Current Events

Re: Greenspan: Economy in 'once-in-a-century' crisis

bigwig — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:28:59 GMT

I'm not sure why they made the decision but now that the PS3 doesn't have backwards compatibility, I don't know how many millions of dollars I'd have to have before I would buy a PS3 for the games. I understand that loads of people have PS2s, but if I don't have access to their HUGE library of PS2 games, I'm sol with just MGS4 and Ratchet and Clank as the only games I'd really want to play. That the wii can play gamecube (which i never had) games was my #2 reason for getting it (#1 = brawl).

I think it's fair to point out though, that I've had my 360 for 2+ years and haven't had any problems with it, while my friend is on his third (but he got it earlier).

Re: Greenspan: Economy in 'once-in-a-century' crisis

Anonymous Coward — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:55:47 GMT

That was 'Helicopter' Ben Bernanke who said he would do a money drop if he had to. And it looks like he is living up to his word.

Kakugo:
PS: I've talked to a mate who works as an electronic repair technician and he confirmed me that the XB360 unusual number of failures (particulary in the earlier models) is linked to Microsoft (bad) decision to employ a particulary ecofriendly solder which is not worth two coppers or one lead. Sorry for the pun, could not resist.

I thought the lead-free solder was a requirement of the EU so they could sell over there?

Re: Greenspan: Economy in 'once-in-a-century' crisis

Kakugo — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:36:41 GMT

The only thing that makes me sad is that Greenspan is the one who precipitated the current events with his "money from helicopters" policy and not only he will get away with it (and a large pension) but will manage to convince everybody that the problem is not central banking, paper money, fractional reserve and all the other associated evils but the market itself. Much like the disgusting George Soros he will somehow manage to become a knight in shining armour instead of the one who should be at very least tarred and feathered by the rightfully pissed crowd. The situation at the moment is out of control and in my opinion Greenspan's heirs are losing both control and their grip on reality. The Gods help us all (OK, I am a heathen, now you know it).

PS: I've talked to a mate who works as an electronic repair technician and he confirmed me that the XB360 unusual number of failures (particulary in the earlier models) is linked to Microsoft (bad) decision to employ a particulary ecofriendly solder which is not worth two coppers or one lead. Sorry for the pun, could not resist.

Re: Greenspan: Economy in 'once-in-a-century' crisis

ladyattis — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 02:38:59 GMT

Nitroadict:
I largely agree, but I am worried about Microsoft's increasing role in the video game industry (although, they did solve a bit of a problem concerning a good model for online gaming, one which I don't think Sony is going to be anymore successful at competing with then Nintendo has).

Oddly, MS' involvement with the [console] videogame industry won't go to #1 like it did with Nintendo for the simple fact that their hardware line has more failures compared to the other console makers (I think it's 2% for the Wii and 5% for the PS3 comparatively...). So unless MS takes the Xbox to some engineering firm to fix whatever makes the red ring problem more common than it should be (I think it's around 20% across all iterations of the Xbox) I doubt they'll get to be ring leader of the console videogaming market. Games for PCs are evolving to blend with the console market, but also they're blending with the Web and the phone markets at the same time, so we're really seeing more innovative thinking today than ten years ago, which translates into more variation in gameplay. :)

Re: Greenspan: Economy in 'once-in-a-century' crisis

Anonymous Coward — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 01:06:42 GMT

Nitroadict:
If not that, then I was possibly thinking about doing something open-source concerning games if when I move to NH & (primarily if) I learn enough of programming by then to attract possible participants. That's all very vague though, nothing set in stone at the moment.

You could also jump on to one of the existing games like Eternal Lands (with the economically illiterate iron fisted dictator doing the classic unintended consequences model of 'worldbuilding') or Planeshift that I've never really messed with.

Got banned from the Eternal Lands forum by the head honcho for something insane like a thousand days for complaining about one of his economic fixes (as happened to anyone who didn't comment positively) and the worst part was he left the thread intact and gave an explaination for not deleting it that basically supported my position. I should hop over there and see if I'm unbanned yet, been about three years now.

So, anyway, Planeshift looks to be promising...

---edit---

Found a planeshift trailer on the youtube...

Re: Greenspan: Economy in 'once-in-a-century' crisis

Jon Irenicus — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 23:39:59 GMT

Heh, I still like my PS3. I'm not a Sony fanboy, but I am pretty close to being one. And I love TES. I've never particularly liked MS. Or Nintendo.

-Jon

Re: Greenspan: Economy in 'once-in-a-century' crisis

Nitroadict — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 23:12:51 GMT

ladyattis:

I'm afraid the video games industry will also eventually run into trouble despite how robust it has usually been.

Only in respect to the total devaluation of the funny money system we have today, but in regards to actual value in skilled artists, software designers, and managers we've seen an increase rather than a decrease as in the late-1990s. So the long term market for games is probably brighter by comparison to most other industries.

I largely agree, but I am worried about Microsoft's increasing role in the video game industry (although, they did solve a bit of a problem concerning a good model for online gaming, one which I don't think Sony is going to be anymore successful at competing with then Nintendo has).

This hasn't prevented me from possibly exploring getting my foot in the door, however. The only problem is that there is much companies to do so in Maryland (aside from Bethesda Softworks, which I was never a fan of Elder Scrolls anyways so yea... lol).

If not that, then I was possibly thinking about doing something open-source concerning games if when I move to NH & (primarily if) I learn enough of programming by then to attract possible participants. That's all very vague though, nothing set in stone at the moment.

Re: Greenspan: Economy in 'once-in-a-century' crisis

ladyattis — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:57:07 GMT

I'm afraid the video games industry will also eventually run into trouble despite how robust it has usually been.

Only in respect to the total devaluation of the funny money system we have today, but in regards to actual value in skilled artists, software designers, and managers we've seen an increase rather than a decrease as in the late-1990s. So the long term market for games is probably brighter by comparison to most other industries.

Re: Greenspan: Economy in 'once-in-a-century' crisis

Nitroadict — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:49:55 GMT

Anonymous Coward:

Nitroadict:
I'm afraid the video games industry will also eventually run into trouble despite how robust it has usually been. Luckily, the 360 is settling for 2nd place (the Wii is *still* having shortages), and the only loser seems to be Sony, if they can't get their act together concerning pricing & quality titles (only one exclusive, MGS4, manages to come to mind, as GTA IV is also available for the 360).

I don't know, the whole 'bread and circuses' doctrine.

The only thing really stopping me from buying a PS3 is inability to have direct access to the hardware. A hypervisor just doesn't cut it in my book. Quite a few 'tech' people also share this view who have been waiting patiently for a cell based general PC to come out so they can do signal processing and things like that from what I've seen.

Being able to buy a wideband radio transceiver and decoding an entire ham band or all the over-the-air TV broadcasts at once would make for an interesting project.

Who knows, it may be possible with the new ham radios that are starting to come out that have a USB port built in and a regular old PS3 running linux...worthy of investigation at least.

Actually, you could easily do this one of the older models of the PS3: the 20gb & 60gb.

Not only did they both support PS2 games via hardware backwards compatibility (this was the main reason I wanted a PS3, as I could "upgrade" while selling my, at least then, obsolete PS2), but apparently the filesystem they used on the 20 & 60gb's wasn't proprietary & one could easily get a spare Wester Digital and/or Seagate drive & pop it in the PS3 to upgrade it's storage capacity.

AFAIK, I think you can still do that with the 40gb's, only via USB (I had good results with a friend's PS3 & my Seagate 250gb Free Agent).

I wouldn't be surprised if there were still ways around Sony's proprietary shenanigans though; one only needs to look at the PSP Homebrew scene for evidence of such :).

I do however agree that if it weren't for the PS3's premature launch, it would be the console to go with in the long run. It's just a shame they had to waste such console power on terribly half-baked games such as "Lair" and "Haze".

Apparently, scientists have already given serious credit to the PS3 as much cheaper but very effective private sources of supercomputing power, that is already saving a lot of money for those who embark on such an <strike>undertaking</strike>, er project.

http://www.cio.de/news/cio_worldnews/844534/

http://blogs.zdnet.com/storage/?p=220

Re: Greenspan: Economy in 'once-in-a-century' crisis

Anonymous Coward — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:36:33 GMT

Nitroadict:
I'm afraid the video games industry will also eventually run into trouble despite how robust it has usually been. Luckily, the 360 is settling for 2nd place (the Wii is *still* having shortages), and the only loser seems to be Sony, if they can't get their act together concerning pricing & quality titles (only one exclusive, MGS4, manages to come to mind, as GTA IV is also available for the 360).

I don't know, the whole 'bread and circuses' doctrine.

The only thing really stopping me from buying a PS3 is inability to have direct access to the hardware. A hypervisor just doesn't cut it in my book. Quite a few 'tech' people also share this view who have been waiting patiently for a cell based general PC to come out so they can do signal processing and things like that from what I've seen.

Being able to buy a wideband radio transceiver and decoding an entire ham band or all the over-the-air TV broadcasts at once would make for an interesting project.

Who knows, it may be possible with the new ham radios that are starting to come out that have a USB port built in and a regular old PS3 running linux...worthy of investigation at least.

Re: Greenspan: Economy in 'once-in-a-century' crisis

Nitroadict — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:55:30 GMT

ladyattis:

Did this jerk use to be called the "Undertaker" by Rand? Oh wait, he decided to turn his back on some measure of economic (and general) common sense? Damn, I'm amazed this guy hasn't gotten death threats or a cream pie to the mug yet(a la Bill Gates). Sorry for getting rowdy, but I just can't stand idiots and disconnected (Greenspan) theorists. At least my industry (gaming, AI, and other software 'industries') seem to be still plucky despite the current situation (WAR sold 1.5 million units. WAAGH!). :-P

I'm afraid the video games industry will also eventually run into trouble despite how robust it has usually been. Luckily, the 360 is settling for 2nd place (the Wii is *still* having shortages), and the only loser seems to be Sony, if they can't get their act together concerning pricing & quality titles (only one exclusive, MGS4, manages to come to mind, as GTA IV is also available for the 360).

As for the nickname, whenever I heard Greenspan talk, in hindsight, I now find it rather fitting

Greenspan: Economy in 'once-in-a-century' crisis

ladyattis — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:33:18 GMT

Did this jerk use to be called the "Undertaker" by Rand? Oh wait, he decided to turn his back on some measure of economic (and general) common sense? Damn, I'm amazed this guy hasn't gotten death threats or a cream pie to the mug yet(a la Bill Gates). Sorry for getting rowdy, but I just can't stand idiots and disconnected (Greenspan) theorists. At least my industry (gaming, AI, and other software 'industries') seem to be still plucky despite the current situation (WAR sold 1.5 million units. WAAGH!). :-P