Amentep

I'd think it'd depend on why the graphics were bad as to whether its a justified criticism. I don't need fancy graphics in a game, but it can be possible for graphics to be a hinderence to enjoyment, I think.

I wonder if fantasy settings are seen as automatically less generic (in some eyes) simply because its different from today. In other words, is Alpha Protocol generally generic (very basic graphics used repeatedly with little inspiration) or is it generic because it adequately represents what we see everyday? Unlike a fantasy title you can't have Thorton in the middle east suddenly find a swampy terrain (and mud crabs!); you are bound by reality in a way that fantasy and sci-fi don't necessarily have to be.

As intriguing as MCA's response was, I already regret reading it. I usually don't put too much effort into avoiding spoilers, but that sounds like the sort of thing that would be much better to experience without any expectations. I read it yesterday and already don't remember exactly what he said. Must be why I can read spoilers and still enjoy games...

Eh...your description of local High School life sounds like my High School...in the mid 1980s. Well except the cellphones, those were unweildy and couldn't film jack. That sounds depressing. Nice to be "behind the times". I don't really see why its terribly depressing. The only thing that has really changed about "teenagerdom" is how society views them and the consequences of their actions. You either had a few very exceptional years of students while you were in school or just missed some of the more sordid things that went down. Either is possible, really.

Yeah! How dare they offer fun downloads! Why I remember the ire and venom I spewed over the ridiculous Shamrock Annah and Easter Egg Morte downloads for PST...whoops, my bad that was BIS...

Eh...your description of local High School life sounds like my High School...in the mid 1980s. Well except the cellphones, those were unweildy and couldn't film jack.

I'm a bit torn on this; if by the rules of the game she didn't win but the winning signs all flashed I'm not 100% convinced she should get the jackpot, but I'm not sure she shouldn't get anything either (and she already got a free night, a free meal and the $20 she put in the machine).

This isn't a fundamentally Japanese issue, Grom. This is a universal issue concerning the decency of mankind. Human depravity is still depravity be it Nippon or Timbuktu. Condoning acceptance of rape and torture will only further desensitize our inhibitions against debauchery. For good or for ill, this is what happened to homosexuality. Now, I'm in no way saying that homosexuality is immoral, but, it was considered to be such yesteryear. But given the mainstream acceptance it acquired by the mass media over the last generation, it became socially kosher. Rape and torture, however, are not like homosexuality. Rape and torture are inherently vile and affront to all decency. However, the desensitizing effect of mass media makes no such distinction, and it will eventually create indifference if not tacit assent to these intolerant practices. By your own admission, it's already happened in Japan. Unfortunately, tolerance of intolerance is no tolerance at all. I may be wrong, but are you comparing societies growing acceptance of relationships between consenting individuals as a sign that society will accept nonconsentual relationships? I can't tell, but are you also arguing that some acts in video games will "desensitize our inhibitions against debauchery" but not others? Because if you're going to argue that "rape and torture" are desensitizing, then surely the same argument applies to any game with violence in it as well (which pretty much rules out any game that has physical conflict between entities). Or am I missing something?

According to the CNN report this game was removed from store shelves by the publisher amid local protests. Apparently the issue is that its been up on filesharing sites for people around the world to download and its causing further outcry...

I found that occasionally powers would just refuse to curve for whatever reason. Never figured out what caused it, but it didn't happen enough to make it worth caring about. Well I've seen them not curve if the target moved out of target range or if I didn't make sure they had the target bracket before singularitying them(although that occasionally led to fun anyhow).

I dunno I just always aimed above or to the left or right and it never seemed to be a problem. I wasn't playing on the higher difficulties though - maybe that changes how far the powers move?

My second go through was with an adept and I never had a problem with the powers given that they will go around obstacles if you give enough clearance (and the target doesn't move and change the angle).

Couldn't an attack also create an issue (which could translate as multiple inquiries)?

The theory of evolution and the Big Bang, like all science, say nothing about the existence or inexistence of God. But for those who wish to attribute some aspect of creation to a divine force there shouldn't be a problem. Science is a fine tool, but it is neither an end or an answer in and of itself. There's no reason science and some sort of faith in the divine cannot coexist. IMO, positing an extreme anti-divine science as salvation is just as problematic as positing an extreme anti-science divine faith as salvation. Indeed, logically speaking, an all-powerful creator would be sufficient to explain anything in science if you were inclined to believe in one (For example - disparity between the number of years the Bible suggests the earth has existed vs science? Well if an all-powerful God created time, She/He could have a million years pass in a minute). This could also be used to argue about the duality of free will vs destiny vis a vis God's omnipotence (if God created time then God is outside time meaning everything that could, would and has happened did so in an instant for God, so if He/She wanted us to have free will we could do whatever we want and God would still know it because from Her/His perspective our entire existence already exists for Him/Her).

Playing Fallout 3 having finished my second run through ME2.

I enjoyed it as well. Fun film. Noticed that about the accents but wasn't bothered; I figured maybe the kids had to earn their Scottish accent during some sort of adulthood rite of passage.

Reminds me of a bit from The Tenth Planet: Polly: Don't you care?! Cyberman: Care? No, why should I care? Polly: Because they're people and they're going to die! Cyberman: I do not understand you, there are people dying all over your world yet you do not care about them. Kudos for the obscure! Quotes from Doctor Who are obscure? Clearly I'm on the wrong message board...

My college years would have been a lot better had this been true.

Yeah, no. A Randian society would just ruin its international relations, whine about everybody else having a more functional government, and eventually get literally bought by China. Yeah, no. A Randian society would just cut government to the extent that we could finally start baying off some of that ****. Rand was pretty opposed to war as well, so there's your military problem. RandianUSA: "We are opposed to war and have dismantled our military and weakend the central govenment" Canada: "Mua-ha-ha, the moment we've prepared for is here! INVADE!" :lol:

That just had me shaking my head. And '

Reminds me of a bit from The Tenth Planet: Polly: Don't you care?! Cyberman: Care? No, why should I care? Polly: Because they're people and they're going to die! Cyberman: I do not understand you, there are people dying all over your world yet you do not care about them.

Dangit, that'd be the only reason I'd participate!

Opera is obviously worse than tea. Although you have to admit the historically based (and tragic story) of the over throw of Spanish rule of Naples that ends with the revolutionary leader being poisoned by his former friend, a ruler marching an army into the revolution to save his fiance and a mute girl tossing herself into an exploding volcano is pretty stirring stuff.

And for revolution!

Personally I like prompts like this to be enabled/disabled. Sometimes its fun to see damage/xp/all that but most of the time, I'm not all that interested.