SWG was my first and last MMORPG experience.
I was absolutely enthralled for about 2-3 months. I became one of those "hardcore" subscribers that played for hours and hours on end.
The result of all my grinding, long hours of crafting, insane amounts of saving for factories and better medical equipment: Somebody always made better medkits than me. Somebody always had better weapons and crafting supplies than me.
Playing Guild Wars almost made me want to get back into the swing of things, because it seemed like something I could pick up for an hour or two at a time, without having to get too involved. Hell, I was level 8 after only about 9 total hours of gameplay.
However, even in a CORPG like GuildWars (it's not really an MMO), the same basic guidelines apply. Those who play more seem to do better. I didn't really get into the PvP side of things, but I'm sure that the people who win "the favor of the gods" in the Hero's Arena spent hours trying to get something or other to win said favor.
Eh. Gimme my counterstrike and I'll be happy.
As much as I know about GW (I haven't played PvP yet, but I know somebody who does), level does come into play, but it's not hard to get to level 20.
I played on his account for a little while using a fresh character, and I had a ball. I could log on for an hour or two and actually get something done. No screwing around for half an hour to get buffed, get prepared to go out into combat, get a group, etc.
"It's impossible to anticipate all of the cheats that will be used in an online game,"
Yes and No.
As long as you know what kind of action is considered hacking or cheating, there are ways to detect it. A most fascinating project called Hack-Cam run by a fellow named OutOfAmmo operates on this principle.
Most anti-cheat software just looks for installed cheats on the harddrive, in the memory, etc. This is good, but new cheats come out all the time that then bypass the filters for a few days. HC only looks for what a hack will do, not what is installed or not. Using visual image scanning, the came decides what the player can see and cannot see. If he aims through the wall at a player, the system recognizes this as an unknown stimulus and alters the player's "score" as is appropriate. The more suspicion the program sees in the player's gameplay, the higher his/her score gets. Once the 85% mark is reached, the player is deemed a cheater. About 95% of players scored below 50% in-game, so this line is actually (almost)impossible to reach without cheating.
I assume that once we better understand how the brain detects sarcasm, we can better model it through programming, and perhaps enhance human-machine interaction.
Still, C-3PO didn't really need to know what was sarcastic or not....
I was just reading an email from an SEAP (Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program) rep, and one of the projects I could possibly work on this summer is one using MATLAB to find cross-correlation between LiDAR density data and hi-res images (satellites, planes, etc.) to correct for movement, atmospheric reflection/refraction, angles, etc. and produce accurate and scaled vertical images.
IMHO, Usenet is plently alive and doing quite well.
It won't be going away anytime soon, those jolly pirates will make sure of that.
As far as it not being a big-selling point...
I get my usenet fix through a Giganews subscription with Comcast (1gb down, 2gb up monthly) which is 100% free.
Since people like accounts with less restriction and have plenty of money to throw around, this can get people to buy Usenet accounts with (guess who?) most likely whoever the ISP provides with.
If I recall Oh-so-correctly, making money with more accounts is a good thing for a newsgroup service, so I would think that giving away Usenet access would be a good thing for an ISP to do (if they have the money to spend on the garbage that they do spend it on, why not on Usenet as well?)
And besides, News.Individual.Net is offering the service for 10 EUR yearly, which is roughly $12.88 USD.
If somebody can't afford $13 annually, they probably have bigger problems. Like utilities.
Bottom line: it ain't goin' no-where.
Next On Slashdot:
FORUMS ARE OBSOLETE! TO BE REPLACED WITH MOBILE-TO-MOBILE TEXT MESSAGES ON A LINUX DISTRIBUTION OF A DIY-HACK PHONE THAT BILL GATES MODELED FOR IN A POPULAR MAGAZINE
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SWG was my first and last MMORPG experience. I was absolutely enthralled for about 2-3 months. I became one of those "hardcore" subscribers that played for hours and hours on end. The result of all my grinding, long hours of crafting, insane amounts of saving for factories and better medical equipment: Somebody always made better medkits than me. Somebody always had better weapons and crafting supplies than me. Playing Guild Wars almost made me want to get back into the swing of things, because it seemed like something I could pick up for an hour or two at a time, without having to get too involved. Hell, I was level 8 after only about 9 total hours of gameplay. However, even in a CORPG like GuildWars (it's not really an MMO), the same basic guidelines apply. Those who play more seem to do better. I didn't really get into the PvP side of things, but I'm sure that the people who win "the favor of the gods" in the Hero's Arena spent hours trying to get something or other to win said favor. Eh. Gimme my counterstrike and I'll be happy.
As much as I know about GW (I haven't played PvP yet, but I know somebody who does), level does come into play, but it's not hard to get to level 20.
I played on his account for a little while using a fresh character, and I had a ball. I could log on for an hour or two and actually get something done. No screwing around for half an hour to get buffed, get prepared to go out into combat, get a group, etc.
It's nice, but it's not my cup o' tea.
Really. It's an incredible engine with incredible access.
IMHO CoD is light years away from Counter strike. Why do people still play that?
You obviously haven't played it much, or at all.
From TFA:
"It's impossible to anticipate all of the cheats that will be used in an online game,"
Yes and No.
As long as you know what kind of action is considered hacking or cheating, there are ways to detect it. A most fascinating project called Hack-Cam run by a fellow named OutOfAmmo operates on this principle.
Most anti-cheat software just looks for installed cheats on the harddrive, in the memory, etc. This is good, but new cheats come out all the time that then bypass the filters for a few days. HC only looks for what a hack will do, not what is installed or not. Using visual image scanning, the came decides what the player can see and cannot see. If he aims through the wall at a player, the system recognizes this as an unknown stimulus and alters the player's "score" as is appropriate. The more suspicion the program sees in the player's gameplay, the higher his/her score gets. Once the 85% mark is reached, the player is deemed a cheater. About 95% of players scored below 50% in-game, so this line is actually (almost)impossible to reach without cheating.
Can't wait until it comes to CS:S!
I assume that once we better understand how the brain detects sarcasm, we can better model it through programming, and perhaps enhance human-machine interaction.
Still, C-3PO didn't really need to know what was sarcastic or not....
I was just reading an email from an SEAP (Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program) rep, and one of the projects I could possibly work on this summer is one using MATLAB to find cross-correlation between LiDAR density data and hi-res images (satellites, planes, etc.) to correct for movement, atmospheric reflection/refraction, angles, etc. and produce accurate and scaled vertical images.
And now I see this. Uncanny.
I expect the MS squad of lawyers should repel into your house through your windows any minute now.
Funnily enough, they don't pop because they have no integrity.
Aha, how ironic.
Google is your friend.
Playstation portable.
....Use XDCC?
7.Buy beer 8.Drink beer 9.Buy new "free" beer 10.??? 11.Profit
5) Profit....?
Hopefully:
-We won't see a third RING in space
-People will stop enjoying running things over in the same engine over and over
But what are the chances?
I hate consoles anyway. I'll wait for Halo3 and GTA:Whatever to come out on PC and buy them (and subsequently trash them)
Goddamn ninjas
...are there little smiley-face attachements?
IMHO, Usenet is plently alive and doing quite well.
It won't be going away anytime soon, those jolly pirates will make sure of that.
As far as it not being a big-selling point...
I get my usenet fix through a Giganews subscription with Comcast (1gb down, 2gb up monthly) which is 100% free.
Since people like accounts with less restriction and have plenty of money to throw around, this can get people to buy Usenet accounts with (guess who?) most likely whoever the ISP provides with.
If I recall Oh-so-correctly, making money with more accounts is a good thing for a newsgroup service, so I would think that giving away Usenet access would be a good thing for an ISP to do (if they have the money to spend on the garbage that they do spend it on, why not on Usenet as well?)
And besides, News.Individual.Net is offering the service for 10 EUR yearly, which is roughly $12.88 USD.
If somebody can't afford $13 annually, they probably have bigger problems. Like utilities.
Bottom line: it ain't goin' no-where.
Next On Slashdot:
FORUMS ARE OBSOLETE! TO BE REPLACED WITH MOBILE-TO-MOBILE TEXT MESSAGES ON A LINUX DISTRIBUTION OF A DIY-HACK PHONE THAT BILL GATES MODELED FOR IN A POPULAR MAGAZINE