Azalin
What was that? It sounded like a, a sound of some
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2006
- Messages
- 457
- Age
- 35
- Location
- British Columbia
- Website
- www.loremaster.a-host.info
Note: Because my keyboard is being a bitch, É=question mark.
Alrighty, so i've been watching the trends in the Electronics hardware and software industries lately for a school project, and i've noticed some fairly disturbing trends:
In Hardware:
1. A newer, better component is pushed out at least every 3 months. In reality, this component has only minor enhancements over the previous one, but still has a doubled price.
2. Because of 1, the hardware industry has set itself up for failure. Why? Because there is going to come a day very soon when they will no longer be able to cram a few more mhz or gb of ram into a certain amount of space. Then they will either have to switch to a new hardware form factor, or cut back on production dramaticly. But because of the pace that they've been setting, they will not be able to do so without a crash. Sort of like a car thats speeding and tries to stop, but hits a telephone pole instead. This could also come about if the consumers ever wake up enmasse and realize just how hard they're being ripped off.
In software:
1. Games today are shorter, have less engaging storylines, generally take aroud 2 years to make, and are ridden with bugs upon release.
2. The reason for this is directly linked to point 1 in hardware: Because we have such a fast pace of technology, games must be created fast enough that the hardware they are based on does not get outdated before the game is released (at least, this is what the developers believe).
3. Developers in general are concerned only with having the best looking water and enviroments. This is true. Consider, when you last read a review of a game, what was the first thing they mentioned. Graphics. Because of this over-concern with graphical goodness, developers are negelecting storylines and essential programming.
4. Games these days are not utilizing the full potential of the hardware they run on. This one is big folks. Because games are being pushed out of the door so damn fast these days, they aren`t nearly taking full potential of the hardware the PC has to offer. Consider, do you REALLY think that some of today`s top-grade shooters and RPG`s need a video card THAT good to run themÉ Well they probobly don`t. If developers spent less time with ragdoll physics, and more time tightening up code and cutting out excess, the game would not only be smaller installation-wise, but it would also take considerably less pwer to run it.
And so we come to the conclusion: The hardware & software companies have sent themselves down a path of no return. Games are being pushed out faster and buggier than ever before (when was the last time you didnt have to patch a game on releaseÉ) to keep up with hardware that is becoming rediculous. Both industries are, quite likely, going to reach the proverbial `singularity` within the next decade, and we will see the equivalent of the Atari crash of the 80`s or the wallstreet crash of the 30`s, only terribly more far-reaching.
Alrighty, so i've been watching the trends in the Electronics hardware and software industries lately for a school project, and i've noticed some fairly disturbing trends:
In Hardware:
1. A newer, better component is pushed out at least every 3 months. In reality, this component has only minor enhancements over the previous one, but still has a doubled price.
2. Because of 1, the hardware industry has set itself up for failure. Why? Because there is going to come a day very soon when they will no longer be able to cram a few more mhz or gb of ram into a certain amount of space. Then they will either have to switch to a new hardware form factor, or cut back on production dramaticly. But because of the pace that they've been setting, they will not be able to do so without a crash. Sort of like a car thats speeding and tries to stop, but hits a telephone pole instead. This could also come about if the consumers ever wake up enmasse and realize just how hard they're being ripped off.
In software:
1. Games today are shorter, have less engaging storylines, generally take aroud 2 years to make, and are ridden with bugs upon release.
2. The reason for this is directly linked to point 1 in hardware: Because we have such a fast pace of technology, games must be created fast enough that the hardware they are based on does not get outdated before the game is released (at least, this is what the developers believe).
3. Developers in general are concerned only with having the best looking water and enviroments. This is true. Consider, when you last read a review of a game, what was the first thing they mentioned. Graphics. Because of this over-concern with graphical goodness, developers are negelecting storylines and essential programming.
4. Games these days are not utilizing the full potential of the hardware they run on. This one is big folks. Because games are being pushed out of the door so damn fast these days, they aren`t nearly taking full potential of the hardware the PC has to offer. Consider, do you REALLY think that some of today`s top-grade shooters and RPG`s need a video card THAT good to run themÉ Well they probobly don`t. If developers spent less time with ragdoll physics, and more time tightening up code and cutting out excess, the game would not only be smaller installation-wise, but it would also take considerably less pwer to run it.
And so we come to the conclusion: The hardware & software companies have sent themselves down a path of no return. Games are being pushed out faster and buggier than ever before (when was the last time you didnt have to patch a game on releaseÉ) to keep up with hardware that is becoming rediculous. Both industries are, quite likely, going to reach the proverbial `singularity` within the next decade, and we will see the equivalent of the Atari crash of the 80`s or the wallstreet crash of the 30`s, only terribly more far-reaching.