while looking for a review for some gaming mouse I came across this largely unrelated forum, but it caught my eye because of the unusually inverted situation, and the absurd name of the thread

http://www.neoseeker.com/forums/49901/t1651676-unfair-advantage/

for those lazy to click the link

UserThatStartedSaidThread:

i'm playing black ops on my laptop.But im using a xbox 360 controller to play which i like very much but recently ive noticed my shots aent quite as quick as someone with a mouse

is there anyway to speed up how quick my control reacts?

 

and the thread is called "Unfair advantage". I was tempted to write the guy something along the lines of "You spelled 'voluntary disadvantage' in the thread name wrong", but was too lazy to make an account just because of that.

 

 There are so many sarcastic answers I can think of I don't even know where to begin...

Or we could start a thread about people who spend $100 on a "gaming mouse" because they think it somehow improves their performance in Counterstrike or whatever game they happen to be playing...

Neoseeker? Isn't that some ghetto where all the fucking computer n00bs go hang out doing their best to reenact pre-Eternal-September AOL?

ekolis:

Or we could start a thread about people who spend $100 on a "gaming mouse" because they think it somehow improves their performance in Counterstrike or whatever game they happen to be playing...

You can have my RAT5 when you pry it from my cold dead fingers!

ekolis:

Or we could start a thread about people who spend $100 on a "gaming mouse" because they think it somehow improves their performance in Counterstrike or whatever game they happen to be playing...

I used to know a guy who was a big FPS fan. Not being one myself, I learned from him that there are special glass mouse pads aimed at these players, to give them greater control and accuracy, and of course these cost quite a lot of money. He then went on to tell me that he found that a specific patterned glass cutting board for use in the kitchen, to be found in shops for €2 or so, worked just as well …

Gurth:

I used to know a guy who was a big FPS fan. Not being one myself, I learned from him that there are special glass mouse pads aimed at these players, to give them greater control and accuracy, and of course these cost quite a lot of money. He then went on to tell me that he found that a specific patterned glass cutting board for use in the kitchen, to be found in shops for €2 or so, worked just as well …

Not just for gamers! I'm using a glass mouse mat now at work (Icemat), they even bought it for me. They are just really nice to use, there is almost no friction when moving the mouse and due to the firmness they are very comfy against your wrist.

Certainly doesn't seem any more accurate than a cheap normal mat but it's worth it just for not having sore wrists at the end of the day.

 

I did try my MX518 against a glass chopping board I have at home once (frosted-look glass) and that doesn't work, the pointer kept creeping upwards with the mouse still. Guess you need to luck out with the right one.

 

Gurth:

glass cutting board for use in the kitchen

 

There's TRWTF. Glass is one of the worst materials to use as a cutting board. People might as well just smack their blades about with a sledgehammer and be done with it.

Lorne Kates:

Gurth:

glass cutting board for use in the kitchen

 

There's TRWTF. Glass is one of the worst materials to use as a cutting board. People might as well just smack their blades about with a sledgehammer and be done with it.

I had always assumed those glass cutting boards were for decoration.

Lorne Kates:

Glass is one of the worst materials to use as a cutting board

Why? I'm no engineer but A) it's very hard and shouldn't scratch even when knives are used on it B) as long as it's not allowed to bend it shouldn't shatter (flat cutting board on flat work surface = not bending) C) it's an easy surface to clean.

Exactly because of A. If the knife can't scratch it, that means the knife is the one that gives, knocking the edge off. Wood and plastic don't have this problem. Howeve, they start looking shitty, and need to be cleaned more carefully.

Sir Twist:

If the knife can't scratch it, that means the knife is the one that gives, knocking the edge off

Oh yeah I forgot most of you are from the year 2012 and don't have laser knives yet.

Cursorkeys:

I did try my MX518 against a glass chopping board I have at home once (frosted-look glass) and that doesn't work, the pointer kept creeping upwards with the mouse still. Guess you need to luck out with the right one.

