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America's Army - Special Forces Released

Thanks to the official site for news of the release of PC FPS/recruitment tool, America's Army - Special Forces, with download locations for the Windows client listed by Blue's News, as this "...latest release in the [freely downloadable] America's Army game series focuses on the critical, specialized role of the Army's Special Forces within the U.S. Army as they fight the Global War on Terrorism." GameSpot has a press release revealing the new missions include "...a Combat Search And Rescue (CSAR) of a downed helicopter pilot, the rescue of a wounded Resistance leader from a hospital in an urban area, a nighttime reconnaissance mission to identify enemy aviation." Previous Slashdot articles have revealed the apparent success of the game in recruiting young people to the Army.

76 comments

  1. 1 question... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Does the enemy use RPGs and roadside IEDs?

  2. Re:Let's pray.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    this was not a troll. it was a legitimate response to the parent comment.

  3. Seems fair to me by Nonki · · Score: 1, Funny

    Iraq gets $86 Billion dollars, we get a video game. This administration is a riot! i love it

    "The ambassador and the general were briefing me on the-the vast majority of Iraqis want to live in a peaceful, free world. And we will find these people and we will bring them to justice." -G.W. Bush

    1. Re:Seems fair to me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well North Dakota is getting $79 Billion in farm appropriations.
      Seems like a few billion dollars more for a whole country to get rebuilt is the least we can do.
      Until they get all pissy and adolescent like the French.

    2. Re:Seems fair to me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      i would be fine if he didnt want to think for me. he wants me to bend to his desires. he wants me to do things his way. i want to be left to do whatever i want in the confines of my home, he wants to regulate me, and kill my euthanasia wife, and take away my rifles, and he likes to shit on the system that keeps me safe at night!

      he is a murdering hypocrit and he is coming for me!

      you are a murderer coming for me and my children. i'll save your body if you attack me for JIMMY DEAN HOMESTYLE SAUSAGES!

    3. Re:Seems fair to me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      hmm.. I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry.. you've got some issues, buddy -- and I say that in the gentlest way possible.. maybe you better see someone about your apparent paranoia problem..

      try not to interpret all statements (especially those made on the web) as a direct attack to yourself -- ever watch "An American President"? -- it's a chick-flick but that speech at the end about tolerance to other's ideas being a core tenet of American (or any advanced) society is VERY stirring and, I think, applies quite well here......

    4. Re:Seems fair to me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You fucking illustrate life metaphors with MOVIES and Television shows? A way of producing REVENUE by ENTERTAINING people?

      Yes, movies are so fucking great and there is a movie that doles out adages and mores for how we should live. Yes, the Hollywood Elite is a perfect model for human behavior and civilization.

      Are you fucking nuts? You have a screw loose, you fucking nut.

  4. Resistance leaders who then bomb your cities! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    the rescue of a wounded Resistance leader from a hospital in an urban area,

    And 20 years later, the Resistance leader pays you back by bombing the World Trade Center.

    The other Resistance Leader becomes the Iraqi President.

    And Donald Rumsfeld gets all the power he wants.

  5. Bittorrent link by c.r.o.c.o · · Score: 3, Informative

    Since all the ftp servers are probably overloaded right now, here's the bittorrent link. I'm getting about 30kbps up/down, so it's not too bad.

    http://www.3dgamers.com/dlexit/torrent/games/ame ri casarmy/armyops200.exe.html

    1. Re:Bittorrent link by NSash · · Score: 1

      Any bittorrent link to the mac version?

    2. Re:Bittorrent link by woobieman29 · · Score: 2, Informative

      The Mac and (unfortunately for me) Linux versions are not available yet. Release of these ports is "To Be Announced"... :-(

      --
      \/\/oobie
  6. FPS or FUD? by cgranade · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Well, this is interesting. Now instead of hearing FUD about our rightous War On Terror, they get to participate in the FUD! How appropiate that such an incredible fiction makes its way as a video game...

    --

    #define DRM chmod 000

    1. Re:FPS or FUD? by BrookHarty · · Score: 2, Informative

      No where in this game that makes political statements. Its all defend or attack based roles. It doesnt just include sand missions, but snow, mountains and camps. I dont think you played it, or you would know this game has nothing to do with the war on Terror, or the war in Iraq.

