BlackSword

Re: X Prize II: The Sequel! Yeah, for a simple orbit its not a concern, but I have heard several discussions of people talking about orbiting hotels and casinos. In that case it will be an issue that needs to be solved. The other issue with teh zero-g toliet is that it has a tendency to break down. Something tells me that someone paying several thousand dollars for a stay in an oribiting casion is not going to like the alternative.

Re: X Prize II: The Sequel! Very interesting. However, I recently heard of one major hurdle that needs to be achieved before space tourism has a chance. How do you go to the bathroom in space. Its not as simple, and if anyone balks at the 'blue bag,' weightless functions are worse.

Re: A Thread for Random Musings Some days are Mojo-jojo days. In particular I am thinking of the episode where our favorite monkey genius is off to make breakfast. BS walks to the copier to make some copies..."Out of Order" Curses BS walks to other copier, makes copies, but no stapler. Return to desk, begin to staple documents, on last document stapler runs out of staples. Curses BS walks back to first copier where there is a stapler, stapler doesn't work. Curses For some reason I don't think our office assistant would appreciate me breaking into a monologue stating: "Where is a working stapler, there is a time when I want to bind together papers in such a way that is more permanent than a paper clip but less permanent then binding, so that I may deliver my documents to a place where they may decide to bind or unbind the documents with a device known as a staple puller. Where should I find such a device that cleverly puts a small piece of metal into the corner of paper and then automatically bends said piece of metal in such a way that it holds those papers together." Fortunataly I did manage to find a working stapler and get everything mailed off, it just seems that some days even the simplest task is more difficult then it should be.

Re: Justice League Avengers, Assemble! There has to be a way to get Blue Beetle and Booster Gold in the mix. Edit: Of course: Scarlet Beetle: Finding the Scarlet Scarab in an ancient tomb, Ted (argh, can't remember either of their last names) is granted the power to wield chaos magic. Edit of Edit: For a slight Ranma twist, you can make Ted Kord a male in secret ID, and the Scarlet Scarab transforms him into the Scarlet Beetle, a reincarnated female Egyptian Priestess. Ugh, I need to get back to work.

Re: The Incredibles -- WITH SPOILERS I saw the movie yesterday and was very impressed by it. I think it was the best movie I have seen all year. The pacing was good, the plot was well done and the characters were well written and the voice actors did a great job. As others have mentioned the way they protrayed Mr I and Elastigirl was good. I liked that Mr. I didn't fall into the standard brick category of always trying to hit something harder, he did tend to use his head in order to find the best way to apply his strength. Elastigirl's use of powers was amazing. That is how a stretching is supposed to be used. The family was well done, and it was a nice touch how the kids changed once they were able to actually learn about their powers and use them to their full potential. So if there wasn't enough to gush about, the music and scenery were well done too. I am seriously thinking of picking up the soundtrack.

Re: Things I'd like to see more of in fantasy gaming I agree to this. We play on a hex map, so there is often the, how much do I have to move to get to the next range increment. I can understand the people who say, "Well your character has been shooting (EB, gun, etc) for a long time so knows at what range they can hit better." However, it also makes the game turn into board game when you are plotting every move in such minute detail, just play chess. I did like the old WH 40K systems, where you declared what you are doing, then measured. If you came out short, the squad wasted its fire. And lord help you if were an inch too far away to make a full charge as you stare down the barrels of the opposing squad.

Re: A Thread for Random Musings I've been reading a book on the 1920s and how that decade helped define modern America. The problems of today are not new. Many of the quotes discussing issues and concerns of that decade, could be mistaken for something written today.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

Re: Musings on Random Musings Rey Mysterio was in town giving autographs. One of my friends took his son to see him. As obvious on TV, Rey is short, but he said Rey's arms were the size of his leg. What I find odd is when you see all the big pro-wrestlers beating each other up, and one 'short' guy comes out. Just tiny compared to the other wrestlers and they announce him at 6'4". There are some massive guys in the ring. Makes me respect the cruiser weights even more. Especially when the cruiser weights get in the ring with heavy weights. It was awesome last month when Rey won the Battle Royale to get a shot at the title.

Re: What graphic novels should I get? Beat me to it. This is an excellent series. They just released TPB Six, "Savage Times." I am thinking of using this incarnation of the JSA as a basis for a campaign, a mix of heroes from the original team, plus new heroes taking on the legacy of the previous generation.

Re: A Thread for Random Musings CDs in the changer for Halloween: Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack Alan Parson's Projects: Tales of Mystery and Suspense Tangerine Dream: Goblin's Club End of Days Soundtrack

Re: Hudson City cover The cover does look very nice. Great job.

Re: A Thread for Random Musings JSA TPB #6, Savage Times came out last week. I picked it up and read through it. Apparently all the issues are from the time I was not collecting any JSA. The TPB doesn't have a single story arc, but mostly one or two issue series. Some good issues and the trip the ancient egypt was enjoyable. Black Adam continually becomes an interesting character. A hero in his own time, but the difference in attitude between ancient Egypt and the modern heroes makes for interesting conflict.

Re: Musings on Random Musings One of the Rollins Band CDs has a great song at the end about the 'LA Money Train.' Basic premise is that its currently all about style over substance. Near the end he states, "Its not looking good, in fact its looking pretty medicore." Another good line from the CD, he is describing someone with plastic surgery and ends the stanza with, "Its like putting pearls on a swine, you can dress it up, but its still a pig." I loved Rollins in the Batman Beyond as Mad Stan, he fit that character perfectly.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

Re: Musings on Random Musings Hope you didn't catch it from me over the Hero boards. Tuesday I left work early due to fatigue and muscle soreness (I could barely stay awake at my computer). Wednesday, lets call it lower intestine problems gave me cramps all day (at work). Thursday, best day because it was only a headache (at work all day). Friday, I am doing good (but a little tired from getting to bed late). Hope you get to feeling better. Being under the weather at work is one of the top five worst experiences. Especially when its something that is not so severe as to keep you home, but bad enough that it wrecks your ability to sit still and concentrate.

Re: Musings on Random Musings One of guys at the game table, his wife works in the insurance industry. According to him (and it may be a bit old news) is that every insurance company except State Farm is in class action law-suits. State Farm recently settled a class action law suit. I think they are currently on the 'make 'em smile' plan until the legal turmoil calms down. Tim also has a point, the insurance company buys the totaled car from you, and then sells it off piecemally. Hence why in Missouri you often see 'two-tone' cars, the front fender is a different color than the rest of the car.

Re: What If . . . Superman Astronomer. Spending all that time on the JLA moon-base would give him plenty of chances to work on new theories.

Re: Who was the LAMEST? I would go with the last issues of Azrael. I liked the character, I collected a lot of the early issues and it had potential as a hero redemtion story and I thought they should have ended the book at the end of "No Man's Land" with John Paul giving up the suit and helping Dr. Thompson and Brian Bryan run the local shelter. The last run on it by Denny O'Neil was pure call-in though. The art was medicore at best and the story was just long, painful, drawn out and ended the only way it could, burying the character.

Re: UNTIL SuperPowers Database Usefulness But what happens when Dr. Boreau starts pumping them up with steroids? I've only used the besiary a few times, but one time it was just to get the ideas for a primative civilization to attack the star-farers who had crashed on their planet.

Re: What's the best way to learn Hero? Not to de-rail into a 'how to play the game,' but both groups I play in follow this practice. We usually allow tweaks to the characters for one to two sessions, and then you have to pay XP for the changes. As Neil says, it allows you to make changes for things that you don't need, don't really fit the character after you've played him a few times, or skills that make more sense for the campaign or character. I think we found two sessions as a pretty fair chance before character freeze.

Re: Light or Dark Future? I guess I see the present day as Nuetral to Light/Nuetral. There are good things and there are bad things happening in the world. I see society as continueing to grow and improve. I don't think we are in a downward spiral, at worst just stalled as we try to figure out how humanity and technology need to interact. Granted, this is a perspective vastly colored from living in the US. There are other places that much worse off and have other problems to deal with. The idealist in me thinks that these problems can be solved, but that it is not necessarily an easy path.

Re: Light or Dark Future? Actually I would go nuetral. Take the problems of today and simply transplant them to the future. Technology will raise the standard of living for almost everyone, but there will still be the threat of war from more violent governments. I am not a big fan of dark settings. I don't enjoy playing in a game in which the actions of the characters ultimately matter for little. Not saying that the actions of the characters have to be galaxy changing events, but for some reason playing in a game that centers around the slow slide of civilization into the abyss does not entertain me. I don't want to play in a utopian game either. Corruption, intrigue, and other conflicts make for great stories so I don't want to eliminate those from the game universe.

Re: Teen Heroes & Static Shock I think the show Static Shock has some great storylines for a teen champions adventure. Virgil is expected to deal with villains, study for class and try to meet up with his would-be girlfriend (if not for his constant tardiness).

Re: Doctor J.A. Quest Some people beat me to it, but this works best when read in the voice of Dr. (Rusty) (TS) Venture. The way he says, "Yeah, way to go dad" in his sarcastic mocking tone.