Your point is valid, in that taken by themselves the individual features of the DS are by no means innovative. Your point about there not being many games that take advantage of these things is also true - but there are a few which break the mold, and it is these few ( and the steady trickle of innovation to follow ) that cause me to describe the DS as innovative. Feel the Magic is one title, in particular, that has fun with the DS' unique feature set, and turns out to be probably the best game for the system - despite its very short duration. The PSP, or any other current handheld gaming system for that matter, is not capable of the kinds of gameplay found there - and that is the innovation of which I speak.
In retrospect, innovation probably isn't a good word to use - since very little in the gaming industry is every really innovative. "Fresh" sounds better.
I would imagine this is because for once Sony actually made enough of the things. The Best Buy I went to when I picked up mine on release date got about 300 in, as did other Best Buy stores in the area.
The PSP isn't innovation. Its a shiny portable console. Now the DS, that has some innovative things about it - but the PSP, nah - thats just a regular handheld with eyecandy.
I don't know about that one. Mind you I have no legal experience in this realm... or any other for that matter. Somehow, though, I don't expect much out of it. Unless you can prove that EA expected them to work 80 hour weeks with no overtime ( assuming they weren't salary... if so this point is moot ) under penalty of termination, I dont see a good case. After all, you can't really make someone stay there - well, you can, but I think my point is understood. These people stayed at work of their own accord. Sure, they probably thought they were going to get fired if they didn't - maybe the atmosphere of the environment led them to believe this, or maybe it was simply the popular perception of game programmers having to work 80 hour weeks to prove their merit - but I doubt there was an official statement to that fact. I could have missed something though... this is all based on what I remember of the few accounts of EA employees.
Bit of an exaggeration... these people are by no means starving, and they make a decent living - which is pretty darn good for someone fresh out of college. You get treated like a guy at Target because, in a way, you are. Sure, you got a shiny college degree, but that means jack in my world. The class teaches you the technical side of programming, the job teaches you the practicality of it. Im sure most of these "EA Cattle" have little idea how to go about actually making a complete game. EA shows them - and that is something I consider to be a part of their salary. Knowledge, not just money, is gained by working - and the former can be far more valuable than the latter.
I think it was partially due to a lack of exposure. I consider myself a pretty big science fiction fan, but I never heard of firefly until it was cancelled and people started complaining.
Actually... there are restricted permissions for "normal users" in windows - its just that no one runs as a normal user. Everyone runs as an administrator - and I bet you if a normal user were to somehow be able to switch to Linux, they would be running as root all the time - just as in windows. After all, if they weren't running as root they wouldn't be able to install their cool comet cursor plugin and bonsi buddy search tool that they need.
A) It's not normal for your computer's configuration to get screwed up unless you're messing with it.
About the only configuration issue I have with windows is when it randomly decides my keyboard repeat rate should be set to slowest, but I only notice this when I am flipping around my KVM a lot.
B) It's not normal to have to reinstall the OS every 3 weeks.
You are right, it is not... whoever is doing this is obviously not meant to ever use anything even remotely involving computers. At most I would expect someone to try reinstalling windows every year, and thats only if they have installed so much stuff as to simply not want to deal with removing it all. I have a win2k install going for about 3 years now, and a winXP that I have just done a reinstall on ( to repartition ) that was good for 2 years previous. I dont know what all these people are doing to their computers, even my parents generally dont fubar up theirs until a year or two down the line.
C) It's not normal to have to upgrade to the latest version of the OS just for the machine to behave normally (Note: though this isn't true if you want the latest security patches).
Define "behave normally". If by that you mean being safe from viruses and what not, then this is definitly the case, no matter what OS you are running. I can't recall any of microsoft's updates ever altering the functionality of windows ( other than some major SP things, like the firewall etc ) - which updates are you speaking of?
D) If you use an OS other than windows, all the previous problems disappear.
This is analagous to saying if someone who can't take care of a car, uses a different brand, they will have better luck. While true, the other brand may very well have fewer issues needing repair, it still will break down, and the person will still find a way to fubar it.
One last thing. No one has ***ever*** called up, claiming that their playstation 2 or gamecube is "messed up" and can no longer connect. You'd think that would click in their brains...
What should click in their brains? That they should only allow users to operate on one piece of proprietary software/hardware, and never ever allow them to upgrade? I'll set up a windows box for you, and i'm betting if I dont ever let you change it in any way - it will still be working just fine many years down the line. Just a hunch.
That doesn't seem to be the case with 1.0 versions of firefox. I know it used to be the case, but I am sure more users were irritated by accidently hitting a key and jumping around, than those that were glad to not have to press one extra key.
Try Risk 2210 or Risk Godstorm then, two new variants on the classic Risk game. There are turn limits, and various extra rules that add a whole new level of strategy and fun to the game.
Scan all the DLLs... dude, have you worked with DLLs at all? What exactly do you expect Microsoft to do... scan the whole hard disk for anything matching *.DLL and try throwing JPEG at all the functions inside of it and see if exhibits the behavior matching the exploit?
Slashdot Mirror
Or, better yet, simply be yourself and dont work at places which have a problem with that. Makes for a much happier existence, in my opinion anyway.
Best Buy's registers automatically print out a seperate rebate receipt that you mail in.
The US hasn't been around all that long ... it has its merits, but longevity isnt one of them. Not yet anyway... give it a bit, who knows.
Right after xerox does.
Your point is valid, in that taken by themselves the individual features of the DS are by no means innovative. Your point about there not being many games that take advantage of these things is also true - but there are a few which break the mold, and it is these few ( and the steady trickle of innovation to follow ) that cause me to describe the DS as innovative. Feel the Magic is one title, in particular, that has fun with the DS' unique feature set, and turns out to be probably the best game for the system - despite its very short duration. The PSP, or any other current handheld gaming system for that matter, is not capable of the kinds of gameplay found there - and that is the innovation of which I speak.
In retrospect, innovation probably isn't a good word to use - since very little in the gaming industry is every really innovative. "Fresh" sounds better.
Lumines, Metal Gear Acid and Darkstalkers are all quite good. That being said, nothing in these games really demands you go out and purchase them now.
I would imagine this is because for once Sony actually made enough of the things. The Best Buy I went to when I picked up mine on release date got about 300 in, as did other Best Buy stores in the area.
The PSP isn't innovation. Its a shiny portable console. Now the DS, that has some innovative things about it - but the PSP, nah - thats just a regular handheld with eyecandy.
So, if I go and market a version of Monopoly - but this one is made out of metal, not wood products ... thats perfectly alright.
I demand justification for such a declaration.
I don't know about that one. Mind you I have no legal experience in this realm ... or any other for that matter. Somehow, though, I don't expect much out of it. Unless you can prove that EA expected them to work 80 hour weeks with no overtime ( assuming they weren't salary ... if so this point is moot ) under penalty of termination, I dont see a good case. After all, you can't really make someone stay there - well, you can, but I think my point is understood. These people stayed at work of their own accord. Sure, they probably thought they were going to get fired if they didn't - maybe the atmosphere of the environment led them to believe this, or maybe it was simply the popular perception of game programmers having to work 80 hour weeks to prove their merit - but I doubt there was an official statement to that fact. I could have missed something though ... this is all based on what I remember of the few accounts of EA employees.
Bit of an exaggeration ... these people are by no means starving, and they make a decent living - which is pretty darn good for someone fresh out of college. You get treated like a guy at Target because, in a way, you are. Sure, you got a shiny college degree, but that means jack in my world. The class teaches you the technical side of programming, the job teaches you the practicality of it. Im sure most of these "EA Cattle" have little idea how to go about actually making a complete game. EA shows them - and that is something I consider to be a part of their salary. Knowledge, not just money, is gained by working - and the former can be far more valuable than the latter.
I think it was partially due to a lack of exposure. I consider myself a pretty big science fiction fan, but I never heard of firefly until it was cancelled and people started complaining.
Risk, Risk 2210, Risk Godstorm, LOTR Risk. All of these games rock.
I would also reccomend Diplomacy, however. Very very fun game, no dice, just pure political wordplay.
Automatic updates do not include service packs.
Actually ... there are restricted permissions for "normal users" in windows - its just that no one runs as a normal user. Everyone runs as an administrator - and I bet you if a normal user were to somehow be able to switch to Linux, they would be running as root all the time - just as in windows. After all, if they weren't running as root they wouldn't be able to install their cool comet cursor plugin and bonsi buddy search tool that they need.
A) It's not normal for your computer's configuration to get screwed up unless you're messing with it.
... whoever is doing this is obviously not meant to ever use anything even remotely involving computers. At most I would expect someone to try reinstalling windows every year, and thats only if they have installed so much stuff as to simply not want to deal with removing it all. I have a win2k install going for about 3 years now, and a winXP that I have just done a reinstall on ( to repartition ) that was good for 2 years previous. I dont know what all these people are doing to their computers, even my parents generally dont fubar up theirs until a year or two down the line.
About the only configuration issue I have with windows is when it randomly decides my keyboard repeat rate should be set to slowest, but I only notice this when I am flipping around my KVM a lot.
B) It's not normal to have to reinstall the OS every 3 weeks.
You are right, it is not
C) It's not normal to have to upgrade to the latest version of the OS just for the machine to behave normally (Note: though this isn't true if you want the latest security patches).
Define "behave normally". If by that you mean being safe from viruses and what not, then this is definitly the case, no matter what OS you are running. I can't recall any of microsoft's updates ever altering the functionality of windows ( other than some major SP things, like the firewall etc ) - which updates are you speaking of?
D) If you use an OS other than windows, all the previous problems disappear.
This is analagous to saying if someone who can't take care of a car, uses a different brand, they will have better luck. While true, the other brand may very well have fewer issues needing repair, it still will break down, and the person will still find a way to fubar it.
One last thing. No one has ***ever*** called up, claiming that their playstation 2 or gamecube is "messed up" and can no longer connect. You'd think that would click in their brains...
What should click in their brains? That they should only allow users to operate on one piece of proprietary software/hardware, and never ever allow them to upgrade? I'll set up a windows box for you, and i'm betting if I dont ever let you change it in any way - it will still be working just fine many years down the line. Just a hunch.
I flew from Chicago to LAX 2 weeks ago for GenCon SoCal, and we could use cell phones when taxiing.
Usually the homemade food is far healthier for you than anything you could buy in stores ... and homemade sure is cheaper too.
Dont forget Firepro wrestling ... no license from any of the big names in wrestling, yet some of the finest wrestling games ever created.
And that matters ... why? Go play a Firepro wrestling game and tell me that the other games are better because they have "real wrestlers".
That doesn't seem to be the case with 1.0 versions of firefox. I know it used to be the case, but I am sure more users were irritated by accidently hitting a key and jumping around, than those that were glad to not have to press one extra key.
Try Risk 2210 or Risk Godstorm then, two new variants on the classic Risk game. There are turn limits, and various extra rules that add a whole new level of strategy and fun to the game.
Scan all the DLLs ... dude, have you worked with DLLs at all? What exactly do you expect Microsoft to do ... scan the whole hard disk for anything matching *.DLL and try throwing JPEG at all the functions inside of it and see if exhibits the behavior matching the exploit?
They do ... but the post above it said the same thing - thus warrenting the Redundant mod.