings
f) ???

Look at the Bioshock Technical Support forums for yourselves, especially these threads:
PC Outstanding Problems, 113 Pages Long (it was at 100 yesterday!): http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 6642&page=113
PC Demo Problems, 38 Pages Long: http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 5277&page=38
XBOX 360 Outstanding Problems, 24 Pages Long: http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 6688&page=24

There is NO WAY the PC version of this game was ready to ship. Their software process must be non-existent or really shitty to allow such a wide range of problems slip through - it's like they didn't test it on more than one hardware configuration or more than one SKU of windows, etc. So what now - all those people who shelled out the money to buy this game for the PC got robbed. There has been not a single official reply in that thread to any of these problems. Also note that this thread is SPECIFICALLY for problems not related to the lack of AA, the widescreen issue, or securom issues.

It is so frustrating having to load Bioshock over and over and over again to be able to play it. When I played on the XBOX360 the experience was fine (and my friends who have the 360 version don't have problems either)...but the PC version is a completely different story (note that 2K Australia made the PC version while 2K Boston made the XBOX version)

I am surprised no one is mentioning the INSANE number of bugs in this game that cause it to randomly:
a) Not Load
b) Crash
c) Have Graphical Glitches
d) Have Audio Glitches
e) Forget settings
f) ???

Look at the Bioshock Technical Support forums for yourselves, especially these threads:
PC Outstanding Problems, 113 Pages Long (it was at 100 yesterday!): http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 6642&page=113
PC Demo Problems, 38 Pages Long: http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 5277&page=38
XBOX 360 Outstanding Problems, 24 Pages Long: http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 6688&page=24

There is NO WAY the PC version of this game was ready to ship. Their software process must be non-existent or really shitty to allow such a wide range of problems slip through - it's like they didn't test it on more than one hardware configuration or more than one SKU of windows, etc. So what now - all those people who shelled out the money to buy this game for the PC got robbed. There has been not a single official reply in that thread to any of these problems. Also note that this thread is SPECIFICALLY for problems not related to the lack of AA, the widescreen issue, or securom issues.

It is so frustrating having to load Bioshock over and over and over again to be able to play it. When I played on the XBOX360 the experience was fine (and my friends who have the 360 version don't have problems either)...but the PC version is a completely different story (note that 2K Australia made the PC version while 2K Boston made the XBOX version)

I am surprised no one is mentioning the INSANE number of bugs in this game that cause it to randomly:
a) Not Load
b) Crash
c) Have Graphical Glitches
d) Have Audio Glitches
e) Forget settings
f) ???

Look at the Bioshock Technical Support forums for yourselves, especially these threads:
PC Outstanding Problems, 113 Pages Long (it was at 100 yesterday!): http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 6642&page=113
PC Demo Problems, 38 Pages Long: http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 5277&page=38
XBOX 360 Outstanding Problems, 24 Pages Long: http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 6688&page=24

There is NO WAY the PC version of this game was ready to ship. Their software process must be non-existent or really shitty to allow such a wide range of problems slip through - it's like they didn't test it on more than one hardware configuration or more than one SKU of windows, etc. So what now - all those people who shelled out the money to buy this game for the PC got robbed. There has been not a single official reply in that thread to any of these problems. Also note that this thread is SPECIFICALLY for problems not related to the lack of AA, the widescreen issue, or securom issues.

It is so frustrating having to load Bioshock over and over and over again to be able to play it. When I played on the XBOX360 the experience was fine (and my friends who have the 360 version don't have problems either)...but the PC version is a completely different story (note that 2K Australia made the PC version while 2K Boston made the XBOX version)

You have 5 installs. You use one when you install, you get it back when you do an uninstall.

I forgot. This is, of course, simply wrong. If I want to uninstall today, I don't get the license back, because the tool to the return a license doesn't exist. The "revoke" application is coming, but isn't here.

http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 6803

so would you purchase the game knowing all the crap? 2 installs (granted up to 5) and the "rootkit"? seems roughly 80% would not

I'll not be buying it either now. I can see why people would want to protect their software but this is a bit extreme. If I'm ever going to look at the game it'll only ever be via a rootkit free version. Maybe the hackers who might be part of the reason why this has been done, can hack it, remove it and release for upload. As you can all see, this is probably what will now happen as I have just lost interest in buying the game, let alone ever looking at a demo of it. I play a lot of games and usually do a full wipe and install of the PC each year to clear it of all unwanted crap. So any software that has a limited number of installs is of no use to me. Rootkits like those in Bioshock and the Sony fiasco just mean they get labeled by me as "don't buy" items. Even now I refuse to touch any kind of media recording made by Sony, even if it is a good album, etc. I would rather download the MP3, Avi or rar files and risk the penalties than buy a decent copy and risk vandalism of my registry. Now if you already bought Bioshock and want your money back, please look at this thread: http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 6615 Basically it quotes the following: * * * * * * * * * * By law and according to 2K EULA agreement you agree to the terms and conditions regarding the installation of the product. Under these set of rules, it is perfectly legal to uninstall the said product and reinstall it on another machine that is owned by the buyer of the product. Typically, one needs multiple products to install on multiple systems but one only needs one product and if he or she wished to uninstall the product, the consumer has every right to reinstall it onto another machine that is owned by him or her.....indefinetely. Securom, hinges on your rights as the buyer. Securom, in general, does not; however, the practice of allowing only two installs do hinge on the right. It is the same as buying a Ford Mustang. True, you cannot advertise your Ford Mustang on TV to make profit as you would violate their buyers contract. HOWEVER, if you fully bought that Ford Mustang, it is yours until you deem fit to get rid of it. Ford cannot limit your driving or years of ownership if fully paid by you. With your rights as a consumer both by US Consumer standards and by the very EULA contract on page 34 of Bioshock manual, 2K are in violation of their own contractual agreement with the buyer. I'm not talking about the game being crappy for you to give the game back. Im talking about the violations that has occured under securom. Now, if 2K were to altar Securom so that you still need the DVD to play but allows you to receive unlimited installs, then their contract to you will be fulfilled. But, right now, 2K is in violation of their User End Agreement. * * * * * * * * * * Very interesting I might add. I won't be buying 2K anytime soon either then.

Whoops! Very sorry, wrong link above. I missed off the '8' from the end of the link.

This is the first thread
http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 5527
that started it all,
and this is the official thread
http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 6628

My apologies.

Whoops! Very sorry, wrong link above. I missed off the '8' from the end of the link.

This is the first thread
http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 5527
that started it all,
and this is the official thread
http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 6628

My apologies.

(from above post...)

A 2K Games forums administrator, "2K Elizabeth," posted this message when a brouhaha started erupting:

there is no securom on the demo.

This is patently false, as pointed out by several users' follow-up posts. One even took a nice screenshot that shows that this is at best a pretty hideous example of an administrator not knowing what the hell she's talking about, at worst another outright lie that attempts to appease people who don't know better and can't actually check the veracity of what's being said.

First of all, your link to the forums goes to a thread about achievement points on the Xbox version of the game. This thread is much more relevant; it's about the rootkit.

Second of all, I, like many other people, was looking forward to Bioshock's release. I, like I hope many other people will do, refuse to buy it now.

Whether people thing of this as FUD or not, the simple matter of the fact is that:

• Bioshock installs software that allows the administrative privilege system of your computer to be subverted. They claim that it's a benefit and they have only good intentions. Maybe, but we all know what the road to hell is paved with. Just because 2K doesn't use their installed software for evil purposes doesn't mean that another hacker's software can't use it to take over a system using privileges that it shouldn't have. When Sony's rootkit distributed on CDs got out into the wild, it didn't take long for other more dangerous software to take advantage of the security hole it created.
• The aforementioned software hides itself from detection and cannot be removed via normal means. This is a massive breach of trust for a software company to a user.

2K Games has A FAQ about SecuROM that is, at best, contradictory in several places. They say:

A "rootkit" can be described as software or a set of software tools intended to conceal running processes, files or system data from the operating system and which can open ports to allow remote access to the system...

SecuROM DOES NOT USE any root kit technology in its implementation. [Their emphasis, not mine.]

However, Sysinternals' RootkitRevealer software begs to differ. Who am I going to trust, a game company that is practicing Defective by Design tactics, or Mark Russinovich, a software engineer who's proven time and again that he is the guru of this stuff, the guy who discovered the infamous Sony rootkit, the guy who knew Windows better than even the Windows people knew Windows, so well that Microsoft bought his company and hired him? I'll gladly cast my lot with Mark any day, even if he does work for Microsoft now.

2K Games also says in its FAQ:

SecuROM does not fingerprint the hardware [of the computer running Bioshock].

They then go on to say:

The only data collected is the serial being used for activation, the IP address used for activation, an identifier for the software being activated, and the hash of the machine ID...

You won't have to reactivate unless you change several pieces of hardware and this will count as one of your 5 allowed computers, if reactivation is required.

Um... If SecuROM doesn't fingerprint my hardware, what is the "machine ID" that a hash is taken of and sent to their servers? And how the hell is it possible that changing several pieces of hardware might result in a required reactivation? The simple answer is, of course, that SecuROM does fingerprint your hardware, and 2K Games lied to our faces in the hopes that computer users who aren't as savvy as us won't get bogged down with the technical details and just read the part where they say that it doesn't fingerprint the hardware.

This is totally inexcusable, and I won't have anything to do with this company. Will the game be cool? Maybe, but nothing is cool enough to install this crap on my computer for. As far as I'm concerned, 2K Games has destroyed its credibility, and they can go to hell for it.

First of all, your link to the forums goes to a thread about achievement points on the Xbox version of the game. This thread is much more relevant; it's about the rootkit.

Second of all, I, like many other people, was looking forward to Bioshock's release. I, like I hope many other people will do, refuse to buy it now.

Whether people thing of this as FUD or not, the simple matter of the fact is that:

• Bioshock installs software that allows the administrative privilege system of your computer to be subverted. They claim that it's a benefit and they have only good intentions. Maybe, but we all know what the road to hell is paved with. Just because 2K doesn't use their installed software for evil purposes doesn't mean that another hacker's software can't use it to take over a system using privileges that it shouldn't have. When Sony's rootkit distributed on CDs got out into the wild, it didn't take long for other more dangerous software to take advantage of the security hole it created.
• The aforementioned software hides itself from detection and cannot be removed via normal means. This is a massive breach of trust for a software company to a user.

2K Games has A FAQ about SecuROM that is, at best, contradictory in several places. They say:

A "rootkit" can be described as software or a set of software tools intended to conceal running processes, files or system data from the operating system and which can open ports to allow remote access to the system...

SecuROM DOES NOT USE any root kit technology in its implementation. [Their emphasis, not mine.]

However, Sysinternals' RootkitRevealer software begs to differ. Who am I going to trust, a game company that is practicing Defective by Design tactics, or Mark Russinovich, a software engineer who's proven time and again that he is the guru of this stuff, the guy who discovered the infamous Sony rootkit, the guy who knew Windows better than even the Windows people knew Windows, so well that Microsoft bought his company and hired him? I'll gladly cast my lot with Mark any day, even if he does work for Microsoft now.

2K Games also says in its FAQ:

SecuROM does not fingerprint the hardware [of the computer running Bioshock].

They then go on to say:

The only data collected is the serial being used for activation, the IP address used for activation, an identifier for the software being activated, and the hash of the machine ID...

You won't have to reactivate unless you change several pieces of hardware and this will count as one of your 5 allowed computers, if reactivation is required.

Um... If SecuROM doesn't fingerprint my hardware, what is the "machine ID" that a hash is taken of and sent to their servers? And how the hell is it possible that changing several pieces of hardware might result in a required reactivation? The simple answer is, of course, that SecuROM does fingerprint your hardware, and 2K Games lied to our faces in the hopes that computer users who aren't as savvy as us won't get bogged down with the technical details and just read the part where they say that it doesn't fingerprint the hardware.

This is totally inexcusable, and I won't have anything to do with this company. Will the game be cool? Maybe, but nothing is cool enough to install this crap on my computer for. As far as I'm concerned, 2K Games has destroyed its credibility, and they can go to hell for it.

The frustrating thing is, this rootkit worry isn't the biggest problem (it's a bit of a stretch). It's that when the game shipped, you only got 2 activations. Yes, you could only install it twice. Ever. Using another user account or install of windows requires another activation. Wipe windows, and try to install a third time? Activation denied. They then proceeded to flat out lie and say uninstalling the game from windows before formatting would give you an activation 'credit' back. It didn't, and according to SecuROM never could.

The outrage over this on the 2K forums made them raise the limit to 5 installs on a given copy of windows, and up to 5 installs on different machines. Ever. Problem solved, right? I mean, who ever installs software they buy more than 5 times, right? Must be pirates. They want to carry on playing in a couple of years, they can go buy a new copy.

Oh, and they'll release a utility at some point in the future that when run, will supposedly uninstall the game and 'deregister' your install with the online securom database, thus giving you the privilege of reinstalling your own game on your own computer one more time. Just hope windows doesn't go belly up before you get to unregister. And I can't wait for the day all games do this, and I have to run round manually deregistering all of them prior to a reinstall with different tools. Then calling support when it doesn't work and won't let me reinstall.

see here http://img172.imageshack.us/my.php?image=securomob 9.jpg & http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 6979

>It would be amazing. Science and culture would flourish like mad. The creation of art would explode, with new forms appearing at a never before seen rate. Businesses would boom with all the new opportunities. We can only hope this becomes our future one day...

