The SUE Files, Part II

[Trekkin]

I'm not completely sure how, but we've gotten through 50 pages of laughing at the worst campaign I've ever been in, as run by an apparently endlessly interesting GM. It's even spawned a blog (http://irolledazero.blogspot.com/), which is very incomplete but getting there.

Anyway, people in the original thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=275152) wanted me to make a sequel, so here we are: part two of the discussion of a greatly expanded campaign journal that's sort of become a laundry list of things not to do as GM. or author.

I believe we'd left off on an attempt to locate enough gold to make a cube of gold around forty meters on a side, given the GM's unique perspective on economics.

Strangely enough, it's not the first time he's pulled something like this. Star Wars seems to make him prone to it; in our last Star Wars one-shot with him, we got away with 2.5 billion credits of starship parts through shenanigans, and he had no problems with us selling them all at the first Outer Rim backwater we could find. I believe at the time I joked that we were clearly setting up one heck of a yard sale, if we could sell off four thousand Acclamator hyperdrives in the space of an hour or so.

[Elite Hunter 02]

Yes, welcome back to the madhouse of wacky GM techniques. Things are going to get increasingly blurry due to not taking notes during the campaign, but it will still keep you entertained, I'm sure. The best parts are just endlessly BAD sequences of events meant to put the player down and keep them there, and not in the good way that truly motivates a sane and logical player.

Fortunately (or unfortunately), due to my combat oriented play style given a typical hack-and-slash RPG campaign, I can either salvage it or at least stand to play it without blowing my brains out, passing it off as a justified personal vendetta for my character (which worked very well, until after the campaign when all this crap came to light). Of course, at the time I was COMPLETELY oblivious to how extraordinarily horrible Chief Circle had set the system up.

And I guess that speaks volumes about me as a player that occasionally zones out while the GM speaks with other players (I missed most of the science bullcrap screwyness at teh beginning due to this), but I more than made up for it later in the campaign when it became apparent that top level engineers who have had access to all the tech in the multiverse don't have the most basic engineering and science principles memorized to hell and back because they are used to using the advanced machines as the middle men. Another example that could be said applies to humanity as well with our reliance on tech, but as a student of engineering I know DAMN well that the basics are hammered into you out of necessity for when crap like this comes to light.

Aw hell, I'm ranting again aren't I? I'll shut up now.

[Deffers]

Sweet! We made it to thread two! We need a really good zinger to be the champagne bottle to this ocean-liner sized snark boat.

I just thought of someyhing: why GOLD? I mean, like, there are more valuable things out there, right? Possibly lighter things? I know it's important for like chips and stuff, but do Star Wars computers even use those?

Someone out there must be making a whole lot of slave princess outfits.

[llehctim]

Yes, welcome back to the madhouse of wacky GM techniques. Things are going to get increasingly blurry due to not taking notes during the campaign, but it will still keep you entertained, I'm sure. The best parts are just endlessly BAD sequences of events meant to put the player down and keep them there, and not in the good way that truly motivates a sane and logical player.

Fortunately (or unfortunately), due to my combat oriented play style given a typical hack-and-slash RPG campaign, I can either salvage it or at least stand to play it without blowing my brains out, passing it off as a justified personal vendetta for my character (which worked very well, until after the campaign when all this crap came to light). Of course, at the time I was COMPLETELY oblivious to how extraordinarily horrible Chief Circle had set the system up.

And I guess that speaks volumes about me as a player that occasionally zones out while the GM speaks with other players (I missed most of the science bullcrap screwyness at teh beginning due to this), but I more than made up for it later in the campaign when it became apparent that top level engineers who have had access to all the tech in the multiverse don't have the most basic engineering and science principles memorized to hell and back because they are used to using the advanced machines as the middle men. Another example that could be said applies to humanity as well with our reliance on tech, but as a student of engineering I know DAMN well that the basics are hammered into you out of necessity for when crap like this comes to light.

Aw hell, I'm ranting again aren't I? I'll shut up now.

Eh, its pretty reasonable that you tuned out the science debates, I flat out put headphones on and played games on my computer when one of you two and the GM started talking about weapons or star wars things that I despite enjoying star wars, could not really care less about. Mostly because they took hours most of the time, and I am largely uninterested in (real) weapon designs and which is better etc.

[CoffeeIncluded]

And also because some piece of your subconscious was aware of the madness and wanted to spare you?

[Trekkin]

I just thought of someyhing: why GOLD? I mean, like, there are more valuable things out there, right? Possibly lighter things? I know it's important for like chips and stuff, but do Star Wars computers even use those?

Even among the precious metals, there are things like platinum; still dense as anything but worth more per unit mass.

It's an interesting thought experiment, though, finding something that's stable in value and easily portable across as many settings as possible. Diamonds, for example, aren't any good in settings with nanofabrication, and antimatter (if you have the tech to store it) is usually illegal in settings technologically advanced enough to value it. One wonders if there isn't some sort of black market where you can get your valuable commodities changed over, somewhere...

