Your right of self-determination ends where it becomes a liability to the rest of society. If you are a selfish enough asshole that you don't give a shit about the rest of society, get the fuck out of it!
Communism produces a more ingenious, crafty workforce that can think outside the box, simply due to necessity because of shortages in materials and spare parts. People who could keep your plastic car running with shoestring and rubber band (provided that's available, if not, substitute) were highly sought after and could actually make a comfortable living for communist conditions.
Again, if delivery times are between 2 and 12 days, I would not complain. I'm not a Prime customer, I get pushed back to the end of the queue and my time comes when there's less stress. So I could hope to get lucky and order on a slow day, and get my stuff in 2 days because they get around to shipping it right away, or I could be unlucky and order during a stressful week when they don't get around to my order until the next week. That, I could understand.
What I cannot understand is how my stuff arrives without fail (and I am dead serious here, this is ALWAYS the case) in 6-8 days from the same warehouse that could deliver in 2-3 days before Prime got here.
I honestly don't get Kickstarter. Basically, what it is is a venture capitalist venue for dummies. And I mean that in the most pejorative sense possible.
Kickstarter projects are by definition rather high risk ventures. You are investing into something that is being built. But people treat it like they're just buying something that IS already built, albeit with some rather insane delivery times. That this has to lead to disappointment is a given.
There is a pretty good reason "ordinary" VCs want equity when they back you with money. They are carrying the risk together with you. And there is a pretty good chance that the money is gone because the project never materializes. They accept a high risk, so they want a high reward. That's sensible.
What people on Kickstarter do is to accept a high risk for a pittance of return. What do you usually get? You get the product they try to produce. Maybe at a reduced price (read: at cost), maybe in some superspecial edition that ONLY backers get (and everyone who later pays a buck extra).
Sorry, but if you accept that deal, you better have other reasons to back the project (like, say, you really, really want to see this done and you love it SO much that you'll willingly throw away money for the CHANCE to MAYBE see it happen).
So I should base my decision whether or not I buy a game on the recommendation of someone who makes his living reviewing games (and hence his income is dependent on people looking at his reviews), exists in a system where being the first to deliver is key (first review gets eyeballs, being 2 days late is... useless), probably gets the game early from the company to put out a review and will nearly certainly be removed from the "gets game early for free" list if he calls it a stinker and the bomb of the year?
I... I'll go with the screenshot, the chance of it being honest is higher.
If it breaks, repair it. Hello? East bloc? Trust me, these guys know how to repair EVERYTHING.
I'm not kidding. I was on a bike tour around Europe. The only repair to my bike that lasted was done in Romania, with no fitting spare parts and tools from the stone age (ok, from the Soviet times, which is not that different). It was by some margin the cheapest repair, too.
I'd absolutely sure, if you happen to have a broken iPhone, they'll come with crowbars and arc welders and miraculously make it work again. WITHOUT any spare parts.
Step out of the time machine. Back then you could not expect the game to look anything like the advertisment on the box. Why? Because anyone who had at least a minimum of knowledge of the matter KNEW that this is impossible with the technology back then. If an Atari 2600 game promised you "exciting racing action" you did NOT expect a first person view in 1900x1200 resolution and Dolby 7.1 sound. You had certain expectations, within the limitations of the capabilities of the console back then, and usually (!) they were fulfilled. Yes, there was a LOT of crappy Atari games, which also contributed to the eventual crash in 83, but that's not the point now. There's a lot of crap today as well, but, guess what, that crap is usually not full of unfulfilled promises.
When you have today someone promising you different ships behaving differently, different multiplayer modes, a procedurally generated universe with multiple NPC factions waging war around you (and without your participation), and that you can take sides and that the NPC factions will react accordingly, then you can actually believe that. Because it is not only possible, it has been done before.
This is not a completely outlandish expectation like it would be for an Atari 2600 game.
It may come as a surprise, but there are actually honest people out there who want to deliver what they promise. They are actually, believe it or not, the majority of businesspeople out there.
Please, that was the barbaric times of the Stalinist era we left behind us. Today we are a modern society where we reeducate people instead of just punishing them.
Admittedly, sometimes reeducation takes 25 years, especially when we're short on workers in Sibiria.
Slashdot Mirror
Are you stupid or high?
Doing A does not mean doing B just because it sounds similar. You download a movie, so you're stealing, so you will rob a bank tomorrow. Right?
The environmental calamity will be your least concern considering that
a) You have a bunker
b) everyone else doesn't
c) but they know what you got in there
Sure, blame us instead of the rich.
If there was a justice, anti-vaccers would not be protected by herd immunity.
Your right of self-determination ends where it becomes a liability to the rest of society. If you are a selfish enough asshole that you don't give a shit about the rest of society, get the fuck out of it!
Because they're loud, obnoxious, smelly and expensive.
Next question?
Considering that I rarely buy games before they make it into the bargain bin, that's highly unlikely.
Communism produces a more ingenious, crafty workforce that can think outside the box, simply due to necessity because of shortages in materials and spare parts. People who could keep your plastic car running with shoestring and rubber band (provided that's available, if not, substitute) were highly sought after and could actually make a comfortable living for communist conditions.
Again, if delivery times are between 2 and 12 days, I would not complain. I'm not a Prime customer, I get pushed back to the end of the queue and my time comes when there's less stress. So I could hope to get lucky and order on a slow day, and get my stuff in 2 days because they get around to shipping it right away, or I could be unlucky and order during a stressful week when they don't get around to my order until the next week. That, I could understand.
What I cannot understand is how my stuff arrives without fail (and I am dead serious here, this is ALWAYS the case) in 6-8 days from the same warehouse that could deliver in 2-3 days before Prime got here.
Wow, you sure have some rather specific taste. Maybe you should stop buying puzzle games when you're only into racing.
I honestly don't get Kickstarter. Basically, what it is is a venture capitalist venue for dummies. And I mean that in the most pejorative sense possible.
Kickstarter projects are by definition rather high risk ventures. You are investing into something that is being built. But people treat it like they're just buying something that IS already built, albeit with some rather insane delivery times. That this has to lead to disappointment is a given.
There is a pretty good reason "ordinary" VCs want equity when they back you with money. They are carrying the risk together with you. And there is a pretty good chance that the money is gone because the project never materializes. They accept a high risk, so they want a high reward. That's sensible.
What people on Kickstarter do is to accept a high risk for a pittance of return. What do you usually get? You get the product they try to produce. Maybe at a reduced price (read: at cost), maybe in some superspecial edition that ONLY backers get (and everyone who later pays a buck extra).
Sorry, but if you accept that deal, you better have other reasons to back the project (like, say, you really, really want to see this done and you love it SO much that you'll willingly throw away money for the CHANCE to MAYBE see it happen).
Friends don't use friends as canaries.
The last game I remember that actually had a sampler that represented the game at least halfway decently was Tropico 4. That was, what, 5 years ago?
So I should base my decision whether or not I buy a game on the recommendation of someone who makes his living reviewing games (and hence his income is dependent on people looking at his reviews), exists in a system where being the first to deliver is key (first review gets eyeballs, being 2 days late is ... useless), probably gets the game early from the company to put out a review and will nearly certainly be removed from the "gets game early for free" list if he calls it a stinker and the bomb of the year?
I ... I'll go with the screenshot, the chance of it being honest is higher.
Show me how you balance the drive shafts on the phone.
That's what spelled death for Commodore, their engineers were too good. They built stuff that didn't break and hence you only sold once.
If it breaks, repair it. Hello? East bloc? Trust me, these guys know how to repair EVERYTHING.
I'm not kidding. I was on a bike tour around Europe. The only repair to my bike that lasted was done in Romania, with no fitting spare parts and tools from the stone age (ok, from the Soviet times, which is not that different). It was by some margin the cheapest repair, too.
I'd absolutely sure, if you happen to have a broken iPhone, they'll come with crowbars and arc welders and miraculously make it work again. WITHOUT any spare parts.
Is that the two guys from the cell repair shop down the road? They do C64s too?
Step out of the time machine. Back then you could not expect the game to look anything like the advertisment on the box. Why? Because anyone who had at least a minimum of knowledge of the matter KNEW that this is impossible with the technology back then. If an Atari 2600 game promised you "exciting racing action" you did NOT expect a first person view in 1900x1200 resolution and Dolby 7.1 sound. You had certain expectations, within the limitations of the capabilities of the console back then, and usually (!) they were fulfilled. Yes, there was a LOT of crappy Atari games, which also contributed to the eventual crash in 83, but that's not the point now. There's a lot of crap today as well, but, guess what, that crap is usually not full of unfulfilled promises.
When you have today someone promising you different ships behaving differently, different multiplayer modes, a procedurally generated universe with multiple NPC factions waging war around you (and without your participation), and that you can take sides and that the NPC factions will react accordingly, then you can actually believe that. Because it is not only possible, it has been done before.
This is not a completely outlandish expectation like it would be for an Atari 2600 game.
It may come as a surprise, but there are actually honest people out there who want to deliver what they promise. They are actually, believe it or not, the majority of businesspeople out there.
Honest question: What else should I base my decision to buy a game on if not screenshots and gameplay previews?
I wonder if that defense would have worked for Enron. "What? Well, why were you stupid enough to believe what we said. DUH!"
They have been relocated to the agriculture department and have now a glorious new career as fertilizer.
Please, that was the barbaric times of the Stalinist era we left behind us. Today we are a modern society where we reeducate people instead of just punishing them.
Admittedly, sometimes reeducation takes 25 years, especially when we're short on workers in Sibiria.