I have no desire or plan to join the Army, but their game is quite fun. I just started playing yesterday (Always a late adopter), am up to 14 honor (Someone look me up- Tireos). I suck on most of the bigger maps, but get me on Swamp Assault, FLS Assault, or, wossname, the one where you protect the helicopter and I'm money.
Why wouldn't an eBay like feedback system work for P2P apps? If someone shares tons of incomplete files, or is the host for a dozen RIAA plants, then make it known to the world.
The ultimate and depressing reality, however, is that there's no profit in space. Wait, before you get angry, let me clarify- Yes, comms satellites and the like make gangbuster money, but the initial research and development- i.e. the rocket program of the USA- were horrendously, bleedingly expensive at the time, and profitable applications were hard to see or considered 'dreams.'
It's much the same today. Yes, there are profitable applications, but they're already being done (LEO satellites) or far-off (asteroid mining, et alia). No business that has to answer to stockholders is going to invest in a venture that sucks up capital like a vacuum and doesn't promise any kind of return for decades. That's what government is for.
If you're going to do mining in space, you have to look at asteroids. A single small nickle-iron asteroid, assayed out, would be worth more than a trillion dollars.*
*Note: This does not take into account the disastrous devaluation of the metals markets, which would probably send the world economy into recession, so this might be a bad idea no matter what.
You can nitpick all you want. In reality, if they wanted to keep the Shuttle flying past 2010 anyway, they would have had to go through a ridiculously expensive recertification process, because the Shuttles are nearing a big milestone in their careers as flight articles. Meaning their replacement was probably imminent no matter what.
"I sure hope Bush follows through on his promise of funding, because NASA is going to be fucked if they start shifting priorities to his ideas and then don't get the money to follow through."
I believe Bush and a Congress who has a main man (DeLay) more or less so far in bed with the aerospace industry his wife is getting cold will fund this thing. The real danger point will come when a Democrat comes to office, be that in January 2005 or 2009 or later (eek, let's hope it's not that long). Space has, historically, been cut because it can be cut; Having it associated with a president absolutely loathed by most democrats will make NASA the first target for budget cuts. Unless the program can get well entrenched in the grace period it has.
I've been arguing this for about an hour already on another board. I'm a tad defensive because I've made this argument about three times already, then saw it on Slashdot and snapped.
And, therefore, make a complete fool of themselves?
I can see the inevitable kneejerk reaction now. "OMG Bush is taking away money from science to fund his reelection he is evil."
Get A GRIP!
This was being considered before Bush's new proposal. It is not the fault of his proposal. And we are going to have a replacement put up. Nothing is being lost here, nothing is being sacrificed on the altar of MTMS, Man To Mars Soonest.
The real question, though is when (if ever!) net access by consoles are going to allow widespread modding of console titles. I look forward to it, if it's even possible.
Re:Of course it's not a coincidence
on
NYT on Game Mods
·
· Score: 1
My point was that there's a correleation between having a thriving mod scene and having a lot of sales. I think we're trying to agree on this, but not finding the right words.
It's not a coincidence
on
NYT on Game Mods
·
· Score: 5, Insightful
The games with wildly successful modification scenes are games that are commercially wildly successful, in general. The positive correlation is real.
It mystifies me that a game these days can possibly be shipped without a comprehensive editing tool. They're artificially limiting their games' lives and shooting their sales in the foot.
Hm. Only thing I know to tell you is to go to the forums here from the main page and start asking questions, reading FAQs, downloading the multitude of patches, et cetera. The people are generally helpful.
RTS gamers just have to realize that Real Time Strategy doesn't have to only be the same old same old build-base kill-base rinse lather repeat paradigm we've had to deal with since Command and Conquer. There is room for complexity and brilliance in games that are real time, but bear no resemblance to those.
Have you heard of Paradox Entertainment? How about Europa Universalis 2, Hearts of Iron (second thought: forget about that one), or Victoria? They're, technically, real time strategy games, albeit with control over the game speed. No turns in sight. And they're some of the most brilliantly involving strategy games I've seen in a long, long time. (Disclaimer: I beta test some of their games, but I got the volunteer position because I was such a dedicated fan.)
Guys, they're not going after the established MMO fanbase. They're going after the sports fans who want just a little more. Entirely different target demographics.
That said, I hope someone does this with football so I could play it. I call tight end... Blocking is fun!
Can't agree with you there. Chrono Trigger had the system of no battles on the world map and you can see every monster in the dungeons (with a few small exceptions). It was entirely feasible, if you had already hung around one dungeon beating up monsters and leveling, to go through an entire area without making one fight just from your speed and maneuver skills, and it was a blast.
"1. History says United States "won" the war, but there aren't really any winners anyway. "
Explain that statement. Logically, if there are no winners, there are no losers, and if there are no losers, there are quite a lot of Japanese and Germans who have questions for you.
Oh, gee, I grew up in public school. To conform to your stereotypes, I'll now drop out of college where I'm doing very well in an engineering program. Sorry to be a bother.
Sure we know how to deal with them. It's called, "More and more layers of redundancy". Unfortunately, more redundancy means more cost and more weight, which translates to even more cost. And in the space-affairs budget environment since the mid-80s, the money's not there. Learn to deal with a 50% failure rate, as opposed to the 25% one of years gone by.
Slashdot Mirror
I have no desire or plan to join the Army, but their game is quite fun. I just started playing yesterday (Always a late adopter), am up to 14 honor (Someone look me up- Tireos). I suck on most of the bigger maps, but get me on Swamp Assault, FLS Assault, or, wossname, the one where you protect the helicopter and I'm money.
Why wouldn't an eBay like feedback system work for P2P apps? If someone shares tons of incomplete files, or is the host for a dozen RIAA plants, then make it known to the world.
Don't I wish!
The ultimate and depressing reality, however, is that there's no profit in space. Wait, before you get angry, let me clarify- Yes, comms satellites and the like make gangbuster money, but the initial research and development- i.e. the rocket program of the USA- were horrendously, bleedingly expensive at the time, and profitable applications were hard to see or considered 'dreams.'
It's much the same today. Yes, there are profitable applications, but they're already being done (LEO satellites) or far-off (asteroid mining, et alia). No business that has to answer to stockholders is going to invest in a venture that sucks up capital like a vacuum and doesn't promise any kind of return for decades. That's what government is for.
If you're going to do mining in space, you have to look at asteroids. A single small nickle-iron asteroid, assayed out, would be worth more than a trillion dollars.*
*Note: This does not take into account the disastrous devaluation of the metals markets, which would probably send the world economy into recession, so this might be a bad idea no matter what.
I wonder how much of the data will be irrelevant because mice walk on four legs, not two, thus decreasing the bone loss?
I thought rocket launchers were the flavor of the week to whinge about.
Do you refer to an Orion derivative, an NTR such as NERVA or Topaz, or the nuclear-electric propulsion?
You can nitpick all you want. In reality, if they wanted to keep the Shuttle flying past 2010 anyway, they would have had to go through a ridiculously expensive recertification process, because the Shuttles are nearing a big milestone in their careers as flight articles. Meaning their replacement was probably imminent no matter what.
"I sure hope Bush follows through on his promise of funding, because NASA is going to be fucked if they start shifting priorities to his ideas and then don't get the money to follow through."
I believe Bush and a Congress who has a main man (DeLay) more or less so far in bed with the aerospace industry his wife is getting cold will fund this thing. The real danger point will come when a Democrat comes to office, be that in January 2005 or 2009 or later (eek, let's hope it's not that long). Space has, historically, been cut because it can be cut; Having it associated with a president absolutely loathed by most democrats will make NASA the first target for budget cuts. Unless the program can get well entrenched in the grace period it has.
I've been arguing this for about an hour already on another board. I'm a tad defensive because I've made this argument about three times already, then saw it on Slashdot and snapped.
The impactor's purpose would not be to destroy the comet, but merely to penetrate the outer shell to see what's inside a typical comet.
And, therefore, make a complete fool of themselves?
I can see the inevitable kneejerk reaction now. "OMG Bush is taking away money from science to fund his reelection he is evil."
Get A GRIP!
This was being considered before Bush's new proposal. It is not the fault of his proposal. And we are going to have a replacement put up. Nothing is being lost here, nothing is being sacrificed on the altar of MTMS, Man To Mars Soonest.
The real question, though is when (if ever!) net access by consoles are going to allow widespread modding of console titles. I look forward to it, if it's even possible.
My point was that there's a correleation between having a thriving mod scene and having a lot of sales. I think we're trying to agree on this, but not finding the right words.
The games with wildly successful modification scenes are games that are commercially wildly successful, in general. The positive correlation is real.
It mystifies me that a game these days can possibly be shipped without a comprehensive editing tool. They're artificially limiting their games' lives and shooting their sales in the foot.
Hm. Only thing I know to tell you is to go to the forums here from the main page and start asking questions, reading FAQs, downloading the multitude of patches, et cetera. The people are generally helpful.
Don't be surprised if this kid gets a visit from the Korean Mafia (as detailed in Gamespy's Daily Victim a while ago).
Honor must be satisfied!
RTS gamers just have to realize that Real Time Strategy doesn't have to only be the same old same old build-base kill-base rinse lather repeat paradigm we've had to deal with since Command and Conquer. There is room for complexity and brilliance in games that are real time, but bear no resemblance to those.
Have you heard of Paradox Entertainment? How about Europa Universalis 2, Hearts of Iron (second thought: forget about that one), or Victoria? They're, technically, real time strategy games, albeit with control over the game speed. No turns in sight. And they're some of the most brilliantly involving strategy games I've seen in a long, long time. (Disclaimer: I beta test some of their games, but I got the volunteer position because I was such a dedicated fan.)
Guys, they're not going after the established MMO fanbase. They're going after the sports fans who want just a little more. Entirely different target demographics.
That said, I hope someone does this with football so I could play it. I call tight end... Blocking is fun!
Can't agree with you there. Chrono Trigger had the system of no battles on the world map and you can see every monster in the dungeons (with a few small exceptions). It was entirely feasible, if you had already hung around one dungeon beating up monsters and leveling, to go through an entire area without making one fight just from your speed and maneuver skills, and it was a blast.
"1. History says United States "won" the war, but there aren't really any winners anyway. " Explain that statement. Logically, if there are no winners, there are no losers, and if there are no losers, there are quite a lot of Japanese and Germans who have questions for you.
Oh, gee, I grew up in public school. To conform to your stereotypes, I'll now drop out of college where I'm doing very well in an engineering program. Sorry to be a bother.
Because, you know, major releases are always delayed on the say-so of a group of fans?
Sure we know how to deal with them. It's called, "More and more layers of redundancy". Unfortunately, more redundancy means more cost and more weight, which translates to even more cost. And in the space-affairs budget environment since the mid-80s, the money's not there. Learn to deal with a 50% failure rate, as opposed to the 25% one of years gone by.
Yes, but not the recent ones. The current theory is that a solar flare over a year ago devastated the power system.