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Messages - PeacefulWarrior

#276

"Doom III is currently scheduled for release in 2004." I recently read an article about DOOM 3 which basically states that the game will be unmatched in some aspects of it's graphics engine, etc.  The shadows and shading are going to be groundbreaking.  Here are some early shots and models:

Look at those shadows!

I'm sorry, but this next screen from DOOM3 is just demonic.  I guess they make you really want to waste these things when you're playing the game.



Early graphic models for the engine:




HALO 2- the game for the REAL men...

Elite guards for the Covenant:
They carry "plasma" swords and often times are found armed with plasma rifles.  These sentires are agile, powerful and heavily armored with electromagnetic body armor.  Approach them very tactifully and keep your distance while assaulting with long range weapons.


Preparing to fight the Elites:

P.O.ed elite:

Reminiscent of the Predator, no?



Forgive the choppy resolution (damn, I sound like a marketing agent for Bungie Studios and Microsoft), but this is just an early model of one of the variations of Marines that will be fighting along with you to defend earth from the covenant onslaught.  The soldiers have upgraded AI and will be able to drive vehicles and form their own assaults whether or not you play alongside them or scout enemy territory by yourself.  These Marines of the future carry a number of weapons including pistols, assault rifles with optical sights, fragmentation grenades, should fired rocket launchers.  They also use various vehicles including armored assault jeeps (with 50mm chain gun), small tanks and ATV's.


The Master Chief (you, the cyborg soldier duh!) driving through the mean streets of 2050 or something.

Falling to the earth...

MC strapped and ready.



#277
Welcome!  I am sure you will find many interesting topics and people here in the forums.
-Daniel
#278
Regarding the topic of "flashbacks" I must ask a few questions in order to explain what I know about this so called phenomenon:  Once you have learned to meditate can you ever forget how to?  Do you suddenly have flashbacks to an OBE or dream and crash your car?  Probably not...and it's the same with LSD or any other psychadelic substance.  I must mention, however, that the probablity of someone turning out "burned out" or otherwise "damaged" to some degree who has done these drugs is muchn higher.  Although psychadelics are not physically addicitive, many people who use/abuse these substances are more likely to abuse other, more serious "hard" drugs such as meth, cocaine/crack, heroin, etc.  and those are the bad boys that never leave you the same.



#279
Thanks for the update Squeek... I let a friend borrow my xbox (ain't I a nice guy?) so I still haven't had the chance to rent and play your game, but from everything I have read and from what you have said, it sounds like one of those rare gems that ups the ante on an entire genre.

Now it's time for me to bring up a game that with have hithertofore not mentioned in this thread, it's an upcoming role playing game for the Xbox (I am sorry to always focus so much on the XBox, but as of now it's the only console I own and it is the most powerful console on the market).  

The game is called "FABLE" and I believe it will revolutionize the genre because of the AI and the fact that..well, here, read about it yourself:

Fable » Preview  



Developer: Big Blue Box
Publisher: Microsoft
System: XBox
Previewer: Jarrid Stacy
Estimated ESRB: TBA
 



It's always been a gamer's dream to have almost full and total control over a character's appearance, life style, and so forth. It is also a gamer's dream to affect the environment, and how the character reacts with the computer players in the game. Dream no further folks. Fable is coming, and it will change the way RPGs are today and will affect the future of RPGs to come.

Two words may be used to describe Fable so far, and those words are "Holy crap". Exclusively on the Xbox, Fable plans on bringing some of the most hardcore role-playing any gamer has never experienced before. Like most role-playing games, the story is basically what is most focused on, but in Fable, pretty much everything is required.

The story for Fable actually starts out quite simple. The world of Fable is called Albion, and is composed of several mountains, caves, and cities that the character will venture through. It all starts out one day when the young main character (at the age of fifteen) is sent out to get some things for his mother and father. Later that day, he comes back to find both his parents missing and his dog dead. So what does he do? He sets on a journey to find his parents and avenge his dog's death! Later, the story of course evolves into an even bigger crisis and so forth, but little has been released on that.

Pretty much everything done in the game affects the surroundings of the player. For instance, if the player (you) decides to destroy a tree or kill the player's next-door neighbor's sister, it will most likely not be there in a few years (years going by in the game), and the neighbor will not be that pleased with the character next time they meet. Even the character's skin and body structure will change over time depending on what the player does with his or her character. For example, if the player decides to keep his or her character in the dark most of the time, the character will turn out pale and week over time, but if the character is out in the sun most of the time doing some hard work, he'll turn out nice looking with a dark tan. Also, if the character gets a cut in battle, it may turn into a battle scar. Players can also have their character's get a haircut, buy them new clothes, and so on. Cool thing is that if the player's character is quite popular in town, some of the kids will dress and act-like the character.

There is an aging system in Fable and it is totally unique. Though, Big Blue Box (the developer) made it to where the only sex is male, and the character doesn't grow old and die! It is kind of like real-life but in a balanced way. If the character experiences a lot of mental stress, he will become weak and obtain baggy eyes, while if the character is feeling well, he'll live and act well. Also, there really is no point in growing old by thy self! In Fable, the character can go off and marry a woman and settle down in a nice house and produce some children to have in the house. However, the player just can't sit back and relax forever because he'll have other heroes and in game players competing with him which will lower his rank.

The battle system really hasn't been revealed a whole lot, but there's enough to get a good taste of what gamer's will have in store. Fable will include numerous amounts of weapons and of course like most role-playing games, magic will be added. However, enemies are not very simple when it comes to fighting them. The enemies actually learn from their mistakes and pack a harder punch next time the player fights them. It has also been said that enemies can actually hide and then attack one-by-one or team up on the character. It can get pretty in detail, like how it depends on how strong the character is when it comes to pulling out weapons. If the character is a weakling, he'll grunt like a wimp, while if the character is strong, he'll whip it out and do some cool moves. Some players like the whole fantasy magic style, but beware, the more magic used means the older the character will look and the more wrinkles he'll have!

Big Blue Box and Microsoft both plan on releasing the game sometime later this year in Q4 or early next year in Q1. Fable is expected to have at least twenty hours of gameplay if the player doesn't do any of the side quests and just sticks to the story. If the player choices to actually live a life and do other things, it is expected to be close to hundreds. Stay tuned with AllRPG for more coverage and media on Fable.

-- Jarrid Stacy  


#280
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/search.asp?mode=DoIt

There are NUMEROUS threads regarding this and other drugs, although
I couldn't find the specific links to all the info.

In the end I agree with Tisha on the subject and that's all I have to say.
#281
Starting a new image topic would not be any better because as soon as their are images, it's going to take a while to load for those of us on slower connections...besides, only the page you click on to see is loaded, not always the whole topic (although the first post I made with all the images is loaded, so that is true).

We will work something out.
#282
Hey, good ones Lil' Nija...I especially like that first one!
#283
As far as I can tell Half-Life 2 will be the most graphically advanced video game EVER when it comes out (within a month or so for Pc, then Xbox).  Here are some more screenshots:

(these screens have been resized and therefore have not retained their graphic integrity...in other words, these screens look bad comapred to how the game will really look when viewed in it's full-size splendor)




#284
What game are those screens from LogoRat?  (Counter strike?  Socom?)
#285
I like Kilik too.
#286
Thanks for the shots, good stuff!

I am excited to play it!
-Dan
#287
I don't know who/what this image represents, but it's kinda cool eh?
#288
Beyond Good and Evil is the upcoming multiplatform third-person action game from Ubi Soft. The game has been in development for the past few years in the French developer's studio in Montpellier, France, under the watchful eye of Michel Ancel, whose work on the Rayman franchise provided Ubi Soft with one of its first bona fide hits. We recently had the opportunity to visit Ancel and his team to get a look at the game's development firsthand and have come away impressed. Beyond Good and Evil is shaping up to present a compelling experience that offers a complete package of impressive graphics, strong audio, and solid gameplay, all anchored by a unique story.



