I have often wondered if the "midichlorian" thing was a way for Lucas to connect the Jewish belief of requiring a Jewish mother to the fact that only mothers pass along mitochondrial DNA. (And I am aware that this Jewish law in the Torah differs from the old testament where Jewish fathers had Jewish kids with non Jewish mothers) In Episode 1 we see that Anakin has no father. So the father is irrelevant in creating the state of super-Jedi midochlorian-ness. Hence the "blood" of the "chosen people" (the Jedi) is passed through the maternal line. Just seems like there must of been a reason he used a word that sounds so close to "mitochondrian". I guess there is also the fact that mitochondria are a key component in the generation of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) the chemical energy fuel that allows our bodies to work, move and apply "force". There is also the fact that the mitochondria have been speculated to have been at some point organisms that took up residence within eukaryotic cells (those with a membrane). Hence this fits in with midi-chlorians being a seperate type of life form yet present in living things. Silly? Perhaps. But not nearly as silly as Skywalker and Son.
How does buying an Apple computer grant you "imagination"? I didn't realize they come bundled with it. I can't seem to find it listed on the options in the Apple store. Does Apple have any marketing literature on it? Does the Apple model I buy affect how much "imagination" I get with it? Can I upgrade the "imagination" later? Do iPods come with "imagination" too? Is that iMagination?
Wrong. The lowest level Power Mac G5 1.8GHz sells for $1499. The 17" iMac G5 1.8GHz sells for $1299. The iMac comes with 512MB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive in the base low end configuration. The Power Mac G5 comes with 256MB RAM and an 80GB hard drive. Boosting the RAM and hard drive to match the low end iMac spec adds $150. Putting you at $1649 - or $350 more. And that's leaving out the cost of the external monitor. Figure $250 for a decent 19" CRT or $300 for a decent 17" LCD. That brings you up to $1899 on the low side. Admittedly if you already have a monitor, you will have already paid this expense before the Power Mac purchase, but it's still a real hardware cost if you want to compare the iMac to the Power Mac.
This type of service is not wide spread in the U.S. as far as I can tell. At least in Hawaii the few options I've seen for pay-as-you-go are basically used as a marketing tool to get you to sign up for a monthly plan. Basically the cost per minute is jacked up so that it makes the monthly plan seem like a steal. Contracts are at least one year with a nasty buyout (upwards of $175 U.S.) for leaving the contract early. Companies push 2 year contracts by offering the big breaks on the phone cost. "Well you could go with a 1 year contract and get this basic phone for free, but if you go with two years you get this great camera phone with internet access (extra charge) for just $20!" I've known people who have put up with absolutely crap service just because it cost to much to get out of the deal they are in. And if you do try to get out they'll throw more incentives your way to renew your contract. "We'll throw in a $100 rebate of this NEW better camera phone AND give you an extra 100 minutes for FREE!" It sucks. I hate them all. They must die. I sure don't want to get stuck buying a music plan from these guys. "With a two year contract you get 25 songs a month for FREE. And the new 10gig phone with music playback is only $50!" It's like those stupid pay $5 a month ringtone service. Lame.
And then there are those of us that would rather have some expandability and an external screen, and not be pigeonholed into a particular cost/performance bracket. I hate integrated screens. Your LCD breaks and you have to take the whole computer in to be repaired. You want to upgrade two years after buying the 20" iMac and guess what, you can't take that still functioning LCD panel with you. You have to pay for a new iMac with a new LCD. Wheee. So my option is to buy a PowerMac G5. Now I've got that huge footprint and large cost. How about something on level with an iMac G5 without integrated monitor and maybe room for a couple of internal hard drives? Not going to happen. With Apple you get whatever you want as long as it's within their stratified product line. Don't get me wrong, I like OS X and think Apple has made some great business decisions. Unfortunately I can't afford a PowerMac G5 and don't want an iMac G5. So I guess I'll get a mini, which is ok but not nearly the power I really want.
What's next? Will they roll up into the ball shape and terrorize the neighborhood? Shift into the dog shape and be taken home by some poor unsuspecting child? The horror!
Xbox is my favorite current generation console for playing Nintendo games on. It handles NES, SNES, GB, GBA and N64 games much better than the PS2 or Gamecube.
Way, way, way back in the last millenia around 1997, Epic Megagames announced a game called "Prey". Prey was to be the greatest next generation FPS game and engine. One of the features that Prey had was known as "Portal Technology". The portals where supposed to be a mechanism for creating a network of Prey servers running different maps, where you could run from one map to the another throughout your gaming session. So battles would be able to take place across a range of different maps and terrain all interconnected via the portal technology. Eventually Prey was cancelled as Epic focused on the Unreal brand. I imagine that at the time the technology (in particular broadband penetration) wasn't good enough to handle the portal concept. This announcement sounds more like they are finally rolling and expanding on concepts they first revealed 8 years ago. Hardly jumping on the bandwagon.
Not sure exactly where the irony is, but actually this doesn't have anything to do with Blizzard. Blizzard didn't invent the technology that streams content in to game on the fly without loading screens. Many other games have featured this (i.e. Dungeon Siege, GTA 3). And to be fair in WoW you do get a loading screen when taking a boat trip. Although I'm sure this is because it would be pointless to show the big empty ocean where nothing happens.
Nintendo is perfectly happy selling you the old NES Donkey Kong and Super Mario Brothers over and over again. They released them again for the GBA just a few months ago. I guess if it makes you feel better you can always go and buy the old physical ROMs from the used sections of stores. There is pretty large online retro games market which will cater to your desire for old ROMs. Of course these resold items don't actually make any more money for the developers, so... Yeah it's all very silly. I guess the good point is that while cease and desists have been shot off at many a ROM or emulation website, I haven't heard of them taking the RIAA/MPAA route and sueing individuals.
The real advantage is that you can store multiple games on one memory stick. This way you don't have to carry a bunch of catridges around or worry about your kid losing his games. They have memory cartridges for the Gameboy Advance that can do this, and also run homebrew programs or emulators.
New players pretty much get herded into the Hollows since many of the missions and contacts occur there. I think that's a good thing, as I much prefer the zone to Perez Park's maze of trees. The Hollows is a challenging zone to get through without a travel power - it's huge and those gaping pits are instant death to lowbies who accidentally take the plunge. Striga Isle is a really nice zone as well. Kudos to the devs for that one. I actually like the crash site, although it's somewhat repetitive as you pretty much just have Riktis. Can't say I liked the Shadow Shard too much - flight helps a lot but I can never get a team to go there.
Say what you like but your experiences may not reflect that of the entire world. I've had much more pain supporting both the Palm devices and Blackberrys than I have had with PocketPC. God how I hate the Palm sync software.
I took a look as well. Is this really that hard to implement?
Search for quoted phrases, for instance "LimeWire Rocks" would find only results with "LimeWire Rocks" and not find "LimeWire on the Rocks"
My coding is limited to things like PHP and ASP, but this sort of search feature is a pretty common thing and not hard to implement in web scripting at least. Not trolling, just asking.
Uh, Empire has a more open ended conclusion than New Hope. New Hope could have stood alone as a single movie. Whee, the death star blowed up real good and the heroes save the day and get medals. Parent poster stated:
"Maybe the open-ended conclusion was less thrilling than the destruction of the Death Star."
Implying that he didn't care for the open ending of Empire. By your logic he would prefer Matrix Revolutions to the original.
Check out Seriously! the official fansite for Serious engine games. About the only Serious engine game I can recall making a small dent was Nitro Family. It got pretty mixed reviews. There is apparently a Serious Sam 2 on the way, along with a couple other Serious engine games. And uh, I think we can just ignore Deer Hunter and Bird Hunter 2003...
I'm not arguing that there is not a lot of content - but what you describe (aside from the PVP which is new) is the same basic gameplay I've been doing for the last 50 levels (actually over a 100 levels if you add up my alts). I don't find it terribly interesting to run old TFs or something with my 50. I mean there is no real progress point, short of small benefits in accolades. I don't mind helping people with Arch Villian missions as they are a little more interesting. Badges and souvenirs? Doing the kill X number of mob to get a badge stuff is extremely repetitive. Sure they have added new zones - I have played through them. And honestly how many people do you see in the crash site or Eden? I love CoH - I think I've spent more hours with the game than ANY other game in my life. And my gaming history goes back to the Atari 2600. All told I've probably spent close to 1000 hours - which is pretty nuts. All I am saying is that I hope the game expands a bit in the future. Expands as in gives us new things to do, not just new places or new story arches, but new styles of play. The PVP arenas are a good start.
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I have often wondered if the "midichlorian" thing was a way for Lucas to connect the Jewish belief of requiring a Jewish mother to the fact that only mothers pass along mitochondrial DNA. (And I am aware that this Jewish law in the Torah differs from the old testament where Jewish fathers had Jewish kids with non Jewish mothers)
In Episode 1 we see that Anakin has no father. So the father is irrelevant in creating the state of super-Jedi midochlorian-ness. Hence the "blood" of the "chosen people" (the Jedi) is passed through the maternal line.
Just seems like there must of been a reason he used a word that sounds so close to "mitochondrian". I guess there is also the fact that mitochondria are a key component in the generation of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) the chemical energy fuel that allows our bodies to work, move and apply "force". There is also the fact that the mitochondria have been speculated to have been at some point organisms that took up residence within eukaryotic cells (those with a membrane). Hence this fits in with midi-chlorians being a seperate type of life form yet present in living things.
Silly? Perhaps. But not nearly as silly as Skywalker and Son.
How does buying an Apple computer grant you "imagination"? I didn't realize they come bundled with it. I can't seem to find it listed on the options in the Apple store. Does Apple have any marketing literature on it? Does the Apple model I buy affect how much "imagination" I get with it? Can I upgrade the "imagination" later? Do iPods come with "imagination" too? Is that iMagination?
Wrong.
The lowest level Power Mac G5 1.8GHz sells for $1499. The 17" iMac G5 1.8GHz sells for $1299. The iMac comes with 512MB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive in the base low end configuration. The Power Mac G5 comes with 256MB RAM and an 80GB hard drive. Boosting the RAM and hard drive to match the low end iMac spec adds $150. Putting you at $1649 - or $350 more.
And that's leaving out the cost of the external monitor. Figure $250 for a decent 19" CRT or $300 for a decent 17" LCD. That brings you up to $1899 on the low side. Admittedly if you already have a monitor, you will have already paid this expense before the Power Mac purchase, but it's still a real hardware cost if you want to compare the iMac to the Power Mac.
Wow, I guesss they do. I've never seen them advertised here at all.
"We all use pay-as-you-go."
This type of service is not wide spread in the U.S. as far as I can tell. At least in Hawaii the few options I've seen for pay-as-you-go are basically used as a marketing tool to get you to sign up for a monthly plan. Basically the cost per minute is jacked up so that it makes the monthly plan seem like a steal. Contracts are at least one year with a nasty buyout (upwards of $175 U.S.) for leaving the contract early. Companies push 2 year contracts by offering the big breaks on the phone cost. "Well you could go with a 1 year contract and get this basic phone for free, but if you go with two years you get this great camera phone with internet access (extra charge) for just $20!"
I've known people who have put up with absolutely crap service just because it cost to much to get out of the deal they are in. And if you do try to get out they'll throw more incentives your way to renew your contract. "We'll throw in a $100 rebate of this NEW better camera phone AND give you an extra 100 minutes for FREE!"
It sucks. I hate them all. They must die. I sure don't want to get stuck buying a music plan from these guys. "With a two year contract you get 25 songs a month for FREE. And the new 10gig phone with music playback is only $50!"
It's like those stupid pay $5 a month ringtone service. Lame.
And then there are those of us that would rather have some expandability and an external screen, and not be pigeonholed into a particular cost/performance bracket.
I hate integrated screens. Your LCD breaks and you have to take the whole computer in to be repaired. You want to upgrade two years after buying the 20" iMac and guess what, you can't take that still functioning LCD panel with you. You have to pay for a new iMac with a new LCD. Wheee.
So my option is to buy a PowerMac G5. Now I've got that huge footprint and large cost. How about something on level with an iMac G5 without integrated monitor and maybe room for a couple of internal hard drives? Not going to happen. With Apple you get whatever you want as long as it's within their stratified product line.
Don't get me wrong, I like OS X and think Apple has made some great business decisions. Unfortunately I can't afford a PowerMac G5 and don't want an iMac G5. So I guess I'll get a mini, which is ok but not nearly the power I really want.
All I can say is:
I love the power glove, it's so BAD.
Uh that and "He touched my breast!"
What's next? Will they roll up into the ball shape and terrorize the neighborhood? Shift into the dog shape and be taken home by some poor unsuspecting child?
The horror!
Xbox is my favorite current generation console for playing Nintendo games on. It handles NES, SNES, GB, GBA and N64 games much better than the PS2 or Gamecube.
For the skinny on this joke check out Marcus Brigstocke's Pac Man page. It definately does not predate the rave scene.
"Talk about 'jump on the bandwaggon'"
Way, way, way back in the last millenia around 1997, Epic Megagames announced a game called "Prey". Prey was to be the greatest next generation FPS game and engine. One of the features that Prey had was known as "Portal Technology". The portals where supposed to be a mechanism for creating a network of Prey servers running different maps, where you could run from one map to the another throughout your gaming session. So battles would be able to take place across a range of different maps and terrain all interconnected via the portal technology.
Eventually Prey was cancelled as Epic focused on the Unreal brand. I imagine that at the time the technology (in particular broadband penetration) wasn't good enough to handle the portal concept. This announcement sounds more like they are finally rolling and expanding on concepts they first revealed 8 years ago. Hardly jumping on the bandwagon.
"Ironically, this is partially Blizzard's doing."
Not sure exactly where the irony is, but actually this doesn't have anything to do with Blizzard.
Blizzard didn't invent the technology that streams content in to game on the fly without loading screens.
Many other games have featured this (i.e. Dungeon Siege, GTA 3).
And to be fair in WoW you do get a loading screen when taking a boat trip. Although I'm sure this is because it would be pointless to show the big empty ocean where nothing happens.
Nintendo is perfectly happy selling you the old NES Donkey Kong and Super Mario Brothers over and over again. They released them again for the GBA just a few months ago.
I guess if it makes you feel better you can always go and buy the old physical ROMs from the used sections of stores. There is pretty large online retro games market which will cater to your desire for old ROMs. Of course these resold items don't actually make any more money for the developers, so...
Yeah it's all very silly. I guess the good point is that while cease and desists have been shot off at many a ROM or emulation website, I haven't heard of them taking the RIAA/MPAA route and sueing individuals.
The real advantage is that you can store multiple games on one memory stick. This way you don't have to carry a bunch of catridges around or worry about your kid losing his games.
They have memory cartridges for the Gameboy Advance that can do this, and also run homebrew programs or emulators.
New players pretty much get herded into the Hollows since many of the missions and contacts occur there. I think that's a good thing, as I much prefer the zone to Perez Park's maze of trees. The Hollows is a challenging zone to get through without a travel power - it's huge and those gaping pits are instant death to lowbies who accidentally take the plunge. Striga Isle is a really nice zone as well. Kudos to the devs for that one.
I actually like the crash site, although it's somewhat repetitive as you pretty much just have Riktis. Can't say I liked the Shadow Shard too much - flight helps a lot but I can never get a team to go there.
Say what you like but your experiences may not reflect that of the entire world. I've had much more pain supporting both the Palm devices and Blackberrys than I have had with PocketPC.
God how I hate the Palm sync software.
I wonder if he is willing to stand up against the other evil monopolies in the world, such as say electrical service and water.
How is "Magneto" like "Tiger" or "Panther" or other such Apple codenames?
It seems like "Longhorn" is closer seeing as it's a an animal.
I took a look as well. Is this really that hard to implement?
Search for quoted phrases, for instance "LimeWire Rocks" would find only results with "LimeWire Rocks" and not find "LimeWire on the Rocks"
My coding is limited to things like PHP and ASP, but this sort of search feature is a pretty common thing and not hard to implement in web scripting at least.
Not trolling, just asking.
"There should have been only one."
Lucas isn't that bad of a writer.
Yeah, not at all. I mean being able to come up with gems like this:
"I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere. Not like here. Here everything's soft... and smooth..."
The main problem is that he's not writing comedy.
Uh, Empire has a more open ended conclusion than New Hope. New Hope could have stood alone as a single movie. Whee, the death star blowed up real good and the heroes save the day and get medals.
Parent poster stated:
"Maybe the open-ended conclusion was less thrilling than the destruction of the Death Star."
Implying that he didn't care for the open ending of Empire. By your logic he would prefer Matrix Revolutions to the original.
Check out Seriously! the official fansite for Serious engine games. About the only Serious engine game I can recall making a small dent was Nitro Family. It got pretty mixed reviews.
There is apparently a Serious Sam 2 on the way, along with a couple other Serious engine games.
And uh, I think we can just ignore Deer Hunter and Bird Hunter 2003...
I'm not arguing that there is not a lot of content - but what you describe (aside from the PVP which is new) is the same basic gameplay I've been doing for the last 50 levels (actually over a 100 levels if you add up my alts).
I don't find it terribly interesting to run old TFs or something with my 50. I mean there is no real progress point, short of small benefits in accolades. I don't mind helping people with Arch Villian missions as they are a little more interesting.
Badges and souvenirs? Doing the kill X number of mob to get a badge stuff is extremely repetitive.
Sure they have added new zones - I have played through them. And honestly how many people do you see in the crash site or Eden?
I love CoH - I think I've spent more hours with the game than ANY other game in my life. And my gaming history goes back to the Atari 2600. All told I've probably spent close to 1000 hours - which is pretty nuts. All I am saying is that I hope the game expands a bit in the future. Expands as in gives us new things to do, not just new places or new story arches, but new styles of play. The PVP arenas are a good start.
Now, the music fan is on the cusp of riches in their options - free of the viruses of the pirate sites.
Oh thank God! I've finally be saved from all those virus infested illegal MP3 files!