I use my awesome spectacular amazing RAT5 on one of these cheap OfficeMax POSes: http://www.staples.com/American-Covers-HandStands-Memory-Foam-Mouse-Mat-Assorted/product_926581

Also I refuse to let this thread become about cutting boards when it could be about video games. Tribes: Ascend? Tribes is back, baby. That's some badass shit right there. Mechwarrior is coming back too, how awesome is that. It's basically like the gaming industry is going, "oh hey all those e-sports games we made in 1997 were pretty badass, let's bring them back!"

nexekho:

B) as long as it's not allowed to bend it shouldn't shatter (flat cutting board on flat work surface = not bending)

Glass cutting boards tend to have 'feet' on the corners, so they could bend:

Ironicly I use a wooden table for a mouse pad.  As far as glass cutting boards are concern, really depends on the quality of the glass.  Glass can scratch very easily, so it could lose some of its nice appeal.  IMO I prefer wood rather than plastic cutting boards, because of how bacteria behaves with them:

http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/faculty/docliver/Research/cuttingboard.htm

 

blakeyrat:

Also I refuse to let this thread become about cutting boards when it could be about video games.

A worthy cause, good sir.

I don't really care too much for the accuracy of my mouse - what really sells me on them is the unnecessary features they often have, "unnecessary" in this case being used as a synonym for "awesome". My last mouse had these little weights you could add/remove to adjust the mouse's handling as you desired. Recently, I shelled out for a Razer Naga because it has 12 extra thumb buttons on the side, and I can map actions there instead of stretching my left hand to reach the number keys for stuff. It's useful for all kinds of games - a full action bar in MMOa, items in DotA, miscellaneous actions in Tribes...

Anketam:

Ironicly I use a wooden table for a mouse pad.  As far as glass cutting boards are concern, really depends on the quality of the glass.  Glass can scratch very easily, so it could lose some of its nice appeal.  IMO I prefer wood rather than plastic cutting boards, because of how bacteria behaves with them:

http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/faculty/docliver/Research/cuttingboard.htm

+1 for the wooden table. Works just fine.

I like the flexible plastic cutting mats. I have a wooden board, but even then, I usually just put one of the plastic mats on it, especially when I'm cutting meat. Then I just run them through the dish washer. Generally, I just use the wooden board when I'm tenderizing meat, so I'm not pounding the mallet right into my counter top.

PJH:

Glass cutting boards tend to have 'feet' on the corners, so they could bend:

 

Glass that bends?

 

boomzilla:

Anketam:

Ironicly I use a wooden table for a mouse pad.

+1 for the wooden table. Works just fine.

 

It's cool that that works for you guys, but I don't like the frictional coefficient and scratchy sound of (faux) wood surfaces, and have always used a cloth pad.

 

dhromed:

PJH:

Glass cutting boards tend to have 'feet' on the corners, so they could bend:

 

Glass that bends?

 

Ok, 'flex' then.

blakeyrat:

Also I refuse to let this thread become about cutting boards when it could be about video games. Tribes: Ascend? Tribes is back, baby. That's some badass shit right there. Mechwarrior is coming back too, how awesome is that. It's basically like the gaming industry is going, "oh hey all those e-sports games we made in 1997 were pretty badass, let's bring them back!"

Mass Effect 3 anyone? The multiplayer is pretty damn fun. When did they sneak such a good third person shooter into my rpg???

PJH:

Ok, 'flex' then.

 

Just to be sure, we are talking about the actual hard glass silica substance, such as is used in windows, right? Or are those cutting boards made of a special glass-like substance?

Because glass does not bend.

dhromed:

PJH:

Ok, 'flex' then.

 

Just to be sure, we are talking about the actual hard glass silica substance, such as is used in windows, right? Or are those cutting boards made of a special glass-like substance?

Because glass does not bend.

