http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p ... 433280.stm

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/12/ch ... tors/all/1

It's that time of year again, students. Patrols will be organized from each class to gather sufficient numbers of presents to fund our festival. See your
class rep for times and rendezvous locations.

(Or post here when you'll be available.)
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

http://www.thelocal.de/society/20091224-24157.html

Recently on CoH, I've been discussing with Valles the difference between a character in his original fantasy project, and my character in a fan-story based off the extant bits in the same.
The discussion led to the conceit that his main characters are a Role-playing party and that one of my main characters was a PC created to replace another when its player was threatening to leave the group due to some drama or other. The discussion led to a question of different character-design philosophies. The character that was potentially leaving was played by a power-gamer who was used to maximizing one specific tactic to the detriment of others. The replacement was of a "breadth, not depth" philosophy.
The specific role in the party was for a social butterfly/native guide. That said, on to the examples, using GURPS 4e.
Zara, the Powergamer

Quote:Name: Zara
Race: Human
Attributes [75]
ST 10
DX 12 [40]
IQ 11 [20]
HT 12 [20]
HP 10
Will 10 [-5]
Per 11
FP 12
Basic Lift 20
Damage 1d-2/1d
Basic Speed 6
Basic Move 6
Ground Move 6
Water Move 1
Social Background
TL: 3 [0]
Cultural Familiarities: Pendant River (Native) [0].
Languages: Deltan (Native/Illiterate) [-3].
Advantages [60]
Allure (3) [15]
Appearance (Very Beautiful) [16]
Charisma (3) [5]
    includes: +2 from 'Extra Charisma'
Extra Charisma (2) [10]
Fashion Sense [5]
Magic Resistance (1) [2]
Voice [10]
Perks [3]
Skill Adaptation (Acrobatic Feints) [1]
Skill Adaptation (Acrobatic Kicks) [1]
Style Familiarity (Capoeira) [1]
Disadvantages [-70]
Chummy [-5]
Impulsiveness (12 or less) [-10]
Jealousy [-10]
Overconfidence (12 or less) [-5]
Post-Combat Shakes (12 or less) [-5]
Social Stigma (Valuable Property) [-10]
Status (-2) [-10]
Wealth (Poor) [-15]
Packages [0]
Capoeira (Martial Arts) [0]
Skills [82]
Acrobatic Stand (Acrobatics) Tech/A - def+1 10 [1]
Acrobatics DX/H - DX+3 15 [16]
Area Knowledge (Montan/Deltan Border towns) IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]
Axe Kick (Karate) Tech/H - def+0 11 [0]
Back Kick (Karate) Tech/H - def+0 11 [0]
Carousing HT/E - HT+0 12 [1]
Connoisseur (Dance) IQ/A - IQ+0 11 [1]
Current Affairs/TL3 (Deltan/Montan Border) IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]
Current Affairs/TL3 (High Culture) IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]
Dancing DX/A - DX+4 16 [4]
    includes: +3 from 'Allure'
Diplomacy IQ/H - IQ+2 13 [4]
    includes: +2 from 'Voice'
Ear Clap (Karate) Tech/A - def+0 12 [0]
Escape DX/H - DX+0 12 [4]
Expert Skill (Bardic Lore) IQ/H - IQ+0 11 [4]
Fast-Talk IQ/A - IQ+1 12 [1]
    includes: +2 from 'Voice'
Group Performance (Choreography) IQ/A - IQ+0 11 [1]
Hammer Fist (Karate) Tech/A - def+0 14 [0]
Head Butt (Karate) Tech/H - def+0 14 [0]
Jump Kick (Karate) Tech/H - def+0 11 [0]
Karate DX/H - DX+3 15 [16]
Kicking (Karate) Tech/H - def+0 13 [0]
Literature IQ/H - IQ+0 11 [4]
Makeup/TL3 IQ/E - IQ+3 14 [1]
    includes: +3 from 'Allure'
Musical Instrument (Percussion) IQ/H - IQ-1 10 [2]
Performance IQ/A - IQ+1 12 [1]
    includes: +2 from 'Voice'
Poetry IQ/A - IQ+0 11 [2]
Public Speaking IQ/A - IQ+4 15 [1]
    includes: +3 from 'Charisma', +2 from 'Voice'
Savoir-Faire (Servant) IQ/E - IQ+0 11 [1]
Scissors Hold (Wrestling) Tech/H - def+0 13 [0]
Sex Appeal (Human) HT/A - HT+8 20 [0]
    includes: +6 from 'Appearance', +2 from 'Voice', +3 from 'Allure'
Singing HT/E - HT+6 18 [2]
    includes: +2 from 'Voice', +3 from 'Allure'
Spinning Kick (Karate) Tech/H - def+0 12 [0]
Sweeping Kick (Karate) Tech/H - def+0 12 [0]
Wrestling DX/A - DX+3 15 [12]
Stats [75] Ads [60] Disads [-70] Quirks [0] Skills [82] = Total [150]

