Not to sound TOO sarcastic, but part of the problem with the game industry right now is that it takes millions of dollars to start a game company.
Increasingly, this just isn't an option.
Further, most folks coming from "working" backgrounds have seen the effects of unions on industries like the Automotive industry. The companies simply move production to another country, unions be damned.
The problems in the game industry would be far better addressed through the creation and use of common assets, such as "stock textures" or "stock level wireframes". There needs to be a technological "field leveling" technology as well. The camcorder or other cheap cameras are good examples in film - they allowed students to create low-budget films (and drastically changed the accessibility of the pornography industry, making it a huge money maker).
Eh, it's just a guess, but from what I see, it's similar to publishing. Before the Web, you couldn't just make a magazine (and expect millions of people to read it). It took tons of money, distribution channels, etc etc etc. It was a huge risk. Now it's a bit different, lots more variety.
"The finished product is still well over a year away... We want to have all [the parts of this game] working for probably about a year before we ship. "
Riiiight, they'll have the game internally for a year... The guys at Epic won't be using that time to become completely dominant in the game or anything... Just what we need, someone complaining about newbs on release day!;)
I had no idea it was this far out. With all of the talk about the Unreal 3 engine over the past year, I thought that a good bit of stuff had been completed.
On the bright side, I guess it's OK to upgrade to UT 2K4 (yeah, I'm late, but 2K3 has been great).
Actually, no, this isn't new even for XBox. Some titles that have pay content are MechAssault, XBox Music Mixer, Live! Arcade, and some others.
Don't worry though, they've said that the maps will eventually be free, either in late summer or later in the year.
They got a sponsorship from Mountain Dew. I do wonder how that will shake out - it could be that you're presented with some manner of banner ad before you're allowed to download the maps.
On April Fool's, Bungie had a pretty funny update about how the new maps would all be branded with Mountain Dew tags, and that you could have tags on your soldier saying Mountain Dew. In typical fashion, people freaked not realizing it was a joke.
If they can raise the price 20% higher than what it is now, without losing 20% of their customer base, then the higher price point makes sense for the company.
If their title is a big one and sells 5 million units, that means they'd have to piss off a million people before they'd start to lose money.
Even TERRIBLE titles when released with the system sell at a 1:3 ratio, so I just don't see where this is risky for the companies, ESPECIALLY when the system is new.
I think that at this point, it's obvious we need a "block javascript from this domain" extension or a "block javascript from this web folder" extension.
Same with iFrames (which is already implemented well in AdBlock)...
It's so obvious I'd be surprised if the functionality doesn't already exist.
Used Source Engine, but graphically still stunk
on
Troika Games Closes
·
· Score: 1
It surprised me to discover that while Vampire used the Source engine, it ran slower than Half Life 2, and wasn't nearly as detailed.
Goes to show you that underlying technology doesn't really mean much...
On the other hand, I liked the character creation system.
Youngest client was 23. Typical client in their late-twenties. A few in their 40s. Clients in their twenties are "late college" - still students, but totally screwed if their computers don't work.
The people in their 40s are the ones that tip.
I understand, of course, that college kids are broke.
However, keep in mind, the market is much, much larger. Suggest a price of $50, and if they balk, offer a barter deal or other arrangement. Just be sure that the "MSRP" is $50 so you don't get people saying "dude, this guy does this for CHEAP!!oneoneeleven"
Post fliers in the English / Art grad student areas. Or Journalism. Or marketing.
This is exactly what I'm waiting to hear. That stupid error has been a problem since what, FC 1? Earlier, like the betas?
It's been there long enough, at any rate. I hope it is solved.
Naomi (System 16) - The "Arcade Dreamcast"
on
Dreamcast On a Chip
·
· Score: 2, Funny
Perhaps what is more interesting about this development is that Sega's Naomi arcade board(s) were based on Dreamcast hardware.
Why is this more interesting? Because these arcade boards could talk to each other - each arcade cab could have up to 16 Naomi boards! Theoretically, a Naomi cab fully decked out could do over 56 million polys per second.
Many of the arcade units with Naomi hardware had a seperate memory module, too - so, you could load the whole game into memory (instant access times).
Impressive for an arcade cabinet? Well, imagine this POWER in the PALM of your HAND. With enough memory and a few chips instead of one...
Giving up mod points here, cause I think this is an important point.
I think we're missing one of the BIG points here, and one of the big negatives of the Infinium Labs Phantom console...
It's the lack of any long term storage options for things you've purchased. What happens 5-10 years from now when your XBox hard drive breaks? What happens 2 years from now, when the XBox is all but abandoned?
Do you have any recourse for getting these levels that you've paid for BACK?
PC expansion packs come on DISC, or you can back them up to disc, at very least. What responsibility will these companies take to customers that lose their info, in the long run or even short run?
It wasn't readily apparent, because it doesn't follow Windows "standard" of dockable/lockable toolbars where you just drag the whole toolbar where you want it.
The extra step of opening the "customize" menu to be able to drag widgets didn't occur to me, because I just got used to the Windows meme.
This is a pretty tragic accident - and the article reminds me of one of those "safety first" videos that I had to watch during driver's ed.
He may have fully lost control of the vehicle, but reading the article made it seem like the vehicle started to veer.
In the snowier states, you're taught how to recover from a veering or fishtailing vehicle. Let off the acceleration, and straighten the wheel out. Make SMALL corrective maneuvers.
It's very easy to get panicked in these situations - your car veers one direction, and you're tempted to veer the opposite way. Unfortunately, this often worsens the situation, as power steering is far more powerful than your instincts may "feel."
Likewise, this was a pretty light vehicle.
Regardless of how this happened, it's terrible to see. And serves as a reminder to keep ourselves alert and alive on the road.
While playing the DS, I noticed that my hands were sometimes pushing a couple of buttons at the same time - basically, the buttons were small and pretty close together.
Comparing the old button design to the new (old design), you can see that they've altered the layout.
This is an absolutely welcome change in my book. With the buttons in a side-by-side, wider layout, they'll feel a lot more comfortable for adult hands.
Slashdot Mirror
Not to sound TOO sarcastic, but part of the problem with the game industry right now is that it takes millions of dollars to start a game company.
Increasingly, this just isn't an option.
Further, most folks coming from "working" backgrounds have seen the effects of unions on industries like the Automotive industry. The companies simply move production to another country, unions be damned.
The problems in the game industry would be far better addressed through the creation and use of common assets, such as "stock textures" or "stock level wireframes". There needs to be a technological "field leveling" technology as well. The camcorder or other cheap cameras are good examples in film - they allowed students to create low-budget films (and drastically changed the accessibility of the pornography industry, making it a huge money maker).
Eh, it's just a guess, but from what I see, it's similar to publishing. Before the Web, you couldn't just make a magazine (and expect millions of people to read it). It took tons of money, distribution channels, etc etc etc. It was a huge risk. Now it's a bit different, lots more variety.
Ouch - Coral Link gives a bad response right now.
Any other mirror links?
I think that when you're talking about distributing whole games off the internet, you're talking about a collosal waste of time.
Xbox 360 will have a similar distribution model, minus the insane front-end time to download. We'll see if that works.
It absolutely kills me that money has been thrown at this company. It was clearly a scam.
"The finished product is still well over a year away... We want to have all [the parts of this game] working for probably about a year before we ship. "
;)
Riiiight, they'll have the game internally for a year... The guys at Epic won't be using that time to become completely dominant in the game or anything... Just what we need, someone complaining about newbs on release day!
I had no idea it was this far out. With all of the talk about the Unreal 3 engine over the past year, I thought that a good bit of stuff had been completed.
On the bright side, I guess it's OK to upgrade to UT 2K4 (yeah, I'm late, but 2K3 has been great).
ohmygod,thinkgeekhasplentyoffoodo kinthecorrectsectionc ompletelyok /twitch
youjusthavetolo
likerighthere,
andyou'llbe
hey,stoplookingatmelikethati'mfine!!
With all the "This movie is going to rape the book!" talk going on here, I hope the following is only half serious: From the IMDB page...
"Recommendations
If you like this title, we also recommend...
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)"
*cough*
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo!
Actually, no, this isn't new even for XBox. Some titles that have pay content are MechAssault, XBox Music Mixer, Live! Arcade, and some others.
Don't worry though, they've said that the maps will eventually be free, either in late summer or later in the year.
They got a sponsorship from Mountain Dew. I do wonder how that will shake out - it could be that you're presented with some manner of banner ad before you're allowed to download the maps.
On April Fool's, Bungie had a pretty funny update about how the new maps would all be branded with Mountain Dew tags, and that you could have tags on your soldier saying Mountain Dew. In typical fashion, people freaked not realizing it was a joke.
According to Bungie, the Killtacular map pack will be free just two months after its release.
(I have a vacation in May, so I think I'm waiting!)
As for the update, it's already been pushed to everyone (yesterday). It's changed the game dramatically, encouraging a lot of grenade play.
Other items of note:
Videos of the maps, and a 3D [QuickTime] rotating picture of Warlock here.
For the last time, NO, you DON'T. /Trebek
Now, I'm no math-a-magician, but...
If they can raise the price 20% higher than what it is now, without losing 20% of their customer base, then the higher price point makes sense for the company.
If their title is a big one and sells 5 million units, that means they'd have to piss off a million people before they'd start to lose money.
Even TERRIBLE titles when released with the system sell at a 1:3 ratio, so I just don't see where this is risky for the companies, ESPECIALLY when the system is new.
What, no wookies? The trailer promised furballs, after all!
I think that at this point, it's obvious we need a "block javascript from this domain" extension or a "block javascript from this web folder" extension.
Same with iFrames (which is already implemented well in AdBlock)...
It's so obvious I'd be surprised if the functionality doesn't already exist.
It surprised me to discover that while Vampire used the Source engine, it ran slower than Half Life 2, and wasn't nearly as detailed.
Goes to show you that underlying technology doesn't really mean much...
On the other hand, I liked the character creation system.
The problems in the game industry stem, in large part, from being TOO "business-like".
There's a market for hot liquid meals in the summer!
Yeah, no way I'd charge that little if it were my primary job. Not a chance!
But... These are people that I know typically - contacts that I enjoy maintaining.
Organizing start menus and the like - I can't tell you how many people think that deleting an icon means the program is gone. It's hilarious.
I guess I would charge more if it were complete strangers, or I didn't have other income...
Youngest client was 23. Typical client in their late-twenties. A few in their 40s. Clients in their twenties are "late college" - still students, but totally screwed if their computers don't work.
The people in their 40s are the ones that tip.
I understand, of course, that college kids are broke.
However, keep in mind, the market is much, much larger. Suggest a price of $50, and if they balk, offer a barter deal or other arrangement. Just be sure that the "MSRP" is $50 so you don't get people saying "dude, this guy does this for CHEAP!!oneoneeleven"
Post fliers in the English / Art grad student areas. Or Journalism. Or marketing.
I have a "regular job", but I can't help but being drawn into this.
I charge $50 per clean. About 30% of the time, I get a tip too, ranging from $5 to $20. I always call em back a week later to be sure they're happy.
Reinstallation may sometimes be necessary (not often). Sometimes, it's far less time consuming.
I never do a "freebie" anymore. There's just too many of them. I'd drive myself mad.
This is exactly what I'm waiting to hear. That stupid error has been a problem since what, FC 1? Earlier, like the betas?
It's been there long enough, at any rate. I hope it is solved.
Perhaps what is more interesting about this development is that Sega's Naomi arcade board(s) were based on Dreamcast hardware.
Why is this more interesting? Because these arcade boards could talk to each other - each arcade cab could have up to 16 Naomi boards! Theoretically, a Naomi cab fully decked out could do over 56 million polys per second.
Many of the arcade units with Naomi hardware had a seperate memory module, too - so, you could load the whole game into memory (instant access times).
Impressive for an arcade cabinet? Well, imagine this POWER in the PALM of your HAND. With enough memory and a few chips instead of one...
In short - imagine a Naomi cluster of these!
Giving up mod points here, cause I think this is an important point.
I think we're missing one of the BIG points here, and one of the big negatives of the Infinium Labs Phantom console...
It's the lack of any long term storage options for things you've purchased. What happens 5-10 years from now when your XBox hard drive breaks? What happens 2 years from now, when the XBox is all but abandoned?
Do you have any recourse for getting these levels that you've paid for BACK?
PC expansion packs come on DISC, or you can back them up to disc, at very least. What responsibility will these companies take to customers that lose their info, in the long run or even short run?
That was a handy tip, thanks.
It wasn't readily apparent, because it doesn't follow Windows "standard" of dockable/lockable toolbars where you just drag the whole toolbar where you want it.
The extra step of opening the "customize" menu to be able to drag widgets didn't occur to me, because I just got used to the Windows meme.
A while back, I put an iOpener together. It looks like this design borrowed heavily from designs of the past.
This is a pretty tragic accident - and the article reminds me of one of those "safety first" videos that I had to watch during driver's ed.
He may have fully lost control of the vehicle, but reading the article made it seem like the vehicle started to veer.
In the snowier states, you're taught how to recover from a veering or fishtailing vehicle. Let off the acceleration, and straighten the wheel out. Make SMALL corrective maneuvers.
It's very easy to get panicked in these situations - your car veers one direction, and you're tempted to veer the opposite way. Unfortunately, this often worsens the situation, as power steering is far more powerful than your instincts may "feel."
Likewise, this was a pretty light vehicle.
Regardless of how this happened, it's terrible to see. And serves as a reminder to keep ourselves alert and alive on the road.
While playing the DS, I noticed that my hands were sometimes pushing a couple of buttons at the same time - basically, the buttons were small and pretty close together.
Comparing the old button design to the new (old design), you can see that they've altered the layout.
This is an absolutely welcome change in my book. With the buttons in a side-by-side, wider layout, they'll feel a lot more comfortable for adult hands.