XKCD – Sleet

By Shamus Posted Monday Dec 1, 2008

Filed under: Links 28 comments

Today’s XKCD hits home for me:

I mean, I can barely hear myself complaining about Battlestar Galactica.

My wife is actually a good sport about it, though. Actually, I guess all of you are.

Did you know that the upcoming PC version of Dragon Age: Origins is going to require a sample of human blood before the game will launch? I heard the collector’s edition comes with a special “dragon’s tooth” thumbtack just for this purpose. Their original plan called for the blood of a virgin girl under the age of 17, but they backed off from that and will now accept blood from anyone.

Yay freedom! Let the reconciliation begin.

 


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28 thoughts on “XKCD – Sleet

  1. SolkaTruesilver says:

    Now, Shamus. You have to count these two variables:

    1) How many people you exasperate with your ranting about DRM

    2) How many people you actually corrupt and make them think and talk like you are

    If 1 – 2 < 0, then you are in business. Maybe somebody else will manage to corrupt the #1. You can only change the whole thing if you actually talk and try to be activist about it.

    Keep the fight.

    However, there is the risk that you are preaching to the already converted…

  2. Illiterate says:

    My wife has perfected the “mmm.. yes, dear” defense. Really she will put up with any nonsense coming out of my mouth as long as I continue rubbing her feet.

  3. C. says:

    seriously? i came for the DMotR. i stayed for the DRM news.

  4. Snook says:

    Maybe they realized most of the people playing games have a hard enough time finding *any* girls, let alone young maidens.

  5. Talrogsmash says:

    Let alone them still being a virgin at 17…

  6. Snook says:

    Have you no faith in our modern culture of puritanical ideals, good sir?

    I await the day we need a full physical, a retinal pattern, DNA samples, and drug tests to play “Barbie’s Horse Adventure 7.”

  7. Avilan the Grey says:

    Snook: The latest statistic shows that gamers under the age of 20 consists almost 50-50 male and female. At least in this country. Of course if we are talking Gamers (with a capital G) that might be a different issue altogether.

    Talrogsmash: Exactly my thought.

  8. Heather says:

    On a side note I really think she is going out into the weather, braving ALL the crazy Christmas shoppers (even though she deliberately bought all her Christmas presents online or early so she didn’t have to brave the craziness) to buy him a drm free game so he will stop whining.

  9. daktylo says:

    The sad part about all this DRM hubbub is that the retailers must be asking themselves what they can do to get rid of the millstone games.
    Best Buy had Bioshock for sale for $9.99 on Friday and there were loads of copies that weren’t moving. I’m sure their next effort is to sell it for $4.99.

  10. Rick Tacular says:

    EA has made me so bitter towards them that I won’t even buy a cell-phone game from them.

  11. Daemian Lucifer says:

    When I read this one in the morning I immediately thought of you Shamus.Nice to see it caught your eye as well.

    By the way,why didnt you write the alt text as well?

  12. Jeremiah says:

    Did you know that the upcoming PC version of Dragon Age: Origins is going to require a sample of human blood before the game will launch? I heard the collector's edition comes with a special “dragon's tooth” thumbtack just for this purpose. Their original plan called for the blood of a virgin girl under the age of 17, but they backed off from that and will now accept blood from anyone.

    And if you go over your install limit, you have to promise them your unborn child to get more. FACT.

  13. Ben N. says:

    I came here from XKCD solely for the intent of posting this.

    Granted, I would’ve come here in about 5 minutes if that XKCD hadn’t been posted, but it’s the thought that counts.

  14. Shamus says:

    Daemian Lucifer: I have a little plugin I use for adding images to posts. If I add the text:

    [image|something.jpg|right|Caption Text]

    Then it will set up a nice table and caption text and generate all the messy HTML on the fly rather than cluttering up my beautiful prose. (I have another one for embedding YouTubes.)

    The drawback is that it doesn’t give me a way to put text into the TITLE=”” field.

    So the short answer to your question: Lazyness.

  15. Shamus – I gladly read (and agree with) your rants regarding DRM.

    Besides, my husband has to listen to me rant, ad nauseam, about women’s rights and equality.

    All’s fair in love and soap boxes…

  16. BarGamer says:

    Gattaca: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119177/

    Scary, because it might come true.

  17. RPharazon says:

    Blast! I was going to use that particular xkcd in case Shamus got uppity with his DRM-osity.
    I wish I had it three weeks ago.

  18. Pembroke says:

    I can’t be the only one who starting singing “Let It Snow” after reading the first panel of that comic, right?

  19. Karizma says:

    @Pembroke: I did too. You’re not alone.

    I wish I knew they changed the DRM requirement for Dragon Age BEFORE I signed the adoption papers.

  20. Sydney says:

    @Pembroke: I was actually humming it to myself in response to that comic as I read your comment.

  21. Illiterate says:

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/01/gta_iv_pc_securom_drm/

    How many *s do I get for using a nocd patch?

  22. Cuthalion says:

    @Pembroke: Me three. In fact, it threw me off when the second panel didn’t follow the tune.

  23. Illiterate says:

    @Pembroke et all —

    I assumed when I read this that it was the cartoonists’ intention to play on that song.

  24. Cuthalion says:

    @Illiterate:

    Yeah, that’s why I automatically expected the whole comic to play on the song and got confused when it didn’t. :P

  25. neminem says:

    Hehe. Yep, will admit: I saw that comic, and it made me think of you. Not that I consider that a bad thing – I’m with c.. Came for DMotR, stayed for news about gaming, and yes, particularly, about DRM.

    Well, and DMotR. But then it ended, and you’ll note, I’m still here.

  26. Scourge says:

    @9:

    I saw bioschock for 2 bucks in a shop lately.. I still wouldn’t buy it though…

  27. Saint Rising says:

    I dunno if I put up with it, more as enjoy it. I love reading rants. XD

  28. Frank says:

    Does anyone actually know what Dragon Age will come with? I looked on their forum but I didn’t have the time to trawl through three 50 page threads (!) on DRM to find my answer.

    Considering I’d been looking forward to that game since it was first announced (about 5 years ago or something?), it’s going to be very, very sad not buying it.

    They can dress it up all they want, but I will still never ever buy a game with Securom on it again. I got burned by Neverwinter Nights 2, and that’s enough for me.

    I’m also of the “came for DMotR, stayed for the DRM news” persuasion. :)

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