      BTW, as a combat sims goes, its pretty good. Team based, and honor rating. Uses the latest Unreal200x engine, in fact was the first game out to use the engine. Give it a try, you wont see any the political FUD you think. Sitting through the medial training was boring, but helps out in the game.

      If you want FUD, cheesy game out this summer, Cave Fighter or something, where you did fight in Afghanistan. But the game was so horrible visually, and game play, it was in 4.99 bin the 2nd month out.
      It was so bad, I can't even remember the name.

    2. Re:FPS or FUD? by addaon · · Score: 1

      "Killing is justifiable" is a pretty strong political statement. It may be a commonly held one (what part of "thou shall not kill" don't radical christians understand?), but that does not diminish the fact that it is a polarizing, non-universal, politcal view.

      --

      I've had this sig for three days.
    3. Re:FPS or FUD? by BrookHarty · · Score: 1

      Dont look at it as "Killing is justifiable" but as defending and protecting. While the US might be selective at both, this game is not about politics, its about tactics and teamwork. Like most military training, they train you to do a task, follow orders, not give you the poltical ramifications on peoples religion and the orbit of the moon.

      Sometimes a sim is a sim, a game a game. GTA3 wasnt a training aid to kill police, Americas Army isnt a brain washing tool with a political agenda. We have CNN/Fox news for that.

    4. Re:FPS or FUD? by benna · · Score: 1

      So what do you suppose it IS for if its not for propoganda purposes? Why would they spend money just to make a game? It may be just for recruiting but thats propogranda to really.

      --
      "It is not how things are in the world that is mystical, but that it exists." -Ludwig Wittgenstein
  7. That's great and all by ArmorFiend · · Score: 2, Interesting

    that they've posted windows download locations, but what about the other platforms? I seem to recal this being an all-platforms release. You might think that you could find some info here, but then you'd be wrong.

    (or maybe all those flash ads I supporessed give some info?)

    1. Re:That's great and all by Time+Doctor · · Score: 1

      From the america's army site:
      Please note: this release includes only the Windows client version. Mac client, Linux client, and Linux server will be released at a later time.

      --
      Check out ioquake3.org for a great, free, First-Person Shooter engine!
    2. Re:That's great and all by simoniker · · Score: 1

      Not enough room in the story to clarify it, but the first link says:

      "Please note: this release includes only the Windows client version. Mac client, Linux client, and Linux server will be released at a later time."

      Doh.

    3. Re:That's great and all by 77Punker · · Score: 0

      Those weren't ads, merely a browser plugin bug. icculus is responsible for Mac and Linux releases. He's usually lagging behind about a month, but he makes good ports.

  8. Fight on Terror? by igny · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I would prefer Air Force's simulators. I really want to feel how F16 or F117 fighter feels like... Some people might like Navy's... When will NASA start popularizing themselves with free simulators?

    --
    In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. - Yogi Berra
    1. Re:Fight on Terror? by Bluesman · · Score: 2, Funny

      The Navy one would be awesome. You could stand on the bridge of an aircraft carrier for hours and drink coffee.

      Or paint the ship in an exciting maintenance mission.

      --
      If moderation could change anything, it would be illegal.
  9. Recruiting tool or mission analyzer? by Baron_Yam · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It seems to me that building a mission and having thousands of real people have a go at finishing it would be a great simulator for planning a REAL mission. But hey, that's just me.

    1. Re:Recruiting tool or mission analyzer? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
      [voice #1]... Sir, we're at location Delta. Visual contact has been made with the enemy. Repeat, visual contact has been made. Over.

      [voice #2]... Franks, you take Biggs and Henderson and approach from position 9-Bravo-7. Adams, you run in a circle and fire randomly at nearby foliage. Smith is to make a direct attack with his Bowie knife on the enemy position, and Murphy is assigned to block the teams access to equipment. GO GO GO!

    2. Re:Recruiting tool or mission analyzer? by chrismcdirty · · Score: 1

      I think you're getting AA confused with CS. Well... the Bowie knife part at least. They still have people that run in circles and fire at foliage.

      --
      It's like sex, except I'm having it!
    3. Re:Recruiting tool or mission analyzer? by DarkZero · · Score: 1

      It seems to me that building a mission and having thousands of real people have a go at finishing it would be a great simulator for planning a REAL mission. But hey, that's just me.

      I wasn't aware that the US military had developed the sort of instant reincarnation technology that would allow a real soldier playing out the role of [St0n3d]N00B1N4T0R(3618) to realistically enact the brilliant strategy of spawning, running up to the base, killing two guys, dying, respawning, and then repeating the strategy for thirty-odd minutes until someone runs in at the right moment and caps the enemy flag. Those boys at DARPA are amazing. I mean, what's next? Alaska's first mobile nuclear weapons deployment dinosaur? Or maybe using mid-respawn soldiers from the jungle maps as acrobatic masochist corpse-ninjas?

      Nah. Knowing them, they'll just waste time turning George Bush into Dr. Octopus.

    4. Re:Recruiting tool or mission analyzer? by darkmayo · · Score: 3, Informative

      From what I recall you don;t respawn in America's Army.. you die.. your dead until that round is over. So you don't want to die because its boring as hell.

      You should play the game first before making a witty reply.

      --
      "I am a kernel in the linux army"
  10. Draft by Michael.Forman · · Score: 2, Informative


    Unlike reality, at least they're not thinking of randomly forcing people to play the game.

    Michael

    --
    Linux : Mac :: VW : Mercedes
  11. Bit Torrent Link for AA 1.9 to 2.0 Upgrade by AIX-Hood · · Score: 2, Informative

    Bit Torrent link for the 1.9 to 2.0 Upgrade. You need to have 1.9 already for this 223 meg upgrade to work. Filerush'll have the full one up in a bit. http://www.filerush.com/torrents/aao_patch_190to20 0.exe.torrent

  12. More recruiting games! by L33tMafia187 · · Score: 1

    NASA should get in on this idea
    I'd love to see space simulators
    Gosh, the FBI/CIA too -- think Counter-Strike
    Great games that help recruit
    Extra advertising for them,
    Really sweet games for us!

    everyone wins!

    1. Re:More recruiting games! by sirvulcan · · Score: 1

      NASA should get in on this idea
      I'd love to see space simulators


      http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=84975&cid=7414 006

  13. This is so fucked up by drix · · Score: 2, Insightful

    What an ingenious way to snooker thousands of unsuspecting children into signing their lives away to a life of killing. If the KKK, Michigan Militia, or some other militant fringe-group released recruiting software (I think I remember a Tom Clancy book about that), we'd all be watching day 27 of the standoff live on CNN right now. Yet when it's done by the Army, even better with your money, everyone says it's a wonderful recruiting idea. When Mortal Kombat splattered gallons of cartoonish blood on the screen, the very same politicans who are complicit in the development of this game called for that one's censorship. Yet the government itself releases a game that's infinitely more realistic with the goal of getting its players to actually kill in real life, and what's word from Capitol Hill? Free trade with China. Idiots and hypocrits, they...

    --

    I think there is a world market for maybe five personal web logs.
    1. Re:This is so fucked up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You forgot to include NOW in your list of hate groups.

      They aren't the National Orginization for Equality are they?

      Maybe you should be more tolerant of others views, especially conservative views.
      Or maybe your hate is just politically correct hate.

    2. Re:This is so fucked up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let us not forget that because of Congress suporting these killers with your money, you are able to spout off about this.

      Free speech in China. Idiot and hypocrit, you ...

    3. Re:This is so fucked up by Saganaga · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Give me a break. Get out of your fantasy world and join the rest of us in a world where evil exists and we need our military more than ever. Thank God for the men and women who are willing to give their lives to protect our life and liberty, including those of dumb ingrates like you.

    4. Re:This is so fucked up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "...where evil exists..."

      Are you so black and white that you can't see that this "evil" you're so familiar with is just men protecting thier own land from US? You do realize that the reason Sept. 11th happened in the first place was because the United States stuck it's nose into their business. And you do realize that the only reason we were against them is because the *other* side in the scenario happens to have the same government organization as we do, right?
      You are truly a fool if you think there are such things as "good and evil". We are just people killing other people who are trying to kill us. Both sides are horribly confused and mislead by their leaders, and as a whole we just make up one large group of stupid mammals.

    5. Re:This is so fucked up by Saganaga · · Score: 1

      So why shouldn't I just come over to your house and kill you and your family? I suppose that wouldn't be evil? God help us all if many others think the way you do. Sheesh.

    6. Re:This is so fucked up by Saganaga · · Score: 1

      Moreover, Mr. Coward, if you don't believe in good or evil, then why the hell do you care if the U.S. does kick butt around the world. If you were consistent in your worldview you wouldn't have any problem with the strongest doing whatever it wanted to do in order to maintain its dominance.

      How do you explain your inconsistency? On one hand, you don't believe in right or wrong. On the other hand, you somehow want the U.S. to "do the right thing". Which is it?

    7. Re:This is so fucked up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Seriously now, I'm not trying to flame you but think about this. That would not be evil if you had a reason to kill my family and I. As horrible as it sounds, what if I had raped and tortured *your* family? Wouldn't that then make your action of coming to my house to kill me a little less evil?
      Everyone has a reason for the actions the partake in. Do not seriously believe that people who are terrorists do it for "evil". They do it for money, to carry a message, or to carry a warning to leave them alone.

      Please imagine this scenario (as unlikely as it is): Were our country suddenly invaded by an outside force and completely taken over in every aspect, to win our land back we would have to plan, plot, and attack from the shadows to win it back. Many countries and organizations have won thier freedom this way; it's called terrorism.
      But terrorism is *evil* right? But if we are only trying to defend our country and claim back our lives and freedom, wouldn't that make it OK?
      So how can you say that these people who we are currently at "war" with are evil, when they are mearly defending what is precious to them?
      Our country has a long track record of genocide, slavery, power corruption and war mongering. Our soldiers have raped and killed thousands of foreign families through all the wars we took part in, and torturned countless enemy soldiers to their deaths. Is that *not* evil? We are only human, just as they are, so why are they the bad guys and we not?

      Obviously we have differences in opinion but in all seriousness and civility, consider the above.

    8. Re:This is so fucked up by MMaestro · · Score: 2, Interesting
      'You do realize that the reason Sept. 11th happened in the first place was because the United States stuck it's nose into their business.'

      So supporting a now proven successful democratic state in arguably the most disruptive part of the world is something we shouldn't have gotten into? Should we have let the Russia pwn Afghanistan by not supplying them with weapons to take down the Russian Hind helicopters?

      Its retards like you that can't take a step back, look at history, and see that the U.S. has been helping the world more than anyone is willing to admit. (I'm fucking paying taxes for some homeless kid in Iraq/Africa/Southeast Asia/South America and you got the nerve to tell me I don't know what my own country is fighting for? Wtf is YOUR country fighting for? The 'greater will of Allah?' Yeah, while you're at it, why not send me a check for the $400 USD in taxes I paid last year during my internship?)

    9. Re:This is so fucked up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's this simple: right and wrong, good and evil, in the bigger picture do not exist. However my personal view is that no one should make another suffer, period. I have very little faith in humanity, but if people lived by this simple guideline then there would be none of these problems.

      I don't see how that's contradictory at all, I'm mearly defending a group of individuals who have been harmed by our country, and though they defend themselves with force to be left alone. Our entire media force has branded them as being spawns of hell, when they're no different from us as flesh and bloood. My arguments against our countries actions are because it's not so simple as the throw people into categories and then slaughter them by the thousand.

    10. Re:This is so fucked up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Do you remember Vietnam? How about the Iran/Contra scandle? Were we fighting "for the good of the world" when we placed innocent Americans into the hands of violent gorillas so we had an excuse to trade them weapons?

      History goes both ways my friend.

    11. Re:This is so fucked up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, I kind of figured you couldn't handle thinking on your own.

    12. Re:This is so fucked up by AHumbleOpinion · · Score: 1

      Do you remember Vietnam?

      Actually in Vietnam we were fighting to limit the spread of Communism. It was a proxy fight that was part of the larger Cold War. The ordinary VC or NVA soldier may have been a simple nationalist who wanted the foreigners out but his officers were sure as hell dedicated communists. Hell, communist China had to invade Vietnam after the war to get them to stay inside their own borders and not mess with their neighbors. The problem with the Vietnam War was not that we were involved, it was how we mismanaged our involvement. And that mismanagement was more political than military in nature.

      How about the Iran/Contra scandle? Were we fighting "for the good of the world" when we placed innocent Americans into the hands of violent gorillas so we had an excuse to trade them weapons?

      I think you may be getting your conspriacy theories mixed up. The Iranian Hostage crisis was over long before Iran-Contra. Also the conspiracy theory that the Reagan/Bush administration traded weapons for hostages was debunked and shown to be false. The later sale of weapons to Iran was purely an effort to generate money to fund the Contras.

    13. Re:This is so fucked up by ChaoticLimbs · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Ha ha. Innovation at its finest- A leftist liberal who hates the military and George W. Bush. Your post seethes with youthful hatred of the military. Maybe I am more sensitive to it as a veteran. Who knows.
      Let me enlighten you a bit- there are bad men out there in the real world (outside the US), and they do some very bad things to other people. The human animal can be the worst one in many ways, and ignoring them does not make them stop. In some cases, you have to kill them. Arguing in a forum will not change it. Protest signs won't change it. Sometimes you just have to kill people and break things.

    14. Re:This is so fucked up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Sometimes you just have to kill people and break things...." ... and then you get all their oil as a bonus for your good deeds. Coincidentally, of course.

    15. Re:This is so fucked up by Pengo · · Score: 1

      " ... and then you get all their oil as a bonus for your good deeds. Coincidentally, of course."

      The figures I have seen, as far as what we have spent, we can pump for a long time at a huge premium and we will never pay back the cost of the war with their oil. Why do you think the govt. is edgy even about 20 million dollar LOAN in rebuilding, but leaning against it. That argument is pretty ignorant.

    16. Re:This is so fucked up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let's be honest: that's only because we have a president who can't add.

    17. Re:This is so fucked up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Pengo wrote:
      The figures I have seen, as far as what we have spent, we can pump for a long time at a huge premium and we will never pay back the cost of the war with their oil

      That may very well be true. Of course it is only relevant if you work under the assumption that the war was to get access to Iraqi oil for the benefit of the people of the United States. If seen from the point of view of being done purely for the benefit of the oil companies who were handed contracts in Iraq then the cost to the nation is irrelevant. There is a notion known as a kickback. The idea is that someone with political power can allocate funds and resources to cronies and then the cronies share the wealth. It doesn't have to be that of course. Lots of people in government seem to understand the value of friendship and will often sell the rest of us short just to help out a buddy.
  14. Space Shuttle Simulator by baldass_newbie · · Score: 1

    Like this?
    Or this?

    Google is your friend.

    --
    The opposite of progress is congress
  15. Re:Seems fair to me tsarkon reports by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And bitching about "W" in slashdot forums does so much to help!

    You know whats funny about you fuckers. you have a lifestyle and a qaulity of life you dont even deserve, you're lucky to have it, and you let your fat overweight fingers come up with this michael moore shit like it helps.

    meanwhile, doctors, scientists, and other people motivated by passion and not lack of success, which is what motivates a comment like that, lack of success/fulfillment, they are busy scrambling away, unlocking wonderful secrets in the tranquility of advanced society, and all the while the people they are trying to help underwrite the agendas of fucking communists and other deconstructionists who would take HUGE risks and experiment with everyone's lives by "improving" they system in a way that they see fit, even if it breaks the law (see admendment 2, and see the laws about repealing amenedments).

    Bastards. You like to think you do a good job thinking for other people, but Ille Tell Yew Whut, you dont speak for me.

    Get over yourself and vote and live with what happens, asshole. You can't fucking whine when the system that gives you life, liberty and the ability to pursue happyness when doesn't cater to you're every need and whim on domestic and foreign policy.

    You suck "free-thinkers" would make the most dangerous and stalinesque rulers. Now, did you miss a meeting to fight for the right of Terri Schindler-Schiavo's husband to execute her?

  16. OPEN GL Problem by adamy · · Score: 1

    I finally tried to get this to run.

    $ apps/armyops/armyops
    GL_EXT_bgra not supported - bailing out.

    History:

    Exiting due to error

    Here is my setup.
    ATI all in wonder running Debian, XFree86

    XFree86 Version 4.2.1.1 (Debian 4.2.1-12.1 20031003005825

    This seems to be a supported extension, according to most docs.

    Do I really need xfree 4.3? Or is this a config value somewhere?

    --
    Open Source Identity Management: FreeIPA.org
    1. Re:OPEN GL Problem by Lukey+Boy · · Score: 1

      The DRI drivers cause problems with the ATI cards concerning the game. I used the ATI binary drivers with XFree 4.3 on my 9800 Pro and had no problems.

    2. Re:OPEN GL Problem by adamy · · Score: 1

      I'm just a little concerned that I'll do all this switching around :ATI drivers, recompile the Kernel etc and I'll just end up trashing my system without actually getting the game to work.

      Are the Binary ATI Drivers GPL legal?

      --
      Open Source Identity Management: FreeIPA.org
    3. Re:OPEN GL Problem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Are the Binary ATI Drivers GPL legal?

      Haha, Seriously, read what you just wrote..what do you think? I'm not trying to be funny...do you really think binary drivers from a graphics chipset company who don't want NVidia seeing their tweeks will be GPL legal?

  17. coincidence? by Nonki · · Score: 0

    This new version is coming out right when they announce plans to rotate troops in Iraq, when they would need more soldiers and recruits.

  18. Recruitment Campaigns by jobbleberry · · Score: 1

    Hey why shouldn't it work for the army, I mean according to all the parents out there GTA has been a great recruitment campaign for Crime :)

    1. Re:Recruitment Campaigns by The+Munger · · Score: 1

      And as the freaks^H^H^H^H^H^Hparents failed to mention, Dance Dance Revolution has got all the kids going dancing every night. Pikmin as got them out in the garden turning all the rocks over. Super Monkey Ball has got 'em putting their pets in beach balls and hurling them around the back yard. SimCity has made it "cool" to be a civil servant in local government. Railroad Tycoon has seen a whole bunch of us invest in the thriving rail industry. I can't take this horned hat off my head after playing ICO for 5 god-damn minutes. And as for Vib Ribbon... You know what? I don't know what the hell Vib Ribbon has done to me, but it sure as hell can't be good.

      Help me parents of America. I can't distinguish between reality and a friggin' CRT. I'm idolizing fast, furry, blue hedgehogs and Italian plumbing families. You know why? Because you guys seem to think that I'm the friggin' mental case. Well let me know how it all works out for you.

      --
      Refuse to make a statement in your sig!
    2. Re:Recruitment Campaigns by Mike+Hawk · · Score: 1

      The obvious flaw in your arguement is that noone is playing Pikmin or Super Monkey Ball because they are only on Gamecube.

  19. Gov't not supporting gratuitous or illegal actions by AHumbleOpinion · · Score: 1

    The folks in Congress are typically complaining about senseless, gratuitous, and illegal (if the portrayed act occured in real world, not that the game itself is illegal) forms of violence. Military actions conducted by the US tend not to fall into those categories. Military training seeks to prevent such violence. There is no inherent hypocracy. Add to this the fact that the goal of some military actions is to break things not kill people. Killing enemy soldiers is somethimes a last resort. Better to deprive him of weapons, ammunition, and other supplies, and coerce him into surrenderng.

  20. Re:Gov't not supporting gratuitous or illegal acti by drix · · Score: 1

    The folks in Congress are typically complaining about senseless, gratuitous, and illegal ... Military actions conducted by the US tend not to fall into those categories

    Stated as fact, but very much a matter of opinion. And Congress doesn't compain because of gratuitous violence in and of itself, but rather because it believes they predispose players to violent, antisocial behavior at a subconscious level. To then turn around and harness that very effect to fill up some recruiting roster is at once cynical, totally lacking inner logic and, yes, hypocritical.

    --

    I think there is a world market for maybe five personal web logs.
  21. Is this v2.0 very different from the original? by antdude · · Score: 1

    I played the first version. How much has this game changed? Is it worth checking it out?

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    1. Re:Is this v2.0 very different from the original? by Numeric · · Score: 1

      Like most of the previous releases the developers are experiencing SERIOUS problems again. Each time you play a game, you will have to login which is automatically done for you. However the login servers are overloaded and a large percentage of players are unable to play. Matter of fact, I have been unable to play since Thursday. Once the game was announced players were overwhelming the site looking for 2.0 release.

      Since there has been major problems with each release, I honestly think the developers really have no idea what they are doing. If you are going to develop an online game, dont go out and hire a team who has never built a online game. But you know how the gov't works, someone is friends with someone who donated money to their campaign or were buddy-buddy.

      --
      -- ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space!
  22. You still aren't making any sense by Saganaga · · Score: 1

    Again, I ask you, if "right and wrong, good and evil, in the bigger picture do not exist", then why do you care what our country does? You obviously do believe in right and wrong, even if you won't admit it.

    Your "personal view is that no one should make another suffer"--ok, that's nice, but why? Honestly, think about why you believe this. And moreover, why should anyone else have to follow your ideas? After all, in your world if I believe that it is our duty to make other people suffer, then you can't really tell me that my view is wrong, because you don't believe in right and wrong (remember?)

    You've really dug yourself into a corner. If you want to argue about whether you think the U.S. position is right or not, that's an argument worth having. But if you don't want to even admit that you believe in right vs. wrong, then I'm sorry, I can't be bothered to waste any more time on a pathetic excuse for an argument like that.

    Later.

  23. Re:Seems fair to me tsarkon reports by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And you, my dear incoherent friend, are drunk off your ass. Or on drugs.

  24. Re:Seems fair to me tsarkon reports by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    the same drugs you partake in regularly? i think not. intoxicated? no.

    you see, there is something wrong with you, thinking that anyone who doesnt think like you is mental, fanatic, drunk or drugged.

    there is a good chance YOU are the psycho here. Pretending that rant was incoherent - ad-homininating me as a druggie or a booze hound?

    transparent and hackneyed method. you have failed to make useable or retort or contribution to this thread.

  25. Tried it this morning and seems dog slow by Phil+John · · Score: 1

    ...seriously, it's practially unplayable on my system (which is no slouch and easily exceeds the minimum recommended requirments stated on their website, Athlon 1800XP+, GeForce4 64mb gfx card, 1024 Mb ram). I've been running the 1.90 client for a little while and that was silky smoothe. Now, I hear bullets and can't turn round in time to take the person out, the whole system becomes jerky and unresponsive. Granted this is a first release, but seriously, playability of it sucks. The new maps, however, are very cool...but I'm waiting until 2.01 irons out all of the bugs and performance problems.

    --
    I am NaN
  26. Re:Gov't not supporting gratuitous or illegal acti by DAldredge · · Score: 1

    No, members of Congress complain because it will get them votes. The do not want to fix the issue. If they did they would past stupid laws that say if someone looks under the age of 18, the picture is childporn, even if they person is over the age of 18.

    You are making the mistake that Congress is about getting things done, it isn't. It is about insuring that those currently in Congress, stay in congress.

    "and Congress doesn't compain because of gratuitous violence in and of itself, but rather because it believes they predispose players to violent, antisocial behavior at a subconscious level"

  27. Re:Gov't not supporting gratuitous or illegal acti by AHumbleOpinion · · Score: 1

    ... they predispose players to violent, antisocial behavior at a subconscious level. To then turn around and harness that very effect to fill up some recruiting roster is at once cynical, totally lacking inner logic and, yes, hypocritical

    "Violence". Gratuitous and unnecessary violence is something military training seeks to prevent. The violence is a means to a specific goal, it tends to be highly controlled and limited in scope. Keep in mind the goal is not necessarily to kill enemy troops. The preferred solution is to destroy their weapons and deprive them of communications, ammunition, and other necessities in order to coerce them into surrender. I realize that it goes contrary to an endless stream of action movies that feed most people's perception of the military but the last thing the typical US soldier wants to do is pull the trigger. What gets him to pull the trigger is not some form of blood lust or brain washing but the genuine fear the he and his fellow soldiers are in immediate danger.

    "Antisocial Behavior". By definition military action is social behavior. Both in the group sense and social norms sense. People with criminal, violent, and antisocial tendencies are refused enlistment. People with an inability to conform to regulations or follow orders tend to be discharged or see the stockade, not combat. An antisocial violent soldier is a danger to his own unit.

  28. Re:Seems fair to me tsarkon reports by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Looking at the original message and the reply to you, I think it is some sort of Free Association/Stream of Consciousness performance piece. The tip offs include, for example, accusing you of ad hominem attacks while simultaneously making one by saying that you partake in drugs regularly based on no apparant evidence. It's quite a nice performance piece really, but is it art?

  29. Re:Seems fair to me tsarkon reports by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Uh -- of course he doesn't speak for you -- he's speaking for himself and, the last time I checked, he was allowed -- no -- ENCOURAGED to do that kind of thing.

    Of course, you're also allowed to voice your opinions.. but how about toning down your "personal attack to a general statement" style? It just makes you look like a fanatic.. whatever side you're on.

  30. What a have... by node159 · · Score: 1

    Tell the poor me to some one else, we know your just as guilty as 'the enemey'....

    --
    GPLv2: I want my rights, I want my phone call! DRM: What use is a phone call, if you are unable to speak?