OT: Old vs. New

[midnightpulp]

It feels like that sometimes, but if I go back and play Skyrim or Witcher 2, the absolute pinnacles of 2011, they look like complete crap graphically to me after playing Witcher 3 or Dragon Age Inquisition running on my 970. Lighting effects like Nvidia HBAO+ or the tessellation effects on say pieces of armor in Dragon Age Inquisition can be really impressive, though those things might not come to consoles until the next generation of hardware.

They're still making progress, but I'm sure you remember going from Virtua Fighter to Virtua Fighter 3 in the space of about 2 1/2 years.

[baseline bum]

They're still making progress, but I'm sure you remember going from Virtua Fighter to Virtua Fighter 3 in the space of about 2 1/2 years.

I never played Virtua Fighter 3, the first looked so awful.

I wasn't a fan of that PS1 / N64 era, when the hardware wasn't ready for 3D at all. The PS2 got me really interested in games again though. Control wasn't really ready for 3D either.

[ambchang]

On my phone now, but when I get home I'll rec some stuff. In any rig, you want the most of your budget to go to the speakers.

Also, how big is your listening room?

As for headphones, I take it you're running sennheiser 800 s, audeze, and the like?

It's about 12 feet wide and 15 deep. Height is about 8 feet. Basement so only one window.

I like the audeze but I prefer the Hifiman line more. I never liked the hd800, I actually prefer the 600, then the 650 and 800 is the worst of the three to me (and I've heard them I supposedly killer rigs).

My DAC is the moon audio 300d, dynamic amp is the beta 22 (3 channel), with the Hifiman HE500. I also have a DIY magnum with that setup. For electro stats I have the KGSS with the stax SR007 MKI.

[ElNono]

As far as gaming, there's good and bad on every era, tbh... for example, it would be difficult to get the level of story depth of Fallout 1 or 2 with a modern look (Fallout 3 and 4 are pretty great, but you can see the games moving towards FPS)...

Or making games like Monkey Island or most every Lucasfilm adventure games, which were largely great, in a package you could sell now as AAA.

Open world games are definitely an evolution, but whenever I do work on game emulation, I pick up some old arcades or PS2 games and there's some really great and unique games from back then (ie: Psychonauts, Metal Slug, Parappa), and some terrible too...

Same with the new stuff, you have the absolute AAA games (most newer COD), cheap rehashes (Assasin's Creed), and also some great games (Ori and the Blind Forest, the Tomb Rider reboot, etc)...

While you have much better tools now to build something nicer, it's also true you get major projects also bombing hard, and so there's a lot of rehashing going on now, instead of cheap but more creative.

I think the advent of mobile gaming has actually taken us back a bit to the creative good old days, and it's definitely welcome.

[baseline bum]

As far as gaming, there's good and bad on every era, tbh... for example, it would be difficult to get the level of story depth of Fallout 1 or 2 with a modern look (Fallout 3 and 4 are pretty great, but you can see the games moving towards FPS)...

Bioshock Infinite was pretty amazing storywise. The whole many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics and how you were like the 200th try those physicists had to assassinate your alternate universe self. Also, damn you for not mentioning Fallout New Vegas that was the spiritual successor to Fallout 2.

[midnightpulp]

It's about 12 feet wide and 15 deep. Height is about 8 feet. Basement so only one window.

I like the audeze but I prefer the Hifiman line more. I never liked the hd800, I actually prefer the 600, then the 650 and 800 is the worst of the three to me (and I've heard them I supposedly killer rigs).

My DAC is the moon audio 300d, dynamic amp is the beta 22 (3 channel), with the Hifiman HE500. I also have a DIY magnum with that setup. For electro stats I have the KGSS with the stax SR007 MKI.

Nice dimensions. And you're rolling with your headphone rigs.

I would forego spending anything more than a few hundred on a transport. As I'm sure you know, DACs are basically transparent, and it's unlikely anyone would be able to tell the difference between a CD played back through a 100.00 Blu Ray player vs. an esoteric transport in a blind test. Oppo does indeed make great stuff, but an extra grand put toward your speakers will go further sound quality wise. Nad M3 is nice.

Synchronys are a nice value at 2K. And if you're intent on going Canadian, you really can't beat them at that price. But if you're flexible, keep your eye out for some used Revel Performa F208s, Golden Ear Triton One or Two, or checkout the Internet direct offerings from Selah, Ascend, and Philharmonic Audio. Philharmonic's flagship is about impossible to beat at its price point of 3500 (3500+1500 for the NAD, and just use a PS3/4 or 50.00 used Blu Ray player as your transport).



http://philharmonicaudio.com/phil3.html

[baseline bum]

As I'm sure you know, DACs are basically transparent, and it's unlikely anyone would be able to tell the difference between a CD played back through a 100.00 Blu Ray player vs. an esoteric transport in a blind test.

It's sad when you get old enough to really appreciate music your hearing has degraded so much. Back when I was 16 I could hear way more frequencies but just only cared about the bass.

[midnightpulp]

It's sad when you get old enough to really appreciate music your hearing has degraded so much. Back when I was 16 I could hear way more frequencies but just only cared about the bass.

Luckily there's not much relevant musical information above like 10Khz (certain harmonics can reach up to 18-20K though). I'm still good to up around 16Khz.

[baseline bum]

Luckily there's not much relevant musical information above like 10Khz (certain harmonics can reach up to 18-20K though). I'm still good to up around 16Khz.

I can't even tell the difference between 256 kbps mp3 and flac on nice Sennheiser headphones man.

[apalisoc_9]

As far as gaming, there's good and bad on every era, tbh... for example, it would be difficult to get the level of story depth of Fallout 1 or 2 with a modern look (Fallout 3 and 4 are pretty great, but you can see the games moving towards FPS)...

Or making games like Monkey Island or most every Lucasfilm adventure games, which were largely great, in a package you could sell now as AAA.

Open world games are definitely an evolution, but whenever I do work on game emulation, I pick up some old arcades or PS2 games and there's some really great and unique games from back then (ie: Psychonauts, Metal Slug, Parappa), and some terrible too...

Same with the new stuff, you have the absolute AAA games (most newer COD), cheap rehashes (Assasin's Creed), and also some great games (Ori and the Blind Forest, the Tomb Rider reboot, etc)...

While you have much better tools now to build something nicer, it's also true you get major projects also bombing hard, and so there's a lot of rehashing going on now, instead of cheap but more creative.

I think the advent of mobile gaming has actually taken us back a bit to the creative good old days, and it's definitely welcome.

Cost is significantly higher now than it was before. It was easier to to take risk back in the days, nowadys its almost impossible unless you are a big company. Mobile gaming has served as an alternative but it isnt too far ahead yet of a platform to dominate the other platforms. Its a good start and creativity is less risky.

So many video game series has either died or have moved to cheaper platforms because of how tough it is to even make a cent with their structure. Some series have to accepet a downsize in game capacity and move to mobile instead of rotting away and losing the fanbase you earned through the years.

[ElNono]

Bioshock Infinite was pretty amazing storywise. The whole many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics and how you were like the 200th try those physicists had to assassinate your alternate universe self. Also, damn you for not mentioning Fallout New Vegas that was the spiritual successor to Fallout 2.

It's pretty unfair not to mention any Fallout, tbh... they're all great games, with different levels of greatness, tbh...

[apalisoc_9]

The one thing Ill hand to older generation games ( ps1 and ps2 and the pcs of that era) is quan y. Very little games nowadys due.to developmental cost and rehash happens because creativity is a huge risk many companies arent willing to make.

[midnightpulp]

I can't even tell the difference between 256 kbps mp3 and flac on nice Sennheiser headphones man.

You're not alone. Many think 256K is transparent enough on all but the best rigs. I haven't tried a comparison myself.

[ElNono]

Cost is significantly higher now than it was before. It was easier to to take risk back in the days, nowadys its almost impossible unless you are a big company. Mobile gaming has served as an alternative but it isnt too far ahead yet of a platform to dominate the other platforms. Its a good start and creativity is less risky.

So many video game series has either died or have moved to cheaper platforms because of how tough it is to even make a cent with their structure. Some series have to accepet a downsize in game capacity and move to mobile instead of rotting away and losing the fanbase you earned through the years.

yeah, gaming went "hollywood" for AAA les a long time ago, and you have to wonder how many great, but perhaps not that marketable games were left in the backburner until mobile came around. Mobile also allowed testing of new revenue models, like ad-supported, with relatively low risk.

That said, mobile gaming is a saturated market now, tbh. We stopped doing original games a long time ago. Now you're seeing how you need to have marketing muscle to stand out (ie: those Arnold Schwarzenegger commercials), which really suck in a way, since you're back to having to put a lot of money to even have a decent shot...

[apalisoc_9]

Btw, I'm releasing a mobile game around october-november...just trying to polish my Launch strategy.



I want to post it here, but Ive said way to many crazy that it might just bite me in the ass...

[ElNono]

The one thing Ill hand to older generation games ( ps1 and ps2 and the pcs of that era) is quan y. Very little games nowadys due.to developmental cost and rehash happens because creativity is a huge risk many companies arent willing to make.

yeah, plus you have the nostalgia factor too, tbh, which still makes a lot of money...

[apalisoc_9]

yeah, gaming went "hollywood" for AAA les a long time ago, and you have to wonder how many great, but perhaps not that marketable games were left in the backburner until mobile came around. Mobile also allowed testing of new revenue models, like ad-supported, with relatively low risk.

That said, mobile gaming is a saturated market now, tbh. We stopped doing original games a long time ago. Now you're seeing how you need to have marketing muscle to stand out (ie: those Arnold Schwarzenegger commercials), which really suck in a way, since you're back to having to put a lot of money to even have a decent shot...

Not good news for me..

I started developing the game two years ago. But yeah I know how overly saturated it is now..

I wanted to stop developing the game june of last year but I was so far ahead of development that it didnt make sense.to stop.

[ElNono]

Btw, I'm releasing a mobile game around october-november...just trying to polish my Launch strategy.



I want to post it here, but Ive said way to many crazy that it might just bite me in the ass...

Good luck bro... My only recommendation is to try to push it as much as you can on social media, tbh. If you can port it to a Facebook game, all the better.

It's much more worthwhile in this day and age than spending in iAds, Google ads, etc for that market...

[apalisoc_9]

Good luck bro... My only recommendation is to try to push it as much as you can on social media, tbh. If you can port it to a Facebook game, all the better.

It's much more worthwhile in this day and age than spending in iAds, Google ads, etc for that market...

Thanks bro.

I'm convinced that aggressive social media marketing in India and Philippines is the way to go.

[ViceCity86]

Here We Go

Sports Modern:Moderate Edge
Movies Past:Moderate Edge
Television Modern:Significant Edge
Music Past:Significant Edge
Video Games Modern:Significant Edge
Board/Card games Modern:Significant Edge
Internet Modern:Moderate Edge
Literature Past:Significant Edge
Technology Modern-Significant Edge
Spurs Modern-Moderate Edge
Women-Neutral
Sex Modern:Moderate Edge
Blacks/Africans Past:Significant Edge
Culture Past:Moderate Edge

[daslicer]

Here We Go

Sports Modern:Moderate Edge
Movies Past:Moderate Edge
Television Modern:Significant Edge
Music Past:Significant Edge
Video Games Modern:Significant Edge
Board/Card games Modern:Significant Edge
Internet Modern:Moderate Edge
Literature Past:Significant Edge
Technology Modern-Significant Edge
Spurs Modern-Moderate Edge
Women-Neutral
Sex Modern:Moderate Edge
Blacks/Africans Past:Significant Edge
Culture Past:Moderate Edge

[spurraider21]

I have yet to pick up the newest gen of consoles... I hardly game anymore since finishing college. But to me, my favorite consoles as far as fun factor are the PS2 and N64. Those are consoles where I can have buddies over, plug that in, and have a great time for hours. PS3 has ridiculously fun single player content, but outside of sports games (which imo are pretty ty nowadays and have been basically the same for 6-7 years), you can't really have fun with friends over.

[ambchang]

Nice dimensions. And you're rolling with your headphone rigs.

I would forego spending anything more than a few hundred on a transport. As I'm sure you know, DACs are basically transparent, and it's unlikely anyone would be able to tell the difference between a CD played back through a 100.00 Blu Ray player vs. an esoteric transport in a blind test. Oppo does indeed make great stuff, but an extra grand put toward your speakers will go further sound quality wise. Nad M3 is nice.

Synchronys are a nice value at 2K. And if you're intent on going Canadian, you really can't beat them at that price. But if you're flexible, keep your eye out for some used Revel Performa F208s, Golden Ear Triton One or Two, or checkout the Internet direct offerings from Selah, Ascend, and Philharmonic Audio. Philharmonic's flagship is about impossible to beat at its price point of 3500 (3500+1500 for the NAD, and just use a PS3/4 or 50.00 used Blu Ray player as your transport).



http://philharmonicaudio.com/phil3.html

Thanks for the tips. I will keep my eyes opened.

[midnightpulp]

Thanks for the tips. I will keep my eyes opened.

No prob. I was clicking around Audiogon for the fun of it, and found an older used Oppo for pretty cheap (plays SA-CDs, which is nice):

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/cd...igital-t3e-1l5

Seller is also in Canada.

[ambchang]

No prob. I was clicking around Audiogon for the fun of it, and found an older used Oppo for pretty cheap (plays SA-CDs, which is nice):

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/cd...igital-t3e-1l5

Seller is also in Canada.

I am looking to get the final headphones that I really really want, but the price is just ridiculous right now. 3 years ago, it was going for about $1K USD, now, it's going for about $1800 to $2200. It's the Grado HP-1000. And I am guessing the price is just going to keep going up and up.