Quote:Name: Elames
Race: Human
Attributes [50]
ST 9 [-10]
DX 11 [20]
IQ 12 [40]
HT 11 [10]
HP 9
Will 10 [-10]
Per 12
FP 11
Basic Lift 16
Damage 1d-2/1d-1
Basic Speed 5.5
Basic Move 5
Ground Move 5
Water Move 1
Social Background
TL: 3 [0]
Cultural Familiarities: Pendant River (Native) [0].
Languages: Deltan (Native) [0]; Eastern (Accented) [4].
Advantages [41]
Appearance (Attractive) [4]
Bard (1) [5]
Charisma (1) [5]
Fit [5]
Musical Ability (1) [5]
Talker (1) [5]
Voice [10]
Perks [2]
Classic Features (Deltan Elames) [1]
Good with (Children) [1]
Disadvantages [-50]
Chummy [-5]
Low Self-Image [-10]
Social Stigma (Valuable Property) [-10]
Status (-2) [-10]
Wealth (Poor) [-15]
Quirks [-4]
Congenial [-1]
Humble [-1]
Fond of "Horses" [-1]
Likes a good love story. [-1]
Skills [109]
Area Knowledge (City near home plantation) IQ/E - IQ+1 13 [2]
Body Language (Human) Per/A - Per+0 12 [2]
Connoisseur (Literature) IQ/A - IQ+1 13 [4]
Connoisseur (Music) IQ/A - IQ+3 15 [4]
Dancing DX/A - DX-1 10 [1]
Diplomacy IQ/H - IQ+3 15 [4]
    includes: +1 from 'Talker', +2 from 'Voice'
Expert Skill (Bardic Lore) IQ/H - IQ+0 12 [4]
Housekeeping IQ/E - IQ+1 13 [2]
Impersonate (Mimicry (Speech)) Tech/A - def+3 14 [3]
Literature IQ/H - IQ+1 13 [4]
    includes: +1 from 'Bard'
Mimicry (Animal Sounds) IQ/H - IQ+2 14 [4]
    includes: +2 from 'Voice'
Mimicry (Bird Calls) IQ/H - IQ+2 14 [4]
    includes: +2 from 'Voice'
Mimicry (Speech) IQ/H - IQ+2 14 [4]
    includes: +2 from 'Voice'
Musical Instrument ("Delta Banjo") IQ/H - IQ+6 18 [24]
    includes: +1 from 'Musical Ability'
Performance IQ/A - IQ+6 18 [16]
    includes: +2 from 'Voice'
Poetry IQ/A - IQ+2 14 [4]
    includes: +1 from 'Bard'
Professional Skill (Geisha/Elames) IQ/A - IQ+2 14 [8]
Public Speaking IQ/A - IQ+6 18 [0]
    includes: +1 from 'Charisma', +2 from 'Voice', +1 from 'Bard'
Savoir-Faire (High Society) IQ/E - IQ+2 14 [1]
    includes: +1 from 'Talker'
Savoir-Faire (Servant) IQ/E - IQ+3 15 [4]
    includes: +1 from 'Talker'
Singing HT/E - HT+7 18 [8]
    includes: +1 from 'Musical Ability', +2 from 'Voice', +1 from 'Bard'
Teaching IQ/A - IQ+0 12 [2]
Stats [50] Ads [41] Disads [-48] Quirks [-4] Skills [109] = Total [150]
Notes
This is "Lammy" in her native campaign.
During "Lost Little Lamb," her appearance jumps to at least Beautiful because of the higher standards of the folks in "Pendant River Chronicles." She loses the valuable property stigma, gains "Primitive (TL3)", etc.

http://www.abyssandapex.com/200710-wikihistory.html

213 things Skippy
is no longer allowed to do

Being a massive compendium
of useful information culled from Usenet
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies

On Discovery Channel, "The Colony". Sort of like 'Big Brother' in a post-apocalypic setting. The people involved are left in a a fairly
well researched post-apocalyptic 'city'. Looks like it could be interesting. Starts Jan 13 here in Canada, seems like it may have already started in
the US.

http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv ... lony_debut
___________________________
"I've always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific." - George Carlin

It's been awhile since I checked in on Scarfgirls' Deviant Art page. This time she has an absolutely hilarious story to tell that still
makes you want to extend a hug in sympathy, cause she was TRYING to help...

Quote: I should preface this with the notion that I love animals , adore them even but know very little about them aside from birds fly , fish swim , cows moo and
dogs have wet noses ....that being said a few days ago I was driving down the road in my small car and lo and behold out of the corner of my eye I see a
largeish turtle crossing a super mega busy intersection ..no ones stopping or even trying to avoid mister turtle so I slam on my breaks toss the car in park
and juke and jive passed cars to make my way to Mister Turtle .




Cars screech and honk at me , weird finger gestures are thrown at me and questions asked about my parentage but no matter I have the turtle safely clasped to
my chest and start running back to my car as I note with dawning horror a warm spreading sensation on my chest , looking down I see that my friend whose life
I just saved has decided to empty his lil turtle bowels on me ....




