Quotulatiousness

June 25, 2011

“How very lucky we humans are in that all other animals are so goddamn stupid”

Filed under: Humour, Media — Tags: — Nicholas @ 12:23

I think my niece mentioned this show over dinner the other night. Ilkka explains:

I recently watched two episodes of “Swamp People“, another low-budget realimentary that sets the camera to follow people with exciting and physical jobs and edits the result down to a highlights reel of action and drama with some narrative added on top. The show not only reminded me of the essay “Rednecks” by Fred Reed, but also of Tommi’s old observation of how very lucky we humans are in that all other animals are so goddamn stupid, really just simple and predictable automata. Armed with but a boat, a baited hook and a shotgun, these fellows hunt, kill and pile up 500-pound prehistoric monsters that will then be given a more useful and productive existence as delicious meat, suitcases and boots. Come on, you can’t tell me that this show doesn’t beat the initially amusing but then later just repetitive and a little bit too obviously scripted “Pawn Stars” any day…

Taxes must rise to maintain “the overall size of government programs”

Filed under: Economics, Government, Politics, USA — Tags: , , — Nicholas @ 11:59

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was being as honest as he knows how in talking to the House Small Business Committee this week. Reducing the size of government is literally unthinkable:

[T]he Obama administration believes taxes on small business must increase so the administration does not have to “shrink the overall size of government programs.”

The administration’s plan to raise the tax rate on small businesses is part of its plan to raise taxes on all Americans who make more than $250,000 per year — including businesses that file taxes the same way individuals and families do.

[. . .]

Geithner, continuing, argued that if the administration did not extract a trillion dollars in new revenue from its plan to increase taxes on people earning more than $250,000, including small businesses, the government would in effect “finance” what he called a “tax benefit” for those people.

“We’re not doing it because we want to do it, we’re doing it because if we don’t do it, then, again, I have to go out and borrow a trillion dollars over the next 10 years to finance those tax benefits for the top 2 percent, and I don’t think I can justify doing that,” said Geithner.

Not only that, he argued, but cutting spending by as much as the “modest change in revenue” (i.e. $1 trillion) the administration expects from raising taxes on small business would likely have more of a “negative economic impact” than the tax increases themselves would.

Reason.TV reporter arrested for “disorderly conduct” and “trespassing”

Filed under: Government, Law, Liberty, Media — Tags: , , , — Nicholas @ 11:15

Tim Harford analyzes the ECB’s real problem

Filed under: Economics, Europe, Humour — Tags: , — Nicholas @ 10:30

Tim Harford puts the head of the ECB (Essex Community Business association) on the couch:

“With all due respect, doctor, I don’t think it’s me who needs to see a shrink.”

“Don’t worry. A lot of people feel a bit awkward when they first lie on this couch. This is a safe, non-judgmental space.”

“I wish the Essex Community Business association was as relaxed.”

“But you’re the chairman of the ECB association. Tell me why you feel that way.”

“Look, I always felt that the ECB association was supposed to be an informal talking shop, a way for people with shared interests to make new friends and perhaps even launch joint projects. Everyone was really happy when Georgios, the new owner of the Plaka Taverna, wanted to join — the more the merrier.”

[. . .]

“So if I understand the situation, you’re lending money to Georgios that you know he can never pay back, and demanding that his staff make sacrifices they are transparently unwilling to make, in order to protect Mr Saville’s bank, in order to protect José, who in some unspecified way is connected to Georgios’s fate.”

“It does sound a bit strange when you put it like that. I think the theory is that if we don’t throw money and yell impractical and unwelcome management advice at a transparently bankrupt business, then maybe a perfectly viable business will be damaged. Especially since there won’t be any money left, because we’ll have given it all to Georgios, who will have given it all to his waiters. Does that make sense?”

QotD: The game marketing game

Filed under: Gaming, Media, Quotations, Technology — Tags: , , , — Nicholas @ 00:06

. . . here’s the long and short of it: A PR flack complaining about unfair representation of a videogame is like a mugger complaining about unsafe working conditions.

They say advertisers sell the sizzle, not the steak. Videogame companies regularly sell not the steak, not the sizzle, but a recording of the sizzle of aged Wagyū steak, the audio captured under ideal acoustic conditions and sweetened with frequencies proven to make people hungry. Then, often as not, they present you with a microwaved hamburger and a promise to remove the bugs — which in this metaphor are actual insects — just as soon as they can.

I don’t write many reviews these days, but as far as I’m concerned, eviscerating shitty games with snappy sarcasm is a public service. If 500 words of my resentment are more entertaining than 10 hours of your game, then you wrote a crappy game.

And let’s get this out of the way: Don’t come crying to me about the hard work of the developers and how they’re being abused by reviewers. You know what developers really hate? Working on crappy games. Nobody enjoys feeling like they’re being paid to tie ribbons on manure. You want happy developers? Let them make the best games they can and present them honestly.

So here’s the deal. I’m all for civility. In any future game reviews, I will completely do away with venom and mockery, but only if the ad agencies do away with exaggeration and hype. If you start lying, I start making vicious, spiteful fun of you.

Lore Sjöberg, “Alt Text: After Duke Nukem PR Fail, Terrible Games Are Fair Game”, Wired, 2011-06-24

This week in Guild Wars 2 news

Filed under: Gaming — Tags: , — Nicholas @ 00:01

I’ve been accumulating news snippets about the as-yet-to-be-formally-scheduled release of Guild Wars 2 for an email newsletter I send out to my friends and acquaintances in the Guild Wars community. The early part of this week was very slow, but Thursday was ArenaNet’s Press Day and Friday was Fan Day, so lots of information started to come out on Friday morning.

Part 1: Discussion of previous news

  • If you listen to podcasts, you might want to subscribe to the Guildcast weekly podcast
  • Reminder: the official Guild Wars 2 wiki is still growing, so it’s worth checking it out now and again for new information.
  • Talk Tyria considers the debate about ArenaNet’s announced ‘no stand-alone expansions’ policy. “We’ve known ANet plans on adding expansions in one form or another for Guild Wars 2. Those sorts of things come naturally with most in this genre of gaming. But with their plans on bending MMO conventions, it’s fun to think about what exactly would an expansion entail. What sort of shiny, new gifts under the tree can we expect, or dare we desire, for future content? And how, exactly, should they be released? Ignoring the stand-alone component, traditionally new expansions come with new explorable areas and quests, a new class or two, a brand new story, a few tweaks and upgrades to the world, graphics and mechanics, and something novel to the game.”

