Africa, The MMOG 110
Via Joystiq, an MTV Games story about a MMOG that attempts to encompass Africa in a game. From the article: "Less reserved, Adam Ghetti, the teenage creative director at Rapid Reality, the company actually creating the game, said he hopes the game will right some wrongs. 'The white American board developers of the large MMO development companies out there right now don't honestly have the right background and knowledge on the continent of Africa and its lore, mythology and rich history, and quite honestly neither did I,' said Ghetti, who is white. 'They just don't teach it over here.' The game is designed, in part, to change that."
Hmm... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Hmm... (Score:1)
factions (Score:2, Funny)
Ah, PvP!
Heart of Africa (Score:2)
If its done right... (Score:2, Insightful)
When I was a teenager I read a lot of fantasy, until I realized that 99.9% of the fantasy genre is taken directly from Tolkein. The same can be said about fantasy games. Its all Knights, Wizards, Orks, Elves, Dwarves and Dragons. Maybe they will mess with the names, but the roles are set in stone.
Anything realizeing a vision of its own would be a welcome change.
Not that any of that will help a crappy implimentation...
Re:If its done right... (Score:3, Insightful)
This does not sound good... (Score:5, Insightful)
Derek Smart, PhD* (Score:1)
Re:This does not sound good... (Score:2)
* No, I don't know what the relatavistic speed of Hell is, I'm just using an American idiom.
Re:This does not sound good... (Score:3, Interesting)
Africa (Score:5, Interesting)
Then again, many of my country men can't name 10 state capitals in the US... so maybe understanding other cultures is too much...
Re:Africa (Score:1)
Re:Africa (Score:2)
Re:Africa (Score:2)
Re:Africa (Score:2)
From the nation Geographic Article (exerpts)
About 11 percent of young citizens of the U.S. couldn't even locate the U.S. on a map. The Pacific Ocean's location was a mystery to 29 percent; Japan, to 58 percent; France, to 65 percent; and the United Kingdom, to 69 percent.
In a nation called the
Re:Africa (Score:2)
Well, we (the rest of the world) let them think that. ;-)
Re:Africa (Score:1, Insightful)
Perhaps you are not so superior to those you feel the need to denigrate.
I don't think of Africa in the way you ascribed me, why do you generally assume others do?
Re:Africa (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Africa (Score:2, Redundant)
Interesting. Especially the part where you refer to a whole continent (America) as if it was just one country (The USA).
Try again, better luck next time
Re:Africa (Score:2)
I wish no luck on your future jabbing at other postings, but I reccommend you not try so hard.
Re:Africa (Score:2)
Of course, this might have to do with the fact that being called "USian" sucks ass. Which is not my problem. I didn't usurp the name of the continent.
Nope (Score:1)
Sorry smart guy, but there is no continent of "America".
There is "North America" and "South America", but NO "America".
Just thought I'd point that out.
Stop acting like a smug asshole, especially when you're totally wrong.
Re:Nope (Score:1)
If there is no continent of America, then what are the 'United States of America'? United states of a place that doesn't exist?
Oooh look who though he made a point! (Score:1)
Nothing. It's a continent named "North America".
"If there is no continent of America, then what are the 'United States of America'? United states of a place that doesn't exist?"
Then kindly point out the continent of "America" on a map. Shouldn't be too hard.
And while you're at it, point to "carolina" and "dakota".
Why is it so hard for you to understand?
Re:Oooh look who though he made a point! (Score:1)
Why would it be called North America if there is no America? You're really not making any sense here. May as well call a place 'North Znvcmnvxcvcx'.
Re:Oooh look who though he made a point! (Score:1)
It's a NAME. N-A-M-E.
"You're really not making any sense here."
Hmm, funny coming from a guy claiming there is a continent named "America". And interestingly, you didn't post any links that show this mystery continent.
It's a name. There is NO other context.
I can't figure out if you're really this stupid, or just acting like it for fun.
And you STILL didn't support your argument, you just keep insisiting that you're right, when EVERY SINGLE INSTAN
Re:Oooh look who though he made a point! (Score:1)
Yes, and the name comes from the continent. Some states were united, that were in America, hence the name 'United States of America'. If the country started in Asia, it would be called the 'United States of Asia'.
Before the US was formed, the area currently occupied by the fifty states was not known collectively as 'America', that word referred to the whole continent.
The only reason the US is called 'America' is because the name USA is too long, and the only reason that US citizens are
Dude you proved nothing (Score:1)
Find a current map that agrees. Wikipedia, the source anyone can edit before using as a citation, doesn't count. 400 year old maps don't count either.
One current, official map. That's it.
But since such a thing doesn't exist, you can choke on my dick.
Thank you (Score:1)
That's all you had to say.
The rest of your post is a pathetic attempt to explain why it doesn't matter what the REAL name is. I DOn't give two shakes what a bunch of primives call it. Their ignorance, and yours, changes nothing.
By the way, I love that
"I can't find a map, but that doesn't matter because, well, because I have to be right"
I'm going to let you in on something. Ready?
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK, OR HOW MANY LINKS YOU POST, NOWHERE ON ANY CURRENT MAP
NO dumbass (Score:1)
The names on a map are MY criteria? No, that's THE criteria. If you don't like it, take it up with the cartographers.
"People call New York the Big Apple, but you won't find that on most maps."
Right and if someone asked me the NAME of the city, it wouldn't be the Big Apple. I realize you're an imbecile, but even you can understand the d
Re:Oooh look who though he made a point! (Score:2)
I've seen some lame flame wars in my time, but one over a fact that can be checked by looking at a map?
Re:Oooh look who though he made a point! (Score:2)
Re:Nope (Score:2)
Re:Africa (Score:2)
asshat
Re:Africa (Score:1)
Re:Africa (Score:2)
Have you ever heard a Brazilian or a Canadian defined/described as an Amercian? Are you that stupid?
Owned by an AC? It is obvious that you posted as an AC, and then replied to yourself. Eat a dick. And then take it out of your mouth and stick it in your ass.
Re:Africa (Score:2)
Yes. Outside of the USA, I've heard people, songs, and other concepts referred to as "american" meaning "of the american continent". Especially in the 70's and early 80's, but after that too. Take it as "of the american continents", if you wish. As I said, there _are_ people who don't really like the USians refer to themselves as "Americans". It doesn't surprise me that you don't want to accept it, only the violence with which yo
Re:Africa (Score:1)
I wonder (Score:1)
I freely admit that my African geography needs work, but that's mainly because I don't want to bother relearning it every six months.
What's the... point? (Score:2, Insightful)
It looks like the goal is more something along the lines of stereotypical Africa... a lot of elephants and odd piercings. That, somehow, doesn't seem educational either.
I'm just confused. It's to be a fantasy game, but it's still somehow supposed to teach about Africa? Did anyone learn about
Re:What's the... point? (Score:5, Insightful)
Africa is a friggin' continent, for god's sake, several times larger than the US, with a lot (!!) more history. I am assuming you are from the US, here, for reasons that should be obvious. If, all over Africa, there were nothing other than millions starving to death or dying of AIDS, if everyone were killing everyone else, it would be a complete wasteland within the decade. And it's not. Mythology might be heavily animal-based, but so it is with American Indians. Not surprising, when you're living among so damn many of them.
As for your jibe concerning LOTR, there's a difference to fantasy in an imaginary world, like LOTR, Krull or Star Wars, and fantasy based on mythology, like American Gods, Chronicles of Narnia or even The Iliad. Fantasy has many levels. If you look at Neil Gaiman's books, they tend to be about our world, with legends and mythology made flesh. Something like that would work well in 'the cradle of humanity'.
The execution of the whole deal would be tricky, though, you're right. It's too easy to fall into triteness, rather than actual interesting cultural exchange.
Re:What's the... point? (Score:3, Interesting)
I have to say that my elementary school education regarding Africa was spotty, and completely non-existent in high school, except for the "cradle of civilization" part. As a teen (many years ago), I could have told you that Egypt was a part of Africa, and that the Congo was, but had
Re:What's the... point? (Score:2)
Africa is a friggin' continent, for god's sake, several times larger than the US, with a lot (!!) more history.
That's right --- why, Africa had been up and running for millions of years before they even got around to laying the bedrock for the US!
Re:What's the... point? (Score:2, Insightful)
Why does everyone not from America assume that every American is completely ignorant of the rest of the world? You can complain about America in as many ways as you like, but the fact remains that our humanitarian efforts for the rest of the world outweight the contributions of every other country on Earth combined. As soon as your country excee
Beats my education on Africa (Score:4, Insightful)
What I wouldn't give for a Multi-Cultural class that actually studied different cultures instead of how the white Anglo-saxon male has subjugated them.
-Rick
Re:Beats my education on Africa (Score:1, Interesting)
Personally the growth of Islam as a religion among african americans is
Re:Beats my education on Africa (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Beats my education on Africa (Score:2)
Re:Beats my education on Africa (Score:2)
Me personally, I LOVE to study foreign cultures. I spent time in foreign exchange after highschool, I got stationed over seas in the military, I enjoy literature and documentaries about foreign cultures.
What I don't like is the "education" I have received from organi
Re:Beats my education on Africa (Score:1)
Why not both? A class that ignores the effects of western colonialism would be just as useless as the one that focuses solely on it. If it's a Cultural Studies class that focuses on the present day situations it would be a huge oversight to ignore the effects of colonialism on cultures. Look at the number of countries that now speak English, French or Spani
Re:Beats my education on Africa (Score:2)
-Rick
Learn about Africa, the best way (Score:2)
How about a field trip? I went to West Africa (Senegal and Mali) for four weeks last winter, and while there's a lot to learn, it gave me more understanding -- and more hope -- about Africa than a lifetime of reading news papers and watching the nine o'clock news.
It was not my first trip to the third world, but it gave me a lot of perspective on things like
Re:What's the... point? (Score:2)
I hear Kenya [weebls-stuff.com] has lions and tigers.
Re: (Score:1)
Jilting at windmills (Score:5, Insightful)
2) The designer of the game claims both that it will have state of the art graphics and that it will run on low-end computers. Sorry, but you can't do both at the same time! Also, much of the gameplay that works great when you're on the same Ethernet segment as the server is virtually unplayable when you're on a dial-up on a different continent than the server.
In general, you can't be all things to all people; you need to pick your battles and focus on doing just a few things, but doing them well.
Re:Jilting at windmills (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm not sure I agree with that compleatly. I've noticed that over the last ten years, graphics hardware has evolved at a much higher rate then graphics itself, something I've attributed to a propensity to develop software graphics engines that are bloated and inefficent. In the span of 18 months, the raw power of a graphics card may doubl
Re:Jilting at windmills (Score:1)
To be fair, graphics quality isn't like network throughput. You can't really say, "this screenshot is 20% better than that one." Things like bump-mapping and dynamic lighting may make only a small improvement in image quality but requires, to pull a number out of my ass, 3x the processing power.
Also, the bloated or slow code is a tradeoff. Maybe they traded it to get proper error handling or graceful degradation or to make it more easily extensible (unlikely). Maybe they traded it to get it into your hands
Re:Jilting at windmills (Score:2)
Drivers nowadays are usually unified packages,
Potential.... (Score:2, Insightful)
Y0 NEED PARTY! (Score:5, Funny)
SteveOkembo72 waves.
SteveOkembo72> HAV3 10M GPS IN DUNGEON. NEED SOME1 TO
SteveOkembo72> WILL SHARE LOOT 50% WIT U.
SteveOkembo72 waves.
SteveOkembo72> MSG ME. KTHXBYE
Re:Y0 NEED PARTY! (Score:1)
Looking for Group... (Score:2)
Re:Looking for Group... (Score:1)
The horror, the horror.
Why do I get the feeling... (Score:2)
Oh, that's right. I a total cynic. That's why. Never mind.
I wish the author well (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:I wish the author well (Score:1)
Re:I wish the author well (Score:2)
Swahili is not really a "nation", it's a language. Mostly a lingua franca. With hundreds of different languages/'nations'/peoples in East Africa, they needed a common language, and Swahili is that. There are over 50,000,000 speakers but almost all of them are second language speakers - the actual number of people who speak Kiswahili as a first language are probably less than 2,000,000. (Also there are a number of different Swahili dialects and regional variations.)
I don't see how it would be feasible to wr
Looking forward to a new setting (Score:1)
Since the game is set in 13th century Africa, I'm assuming "learn something about Africa" means "get the flavor of African mythology". The knight/castle/dragon
Re:I wish the author well (Score:2)
Realism in Africa MMOG (Score:1)
Foreign powers killing natives, natives repelling the foreign powers, natives killing each other. This could be a really cool game.
Re:Realism in Africa MMOG (Score:2)
Foreign powers offering natives guns in exchange for slaves, and suggesting that since they'll be back in a few months' time, it might be worth the natives' while going and enslaving the village over the hill, who haven't got guns...
Ah, I'm just swelling with patriotism at the thought of Britain's glorious history ;-)
Where have I head that before..... hmmm... (Score:1)
s/Rapid Reality/3DRealms/g
s/Adam Ghetti/George Broussard/g
Oh, right! I knew that sounded familiar...
I get it! (Score:2)
I bet this is the last MMOG anyone will EVER own.
Re:More like eight months to a lifetime (Score:2)
Does it come with the deeds to a bridge? (Score:2)
Thanks... I needed the laugh
Everyone and their dog seems to be trying to make an MMOG. Heck, I have a few ideas of my own and I'd really love having the time and the resources to implement them. The truth is
Authentic and historical? (Score:1, Redundant)
Not entirely ignorant (Score:2, Funny)
Tread lightly (Score:1)
Re:I'm sorry... (Score:2)
More seriously, if it works the way !Xabbu's was in the book, it could actually be educational.