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Virtual 4th of July

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the synthetic-fireworks dept.

If you're an American abroad or just don't get out much, virtual spaces still have something to offer you to get you in the spirit of July 4th. The Guardian Gamesblog has commentary living abroad as a game players, and specifically on a Second Life area entitled Americana. Star Wars Galaxies, being a generally very American game, is celebrating Empire Day today. World of Warcraft isn't doing anything July 4th specific, but this week or next should see the introduction of the Darkmoon Faire, a traveling summer carnival. From the Gamesblog post: "There are only two times of the year when I get homesick for the country of my upbringing: Thanksgiving and 4th of July. Well, the latter is upon us and while the Yanks have their annual fireworks festival (in warm weather, thank you - none of this November nonsense), we're celebrating the beginning of July down here in the south of England with some uncharacteristic sun."

38 comments

  1. Engineers' Explosive Extravaganza! by JExtine · · Score: 2, Insightful

    World of Warcraft isn't doing anything directly related to Independence day, but they do have vendors out selling fireworks!!! See their front page for more info : http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/

  2. Virtual will have to do... by kryogen1x · · Score: 1

    Sigh. New York State won't let us shoot off consumer fireworks legally. It's one of those times I wish I lived in Alabama or some place down south.

    1. Re:Virtual will have to do... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Everything that goes up, comes down, unless it can go beyond earth orbit, that is. Haven't you ever wondered what happens with the remains of fireworks after they blow up in the sky? That's right, they fall down, possibly on people; a couple of christmas' ago one fell in my backyard while the whole family was there. You may think a stick that's less than 1 foot long isn't dangerous, but now think of that stick falling from 100 meters (or whatever altitude they reach), end first, on people looking up. Not nice. So yeah, I take issue with morons throwing things in the air without caring where they may fall.

    2. Re:Virtual will have to do... by hymie3 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I live in Alabama *and* in the county. There are definitely a different set of rules which apply to county life versus city life. I live in a dry county (a county where the sale of or open consumption of alchohol is illegal). Tonight I'm going up the road to a multi-kegger party. ~$1000 worth of fireworks. Some of the attendees are off-duty deputies.

      It's going to be a lot of fun.

      (and, since it rained from noon till five, *no* chance of errant firework causing fire)

      The only *real* downside to living in Alabama is lack of good-paying IT jobs.

    3. Re:Virtual will have to do... by Phantasmo · · Score: 1

      Why not go up north to Canada? You can buy fireworks on any streetcorner in Toronto before Canada Day.

      --

      The US Army: promoting democracy through unquestioned obedience
    4. Re:Virtual will have to do... by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      It's even more fun when your job is to remove all the trash from public parks. Well, at least I got paid...

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    5. Re:Virtual will have to do... by YomikoReadman · · Score: 1

      I don't have a single clue of what you're talking about saying Alabama has a lack of good paying IT jobs. Between Maxwell AFB and Gunter Annex, there's plenty of GS and contractor positions.

      --
      I have no regrets, this is the only path.
      My whole life has been "UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS"
    6. Re:Virtual will have to do... by hymie3 · · Score: 1

      North Alabama. Huntsville. Unless you're an engineer or an expert at firing control systems, well, *I* haven't been able to find anything yet in the linux/unix sysadmin world. Any suggestions?

    7. Re:Virtual will have to do... by YomikoReadman · · Score: 1

      Ah, that part of Alabama. Max/Gunter are in Montgomery, but HQ OSSG on Gunter, and all the AU Schools on Maxwell have plenty of IT jobs, although I'm not sure how many GS/Contractor Sysadmin slots there are.

      --
      I have no regrets, this is the only path.
      My whole life has been "UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS"
  3. Three in a row! by Saeed+al-Sahaf · · Score: 0, Troll

    Three GAME stories in a row. Is Slashdot "News for Nerds", or "News About GAMES for Nerds"?

    --
    "Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
    1. Re:Three in a row! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Oh, shut up.

    2. Re:Three in a row! by ayumi-chan · · Score: 1

      Shut your face! You should be mmoded! *pulls out ginormous death bringing staff*

      --
      "It's a time machine Napoleon, I bought it online."
    3. Re:Three in a row! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Leave it to a terrorist to stomp on everyone's fun!

  4. What we really need to do... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    is protest agains somethings which happen in our country... I'm NOT happy about paying tons of money to wage wars, it does no good at all to us or mankind, this money should be spent in necessary things.

    Now THAT would be a real 4th of July...

    1. Re:What we really need to do... by ThreeE · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Every dime well spent.

      1. Afghanistan
      2. Iraq
      3. Iran
      4. North Korea
      5. ?
      6. Profit!

  5. Empire Day? by Jukashi · · Score: 4, Funny

    I dont know if this is misplaced social commentary or what, but wouldnt the celebration of independence from the british empire be better represented by the rebel forces?

    Plus, its not like our president is using mass fear against a faceless enemy to subvert the power of the senate and assume total control of our government, err...

    1. Re:Empire Day? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As it turned out, instead of gaining independence from the British Empire, americans only wanted their own one. United States of the American Empire...

      Maybe it's not entirely accurate, but the USA is today what the British Empire was 200 years ago.

    2. Re:Empire Day? by Jukashi · · Score: 1

      I don't see how this is the case - had the US recently colonized 35% of land mass on earth - 500 million 'subjects'? Last I checked it was at 0% (not counting territories obviously.

      I guess your argument is we have economic and militaristic influence over a similar amount of people, but that isnt the same.

    3. Re:Empire Day? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The term "colony" fell out of use after World War II, mandate, territories, etc. are simply the new, kinder, gentler terms to use. Putting a fancy label on a pile of shit doesn't change the fact that shit is still shit.

    4. Re:Empire Day? by ThreeE · · Score: 1

      Good point -- he's not.

    5. Re:Empire Day? by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      Not having read any of the "expanded universe" stuff I wonder if the "rebellion" turned into a dictatorship a few months after the Empire fell... Violent revolutions have a tendency to end in despotism. The US actually was pretty good compared to other countries like Cuba, France or Soviet Russia.

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    6. Re:Empire Day? by metamatic · · Score: 1

      Remember "no taxation without representation"? The basic principle on which the revolution was founded?

      Well, that one was given up a long time ago.

      --
      GCHQ Quantum Insert installed. If only our tongues were made of glass, how much more careful we would be when we speak
    7. Re:Empire Day? by JVert · · Score: 1

      Its the day the clones can celebrate their independence from the tyranical Jedi.

    8. Re:Empire Day? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The original poster was being sarcastic. You are obviously an idiot. See the difference?

    9. Re:Empire Day? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The above poster was being sarcastic. You are obviously an idiot. See the difference?

  6. Get out! by fm6 · · Score: 1
    ...or just don't get out much...
    That pretty much describes anybody who's reading Slashdot today!
  7. Don't worry... by Moderator · · Score: 0

    I have a program called HAPPY99.EXE which will display fireworks right on your desktop!

    --
    The World is Yours.
  8. Bzzt. by smcn · · Score: 1

    "World of Warcraft isn't doing anything July 4th specific"

    News to me...

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

      I'm so glad they decided to announce that ahead of time. Ah, another event like Nobelgarden - one that the vast majority of players will never even notice.

      Who knows, maybe they'll even release Blackwing's Lair tomorrow. Too bad Blizzard never likes announcing things ahead of time.

    2. Re:Bzzt. by andy_fish · · Score: 1

      One crazy gnomish firework vendor does not a celebration make.

      --
      & I wish I knew the password to your heart . . . &
  9. Animal Crossing by 10101001+10101001 · · Score: 1

    Take your town with you. And be able to watch a firework show even without a internet connection (you'll need your GC, though). Remember, the firework show is from 7pm-9pm at the pond! Have fun, fellow Animal Crossing-ers.

    --
    Eurohacker European paranoia, gun rights, and h
    1. Re:Animal Crossing by snuf23 · · Score: 1

      Um. Reset the Game Cube clock?

      --
      Sometimes my arms bend back.
    2. Re:Animal Crossing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Send her to my place.

  10. World of Warcraft by GldisAter · · Score: 1

    Blizzard added some fireworks dealers to Ironforge and other cities that were selling cheap fireworks including a Red White and Blue rocket.

  11. Oregon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Alabama, hah

    I have lived in 8 of the 50 states and none of them have been as fireworks crazy as Oregon.

    All week (yeah, not just the 4th, but all week) I have been surrounded by fireworks going off from dusk till about 12. And, I live in town (Hillsboro, a suburb of Portland).
    Last night I was treated to a full on shock and awe at the stop sign at the end of the block. I drive home from the shopping "mall" and I see fireworks in the sky. "Mmm, wow that must be the city's display?" No, that is some guy (and usually a few from different locations) firing off full on display quality fireworks from their backyards ... in town.

    I find this really strange because Portland just isn't Democratic, they are full on Blue State Bigots. They know how to live and are going to legislate that way of life down your throat. The most self-righteuos, narrow minded people I have ever met. They really are better than you, me, pretty much everyone.
    Normally firewroks are associated with Good Old Boys (the type Portlanders look down upon), but ...

    As an aside Phoenix, AZ is the best place to see fireworks. Climb to the top of South Mountain and you can see the displays of each of the suburbs.

    Pennsylvania is weird in that it is legal to sell fireworks but not use them. You have to sign an affidavit that you will leave the state with the fireworks within 24hrs. So, they get the economic benefit of fireworks, but plausible denyability if you blow your hand off.

  12. Animal Crossing by MrCopilot · · Score: 1
    We came in from the fireworks show and my daughter sat down by the lake to do some fishing on her gamecube. "Beautiful fireworks on here too Dad. It knows its Independence day"

    RealTimeClock usage, nice touch.

    --
    OSGGFG - Open Source Gamers Guide to Free Games
  13. Animal Crossing by yoyhed · · Score: 1

    Animal Crossing has a fireworks show down by the lake between 7 and 9pm on the 4th of July, and I fucking missed it because my girlfriend wanted to see REAL fireworks. Goddamnit.

    --
    WHO NEEDS SHIFT WHEN YOU HAVE CAPSLOCK/ DAMN1