It's just that you don't understand MMORPGs. Buying the best stuff in the game is extremely expensive. To earn enough money for the high end items (which are never really a necessity) it may take you 40 real life hours to earn the million gold necessary. Some people want that stuff, but they don't want to waste that much time. Say I make $20 an hour after taxes...I can take that $100 (5 hours of work) and put it towards buying game money. I get my item and I don't have to do all the tedious things that I don't like, I can just do the fun stuff.
So, you gain satisfaction in your life by being frugal (or you just don't make much money). Other people get enjoyment being around other people and getting drunk and dancing. Some people enjoy playing these games, and if they are enjoying it...who are you to say anything on how they spend their money? You label them a dork...but I will label you an arrogant prick for putting down others on how they spend their money. This is a problem with Slashdot and people in general. Just because someone is different than you you, you look down upon them. Just get over yourself and learn a little tolerance of others. I don't look down on you because you are cheap and think any girl you date should be "exposed" to that before they agree to go out with you.
Yeah, that's fine, but this guy wasn't talking about cross-platform walkthroughs...he was saying the controller confused people when it first came out. Like...dear god, it isn't labeled "A" or "B"...it's now "X" and "O" and "triangle"...I am so confused. I better not buy this console.
lol, I know...I am turning in to a typical slashdot user...tin foil had and all. But there really are people who are so pro-nintendo and pro-mac that they ignore reality and just say whatever to put down other companies. Seriously, read stuff more carefully...on this site, Sony is evil, and Nintendo is the last bastion of gaming hope.
Just seemed odd to me...I don't know of any gaming technology that has come out at an enticing price. It's always best to let a little time pass and wait for the next rev to come out to get rid of bugs and get a better deal.
Who the heck was confused over having no letters on the controller? I remember playing the Play Station and thinking that it was pretty cool. And I wanted to hate it because I couldn't afford another console...I wanted everything to stay on Nintendo. Nintendo stuck with cartridges because they found the load time unacceptable with CDs. See, the problem that you have is a common one here on games.slashdot.org. You have this Nintendo fandom problem. Just step away and look at these things objectively. Competition is good, it encourages innovation and price drops. Trying to argue that if Nintendo did X and Y then Sony would have been second is stupid. I could just say, well if Sony did X and Y then Nintendo would be a company that sold only board games. Sony won this round...who will win the next one? I don't care! I will get the best console (i.e. has the games I want to play) and I will enjoy it. Wanting one to beat the others down is fine, until you realize then you just have another Microsoft. Sony wasn't saved by screw-ups from others, they won because they did stuff better than Nintendo. Just because you love Nintendo, doesn't mean that the only way people can beat them is if they screw up.
Yes, like the original deal is the only deal that will ever be offered . So you don't like the deal, wait awhile and they will offer one that is more appealing to you. It sounds more like you just want to complain about SOMETHING...guess what, any reasonable price for the PSP will still not yield more fun-for-dollar as a GBA. Cost isn't the only thing that drives what people buy (see Macs). If Sony gets the games on there that people want to play, they will get the handheld. I know I followed Final Fantasy on to the Play Station and off from Nintendo and I really enjoyed gaming on both the PS and the PS2. And there are plenty of us out there that make enough money that we don't mind owning multiple consoles or handhelds. This just reeks of a more subtle pro-nintendo troll.
AI, particularly true AI is extremely difficult. And once you have AI, it's hard to tell if you have it. What if it does something you don't expect? Is that a bug, or does it just see things differently. Really, you don't know anything about implementing AI. So your claim that it is easy is silly. But keep going man, maybe some fool will offer you a job...or maybe you are just seeing how many people will fall for your troll.
And my question to you is: so what? Are some of the things you listed more important than protesting a class being weak in a game? Uh yeah, sure. Instead of playing any games, could we all volunteer our time to disabled people? Could we spend more time with the elderly? You can nit pick every thing anyone does for free time and ask...couldn't you be doing something better? The fact is, these people care about it...so they assembled together to try to get more attention on the subject. Who cares whether or not they participate in our political system. Just because you don't care about their game, doesn't make it worthless in their eyes. Also, last I checked, we live in a (semi)free country where it's every moron's right to ignore the political process. So get off your high horse, they are just playing a game.
That makes a lot of sense. Though, I think splitting hairs over terms doesn't help the cause. When I say piracy to someone on the street, they know what I am talking about. If I tell them they are committing copyright infringement, I have to explain it. It's just eaiser to say and express by using the incorrect term in this case. I tend to try not to say piracy on slashdot too, because it seems to cause major hissyfits. But it drives me nuts how people say that it isn't "stealing" and that no one is really harmed. In any case, I agree that parents have to get involved. Probably this generation has a lot better of chance understanding what our kids are doing and telling them it is wrong. Though, there are probably a lot of parents who just don't care...until people start getting in trouble for it, I doubt too much will change.
