Brad has already explained that he has no plans to sell to SOE. That's what led to his original corporate promotion and his eventual decision to leave and start up Sigil. He would be throwing away years of his career to sell, so I really think you should give him more credit than that.
People have been overreacting to this all day, even though it's actually a boon for Vanguard.
1) Sigil now has complete control over production, release, and funding -- they didn't before. (Microsoft was pushing for an earlier, unfinished release)
2) Sigil now makes a greater profit from the game, as they now own the IP rights. Expansions will be released on THEIR schedule, not at SOE's.
3) SOE will ONLY be handling marketing and technical support. They are probably the best in the business at both, even if they suck at developing.
4) Sigil will provide in-game customer service; GMs will be Sigil employees and Guides will be part of a volunteer program.
5) Any attempts on the part of SOE to bully Sigil will be considered breach of contract, and Sigil will move to a different datacenter. They have stated this in the face of so much 'player' opposition -- I really doubt anything is going to happen.
In summary: The game belongs more to Sigil now than it ever has, and this partnership is going to benefit the game greatly. Brad and company have been very forthcoming and honest about this over at the Vanguard boards, and that's a trend that's going to continue.
So, if everyone is 'officially' 18 on MySpace, sexual predators will just have a claim against accusations of pedophilia when girls lie about their age to get an account. "I didn't know she was underaged! Her profile says 18!"
Ever been to a travelling exhibition of Miro's work? Tickets run somewhere in the area of $10+. This is an obscene cost for an artist who, quite frankly, had little impact on the course of commercial art. I saw the Ghent Altarpiece, one of the most significant works ever painted, for like $4.
I didn't even want to see the Miro exhibit, but I was forced to pay the price of admission so I could walk by the whole damn thing and find the El Grecos in the back of the gallery.
I understand the problems that the Miro Estate face -- I'll be inheriting a similar body of copyrights from my own father -- but Jesus Christ, people. One of my father's works was featured in a political cartoon (non-parody), and my family loved it. We didn't spit on the cartoonist. And under U.S. law, you do not have to protect your trademarks from non-commercial tributes in order to maintain them. These people are just a bunch of greedy snivellers.
But I don't think there are any simple solutions. I recommend grabbing a copy of the original Half-Life and downloading the SDK. Developing for HL is fairly simple if you know a bit of C++ and enough about CAD to map with the Valve Hammer Editor. Modelling ain't so easy, but there's no solution for that other than just learning to do it.
This proves my conspiracy theory. You think you're listening to music, but in reality, your brain juice is being sucked out and put to nefarious use by the CIA.
The truth is out there, my friends! Protect your precious bodily fluids!
This is not a game to be praised. This is a game that has shown exactly how far companies will go to inconvenience legitimate, paying customers. From what I hear, pirates still made the game work just fine, by the way.
I sincerely doubt you are a "legitimate, paying customer," so it really doesn't matter. I refuse to buy games with StarForce attached, because it's genuine malware that treats the customer like a criminal. In contrast, I've found Steam to be incredibly convenient for content delivery -- I don't even have to have my CDs to install the game. In fact, I really dig Steam, because it guarantees small developers a greater percentage profit than conventional distribution methods.
So save your high and mighty derision for a game that you've actually bought and given a chance, okay?
As for the physics in Half-Life 2, they're phenomenal IMO. In retrospect, I'm glad the game was delayed for so long, if perfecting physics integration was this complex of a process.
If you don't like Slashdot, try Soviet Russia, where the Government sits around doing nothing but criticizing YOU!
Slashdot: Editorializing for your amusement
on
Office Delayed, Too
·
· Score: 1
What does this mean for Microsoft and its reputation as a company that can eventually ship software? What will this mean for office managers who have to plan upgrades and budgets? Will this make anyone look at OpenOffice.org?
Will this diabolical delay put a damper on daily productivity!? Will competitors claim the keys to the corporate giant's coffin!? Has Microsoft finally met its match?!
When I want to do word processing online, I use PBWiki on a private page. You have a complete history of changes made to the page available to download as backup versions, etc. And the wiki is available to you from any computer with an internet connection.
