Is that really true? (Real question, not me trying to act like a smartass) I have an iPod, but haven't touched the iTunes store other then for podcasts, so I'm not sure myself. I remember back in the day when mp3s first became popular 128 kbit was the norm. Yeah, You could hear artifacts/distortion if you had decent headphones/speakers, but most were content, and some even spinned it as "CD-quality" to consumers (which is laughable). I have assumed mp4/AAC would have bumped the audio quality up so most people (even with good expensive equipment) wouldn't be able to tell the difference at 128-kbit, or at least bump up the kbit rate to a point where a blind audio test between the mp4 file and the original CD would prove no difference to the human ear.
I agree. I've never used a Jaguar (Almost got one when they were on closeout), but the controller looks like the only problem (to some people) with it would be the number pad. But since it looks like it's in a non-obtrusive place, it probably wouldn't make the controller bad. Like if the PS2 controller had a piece of plastic jutting out of the bottom. You don't really notice it, it'd be ugly, but wouldn't make it a bad controller.
I've got the Casio WV57H (black version). I'm thinking of getting one of these oneswhen I get the cash (amazon has them for $100, and with a few decent ratings), and if I can maybe see one in person sometime.
Mine isn't (About a cm, which sounds thick, but it isn't as bad as is sounds IMHO). Casio has some nice ones that are solar powered that have a more cultured look to them then your typical digital watches.
I'm going to be irritated if they say what has been my typical download pattern for years is "too much, and we are going to cut down your bandwidth, or only allow you x data to download per day" just because joe schmoe is finally beginning to realize what he can do over the internet now. Even a tiered internet can't solve this, since most of the high-bandwidth content providers have deep enough pockets to pay for their bandwidth. The US is behind on internet technology compared to much of Asia, but if we somehow manage to take a jump back in speed (Like the cheap $30/mo being done away with, $40/mo only giving you a 1MBit connection, and $60 giving you the full 3 MBit which is common in some areas still) instead of finally upgrading our internet system, it could piss a lot of people off. Gas is a utility. It fluctuates. And many would consider the internet a utility today. So with that logic, why shouldn't it fluctuate (from the ISP perspective)?
The lack of any type of healing ability/item that could be easily/affordibly gotten by any class has always been one of my biggest gripes with most mainstream MMORPGs. I always liked being able to stock potions in Diablo and go out and fight on my own.
Yeah. But by then (I should hope) they have a full realization of what they are doing and what it could lead to. And when not drunk, most college students usually act fairly mature (although I go to an asocial tech school, so it may be completely different in normal schools).
Yeah, I agree that people can vary a lot. But all that's happening with the current system is someone who may be 15 and mature is being considered 13 more or less by the game rating system until they are 17. I am just talking about game ratings. Not the current state of growing up in the US as a whole (as you appear to be). I'm just saying if there are going to be restrictions, they shouldn't consider someone who is almost old enough to drive to be 13.
There's a huge gap between 13 and 17 that I think deserves a rating, since the maturity level between a 13 year old and a 15 year old seems like it could still be pretty big to me. I'm 21, so I'm not caught in the middle of this situation anymore, but the current ratings system is too screwed up IMHO. I've seen many games that were Teen and Ma rated (13 and 17+) that were very questionable in terms of how different their violence and questionable content levels were. I may be wrong, but I've observed many who were 13 still being in that awkward and easily influenced stage that is a big concern a lot more then someone who is 15.
Like sex (before someone replies with it), but a tech podcast doesn't really sound like it has much that can't be gotten on one of the zillion sites on the web. They better have damn good commentary on what they discuss, or there's no way people will pay for this.
Yeah, that's a given. Very few (other then the few cesium (I think) powered clocks like the one in Colorado are actually atomic). I just called them by their name. and mine can also sync w/ the Japanese atomic clock if it's closer.:-P
Yeah, I do more or less agree (or would if I wasn't still on the college student budget). And I may pay a lot of necessary if I have the money at the time. But I still see that plan impossible to work with conventional console launch strategies without some cost tweaking. I hope BlueRay does win though. People can bitch about reverse compatibility, but the truth of the matter is, putting a DVD laser into a BR player won't cost much considering how cheap you can get a DVD player for now. And BluRay could probably outlast HD-DVD by a couple more years.
I've been quite excited because of all it's features. But I'm beginning to realize how blind I've been to the truth. If they really do allow it to do _anything_ other then play games, there will almost certainly be a considerable price attached with those features, since the only reason consoles are affordable at launch (selling for less then they cost to make) is that they know they will get the money back in royalties for each game made for the system. Allowing it to be a non-subscriber PVR or a Linux computer with an active dev. community is highly unlikely at launch now that I realize it wouldn't be very economical for them (since those targets may buy few if any games). For the full-feature device I want, I may literally see a price closer to $800 then $400 (I am envisioning something like the XBox 360's system, but with greater steps due to manufacturing costs, and not just taking advantage of understandably cheap parents that will force their kid to spend $200 for the extra features of the expensive XBox 360 down the road). They haven't announced if Linux will be included, so I'm expecting an add-on kit for $150 or something like that, and the PVR service to be subscriber based (Since it's a cash-cow considering all they have to provide is listings and a few other services). I had high hopes, but I've just realized those hopes will probably either be shot down and not part of the PS3 at all, available at launch for a significant price, or not available until later in it's life.
Yeah, I love Advance Wars (I've played the GBA version), but it is turn based. And the DS is one of those odd devices that doesn't speak for normal consoles. I think it's well suited for RTS with the touch screen practically working like a mouse, and hope to see many more RTS made for it (I saw AoE was released for it recently).
I'm really not sure if the Segway was the best or worst thing he has ever made. It made his presense consideribly more known to the average person, but at the same time, it credits him as the inventor of a gimmick (Segway is cool, I'd love to have one, and it may pave the way for usage of the technology in useful things, but overall, it just does the same thing we have been doing for years on our own, or with other wheeled devices), and less as an intentor of many things that have had very useful and important roles. I have the utmost respect for him, but with some of this other creations, I was let down by what he insisted and credited as the most significant device ever made (or something like that).
Most games can be played pretty easily on a console,including an FPS as Halo has proved. I know, half slashdot if not more probably doesn't agree with me, but I don't feel like arguing which is better, since Halo just proved it can be done, and I have no clue if it is better. One genre I don't see playing well with consoles any time soon (unless maybe the Revolution's input changes this) is RTS. Although it can be done (C&C was released for the n64 as I recall), it's worse then playing with a track pad, and there's a reason why RTS games are rarely ported over to consoles.
Like how will it make no need for backups? I'm curious as to how the technology would work. Is it solid-state like RAM? And my biggest question is the biggest problem with hardrives. How's the speed? Will this negate the need for RAMDRIVEs?
XBox can't act as a tuner, but It can run as a Set-top interface for a MythTV server. You can do it through Linux (which sucks compared to XBMC for this sort of purpose), but I've see python (I think) bindings and stuff for XBMC to allow it to act as a direct terminal for MythTV. Haven't tried them though, so not sure how well they work (if at all).
And probably still known as office12 as far as the directories and developers may be concerned (I recall the last office version I had being in an office10 folder, which it was not known as from the front (Office XP I think)).
Considering the adult population has grown up not needing (or having) the internet for anything for a sizable chunk of their lives, it's no surprise that a significant percentage wouldn't be using it for things at home they have done without the internet for decades.
Last time someone tried that (Sega w/ Shemue being the genreFREE (Fully Reactive Eyes Entertainment)), it didn't end up so good. The game did have boring parts, but it was a good concept and more of an "interesting life simulator" then your typical game. Although with the DS and probably the Revoluion, Nintendo has been making different kinds of games that are pretty hard to fit into any other genre.
To sum it up, for me a game is fun or entertainment, and that is the only goal for the player. That opinion may be wrong to many though. Theatre games sound like education disguised as a "game" with your definition. Although what defines a game is pretty debatable I guess. But if I were to title theatre games as a game or a learning activity when education was the goal (and not as a learning game as it could be categorized), I'd consider them to primarily be a learning activity. But that depends on how they are used. And I'm well aware this sounds contradictory to my other reply, but the games in the review are games since they are played for entertainment and not education. Theatre Games used for training are more of an education exercise since education is the goal. Something can be both, but there's usually a primary reasoning behind their usage, and that's how I categorize what something is.
Slashdot Mirror
Ok, that I def. agree with. Classical in particular comes to mind as a genre that suffers the most from low kbit encoding.
Is that really true? (Real question, not me trying to act like a smartass) I have an iPod, but haven't touched the iTunes store other then for podcasts, so I'm not sure myself. I remember back in the day when mp3s first became popular 128 kbit was the norm. Yeah, You could hear artifacts/distortion if you had decent headphones/speakers, but most were content, and some even spinned it as "CD-quality" to consumers (which is laughable). I have assumed mp4/AAC would have bumped the audio quality up so most people (even with good expensive equipment) wouldn't be able to tell the difference at 128-kbit, or at least bump up the kbit rate to a point where a blind audio test between the mp4 file and the original CD would prove no difference to the human ear.
I agree. I've never used a Jaguar (Almost got one when they were on closeout), but the controller looks like the only problem (to some people) with it would be the number pad. But since it looks like it's in a non-obtrusive place, it probably wouldn't make the controller bad. Like if the PS2 controller had a piece of plastic jutting out of the bottom. You don't really notice it, it'd be ugly, but wouldn't make it a bad controller.
I've got the Casio WV57H (black version). I'm thinking of getting one of these oneswhen I get the cash (amazon has them for $100, and with a few decent ratings), and if I can maybe see one in person sometime.
Mine isn't (About a cm, which sounds thick, but it isn't as bad as is sounds IMHO). Casio has some nice ones that are solar powered that have a more cultured look to them then your typical digital watches.
I'm going to be irritated if they say what has been my typical download pattern for years is "too much, and we are going to cut down your bandwidth, or only allow you x data to download per day" just because joe schmoe is finally beginning to realize what he can do over the internet now. Even a tiered internet can't solve this, since most of the high-bandwidth content providers have deep enough pockets to pay for their bandwidth. The US is behind on internet technology compared to much of Asia, but if we somehow manage to take a jump back in speed (Like the cheap $30/mo being done away with, $40/mo only giving you a 1MBit connection, and $60 giving you the full 3 MBit which is common in some areas still) instead of finally upgrading our internet system, it could piss a lot of people off. Gas is a utility. It fluctuates. And many would consider the internet a utility today. So with that logic, why shouldn't it fluctuate (from the ISP perspective)?
The lack of any type of healing ability/item that could be easily/affordibly gotten by any class has always been one of my biggest gripes with most mainstream MMORPGs. I always liked being able to stock potions in Diablo and go out and fight on my own.
I'd hate to forget to use a coaster in someone's house on this thing. You'd probably have a gun to your head in no time.
Yeah. But by then (I should hope) they have a full realization of what they are doing and what it could lead to. And when not drunk, most college students usually act fairly mature (although I go to an asocial tech school, so it may be completely different in normal schools).
Yeah, I agree that people can vary a lot. But all that's happening with the current system is someone who may be 15 and mature is being considered 13 more or less by the game rating system until they are 17. I am just talking about game ratings. Not the current state of growing up in the US as a whole (as you appear to be). I'm just saying if there are going to be restrictions, they shouldn't consider someone who is almost old enough to drive to be 13.
There's a huge gap between 13 and 17 that I think deserves a rating, since the maturity level between a 13 year old and a 15 year old seems like it could still be pretty big to me. I'm 21, so I'm not caught in the middle of this situation anymore, but the current ratings system is too screwed up IMHO. I've seen many games that were Teen and Ma rated (13 and 17+) that were very questionable in terms of how different their violence and questionable content levels were. I may be wrong, but I've observed many who were 13 still being in that awkward and easily influenced stage that is a big concern a lot more then someone who is 15.
Like sex (before someone replies with it), but a tech podcast doesn't really sound like it has much that can't be gotten on one of the zillion sites on the web. They better have damn good commentary on what they discuss, or there's no way people will pay for this.
Yeah, that's a given. Very few (other then the few cesium (I think) powered clocks like the one in Colorado are actually atomic). I just called them by their name. and mine can also sync w/ the Japanese atomic clock if it's closer. :-P
Casio has (surprisingly) pretty good non-dorky looking atomic watches. I love mine.
Yeah, I do more or less agree (or would if I wasn't still on the college student budget). And I may pay a lot of necessary if I have the money at the time. But I still see that plan impossible to work with conventional console launch strategies without some cost tweaking. I hope BlueRay does win though. People can bitch about reverse compatibility, but the truth of the matter is, putting a DVD laser into a BR player won't cost much considering how cheap you can get a DVD player for now. And BluRay could probably outlast HD-DVD by a couple more years.
