Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Pixel Shader Model 3.0

I'm boned. Bioshock has been out for almost 12 hours now, and I can't even look at it. Larry doesn't support Pixel Shader Model 3. Using the latest valVe hardware survey as a source, almost half of the machines out there do, so I can see why you wouldn't hesitate if you had to make a choice. Of course, slightly more than 1/3 of respondents are in a similar boat as me.

Oh, well except of course that Larry is a desktop replacement. He can't be upgraded. He can only be replaced. And I'm not going to do it. Yes, I will now see more games come to market which will be unplayable on Larry (and yes, Bioshock is unplayable - it renders most of the scene as black). And it will build to a critical mass. But I'm not going to replace a $4000 desktop replacement because of one game.

Even if it is going to be the game of the year. Which is going to get spoiled for me. Because I won't get to play it before somebody spoils it.

6 comments:

David Badilotti said...

So, what you're saying is that you're replacing Larry one game from now? Or that I should lock my computer room to protect a system that probably can run it?

Maybe I need a guard dog.

JP said...

As long as you don't buy it, play it through and then deliberately spoil it in some off hand way, we're fine.

(I'm boned.)

David said...

What about Tabula Rasa? Are you okay for that?

JP said...

If the NDA said I was allowed to talk about it, I would say the beta of TA runs really ok on Larry. If I was allowed to say anything about it. But I'm not. So I won't.

David Badilotti said...

And it's such a pretty game. Well a pretty demo. Now I need to go buy the stupid thing.

They give you a taste free. Then they start charging.

Anathema Heterodox said...

The haunting lyrics of Bobby Darin invade my dreams, and steadily move my bank card towards EB Games.