This looks like a raspberry pi clock project, with a Mario theme - it’s not a terrible price if you don’t want to build it yourself (at least I think) - but I doubt you can customize like a self built one.
Also if you make your own you’ll probably get sued, so just don’t sell it I guess lol
I think in Sony’s case a reasonable alternative is to just refund, which is what they’re doing anyways. There’s no way a full refund would not be considered a true option, so I think the Concord side is a bit irrelevant to the primary issue of server owners shutting down servers for old games and keeping the money.
I like how unapologetically purple they are
Sounds like you’ve never worked on a game. All software is developed with some level of trial and error, and if you were really a software engineer you’d know that.
Games involve art design, sound design, systems design, and game design. Most software involves a single design philosophy trying to reach a specific objective. Software you can usually take a look at early and with caveats get an idea how it will work together. Games you can’t do that with so easily - that’s why there’s a specific term for it called a vertical slice.
You wouldn’t need a vertical slice if you could just look at any point of the game being developed and get an idea where it’s going.
This doesn’t even touch on the fact that you often can’t be sure if a design will work or will fall flat, software is generally less volatile than that.
Honestly, if you’re not able to see through the issues and understand the underlying vision at this time then take a break. Everyone who has put any money into it has seen something in there, but the state of the game wanes and waxes, just wait longer if this is still not the patch for you.
I don’t know if server meshing will be the magical fix, but personally I play this game maybe 6 weeks a year for a whole stint, but enough bugs that I need to take a break, and then finally jump back in when I’m ready.
It’s not healthy to allow yourself to death spiral in frustration, just don’t think about it for a good while, and then check in where it’s at then.
The game is in active development, and I can tell you as both a regular software developer, and a games developer - games are a completely different beast, and generally come together at the very last moment even on the best projects.
IW4x exists if you want to mod the original MW2 with dedicated servers, been meaning to try it for a while so can’t comment on its popularity
OpenFPGA on the Analogue Pocket is official.