I've been quite excited because of all it's features. But I'm beginning to realize how blind I've been to the truth. If they really do allow it to do _anything_ other then play games, there will almost certainly be a considerable price attached with those features, since the only reason consoles are affordable at launch (selling for less then they cost to make) is that they know they will get the money back in royalties for each game made for the system. Allowing it to be a non-subscriber PVR or a Linux computer with an active dev. community is highly unlikely at launch now that I realize it wouldn't be very economical for them (since those targets may buy few if any games). For the full-feature device I want, I may literally see a price closer to $800 then $400 (I am envisioning something like the XBox 360's system, but with greater steps due to manufacturing costs, and not just taking advantage of understandably cheap parents that will force their kid to spend $200 for the extra features of the expensive XBox 360 down the road). They haven't announced if Linux will be included, so I'm expecting an add-on kit for $150 or something like that, and the PVR service to be subscriber based (Since it's a cash-cow considering all they have to provide is listings and a few other services). I had high hopes, but I've just realized those hopes will probably either be shot down and not part of the PS3 at all, available at launch for a significant price, or not available until later in it's life.
Yeah, I love Advance Wars (I've played the GBA version), but it is turn based. And the DS is one of those odd devices that doesn't speak for normal consoles. I think it's well suited for RTS with the touch screen practically working like a mouse, and hope to see many more RTS made for it (I saw AoE was released for it recently).
I'm really not sure if the Segway was the best or worst thing he has ever made. It made his presense consideribly more known to the average person, but at the same time, it credits him as the inventor of a gimmick (Segway is cool, I'd love to have one, and it may pave the way for usage of the technology in useful things, but overall, it just does the same thing we have been doing for years on our own, or with other wheeled devices), and less as an intentor of many things that have had very useful and important roles. I have the utmost respect for him, but with some of this other creations, I was let down by what he insisted and credited as the most significant device ever made (or something like that).
Most games can be played pretty easily on a console ,including an FPS as Halo has proved. I know, half slashdot if not more probably doesn't agree with me, but I don't feel like arguing which is better, since Halo just proved it can be done, and I have no clue if it is better. One genre I don't see playing well with consoles any time soon (unless maybe the Revolution's input changes this) is RTS. Although it can be done (C&C was released for the n64 as I recall), it's worse then playing with a track pad, and there's a reason why RTS games are rarely ported over to consoles.
Like how will it make no need for backups? I'm curious as to how the technology would work. Is it solid-state like RAM? And my biggest question is the biggest problem with hardrives. How's the speed? Will this negate the need for RAMDRIVEs?
XBox can't act as a tuner, but It can run as a Set-top interface for a MythTV server. You can do it through Linux (which sucks compared to XBMC for this sort of purpose), but I've see python (I think) bindings and stuff for XBMC to allow it to act as a direct terminal for MythTV. Haven't tried them though, so not sure how well they work (if at all).
And probably still known as office12 as far as the directories and developers may be concerned (I recall the last office version I had being in an office10 folder, which it was not known as from the front (Office XP I think)).
Considering the adult population has grown up not needing (or having) the internet for anything for a sizable chunk of their lives, it's no surprise that a significant percentage wouldn't be using it for things at home they have done without the internet for decades.
Last time someone tried that (Sega w/ Shemue being the genreFREE (Fully Reactive Eyes Entertainment)), it didn't end up so good. The game did have boring parts, but it was a good concept and more of an "interesting life simulator" then your typical game. Although with the DS and probably the Revoluion, Nintendo has been making different kinds of games that are pretty hard to fit into any other genre.
To sum it up, for me a game is fun or entertainment, and that is the only goal for the player. That opinion may be wrong to many though. Theatre games sound like education disguised as a "game" with your definition. Although what defines a game is pretty debatable I guess. But if I were to title theatre games as a game or a learning activity when education was the goal (and not as a learning game as it could be categorized), I'd consider them to primarily be a learning activity. But that depends on how they are used. And I'm well aware this sounds contradictory to my other reply, but the games in the review are games since they are played for entertainment and not education. Theatre Games used for training are more of an education exercise since education is the goal. Something can be both, but there's usually a primary reasoning behind their usage, and that's how I categorize what something is.