These are the only possible advantages I can see to word processing online, outside of cost benefit. I'd much rather use MS Word or Open Office for most tasks.
Yes, but these are awarded by an international community of game developers. They don't really reflect the consumer opinion, they're just meant to acknowledge games that developers admire. I can definitely see how SotC wins in this area, as the concept is very inspiring.
I'm not very concerned with progress in hardware. My 3 year old computer runs pretty much anything just fine, and I expect it to continue doing so for a few years to come, at least. Right now, I'm severely disappointed by the lack of ideas in technology. There's only so far you can take word processing, e-mail, scheduling, etc. Enough with 'innovation' in those areas, already!
What I'd really like to see is improved content creation tools. How about 3D scanners, so Joe Artmajor can easily scan his sculptures into modelling programs? They exist, but they aren't on the consumer market yet. I'd rather see that than another few years of GPU speed wars.
The terrorists have open-sourced their WMDs, and the DRM on your BRR (Big Red Button) has expired. I've called an emergency meeting with Linus Torvald.
The 12 hours are up, and everything went perfectly. He hit a few difficult snags in gameplay here and there, but came up with some neat ways to solve the problems. The Xbox 360 hung up one time during loading, but it seems to have been the console's fault, after 10 hours of straight use.
I have to say, I was not impressed with the game until I watched this marathon. Now I'm seriously considering buying it for PC.
I was thinking this. Thief is a superior stealth game, and it doesn't resort to pandering like the Hitman series. Thief has a level of maturity that has earned my respect, so I'm sold on it. Hitman always seems like it's been marketted to 12 year-olds, so I couldn't care less about it.
I solved this problem a long time ago...
on
Shock Game Advertising
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
...by staying far, far away from gaming magazines. Except "Computer Games Magazine," since they tend to be tasteful, and the articles are very competently written.
As for everything else, I've even stopped buying PC gaming magazines to read during long flights. It's EMBARASSING to be reading something with 'hawt decaying undead chix' splayed lewdly across the front and back covers, especially in a crowded airport.
This is where their spectacularly bad support comes in. First of all, if you call, you tend to get someone who barely speaks English (outsourcing?). Second, if you want technical issues like this addressed, you have to pay for a service plan (which I didn't do).
I didn't file a complaint, because I got the card to work through a bit of ingenuity. I only found the problem a year after purchase, when I formatted the hard drive and found that neither the included nor the official drivers worked. The overheating problem didn't kick in until I moved the PC into a new apartment (where the temperature was average instead of freezing), so again, I wasn't aware of it until a year later. Warranty time is up by then, etc.
Sure, it sucks, but I've had worse. Personally, I'm just not going to buy from them anymore. I do feel sorry for recommending them to a friend, however, as he opted for a slightly less expensive build that tends to explode at random.
I cannot stress enough how true this is. Alienware support is terrible, terrible, terrible. They also use unsupported generic versions of some parts. For instance, I ordered my Alienware with a Sound Blaster Audigy 2. It came with some kind of a Audigy 1 that had been modified to be recognized as an Audigy 2. Official Creative drivers do not work; I've had to resort to alternatives.
And don't be fooled into believing that your Alienware will never overheat, with all of those fans. I do everything I can to prevent overheating -- to the point of underclocking -- and somehow the system still hangs when it gets too hot. I think it may have something to do with the motherboard (which I wasn't able to specify).
I'm not completely disappointed with the machine. It's had less problems that previous machines, but for such a high price... I mean, I've built my own computers before, but I thought it would be nice to just order a nice clean gaming package. Never gonna make that mistake again.
This isn't flaimbait. It's true. What happened yesterday on the floor of the senate is a good reason to be afraid of warrantless search. Right now the only people standing between your private data and the executive branch are Google and Feingold.
Slashdot Mirror
Or maybe I have for the last 6 years, and it's far superior to every comparable company on the market.
I'm glad to see everyone at Slashdot is so rational about these things.
Brad has already explained that he has no plans to sell to SOE. That's what led to his original corporate promotion and his eventual decision to leave and start up Sigil. He would be throwing away years of his career to sell, so I really think you should give him more credit than that.
People have been overreacting to this all day, even though it's actually a boon for Vanguard.
1) Sigil now has complete control over production, release, and funding -- they didn't before. (Microsoft was pushing for an earlier, unfinished release)
2) Sigil now makes a greater profit from the game, as they now own the IP rights. Expansions will be released on THEIR schedule, not at SOE's.
3) SOE will ONLY be handling marketing and technical support. They are probably the best in the business at both, even if they suck at developing.
4) Sigil will provide in-game customer service; GMs will be Sigil employees and Guides will be part of a volunteer program.
5) Any attempts on the part of SOE to bully Sigil will be considered breach of contract, and Sigil will move to a different datacenter. They have stated this in the face of so much 'player' opposition -- I really doubt anything is going to happen.
In summary: The game belongs more to Sigil now than it ever has, and this partnership is going to benefit the game greatly. Brad and company have been very forthcoming and honest about this over at the Vanguard boards, and that's a trend that's going to continue.
Yeah, but either way, this isn't the solution. Just a bad idea in theory and in practice.
So, if everyone is 'officially' 18 on MySpace, sexual predators will just have a claim against accusations of pedophilia when girls lie about their age to get an account. "I didn't know she was underaged! Her profile says 18!"
Great idea, guys.
Ever been to a travelling exhibition of Miro's work? Tickets run somewhere in the area of $10+. This is an obscene cost for an artist who, quite frankly, had little impact on the course of commercial art. I saw the Ghent Altarpiece, one of the most significant works ever painted, for like $4.
I didn't even want to see the Miro exhibit, but I was forced to pay the price of admission so I could walk by the whole damn thing and find the El Grecos in the back of the gallery.
I understand the problems that the Miro Estate face -- I'll be inheriting a similar body of copyrights from my own father -- but Jesus Christ, people. One of my father's works was featured in a political cartoon (non-parody), and my family loved it. We didn't spit on the cartoonist. And under U.S. law, you do not have to protect your trademarks from non-commercial tributes in order to maintain them. These people are just a bunch of greedy snivellers.
But I don't think there are any simple solutions. I recommend grabbing a copy of the original Half-Life and downloading the SDK. Developing for HL is fairly simple if you know a bit of C++ and enough about CAD to map with the Valve Hammer Editor. Modelling ain't so easy, but there's no solution for that other than just learning to do it.
This proves my conspiracy theory. You think you're listening to music, but in reality, your brain juice is being sucked out and put to nefarious use by the CIA.
The truth is out there, my friends! Protect your precious bodily fluids!
This is not a game to be praised. This is a game that has shown exactly how far companies will go to inconvenience legitimate, paying customers. From what I hear, pirates still made the game work just fine, by the way.
I sincerely doubt you are a "legitimate, paying customer," so it really doesn't matter. I refuse to buy games with StarForce attached, because it's genuine malware that treats the customer like a criminal. In contrast, I've found Steam to be incredibly convenient for content delivery -- I don't even have to have my CDs to install the game. In fact, I really dig Steam, because it guarantees small developers a greater percentage profit than conventional distribution methods.
So save your high and mighty derision for a game that you've actually bought and given a chance, okay?
As for the physics in Half-Life 2, they're phenomenal IMO. In retrospect, I'm glad the game was delayed for so long, if perfecting physics integration was this complex of a process.
Yeah, until you load up Throne of Bhaal, and Aerie starts throwing in *giggles* and comments about your 'size.'
Crrreeeeepy. I think the writers for ToB were bunkered up alone in their cubicles for too long.
Oh my God, that's tragic. :(
How could they reject a news story like that?
If you don't like Slashdot, try Soviet Russia, where the Government sits around doing nothing but criticizing YOU!
What does this mean for Microsoft and its reputation as a company that can eventually ship software? What will this mean for office managers who have to plan upgrades and budgets? Will this make anyone look at OpenOffice.org?
Will this diabolical delay put a damper on daily productivity!? Will competitors claim the keys to the corporate giant's coffin!? Has Microsoft finally met its match?!
Stay tuuuuuned and find out!
When I want to do word processing online, I use PBWiki on a private page. You have a complete history of changes made to the page available to download as backup versions, etc. And the wiki is available to you from any computer with an internet connection.
These are the only possible advantages I can see to word processing online, outside of cost benefit. I'd much rather use MS Word or Open Office for most tasks.
Yes, but these are awarded by an international community of game developers. They don't really reflect the consumer opinion, they're just meant to acknowledge games that developers admire. I can definitely see how SotC wins in this area, as the concept is very inspiring.
I'm not very concerned with progress in hardware. My 3 year old computer runs pretty much anything just fine, and I expect it to continue doing so for a few years to come, at least. Right now, I'm severely disappointed by the lack of ideas in technology. There's only so far you can take word processing, e-mail, scheduling, etc. Enough with 'innovation' in those areas, already!
What I'd really like to see is improved content creation tools. How about 3D scanners, so Joe Artmajor can easily scan his sculptures into modelling programs? They exist, but they aren't on the consumer market yet. I'd rather see that than another few years of GPU speed wars.
If what I do is not legal they can call me a criminal. I don't care. I don't see myself as a criminal.
Obi-wan: Don't you see, unlawful modification is EVIL?!?
Anakin: From my point of view Sony is evil!!
Fortunately, he doesn't post on Slashdot, so he's able to backtrack and correct spelling errors.
The terrorists have open-sourced their WMDs, and the DRM on your BRR (Big Red Button) has expired. I've called an emergency meeting with Linus Torvald.
The 12 hours are up, and everything went perfectly. He hit a few difficult snags in gameplay here and there, but came up with some neat ways to solve the problems. The Xbox 360 hung up one time during loading, but it seems to have been the console's fault, after 10 hours of straight use.
I have to say, I was not impressed with the game until I watched this marathon. Now I'm seriously considering buying it for PC.
I was thinking this. Thief is a superior stealth game, and it doesn't resort to pandering like the Hitman series. Thief has a level of maturity that has earned my respect, so I'm sold on it. Hitman always seems like it's been marketted to 12 year-olds, so I couldn't care less about it.
...by staying far, far away from gaming magazines. Except "Computer Games Magazine," since they tend to be tasteful, and the articles are very competently written.
As for everything else, I've even stopped buying PC gaming magazines to read during long flights. It's EMBARASSING to be reading something with 'hawt decaying undead chix' splayed lewdly across the front and back covers, especially in a crowded airport.
This is where their spectacularly bad support comes in. First of all, if you call, you tend to get someone who barely speaks English (outsourcing?). Second, if you want technical issues like this addressed, you have to pay for a service plan (which I didn't do).
I didn't file a complaint, because I got the card to work through a bit of ingenuity. I only found the problem a year after purchase, when I formatted the hard drive and found that neither the included nor the official drivers worked. The overheating problem didn't kick in until I moved the PC into a new apartment (where the temperature was average instead of freezing), so again, I wasn't aware of it until a year later. Warranty time is up by then, etc.
Sure, it sucks, but I've had worse. Personally, I'm just not going to buy from them anymore. I do feel sorry for recommending them to a friend, however, as he opted for a slightly less expensive build that tends to explode at random.
I cannot stress enough how true this is. Alienware support is terrible, terrible, terrible. They also use unsupported generic versions of some parts. For instance, I ordered my Alienware with a Sound Blaster Audigy 2. It came with some kind of a Audigy 1 that had been modified to be recognized as an Audigy 2. Official Creative drivers do not work; I've had to resort to alternatives.
And don't be fooled into believing that your Alienware will never overheat, with all of those fans. I do everything I can to prevent overheating -- to the point of underclocking -- and somehow the system still hangs when it gets too hot. I think it may have something to do with the motherboard (which I wasn't able to specify).
I'm not completely disappointed with the machine. It's had less problems that previous machines, but for such a high price... I mean, I've built my own computers before, but I thought it would be nice to just order a nice clean gaming package. Never gonna make that mistake again.
This isn't flaimbait. It's true. What happened yesterday on the floor of the senate is a good reason to be afraid of warrantless search. Right now the only people standing between your private data and the executive branch are Google and Feingold.