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London Gamers Shoot It Out In The Streets 108

Posted by Zonk from the bring-it-to-madison dept.
ChocLinux writes "Gamers that take part in the Streetwars watergun assassination tournament in London could face arrest if they stalk their target in the tube. CNET has spoken to one gamer who has taken part in the tournament and disagreed that waterguns could be mistaken for firearms, as all contestants are using brightly-coloured super-soakers. He admitted that he narrowly missed being eliminated. 'Some guy tried to get me outside work, but he missed and fell off his bike,' he said. If the game isn't over by midnight on August 15, the remaining contestants will take part in a one week sudden death tournament." From the article: "You can hunt your target down any way you see fit; you can pose as a delivery person and jack them when they open the door, disguise yourself and take them out on the street, etc. If you are successful in your assassination attempt, the person you killed will give you their envelope and the person they were supposed to kill becomes your new target."
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London Gamers Shoot It Out In The Streets More

London Gamers Shoot It Out In The Streets

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  • Seen it. (Score:3, Interesting)

    by tygerstripes ( 832644 ) on Tuesday August 08, 2006 @11:24AM (#15866354)
    Cambridge Uni. Assassins Guild. One enterprising guy dropped a massive polystyrene block on his target's head from a balcony (it was a safe, basically).
    • Steve Jackson Games published this way back in the 80's (or late 70's?).

      Killer [sjgames.com]

      • Steve Jackson Games published this way back in the 80's (or late 70's?).

        Played it. Loved it. Picked up the manual back in eighth grade in 1988... just flipped through it and marveled at the possibilities. Then finally hosted a few rounds during my wild 'n' crazy college-freshman days. "Death by seduction" was a fun option. ;)

    • Used to play at GA Tech... found out my target used the same bank I did, so I mocked up a bank statement in one of their envelopes and put "poison" in it...

      Very fun game, if everyone takes it "seriously" (i.e. serious about playing the game, not serious about trying to kill people).

    • Actually if you visit http://www.streetwars.net/ [streetwars.net] you will see that you have not seen it. Its a different game. The ONLY way to kill is by getting someone wet via water pistol or balloon. There really isnt a whole lot of chasing in public places since you are only stalking one target at a time. The point is to assasinate the target NOT terrorize the target. There is a certain degree of stealth and tact required. The game has been carried out succesfully in New York City, Vancouver, Vienna, San Francisco, Los

    • Cambridge Uni. Assassins Guild. One enterprising guy dropped a massive polystyrene block on his target's head from a balcony (it was a safe, basically).

      There was talk of starting a game of "Brutus Deluxe" at my high school. Unfortunately, Columbine happened and it seemed like a bad idea. So, anybody know where to go to get in on a game in the US? I'm in Denver, but I'm unfortunately not going to a University now. That's where I tend to hear about these sorts of things...

    • You make the fear. (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Lave ( 958216 ) on Tuesday August 08, 2006 @05:14PM (#15869699)
      I'm replying to the first post to get this near the top of the page (which is a dastardly thing to do, and I apologise).

      But to those that are about to read this thread, please remember that people below this post who think that with the "current political climate" this will get you shot are wrong. I live in London, I was hung over and woke up late missing the tube on the first bombings. and then got stuck at work the second time. And these are my experiences.

      Firstly, I suspect it is mainly Americans posting - or at least I hope so - and I truly do not want to be mean, but Britain's culture is quiet different to yours. Our parents grew up in the blitz. And I grew up with the IRA bombings. Attacks on Civilians aren't new. They are a consequence of getting to live free. Just because people die - does not mean you give up your life and your freedoms.

      The point I'm trying to make is that after the bombing attempt I had to walk across london to get home. Before I left we flipped from the (relatively) informative and calm BBC 24 news to CNN - and watched the presenters talk of the ""chaos" and "panic" as "millions of londoners" have "no possible way to get home".

      As I crossed most of central london through most of the effected areas what did I see? I saw a roaring Taxi trade, and I saw hundreds of people standing around every pub I walkied past - drinking, laughing, talking.

      CNN, by it's comments created fear across the country and the globe. But where it happened - there was no such thing. And the tubes were full the next day.

      This is people playing with water pistols in one of the hottest summers London's ever had for fucks sake. It's more important than ever they play this stupid little game - rather than sit around in fear listening to the News as it lies to them.

      Dislcaimer - I'm not talking about the Blitz spirit - or any of that crap, nor am I suggesting London would have handled 11/9 better. What I am saying is ignore the fear filled retoric spewing from the news. As I know first hand how accurate that is.

      • They are a consequence of getting to live free. Just because people die - does not mean you give up your life and your freedoms.

        So what happened to all your firearms, privacy (video monitoring), and pocket knives then? Couple people get hurt and suddenly you all roll over on your back as easily and enthusiastically as the family pet.

        I don't mean to be mean the British are some of the nicest people I've ever met, I've been living in Suffolk for about a month and a half now, but it seems to me any back bo

        • Re:You make the fear. (Score:3, Interesting)

          by Grab ( 126025 )
          Firearms is a major screw-up. Basically it was trying to get away from the "suicide-by-cop" thing that's so popular in the US, where you shoot up a place (and as many innocent people as possible) until the cops shoot you. The sad thing is that this law was badly thought out, so it crapped on the target-shooting fans and didn't really help much to prevent criminals getting guns. But for everyone else in the country, it really made no difference. Unlike the US, the UK has never had widespread public owner
          • "Suicide by cops" that's a new one to me (Anything you see in the movies almost never happens). In the US it's usually "idiot dies in hail of bullets while commiting a crime and hopped up on drugs." Most suicide types who die by the gun usually take care of business on their own.

            As far as wielding machetes we only do that on "machete day" the 23 of April.

            Kidding aside I stand corrected on this one, the idiots at work gave me bum information when I got here and the inbrief on local regulations was als

        • So what happened to all your firearms, privacy (video monitoring), and pocket knives then? Couple people get hurt and suddenly you all roll over on your back as easily and enthusiastically as the family pet.

          Actually, most people are uncomfortable or opposed to increased CCTV monitoring, firearms were never commonly available[1] and you can still carry a knife[2]. Oh, and most of the important legislation that actually restricts our freedoms was pushed through my Tony Blair (et al) in defiance of the public

          • I stand corrected. The beer buddy lawyers (aka the yahoos I work with) don't have their facts straight. Now that I poke around a bit more online I see what you are talking about.

            Suffolk is very nice so far. I'm enjoying scaring the locals with my truck and my dyslexic (right side bad, left side good) American driving skills. Luckily everything is nice and close together so I don't endanger the public for more than 10-15min at a time, and it doesn't hurt that all the local pubs are within a few minute

      • Kudos (Score:2, Insightful)

        by mjwx ( 966435 )
        Nice to hear someone not advocating fear.

        Londeners still ride the tube, Bali is still one of Australia's most visited holiday destination. I cant speak for everyone but I am quiet happy not living my life in fear.

        In case anyone hasnt caught on to this already, its called terrorism for a reason. The point of it is to make you afraid. Live in fear and hand them a victory.
      • Here. Fucking. Here!

        As a fellow Brit, thank you beyond words.

        USAians and paranoiacs, please take note - this is not an isolated incident, we are not living in denial, Brits who refuse to be traumatised into acting differently by 7/7 are not isolated freaks, and (despite both our governments' and your media's best efforts) we are not the kind of people to fearmonger, lock ourselves in our cellars and let the terrorists win.

        You would not believe how many times I've been accused of any or all of the above by

  • The tube? (Score:3, Informative)

    by neonprimetime ( 528653 ) on Tuesday August 08, 2006 @11:25AM (#15866376)
    For those non-englanders, here is what the tube is. I had to look it up myself.

    the tube ... could face punishment for acting suspiciously or inciting panic in Underground stations, which last year were the targeted by suicide bombers.

    • Re:The tube? (Score:5, Funny)

      by CrazyJim1 ( 809850 ) on Tuesday August 08, 2006 @11:46AM (#15866641) Journal
      Thanks for the explaination. I thought the tube was slang for the internet.
      • the internet is a SERIES of tubes

        not a single tube

        the subway is apparently part of the internet, cause its just a tube, in the series... i think

    • While I can't be sure, as I have never played the game (though it sounds hella fun), it would seem that stalking someone through the Underground might violate the rule against "spray and pray" assassination. While not as crowded as a Japanese subway system, I would imagine that the London Underground stays rather busy, even at odd times of night.

      • Odd times of night????? It shuts down at 0:00 (or shortly thereafter)!!!!! That's not even night! Although I do have to say that on Fri and Sat nights you'll find more drunk people than sober ones using the tube. And how they manage to mind the gap is beyound(british spelling intentional) me.
        • I assumed that the tube ran 24 hours a day. My mistake.

    • Re:The tube? (Score:1, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      For those non-englanders, here is what the tube is. I had to look it up myself.
      the tube ... could face punishment for acting suspiciously or inciting panic in Underground stations, which last year were the targeted by suicide bombers.
      I didn't know that London organized crime had been targeted by bombers, but I don't know how to find their stations anyway.

  • Dude (Score:3, Interesting)

    by BHearsum ( 325814 ) on Tuesday August 08, 2006 @11:27AM (#15866404) Homepage
    That is really, really, cool.

  • Gotcha! (Score:2, Informative)

    by Mursk ( 928595 )
    Anybody see the movie 'Gotcha!'?

    Oh, um... me neither.

  • Well, I'm sure the game might be, but doing it on London streets probably isn't.

    The British Police have managed to shoot & kill someone for carrying a table leg (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3974461.stm); an unarmed man who they suspected of being a terrorist (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4713753.stm); and a man who was "armed" with a lighter (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1444009.stm).

    There is no way on Earth that I would carry something that looked even remotely like a gun - regardless of it being h
  • In High School, we played this game mostly amongst us marching band geeks. We used plastic sporks as weapons because water guns were a no-no in the building. Fun times getting killed at the Burger King Drive Thru...
  • While this sounds incredibly cool, I'm not sure the political climate in London makes for a good setting for such an endeavor right now.

    • Re:Timing? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Rob T Firefly ( 844560 ) on Tuesday August 08, 2006 @11:42AM (#15866588) Homepage Journal
      What better possible way is there to fight "terror" than to openly have fun and enjoy life? If playing with brightly colored toy water squirters in Summer has become a punishable offense, all is finally lost.
    • Are you serious? It's the British (as in Bulldog) way, surely! Something making you feel edgy and uncomfortable as a nation? Too polite to deal with the topic openly? Get some students to do something high-profile and tasteless to make it funny! Works every time.
    • Maybe this is the solution to ending the fighting in Israel, Lebanon, and Iraq. Give them all super soakers and envelopes with assassination instructions!
  • You can hardly expect everyone to feel comfortable with people running around with gun like objects creating lots of noise in public areas.
    • people running around with gun like objects

      Dude, they're water pistols. They are about as "gun-like" as someone's hand is "gun-like" when they point their finger.
      • and that is why I said "some people". Why assume everyone is going to have the same reaction as you? Why assume someone entirely different from you will think 'oh yeah, that's just a water-pistol he's waving about'.
        • I think they'd be a bit more upset if they accidentally got soaked because somebody had poor aim or the real target ducked. Doing this game in a crowded place isn't a great idea. Otherwise, I don't see why people would have a real problem with it.

    • You can hardly expect everyone to feel comfortable with people running around with gun like objects creating lots of noise in public areas.

      What, like children in parks?? That's what they do you know.

      I don't know about you, but I have distinct memories of running around playing guns as a kid. And the exceedingly bright colours used by super-soakers and the like almost elmininate thinking you've seen an actual gun. I would be willing to bet if I had the whole day to drive around looking for kids playing gu

  • Sorry, but... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Evro ( 18923 ) <evandhoffman.gmail@com> on Tuesday August 08, 2006 @11:41AM (#15866576) Homepage Journal
    This is going to make me sound like quite the old curmudgeon, but...

    Playing games with water pistols in a public place, with other people around (who more than likely don't want to be wet by you), is childish and rude. If you want to play with water guns, do it in your back yard or in a field somewhere.

    • Re:Sorry, but... (Score:3, Insightful)

      by SatanicPuppy ( 611928 ) *
      Great, now yell, "You damn kids get off my lawn!" and your journey to Curmudgeonhood will be complete.

      Our society has enough points of suckitude, and enough ridiculous rules. Sure, sometimes it's annoying, sure, sometimes we take an ill-aimed blast of water in the ear canal, but that's life, and most of us already take ourselves too seriously. Hell, there are people in the US that'd probably sue for getting squirted.
      • Not only sue, but beat up the guy first, leading to a countersuit and assault charges pressed on both sides.

        I'm all for a bit of silliness. Life is too silly and absurd to not have fun with it. But, people have legitimate reason for not wanting to get their business suit soaked out of the blue by some careless "assassin", or get pushed onto the pavement by somebody running away from said assassin. I think banning this game from crowded subway cars is just common sense. Hopefully the people playing will do i
      • Look, if I was on my way to a crap stressful job where I have to be well dressed and presentable and I was tired and in a crowded underground station and some twat soaks me in water playing at being a pretend assassin.
        That person might well be in real danger. I might be controlled enough to just shout and swear, but the hundreds of other people around me who are in the same situation might not be.

        This sounds like a really fun game to play, but we are trying to run a society here, doing this on an undergrou

    • Re:Sorry, but... (Score:1, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Yeah, because people in London simply aren't prepared for an unexpected shower of water every day, at any moment, what with its arid climate and all. It's not like people are always walking around with umbrellas or something :-)

      But I see your point. Minimizing collateral damage is a courtesy for any professional hitman, yes.
      • Yeah, because people in London simply aren't prepared for an unexpected shower of water every day
        Ha-ha, nice.
        But even the British dont expect to be soaked underground.

  • Wasn't there a movie like this? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by PFI_Optix ( 936301 ) on Tuesday August 08, 2006 @11:42AM (#15866584) Journal
    Called "Tag" or something like that. They used suction darts fired from real guns (not sure how that works) but it was pretty much the same concept. Hunt someone down, kill them, get their target. Play on until you're the last man standing.

    (of course in the movie one guy started actually killing everyone else, and much stupidity ensued)
    • A quick search on IMDB suggests you were thinking of Tag: The Assassination Game [imdb.com].

      There was also a movie called Series 7: The Contenders [imdb.com] which was sort of making fun of reality TV. (in this one, the assumption was that the players ere all really trying to kill each other) I saw it during the height of Survivor and the like, so I don't know how well it holds up without that background.

    • CSI (Score:2)

      by phorm ( 591458 )
      I believe there was also a CSI episode (or similar type of show) about this, where one player got pissed off, shot his 'killer' with a blank at close range, and killed him?
  • The police have been playing this game for ages now!

    http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/01/331363.html [indymedia.org.uk]
  • Now, while you may be carrying "brightly-coloured super-soakers", I'll bet I could come up with some liquids to put in them that would make them, if not deadly, at least very, very annoying.
  • the cops'll probably think that the "water" pistols are filled with a mixture of cyanide and hydrofluoric acid and do the 'ol "shoot first, ask later" thing.

    -b.

    • "do the 'ol "shoot first, ask later" thing."

      Probably true especially if any of the players have dark skin or look in any way a wee bit foreign. The only saving grace is that most police in the UK (and even in London) are not armed. You could still get an ASP [wikipedia.org] in the side of the head, but that's still preferable to 6 bullets [wikipedia.org]

  • I have taken the liberty of entering all the members of the labour Cabinet in the competition.

  • sock assassination (Score:4, Informative)

    by AcidLacedPenguiN ( 835552 ) on Tuesday August 08, 2006 @11:46AM (#15866648)
    some of the residences at my university hold sock assassinations, basically the same thing except with bundled up pairs of socks. You're only safe in class and your own room (if you locked the door). It's a fun orientation activity, it is sad that you can't have fun like that in today's world of terrorisim and all that bollocks.

    though from the blurb I thought they were talking about not being allowed to take someone out on the internet!
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion

  • Rain. (Score:5, Funny)

    by EnsilZah ( 575600 ) <.moc.liamG. .ta. .haZlisnE.> on Tuesday August 08, 2006 @11:58AM (#15866788)
    I wonder, if it rains, is that the equivalent of being nuked?

  • I've done that (Score:3, Interesting)

    by steveo777 ( 183629 ) on Tuesday August 08, 2006 @12:18PM (#15867006) Homepage Journal
    Actually did this back in college. Had a lot of fun, too. We printed off color photos on "Hit" cards. If you got the hit you would take that person's assignment. We used hand squirtguns. Unfortunately, we had an incedent in the States not long after that. The Columbine school shootings which pretty much put a distaste in everyone's mouths for that kind of activity for a while.

    One of the unique rules we had was that after 5 hits we could upgrade from the hand squirter to any means necessary. Super Soaker, Water Ballons, Hose, Buckets. It was pretty interesting for a while and about 300 students were initially signed up.

    • A group of us did this too, about 18-20 years ago now. Our rules were not quite as restrictive as these guys' though. We were allowed pretty much anything that could be considered viable within the bounds of the game. Bombs (exploding balloons), falling rocks (pillows) and even poison (a number of different things were used for poison) were allowed as long as it was even marginally reasonable. If you could picture it being done in a James Bond flick, it was allowed.

      I 'killed' my first target through his
  • Sounds like a bloody...er..soaking-good time!
  • Why is this news? Ever try carrying a water pistol into an airport? (Hint: it was forbidden fifteen years before 9/11)

  • As a player in the London Streetwars... (Score:5, Informative)

    by Nursie ( 632944 ) on Tuesday August 08, 2006 @12:35PM (#15867217)
    I'd like to comment once again how behind the news slasdot is. We've been playing for two weeks and it's moving into its final phase now!

    It's been great fun, have done my fair share of stalking. My teammate managed to get inside our first target's apartment block and flush him out onto the street, right into my range of fire. Great fun. We did put in about 7 hours of stakeout over the course of a week to get him though!

    Alas we haven't made a second kill inside two weeks and will be disqualified at midnight tonight unless we can pull something out of the bag in the next few hours. Haven't seen hide nor hair of anyone hunting us though, which has been a bit of a disappointment.

    So far I don't think the cops have shot or even arrested anyone either, which is good.
  • I can imagine having to look around for "assassins" as i run from my work to my car!

  • Knock, knock (Score:3, Funny)

    by Jtheletter ( 686279 ) on Tuesday August 08, 2006 @12:49PM (#15867385)
    Who's there?

    Landshark!

  • We played it in the mid-80's in college. Lots of fun!

  • Don't you understand? (Score:3, Funny)

    by Erastus ( 520136 ) on Tuesday August 08, 2006 @01:11PM (#15867644)
    If we can't sneak around pretending to kill each other - the Terrorists have won!

  • Something to think about. (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I had a conversation once with a policeman. He told me something I never thought about. He told me that gangs would paint REAL guns with colors to make them look like toys. He also said some gans would attack a plastic bright orange(or paint) bracket on the muzzle of the gun to make it look like a toy gun as well. I am not suggesting that they should ban water gun games, but do understand the situation the police is in. Imagine you are in the "tube" (subway) and all of a sudden some guy runs with the gun a
  • Sounds like a lot of fun, but if you are giving both your home and work address to a complete stranger you might find your house robbed when you get home.

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