Sounds like the folks over at Warhammer online need to get their story straight.
Last time they delayed it (and actually shut down the beta!) it was to "refine and polish the games core mechanics". To me there's a big difference between "polishing the game" and "polishing the CORE MECHANICS". http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/10/08/2120228&from=rss
So which is it? Are they just "adding more features and polish"? or are the core mechanics still in need of work?
If your job could be replaced by a wiki, it wasnt *really* an IT job to begin with.
Sometimes I almost can't believe what is considered an "IT Job" these days. I've been in the IT industry for about 10 years. When I started if you were in the IT dept it meant that you knew the in's-and-out's of the most popular technologies, most importantly the workstation OS's that companies used.
These days so many of "IT Jobs" are just administrative positions which require more spreadsheet skills than they can find at the local temp agency.
In order to attempt to quell the fears of developers and businesses, FSF decided to hold a Q&S in....IRC?
Kind of shows how out of touch with reality the FSF is. The majority of decision-makers don't even know what IRC is....much less the people with the investment capital.
2 of the main reasons to run an application locally is so that you control your own data.....and don't have to look at ads. This looks like the worst of both worlds....right on your desktop.
I think the owners of Slashdot should patent:
A method for fanboi's to digitally express their opinion without proper knowledge, or even reading referenced information.
Microsoft is good, excellant....maybe even the BEST at defeating a known business opponent. What they're NOT good at is emerging into new markets on their own.
The Wii is a blessing because it gives Microsoft someone to beat. Not only that, but a competitor OTHER than Sony. If it were not for the success of the Wii, the Sony would have continued it's dominance of the console market, and Microsoft would have still been "number 2 of 2".
Now they're "number 2 of 3", with their previous opponent behind them....and a new one who isnt used to playing in the big leagues.
I'm hardly a shill, i dont even own a console except for the Wii that my wife and daughter mostly play with. I'm into more complicated PC games.
I understand your point about the mods being done because "they have to be", but that's what techies like. To modify stuff to suit their needs. If you gave a techie two machines, one that did EVERYTHING, but they didnt like the UI, and one that lacked features (but could be modified to have them) and a nice interface.....they would chose the later. They (we) get off on it. That's why i still build my own PC even though the price difference of brand name is very little.
My point is just that microsoft has a formula that almost always works, and seems to be working here: Generation 1 = laughable. (embrace) Generation 2 = up to par with features but still not quite right (extend). Generation 3 (extinquish)
Microsoft is in a great position to WIN the next generation of gaming consoles.
This generation couldnt have played out better for them. Sony made all the proper mistakes to allow XBox to reign supreme, and the success of the Wii is a blessing in disguise, because it gives microsoft....ideas!
XBox has the best name recognition now for "modern gaming" amoung both techies, because of all the successful mod'ing, and more casual users because of Microsoft's excellent marketing. The fact that the Wii was so successful only means that Microsoft now has a new target in casual gamers. Already they've announced the "XBox arcade Version" to target casual users.
Microsoft Next-Gen: Our console does everything in a familiar interface. We have a TON of downloadable games, both free and micro-payment versions. Oh and one more little thing.....our new motion-sensitive remotes will work on your XBox AND your Windows PC.
Dell doesnt care if Linux is doing good or not. Quite the contrary. While people on Slashdot like to cheer for the Linux vs Microsoft "war"...consider the game that Dell could be playing:
Microsoft Rep: "HEY! We saw your press release about Linux sales, why would you do that?"
Dell: "Hey we're a company in trouble, we're just trying to show growth. We're just reporting numbers"
Microsoft rep: "Ok ok I see. Well what can we do to show good growth of Windows???"
Dell: "Wellllll, since you mention it....perhaps if we had some promotional pricing....."
one has to wonder if these servers are being purchased BECAUSE they have Linux on them? Or because they DONT have Windows Server on them.
If you've ever dealt with order stuff from Dell, you know that if you have direct bulk licenses with Microsoft, then it often still makes sense to buy equipment with software on it. I wonder if these servers had an option for "no OS at all". Of if there was ANY price difference between "NO OS" and "Linux".
There were times that I've bought servers from Dell with a copy of Windows Server OEM on it, not because I didnt already have licenses for Windows Server, but because the sales rep was able to offer excellent deals on systems configured in a certain way.
Phase 1 was "state the fact about patent infringement".
Phase 2 is now "explain that since the VENDOR wont pay for patents, then the customers will be on the line"
Phase 3 ???
