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Five Reasons Shipping Marble Blast Ultra on XBox360 Is Important For Indie Game Developers, Part II
Publishers and manufacturers are starting to realize that Indie Game Developers are a legitimate part of the business. For more background, Part One of this article is located here.
As a continued part of our amazement in partnering with Microsoft on the Marble Blast Ultra project for the XBox360, we ended up with the North American launch of the entire platform at our own little IndieGamesCon. A day after the European launch in Amsterdam, much of the Microsoft launch team were on red-eye flights here to Eugene, OR, USA. For the next three days, we had the world's largest collection of XBox360's in front of most of the US gaming press as well as 200 indie game developers.
While Mark Frohnmayer and I were eating lunch with Greg Canessa, head of the XBox marketing team, I asked him if we should we mortgage our houses to make XB360 games for Live Arcade download. Of course, his answer was yes, but you have to remember that his job for the last two years was selling the XB360 concept up and down the food chain. Turns out, he is probably right.
As promised, here are the five reasons (plus a bonus) this is important for Indie games developers.
1. Consoles are opening up to Indies. This is huge. Finally, indie game developers get access to millions of hard core game players, great input devices, and dedicated machines! On the flip side, the competition for this channel will go up in a hurry. All of the major game publishers are starting up games for XBLA. A year from now, there will be well over 100 games vying for player's attention. Future blog articles here on MBG will address how indies can stand out in this market.
2. XBLA success puts pressure on Sony to add a download channel. Rumors are flying that Sony is already showing signs of cracking. In addition, Nintendo has stated they are looking for smaller, more innovative games for the DS and Revolution. Having more channels will increase your chances of getting a game published. Even though there will be "gate keepers" you will have to get around to bring your product into these channels, there will be a lot of possibilities.
3. Experimental Business Models. XBLA back end allows for add-ons, downloadable content, and access to a a huge community of players. This allows you to consider interesting, innovative business models like giving the game away free and charging for upgrades or game objects. Much more to explore here in the future.
4. Console development technologies available at Indie price. Again, I'm not here to simply plug GarageGames' products, but our Torque Shader Engine 360 is such a compelling value that I simply have to mention it. TSE360 allows you to develop your product for the XBox360 without even having a development kit. Over half of our development for MBU was done on the PC, and we could even test PC vs. XB360 in multi-player. I'll cover a step by step approach of getting your project onto XB360 in the future.
5. Proves that small companies can have a hit. We absolutely love Geometry Wars and thought it would be the break away hit since we first saw it at IndieGamesCon, but it was developed by Bizzare Creations, the non-indie developer of Project Gotham Racing. GarageGames is much smaller than BC, but we still have a lot of ex-industry talent. I would like to say that anybody can make a successful title for this channel, but it will take a lot of dedication, talent, and perseverance. It probably won't be your first game.
6. Downloadable Console Games Can Make Money. Why this is important for Indie game developers is because it finally proves there is a market for smaller titles that are not "match three bubble poppers." MBU is selling!! Without breaking any NDA's we can tell you that MBU is selling faster than any product that I have created in my career. By just keeping one of the lowest "high scores" on a level that is not included in the demo, we can tell that at least 20,000 MBU's have sold in less than four days. Accoring to this article on Joystiq, Geometry Wars was at 45,000 units a week or so ago, and was the number one title in the channel, "our Halo" according to Greg Canessa. At 800 Gamer Points for MBU vs. 400 for GW, MBU should become the highest grossing title in the channel within the next week or so. Wow, a Halo beater?
-Jeff Tunnell, Game Maker … makeitbigingames … garagegames
congratulations on creating a great game that includes achievements, leaderboards and multiplayer that will keep it going for along time…
i though i had donr a quick time on a course the other day looked at the leaderboard and i was 5 seconds off the best… oh back to it
thanks for a great and addictive ganme
Thanks for making such a great game- it is so addictive on multiplayer.
Still haven't worked out how to get sub 6 seconds on the first level though. Good luck for the future
Congratulations! I remember back in the day of ZX Speccy "bedroom coders" where lots of stuff was published independently. Lots of it was tosh, but a few ganes were class.
The games industy is suffering the same fate as the film industry. Only "Sure thing" huge scale projects go ahead, and we end up with only a few publishers pushing tired re-releases and updates to the same old games. Nintendo are one of the few companies that really try and innovate.
Microsoft's Xbox live arcade is an absolutly fantastic development. The fact we can "Try before we buy" & small scale developers can get product to market & make a buck is brilliant for everyone.
Price point is a tricky subject, but in my feeling 800 credits seems a reasonable top price for this channel. Playable demos allow people to evaluate a game before they buy, and if you made 20,000 sales at this level, then you seemed to have hit the "sweet spot".
The other important aspect of this service, is that big publishers may see a new idea and pay to develop it further. If a game has done 40,000 sales already, at limited risk, then they know the idea can sell already.
Thanks for this blog, & good luck with selling your games. MBU was pretty good, but I found the graphics too "Sterile" for my liking, and somewhat souless. I guess I am more of a Super Monkey Ball guy. Still a good game though, and worth 800creds.
It makes me glad that a small company can make profit from their creativity by using XBLA. When I buy a game through XBLA, I always get a good feeling inside, because I know that the small amount of money I pay for this entertainment, goes to a small developer company who'll continue to bring us great games.
Keep up the good work! I hope to see more titles from GG in the future.
//Mattias, one buyer of MBU
Congratulations. Microsoft has publically stated that developers keep more than 50% of the revenue generated on XBLA. Do you agree with that?
On behalf of a decent sized community of "mature" gamers (30 and over) I'd just like to say thank you. These smaller games must focus on gameplay first of all. In general they are great games to pick up and go and as a father of three little boys, they love these types of games and "the marble game" is their favorite at the moment.
Can't wait for another of your games to come out soon. As time marches on I'm more and more convinced that the 360's "Halo" is actually Live Arcade.
Nice job.
Glad it going well
I need an APC pick up btw
Well hello thar!
So, you guys will make enough off of this to buy the rights to Starseige: Tribes right?
Seriously, nice work… glad to see GG doing well.
Tribes IV
Not to be a bit of a downer, but just because there are 20,000 high scores doesn't mean there are 20,000 sales. Multiple profiles can post scores from one bought game. Not to say that sales aren't great mind you just not quite that high.
MBU is great game worth every penny.
It's great that smaller developers can now theoretically get their games on a console, but the fact remains that consoles will never be a viable medium for indie games while the content is gated/controlled/regulated.
If you have to go through someone else, get approval of someone else, or make a deal with/sign a contract with someone else, then you're not operating independently/on your own — you're just a small-scale commercial developer.
The reason most commercial games suck is BECAUSE the only games that are made are those that are approved by many different people. The very concept of requiring several executives to green-light something before it can be made is the central mechanism which causes stagnation!
Just imagine if artists had to get the approval of some board before painting — we would never have even made it to paintings that use perspective, let alone cubism/surrealism/etc..
Geez. What a tease. 20k high scores 'eh? I hope the kit waiting lists aren't as bad as I've heard.
Glad to be able to support quality indie publishers. Hopefully it will bring some innovation and originality back into the sequel heavy videogames market.
I have to respectfully disagree. We created Marble Blast totally as an Indie with no creative input from anybody outside our company. Of course, we were not setting out to create Cubism, and probably never even want to do that. we just want to make fun games that we like to play and, hopefully, other people will like them too. In my career I have been able to make some games that I feel were creative, yet were still commercially successful, e.g. The Incredible Machine, Trophy Bass, and Tribes to name a few. Some of them seem derivative now (Trophy Bass), but were genre making products that were huge creative risks at the time. Marble Blast was never meant to be a huge creative or design risk, but it has done well anyway. For about eight years I had been wanting to make a marble racing game, and one day Mark mentioned it. We all lit up, and said, "let's go for it." I don't plan on cutting my ear off any time soon, but I do plan on making games that go in the PC download space, and, if we think they are good enough, in the XB360 space. i can tell you that the people running XBLA want innovative games. You all just need to make them, and there is absolutely nothing holding you back.
Being a big fan of TIM, I won't ever forget the name that was under that weird marching-furry-intro-puff guy
My comments weren't directed towards Marble Blast; I just think it's important to highlight the fact that _because_ you're Jeff Tunnel, you can just call up Microsoft, say "hey, i have this game…" and tada, you have a meeting.
For unknown developers, the very process of getting a meeting, and the position that that puts them in when negotiating with Microsoft sucks.
The very fact that they HAVE to go through any process other than [create the game->post the game] _is_ the problem. Compare independent music (where many amazing groups do whatever brilliant stuff they want, then put it out) vs. XBLA.. how is itindependent when you still need to please the people in control of distribution?
It would be _ridiculous_ in the extreme to demand that a painter first "pitch" an idea to a board of executives before they are allowed to paint it.. and yet this is exactly how things have always worked in the games industry, and for some reason everyone loves it!
I really feel strongly that there is a _huge_ difference between online/downloadable games (which cost very little to develop, and have completely unrestricted or regulated distribution) vs. XBLA.
The former is an open system where free market dynamics ensure that cool, innovative games can be made by developers who don't care about anything other than what matters: making the game they want to make (Chronic Logic, Introversion, etc.).
The latter is a closed system, which is essentially run using a horribly stifling and inefficient socialist/communist model of "the state controls everything and has absolute power".
The former is a great platform for indies because they have very few limits and noone to answer to.
The latter sucks because anyone doing anything that's _actually_ innovative (Facade, Disaffected, [game about time-manipulation that's in the IGF this year]) will be filtered out of the system.
Plus you'll need at least $30k for dev kit, QA, HD-TV, etc.. vs. $3000 for Torque/Blitzmax/etc., a workstation, an internet connection, and webhosting. The more it costs to make the game, the more you need to care about whether anyone aside from you the creator will like it, the more likely the game will suck because you've compromised some aspect of your vision in order to stay profitable.
At Slamdance there was a lot of discussion about the art and business aspects of games, and one thing I was convinced of is that having any sort of closed/gated system, where only The Chosen Developers are allowed to make games for the public, is A HUGE PROBLEM THAT SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED, and is really the reason why so many games suck.
The XBLA model is the exact same model used by the rest of the industry;
it's a nice gesture, but ultimately this sort of thing really makes me frustrated since it will simply suck good, talented developers away from doing their own creative thing to deposit them forcefully into the land of "make whatever the market thinks it wants": a land where for each Katamari there are 95746 games about breasts and/or running around shooting things
Some have tried to make an "open console" (look at Phantom) but they simply could not and cannot afford to sell game systems anywhere near as competitive as the others. Not in hardware, prices, or in marketing.. The problem is, consoles are run by large companies who get funding elsewhere and then sell units at a loss hoping to make it back in game sales and licensing. Sony started with electronics, Microsoft with software. That allows them to deliver this high powered hardware at such low prices. Honestly, I'm glad to see that indi's are getting this opportunity.
First of all, thanks for putting this blog online. I (we all?) appreciate that.
I think the point #1 – "consoles are open for indies" is a HUGE opportunity (among other) – and I bet there will be huge amount of developers going in that direction. I presume xbox live is also available for indie developers?
I have to back Jeff on this one (and not because he's my boss!)–what's key about the pipeline to XB360LA that exists now (through our Torque Shader Engine) is that you, as an indie developer, can -not even worry- about the Xbox 360 endgame–instead, you can focus on making your highly innovative game at extremely low cost development outlay, and if the game works out, the pipeline to XBox 360 is simply a matter of finishing up the licensing. Yes, this last step costs money, but there is a subtle yet critical differentiation…your game is already (mostly) finished.
The difference here is that the design and development of the game was not funded by an outside agency, but purely independent…and that means that the game itself is still fully "indie", and still has all the benefits an uncontrolled development cycle grants. Yes, at the end of the dev cycle, it has to be gated through Microsoft (and therefore has to be high quality), but the critical part to keep in mind here is that no one but the indie team controlled the game development–and to me at least, that's what identifies a game as indie. By the time it's being gated, it's more of a "yes, this is awesome" state instead of a "we want you to do this, this, that, and that, and if you don't the game is done for" which is the mainstream dev/publishing model for pretty much anyone that doesn't self-publish.
Quite honestly, who woulda thought (well, besides GG and MS!) that MBU would have hit as big as it already has? I don't have any insider info (even though I guess I do qualify as an insider), but if I were to guess, I would guess that MS didn't have any higher hopes for MBU than GG did–and I know in just the last week we've leaped beyond our (realistic) hopes.
All sales numbers, conversion rates, and discussions about publisher control aside, what MBU accomplished is to trailblaze a path from an indie-accessable development platform (TSE) to the highest quality console platform available right now…and that empowers every single indie developer with a couple of hundred bucks to buy TSE, a revolutionary game idea, and enough drive to see it through to a playable game to reach the largest commercial game market in existence (consoles as a class).
That's history in the making.
You mention the painter that needs board approval before he begins his work… that's someone that is obviously in need of funding to complete his painting, so someone else is paying for its creation… so he has to accept that as a painter because it's a situation he put himself into.
Most game developers don't want to pay the personal price for having artistic freedom. I've been doing it for years and have just about broke even and probably wouldn't have made if not for a very understand and supportive wife.
The painters that do work for pay get paid. The painters that do work for art don't. (There are a lucky few that do of course, and the same goes for game development.)
This "problem with the industry" is really only a problem for the consumer because game developers can continue to make whatever they please and put it on the download channel. It's ridiculous to expect anyone to pay for something they're not comfortable with or not what they're looking for. Game publishers don't have any sort of requirement to pay for game developers to build something that publisher doesn't want. They have the money to pay for the projects so they get what games they want made. If you're so sure your game is going to make back its money then take out a second mortgage and go get it made. If you're worried about losing all that money… so are the publishers.
Am I happy that nobody is paying me to make the games I want to make? Hell no, but I don't go off on a rant that the world is broken. I suck it up and do my best to get my games made. Others make the choice of working for a game development company where they can at least have some input into something that gets into retail.
XBox Live Arcade, from what I understand, isn't a situation where Microsoft is paying out to have games made. They're looking at submitted games and choosing which they put online. Yes they're gatekeepers but they're not a board of approval *before* the game begins. Develop properly and if they say no, you have a game to put up on the PC download channel, nothing lost. Because they're running things this way they *do* have the ability to accept content with "more risk". I don't think MS would've paid to publish MBU or Outpost Kaloki X or Wik.
XBLA is an incredible opportunity for developers that want to see the opportunity rather than sit back and whine about the industry being broken. There are very few comparable opportunities for small games to be offered to a huge hungry audience. If they like your game then you pay for your dev kit and get the game up on their service where *you* have smaller risk on losing your $30k =) If they don't then put the game online and move on to the next one.
If you're looking for people to pay you to go out and create every idea you've written down on paper… not sure there's any industry like that.
Great job, and excellent game! I can't wait to see what your team comes up with in the future.
It would have been nice to work on arcade games, but out of all my friends, I have the most technical skill in programming, but I know nothing about 3D engines. Even the 2D games on XBLA all have 3D elements.
EXCELLENT post raigan.
The thing thats really good about this, is that its pushing the other console manufacturers in the right direction too.
Basically everyone will have to compete in the downloadable games market on consoles.
I dont think there's anything wrong in the people who own a platform having requirements for that platform.
As it is, the fact that GG, who is still a relatively small company has gotten a great opportunity. Obviously its *not* impossible for non-publisher backed companies to become console devs.
I look forward to creating games for that platform, but I realise that it wont be my first few games that necassarily deliver enough to be a "must have" for the platform.
Its like anything, make something compelling enough, then you WILL have opportunities. The whole alien homenid->ps2 thing springs to mind also.
This *is* a positive move, no matter the politics involved.
I'm not looking for people to pay me to do what I do — that's _exactly_ the problem!
The very notion that you should only do something if people will pay you is analogous to gated content in XBLA — the notion that you should only do something if it will be approved by a group of people.
You should be making games because it's what you know you need to do, and what you love doing. What else matters? If you have the skills to make a game, you're resourceful enough that you can find the money to support making at least one game a year.
To balance all of my ranting, here is a useful thought: the independent music industry is huge, incredibly financially successful, and full of vibrant, terrific music. Why is it like this?
Because there are independent music labels! Because there is a distribution model outside of the small set of gigantic corporations which control and regulate the mainstream.
Indie music would _suck_ if the only way a band could get distribution was to go through Sony/EMI/etc.. this very fact was what gave birth to independent music labels in the first place!
And yet what is being proposed in this thread is that it's GREAT for indies to go through the big labels. What i'm trying to point out is how wrong that is.
XBLA is a great opportunity for small developers who want to maximise their returns on their next game. However it is incredibly dangerous for indie games because it draws potentially independent developers into the commerical industry, preventing them from creating self-sustaining _independent_ models which compete with and challenge the commerical industry.
Movies and music both have great independent industries which keep the mainstream fresh through _competition_. An important part of competition is that money the audience gives to the indies is money that the commercial industry doesn't get — which provides the commerical industry with a solid financial incentive (the only sort of incentive it responds to) to stay vital and un-stagnant.
XBLA is a pre-emptive strike against this sort of competative independent industry, and ultimately it's a bid to keep things the way they are: heavily controlled by a rigid hierarchy of power which is very slow to innovate or respond to change, where there is no real threat of competition. Didn't the cold war teach us anything? I thought it was obvious that the socialist model was flawed.
Looking back at artistic movements, none of them were getting paid. They met in coffee houses, they did drugs, they were isolated from each other, some may have been insane — however they did it, they certainly didn't do it contingent on approval of a board of people who didn't even know how to paint!! Nor did they care about the public, who are just as ignorant about painting. They listened only to their peers, and they did it because they felt they needed to, because they were inspired.
Microsoft is as far from being a peer of indie developers as possible. I repeat that the very concept of GATED CONTENT is anathema to a healthy, creative artistic community.
I submit that if you have financial obligations which require you to have a profitable game business, you've already put a huge barrier between you and independence. The notion that you need to risk $30k to make a game is ludicrous: if you have a computer, you can make a game for the cost of living for X weeks!
The only reason you'd need to risk anything is if your goal is to generate a significant profit.
In that case, you're already off the path of independence since you're subscribing to the same ideology as the mainstream commerical industry. If you're a small team who just mimics bigger developers, then you're not independent — you're minor league.
p.s – I _do_ have someone who will pay me to create the ideas I have: myself. If you look at independent music labels like Elephant6, Morr Music, Arts&Crafts, Dischord.. that is exactly the model they have used to become successful: "noone is going to invest in us but ourselves, however this is perfect, because it means that noone but us will have any say in what we make"
Raigan, do you enjoy being "independently" broke?
This is a gift horse to those who have been dreaming about being published and selling cool games. Don't try and turn it into something negative. No one is telling you that you have to take part. Just a new avenue for those of us that do.
I can tell you I am tired today because I have been up late every night the last few weeks playing Geometry and Hexic. These games are puzzle 'crack'.
Keep up the good work boys…Games don't need to be big, just fun (and addictive)
Good stuff Raigan.
One last little comment from me. I have been preaching and looking for original, creative, artistic game content since we started GarageGames over six years ago. If you have read any of my IndieGamesCon keynotes, it is always about looking for great content. The bottom line is this: the Indie community has not delivered. There is nothing stopping Indies from making great, innovative games. The download channel is completely open, the technology and tools are free or nearly free, the art development tools have made huge strides, but WHERE ARE THE GAMES? Where is the Cubism? Hell, I don't even need Cubism, just show me some fun, innovative games.
GarageGames will definitely publish those games and bring more attention to the artists. We love products like Gish. Bring us me more!
At the end of the day, if these games look like something that will work on XBLA, we'll do everything we can to help get them into the channel. Until there are games, all of this talk is just that… talk and theory. Theory about how the big guys are screwing up (well, maybe that isn't theory) and the little guys are the great, creative, unsupported geniuses that just need their big break. Bring on the games. Let's see the proof.
P.S. Wow! This sounds like the subject of a future blog post.
I just wanted to say that MBU is my favorite game right now
Raigan: I can't help but notice your excessive whining. You use the 'music' analogy… and I find that humorous because I have been in and around some groups trying to make it and have met guys like you who will never make it and who don't even WANT TO 'make it' in the same way other people do.
So here's what you do: stop complaining
Those guys I knew would never shut up about bands who 'sold out' and how his personal goal is 'all about the artform' etc (when actually he had very limited talent). I have been around some extremely talented people who HAVE made it to commercial music, and some who just don't want to… except they usually shut up about their own choice. Won't you please do the same ? _thanks_ (because underscores around words is so cool)
Perhaps the concept of an indie game being "x-blah'd" hits a bit close to home for us.. and it just feels wrong somehow.
I wish someone would hurry up and start a _real_ indie games label — indie bands have been making a decent living creating great music for years! And they don't have to pursue labels — the labels that are interested come to them, because there are dozens of labels competing to find the best talent (as opposed to hundreds of developers competing to please 3 console manufacturers). In the worst case, they start their own label — instead of having to change their work to get it out there.
If one label turns you down, there are many others to choose from; this _is_ "gated content" of a sort, I suppose, since terrible albums aren't likely to be picked up by anyone.. but it's a far cry from a monolithic single corporation. Really great music, no matter how weird, gets distributed.
Anyway, my real beliefs may lay somewhere in the middle, but I think that it's important to acknowledge and discuss the _negative_ repercussions of XBLA, instead of just running lemming-like towards an opportunity to make money. And it's _very_ important that we realise that great art is hard to create if you care more about making a profit than making something that's true to your vision.
p.s – to willy: i'd rather be broke than supporting a system which rewards pleasing boards of executives more than creating inspired work. I agree that if "publish[ing] and selling" games is what's important, XBLA is a great thing — personally, i think _making_ games is what's important.
"The bottom line is this: the Indie community has not delivered. […] WHERE ARE THE GAMES? Where is the Cubism? Hell, I don't even need Cubism, just show me some fun, innovative games."
what do you mean? every year several great games are produced by Indies and entered in the IGF and now the Slamdance games competitions, and that's just two, in North America.
What about the work done by those involved in the Indie Game Jams? What about the games mentioned in last year's Experimental Games workshop at the GDC? What about Japan's doujin games?
I'm confused.
"GarageGames will definitely publish those games and bring more attention to the artists. We love products like Gish. Bring us me more!"
Ah so, are you saying they just don't come to GarageGames to be published?
Not at all. I don't care if they are published by GarageGames. I am offering to help if somebody does make something interesting.
What I am saying is that there are not that many fun, innovative games being created. Sure, there are a couple of games from GDC or the IGDA contests, but not many. Several is not many.
Mmm, moderated Blogs hurt my brain.
Raigan I am 100% about the games. I started in the garage doing what I want to do, sold out to the corporation when they liked what we were doing, left the corporation when we didn't like where they wanted us to go, bought the first game back from the corporation to rescue it, etc
I have told players to cancel their 5 accounts on my subscription game service because they didn't like how a feature worked and we weren't going to ever change it. I have never seriously worried that a feature would cause players to quit. I have even removed a major system that was very popular because it was implemented poorly (off my watch) and very broken. I make money from my games but I make the games I want to make. I don't make HUGE amounts of money but I am happy to accept the payment of any player that thinks my game is worth their money. I pour large amounts of my own cash into getting the games developed and I'm happy to get some or even all of that back. There is nothing un-artistic about that.
There is no need to be black and white about it. One does not have to care *more* about making "money" than "great art". One can simply care about how they can make some money with their great art. (I mean, if it's great it should be worth something yeah?) I admit I got all flurried when I considered the possibility of getting onto XBLA… however I never considered how I would need to fit my game to their service, instead I realized how well their service fit my game. It's fully possible that level headed developers that enjoy making fun games may well benefit from XBLA. Don't rush off to fast yelling "sell out". =)
There will always be game devs out there that will shun the XBLA's of the world. They will be creative folks and come up with interesting games. Some of those games might even make money. And then there will be a lot of game devs that will try to not only make games, but also try to make money doing what they love to do. The most likely way to pull that off is to use the XBLA's of the world as (at the very least) a starting point to your own world domination. Either way you proceed is fine.
okay, what about all the games produced in countries outside of North America that we don't have access to by not being able to understand other languages?
I was just trying to point out that you're painting with quite a broad brush there; just because you haven't seen the fun, innovative games, doesn't necessarily mean they don't exist.
I think though, to get back on topic, that this and the other developments happening now (eg the Cinemaware Indie label, and Manifesto Games etc) have the potential to be very beneficial for indie developers, and that can't be a bad thing. it's an exciting time, for sure.
I think the music analogy is a bit thin. First, there are some critical differences between games and music that play into this debate: the modern music industry has been around 2x to 3x longer than the video game industry; the potential audience for music's products is 10x to 20x larger; and the number of products that the average music consumer purchases is probably 10x that of the average gamer (how many albums have you purchased this year? how many games?).
But more importantly, the economics of the creators of music is quite different. First, my experience is that there are way more unsuccessful musicians than there are successful (financially speaking). Second, most musicians earn a living through performance, not through distribution of their albums through labels. Third, many musicians still have a "day job" and perform in their free time.
Game developers, on the other hand, primarily earn a living through the distribution of the game (no one is paying to watch me program!). And that distribution of the game doesn't happen until the product is finished. Thus, while a musician may be able to support themselves through their craft until such time they produce an album, a game developer cannot reasonably do that (unless it's the whole day job / hobbyist route, which is certainly viable).
Just because a label magically "exists" doesn't solve the problems of distribution. Most labels cannot get distribution in major retailers unless they have some kind of deal with a larger label. Same goes for game development: if you want distribution in major retail chains you'll have to have a publisher, even if you're a small studio with a fantastic, completely finished and polished game.
The music industry, because of its orders-of-magnitude larger customer base and orders-of-magnitude larger amount of content, is able to actually support independent retailers (though more or less successfully these days). Independent video game retailers are a rarity, and can really do no more than provide a wider range of titles from other territories or from older stock, but they are all still largely "gated" through the major publishers. Not so in the case of indie music retailers, many of whom would graciously take a few CDs from a local band and throw them on the counter.
There's dozens of other ways in which the analogy fails. Labels don't take on crap music in much the same way that XBLA won't take crap games. Yes, painters don't have to get permission from a committee, but as mentioned previously, they do if that committee is paying for their work. Same applies to games: XBLA is not paying for your creation to be made, so no one is approving anything on the creative side. XBLA is a "gate" for distribution, but that's the only sensible thing for them to do, otherwise the channel would become dilluted with a lot of bad and/or broken titles.
I think the point Jeff is trying to make is that XBLA is an *additional* opportunity for indie games when it comes to distribution. It's also an incredibly unique opportunity as it's really the first time there's been a channel like this for indie developers. Sure, I could imagine a scenario where MS was presented with a title that they had content issues with (violence, overtly political, sexual, etc.) and it would be their perogative to decline to distribute the game. I assume MS has already built parental controls into the XBLA and would hope that they'd be willing to apply those controls to allow content that could be deemed questionable. Regardless, if they declined to distribute your stuff it doesn't preclude you from distributing it online or by burning discs yourself.
To return to your music analogy, think of XBLA like radio. There's lots of music that's not appropriate to radio, either due to content, style, popularity, etc. But that doesn't make some of the music on radio any less independent, it doesn't make musicians any more restricted, and it doesn't make radio any less of a viable channel for successful indie musicians.
Yes, XBLA is not a wide-open channel, but that will only serve to improve its quality. I've judged IGF games for the last 3 or 4 years. I think it would be safe to conjecture that the titles submitted to the IGF represent a fair sampling of the indie game scene (I remember playing yours fondly, Raigan). I would also conjecture that those who felt their titles were good enough to compete in the IGF would certainly consider their titles good enough to be on XBLA if it was a wide-open channel. *BUT*, if XBLA was crowded with all of the titles from the IGF it would significantly dillute XBLA's appeal to the larger console audience because, let's be honest, there are an incredible amount of bad indie games.
Gates aren't always bad things. Some gates confine people and limit their freedom, some gates protect folks and keep out the bad stuff. Let's just be happy that our Gates gave us the XBLA (and $29billion to charity!).
That "not-wide-open channel" sounds fine. Thanks for clearing this.
Another awesome article Jeff, keep it up! I love these.
Hey Jeff,
Regarding the "there are not enough games" thing. Why not post a blog entry about WHY you think thats not the case?
Ive got my own theories, but I'd like to know why you think its the way it is.
It's coming. I still have some foundational, house keeping articles to write, then we'll start tearing into deeper articles like that.
I have only played the Demo and while I enjoy it, this game is freaking me out man. I have somewhat of a Height problem – as in Im a bit terrified of heihgts.
BEST XBLA game so far! bought it within minutes of seeing it
how about some add-on maps?
keep it up!
Any chance of more content? Maps, gametypes, more custom marble designes?
Awesome. Marble Blast on the XBOX360 and more. It great to hear Garage Games is making a name for itself for both the Indie Game Community and for games on a a large platform like the XBOX. I sense good things for you guys in the future.
You guys could become something the game business needs. Not just a company that provides a supportive community to indies and a commercial grade game engine, but a game publisher run by folks who know and love games.
I think your work with Microsoft can pay off greatly.
And by the way, When you make the big bucks get your baby back! Look at todays games. They are all moving in the direction of Tribes, and Tribes was doing all of that in 1998!. Its gameplay still has not been matched.
To more good things in the future.
I'd be interested in seeing an article discussing ways to evaluate various genres from a marketing standpoint, and different approaches for garnering market share for Indie products that compete directly with commercially funded titles. As an example, my design notepads are filled with notes on a motorcycle racer that I'd love to see published and eventually pushed to XBLA, however MotoGP 2006 is slated for release later this year. As the arguable reigning king of moto games, both on PC and console, would you say a 'quicker gratification' style game on XBLA would still attract players, and what advice would you give to someone considering such a project? As an aside, I'm not asking for the best way to push a title to the point I can quit my job and fill my bank account, for me it would be more rewarding to see a published title with my name on it being well recieved by the player base.
[…] Jeff Tunnell, who works for GarageGames, explains in the first part of this article why he thinks Xbox Live Arcade is so important for Indie game devs. Very interesting post and here is the second part of this. Good stuff, great game. […]
This is an awsome game and a GREAT step forward for Indie game developers. Casual game downloads seem to still be on a strong rise!


text:
BPL Community Profile
Dave Heiss (DaveHeiss) - BPL Premium Member
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All Forum Posts by Dave Heiss
Showing 151 - 160 of 314 | Page: 1 ...7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 ...32
Shipments out
John, Clint, and Roger - Your packages shipped out today. Thanks! Robert - I still haven't heard back from you regarding the IKEA woodstove you wanted. Are you not answering PM's or emai...
Sales update
As of Sunday evening, the PackafeatherXL stove is sold, the MEC vest is sold, the Clearview pad is sold, and one of the IKEA woodstoves is sold pending funds. As for the free stuff, the Instaflator...
Sales pending
The PackafeatherXL stove is sold, the Clearview pad and one of the IKEA woodstoves are sold pending funds. As for the free stuff, the Instaflator has been claimed.
FS: Clearview pad, PackaFeather XL stove, Granite Gear pack, MEC vest, IKEA woodstoves, plus FREE stuff!
Big Agnes Clearview pad, 20"x60"x2.5" mummy style, 11oz. Slept on maybe 5-6 nights, always with a thinlight pad underneath. No leaks, no damage, in as-new condition. Includes stuff sack. $2...
Handle up my friend
I have a TT Contrail and I always go handle up (TI Goat pole) when I set up the tent. I've never had the pole sink into soft ground, though if that's a problem where you hike just put the p...
Exped Synmat UL 7
I just bought one (the "S" size) and it looks very promising. The fabric is more robust than the original NeoAir, and I don't think any extra ground protection will be necessary. The ...
Ursack's are great
+1 for the Ursack. No hanging necessary, no worries.
Happy ending
Will has finally found his Fugu. Dave - I got the jacket today. It is wonderful. I can't wait for winter now. Of course that means I no longer have one, but that's OK. I wasn't u...
Sleeping pad and alcohol stove for consideration
I've got a few UL items you might be interested in. I was going to eventually post them as part of a larger assortment, but these two might be good for you now. Big Agnes Clearview pad, 20�...
I'm a huge fan of the existing MLD Ark/Exodus pack design. I particularly like that it's an ultralight pack that's built to last. Yes there are other frameless packs that are lighter, a...
All Reader Reviews by Dave Heiss
Showing 1 - 2 of 2 | Page: 1
Montbell Versalite
Andrea - I'm looking forward to your opinions on the Versalite 50. I've still got that pack on my short list, and hope you can provide some input on its comfort and functionality. My only conc...
02 Rainwear Rain Suit
I also have an O2 Rainwear suit. I picked up a pair a few years ago and have been really happy with the performance, but I still wince at the screaming yellow color every time I put them on. It is def...

subset: commoncrawl


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Bernanke's Speech/The State of the Economy Present & Future
Speaking Friday to world monetary policy makers, Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke said policy options are available to provide additional stimulus to the US economy should it be necessary. Breakdown from Dr. Dean Croushere, chair of the economics department at University of Richmond. Download MP3
Defenses Upgraded, but Some Seek More
It has been five years since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and according to the U.S. Government if it hit tomorrow it would only cause light flooding. Here with an updated look at the Crescent City is WSJ's Mike Esterl. Download MP3
Ford's New Pickup Line: Like My Tough V-6?
Are U.S. pickup truck buyers prepared to set aside their love affair with V-8 engines and climb into more fuel-efficient models instead? Ford Motor Co. is about to run a high-stakes test by promoting a high-tech, six-cylinder engine in its best-selling vehicle. WSJ's Joe White has more. Download MP3
Also on today's show…
First-Time Winners Make a Splash at Emmys
Paying Off the House in 15 Years
Roll-Your-Own Cigarette Machines Help Evade Steep Tax
Germanwings Flight 9525 focus turns to suicide, who will take over for Harry Reid and the emergence of CrossFit.
Are we too complacent about world events, how to protect yourself from tax fraudsters and whats in your mixed drink.
Germanwings flight co-pilot 'deliberately' crashed plane but questions remain, self driving cars are almost here but only for 1 per-centers and Dean Smith willed $200 to each of his former players.
Jet audio shows one of the Germanwings' pilots locked out of cockpit, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is charged with desertion and when two minutes isn't really two minutes.
The search for clues continues in Germanwings crash, a new app hopes to change the face of the 2016 presidential race and the one place where Kentucky basketball is only OK.
Wake up with America's first news – The Wall Street Journal This Morning. Host Gordon Deal and news anchor Gina Cervetti go beyond the headlines with the day's first look at news and business news from the U.S. and around the world; bringing a lively blend of intelligent information, humor, and expert analysis to morning radio.
Gordon Deal Before taking the helm at The Wall Street Journal This Morning in November 2005, Gordon was well-known to New York City radio listeners, having worked at both WINS-AM and WCBS-AM where he honed his writing skills and developed his distinctive on-air reporting style. He also served as New York City bureau chief for Metro Networks where his reports aired on WOR-AM and WABC-AM.
Gina Cervetti has an extensive radio news anchoring and reporting background including several years at Boston NPR affiliate WBUR-FM where she anchored the local production of "All Things Considered" and "Here and Now." Gina is an Associated Press Award-winning broadcaster, whose reports have been heard all over New England, including WRKO Boston and WTAG Worcester. She graduated from Boston University.
Mike Gavin oversees the production of the show which includes coordinating segments with WSJ reporters, editors, and outside newsmakers. He also oversees the sound and content of the show including all music and sound elements. Mike had spent a decade in radio programming and production before finding a home at WSJ Radio in 2007. He lives at the Jersey Shore with his wife and son.


text:
Edge of Twilight wants someone special
Looks interesting, this one. Forthcoming steampunk slash-'em-up with a bounty hunter slant from Southpeak.
Comments (4)
Bloodborne guide: bosses, areas and secrets Our essential guide to Miyazaki's latest dark adventure.
Pillars of Eternity walkthrough Our guide to the long-awaited RPG from Obsidian.
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Two Bedroom Harbor View with Plunge Pool
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- 2 bedrooms
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Bedrooms: 2
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Sleeps: 4
Type: VillaTwo Bedroom Harbor View with Plunge Pool
Description from the owner
The name Paradise Loft started as it perched up high and set apart from the island's hustle bustle with modern cube-like units in Jimbaran Hills come in terraced Mediterranean-style.
Drenched in natural sunlight, rooms are totally enclosed with air-conditioning, folding glass doors leading out to the private pool draw in natural breezes.
Its open-plan living room and kitchenette feature a sit-up kitchen bar with funky stools, refrigerator, sink, electric cooking rings, and kitchen utensils. Small timbered deck and private plunge pool are edged by tropical plants and mini wooden gazebo with low table. Bedrooms feature ultra-comfortable double ...Read more
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Herma M.
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Two Bedroom Harbor View with Plunge Pool
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Signature of Love Step Information Cards I used this card for my accommodations information for out of town guest and it was stunning! The card fit perfectly in my pocket invitation. It looked exactly how I designed it. The only criticism I have is that I wish there was a little more flexibility with the font size. It wouldn't allow certain fonts because of sizing purposes.
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While we're throwing around ideas for new rides, I'd like to put in for a classic, FL-style Cinderella darkride (talk about significant movie with no park representation), and Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride using the Peter Pan-style suspension system.
Alnog with Adventureland, FantasyLand is the most idea-rich, space-poor area of the park. Great idea about expanding it north into the Big Thunder space. My favorite idea is expanding east from Alice, taking over what is now the northern half of Autopia.


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Type: Posts; User: HandSanitizer; Keyword(s):
GunnerClone started it...lol
disappointed....but get it. He was going to be a 1-2 year player. Wish he would have had a better NCAA experience though....lol
I just stopped with Conference games with "Gave Away" KU doesn't give away as many games as everyone else does. Thats why they keep winning the league. As far as the Shockers being the best in...
Baylor @ ISU
1st place B12
Win Conference Tourney
2 Seed NCAA
THen Iowa will probably go final 4.
Get ready for football......UNI will beat us be 20 at home.
then ask Hoiberg why his team didn't have a pulse?
ISU rebounds. Game over? or make a shot?
Maybe box out, make a wide open shot? up by
Everyone chill.. Naz is nowhere. Foul Trouble. Rebounds? we are down a few points. We got this...
My biggest concern is UAB hasn't played well.
242 HD on Dish right now. They are having a NCAA TIP-Off show. Go Internet and HDMI cable.
Teams like UNI don't like this rule. They may have to score more than 55 to win games.
I would like to see it 28. 10 seconds to get the ball past half and then 18 to shoot. Teams get good...
how far has this fanbase come in 5 years? Crazy....Not sure KU fans even want to go to KC anymore. It would like the Big 12 Tourney held in Wells Fargo DSM and KU had like 20,000 people in the...
as long as their football team plays in the SEC Title game and goes to bowls I am not sure they care too much. Now if football falls off and basketball sucks then wow..
Freds Mom should have given the speech after we lost. lol
that is a dagger.
Baylor is a 2nd round NCAA tourney team. just like about 5 other B12 teams.
If we win our last 3 then I Will schedule a Colon Check with The Iowa Clinic Mens Center.
Mark it down....
It will be ok. But nobody likes a guy that post the "Calm the heck Down crap" 60 mins after we lost a game at home to Baylor after KU opens the door for us to win the league outright in 12...
Rock Chalk....If they have a heart beat they should be upset.
Team from texas comes up to Hilton that has never won here. Not even sure when they even got here with the storm.
takes us to town....
I personally can't stand a coach not taking a few Time outs. Love FH to death, but he normally has 3-4 left each game.
The TT game on the road. Rule #1 on a team that sucks and can't handle...
Nice job. They played well. Good post
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The DefaultButton property is used to set or return the id of the default button for the Panel Control.
This property is used to specify which button gets clicked when the Panel control has focus and the "ENTER" key is pressed.
|The id of the button to use as default button
The following example sets the DefaultButton for a Panel control:


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Dakine Kelsey Meridian Print Tote Bag
Item # 201206
Buy1 Get1 Free
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What is this?This is the number of points you get in The Zumiez Stash for purchasing this item. Stash points are redeemable for exclusive rewards only available to Zumiez Stash members. To redeem your points check out the rewards catalog on thestash.zumiez.com.
Whether your lugging around that stack of text books or you're playing hookey to head to the beach, the Kelsey Meridian print tote bag from Dakine is your best choice for easy transportation.
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Edinburgh Film Festival Parent Company Names Producer Bob Last as Chairman
LONDON – Producer Bob Last, whose resume boasts Terence Davies' House of Mirth and Sylvain Chomet's The Illusionist, has been appointed chairman for the Centre of the Moving Image, the parent company of the Filmhouse Cinema complex and the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF).
Last has an extensive track record in film production, digital animation and the music industry.
Chomet's The Illusionist opened the 2010 edition of the EIFF in the Scottish capital's Festival Theater.
Last said: "The Centre for the Moving Image and the festival in particular have had a challenging few years and I am grateful to the outgoing chair, Leslie Hills, for navigating the organization back on track, under the artistic direction of Chris Fujiwara (EIFF) and Rod White (Filmhouse)."
He said he looked forward to "doing everything I can to help the whole CMI team in their quest to see Filmhouse build its role in the life of our city and the EIFF build its international significance, continuing to facilitate discovery of cinema's rich culture and inspire the next generation of film makers and audiences."
His appointment will help steady the ship at the long-running festival which, before Fujiwara's appointment, found itself in turmoil amid management changes, key personnel departures and a decision to ax its competition sections.
Never miss a story. Stay up-to-date with THR's Daily Headlines.
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Comedy Central's President on Why Trevor Noah Was Chosen as the Next 'Daily Show' Host (Q&A)
Bombshell Scientology Film Revealed: Alex Gibney on Cruise, Travolta and 'the Prison of Belief'
L.A.'s Soho House Turns 5: Membership Rejections, Success Secrets Revealed in Oral History
Gavin Polone on TV's Dirty Secret: Your Agent Gets Money for Nothing (Guest Column)
'Game of Thrones' Star Emilia Clarke on Playing Sarah Connor, Turning Down 'Fifty Shades' and Moving on From Nudity
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From Christian Bale to Benedict Cumberbatch: Why British Actors Nab So Many American Roles
The Uncensored, Epic, Never-Told Story Behind 'Mad Men'
Justin Bieber Roast: Ludacris Speaks Out About "Over the Line" Paul Walker Jokes


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Reseeding Clematis?
I have 3 volunteer seedlings growing in one of my garden beds! I've been growing clematis for over 20 years and this is the first time this has happened. Sometimes a vine will pop up where I don't expect it, but in the past, I've always remembered that at some point, I planted a clem there that "died". From the locations of these 3, I know that's not the case here. I do have a sweet autumn clematis, but in 20 years, I haven't seen a seedling from it, and the leaves of these three are different from that one anyway. In the bed where these have appeared I grow Rhapsody, Eyre's Gift, and Henryii. I was also growing a Petite Faucon, but it hasn't come back this year, and I'm wondering whether these seedlings could be from that. Anyone have experience with any of these reseeding?
I just found another two seedlings. I guess I'll have to wait until one of them blooms, but that makes 5 volunteers in one bed! My money was on Petite Faucon, but now I'm wondering whether it could by Eyre's Gift, which seems to be one that not a lot of people grow, except that I'm not sure it bloomed last year, since it is so new. Oh well, it's one of the things I like about gardening -it seems like you're always learning something.
Congratulations on your new babies!
New seedlings are always so exciting. Hope you can figure out who the parent is - sometimes they look similar, but sometimes so very different you'll be guessing for years to come, which makes it even more exciting, I think. I have at least a couple dozen of seedlings sprouting every year, but from your list I only grow Rhapsody and that one never made seeds for me (I should probably move it to a better spot). Good luck with your little ones! And do post pictures when they decide to bloom - it's always fun to see the new faces.
I've grown clematis for over 20 years and only in the last 4 or 5 years have I seen any reseed in the garden. I grow Rhapsody, and have collected seed that I germinated inside and when it grew up, loved the flowers. Not at all what I was expecting. Here is the seedling.
Well, that occurred to me later - that what I have won't necessarily look like its parent, so I may never know where they all came from. I do grow Rhapsody in that bed. She's one of my all-time favorites for color, but your seedling sure doesn't look like her! It is a beauty, though.
It's interesting that we've both grown clems for such a long time without reseeding, and only recently started to see it. It makes me suspicious that it is Rhapsody that's doing it. Thanks for posting.
I'm leaving mine where they are until they bloom and I can see what they look like. If they're nice, I'll probably move them, and if I don't like them, I'll probably weed them out. I think it will be easier to deal with them in place, but if you want to dig them out and pot them up, more power to you! Let us know how it turns out.
I'd leave them for now. You never know what else is sprouting around them. Clematis is known for very sporadic germination, you will kill any other seedlings that might be coming up. Besides, one year old vines will be much easier to move next year. Congratulations on your seedlings! Hope they are pretty.
I have one NOID seedling growing in my perennial bed probably from Recta. This is my first self-sown seedling. There are two that look like seedlings but are growing from roots that were left behind when two clematis, both Huldine, were moved. One I will trellis and the other two must be moved but will wait until fall for them to develop a larger root system.


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The Vampire Diaries (2009)
Starring: Candice Accola, Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley
Continuity mistake: In the previous episode when Damon and Caroline sleep together Caroline's bra is dark pink, in this one when she wakes up her bra is blue.
Character mistake: Stefan is making sure Katherine doesn't commit suicide. Katherine tells Stefan she has called Rebekah, but Caroline is at the door.
The Return - S2-E1
Continuity mistake: Elena's house address is different. In season 1 episode 1 Elena's house number was 935. In this episode Elena tells the ambulance that her address is 2104 Floyd Street.


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Celebrating NCOD with University of Minnesota Students
October 11, 2012 by HRC staff
Posted submitted by Zack Hasychak, Membership & Community Events Manager
As part of HRC's celebration of National Coming Out Day, we spent this morning on the campus of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, spreading the word about the proposed constitutional amendment banning recognition of same-sex relationships that Minnesotans will vote on in just a few weeks.
Mike Manning, former HRC intern and cast member of "The Real World: Washington, DC," canvassed alongside our partners from Minnesotans United for All Families, registering students to vote and making sure they understand the ballot issue.
This evening, we'll celebrate National Coming Out Day with an event to provide students the knowledge and tools they need to be successful organizers and activists, as well as to discuss the importance and history of National Coming Out Day.
Manning will also share his own coming out story, which happened on national TV just a few short years ago.
Stay tuned for more updates from our time here in Minnesota!
Top Posts
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February 18, 2015
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February 14, 2015
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February 16, 2015
"Love Has No Labels" Ad Campaign Celebrates Diversity and Inclusion
February 18, 2015


text: Hannah Gene Chocallo, daughter of Jocelyn and Mike Chocallo, is celebrating her 10th birthday today, Sept. 23. Hannah is a granddaughter of Hannah and Gene Lazarus, Plains Township; Bonnie Chocallo, Franklin Township; and the late Mike Chocallo. She is a great-granddaughter of Gene Chocallo, Swoyersville. Hannah has a sister, Allison, 7.


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Exciting Features That Will Come To Linux 3.12
Published on 31 August 2013 05:33 AM EDT
Written by
Michael Larabel
Linux Kernel
2 Comments
While the
Linux 3.11 kernel
hasn't even been released yet (hopefully this weekend) and with it will come
many exciting changes
, there's already a lot to get excited for with the
Linux 3.12 kernel
The Linux 3.12 merge window will open once the Linux 3.11 kernel is out in the coming days, but already some of the changes that have been queued up that have me excited (particularly around graphics and hardware improvements) include:
Experimental AMD "Berlin" HSA APU support
on the graphics side. Berlin is the codename for AMD's first APU built atop their Heterogeneous System Architecture. The Berlin graphics core is based upon their current GCN architecture. From user-space it will be supported by the RadeonSI Gallium3D driver.
- The AMD pull request also has ASPM (Active-State Power Management) and DPM (Dynamic Power Management) for the AMD Radeon HD 8000 "CIK" series graphics processors.
DRM Render/Mode-Set Nodes
have already been queued up as an experimental feature to land in Linux 3.12. The DRM render nodes is the work of David Herrmann during this year's Google Summer of Code. This work allows a host of benefits as discussed in
different Phoronix articles
GPU Run-Time Power Management
has also been merged into the DRM-Next tree for Linux 3.12. This code allows for powering down secondary GPUs such as those in Optimus laptop configurations. GPUs controlled by DRM drivers can now be dynamically toggled on and off depending upon whether they're needed.
- The
Snapdragon DRM/KMS driver
is also going to be merged for the Linux 3.12 kernel. The Snapdragon "MSM" driver is for Qualcomm ARM SoCs and supports Adreno A2xx/A3xx GPUs. Rob Clark wrote this DRM driver as part of his
reverse-engineering project.
- On a smaller note, there's some
Intel GMA-500 Poulsbo driver improvements
zRAM is set to move out of staging
. ZRAM is already considered stable and commonly used as a compressed swap device in RAM and so now it's set to be promoted to the main area of the kernel.
Changes not yet seen queued up for the Linux 3.12 kernel include
Radeon HDMI audio by default
, Nouveau re-clocking support for Kepler/Fermi or general re-clocking improvements, nor the
VIA KMS driver
2 Comments
News Archives
Recent Linux Kernel News
Linux 4.0-rc6 Kernel Released
The Big Features Of The Linux 4.0 Kernel
Introducing The Library Operating System For Linux
More eBPF Tracing Work Being Readied For Linux 4.1
Linux 4.0-rc5 Mostly Has Routine Driver Updates
Popular Phoronix News
"Why Linux Is Still Not Ready For The Desktop"
Introducing The Library Operating System For Linux
The Big Features Of The Linux 4.0 Kernel
Systemd Developers Did NOT Fork The Linux Kernel
Improved OpenCL Support For Blender's Cycles Renderer
About The Author
Michael Larabel is the principal author of Phoronix.com and founded the web-site in 2004 with a focus on enriching the Linux hardware experience and being the largest web-site devoted to Linux hardware reviews, particularly for products relevant to Linux gamers and enthusiasts but also commonly reviewing servers/workstations and embedded Linux devices. Michael has written more than 10,000 articles covering the state of Linux hardware support, Linux performance, graphics hardware drivers, and other topics. Michael is also the lead developer of the
Phoronix Test Suite
, and
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Mira's Mesa's own Sapphire Sound invited to the Rose Parade
Have your voice heard!
Attention Parents and Students, Burnbook and other social media sites could put you at risk.
MMHS Studnts make the most of job shadowing
Mira Mesa Top Scholars Night
Mira Mesa High School's engineering program helps spread the word
Traditional schools off until April 6; Year-round schools off until April 27.
IN THE NEWS: Grass will replace decomposed granite at elementary school's field.
Help Washington ES employee earn Janitor of the Year honors
Students get to enjoy computers and code at Qualcomm's Think-a-Bit Lab
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM AFJROTC Team Practice: Quad Area
12:00 PM JV Baseball: At Bonita Vista
2:30 PM - 5:00 PM Color Guard Practice: In Front Of 600 Bldg.


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A/C Condenser problem
over40September 3, 2012
My Rheem Central a/c stopped working. The compressor and condenser fan wouldn't come on. The air handler fan worked. After bypassing thermostat, and determined it was ok, I went outside to the condensing unit. As soon as I started to loosen a screw, to remove the cover, it started up!
I checked all connections inside, and they seemed ok.
I suspect the contactor might be bad, but not sure.
Any suggestions?


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Small-Group Cooking Lesson in Rome
Read what other Viator.com travelers think about the Small-Group Cooking Lesson in Rome. What they loved, what they liked and what they think could be improved, it's all here to help you make the most of your next trip.
Click here for tour details, schedule and pricing
An absolutely fantastic and fun experience! I would highly recommend this to anyone travelling in Rome, regardless of cooking experience. The city tour was interesting, making our own pasta was unique and fun, the food was amazing and so was the view. I can't fault a thing and would even considering booking this again if I have the opportunity to visit Rome again.
We had a great time. The food was fabulous, who doesn't love homemade pasta. The other attendees were so much fun and our Chef Fabio was so engaging.
Wow! Best excursion we picked. A great day, great chef and great food. Looking forward to recreating some of the dishes at home.
BRILLIANT chef fabio is so entertaining and passionate about food. Going through the markets and buying the local produce and then making a superb meal with him was such a wonderful experience and a wonderful way to finish our stay in Rome!
Love, love, love it!
Chef Alexandera was awsome! I learned more about cooking in this lesson that I think I have all my life. The entire experience was so much fun. The people were great! The experience of going to the market and purchasing the items was wonderful. Chef explained what we were getting and why were getting the things we did. The food and company were the highlight of the experience. If I ever get the chance to go back to Italy I'll do this again!
We have been in Rome 5 of the last 7 years and wanted to find something different for our daughters now aged 18 and 22 to do. This was the perfect adventure. Both girls loved the adventure of shopping in a market and cooking different Italian dishes and sharing stories with a nice group of our guests. It was well worth the experience and would highly recommend this adventure!!! Frederico was fabulous with the girls and sounds like the group had a great day!!!! Totally recommend this!!!!
This cooking class was amazing. Chef Fabio took us for a walk around Rome to collect fresh produce and then took the time and patience to show us how they should be used. I had the opportunity to learn many new dishes, as well as taste them all at the end. Definitely worth during when in Rome next!
Absolutely the highlight of our holiday in Rome. We went to pick up the ingredients from a local market, so all the veggies, cheese and meat were local and fresh! Our chef was brilliant, and gave out excellent tips about Italian cooking. Never ever had that good Italian five (!) course dinner. If you happen to get the same chef we had (Federico Alessandri) you are going to have a total blast all day!!!!
This was the highlight of our stay in Rome.I did it with my husband, brother, and sister in law along with 6 other people. We met the chef at a central location and all walked to the market place where we bought vegetables, cheese, meat and wine then walked to the cooking class facility. Chef Frederico was just awesome along with his two assistants, Nicolette and "MiniMe" we learned how to made two kinds of pasta and three separate sauces for each pasta-- I am Italian and am a very cook cook but I learned some new ways to prepare sauces and pasta. The food was delicious!! Yesterday I tried making the fresh tomato sauce we learned at the class and I had many many compliments. I would take this class again as it was really worthwhile and fun!!! Thank You Chef Frederico!!
Chef Federico Alessandri gave us a wonderful and memorable Italian cooking experience from start to finish. I attended the class with my mom, and we're basically polar opposites when it comes to cooking-- she's fantastic; I have very limited experience, but we both fit right into the atmosphere that Federico created. It didn't matter at all that I could hardly do anything right when it came to helping with the cooking prep. However, for people who could handle doing more advanced things, like my mom, Federico assigned more complicated tasks to help with. (Our group consisted of 9 people total--myself, my mom, a family of 5, including 3 kids, and a couple). I was impressed from the beginning at how Federico accommodated the kids in the group without taking away from us adults, his enthusiasm, or his routine of how he conducted the class. Even so, if you're considering this class, I personally don't think this is a kid-friendly type activity. We started off going to the famous Campi id Fiori market and buying fresh ingredients to prepare. Then we walked to a really cool apartment with a gourmet kitchen (where Marlon Brando once lived) where we cooked. As previously mentioned, my lack of experience was a non-issue. The activities we did included cutting vegetables and making several different kinds of pasta from scratch, which was very fun. Federico then explained to and showed us how he was using the ingredients we bought and the veggies we chopped up, etc. to make various types of sauces from scratch, the true Italian way. He gave us some great inside tips. Wine was served throughout the class, as well as at the end when we got to eat all the delicious food we made-- we left stuffed! It was the best food we ate our entire two-week trip in Italy. Bravo for Chef Federico! I highly recommend the class.
This was probably the best excursion/tour of our entire two week vacation. Chef Fabio was fantastic! And it turns out that we're much better cooks than we ever knew we were, because the food we prepared with Fabio was absolutely delicious! The trip to the market to purchase all of our ingredients was a great way to start off the session - we would (and probably will) do this again the next time we're in Rome!
One of the highlights of our entire trip. I'm so glad we signed up for this class. Chef Federico is so passionate about food you can truly see it in his teaching. So informative and fun! From shopping in the markets to cooking in the gorgeous studio, we enjoyed every minute.
Best food and experience on our trip hands down.
It was fantastic!!!! The group total was 3 so the hands on experience was great!!!! The day before the Chef had 10!!! Fabio (the chef) was very patient and explained each step which made making pasta easy!!
Fantastic. Federico was the chef and my daughter's and I loved it. It was verey relaxing day and we enjoyed making the zuchinni pasta
Had a FABIOLOUS time with Fabio learning how to make homemade pasta. We made both semolina flour (eggless) and egg flour. The class took about 5 hours and we each got to help prepare part of the meal. We learned how to make 4 different kinds of pasta (Ravioli, Fettuccine, Cavatelli, and Casarecce) and paired each with a sauce. The food was amazing and it was so much fun to sit and eat and drink wine with all the students I had also met. Definitely recommend for anyone interested in taking some Italian techniques back home!


