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Regulation - Complexity sidebar in Geneforge 4: Rebellion
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Thursday, May 10 2007 10:48 Profile Homepage #20
I think the last paragraph of the link you posted is the most telling. Increases of "specified complexity" are possible in principle but infrequent in practice. This is absolutely true and nobody, IDer or neo-Darwinist, disagrees. The leap to "unlikely means it didn't happen" is where we disagree.

—Alorael, who thinks that the qualitative definition of specified complexity that seems to be coming up is utility. Doing something is more useful than doing nothing. Doing something poorly is less useful than doing it well. Argument again comes up in border cases: is doing ten things poorly better or worse than doing only one thing extremely well?
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Storage Places in Avernum I in The Avernum Trilogy
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Tuesday, May 8 2007 12:21 Profile Homepage #7
quote:
Originally written by Don't marry her. Buy a house.:

and the occasional monster that abuses spellcasters so that they may not be able to do their jobs.
While I guess this could include dying, I did mean mung demons here.

—Alorael, who didn't like those demons. He found them dumb. Hyuk hyuk Thuryl.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Resource editors? in Blades of Avernum Editor
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Tuesday, May 8 2007 10:51 Profile Homepage #1
How about ResKnife?

—Alorael, who still uses ResEdit with Classic. He's not looking forward to that aspect of the transition to Intel when it's time for a new computer.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
I just thought some of you might want to be informed of this potential heretic. in Richard White Games
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Monday, May 7 2007 19:10 Profile Homepage #4
As much as you like playing the victim of admins card, you really should stop using that image. It's just a tad over the lines of the CoC.

—Alorael, who delivers this as an official warning. Find some less atrocious way of mocking the RW cult.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Storage Places in Avernum I in The Avernum Trilogy
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Monday, May 7 2007 14:47 Profile Homepage #5
There's never a time when your ability to use spells is capriciously taken from you. The only obstacles you'll run into are places where your enemies are unaffected by your spells (buffs and healing are still great!), places where you run out of enemy, and the occasional monster that abuses spellcasters so that they may not be able to do their jobs.

—Alorael, who has gone through most of the Avernums by collecting everyone potion he can find, never buying or selling any, and leaving them somewhere safe for the day he might need them. Of course he never remembers to get them when he might need them, so it's not really useful.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
RW is Alive! in Richard White Games
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, May 6 2007 13:01 Profile Homepage #20
Thread necromancy is bad. So is stealin' my sig.

—Alorael, who delivers unto this thread the death that it may die.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
To Relieve my lack of info.... in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, May 6 2007 13:00 Profile Homepage #24
quote:
Originally written by Nija_Halycron:

I've been on forums that sell games across the world, no Jews, they only seem to appear in small numbers on forums like this.
On how many of those forums do members' religions come up regularly? Actually, who do you know is Jewish on Spiderweb and how?

—Alorael, who doesn't think he came name anyone's religions on most forums. Spiderweb has an unusual number of census-type threads that bring it up and an unusual number of debates that somehow end up involving religious discussion.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
To Relieve my lack of info.... in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, May 6 2007 10:36 Profile Homepage #15
8. The cult of Dikiyoba is a cult. Obviously. If you have to ask you'll never know.

9. Swiss bank accounts murdered my family.

10. IFM is sometimes spammy and sometimes attention-seeking. He joined as a typical youngish member, and immediately got pegged as an Ed. That's unfair to Iffy, who's really not as bad as that. He's still around because he's persistent enough to endure abuse both warranted and unwarranted and because he hasn't done anything to get himself banned.

I should note here that "youngish members" are not always a bad thing and that I have nothing against them. Age profiling online is a pet peeve of mine, and I usually prefer not to know ages unless they're actually relevant. But that's a rant for another time.

11. The boards are pruned when the threads start taking up too much space. Aran hosts archives here.

12. Is it? While most members don't trumpet their religions, I'm aware of only four Jews among the more active members. That's really not so many. Why is Spiderweb so popular among the Finns?

13. An admin has become a non-admin, but no admin or former admin has ever been banned.

—Alorael, who isn't quite sure what the Jewish nation even means. If nation is being used with the standard nation-state confusion, it's Israel. If not, the nation seems entirely unnecessary.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Got ethics? in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, May 5 2007 17:46 Profile Homepage #11
I think society is obligated to show appreciation for the rescuer even if he or she claims to have done it unintentionally. That's a socially important thing to do because inspiring like actions is a good thing. The problem of Utilitarianism isn't really a problem. Everyone deserves to be saved. (Yes, I do really mean everyone!) Some might be better to save than others, but that's a personal choice on how much risk you're willing to accept for whatever good you think you'll do.

Excalibur, my cynicism isn't social Darwinism. I just tend to dislike people, so I can humorously (but not seriously!) say that letting them die is just fine. Evolution comes in as an explanation for why we feel a moral obligation to save others in the first place. A society that looks after its own does better than one full of selfishness, so we've all come out more or less interested in the good of our fellow man.

—Alorael, who finds both Utilitarianism and evolutionary anthropology fascinating. The former is an ethical system that is both eminently pragmatic and sometimes deeply disquieting, and the latter explains a great deal about humanity, but often with barely disguised elitism. Both are way off topic.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Got ethics? in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, May 5 2007 10:38 Profile Homepage #7
Thin Air: I think your friend's view is that saving the stranger gets you karma A because that's what you did regardless of what you thought you were doing. But what if you push someone who's about to step into oncoming traffic in the hopes that they'll fall over and be killed and they fall backwards and don't get hit? Your intention was murderous and the result was saving a stranger. Under her system, you've just done a good deed. That seems perverse to me.

—Alorael, who wouldn't want to have to quantify the value of human life. He'll admit, though, that his willingness to risk his life for a total stranger is much more limited than his willigness to risk his life for someone he knows. He could claim cynically that most people don't deserve to be saved, but instead he'll blame evolution.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Deathmatch Tournament -- Round Two, Part One in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, May 5 2007 00:44 Profile Homepage #30
quote:
Originally written by Dr. Johann Georg Faust:

quote:
Originally written by Yama:

seeded players
If you've explained that term already, feel free to comment on my lack of attention and post a link. Otherwise, well, explain.
Seeding can be complicated, but here I think Slarty just means the competitors who got a bye in the first round.

—Alorael, who should probably explain byes as well. Because of the matchups, not everyone got a first round opponent. Getting through a round without actually competing is having a bye.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Got ethics? in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Saturday, May 5 2007 00:38 Profile Homepage #2
I think the question here is much simpler and doesn't require the story. Should the moral value of an action be judged by the actor's beliefs at the time of action or by the reality of the situation?

In my opinion, the former has more weight. If saving a stranger has moral value A, saving a loved one has moral value B, and letting a stranger die has moral value C, you've just earned B for your karma because that's what you thought you were doing.

By the same token, I think that Milgram experiment test subjects are morally accountable for delivering shocks even though no such shocks were given and that attempted murder that results in wounding is a more serious crime than attempted wounding that results in murder.

—Alorael, who understands that this ethical view is difficult to align with criminal justice systems and often with practicality. In the original example, he thinks it might be best to say you meant to save a stranger. You get some undeserved accolades, but you make the saved party feel better and provide an example to future Hollywood-style saviors. It's a matter of ethical utility calculus.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Deathmatch Tournament -- Round Two, Part One in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Friday, May 4 2007 16:05 Profile Homepage #19
quote:
Originally written by Delicious Vlish:

Hmm would exposing the location of long hinted at vlish nipples turn the odds in my favour?
So Synergy whips out his new age buzzwords and DV counters by whipping his nipples out of... somewhere. I think the tides have turned.

—Alorael, who has to give the match to DV on the basis of surprise. Everyone's seen Syn's buzzwords before. The vlish anatomy is still a strange and frightening weapon.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Deathmatch Tournament -- Round Two, Part One in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Friday, May 4 2007 13:43 Profile Homepage #10
1. It doesn't matter how many times Lazarus comes back. He'll never be undead. Thus, while Ephesos will be terribly torn between the imperatives of healing and destroying, he'll get his retribution in eventually.

2. Insults versus insults, sword versus sword! Demonslayer is impressive, but Alec has experience and two-fisted fury to back him up. Also, he probably has most of Doston on his side somehow.

3. The only thing more deadly than velociraptors is velociraptors with a plan. A script is, among other things, a plan. Besides, Diki has already created the greatest horrors for her works. Pencils and cuteness do not prevail.

4. Thralni has flight and chikens, but Thuryl has a messiah, punniness, and snark on his side. (Also, he's naked under his clothes.) The battle will be fierce, but in the end the heartthrob of Spiderweb will be able to call upon his fanboys and fangirls. Thuryl for the win.

5. Power gaming versus power gaming! Tentacle versus baton! DV will quickly take the lead with a daring assault on Synergy's vulnerable mind, which is poorly protected by alternative medicine. Just when defeat seems certain, though, Synergy will unzip his pants and whip out a new age buzzword. It's all over.

6. For all his might, MagmaDragoon is only cool. Tyran is also blue and nekkid and violent. He'll chat up a storm, and when Magma is least expecting it Tyran will put him in a wicker chatroom and set him on fire.

7. Alex is equipped to remove all sanity, but Finns don't have any. Riibu will attack from behind while invisible and probably win. Actually, she already won as of a week from Tuesday. Unfortunately, that's not today. Alex's implants give him a non-Euclidean advantage and his stick-figure horde gives him an advantage of numbers.

8. Saunders has planning, and after the experience of children very little can be terrifying. Schro has rocks with which to bludgeon and is an expert in FAQSELF, but what he needs now is FAQSAUNDERS. I predict a very genteel fight over tea and quilting. The end is really anyone's guess.

—Alorael, who thinks the battle may drag on very politely until it's Mother's Day in the USA, at which point Schro will have to politely concede.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Deathmatch Tournament -- Round One, Part Two in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Thursday, May 3 2007 15:23 Profile Homepage #54
This from the man behind EVOL? I'm disappointed, Zeviz. Truly and deeply disappointed. I, for one, make all my decisions on the basis of who has slipped me bigger bribes. If neither party is wise enough to do so, I make my choices based on whose victory is most likely to result in future bribes.

—Alorael, who can at least claim to be highly impartial in his method of judgment. Everyone has an equal chance!
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Deathmatch Tournament -- Round One, Part One in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Thursday, May 3 2007 15:19 Profile Homepage #73
However high the variable that stores experience will go, I assume.

—Alorael, who now wants a Ridiculously High Level Party Maker and scenarios that use it. If it can be done, it must be done. For science!
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Deathmatch Tournament -- Main Thread in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Thursday, May 3 2007 10:45 Profile Homepage #58
quote:
Originally written by Imban:

So far, borders are white for normal people, cyan for moderators, and pink for ex-moderators.
Pink for ex-admins, too, although Zeviz is an ex-mod too. Are there any other ex-admins? Alec doesn't count despite his title.

—Alorael, who questions the neuronormative attitude taken here. The fact that no one else has brought up their disorders doesn't mean they're not present.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Deathmatch Tournament -- Round One, Part Two in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Wednesday, May 2 2007 08:53 Profile Homepage #11
1. Jewels has Christ on her side. He's immune to the temptations of the sutras.

2. While others have made good points, no one has noticed that Ash has already proven himself capable of binary fission. He wins by numbers.

3. Goldenking is already a marked man for trying to take my skribbane. Even if he wins, he loses. Round goes to Zephyr, who knows that some lines should not be crossed.

4. Marlenny has multiple accounts on her side, but Nico has multiple stabbings. Also eyebrows.

5. Magma doesn't even have to do the job himself. Others would be happy to do it for him. Besides, I hear he eats muffins for breakfast sometimes.

6. MM has come back from the dead before, but Zeviz stood against the hordes of Tim. No contest.

7. SoT will reduce all opposition to approximations.

8. Riibu will chart a path to victory and then follow it. As an experienced Finn she's used to trekking uphill both ways in the snow anyway.

—Alorael, who thinks this would be much more interesting if the winners could loot the bodies and souls of the losers. Just sayin'...
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Deathmatch Tournament -- Round One, Part One in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Monday, April 30 2007 19:33 Profile Homepage #22
quote:
Originally written by Muffinking:

un- negative term, previously positive
dead- not living

undead- once living, not anymore
So undead means dead? Let's try again.

Un: Not
Dead: Not living

Undead: No longer not living. To wit, alive.

Okay, that's not any more satisfying. I'm going to have to go with undead meaning creepy, unnatural restoration of ambulatory power and possibly desire for brains in a corpse. Or a spirit, in a pinch.

—Alorael, who thinks Alcritas would beat everyone here. That's the important thing.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Deathmatch Tournament -- Main Thread in General
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Monday, April 30 2007 15:23 Profile Homepage #17
Lone Flame is himself and always has been. He holds the distinction of having been unCanned, and that's about all I can think of.

—Alorael, who is excited by the novel typo of his name. Aloreal is trite and betrays lack of attention to detail, but Aloraeal has a certain ring to it.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Avernum 5, April Update in Avernum 4
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
 written Sunday, April 29 2007 20:12 Profile Homepage #35
Animation works in G4 because movement is real-time, not turn-based. Animating turn-based movement would either slow things down painfully or become unspeakably bizarre-looking.

—Alorael, who agrees that A5 could have animated movement in combat. It just has to be limited to the times when only one thing is moving at a time.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00

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