Profile for Drew
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Displayed name | Drew |
| Member number | 4233 |
| Title | By Committee |
| Postcount | 2242 |
| Homepage | |
| Registered | Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
Recent posts
Pages
| Author | Recent posts |
|---|---|
| Xbox Live Arcade? PlayStation Network? DS? in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Tuesday, March 11 2008 05:30
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I don't think most xbox 360 or PS3 owners tend to opt for keyboards and mice, nor do I think they would in order to take advantage of downloadable games. I think if there is an opportunity for Jeff's games on other media, it would be on portable platforms, like cell phones, or maybe touch ipods/iphones, where graphic resolution isn't as important. The problem with the standard cell phone of course is there is insufficient display space for all the text (though targeting wouldn't be as much of a problem with an array of phone buttons). The touch ipod/iphone, on the other hand, could make for much more interesting targeting, and display space isn't as much of an issue. Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| 10,000 BC [Spoilers] in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Tuesday, March 11 2008 05:10
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Well, you're making the big assumption that the population of the US wouldn't still be as douchey as it is. Even if the US had evolved more like Canada, the nature of its population probably would remain much the same. [ Tuesday, March 11, 2008 05:23: Message edited by: Drew ] Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| 10,000 BC [Spoilers] in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Tuesday, March 11 2008 04:35
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quote:Oh I'm sorry - are you trying to wiggle your way out on a technicality? How Stillness of you! Last I checked, "major motion picture" covers a lot of ground, Oscar contenders and box office successes alike. Maybe your assertion is a little bolder than the truth will warrant, ET. At any rate, "Ali" was up for awards, and now that I've had a little more time to think about it, so was "Men of Honor." Tell me: is it just as "wrong" by your standards when the British are considered the evil villains in revolutionary war era movies? Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| 10,000 BC [Spoilers] in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Monday, March 10 2008 19:31
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quote:Hmm. How about Bad Boys, Bad Boys II, Ali, any Will Smith flick, the 13th Warrior, the Rush Hour trilogy, etc., etc. You're really not trying. Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| 10,000 BC [Spoilers] in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Monday, March 10 2008 14:04
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quote:You know, the heroes probably wouldn't have seemed "less legitimate" if the hue of their skin were duskier. Why does "falling for it" even matter? It's not like Salmon hates Middle Eastern people worse for seeing the film. Oh my! Hollywood is using people that their broadest audience can identify with better to boost the market performance of a farcical fantasy romp! O tempora! O mores! Big deal. In recent days Rome has been depicted as the decadent hole it at times was, police corruption and mob tales abound, etc. It strains credulity that you would be so incensed about an airbrushed depiction of anglo-descended fantasy characters in this particular film when all cultures are in fact getting it from/in all ends, all the time. [ Monday, March 10, 2008 14:09: Message edited by: Drew ] Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| 10,000 BC [Spoilers] in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Monday, March 10 2008 11:30
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quote:On the off chance that you aren't being facetious, your sentiment is pretty loutish. Not really sure what you're trying to accomplish, Bub, but if it's to set yourself up as a buffoon, congratulations! You've succeeded. [ Monday, March 10, 2008 11:32: Message edited by: Drew ] Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| Xbox Live Arcade? PlayStation Network? DS? in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Monday, March 10 2008 05:41
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Avernum would probably be the best candidate, what with its streamlined spell system. The tricky part would probably be developing a targeting cursor. Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| Xbox Live Arcade? PlayStation Network? DS? in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Monday, March 10 2008 04:28
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He would have to change a fair bit about the games though, especially combat interfaces. A lack of a keyboard would make targeting more interesting, for example, as well as spell selection. Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| No hope for the damned RP [OOC] in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Sunday, March 9 2008 17:42
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quote:Wasn't aware there was an alchemist in 1st Edition - it wasn't in the original PH or the UA. On the other hand, a 1st Ed. monk or assassin is always fun. :) Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| E. Gary Gygax passed away in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Wednesday, March 5 2008 14:08
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Whether a system is particularly rule-intensive or not bears little correlation with the gaming experience; at the end of the session, it all hinges on the creativity of the DM and the willingness of the players to be cooperative. Maybe we could make an analogy out of it: grinding : leveling :: mobocracy : democracy I guess then that Gygax could be considered the spiritual father of grinding. Grinding is the place-holder of content in cRPGs - it fills out the spaces where programmers these days can't afford more FMV. In older visually-oriented games, it made up almost the entire game, because it was difficult to meaningfully deliver content. I'm of two minds about it: on the one hand, I hate the time it takes to grind to a level suitable to achieve the next goal; on the other hand, I also possess a neurotic fascination with tinkering around and building an optimal uber-character. Being rewarded for the choices I make or time I spend also appeals; I think this is why I've enjoyed playing D&D as opposed to games where characters had lower character "growth" rates; leveling creates an artificial incentive for continuing to play the game. Interestingly, since the best campaigns I played in tended to keep things fairly balanced with our characters' levels, capabilities, and inventory, it really didn't make much difference, though the DM would occasionally throw in a few low-level pawns of whomever we were going after at the time just so we could gauge how far we'd come, which was nice. In the end, I think leveling/grinding is best when it is meaningfully tied in with choices you can make later. Planescape: Torment was excellent for this; actual levels served almost no purpose, except to help unlock different content, and if you explored the game fully to the end, no choice you would make would necessarily prevent you from reaching at least one of the game's endings. The more recent Final Fantasy games on the other hand instead just present the illusion of choice - ultimately, you're watching one story, and it's going to happen provided you grind to the point that you can reach the next step. If the stories are great, I don't necessarily have a problem with that, but it can be so tedious when they aren't. EDIT: On a side-but-related note, when I was walking out of Safeway today and passing the book swap table, I saw that someone had put in the original "Curse of the Azure Bonds" gold box game, formatted for Macintosh, complete with box, diskettes, documentation, advertisements, and clue book. All in somewhat worn condition, but hey! what a find. I put my dollar in the donation barrel and walked out with it. Anyone know where I can find an original mac system emulator? :) [ Wednesday, March 05, 2008 14:18: Message edited by: Drew ] Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| E. Gary Gygax passed away in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Wednesday, March 5 2008 05:50
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I was a First Edition player as a youth, and actively played through to the initial release of Third Edition, though I never had a true PnP session with those rules, as I graduated undergrad at that point and never was able to scrape together a gaming group after (no one ever seems to want to DM...). So we have Gary Gygax to thank for grinding? :) He really was kind of an abrasive guy, from what I understand. Going to undergrad and gaming in Wisconsin, I knew a number of people from the Lake Geneva area who had various and sundry ties to TSR, and the general impression I got from them was that he was a bit of a pariah. Vast improvements were made in the game going into Second Edition, IMO, changes which he had nothing to do with, and I think much of what's great about the game really is due to the work of Zeb Cook and others on his team. Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| A! in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Wednesday, March 5 2008 05:33
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No jokes for you! Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| What have you been reading recently? in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Wednesday, March 5 2008 05:13
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Kel: actually, it was referred to as a Kalte firesphere in later books. :) Currently back from vacation; moving on to the ones I never read... 20,000 Leagues under the Sea - not as good as Journey to the Centre of the Earth, in my opinion. While the 19th century take on the science stuff was fun, I don't know if he ever quite succeeded in developing the enigma of Captain Nemo quite enough. Still though - a fun ride. [ Wednesday, March 05, 2008 13:33: Message edited by: Drew ] Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| Geology Lecture in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Wednesday, February 27 2008 16:32
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People who haven't been caught but have in fact committed a crime aren't "law-abiding." [ Wednesday, February 27, 2008 16:35: Message edited by: Drew ] Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| Simulated Reality in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Wednesday, February 27 2008 10:13
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Hmm. Well, to the extent that we are able to comprehend or change things, simulation or no, our reality is "effectively real" for our purposes. I suspect there's much more going on beyond our ability to perceive (and not necessarily in any religiously-associated way), but I'm uncertain if we'll ever be able to plumb the depths further. I fully expect we'll definitely give it a good solid go, though. Hooray for the Matrix! If only I could know kung fu too. :) Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| AAAAAAAH!!! in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Tuesday, February 26 2008 15:54
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Oh, oh, the sad. Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| AAAAAAAH!!! in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Tuesday, February 26 2008 04:10
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quote:Well, that truly sucks, if you wanted to go. I always thought it was enough of a source of anxiety as it is, without throwing in the costs. Schools that put on events like that probably should work out some kind of discount rental for tuxes. Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| What have you been reading recently? in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Monday, February 25 2008 17:52
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Hey man, given that I'm remembering those books from 21 years ago or so, I think I'm doing pretty well. Plus, having now gone through the first 6 books online today, I believe it was only ever referred to as a "firesphere" - no "Kalte" included. :) [ Monday, February 25, 2008 17:53: Message edited by: Drew ] Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| What have you been reading recently? in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Monday, February 25 2008 09:52
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quote:Kel - you are awesome for finding that link - thanks so much! I have many fond memories of feeling grateful for hanging on to the firesphere from Book 3(?) through the whole series... :) [ Monday, February 25, 2008 13:08: Message edited by: Drew ] Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| What have you been reading recently? in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Sunday, February 24 2008 16:08
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Ah, high school reading. Next stop for you: discovering the fascinating world of Ayn Rand, and then hopefully getting over it before college. :) Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| AAAAAAAH!!! in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Sunday, February 24 2008 16:05
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Washington and Lee is a decent school, at least. And it's in the fair Commonwealth of Virginia, which is spiffy. [rant]Ralph Nader just entered the election. What a showboating know-nothing![/rant] [ Sunday, February 24, 2008 16:06: Message edited by: Drew ] Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| AAAAAAAH!!! in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Sunday, February 24 2008 05:02
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If you've chosen not to go, then how is it a rant? Couldn't find a date and feel sorry for yourself? Or were you spurned by the person you wanted to take? [ Sunday, February 24, 2008 05:03: Message edited by: Drew ] Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| What have you been reading recently? in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Friday, February 22 2008 09:08
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The book and the movie were definitely pretty different. I actually think that I prefer the film. Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| Satellite Shootdown in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Thursday, February 21 2008 10:54
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Yup, like a frog being slowly boiled. For a real experience in water pollution, you should try rowing in the Chicago River. :) Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
| Satellite Shootdown in General | |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Thursday, February 21 2008 07:56
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There are about a kertrillion "industrial containers" of water in the ocean. Consider also that a lot of it would vaporize in the atmosphere before even touching the ocean, as well as that much, much worse environmental atrocities occur regularly, like oil spills, discharge of toxic waste from factories, etc. Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |