BlackSword

Re: Urban Fantasy dead horses.

I think for me the problem is Harry was a fantastic read when he was stuggling at the bottom.

But now he is a uber mage and the "poor outclassed me" is wearing thin. Things may be tough. But he is in the big leagues and would know it.

Your descriptions matches up pretty close to where I am as well. The 200 page whine-fest is getting old, especially now that he is reaching mary-sue levels of competence. I enjoyed reading the last book, but I think it is falling away from interesting innovative read to quick easy read.

Re: D&D 4th

Now I have an image of MLK as a Cleric/Warlord.

He was a minister.

Re: D&D 4th

Let me clarify. I said that if the payer makes an inspiring speech, the GmMshould award hit points under this logic. However, using that explanation, that effect should happen regardless of if he's taken any mechnical ability by the rules to permit this.

 

Or is the ability to make inspring speeches based on class now? Talk about 'roll' playing.

No more so than in Hero where you have a PRE score. Do characters with a PRE of 5 strike fear into opponents when they make a very intimidating speech? Its trading one mechanic for another, in Hero characters buy PRE (or not) depending on how much their personality can effect those around them. In 4th a particular class (or cross-class with the multiclass feat) can affect those around him. I could recite MLK's "I have a dream" word for word but I doubt I would move as many people as he did. In Hero he has higher PRE score than me, in D&D he is a different class than me.

Re: Urban Fantasy dead horses.

Though if he interfered with electrical systems' date=' he shouldn't be able to. Sound like one of his powers is plot immunity. [/quote']

Each novel usually refines it some. I think the current rule is that he typically only interferes with electronics when he is using magic and the more magic he calls the more it interferes with technology. More sensitive electronics are the most susceptible, so usually people in the know turn off their computers before he enters the room as a protective measure. In the most recent book he visisted another wizard in the hospital, and the other wizard wanted to be released soon so she didn't interfere with anyone else's life support. But yeah, pretty much the anti-technology field is only mentioned when it is conveniant or inconveniant without the full ramifications being considered.

I have to admit I really enjoyed books Dresden and was more than willing to give things a pass. But I have to admit my interest is waning. The last books was "good" but just didn't have the same zing' date=' if you know what I mean.[/quote']

I enjoy them, though I do agree with your point about the last one being 'just good.' It seems like Butcher is falling into the pattern of not using an editor so the writing is not as tight as it could be. The several page dissertation on 'what is pain' was a bit much for me. More recently the books have become a bit formulaic, you can pick out in the first few pages who the bad guy is. Also the number of times Harry gets knocked out he should be suffering from brain damage.

Re: Urban Fantasy dead horses.

Magic Breaks Science - This is one little pet peeve with the Dresden Files' date=' where ever Harry Dresden goes, every gadget in the vicinity follows. If I picked up Harry by the road in my new car, my car would just completely fail in about 5 seconds. In a Role-Playing Game, this is one thing, as it makes for game balance. When you're writing a novel, you don't have to worry about Game Balance. And, frankly, I've seen this in just enough other places as well for this to annoy me. It's not quite a deal-breaker for me if done to a certain amount of moderation (I still enjoy the Dresden Files), but it is a slight annoyance.[/quote']

The only problem I had with 'science interferes with technology' in the Dresden files was that at times it was too broadly applied as 'what is technology.' In the first book he is worried about the bullets in his gun exploding or the gears in the gun (revolver) jamming. By the logic used in that Harry shouldn't even be able to use a modern toliet. The most recent books just seem to make it that he interferes with electrical systems.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently?

Josh and I watched Mulholland Drive last night. All I have to say about that is, WTF?

 

And that I shouldn't watch anything by David Lynch that close to bedtime.

Mulholland Drive is the only movie that at the end of it I felt like I lost two hours of my life (Vanilla Sky doesn't count because I only made it through half an hour before turning it off).

Watched Ah, My Goddess: The Movie (2001), Iron Man, and have started to rewatch Full Metal Alchemist.

Re: So, what don't you like about HERO 5th?

I like Staggered. It's still common usage to describe that state and should have no cognitive overlap with STUN. I suspect it would clear up any need to distinguish it from the STUN characteristic and no one would ever use "Con Staggered"[/QUOTe]

I like staggered, I typically use punch drunk to describe 'con stun,' as its descriptive and helps to avoid bringing game mechanics into descriptive fight.

I'm still not sure why you don't think being Stunned has nothing to do with the STUN Characteristic but oh well.

You still have to compare the STUN Damage to your STUN, because if you hit 0 you skip Stunned and go straight to Unconscious.

I think he meant that being 'con stunned' is not based on how much stun you have left, assuming its greater than zero. If 1 or 100 Stun left you can still be 'con stunned' if the amount of stun you took is greater than Con.

Re: A Thread for Random Musings

For those want to see Iron Man, and don't want to read the spoilerific thread, stay for after the credits.

Re: So, what don't you like about HERO 5th?

Sorry' date=' a local colloquialism crept in; my fault.[/quote']

Unless St. Louis is local its not a local colloquialism. I have seen it numerous times on the board so I think its a commonly used way to describe taking more Stun in a hit than ones Con score.

Re: OHID vs Shape Shift

I don't think there is a hard and fast answer, it depends on the style of the game. If you are playing in a game where a domino mask or pair of glasses can perserve a secret identity, then I too would balk if I had to pay 20 points for shapeshift just to retain my secret identity while Batman got his cowl for free. If the game is more realistic and a perception roll can break through a disguise, then Shapeshift may be more appropriate.

Re: A Thread for Random Musings

The weekend is over, I'm ready for a vacation.

Friday I took off work, woke up, went to breakfast with a friend, returned home, mowed my lawn and then packed for the weekend arnis seminar. At about 2:30 my friend showed up and we loaded up my car so I could drive to Chicago, at a little after 7 we rolled into town, checked into the hotel and collapsed. At 9 we headed over to the school for a two hour training session with the instructor. Got back to the hotel after 11, cleaned up and wrote notes from the training session and went to sleep.

Woke up just before 8, got dressed and headed out to help our instructor with a demo he was giving at a different school. From 9 until about 1:30 I helped teach the demo. Left at about 2:00pm, which gave us two hours to eat before our seminar started. No problem, except for the construction, after an hour we finally got to the mall for lunch with our instructor. Quick bite to eat and back to the school. 2 hours of rope fighting which left me with some nasty bruises and rope burns, followed by two hours of buno (ground fighting), which left me tired. Back to the hotel, shower, grab dinner, write notes, collapse in exhaustion.

Sunday morning, wake up just before 8, watch Burn Notice on TV until 9, get dressed for the seminar. Arrive and begin training at 10, two hours of arnis. 2 hour lunch, 2.5 hours of knife fighting, and seminar ends. Now its just a five hour drive back home. Get home at 10, get to sleep, wake up and get to work by 7 on Monday morning, aches and pains everywhere.

Re: A Thread for Random Musings

Just finished reading, Into Thin Air. Chilling story of the 1996 Everest tragedy. Very interesting story and several amazing moments of human hardiness. Climbing Everest is not an experience I am interested in after reading the book.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently?

Finished watching the first season of "Ah, My Goddess." It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed seeing the manga characters on the small screen. Of the 26 episodes only 2 that I could skip on subsequent watchings, the rest were very well done.

Re: Order of the Stick

I enjoy Belkar, his callous disregard for life is refreshing.

Re: Game of Thrones

Anyone else thought about running a game in George R R Martin's setting?

I made a house roll that at the beginning of each session every player flips a coin, heads their character dies. Tails someting terrible happens to their character and the character wants to die. It really captured the spirit of the novels.

Re: Musings on Random Musings

At this point I have to admit sheepishly that my house doesn't have air conditioning. We don't really need it here.

I do miss Seattle's mild weather. Though it did mean my apartment could double as wind tunnel in winter as insulation and sealing windows and doors was not a top priority.

Re: A Thread for Random Musings

Yesterday was the St. Louis marathon and half-marathon. I pushed myself through 13.1 miles, had some amazing splits (second mile was ran 7m08s) and finished ahead of my time last year (1h37min,33sec). Today, my legs hurt. A lot. Semi-bad news is that this winter was my worst training season, I missed a lot of days due to sickness and travel. Why is it bad news that I did well with poor training? Because it means I can (and should) do better. Now to set my goals for the rest of the year.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently?

I have been making my way through Ranma 1/2. Much needed laughs.

On Saturday I made it about halfway through Southland Tales. Also watched part of G-3 Live in Tokyo.

Re: Mixing Swords & Sorcery with Comedic Fantasy

So its probably because I have been watching too much Ranma 1/2 recently, but I could see it being pretty easy to remove some aspects (the water boy/girl part) and substituting in the swords & sorcery for the martial arts action. The story already has plenty of sorcery, so really its more finding a way to make swords a part of the story, which is tricky as otherwise the humor gets cut down everytime a rival issues a challenge and ends up skewered.

Re: "Does everyone have silver bullets?"

Its not like you can buy silver bullets in the gun store, so only villains/criminals that know how to load their own ammo would have it available to begin with. Eventually a few dealers might add silver bullets to their selection in the black market. And of course since the black market isn't known for honesty, who knows when you are getting an actual silver bullet, or one with silver spray paint on it.

I think it comes back 'dramatically appropriate.' Most criminals are going to rely on dumb luck to get by. Some might buy a few silver bullets, but then they might have to fumble around and load them. Some are going to buy duds, and few others might go werewolf hunting to gain some cred and a new throw rug.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently?

Watched Ranma 1/2 Season 1 over the weekend. Very funny, just the laughs I needed.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently?

Friday I watched the season finale to Monk, Saturday I gamed all day, Sunday I watched a few cooking shows while I was spinning, ninja warrior during lunch, and FX was showing The Punisher, so I put in the DVD and watched the last half.

Re: B-movie inspiration

Dude, that's not a B movie. That's a C movie. Possibly even a D movie.

 

"In a far-off kingdom there was good king who was plagued with a terribly fake beard ....."

 

cheers, Mark

If we're digging that deep, then don't forget the Chronicles of Gor (there were two movies).

Re: A Thread for Random Musings

Getting dumped sucks (D+14 hours), though its great for my diet as the lack of appetite means I am eating healthier.

Re: What Have You Watched Recently?

Watched the season premiere of Monk and Psyche on Friday night.