Profile for Stugri-La
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Displayed name | Stugri-La |
| Member number | 3521 |
| Title | Guardian |
| Postcount | 1798 |
| Homepage | |
| Registered | Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
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| Author | Recent posts |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Sunday, April 17 2005 07:49
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I've always been a bit of a Civil War buff, so that undoubtedly played a part in my adoration for that book. It's quite possibly the most emotionally affecting book I've ever read, as it succeeds like none other in portraying the raw, real humanity in the thoughts and relationships among people engaged in brutal warfare. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Saturday, April 16 2005 10:48
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I read very little nowadays, and haven't read any nonfiction that wasn't a textbook in years, but my favorite work of nonfiction would have to be Killer Angels. Thus, my favorite nonfiction author would be Michael Shaara. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| Phaedra in Blades of Avernum | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Saturday, April 16 2005 00:17
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I'm more concerned with my appearance than I'm often willing to admit. I've always been a thoroughly aesthetic person, with a pretty natural sense of the attractive and unattractive. Granted, I don't at all dress like a conventional fashion plate. I suppose I've cultivated something of an image all to my own, complete with a hat of vaguely military appearance, collared shirts, old-school jackets, and a very classics-oriented taste in music. Hell, tonight I went out with a bunch of pals, all of us decked out in shirts with iron-on stylistic images of me, in the classic Che Guevara style. If only my personal mystique would net me a girl once in a while. If only. Hmm, this is hardly relevant, but you could hardly hope for anything more seriously applicable in a thread like this from me even in a perfectly sober state. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| Most Notorious Weapons in Blades of Avernum | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Friday, April 15 2005 08:07
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Canopy, although I can't remember where in the scenario it was to be found specifically. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| What do YOU want to see in G4? in Geneforge Series | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Thursday, April 14 2005 10:23
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Whether or not you specifically asked for my input, I certainly had the right to offer it. And although I undoubtedly like weasels, I most certainly am not commonly addressed as such. Call me Stughalf, Stugie or Stug. I suppose factions could be developed within the drakon fold, but it seems highly unlikely. Why would sentient drakons ever join together against the drakon lord royalty? Certainly not out of loyalty to the Shapers, who would certainly exterminate all drakons if it were possible. Drakons as they have been depicted in GF2 and GF3 are uniformly arrogant, greedy and power-hungry, possessing great intelligence and cunning but very little moral clarity. Unless a significant group of drakons were to come to the conclusion that Ghaldring was too jealous with his power or riches, a rebel drakon faction would never be formed. Your second suggestion is rather ridiculous. A companion to the main character as the PC? It's fine to start off a game in a subservient position, as the player does in GF2, but to proceed to play second fiddle throughout the remainder of the game would be truly odd. Would the scripted "main character" allow the player-controlled lackey to make all the relevant decisions? Such a relationship is hardly plausible. And allowing for a normal leader/follower relationship would mean that the head shaper would often choose to overrule the player's decisions, making for a thoroughly frustrating gaming experience. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| What do YOU want to see in G4? in Geneforge Series | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Thursday, April 14 2005 09:04
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The Shaper world from the viewpoint of a sentient drakon would offer very little choice. After all, a drakon can't very well join or support the shapers, as he will never be thought of as anything better than a dangerous rogue. And the "choice" to go rogue is hardly a choice for the many creations that travel that path- isolated from the stabilizing influence of their creators, they basically lose their minds. That's hardly a reasonable in-game choice, and drakons are depicted as being far too intelligent and independent to go mindlessly rogue anyway. If Jeff decided to go with a drakon PC for GF4, he would be forced to do away with the entire choice between factions element so important in the GF series. It would undoubtedly be a risky move, and Jeff as a game designer is often depressingly conservative. A servile PC is even more unlikely than a drakon, as serviles are of course incapable of shaping. There's no way Jeff will make a GF game that does not allow the player to shape creations. That seems to leave us only with the human PC, the most prosaic option but clearly the only one that will allow for real choice and power along the lines of the typical GF game. I'd be surprised and impressed if Jeff managed to come up with something new to compensate for the choice/power deficit that would make drakon or servile PCs more feasible, but at this point I'm doubting that he'll bother. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Thursday, April 14 2005 08:29
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Regarding poetic form, I agree wholeheartedly with Kel- I detest almost all modern poetry, with its "free verse" which seems merely an excuse to cobble a few dissonant bits of symbolic phrase together with no need for sophisticated arrangement. Good rhyming, metered poetry is a true art, and requires real thought and formulation. I dislike free-form modern poetry for the same reason that I dislike modern abstract art- there just doesn't seem to be much artistic merit or real effort put into the works. I know I go against a legion of former English teachers with this belief, but the use of abstract symbolism in art strikes me too often as a lame attempt to make up for a lack of real skill and talent. Perhaps it's just my own biases talking here- I'm a highly objective, concrete thinker, and most symbolism past the most basic tends to escape me. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| Middle of the road viewpoint in Geneforge Series | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Wednesday, April 13 2005 22:07
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Interestingly enough, I never liked the Awakened in GF1 and GF2. In GF1 I saw them as harmless, confused weaklings, much less pragmatic and intelligent than the Obeyers or the Takers. In GF2 there were hints of danger to the survival of the Awakened philosophy, with Tuldaric's crazed experimentation growing at odds with the genteel moderation of the Awakened servile leaders. With the Awakened becoming weaker and more hypocritical in GF2, what has happened in GF3 is entirely plausible. I always thought the painfully naive Awakened philosopy would be overcome by the brutally realistic Taker doctrine, and in GF3 that seems to be what has happened. In terms of moral balance, GF3 is an ultimate failure. GF1 succeeded in portraying the three factions with at least a bit of moral parity, and even Trajkov was almost a sympathetic character. GF2 managed only to balance out the Awakened and Loyalists, with the Loyalists being cast as likeably incompetent restorers of order and the Awakened falling somewhat from their white knight status. GF3 portrays the Loyalists in much the same way as in GF2, although with the greater number of major shaper characters the incompetence gets spread around a bit more. Rahul is the only effective Shaper commander, but he's also close-minded and unimaginative, though oddly likeable. Even the arrogant, patently incompetent Diwaniya is a fairly sympathetic character. That he's hopelessly in over his head makes his conservatism in governing Harmony eminently reasonable, as he could hardly hope to eliminate the rogues on Harmony by creating an army of creations that would undoubtedly go rogue themselves. His humanity comes out in his horrified response to the slaughter of Lankan and his supporters. Agatha is power-hungry, corrupted and has no real redeeming qualities, but the fact that the rogue serviles are responsible for the corruption, as well as the knowledge that Agatha is deposed and executed once the Shapers regain control of the isles negates this. And Khyryk is the Sharon of GF3, a closet rebel shaper with the moderation and sense not to join the brutal rebels. On the other hand, the rebels are more morally bankrupt in GF3 than they ever have been. Litalia is heartless and inhuman and kills with abandon, while Akhari is nothing more then another in an endless line of power-hungry, amoral drakon lords. Lankan on Harmony is a sympathetic character, but his willingness to throw his lot in with the woman who is responsible for his troubles in the first place is downright idiotic. And although he might desire the canister out of purely altruistic motives, his loss of basic humanity as a result of the transformation is troubling, to say the least. I suppose that was an extremely long-winded way of saying that the Loyalists are the only morally supportable faction in GF3. Feel free to disagree. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Wednesday, April 13 2005 15:17
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Completely agreed in the defense of Shakespeare. Hamlet is just about the best play I've ever read, and although I haven't read many, none of the others even comes close. And although I thoroughly enjoyed "The Great Gatsby," Fitzgerald was seemingly a one-hit wonder. Certainly his body of work pales to insignificance next to Shakespeare's. [ Wednesday, April 13, 2005 15:18: Message edited by: This Glass Is Half Stugie ] -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Wednesday, April 13 2005 07:43
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Agatha Christie. I adore her brand of intricate, unarguably entertaining popcorn mystery novel, and I have little patience for anything else. Unsurprisingly, I despise most of the authors TM listed with which I am familiar, with the exception of Fitzgerald. I can tolerate "Dubliners," but find anything else by Joyce rather nauseating. Other authors I enjoy include Richard Adams, John Knowles and Charles Dickens. [ Wednesday, April 13, 2005 07:47: Message edited by: This Glass Is Half Stugie ] -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| Phaedra in Blades of Avernum | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Tuesday, April 12 2005 19:02
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If you really don't want to be responded to, don't bother posting your inane diatribes and then appending these lame requests for silence to them. Seriously, you're so far out in left field here that I wouldn't be surprised if you began advocating self-castration so as to prevent any woman from ever having to bear a child again. [ Tuesday, April 12, 2005 19:03: Message edited by: This Glass Is Half Stugie ] -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| Two years to the day. in General | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Tuesday, April 12 2005 18:18
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Well, more precisely, once the mating of a member the hypothetical evolved species with an ordinary human can no longer produce a fertile offspring. Humanity is such a versatile species that at the moment we are under no real selective pressures. I highly doubt that the situation on Earth will ever turn so dire as to exert substantial selective pressures on human populations. [ Tuesday, April 12, 2005 18:22: Message edited by: This Glass Is Half Stugie ] -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| Things missed on Dhonal? in Geneforge Series | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Friday, April 8 2005 23:51
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There's also another Demon Claw on Gull Island, in Khyryk's tower, provided that you're willing to snoop around there a bit and meet the wrath of a few of his traps. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| science, philosophy or religion? in General | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Friday, April 8 2005 10:55
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Exactly. I draw from all three, although not quite in equal amounts. I suppose that I look most to religion to give meaning to my existence, but by no means do I ignore the other two. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| LOOK!!!!! in Geneforge Series | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Thursday, April 7 2005 21:44
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Yes, and neutral ornks too, not like those belligerent ones following their lord in GF1. I assume it's a rebel invention for more efficient livestock farming. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| Which Faction to Join ? in Geneforge Series | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Thursday, April 7 2005 21:36
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There isn't a single rebel Shaper or Drakon that will train you in Gazer or Drakon? Amazing, since they seem to be capable of producing them in quantity. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| Two years to the day. in General | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Thursday, April 7 2005 15:29
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That the dinosaurs eventually died off has absolutely no bearing on the survival of the human race. Besides, humanity's adaptability and technological prowess make us far more likely to survive radical environmental transitions and the like. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| More Actual Gameplay Questions in Geneforge Series | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Thursday, April 7 2005 15:05
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In fact, there's a hammer on a piece of furniture right next to said shaping vat. Rather convenient. As Dolphin mentioned, it's impossible to sell the Deep Focus Orb. The same goes for the Deep Crystal, and a whole lot of the other items used to craft the artifacts. The Right Access Bracelet is in Benerii-Eo Labs, while the Left Access Bracelet is in Benerii-Eo Vat Core. With regard to Lord Rahul and Lady Anjali's private chambers, it's possible to sneak around back there and loot the place without angering anyone. The guards patrol around and often leave rooms unguarded for a few turns. Just haste your PC in combat mode and time things right, and you'll be able to avoid all the guards and obtain a whole bunch of nice stuff, including a Guardian Claymore, Puresteel Plate, a canister, and a few other things I can't remember. An interesting touch in GF3 is the glut of Indian-sounding names for NPCs. Rahul and Anjali are both common Indian names, and Diwaniya and Lankan are likely Indian-influenced. Next thing you know there'll be an Anand in Avernum 4. :P I agree that GF3 has far more of an Avernum-like feel than its two predecessors. There are tons of graphics in common with BoA as well. His work still brings me great enjoyment, but I wonder what it would take for J.V. to deviate even slightly from his well-established formula. [ Thursday, April 07, 2005 15:10: Message edited by: This Glass Is Half Stugie ] -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| Which Faction to Join ? in Geneforge Series | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Thursday, April 7 2005 11:57
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Although I've only played through the game as a Loyalist, I'm quite sure the rebels offer the better training. No loyal Shaper will offer training in the shaping of Gazers or Drakons, although Khyryk on Gull Island will give you Rotghroth training. A friendly Drakon the Isle of Spears will give you a single level of Gazer for the right price, but that's about it. The rebels doubtless offer full training in all the fourth-tier creations. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| what's your fave. creature? in Geneforge Series | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Thursday, April 7 2005 11:37
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I stand by the Ur-Glaahk. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| Lighting Girdle in Geneforge Series | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Thursday, April 7 2005 11:36
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I haven't found a single Ur-Drakon skin, though, and I've combed through every area in the game. And the list states that you need an Ur-Drakon skin for the Avenger's Ring as well, but I used a Perfect Drakon skin and the ring was still successfully created. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| Lighting Girdle in Geneforge Series | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Thursday, April 7 2005 02:04
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I'm having difficulty forging the Lightning Girdle, although I've carefully followed Drakey's recipe in the "Recipes" topic and have managed to successfully construct all of the other artifacts. Is the recipe for the Lightning Girdle really composed of a Perfected Belt, Deep Focus Orb, and Perfect Drakon Skin? [ Thursday, April 07, 2005 04:06: Message edited by: This Glass Is Half Stugie ] -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| Artifacts Hall Updated in Blades of Avernum | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Monday, April 4 2005 15:53
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Well, besides all of Creator's scenarios. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| which faction did u choose? in Geneforge Series | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Monday, April 4 2005 14:13
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It was all about the Loyalists. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
| which faction did u choose? in Geneforge 2 | |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Monday, April 4 2005 14:13
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It was all about the Loyalists. -------------------- Stughalf "Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed."- The Bhagavad Gita. Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |