The Bridge

Lazers

14:02

0

Since the Final Fantasy bow auto-upgrades based on your current level, at what point does it surpass the attributes of Phantom (Lv. 9)? The stats for Phantom Lv. 9 are: Strength +9 Agility +8 Power Shot +3 Fatal Blow +4 Multi-Arrow +3 I'm trying to decide if I should invest in Phantom Lv. 9 ...

defender-2

0

Q: Can you combine runes?

I have salvaged quite a few items to extract "precious" minor runes. Sadly my bank has become quite cluttered with runes now. Is there a way to combine say 3 of the same rune to get the next level? Or can I put 4 into the mystic forge and get a new possibly higher teir rune?

guild-wars-2

Jin

@Blem ok I pinged Lauren to look into that. if you were illegible for the shirt, you should've definitely gotten it a while back.

@James the swag was mailed out last week. if you don't receive it next week please ping me. p.s. where do you live?

pixel

bored

Blem

@jin I have already emailed a bit about it with her, I moved between replying about each of the 2 events and the D3 T-shirt was mailed to my old address, and the Danish post office procedure when dealing with packages of people that have moved is to return them to sender, even though they don't have a problem with sending mail to the new address

fbueckert

@Jin I got my stuff yesterday! Loving the new mousepad.

Jin

@fbueckert awesome. did they turn out ok, print quality wise.

@Blem ok we'll send you a new one.

fbueckert

14:10

@Jin There's no color bleeding going on, and everything is sharp and readable.

Dumped the shirt straight into the laundry though; smells kinda weird.

Jin

@fbueckert I was mostly concerned with the sticker. this is the first time we tried out the "transparent" stickers

@fbueckert to be safe, wash it in cold water, inside out

fbueckert

@Jin Oh, stickers. I just opened that this morning; haven't had a chance to check those out yet.

Jin

the tshirt is screen printed (instead of digital like the 3coin Gaming shirt) so the graphic should be more durable this time.

but when it comes to black shirts, i always wash them inside out, in cold water just in case

fbueckert

@Jin Good tip; I'll do that.

pixel

I am going to do so much sleeping this weekend

I am getting a new internet connection next month

which will apparently give me 36mb down/6mb up

not holding my breath though

UQAllulloo

14:21

@Jin My stickers look awesome.

Jin

you guys should post some twitpics of the swag :) I don't even have them..

sorry for taking so long to get these mailed. the mousepad apparently look longer than the printshop expected.

i guess I can't escape the 6-8weeks curse from SO...

fbueckert

@Jin You make the swag, and can't even keep a set for yourself?

badp

he has a hold onto mine still...

maybe it'd be easier to just give it to him directly

Jin

@fbueckert i eventually get them for the swag I want. our nyc hq sends me a package if we have leftover

188

A: The Many Memes of Meta

Meme: 6 to 8 Weeks Originator: Jeff Atwood First Heard: May 13th, 2008 Cultural Height: In about 6 to 8 weeks Definition: The time estimate given "off the top of my head" when the Stack Overflow team has only a vague idea of how long a task will take because they have little-to-no formal sche...

fbueckert

@Jin There should always be a little bit left over, if you do it right; gives you extras in case things happen.

I'm far too familiar with Murphy to believe everything will go right all the time.

Jin

14:27

@fbueckert yeah we do order extra. that's why I always get the swag I want, eventually. just not as fast as users get them.

fbueckert

@Jin As long as you get some of it!

I'll be adorning my computer with those stickers. Screw manufacturer stickers; I don't advertise things I paid for.

Lazers

0

Q: Why Twister over Piercing Orb

I have been messing around with a twister build, and have a couple questions. First of all, my build is a carbon copy of the twitch.tv user GoodIdea, and it works pretty well, in Act 1 Inferno. I would like to move it to Act 2 for more elite farming, but am wondering about use of Archon, and Twis...

diablo-3 diablo-3-wizard

pixel

time to waste the rest of the day skiving on youtube

Jin

I still have the pixel heart sticker on my imac right now

user15026

@Jin I have the sticker on my laptop beside the pixel heart one :)

Jin

14:50

@AshleyNunn you guys need to post some swag pics here!

fbueckert

@Lazers Build advice question. I'm attempting to help him understand why questions like this don't work.

