Is Bill on crack ?

[Child of Flame]

That's all well and good, but there's a lot of less urbanized areas in the US that don't have any highspeed connection available too them, and probably won't for at least thirty years unless someone decides to lay down huge wads of cash to do so. I know because I live in one of those areas.

 

If anyone decided to switch to completely digitally distributed content they'd be cutting out a huge portion of their potential buyers.

 

When you factor in that most if not all impulse purchases will be eliminated for anyone selling from only online storefronts, which a lot of videogame sales are, and it's not a very viable distribution method now.

 

Even Valve, who are pretty much the only major dev company offering DD aside from Bioware, still offer retail copies of everything, released on the same days the DD copies are unlocked no less.

[Spider]

Even Valve, who are pretty much the only major dev company offering DD aside from Bioware, still offer retail copies of everything, released on the same days the DD copies are unlocked no less.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Just like record companies offered both vinyl and CDs in the latter's childhood. No one is suggesting that downloads will replace physical purchases overnight.

 

It's very unfortunate for rural US citizen's that technological evolution is largely passing them by, but as technology improves even those areas should be able to have access to high speed internet. And we're definitely not talking 30 years here.

 

There should be several high speed solutions that work in isolated areas as well, the one that seems best suited being sattelite sattelite connection.

 

In a way, rural areas should be a priority since they are the ones that could stand to benefit the most from downloading content instead of physical downloads.

[SteveThaiBinh]

Trymedia offered legal games for download, and I thought it was a great idea and promptly purchased Civ3 and Temple of Elemental Evil. I still think it's a good idea in theory, because if your hard drive fails (mine did) you can just download the game again and again for no charge. It saves having to have the CD in the drive when you play the game, which is nice.

 

However, Trymedia itself has too many issues for me ever to use it again - mainly, that you're stuck with the version you download, and any patches released later by the developer/publisher don't work with it. This was something of a problem with ToEE.

[Darque]

discs only get scratched if you don't take care of them.

 

And this is why you make more than one backup.

[Surreptishus]

If games companies and movie studios had their way they would impose havy penalties for backing up (thats why i am liking Blu Ray less and less these days.)

 

 

 

EDIT: I Understand about rural areas and the issue of connectivity Servant of Flame and yeah its a real bummer. But i think that may be resolved with wireless connections.

Edited October 21, 2005 by Surreptishus

[Spider]

discs only get scratched if you don't take care of them.

 

And this is why you make more than one backup.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Backing up a disc is not always feasible. Backing up a PS3 game for instance is going to be kinda difficult, and the same is true for an unmodded PS2 (or any other console).

 

There is also an environmental aspect to all of this although I'm not entirely sure how that falls. In my eyes, putting everything on pieces of plastic seems more wasteful than just keeping it on a harddrive, but more powerful harddrives and internet connections call for a higher consumption of electricity which is also a bad thing.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

When you factor in that most if not all impulse purchases will be eliminated for anyone selling from only online storefronts, which a lot of videogame sales are, and it's not a very viable distribution method now. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yes.. I have three copies of Pokemon Emerald that can attest to that :">

 

I'd never put my entire collection on one disk , not by choice anyway.

[Nur Ab Sal]

Bill is so heavily f... in the head, that he doesn't have to use crack :cool:

[Surreptishus]

unzing

[mkreku]

Two 500 GB hd's.. What I could do with two 500 GB hd's.. I WOULD RULE TEH UNIV3RSE!!1!

 

Seriously though, Komplett.se (my favourite hardware shop) still only sells ONE internal 500 GB model.. Imagine buying one a couple of years before now! Let alone two! That must be like buying a new car.

 

I run on one 120 GB (old one) and one 250 GB (not as old one), but they're always full with review games that I promise myself I'll play.. later.. when I find the time..

[Child of Flame]

Even Valve, who are pretty much the only major dev company offering DD aside from Bioware, still offer retail copies of everything, released on the same days the DD copies are unlocked no less.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Just like record companies offered both vinyl and CDs in the latter's childhood. No one is suggesting that downloads will replace physical purchases overnight.

 

It's very unfortunate for rural US citizen's that technological evolution is largely passing them by, but as technology improves even those areas should be able to have access to high speed internet. And we're definitely not talking 30 years here.

 

There should be several high speed solutions that work in isolated areas as well, the one that seems best suited being sattelite sattelite connection.

 

In a way, rural areas should be a priority since they are the ones that could stand to benefit the most from downloading content instead of physical downloads.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

If you are saying sattelite is a good option for high speed internet in rural areas I am going to write you off as not knowing what the heck you're talking about right now.

 

 

 

If games companies and movie studios had their way they would impose havy penalties for backing up (thats why i am liking Blu Ray less and less these days.)

 

 

 

EDIT: I Understand about rural areas and the issue of connectivity Servant of Flame and yeah its a real bummer. But i think that may be resolved with wireless connections.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Honestly Broadband Power Lines would be the cheapest to implement/best option, but the FCC keeps going "ZOMG THINK OF TEH INTARFERENCES!"

 

 

Bill is so heavily f... in the head, that he doesn't have to use crack :cool:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Ask yourself: "Should I really be saying other people are crazy when my favorite book is the novelization of Episode III?"

[Surreptishus]

There is technology to allow high bandwidth communication wirelessly using stuff like the masts they use for cell phones. DO you have cable tv? That is a network through which broadband could be delivered.

[Nur Ab Sal]

Bill is so heavily f... in the head, that he doesn't have to use crack :cool:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ask yourself: "Should I really be saying other people are crazy when my favorite book is the novelization of Episode III?"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Book got very good reviews from critics and naturally - from SW fans (like me) so

I think that you're the one f... in the head too.

[Child of Flame]

There is technology to allow high bandwidth communication wirelessly using stuff like the masts they use for cell phones. DO you have cable tv? That is a network through which broadband could be delivered.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Nope.

 

The nearest houses with Cable Boxes are like thirty miles away, and the US is really bad at updating telecommunications infrastructure. I figure I am lucky if we get a mile of lines run a year, seeing as how nobody up here wants to pony up that kind of cash.

 

Sattellite might speed up downloads a little bit, but it's so useless for everything else, plus as things stand right now it's more expensive than other forms of highspeed internet.

[Surreptishus]

Britain is like a 10th the size and there still problems getting broadband out to everyone so i guess it must be a real bitch in the US wher the size makes this thing really difficult.

[Child of Flame]

Bill is so heavily f... in the head, that he doesn't have to use crack :cool:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ask yourself: "Should I really be saying other people are crazy when my favorite book is the novelization of Episode III?"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Book got very good reviews from critics and naturally - from SW fans (like me) so

I think that you're the one f... in the head too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

This is probably the worst book I've read all year. Wanna read the word "butt" 4 times in one paragraph? Then this is for you.

Yup, when Obi-Wan wakes up after the Dooku fight he's really interested in Anakin's butt.

Wanna get tired of the phrase "_____ coloured arc of brightness exploded from _____'s hand" over and over? Then this's for you.

Apparently "Obi-wan ignited his lightsaber" just isn't flowery enough for Mr. Stover.

Actually, in Mr. Stover's universe, everything tries to be flowerly. The problem is that what tries to be intelligent indepth discussion and description of events becomes tiring, meandering pages of pointless drivel.

 

Did you hate Hayden's protrayl of Anakin? Well, it's not just the acting, that's how this horrible character was written and envisioned by the grand master, Lucas himself. You'd think the Jedi would be a bit more mindful of their chosen one...

 

If you're in grade six and want a simple read, this is for you. If you enjoy reading, stay away. Instead of wasting an afternoon reading this book, see the movie.

 

If you want some good Star Wars reading, check out anything by Kevin J. Anderson.

If you want actual 5-star sci-fi reading, go check out Dune.

 

I loved the movie. As Film Historian Father Gene Philips would say, "Lucas got it right." The movie is filled with symbolism and philosophical content it takes multiple viewing to grasp it all. However, the novelization ruins it. If you do not understand what Lucas is doing, then read this. Stover spills all the beans, and does it in a bad way.

 

A major flaw is the book's style. Stover is not a good writer. I would be mad to see his book as a bestseller and William Faulkner's short stories in the bargain bin. First of all, he is too wordy. He goes on forever to describe a scene. For example, when Anakin kills Dooku, he uses a page to describe, and ruin, Dooku's betrayal. A good writer would use half, or less, than that. He has sentences like, "this is how Anakin Skywalker feels right now," and would give half-a-page of unnecessary information. He also uses ridiculous methaphors like Anakin's inner dragon.

 

Another major flaw is Stover's target audience: It is written for the Expanded Universe fan's. I do not read the Expanded Universe, and there were several times I was trying to wonder what Stover is talking about. I do not know Mace Windu's fighting style or his home planet, nor care. Stover reminds the reader every other sentence. I was surprised to learn there were fighting styles. I find this to be uncessary since it has nothing to with the story. The only time it works is when Mace tells Obi-Wan why he was picked to destroy Griveous.

 

Besides its flaws, there were some intresting parts, like Anakin giving Padmen his Padwan braid, and telling her to take care of Threepio. Scenes like these make it a worth read; however, Stoover's writing style gets in the way.

 

This book is a waste of time and money. The film is filled with symbolism and philosophical conent, and this book ruins it. Buy this book if you do not understand what Lucas is doing. Another reason to buy it is so one can be a better writer.

 

SOUNDS SO AWESOME!!! I BETTER PICK ME UP A COPY RIGHT NOW BEFORE THEY ALL SELL OUT!!! HAHA!!! SELLOUT! LIKE LUCAS!!!

[Surreptishus]

Yeah Stover's a great author, all great authors have an extensive knowledge of martial arts and a resume consisting of.... some other star wars novels.

[Musopticon?]

This is what we call pwning in the north.

[Spider]

If you are saying sattelite is a good option for high speed internet in rural areas I am going to write you off as not knowing what the heck you're talking about right now. 

 

You're partially right, I don't have extensive knowledge in the area. I'm a little out of date with what different options provide since where I live access to good options is plentiful.

 

I said sattelite because theoretically to me that seems like the best option since it doesn't require actual digging. But if you say I'm wrong I'll take your word for it, I'm sure you've done your research (especially given that it effects you a lot more than it does me).

[Child of Flame]

If you are saying sattelite is a good option for high speed internet in rural areas I am going to write you off as not knowing what the heck you're talking about right now. 

 

You're partially right, I don't have extensive knowledge in the area. I'm a little out of date with what different options provide since where I live access to good options is plentiful.

 

I said sattelite because theoretically to me that seems like the best option since it doesn't require actual digging. But if you say I'm wrong I'll take your word for it, I'm sure you've done your research (especially given that it effects you a lot more than it does me).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Sorry I was so terse, I had no right to be.

 

Basically yes I could definitely get sattellite internet here, but it's more expensive than any other high speed internet, and it sucks a lot more in that it would only speed up downloads, is useless for any kind of gaming because of the way it sends the information (in bursts if what I've been told and understood is correct) and sporadic speed increases when websurfing.

 

Honestly though, the kinds of web surfing I do it's just as fast her using cookies and such as it was on my aunt's PC using broadband.

[Darque]

discs only get scratched if you don't take care of them.

 

And this is why you make more than one backup.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Backing up a disc is not always feasible. Backing up a PS3 game for instance is going to be kinda difficult, and the same is true for an unmodded PS2 (or any other console).

 

There is also an environmental aspect to all of this although I'm not entirely sure how that falls. In my eyes, putting everything on pieces of plastic seems more wasteful than just keeping it on a harddrive, but more powerful harddrives and internet connections call for a higher consumption of electricity which is also a bad thing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Sucks to be you then

 

I've got over 50 PS2 games (for example) and each one is still mint.

 

Learn to take care of your discs.

[alanschu]

All discs that I keep in cases have remained in uber-condition too!

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

The ones that get scratched are usually the ones that stack 2 or 3 disks on top of each other. Used to see it a lot on the PC games. I havnt come across it with console games, they seem to have custom built cases.

[alanschu]

Hmmm. I don't think I've ever owned a PC game that had discs directly stacked on top of each other.

[mkreku]

I get all my CD's/DVD's in envelopes, often without anything else, not even a manual. After a while there are stacks of naked discs everywhere on my desk. Yes, my discs get scratched a lot.