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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| Good news! in Geneforge 4: Rebellion | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Sunday, November 5 2006 10:38
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Breeding doesn't do you much good if you don't have Nutritious Goo with Calcium to feed the little ones. They might be dying before you realize that they're born. You'll get some in a few of the Shaper clubs, but it helps to have Botany. —Alorael, who is currently playing the Shaper side and finding that inviting the drakons to dinner is just as hard. Ur-ornks are surprisingly resilient. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| A new lofty position in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Sunday, November 5 2006 10:31
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Congratulations, *i, but I must confess that I'm somewhat disappointed. You actually picked a round multiple of 1000. What happened to rejection of the dominant paradigm? —Alorael, who in other news advocates the use of the metric system on Spiderweb. Three kiloposts sounds more dignified than three thousand posts. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| My first celebration topic... in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Saturday, November 4 2006 19:20
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I'll never make it to 10,000! Okay, maybe not never, but it'll be a few years at least. —Alorael, who thinks he can confidently say that he'll never make it to 100,000. It's potentially possible, but he doesn't anticipate being around for several decades. If the PPP makes that seem ironic one day, well, there will be irony to go around. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Computer Advice in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Saturday, November 4 2006 19:16
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If you've got $2000 and you can get a great gaming machine, have fun putting together something exciting. If your father is careful with his budget, you can get a basic workhorse out of the cheapest parts you can find. Which one are you aiming for, and which is plausible? —Alorael, who agrees about the Mac. Everything I've seen since the Performa has become obsolete but never stopped working. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Mindcontrol - sort of in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Saturday, November 4 2006 19:07
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I don't trust anyone to rewrite the memories of everyone in the world to create a new history. (And the written record as well, I assume.) If we're going with super history alteration, though, I again find myself agreeing with Ola on a few things. Racism can probably be eliminated. In the case he mentioned, he's got cause and effect reversed. Europe wanted slaves and Africa was unable (and in some cases unwilling) to oppose European intrusions, so slavery was justified by declaring Africans inferior. Remove that record from history and all the millions of incidents based on it and you'd have a very different world, but one with substantially less racism. Of course systematic discrimination on principle isn't the only thing in play. People generally don't like people who are different, and different colors come with different cultures and different socioeconomic groups. As long as we're messing with people's minds, let's make multiculturalism universally accepted. Hooray (maybe)! We're all-powerful psychics, right? That said, I think fear and hatred of difference is probably so ingrained that you couldn't leave anyone's brain substantially intact and free of racism. Religion hasn't done anything that can't be replaced by non-religious social institutions. If you need religion to make you good then I question what kind of good you believe in and why you follow it. What prevents the social functions of the church (or the Church) from being undertaken by an entirely secular organization? No, not all religion is bad, but religion has been and continues to be bad and none of its good is inherently religious. —Alorael, who sees a great deal of 1984 in Tully's changing history. If nobody remembers Hitler, did Hitler exist? [ Saturday, November 04, 2006 19:10: Message edited by: Iran-Contra-Dance ] Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Bush and Kerry to be wed on Brokeback in Blades of Exile | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Saturday, November 4 2006 18:52
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Truffle Days is just a good, solid scenario set in Exile. I'm not even sure why I like it so much, but I do. —Alorael, who also recommends Tatterdemalion both as an interesting exercise in combining three scenarios in one file and as a good scenario (or three). Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Humans Only in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Saturday, November 4 2006 10:13
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As you may have noticed, you can't use HTML in your posts here. —Alorael, who believes there are very good reasons for that. Some people just don't understand that malicious code can target people and not computers. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Humans Only in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, November 3 2006 22:39
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It's philosophy precisely because it's useless. It is a plausible but fundamentally unprovable statement about the underlying motivations for all human action. That's in the realm of pure meta-babble. —Alorael, who is also quite sure that humanity can be explained away as biochemistry. Unfortunately there are a few more Nobel Prizes that will have to be distributed before anyone is ready to start biochemicopsychoanalysis. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Humans Only in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, November 3 2006 21:11
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Oh, I'm sure we're hard-wired with some empathy. It's good for the species. That only applies to what we see and really feel. I think most people could order a dozen people to be tortured to death much more easily than they could kill a single person with their own hands no matter how easy it was made. —Alorael, who isn't sure that that's human nature and not cultural indoctrination. Humans seem culturally adept at relegating certain groups to non-empathic categories. New world slavery, the Holocaust (yes, Godwin here), anti-Jewish pogroms, and even to some extent current attitudes towards Muslims all show how empathy can be conveniently put on hold. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Humans Only in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, November 3 2006 16:59
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Zeviz: It's more of a philosophical point than a practical one. No, not everyone values material or even "selfish" things more than being a good person. I just think it's worth pointing out that true altruism isn't. There's always some compensation. —Alorael, who couldn't take that quiz because it was written only half literately. What does that say about him? Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| November Posting Stats Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Poll in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, November 3 2006 12:21
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The absolute number of meaningful and spam posts and the signal to spam ratio are not the same. I think Aran may be upset because we've got more meaningful posts but they're lost in a disproportionately larger sea of garbage. Boost the signal and reduce the noise or the bots will do it for you. —Alorael, who wonders how long it would take for people to notice well crafter but randomly generated posts. Throw in enough vahnatai and shapers and you could easily get fake illiterate newbies. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| No tag backs! in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, November 3 2006 12:19
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Ephesos: No action is inherently right or wrong. In context, though, actions can be right or wrong, and that context is clearly implied in "proper." —Alorael, who worries about treating the symptoms and not the disease. If you whack bullies and they stop bullying you, are they any less bullies for it? How is that supposed to help them acclimate socially? Is it necessary for them to do so, and if so, whose job is it to make them? Sooner or later you can't count on kids to raise each other right. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Humans Only in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, November 3 2006 12:15
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How about this: 1. Do people tend to act in ways that our society regards as selfish or in ways regarded as altruistic? 2. To people tend to have or lack empathy? —Alorael, who maintains that all actions are taken with self interest. Ablation of guilt is self-interest. Obligation is either a moral obligation, which improves self-regard, or external obligation, which is undertaken so others will think better of you or reward you. The easy way out is obviously self-interest. Recognition is only one compensation for good deeds, and self-recognition counts. If you claim you don't feel good about helping other people than your social programming has failed and you may be a sociopath. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Do you play music when playing Avernum? in The Avernum Trilogy | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, November 3 2006 12:04
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Are you thinking of Total Annihilation, Nioca? The game does let you choose music, but it already has a good selection. Realmz's music quality was about the same as the rest of its quality, which doesn't say much for the composer. —Alorael, who also just listens to whatever is on iTunes, and his iTunes just plays randomly through everything. On the other hand, there are occasional moments that demand specific music. Dies Irae was made for the GIFTS. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| "This" Vs. "That"? Min/Max questions in Avernum 4 | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, November 3 2006 12:01
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Actually, it lets you spend fewer skill points on magic bonuses. Adding another point to Spellcraft when you've already got 10 points is expensive. Adding another point to Spellcraft or Magery when you've got 5 in each is cheaper. It's not a big difference, but it's one of the perks of having a very serious caster. —Alorael, who considers it only fair to get two skills now that Intelligence doesn't boost your power. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Do you play music when playing Avernum? in The Avernum Trilogy | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, November 3 2006 09:04
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I listen to very nearly nothing but instrumental music, and I listen to it whenever I'm alone at my computer, so yes, I do listen to music while playing Avernum. That said, I've also played without music and it doesn't in any way change the experience. —Alorael, who now vaguely remembers that Realmz allowed one to assign one's own music to various situations as well as using the (terrible) defaults. That may be a false memory but it's a good idea. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| I'm starting Avernum 2 soon, and I could use some party creation tips in The Avernum Trilogy | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, November 3 2006 08:50
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I was set for life when I had no food. The only time I've rested in the entire Avernum trilogy was when deliberately waiting for the ToM disaster. —Alorael, who has found walking around outside to be more than adequate for all other occasions. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| "This" Vs. "That"? Min/Max questions in Avernum 4 | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, November 3 2006 08:47
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Mage and Priest points add one bonus to the relevant spell type. Spellcraft and Magery are more expensive but add to both. Which one to put points in depends on whether your casters use one or both spell types and which one is currently lowest and thus cheapest. —Alorael, who keeps Spellcraft and Magery even and generally fairly low until his Mage and Priest skills are high enough to cast everything. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Humans Only in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, November 2 2006 21:31
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That's exactly what I'm saying, Marlenny. You can do a good deed for someone at your own expense and never get any recognition for it, but you do it because you feel good about doing it. If you genuinely just became miserable, you wouldn't do it. I don't think it devalues kindness or generosity in any way. It just explains the psychology (or maybe philosophy) of being nice to people. Ef: I agree that the word wasn't right, but we understand what Tully means. —Alorael, who recently witnessed a wonderful exchange. One individual proclaimed, "People are all terrible," to which another invidivual quickly replied, "I'm not a person." Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| No tag backs! in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, November 2 2006 19:46
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[Edit: Oops! I somehow didn't see this page.] More than one or two, I'd hope. I also think that it's pretty clear that any gesture of resistance there would have been futile and you're pretty broken at that point anyway. Everyone has limits, and for some of us it's rats. I see two different issues here. One is coddling from all impersonal danger. To a degree protection is good, but it's gone too far. Kids deserve a chance to play on their own, roughhouse, and maybe get some scrapes and bruises. Doing it on something safer than cement is good, but you can't protect everyone from every abrasion, nor should you. Protecting kids from malice is another problem entirely. I'm not sure I agree with DV; it's necessary to know your limits, but I don't think it requires a no holds barred world. For knowing how to take physical action, why not give everyone training in some martial art. (The need for all the ritual and discipline that comes with the training is argued, but I can't see how it hurts.) —Alorael, who thinks that learning to deal with nasty people, bullies, and idiots is part of learning how to be social. If you don't get through that part of your childhood you're going to have problems. On the other hand there comes a point at which it's no longer a learning experience and it is instead a truly harmful one, and at that point intervention is necessary. [ Thursday, November 02, 2006 21:34: Message edited by: Burning Shiv ] Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Humans Only in General | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, November 2 2006 19:29
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I'm with Lar on this one. People do things for others because they receive some benefit from it as well. Kindness is motivated by a desire for the approval of our peers or at the very least a desire to feel good about ourselves. That doesn't make people evil, but it does make everything we do self-interested. I'm not sure that humans are naturally anything, but I think people on the whole tend to be indifferent with a slight tendency towards evil. —Alorael, who makes no apologies for his cynicism. It is, after all, motivated by self-interest. He can feel better about himself if he looks down on people in general. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Is there a way around my editing blunder? in The Exile Trilogy | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, November 2 2006 19:22
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Ice hydra breath might hit all party members if they're in non-combat mode. —Alorael, who believes you have to be outside to return to start. You can either leave the town or use the editor to remove your party from the town before returning them to the beginning. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| "This" Vs. "That"? Min/Max questions in Avernum 4 | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, November 2 2006 19:20
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Are you sure that Intelligence boosts spellcasting ability? I think that bonus only includes Mage or Priest skill, Spellcraft, and Magery. Intelligence is only good for a few resistances and the ever-important energy. —Alorael, who thinks armor vs. stun resistance depends entirely on how much you get stunned. He never really had big stunning problems on his fighters even when he wasn't carefully boosting their stun resistance. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Pan lever in Richard White Games | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, November 2 2006 12:38
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Needle/ferrets are ready to attack any time, day or night. They need no rest, for they are fueled by rage and cheap stickers. —Alorael, who learned that last little fact the very, very hard way. There may have been kumquats involved. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
| Is there a way around my editing blunder? in The Exile Trilogy | |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Thursday, November 2 2006 12:36
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I believe the E2 editor allows you both to return your party to start (should work out of town) and to return the boat in Chapter 2 to the place it started. If the editor's not working then you have problems. —Alorael, who thinks there already may be some data corruption. Ice hydras should not be invisible. Are you sure you aren't being hit by hydra breath from off screen? Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |