Merovign

Re: Gemini Ascendant Campaign We're still here, the power went out for 30 seconds due to a bad, BAD electrical system. We're bringing up the systems again and once we set the port-forwarding and configuring we'll have the server back up. 10 minutes tops, probably sooner, Still booting stuff.

Re: Gemini Ascendant Campaign Configuring the new router now, sorry for the delay. I'll update when iit's back up. # Edit: Server's back up.

Re: Gemini Ascendant Campaign Sorry I've been so unavailable - crazy mazy work. I have a spare Linksys BFSX41 I'll bring with me Just In Case when I come over. Tossing it in the bag now. Wish I'd known about the test.

Re: Gemini Ascendant Campaign ORPG is up - but, for how long? See y'all in the game. Edit: I hope everyone didn't run out to rent a movie...

Re: Gemini Ascendant Campaign Man, oh freakin' man.

Re: Gemini Ascendant Campaign On the other hand, we appear to be back on. Running considerably smoother now. Still have to re-install OpenRPG, but there you go... So, back on for 6pm PST!

Re: Gemini Ascendant Campaign James is having mondo PC problems. We're working on it now, but 6pm is an open question at this point. I'll check in again before 6...

Re: Earth's Cries as heard from Space I just wanted to say that the basic news is interesting, and great find Susano, but like Nolgy I found that the valium-riddled narration spoiled the clip. I could say what I really felt about it, but that would be a TOS violation. If I find a link to an "unadultered" version of the sound, I'll post it.

Re: The Apocalypse: Stage 1 1) Critics say the second supercollider will end the world - critics say the first supercollider will end the world - critics say the first plutonium bomb will end the world - critics say the first hydrogen bomb will end the world... 2) The idea of "tipping points" and "positive feedback loops" is extremely popular, despite the stubborn defiance of reality. Frankly, if I could make a machine that kept putting out more and more energy without adding more input, I'd probably be pretty rich. Where is the mass for the black hole going to come from, anyway? They know a black hole is a supercritical massive gravity well, right? As far as I can tell, the smallest black hole "found" was almost four times as massive as our sun. Oh, well, it's a break from the galactic plane thing (we're tens of LY away from it, no, we're not going to get there by 2012, sorry).

Re: Indiana's pistol At least at one point during the bar fight, Indy uses a Browning Hi-Power. I'd have to watch it again to see if he ALSO uses a 1911 - but the two pistols are of similar size and design - although very distinctive if seen side-by-side. It's entirely possible that Indy carried three guns, or picked up a gun (probably a Hi-Power) during the fight, or picked up the 1911 while he was rifling through Marion's stuff (what, you think he actually left like she asked? ).

Re: Our New Pulp HERO Game: Adventures in Political Incorrectness If there ever was a genre that was politically incorrect, it was pulp. Apart from expressely anti-PC fiction or maybe S&M fiction, I can't think of anything farther down that path. The cool thing about it, is that PC is as much about enforcing stereotypes as it is about opposing them, so stepping away from it purposefully lets you explore options that might not have occurred to you otherwise. It's kind of Zen.

Re: Jedi If the goal is to "re-play" the prequel trilogy (so, for example, it makes more sense), then +eleventy.

Re: Stargate The Stargate setting provides for nearly unlimited expansion, though it sounds like you have an arc planned. You might want to try to catch up with the series, not necessarily to alter your storyline to fit it but just for ideas.

Re: Settlement & Exploration ropogation Also consider methods for keeping people in space longer. Sleep tech has already been mentioned, but one thing that isn't used very often (fictionally speaking) is psychology and psychotropic drugs. Psychology computers (a la THX 1138 and Demolition Man), drugs (a la Brave New World and Equilibrium) are likely to be used in the real world on and off for "behavior modification," but obviously they present problems in an RPG setting. As background story, they can provide some (cool or creepy) atmosphere, but simply drugging up players or going all "Clockwork Orange" on them could present some real playability problems. "Sleep Tech" also brings up the idea of crew rotation, where half the crew sleeps while half is awake. Also, the "psych machines and drugs" thing above could create whole plots for you (like the ship's computer that periodically "resets" the crew to think they just left, so a 10-year voyage seems like a 6-month voyage until the crew get home 10 years later). The obvious ideal answer is huge ships, at least the size of a Supercarrier, with a higher percentage of "civilian" crew, recreation facilities, extensive time off, etc. A true "city in space," kind of like the old anime Macross where the re-built alien ship literally had a city inside it, high-rise buildings and all. Following on The Matrix (no, I don't watch too many movies), the crew could run the ship from inside a simulated reality that affords them plenty of distractions without taking up all that room and energy on a ship. Lots and lots of options, though if your goal is to play the "stir crazy" story, you'd skip most of them.

Re: Gemini Ascendant Campaign I'll do a quick write-up for Micah and e-mail it to you, GA. It's not a long history...

Re: I've joined the ranks... Interestingly enough, I think the decision to start "combat heavy" was actually a good choice - the rules get lots of practice, and the story is easy to follow. The kids were both excited and, apart from the obvious fidgits and natural newbie mistakes, surprisingly on top of the game. There was the obvious "wait do I want to roll high or low" thing (because, when you're young, you think your intentions control the dice... ), but all those years of NWN, Oblivion, KOTOR and other computer games gets kids ready for concepts like stats and attack and skill rolls. And look at it this way - it's an even better incentive for the kids to get their homework done. And yes, Nolgy, I'll run a game sometime soon. (He never gets to play.)

Re: Gemini Ascendant Campaign The picture Nolgroth just posted is "AIMEE" from the movie "Red Planet," which was my inspiration. There's a model of it floating around somewhere (too... many... links...) It's actually kind of closer to #5... ish... sorta... I kind of regret not taking more time to show Micah's progression, but I hope to rectify that here as Micah takes a bigger role, at least for now. He's still very young and having to grow up fast. When he was in his "coffee machine" stage, he was basically a talking infant. V2 was a toddler. Currently v3, a child having to take responsibility for his disabled parent. Obviously his capabilities aren't the same, but Micah's AI Core is the same (essentially) as Elvis' - they're built on the same technology.

Re: Gemini Ascendant Campaign Tobias - working on your New Guns, still playing with the multipower thing. I'm thinking it won't be the first thing on the list after game start. I drew some pictures on paper... and, of course, left them at home today when I rushed out for an interview. Naturally. I may try to re-create the sketches, we'll see.

Re: Interstellar flight by 2070? It's fun to think about, but almost impossible to lay odds. The reality is it's either zero or one - it'll happen or it won't. Percentages don't come into it. It'll probably be a bit of a surprise when it happens, though. My SWAG? We won't invent it, we'll buy it.

Re: Gemini Ascendant Campaign Dude, rock on! If I had half your energy... Looks like I probably won't be there for the pre-game, but I hope to be there on time for the main show. Traffic in The City of the Sacrament is approaching that of the City of Angels. Hey, wacky as this place is, we have cool city names.

Re: kyle radnor the last legionary Well, there's no reason to suppose that, in your game world, there was only one survivor. Or that there weren't similar "last surviving heroes" from other worlds that were victims of the Deathwing. There are so many options, it's dizzying!

Re: Gemini Ascendant Campaign Completely useless and ambiguous warning of the day: I may or may not be on time Thursday - but I'll be there. My schedule isn't entirely set, but even if I get off work at 4:30, I have to drive up from downtown Sac - and no matter which way you go, it's traffic Hell. What is wrong with people that they want me to work on Thursdays? Don't they GET IT!?!?!?! Oh, and brown, BTW, not blew.

Re: Space Junk in Earth Orbit So, archaeology, then.

Re: Gemini Ascendant Campaign The "flat footed" picture reminds me of an obscure B5 quote: "Yeah, sure, just give me a minute to go and get a ladder and we'll hash this out face-to-face."

Re: Gemini Ascendant Campaign *Killian passes out again.