The Grand Questions and Answers Thread

[KOMega]

Hmmm. Hard to figure out a question on the spot.
What about:

What is love?
[sub][sub]Baby, don't hurt me. Don't hurt me. No Mo'[/sub][/sub]

I might just be me, but goddammit does it feel like the Greek time period and mythology is hogging most of the attention from creators.

Don't know specifically about norse, but I think Greek is popular because the greek gods were told to actually be fighting all the time, and a good fight is entertaining.
Also God of War made it really popular too I guess.

Something I've been pondering on today is if there's any game that has a skill system like the first Grandia game.
I haven't played it in probably ten years, but as I recall you gained skills by leveling up weapon types and magics. Like if you had level 3 whip and level 2 fire you got the Fire whip spell.

Tried a Google search, but only came up with one thread where one replier said no. Feels like there has to be some RPG out there with a simular system.

What about Magicka?
While probably not an RPG and I haven't played either Grandia or Magicka, from what I've seen you cast spells by mixing elements or basic spells together (located at the bottom left if you watch any gameplay.)
Again, just from what I've seen (haven't played) I don't think there is a leveling system for spells, but there is that skill mixing thing you wanted.

 

[maninahat]

How did "nucular" become something you can say without getting laughed at?

My understanding is that the term started off as semi legitimate slang for nuclear warheads, (such as in nucular power referring to countries with a nuclear weapon arsenal), and horribly spread from there by people that didn't know the difference. Once it featured in the Simpsons, it was all over.

I miss calling everything "atomic" instead of nuclear. Why did we switch to the French sounding thing? Was it because we wanted to disassociate nuclear power from atomic bombs?

 

[4RM3D]

*snip*

DRM exists to protect the studio against piracy. But there are two problems with it: the DRM will get cracked anyway and the customers who buy the game experience problems with it (e.g. Sim City). The later being the biggest issue. The reason why I hate DRM is two-fold: the studio doesn't respect their customers and it impedes my freedom. Thus I don't buy games with DRM.

If you've used Steam or Origin on a PC, those are DRM.

Most of what you said is true, but I did want to add something to the above. Ubisoft's always online is a pure DRM, EA Spore's activation limit is a pure DRM, but Steam is a digital platform (and store). While Steam has a DRM, it is not a DRM. Some games released on Steam have there own DRM on top of Steam's.

 

[Forobryt]

If there once was an ugly duckling how did it become a swan when young swans arent called ducklings but cygnets?


yeah get your head around that lie children are told, if you believe enough you can change species and become pretty.

 

[shrekfan246]

If you've used Steam or Origin on a PC, those are DRM.

Most of what you said is true, but I did want to add something to the above. Ubisoft's always online is a pure DRM, EA Spore's activation limit is a pure DRM, but Steam is a digital platform (and store). While Steam has a DRM, it is not a DRM. Some games released on Steam have there own DRM on top of Steam's.

Just because some games use extra DRM doesn't invalidate the fact that Steam is DRM. Make no mistake, it is DRM. It has a store on top of it, but it's DRM. They pushed it out as DRM, it only got so big because of the online store.

By which I mean, when Half-Life 2 launched back in 2004, it was impossible to play it without Steam, short of cracking it. When I bought a physical copy of Bioshock Infinite earlier this year, I couldn't install it without having my Steam account logged in and loaded up. If you really want to get technical, then SteamWorks is the DRM attached to Steam, whereas Steam itself is a platform, but at the end of the day it's all functionally the same because you can't have Steam without also having Steamworks. The additional use of SecuROM or Games for Windows Live or StarForce is just extra DRM slapped on top of Steam at the publisher's leisure, which is also probably where the conflict of interest comes with all of EA's new games using Origin.

There are no DRM-free games on Steam, not so long as they're actually activated on and run through Steam. In fact, try it yourself. Close down Steam and run all of your games through their downloaded directories instead of whatever shortcuts you might have, see if you can play a single one without Steam starting back up.

 

[4RM3D]

Just because some games use extra DRM doesn't invalidate the fact that Steam is DRM. Make no mistake, it is DRM. It has a store on top of it, but it's DRM. They pushed it out as DRM, it only got so big because of the online store.

By which I mean, when Half-Life 2 launched back in 2004, it was impossible to play it without Steam, short of cracking it. When I bought a physical copy of Bioshock Infinite earlier this year, I couldn't install it without having my Steam account logged in and loaded up. If you really want to get technical, then SteamWorks is the DRM attached to Steam, whereas Steam itself is a platform, but at the end of the day it's all functionally the same because you can't have Steam without also having Steamworks. The additional use of SecuROM or Games for Windows Live or StarForce is just extra DRM slapped on top of Steam at the publisher's leisure, which is also probably where the conflict of interest comes with all of EA's new games using Origin.

There are no DRM-free games on Steam, not so long as they're actually activated on and run through Steam. In fact, try it yourself. Close down Steam and run all of your games through their downloaded directories instead of whatever shortcuts you might have, see if you can play a single one without Steam starting back up.

Ah, now we are going into semantics. But yeah, I see your point. The end result is the same. It's just that Steam isn't your average DRM. As far as DRMs go, Steam might be the best one.

 

[DanielBrown]

What about Magicka?
While probably not an RPG and I haven't played either Grandia or Magicka, from what I've seen you cast spells by mixing elements or basic spells together (located at the bottom left if you watch any gameplay.)
Again, just from what I've seen (haven't played) I don't think there is a leveling system for spells, but there is that skill mixing thing you wanted.

Not exactly what I'm looking for, I'm afraid, but the game looks intresting. Always thought Magicka was only some card game. Thanks for the reply!

 

[shrekfan246]

Ah, now we are going into semantics. But yeah, I see your point. The end result is the same. It's just that Steam isn't your average DRM. As far as DRMs go, Steam might be the best one.

Oh, I agree with that. Steam is one of the least intrusive forms of DRM currently on the market, and it actively provides incentives for using it instead of arbitrarily punishing and limiting legitimate buyers. At the end of the day, it's still functionally DRM though, which was my point.

 

[4RM3D]

Always thought Magicka was only some card game. Thanks for the reply!

You mean Magic: The Gathering [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_the_gathering]?

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

Anyhow, anyone knows? Is there a logic behind sometimes (not) mentioning the character name?

Depends on a few factors, actor/actress prestige, how much said actor/actress gets paid in said movie, and also producer/director whim. Usually the person fronting the money gets say on credits so that would be the "producer" but the director (depending on contract) or the lead talent (again depending on contract) can determine when/where/what the credit appears/says.
Its not always logical, but interesting. I love crazy credits like Monty Python's Holy Grail or pretty much the end of every Venture Brothers cartoon.

 

[Agayek]

Where is the manga forum section on the escapist?

Nah, nah, I'm joking(though it would be nice). My question is, why does the Norse Mythology not get as much attention as lets say the Greek Mythology gets. Actually, why don't other Mythology get as much attention as the Greek mythology when it comes to popularity in media.
I honestly think we get shitload more stuff that has connection to do with Greek Mythology then any other Mythology that is out there. When was the last time we got a game that had a world that had mostly Norse Mythology in it? Or something that was focused on the time period when those mythology were a huge part of society?

I might just be me, but goddammit does it feel like the Greek time period and mythology is hogging most of the attention from creators.

Edit: Ohh yeah, I know that Thor from Marvel is from Norse Mythology and all that jazz, but other then him it barely feels like there anything else.

The reason Western culture is so heavy with Grecco-Roman mythology is simply because Greece, and later Rome, defined Western culture. Many of the most common customs, traditions and general culture of "The West" comes from Rome (since they, you know, conquered that whole area), which in turn lifted their culture wholesale from the Greeks. That's really all it comes down to. Our society is based heavily on Grecco-Roman traditions and schools of thought, and that means our culture reflects many aspects of Grecco-Roman culture.

There's also the fact that the Germanic tribes were generally considered mindless savages by the people defining our culture (hint: They lived in Rome and were constantly at war with the Germanic tribes). When the Romans conquered them, their religion and culture was quashed under the weight of Roman culture, and a great deal of it was lost forever.

For example, there's really only two surviving accounts of ancient Norse mythology. The Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda. Those two works form the basis of everything we know about Norse mythology in the modern era, and we're woefully uninformed of the actual evolution of their mythology.

 

[DoPo]

There are no DRM-free games on Steam, not so long as they're actually activated on and run through Steam. In fact, try it yourself. Close down Steam and run all of your games through their downloaded directories instead of whatever shortcuts you might have, see if you can play a single one without Steam starting back up.

Actually, not all games require Steam to run. For example, if you use the DirectX 9 launcher for Assassin's Creed 1, that happily runs without Steam, while the default (DX10) would also launch Steam. There are other games like this - they don't actually require Steam through omission. On the other hand, there are actually games that just don't implement it through intention - Bindings of Isaac is one of these.

Doesn't really change anything, just worth pointing out.

It's just that Steam isn't your average DRM.

