Freaks-R-Us

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Sometime ago I moved the computer from the study to a corner of the
living room. As there's always some wargame or other activated when a
neighbour/friend/family enters a lot more people have been exposed to
this weird hobby of mine. First it's a glance at the computer screen.
"Ah, playing a game ? - what is it ?" When I tell them it's a "wargame"
I can usually see them picturing me moving little tin soldiers across
the screen and thinking "when will he grow up". And that's the best
reaction I get. The worst being a look saying "I didn't know you were a
war-mongering ultra-fascist".

So after trial and error of trying to explain what it's all about I've
settled for calling it "historical simulations" which triggers a
completely different respons like "ah, you're into history - never
cared for that myself - too many dates to remember" and you move on.

Ok - I realize I'm chickening out - no need to point that out - but is
this reaction/behaviour when you say "wargame" common ? or is it just
some typical Euro-weenie stuff.

And it's not just civilians that act this way : some time ago Patrick
Proctor of ProSimCo complained that he was getting " ... inundated with
a ton of angry letters from a British Falkland Island War veterans
group" and " ... charges that we at ProSIM are somehow "exploiting the
war" or "profiteering" from human suffering".

I'm not getting this - a hyper-realistic simulation of the Falkland war
triggers *that* kind of reaction while I've read tons of times about US
veterans endorsing one (board)game or another "because it manages to
capture the thing we went through and preserves the memory of those
fallen" - or words to that effect.

Maybe I should change the Freaks-R-Us in the subject to
Euro-Freaks-R-Us - you tell me.

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

 

[jp]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

<eddysterckx@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1122453402.554725.154690@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Sometime ago I moved the computer from the study to a corner of the
> living room. As there's always some wargame or other activated when a
> neighbour/friend/family enters a lot more people have been exposed to
> this weird hobby of mine. First it's a glance at the computer screen.
> "Ah, playing a game ? - what is it ?" When I tell them it's a "wargame"
> I can usually see them picturing me moving little tin soldiers across
> the screen and thinking "when will he grow up". And that's the best
> reaction I get. The worst being a look saying "I didn't know you were a
> war-mongering ultra-fascist".
>
> So after trial and error of trying to explain what it's all about I've
> settled for calling it "historical simulations" which triggers a
> completely different respons like "ah, you're into history - never
> cared for that myself - too many dates to remember" and you move on.
>
> Ok - I realize I'm chickening out - no need to point that out - but is
> this reaction/behaviour when you say "wargame" common ? or is it just
> some typical Euro-weenie stuff.
>
> And it's not just civilians that act this way : some time ago Patrick
> Proctor of ProSimCo complained that he was getting " ... inundated with
> a ton of angry letters from a British Falkland Island War veterans
> group" and " ... charges that we at ProSIM are somehow "exploiting the
> war" or "profiteering" from human suffering".
>
> I'm not getting this - a hyper-realistic simulation of the Falkland war
> triggers *that* kind of reaction while I've read tons of times about US
> veterans endorsing one (board)game or another "because it manages to
> capture the thing we went through and preserves the memory of those
> fallen" - or words to that effect.
>
> Maybe I should change the Freaks-R-Us in the subject to
> Euro-Freaks-R-Us - you tell me.
>
> Greetz,
>
> Eddy Sterckx



Nah, seen the same reactions here in the US. I don't even bother
anymore, haven't in years. Saves the "deer in the headlights" look I get in
return <g>.

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

There is a reason Consimworld is called Consimworld. "Wargame" conjures up
such varied images.

I'll admit I am reluctant to use 'wargame' right off the bat to someone who
doesn't have a clue.

 

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In article <1122453402.554725.154690@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>,
eddysterckx@hotmail.com says...

> When I tell them it's a "wargame"
> I can usually see them picturing me moving little tin soldiers across
> the screen and thinking "when will he grow up". And that's the best
> reaction I get. The worst being a look saying "I didn't know you were a
> war-mongering ultra-fascist".

Heh. The display for my primary gaming workstation is in my den,
between a plaque with the sergeant's shield from my PD days and a gun
cabinet where all sorts of well-oiled warmongering gear lurks[1]. So
certain dim visitors don't need to see a little digital representation
of 1 Para Battalion onscreen to draw the most alarming conclusions.

> So after trial and error of trying to explain what it's all about I've
> settled for calling it "historical simulations" which triggers a
> completely different respons like "ah, you're into history - never
> cared for that myself - too many dates to remember" and you move on.

If some looney-tune (generally one of the wife's looney-tunes, as I long
ago screened out my own looney-tune friends and acquaintances...) asks
me for any sort of "explanation" about anything in my home, my usual
response is just to start s l o w l y stropping my straight-razor.

> And it's not just civilians that act this way : some time ago Patrick
> Proctor of ProSimCo complained that he was getting " ... inundated with
> a ton of angry letters from a British Falkland Island War veterans
> group" and " ... charges that we at ProSIM are somehow "exploiting the
> war" or "profiteering" from human suffering".

This puts me in mind of the archaeologist who was angrily asked by a
native American, on camera, how the archaeologist would feel if *his*
ancestors were being dug up and studied, and the professor responded,
"Someone will almost certainly dig *me* up some day, and I look forward
to providing my future colleague all the information I can."

> I'm not getting this - a hyper-realistic simulation of the Falkland war
> triggers *that* kind of reaction while I've read tons of times about US
> veterans endorsing one (board)game or another "because it manages to
> capture the thing we went through and preserves the memory of those
> fallen" - or words to that effect.

Maybe these people are just nuts. That explains so much these days.


[1] I keep the *Blutfahne* and my Brown Shirt in the closet, though,
this being *Vermont*, after all...]


--
Giftzwerg
***
"I didn't know Egypt had troops in Iraq. Otherwise, why
would the terrorists target them?"
- Sean Fitzpatrick

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

<eddysterckx@hotmail.com> wrote in message > I'm not getting this - a
hyper-realistic simulation of the Falkland war
> triggers *that* kind of reaction while I've read tons of times about US
> veterans endorsing one (board)game or another "because it manages to
> capture the thing we went through and preserves the memory of those
> fallen" - or words to that effect.
>
> Maybe I should change the Freaks-R-Us in the subject to
> Euro-Freaks-R-Us - you tell me.
>
> Greetz,
>
> Eddy Sterckx
>


i found that most can't get their head around that they are not video games
no matter how hard i try to explain.

 

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<eddysterckx@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1122453402.554725.154690@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>
> Maybe I should change the Freaks-R-Us in the subject to
> Euro-Freaks-R-Us - you tell me.
>


Its not just Europe. The same "utopia; save us from ourselves" idiots live
in North America too. Just remember, it was in the US that groups were
calling for the banning of Dungeons & Dragons because it was Satan Worship.

--
"I reject your reality and substitute my own."
"Now, quack, damn you!"

Multiversal Mercenaries
You name it, we kill it. Any time, any reality.

 

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> I know f***-all about any of these things - *in a 2005 context*. But I
> could set the 13th century on fire in each of these categories.

Alas, unless you were extremely careful to dispense your knowledge in tiny
portions it might well be you set on fire - burned at the stake for
witchery.

Best regards, Major H.

 

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In article <BF0E5C78.8370A%tacops@mac.com>, tacops@mac.com says...

> > I know f***-all about any of these things - *in a 2005 context*. But I
> > could set the 13th century on fire in each of these categories.
>
> Alas, unless you were extremely careful to dispense your knowledge in tiny
> portions it might well be you set on fire - burned at the stake for
> witchery.

<LoL>

Yeah, my blend of sarcasm and atheism wouldn't mix well with Sudden!
New! Discoveries! Improved!

Maybe I'd better set my sights on China.

--
Giftzwerg
***
"I didn't know Egypt had troops in Iraq. Otherwise, why
would the terrorists target them?"
- Sean Fitzpatrick

 

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.war-historical (More info?)

On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 09:53:08 -0400, Giftzwerg
<giftzwerg999@NOSPAMZ.hotmail.com> wrote:

>I even know how to make *VODKA*!

Yeah, but you'd only be 100 years early for that one, and besides
those monks could already make pretty good wine and beer...
--
http://www.kynosarges.de

 

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Giftzwerg schreef:

> While we can't possibly know everything (even anything, really...) about
> the 21st century, we're not nearly as clueless as your argument
> proposes.
>
> Conduct a thought-experiment here. Suppose you fell into a time-vortex,
> and found yourself transported to - and marooned in - the 13th century.
> If I were an aspiring warlord, with designs on making Europe my personal
> fief, I would appoint you as my chief scientist over all of the greatest
> 13th century minds.

To give you the best possible chances I'll have you - Mr. Giftzwerg -
appear in Ghent, Flanders in the year 1300. By that time Ghent was the
second largest European city north of the Alps and was pretty much
self-ruled with plenty of professional craftsmen and traders. Ability
counted, not nobility. As an added bonus you'll be able to participate
in utterly destroying the French knights army in 2 years time.

Cement you say - well, the count's castle build in the center of Ghent
*still* stands there - it's not that they didn't know how to make it -
or import it - but only when money was no object. Economics demanded
they sometimes had to make do with what was locally available.

Triple crop yields you say - their major problem wasn't fertilization,
it was seed quality/yield (and weeds). Ok, thought experiment so you
fix those problems too. But then there's Malthus : the population level
will rise to match food supply. There won't be extra work at the farms
and no industrialization yet, so they'll flock to the cities creating a
situation not unlike France had in the late 18th century : a serious
population increase creating a poor subclass that exploded into the
French Revolution. A good source for the mass armies of Napoleon so
there are some possibilities here. I recommend a Crusade

Medicine you say - you'll make a fine chief quack to some duke and live
comfortably, but you wouldn't be able to make an impact on society as a
whole. I mean, look at Africa today.

War equipment then. Sure you could make a musket - but would 1 matter,
or a thousand ? all it needs is damp weather on the battlefield to be
as good as useless. When muskets appeared they weren't the wonder
weapon we sometimes think they were and needed pikemen to protect them
for a long time afterwards. And making black powder is a craft in
itself involving much more than knowing the exact percentage of each
ingredient. Anyway, they had canon and black powder in 1300.

Oh, and they also had pike squares (called "goedendag"), glass and
toilets (little tower hanging over the moat - add wooden plank with a
hole in the middle) and were pretty good at food preservation. Even had
ice in the summer. To fix longitude you need acurate time-measurement,
so start designing clocks that work at sea as well and make it
economically viable to produce, not like the expensive belltower clocks
they had back then.

In the end I must conclude that you would have been a "homo
universalis" back then, so your point of us absorbing knowledge at a
basic level stands, but it just underlines my point that you could have
been a "homo universalis" back then, but not now giving the same amount
of knowledge.

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

P.S. Sure you know how to make vodka - but the local population prefers
the dark, strong beers brewn by the local Benedictin monks - they still
do.

 

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"Giftzwerg" <giftzwerg999@NOSPAMZ.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1d52ad54ca38723a98a4ba@news-central.giganews.com...
>
> I even know how to make *VODKA*!
>
>
>
> [1] Watched a show about them last night.
>
> [2] Step aside, Gregor Mendel, I've taken a high-school biology course!
>


And obviously stayed at a Holiday Inn just before being transported back in
time!

(Sorry. I know its not constructive but I just couldn't resist.)

--
"I reject your reality and substitute my own."
"Now, quack, damn you!"

Multiversal Mercenaries
You name it, we kill it. Any time, any reality.

 

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In article <1122625910.649502.37910@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
eddysterckx@hotmail.com says...

> In the end I must conclude that you would have been a "homo
> universalis" back then, so your point of us absorbing knowledge at a
> basic level stands, but it just underlines my point that you could have
> been a "homo universalis" back then, but not now giving the same amount
> of knowledge.

That's true, but I think you might be looking through the wrong end of
the binoculars. Specialization means that the *value* of the knowledge
a non-specialist holds is reduced - but that doesn't mean he doesn't
still possess really quite a large body of it.

I don't know any *less* about making concrete because there are
specialists who make their living knowing concrete down to the atomic
level, it just means that (in 2005) I can't get paid for it. In that
context, my knowledge is "worthless." But it doesn't mean I don't know
all kinds of stuff about concrete.

So sure, there's vastly more to know these days, and it stands to reason
that each of us individually knows a smaller relative percentage of the
total knowledge-base than somebody alive in 1250 did. And we organize
our civilization so that even the lowliest jobs require a fair degree of
specialization to be done well. But ultimately ... so what? Even an
average Joe like me still knows *more* - in absolute terms - than even
the best minds of a half-dozen centuries ago.

It would literally be correct to say that I've forgotten more about
calculus than Sir Isaac Newton ever knew. That's gotta count for
something, in 2005 *or* 1700.

--
Giftzwerg
***
"I didn't know Egypt had troops in Iraq. Otherwise, why
would the terrorists target them?"
- Sean Fitzpatrick