Sterno

@fbueckert I'd say a good 75% of his question seems fine

Okay, I know this is old news, but I still don't see why this is closed:

0

Q: Where to find Diablo 3 patch plans?

Blizzard just recently released patch 1.04 for Diablo 3. With this patch they introduced a new feature: paragon levels. Is there a place that has all of the upcoming patches or features that Blizzard has planned for Diablo 3?

diablo-3

I mean, the top answer there even makes a case for there being more to it than just "Go look at blizzard's site"

fbueckert

@Sterno It sounds exactly like a build advice question, down to linking his build. Those don't work well due to inviting discussion, and not helping anyone but himself.

@Sterno I hashed this one out when it first came up. I don't have the energy to re-enter it.

Sterno

I read the metas. I just think you guys are way wrong. :)

fbueckert

@Sterno We'll agree to disagree on that one, I think. :P

Sterno

14:59

For popular video games, I almost always find it easier to find upcoming patch notes somewhere OTHER than the game's main site. I don't know why that is, but developers seem to suck balls at getting that information out front and center, a lot of times

Speaking of which, I really wish Steam was better at integrating patch notes when you get a game update

I hate seeing an update and having no idea what it did

user15026

user15026

@Jin my laptop of awesome

Jin

finally, a girl who likes my lil pony

5

user15026

grins We are a rare breed it seems

pixel

that's a lot of stickers

user15026

15:02

I like stickers they make me happy

pixel

I don't think I'd be able to stick that many stickers on my laptop without feeling like a vandal

my desktop pc is covered in them though

user15026

@pixel What makes the laptop different?

badp

@AshleyNunn TMI

pixel

I take it out in public, I like it to look brand new :P

user15026

@pixel grins fair enough.

pixel

15:04

whereas my desktop doesn't need to look new, it needs to look unique

user15026

This is basically my life in sticker form :P

pixel

I like the old gaming.SE logo more

it's a shame I missed out on getting one of those stickers

Lazers

0

Q: Dark Souls Steam vs GFWL

What is the diffrence between Steam version and Games for windows live ? I'm not sure, but I read somewhere that steam version is also connected with GFWL. Thanks for response. :) Edit. I'm asking because my friend is going to buy it, but I'm not sure, does steam version is able to play with GFWL.

dark-souls

Jin

@pixel they're out of production now... which makes them super valuable!

i'm going to ebay all my leftover! for millions

fbueckert

@pixel I bet if you bribe @Jin, you might be able to get one. :P

pixel

15:07

I bet if I wanted stuff that badly I'd have got the latest round of stuff

fbueckert

@pixel ...You were higher on the rep scale when the top user swag was announced; you should be getting the current stuff.

pixel

yeah I never actually claimed it

fbueckert

@pixel ...So you're bitching about not getting the old stuff, but you don't want the stuff that badly.

THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!

pixel

woah there, I'm not bitching at all

Jason Berkan

@pixel Apathy FTW!

pixel

15:09

but no, I'm not bothered that much, but yeah if I had to choose I'd choose a heart sticker over a spaceship sticker

Jin

@pixel if you ever want to claim it just ping me.

pixel

@Jin if you don't get to keep a copy of stuff you should have them :P

I am very unlikely to wear a gaming related tshirt ever

and I don't use mouse mats

so claiming anything like that would have essentially been a waste of effort on somebody's part

user15026

@Jin I wore the shirt yesterday. Three people asked me what game it was from.

Ronan Forman

My two still haven't arrived yet, international shipping FTL!

Jason Berkan

@AshleyNunn Galaga, obviously.

user15026

15:12

@JasonBerkan I was like...it is from something more awesome than a game. :D

Blem

@RonanForman I got mine Tuesday

user15026

Which made people go O.o and made me giggle

Jin

@AshleyNunn tell them it's from Half Life 3

pixel

I'm still messing with my steam friends list by adding loads of non-steam games as "Half Life 3 Alpha"

user15026

@Jin Oh man that would be so ridiculously awesome. I will do that next time. Just because making people wonder is si much fun

pixel

15:13

so whenever I play games I get spammed

Jin

@RonanForman where do you live?

