My AAR that became a blog entry

[WargamerScott]

After a good session of SH3, I decided to write a little AAR. However, during the course of writing the AAR, it really dawned on me how riveting this game can be, so I turned the AAR into a longer blog entry concerning the implications of realistic games such as these. If you want to check it out, visit my blog:

http://wargamerscott.tripod.com/blogfiles/


As always, all comments are welcome!

[Damo1977]

I am sorry, please accept my apology. But once you type or say "war on terror" you lose me. I am so sorry but there ain't no such thing. Terrorism is with us and has always been with us, there isn't no winning or losing. This "War on Terrorism", (yes I do feel sorry for all who are affected), is a political vote puller by all political leaders and an imaginary "WAR".

[tedhealy]

I am sorry, please accept my apology. But once you type or say "global warming" you lose me. I am so sorry but there ain't no such thing. Global warming is with us and has always been with us, there isn't no winning or losing. This "global warming", (yes I do feel sorry for all who are affected), is a political vote puller by all political leaders and imaginary.

I am sorry, please accept my apology. But once you type or say "stopping crime" you lose me. I am so sorry but there ain't no such thing. Crime is with us and has always been with us, there isn't no winning or losing. This "stopping crime", (yes I do feel sorry for all who are affected), is a political vote puller by all political leaders and imaginary.

I am sorry, please accept my apology. But once you type or say "curing cancer" you lose me. I am so sorry but there ain't no such thing. Cancer is with us and has always been with us, there isn't no winning or losing. This "curing cancer", (yes I do feel sorry for all who are affected), is a political vote puller by all political leaders and imaginary.

I am sorry, please accept my apology. But once you type or say "ending famine" you lose me. I am so sorry but there ain't no such thing. Famine is with us and has always been with us, there isn't no winning or losing. This "ending famine", (yes I do feel sorry for all who are affected), is a political vote puller by all political leaders and imaginary.

I am sorry, please accept my apology. But once you type or say "curing paraplegics" you lose me. I am so sorry but there ain't no such thing. paraplegics are with us and has always been with us, there isn't no winning or losing. This "curing paraplegics", (yes I do feel sorry for all who are affected), is a political vote puller by all political leaders and imaginary.

[Zie Chuckinator]

???

[Ula Jolly]

SOMEONE REALIZE THAT THIS IS NOT A BOARD FOR POLITICAL ARGUMENTS?
One thing is Damo's first reply, but the one that follows is even more of an annoyance.

I am sorry, please accept my apology. But once you type or say "stop spamming or argue about politics ON A GAME FORUM" you lose me. I am so sorry but there ain't no such thing. Spamming is with us and has always been with us, there isn't no winning or losing. This "stopping spamming or arguing about politics ON A GAME FORUM", (yes I do feel sorry for all who are affected), is a kiss-ass vote puller by all admins and imaginary.

:stare:

[tedhealy]

SOMEONE REALIZE THAT THIS IS NOT A BOARD FOR POLITICAL ARGUMENTS?
One thing is Damo's first reply, but the one that follows is even more of an annoyance.

I am sorry, please accept my apology. But once you type or say "stop spamming or argue about politics ON A GAME FORUM" you lose me. I am so sorry but there ain't no such thing. Spamming is with us and has always been with us, there isn't no winning or losing. This "stopping spamming or arguing about politics ON A GAME FORUM", (yes I do feel sorry for all who are affected), is a kiss-ass vote puller by all admins and imaginary.

:stare:

heh, just thought I would point out you could stick X in for war on terror and have an argument against anything. It's fun. You did it too. If it's annoying to you, I apologize for my response. I didn't intend to make any statement about politics, just about the argumentative logic of the first reply. I thought it was self explanatory.

[FesterShinetop]

Hmmm... I get a green screen with nothing in it? :-?

[ronbrewer]

If I understood Damo's post correctly I think that the morale of his message is that 7 out of 10 people prefer mint chocolate ice cream to raspberry frozen yogurt. :88)

[Ula Jolly]

Hahaha, yes, the "form" is indeed one that easily fits different phrases. :rotfl:

[AlanSmithee]

If I understood Damo's post correctly I think that the morale of his message is that 7 out of 10 people prefer mint chocolate ice cream to raspberry frozen yogurt. :88)

You've mostly understood his posts. Ice cream applies only to American submariners, who have ice-cream makers in their boats. I belive that polls found that 6 of 10 u-boat sailors preferred over-ripe bannanas to dessicated meats.

[Zie Chuckinator]

If I understood Damo's post correctly I think that the morale of his message is that 7 out of 10 people prefer mint chocolate ice cream to raspberry frozen yogurt. :88)

You've mostly understood his posts. Ice cream applies only to American submariners, who have ice-cream makers in their boats. I belive that polls found that 6 of 10 u-boat sailors preferred over-ripe bannanas to dessicated meats.

and im a monkey's uncle.

[cmdrk]

Damo's comment has a point.

Waging a 'War on Terror' will be about as effective as waging a 'War on Stupidity'.

[JoachimV]

Damo's comment has a point.

Waging a 'War on Terror' will be about as effective as waging a 'War on Stupidity'.

stooopidititity you say?
whats that?

[Der Schatten]

Hey, I am really offended, I like frozen raspberry yogurt ON my dessicated meat, while hanging out with Zie Chuckinators monkey........BUT there really should be a "War on Stooopidity".......there are way too many stoopid people, and not enough man eating carnivores. The only other thing I have to say is, terrorism should have to be liscensed by a government agency.....have to pass a test......show them thaqt you can blow yourself up first before they allow you to blow up anyone else....kinda like a drivers test......ok, I feel better now......the nice nurse was just here and told me it's time to take my "special" pills....if I do, I get to have pudding with the other "residents". :doh:

[oRGy]

Right.

uh, in response to the original poster, what I'd see as still missing from computer games such as SH3 is any sense of what motivates social history, or questions about ethics. Instead everything is treated as a purely technical simulation, with the aim being to 'thrill' the audience.

After all, in SH3 you're playing the skipper of a U-boot for a regime that prosecuted a war that killed 60 million people, nearly wiped out a whole race of people, and so on. How you could relate the nature of the Nazi regime to the mode of thought demanded as a 'player' is something that interests me. Haven't got any answers yet, though.

[The Avon Lady]

If we're talking about SH3, I think he meant "war on error". :P

[jumpy]

If we're talking about SH3, I think he meant "war on error". :P

:rotfl: nice

[WargamerScott]

Right.

uh, in response to the original poster, what I'd see as still missing from computer games such as SH3 is any sense of what motivates social history, or questions about ethics. Instead everything is treated as a purely technical simulation, with the aim being to 'thrill' the audience.

After all, in SH3 you're playing the skipper of a U-boot for a regime that prosecuted a war that killed 60 million people, nearly wiped out a whole race of people, and so on. How you could relate the nature of the Nazi regime to the mode of thought demanded as a 'player' is something that interests me. Haven't got any answers yet, though.


That's an excellent point (and the first one to actually deal with my essay's intent---albeit the political bantering was amusing :D ). I, too, don't know how you could tackle that aspect short of a story-driven game, like the old text-based Infocom games. In fact, if I remember correctly, Infocom's excellent A Mind Forever Voyaging did try to tackle ethics within a matrix-like simulator. It has always been one of my favorite games.

The issue with wargames is that, like real war, the assumption is built in that you are there to fight, not debate the politics of fighting. I think a truly socially-responsible simulator would need to have a much broader focus. I definitely think it could be done and in a way that would keep the game interesting. It 's just that right now game producers are less interested in message, than in eye candy. Of course, that might be a good thing. Just think of all the acrimony that my simple reference to the WAR ON TERROR ( :-j )created! Imagine if game producers started playing with ethics and political-ethics like you suggest! Then we could have real WARgames!

Of course, I think it is inevitable. Somebody, soon, will start to realize the great forum that entertainment gaming provides. Heck, what am I saying? Both the US Army and Navy have already started down that road!

Thanks for your reply! :up: