by Matt | May 12, 2005 | Games
For once that doesn’t mean “violence in video games”. No, this years E3 expo is being taughted by experts are being a “turning point” for the industry. The debate this year centers around consoles, their achitecture and what that will mean for you and I, the gamers.
All of this is completely opinion based mind you, but from what I can see, the battle is really over the living room as a whole. Both the XBox360 and the PS3 are supposed to be “hubs” for digital entertainment in the living room. I won’t mention Nintendo since they’re sticking to their “we just do games” routine and won’t be unveiling a console this year. Both Sony and Microsoft have increased the power of their machines, made DVD playback standard, increased the online capabilities, improved visual proformance, added hard drives (to the PS3), have voice/video and data capabilities and both see themselves as a weird DVD-VCR-Game-Phone-Computer-Radio hybrid thingy. There’s a quote I’d like to share from a video game journalist and game developer guru Chris Hecker:
“I worry that the game industry is constantly grabbing at the lowest-hanging fruit, and that turns out to almost always be ‘make the graphics look better. Multiple-core processors like Cell are excellent for graphics code, which is “fairly simplistic in its flow. It’s relatively easy to make that code run on multiple processors. Gameplay code, on the other hand, is usually a mess of interacting systems. That feedback and interdependency” does not lend itself well to parallel processing. In short, we’ll see even more derivative, simplistic crap. We certainly make plenty of money right now as an industry, but we don’t have anywhere near the level of creative control or understanding of the tools of our form to thrive and experiment, as opposed to just doing sequels and licensed properties from those other art forms.”
Now, contrast this with a quote from Peer Schneider, senior editor at IGN, who, quite possible, might be in league with Satan… or a marketing department from either camp. Either way.
Gamers expect more realistic visuals, but also more star power in games and more licensed everything. New gamers, especially, will have to be “lured in by a movielike experience”, big name licenses and recognizable talent from both the music scene and Hollywood.
Please tell me no one honestly thinks like that. If they do I’m not buying a new console ever. Yes, what I, the hard core gamer wants is more licensed products! I CRAVE more bad movie tie-in video games (matrix video games anyone), more shitty plot-less games based on old tv-shows (oooooh, starsky and hutch 4, the hunt for the plot device!). What I really want though is every video game I’ve ever loved, remade into something borring and unplayable. No, strike that, I want it remade twice… no, three times. Yes, I want Resident Evil 14: More Zombies From Somewhere. Then, when we get sick of playing those, remake the originals, only with new graphics. Turn Mario into a FPS. Yes!
I mention all this because it makes me mad. I play video games to have fun and enjoy the actual act of playing them, like a sport. I like “to be entertained” as much as the next person but what I don’t need are video games pretending to be movies. I don’t want a “movie like experience” because in a movie, I try to let everything go and enjoy wants being presented to me. There’s no interaction there. In a video game, I like to think. I consider myself a fairly intelligent person and every so often I like to put it to the test. That could mean solving a puzzle, commanding my troops in battle or building a civilization from the ground up. I can’t do that if all I’m doing is “enjoying the experience” because thats all it is. Basic interaction to advance the plot to get to the next cut scene is not my idea of a video game. Maybe I’m alone in this, you tell me.
Anyway, the next big battle will be over the living room. Mark my words. Each console will try and become a “family” device. Sure, we’ll be able to share pictures, talk over the internet, record TV, watch movies, play audio CDs that have been properly encoded so we can’t steal from them AND play video games… but will those extra features be worth the marginal improvement in video gaming as a whole. We’ll have to see.
Actually, consoles only slightly interest me. What I’m really down for this year are the computer games. It’s going to be a fantastic 3rd and 4th quarters this year. Obviously, after mentioning it so many damn times, I’m incredibly excited about Battlefield 2. That goes without saying. Whats great is that it’s not the only title thats going to completely own my free time. Civlization IV, FEAR, Elder Scrolls IV, Age of Empires III, Guild Wars (already out), Call of Duty 2, SNOW, Unreal Tournament 2007, Quake 4, and Rise of Legends to name a few.
I can’t wait for post E3 movies, demos and screenshots. It should be a good season. Game on.
by Matt | May 9, 2005 | Aggravation
Yeah. I am one, but you know what, when I get shit like this it really pisses me off. If there’s one thing I can’t stand is an uninformed activist. Be for a cause. Be against something. Thats cool with me. But you’d better know what the hell it is your against before you send out a mass email railing on it.
I got an email from an old friend that worked at EB with me. I’ll paste the interesing bits to save time…
“Last week, The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed by a 261-161 vote, the Real ID Act. This far reaching bill, which will now go to the Senate where it will pass due to Republican majority, will come in the next decade to impact our lives more than any bill or measure that has gone through congress in ages. The Real ID act, cunningly attached to last week’s vote to further fund the Iraq war, passed with flying colors and little to no public or media protest because as we all know with today’s state of affairs, to vote against funding our troops when they “need us most” would be political suicide.
…
The Real ID Act calls for the adoption of a nationwide, electronic identification card which must be carried on your person at all times, otherwise facing penalty of temporary and immediate imprisonment until you can be re-identified.
…
To start, your U.S. Real ID card will have encrypted on it your social security number, a digital photograph of you, your immigration status and your birth certificate. The bill further states that all states of the union must link their Department of Motor Vehicle databases to the Department of Homeland Security to supplement information to be carried on your Real ID, including your complete driver history, motor vehicle violations, suspensions and any points you have. Any state that does not comply with this linking of their DMV will no longer be eligible for federal funding.
…
This same RFID technology, although with a different federal level of encryption technology, will soon be built into all U.S. Passports. After that is achieved and the Real ID roll-out has begun, your Passport and your Real ID will merge, thereby your Real ID will gain RFID technology. Your Real ID will then be tracked by radio signal, recording where and when you go near federal and state establishments – But now, without the need for electronic scanners. As you walk, your Real ID’s RFID chip will be communicating with structures around you that will be required by law to report your movements into the national database. “
After that it goes on about how we’re all doomed, how we’ll be implanted with chips, hurded like cattle and the US will fall under a Nazi-like despotism and we’ll all be royally fucked. Listen, and listen good. I INVENTED THIS PARANOID SHIT! If anyone is going to rail against RFID, National ID systems and the like, it’s me!
But, that’s not what THIS perticular fight it about. This is about House bill 418 (H.R 418), aka “The Real ID” act. This is a very small bill that was quietly added onto a defense spending bill. It’s already passed. You can’t do anything about it. But thats ok. Why? Because anyone who actually read the bill itself would see that it’s really not a threat. Let me go back and forth from this email I got and to my responses. We’ll talk about the bill itself more indepth in a minute.
“The Real ID Act calls for the adoption of a nationwide, electronic identification card which must be carried on your person at all times, otherwise facing penalty of temporary and immediate imprisonment until you can be re-identified. “
I’ve already got one. It’s called my drivers license. You don’t think that magnetic strip on the back is there for looks do you? Any person with out a drivers license is already suspect to “temporary and immediate imprisonment”. Ever get caught speeding without your license? Trust me, you sit in the back of the police cruiser for quite some time.
“To start, your U.S. Real ID card will have encrypted on it your social security number, a digital photograph of you, your immigration status and your birth certificate. The bill further states that all states of the union must link their Department of Motor Vehicle databases to the Department of Homeland Security”
You’re drivers license already has both your social security number as well as a photo. If you’re an alien, you drivers license has that too. In addition, aliens are required to carry green cards, student visas or work papers with them already. Also, the bill itself, if you read it says NOTHING about a birth certificate being part of the card. The link between the DMV and DHS is never mentioned once and the DHS already has all your drivers records anyway. Honestly though, if they didn’t (which they do), would it really be hard for them to get a copy?
What the bill DOES say is that STATES must improve their drivers license and license systems to meet basic requirements to help prevent fakes. Thats it. There’s a whopping 3 sections to this bill. The first is about boarder patrols, the second is about people asking for politcal asylum and the last is about how states should meet some pretty basic requirements for drivers licenses.
Directly from the bill…
Sec 202. Minimum Document Requirements and Issuance Standards for Federal Recognition
1. Beginning 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, a Federal agency may not accept, for any official purpose, a driver’s license or identification card issued by a State to any person unless the State is meeting the requirements of this section.
Translation: You’ll need to get a new drivers license because the old ones suck
B) Minimum Document Requirements- To meet the requirements of this section, a State shall include, at a minimum, the following information and features on each driver’s license and identification card issued to a person by the State:
(1) The person’s full legal name
(2) The person’s date of birth
(3) The person’s gender.
(4) The person’s driver’s license or identification card number.
(5) A digital photograph of the person.
(6) The person’s address of principle residence.
(7) The person’s signature.
(8) Physical security features designed to prevent tampering, counterfeiting, or duplication of the document for fraudulent purposes
(9) A common machine-readable technology, with defined minimum data elements.
Wow. That list seems like a real threat to my personal freedoms….
Now, you’re probably curious over #9, but all that means is the magnetic strip. Read it again. Common machine readable… RFID tags are not common and are not globally readable by different readers from different manufactures. Trust me, I’ve read more about them than anyone. Next, “with defined minimum data elements”. That would be #1-7. That information is already on the magnetic strips on your drivers licenses. I know because if you’re ever been to Avalon in Boston and had you ID scanned by their magical “detect a fake” machine, all that junk is exactly what comes up. They check to see if it matches whats on the front of the card. I also know for a fact that the New Hampshire drivers licenses are SIMPLE to fake. Why, because I’ve seen a fake one. I also seen a New York, Virgina and a Oregon as well (it was art school, people were bored). My current drivers license in Texas has more holograms and security crap than I’ve ever seen before in my life. It’s crazy. But relax, cause thats all they’re talking about in this bill. An upgrade to your easily fakeable drivers licenses.
If you actually take the time to read the bill, none of the things mentioned (RFID, DHS, databases, etc) are even remotely hinted at, let alone mentioned. Literally, all the bill says is that there should be country wide improvements in drivers licenses to help prevent fakes. I, for one, don’t have a problem with that. Now, if they stick an RF chip (that I can’t easily remove) in there, or make everyone get bar codes on their arms, I’ll be the first one signing up for the revolution. But until then, I don’t really see the problem with adding a couple holograms to Kentucky’s drivers licenses if it’ll help Ackmed not to be able to board a plane.
Geez, hippy liberal fucks. Read the shit you’re protesting against before your get your panties in a bunch. Ok? Also, in case anyone else would like to read that bill, the Library of Congress just so happens to have a copy. Enjoy.
HR 418
Oh, and incase you’re still worried… better find the tin-foil hats, because you never know when the aliens will be coming back for whats left of your brain.
Matt out.
by Matt | May 9, 2005 | Friends and Family
My brother-in-law Chris has found his way to the web in the form of a journal. A badly formatted one, but a journal none-the-less. I congradulate him on making the jump from coffee house banter with friends to jornal for the world to see but there’s a few basic rules of english we need to explain to him. One would be our magically friend the paragraph. Hell, just hitting “enter” occasionally would help. Also, I believe this and this could be fairly eductional (especially the last one, it mentions Pocky).
Seriously though, welcome to the web Chris. You’ve been blog-rolled as well. Now… just keep the scary people on your friends list away and we won’t have any trouble… geeesh. Oh, and when you’re ready to leave the scare place that is that Blogger wannabe “Xanga”, just let me know and we’ll get you hooked up with some tasty Moveable Type or some Word Press.
Alright.
So, how many of you spent the afternoon without power? I know I did. It was like camp, only lamer. We had rented the movie room at our apartment for a little Mothers Day cinema experience, complete with cheese dip and brownies. Not five minutes after finishing the first movie the power goes out and the rain and wind pick up. So much so that, back and the apartment, rain started coming in through the windows. Horizontal rain will do that. A few towels later and everything was fine. I brought a few candles and flash lights back over to the movie room where we waited out the storm. After it blew through everyone left and we cleaned up in the dark. The power came back and we watched our second movie with a smaller crowd so it turned out alright in the end. Which reminds me, I’ve got to take the key back over to the office.
Damn, and I hadn’t planned on leaving the apartment today.
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