RTS

Real Time Strategy games call upon the quick thinking and foresight of their players- developing their ability to problem solve and adapt to situations. I have been a player of RTS games as my PC preferred genre. Others will talk about the depth of World of Warcraft- whereas I still would prefer to play Warcraft 3. It also appears that I am not the only one, with RTS games taking a key culture position in various Asian Cultures, specifically South Korea. Is it the fact that you are playing a God like position able to command so many people (units, orks, elves, depending on the game) when we have such a limited amount of control in our own lives? Or is it that you are able to indulge in violence in a more complex than Lemming explosion button kind of way.

Command and Conquer (and its spin off series Red Alert), Age of Empires, Star/War Craft have been the commanding title series for quite some time- and with good reason they offer immerse game play, story lines that range from acceptable to epic, and near unlimited multiplayer repeat gaming. While playing over a LAN connection with some friends in a unit one time, I found that some people just are not suited to this type of game. As my club men bore down upon his puny peons, I was greeted with the message- 'Hey stop attacking my little men'. Some people make a little too much connection to their little people, and in games like this that often leads to assured defeat.

Total Annihilation which was released in the nineties was also a good game- sure you could only play as one of two fairly similar factions but the graphics were way ahead of its time, and it also implemented a resource system that basically did away with the often annoying babysitting requirement of making sure your weak peon units were mining/chopping or gathering. In a lot of games to gain a sense of realism this was required- because you need food, gold, wood and stone to not only feed your people but construct buildings (Age of Empires or War Craft would be a good example of this). But in Total Annihilation the whole army was basically robots, so all you needed was energy- this allowed the player to focus on the draw of real time strategy for most players- combat. Also you did not have to focus on up leveling through ages, you just had to follow the build order to build up to the next level- allowing for people to gain advanced units without the need to save as desperately as required in normal RTS games. Although the two factions were rather similar they did have some different units- I especially liked the Peewee. It was an early unit, but it had a rapid fire action and if you had enough it sort of slowed down the units it was shooting because of their rapid fire. Also a feature that I have not seen recently is that it had the whole gamut of war covered; land, air and sea outside of Empire and C&C. If you were good enough your air fights could also resemble actual air fights because the planes had to continually move and, if timed right you could actually dodge incoming missiles.

More recently this moved me onto Dawn of War from Relic that was based on the lucrative Warhammer 40K franchise. It brought about some of the features that were brought together in Total Annihilation, but it had distinctly different factions and allowed for the already expansive universe to be explored by a new audience. In the coming posts I will explore the various factions and my opinions on them.

Key tips for budding RTS players;

1. If you are playing a game that requires the gathering of resources make sure you do the following;
- Look after them! It will be one of your goals and that of the opposing human player to disrupt your resource income- for without income there is no outcome; ie units to fight.
- Also know where the next batch of resources is- so that you can gradually send units to gather from that before the current lot runs out, because you want to keep a good inflow of resources.

2. If you are not saving for a tech or level upgrade be spending you resources- even if it is on more units. Also consider whether another batch of units will be more helpful than just an upgrade.

3. Use counter units. In most games there is a rather simple format for countering units in most games and it is up to you to read and test.

4. If a unit can be saved do it, usually repairing/healing a damaged unit is cheaper than purchasing a new unit.

5. Scout early, and scout often. You want to know where the resources are, and where your enemy is.

6. If you are in a game with a hero unit (more recent games) use them to provide support to your other units- they are not a one man army.

7. If your enemy is spamming a certain unit- see if there specific counters. Remember in most games a nice combination of units is more adaptable than those that are not.

8. Most factions have a specific play style, try testing them all out to see which suits you best.

9. If the game allows for options to win other than annihilation (destroy everything of your opponent), try to win through this method- it will often be a cheaper/shorter campaign and you will not invoke a flame war from your opponent.

10. Have fun, if you are not perhaps a different style of game is more up your ally.

Dale Stam

What we don't notice

Shoes...high heeled shoes. Why do women buy them? Besides their desire to have something to cover their feet. It could be the pretty colours or the wow factor among their girl friends. What about seduction- or the need to look desirable to the opposite sex? It lifts the rear, it elongates the legs, and it allows for an easier hip swivel action that has been noted as all desirable feminine traits. So men must be going gaga (you know crazy, but not in the lady type of way) over women who where high heels and less so over those who do not, right?

Well 'experts at Northumbria University in the UK have studied the reactions of men to women walking with and without high heeled shoes' (To read where this quote is from and another blog about this check out http://grazia.ninemsn.com.au/blog.aspx?blogentryid=709440&showcomments=true). In a result that makes me further question the supposed increased intelligence of our species they have found that men give the same amount of excitement and desire through the very accurate measurement of 'wolf calls' to both women who were wearing high heeled shoes, and those who were not. I know this must come as a shock, but it appears that men just like women. Who would have thunk it?

So women of the world please do not torture yourselves for us...it appears we don't really care or notice. Speaking of things we never noticed, it fell on us all yesterday that many of us never noticed that a draw was a possible option for the AFL Grand Final. All the wasted bet/TAB and BBQ games were all drawn to a confused halt- who gets the money. This general outrage of confusion has called for many people to call the AFL and state that the rule for a second game in a drawn Grand Final should be changed- and that the code should follow a similar rule to other sports where there is extended time or penalties. But I would like to remind Australia how frustrating these things can be; remember the World Cup- not the recent one, but the one where Australia made it to the 16. Then we had to have a penalty shoot out with Italy- which they won, and then went on to win the whole Cup? That could be replayed but with a crowd of drunken Aussies that could give those rioting soccer fans a run for their money. Do we really want that?

Dale Stam

Various News

For those walking along Dean Street you may encounter the sad sight of the burnt out ruins of PriceLine and the Reject Shop. The news cameras of both Win and Prime were itching around the corners- the reporters looking anxious as people walked past the shot. Consider watching the news from either of these stations to gain some full details and possible leads.

There was a discovery of a new gene in mice that is related to intelligence, memory and problem solving ability, named appropriately the Homer Simpson Gene. It appears that this particular gene acts as a sort of resistor to the neural transmissions in the mouse brain- causing an inefficiency of compiling, recalling and understanding incoming information. The Gene by its other less memorable name RGS14 when switched off, removed or disabled allowed the mice to perform better than their normal peers at solving a maze as found by scientists at Emory University School of Medicine. Why a gene that's purpose is to hold you back has evolved is still under contest and debate. So are we going to have an army of super smart mice now- perhaps but as with most things with science it has a human application. You to have the Homer Simpson Gene and the thought is that there might be a future where we are removed from our own incompetence. However as many of you are probably noting we are quite different from mice, and the area of the brain that this gene mostly affects is still mysterious- like the rest of the brain, so we are not quite sure if this gene perhaps has other uses in us humans- like a love of donuts, or a sense of humour. Look for more information on the Homer Simpson Gene here http://technology.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978530717 or www.dailymail.co.uk/.../Scientists-discover-Homer-Simpson-gene-makes-mice-clever-switched-off.html

Even though we live in a technological time, it does not seem to make things any easier. An example- phones are a lot more fragile today and they have all of these difficult plans to decipher. Also it appears that the ability to recall your number is becoming more difficult because people store a lot of their information online- probably not the best place to put your number really. But as I have talked to a friend recently if you have to resend an 'unfortunately you have not been successful' letter because you printed the wrong contact details on it...well I do not really have a comment to that- I find it rather humorous really.

Also it appears that the Canadian city that was in discussions to hold the Commonwealth Games recently are reporting that the dangers, concerns and progress of their grounds would not be in such a state as Dehli's is- there would probably be different concerns though- since athletes would be able to go on winery tours during breaks- yes I won a medal- a good Semilon please. These are the representative of our countries they can drink when they get back.

Dale Stam

Gaining Work Experience

For all those aspiring to be within the media or the performing arts one cruel factor that needs to be examined is the need to distinguish yourself from the rest of the crowd. This is a true factor for most jobs, but the difference here is that there is not always one person best suited to the job. To try to 'live life a little' or 'gain some life experience', are all handy, and a factor that is very beneficial is the work experience factor.



You might not really think much of your little community theatre work, or school productions or that little film that you shot with your mates while blind drunk on some European fad liqueur. But they do...a little. It is like you are trying to build your own hut, but instead of big logs all most of us can claim is a little stick of experience. But overtime, all of these experiences will start to form a shape of some skills to a potential employer. You could try using the same type of twigs, or you could have a variety of different twigs- all present different attributes to your potential employer.



I have worked on various projects- film, TV, advertising, theatre, literature and academic work, and with all of your help I plan to increase this experience and make my hut a little more strong, and someday somebody might marvel at my hut and offer to make it even better.

So go searching for your twigs, because even if you don't use them for your hut, they still keep the fire going...



Dale Stam


As you can see from the picture a hut without the small twigs looks a little concerning.

We appreciate and look forward to hearing feedback on how we can make this blog more appealing.

New Channels

The battle for rating supremacy is still being waged between Channel Seven and Nine. Seven was the market leader for the last few years knocking the champions- Nine of from their podium and showing that they need to refocus their programming. It appeared for the time being at least that Nine were not- 'Still the One'. However when they released Go! they were able to reconnect with the younger generation and have thus improved their position. With Go! becoming a rather popular Channel.

However just because they are increasing the amount of free-to-air channels they are not increasing the amount of local content that Australians have been clamoring for. With Go! showcasing many American shows, mostly in a re-run format. Thus giving further evidence and precedence for upcoming television writers to aspire to the US of A, where writers seem to be employed.

The new Channel Seven offering after the success of Seven 2 is going to be called Seven Mate- which is aimed at the Male market; with shows such as "AMERICAN DAD, FAMILY GUY, PARKS AND RECREATION and sci-fi dramas CAPRICA and WAREHOUSE 13 alongside factual hits FIFTH GEAR and MEGA DISASTERS." Seven Mate will premier at the HD AFL Grand Final on the 25 September at 6pm- with a light and relatively safe opener of 'That 70's Show'. They will also follow the tradition of the subsidiary channels of returning the well-missed tradition of the Friday Night Movie. Further information can be found on the official site http://au.tv.yahoo.com/mate/article/-/article/7759064/.

In contrast Channel Nine will try to pull the ladies with their sly pick-up Channel called Fems. Actually only half of that is true, with their new Channel, GEM, Nine will focus on attracting female viewers the day after Mate starts- possibly a smart move to not compete with the AFL opener- it tends to be a male remote dominated day.
"GEM will be a mix of new content, classic comedies, cherished drama series, all-time favorite movies, and all of Nine’s sport coverage in high definition.

GEM is designed to complement Nine’s premium channel, and the network’s number one multi-channel, GO!, attracting females 35+ and grocery buyers." They will be banking upon the success of a relatively new show 'The Big C'- perhaps a more risky gamble compared to the Mate offering. With other shows such as Weeds and Friends and Secret Diary of a Call Girl. For more information refer to the official Nine information article http://channelnine.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=7960634.

Mate or Gem will either of them usurp the current channels, unlikely but the audience will certainly have more to choose from, and as the broadcasters hope more gender battles for the remote.

Dale Stam

What do you think of Mate or Gem, leave us a comment or send in a request.

Stolen memories of yore

Danny- Danny tastes great. No, not my impression of an intelligent zombie, it was the marketing phrase of a dairy product from my youth. It was similar in style to Yogo but was of a more firm base, and well did not need a Gorilla and Snake to sell- though on the off hand if anyone with the marketing department of Yogo is reading, bring back the Gorilla and Snake, I miss their stories- and it was my favourite item to have in my lunch box. It did not dry out as the sandwiches often did, and I did not have to wait in line at the canteen to purchase it. Put simply, I thought Danny did taste great. Then one day during my Primary schooling it just dissipated; it was no longer available. This has been a hard road for those of us who have had our favourite items removed.



More recently there was at least a ten month long period where I was unable to get CC's, it seemed that I wanted them but the production companies can supposedly say No to them...they just defied their own marketing strategy. So in a huff I was to trail my way through countless other brands to find something comparable to the Tasty Cheese CC. Doritos did not even come close, and their 3 cheeses and nacho cheese only started to make my head swirl- more of a dipping chip. In fact the closest I was able to get was El Toro Tasty Cheese from Aldi, however the after taste was slightly synthetic...I had adapted but I was not happy.



At university I was slowly developing a taste for coffee and allowing it to mingle with my old friend tea, and one day at the super-market I stumbled upon a product that would allow for a easier adaptation of the different texture of a latte or cappuccino- a Tea Latte from Nerada. They were in a similar fashion to the packaged powdered lattes and caps that we see their now, but they were from a tea extract and well like everything else in this article- I loved them. But I was unfortunate enough to witness not the immediate halt of the product, but the slow gradual demise. I still have stashed away, for fear that they are the last of their kind. And seriously I don't particularly want to go to Europe or the UK just so I can have a Tea Latte (For information about what a Tea Latte is check this website http://breweddaily.com/2008/12/what-is-a-tea-latte/)



Also during this time Taylors stopped producing a Tai Satay which was the perfect blend of spice and penuts that went well with my spicy chicken- one of my favourite meals, but they stopped producing them. We even went to the extent of contacting the factory and seeing if we could purchase it in bulk or direct. Once again I was foiled. We are a society based on consumption, and though I have written and will post my ideas about that, I have to learn to live in it. However I find it especially mocking to produce something, get people to like it, and then remove it- perhaps they were not making money? Am I the only one seriously buying these items?



On the positive side, CC's have come back- they changed the packaging of my flavour from Yellow to Red, but hey I can adapt to that small thing...I guess. In the world of competing products perhaps we should fight more for those we love, and not just accept those that are given to us.



Dale Stam



Send in your comments about the story or any products you have lost.

Why Sociology can never be a 'hard' science

Printed in the Hungappa- University Magazine

Why Sociology can’t be a ‘hard science’.

Sociology sounds like it could be quite profitable to society; to be able to view, interpret and thus predict society would allow us to know what works and hence advance society to the Utopian ideal of Well’s and not Huxley. This would make it a good candidate to be in the same league as physics- to explain the universe and particles, chemistry- to explain and understand the reaction of elements, and biology- to understand how plants and animals (including us) work. Unfortunately sociology has a few problems;

1. Unlike the other sciences aforementioned, sociology has no laws to speak of really (I know in physics technically they’re theories, but generally accepted as right until something better comes along). Instead it has a lot of good ideas that contrast each other, which also often have a gaping hole that resembles the logic of some university assignments.

2. It has many factions that despise each other, and unlike the constructive criticism shown in the ‘hard sciences’, sociologists tend to berate each other because they see society differently- much like religious groups. Even though the foundations of nearly all of these factions can be traced back to a small band of people who definitely should be in the next summer buddy blockbuster. Imagine Talcott Parson’s, Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, and Max Weber as the ultimate society analysing team, who then have to beat up their evil students for taking one of their ideas and then twisting it to all kinds of WTF. Or how about a collectable card game, either way it is not aiding in the self cohesion of their science, though neither did my ideas, but they would at least take their war of words to a different level.

3. The agency-structure dilemma. The major teleological paradox that has caused the splintering fanatical groups that tear each other apart thus reducing the possibility to forming laws. Basically do people construct society or does society construct people. Some groups go former, other later, in exams and assignments it’s a little of both. That’s right its one of the few sciences where you can fence sit and be rewarded.

4. Because of the previous debate we have either macro-structural: the bird’s eyes view of society, like Parson’s abstract Grand theory, or micro-interactional: the individual’s view, like the examination of common sense acts of the ethnomethodologists. Those groups that try to bridge them fail much like bridging astro and quantum physics. They usually commit the logical sin of teleology, that agency creates structures and then structures creates agency or the reverse. Creating the spin the wheel explanation of society, and links back to the previous point of fence sitting, that is incredibly looked down upon in the other sciences.

Hence sociology will not be taken seriously as a ‘hard’ science, and must retain its convoluted form in the ‘soft’ science till it gets its act together. But this need not be a bad thing sociology, you just need to believe in yourself, and make sure you build a few good strong fences, you’ll need them.

The Thinker. (aka Dale Stam)