Sure, two massive easily scratched screens doesn't make it delicate at all. Just because *closed* your DS took ONE fall and survived they must be built like heavy-armor tanks. oh, and all the delicate electronics in the PSP must also be able to handle small-arms fire too.
Put a GBA and either a PSP or DS up against each other and see which one lasts. Your a fool to think either new portable is more durable. Hinges, large screens, delicate optical drives, yeah I must be crazy to think the way I do.
I would love for you to show me how Game and Watch is not one of the biggest innovations and spawned the entire console market. I would love for you to show me prior art for Bubble Bobble, I would also love to see how you attempt to break some of these down. Shenmue was the first title to have unrestrained production values, another huge innovation... not in game design/play but in how games are created. Not all innovation means that it has been done before, simply an innovative twist that changes gaming overall or in it's genre. Innovation does not mean totally new, never been done before, change the world... if it did then after the total number of plotline structures for books/film were defined no one has innovated since. c'mon. I find it so funny how many people are angered by the fact when someone states the Japanese innovate in electronics and games... it is a fact. Americans, europeans, and the rest have done soem cool shit too... but they are hardly the driving force of the media. Ever notice how MS needs to pander to the Japanese to succeed, there is a reason, America and Europe put together don't matter to them if they can't capture at least a chunk of Japan and Japanese designers.
Heh, and you think high development costs on a portable system are hindering game development... wait for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Development costs and timeframes have never been even close to this magnitude. These "next-gen" consoles are going to have the smallest libraries ever. I've been saying it all along and people keep claiming otherwise... we'll see soon enough.
It truly is bleak right now with these two lack-luster offerings (I'm not even dignifying the Ngage) The PSP and DS are flops in my eyes, and aparently a lot of others' because the GBA is still outselling them. No one wants an expensive, delicate portable game system... especially one with so few games available of any quality or substance as the PSP and DS. Lumines, Nintendogs, Electroplankton, etc. are just not killer apps.
Honestly, these two systems have been out for some time now with no major titles to carry them and none in the foreseeable future. A true shame.
I appreciate the response but I think you missed my question. I am quite well versed in DIY/Hacks hardware, software, Audio, and visual (and even mineral and vegetable:) So yes, I understand about light temps, etc.
What my question is is that these LCD projectors for Overhead projectors (as is used in the article) are only made to be used for short periods at a time due to the heat from the overhead's bulb causing the LCD part to begin to distort. If you haven't please read the article and you will see it is a two part system: A regular classroom overhead projector as the light source and lens, and a overlay LCD product that sits on top of the overhead as a transparency would.
Just like leaving a transparancy on top of a overhead for two straight hours would bake it into a nice rendition of a shrinky-dink the same happens to the delicate lcd projector overlay. I college my professor used one of these units and the overhead had to be turned off for periods while she lectured to keep it from warping/distorting the LCD overlay. I have a feeling this would be the same in this case and am wondering if it is or not.
I would love to build a DIY projector (I even entertained the one where you put a TV upside down in a box with a fresnel lens on the front - like the plans sold to idiots on Ebay claiming a huge projection TV)
heh, you really amuse me. It's the only reason I keep wasting time to reply. Umm, I am an American and covered American games for well over 4 years... a japanese fanboy I am not in the least, I simply have a solid grasp of the videogame industry and history. I still find it funny that you equate the fucking *publisher* with mattering at all in where the game was developed. How sad, a publisher simply publishes a game. Yeah all of those games were NOT created and developed by an American or in America, my point exactly. When you beat a game and the credits roll how many times do you see American names taking up the majority of the screen? Yeah, didn't think so.
Here's a shortlist from memory, I am not going to post why each is innovative but will be glad to for each listed:
Game and Watch, ICO, REZ, Seaman, Jet Set Radio, Silent Hill, Shenmue, Animal Crossing, DDR, Parappa, Mad Maestro, Katmari Damacy, Mr. Mosquito, Nintendogs, Double Dragon/Street Fighter, Bubble Bobble, King of Fighters, Virtua Fighter, 1942, Mahjongg, Nintendo in general, possibly Super Mario Bros., Puyo Pop, Pokemon, Shining Force, Train Simulators, Dating simulators, and that's off the top of my head.
I don't plan on arguing with you anymore, this subject comes up and people can argue till their blue in the face. The simple fact that if you took Japan (hardware and software innovations) out of the gaming equation where would we be? Walk up and down the isle at EBGames and look for American developed titles that are AAA and innovative... I'll wait.
HaHa, you are an idiot and you have now proved it with your completely off-base response which is wrong on so many factual levels it would take me hours to break them all down.
hehe, yeah lump in Canada, Europe, etc. to claim *AMERICA* is where innovation comes from. Christ, flawed logic spews forth from your post like a waterfall. Umm, Molyneux is not American by the way... but again, in your made up world he is.
Gee, simulation titles aren't deried from Japanese titles... heh, whatever.
Yeah, you must be right, "pet" games and "party" games that's all the Japanese have contributed... what an asshat. You now must revoke your geek license and go sit in the corner because everyone now sees the sheer stupidity you have created in your mind.
I never stated ALL Japanese games are innovative... I stated exactly what I meant, the Japanese demand originality and innovation much more than Americans do. I was a game reviewer for some years, and have extensively worked in the industry, I am quite sure of my comments.
Think back through the major innovative games, how many originated in Japan or from a Japanese game? TONS. Tetris is an exception, Myst to some extent, and a few others but could be counted without taking my pants or shoes off.
The real innovation in gaming comes from Japan, to argue that is stupidity. Americans are happy with more of the same, and sequels and clones... it's sad. Japan has it's share of junk and clones and we have FPS/twitch crap it is all overdone and losing luster.
Take a couple minutes to search the current top titles in Japan and over the life of the same consoles as in america and look at the differences. They are quite apparent.
Wow, this took a scientific survey? The Japanese are not suckers like we are here, in fact Europe is not either when it comes to consoles. One mediocre game (Halo) is not enough to get them excited in the least. They demand innovation, sometimes wacky, and also games that are targeted to them. Xbox will never supply this. How many unique puzzle games on Xbox... yeah. How many dating simulators/train simulators/anime/etc. titles on xbox... yeah. How many Hentai, Mahjongg, puyo pop, Katmari Damacy's... yeah. Oooh, a ton of crap-ass eye-candy FPS titles and an old GC rehash of Kameo redone... gee, I wonder why the Japanese aren't buying MS's bullshit marketing toward them.
Please, I just wish Americans would wake up and realize that these new FPS/media "consoles" are about as lame as vanilla ice cream when it comes to trying to push gaming forward.
Is that I remember in college a professor of mine using one of these overhead LCD projector doo-dads and she had to constantly turn the overhead off while lecturing because the heat of the projector would start to "burn" the LCD and the image would be distorted on the screen. After cooling down it would work again, but still during a 2+ hour movie or gaming session... I just can't see how this will work.
Now overhead projector technology may have come a long way (hehe) since then but isn't this an issue? At the very least, especially when it is crammed in a felt-lined box.
Umm, well the iPod is like really popular and its white and plasticky. Thats the cool new edgy "extreeeme" color so we made this dog-bone shape.. and we were like totally stoked... then we made it white... oooh! and it had to have glowy bits so we did that too. Yeah us are great designers, and we're just interns! Rawk!
Puh-lease... the Xbox 360 "design" is as original as buttered toast. Next slashvertisement please.
Good Sweet Jeebus! This is Front page geek news?!? A monkey and a orangutan gould fashion something equally as "cool" as this. I'm no engineer (but I play one on TV) But building a simple "C" shaped structure would yield the same thing and be much more stable... Time for ASCII art:
---- | | -----
Put a little pivot/lock at the top and it is instantly angle adjustable and all the space of this solution. Hell, for that matter, simply screw one 1'x1' square into the base of the desk flush against the back "wall" and the top part (still could pivot) and it is equally as hidden and much more stable.
With a slight bit of neurons firing, just about any third-grader could come up with a better solution.
OK so you live in an area with poor electricity... I live in PA in a small town and also have poor power. My power used to go out 3 times a day until recently. When it was daytime, I would use that as an excuse to get outside and do something. When it was night, I throw some batteries in a radio or read by a candle/booklight. Again, solar panels, windmills, electric cars were never a requirement to live.
Let me ask you a question: If everyone drove a Toyota Prius, in 5 years or so when the batteries stop holding a charge what would we do with all of the waste? And seeing as how I've had cars last me 15 years, that's three battery changes PER CAR! (even at two battery changes in the lifespan it is just insane)
How bout all the solar solutions that charge battery banks? When these batteries stop holding charges what then? A real eco-saving solution.
All this eco crap is useless. Now to use your own solar to get off the grid to stop paying a bill is commendable, but to claim it all for the greater good and "green"-ness is just moronic. A single factory pumps out more crap in a day than you can generate in a lifetime, and it isn't going to change until we ruin our planet completely. Whether I pay $12g's for solar panels or not we're all fucked eventually... I just don't need to piss into the ocean to feel important.
grrrr, if the power goes out and it is DAYTIME... go outside and Freakin do something! I have seen this response like 5 times so far in this thread and it just smacks of stupidity.
When I lose power the only time it sucks is night-time... and then I use an eco-friendly "candle"
Honestly, all this eco-crap makes me sick. It is all B.S. that makes people with too much money feel good about themelves. Gee... dive a Prius it only is packed to the gills with hazardous batteries... but never mind that, it's so eco-friendly! Piss off!
Nope, you are not alone. Configuring network addressing/firewalls, downloading patches, Logging into a game, finding people to play against, and then getting sniped at the spawn point every time makes for a real enjoyable gaming experience... at least people like to think so.
I've been a gamer for over 20 years, a member of the gaming media, and NEVER am I compelled to play an online title. I just want to escape a bit when I play a game not be thrust right back into the asshats of society with spamming/cheating/cursing/n00b-this/etc. A lot of people do. Online gaming is a fad, and a fad that really hasn't caught on nor will it ever. People want to "lose" themselves for a bit when they play a game... just like watching a movie. It's like going to see a movie where people have cell phones ringing/talking, people laughing/clapping, walking about, etc. it detracts from the experience.
I attempted to get into an online game "Guild Wars" and for a while I was hooked in a bit... except I could never get immersed into the world because of the human element. How can you get into a fantasy setting with idiots running around in ther underware, dancing/air guitaring, spamming trade chat, and ruining strategies when in missions for the "fun" of it? You can't. I went and bought Champions of Norrath for the PS2 for a solo RPG and instantly was drawn in.
That is what this is. To ensure the PSP keeps faltering and the DS more attractive, and with owning Rare this is a smart move. Rare has craploads of Nintendo experience and can pump out titles quite easily (something both the DS and PSP desperately need)... however what I don't want to see is Nintendo go the way of Sega and just make software for MS down the road. Nintendo is the last breath of fresh air in the market today, Stealing Rare was a big blow (and one Nintendo should have fought to the death over), I just don't want this to get ugly.. and with MS that is most likely the only outcome.
I'd be perfectly happy to get no silly "karma" from these comments... they are simply comments. And I did not regurgitate info, I simply broke it down and added my anger at the current state of big-business and politics and how companies can squash a very good thing due to their greed.
You know in my area of PA people are far from rich, I actually used to work at a dial-up service provider in the area that up until when I left had over 2,000 customers and there are 5 other Dial-up providers in just our area all doing very well. DSL is not available everywhere here, nor do people have the money for it, but using tax dollars to give people quick reliable access to the internet could help kids/teens explore new ideas and maybe make something of themselves (there are other things online than/., pr0n, im, and email). Using our tax money to help upgrade the life of the community members is a good thing, and I would much rather see it go to that than line some crooked-ass local politicians wallet as is mostly the case around here.
Simply not true. I have had DSL for over 6 years now. It has pretty much been $50-$40 in that time with no real increase in service or speed.
Your assumptions would be true if it were a COMPETITIVE market but it is not for vast areas in the U.S. There is most likely only one choice and in some instances two if you count cable and DSL both being available. These roughly produce the same speeds at between $40-50/month and have been for many years.
Look at Sattelite TV, it has risen in price even though the more to use it should lower costs. Look at cellphones, people pay more now than when they were new, Cable TV, Dial-up... these trends do not work because of the barriers to entry.
I guarantee you in 5 years that the costs of DSL will be $40-30 still and the speeds will be on par with what we have today.
Yeah, Yeah, I already replied with the corrected math... I knew instantly upon hitting submit that the math nazi's would be on me like white on rice.
The thing is that even a 100 people per square mile is no big deal in even the smallest one-horse towns. Also you have to realize these numbers include the initial costs as well as maintenance, and they only projected it over 5 years because after that the costs drop off significantly. In any network the initial costs are high and then go to almost nil.
Umm, Jupiter Networks needs some basic math skills or to stop being funded by companies who will lose if Muni Wi-Fi succeeds.
