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How Sony and Suddenlink Ruined My Day
	Topic by: Battie Posted: October 21, 2008 - 2:17 AM PDT Last Reply: October 22, 2008 - 11:48 AM PDT

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author	topic: How Sony and Suddenlink Ruined My Day
Battie	post #1  on October 21, 2008 - 2:17 AM PDT   So I was anticipating the release of Little Big Planet today (the 21st). I was debating whether or not to have a few drinks with a friend a few hours ago, or just stay sober, harass WM employees to go get the game at about 4am and then drink...when I did some searching on the game (trying to figure out what features it had online). Well, come to find out that Sony recalled all games (worldwide) because a song featured on a level contained two partial quotes from the Koran. Apparently a Muslim gamer wrote to Sony whining about it (and given that the partial quotes aren't remotely used offensively in the song or game, I think this was just the gamer's way of being a dick to everyone). Sony, wanting as little scandal as possible, responded in the manner that neo-Liberalism has taught us. And ruined my day. As if that wasn't enough, my cable company is now throttling downloads. Now, when I say downloads, I don't mean torrents. I mean all downloads. I can't even download an mp3 from eMusic or Amazon without it being throttled. I thought, perhaps, it was an issue on my side...but extended speed tests show where my speed is normally. The moment I begin downloading a large file, however...All this means is that I'm going to have to spend the day arguing with them over the throttling. Eventually they might shuttle me to some level 3 tech (who will attempt to say the same thing - it's your computer, your modem, your router, your lines) before finally 'fixing it' mysteriously. After all, they don't admit to throttling. Then they'd actually have to put a disclaimer on their cheesy, horrible little commercials. I've been fighting with them since June over cable. They keep trying to sneak things past me (like I'm an idiot?). The last one was about two weeks ago...My bill was $10 more than it should've been. They added on a $10 charge for DVR that I was already paying for under a pro-rated plan (for the screw-up in June). I spent nearly an hour arguing with the guy about the extra $10. He kept saying, "No, your bill is $107 before taxes." Me: "No, my bill is $107 WITH taxes." He finally booted me to a supervisor when I refused to let it go. And it was corrected. "Taxes and fees" is the same line they tried to use on me in June. >:| I may switch to DSL if they don't fix it. I'm not paying $35/month for 140 Kb/s that is advertised as 800 Kb/s.
doozer	post #2  on October 21, 2008 - 7:39 AM PDT   Comcast tried to charge me for a box we don't even have. I told them that until they come over and count the boxes in my house and prove me wrong - they will get a payment for the same mount they always get - not including the mystery box - and go to hell.
hamano	post #3  on October 21, 2008 - 8:37 AM PDT   I don't have cable... I don't trust'em. I've had Verizon DSL for a few years now and they've been billing me like a phone company, no hassles, nothing fishy.
Catullus	post #4  on October 21, 2008 - 11:17 AM PDT   ok so the suddenlink part is annoying since anytime you have to deal with Customer Service you lose. that said who cares about the game? its a freaking game big deal lol. Im not just saying that because its LBP it could be any game ever and its still the same thing. if all it takes is a game delay to ruin your day you should probably re-evaluate things
underdog	post #5  on October 21, 2008 - 11:39 AM PDT   aren't you into games, too, catallus? you sound like someone who wants the kids to stay off his lawn, but you're too young for that. ;-)
doozer	post #6  on October 21, 2008 - 1:12 PM PDT   > On October 21, 2008 - 11:39 AM PDT underdog wrote: > --------------------------------- > aren't you into games, too, catallus? you sound like someone who wants the kids to stay off his lawn, but you're too young for that. ;-) > --------------------------------- I cannot WAIT to tell kids to stay off my lawn. On second thought, I'm going to lure them onto my lawn where I've dug and cleverly disguised deep dark holes. Though I think maybe his point is some people wish a game delay was their biggest problem.
doozer	post #7  on October 21, 2008 - 1:20 PM PDT   > On October 21, 2008 - 11:17 AM PDT Catullus wrote: > --------------------------------- > ok so the suddenlink part is annoying since anytime you have to deal with Customer Service you lose. > > --------------------------------- On the other hand, my banks customer service was AWESOME the other day. I wanted to straight up hug the guy, but chances are he works in the same building I do so the likelihood of it actually being feasible made it much less appealing.
Battie	post #8  on October 21, 2008 - 2:31 PM PDT   > On October 21, 2008 - 11:17 AM PDT Catullus wrote: > --------------------------------- > ok so the suddenlink part is annoying since anytime you have to deal with Customer Service you lose. > > that said who cares about the game? its a freaking game big deal lol. Im not just saying that because its LBP it could be any game ever and its still the same thing. > > if all it takes is a game delay to ruin your day you should probably re-evaluate things > --------------------------------- Cat, I've been anticipating the game for a few months now. It's like making plans to go out with friends, only to have them cancel the night before. It's very disappointing. And for such a stupid reason. >:|
Catullus	post #9  on October 21, 2008 - 2:40 PM PDT   yes im into games but I am also fairly patient... we are talking about a WEEKS delay underdog not months or years but 1 week... lol
Catullus	post #10  on October 21, 2008 - 3:04 PM PDT   > On October 21, 2008 - 1:12 PM PDT doozer wrote: > --------------------------------- > Though I think maybe his point is some people wish a game delay was their biggest problem. > --------------------------------- ^ THIS > On October 21, 2008 - 2:31 PM PDT Battie wrote: > --------------------------------- Cat, I've been anticipating the game for a few months now. It's like making plans to go out with friends, only to have them cancel the night before. It's very disappointing. And for such a stupid reason. >:| > --------------------------------- They just want to avoid a stupid controversy, much like the one in Resistance where they had a level based on a real life church where you killed some things in it and there was a stupid controversy and I believe they had to patch that out of the game. Im pretty sure they are just trying to remove any potential controversies out of the game, the irony is they created one by doing so this time. That said I agree with the move assuming they couldn't have taken care of this much more discretly and sooner. Honestly we live in a time with too much damn political correctness... Which is honestly bullS *stands on his soapbox* I think when people get offended by stupid **** they need to stfu and deal. Ok so they dont like the fact that "insert thing here" is in a game or movie or music... then how about they dont play, watch or listen to it and move on with their pathetic existance, dont pretend to be offended and demand fixes/changes. Its like the whole mass effect controversy on Fox News... none of those people play games so it doesn't affect them in the slightest. If they dont want their kids playing games great... power to them... doesn't mean they need to preach to anyone else about how its wrong, how they are offended etc etc. Which also leads back to celebrity quotes like Mel Gibson and Kosmo from Seinfeld... ok so they said some racist stuff that made them look like jerks... bfd, anyone who has a brain wouldn't care what someone they didn't know said after they were busted for Drunk Driving or While being heckled at a comedy club they werent even at. *jumps off soapbox* I think the problem is that I live in a world full of idiots who have screwed up priorities. But back on point... is sony wrong? No not at all because of said idiots they dont have a choice... better to remove possibly offensive content than to have people endlessly criticize you for it until they have some other minor thing to act outraged about.
underdog	post #11  on October 21, 2008 - 3:43 PM PDT   > On October 21, 2008 - 3:04 PM PDT Catullus wrote: > --------------------------------- > > On October 21, 2008 - 1:12 PM PDT doozer wrote: > > --------------------------------- > > Though I think maybe his point is some people wish a game delay was their biggest problem. > > --------------------------------- > > ^ THIS > Well, that's certainly true. I think we all as a race, as Americans, and individually have bigger issues to deal with these days. But still -- does one rant deserve another? ;-) Well, maybe, but I do understand the crying need for a distraction these days, too. Of course my g/f was very excited waiting for SPORE, had some trouble with the demo when that finally came out, and then when she played it the general reaction was... "meh." But it was still a fun, brief distraction.
doozer	post #12  on October 21, 2008 - 4:00 PM PDT   I was excited for a game, only to see it pushed back so many times it was about a year or so late....and it ended up being the worst game I ever played. Now I don't even pay attention to dates. When I see it, I see it and buy it or don't. I love gaming, but not enough to be eaten up by nothing. I think to sum up what Cattulus said...people allow themselves to be eaten up by nothing (items/events in games that are meaningless and don't even pertain to them), which delays something that somebody else wants and allows THEM to be eaten up by nothing. We're all eaten up by nothing. In the grand scheme of things, a song and a week delay are not even on the scale of the worst that could happen. On the other hand, times aren't so bad that we aren't allowed a tantrum over nothing here and there. Battie being upset about the delay - not a big deal. The people being upset enough to cause a game delay - too much time on their hands. Us for having this in depth discussion about it? Well.....>_> I worked at Gamestop back in the day, and people were coming in and buying GTA games for their 8 year old kids. There is a rating on the game, there is a description of the game on the box, and we were obligated to make them aware of said rating when they purchased it. Did that stop them from coming in a month later wondering why they couldn't get a full refund because us awful awful gamers subjected their kids to such violence? I wish. I wont stop people from ranting. If it keeps them from climbing a clocktower with a sniper rifle and picking me off on my way to work, I'll let them be. Pay attention to them however, well that's a completely different story isn't it.
Catullus	post #13  on October 21, 2008 - 4:01 PM PDT   Well I think unless I can find something else in the game to pretend to be offended over Battie will be playing the game on the 28th and all will be right with the world >_> lol
doozer	post #14  on October 21, 2008 - 4:02 PM PDT   Geez I minored in English, love History, and still spelled a historically famous Roman poets name wrong ;_;
Catullus	post #15  on October 21, 2008 - 4:02 PM PDT   > On October 21, 2008 - 4:00 PM PDT doozer wrote: > --------------------------------- > I was excited for a game, only to see it pushed back so many times it was about a year or so late....and it ended up being the worst game I ever played. > --------------------------------- what game?
doozer	post #16  on October 21, 2008 - 4:08 PM PDT   > On October 21, 2008 - 4:02 PM PDT Catullus wrote: > > --------------------------------- > > what game? > --------------------------------- If my memory serves, and it probably doesn't, it was Shadow Hearts: From the New World. That game was pure awfulness. I think I had a similarly frustrating delay with Shadow Hearts: Covenant, which I loved.
underdog	post #17  on October 21, 2008 - 4:50 PM PDT   Btw, speaking of video game rants... does anyone know if they're going to come out with anything new for the Wii Fit other than the get-old-fast Wii Fit disc that comes with the board? We want some new exercises!
doozer	post #18  on October 21, 2008 - 5:00 PM PDT   > On October 21, 2008 - 4:50 PM PDT underdog wrote: > --------------------------------- > Btw, speaking of video game rants... does anyone know if they're going to come out with anything new for the Wii Fit other than the get-old-fast Wii Fit disc that comes with the board? We want some new exercises! > > > --------------------------------- I didn't know they planned to release anymore games for the Wii Fit. I assumed Nintendo was going to do with the Wii Fit what they did with ever other cool little addition and make very few, unexciting games for it ie: the Super Scope and the Power Pad. Though Street Cop for the Power Pad was pretty badass.
underdog	post #19  on October 21, 2008 - 5:22 PM PDT   > On October 21, 2008 - 5:00 PM PDT doozer wrote: > --------------------------------- > I didn't know they planned to release anymore games for the Wii Fit. I assumed Nintendo was going to do with the Wii Fit what they did with ever other cool little addition and make very few, unexciting games for it ie: the Super Scope and the Power Pad. Though Street Cop for the Power Pad was pretty badass. > --------------------------------- sigh, yeah, I heard there was one new game for the Fit coming out but that's about it. I guess we're lucky there are at least some games for the Wii in general!
Catullus	post #20  on October 21, 2008 - 5:34 PM PDT   who cares there was only one good game for the superscope battleclash was awesome!!!! as for the wiifit idk but nintendo does have a lengthy track record of abandoning their peripherals. I dont really know how many possibilities there are with that kind of thing anyway. Honestly I never really was expecting much from the Wii and so far I haven't been disappointed :P Its selling well but its mostly gimmick games with little actual gameplay. Its not like its too big a surprise really considering the gamecube and n64 disasters... and its the same problem: no good 3rd party support Since its the cheapest console its definitely worth owning more so than the other mentioned consoles because of its unique controls however besides the main nintendo offerings its game line up is sparse in terms of quality.

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