User Information - mindwarp

News Comments > StarCraft II Specs (Really)

Eldaron Imotholin wrote on Jul 17, 2010, 12:45:
This is what I don't understand. It's an RTS game. I have literally NO IDEA at all (though I'm very imaginative and rather creative) how an RTS game can have groundbreaking improvements apart from graphics and micro-management.

In general for RTS, the only things I could see changing besides eye candy and micro management are:

AI - improve enemy tactics and strategy, and reduce AI "cheating."

Gameplay - While I cannot think of anything, I could imagine some sort of new gameplay type. Like some sort of new concept. Though I doubt Ground Control was the first game to implement it, I'm sure its concept was ground breaking for an RTS at one point. King-of-the-hill gameplay combined with a constant stream of reinforcements, etc.

Actually, speaking of Ground Control... I have a craving to play the sequel again. I rather enjoyed it.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

12.

Re: StarCraft II Specs (Really)

Jul 16, 2010, 11:31

News Comments > StarCraft II Specs (Really)

Zyrxil wrote on Jul 16, 2010, 10:12:
"More fun" is incredibly vague. To plenty of people, having those features in of itself makes the game more strategic and thus more fun.

Exactly

When it's just eye candy I really don't care.

But if an real time strategy game gets benefits that boost either the strategy or tactic segment of the game... then I consider it more fun.

However I don't play RTS games anymore, so for all I know... nobody adds the features I listed below.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

Re: StarCraft II Specs (Really)

Jul 16, 2010, 09:50

BobBob wrote on Jul 16, 2010, 05:45:
3D engines are horrible for RTS. When will they learn?

It depends.

3D engines make it easier to do 3D terrain and such which can add some nice abilities. True, you can mimic some 3D characteristics like mountains you cannot walk across (normally) with 2D tiles, but 3D does open up the options.

Taking the high-ground can actually mean something: increased range, better visibility, etc.

Do you go over the hill, which slows down your horizontal movement? Or go around and attack from a different point? Meanwhile if you take the hill, it actually *looks* like you're traveling up and down.

If the terrain is a little destructible, a crater can actually serve a purpose.

A lot of this can be replicated via 2D with various tricks, but it might look a little silly. Such as scaling a 2D sprite to make it look like it's higher than another or that it's climbing a hill.

3D engines let them take advantage of it easier.

That being said, I wish we had more 2D games. And I'd be totally fine with a sharp-looking 2D StarCraft 2. IE, StarCraft 1 @ higher res with new missions.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

32.

Re: StarCraft II Pre-Downloads

Jul 15, 2010, 15:46

Darks wrote on Jul 15, 2010, 15:22:
Why should me or anyone for that matter buy the digital version of this game for the same 60 dollar price tag and only get the game when you can buy the box version and at least get a few extra things to go with it?

I still download the occasional game.

The nearest large-scale store that would have it is 30 minutes away. The nearest GameStop is 20 minutes away, but unless I want something *very* recent chances are they don't have it.

So an hour of driving, plus the shopping time, plus dealing with the annoying shoppers, avoiding crazy drivers on the road and parking lot, etc...

or

Click a button on my PC, watch a TV show or eat dinner, and it's ready.

Convenience wins out.

I'm not thrilled, and it's aggravating that we often pay retail or near-retail for the online version of a game when it's clearly a cheaper distribution model. But sometimes it's just more convenient.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

31.

Re: StarCraft II Pre-Downloads

Jul 15, 2010, 15:43

Darks wrote on Jul 15, 2010, 15:22:
And don’t give me that oh the bandwidth needs to be paid for. It’s paid for regardless if you use it or not per month.

My understanding is the below occurs often but not all of the time...

On a professional level, hosting a lot of downloaded data, that many service providers charge you on the amount you transmitted that month. Like a tiered service, x Gigabytes per month, y Gigabytes per month, etc.

Consumers pretty much get unlimited, or at least an obscene amount, of downloading. And even some hosts probably just get unlimited.

But I believe some places still pay extra for tiers of amount they transmit.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

26.

Re: StarCraft II Pre-Downloads

Jul 15, 2010, 14:19

Verno wrote on Jul 15, 2010, 13:03:
Beta didn't impress me at all, I can't remember the last time such a big name title failed to grab me.

What about Doom 3?

I was the opposite of impressed, it was an "alright" shooter but felt pretty average.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

13.

Re: StarCraft II Pre-Downloads

Jul 15, 2010, 12:09

siapnar wrote on Jul 15, 2010, 11:49:
I'd play the SC2 single played game just to see the gorgeous cutscenes.

Starcraft never really grabbed me like it did everyone else. Surprisingly though, I can't wait for a proper Warcraft RTS sequel.

I enjoyed the single-player campaign a lot. Then again I also enjoyed the SP campaigns of the C&C games from around that period as well.

My largest enjoyment was while playing over the campus LAN. It was great knowing that I was playing against people I actually knew from the dorm or my classes.

When I finished college I tried to do the whole BattleNet thing, but it just wasn't as fun.

I'll get it near or at release, but I'm not expecting it to be a life-changing experience or anything.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

10.

Re: Out of the Blue

Jul 14, 2010, 16:47

We mow are lawn and put down fertilizer.

I only recall watering the lawn when I was *really* young, and that just might've been so we had the added benefit of playing with the sprinkler.

Beyond that, I think we've only really watered when we're trying to grow some fresh seeds or something. Though my dad will water the bushes, flowers, etc from time to time.

Lately the lawn's been quite yellow, hopefully the last few days will green it up again.

I agree with the whole golf course thing. I drive by 2 on the way to work, huge fields of green when everyone else has yellow.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

10.

Re: Out of the Blue

Jul 13, 2010, 20:53

Cutter wrote on Jul 13, 2010, 14:31:
Why is the World Series called the World Series when only American teams take part??

Ive always wondered about that

Really? Cause I'm pretty sure the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series...twice.

Cutter has a valid point.

Where-as "The World Cup" is truly global, the World Series is just North America (US + Canada + maybe Mexico).

I think it stems from the fact that in the early 1900s, the only countries where baseball had any national presence was North America. So you might as well call it "the world series" since that was just about it.

I think Japan got heavily into Baseball eventually as well as some island countries, but it's definitely no "football."

Once you go with a name for a few decades, it's kind of hard to change.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

11.

Re: Out of the Blue

Jul 11, 2010, 19:54

Prez wrote on Jul 11, 2010, 19:39:
Off to see "Predators".

I've been avoiding any trailers or reviews so I can watch it untainted. This is going to sound crazy, but I hope I like at least as much as I liked the 2 AvP movies.

Post a mini-review when you get back.

I enjoyed the first AvP well enough, but only caught about 15 minutes of the second one.

There are a lot of summer movies I want to see this year, more than I recall from years past. Predators doesn't top my list, but it's not at the bottom either.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

Re: Out of the Blue

Jul 8, 2010, 15:58

Mr. Tact wrote on Jul 8, 2010, 14:43:
I think all the reality TV shows are stupid. I've probably seen 15 minutes total (at most) of Survivor. Yet the networks have made millions off the stupidity of those shows.

Agreed. Every now and then I'll turn one on to see if maybe the quality (or my tastes) have changed.

I saw maybe the last 2 episodes of the first season of Survivor just to see what the big deal was. Was not impressed.

I saw 2-3 episodes of a short-lived one called Cannonball Run, loosely based off the premise from the films. A car "race" across America, with check points and contents to get out the front gate early or a better car. It was alright, but not great.

I saw 1 episode of "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here." It was funny, but dumb.

I have to admit, I watched a little bit of the Apprentice... maybe 3/4 of one of the seasons a few years back. It was actually interesting, but only to a degree.

Personally, I don't see what the big deal is. I'm sure the networks love it, they make a gazillion dollars and they don't have to pay much for actors / scripts / sets / etc.

But I fail to see the attraction. It boggles the mind how a high quality TV show gets axed after 0.5 to 1 season, meanwhile some of these reality shows get huge ratings and last for years.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

Re: Out of the Blue

Jul 8, 2010, 14:08

Fion wrote on Jul 8, 2010, 12:57:
Someone off topic for the Basketball fans, but the 80's photos are fantastic and bring back some memories. Particularly, and bear with me, I actually liked Crystal Pepsi. It had so many subtle flavors.

Honestly, I don't remember it that well.

I remember the big advertising push.

I remember drinking it a couple of times.

And I remember a lot people saying it was fiasco.

But oddly enough, I don't remember if I enjoyed it. I enjoy Sprit and Slice, if that means anything. I just can't remember a darn about the actual drink: its taste or if I liked it.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

Re: Out of the Blue

Jul 3, 2010, 10:57

Wolfen wrote on Jul 3, 2010, 10:43:
Who do we thank for the Top Five Hot Girls playing video games? lol

LOL

What I found odd is that the first one (with Rock Band) ended with a kid showing up. I'm guessing a son or young brother.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

18.

Re: Out of the Blue

Jul 1, 2010, 23:37

News Comments > City of Heroes: Going Rogue Trailer

PHJF wrote on Jul 1, 2010, 23:28:
BP pulled most of their stations out of the United States in 2007

I don't know how things are down there in the deep south but there are BPs all over the place up here.

By me (northern NJ) we have them scattered around, though I do not see as many BP stations as the rest (Shell, Exxon, etc).




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

Re: City of Heroes: Going Rogue Trailer

Jul 1, 2010, 13:52

I don't see much of the appeal.

If you want Dr Destructo to turn good, roll a "Hero" named Dr Destructo with similar powers. Names were only locked to individual servers.

Heck, I did that with one of my heroes when City of Villains came out. He had a mental break after a disaster and turned into a villain.

Granted, the power sets between the two weren't perfectly the same... so take Scapper instead of Stalker or Tank instead of Brute.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

News Comments > Legal Briefs

Re: Legal Briefs

Jun 29, 2010, 15:01

Tough call.

On one hand, as Batman states during a persuit or some other VERY time sensitive manner... waiting for a warrant could mean life or death. And it's not like they're busting down someone's door and checking their bedroom without a warrant. He's a suspect of a crime in progress and you'd like to know where he is

There aren't vending machine out there for warrants, you have to find a judge to review + sign it, and heaven forbid a kid is taken at 2AM and you have to get to the judge's house to allow them to ping the violent ex-husband that's been threatening to take/hurt the kid.

Kidnapping, amber alerts, chases, violent crimes in progress, etc.

On the other hand, the chance for abuse is quite high once you open that door. Just allowing the phone pinging alone opens a can of worms. Eventually, would a cop just be able to click the mouse to do it for anyone? What about the private sector? What about stalkers? etc.

Then taking it a step further, it could be the first step on a slippery slope.

Warrantless:
GPS ping, text message interception, email interception, cellphone tap, computer intrusion, accessing netcam via computer intrusion to see inside the house, physically going inside the house, etc.

That's without even considering the whole big-brother angle.

So tough call. Security vs Personal Liberties... I won't bother with the old quote.

This comment was edited on Jun 29, 2010, 15:11.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

News Comments > Legal Briefs

Parents Television Council Wants M-Rated Games Moved to The Top Shelves.

Jun 29, 2010, 13:51

Sigh

Please stop trying to get the 16 year old kid working behind the desk to raise your kid.

Please... I see this stuff all the time when I walk into a video game store. Parents either freaking out at the cashier or asking him if they think they should buy this game for their 5 year old kid.

That being said, the authors point #3 might be regional.

By me, it's true that games are typically behind the glass case behind the cashier.

But they will also keep empty boxes out on the shelves so you can browse, see the screen shots, read the description, etc. Most customers I see bring the box up as a "token" saying "I want this game." And when that happens the cashier just automatically looks for the game for that box without talking to the customer much.

So, technically a kid can bring up the box and the cashier (who's on auto-pilot) might sell it.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

11.

Re: Out of the Blue

Jun 28, 2010, 16:51

Acleacius wrote on Jun 28, 2010, 14:36:
In 2007 former NASA astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak allegedly wore adult diapers when driving hundreds of miles across the United States without bathroom breaks to confront a suspected rival in a romance with a fellow astronaut.
Roflmao

What, you didn't hear about this? It was all that was on the news for days, if not 1+ weeks. They even did a Law & Order episode about it, either Criminal Intent or SVU.

I recall eating lunch in the work cafeteria. There are a few plasma TVs streaming CNN and Fox News.

I'm there eating a sandwich and I keep hearing the anchor repeat the words astronaught, diaper, girlfriend, cross-country over and over... just louder than the conversation we're having as a group. I was thinking, well I guess there are different stupid stories going on involving yada-yada-yada.

Finally it hits me: this was all the SAME story. So I started watching the feed and laughed my butt off.

Seriously, what an odd combination of words. And what a crazy story.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

Re: Out of the Blue

Jun 28, 2010, 16:43

News Comments > New Champions Online Adventure Pack

nin wrote on Jun 28, 2010, 11:07:
you can't help but daydream about taking off and heading to a place where it's cooler... LIKE THE SUN!

I've been to Vegas one time in August. Short of it being totally free, I'd never reconsider it.

I was in Vegas once in August, for my first time. I think my second time was either late July or in August again.

It *was* hot in the direct sun. But the whole "dry heat" thing made a difference.

Here in NJ this weekend it was over 90, which wouldn't be too bad except it was also humid.

I'd say my comfort level was quite poor compared to what I was feeling in the 100+ heat in Vegas when I went. I'm not saying I wanted to run a marathon in Vegas, but it was alright to walk around from casino to casino.

Besides, in Vegas you can spend a bulk of the day indoors in the casinos or elsewhere. Or you can go to the nice pools and enjoy the perks that come with it.

Then start walking around towards the evening. The place looks great a night with all of the lights and such.




"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you." -Fry, Futurama

Re: New Champions Online Adventure Pack

Jun 25, 2010, 10:51