Ok, 'flex' then.

dhromed:

boomzilla:

+1 for the wooden table. Works just fine.

It's cool that that works for you guys, but I don't like the frictional coefficient and scratchy sound of (faux) wood surfaces, and have always used a cloth pad.

Yeah, must be the table. The friction is fine, and I don't get a scratchy sound. At least, not that I can hear unless I put my head right next to the mouse. I like not using an actual pad, since it doesn't get in the way of moving my keyboard, notebook, drink around and vice versa.

I suppose that mostly I'm just glad that the optical mouse has made cleaning the gunk off of the roller ball a thing of the past.

boomzilla:

I suppose that mostly I'm just glad that the optical mouse has made cleaning the gunk off of the roller ball a thing of the past.

I always got a strange amount of fun/satisfaction doing that...

blakeyrat:

I use my awesome spectacular amazing RAT5 on one of these cheap OfficeMax POSes: http://www.staples.com/American-Covers-HandStands-Memory-Foam-Mouse-Mat-Assorted/product_926581

 

what the...? "Please enter the ZIP code where products will be delivered"? i ordered something? 

dhromed:

PJH:

Glass cutting boards tend to have 'feet' on the corners, so they could bend:

 

Glass that bends?

 

and it also flows, but extremely slowly, that's why old windows are thicker on the bottom == deform the image when looking through them

 

 

dhromed:

PJH:

Glass cutting boards tend to have 'feet' on the corners, so they could bend:

 

Glass that bends?

 

 Plexiglass

 

Peraninth:

Mass Effect 3 anyone? The multiplayer is pretty damn fun.

I haven't played Mass Effect 2 yet :-( I'll get around to it someday.

Peraninth:

When did they sneak such a good third person shooter into my rpg???

I find it interesting that other forms of media name their genres by content, but video games name their genres by mechanics. So we run into some confusion when describing a game like Mass Effect 3. "It's mostly a third-person shooter with cover and squad mechanics...but also some RPG elements...and then some moral decisions." Whereas if it was a movie we'd say "Sci-Fi action adventure" and be done with it.

SEMI-HYBRID code:

and it also flows, but extremely slowly, that's why old windows are thicker on the bottom

Unless that's just because they spun glass in plates and sensibly put the thicker end at the bottom.

blakeyrat:

Also I refuse to let this thread become about cutting boards when it could be about video games.

SEMI-HYBRID code:

and it also flows, but extremely slowly, that's why old windows are thicker on the bottom == deform the image when looking through them

Wrong. Stop spreading this strangely widely-believed misinformation.

Anybody who's actually owned an old house can tell you: 1) the windows are thicker on one end because of how they were manufactured at the time, and 2) it's a crapshoot whether the thick side is on the top or the bottom-- it just depends on whether the glazier cared or not.

lettucemode:

I haven't played Mass Effect 2 yet :-( I'll get around to it someday.

Mass Effect 2 was crap. Frankly I'm surprised anybody who's played ME2 would buy ME3.

blakeyrat:

Mass Effect 2 was crap. Frankly I'm surprised anybody who's played ME2 would buy ME3.

Hmm, and what exactly was crap about it?

Peraninth:

blakeyrat:

Mass Effect 2 was crap. Frankly I'm surprised anybody who's played ME2 would buy ME3.

Hmm, and what exactly was crap about it?

 

 All the glass in the spaceships flowed and bent. Fucking awful.

 

dhromed:

PJH:

Glass cutting boards tend to have 'feet' on the corners, so they could bend:

 

Glass that bends?

 

Err... or they have feet on the corners so that the piece of glass doesn't just slide around your countertop willy-nilly, scratching the surface to hell. Just keep my knives away from any glass cutting boards. You can use your knives on them all you want, especially if you like dull knives.

Peraninth:

Hmm, and what exactly was crap about it?

Previous threads.

