T w e n t y S i d e d
Today’s XKCD hits home for me:
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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.
Could Have Been Great
Here are four games that could have been much better with just a little more work.
Skylines of the Future
Cities: Skylines is bound to have a sequel sooner or later. Where can this series go next, and what changes would I like to see?
Best. Plot Twist. Ever.
Few people remember BioWare's Jade Empire, but it had a unique setting and a really well-executed plot twist.
Megatextures
A video discussing Megatexture technology. Why we needed it, what it was supposed to do, and why it maybe didn't totally work.
Crash Dot Com
Back in 1999, I rode the dot-com bubble. Got rich. Worked hard. Went crazy. Turned poor. It was fun.
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…
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.
seriously? i came for the DMotR. i stayed for the DRM news.
Maybe they realized most of the people playing games have a hard enough time finding *any* girls, let alone young maidens.
Let alone them still being a virgin at 17…
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.”
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.
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.
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.
EA has made me so bitter towards them that I won’t even buy a cell-phone game from them.
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?
And if you go over your install limit, you have to promise them your unborn child to get more. FACT.
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.
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.
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…
Gattaca: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119177/
Scary, because it might come true.
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.
I can’t be the only one who starting singing “Let It Snow” after reading the first panel of that comic, right?
@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.
@Pembroke: I was actually humming it to myself in response to that comic as I read your comment.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/01/gta_iv_pc_securom_drm/
How many *s do I get for using a nocd patch?
@Pembroke: Me three. In fact, it threw me off when the second panel didn’t follow the tune.
@Pembroke et all —
I assumed when I read this that it was the cartoonists’ intention to play on that song.
@Illiterate:
Yeah, that’s why I automatically expected the whole comic to play on the song and got confused when it didn’t. :P
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.
@9:
I saw bioschock for 2 bucks in a shop lately.. I still wouldn’t buy it though…
I dunno if I put up with it, more as enjoy it. I love reading rants. XD
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. :)