... and we all know how well *that* turned out: http://www.2kgames.com/bioshock/

Wrong. It's not. See here:

http://kotaku.com/gaming/bioshock/bioshock-a-lock- for-ps3-250434.php

http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2007/06/01/rumor-shocking -revelations-bioshock-coming-to-ps3-eventually/

And even their own goddamn site:

"2K ANNOUNCES BIOSHOCK AS AN EXCLUSIVE
XBOX 360(TM) AND GAMES FOR WINDOWS TITLE
9.27.06
Welcome to the BioShock site. Check out the new screenshots in addition to the environment of Rapture in the Enter Rapture portion of the site. Stay tuned for updates including weapons and plasmids, as well as all the latest information on BioShock.
"

http://www.2kgames.com/bioshock/html/news.htm

The only info I could find that it was coming to PS3 was some unofficial quotes from Official Playstation Mag, which although wasn't officially withdrawn by OPM, was, in no uncertain terms, denied by 2k Games.

You mean 2K Games, right? Because that A) exists and B) isn't located in Boston.

Not to mention that the BioShock website makes no mention of any "2K Boston".

Honestly, why would a game studio be in Boston? Boston isn't exactly known for technology of any sort.

Like Bioshock, for instance.

Dude, the Great Wall of China is awesome. It basically protects you from almost all aggression for a huge chunk of the game, thus allowing you to focus your attention almost exclusively on using your resources to build up your cities and rapidly expand your territory.

Wonders that you want to definitely want to have:

1. The Pyramids (free Granary in every city);
2. The Great Library (automatically get every advancement learnt by two rivals until Electricity);
3. The Great Wall (enemies must offer a ceasefire or peace in negotiations until Metallurgy);

Given a choice between the Great Wall and the Hanging Gardens and I'll take the Great Wall any day.

If you have missed is, this game is made by many of the people behind horror classics System Shock/System Shock 2. It is my most anticipated game this year. I've actually stopped reading about it though, articles contain too many spoilers these days. However, if you liked the 40s-50s vibe of Fallout artwork, check out the great art deco posters in the game.

Even if you are correct, the facts here don't help him either. Like the example I cited, this was content included in the game but not accessible by normal means of game play. A modder did not create these art files and include them with their mod - they used what was already in the game. And, no one was sued for all they were worth - they simply had to change their ESRB rating to reflect was actually included with the game. Where is the problem here?

No he isn't talking about Hot Coffee. He's talking about Oblivion (also published by Take2, http://www.2kgames.com/index.php?p=games&title=obl ivion&platform=PC) which did get hit by this. Someone altered the models to let them appear nude, and as a result the game's rating was changed. All this on a game that came with an editor and encouraged modding. http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=1260 4 for an old link to this story.

Have you seen that Sid Meier has an updated version of Pirates! with nice 3d graphics?

You're probably already aware but Bioshock is in development which is effectively System Shock 3, or at least as close as you're ever gonna get to it. Due out 2nd half of 2007 apparently.

Did anyone else read that headline as "Google Acquires Treasure Map"?

I think I've been playing too much Pirates! lately...

Games released Jan 2003 - Jan 2006 that provided > 3 months of replay value for me:

Civilization IV (November 2005): Booyah. 3 months might be stretching it, but this is the best Civ game in a long time, and I've already logged 80+ hours playing this so far.

World of Warcraft (November 2004): No, I don't want to think about how much time I've spent playing it, but I've had an active account for the past 14 months, for whatever that's worth, and I keep logging in and playing "just another hour...".

Neverwinter Nights - Shadows of Undrentide (June 2003), Hordes of the Underdark (December 2003): Two expansion packs for NwN. While I didn't spend a lot of time playing the single-player campaign, I don't know how much time I spent building modules, playing games online, or playing through 3rd-party modules. I keep going back to the game because it provides so many opportunities.

Civ III Conquests (November 2003): Expansion pack for Civ III, but as with Civ IV above, I got my money's worth out of this purchase with hundreds of hours total play time on this expansion.

Now, I've bought other games during the past 3 years that I haven't played that much (The Sims 2 and Sid Meier's Pirates! in the past year), but I've found a few enjoyable ones to come back and play, and that's just the best out of the 2 genres I spend time playing. RPGs and, um, Civ. Yes, it *is* its own genre.

For consoles, I could probably add Halo + Halo 2 on Xbox, Madden , and Mario Kart on the GameCube to round these off, since those are the "social" games I play with other folks that I keep coming back to. Plus Final Fantasy Tactics on the GBA for downtime like plane flights, public transit, waiting for people, etc.

Maybe these don't float your boat, but I have fun with 'em.

Gee, that's interesting, considering http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/home.htmCiv4 doesn't have Lincoln as a leader! (click Civilizations in the flash thingy, it's the first civ selected in the next screen).

Seriously, these reviews could be written after playing the games in question for an hour. It's spitting out the feature list of each game but devoting a paragraph to each feature.

How do the new characters in SC3 actually play? Do they fit in well? What about The Movies, what are some of the interesting scripts you come across? What are some of the genres you have access to? Are there any sort of ties between real movies and the fictional ones? Or are there actor stereotypes like the Arnold-ripoff or something like that? How well does Civ4 play now that it's 3D? (Answer: poorly)

BTW for my opinion on Civ4: 3 was a better game, and it ran a HELL of a lot faster. 4 is a dog, even on a 3GHz with Geforce6600GT. I ran Civ3 on a freaking 366MHz laptop, and it performed decently. Yes, 3D means you need more horsepower but the game runs rediculously slow even on modern PCs. I can't even use the numpad to move units around anymore because you have to hit the direction, wait for the unit to move, then hit it again, because moving the damn unit one square takes 3 seconds and the game will not queue up movement commands input via the keyboard! Does something that obvious make it into the review, though? No.

Although the producers claim that it requires a minimum of 256M and recommended 512M the game, even with the recent 1.09 patch, regularly baloons up to over a gigabyte by the time I reach the Renaissance. With a mere 512M of RAM this leads to heavy swapping during regular play and several minutes of thrashing like a beached whale between turns.

After struggling along like that for a while the game will eventually just crash. Between the infrequenct auto-saves and painfully long loading times that can cost me anywhere up to a half hour of play time and generally destroys my interest in the game.

I hope that having more memory will at least lessen these problems as I have heard some glowing reviews of Civ 4 from other sources, but trying to play with the recommended system is just a little bit too painful for me.

Some of them still are. I have done zero hours of actual work this week because of a certain newly-released game :-)

It's like music, or films, or just about any other creatively-based industry. 90% of the stuff produced is mass-market plasticised sugar-coated crap, but there's always that 10% left over that makes the whole process worthwhile - of course, my 10% might not be the same as your 10%...

I came to realize that PCs have started producing games that are fundamentally the same ones as the ones you get on consoles

Sometimes games are technically superior on the PC than they are on the consoles. There are also many I can't play without a mouse and keyboard (and not just Quake and friends, think Baldur's Gate 2 with all its keyboard shortcuts), which isn't an option on consoles at least AFAIK.

There are also some types of games - ones that you don't just pick up and play for ten minutes, basically - that I don't think are really suited to consoles at all. Equally, there are some games - usually ones involving dance mats, light guns, or other funky hardware - that I don't think work well on PCs.

YMMV, of course, but I think to achieve gaming nirvana you still need a console *and* a computer. Hopefully in five years this statement will no longer be true, but I've been hoping that for twenty years now and it hasn't happened yet.

Oh and 3- Computer games have become obscenely ressource-hungry,

I am in violent agreement with you on this one, but then I can remember saying the same thing in 1990 when I had to upgrade the memory in my Atari ST from 512k to 1Mb so I could play Powermonger. Irritatingly this sort of "push the boundaries by releasing a game that isn't quite runnable on the hardware available today" attitude only used to be taken by luminaries like Molyneux or Carmack (who could be forgiven, as they made up for it with the games they released), whereas now everyone seems to think all PC gamers have upwards of £2,000 to spend on hardware every year.

Personally my favourite game is still the original arcade version of Defender.

Well I shouldnt be too surprised. I just received and installed my copy of Civ IV today, and after the 2 disk install process, the game is unable to start as it cannot find the cd that is in my drive. If I am unable to make this work, it will just be going back to the store, which is a shame as I have been waiting for this game for quite a while.
 
The most amusing part about it is the error dialog has a link to their site. The link goes to a blank page.
 
And they wonder why we complain about stupid copy protection schemes.

for the more historically-inclined pirate, muskets, swords, cannons, eyepatches and parrots

Don't forget the dancing!

While the website has not yet been launched, you can still check out the new 2K Games logo, if you like...

http://www.2kgames.com/

Frankly I don't know what to think of 2K Games, I guess it's just Take-Two with more of an aggressive acquisition and marketing strategy... kind of like how Atari is just a rethinking of corporate strategy by Infogrames.

Although one person's opinion doesn't matter, am I the only one who feels as though there could be a "Big 5" developing in the gaming industry that could work very similiarly to the RIAA someday?