There's benefits to microtransactions you're overlooking. With a traditional game, you're out the money the moment you buy, before you've even tried the game. With microtransactions you get a chance to play first, and then make purchases if you like. If it's truly just designed to be addictive click spamming, you don't have to buy if you don't like the game. On the other hand, if you pick up a new computer game and realize it's awful, you're basically stuck. I can remember a couple of downright awful Atari and Nintendo games I picked out as a kid because they sounded neat, only to discover within minutes the game wasn't worth playing.
The microtransaction model is also a great way for smaller or niche games to draw in players by letting people try it for free first, and then choosing to pay if they're happy with the game. Sure, the developers can also put out a demo or have a limited trial account as another way to let people try before buying, but "everything free with optional paid content" is just another means of accomplishing mostly the same thing.
I'm with you on this. I won't do monthly fees for games. The idea just makes me feel like I have to play all the time to get my money's worth, or I'm losing money if I'm not playing. I'm also streaky (play a lot this week, leave it alone for 6 months and repeat) and I don't want to lost my character or pay maintenance to keep it in the meantime. It's a perpetual, indefinite money sink, and I don't want to commit to it.
On the other hand a one-time small transaction isn't a big hit to my wallet, I can choose to pay or not as I like, enjoy the additional benefit, and don't feel any extra pressure to keep getting my money's worth or keep paying to maintain my account.
Thinking we know better than nature is just plain arrogance, which might just kill us all, and may be why we're in this boat to start with.
That's a glib movie line, but "thinking we know better than nature" is fundamental to every tool and every component of civilization. It does cause some problems, yes, but throwing it all out would be much worse.
Problem being, what happens when only computers read manuals and then something goes wrong with the computer? Who reads the manual telling you how to fix the computer?
I remember once, after having spent a couple of very lengthy days working in Photoshop, making a silly real life mistake (spilling a glass, perhaps) and not only thinking "undo" but actually reaching out to the kitchen table top and tapping the space where my hands thought ctrl-Z would be, if there had been a keyboard in front of me.
I have to agree. I've got a modest little online RPG, and while it's been the heart and soul of my creative efforts for half a decade, if someone offered me retirement-quality money for it I'd sell in a heartbeat. Not that I wouldn't be sad to let it go, but I've got plenty of other fantastic ideas I simply haven't had time to pursue because I've been focusing on this one thing for so long.
I don't have a voice in this argument, I was simply pointing out that you seemed to be missing his joke when you said "even in that small sample, you experienced some that do work." It was pretty clear he did not have any that actually worked for him. I agree with you that his 3-4 samples aren't statistically valid science, but I wasn't talking about that part at all.
Look closer at how he said they "work." Colds go away after 7 days on their own, and travel sickness doesn't generally set in immediately -- in other words the things he's joking that they did are things that would happen exactly the same way without the medicine.
I'm not generally one to go out of my way to point out grammatical errors, but I'm pretty amused you managed to get 50% of that phrase correct and yet fell prey to a homophone for the other half.
Oh, I've seen the one in my neighborhood messed up in just about every way possible:
*Stopping before entering, as you note. This IS dangerous, because coming to a stop when you're supposed to be moving confuses everyone.
*Stopping INSIDE the loop, before exiting, out of a desire to yeild to other cars that want to enter.
*Trying to go from the right lane (required right turn after 90 degrees) straight through the left lane, cutting off traffic in the left lane.
*Trying to turn right from the left lane, cutting across traffic in the right lane.
*Pedestrians walking directly through the center of the circle, stopping all traffic, rather than using the crosswalks around the perimiter that just block one exit.
*Drivers failing to navigate the circle and cutting over part of the central curb, and losing control.
*Poor snow removal resulting in a circle of dangerous ice. It's hard enough going straight, constantly turning increases risk of slipping.
I don't actually know what most musicians look like. I watched a bit of MTv back when they played videos, but I haven't really had reason to go look up pictures of most of the bands I've heard on the radio since.
It'd of course be hard to try to identify "failed" songs, and it'd be a lot of work to tabulate all songs for a baseline, but it might be interesting to compare the ones that hit the top 10 against those which came close, say landing in the top 100 but not ever going higher than #50 -- call them "good but not quite great" songs.
I just read a couple of 4-stars and a couple of 2-stars, and only venture into the 1's or 5's if I'm still not sure, but those I take at 25% of face value.
While I agree -- despite being a physics major, my favorite classes were in art history, English, philosophy, and history -- if you're the kind of person who calls those things "a waste of my precious time" then you're probably not going to enjoy them. Still, if you want a bachelor's in the US, they're hard to avoid.
This is true. I'm biased, because I've done some freelance copy editing in the past, but I've caught some really messy mistakes as a proofreader, and this after two or sometimes three other editors. It doesn't matter how good you are, you'll miss some things, and even very skilled editors tend to have blind spots for their own work. I'd never trust myself to be my own copy editor.
If the volume of spam is the issue, a $1 fee ought to just about be enough, right? Maybe even 10 cents. I'd think anything that relies on bulk fails about as soon as there's any charge at all. Might as well keep those barriers as minimal as possible, right?
Hi. Apparently you don't know what the "Appeal to Authority" fallacy is. Appeal to fallacy is when you cite me as a qualified source on rocket science just because I am a distinguished porn star with a 14" penis.
Actually, wouldn't that be an appeal to "phallusy"?
A mistaken or mistyped email is not carte blanc for you to send unsolicited advertising to people. The Advertising law in this nation is very _VERY_ clear about this....
If you did this to me, I wouldn't flame you via email, I'd report you to ACMA. You should be very grateful none of your victims have been this smart.
Are you really so wound up about spam that if you called up the wrong shop and started asking confusing questions, you'd really be mad at the shopkeep who -- while giving you the phone number to the shop you actually want but you've somehow mangled -- also tells you what his own shop does? Sheesh.
Outraged as you might be about it, the people I've actually helped have been almost universally thankful and/or apologetic. Call them "victims" all you want, but they appeared to be happier that I answered as I did than if I'd left them unanswered and without assistance.
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There's benefits to microtransactions you're overlooking. With a traditional game, you're out the money the moment you buy, before you've even tried the game. With microtransactions you get a chance to play first, and then make purchases if you like. If it's truly just designed to be addictive click spamming, you don't have to buy if you don't like the game. On the other hand, if you pick up a new computer game and realize it's awful, you're basically stuck. I can remember a couple of downright awful Atari and Nintendo games I picked out as a kid because they sounded neat, only to discover within minutes the game wasn't worth playing.
The microtransaction model is also a great way for smaller or niche games to draw in players by letting people try it for free first, and then choosing to pay if they're happy with the game. Sure, the developers can also put out a demo or have a limited trial account as another way to let people try before buying, but "everything free with optional paid content" is just another means of accomplishing mostly the same thing.
Well, duh, only bad guys wear monocles. Everyone knows that.
On the other hand a one-time small transaction isn't a big hit to my wallet, I can choose to pay or not as I like, enjoy the additional benefit, and don't feel any extra pressure to keep getting my money's worth or keep paying to maintain my account.
Thinking we know better than nature is just plain arrogance, which might just kill us all, and may be why we're in this boat to start with.
That's a glib movie line, but "thinking we know better than nature" is fundamental to every tool and every component of civilization. It does cause some problems, yes, but throwing it all out would be much worse.
Problem being, what happens when only computers read manuals and then something goes wrong with the computer? Who reads the manual telling you how to fix the computer?
I remember once, after having spent a couple of very lengthy days working in Photoshop, making a silly real life mistake (spilling a glass, perhaps) and not only thinking "undo" but actually reaching out to the kitchen table top and tapping the space where my hands thought ctrl-Z would be, if there had been a keyboard in front of me.
You mean besides all the national chains with online stores which already do? It's just a database, and automated. It's relatively easy, even.
I have to agree. I've got a modest little online RPG, and while it's been the heart and soul of my creative efforts for half a decade, if someone offered me retirement-quality money for it I'd sell in a heartbeat. Not that I wouldn't be sad to let it go, but I've got plenty of other fantastic ideas I simply haven't had time to pursue because I've been focusing on this one thing for so long.
I don't have a voice in this argument, I was simply pointing out that you seemed to be missing his joke when you said "even in that small sample, you experienced some that do work." It was pretty clear he did not have any that actually worked for him. I agree with you that his 3-4 samples aren't statistically valid science, but I wasn't talking about that part at all.
Look closer at how he said they "work." Colds go away after 7 days on their own, and travel sickness doesn't generally set in immediately -- in other words the things he's joking that they did are things that would happen exactly the same way without the medicine.
Hear here!
I'm not generally one to go out of my way to point out grammatical errors, but I'm pretty amused you managed to get 50% of that phrase correct and yet fell prey to a homophone for the other half.
Oh, I've seen the one in my neighborhood messed up in just about every way possible:
*Stopping before entering, as you note. This IS dangerous, because coming to a stop when you're supposed to be moving confuses everyone.
*Stopping INSIDE the loop, before exiting, out of a desire to yeild to other cars that want to enter.
*Trying to go from the right lane (required right turn after 90 degrees) straight through the left lane, cutting off traffic in the left lane.
*Trying to turn right from the left lane, cutting across traffic in the right lane.
*Pedestrians walking directly through the center of the circle, stopping all traffic, rather than using the crosswalks around the perimiter that just block one exit.
*Drivers failing to navigate the circle and cutting over part of the central curb, and losing control.
*Poor snow removal resulting in a circle of dangerous ice. It's hard enough going straight, constantly turning increases risk of slipping.
I don't actually know what most musicians look like. I watched a bit of MTv back when they played videos, but I haven't really had reason to go look up pictures of most of the bands I've heard on the radio since.
It'd of course be hard to try to identify "failed" songs, and it'd be a lot of work to tabulate all songs for a baseline, but it might be interesting to compare the ones that hit the top 10 against those which came close, say landing in the top 100 but not ever going higher than #50 -- call them "good but not quite great" songs.
Hate to break it to you, but "hay day" is wrong. It's "heyday."
I've been doing this since the 90's and I have over 500 addresses assigned.
That sounds an awful lot like work.
I just read a couple of 4-stars and a couple of 2-stars, and only venture into the 1's or 5's if I'm still not sure, but those I take at 25% of face value.
While I agree -- despite being a physics major, my favorite classes were in art history, English, philosophy, and history -- if you're the kind of person who calls those things "a waste of my precious time" then you're probably not going to enjoy them. Still, if you want a bachelor's in the US, they're hard to avoid.
One in a million? That means it's practically guaranteed, right?
This is true. I'm biased, because I've done some freelance copy editing in the past, but I've caught some really messy mistakes as a proofreader, and this after two or sometimes three other editors. It doesn't matter how good you are, you'll miss some things, and even very skilled editors tend to have blind spots for their own work. I'd never trust myself to be my own copy editor.
If the volume of spam is the issue, a $1 fee ought to just about be enough, right? Maybe even 10 cents. I'd think anything that relies on bulk fails about as soon as there's any charge at all. Might as well keep those barriers as minimal as possible, right?
I for one welcome our Neal Stevenson-esque gargoyle overlords.
Hi. Apparently you don't know what the "Appeal to Authority" fallacy is. Appeal to fallacy is when you cite me as a qualified source on rocket science just because I am a distinguished porn star with a 14" penis.
Actually, wouldn't that be an appeal to "phallusy"?
A mistaken or mistyped email is not carte blanc for you to send unsolicited advertising to people. The Advertising law in this nation is very _VERY_ clear about this. ...
If you did this to me, I wouldn't flame you via email, I'd report you to ACMA. You should be very grateful none of your victims have been this smart.
Are you really so wound up about spam that if you called up the wrong shop and started asking confusing questions, you'd really be mad at the shopkeep who -- while giving you the phone number to the shop you actually want but you've somehow mangled -- also tells you what his own shop does? Sheesh.
Outraged as you might be about it, the people I've actually helped have been almost universally thankful and/or apologetic. Call them "victims" all you want, but they appeared to be happier that I answered as I did than if I'd left them unanswered and without assistance.
No, but it's the combination to my luggage!
Er, wrong slashdot meme?