Lets see here, One square Mile in FIVE years costs $150,000. At $25.00 a month (per user) that's $1,500 in FIVE years PER user. Now as long as there are at least 10 freakin people per square mile you've at least broke even... and this is in cities, so I think there will be more than 10 damn people using the system.
God, these people who are clawing to keep this from happening to benefit the public for their own greed sicken me. I'm glad we try so hard to build useful infrastructure that is affordable and accessible to all of us who pay 30% of our paychecks to gain some usefulness besides lining some corrupt-ass politician's pockets instead. Our money is *much* better in his pocket than in the community where some benefit would be realized.
And FTR, MY internet access costs more like $40 per month and I'm sure most others do too. Give me a break!
I find no fault with your comment, but I would ask that you look at this offering with a bit more open mind. Nintendo has already stated that they are commited to making development as open as possible with the Revolution. Nintendo is well aware of its mistakes, moreso than most game companies, and it is smart at combating them with innovation and style.
Knowing full well the mass-produced junk that is out there by the hundreds, they strive to be different. Sometimes it is just too much and puts people off (Nintendogs, Pikmin, etc.) This more open approach will allow all of the smaller game studios that could never afford the resources, money, or time to produce for either the PS3 or the Xbox360 (of which there will be TONS) it may even allow homebrew type games, this is big. When the other systems will have maybe one title a month, the Revolution could potentially have 10-100 or even more. This will bring fresh blood and ideas (both sorely needed) and move away from hollywood-like games which are killing the industry slowly. Think of a hundred games as innovative as Katamari Damacy on one system and that is the potential for the Revolution.
I'm not bashing the PS3 or Xbox 360, it is just fact that it will take massive time and money to devel for them which means big-budget titles only from big-name developers and not many of them, also the architecture of these systems lends them to FPS/sports/eye candy over AI and creativity. I will be happy to pay even $299 for a Revolution where I can play old favorites for a reasonable amount (~$5.00), 1st party Nintendo titles of which there are generally 10 or so that most gamers can find that fit them on either N64 or GC, and then experience the third-party and indie/homebrew games that come about. That sounds like a well rounded gaming system and experience to me... much better than a big expensive, complex, media center that happens to play the latest overhyped EA sports title, FPS, GTA/rapper, and HD eyecandy pwns j00 title. I think most people feel this way that are not 13-16 year old boys, and those of us with the money to "vote" are out of the MS/Sony Demographic these days.
It is a big shift in videogames right now. I have been gaming since the Atari 2600 and had been a member of the videogame media for 4 years covering PS2 titles... I have the exact same feelings as you. After a while (especially to those of us who remember what fresh and innovative games really meant) all the FPS, Sports, Psuedo-movie RPG/MGS, Cliches, etc. become tiring.
I have been predicting that the Revolution will actually be the real "winner" of the next-gen. As someone who has a bit more mature outlook on games, gaming, and the likes the Revolution is the one that is appealing to many gamers looking to break out of the monotony. I don't want to spend $400+ on a console that tries to be everything, I want to spend a normal amount on a dedicated gaming console that has some old favorites, and some innovative new additions... as do many.
If Nintendo fails I am predicting this to be the second crash of the videogame industry. High priced systems that will have very few games over their lifespans (and even less diversity) are going to put off a lot of people who are used to expecting multiple releases per week/month. The cost of producing titles for the PS3 and 360 are prohibitive, and the time investment is also staggering to produce for these systems. Nintendo is appealing to the small/indie developer and I hope, for everyones sake, that this takes off. A lot of disillusioned fanboys on both sides of MS and Sony are going to be clinging on to the one or two banner titles for their system of choice for a good while before they are going to see another noteworthy title.
and don't forget Molyneux, Fable being an Xbox exclusive made no difference and in fact hurt sales figures severely.
Xbox 360: "When You've Given Up Hope Of a Real Game Development Career!" Now with more hard to develop for cores so your games can suck better! (tm)(r)
Let MS and Sony bash each other and spill all of their specs for one or two big headlines in the media, then Nintendo lets out a little more and steals the headlines. Let Sony and MS build hype up for their launch, Nintendo drops the big bombs such as the controller. It is a chesslike marketing game, and with this announcement Nintendo has the ability to keep firing shots in the whole way until the launches of the PS3 and 360 and stealing their thunder. I personally think it is brilliant and will actually swing the favor to Nintendo wildly as the launches near.
Slashdot Mirror
Sure, two massive easily scratched screens doesn't make it delicate at all. Just because *closed* your DS took ONE fall and survived they must be built like heavy-armor tanks. oh, and all the delicate electronics in the PSP must also be able to handle small-arms fire too.
Put a GBA and either a PSP or DS up against each other and see which one lasts. Your a fool to think either new portable is more durable. Hinges, large screens, delicate optical drives, yeah I must be crazy to think the way I do.
I would love for you to show me how Game and Watch is not one of the biggest innovations and spawned the entire console market. I would love for you to show me prior art for Bubble Bobble, I would also love to see how you attempt to break some of these down. Shenmue was the first title to have unrestrained production values, another huge innovation... not in game design/play but in how games are created. Not all innovation means that it has been done before, simply an innovative twist that changes gaming overall or in it's genre. Innovation does not mean totally new, never been done before, change the world... if it did then after the total number of plotline structures for books/film were defined no one has innovated since. c'mon. I find it so funny how many people are angered by the fact when someone states the Japanese innovate in electronics and games... it is a fact. Americans, europeans, and the rest have done soem cool shit too... but they are hardly the driving force of the media. Ever notice how MS needs to pander to the Japanese to succeed, there is a reason, America and Europe put together don't matter to them if they can't capture at least a chunk of Japan and Japanese designers.
Heh, and you think high development costs on a portable system are hindering game development... wait for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Development costs and timeframes have never been even close to this magnitude. These "next-gen" consoles are going to have the smallest libraries ever. I've been saying it all along and people keep claiming otherwise... we'll see soon enough.
It truly is bleak right now with these two lack-luster offerings (I'm not even dignifying the Ngage) The PSP and DS are flops in my eyes, and aparently a lot of others' because the GBA is still outselling them. No one wants an expensive, delicate portable game system... especially one with so few games available of any quality or substance as the PSP and DS. Lumines, Nintendogs, Electroplankton, etc. are just not killer apps.
Honestly, these two systems have been out for some time now with no major titles to carry them and none in the foreseeable future. A true shame.
I appreciate the response but I think you missed my question. I am quite well versed in DIY/Hacks hardware, software, Audio, and visual (and even mineral and vegetable :) So yes, I understand about light temps, etc.
What my question is is that these LCD projectors for Overhead projectors (as is used in the article) are only made to be used for short periods at a time due to the heat from the overhead's bulb causing the LCD part to begin to distort. If you haven't please read the article and you will see it is a two part system: A regular classroom overhead projector as the light source and lens, and a overlay LCD product that sits on top of the overhead as a transparency would.
Just like leaving a transparancy on top of a overhead for two straight hours would bake it into a nice rendition of a shrinky-dink the same happens to the delicate lcd projector overlay. I college my professor used one of these units and the overhead had to be turned off for periods while she lectured to keep it from warping/distorting the LCD overlay. I have a feeling this would be the same in this case and am wondering if it is or not.
I would love to build a DIY projector (I even entertained the one where you put a TV upside down in a box with a fresnel lens on the front - like the plans sold to idiots on Ebay claiming a huge projection TV)
Again, any response is appreciated.
heh, you really amuse me. It's the only reason I keep wasting time to reply. Umm, I am an American and covered American games for well over 4 years... a japanese fanboy I am not in the least, I simply have a solid grasp of the videogame industry and history. I still find it funny that you equate the fucking *publisher* with mattering at all in where the game was developed. How sad, a publisher simply publishes a game. Yeah all of those games were NOT created and developed by an American or in America, my point exactly. When you beat a game and the credits roll how many times do you see American names taking up the majority of the screen? Yeah, didn't think so.
Here's a shortlist from memory, I am not going to post why each is innovative but will be glad to for each listed:
Game and Watch, ICO, REZ, Seaman, Jet Set Radio, Silent Hill, Shenmue, Animal Crossing, DDR, Parappa, Mad Maestro, Katmari Damacy, Mr. Mosquito, Nintendogs, Double Dragon/Street Fighter, Bubble Bobble, King of Fighters, Virtua Fighter, 1942, Mahjongg, Nintendo in general, possibly Super Mario Bros., Puyo Pop, Pokemon, Shining Force, Train Simulators, Dating simulators, and that's off the top of my head.
I don't plan on arguing with you anymore, this subject comes up and people can argue till their blue in the face. The simple fact that if you took Japan (hardware and software innovations) out of the gaming equation where would we be? Walk up and down the isle at EBGames and look for American developed titles that are AAA and innovative... I'll wait.