Part 2: Guild Wars news

Part 3: Guild Wars 2 news

  • Flameseeker Chronicles: Of revolutionary design, babies, and bathwater. “The “revolutionary” aspects of Guild Wars 2 might be an old topic, but it’s one that’s been on my mind lately for two reasons. First, a couple of my colleagues and I got some hands-on time with Star Wars: The Old Republic at E3. One consistent feeling was that it’s a good, solid game but nothing revolutionary. (I was very impressed with it overall, even though I feel it’s not a game for me.) That sparked a lot of discussion regarding the fact that BioWare never claimed that the game would be revolutionary, so the argument is pointless. I can certainly get on board that train of thought, but it still set me thinking about this aspect of game design.”
  • Kill Ten Rats Guild Wars 2 Fanday. “A couple weeks ago ArenaNet contacted me and 14 other lucky fans for a huge event. We were all invited out to Seattle to visit the new ArenaNet office on June 24! For this humble blogger, this was seriously a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. [. . .] Thursday will be travel days for most of us, with the fans from Europe possibly starting earlier. That night we will have a meet’n’greet dinner with the Community Team. Friday, we head to the brand new studio! ArenaNet has filled the day with tons of activities, most of which they won’t tell us so as not to spoil any surprises. We will get to play a Guild Wars 2 demo (with no NDA, but no video), and developers are taking time out of their busy schedule to join in on the fun.”
  • MMOsite: More juicy details on profession selection. “In a recent long interview with Tap Repeatedly, Jon Peters and Jonathan Sharp, two game system designers from ArenaNet, disclosed some details about Guild Wars 2‘s profession settings. Here, let’s have a quick reading about the information they disclosed in the interview.”
  • Arenanet and the Seattle Symphony at PLAY! “The Guild Wars 2 arrangement of PLAY was, unsurprisingly, gorgeous and breathtaking. ArenaNet told us in their blog announcing their inclusion in PLAY that they had prepared a new cinematic for it, which got people excited and curious. Here’s what stood out to me. It’s not comprehensive, as I don’t have cameras in my eyes (and I abide by the rules of the concert hall of course).”
  • NCsoft announces San Diego Comic-Con events and schedule. “If you’re planning to attend the San Diego Comic-Con next month, and if you happen to be a fan of Guild Wars or City of Heroes, then NCsoft wants you to swing by its booth while you’re in the neighborhood. Attendees will be able “to meet artists and developers from City of Heroes Freedom and Guild Wars 2.” NCsoft will be giving the latest news on City of Heroes‘ recently announced free-to-play transition as well as giving fans the opportunity to take Guild Wars 2‘s Engineer class for a spin. In addition to all of that, City of Heroes‘ Desdemona will be making appearances at the booth while City of Heroes comic artist David “Noble Savage” Nakayama whips up free illustrations of selected CoH players’ characters. The artists of Guild Wars 2 will also be present to sign limited-edition postcard art books.”
  • Jonathan Sharp talks underwater combat. “Here at ArenaNet we don’t think breathing is fun. We figure that you have to breathe every day IRL (in real life), so why should you have to work to breathe in a game — even underwater? There’s a huge amount of underwater content in Guild Wars 2, and we want you to be able to explore it all without stressing about drowning. When you dive underwater, a breathing apparatus is instantly put all up on your face. We provide you with a default breathing apparatus, but you can find all sorts of cool gear to help keep you exploring the depths of the ocean.”
  • Guild Wars 2 has full-featured, distinct underwater combat (and we’ve played it!) “It’s time to ditch the snorkel–Guild Wars’ sequel lets us finally dive beneath the water’s surface, and there’s a deep and wonderful world beneath the waves. We went up to ArenaNet’s Seattle-based studio yesterday to swim around the ponds, oceans, rivers, and lakes of Tyria, meet it’s friendly and not-so-friendly aquatic inhabitants, and shoot them with our speargun.”
  • Into the Dungeons! “Dungeons are multiplayer, instanced adventuring areas. Unlike most of the rest of Tyria, which can be explored by solo players, dungeons are designed to be played and enjoyed in pre-arranged groups, composed of either your regular guildies or a pick-up team. Whereas our event system creates a dynamic, ever-changing world and our personal story allows you to weave a tale unique to your character, dungeons represent an evolution of the original Guild Wars game experience: instanced areas with a single group of players running through them. [. . .] At the time of this writing, we have eight dungeons in Tyria. They are not beginner’s content; the earliest of them requires characters who’ve reached level 35.”
  • Tweets from the Guild Wars 2 Fan Day:
  • “Day and night cycle is currently two hours. 1:20 of daylight and 40 of night. Possibly will change before release. -Colin”

    Eric talking about what they will expect from dungeons and underwater combat.

    Underwater combat is different. Underwater skills, weapons, breathing apparatus. Downed: u lose life, regained when you surface

    Dungeons have 2 modes-story & explorable. Most PUGs can do story mode well. Explorable is harder & needs a more organized group

    Mike Z showing the fans our how content designers use our custom tool, Duo, to spawn monsters and such.

    If you have read the books, you will see some nods to the books in the game.

    #gw2fanday like being in A gallery http://lockerz.com/s/113718818

    Character art room. Not only are there pirates in the game, but you can wear pirate outfits, too. =D #GW2FanDay ~RB

    Charr can customize their pelts, so you can look like a tiger or an ocelot if you want. #GW2FanDay ~RB

    Animators can get really creative with asura more so than the other races. Room for a bit of humor in movement. #GW2FanDay ~RB

    Customizable body shape, facial features, charr body patterns, norn tattoos, sylvari patterns, asura ears. #gw2fanday At the least.

    Cinematics take advantage of concept art for cinematics and story telling. Concept art layered w/ proprietary tool. #GW2FanDay ~RB

    No pre rendered cinematics. Rendered in real time. Emotive story telling through our cinematics, using concept art. #GW2FanDay ~RB

    [Neo] Incredible suit of armor looks incredible. http://yfrog.com/klnpthj

    [Neo] Sylvari Camp. #GW2FanDay http://yfrog.com/kibsnuj

  • GuildMag‘s first round-up of items from GW2 Press Day (including a few already listed above). “Like you might have heard on other fansites, or on twitter, ArenaNet is having 2 open house days at their newest office! The first open house was for the Press, sites like PCGamer and MMORPG.com were invited over to come and play the latest demo build in which underwater exploration and the Catacombs played a major role. Below you can find a list of current newsposts around the web, but we’ll be sure to have another one up tomorrow to include all the stuff that the Fans, whom are currently at the office having a Fan day, will share with us.”

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