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WOPR Computer, taken from WarGames

WOPR (pronounced "Whopper") is a fictional military computer featured in the movie WarGames. It is an acronym for War Operation Plan Response. Director John Badham invented the name "WOPR" when he thought the NORAD SIOP (Single Integrated Operating Plan) was "boring, and told you nothing".^[1] "WOPR" according to the director plays off of the Whopper hamburger and a fuzzy image of something going whop.^[1]

[edit] Purpose

WOPR is a form of artificial intelligence, programmed to play numerous strategy and war games, including one called Global Thermonuclear War, the purpose being to enable itself to optimally respond to any possible enemy nuclear attack. Unbeknownst to its military users, WOPR was programmed with a level of sentience by its inventor, and when prompted it responds to the name Joshua, the name of its creator's deceased son.

[edit] WarGames

In the movie WarGames, teenage computer hacker David Lightman (Matthew Broderick) unwittingly makes contact with WOPR by autodialing sequential phone numbers (which became known as War dialing in reality). Believing he has discovered a backdoor to the mainframe at a computer game development company ProtoVision, he logs into WOPR by guessing the password, finds a list of games and gives the command to play the Global Thermonuclear War scenario. In the process, WOPR begins running the simulation on the main screen at NORAD, making the staff there think the Soviet Union is readying their missiles for a first strike.

When Lightman realizes what he's done, and while being pursued by government agents, he, a female classmate (Ally Sheedy), and WOPR's creator Dr. Falken (John Wood), barely manage to gain access to NORAD headquarters (Cheyenne Mountain) and persuade the military that the data WOPR is presenting is just a simulation. WOPR then attempts to proceed with a live full-scale nuclear launch on its own, ignoring all commands to stop and locking out the operators. Furthermore, cutting power is not an option since the automated missile silos would interpret a sudden communication loss as the destruction of the base and all missiles would immediately launch in response.

Lightman and Falken are only able to persuade WOPR to stop when they trick it into playing tic-tac-toe against itself, which creates a long string of stalemates. Having learned the concept of futility presented by an unwinnable game, WOPR then runs through all the possible scenarios of nuclear war, which all end in stalemates (mutual assured destruction) as well. In the face of this data, WOPR concludes that nuclear war is a pointless exercise and stands down, stating, "A strange game. The only winning move is not to play."

[edit] WarGames: The Dead Code

In the follow up movie WarGames: The Dead Code, following WOPR's failure, Dr. Falken had WOPR shipped to Canada to run a power grid, and also to preserve Joshua, which later served to help defeat the system known as R.I.P.L.E.Y.; WOPR was destroyed by R.I.P.L.E.Y. using a predator drone, but Dr. Falken was able to upload Joshua into Ripley's database.

[edit] Prop

The WOPR computer as seen in the film was a prop created in Culver City, California by members of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees Local 44.^[2] It was designed by production designer (credited as visual consultant) Geoffrey Kirkland based on some pictures he had of early tabulating machines, and metal furniture, consoles, and cabinets used particularly in the U.S. military in the 1940s and 50s. They were adapted in drawings and concepts by art director Angelo Graham. It was eventually broken up for scrap after production was completed.^[2]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• WOPR production information