Microsoft will eventually HAVE to file a suit or someone will file a suit against them for scare tactics of some sort. I'm sure the Microsoft lawyers understand this, which means they must have a phase 3 in mind. Who will be the first target? And in which court?
Sometimes I think Microsoft can't lose this battle. If their first suit really tests patent law and then win...well then they start the major money collection, and Linux suffers a hit for it's users having legitimate concerns of legality. However if the patent claims are denied...the Microsoft basically has the green light to use the patents owned by countless others. Because of their size and bankroll, they can implement such technologies much quicker than most companies, and they will pull ahead on many fronts.
I saw "the Day After Tomorrow" They're better off returning it. It would be more fun to put on snow shoes and walk from south jersey to New York City in sub-zero weather.
At the end of the day you can sight all kinds of flaws in Microsoft and closed source software. However, for as you're running that software LOCALLY on your computer, then you have the ability to take measures to protect yourself.
If you're drinking the google-juice just because it's "cool" or you want to support them because they're "not evil", you're only doing yourself a dis-service.
Keep your email local, dont save your passwords on a public "service", dont keep naked pictures of your girlfriend on your "G-Drive", etc etc etc
What a stupid article. I wouldnt call it the top-10 challenges of making video games....its more like the top-10 ASPECTS of making video games.
It really just runs down the major points involved in making video games. Of course they're all difficult yes, but I challenge you to list additional aspects that arent a challenge.
Slashdot Mirror
Sounds like the folks over at Warhammer online need to get their story straight.
Last time they delayed it (and actually shut down the beta!) it was to "refine and polish the games core mechanics". To me there's a big difference between "polishing the game" and "polishing the CORE MECHANICS".
http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/10/08/2120228&from=rss
So which is it? Are they just "adding more features and polish"? or are the core mechanics still in need of work?
If your job could be replaced by a wiki, it wasnt *really* an IT job to begin with.
Sometimes I almost can't believe what is considered an "IT Job" these days. I've been in the IT industry for about 10 years. When I started if you were in the IT dept it meant that you knew the in's-and-out's of the most popular technologies, most importantly the workstation OS's that companies used.
These days so many of "IT Jobs" are just administrative positions which require more spreadsheet skills than they can find at the local temp agency.
Let me get this straight...
In order to attempt to quell the fears of developers and businesses, FSF decided to hold a Q&S in....IRC?
Kind of shows how out of touch with reality the FSF is. The majority of decision-makers don't even know what IRC is....much less the people with the investment capital.
You mean to tell me that Google....who pays for the vast majority of Mozilla....would allow them to block ads?
http://www.betanews.com/article/In_Browser_War_Its_Really_Google_vs_IE/1193252133
Who would actually WANT something like this?
2 of the main reasons to run an application locally is so that you control your own data.....and don't have to look at ads. This looks like the worst of both worlds....right on your desktop.
Microsoft and Sandisk are collaborating on a replacement for U3 technology...due out next year.
"Patent Protection" seems to be the cry of all companies working with Microsoft. I bet MS did some nudging on this one.
This is almost as bad as receiving a Dell computer with the same kind of google search shit on it.
I think the owners of Slashdot should patent: A method for fanboi's to digitally express their opinion without proper knowledge, or even reading referenced information.
I almost cant believe it. I make a post with an opinion and make various points to back it up and people mod me as trolling?
The slashdot community need to grow up.
Microsoft is good, excellant....maybe even the BEST at defeating a known business opponent. What they're NOT good at is emerging into new markets on their own.
The Wii is a blessing because it gives Microsoft someone to beat. Not only that, but a competitor OTHER than Sony. If it were not for the success of the Wii, the Sony would have continued it's dominance of the console market, and Microsoft would have still been "number 2 of 2".
Now they're "number 2 of 3", with their previous opponent behind them....and a new one who isnt used to playing in the big leagues.
I'm hardly a shill, i dont even own a console except for the Wii that my wife and daughter mostly play with. I'm into more complicated PC games.
I understand your point about the mods being done because "they have to be", but that's what techies like. To modify stuff to suit their needs. If you gave a techie two machines, one that did EVERYTHING, but they didnt like the UI, and one that lacked features (but could be modified to have them) and a nice interface.....they would chose the later. They (we) get off on it. That's why i still build my own PC even though the price difference of brand name is very little.
My point is just that microsoft has a formula that almost always works, and seems to be working here: Generation 1 = laughable. (embrace) Generation 2 = up to par with features but still not quite right (extend). Generation 3 (extinquish)
Microsoft is in a great position to WIN the next generation of gaming consoles.
