http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/0 [...] index.html

BioShock, Half-Life 2: Episode 2, Crysis, Unreal Tournament 3, and any other game you can think of - they all must go from concept to code, then to your computer. But did you know that the developers and publishers have help from makers of your graphics card?

Sadly yes; These companies get ahold of titles they think we'll help push their product as well. Its a mutual agreement - and because of it you have seen the "Get in the Game" & "The way its meant to be played" campaigns...

it is a bit obvious from the huge NVIDIA or ATI adverts when you load up the game

Instead of trying to wow us with fancy graphics they should be trying to make good looking games that run well and are FUN. I'm really getting tired of waiting for game patches and gpu drivers these days. All the while, hardware co's are pushing for things like "director's cut" games that run at ridiculous resolutions, just so they have a market for their new SLI/Crossfire configs....

I got an even better idea.....they should get together with game developers and work those drivers. there is no reason for ever having texture flickering(no matter how little it happens) in games. hell half life 1 has it...never had it with cards and drivers of the day....

Hitman: blood money : When looking through the scope on some maps, dual textures flashing in front of one another.

GTA : VC missing textures in the distance.

Far Cry : some flashing from dual textures getting in each others way, its minimal but can take away from a game. this never existed with the cards when it was released.

City Of Heros : Massive texture flickering when flying in the sky box. its the damn games fault. but someone has to look at this.

Wolf ET : massive flicker on some user made maps. some cards do it some don't Its down to drivers here

Driver fix time....

Screw SLI! I want some of this!

This article proves that there is nothing good to write anymore. Booooring !

purrrrrrr..... purrrrrrr.... goood kitty.... yea, matrox... purrrr..... *stroke* purrrrrrrrr... matrox server farms......... purrrr....

You filthy, filthy man.

I think he's imagining what he wants to do to you... oh wait, I meant "with", yeah thats right....
(ironically my cat is standing on my keyboard as I'm typing)

What? NO!

• I want more content for the first (and often the only) version of the game, I want more value for my money. I want cheaper games. I don't need some rip-off version so I need to buy the damn game twice. I don't even like Director's Cut versions of movies. Why? Because that's the version they should be showing in the first place! If don't like what they do, hire someone else! And I want all games to be extensible with user-created content, one shouldn't need to overwrite the original content. But I want the game to come with enough content to begin with. No content = no money.
• I want originality, humor and imaginative ideas. If bean-counters, PR idiots, marketing goonies and apologists run the show, they need to be removed. You can never please everybody, trying to do so you end up displeasing everyone.
• I don't want advertisements or product placement. If I have to watch that crap, the game better be free.
• I want new tracks with new surroundings. I don't want EA-style re-use-all-sections-of-all-tracks-at-least-five-times-'cause-we-can't-be-bothered-to-create-completely-new-ones. Also, mirrored and backwards versions are a great bonus but they're not new tracks either.
• Shortcuts aren't much good, you end up guessing where they go or they give too big an edge so you end up using them all the time. Shortcuts and alternative routes need to be equal to the main track.
• I want less buggy games. I want updates that don't invalidate my savegames (FarCry).
• I want lower minimum requirements and less mandatory effects. I want games that I can still run at full speed, zero lag, zero skip with a 6+-yo computer with HW T&L and Win9x. That allows for some fast and easy LAN action with friends, and I don't have to spend all my money to buy new hardware for single player action either. That it would leave me more money to spend on games.
• I want full-game campaign coop modes for FPS - with savegame option. (H&D1 anyone?)
• I want computer drivers in driving games - even for multiplayer modes. (EA did it in NFS3 back in the day and it worked - not seen since. Maybe they're incompetent nowadays - like everybody else?) And I want realistic and heavy traffic with pedestrians and bikers.
• I want two-player network modes for games (driver-codriver for rally, pilot-radar/weapons officer for flight sims, etc.).
• I want driving games that do not require my car to be "customized" or "pimped up" (i.e. made look like crap) to advance.
• I want better gameplay. I want less scripted events - and less obvious scripted events. I want sane reactions and interaction. I want explanations to enemies appearing to sections of a level I've just cleared (like blocked doors blown open). And I want to place my explosives where I damn well please.
• I want the consolization to end. Computers have 102 keys and a mouse, a monitor that can handle bigger resolutions and a user-base that knows how to tweak the settings to get the best gaming experince. Use that to your advantage. The dumbed down three button user interface may work for consoles, but computer players demand more and better control - for all aspects of the game. Dumb it down for consoles if you have to, don't port console titles to computers.
• I want better AI. I want enemies that are not complete morons, I want enemies that do not deserve to get shot. I want enemies that aren't all expert snipers, I want enemies that can hit the barn walls from the inside. I want enemies that are hindered by the same obstacles I am. I don't want enemies to see me, when I'm flat on my belly amidst high grass in the middle of the night when they're a mile away, if I can only see 5 feet myself. And I want them to employ even some basic tactics.
• I want better level design. I want levels that allow alternative routes and provide for coordinated coop tactics. I want more randomization, I don't want to complete levels just because I can remember where all the enemies and objectives are located. I want enemies in realistically reachable environments. I want enough ammo to do the job if I'm supposed to be collecting it from the levels.
• I want better lighting. I don't want pitch black daytime shadows and all-white lighted sections. I want level design that does not allow or require me to abuse the far clipping plane to get enough contrast to actually see the enemy.
• I want Linux/BSD/OSX/whatever versions of the game on the same disc.

And, I want copy protections off the games, cause they annoy the hell out of me. I don't need rootkits and spyware screwing up my computer - regardless of their intentions. Especially when I've paid for the game. I don't want to have to have the disc in drive during gameplay, I have a hard drive to store the content for fast access. Discs get scratches.
If the protections come off after six months, fine. Then I'll buy the game after six months - if I'm still interested. So probably not. And the game will probably still want to install the damn thing.