Gaming BS of the week

2017 and Origin is just now adding FPS counters, haha. Even Steam didn't have that for a long time, I think. Weird.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/03/u…l?ref=business

Why Some Men Don’t Work: Video Games Have Gotten Really Good

The article says videogames are the reason (many) young people don't work.
I can agree with this 100%. But then, why is this in the bullshit thread?

Because the article fails to recognize that videogames are products that should entertain the audience, while ongoing (perhaps deliberate) misconception pushed by publishers and media calls certain products also videogames while in fact those aren't videogames.
These fake videogames are either gambling machines, unpaid jobs (cowclickers, grinders) or pay2win phonegames.

A youngster who has a gambling addiction won't work. They will find a fruit machine one way or another.
A youngster onto "unpaid job", after hours of repetition gets so exhausted to actually work on something in RL.
A youngster who plays phonegames gets the economy wrong, you pay and you win no reason to work at all, whereas at jobs first "you win" and then you're paid for your "victory", the fictional company can't progress by paying some microtransactions.

What I want to say is this. Blaming Star Trek Online that is a gambling scam for some (addicted to lootboxes) youngsters refusing to work in RL is correct. Blaming The Witcher 3 for the same thing is plain bullshit.
Any serious article should know some "videogames" are not really videogames.

Another one today:

http://wccftech.com/xbox-one-x-premium-pc-experience/

Microsoft: Xbox One X Will Feel Like A Premium PC Experience Overall

Clearly shows Microsoft completely lost the idea what PC is.
The best comment is in commenting section there:

http://www.pcgamer.com/nintendo-says…s-games-on-pc/

The strength of the PC gaming market has (finally) convinced Japanese game publishers that, yes, ours is a platform worthy of attention. There is one rather big outlier, however: An outfit you may have heard of previously called Nintendo, which made it very clear in a shareholders Q&A that it has zero interest in bringing its games to the PC.

My gravepissing statement that shocked everyone back in the day still stays.

http://wccftech.com/google-instant-search/

Google Gets Rid Of ‘Instant Search’ In Desktop Results To Bring Uniformity Across Devices

Google’s search was integrated with Instant Search feature in the year 2010. It provided the search engine with functionality to automatically start listing results on the basis what the user began typing; the Search assumed the plausible results that could help in the query. Google is now killing the desktop-specific feature.

Till today, dumbing down PC to phones level was exclusively Microsoft's strategy. A strategy that killed off windows8.
I wonder if we'll see the revival of altavista and babelfish.

Normally, I'm very much against dumbing down anything, but I've always hated Instant Search with a passion. It's especially annoying, when your search query is a longer phrase. Type one word, have some results you don't want. Add another, hey here are some more things that aren't at all relevant to what you mean to search for (because I still haven't finished typing the full phrase).

That said, there should have been an option for people to choose their own preference.

Ubi… And EA.

Lemme start with Ubi solo gem:
http://wccftech.com/ubisoft-yves-guillemot-xbox-one-x/

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot Says That Xbox One X Will Help Grow The Industry

Ubi staff praised 30 FPS as cinematic experience before, so this pukeworthy statement comes as not surprising.

.

The mutual EA/Ubi agreement, these two companies should merge already.
http://wccftech.com/ubisoft-talks-re…ption-2-delay/

Ubisoft Is Happy for Red Dead Redemption 2’s Delay into 2018

http://wccftech.com/ea-talks-red-dea…ption-2-delay/

EA doesn’t seem to be worried about rival publishers, but does believe that the delay of Red Dead Redemption 2 opens up some opportunity for the industry as a whole.

I mean, seriously? Postponing RDR2 is good news so people won't spend money on it but will buy EA/Ubi mediocre garbage?
The decadence continues.

Microsoft at Gamescom:
http://wccftech.com/greenberg-people…st-franchises/

Aaron Greenberg: “People pick Xbox because we have the biggest franchises, the biggest exclusives, whether you are a fan of Halo, or Gears of War, or Forza.”

Sometimes I wish there was a law stating prior to working in games industry a person needs to visit several shrinks.

Best place to put this, seems Guillemot is putting up a fight:

https://www.tweaktown.com/news/59002…ndi/index.html

Not sure on who to cheer on this one.

No, that move doesn't qualify as BS, sorry.

IMO it's just prolonging the agony. They can still fight, for sure will still fight, but Vivendi wants them and will get them in the end one way or another unless another big player pops in and wipes the floor with both parties.

The good question would be should we even care about any of it?
After years of copypasted "action" rubbish and "iconic" collectible timewaste designs Ubi decided finally to give a shot in the genre, they saved Stick of Truth and made possible M&M 10, then "greenlighted" SoT's sequel and decided to put as much RPG elements as possible in upcoming AC which might feel insulting to hardcore fans of AC games but to me it's the best thing that could happen.
If it matters I seriously believe Ubi could have killed overrated rubbish GTA5 with WD2 - if only they made WD2 as a new game and not a sequel of the most boring game that ever existed.
Would any of it happen if there was no takeover attempt? Dunno.
If there is a side to take, I'm gonna stick with the one that plans to make singleplayer RPGs. Once and if they disclose it.

PCgamer and their "this week's lows in PC gaming".

It's known I don't have any love for that MMOcentric site, but this is utterly disappointing from people who are supposed to be pro journalists:
http://www.pcgamer.com/this-weeks-hi…ber-22-2017/2/

Andy Kelly: Long haul

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is good. Like, really good. But it's so vast, so full of cool stuff, that when I look at it in my Steam library, I feel like I'm in the foothills of Nepal gazing up at the peak of Mount Everest. The chances of me seeing the thing through to the end—especially when I have a dozen other games wrestling for my attention—is pretty low. And the last thing I need is more unfinished games, and the smoldering guilt that comes with them

…

Tom Senior: Class war

I’m going to jump into the 92-scoring Divinity: Original Sin 2 this weekend, and I have run into a familiar old problem. What character should I be? What class should I play? Games force you into these decisions before you even know the rules of the game, which makes character creation a leap of faith. Divinity gives you some skill descriptions and a preview of what your character could look like kitted out in the game’s prettiest gear, but there’s no way to know whether close combat will be more fun than magic in the long run. And what about characters with their own origin stories and unique dialogue? Will I miss out if I pick the wrong one?

…

James Davenport: Building character

Like Tom, I'm stuck on the first battle in Divinity: Original Sin 2. It's been an hour and I still can't get past the character selection screen. Every origin character sounds amazing, and I love the idea of playing through a unique storyline, but then I can't really develop and roleplay my own personality, can I? Unless those origin characters have more wiggle room than I realize, but either way, I still have to choose a class, and that'll never happen. Anything that involves necromancy and/or blood always does me right, but some of the other magics sound so goofy and playful that I'll have to dabble. But then my character will have to adapt and, and, and—I give up.

Return to your short and shallow MMOs and phonegames PCgamer!

P.S. PCgamer's reviewer Fraser Brown scored DOS2 with 92% which somewhat redeems the travesty above:
http://www.pcgamer.com/divinity-original-sin-2-review/

Can't say I find much to criticize in the first one. We've had several discussions here about the length of RPG's. And he really did praise the game.

And for the record, MMO's may be shallow, but they're certainly not short.

pibbur who prefers long lasting games.

I give RPG Watch a score of 92 out of 100, but I can't think of what to type, it's so hard! Will I pick the wrong words? I give up.

Probably not of the week, but of the year:
http://wccftech.com/esrb-clarifies-stance-loot-boxes/

ESRB does not consider loot boxes to be gambling. While there’s an element of chance in these mechanics, the player is always guaranteed to receive in-game content (even if the player unfortunately receives something they don’t want). We think of it as a similar principle to collectible card games: Sometimes you’ll open a pack and get a brand new holographic card you’ve had your eye on for a while. But other times you’ll end up with a pack of cards you already have.

Apparently, ESRB never heard of "the house always wins" and not actual $ but chips concept used in every single gambling model, physical or virtual. It wasn't even taken into consideration here, all it matters is that RNG drops something. Anything, even if it's a pixel of different color, as long as it's not nothing.

This is a sad day.

It is not gambling.

Organization in England trying to outlaw loot boxes under the cover of helping and protecting kids. Fits the thread title.

We're definetly not on the same page.
I don't care about your kids nor am planning to help or protect them, they're your responsibility.

I care only about my (dumb)arse and my wallet.
And my wallet says it is gambling. Are you saying my wallet is wrong? Wrong church to pray in, man, as it's not you who's filling it.

Also I don't live in England. So can't comment on Brexit, it can't affect my wallet.

[EDIT]

PEGI was asked the same question but has a different attitude:
http://wccftech.com/pegi-loot-boxes-…fine-gambling/

In short, our approach is similar to that of ESRB (I think all rating boards do, USK in Germany as well). The main reason for this is that we cannot define what constitutes gambling. That is the responsibility of a national gambling commission. Our gambling content descriptor is given to games that simulate or teach gambling as it’s done in real life in casinos, racetracks, etc. If a gambling commission would state that loot boxes are a form of gambling, then we would have to adjust our criteria to that.

:thumbup: for PEGI who didn't dare to act as a fog selling fraudster like ESRB.

Originally Posted by joxer
It wasn't even taken into consideration here, all it matters is that RNG drops something. Anything, even if it's a pixel of different color, as long as it's not nothing.

Zen proverb:
"What is the sound of one RNG dropping?"

Dropping?
Hell, you're right! We need to unclog it!

The "Clap for the President's Speech" mobile game.
https://m.phys.org/news/2017-10-chin…rs-speech.html

We are in deep, deep trouble.

Sled dogs test positive for performance enhancing drugs

https://globalnews.ca/news/3812575/s…drug-iditarod/

Several dogs tested positive for the opioid pain reliever Tramadol, the governing board of the nearly 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race said in a statement. The team was tested six hours after finishing the nearly 1,000-mile race in Nome in March, officials said. They estimate the drug could have been administered between 15 hours before the test and right before it.

I feel the dogs' pain, even if they don't.

Originally Posted by Ripper
The "Clap for the President's Speech" mobile game.
https://m.phys.org/news/2017-10-chin…rs-speech.html

We are in deep, deep trouble.

I applaud their bold move.