The government could further mandate that public institutions use Open Source Software. Not only would this spur the demand but it would also save the government millions of dollars in licensing fees. Instead of just supporting a random assortment of OSS projects they should target the money to development they can directly benefit from.
True but when most people think about WH they think about the Battle Game and not the RPG. And the fact is there are already tons of RPG based games but few (any?) Table Top Battle Game based games.
So the target market is slightly different, I agree. But I propose that there is still a relevant market of players that would be attracted to this game.
I believe there is a segment that is simply less interested in the painting aspect then in the strategy aspects of the game. Alternately, some of that customization interest could be funneled into a creative model modding feature. More importantly, I believe there are lot's of people that have simply dropped the hobby due to time constraints. An online version would allow you to jump into a game at any time.
As for your argument about the Board at GW, if they really thought that way they probably wouldn't bother doing any video games at all. I suspect they are simply too risk averse to do anything innovative.
When I first heard of Warhammer Online I had a slight hope that the designers were going to create an online version of the table top game, something akin to what Wizards of the Coast did with Magic The Gathering Online. Judging by the people I've talked to, this game would be of great interest to current and former battlegamers. Instead you've gone the route of many former Warhammer based games, i.e. simply selected the most popular genre and slapped on the Warhammer universe onto it (ex. Dawn of War).
I'd like to know, besides the Warhammer universe, why should this game appeal to a Warhammer battlegamer. And more importantly, why hasn't a serious online Table Top port been attempted.
That was a really clear explanation. Someone please mod parent up. So many IDers are still confused by the definition of a "Scientific Theory". The proponents of ID use that confusion in their favour.
Instead of circumventing the copy protections, I hope most are simply returning their cd. Obviously they only care about their bottom line and not the trouble they put their "consumers" through. It's the only way they might get the message.
One of the methods to achieve hard AI is to simulate a human brain. Eventually, you must agree that we'll have the technology to fully understand how a brain works and at that point a computer simulation could be achieved. Now imagine simulating not the processing power of 1 brain but 1 billion. See where this can lead.
For those interested in reading more about the Singularity, check out this seminal work by Vernor Vinge: Vernor Vinge on the Singularity
Here's the abstract:
Within thirty years, we will have the technological means to create superhuman intelligence. Shortly after, the human era will be ended.
Is such progress avoidable? If not to be avoided, can events be guided so that we may survive? These questions are investigated. Some possible answers (and some further dangers) are presented.
You're assuming people can accurately judge what information will be important to somebody in the future. Also, the producer/custodian of the information might not necessarily care about preserving it. But again this does not mean it won't be important at some future date. Lastly, utility != importance. It might not be useful to know how the pyramids were constructed, but it's most definitively an important piece of information.
Scarcity is indeed a key point. The current record company's business model is based around the scarcity of the physical goods they produce (cds). Thus their business model cannot apply to a scarcity free digital product. DRM technology is just a method to try to create an artificial scarcity where there is none. Their business model should change NOT the technology.
"patents may be obtained on "anything under the sun that is made by man"
"if your game does nothing more than add one novel concept to a mountain of old game concepts, that novel concept may be patentable"
How can you build on existing concepts if all concepts require a license or lawsuit. Having "everything under the sun" patented will bring innovation to a screeching halt.
The Belkin Media Reader works fine with a non photo iPod. You can't view the pics, even in grey scale, but it does list the number of pictures stored. I can confirm this since I own one and use it all the time.:-)
Show me a product advertised as a music playback device, which is also explicitly advertised as a backup method.
Ever hear of the ipod? http://www.apple.com/ipod/
Use as a portable hard drive -- take your files with you
And my previous "player", an Iomega HipZip
http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,32628,pg,2,00.asp
Since the HipZip doubles as a PocketZip USB drive, you can transfer files--music or data, for that matter--directly from your PC to a PocketZip disk via Windows Explorer. That functionality makes the PocketZip an excellent tool for on-the-spot backup or file transport...
I suppose they'll have to get a copy of the key being used by another player (like a Sony dvd player) instead of asking for their own? Of course I'm sure this opens them to lawsuits under the DMCA.
So how about if the music I'm moving around doesn't have these copyright restrictions you are mentioning (public domain songs for example)? How about if it's a song I wrote and recorded? How about if I delete the copy I have at home and move the copy to the office (thus only having one backup copy)? What if my country's law's allow for multiple personal copies? What if my countries's laws allow me to share a copy with a friend?
Yes, the device IS most certainly "mandating" and "limiting" what I can do with it (it's functionality not what I can physically do with it which I guess you need spelled out for you).
For the gamers among you, please check out my new site, aboveGame.
