Rhythm games--you love them, hate them, or have never actually played one. For anyone who wants a fun play that actually helps improve short-term memory and coordination, I'd definitely recommend Space Channel 5. It recently came out in a bundle for the PS2 which includes the original and a sequel; this bundle retails for $15. I promise anyone who takes up the challenge will spend their first few days after playing it seeing everything in Ulala-vision (Hey Bob, you get those TPS cover sheets sent off? Up, Up, Left, Left, Down, Shoot!, Shoot!)
If you like those, try Um Jammer Lammy (a little harder for me since it's more abstract in control), Samba de Amigo (it requires the maracas and a Dreamcast, but those combined will run you less than a copy of GTA) - which I have to say is a great party game - or Taiko no Tatsujin if you can handle everything being in Japanese.
I found that once I got FFXI, most of my console gaming has become social...I haven't watched television in a long time, and movies aren't something terribly social (not everyone enjoys MST3king films), and it's easier to keep a large group of people interested with console games since they're quickly and easily changable. Silly games with no real point to them (Meaning, you don't have a mob boss asking you to kill the interstellar aliens) have been scoring really high with me of late--they usually have a little more innovation to them, which can slip them through the shields of a non-gamer who might even have reservations against videogames.
Also, at the risk of being flamed to death--Brittany's Dance Beat is a good play too. It can take advantage of the dance pad, which makes it a far more entertaining and interesting watch (and conversation piece) than just DDR (which I still have a blast with).
Social gaming has been getting a lot of my non-gamer friends to consider purchasing consoles, simply because I have such oddball games they've never expected to see that don't require insane coordination (Ikaruga, Halo) or a taste for the gameplay (FFX, GTA, Gran Turismo).
(warning, this will sort of give some spoilers if you haven't played the game)
I'm glad that a newer, objective system of rating will be introduced soon. I recently purchased Knights of the Old Republic, and found that it is a horrible and terribly violent game, bound to corrupt our youth with its lack of morality and suggestions of genocide and hate.
While playing this game I realized I was berating people, abusing them, manipulating them with my Jedi mind tricks, stealing from them, and ultimately murdering them. I was being a very bad person.
Early on, when trapped on a planet I started out by helping an innocent young Twi'lek realize her dream of becoming a famous "dancer"...but then decided to kill her after she told me how much better than me she was. After boring myself with a gang war and some drag racing, I killed a crime lord and stole his ship. I went out and obtained some banned weapons from some shady Rodians and illegally gambled a few games of pazaak, then decided I should check out my old stomping grounds on Tatooine. I went on down to deliver a stolen box to a Hutt, after having just finished a successful "spice" delivery. Nosing around, I walked into the Sand People enclave after having a local Czerka rep urge me to "Kill all the Sand People", and proceeded to systematically annihilate all the Sand People I could find from the city of Anchorhead. For this, I was rewarded with lots of credits. After repairing my assassin droid and getting a lead in Kashyyk, I decided to check out Manaan to get some hit contracts. Needless to say, I was rolling in some Republic dough.
I think perhaps the only thing GTA has that KOTOR doesn't is the penalty of getting caught for your crimes. In KOTOR, you're pretty unstoppable...even if there were police to force choke or mind trick.
I'm glad that this new law will keep this foul game out of the hands of minors.
I'm risking burning off all my karma in one glorious flash, but this has been nagging at me for a very long time.
I've heard many peers whose opinions I typically respect, as well as many ignorant trolls claim the Matrix trilogy was shit the instant it became a trilogy. Really, I think people should step off their holy soap-boxes and consider for just one moment what makes the first movie better than the second or third.
Looking back on the first movie, very little happens. Very little is revealed. The movie was written with vague exchange after vague exchange, with the bulk of the movie taken up by a communal admiration of visuals. What were the brilliant performances from the Matrix? Lawrence Fishburn as an educated black man who gets Neo to take drugs, get scared by lightning, jump off a building (all the cool kids are doing it...), and get his ass handed to him? Is that air you're breathing? Well, presumably yes. Unless I'm not breathing at all in which case this isn't happening. Next question?
