Editing 569: Borders

{{comic
| number    = 569
| date      = April 15, 2009
| title     = Borders
| image     = borders.png
| titletext = Eventually a UN is set up. And then a lone rebel runs down the line of flags in front of it, runs back to his base, and gets a kajillion points.
}}

==Explanation==

{{w|Capture the flag}} (CTF) is a common way of playing games where the objective is to capture the opponent's flag while protecting your own team's flag. This comic describes a CTF server that [[Cueball]]  joins for an online war game which has the basic plot premise that after the bloodshed of the overthrow of the kingdom's old order, and its signing of peace accords with the leader's of the narrator's realm, peace has become a reality, and not just a dream unendingly deferred. Therefore, no one is trying to capture the opponent's flag, which according to the storyline flies over the kingdom's embassy in the narrator's country, as to ensure peace, therefore making the game unexciting and pointless, as Cueball says in the last panel.

The name "Liate" may be a reference to the {{w|Integration by parts#LIATE rule|LIATE rule}} for integration by parts.

The title text refers to the line of flags in front of UN buildings, which includes the flag of almost every country internationally recognized. If such an organisation and therefore a collection of flags of all the teams were established on the server, which seems the logical conclusion of the goal of achieving peace, one could get a very high score by rebelling against their nation and quickly capturing all of the opposing flags, getting a {{Wiktionary|kajillion}} points, which is slang for "an unspecified large number."

LIATE is an acronym sometimes used when {{w|Integration by parts|integrating by parts}}. The preferred part to integrate is "Logarithmic, Inverse-trig, Algebraic, Trig, Exponential." "Yarbis" could be a reference to an acronym in Turkish for "Yıldız ARastirmaci BIlgi Sistemi" which means "Yildiz Researcher Information System" in English. "Yildiz" refers to Yildiz Technical University in Turkey.

==Transcript==
:[Two people stand on a hill overlooking a great city. Between them and the city stands an embassy flying a red flag.]
:Three years ago, the kingdom of Liate overthrew their old order and established a constitutional monarchy. Our leaders signed a treaty with their queen, and our borders were set by the Yarbis Accords.
:Many said war would be unending, that peace would always be a dream deferred. But today, our flag flies proudly over our embassy in their kingdom, and they walk our lands without fear.
:So come, traveller. Lay down your grudges and join us in brotherhood. It is time not to fight, but to live.
:[Cueball sitting at computer.]
:Cueball: This is the worst capture-the-flag server ever.

{{comic discussion}}
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[[Category:Video games]]
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