Ronan Forman

@Jin England.

pixel

wow, 16 minutes until home time

15, even

Jin

@RonanForman hmm I don't think we've had a lot of problems mailing to UK... but we've had plenty lost mails to Russia and India...

Ronan Forman

I'm not going to be worried about it yet.

fbueckert

15:20

And our local resident, "I can't think for myself!" has re-emerged.

Have I mentioned how much I hate questions like that?

Ronan Forman

@fbueckert Like what?

fbueckert

-2

Q: How can this guy have 70k damage if his intelligence is only 1800?

http://i.imgur.com/V6tuo.jpg His intelligence is 1800. DPS of weapon is 1100. Even if intelligence is 2000 and DPS is 1200, total it would still only be 24k dps. I saw no %damage. Bonus: How to make screenshot like that?

diablo-3

This latest gem.

I'm tempted to VTC as NARQ. It shows zero effort to understand how it works.

Anna Lear

Ahh, Jim Thio.

user15026

@AnnaLear A name familiar to you?

OrigamiRobot

@Anna does your cat like the mountains?

fbueckert

15:33

I wrote a whole answer on meta about what was wrong with his questions. He doesn't seem to have learned anything from it, as he's still asking them.

So, no more help. I now downvote and VTC his bad questions.

Anna Lear

@AshleyNunn Yes. He's known on several sites.

user15026

@AnnaLear Ah.

Anna Lear

@OrigamiRobot no idea

OrigamiRobot

@FBueckert he wants us to analyze a single character? Nty

user15026

One more close vote...

StrixVaria

15:40

My flag on SciFi.SE about this atrocity was declined.

0% accept rate!

fbueckert

@StrixVaria Worry about our atrocities more! :P

user15026

@StrixVaria The fact that this is a thing that is allowed to exist on SE makes me irritated

StrixVaria

@AshleyNunn And that the moderator has not explicitly allowed it despite a flag.

user15026

@StrixVaria Oy.

user15026

Like I get part of it might be because of the references to the company, but oy.

StrixVaria

15:42

And Joel himself participated in that question and didn't burninate it.

user15026

@StrixVaria yeah.....

Yi Jiang

When the entire scope of the site is basically trivia, no question is too trivial to ask

Fluttershy

Quick! JT had another question closed! Get your meta answers ready!

fbueckert

@Fluttershy I'm just going to link to my answer on his other question.

OrigamiRobot

What was his other one?

@strix I only go to scifi to downvote now

3

Mana

16:09

I don't think it's right to stick our heads into and apply our site policies towards other sites that we are not a part of.

2

pixel

If you have a very busy database server with performance issues whose symptoms include high disc queuing, 99% ram utilisation, lots of paging, etc - what would be your first suggestion to aid resolving the issue?

fbueckert

@pixel If you're using 99% of your RAM, I'd suspect that's the initial bottleneck.

pixel

because my non-technical boss is trying to pull me up on my recommendation to increase the RAM on the box from 8gb to 50% of the size of the main database (database is 48gb, I've recommended increasing RAM to 24gb)

fbueckert

@pixel I don't know if you ever need to load HALF the database into memory.

That's certainly the simplest solution.

pixel

our database grows reasonably quickly

and remember, the server isn't just running SQL server

fbueckert

16:12

A better one would be to figure out what's bogging the server and fix that.

pixel

it has to still run windows and other random utilities

fbueckert

@pixel Why is your database server not a dedicated DB server? If you want performance, you don't use it for fiddly little random things, too.

pixel

not my server

StrixVaria

@Mana But our site policies are clearly the best and they have no idea what they're doing.

pixel

the server is sat at 99% ram usage, with long disc queues and constant disc access both reading and writing to the MDF/LDFs (which are on seperate drives), and to the page file (which is also on a seperate drive). The PLE is like 20 at worst and 400 at best, cpu usage isn't the bottle neck because it barely gets above 50%

fbueckert

16:14

@pixel The quick solution is to throw more RAM at it.