Sorry...I even re-read your post and couldn't really find the point. I just disagreed with some of your premises and it seemed like you were saying something different. I apologize for going off. Just when people on here defend piracy, it tends to piss me off. And that is what I thought you were doing.
Well, you wrote a huge post based on a flawed original argument. People are less apt to shop lift because they are more likely to be caught. People are more apt to pirate games because they are less likely to get caught. In that sense, it is easier to pirate a game then it is to shoplift. So companies are trying to find ways to slow that problem down. Yeah, slashdotters hate it and have all kinds of arguments on how it hurts sales. Well, the bullshit claims that piracy is costing companies X amount of dollars is just as much bullshit as slashdotters saying that companies would be better off if they had no protection at all. Your argument that piracy has become less common is actually wrong too. More people pirate today than they did in the past...if you go by numbers. Maybe the percentage of people decreased. But even though mainstream people are more apt to buy the game than attempt to pirate, they still would pirate if it were easy and that is why companies have to fight...because people are dishonest.
Well, it would discourage camping...but it would discourage legitimate campers too. It's really tough to think of something that damages gil sellers and not the good people. They could make everything Rare/Ex so you could only get one and not sell it, but a lot of the great items are low level items with really good stats. And people who are really crazy about gaining gil are able to buy that and make their uber character. It's so tough...I thought maybe having a sign up sheet, and if you are on the top of the list, it spawns claimed to you. You can only have a chance on any big spawn once every couple real life weeks. That way a casual gamer can still get some NM action. Of course, the gil farmers would probably find some way to exploit this as well (like by having a ton of charcter and having them take up all the slots). Maybe restrict by IP. See, this is the problem, any good idea I come up with I can think of a way to get around it. Like what if the Valk Emp. dropped his pin but rather going to the person who killed it, it goes to some random person in the area (the guy who kills it still has a shot, all though much slimmer now). But then you would see a bunch of idiots leaving their characters in the area 24/7 in hopes they get it. I don't know...maybe hire someone like me to go after the gil farmers, but give me power over all players, not just NA. So frustrating!
Gold (or gil in case of ffxi) farming is such a huge problem for MMORPGs. I haven't played deeping in to other MMORPGs other than FFXI, but I know in that game it is a serious problem. If you are not familiar with the issues, the gil farmers infest nearly every part of the game. Certain monsters drop the really really good equipment. So people will camp them 24/7 and try to get the drop and then sell the items for insane prices that people somehow manage to pay for. Some will use bots that fish for them to make a profit that way. Some will just kill whipe out creatures in an are continuously to collect what they drop and sell.
The real problem is how do you deal with the people who do this for money. Companies do a certain amount of policing, but it is difficult to determine what a legitimate transaction is and what a gil seller does. Any solution you come up with had its drawbacks as well. Like, say the uber gear isn't dropped by the tough monster, just some random monster in the area. Then these people would go and sweep the whole area ruining it for people that are trying to level. For this issue anyways, the only thing that anyone has come up with that makes sense is to admit that you can't stop people from going after the uber-items. The company just needs to make equipment that is slightly worse that sells for a reasonable price so that people who don't have x uber item isn't consider under equipped. It's sad really...it would be nice if people who sold gil didn't exist...MMORPG were meant to be a game and they are harming the fun for people who just want to play. But if there is profit to be made, there is always someone who puts that over their fellow man.
Ha...really, the number of people that are driven to Linux by this will be few if any. People will just run unpatched systems or find another method to get the patches. I mean, it's not like it's all that hard to use an unpatched system. Just have a software or hardware firewall and only open up the ports that you need. People will be sticking with Windows mainly because it has the applications they want to run. I don't see how it is a long term loss when the people who aren't paying probably won't ever pay anyways. You assume that people will stick with Linux once they use it and that Linux is even an option. It certainly isn't if you want to play games. For Linux to really make a gain, it needs to improve so that is both a better OS and easier for non-technical people to use. It certainly has gotten better, but it is certainly not ready for my mom. Once Linux can be used by my mom, then you will see real gain....not because people can't get updates.
You are one of those rare few here on Slashdot I just have to follow. I would say you were a troll, but a part of me wants to believe that people like you exist. It seems to me that you lack the ability to truly assess your own abilities and reality. Just like with your religion, you try to argue some form of logic with people...but your logic is so flawed it is impossible to take you seriously. So you claim to be the best RTS player in the world (or at least with a few games). I'll play along and pretend this isn't just another delusion. Being really good at video games has nothing to do with being a good designer. You see, you are using messed up logic by saying that as if it matter. If you were #1, of course people would look at your strategies and try to learn from them. But just because you say you can predict the future of games, when other people have validly pointed out that stuff have existed before you thought it up, does not make you a world class designer. You have to do something. What separates you from world class designers is that you have yet to design anything, yet to really show any skills (I mean, in something as important as God, you have an awful looking page with spelling errors), and basically just say a lot of bs that everyone can see through.
