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  Xcom: Enemy Unknown. The King Has Returned
Posted by: Wiregeek - 03-06-2012, 07:11 PM - Forum: General Chatter - Replies (1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uHHmTSDCvA
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies

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  Are there any...?
Posted by: Bob Schroeck - 03-06-2012, 05:08 PM - Forum: Other People's Fanfiction - Replies (2)

I can't go look on FF.net right now, which would probably answer the question definitively, but I'm too curious to wait until I get home from work tonight.

Does anyone know of any Nanoha/Evangelion crossovers?

Does anyone know of any good ones?
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

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  Graveguard for Stormgear
Posted by: Drenivian - 03-06-2012, 06:03 AM - Forum: Build Advice - No Replies

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.953
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Graveguard: Level 50 Magic Brute
Primary Power Set: Street Justice
Secondary Power Set: Regeneration
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Heavy Blow

  • (A) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage
  • (13) Touch of Death - Damage/Endurance
  • (15) Touch of Death - Damage/Recharge
  • (15) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  • (19) Touch of Death - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (19) Touch of Death - Chance of Damage(Negative)
Level 1: Fast Healing
  • (A) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
  • (3) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance
  • (3) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Recharge
  • (5) Regenerative Tissue - +Regeneration
Level 2: Reconstruction
  • (A) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
  • (9) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
  • (34) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance
Level 4: Quick Recovery
  • (A) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod
  • (11) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Recharge
  • (11) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Accuracy
  • (13) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Endurance
Level 6: Boxing
  • (A) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage
  • (42) Crushing Impact - Damage/Endurance
  • (43) Crushing Impact - Damage/Recharge
  • (43) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  • (43) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
Level 8: Rib Cracker
  • (A) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage
  • (21) Mako's Bite - Damage/Endurance
  • (21) Mako's Bite - Damage/Recharge
  • (23) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
  • (23) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (25) Mako's Bite - Chance of Damage(Lethal)
Level 10: Dull Pain
  • (A) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
  • (33) Numina's Convalescence - Endurance/Recharge
  • (34) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Recharge
  • (34) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
Level 12: Combat Readiness
  • (A) Empty
Level 14: Tough
  • (A) Aegis - Resistance
  • (42) Aegis - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
  • (45) Aegis - Resistance/Endurance
  • (46) Aegis - Resistance/Recharge
  • (46) Aegis - Endurance/Recharge
Level 16: Integration
  • (A) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
  • (17) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance
  • (17) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Recharge
Level 18: Spinning Strike
  • (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
  • (36) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
  • (37) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
  • (37) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  • (37) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy)
Level 20: Resilience
  • (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
Level 22: Weave
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  • (31) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  • (33) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
  • (33) Serendipity - Defense
  • (36) Serendipity - Defense/Endurance
  • (45) Serendipity - Defense/Recharge
Level 24: Combat Jumping
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  • (25) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  • (31) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
Level 26: Shin Breaker
  • (A) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage
  • (27) Touch of Death - Damage/Endurance
  • (27) Touch of Death - Damage/Recharge
  • (29) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  • (29) Touch of Death - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (31) Touch of Death - Chance of Damage(Negative)
Level 28: Instant Healing
  • (A) Regenerative Tissue - Heal/Endurance
  • (50) Regenerative Tissue - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
  • (50) Regenerative Tissue - Heal/Recharge
Level 30: Hasten
  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (48) Recharge Reduction IO
Level 32: Maneuvers
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  • (36) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
  • (40) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  • (42) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
Level 35: Revive
  • (A) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Recharge
Level 38: Crushing Uppercut
  • (A) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage
  • (39) Mako's Bite - Damage/Endurance
  • (39) Mako's Bite - Damage/Recharge
  • (39) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
  • (40) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (40) Mako's Bite - Chance of Damage(Lethal)
Level 41: Superior Conditioning
  • (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
Level 44: Physical Perfection
  • (A) Triage - Heal/Endurance
  • (45) Triage - Heal/Recharge
  • (46) Triage - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
Level 47: Taunt
  • (A) Perfect Zinger - Taunt
  • (48) Perfect Zinger - Taunt/Recharge
  • (48) Perfect Zinger - Taunt/Range
  • (50) Perfect Zinger - Taunt/Recharge/Range
Level 49: Moment of Glory
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve
Level 0: Portal Jockey
Level 0: Task Force Commander
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion
Level 50: Vigor Core Paragon
------------
Level 2: Swift
  • (A) Empty
Level 2: Health
  • (A) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
  • (5) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
  • (7) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance
Level 2: Hurdle
  • (A) Empty
Level 2: Stamina
  • (A) Energy Manipulator - EndMod
  • (7) Energy Manipulator - EndMod/Recharge
  • (9) Energy Manipulator - Chance to Stun
Level 1: Brawl
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Fury
Level 1: Sprint
  • (A) Empty
Level 2: Rest
  • (A) Empty
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 1: Combo Level 1
Level 1: Combo Level 2
Level 1: Combo Level 3
Code:
| Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|MxDz;1538;706;1412;HEX;|
|78DA6594594F135114C7EFB4534B17A4D895A520202D6529AD10A3C6254196179A2|
|0A80F2AD6815E86D1A66DA645C51DDFDC127DF25BF8A2463F8071FD20EA83CB2770|
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|86D9879CDB34C78D7AEE272E3BE67F0A3E63069F3315DA450FD7533D97851DCB68C|
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|CCB83079977A9631BE7B8DAD031849D0AA1E367EAD48E5D687FC54A075E330FBC01|
|DF82EF98F7A86E98EB8A709C4F47257D518E79A251AEDD13C12A43A04BB14F7DE02|
|F9FFEA8C58C516E1C3AE3C84D20B707B95F48670776BE032EEB84CB3AE1B26EB8AC|
|1B2EEB81CBEE93DE2ED4EF3ACA7AF3C7C163CC7ED290E4FA4A7284D7390EB6D3B75|
|E9C5C2FF40D849969E8CC40E716F5EAC7C9F5638FBF92F641681F846B52704D0AAE|
|49C13569B8260DD7F8E87086B0D7432FE0608A8D603D238758FFE861E6D811E627E|
|A99E59EEE6C85F3C6ABA0C9CCD7980F48730E9A7358DF827F7B27EC98B5DC34D69A|
|C62B4DE3689CD230FE4971059A15DBBDBF77232EE51CFED770E41E38F29723EB4F7|
|3D643D21AA6D98F982D8F99DDEACEEDB3DD9AB2861D919C23927744261C91494764|
|56DDB9ADAC79C7D70575E77E827E5F886E238E58DF766F49EB7BD3F847D3F81FC9F|
|9F8ED|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
*********************
In the epic rage of furious thunder
legends create their tales
when the twilight calls and the dark lord falls
our glory will prevail

[Image: strikersetcfinal9_th.jpg]

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  Ralph McQuarrie dies
Posted by: Bob Schroeck - 03-06-2012, 05:10 AM - Forum: General Chatter - Replies (2)

Story here.
(For those who don't recognize the name, he was the conceptual artist who created the look-and-feel of Star Wars for George Lucas.)
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

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  Dear Prudence critiques Rush Limbaugh's apology
Posted by: ordnance11 - 03-05-2012, 10:29 PM - Forum: Politics and Other Fun - Replies (26)

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/dear ... said_.html
Ms. Fluke has not aceepted his apology and neither did one of his former corporate sponsors. Now I am curious:
1.  When Mr. Limbaugh would play the "martyr" card?
2. How many of his fans would stand by him?
3. More importantly, would Clearwater stand by him? 
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

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  Asking members for a short self insert in a "toy" RPG universe
Posted by: hmelton - 03-04-2012, 07:40 AM - Forum: Other People's Fanfiction - Replies (6)

Hello
I'd like to ask members for short self inserts set in one of my "toy" wargame/RPG universe's.
Specifically I'd like to request interested site members to read over the info pointed to in the links below and then write a short self inserts of what they think their reaction would be to the described attack and attempted invasion of the US in march of 1998 of my wargame/RPG universe..
One thing to remember is that the Star Trek franchise doesn't exist in this version of the Star Gate universe instead it was "Galaxy Quest".  Other than the mentioned Star Trek it is safe to assume that all other science fiction from our universe also exist within this "toy" universe.
To save bandwith on this site if you write something for the wargame/RGP "toy"  I've labeled "Voyages End" you can email your work to me at this email address.
---------------
supermanunbound@yahoo.com
---------------
As an added benefit, unless the person submitting the self insert says otherwise I'll merge it with any others sent my way and put them all in a single HTML file and place a link to the short stories and snippets file on my Hobbies page and within the Voyages End file.
Before I forget please keep it PG-13 if you want your self insert posted I've got some young family members that have my hobbie page link and like Starfleet Battles, so they probably won't be able to resist reading the self inserts.
My reasons for this thread is to find out what other people(both in the US and around the world) think the version of themselves living in the Star Gate universe on march 6th and 7th in 1998 would do when they see the "Fires in the Sky" and are able to watch on TV and/or experience live the actual attacks of alien fighters flying almost randomly over both Canada and the eastern half of the United States.
What would your self insert of march 1998 think about the live televised Emergency Broadcast from the President stating the US was under attack, but currently all incoming fire was being intercepted by Reagan era star wars technology, but please seek shelter below ground level?
What would they think of a unedited or live video showing what at first was a series of high altitude explosions, followed by becoming a glowing cloud that quickly descends, dims and resolves in the camera's telephoto lenses into a swarm of what must be thousands of alien fighters?
What would your self insert make of the camera's audio pickup as he or she finally notices an ever increasing rumble that is air force Jets starting to fill the sky over DC? Then follow this with the sudden appearance of contrails pointing toward the descending swarm each representing climbing missiles fired from all around the viewers horizon as the massive attack drops below 100,000 feet over Washington DC.
What would your self insert think/do  when the US military and even the military of nations know for being close US allies are reported to be activating science fiction energy fields over bases and around Navy vessels?
How would your self insert react during the hours of partially and confusingly  televised invasion firefights both on the ground in D. C. and in the skis over half of America and parts of Canada?
What would he or she be thinking as telescopic cameras are sending live feeds of a large US Navy carrier group complete with two Battleships moving in close to the East coast around  Washington DC and are engaged by several alien gunships and alien fighter craft?
What would you/they think of seeing world wide video and news reports of what must be immense explosion occurring sometimes close enough to the upper atmosphere to make it glow for long periods and at other times what must be tens of thousands of kilometers from the planet.
What would your self insert think/do when they see the video or worse yet are a eye witness to several alien gunships rising up and taking on a large US Navy fleet off the east coast near DC?
What would they think when they see two Battleships firing 16 inch shells at the area where reports say alien infantry has landed and then notice that those Battleships and other Navy ships are using energy weapons and force fields or energy shields to partially protect themselves from what ever the aliens are firing at them.  
What would your self insert think after roughly six hours of the above alien attack reports complete with unedited video suddenly again being replaced by a calm US President speaking to US citizens telling them the invasion force has nearly been defeated and  revealing that the fires and lights in the skies around the Earth is a single US star ship standing off two alien battleships and as soon as the rest of America's star ship fleet returns from interstellar space they will overwhelm and destroy the two Gou'ald star ships.
 
There are links provided to my note file that give more detail, but after the links at the bottom of this message I'll give a quick over view, warnings and some samples from the "Voyages End" note file.

LINKS
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
First the front page of my hobby site it has a little more info and the shortcut  links for civilian and military self inserts.
------------
http://hmelton314159265.webs.com/
-----------
"Voyages End"  reference point to read from for a civilian self insert for march 1998 invasion.
Unless your self insert was a civilian very closely associated with the military use this as your starting point because the first you will know about the invasion is when the "fires in the sky" are lit above Washington DC. 
--------------
http://hmelton314159265.w...esEnd.html#Firesinthesky
--------------
Use this if your self insert was in the military or is a civilian very closely associated with the military.
--------
http://hmelton314159265.w...yagesEnd.html#Mobilizing
--------
For completeness a link to the head of the "Voyages End" RPG file
---------
http://hmelton314159265.webs.com/VoyagesEnd.html
-------
I know it's only a very remote possibility, but in case of a Bandwidth overload here is a backup link for the "Voyages End" file.
--------
http://supermanunbound.angelfire.com/VoyagesEnd.html
--------
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
OVERVIEW and WARNINGS
Voyages End is a rough RPG/wargame universe that mixes a Star Gate alternate universe with elements of Star Trek Voyager and a Star Trek war game called "Star Fleet Battles".
I've been playing with this private wargame/RPG for the past few years and making background notes and rough rules about how  it mentally games out, at least how I mentally game it out.
First let me warn you the original point for me was the mixing of modern 20th century technology, Star fleet Battle's take on trekology and Star Gate technology so there are large sections that will probably only interest a gamer or engineer. Feel free to skim or completely skip those sections if you want to read all the notes.
Also I'll mention that I was more interested in creating a internally consistent game universe than in closely matching what was seen in any individual episode of Star Trek or Star Gate, so some of the RPG background and rules will contradict episodes of both Star Gate and Star Trek.

SAMPLES from Voyages End
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
1310:15 EST March 6, 1998
The 100 megaton range plasma explosions slowly walking down into the upper atmosphere above the east coast are clearly visible across more than half the continent.  The President uses the EBS or Emergency Broadcast System sending warnings of the attack and orders all civilians to seek shelter below ground.  He also assures the general public that the military is fully prepared and that secret "star wars" equipment developed during the Reagan era is currently intercepting all incoming rounds at least a 1000 kilometers above the surface.
---
The 1147 Death Gliders that succeed in escorting the troop transports through the waves of unguided long range Battleship scramjet shells and then through the barrage of guided missiles fired from surface bases, several coast guard vessels and land based fighter jets quickly sweep the sky clean of all airborne American aircraft and then follow this up minutes later by overwhelming and burning the unshielded coast guard vessels. Less than ten minutes after reaching 1000 meters the swarm of troop transports Death Gliders have achieved complete air superiority over Washington and the surrounding area as all unshielded military anti-aircraft assets are overwhelmed and destroyed and the heavily shielded bases run dry of missiles and are forced hide behind their shields with only a few obsolete small caliber anti-aircraft guns to reply to the Death Gliders.
----
What follows for Voyager and the world is a highly visible running battle that spirals and hop scotches in and out around the Earth and Moon dozens of times and includes several  dozen atmosphere grazing approaches to Earth over the next six hours. This constant if unpredictable "FIRE IN THE SKY" almost upstages the news video being broadcast world wide of the Death Gliders attacking first Washington DC and then moving on to other towns and cities of America's  Eastern coast and Canada. This initial devastating attack is followed by ever spreading dog fights and ground strafing raids that ultimately reach beyond the Mississippi river into the central part of  the United States.  The alien craft are shown world wide via live news feeds from terrified news crews as they watch American and Canadian forces engaging them with fighters, helicopters and surface missiles shooting down alien craft often just before they are overwhelmed by what at first seems to be a unlimited number of alien fighters firing energy weapons.
----
 The Voyager's battle circles the planet dozens of times as Janeway and her swarm of phaser armed shuttles desperately fight the Ha'taks. Her battle is putting on a irregular show that varies from distant, but intensely bright pin prick flashes to atmosphere churning close approaches that cause the extreme upper atmosphere to glow brightly on the day side and creates frightening levels of light for unnervingly long periods on the night side. The spray of multiple megaton range Plasma bolts being intercepted and detonated prematurely along with direct shield hits from multiple 64 megaton and 500 kiloton photons makes for a clearly noticeable show even when the battle in space races out to the moon on the night side of the planet and is an almost unnoticeable, series of  pinpricks of intensely bright light in the blue sky of Earth's day side.
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Even if you don't write anything I hope you have fun gaming your self insert in the Voyages End universe.
hmelton

 

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  Can I have this on my iDevice.....
Posted by: Rod.H - 03-03-2012, 06:50 PM - Forum: General Chatter - Replies (3)

In the sprit of the Big Red Button of the Internets... I present http://mirrors.rit.edu/instantCSI/InstantCSI.swf]this! (It really should be embedded but the code escapes me). I just must press it....the one liner I've yet to do.

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  Riot force reports/Tales of the Legendary: Master and Student
Posted by: dark seraph - 03-03-2012, 09:55 AM - Forum: The Legendary - Replies (5)

Altas Park

City Hall

Seraph sighed as he waited in the
M.A.G.I. Office, only a day back from his vacation to Florida with
Tish and already they were bugging him. Not that he could really
complain, they did pay him pretty well to destroy some of the more
dangerous artefacts that came through their hands

Looking around, he spotted Azuria
walking in with an arm full of paperwork, he couldn't help but wince
slightly as she noticed the scars on the back of her hands, left over
from a rather brutal assault on city hall by Arachnos. As she
deposited the papers on a desk, she turned and smiled. “So glad you
could make it Magus.” she chirped slightly, her smile widening as
Seraph shifted uncomfortably.

“You know I don't like that tilte.”
He grumbled slightly.

“Ahh, but it is your rank... and
sadly since the fall of Galaxy and the loss of the main M.A.G.I.
facilitates... along with most of our staff.” Her face darkened for
a moment. “Right now we need men of your skill more than ever...
and well.” She paused and looked a little sheepish. “How do you
feel about an apprentice?”

“A what?” He asked, his voice flat.

“I know this is a lot to ask you, but
many of our teachers were killed in the shivan attack... it will take
months, maybe years to find mages to replace them... and looking at
your paperwork, I noticed you were both highly skilled and seemed to
have some spare time now that most of your work load is buried under
several tons of debris.”

He slowly took his glasses off and
rubbed his eyes. “Am I really
the only one available?”

“Well, we have
tried other mages with this woman, but they didn't have your... um...
determination? ”

“You mean
stubbornness?”

“Yes, but it
sounded better the way I worded it.”

With a growing
sense of dread, he stood up and blinked. “What is wrong with her?”

Azuria was cut off by a large crash as
a winged woman fell through the door, smacking face first into a
crate.

“That would be her now.” walking
over, she helped the woman up. “You okay Diana?”

The woman climbed to her feet and
rubbed her nose, shaking out a messy mop of blond hair. “Oh um...
I'm okay, just tripped... um... again.”

Seraph gave the woman a once over,
besides the light greyish wings and dirty blond tail, she didn't look
that odd. Getting up, she some how tripped on her own feet and fell
back into a bookshelf, several tomes raining down on her, causing her
to let out a slight squeak.

As she climbed to her feet, Seraph took
Azuria to one side. “Why the hell are you signing me up with a
clutz?”

“Remember all those smart ass
comments about me and the revolving door?”

He winced as he felt karma kick him
square in the nads. “Fine then... I'll give her one day then.”
Stepping back he turned to Diana as she straighten out her shirt and
smiled, her amber eyes staring off in mismatched directions. “After
all... what’s the worse that can happen?”

* * *

Azuria checked the clock curiously,
four hours had passed since Seraph had walked out with Diana. A mild
surprise seeing the last two mages she teamed the girl up with didn't
even last an hour.

There was a loud squeal of panic from
outside her office and then the sound of something falling down a
flight of stairs, followed by some swearing.

Stepping out of her office, she saw
Seraph laying face down at the bottom of the flight of stairs,
sitting on his back and apologising profusely was Diana.

Helping them to their feet, she looked
them over and winched inwardly, Diana looked so nervous, she wasn't
sure if the girl was about ready to burst in to tears or run off,
while Seraph looked like he had been through through several trees
and a shop window.

He took her arm and lead her to one
side, his voice low. “Okay, How
the hell is she a Hero? She has to be the biggest walking
disaster in history. She managed to smash two shop windows, four cars
and send me bouncing across half of atlas... and that was in the
first hour!”

“She isn't.”

He paused,
blinking. “What?”

“She isn't a
Hero, we implemented a three strike system recently for young mages
that couldn't truly control their powers. If they can't find a
teacher, we deny their application for Hero status and issue them
with a limiter.” Sighing she entered her office and started looking
for the paperwork, Leaving him slightly slack jaw in the hallway. It
was a pity that Seraph hadn't taken Diana on as an apprentice, but
she could not force the matter.

As she found the
forms, she heading back to him, she saw an odd look on his face, she
was about to ask what was up when he raised a finger to his lips.
From around the corner she could hear Diana talking on a phone by the
sounds of it.

“... No... it
looks like I flubbed it again... yeah, Ditzy Derpy doo spectacular...
I don't know, if I can't get a licences, UPS will let me go... They
can't have a unregistered hero on the pay roll... It doesn’t matter
if it is unfair, it's the law... I don't know what we will do...
yeah... I'll tell you more when I get home, later sis.”

Seraph took the
papers out of Azuria's hand, magic crackling along it for a few
seconds before they burst crumbled to ash. “Oh Dear Azuria, it I am
such a clutz... lucky it was the wrong from, wasn't it?” His voice
having an almost cheerfully idiotic tone to it.

Blink at the ash,
she looked back to him. “Why?”

“Because.”

“Because?” She
asked, raising a sceptical eyebrow.

“Okay okay... as
my girlfriend loves to point out, I can't help but be a nice guy and
always try to help a damsel in distress.”

Chuckling, she
called Diana over. “It seems you are in good luck, Magus Seraph has
decided to take you on as an apprentice.” As the words left her
mouth, the young woman let out a loud sequel and glomped Seraph,
smacking him into a bookshelves and causing half the tomes to fall on
them.

From under the pile
she heard Seraph grumble. “First rule, Don't do that again....
ever.”

“Sorry Master
Seraph.” she squeaked, climbing out from under the pile off books.

“Second rule,
don't call me master” As they stood up, he dusted himself off.

“Sorry Mister
Seraph, but thank you so much!” She squeaked and spun around. “Oh
I got to tell my sister and my boss and eeeeeh!”

Azuria collected
the registry paperwork and handed it to Diana, sending her upstairs
to register, before turning to Seraph and chuckling. “You do
realise there is now backing out of this, correct?”

“Come on... how
hard can it be?” He smirked.

There was a loud
crash from upstairs and a string of sorry's.

Azuria laughed.
“You just had to say that.”


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  Kindle for PC V. 1.9.1 has an idiotic file opening issue...
Posted by: Werehawk - 03-03-2012, 05:17 AM - Forum: General Chatter - Replies (2)

Amazon's kindle developers have managed to render the kindle for PC unusable if you want to add new .mobi ebook files  to your library in the latest update to version 1.9.1. 
I was trying to open a fanfic I had recently converted from .html file to .mobi using calibre. So I double click on it to open it kindle for PC opens into the Library IT does not open the file. Try again no luck again. No error message and nothing beyond the brief busy animation from mouse pointer.
Exit kindle for PC manually copy file in Kindle library folder restart kindle for PC no luck again. 
Finally decide to contact amazon kindle support.
Arpna the first agent has no clue so leaves me waiting for a kindle customer support expert hour and half later with no activity from chat window I decide to go again and resubmit the entire thing again with my chat transcript. Finally get a kindle support rep who tries some different steps de-registering and re-registering my kindle for pc. still won't open the file. Uninstall kindle for PC and reinstall. Same damn result.
End result was him submitting it to their Kindle for PC developers to figure out what is going on.
 My chat transcript with Amazon below:

Quote:You are now connected to Eric from Amazon.com.

Me:Can you hold for a minute or two while I research this for you?

Me:Ok

Arpna :Thanks so much for waiting.

Can you please give me the name of the document which is not working?

Me:It's a personal document I had converted to a .mobi format which is compatible with kindle format.

Arpna :William, were the files working before?

Me:I usually test them in kindle for Pc prior to sending to my kindle.

yes

Prior to the update to 1.9.1 I could open any .mobi file withou any problem and files are still associated with the kindle app in windows.

Arpna :A member of our Kindle specialist team will need to help you with this. Please hold while I transfer you. One of our Kindle Specialists will assist you shortly.

Me:Thank you

A Customer Service Associate will be with you in a moment.

----Hour and half later I notice that still haven't had somebody show up so resubmit and paste prior chat----
I've waited over an hour and a half on the prior chat for kindle rep to come.

Eric:Hello William

Me:Hi Eric

Eric:I'm sorry you've had to contact us back. You said you aren't able to open a personal document on your kindle for pc application?

Me:Yes

Documents that I'd opened prior to the update open fine anything after the update to 1.9.1 will not open period.

I don't get any error messages whatsoever all the application will do is open to the kindle library.

I have tried restarting the app, rebooting still no luck. I'm seriously considering rolling back to an older version

Eric:Ok well give me just a moment to check a couple of things

Me:go ahead...

Eric:Have you tried to deregister the kindle for pc application and then re-register?

Me:No. let see if that does it.

Eric:Ok give that a try and see if that will allow you to open those

Me:Nope no luck tried twice restarting between tries all I get is momentarily busy mouse pointer.

Eric:Ok are the files that will open on the kindle for pc in .azw format or also in .mobi format?

Me:In .mobi files I had added to the library prior to the update will open anything I try adding after the update will not open.

Eric:Ok well the next thing that we could try would be to uninstall and then reinstall the kindle for pc application. If that doesn't allow you to open those files then we would have to submit this issue to our developers to see if they could determine why those files aren't opening?

Me:Ok...let see what happens

Eric:Ok

Me:No luck. Same result momentary busy icon and that's it.

Eric:Ok well if that is the case I will be glad to send your issue to our developers.

I would just need to get a little bit of information from you.

Me:go ahead

Eric:Firstly what operating system are you using on your computer

Me:Windows 7 pro SP1

Eric:Ok and could you provide the name of one of the files you aren't able to open?

Me:The Cameron Legacy 3_ The Long Road Home - Bynum, Stephen T_.mobi

Eric:Thank you

Me:It will probably open if I email it to my kindle but I wanted to check that the metadata was correct before I sent it,

file was originally a word document I saved as html and then converted to mobi never had an issue with things before the update.

Eric:Well I've submitted that to our developers to see what they can find out. As soon as they have some new information I will contact you back via email, but if you had that file converted and sent to your device it should open fine.

Was there anything else I could help with today?

Me:No that was it.

Hopefully they'll have a solution to it.

Eric:Yeah you should be getting an email from me soon.

I hope you have a good rest of the day!

Me:Thank you.

Final irony is I ended up mailing the file to my kindle email address and got the .azw version and it opened in kindle for PC. If this is their idea of a solution to ebook piracy or something forced on them by publishers it is one of the stupidest solutions I've yet seen.
--Werehawk--
My mom's brief take on upcoming Guatemalan Elections "In last throes of preelection activities. Much loudspeaker vote pleading."

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  Looking for Examples
Posted by: Bob Schroeck - 03-03-2012, 03:02 AM - Forum: Other People's Fanfiction - Replies (16)

I'm working up a new fanfic trope for the TVTropes wiki, and I just had my memory short out on me; I'm hoping folks can come up with a few more examples for me, as I know I've forgotten at least two that I intended on adding to this.  Here's the proposed trope:

Quote:Virtual Soundtrack
The distant cousin of the SongFic, this is the practice of
annotating a FanFic with music cues in such a way that, if
followed, produces the rough equivalent of a motion picture's
soundtrack for that fic.  Very often these are same pieces of
music that inspired the author as he or she was writing. 
Regardless, they are intended to provide extra atmosphere and
drama to the written material.
The cues themselves can range from inobtrusive citations styled
like pullquotes and set off from the story text proper, to
elaborate instructions as to where to start playing on the track
and for how long, often delivered by the narrative voice as part
of the story. 
Some authors may provide soundtrack listings in separate files,
but these qualify more as [[AllThereInTheManual supplemental
material] than examples of this trope.
One key element which defines a Virtual Soundtrack is that it is
''optional''.  You can ignore a Virtual Soundtrack cue without
losing anything in the story, unlike the SongFic, where you must
wade through the lyrics to extract the story.  Also, if the
music is part of the ''action'' -- for instance, in the
description of a concert -- it does qualify as this trope. 
(Although a listing of all the pieces played at the concert would
be a good candidate for supplemental material.)
This trope is usually limited to larger pieces of {[fan fiction}},
on the order of a novellette or longer.
-----
!!Examples:
* The "pullquote" version is a common feature in stories produced
by EyrieProductionsUnlimited, although it is by no means universal.
It is particularly prevalent in the Future Imperfect era of
''UndocumentedFeatures'', especially works written mainly by
Gryphon.
* Chapter six of Eric Hallstrom's epic ''Ranma And Akane: A Love
Story'' begins with the explicit note, "By popular demand, the
majority of this episode should be read to Fortuna Imperatrix
Mundi from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana" and offers a (long-defunct)
link to an [=MP3=] of the piece.  When the great battle in
Hell begins, the narration pauses to specifically inform the
reader to start playing it, and much later bookends the action
with the note "You can turn it off now."
** ''RAALS'' verges on this trope elsewhere, as well, with a
large number of songs, often from British/Irish/Scottish folk
music tradition, that are sung throughout the story by the
various characters.  [=MP3=] links were provided for these as
well.  This only edges up to the trope because the song lyrics
are provided whole within the story, and are ''part'' of the
story rather than supplemental atmosphere.  In this regard,
''RAALS'' is much like a {{musical}} rendered in text.
Can anyone think of any other good examples?  (And no, DW is not one.)
Thanks.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

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