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Cinematic Game Graphics
CowboyRobot writes "LucasArts engineer Nick Porcino has an article detailing what to expect from graphics in the next generation of game systems including the "influence of cinematic realtime rendering, the promise of advanced lighting techniques and high-dynamic range images, the uses of the rendering pipeline, and the future of multiprocessor-based rendering and advanced geometry."
These will allow run-time rendering of high quality backgrounds and characters, ultimately resulting in games that are closer to full-blown Pixar animations, allowing better narratives and more immersive user experiences."
neither Doom 3 nor HL-2 are officially "out." Why do I even care what happens after that? Give me that gravity gun, darnit!
Oh land of the not-so-free-any-more
Home of the cowardly
He started a "War on Drugs" as a political move. Since then just about every person running for president has used this platform of prohibition to try and make them look better. It continues on today.
Initially the war on drugs cost Americans $300,000 a year. Now it costs us millions upon millions... if not billions of dollars. The largest openly targetted drug... Pot.
It's not a gateway drug. Exposure to the black market that drugs are bought on because they're illegal is the gateway. How do I know this? Because I've been there. I've personally TRIED a lot of different drugs.
Alcohol: First intoxicant I tried. Age 5... Got drunk at a new years eve party by drinking people's leftover champange.
Marajuana: (first "drug" I got my hands on): I enjoyed it. It was kinda fun and relaxing.
LSD: tried this one out in my late teens... probably 19 when I had my first hit of acid. I tried it a few times. It was interesting, but the downer from the bonding agents weren't exactly fun... Left me feeling bad in the end.
Cocaine: Tried it once... didn't really like it.
Crystal Meth: Liked it a little too much. Ran into it at a party and found my self drawing pictures for the next 12 hours straight. Notified the people there that I didn't want to know where to get it and didn't want to have access to it since I figured if I did, I would just do it until my heart exploded.
PCP: Someone laced a joint they gave me with PCP and let me tell you... NOT something I would want to do again. Too strong. Very powerful... very whacky drug.
Mushrooms: Halucinations galore. No "downer" and generally no real problems. Not something I would do every day, but in the right circumstances I might eat some again.
I'm a bit older now and what it's all come down to is a little pot... and a little beer. I don't drive when I'm drunk or high. I don't go out and cause trouble. Hell... I don't even turn my music up too loud. I don't smoke "schwag" pot... only well cultivated and high quality pot for me. I often brew my own beer and enjoy that.
I would consider myself a "moderate" when it comes to intoxicants at this point. I'm not into anything hardcore. My perfect formula seems to be: 2 beers and a small bowl (bowl means "pipe" for those who don't know). It's a nice mild buzz.
So... in conclusion... I wish pot was legal. I wish the American government would get it's head out of it's ass and admit that pot isn't a problem (and they should stop trying to ruin people's lives over it)... The only way pot ruins your life is what the government will do to you for having it.
--JohnnyC
(dhurrrr)
For some reason, I massively enjoy manga-esque RPGs on my PC even though I have to put up with bad translations, shoddy console ports, storylines more linear and predictable than ... something very ... linear 'n predictable and plotholes big enough to fly a 747 through. It's just a certain kind of charm, rocking voice acting and cool drawn graphics. Don't need a bloody P5 6ghz, 2gb DDR PC5400 RAM with a nVidia Geforce X-treme 20k 512mb for that. Anything capable of rendering above 4096 colours would suffice, really.
Sadly, being both a PC gamers and European, I find myself severely limited in said games... :(
Hate me!