Of course there is not. "Everyone uses gold; it's just easier to deal with." And that's all the explanation we get.

[CoffeeIncluded]

To be fair, a good chunk of fantasy worlds use gold; it would probably be one of the most efficient ways to have money for as many worlds as possible without having to go to an exchange center.

[Deffers]

"Not Platinum. Not even Iridium or Osmium which would make sense as a fiat currency since nobody's gonna write a setting that's Osmium-rich, so it's just assumed it's rare everywhere. No, we're going with gold. Because LOGIC! It's not like anybody's ever heard of a continent made of gold appearing in fiction ever."

EDIT: A fair point, CoffeeIncluded, except for that whole thing about gold continents existing, gold demiplanes, etc... so an element being used as fiat currency that doesn't even occur in most fictional universes would actually make more sense, when you think about it.

[Big Fau]

Never mind the thought that there exists a Star Wars-based planet that accepts gold instead of credits, never mind that the UNCS had energy shields for ships during the Covenant attack on Reach (Sabers were shielded, and their successor the Broadsword had even better ones, never mind that the Infinity has energy shields capable of destroying a Covenant Super-carrier). The fact that transporting gold from one reality to another in such large quantities would devalue it in the "seller" reality means the idea was a bust to begin with.

And, IIRC, the reason the Star Wars-verse is almost exclusively credits-based in economy is because interstellar exploration would open up interstellar mining operations that would cause a gold-based economy to collapse. Earth's gold-based economy works because we have so little of it and we have to ration how much is used (since we do use it extensively). Star Wars is set in a universe where there are thousands of planets, each with its own traits and resources, and gold would likely be in abundance in such a setting. Hell, the UNSC probably ran across the same problem when Mars was terraformed.

[CoffeeIncluded]

I know, but I'm saying that while Star Wars may not use gold as a currency, it may still be a valuable bartering tool on some planets. More importantly, many other fantasy worlds use gold as a currency. If you were only able to carry one form of currency with you while traveling between worlds, gold would be your best and most efficient broad-spectrum choice.

I'm not saying that the way he applied it isn't ridiculous; it is. But the core idea, the very core, seems reasonable.

[Deffers]

...True. Well, except for the hyper-inflation, but that's more because these bold piles of liquid GENIUS decided to go "screw it, let's just friggin'... friggin' take a cube forty meters across on each side through. IN A HAND CART. There will be NO economic repercussions whatsoever!"

...Personally, if I had to choose a currency, if I knew there were a preponderance of, say, fantasy worlds, I might be inclined to take a risk on saffron instead of gold; it may be that you've got expansive, wide continents, fabled cities of gold, and alchemists running around willy-nilly, but you can't go wrong trading in spices. It'd be just my luck to land in a world of magical botanists who can't transmute metals worth a damn, though. :P

Or, hell, that gives me an idea. Just use Spice from Dune, and then use THAT as a get-rich-quick scheme. After all, I'm pretty sure the UNSC would be FASCINATED by a drug that can unlock precognitive abilities AND expand the lifespan of their incredibly valuable living tank-soldiers. Then I'd trade it for... any goddamn thing that's not gold. Hell, in most fantasy 'verses, this stuff would be worth twice its weight in gold. I mean, it's a nootropic that extends your lifespan-- wizards would kill to get their hands on this stuff to get their hands on immortality WITHOUT all that silly lich stuff. And you can use it in high doses as a mutagen. There's seriously no end to what you could do, assuming Dune is one of the 7200 'verses. Better than gold.

[CoffeeIncluded]

You're assuming Chief Circle actually read and enjoyed Dune though.

[JoshuaZ]

Possible other things to transfer: Energy. One could store energy in say large electromagnetic flywheels, or ultracapacitors and move them between universes. The primary issue would be that this might not work if one had energy rich settings. If one is set on a specific mass, tritium might be of sufficient interest in a large variety of settings.

If settings exist where substances with some properties don't occur naturally one could transfer those substances. Thus for example, adamantine from a D&D style universe might work well, since most universes don't have it, it is rare in its home universe, and it is useful in other universes (assuming it acts like it normally does). Bacta from Star Wars might work similarly.

Is there any law that interuniversal exchanges must obey conversation of energy or the laws of thermodynamics? If not, one might be able to pull off stunts similar to the electron pump from "The Gods Themselves".


Edit: Also note that Earth doesn't have a gold based economy but one based on fiat money. So in that sense real like is just like Star Wars.

[SaintRidley]

You're assuming Chief Circle actually read and enjoyed Dune though.

Also assuming that if he did, he understood any of it.

Seems pretty unlikely.

[Sith_Happens]

Going back to Star Wars, it'd probably be pretty hard to beat the pure value-to-weight ratio of Corusca gems. Found only on one planet (Yavin Prime), make diamonds look like cotton candy, and pretty enough that the capital of the Republic is named after them. For an idea of how valuable they are, the one that Jacen Solo put in his lightsaber allegedly could have bought a city block of that same capital.

[Arbane]

No, we're going with gold. Because LOGIC! It's not like anybody's ever heard of a continent made of gold appearing in fiction ever."

So, on top of all his other crimes against literature, he's never read Terry Pratchett. The fact that the Counterweight Continent was incredibly gold-rich was a plot point in the very first book.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Considering what he's done to the other settings, it's probably for the best he's never read Discworld.

[Trekkin]

Considering what he's done to the other settings, it's probably for the best he's never read Discworld.

Oh, he started it. He didn't like it, for some reason.

Depending on when you ask him, he either is meaning to read or refuses to read Dune.

[Mr Beer]

One wonders if there isn't some sort of black market where you can get your valuable commodities changed over, somewhere...

Of course there is not. "Everyone uses gold; it's just easier to deal with." And that's all the explanation we get.

I can't imagine why there'd be room for any sort of currency variety in multi-civilisational, galaxy-spanning sized game settings.


Star Wars is set in a universe where there are thousands of planets, each with its own traits and resources, and gold would likely be in abundance in such a setting. Hell, the UNSC probably ran across the same problem when Mars was terraformed.

It would be reasonable to have a hard-science, 23rd century Earth game-setting in which gold has been greatly devalued due to widespread , mature exploitation of the asteroid belt and attendant access to precious metals. Let alone frikking Star Wars.

[Mono Vertigo]

Oh, he started it. He didn't like it, for some reason.


Gee, I can't imagine why.

[Trekkin]

Well, I got the last piece of the minor puzzle that is the reasoning behind all organized canon crime using gold as a means of exchange: because the Martesian Imperium, which is by this time in Chief Circle's timeline is the biggest force in the canon crime underworld, accepts only gold as payment. That's his stated reason, by the way.

They do this because he will eventually impose, as the sole legal tender, his own representative money on all 7200 realities that he conquers, and he needs the gold reserves. Conveniently, the Martesian Credit is initially set equal in value to the Imperial Credit*, so if anyone wants to estimate the total number of credits in circulation and divide by ten to get the gold grams allotted to Star Wars alone...

Read in the style of Danny Vermin: He took an economics class once. Once.

*just before making dealing in or possessing Imperial Credits one of the MANY capital crimes...

[jindra34]

Wait did he just make dealing in Imperial Credits illegal? Or all forms of currency besides the ones he backs?

[Trekkin]

Wait did he just make dealing in Imperial Credits illegal? Or all forms of currency besides the ones he backs?

All forms of currency besides the one he backs.

[VeliciaL]

What gets me is that it's a capital crime...

[Trekkin]

What gets me is that it's a capital crime...

He has a liberal interpretation of the Tarkin Doctrine-- which is the guiding principle of both his military strategy and his government. Anything that could be even loosely determined as defying his will is punishable by death, unless you're really cool, in which case he'll just exile you forever.

Because it's a deterrent.

EDIT: And Jindra's mostly right. Dissent is punishable by 'mind adjustment' until you agree with Marty fanatically, although actually protesting or anything is capital, if I remember right.

[jindra34]

What gets me is that it's a capital crime...

It fits with the profile of actions taken. I'd be awestruck if dissent wasn't also a capital crime.

[Deffers]

...Wow. Yeah, that's... wow. Holy crap. So keeping that one silver dollar that's worth a lot of sentimental value because a parental figure gave it to you would be a head-loseable offense in one his 7200 worlds once he took over, is what I'm guessing. Numismatists would die in droves, attacked just for liking freaking coins. :smalleek:

Wow. How screwed up can this guy's headspace get. Nobody ever let him be in a position of power over others, please.

[Trekkin]

...Wow. Yeah, that's... wow. Holy crap. So keeping that one silver dollar that's worth a lot of sentimental value because a parental figure gave it to you would be a head-loseable offense in one his 7200 worlds once he took over, is what I'm guessing. Numismatists would die in droves, attacked just for liking freaking coins. :smalleek:

Wow. How screwed up can this guy's headspace get. Nobody ever let him be in a position of power over others, please.

The way he interprets it, all transactions including barter either use his currency at one end or both sides' lives are forfeit. So is intent to make such a transaction, as determined by either random mind-reading spot checks or possession of currency other than his credits. Careful what you bring back from a dungeon crawl...

Collectible card games don't fare well in his empire, apparently.

[jindra34]

Well the barter part is easy to get around. You just pick a unit of the currency that one of you has, use that as middle ground, and conduct it as two distinct transactions. Still a stupidly bad law with horrendous implications, but hey at least its possible to in some areas hold to the letter while trampling the spirit of it.

[Big Fau]

The way he interprets it, all transactions including barter either use his currency at one end or both sides' lives are forfeit. So is intent to make such a transaction, as determined by either random mind-reading spot checks or possession of currency other than his credits. Careful what you bring back from a dungeon crawl...

Collectible card games don't fare well in his empire, apparently.

The more I learn of CC, the more I want to hurt him.

[Sith_Happens]

Collectible card games don't fare well in his empire, apparently.

Speaking of which, please tell me he's gotten nowhere near the Magic: The Gathering multiverse or any individual plane therein.:smallsigh:

(Actually, what would happen if one of the "universes" within the multiverse was itself a multiverse?)

[Zelphas]

Or, hell, that gives me an idea. Just use Spice from Dune, and then use THAT as a get-rich-quick scheme. After all, I'm pretty sure the UNSC would be FASCINATED by a drug that can unlock precognitive abilities AND expand the lifespan of their incredibly valuable living tank-soldiers. Then I'd trade it for... any goddamn thing that's not gold. Hell, in most fantasy 'verses, this stuff would be worth twice its weight in gold. I mean, it's a nootropic that extends your lifespan-- wizards would kill to get their hands on this stuff to get their hands on immortality WITHOUT all that silly lich stuff. And you can use it in high doses as a mutagen. There's seriously no end to what you could do, assuming Dune is one of the 7200 'verses. Better than gold.

This gives me a campaign idea: a horde of Marut Inevitables from D&D chasing spice trader PCs across the dimensions for allowing others to break the universal law "everyone dies eventually". That could be fun, if handled by a somewhat capable DM.

[Trekkin]

The more I learn of CC, the more I want to hurt him.

Which is why I'm trying my darnedest to keep this anonymous. Please don't take this as directed at you, or as some kind of rebuttal or criticism; it's kind of my general thoughts on all the sentiments of this type I've seen in this thread and its predecessor.

CC is infuriating, yes, but he's also unintentionally hilarious, and more importantly I've seen much-reduced versions of the flaws in his DMing and thinking pop up in other peoples' games, including mine. Looking over this mess has helped draw them into sharper relief, and when snarky catharsis alone is not justification enough, that's why I tell myself I do this. I'm not mad at him; I'm mad at the situation that let someone as bright as him do this without any of us noticing and calling him on it until it got this bad. If there's anything positive to come out of it, I can't help but think it's easiest to glean with that mindset.

For Pete's sake, this is a frelling game and I've seen people I respect to the point of envy reduced to tears over the fallout from it. It's gone wrong enough, you know?

And Sith_Happens: He can't stand M:tG, although he's addicted to Yu-Gi-Oh. Not the trading part, though. He just makes more decks with his spare cards. Existing multiverses are treated as single universes by the multiverse.

[llehctim]

MTG would be quite interesting in the setting, since iirc from my time in high school playing it, the planeswalkers basically go from reality to reality collecting armies and artifacts to fight each other with for some unexplained reason, which I made up for each game I played. so in MTG it would be considered cannon to take something from another reality and use it in your wars.


Has he heard of fiat currency at all?
GM fiat currency? Like a "the economy works this way"

[JoshuaZ]

Has he heard of fiat currency at all?

[Trekkin]

Has he heard of fiat currency at all?

Yes, but he thinks he can get better control of the currency's value by keeping it representative.

Incidentally, this is extremely important to him given how he makes the economy work. When he takes over a planet, all currency is instantly null and void as described above; the occupying force decides who gets how much money, and that's that. "Changing the value of currency would undermine their authority."

Yes, he actually thinks like that. Sigh...

[Big Fau]

I'm aware of why you would withhold that information (in fact, I expect it from anyone on the internet). And just because I want to doesn't mean I have the means to make it happen even if I knew.


So I shall instead destroy an old towel and pretend its him.

[Arbane]

The way he interprets it, all transactions including barter either use his currency at one end or both sides' lives are forfeit. So is intent to make such a transaction, as determined by either random mind-reading spot checks or possession of currency other than his credits. Careful what you bring back from a dungeon crawl...

Collectible card games don't fare well in his empire, apparently.

No kidding. I can imagine a shadow-currency based around whatever the sci-fi version of Starbucks gift-cards is, though.

Random mind-reading and the death penalty for everything. Chief Circle has NO idea what a hideous dystopia his 'rule' looks like from any point of view outside of his colon, does he?



The more I learn of CC, the more I want to hurt him.

No kidding. I'm just hoping he never goes into politics. Not that I think he'd get very far, but I'm unwilling to take that chance.


(Actually, what would happen if one of the "universes" within the multiverse was itself a multiverse?)

Yo, dawg, I heard you liked multiverses.... :smallbiggrin:

[JoshuaZ]

Yes, but he thinks he can get better control of the currency's value by keeping it representative.

Incidentally, this is extremely important to him given how he makes the economy work. When he takes over a planet, all currency is instantly null and void as described above; the occupying force decides who gets how much money, and that's that. "Changing the value of currency would undermine their authority."

Yes, he actually thinks like that. Sigh...

If he's enforcing the currency already why does he think it needs to be backed by something? A major reason that major fiat currency work is that large governments with weapons honor them. I don't want to think about this too much.