Why, because by default any DRM is bad? That's an idea that seems prevalent in many people's minds. As many other things, it's just a tool and it's up to how you use it. Nobody seems to complain about CD keys and light copy protection schemes, so when DRM gets name dropped it's always about bad stuff. This loads the term with unrealistic expectations and has to stop. DRM is a neutral term "your average DRM" is not, in fact, out to steal your firstborn.

 

[4RM3D]

Why, because by default any DRM is bad? That's an idea that seems prevalent in many people's minds. As many other things, it's just a tool and it's up to how you use it. Nobody seems to complain about CD keys and light copy protection schemes, so when DRM gets name dropped it's always about bad stuff. This loads the term with unrealistic expectations and has to stop. DRM is a neutral term "your average DRM" is not, in fact, out to steal your firstborn.

DRM does nothing for the consumer. It only makes things worse for the consumer. Then there is also the reason behind DRM: greed.

...it's just a tool and it's up to how you use it...

It's up to who?

Nobody seems to complain about CD keys and light copy protection schemes...

Well, those don't screw you over like the always-on or activation limit DRMs.


In the end it's about how much the DRM impacts you. Some people might complain about Steam (and such) because you can't trade/sell your games. It doesn't bother me, because it doesn't impact my experience. If the DRM does impact my experience (like always-on with an unreachable server), the game(company) gets blacklisted.

 

[DoPo]

...it's just a tool and it's up to how you use it...

It's up to who?

Up to the developer. You know, the one who gets to use the tools in the first place.

Nobody seems to complain about CD keys and light copy protection schemes...

Well, those don't screw you over like the always-on or activation limit DRMs.

Thus proving my point that not all DRM is evil? I mean you denied it then confirmed it. Which is it?

In the end it's about how much the DRM impacts you.

So-o-o...you pretty much said what I said in different words. But somehow made it sound like you're not agreeing with what I said.

 

[4RM3D]

Thus proving my point that not all DRM is evil? I mean you denied it then confirmed it. Which is it?

In order to answer that I'll bring on another quote:

DRM is a neutral term "your average DRM" is not, in fact, out to steal your firstborn.

I wouldn't go as far as to call it evil. But semantics aside...

DRM is not ambivalent (neutral). Technology is neutral and it's up to the user whether it's used for the greater good or for world domination.

DRM is inherently bad (evil). But it isn't all black and white. It's a big gray area. I would say the Steam DRM is the lesser evil. One that is acceptable.

So-o-o...you pretty much said what I said in different words. But somehow made it sound like you're not agreeing with what I said.

You mostly mentioned what other people are thinking. I don't agree with DRM being neutral though.

 

[Angelblaze]

Alright...look...I'm a Hannibal fan and the series finished yesterday.
And I have some questions and issues.

But I know not everyone watched the series yet/aren't caught up. Sooooo...don't click and keep your answers restricted to spoilers please.

Spoiler

Anyone else that watches this please tell me...why do they completely ignore the fact that both Alana Bloom and Hannibal have the same level of access to the crimes, victims and areas and both have ties to Will Graham outside of the professional work environment PLUS have had direct contact with him during states of mental time loss/major instability?

Why do they seem to just immediately forget about that murderer who thought he was the Ripper and never apply anything from there to here? Will was technically seeing multiple psychiatrists who messed with his head, told him repeatedly that he was 'unstable' and made questionably strong ties with him, just like the other guy.

Depending on how you see it even JACK could have possibly been protecting Abagail through reverse psych. Push her to the point where everyone wants to protect her from him, therefore making her the most victimized and protected person in their insane group.

Alana has the motive of Jack continually forcing Abagail back into crime scenes and would have access to files pertaining to the murder of his old comrade, has deep emotional connections with Will Graham as they confess in the last episode, still shows resentment based on Abagail and how she was pushed and has the skills and ability needed to plant suggestions and ideas into another person's mind. Why is all focus on her ignored?

Why do they keep on letting Jack push Will back in? That's illegal and unethical even if Will keeps on saying he's fine.

Where's that red headed reporter with a sound file that proves Will's innocence in some miraculous way? I'm not saying it exists, I'm just saying I want it to.

Are there NO cameras in the hospital or is Hannibal literally just disabling them as he passes?

Why does no one bring up the possibility that Will may have brought the materials not knowing they were from human bodies? Sure, there's the distinct possibility that Will was at fault there but, in China there were dead baby parts found in baby food, that doesn't mean that the mothers were directly responsible for the murders.

Why does no one tie Dr. Sut to the brain scan and to Will and Hannibal? Isn't it entirely possible and plausible to assume that Hannibal killed Dr. Sut because he knew the out come of the brain scan? Get Will another brain scan!

Don't spoil series 2 for me.