MindTheGap76

I don't comment often, but wanted to chime in that I really enjoyed Tom Chick's contribution to the show. I wasn't familiar with him before, but I was really impressed.

It brought a different, more thoughtful style to a podcast that I tend to like more for its zaniness, so I can appreciate how some regular listeners might have been put off. But I thought it was a great change of pace, and I'd be happy to have him back on as a guest any time.

I just played through Episode 1. It lasted me a little less than three hours (I'd guess, I wasn't timing). You go through the introduction of being a boy, the first dungeon as an adult, and then do a single quest that opens up a roadblock. When you try to move on to the next town through the now-cleared blockade, it prompts you to purchase Episode 2, which costs $10 (800 points).

Also, no achievements. Every time you earn one, it prompts you to purchase Episode 2 to unlock it. So a glorified demo, but still, a welcome demo.

I'm not big into downloading full retail games—I like owning a disc if I'm paying more than twenty bucks. Anyone have any idea if my save game/unlocked achievements from this first episode will transfer over if I purchase the retail game?

I just played through Episode 1. It lasted me a little less than three hours (I'd guess, I wasn't timing). You go through the introduction of being a boy, the first dungeon as an adult, and then do a single quest that opens up a roadblock. When you try to move on to the next town through the now-cleared blockade, it prompts you to purchase Episode 2, which costs $10 (800 points).

Also, no achievements. Every time you earn one, it prompts you to purchase Episode 2 to unlock it. So a glorified demo, but still, a welcome demo.

I'm not big into downloading full retail games—I like owning a disc if I'm paying more than twenty bucks. Anyone have any idea if my save game/unlocked achievements from this first episode will transfer over if I purchase the retail game?

As others have suggested, obviously the money should go to Child's Play. That White House project mentioned in the post sounds like a total political waste.

It isn't a function of laziness; it is a desire to proceed smoothly from one exercise to another without having to break rhythm because of disc swapping.

How does this work mechanically? When I want to switch exercises, do I have to switch discs?

It is worth pointing out that unlike American prices, UK prices incorporate sales tax, which is going up to 17.5% on Jan 1 (from 15%). So the real change is from £35 (old price, old sales tax) to £47 (new price, new sales tax). Or from $57 to $77.

Given that lack of game support has been one of the top reasons for not switching to Mac for the past decade, I think the default assumption should be that a game does not work on a Mac unless it specifically advertises otherwise, not vice-versa.

I actually found Ben There, Dan That to be somewhat funnier than Time Gentlemen, Please. But don't take that as a knock on TGP—take that as motivation to go download the free BTDT as soon as possible. You'll soon realize that "slightly less funny" still means well worth five bucks.

I guess we'll see if gamers really are ready for an all-digital future. I think it is something that we'll regret when, 5-10 years from now, we can't go back and revisit old games because servers have been shut off.

It is something I don't mind risking for $10 XBLA-type projects that otherwise wouldn't exist. But I'm very nervous when $50-60 retail games are digital rental licenses rather than a product I physically own.

I hope this falls flat on its face, just like the draconian DRM on Red Alert 3 that EA wisely decided to reconsider.