Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Stocks

Hey, what's up? I haven't been updating in a while, but hey, no one has really checked this site have they? So anyways, I wanted you guys to see a stockbucket that I've worked on for quite some time, people have found it pretty useful in the past and its gotten a bit popular. So, if you haven't figured it out, here it is:
http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc300/mohamedzv2/Stocks/

The great part about it is that I have two subalbums. Other Stocks and Adults. Other Stocks was one I made because the stocks were getting put in random locations. Adults were stocks I thought shouldn't be with normal stocks.

~.Mo

Saturday, April 11, 2009

GIMP Paint Studio Translation

Well, recently I made a translation of GIMP Paint Studio's PDF (I'd highly recommend it for those who want to start painting with GIMP). So here's the translation I made. I don't like making PDFs at the moment, so you'll have to do with text. Fair warning, though, it's pretty long:

Good start! ;)
Let's go;)
INDEX Tools
INDEX OF TOOLS
Tools Paintbrush Tools
Graphite Pencil
2B Pencil
6B Pencil
Graphite Shadow
BIC Pen
Nice SketchingPen
Normal Brush
Detail Brush
Fast Block-Brush
Palette Knife
Block-Brush
Small-Block Brush
Oils-1 Small
Oils-1 Big
Small Soft Oils
Big Soft Oils
Dust
Normal Dust
Rough Dust
Cond Dust
Scratches
Rocks & Mountains
Texture Line
Leafs1
Foliage1
Scratch Noise
Dirty Spot
Clouds
Details Clouds
CoroBalls
Techno
Circle Chain
Glare (FX)
Glow Lights (FX)
Glow Dark (FX)
Light Beam
MITH Disc
Total: 38 Tools
Tools Airbrush Tools
Real Airbrush
Digital Airbrush
Block Airbrush
Glow Airbrush (FX)
Total: 4 Tools
Tools Eraser Tools
Soft Eraser
Hard Eraser
Round Eraser
Block Eraser
Total: 4 Tools
Ink Tools Tools
Doodles
Fine Sketch
Medium Sketch
Ink
Total: 4 Tools
Tools Smudge Tools
Note: these tools just blend the colors of the active layer.
Normal Smudge
Soft Smudge
Artistic Smudge
Jittered Smudge
Smudge Balls
Small-Balls Smudge
Wet Smudge
Total: 7 Tools
Tools Paintbrush Tool

Graphite Pencil
Semi-hard edge but with a fairly accurate outline for details. Be between a 2b and a pencil in quality of stroke. If we are experienced designers, this tool is sufficient to develop the pre-fit. It has the advantages of a pencil but not so hard. (Although raising and lowering the opacity a little size can be a hard pencil easily).

2B Pencil
It's like a real pencil 2b. Have a tip is not very hard, which is perfect for quick lace where there is not much detail and only a rough idea of looking for shapes and volumes. Is thought not to reach a pitch black, but gray.

Pencil 6B
Soft tip is ideal for shade but no details to draw (you can not make nice with the tabs). But as in real life, can increase the range of shade or make it more intense by drawing some key points of tap much contrast. It may seem a little greasy, or at least it seems to me when I use it but it is fun making more mess drawings XDD loose.

Graphite Shadow
Something that is often very useful in traditional painting is to apply shading to our quick sketches for catching the feeling of being a 3D object and we can work better lighting for our image. This tool was created for it in principle. Because spaces fill quickly with a gray fabric texture strokes.

BIC Pen
Who does not know the famous BIC pens? Well, I simply like the idea of having something in my image editing program. So is personal XD
It is useful to annotate images or just scribble a little. Self increases reaching a black rails is not too much like me drawing tablet.

Nice Sketching Pen
This tool is a mixture of pencil and ink. You do not have such a contour is defined as the ink is not as smooth as a pen. Personal preference I saw another artist and he seemed very pleasant to view the result. Hence the name. It can be used to make sketches, such as pencils.

Normal Brush
The classic of classics. The prehistory of digital art. The beginning of any CG artist. A simple circle as a brush tip and the pressure-sensitive opacity. The advantage is that it is VERY fast. As a parametric brush (not defined by a gray-scale displays, but by mathematical equations that define parameters) is very versatile. May be hard, soft, stiff, spacing, rotated ... but beware of its simplicity as there are artists who just brush this paint can truly wonders.