Jade is the star of Beyond Good and Evil.
Although the preliminary bits of story information that have trickled out on Beyond Good and Evil's plot have seemed to be fairly standard, there's quite a bit more to the game's tale. The title follows the adventures of Jade, a young woman from the planet Hyllis, who becomes involved in a rebel movement to expose a conspiracy within Hyllis' government that's tied to attacks on the planet by a mysterious alien force. At the start of the game you're thrown into things, as you take control of Jade while she attempts to fight off an attacking horde of aliens. However, in the wake of the attack, Jade is contacted by a rebel group, after being declared a hero by Hyllis' government. According to the rebels, all is not as it seems in the government. The rebels tell Jade stories of mysterious shipments of humans being, sent by the government, to parts unknown. They ask Jade for her help in discovering just what is going on. Although skeptical of the seemingly tall tales of conspiracy, Jade eventually sets out to investigate the odd goings-on in her planet's government and ends up getting considerably more than she bargained for. Fortunately, she won't be taking on her quest alone, as the game features a quirky extended cast of characters who offer support over the course of the adventure. You'll meet the first of such character's in the game's opening battle, when Jade is assisted by her "uncle" Pey'j, a pig-man. The other key member of her support network is Secundo, a virtual assistant in her PDA, who offers information and attitude on her adventure. As you progress through the game, you'll find even more colorful folk who will help and hinder Jade on her quest to solve the mysteries of Hyllis.



The planet Hyllis is a vast, detailed world.
The twists and turns in Beyond Good and Evil's story are reflected in its gameplay, which starts out simple but ends up being something else altogether. At its core, Beyond Good and Evil is a story-driven, mission-based action game. Your first fight, at the start of the game, and the subsequent exploration segments that follow offer a good, albeit partial, idea of what to expect. Your time in the game will eventually be divided between exploration, combat, stealth, and vehicle sequences--with some minigames thrown in for good measure--that all blend together pretty well. You're eased into the various types of gameplay slowly, which should keep players from being overwhelmed when they start the game. (This is a good thing.) Beyond Good and Evil features a good measure of GTA III-style freedom that encourages you to explore Hyllis. Following your introduction to combat in the game's opening, you'll spend some time exploring and interacting with the people and creatures that inhabit Hyllis. This intro sequence also introduces you to one of the game's more unusual gameplay elements: Jade's camera. You're asked to help collect information on the wildlife of Hyllis, for a local museum, by snapping shots of the animals and insects that you come across in your travels. As you collect shots, you'll digitally transmit them back to the museum, and they'll wire you cash for your troubles. However, later in the game the camera takes on an entirely new use in the stealth sequences. You'll be able to use it to fire discs that can be used to trigger unreachable switches, or you can use it to make noise to distract guards so you can sneak past them.

Another, less portable, gameplay element is Jade's hovercraft, which serves as her primary means of transport around the waterways of Hyllis. You'll be able to upgrade the ship's propulsion and weapons systems by using your hard-earned cash. Then you can access more areas of the large planet. The hovercraft sequences range from basic travel segments, where you perform simple tasks like navigating to different locations, to combat sequences that find you facing off against some fairly large sea creatures. Finally, you'll be able to play assorted minigames, over the course of your travels, by talking to various locals who offer a change of pace from the main game. While you're pretty free to tackle Jade's adventure at your own pace, the game will help keep you on track by providing you with prompts from Segundo and by showing you newscasts from the local news that will bring you up to speed on current events and point you in the right direction.



Beyond Good and Evil features a variety of gameplay styles.
While the various elements of gameplay may sound pretty involved, given the variety of things to do, Beyond Good and Evil's control mechanics are shaping up to be quite user-friendly. The same basic set of context-sensitive controls that you'll use when exploring will transfer to combat and the piloting of Jade's hovercraft. Combat is especially nice, thanks to a fluid and smoothly animated battle system that offers a great deal of freedom when taking on multiple enemies.

The graphics in the ambitious game are shaping up very nicely, thanks to the team's decision to devote a large chunk of the game's budget strictly to research and development of technology. As work on BG&E's technology progressed, some of its core elements were sent to Montreal to serve as the foundation for Ubi Montreal's upcoming, stunning new entry in the Prince of Persia series. The technology used in both games, called the Jade engine, is flexible and very powerful. It allows the development team to let their imaginations run wild. Artistic freedom is being put to good use by a team that has drawn inspiration from a variety of different media outside of games. The end result is a striking, detailed world that is quite immersive. You'll notice Hyllis has its own day and night cycle, as well as its own weather system, as you go about your business. Your exploration will also let you take in the richly detailed environments that are teeming with life. You'll find very little about Hyllis is static in Beyond Good and Evil. Just about any area you'll find yourself in will have people or animals going about their daily business--which goes a long way toward bringing Hyllis to life. The game's assured sense of style and place manages to sell you on a world where humanoid animals and people live together in relative harmony, alien attacks notwithstanding.



You'll find an eclectic variety of characters in the game.
From a technical standpoint, Beyond Good and Evil brings Hyllis to life by making use of a generous polygon budget that's complemented by striking visual effects. While the game's unique art style is a bit cartoony, Jade's character model makes use of a good number of polygons and offers an impressive amount of expression in her face. The other characters in the game aren't quite as well done, although their animation manages to convey an equal amount of personality. The environments in the game are stunning and offer broad vistas that are paced with little details. The cities in the game follow suit, with the aforementioned activity and slick designs that show off their unique architecture. The game's impressive lighting and particle effects system do an excellent job of enhancing the visuals on display, offering a host of little touches that add a nice layer of visual polish. In addition, filters on the camera give certain sequences in the game a very surreal, dreamy look that complements the action.



Preview  

Speaking specifically on each console, the powerful graphics engine was made to take advantage of each platform's strengths and to offer the best visuals possible. As a result, the game looks quite outstanding, across the board. The PlayStation 2 version, which presented the greatest performance challenges to the team, is shaping up very well. The game features a generally high frame rate with just a few inconsistencies that are currently being optimized to ensure solid performance. The GameCube, Xbox, and PC versions are shaping up just as well and feature a few more technical bells and whistles, due to the unique strengths of each platform.



Beyond Good and Evil is looking impressive across all platforms.
The audio in the game is still being fine-tuned, but we were able to get a taste of what to expect in the final game. Jade, Pay'j, and the rest of the game's cast all feature capable voice acting that suits the visuals very well. The voice in the game will also be used to provide audio cues--prompting you with hints and tips on what to do and where to go if you spend too much time doing nothing. The sound effects are still shaping up but should offer a rich experience. Aside from your standard assortment of sound effects for gunfire and characters running, the audio in BG&E will feature ambient sound, to bring the gameworld to life, as well as a dynamic soundtrack to complement the action and cutscenes. In terms of exactly how the audio will fare on each platform, the team is currently aiming to make the most of what each platform has to offer, so GameCube and PlayStation 2 owners can look forward to Dolby Pro Logic II support, while Xbox owners can get their receivers ready to pump out 5.1 sound.



Beyond Good and Evil is shaping up to be a strong original title.
From what we've seen so far, Beyond Good and Evil is shaping up to be a strong original title in Ubi Soft's fall lineup. While we're suitably impressed with the game's striking visuals and tight gameplay, we have to say it's the rich story that has us most pleased. Beyond Good and Evil is currently slated to ship this fall for the GameCube, PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. Look for more on the game in the coming months.









#289
From the upcoming game "Chrome" for the pC:





XVIII for PC and ALL consoles (taking cartoon violence to a whole 'nother level...):


#290
Wow!  Thanks everybody!  And I think everything is related to OBE's, so those photos are great!
-Dan
#291
Welcome to Astral Chat! / New Forums: World Religions
September 10, 2003, 13:40:20
I'd like to publicly thank you Adrian!  I have no problem with "religious" discussions but I do think they need their own corner.

Actually, I really don't think there should be a difference between "religous" and "spiritual" matters, as they are the same, BUT with individuals like Allanon you tend to get a lot of close minded banter.  So thanks again!


#292
Welcome to Astral Chat! / Amnesty for File Swappers
September 10, 2003, 01:50:29
Hot spots hide swappers from RIAA
By John Borland
CNET News.com
July 16, 2003, 4:00 AM PT
URL: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-1026289.html
Early last spring, NYCWireless co-founder Anthony Townsend got a note in the mail saying that someone on his network had been violating copyright laws.


This type of note is becoming increasingly common as record companies and Hollywood studios subpoena Internet service providers (ISPs) for information about subscribers in order to stop people from trading songs and movies online. But Townsend's case was unusual: As the representative of a loose collection of wireless "hot spot" Internet access points, there was no way he or the relevant access point operator in New York's Bryant Park could identify or warn the file trader.

"We brought the notice to the attention of the park management, but they weren't concerned," Townsend said. "That whole mechanism (for finding copyright violators) becomes really problematic when the ISP is someone sharing a wireless access point."