[Geordnet]

On an unrelated note, it's obviously far too late to do this now, but reading this last post I suddenly got the idea of suggesting to Chief that The Neverending Story be one of the universes. Cue explosion of his head at the thought of nested metafiction.
Hm... (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15193911#post15193911)



Wait did he just make dealing in Imperial Credits illegal? Or all forms of currency besides the ones he backs?
To be fair, that's a valid dictatorial tactic. Take total control of the economy and all.



It fits with the profile of actions taken. I'd be awestruck if dissent wasn't also a capital crime.
"We must dissent"...

Now I feel like dropping Marty into a Brood Pit. Want to bet "brain devoured by ravenous larvae" isn't on his list of immunities? :smallamused:



I wonder... Would it be plagiarism to take the very core concept of this campaign, strip it of all the bad stuff, then do it right? I mean, most of the setting's "uniqueness" is from the bad stuff; the concept I'm thinking of is fairly similar to Timecop and MiB. (Also, a few campaign ideas from an old copy of GURPS: Time Travel.)
So, say there are lots of universes. From the outside, each looks like a static picture in four dimensions; all places and times visible and fixed as in a painting, or a book. However, if anyone was the author it's the big G-O-D God, but for the players there are more pressing concerns than theology.

You see, the multiverse is as riddled with holes as swiss cheese. Whether formed naturally, or the act of some eldrich abomination, portals between worlds pop up everywhere. And where they appear, universes deviate from the way they "should" be. Normally the wounds "heal" by themselves, and soon after the portal disappears it never appeared in the first place; but if something or someone falls through one of these portals, the disturbance grows around it like a cyst. Enough of these and reality itself starts to break down, ruining everyone's day -perhaps even permanently.

That's where the players come in. They're Tinkers, and it's their job to remove the sources of these ulcers so that reality can heal. Sometimes it's small, like stealing an elven blade from a museum shelf or lassoing a "tourist"; in these cases the universe can heal itself if the Tinkers are quiet enough. Other times the damage is so bad they have to go in guns blazing, killing everyone involved to "cauterize" the wound before cleanup teams move in. (No one ever said the Tinkers were the most moral group around. But from their point of view, they do only what they must. And history always vindicates them.)
Is that different enough, do you think?

[Feddlefew]

I'd like to see what he would do with OFF (the RPG maker game by Mortis Ghost).

I think Marty is very much like the main "villain" character. :smalltongue:

[llehctim]

Now I feel like dropping Marty into a Brood Pit. Want to bet "brain devoured by ravenous larvae" isn't on his list of immunities?

It is, he is immune to anything that changes his form without him wanting it too except apparently Acid and 'pure energy', which on an unrelated not is something I have an issue with as a nuclear engineer, since it implies other energy is somehow impure or not real energy, but that's just the systems (D&D and others) way of dealing with very intense energy.
Pretty sure biting/eating is a physical thing, although i guess enough acid might reduce his fast healing slightly.

[Arbane]

It is, he is immune to anything that changes his form without him wanting it too except apparently Acid and 'pure energy', which on an unrelated not is something I have an issue with as a nuclear engineer, since it implies other energy is somehow impure or not real energy, but that's just the systems way of dealing with very intense energy.


It makes me think he got his knowledge of physics from comic books.

[Mr Beer]

It makes me think he got his knowledge of physics from comic books.

Since Chief Circle seems to be a comic book supervillain, luckily minus the superpowers, that's not unlikely.

[Sith_Happens]

MTG would be quite interesting in the setting, since iirc from my time in high school playing it, the planeswalkers basically go from reality to reality collecting armies and artifacts to fight each other with for some unexplained reason, which I made up for each game I played. so in MTG it would be considered cannon to take something from another reality and use it in your wars.

Interesting point, Old Style planeswalkers are basically the embodiment of everything the MIC fights against.

[Geordnet]

It is, he is immune to anything that changes his form without him wanting it too except apparently Acid and 'pure energy', which on an unrelated not is something I have an issue with as a nuclear engineer, since it implies other energy is somehow impure or not real energy, but that's just the systems (D&D and others) way of dealing with very intense energy.
Pretty sure biting/eating is a physical thing, although i guess enough acid might reduce his fast healing slightly.
So, he's saying his eyeballs are harder than plasma steel? :smallannoyed:
(Ok, so it worked for Superman... :smalltongue:)

Also, Mind Worms have a paralyzing psionic attack, if it counts for anything. (So at the very least, it'll be a fate worse than death.)

[Trekkin]

Well, no point in waiting to put it on the blog now.

"[Marty's] a shapeshifter. Shapeshifters are immune to anything that changes their form. Slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage changes your form, so he's immune to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning."

That's his logic and he will stick to it until the end of time.

I'd keep him very far from anything to do with Planet's native life. See, once I showed him wh40k, he decided he had to be "orders of magnitude more psionic than the Emperor" or something like that,so given him he'd probably get the worms to grab miniscule pompoms and act as his cheerleaders in perfect, planet-wide synch.

And I'd rather not think what I'd have to read about him doing with Planet Busters, especially on a planet already (apparently) neatly divided along ideological lines.

[Big Fau]

Well, no point in waiting to put it on the blog now.

"[Marty's] a shapeshifter. Shapeshifters are immune to anything that changes their form. Slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage changes your form, so he's immune to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning."

That's his logic and he will stick to it until the end of time.

I'd keep him very far from anything to do with Planet's native life. See, once I showed him wh40k, he decided he had to be "orders of magnitude more psionic than the Emperor" or something like that,so given him he'd probably get the worms to grab miniscule pompoms and act as his cheerleaders in perfect, planet-wide synch.

And I'd rather not think what I'd have to read about him doing with Planet Busters, especially on a planet already (apparently) neatly divided along ideological lines.

The Imperator is confined to his throne because his psychic powers allowed him to read CC's mind. The raw, undiluted glimpse into CC's insanity was too much for even him, possibly even beyond the Chaos Gods' ability to understand.

[Alejandro]

You know, it's funny. One honest day's work by a janitor at your campus is worth more than the entire works of Chief Circle. And at some level, he probably knows.

[llehctim]

Duly noted of course this super-shape-shifter immunity was only for certain types of shape-shifter (the weird vampire thing he used for the Ao-sue) since my shape-shifter did not remotely have this.

PS: 'pure energy' is not the GM's fault that's a thing that D&D and the other systems do.

[Feddlefew]

Well, no point in waiting to put it on the blog now.

"[Marty's] a shapeshifter. Shapeshifters are immune to anything that changes their form. Slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage changes your form, so he's immune to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning."

That's his logic and he will stick to it until the end of time.


I think he's confusing shapeshifter and shapeshifting amorph. And the latter isn't immune to fire damage. :smallsigh:

This kind of falls under the "small gem encrusted with tones of ****" problem that CC's setting has. I've had a "species" sitting in my ideas folder that is easily mistaken for the latter, but they're more akin to mobile, meat (or whatever other material they feel like) puppet using genius loci than shapeshifters. They're explicitly not immune to everything. :smallmad:

[ReaderAt2046]

Well, no point in waiting to put it on the blog now.

"[Marty's] a shapeshifter. Shapeshifters are immune to anything that changes their form. Slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage changes your form, so he's immune to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning."

That's his logic and he will stick to it until the end of time.


That's actually not entirely bad logic. It does make sense that amorphous shapeshifters would be immune to piercing, slashing and bludgeoning because they could just shape the cuts back together again. Of course, that wouldn't make them immune to fire or cold or acid or... and so on.

[Lord Torath]

Now I feel like dropping Marty into a Brood Pit. Want to bet "brain devoured by ravenous larvae" isn't on his list of immunities?

It is, he is immune to anything that changes his form without him wanting it too except apparently Acid and 'pure energy', which on an unrelated not is something I have an issue with as a nuclear engineer, since it implies other energy is somehow impure or not real energy, but that's just the systems (D&D and others) way of dealing with very intense energy.
Pretty sure biting/eating is a physical thing, although i guess enough acid might reduce his fast healing slightly.
So does Kinetic Energy count as pure energy? How about Electrical Energy? Or is "Pure" energy restricted to everyone's favorite "Magic Missile" spell? I assume Acid counts as Chemical Energy?

[CoffeeIncluded]

Like llehctim, I'll give him the pure energy phrase simply because it's used so much, but the rest? The currency thing? *Shudders*

[neonchameleon]

... this is one giant troll thread, right? If not, why haven't you killed him and taken his stuff in D&D style.

Being more serious (and boggling), you're aware that there are some prep light games that are high on improv and fairly low on DM work? They tend to have a PVP element. (I'm thinking of games like Smallville, the Apocalypse World family, Fiasco, and Montsegeur 1244). Seriously, I can turn up to a table with a copy of Fiasco or Leverage and no prep at all and expect to run a good game.

[Alejandro]

... this is one giant troll thread, right? If not, why haven't you killed him and taken his stuff in D&D style.

Being more serious (and boggling), you're aware that there are some prep light games that are high on improv and fairly low on DM work? They tend to have a PVP element. (I'm thinking of games like Smallville, the Apocalypse World family, Fiasco, and Montsegeur 1244). Seriously, I can turn up to a table with a copy of Fiasco or Leverage and no prep at all and expect to run a good game.

He's not worth any XP, and I doubt he drops any decent loot, other than Fritos particulate from neckbeard and a vial or two of self loathing and Vaseline.

[Deffers]

Fritos particulate from a man's unwashed beard is decent loot? God PLEASE don't let that be a potion component.

...Probably it's the source of all Marty's powers.

[Sith_Happens]

Could everyone do me a huge favor and come up with something else to be short for "Chief Circle" (I've been going with "Chief")?

This is CC:

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120108105949/codegeass/images/f/f8/C.C.20.jpg
She's a bit of a troll, sure, but she hardly deserves to be dragged into this discussion.

/ProofThatIAmInsane

[Elite Hunter 02]

Could everyone do me a huge favor and come up with something else to be short for "Chief Circle" (I've been going with "Chief")?

This is CC:

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120108105949/codegeass/images/f/f8/C.C.20.jpg
She's a bit of a troll, sure, but she hardly deserves to be dragged into this discussion.

/ProofThatIAmInsane

That put a smile on my face :smallbiggrin:. +1 chocolate chip cookie to you good sir.

[Trekkin]

Could everyone do me a huge favor and come up with something else to be short for "Chief Circle" (I've been going with "Chief")?

This is CC:

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120108105949/codegeass/images/f/f8/C.C.20.jpg
She's a bit of a troll, sure, but she hardly deserves to be dragged into this discussion.

/ProofThatIAmInsane

Much as I like the unintentional reference to their mutual love for pizza (although Chief wins on sheer volume), I suppose you're right. I don't know what else to call him, though. Chief is kind of generic and there are people named Marty.

He's unfortunately named his Ao-Sue alter ego after the one screen name he uses for everything, including accounts with his real name on them, so that's kind of problematic.

Is calling him IC bad? He is an Imperator after all; that's seriously the title he picked, after much "study of the politics of ancient Rome".

[Deffers]

Well, it also means "in character" which, since he appears to believe he's soul-bonded to his sparkly vampire self (I believe he sparkles. That is my headcanon. Edward is Blade in comparison to this dude. Edward is the badass Alucard in comparison to this dude), well... it seems particularly apt.

Imperator Circle seems pretty nice. Gotta say I like CC as a nickname for him, unfortunate character assassinations aside.

[jindra34]

Does he know that his title is essentially emperor? Or if you want to be really accurate on what it means: One who gives commands. And historical Imperators was a title given and held only in emergency situations where they needed fast accurate decisions? And thus without an actual governing body to handle normal activity is actually kinda silly. And yes I've studied both Latin and Roman History to more than a passing degree that he obviously has.

[llehctim]

So does Kinetic Energy count as pure energy? How about Electrical Energy? Or is "Pure" energy restricted to everyone's favorite "Magic Missile" spell? I assume Acid counts as Chemical Energy?
Magic missile is actually force damage in D&D now apparently.
Pure energy includes custom spells that use pure magic, things like laser beams of really high intensity, like star wars blasters and the ones from his tech world.
Acid is a weird category, but that would probably be the best description I can think of for it.

[Geordnet]

I'd keep him very far from anything to do with Planet's native life. See, once I showed him wh40k, he decided he had to be "orders of magnitude more psionic than the Emperor" or something like that,so given him he'd probably get the worms to grab miniscule pompoms and act as his cheerleaders in perfect, planet-wide synch.
Oh, in that case all we need to do is smuggle Xenofungus samples into his metaverse. Just being near his massive psychic power should be enough to cause a fungal bloom, and the Locusts of Chiron would rip apart everything he's worked to accomplish. If he was afraid of the Orks... :smallwink:

So long as the Xenofungus doesn't reach critical mass, it isn't sentient; and therefore can't be controlled on a Planet-wide scale. Or at least, that's what we'll go with. :smalltongue:



So does Kinetic Energy count as pure energy? How about Electrical Energy? Or is "Pure" energy restricted to everyone's favorite "Magic Missile" spell? I assume Acid counts as Chemical Energy?

I propose we hit him with a slab of anti-neutronium at 0.99c. If that energy isn't "pure" enough, I don't know what is.


(Keeping with the SMAC theme, though, I'd next try a String Distruptor. Or maybe a Tachyon bolt, to take out Marty before he even rose to power... :smallbiggrin:)



Imperator Circle seems pretty nice. Gotta say I like CC as a nickname for him, unfortunate character assassinations aside.
How about "First Circle" then, FC?

[jindra34]

I propose we hit him with a slab of anti-neutronium at 0.99c. If that energy isn't "pure" enough, I don't know what is.


Why stop at .99c, and only a block of anti-neutronium? Why not accelerate it up to one planck length per year short of c, and have a block of neutronium of the exact same mass and at the exact same speed, be coming from the other direction to collide with it at his exact center of mass?

[Silverbit]

I just read through the whole blog and most of the first thread. Good lord, that guy is a bad DM. Does he expect you to enjoy this campaign, or just be impressed by his !!ÜBERDMPC AWESOMENESS!!? The premise could make a cool game, but he's ruined it. Hilarious blog by the way :smallsmile:.

[Geordnet]

Why stop at .99c, and only a block of anti-neutronium? Why not accelerate it up to one planck length per year short of c, and have a block of neutronium of the exact same mass and at the exact same speed, be coming from the other direction to collide with it at his exact center of mass?

