Three more words: keyboard and mouse. Consoles have them now. They will have them in the future. There is no reason a good RTS can't be done on a console.
I can tell you that FFXI does look best at 512x512.
I'm betting this varies with your video-card. I'm also betting you have an nVidia. I have a Radeon 9800 and I will tell you that 512x512 on my machine produces jaggies that make me want to tear out my eyeballs. 1024z1024 is the only acceptable setting. I use 1024x768 as my resolution mainly because my machine can't *quite* keep up in crunch times with 1280x1024, which is the max my monitor supports. But 1280x1024 looks just fine.
> The really scary part is that people buy virtual gold.
And you have real gold in your wallet? Or do you have a little card that is money only because a computer file somewhere says you have that money? Even real folding money is virtual; what can you use a dollar bill for, other than give it to somebody who'll give you stuff for it?
> Monopoly, one of the longest board games ever created.
Not really. Not if you play by the official rules. Problem is, most people don't. Giving the person who lands of Free Parking a wad of cash is one of the most common house rules that makes the game interminable. And forgetting that not purchasing the unowned property you landed on immediately starts an auction for it also lengthens the game.
And Namco, Midway, and Capcom will tell you you're largely right. Epic games regularly sell for $50, but only the real blockbusters in short games like Soul Calibur 2 get that price--and at that, SC2 had a campaign mode that was kinda epic. Most short games have prices of $30 or $40 when they come out.
Could SOE ever make a good MMO in the first place? Galaxies was always a bust, and I've got a suspicion that just about everything good in Everquest was put there by Verant before the acquisition.
> Because joe user wants to carry his computer home. Why do you think stores selling computers do so > well? Instant gratification.
In fact, I bought that e-machine at a store for that exact reason. I wanted to take it home and use that evening. What's wrong with a little instant gratification occasionally?
> So when Joe Luser gets home with his computer and plugs it in he's ready to: > Open Excel and do some work?
I have a cheapo e-machine I bought to run Windows games on (at which it has done surprisingly well, I might add). It came with Windows Works, which is not unusual. Joe Luser gets home, plugs it in, and he's got a spreadsheet. Not a terribly good one, but Joe doesn't know the difference.
> Watch some DVD's?
It also came with PowerDVD 5, which is even more common than getting Works. Actually, it plays DVDs better than any of my Linux boxes, and did so right out of the box.
> Browse the internet risk free?
No, but Joe doesn't know this and can't see it. He double clicks on Internet Explorer, and it's teh Intarweb! Works right out of the box!
> No, he can't do any of those things "out of the box".
Actually, yes, as far as Joe can see, he *can* do all those things right out of the box He doesn't see how poorly or brokenly they may be done. All he sees is that he can't buy a Linux box that he can just plug in and have do these things with no requirement that he do things he doesn't understand.
Hmm. It does appear to be out of print. Amazon claims they can still special order it, though. If worse comes to worst, you should be able to score a copy on eBay.
> I loved this when they showed it on ITV when I was a kid. I always wondered what happened to it > after the second series...
The third season will blow you away. If you like Reboot, you owe it to yourself to watch it. It is the only season to have been released on DVD, so you can get easily from Amazon or elsewhere.
Re:Now, this is an example...
on
Camel-Riding Robots
·
· Score: 3, Insightful
> If your family has been poor and hungry for several generations, why have children? > Its called a condom, folks.
Because they'd like to keep eating (if not well) in their old age. Your children are your retirement policy. So you not only have kids, you have a lot of them.
Slashdot Mirror
If you want hardcore, you should be playing Final Fantasy XI. It is decidedly not for the weak.
Chris Mattern
No, it's Dana Andrews.
Chris Mattern
Three more words: keyboard and mouse. Consoles have them now. They will have them in the future. There is no reason a good RTS can't be done on a console.
Chris Mattern
Oh my God, I'm addicted to talking to people! Hardly a day goes by that I don't talk to somebody!
Chris Mattern
I'm betting this varies with your video-card. I'm also betting you have an nVidia. I have a Radeon 9800 and I will tell you that 512x512 on my machine produces jaggies that make me want to tear out my eyeballs. 1024z1024 is the only acceptable setting. I use 1024x768 as my resolution mainly because my machine can't *quite* keep up in crunch times with 1280x1024, which is the max my monitor supports. But 1280x1024 looks just fine.
Chris Mattern
"I am Jack's complete lack of surprise."
Chris Mattern
> Depending how you look at it, you aren't saving a life. You are just prolonging death.
Saving life and prolonging death are, in essence, the same thing. No matter what you call it, it's worth doing.
Chris Mattern
> multi-platform multi-player.
It's out there. Battle.net has been hooking up Mac and PC users for ages, as does WoW. FF XI puts PC and PS2 users together.
Chris Mattern
> The really scary part is that people buy virtual gold.
And you have real gold in your wallet? Or do you have a little card that is money only because a computer file somewhere says you have that money? Even real folding money is virtual; what can you use a dollar bill for, other than give it to somebody who'll give you stuff for it?
Chris Mattern
Just about all RTS games have a play a single map option. In fact, that's about the only way you can play them multiplayer.
Chris Mattern
> Monopoly, one of the longest board games ever created.
Not really. Not if you play by the official rules. Problem is, most people don't. Giving the person who lands of Free Parking a wad of cash is one of the most common house rules that makes the game interminable. And forgetting that not purchasing the unowned property you landed on immediately starts an auction for it also lengthens the game.
Chris Mattern
And Namco, Midway, and Capcom will tell you you're largely right. Epic games regularly sell for $50, but only the real blockbusters in short games like Soul Calibur 2 get that price--and at that, SC2 had a campaign mode that was kinda epic. Most short games have prices of $30 or $40 when they come out.
Chris Mattern
> SOE can't make a good MMO anymore.
Could SOE ever make a good MMO in the first place? Galaxies was always a bust, and I've got a suspicion that just about everything good in Everquest was put there by Verant before the acquisition.
Chris Mattern
> When it comes to Baby Toadstool, Mario....
>
> You are NOT the father!
Are you _sure_ about that?
Chris Mattern
Oh, yes, I agree. I never said that Linux *can't* provide this experience, only that it *doesn't*... yet.
Chris Mattern
> Because joe user wants to carry his computer home. Why do you think stores selling computers do so
> well? Instant gratification.
In fact, I bought that e-machine at a store for that exact reason. I wanted to take it home and use that evening. What's wrong with a little instant gratification occasionally?
Chris Mattern
I *was* a little disconcerted to learn that William Wallace *won* the battle of Falkirk...
Chris Mattern
> So when Joe Luser gets home with his computer and plugs it in he's ready to:
> Open Excel and do some work?
I have a cheapo e-machine I bought to run Windows games on (at which it has done surprisingly well, I might add). It came with Windows Works, which is not unusual. Joe Luser gets home, plugs it in, and he's got a spreadsheet. Not a terribly good one, but Joe doesn't know the difference.
> Watch some DVD's?
It also came with PowerDVD 5, which is even more common than getting Works. Actually, it plays DVDs better than any of my Linux boxes, and did so right out of the box.
> Browse the internet risk free?
No, but Joe doesn't know this and can't see it. He double clicks on Internet Explorer, and it's teh Intarweb! Works right out of the box!
> No, he can't do any of those things "out of the box".
Actually, yes, as far as Joe can see, he *can* do all those things right out of the box He doesn't see how poorly or brokenly they may be done. All he sees is that he can't buy a Linux box that he can just plug in and have do these things with no requirement that he do things he doesn't understand.
Chris Mattern
Hmm. It does appear to be out of print. Amazon claims they can still special order it, though. If worse comes to worst, you should be able to score a copy on eBay.
Chris Mattern
> I loved this when they showed it on ITV when I was a kid. I always wondered what happened to it
> after the second series...
The third season will blow you away. If you like Reboot, you owe it to yourself to watch it. It is the only season to have been released on DVD, so you can get easily from Amazon or elsewhere.
Chris Mattern
> Alchemy has been in beta for over 9 months.
And it *still* only turns lead into silver!
Chris Mattern
> If your family has been poor and hungry for several generations, why have children?
> Its called a condom, folks.
Because they'd like to keep eating (if not well) in their old age. Your children are your retirement policy. So you not only have kids, you have a lot of them.
Chris Mattern
> You can buy Half-Life 2 in your dead tree packaging
True.
> Steam is just a second method of distribution.
False. You must *register* with Steam, you must be *connected* to Steam. Or your dead-tree package doesn't work.
Chris Mattern
> I would hate to be hit by someone using the rocket launcher.
"Dodge that rocket, boy. Dodge it or I light you up like Times Square."
Chris Mattern
But orange you glad it's not another banana?
Chris Mattern