The Guardian Gamesblog has a piece on knowing your enemy to better pwn him. Specifically, they go through some tried and true rules about surviving boss battles. From the article: "If the boss stops, panic. Bosses usually move about - when they stop it means they're about to unleash their signature move, the aforementioned fist or laser blast.
Until the Laser Blast part, I thought they were talking about my boss at work.
Seriously, what is up with manufacturers? I don't want TV on my mobile. I don't want to watch video on an iPod. I do not want to surf the web on my DS (yes, I have a DS, and its GREAT... for games)
I dont want any of those things either, but that is what is great about the DS in this regard: you dont get all that crap unless you want it. What is there to complain about when you arent paying for and not getting all these features you dont want?
Like many with a DS, I thought it would make an awesome little web browser that I could fit into my pocket, but with the time it took them to get something like this even announced, I have already purchased a Nokia 770 Internet Tablet and it fills that hole.
A great idea, but it was too obvious to have taken this long. I dont think I would be able to surf the net on the DS after experiencing the huge screen of the 770. I'll just stick to games, it still works perfectly for that =]
Most (serving) apps already have a feature like that, allowing you to run them under a different user.
Granted, firefox and other big apps dont offer the option yet, but you can see with a lot of programs (namely any kind of server) that their config file will allow you to specify which user account the app will run under.
Game developer's world: The good: More money for the developer! The bad: How is more money bad?
The player's world: The good: More ads being shoved in your face everywhere you look? Does someone out there like that? The bad: More ads being shoved in your face everywhere you look! Seriously, just when you think theyve run out of ideas, they find a new way to make money off of your existance.
Its just like paying for premium cable channels didnt get you but a few commercial-free channels, no one is going to benefit from this except for the content provider -and when they feel they arent making enough money, they'll find another way to sell your audience.
Despite my being critical of the game, I am very glad for it. The more people that play it and adore it are more people that have been introduced to shmups and more potential customers for companies to think about when theyre planning their next game ("should we make a shmup? well, people seem to like them again...").
I dont think it is as great as everyone rattles on about (though I do find it fun), but I am very happy that its here and attracting so many new people to the genre. Even if the game were utter trash and people still loved it, it would still be a great thing for the shmup genre.
I would consider it a shmup because Border Down is considered a shmup.
If you havent played Border Down, imagine playing a regular shmup with a helecopter that you can spin around 360-degrees and... well, you see what I mean. Theyre pretty close in terms of control and objective.
Also, stuff like Twinkle Star Sprites (a blend of shmup and tetris-like puzzle games) is pretty far out there, but still considered a shmup by people who say the word "shmup" a lot.
I didnt actually find this a problem, but mainly because I knew what I was getting into after playing Xenogears.
I think that the people bothered by the endless cutscenes in games like Xenosaga and Metal Gear Solid are the people that are not particularly invested in the story. Games like Xenogears, with their endless story segments told in text, got me involved in the story and really prepared me for the "next generation of storytelling". MGS is really fun, and it is so story-driven that I enjoy the cutscenes. They give me information in a way that is superior to straight text. I dont know how you could tell MGS2 or 3 without cutscenes. Xenosaga is good, but Xenosaga II was pretty bad. I still played it, though ONLY for the story. I breathed a sigh of relief when I hit a cutscene in Xenosaga II.
Of course, games with a less-than-compelling story with as many cutscenes are quite annoying, but its gotten to the point that you can tell (by the name of the game) or hear (word of mouth or by reviewer) if a game has that sort of storytelling and either avoid or go for it accordingly. But really, would a game like MGS3 really be as good (as a whole) as it is now if they had cut out even 25% of the cutscenes? I dont think so.
I find it more than a little funny that people are making their machines even less secure by volunteering to install what is basically a reverse-patch to internet explorer. Now the internet is being flooded with machines that are even more likely to be infected by a virus from viewing a jpg or some other mundane task.
Not satisfied with the non-security of IE6? Download IE7 for free!
I recognize geometry wars as a good game (I am a huge shmup [SHoot'eM-UP] fan, so I had to play it), but there are tons of other shmups that are just so much better.
Is it a "Oh wow, look what I just discovered on xbox live! This is the first shmup I've ever seen and its the greatest one there is!"-kind of thing, or what?
Despite the high price, you're getting a lot of tech for your buck.
I dont want a lot of tech for $500, I just want something that plays games that is affordable. Of course I am getting a Revolution, but I also want something that will play Metal Gear Solid 4 and some other sony-exclusive titles -and that will have to be a PS3. Make a machine that plays games and leave all the media extender dual 1080p output bullshit to the people who want it.
I like how "analysts" (paid guessers) liken this to the Ipod (I read that in some other article).
This will not take ahold like the Ipod (though perhaps in a different way, though I dont think so) because it isnt so convenient as an Ipod. You cant plug this ebook reader into your ears and walk around town listening to it like you can an ipod. You need free time to devote attention to the device.
I think that if it could read the book to you audibly, then it could have a chance, but at around $400 for what is basically a book, I think it will go nowhere.
Not that I have problems with books, I read a ton, but the current pop culture in America seems to shun books in lieu of more popular passtimes (music, games, TV, loitering)
Does anyone remember when game consoles were for playing games, not for making you a pawn in a scheme to not only invade your living room with a particular brand name, but also to propogate a specific format of media that has nothing to do with games?
So does anyone else with an HDTV not care about these HD formats?
I have a very nice home theatre and a huge HDTV, but I am not going to pay out the nose for something JUST because it will be in HD (*coughXbox2*).
First off, these first gen players are going to suck. First gen DVD players? They dont upscale, they dont have any advanced features, you wont find any with DVI or HDMI, and the PQ is sorely lacking in comparison to even a cheap DVD player today. It WILL be the same with these new HD players.
Secondly, how much content do we have that is 100% digital?
Star Wars prequels, LotR, and a few other big-name flicks are the only movies that are going to take any advantage of HD. The odds that studios are going to dig out the masters for all these old movies like they did for DVD are slim -theyre just going to re-release their old movies and claim that they are HD (which technically they will be, but never were to begin with), and these wont look any better than they do now on a good tv with a good upscaling DVD player. I'm not going to rebuy all my DVDs just because they were upscaled to 720p/1080i/1080p in a studio rather than by my DVD player.
I will get a HDDVD/Blu Ray player eventually, but even as a videophile, audiophile, and someone who spends way too much money on all that crap, I dont see any reason to have an HD format replace DVD at this time, much less spend more than $300 on a first to fourth gen product.
I have always wondered why they arent made, and i actually want one to be made and set loose: An exploit that deletes the My Documents directory.
Imagine the havoc it would cause.
That is the kind of thing regular people need to experience to wake up and actually care that this sort of thing will go unpatched for a week or two or even longer. Right now patching is transparent to most people, but when they see how some of this stuff just sits on someone's desk while ALL their data goes into the pooper -they'll think that maybe something is wrong.
The problem with covering the back of the earbuds is that most of them are rear-ported. If you cover the ports, you will get a noticable degredation in the quality (and type) of sound coming out of the drivers.
Then again, if someone cares that much about the sound, then they'll just carry their Grados around with them =]
Something interesting to consider is that he now owns a portion of the company, and therefore benefits in some small way from the publication of the games he is trying to stop. So in some small way, the blood he claims is spilled due to these games is on his hands as well.
Not that I condone Jack Thompson's crusade in any way, but it is much harder to make changes to any organization from the outside. I think he is wasting everyone's time with his BS, but I think that he is finally doing something that could help him -though at this point, he is a joke. It's too late for a good idea.
Slashdot Mirror
The Guardian Gamesblog has a piece on knowing your enemy to better pwn him. Specifically, they go through some tried and true rules about surviving boss battles. From the article: "If the boss stops, panic. Bosses usually move about - when they stop it means they're about to unleash their signature move, the aforementioned fist or laser blast.
Until the Laser Blast part, I thought they were talking about my boss at work.
Seriously, what is up with manufacturers? I don't want TV on my mobile. I don't want to watch video on an iPod. I do not want to surf the web on my DS (yes, I have a DS, and its GREAT... for games)
I dont want any of those things either, but that is what is great about the DS in this regard: you dont get all that crap unless you want it.
What is there to complain about when you arent paying for and not getting all these features you dont want?
Like many with a DS, I thought it would make an awesome little web browser that I could fit into my pocket, but with the time it took them to get something like this even announced, I have already purchased a Nokia 770 Internet Tablet and it fills that hole.
A great idea, but it was too obvious to have taken this long. I dont think I would be able to surf the net on the DS after experiencing the huge screen of the 770. I'll just stick to games, it still works perfectly for that =]
Oh good, because everyone has been asking for games that preach to them.
Most (serving) apps already have a feature like that, allowing you to run them under a different user.
Granted, firefox and other big apps dont offer the option yet, but you can see with a lot of programs (namely any kind of server) that their config file will allow you to specify which user account the app will run under.
Game developer's world:
The good: More money for the developer!
The bad: How is more money bad?
The player's world:
The good: More ads being shoved in your face everywhere you look? Does someone out there like that?
The bad: More ads being shoved in your face everywhere you look! Seriously, just when you think theyve run out of ideas, they find a new way to make money off of your existance.
Its just like paying for premium cable channels didnt get you but a few commercial-free channels, no one is going to benefit from this except for the content provider -and when they feel they arent making enough money, they'll find another way to sell your audience.
This is Slashdot:
Worship AMD.
End Transmission
Just a little clarification...
Despite my being critical of the game, I am very glad for it. The more people that play it and adore it are more people that have been introduced to shmups and more potential customers for companies to think about when theyre planning their next game ("should we make a shmup? well, people seem to like them again...").
I dont think it is as great as everyone rattles on about (though I do find it fun), but I am very happy that its here and attracting so many new people to the genre. Even if the game were utter trash and people still loved it, it would still be a great thing for the shmup genre.
I would consider it a shmup because Border Down is considered a shmup.
If you havent played Border Down, imagine playing a regular shmup with a helecopter that you can spin around 360-degrees and... well, you see what I mean. Theyre pretty close in terms of control and objective.
Also, stuff like Twinkle Star Sprites (a blend of shmup and tetris-like puzzle games) is pretty far out there, but still considered a shmup by people who say the word "shmup" a lot.
I didnt actually find this a problem, but mainly because I knew what I was getting into after playing Xenogears.
I think that the people bothered by the endless cutscenes in games like Xenosaga and Metal Gear Solid are the people that are not particularly invested in the story. Games like Xenogears, with their endless story segments told in text, got me involved in the story and really prepared me for the "next generation of storytelling". MGS is really fun, and it is so story-driven that I enjoy the cutscenes. They give me information in a way that is superior to straight text. I dont know how you could tell MGS2 or 3 without cutscenes. Xenosaga is good, but Xenosaga II was pretty bad. I still played it, though ONLY for the story. I breathed a sigh of relief when I hit a cutscene in Xenosaga II.
Of course, games with a less-than-compelling story with as many cutscenes are quite annoying, but its gotten to the point that you can tell (by the name of the game) or hear (word of mouth or by reviewer) if a game has that sort of storytelling and either avoid or go for it accordingly. But really, would a game like MGS3 really be as good (as a whole) as it is now if they had cut out even 25% of the cutscenes? I dont think so.
I find it more than a little funny that people are making their machines even less secure by volunteering to install what is basically a reverse-patch to internet explorer. Now the internet is being flooded with machines that are even more likely to be infected by a virus from viewing a jpg or some other mundane task.
Not satisfied with the non-security of IE6? Download IE7 for free!
I recognize geometry wars as a good game (I am a huge shmup [SHoot'eM-UP] fan, so I had to play it), but there are tons of other shmups that are just so much better.
Is it a "Oh wow, look what I just discovered on xbox live! This is the first shmup I've ever seen and its the greatest one there is!"-kind of thing, or what?
Does microsoft ever release software that isnt meant to be an existing-product killer?
Dont start now.
It was pretty stupid.
Despite the high price, you're getting a lot of tech for your buck.
I dont want a lot of tech for $500, I just want something that plays games that is affordable. Of course I am getting a Revolution, but I also want something that will play Metal Gear Solid 4 and some other sony-exclusive titles -and that will have to be a PS3. Make a machine that plays games and leave all the media extender dual 1080p output bullshit to the people who want it.
I think that the real sign of the apocalypse is that there are no Xbox 2 articles today.
I like how "analysts" (paid guessers) liken this to the Ipod (I read that in some other article).
This will not take ahold like the Ipod (though perhaps in a different way, though I dont think so) because it isnt so convenient as an Ipod. You cant plug this ebook reader into your ears and walk around town listening to it like you can an ipod. You need free time to devote attention to the device.
I think that if it could read the book to you audibly, then it could have a chance, but at around $400 for what is basically a book, I think it will go nowhere.
Not that I have problems with books, I read a ton, but the current pop culture in America seems to shun books in lieu of more popular passtimes (music, games, TV, loitering)
Does anyone remember when game consoles were for playing games, not for making you a pawn in a scheme to not only invade your living room with a particular brand name, but also to propogate a specific format of media that has nothing to do with games?
So does anyone else with an HDTV not care about these HD formats?
I have a very nice home theatre and a huge HDTV, but I am not going to pay out the nose for something JUST because it will be in HD (*coughXbox2*).
First off, these first gen players are going to suck. First gen DVD players? They dont upscale, they dont have any advanced features, you wont find any with DVI or HDMI, and the PQ is sorely lacking in comparison to even a cheap DVD player today. It WILL be the same with these new HD players.
Secondly, how much content do we have that is 100% digital?
Star Wars prequels, LotR, and a few other big-name flicks are the only movies that are going to take any advantage of HD. The odds that studios are going to dig out the masters for all these old movies like they did for DVD are slim -theyre just going to re-release their old movies and claim that they are HD (which technically they will be, but never were to begin with), and these wont look any better than they do now on a good tv with a good upscaling DVD player. I'm not going to rebuy all my DVDs just because they were upscaled to 720p/1080i/1080p in a studio rather than by my DVD player.
I will get a HDDVD/Blu Ray player eventually, but even as a videophile, audiophile, and someone who spends way too much money on all that crap, I dont see any reason to have an HD format replace DVD at this time, much less spend more than $300 on a first to fourth gen product.
--BREAKING NEWS--
Game X was delayed, but now it is released.
I hope we can expect a headline for whatever game is released tomorrow.
I have always wondered why they arent made, and i actually want one to be made and set loose: An exploit that deletes the My Documents directory. Imagine the havoc it would cause.
That is the kind of thing regular people need to experience to wake up and actually care that this sort of thing will go unpatched for a week or two or even longer. Right now patching is transparent to most people, but when they see how some of this stuff just sits on someone's desk while ALL their data goes into the pooper -they'll think that maybe something is wrong.
The problem with covering the back of the earbuds is that most of them are rear-ported. If you cover the ports, you will get a noticable degredation in the quality (and type) of sound coming out of the drivers.
Then again, if someone cares that much about the sound, then they'll just carry their Grados around with them =]
Something interesting to consider is that he now owns a portion of the company, and therefore benefits in some small way from the publication of the games he is trying to stop. So in some small way, the blood he claims is spilled due to these games is on his hands as well.
Not that I condone Jack Thompson's crusade in any way, but it is much harder to make changes to any organization from the outside. I think he is wasting everyone's time with his BS, but I think that he is finally doing something that could help him -though at this point, he is a joke. It's too late for a good idea.
...are in an uncomfortable position to begin with
REALLY??
You mean being oogled by obese sweaty men who all wear spock ears to work and tell jokes in binary put women in an uncomfortable position??
No, no -its okay.
MS has stated before that their "launch window" is 14-weeks long. So anything between Nov 20 to about February 18 is available at "launch"!
Really, had they not defined "launch", I would have erroneously assumed that it meant "when it is released".
It isnt spin, theyre just making their own rules. Wow, they really kick ass with their own rules!