US Military Builds MMO Earth Simulator

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US Military Builds MMO Earth Simulator

Posted by michael on Monday February 23, 2004 @03:01AM from the one-is-not-enough dept.

transient writes "BBC reports that the US military is creating a second Earth with help from There. At the moment, only Kuwait City has been modeled, but the ultimate goal is to model the entire Earth using existing terrain data and a super-accurate physics model. While combat will be part of the game, 'the emphasis in the artificial Earth will be on human interaction rather than conflicts involving lots of military hardware.'"

38 of 525 comments (clear)

Gigantic Quake server by Mick+Ohrberg · 2004-02-23 03:03 · Score: 5, Funny

Oh MAN, imagine the MASSIVE deathmatch games you could play! Or even better - BF1942!

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Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
1. Re:Gigantic Quake server by AndroidCat · 2004-02-23 03:27 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Quake? I want to watch people's faces when the system announces that North Korea has launched a zergling rush.
  
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So... by physicsboy500 · 2004-02-23 03:03 · Score: 2, Funny

None of this is real?

So that,s residual self image

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The original generic sig.
1. Re:So... by gabec · 2004-02-23 03:07 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Right-o. And they're keeping the servers on the ... (dun dun dun...) thirteenth floor.
Deep Thought by Black+Rabbit · 2004-02-23 03:04 · Score: 5, Funny

Isn't this the flipside of building the Earth 2 to solve the Great Question of Life, The Universe and Everything, for which the answer is 42?
1. Re:Deep Thought by Speare · 2004-02-23 03:30 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Not exactly-- Earth2 was just a replacement for the first Earth computer. The Earth we're standing on is the computer which was commissioned by the mice and predicted by Deep Thought to solve the Great Question. The Golgafrinchans crashed into it after boot-up and knocked the computation a bit early on, but the Vogons destroyed Earth (er, wioll haven destroy it*) five minutes before the Question could be retrieved.
  (ref. vis. Dr. Dan Streetmentioner)
  
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  [ .sig file not found ]
Why do we need another Earth ? by dapyx · 2004-02-23 03:04 · Score: 3, Funny

BBC reports that the US military is creating a second Earth The first one already got blown up by the Vogons?

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Oh crap by LNO · 2004-02-23 03:05 · Score: 5, Funny

I hope they don't model my apartment, or else anyone can login and find out where I've hidden my porn.
1. Re:Oh crap by Anonymous Coward · 2004-02-23 03:34 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  Oh my God, it's full of porn!
i wonder the level of detail by millahtime · 2004-02-23 03:05 · Score: 5, Funny

I wonder if they will simulate in extreme detail. Like all the nude beaches in Europe or the Playboy mansion. If terrorists attack the Playboy Mansion during a party they have to know how to handle that. If so, I wonder if they are taking resumes.

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Evolution or ID?
The Sims by parawing742 · 2004-02-23 03:05 · Score: 5, Funny

Now if they would just make the earth data available as a plug-in for The Sims, I would never have to leave my computer again!
1. Re:The Sims by mangu · 2004-02-23 03:30 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  If you put your computer by the door, can't they just slide the pizza under the door? And drill a hole in the door where they can deliver the Mountain Dew.
First of a kind? by thehe · 2004-02-23 03:05 · Score: 5, Funny

Will this make the US the first dual-world superpower in history?
peeved by DarkHelmet · 2004-02-23 03:06 · Score: 4, Funny

I'm so glad to be living in the US, just to know that my tax dollars go towards making a version of The Sims on crack.
But the part that pisses me off is that they won't let me pl

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/^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,4}$/i
Virtual Wars? by p_millipede · 2004-02-23 03:06 · Score: 5, Funny

Now all we need to do is convince the world's military, terrorists, militia's etc. (anyone who might be interested) to hold all their confilicts in this virtual world and just let the outcome of virtual wars be accepted as if it had really happened (minus the loss of life).
Obviously, we'd need to make sure the Americans aren't using cheats. Just imagine the standard procedure before entering combat. Press tilde, type 'AmericaRulesOK 1' followed by '/god', '/allweapons' and '/allammo'
The question is.... by Rican · 2004-02-23 03:08 · Score: 5, Funny

Would I be able to "create" myself as a Wood Elf Druid chick even though I'm a 250lbs guy in real life?

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Rican
Want a free iPod?
Why bother. by glen · 2004-02-23 03:09 · Score: 3, Funny

Why spend all that money?

We already know the answer is 42.
So when... by MoonFacedAssassin · 2004-02-23 03:09 · Score: 2, Funny

...can I sign up for beta?

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I am a meat popsicle.
Grand Theft auto... by millahtime · 2004-02-23 03:14 · Score: 4, Funny

I wonder if they can give the detail of Grand Theft auto. They I could play dropped down in Iraq going after Sadam and Bin Laden. I could steal a tank and run them over. Maybe get some Iraq hookers. Grand Theft Auto Iraq.

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Evolution or ID?
Watch out for Kirk Logic(tm) by xleeko · 2004-02-23 03:18 · Score: 3, Funny

Yea, we could convert all of our conflicts into computer simulations, install disintegration booths, the whole nine yards.
... but then William Shatner would drop by and screw up the whole thing. Then he would sing "Lucy [pause] in the Sky [pause] with Diamonds" just to rub it in.
- Dave
Hitchhiker's Guide by aldousd666 · 2004-02-23 03:18 · Score: 2, Funny

Didn't the Golgafrinchans (sp?) try this once? All we got out of that deal was '42'

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Speak for yourself.
There = Evil by richie2000 · 2004-02-23 03:18 · Score: 3, Funny

There mandates the use of MSIE to access There.
Evil. Evil, I say!
This claimer: Having MSIE bundled with Windows poses no problem for me, I see it as they include Notepad instead of Word and Calculator instead of Excel. So why not let them include Internet Explorer instead of a real browser? However, I dislike sites that require it. It's like mailing around text files that need Notepad to read... Rude.

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Money for nothing, pix for free
Re:Using the RFID chips implanted ... by millahtime · 2004-02-23 03:18 · Score: 2, Funny

WHo really wants to track me. I wake up, go to work, go to the bathroom, back to my desk, eat lunch, back to the bathroom, back to my desk, go home, sit in front of my computer and tv all night. Who wants to track that? Hell, I don't even want to track that.

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Evolution or ID?
A new earth? by maiden_taiwan · 2004-02-23 03:19 · Score: 4, Funny

The mice will be furious!
Sims by lcde · 2004-02-23 03:21 · Score: 2, Funny

Heh, see even the US goverment plays SIMS games :D

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:%s/teh/the/g
Re:Using the RFID chips implanted ... by the_weasel · 2004-02-23 03:21 · Score: 3, Funny

Huh. When did you get out of the Pod?

If they are tracking my private moments they will get a lot of lying on the couch after dinner with the top button of my jeans undone, watching television.

I am basically jamming the signals with massive waves of mediocrity.

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- sarcasm is just one more service we offer -
Hrm by BenBenBen · 2004-02-23 03:22 · Score: 5, Funny

The detailed simulation will be drawn from a real-world terrain database and will be drawn to the same scale as the original.
They're going to need a bloody big monitor.

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The Slashdot Paradox: "100% Overrated"
But I keep hearing the voice... by abb3w · 2004-02-23 03:23 · Score: 4, Funny

...of Terry Gilliam saying "It's only a model".

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//Information does not want to be free; it wants to breed.
Old Steven Wright joke by Darth23 · 2004-02-23 03:24 · Score: 2, Funny

I have a map of the US.
It's actual size.
It says "One mile equals one mile"
----------------- Witht he simulated Earth have simulated civilians who never get wounded when bombs fall in the wrong place?

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-------- In Soviet Russia, "Soviet Russia" sigs hate Slashdot.
Re:Choose your weapon... by HarveyBirdman · 2004-02-23 03:30 · Score: 2, Funny

you can't make people stop hating you at gunpoint
Well, duh! Of course holding someone at gunpoint doesn't stop them from hating you.
It's when you pull the trigger and splatter their brains all over the place. *That's* when they stop hating you.
Sheesh! Wadda they teachin' youse kids in skool dese days?

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--- Ban humanity.
Ultimate risk by 4lex · 2004-02-23 03:31 · Score: 2, Funny

Let's just choose ugly maths for the Earth Simulation. As we already know, if their maths are too perfect, we risk being overtaked!

(In which case, of course, we, as calculations, would have to welcome our new real overlords).

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My journal. Mainly about freedom.
of course ... by Wordsmith · 2004-02-23 03:36 · Score: 4, Funny

... this could be used for the best game of Populous EVER.
Re:Choose your weapon... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-02-23 03:36 · Score: 2, Funny

As somebody who has worked in the Pentagon, shouldn't you be a bit more respectful and eloquent
When you get right down to it, the job of the folks in the Pentagon is to blow things up and kill people.
With that in mind, I admire the restraint displayed by the grandparent poster... :-)
Camp Check! by servognome · 2004-02-23 03:59 · Score: 2, Funny

Stay away from my terrorist camp spawns. I've been here for 84 straight hours leveling up.

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SWEET!!! by Tibor+the+Hun · 2004-02-23 04:15 · Score: 2, Funny

Now I'm so glad I passed my Special Forces training for America's Army last night!
Where do I sign up?

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Re:Choose your weapon... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-02-23 04:35 · Score: 1, Funny

No, fuck you... I don't need people to invent enemies so they have someone to protect me from. I've read Michael Moore's book and while I don't agree 100%; there is a lot of shit to answer for. When you all can learn to engage the public without making shit up and using scare tatics, I change my opinion.

Oh man, I could have gone all day without someone citing Michael Moore as a reference for anything. His theory is if you make enough wild accusations, some will stick. I've seen horoscopes that were more accurate -- and the ones I read are in The Onion.
Re:Choose your weapon... by siphoncolder · 2004-02-23 05:12 · Score: 2, Funny

This is probably the most insightful post I've seen this week.
High praise for a Monday.... ;)

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i'm amazed that i survived - an airbag saved my life.
Re:I'll have to disagree with the premise behind t by Anonymous Coward · 2004-02-23 10:36 · Score: 1, Funny

> > The Presidential Prayer Team is currently urging us to: "Pray for the > > President as he seeks wisdom on how to legally codify the definition > > of marriage. Pray that it will be according to Biblical principles. > > With any forces insisting on variant definitions of marriage, pray > > that God's Word and His standards will be honored by our government." > > > > So here is a proposed Constitutional Amendment codifying marriage > > entirely on biblical principles: > > > > A. Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one > > man and one or more women. (Gen 29:17-28; II Sam 3:2-5) > > > > B. Marriage shall not impede a man's right to take concubines in > > addition to his wife or wives. (II Sam 5:13; I Kings 11:3; II > > Chron 11:21) > > > > C. A marriage shall be considered valid only if the wife is a virgin. > > If the wife is not a virgin, she shall be executed. (Deut 22:13-21) > > > > D. Marriage of a believer and a non-believer shall be forbidden. (Gen > > 24:3; Num 25:1-9; Ezra 9:12; Neh 10:30) > > > > E. Since marriage is for life, neither this Constitution nor the > > constitution of any State, nor any state or federal law, shall be > > construed to permit divorce. (Deut 22:19; Mark 10:9) > > > > F. If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry > > the widow. If he refuses to marry his brother's widow or deliberately > > does not give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe and be > > otherwise punished in a manner to be determined by law. (Gen. > > 38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10) > > > > G. In lieu of marriage, if there are no acceptable men in your town, > > it is required that you get your dad drunk and have sex with him > > (even if he had previously offered you up as a sex toy to men young > > and old), tag-teaming with any sisters you may have. Of course, this > > rule applies only if you are female. (Gen 19:31-36)