Mixing
Why did WOPR switch sides?
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In War Games, Matt Lightman takes the sides of the USSR in Global Thermonuclear War. That means the WOPR took the side of the USA. However, in NORAD control the WOPR was sending missle launch signals from the USSR.
My theory was WOPR, who was trying to win the game and did not know the difference between game or reality* was trying to provoke the actual USA into launching its real missiles to win the game. Did I understand the movie correctly
*In the movie Matt Lightman ask
Is this a game or is it real?
WOPR responds
What is the difference?
analysis war-games
edited 3 hours ago
iandotkelly♦
34k8137161
asked 3 hours ago
Mike
1907
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
In War Games, Matt Lightman takes the sides of the USSR in Global Thermonuclear War. That means the WOPR took the side of the USA. However, in NORAD control the WOPR was sending missle launch signals from the USSR.
My theory was WOPR, who was trying to win the game and did not know the difference between game or reality* was trying to provoke the actual USA into launching its real missiles to win the game. Did I understand the movie correctly
*In the movie Matt Lightman ask
Is this a game or is it real?
WOPR responds
What is the difference?
analysis war-games
edited 3 hours ago
iandotkelly♦
34k8137161
asked 3 hours ago
Mike
1907
Why the downvote?
– Mike
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
In War Games, Matt Lightman takes the sides of the USSR in Global Thermonuclear War. That means the WOPR took the side of the USA. However, in NORAD control the WOPR was sending missle launch signals from the USSR.
My theory was WOPR, who was trying to win the game and did not know the difference between game or reality* was trying to provoke the actual USA into launching its real missiles to win the game. Did I understand the movie correctly
*In the movie Matt Lightman ask
Is this a game or is it real?
WOPR responds
What is the difference?
analysis war-games
edited 3 hours ago
iandotkelly♦
34k8137161
asked 3 hours ago
Mike
1907
In War Games, Matt Lightman takes the sides of the USSR in Global Thermonuclear War. That means the WOPR took the side of the USA. However, in NORAD control the WOPR was sending missle launch signals from the USSR.
My theory was WOPR, who was trying to win the game and did not know the difference between game or reality* was trying to provoke the actual USA into launching its real missiles to win the game. Did I understand the movie correctly
*In the movie Matt Lightman ask
Is this a game or is it real?
WOPR responds
What is the difference?
analysis war-games
analysis war-games
edited 3 hours ago
iandotkelly♦
34k8137161
asked 3 hours ago
Mike
1907
edited 3 hours ago
iandotkelly♦
34k8137161
asked 3 hours ago
Mike
1907
edited 3 hours ago
iandotkelly♦
34k8137161
edited 3 hours ago
iandotkelly♦
34k8137161
edited 3 hours ago
iandotkelly♦
34k8137161
34k8137161
asked 3 hours ago
Mike
1907
asked 3 hours ago
Mike
1907
asked 3 hours ago
Mike
1907
1907
Why the downvote?
– Mike
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
Why the downvote?
– Mike
2 hours ago
Why the downvote?
– Mike
2 hours ago
Why the downvote?
– Mike
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
5
down vote
accepted
WOPR was trying to provoke the actual USA into launching its real missiles to win the game.
The WOPR system was trying to win the war by faking an attack. Then, the USA would attack first and win, with "acceptable losses". From the wiki:
The computer stages a massive Soviet first strike with hundreds of missiles, submarines, and bombers. Believing the attack to be genuine, NORAD prepares to retaliate. [...] WOPR tries to launch the missiles itself, however, using a brute-force attack to obtain the launch code.
After this, WOPR learns (by playing tic-tac-toe against itself) that attacking first won't actually grant a victory.
WOPR obtains the missile code, but before launching, it cycles through all the nuclear war scenarios it has devised, finding they, too, all result in stalemates. Having discovered the concept of mutual assured destruction ("WINNER: NONE"), the computer tells Falken that it has concluded that nuclear war is "a strange game" in which "the only winning move is not to play."
answered 3 hours ago
BlueMoon93
12.7k459130
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
That means the WOPR took the side of the USA.
No.
I dispute that WOPR "took sides". It only had control of the USA's missiles so sides wasn't an option...it had to use the USA's arsenal/systems because that was what was available to it. This is where the tension in the movie comes from.
Lightman had to take the opposing side, the USSR, because that was the target of the USA's attack.
He had no choice in the matter nor did WOPR.
WOPR, who was trying to win the game and did not know the difference between game or reality
Essentially, yes
It didn't really care (not that it could, it's a machine)...it was just a game and the object of the game was to win...until it became evident that the only way to "win" was NOT to play at all.
answered 2 hours ago
Paulie_D
77.9k15275263
I get from a plot perspective it had to be that way but Lightman does willingly choose the USSR. I guess the root of my question was why, when Lightman was in custody, the WOPR sent phantom missiles to the main NORAD screen. I have to think of how to reword the question
– Mike
2 hours ago
@Mike Perhaps another question as changing the question at this stage would invalidate the existing answers.
– Paulie_D
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
5
down vote
accepted
WOPR was trying to provoke the actual USA into launching its real missiles to win the game.
The WOPR system was trying to win the war by faking an attack. Then, the USA would attack first and win, with "acceptable losses". From the wiki:
The computer stages a massive Soviet first strike with hundreds of missiles, submarines, and bombers. Believing the attack to be genuine, NORAD prepares to retaliate. [...] WOPR tries to launch the missiles itself, however, using a brute-force attack to obtain the launch code.
After this, WOPR learns (by playing tic-tac-toe against itself) that attacking first won't actually grant a victory.
WOPR obtains the missile code, but before launching, it cycles through all the nuclear war scenarios it has devised, finding they, too, all result in stalemates. Having discovered the concept of mutual assured destruction ("WINNER: NONE"), the computer tells Falken that it has concluded that nuclear war is "a strange game" in which "the only winning move is not to play."
answered 3 hours ago
BlueMoon93
12.7k459130
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
accepted
WOPR was trying to provoke the actual USA into launching its real missiles to win the game.
The WOPR system was trying to win the war by faking an attack. Then, the USA would attack first and win, with "acceptable losses". From the wiki:
The computer stages a massive Soviet first strike with hundreds of missiles, submarines, and bombers. Believing the attack to be genuine, NORAD prepares to retaliate. [...] WOPR tries to launch the missiles itself, however, using a brute-force attack to obtain the launch code.
After this, WOPR learns (by playing tic-tac-toe against itself) that attacking first won't actually grant a victory.
WOPR obtains the missile code, but before launching, it cycles through all the nuclear war scenarios it has devised, finding they, too, all result in stalemates. Having discovered the concept of mutual assured destruction ("WINNER: NONE"), the computer tells Falken that it has concluded that nuclear war is "a strange game" in which "the only winning move is not to play."
answered 3 hours ago
BlueMoon93
12.7k459130
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
accepted
up vote
5
down vote
accepted
WOPR was trying to provoke the actual USA into launching its real missiles to win the game.
The WOPR system was trying to win the war by faking an attack. Then, the USA would attack first and win, with "acceptable losses". From the wiki:
The computer stages a massive Soviet first strike with hundreds of missiles, submarines, and bombers. Believing the attack to be genuine, NORAD prepares to retaliate. [...] WOPR tries to launch the missiles itself, however, using a brute-force attack to obtain the launch code.
After this, WOPR learns (by playing tic-tac-toe against itself) that attacking first won't actually grant a victory.
WOPR obtains the missile code, but before launching, it cycles through all the nuclear war scenarios it has devised, finding they, too, all result in stalemates. Having discovered the concept of mutual assured destruction ("WINNER: NONE"), the computer tells Falken that it has concluded that nuclear war is "a strange game" in which "the only winning move is not to play."
answered 3 hours ago
BlueMoon93
12.7k459130
WOPR was trying to provoke the actual USA into launching its real missiles to win the game.
The WOPR system was trying to win the war by faking an attack. Then, the USA would attack first and win, with "acceptable losses". From the wiki:
The computer stages a massive Soviet first strike with hundreds of missiles, submarines, and bombers. Believing the attack to be genuine, NORAD prepares to retaliate. [...] WOPR tries to launch the missiles itself, however, using a brute-force attack to obtain the launch code.
After this, WOPR learns (by playing tic-tac-toe against itself) that attacking first won't actually grant a victory.
WOPR obtains the missile code, but before launching, it cycles through all the nuclear war scenarios it has devised, finding they, too, all result in stalemates. Having discovered the concept of mutual assured destruction ("WINNER: NONE"), the computer tells Falken that it has concluded that nuclear war is "a strange game" in which "the only winning move is not to play."
answered 3 hours ago
BlueMoon93
12.7k459130
edited 2 hours ago
answered 3 hours ago
BlueMoon93
12.7k459130
answered 3 hours ago
BlueMoon93
12.7k459130
answered 3 hours ago
BlueMoon93
12.7k459130
12.7k459130
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
That means the WOPR took the side of the USA.
No.
I dispute that WOPR "took sides". It only had control of the USA's missiles so sides wasn't an option...it had to use the USA's arsenal/systems because that was what was available to it. This is where the tension in the movie comes from.
Lightman had to take the opposing side, the USSR, because that was the target of the USA's attack.
He had no choice in the matter nor did WOPR.
