As the AC above me said, ROB was developed because many America toy stores flatly refused to carry a game console unless it was marketed as a "toy", and more than a game system. This is also why the original NES value pack in america had 2-3 games bundled - retailers demanded it, after the video game crash.
Yeah man, it's a shame that no one makes software for the Apple either, since their marketshare is only 3.5%... Guess that means Apple is going out of business soon...
I won't buy a newer or better handheld than the GBA because it's just too cool, even though they overcharge for the inferior games.
I have a GBA SP, I don't plan on buying a PSP. Why? It's too expensive! With a game, it's $300! I bought my SP for $70. With a game, I spent $100. I can still use my old GBA games, such as Tetris.
I'm a grown-up, I just don't use a portable enough to justify spending more than $100. I use it when I travel for business, to kill time in lines or on planes or trains.
The strength of the Nintendo portables is that they are priced low enough to be an impulse buy. I'll drop $70 without really thinking about it, but $250 is another matter.
I mean, if a cockroach, who has no more than six brain cells, can figure out how to hide if you're chasing it, then it should be no problem for a programmer to figure out how to make an NPC do it.
The thing is, a cockroach's brain has been optimized and time-tested for survival instincts over millions of years. It may be simple, but it works. Compare that to the average game that has a couple of years to come up with AI.
However, we allow people to frisk us when we go on a plane. How is this better than letting somebody look at us?
Because one is a 1-on-1 experience, the other is a 1-and-everyone-in-the-area experience. I have stood and stared at the screens showing X-Rays of people's luggage (there _were_ signs that said I wasn't supposed to look, but I did anyway - I was in a long security line). I'm sure this "nude cam" would attract even more gawking, and I'm also sure that some enterprising airport screeners (who are paid REALLY poorly) will, rather quickly, get the bright idea to attach a VCR to the monitor.
The article won't load, but I'm sure (I hope, anyway) that there are some plans to prevent these sort of abuses, but still - those are the reasons why many people are against this.
They called it an Entertainment System, and marketed it as a "toy"-type product (with the inclusion of that robot) mainly because major US retailers flatly stated they would not carry a video game console.
I can't load the site you link for some reason, but I was simply pointing out that they COULD EOL the console in terms of game releases - if they so desired. When you said "they don't have a say", you were incorrect. They do indeed have a say, at least in terms of games.
Actually, MS has no say in whether the XBox is 'supported' or not... The game and peripheral makers do.
I'm fairly certain most/all console makers have an approval process for games. They can stop the flow of games if they so desire (though why would they). Peripherals, now that's a different story.
Have they mentioned the idea of letting 3rd-party companies offer current games for download?
True, most current games would be too large, but it would be quite awesome if you could buy simple, independently developed (but N-approved) games via the same method that the back catalog games will be downloaded...
It would be really interesting if smaller companies could have a direct distribution route for "smaller" (but still innovative gameplay-wise) games.
WoW has certain servers that are RP-oriented, others that are PVP oriented, and others that are PVE (Player Vs Environment) oriented. Most of your points are quite valid... if you are playing on one of the RP servers.
The simple solution to your issues is to simply warn players on the first questionable activity. A player who is simply accepting a single random gift wouldn't do it again. However, the account that is sending out many of these "gifts" will have many, many suspicious activities on their record, so...
Alternatively, you could simply only punish the "giver", and just negate all the givers gold... the punishment for the person who recieved it would simply be that they lose the "dirty" gold.
In case no one else has mentioned this... is it even POSSIBLE to put an RFID tag in a bullet? I mean, bullets get really hot, then impact things at very high speeds. They also generally deform or even break apart on impact. It seems like if an RFID was embedded in a bullet it would have a very high chance of breaking on impact.
To get to the point where you have that skill level though, you have to buy (or at least have access to), more cards than you need to just build the one deck you'll be using in a tournament... right?
I know when I used to play, my active decks might not have cost me that much, but if you added up all the cards I had bought as simplying being part of the hobby, it would be a larger number.
I think the poster is basically saying that it's a game, and it takes some of the fun out of most games it if people can pay for advancement - not to mention makes you feel like you have to pay extra, too.
This is one reason why most people don't play games like Magic:TG - the feeling that you can't compete unless you spend tons of loot on the game. And, to many people, games are less fun when you have more than a trivial amount of money invested in them.
I agree with a lot of that, but a faster mount and/or faster mount cast certainly is an advantage over other players... 10% faster mount than the next guy means you can get away, or chase down, more effectively.
Slashdot Mirror
id software started as shareware garage developers
As the AC above me said, ROB was developed because many America toy stores flatly refused to carry a game console unless it was marketed as a "toy", and more than a game system. This is also why the original NES value pack in america had 2-3 games bundled - retailers demanded it, after the video game crash.
Yeah man, it's a shame that no one makes software for the Apple either, since their marketshare is only 3.5%... Guess that means Apple is going out of business soon...
I won't buy a newer or better handheld than the GBA because it's just too cool, even though they overcharge for the inferior games.
I have a GBA SP, I don't plan on buying a PSP. Why? It's too expensive! With a game, it's $300! I bought my SP for $70. With a game, I spent $100. I can still use my old GBA games, such as Tetris.
I'm a grown-up, I just don't use a portable enough to justify spending more than $100. I use it when I travel for business, to kill time in lines or on planes or trains.
The strength of the Nintendo portables is that they are priced low enough to be an impulse buy. I'll drop $70 without really thinking about it, but $250 is another matter.
In fact, if anything moved units for the GC, it was probably Metroid Prime.
Don't underestimate the power of Zelda. I personally bought my Gamecube when Wind Waker came out, and I know others who did the same.
I'm happy I did - since then, I've played lots of other great games, like Resident Evil 4.
They should - lots of people didn't buy GT4 because the AI in GT3 was so poor.
Vice City (GT4) sold more copies than GTA3.
I mean, if a cockroach, who has no more than six brain cells, can figure out how to hide if you're chasing it, then it should be no problem for a programmer to figure out how to make an NPC do it.
The thing is, a cockroach's brain has been optimized and time-tested for survival instincts over millions of years. It may be simple, but it works. Compare that to the average game that has a couple of years to come up with AI.
However, we allow people to frisk us when we go on a plane. How is this better than letting somebody look at us?
Because one is a 1-on-1 experience, the other is a 1-and-everyone-in-the-area experience. I have stood and stared at the screens showing X-Rays of people's luggage (there _were_ signs that said I wasn't supposed to look, but I did anyway - I was in a long security line). I'm sure this "nude cam" would attract even more gawking, and I'm also sure that some enterprising airport screeners (who are paid REALLY poorly) will, rather quickly, get the bright idea to attach a VCR to the monitor.
The article won't load, but I'm sure (I hope, anyway) that there are some plans to prevent these sort of abuses, but still - those are the reasons why many people are against this.
They called it an Entertainment System, and marketed it as a "toy"-type product (with the inclusion of that robot) mainly because major US retailers flatly stated they would not carry a video game console.
thats because... duh duh DUN!! slashdot posts stories for paid subscribers first, then everyone else gets to see them.
also, the submission process is different as well - i'm sure it takes longer.
I'm pretty doubtful on MS allowing them to not have the voice chat if it's used in conjunction with Live.
From the top of this very page:
players will log into PlayOnline in order to play FFXI, not the Live service.
As I said in my original comment... "They can stop the flow of games if they so desire (though why would they)."
I can't load the site you link for some reason, but I was simply pointing out that they COULD EOL the console in terms of game releases - if they so desired. When you said "they don't have a say", you were incorrect. They do indeed have a say, at least in terms of games.
Actually, MS has no say in whether the XBox is 'supported' or not... The game and peripheral makers do.
I'm fairly certain most/all console makers have an approval process for games. They can stop the flow of games if they so desire (though why would they). Peripherals, now that's a different story.
Have they mentioned the idea of letting 3rd-party companies offer current games for download?
True, most current games would be too large, but it would be quite awesome if you could buy simple, independently developed (but N-approved) games via the same method that the back catalog games will be downloaded...
It would be really interesting if smaller companies could have a direct distribution route for "smaller" (but still innovative gameplay-wise) games.
WoW has certain servers that are RP-oriented, others that are PVP oriented, and others that are PVE (Player Vs Environment) oriented. Most of your points are quite valid... if you are playing on one of the RP servers.
The simple solution to your issues is to simply warn players on the first questionable activity. A player who is simply accepting a single random gift wouldn't do it again. However, the account that is sending out many of these "gifts" will have many, many suspicious activities on their record, so...
Alternatively, you could simply only punish the "giver", and just negate all the givers gold... the punishment for the person who recieved it would simply be that they lose the "dirty" gold.
In case no one else has mentioned this... is it even POSSIBLE to put an RFID tag in a bullet? I mean, bullets get really hot, then impact things at very high speeds. They also generally deform or even break apart on impact. It seems like if an RFID was embedded in a bullet it would have a very high chance of breaking on impact.
He is simply pointing out that children who are molested are more likely to have been victimized by a family member than a non-family member.
Additionally, you have to pay to play a game of pool, or Street Fighter at the arcade, but that is still fun, isn't it?
Now what if someone could challenge you at SF, then put in an extra quarter and get 2x as much life?
Would that change your enjoyment of the match?
To get to the point where you have that skill level though, you have to buy (or at least have access to), more cards than you need to just build the one deck you'll be using in a tournament... right?
I know when I used to play, my active decks might not have cost me that much, but if you added up all the cards I had bought as simplying being part of the hobby, it would be a larger number.
I already addressed this in my comment:
to many people, games are less fun when you have more than a trivial amount of money invested in them.
$15 a month is trivial to most people playing this game. If it wasn't, they wouldn't be playing.
I think the poster is basically saying that it's a game, and it takes some of the fun out of most games it if people can pay for advancement - not to mention makes you feel like you have to pay extra, too.
This is one reason why most people don't play games like Magic:TG - the feeling that you can't compete unless you spend tons of loot on the game. And, to many people, games are less fun when you have more than a trivial amount of money invested in them.
I agree with a lot of that, but a faster mount and/or faster mount cast certainly is an advantage over other players... 10% faster mount than the next guy means you can get away, or chase down, more effectively.
Link here.