Ragitsu

Evil agendas.

CHAKOTAY: Computer, identify program. COMPUTER: The program in progress is a holonovel based on the epic Earth poem Beowulf. TUVOK: Beowulf? CHAKOTAY: An ancient English epic, set in sixth century Denmark, if I remember correctly. It's about a hero named Beowulf who fights a creature that's terrorizing a kingdom and murdering its subjects. Monsters and swordplay. That sort of thing.

If you're talking about the D&D-based/inspired CRPGs, then, yeah...they're different than standard tabletop D&D; concessions had to be made in order to facilitate gameplay. Those concessions typically arose - mind you - because there was no human DM guiding the events or able to make "organic" decisions on-the-fly. When you have to account for a broad number of playstyles, you have to make more available so that the uninitiated player (who is jumping feet first without a supervising DM) is covered no matter what happens. As for actual pencil-and-paper D&D, the difference is night and day. A key example: "absolute" effects effectively went the way of the dodo.

That "video game-y" magic is mostly a Wizards of the Coast development (about the time D&D started taking a page from "regular" video game RPGs and then full-on MMORPGS); in TSR D&D, magic was pretty much the domain of the mages and priests instead of something sprinkled onto every class in varying amounts. There was none of that "ignore spell components" rubbish designed to give players an easier time by obviating the need to obtain specific consumable resources. A "Concentrate" Skill (or similar mechanic) able to be improved as character levels grew did not exist; exceptions aside, if you got hit while spellcasting, you lost the spell...so you don't get hit. Certain spells weren't as efficient or convenient as later versions (e.g., Identify). Spell durations - overall - were longer; in this respect, spells were more evocative of enduring enchantments from the fairy tales instead of overly "balanced" video game powers that are ephemeral by comparison (c.f. 1e Charm Person to 5e Charm Person). There was no "Warlock" firing off mojo like confetti or blast-happy Sorcerers. Magical items were rare and you couldn't buy them from a shop like nowadays (barring the least potent of restorative potions, maybe). Anyhow, if a DM wants to run a Fighter-only campaign in D&D, he has to account for many things (not the least of which is monsters effectively immune to weapon damage/susceptible to magic) lest they court disaster.

Yes, we are both pretending to be something we are not. However, at the end of the night, I will be closing the book, filing away the sheets, returning the pencils to the holder and dumping the dice back into that bag. As for you? Well...good luck with that.

In addition to whatever protective measures you are going to take, can you please firmly and fully seal up ALL corners, gaps, cracks, seams, flaps (including the bottom/underside) and (potential) opening points on the outer box with ample packaging tape or better? I want to keep out that Pacific Northwest moisture and insects in the event this package sits outside for longer than expected; the outer box should be sealed up tight like a submarine, basically. Do not mind the extra hassle when it comes time to open up the whole shebang, as long as it is secured. If you need to hold or cancel the order so that I can pay extra for this additional level of safeguarding, please let me know. I can go the distance to ensure that this vintage piece of gaming history arrives undamaged.

<The broader joke being that Rembrandt is refined/"high art" and Picasso is abstract.> Still, I'll not deny anyone a bit of overanalyzing .

tkdguy, when it comes to painting miniatures, do you consider yourself more of a Rembrandt or a Picasso?

Remember: if you can make a Human Fighter interesting, you can make anything interesting. That is not a slight against that particular Race-Class combination, by the way; plenty of famous fictional characters that could be classified as such do exist, but, in D&D (especially prominent in contemporary D&D) there is this notion that you must get crazy with your character in order for it to have personality and/or appeal.

Me be a very happy chappy.

like as not phrase of like probably. "she would be in bed by now, like as not"

http://tinyurl.com/mr2au84z

"I see", said the blind man to the deaf girl.