Hurlshort

In theory I have no problem with a second hand market, but in this digital age it has become extremely complicated. Games are no longer just a disc that goes into the computer, they are tied directly to your personal accounts. So say you want to sell your product key back to a retailer, the one that is tied to your account. How do they deactivate the key for you? Why would a retailer even want your digital key? Can you imagine Steam paying you for your keys? They already offer games at dirt cheap prices, I don't see how they benefit from a secondhand market. As for selling your key without a retailer, how is that going to work? Who is going to make sure that the key is deactivated for you and works for the buyer?

Seriel keys/product ID, if I had to guess. Ok, so you sell your key to someone else, how is it going to be deactivated for you? Also, isn't this just going to lead to even more online DRM checks? It's about the principle of reselling a 'license' to a game. So in theory you could legally sell your steam/origin account with games attached to it. Again, it sounds like a terrible idea.

Yep. Bit surprised actually. Funcom went to f2p fairly quickly with Age of Conan, and that sold better out of the gates. Given that TSW is fairly niche, I would think they would just stick to having the online store. Although they do already have the store working, so I guess they will go that way eventually. My guess is a year, the lifetime sub folks don't want to feel ripped off.

Seriel keys/product ID, if I had to guess. Ok, so you sell your key to someone else, how is it going to be deactivated for you? Also, isn't this just going to lead to even more online DRM checks?

How does reselling downloaded games even work? It seems like a terrible idea, to be honest.

Maybe not steep, so much as different for the genre. In order to solve some quests, you have to actually research outside of the game. I just did a quest with a sleeping monster that you had to sneak by, he was unbeatable. There was another quest that I needed to die and go to an area as a ghost for. It has a lot of adventure game quest elements. You also have a huge amount of skills available, and you need to pay attention to how you construct your skill deck.

I didn't notice this thread earlier, but here are my initial impressions: This is a refreshing change from all the other MMO's on the market. It has quite a few major differences that, once you wrap your head around, are great. 1. The characters do not gain levels. The gain points to spend, and you can build towards a ability deck. It reminds me a bit of the original Guild Wars, although the modern combat stuff is cool. My crusader is mostly about his pistols, but he also has a warhammer to pull out and smash someone on occasion. 2. There are your basic quests, but there are also investigation and subterfuge ones. The investigation quests are awesome, they usually require some research outside of the game. Funcom has done a great job of implementing an in game browser, so you can google in game. It's like having a real smart phone, which fits the modern day setting well. 3. The learning curve is tough. I need to find guides and stumble through stuff regularly. This is a nice change from the very simplw nature of most current MMO's. It's complicated and doesn't apologize for it. It reminds me of old school games like Asheron's Call. 4. Combat is fast paced and reminds me a lot of Guild Wars 2. You should keep moving and dodge to really be effective. So mostly positive at this point.

I assume you mean taught. I agree somewhat, in that it is ultimately up to the student to utilize their brains. But as a teacher, I can put them in situations where it is in their best interests to think critically. For example, taking the textbook and comparing it to other contradictory texts online or in other books is a great way to get students to question what they are reading, to not just accept authority. That's really the ultimate lesson I strive for in my classroom. Question everything. I also teach them how to question respectfully, so it doesn't get messy

Yikes, the joys of home ownership! At least your insurance should cover it without a problem.

Yeah, I was confused about what Brodeur was doing too with the whole free agency thing. He has spent his whole career in NJ, and it's not like they have a backup in the system that has been NHL tested. He is as entrenched as anyone. Definitely some movement so far.

Hey! I use hulu too! Unfortunately the wife still likes her cable...something about PBS and kids... I'm still trying to convince her that we don't need cable or satellite. My kids can totally survive off Netflix, which has a ton of kids programming. My wife is the stick in the mud that won't let me cut the cord. I bought a Roku also, which streams from the internet and has a lot of free channels, including a few good kids shows.

Ok, I mentioned I grabbed The Secret World the other day. Now that I've played it for a bit longer, I have to say, this is a refreshing change from all the other MMO's on the market. It has quite a few major differences that, once you wrap your head around, are great. 1. The characters do not gain levels. The gain points to spend, and you can build towards a ability deck. It reminds me a bit of the original Guild Wars, although the modern combat stuff is cool. My crusader is mostly about his pistols, but he also has a warhammer to pull out and smash someone on occasion. 2. There are your basic quests, but there are also investigation and subterfuge ones. The investigation quests are awesome, they usually require some research outside of the game. Funcom has done a great job of implementing an in game browser, so you can google in game. It's like having a real smart phone, which fits the modern day setting well. 3. The learning curve is tough. I need to find guides and stumble through stuff regularly. This is a nice change from the very simplw nature of most current MMO's. It's complicated and doesn't apologize for it. It reminds me of old school games like Asheron's Call.

The Secret World - Different than most of the MMO's coming out today. It has some really nice things, but also some rough edges. I will give it a month and see how it goes. Man, I'm really addicted to MMO's.

Gromnir seems really hung up on this on topic deal. Many of us have been talking to each other on this board for years. When you start a conversation with someone, it is going to drift into other areas. There is nothing rude about it. Typically it can either peter out and go back to the original topic, or if it gets really good then we can start a new thread. This little spat hardly deserves a new thread, but the term 'rude' is an odd choice, particularly when it was a rude comment by Gromnir that set it off course. The mods typically let us know if it is getting too heated, which is why I took the time to apologize, so that we could move on. Moving on, I hope they open up the transfers a bit more, I still have a trooper on an East Coast server that I would like to move to my home on the West Coast server.

The biggest problem in public education is the parents. The government may do some ridiculous stuff to try and create accountability and improve test scores, but the parents are the ones who either actively undermine the whole process, or are simply uninterested in making sure their child gets a good education. It's also ridiculous to state that all public schools are broken. It's a generalization that doesn't hold up. Every school is different, as is every school district. For example, I teach at one of the best schools in California. People move from all over to get in our district, our property prices are outrageous, and I have former students attending all sorts of top universities. Guess what? It has little to do with my teaching, the curriculum we cover, or the way the school is run. We are blessed with an insanely supportive parent community, and they make sure their children come to school prepared to be the best in the state. It makes my job easy. On the other spectrum, my wife works at a school that has gang problems, low test scores, teenage pregnancies, the works. The teachers at her school are really no different than the staff at mine, the curriculum put into place is the same, the administration is the same, in fact the government even gives them more money than my school. They've got great technology and everything a good school could ask for. The difference is the parents. The parent community is terrible. They don't hold their kids accountable, they don't teach their children respect, they don't put any emphasis on education. In summation, I understand the government needs to be more efficient when it comes to education funding. But they aren't the real problem with education. The only reason private schools seem more successful is because you are paying for it, and parents who are putting up thousands for their children's education tend to be a lot more involved in every aspect.

GD, I'm surprised you would support private school government subsidization. Also, the tests suck and really don't demonstrate any skill other than being able to take a multiple choice test. Everyone in education will tell you that, the only people who think it is a good idea are the ones in government and not in the classroom. Texas is kind of nuts, btw. They are one state in 50, so you can't take what the Republican party is doing there and extend it to the US, just like you can't take what California (although lately CA has become more moderate lately) and say that represents the rest of the country.

Day 16: We are home! My house feels like a mansion now after living in the limited space for weeks. The kids are running around looking at their toys like they are brand new. Reno was great, our family watched the kids last night and gave me a chance to take my wife out to dinner and a movie. It's great to be home, I might post a few last pictures later when I find my camera. Thanks for all the comments, I hope people enjoyed my journal

I'm no longer in love with sports cars, I want something that is comfortable to get into. I actually love my Jeep Grand Cherokee. If I could do anything, I'd probably just get a new one of those with all the extras. It sits up nice and high, has some power when I need it, and can go into tough terrain when needed. Plus the car djinn is probably not going to babysit my kids, so I need the space

Gromnir, I apologize for disparaging your posting style, I was reacting defensively from your earlier post. As for our differing opinions of the game, I'm also sorry that you didn't enjoy it as much as I did.

with that insightful and original post, hurl has made us rethink our posting style and our recent life choices. ... you got any idea how many times we has seen almost the exact same post from a cognitively challenged poster at codex... or in this place? but hey, your stab at it were so much more witty. really. *snort* regardless, is helpful when you post that you likes kutcher films and thinks inquisitor is superior to kotor 1 and 2. tastes is a personal thing. apparently, so is lack of taste. but don't feel bad, there is plenty o' folks who genuinely liked epic bad films such as battlefield earth and gigli, so you is hardly alone in having odd preferences in entertainment. HA! Good Fun! Being rude on the internet isn't really insightful or original either. It is sad that you won't change. I'm not refering to your posting style, that is simply eccentric, but the attitude behind it does not portray a pleasant person.

I've enjoyed a couple Ashton Kutcher films, so I guess your condescending remarks are on target. Tell me wise Gromnir, how can I be more like you? Perhaps I can be more cool by using a bizarre roleplaying syntax in all my posts. HA! Good fun at the expense of others!

I'm leveling my 3rd character, a Sith Warrior, and the story continues to entertain me.

If you really want to play a hardcore MMO, then go play one. WoW is far from that. Vanguard is a good example of a hardcore MMO.

That's a pretty sweet cast they got too.