I can't get to your pages because you somehow managed to overwhelm the server with your text. But I don't even need to read it, since we are not even close to true artificial intelligence in any form. I have a Master in CS, I took plenty of AI courses. No one is close yet. But the generel concept of having good AI has been around for a long time...like in HL where the troops will shoot at you and then flush you out with grenades if you hide. Saying you want true AI is like a 4 year old saying he wants a giant robot with lasers to shoot people. It sounds great, but let's see you do it. If you were smart enough to actually create something truly AI, you would be a rich, rich man. The only way you will be rich is if some sucker is pulled in by the garbage you spew out.
But good trolls so far...I am having fun...I will keep an eye on you.
Re:Finally, on the same level as the PC, for now.
on
More On PS3 and Xbox 2
·
· Score: 1
Your comment isn't insightful...it's more like it makes people stupider for reading it. There is always a cycle where consoles come out and have graphics that are on par or better than the PC. Then cycle for new video cards is much shorter and so then PCs surpass the consoles until the next interation comes out. So what if it leaves it behind...we all know graphics does not equal the enjoyment you get out of a game. So get over the PC/console debate...they are both great platforms for gaming.
I've always been really good at FPSs. I get banned from CS servers all the time for "hacking" and "cheating". The sad thing is, my brother is much much better than me. Some people are just really good at bursting at the head...so number of head shots shouldn't be it. I know how frustrating it can be playing against someone good. When my brother gets an AWP, sometimes it is ridiculous how quickly he can take me and the rest of my team down. Most people would ban him right away...but I stand behind him and watch him...he is just good.
I think the best way to spot a cheater is when they do really stupid things, but are able to kill well. Like if they don't know how to defuse a bomb, don't know a common map, and are running strange and then shifting to an odd angle to kill. It is almost impossible to tell a good player who is cheating though. Sound is so powerful in this game. I can put head phones on and point to exactly where you are walking through a wall or floor. There are cheaters out there....but I agree...much less than people think.
*sigh* So you had to take that road...instead of actually stating any games that were good and being useful, you decided to be a troll and state every little tiny whine you could with FFXI. Fine, I'll bite. And we'll hit each of what you complain about point by point.
Yeah, I agree, it is unfortunate that there are a limited number of ways you can make your character look. I loved the character creation in SWG, but hated the game. In any case, there might be something to that they chose a limited number of characters to make it run on a console easier. I thought that was a weak excue at best...but there is a lrage variety of armor...and with helmets on, you have no idea if they look the same. I can take your complaints further and say that there was really very few choices on what would be optimal to wear on your guy...so there is a lot of people wearing similar armor...though this has improved with updates that increase those choices. So far, you have been reasonable...next item.
Yes, fishing takes no skill. But me, and a lot of people out there, enjoyed relaxing and watching tv or reading while we pulled up fish gaining skill nad profit. It isn't for everyone, but my girl friend would come over and want to fish for me...it just appeals to some people. So, you don't like it...that doesn't make it bad. I guess you have never gone fishing in real life. It involves casting your line, and then reeling it in. Botting was a big issues, but SE took some agressive steps which (for a large part) damaged botting. Botting is in any MMORPG, you just have to deal with it and hope they take steps against it. If you don't realize that this is a genre wide problem, you are just ignorant.
As to fishing being the only way to make money, that is a flat out lie. I made money in so many different ways, from gardening valuable ore, to mining, to cutting down trees, to logging, to killing mobs for items...there are a billion ways to make money. The gil farmers are really only a problem on NMs that have very special items. It makes those items hard to get and expensive. That part sucks, and so far SE hasn't done enough to stop it. If you thought fishing was the only way to get money, well, I guarantee you didn't try anything else. Heck, you could even buy items from NPCs and sell them at the AH and make a very decent profit.
Now here is where you really sound stupid. The job system is by far the best feature of any MMORPG I have ever played. It allows you to take the same character, and experience any job in the game, without losing the levels you have gained with your other jobs. The subjob system allows for character customization and uniqueness...though all job/subjobs are not optimal (I was a paladin, and there is really only one viable subjob for him), it still allowed you to try out different things. If you didn't like the ability to change jobs/subjobs, then you are one of the rare few. I can see how you wouldn't like the game if you couldn't enjoy such a fundamental part of it. But really, the job system is the coolest thing in FFXI by far.
While the job system was the best part of the game, playing with people from other countries was a close second. I had no problem playing with Japanese players. They were always well equipped and eating food, and so was I. If you had bad experiences with them, it was probably because you were a bad player (yes, there is skill on how you play in a MMORPG). It's like you pulled this garbage from some forum where the little kids complain about this. While some jerk Japanese players did exist, there were 4 idiotic non Japanese for every one of them. The Japanese players by far helped me more than anyone in the game.
So now, your last statement proves you are a moron. I usually don't fall to personal attacks, but sometimes people just deserve it. Of course the next installments of Final Fantasy are console games. You don't release a new MMORPG every year...how long did it take EQ2 to come out after EQ? They never
Really, the most interesting things you can say about the top games of the year is bitching that it has 1 game per page. I guess it would suck that if you are on dial up...but instead of wasting space with your whining, why don't you say what games were the beiggest to you for 2004. I enjoy reading these even if they are just glorified advertisements, because it might show a game that looks interesting. I will go look at some independant reviews and may find a great game I missed.
Anyways, here is my list:
Half Life 2: Extremely well done game. The physics engine alone is enough to make the game interesting...but you can tell they really cared and made single player fun and engaging. DM is probably the most fun I have had with multiplayer in a long time. Nothing like fragging a friend with a toilet. Some people avoid this because of Steam...I have never had a problem with Steam (and I bought the game over it), but if you object to it, there are plenty of other good games out there.
Phantom Brave: I would not have know of this Nippon Ichi game unless I saw it in Penny Arcade's top 10 list. The game is a tactical rpg. It was a little tough to get in to at first, but after I understood how to fuse items and characters and how the gam really works (the manual is pathetic), I can't wait to play every chance I get. It's just fun leveling up your characters and their weapons. The only thing that distracts is that the graphics are from the PS era...but once you get over that, it's just a fun game.
Final Fantasy XI: I know everyone is in to WoW. But for me, it was all about tarutarus and fishing. MMORPG are not really for me, and I have sworn them off. But I have to admit the FFXI is a lot of fun, despite it's flaws. I really enjoyed playing with people from all over the world.
I played quite a few other games, those are just the ones that stand out (and I am at work and don't want to waste all day going through all of them). So what games are on your the top of your list in 2004? Maybe you know of one that I missed.
lol, the crap that gets modded up on here. While the cheaper iPods and Macs is a very good thing that will appeal to a lot of people, tone your zealotry down a bit...this isn't the second coming or something. People who like iPods and who have PCs are not tired of the PC world...way to over-generalize there. Are the some people out there who systems have slowed down from spyware and are pissed? I imagine they have no idea...and if it is slowed down enough, they ask their friends, like mine do, to come help them out...and I do. And by help, I don't tell them to go by a mac, I install AV software and ad-aware. Making it small and compact is good for a lot of users, it wouldn't work for me though...I like to have plenty of slots so I can stick different things in there. But that's just me...it's not going to appeal to everyone though. The firewire can be considered a slight win, because a lot of people don't even know what firewire is, much less need it for anything. You again make a stupid over generalization that all parents in the US play with video and want firewire. Is it a PC for the rest of us? Uh...no...it's a PC. It has advantages and disadvantages. It really drives me nuts every apple article that comes out...because of all the trolls who hate Macs, and all the zealots (like you) that make Macs sound like the holy grail of computing. I know I can just not click on it, but like a moth to a flame, I am drawn to see what dumb thing people will say next. Whenever you are so blinded by emotion, you fail to see the truth. A Mac is just a tool, it is good for some, not for others...it's fine that you support it, just don't make stuff up to make it sound better.
hahaha, ok, so much wrong with this. So what if she is a woman...so what if she has twins. Just because she finds it acceptable to portray women that way, doesn't mean that women in general can't object to the way they are depicted. The fact that she is a woman and is pregnant with twins is irrelevant to everything. It's good you RTFA, but C(omprehending)TFA is important too. It's like that skit on the Chapelle Show. He plays a blind black man who is a member of the KKK and a white supremicist. Just because he is black, doesn't mean white supremacy is ok.
And how many would that be? I'm just asking, because I don't think that it is all that much. How many lives are ruined because they can't stop playing counter-strike? I guess it is hard for me to feel too sorry for the individuals...I think if they didn't have this addiction, they would have something else...whatever, alcohol, drugs, martha stewart shows... Yeah, I know these things are designed to be fun and addicting...but really, place the blame on the individuals. I mean, the couple who's baby died in the car because they were so excited to play EQ...those people are screwed up. Might the baby have survived if MMORPG were never invented...maybe...but I think more likely they are crappy parents. I guess you really didn't assess who is to blame...and it is sad lives get destroyed...but I think alcohol destroys many many more lives than MMORPG. It's sad, but some people are messed up and can't deal with reality...MMORPG is one of the more benign ways people cope with that. (and yes, I played a MMORPG in the past for awhile and I quit because it was sucking up too much time).
Slashdot Mirror
It's just that you don't understand MMORPGs. Buying the best stuff in the game is extremely expensive. To earn enough money for the high end items (which are never really a necessity) it may take you 40 real life hours to earn the million gold necessary. Some people want that stuff, but they don't want to waste that much time. Say I make $20 an hour after taxes...I can take that $100 (5 hours of work) and put it towards buying game money. I get my item and I don't have to do all the tedious things that I don't like, I can just do the fun stuff.
So, you gain satisfaction in your life by being frugal (or you just don't make much money). Other people get enjoyment being around other people and getting drunk and dancing. Some people enjoy playing these games, and if they are enjoying it...who are you to say anything on how they spend their money? You label them a dork...but I will label you an arrogant prick for putting down others on how they spend their money. This is a problem with Slashdot and people in general. Just because someone is different than you you, you look down upon them. Just get over yourself and learn a little tolerance of others. I don't look down on you because you are cheap and think any girl you date should be "exposed" to that before they agree to go out with you.
Yeah, that's fine, but this guy wasn't talking about cross-platform walkthroughs...he was saying the controller confused people when it first came out. Like...dear god, it isn't labeled "A" or "B"...it's now "X" and "O" and "triangle"...I am so confused. I better not buy this console.
lol, I know...I am turning in to a typical slashdot user...tin foil had and all. But there really are people who are so pro-nintendo and pro-mac that they ignore reality and just say whatever to put down other companies. Seriously, read stuff more carefully...on this site, Sony is evil, and Nintendo is the last bastion of gaming hope.
Just seemed odd to me...I don't know of any gaming technology that has come out at an enticing price. It's always best to let a little time pass and wait for the next rev to come out to get rid of bugs and get a better deal.
Who the heck was confused over having no letters on the controller? I remember playing the Play Station and thinking that it was pretty cool. And I wanted to hate it because I couldn't afford another console...I wanted everything to stay on Nintendo. Nintendo stuck with cartridges because they found the load time unacceptable with CDs. See, the problem that you have is a common one here on games.slashdot.org. You have this Nintendo fandom problem. Just step away and look at these things objectively. Competition is good, it encourages innovation and price drops. Trying to argue that if Nintendo did X and Y then Sony would have been second is stupid. I could just say, well if Sony did X and Y then Nintendo would be a company that sold only board games. Sony won this round...who will win the next one? I don't care! I will get the best console (i.e. has the games I want to play) and I will enjoy it. Wanting one to beat the others down is fine, until you realize then you just have another Microsoft. Sony wasn't saved by screw-ups from others, they won because they did stuff better than Nintendo. Just because you love Nintendo, doesn't mean that the only way people can beat them is if they screw up.
Yes, like the original deal is the only deal that will ever be offered . So you don't like the deal, wait awhile and they will offer one that is more appealing to you. It sounds more like you just want to complain about SOMETHING...guess what, any reasonable price for the PSP will still not yield more fun-for-dollar as a GBA. Cost isn't the only thing that drives what people buy (see Macs). If Sony gets the games on there that people want to play, they will get the handheld. I know I followed Final Fantasy on to the Play Station and off from Nintendo and I really enjoyed gaming on both the PS and the PS2. And there are plenty of us out there that make enough money that we don't mind owning multiple consoles or handhelds. This just reeks of a more subtle pro-nintendo troll.
AI, particularly true AI is extremely difficult. And once you have AI, it's hard to tell if you have it. What if it does something you don't expect? Is that a bug, or does it just see things differently. Really, you don't know anything about implementing AI. So your claim that it is easy is silly. But keep going man, maybe some fool will offer you a job...or maybe you are just seeing how many people will fall for your troll.
And my question to you is: so what? Are some of the things you listed more important than protesting a class being weak in a game? Uh yeah, sure. Instead of playing any games, could we all volunteer our time to disabled people? Could we spend more time with the elderly? You can nit pick every thing anyone does for free time and ask...couldn't you be doing something better? The fact is, these people care about it...so they assembled together to try to get more attention on the subject. Who cares whether or not they participate in our political system. Just because you don't care about their game, doesn't make it worthless in their eyes. Also, last I checked, we live in a (semi)free country where it's every moron's right to ignore the political process. So get off your high horse, they are just playing a game.
That makes a lot of sense. Though, I think splitting hairs over terms doesn't help the cause. When I say piracy to someone on the street, they know what I am talking about. If I tell them they are committing copyright infringement, I have to explain it. It's just eaiser to say and express by using the incorrect term in this case. I tend to try not to say piracy on slashdot too, because it seems to cause major hissyfits. But it drives me nuts how people say that it isn't "stealing" and that no one is really harmed. In any case, I agree that parents have to get involved. Probably this generation has a lot better of chance understanding what our kids are doing and telling them it is wrong. Though, there are probably a lot of parents who just don't care...until people start getting in trouble for it, I doubt too much will change.
Sorry...I even re-read your post and couldn't really find the point. I just disagreed with some of your premises and it seemed like you were saying something different. I apologize for going off. Just when people on here defend piracy, it tends to piss me off. And that is what I thought you were doing.
Well, you wrote a huge post based on a flawed original argument. People are less apt to shop lift because they are more likely to be caught. People are more apt to pirate games because they are less likely to get caught. In that sense, it is easier to pirate a game then it is to shoplift. So companies are trying to find ways to slow that problem down. Yeah, slashdotters hate it and have all kinds of arguments on how it hurts sales. Well, the bullshit claims that piracy is costing companies X amount of dollars is just as much bullshit as slashdotters saying that companies would be better off if they had no protection at all. Your argument that piracy has become less common is actually wrong too. More people pirate today than they did in the past...if you go by numbers. Maybe the percentage of people decreased. But even though mainstream people are more apt to buy the game than attempt to pirate, they still would pirate if it were easy and that is why companies have to fight...because people are dishonest.
Well, it would discourage camping...but it would discourage legitimate campers too. It's really tough to think of something that damages gil sellers and not the good people. They could make everything Rare/Ex so you could only get one and not sell it, but a lot of the great items are low level items with really good stats. And people who are really crazy about gaining gil are able to buy that and make their uber character. It's so tough...I thought maybe having a sign up sheet, and if you are on the top of the list, it spawns claimed to you. You can only have a chance on any big spawn once every couple real life weeks. That way a casual gamer can still get some NM action. Of course, the gil farmers would probably find some way to exploit this as well (like by having a ton of charcter and having them take up all the slots). Maybe restrict by IP. See, this is the problem, any good idea I come up with I can think of a way to get around it. Like what if the Valk Emp. dropped his pin but rather going to the person who killed it, it goes to some random person in the area (the guy who kills it still has a shot, all though much slimmer now). But then you would see a bunch of idiots leaving their characters in the area 24/7 in hopes they get it. I don't know...maybe hire someone like me to go after the gil farmers, but give me power over all players, not just NA. So frustrating!
Gold (or gil in case of ffxi) farming is such a huge problem for MMORPGs. I haven't played deeping in to other MMORPGs other than FFXI, but I know in that game it is a serious problem. If you are not familiar with the issues, the gil farmers infest nearly every part of the game. Certain monsters drop the really really good equipment. So people will camp them 24/7 and try to get the drop and then sell the items for insane prices that people somehow manage to pay for. Some will use bots that fish for them to make a profit that way. Some will just kill whipe out creatures in an are continuously to collect what they drop and sell.
The real problem is how do you deal with the people who do this for money. Companies do a certain amount of policing, but it is difficult to determine what a legitimate transaction is and what a gil seller does. Any solution you come up with had its drawbacks as well. Like, say the uber gear isn't dropped by the tough monster, just some random monster in the area. Then these people would go and sweep the whole area ruining it for people that are trying to level. For this issue anyways, the only thing that anyone has come up with that makes sense is to admit that you can't stop people from going after the uber-items. The company just needs to make equipment that is slightly worse that sells for a reasonable price so that people who don't have x uber item isn't consider under equipped. It's sad really...it would be nice if people who sold gil didn't exist...MMORPG were meant to be a game and they are harming the fun for people who just want to play. But if there is profit to be made, there is always someone who puts that over their fellow man.
Ha...really, the number of people that are driven to Linux by this will be few if any. People will just run unpatched systems or find another method to get the patches. I mean, it's not like it's all that hard to use an unpatched system. Just have a software or hardware firewall and only open up the ports that you need. People will be sticking with Windows mainly because it has the applications they want to run. I don't see how it is a long term loss when the people who aren't paying probably won't ever pay anyways. You assume that people will stick with Linux once they use it and that Linux is even an option. It certainly isn't if you want to play games. For Linux to really make a gain, it needs to improve so that is both a better OS and easier for non-technical people to use. It certainly has gotten better, but it is certainly not ready for my mom. Once Linux can be used by my mom, then you will see real gain....not because people can't get updates.
You are one of those rare few here on Slashdot I just have to follow. I would say you were a troll, but a part of me wants to believe that people like you exist. It seems to me that you lack the ability to truly assess your own abilities and reality. Just like with your religion, you try to argue some form of logic with people...but your logic is so flawed it is impossible to take you seriously. So you claim to be the best RTS player in the world (or at least with a few games). I'll play along and pretend this isn't just another delusion. Being really good at video games has nothing to do with being a good designer. You see, you are using messed up logic by saying that as if it matter. If you were #1, of course people would look at your strategies and try to learn from them. But just because you say you can predict the future of games, when other people have validly pointed out that stuff have existed before you thought it up, does not make you a world class designer. You have to do something. What separates you from world class designers is that you have yet to design anything, yet to really show any skills (I mean, in something as important as God, you have an awful looking page with spelling errors), and basically just say a lot of bs that everyone can see through.
I can't get to your pages because you somehow managed to overwhelm the server with your text. But I don't even need to read it, since we are not even close to true artificial intelligence in any form. I have a Master in CS, I took plenty of AI courses. No one is close yet. But the generel concept of having good AI has been around for a long time...like in HL where the troops will shoot at you and then flush you out with grenades if you hide. Saying you want true AI is like a 4 year old saying he wants a giant robot with lasers to shoot people. It sounds great, but let's see you do it. If you were smart enough to actually create something truly AI, you would be a rich, rich man. The only way you will be rich is if some sucker is pulled in by the garbage you spew out.
But good trolls so far...I am having fun...I will keep an eye on you.
Your comment isn't insightful...it's more like it makes people stupider for reading it. There is always a cycle where consoles come out and have graphics that are on par or better than the PC. Then cycle for new video cards is much shorter and so then PCs surpass the consoles until the next interation comes out. So what if it leaves it behind...we all know graphics does not equal the enjoyment you get out of a game. So get over the PC/console debate...they are both great platforms for gaming.
What's the big deal of correcting it? If it helps a single person learn the proper use of then vs. than, then it was worth it.
I've always been really good at FPSs. I get banned from CS servers all the time for "hacking" and "cheating". The sad thing is, my brother is much much better than me. Some people are just really good at bursting at the head...so number of head shots shouldn't be it. I know how frustrating it can be playing against someone good. When my brother gets an AWP, sometimes it is ridiculous how quickly he can take me and the rest of my team down. Most people would ban him right away...but I stand behind him and watch him...he is just good.
I think the best way to spot a cheater is when they do really stupid things, but are able to kill well. Like if they don't know how to defuse a bomb, don't know a common map, and are running strange and then shifting to an odd angle to kill. It is almost impossible to tell a good player who is cheating though. Sound is so powerful in this game. I can put head phones on and point to exactly where you are walking through a wall or floor. There are cheaters out there....but I agree...much less than people think.
*sigh* So you had to take that road...instead of actually stating any games that were good and being useful, you decided to be a troll and state every little tiny whine you could with FFXI. Fine, I'll bite. And we'll hit each of what you complain about point by point.
Yeah, I agree, it is unfortunate that there are a limited number of ways you can make your character look. I loved the character creation in SWG, but hated the game. In any case, there might be something to that they chose a limited number of characters to make it run on a console easier. I thought that was a weak excue at best...but there is a lrage variety of armor...and with helmets on, you have no idea if they look the same. I can take your complaints further and say that there was really very few choices on what would be optimal to wear on your guy...so there is a lot of people wearing similar armor...though this has improved with updates that increase those choices. So far, you have been reasonable...next item.
Yes, fishing takes no skill. But me, and a lot of people out there, enjoyed relaxing and watching tv or reading while we pulled up fish gaining skill nad profit. It isn't for everyone, but my girl friend would come over and want to fish for me...it just appeals to some people. So, you don't like it...that doesn't make it bad. I guess you have never gone fishing in real life. It involves casting your line, and then reeling it in. Botting was a big issues, but SE took some agressive steps which (for a large part) damaged botting. Botting is in any MMORPG, you just have to deal with it and hope they take steps against it. If you don't realize that this is a genre wide problem, you are just ignorant.
As to fishing being the only way to make money, that is a flat out lie. I made money in so many different ways, from gardening valuable ore, to mining, to cutting down trees, to logging, to killing mobs for items...there are a billion ways to make money. The gil farmers are really only a problem on NMs that have very special items. It makes those items hard to get and expensive. That part sucks, and so far SE hasn't done enough to stop it. If you thought fishing was the only way to get money, well, I guarantee you didn't try anything else. Heck, you could even buy items from NPCs and sell them at the AH and make a very decent profit.
Now here is where you really sound stupid. The job system is by far the best feature of any MMORPG I have ever played. It allows you to take the same character, and experience any job in the game, without losing the levels you have gained with your other jobs. The subjob system allows for character customization and uniqueness...though all job/subjobs are not optimal (I was a paladin, and there is really only one viable subjob for him), it still allowed you to try out different things. If you didn't like the ability to change jobs/subjobs, then you are one of the rare few. I can see how you wouldn't like the game if you couldn't enjoy such a fundamental part of it. But really, the job system is the coolest thing in FFXI by far.
While the job system was the best part of the game, playing with people from other countries was a close second. I had no problem playing with Japanese players. They were always well equipped and eating food, and so was I. If you had bad experiences with them, it was probably because you were a bad player (yes, there is skill on how you play in a MMORPG). It's like you pulled this garbage from some forum where the little kids complain about this. While some jerk Japanese players did exist, there were 4 idiotic non Japanese for every one of them. The Japanese players by far helped me more than anyone in the game.
So now, your last statement proves you are a moron. I usually don't fall to personal attacks, but sometimes people just deserve it. Of course the next installments of Final Fantasy are console games. You don't release a new MMORPG every year...how long did it take EQ2 to come out after EQ? They never
Really, the most interesting things you can say about the top games of the year is bitching that it has 1 game per page. I guess it would suck that if you are on dial up...but instead of wasting space with your whining, why don't you say what games were the beiggest to you for 2004. I enjoy reading these even if they are just glorified advertisements, because it might show a game that looks interesting. I will go look at some independant reviews and may find a great game I missed.
Anyways, here is my list:
Half Life 2: Extremely well done game. The physics engine alone is enough to make the game interesting...but you can tell they really cared and made single player fun and engaging. DM is probably the most fun I have had with multiplayer in a long time. Nothing like fragging a friend with a toilet. Some people avoid this because of Steam...I have never had a problem with Steam (and I bought the game over it), but if you object to it, there are plenty of other good games out there.
Phantom Brave: I would not have know of this Nippon Ichi game unless I saw it in Penny Arcade's top 10 list. The game is a tactical rpg. It was a little tough to get in to at first, but after I understood how to fuse items and characters and how the gam really works (the manual is pathetic), I can't wait to play every chance I get. It's just fun leveling up your characters and their weapons. The only thing that distracts is that the graphics are from the PS era...but once you get over that, it's just a fun game.
Final Fantasy XI: I know everyone is in to WoW. But for me, it was all about tarutarus and fishing. MMORPG are not really for me, and I have sworn them off. But I have to admit the FFXI is a lot of fun, despite it's flaws. I really enjoyed playing with people from all over the world.
I played quite a few other games, those are just the ones that stand out (and I am at work and don't want to waste all day going through all of them). So what games are on your the top of your list in 2004? Maybe you know of one that I missed.
Finally, a job for a Philosophy major other than teaching Philosophy :)
The underlying problem is that computers have network connections...if you get rid of those, all the problems go away.
lol, the crap that gets modded up on here. While the cheaper iPods and Macs is a very good thing that will appeal to a lot of people, tone your zealotry down a bit...this isn't the second coming or something. People who like iPods and who have PCs are not tired of the PC world...way to over-generalize there. Are the some people out there who systems have slowed down from spyware and are pissed? I imagine they have no idea...and if it is slowed down enough, they ask their friends, like mine do, to come help them out...and I do. And by help, I don't tell them to go by a mac, I install AV software and ad-aware. Making it small and compact is good for a lot of users, it wouldn't work for me though...I like to have plenty of slots so I can stick different things in there. But that's just me...it's not going to appeal to everyone though. The firewire can be considered a slight win, because a lot of people don't even know what firewire is, much less need it for anything. You again make a stupid over generalization that all parents in the US play with video and want firewire. Is it a PC for the rest of us? Uh...no...it's a PC. It has advantages and disadvantages. It really drives me nuts every apple article that comes out...because of all the trolls who hate Macs, and all the zealots (like you) that make Macs sound like the holy grail of computing. I know I can just not click on it, but like a moth to a flame, I am drawn to see what dumb thing people will say next. Whenever you are so blinded by emotion, you fail to see the truth. A Mac is just a tool, it is good for some, not for others...it's fine that you support it, just don't make stuff up to make it sound better.
hahaha, ok, so much wrong with this. So what if she is a woman...so what if she has twins. Just because she finds it acceptable to portray women that way, doesn't mean that women in general can't object to the way they are depicted. The fact that she is a woman and is pregnant with twins is irrelevant to everything. It's good you RTFA, but C(omprehending)TFA is important too. It's like that skit on the Chapelle Show. He plays a blind black man who is a member of the KKK and a white supremicist. Just because he is black, doesn't mean white supremacy is ok.
And how many would that be? I'm just asking, because I don't think that it is all that much. How many lives are ruined because they can't stop playing counter-strike? I guess it is hard for me to feel too sorry for the individuals...I think if they didn't have this addiction, they would have something else...whatever, alcohol, drugs, martha stewart shows... Yeah, I know these things are designed to be fun and addicting...but really, place the blame on the individuals. I mean, the couple who's baby died in the car because they were so excited to play EQ...those people are screwed up. Might the baby have survived if MMORPG were never invented...maybe...but I think more likely they are crappy parents. I guess you really didn't assess who is to blame...and it is sad lives get destroyed...but I think alcohol destroys many many more lives than MMORPG. It's sad, but some people are messed up and can't deal with reality...MMORPG is one of the more benign ways people cope with that. (and yes, I played a MMORPG in the past for awhile and I quit because it was sucking up too much time).