Detail Brush
This is the same as the Normal Brush but for details, so do not go into a detailed description. Nor is it necessary to see his side through a catch.

Fast Block-Brush
It is a variant of normal Brush but modified slightly so that some angular strokes. Sometimes a round tip was not the best option and a modified variant can save time.

Palette Knife
The spatula of oil applied to digital art. The images you see in many landscapes. And if you're lucky to have a Wacom Intuos can make it sensitive to the inclination. But I do not know how to react because I have not tried. I use it for large strokes, as masses of color but to vary (as in picture) passed deep feeling, buildings, rivers and so on. If any of you can check the inclination to send me an email and comment how is the experience XDDD.

Block-Brush
I based tool that uses the Church in its Rian DVD. Cool indeed and highly recommended. The good thing about this tool is that it is digital but it retains the feeling of the tradition. It's a little slow in very large sizes and could be better with more options but to support fast things go well. If you see it going slow increase spacing to 15-20. If it loses quality do not be in despair.

Small-Block Brush
Same as the tool Block-Brush but halfed in size. Won't go into details either.

SmallOils-1
Part of my training as an artist is quite traditional. So you will find many things like "oil, pencil .." such things as real. Simulates the touch of oil with contoured semi-hard but have a faint touch on the control of the pressure of the stylus. It is very slow if you increase the size, so it should not go.

Big Oils-1
The alternative double-Large Oils 1.

Small-Soft Oils
Oils is an alternative, but more gentle. Ideal for melting colors and paint on a classic. Like Oils-1, this is slow in very large sizes. It can be used for advanced stages of a color image where it is not large but specific details or brush areas, medium-small.

Dust
The era of purely digital ended long ago, today we like to see more images rich in contrasts and textures. To add this effect "Mater" is a series of tools that we want simply add powder. Can be understood as something when sprinkled Guache Blanco on an image to add texture and so on. Can simulate splashing water, blood, or simply create a quick way of detail. If we want to do more heavy effect that we just have to move to the next tool or reduce spacing to "condense" the dust.

Normal Dust
Just another type of dust a little larger to create different effects, adding texture to the image.

Rough Dust
Just another type of dust a little larger to create different effects, adding texture to the image. The effect here is more coarse looking more "serious" or small rocks. It is convenient to use with care as it can quickly fill the whole texture and lose the desired goal. If applied correctly, we can generate speckles on the skin very interesting very quickly.

Dust-Cord
Very condensed powder for very specific purposes. Is between the concept of "splash" and "paint". It's strange but useful in some cases.

Scratches
Based on the concept of David Vyle which I see your excellent work. One of the best creators of "Custom Brushes" which I know I learned a lot. Allows you to quickly add texture in specific areas. It can also be used for painting. Besides, it is quite fast. If it moves spacing> 4 the effect is lost.

Rocks & Mountains
David Vyle is again the source of inspiration. Moreover, the sample used is that used in your DVD. You can create great environments with this tool.

Texture-Line
Hmm, actually I did not for this tool but the result I found very interesting, so here you are. Creates a striped effect somewhat peculiar. Perhaps we give it a spectacular use.

Leaves 1
Another idea based on David Vyle. This time I decided to create my own shows for the tip for fun. Very useful if you want to do vegetation is highly addictive jaja. Then fill the screen with leaves XDD.

Foliage 1
This tool is useful for creating vegetation as well but without much detail. It creates a lot of texture in the stroke which is great for adding detail to rocks, wood, metal ...
If the use of blending modes with color overlay or hard light, you can get very interesting textured effects in animal skins, or rocks for instance. The default is set to green but I use it as is but works with any color.

Scratch Noise
This tool works very well for aging effects, for example, to create dirt or to add texture. Is slow because it uses a very large sample time but can give a very interesting result.

Dirty Spot
This exhibition is like a brush that has Sparth (actually use your sample but I can not remember where the draw) is great for an artistic touch. Quite unpredictable, but very interesting results for the structural diversity brings. Should not put large sizes. May serve to create masses of clouds or sky.

Clouds
If I have to explain this ... XDD. As its name suggests, it can be used to create all kinds of clouds. Sky clouds, dust, smoke. Uses the concept of "particle" of David Vyle but a sample created by me (no, don't think is very different)

Details Clouds
Basically the same as with the clouds but added that this particular entry in "Add." The reason is that it comes in handy to make fire and smoke. Try it out and understand better:).

CoroBalls
It's very special. Creates feeling of great detail with little effort. Useful to trees, or weird stuff. Rather weird stuff but I love it and that's why I added. This created a sample Elcoro.

Techno
Another tool for simulation of strange detail in this case technology. Interesting sample taken from Deviant Art. I do not remember who.
If you are the author please contact me. I will be glad to include your name.

Circle Chain
The concept of nested chain led to the creative field. It is a bit experimental effects and rare but cool?

Glare (FX)
This tool is parametric, which already shows that you can generate many different types of stars without changing the Brush. You can change the angle, number of points, spacing etc. with only a couple of clicks.

Glow Lights (FX)
Based on the concept of Rian Church to shade and create volume with only light. Very useful for all kinds of brightness and light effects. For best results use dark colors, but not totally saturated. This tool will shed light to the White total.

Glow Dark (FX)
Note that using the same color effect is produced in the complementary color.

Light Beam
To create laser effects and stuff that we do when we're bored. Besides that you can create points of light bulbs as a city, the lighthouse in the distance a car ... you know.

Disc Mithen
Do not be thinking that when I made this XDDD looking for mystical and technological purposes. Tell me if this is helpful. Data for panels, entrances to another dimension?

Airbrush Tools
Real Airbrush
Nothing much to say except that this tool uses an inverted pressure. The more pressure, the stroke will be smaller. Curius?

Digital Airbrush
The typical effect of Airbrush. It is not a tool of great mystery, but sorely missing, and unless you like airbrushing.

Block Airbrush
Strange experiment. Attempts to cast the concept of Block-Brush with an airbrush.

Glow Airbrush (FX)
Strange experiment. Attempts to cast the concept of GlowLights with an airbrush.

Eraser Tools

Soft Eraser
When we need to erase areas of an image smoothly.

Hard Eraser
Areas where we need to delete a picture so hard. This is useful when we cut effects.

Round Eraser
A rubber for details. It is neither hard nor soft.

Block Eraser
A very peculiar rubber. Based on the concept of Rian Church. "Wipe painting" Useful for creating clear effects.

Ink Tools
These tools rely on speed rather stroke.

Doodles
This tool is just that, something to scribble quick but a lot of ink. Is finding ways that we believe in the spots to start painting something and go off while the left hemisphere. As an exercise is highly recommended and it's fun. Then you can if you want to psychoanalyze.

Fine Sketch
This tool is more like a pen for scribbling but thinner.

Medium Sketch
This tool is the middle of the two previous

Ink
For various uses. You can create calligraphic effects.

Smudge Tools
Note: these tools only the fuse. Colors of the active layer.

Normal Smudge
This tool pulls the paint as usual. Is rapid and dependent on the spacing. It can be used in areas where the finish is very important but the colors mix well.

Soft Smudge
Soft, round tip is ideal for areas where the melt smooth finish is important, sensitive jobs such as: skin, gradations, cloth. That sort of thing.

Artistic Smudge
The term "Artistic" and think that you should do is something like a spatula, which carries a lot of color rather than melt. It's great for pictorial effects. The more powerful your stroke is the greatest tool in this notice. It can be used for: Funds, Jesus, fabrics with wrinkles. The best spacing is usually between 20-40. less digital and more would be very weird ... XD.

Jittered Smudge
Special areas where you want to add texture to the molten melt. Rocks, backgrounds and stuff.

Smudge Balls
It's amazing how simple it is and how useful is this tool. Going to make perfect fade in the clouds and masses of particles. In combination with clouds. Hey guy! You'll like it.

Small-Ball Smudge
The reduced-size version at half Ball Smudge.

Wet Smudge
Melts as if you are throwing water over. (You get the idea, but you will not see dynamic merger or anything like that XD). Create interesting effects for use with pencil or ink. Besides using it as a parametric brush tip is very versatile. But be careful if you modify some parametric brushes in Gimp, it automatically saves the changes in the tip of a brush. (if you have the Edit option in the preferences. Another day we talk about that).

I hope this has been helpful. A thanks to you, you have been helpful.
GPS v1.0

"Gimp is not Photoshop."
This is an idea that we should be very clear in mind the time to start working with the GIMP. If you are looking for a program like photoshop, GIMP is not. Sorry if you had that idea but let's face it. The GIMP is The GIMP and PS is PS and both have good things and bad things like any kind of software. And it does not go into such discussions, but rather we will focus on "functionality" (hey! Big word) that the end is what interests us. Needless to say, they share many things, basically standard digital imaging concepts such as layers, channels, selections, color adjustments, filters ...

TheGIMP is a very powerful program for Paint, retouch photos, and batch processes
Besides the PS has changed considerably in its CS4 which makes us think that the learning curve may overlap in users who learn from and take children 0 users. So I made some imaging software to learn, why not do it with one that is free software and we can distribute to those who want to leave without any problems? And also if I give everything ready and no longer as intimidating as it might seem at first? Hey! That would be great right? If you are interested, then read on because we started.

1 How to install G.P.S?

2 What exactly is GPS and that is it?

1 How to install G.P.S?
Must be installed on your computer The GIMP for everything to work correctly. If not, you can download it from their official website in the downloads.
http://www.gimp.org

Once installed we can continue with the process. If you have GIMP open, closures will be better than to follow the following steps. Within minutes, you are all set.

Step1.
Your display settings should be at least 1280 x 960 pixels to display all menus, but resolution will give more space. So it is not uncommon to end up working at 1600 x 1200 pixels, or even with 2 monitors.

Step 2.
Download the file server that contains everything you need. Ok?
To do this click. Here.

Step 3. Once downloaded the file, which really is in compressed RAR format.
Unzip the file to a folder eg Desktop.
If you open the folder you just created (GPS v1.0) you'll see something.
Well, you see 3 folders and 2 files right?

The first step 4.Find folder "brushes" and you see all the brushes you will have GPS. Interesting? Copy the contents of the folder inside the folder brushes and the brushes user of the route. In my case it is as shown in the following image.
C: \ Documents and Settings \ ramon \. Gimp-2.6 \ brushes

Step 5.Find the "palettes" of the GPS folder. Copy this file "mismuestras.aco.gpl" to the "palettes" of the road user. As before, in my case would be:
C: \ Documents and Settings \ ramon \. Gimp-2.6 \ palettes

Step 6.Find the "tool-options" in the GPS folder and copy all its contents inside the folder "tool-options" in the system folder. As before .. in my case seriously
C: \ Documents and Settings \ ramon \. Gimp-2.6 \ tool-options

Step 7.Copy file "toolrc," if you want to appear in the toolbox of the standard configuration tools for presets GPS (recommended).
"Beware! This changes the configuration of windows GIMP by default, but will have all the options at hand in a comfortable way.
Copy the file "sessionrc" if you want to initialize TheGIMP with the provision of windows created for GPS (recommended).

Step 8.Open Gimp.

Step 9.Go to Edit \ Preferences and inside the box looking for the next option.
Activate the 3 ticks of Appearance Appearance.
(optional but recommended). Once we had turned the toolbox as follows. It is more potent in this way because in the same area we have many more options.

Step 10. (Optional but recommended) to disable the options share options tools.

Step 11.Load the palette of color that we copied before in the following manner.
Select the tab "Dialogue Pallets and pallets searching available," mismuestras.aco. "Then select the 2nd tab" BG / FG dialog "
and you can select the color you need.
READY! The program is already configured to work with GPS.
But
Manage presets?
• READ THIS SECTION BEFORE ALL FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS
Once you have installed the presets and brushes is easy to select the tool you need. We look for the tool box of options usually located on the left side of the screen.
This is their appearance. We see that there are 4 icons at the bottom? That is all we need to handle basically presets.
• The first "save options to" serve us new tools to save or overwrite the already set up with different settings. (Which are marked at the time).
• The second "restore options from" is the most use. Is allowing us to access all of our tools pre.
• The third button "delete saved options" helps us to eliminate the presets. Care because there is no Undo command or ask if we are safe.
• The fourth button "reset to default values" helps us to reset factory settings will lose the stored presets so we must be careful.
1.Save options to
2.Restore options from
3.Delete saved options
4.Reset to default values

Select the brush tool and click the second button, which is called "Restore options ..."
will display the list of options that you see below.
If you do the same with the Erase tool, Airbrush. Ink smearing .... It also deployed preset selection panels.
That is the basic mechanism.

As a side note, be very careful not to select the 1st button by mistake instead of the 2nd button. You will delete the presets.
WOW! All these tools are already part of your GIMP! From here it is your personal choice with which tool to start painting.

2 What exactly is GPS?
Click this option if you are a brave are not made back a little text, so congratulations! and enjoys reading.

GPS is an idea born of the author's own need to create a set of tools to speed up repetitive tasks and not have to go adjust the settings for each tool after tool changes. (Believe me when I say that is very tired: S) GPS is an idea born of my experience with different environments. It aims to provide a base to provide a base to provide a base to provide a base to provide a base to provide a base to provide a base to provide a base to provide a base to provide a base to provide a base to provide a base to provide a base to provide a base to provide a basis to provide provide a basis for an adequate basis from the first moment, begin to paint and feel comfortable with the program GIMP. Later the user will change the environment based on your personal preferences and knowledge.

Change GIMP? You can do that? A resounding yes. GIMP is the most customizable there is nowadays. Take advantage of this capability.
GIMP comes with a default set of brushes rather limited but very representative of what we can do every kind of brush. (Especially the brush of green pepper. What are the developers thinking?) So, we have the default brushes parametric, lively, and normal. (In the help is very well explained so I enrollare with this, ok?) Are sufficient to meet our needs? Possibly ... NO
As developers of concepts or CG illustrators know that good tools do not make the artist but to facilitate and accelerate the creation of the necessary images.

That's why I thought of creating a set of tools for the illustrator who knows how to paint but did not even know GIMP to such a level as to make the proper tools. So you'll find many tools for different tasks. Painting tools and brush, erase the blur of airbrushing, ink ... enough to create any issues.

GPS aims to not only stay with the presets already created, but can exploit the capacity expansion program and learn from each other, so if you have a good environment can make "other GPS and hung in the public network so Creative Commons license.
I love to see how other users give another twist to this simple concept.

Acknowledgments
Let me conclude by thanking the support of those who have helped make this possible.
First, how could it be otherwise, thanks to the community that develops GIMP. Programmers, betatesters, BrainStormers, Graphic Designers, Investors, Managers ... and in particular:
Spencer Kimball and Peter Mattis the GIMP Development Team for their great work.
Thanks also to various individuals for their various contributions.
• Many thanks to David Vyle http://www.vyle-art.com/ their samples for "Rocks & Mountains, ideal for making land easily and quickly. I used his idea to add it because I found very useful. It also shows their technological aspect of the brush used to "structure" and his idea of particle presets for "Clouds." My respect and admiration for his work.
• Thanks to Elcoro http://www.coro36ink.com/ by some of the samples used for tools such as the presets CoroBalls or "foliage1"
• Various points made in Deviant Art Brush http://www.deviantart.com
Thank you very much to the members of this great community for the incredible amount of resources it offers. Without them part of this project was not feasible. Brushes:
WFLU http://wflu.deviantart.com/art/GIMP-ani ... n-31853987 Iceytina http://iceytina.deviantart.com/gallery/ # GIMP-Brushes's Prowler GBP Presets For oleoElmerucr (incredible pencils) http://elmerucr.deviantart.com/art/Real ... P-57810771 Filsd http://dilly.carbonmade.com/ for some animated brushes. Great contribution because I learned to do my own animated brushes.
• Thanks to Sparth http://www.sparth.com/ the sample used for the preset "dirtySparth. I admire your work so much technical (Brushes) as art.
• Thanks to Griatch http://griatch-art.deviantart.com/ for animated brushes "Rake." From there I went to a link to a very useful script. It has also a very good tutorial on introduction to GIMP.
beginning-with-gimp-starting-tutorial-for-new-users-t34772.html
• Thanks to http://libella.deviantart.com/art/liba05-27372172 Liba; http://libella.deviantart.com/art/libs05-27372808 for your brushes and your brushes Liba05 colors.
• Thanks to Alvaro for being my best betatester and hold your laptop in the various tests.
• Thanks to Frankitu http://www.theguybrush.com to encourage not leave the project halfway and help with the layout and distribution via the Web. Also for giving me part of your hosting space.
• Thanks to JesusDA http://www.jesusda.com/ their minds, having a blog about free software as good, and for helping to distribute the Web for free.
Thanks to anyone that I have been able to pass. Apologies in advance. Notifícamelo if desired and gratefully recognize your work.
Last impressions
I hope you enjoy both GPS and as I did when I was creating. Have been several months of hard study and comprehensive development, but finally, I have contributed my bit to TheGIMP more and yet we know it is easier to enjoy painting with a start not so hard.
And you know, you can copy, distribute and make new versions to your liking. I just need somewhere to be named as originator of the concept and get a link to my blog.
A greeting for the entire global art community. For any questions or suggestions can be found at:
e-mail: mirandagraphic@gmail.com
Blog: http://ramonmirandavisualart.blogspot.com
Web: http://shock.scenesp.org
GIMP is free software; you can redistribute it and or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
GIMP is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with GIMP; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
End of Document 1/02/2009
Ramon Miranda aka TheShock

Still In Theory?

Hey guys. This is my second blog post. Anyways, for anyone why may have wondered into this blog, you must be wondering how or why I came up with this name. It's something that I believe really does capture what I do and what my character is.

Still In Theory
The name really spawns from my knowledge of technology. Everything that I do or say, is still in theory. I myself don't have a computer of my own, so I use my family members' computers. This really does cause some problems. Main ones being, I can't install software without permission. So while I did have Ubuntu Linux installed, I lost my internet chord so I couldn't download nsdiswrapper. I had registered on the Ubuntuforums, though, so I did hang around there, as I still do. While I hung around there, I started learning more and more about Linux, understanding more about it, getting more interested in FOSS (Free Open Source Software). I did have some friends who used Linux however, and whenever they asked me something about what I did or if I could do something in Linux, I could, in theory, do it.

Along with this, I started learning C++. One of my friends had also been learning C++, and he was learning PHP at the time as well. So every few days he would ask me if I could do something, like, let's say, make a program that can create a response for the user if the user wrote a specific number in. At the time, I didn't have a compiler (and I still don't) but I did know how to code it (regardless, I forgot most of what I knew about C++). So I would aways reply, yes, though I would never know the bugs in the program if I tried to code it.

So, that's the dissappointing story about why Still In Theory is the name of this blog. Yes, I realize you probably just wasted a few minutes of your life. For that, I am sorry.

Sincerely,
.Mo

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Flash Server? Costs?

Recently, I was in a conversation with Sentharn (Nartashi) from the BattleOn forums. He has his own server, so, in order to understand if Artix Entertainments was paying unnecessary costs, I asked him about his server and about their servers. In this conversion, this was his explanation for their payments of $2000 monthly per server.

[Sen]"Mo, my 'server' is just a computer I took the extra hard ware out of and set it next to my desktop tower. I could take a picture of the simplified hardware if you want. But it's just an old Dell tower case. Theoretically, I *could*, but it'd be real pointless on dialup."

[Me]I'm asking because I'm almost sure that AE is paying unneccessary amount of money

[Sen]"Hehehe, Mo, no they're not. Let's take AQ as an example. Let's assume each scene is roughly 300KB--probably more, but that's my guess. Now assume five players are playing per minute. That's 1.5MB of bandwidth per minute, not to mention five players downloading files, authenticating, etc. That's probably an underestimation, but whatever. Now, you probably know how often the scenes change. Five scene changes/battles, and that could theoretically be 1MB per player.

So we have 5MB in 5 minutes for just five players. (Really gross underestimation) Also, although you might think of servers as not needing much hardware--you get several dozen or more simultanious connections per minute, you *need* as much memory and CPU as you can get. Also, take into account that they probably have to store many GB--possibly more than a TB or two--of data, and they probably do it on a secondary server at the least. There's power into consideration too, as in electrical power.

And think of AQW, where data is not only being downloaded, but uploaded at the same time, tracked by the servers, and re-sent to each client. That takes CPU and RAM space, lots of it. And you can't host that on your home DSL line. That takes pipes, big pipes, probably 100MBit pipes, and the only real place to find that is with rackmounted servers in a datacenter--there's more cost right there, the cost of personell in the data center, HVAC, etc...

But even with all that, the main problem is really bandwidth. Sorry about the long-windedness, but there's no way, say, my Pentium 4 server--2.0GHZ single core, 1GB RAM--could be used for anything but a small-mediumish website with medium-low traffic, even if I had a decent connection. Although it would make a *great* IRC server..."

This was all on IRC. So I hoped you at least learned something. This is why servers cost as much as they do, especially on huge flash games that are constantly updated.

Sincerely,
.Mo