HaHa, you are an idiot and you have now proved it with your completely off-base response which is wrong on so many factual levels it would take me hours to break them all down.
hehe, yeah lump in Canada, Europe, etc. to claim *AMERICA* is where innovation comes from. Christ, flawed logic spews forth from your post like a waterfall. Umm, Molyneux is not American by the way... but again, in your made up world he is.
Gee, simulation titles aren't deried from Japanese titles... heh, whatever.
Yeah, you must be right, "pet" games and "party" games that's all the Japanese have contributed... what an asshat. You now must revoke your geek license and go sit in the corner because everyone now sees the sheer stupidity you have created in your mind.
I never stated ALL Japanese games are innovative... I stated exactly what I meant, the Japanese demand originality and innovation much more than Americans do. I was a game reviewer for some years, and have extensively worked in the industry, I am quite sure of my comments.
Think back through the major innovative games, how many originated in Japan or from a Japanese game? TONS. Tetris is an exception, Myst to some extent, and a few others but could be counted without taking my pants or shoes off.
The real innovation in gaming comes from Japan, to argue that is stupidity. Americans are happy with more of the same, and sequels and clones... it's sad. Japan has it's share of junk and clones and we have FPS/twitch crap it is all overdone and losing luster.
Take a couple minutes to search the current top titles in Japan and over the life of the same consoles as in america and look at the differences. They are quite apparent.
Wow, this took a scientific survey? The Japanese are not suckers like we are here, in fact Europe is not either when it comes to consoles. One mediocre game (Halo) is not enough to get them excited in the least. They demand innovation, sometimes wacky, and also games that are targeted to them. Xbox will never supply this. How many unique puzzle games on Xbox... yeah. How many dating simulators/train simulators/anime/etc. titles on xbox... yeah. How many Hentai, Mahjongg, puyo pop, Katmari Damacy's... yeah. Oooh, a ton of crap-ass eye-candy FPS titles and an old GC rehash of Kameo redone... gee, I wonder why the Japanese aren't buying MS's bullshit marketing toward them.
Please, I just wish Americans would wake up and realize that these new FPS/media "consoles" are about as lame as vanilla ice cream when it comes to trying to push gaming forward.
Is that I remember in college a professor of mine using one of these overhead LCD projector doo-dads and she had to constantly turn the overhead off while lecturing because the heat of the projector would start to "burn" the LCD and the image would be distorted on the screen. After cooling down it would work again, but still during a 2+ hour movie or gaming session... I just can't see how this will work.
Now overhead projector technology may have come a long way (hehe) since then but isn't this an issue? At the very least, especially when it is crammed in a felt-lined box.
Anyone know?
Umm, well the iPod is like really popular and its white and plasticky. Thats the cool new edgy "extreeeme" color so we made this dog-bone shape.. and we were like totally stoked... then we made it white... oooh! and it had to have glowy bits so we did that too. Yeah us are great designers, and we're just interns! Rawk!
Puh-lease... the Xbox 360 "design" is as original as buttered toast. Next slashvertisement please.
Good Sweet Jeebus! This is Front page geek news?!? A monkey and a orangutan gould fashion something equally as "cool" as this. I'm no engineer (but I play one on TV) But building a simple "C" shaped structure would yield the same thing and be much more stable... Time for ASCII art:
----
|
|
-----
Put a little pivot/lock at the top and it is instantly angle adjustable and all the space of this solution. Hell, for that matter, simply screw one 1'x1' square into the base of the desk flush against the back "wall" and the top part (still could pivot) and it is equally as hidden and much more stable.
With a slight bit of neurons firing, just about any third-grader could come up with a better solution.
OK so you live in an area with poor electricity... I live in PA in a small town and also have poor power. My power used to go out 3 times a day until recently. When it was daytime, I would use that as an excuse to get outside and do something. When it was night, I throw some batteries in a radio or read by a candle/booklight. Again, solar panels, windmills, electric cars were never a requirement to live.
Let me ask you a question: If everyone drove a Toyota Prius, in 5 years or so when the batteries stop holding a charge what would we do with all of the waste? And seeing as how I've had cars last me 15 years, that's three battery changes PER CAR! (even at two battery changes in the lifespan it is just insane)
How bout all the solar solutions that charge battery banks? When these batteries stop holding charges what then? A real eco-saving solution.
All this eco crap is useless. Now to use your own solar to get off the grid to stop paying a bill is commendable, but to claim it all for the greater good and "green"-ness is just moronic. A single factory pumps out more crap in a day than you can generate in a lifetime, and it isn't going to change until we ruin our planet completely. Whether I pay $12g's for solar panels or not we're all fucked eventually... I just don't need to piss into the ocean to feel important.
grrrr, if the power goes out and it is DAYTIME... go outside and Freakin do something! I have seen this response like 5 times so far in this thread and it just smacks of stupidity.
When I lose power the only time it sucks is night-time... and then I use an eco-friendly "candle"
Honestly, all this eco-crap makes me sick. It is all B.S. that makes people with too much money feel good about themelves. Gee... dive a Prius it only is packed to the gills with hazardous batteries... but never mind that, it's so eco-friendly! Piss off!
Nope, you are not alone. Configuring network addressing/firewalls, downloading patches, Logging into a game, finding people to play against, and then getting sniped at the spawn point every time makes for a real enjoyable gaming experience... at least people like to think so.
I've been a gamer for over 20 years, a member of the gaming media, and NEVER am I compelled to play an online title. I just want to escape a bit when I play a game not be thrust right back into the asshats of society with spamming/cheating/cursing/n00b-this/etc. A lot of people do. Online gaming is a fad, and a fad that really hasn't caught on nor will it ever. People want to "lose" themselves for a bit when they play a game... just like watching a movie. It's like going to see a movie where people have cell phones ringing/talking, people laughing/clapping, walking about, etc. it detracts from the experience.
I attempted to get into an online game "Guild Wars" and for a while I was hooked in a bit... except I could never get immersed into the world because of the human element. How can you get into a fantasy setting with idiots running around in ther underware, dancing/air guitaring, spamming trade chat, and ruining strategies when in missions for the "fun" of it? You can't. I went and bought Champions of Norrath for the PS2 for a solo RPG and instantly was drawn in.
That is what this is. To ensure the PSP keeps faltering and the DS more attractive, and with owning Rare this is a smart move. Rare has craploads of Nintendo experience and can pump out titles quite easily (something both the DS and PSP desperately need)... however what I don't want to see is Nintendo go the way of Sega and just make software for MS down the road. Nintendo is the last breath of fresh air in the market today, Stealing Rare was a big blow (and one Nintendo should have fought to the death over), I just don't want this to get ugly.. and with MS that is most likely the only outcome.
I'd be perfectly happy to get no silly "karma" from these comments... they are simply comments. And I did not regurgitate info, I simply broke it down and added my anger at the current state of big-business and politics and how companies can squash a very good thing due to their greed.
/., pr0n, im, and email). Using our tax money to help upgrade the life of the community members is a good thing, and I would much rather see it go to that than line some crooked-ass local politicians wallet as is mostly the case around here.
You know in my area of PA people are far from rich, I actually used to work at a dial-up service provider in the area that up until when I left had over 2,000 customers and there are 5 other Dial-up providers in just our area all doing very well. DSL is not available everywhere here, nor do people have the money for it, but using tax dollars to give people quick reliable access to the internet could help kids/teens explore new ideas and maybe make something of themselves (there are other things online than
Simply not true. I have had DSL for over 6 years now. It has pretty much been $50-$40 in that time with no real increase in service or speed.
Your assumptions would be true if it were a COMPETITIVE market but it is not for vast areas in the U.S. There is most likely only one choice and in some instances two if you count cable and DSL both being available. These roughly produce the same speeds at between $40-50/month and have been for many years.
Look at Sattelite TV, it has risen in price even though the more to use it should lower costs. Look at cellphones, people pay more now than when they were new, Cable TV, Dial-up... these trends do not work because of the barriers to entry.
I guarantee you in 5 years that the costs of DSL will be $40-30 still and the speeds will be on par with what we have today.
Yeah, Yeah, I already replied with the corrected math... I knew instantly upon hitting submit that the math nazi's would be on me like white on rice.
The thing is that even a 100 people per square mile is no big deal in even the smallest one-horse towns. Also you have to realize these numbers include the initial costs as well as maintenance, and they only projected it over 5 years because after that the costs drop off significantly. In any network the initial costs are high and then go to almost nil.
heh, that would be 100 people per square mile before anyone gang rapes me on the math... it's early and I haven' thad my caffiene yet. My bad.
Umm, Jupiter Networks needs some basic math skills or to stop being funded by companies who will lose if Muni Wi-Fi succeeds.
Lets see here, One square Mile in FIVE years costs $150,000. At $25.00 a month (per user) that's $1,500 in FIVE years PER user. Now as long as there are at least 10 freakin people per square mile you've at least broke even... and this is in cities, so I think there will be more than 10 damn people using the system.
God, these people who are clawing to keep this from happening to benefit the public for their own greed sicken me. I'm glad we try so hard to build useful infrastructure that is affordable and accessible to all of us who pay 30% of our paychecks to gain some usefulness besides lining some corrupt-ass politician's pockets instead. Our money is *much* better in his pocket than in the community where some benefit would be realized.
And FTR, MY internet access costs more like $40 per month and I'm sure most others do too. Give me a break!
I find no fault with your comment, but I would ask that you look at this offering with a bit more open mind. Nintendo has already stated that they are commited to making development as open as possible with the Revolution. Nintendo is well aware of its mistakes, moreso than most game companies, and it is smart at combating them with innovation and style.
Knowing full well the mass-produced junk that is out there by the hundreds, they strive to be different. Sometimes it is just too much and puts people off (Nintendogs, Pikmin, etc.) This more open approach will allow all of the smaller game studios that could never afford the resources, money, or time to produce for either the PS3 or the Xbox360 (of which there will be TONS) it may even allow homebrew type games, this is big. When the other systems will have maybe one title a month, the Revolution could potentially have 10-100 or even more. This will bring fresh blood and ideas (both sorely needed) and move away from hollywood-like games which are killing the industry slowly. Think of a hundred games as innovative as Katamari Damacy on one system and that is the potential for the Revolution.
I'm not bashing the PS3 or Xbox 360, it is just fact that it will take massive time and money to devel for them which means big-budget titles only from big-name developers and not many of them, also the architecture of these systems lends them to FPS/sports/eye candy over AI and creativity. I will be happy to pay even $299 for a Revolution where I can play old favorites for a reasonable amount (~$5.00), 1st party Nintendo titles of which there are generally 10 or so that most gamers can find that fit them on either N64 or GC, and then experience the third-party and indie/homebrew games that come about. That sounds like a well rounded gaming system and experience to me... much better than a big expensive, complex, media center that happens to play the latest overhyped EA sports title, FPS, GTA/rapper, and HD eyecandy pwns j00 title. I think most people feel this way that are not 13-16 year old boys, and those of us with the money to "vote" are out of the MS/Sony Demographic these days.
It is a big shift in videogames right now. I have been gaming since the Atari 2600 and had been a member of the videogame media for 4 years covering PS2 titles... I have the exact same feelings as you. After a while (especially to those of us who remember what fresh and innovative games really meant) all the FPS, Sports, Psuedo-movie RPG/MGS, Cliches, etc. become tiring.
I have been predicting that the Revolution will actually be the real "winner" of the next-gen. As someone who has a bit more mature outlook on games, gaming, and the likes the Revolution is the one that is appealing to many gamers looking to break out of the monotony. I don't want to spend $400+ on a console that tries to be everything, I want to spend a normal amount on a dedicated gaming console that has some old favorites, and some innovative new additions... as do many.
If Nintendo fails I am predicting this to be the second crash of the videogame industry. High priced systems that will have very few games over their lifespans (and even less diversity) are going to put off a lot of people who are used to expecting multiple releases per week/month. The cost of producing titles for the PS3 and 360 are prohibitive, and the time investment is also staggering to produce for these systems. Nintendo is appealing to the small/indie developer and I hope, for everyones sake, that this takes off. A lot of disillusioned fanboys on both sides of MS and Sony are going to be clinging on to the one or two banner titles for their system of choice for a good while before they are going to see another noteworthy title.
Word.
and don't forget Molyneux, Fable being an Xbox exclusive made no difference and in fact hurt sales figures severely.
Xbox 360: "When You've Given Up Hope Of a Real Game Development Career!" Now with more hard to develop for cores so your games can suck better! (tm)(r)
Let MS and Sony bash each other and spill all of their specs for one or two big headlines in the media, then Nintendo lets out a little more and steals the headlines. Let Sony and MS build hype up for their launch, Nintendo drops the big bombs such as the controller. It is a chesslike marketing game, and with this announcement Nintendo has the ability to keep firing shots in the whole way until the launches of the PS3 and 360 and stealing their thunder. I personally think it is brilliant and will actually swing the favor to Nintendo wildly as the launches near.