No oxygen. Normal firearms require oxygen to ignite the gunpowder. It might be possible to come up with purely chemical explosives that don't require oxygen, but no guarantee on that.
Chemistry fail. Gunpowder doesn't need atmospheric oxygen to burn. It will still burn in a vacuum.
Why assume advanced species don't fight wars? As far as I can tell, aggressive species tend to be the most successful. Fighting each other helps us evolve.
which is always a bit rich coming from a country whose greatest contribution to cuisine is "cheese" (notice the quotes) in a can.
Not true. I invented a delightful little taste sensation in college called Rawmash: Ramen noodles and instant mashed potatoes. It's gonna be big. Wait for it.
Water shortage is slowly manifesting in some dry places in Western world as climate change keeps rumbling on. It's far worse in 3rd world, where lack of water infrastructure is combined with inefficient farming methods.
Um, no. Water shortage is slowly manifesting because we're pulling it out of rivers and underground reservoirs faster than it can be replenished. It was nothing to do with climate change and everything to do with our tendency to consume everything in sight and reproduce until the system crashes and we have to move on.
2. When the genetic difference is meaningful: for example, denying (or charging more for) health coverage for someone with a genetic predisposition to heart attacks. But in cases like this, we should discriminate. If it's going to cost more to keep me healthy, I should pay more for my medical care
That's the point. We could create a new class of people that we discriminate against based purely on their genetics. If they have a predisposition to early heart failure, then why bother with them at all? Why bother educating them, giving them good jobs, giving them insurance, or credit... when there's plenty of other people out there without the same disadvantage. The greatest contributors to society don't necessarily have the best genes. Vincent "the invalid" was a star employee of Gattaca, while the genetically superior Jerome who "despite all he had going for him, was still only second best." And then he sunk into depression and alcoholism and killed himself.
3. When the genetic difference isn't meaningful. But in this case, nobody has any reason to discriminate.
Who is to say what is meaningful? This movie points out the danger of letting society tell us what is meaningful based solely on our DNA.
Well then it fails at morality. Things seem just fine as long as your a fine upstanding church goer. But if you blaspheme, all the rules go out the window, and you get a trial by mob.
And without knowing how individual regions are affected...there's really reason to think you'll be affected. Sure... some people think Greenland will melt and shut down the Gulf stream and cause Europe to ice over. Which is a nice theory with no way to know if it will pan out or not.
The Democrats as a whole look a little bit better in the same way that a 2 ounce shit sandwich is a little better than a 3 ounce shit sandwich.
Wasn't saying they were. Just pointing out that conservatives and republicans don't actually seem to respect the constitution as much as the poster would lead us to believe.
Yes. But it was a precedent set way back in the 70's (at least) with Dungeons and Dragons, and reenforced with the computer RPGs going back ever since RPGs were being made. It's hardly an MMO thing.
Some people like to be guided through a predetermined course and just shoot at stuff until they hit the level cap. Then there are others who like to go out and explore and figure out new ways to beat the system or other players.
Please try writing a game where you capture that kind of mechanic, where character development comes from getting more skilled, not stealing better gear from dead orcs.
Hmm... I kind of agree with everything you said. But I have to point out that Glamdring (Gandalf's sword), Sting(Bilbo/Frodo's sword), and Orcrist (Thorin's sword) all came from the troll's cave in The Hobbit.
Of course numbers declined after launch. There's always a surge of subscriptions after launch...then the numbers die off. Some players just moved on because the got bored, some left due to problems with the game. Rather than fix the problems, SOE decided to just redesign it and surprise everyone with it. In the process they managed to destroy a lot of what made the game fun and interesting...but most importantly, they screwed over their customers.
Slashdot Mirror
Well, a self guided missile could be considered a drone....a suicidal drone. Missiles are the most logic way to conduct combat in space.
No oxygen. Normal firearms require oxygen to ignite the gunpowder. It might be possible to come up with purely chemical explosives that don't require oxygen, but no guarantee on that.
Chemistry fail. Gunpowder doesn't need atmospheric oxygen to burn. It will still burn in a vacuum.
Why assume advanced species don't fight wars? As far as I can tell, aggressive species tend to be the most successful. Fighting each other helps us evolve.
Armor is also impractical when your pushing yourself around on chemical rockets. It weighs too much.
which is always a bit rich coming from a country whose greatest contribution to cuisine is "cheese" (notice the quotes) in a can.
Not true. I invented a delightful little taste sensation in college called Rawmash: Ramen noodles and instant mashed potatoes. It's gonna be big. Wait for it.
Water shortage is slowly manifesting in some dry places in Western world as climate change keeps rumbling on. It's far worse in 3rd world, where lack of water infrastructure is combined with inefficient farming methods.
Um, no. Water shortage is slowly manifesting because we're pulling it out of rivers and underground reservoirs faster than it can be replenished. It was nothing to do with climate change and everything to do with our tendency to consume everything in sight and reproduce until the system crashes and we have to move on.
2. When the genetic difference is meaningful: for example, denying (or charging more for) health coverage for someone with a genetic predisposition to heart attacks. But in cases like this, we should discriminate. If it's going to cost more to keep me healthy, I should pay more for my medical care
That's the point. We could create a new class of people that we discriminate against based purely on their genetics. If they have a predisposition to early heart failure, then why bother with them at all? Why bother educating them, giving them good jobs, giving them insurance, or credit... when there's plenty of other people out there without the same disadvantage. The greatest contributors to society don't necessarily have the best genes. Vincent "the invalid" was a star employee of Gattaca, while the genetically superior Jerome who "despite all he had going for him, was still only second best." And then he sunk into depression and alcoholism and killed himself.
3. When the genetic difference isn't meaningful. But in this case, nobody has any reason to discriminate.
Who is to say what is meaningful? This movie points out the danger of letting society tell us what is meaningful based solely on our DNA.
But here in the USA, where the majority of the adult population is obese, it's a lot more difficult.
Don't know where you're from, but where I live (Denver) the majority of the adult population is definitely not obese.
largish planet.
An odd choice of words considering it's currently the second smallest known planet.
It isn't 2 Dimensional PERIOD
Why not? Is the space we live in not 3 dimensional if there are higher spatial dimensions?
Because the earth sucks.
Or maybe you could just dig a hole in the ground and inflate a tent in it. Boom! Instant base.
If that is so, religion has no morality either.
Well then it fails at morality. Things seem just fine as long as your a fine upstanding church goer. But if you blaspheme, all the rules go out the window, and you get a trial by mob.
And without knowing how individual regions are affected...there's really reason to think you'll be affected. Sure... some people think Greenland will melt and shut down the Gulf stream and cause Europe to ice over. Which is a nice theory with no way to know if it will pan out or not.
The Democrats as a whole look a little bit better in the same way that a 2 ounce shit sandwich is a little better than a 3 ounce shit sandwich.
Wasn't saying they were. Just pointing out that conservatives and republicans don't actually seem to respect the constitution as much as the poster would lead us to believe.
Except Republicans, conservatives, Christians, people who respect the constitution.
Didn't the Patriot Act from the Bush administration? Apparently they only believe in the constitution if it suites them.
You mean you don't have one?
and has likely influenced the fantasy genre more than everybody else combined
He invented the genre, didn't he?
Chevy which beats BMWs and Porsches on tracks left and right
Which ones? The straight ones?
Politicians Ignore Constituency...news at 11.
Yes. But it was a precedent set way back in the 70's (at least) with Dungeons and Dragons, and reenforced with the computer RPGs going back ever since RPGs were being made. It's hardly an MMO thing.
Some people like to be guided through a predetermined course and just shoot at stuff until they hit the level cap. Then there are others who like to go out and explore and figure out new ways to beat the system or other players.
Please try writing a game where you capture that kind of mechanic, where character development comes from getting more skilled, not stealing better gear from dead orcs.
Hmm... I kind of agree with everything you said. But I have to point out that Glamdring (Gandalf's sword), Sting(Bilbo/Frodo's sword), and Orcrist (Thorin's sword) all came from the troll's cave in The Hobbit.
Of course numbers declined after launch. There's always a surge of subscriptions after launch...then the numbers die off. Some players just moved on because the got bored, some left due to problems with the game. Rather than fix the problems, SOE decided to just redesign it and surprise everyone with it. In the process they managed to destroy a lot of what made the game fun and interesting...but most importantly, they screwed over their customers.