deanb

http://botherer.org/2013/03/06/keep-up-to-date-with-polygons-simcity-score/

First Tropes vs Women is up. I've yet to watch it, though I've heard it's somewhat dry.

I'm having this issue too. I haven't done anything updatey to the site (nothing to do anyway, next is a major one and while off). Shout out for Chrome users? edit: Nope IE is doing something similar (though not blank, it's an error in a box) edit2: got a fix, going off the fix, yeah it's browser based since "webkitfullscreen" is the only major edition to the code for the media tag.

So Polygon have been at the centre of a bit of controversy of late. Initially they'd planned to not review SimCity at all due to it being at a review event in LA for 2 days. They stated as such on twitter and EA got in touch and allowed them to play the game at home. Polygon then reviewed the game, on the reviewers servers, and posted up a review before launch with a score on 9.5. Then yesterday after launch and the inevitable server failure they changed the score to an 8.0. They could have just waited all of 24 hours for the game to actually go up and no need to change a score (And are they going to change it every time the server goes wobbles, and if being unplayable at launch is still an 8.0 scoring game, does that mean when it goes offline it'll still get a 7.0 or something?) but it's a new site it's still old writers, and posting before launch nets you pageviews, stirring controversy nets you even more n pageviews means prizes. Could have also just stuck to their original guns and not reviewed the game at all (but that's even less pageviews than not reviewing at all) Just waiting for BBC News business section to cover the FTSE 100, NYSE, Dow Jones n VOX Media. Incidentally Witcher 2 EE scored only a 7. As I remarked on twitter Polygon rate the SimCity Launcher and queue clock as a better game than Witcher 2 EE. So there's not just the issue that they changed it, but that they kept it so high. But I guess it was nice of EA to bend over backwards for them.

The simulations aren't that complex, especially when you take into account when SimCity 4 was made (a decade ago) you wanted a Pentium 3, and these days there's quad-core in nearly everything and CUDA n all that kind of stuff. I don't actually believe they're running simulations on their side, at most the inter-city stuff for MP. In line with the smaller cities thing there's nothing stopping people with better machines running larger cities, it'd still be the same simulations under the hood so it's not going to suddenly become "lifeless" just because it's bigger. See Civ series for how to do this properly.

http://pressxordie.com/2013/03/05/bafta-games-awards-2013/ Spoiler: Journey swept the floor.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-21679053 Hugo Chavez has died.

I made this yesterday. Though not quite to recipe since I didn't put the pancake mix in a blender (who does that, this is why weight watcher people are fat), and also because my housemate is vegetarian so bulked it up with grated carrot as a sort of mince alternative (I made mine with a separate chunk of mince I fried off n added as I was spooning it out) It was rather nice, I've never done savoury pancakes before.

New Android HIB, Dungeon Defenders, SuperHexagon, Beat Hazard Ultra, Dynamite Jack, Solar 2, n NightSky HD. I should note that Dungeon Defenders kinda runs like crap and had been free until they pulled it from Play end of last year due to it being too costly to modify to use Plays CDN. So yeah don't get this if your aim is to get DD for Android.

I didn't say you should stop. Call it whatever you want.

Because there's no reason to think it would ever be called "Xbox 720" whereas it's absolutely definitely the third Xbox. About the only reason to call it 720 these days is SEO.

Because the word on the wire is it's Xbox 3 screens, and it's potentially going to be one of the titles announced with the Xbox 3. And I can't believe you managed to get me to say "720" in my last post.

Should be good. Seems they might be trying to bring a few too many Iron Man arcs into one film though. edit: Well ain't that screenshot just one hell of a trailer spoiler.

I didn't mean it's just coming out on Xbox *points to sub-forum*, just the screens are reckoned to be from the Xbox version of the game. It was always a multi-plat project.