Of the cast of the Matrix, how many survive? Perhaps that's the best part of the movie, that the actors each have no more than a few lines (perhaps as profound as "It's my way or the highway" or even "Shut up". Then again, there's Cipher, who gives us "Ignorance is bliss"). Do Epoch and Switch believe in anything? If programs can go against their programming, why does Smith even bother chasing people? Why not just decompile himself?
The Matrix was a great sci-fi movie. I'm not disputing that--I own it and adore it. However, I don't watch The Matrix to find Jesus. It's not a Platonic dialogue, and it's not a chapter of the Tao Te Ching. I watch The Matrix because I enjoy science fiction. As a science fiction movie it is far more than adequate; it has action, suspense, stunning visuals, and not enough character development to make you question anything.
Why do I then think Reloaded and Revolutions are adequate as well? Reloaded is the substance that was missing from the Matrix...the characters we have are developed and we see that they are flawed. Revolutions lets these characters follow their own paths and do what they need to do. Reeves did a great job as the patchwork messiah of a terribly...human civilization. Bad actor jokes notwithstanding, he is confused, unsure, and underneath it all human. He doesn't always have a witty comeback, and sometimes he has to play superhero--if I were in that position I might not stay sane at all considering that I have a foot-long spike in my head that's letting me fight with an invincible program who sneers like no other, and the fate of humanity rests on my ability to think the crap out of a RAM chip somewhere. He never claims he's brilliant--he's a programmer for some huge corporation (maybe he's on the team that codes rpc for Windows), and he never claims he's wise--look how he just follows a squad of goth pirates just because his computer told him.
The Matrix wasn't a perfect movie. I don't understand how one can compare the sequels to the original and come out with an unfavorable opinion. The trolls who endlessly rail against the sequels don't have much of a leg to stand on when it comes to the superiority of the original. They're movies, not religion. If they are canon to you, perhaps you should invest your faith in a religion less lacking in...substance.
You might consider taking a step back and actually looking at the class content rather than debating which system to use for it right off the bat. Based on what little I've seen, this course is to teach databases (perhaps use, perhaps design) and underlying concepts. Is this a beginners' course? If so, you should probably strive to stay away from any given platform. I'd suggest taking a look at sqlcourse and maybe conceptualizing a class outline around that. The course itself only briefly grazes various SQL platforms.
I only offer this suggestion, having actually taught database, SQL, and platform-specific SQL classes for a former employer. The software we wrote supported two SQL back-ends: Sybase and MS SQL Server. That alone was enough to put most of the support reps I was instructing into a frenzy. When I started backing away from platforms themselves, and just teaching basic T-SQL along with diagrams of tables on a white board, it went a lot more smoothly. Really, it doesn't matter what platform you write for if you understand the query language enough to write fairly universal queries. To do anything that requires significantly esoteric querying probably requires you to have a very deep insight into the specifics of the platform you use.
It's really pretty amazing the amount of information you can teach without having to really use any SQL--but again I suggest looking at sqlcourse because it has you writing standardized T-SQL queries, but you don't ever see what platform you're using (if you're using one at all).
If this is really a class to teach basic dba functions like writing triggers and tweaking your platforms for performance, then it really comes down to the sad truth that to teach these skills you really need to teach them for a specific platform. Every company has their own esoteric set of tools, commands, and standards that in most cases have some striking similarity to T-SQL, but may do something different (look at how Pervasive.SQL, MySQL, MS SQL Server, and Sybase handle the idea of committing or rolling back a transaction).
I guess in summary it boils down to what concepts you're trying to teach. You may find that teaching database theory doesn't even require real databases. Ask a student, given two small tables, to describe what would be returned if table A and table B were left outer joined. They'll either get it or they won't, and I can't say any given platform will demonstrate it any better than a pencil and paper.
