I wish all MBs just get rid of the GPU latch thing.
we are long past that point with all the patch/content update/dlc downloads. I don't even remember which first party game receives no updates/patches post release.
the virtual texture tech is not all mighty and you can still run into situation where if the allocation is fewer than you need you run into the page swap. It act similarly to traditional cache miss if you cross certain threshold because you can't keep enough "tiles" in memory. Texture quality popping and then stuttering is the symptom progressing from lower than needed vram allocated to severely insufficient.
the virtual texture tech is not all mighty and you can still run into situation where if the allocation is fewer than you need you run into the page swap. It act similarly to traditional cache miss if you cross certain threshold because you can't keep enough "tiles" in memory. Texture quality popping and then stuttering is the symptom progressing from lower than needed vram allocated to severely insufficient.
I've joined one of the Steam Dev Days conference in Seattle. It's around time where people was still doing things like cross buy etc. (so buying the game on website unlocks both steam, dev's own drm free version, maybe even console version.) I do not know if any of the actual developer term is updated after that time, but during the conference, one dev asked question exactly like this, can he sell his version without the 30% cut from valve if it does not going through Steam while giving away the steam key for free. The answer is no.
During the time it was explained that if you sell on different platform, that gives better sale %, steam can also impost that sale % on it's platform. At the time EGS was still not a thing but people asked about can they have different price on different platform, I think the answer is also no or not recommended, as they can request you to match say the base price of itch.io but they don't mind if that sale and software never use anything from steam. They specifically mention if any steam feature, like invite steam friend is used, then no, even if your game are not downloaded or use any steam distribution feature.
The Namco(which I wrongly attribute to Konami) thing "is" very specific. Remember during that time there are not a lot multi core processors. It requires clever scheduling to allow running both the mini-game AND checking loading status to seamlessly transition into game. It's really not just a simple "concept" but ingenuity to arrange your loading I/O wait time into running their past game at the same time. That's in PS1 era where loading wait time because of CD-ROM and later DVD was very significant.
it's like the first person invent a way to make the pop cap for your travel coffee mug. Like, anyone could have come up with that idea, right? compare to screw cap we used to have. We do have plenty of examples where the patent aren't really popular until after it is expired or irrelevant.
Like, yeah, in a heatlhy competition env, it is way better for consumer in the beginning. But because of how capital works, eventually without patent it all goes to the bigger corps.
for practical physical good, some times a patent just means I did this first doesn't mean it's hard to do or replicate. ie. like the umbrella wedge/spring to make it open automatically. That's the part of ingenuity. And why I think the mini game during loading screen worth the patent.
I don't like algorithm patent because ultimately, it was there, if original sha hash wasn't developed, someone would come up with a different method that doing roughly the same. It's the math and other prior foundation in computer hasing/data processing provides the idea and how you can process and get the hash fast. so your newer arrangement of faster version(like different sorting algorithm) would not be possible without those other research.
ie. for my own example, my thesis involves doing polygon culling strategy, my base algorithm is totally base on math prediction as to what's the optimum I can achieve minimum culling checks. BUT, that algorithm is actually slower than when you implement the checks base on how GPU is doing the render plus cache efficiency. If I did not know or not aware how computer works from prior study, I can't figure out why my "optimum" algorithm is actually slower than sub-optimum checking strategy.
Say, what if SHA or whatever algorithms is implemented, and is actually very impactful to other application, which can be proven that anyone can naturally come to this conclusion by doing their own research, simply grant that patent impedes future development. Another computer graphic patent is the Joe Alter hair distribution, it has nothing to do with ingenuity and just because his dad is a good patent lawyer, it blocks any healthy competition from selling CG hair grooming product in US. If you check the patent itself, that was like trying to patent a math distribution over surface.
You should not patent algorithms as it's a "discovery" not an invention.
There are 2 main category in software patents that mimics real life production, that I think is fairly acceptable.
- ingenuity: komani patent that mini game during loading screen
- unique concept: the nemesis system
The throwing ball to capture creature I think is more copyright than patent.
it's not the first GPU.
17 games losing streak after that is.(I marked my id when the title says win, but I am on the losing side) A gentle reminder to myself and my sleep hours, you can get your useless rocket pass level next day and will play better while well rested.
It's casual so all fun and giggle, but how many would trap yourself chasing for that last game to push reward to next level and then entering that death downward spiral.
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I don't disagree with what you said and usually nintendo game has better version 1 than many other publishers that requires GBs of day 1 patch. Basically, their game is pretty broken and only past the certification to send to gold. But that's "in the past", I am just saying that we should not rely on past experience when comment about the current polices and trends. If nintendo is moving toward key cards, even if it's something pushed by other publisher, we can and will see the impact of this for other platforms' physical sales.
This is basically the 2nd round of push to pure digital and that's nintendo's attempt.