Nerf Arena Blast is a non-violent Unreal-engine based game. UT's mod tools are easier to use, if you want to let your kids crack at coding (its still tricky tho - its a Java-style custom OOP language). The uber-oop system of the Unreal engine makes it very easy for collaborative work too. A little too nasty for middle-schoolers to code in tho.
Still, not educational other than the tools. Maxis in general owns the educational games - unfortunately, their new owner is running them out of that business and into "pump The Sims and SimCity" mode.
There's a very amusing online puzzle game called RoboRunner that might be good - it is combative in a simple, iconographic sense, but it more than makes up for it with its puzzle-oriented gameplay.
Sid Meier's Colonization is a winner. Also, there are numerous physics/ballistics games that are combat in only the most basic sense, but will teach the kids ballistics and angles inside out (various Scorched Earth 3d versions, and space-based games that handle planetary gravitation very nicely).
They are appointed by elected officials. They just hold their position for a very long time. Cabinet ministers are appointed, for example. So the idea is that you consider the senators that they will appoint as a corollary of actually voting for your party.
The real purpose is this: senators have to be placed in the first place, but after that they are accountable to noone. And they don't have to be cagey and electable, they just have to have the respect of your elected representative enough to appoint them.
IMHO, their terms should have a long set length (not just till they retire) - say, 20 years - and they should not be reappointable. This would prevent any anachronistic Thurmond-types kicking around.
Either way they are placed democratically - they are appointed by an elected person. The real advantage is that after their appointment, they have no ties to anyone who could manipulate them - not their party, not their home riding, not their campaign contributors.
But yes, they also have no responsibility to the populace. That's the catch.
Ah yes - my future-mother-in-law also uses that infernal "add colour to your e-mail". The annoying part is that it tacks itself onto all the explorer windows (even local file explorers) in addition to its usual spyware carp. And at 640x480 with large fonts, that screen-estate hurts.
Anybody know a good, legitamate analogue to this evil little doodad so that I can remove it and replace it?
Under windows, the frequent complaint I get from users is the difficulty in installing plugins into FireFox. For example, I some versions often don't come with some of the Macromedia products that are pretty much necessary tools these days. Users consider that pretty much required.
The only other trick is explaining if a site has pop-ups that you actually want, you have to click the little "unblock site" icon.
And thunderbird has its problems. I still don't find it as nice as OE (OE has better IMAP support, I find), and any user can still run attachments under t-bird.
Amen. Therac-25 was the first thing that came to my mind too. As I understand it, the problem was a shared status variable was improperly handled on some sort of "abort" button, so that the machine would still be operating at full power even though most of the software said it was at low power.
I liked the changes. The rocket launcher caused huge problems with its 5 loading in original UT. It made the assault levels totally circumventable by "launching" your teammates. It meant that it was by far the best weapon in any mode involving superscalar monsters. 3 missiles fit it back in the spread.
The ripper was stupid, so its gone. It was easier to kill someone by accident than deliberately.
The biorifle was underpowered. Its not anymore.
The flak cannon was overpowered. Its not anymore.
The alt-fire of the minigun was unclear to newbs. Explosive bullets are hard to miss.
The shock-rifle was used as a spammy weapon, and its not now. Besides, the shock-beam in UT was dumb - it was a hitscan weapon that didn't look like one.
Amen. I've played Face with humans - newbs at that. The midpoint of the map is totally impassable for all the sniper fire. To the point that I replace the sniper rifle with more balanced sniper replacements such as a clone of the Q3 rail or a remote-controlled rocket (think of it as a mini-deemer).
No, they're the ones with no lives that have been logged on and fragging critters since time immemorial. I prefer games that don't preclude a social life, thankyou.
I'm curious about RSS - rather than breaking into a new technology, why not extend the existing platform? Why not set up a real-time form of html? Just have the user log-in to the webpage, and then the server sends diff information to the user whenever there's a change. Thus, there's no hitting the "refresh" button over and over again in your browser, and no wasting time downloading the full page over and over again, only the relevant diff info. People use webpages as chat systems all the time, why not make it work right and handle refreshing server-side?
I should have clarified this - they didn't do anything to them. This was just random hardware failure. Sometimes they even came non-functional directly from Apple. This isn't a matter of the construction being physically fragile - its the parts being unstable. Maybe its a local thing - maybe the one really shitty iPod plant provides for rural southern Ontario. Either way, its too many people for me to know that all have had similar problems.
IMHO, they've a serious flaw - the damn things break easy. I know 3 people with iPods, and each of them has had to return it multiple times. For several hundred dollars of (addmitedly sexy, nicely designed) pocket hardware, that's pretty bad.
Actually, his earlier stuff was good - back during the Clinton era, before the campaign to dethrone Bush at all costs made the political left abandon their credibility in favour of screaming like loonies.
Read his '96 book called "Downsize This!" for a good, fact-checked, less rant-ish version of Moore. Its actually quite entertaining and insightful. I can see how he got famous - I'm just dissapointed in how badly he's handled it now that he is.
Can't really blame them for not knowing football - besides the nerd angle, US football is a US sport. Of course, I follow CFL rules where things work a little different from what you described.
Your right. Thank you, Pentagon, for saving the US from invasion by Panama, Peru, Cambodia, and all those other little teeny-weeny buttfuck countries that couldn't launch a paper airplane at us much less an invasion.
Personally, I find apps that have options not available in the GUI to be personally offensive. Text files are not intuitive, they are generally poorly documented, and are a poor way to configure a program.
If a feature is only available through modifying configuration files, I consider it incomplete.
The problem is this: lets say I want to change a setting. I can a) search through the menus - hopefully I will find it before my third attempt or
b) use a programmer style configuration. This involves - determining if it is in a text file or is a command line option - determining which text file it is in - determining what the name of the command/flag/whatever is - determining the form of its parameters - determining what its operational limits are
where in a GUI system, that is all handled out front. The worst part is one of getting help. Where do I look for help on a config parameter? I can't just point and wait for the tooltip, or pop-open a context sensitive help system. I have to find where the developer has hidden the documentation.
If its not available in some intuitive, context-documented options screen, then its not finished. I do not work for my applications - they work for me.
IMHO, more focus on framework is needed. Make a configuration file system where for each option you simply describe a simple widget and its tooltip. Keep it super simple so developers would be encouraged to use it as it would be quick to describe a new variable. Then, just make all the little widgets appear in an "advanced options" menu. No layout, no struggling, just a giant scrollable list of widgets with pop-up documentation. That's what a modern config file should be. And make it work on a text file in the back-end so that power-users can do their thing.
Slashdot Mirror
Nerf Arena Blast is a non-violent Unreal-engine based game. UT's mod tools are easier to use, if you want to let your kids crack at coding (its still tricky tho - its a Java-style custom OOP language). The uber-oop system of the Unreal engine makes it very easy for collaborative work too. A little too nasty for middle-schoolers to code in tho.
Still, not educational other than the tools. Maxis in general owns the educational games - unfortunately, their new owner is running them out of that business and into "pump The Sims and SimCity" mode.
There's a very amusing online puzzle game called RoboRunner that might be good - it is combative in a simple, iconographic sense, but it more than makes up for it with its puzzle-oriented gameplay.
Sid Meier's Colonization is a winner. Also, there are numerous physics/ballistics games that are combat in only the most basic sense, but will teach the kids ballistics and angles inside out (various Scorched Earth 3d versions, and space-based games that handle planetary gravitation very nicely).
Along these lines, I recommend Porrasturvat, and its brother Rekkaturvat. Very educational games. Hee hee hee.
They are appointed by elected officials. They just hold their position for a very long time. Cabinet ministers are appointed, for example. So the idea is that you consider the senators that they will appoint as a corollary of actually voting for your party.
The real purpose is this: senators have to be placed in the first place, but after that they are accountable to noone. And they don't have to be cagey and electable, they just have to have the respect of your elected representative enough to appoint them.
IMHO, their terms should have a long set length (not just till they retire) - say, 20 years - and they should not be reappointable. This would prevent any anachronistic Thurmond-types kicking around.
Either way they are placed democratically - they are appointed by an elected person. The real advantage is that after their appointment, they have no ties to anyone who could manipulate them - not their party, not their home riding, not their campaign contributors.
But yes, they also have no responsibility to the populace. That's the catch.
Ah yes - my future-mother-in-law also uses that infernal "add colour to your e-mail". The annoying part is that it tacks itself onto all the explorer windows (even local file explorers) in addition to its usual spyware carp. And at 640x480 with large fonts, that screen-estate hurts.
Anybody know a good, legitamate analogue to this evil little doodad so that I can remove it and replace it?
Under windows, the frequent complaint I get from users is the difficulty in installing plugins into FireFox. For example, I some versions often don't come with some of the Macromedia products that are pretty much necessary tools these days. Users consider that pretty much required.
The only other trick is explaining if a site has pop-ups that you actually want, you have to click the little "unblock site" icon.
And thunderbird has its problems. I still don't find it as nice as OE (OE has better IMAP support, I find), and any user can still run attachments under t-bird.
Amen. Therac-25 was the first thing that came to my mind too. As I understand it, the problem was a shared status variable was improperly handled on some sort of "abort" button, so that the machine would still be operating at full power even though most of the software said it was at low power.
We've got Python. Of course, Python isn't the most secure thing on earth. But still, to me dotnet is really just an MS answer to Python.
Slashdotted already. ANybody know of plans to do this on a Palm? My Clie's got a scrollwheel.
Godzilla 2000 was a rubber suit Japanese movie. The Broderick 3d critter version was just called "Godzilla".
And G2k was hilarious. Watch it with friends over beers, mst3k style. Endless material in that one.
I liked the changes. The rocket launcher caused huge problems with its 5 loading in original UT. It made the assault levels totally circumventable by "launching" your teammates. It meant that it was by far the best weapon in any mode involving superscalar monsters. 3 missiles fit it back in the spread.
The ripper was stupid, so its gone. It was easier to kill someone by accident than deliberately.
The biorifle was underpowered. Its not anymore.
The flak cannon was overpowered. Its not anymore.
The alt-fire of the minigun was unclear to newbs. Explosive bullets are hard to miss.
The shock-rifle was used as a spammy weapon, and its not now. Besides, the shock-beam in UT was dumb - it was a hitscan weapon that didn't look like one.
Amen. With only a knowledge of Java, I was able to jump in and make a new weaponmod in only a day's work of reading and coding.
Amen. I've played Face with humans - newbs at that. The midpoint of the map is totally impassable for all the sniper fire. To the point that I replace the sniper rifle with more balanced sniper replacements such as a clone of the Q3 rail or a remote-controlled rocket (think of it as a mini-deemer).
I just don't like the Jabba scene because the dialogue was recycled in the Greedo scene. It feels dumb to hear Jabba echoing Greedo.
Honestly, I had a giggle when I heard about the cantina musical. Thought "sure, why not?" - didn't expect it to look like Chuck-e-cheeze.
You missed BattleZone 1 and 2, then? Good games.
No, they're the ones with no lives that have been logged on and fragging critters since time immemorial. I prefer games that don't preclude a social life, thankyou.
I'm curious about RSS - rather than breaking into a new technology, why not extend the existing platform? Why not set up a real-time form of html? Just have the user log-in to the webpage, and then the server sends diff information to the user whenever there's a change. Thus, there's no hitting the "refresh" button over and over again in your browser, and no wasting time downloading the full page over and over again, only the relevant diff info. People use webpages as chat systems all the time, why not make it work right and handle refreshing server-side?
There's a plug-in for Miranda. Nice to have all your IM, IRC, and RSS on one platform.
I should have clarified this - they didn't do anything to them. This was just random hardware failure. Sometimes they even came non-functional directly from Apple. This isn't a matter of the construction being physically fragile - its the parts being unstable. Maybe its a local thing - maybe the one really shitty iPod plant provides for rural southern Ontario. Either way, its too many people for me to know that all have had similar problems.
IMHO, they've a serious flaw - the damn things break easy. I know 3 people with iPods, and each of them has had to return it multiple times. For several hundred dollars of (addmitedly sexy, nicely designed) pocket hardware, that's pretty bad.
My fiancee and I built our bed from raw materials. Does that count?
What you neglect to mention is that they'll have their machines returned to them around October, 2008.
Actually, his earlier stuff was good - back during the Clinton era, before the campaign to dethrone Bush at all costs made the political left abandon their credibility in favour of screaming like loonies.
Read his '96 book called "Downsize This!" for a good, fact-checked, less rant-ish version of Moore. Its actually quite entertaining and insightful. I can see how he got famous - I'm just dissapointed in how badly he's handled it now that he is.
Can't really blame them for not knowing football - besides the nerd angle, US football is a US sport. Of course, I follow CFL rules where things work a little different from what you described.
Your right. Thank you, Pentagon, for saving the US from invasion by Panama, Peru, Cambodia, and all those other little teeny-weeny buttfuck countries that couldn't launch a paper airplane at us much less an invasion.
Not on my shores? Not on my ass.
Personally, I find apps that have options not available in the GUI to be personally offensive. Text files are not intuitive, they are generally poorly documented, and are a poor way to configure a program.
If a feature is only available through modifying configuration files, I consider it incomplete.
The problem is this: lets say I want to change a setting. I can
a) search through the menus - hopefully I will find it before my third attempt or
b) use a programmer style configuration. This involves
- determining if it is in a text file or is a command line option
- determining which text file it is in
- determining what the name of the command/flag/whatever is
- determining the form of its parameters
- determining what its operational limits are
where in a GUI system, that is all handled out front. The worst part is one of getting help. Where do I look for help on a config parameter? I can't just point and wait for the tooltip, or pop-open a context sensitive help system. I have to find where the developer has hidden the documentation.
If its not available in some intuitive, context-documented options screen, then its not finished. I do not work for my applications - they work for me.
IMHO, more focus on framework is needed. Make a configuration file system where for each option you simply describe a simple widget and its tooltip. Keep it super simple so developers would be encouraged to use it as it would be quick to describe a new variable. Then, just make all the little widgets appear in an "advanced options" menu. No layout, no struggling, just a giant scrollable list of widgets with pop-up documentation. That's what a modern config file should be. And make it work on a text file in the back-end so that power-users can do their thing.