The long-term solution is to dedicate a box to just the database, and administered by someone who knows DBs.

pixel

PLE of 20 indicates that data is sitting in ram for ~20 seconds before it gets ditched to load more data

16gb probably won't resolve the problem, only alleviate it

hence I said 24gb

fbueckert

3 mins ago, by fbueckert

A better one would be to figure out what's bogging the server and fix that.

But that would take time and effort to resolve.

pixel

our shit software if I wanted to be completely honest

but I can't change that

our new version reduces the size of our database by 40%

just by deduping

but I'm not allowed to be so vocal about how bad the db design is

or our data access for that matter

it makes my manager nervous

fbueckert

@pixel Then shut up, tell them to dump the ram in, and that the problem will happen again shortly.

pixel

yes but when the problem happens again it will be passed back to me

I hate this job -.-

I want to work for a company that didn't do the original spec for their product on the back of beer mats

fbueckert

16:18

@pixel Write up two solutions. The quick one. And the right one. Send that to the boss.

Once it comes back to you, forward it back to the boss.

It's a corporate version of "I told you so. YOU chose to do it the fast way."

pixel

I told you, I'm not allowed to talk about the state of our database or the fact we use cursors for literally every piece of interaction with our database

fbueckert

@pixel Which is more important? Doing the job right, or doing the job?

pixel

doing the job right first time regardless of cost

fbueckert

@pixel And for the corporate culture, which is more important?

pixel

handholding whoever is currently shouting the loudest

(while rarely actually fixing anything)

(because the second you make progress on their problem and the customer stops shouting you get moved onto another project of a new customer that is now shouting louder)

fbueckert

16:21

Ahh, office politics. I hate 'em.

Learn to detach your emotions from your job.

pixel

no, that's fatal to me

the second I stop caring I lose all interest

fbueckert

Do your best, within the limits of what you have available, and don't care when something you can't do anything about comes up.

pixel

I have very few problems doing the job, I just don't get allowed to do the job

my non-technical manager just emailed saying that she is going to recommend increasing the ram to 12gb, which is neither of my suggestions

case in point: it doesn't matter what I say or do, since it gets edited before the customer ever sees it

oh, apparently my internet connection has been cancelled

the fact I'm telling you this indicates how ironic I find this news

Lazers

16:38

0

Q: Resource distribution on immortal difficulty

I made a 1v1 scenario with randomly distributed resources on immortal difficulty. However, when I load the mod and play the scenario, there are no resources on the map. (At least as far as I've been able to explore in the first 75 turns.) Am I doing something wrong? Or does the immortal difficult...

civilization-5

fbueckert

@pixel Your WORK internet connection?

pixel

I am at home

it's past 4:30

fbueckert

@pixel So...your home internet connection got cancelled.

Why?

pixel

because I'm getting a new connection but was intending to run both at the same time for a period

my new connection is fast but traffic shaped

fbueckert

@pixel Sounds like my ISP. We tried to switch accounts for my home, and specifically told them to NOT cancel my account until the other one got going.

What did they do? Cancelled my account right then.

pixel

16:42

I specifically stated "I have no phone line, install a new one"

and they've instead try to hijack my current line

the order on their stupid phone system says "new phone line and broadband"

confused

Blem

me too, why would you need a phone line at all?

:)

fbueckert

@Blem DSL runs through the phone line.

Blem

guess if you cant get anything better where you live

fbueckert

16:57

@Blem DSL can actually be really fast; that's what I have, and I can sustain 2.4 MB/s.

Blem

@fbueckert Guess I have just gotten use to bigger connections

fbueckert

@Blem The cable ISP in my area allows higher connection speeds, but it's a cable connection; you can get UP TO that speed, but most often you're stuck with something much lower, due to the bandwidth saturation of the area.

Plus, my cable provider has a bandwidth limit that they like to enforce. I believe you can run through your entire monthly allotment in about two days, at max speed.

Blem

@fbueckert it was like that in Denmark, but think it is illegal to advertise that now, any speed promised has to be a minimum speed

pixel

Now I'm having to place a new order with some woman who is clearly reading from a script

Blem

my connections is minimum 50/50 with no limit

fbueckert

17:07

@Blem Europe in general has more network saturation than North America. I wish it were possible to get a connection like that myself.

Blem

and it is only 65 dkk/month ~ $11/month

fbueckert

Also, Mr. "Never checks for duplicates and uses those stupid long sales pages" has yanked my hard work to monetize his blog.

sjohnston

Stupid giant USA with its wide open spaces and long internet tubes

I want Europe internet

@Blem Nothing personal, but I hate you.

Jason Berkan

@Blem I'm crying right now.

Blem

it was even better at my dorm

fbueckert

17:09

My current internet connection costs me $90/month.

Blem

at the dorm i lived at it was $2/month for 1000/1000, it was shared but still got plenty good connection

fbueckert

You're using my hard work there, and you're not giving me credit for it. I really don't like that. — fbueckert 1 min ago

Too harsh?

Blem

nop, sounds fine @fbueckert

pixel

@Blem I'm only going to get 37/6

atm I get 1.5/0.5

so I'm not complaining

Blem

isnt google trying to get in on the isp market with some insane connections in the us?

pixel

17:14

@Blem fiber.google.com/about

Martin Sojka

@sjohnston Middle-of-nowhere places like, say, Utah or Nebraska or something have a problem, yes. But anything between the Carolinas and Maine, or western California? No excuse. Those places are as densely populated as central Europe.

Blem

I guess you need some polititians to make rules like in Finland

Internet in Finland

History FUNET was created 1984 to link Finnish universities. The .fi top-level domain was registered 1986. FICIX was created in 1993 to interconnect Finnish IP networks and commercial sales of Internet connection began. Since July 2010, Finland has become the first country in the world to make Internet access a legal right. Every Finn should have access to a 1 Mbit/s broadband Internet connection at home. There are plans to increase this to 100 Mbit/s in 2015. Broadband Broadband Internet access in Finland was launched commercially in 2000 in the form of ADSL. As of 2008,...

Martin Sojka

Just checked, Denmark has 130 people/km² (and is in the upper part for Europe, since they have almost no uninhabitable areas), the following US states have more: Florida, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey.

fbueckert

I just had a VERY evil idea.

Attribution is required in the event you re-post information found here somewhere else.

You have to link to the original question and the author who wrote it in the first place.

Martin Sojka

@fbueckert Specifically, CC-BY-SA. Not only is attribution required, it also has to be posted under a compatible ("share-alike") licence. Anything else can get a DMCA notice, for example, if hosted in the USA.

fbueckert

17:24

If Mr. Moron follows the proper attribution requirements, he needs to provide a link to my profile.

Martin Sojka

Blog - Stack Exchange: Attribution Required

Jeff Atwood on June 25, 2009

All the content contributed to Stack Overflow, Stack Overflow Meta, Server Fault, and Super User is cc-wiki (aka cc-by-sa) licensed, intended to be shared and remixed. We even provide all our data as a convenient data dump, seeded by us.

But our cc-wiki licensing, while intentionally permissive, does require attribution.

Attribution — You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).

I thought it was pretty clear what “attribution” meant, but given the semi-scammy way the content is popping up in some seedier areas of the internet, maybe not: …

fbueckert

I should add something like, "To all visitors from sitename, all info about Diablo 3 can be found here on Arqade! Don't pay for any guides from that site!"

And there's not a damn thing that guy can do about it.

sjohnston

@MartinSojka The problem is that the populated areas partially subsidize the underpopulated areas.

fbueckert

14

Q: How do we deal with users that use data from here to monetize their blog?

I've been having some sneaking suspicions about one of our newer users, and I've run into what I perceive as, at best, shady behaviour. The Details This user has asked a few questions, and gotten some answers, and he answered one himself before it got closed. In his answer, he links to a blog....

discussion site-policies

badp

@fbueckert Evil? Maybe. Unenforceable? Absolutely.

sjohnston

17:30

You might also make an argument for monopolies and duopolies gouging customers for inferior service, but lots of places with better, cheaper internet than USA also have monopoly and duopoly situations.

fbueckert

@badp Yeah, there's not a damn thing I can do to make him follow the rules.

But it sounds like he wants to follow the rules; if he adds attribution to my profile, I'm sure as hell adding that.

Martin Sojka

@sjohnston If my overview about the situation of Europe is correct, you only get cheap and fast internet nearly everywhere in two cases: 1. Lots and lots of competition, 2. Heavy regulation and subsidisation of the telecom business (understood as basic human right to communicate) of the few companies by the government.

The situation where few companies make for cheap and fast internet simply doesn't happen here.

Obviously, the idea of implementing "government involvement" would make a sizeable portion of the US population reach for their guns and storm Washington D.C. ... Difference in cultures here. :)

sjohnston

Yeah, I think the word "regulation" is officially a profanity here.

Because it's been proven time and time again that uncontrolled capitalism results in ideal circumstances for all involved parties.

fbueckert

@sjohnston Mostly, it results in price fixing and unethical, underhanded methods to acquire or keep a monopoly.

sjohnston

17:46

Sigh. I need to stop thinking about political stuff or I'm going to get depressed.

</politics><gaming>

fbueckert

@sjohnston Very much approved of.

Politics tend to rile up most programmers.

Sterno

18:04

Anyone who disagrees with my political ideals is not only stupid, but amoral! And I am never wrong about anything!

fbueckert

@Sterno Politics are not inherently evil. They just don't mesh very well with the mindset required when programming.

StrixVaria

@Sterno The problem with politics is often that both sides are right. Arguing about stuff like that is the biggest waste of time I've ever encountered.

"We should tax the rich to help the poor because they have more money than they can use and there are homeless people who need help."
"We shouldn't tax the rich because they earned their money and deserve to keep the benefits of their work."
It's literally a difference of opinion. There is no way to prove one side or the other correct.

Ugh.

Rilgon Arcsinh

@StrixVaria Except not really, the latter is disproven in several economic studies and is basically "fuck you got mine" :P

StrixVaria

@RilgonArcsinh I removed the economic bits and just kept in the opinionated bits.

I don't know economics well enough to have an opinion either way, and I abstain from conversations about that.

Rilgon Arcsinh

Taxation is inherently grounded in economics, though.

Sterno

18:10

@StrixVaria We should tax the high rep users on Arqade like @RavenDreamer. Distribute the wealth!

StrixVaria

@RilgonArcsinh I am not here to argue from you, to learn from you about economics, or to discuss actual political issues. I explained why I think the primary focus of politics is currently stupid, and that is where my place in this discussion ends.

Sterno

@RilgonArcsinh I disagree with you, and therefore you are not only wrong, but amoral.

2

And to sound even more obnoxious, I'll end my excellent rebuttal by saying "QED" in a way that makes no sense. QED!

Rilgon Arcsinh

Yes, discussing the crippling income disparity and huge concentration of wealth in the hands of a infinitesimal fraction of peoples' hand is "stupid", you're right!

Sterno

I am interested in seeing these economic studies which disprove the idea that people who work hard should keep their money.

Because that doesn't seem especially provable or disprovable, given that it's an opinion.

StrixVaria

Speaking of not arguing about things you don't understand, more politicians should probably start doing that.

Rilgon Arcsinh

18:13

@Sterno Because most rich people do not "work hard".

Sterno

@RilgonArcsinh That, itself, seems like it would be a matter of opinion. Plus, what are we calling "rich"?

Rilgon Arcsinh

@Sterno The people trying to choke our economy to death, like the Waltons, the Kochs, etc.

Sterno

I'm pretty sure RavenDreamer doesn't work hard for his Arqade rep anymore. It just sort of keeps flowing in from past answers. REDISTRIBUTE THE WEALTH!

20k for everyone in chat!

I'm going to run on that platform next mod election!

I mean, he can't even use anything beyond about 25k, and that already assumes he's frivolously spending rep on bounties!

Rilgon Arcsinh

Yes, because reputation on an internet Q/A site is the exact same as inheriting multiple billions that your father made off the back of Stalin's Soviet Empire. 100%.

Sterno

I'm glad we're in agreement!

StrixVaria

18:20

Why are political issues being discussed in the Bridge?

The extent of our political discussion should be "yeah man fuck politics" and that's it.

Sterno

@StrixVaria I don't think we're discussing political issues. I'm trolling. Totally different.

StrixVaria

@Sterno I know you're trolling, but @RilgonArcsinh is pretty serious.

Sterno

@StrixVaria But without the trolling I never would have learned that all rich people inherited their money from their fathers who made it off the back of Stalin's Soviet Empire!

(okay, I'll stop)

So, Darksiders 2

not bad!

StrixVaria

@Sterno Not worth $50-$60 for the amount of gameplay it has.

Sterno

And that Firaxis X-Com game looks like it'll actually be good

StrixVaria

18:23

Steam has spoiled me.

I would like to play it, but I can't justify the cost.

Rilgon Arcsinh

The topic was brought up, it is a topic that I feel strongly about, and since it is not wanted (nor my presence, apparently), I'll just leave.

Sterno

Well, there is that. And if I didn't already have it for PS3, Dark Souls would be pretty sweet

StrixVaria

@RilgonArcsinh Whoa that's a bit of an overreaction.

No one said you're not wanted.

Politics is just the kind of topic that tends to create schisms within otherwise civil communities (not that we're particularly civil), and is generally better avoided.

Sterno

I'll probably pick it up for PC when it hits a $10 steam sale

StrixVaria

@Sterno I don't know how a Darksiders-style action game would work on PC.

I'd probably have to shell out another $35 for a controller that works on my PC, and then it's expensive again :P

Sterno

18:25

Yeah, there is that. I use a controller.

Those friggin' Microsoft wireless ones suck, too. Always end up getting loose connections and then you either need to replace them after 6 months, or get in there with a soldering gun

StrixVaria

@Sterno I don't do wireless controllers if I can avoid it.

Never liked how big that whole idea got. All wireless does is add in unnecessary failure points.

Sterno

I like wireless for consoles, since I hate having cords stretching across the living room, but for PC, I agree.

I'm always close enough that wired is preferable

StrixVaria

I use wireless controllers on my 360, but only because they're the default.

fbueckert

I want that XCOM game.

StrixVaria

I wouldn't say I prefer them.

fbueckert

18:27

So much fun.

Sterno

@fbueckert I never played the original xcom (tried recently, but it was a little too dated for me to get into), but it looks like the type of game I'd really like

I think the new one is due in October

StrixVaria

I have heard of XCOM but I don't know anything about it past the name. What genre is it?

Jason Berkan

@fbueckert Moi aussi.

fbueckert

@StrixVaria Sci-Fi/Survival.

Sterno

@StrixVaria It might be it's own genre.

fbueckert

18:29

Basically, modern day Earth gets attacked by aliens, and the world puts together a unit to protect them.

Sterno

There's one component which is kind of high level strategy and resource management. Where will you fight? Who will you bring? What research will you learn? What areas will you abandon?

but the combat aspect is squad turn-based strategy

StrixVaria

@Sterno This sounds good if there's no time pressure.

Turn-based makes that sound amazing.

If it were real time I would have no interest at all.

Sterno

There isn't. Combat aspects are turn based. I think the between-mission stuff isn't pausible, but you can slow it to such a slow speed it might as well be

at least in the original

StrixVaria

I like pure strategy games and there aren't enough of them any more.

fbueckert

That's you. Your job is to protect the world. If you let aliens land on Earth, countries cut their funding, and in some cases, get completely taken over by the aliens.

Sterno

18:31

Yeah. You're basically managing the entire war of Earth vs aliens

and cutting to "the good stuff" when there are battles

StrixVaria

I was upset when Final Fantasy started adding awkward real-time elements to the battle systems.

2

Sterno

@StrixVaria +1000

fbueckert

Learning curve is a bit steep; you WILL lose squad members when you first start out.

StrixVaria

I will have to look more into this XCOM game when I get home.

Sterno

Yeah. You can definitely end up in a downward spiral that you probably won't pull out of. It's not a linear game.

In fact, most of it is randomized

Kind of like playing Civ, in a way

Jason Berkan

18:32

@StrixVaria The original is cheap on Steam and is still a great game.

StrixVaria

@JasonBerkan I'm skeptical of this. When did it come out?

Great games in the 90s are not great games any more, generally.

I tried playing Fallout recently.

That was bad.

Sterno

store.steampowered.com/app/7760

fbueckert

@StrixVaria It's still a DOS game. But the little I've played it, it's still fun.

Sterno

I wanted to, but I really couldn't get past the graphics

fbueckert

If you want something more modern, try the UFO series.

Sterno

18:33

well, moreso the UI

There's also Xenonauts, which goes into beta in October

(another xcom clone)

Jason Berkan

@StrixVaria '94 I think. The graphics are clunky, but the gameplay is still great.

fbueckert

@Sterno That's STILL being developed? Boo.

Sterno

@fbueckert Yeah. They just posted they're targeting releasing the beta the same week as the new X-com

fbueckert

@Sterno That's...not good marketing.

Jason Berkan

I'll second the learning curve comment, though. The game will kill you fast the first few times you play.

fbueckert

18:35

They were doing good when 2K announced their XCOM game was an FPS.

They went, "Hey! Remember XCOM? We're making a clone!"

But competing directly against another XCOM game is just asking to fail.

Sterno

@fbueckert Yeah. They don't do a great job selling the beta either.

The idea of the plan is to reach beta by 9th October – beta being a feature-complete state where the game could feasibly be released as a finished game. It won’t initially be a very good game

The date of the 9th October has been chosen because it is the release date of the new Firaxis X-Com game. Not only will I be busy for a couple of days playing it after the 9th, it’ll cause anther surge of interest in our game (as X-Com will cause a surge of interest in the genre) so it makes sense for us to be looking our best when it does arrive.

My guess is that they're really hoping the Firaxis game sucks

because if it's good, I don't know why people would start hunting down a low-budget, unpolished version of the same thing

fbueckert

@Sterno Yeah, that's NOT the way to market your game. "I won't be developing mine, because I'll be playing theirs!".

I appreciate them being honest about it, though.

Sterno

Of course, like a chump, I already pre-ordered that game like a year and a half ago.

It was before Kickstarter was cool!

StrixVaria

I'm going to pass on the 90s XCOM game, although I might look up a let's play or something.

But I'm interested in the new one, whenever it drops.

Sterno

@StrixVaria Preview! rockpapershotgun.com/2012/08/29/…

StrixVaria

18:43

@Sterno Will watch after work.

sjohnston

@StrixVaria Let's Plays are such a wonderful invention. There are so many games where I'm interested in seeing what they're about, but have no real desire to play through.

Also for stuff like AC3, where I enjoy the series, but I'll be damned if I buy another Ubisoft game with a $60 price tag and always-on, internet-required DRM.

fbueckert

@sjohnston Ubicrap treats PC users like third class criminals.

sjohnston

@Sterno Aw, for the longest time, RPS was ignored by the corporate firewall. Looks like they finally blocked it.

fbueckert

And then blame the poor PC sales on piracy.

sjohnston

They'll learn, if we teach them.

...or they'll die a sad death and make room for something better.

ditto EA.

Raven Dreamer

18:51

@Sterno I am the .05%!

sjohnston

Damn you and all your internet monopoly money!

Although I do find the phenomenon of "reputation dividends" on amassed old posts kind of interesting. It would be cool to chart a bunch of long-time users and see what percentage of rep from new vs. old posts is over time.

Jonny

@StrixVaria @StrixVaria A man after my own heart. I couldn't agree more.

In relation to your Final Fantasy comment

sjohnston

@Jonny FACT: Deeply-nested-menu-systems-based-combat does not work well in real time.

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