Friday, October 17, 2003
Say Goodbye To 'Just Say No'
An article by President of the Canadian Bar Association reprinted at Media Awareness Project
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
I can't believe I'm paying attention to all this...
This is almost old news now...
Over the past month, there was a security breach of the company producing the most highly anticipated computer game ever. The source code for the new game was copied, and a playable hacked version of the game released through file-sharing programs over the past few weeks.
One gaming company rep says:
"Whoever did this is an enemy not only of game developers, but of gamers. I can understand anti-globalization protestors picketing the G8. I can understand AIDS activists shutting down the Golden Gate Bridge. I can even understand people who pirate shipped games. But I can only imagine the person who did this was a gamer. To him I say, 'Congratulations: Thanks to you, developers are going to spend more time worrying about security and less time making fun games. Nice going, loser.'"
What's Next for Half-Life 2?
Over the past month, there was a security breach of the company producing the most highly anticipated computer game ever. The source code for the new game was copied, and a playable hacked version of the game released through file-sharing programs over the past few weeks.
One gaming company rep says:
"Whoever did this is an enemy not only of game developers, but of gamers. I can understand anti-globalization protestors picketing the G8. I can understand AIDS activists shutting down the Golden Gate Bridge. I can even understand people who pirate shipped games. But I can only imagine the person who did this was a gamer. To him I say, 'Congratulations: Thanks to you, developers are going to spend more time worrying about security and less time making fun games. Nice going, loser.'"
What's Next for Half-Life 2?
Monday, October 13, 2003
CIA pursues video game...
Aparently the CIA wants to teach its agents to "think outside the box" with a video game designed to better understand terrorists - reports an article at the The Washington Times: Nation/Politics
Games meet political cartoons...
Ludology.org - Videogame Theory Thoughtful, insightful... and check out the Game called September 12 which deals with certain aspects of the War on Terror.
Sunday, October 12, 2003
A Drug War Carol
A Drug War Carol With apologies to Charles Dickens... hehe... yet I imagine ol'Charles would be well on-board with harm reduction were he alive today.
Friday, October 10, 2003
Wednesday, October 08, 2003
Hero or Big Fat Idiot, Rush Limbaugh Should Not Face Prison
Another well-argued position about Rush's case... that no one should be a victim of the War on Drugs...
from AlterNet
from AlterNet
In Defense Of Rush's Right To Drugs...
I oppose the prosecution of Rush Limbaugh, his former housekeeper Wilma Kline or anybody else, for the delivery or purchase or possession of narcotics. Call Limbaugh a hypocrite if you want but don't call for his prosecution, or use the racially divisive term of "drug addict" when referring to Limbaugh, if you are serious about the fragile state of liberty in this country. Infoshop News
Gotta luv ur local anarchistic thinking!!!
Antipsychiatry links to check out... More power to ya Rick
Gotta luv ur local anarchistic thinking!!!
Antipsychiatry links to check out... More power to ya Rick
Tuesday, October 07, 2003
The War on Terrorism is Bogus...
That is quite a thing to say, eh? A provacative statement which is the title of an article appearing last month in The Guardian in England, and reprinted by the Canadian Action Party
The War on Terrorism is Bogus does indeed make some strong points which make more evident sense with every passing day. Think about it...
The War on Terrorism is Bogus does indeed make some strong points which make more evident sense with every passing day. Think about it...
Gimme some H... Y... P... O... C... R... I... S... Y... !!!
Rush Limbaugh In The Shadow Of His Own Words at Newsday.com
Wednesday, October 01, 2003
Southcom Commander Warns of Narco-terrorist Threat in Latin America
Southcom Commander Warns of Narco-terrorist Threat in Latin America This is the sort of crap that can become irrelevant if the cystem wasn't so interested in maintaining a War on Drugs. Note the sentence - "Contrary to popular myth, Latin America is the least militarized region of the world, accounting for only 4 percent of the world's defense spending" - it is almost a lament. No doubt U.S. government/corporate arms dealers will have no small hand in increasing the militarization of the region in the decades ahead. Afterall, isn't selling arms much of what it's all about????
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
The Information Warfare Site
IWS - The Information Warfare Site
If you're interested in this sort of information, you'll find lots to delve into.
If you're interested in this sort of information, you'll find lots to delve into.
Saturday, September 27, 2003
Friday, September 26, 2003
Get on the bus...
KWRU: Drug War Reality Tour
Kensington, PA is one of the nation's poorest and most neglected neighborhoods. Once a thriving industrial hub for the textile sector, during the late 1970's Kensington was hit by a wave of de-industrialization which saw American jobs lost to the growing pool of sweatshop labor in Mexico and South East Asia. Today, Kensington's two major sources of income are welfare and narcotics. As one of the biggest heroin distribution centers in the country, it is not uncommon to find addicts of all ages, crouched in broad daylight, shooting dope with purities ranging from 80 - 90%.
Kensington, PA is one of the nation's poorest and most neglected neighborhoods. Once a thriving industrial hub for the textile sector, during the late 1970's Kensington was hit by a wave of de-industrialization which saw American jobs lost to the growing pool of sweatshop labor in Mexico and South East Asia. Today, Kensington's two major sources of income are welfare and narcotics. As one of the biggest heroin distribution centers in the country, it is not uncommon to find addicts of all ages, crouched in broad daylight, shooting dope with purities ranging from 80 - 90%.
Sunday, September 21, 2003
A Clean, Well-Lit Place to Shoot Dope
Western Hemisphere's First Government-Approved Safe Injection Site Opens in Vancouver
Comprehensive article from Stop the Drug War
Comprehensive article from Stop the Drug War
Canadian models for Day of Defeat ...
wunderboy.org... the power to kill a yak from 200yds away with mind bullets
A little online fun and games has been a neat diversion during "my recovery". Omg, it's another addiction.
A little online fun and games has been a neat diversion during "my recovery". Omg, it's another addiction.
Saturday, September 20, 2003
Donate please!
DrugSense: An Exceptional Occassional to Help Us Help You. Absolutely - this is one cause that definitely helps us all.
Aside: being reasonably impoverished, I tend to run out of money by the last week of every month. Nevertheless, I sent a cheque. Although I tried to time it so the cheque would be cashed when I was flush, I guess I didn't time it right. Unfortunately I received an Insufficient Funds charge at my bank, costing an extra $20... but what the heck, I still consider it money well spent... lol.
Aside: being reasonably impoverished, I tend to run out of money by the last week of every month. Nevertheless, I sent a cheque. Although I tried to time it so the cheque would be cashed when I was flush, I guess I didn't time it right. Unfortunately I received an Insufficient Funds charge at my bank, costing an extra $20... but what the heck, I still consider it money well spent... lol.
Every wonder where CRACK came from?
How come crack appeared suddenly? Was it because of a Dark Alliance?
Ah... if only everyone could get a kiss!
Winners in the War on Drugs Well, maybe not winners... but definitely not losers. As is said, it's not what you do, but who you know.
A kiss is when you get leniency from the courts. Sweet!!!!
A kiss is when you get leniency from the courts. Sweet!!!!
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
Economic analysis of Drug War
An article at Business Standard analyses how the prohibition of drugs creates an immense incentive for illegal prodution.
With regard to the concern that ending the War on Drugs would open the floodgates for drug related domestic crime, Deepak Lal keenly observes:
The great societal fear is that this increase in addicts would fuel crime. But, as Miron and Zweibel show from the US evidence, drug related crime is not committed by those under the influence of drugs but rather to finance their drug habit.
Thanks to Last One Speaks blog for posting this excellent article.
With regard to the concern that ending the War on Drugs would open the floodgates for drug related domestic crime, Deepak Lal keenly observes:
The great societal fear is that this increase in addicts would fuel crime. But, as Miron and Zweibel show from the US evidence, drug related crime is not committed by those under the influence of drugs but rather to finance their drug habit.
Thanks to Last One Speaks blog for posting this excellent article.
Vancouver opens first safer injection site...
Yeah Vancouver! This is a fantastic accomplishment.
Research about use of site - raising concerns that protocols insisted upon by Health Canada may detrimentally reduced the number of users who feel safe to access the site.
Vancouver also had N.America's first big needle exchange - but in retrospect, it had some protocols which were regressive. Because of its one-for-one exhange policy, and registration of clients, many more people were infected with HIV or HepC than might otherwise have.
Hopefully, similar restrictions will not negatively impact the accessibility to the site.
Research about use of site - raising concerns that protocols insisted upon by Health Canada may detrimentally reduced the number of users who feel safe to access the site.
Vancouver also had N.America's first big needle exchange - but in retrospect, it had some protocols which were regressive. Because of its one-for-one exhange policy, and registration of clients, many more people were infected with HIV or HepC than might otherwise have.
Hopefully, similar restrictions will not negatively impact the accessibility to the site.
Monday, September 15, 2003
Thursday, September 11, 2003
Cyber-gamers reaching critical mass...
BBC NEWS | Technology | Is this Britain's best chance of gold this year? One gaming centre for every 1000 people in Seoul. Wow!!! that's incredible.
p.s. Leeanne rocks!
p.s. Leeanne rocks!
Thursday, September 04, 2003
Accountability
Slashdot | Reducing Pesky Fan Noise?
Sad, but true, true, true, true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sad, but true, true, true, true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, September 03, 2003
Selling sterilization to addicts
Project Prevention Bribing addicts to have "long-term birth control ".
"long-term birth control"... Now that's a hum-dinger of a clever ephemism for permanent sterilization, isn't it? No surpise it's being used by a clever genocidal eugenist, Ms. Barbara Harris.
Ms Harris, who was quoted in one of her first interviews as saying "[b]We don't allow dogs to breed.[/b] We spay them. We neuter them. We try to keep them from having unwanted puppies, and yet these women are literally having litters of children," has since toned down her language.
Her project was initially referred to simply as Crack (Children Requiring A Caring Community). Now it frequently uses the warmer term Project Prevention. But the essence of her project remains the same. It offers drug addicts and alcoholics a sum of $200 for opting for a long-term form of birth control, such as sterilisation or a contraceptive implant.
Something tells me Ms. Harris hasn't had any change in where she's coming from. Why not assist drug addicted mother's financially if they choose abortion? Why only for preganacy control or "long-term birth control"?
To its critics, Project Prevention or Crack - an American organisation which pays drug addicts and alcoholics to be sterilised - is a terrifying throwback to the neutering of "defectives" during the 20th Century. But the woman [Ms. Harris] who runs this not-for-profit programme believes she is offering a service to everyone: the drug addict, the taxpayer, the child who has not yet been born, and if she has her way - will never be born.
The project targets poor women - and you tell me what sort of choice it is when it's made by someone living in poverty and desperate for money.
- Wyndi Anderson, National Advocates for Pregnant Women
"long-term birth control"... Now that's a hum-dinger of a clever ephemism for permanent sterilization, isn't it? No surpise it's being used by a clever genocidal eugenist, Ms. Barbara Harris.
Ms Harris, who was quoted in one of her first interviews as saying "[b]We don't allow dogs to breed.[/b] We spay them. We neuter them. We try to keep them from having unwanted puppies, and yet these women are literally having litters of children," has since toned down her language.
Her project was initially referred to simply as Crack (Children Requiring A Caring Community). Now it frequently uses the warmer term Project Prevention. But the essence of her project remains the same. It offers drug addicts and alcoholics a sum of $200 for opting for a long-term form of birth control, such as sterilisation or a contraceptive implant.
Something tells me Ms. Harris hasn't had any change in where she's coming from. Why not assist drug addicted mother's financially if they choose abortion? Why only for preganacy control or "long-term birth control"?
To its critics, Project Prevention or Crack - an American organisation which pays drug addicts and alcoholics to be sterilised - is a terrifying throwback to the neutering of "defectives" during the 20th Century. But the woman [Ms. Harris] who runs this not-for-profit programme believes she is offering a service to everyone: the drug addict, the taxpayer, the child who has not yet been born, and if she has her way - will never be born.
The project targets poor women - and you tell me what sort of choice it is when it's made by someone living in poverty and desperate for money.
- Wyndi Anderson, National Advocates for Pregnant Women
Tuesday, September 02, 2003
Astonishing defensiveness...
I find it profoundly disturbing how "patriotic" Americans are so quick to condemn and accuse angrily those who expess opinions which are considered "foreign". There is an absoluteness to their dismissals of those with whom they formerly regarded with well, if confronted with an opinion they consider anti-American. Why so defensive? The government never was so beyond reproach previously.
This American defensiveness and anger was evident again because the case of Faith Fippinger was brought up. Faith is the 62 year old, retired school teacher, who had the adacity to go to Iraq last winter to act as a human shield. And now "the U.S. government is going after Fippinger with a vengeance, saying she owes at least $10,000 in fines for violating U.S. sanctions that prohibit "virtually all direct or indirect commercial, financial or trade transactions with Iraq" and threatening imprisonment.
It's almost as if merely having the opinion that the government is being a tad heavy-handed puts you in bed with with the likes of bin Laden and Sadaam.
This American defensiveness and anger was evident again because the case of Faith Fippinger was brought up. Faith is the 62 year old, retired school teacher, who had the adacity to go to Iraq last winter to act as a human shield. And now "the U.S. government is going after Fippinger with a vengeance, saying she owes at least $10,000 in fines for violating U.S. sanctions that prohibit "virtually all direct or indirect commercial, financial or trade transactions with Iraq" and threatening imprisonment.
It's almost as if merely having the opinion that the government is being a tad heavy-handed puts you in bed with with the likes of bin Laden and Sadaam.
You like to keep a balanced perspective... don't you?
For the reading pleasure of those who only understand English: Aljazeera.Net - Home Page
For the reading pleasure of those who only understand English: Aljazeera.Net - Home Page
Monday, September 01, 2003
Can you change your mind?
It appears a former anti-drug warrior has. As have many police, judges, prosecutors. Like a Seattle attorney noted: ""The news story is not that the war on drugs has failed. It's who's saying it now."
Read more in Reason Journal article
Altered Minds
It appears a former anti-drug warrior has. As have many police, judges, prosecutors. Like a Seattle attorney noted: ""The news story is not that the war on drugs has failed. It's who's saying it now."
Read more in Reason Journal article
Altered Minds
Friday, August 29, 2003
Welcome to Canada - once again for concientious American freedom fighters?
The deGaulle Project
Today in the United States, massive, so-called "legal" violations of civil liberties and constitutional rights have caused many loyal Americans to question whether staying in their country under the current regime is a wise idea.
Americans who love their country, and who see the frightening creep of George W. Bush and John Ashcroft's totalitarianism, should disregard the "love it or leave it" rhetoric and think long and hard whether you should stay in an unstable political environment, or retreat to a safe area and regroup for the liberation fight.
The deGaulle Project
Today in the United States, massive, so-called "legal" violations of civil liberties and constitutional rights have caused many loyal Americans to question whether staying in their country under the current regime is a wise idea.
Americans who love their country, and who see the frightening creep of George W. Bush and John Ashcroft's totalitarianism, should disregard the "love it or leave it" rhetoric and think long and hard whether you should stay in an unstable political environment, or retreat to a safe area and regroup for the liberation fight.
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
Foreign Policy: Addicted to Failure
The United States' leading critic of prohibitionist drug policies,
Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance, has published an explosive proposal in the summer 2003 issue Foreign Policy magazine.
"Rather than continuing to wait for a regional partnership that exists in communiqué form only, Latin America must begin to act in its own best interest," writes Nadelmann. "It can start by disentangling itself from the unwinnable war on drugs."
Excellent source of information from Latin America is The Narco News
Part I of a series of article on "Reform and Democracy from Above and Below" in Argentina
Visit the Coca Museum This site "spotlights an incredible war:....
humans against a plant..!!!!!"
The United States' leading critic of prohibitionist drug policies,
Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance, has published an explosive proposal in the summer 2003 issue Foreign Policy magazine.
"Rather than continuing to wait for a regional partnership that exists in communiqué form only, Latin America must begin to act in its own best interest," writes Nadelmann. "It can start by disentangling itself from the unwinnable war on drugs."
Excellent source of information from Latin America is The Narco News
Part I of a series of article on "Reform and Democracy from Above and Below" in Argentina
Visit the Coca Museum This site "spotlights an incredible war:....
humans against a plant..!!!!!"
Friday, August 22, 2003
Stalemate in the Drug War George Shultz, former US Secretary of State, has "warned that the global war on drugs is now causing more harm than drug abuse itself."
Now that Arnold has George in his corner for the gubenatorial fight in California, it is a great opportunity to pin him down on policy regarding the war-on-drugs.
If Shultz could be encouraged/put on the spot to give an anti-war-on-drugs statement at this time, it could potentially get large coverage. Here's hoping California harm reductionists flood Arnold/George at press conferences, etc. and bring some sanity to an otherwise silly spectacle.
Now that Arnold has George in his corner for the gubenatorial fight in California, it is a great opportunity to pin him down on policy regarding the war-on-drugs.
If Shultz could be encouraged/put on the spot to give an anti-war-on-drugs statement at this time, it could potentially get large coverage. Here's hoping California harm reductionists flood Arnold/George at press conferences, etc. and bring some sanity to an otherwise silly spectacle.
Thursday, August 21, 2003
Drug WarRant
There's a war going on. It destroys lives and families, spawns violence, suspends civil liberties, tramples on the infirm, locks up millions of peaceful citizens, costs billions, and subjugates reason with fear. This blog looks at the front lines of the drug war, with news, analysis, and the occasional rant.
Another excellent blog eloquently speaking out against the inhumane War Against Some Drugs is Last One Speaks
Sudents for a Sane Drug Policy Good trend which I hope we see more of is students organizing against the absurdities of the current drug policies. Definitely some Canadian contribution, but certainly a real need to get harm reduction onto the university agenda in Canada.
There's a war going on. It destroys lives and families, spawns violence, suspends civil liberties, tramples on the infirm, locks up millions of peaceful citizens, costs billions, and subjugates reason with fear. This blog looks at the front lines of the drug war, with news, analysis, and the occasional rant.
Another excellent blog eloquently speaking out against the inhumane War Against Some Drugs is Last One Speaks
Sudents for a Sane Drug Policy Good trend which I hope we see more of is students organizing against the absurdities of the current drug policies. Definitely some Canadian contribution, but certainly a real need to get harm reduction onto the university agenda in Canada.
Monday, August 18, 2003
Monday, August 04, 2003
The Canadian Harm Reduction Network Want to find the low down on the new pot possession laws in Canada? Or North America's first safe injection site for hard drug users? This is the place to go.
The war on drug users rages still... but freedom and justice will one day prevail. Survive through these dark days...
The war on drug users rages still... but freedom and justice will one day prevail. Survive through these dark days...
Mr
Read a funny quote today:
Come to think of it, I did play a few games of Pac-Man while hanging out in malls casing Brink's Trucks while conspiring to pull off a big score. But I preferred Galaga.
I'm finding the elitism evident in Day of Defeat servers of late completely boring, and demoralizing. There's nothing that turns off my interest in playing than being in a server full of jerks who brag about winning, and get off on laughing about each and every kill. To qualtify some evidence of community deterioration, I kept an informal record of the number of "gg" written at map changes, and it is abismally low. Roughly 25% bother writing "gg" any more. Ah... the good old days, when people actually enjoyed playing for playing's sake.
There's something to be said for the newness of a game. I've had a few fun times playing Underworld:Bloodlines. Designed as a movie promo, it is a complete mod for the HL engine. It's free, it's quite simple, and it is well-set for teamplay if the objective is to be accomplished. I kind of gag at the thought of even virtually locking a free creature into a jail cell, but if you're able to find any teammates who've also read the manual, then they too will know that's the objective. Hint: find the Hybrid and return 'em to your spawn's jail cell. Hybrids hang out in Bars and Resturants. And... Toot, toot!!!! watch out you don't get squashed over by the train... LOL. Unless you want to be called nOOb! by all and assundry.
In case you've been mezmerized by patriotic drivel, back in the real world: SOLDIERS DIE FOR REAL!!!
Neat flash video called Army of One (fantastic Cranberries tune accompanies) It is bizarre how media were embedded with the troops, and this Iraq War is called the most media covered ever, and yet the amount of blood that's appeared on the tube is less than in Saturday morning cartoons. With all that coverage, the dead are still just lifeless statistics. So much for reality television... er, not.
"Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as
kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills
and listening to repetitive electronic music." - Kristian Wilson,
Nintendo, Inc, 1989
Come to think of it, I did play a few games of Pac-Man while hanging out in malls casing Brink's Trucks while conspiring to pull off a big score. But I preferred Galaga.
I'm finding the elitism evident in Day of Defeat servers of late completely boring, and demoralizing. There's nothing that turns off my interest in playing than being in a server full of jerks who brag about winning, and get off on laughing about each and every kill. To qualtify some evidence of community deterioration, I kept an informal record of the number of "gg" written at map changes, and it is abismally low. Roughly 25% bother writing "gg" any more. Ah... the good old days, when people actually enjoyed playing for playing's sake.
There's something to be said for the newness of a game. I've had a few fun times playing Underworld:Bloodlines. Designed as a movie promo, it is a complete mod for the HL engine. It's free, it's quite simple, and it is well-set for teamplay if the objective is to be accomplished. I kind of gag at the thought of even virtually locking a free creature into a jail cell, but if you're able to find any teammates who've also read the manual, then they too will know that's the objective. Hint: find the Hybrid and return 'em to your spawn's jail cell. Hybrids hang out in Bars and Resturants. And... Toot, toot!!!! watch out you don't get squashed over by the train... LOL. Unless you want to be called nOOb! by all and assundry.
In case you've been mezmerized by patriotic drivel, back in the real world: SOLDIERS DIE FOR REAL!!!
Neat flash video called Army of One (fantastic Cranberries tune accompanies) It is bizarre how media were embedded with the troops, and this Iraq War is called the most media covered ever, and yet the amount of blood that's appeared on the tube is less than in Saturday morning cartoons. With all that coverage, the dead are still just lifeless statistics. So much for reality television... er, not.
Sunday, July 06, 2003
Mr
[OwP]Forums -> What's So Bad About Hate?
Laws evolve to a great extent as a reflection of society's and their changing attitudes. OwP and FF (Forum Fighters) have combined their Forums into a gaming discussion board where you're certain of finding some well-developed threads. I've decided to lurk a bit, as I'm finding the old saying, "the older you get, the less you know for certain" is quite applicable to me of late. How odd to not have a strong opinion. Or maybe it's just the drugs have got me into a state of perpetual confusion... lol.
Machinima is the future on game-based movie making? Lots of excellent downloads and tutorials are at this main site for quality movie makers. Good stuff on using Half Life engine for machinima.
No question but that machinima-style movies make possible far greater creative endeavours than have been generally released by DOD players thus far. That's a good thing. A very good thing. I'm looking forward to seeing the potential of machinima realized by some of the creative geniuses who are part of DOD's community.
A couple of ground-breaking DOD movie sites are Chaos Films and DOD Studios. And if you really get blown away and become a uber-fan, you can't be seen without a little fashionable apparel ... hehe ... it might help you get uncompressed.
So far DOD "movies" (quote/unquote intentional), with a couple excellent exception, have been almost entirely frag-style. And if you've seen one ego-trip fragging movie, you've pretty much seen 'em all, imho. Calling them movies is a bit of a stretch, really! Without any plot, most offerings are endlessly repetative and boring.
However, illustrating frags and gameplay ain't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, if done right such offerings can give players much to learn from. As a matter of fact, I've found very effective illustrations of good skills can be gleaned from in-game demos. With simple cutting and pasting/editing from in-game demos, tutorials illustrating game skills could be an excellent learning tools... well-edited demo material of "how to use KAR" or "sniper skills and spots", etc. Or, "movement and timing on Donner" or other tactics. Those sorts of demo-based tutorials would be useful.
In other words, fraggers would do well to leave the movies field to the real movie makers, and stop trying to present their frag-crap as movies. They ain't movies, but so what? But as tutorials, if that was the concious purpose of 'em, with some thought put into their presentation, no doubt they could definitely help elevate many newbie's games.
Laws evolve to a great extent as a reflection of society's and their changing attitudes. OwP and FF (Forum Fighters) have combined their Forums into a gaming discussion board where you're certain of finding some well-developed threads. I've decided to lurk a bit, as I'm finding the old saying, "the older you get, the less you know for certain" is quite applicable to me of late. How odd to not have a strong opinion. Or maybe it's just the drugs have got me into a state of perpetual confusion... lol.
Machinima is the future on game-based movie making? Lots of excellent downloads and tutorials are at this main site for quality movie makers. Good stuff on using Half Life engine for machinima.
No question but that machinima-style movies make possible far greater creative endeavours than have been generally released by DOD players thus far. That's a good thing. A very good thing. I'm looking forward to seeing the potential of machinima realized by some of the creative geniuses who are part of DOD's community.
A couple of ground-breaking DOD movie sites are Chaos Films and DOD Studios. And if you really get blown away and become a uber-fan, you can't be seen without a little fashionable apparel ... hehe ... it might help you get uncompressed.
So far DOD "movies" (quote/unquote intentional), with a couple excellent exception, have been almost entirely frag-style. And if you've seen one ego-trip fragging movie, you've pretty much seen 'em all, imho. Calling them movies is a bit of a stretch, really! Without any plot, most offerings are endlessly repetative and boring.
However, illustrating frags and gameplay ain't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, if done right such offerings can give players much to learn from. As a matter of fact, I've found very effective illustrations of good skills can be gleaned from in-game demos. With simple cutting and pasting/editing from in-game demos, tutorials illustrating game skills could be an excellent learning tools... well-edited demo material of "how to use KAR" or "sniper skills and spots", etc. Or, "movement and timing on Donner" or other tactics. Those sorts of demo-based tutorials would be useful.
In other words, fraggers would do well to leave the movies field to the real movie makers, and stop trying to present their frag-crap as movies. They ain't movies, but so what? But as tutorials, if that was the concious purpose of 'em, with some thought put into their presentation, no doubt they could definitely help elevate many newbie's games.
Saturday, June 28, 2003
There is a great little piece of history at DoDNetwork :: Day Of Defeat Resource Center about the Hitler Assassination Attempt of Nov.8/39. An excellent book regarding the most famous attempt is called Secret Germany. But this individual effort deserves full credit. May there always be individuals whose bravery and compassionate takes down tyrants and evil men of power.
Friday, June 27, 2003
I thought yesterday was a significant date for me. Today I recall why. It was 19 years ago yesterday I was sentenced to 22 years. Whew! how time flies...
I got into gaming about two years ago by accident. I was strolling home one day and by fluke decided to look around a pawn shop. It was probably just an excuse to get out of the sun for a rest. Anyhow... the pawn shop had two computer games. One was in a bright florescent orange box and looked kind of cool. It was Half-Life Game of the Year edition for $20. I didn't know a thing about computer games, but I figured I'd give it a try. The pawn broker encouraged me when he said he'd knock off the tax (which is a saving of $3 on $20 - we pay 8% federal and 7% provincial tax on items in Ontario).
I was totally amazed by the game. Like most first timers, it took forever to figure out how to get Gordon into his suit, but once I accomplished that feat and got into playing the game for real, I was hooked. I couldn't believe how incredibly intense it felt. The fear the first time a headcrab jumped out at me... lol ... I can still recall the shock!
The Rolling Stones and others are doing a benefit in Toronto on July 30 to demonstrate that the city is safe after the SARS scare. Tickets are going for $28 bucks today because record shops are tacking on a service fee. I could wait until July 4th and try my luck at getting some of the 150,000 being sold through A&P Supermarkets for just $21 bucks. But I'm thinking three in the hand today is worth the extra expense of taking my chances on getting some cheaper ones come the 4th. The concert is expected to have upwards of half a million in the audience and for a rocker who was too young for Woodstock, hell, I think I wanna catch this event. With corporate sponsorship, and full government support, it is going to be so new millenium.
I got into gaming about two years ago by accident. I was strolling home one day and by fluke decided to look around a pawn shop. It was probably just an excuse to get out of the sun for a rest. Anyhow... the pawn shop had two computer games. One was in a bright florescent orange box and looked kind of cool. It was Half-Life Game of the Year edition for $20. I didn't know a thing about computer games, but I figured I'd give it a try. The pawn broker encouraged me when he said he'd knock off the tax (which is a saving of $3 on $20 - we pay 8% federal and 7% provincial tax on items in Ontario).
I was totally amazed by the game. Like most first timers, it took forever to figure out how to get Gordon into his suit, but once I accomplished that feat and got into playing the game for real, I was hooked. I couldn't believe how incredibly intense it felt. The fear the first time a headcrab jumped out at me... lol ... I can still recall the shock!
The Rolling Stones and others are doing a benefit in Toronto on July 30 to demonstrate that the city is safe after the SARS scare. Tickets are going for $28 bucks today because record shops are tacking on a service fee. I could wait until July 4th and try my luck at getting some of the 150,000 being sold through A&P Supermarkets for just $21 bucks. But I'm thinking three in the hand today is worth the extra expense of taking my chances on getting some cheaper ones come the 4th. The concert is expected to have upwards of half a million in the audience and for a rocker who was too young for Woodstock, hell, I think I wanna catch this event. With corporate sponsorship, and full government support, it is going to be so new millenium.
Thursday, June 26, 2003
Dying... or a holding pattern?
What's happening with DOD? Maybe people are taking a wait and see... waiting for v.1.1 patch to see if it helps.
Maybe they figure anything on the old Half-Life engine is beating a dead horse?
Speaking of Half-Life 2... Half-Life2Mods.com-THE DEFINITE SOURCE FOR HL2 MODS
What's happening with DOD? Maybe people are taking a wait and see... waiting for v.1.1 patch to see if it helps.
Maybe they figure anything on the old Half-Life engine is beating a dead horse?
Speaking of Half-Life 2... Half-Life2Mods.com-THE DEFINITE SOURCE FOR HL2 MODS
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
