IAP's and the decline of video gaming

IAP games are designed in a way that 80% of their revenue comes from the 20% of gamers that are addictive types -- be it gambling or avarice. They may not even be particularly affluent as addiction plays no favorites,  it if they are then all the better -- the rich pay so we all can play. But is that true?

 These games use social shaming as a twisted "keeping up with the Jones's" scheme. Visit your "friends" farm/castle/city/hatchery and see just how destitute they are. You can then send them a gift to help alleviate their Dickensian state. Let's not even start looking at the Pay Per Kill aspect.

ESO Morrowind - Can you say rehash, hold the hash?

The new Morrowind expansion is a shameless cash grab and an uninspired re-packaging of the same old Skooma.

Honestly, I was playing the beta and already thinking I'd never pay more than $15 USD, when I was handed the exact same "my brother/lover is addicted to Skooma" quest I'd received years ago in Auridon when I snapped.

Brain dead ESO players already addicted to the pointless repetitvie "busy work" that is the game may enjoy Morrowind as a fleeting respite from, well, ESO, but this Skooma head will definitely not buy this expansion.

/Julian

Labour Pains

If you have to "work" on your "relationship", you're most likely working at the wrong job, or your union sucks.

-- Thus spake Juliathustra

Windows 10 Dole out, erm, Rollout July 29, 2015

PSA -- Windohs 10 rears its head (for better or worse) July 29th and if you're a DOSile type running Windows 7 or 8, M$ is offering a free upgrade path. My advice is to "Act Now". Although Bill and Co. have been quoted as saying the free upgrade will be offered for an entire year, the realities of Redmond often contradict their rhetoric.
Click on the happy windows icon on your notification bar to "reserve" your place in line for the dole out, erm, rollout.

Racism in Harry Potter

There was a big uproar over Cho Chang, but I haven't haven't heard mention of  the possibility of racist intent in naming a Black man Shaklebolt.  Even his first name, Kingsley.. A King in Chains, ah such rich imagery.

Another black character is Angelina Johnston. Angelina sounds a lot like Aunt Jemima to me. G

Julian's Dragon Egg Recipie Game of Thrones Inspired

I just thought of a wicked recipe.

1.) Hard boil some eggs

2.) Inject them with a fiery hot sauce.

3.) Crust with oats and some funky spiced lamb like a scotch egg and BAM!

Lamb cause dragons love lamb

Elder Scrolls Online - ESO what a TWOT

A Total Waste of Time, in the true sense of the phrase.

The millions spent in producing this colossal fail would have been much better spent combating poverty, or creating viable bio-plastics, or developing a new acne cream.

IMHO, it's derivative and very poorly executed. Taking a single player game and converting it to an MMO simply does not work. Different market-base, different play-style and a very different revenue stream.

I will pay once to play a quality TES game - and enjoy it. I will not pay a monthly tithe for a sloppy conversion of a single player game.

Conclusion: a blatant attempt at a cash grab by rehashing a marketing model which is "so last decade".

Chance of success: 3 out of a ridiculously large number.