Townsend and others' similar experiences, no matter how limited today, point to a slowly widening hole in the Recording Industry Association of America's (RIAA) recently announced drive to identify and ultimately sue what could be thousands of file swappers online.

Wireless Net access through free, open or publicly available hot spots is proving to be a last bastion of privacy on an Internet where the veil of anonymity can now easily pierced. Wi-Fi access points give anyone who possesses the appropriate computer equipment within a radius of about 300 feet the ability to reach the Internet.

Traditional ISPs give each subscriber a unique, if temporary, identification number while they're online. Wi-Fi access points don't, and that makes it difficult for the RIAA or anyone else to pinpoint exactly who is doing what using these nodes on the Net.

Wi-Fi access, meanwhile, is one of the fastest-growing segments of the technology marketplace today. About 28,000 publicly accessible hot spots exist around the world today, according to research firm Allied Business Intelligence. That figure is expected to grow to 160,000 by 2007, the firm predicted in a report last week.

Not all of those hot spots provide the same kind of anonymous access as the free services provided by Armstrong's network in New York. Most commercial Wi-Fi points are run as pay services by companies such as T-Mobile USA or Boingo, typically requiring computer users to pay for their time, usually with a credit card, and log in to their account while online. This allows customers to be identified just as easily as they would on an ordinary ISP using telephone or cable lines.

Increasingly, cafes, parks and even private homes are offering access to Net where no registration is required. With people logging in and out without offering identities, it becomes virtually impossible for groups such as the RIAA to track down the identity of copyright infringers using these nodes.

Changing Wi-Fi patterns
It is hard to argue that this type of network access makes up more than a tiny fraction of file swapping. People using public Wi-Fi access points typically use them for just a few minutes or hours, rather than staying online for the long periods of time necessary to download movie files, for instance.

This could change as the patterns of Wi-Fi use change, becoming more residential, however. Just last week, ISP Speakeasy opened a program that allows home broadband subscribers to sell wireless Net access to their neighbors, becoming in effect a mini-ISP with Speakeasy's help.

This kind of program illustrates further the potential holes in the RIAA dragnet. A Speakeasy customer who has several customers of her own could wind up unwittingly being the conduit for file-sharing activity.

In that case, Speakeasy would receive a subpoena, and be required under recent court decisions to give up her name. Moreover, under the provisions of the company's new program, her role as "administrator" for other people's accounts would make her responsible for any illegal activity by the people using her wireless Net access.

"If our terms of service are violated on (that broadband) line, we hold the administrator responsible," said Speakeasy CEO Mike Apgar. "We think the best person to understand their local area is the administrator."

However, unless the administrator keeps detailed logs of everybody's account use--which is not required by law--she may well not know who was swapping files at the time the RIAA identified a problem, and the subpoena may hit a dead end.

Recording industry officers declined to discuss their legal strategy in detail, but said that the Wi-Fi issue was not necessarily a dead end for investigations.

"We are not limiting ourselves in that respect," said RIAA Senior Vice President Matt Oppenheim.

What the group and other copyright holders can do if Wi-Fi access points turn out to be a substantial nexus for piracy isn't wholly clear. Unlike the file-swapping market, which in Napster's wake has been populated mostly by small companies that exist on the margin of the law, Wi-Fi is the technological darling of giants that range from Intel to Verizon Communications.

In theory, copyright holders could press policymakers for some regulatory framework that would require individual computer users to be identified wherever they were logged on to a network. That way, even people logging on to a free access point like the one in New York City's Bryant Park could be traced if found to be doing something illegal.

However, previous technological measures that involved the strict ability to identify users or users' computers, such as the unique serial numbers once built into Intel chips, have proven extremely controversial.

Privacy and civil-liberties activists, by contrast, are encouraging the spread of Wi-Fi access points, whether officially under a plan like Speakeasy's, or simply by setting up a wireless access point on their own.

"I think there is good reason for people to become ISPs and offer this service in order to give people real anonymity again," said Fred von Lohmann, an Electronic Frontier Foundation attorney who has represented file-swapping companies against the recording industry.

Von Lohmann, a copyright lawyer, contends that individuals and businesses that operate open Wi-Fi hot spots should be eligible for the same legal shields that ensure that ISPs aren't liable for the online actions of their customers.

Hot spot operators like Townsend say they are likely to attract the RIAA's subpoenas and lawsuits, which are due in mid-August. But they say, for now, they're not worried.


"It is obvious that people are using wireless hot spots to do the same kind of thing other people online are doing," said Townsend, whose NYCWireless group is made up of 160 hot spots around the city, mostly run by volunteers. "But there's no evidence that this kind of thing is any more prevalent. We haven't been asked to make (identifying people) any easier."
#293
#294
DIsney skating? Yes siree!:






Xbox news:
Xbox 2 May Come in 2006?
Third-party execs say console makers are still mum on exact release period.

September 05, 2003 - During a presentation at a Credit Suisse First Boston conference in New York, Activision President Ron Doornink told reporters the next generation of consoles may come as late as early 2006.

The systems are two to two-and-half years away (late 2005 to early 2006), he explained, adding that all three console manufacturers, Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony, have yet to reveal concrete data to third-party publishers.

"There's very little information that we've received thus far from the first parties," he said. "It's still awfully early and we're getting very little confirmed through (console manufacturers)."

That said, if Sony Computer Entertainment America remains consistent with its previous launch dates -- which occurred in September 1995 and October 2000 -- then gamers should expect to see PlayStation 3 in fall 2005. Given SCE's problems with its ambitious "cell" chip design for PS3, however, the date could be pushed back.

Recently, Nintendo has said it is working on a successor to the GameCube and that it doesn't plan on giving its competition a headstart in the upcoming console wars. Which would be a change for Nintendo, given its safe-but-not-so-smart strategy of being last to get out the gate.

Microsoft officially has not revealed its cards, but it's become clear the company's long-haul strategy is to use the first Xbox as a testing ground for a better future console (presumably called Xbox 2). All three manufacturers are expected to deliver more powerful machines pushing extensive online features.

Chief executive of Electronic Arts Larry Probst said he expected by year's end to know whether the new systems will appear in 2005 or 2006.

We'll have more on the looming console wars in the near future.

GTA for THE box:



PC stuff:
Empires: Dawn of the Modern World:




#295
Welcome to Astral Chat! / Your Death
September 08, 2003, 14:30:47
What it's going to come down to in those last 60 seconds is your heart.  In other words, it's going to come down to how you have lived your life and if you are at peace with yourself and with God.

I would pray/meditate and would want my wife at my side.  I don't think I would be afraid because I know that the desires of my heart are good and I am at peace with God.

PW
#296
Welcome to Astral Chat! / Amnesty for File Swappers
September 08, 2003, 12:03:33
Why I've stopped sharing music
Suit filed against one student prompts another to change
By Powell Fraser
Monday, July 14, 2003 Posted: 8:29 PM EDT (0029 GMT)

• Daniel Peng's site  

(CNN) -- On April 3, the Recording Industry Association of America filed suit against my college hall mate.

Daniel Peng, 17, a computer wiz who skipped two grades before coming to Princeton University, ran a campus-wide search engine that could be used to locate and download songs and movies.

The music industry slapped him with a lawsuit seeking potentially billions of dollars in damages for distributing copyrighted works. His site was shut down and his life thrown into chaos.

Dan, a junior, lived right down the hall from me last semester, and his plight made me rethink the whole issue of sharing music online.

Students wipe hard drives
News of Dan's situation exploded on the New Jersey campus. Some students sprinted back to their dorm rooms to wipe their hard disks clean of any record of unauthorized downloads.

Those who ran similar sites pulled the plug on their machines and waited, fearfully, to see if they would be targeted. Others simply shrugged, opened up Kazaa and went on swapping music.

With Dan's site gone, these bolder souls simply sought another. But Dan's experience revolutionized the way I download music: I started paying for it.

Having researched various subscription services for a term paper, I made a quick transition to Roxio's Pressplay client and began to pay a monthly fee for unlimited downloads through their service.

After a while, my collection of MP3s had grown so large I could no longer tell which ones were legally mine.

Seeking donations to pay fine
After the industry settled out of court with Dan, who agreed to pay $15,000, he replaced his Wake search engine with a page seeking contributions to help pay his settlement.

I used my credit card to send him $20 and students nationwide banded together to help Dan, who told me he has raised almost $4,000. A few of us helped him out of sympathy, perhaps inspired by a guilty conscience.

Until Dan's case showed us how far the music industry would go to stop Internet downloads, a lot of students thought this was an infraction similar to speeding on the highway. The case against Dan persuaded many to slow down.

Still, when I hear a timeless Beatles classic on the radio and then go home to look for it on Pressplay or ITunes and it isn't there, I tend to longingly eye the Kazaa icon that still sits on my desktop, beckoning me to return to piracy.

Only fear and Dan Peng's ordeal keep me in line.

-- Powell Fraser, an undergraduate at Princeton University, is an intern at CNN.com

#297
Welcome to Astral Chat! / Amnesty for File Swappers
September 08, 2003, 11:58:36
261 music file swappers sued; amnesty program unveiled
By Jeordan Legon
CNN
Monday, September 8, 2003 Posted: 1:47 PM EDT (1747 GMT)


(CNN) -- The recording industry filed 261 lawsuits against individual Internet music file sharers Monday and announced an amnesty program for people who admit they illegally share music files across the Internet.

The federal lawsuits and amnesty program are the lastest moves by the Recording Industry Association of America in its fight against illegal trading of music files on the Internet, which record companies blame for declining sales.

Cary Sherman, president of the RIAA, said the civil lawsuits filed were against "major offenders" who made available an average of 1,000 copyrighted song files.

Sherman also announced the Clean Slate Program that grants amnesty to users who voluntarily identify themselves and promise not to share music on the Internet. The RIAA says it will not sue users who sign and have notarized a Clean Slate Program affidavit.

"We're willing to hold out our version of an olive branch," Sherman said.

"For those who want to wipe the slate clean and to avoid a potential lawsuit, this is the way to go," added Mitch Bainwol, RIAA Chairman and CEO. "We want to send a strong message that the illegal distribution of copyrighted works has consequences, but if individuals are willing to step forward on their own, we want to go the extra step and extend them this option."

The offer of amnesty will not apply to about 1,600 people targeted by copyright subpoenas from the RIAA. More information about RIAA's amnesty program is available at www.musicunited.org.


#298
Welcome to Astral Chat! / Crazy Websites
September 07, 2003, 00:54:45
Kodemaster,

I loved the rinkworks "Dialectizer," in fact I like it so much I have started sending out emails in redneck!  [:D]

Keep 'em comin!
Dan
#299
Congrats Squeek!

I know how it feels to buy something that you've really wanted for a while.

Soul Cal II does look incredible and I have only heard wonderful things about it.  Many had said that it would have been difficult to improve on an already amazing title but it appears they have done just that.  I have only played the demo on a Gamecube but I did thoroughly enjoy that, even though I was a but frustrated because I didn't know any moves other than the simple hack, slash and block.  The animation looks great, such as the flowing hair and the fact that the character animation looked flawless...and I did notice that the backgrounds were rendered with great detail and gave the game a certain level of depth that is often lacking in fighting games.  The only other fighting game with such amazing visuals is DOA3 for the Xbox, that game, just like SCII, has very tight graphics (have you seen it).

I am planning on renting it for my Xbox, so I will let you know how it goes...

Hey, for those of you interested, GTA3 and GTA Vice City will be released for the Xbox as a bundle...I know I shouldn't play the game because it really is dispicable, but I am excited to rent it and play the #&*# out of it.  Despite all of the gratuituous violence, etc. it is a very fun game to play.  I just think it's terrible that kids play these games, I mean young ones, it really does corrupt their minds and sends the message that violence is ok.  Anyway, I sound like a total hypocrite so I should just keep mum, but I think I have a point...

Also, I recently read that the third-gen consoles are likely to be released between fall of 2005 and into 2006... and for the PC users, direct X 9 games are going to start coming out very soon and they are going to be amazing (e.g., Half-Life 2)

Until next time!
#300
Welcome to Astral Chat! / Optical illusion
September 05, 2003, 14:47:48
For those of you who haven't already seen this, Concentrate on the the four vertical dots in the middle of the image below for 30 seconds.

Now, close your eyes and tilt your head back. Keep them closed: You'll see a circle of light. Keep staring at the circle...



How many black dots do you see?