RPGs did not "arrive" in Japan with The Black Onyx, that is just a popular myth. Here is an attempt to chronicle all of the JRPGs that came earlier:

http://blog.hardcoregaming101....

And for the people who don't remember it I've recently recorded a longplay where you can see the computer programming in action:

http://youtu.be/MpQhiYzGVdo

And here I was hoping they were talking about a PC that could transform into some kind of vehicle ... Oh well, maybe next time.

This guy is playing through all of the computer RPGs ever released in chronological order and gives them a critical, but fair review from a modern perspective in addition to interesting observations while he's playing them. He's currently at the end of 1988. It's definitely worth reading if you're interested in the history of CRPGs.

Must have been a SWAT team then.

My friend developed a game for the iPhone and has seen miniscule sales but lots of pirated copies being played. The problem seems to be that there is no way to find good apps on the App Store, popular apps rise to the top and it's impossible to find good stuff unless you know what you're looking for. He has decided to make it free for a week and already it has climbed higher in the charts, the only way to make money off this seems to be either to release it free with ads or get it in the top 50 where people will buy it even if it's crap.

His game is rather good btw, "seaglass" for those that want to check it out, free for one week only :)

I have seen Dr Strangelove, and Fail-Safe (the less comical version, arguably based on the same book). I think both of these films reinforce my point. The entire story revolves around the hours BEFORE detonation. To quote Dr S: "The whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost, if you keep it a secret!" The corollary being that the entire point of a Doomsday machine is its existence, not its use. Consider how the outcome of Dr Strangelove would have been different if one or both sides unwittingly launched duds. The ideal Doomsday machine is 100% credible and 0% effective... but that's pretty well impossible.

Of course, maybe that was your point, in which case: Whoosh! to me.

An american company grading British English tests? That's clearly a ploy to infiltrate the UK with American English!