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The Continuing Story of Spiderweb Software in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #25
quote:
Originally written by Arancaytar:

opus is a work. RiB should be described by a different tense, which would probably be something like "that which will be a work". But my Latin is lacking.
Well, you could go with the plain quod opus erit.

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Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
The Continuing Story of Spiderweb Software in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #15
1. If circumstances allowed for you to meet a fellow Spiderwebber who would you choose to meet?
The answer to that has been the same for the past several years, and my old answer is well-known.

2. What do you consider as the magnum opus of these boards?
My opinion on the matter is obvious and not worth mentioning.

3. Does the recent increase in spam content irk you?
I don't think there has been an increase recently. I think it has just changed forms. Spam is at about a constant level; the only things that change are the names of the spammers.

4. What is the last Spiderweb game or BoA/BoE scenario you have completed.
It's relatively obvious given the boards that I post on.

5. Explain why you choose to participate in these boards.
The story of my joining is well-documented (or at least the story I normally tell).

6. Are you a regular poster at a satellite forum of SW? If so post the name(s) of it/them.
I've been at others, but I left them. These stories are undoubtedly known.

7. Of all current members, who do you think deserves to be a moderator. (Answer should not be a current moderator)
No more moderators are needed.

8. For simple consensus: what is your current country/nation/territory of residence? What is your native tongue?
This is plain.

[ Thursday, November 22, 2007 09:28: Message edited by: Kelandon ]

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Anyone find Avernum 4 not as good as 1-3? in Avernum 4
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #1
As I recall, the general impression after A4 was released was it had pretty good hacking and not much else (except a few nifty things here and there, like the shades). To the best of my knowledge, the general impression of A5 is that it is a more complete game. So finish A4, enjoy the combat, and then head straight on to A5, which you'll probably like better.

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Tank Cat! in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #13
It's one of my dirty little secrets that I actually kinda like lolcats. (Like both of the preceding two.)

Shh, don't tell anyone.

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Why Mactintosh in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #34
As I recall, when we've had this discussion before, we said that people ought to make a good-faith effort to use correct writing mechanics (which includes grammar, spelling, punctuation, whatever). If they're clearly trying, even if they're failing, they can't be blamed.

But attempting to correct someone else while making an egregious error of one's own is just embarrassing.

Incidentally, I'm surprised that this topic hasn't been locked yet. Is the discussion really useful?

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
May the Sun be with you. in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #8
quote:
Originally written by Arancaytar:

In short, it is a more useful contribution to this forum than any number of other topics here. The same cannot be said about the responses. Out of line. Seriously.
Funny, I thought you were going a different direction with this. I thought you were going to say, "It is a more useful contribution to this forum than it at all deserves to be." Since it was packaged as spam, you know.

But you're right.

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Why Mactintosh in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #20
quote:
Originally written by The Ratt:

Also they might just be used to not using correct grammer. I wish they would though.


--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
stuck in exodus in Blades of Avernum
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #4
The monsters do continue to spawn, but the acid damage remains the same always. It's just that the same amount of damage hurts more when you're low on health already from combat and many rounds of damage.

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Call of Cthulhu in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #14
quote:
Originally written by Hoorjery:

—Alorael, who in his house in Alaska lies typing.
Which is far more creepy than anything that Lovecraft ever imagined.

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
stuck in exodus in Blades of Avernum
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #2
Specifically, in the center of the northern part of the city, at (22,4), there's a trap door to the part of the underground you couldn't reach.

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Avernum 4 help in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #2
"isent"?

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
For all you physics gurus in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #19
I bet it would be more fun in a Lagrangian formulation. :P

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
For all you physics gurus in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #17
Uh, come to think of it, isn't it just straight down?

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
For all you physics gurus in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #15
quote:
Originally written by Student of Trinity:

For the heck of it, find the surface that you are always about to leave but never quite do.
Augh, that reminds me far too much of my current advanced mechanics course (which is not fun).

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
For all you physics gurus in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #6
Garrison is substantially correct, but he forgot that gravity also has a component in the x-direction. Aran is also substantially correct, but I'm not sure that he mentioned the factor of three that he needs in the answer.

In any case, here's one way to get it.

The proper axes for analyzing the block on the inclined plane are an axis parallel to the plane and an axis perpendicular.

Perpendicular to the plane, the normal force balances the component of gravity:
F_net = 0
n - Mg cos&#x03B8 = 0
n = Mg cos&#x03B8

Parallel to the plane, tension opposes friction and another component of gravity:
F_net = Ma
T - f - Mg sin&#x03B8 = Ma
T = f + Mg sin&#x03B8 + Ma
Since f = &#x03BCn, and n was found above:
T = &#x03BCMg cos&#x03B8 + Mg sin&#x03B8 + Ma

Now the hanging mass. I'll define up as positive, which means, since it's falling, its acceleration is in the negative direction. Use that the tension is equal to the tension found above.
F_net = 2Ma
T - 2mg = -2Ma
&#x03BCMg cos&#x03B8 + Mg sin&#x03B8 + Ma - 2Mg = -2Ma
Cancel M's and move the a's to one side:
&#x03BCg cos&#x03B8 + g sin&#x03B8 - 2g = -2a - a
Factor out the g:
a = (g)(-1/3)(&#x03BC cos&#x03B8 + sin&#x03B8 - 2)

Plugging in values, this yields a = 3.43 m/s^2.

Note that my final expression is the same as Garrison's but for the gravity term parallel to the plane (the one with a sine in it).

As for Aran's question, why the masses would cancel, that's what normally happens when we're solving for accelerations in fields of gravity in elementary physics! The acceleration due to gravity usually doesn't depend on mass.

[ Wednesday, November 14, 2007 19:27: Message edited by: Kelandon ]

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Across the Universe? in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #58
Malthus wrote before we had a good understanding of the demographic transition. Population growth will level off. While we're at it, human destruction of the environment will also level off and then decrease as greener technologies are developed. The problem is that we're not sure how long it will be before those two things occur, and we may have done serious damage by then.

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Across the Universe? in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #52
Thirty years is excessively optimistic. Centuries, maybe. Decades, almost certainly not. And hey — Mars is only a few light-minutes away, so the "several months" thing just depends on how fast you travel. :P

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
The Sky Is Falling...? in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #297
Evidently this is the reason that topic-locking exists.

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Across the Universe? in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #38
The Jovian moons are rather small, though. Where the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s^2 here on Earth and 3.8 on Mars, it's nearer to 1 on Europa and Titan. That's darn near zero-g.

And also, yeah, Titan's temperature — 98 Kelvin! That's nearly 200 below, Celsius — is prohibitively low. Europa, eh, not as sure.

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Across the Universe? in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #33
That was just a guess, given that just about any screwed-up conditions interfere with pregnancy. I'm willing to bet that there are a bunch of other problems that arise, too.

And if we're counting on manipulating our biology in order to handle low-g better, we're again at the difficulty level of the giant, rotating spaceships.

This probably shows that I'm right, that gravity is one of the trickiest problems to handle in space colonization. I think most of the other problems could be overcome, albeit with incredible expense, as long as we were staying inside our own solar system.

I wonder if water is another serious problem. I mean, Earth has these huge oceans and clouds that rain down water all the time, and we use water constantly in order to survive. Mars doesn't exactly have oceans or clouds, and neither do the other places in the solar system that we could go, to the best of my knowledge. What could we do about that?

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Across the Universe? in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #24
quote:
Originally written by Zer0:

WIth a large enough (and therefore low enough in angular velocity) rotating cylinder, you can get a good enough approximation of Earth gravity. The Coriolis effect is less than ideal, but it beats weightlessness.
Yes, the co-rotating frame has a centrifugal force that can mimic gravity. But you'd need a whopping big centrifuge not to notice the Coriolis force that you also get in a co-rotating frame.

Apparently the calculation has been done, and the necessary size scale is apparently hundreds of meters to make the Coriolis force not disastrous, which is actually not unthinkably large, just large. As an engineering and practical problem, it's not quite as bad as that of the relativistic spaceship. But it's still pretty bad.

quote:
Cite please? Weightlessness is bad, but how much has the effect of 0.3-0.5g been studied?
Eh, not much, to the best of my knowledge. It would be pretty weird to live in, though. And we're talking about the very long-term, if we're talking about colonies. The colonists might have trouble having children: fetal development in low-g is probably completely screwed up, at the very least.

quote:
Originally written by Excalibur:

Black holes rarely occur anywhere outside the center of a galaxy.
Not true. They are actually more common as the remains of high-mass stars. Still, I wouldn't worry about a black hole coming along and eating us any time soon. I'd worry more about dark matter. That sneaky, sneaky dark matter. It's right behind you, you know.

[ Thursday, November 08, 2007 17:59: Message edited by: Kelandon ]

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Across the Universe? in General
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #15
quote:
Originally written by Zer0:

We're going to end up living in giant centrifuges.
Two words for you: Coriolis Force.

quote:
—Alorael, who isn't so sure that full Earth gravity is essential to human life. It's probably very good, but just getting a reasonable percentage of a g is probably good enough.
Yes, but a "reasonable percentage" is definitely more than 50% and less than 150%, and that's hard to find. In our solar system, only Venus qualifies.

--------------------
Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00

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