Profile for Slarty
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Displayed name | Slarty |
| Member number | 261 |
| Title | Raven v. Writing Desk |
| Postcount | 3560 |
| Homepage | http://www.stripcreator.com/comics/slartyvsdesk/ |
| Registered | Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
Recent posts
Pages
| Author | Recent posts |
|---|---|
| Chat Now. AIM Room Spidweb! in General | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Thursday, September 21 2006 23:33
Profile
Homepage
I second Salmon. Who I see is Jumpin' again. What's up half member? -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| Avernum V in Avernum 4 | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Thursday, September 21 2006 18:33
Profile
Homepage
The Empire never went out of their way to kill sliths on the surface because of the lack of sliths there. They did, however, devote significant efforts to killing the Darkling sliths in Exile, during the Empire-Avernum War, as documented in E/A 2. [ Thursday, September 21, 2006 18:34: Message edited by: Slarty ] -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| Sex! Yay! in General | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Thursday, September 21 2006 05:37
Profile
Homepage
I think the title of this topic should be changed to "Sex! Oy." -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| Archery in Avernum 4 | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Wednesday, September 20 2006 18:34
Profile
Homepage
Also, since no one else has pointed it out, never having to move to use your attack is really significant in an AP system. This isn't usually a big deal when you have 8 AP, but if you equip two AP boosting items, you can *always* get two strikes with a bow, or three with Haste, whereas melee fighters will only get as many attacks if they are always standing next to the enemy they want to strike -- which may often be the case, but certainly not all the time. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| Chat Now. AIM Room Spidweb! in General | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Tuesday, September 19 2006 04:31
Profile
Homepage
I work 2-11pm EST (it isn't daylight savings time yet, is it?) these days, so I won't make it. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| Sex! Yay! in General | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Tuesday, September 19 2006 04:22
Profile
Homepage
quote:It's not an illness. What it *does* have in common with alcoholism is that it's a complicated feature of a person that spans biological, psychological, and social factors. We're not talking about changing a swatch here. A person can certainly change the expression of their sexuality on their own. People do that all the time. It's not so easy to change your underlying desires -- and sexuality encompasses more than just sexual desires, although those are the flashiest part of it. (For the same reason, I dislike the use of the term "preference" -- it simplifies sexuality absurdly to call anything about it a preference. It is a preference, but it is also so much more; it would be like calling a war a transaction in which two countries resolve a problem. Factual, but awfully misleading.) For me, anyway, physical desire is not the determining factor in my sexuality. I could probably change that to a certain degree using behavior therapy, along the lines of what Jewels was talking about, if I wanted to -- depending on how much of that is learned behavior and how much is determined by hormones, brain development, or some other immutable biological factor. What I don't think I could change without gross psychological trauma is my experience of intimacy as fulfilling or not, which is quite separate from physical desire but definitely connected to gender. In this case, it doesn't matter how much of it comes from biology or from childhood experiences -- it's all so deeply rooted that it's not going to change without psychological reverberations, catastrophic in course. quote:Ash, I agree with your sentiments, but here's the rub. How likely would you have been to say the same thing, phrased the same positive way, if wz. As had instead said: Sounds like a slippery slope towards "rehabilitating" heterosexuals to be gay... Maybe you would have been equally likely to say it; I'm skeptical, but I could be wrong. However, because you are perceived by others (rightly or wrongly) as being overtly somewhat tolerant of but, in your heart, in opposition to homosexuality, people interpret it in a context. quote:So, hypothetically speaking, suppose we have a member who is straight, doesn't want to be straight, believes it is possible to change his sexuality, and fully intends to try. You would be just as much behind him? quote:No. However, there are parents who force their teenage children to attend reparative therapy, sometimes even residentially. I have never heard of any parent forcing a straight child to attend therapy to turn gay. There is an argument in favor of letting parents force such therapy, to be sure. We hold up freedom of religion, but allow parents to force religion on their children; why should sexuality be any different? That's a tough question if you ask me. Religion and sexuality are both social constructs that relate to critical human needs on an individual level that can be immensely painful when improperly addressed. (This is true even in an atheistic conception of things, where religion fills certain psychological needs rather than spiritual ones; and even in an antireligious conception, the argument is just that it doesn't fill them optimally, so the comparison holds.) But I digress. The point is that, whether or not you think it is good or reasonable for people who aren't straight to be pressured to change their sexuality, non-straight people are pressured in profuse ways, both overt and subtle, to change their sexuality, or at least its expression. Kidnapping and brainwashing are not the only ways to influence someone. Straight people do not face this kind of pressure to change their sexuality. So I'm not sure what you are getting at with the remark I quoted. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| An insane idea, but... in Avernum 4 | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Monday, September 18 2006 07:17
Profile
Homepage
quote:I thought he only said that about Exile 4? But perhaps I am mistaken. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| An insane idea, but... in Avernum 4 | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Saturday, September 16 2006 09:23
Profile
Homepage
quote:Need I remind everybody what happened the last time we discussed it? UDDER DESTRUCTION, that's what! -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| How would you do it? in Avernum 4 | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Saturday, September 16 2006 09:21
Profile
Homepage
Huh. I could have sworn that, too. Are you sure your search encompassed all of the data files? Maybe they used a euphemism for it? -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| How would you do it? in Avernum 4 | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Saturday, September 16 2006 02:59
Profile
Homepage
quote:I'm quite sure that E/A 1 talks about death by disease and malnutrition in Exile. Hathwisa nearly dies from some cave disease, and there are various other sick folk, including a whole tribe of nephils in E2. What *does* make sense is that the ability of Avernite civilization to defend against disease et cetera improved over time just as their ability to defend against demons and lizards did. The standard of living in Exile seems to have risen promiscuously after E3 (which makes sense). quote:I agree with your conclusion, but doesn't Rone (or somebody) mention that Micah gave in to life-extending magic in order to continue to serve Avernum, while he had no heir? That makes his old age seem less improbable. Magic could also answer the concern about the lack of a queen. Avernum's answer to immaculate conception I guess! quote:Three games worth, yes, but lots of characters can claim that. The problem is that Rentar's personality was entirely one-dimensional. We never really see anything of Rentar besides anger, cold calculation, desire for vengeance, and maybe frustration. Glantris-Bok's small role in E2 alone was more interesting. But you were asking about lines and screen time, so here's my answer: If you just count dialogue, Solberg might have her beat, as he has four games of full (often rambling) dialogue. Khoth has three games plus a scenario, and Athron and Sulfras have fairly substantial dialogue as well. If you count all sorts of references and centrality to a game, then Micah definitely beats her. quote:No, no. Somebody in A4 *definitely* talks about the demise of the Council. I don't remember if it was Houghton or Starrus or or Rone or Kelner or someone in the castle or maybe even someone random like Angarahad, but somebody explains it. A good summary is in this Encyclopedia Ermariana article which, ironically enough, you (Drakey) wrote. :P -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| How would you do it? in Avernum 4 | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Tuesday, September 12 2006 08:37
Profile
Homepage
quote:Interesting. Garzahd, Erika, and Rentar-Ihrno (and also a few characters and sects in Geneforge) all have failings because of their obsessions with revenge. Garzahd's and Rentar's are fatal and Erika's isn't, presumably because she's portrayed as more of a hero. Actually, Erika's is interesting; her obsession precipitates the invasion of Avernum, but then redeems herself by defending it and giving her life to stop Rentar. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| Relative ages? in The Avernum Trilogy | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Tuesday, September 12 2006 08:26
Profile
Homepage
Copied from EE, where I just posted this. Perhaps others here will have input. Aimee vs. Linda I think we had this discussion a long time ago... anyway, the fact is that there is contradicting evidence in the games as to who the fifth exilee was. The early games refer to Aimee among the five, while A4 (and maybe soem earlier Avernums? I don't remember) seems to have inconsistently retconned Linda into the early cave magic. However, some of those references -- praticularly the one to her as part of the Akhronath assault -- sound like goofs. IMHO, there is a large mass of situational evidence on Aimee's side. Given Aimee's reclusiveness and her lack of eminently practical or powerful magic, it makes no sense that Erika AND Patrick AND Rone AND Solberg would be so close to her, and would talk about her as they do, without her having been part of the Five. There are also numerous statements like "then Linda came to the Tower"... if Linda had been one of the Five, those statements would make little sense, given that she would have been involved in the Tower's creation and would presumably have lived there since the beginning. And if Linda really was part of the assault on Akhronath, why is it that NOBODY -- not her, not Grah-Hoth, not Kelner, no one -- ever comments on that? IMHO, it's safe to say that Aimee was in the Five and Linda was not. At any rate I think it's a mistake to state that Linda was a member; the evidence is too sketchy. --- Slarty 12:13, 12 September 2006 (CDT) Retrieved from "http://encyclopedia.ermarian.net/wiki/Talk:The_Five" -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| Relative ages? in The Avernum Trilogy | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Tuesday, September 12 2006 07:05
Profile
Homepage
It's pointless to compare the power levels of most of those mages, because they specialized in different areas of magic. Aimee and Patrick were better scriers, Solberg was a master minddueler. That goes for other mages, too -- Mahdavi knew more about teleportation. That said, Erika was obviously stronger than the others, and Rentar-Ihrno and Garzahd seem to be closer to her level. Erika and Rentar were both capable of transforming entire species of plants and animals in ways that would endure naturally. NO ONE else in game canon has ever done that (except for X doing comparatively simple work with it), so I'd put them above Garzahd. The description of the duel between Erika and Rentar-Ihrno clearly implies that Erika's command of magic was slightly superior to Rentar's. Because of X's work with transformation, his second-to-few capacity for teaching magic, and his apparent lack of susceptibility to aging (shared with Erika but not Solberg, Rone, or Patrick) I'd put him a step above the others. Somewhere in there should also go the dragons. Garzahd was apparently able to outmagick Sulfras; otherwise they seem to have similar capabilities to the best human mages (Athron scries like Aimee or Erika) but more of them. So I'd say 1. Erika 2. Rentar-Ihrno 3. Garzahd 4. X, Dragons (most; not Pyrog, certainly), probably a number of Vahnatai 5. Other big name magi -- Solberg, Patrick, Rone, Aimee, Linda, Mahdavi, Enla, Elderan, and so on. Perhaps the strongest, most venerable liches and vampires -- Vahkohs. 6. Powerful one trick ponies -- Pathass, Mairwen, Silvario, Seles, Thompson, and the like. General mages of strong, but not top-level power -- Kelner. As for ages: The Five were exiled in 776. Patrick didn't extend his life magically, and he survived until at least 823 (maybe a bit more, I don't have the dumps here) even in Exile where life expectancy was clearly shorter. However, he and the others were established mages when they were exiled. I'm going to guess Patrick was about 30-35. I'll also guess that all of the Five were of similar ages, give or take a decade. Given Erika's temperament, I can't see her considering herself a "colleague" of a mage who is both weaker and significantly younger than her. (OTOH, perhaps she was a little gentler *before* she was exiled and cursed and had to fight hordes of demons.) Garzahd is supposed to be of a similar age. X joined the triad a long time after its founding, and at least a few years before 817 (=E/A1). 800 seems reasonable, but even if it was as late as 810, that leaves precious little time for him to have been born in Exile and grow up and study magic. Plus, even in 817 and 823 there were very few children in Exile, and fewer adults who had grown up there. Mahdavi was described as young, I think, though that could be magi-makeup. She doesn't strike me as the makeup type, though. Kelner was young in 817, an apprentice. Silverio was an apprentice in 779, and still spry 45 years later. Apprentices must be young... Altogether I'd say some ages look something like this, circa E/A 1/2, and then circa A4. The Five, Garzahd - 70-75, 105-110 or dead Micah - 70, dead Silverio - 65, dead X, Linda - 50, 85 or dead Mahdavi, Enla, Mairwen - 30, 65 or dead Kelner - 20, 55 Prazac - 5, 40 [QUOTE]Originally written by Drow: But Slarty didn't upload these; he sent them to me, so I still have the original files (yes, I do have backups as well...). I've uploaded them again.[QUOTE] Thank goodness, because *I* don't have them anymore. My hard drive fried while it was in storage this summer. @#$@#$... -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| Because it's been forever since the last one in General | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Saturday, September 9 2006 19:41
Profile
Homepage
First, a brief demographic analysis. This includes my answers below but will not be updated beyond them: age 14 XX 15 16 XXX 17 XXX 18 XX 19 XXX 20 XXX 21 XX 22 X 23 X 24 25 26 27 XX coupled? yes XXX no XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX gender M XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX F XXX The status and gender numbers are about usual, but the age results are noticeably different. The median age is about 19, compared to 17, if I remember correctly, early this year, and there is much less of a range on the young end. No doubt this is due to the fact that there hasn't been an SW release lately, so the forum membership is represented less by the fringes and more by the hardcore group of young men without lives. :) -- Age: 23 Height: 5'9" Hair Color: Blond Eye Color: Blue Do you ... Have a tattoo? No Have any peircings? No Have a bf/gf? No Like thunderstorms? If I'm not in a cabin, yes. Ever stop using the computer? All the time these days. It's weird! Have you/Do you have... Considered a life of crime? Steal from the rich, give to the poor. Amen. Split personalities? No. Obsessions? Nothing really rises to that level. Right now... Current clothes: Blue shirt, striped athletic shorts Current mood: Tranquil Current music: none, but somebody else has the TV on in the background, it's some weird scifi movie Current annoyance: My @#%@ broken computer Current thing you should be doing: Sleeping. Favorite... Drink: Vodka with Red Bull. Color: Blue, sure. Candy: Heath bars. Movie: Titus. Or Spirited Away. Person to talk to: An old pal. Do you perfer... McDonalds or Burger King? Wendy's works. Burger King is fine. I avoid fast food though and rarely eat any of it. Root Beer or Dr Pepper? Water. Sunshine or Rain? Sunshine. With wind. Spring or Fall? Fall Winter or Summer? Winter, barely Vanilla or Chocolate? Vanilla, unless swirl is an option Lights on or Off? Well, that depends on who I'm dealing with... typically I'd say off. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| Character Names in Geneforge Series | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Wednesday, August 30 2006 07:26
Profile
Homepage
That reminds me. Was anyone else weirded out when they met the mage named Erika in G3 (in Greiner's Camp)? -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| I need advice in Geneforge Series | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Tuesday, August 29 2006 07:39
Profile
Homepage
The thing you have to remember about the skills is that each one is only good for certain things. That may sound obvious, but that's the thing people seem to not realize. Strength is really only useful if you're using melee attacks, for example. (You need a lot of it to wear enough armor to make a difference, and every character will want more encumbrance at a lot of points in the game.) Similarly, if you aren't using missiles, you can ignore Dexterity completely. There is one big exception, and that is Luck. Luck is one of the most potent and versatile skills. It starts out really cheap, and increasing luck adds to your chance to hit with ANY kind of attack, as well as your chance to dodge any attack. (Buying 3 points of Luck for 4 gives you +6% to hit, compared to 1 point of Strength for 4 giving you +5%. Luck doesn't boost damage, but on higher difficulty you'll want the boost to hit!) It also makes enemies drop more items, which is occasionally useful -- and the cash boost that provides, which can be substantial, is great for missile users. Also, certain skills will get more useful with every point -- Strength and Spellcraft, for example, which boost damage output -- while others have a threshhold of usefulness. Quick Action and Shaping skills become twice as expensive for the same effect once you hit 10, while it's not very helpful to pump Blessing Magic above the minimum for spell requirements. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| About the Ornks in Geneforge Series | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Thursday, August 24 2006 20:50
Profile
Homepage
Close. Actually, Ornks are all descended from the Ornkithopter, who was created out of nothing by the Nine-Headed Cave Cow. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| bashing anvils in Geneforge Series | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Thursday, August 24 2006 10:04
Profile
Homepage
You wouldn't have to be an idiot to make that mistake. The items are only a small shade different in appearance and the names are very similar as well. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| Strategy Central in Geneforge Series | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Wednesday, August 23 2006 18:20
Profile
Homepage
Bump, because this has links to stuff people have been referring to. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| SW & DM2 Fusion! in General | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Tuesday, August 22 2006 09:47
Profile
Homepage
Well, Magma is certainly finding all the great classics to play. Dungeon Master II, woot! Kel as Cordain Dawnkeeper is fing hillarious. But really, Alec ought to be Bane Blade Cleaver. And Alorael as Torham Zed makes about as much sense as MON YA EW. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| Brief Geneforge 4 Update in Geneforge 4: Rebellion | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Monday, August 21 2006 13:58
Profile
Homepage
quote:I just saw this thread, and I am once again excited about G4. Hallelujah for good design decisions! This game is going to be great, and I look forward to having many inane, nitpicky conversations about character builds on this board. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| SW & ST Fusion! in General | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Monday, August 21 2006 13:45
Profile
Homepage
I daresay I object! The fusion's a cute idea and I was actually a big fan of System's Twilight (despite its obvious status as a 3 in Three wannabe). That said, I question a few of the character-spidwebber pairings. Ephesos as Mazer? Myself as Emolpho? And Tyran over there... neh. --slarty, still critical -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| The Abominable Photo Thread Strikes Back in General | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Friday, August 11 2006 17:03
Profile
Homepage
When in the world did Synergy come back? -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| Xylgham udwlnit skretcko!1!! in General | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Saturday, August 5 2006 13:14
Profile
Homepage
I'm not really sticking around. Maybe in a few weeks. But I want to say nice work Tenacious Dikiyoba. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
| Xylgham udwlnit skretcko!1!! in General | |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Monday, July 31 2006 07:24
Profile
Homepage
The Nine-Headed Cave Cow smiles upon thee, Dikiyoba! -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |