To unlock drink verification can (2013) • Hacker News Board

Re: To unlock drink verification can (2013)

#51

Post by chrisnight » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 2:27 AM UTC

asah wrote: post #41

Can I ask something as an Old Guy(tm)? I thought games were supposed to be fun and entertaining. If the developer makes it un-fun, then why keep playing? why not finding something else fun to do? e.g. play another game? learn a new skill? do something IRL? etc. Serious q, please don't bash.

When it comes to anti-consumer actions taken by companies, many times one can take a blind eye to it as long as they can still play the game. The problem is that’s it’s like a frog in boiling water. At some point you realize that you need to give your email, phone number, credit card info, money, advertising attention, and more just so you have the privilege of downloading their special launcher that is the only one that can run their game, which of course also requires you to install a root kit in your system for “anti-cheat”. Only for you to open the game, which requires you to have internet, just to be able to play a single-player game mode.

The game’s fun though. And it only takes 5 seconds to actually load it up once you’ve downloaded everything and installed it. So it’s fine, right?

Consider it just like other software like Microsoft Windows. “It’s supposed to make your life easier, so if it doesn’t, why not just stop using it?” Because it still does make it easier, even with all of the crap that Microsoft does that we can rightfully complain about.

Perhaps also consider it like Twitter. Why stay if it’s so toxic? Because everyone is on there, and if you aren’t, then you’ll never talk to your friends, since it’s not like they’d move platforms just for your sake.

Re: To unlock drink verification can (2013)

#52

Post by papercrane » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 2:30 AM UTC

petesergeant wrote: post #38

walrus01 wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I literally just saw a BMW advertisement yesterday that says it comes with 8 years of adaptive cruise control/driver assist, which then disables itself after the timer runs out (presumably unless you pay to license it again).

I think I am in a minority group of 1 for thinking that features that are payable extras are a good thing, actually. I guess people who don't like it see it as losing features, and talk about _owning_ their vehicle, where I see it as the ability to fine-tune the cost of a vehicle depending on what features you do or do not want to license. With any luck, competition should end up giving a market price to each of thes…

This seems less like BMW offering the customer flexibility in pricing and more like BMW trying to find a way to extract cash from the used car market.

Re: To unlock drink verification can (2013)

#53

Post by dorkwood » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 2:32 AM UTC

asah wrote: post #41

Can I ask something as an Old Guy(tm)? I thought games were supposed to be fun and entertaining. If the developer makes it un-fun, then why keep playing? why not finding something else fun to do? e.g. play another game? learn a new skill? do something IRL? etc. Serious q, please don't bash.

You have to first define what makes a game “fun”.

The theory outlined in Glued to Games (Ryan & Rigby, 2011) suggests that games we perceive as “fun” are actually satisfying our basic needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness.

If you satisfy your need for competency by playing video games and don’t get that need met anywhere else, then you’ll keep coming back, despite the developers trying to squeeze money out of you every time you log on.

Re: To unlock drink verification can (2013)

#54

Post by acumenical » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 2:34 AM UTC

I always hoped this meme would make an appearance in an episode of Black Mirror

Re: To unlock drink verification can (2013)

#55

Post by jtc331 » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 2:45 AM UTC

usednet wrote: post #47

petesergeant wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but this is a pretty well-established model for computers; if it's more economical for the company to install the hardware on every model, but only charge consumers who want to utilize it a premium, then I don't see the problem. Price competition should keep the market price for any feature reasonable.

Can you give some examples of computer hardware that are paywall locked?

I don’t like the idea, but CPUs have long been an example (fused at the factory to disable cores, for example).

Re: To unlock drink verification can (2013)

#56

Post by hex4def6 » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 2:45 AM UTC

usednet wrote: post #47

petesergeant wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but this is a pretty well-established model for computers; if it's more economical for the company to install the hardware on every model, but only charge consumers who want to utilize it a premium, then I don't see the problem. Price competition should keep the market price for any feature reasonable.

Can you give some examples of computer hardware that are paywall locked?

Of the to of my head:

* Intel xeon processors have software defined feature sets that are unlocked by a license.

* Nvidia low hash rate GPUs

* Nvidia vGPU on consumer GPUs (there are hacks to enable it)

* hardware video / audio encoders in mobile processors that require licensing to use.

* Sony cameras have licenses that allow you to unlock extra features

* Cisco do this all the time with their router HW.

Re: To unlock drink verification can (2013)

#57

Post by TOMDM » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 2:51 AM UTC

asah wrote: post #41

Can I ask something as an Old Guy(tm)? I thought games were supposed to be fun and entertaining. If the developer makes it un-fun, then why keep playing? why not finding something else fun to do? e.g. play another game? learn a new skill? do something IRL? etc. Serious q, please don't bash.

This is besides your point on anti-consumer practices, but games aren't solely for "fun".

Art is about experiencing something, a sad documentary, a tragic movie, a horror movie aren't "fun" in the candy and rollercoaster sense, games are the same.

One that speaks to me, I really enjoy factorio, but I wouldn't call it "fun".

For the core of your point though, getting locked into something because it's how you socialise, (whether directly with friends, or indirectly with a community), or via abusing addictive characteristics in consumers, games can still retain a base even without providing value like my other examples.

Re: To unlock drink verification can (2013)

#58

Post by walrus01 » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 2:51 AM UTC

usednet wrote: post #47

petesergeant wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but this is a pretty well-established model for computers; if it's more economical for the company to install the hardware on every model, but only charge consumers who want to utilize it a premium, then I don't see the problem. Price competition should keep the market price for any feature reasonable.

Can you give some examples of computer hardware that are paywall locked?

It's heavily implemented in Cisco and juniper routers for serious ISP applications. In addition to yearly paid support contracts for operating system updates.

Re: To unlock drink verification can (2013)

#59

Post by feedsmgmt » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 2:53 AM UTC

mehlmao wrote: post #23

dooglius wrote: post #4

To provide some historical context for this meme, the Xbox One had recently been unveiled and at the time was going to have a mandatory Kinect. It was rumored that the camera would be un-disableable and on at all times.

The "User attempting to steal online gameplay" bit came from Cliff Blezinski et al saying that splitscreen multiplayer and co-op was a mistake, because half the people who played didn't pay for the game. In the past ten years we have seen local multiplayer evaporate. EDIT: The Kinnect had a microphone in it too

Local multiplayer is back thanks to Steam and their "Remote Play Together" feature. Remote players connect to the hosts screen share. It is excellent. No extra licenses required.

Re: To unlock drink verification can (2013)

#60

Post by Dylan16807 » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 2:54 AM UTC

hex4def6 wrote: post #56

usednet wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you give some examples of computer hardware that are paywall locked?

Of the to of my head: * Intel xeon processors have software defined feature sets that are unlocked by a license. * Nvidia low hash rate GPUs * Nvidia vGPU on consumer GPUs (there are hacks to enable it) * hardware video / audio encoders in mobile processors that require licensing to use. * Sony cameras have licenses that allow you to unlock extra features * Cisco do this all the time with their router HW.

Features that are locked off permanently are less scummy. It's a bad way of emulating different production lines, but at least it doesn't let them charge ongoing rent.