Profile for Or else o'erleap.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Displayed name | Or else o'erleap. |
| Member number | 335 |
| Title | Law Bringer |
| Postcount | 14579 |
| Homepage | http://www.polarisboard.net |
| Registered | Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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| Author | Recent posts |
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| MACWorld Hall of Fame 2006 in Avernum 4 | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Monday, December 4 2006 20:38
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It's not a complaint about A4. And while I certainly think G4 is a far better game for 2006, Spiderweb richly deserves its recognition. Congrats, Jeff! —Alorael, who considers A4's style a fair match for that of the other games listed in the Hall of Fame. Take it as you will. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| 1001 in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Monday, December 4 2006 11:37
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Congrats, Tyran! Now do it with another account! —Alorael, who think's Golar's comment to Nioca is misdirected. If anyone is going for #1 it's Nioca. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| All good things must come to an end... in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Monday, December 4 2006 11:32
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You can combine the two: 1 drink for every snide remark. 1 drink for a question that has been asked repeatedly 2 drinks if it's a frequently repeated poll. A very small sip for every instance of a gimmick in action. —Alorael, who used that to regulate his skribbane intake until he realized it was actually decreasing the amount he consumed. Then he just rigged a very nice barrel and straw apparatus. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Light in Geneforge 4: Rebellion | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Monday, December 4 2006 11:28
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I'm reminded of a Grumpy Gamer column from years ago in which Jeff pointed out that games that demand a great deal of realistic but boring management (get a torch blunder around in the dark!) are no fun. He then made lighting an integral part of Exile/Avernum. —Alorael, who is just grateful the Light and Long Light. He also enjoyed lugging around many, many lamps in GF4 until they became worthless after the first few rounds of beta. Then he got rid of them all and sadly got no money for them. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| So, who is the scariest foe? in Geneforge 4: Rebellion | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Sunday, December 3 2006 21:45
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The Parasitic Shade was the first horrific thing I encountered with my band of cryoas. I ran away quickly and came back later. The other undead (and company) in the mine are far worse. I found the twins very creepy. —Alorael, who thinks that hardest enemies and scariest enemies aren't the same thing. Monarch gets more buildup and seems more intimidating than any of the Shaper roadblocks. Many of the roadblocks are harer, but they're not more frightening. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| The abominable winter photo thread! in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Sunday, December 3 2006 21:42
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A man walks down the street in that hat, people know he's not afraid of anything. —Alorael, who respects Egol for trying before bashing. That said, an important part of delegation, an essential skill for all would-be despots, is learning whom to trust. Find the right people for opinions on various topics and you'll waste much less time on, say, Sailor Moon. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Ornk canisters? in Geneforge 4: Rebellion | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Sunday, December 3 2006 10:47
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Not since GF1. I guess Jeff just never took the ornks back out. —Alorael, who thinks he can see a new torment challenge. Anyone up for ornk-only shock trooper? Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| All good things must come to an end... in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Sunday, December 3 2006 10:45
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I can't actually write this way. The signatures are too ingrained. —Alorael, whose resolution lasted less than 24 hours. He really is a Spiderwebber. Maybe he should have saved it for New Years. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| So, who is the scariest foe? in Geneforge 4: Rebellion | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Sunday, December 3 2006 10:43
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The effect was spoiled for me when I went to the rubble pile before going through the passage. The rotting scent made me immediately expect rotghroths. Buffing makes everything less scary. —Alorael, who had several scary moments in the second chapter when running into shades with an army of cryoas and nothing but cryoas. Monarch built up fear well, although he wasn't actually hard, and Mystithus evoked panic on the second attempt. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| All good things must come to an end... in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Sunday, December 3 2006 00:00
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Uh, thanks. To clarify any mysteries, I was impressed by the accidental matching of dates for 50% of my time spent namechanging and my fifth Spiderweb anniversary. I decided to do something to commemorate it and made a suitably ambiguous post without having decided what to do. Many good suggestions were made here, but I ultimately decided to sacrifice the one thing that's been with me since the very beginning. No, you may not have it. Since I have trouble letting anything go, however, I expect this resolution to have an even shorter duration than Alec's previous departures from Spiderweb, possibly including the ironic ones. This may even be shorter than Aran's departure. (Now I don't know how to write without a signature. I want to make a comment about possibly creating another account just for using the gimmick, but I have nowhere to put it. Parentheses aren't an acceptable substitute!) —Alorael, who retracts thoroughly. No half measures are acceptable! [ Sunday, December 03, 2006 10:46: Message edited by: Panic Ensues ] Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| All good things must come to an end... in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Saturday, December 2 2006 13:08
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I listed some good things on Spiderweb. Spiderweb is not, however, a good thing. It is an evil and unholy thing, and therefore unlikely to end before the Forum of Unconscionably Large Number comes. No, I'm not going anywhere. It's nice to know I'm loved, though, but the effect just isn't the same without Alec and TM giving a balancing perspective. —Alorael, who lies continuously and shamelessly. It's a weakness unless you're a cynic, in which case it's perfect. [ Sunday, December 03, 2006 10:48: Message edited by: Panic Ensues ] Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| All good things must come to an end... in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, December 1 2006 14:15
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I've been here for exactly five years. I've changed my name on almost exactly half of the days during which I've posted, although it comes out to a little more than half the time because of missed days. I've posted more times than anyone ever should. (I still don't have a custom title. I've had some post count titles that no one else ever has, sometimes the same ones on non-consecutive occasions, but nothing custom. That's life, I guess.) There have been some good conspiracies (and some bad ones), some good discussions (and many bad ones), and some good people (no further comment). It's been fun, Spiderweb. —Alorael, who has written quite a few of these signatures, and quite a few of them have been very self-referential. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Eliza's quest in Geneforge 4: Rebellion | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, December 1 2006 14:04
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And Moseh, too. I noticed Moseh was an unusual name, but I didn't think Jeff was referencing Stephenson until I found the other two as well. —Alorael, who thinks Eliza and Moseh work fine as funny fantasy names. Shaftoe stands out like a sore digit. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Statistics:Topics Derailed in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, December 1 2006 14:01
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Don't make me lock this. Most topics don't last long enough to get derailed, and most game threads stay focused. Also, I think there's a difference between conversation drift, which is fine, and derailment, which is sadly frequent. And sometimes fine, I guess. —Alorael, who thinks some topics need to be derailed as quickly as possible. When there's nothing good and relevant to say, say something good anyway! Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Chapters and Creations in Geneforge 4: Rebellion | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, December 1 2006 13:58
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Drayks are banned. Rotghroths don't seem to be, although I didn't know they ever were and didn't pay any attention. "Chapters" are areas. When there's a major barrier you can't pass until the plot tells you to, it's a chapter. The Forsaken Lands are the first one, then the rest of that zone map section, then the section to the north, and so on. —Alorael, who thinks these chapters are slightly more subtle than Exile/Avernum 2's ultimately meaningless but very obvious chapters. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Best Game Ever? in Geneforge 4: Rebellion | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, December 1 2006 10:05
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That "possibly" was not a serious addition. I don't really consider it part of the Avernum trilogy. I do like its Avernized engine slightly more than Geneforges, but the plot leaves a bit to be desired. —Alorael, who inserted the "a bit" humorously as well. Don't question. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Best Game Ever? in Geneforge 4: Rebellion | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, December 1 2006 08:56
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I still think Nethergate is the best and I still like A2 more, but aside from my problems with the Geneforge engine and premise I agree that this game is the best. —Alorael, who still thinks he'd rate the entire Avernum series (with the possible exception of A4) over Geneforge 4. A series is better than a lone game, and he still can't quite play the first three Geneforges. The fourth one has a few missing pieces as a consequence. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| The Fall of the Cryoan Empire in Geneforge 4: Rebellion | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, December 1 2006 08:47
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I think the key is that you absolutely need magic. I have no objection to getting better shaping from a warrior, but the loss of magic hurts a lot. —Alorael, who should play as a lifecrafter again to decide whether it's more fun (not more optimal) to regularly get your creations killed in huge battles and then nonchalantly replace them. You lose a few creation levels but also a few levels of stress. That character is also a shoe-in as a Shaper. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| The Fall of the Cryoan Empire in Geneforge 4: Rebellion | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, November 30 2006 21:02
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I agree about the lack of a need for things that go boom. Did anyone ever use pyroroamers in previous Geneforges? Still, you don't really need much more than cryoas, drayks, drakons, maybe some wingbolts and gazers, and roamers for special occasions. There are two sides to the servile that you seem to like. One is being able to do damage. Lifecrafters can match magical damage and they don't even try physical damage because there's another drakon for that. Or two. I think the lifecrafter comes out ahead there. The other is being able to sit in the thick of things and survive. Serviles can pull it off. Lifecrafters aren't as good at it, but you make it sound like they drop dead when targeted by vigorous sneezes. A well-madae lifecrafter should have plenty of health (yes, that means endurance) and enough strength to wear decent armor. No, they won't surive standing around in a melee alone, but lifecrafters should never take more than one or two hits in a round. You've got creations to steal attention, magic to keep yourself healthy, and plenty of AP to get you out of the way. —Alorael, who thinks perhaps the problem is different lifecrafter builds. Since you really don't need so much shaping, especially at high levels, why are the lifecrafters turning into glass cannons (or maybe glass leash holders)? The skills that really help you not die (as opposed to kill things with a sword) are no harder for lifecrafters than serviles. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Special Title! in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, November 30 2006 17:48
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Because I'm bored, here's a list of members up to #500 who still post (with a few exceptions): Spidweb TM (banned but around) MM (occasionally) *i Drakey Saunders (occasionally) Alec (now temporarily banned and apparently permanently gone) Sullust (occasionally) Archmage Alex (ocasionally) Alex (ocasionally) Khoth Imban (looming frighteningly) Ash Luz (ocasionally) VCH Slarty Solberg With yours truly, that's only 18, or 3.6%. That's not much, but it's more than my estimate of the ratio of total (sporadically) active members to members. —Alorael, who concludes that being or having been a mod or admin is good for duration of stay. It's also surprisingly likely to get you banned. Go figure. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| The Fall of the Cryoan Empire in Geneforge 4: Rebellion | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, November 30 2006 17:37
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And a lifecrafter who does the same is less of a cuisinart and more of an excuse to tote several cuisinarts. Yes, a servile can have some creations, but he has to sacrifice either quantity or have more of a lower tier. Just like the serviles' extra health helps immensely in combat, I've found that lifecrafters are significantly superior at shaping even without any real skill investment. With just intelligence and endurance and enough shaping to make things they are frighteningly effective. —Alorael, whose first lifecrafter was guilty of exteme use of nerd skills and eventually got stuck in Burwood. A new lifecrafter started around the time of the big beta changes with a few nerd skills, endurance, intelligence, magic, and just enough shaping to make the necessary creations bulldozed through the parts of Burwood that were previously lethal. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Special Title! in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, November 30 2006 14:01
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Everyone is special one way or another. If you can't figure out how you're special you probably don't want to know, of course. —Alorael, who believes SMoE asked *i nicely and privately while Drakey was away and got exactly what he asked for. There are several lessons in this: titles were easier to come by in the good old days, *i's evil is growing, and the same trick never works twice. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Off-Track in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, November 30 2006 12:22
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It's not very tricky at all. I like to think of it as moderately snide, though. —Alorael, who demands evidence of nominal winning from your nominal contest. Are there notional prizes? Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| The Fall of the Cryoan Empire in Geneforge 4: Rebellion | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, November 30 2006 12:20
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I feel slightly stupid for not realizing that shaping skill benefits tapered off, but now I can understand why shaping becomes slightly less absurdly powerful at high levels. I agree with your analysis of classes up to a point. Your need for shaping skill is limited, so for fighter types that's the lowest priority; magic is essential. Thus serviles trump warriors, shock troopers are in an unfortunate position, and while I never played an infiltrator I'll accept that it can't quite match the servile either. Where I disagree is in the analysis of the servile and the lifecrafter. They're equal in magic, but a lifecrafter (as I played it) doesn't need or really benefit from any fighting skill at all. All those skill points are better spent on magic or a little bit of shaping or, often, Endurance to make the character less fragile. The result can't tank like a servile, but the extra skill points and essence pull the lifecrafter ahead in army creation and in magic use. I'm not convinced that an attacking servile is worth a few powerful creations on your side. —Alorael, who concludes that a class with lifecrafter bonuses and magic and shaping reversed would be utterly broken. That isn't quite what the fifth class would have been, but it's probably for the best that it was omitted. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |