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Politics and Beliefs in General
Sticky
Infiltrator
Member # 4256
 written Thursday, October 13 2005 19:28 Profile #147
quote:
Originally written by Alorael:

Most prominent thinkers were theologians, or at least philosophers.
Who were churchmen. (or women.. in the case of some of the 'mystics')

And sorry about using the term 'conservative' in its scientific sense, it really was just too much to resist, even though it had very little to do with what I was trying to say. Should have known I couldn't get away with such shenanagins. In fact, a better physical example would be air resistance as it increases with the speed of change.

I would argue that the church preserved more then just theology, the church was the real link between the old order and the new, and provided an authority that was desperately needed at the time.

I find it funny that I can try to think objectively, not just ranting 'omg ebil liberal freaks' (typos intentional), admitting that there are many problems with conservative views, but even you 'open minded liberals' can't seem to admit that institutions like the church had/have any benefits for society.
Any society has a power structure, and power requires manipulatation of the masses. Religion/superstition is one of the easiest methods to manipulate the uneducated. That it doesn't really work anymore doesn't mean it shouldn't have been used while it did work. The suppression of science was an attempt to retain that power, which can only be expected.
If you were to try to impose the freedoms of todays societies on societies from the past, using only the resources in that time, you would have a situation bearing some similarities to Iraq of today. A Conneticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court explores this in some ways, but contributes the schemes failure to the infamous Church. I would suggest it is slightly more complicated then 'the evil church did its best to destroy all progress'.

[ Thursday, October 13, 2005 20:02: Message edited by: AxB ]
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
Politics and Beliefs in General
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Thursday, October 13 2005 14:18 Profile #143
quote:
Originally written by Drew:

That the monasteries unknowingly held on to the secrets of the classical era was more a fluke than anything else. The church cast civilization headlong into the abyss; it was only despite the church's intentions that civilization crawled back out.
Somewhat. The church provided a fertile ground for thoughts and ideas at first. Most of the prominent thinkers were churchmen. The classical era secrets were actually as often as not held more by the Moslems.

But you seem to have restated my point. The church was(is?) a nonconservative(I don't mean political conservative) force on humanity. It resisted change, no matter if the change was into the abyss, or out of it.. but the Abyss could have been a lot deeper without it.
For a physical example, take friction, there are lots of places that friction is quite useful(try driving your car without it) but there are immense amounts of situations that the removal of friction would be incredibly helpful.
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
Politics and Beliefs in General
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Wednesday, October 12 2005 06:32 Profile #115
quote:
Originally written by Thuryl:

And by the way, I hate to brag, but, well, it hasn't been religion that's more than doubled the human lifespan in the past two centuries.[/QB]
No, but it was religion that held on to what progress had been made.(i.e early middle ages, the only centers of learning were religious ones, not because the people weren't 'free' but because they were too busy trying to survive.) Religion/Conservatism tends to try to hold on to the past, which isn't bad when the past is better then the present/immediate future(regress of the general state of humanity), but causes problems when 'progress' is being made.

A car has to have both a brake and an engine to work well. :P
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
Avernum 4? in General
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Friday, September 30 2005 06:15 Profile #316
If my memory serves, I seem to remember Rone being closeted in a hidy hole and barely able to speak coherently in A2. The crystall thing might make sense. Perhaps?

[ Friday, September 30, 2005 06:17: Message edited by: AxB ]
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
how to be an admin? in General
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Wednesday, September 28 2005 19:11 Profile #39
Perhaps... his age doesn't change. The perpetual 7 year old. On that note, let the festivities begin! 3 months is hardly enough time to celebrate the changing of an era, the 8th return of Drakefyre.
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
MMMMM in General
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Tuesday, September 27 2005 14:18 Profile #337
Thuryl already brought this up in passing, but almost any of these things can have a placebo effect, stimulating the production of the endogenous opioid thingys (very technical term I know, "thingy"). So in some ways, unless they were directly harmful (as many of these have been) they probably did more good then harm.

On the other note, I should check Myst III out, the other two were worth getting.
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
bye for now in General
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Tuesday, September 27 2005 06:30 Profile #3
Aye, good luck.

On another note, it occurs to me that if Aran ever gets married it will make for some "interesting" stories. Or then again, it might be totally normal, but it is more amuzing to reflect on the less normal possibilities.

Once more though, congratulations, may your marriage be happy, long lived, and a joy to you and all that it affects.
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
MMMMM in General
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Tuesday, September 27 2005 04:29 Profile #327
Or even better, just boil it off.. breathing it will be fun! And now back to waiting in suspense (Oh the agony!) for Thuryl to reveal his next name.
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
What is the name of the Avernum world? in The Avernum Trilogy
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Monday, September 26 2005 18:31 Profile #32
Eh, I don't think we were talking real time, or is there actually a time system in place... I don't remember one.

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"Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos was lightning, he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are false'."
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
simple question about the ur-drakon in Geneforge Series
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Monday, September 26 2005 18:12 Profile #3
quote:
Originally written by Structured Water:

Consensus seems to be that there isn't actually any way to make Ur-Drakons in Geneforge 3.
Short of using the editor. If you get 3 in the skill, it is quite possible to create an Ur, but I don't know how possible it is to get 3... Perhaps 2 canisters and a shop? Or twice at a shop, and a canister?

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"Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos was lightning, he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are false'."
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
Specific spell immunity in Blades of Avernum Editor
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Monday, September 26 2005 18:08 Profile #2
The second option would be weird, as you could still capture it, but it just wouldn't work to use it. It would seem like a 'bug' though I suppose people would figure it out soon enough.

Edit:
Oh, right, I've never used that spell so I kinda assumed it would be the same. Yuck.

[ Monday, September 26, 2005 18:21: Message edited by: AxB ]

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"Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos was lightning, he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are false'."
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
Specific spell immunity in Blades of Avernum
Sticky
Infiltrator
Member # 4256
 written Monday, September 26 2005 18:08 Profile #2
The second option would be weird, as you could still capture it, but it just wouldn't work to use it. It would seem like a 'bug' though I suppose people would figure it out soon enough.

Edit:
Oh, right, I've never used that spell so I kinda assumed it would be the same. Yuck.

[ Monday, September 26, 2005 18:21: Message edited by: AxB ]

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"Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos was lightning, he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are false'."
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
MMMMM in General
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Monday, September 26 2005 06:11 Profile #311
Speaking of other forms of water... there is the 'high pressure' ice. Here is a cryonics site that recommends storing brains at 2000atm of pressure. High Pressure Cryonics?

I would really think that would squish the brain, but maybe not.
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
The ins and outs of Teleportation in Blades of Avernum Editor
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Friday, September 23 2005 06:27 Profile #8
Could it be done by first teleporting them into the special rectangle? Or do they actually have to 'step' in it?

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"Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos was lightning, he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are false'."
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
The ins and outs of Teleportation in Blades of Avernum
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Friday, September 23 2005 06:27 Profile #8
Could it be done by first teleporting them into the special rectangle? Or do they actually have to 'step' in it?

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"Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos was lightning, he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are false'."
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
Avernum 1: A little help? in The Avernum Trilogy
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Friday, September 23 2005 05:59 Profile #2
As far as I remember, you push the buttons,(spin the wheels?) in the order that you find them. The way I did it was just going around trying to walk through walls constantly. Pushing one button opens up the path to the second, the second to the third, the third to the fourth, and so on...

The first I believe was to the right(west) of the gatehouse (entrance) to the final area, one was in the far northwest wall, one in the northeast wall, and I believe there was one in the southeast wall. More then that I can't tell you.

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"Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos was lightning, he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are false'."
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
MMMMM in General
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Friday, September 23 2005 04:55 Profile #283
Did it have ill effects? I guess that probably depended on the composure in any given instance. I suppose it might be related to words like 'therapy'. It would be interesting to have to find an antidote to the universal antidote. If you ended up feeling ill after taking this, the doctor could just dose you with more....

[ Friday, September 23, 2005 05:46: Message edited by: AxB ]
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
shaper/rebel - what's more fun? in Geneforge Series
Sticky
Infiltrator
Member # 4256
 written Wednesday, September 21 2005 23:14 Profile #5
I never tried going to this 'secret place' as a loyalist. Will it not let you in? Can you return there after you leave as a rebel?

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"Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos was lightning, he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are false'."
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
What is the name of the Avernum world? in The Avernum Trilogy
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Wednesday, September 21 2005 23:12 Profile #29
quote:
Originally written by Deep Sleep Therapy:

Yes, but if a planet took 5000 hours to turn like Venus does, finishing Exile 3 in 100 "days" would take a lifetime for the PCs. :P
Well yeah, but it could be a compromise between the two. I was just illustrating that it didn't have to be a moon to turn slowly. ;) Perhaps 200 hour days, or somewhere from 200-1000.

*pokes the happy fun ball*

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"Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos was lightning, he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are false'."
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
Avernum 4? in General
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Wednesday, September 21 2005 23:07 Profile #267
I would say there is a reason that the greeting motto is 'Leave your sanity at the door".

Besides the insanity of it, some of the people here have known eachother for going on 8-9? years (perhaps longer) and if they or even us 'yearlings' are to have interesting discussions about it, they have to be over an eclectic array of subjects, not just 'Vogelian' ones. This has similar aspects to Star Wars, or other story lines, but its different in that much of it can and is defined by the fan base.
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
MMMMM in General
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Wednesday, September 21 2005 22:55 Profile #253
Do you want your children to have the shameful memory that their pappy died from a major drug overdose? No! Far from it! You want them to know that you died a 'peaceful' death while sitting down in a chair. Choose the chair today!
[/add for the E chair}

Are those the only two options? It seems like there must be other practical methods to kill someone painlessly. (If you consider electrocution painless.)
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
MMMMM in General
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Wednesday, September 21 2005 19:16 Profile #246
quote:
Written by Alorael
A defibrillator delivers an electric shock to the heart. ECT involves delivering voltage to the brain. The two are not the same. One is jolting a muscle into proper activity, and the other is the deliberate creation of a grand mal seizure.
I would call them equivalent processes, just one being for the brain, and the other for the heart. I don't suggest trying to do emergency ECM with a defib unit though. AT best, it would do nothing, at worst, it would kill you.
On another note, very nice use of hart, it made me chuckle. I suppose, deer failures could be fixed with electic shock therapy. Perhaps an electric fence to keep them out of the garden.
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
What is the name of the Avernum world? in The Avernum Trilogy
Sticky
Infiltrator
Member # 4256
 written Wednesday, September 21 2005 08:01 Profile #24
I'm pretty sure that the geography is determined, browsing through some of the old seasons of the alongside RP to the BoX Arena might give a tenative grasp of locations for the various continents. (Or at least as determined by the fan base). The world isn't entirely explored though of course... so an entire map would be difficult to construct.

As for the moon theory, a planet can turn slowly as well as a moon. Take Venus for example.

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"Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos was lightning, he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are false'."
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
MMMMM in General
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Wednesday, September 21 2005 07:47 Profile #235
Not to mention its used for heart failure, random fun/practical jokes (depression therapy? =P), and for execution. Electroshock is much like most things... out of moderation, it can kill, and in moderation can help. Some how I doubt that a constant voltage difference across your skin (if how I visualize those belts is correct) would have much by way of help or harm, except perhaps minor annoyance.
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00
E3: Question? in The Exile Trilogy
Sticky
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Member # 4256
 written Wednesday, September 21 2005 06:25 Profile #1
If Gorvifal is the Spiral Crypt puzzle, here is a link to a topic on it. Spiral Crypt

If not then I don't remember it at all.

Edit: No Problem. Glad to be help.

[ Wednesday, September 21, 2005 07:49: Message edited by: AxB ]

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"Let's just say that if complete and utter chaos was lightning, he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are false'."
Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00

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