As far as the rear view goes, check out Steel Battalion. The inside of your mech has a monitor which can be set to a number of views (zoomed, following the targeting reticle, etc), one of which is a rear view.
You want to talk about equality? In communist russia (errr..I promise, no troll coming =p), those with high-level gov't jobs got -everything- the poor masses didn't. They got beach homes. New shoes (the way to tell a party member from a non-party member was by the shoes). Limos. High-pay. And there was more corruption than you can shake a stick at.
The only reason their "capitalism" sucks so badly is because they've built it out of a hundred years of poorly done communism.
Oh, and Russia wasn't communist. It was socialist. Communism requires a complete lack of a governing body controlling wealth.
Think dorm lounge, IMO. Sofas, comfy chairs, CARPETS, well lit, and plenty of room to just chill out, chat, and/or read. Whatever. You wanna make the place very social, a neat place to meet people. And by that token, don't make it pure geekdom. Make it for everyone.
I also support a combination of per-day/per-hour/monthly pricing, not just one in particular. Events (bring a friend free, tournies) are a must as well. But, the most important thing is that atmosphere I'm talking about. No dark BS; think college lounge.
Just make the chilling/hanging out area a bit seperated from the games. That way, you can actually chill.:)
Actually, Halo on the PC let's you play in Banshees (flying plane thingers), and the single player-campaign on the XBOX let's you play as them as well (See: Assault on the Control Room).
However, I like how Shrikes handle better. But Banshees have a much lower learning curve. =)
I agree. My WC3 dic is broken (dogs). My StarCraft disc went to god-knows-where. And while I've got CD-keys for both, I can't play since I don't have the discs.
They already lost me to the dark (and green) side due to the very issue you're soeaking of: a lack of online play.
I had a GC for a year (well, I still have it; just never play it), and got tired of no online play. So I moved to the Xbox, and I've never been happier. XBL is the most amazing thing I've ever played on.
Sorry Nintendo, but it's your loss for ignoring such an important component of Next-gen consoles.
XBL: $50 a year (no, not $70 a year. $50. Goto Xbox.com if you don't believe me).
Xbox: $179.99
-Decent- Gaming PC: $999 (and this garuntees...maybe a year or two of games before an upgrade. I won't even go into the price of a good gaming PC)
Gaming Video Card: ~$250-$300 (not neccesary initially, but it will be in a year or two)
So, let's do the math. If I don't get a good video card right away (and we all know you will need one at some point), I can have about 16.38 years of Xbox Live before I run up to the cost of a -decently- performing PC. Now, this is a PC I will need to upgrade in a year or two. And it won't play games with the same reliability as my Xbox will.
And, I get all the wonderful integrated features of XBL with my Xbox. Wait, now what was cheaper again?
And yes, I know most people have PCs. But, most people's PCs are no longer capable of laying top of the line games; and many people's never were capable to begin with.
1 - Patches - You actually can patch any LIVE! enabled game; and all of the ones I've stuck in have said "This game needs to be updated" or some such thing, and it does it right there for me. It then restarts the game, and I'm ready to go. Patches, but 100 times easier than on a PC.
2 - Expansions - Ever tried XBL? Well, we got your expansions right there. I've got a new map and plane for Crimson Skies. About 20 new maps/gametypes/mechs for MechAssault (honestly, there's a y ton of additons for MA. I don't know how many, but at least 15+). AND, most of these expansions are free, whereas the majority of PC expansions cost you $19.99. In fact, the most costly XBL expansion (aka Downloadable Content) comes to a grand total of $4.99 for five different items in one "pack". Expansions on consoles are hardly rare, nor are they abnormal; in fact, they're released more often, and at shorter intervals than the PC could ever dream of.
3 - Mods - The PC has consoles on this one. While you can, say, make maps for Tony Hawk, you can't mod the game. And most console games don't even come with a map editor (well, a lot of PC games don't either; they're usually released a while later), and one is never released. I was just yearning for a map editor for Crimson Skies yesterday, actually...
So, yea, the PC has us on Mods. And that's it. Overall, online gaming on a console is lightyears ahead of PC gaming. The combination of friends lists, voice chat, easy patches and constant expansions, and all the other great (and mostly lag-free) perks of console online gaming absolutely trounces its big brother (PC Online Gaming). Mind you, this is mostly XBL; when it comes to PS2 online gaming, well, that's another story.
Same here; I just bought the new AFI CD ("Sing the Sorrow") for $13 US. And I bought it new. Not used, new.
If you don't by the pop-crud, then you never pay the $18 US per CD. You'll be paying $10-$13. In fact, I bought The Unseen's CD for $9.81 a little while ago...
Repeat after me: I will listen to indie and non-pop bands, I will support the artists, and I won't be price gouged.
Slashdot Mirror
Actually, you can patch via Xbox LIVE. Game do it all the time, and it's completely automatic.
Steel Battalion
As far as the rear view goes, check out Steel Battalion. The inside of your mech has a monitor which can be set to a number of views (zoomed, following the targeting reticle, etc), one of which is a rear view.
The only reason their "capitalism" sucks so badly is because they've built it out of a hundred years of poorly done communism.
Oh, and Russia wasn't communist. It was socialist. Communism requires a complete lack of a governing body controlling wealth.
Think dorm lounge, IMO. Sofas, comfy chairs, CARPETS, well lit, and plenty of room to just chill out, chat, and/or read. Whatever. You wanna make the place very social, a neat place to meet people. And by that token, don't make it pure geekdom. Make it for everyone.
I also support a combination of per-day/per-hour/monthly pricing, not just one in particular. Events (bring a friend free, tournies) are a must as well. But, the most important thing is that atmosphere I'm talking about. No dark BS; think college lounge.
Just make the chilling/hanging out area a bit seperated from the games. That way, you can actually chill. :)
Make sure to get a copy of Steel Battalion or four, so you can hook 'em up on LAN when Steel Battalion: Line of Contact comes out.
However, I like how Shrikes handle better. But Banshees have a much lower learning curve. =)
And I'll be damned if I pay for them again.
Apple knew about the iBook issues in 2001, and yet they continue to pretend they don't exist.
Go to Blackcider.com, and read the "letter to CEO".
Another bonus to IM: you can talk to more people than you can on the phone. I know I prefer it for that reason alone. :)
I had a GC for a year (well, I still have it; just never play it), and got tired of no online play. So I moved to the Xbox, and I've never been happier. XBL is the most amazing thing I've ever played on.
Sorry Nintendo, but it's your loss for ignoring such an important component of Next-gen consoles.
XBL: $50 a year (no, not $70 a year. $50. Goto Xbox.com if you don't believe me).
Xbox: $179.99
-Decent- Gaming PC: $999 (and this garuntees...maybe a year or two of games before an upgrade. I won't even go into the price of a good gaming PC) Gaming Video Card: ~$250-$300 (not neccesary initially, but it will be in a year or two)
So, let's do the math. If I don't get a good video card right away (and we all know you will need one at some point), I can have about 16.38 years of Xbox Live before I run up to the cost of a -decently- performing PC. Now, this is a PC I will need to upgrade in a year or two. And it won't play games with the same reliability as my Xbox will.
And, I get all the wonderful integrated features of XBL with my Xbox. Wait, now what was cheaper again?
And yes, I know most people have PCs. But, most people's PCs are no longer capable of laying top of the line games; and many people's never were capable to begin with.
2 - Expansions - Ever tried XBL? Well, we got your expansions right there. I've got a new map and plane for Crimson Skies. About 20 new maps/gametypes/mechs for MechAssault (honestly, there's a y ton of additons for MA. I don't know how many, but at least 15+). AND, most of these expansions are free, whereas the majority of PC expansions cost you $19.99. In fact, the most costly XBL expansion (aka Downloadable Content) comes to a grand total of $4.99 for five different items in one "pack". Expansions on consoles are hardly rare, nor are they abnormal; in fact, they're released more often, and at shorter intervals than the PC could ever dream of.
3 - Mods - The PC has consoles on this one. While you can, say, make maps for Tony Hawk, you can't mod the game. And most console games don't even come with a map editor (well, a lot of PC games don't either; they're usually released a while later), and one is never released. I was just yearning for a map editor for Crimson Skies yesterday, actually...
So, yea, the PC has us on Mods. And that's it. Overall, online gaming on a console is lightyears ahead of PC gaming. The combination of friends lists, voice chat, easy patches and constant expansions, and all the other great (and mostly lag-free) perks of console online gaming absolutely trounces its big brother (PC Online Gaming). Mind you, this is mostly XBL; when it comes to PS2 online gaming, well, that's another story.
The PC does trounce PS2. =p
Who the f*ck gave him an insightful?!
I'm sorry, but Linux was in the wrong that time; MS was in the right.
I speet on Sony! I just wanna play good multilayer.
And that has to be the most insightful comment I've seen on this whole thread...
Hell, I'm prolly headed there in a year, so you best remember it! =p
(Course, it might be Brown I go to...not sure yet..)
On the plus side, I'm only a 1/2 hour drive away from Boston! (I'm on the Cape, ya know. Not in the Air Force, but I do live on the Cape). Wee! =)
Please save your zealous nonsequitor for a Linux related article.
I supported it, but sure as hell don't remember that... =p
! But now, if you buy a Clie, you're paying the Palm O$ tax! ! What can you do?!
Or, how about you do one with "Coldplay" or "Dave Matthew's Band"? There, that should fill the popular-yet-wicked-good niche nicely. =p
If you don't by the pop-crud, then you never pay the $18 US per CD. You'll be paying $10-$13. In fact, I bought The Unseen's CD for $9.81 a little while ago...
Repeat after me: I will listen to indie and non-pop bands, I will support the artists, and I won't be price gouged.