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[ChairmanPoo]

Of course not. I'm not even talking about that guy. If they caught him trading in child porn, good riddance. What concerns me are the comments that some people, including yourself, made in this thread:

And/or he was acutally distributing child porn, which I find pretty likely, considering that's most of TOR's use.

. If this guy was using TOR for that purpose (which seems to me to be the case), then maybe a loss of some internet anonimity to reduce the production and circulation of child porn is a good thing.

* LordSlowpoke sighs

... based on the public opinion that the tor network is full of pedophiles (which is somewhat grounded in reality) ...

[penguinofhonor]

The only quote I can see your posts being relevant to is Monkeyhead's. LordSlowpoke and Scelly9 didn't say anything about wanting TOR to be compromised.

[Frumple]

CP was talking about the stigmatization of legit users, pengu.

And Siru, re: phrase in question, it's been used both ways, especially as it's been leveraged more aggressively. The means you referred to is generally what's used to push censorship... stuff like what's being discussed, to persuade people to allow a greater legal basis/less legal oversight on the varying means of privacy invasion. S'both ways of using children as an emotional lever to push whatever th'folks pushin' are after.

[Loud Whispers]

tor is dead yo

It was dead a long while ago, it's pretty much just a giant honeypot now.

[Vector]

I am now discovering exactly how much I hate DLC.

It's a lot.  I can understand going "huh, this is selling really well so I'll write like 5 more missions I wanted to put in but couldn't because budget and throw them into a 'definitive edition' and a side DLC at low cost for those who purchased the 'incomplete' game," (let's face it, I'm cool with what happened in Binding of Isaac) but seriously what the fuck.  I feel like the way it's used right now, with the emphasis on trophies and completionism, is just a predatory attempt to make money from people's neuroses.  They're taking games that could be good, positive, healthy experiences and trying to find ways to make them evil.

Fuck you, EA.

[Xantalos]

If this is Mass Effect 3, is it the ... party member DLC?

[Max White]

I am now discovering exactly how much I hate DLC.

At least they weren't selling you horse armor.

[Solifuge]

I am now discovering exactly how much I hate DLC.

It's a lot.  I can understand going "huh, this is selling really well so I'll write like 5 more missions I wanted to put in but couldn't because budget and throw them into a 'definitive edition' and a side DLC at low cost for those who purchased the 'incomplete' game," (let's face it, I'm cool with what happened in Binding of Isaac) but seriously what the fuck.  I feel like the way it's used right now, with the emphasis on trophies and completionism, is just a predatory attempt to make money from people's neuroses.  They're taking games that could be good, positive, healthy experiences and trying to find ways to make them evil.

Fuck you, EA.

Welcome to the current AAA Games paradigm. This is why I only buy Indie these days. It's the Organic Food of the gaming industry.

[Vector]

Naw, though if I'd bought the game near release I would have been infuriated.  I purchased that one because with everything I got bundled with it, and knowing that I would probably end up purchasing other DLC if it's ever on sale, I didn't mind the $10.

It's just the general principle.  It's the idea that a year after release they're still trying to sell me the game for $20 and each DLC package for $10, which is fucking insidious.


You know, I love this game series so much that if I'd had the money I would have been pretty happy paying full-price for it, and I'll probably end up getting the DLC eventually.  It would smart, but I know I'll probably end up playing it at least three times, and I don't mind supporting the content creators for something I'm so happy to have.  It's the feeling that they don't feel the same way about me.  I feel like someone is trying to give me a gift and someone else is trying to screw me.  I don't feel like this is a two-way relationship.

I will be buying ME4, whatever it is.  This is my new favorite thing since Final Fantasy, the first thing I'm quite happy to buy into.  But I really wish they'd treat me differently while they were at it--and when it comes to AAA games, I feel like Mass Effect is an exception I'm willing to make.  Otherwise, I hope they all step on a lot of Legos.

[Sirus]

Just wondering, is ME3 on any PC platform other than Origin yet?

* Sirus continues to hold out for a Steam release, futile as it may be

[Vector]

Well... yeah.  Admittedly that's probably what I'll be doing, too.  But I'll be more excited about it.

[Solifuge]

A Decade of Halos:


Image courtesy of the Wolfire Games Blog

Sorry... I just really hate the Formula-Based game development process most big studios lean on these days. The serialization and genrefication of mainstream games, and the critical dearth of innovation it represents. A lot of times, the one and only thing these games have going for them is that they tell stories. More often than not, though, even that ends up formulaic, predictable, and lacking heart.

I spent some 60 hours playing through Tales of Symphonia, and it's got to be one of my favorite JRPGs in recent memory. It was cleverly done, taking the oldschool JRPG battle system and turning it into a 3D Multiplayer Brawler with light tactical elements. Not to mention the story was cute, hammy, sometimes poignant, and extremely Japanese. It was predictable, sure... but it was pretty, fun, and the mechanics kept it fresh and interesting. It's probably one of the last console games that honestly excited or interested me in recent memory, and I've played many since then.

Most times, a new game seems to be rolling around in a soup of the same tropes, mechanics, and so on. Cap that off with an increasing focus on maximizing profit while minimizing content, and preying on addictive behavior and neurosis in their target market via DLC, Monthly memberships, Rent-to-play DRM-heavy games, and so on... and you have my major reasons for choosing to support small studios instead.

[Vector]

No, Tales of Symphonia was admittedly amazing, and pretty much any AAA game I purchase at $5 or less.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I consider myself a flexatarian when it comes to video games.  I buy some games because they have components I like and want to support.  My stance on DLC is not so strong that it can solely overcome my stance on female protagonists, same-sex relationships, imaginative exploration of choices, and smart dialogue, so I spend money on Mass Effect.  If I found indie studios doing exactly the same thing, I would spend money on them, too; but I haven't found such a game, really.  If I have the funds, I will definitely be picking up a copy of Transistor on launch, but even so it doesn't have the variety of things I'm paying for and supporting with my dollars in Mass Effect.

I'm not going to purchase a Halo-like either way, so a comparison of the graphics doesn't really change my opinion much.

[Sirus]

Tales of Symphonia and Skies of Arcadia rank among my all-time favorite games personally, and they're both console-exclusive linear JRPGs.

[Vector]

Hurm... still haven't played Skies of Arcadia.  Might have to change that.