From what I've read online about the MIDI audio - it was deliberately done that way so that they could do better transitions between pieces of music. For instance, when you approach an enemy, it changes smoothly into the "danger" music, without a break in the sound, regardless of what point in the background track it was in. I actually really like it, as I find it more immersive. Also, I don't find it bad in terms of musical quality. Sure, it's not as good as having a live orchestra playing the soundtrack in your living room, but its not like you're listening to the music by itself. It adds a lot to the feel of the game, and really, that's what it's there for.
In fact, it might not even be the hard drive. I have a 4th gen iPod, and I got the sad iPod icon. Resetting it worked, but the problem recurred several times. I took it to the Apple Store and had a genius look at it. He took it to the back and fixed a loose connection on the drive cable, and didn't even charge me anything for the repair, despite the fact that it was out of warranty by 3 weeks. It's worked great since then. You might want to check out other causes for what ails your iPod - could save you some cash and/or frustration.
I just want to put my $0.02 in here. I'm 37, and have suffered from psoriatic arthritis for over 10 years now. I'd like to encourage the original poster to make sure that he's checked out all the medical options for his condition. There are some new medications that can do wonders, depending on what type of arthritis he has. I'm currently just finishing a clinical trial for Humira (created by Abbot Pharmaceutical) that has changed my life. I used to walk with a limp all the time, and now I can run, swim, play with my 2 year old, and basically enjoy life. There are downsides - like the cost. It's $800CA per injection, and I need one every two weeks. Fortunately, it's covered by my health insurance, and it should be covered by medicare sometime soon, if the government actually gets around to it. The drug is in widespread use for rheumatoid arthritis already.
Basically, what I'm trying to say here is that if you suffer from any kind of condition like this, SEE YOUR DOCTOR. If you don't get satisfactory answers, get another opinion. (I went through 3 doctors trying to get diagnosed.) Get a referral to a rheumatologist (or the appropriate specialist for your condition). I've talked to many people that are afraid to go to a doctor, despite the fact that there is obviously something wrong with them.
To keep this rant a bit more on topic, I picked up a Wii, and I've found it to be the most comfortable gaming I've ever done. Instead of sitting hunched over a controller bending my hands into strange configurations to hit all the buttons, I can recline on the sofa and keep my hands in the most comfortable position - and even change that position if I get tired the way I was.
I've had a set of Etymotic Research 6i Isolator earphones for almost a year now. I can't say enough how great these things are! They are a bit pricey, but worth it. They block out almost all ambient sound - to the point that I can barely hear a bus that I'm riding on. They do get a bit uncomfortable if I wear them for more than 3-4 hours, but even then they're not unbearable. Another advantage to using this type of earphone is that you don't have to crank it up to compete with everything going on around you. This means that you can hear your music better at a lower volume, which reduces the chances of hearing loss. Oh yeah, they also sound great!
They also make a set of earplugs based on the same technology as their earphones. I don't have a set, so I can't testify to their effectiveness, but they might be worth looking at.
I'm thinking about getting one of the new MacBooks (big step up from my iBook G4), but haven't decided about which screen to get. I'm leaning towards the matt one, but all the info on the apple site brags about how much brighter the glossy screen is. Does anyone out there have any feedback on the difference? Are reflections a big factor, or does the additional brightness make up for it?
That's similar to my solution for this. I have an '05 Dodge Caravan with a factory DVD player. The DVD player has RCA jacks on the front (I guess so you can hook up a game console). I opened the dash, pulled out the DVD player and soldered in another set of RCA jacks on the back. Then I found an empty spot on the dash and cut a hole for an iPod dock. I also wired power to the dock so the iPod would charge all the time. Once I had it all wired up, the car stereo just thinks it's a regular aux input. Since the iPod is mounted on the dash, I can easily use it's controls. It's a great set up, but it definitely wouldn't have been as easy without the aux jacks already there. I'm not looking forward to the lease ending on this vehicle.
I could be wrong, but from what I've heard in Canada as long as ONE person in the conversation knows about, and agrees to the recording, it is perfectly legal to record any phone conversation. Keep in mind that IANAL (In Canada or anywhere else).
The drawback that I see with this plan is that you would need to find (and presumably watch a clip) of all those goatse videos. Then, having seen the video yourself, you would die - or wish you could to get the memory out of your head.
My latest spindle of CDs has a very odd scent. I recently moved, and the CDs got packed in the same box as my spices (don't ask). When I unpacked the box, all the CDs had (and still have) a very strong scent of curry and other assorted spices. It doesn't seem to have affected them in any other way. Maybe I'll have to use them all for storing collections of Indian recipes.
"When I was ten I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."
Just substitute "kids videogames" for "fairy tales", and you've hit the nail on the head.
You could always get one of those really loud stereo systems with a subwoofer bigger than your engine. Record the sound of a loud engine and just play that at full volume. For bonus points, you could link the volume control with the accelerator so that the faster you went, the louder it was.
I actually think it would be cooler to have a silent car that could beat any street car you come across. It would probably freak out everyone when you race them off the line without making a sound.
The way I understand it, the problems with night vision post-lasik are related to the surgeon not correcting a large enough area on the eye. As the pupil enlarges, it expands into the uncorrected area, causing the halo effect. Do some research on your surgeon before you allow him to touch your eyes. It might mean a nice paycheque for him, but I guarantee that your eyes are worth more to you than him (or her).
That being said, I'm about 1 year post-op, and it's great. The hardest part for me was breaking the old habit of adjusting my glasses constantly. It took about a month to change that. There was lots of reaching for the glasses and changing the motion to fixing my hair and then looking around to see if anyone saw me acting weird. The vision has been great! I don't find that my eyes get particularly dry or irritated unless I'm really tired or have been working on the computer for more than 8 hours or so.
These books feature the slow (less than the speed of light) space travel and long distance space combat discussed above. Generally, the entire Known Space series is quite a good read, IMHO.
I picked up an iHome last weekend, and so far have been somewhat underwhelmed. The clock lacks a backlight (that I can find), which makes it useless as a night-time clock. It is also very sensitive to static electricity. If I touch the iPod and discharge a shock, it resets the clock to 12:00. Not very good for a clock that I am relying on to wake me up to be at work on time.
The question that I have is how do "they" know which artist(s) music I'm burning to that disc? Do they have a formula somewhere that determines which artists reap the benefits of this tax based on their popularity? What about all the artists from other countries that are popular here in Canada also? What about independent artists that aren't signed to a major label? How much of this surcharge actually goes to the artists, and how much to the record companies and government to compensate them for all the hard work they've done collecting the money in the first place?
I had the counter running on two machines as it approached 1 billion. The two counters were different by approximately 9000, even after re-loading the page several times. I tried to time a purchase with the higher counter, but obviously didn't win. I guess we'll all have to try again when they have a contest for 2 billion.
Yes, well, I never wanted to be a Slashdot troll. I always wanted to be...a lumberjack! Leaping from tree to tree as they float down the mighty rivers of British Columbia!
I was working at an outdoor event several years ago that took place in the park across the street from the local Red Cross blood donation centre. The manager (or something) of the centre came over and demanded that the organizers of the event take down the big red cross they had to mark the emergency medical services at the event.
Slashdot Mirror
From what I've read online about the MIDI audio - it was deliberately done that way so that they could do better transitions between pieces of music. For instance, when you approach an enemy, it changes smoothly into the "danger" music, without a break in the sound, regardless of what point in the background track it was in. I actually really like it, as I find it more immersive. Also, I don't find it bad in terms of musical quality. Sure, it's not as good as having a live orchestra playing the soundtrack in your living room, but its not like you're listening to the music by itself. It adds a lot to the feel of the game, and really, that's what it's there for.
In fact, it might not even be the hard drive. I have a 4th gen iPod, and I got the sad iPod icon. Resetting it worked, but the problem recurred several times. I took it to the Apple Store and had a genius look at it. He took it to the back and fixed a loose connection on the drive cable, and didn't even charge me anything for the repair, despite the fact that it was out of warranty by 3 weeks. It's worked great since then. You might want to check out other causes for what ails your iPod - could save you some cash and/or frustration.
YMMV
That reminds me of a quote:
"In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe." - Carl Sagan
I just want to put my $0.02 in here. I'm 37, and have suffered from psoriatic arthritis for over 10 years now. I'd like to encourage the original poster to make sure that he's checked out all the medical options for his condition. There are some new medications that can do wonders, depending on what type of arthritis he has. I'm currently just finishing a clinical trial for Humira (created by Abbot Pharmaceutical) that has changed my life. I used to walk with a limp all the time, and now I can run, swim, play with my 2 year old, and basically enjoy life. There are downsides - like the cost. It's $800CA per injection, and I need one every two weeks. Fortunately, it's covered by my health insurance, and it should be covered by medicare sometime soon, if the government actually gets around to it. The drug is in widespread use for rheumatoid arthritis already.
Basically, what I'm trying to say here is that if you suffer from any kind of condition like this, SEE YOUR DOCTOR. If you don't get satisfactory answers, get another opinion. (I went through 3 doctors trying to get diagnosed.) Get a referral to a rheumatologist (or the appropriate specialist for your condition). I've talked to many people that are afraid to go to a doctor, despite the fact that there is obviously something wrong with them.
To keep this rant a bit more on topic, I picked up a Wii, and I've found it to be the most comfortable gaming I've ever done. Instead of sitting hunched over a controller bending my hands into strange configurations to hit all the buttons, I can recline on the sofa and keep my hands in the most comfortable position - and even change that position if I get tired the way I was.
Good luck!
Speaking of the C64, I remember many hours wasted playing Archon with my buddies. That was a great 2 player game.
What about Lego Star Wars? IMO, that's far and away the best Star Wars videogame for any platform.
I've had a set of Etymotic Research 6i Isolator earphones for almost a year now. I can't say enough how great these things are! They are a bit pricey, but worth it. They block out almost all ambient sound - to the point that I can barely hear a bus that I'm riding on. They do get a bit uncomfortable if I wear them for more than 3-4 hours, but even then they're not unbearable. Another advantage to using this type of earphone is that you don't have to crank it up to compete with everything going on around you. This means that you can hear your music better at a lower volume, which reduces the chances of hearing loss. Oh yeah, they also sound great!
They also make a set of earplugs based on the same technology as their earphones. I don't have a set, so I can't testify to their effectiveness, but they might be worth looking at.
Just my $0.02.
Get Perpendicular!
I'm thinking about getting one of the new MacBooks (big step up from my iBook G4), but haven't decided about which screen to get. I'm leaning towards the matt one, but all the info on the apple site brags about how much brighter the glossy screen is. Does anyone out there have any feedback on the difference? Are reflections a big factor, or does the additional brightness make up for it?
Any thoughts on this topic would be appreciated.
Just remember:
/Not speaking from personal experience.
Nothing says "I love you" like a restraining order.
That's similar to my solution for this. I have an '05 Dodge Caravan with a factory DVD player. The DVD player has RCA jacks on the front (I guess so you can hook up a game console). I opened the dash, pulled out the DVD player and soldered in another set of RCA jacks on the back. Then I found an empty spot on the dash and cut a hole for an iPod dock. I also wired power to the dock so the iPod would charge all the time. Once I had it all wired up, the car stereo just thinks it's a regular aux input. Since the iPod is mounted on the dash, I can easily use it's controls. It's a great set up, but it definitely wouldn't have been as easy without the aux jacks already there. I'm not looking forward to the lease ending on this vehicle.
I could be wrong, but from what I've heard in Canada as long as ONE person in the conversation knows about, and agrees to the recording, it is perfectly legal to record any phone conversation. Keep in mind that IANAL (In Canada or anywhere else).
The drawback that I see with this plan is that you would need to find (and presumably watch a clip) of all those goatse videos. Then, having seen the video yourself, you would die - or wish you could to get the memory out of your head.
My latest spindle of CDs has a very odd scent. I recently moved, and the CDs got packed in the same box as my spices (don't ask). When I unpacked the box, all the CDs had (and still have) a very strong scent of curry and other assorted spices. It doesn't seem to have affected them in any other way. Maybe I'll have to use them all for storing collections of Indian recipes.
Just substitute "kids videogames" for "fairy tales", and you've hit the nail on the head.
You could always get one of those really loud stereo systems with a subwoofer bigger than your engine. Record the sound of a loud engine and just play that at full volume. For bonus points, you could link the volume control with the accelerator so that the faster you went, the louder it was.
I actually think it would be cooler to have a silent car that could beat any street car you come across. It would probably freak out everyone when you race them off the line without making a sound.
The way I understand it, the problems with night vision post-lasik are related to the surgeon not correcting a large enough area on the eye. As the pupil enlarges, it expands into the uncorrected area, causing the halo effect. Do some research on your surgeon before you allow him to touch your eyes. It might mean a nice paycheque for him, but I guarantee that your eyes are worth more to you than him (or her).
That being said, I'm about 1 year post-op, and it's great. The hardest part for me was breaking the old habit of adjusting my glasses constantly. It took about a month to change that. There was lots of reaching for the glasses and changing the motion to fixing my hair and then looking around to see if anyone saw me acting weird. The vision has been great! I don't find that my eyes get particularly dry or irritated unless I'm really tired or have been working on the computer for more than 8 hours or so.
If there's going to be a huge cash settlement, I'm gonna start playing WoW so I can get in on it!
If you want more books with this type of space combat/travel, try Larry Niven's Known Space series, particularly the early stories, such as:
Tales of Known Space
Protector
World of Ptaavs
These books feature the slow (less than the speed of light) space travel and long distance space combat discussed above. Generally, the entire Known Space series is quite a good read, IMHO.
I picked up an iHome last weekend, and so far have been somewhat underwhelmed. The clock lacks a backlight (that I can find), which makes it useless as a night-time clock. It is also very sensitive to static electricity. If I touch the iPod and discharge a shock, it resets the clock to 12:00. Not very good for a clock that I am relying on to wake me up to be at work on time.
That being said, it does sound great.
The question that I have is how do "they" know which artist(s) music I'm burning to that disc? Do they have a formula somewhere that determines which artists reap the benefits of this tax based on their popularity? What about all the artists from other countries that are popular here in Canada also? What about independent artists that aren't signed to a major label? How much of this surcharge actually goes to the artists, and how much to the record companies and government to compensate them for all the hard work they've done collecting the money in the first place?
OK, I apologize, that was more than one question.
I had the counter running on two machines as it approached 1 billion. The two counters were different by approximately 9000, even after re-loading the page several times. I tried to time a purchase with the higher counter, but obviously didn't win. I guess we'll all have to try again when they have a contest for 2 billion.
Yes, well, I never wanted to be a Slashdot troll. I always wanted to be...a lumberjack! Leaping from tree to tree as they float down the mighty rivers of British Columbia!
I was working at an outdoor event several years ago that took place in the park across the street from the local Red Cross blood donation centre. The manager (or something) of the centre came over and demanded that the organizers of the event take down the big red cross they had to mark the emergency medical services at the event.
We all thought it was totally ridiculous.