Slashdot Mirror
Linux Games WIth Guns
ZaMoose writes: "Not to beat on the poor America's Army servers any further, but their sitrep for today featured the following interesting tidbit: "That's not all. We're also working on an in-game browser, linux port, and host of other features. Yes, we've been busy the past week!" (emphasis mine). For those not familiar with AA:Operations, it is a free (as in beer) first person shooter developed under the watchful eye of the US Army. It received mounds of praise at this year's E3 and was released to Windows users July 4th." Well, it says Linux server port, anyhow. And JD writes: "Apex Designs have announced that their GTA-style game Payback is coming to Linux. The port appears to already be fully playable as there is a status report here which includes some early screenshots.
(And their website doesn't require IE. :)"
Noone uses the Amiga :)
This currently is my biggest problem in building Linux systems for home users. Although I believe Linux has an excellent outlook for business and server type applications, the home market is a very big challenge. I'm interested in seeing what is going to happen with Xwine with this OpenGL situation. But only time will tell I guess.
what will happen when there is another Columbine and this game is blamed much like Doom was then?
A few months ago, I went through [most of] basic training at Ft. Benning, in a platoon with a bunch (as in, all but 3) of geeks, though not all of them were Linux geeks. I noticed a strange domination of Cisco yuppies with Novell skillz, harping on about Win2k. Plenty of UNIX programmers, though, which is what matters.
These geeks were in Ft. Benning (which normally only trains infantry) because Ft. Jackson (whom normally trains these sorts) was booked solid.
Thus, I'd like to say that not only is the Army hiring Slashdot-reading linux-using teenagers, but that they're recruiting them in droves.
And, yes, it -did- look like a Linux convention for the first week or so, but they were all looking and -acting- like soldiers within a couple of months. Even the former three-pack-a-day gamers were partaking in nonsensical pushup competitions, and the platoon was top in the company for fitness scores.
It was a strange transition to see, watching the flabby, pale, quiet Linux kids turn into hardcore rope-climbing, gun-toting freaks.
And in a few months, when those same kids are done training at Ft. Gordon and get shipped out to the front line as communications geeks, I'll be very glad to have them there, while I sit on my once-again flabby, civilian ass and read Slashdot.
Kid-proof tablet..
I think you missed the parent's point, sir. In effect, it is our fault. Or rather, America's fault. Had we not done what we had done during the cold war, most of these leaders would never have entered into power. Had we not been so eager to strike a blow against Communism, as we are now so eager to do against "terrorism," then most of the leaders who have opposed us these last few years would never have come to power. Furthermore, it's obvious that we are going to see the results of our current meddling five or ten years down the road, when Afghanistan, having killed it's current leader, will simply turn to the next zealot with a gun and a cause.
An interesting feature of the America's Army FPS game is that *both* sides play American troops.
The missions are set up so that you're either attacking or defending a base, and your team is always the Americans, and the other team always looks like terrorists. This creates an interesting unstated message to the game: American troops are exactly the same and have the same objectives as terrorists. I understand why the army doesn't want to encourage people roll-playing the axis of evil, but I'm not sure if this is the subtext they want to create either.
Of course it is a realistic portrayal of the way asymetrical warfare works. Everyone thinks they are fighting to defend freedom.
In Capitalist America, bank robs you!