Southern Cross

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Currently listening to "Dirty Creature" from Spellbound:The Best of Split Enz.

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Flinx Transcendent by Alan Dean Foster,the last book in the Flinx series,it ties up all the remaining plot threads (including Clarity Held, Flinx's true love, whom he marries at the end of the book).

Re: Who is sticking to 4th or 5th Ed HERO Actually,after reading the description of the Blur! character,I think that the character could be built with an Persistent Change Environment with Personal Immunity that reduces OCV by 4 and is Always On.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Still watching the original Captain Scarlet series- am currently half-way through Disc 4 (of a 5-disc set). Still worth watching.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Recently finished watching the first (and only) live-action series of the Flash. Considerably different from the comics (especially how much they powered down the Flash),but still entertaining. I recommend the two episodes which had the Nightshade as a guest-star (though he had more to do with the Shadow than the comic-book superheroine) and the Trickster episodes (in which Mark Hamill first proves he does a better maniac than Jim Carrey). I've also stared watching the new compact version of the original Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. So far,it seems to be otherwise identical to the previous five amaray DVD set. More on this series later...

Re: The Greatest American Hero Actually the Flash live-action show first aired in 1990 and lasted only one year. I know this because I have the DVD boxed set for the entire 22 episode series.

Re: I'm curious, why is Dex still more expensive than other characteristics? The problem is, I think, the fact that DEX, in most game systems, represents two things: hand-eye coordination and overall reaction times and body coordination. While these ARE related, if games can split intelligence into INT,EGO and PRE, it should be possible to split DEX into two separate (but related) Characteristics.

Re: I'm curious, why is Dex still more expensive than other characteristics? Actually,I always thought that 5 points per +1OCV or +1DCV was too high a cost. Ditto 5 points per +1 to a CHAR-based DEX roll. Since it cost 9 points to gain +1 to both OCV & DCV (and .3 points of SPD) in previous editions, 3 points seemed a better fit.

Re: I'm curious, why is Dex still more expensive than other characteristics? Actually, with the abolition of Figured Characteristics, what about splitting Dexterity into two Characteristics: Dexterity , representing hand-eye coordination,and Reflexes, representing the characters reaction ability? All DEX-based skill rolls would be split into either Dexterous skills, and based on Dexterity, whilst Agility skills would be based on Reflexes. All skill levels (including OCV and DCV ) would cost 3 points each.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Finally finished watching my boxed set of Guyver:The Bioboosted Armor Complete Collection. It's, as the title states, all 26 episodes of the 2005 Guyver anime series in one boxed set. If you are an anime or superhero or horror fan, you will want to have this in your collection.

Re: FUZION Kill Damage in Hero I came up with the following rules clarification: Real Weapon/Armor: Equipment bought with the heroic campaign rules or with the Real Weapon/Armor Limitation is assumed to be less effective against superheroic Foci ( i.e. Powers bought with character points). Attacks bought with the Real Weapon Limitation are considered to have the Reduced Penetration Limitation when applied to superheroic Defense powers, and defenses with the Real Armor Limitation are considered to be at half values against attacks without the Real Weapon Limitation,even if Hardened.

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Unless you're sick of so-called "zombies"....

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? Sugar and Spice -by Split Enz.

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... The last two books I read were Fledgling ( a new Liaden novel featuring a teen protagonist I couldn't stop reading ) and The Last Days of Krypton by Kevin J. Anderson which was almost as good. The latter should be required reading for all superhero and science-fiction fans,as the title is an fairly accurate description of the book (though the events described in the novel actually take place over many months,as the book starts with Jor-El's discovery of the Phantom Zone,and his rescue by Lara,who becomes his wife and mother of Kal-El). What impressed me was the fact that Anderson has given us the definitive interpretation of General Zod. Part of the book is from Zod's point of view,and that greatly helped the reader to understand Zod's twisted point of view.Still an utter villain,but at least Anderson has given an account of Zod's actions and behaviour that actually makes sense,given the events in the story. Another thing that Anderson did was redeem Zor-El. This version is actually a noble statesman,who in fact opposed Zod before Jor-El did.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Watched Planet of Blood again last night. For those not familiar with old Corman films (though Planet of Blood was written & directed by Curtis Harrington ) this film is set in an alternative universe where man has been travelling to the Moon for about twenty years and is preparing to travel to Venus or Mars. However they soon receive a message from another star system that states that they are sending a spaceship to Earth. The alien ship crashes on Mars,and Earth soon musters a rescue ship The Oceano I,which is soon joined by another ship, the Meteor.The Meteor finds the aliens rescue ship on Phobos and sends the alien and one of it's crew down on its own rescue ship,leaving one astronaut to be rescued by the Oceano II. (There is some interesting terminology in this movie.The Oceano I survives a solar flare,which the characters call a sunburst,and lifeboats are called rescue ships.) The rescue ship crash-lands on Mars, and the occupants manage to reach the Oceano. For a supposed ambassador ,the alien behaves very oddly- she never speaks (just stares at the male crewmembers, ignores the sole female astronaut), drinks water but refuses foods and is clearly horrified at the sight of a large syringe. On route to Earth,while the rest of the crew is sleeping she wakes and hypnotises the astronaut on watch,draining his blood. Upon discovering the corpse and the glutted alien,the crew get into an argument about keeping the creature alive and eventually decide to keep her alive using blood plasma.Unfortunately the supply soon runs out, and the captain gets drained too.The surviving crew eventually tie up the space vampire,but she gets loose and starts to drain the hero as well.Fortunately his lover wakes and saves him,scratching the aliens back in the process.She screams and runs off,and the hero soon finds she's bled to death from the scratches. The Oceano gets back to Earth,but finds the alien has left her eggs everywhere aboard ship.The film ends with a scientist carrying the eggs out of the rocket.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? Watched Planet of Blood again last night. For those not familiar with old Corman films (though Planet of Blood was written & directed by Curtis Harrington ) this film is set in an alternative universe where man has been travelling to the Moon for about twenty years and is preparing to travel to Venus or Mars. However they soon receive a message from another star system that states that they are sending a spaceship to Earth. The alien ship crashes on Mars,and Earth soon musters a rescue ship The Oceano I,which is soon joined by another ship, the Meteor.The Meteor finds the aliens rescue ship on Phobos and sends the alien and one of it's crew down on its own rescue ship,leaving one astronaut to be rescued by the Oceano II. (There is some interesting terminology in this movie.The Oceano I survives a solar flare,which the characters call a sunburst,and lifeboats are called rescue ships.) The rescue ship crash-lands on Mars, and the occupants manage to reach the Oceano. For a supposed ambassador ,the alien behaves very oddly- she never speaks (just stares at the male crewmembers, ignores the sole female astronaut), drinks water but refuses foods and is clearly horrified at the sight of a large syringe. On route to Earth,while the rest of the crew is sleeping she wakes and hypnotises the astronaut on watch,draining his blood. Upon discovering the corpse and the glutted alien,the crew get into an argument about keeping the creature alive and eventually decide to keep her alive using blood plasma.Unfortunately the supply soon runs out, and the captain gets drained too.The surviving crew eventually tie up the space vampire,but she gets loose and starts to drain the hero as well.Fortunately his lover wakes and saves him,scratching the aliens back in the process.She screams and runs off,and the hero soon finds she's bled to death from the scratches. The Oceano gets back to Earth,but finds the alien has left her eggs everywhere aboard ship.The film ends with a scientist carrying the eggs out of the rocket.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? I watched Revolt of The Zombies this afternoon. Not as bad as most people say,but not a patch on White Zombie. (Especially as Bela Lugosi wasn't in it).

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? "I Can See for Miles" by the Who.

Re: Order of the Stick Perhaps the commander was afraid that he would detect as evil....

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? I've been rewatching my Tenchi Muyo OVAs.Still as over-the-top comedic science fiction as ever...

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? I've finished the third season of Primeval and am now half-way through the fourth season of Batman-The Animated Series.After watching the episode where Batgirl apparently dies and an embittered Gordon declares war upon Batman & co.,we see Harley Quinn and The Mad Hatter claim that their civil rights were violated,Batman made them criminals,and they want a billion dollars from Bruce Wayne.To which I have to say: HORSE PUCKY!!! Harley Quinn :As Harleen Quinzel, she deliberately seduced her teacher to get top marks.And when she got to Arkham and gained to access to the Joker,he managed to get her to fall in love with him.All before she put on the harlequin outfit. The Mad Hatter: As Jervis Tetch,he was a creepy stalker and Lewis Carroll fan who developed mind-control circuitry.And after his beloved Alice got engaged to another man, he used it to try and get Alice for his very own.He took the Mad Hatter guise because he was a Lewis Carroll fan,not to fight Batman.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? I've been watching Primeval season 3 on my DVD player.So far,I'm up to the episode where a medieval knight chases a dinosaur through an anomaly into 20th-century London. I've also been to see the Wolfman remake.Yes,that's right,I said remake.(They even include Curt Siodmark's poem at the beginning). However,there are some considerable differences.The first being that it's shot in color,not B & W,as the original was). The second being much better special effects.While they still use the traditional wolfman form,it's shown running on all four paws ,then standing up when necessary or dramatically appropriate.The transformation sequences also are clearly inspired by An American Werewolf in London. And I have to warn you,there is plenty of gore in this movie.Both wolfmen rip off limbs,heads,and other pieces of human anatomy. Finally,the storyline has been considerably modified.Lawrence Talbot IS bitten by a werewolf,the werewolf is NOT a gypsy.In fact,I have to wonder if the writers saw Ang Lee's Hulk movie.While the story does include gypsies and a silver-headed cane,I have to query why they are both still in this movie, ESPECIALLY the cane.

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Yes it is.

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... I'm going to recommend Spider-Man:The Darkest Hours by Jim Butcher.Yes,the writer of the Dresden Files has written a Spider-Man novel.Yes it is awesome. And yes,it proves beyond reasonable doubt that Joe Quesada is an idiot.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently? The last thing I watched was Radar Men from The Moon.Considering it was made in 1952,the DVD image was crisp and clear,and the sound quality was excellent.If the other DVDs from Rocket are of equal quality (they HAVE produced other DVD's.right?),they are worth purchasing,despite the lack of extras. As for the serial itself,not so much.While it is exciting and well produced,it's hard to root for somebody as incompetent as Cody. While he clearly is a brilliant scientist and inventor,he's a lousy fighter and tactician,as he keeps getting beaten up,even while wearing his flying suit.(And what idiot doesn't tie up ,or imprison, his prisoner when he's trying to go back to Earth).