I must say, I greatly enjoyed this. But it had a bit of trouble holding my attention. Though it isn't purely a sim (having a cross between being sim and MMO), it still is one at heart-- and I don't particularly like sims. I don't play games for realism, I play games to ESCAPE reality, because reality sucks.
That said, it is certainly a great game. The controls are relatively smooth, with aiming being a breeze as it's done via mouse (or by turning, if your tank doesn't have a turret), movement is with the usual WASD keys, and it's great fun blasting away at tanks with a tank destroyer.
The balance could be a bit better though. American tanks feel so weak and limited-- there's no tank destroyers for them either. The game is basically all about the Russian and German tanks. A pity you can't play a Wolvering tank hunter, or one of the other American tank hunters. Or heck, even one of the British tanks. They're adding in French tanks, but I really wonder what exactly they plan on doing there what with there being basically no France to produce tanks for much of WWII in the first place.
Still, on the basis of gameplay alone, it's a very enjoyable game. There's no real story, there's no single player, there's just you, fourteen buddies, and a bunch of enemy tanks to shoot at. It's simple and fun, and if you're into tank battles I whole-heartedly recommend it. While I am not myself a huge fan of vehicular combat (preferring to play infantrymen/women), I still greatly enjoyed this game.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
I normally don't discuss religion...
... but this has come up so many times recently, what with all of the hateful protests by Christians in my neck of the woods (Texas), against homosexuality, against other religions, or... well... pretty much anything they can attempt to use religion to justify. Sometimes even violent opposition..
My response to it is thus: Jesus states that the two most important laws are to love god, and to love thy neighbor. All other laws are subservient to these two. No other law is more important than these two. The god of Christianity desires, above all else, love. Those who preach hate... are the furthest from their god. They do not know the laws of their own religion, they do not know the true meaning behind the laws. They deserve both your pity and prayer.
I don't really intend to go further on this topic. The hate disgusts me and makes me angry beyond belief-- which is my own failing. Even still, however, I hope someday that they come to understand their faith and come to know how to love those they disagree with, just as they love those who agree with them.
edit:
To give a citation: Any [u]real[/u] Christian should know these and take them to heart.
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (NIV, Mark 12:28-31).
And this:
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." (NIV, Luke 10:25-37 )
With two men or two women so divinely blessed with God's greatest gift of love between eachother, how can you hate them. or dislike them, or wish to do them harm, or wish to disrupt their joy between eachother when it has no effect on you? The command given by God and affirmed as the greatest commandment by Jesus was to love them. Cherish their love between eachother, just as you would cherish the love between yourself and your own spouse, and cherish them as good neighbors and friends. If you can't do that, you've failed the most important commandment in God's law-- and you not only hurt them, but also yourself, because through your hate you distance yourself from God.
My response to it is thus: Jesus states that the two most important laws are to love god, and to love thy neighbor. All other laws are subservient to these two. No other law is more important than these two. The god of Christianity desires, above all else, love. Those who preach hate... are the furthest from their god. They do not know the laws of their own religion, they do not know the true meaning behind the laws. They deserve both your pity and prayer.
I don't really intend to go further on this topic. The hate disgusts me and makes me angry beyond belief-- which is my own failing. Even still, however, I hope someday that they come to understand their faith and come to know how to love those they disagree with, just as they love those who agree with them.
edit:
To give a citation: Any [u]real[/u] Christian should know these and take them to heart.
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (NIV, Mark 12:28-31).
And this:
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." (NIV, Luke 10:25-37 )
With two men or two women so divinely blessed with God's greatest gift of love between eachother, how can you hate them. or dislike them, or wish to do them harm, or wish to disrupt their joy between eachother when it has no effect on you? The command given by God and affirmed as the greatest commandment by Jesus was to love them. Cherish their love between eachother, just as you would cherish the love between yourself and your own spouse, and cherish them as good neighbors and friends. If you can't do that, you've failed the most important commandment in God's law-- and you not only hurt them, but also yourself, because through your hate you distance yourself from God.
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