@NoelVeiga: I don't think that anything you've just said sounds unreasonable. Thanks for a fun chat!

@IsabelZehaha: There are millions of people on Facebook playing X-ville games who give the lie to your statement that "quality is what matters to us consumers/gamers." As I said above, the proof is in the pudding.

@NoelVeiga: I think I am starting to see how your point of view has taken shape, and when put in context of a single company (i.e. Zynga, or in your example Activision), it makes more sense. I did originally misconstrue your original post as directed towards the social gaming order in general (despite the nominative…

@NoelVeiga: Are we making "blanket, senseless statements?" I may simply not have the self-awareness you have, but I'm willing to stand by what I say as what I'm pretty sure is actually going on.

@HumanAbyss: I think you're 100% right in money not being the be-all-end-all, and I don't want to sell myself as purporting that either.

@IsabelZehaha: Who said anything about quality? Why is "quality" the only thing that should be celebrated? Last time I checked, "success" is still a pretty viable metric. As the expression goes, the proof is in the pudding.

@NoelVeiga: I would disagree that game development is not harmed by money flowing into artistically sub-par games, though. The quantity of money in the system is not unlimited. If even a portion of the money going into those games is diverted from good games, then the industry and the audience have been harmed.

@Shinta: I had initially considered posting something along the lines of the "well they aren't trying to earn your respect," but in reflection you are probably correct, they are trying to do just that.

@NoelVeiga: Why is "financially successful" not worthy of praise in this context? I agree that many of these kinds of games are completely artistically bereft, but if a developer's goal is to make a successful money-making machine, then the achievement of that goal should be celebrated if in fact it is achieved. Game…

@NoelVeiga: It seems that there are a lot of complaints about the "business side" or "low-level reward structure" - yourself included! You cap off your post by comparing Zynga's ingenuity (i.e. their business use of reward structures) with scammers.

Pretty sure that's not a trombone. Best guess would be clarinet, although I wouldn't rule out oboe. Clarinet does the jazzy sort of feel much better, though.

Good for him. I don't care much for social gaming as Facebook and its ilk purvey it, but I have to respect the developers of those games for their efficiency and success. Too often, a tune is sung to the song of "Lots of people like it and I don't, so what's the deal with that?"

Just finished putting together some last touches on a replica of the Emperor's Throne Room. Glad to have gotten this done in a reasonable amount of time.

Betting the farm that the rattlesnake gets eaten by the hawk at the end. That is, if these kinds of guesses can even be made with the exposure to movies the internet provides (Is this already out yet somewhere? Obviously there are press screenings.).

@diasdiem: It is almost certain that synthetic diamonds would be used for this, given their higher thermal conductivity and (presumably?) greater availability:

@Ayepecks: Normal rereleases don't add anything to the quality of the film either, and unless the 3D conversion also includes destroying all the original prints of the film, neither does that.

@Ayepecks: I don't see why it's any different - functionally - choosing to make money off of a plain rerelease, or a 3D rerelease, or an IMAX rerelease.

@Ayepecks: You know what it does add to the experience? An extra chance to see these movies in theaters. I am all for that - I understand that it's not the case for everyone, but for many, Star Wars is our seminal sci-fi experience. I thought it was great when they came out with the special editions, not because of…

@ManchuCandidate: That's the one. I too came to the article looking for the golf clubs.

@NoelVeiga: I agree that applying behaviorism to higher-level processes is pretty reductionist - it's analyzing life by symptoms instead of causes.