This generation couldnt have played out better for them. Sony made all the proper mistakes to allow XBox to reign supreme, and the success of the Wii is a blessing in disguise, because it gives microsoft....ideas!
XBox has the best name recognition now for "modern gaming" amoung both techies, because of all the successful mod'ing, and more casual users because of Microsoft's excellent marketing. The fact that the Wii was so successful only means that Microsoft now has a new target in casual gamers. Already they've announced the "XBox arcade Version" to target casual users.
Microsoft Next-Gen: Our console does everything in a familiar interface. We have a TON of downloadable games, both free and micro-payment versions. Oh and one more little thing.....our new motion-sensitive remotes will work on your XBox AND your Windows PC.
Game over.
Its not really a good idea to impose restrictions on a company for "what they MIGHT do".
Ie they "might be able to" leverage the next version of Windows to push people toward silverlight. Kinda dangerous ground.
I had Microsoft Streets and Trips with all of New Jersey and surrounding states available.
What I find most amusing is that my Samsung i700 PocketPC phone did all that and more.....4 years ago.
Nice!
Now the iPhone will have 30 different ways to check stock prices, get weather updates and read RSS feeds!
Hopefully someone makes a Diet Calculator / Calorine counter as well!
Pretty funny that google is trying to con people into building a digital library for them.
Think about how much google has spend just trying to build a library of books, and now they're getting people to build them a media library for free!
Dell doesnt care if Linux is doing good or not. Quite the contrary. While people on Slashdot like to cheer for the Linux vs Microsoft "war"...consider the game that Dell could be playing:
Microsoft Rep: "HEY! We saw your press release about Linux sales, why would you do that?"
Dell: "Hey we're a company in trouble, we're just trying to show growth. We're just reporting numbers"
Microsoft rep: "Ok ok I see. Well what can we do to show good growth of Windows???"
Dell: "Wellllll, since you mention it....perhaps if we had some promotional pricing....."
one has to wonder if these servers are being purchased BECAUSE they have Linux on them? Or because they DONT have Windows Server on them.
If you've ever dealt with order stuff from Dell, you know that if you have direct bulk licenses with Microsoft, then it often still makes sense to buy equipment with software on it. I wonder if these servers had an option for "no OS at all". Of if there was ANY price difference between "NO OS" and "Linux".
There were times that I've bought servers from Dell with a copy of Windows Server OEM on it, not because I didnt already have licenses for Windows Server, but because the sales rep was able to offer excellent deals on systems configured in a certain way.
You obviously dont understand what a patent is. A patent has nothing to do with the code itself....but what the code is doing.
It's also a matter of non-obvious things. Function of recycle bin is obvious. Function of Samba = not obvious.
It will be interesting to see their next step.
Phase 1 was "state the fact about patent infringement".
Phase 2 is now "explain that since the VENDOR wont pay for patents, then the customers will be on the line" Phase 3 ???
Microsoft will eventually HAVE to file a suit or someone will file a suit against them for scare tactics of some sort. I'm sure the Microsoft lawyers understand this, which means they must have a phase 3 in mind. Who will be the first target? And in which court?
Sometimes I think Microsoft can't lose this battle. If their first suit really tests patent law and then win...well then they start the major money collection, and Linux suffers a hit for it's users having legitimate concerns of legality. However if the patent claims are denied...the Microsoft basically has the green light to use the patents owned by countless others. Because of their size and bankroll, they can implement such technologies much quicker than most companies, and they will pull ahead on many fronts.
I saw "the Day After Tomorrow" They're better off returning it. It would be more fun to put on snow shoes and walk from south jersey to New York City in sub-zero weather.
Google says:
We're not doing anything wrong with YouTube, however we're developing technology to remove copyright material *when* we have to do so legally.
not evil huh?
At the end of the day you can sight all kinds of flaws in Microsoft and closed source software. However, for as you're running that software LOCALLY on your computer, then you have the ability to take measures to protect yourself.
If you're drinking the google-juice just because it's "cool" or you want to support them because they're "not evil", you're only doing yourself a dis-service.
Keep your email local, dont save your passwords on a public "service", dont keep naked pictures of your girlfriend on your "G-Drive", etc etc etc
Common Sense
What a stupid article. I wouldnt call it the top-10 challenges of making video games....its more like the top-10 ASPECTS of making video games.
It really just runs down the major points involved in making video games. Of course they're all difficult yes, but I challenge you to list additional aspects that arent a challenge.