Ok, fair enough. I must admit that when I knew nothing about it, I had no interest as well. I saw nothing but a somewhat nondescript lead character (lesson learned to not judge a book by it's cover). Not to mention I had already sworn that I would never buy an Xbox just because it was made by MS (heaven forbid anyone would think I'm a MS fan.. far from it). Then came the fateful day, when I was visiting a friend who was at the time, basically bedridden with a severe illness, who had gotten it to occupy his time and mind. Well, all I can say is, within 10 minutes of watching him play I was hypnotized. The music, gameplay and story taken together seemed to add up to much more than the sum of it's parts. It's just darn fun to play, has a wonderful control scheme, logical and intuitive. You can play with 3 of your friends all at the same time with 1 console, 1 copy of the game and 1 tv. The soundtrack is amazing, has won awards, and even now is my normal listening fare on a regular basis.
It's late, and the best analogy I can come up with might be something to the effect of why should I be interested in Disneyworld when all I see is some mouse looking character with big ears. Yeah, it's bad, but relevant in a twisted, late night sorta way.
To sum it up, gameplay, story, music, polish, fun and challenging. It's all there.
My advice, find somebody who has Halo. That really shouldn't be too hard, honestly. Have a run at the level "Halo" or "Attack on the Control Room" (you'll want to use easy or normal difficulty your first time, you will get frustrated at higher difficulties or later levels until you know them like the back of your hand.. and set your thumbstick inverts and such to what feels normal to you). If you don't enjoy it, then the series is just not for you.
Re:like comparing Halo 3 to Pokemon
on
Halo 3 Review
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· Score: 1
"Halo 3's target audience is 8-14 year olds"
Is that what that big "M" thingy on the cover means? Cool.. I wondered about that, one of life's great mysteries. *rolls eyes*
Re:like comparing Halo 3 to Pokemon
on
Halo 3 Review
·
· Score: 1
Yeah, I guess that's why in the interviews I've seen with Asian players the vast majority of them thought it was good, but hard to play, because they like easier, more casual games. Yeah, they're really hardcore over there.
And here we go again with the frothing at the mouth rant because somebody is denied their keyboard and mouse. You might look into a bit of anger management before you have an aneurysm.
I've heard it all before, so don't waste your time trying to convert me. I quite like my controller, and yes, I've played FPS games since Wolf3D, so please don't insult me by assuming I "just don't know any better".. or some such other nonsense.
Re:Selling
on
Halo 3 Review
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· Score: 2, Insightful
Is Halo 3 a system seller? HELL yeah it is. Why is it a system seller? Do you think it is all flash and no substance? Do you honestly think that the first 2 were that way (yeah, yeah.. 2 was lacking some substance.. not because of it's content, but because they had to cut it short)? Let me tell you my point of view, as a brand new H3 owner of.. oh.. 3ish hrs now. Halo 3 is drop dead gorgeous, with amazingly fun gameplay and cutscenes that you actually WANT to watch. It is beyond what I could imagine. That it was a labor of love is obvious upon playing it (you naysayers can say what you want, this is not something that comes from people that are "just doing their job"). Halo 3 will finish a storyline which I find very interesting, and give me great pleasure while doing so. Do you not think that there is benefit to the players in a *highly* polished game, with excellent storyline, gameplay, replayability, graphics and sound? Why would you have such a problem with something that brings so much enjoyment to others? Because you feel we're being taken advantage of in some way? While that is a noble take on it, I for one can say with absolute certainty that I can quite look after myself.
Re:Read between the lines
on
Halo 3 Review
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· Score: 1
No, I think pretty much that's the point of view of anyone that doesn't have their eyes closed, hands over their ears saying "La la la la.. I don't see or hear anything.. la la la la...".
Re:paid Microsoft shill reviews?
on
Halo 3 Review
·
· Score: 1
Guess your mind is not open to the notion that maybe many Halo fans are also PC gamers, either past or present? It seems that your admitted bias will not allow you to believe that people are aware of other choices when in fact we are likely completely aware of them, we simply choose differently than you (yes, the rhetorical we, as I know I'm not alone). You think it's overrated, I think it's close to perfect. We agree to disagree, just don't whine about it. No need for negativity, go play a game that makes *you* happy, and don't worry about us. I, for one, am in no need of your version of enlightenment. Been there, done that. I am self aware and not a sheep.
Umm, call me crazy, but I would think they would actually have to have a point to be any kind of a threat at all. Then again, the public spectacle he's making of himself may be enough in and of itself, to keep others off that path.
Well at least it's an original improper phrase. Way, way too often do I see "for all intensive purposes" instead of "for all intents and purposes". I mean a typo is one thing, but at least understand a simple phrase before you use it.
Yeah, I knew about the unlocks, not specifically what they were, but the general idea:). I know that on a save that I'm sharing with a friend we have done something to get weapons at the garage, and at the hideout at the farm (forget the name of it, on the ne land area), I can't remember what unlocked those though off the top of my head.
We had much fun skydiving into area 69 and swiping tanks, fighting our way out, and filling up the hangar at the airport though.. much fun had just in that small area. Also we did a lot of work getting a vehicle to jump the river, there south of the dam, where you start at the top of a mountain and there are like, mine cart tracks.. train track like things, that go up a very distinct natural ramp at the waters edge, but up high. Nitrous is a must;).
BTW, I just got the 2nd trailer for 4 on my 360 yesterday. It looks crazy good. I am a bit saddened there will be no planes (at least last I heard.. I try to stay away from community sites lest I be spoilt). The skydiving is just so much fun, as well as the flying lessons. Maybe once they get the engine polished up one of the sequals will have fun stuff to do in the sky:).
Indeed.. it was a cast worthy of any blockbuster movie:)... and it does have some hilarious moments! I've got more oysters than horseshoes myself, but not all of either one, nor the photos.
I'm hoping that 4 can fill those big shoes that were left behind, because SA had some *serious* polish on it. I've already informed my husband that he's gonna get that for me when it comes out.:D
"Nothing wrong with playing games like GTA as long as you are mature enough to realise that they are not real any more than UT is real."
Dude.. that's got nothing to do with maturity (again, I do not condone minors playing.. so that is out of the scope of this discussion). If someone seriously can't tell the difference between fiction and reality, then they have far worse problems and should seek help immediately.
"Someone nieve playing GTA could get a very warped impression of what gangster life is like."
Don't attempt to blame a video game for any individual's troubles, as that blame would lie elsewhere. There are enough people that try and turn games into scapegoats.. such as the topic of this article.
"A film is slightly different in that it isn't you performing the role of a gangster and usually the bad guys lose in the end."
Umm.. if you actually followed the story of San Andreas, you're not really the bad guy (in case you didn't notice), at least from the story standpoint. You are fighting cops gone bad, and trying to clean up your neighborhood (heck, you refuse to even smoke a joint when offered) which has become overrun by crack dealers, etc. No, I know you're not goody good.. you get swayed by the lure of the almighty dollar, sure, but a lot of the missions you are running around doing what the cops tell you to until you find out how messed up they are and turn on them (or something like that.. no I don't remember every nuance of the story as it's been some months since I played it). I didn't see him as a "bad guy" any more than I saw Nicolas Cage playing a "bad guy" in Gone in 60 Seconds.
Wrong. See.. because most of us have damage turned off on our sims your weapons would be useless. You could try.. but then you would go back to your own world. We would then open the portal and toss all the newbie greifers through with their cage/orbit guns. That would be ever so handy.:)
Well then, let us at least hope that you understand that there is appeal to other people, and that just because you don't understand the appeal does not mean it does not exist.
I, on the other hand, completely understand the appeal. I play with friends quite often, and quite enjoy watching them play while I take breaks. I do also tune in to tv channels that air computer gaming events. I cannot tolerate sports however, I do understand it's appeal to others, it's just not for me.
Yeah, I thought I had moral objections too.. until I actually played the game (San Andreas). *poof*. Moral objections totally obliterated by gameplay. Moral objections are overhyped terribly on San Andreas. Most elements are nothing more than all too common movie fare, street violence and comedic sexual references. Just keep any kids away that you wouldn't feel comfortable watching a rated R movie with and allow us adults (I'm 40+ btw) to have fun on occasion.
