Zoraptor

There is just a smidge, a touch, a soupçon, of strawman in your pronouncements- or perhaps hyperbole and overexposure to the Daily Mail Headline Generator. To whit: I've been exposed to an awful lot of university professors and the number of times I've ended up in or even heard gender wars arguments I could count on the fingers of one hand. A hand that had had a terminal argument with a band saw, a blender and a vat of concentrated hydrofluoric acid. Some university professors are most definitively annoying but not because they're disproportionately preachy on social issues. Much as Bruce is annoying if you insist on taking him seriously you're doing exactly the same thing he is doing, just from the reverse direction.

It's not an absolute fact, few such things are as it's working from available information and not from 2k's own books. But it is exceedingly likely, it had 5 years of AAA development and a PR campaign that- allegedly, but from a usually non hyperbolic source- cost a further $100 million. That wouldn't give much change out of $200 million total, and 5 million sales would not cover that unless every one was from your own download portal. There's always the chance that the cost estimates are out, of course, but the best evidence that they aren't is that it's only a few months post release and Irrational are Gone.

Ah, you're just plain wrong. F3 was GfWL and didn't need activation or an online account. It simply didn't. I know, as I actually played it, for my sins. You created an offline account for GfWL and that was that. Up until a year or so ago having to create an online account for a GfWL game was not even slightly necessary, you could play Bioshock 2 and even BatmanAA without being online or having created an online account. Both those games needed to be activated, but that was SecuROM requiring it. I'm always amazed at the amount of FUD about GfWL. I was expecting red hot pokers up the posterior and Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer's mocking laughter from its reputation, what I got was... pretty much nothing bad at all. Much like Origin, its reality is so much better than its reputation- the diametric opposite of a certain other DRM product.

Well, clearly. Crimea had voted to be independent at least twice previous, but not within the past 19 years up until their democratically elected President was illegally deposed, by those who'd lost the previous election, in a long planned operation, with outside help, after abrogating international agreements. They have zero reason to trust at all. Inviting the Russians in to protect them from oppression from Kiev- which had twice (now three times) disregarded their independence votes and has labelled their constitutionally valid parliament, the single concession made to the independence sentiment, as illegal- is an eminently sensible step. That they may now feel that instead of independence they need to be protected as an integral part of Russia is a consequence of Kiev's repeated actions, I'm afraid.

Exactly Volo. Not two words I'm likely to write all that often, but there we are. There are resignation procedures for a reason, and most tellingly Yanukovich publicly said he had not resigned before the vote was taken. Abandonment of post is a very convenient accusation when you have armed men standing around making sure votes go their own way- the main point that has consistently failed to be addressed in any way. There was plenty of footage of regional governors being dragged out of buildings by 'peaceful protesters' (interestingly enough, when exactly the same was done in the East recently it was a 'violent mob' doing it) in the west and forced to sign resignations. The opposition abrogated each agreement it signed within hours, under those circumstances you cannot expect anyone to hang around, indeed it is telling that the Rada numbers plunged by 100 over a single day and you got not one Communist or PoR person to vote against the Language Law repeal when there's not an iota of doubt they would have, under normal circumstances. Abandonment of post is only relevant if you have a realistic expectation of safety. If you had, I dunno, armed NRA militiamen running around Washington and Lyndsey Graham and John McCain were claiming that Barack Obama had resigned verbally it might be viewed with just a touch of scepticism- and there'd be no doubt whatsoever that it was unconstitutional to take that as 'fact' and put John Boehner or someone into the post even if Obama were unable to perform his duties. Because there is clear duress involved, the correct legal procedures have been subverted and the absence can reasonably be construed as a direct consequence of those two factors. It is a pretext for removal, the mere veneer of legality to make people feel better about things, though in this case even the veneer of legality relies on Grahamov and McCainovic's testimony about the resignation being accurate. Start down that road and you end up with Oliver Cromwell, legally and democratically elected Dictator For Life.

A horrible DRM that requires no internet connection, no activation and no online account? Wish more games had such a system. A one time check that you have an actual DVD is about as soft a DRM as it is possible to have- indeed it's as integral as having to log on to/ create a GOG account to download games. Things like the save game encryption sucks, but that isn't a DRM issue.

Funny thing is that Bethesda games were DRM free up until they went steam with FONV- even with GFWL/ Fallout3 you could have an offline account/ direct click the exe- they've actually gone back and retroactively added DRM to digital editions. Still, fair play overall by GOG. One or the other of DRM and regional pricing probably had to go, it's clear that the pressure has really come on in the last while with other non regional outlets shifting their stance. And they are one of the few companies that would actually make an official Untergang video in response to a fan one.

Yeah, cost control is the big thing. If Dead Space 3 had sold 5 million copies it would have been decently profitable. There the question was whether Visceral could be better used doing something that would sell 5 million, not Dead Space being literally unprofitable. If B:I had sold 5 million it still wouldn't have broken even. You should be able to make money off the sort of sales B:I or Tomb Raider had. Nobody willing to make/ fund it and deal with Star Insurance/ Meadowbrook. Various people have tried to reclaim the rights at various times, not least Ken Levine himself. I rather expected some sort of kickstarter or similar from Night Dive at one point, but they're literally Steven Heck Kick plus secretary so they'd need developers, an engine etc.

I presumed (for about fifteen minutes) that the people who grabbed Beth were the people Rick ran into a couple of episodes previous, they were particularly interested in finding a cleaned woman's shirt when they weren't throttling each other and bouncing tennis balls. On the face of it at least it seems less likely now.

There isn't much doubt at all that Yanukovich's removal was illegal, I gave the reasons earlier (incorrect legal reversion of constitution, duress of votes, insufficient majority even under new constitution- 338 required, 328 actual) Nah, they don't have a buffer zone, they still border Georgia. And Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Norway, of those just in NATO. Yes, I somehow suspected something like this was coming. Situations are massively different. Still, I'll show exactly why as you put in some effort to the whole enterprise. Northern Syria is not a geographically distinct region. Crimea is geographically distinct, if you asked a five year old to draw regions on a map of Ukraine they'd be able to put a circle around it. Northern Syria has no distinct identity, ethnic or otherwise, from the rest of Syria. Excluding the Kurds, but then I don't for a second think we'll see US troops liberating Turkish controlled majority Kurd areas, and neither would anyone with even a cursory knowledge of international diplomacy. Northern Syria has no history of independence or resistance, outside the last three or so years. Crimea's dates back 20+, and they would have been independent if the Ukrainian constitution were not specifically written to prevent secession. In order for the comparisons to be valid there would have to be all those things- perhaps a Turkish majority in the effected regions so they can return to the neoOttomans or somesuch. But there isn't. I'd say that the US hasn't learned anything. And yes, I will nitpick the realism because "let's just pretend this is reality instead of what actually is" is not a valid technique in any form of debate, even internet debate. And no, it isn't about principle, nothing in international diplomacy is- unless you're on losing side of reality/ facts on the ground, in which case principle is the only thing you have and in that case it suddenly becomes critically important.

I don't really have any opinion on Sarkeesian herself, but just about everyone on the internet engages in the second part of that, having some valid points and meaningful things to say at all is a step above most internet commentators. And yeah, pretty much always, even when most internet users were denizens of prestigious academic institutions they didn't always use sweet reason alone to make points- usenet existed, after all.

Russia didn't annex Abkhazia or South Ossetia, though I tend to think they should. They're too small to be independent and there's far too much bad blood for them to be Georgian. They're both independent, or 'independent', depending on pov. I've got no personal opinion about Crimea being part of Russia or independent as that isn't my business but should be up to the Crimeans. But I have little doubt that they would want one or the other based on historic data though.