Slashdot Mirror
Rhythm games--you love them, hate them, or have never actually played one. For anyone who wants a fun play that actually helps improve short-term memory and coordination, I'd definitely recommend Space Channel 5. It recently came out in a bundle for the PS2 which includes the original and a sequel; this bundle retails for $15. I promise anyone who takes up the challenge will spend their first few days after playing it seeing everything in Ulala-vision (Hey Bob, you get those TPS cover sheets sent off? Up, Up, Left, Left, Down, Shoot!, Shoot!)
If you like those, try Um Jammer Lammy (a little harder for me since it's more abstract in control), Samba de Amigo (it requires the maracas and a Dreamcast, but those combined will run you less than a copy of GTA) - which I have to say is a great party game - or Taiko no Tatsujin if you can handle everything being in Japanese.
I found that once I got FFXI, most of my console gaming has become social...I haven't watched television in a long time, and movies aren't something terribly social (not everyone enjoys MST3king films), and it's easier to keep a large group of people interested with console games since they're quickly and easily changable. Silly games with no real point to them (Meaning, you don't have a mob boss asking you to kill the interstellar aliens) have been scoring really high with me of late--they usually have a little more innovation to them, which can slip them through the shields of a non-gamer who might even have reservations against videogames.
Also, at the risk of being flamed to death--Brittany's Dance Beat is a good play too. It can take advantage of the dance pad, which makes it a far more entertaining and interesting watch (and conversation piece) than just DDR (which I still have a blast with).
Social gaming has been getting a lot of my non-gamer friends to consider purchasing consoles, simply because I have such oddball games they've never expected to see that don't require insane coordination (Ikaruga, Halo) or a taste for the gameplay (FFX, GTA, Gran Turismo).
(warning, this will sort of give some spoilers if you haven't played the game)
I'm glad that a newer, objective system of rating will be introduced soon. I recently purchased Knights of the Old Republic, and found that it is a horrible and terribly violent game, bound to corrupt our youth with its lack of morality and suggestions of genocide and hate.
While playing this game I realized I was berating people, abusing them, manipulating them with my Jedi mind tricks, stealing from them, and ultimately murdering them. I was being a very bad person.
Early on, when trapped on a planet I started out by helping an innocent young Twi'lek realize her dream of becoming a famous "dancer"...but then decided to kill her after she told me how much better than me she was. After boring myself with a gang war and some drag racing, I killed a crime lord and stole his ship. I went out and obtained some banned weapons from some shady Rodians and illegally gambled a few games of pazaak, then decided I should check out my old stomping grounds on Tatooine. I went on down to deliver a stolen box to a Hutt, after having just finished a successful "spice" delivery. Nosing around, I walked into the Sand People enclave after having a local Czerka rep urge me to "Kill all the Sand People", and proceeded to systematically annihilate all the Sand People I could find from the city of Anchorhead. For this, I was rewarded with lots of credits. After repairing my assassin droid and getting a lead in Kashyyk, I decided to check out Manaan to get some hit contracts. Needless to say, I was rolling in some Republic dough.
I think perhaps the only thing GTA has that KOTOR doesn't is the penalty of getting caught for your crimes. In KOTOR, you're pretty unstoppable...even if there were police to force choke or mind trick.
I'm glad that this new law will keep this foul game out of the hands of minors.
I'm risking burning off all my karma in one glorious flash, but this has been nagging at me for a very long time.
I've heard many peers whose opinions I typically respect, as well as many ignorant trolls claim the Matrix trilogy was shit the instant it became a trilogy. Really, I think people should step off their holy soap-boxes and consider for just one moment what makes the first movie better than the second or third.
Looking back on the first movie, very little happens. Very little is revealed. The movie was written with vague exchange after vague exchange, with the bulk of the movie taken up by a communal admiration of visuals. What were the brilliant performances from the Matrix? Lawrence Fishburn as an educated black man who gets Neo to take drugs, get scared by lightning, jump off a building (all the cool kids are doing it...), and get his ass handed to him? Is that air you're breathing? Well, presumably yes. Unless I'm not breathing at all in which case this isn't happening. Next question?
