personally, I'd rather have this over some other sort of dreaded copy protection scheme where the game doesn't work or my whole computer gets security holes blown in it, but that's just my preference.
Yes and I'd rather have the Red-Black coalition than Adolf Hitler in power but that doesn't mean there aren't better solutions. Like e.g. Earth 2160's XP style activation*, install, activate (can be done over the phone as well), done. No need to start a launcher, no need to connect to the net ever again, no CD requirement.
You've got most of it correct, but Steam will run without an Internet connection, so long as it was able to authenticate at least once.
Yes but if you don't have a connection you probably don't have a connection when trying to authenticate, either. I know I tried to install HL2 when I was in a dorm and Steam couldn't go through the firewall so the game couldn't be installed. Fortunately that wasn't the first time I tried installing the game, I've played it before and got all I wanted to try getting out of it* already.
Like all Internet based authentication systems, sometimes it needs to reauthenticate when it thinks your computer has changed too much, but at least they don't heckle you over the phone when it needs to be done *cough*xp*cough*... your username & password will do just fine.
But with those you have the option to use the phone when you can't use the net. Steam doesn't even give you that.
As for Valve collecting stats about your game usage, that's something you either deal with, or leave their platform alone.
Obviously those of us who complain about that pick option 2. That doesn't mean we won't criticize it to make public why we aren't using the service in the hope that maybe there's enough backlash to get some of those hostile features removed and maybe make the platform ino something we can accept to use.
You can't handle a CD for months without breaking it? Even my worst abused CDs still run perfectly fine (except for the music in Total Annihilation), after I learned to put them back into their cases instead of piling them on my desk my discs don't have a scratch even a year later.
Had the same problem with my HL key but after I told them I had Gunman Chronicles (by inputting the CD key of that) they suddently acknowledged that I have HL1. Not that it matters, I haven't used HL1 or the other stuff that comes with it once since I started using Steam (other than a non-Steam version that always gets used on LANs). And TBH I'd have preferred had it recognized Gunman instead of Half-Life, GC was much more fun. Wish they'd have made a sequel and episodes to that instead of Half-Life...
They don't give a fuck about people whose home connection is behind a firewall that blocks Steam (e.g. dorm connection), why do you expect them to care about the three people who leave internet coverage every now and then?
What if most developers and publishers just assume that those who are willing to keep their PC up to date enough to play games (which is an active choice when all the "office" PCs ship with integrated graphics only) are willing to get broadband internet, too?
Don't blame me, I've bought every one of their new and innovative games that came out. That translates to "I bought none" (if you don't count VJ1 for Clover as it's been made by "Team Viewtiful") as neither Okami nor God Hand has been released in Europe yet and VJ2 and Red Hot Rumble were sequels.
You bought your copy at the store that was taking preorders instead of one that doesn't. If one store does preorders and the other doesn't then those who preorder are going to buy at the preorder taking store, no matter how much supply there is. That means every store that cares enough is forced to take preorders or see the customers tie themselves to a competitor.
Real gamers have long since realized that Gamestop isn't the cheapest store available and that other stores have larger shelves, less cramped interors and don't try to push warranties, subscriptions or other crap on you.
Wait? Most people looking to buy a console at launch day go to the store that's known for selling games so you most likely don't have to show up at a less fequented store before they open. I saw a store tell people they couldn't fill all Xbox 360 preorders, walked into a less frequented store and saw a whole pile of them still available.
They are charged with something. I don't know what exactly it is called (conspiracy to murder? aiding and abetting? ordering assassination?) but yes, they can all be arrested and thrown in jail for it. Even if they said nothing they could be arrested for not preventing (or at least attempting to prevent) the crime AFAIK but the punishment for actively encouraging a murder is higher.
By that logic you're free to murder anyone, you just have to deal with the consequences. What the First Amendment says is that federal law must not impose any consequences on speech. Because law cannot actually prevent something, it can merely order people not to do it and punish those who do.
We can only build a new ship cannibalizing any usable remains of the Eisenhower should it be destroyed. We could breed (clone?) a new human cannibalizing any usable remains of the old human should he die.
The difference is that we see a replica of the object as a suitable replacement while we don't see a replica of the person as such.
Slashdot Mirror
personally, I'd rather have this over some other sort of dreaded copy protection scheme where the game doesn't work or my whole computer gets security holes blown in it, but that's just my preference.
Yes and I'd rather have the Red-Black coalition than Adolf Hitler in power but that doesn't mean there aren't better solutions. Like e.g. Earth 2160's XP style activation*, install, activate (can be done over the phone as well), done. No need to start a launcher, no need to connect to the net ever again, no CD requirement.
*= Does not apply if you bought it over Steam.
You've got most of it correct, but Steam will run without an Internet connection, so long as it was able to authenticate at least once.
Yes but if you don't have a connection you probably don't have a connection when trying to authenticate, either. I know I tried to install HL2 when I was in a dorm and Steam couldn't go through the firewall so the game couldn't be installed. Fortunately that wasn't the first time I tried installing the game, I've played it before and got all I wanted to try getting out of it* already.
Like all Internet based authentication systems, sometimes it needs to reauthenticate when it thinks your computer has changed too much, but at least they don't heckle you over the phone when it needs to be done *cough*xp*cough*... your username & password will do just fine.
But with those you have the option to use the phone when you can't use the net. Steam doesn't even give you that.
As for Valve collecting stats about your game usage, that's something you either deal with, or leave their platform alone.
Obviously those of us who complain about that pick option 2. That doesn't mean we won't criticize it to make public why we aren't using the service in the hope that maybe there's enough backlash to get some of those hostile features removed and maybe make the platform ino something we can accept to use.
*=Saying "my money's worth" would be wrong here.
You can't handle a CD for months without breaking it? Even my worst abused CDs still run perfectly fine (except for the music in Total Annihilation), after I learned to put them back into their cases instead of piling them on my desk my discs don't have a scratch even a year later.
Had the same problem with my HL key but after I told them I had Gunman Chronicles (by inputting the CD key of that) they suddently acknowledged that I have HL1. Not that it matters, I haven't used HL1 or the other stuff that comes with it once since I started using Steam (other than a non-Steam version that always gets used on LANs). And TBH I'd have preferred had it recognized Gunman instead of Half-Life, GC was much more fun. Wish they'd have made a sequel and episodes to that instead of Half-Life...
They don't give a fuck about people whose home connection is behind a firewall that blocks Steam (e.g. dorm connection), why do you expect them to care about the three people who leave internet coverage every now and then?
What if most developers and publishers just assume that those who are willing to keep their PC up to date enough to play games (which is an active choice when all the "office" PCs ship with integrated graphics only) are willing to get broadband internet, too?
Sales tax is 16%, exchange rate puts our prices at 50% over the japanese price. The rest is greed.
Hopefully 0.0075€. 0.01€ would be a ripoff, that's like 1.5 JPY.
Don't blame me, I've bought every one of their new and innovative games that came out. That translates to "I bought none" (if you don't count VJ1 for Clover as it's been made by "Team Viewtiful") as neither Okami nor God Hand has been released in Europe yet and VJ2 and Red Hot Rumble were sequels.
No skin off my nose, but what was the point?
You bought your copy at the store that was taking preorders instead of one that doesn't. If one store does preorders and the other doesn't then those who preorder are going to buy at the preorder taking store, no matter how much supply there is. That means every store that cares enough is forced to take preorders or see the customers tie themselves to a competitor.
Careful, Nintendo is shipping large numbers, you could end up like the people who tried that with the PSP.
Real gamers have long since realized that Gamestop isn't the cheapest store available and that other stores have larger shelves, less cramped interors and don't try to push warranties, subscriptions or other crap on you.
Wait? Most people looking to buy a console at launch day go to the store that's known for selling games so you most likely don't have to show up at a less fequented store before they open. I saw a store tell people they couldn't fill all Xbox 360 preorders, walked into a less frequented store and saw a whole pile of them still available.
How about lying under oath? That's punishable regardless of the effect.
They are charged with something. I don't know what exactly it is called (conspiracy to murder? aiding and abetting? ordering assassination?) but yes, they can all be arrested and thrown in jail for it. Even if they said nothing they could be arrested for not preventing (or at least attempting to prevent) the crime AFAIK but the punishment for actively encouraging a murder is higher.
Because the troops kept using it as toilet paper.
Why do I have subtitles? I can speak perfect English!
I've met more gullible people than I can count, should we ban advertising and tabloids because of that?
The ESRB only gets a movie, the USK got a playable version two months ago (and gave it a 16 rating).
Dance Factory (DDR clone) says you can throw in any audio CD. No idea if the result is decent, I've only seen it in stores.
By that logic you're free to murder anyone, you just have to deal with the consequences. What the First Amendment says is that federal law must not impose any consequences on speech. Because law cannot actually prevent something, it can merely order people not to do it and punish those who do.
AFAIK treating wounds with maggots was ignored for quite some time because the initial discovery that maggots help wounds heal was made by the Nazis.
We can only build a new ship cannibalizing any usable remains of the Eisenhower should it be destroyed. We could breed (clone?) a new human cannibalizing any usable remains of the old human should he die.
The difference is that we see a replica of the object as a suitable replacement while we don't see a replica of the person as such.
Yes but when it's long enough people call it camping out to emphasize the timespan. And of course at that point they usually do bring tents.
Sony already updates the PSP firmware regularly by putting the update software on the game discs. I don't expect this to end up differently.