random n00b

There's nothing to explain, it's my opinion!

Oh, crap. Lost in translation or something.

Eh, are you trying to make an argument out of the current financial crisis... against making games? Yeah, OK. You run for the hills now. I'm going to keep an eye on BG3. I wish they were paying me, that'd be grand. It's still better than being a [edited by SteveThaiBinh] on the Internets, though. Oh, and let's not forget irrelevant. I order via Gameplay UK.

How it isn't? Really, what are the conditions a game must meet so that it'll be *rightful* to call it BG? The setting is the same. So could be some of the characters, and locations. Re-read what Tigranes posted. If you are not a clueless n00b, why do you care? It's obviously a marketing exercise. So what? Yes, it wouldn't be the same because for it to be the same, it would need to be either BG1 or BG2-ToB. That does not say anything about its quality, though. Interestingly, you can still be wrong, even if all you're doing is, basically, stating the obvious. Why not?

Guys, guys. Have you tried taking your pink colored glasses off for a second?

Right. So companies shouldn't be driven by profit? You'd make a wonderful CEO. No, the only thing that decides whether or not I'm interested in a D&D game is its quality, not its name or the marketing ploys used to sell it. Interestingly enough, it's you who's got his panties in a knot because they might reuse the name of a dead franchise. What I've been arguing all along is that the naming is irrelevant. You make non sequitur a form of art. Tsk, tsk. Mediocre, even when trolling. I'd ask for a refund on those "debate classes", if I were you.

Heh, looks like a by-the-numbers crash & burn for McCain.

It may be hard, for you. Anyway, it doesn't need to stir "enthusiasm" for me to keep an eye on it. It's just another game I may be interested in, nothing else. Again, I fail to see the cardinal sin in reusing the old saga name. At worst it hints to a lack of imagination. I think I'm keeping my shirt on regarding this. I'm not even sure what you mean by this. Must I be part of some official "true fan" elite BG club to be interested in a possible upcoming BG game, or is it just that my opinion doesn't count because I'm not "hardcore"? You don't need to mention something by name to convey a general feeling. "This is my BG! Don't you dare mess with it!" I don't hear any cries either way - only you. Yeah. They are "simpler" in much the same way as suicide is "simpler" than living life. That doesn't make it any more sound, though.

I'm going to try again, without the obviously taboo references. (!) IIRC, it was the same with Starforce 3. It's difficult not to label this kind of software as "malware". Anyone can confirm if the version included in NWN2 is left behind when the game is uninstalled as well? So, going to the movies or the arcade is unacceptable to you? I don't think it's reasonable to discount a different model beforehand based on speculation alone. It could be a better model than the current one depending on how they choose to implement it - but it could be worse too.

And why anyone who enjoyed the first two would be compelled to worship them as some sort of holy totem that must be protected from desecration is beyond me. This sense of entitlement some fans seem to develop towards games they like is pretty ridiculous if you ask me. There's plenty of room in the setting for a plot with loose connections and/or references to the Bhaalspawn story... let them make it. If it's garbage, you can always NOT buy it. Simple enough, yes? Getting to see different settings (Eberron?) for a change would be more desirable, though.

He was good, but he didn't die, so he fails. Yes, he fails... at being AN HERO! Sorry, that was in poor taste but I couldn't resist. Anyway, I think his performance isn't praised as often as Ledger's not only because he's still breathing, but because his role in the movie is accessory to the Batman/Joker antagonism which is the main theme of the movie. On a side note, I just saw Falling Down. Awesome movie. Somewhat depressing, too.

[retarded talk]I think the elections should be postponed indefinitely and G.Bush remain president, best thing for US and the whole world because people just don't realize what a great leader he is [/retarded talk] Grow up.

Another mantra. At any rate, I doubt this will have much impact, and it's looking like just another PR stunt. The ball's in Obama's court now, though.

If the roles were reversed, would you be so keen on "the democratic process continuing forward"? Not that I expect a forthcoming answer.

The point is that stringent gun laws in Europe are not related to the governments' lack of fear of being overthrown in either way - it cannot be wielded as proof of anything. They are more a tradition than anything else, and one that nobody has any reason to challenge. Indeed. There have always been psycho ****ers, but coming up with initiatives to outlaw ammonium nitrate probably isn't as profitable politically...

That's a fairly rare occurence even with the traditional model...

Not quite. General policies towards private gun ownership in Europe are mostly inherited notions. When those notions were first made into laws (1600-1700s?), the threat of armed revolts was very, very credible.

You draw this conclusion from where? The burden imposed on the state by public healthcare is directly related to the demographics of the country. Therefore blanket statements in the vein of "public healthcare 4TW" simply fail.

I really don't like state-operated healthcare, and I am fully aware that private run businesses of any sort always are more efficient than their state-run counterparts (since it's difficult to be less efficient). However, there's something I can't find a way around. Since privately run businesses are governed by the offer-demand pair (in a truly unregulated fashion at least), it stands to reason that this would apply to fully privatised healthcare. Now, under normal circumstances, the amount of healthcare available (as in numbers of active medical professionals, ambulances, hospitals et al) is determined by the demand raised by a relatively healthy population. But what happens with sudden demand peaks due to say, a national epidemy, or a local catastrophe? Wouldn't that cause a critical failure in the ability of privately-run healtcare to provide service, regardless of the ability to pay of its customers? That is, moral connotations derived from different classes with different purchasing power notwithstanding. Yes, so are education, housing, transportation, power, drinking water, and any number of services you can think of. Following that logic, the USSR had it right. Only... they didn't. I think it's a matter of what is overburdening the state. Universal healthcare is just too heavy a weight. Police and Fire services aren't. Heh. How many people you think share this view of a "useful" vote?

You, and tons of people. But I doubt that's what they have in mind - just like a subscription to LotRO doesn't automatically allow you to play DDO and Asheron's Call. That'd sure be neat, though. Well, some people like to revisit a game over and over and over... long after the publisher has ceased to exist. Fallout? There's no reason to believe they wouldn't offer the chance to purchase a game... after they had milked the most cash they could out of it. Just like flicks are out on DVD months after the theatrical premiere. WTF... I actually like the sound of that...

Thanks Nice to put a bit of background in a lay man undertandable way to some of the names and preceeding events. My pleasue. I kind of enjoyed writing that up. My job gets dreadfully dull sometimes. VERY enlightening. You seem to know your stuff too. Props man.

That file is one of the OpenGL DLLs included in some of the latest versions of the Catalyst driver suite. Try downgrading, or perhaps even migrating to Omega altogether.

Yes, that is legitimate and reasonable, but unlikely to produce any results overall. They put the top guy behind Razor1911 behind bars once too, and AFAIK, they're still operating...