Well dunno how good your Russian is but: Also the leak is not long before the 720 announce, so folks are figuring it'll be one of the reveal games (since it's too early for E3, though could be GDC reveal...though it's kinda like now given hand is forced)

Some leaked screens of the upcoming game, looks pretty (assumed to be next-gen screens, Xbox 3 specifically) but looks aren't everything. http://gamemag.ru/news/pervie-skrinshoti-novogo-thief-84980 edit: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/03/05/thief-4-screenshots/ It's officially just called "Thief" now, no stupid "Thi4f" and coming to PC too.

http://www.tabletopday.com/ 30th March for Tabletop Day.

Yeah, part of their focus on low-end PCs. Which seemingly fare worse with the game than low-end PCs of yore that managed cities fine. It shouldn't be an issue since part of the reasoning for the always-on component is that the simulations are being ran server side. So yeah, they should maybe make their mind up in that dept. The reviews from today are worth jack though given none of them are running in real world scenario of their being thousands if not millions on the game, not a few hundred reviewers.

Given my current playthrough of ACIII (could change, only like 1/3 through) I/d say I'm not too fussed for Black Flag. Do find it silly it's clearly ACIII: Black Flag but they've hitched up a number for marketing reasons. Just not seeing the series really being "Assassin's Creed" anymore. ACI had it's issues, but it seems over time they've strayed further away from the name n aim than pull it in tighter, especially as it's now Pirates Creed. (The naval combat is neat what I've played so far, but worthy of a spin-off, or separate game, not getting an AC to itself) Yeah 600K isn't bad for a spin-off.

Not really, few decades back there was a large shift over to lagers, and now there's a shift going back the other way (Though not as large, and more spread amongst other alcoholic drinks too). Huge surge of microbreweries since inception too, which would be lead by demand. Pubs are very happy to host a few taps of local brew, my cousin has even ran a couple of CAMRA events too (annoyingly last one timed with the night before I start xmas work). There are traditions in so far as local water is going to dictate the method and taste of the brew, but there's no particular drive by consumers for a particular type of beer (beyond the int'l lagers). Though I speak mostly for the north, ponces down south probably only drink a beer if mixed with lots of fizzy pop.

385W works out at nearly 100W lightbulbs, they've gotten some needlessly high energy bulbs even if using old incandescents. They're clearly being silly with their point anyway, but fudging numbers to suit doesn't help their cause.

I don't think a past German law is what Malicious meant when stating Europe was bound by tradition. Europe not being Germany for one. Also I'm not sure what you're saying with your second paragraph. Because there's lots of history behind the beers of Europe people can't afford to lose customers that want to try something else? That the breweries want you drinking something else?

I had to google "Samuel Smiths". It's not a "major beer" Most of the major beers brewed and sold over here are international companies anyway (mainly lagers too; carling, heinikien, carlsberg etc). The biggy, though not technically UK, is Guinness. I think Newcastle Brown Ale gets a fair amount of export too. Probably John Smiths too (since it's shared brewery with Newcastle Brown these days). As for breweries CAMRA reckons there's 1000 in UK, and for some retarded reason they lock the list up in a subscription/book. It's mainly a case of going to local pub, travelling along hte taps until you hit the ones that aren't the aforementioned large international brands. Normally the ones with the funny logos on. They're usually cheaper too

I've being playing Assassins Creed III. They've kept enough the same it's still the same game, but changed enough that having played the prior 4 games is for naught when a fair chunk of the buttons and actions are all different. Given the length of the game I'm sure I'll be back in the swing of things by the end, but it was a silly thing to do on their part, it's not like it improves it in any manner. What does it improve to be for synchronize instead of ? It's early in the game, so things could look up. I'm still not Connor, though it's taken much longer than I'd have expected, I hope the change from one to another is handled well because they're getting me somewhat invested with the current character. I have been warned, as far as characters go, Connor isn't as good as Haytham. Gameplay side I hope he is though, annoying to be taunted with features I can't yet participate in. For one it's not so openworldey at this stage, mostly linear of do mission, go to pub, do mission, go to pub, do mission, go to pub. Nothing stopping me going exploring, but nothing there to entice me to either. I kind of expected an obviously better game from the "main" AC team over Bro/Rev.