[2/15/07] GameTap(.com)

[AphexMandelbrot]

I'll actually tell you right off the bat why it didn't work.

That GeForce3, 64MB. card you have in your computer?

You know - next to the 2049 (2.13)gHz Core2, gig of ram, and your gig page file?

Outdated. Won't preform a whole lot of draw functions. Was produced before DirectX 9 even became a standard (2001). The fact that you're using semi-current drivers (10-06 || 6.14.10.9371) helps - but there's only so much water you can get out of the Ge3 boat before it goes heels-up.

 

You -just- meet the minimum requirements for video to run the original Silent Hill 3 for PC - discounted slightly because of resource overhead. Could tech support address your issue? Did you bother? Were you just on a roll, looking big, and decided to negate things like actually "reviewing" a product? Ace reporting.

 

The product was not made with the intentions of everyone deleting their MAME/Nesticle/zSnes/genecyst directories, ROMS, and configurations - and signing up. The service was not designed or intended for power-users. Do you think that the programmers and marketing groups are clueless to the existence of emulation? They run an emulation service - they are aware; thus, you are not part of the target demographic. Will your next stellar review cover how CompUSA is over-priced and has a "sucks ass" selection of computer components? How about a review of a new children's game? If you are not the target demographic, but almost "above" the demographic - chances are pretty good that you aren't going to get a whole lot out of whatever you're doing. People who run emulators for old console games, and people who only play current console games =//= target demographic.

 

Ok. So you crash out on Silent Hill - but before -that- crashes (~11p), you decide to play Deus Ex: Invisible War (~2p) - where the minimum requirement is a Dx9.0 compatible card, and the -recommended- video card is a 9.x compatible card with 128MB. That's almost like 64MB - only not. Did you meet minimum? Again - just scraped by. Are you anywhere even close to recommended? Considering that only a few manufacturers made the 128MB flavor of the Ge3: no. You're around one generation away from the recommendation. I hate it when my computer is too sub-par to play games, too; however, normally, I'll go ahead and blame myself for lacking horsepower - not the game.

 

Crashed on two computers? Sure you didn't just crash twice on the same computer?

I get that confused every now and then, myself - very understandable.

 

Here's what I'm getting at:

- It wasn't intended for people who constantly use emulators. No one expects people, who can easily get Resource A from Location A for free, to willingly pay monthly for Resource A from Location B for a monthly fee.

- Your system? Almost a really good system. Almost. If you didn't have a video card from 2001 with 64MB, you would have a really decent system. Even the low-end 7800's PCIe are going for a pretty good price - they aren't DX10 compatible - but Vista is worthless until (at least) SP1, so you should be safe.

- You had a problem, but make no mention of trying to get support for that problem - be it on your own, or calling technical support. Not a lot of persistence there. Obviously not an owner of anything Ikea.

- It's sort of hard to go with "They made both my PC's crash" when the setup of the first system is so bereft in the video card department. If that "second" one crashed, you hadn't logged in. If that first computer is any sort of indication - betcha I can start guessing at a potential cause.

 

There is a wide gap between "reviewing" something, and "bashing under the guise of review". If you are proud enough of your work to include a prompt for Digg - one would assume that there are some details included within the post. You know - an actual review. Contrasting this, one just finds a rant from someone with a video card bordering on five years old. Kind of a subjective review.

[Robert]

This could get interesting...

[ken_cinder]

As a completely unbiased 3rd party here (I have no interest in this anyway) I have to say the review is a biased one.

 

AphexMandelbrot is right, not only do you not meet system requirements due to your GPU lacking (Dude my system is far more outdated in the bones section than yours, and even I sport a better graphics solution. A Radeon 9550 256MB), you definitely don't fit the target demographic by any means.

[Gryph]

I agree with AphexMandelbrot (nice name) as well. I think I'm going to sign up for the service and do a review. And also play the new Sam and Max games since I finally have some down time to enjoy myself.

[GodPigeon]

Great review, all reviews are going to be slightly biased one way or another. If everyone got mad at a biased review, then nobody would write reviews. The part that i dont understand is, how everyone on that site said how bad the review was but then at the end of almost all the posts, they restate what Shiba said, and they agree.

 

Good review Shiba

Edited February 17, 2007 by GoRDoOnE

[Lucandrake]

Dude, shiba posted truth. Not a review. Don't hate him for having the balls to say "This crap sucks.".

[Jitway]

Hey I got a account with gametap and even beta test for them. My computer handles all the games fine. But I do have a better then average pc. I like the service. It is nice to have the games available without having to look for the cd or store it on my pc. I give the service a 8.5 out of 10.

[Shibathedog]

I tested this on two PCs

 

Specs of other PC:

 

Core2Duo OCed 3.3GHz

2GB DDR2-800RAM

X1950XTX video card

 

SATA HDDs and the like

 

 

I wouldnt say the games didnt work if i didnt test it on a decent PC, Nice theory, But you lose, Dont biatch at me, Im not in the mood. I didnt even bother to read the 9 paragraphs of crap you posted.

 

I didnt put the Digg link in there either asshat. Know your crap before you open your mouth, I dont even know where your getting this information about what games i decided to play. A friend of mine is a subscriber to the service and i tried it out at his house on his PC as well. I no doubt had an adequate testing environment.

 

The service sucks. Period. No this was NOT meant to be any type of professional review, nor is this meant to be a professional response. So ill finish with an unprofessional closing.

 

Blow me asshole.

 

P.S. If you know all this information about the PC i was on, and what games where played, Do you work for gametap? Does gametap collect this kind of information from its users normally?

 

Sounds like GameTap is a little too spyware-like for my liking, Another reason not to subscribe to the crap service

[GodPigeon]

I tested this on two PCs

 

Specs of other PC:

 

Core2Duo OCed 3.3GHz

2GB DDR2-800RAM

X1950XTX video card

 

SATA HDDs and the like

 

 

I wouldnt say the games didnt work if i didnt test it on a decent PC, Nice theory, But you lose, Dont biatch at me, Im not in the mood. I didnt even bother to read the 9 paragraphs of crap you posted.

 

I didnt put the Digg link in there either asshat. Know your crap before you open your mouth, I dont even know where your getting this information about what games i decided to play. A friend of mine is a subscriber to the service and i tried it out at his house on his PC as well. I no doubt had an adequate testing environment.

 

The service sucks. Period. No this was NOT meant to be any type of professional review, nor is this meant to be a professional response. So ill finish with an unprofessional closing.

 

Blow me asshole.

 

P.S. If you know all this information about the PC i was on, and what games where played, Do you work for gametap? Does gametap collect this kind of information from its users normally?

 

Sounds like GameTap is a little too spyware-like for my liking, Another reason not to subscribe to the crap service

 

Co-Sign

 

If it sucks, it sucks. We shouldnt have to hear a watered down review just so that some people can feel comforted. While ive never tried Gametap, i respect Shiba's opinion here and it has been backed up by others PLENTY of times.

[L.S.D]

Wow, what a great first post by the newbie.

 

But as stated, Shiba is only doing a review based on HIS experience.

Different people might have different experience hence different reviews.

[olaf]

It has always looked and sounded like it blows. AphexMandelbrot sounds like an angry Slashdotter or something -- hey, he made awesome points... but the fact is... the crap blows. I can't imagine they're doing too well for their "target demographic". Who the flock buys a modern PC (to meet these asinine requirements) for gaming only to use GameTap... probably not a lot of f'n people. Most people who have crazy awesome hardware won't be the "target demographic"... and who the f**k is the target anyway? Jackasses? Suckers? People who want to pay $10/month for crap?

[GodPigeon]

It has always looked and sounded like it blows. AphexMandelbrot sounds like an angry Slashdotter or something -- hey, he made awesome points... but the fact is... the crap blows. I can't imagine they're doing too well for their "target demographic". Who the flock buys a modern PC (to meet these asinine requirements) for gaming only to use GameTap... probably not a lot of f'n people. Most people who have crazy awesome hardware won't be the "target demographic"... and who the f**k is the target anyway? Jackasses? Suckers? People who want to pay $10/month for crap?

Yup, people who Buy Modern PC's or build it themselves OBVIOUSLY have an extensive knowledge on whats out there for free(emulation) as opposed to Gametap.

Edited February 23, 2007 by GoRDoOnE

[Shibathedog]

Yeah, the whole time i was using it was wondering how long it would take before they integrate with AOL.

 

Money better spent would be on something like gamefly if you want to spend a monthly fee.

[Lucandrake]

This product is aimed at idiots and those with kids and no time (if you have kids and no time for them I consider you an idiot but others might feel sympathetic).

 

So overall, if you have a brain (this comment is aimed at assholes with more time on there hand. *cough*Idiots with extensive knowledge of the English language who feel they can bash anyone on the internet but when it comes to real life can't say crap to someone half there size*cough* Also known to be smart asses) you'd probably say the same thing shiba said, and really all shiba said was, "This piece of sh!t needs to be forced back into the asshole it came from", or in much more calm words, "This sucks".

[LoRd_SnOw]

its creative. But stupid. I guess everything has its up's and down's.