Just now getting around to reading your review. I'd have to agree with you on the gameplay and "fun factor" aspects of the game (and I too come as a fan of PA).
Also, one minor correction, the actual XBLA point cost is 1600 points. US retail prices for a 1600 pt. card is usually about $19.99. So, it ends up essentially costing $20 that way as well.
How can you seriously say it's not a big deal that for $20 we're only getting a rental? And how can you hesitate to call "activation" DRM? It's the worst form of DRM I'm aware of, which is saying something given how nasty this stuff has gotten.
I would have purchased this, but like so many other recent PC games, they've taken that option from me. I will not pay $20 for a rental (and yes, if you don't own an actual copy of it you can use whenever and however you like, it is a rental).
"(and yes, if you don't own an actual copy of it you can use whenever and however you like, it is a rental)."
As a consumer, you never own any piece of software. You are merely purchasing a license to the software and must adhere to the terms set aside in the licensing agreement.
While DRM can be frustrating, it is a necessary evil. And things like Steam make DRM seem non-existent (unless you are on 56k) and we should embrace those methods.
As I said, it's a ONE TIME activation, and from the quote it appears if you end up needing to install it on more PCs and encounter problems, they are more than willing to help you out. DRM in my mind is locking content like a movie to one device. Locking an OS to install on one PC (at a time) or an application to only install on a few PCs is reasonable, I think. We're not talking about EA levels of "call home every 10 days to validate" DRM (even though EA decided not to do that), and with the game being available exclusively through online distribution the requirement to activate over the Internet is hardly a problem.
I've voice my concerns for the long-term, but then I just don't see this as such an important game that we're going to want to return to it in five years. I thought it was fun, I got my $20's worth of entertainment, and I doubt I will return to Precipice for another round again. Just like I haven't really touched Assassin's Creed, Bioshock, Crysis, and any number of other games since I finished them (outside of benchmarking purposes).
Even if there isn't the option to turn off AA in-game, couldn't it be forced off in the graphics driver settings? I've never used IGP solutions, but I'd expect those from nVidia and AMD/ATI have very similar driver settings to those of their discrete graphics-cards.
I'm not sure what others do to get these "forced" settings to work, but I've encountered quite a few games where regardless of what you set in the control panel, you end up with the in-game setting. Assassin's Creed didn't let me enable AA at higher resolutions, and in a quick test just now forcing AA off in Precipice didn't turn it off. Depending on how the AA is being done, it may not be something that the graphics driver handles directly. (Besides, I figure most people with IGP solutions are running Intel stuff, and I don't recall ever seeing the option to manually set AA there.)
[quote](Ed: Hey, we're a family website. Penny Arcade can throw around all the cuss words they want, but we do our best to avoid dropping the F-bomb in our articles.)[/quote]
I snicker that you would pointedly avoid typing the F-bomb, but turn around and link a screenshot of the (clearly identified) Fruit F*er on the same page. Haw!
Grr.... I swear I had that right too, but I must have switched it without thinking. I've met the two in person up in Seattle before (and I've even got signed PA books to prove it). Anyway, I've fixed the reversal.
I'll leave confirming whether or not the "fix" works to others... at least some of the comments I've seen indicate it still has issues, and besides I'm not in support of piracy.
Judging from the people complaining in the usual places, it sounds like the fix doesn't work. So no, it hasn't been completely and correctly cracked from the looks of things.
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joetron2030 - Wednesday, July 9, 2008 - link
Just now getting around to reading your review. I'd have to agree with you on the gameplay and "fun factor" aspects of the game (and I too come as a fan of PA).Also, one minor correction, the actual XBLA point cost is 1600 points. US retail prices for a 1600 pt. card is usually about $19.99. So, it ends up essentially costing $20 that way as well.
Wolfpup - Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - link
How can you seriously say it's not a big deal that for $20 we're only getting a rental? And how can you hesitate to call "activation" DRM? It's the worst form of DRM I'm aware of, which is saying something given how nasty this stuff has gotten.I would have purchased this, but like so many other recent PC games, they've taken that option from me. I will not pay $20 for a rental (and yes, if you don't own an actual copy of it you can use whenever and however you like, it is a rental).
tonjohn - Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - link
"(and yes, if you don't own an actual copy of it you can use whenever and however you like, it is a rental)."As a consumer, you never own any piece of software. You are merely purchasing a license to the software and must adhere to the terms set aside in the licensing agreement.
While DRM can be frustrating, it is a necessary evil. And things like Steam make DRM seem non-existent (unless you are on 56k) and we should embrace those methods.
JarredWalton - Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - link
As I said, it's a ONE TIME activation, and from the quote it appears if you end up needing to install it on more PCs and encounter problems, they are more than willing to help you out. DRM in my mind is locking content like a movie to one device. Locking an OS to install on one PC (at a time) or an application to only install on a few PCs is reasonable, I think. We're not talking about EA levels of "call home every 10 days to validate" DRM (even though EA decided not to do that), and with the game being available exclusively through online distribution the requirement to activate over the Internet is hardly a problem.I've voice my concerns for the long-term, but then I just don't see this as such an important game that we're going to want to return to it in five years. I thought it was fun, I got my $20's worth of entertainment, and I doubt I will return to Precipice for another round again. Just like I haven't really touched Assassin's Creed, Bioshock, Crysis, and any number of other games since I finished them (outside of benchmarking purposes).
yacoub - Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - link
On the last page - pretty sure the comics go back to 1998 not 1988.Jynx980 - Monday, June 16, 2008 - link
Shouldn't the system requirements be on the performance page instead at the end of the review?JarredWalton - Monday, June 16, 2008 - link
Some people just skip to the end. :)tonjohn - Monday, June 16, 2008 - link
:(This game was also released on Steam and includes all of the achievements from the Xbox 360 version.
I'm not a fan of these sorts of games but I have really enjoyed playing this one so far.
JarredWalton - Monday, June 16, 2008 - link
Page five, bottom of the first paragraph.tonjohn - Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - link
My bad! Thanks :)PrinceGaz - Monday, June 16, 2008 - link
Even if there isn't the option to turn off AA in-game, couldn't it be forced off in the graphics driver settings? I've never used IGP solutions, but I'd expect those from nVidia and AMD/ATI have very similar driver settings to those of their discrete graphics-cards.JarredWalton - Monday, June 16, 2008 - link
I'm not sure what others do to get these "forced" settings to work, but I've encountered quite a few games where regardless of what you set in the control panel, you end up with the in-game setting. Assassin's Creed didn't let me enable AA at higher resolutions, and in a quick test just now forcing AA off in Precipice didn't turn it off. Depending on how the AA is being done, it may not be something that the graphics driver handles directly. (Besides, I figure most people with IGP solutions are running Intel stuff, and I don't recall ever seeing the option to manually set AA there.)Houdani - Monday, June 16, 2008 - link
[quote](Ed: Hey, we're a family website. Penny Arcade can throw around all the cuss words they want, but we do our best to avoid dropping the F-bomb in our articles.)[/quote]I snicker that you would pointedly avoid typing the F-bomb, but turn around and link a screenshot of the (clearly identified) Fruit F*er on the same page. Haw!
camaris - Monday, June 16, 2008 - link
I think you meanMike "Gabe" Krahulik and Jerry "Tycho" Holkins
JarredWalton - Monday, June 16, 2008 - link
Grr.... I swear I had that right too, but I must have switched it without thinking. I've met the two in person up in Seattle before (and I've even got signed PA books to prove it). Anyway, I've fixed the reversal.ImmortalZ - Monday, June 16, 2008 - link
Sorry to say that you are wrong about that.Precipice was released on the scene on May 22nd, 2008.
ViRGE - Monday, June 16, 2008 - link
Except that it apparently doesn't work right, supposedly the game logic of that release was all screwed up making the game play out of order.Anyhow, it's a fun game, but $20 was a bit too much.
ImmortalZ - Monday, June 16, 2008 - link
Then get the fix :PJarredWalton - Monday, June 16, 2008 - link
I'll leave confirming whether or not the "fix" works to others... at least some of the comments I've seen indicate it still has issues, and besides I'm not in support of piracy.ViRGE - Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - link
Judging from the people complaining in the usual places, it sounds like the fix doesn't work. So no, it hasn't been completely and correctly cracked from the looks of things.