NKD wrote on Jun 29, 2017, 20:05:

MeanJim wrote on Jun 29, 2017, 19:49:

FFS there are a lot of cold, heartless people here.

We have a small population of eToughGuy Libertarians here, most of whom wouldn't last a day if left naked in a garbage dump and forced to "lift themselves up by their bootstraps" in a Libertarian system.

Of course you have to lack any kind of human empathy to be a Libertarian to begin with, so it's not surprising.

Funny, but the list of "libertarian government genocides" doesn't return many results. But "leftist/socialist/communist genocide" returns more deaths in the 20th century than malaria. So much for your "compassionate" and "empathetic" ideologies, eh?

But being a empathetic lefty means never having to accept reality. You just make up your own "facts" and shout louder. Your Utopias also end up putting most of you up against the wall first, too. At least I'll get the amusement of watching your confusion as you get led to the guillotine. "But, but, I'm one of the good guys! I have empathy!"

eRe4s3r wrote on Jun 29, 2017, 18:27:

HorrorScope wrote on Jun 29, 2017, 17:24:

Cutter wrote on Jun 29, 2017, 12:55:
The accessibility thing is nuts. When I opened my first resto - a small 50 seat cafe - we had to install a handicapped bathroom that ate up a lot of necessary funds. In the 5 years I was there I never once saw anyone in a wheelchair come in. I doubt there's ever been someone in a wheelchair come in. I empathize for them but there has to be some common sense applied to the situation.

I'm a believer they have their own organization for this and for every region in Murica, there is that wheelchair person that goes store to store just looking for trouble and heading straight to city hall to report you. If they need it or not... they will just do it.

Yeah, and I am of the firm belief that most people are so emotionally unstable and empathically damaged that they can't grasp why a person that sits in a wheelchair (not by their own choice, fyi) might want to have the possibility of living a normal life and not have to check every single location they visit beforehand whether they can even drive through the fucking door. Which is a very real issue even to this day, if the elevator for the subway is broken down for example, what you gonna do as disabled person? Drive down the stairs? No, you are fucking stuck and have to call a friend, cab or uber, so you better hope that place you are stuck at has cellphone reception. And people sitting in a wheelchair are not disabled, it's the environment that makes them so.

So obviously they are trying to make every location accessible, because if even 1 location is not, then they can't live a normal life

I don't think forcing tiny businesses to invest huge sums of money without state support is the way to go, but 100% wheelchair friendly businesses should definitely be a thing. If it costs too much for business owners then state has to support it.

First, they can't ever have a "normal" life. So, as much as we'd all like to make life as smooth for them as it is for the ambulatory, that's an impossibility based on their membership in the category in the first place.

Second, they are disabled. Stating that the environment makes them disabled is like saying that chemistry is at fault for salt-induced hypertension. The fact that they can't do what a normal baseline human can do (i.e. walk) is the definition of disabled.

Third, the idea that "[i]f it costs too much for business owners then state has to support it" is one of the most economically illiterate statements I've ever heard. Where the hell does the "state" get its money? From the businesses and citizens that it taxes. So, we'll slightly reduce the costs to any one person or business by spreading it across many more, and hide it from everyone by lumping it into what everyone pays in taxes. At least be intellectually honest and say that you want the rest of the citizens in society to pay for the conveniences of the disabled. I could respect that, at least (we do it with mental institutions, etc.). But to handwave the cost away by appeals to "state" funding...

RedEye9 wrote on Jun 29, 2017, 13:08:
I wish everything revolved around my failed life experiences.

Based on your posting history, apparently it does...

Anyone still play this? At launch it seemed incomplete and shallow. Curious as to whether age has improved it any...

Loose Cannon wrote on Jun 26, 2017, 17:08:

Eirikrautha wrote on Jun 26, 2017, 15:28:
Agree with you partially, but here's my problem with this. CRI makes it sound like they are doing a "J.G. Wentworth" (an infamous US structured settlement firm) and simply getting an advance payment (lump-sum) that they are guaranteed later. OK. But why would they need IP as collateral? If they have cash on hand, that can serve as a guarantee. Normally, the imputed payment that they are getting an advance on is considered the only collateral necessary.

One of two things is the case here. Either CRI doesn't have enough cash that the bank is comfortable in giving them a signature loan, or the bank is unsure the government will follow through on its promise. This is a logical concern. Until the government actually allocates the money, they can decide at any time not to fund any program. So the bank must have a little concern that the UK may not fund the development tax credits...