Dude, keep it in context. He was referring to the fact that no change of hardware was required, not that there were as many geeks then as there are now. Oh, and you can add my "I" to that and make it a "we" if it makes you feel better. I was not alone either.
Now.. let me get this straight... you actually laughed at an interpreter of a deaf team member, whose job likely has no tie to knowledge of computer OS's *at all*, because she didn't know how to spell Linux? Are you for real?.. and you seem proud of it as well. You "howled with laughter"... because she didn't know how to spell a word. That is sad dude.:(
For your budget I would suggest some good, solid basics. Never mind anybody talking about motorized, computerized contraptions, polor aligned mounts, etc. Any of these things under 1k will be frustrating to use, as anything solid enough to hold a scope worthy of a dark sky will be quite above that. It takes quite a lot more mount to hold a good sized scope than you might expect due to side loads (torque capacity) placed on it by something as long as a scope.
That said, the basics are where you will get your just reward:). A 10-12" dobsonian mount newtonian reflector scope will become your best friend. Add to that some 7x50 (or 8x42 if you can find them at a good price.. brighter images) binoculars, do not look at any 10x50 or greater magnification unless you plan to put them on a mount. Binoculars are absolutely a great thing to look at the sky with, just make sure you test them out first to check that they "fit" you. You would be surprised how different they can feel to look through. For your astrophotography I would suggest researching barn door mounts. These are easily buildable, long exposure, manually driven tracking mounts. They are cheap and work unbelievably well. To round off your starter package.. books, books and more books. Take a stroll down the science isle of your local bookstore and see what is there. Yeah, I know, books. It's dark outside right? Ok, you also need a red led flashlight.:) That is an eyesaver.
Now the breakdown...
I suggested a dob, because well, when it comes down to it there is nothing better under a dark sky than a light bucket:D. You will see the deepest objects with the greatest aperture. More photons = good. If you are really interested in the sky, you will just LOVE learning exactly where everything is, and starhopping your way around with it. Key things to remember, keep a cover over the open end when you're not using it to protect the mirror and put it outside a couple of hours before you plan to do your viewing so it can aclimate to the outside temps. You also need to keep it aligned (collimated), and to do this optimally requires some special, but inexpensive tools. Consider them just part of the package as they are *not* optional, at least if you want a usable scope. There are even people who have built tracking mounts for dobs if that is an interest (good for prime focus astrophotography).
Binoculars are just a wonderful thing to have outside. If you have never considered pointing them up at night, please do. You will be pleasantly surprised. For anything including and above 10x50 mag binocs I would strongly suggest a mount. This is because at those magnifications the view can be very shaky. These in general are not cheap. You can get an adapter to put them on a photo tripod, but in general this is not very good as you pretty much break your neck trying to look through them like that. Real astro binoc mounts are not cheap. They will consist of extending pivoting platforms where you bascially get to lay out on your lounge chair and they extend out over you. Something you might consider later on, but just stick to 7x50 or 8x42 to start with. Handheld is definitely the way to start.
Then comes the barn door mount. Google it, you will find several plans to build one. It's basically nothing more than a couple of pieces of wood, hinged together with a camera mount, and a hand driven mechanism that consists of bolts and nuts, where every, say, 15 seconds (this is entirely dependent on the plans you build.. it will have instructions for use as well) you give the drive a quarter turn and it will properly track the sky while your camera takes long exposure shots. Granted this also requires you have proper camera equipment with manual shutter exposure controls.
And books, you will need books that contain skymaps and constellation charts, etc. There have been links to many good astronomy sites posted here, most of them will give you book recommendations. Compile a list and take it to your loc
I think calling people fanatics with an agenda and pulling the safety card is gonna be a hard road for you who hasn't yet been able to teach his son not to walk out in front of a car. Before you also try to pull the "just wait till you have kids" argument out, too late, been there, done that.
Especially since as soon as the criminal turns on his flashlight his night vision will go poof.. allowing you to sneak up to him without him seeing you.. with that big pipewrench in your hand.. oooh.. that sounds almost like how a criminal would sneak up in the shadows of the very lights meant to keep you safe.. er.. make you feel safe. Hmm... wait... there is a point in there. Go find it.;)
Slashdot Mirror
Ok, fair enough. I must admit that when I knew nothing about it, I had no interest as well. I saw nothing but a somewhat nondescript lead character (lesson learned to not judge a book by it's cover). Not to mention I had already sworn that I would never buy an Xbox just because it was made by MS (heaven forbid anyone would think I'm a MS fan.. far from it). Then came the fateful day, when I was visiting a friend who was at the time, basically bedridden with a severe illness, who had gotten it to occupy his time and mind. Well, all I can say is, within 10 minutes of watching him play I was hypnotized. The music, gameplay and story taken together seemed to add up to much more than the sum of it's parts. It's just darn fun to play, has a wonderful control scheme, logical and intuitive. You can play with 3 of your friends all at the same time with 1 console, 1 copy of the game and 1 tv. The soundtrack is amazing, has won awards, and even now is my normal listening fare on a regular basis.
It's late, and the best analogy I can come up with might be something to the effect of why should I be interested in Disneyworld when all I see is some mouse looking character with big ears. Yeah, it's bad, but relevant in a twisted, late night sorta way.
To sum it up, gameplay, story, music, polish, fun and challenging. It's all there.
My advice, find somebody who has Halo. That really shouldn't be too hard, honestly. Have a run at the level "Halo" or "Attack on the Control Room" (you'll want to use easy or normal difficulty your first time, you will get frustrated at higher difficulties or later levels until you know them like the back of your hand.. and set your thumbstick inverts and such to what feels normal to you). If you don't enjoy it, then the series is just not for you.
"Halo 3's target audience is 8-14 year olds"
Is that what that big "M" thingy on the cover means? Cool.. I wondered about that, one of life's great mysteries. *rolls eyes*
Yeah, I guess that's why in the interviews I've seen with Asian players the vast majority of them thought it was good, but hard to play, because they like easier, more casual games. Yeah, they're really hardcore over there.
And here we go again with the frothing at the mouth rant because somebody is denied their keyboard and mouse. You might look into a bit of anger management before you have an aneurysm.
I've heard it all before, so don't waste your time trying to convert me. I quite like my controller, and yes, I've played FPS games since Wolf3D, so please don't insult me by assuming I "just don't know any better".. or some such other nonsense.
Is Halo 3 a system seller? HELL yeah it is. Why is it a system seller? Do you think it is all flash and no substance? Do you honestly think that the first 2 were that way (yeah, yeah.. 2 was lacking some substance.. not because of it's content, but because they had to cut it short)? Let me tell you my point of view, as a brand new H3 owner of.. oh.. 3ish hrs now. Halo 3 is drop dead gorgeous, with amazingly fun gameplay and cutscenes that you actually WANT to watch. It is beyond what I could imagine. That it was a labor of love is obvious upon playing it (you naysayers can say what you want, this is not something that comes from people that are "just doing their job"). Halo 3 will finish a storyline which I find very interesting, and give me great pleasure while doing so. Do you not think that there is benefit to the players in a *highly* polished game, with excellent storyline, gameplay, replayability, graphics and sound? Why would you have such a problem with something that brings so much enjoyment to others? Because you feel we're being taken advantage of in some way? While that is a noble take on it, I for one can say with absolute certainty that I can quite look after myself.
;)
Yes, I love Halo. So sue me.
"Having never played any of the Halo games"
Well I see what your problem is right there.
No, I think pretty much that's the point of view of anyone that doesn't have their eyes closed, hands over their ears saying "La la la la.. I don't see or hear anything.. la la la la...".
Guess your mind is not open to the notion that maybe many Halo fans are also PC gamers, either past or present? It seems that your admitted bias will not allow you to believe that people are aware of other choices when in fact we are likely completely aware of them, we simply choose differently than you (yes, the rhetorical we, as I know I'm not alone). You think it's overrated, I think it's close to perfect. We agree to disagree, just don't whine about it. No need for negativity, go play a game that makes *you* happy, and don't worry about us. I, for one, am in no need of your version of enlightenment. Been there, done that. I am self aware and not a sheep.
What does an Entropia Universe Fast Aid Pack (fap) have to do with any of this?
http://www.entropedia.info/Chart.aspx?chart=FAP
Umm, call me crazy, but I would think they would actually have to have a point to be any kind of a threat at all. Then again, the public spectacle he's making of himself may be enough in and of itself, to keep others off that path.
Well at least it's an original improper phrase. Way, way too often do I see "for all intensive purposes" instead of "for all intents and purposes". I mean a typo is one thing, but at least understand a simple phrase before you use it.
Yeah, I knew about the unlocks, not specifically what they were, but the general idea :). I know that on a save that I'm sharing with a friend we have done something to get weapons at the garage, and at the hideout at the farm (forget the name of it, on the ne land area), I can't remember what unlocked those though off the top of my head.
;).
:).
We had much fun skydiving into area 69 and swiping tanks, fighting our way out, and filling up the hangar at the airport though.. much fun had just in that small area. Also we did a lot of work getting a vehicle to jump the river, there south of the dam, where you start at the top of a mountain and there are like, mine cart tracks.. train track like things, that go up a very distinct natural ramp at the waters edge, but up high. Nitrous is a must
BTW, I just got the 2nd trailer for 4 on my 360 yesterday. It looks crazy good. I am a bit saddened there will be no planes (at least last I heard.. I try to stay away from community sites lest I be spoilt). The skydiving is just so much fun, as well as the flying lessons. Maybe once they get the engine polished up one of the sequals will have fun stuff to do in the sky
Indeed.. it was a cast worthy of any blockbuster movie :)... and it does have some hilarious moments! I've got more oysters than horseshoes myself, but not all of either one, nor the photos.
:D
I'm hoping that 4 can fill those big shoes that were left behind, because SA had some *serious* polish on it. I've already informed my husband that he's gonna get that for me when it comes out.
It would rate a 10 with me as well. No question.
"Nothing wrong with playing games like GTA as long as you are mature enough to realise that they are not real any more than UT is real."
Dude.. that's got nothing to do with maturity (again, I do not condone minors playing.. so that is out of the scope of this discussion). If someone seriously can't tell the difference between fiction and reality, then they have far worse problems and should seek help immediately.
"Someone nieve playing GTA could get a very warped impression of what gangster life is like."
Don't attempt to blame a video game for any individual's troubles, as that blame would lie elsewhere. There are enough people that try and turn games into scapegoats.. such as the topic of this article.
"A film is slightly different in that it isn't you performing the role of a gangster and usually the bad guys lose in the end."
Umm.. if you actually followed the story of San Andreas, you're not really the bad guy (in case you didn't notice), at least from the story standpoint. You are fighting cops gone bad, and trying to clean up your neighborhood (heck, you refuse to even smoke a joint when offered) which has become overrun by crack dealers, etc. No, I know you're not goody good.. you get swayed by the lure of the almighty dollar, sure, but a lot of the missions you are running around doing what the cops tell you to until you find out how messed up they are and turn on them (or something like that.. no I don't remember every nuance of the story as it's been some months since I played it). I didn't see him as a "bad guy" any more than I saw Nicolas Cage playing a "bad guy" in Gone in 60 Seconds.
Wrong. See.. because most of us have damage turned off on our sims your weapons would be useless. You could try.. but then you would go back to your own world. We would then open the portal and toss all the newbie greifers through with their cage/orbit guns. That would be ever so handy. :)
Well then, let us at least hope that you understand that there is appeal to other people, and that just because you don't understand the appeal does not mean it does not exist.
I, on the other hand, completely understand the appeal. I play with friends quite often, and quite enjoy watching them play while I take breaks. I do also tune in to tv channels that air computer gaming events. I cannot tolerate sports however, I do understand it's appeal to others, it's just not for me.
Yeah, I thought I had moral objections too.. until I actually played the game (San Andreas). *poof*. Moral objections totally obliterated by gameplay. Moral objections are overhyped terribly on San Andreas. Most elements are nothing more than all too common movie fare, street violence and comedic sexual references. Just keep any kids away that you wouldn't feel comfortable watching a rated R movie with and allow us adults (I'm 40+ btw) to have fun on occasion.
Well, you know all you AC do look alike most of the time.. so, my bad. Carry on. It bothers me not one iota, whatever floats your boat.
Wow, it took you almost a week to come up with that? Pretty sad, both in speed and content.
Dude, keep it in context. He was referring to the fact that no change of hardware was required, not that there were as many geeks then as there are now. Oh, and you can add my "I" to that and make it a "we" if it makes you feel better. I was not alone either.
:(
Now.. let me get this straight... you actually laughed at an interpreter of a deaf team member, whose job likely has no tie to knowledge of computer OS's *at all*, because she didn't know how to spell Linux? Are you for real?.. and you seem proud of it as well. You "howled with laughter"... because she didn't know how to spell a word. That is sad dude.
For your budget I would suggest some good, solid basics. Never mind anybody talking about motorized, computerized contraptions, polor aligned mounts, etc. Any of these things under 1k will be frustrating to use, as anything solid enough to hold a scope worthy of a dark sky will be quite above that. It takes quite a lot more mount to hold a good sized scope than you might expect due to side loads (torque capacity) placed on it by something as long as a scope.
:). A 10-12" dobsonian mount newtonian reflector scope will become your best friend. Add to that some 7x50 (or 8x42 if you can find them at a good price.. brighter images) binoculars, do not look at any 10x50 or greater magnification unless you plan to put them on a mount. Binoculars are absolutely a great thing to look at the sky with, just make sure you test them out first to check that they "fit" you. You would be surprised how different they can feel to look through. For your astrophotography I would suggest researching barn door mounts. These are easily buildable, long exposure, manually driven tracking mounts. They are cheap and work unbelievably well. To round off your starter package.. books, books and more books. Take a stroll down the science isle of your local bookstore and see what is there. Yeah, I know, books. It's dark outside right? Ok, you also need a red led flashlight. :) That is an eyesaver.
:D. You will see the deepest objects with the greatest aperture. More photons = good. If you are really interested in the sky, you will just LOVE learning exactly where everything is, and starhopping your way around with it. Key things to remember, keep a cover over the open end when you're not using it to protect the mirror and put it outside a couple of hours before you plan to do your viewing so it can aclimate to the outside temps. You also need to keep it aligned (collimated), and to do this optimally requires some special, but inexpensive tools. Consider them just part of the package as they are *not* optional, at least if you want a usable scope. There are even people who have built tracking mounts for dobs if that is an interest (good for prime focus astrophotography).
That said, the basics are where you will get your just reward
Now the breakdown...
I suggested a dob, because well, when it comes down to it there is nothing better under a dark sky than a light bucket
Binoculars are just a wonderful thing to have outside. If you have never considered pointing them up at night, please do. You will be pleasantly surprised. For anything including and above 10x50 mag binocs I would strongly suggest a mount. This is because at those magnifications the view can be very shaky. These in general are not cheap. You can get an adapter to put them on a photo tripod, but in general this is not very good as you pretty much break your neck trying to look through them like that. Real astro binoc mounts are not cheap. They will consist of extending pivoting platforms where you bascially get to lay out on your lounge chair and they extend out over you. Something you might consider later on, but just stick to 7x50 or 8x42 to start with. Handheld is definitely the way to start.
Then comes the barn door mount. Google it, you will find several plans to build one. It's basically nothing more than a couple of pieces of wood, hinged together with a camera mount, and a hand driven mechanism that consists of bolts and nuts, where every, say, 15 seconds (this is entirely dependent on the plans you build.. it will have instructions for use as well) you give the drive a quarter turn and it will properly track the sky while your camera takes long exposure shots. Granted this also requires you have proper camera equipment with manual shutter exposure controls.
And books, you will need books that contain skymaps and constellation charts, etc. There have been links to many good astronomy sites posted here, most of them will give you book recommendations. Compile a list and take it to your loc
Sorry, way wrong answer.. especially since I'm a mom.
I think calling people fanatics with an agenda and pulling the safety card is gonna be a hard road for you who hasn't yet been able to teach his son not to walk out in front of a car. Before you also try to pull the "just wait till you have kids" argument out, too late, been there, done that.
Reading comprehension.. maybe? Hint.. context is key.
Especially since as soon as the criminal turns on his flashlight his night vision will go poof.. allowing you to sneak up to him without him seeing you.. with that big pipewrench in your hand.. oooh.. that sounds almost like how a criminal would sneak up in the shadows of the very lights meant to keep you safe.. er.. make you feel safe. Hmm... wait... there is a point in there. Go find it. ;)