WOPR, who was trying to win the game and did not know the difference between game or reality
Essentially, yes
It didn't really care (not that it could, it's a machine)...it was just a game and the object of the game was to win...until it became evident that the only way to "win" was NOT to play at all.
answered 2 hours ago
Paulie_D
77.9k15275263
I get from a plot perspective it had to be that way but Lightman does willingly choose the USSR. I guess the root of my question was why, when Lightman was in custody, the WOPR sent phantom missiles to the main NORAD screen. I have to think of how to reword the question
– Mike
2 hours ago
@Mike Perhaps another question as changing the question at this stage would invalidate the existing answers.
– Paulie_D
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
That means the WOPR took the side of the USA.
No.
I dispute that WOPR "took sides". It only had control of the USA's missiles so sides wasn't an option...it had to use the USA's arsenal/systems because that was what was available to it. This is where the tension in the movie comes from.
Lightman had to take the opposing side, the USSR, because that was the target of the USA's attack.
He had no choice in the matter nor did WOPR.
WOPR, who was trying to win the game and did not know the difference between game or reality
Essentially, yes
It didn't really care (not that it could, it's a machine)...it was just a game and the object of the game was to win...until it became evident that the only way to "win" was NOT to play at all.
answered 2 hours ago
Paulie_D
77.9k15275263
I get from a plot perspective it had to be that way but Lightman does willingly choose the USSR. I guess the root of my question was why, when Lightman was in custody, the WOPR sent phantom missiles to the main NORAD screen. I have to think of how to reword the question
– Mike
2 hours ago
@Mike Perhaps another question as changing the question at this stage would invalidate the existing answers.
– Paulie_D
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
That means the WOPR took the side of the USA.
No.
I dispute that WOPR "took sides". It only had control of the USA's missiles so sides wasn't an option...it had to use the USA's arsenal/systems because that was what was available to it. This is where the tension in the movie comes from.
Lightman had to take the opposing side, the USSR, because that was the target of the USA's attack.
He had no choice in the matter nor did WOPR.
WOPR, who was trying to win the game and did not know the difference between game or reality
Essentially, yes
It didn't really care (not that it could, it's a machine)...it was just a game and the object of the game was to win...until it became evident that the only way to "win" was NOT to play at all.
answered 2 hours ago
Paulie_D
77.9k15275263
That means the WOPR took the side of the USA.
No.
I dispute that WOPR "took sides". It only had control of the USA's missiles so sides wasn't an option...it had to use the USA's arsenal/systems because that was what was available to it. This is where the tension in the movie comes from.
Lightman had to take the opposing side, the USSR, because that was the target of the USA's attack.
He had no choice in the matter nor did WOPR.
WOPR, who was trying to win the game and did not know the difference between game or reality
Essentially, yes
It didn't really care (not that it could, it's a machine)...it was just a game and the object of the game was to win...until it became evident that the only way to "win" was NOT to play at all.
answered 2 hours ago
Paulie_D
77.9k15275263
edited 2 hours ago
answered 2 hours ago
Paulie_D
77.9k15275263
answered 2 hours ago
Paulie_D
77.9k15275263
answered 2 hours ago
Paulie_D
77.9k15275263
77.9k15275263
I get from a plot perspective it had to be that way but Lightman does willingly choose the USSR. I guess the root of my question was why, when Lightman was in custody, the WOPR sent phantom missiles to the main NORAD screen. I have to think of how to reword the question
– Mike
2 hours ago
@Mike Perhaps another question as changing the question at this stage would invalidate the existing answers.
– Paulie_D
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
I get from a plot perspective it had to be that way but Lightman does willingly choose the USSR. I guess the root of my question was why, when Lightman was in custody, the WOPR sent phantom missiles to the main NORAD screen. I have to think of how to reword the question
– Mike
2 hours ago
@Mike Perhaps another question as changing the question at this stage would invalidate the existing answers.
– Paulie_D
2 hours ago
I get from a plot perspective it had to be that way but Lightman does willingly choose the USSR. I guess the root of my question was why, when Lightman was in custody, the WOPR sent phantom missiles to the main NORAD screen. I have to think of how to reword the question
– Mike
2 hours ago
I get from a plot perspective it had to be that way but Lightman does willingly choose the USSR. I guess the root of my question was why, when Lightman was in custody, the WOPR sent phantom missiles to the main NORAD screen. I have to think of how to reword the question
– Mike
2 hours ago
@Mike Perhaps another question as changing the question at this stage would invalidate the existing answers.
– Paulie_D
2 hours ago
@Mike Perhaps another question as changing the question at this stage would invalidate the existing answers.
– Paulie_D
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
Why the downvote?
– Mike
2 hours ago