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Suicide in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Thursday, March 11 2004 15:19 Profile Homepage #68
quote:
Originally written by Chuck:

A young man in the town I'm currently living in took his lafe by throwing himself off of a bridge, it was his second attempt. Why would and adult want so badly as to end a life that seemed perfect for him.
Obviously his life didn't seem perfect to him, even if it did seem so to you. It may have been something you didn't know. Or it may have been clinical depression, again caused by chemical imbalance. Teenagers are prone to it because of elevated hormone levels that may cause regulation problems, but adults can and do become clinically depressed.

quote:
Originally written by Chuck:

I'm not talking about sitting a baby down, alone and watching it try to pick itself up. I'm setting a baby down with help from its mother to help it learn to walk. Where did you get a paraplegic baby?
Someone who is depressed has a mind that is not functioning physically in the same way as yours. Keeping the will to live is a struggle for them, and the simple aid of a few pills can make all the difference. You wouldn't give someone with limited control of their legs no help in walking. Don't give someone with limited control of their emotions no help in staying sane and alive.

More graphically, if your legs were hacked off, would you like people to tell you to get up and shake it off or would you like someone to stop the bleeding and attach prostheses?

[Edit: Formattin[i]g problem[/i]s.]

?Alorael, who has a bipolar cousin. While he is medicated he is normal and fairly happy, although his life is in shambles form the first onset of his disorder. When he's off medication, he is a completely different person, and sometimes suicidal. Which situation is more normal and healthy? Is medication a sign of weakness or just a sign of different needs?

[ Thursday, March 11, 2004 15:21: Message edited by: Alorael ]
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Question regarding luck in Nethergate
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, March 10 2004 13:09 Profile Homepage #1
Luck has no effect on wandering encounters. Nature lore (or whatever it's called) does, but only in giving you the option of avoiding some battles. You can always fight if you want to.

—Alorael, who can't think of any skills that have penalties for becoming more proficient. Well, except the berserker skill, but that is clearly states in the skill's description.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Suicide in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, March 10 2004 13:02 Profile Homepage #44
Suicidal people do need pity. They do not need encouragement. They need genuine medical help. Giving them a slap on the back to get going won't do it.

To continue your metaphor, it would be like making a paraplegic baby stand up and walk on his own. Not everyone is capable. Find a pair of crutches and the baby may eventually be able to move himself. Provide words and you're only adding to the problem.

?Alorael, who would again like to point out the fact that somehow mental problems are considered failures while physical problems are considered unfortunate coincidences. Why is it that amputation of every limb is considered a tragedy but amputation of the will to use them is considered shameful?
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Suicide in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Tuesday, March 9 2004 15:31 Profile Homepage #20
It's no more weakness to die of suicide than to die of cancer. Societally we view psychological problems as somehow the fault of the one who is sick, while physical problems are clearly bad luck. That's idiocy, especially when so many of our mental illnesses are caused by physiological situations, hormone imbalances, and other problems clearly not purely mental in origin. Claiming someone is weak because they die of depression is like claiming someone is weak because they catch pneumonia. If they had stronger lungs, they wouldn't have, obviously!

Personally, I would categorize someone deciding to die after a long illness differently. That's not suicide from depression, that's suicide to avoid clear, irreparable physical pain. Depression can often be treated. Terminal illness in old age cannot. Choosing euthanasia is not weakness, nor do I view it as morally repugnant.

?Alorael, who looks at it this way. If someone has a festering, gangrenous, unsalvageable limb, it is amputated. Nobody claims that it is best to leave the limb on as long as possible. In a physically ruined, agonizing life, the same is true.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Missiles/Abilities in Blades of Avernum
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Monday, March 8 2004 15:23 Profile Homepage #7
Equipment presumably makes some difference. If you've played through the Avernum games, you should also recall those annoying times you encounter something pathetic with access to wands or scrolls. Even a goblin can be a threat if it sprays lightning at you.

—Alorael, who doesn't know if more complicated weapon abilities will work. Could you give a goblin the Thirsting Blade and have it regenerate? Presumably that works as a skill boost, and monsters don't have skills, so it might not be possible.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Slith Homeland in Blades of Avernum
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Monday, March 8 2004 15:19 Profile Homepage #30
It's possible that they're similar humanoids. Nothing says that the frescoes are completely realistic, so it would be easy enough to overlook minor differences as part of the style.

—Alorael, who also sees no reason that a few people could not have discovered Avernum earlier than the Empire at large and used it as a place of refuge. Unlikely, but before Avernum the Empire was big on capital punishment. If a group voluntarily banished themselves to the caves, set up a life there, and ultimately died out, they could have left intriguing ruins.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
This sentence describes a topic containing an entirely self-referential short story. in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, March 7 2004 18:04 Profile Homepage #8
The story strongly implies that it was written by one David Moser, and if Alec found it it was presumably published in some form, electronic or otherwise.

?Alorael, who thinks it would be entertaining to write posts in that self-referential style. At least for a short time. With sentence fragments. Then it would be a pain to read and even more of a pain to write.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
This sentence describes a topic containing an entirely self-referential short story. in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, March 7 2004 09:54 Profile Homepage #4
I, for one, found that to be an unusual coherent and touching piece of literature. Anyone who cannot empathize with Billy's plight, or at least the authors, should be shot shortly after the protagonist and his creator.

?Alorael, who does like. Sentence fragments. Except. When they are used. In places where a. Sentence would. Serve better.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Of Damage Caps & Screenshots in Blades of Avernum
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Thursday, March 4 2004 17:45 Profile Homepage #5
No, the combat system will still use the inflated damage of A3. I wish it were otherwise, but to the best of my knowledge it isn't.

—Alorael, who would rather not see screenshots. It will look like A3, except for the editor, which has already been seen and which isn't visually exciting.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Newbie Questions in Nethergate
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, March 3 2004 16:29 Profile Homepage #2
Draining attacks cause you to lose some experience. It's not much, but too many draining hits can add up and make it more difficult to hear the precious clink of a new skill point.

—Alorael, who doesn't recall any skill letting you get herbs at random while wandering. There are spots where herbs grow scattered throughout the outdoors, and herbs regrow every so often. To pick them, you need to have a certain amount of some secondary skill that is based on both Herbcraft and Woodscraft.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
For all the English kniggets out there... in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, March 3 2004 15:43 Profile Homepage #27
I'm an herbal tea drinker. Black tea is too bitter for me, but herbal tea can add just a bit of taste and sweetness to a cup of hot water. I'm not really a habitual drinker, though. Most of what I drink is plain old room temperature water.

—Alorael, who dislikes hot fruit juices. They have too strong a taste, usually. Cooling them down makes them more palatable, probably because a cold tongue is too busy being numb to report taste.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Purpose? in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, March 3 2004 15:20 Profile Homepage #54
I think a problem here is the difference between casual sex and premarital sex. Hopping into bed after a first date is a good way to ruin a potentially good relationship. Ignorance does not help anything.

Aside from religious and legal aspects, there is nothing special about the institution of marriage. If you get along with someone, know them, and fall in love with them, there's no reason why you shouldn't have sex before formalizing the match. It's not special the first time only if it has been sanctified by an institution.

—Alorael, who has seen couples fixate on marriage so much that they lose sight of each other. They get married and then realize that they just made a really bad choice. Points of no return, divorce aside, are not necessarily good.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Slith Homeland in Blades of Avernum
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Tuesday, March 2 2004 14:01 Profile Homepage #6
The sliths you meet in Avernum are the barbaric, demon-worshipping undesirables who were banished from their homeland much like the Avernites were banished from the surface, only for better cause. The majority of the sliths are probably less warlike.

—Alorael, who is fairly sure that the two races have had no contact for a very long time. The vahnatai know of the sliths, but their territories are distant.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
What Kinds of Girls do you Like? in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Tuesday, March 2 2004 13:48 Profile Homepage #258
I snipe and I snipe, but nothing happens! Why won't this topic die!?

—Alorael, who contributes this utterly worthless post on behalf of nobody in particular. Time for him to saunter back off to the mod board or something!
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Purpose? in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Monday, March 1 2004 15:26 Profile Homepage #32
Spiderweb is a scary place under the thin veneer of light-hearted fun.

—Alorael, who has never deeply considered deepening his relationship with any animal to the point where sex would be appropriate. Most just aren't good enough conversationalists to be attractiv.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Should we have a chat room? in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Monday, March 1 2004 14:51 Profile Homepage #49
Now that this topic has reached the dubious pinnacle of having chatrooms posted, it's time for it to die before it can reach the long spiral into true awfulness. If you have any important questions regarding chatrooms or IRC, I recommend private messages.

—Alorael, who considers this both preemptive and slightly late topic locking. Direct all complaints to him via PM as well.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Should we have a chat room? in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, February 29 2004 10:07 Profile Homepage #15
If you want a chatroom, go ahead and make one. You'll see for yourself how many people will choose to avail themselves of it. I'd guess that it would not be many, but I could be wrong.

—Alorael, who misses Room 3. Life's just not the same without rampant insanity and, yes, even rampant inanity.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Purpose? in General
Or else o'erleap.
Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, February 28 2004 13:51 Profile Homepage #14
Romance, particularly when it leads leads to a more or less permanent link between a man and a woman, exists for sound biological reasons. You'll notice that many animals form "families" with mated pairs. One can provide for the other, both can care for children, and so on.

That doesn't make romance an illusion. On the contrary, the ability to pair with a mate permanently may well have been a trait that gave an evolutionary advantage. If so, our ideas of romance are the culmination of millions of years of biological programming and are one of the strongest facets of our emotional makeup.

—Alorael, who would call romantic attachment almost as important as love of children to creating a successful family unit and raising babies who will survive to have more babies.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Census of Spiderweb community in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, February 28 2004 13:42 Profile Homepage #2
Actually, census topics come up regularly. I'd fill this one out, but I'm too lazy and it lacks amusing questions for me to pretend to be witty with.

—Alorael, who can say one thing. He's not a septuagenarian eskimo, although he's only 16 years shy of that illustrious age and he does live in Alaska.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Purpose? in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, February 28 2004 07:19 Profile Homepage #6
Biologically, sex is for procreation. As thinking beings, or at least beings with the delusion of thought, we attach all kinds of significance to it that is all in our minds. The point of eating is to obtain materials for maintaining our bodies and energy to let if function, but people eat for many more reasons than that.

Basically, sex is whatever you make of it.

—Alorael, who only has to present different cultures' views to show that there is no natural human view of sex.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Religion, Homosexuality, Etc. in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Friday, February 27 2004 18:25 Profile Homepage #17
When you can accuse and receive a defensive response, you may be justified. "You drink to much!" followed by "No I don't!" is a good sign that you're on the right track. "You haven't let Jesus into your heart!" followed by "Sure I have!" is the same thing.

If your accusation can be met with a counter-accusation, it's best to leave well enough alone. "You need to go to church!" is not very good when the rejoinder is "No, you need to go to synagogue," or "No, you're a sanctimonious believer in an obviously false doctrine."

Live and let live. Look at the number of religions extant, and realize that the odds are against you having it right.

—Alorael, who is sure that God(s) get(s) a lot of amusement from religious squabbles. Well, assuming He is or They are cynic(s). But just look at the world. Isn't it obvious that He is or They are?
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
is english a first language?? in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Friday, February 27 2004 12:14 Profile Homepage #2
We have a large population of Finns and assorted other non-native speakers (or typers, as the case may be). We also have members who don't spell impeccably and occasionally make grammatical errors.

A third possibility is that you've been reading posts that include the time-honored Spiderweb tradition of mockery through syntax. The most egregious of errors, when committed by those who normally have no trouble with English, are generally recognized as intentional and humorous.

—Alorael, who si not oposed to ocasionle speling hummor. It cna be very funney altho this signatore is just stupid.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
New char types in Blades of Avernum
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Friday, February 27 2004 12:03 Profile Homepage #5
Blades of Avernum is A3 with a scenario editor and a few changed spells. That's the point. That's all it is, although with scripts and work that can be a whole lot. New races would not add that much, and they would require many more graphics. New classes would add nothing, as almost everyone uses custom characters anyway.

—Alorael, who would not want BoA stripped of its Avernite engine roots. Avernum isn't cluttered with races and classes, and it's best that way.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
General: The New Misc? in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Friday, February 27 2004 11:53 Profile Homepage #9
General was supposed to be about Spiderweb. Misc. was home to topics about everything, including the infamous pointless polls. The difference now is that General is still mostly spam-free, and the vast majority of topics at least start with a purpose.

—Alorael, who misses Misc. It had a certain ambience that General lacks. It had spirit. It had elections. You know you should have voted for Alcritas!
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
With Apologies To The JC Players in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Thursday, February 26 2004 17:06 Profile Homepage #6
Please refrain from trolling.

—Alorael, who can see only one good outcome from this topic: locking! And what do you know, it happened!
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00

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