It's nice to see an example of something useful with SMS instead of the normal bad-mouthing of the technology by the media who seem to think it's nothing more than a toy for school kids to play with and spend their parents money.
Oh wait, it's that too isn't it? =)
And I think that anyone who went to school understands the 'need to know' involved with testing like this. The older you get, the easier it is to forget all the stresses that we do put on kids in light of our own daily stress.
I'm always amazed at how many types there are within the collective 'geek'. I work with a number of other engineers of various ages and backgrounds, and I seem to be the one most susceptible to wanting 'new and improved' (I'm also the youngest, draw conclusions as you will).
I'm the only one who's modded his case, the one with the color, polyphonic, camera phone (Nokia 3200), use IM software (Trillian), and games regular on said modded PC. Yet my boss considers his PC to be on the same level as his hammer, simply a tool.
Recently we upgraded our corporate plan and everyone was allowed to get new phones. They even gave us a choice of two phones for free, one color and one in monochrome. Some people still chose the monochrome phone, even with the color one being free. It'll take a while, but eventually I'll get through to them.;-)
I don't know how long it took exactly, but my wife learned long ago that I'm useless when I'm in the midst of gaming. She even got to the point where she warned her family about leaving messages with me since, when she's not home I'm 90% of the time on the computer.
They got to view it first hand when her mother stopped by to go shopping and I was in the midst of an EQ binge. Her mother politely tried to make conversation while my wife finished up, and it went something like this:
Mother-in-Law: What are you doing? Is this that computer game?
Me: Yes.... uh... yes it is.
Her: (nods) Why is that woman screaming?
Me: Because I'm killing her.
Her: Oh... what are you doing now?
Me: I'm looting her corpse.
Damn it all, I'm having a hard enough time trying to convince myself to go by the new D&D source books. Now I have to go update my WW ones as well?! Drek! I'm going back to Shadowrun chummer.
I do appreciate what they are doing. How many times has a TV show had the 'And someone is going to die...' commercial but then it turns out to be Bobby's cousin that is introduced 5 minutes into the show? It's nice to have a continually growing storyline to work with, but at the same time, you can stick with whatever version of sourcebooks you enjoy most.
I now own a set of books that are just going to sit around until they are worth more to someone else than they are to me.
Don't get me wrong. I appreciate that they are breathing some nice life into it, and that they are trying to balance everything. But to revamp the core rulebooks entirely in just 2 years?
Excellent to hear. Which brings up a good point. How many DM's out there have (let me flaunt my geekiness a bit more;) read this or other modules, and been amazed at the back story that the players will NEVER SEE.
I mean, I appreciate the work involved, but do I really need to know that Jacob watched his brother die when he was 6, turned towards evil to fill the empty hole in his life, then was hired by Lord Evil McEvil to assassinate the party, who then quickly decimates him because I have a cleric who's Flame Strike happy? At least work it in somehow for me, have him wear a shirt that says 'Watched my brother die and all I got was this stupid t-shirt'... something to make the party at least _try_ and parlay.
This has to be one of the best modules out there. I've put all of my RPG friends through the paces in this one at least once, and some of them have volunteered for it multiple times. It's a classic, and I'm glad to see someone taking it on so that _I_ can finally play it =)
And I'm hoping they don't change the maps too much, I already know where the good stuff is at;-)
I'm glad that someone finally revisted the D&D game area with some zeal and purpose. The old SSI games were (as far as I played) the last big push into that area (D&D, not fantasy in general). Too often the idea is there, but not the followthrough isn't as well done as you'd like (need I mention the movie?)
Of course, I still haven't finished the game. [Grumble, grumble] Stupid HDD crashes.
They'll never be able to prove it one way or another. People who believe in the conspiracy will forever assume that new information is just newer, fresher (less filling!) mis-information.
Meanwhile the non-believers will say 'See! We told you, nyah.'
It's like those damn math proofs from school. You can't prove it, you can only not prove it. Or not disprove it. On thursdays.
As you can see I often didn't prove anything, but somehow the prof said it didn't count.;-)
The difference between the movie and the series really comes down to what Joss wasn't allowed to do. He's talked in interviews that he wanted the movie to be more like the television show, but the studio had to make all their adjustments and in the end was something he almost didn't want to put his name to.
we find a moon that happens to also sustain life? Suddenly we're going to be like 'dude, you only live on a moon, but we live on a planet' and they're going to be like 'yeah, well take this' and suddenly there goes the Earth, just because someone had to open their big mouth.
And I swear this conversation didn't just take place in my office. (The problem of working with other geeks)
It seems universally foolish to make such broad statements like this.
Maybe today, with what they're looking at now it seems like Intel will be slowing down, but who knows, tomorrow, next week, next month? An engineer will walk into his office and say 'hey, if we polarize the warp core, we can make better, faster chips'.
Or they'll simply put a trained chimp in a box and tell him when to beep and flick on the HDD lights. =)
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It's nice to see an example of something useful with SMS instead of the normal bad-mouthing of the technology by the media who seem to think it's nothing more than a toy for school kids to play with and spend their parents money.
Oh wait, it's that too isn't it? =)
And I think that anyone who went to school understands the 'need to know' involved with testing like this. The older you get, the easier it is to forget all the stresses that we do put on kids in light of our own daily stress.
Now I can be addicted to a game and IN the game at the same time.. How progressive =)
Good thing I saw this... I was just about to get that CD-RW bio-mod installed in my head.
I guess I'll just have a cassette deck installed instead.
I'm always amazed at how many types there are within the collective 'geek'. I work with a number of other engineers of various ages and backgrounds, and I seem to be the one most susceptible to wanting 'new and improved' (I'm also the youngest, draw conclusions as you will).
;-)
I'm the only one who's modded his case, the one with the color, polyphonic, camera phone (Nokia 3200), use IM software (Trillian), and games regular on said modded PC. Yet my boss considers his PC to be on the same level as his hammer, simply a tool.
Recently we upgraded our corporate plan and everyone was allowed to get new phones. They even gave us a choice of two phones for free, one color and one in monochrome. Some people still chose the monochrome phone, even with the color one being free. It'll take a while, but eventually I'll get through to them.
I don't know how long it took exactly, but my wife learned long ago that I'm useless when I'm in the midst of gaming. She even got to the point where she warned her family about leaving messages with me since, when she's not home I'm 90% of the time on the computer.
They got to view it first hand when her mother stopped by to go shopping and I was in the midst of an EQ binge. Her mother politely tried to make conversation while my wife finished up, and it went something like this:
Mother-in-Law: What are you doing? Is this that computer game?
Me: Yes.... uh... yes it is.
Her: (nods) Why is that woman screaming?
Me: Because I'm killing her.
Her: Oh... what are you doing now?
Me: I'm looting her corpse.
Damn it all, I'm having a hard enough time trying to convince myself to go by the new D&D source books. Now I have to go update my WW ones as well?! Drek! I'm going back to Shadowrun chummer.
I do appreciate what they are doing. How many times has a TV show had the 'And someone is going to die...' commercial but then it turns out to be Bobby's cousin that is introduced 5 minutes into the show? It's nice to have a continually growing storyline to work with, but at the same time, you can stick with whatever version of sourcebooks you enjoy most.
I now own a set of books that are just going to sit around until they are worth more to someone else than they are to me.
;-)
Don't get me wrong. I appreciate that they are breathing some nice life into it, and that they are trying to balance everything. But to revamp the core rulebooks entirely in just 2 years?
Who do they think they are? Microsoft?
Excellent to hear. Which brings up a good point. How many DM's out there have (let me flaunt my geekiness a bit more ;) read this or other modules, and been amazed at the back story that the players will NEVER SEE.
... something to make the party at least _try_ and parlay.
I mean, I appreciate the work involved, but do I really need to know that Jacob watched his brother die when he was 6, turned towards evil to fill the empty hole in his life, then was hired by Lord Evil McEvil to assassinate the party, who then quickly decimates him because I have a cleric who's Flame Strike happy? At least work it in somehow for me, have him wear a shirt that says 'Watched my brother die and all I got was this stupid t-shirt'
This has to be one of the best modules out there. I've put all of my RPG friends through the paces in this one at least once, and some of them have volunteered for it multiple times. It's a classic, and I'm glad to see someone taking it on so that _I_ can finally play it =)
;-)
And I'm hoping they don't change the maps too much, I already know where the good stuff is at
From what I can see, this was posted at 5:00 AM. There had to be some coffee-enhanced skills going on to be posting that early. =)
I'm glad that someone finally revisted the D&D game area with some zeal and purpose. The old SSI games were (as far as I played) the last big push into that area (D&D, not fantasy in general). Too often the idea is there, but not the followthrough isn't as well done as you'd like (need I mention the movie?)
Of course, I still haven't finished the game. [Grumble, grumble] Stupid HDD crashes.
They'll never be able to prove it one way or another. People who believe in the conspiracy will forever assume that new information is just newer, fresher (less filling!) mis-information.
;-)
Meanwhile the non-believers will say 'See! We told you, nyah.'
It's like those damn math proofs from school. You can't prove it, you can only not prove it. Or not disprove it. On thursdays.
As you can see I often didn't prove anything, but somehow the prof said it didn't count.
With my tux +1 and the silver engagement rings +2 I'm all set! Bring on the women!
What? They nerfed the rings!? Rutz....
The difference between the movie and the series really comes down to what Joss wasn't allowed to do. He's talked in interviews that he wanted the movie to be more like the television show, but the studio had to make all their adjustments and in the end was something he almost didn't want to put his name to.
we find a moon that happens to also sustain life? Suddenly we're going to be like 'dude, you only live on a moon, but we live on a planet' and they're going to be like 'yeah, well take this' and suddenly there goes the Earth, just because someone had to open their big mouth.
And I swear this conversation didn't just take place in my office. (The problem of working with other geeks)
Isn't it funny how everyone has their own fears..
Non-slashdotters started stock piling for Y2K and hoarding cash in their matresses.
We hear Microsoft is going to be buying someone else out and we start running and cuddling with our PSII's and linux kernels =)
It seems universally foolish to make such broad statements like this.
Maybe today, with what they're looking at now it seems like Intel will be slowing down, but who knows, tomorrow, next week, next month? An engineer will walk into his office and say 'hey, if we polarize the warp core, we can make better, faster chips'.
Or they'll simply put a trained chimp in a box and tell him when to beep and flick on the HDD lights. =)