The Corporation @ Corpnews.com

I love gaming on the PC. So much so that it took me several years to buy a current generation console.

I like my XBox360 (Suck it, Sony) well enough, but honestly, some games are just better on PC.

EA has singlehandedly been trying to crush the life out of PC gaming since at least 1997. How do I know? Consider this statement from EA subsidiary Bioware's technical producer Derek French: (From Shacknews...)

BioWare technical producer Derek French has said that the PC versions of both Mass Effect and Spore will make use of copy protection that will require online validation every ten days to continue working.

"After the first activation, SecuROM requires that [Mass Effect PC] re-check with the server within ten days (in case the CD Key has become public/warez'd and gets banned)," said French in a post on the BioWare forums.

If customers do not come online after ten days, the game will cease to function. "After 10 days a re-check is required before the game can run," added French.

The check is run when users activate the game's executable file, with the first re-check coming within "5 days remaining in the 10 day window."

According to French, Maxis' Spore will also make use of the same scheme: "[Electronic Arts] is ready for us and getting ready for Spore, which will use the same system."

French also noted that the online requirement will be clearly labeled on the games' packaging.

Despite the threat of this frontpage looking like falloutfanbois.com, here's some more goodness with zombies, wolves, miniguns and a birthday party in the Vault.

No, really.

Via J, it seems Interplay is actively looking for a technical director, to wit:

Interplay Entertainment is looking for a qualified, motivated Technical Director to join our team working on a next generation MMORPG. We are looking for a team player who can accurately anticipate the project’s needs; someone who can constructively contribute to the quality of the game as a whole and share in its vision; someone who is an accomplished manager, serving the needs of all of the Lead Programmers.

Why would I think it's Fallout Online?

Wouldn’t Hurt to Have:
• Previous MMORPG experience.
• Familiarity with the Fallout universe.

REJOICE! THE VAULT NEEDS YOU!

Gary Gygax died earlier this morning at his home in Wisconsin.

It's the end of an era, folks.

More information at Troll Lord, our thread is here.

A very smart man once said something very poignant to me in a language I could not understand. The result of this was that, while he probably felt very witty, I was left none the better for our meeting. So it goes with 'Sunshine', the hard core sci-fi flick directed by Danny Boyle, he of '28 Days Later' fame.

'Sunshine' has a lot in common with Mr. Boyle's neo-zombie flick: Same lead actor: the always amazing Cillian Murphy. Same writer, Alex Garland. A haunting soundtrack and deep, philosophical questions hidden within a seemingly rote script. Whereas '28' was accessible to a wide audience, however, 'Sunshine' is so fucking obtuse that it would be far more appropriate were the crew of the Icarus 2 journeying to a black hole instead of the earth's sun.

Let me start off this review of the movie "Juno" by stating up front that I am not this movie's targeted demographic.

When Cody Diablo, the screenwriter, first set finger to keyboard she did not set out to entertain a horror-movie loving, 260 pound trucker. I accept that. Yet I'm not immune to the charms of movies outside the supernatural/dystopian future/apocalyptic survivalist genres that I search out for on Netflix or the movie theater listings. I found The Notebook to be a very well crafted romance, even though I am neither a carpenter nor James Garner. I still remember Fresh Horses, the last of the McCarthy-Ringwald romance flicks, with some fondness, though I am neither a feisty redhead trailer-trash chick nor an emaciated yuppy. Therefore, I was open to Juno, even though I have neither a vagina nor life-altering choice about whether to keep my upcoming newborn child or put him/her up for adoption. Yet here I am. $30 poorer and with an ethereal anvil of guilt to hold over my wife's head for making me sit through what was, in essence, a poorly done film aimed at the Hannah Montana crowd.

I’m happily playing my preferred flavor of the weak week opiate for the nonreligious masses, when I receive a party request. (We irresponsible bastards are playing World of Warcraft here at The Corporation. What stone have you been under?). Ok, sure. It’s probably some Celestial SweatTooner wanting to sell me gold or something, fine. *Click* Party Joined. In Party chat the following comes across: “You sukc. Stop being a n00b and download the program that lets you select your stats: www.urlofproggie.com.” (Or something very similar… the typo is all I really remember outside of the url and being called a noob.) The hell? Then the toon drops the party.

This is on my first active character since just before Burning Urination Crusade came out, but hell, I can’t let this go unpunished. I may not be the fastest leveler on the planet or catass my life away, but calling me a n00b is way out of line. (Besides I just soloed a mob three levels above me, so my n00bery is in severe question.) /page GM.

GM is summoned and I explain what was up and get assurances that it will be taken care of. GM Flunderfoozle is sicced on the little shitstain and I go back to leveling.

Let me tell you a story about wishes.

Once upon a time there was a company that was well known for making highly polished, entertaining games. They started out on consoles making quirky games that a few people played and loved. They wished they could be popular like some of the other companies out there becoming something special to many people, bringing them joy and fun.