Of the cast of the Matrix, how many survive? Perhaps that's the best part of the movie, that the actors each have no more than a few lines (perhaps as profound as "It's my way or the highway" or even "Shut up". Then again, there's Cipher, who gives us "Ignorance is bliss"). Do Epoch and Switch believe in anything? If programs can go against their programming, why does Smith even bother chasing people? Why not just decompile himself?
The Matrix was a great sci-fi movie. I'm not disputing that--I own it and adore it. However, I don't watch The Matrix to find Jesus. It's not a Platonic dialogue, and it's not a chapter of the Tao Te Ching. I watch The Matrix because I enjoy science fiction. As a science fiction movie it is far more than adequate; it has action, suspense, stunning visuals, and not enough character development to make you question anything.
Why do I then think Reloaded and Revolutions are adequate as well? Reloaded is the substance that was missing from the Matrix...the characters we have are developed and we see that they are flawed. Revolutions lets these characters follow their own paths and do what they need to do. Reeves did a great job as the patchwork messiah of a terribly...human civilization. Bad actor jokes notwithstanding, he is confused, unsure, and underneath it all human. He doesn't always have a witty comeback, and sometimes he has to play superhero--if I were in that position I might not stay sane at all considering that I have a foot-long spike in my head that's letting me fight with an invincible program who sneers like no other, and the fate of humanity rests on my ability to think the crap out of a RAM chip somewhere. He never claims he's brilliant--he's a programmer for some huge corporation (maybe he's on the team that codes rpc for Windows), and he never claims he's wise--look how he just follows a squad of goth pirates just because his computer told him.
The Matrix wasn't a perfect movie. I don't understand how one can compare the sequels to the original and come out with an unfavorable opinion. The trolls who endlessly rail against the sequels don't have much of a leg to stand on when it comes to the superiority of the original. They're movies, not religion. If they are canon to you, perhaps you should invest your faith in a religion less lacking in...substance.
You might consider taking a step back and actually looking at the class content rather than debating which system to use for it right off the bat. Based on what little I've seen, this course is to teach databases (perhaps use, perhaps design) and underlying concepts. Is this a beginners' course? If so, you should probably strive to stay away from any given platform. I'd suggest taking a look at sqlcourse and maybe conceptualizing a class outline around that. The course itself only briefly grazes various SQL platforms.
I only offer this suggestion, having actually taught database, SQL, and platform-specific SQL classes for a former employer. The software we wrote supported two SQL back-ends: Sybase and MS SQL Server. That alone was enough to put most of the support reps I was instructing into a frenzy. When I started backing away from platforms themselves, and just teaching basic T-SQL along with diagrams of tables on a white board, it went a lot more smoothly. Really, it doesn't matter what platform you write for if you understand the query language enough to write fairly universal queries. To do anything that requires significantly esoteric querying probably requires you to have a very deep insight into the specifics of the platform you use.
It's really pretty amazing the amount of information you can teach without having to really use any SQL--but again I suggest looking at sqlcourse because it has you writing standardized T-SQL queries, but you don't ever see what platform you're using (if you're using one at all).
If this is really a class to teach basic dba functions like writing triggers and tweaking your platforms for performance, then it really comes down to the sad truth that to teach these skills you really need to teach them for a specific platform. Every company has their own esoteric set of tools, commands, and standards that in most cases have some striking similarity to T-SQL, but may do something different (look at how Pervasive.SQL, MySQL, MS SQL Server, and Sybase handle the idea of committing or rolling back a transaction).
I guess in summary it boils down to what concepts you're trying to teach. You may find that teaching database theory doesn't even require real databases. Ask a student, given two small tables, to describe what would be returned if table A and table B were left outer joined. They'll either get it or they won't, and I can't say any given platform will demonstrate it any better than a pencil and paper.