The third option is that Derek Smart doesn't understand CIG finances, and that the IP isn't actually up for collateral. You may believe Derek Smart or you may believe Chris Roberts, I don't find either to be a trust worthy source... but the OP states that there is no IP collateral: "the collateral specifically excludes “Star Citizen.” The UK Government rebate entitlement, which is audited and certified by our outside auditors on a quarterly basis, is the prime collateral"

Take it for what it's worth, however in this instance the GBP loan makes sense, so I'll take CR over DS.

Weasel words, maybe. It excludes "Star Citizen," but does it exclude "Squadron 42," as has been suggested was the collateral?

Loose Cannon wrote on Jun 26, 2017, 12:11:
Disclaimer, I backed this game during the Kickstarter. I regret backing it.

I don't think this is as complicated as you're all making it. Their primary funds are in USD and EUR (as stated, I assume that's true). To pay their GBP debt, they would have to do a currency conversion. They _could_ wait until the tax payment comes in to pay their GBP debt and push off their creditors until tax year end (ie employees, who probably wouldn't like that) or incur a currency conversion fee.

Or they can secure a monthly loan in GBP against the tax rebate they will receive. This loan would not be risky since it's versus guaranteed money. If the loan interest rate is less than the currency conversion fee (and I suspect it would be), this _is_ smart money management.

I doubt the tax rebate pays the entire UK office, so they likely have to do currency conversion anyway. This is just a way to minimize that fee.

The sky might be falling at Cloud Imperium -- but this isn't an indication of it.

Agree with you partially, but here's my problem with this. CRI makes it sound like they are doing a "J.G. Wentworth" (an infamous US structured settlement firm) and simply getting an advance payment (lump-sum) that they are guaranteed later. OK. But why would they need IP as collateral? If they have cash on hand, that can serve as a guarantee. Normally, the imputed payment that they are getting an advance on is considered the only collateral necessary.

One of two things is the case here. Either CRI doesn't have enough cash that the bank is comfortable in giving them a signature loan, or the bank is unsure the government will follow through on its promise. This is a logical concern. Until the government actually allocates the money, they can decide at any time not to fund any program. So the bank must have a little concern that the UK may not fund the development tax credits...

...saying the Tsar Wars expansion for the World War I shooter...

Well played, Blue, well played...

FTL on the high seas. This has potential. I'm not sold on the mechanics yet (seems more arcadey than simulationist), but if it's fun, I'll play it...

God, that playthrough video looks awful. Zombie bullet-sponges are easily the worst mechanic ever...

Kxmode wrote on Apr 13, 2017, 05:03:
I made a similar point in another thread here and here. A corporation cannot own how Carmack creates and writes his code because he obtained the sum of his knowledge at one company. Being the father of the FPS genre and working his entire gaming career at one company guarantees anything he creates is going to look like ZeniMax's IP (even intentional stuff).

This situation is like Arenanet suing Kekai Kotaki after his departure. Kekai was one of their lead concept artists and responsible for many of the iconic visuals of the GW1 and GW2 franchise. It would be ludicrous to sue him because his work today looks too much like the concept art that ArenaNet produces today. When you consider Kekai spent most of his gaming career at ArenaNet, it's very hard to separate style from company assets.

The fundamental problem is most people involved in reaching a decision have little to no experience with the subject matter. The only true way for a case like this to be tried would be a judge and jury (if required) with some experience in programming and (or) game development. They would be qualified to render a fair judgment. More importantly, programming is language and language is free speech. A case like this would establish the fundamental rights programmers have in that corporations cannot own how someone creates and writes their code; even if the code looks similar.

This remains my fear as I move from company to company. I take what I learn with me. Sometimes the techniques I learn could be considered property by the previous company. It creates a bit of anxiety since no there are no touchstone cases.

Your Honor, and ladies and gentlemen (and non-binary attack helicopter-kin) of the jury, please direct your attention to Exhibit A.

Here you see computer language that we in the business call "code." On the left, notice that the defendant used what is known as a "for-next" loop in the code he produced for our company. See this letter here? It's an "i," used to count how many times this loop will execute.

Now look at the code on the right. This is the code stolen from us and used in the defendant's work for the filthy thieves that have hired him. Notice the "for-next" loop there? And what do we have here?!

An "i"! Used to count the loops!

The complainant rests!

Nice 2010 reference, Blue. Highly underrated movie...

Sometimes a classic game is classic because its design transcended the limitations of the era. Without those limitations, due to the advance of technology, those games would just look and play terribly. This is that game...

RedEye9 wrote on Apr 9, 2017, 12:16:

Erica, why do all androids look like schoolgirls?

Because if they looked like the women in ME:A no one would take a second glance.

If they all looked like the women in ME:A, they would develop a hatred for humanity who so designed them. This festering anger would grow into a resolve to exterminate all biological life, and spawn the Reapers who will cause the Mass Effect Universe to be a reality. It's Massception...

Beamer wrote on Mar 27, 2017, 11:02:
You know someone will never, ever have an opinion worth hearing, or that isn't related to their own selfish and obnoxious concerns, when the run around using "snowflake" to describe other people.

They're always, unanimously, utter failures at life.

Pay attention to him, people. There's no one else here with his special insight on selfish and obnoxious opinions based on an inflated opinion of themselves (not to mention a keen understanding of failure). You are in the presence of a master...

Wowbagger_TIP wrote on Mar 18, 2017, 01:11:
Not sure exactly what this would be like to play, but it certainly looks pretty cool.

I was interested until they said "turn-based flavor." Don't pollute my turn-based games with twitch RTS mechanics, please...

descender wrote on Mar 17, 2017, 15:37:
I wonder how far along our technology has to progress before the general public will understand that "space dogfighting" is not and will never be a thing.

Neither are wizards. It's called a game, and it's primary purpose is to be fun. And some people have fun dogfighting...

Kxmode wrote on Mar 17, 2017, 16:22:
Passing on MEA. I'm not going to support that racist senior gameplay designer at uninspired, generic, low-effort games with dated graphics and ugly characters from BioWare Montreal.

FTFY, brah.

I don't need ideological reasons to skip this mess. I really don't care if the ugly chicks are because BioWare wants to protest the sexualization of women in video games, or they just have crappy artists. They're ugly models with janky animations and a bland story. Pass!

Fantaz wrote on Mar 13, 2017, 01:36:

Creston wrote on Mar 12, 2017, 19:40:
I still think it's so weird that Sony and MS to first deliver pretty underpowered new consoles, realize that they're underpowered, build new ones, and make these new ones go straight to (sorta) 4K, where they're again underpowered.

Why not let these things do every single possible graphical bell and whistle at 1080p and run at a rock solid 60fps?

It seems Scorpio may at least somewhat make a difference at 1080p? The PS4 Pro doesn't really do much.

Just stupid decisions.

you don't really need solid 60fps to have a fun gaming experience... i'm fine settling with anywhere above 30fps tbh and ps4 pro delivers on all games at 4K with at least 30fps, so i dont think they're that underpowered

No, "you" don't need a solid 60fps to have a fun gaming experience. FPS experience is a very subjective thing. Some people can't tell the difference between 30 and 60, and some people feel awful playing at 60 compared to 120.

Someone here posted an article several months back that had a good run-down on the issues with FPS. One takeaway was that FPS spikes and lags are the most noticeable problems. There is no way the new XBOne or PS4 are going to play at a smooth 30FPS at 4K. The spikes and lags are going to be very noticeable...

CJ_Parker wrote on Mar 12, 2017, 16:21:
Haha. No sign of Torment. Pretty dead out the gate that one and well deserved after the half-assed job they did on that "game" or visual PDF more like... and don't gimme PST was like that because it wasn't. PST was 500% more actual game than TToN.
Still glad I got a last minute refund for my pledge a few weeks back. The feature cuts and the fact that they put nicer stuff into the retail CE than the "exclusive" backer CE broke the camel's back for me.

#schadenfreude

I'm perfectly happy with my Kickstarting of this game. I got Wastelands 2 out of it and I've enjoyed both games so far (for under $50). Considering both games collected their sales in advance, their sales may not be exceptionally high... nor doses it matter...

VaranDragon wrote on Feb 28, 2017, 09:57:
People, please report back if the game is any good.

So far, so good. About an hour in. It's text heavy (obviously) and the "Crises" (combat) aren't terrible. The mystery has me curious and wanting to play more...