I suppose Mass Effect 2 is acceptable if you never read any of the dialog, don't give a shit about your own character's motivations, and really, really, really love Miranda (puke). Basically, if you have zero neural activity, I wager you're a fan of Mass Effect 2.

dhromed:

glass does not bend.

That depends on its temperature. However, my thoughts are that it is not all that easy to use a mouse on a piece of glass that is hot enough that it has become flexible …

blakeyrat:

SEMI-HYBRID code:

and it also flows, but extremely slowly, that's why old windows are thicker on the bottom == deform the image when looking through them

Wrong. Stop spreading this strangely widely-believed misinformation.

Anybody who's actually owned an old house can tell you: 1) the windows are thicker on one end because of how they were manufactured at the time, and 2) it's a crapshoot whether the thick side is on the top or the bottom-- it just depends on whether the glazier cared or not.

I got the impression that he was being facetious.  However, that was because I thought he was talking about monitors, which on third read-through he wasn't.  So he may have been serious.

lettucemode:

what really sells me on them is the unnecessary features they often have, "unnecessary" in this case being used as a synonym for "awesome". ... Recently, I shelled out for a Razer Naga because it has 12 extra thumb buttons on the side, and I can map actions there instead of stretching my left hand to reach the number keys for stuff.

Ugh, I never liked those things, because of how badly companies fumble at carrying them out. Use our Special Driver Software (otherwise the buttons do nothing)! You can map them to any key on the keyboard (except Compose, F16, Win, Scroll Lock... and forget about mapping them to be "the fourth and fifth buttons on the mouse", because everyone knows they don't exist...)! You can map them to whole lists of keys (which aren't sensitive to context, which can result in mode errors)!

It would be absolutely amazing to have a mouse that had two (or more) extra buttons, and actually exposed them as extra buttons, so I can bind them to whatever the hell I want in game. Games support X1 and X2, so why do mouse manufacturers stubbornly refuse?

dhromed:

Glass that bends?

Certainly! Given sufficient time, all supercooled liquids bend. Some panes of glass that are literally hundreds of years old are measurably thicker the the bottom than at the top. But I know what you meant: not likely to be a problem in everyday use, no matter how slowly you use a knife. PS to blakeyrat: my house was built in about 1812, how old is the one you're referring to?

Cad Delworth:

Certainly! Given sufficient time, all supercooled liquids bend. Some panes of glass that are literally hundreds of years old are measurably thicker the the bottom than at the top.

Jesus fucking I WILL MURDER YOU ALL MURDER MURDER MURDER.

Look, you fucking prove to me that the 1812 glass was not thicker on the bottom when it was installed and I might let you go without MURDER MURDER MURDER. But, as is? MURDER MURDER MURDER!

Cad Delworth:

PS to blakeyrat: my house was built in about 1812, how old is the one you're referring to?

1904.

blakeyrat:

Cad Delworth:

Certainly! Given sufficient time, all supercooled liquids bend. Some panes of glass that are literally hundreds of years old are measurably thicker the the bottom than at the top.

Jesus fucking I WILL MURDER YOU ALL MURDER MURDER MURDER.

In the interest of keeping TDWTF's murder rate low, I encourage reading about the myth of glass as a supercooled liquid

blakeyrat:

I suppose Mass Effect 2 is acceptable if you never read any of the dialog, don't give a shit about your own character's motivations, and really, really, really love Miranda (puke). Basically, if you have zero neural activity, I wager you're a fan of Mass Effect 2.

 

That's a fairly accurate description of the games profitable target market.  In fact if you throw in the phrases "Maybe the aliens have boobs"  and "Blowed up REAL GOOD" you would have the original pitch used by Bioware.

 

 

blakeyrat:

Previous threads.

I suppose Mass Effect 2 is acceptable if you never read any of the dialog, don't give a shit about your own character's motivations, and really, really, really love Miranda (puke). Basically, if you have zero neural activity, I wager you're a fan of Mass Effect 2.

Please girlfriend, team Jacob all the way.  I love how with Blakey, if it doesn't work the way he wants it to, its dumb and shitty.  There is no gray scale.

DCRoss:

That's a fairly accurate description of the games profitable target market. In fact if you throw in the phrases "Maybe the aliens have boobs" and "Blowed up REAL GOOD" you would have the original pitch used by Bioware.

I dunno, I think they had some neat concepts to explore: http://www.popbioethics.com/2012/02/why-mass-effect-is-the-most-important-science-fiction-universe-of-our-generation/

Cad Delworth:

dhromed:

Glass that bends?

Certainly! Given sufficient time, all supercooled liquids bend.

 

Glass is not a supercooled liquid.

Cad Delworth:

Some panes of glass that are literally hundreds of years old are measurably thicker the the bottom than at the top

Much glass is far older than that and nothing's happened to it.

 

Peraninth:

I love how with Blakey, if it doesn't work the way he wants it to, its dumb and shitty. There is no gray scale.

The problem was that Mass Effect 1 was actually pretty damned good. I'm pissed that they ruined what could have been a great franchise. Oh wait a minute, what happened to Bioware inbetween ME1 and ME2 could it have been... EA!? (Anyway if you read the links I gave above, you'd know I do say the game has good bits-- they're just way too few and way to far-between.)

Same way I felt when Halo 3 came out, you guys built the amazing masterpiece of Halo 2, and this is what you follow it up with? Christ. I know it's all about $$$ but if you can't make a game even half as good as Halo 2 again, just save us all the disappointment and don't bother to "finish the fight", 'kay? Make a Oni sequel, that game was disappointing from the first 5 minutes.

Peraninth:

I dunno, I think they had some neat concepts to explore: http://www.popbioethics.com/2012/02/why-mass-effect-is-the-most-important-science-fiction-universe-of-our-generation/

You have got to be shitting me. Are you sure that domain name wasn't supposed to be theonion.com?

TwelveBaud:

lettucemode:

what really sells me on them is the unnecessary features they often have, "unnecessary" in this case being used as a synonym for "awesome". ... Recently, I shelled out for a Razer Naga because it has 12 extra thumb buttons on the side, and I can map actions there instead of stretching my left hand to reach the number keys for stuff.

Ugh, I never liked those things, because of how badly companies fumble at carrying them out. Use our Special Driver Software (otherwise the buttons do nothing)! You can map them to any key on the keyboard (except Compose, F16, Win, Scroll Lock... and forget about mapping them to be "the fourth and fifth buttons on the mouse", because everyone knows they don't exist...)! You can map them to whole lists of keys (which aren't sensitive to context, which can result in mode errors)!

It would be absolutely amazing to have a mouse that had two (or more) extra buttons, and actually exposed them as extra buttons, so I can bind them to whatever the hell I want in game. Games support X1 and X2, so why do mouse manufacturers stubbornly refuse?

I just keep mine bound to the Numpad, then bind in-game commands like melee attack or grenade throw to the numpad. I hardly use it anyway and there's definitely no way I'm reaching over there during gameplay.

blakeyrat:

I use my awesome spectacular amazing RAT5 on one of these cheap OfficeMax POSes

Do yourself a favour. I've got an extra one just for the office.

blakeyrat:

It's basically like the gaming industry is going, "oh hey all those e-sports games we made in 1997 were pretty badass, let's bring them back!"

If only they'd bring back games without maiming them. Syndicate is out and the idiots turned it into just another FPS. If Warhammer 40K can turn the squad command strategy game into a awesome experience, why can't these guys?

Also if they're going to bring something back it should be the good stuff like Magic Carpet, Terra Nova, Battlezone II and Outcast.

DOA:

Also if they're going to bring something back it should be the good stuff like Magic Carpet, Terra Nova, Battlezone II and Outcast.

 I'd love to see a well done re-make of X-COM.