Don't know about the new, but in the old system you could play a storm trooper career. Pick the Commando profession for the Imperials, and earn enough faction points to get your armor. I knew several people who did it.
In this particular instance, combat is a main focus because the Universe the game is set in ( one that was established before the game was even thought of) is engauged in a war that touches nearly every aspect of that Universe. That may just push the argument back a level to why war makes a compelling story, but it does explain this instance.
I also belive it is inaccurate to say that practicaly every game item, skill point, and money originate from combat. I've had a Galaxies character since launch, and have played at least a little in every phase of the games evolution, and in all of them, the richest characters, in both items and money, were always the merchant/crafters. Most of the people I knew in game with the most impressive spreads never fired a shot. They amassed their wealth by using the economy, not as spoils of combat.
After looking at the list of female game characters up for analasys on that link, I am somewhat disinclined to look deeper into their article due to the glaring omission of one of the most signifigant, if not the most signifigant, female characters of all time.
Samus Aran.
This has proven to be a trend in the issue of female game character analasys. I've not seen a single article on the subject in recent memory that mentions Samus in any signifigant way. Why is that? She has iterations in both historical gaming, thru the original Metroid, and modern gaming in the form of Metroid Prime.
I for one think it's time to take the spotlight off Lara Croft and put it back on Samus Aran.
Again, the difference is that the movie industry ratings are voluntary and industry imposed, not government regulated. The gaming industry already has this structure in the ESRB, and no one is complaining about those ratings being applied to games. The problem is vaugly worded laws imposing the ratings.
Now I'm not particularly a fanboy for anyone, but if you tried to nail me down, I'd say I shell out my $50 a month so that I can turn on my xbox, find a game, and be playing online in a matter of moments. I've not seen the other consoles provide that expirence.
I'm also curious about what part of Xbox Live's install base is tiny? As far as I know they're still on top, with over 300,000 unique users a day on just their top game.
Also, I will be buying all three of the next gen consoles, regardless of any of their online service prices.
I actualy have a decently high oppinion LARPers and RTS geeks. Niether group should throw that kind of stone at the other though, and it's funny when they do.
Really though, there is much more that goes into car selection than gas millage and social comment. Those may be large factors, but you can't deny that there are other features that would draw one to buy a hybrid. The Prius had a high tech feel that appealed to me, got millage I wanted, and was all around coolest in my opinion, so I got one. I suspect most buyers also buy based on appeal rather than strict millage or cost effectivness equations.
As far as crying goes, I think the games are still far from having a script with enough character development to equal The English Patient or Schindler's List*. People want to control characters and kick ass, not watch FMVs in which their character gives a monologue on how much better a human being he could be (no pun intended).
That is true of a certain subset of games. Perhaps the largest subset, but still only a subset. I don't belive it's possible for a movie to get you as emotionaly invested in a characher as one of the better written RPGs.
With a movie character, you watch their world for 2 hours. With a game, you live in their world for 80+ hours. That can lead to some serious emotional attachment.
That's not the point I was trying to make. I was trying to say that if you are the type who is afraid the disposal is going to get hacked and chew your arm off, you may simply purchase one that does not have a network card, and rest assured that no ammount of network activity on your power lines will result in your appliances being turned against you. You can stick to network card for things that probably won't blow up on you, like your comp and yoru Tivo.
I belive you will be able to rest assured that your garbage disposal will not be network conscious based on the simple fact that it will not have a network card. Nor will your stove, your microwave, or any other home appliance save your computer and your Tivo.
Connect your Xbox 360 to your broadband connection and get instant access to Xbox Live Silver. Express your digital identity through your Gamertag and gamer card, talk with others using voice chat, and access Xbox Live Marketplace--all right out of the box, at no extra cost. Upgrade to Xbox Live Gold and enter the exciting world of multiplayer online gaming.
So your 360 will technicaly be online out of the box, however you will still need to pay to be able to play online.
Well, the 360 is both more expensive *and* isn't as upgradable. I can get a pretty sweet gaming rig (that I can use for other things, too) for less than $1,000.
Not that anyone would say anything untruthful on/., but just once I'd like to see how someone actualy plans to build the aformentioned sweet gaming rig for less than $1000. I don't think it's possible. A gaming rig, maybe, a sweet gaming rig, not a chance.
That is a good point about Vader, I suppose anyone could wear the suit.
However, if you're going to have Cortana be CG, and the Elites would have to be mostly CG, which they would almost have to be, given their particular anatomy in the head and neck region, then I think they should just go the whole nine yards and make it a CG animation movie, like Final Fantasy.
I won't second guess Bungie on the script, but personaly, I hope they don't go too much into the backstory. The books already cover his origins quite well, and as interesting as that origin is, I think MC would lose some of his charicter somehow if you ever actualy saw him out of the armor.
The only way I will accept a Halo based movie is if it's animated.
There are no actors out there that are capable of playing MC, and certainly none that would put up with having their face covered the whole movie, which needs to happen. There are also no actresses that would fit as Cortana. I also doubt the ability of live action SFX to create a believable Elite, or any of the Covenant for that matter.
The fact of the matter is, if this movie is going to be watchable, it cannot be live action.
Regardless of your age, something is wrong when your primary entertainment becomes a game centered around crime.
Before we go too far in this direction yet again. I feel compelled to mention that in point of fact, GTA is not a game centered around a crime. It is a game centered around a character and a story. Stealing cars is an aspect of the game, not the core of it. Upon playing through the lastest incarnation, San Andreas, one finds that the game actualy has a fairly strong anti-drug storyline, and emphisizes family loyalty.
It is still not a game one should give to a child. But let's stop pretending that it's solely a game about killing cops, doing drugs, and having sex with prostitutes.
