Profile: Violette
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• • Moon-walker claims alien contact cover-up

  • Originally posted by Teala
    

    Originally posted by poopypants
    

    Not such a great revelation...but I congratulate him for his courage.

     

    Only an american moron would believe that we're alone in the universe!

    
     

    I think there must be lots of life out there.   I just don't think they have visited us - ever.

    Why discount the thousands of reports from sane people who had all seen the same thing at the same time? Just because you haven't seen them, is not a good enough excuse to think they haven't visited us.

  • Posted: 7/24/08 5:18 PM
    General Discussion
• • Disposable credit cards?

  • Originally posted by Cedd
    

    Originally posted by Violette
    

    I heard a safer way to pay for stuff online is by using cards you buy at a place like, umm Target?? . You put a certain amount of cash into it and when you're done, throw it away or refill it again. Anyone know much about this, or where I can get one? Thanks

    While using these prepaid cards are "nifty", there is a better solution for your online shopping/business needs. You are not obligated to have only one bank account. And (here in the USA anyway) alot of banks offer free checking accounts with no balance, to a min $25 balance requirement. Presto you have a secure card to take online with you inwhich you only need to add enough money to cover internet expenses. To top it off most of these free accounts allow you to check your transactions online to spot fraud. This is the consumers best friend with dealing with online transactions as it keeps the family's bank account safe by not being online in the first place.

     

    Cedd

    The best answer and the one I might just go with. Thanks Cedd :)

  • Posted: 7/23/08 3:32 PM
    General Discussion
• • Disposable credit cards?

  • I heard a safer way to pay for stuff online is by using cards you buy at a place like, umm Target?? . You put a certain amount of cash into it and when you're done, throw it away or refill it again. Anyone know much about this, or where I can get one? Thanks!

  • Posted: 7/22/08 2:42 PM
    General Discussion
• • While MMOing what do you eat/drink?

  • Originally posted by Tykero
    

    Though marijuana is generally benign, any smoking will cause changes to your throat.

     

    When I'm around my friends who smoke, I usually end up going home with a sore throat. I don't mind it too much, even though I'm not tempered to it like they are, but for somebody who takes pride in their voice, I wouldn't recommend it.

    Darn. Ok.... Thanks Tykero!

  • Posted: 7/21/08 1:16 PM
    General Discussion
• • An essay on immersion in massively multiplayer gaming.

  • Originally posted by gillvane1
    

    Originally posted by leshtricity
    
    

    For example, one of the most disappointing examples of failed immersion comes from loading screens, particularly in scenarios of travel. When I owned my first spaceship in Star Wars Galaxies, I fully expected (perhaps unrealistically) to have to pilot my ship through the atmosphere into space. Instead, I clicked a button and appeared there after a loading screen. Even though I expected that, I would've still been completely blown away by that level of immersion.

    Alternatively, allow me to give you an example of great immersion. The most recent example is also one of the most impressive. While Vanguard might be considered a 'flop', it did a few select things right. I contend that there is not a single MMO on the market today that can compete with Vanguard's environments. Few would argue that the game doesn't have impressive graphics, especially in regard to the landscapes. The first time I walked down a road on a mountain, looked over the side and saw the entire landscape for miles, I was floored. The architecture of cities in general was also very impressive.

    
    

     

    I would just point out that what gives players a sense of immersion is different for different Players. For example, I don't mind loading screens in the least and they don't break my immersion.

    I played the Vanguard beta. I thought the game design was terrible, and just threw the grind right in your face. So, instead of grinding, I walked across the whole landscape at about level 7. That was a challenge, to avoid MObs at that level, and still walk from one side of the world to the other. I didn't find the landscape particularly immersive, but it was nice to look at.

    I get a sense of immersion when I"m playing with a group, and we are deep into a dungeon that is very challenging and requires a lot of team work to go any deeper.

    Leshtricity, I agree with Gillvane1...

    In MUDs there are no graphics and frequently no sound at all. Yet most that play them all agree that text-based multiplayer games provide the best immersion - immersion that puts MMOs to shame. Therefore graphics and sound probably have little to do with it.

  • Posted: 7/21/08 1:07 PM
    General Discussion