DougM's recent activity

  2. Comment on Is high-fidelity audio a genuine product or unnecessary overkill? in ~tech

    DougM
    Link Parent
    That's exactly what I use with Qobuz. I will say, there are some hi-res songs that sound better to me - which of course is highly subjective - but it's likely the master rather than a quality...

    That's exactly what I use with Qobuz. I will say, there are some hi-res songs that sound better to me - which of course is highly subjective - but it's likely the master rather than a quality thing and I can really only tell if I'm critically listening. It's not enough for me to justify the price increase when I can get a CD off Discogs for $4 and just use their CD Quality on Qobuz.

    3 votes

  3. Comment on Is high-fidelity audio a genuine product or unnecessary overkill? in ~tech

    DougM
    Link
    For the vast majority of songs I listen to, I can't tell the difference. The jump up from MP3 is massive but its reaches a point where I just can't tell FOR MOST, once you get into the area of...

    For the vast majority of songs I listen to, I can't tell the difference. The jump up from MP3 is massive but its reaches a point where I just can't tell FOR MOST, once you get into the area of hi-fi audio. I use Qobuz on my stereo system as well as with a pair of 6xx's and Bottlehead Crack with the Speedball upgrade. There are tracks that absolutely sound "better" (which is really subjective), but that is most likely the master rather than audio quality.

    The only service I would say to absolutely avoid is Tidal.

    Also regarding MQA and Tidal:

    MQA is essentially snake-oil from a group looking to own the market and make a penny from every aspect of it.

    What I would say is, give it a try. If you can't hear the difference, then better for you as you can save money in the end. If you do, stick with a company such as Qobuz or Deezer.

    Also, be warned that the online ABX testing sites are pretty terrible and don't give you an accurate representation.

    4 votes

  4. Comment on Wikipedia is an MMORPG in ~games

  5. Comment on Higuain can write new legacy at Beckham's Inter Miami in ~sports

    DougM
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    It'll be interesting to see which version of Higuain shows up. Regardless, I think he can do some damage. The interesting thing here is that, next season, Inter will be able to to drop Matías...

    It'll be interesting to see which version of Higuain shows up. Regardless, I think he can do some damage. The interesting thing here is that, next season, Inter will be able to to drop Matías Pellegrini into one of the three new 22-and-under DP slots and target another star, should they choose to.

    EDIT: I was hoping he would have signed yesterday so we could maybe see him for ten minutes tonight in their match.

    1 vote

  7. Comment on The future of Risk of Rain 2 - Hopoo Games Dev Thoughts #18 in ~games

    DougM
    Link
    Just watched the trailer for it as it's coming to Stadia which is my only gaming system. I'm really excited for it, looks like a cool game. Does anyone know if it will be cross-play?

    Just watched the trailer for it as it's coming to Stadia which is my only gaming system. I'm really excited for it, looks like a cool game.

    Does anyone know if it will be cross-play?

    1 vote

  8. Comment on App Store review guidelines on streaming games in ~games

    DougM
    Link Parent
    This is an honest question, so please don't take it the wrong way. But do you understand what cloud gaming is? Nothing would have to be developed with Apple hardware in mind. That's not how it...

    I just see no market for an Apple cloud gaming platform. Small, easily digestible games are already playable on iOS locally and nobody who cares about the "core gaming" market buys Macs anyway, so none of the "core gaming" games are developed with Apple hardware in mind as anything but an afterthought. What would they do, run Crysis on a Windows box to stream to your Mac or iPad? That doesn't seem very Appley.

    This is an honest question, so please don't take it the wrong way. But do you understand what cloud gaming is?

    Nothing would have to be developed with Apple hardware in mind. That's not how it works. It would allow Mac, iPad, etc. users to play console games on their device through a streaming service akin to Netflix and Spotify. Every other major player is investing in it what makes you think Apple doesn't?

    What would they do, run Crysis on a Windows box to stream to your Mac or iPad? That doesn't seem very Appley.

    That isn't how it works.

    1 vote

  10. Comment on App Store review guidelines on streaming games in ~games

    DougM
    Link Parent

    Apple has filed a patent for a cloud gaming-type streaming service similar to Google Stadia, Xbox Game Pass, and PlayStation Now.

    The patent filed in February (2020) was first spotted by Patently Apple and published internationally on August 14. It’s called “Enabling Interactive Service for Cloud Rendering Gaming in 5G Systems.”

    Apple is currently getting ready to introduce 5G phones in October, so a move into cloud gaming with 5G would make sense.

    “One potential use case for network controlled interactive service in fifth-generation (5G) wireless communication networks is cloud rendering game. Cloud gaming, (also known as gaming on demand) is a type of online gaming that allows direct and on-demand video streaming of games onto different computing devices through the use of a thin client,” the patent states.

    4 votes

  11. Comment on App Store review guidelines on streaming games in ~games

    DougM
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    We are talking about cloud gaming through services such as Google Stadia, Microsoft xCloud, and Nvidias GFN. When you play these games, you are playing AAA titles - such as Red Dead Redemption 2,...

    It sounds like so long as their process for playing a new game is to take the user to the App Store page for the game

    We are talking about cloud gaming through services such as Google Stadia, Microsoft xCloud, and Nvidias GFN. When you play these games, you are playing AAA titles - such as Red Dead Redemption 2, The Division 2, Destiny, etc - through a streaming service. You are not downloading them, in the same sense that you do not download each show you watch on Netflix or song you play on Spotify.

    You wouldn't go into the store and download a separate app for each show or movie you watched.

    All apple has done is re-word the ban that allows them to point toward the developers and try to wash off the bad press that they have been getting.

    However, the media are seeing through it with the general consensus that they are likely planning their own service to try and own the market.

    At the end of the day, it's just Apple being Apple.

    2 votes

  12. Comment on App Store review guidelines on streaming games in ~games

    DougM
    Link Parent
    That is vastly different than the cloud gaming services such as Stadia and xCloud. Stadia and xCloud allow you to play console games in the cloud and what would be, on your iOS device. Currently...

    That is vastly different than the cloud gaming services such as Stadia and xCloud.

    Stadia and xCloud allow you to play console games in the cloud and what would be, on your iOS device. Currently you can play games akin to Red Dead Redemption 2, The Division 2, Destiny, etc on an Android device.

    Apple is likely going to follow the path of Google, Microsoft, and Nvidia and develop their own cloud gaming service.

    1 vote

  13. Comment on App Store review guidelines on streaming games in ~games

    DougM
    Link Parent
    This is a massive roadblock to getting cloud gaming on iOS and it's simply Apple trying to save face after a bunch of bad press. How long until Apple releases their own competitor?

    This is a massive roadblock to getting cloud gaming on iOS and it's simply Apple trying to save face after a bunch of bad press.

    How long until Apple releases their own competitor?

    1 vote

  14. Comment on App Store review guidelines on streaming games in ~games

    DougM
    Link Parent
    It won't be an option because all this does it make it more difficult for them to push their service to iOS. This isn't good news.

    It won't be an option because all this does it make it more difficult for them to push their service to iOS. This isn't good news.

    2 votes

  15. Comment on Braves beat the Marlins 29-9, scoring the most runs in a game since 2007 in ~sports

    DougM
    Link Parent
    I don't view it as an asterisk season at all. Players are still out there playing for contracts and spots and teams are navigating the challenges presented with a 60-game schedule. I view the...

    I don't view it as an asterisk season at all. Players are still out there playing for contracts and spots and teams are navigating the challenges presented with a 60-game schedule.

    I view the Astros championship as an asterisk season significantly more than I do this one.

    5 votes

  18. Comment on I want to get away from Reddit. However, I need help getting there in ~comp

    DougM
    Link Parent
    I took this approach as well and, after a while, realized how much I don't miss it.

    I took this approach as well and, after a while, realized how much I don't miss it.

    2 votes

  19. Comment on S3RL Absolutely Presents... (Happy Hardcore Mix) in ~music

    DougM
    Link
    I can't unsee that.

    I can't unsee that.

    1 vote

  20. Comment on Maybe we should talk about the weather in ~talk

    DougM
    Link Parent
    Wow, I love that. Thanks for sharing.

    Wow, I love that. Thanks for sharing.

    4 votes