New Stars Status

The first few screen shots will come quickly, as I catch up to the current status. Here is a turn file with a fleet in space, and a minefield selected. Note I need the little yellow pointer under the current selection, a minefield graphic, and better ship graphics... I also need to write the orbitting code. Our files have some issues with consistancy. The fleet really does have 0 fuel.

New Stars Progress

To help motivate me to make more progress, I will post updates on the current status of New Stars GUI. Here is the first shot:

Call Me Back, Ishmael

"Ishmael" (Daniel Quinn) is an update on the idea of the noble savage. The author presents a choice between two lifestyles - "Takers" and "Leavers". The Takers take their lives into their own hands. They plant more food than the can eat, and grow without limits. The Leavers leave their fates to the gods (growing and shrinking population as the environment shifts). He stops short of saying technology is evil.

Unfortunately, I do not think this jives with actual history. I believe "Guns, Germs, and Steel" (Jared Diamond) presents a much better view of pre-history and anthropology. The peoples who retained stone age technology throughout the technology revolution in the West did so because they lacked the opportunity to do so (not out of some conscience choice). New data is showing massive die-offs of local bird and animal populations in pre-Columbian America. It was only the plagues introduced in the 1600's by the Spanish allowed the animal populations to be restored in time for the American settlers of the 1800's to find an "unspoiled wilderness" and come in and kill them off again...

We do not know why early American agricultural societies disappeared. It may of been disease, a long drought, or invasion by neighbors. It's possible that without animal power (see GGS) they simple said "it's not worth it" and returned to a hunter-gatherer lifestyle.

More Drugs

Let me start by saying some people need (or appear to need) less drugs. These are people you look at and say, "He needs less drugs". Some people need more drugs. "Are you SAD (social anxiety disorder)? Then you need more drugs." TV commercials are always telling people they need more drugs.

Well, I officially need more drugs (I couldn't use any less than my current 0). So newDrugs / oldDrugs == infinite. That's an infinite (percent) increase in drugs! Don't worry, it's not like I have some horrible disease or anything. Thanks for your concern.

So, if any new posts are particularly good (or bad); it's not me, it's the drugs.

Enjoy!

Now it begins

Space Ghost (SG): Now it begins! Who all here is evil?
Zorak (Z): I'm evil!
Brak (B): I'm evil!
Z: Oh, you are not!
B: I am too!
Z: You're as harmless as a babies butt!
SG: Zorak!
Z: Well he is.
B: I am not a babies butt.
SG: Sorry Brak, I'm going to have to go with Zorak on this one. You simply lack the mental capacity to be evil.
B: I don't get it.
SG: You have to, oh say; come up with plots against the universe, hatch evil plans to conquer planets, and just be plain mean most of the time.
Z: You're just too nice.
B: I forget how to be mean. That radiation half lobotomized me.
SG: Say, I've got an idea. Why doesn't Zorak teach you how to be mean?
Z: Oh man, do I haf'ta?
SG: Yes you haf'ta!
Z: Alright Brak, repeat after me: "Space Ghost, I will destroy you!"
B: Space Ghost, I will destroy you, if you don't mind.
Z: I WILL destroy YOU!
B: I will destroy you?
Z: I WILL DESTROY YOU!!
B: Alright! I will destroy you!
Z: You, and your little dog too.
B: You, and... Hey! I like his dog, Francine is a good puppy.
Z: No, that was just a threat.
B: You want to hurt Francine. You're a big, bad, green, thingy, guy...
SG: Bug?
B: Bug. Space Ghost, shoot that thingy-thing on your arm.
SG: Destructo-ray?
B: Destructo-ray, so he doesn't hurt Francine.
SG: Gladly, Brak, my dear old chum. {BLAST}
Z: Hey! What did you do that for!
SG: That was for Francine! Hey wait, I don't have a dog.
Z: Yea, tell me about it.