Okay, I fully accept that I'm going to be modded off-topic, too, but...
Who are we supposed to vote for? Bush is out of office no matter what we do, and you can bet the 2 running for office will be about equals in terms of good and bad. There's no other -serious- contenders out there.
Yeah, I'd -so- like to be in the country that first develops the world-killer virus.
That sounds like something that's nearly impossible until you realize that some countries feel the need to take all experiments to every level in order to win the arms race. They'll use crazy logic like 'If they make the same virus, we'll already have the vaccine."
Evolution does not ALWAYS take long timescales. There are spurts of history that show it happened amazingly quickly. How can you prove this isn't the case right now?
Besides which, small changes take small amounts of time, and large changes take large amount of time. The shape of the face is NOT a large change. It's relatively minor. Evolution-wise, it has a larger impact, though. Humans breed according to odd criteria, like prettiness instead of mother-ability or fitness.
I'm fully aware that a stable human society with 6 fingers on each hand would take an amazingly amount of time. But smaller changes, like looks and such, take less time.
Racial mixing has a huge hand in this, also. This changes the look of people quite a bit. It also brings out new or rare genetic diseases. Since many gene diseases tend to prevent reproduction in some way, the gene pool is changing there, as well.
No, I didn't just stick on my stupid hat one day and declare evolution within my lifetime. It's something I had to think about long and hard before I could accept that the human race wasn't destroying itself by harboring the infirm.
I also realize that it would be wrong to even SUGGEST we stop.
Hah, okay. Good point. The statistic I was quoting was the avg IQ in the US, compared to the rest of the world... So yeah, it technically can't increase within a set population, but when comparing a subset to the whole, it can.
I disagree. While I believe in God, that is not my reason for disagreeing.
See, there was this Darwin fellow... And his theory is that nature and environment shape the improvement of species. No cloning was necessary, and no genetic experimentation in laboratories was ever needed.
I used to worry that because we formed societies, and protect the weak, that evolution was being crippled and Humanity was harmed by it. But I finally got to REALLY looking around, and humans even LOOK different than we did 50 years ago. The average IQ has increased. And in general, evolution continues.
Life still tends to destroy the most useless genes for survival, even while we are doing our best to protect them.
I no longer worry about evolution doing its job.
So the human race IS still improving at the normal rate. No 'religious BS' is preventing it.
As for the abnormal progress you are looking for, yes... I'll admit that religion is hampering that. But maybe that's for the best... By the time it IS legal, the problems will have been discussed and prepared for as best as possible. If we simply rush in, who knows what could happen? Weird viruses, whole generations of gene-gineered babies that have odd defects that no drug can fix, since it was a genetic issue, etc.
In the end, the zealots are helping us... Just not in the way they intended.
I'm not sure you can tell how good a worker someone will be by their gaming habits, really. I'm over 6000 points on XBL in just a couple months, surpassing all my friends with ease. It's what I do in my free time to relax. I'm positive my jobs thinks I'm an asset because they've told me in 2 ways: Verbally, and with a huge raise at 3 months. I'm talking a bigger raise ($ and %-wise) than my father ever got in his entire career as an industrial engineer. Nothing says 'we love you' like a huge raise.
I will admit it might be used as another tool for hiring, but I'm not sure exactly how. Maybe if they favor games that require thought over mindless hack and slash? Low points doesn't mean they don't game, just that they don't X360.
I have to disagree with being in the minority, though. Think about all the bragging gamers do about their scores in various games, or their accomplishments. It's a HUGE part of gaming, and an even bigger part of online gaming. The new PSU has trophies you can win by beating the hardest bosses online. (It's more complicated than that, but still.)
I realize that everyone thinks they are not in the minority on these types of things. My theory is that everyone thinks everyone else is just like them, until proven otherwise. Some people need trauma to prove it.
But I really don't think I'm in the minority on this one.
There's something similar here in the US where you can claim you were singled out, but only if you can show they knew others were doing it and they did nothing, then fired you for the same offense. I don't think it's a law, just a general law thing.
"An overall score doesn't really tell me much, it tells me you've spent a lot of time online, it tells me you spend a lot of time playing games, but it doesn't tell me how good you are at a particular game."
You know what? I -prefer- to play 360 games over PS2 and PC games BECAUSE of that score. It's the ONLY lasting recognition that I played a game. Besides that, when I look at the 1000-point gamescores, I generally remember the pain I had to go through to get to the top like that... And I remember it fondly. When I complete a PS2 game, the pain is usually the same, but there's nothing afterwards.
This is completely aside from the fact that I'm what I call a 'collector.' I always feel the need to collect things, but rarely strong enough to make an actual collection of something physical. These points fill a need for me, as sad as it may seem.
It's gotten to the point that I refuse to cheat on 360 games because it'll mess up my gamer score. Those points would not have been 'me'.
Sony misses all of this. They refuse to admit that gamers may have a different view of things than journalists and corporate executives. I can't believe they can be so blind.
Yes, but did they 'get away with it' or did they 'never get caught'? There's quite a large difference between failing to enforce policy when you did and didn't know it was being violated.
I think NCR would have fired all of them if they'd all been caught. I notice the guy didn't name any names... Just a blanket 'everyone else does it' with apparent proof.
The article could have just been lazy, and he did provide that info AND they didn't fire the people once the offense was proven, but I seriously doubt that.
So, if I RTFA correctly, some government organization decided that NCR followed their policies too well and fired someone for a definite-fire offense... And they're ordering them not to?
This is exactly how inane workplace policies start. Now they need to daily monitor everyone's workstation and compile a file against them to prove they knowingly and repeatedly violated the Code of Conduct before they fire them. Say goodbye to any privacy those employees had AT ALL.
Yes, I realize that I have no privacy at work. But that doesn't mean I have to feel like someone is watching over my shoulder 24/7. If I felt like that at work, I'd quit.
Hopefully there's a higher court or something that they can appeal to and get this overturned. Or another lousy excuse to fire the guy, maybe. Promote him to being a janitor, maybe. (Yes, I said promote, not demote.)
Oh man, I could hear the complaining that would cause. You MIGHT get away with some kind of gradual reduction... But I doubt it.
On the other hand, PSU is charging $10 a month and has virtually no content the first month, and they got away with it... So maybe you could charge anything you want and they'd pay anyhow.
So right. Why is it so hard to imagine that it would be difficult to get permission for MILLIONS of different pieces of art? I'm sure it WAS much easier when they were simply trampling on the law-given rights of the artists. (Right or wrong, it's the law right now.)
Games like this USED to charge by the hour. And a few have tried recently and died a miserably, lonely death. The truth is that charging by the hour doesn't work.
If you charge $.10/hr, your casual gamer eats you alive with admin fees, and the hardcore gamer gives you barely enough to get by. If you charge $1/hr, you get the casual users, but the hardcore gamers can't afford your game. Is there a happy medium in there somewhere? I say there's not. You would have to pick hardcore or casual gamer, and price according to that, shutting out a large portion of your market either way.
In the end, I think this whole movement is silly. MMO-addicts need help just like Smokers do. It should be available for those who want it, and totally out of the way for those who don't. These people CAN give it up any time. There is only the natural chemical rush involved, no outside chemical influence.
In fact, when I was younger, I was an addict. I played these games as much as I possibly could. And I grew out of it. I don't enjoy grinding all day for nothing. I need games with substance now.
I still feel the occasional need to play an MMO. But I can usually grab a free trial and after a few days, I hate the whole system again and I'm good for months.
Another analogy: Rock climbing is time-consuming and dangerous. We need to stop mountain climbers. Uh, no. No we don't. Let these poor people alone.
I've played the original Sam & Max and the first new Episode, and I've watched the TV Show, but I haven't read the comics.
The games are GREAT. I was worried that Telltale wouldn't capture the essense of Sam & Max Hit the Road, but they did!
However, the TV show is more... immature comedy. It's funny, and off-the-wall, but not the same as either of the games. From what I can tell, the tv series was made by the comic creator himself, and should be a lot like the comics.
So while the game isn't identical to the show, it's still wonderful fun.
I subscribed to GameTap for Uru Live, so Sam & Max has been a great bonus. With one of these every month, that money will feel well-spent for sure.
Don't forget that we also drive the PC Hardware market, without which, Vista wouldn't have the computer power to run efficiently. (I'm assuming that it CAN run efficiently, of course.)
A) Game is unplayable at 480, and playable at 720 B) Game is boring at 480, fun at 720 C) Game is visually horrid at 480, beautiful at 720 D) Game is playable and fun at both, but 720 makes it crisp and clean, and more lifelike.
Would I like to see Elebits at 1080? Absolutely. Would I pay 3x the price for the console to do that? Heck no.
I still play PS2 games at 480. Why would I suddenly HAVE to have 1080 for all my gaming?
I'll admit, some of the time on the 360 I stop and go 'Wow.' Enchanted arms, One of the characters after battle, you get to see his cape pretty close up. It is amazingly crisp and clear and really looks nice. Other than that, I don't notice the increased resolution for most of the rest of the game.
In fact... I played N3 on my friends 360 at standard TV resolution for a week before I bought my own 360 and found the switch on the cable to change to high-def. The difference was immediately apparent, but didn't knock my socks off.
(I play on a 37" widescreen LCD that only goes up to 1366x768, so 1080 doesn't offer me much.)
If what you are saying is correct, then the primary reason for DVR/TiVo/etc is removing commercials, not recording shows to watch them on our time. That would mean that commercials are so hated that the industry really needs to re-think even making them at all.
I, personally, am more interested in not having to be in front of an appliance at a certain time of day/night. For instance, last night I watched Bones as it was being aired, but then decided that I was too tired to watch Lost (one of my favorite shows) and I went to bed, secure in the knowledge that it would be there for me tomorrow. (today)
Do I skip commercials if I had the option? Absolutely. Did I get a DVR for that purpose? No.
So you're very careful to make sure the products you buy don't come from China, "Cuba, Iraq, and many rogue African and S. American countries"? No? You still buy that stuff?
I think you have your answer "why any US companies can do business with China".
Even if someone you ARE this amazing saint... Very few other people are willing to follow your lead. If they were, the whole 'Walmart if killing America' movement would catch on better.
That it'll 'stop'? No, poor choice of words on my part. The frivolous ones will stop. And the non-frivolous ones will take greater care to follow the law.
Also remember that their cost is not the $500 they pay the person they sue them. They also lose lawyer's fees (even if only their own) and time, and bad press. (Some may argue that there's no such thing as bad press... Different argument.) If they have even a few people sue them each time they make a set of these calls, they may find that they are not worth the trouble.
Yeah, he does have too much time on his hands. But he's doing something he (and I) care about. I simply don't have the time/patience/money to be bothered. But I'm glad he does it. The very fact that he does it, and has just made it public how, servers my purposes. Fewer companies will be willing to get sued like this once a few people start. And it'll stop.
I'm on the Do Not Call list and it works GREAT. We cancelled our landline anyhow, and it's just the cellphone... But after a month of being on the DNC list, the calls were very very few and far between. And months later we got NONE. I get none on my cellphone. (I signed up as soon as I got the number.)
But for those who think they are exempt (politicians, non-profits) this makes me happy. Especially since it's going to do it's work without my lifting a finger.
"That means that I do push myself - I can look you in the eye and truly say that I'm trying to make Fable 2 the greatest game I will ever build. If you write that, it will get me in an enormous amount of trouble, but that is what I truly believe."
Oh man. I love that the author DID include that quote.
I love PM games. They are always inventive and fun, even if they don't come close to the hype generated. If you ignore the hype, and just take the game for what it is, it's fun. Populous, B&W 1, Fable... I loved them. B&W2, I didn't like so much. The new populous games, I didn't like so much. It seems his original ideas are fun, but when you try to 'improve' them... They fail.
I am worried about Fable 2... I would love to see it be Oblivion 2, Fable style. It won't be, but that's what I'd like. -sigh-
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Okay, I fully accept that I'm going to be modded off-topic, too, but...
Who are we supposed to vote for? Bush is out of office no matter what we do, and you can bet the 2 running for office will be about equals in terms of good and bad. There's no other -serious- contenders out there.
