actually this isn't particularly out of the ordinary by japanese standards. just sayin'

I know. It's just hilarious that the awkward sister tension is the entire focus of the story in this case.

It's a lame April fools joke, but youtubes new textp resoloution is pretty neat.

It's a lame April fools joke, but youtubes new textp resoloution is pretty neat.not seeing anything about a textp resolution? I don't use youtube that much, am I unaware of a resolution option menu of some sort?

How does one manage to 'not use youtube much'? :o

I'm no using Youtube either, but all the people who's videos I want to watch do.

How does one manage to 'not use youtube much'? :oI watch videos decently often, I just don't play with settings or anything. I'm a basic user of youtube, so I didn't know if I'd missed something somewhere. don't worry, though, I'm still human and thereby familiar with the general stuff :p

I'm no using Youtube either, but all the people who's videos I want to watch do.huh. guess I'm just picking bad videos.

I think the TEXTp feature on youtube only works on videos that don't have adverts in them.

not seeing anything about a textp resolution? I don't use youtube that much, am I unaware of a resolution option menu of some sort?It's right there on the homepage (yeah ok nobody ever actually goes on the Youtube homepage).

http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/

It just plain doesn't work for me. Maybe it's detecting Flashblock and wisely concluding that I don't fall into the demographic that falls for April Fools' jokes. :(

It's right there on the homepage (yeah ok nobody ever actually goes on the Youtube homepage).

http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/I don't know what the deal was. I've gotten it working since. I must have just been choosing the wrong videos this morning or something cause it wasn't happening at all.

I so could have written this (http://www.todaysbigthing.com/2010/04/02)

that was the worst commercial I've ever seen, and yet I'm laughing. I'm conflicted.

Very nice!
http://www.todaysbigthing.com/2010/03/31

That guy probably is lethal with shurikens at much higher ranges.

So once again, I'm playing a Burnout game, and the next thing you know I'm breaking my $60 controller in a blind rage.

it seems that the absolute hot sister webcomic website has had its account suspended

Gameplay wise it's fine. The campaigns are good fun but are a bit short (especially the Alien and Pred ones).
Storyline is minimal - AvP2 had a much more detailed one.
Multiplayer would be better if Rebellion got the arses kicked and put support out for Dedicated servers - currently we're still using a horrible match-making system.

There is support for dedicated servers, just not for ranked games. Whats your steam username? I'll give you a game at some point.

There is support for dedicated servers, just not for ranked games. Whats your steam username? I'll give you a game at some point.

Xenomorits.
I haven't really played it after the update that gave half-decent dedicated server support. But yeah, I'll fire it up for a match.

I just had a dream that I was back at work for a day at the factory for some reason. I stuck around a little bit and then told the plant manager to do it and took off.

Like most of my dreams, it was alarmingly detailed. I probably really could waltz back in there and go right back to my job as if I'd never missed a day. Scary thought.

It was kinda cool to see Deb and Larry though.

http://forumimages.erikronnblom.com/BEST%20TIP%20EVER.jpg

Absolute genious!

I managed to get onion and garlic confused when shopping today. Anyone got any ideas for what to do with onion granules?

I managed to get onion and garlic confused when shopping today. Anyone got any ideas for what to do with onion granules?onion does a good job as a spice in a rice dish? aside from that I got nothin. I don't cook much.

Oh I use onion powder in practically everything. Goes very well inside homemade pizza crust. Also pretty much any type of sauce (pizza, pasta, or stir-fry). Also nice for grilling because it cooks into your whatever rather than falling off like real onion.

onion does a good job as a spice in a rice dish? aside from that I got nothin. I don't cook much.

Hmm, I'd probably prefer whole onion for that, I quite like the texture.

Oh I use onion powder in practically everything. Goes very well inside homemade pizza crust. Also pretty much any type of sauce (pizza, pasta, or stir-fry). Also nice for grilling because it cooks into your whatever rather than falling off like real onion.

Oo! Inside pizza dough sounds like a good idea! I'll have to give that a shot.

Xenomorits.
I haven't really played it after the update that gave half-decent dedicated server support. But yeah, I'll fire it up for a match.

Name doesn't exist. :s

Name doesn't exist. :s

Oops, typo.
Xenomortis.

I'm eating dry Crispix because I'm out of milk.

happy birthday (according to facebook), paul!

happy birthday (according to facebook), paul!

Thanks :)

I got an iPhone (typing on it right now :)), New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and Sonic and Sega All Stars Racing, among other things.

I sure wish NSMBW was online playable. :p Even if it did lag a little.

I sure wish NSMBW was online playable. :p Even if it did lag a little.

Indeed. Online bumping-friends-into-pits action!

Given how frustrating even a little lag can make playing FPS games online I can't begin to imagine how much adittional swearing playing MSBWii on a bad conection would generate.

Given how frustrating even a little lag can make playing FPS games online I can't begin to imagine how much adittional swearing playing MSBWii on a bad conection would generate.

Given how much swearing the game can generate already... (http://www.freelanceastronauts.com/games.php?id=52)

I've been eating a lot of pineapple lately. IT IS DELICIOUS.

Curse you, raw pineapple haters!

Okay, HTML/CSS question! Being a total noob, I don't understand why all sites that I've looked at first link to the css file it uses, then right after has a segment of commented css code.

Here's what I mean:

<link href="css/stylesheet.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
<style type="text/css">
<!--
body,td,th {
color: #FFFFCC;
}
-->


Does it serve a purpose?

I've been eating a lot of pineapple lately. IT IS DELICIOUS.

Curse you, raw pineapple haters!High five!

High five!

BETRAYAL FIVE! *smack*

*steals zeor's pineapple*

Okay, HTML/CSS question! Being a total noob, I don't understand why all sites that I've looked at first link to the css file it uses, then right after has a segment of commented css code.

Here's what I mean:

<link href="css/stylesheet.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
<style type="text/css">
<!--
body,td,th {
color: #FFFFCC;
}
-->


Does it serve a purpose?It's just a matter of style. Linking to a CSS file or embedding CSS directly do the exact same thing, and any latter rules will override the former (in your example, the <style> tag will override any "body, td, th" style definitions that "css/stylesheet.css" might already have).

So you might want a global CSS file but page-specific rules in a <style> in each, or just need to quickly override some rules in the global CSS, or the <style> is dynamically generated so it can't be in a CSS file, or you wanna prevent some CSS stuff from being cached, or it's some crappy auto-generated web code, or you just think it looks neater that way... etc.

High five!
o/\o

Thank you very much! It's making allot more sense now.

BETRAYAL FIVE! *smack*

*steals zeor's pineapple*

whY YOU LITTLE

It's just a matter of style. Linking to a CSS file or embedding CSS directly do the exact same thing, and any latter rules will override the former (in your example, the <style> tag will override any "body, td, th" style definitions that "css/stylesheet.css" might already have).

So you might want a global CSS file but page-specific rules in a <style> in each, or just need to quickly override some rules in the global CSS, or the <style> is dynamically generated so it can't be in a CSS file, or you wanna prevent some CSS stuff from being cached, or it's some crappy auto-generated web code, or you just think it looks neater that way... etc.

well yeah, but why is that code commented?

I've been eating a lot of pineapple lately. IT IS DELICIOUS.

Curse you, raw pineapple haters!
Every single chinese supermarket I've ever been too sells giant catering-sized tins of pineapple chunks for like £2 each.

They usualy stay in the cupboard for months because you've really got to make a comitment to eat a very large amount of pineapple quite quickly before you bust one of those bad boys open.

i miss hanging out here :(

i miss hanging out here :(then come back, damn you.

well yeah, but why is that code commented?It's an old relic. Browsers that don't support CSS/JavaScript/etc. will treat it as regular text and display the code on the pages, so commenting it prevents that from happening. Modern browsers will process the code regardless of whether it's commented or not though, so it's just become a habit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3JZypXyRQw

http://wonder-tonic.com/geocitiesizer/index.php

It's like traveling to the past.

That is a beautiful thing.

Haha oh lordy: http://wonder-tonic.com/geocitiesizer/content.php?theme=2&music=1&url=www.kotaku.com

Haha oh lordy: http://wonder-tonic.com/geocitiesizer/content.php?theme=2&music=1&url=www.kotaku.com

Oh god, the midi version of Tubthumping really makes this.

GTA: Vice City was on sale for $2.50 on Steam for like 2 hours or something.

It is good to be back. :D

Except now I don't have analog controls. I do have a 105-song custom radio station, though. As of today, that is. I was happy with the default for a few days.

GTA: Vice City was on sale for $2.50 on Steam for like 2 hours or something.

It is good to be back. :D

Except now I don't have analog controls. I do have a 105-song custom radio station, though. As of today, that is. I was happy with the default for a few days.
I bought the whole Rockstar Collection for €42.49.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Nothing like a useful addition.

I feel more useful right now!

Nothing like a useful addition.

There was a cider festival. I blame that.

There was a cider festival. I blame that.
Aww, crap!
Why doesn't my country have a proper cider brewing culture?
The best you can get is some home-brewed must from some apple farmers, but nothing bottled and sold retail.
:p

All it has is beer and sour wine, which I both don't really like.
(Austrian beer is one of the best in the world though.)

There was a cider festival. I blame that.

I miss Wiltshire :(

Sweden's cider is awful.



bonz - Farmer grown stuff is the best!

Am I the only person in existence who thinks cider is awful?

Farmer grown stuff is the best!
I know, but it's more tedious to get.
Beer you can get at 2 in the morning at a petrol station and choose from a dozen of brands.

The only bottled, imported ciders I know around here, are Strongbow, Magners and Bulmers, which are all exclusively available in English/Irish pubs and maybe wholesale stores, where you need a trade license to enter.
Am I the only person in existence who thinks cider is awful?
Most likely.

Am I the only person in existence who thinks cider is awful?

Well I don't like fizzy drinks or alcohol anyway, so...

You don't count, in that case. Cider is lovely.

I had cheap cider from the grocery store once, which wasn't particularly good. More recently I tried a popular brand in beer-sized bottles, it's extremely sweet and I like it.

I think the pub here called The Dogs Bollix has cider on tap, never got around to trying it yet though.

Am I the only person in existence who thinks cider is awful?:O What types have you tried?

The only bottled, imported ciders I know around here, are Strongbow, Magners and Bulmers, which are all exclusively available in English/Irish pubs and maybe wholesale stores, where you need a trade license to enter.

Aw pity. They're not bad by themselves, but after a proper obscure local cider (anyone from hampshire/surrey heard of cirrus minor?) Magners just tasted like water.

Oh, and in case I've not said this before: Toffee Apple Cider is amazing :D

Strongbow is pretty much the 'good enough' cider that most pubs have on tap so I generally drink that.

Magners is awful.

Some pubs stock good ciders too, you can tell a good cider by how you can't remember anything you did or said after your third pint.

Far shot, but... does anybody have Coppa's (http://forum.team17.co.uk/member.php?s=&action=getinfo&userid=3510)old animated avatar? It was a dancing cow iirc.

And by old, I mean he changed it around march 2003 old (http://forum.team17.co.uk/showthread.php?p=84197).

:(

edit: or, if anyone has really good photographic memory... was this it? (http://ui27.gamespot.com/1434/cowdancing_4.gif)

Seems eerily familiar, but I'm not certain.

:(

edit: or, if anyone has really good photographic memory... was this it? (http://ui27.gamespot.com/1434/cowdancing_4.gif)

Seems eerily familiar, but I'm not certain.That might've been it, looks really familiar to me too.

I started playing San Andreas, and now my sleep schedule is a smoldering wreck. :)

can someone PLEASE explain how the heck this is gaming news? http://kotaku.com/5535347/indian-holy-man-may-hold-solution-to-game+interrupting-bathroom-breaks

can someone PLEASE explain how the heck this is gaming news? http://kotaku.com/5535347/indian-holy-man-may-hold-solution-to-game+interrupting-bathroom-breaks

Erm... he apparently doesn't need to eat or drink and therefore has no need to go to the toilet. That means he has the potential to game longer than anyone else without needing to stop (although he still needs to sleep).
Not really relevant though, since he doesn't strike me as a gamer.

can someone PLEASE explain how the heck this is gaming news? http://kotaku.com/5535347/indian-holy-man-may-hold-solution-to-game+interrupting-bathroom-breaksIt's Kotaku's traditional "popular news + vague gaming reference = VIEWS VIEWS VIEWS" move.

can someone PLEASE explain how the heck this is gaming news? http://kotaku.com/5535347/indian-holy-man-may-hold-solution-to-game+interrupting-bathroom-breaks

Oh, I can one-up that: http://kotaku.com/5535023/report-chinese-superstar-zhang-ziyi-loses-fiance-to-the-internet

Oh, I can one-up that: http://kotaku.com/5535023/report-chinese-superstar-zhang-ziyi-loses-fiance-to-the-internet.....woooow.....

and it even comes with a horrendously-photoshopped picture. nice...

Guy gets on tv pretending to be a yo-yo master, hilarity ensues. (http://deadspin.com/5535220/fake-yo+yo-trickster-fools-every-tv-station-everywhere)

They didn't even ask him to perform a few tricks before putting him on air. Wow.

Guy gets on tv pretending to be a yo-yo master, hilarity ensues. (http://deadspin.com/5535220/fake-yo+yo-trickster-fools-every-tv-station-everywhere)

They didn't even ask him to perform a few tricks before putting him on air. Wow.
Well, that only shows that those shows are equally lame as the yo-yo "pro", so they gladly put everything on that could raise their view rating.

Ahaha, trolling bad tv shows, genius.

Guy gets on tv pretending to be a yo-yo master, hilarity ensues. (http://deadspin.com/5535220/fake-yo+yo-trickster-fools-every-tv-station-everywhere)

They didn't even ask him to perform a few tricks before putting him on air. Wow.
this is hysterical

eeeorrppfppgtr5

eeeorrppfppgtr5

I roundly disagree.

So I got bored and now I'm reimplementing X-Com um yeah: http://openxcom.ninex.info

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KatN365jaBg&feature=player_embedded

London, you confuse me. First the 2012 logo, and now these... things. Because when I think "London", I think "weird little metal creatures".

Honestly, though, I'm mostly just posting this to go on a rant on how much I absolutely, utterly despise the "having everyone smiling all the time makes something happy and likable!" concept. No, people, it doesn't make something more likable. It just makes things weird, unrealistic and saccharine. The old guy should've had an expression of determination when making those creatures, or a more humble expression when he left his workplace for the last time. Not smiling. There is not a single emotion in that entire thing other than happiness (and surprise, for a moment), and the result is that there is absolutely no meaning behind their emotions whatsoever, which makes the whole thing unbearably dull.

For instance, giving the old guy a serious expression when working on the creatures, only to change to a smile when he sees the dog jump up on the workbench would've improved the entire scene to such an enormous degree that I actually find it offensive that it wasn't done. It would've conveyed personality and an actual relationship between the guy and his dog. The old guy would be shown to be rather determined about his work, able to get wrapped up inside of a project, but that he's willing to loosen up in the company his family or his dog. But No! We can't have a single character be not deliriously happy for even 2 seconds, even if it would make a scene work better on an order of magnitude! The audience will become so depressed at seeing a non-upturned lip that the ratings for the 2012 olympics will plummet by as much as 4000%! Better to have everyone smiling 24/7, even if it makes it so the old guy is as happy seeing his grandkids as he is being woken up in the middle of the night!

This seems like a ridiculous thing to get so PO'd about, but I seriously see it way too often considering how incredibly easy it is to fix. An expression change! Just one!

GRUMBLE GRUMBLE.

Also, it's not super late at night, so read this is a genuine rant and not me being weird. I've gotten over that.

All I can really say about that video is UGH. UGGGGHHHHHHH.

hooray! .

What the hell happened?

First, I assume a few post entries were corrupt (when NEaO and this thread were giving errors, the error was when a mysql query was performed on the posts column). Then it went entirely broke, then someone set the forum on maintenance, then the mysql database became unavailable (hence the error page returning).

I assume we're now on a backup database, as Futureworm was the last poster here when it was corrupt, while his post has disappeared.

volcadmin stated he rolled back the forum to last Friday, so that would explain the missing posts.

yes I was unable to recover the post table, and since the problem occured over the weekend the rolling backups wrote the corrupted version over the last good database. I had to go back to early friday morning :(.

I've done a trim on old users and old threads although I don't think we'd hit any kind of a limit (the database and indexes were about 1.3G)

[Twilight Zone theme]

Yes, I successfully went back to the past!

Now to make some bets...

Alpha and Omega (http://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/alpha-and-omega-trailer.html)

It's like "What if Balto nerds made their very own movie?" :eek:

Why does every single "2 incompatible people get forced to work together and later babies" story always have the female be the tough assertive one and the male be the nerdy, socially inept one? This movie does it, that supposedly cancelled Newt movie Pixar was making does it... I suppose if the girl was the inept one then she'd be the main character since we'd have to follow her struggle and OH NOOOO CAN'T HAVE THAT.

Also the trailer ends with a THREEEEEDEEEEEE shot of a golfball going into the camera. And that's terrible.

it's because of feminists. if a woman is portrayed as weak, it's sexist. if a man is portrayed that way it's funny. unless it's a black man, then it's racist. unless the movie was produced by a famous black guy, then it's funny again.

it's because of feminists. if a woman is portrayed as weak, it's sexist. if a man is portrayed that way it's funny. unless it's a black man, then it's racist. unless the movie was produced by a famous black guy, then it's funny again.
What if a black, chauvinist man is suppressed by a white, vegan lesbian in a movie made by a director duo of a gay asian man and communist Australian aborigine woman?

Would that then be funny, racist or sexist?
Or would it get both an Oscar and a Golden Palm?

What if a black, chauvinist man is suppressed by a white, vegan lesbian in a movie made by a director duo of a gay asian man and communist Australian aborigine woman?

Would that then be funny, racist or sexist?
Or would it get both an Oscar and a Golden Palm?

It would win the awards and the directors would be imprisoned.

How the Russian parliament votes...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzGt_E5SIoA

Apparently, only 88 of the 450 MPs were present and they only have 20 seconds to electronically vote by pressing 'yes' or 'no' buttons.
To get a 99.8% result (449/450) you have to put in some effort in this case. big_smile

Also, the Duma president humorously commented on the result with "Apparently someone must have left".
It would win the awards and the directors would be imprisoned.
And getting a fatwā from the Iranian ayatollahs, plus some death threats.

Rediscovered (the original) Command & Conquer. Loving every simplistic minute of it.

>Build base
>Harvest ungodly amounts of tiberium
>Build orcas
>Victory

Rediscovered (the original) Command & Conquer. Loving every simplistic minute of it.

>Build base
>Harvest ungodly amounts of tiberium
>Build orcas
>Victory

What if you're awesome and picked Nod?

What if you're awesome and picked Nod?then you did it wrong.

What if you're awesome and picked Nod?

Replace Orcas with SAM sites and laugh at Mr. Concrete Donkey.

What if you're awesome and picked Nod?
> Build flame tanks
> Victory

This game can only be played seriously with insane amounts of NOD recon bikes. :D

RIP RealVG

RIP RealVG

I imagine it's still there, it's just the domain name's expired.

Are we going to move it somewhere, then?

The domain registrar (UK Plc.) are a bit ****. They let Dream17 lapse even after I asked them to release the nameservers (or whatever) so that Matty could buy it. And they long ago stopped emailing me with renewal reminders.

The doubly-annoying thing is once a domain lapses from my account but before they put it up for general sale again it disappears from my account list making it impossible for me to renew. I can email them to renew it if y'like, but honestly is it worth it? Are we going to do anything with it?

The domain registrar (UK Plc.) are a bit ****. They let Dream17 lapse even after I asked them to release the nameservers (or whatever) so that Matty could buy it. And they long ago stopped emailing me with renewal reminders.

The doubly-annoying thing is once a domain lapses from my account but before they put it up for general sale again it disappears from my account list making it impossible for me to renew. I can email them to renew it if y'like, but honestly is it worth it? Are we going to do anything with it?We don't do anything with half the sites we set up (Dream17 is mostly just an ADF dump now) but that doesn't stop us. :p

The mousepad, while kickass, is a bit bigger than I thought (http://h.imagehost.org/0928/S7300383.jpg). Also I'm having to adjust to the much slicker surface than the cushy mousepad I was using before with the wrist pillow thing. But it's cool. So there.

Hey, we have the same mouse!

wow.....I feel kind of pathetic that I know what brand and model of mouse that is just from seeing that tiny sliver of it, and I don't even own one myself.

Hey, we have the same mouse!It's a great thing. Switching to the lower sensitivity on the fly really improves sniping-type situations in FPS's for me. Did you bother to weight it? I dismissed that as a pretty silly thing until I added a few grams for experimentation's sake, and... I kinda like it slightly heavier.

Yeah, I have a couple of the lighter weights in the mouse. You'll be surprised how much difference it makes. I tend to crank up the DPI for FPS games but, yeah, switch it down quickly for sniping (I'm still a terrible sniper, though).

We should play every game ever together at some point. Do you L4D at all?

Yeah, I have a couple of the lighter weights in the mouse. You'll be surprised how much difference it makes. I tend to crank up the DPI for FPS games but, yeah, switch it down quickly for sniping (I'm still a terrible sniper, though).

We should play every game ever together at some point. Do you L4D at all?I haven't in ages, but I do still have it installed. Yeah, we should totally wreck some of that noise.

wow.....I feel kind of pathetic that I know what brand and model of mouse that is just from seeing that tiny sliver of it, and I don't even own one myself.

It looks very much like mine (Logitech MX518), but I don't recognise the orange lights.

Do you love it when some of Google's results are your term inside of a different site's search engine?

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/508439/Etcetera/hi_my_name_is_pestilence.png

Because I do.

Now there's an idea.

Yeah, I have a couple of the lighter weights in the mouse. You'll be surprised how much difference it makes. I tend to crank up the DPI for FPS games but, yeah, switch it down quickly for sniping (I'm still a terrible sniper, though).

We should play every game ever together at some point. Do you L4D at all?
hey, i have the same mouse too. woo

It looks very much like mine (Logitech MX518), but I don't recognise the orange lights.I think the G7 is basically the sequel to the MX518. it's similar in a lot of ways.

I think the G7 is basically the sequel to the MX518. it's similar in a lot of ways.

The G7 only has 1 side button and is wireless, whereas the mouse in the photo has two side buttons and a cord. The G7 also lacks slots for weights (it needs a battery after all).

Of course, I wouldn't need to speculate if they just told us the model.

The G7 only has 1 side button and is wireless, whereas the mouse in the photo has two side buttons and a cord. The G7 also lacks slots for weights (it needs a battery after all).

Of course, I wouldn't need to speculate if they just told us the model.oh, lol. oops. not the G7, it's the G5 (http://www.bit2u.lv/cache/product_images/big/20080713/logitech_g5_laser_mouse_usb_910_000094.jpg)

oh, lol. oops. not the G7, it's the G5 (http://www.bit2u.lv/cache/product_images/big/20080713/logitech_g5_laser_mouse_usb_910_000094.jpg)

Which fits with what I was reading on the Wikipedia. :p
Yes, the Wikipedia has individual articles on the various Logitech mice.

Yes, the Wikipedia has individual articles on the various Logitech mice.this is surprising? it's a site basically run by the worlds' tech geeks. I'm sure there are character profiles for each of the Star Wars characters as well, but I'm similarly certain that the Young and the Restless goes without much information at all :p

and, btw, I'm not looking up either of those things to confirm my guesses.

this is surprising? it's a site basically run by the worlds' tech geeks. Fixed for accuracy.

Today a 3-year-old toddler was kidnapped in a shopping center in Salzburg, Austria, while her mother was in a changing cubicle of an H&M store.

Later in the afternoon they found the baby across the border in Bavaria, Germany and arrested a woman, who apparently had told friends that she was pregnant and got a a child previously, but was never seen with one.
Before her arrest she went home to show "her" baby to family & friends, who immediately told her that there were already images of her from the security cameras all over the internet and other media. She then fled and dropped the baby (in its infant car seat) on a parking lot.

On the wanted profile she was described as corpulent...
Moral:
Telling your friends to be pregnant to cover your obesity is not a smart idea.

On a serious note, being the father of a 6-months-old and a 22-months-old, this story made me feel very uncomfortable. :(

Hey, remember when Project Wonderful provided decent, non-obnoxious ads? Oh boy, do I ever.

Now I'd rather have some of those "Click on your state and find out your mortgage rates IRA school loans etc!" ads instead of having Project Wonderful hook me up with yet another friggin "NSFW BOOBERY ANIMAES WEB-CAWMIX OH BABY" ad. Sigh.

And no, I won't use an ad-blocker. I'd rather just whine.

Physics is interesting. It's full of interesting, cool stuff.
Unfortunately, I don't think I can cope with trying to learn it anymore.

Hey, remember when Project Wonderful provided decent, non-obnoxious ads? Oh boy, do I ever.

Now I'd rather have some of those "Click on your state and find out your mortgage rates IRA school loans etc!" ads instead of having Project Wonderful hook me up with yet another friggin "NSFW BOOBERY ANIMAES WEB-CAWMIX OH BABY" ad. Sigh.

And no, I won't use an ad-blocker. I'd rather just whine.Still better than the Keenspot Newsbox though.

I find stuff like guest comics much more reliable for finding different webcomics in any case.

The little brother of an old friend of mine died a few years ago (18 years old) in a car accident - it was his first time post-license, and he tried to overtake someone and collided head-on with another car. Awful.

The friend just wrote on Facebook saying he was doing 142mph (230kph) on the motorway. Why are people idiots?

this is apparently old, but I've never seen it before: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa5SXX9TNW8&feature=player_embedded#!

edit: OMGWTF http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzCt_hTZjEY&feature=related

edit: OMGWTF http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzCt_hTZjEY&feature=related

Hah. That would have been awesome back in sixth grade when I used to have rubberband fights with other kids. Those days were fun.

Could someone tell me why IGN reviews things that are not video games? And why Wikipedia has deemed these reviews of non-video games by video game reviewers fit to clutter the "critical reception" sections of pages everywhere around? I mean really.

Could someone tell me why IGN reviews things that are not video games? And why Wikipedia has deemed these reviews of non-video games by video game reviewers fit to clutter the "critical reception" sections of pages everywhere around? I mean really.

No idea .

this is apparently old, but I've never seen it before: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa5SXX9TNW8&feature=player_embedded#!

edit: OMGWTF http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzCt_hTZjEY&feature=relatedI'm quite fond of his sniper rifle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H23HDHRVjpA

Bloody Hell, the ankle-biters on this forum sure are up themselves.

You done got trolled, son.

Aye, that be true.

The Sins Monument:

http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2009/03/17/the-sins-monument/

This is such an awesome/somewhat creepy artwork. I love the way the sculptor did the wings.

I like this one in particular:

http://englishrussia.com/images/sins_monument/1_020.jpg

And this comment gave me the gigglies:
One eveneing last month I try to make the love to each statue. When I woke up from drunkenness, my manpride bent like small cleaner of pipes. I did not try to love the children statues becausing I am not a sex-deviant.

[EDIT]

Gadget Hackwrench Religion (http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2010/02/17/russian-gadget-hackwrench-religion/) Ahahahaha what the hell.
“She is the divine being, the most untouched and perfect sibling of the great God on Earth”, say one of the participants. “Why I love her? It’s stupid question, how I can’t love the Godess?”. “She is strict, cute, optimistic and her level of technical knowledge is unachievable for a mortal being.” those are just a few of the testimonies of the sect followers.
Real or not, this is the greatest thing.

It's a Pyro! Oh wait..
Those are cool, and creepy.

It's a Pyro! Oh wait..
Those are cool, and creepy.
looks more like a combine policeman to me

Mega Man Zero Collection get! :D I am back in my element and loving it.

In fact, I just beat MMZ1 without having to use any cyber-elves, maintaining an A rank the whole way. Hells of yeah!

cyber-elvesum..........

They're little electronic fairy critters that you collect and can use throughout the game for all sorts of effects, some temporary and some quite permanent (such as ones that become sub-tanks or even the one that actually renders all spike traps throughout the entire game completely harmless forever). Using them can make the game a lot easier for you, but permanently wrecks your rank. Beating the game without using any means I didn't even have so much as one sub-tank, and all the bosses have one special attack that they only use if you're ranked A (or S, I guess).

I just saw three nearly consecutive episodes of three different series all reference roughly the same thing.

First Scrubs, the episode where Molly(Heather Graham) is leaving and JD wants to score with her, at the start they are both watching Sixteen Candles, which leads them to kiss and JD thanks Molly Ringwald.
Then, Accidentally on Purpose, the episode where they receive the baby crib, Zack makes fun of Billie's hat collection, sarcastically asking her if she's Molly Ringwald.
Finally, Community, in the Chicken Fingers episode, at the end when Abed and Jeff resolve their conflict. Abed says something crazy and Jeff suggests to just stay there and have some chicken fingers, to which abed asks "can we eat them while sitting on a table, like in sixteen candles?".

I had never heard of Molly Ringwald and/or Sixteen Candles before.

I had never heard of Molly Ringwald and/or Sixteen Candles before.
Me neither.
And by the looks of it, I think I'm glad that I didn't.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molly_Ringwald
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixteen_Candles

Nothing good ever came out of the 1980's.
Except Knight Rider.
And the A-Team.
And MacGyver.
And The Simpsons.
And Star Wars V+VI
And Back To The Future.
:confused:

Also TMNT, Thundercats, Silverhawks...

The 80's were awesome, man. :mad:

Ghostbusters.

And Madness.

wait hang on The Simpsons wasn't 80s.

wait hang on The Simpsons wasn't 80s.

Debut was 17th December 1989.
Of course it didn't reach the UK until 1990.

Two weeks is the slenderist of slender margins to call something "80s"

Two weeks is the slenderist of slender margins to call something "80s"

Well it would be false to call it the 90s.

Well it would be false to call it the 90s.

The majority of the (quality) episodes aired in the 90s, so why not?

The majority of the (quality) episodes aired in the 90s, so why not?

The premise and idea originated in the 80s and it was first aired in that decade. You could argue that it only later became really good (during the 90s) but then surely the definition has changed slightly?
The Simpsons came out of the 80s.

The premise and idea originated in the 80s and it was first aired in that decade. You could argue that it only later became really good (during the 90s) but then surely the definition has changed slightly?
The Simpsons came out of the 80s.yeah. I came out of the 80s too.

I'm still a child of the 90s.

amazing how that works, eh?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC7jY4DRtJ8#t=0m59s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebvmS9Mr26g#t=2m07s

Actually, the Simpsons shorts were aired in The Tracey Ullman Show, the first on April 19, 1987.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simpsons#Origins
They were running there for 3 seasons, before they got their stand-alone, half-hour show.

Yes, but the BBC edited them out of the UK broadcasts. Morons.

Haha, I'm playing the "Easy Scenario Mode" of the MMZ Collection. "Easy" is a colossal understatement. It's virtually impossible to die in this mode from anything other than a bottomless pit, because the game gives you the effects of every single cyber-elf without the penalties of having actually used them, and even lets you instantly perform charged attacks via special inputs (like the hadouken motion). It's kinda fun to be the ludicrously advantaged one for once.

Raining like crazy here.

Raining like crazy here. we had a fun one last week. I looked outside the window at work and the sky was a little bit cloudy, but I could still see blue sky all over and the sun was out. I finished checking out a customer (which takes about a minute), and look outside again and can't see the parking lot. there was a solid sheet of white. The rain even stayed like that for a good 2 hours. Didn't actually STOP raining for the rest of the day.

Been raining here all day. It's only stopped a few times, then comes back strong again. On our way back home from work one of the roads we usually take was flooded, I'd say about 50-60cm high. Fortunately my brother's SUV(Ford Explorer I think) is pretty resilient, managed to cross it without problem. He usually goes adventuring in it so he's pretty used to crossing actual rivers on it. :P

So, lots of floodings and general chaos around. The general area where I live was unnafected tho.

I did experience some probles tho, but all things considered they are rather minor. Basically, the cable service died for a whole day, leaving us with no tv, internet and phone until a few hours ago. Water supply is gone too since today, hasn't came back.

http://www.minecraft.net/skin/skin.jsp?user=Zeor :3

Haha that is a pretty awesome skin.

So in this past week I've received two free things from fellow kotaku commenters giving away things they had no use for. A code for 500 Nintendo points, and The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition on Steam.

I feel special.

And also dirty. I allways feel dirty when I get free stuff. :-/

Still, now I can buy two snes games on the vc and for the first time ever have a 0 points balance instead of useless 100-200 points, and I can also finally get around to playing The Secret of Monkey Island, which I've never played before. Playing it on classic mode because I love pixel art and I really don't like the new style. Plus the new style lags on this crappy laptop. :P

I feel special.

And also dirty. I allways feel dirty when I get free stuff. :-/
Wanna feel more special and even more dirty?
I still have a copy of L4D2 from a pre-order 4-pack left. (Exclusive baseball weapon, exclusive hat for TF2)
Originally, this cost €33.74, but now (the standard version) is up for €29.99, and will probably get cheaper and cheaper over time.

So, who wants it for his current (local) price?
I'd also be willing to trade it for a gifted Steam game, e.g. the Monkey Island 2 Special Edition pre-order (which includes MI1 SE), but is only available for a few hours today 07/07/2010.

Or maybe a Bioshock 2 gift.

Sadly, I don't have a capable enough pc at the moment, and by the time I do the game is probably gonna be a lot cheaper than that. :p

Also, I only feel dirty when it's free, I feel fine about buying stuff at discount prices. :p

I want octopus Paul to predict me some stock market prognoses.

The TF2 team is being incredibly stupid at the moment.

Basically, someone in the company leaked the list of times that someone has to craft after to get a golden wrench. Some people got ahold of this list, including Drunken F00l, and used it to get the golden wrench because honestly, who wouldn't (Also, the fact that the times were predetermined means that Valve lied when they said the drops were random/that there were no daily limits on drops).

Rather than just having their wrenches taken away, these people get frikkin' VAC BANNED. What the Christ. Someone gaming a faulty system to get a re-skinned weapon doesn't deserve to have all of their games essentially ruined, Valve. Just a heads up.

In other words, Valve causes huge, easily preventable drama. Again. For the second time this month, even, after all the official wiki crap. Sigh.

They're cheating. VAC is "Valve Anti-Cheat" - it's right there in the name. Hell, I'd ban them.

I officially love whoever renamed the thread.

I officially love whoever renamed the thread.
That'd be bonz, with a little tweak by me.

Some people got ahold of this list, including Drunken F00l, and used it to get the golden wrench because honestly, who wouldn't (Also, the fact that the times were predetermined means that Valve lied when they said the drops were random/that there were no daily limits on drops).

Rather than just having their wrenches taken away, these people get frikkin' VAC BANNED. What the Christ. Someone gaming a faulty system to get a re-skinned weapon doesn't deserve to have all of their games essentially ruined, Valve. Just a heads up.

How did they know those were the people that cheated?

The TF2 team is being incredibly stupid at the moment.

Basically, someone in the company leaked the list of times that someone has to craft after to get a golden wrench. Some people got ahold of this list, including Drunken F00l, and used it to get the golden wrench because honestly, who wouldn't (Also, the fact that the times were predetermined means that Valve lied when they said the drops were random/that there were no daily limits on drops).I think you're misinterpreting what they meant.

Valve has 100 golden wrenches to give away in 4 days. So they randomly generated a pool of 100 times for each one to first start appearing from. They're random times because they were randomly generated and not some equally-likely-distributed-amount of times (like every hour in a day or something). There's no daily limit because people first assumed you could only get 25/day which was not the case, each day had a random amount. There's no set limit, just set times.

Obviously there is a limit. They have 100 wrenches to give away and in order for it to be fair they have to distribute them more or less evenly along the days. Obviously it's not completely random, in that the next time for a wrench to be found is randomly generated each time with no control. Otherwise they could end up with each update taking a week or all the wrenches coming out at once due to some bad rice rolls. That'd be a nightmare waiting to happen and even more broken.

Rather than just having their wrenches taken away, these people get frikkin' VAC BANNED. What the Christ. Someone gaming a faulty system to get a re-skinned weapon doesn't deserve to have all of their games essentially ruined, Valve. Just a heads up.

In other words, Valve causes huge, easily preventable drama. Again. For the second time this month, even, after all the official wiki crap. Sigh.This is like the Nth time this has happened. Everytime some new thing comes out for TF2 someone always finds a way to gamble the system because no system is perfect and then Valve does something about it and everyone cries about it. Everytime. Cheating is a gamble on its own. It's like going to a casino with some trick, you might not get caught and win big or get caught and end up worse than when you started. There's no grey shades of what is or isn't cheating and whether you should get away with it or not or be punished or not or etc etc etc sigh.

It's Valve's game, Valve's system, they're free to do as they please. Sure you can argue it might've been too harsh, but really this is the Nth time this has happened. Over useless cosmetic crap. Over and over and over. I don't give a damn anymore and I imagine Valve feels the same way by now.

Plus if it was leaked straight from the company it's a pretty big deal.
How did they know those were the people that cheated?I'm guessing because they matched the required time without fail in a realistically impossible way (eg. starting TF2 and crafting only at the +/- exact time) or because they were absurdly public about their cheating escapades as people tend to be.

I believe that the Golden Wrench isn't just a cosmetic change.
Check this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQK4M9Ev7NM

I think it's some sort of new game mode, and I'm quite sure (or at least hopeful) that everyone else will eventually get the wrench too.
Maybe in some sort of viral distribution way, like it was done with the Ghastly Gibus hat.

I remember that someone on the TF2 blog once said that they won't make the same mistake as with the Gentlemanne's Service Medal again, where only a handful of people was able to get one.
Also, remember that the first owners of the Ghastly Gibus hat got it from a secret blog page, and everyone else got it from killing a wearer.

Furthermore, the secret images from the Engineer update apparently show the engy's ancestor turning more and more into an Australian because of being exposed to "Australium", which the 'Golden' Wrench maybe is actually made of. :)

Turning corpses into gold statues instead than ragdolls is still just a cosmetic thing though. I think that level was chosen for ease of showing of the wrench rather than running around on a real server trying to kill people.

Well we can only hope the 100 wrenches are a promotion thing before everybody can get one through the update, but that would dramatically reduce the value due to gold inflation :p

Turning corpses into gold statues instead than ragdolls is still just a cosmetic thing though. I think that level was chosen for ease of showing of the wrench rather than running around on a real server trying to kill people.
IMO, that's even more of a sign that it isn't just cosmetics.
Why would Valve suddenly add a cosmetic skin with its own killing ragdoll animation in the last of the class updates?

Besides, the new unlock replacing the regular wrench is the Gunslinger robot hand thinige.
Well we can only hope the 100 wrenches are a promotion thing before everybody can get one through the update, but that would dramatically reduce the value due to gold inflation :p
Australium, not gold, I say.

So I just bought the Peace Walker PSP bundle.

I am aware it's probably not a good time with rumours going on about Sony working on a new handheld, but knowing sony it's probably not going to be anything worth buying for a few years at least, if it is ever actually worth buying considering there's also rumours they are going after the iphone market and stuff. In any case, I feel the catalogue of games is extensive enough now for me to enjoy it.

The most interesting thing about the golden wrenches is actually that they basically ruin the unfortunate fools who get them, as they recieve so much unmitigated bile from the jealous entire rest of the internet that they have to mark their profiles as private, are targeted by everybody else on the server, actually get hacked, etc. good thinking again valve

edit: also I completed a Mega Man Zero 3 playthrough with the S rank all the way. Hell yeah, self. My reward is some dumb little minigame thing. And bragging rights.

more edit: 620 Zeor the Ruffian (level 6, 56/56 HPs)
Began as a Troll Berserker on July 11, 2010.
Was a Priest of Trog.
Forgot to breathe

I don't think it's right to blame Valve for peoples jealousy. They shouldn't cower away from giving out unique items because there are some hackers out there.

I don't think it's right to blame Valve for peoples jealousy. They shouldn't cower away from giving out unique items because there are some hackers out there.

I think the point is that they shouldn't publicly announce which players received them.

I think the point is that they shouldn't publicly announce which players received them.
Indeed.
More so, as only 100 players have them, with their accounts linked on that blog page. :p

This will turn into a worse disaster than the Cheater's Lament halo hat incident, where supposedly only ~4% did NOT get one, and still seemingly half the player-base ranted
Wearers got shunned (e.g. by not healing them) or got made fun of with dirty language server-mod substitutions.

This time around it's 100 versus the rest of 16000. :(
I still really hope there will be something that everyone else can get one too.
Otherwise those 100 owners will be able to use it, and hide their profile for quite some time.

Meh. I still wish TF2 would go back to how it used to be, none of the extra unlock crap. It's a completely different game now :(

At the very least a server option to remove all the new stuff would be nice.

Meh. I still wish TF2 would go back to how it used to be, none of the extra unlock crap. It's a completely different game now :(

At the very least a server option to remove all the new stuff would be nice.You can get a similar effect if the server loses connection from Valve so the unlocks don't work, but I don't think you can do it intentionally. :p

I only play on servers that I know won't be populated with sh*tc*cks - the Penny Arcade Forum servers.

I think finding servers is a pain, mostly because you can't filter servers by name (that I know of). Also are servers in the favorite tab removed from the Internet tab? I never see the specialattack servers under the Internet tab and I wonder if that's a bug or a feature :p

I think the point is that they shouldn't publicly announce which players received them.
Fair enough

Started playing Borderlands with Munkee and Raycaster.

This is going to be an addiction.

I tried playing Borderlands online with a friend at one point, but the multiplayer is so horribly implemented that all we could get working was a public game, where people of various levels and annoying mics came and went stealing all the stuff, and then he got stuck in scenary so we just gave up.

Also my pace doesn't really seem to gel with anyone else, which is "horde everything for myself and carefully gauge what's worth keeping/selling everytime something drops".

Though if you're up for a 4th I'm game. :p

I found that the network code is horrible. Permanent lag and "rubber-banding".
And it seems that the "bad mics" are another issue of the game, because I had a player who sounded as he was constantly blowing into his mic, while at the same time ripping its cables out.

I would appreciate a nice 4-player game though, with all the (slow-paced) RPG play and exploring I'm used from single-player.

It would also be wise to be at similar XP levels, because otherwise it will automatically get adapted to match the others, and stays that way, without giving you any appropriate weapons of course.

Yeah, we had a somewhat rough first session with all the lag while Ray was hosting, but it became much less of a problem when Munkee did, for some reason. Certainly doesn't bug any of us enough to shake us off now that we've got so much sick gear.

We're around level 16 or so. Pikkul was gonna be our Siren -- in fact, he bought the 4-pack for us -- but go figure, he can't run the blasted thing, and hell, probably wouldn't have the time if he could. :-/

e: THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO SEND THE GUMMI BEAR BACK TO ITS HOME DIMENSION (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVxWucoVn9A)

I saw two badgers last night when I was out walking. First there was a small one which came towards me and I stepped to the side of the road so it wouldn't see me. Luckily it ran off the the road before getting close. So I kept walking, and just a few steps later there came a much larger one down the road towards me. So again I step aside, I don't need it biting me! I've heard they have a very nasty bite and don't let go until they hear your bone break. It however did not turn off the road though and walked right up next to me where it stopped and starting sniffing around my feet. It didn't seem to notice me. Must have been blinded by the street lamps. It soon turned around and walked back i decided to back up as well. That got it's attention and it scurried off quickly. I didn't see any snakes or mushrooms though.

I know this is a long shot and probably not even allowed, but I really need a copy of The Hawk the Slayer soundtrack.

e: THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO SEND THE GUMMI BEAR BACK TO ITS HOME DIMENSION (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVxWucoVn9A)

Wow I haven't seen that watermark since Web 1.1.

I know this is a long shot and probably not even allowed, but I really need a copy of The Hawk the Slayer soundtrack.

When all else fails, there is always http://www.video2mp3.net/es/index.php to download music from youtube videos, if the soundtrack/song you are looking for is there of course. Probably not the best quality, but better than nothing.

So the collective consciousness of mankind sat there, thinking to itself: "Could Valve possibly be any more awesome than it already is?"

And Gabe Newell looked down from the heavens, and said: "Yes.", and bestowed yet another gift to mankind. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=603izhzohos&playnext_from=TL&videos=tjxwASG0We4&feature=sub)

And the world rejoiced.

AMEN.

Team17 must feel dicked over.

I was all like "Hey this doesn't look as nice as Alien Breed Impact.." FREE ON STEAM "oh"

I remember when that was a mod of UT2004. I thought they'd given up porting to source years ago. Seems not.

I decided to appear again ("You'll never leave" is not a joke). What's been happening (Worms and non-Worms related) whilst I've been gone?

As for me, I learnt Na'vi, the language from Avatar, because I was bored. Tuteo fìtsenge plltxe nìNa'vi srak?

holy **** he actually made an actual game (http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-2010-scott-pilgrim/101186)

I got to play Scott Pilgrim at the Scott Pilgrim E3 Party, and it's bloody magnificent.

I love how Muzer makes a post about finally coming back after a while and immediately after that the topic gets changed to something that's been discussed a million times already.

Muzer, I'm sorry you're unimportant, apparently.

Muzer, I love you. Make an honest woman out of me.

Apparently making maps for alien swarm is really easy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19fhdMdCNZ4).

Say someone wanted to rent a cabin, maybe near a lake or something somewhere in europe, to waste away a week of vacation just chilling and reading a book or something, anyone knows a good place for that? My sis has a week of vacation and wants to do precisely that but has no idea where to look for a place like that. She's currently staying in Paris.

Preferably not too expensive. :P

so I've just realized: where the heck is AndrewTaylor? I've not seen him around in a while.

I think he's got one of those "life" things I keep hearing about.

Say someone wanted to rent a cabin, maybe near a lake or something somewhere in europe, to waste away a week of vacation just chilling and reading a book or something, anyone knows a good place for that? My sis has a week of vacation and wants to do precisely that but has no idea where to look for a place like that. She's currently staying in Paris.

Preferably not too expensive. :P
You mean a real cabin in the mountains, built from logs, with no electricity and no warm water?

I can only recommend going to the Alps, preferably the Austrian ones, but seeing that she's in Paris now, she's probably more reluctant to stay in the French Alps or Switzerland at most.

These "huts" are more like small mansions, some even with a sauna, so probably not the cheapest.
http://www.huette-mieten.at/english/

The cheapest form of accommodation would always be a youth hostel, which in most cases are only available in urban areas and not in out in the sticks.

I think he's got one of those "life" things I keep hearing about.oh I've heard of those! I hear they're terrible time-sinks. we should help him get back on track.

Say someone wanted to rent a cabin, maybe near a lake or something somewhere in europe, to waste away a week of vacation just chilling and reading a book or something, anyone knows a good place for that? My sis has a week of vacation and wants to do precisely that but has no idea where to look for a place like that. She's currently staying in Paris.

Preferably not too expensive. :P

Sure, just come by and I'll let you borrow a tent. Then you can simply sleep wherever you like.

You mean a real cabin in the mountains, built from logs, with no electricity and no warm water?

I can only recommend going to the Alps, preferably the Austrian ones, but seeing that she's in Paris now, she's probably more reluctant to stay in the French Alps or Switzerland at most.

These "huts" are more like small mansions, some even with a sauna, so probably not the cheapest.
http://www.huette-mieten.at/english/

The cheapest form of accommodation would always be a youth hostel, which in most cases are only available in urban areas and not in out in the sticks.
Well, she mostly doesn't want to be stuck in paris for a week with nothing to do. There are some nice places on the site you linked to, but everything seems to be booked for the next month and her vacation starts next week. It's probably too late to start planning anything now, she already had plans but they just fell through this week, which kinda sucks. :-/

If it was me I would just jump in a train to a random place, but she's not that adventurous. :P

Paul we love you (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx2TphG9XU0)

I think he's got one of those "life" things I keep hearing about.Those are almost as overrated as Alien Swarm.

Those are almost as overrated as Alien Swarm.

Hah, kind of happy to hear a negative opinion about it since I haven't been able to download it. Stupid usage cap...

Finally, mind control (http://www.ted.com/talks/tan_le_a_headset_that_reads_your_brainwaves.html)! :D

Finally, mind control (http://www.ted.com/talks/tan_le_a_headset_that_reads_your_brainwaves.html)! :Disn't this precisely the same technology that's been available at retail for something like 2 years now?

edit: so it is indeed. I see the exact same game demo at the end. though it's good to see some further applications as well.

edit2: so apparently this was the 55,000th post in OD! woo!

Getting close to the 17000th in this thread alone. Gogogoggog!

So my sister(who is in paris) was waiting for a friend, and some guy (around 50yo, missing a tooth) stands in front of her and starts talking to her in french. She says she doesn't speak french, and the guys says "English, then?", to which my sister says yes.

He then tells her that he is looking for someone to serve loyaly, for free. She says he described something akin to Batman's Alfred. My sister tells him she doesn't really need help, and the guy tells her he also wants to give a gift to someone, at which point my sister just left the area.

What the hell.

So my sister(who is in paris) was waiting for a friend, and some guy (around 50yo, missing a tooth) stands in front of her and starts talking to her in french. She says she doesn't speak french, and the guys says "English, then?", to which my sister says yes.

He then tells her that he is looking for someone to serve loyaly, for free. She says he described something akin to Batman's Alfred. My sister tells him she doesn't really need help, and the guy tells her he also wants to give a gift to someone, at which point my sister just left the area.

What the hell.
that owns

So my sister(who is in paris) was waiting for a friend, and some guy (around 50yo, missing a tooth) stands in front of her and starts talking to her in french. She says she doesn't speak french, and the guys says "English, then?", to which my sister says yes.

He then tells her that he is looking for someone to serve loyaly, for free. She says he described something akin to Batman's Alfred. My sister tells him she doesn't really need help, and the guy tells her he also wants to give a gift to someone, at which point my sister just left the area.

What the hell.that is EXTREMELY AMAZING. you should tell her to go find him again...and then find a utility belt.

The obvious answer is to keep your sister far, far away from the crazy man, but also recruit him as your butler.

Then fight crime I guess?

Yeah... I don't think a random crazy guy approaching you in the street can compare to a dude that has been serving your family since before you were born, at least in terms of trustworthiness...

I told her she should have asked him to run in a circle around the whole city twenty times as proof of loyalty, but I think getting away from there asap was actualy the most sensible option, specially as she wasn't carrying pepper spray or a knife or a shotgun or something for protection...

Obviously, that guy was an informer and that was his secret phrase to identify his contact person.
Good that she left, otherwise she would have been dragged into a world of espionage, femme fatales, luxurious cars, expensive wine and probably would had to have sex with a James Bond type secret agent.
(And in the end get blown up with Blofeld's secret lair, after James dumped her, because she's from a foreign country's agency. :P)

Spike Jonez's IKEA ad is the greatest damn thing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsQXQGaasUg

ALSO, AN OPEN MESSAGE TO PAUL.POWER: Is there a reason you haven't gotten your let's play of Advance Wars archived yet? Because it really ought to be.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/508439/Garbage_Barn/ThatGullIsEffinRippedBro.png

...........what.

Sometimes I just don't get internet advertising, though thinking about it a bit, I bet the outright stupidity of this got far more people to click through to the official IQ quiz than the ads with pictures of that super ripped guy or the weird dog-man thing. Those clever basts.

ALSO, AN OPEN MESSAGE TO PAUL.POWER: Is there a reason you haven't gotten your let's play of Advance Wars archived yet? Because it really ought to be.

He still plans on getting more content up (eg. War Room, extra COs, etc.), but at his usual pace, I'm not sure when that will be. :p

Yeah, I kind of need to get back on that.

Should ideally have been doing something about it during the MSPA hiatus, but that went out of the window :p.

I'm sort of a third of the way through processing the screenshots from a War Room mission (Nell vs. Olaf on Point Stormy) and every time I open the folder up I go "ugh this is a lot of screenshots also fffff how many times did Olaf use Blizzard".

Sometimes I just don't get internet advertising, though thinking about it a bit, I bet the outright stupidity of this got far more people to click through to the official IQ quiz than the ads with pictures of that super ripped guy or the weird dog-man thing. Those clever basts.

Obviously the real intelligence test is weather you click on the ad or not.

well as a rule, opposites have to be similar. technically the opposite of an egg would be Mt Everest or some such, but that tends to not make sense :p

Hah, it's been a while since that discussion (http://forum.team17.co.uk/showthread.php?p=687081#post687081). I've finally changed the poll on BTP. Turns out 7% of people are Akuryou sympathizers:

http://a.imageshack.us/img718/6743/eggpoll.png

Hah, it's been a while since that discussion (http://forum.team17.co.uk/showthread.php?p=687081#post687081). I've finally changed the poll on BTP. Turns out 7% of people are Akuryou sympathizers:

http://a.imageshack.us/img718/6743/eggpoll.pnglol, thank you for the scientific exploration on the matter.

Why hadn't I heard of VanCanto before?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEwNrjvNiYs&feature=related

That one's actually pretty silly (but still awesome).

This one actually sounds pretty awesome (but still not better than the original :p).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBxCl2TJNnQ&feature=related

Why hadn't I heard of VanCanto before?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEwNrjvNiYs&feature=relatedI love you for linking that :D

Dix-Neuf (http://forum.team17.co.uk/member.php?u=111649) is pretty likely Iguana.

Dix-Neuf (http://forum.team17.co.uk/member.php?u=111649) is pretty likely Iguana.sorry. we only accept official octopi predictions here.

Edited: Well Dix-Neuf uses the exact same avatar as.. probably Iguana on msn. Not sure. I'm not really interested enough to investigate.

sorry. we only accept official octopi predictions here.
http://xinart.net/images/dump/295606179066poorzoidberg.jpg

so. been playing Starcraft 2, and it has me thinking.

Why are all RTS games built the same? you have a base, you gather resources and you basically just pump out as many units as you can, as fast as you can, and win or lose based entirely on how fast you can build, rather than how well you can strategize. I've seen a couple games do a decent job of lessening that, such as Company of Heroes, but even then you end up in sort of the same boat.

What I'm wondering, basically, is has anyone done anything against that? Are there any RTS games that alter the formula at all?

I got to thinking last night, and it seems to me that having a set number of units at a time seems to help with strategy, but what about having a set budget for unit production as well? or a very slow resource gathering ability? anything to slow down unit production, so that everything you create becomes useful and losing a tank or a squad of troops actually hurts a bit. Maybe even set up a penalty for large losses.

Does any game do any of that? Is there anything at all out there with ACTUAL strategy, rather than just rush build order strategy?

What about Ruse? I've only seen people play it but it looks very much like it brakes the classic RTS formula.

Speaking of Starcraft 2 which I picked up today, it came with two 10 day passes if anybody is interested.

Has anyone played Sins Of A Solar Empire? It sounds more like actual strategy.

Speaking of Starcraft 2 which I picked up today, it came with two 10 day passes if anybody is interested.
I'm interested, if you still have one.
10 days should be enough to get bored with another RTS game, until I start playing Total Annihilation again. :p

So who's excited about this new Worms malarky everyone's talking about these days?

What about Ruse? I've only seen people play it but it looks very much like it brakes the classic RTS formula.does it? I've seen nothing about it except that there was a free trial on steam that I missed while my internet was down.

So who's excited about this new Worms malarky everyone's talking about these days?I am! extremely so!

Glad I'm not alone, then!

Has anyone played Sins Of A Solar Empire? It sounds more like actual strategy.
sins is okay but it doesn't have that "gotta play it again" factor that defines better games like civilization

sins is okay but it doesn't have that "gotta play it again" factor that defines better games like civilizationI always thought the civ games were more Sim City than C&C. more about the thriving society than the warring.

I always thought the civ games were more Sim City than C&C. more about the thriving society than the warring.And at that point you tend to get steamrollered by the person who thinks that Civ is more about the warring than the thriving society :p

And at that point you tend to get steamrollered by the person who thinks that Civ is more about the warring than the thriving society :plol. fair enough. I've not played civ since.....I think it was the original, actually. so I would get steam rolled regardless.

I only really like Civ against the computer, or else you're just Mongolled off the face of the earth in 200 years.

I'm interested, if you still have one.
10 days should be enough to get bored with another RTS game, until I start playing Total Annihilation again. :p

Sent you a pm

so. been playing Starcraft 2, and it has me thinking.

Why are all RTS games built the same? you have a base, you gather resources and you basically just pump out as many units as you can, as fast as you can, and win or lose based entirely on how fast you can build, rather than how well you can strategize. I've seen a couple games do a decent job of lessening that, such as Company of Heroes, but even then you end up in sort of the same boat.

What I'm wondering, basically, is has anyone done anything against that? Are there any RTS games that alter the formula at all?

I got to thinking last night, and it seems to me that having a set number of units at a time seems to help with strategy, but what about having a set budget for unit production as well? or a very slow resource gathering ability? anything to slow down unit production, so that everything you create becomes useful and losing a tank or a squad of troops actually hurts a bit. Maybe even set up a penalty for large losses.

Does any game do any of that? Is there anything at all out there with ACTUAL strategy, rather than just rush build order strategy?
Personally I love the classical RTS formula and am glad SC2 sticks to it :p But there a whole bunch of different ones: Homeworld, Dawn of War, Company of Heroes, R.U.S.E., C&C4, etc. Your milage may vary.

Personally I love the classical RTS formula and am glad SC2 sticks to it :p But there a whole bunch of different ones: Homeworld, Dawn of War, Company of Heroes, R.U.S.E., C&C4, etc. Your milage may vary.oh I enjoy the classic RTS formula well enough, and SC2 isn't exactly a game meant for me, I realize. that's why I'm looking for something that IS more my style, though. I'm enjoying the SC single player but I'll never touch multiplayer. I'm just no good at it......really....I'm ****ing terrible.

oh I enjoy the classic RTS formula well enough, and SC2 isn't exactly a game meant for me, I realize. that's why I'm looking for something that IS more my style, though. I'm enjoying the SC single player but I'll never touch multiplayer. I'm just no good at it......really....I'm ****ing terrible.
I understand not playing regular matches online, but you should at least give custom maps a look. Back in the original game, I wasn't that good in regular matches either, but most of my time was spent on that game anyway thanks to fantastic custom maps like Turret Defense, Lurker Defense, Protect the Queen/Goku, custom missions, etc. I know tower defense games are overdone nowadays, but the editor in SC2 is much more complex so you should be able to find much more interesting stuff than that. :p

I'm pretty terrible at Starcraft in multiplayer too, I'm just not fast enough. But playing with mates against others online is fun, especially if you are in the same room which makes organizing much easier. I need to learn how to play better so I stop dying first or end up not contributing at all.

The challenge missions are great for learning basic tactics too.

I understand not playing regular matches online, but you should at least give custom maps a look. Back in the original game, I wasn't that good in regular matches either, but most of my time was spent on that game anyway thanks to fantastic custom maps like Turret Defense, Lurker Defense, Protect the Queen/Goku, custom missions, etc. I know tower defense games are overdone nowadays, but the editor in SC2 is much more complex so you should be able to find much more interesting stuff than that. :poh hey, that's actually a good idea! thanks!

but I'd still like to find that actual RTS rather than a unit-spam game.

I just don't bother with Starcraft multiplayer at all. Or any RTS really, aside from friends. I've seen what lurks out there. It's just begging for an ass-kicking and not even millions of years of traibning could change that or make me enjoy it.