DanJW

We don't have much info, but I'm pretty interested in this. I expected to get more interested soon to the point where it becomes my most anticipated MMO. Having got a bit tired of high fantasy and sci-fi, I'm really into urban fantasy horror at the moment (been reading lots of Neil Gaiman). Yes, I'm well up for a world based on (but not restricted to): Lovecraftian horror/Steven King/magical realism/world of darkness/shadowrun/X-files/urban legends/secret histories. And having fresh MMO mechanics would be the icing on the cake.

Oh yes, I'm not saying that a game should be marked up or down depending on what happened in its creation (if scores and reviews are what you mean by 'critic'). But I do think familiarity with such things helps deepen the understanding of games, and what they can and can't do.

I wasn't all that impressed with Knowing. Perhaps because all the marketing implied that it was somehow about chaos theory (all the numbers and whatnot). It wasn't. Or maybe it was because of the awful science-babble. Within the first few minutes Cage has described the deterministic viewpoint as being "everything happens for a reason" (ie fate, with religious overtones, ie bullshit. What he is actually describing is more like the anthropic principle). The opposite, he tells us, is the theory that everything happens by chance. The science only gets worse from there. Oh yes, his scientist friend, on learning that the prophecies are coming true, says "my scientific mind tells me to leave this the hell alone". Excuse me? What? What kind of scientific mind backs away from a mystery, especially such an incredible yet testable one. Worst. Scientist. Ever. Then it all turns into yet another apocalyptic disaster movie. With a scifi/religious ambiguity/pick-your-own-meaning so as not to offend anybody. Big meh

I think a critic in isolation would be the worse for it. If they are also a 'journalist' or have some other insight into the industry then they know more about how games are made, how developers are run, the people who were involved, the kind of conflicts that happen behind the scenes, what went into actually making the game. Without that knowledge, the critic is just.. pulling shit out of his arse (as they say)

Good game, folks. I think my team had a major advantage with the mics, since it helps coordinate attacks when infected and save each other when playing survivors. But we were still put under a lot of pressure, which made it fun.

'kudos' Thinking over it again, gratia sounds a tad too much like gratis, meaning free, which makes it sound like it has no value. It's still pretty good though. Gratits might be better then, an abreviation of 'gratitude'.

$10 on steam I believe. If you are at all interested in non-traditional games (the sort that people tend to call 'interactive experiences' or 'art games') then it is definitely worth a look. If you only like games with action and traditional objectives and all the other usual conventions, then it is not for you. ----- Anyone else finished it with all the girls yet? Nice twist at the end I thought. At some point I will play it again, since it seems like you can't see all the 'experiences' in a single playthrough. The official forums for the game have some nice discussion on the symbolism and meaning of various aspects, for those that have finished it.

The danger of fire is really only there with old appliances and sockets. Since the plastic wire insulation can degrade over time, and dust and bits of fluff get inside, old appliances (even ones with modern safety features) have an increased risk of going wrong.

It's one of those mysteries. It seems that phone chargers, at least, do still grow warm when plugged in without the phone.

Just 'gratia' would work. That'll cost 200 gratias etc Or Thanyoo (pl. thanyoos) Chirz (from 'cheers')

Chris, in the Wrath of the Lich King WoW expansion, a lot of the story is now shown by in-engine cut scenes, with characters showing up and interacting right in front of you, complete with voice acting. The 'phasing' technology means that this doesn't interfere with other people's game, as only you and you group can see it for the most part. There's even some really nice quests/cutscenes where you get transformed into a major plot character and have to re-enact scenes from their past (mostly famous battles, but still). Blizzard are definitely mixing it up and thinking about new things to do in an MMO - it's just that most non-players' perceptions are stuck on the 4-year-old 'vanilla' WoW experience.

Regarding the mention of a western MMO, I was reminded of the game that was to be based on the manwa (Korean manga)Priest. I think it was canned though. Shame, as it would have made a great setting (western gunslingers + zombies and fallen angels and church conspiracies). The manwa itself has a nice plot, even if each individual book is a bit story-lite, but it has an incredibly dynamic art style that I find fascinating. Check it out. Other trivia: the manwa was in turn inspired by the Video game Blood. Oh, and it is printed on black paper.

I didn't even know it was still in development, so I think their publicity has failed. Looking at it now, it's much more generic fantasy than I was expecting. And between WoW, LotRO, AoC and WaR, I have plenty of choice of high quality fantasy settings. If I was to try out a new MMO now, it would have to be a different genre setting entirely.

Thank you Elder Sign! BWT07iRvI9M

Yeah, at 1400 years old, aren't those poems older than Islam? If not then close. out of interest, are they related to the Upanishad at all?

Making a lobby now... Er, also I hope all non-UK residents know that our clocks have gone forward an hour (no longer Daylight Saving Time). I am posting this at 9pm GMT.

Good grenades folks. Was nice to hear the voices of Ashby, Lawrence, Marek and Duncan join the regular podcrew.

Hmm, yeah I saw this on facebook and signed the petition. Pretty awful thing to do.

You touched on a point there OssK that I was going to bring up: No game will ever pass the Ebert test, because Ebert would dismiss any possible game you could bring him. He has made up his mind, and I doubt very much that anything could budge him. Thus there is no longer any dialogue between Ebert and the Video game medium.

Okay write-up of the Goichi Suda/Fumito Ueda/Emil Pagliarulo panel at Brainy Gamer.

1. I was using a turn of phrase, dumbass As for the rest, yes in the case of rape women are far worse off than men. In any physical conflict men have the upper hand (although the numbers for general domestic abuse are surprisingly less skewed). Also the problem with male rape and abuse of men is that victims are even less likely to come forward, which makes the numbers just guesswork. I agree that guilt felt by victims is a massive problem, but I also see Yufster's point that the best defence that women have is their own empowerment. Whilst blaming a victim in any way, shape or form has become taboo, complete and instant submission is not something that should be encouraged. Women need to know that they can make a difference when bad things are about to happen to them. But in purely psychological cases I really do think there is a trend of misandry and demonisation of men in our culture. I grew up feeling guilty for being born male, and I know lots of other men who feel the same. Plenty of men (and women) can't even begin to understand that and get on with the football and the farting and the going 'phwoar' at tits just like their forefathers did before them. Sometimes I almost envy them. But the essence of masculinity is changing, and being redefined. That leaves a lot of men in a situation where we don't know what we are, or what we are meant to be yet. Dismissal and ridicule just drives more back to the old chauvinist ways. So shut the fuck up why not? To throw in a counterbalance to the rape stats; most abuse and murder of babies is perpetrated by women. Are women infanticidal maniacs? Of course not. There are bad people, and people who make mistakes. Identifying them by their gender achieves nothing. Yes Feminism is still relevant today, despite the fact that very few young women give it a second thought and instead subscribe to "if you can't beat them, join them" post-feminism instead. Gender issues are complex, to say the least.

I think Chuck Jordan over at Spectre Collie summed it up well, saying :

Also don't forget the Phantom Game Console.

Cocaine is scarily common on the British New Media scene. It's all those 40-somethings who wanted to be yuppies back in the day, and now have suddenly found that they are (apart from the young bit). It amuses me when parents and politicians decry the drug abuse amongst the young, when it is actually their own generation still spending the most money on it by far.