TheBoss: hi a/s/l?
TheBoss: whoops
TheBoss: sorry but ur fired
TheBoss: ill give u good reference tho * TheBoss sets status to Sorry *
TheBoss::(
TheBoss: srry ur mad at me gtg byebye TheBoss has logged out
I've been playing online games since pretty much "the beginning" (before games were made to use TCP/IP, we played IPX games over TCP/IP in Kali). There are a couple of things that are helping both the treatment of women and toning down open hostilities:
1) Player moderation (ie. voting people out of the game)
2) Voice chat
I was worried about #2 when it started out, but it actually does a lot to reduce the trash in online gaming. A lot of people won't say out loud the kind of words they'll type, at least not the extremes. There's still plenty of salty language out there, but there is a distinct difference between what people will say, and what they'll type.
Also, for the kiddies, the fact that they have to say the things out loud, inside their house, can make all the difference. I've kept a great post from a gaming message board about this:
"I was watchin my cousin play [Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War] and then this lil kid comes on over the mic and says mother****er then the next u hear is a giant smack n then the kid starts crying roflmao....". Plus, anyone that tries to talk someone down in a squeaky kiddie voice usually gets laughed and humiliated out of the room.
As for women, I'll often let my girlfriend wear the headset for playing SOCOM II online, and let her do all the talking for me. She often gets attention, but she never gets harassed, and the majority of the undersexed kiddies are too shy to try and hit on her verbally. That, and everyone else audibly laughs at them and makes fun of them when they try.
Some malcontents are undeterred by voice chat, but it does help weed out a lot of it. For the rest, players being able to vote losers out of the game is a great feature. My main complaint is that too few games explore such a feature fully.
Typical. Lots of whining, crying, and complaining, and little in the way of insightful alternatives.
Or does the fact that the intelligence agencies aren't able to even analyze the massive flow of info they have not bother anyone?
Certainly we don't need a repeat of past events. What's the point of saying, "no don't look, no don't look, no don't look, no don't look", and then when the attack comes, scream, "why weren't you looking???"
Unfortunately, KFSR essentially amounts to a little of everything here and there. Yeah, you get (insert genre here) for a 3 hour block per week. KFSR's good for jazz during the mornings and overnights, but come the afternoons and evenings, it's Forrest Gump's box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get.
I applaud KFSR, and continue to try and get my own show on there, but by itself, it just doesn't cut it. I love it when I catch a radio show block that's playing what I want to hear - some good stuff on there - but it's a crapshoot.
I find it ironic that many people complain about the homoginization of radio due to companies like Clear Channel, but think that satellite is a better option. If anything, satellite is an even worse case if you want diversification in broadcasting.
Except for the fact that something like XM contains stations with content that anything short of the major major markets simply will not ever get. There's a lot to be said for that. Here in Fresno, CA (a city the size of Portland), there are exactly 0 electronica/techno stations, 0 jazz stations, 0 classical stations (save for the scant moments when NPR isn't Bush bashing or begging for funding), 0 stations for progressive rock (old or new), 0 metal stations, 0 other random experimental/avant-garde stations, 0 international/world/"ethnic" stations (except for music from the exotic paradise of Mexico), 0 blues statiopns, and 0 true urban/rap stations (just some canned MTV processed hip-hop). If it's not modern pop/rock, country hick, top 40, "Mexican", or classic rock, then you don't get it.
So, yeah, there is something to be said for what satellite radio has. Even if providers will be inherently limited, that doesn't have to bode poorly for the content. You don't hear much complaining about DirecTV, do you? I'd like a satellite solution that provides the kind of broad programming that clicking on Radio in iTunes gets me. Neither XM nor Sirius do that (they don't seem to "get" some of the less mainstream genres), but at least they're starting points. If either of them, or a newcomer, finally "gets" it, they'll get my money too.
The only reason why right-wing talkers outnumber left-wing talkers is simply because the right-wingers tend to get better ratings.
One might argue that it's also because the left-wing viewpoint is sufficiently well represented in the other forms of media.
Not that that's necessarily bad - both viewpoints, and all in between, need to get out there. But it would be nice to see a more even distribution across all medias.
A healthy Apple is important for the computer industry. Even if you don't use Apples, you benefit from the PC industry's price undercutting of Apple's products. Apple is only "expensive" in the sense that everyone else endeavors to be cheaper.
On one hand, I agree. On another hand, I play SOCOM II on PS2 more than anything on Xbox Live. Lots of dedicated servers for that game, and they're incredibly unreliable.
Meanwhile, every Xbox Live game I've played has been very reliable. Still some lag? Sure. But not even as bad as SOCOM.
I would like to see dedicated servers for select games, but for many games, the setup as is right now is perfect (I don't think Top Spin really needs dedicated servers).
To achieve Xbox Live style functionality, programs like this have to become pretty ubiquitous. I like being able to add random people from games that were fun to play with as "friends".
Xfire looks like a good start. I'll be sure to give it a try.
We need more services like Xbox Live in gaming. When I play something like Battlefield 1942 on PC, or SOCOM II on PS2, I'm always disappointed how some features of Xbox Live just aren't there, or are pale shadows of Xbox Live's. And of course it's not just one game, but lots. One of my best friends from high school is now in the Navy, stationed in Guam. He's mainly a PC online gamer, and it would be cool to have a friends list with him on it, saying what game and what server he's playing on, just like Xbox Live. That, and reliable voice chat.
Microsoft cracked one out of the park with Xbox Live (apparently they save their innovative minds for their side projects). Let's move all online gaming in that direction.
Slashdot Mirror
TheBoss: whoops
TheBoss: sorry but ur fired
TheBoss: ill give u good reference tho
* TheBoss sets status to Sorry *
TheBoss:
TheBoss: srry ur mad at me gtg byebye
TheBoss has logged out
LOL. Touche. But adding that to the explanation would certainly befuddle anyone that can't manage the lose/loose distinction. :)
Yup, and a mini broken one at that.
"Ha ha, stupid Americans, we're running Rinux!"
Ahem... consult sig below!
Bad example. One word: HEADPHONES.
I use nano, and I flame the pico users!
1) Player moderation (ie. voting people out of the game)
2) Voice chat
I was worried about #2 when it started out, but it actually does a lot to reduce the trash in online gaming. A lot of people won't say out loud the kind of words they'll type, at least not the extremes. There's still plenty of salty language out there, but there is a distinct difference between what people will say, and what they'll type.
Also, for the kiddies, the fact that they have to say the things out loud, inside their house, can make all the difference. I've kept a great post from a gaming message board about this: "I was watchin my cousin play [Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War] and then this lil kid comes on over the mic and says mother****er then the next u hear is a giant smack n then the kid starts crying roflmao....". Plus, anyone that tries to talk someone down in a squeaky kiddie voice usually gets laughed and humiliated out of the room.
As for women, I'll often let my girlfriend wear the headset for playing SOCOM II online, and let her do all the talking for me. She often gets attention, but she never gets harassed, and the majority of the undersexed kiddies are too shy to try and hit on her verbally. That, and everyone else audibly laughs at them and makes fun of them when they try.
Some malcontents are undeterred by voice chat, but it does help weed out a lot of it. For the rest, players being able to vote losers out of the game is a great feature. My main complaint is that too few games explore such a feature fully.
Or does the fact that the intelligence agencies aren't able to even analyze the massive flow of info they have not bother anyone?
Certainly we don't need a repeat of past events. What's the point of saying, "no don't look, no don't look, no don't look, no don't look", and then when the attack comes, scream, "why weren't you looking???"
I applaud KFSR, and continue to try and get my own show on there, but by itself, it just doesn't cut it. I love it when I catch a radio show block that's playing what I want to hear - some good stuff on there - but it's a crapshoot.
Except for the fact that something like XM contains stations with content that anything short of the major major markets simply will not ever get. There's a lot to be said for that. Here in Fresno, CA (a city the size of Portland), there are exactly 0 electronica/techno stations, 0 jazz stations, 0 classical stations (save for the scant moments when NPR isn't Bush bashing or begging for funding), 0 stations for progressive rock (old or new), 0 metal stations, 0 other random experimental/avant-garde stations, 0 international/world/"ethnic" stations (except for music from the exotic paradise of Mexico), 0 blues statiopns, and 0 true urban/rap stations (just some canned MTV processed hip-hop). If it's not modern pop/rock, country hick, top 40, "Mexican", or classic rock, then you don't get it.
So, yeah, there is something to be said for what satellite radio has. Even if providers will be inherently limited, that doesn't have to bode poorly for the content. You don't hear much complaining about DirecTV, do you? I'd like a satellite solution that provides the kind of broad programming that clicking on Radio in iTunes gets me. Neither XM nor Sirius do that (they don't seem to "get" some of the less mainstream genres), but at least they're starting points. If either of them, or a newcomer, finally "gets" it, they'll get my money too.
One might argue that it's also because the left-wing viewpoint is sufficiently well represented in the other forms of media.
Not that that's necessarily bad - both viewpoints, and all in between, need to get out there. But it would be nice to see a more even distribution across all medias.
Actually, I've yet to find any piece of software that manages to stay intact when I fire a photon torpedo at it.
You're right, nobody pays attention to Apple.
If Apple releases a PowerBook or PowerMac cheaper than comparative PC high end machines, the PC systems will become cheaper overnight.
Choice is good - including platform choice.
Dear Anal Police,
Find something better to do with your time.
Sitting around, saying "OMG they missed that character smoking and that sexual innuendo WTF WTF WTF?" is not a productive use of time or resources.
It's people like you that enable psycho overprotective parents. You're far more damaging than the video game cigarette.
Sincerely,
Sane Society
>> Where are the dedicated servers?
On one hand, I agree.
On another hand, I play SOCOM II on PS2 more than anything on Xbox Live. Lots of dedicated servers for that game, and they're incredibly unreliable.
Meanwhile, every Xbox Live game I've played has been very reliable. Still some lag? Sure. But not even as bad as SOCOM.
I would like to see dedicated servers for select games, but for many games, the setup as is right now is perfect (I don't think Top Spin really needs dedicated servers).
To achieve Xbox Live style functionality, programs like this have to become pretty ubiquitous. I like being able to add random people from games that were fun to play with as "friends".
Xfire looks like a good start. I'll be sure to give it a try.
Microsoft cracked one out of the park with Xbox Live (apparently they save their innovative minds for their side projects). Let's move all online gaming in that direction.