Making it back to my car I place Mister turtle (whom is safely tucked into his turtle shell )in the passenger seat , strap myself in and take off to find a
lake or body of water to toss him in having no idea where the turtle came from .




about a block away the little scamp decides to come out of his shell and scramble out of his chair onto the floor with a thunk and over towards my flip
flopped feet while im driving in busy traffic I try to keep my feet away from him and him away from the pedals but he seems determined I manage to sorta
corral him under my chair and manage to pull over near a area with a pond .




Thinking my ordeal was over I try to get him out from under my chair but he seems a bit annoyed and tries to bite me (im not sure if turtles could hurt if
they bit you but I wasn't really keen on getting bit and finding out I got turtle rabies ...)




I scrambled into the backseat and prodded him with a flipflop from the backside till he scrambled out from under my chair , I jumped back out ran to the
front seat and grabbed the little bastard by his sides as he tried to claw me with his feet and kicked the door closed with my foot .




I ran , turtle held as far out in front of me as possiable , trying to avoid being sprayed with turtle urine , one flip flop on one flip flop off and a still
wet turtle urine stain on my shirt .




I reached the edge of the pond and tossed him in unceremoniously where he sank quickly out of sight , mission accomplished I walked back to my car only to
find the door was locked with my keys inside .




Fast forward about 45 minutes when a friend arrives having picked up spare keys from my house and I try to relate my ordeal , she asks about the turtle after
my story and I describe it as best I can and she makes a laughing noise ..the sorta one where your trying really hard not to laugh but its forcing its way
out .




She explains that my friend mister turtle was very likely a gopher turtle and the reason there wasn't ponds near where I found him is that they live in
burrows ...they generally as a rule do not go swimming in ponds which sorta explains why he sunk out of sight ...........




I imagine during the summer i'll hear a tapping on my window and like some horror movie it will be a horriably mangles turtle from beyond the grave come
to seek revenge ...if your reading this mister turtle I feel really bad about this and honestly really did think all turtles could swim .




until next post this is Deebs signing off

Could somebody visit www.sjgames.com and let me know if it's working? I tried visiting last night to take my daily
turn on the Ultracorps game, but couldn't access the site. I still can't get on and the next turn of the game is coming up in a few hours. Thanks.
----------------------------------------------------

"Anyone can be a winner if their definition of victory is flexible enough." - The DM of the Rings XXXV

Picture this telly advert:

(black screen, dramatic music, white letters appear)

YOU CAN PICK

YOUR NOSE

(4-across by 3-high grid of doggy noses, zoom out to Brady Bunch headshots of the dogs)

YOU CAN PICK

YOUR FRIEND

(a power ranger, armored troll, and a modern soldier, toy-style)

BUT YOUR FRIEND

KNOWS

(blank)

N O T H I N G

(music stops, pan up from chessboard to troll, looking confused. SFX: Bwah?)

PUZZLEHOUND'S

TOY CHEST

(combat music, montage of puzzle games and MMO-type exploration)

(end)

The basic appearance is of a solo or MMO RPG where you have one character and one pet, which jumps in to fight when monsters appear - but...

The player controls the 'pet' - mostly dogs, a sparse sprinkling of other critters. The human(oid)(?) is an action figure fished out of a literal toy chest and enlarged through the power of your doggy awesomeness, and runs on AI scripts chosen by your commands.

When a monster appears, Friend runs forward to melee, and a puzzle appears. Player's progress on the puzzle does spell damage to the monster as well as possibly casting buff/debuff or healing magic via bonuses/power-ups. Friend's hit points serve as the game timer, depleted by the monster's attacks.

Spell/puzzle effects always operate via percentages while Friend's attack and defense are additive/subtractive and must be augmented by leveling, equipment, or buffs. Each Friend type has a special power - for the trio listed the power ranger could call a giant robot for a big hit once per battle ala ff5-9 summons, the troll's HP regenerate even in combat, and the soldier can use grenades a few times per battle.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My mother has recently gotten deeply into the "Treasure Mania" Facebook flash-game, but hates waiting for the damn endurance to recover to keep digging. I had the idea to make a slightly different sort of puzzle game where that wouldn't be such an annoyance, like in RPGs where ealing is easy, et viola, game premise. I might even try to make it, as although my programming skills are neither m4d nor l33t one of the numerous free 2d game scripting engines should probably suffice. Mostly I'm just showing off the idea I had, but if anyone here has attempted similar projects via GameMaker, RPG Maker, etc., I'm open to sugestions or advice. I did DL GameMaker 8 Lite and a bunch of rescource libraries (tiles, scripts, etc.) to see if I can give it a shot, so if that worked out there would be the possibility of internet co-op or PvP, if anyone is was enthusiastic enough to care.

Also, I signed up for a free http://grandfantasia.aeriagames.com/]Grand Fantasia account while I'm here where the access is available and the band is broad, and really like it. If you haven't seen the net ads, it's a anime-styed 3d MMORPG with (as noted) free acounts or cheap advanced membership, currently in beta. Whether accounts will remain free when beta ends is another question, but for now at least it is, and if you check down in the Events listing on that page there's an equipment giveaway still going on for the next five days.

- CD
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows