Quick Question

We're rushing headlong towards ethics of war now... I wanted to ask: would people prefer to debate the invasion of Iraq separately from ethics of war in general terms? Or are the two so inextricably linked at this point in time that we would do just as well to discuss ethics of war in the context of Iraq? Let me know your preference!

In other news...

• Just to confirm what Greg Williams noted in the comments last week, Super Mario Galaxy is structured in such a way that you don't need to suffer very much at all to unlock the final boss. I'll be putting together a critique of this game when my wife and I finish it.
• Just seen there's a new Mario Kart on its way for the Wii... it's a shame people knock Double Dash so much; I had more fun with that than any Mario Kart except the DS version.
• Can anyone tell me if Metroid Prime 3 avoids painfully difficult bosses at the end? I enjoyed the first game, but the last two bosses poisoned it for me and made me extremely reluctant to go back to another. Anyone got an opinion on the difficulty of finishing the third one?
• I still haven't booked my ticket to San Francisco... I don't know why, but this year GDC feels like a chore and not a pleasure.
• Incidentally, I have some more substantial game material on its way, I just haven't had time to draft it - we've been very busy lately.

Comments

[Peter Crowther]

I wasn't aware that the invasion of Iraq (an instance of a war... er, police action... erm, sorry, liberation... uh...) could be separated from the other instances in that way. Can we not treat it as one datum in a very large data set?

[JH]

RE: Metroid Prime 3, no the last bosses aren't particularly hard. I didn't finish MP2, but I did finish the first one, and the last bosses of Corruption are easier than the end boss of the original.

[zenBen]

Talking about Iraq will have to bring in some elements of global oil trading control...the whole US requirement to prevent any OPEC countries from switching to selling oil denominated in euros.
Iran, you're next.

That may be slightly off topic, I dunno.
On the other hand, I must warn that I will continue to ramble into whatever areas strike me, and I pay little heed to signs about staying off the grass.

[Chris]

JH: thanks for the heads-up! You give me some hope that I might enjoy MP3. ;)

Peter: I was wondering where you'd got to. :) The trouble with treating it as one instance is my concern that discussion of the ethics of war will devolve into a sidebar on Iraq - hence the question of whether to address Iraq independently from ethics of war in the general case.

zenBen: well, I'm sure you're not alone in regard to poor impulse control in the face of erected barriers. ;)

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What it comes down to is probably this: I could put underneath the ethics of war piece (probably for next Tuesday) a note that says "we'll discuss Iraq in a separate piece" (which zenBen and people of similar ilk may ignore!), or I can structure the ethics of war piece to focus on Iraq as a principle example. Obviously, it shifts the emphasis either way. I'm neutral to which approach we take, so I'm just looking for a nudge right now.

Any nudges? ;)

[Peter Crowther]

Speaking entirely for myself, I'd be disinclined to focus on Iraq as a principal example. There are so many more out there.