The Sky Has Limits

"Pot--this is Kettle. He's black."

I just caught a whiff of the Google/Yahoo search cooperation at Wired.com in an article about how Microsoft's lobbying may be causing Google a lot of trouble.

It is insanely ironic to me that the largest software company in the world, whom is considered the standard for computer system software, is crying "monopoly!" to someone else.  Not to mention that the more successful lobbyist is the one regularly criticized for it's work, rather than the one that's lauded for it.

Resistance is Futile

Aaron has turned me into a hopeless fanboy of modern TV drama.  Last Sunday, I witnessed a black cloud of smoke ravaging some trained mercenaries, and it made my day.  I'm getting ready to teach Amy about vampires, and I am eagerly awaiting the aftermath of humanity's arrival at Earth.  Unfortunately for the last, I will be waiting a solid six months minimum before Battlestar Galactica starts up again.

However...

I did just discover this little webisode thing called The Resistance that I must have missed the first time around.  There are 10, less than 5 minute episodes detailing a bit of the time gap between the end of season 2 and the beginning of season 3.  If you want them, sans payment, it can be had here.

That's sort of like digging to back of the cupboard for anything yummy--knowing full well you ate the last box of cookies a week ago--and finding that hidden package of Oreos, ready to go.

Dreams May Become Reality

I saw a link on Raph Koster's blog the other day about Lila Dreams, an MMO in development that is supposed to take place in the imagination of a 12-year-old girl.  Some of the things they talk about in the interview are really interesting, but I'm not yet sure how they will adapt them to an MMO.  They do also seem a tad ambitious, but here's hoping.

The website could also use some serious web skillz (which I possess) and it will be my first "pick a real-live site and build it better" project.  If I get it done any time soon, I'll post it here and maybe even send them a copy, hoping to get myself published (or hired!).  This idea was first seeded when the boys and I were discussing possibilities for my 30th birthday.  Upon exploring these via the web, I encountered some of the worst web design ever (NSFW!) and realized that I could probably make a pretty penny offering them my services.  Then it begs the question:  Do you put that on your resume?

Internet Journalism... *sigh*

I'm beginning to wonder if they are letting the 8-year-olds run the front page posts over at Evil Avatar.  I used to get upset at some of the things they posted until Aaron pointed out what was right in front of me:  they are rumor mongers.  That being said, I just have to say something because it is getting ridiculous.  I found all three of these posts on their front page when I went over there today:

Absurd posting #1

Here is a link to my last Gamasutra feature this month.

Does it even matter who the publisher is anymore? According to our research, all the major publishers have an average metacritic score between 76 and 63, with all them having their own high scores and extremely low scores.

*Graph from Gamasutra validating statement*

I don't typically post my own articles, but I think this is a pretty interesting topic."

Okay, this annoys me because how a development studio's average score on a game has a single fucking thing to do with the publisher is absolutely beyond me.  The exception would be something like EA Big whom EA probably has a bit of sway with how the game is done.  My understanding of the publisher's role in the game-development cycle is that they provide distrubution, and usually some production money.  Valve says something to EA like, "Hey, we can afford to make this game, but we can't afford to burn, print, and ship 2 million copies, plus, we don't want to spend the time it will take to contact 250,000 retailers about it.  So, can you guys do that?" and EA says, "Well, is it good?"  Then Valve says, "We're Valve, d00d."  and EA says, "Okay, we'll front the money, but we want X percent of sales" and Valve says, "Okay."  The more money valve asks for, the higher the fleecing percentage for EA is going to be, because EA knows Valve is asking for a higher risk.  But if the game is from Bob's Backyard Blasters, EA is not going to care much if the game does well, because Bob doesn't carry much sway and can't ask for much money to publish his first games.  They'll still happily do it if their analysis says they have a remote chance of making money, but I wonder why this is news?

Absurd posting #2

"Bushnell:  Encryption chips will end piracy

For those that don't know Nolan Bushnell was one of the founders of Atari (as well as one of the founders of Chuck E. Cheese). He's also been critical of the game industry, going so far as to call modern games "trash".  Well he's once again making waves, this time predicting the end of game piracy.

Quote:

"There is a stealth encryption chip called a TPM that is going on the motherboards of most of the computers that are coming out now," he pointed out "What that says is that in the games business we will be able to encrypt with an absolutely verifiable private key in the encryption world - which is uncrackable by people on the internet and by giving away passwords - which will allow for a huge market to develop in some of the areas where piracy has been a real problem."

A few years back a patent came to light showing that Sony had developed a method to intrinsically link a piece of software - even a hard copy - to a particular piece of hardware. Gamers were understandably upset by that prospect, and Sony assured us that they were nowhere near implementing it. Well what's the reaction going to be if, as Bushnell claims, hardware manufacturers are already surreptitiously placing elements of these markers in our motherboards?

I don't pirate software, but I will never buy a mobo that makes me jump through hoops to use my own games the way Microsoft and Apple make me to use XBLA games and iTunes media. I don't care if that means I never buy another computer, I will not stand for it."

Um, yes you will.  If you want to participate in this society.

Anyways, what bothers me so much about this one is mostly that people talking about the end of piracy is old news.  They want everyone to believe them so they can sell their product/service.  They've been predicting the end to piracy for 20 years, and it still hasn't happened.  Statements like, "which is uncrackable by people on the internet and by giving away passwords" should indicate to a journalist who knows anything about games and software that this is not a good person to quote because he is a moron.  If your website is about morons, you're dead on, but if your website is about games and software, you will not be posting noteworthy news.

Absurd posting #3

Multiple 90 minute cutscenes in MGS4

This according to PSW magazine via CVG:

Quote:

Originally Posted by CVG We know the Metal Gear Solid series is famous for its long cut-scenes, but this tops everything! Metal Gear Solid 4, the latest installment in Hideo Kojima's seminal stealth series, has cut-scenes (note the plural) that approach the 90 minutes mark. For those troubled with time keeping, that's the length of a feature film. The news comes from PSW magazine, who's been and finished MGS4, and then promptly whispered in our ears about the shocking 90-minute cut-scenes. The latest issue hits newsstands today, by the way.

Say what!?

Update: Gamepro is saying this is false, and while the game has some lengthy cutscenes - none even approach 90 minutes."

I got some news for you--you can just ask the guy in the cubicle next to you if this is a mistake or not.  Just because CVG harbors idiot journalists doesn't mean you have to, too.  Guys, come on.  Just because they're published in print doesn't mean PSW doesn't still make mistatkes.  In fact, it removes their ability to do cool things like "UPDATE" their idiotic statements.  If I told you a game had 500 hours of scripted game events, any simpleton can tell that should have been a 50, not a 500.  Obviously what PSW meant was that MGS 4 "has cut-scenes that [in total] approach the 90 minutes mark."  It's a game, and I'm sure that the dev team knows if they don't let gamers PLAY it, they will not have a very happy audience.  Sheesh.

Who Needs Google...

... when you've got GoogleAds?  I am careful now to check my e-mail only when I'm sure I have time to follow those links on the right hand side to all sorts of entertainment and ridiculousness.  I think I'm going to start typing random words in my e-mails just to see what GoogleAds comes up with.

Recent Gems:

"Find Cougar Bars"
http://www.dateacougar.com/

"Apnea? Play a Didgeridoo"
http://www.laoutback.com/didgeridoo/education/Didgeridoo_and_Sleep_Apnea.html

(The most amusing aspect of that one for me is that every time I hear about a didgeridoo, I think of a Dexter's Lab episode wher Dexter goes to college and does nothing but study until he stresses out and completely looses it during finals week.  In the ensuing mayhem, his roommate's final project of the worlds biggest didgeridoo get's converted into a gigantic hottub.  The only episode of that show I can say I laughed maniacally at.)

And my personal favorite, When Bots Fail:

Labia Surgery Photos - www.shopping365days.com - Save on Labia Surgery Photos See the Top 5 Sites for a Deal!

Where to start?

History:  I had just signed up at Chemistry.com and was being stormed by their e-mails and on-site advertising that "profiles with photos get 80% more hits", so I asked Scott if he happened to have any pictures around with me in them.  Scott sent me back an e-mail with "nekkid photos" in the subject telling me that he had none, and that lovely nugget up there was in the banner right above the e-mail.

Wrongness:  First, I sincerely doubt that I can purchase "Labia Surgery Photos" at that website.  I'm dubious at best, but I'm betting the market for that is not very strong, though I could be wrong.  Second, "See the top 5 sites for a deal"?  Christ, I don't want to even see one site on that subject, needless to say five sites so I can mull them over, compare/contrast, and decide which has the best offer.  Third, I understand the "photos" connection, but I'm having trouble with the leap from "nekkid" to "Labia Surgery".  I mean, if nekkid is on my mind, about the last thing I want to think about is labia surgery.

And to think that recently I have been lauding how Google is going to run the universe someday because they have more data about data than anyone on the planet.  For a software company that is sixth largest in the world, I have higher expectations about my automated content responses.

Intimidation

This week I found out that my final project for my CSS class is going to be to re-create the website for local band, A Moment Lost.

While that may not seem too daunting a task, their current site (which seems to be down ATM) is a Flash extravaganza, and I know squat about Flash (that's next quarter).  So, I get to build the really boring (but necessary!) non-flash site.  Hopefully, next quarter will bring greater achievements.

I've also had a web job opportunity pop up this week.  I've been working towards this degree now for over 5 years, the end is near, and yet... I'm terrified to pick up that phone and start the change.  Anyone else get shaky when they were this close to their first career-oriented job?

*whips out resume*  Time to make a superstar....