Thus you see probably the biggest potential in the ONLINE gaming market.
Granted, they still have to figure out a paradigm solution to the "how can Joe Sixpack (who plays a few hours a week) have fun in the same world as l33t g4m3rZ (who play 30+ hours per week)", but the interest value, the innovation, and sheer unpredictability of human opponents will outweigh that of even top-notch AI's for many years to come.
A developer has a choice: 1) Spend $5 million building a complex, detailed storyline single player game with multiple solutions and plot branchings, detailed character interaction and clever 'learning' AI. Most people (who actually play 3d Magnum Deer Hunter XXVI) won't even buy it, some will play it for an hour or two before hunting for the walkthrough online, and only a very teeny % will actually play through and enjoy 90% of the investment. 2) Spend $3 million making an online game where you can continually input content over time, you can get players to pay $15/month to play it as long as you're willing to pay the continuing bandwidth, server, and staff costs to support it, and let THEM pretty much create the interactions and plotlines internally.
It's not inconceivable to use it as a measure of the radius of a 'cone' of space time which can be viewed from a certain point. Kind of a synthesis of distance and time.
In that sense, it's implied in almost ALL astronometrical comments like "we saw this 15 light years away"; it's are really saying "we saw this event happening 15 years ago because that's as recent as we can see anything from that target".
So yeah, basically you're right, but it's faintly arguable.
On the one hand, you have liberal relativists, for whom no fact is concrete, and who cheerfully will advance kids through schools whether they can read/write or not, simply to make sure their "self-esteem" is intact.
On the other, you have conservative absolutists who will not only excoriate dissent, but both deny obvious facts and assert such ridiculousities as truth (or, more likely, Truth) that all actual facts become valueless.
Yeah, THAT's an atmosphere that's really going to bring out the intellectual cream of a civilization.
Shame on the warmongers who would use it to kill other humans.
Unfortunately, this doesn't usually STOP them, thus even the good guys have to build them too.
Since information is invariably imperfect, we (as the 'good guys') have to try to anticipate what the 'bad guys' will do; since it's folly to assume the other guys are not as smart as us, we have to advance in weapons tech as fast as possible.
Of course, this runs against the grain of the 'hey man, you're harshing my buzz'+'love everyone' ethic of the naive liberal, most therefore consider that we (the 'good guys') are the warmongers here. Stupid, really.
This would be a moot point, if MS didn't release such insecure crap. I'm not saying that *nix is any more inherently secure, but at least it defaults to a fairly limited set of permissions. (In my experience.)
I'll just point out that the moment they combine credible robotics and AI with Realdolls, well, who'll want to put up with all the crap from a real woman?
I'll just have to be satisfied that I was ahead of the curve.
I made a pitch to the State of Minnesota in 1994 called MNternet (pronounced Minnternet) regarding the idea I had for the state to provide access to the internet to the general public for free, using the local public libraries.
I just re-read the presentation document, it pretty much forecasts precisely this effect.
They listened politely, and thanked me for my interest, probably shitcanning the idea the minute I walked out the door.
Of course, being a puny 20-something, what did I know? >:(
...the reason behind their relative success is not more high tech, geeky new technology but on-the-ground experience in similar missions acquired in Northern Ireland and Bosnia
I think you're right, but the only answer to this is gain 'better' education by committing our troops MORE widely into the innumerable 'peacekeeping' engagements around the world?
I guess if the choices are a) no experience b) experience with the dynamics of the situations, albeit in an imperfect and incomplete way c) on-the-job experience
b is better than c, insofar as one could guarantee at least the b) is not teaching the WRONG dynamics because of the medium.
Personally, I think it's more important that the actors/instructors in the MMO be actual individuals from those cultures (and not just American instructors playing the roles). Their perspective may be ENTIRELY alien to PFC Smith from Brooklyn. To me, the value of being exposed to that dynamic is much more important to being able to cope with such situations, especially under stress.
Slashdot Mirror
Thus you see probably the biggest potential in the ONLINE gaming market.
Granted, they still have to figure out a paradigm solution to the "how can Joe Sixpack (who plays a few hours a week) have fun in the same world as l33t g4m3rZ (who play 30+ hours per week)", but the interest value, the innovation, and sheer unpredictability of human opponents will outweigh that of even top-notch AI's for many years to come.
A developer has a choice:
1) Spend $5 million building a complex, detailed storyline single player game with multiple solutions and plot branchings, detailed character interaction and clever 'learning' AI. Most people (who actually play 3d Magnum Deer Hunter XXVI) won't even buy it, some will play it for an hour or two before hunting for the walkthrough online, and only a very teeny % will actually play through and enjoy 90% of the investment.
2) Spend $3 million making an online game where you can continually input content over time, you can get players to pay $15/month to play it as long as you're willing to pay the continuing bandwidth, server, and staff costs to support it, and let THEM pretty much create the interactions and plotlines internally.
#2 looks like a pretty good option.
I got a 5/6, which, according to the computer, was extremely well
You mean "was extremely good" or "was extremely well-written"?
Meesa thinkin' "overtones of racism" wouldna' stopped Massa Lucas, nossir, I be shore of that.
It's not inconceivable to use it as a measure of the radius of a 'cone' of space time which can be viewed from a certain point. Kind of a synthesis of distance and time.
In that sense, it's implied in almost ALL astronometrical comments like "we saw this 15 light years away"; it's are really saying "we saw this event happening 15 years ago because that's as recent as we can see anything from that target".
So yeah, basically you're right, but it's faintly arguable.
I don't know about you, but the excuse "it's not mine officer, someone else must have put it in my bag, man..." has AFAIK never held legal water.
I doubt it would save you from the RIAA, either.
I have had friends literally stay in the house for weeks so they could play with each other
ajs (35943) = Matt Damon?
Yeah, and I heard SCO hold the bloody patent too. Or at least they claim to. :(
is due to the polarizing atmosphere in the US.
On the one hand, you have liberal relativists, for whom no fact is concrete, and who cheerfully will advance kids through schools whether they can read/write or not, simply to make sure their "self-esteem" is intact.
On the other, you have conservative absolutists who will not only excoriate dissent, but both deny obvious facts and assert such ridiculousities as truth (or, more likely, Truth) that all actual facts become valueless.
Yeah, THAT's an atmosphere that's really going to bring out the intellectual cream of a civilization.
Now, tell me that's not flamebait!
The only countries that have missiles capable of reaching US soil are Russia and China. Both of these nations are friendly towards the US currently.
This statement is staggering in its naivete, even for slashdot. The "currently" at the end is practically a subconscious self-admission of that.
Shame on the warmongers who would use it to kill other humans.
Unfortunately, this doesn't usually STOP them, thus even the good guys have to build them too.
Since information is invariably imperfect, we (as the 'good guys') have to try to anticipate what the 'bad guys' will do; since it's folly to assume the other guys are not as smart as us, we have to advance in weapons tech as fast as possible.
Of course, this runs against the grain of the 'hey man, you're harshing my buzz'+'love everyone' ethic of the naive liberal, most therefore consider that we (the 'good guys') are the warmongers here. Stupid, really.
The iPAQs will be left on the station and reconfigured for future crews
Note to self: delete pr0n before leaving station!
Let's hope for lots of snow next winter.
Or that his daughters are hot. Lack of snow requires a renegotiated deal.
This would be a moot point, if MS didn't release such insecure crap. I'm not saying that *nix is any more inherently secure, but at least it defaults to a fairly limited set of permissions. (In my experience.)
I'll just point out that the moment they combine credible robotics and AI with Realdolls, well, who'll want to put up with all the crap from a real woman?
The species could be in jeopardy.
No, these are the recommended specs, so that this system will run Longhorn as fast as a snappy 386dx-20 ran Win3.11.
OK, the price is one thing, but the real question is: since it's a water car, does that mean I can do without the dope rims?
Intelligence wavefront?
Any one else thinking "Vernor Vinge" here?
If the USA spent 10% of it's military budget on alternative energy sources then this nut could be cracked quickly...
So the reason Cold Fusion doesn't work is now ALSO the USA's fault?
You people are amazing.
I'll just have to be satisfied that I was ahead of the curve.
I made a pitch to the State of Minnesota in 1994 called MNternet (pronounced Minnternet) regarding the idea I had for the state to provide access to the internet to the general public for free, using the local public libraries.
I just re-read the presentation document, it pretty much forecasts precisely this effect.
They listened politely, and thanked me for my interest, probably shitcanning the idea the minute I walked out the door.
Of course, being a puny 20-something, what did I know? >:(
One would think that "Highest Human Elevation Using a Rocketbelt" would be something one gets just before the Darwin Award.
Sure it does! Unfortunately you aren't generally allowed to chat with the players in-game, and there is no respawning. :(
...the reason behind their relative success is not more high tech, geeky new technology but on-the-ground experience in similar missions acquired in Northern Ireland and Bosnia
I think you're right, but the only answer to this is gain 'better' education by committing our troops MORE widely into the innumerable 'peacekeeping' engagements around the world?
I guess if the choices are
a) no experience
b) experience with the dynamics of the situations, albeit in an imperfect and incomplete way
c) on-the-job experience
b is better than c, insofar as one could guarantee at least the b) is not teaching the WRONG dynamics because of the medium.
Personally, I think it's more important that the actors/instructors in the MMO be actual individuals from those cultures (and not just American instructors playing the roles). Their perspective may be ENTIRELY alien to PFC Smith from Brooklyn. To me, the value of being exposed to that dynamic is much more important to being able to cope with such situations, especially under stress.
^^^ FIRST (egregiously political) POST! w00t!
I'm amazed the mods let this through. I mean, they are obviously paying at least some attention, the manage to reject every one of MY p
This is the internet.
Most people INTEND malice, in an anonymous sort of way.