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11:05 am
Mon September 17, 2012
Hopkinsville Historian Recounts Black Patch Tobacco Wars
By Kate Lochte
The black patch tobacco wars of the early 20th century pitted farmer against farmer as a group of men sworn to secrecy used destructive tactics to coerce collective action. Hopkinsville's Pennyroyal Area Museum commemorates the war with several activities starting Friday (September 21). Official Historian for Hopkinsville and Christian County William T. Turner recounts the story of the Tobacco War in conversation with Kate Lochte.
For more information about the multiple events of Hopkinsville's Tobacco War Pilgrimage September 21 through 23rd, call the Pennyroyal Area Museum at 270-887-4270 or visit tobaccowarpilgrimage.com.
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Did Damon feed on Enzo? Did Stefan feed on Katherine, posing on Elena, who was anxious for a bite of a very different nature?
Did The Vampire Diaries Season 5 Episode 14 live up to the hype or fail to meet expectations?
All great questions, all answered below by our Round Table panel of Miranda Wicker, Crissy Calhoun and Heather Vee (from Vampire-Diaries.net) and Leigh Raines. Scroll down for their take on "No Exit" and then sound off with your own...
Miranda: I have to go with any and all scenes featuring Enzo. He's cool and calm and I kind of dig his loyalty and use of common sense. (Calling Stefan wasn't exactly loyal, but it was common sense. And walking out of the house so he didn't get eaten was common sense, too.) I have a feeling he's going to die, but I really like him. And his accent. He can stay. (Please, can he stay?)
Crissy: Gotta go with Katherine's "We all love Matt Donovan. Otherwise he would have been dead a long time ago." Were truer words ever spoken?
Leigh: Gotta be the end when Caroline was like ummm helllo, Stefan! Matt barely sent a clue from Nadia's phone. Caroline put it together when she and Stefan were talking about how "different" Elena was acting. Also, has nobody yet realized that Katherine didn't pass through Bonnie? Yes, she was still supernatural as a doppleganger!
Heather: Nadia and Katherine discussing Matt; I love when the writers use Katherine for meta moments like that.
Miranda: "Runaround" by Blues Traveler. Because duh, travelers. Plus they're running around a whole lot doing Dr. Maxfield's bidding. Then there's this: "Or a bad play where the heroes are right / And nobody thinks or expects too much" which is kind of what TVD is feeling like lately. The heroes are "right" because they're the heroes and we certainly can't expect a whole lot right now, what with scene recycling and all.
Crissy: Cher's "Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves." But sung in Czech.
Leigh: Something really annoying like that Tatu song "All the things she said." I was tortured during pledging with that song so that oughta do it. The traveler storyline is TORTURE.
Heather: They have a penchant for turning at doors in large groups, so probably a Christmas carol.
Miranda: Ugh. I'm conflicted. As a diehard Delena fan, I have to say, that kiss was pretty hot. I totally expected Stefan to go for it. Ultimately, he made the right call. Can you imagine how much crazier Katherine would get if Stefan slept with her (again)?
Crissy: I think he could've snuck in a little more making out before the "Oh no we can't..." with minimal additional guilt.
Leigh: Oh, noble Stefan. He made the right move because he realized something was off. After all of the history between him and Elena he knows that if he's gonna go for it, it has to be right. It can't be on a whim.
Heather: Well, I'll just be honest here and admit that if I were to go down with one TVD ship it would be Stefan and Katherine because of how horribly wrong and warped it all is. (Seriously. It's my favorite thing.) That being said, considering that alarms weren't going off for Stefan throughout that entire scene, I can't really support him being rewarded for being so dense.
Miranda: I'm sort of wondering if being bitten by a vampire-eating vampire doesn't somehow infect the bitee. Maybe he wants to see if Enzo will become a vampire-eater as well, in which case, both Kat-Lena and Stefan are in trouble and will somehow force Dr. Maxfield to fix them.
Crissy: What we all want with Enzo? Truly I have no clue. But as long as Enzo survives whatever strange torturous scheme Wes has in mind, and continues to hang around being cool-headed and handsome, I am happy.
Leigh: Maybe he can make the cure to Damon's ripper gene with Enzo? I'm not really sure on this one but Enzo was looking mighty tasty this week.
Heather: What do we all want with Enzo? But, in all seriousness, my best guess is that Enzo probably has some warped vampire biology happening due to all of the tests and experimentation he has endured, but to the Nth degree, seeing as he was imprisoned for so long. Honestly, all things considered, Enzo he held up remarkably well.
You're my brother. I'm not gonna give up on you. I never will.Stefan
Come on, Damon. You think I'm afraid of a Ripper? I invented the word.Stefan
You slept with the guy who killed my mom. What's a fair amount of time for me to get past that?Tyler
Young hybrid beats old vampire every time.Tyler
Caroline: You compelled him again?
Nadia: And they say blondes are dumb.
At the end of the day, she's still your mom and you love her.Nadia
Chang: Hey! Those guys in there told me that you're the one that died in a fire and you're a ghost!
Janitor: And you just believed 'em? You just believed a bunch of ghosts??
And you're going to pull a Dane Cook in one of those three movies he was in about Dane Cook getting laid by accident! Only, it's not a Dane Cook movie, Jeff, because this time, someone's watching.Professor Duncan
She's everything I love about America--bold, opinionated, just past her peak, and starting to realize that she has to settle.Professor Duncan
You're not the Marco Polo of bullying me. You're just another tourist taking pictures of a great big wall.Abed
Abed: If you were a post-apocalyptic survivor--
Professor Hickey: I would raise goats, hoard cinnamon, and only travel at night. But please--I have some work to do here.
I'm going to crash the premiere of the Kickpuncher reboot dressed as classic Kickpuncher. They shouldn't have redesigned that costume. Keep your heads in the sand if you want.Abed
Damon's spirals require a little more than an overnight bag.Katherine
Caroline: Good coffee. But I usually take mine with a little more awkward silence.
Tyler: Nice try. You don't take anything with silence.
As a man of science, I always considered magic a treat. Turns out, I cheat.Dr. Wes
Katherine: You two have been tucked away, canoodling?
Nadia: I don't even know what that means.
The bad news is that when this happened to Jesse we had to kill him, the good news is⦠well⦠there's normally good news.
You are not turning Damon's roosting chickens into a Stefan Salvatore guilt trip.
Miranda: Can't I have grilled cheese with Matt and scotch with Damon at the same time?
Crissy: I'd be too scared of ending up with a steak knife in my jugular to dine with Ms. Pierce, so I'm gonna go with scotch with Damon. Sorry, Matt.
Leigh: I love grilled cheese, but I gotta pick scotch with Damon. I totally wanna rip shots with him at the Mystic Grill.
Heather: Katherine is best appreciated from afar, so I'm gonna go with scotch with Damon because 1) scotch and 2) well, scotch. Sorry, Donovan.


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The Island Players present "Proof" by David Auburn!
March 13-29: Pier Village/Casino Theatre, St. Simons Island. This play tells the tale of Catherine, the daughter of Robert, a recently deceased mathematical genius and professor, and her struggle with mathematical genius and mental illness. March 13, 14, 20, 21, 28 at 8 p.m. Matinees: March 15, 22 and 29 at 3 p.m. (912) 638-0338 or theislandplayers.com.


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Norwegian Epic Cruise Review by joiedevivre: More pros than cons
Member Since 2008
104 Posts
Member Rating
Compare Prices on Norwegian Epic Transatlantic Cruises
More pros than cons
embarkation: Rome. easy. Watch bus does not pick up at normal shuttle stop.
Cabin: wonderful comfy beds. A little tight only one person can get ready at a time.
Service: Great! Everyone smiles, everyone says hello. All seem happy to have a job!!!
Food: Good especially breakfast choices.
Casino: Fun. Lots of penny machines
entertainment. Great! Did not like Cirque though(has to be your thing)
Went to Howl at the Moon and Fat Katz great entertainers. See you in Chicago Charlie.
Weather great except for 2 days.seas good. Captain great!!
Ports: great! why no Cannes next year? St. Thomas downtown yuck. Take a lesson from Cannes. Beautify the boardwalk add restos etc!!!!!!Fellow passengers. 600 Germans, 600 Brits, 1200 Americans plus other.
I have taken other transatlantics. I felt like the secret was out. Too many people. Especially at breakfast where I felt like there was a rush for my last More meal!!!!!!!!!!!!
Otherwise all great. Will try somthing quieter next year but glad I tried the Epic. Less
Published 11/12/12
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Cabin review: Norwegian Epic
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VANCOUVER — B.C. Liberal Leader Christy Clark is defending her government's election assertion of a balanced budget and with a debt-free B.C on the horizon.
On Vancouver radio today, Clark agreed that many people may be skeptical about the claim of a balanced budget, including NDP Leader Adrian Dix.
But she says the bond rating agencies, such as Moody's and Standard and Poor's, are behind her government's claims that the budget is balanced.
Clark says those agencies don't hand out excellent credit ratings based on what it sees in the media, but based on its assessments of what's in the budget.
The premier told listeners on CKNW radio that once B.C. starts to balance its budget, then the province will have a chance to become debt free.
Clark says the rating agencies expressed concern that the province could go back to the financial mess of the 1990's with a change of government and noted two agencies say their outlooks could be revised downward if tax-supported debt continues to rise.
The biggest sale of the year, on now! Find almost $4 million worth of items such as cars, trips, furniture, gift cards and more at discounts of up to 50% off. Don't miss out as savvy shoppers will move fast to take advantage of these deep discounts. Sale ends Wednesday, April 1, at 9 p.m. Like it? Buy it before its gone. Brought to you by The Vancouver Sun and The Province.


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Lost in Translation (2003)
Plot Summary
Bob Harris is an American film actor, far past his prime. He visits Tokyo to appear in commercials, and he meets Charlotte, the young wife of a visiting photographer. Bored and weary, Bob and Charlotte make ideal if improbable traveling companions. Charlotte is looking for "her place in life," and Bob is tolerating a mediocre stateside marriage. Both separately and together, they live the experience of the American in Tokyo. Bob and Charlotte suffer both confusion and hilarity due to the cultural and language differences between themselves and the Japanese. As the relationship between Bob and Charlotte deepens, they come to the realization that their visits to Japan, and one another, must soon end. Or must they?- Written by veloc <email@example.com>
He's doing a commercial, parlaying his fifteen minutes of movie stardom. She's just graduated from college, recently married, and tagged along with her husband, a photographer on assignment. He's married with children, but he's never home. She's supporting her husband, but has no idea what she wants to do with her own life. Both are searching for the meaning of their lives, looking at the situation from different points of view. A person's lifetime is filled with self examination. Why am I here? What am I doing? Is this as good as it gets? Bob and Charlotte find each other fulfilling certain needs. Charlotte needs Bob's attention and humor, and Bob needs someone he can talk to (Bob "talks" with his wife, but they are not really talking). Bob helps Charlotte by answering her questions regarding life and direction, while Charlotte helps Bob by reminding him how much he loves his children and his wife.- Written by firstname.lastname@example.com
Americans abroad, almost innocents. Charlotte, fresh out of Yale with a degree in philosophy, is in Tokyo with her husband, a photographer whose work takes him away that week. She's adrift, her soul on ice. Bob, mid-50s, a semi-retired movie star, is there to make $2 million doing a whisky ad. At home are a wife and young children, but he's jaded and melancholy. Both are jet-lagged, and Tokyo's culture and language push them further off kilter. When they meet in the hotel bar and spend their free time together for a few days, possibilities arise amidst the losses. Their friendship becomes an experience: does he have something to teach; can she reconnect him to life?- Written by <email@example.com>
A faded movie star and a neglected young woman form an unlikely bond after crossing paths in Tokyo.- Written by Anonymous and Brian McInnis
Bob, a 55 year old, looking bored, oblivious, is a still famous actor who comes to Tokyo to shoot a commercial for $2 million...See full synopsis » (Warning: contains spoilers!)


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Velvet dress by Dagmar. Crafted in a velvet and silk blend fabric. Featuring a small v-neckline, insert stripe design with chevron seams to the chest, sleeveless styling with cut-away shoulders, a fitted high waist, concealed side zip fastening, and a draped cowl back with a twisted chain detail. Designed with a mini cut length.ABOUT DAGMARFounded by sisters Kristina Tjäder, Karin Söderlind and Sofia Malm, young Swedish label Dagmar are renowned for their Art Deco inspired styles. This season sees Dagmar play with deconstruction, giving classic styles a contemporary twist. Expect statement, graphical shapes across a collection of rich knitwear, tailored coats and plush, velvet evening dresses. Offbeat detailing and sumptuous textures encapsulate feminine luxe. Color: emeraldgreen
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As one of the group in the reunion, Tsutomu almost seems like an outsider; jumpy and untrusting, he doesn't seem to fit in with his peers.
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gooseberry and currants
does anyone have any experience with these types of bushes? thanks.
I ate a lot of both growing up- enough for a lifetime... Both a small, easy to maintain, and fairly productive. Most people, in my experience, don't like to eat currants. They are quite sour and a few go a long way. Gooseberries are delicious, but the flavor doesn't lend itself to a lot of things. I can't see myself every planting any. I'd rather have some blueberries or raspberries.
I have grown both here in MD. We had currants growing at the house where I grew up (in CT) so I actually like eating them fresh - even though they are pretty tart. Currant jelly goes well with red meat (we canned and preserved everything when I was a kid). I planted gooseberries just to see what they're like, and they are pretty tasty.
I'm at a new house now, so can't give you any current (pun intended) info. I might plant some more some day.
if you're thinking of planting either, find a source (probably mail order - another poster mentioned Burnt Ridge Nursery) that sells newer, probably European varieties. they'll have better taste. Red Lake currants and Pixwell gooseberries are the old standards, and neither is very good.
thanks for the replies. I am planning to plant the black currants for drying, I have eaten the red currant and they are tart, but I want to grow them anyway, as well as the gooseberries. I also will do blueberries and raspberries. I have loads of space. thanks. again, any other suggestions would be appreciated.
I am planting both and have about 20 plants right now. They are shrubs that like cooler temperatures though. I'm in zone 6. My first plants were purchased at a local nursery and are pretty uninspired varieties, but they started producing last year. We eat them straight off the plant. I have since ordered many from Whitmans in OR which I recommend if you want to try your hand at them. I'm not real sure how they like zone 7, but I've been surprised by a lot of things!
Gooseberry plants develop a rounded form from their drooping branches, and can get from a few feet to about six feet tall, depending on the variety. They can self-propagate from stem tips that touch the ground and eventually form a thicket. The thorns most have make heavy leather pruning gloves advisable.
I have had Pixwell in my garden for years, as well as a couple of Japanese ones, but I don't get many berries. They always flower in the spring--I suspect the sparrows eat the flowers. I did some heavy pruning last year, and am wondering if any will produce this time.
They can make an effective, almost impenetrable hedge at the edge of your property; if you have an area you wish to discourage traffic through they can be as effective as some of the bush roses for that.


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Azalea Leaf Problem
I have a rapidly ramping up problem on a few of my azalea plants as seen in the uploaded photos. It so far has affected three out of thirty azaleas in the yard. All other azaleas look great. It is not a watering problem as all get watered in the same amounts at the same time. I would appreciate some help in identifying this as to what specific disease or insect problem I am dealing with and suggested treatment. Thanks in advance.
Fire blight is primarily a problem of apples, pears, quinces and a number of species in the roseacea family. I've never heard of it infecting any rhodoendron/azalea species. Further, fire blight makes the effected leaves look as if they had been torched. They are black, not the brown color seen in the photos.
There are, however, several fungal diseases which do effect azaleas and produce the damage shown in the photos. Your County Extension service or state agriculture department are the best places to give you more specific analysis and advice.
Curious jean001a whether the soil issue you mention is too much water retention and root rot? In my case, I was seeing wilting in two of my five new plants that i set into freshly relined holes ( topsoil with peat/humus mixed in to compensate for rocky clay subsoil around foundation) . At first i thought the plants were not being kept moist enough and the leaves wilting from lack of water. Top layer of soil was dry. However, despite daily watering, two of five plants have started to shutdown and I fear I will be pulling them in a week or two.
See pictures....


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Is this Britney Spears the Musician?
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