In short: You're wasting your breath. Go away.
Yeah, I'd -so- like to be in the country that first develops the world-killer virus.
That sounds like something that's nearly impossible until you realize that some countries feel the need to take all experiments to every level in order to win the arms race. They'll use crazy logic like 'If they make the same virus, we'll already have the vaccine."
No thanks. Slow and steady wins the race.
Evolution does not ALWAYS take long timescales. There are spurts of history that show it happened amazingly quickly. How can you prove this isn't the case right now?
Besides which, small changes take small amounts of time, and large changes take large amount of time. The shape of the face is NOT a large change. It's relatively minor. Evolution-wise, it has a larger impact, though. Humans breed according to odd criteria, like prettiness instead of mother-ability or fitness.
I'm fully aware that a stable human society with 6 fingers on each hand would take an amazingly amount of time. But smaller changes, like looks and such, take less time.
Racial mixing has a huge hand in this, also. This changes the look of people quite a bit. It also brings out new or rare genetic diseases. Since many gene diseases tend to prevent reproduction in some way, the gene pool is changing there, as well.
No, I didn't just stick on my stupid hat one day and declare evolution within my lifetime. It's something I had to think about long and hard before I could accept that the human race wasn't destroying itself by harboring the infirm.
I also realize that it would be wrong to even SUGGEST we stop.
Hah, okay. Good point. The statistic I was quoting was the avg IQ in the US, compared to the rest of the world... So yeah, it technically can't increase within a set population, but when comparing a subset to the whole, it can.
I disagree. While I believe in God, that is not my reason for disagreeing.
See, there was this Darwin fellow... And his theory is that nature and environment shape the improvement of species. No cloning was necessary, and no genetic experimentation in laboratories was ever needed.
I used to worry that because we formed societies, and protect the weak, that evolution was being crippled and Humanity was harmed by it. But I finally got to REALLY looking around, and humans even LOOK different than we did 50 years ago. The average IQ has increased. And in general, evolution continues.
Life still tends to destroy the most useless genes for survival, even while we are doing our best to protect them.
I no longer worry about evolution doing its job.
So the human race IS still improving at the normal rate. No 'religious BS' is preventing it.
As for the abnormal progress you are looking for, yes... I'll admit that religion is hampering that. But maybe that's for the best... By the time it IS legal, the problems will have been discussed and prepared for as best as possible. If we simply rush in, who knows what could happen? Weird viruses, whole generations of gene-gineered babies that have odd defects that no drug can fix, since it was a genetic issue, etc.
In the end, the zealots are helping us... Just not in the way they intended.
I'm not sure you can tell how good a worker someone will be by their gaming habits, really. I'm over 6000 points on XBL in just a couple months, surpassing all my friends with ease. It's what I do in my free time to relax. I'm positive my jobs thinks I'm an asset because they've told me in 2 ways: Verbally, and with a huge raise at 3 months. I'm talking a bigger raise ($ and %-wise) than my father ever got in his entire career as an industrial engineer. Nothing says 'we love you' like a huge raise.
I will admit it might be used as another tool for hiring, but I'm not sure exactly how. Maybe if they favor games that require thought over mindless hack and slash? Low points doesn't mean they don't game, just that they don't X360.
I have to disagree with being in the minority, though. Think about all the bragging gamers do about their scores in various games, or their accomplishments. It's a HUGE part of gaming, and an even bigger part of online gaming. The new PSU has trophies you can win by beating the hardest bosses online. (It's more complicated than that, but still.)
I realize that everyone thinks they are not in the minority on these types of things. My theory is that everyone thinks everyone else is just like them, until proven otherwise. Some people need trauma to prove it.
But I really don't think I'm in the minority on this one.
There's something similar here in the US where you can claim you were singled out, but only if you can show they knew others were doing it and they did nothing, then fired you for the same offense. I don't think it's a law, just a general law thing.
"An overall score doesn't really tell me much, it tells me you've spent a lot of time online, it tells me you spend a lot of time playing games, but it doesn't tell me how good you are at a particular game."
You know what? I -prefer- to play 360 games over PS2 and PC games BECAUSE of that score. It's the ONLY lasting recognition that I played a game. Besides that, when I look at the 1000-point gamescores, I generally remember the pain I had to go through to get to the top like that... And I remember it fondly. When I complete a PS2 game, the pain is usually the same, but there's nothing afterwards.
This is completely aside from the fact that I'm what I call a 'collector.' I always feel the need to collect things, but rarely strong enough to make an actual collection of something physical. These points fill a need for me, as sad as it may seem.
It's gotten to the point that I refuse to cheat on 360 games because it'll mess up my gamer score. Those points would not have been 'me'.
Sony misses all of this. They refuse to admit that gamers may have a different view of things than journalists and corporate executives. I can't believe they can be so blind.
Yes, but did they 'get away with it' or did they 'never get caught'? There's quite a large difference between failing to enforce policy when you did and didn't know it was being violated.
I think NCR would have fired all of them if they'd all been caught. I notice the guy didn't name any names... Just a blanket 'everyone else does it' with apparent proof.
The article could have just been lazy, and he did provide that info AND they didn't fire the people once the offense was proven, but I seriously doubt that.
It's just POP. It's nothing special. If you've ever used MUTT for POP3, then you've done this.
Just because some higher-ups don't FOLLOW the policy, doesn't mean the policy doesn't exist.
So, if I RTFA correctly, some government organization decided that NCR followed their policies too well and fired someone for a definite-fire offense... And they're ordering them not to?
This is exactly how inane workplace policies start. Now they need to daily monitor everyone's workstation and compile a file against them to prove they knowingly and repeatedly violated the Code of Conduct before they fire them. Say goodbye to any privacy those employees had AT ALL.
Yes, I realize that I have no privacy at work. But that doesn't mean I have to feel like someone is watching over my shoulder 24/7. If I felt like that at work, I'd quit.
Hopefully there's a higher court or something that they can appeal to and get this overturned. Or another lousy excuse to fire the guy, maybe. Promote him to being a janitor, maybe. (Yes, I said promote, not demote.)
Oh man, I could hear the complaining that would cause. You MIGHT get away with some kind of gradual reduction... But I doubt it.
On the other hand, PSU is charging $10 a month and has virtually no content the first month, and they got away with it... So maybe you could charge anything you want and they'd pay anyhow.
So right. Why is it so hard to imagine that it would be difficult to get permission for MILLIONS of different pieces of art? I'm sure it WAS much easier when they were simply trampling on the law-given rights of the artists. (Right or wrong, it's the law right now.)
Games like this USED to charge by the hour. And a few have tried recently and died a miserably, lonely death. The truth is that charging by the hour doesn't work.
If you charge $.10/hr, your casual gamer eats you alive with admin fees, and the hardcore gamer gives you barely enough to get by. If you charge $1/hr, you get the casual users, but the hardcore gamers can't afford your game. Is there a happy medium in there somewhere? I say there's not. You would have to pick hardcore or casual gamer, and price according to that, shutting out a large portion of your market either way.
In the end, I think this whole movement is silly. MMO-addicts need help just like Smokers do. It should be available for those who want it, and totally out of the way for those who don't. These people CAN give it up any time. There is only the natural chemical rush involved, no outside chemical influence.
In fact, when I was younger, I was an addict. I played these games as much as I possibly could. And I grew out of it. I don't enjoy grinding all day for nothing. I need games with substance now.
I still feel the occasional need to play an MMO. But I can usually grab a free trial and after a few days, I hate the whole system again and I'm good for months.
Another analogy: Rock climbing is time-consuming and dangerous. We need to stop mountain climbers. Uh, no. No we don't. Let these poor people alone.
I've played the original Sam & Max and the first new Episode, and I've watched the TV Show, but I haven't read the comics.
... immature comedy. It's funny, and off-the-wall, but not the same as either of the games. From what I can tell, the tv series was made by the comic creator himself, and should be a lot like the comics.
The games are GREAT. I was worried that Telltale wouldn't capture the essense of Sam & Max Hit the Road, but they did!
However, the TV show is more
So while the game isn't identical to the show, it's still wonderful fun.
I subscribed to GameTap for Uru Live, so Sam & Max has been a great bonus. With one of these every month, that money will feel well-spent for sure.
Don't forget that we also drive the PC Hardware market, without which, Vista wouldn't have the computer power to run efficiently. (I'm assuming that it CAN run efficiently, of course.)
Don't worry about it. Someone just needs grant money, that's all.
Well, you have to define 'make the difference'.
Do you mean:
A) Game is unplayable at 480, and playable at 720
B) Game is boring at 480, fun at 720
C) Game is visually horrid at 480, beautiful at 720
D) Game is playable and fun at both, but 720 makes it crisp and clean, and more lifelike.
Would I like to see Elebits at 1080? Absolutely. Would I pay 3x the price for the console to do that? Heck no.
I still play PS2 games at 480. Why would I suddenly HAVE to have 1080 for all my gaming?
I'll admit, some of the time on the 360 I stop and go 'Wow.' Enchanted arms, One of the characters after battle, you get to see his cape pretty close up. It is amazingly crisp and clear and really looks nice. Other than that, I don't notice the increased resolution for most of the rest of the game.
In fact... I played N3 on my friends 360 at standard TV resolution for a week before I bought my own 360 and found the switch on the cable to change to high-def. The difference was immediately apparent, but didn't knock my socks off.
(I play on a 37" widescreen LCD that only goes up to 1366x768, so 1080 doesn't offer me much.)
If what you are saying is correct, then the primary reason for DVR/TiVo/etc is removing commercials, not recording shows to watch them on our time. That would mean that commercials are so hated that the industry really needs to re-think even making them at all.
I, personally, am more interested in not having to be in front of an appliance at a certain time of day/night. For instance, last night I watched Bones as it was being aired, but then decided that I was too tired to watch Lost (one of my favorite shows) and I went to bed, secure in the knowledge that it would be there for me tomorrow. (today)
Do I skip commercials if I had the option? Absolutely. Did I get a DVR for that purpose? No.
So you're very careful to make sure the products you buy don't come from China, "Cuba, Iraq, and many rogue African and S. American countries"? No? You still buy that stuff?
I think you have your answer "why any US companies can do business with China".
Even if someone you ARE this amazing saint... Very few other people are willing to follow your lead. If they were, the whole 'Walmart if killing America' movement would catch on better.
That it'll 'stop'? No, poor choice of words on my part. The frivolous ones will stop. And the non-frivolous ones will take greater care to follow the law.
Also remember that their cost is not the $500 they pay the person they sue them. They also lose lawyer's fees (even if only their own) and time, and bad press. (Some may argue that there's no such thing as bad press... Different argument.) If they have even a few people sue them each time they make a set of these calls, they may find that they are not worth the trouble.
Yeah, he does have too much time on his hands. But he's doing something he (and I) care about. I simply don't have the time/patience/money to be bothered. But I'm glad he does it. The very fact that he does it, and has just made it public how, servers my purposes. Fewer companies will be willing to get sued like this once a few people start. And it'll stop.
I'm on the Do Not Call list and it works GREAT. We cancelled our landline anyhow, and it's just the cellphone... But after a month of being on the DNC list, the calls were very very few and far between. And months later we got NONE. I get none on my cellphone. (I signed up as soon as I got the number.)
But for those who think they are exempt (politicians, non-profits) this makes me happy. Especially since it's going to do it's work without my lifting a finger.
No, it will not.
"That means that I do push myself - I can look you in the eye and truly say that I'm trying to make Fable 2 the greatest game I will ever build. If you write that, it will get me in an enormous amount of trouble, but that is what I truly believe."
Oh man. I love that the author DID include that quote.
I love PM games. They are always inventive and fun, even if they don't come close to the hype generated. If you ignore the hype, and just take the game for what it is, it's fun. Populous, B&W 1, Fable... I loved them. B&W2, I didn't like so much. The new populous games, I didn't like so much. It seems his original ideas are fun, but when you try to 'improve' them... They fail.
I am worried about Fable 2... I would love to see it be Oblivion 2, Fable style. It won't be, but that's what I'd like. -sigh-