I just played a demo of a newish game, World in Conflict. On Wikipedia it’s classified as a “real time tactical game” – that is, rather than the grand overview of the real time strategy game, you control a smaller group of troops, and are yourself under the command of a higher-level officer. This also means cooperating with other parts of the force, and having to fulfill ever-changing objectives. It also means gaining complete control over the special abilities of each unit, which does take quite a bit of time. An option to tell a vehicle to “stand ground and fire TOWs as needed” could be nice. Maybe it’s in the retail version.

It is set in 1989, and depicts the other course the Soviet Union could have taken – invading West Germany and the United States with force, instead of breaking down into little pieces. The setting is great, with the mission offered in the demo making use of the then-new HMMWV and the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle, both quite recognizable from the first gulf war, and beautifully modeled.

The game seems to be really great, and has quite superior graphics. The battlefield starts out looking clean and nice, perhaps a little lacking in civilian activity, but is quickly pocked with craters and filled with the wrecks of fighting vehicles and buildings. The camera controls are a little strange at first, but they really allow you a good view of the superior graphics, even if it doesn’t allow a great overview.

I think I shall have to get this game.

As I’ve commented on this (in Danish) and this (in Danish) both on IRC and on another blog (in Danish), I think it would do me good to describe it here as well.

In Copenhagen, Denmark, the technical mayor, Klaus Bondam, has proposed re-naming a street, Pumpehusvej, after Danish composer Thomas Koppel (1944 – 2006). This is a in some accordance with a Danish tradition of honoring artists by naming streets after them – H.C. Andersens Street, Karen Blixen Street and even Wagner Street.

A member of the Copenhagen city council, Lars Dueholm, flatly refused this, on behalf of his party, the reason being that Thomas Koppel had openly criticized the Danish government, openly voiced support to the terrorists in Iraq, and even compared the Danish press to Joseph Goebbels’ propaganda machine.

Now, really, what’s with this? This man, Thomas Koppel, was an immensely talented artist, whether or not you agreed with his view. He wasn’t even, as far as I have been able to find out, violent – unlike Richard Wagner, who we have streets named after, who ordered the production of weapons and hand grenades for revolutionaries in Dresden. It would seem the ban on naming streets after controversials only applies if their criticism has been directed at the current government.

Give it a rest, I say. If you can’t take some criticism, get out of politics! And don’t start determining what artists get honored based on their views or their beliefs, but base it on a fair look at the work of their life. We may all yet be a lot wiser in the future, and maybe it turns out these critical individuals were right all along.

Thanks to Alex for pointing out the weapons and hand grenades Wagner ordered.