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Sir Peter Molyneux?

KBV writes "It seems that for the first time in history a games developer has been granted an OBE (Order Of the British Empire) by the Queen of England. When Peter Molyneux - the creator of Black & White, Fable, Populous and many other games - was asked by BBC News about the honor he simply said "It's come completely out of the blue, I never would have guessed that I'd have that kind of honour." For the games industry as a whole, this is very much a good thing. It's great that developers are being recognized for their hard work and cultural impact on the world."

298 comments

  1. No by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    To answer your question, "Sir Peter Molyneux?", the answer is no. He's been awarded an OBE not a knighthood.

    OBE incidentally, is a three-letter acronym meaning, "Other Bugger's Energy".

    1. Re:No by ackthpt · · Score: 1
      To answer your question, "Sir Peter Molyneux?", the answer is no. He's been awarded an OBE not a knighthood.

      So ... what's Lord British actual title and when did the Queen lay it on him?

      come forward richard garriott, i dub the mumumbblrlordmbumbumle, arise Lord British!

      --

      A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    2. Re:No by hunterx11 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Being Peter Molyneux, he probably hyped that he was being created a knight, but it turned out only to be OBE.

      --
      English is easier said than done.
    3. Re:No by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      It's tricky. After the Queen lorded him, he was killed and they had to roll back history.

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  2. a small point... by doofusclam · · Score: 5, Informative

    ... but the award is actually decided firstly by a 'relevent' government committee, and the prime minister comes in later on. At no point does the Queen decide who receives the awards - she simply hands them over.

    1. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Does this mean he made donations to the "right" politicians? Yah I'm a jaded American sue me :-P

    2. Re:a small point... by oberondarksoul · · Score: 0, Troll

      The Queen does have to vet the list, though, and can add additions where she feels fit - many palace staff receive honours from her choice.

      --
      And tomorrow the stock exchange will be the human race
    3. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Only knighted British subjects get the title Sir. Certainly not Americans, that's what you get for tossing the tea.

    4. Re:a small point... by dr.badass · · Score: 5, Funny

      ...that's what you get for tossing the tea.

      That is the coolest expression I have heard all year.

      --
      Don't become a regular here -- you will become retarded.
    5. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think that's what the parent meant, when he said he'd get the title upon emigration. If he were to become a British subject (which I imagine actually takes more than just emigration), he'd be allowed to use the title Sir, no?

    6. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually Bill Gates donates to both the republicans and the democrats. He wants to hedge his bets.

    7. Re:a small point... by NonSequor · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Gates is in fact playing both sides of the table and donates to both the Republican party and the Democratic party. This is common practice in the business world.

      --
      My only political goal is to see to it that no political party achieves its goals.
    8. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Not hard with three days on there uh ;)

    9. Re:a small point... by madprof · · Score: 1

      Honorary knighthoods are just that. He'll have to become a UK citizen, not just come here.

    10. Re:a small point... by Cromac · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Only knighted British subjects get the title Sir. Certainly not Americans, that's what you get for tossing the tea.

      That and we don't have to be subjects.

    11. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Only knighted British subjects get the title Sir. Certainly not Americans, that's what you get for tossing the tea.

      Hay you guys can have him anytime!

    12. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      The Commander-in-Chief can anytime he wants to call you an "enemy combatant" and toss you into a naval brig in Carolina, but at least you are not a "subject", right? The words are all important aren't they?

    13. Re:a small point... by Olix · · Score: 1

      Nah - thats just American politics. We spent a hella long time doing that in my GCSE History classes (Mighty unfair I thought). In the UK we like to think our politics is based just on who is most suitable for a role... Then again, I may be wrong.

    14. Re:a small point... by Olix · · Score: 1

      Isn't there some strange rule that the rebels can't be knighted, because they got thoughts above their station and declared independence?

    15. Re:a small point... by Guanix · · Score: 2, Informative

      That's not true. The Queen will not normally make additions to the OBE list.

      The honour that she can award personally, e.g. to palace staff, is the Royal Victorial Order (MVO, CVO, etc).

    16. Re:a small point... by oberondarksoul · · Score: 1

      That's the bugger - my mistake. Thanks for correcting me. :-)

      --
      And tomorrow the stock exchange will be the human race
    17. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      why the troll mod?

    18. Re:a small point... by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      Ah, that would explain Lord Ruffles of Corgi.

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    19. Re:a small point... by stupidfoo · · Score: 1

      Guantanamo Bay is in Cuba, not Carolina. And there is no "Carolina". It's either North Carolina or South Carolina.

    20. Re:a small point... by maotx · · Score: 1

      But that is his Elected right. For the American people to be able to call need for battle in harsh times is quite possibly the least strategic and responsive way to enter into battle.

      The Commander-in-Chief has been given this right to call us into battle if he, our Elected official, deems it necessary. That is why he/she was elected.
      Unlike the days of the tea where The People had only the voice the Nobles wanted to hear.

      And so as to where I'm not entirely OT, you do not have to be British to be Knighted. However, once Knighted you cannot use the Sir title in your name.
      Bill Gates is a classic example.

      --
      I'm a virgo and on Slashdot. Coincidence? Yes.
    21. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    22. Re:a small point... by Minwee · · Score: 1

      If you would rather be an object that's fine too.

    23. Re:a small point... by Eskarel · · Score: 1
      I think you need to reread your history, nobility, and even when it comes right down to it the king, had very little to do with the objections to Brittish rule. Well at least beyond the fact that the American ruling class wanted to be nobility and couldn't be, but since they didn't enoble themselves(just give themselves massive amounts of power) that's not so important.

      The problem with the US an Britain was a combination of colonial paternalism by parliament and obnoxious whining by colonists.

      Regardless it wasn't ever about not being a "subject" because the Brits had taken care of getting rid of the idea of being completely subject to the whim of the crown well prior.

      One could also make the argument that the fundamental laws of the US strictly prohibit Bush from being able to do what he has been doing to people and that all the legal wrangling and fuzzy terminology in the world doesn't give us the right to deny even non citizens fundamental human rights.

    24. Re:a small point... by dotwaffle · · Score: 1

      Not to rub it in, but we haven't been "subjects" since the early 1970's, before if you weren't a Government employee. These days, Queen and State are a formality, there is no basis in law.

    25. Re:a small point... by -kertrats- · · Score: 1

      Not much competition, it's only January 3.

      --
      The Braying and Neighing of Barnyard Animals Follows.
    26. Re:a small point... by nickco3 · · Score: 1

      Jose Padilla is not in Guantanamo Bay, he's in a naval brig in South Carolina.

      --
      -- Nick "Hallo this is Beel Gates, und I pronounce weendows as ... WEENdows"
    27. Re:a small point... by nickco3 · · Score: 1

      that should be http://www.chargepadilla.org/

      --
      -- Nick "Hallo this is Beel Gates, und I pronounce weendows as ... WEENdows"
    28. Re:a small point... by nickco3 · · Score: 2, Informative

      That and we don't have to be subjects.

      [From Dictionary.com]
      Subject, n.
      1. One who is under the rule of another or others, especially one who owes allegiance to a government or ruler.

      So it would seem that you do. All American citizens are also American subjects. A British citizen is also a British subject, but there are also those subject to British allegiance who are non-citizens, principally colonials, and they have no right to live, work, or stand for election in the UK (oddly, like all Commonwealth citizens they do have the right to vote if they happen to be in the UK at the time, about 1/3 of the world's population can theoretically vote in a UK General Election).

      --
      -- Nick "Hallo this is Beel Gates, und I pronounce weendows as ... WEENdows"
    29. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Waaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh - Poor little terrorist. All he wanted to do was to set off a dirty bomb, and now his rights are being denied.

      This is real easy to understand: his acts were not criminal acts, they were acts of war. So, since they're acts of war, he doesn't get all the fun rights that we non-terrorits get. And since he broke the geneva convention, he isn't covered by it (pretending to be a civilian allows you to be executed on the spot - no jury, no lawyer, no judge, no anything). See how easy that is? He's outside all of the protections that you and I get because we aren't plotting to kill tens of thousands of people.

      Why doesn't the site use his real name? Instead of his American name. Makes it sound like he's some dude from Mexico and not a nutso islamofacist that would love to kill as many Americans as he possibly could.

      ChargeAbdullahAlMuhajir.com just doesn't have the same ring, now does it?

      It's also strange what part they choose to highlight of the 5th Amendment and what part they don't. Why not focus on this section: No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger;

      Uh oh... that almost sounds like they can hold him for as long as they f'en want.

    30. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He wasn't in the armed forces so the exception for soldiers doesn't touch him.

      I'm pretty sure no other country considers a terrorist act a military action, terrorists count as criminals and get tried as such.
      Besides, the man isn't a member of the armed forces of any country the US is at war with (extremist organizaions aren't armed forces, the KKK doesn't count as such, either) so he's not an enemy soldier, either. He is a civilian who plotted to attack other civilians. That falls under criminal law.

    31. Re:a small point... by Silburn_Luke · · Score: 1
      So it would seem that you do. All American citizens are also American subjects. A British citizen is also a British subject, but there are also those subject to British allegiance who are non-citizens, principally colonials, and they have no right to live, work, or stand for election in the UK (oddly, like all Commonwealth citizens they do have the right to vote if they happen to be in the UK at the time, about 1/3 of the world's population can theoretically vote in a UK General Election).
      This seemed wrong to me, but in fact is entirely correct (learn something new... yadda-yadda-yah) - subject to the proviso that said Commonwealth citizens need to satisfy UK residency requirements before they can exercise this franchise, which in practise excludes a large fraction of those who are theoretically entitled to it.

      The citizen/subject distinction is one of those legal definition thingies. Current law defines us Brits as citizens (there are three flavours of citizenship depending on where you live, but the distinction isn't germane) and reserves the 'subject' classification for various people who have a historical claim on the UK polity in some sense (eg. Irish citizens who were born before 1948 can be UK subjects if they want). As nickco says, citizens are implicitly a subset of subjects but you only bother to call someone a British Subject if you haven't got anything more useful to call them.

      Subjects can, for the most part[*], settle in the UK and after five years they qualify for citizenship, but subject status cannot generally be inherited by your children - so it seems clearly intended to be a temporary catch-all for various special cases that have arisen during our retreat from empire in the last century.

      Regards
      Luke

      [*] The key exception being the disgraceful bit of frothing Daily Mail-ism that led to the right of settlement being retroactively withdrawn from Hong Kong citizens in the run up to the 1997 handover to the PRC. HK-ers, being supremely pragmatic, failed to be disturbed by this and decided that, if a safe-haven passport were needed, Canada, Australia or the US were better bets in any case. So the British ended up looking like hypocritical racist jerks (again) and we missed out on any chance for an infusion of dynamic, highly entrepreneurial immigrants if the mainland Chinese went insane at some point and decided that strangling the HK goose was a good idea. Yay us.
      --
      #include witty_one_liner.h
    32. Re:a small point... by VanillaCoke420 · · Score: 1

      Yes, you're oppressed only by monarchs, never by ultrafundamentalist presidents... I live in a monarchy and I'd prefer our king before your president.