On the first point there's very little doubt it was illegal- the vote was made under duress, it was made using an older constitution without the repeal of the newer being made lawfully, and even then they did not have the required super majority as there were insufficient members present to get 75% even with a unanimous vote- they only achieved a super majority of those present. Russia's position is certainly correct in a legal sense there. On the second, it is clear that the Ukrainian constitution was written specifically to stop secession as it requires both central government approval and a referendum across the whole country. To use an example from the last thread that would be like Great Britain refusing Ireland's independence based upon referendum votes from Scotland, Wales and England. Indeed, the current Scottish referendum is Scotland only. Having said that the referendum is clearly illegal under the Ukrainian constitution. The difference in practical terms is that the impeachment/ removal process is designed to be difficult, as you'd expect, but could legitimately have been done- if they hadn't driven off so many Party of Regions and Communist members. The secession process is practically impossible though, as Mr Yatsenyuk etc have made it clear it will not be considered under any circumstances, and the maximum allowed might be more autonomy and reversion to the old Crimean Constitution that Kiev abrogated in 1995.

So what? Facts on the ground. Argentina may not accept that the UK rules the Falklands, but they may as well be blowing bubbles in a gale for all the difference it makes. The west has no balls- if it's easy they'll do it, if it's hard then they'll look for something easy instead. This is hard, so they'll yell and wave their hands, then only bring it up when convenient and they need to remind people how horrible Russians are. Sure is, which is why if it's such a problem pouring a big barrel of oil down the Kosovan hill was pretty moronic of the west. Of course, it only becomes a slippery slope when it's someone other than the west doing it, when the west does it it is Principled. There's a quote from Victoria Nuland that very accurately describes my feelings towards the EU. Sorry Brucey, you ain't going to catch me with that one. I've said repeatedly that the main problem with the west's actions is that they will be used by others to justify their actions and that they undermine 'international law' for whatever that concept is worth- not much, when you're willing to flagrantly ignore it when convenient. It is the slippery slope argument, it's just that people stick their heads in the sand about who exactly started down the slippery slope. You cannot expect only one side to abide by a set of rules, if they do they're morans because the other side has already shown they won't. So far the Russians have been far better than the west has anyway, nobody has died and they've gone for a region which has a long and provable history with Russia, and of opposition to being part of Ukraine. Indeed, it's a region that is only part of Ukraine due to Krushchev and the USSR breaking up inconveniently (Crimea voted to be an autonomous SSR- 95% voter approval- in 1991, but it was only a couple of months before the USSR broke up so it was never implemented). So yeah, I broadly support the Russians here for those reasons, and because the concept of international law is bunkum if only one side adheres to it. If you'd paid attention in the previous thread you'd even have noticed I wasn't implacably opposed to Kosovo either, just its extremely one sided implementation.

Considering that he has, without any doubt, acted and acted decisively that analysis doesn't stand up to even the most cursory examination. He's bitten, he's won, and there's essentially nothing practical anyone can do now except shout and wave their arms in the air while spouting the usual do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do blather about sovereign integrity and the like- ignoring that Crimea has actually voted to separate from Ukraine multiple times previously (1991, 1992, 1995).

Nobody expects Oby to be unbiased, he's not in any way a source of record- plus, I have noscript and video blocked by default, so don't actually see most of what he posts. To some at least the BBC is a source of record though. To be fair, they were not reporting on it entirely seriously, more on the phenomenon, but even that gives it more credibility than it deserves. In any case I find it almost certain that Oby isn't entirely serious either, and is doing it mainly because he finds the reactions of outraged butthurt amusing. Plus it's only ~48 hours since I suggested to Oby that simultaneously ranting about ZOG while praising Jewish newspapers for being unbiased sources was probably not the most consistent approach to take.

All those Russians look the same to me, what with their shifty eyes, the blood of sweet innocents dripping from their mouths and driving their tanks full tilt towards disabled grandmothers trying to protect newborn infants. So difficult to tell them apart they may as well all be the same. Seriously, why would they bother, in a million years, to bus some random woman around for propaganda. And why would the BBC report on it even if it's just one of their moronic social media non events doing it. It's like that running joke about Russia being a Scooby Doo villain, always coming up with an overly complicated, fiendishly intelligent plan that they would have got away with if not for those pesky kids.

Heh, good to see that there's extra propaganda thrown in too, shame it makes me question if their other information is even slightly correct. OMG webcams! OMG more ballots to be printed than electors! As opposed to the digital voting so popular in the US and being brought in in Britain which totally won't tell whoever runs the computers who was voting, and for whom. And if our elections here don't have far more ballots printed than there are electors I will eat my keyboard, computer, monitor and joystick then play no game other than Oblivion for the rest of the year- because you don't know exactly where people will go to vote, you can only estimate maximum numbers and print that maximum number of ballots for each booth. Typical damned if you do, damned if you don't set up, print too many ballots and it'll be for ballot stuffing, obviously, print too few then run out and OMG people's right to vote infringed, fraudulent!

Have to ask Sìle de Wossname from Twitcher2 what those headdress wotsits are called.

Eh? While she's accused of embezzling billions (and has used parliamentary privilege and votes to block prosecution multiple times, like Silvio B) Yulia Tymoshenko isn't a former president, she only made it to Prime Minister. Lol, Yanukovich embezzled 37 billion. It's like some wide eyed 7 year old who is going to make a millionty billionty dollars when they grow up actually grew up to write propaganda. And, amazingly enough, even if true it would represent... about 5% of the corruption over the same time from the organisation they're so keen to join. And, of course, while accusations against poor, dear, not innocent because nobody says that, Yulia are politically motivated accusations against Yanukovich are Gospel Truth from God Himself, from Burning Bush to Graven Tablet and not politically motivated in the slightest.

Israel is more likely to highlight stuff like Svoboda and Right Sector, since Svoboda and its main men have got on various anti semitic lists (Simon Weisthenthal Centre etc). If you want negative coverage of the new government they're more likely to provide it than anyone except Russia and Byelorus, for those reasons. It is a just a bit ironic though for oby to talk about kicking 'ZOG arses' while simultaneously saying Israeli media sources are relevant and useful.

Here's a Ukrainian source.

Looks worse to me than Witcher 3. Witcher 3 insists on applying some sort of sharpness filter in everything I've seen. It'd look better without it. In any case they both look like graphics won't be a problem, the question will be how both handle the practicalities of the more open (or 'open', at least) world approach rather than just pixel pushing.

Strangely enough the SJW stuff doesn't bother me that much at RPS, I can almost always pick the articles and avoid them. It's more that I don't find them to have much of any critical faculty any more, and find that they use absolutely shameless click whoring on a wide range of subjects, of which the SJW stuff is admittedly a part. Stuff like Alec Meer blaming Uplay for his ISP being crap is exactly the sort of thing that annoys me, it's guaranteed to get lots of angry responses in support, but it's a load of bollocks and he must know it is since the problem was that his ISP was blocking access, if you didn't use his BT (more like Bt, insect subscribers) you were fine. And you know- with the absolute certainty of having seen a breathlessly fanboy article about how wonderful it was having Gabe explain how VAC scanning your DNS was a good thing and thanks for taking the time Gabe you're so fascinating and dreamy, and after their incorrect and non factual never retracted crusade against Origin scanning hard drives- that if his ISP were blocking steam it would incontrovertibly be his ISP's fault, not Valve's, and not worth a mention. The whole M&M coverage on RPS was terrible, for that matter. Then there's the Thiaf vs SP wot I thinks, which are, well, not exactly consistent despite being from the same guy. Plus the articles on anonymous indie projects actually do annoy me, as unlike the SJW stuff they're now a majority of their content. Actually I've pretty much talked myself out of going back, except on Fridays. If I'm reading an article and wondering how they're going to spin it for clickbait right from the start I'm probably better off not reading at all as I'm not going to be fair even to good articles.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun has me a little worried: I've been worried about RPS for a while. In all seriousness they're at about Kotaku level now, their concerns can be safely ignored. And, of course, their review of FalloutNV was pretty infamous- they just don't like Obsidian much. Some of their guest contributors are good though, and Tim Stone is, as always, awesome.