My site is focused on gamers wishing to record and share their virtual adventures and lives. Instead of photos, members post screenshots and can blog about what their virtual selves are up to. So far we've got some pretty amazing photos, so please feel free to browse the site or better yet participate!
Slashdot Mirror
Disney doesn't have to go out of business to shut down a service they provide.
He might be right but which option is the most cost effective? Sending a robot to Mars for a whole year or a geologist to Mars (and back) for an hour.
The government could further mandate that public institutions use Open Source Software. Not only would this spur the demand but it would also save the government millions of dollars in licensing fees. Instead of just supporting a random assortment of OSS projects they should target the money to development they can directly benefit from.
True but when most people think about WH they think about the Battle Game and not the RPG. And the fact is there are already tons of RPG based games but few (any?) Table Top Battle Game based games.
So the target market is slightly different, I agree. But I propose that there is still a relevant market of players that would be attracted to this game.
I believe there is a segment that is simply less interested in the painting aspect then in the strategy aspects of the game. Alternately, some of that customization interest could be funneled into a creative model modding feature. More importantly, I believe there are lot's of people that have simply dropped the hobby due to time constraints. An online version would allow you to jump into a game at any time.
As for your argument about the Board at GW, if they really thought that way they probably wouldn't bother doing any video games at all. I suspect they are simply too risk averse to do anything innovative.
If it's like MTGO, you'd be paying for the virtual models and not the game itself. So you could easily spend $1000 if you so desire.
When I first heard of Warhammer Online I had a slight hope that the designers were going to create an online version of the table top game, something akin to what Wizards of the Coast did with Magic The Gathering Online. Judging by the people I've talked to, this game would be of great interest to current and former battlegamers. Instead you've gone the route of many former Warhammer based games, i.e. simply selected the most popular genre and slapped on the Warhammer universe onto it (ex. Dawn of War).
I'd like to know, besides the Warhammer universe, why should this game appeal to a Warhammer battlegamer. And more importantly, why hasn't a serious online Table Top port been attempted.
Monopolies don't innovate no matter what their marketing departments say.
That was a really clear explanation. Someone please mod parent up. So many IDers are still confused by the definition of a "Scientific Theory". The proponents of ID use that confusion in their favour.
Instead they should be encouraging high bandwidth services so users are encouraged to shell out for bigger pipes.
Instead of circumventing the copy protections, I hope most are simply returning their cd. Obviously they only care about their bottom line and not the trouble they put their "consumers" through. It's the only way they might get the message.
One of the methods to achieve hard AI is to simulate a human brain. Eventually, you must agree that we'll have the technology to fully understand how a brain works and at that point a computer simulation could be achieved. Now imagine simulating not the processing power of 1 brain but 1 billion. See where this can lead.
Here's the abstract:
You're assuming people can accurately judge what information will be important to somebody in the future. Also, the producer/custodian of the information might not necessarily care about preserving it. But again this does not mean it won't be important at some future date. Lastly, utility != importance. It might not be useful to know how the pyramids were constructed, but it's most definitively an important piece of information.
Scarcity is indeed a key point. The current record company's business model is based around the scarcity of the physical goods they produce (cds). Thus their business model cannot apply to a scarcity free digital product. DRM technology is just a method to try to create an artificial scarcity where there is none. Their business model should change NOT the technology.
He should have submerged his webserver in oil!
Use mirrordot and give his server a break.
The Belkin Media Reader works fine with a non photo iPod. You can't view the pics, even in grey scale, but it does list the number of pictures stored. I can confirm this since I own one and use it all the time. :-)
http://www.apple.com/ipod/ And my previous "player", an Iomega HipZip
http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,3262
http://mp3.about.com/library/weekly/aapr110201h
I suppose they'll have to get a copy of the key being used by another player (like a Sony dvd player) instead of asking for their own? Of course I'm sure this opens them to lawsuits under the DMCA.
So how about if the music I'm moving around doesn't have these copyright restrictions you are mentioning (public domain songs for example)? How about if it's a song I wrote and recorded? How about if I delete the copy I have at home and move the copy to the office (thus only having one backup copy)? What if my country's law's allow for multiple personal copies? What if my countries's laws allow me to share a copy with a friend?
Yes, the device IS most certainly "mandating" and "limiting" what I can do with it (it's functionality not what I can physically do with it which I guess you need spelled out for you).
How about just to move files around between computers (i.e. home and work). Why should they limit the options of what I can do with MY device.
This might be the first step in forcing those websites to drop ActiveX controls and make their sites work well in standards compliant browsers.
For the gamers among you, please check out my new site, aboveGame.
My site is focused on gamers wishing to record and share their virtual adventures and lives. Instead of photos, members post screenshots and can blog about what their virtual selves are up to. So far we've got some pretty amazing photos, so please feel free to browse the site or better yet participate!