    33. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, rouge colonists are frowned upon in Britain.

    34. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think someone thought he was talking about palace staff sleeping up to those honours.

    35. Re:a small point... by nickco3 · · Score: 1

      You are missing the point. There are no checks and balances here. President Bush could point the finger at you tomorrow, leak the right accusations to the media, and you'd be in the cell next to him the day after. Without any oversight, without any chance for you to answer the charges, and no opportunity for anyone to say "Hold on, you've got the wrong man". Doesn't that worry you? Not even slightly?

      --
      -- Nick "Hallo this is Beel Gates, und I pronounce weendows as ... WEENdows"
    36. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The difference is, we *know* we are subjects, the Merkins think they aren't.

    37. Re:a small point... by pinchhazard · · Score: 0

      Your sig is completely delightful!

      The wav of Linus made me laugh out loud when I heard it and I remember it fondly from time to time.

      --
      Do you love freedom??? Do you love freedom!!! DO YOU LOVE FREEDOM!!!!!!!!
    38. Re:a small point... by nickco3 · · Score: 1

      Thanks, I'm glad you like the sig :-)

      You know the thing that most made me laugh about that wav was how it settled nothing in the "correct" way to pronounce Linux debate. I first fired it up with bated breath, expecting something definitive from Linus himself, but all we heard was the correct way to pronounce it if you happen to have a Swedish-Finnish accent. I proceeded to ROFLMAO.

      --
      -- Nick "Hallo this is Beel Gates, und I pronounce weendows as ... WEENdows"
    39. Re:a small point... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, now you are making the same mistake as many others.
      To be sure that the person wanted to blow you up you'll need to prove it in court, otherwise you can't be sure can you? So, even though you feel pretty sure that he's guilty (because of whats said in the media) he might not be. Well, and than an argument would be that the CIA or the armed forces have found the person guilty. Yes maybe they have, but if they where sure something very interesting would have been present, i.e. proof. If proof existed the person would be turned over to the civilian authorities as your goverment wouldn't be afraid
      of the person getting away. So, what if the people who decides the prisoners faith where corrupt, worked for somebody else or just did things they way that they thought most convenient (or for their own personal gains)? Well then your country would be in the same shape as sub-saharan africa, that's why the laws are to be followed, thats also why developed states didn't use torture.
      Setting aside the law for what might be seen as short term gains is probably the largest peril for the democratic world leaders of today, a failure in sticking to good legal practice just means that things are beeing delt with in the wrong way. This risks with that ought to seem quite obvious even to the most hard-core flag-waving Bushophiles around here?
      Maybe things will get better in the future, who knows. probably not.
      Tim

  3. How do they add the "u" when speaking? by (l)_pyrrhus_(l) · · Score: 0, Redundant

    . . . about the honor he simply . . . ". . . kind of honour . . ."

    1. Re:How do they add the "u" when speaking? by AceCaseOR · · Score: 1

      The u is silent.

      --
      Zagreus sits inside your head, Zagreus lives among the dead, Zagreus sees you in your bed and eats you in your sleep.
    2. Re:How do they add the "u" when speaking? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      yea, The joke went over your head

    3. Re:How do they add the "u" when speaking? by rogueuk · · Score: 1

      It's pronounced the same as the "b" in "lamb"

    4. Re:How do they add the "u" when speaking? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What joke?

    5. Re:How do they add the "u" when speaking? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The same way you pronounce the "ch" in yacht,
      or the "l" in calf, half, and lincoln,
      or the "n" in autumn, hymn, solemn,

      or, **gasp**

      the numerous instances of "b" in "dumb, dumber and dumbest post ever . . ."

    6. Re:How do they add the "u" when speaking? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The text says : "about the honor...", with no u, and then quotes him saying "honour", with a u.

      It's funny....though not funny enough for me to not post this clarification non-ac...

    7. Re:How do they add the "u" when speaking? by Guppy06 · · Score: 1

      The poster used American English in describing the quote while the actual quote was in British English. Two different people.

    8. Re:How do they add the "u" when speaking? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually the o is silent, as in "yes yuh 'onnuh".

    9. Re:How do they add the "u" when speaking? by Triskele · · Score: 1
      It's more - think about how you take the "u" out of it when speaking. Americans seem to pronounce honour more as on/orr whereas brits tend to pronounce honour as on/ur.

      Ben Franklin didn't like some English spellings so just to be different after the colonies seceded he spelt things like grey and colour as gray and color. Honour is originally French anyway (damn Normans) so should be honeur anyway.

      --

      --
      USA: home of the world's largest terrorist training camp.

  4. Hruhhhh???! by eno2001 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I don't get it. Why? What did these games do that someone would deserve to be knighted for creating them? Ohhh... I get it... one of the princes must love playing the game and he's hoping to get the cheat codes so he convinced the queen to intervene on his behalf. ;P

    --
    -"...bad old ideas look confusingly fresh when they are packaged as technology" - Jaron Lanier (Digital Maoism on Edge.o
    1. Re:Hruhhhh???! by Richard_at_work · · Score: 2, Informative

      You can get these Honours for 'services to ', and lets face it, a couple of these games are all time classics, Populous certainly defined a new genre of gaming. Oh, and a OBE doesnt make you a Knight, which is what you need for a Sir title.

    2. Re:Hruhhhh???! by davecb · · Score: 1
      It's nice the british still give honors for acheivements, rather than just how much money the fellow brought in.

      Not that the games didn't make a buck or two (:-))

      --dave

      --
      davecb@spamcop.net
  5. not sir by raindrop#1 · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's Peter Molyneux OBE, rather than Sir Peter. He wasn't awarded a knighthood. Well done him though.

    And it might be worth mentioning that Her Majesty is Queen of an awful lot of other places as well as England.

    1. Re:not sir by brjndr · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      ...Her Majesty is Queen of an awful lot of other places as well as England.

      Yeah, well America ain't one of those places, you tea-totaling, disgusting food eating, comprehensive vocabluary having son-of-a-bitch.

      All Americans should be thankful for the second amendment. Think the second amendment is just a remanant from revolutionary periods, it has no real meaning today? You couldn't be more wrong. If I didn't have this gun the King of England could just come in here and start pushing you around. Do you want that, well do ya?

    2. Re:not sir by PhatAir · · Score: 5, Informative

      The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions, in order of seniority:

      * Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GBE)
      * Knight or Dame Commander (KBE or DBE)
      * Commander (CBE)
      * Officer (OBE)
      * Member (MBE)

      Only the two highest ranks are knightly (at which point you can call yourself sir).

      See the full wikipedia entry here

    3. Re:not sir by raindrop#1 · · Score: 1

      What King of England? And I suspect it might be the nuclear weapons, immense armies and, um, friendship that provide a more significant deterrent to invasion of America.

    4. Re:not sir by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      uhm... I think brjndr was joking

    5. Re:not sir by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It was (is?) "Kid 'N Play", not "Kid and Play" or "Kid & Play". It's like "Guns N' Roses", except the apostrophe moves around.

    6. Re:not sir by Brian+Boitano · · Score: 1

      Most Excellent *air guitar*!!

      --
      What would Brian Boitano do?
    7. Re:not sir by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      There goes Taco with his shitty story titles again ("Sir Peter Molyneux?"). Here's how he makes them.

      1. Make up a statement - preferably untrue, unlikely or both.
      2. Add a question mark.

      He's like one of those trails on Discovery for their own shows (An *elephant*, only 2 inches high? Eating your own *dog* by mistake?)

      Come on, Taco, try writing real headlines!

    8. Re:not sir by uradu · · Score: 1

      > The Most Excellent Order

      They kinda painted themselves into a corner with that one--where do you go from there? Infomercial superlativa perhaps, a la Super Deluxe Order of a Bygone Era? Starts sounding like fast food to me.

    9. Re:not sir by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just what I was thinking. I doubt the title would get that name nowadays.

    10. Re:not sir by mattyrobinson69 · · Score: 1

      SuperDooperMegaAce-Most Excelent

    11. Re:not sir by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ohhh, you anarchist you. Way to stick it to the man!

    12. Re:not sir by Mike+O'Hara · · Score: 1
      The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

      Party on dudes! Be excellent to each other! Yadda yadda...

      --
      [FUCK BETA]
    13. Re:not sir by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, that's even less interesting than the details of Peter M's royal decoration. Well done, sir!

    14. Re:not sir by brjndr · · Score: 1

      That was a Simpson's reference.

    15. Re:not sir by SoulSkorpion · · Score: 1

      "Most Excellent". I like that. You can tell they were really trying when they thought that one up.

    16. Re:not sir by abb3w · · Score: 1
      The ethical thing to do is to refuse any honour handed to you by the scum we call royalty.

      Even granting your premise on HRM, the ethical and polite thing to do is to treat it like any other "honour handed to you" by a "stupid inbred moron": smile politely, say "thank you," deposit into the nearest trash can once out of sight, and continue with your life.

      --
      //Information does not want to be free; it wants to breed.
  6. Knighthood has lost its "gold" by mOoZik · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I mean, have you seen some of the people who have been Knighted? Charleton Heston, Peter Falk, Bob Hope, etc. I can only think of a handful of people who truly deserve this, such as Tim Berners Lee, etc. It's as overrated and unfair (in the subjective sort of way) as the Nobel Prize, where politics, incredible bias, and so forth determine nominees and laureates, not pure merit.

    1. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by spac3manspiff · · Score: 1

      who knows, he might be a monty python fan

    2. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by Washizu · · Score: 4, Funny

      "I mean, have you seen some of the people who have been Knighted? Charleton Heston, Peter Falk, Bob Hope, etc."

      Whatever, Peter Falk is awesome.

      --
      OddManIn: A Game of guns and game theory.
    3. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      As far as I'm concerned, Peter Falk would deserve a knighthood (or whatever) on one condition;

      He wears that raincoat to the ceremony, ambles about in a seemingly haphazard manner, gains the Queen's confidence, then after a while explains in meticulous detail how the Queen had Diana and the Queen Mother bumped off. Finally, the police come to take her away.

      Of course, it would make sense for him to do this *after* he collects the knighthood.

    4. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by Alci12 · · Score: 1

      IIRC none of your examples have anything but an hon. award. It is hardly the same as the real award.

    5. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, he would get the knighthood, walk out of the room, then come back in... "Oh Mrs Windsor there's just one other thing... It's probably nothing..."

    6. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      All Heston deserves though is to be a target for his gun toating right wing fanatic friends.

    7. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by mOoZik · · Score: 1

      So which one *is* real? Some guy says it can only be conferred when the previous person who was awarded dies, another says it's given away like candy. How many are given non-honorary awards annually?

    8. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by Alci12 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Its not on the death of a specific person it's a fixed numerical limit. "The Order is limited to 100 Knights and Dames Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Dames Commanders, and 8960 Commanders." so as long as there are only 844 knights you don't have to wait! NB Other orders exist with similar classes eg KCB

    9. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by StalinsNotDead · · Score: 1

      The Darwin Awards? Surely, those people deserve it.

      --
      Thanks to the internet, we can now all die alone together! -SomeWoman
    10. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by slapout · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Bob Hope has entertained millions over the years (and continues to do so thru video). He used his talent to help entertain troops during World War II. He has made (IMHO) a great contribution to society and I believe he deserved such an honor.

      --
      Coder's Stone: The programming language quick ref for iPad
    11. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 1

      And, he was at least born in England, if not raised there.

    12. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by bobcave · · Score: 1

      Those old time comedians like Bob Hope and Milton Berle, etc were only popular because there was nobody else in show business. What the hell is so funny about jokes where the punchline is so fscking obvious or about putting on a dress on TV.
      I'm sorry the guy's dead and I'm glad he entertained our troops, but knighthood? a great contribution to *SOCIETY*?

      --------

      --
      There is no such thing as 'chocohol' or 'workahol'.
    13. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by stretch0611 · · Score: 1

      Richard Garriot (of the Utlima series and many others) is jealous.

      --
      Looking for a job?
      Want your resume written professionally?
      DON'T USE TUNAREZ!!!
    14. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by MuMart · · Score: 1

      Excuse me ... Just one more question!

    15. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by AaronGTurner · · Score: 1

      As far as I know only subjects of of the Queen (British citizens and some Commonwealth countries) are eligible. Thus Bob Hope (being born in Britain) was eligible to be called Sir but the likes of Heston and Falk would not (ditto Bob Geldof). But Geldof is Bob Geldof KBE. Whether we'll ever get to see a Dame Madonna is another matter!

    16. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by gronofer · · Score: 1

      At least they gave it to a game developer and not a game player.

    17. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by gronofer · · Score: 1

      I have a feeling the queen is above the law and couldn't be prosecuted for this sort of thing.

    18. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by Nuskrad · · Score: 1

      Strictly speaking yes, but if it were uncovered that she commited murder, or conspired in it, all hell would break lose and the monarchy would be disolved

    19. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by secolactico · · Score: 1

      Is fscking obvious now that everyone has seen them and has seen every derivative of the same jokes by every other comedian.

      Are you going to tell me that Abott and Costello weren't original?

      --
      No sig
    20. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by Artemis · · Score: 1

      Madonna was born in Detroit, which I'm pretty sure doesn't fall under Her Majesty the Queen. But I suppose maybe it's enough to move to the UK after you've become rich and famous.

    21. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by ChristianBaekkelund · · Score: 1

      For me, it was when Elton John got knighted -- I will never be able to take it seriously since.

    22. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That question is always basically, "How does it feel to be 0wn3d?"

    23. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by Rallion · · Score: 1

      I notice that in almost all cases, people are knighted when they're way past their prime and are generally not doing anything worth mentioning in polite conversation anymore.

      Like, oh, you know, Peter Molyneux.

    24. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I was joking about the possibility of her choosing to become a citizen and thus one of the Queen's subjects.

    25. Re:Knighthood has lost its "gold" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Spent his early years in Bristol in fact.

      Come on, we Bristolians don't have much! We need to cling to anybody famous, no matter how obscure the connection.

  7. OBE doesn't make you a Sir. by byolinux · · Score: 3, Interesting

    That's a Knighthood or KBE for overseas, I believe.

    Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Sir Steven Spielberg, but just Peter M OBE, here.

    1. Re:OBE doesn't make you a Sir. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, It's just Steven Spielberg KBE. Americans aren't allowed to use the honourific "Sir" due to some piddling little rebellien in the eighteenth century.

    2. Re:OBE doesn't make you a Sir. by raindrop#1 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Not Sir Steven Spielberg. As Mr Spielberg is not a citizen of a Commonwealth country he can only receive an honorary knighthood. This means he can append the "KBE" (Knight of the British Empire) suffix to his name but cannot claim the honorary prefix of "Sir".

    3. Re:OBE doesn't make you a Sir. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bah, this is America, he can call append "King" suffix to his name if he so desires.

    4. Re:OBE doesn't make you a Sir. by raindrop#1 · · Score: 1

      This isn't America, it's looks more like Britain to me. ;-)

      Anyway, I should have said that people are supposed to honour KBEs with the prefix "Sir". Unless the KBE is not from a Commonwealth coutry, in which case they don't have to.

      Of course, anyone may choose not to do so but it would be a terrible faux pas.

    5. Re:OBE doesn't make you a Sir. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Only British Citizens may use the prefix "Sir". Not even members of the Commonwealth Realms (Canada, Australia, etc, etc) who are knighted may use "Sir", "Lord", "Baron", "Duke", etc. That's why Lord Conrad Black had to emigrate from Canada to the UK to receive his title.

      If you want the privledge of a knightly title you must become a citizen of the UK proper.

  8. Thank you Peter Molyneux by teiresias · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Since arthurs, actors, movie directors and musicians ,all of whom contribute to video games these days, are awarded this title, it is fitting and may I add over due that someone who wrote the backbone for the above artists talents should also be recognized.

    Thank you Peter Molyneux and congratulations.

    --
    -Teiresias
    1. Re:Thank you Peter Molyneux by JonLatane · · Score: 2, Funny
      Since arthurs... are awarded this title

      Whoa, I thought Arthur was a king, awarded a sword by some moistened tart or whatnot.

    2. Re:Thank you Peter Molyneux by SmokeHalo · · Score: 0

      Yes, congratulations Mr. Molyneux!

      Now, can you put in a good word for John Carmack?

      --
      I'm not good in groups. It's difficult to work in a group when you're omnipotent. - Q
    3. Re:Thank you Peter Molyneux by Babbster · · Score: 1

      I just need to say that I am going to work hard at adding the phrase "moistened tart" to my everday vocabulary. Thank you for that.

  9. What exactly is knighthood? by Samir+Gupta · · Score: 1, Interesting

    For us non-Brits, what exactly does being knighted confer on you? What are the benefits if any?

    How selective is it? How many people are knighted, and how often?

    --
    -- Samir Gupta, Ph. D. Head, New Technology Research Group, Nintendo Co. Ltd., Kyoto, Japan.
    1. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by qray · · Score: 1

      And are women knighted these days? -- This signature is encrypted

    2. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by PoshSpod · · Score: 1

      None these days, sadly. Except that you get to call yourself, 'Sir'.

      All the cool stuff with castles, madiens and dragons are in the past.

      --

      This is my sig.

    3. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by raindrop#1 · · Score: 2, Informative

      You get a medal, the Queen taps your shoulder with a sword and, if you are a citizen of a Commonwealth country, you would become Sir Samir.

    4. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by ukleafer · · Score: 1

      It's primarily a recognition of achievement or service to or in the name of the country.

      Anyone can write to the PM (via his office) and recommend a citizen of Britain for an honour, and he then presents candidates to the Queen, who selects the recipients. I'm not sure how much involvement she has, my guess is that the list is already well narrowed down and her role is more one of officiation in the same way that the parliament is "hers".

      Modern day knighthoods (or Bachelor Knighthoods in full) don't carry the same chivalrous connotations that a knighthood of olde bore, but you still get to call yourself a Sir or Dame. In addition to knighthoods there are a whole bunch of other honours, peerages, and orders such as the OBE discussed here.

      Regarding quantities, the amount of knighthoods conveyed per year varies (21 this year), but there are limitations in place on the total number of knighthoods that can be in place at once (~100 iirc).

      Knighthoods also are only applicable to civilians - the military have their own accolades.

    5. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by Alci12 · · Score: 2, Informative

      The female equiv. of a Knight has always been a Dame. eg the Actresses Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith

    6. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
      First off, this isn't a knighthood but no matter, all awards of this manner are worthless.

      "For us non-Brits, what exactly does being knighted confer on you? What are the benefits if any?"


      You get a little badge that says you don't have to pay taxes.

      "How selective is it?"


      It's only awarded to men and only to those who have ingratiated themselves sufficiently to the self appointed elite.


      "How many people are knighted,


      It depends on how many sandwiches the caterers have made for the buffet. In a nutshell, if you turn up and the Queen spots you with a cucumber sandich, you get a knighthood. OBE's and MBE's are given to the poor sod's with the vol-au-vents. More excitingly, if you have a pretzel, you get to be president of a minor colony.


      and how often?"


      You only get knighted once, no matter how many sandiches.


      "And are women knighted these days?"


      No, they get to be "Dames". As in, Dame Edna Everage.
    7. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by ukleafer · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Yes - they become Dames, but I'm pretty sure they are not included in the official decoration ceremony with the sword et al.

    8. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You cannot be awarded a title of British Peerage unless you are a citizen of the UK. You are not allowed to use the prefix "sir" even IF you are a citizen of a Commonwealth Country - you must be a UK citizen.

    9. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by qray · · Score: 1

      Oh yes, thanks for refreshing that bit of memory. -- fid doseg soe jeod meorne

    10. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by renimar · · Score: 1

      Actually, not all Commonwealth citizens are permitted knighthood. Canada, for instance, doesn't allow its citizens to receive titles from foreign governments. A few years ago, the Canadian federal government intervened when the British government wanted to knight Conrad Black. When the British government knighted a Canadian-British citizen, Terry Matthews, the Canadian government protested.

      --
      In other news, Microsoft Windows users are now covered under the Americans with Disabilties Act...
    11. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      You are also legally allowed to carry a sword around the streets and in banks and stuff and not get arrested for carrying an offensive weapon.

    12. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by cmacb · · Score: 1

      No horse? No metal outfit? No big long pointy thing?

      Heck with it then.

      And while we're at it, I wonder just how much Molly Knew?

    13. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by DrWho520 · · Score: 1

      1. First off, this isn't a knighthood but no matter, all awards of this manner are worthless.

      2.You get a little badge that says you don't have to pay taxes.

      You set off my bad logic detector. One deffinately conflicts with two in my view of the world. Do the badges just say you do not have to pay taxes, or do they really mean this? That is a bit more than worthless in my book. Now castigate me for biting at the troll...

      --
      The cancel button is your friend. Do not hesitate to use it.
    14. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Now castigate me for biting at the troll..."

      You get castigated for not having a sense of humour.
      It's a bit sad really.

    15. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by uradu · · Score: 1

      > You are not allowed to use the prefix "sir" even IF you are a
      > citizen of a Commonwealth Country - you must be a UK citizen.

      Tell that to my bank clerk, it's always "Sir" this and "Sir" that.

    16. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by Tim+Browse · · Score: 1
      And while we're at it, I wonder just how much Molly Knew?

      It's not working. Cut to the song.

    17. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by Rallion · · Score: 1

      The funniest thing about that post (and this is always funny to me, wherever I encounter it) is the concept of a cucumber sandwich. Really.

    18. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by Silburn_Luke · · Score: 1

      As others have said being a knight doesn't confer any formal benefits; you get the prefix to your name, some letters as a suffix and a medal that you can wear on formal occasions if you want to eg Russel Crowe has worn his MBE (which isn't a knighthood, but you do get a medal and some letters) to the Oscars at least once.

      Having said all that, a title still has a certain amount of 'soft power' - its extremely handy for booking restaurant tables for instance (not to be sniffed at) and it smooths the way in highly status conscious places, even (or especially) when they are outwardly egalitarian. The other thing is that it gives you the metaphorical key to the executive washroom - having a K may not confer any substantive powers, but even in this day and age it will open doors that are otherwise mostly shut. Whether you want to go through said doors is, of course, another question entirely.

      Regards
      Luke

      --
      #include witty_one_liner.h
    19. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by Harassed · · Score: 1

      I think it is critical at this point to note that not only does said sandwich have to contain cucumber but that the crusts must also have been removed.

    20. Re:What exactly is knighthood? by manifoldronin · · Score: 1
      You are also legally allowed to carry a sword around the streets and in banks and stuff and not get arrested for carrying an offensive weapon.

      What about on a plane?

      --
      Tyranny isn't the worst enemy of a democracy. Cynicism is.
  10. knignit by spac3manspiff · · Score: 2, Funny

    what about "aptly named, Sir Not Appearing in THis Film"??

  11. Well, by Synli · · Score: 2, Funny

    It seems that Her Majesty Queen had a great time playing Populous.

    --
    "Two things inspire me to awe -- the starry heavens above and the moral universe within." - Albert Einstein
    1. Re:Well, by Jediman1138 · · Score: 1

      Isn't that her job?

      --

      nothing.can.stop.me.now

  12. I preferred the Ultima series, myself... by Ykant · · Score: 5, Funny

    But how would that work - Sir Lord British? That's like, redundant in so many different ways...

    --
    Spelling, grammar, punctuation? We need something that checks logic.
  13. Not Quite Sir by defsdoor · · Score: 3, Informative

    Recipients of a KBE (Knight of the British Empire) are called Sir. Whereas KBEs are limited in number (a KBE has to die before another can be kinghted) OBEs are quite commonplace - frequently given to non-celebs that do a service to their community etc..

    1. Re:Not Quite Sir by mOoZik · · Score: 3, Informative

      According to WikiPedia:

      The Order is limited to 100 Knights and Dames Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Dames Commanders, and 8960 Commanders. There are no limits on the total number of members of the fourth and fifth classes, but no more than 858 Officers and 1464 Members may be appointed per year.

    2. Re:Not Quite Sir by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There is no limit on the number of Knights of the British Empire (no-one has to die in other words). There are titles that are limited in number but KBE isn't one of them. There isn't even a limit on the number of Kings or Queens (although of course there can only be one monarch at any one time).

    3. Re:Not Quite Sir by TheAdventurer · · Score: 1

      "but no more than 858 Officers and 1464 Members may be appointed per year."

      How the heck do they arrive at these numbers?

      I can see them all sitting around in the throne room:
      Queen: "I just appointed my 859th Officer!"
      Parliment: "WHAT?? NO! 859? Are you crazy! It should be perfectly obvious that Britain should not have more than exactly 858 Officers. Sheesh. What kind of Queen are you anyway?"

    4. Re:Not Quite Sir by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      At a state banquet with 72 tables, 12 diners per table, hosted by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, in honour of a foreign head of state and spouse (in attendance) and attended by the prime minister and spouse, there are 858 seats remaining.

    5. Re:Not Quite Sir by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I can see them all sitting around in the throne room: Queen: "I just appointed my 859th Officer!" Parliment: "WHAT?? NO! 859? Are you crazy! It should be perfectly obvious that Britain should not have more than exactly 858 Officers. Sheesh. What kind of Queen are you anyway?"

      I should certainly hope that you cannot see the Queen and Parliament sitting around in the throne room. There wouldn't be room and it would be most improper!

  14. Jez San might object to the "first" bit by antime · · Score: 5, Informative

    Jez San of the late Argonaut Software received the title in 2002. Good research!

    1. Re:Jez San might object to the "first" bit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Didn't Jez get an MBE?

  15. Stupid. by nukeade · · Score: 0, Troll

    You know, the Queen has got to be the biggest moron in the entire world.

    Britain is having a science crisis - universities there are trying to cut science curricula altogether, and the government is stepping in to force them to keep science intact. This is symptomatic of the US and Britain's culture altogether: rampant scientific illiteracy and an overall lack of appreciation of what got us so far.

    Meanwhile, the Grand High Idiot keeps knighting musicians and artists. Where's the research group who found the 100% safe and effective cure/vaccine for Type 1 Diabetes?

    You make a video game that a few people like, you get knighted as a celebrity. You improve the quality and length of life for millions of people, and nobody even knows your name. You want to start improving the status of science in your culture? Let me tell you where to start.

    ~Ben

    ~Ben

    1. Re:Stupid. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      yeah, let's take the advice of the retard who thinks the Queen decides who get's an OBE, then signs his name twice.

    2. Re:Stupid. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Am I right in assuming that they should start with "~Ben"?

      Or did you just want to sign your name twice, in case we forgot. ;]

    3. Re:Stupid. by raindrop#1 · · Score: 1

      Scientists get awarded knighthoods and OBEs too.

      Given your reference to diabetes, for example there is Sir Philip Cohen, Director of the MRC Protein and Phosphorylation Unit at Dundee University who has done a lot of work to advance understanding of how insulin acts in the body.

    4. Re:Stupid. by WIAKywbfatw · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Denegrate the Queen all you want, but at least she's not a Head of State that's culturally-, intellectually- and geographically-challenged, unlike those of some other countries that I can mention.

      By the way, you have no idea how the British honours system works. The Queen has about much say so in who does and doesn't get recognised as you do over who does and doesn't get to be struck by lightning.

      Fool.

      --

      "Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
    5. Re:Stupid. by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 2, Insightful

      True, but at least we had a chance to vote for our chimp.

    6. Re:Stupid. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Given the choice between a powerless hereditary idiot and an elected idiot who can do actual damage, I'd opt for the former every time.

    7. Re:Stupid. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      100% effective and safe cure/vaccine?

      Firstly: it's a cure, not a vaccine. Vaccines are preventative. You need to have Type I before this can be used.

      Secondly: It is not 100% effective. It will only work on those people whose pancreases have not already been damaged beyond repair. This is why it can only help prevent type I and not type II diabetes (which I can tell you because I have the condition)

      Thirdly: This set of awards has nothing to do with the queen.

      Now I don't disagree that this man is a great guy but you can't overinflate your own argument with invented rubbish. Scientists get honours, just this particular one didn't. This time.

      The BBC story covering this vaccine can be found here;
      http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4091399.s tm

    8. Re:Stupid. by WIAKywbfatw · · Score: 1

      An elected chimp is still a chimp.

      --

      "Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
    9. Re:Stupid. by nukeade · · Score: 1

      I should be surprised, but I'm not. Way to miss the point. I get distracted for a moment and sign my name twice. That's critical there. The British kid themselves into thinking they're so different from the United States. Yes, you do have Activist royalty, like it or not.

      It's your government that's elevating the status of celebrities rather than your bread and butter: people who are saving and improving actual lives. Sir Elton John? Come on. The examples I use, like them or not, are irrelevant.

      This is symptomatic of the same problem worldwide: look at the scientific hacks that won the Nobel Prize in 2004!

      So take my Karma. It doesn't mean anything to me. If you're going to send it to Hell, though, at least try to address the point.

      I'll sign three times for you this time!

      ~Ben
      ~Ben
      ~Ben

    10. Re:Stupid. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ben Ben Ben,

      You're missing the point. Only you care about these titles. No-one else does. You're validating the entire system with your complaints. Just ignore it.

  16. Really the first one? by Geckoman · · Score: 4, Funny

    But what about Lord British?!

    1. Re:Really the first one? by Harassed · · Score: 1

      A fraud.

  17. OBEs mean nothing by Turn-X+Alphonse · · Score: 2, Insightful

    OBE is a joke these days, to the point where people turn them down. Once they ment something but now they get handed out for next to nothing. Everyone in the country knows this and it gets 10 minutes on the news once a year at most.

    --
    I like muppets.
    1. Re:OBEs mean nothing by Lewisham · · Score: 1

      No, you're wrong on that front. Official title bestowing is still the one of the best ways the state can reward achievement. What about all the people who work for charities? Or volunteer for schools? Or actually change people's lives? All you hear about is the celebrities, but even then they usually deserve it. Just because you don't care whether they have one or not doesn't mean they aren't important to the majority, and to those who receive them.

      The people who turn them down either have:
      a) A problem with royalty (Benjamin Zephania or however you spell it turned it down for this reason).
      b) A problem with the state
      c) A tax problem (was this not Mick Jagger's excuse?)

      That's cool, I'd turn down things from people I didn't respect either. But that certainly does not make the OBE, or any other official title, a joke.

    2. Re:OBEs mean nothing by realitybath1 · · Score: 0
      That's cool, I'd turn down things from people I didn't respect either. But that certainly does not make the OBE, or any other official title, a joke.

      Actually, the first sentence in the quoted pair is a good reason it can be a joke. If an award is from a group of dunces, can it be anything other than a joke?

      The leader of the first British team to reach the north pole by dogsled turned down an OBE because it was 'bestowed' as an insult as the justified title was obviously a knighthood. Unfortunately, said leader made the mistake of pointing out the idiocy of the armchair 'advice' given during the expedition by the same people who would later influence the knighthood decision.

      It took a few decades, but eventually he got knighted. As far as i remember, 75% of the team members thought the OBE was a joke, and the last 25% was a religious nut that nobody ever heard from again. (Hi Ken :) )
    3. Re:OBEs mean nothing by cowbutt · · Score: 3, Interesting
      The people who turn them down either have:
      a) A problem with royalty (Benjamin Zephania or however you spell it turned it down for this reason).

      Actually, Benjamin Zephaniah's reasons were a bit more complicated. The long and short of it is what the 'E' in the OBE stands for, and its history. More details in this article, from the man's own mouth.

    4. Re:OBEs mean nothing by DataCannibal · · Score: 1

      On the contrary.

      It's often said that OBE stands for "Other Bugger's Efforts".

      A friend of mine was recently awarded the MBE. He claims that it stands for "My Bloody Efforts"

      --
      No but, yeah but, no but...
    5. Re:OBEs mean nothing by Flyboy+Connor · · Score: 1
      OBE is a joke these days, to the point where people turn them down.

      Personally, I think turning down an OBE or whatever honor they try to bestow upon you, gives you more status than accepting one.

      Unfortunately, I live in the Netherlands, and thus I will never be able to refuse such an honor. The reason is that if you refuse to accept it, you won't get it offered.

      Too bad. Otherwise I would probably start to do lots of voluntary work and pander to officials, just to laugh in the queen's face when I get offered a "lintje" (of course, the queen won't be there herself, but at least I'll be able to thumb my nose at the mayor, and make sure it is in the papers the next day).

  18. In other news.. by 1019 · · Score: 5, Funny

    The entire staff of Rockstar Games was knighted today for their contributions towards "Thefting Autos Grandly."

    --
    shame on us / for all we have done / and all we ever were / just zeroes and ones
    1. Re:In other news.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      i laughed so hard i hit my head

  19. result of the complicated British rules, actually by Trepidity · · Score: 1

    Americans not being entitled to use the styling "Sir" isn't particular to the United States: The rather complex rules of the British peerage system include a stipulation that "Sir" can only be used by individuals who are subjects of the Monarch of the United Kingdom. The historical reason is that the entire peerage system was once an actual system of fealty, and so awarding a title to a foreigner was just an honorary exercise, while awarding a title to a subject of the Monarch was "substantive", more like bestowing a position on them. Of course, the distinction between "honorary" and "substantive" titles is now rather anachronistic, since they're now all pretty much just honorary.

  20. This is certainly interesting by jd · · Score: 4, Interesting
    There are two awards lists - the Queen's Birthday List, where she can basically give awards to whoever she likes, and the New Years honors list, which comes from Number 10. (ie: the Prime Minister.)


    Now, it's not unusual for "celebrities of the moment" getting awards from the PM, but a games designer is rarely considered a celebrity. And Populus is hardly a current game.


    Don't get me wrong - I think this is a good trend, and I'd like to see Ian Bell and David Braben also get awards for their contributions. It's just very surprising - it goes against the usual way these things work.


    Mind you, Britain's current Prime Minister is a former Heavy Metal guitarist, so I guess unusual things can be expected to happen from time to time.

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
    1. Re:This is certainly interesting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No no, that's right. Tony likes to be "cool" and popular. Hey he coined the phrase "cool Britannia" for his P.R. stunt. It's customary for parties like the socialists or labour to give any sort of medals to anyone in the top 50 so they too look cool, young and open minded.

      Check out France's Culture minister Jack Lang who during the socialist days of Mitterand handed out La Legion D'Honneur to about anyone in the show business. Provided of course they would say things lke "Socialists are great!" afterwards.

      Lou Reed accepted, any half assed French annoying musique stars did... And the end the French socialist party have had about everyone in their guest list.

      Now imagine giving the Congressional Medal of Honor to Cher cause "...hu hu hu.. we at the White House are like cool and we can talk to kids and stuff".

      Mmmmmmm.... Nah.

      So you, beware.. Tony Blair would do anything for a vote, even selling his own country.

      Say Tony, can I get a few Victoria Crosses? I'll say good things about Labour next time I post.

    2. Re:This is certainly interesting by Dogtanian · · Score: 1

      It's customary for parties like the socialists or labour to give any sort of medals to anyone in the top 50 so they too look cool, young and open minded.

      You're implying that Tony Blair is a socialist?

      Where the *hell* did you get that one from?!

      --
      "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
    3. Re:This is certainly interesting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Where the *hell* did you get that one from?!

      Same place most people on slashdot get the words they post from.

      His ass.

    4. Re:This is certainly interesting by chrisbtoo · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'd like to see Ian Bell and David Braben also get awards for their contributions.

      That'd rule. I wonder how long it'd be before they started going at each other with swords, though.

      --
      Registering accounts later than some other chrisb since 1997
    5. Re:This is certainly interesting by BeerCat · · Score: 1

      Er...., well he did do some social engineering on Clause Four, but that's probably as far as it goes

      --
      "She's furniture with a pulse"
    6. Re:This is certainly interesting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How many Slashdot posters have pet donkeys?

    7. Re:This is certainly interesting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, *Tony Blair* has a pet donkey that Slashdotters pull all their comments out of.

      This is getting strange.

    8. Re:This is certainly interesting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >Mind you, Britain's current Prime Minister is a former Heavy Metal guitarist, so I guess unusual things can be expected to happen from time to time.

      the prime minister is actually a former anything that his multiple focus groups think will help him win votes

  21. yes you are by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The Queen doesn't select OBE candidates. So yes, you are the biggest moron in the world.

  22. apology by EddieBurkett · · Score: 1

    The Queen knighted Molyneux expecting he will ride around on a horse and defend the crown and wear armour, but it turns out he's just going to keep on making video games. The Queen is going to apologize to Britain for getting everyone's hopes up and really just knighting some aging guy.

    --
    The only thing I hate more than hypocrites are people who hate hypocrites.
  23. Blame Blair and friends... by Dogtanian · · Score: 3, Interesting

    You know, the Queen has got to be the biggest moron in the entire world.

    Much as I hate the Royal Family, you can blame the government for the poor choice of candidates. Remember, it's Tony Blair's behind you have to kiss if you want a knighthood. (David Blunkett will probably get something to cheer him up now he's out of a job).

    Besides, scientists do 'controversial' things that millions of registered voters might object to, so no awards for them.

    --
    "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
  24. ranking game by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1

    So "Fable" is more "orderly" than The Who?

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    make install -not war

  25. Re:result of the complicated British rules, actual by Control+Group · · Score: 1
    True, but it's equally true that Americans aren't allowed to take a title from any country, regardless of whether their peerage rules allow it. Where, in this case, Spielberg is prevented from taking the "Sir" by the rules of the granting monarchy, in any case, he would be prevented from taking the "Sir" by Constitutional law.

    Specifically, if he had dual citizenship and an entirely legitimate peer-of-the-realm status in Britain, he could still not legally be "Sir" or "Lord" anything to Americans.

    (Except, of course, in recongition of a visiting head of state...but then it's his British identity which has the status, not his American)

    --

    Reality has a conservative bias: it conserves mass, energy, momentum...
  26. Celebrity Deathmatch by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1

    I want to see Molyneux publish a game where we can send teams of OBEs, Knights and other promoted Britons into battle against one another. Given the range of meritorious services earning entry to the winners' circle, an environment like Populous might be best. BTW, I draft Lancelot and Lennon.

    --

    --
    make install -not war

  27. an honorary title by Trepidity · · Score: 1

    It's essentially equivalent to the various "medals of honor" that many countries give out. For historical reasons, the British peerage system is much more complicated than the honorary awards of most countries, because it used to be an system of hierarchical real titles, rather than the honorary ones it is today.

  28. *cough* wrong expansion of OBE by Anonymous+Cowpat · · Score: 4, Informative

    although the letters obe mean order of the british empire, they refer to several actual 'titles'
    If you get an OBE it stands for Officer of the British Empire, a specific title. Above MBE (member) and below CBE (commander).

    Free pedant points please

    --
    FGD 135
  29. That's not what I heard by The-Bus · · Score: 3, Funny

    In an interview I read in Molyneuws, the Peter Molyneux quarterly, Peter had said in 2002 that he was going to become God's Second Son and appointed by God Himself. In 2003 he said he would be president of the world and that it would be announced at the next G8 summit. Late last year he said he would become a Governor of some northwestern state in the US.

    --

    Small potatoes make the steak look bigger.

  30. Better Than Elton John by glenrm · · Score: 1

    Better than Elton John IMHO. Fable is a great game. Black and White should have been but it had giant cows and that was one of the highlights...

  31. Nutty brits... :-) by Jugalator · · Score: 2, Funny

    Like Knight Commander Bill Gates wasn't enough! (yes, it's true)

    Microsoft said Mr Gates, 48, was "absolutely delighted".

    Words chosen by a true fearless knight, indeed.

    --
    Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
  32. Oh, *man*... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Richard "Lord British" Garriott has gotta be spinning in his dungeon at this news.

  33. only partly true by Trepidity · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The relevant Constitutional clause reads:

    No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States; and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them shall, without the consent of the congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.

    This only prohibits those who "hold any office of profit or trust under [the United States]" from accepting titles, which I think has been interpreted to mean those who hold a position in government (although I could be wrong there).

    As a bit of trivia, Canada also has a prohibition (the Nickle Resolution) against its citizens accepting foreign titles, including British peerage titles---even though it recognizes the Queen as titular head of state. I believe several other Commonwealth countries (Australia and New Zealand?) have similar prohibitions on British honors.

    1. Re:only partly true by Alci12 · · Score: 1

      The Nickle resolution has no power in law. It is more properly a convention. The only factor in an award to a Commonwealth country citizen [subject] is that the PM recommends/approves such an award. Aus/NZ allow some awards and not others.

    2. Re:only partly true by Zachary+Kessin · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Legal point about HM the Queen...

      The crown of Canada and the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Brittian and Northern Ireland are legally seperate entities. When HM the Queen is in Canada she flies different arms than when back in the UK etc.

      The short version of it is that HRM can grant honors to Canadians as determined by Canadian law and practice, and to brittish citizens as by Brittish law and practice.

      --
      Erlang Developer and podcaster
    3. Re:only partly true by tetranz · · Score: 1

      Changing topic slightly but a misunderstanding I've come across a few times is that many member countries of The Commonweath these days are republics and therefore their citizens are not subjects of the Queen.

      See thecommonwealth.org

      I'd be curious to see a list of countries who she is head of state for.

    4. Re:only partly true by delphi125 · · Score: 3, Informative

      According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_II_of_the_U nited_Kingdom ...

      As well as being Queen of the United Kingdom, Elizabeth is head of state of fifteen other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations, known as the Commonwealth Realms. These countries are Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

    5. Re:only partly true by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      New Zealand doesn't have this restriction.

    6. Re:only partly true by Malc · · Score: 1

      Lord Conrad Black found this out. He was dual British and Canadian citizen. He accepted his title as a Briton. Prime Minister Jean Cretin^WChrétien doesn't like him and said he couldn't accept it as he's Canadian (he could have been typically Canadian and turned a blind eye)... I believe Lord Black responded by renouncing his Canadian citizenship (I think he was born and raised Canadian, and naturalised British).

      Somebody please correct my trivial if I'm wrong.

    7. Re:only partly true by rborek · · Score: 1

      Also note that Canadians are not considered foreigners for the purpose of such awards - General (ret'd) John de Chastelain was invested as a Companion of Honour (non-honourary), a prestigious order limited to 65 members.

    8. Re:only partly true by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In current practice, the Canadian government has also prevented dual UK-Canadian citizens from being granted titles (a courtesy to the Cdn gov't after formal protest, I would imagine). The most current example is Conrad Black, (former) press baron. He formally withdrew his Canadian citizenship as a result.

  34. Re:result of the complicated British rules, actual by Alci12 · · Score: 1

    Not quite true. The constitutional bar you speak of would not apply to a knighthood which is *not* deemed a rank of nobility. It would however apply to a baronet which is... unless they ratify the missing 13th amendment...

  35. Sid Meier... by Beetle+B. · · Score: 1

    ...deserves it more than anyone else!

    --
    Beetle B.
    1. Re:Sid Meier... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sid? Pah! The man is a hack. It should go to Brian Reynolds.

  36. An earlier OBE than Jez San by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Steve Grand, the developer of 'Creatures', who is currently building Lucy, was awarded an OBE in the 2000 honours list.

  37. Love & Peace by rasty · · Score: 1

    Now I just hope Sir Peter won't grow his hair and start making games about Love & Peace.. :)

  38. Queen? Queen who? by popo · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Do we care what the queenie says? Do we care who the queenie likes? Does it strike anyone else as completely ridiculous that certain crackers and marmalades get the queenies stamp of "me likey"? Does it strike anyone else as ridiculous that if you make a billion dollars you also get to be called sir? (She can really pick a winner that lady). Personally I'd prefer "Billionaire" as a prefix, but it strikes me as particularly ridiculous that this family has produced generations of failures, losers and scandals and still has the gumption to assign titles to success.

    Can we all just agree that the entire concept of a royal family is irrelevant, archaic, out of touch and well... just plain silly? (And let's be honest, her social grace is extraordinarily questionable. Have you ever heard her speak an unscripted word? She can barely talk she's so affected and out of touch.) ...Not to mention we fought a war against the entire concept of royalty in order to (as Ben Franklin said) "make their king a little man".

    Anarchy in the UK...

    --
    ------ The best brain training is now totally free : )
  39. He aint seen nothing yet... by east+coast · · Score: 1

    Just let him come around to Neriak where my Inkie Shadowknight will make short work of him. This geek does not know the meaning of courage! He will taste my steel!

    --
    Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
  40. There is precedent! by timothy · · Score: 3, Funny

    It seems that for the first time in history an semi-realistic American cartoon character has purchased a lordship. When Zonker Harris - plant-whisperer and babysitter extraordinaire - was asked by BBC News about the honor he simply said "It's come completely out of the blue, I never would have guessed that I'd have that kind of honour, right up until when the credit card confirmation came through." For the world of fictional people as a whole, this is very much a good thing. It's great that cartoon characters are being recognized for their hard work and cultural impact on the world.

    --
    jrnl: http://tinyurl.com/c2l8yr / foes: http://tinyurl.com/ckjno5
    1. Re:There is precedent! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I like the animie "Read or Die" where GW Bush wets himself every time there is a crisis.

  41. I bet by Muttonhead · · Score: 0, Troll

    Commander Keen could kick your ass Britboy.

  42. Re:Nutty brits... :-) Philanthropy, not a warrant by Bill+Walker · · Score: 1
    I think a lot of the time, these honors are given because of charitable works, rather than the contributions a person made in his or her working life.

    In fact, now that I click your link, that's just what he got it for.

    It's not like there's a royal warrant on Windows XP, like there is on IBM UK and Xerox . Warrants are funny...

    --
    Please, for the love of God, no more car analogies.
  43. The provider of stress-relief by Woogiemonger · · Score: 1

    I look at it this way: The bureaucrats of today are no doubt exposed to many many conformist, spineless lemmings on a daily basis. These games provided people with a way of lightning bolting, drowning, squishing, or outright chucking conformist lemmings into a jagged mountain range. This man was very in touch with the frustration of modern leaders. This honor serves not only to reward an inventor, but also to make a statement.

  44. It depends on the Order by jd · · Score: 1
    Knights of the British Empire (KBE) and most "normal" knighthoods confer virtually nothing. (Well, under the Magna Carta, you cannot be charged by the owner of a castle, if you supply your own bodyguards, but that's about it.)


    There are other orders of knighthood, though, which are more exclusive. The Knights of the Order of the Garter are limited in number (at present, the limit is 26 plus the sons of the reigning monarch). It is the highest and oldest of the chivalric orders. It's also the most exclusive, with an average only slightly more than one person a year since it was founded.


    Different orders have different charters, and it's entirely possible that you'll find some order out there that can actually do something useful. Not likely, but certainly possible. The biggest challange, though, is getting someone who would actually do anything useful into that order. That may actually be impossible.

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  45. dreaming about the old days? by slapout · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hmmm...weren't Black & White and Populous games where the player had 'absolute' power? And isn't the monarchy something that used to have 'absolute' power? :-)

    --
    Coder's Stone: The programming language quick ref for iPad
    1. Re:dreaming about the old days? by Rallion · · Score: 1

      It's actually kind of funny that you say that, even aside from the joke. Though they are quite literally god games, when I play them I wish I actually did have complete control over my subjects--despite the context, I do not. It's just an illusion.

      Which, I suppose, makes it even more like the monarchy, doesn't it?

  46. Games he made? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well I don't know why, but i do not have a good knowledge of what this guy has actually DONE. I played black and white, and while it was pretty and entertainign for about an hour, it got really boring after that.

    I heard populous mentioned as well, which i would guess is a different version of civilization (which i really enjoyed).

    My question is, what has this guy actually done that was so great? Why doesnt SID myer or the king of WoW (mr blizzard or whoever) get one of these?

    surely there are more revolutionary or societally influencing games, what about counterstrike?

  47. Stephen Grand OBE (Creatures) by SEGV · · Score: 2, Informative

    The first? Not so.

    Stephen Grand, creator of the Creatures series, already has one:

    http://www.nesta.org.uk/mediaroom/newsreleases/3 12 7/

    --

    --
    Marc A. Lepage
    Software Developer
    1. Re:Stephen Grand OBE (Creatures) by Flyboy+Connor · · Score: 1

      But "Creatures" is not a game. The first requirement of a game is that it entertains. "Creatures" is a quite boring simulation.

  48. Explanation for foreigners by panurge · · Score: 4, Funny
    Since the Roman Empire, the order of Knights has really been more about commerce and banking than military activity. (In fact, in the Roman Empire, financially embarrassed senators would occasionally ask to be downgraded to Knights so they could engage in trade.) The British Empire followed the Roman Empire in this regard, awarding knighthoods mainly to entrepeneurs and businessmen. Sir Francis Drake was knighted for his interesting take on maritime commerce - acquiring Spanish ships without paying for them.

    The Order of the British Empire is a completely fictitious society invented to satisfy people who want impressive titles, without really giving them anything. The worthy people - the people who have done jobs nobody else wants to do for years - get the lowest ranks (OBE,MBE). The flashy people get the right to be called Dame or Sir, and the lower ranks exist so that the higher titles are not too obviously a complete joke. You can't be a commander if you have nobody to command, though that doesn't stop those terrorist "liberation armies" that seem to have no rank below colonel.

    The only parts of the Honors System that are actually worth having are:

    Real peerages (e.g. Lord Muck of Bradford): Allow you to spend your time in superior London hotel and get paid for it.
    Order of the Bath (not what it sounds like)
    Order of St Michael and St George - what civil servants get for creating the maximum bureaucratic chaos, and divided into 3 levels, viz.
    CMG (Call Me God)
    KCMG (Kindly Call Me God)
    GCMG (God Calls Me God)

    Finally, I have to point out that the real pinnacle of English aristocracy is to have a real, ancient and very important title and then NOT USE IT or even give it up. The left-wing parliamentarian Tony Benn, whose family have held the title of Lord Stansgate for many years till he renounced it, is an example of this tendency. The problem is that there is no official register of People Offered an Honor Who Refused It, and letting it be known that this has happened rather defeats the whole "I am above fancy titles" thing.

    I do not understand why so many US science fiction writers seem to think that Empires are such a good idea. All they do is go into decline, leaving behind a flotsam of empty titles and people playing games in silly uniforms.

    --
    Panurge has posted for the last time. Thanks for the positive moderations.
    1. Re:Explanation for foreigners by cliffski · · Score: 1

      whereas Iain M banks DOES realise this. He even treats such empires as jokes in the culture novels.

      bah, you stole most of your post from yes minister and hoped nobody would notice.

      --
      DRM-free indie games for the PC and Mac: Positech Games
    2. Re:Explanation for foreigners by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Some points:
      1) Blanket statements about the "Roman Senate" are liable to innaccuracy because its nature, and the rights and obligations of its members changed throughout Rome's long history. As an example, Roman senators were by definition all equites (knights) until 123 BC.

      2) A blanket statement about knighthood being concerned with banking and commerce rather than war is (like your other blanket statements) inaccurate. In dark and much of middle-age Europe, knights were simply people with the means to maintain their own horse, armour, and weapons, and this did not become associated with nobility in most countries until d the 11th to 13th centuries (depending on where). Even then, with the exception of France, it did not become closed to other classes, who could either be elevated to knighthood (something that even happened to indentured servants), or simply be knights if they had the means (e.g. the 13th century Spanish "cabelleros villanos"). Note also that (again with the exception of France) knighthood was seldom hereditary, and it never has been in England.

      3) Drake was knighted after returning from a successful circumnavigation of the world, not for his privateeing activities. Note also that England did not have an empire when Drake was knighted (Spain and Portugal were the imperial powers of the time).

    3. Re:Explanation for foreigners by rjstanford · · Score: 2, Informative

      Readers of this post who may be less familiar with Yes Minister the delevision series may find that this clip seems a little familiar.

      --
      You're special forces then? That's great! I just love your olympics!
    4. Re:Explanation for foreigners by panurge · · Score: 1
      Why have you posted as AC? Have you not the courage of your convictions?

      As far as I am aware, there was no Roman Empire in 123BCE. There was a Republic. Julius Caesar was assassinated around 44BCE, marking the start of the generally accepted Imperial period.

      In fact, however, I was merely trying to make a point about the way the British Honors System is not anhistoric in using the title of "Knight" to recognise commercial success.

      Note I'm not accusing you of having a humor bypass because my humor may be too feeble to come over, but the entire piece was intended as a joke.

      --
      Panurge has posted for the last time. Thanks for the positive moderations.
    5. Re:Explanation for foreigners by gonzoxl5 · · Score: 1

      I wouldn't say it's completely useless to receive an OBE, there are certain privileges - as an exmaple, Peter and his immediate family are now entitled to get married in the OBE chapel of the crypt in St Pauls Cathedral (if they so desire it).

    6. Re:Explanation for foreigners by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why have you posted as AC? Have you not the courage of your convictions?

      I don't know why the original poster was anonymous, but I am because I can't be bothered to create an account. (I've been reading and posting anonymously since 1999 or so).

      As far as I am aware, there was no Roman Empire in 123BCE. There was a Republic. Julius Caesar was assassinated around 44BCE, marking the start of the generally accepted Imperial period.

      Well, it is not general enough for me to accept. Change that to the ascension of the younger Gaius Julius Ceasar, either at the point when the Western provinces swore allegiance to him personally (32 BC), or after the battle of Actium (31 BC), or after he changed his name to Imperator Augustus Caesar in 27 BC, and then I agree.

      In fact, however, I was merely trying to make a point about the way the British Honors System is not anhistoric in using the title of "Knight" to recognise commercial success.

      But you implied that the British used "Knight" in that sense during the Middle Ages, a very much incorrect claim.

    7. Re:Explanation for foreigners by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I do not understand why so many US science fiction writers seem to think that Empires are such a good idea.

      Just following Bush's lead, your honour.

  49. Re:Queen? Queen who? by t_allardyce · · Score: 1

    Yeah but watching George Bush stand next to her and look like a little boy makes everything worthwhile...

    --
    This comment does not represent the views or opinions of the user.
  50. Re:Queen? Queen who? by BenjyD · · Score: 1

    The queen doesn't select honours any more, the Government does it for her and she OKs it, in the same way that she 'gives Royal Assent' to acts of parliament to make them law but actually has no power. It's not a particurlarly good system, but it's not quite as terrible as it is sometimes made out to be.

    BBC article
  51. Also... by artemis67 · · Score: 0

    Charleton Heston is to be commended for his struggle against those "damn dirty apes".

  52. So where is black & white 2??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Has it been canceled? Or so delayed that they had to re-write it because it was already obsolete?

    I can't believe this whole 'sir' business is going to help speed the process up.

  53. Gaming gone to the masses by Datamonstar · · Score: 1

    While it's nice to see that the world is finally embracing gaming, I think that they're doing it for the wrong reasons. A knight-ship for a game designer. Gimme a break. We're just beginning to tip the ice berg of gaming, so let's hold back the prestigous titles until someone comes a long that really puts his mark on gaming as a whole, and touches the WORLD. Gaming hasn't done this yet, IMO. Yes, it's big and gettting even bigger around the world, but there really hasn't been much of a test yet to see if video game media can provide change enough to impact the world like theatre, art, music and film has. And all this is aside from the likelyhood that the people handing out these prestigous awards have probably never even played these games themselves. In short, it's not time for this yet.

    --
    The eternal struggle of good vs. evil begins within one's self.
  54. a royal award? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I guess the queen never played fable

  55. Knighthood Forever? by Zenmonkeycat · · Score: 1
    George Broussard is also slated to receive his OBE, but only when Duke Nukem Forever is released. I believe Her Majesty said she'll present the award to him "when it's ready."

    PS: A lot of people have said that Her Majesty enjoyed playing Populous. That is patently false. Elizabeth II is particularly enamored of the Syndicate series of games, and she hopes this award will convince Molyneux to make a sequel to it. So get crackin', Peter Molyneux, OBE!

    --

    *****
    Dear Mary,
    I yearn for you tragically,
    A.T. Tappman, Chaplain, U.S. Army.

    1. Re:Knighthood Forever? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There was a sequel to Syndicate; it was called Syndicate Wars. There was also an expansion pack for Syndicate, called American Revolution. I don't either one was as delightfully mischievious as the first one, though. Maybe they could create a really good 3D successor to Syndicate now, with all the fancy technology we've got to, but I don't know if there's anyone left in the game industry who can really capture the ridiculous gameplay anymore. Uzi, Minigun, Uzi, Minigun, forever!

  56. Check out the Irony of Empire in Star Wars: Ep IV by Matarick · · Score: 1

    Remember that scene ("I find your lack of faith disturbing") where the Imperial Officers sit and Admiral Motti talks to Darth Vader about the Death Star and the missing plans; on the DVD commentary track, Lucas talks about how these people are 'ranked' (Admiral, Grand Moff, Lord of the Sith) are actually non-ranked 'honorifics' and they are all are equally ranked below the Emperor.

    This is very noticible throughout the Star Wars series with the rise and decline of the Galatic Empire. Lucas and the Star Wars cast and crew spelled out how silly these titles actually are. It is one of the many layers of depth in the Star Wars universe.

  57. Never could crack it. by Civil_Disobedient · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Well deserved award. Not only was Populus an stroke of pure, unadulterated genious (and helped create an entire game genre), but to my knowledge, Populus was one of the few games that was never successfully cracked. I recall a slew of irritating patches that *never* worked.

    1. Re:Never could crack it. by Flunitrazepam · · Score: 2, Funny

      Sir Francis Drake could pirate it

      --
      1) Your analysis is based on bad assumptions so your result is way off. 2) You're a sick bastard for fucking a horse.
    2. Re:Never could crack it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It was cracked... All Amiga s/w was cracked, even the stuff that required dongles...

    3. Re:Never could crack it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Huh? which version would that be? I certainly had a pirated copy of the full Amiga version.

    4. Re:Never could crack it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Atari ST. The Alien/Pompey Pirates. 100%. First try. Next.

  58. Madonna at least waited two weeks... by daVinci1980 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Apparently now that he's been knighted, he has to speak like he's English: It's come completely out of the blue, I never would have guessed that I'd have that kind of honour.

    --
    I currently have no clever signature witicism to add here.
    1. Re:Madonna at least waited two weeks... by nagora · · Score: 1
      Apparently now that he's been knighted, he has to speak like he's English

      That might have been funny except for the fact that he is in fact English. Used to live near me, actually.

      Also, he hasn't been knighted, but that's an error in the article.

      TWW

      --
      "Encyclopedia" is to "Wikipedia" what "Library" is to "Some people at a bus stop"
    2. Re:Madonna at least waited two weeks... by ctid · · Score: 1
      "has to speak like he's English"??


      What are you talking about? He is English.

      --
      Reality is defined by the maddest person in the room
  59. zerg by Lord+Omlette · · Score: 1

    Conga-Rats Sir Molyneux!

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    [o]_O
  60. People who refused honours by ColourlessGreenIdeas · · Score: 1

    Here
    Well, I can't find the complete list but it exists and was leaked. Actually, I think there are a lot of hereditary peers and baronets who don't use their titles day-to-day. There's not much point in giving them up unless you want to enter the commons.

    --
    In soviet russia stale jokes recycle you!
  61. Can't think of anyone better. by blanks · · Score: 2, Informative

    Peter Molyneux has come up with some really great games over the years, most of which have allways been right on top of the latest technology.

    Games like Populous (back in the sega days) was way ahead of its time, and even new games like fable where characters and even the game change as you progress has allways seemed like a major effect he has gone after with each game.

    1. Re:Can't think of anyone better. by randallpowell · · Score: 0

      Fable a groundbreaking game? OK, your character ages but no one else does. So the main character is the only mortal in a world of immortals. Lame just like Peter.

  62. Rubbish by nagora · · Score: 1
    He's not been knighted, just OBE'd. He's not the first developer so honoured (Jez Sans) and the Queen doesn't choose the New Year's Honours, the Prime Minister and his staff do; the Queen has more input on her birthday list.

    Other than that, a fine article. I think there's a knighthood in it for the /. crew (honoury only, I'm afraid, since they're for'n)

    TWW

    --
    "Encyclopedia" is to "Wikipedia" what "Library" is to "Some people at a bus stop"
  63. Re:Check out the Irony of Empire in Star Wars: Ep by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    It is one of the many layers of depth in the Star Wars universe.

    Ummmm... yeah. <backs away slowly>

  64. Re:Queen? Queen who? by Sinus0idal · · Score: 1

    Actually yes, I have heard her speak unscripted, and she is actually an amazingly intelligent person with an excellent memory who knows and gets along personally with the majority of world leaders. It'd pay to have people as knowledgeable as her in politics. It might save us from yet another pointless war.

    And you monarchy bashing trolls are getting seriously boring. I guess you are the sort that also want to rid the country of every other tradition that we have, become just another boring country and adopt ID cards so that we can all be numbered. Most countries are proud of their traditions.

  65. every cunt gets an obe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    it doesn't mean shit.

  66. Re:Whatever by randallpowell · · Score: 0

    Fable sucked and he over hyped it. I'm guessing he's doing the samething here. The Queen shouldn't mkae him a OBE on the basis that he lies to get games sold and they suck monkey cock.

  67. Re:Queen? Queen who? by realitybath1 · · Score: 0

    hey, quit bashing the wax museums

  68. In Your Face Carmack! by A3gis · · Score: 1

    that's all there is to say.

  69. Slashdot reveals the inaccuracy of its reporting by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 0, Informative

    First, the Queen doesn't hand them out.

    Second, he's NOT being knighted.

    Does the idea of fact-checking anything even itch its way across the editors' minds?

    --
    "Sufferin' succotash."
  70. Re:Queen? Queen who? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yeah but she wrote Bohemian Rhapsody. Respect!

  71. It amazes me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It amazes me that you "New World Order" types can still have an orgasm over a royal commendation. That is so 17th century.

  72. Not a joke? by jotaeleemeese · · Score: 1

    OK, what does OBE stand for?

    Now, tell us again it is not a joke, and one of bad taste at that.

    --
    IANAL but write like a drunk one.
  73. How can you be proud of a tradition.... by jotaeleemeese · · Score: 1

    .... that negates the tenents of democracy itself?

    It was traditional to execute people in public places, bear beating, and children cleaning chimneys.

    We don't have to honour or follow traditions that have outlived their own historical context.

    --
    IANAL but write like a drunk one.
    1. Re:How can you be proud of a tradition.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How can you be proud of a tradition that negates the tenents of democracy itself?

      What is democracy? Some kind of deity, that we must bow down and worship and speak of with hushed tones and reverence? No, it's merely a form of government that, in its widely adopted form, happens to be less bad than most of the others we've ever tried. So, quite frankly, I don't see why I should give a damn whether having a monarch "negates the tenets of Democracy Itself" or not; the question strikes me as completely irrelevant to any practical matter.

      The real question is, would an elected head of state bring any material benefits to us? And I see none. How is a rich white man from a rich white family, like George II of America, any more representative of the people than a rich white woman from a rich white family like Elizabeth II? Because he won a glorified popularity contest against a similarly rich white privileged male rival? Hardly. Is it somehow demeaning to have a monarch? I don't see how - I may "technically" be a subject rather than a citizen, but in practice it makes no difference to my life whatsoever. I have yet to hear any other arguments against the monarchy.

      Meanwhile, the presence of a royal family brings huge material benefits. Tourism. The income from the Crown Estates (which is much greater than the cost to the taxpayer of the Civil List). A head of state who has spent her entire life being trained to do the job of head of state, and therefore does it rather better than someone who's spent his life learning to be an oil tycoon. The list goes on...

  74. Re:Queen? Queen who? by popo · · Score: 1

    > and she is actually an amazingly intelligent person with an excellent memory

    You're kidding. No really... you're kidding right? She's about as wooden and uncharismatic as anyone I've ever seen. Her speeches are awkward and she has about as much humanity as a stapler.

    > and gets along personally with the majority of world leaders

    Who she met how? By climbing the political ladder? Through personal (scratch that)... Through *any* achievement?

    > I guess you are the sort that also want to rid the country of every other tradition that we have?

    No, just the Queenie and Fox Hunting. You can keep Guy Fawkes night.

    > become just another boring country and adopt ID cards

    Uh... you guys don't have I.D. cards?! What the f*ck are you talking about? Do you mean drivers licenses and passports? Uh... if you don't have those ...my recomendation would be to kick the sheepshit off your boots, drive 6 hours to London and fill out an application.

    > Most countries are proud of their traditions.

    History and tradition are two different things. Your queen isn't a tradition. She's a relic. Getting sh*tfaced immediately after work is a tradition that we're ok with.

    --
    ------ The best brain training is now totally free : )
  75. Re:Slashdot reveals the inaccuracy of its reportin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And third, it's not the first time in history. What about Jez San?

  76. Re:Queen? Queen who? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Can we all just agree that the entire concept of a royal family is irrelevant, archaic, out of touch and well... just plain silly?

    Well, since you put it that way... no, we can't. There are those of us who really don't see the point in scrapping something that does its job quite adequately in favour of something else that provides no obvious material benefits.

    I assume you're a republican. Tell me, what benefits would an elected president provide? Would he be cheaper to keep? Nope - he'd demand a salary as well as expenses, and I really doubt he'd give the income from all his estates to the nation like a certain royal family does. More representative of the people? Nope - he'd be a rich white man, like every other president of a country where whites are the ethnic majority. Bring more international prestige? Nope - the Queen may not be universally respected, but I bet you'll find more people in the world who hate or ridicule the elected president of a certain major North American nation. So... er... in what way would a president be better than a monarch?

  77. Congratulations by Geoffreyerffoeg · · Score: 1

    Congratulations, Mr. Molyneux. You now join the honorable ranks of Bill Gates, Elton John, and Pelé.

    Isn't it great to know you're as good as those three? :-)

  78. No claim on the "Sir" title.... by borgheron · · Score: 1

    An OBE is not a Knight. Only a Knight of the British Empire (KBE) aka a Knight of the Realm, should be addressed as "Sir" in that context.

    It is a nice thing though, I imagine. :)

    GJC

    --
    Gregory Casamento
    ## Chief Maintainer for GNUstep
  79. We're not subjects, we're citizens... by WIAKywbfatw · · Score: 1

    One look at a British passport will confirm that for you.

    --

    "Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
  80. Re:Slashdot reveals the inaccuracy of its reportin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    > Does the idea of fact-checking anything even itch its way across the editors' minds?

    Of course not. This is /.!

  81. Many Realms have their own honours system... by Goonie · · Score: 1

    Many Commonwealth Realms have their own honors systems. Australia has its own military and civilian honours, for instance. MBE's, OBE's, KBE's and CBE's are pretty much restricted to Britons these days.

    --

    Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo
    --Andy Finkel (J. Klass?)
  82. You need to read it more by tjstork · · Score: 1

    The simple fact of the matter is that British policy at the time prohibited colonies from making a wide variety of manufactured goods that Americans were increasingly being able to manufacture. Britain wanted to keep the colonies as suppliers of raw materials, and nothing more, but Americans wanted to manufacture. A classic example is the British laws against metal shovels in the colonies, but, there are many others.

    --
    This is my sig.
    1. Re:You need to read it more by Eskarel · · Score: 1

      Entirely true, but unrelated to the king(well beyond the fact that the king didn't provide them with relief).

  83. Re:Queen? Queen who? by anonymous+cupboard · · Score: 1
    There is an excellent book, called "The Hidden Wiring" about the British constitution. In there, we learn that the monarch has a right to be consulted by political leaders and to advise and to warn. The politicians do not have to take notice, but they must listen.

    Of course, the major difference between the head of state in the US and the UK is that in the UK, he/she is unelected but must remain apolitical.

  84. Re:Check out the Irony of Empire in Star Wars: Ep by anonymous+cupboard · · Score: 1

    Ofbcourse, the real joke was that the Deathstar was run by Brits, and most of the management team were actors normally specialising in playing villains in cop shows. Unsurprising really, as that part was filmed in Pinewood studios.

  85. Re:Queen? Queen who? by nkodengar · · Score: 1
    No, just the Queenie and Fox Hunting. You can keep Guy Fawkes night.

    Ahh, so you are all in favour of burning effigies of Roman Catholics? ;)

  86. What, did she finally save up enough mana? by Gamelore · · Score: 1

    How long did Molyneux have to carry around the Papal Magnet?

  87. Funnily enough by panurge · · Score: 1

    I have never actually seen an episode of Yes Minister, though I did see a brief clip once. If my views are unoriginal, it is because a substantial number of people (including, I am sure, others who like myself have had direct contact with the British Establishment) share them.

    --
    Panurge has posted for the last time. Thanks for the positive moderations.
    1. Re:Funnily enough by cliffski · · Score: 1

      I wasn't knocking you. I agree that the honours system is a pile of crap. One guy did recently make a big fuss out of turning down an honour, as a protest against the empires support fo slavery. He was a black poet, jamaican maybe? benjamin zephaniyah?
      Apparently its generally considered bad form to publically turn down an offer, and most people are 'sounded out' about an honour before being officially given one. Thats the point at which most people say no.

      --
      DRM-free indie games for the PC and Mac: Positech Games
  88. FRS by peetm · · Score: 1

    Being an Oxford Univ. 'bod', we have plenty of Sirs around the place - usually, these are awarded to those making significant contributions (note the plural) in their chosen field. Of course, it's normal for Sirs here to also have the title Professor - as they're usually the only ones with the time and resources (and RSs!) to get enough done to warrant a knighthood! However, Prof. And Sir fade away into meaninglessness when compared to another title that's to be (rarely) found here - Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS); it carries more weight here than anything else!

    --
    @peetm
  89. Randomly bestowing knighthoods/obes by petrus4 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    There was a period a bit back where that many of these seemed to be given out that I suspected that the Queen's primary motivation in bestowing them was actually to make sure that there were still *some* people around who had them. I didn't think Gates really deserved his, in all honesty...and I'm not sure what Elton John did to receive one, either...Presumably it was his cover of Candle in the Wind.

    I do get the feeling though that despite long periods of inactivity, the Queen periodically experiences bouts of sheer terror over the idea of becoming irrelevant. I'm going to be accused of being an anti-monarchist here, but I'm actually not. I occasionally hear stirrings about the idea of the Queen being terrified about the monarchy's continuation, when if it dies, I believe that she as an individual should take full responsibility.

    As an example of another religious leader, although the Pope has no real relevance whatsoever in the mind of me as an individual, he has gained a huge amount of respect and political influence from his involvement in the collapse of Soviet Russia. My point is, that because as an *institution* these figures (the Queen, the Pope, probably the Dalai Llama) have very little contemporary relevance, the only relevance/influence/power they can gain comes directly from their action as individuals.

    To me, virtually nobody in the contemporary English royal family really does much at all. Elizabeth II has been almost entirely a caretaker monarch to my mind. Diana tried to be a lot more active, and the Queen's inner circle responded to that by ostracising her while she was alive.

    So to the Queen I say...if you're worried about the monarchy dissolving, get out of the palace occasionally and actually *do* something. The world is currently going through a period in which Darwin's theory is acting ruthlessly upon institutions which do not remain in some way useful. If the monarchy dies, it will be directly your fault as an individual, not public apathy or anything else. We only need to look at the monarchy's (even comparitively recent) history to know that if the monarchy is in any way currently at risk, it only is primarily because of the current monarch.

  90. but he could become a "sir" some day... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    did i miss something or do most people around don't know that peter molyneux was born in great britain.

    what i wonder is why he's getting it now and not some years ago. it's been some times since he created a really good game. in the last few years he has just been promising stuff he couldn't deliver.

  91. Not the first Games OBE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Actually Peter Molyneaux is not the first games developer to get an OBE. Steve Grand, of Creatures fame, got one several years earlier.

    sue wilcox

  92. Clarification on who can be called 'Sir' by @madeus · · Score: 1

    Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Sir Steven Spielberg, but just Peter M OBE, here.

    Just to clear something up (as people doing the correcting are getting it a bit wrong too), FWIW knighthood's from the UK government are given on occation to non UK citizens, however only UK citizens have the 'right' to call themselves "Sir $firstname" as a result.

    It's actually the same award, Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, but those not holding UK citizenship are restricted to the being "$firstname $lastname KBE".

    So Steven Spielberg should not use Sir Steven (nor should anyone when refering to him), for example, though Sir Tim Berners-Lee (or Sir Tim) is fine.

  93. Re:Queen? Queen who? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Fox Hunting is already illegal now in the UK. Welcome to the 21st century.

  94. I heard Sid Meier was in the runners up by manifoldronin · · Score: 1

    But he didn't make it because Her Majesty found out Queen wasn't even a difficulty level in Civilization.

    --
    Tyranny isn't the worst enemy of a democracy. Cynicism is.
  95. OBE by tbthomas · · Score: 1

    Order of the Brittish Empire is Knighthood.

  96. So... by fondue · · Score: 1

    I guess you're not going to actually correct this entirely factually inaccurate story? Very poor.

    --

    Preferences > Homepage > Customize stories on homepage > Authors > Zonk > Uncheck

  97. Re:Queen? Queen who? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Who's this "we"? If "we" fought a war against royalty then "we" are Americans so of course "we" shouldn't care what the English Queen says, any more than the English should care about what your president thinks about anything.

  98. games in a castle by crazy_pikachu · · Score: 1

    soon we will hear about a huge lan party in the parlament and that the queen is starting to get carpal tunnel

  99. Re:Queen? Queen who? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Naturally theres anarchy in the UK, havent you seen the sex pistols album? anyway, the royal family is there because it has been for almost a thousand years and it beats the hell out of the pathetic american government, who the hell would put an idiot like bush in the seat of power of the most powerful country in the world? a bunch of ****ing idiots, thats who.