Bloodstone

Re: Looking for Feint Feedback

Hmm' date=' okay. I guess my knowledge of wrestling is a bit weak, but I can see that. I always think of the feint as a fencing manuever, but it may apply to wrestling too. Do you know if there are any other real world martial arts techniques that are similar?[/quote']

 

Feinting plays a huge role in many martial arts.

 

Your basic low-high round kick in is a prime example found in many striking arts. The quick low roundhouse kick feint draws the opponents hands down to block. This opens up the high line for the real kick, a roundhouse delivered with the same leg to the now unprotected head.

 

In grappling, we have similar tricks.

 

Lets say I want to foot sweep my oppoent with something like sasae tsurikomi ashi, which is a blocking foot sweep from judo that makes the opponent fall forward.

 

I can try to just pull him forward to off balance him. In fact, that is one of the most basic methods of kuzushi (breaking balance) that is taught when learning the technique.

 

However, it is also the easiet to anticipate and counter.

 

Instead, I might feint that I am going to use a rear throw like o soto gari. This techniques works best when I off balance my opponent to the rear before cutting his legs out from under him.

 

My opponent knows this. To avoid the o soto gari, he will most likely move his leg backwards and shift his balance forward reflexively. That shift in balance sets him up perfectly for a forward throw, like the aforementioned sease tsuri komi ashi.

 

I chose that particular example, as it's a common combo and I knew of a detailed breakdown of it that could illustrate the point

 

Re: Foods for those that just don't care anymore

I finally got to try a horchata last night! Loved it!

Which kind? (I'm guessing Mexican, in which case was it the sweet cinnamon sugar or hot cinnamon flavor?

There are five things I usually order when we go to any Mexican resturant for the first time.

Steak tacos

Enchiladas Rojas

Tamales (preferably with pork)

Quesadillas (and they better be on corn tortillas with no meat damn it!)

Horchata

and fried ice cream for desert if I have room after all that sampeling.

Re: Always knows a name

I'd probably just go with the detect too.

However, this sounds like it could be an amazingly annoying power to GM for...

Re: A Thread for Random Videos

You're not from Chicago' date=' are you?[/quote']

 

People like to make a big deal out of this, but even in Chicago a lot of folks put ketchup on their dogs (in many cases, along with the rest of the "garden").

 

We do have some dog stands that don't actually carry ketchup, but most places have it to for the fries, so they just make you put it on yourself.

Re: Interesting article about Sexism in Geek Communities

Based on E84's and PG's experience noted above' date=' I wonder from a psychological perspective if the overly sexual female forms in many MMOs could have a minor eye-opening experience -- for the [b']guys[/b] playing them, as they get to see how other males react.

I play a fair number of female toons. I have been hit on before and it deffintly happens more when I'm playing a female toon, though it has happened when I play some of my male toons as well. But doesn't happen to my female toons very often, nor do I get treated differently, because I make no pretense of actually being a woman.

I have seen occassional atitude shifts when I DO seriously roleplay one of my female toons though. Had one poor guy incredibly upset that I was not only male but American (apparently some of the slag I used was quite authentic... blame Guy ritchie films I guess)

I have observed that I get compliments on my costume designs way more often when I play female toons. Most of the complimets for my male toons are along the lines of "neat concept" or "clever name", with only the occassional "OMG, U R SO HOT"...

Re: Interesting article about Sexism in Geek Communities

Id like for Massey to please explain to me how providing male and female players with a variety of body types and appearances is somehow a bad thing.

Well, as the COH Devs explained it, more body types adds to development time/expense for each and every costume piece and animation in the game. Each one of those things would need to be rechecked and reworked for compatability. Otherwise you get clipping and other issues that make the game look second rate and peopel then complain that the option is there but it sucks.

It's one of the reasosn they were adamant about not adding in additional body types after release. Huge Female (for heavily muscled super women), overweight/fat for both genders and various nonhuman body types were requested regularly. They were also quite reluctant to red light "cross dressing", which was also requested on many occassions, but would run into simialr problems. Mind you I think in all my time playing the "coross dressing" aspect mostly came from players that wanted more "Butch/Tom Boy" options for thier female toons. Relativly few players actually stated they wanted to play a dude running around in a bra and stockings. Though they absolutly DID exist. I still remember one players impassioned plea to the devs to not change the power FX for Brute invulnerabilty, since the sparkling rainbow colors were a vital aspect of his characters concept of Trollvestite (this was years before we got power customization).

Regardless, I also think it was ultimatly felt that any of the above would be features that wouldn't be used much so it was not worth the time and money. Statistically, this is probably true. But, we'll never really know for sure

COH had an incredible degre of customization allowed already, what with the various body sliders and power customization, but no matter how much they added they were never gogn to satisy everyone. Most games don't take the time to even try though, so you end up with the reliable stereotypical.

The majority will always crave statuesque males and centerfold females and the industry will always primarily cater to that majority.

I think that is unlikely to change in the future, but we have deffintly seen a slow shift over time. Afterall, this is what Lara Croft looks like now:

Re: "Can normally reach" Limitation

I'd have to say that' date=' as a -1/2 limitation, I would interpret this as being "not overly restrictive". Given that, I'd be inclined to err on the side of the ability being functional. At a -1 level, roughly half the areas the character would want to reach should be inaccessible. -1/2, to me, means the power should function considerably more often than it would fail.[/quote']

 

It's not the only restriction on the power though. The power also has Must Pass Through Interveening Space, which would normally block teleportation through walls or closed doors.

 

Allowing them to try the lockpicking is actually actually suggested in the write up of the power, though at a -3 to the roll.

 

Still quite a generous option all things considered...

Re: "Can normally reach" Limitation

What I'm curious about' date=' is do you have to take in account locked doors, keypad access etc. Or, like some of the higher end apartment buildings where you have to be buzzed in, could you use your "Ninja Vanish" to get there. I mean you *could*, hypothetically, get there . . . but there are/would be obstacles to doing so. So would it negate your ability/power?[/quote']

 

That's one of the example in the book actually...

 

Yes, you should take into account such things. Remember, the power also has Must Pas Through Interveening Space and a few other lims to restrict it's effect.

 

Locked doors can block the power, but if you have Lockpicking the GM might allow the character to instantly bypass those locked doors if you can make a fairly difficult role.

 

Keep in mind, this is a dramatic effect power for Dark Champions characters. You're not supposed to use it as a normal means of transportation or as a way to quickly get through locked doors without having to take the (sometimes considerable) time that it would take to pick locks.

Re: "Can normally reach" Limitation

Can you cite a page number with an example for 5e Dark Champions?

Disappearing Act, p130, with the specific limitation being Can Only Teleport To Places Character Could Normally Go (-1/2)

Basically, if you can't Run/Jump/Climb your way there, you can't teleport to it.

So even if you have 12" of Teleport, you can't use it to just port straight up into the air in the middle of an empty field.

But you COULD teleport to the top of a 12" tall tree or onto a roof of a building of similar stature that has a fire escape. In both instances you could hypothetically get there using your otherwise normal modes of movement.

It's meant to be used as the Ninja Vanish/Batman "I hate when he does that" gone in the blink of an eye type effect.

Re: Interesting article about Sexism in Geek Communities

I don't assume one way or the other. I INFER!

Re: Creepy Pics.

 

Spoiled for animation.

 

 

 

Not sure if most would consider the origional cute or creepy...

Re: OIHID or Why Doesn't Billy Batson not Change Back?

Me. Billy's awesome

Considering how much time I put into my Ben 10 stuff, the fact that my third favorite super hero ever is the Hulk and looking at the sheer number of Multiform and OIAID type characters I have played and designed...

this is just something that has alway appealed to me.

I like the transformation aspect and I like the story opportunites it produces. And I actually want to play the weaker alter ego extensivly. Nothing feels more empowering to me and frankly, I like having an off switch. Not just so the GM can use it against me, but so that my character doesn't have the burdens, expectations and disadvantages of being super all the time.

I vastly prefer to be Billy Batson than to have some sort of Kryptonite for that sort of thing.

Re: OIHID or Why Doesn't Billy Batson not Change Back?

Larry Niven aside, has that ever been an issue for anyone?

 

People should just ignore Niven.

Well, I don't think I've literally seen the "Women of Kleenex" idea used in conventional comics stories, though I have seen it alluded to here and there.

There are plenty of supers that have intimacy issues due to the nature of their powers, so if one of those had an off switch like OIHID I'm sure they would use it. The Thing comes to mind as a pretty obvious example.

I've certainly seen these type of issue come up in the course of various games. For example, one of our blasters has OIHID because she essentially turns into a living star. She needs to power down to do anything normal lest she irradiate/melt/ignite everything she touches. Sure, she can get around this somewhat with her gravity manipulation TK, but something like hugging her daughter or sleeping with her (non powered) scientist husband would not be possible.

Re: OIHID or Why Doesn't Billy Batson not Change Back?

She Hulk has a point.

 

Why change back into a weaker form?

Sex without killing your partners? Women of Kleenex and all that...

(yes, I know Jen has managed to have a robust sex life with several normal dudes while hulked out, not everyone is so fortunate!)

Most of my OIAID characters have a one or more reasons to change back to their weaker forms.

Many of those reasons are strictly social, but a few of them have to change for safety or automatically change when they sleep or are KOed or can only remain in one from for a certain period of time to begin with.

Re: Interesting article about Sexism in Geek Communities

Yep. I hate the phrase “Hey' date=' technically, it’s legal!”[/quote']

 

Yeah, I think I usually prefer illegal but morally acceptable actions to legal but morally reprehensible ones.

 

That said, we probably do need to evolve our laws and sensibilities around the concept that you are going to be video recorded in HD just about everywhere you go and that the data will exist forever... not a pleasant thought for many, but considering how pervasive the technology is becoming, a shift of one kind or another seems inevitable to me.

Re: Scorpion Wire - How to do?

Is there a reason why some limited Stretching wouldn't work?

Re: "Neat" Pictures

I heard he used blindfolded Malaysians

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You're thinking of Wolverine. He's the guy with the blind stagehands:

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Re: And now, for your daily dose of cute...

Cute now but it may not end well.

 

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Not the first time it's happened:

Re: "Neat" Pictures

Yup' date=' used to sing that song with the kids.[/quote']

 

Wow, brings back memories. I haven't even thought about that song in nearly 30 years...

Re: And now, for your daily dose of cute...

Very majestic. Any ideas on type of feline?

Jungle Cat... they aren't normally that... fluffy...

Re: A Thread for Random Videos

The Running Man (1989) (ENGLISH SUBS) directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaIM4OOZB_A&feature=related

Back in the early 90's, MTV used to play this on Liquid Televion, which also gave rise to Aeon Flux, Beavis and Butthead and tons of other stuff I probably can't even remember...

I miss that show

Also, MTV: Oddities, which showed The Maxx:

http://liquidtelevision.com/videos/series/the-maxx/

Re: A Thread for Random Videos

You did? I didn't get that, although I got an "experiencing technical difficulties" later on when I was browsing here.

 

Anyway, I deleted the link just to be on the safe side. The video was a newscast showing a bear who wanders on a woman's front porch and retreats when the woman scolds him.

This one?

Re: Creepy Pics.

When cosplay goes too far

The eyes don't bother me that much, as it's just makeup.

I'm way more worried about her waistline...

Re: "Neat" Pictures

Maybe it's a sign that you should cross-train in Praying Mantis style? But Northern or Southern?

Well, I know of multiple Seven Star stylists in the city, so a Northern style would be easy to hunt down. There are actually three schools that teach kung fu within five minutes of my house, but they do Snake, Wing Chun/JFJKD and Northern Shaolin/Tai Ji Quan. Sadly, not sure when I'd have the time though.

I already train at three different schools regularly during the week and I work out at/guest instruct at four other schools when time allows.

Now if I could just quit my day job and make enough money doing what I really love

Re: "Neat" Pictures

Praying Mantis Season around here again.

I think our season was a few months ago.

Found this guy at judo back on 7/16.

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The kids were facinated by him and were very sad when we released him into the wild.