I just have one thing to say: If Lara Croft gets used as the first and typical example of a female video game heroine, I'm gonna start slapping people. If you have a discusion about this and don't mention that Samus Aran was in fact the first, and exemplifies everything that's right with a video game heroine, you need to give up your gamer licence immediatly.
Slashdot Mirror
Don't know about the new, but in the old system you could play a storm trooper career. Pick the Commando profession for the Imperials, and earn enough faction points to get your armor. I knew several people who did it.
I also belive it is inaccurate to say that practicaly every game item, skill point, and money originate from combat. I've had a Galaxies character since launch, and have played at least a little in every phase of the games evolution, and in all of them, the richest characters, in both items and money, were always the merchant/crafters. Most of the people I knew in game with the most impressive spreads never fired a shot. They amassed their wealth by using the economy, not as spoils of combat.
Mind you I'm not trying to be particularly argumentative, but blanket statements don't really lead to productive discussion, examples do.
Samus Aran.
This has proven to be a trend in the issue of female game character analasys. I've not seen a single article on the subject in recent memory that mentions Samus in any signifigant way. Why is that? She has iterations in both historical gaming, thru the original Metroid, and modern gaming in the form of Metroid Prime.
I for one think it's time to take the spotlight off Lara Croft and put it back on Samus Aran.
Again, the difference is that the movie industry ratings are voluntary and industry imposed, not government regulated. The gaming industry already has this structure in the ESRB, and no one is complaining about those ratings being applied to games. The problem is vaugly worded laws imposing the ratings.
Minors not being allowed to see R rated movies is a voluntary, industry imposed restriction, not a law. Therein lies the difference.
damn typos
I'm also curious about what part of Xbox Live's install base is tiny? As far as I know they're still on top, with over 300,000 unique users a day on just their top game.
Also, I will be buying all three of the next gen consoles, regardless of any of their online service prices.
I actualy have a decently high oppinion LARPers and RTS geeks. Niether group should throw that kind of stone at the other though, and it's funny when they do.
From a LARPer?
Hi pot, I'm kettle, your black.
Clearly Sergeant Johnson should be played by Al Matthews, aka Sgt. Apone
Really though, there is much more that goes into car selection than gas millage and social comment. Those may be large factors, but you can't deny that there are other features that would draw one to buy a hybrid. The Prius had a high tech feel that appealed to me, got millage I wanted, and was all around coolest in my opinion, so I got one. I suspect most buyers also buy based on appeal rather than strict millage or cost effectivness equations.
A very accurate comment on the form of the thing, while compleatly ignorring the function of the device. Pretty insightful there.
FFX-2 is clearly not one of the better written RPGs to which I was refering.
I can't remember who said that, but we would do well to keep it in mind these days.
That is true of a certain subset of games. Perhaps the largest subset, but still only a subset. I don't belive it's possible for a movie to get you as emotionaly invested in a characher as one of the better written RPGs.
With a movie character, you watch their world for 2 hours. With a game, you live in their world for 80+ hours. That can lead to some serious emotional attachment.
That's not the point I was trying to make. I was trying to say that if you are the type who is afraid the disposal is going to get hacked and chew your arm off, you may simply purchase one that does not have a network card, and rest assured that no ammount of network activity on your power lines will result in your appliances being turned against you. You can stick to network card for things that probably won't blow up on you, like your comp and yoru Tivo.
I belive you will be able to rest assured that your garbage disposal will not be network conscious based on the simple fact that it will not have a network card. Nor will your stove, your microwave, or any other home appliance save your computer and your Tivo.
Connect your Xbox 360 to your broadband connection and get instant access to Xbox Live Silver. Express your digital identity through your Gamertag and gamer card, talk with others using voice chat, and access Xbox Live Marketplace--all right out of the box, at no extra cost. Upgrade to Xbox Live Gold and enter the exciting world of multiplayer online gaming.
So your 360 will technicaly be online out of the box, however you will still need to pay to be able to play online.
Not that anyone would say anything untruthful on /., but just once I'd like to see how someone actualy plans to build the aformentioned sweet gaming rig for less than $1000. I don't think it's possible. A gaming rig, maybe, a sweet gaming rig, not a chance.
However, if you're going to have Cortana be CG, and the Elites would have to be mostly CG, which they would almost have to be, given their particular anatomy in the head and neck region, then I think they should just go the whole nine yards and make it a CG animation movie, like Final Fantasy.
I won't second guess Bungie on the script, but personaly, I hope they don't go too much into the backstory. The books already cover his origins quite well, and as interesting as that origin is, I think MC would lose some of his charicter somehow if you ever actualy saw him out of the armor.
There are no actors out there that are capable of playing MC, and certainly none that would put up with having their face covered the whole movie, which needs to happen. There are also no actresses that would fit as Cortana. I also doubt the ability of live action SFX to create a believable Elite, or any of the Covenant for that matter.
The fact of the matter is, if this movie is going to be watchable, it cannot be live action.
And what percentage of the game did you finish?
Before we go too far in this direction yet again. I feel compelled to mention that in point of fact, GTA is not a game centered around a crime. It is a game centered around a character and a story. Stealing cars is an aspect of the game, not the core of it. Upon playing through the lastest incarnation, San Andreas, one finds that the game actualy has a fairly strong anti-drug storyline, and emphisizes family loyalty.
It is still not a game one should give to a child. But let's stop pretending that it's solely a game about killing cops, doing drugs, and having sex with prostitutes.
I just have one thing to say: If Lara Croft gets used as the first and typical example of a female video game heroine, I'm gonna start slapping people. If you have a discusion about this and don't mention that Samus Aran was in fact the first, and exemplifies everything that's right with a video game heroine, you need to give up your gamer licence immediatly.