Because of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. :smallwink:

[russdm]

I would suggest the following in any order:

1) Inform Chief Cockiness that you are quitting his game due to his stupidity and general annoyance.
2) Inform Chief Cockiness that his DM license is hearby revoked only to be given back pending the end of the world as we know it. If he volunters to burn his game books and never touch one again, you may allow him to view his DM license.
3) Rocks falls, Chief Cockiness dies
4) Get Chief Cockiness drunk, then arrange for him to complete a small crime. Visit him in prison.
5) Inform him that in certain terms is he allowed to DM again and that you have all the other players behind you. Get the other players behind you through any means necessary.
6) Inform Chief Cockiness that he is officially barred from the group pending an investigation into his insanity. Make sure to never complete the investigation or end it agianst him.
7) Apply formerly loaded gun to the back of his head, repeat as needed until problem goes away.

I was smilling in amusement as i typed this. I leave it up for people to guess what things i was finding funny.

[Deffers]

Kinda late to THAT party. This has long since ended IRL. This is the afterglow/campaign journal cataloging the fail.

EDIT: Yes, it is a single campaign so bad it has its own hatedom now. Or fandom based on the fail. Take your pick.

[Sith_Happens]

Much as I like the unintentional reference to their mutual love for pizza (although Chief wins on sheer volume), I suppose you're right. I don't know what else to call him, though. Chief is kind of generic and there are people named Marty.

It's fine. That was mostly a joke, and I can live without the part of me that actually is slowly dying inside.


Magic missile is actually force damage in D&D now apparently.
Pure energy includes custom spells that use pure magic, things like laser beams of really high intensity, like star wars blasters and the ones from his tech world.
Acid is a weird category, but that would probably be the best description I can think of for it.

Blasters and lightsabers are a densely-packed mix of light and plasma (further converted into something resembling a particle beam in the former case), actually. Not that Chief would know that.:smallsigh:

[Arbane]

So does Kinetic Energy count as pure energy? How about Electrical Energy? Or is "Pure" energy restricted to everyone's favorite "Magic Missile" spell?

Suddenly, I get it. The 'pure energy' that can hurt Marty is....

SPIRAL!

http://sdsandwiches.com/villainsguide-gurren-lagann.jpg

No wonder Chief Circle got so enraged when Trekkin brought it up. he can't tolerate it because it comes from a worldview he can't comprehend, and it's so much COOLER than his lousy Marty-Stu that he can't possibly stop it. :smallamused:

[Trekkin]

No wonder Chief Circle got so enraged when Trekkin brought it up. he can't tolerate it because it comes from a worldview he can't comprehend, and it's so much COOLER than his lousy Marty-Stu that he can't possibly stop it. :smallamused:

You know, he still gives me a hard time about that on the rare occaisions that we talk. He's come to use "that [expletive] spiral [expletive]" as shorthand for everything he doesn't like players thinking.

Which, in a way, I suppose it is.

[jindra34]

I assume somewhere high on that list is players thinking they can do things of any impact/importance? And another being that the overdone NPCs are not the coolest thing ever?

[Trekkin]

Right on both counts. He really does not like players getting, as he once described it to me, "uppity", and so he takes steps to ensure there's as little confusion as possible about what they can do.

:smallannoyed:

[Alejandro]

Does he ever go to actual gaming conventions, like Gencon?

[Trekkin]

He goes to our college con, yes. He may go to others depending on where he finds himself next year.

Mostly he went to our con to GM games of 3.5; apologies to his players. He doesn't really do anything else there.

[Alejandro]

Oh, I don't want to find him at one of them (it would be easy enough, though) I was just hoping he went to some of the big ones, so he can be cruelly mocked and laughed at by other attendees when he tries his crap.

[Trekkin]

Oh, just wait for him to try to promote his self-published system. With the amount of free time he's about to have, I give it a year.

[Arbane]

Oh, just wait for him to try to promote his self-published system. With the amount of free time he's about to have, I give it a year.

When he does, you'll let us know, right? Because that will be the end of your overly-merciful attempts to give him anonymity.

[Alejandro]

Yes, once he goes public on his own, I look forward to seeing his ego and will to live crushed like a glass bottle beneath a bucket wheel excavator.

[Trekkin]

When he does, you'll let us know, right? Because that will be the end of your overly-merciful attempts to give him anonymity.

If he tells me, I'll tell you.

By the way, a new and embarrassing-as-heck (for me) post (http://irolledazero.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-sue-system-mission.html) is up.

[jindra34]

So let me get this straight: Your too incompetent to easily track something that is completely out of place, yet skilled enough to pull off the most obvious and blunt ruses. Against people who are supposedly 'geniuses'. So yes, everyone there was a grade A idiot. At least pretending you know what your doing and BSing your way through it worked.

[Deffers]

Wow, it's like the random numbers themselves are arrayed against Marty. That was fantastically hilarious. COUNTERFEIT GOOOOOOOLD!!!

[Trekkin]

COUNTERFEIT GOOOOOOOLD!!!

Yep. I still have no idea why he thought they wouldn't disbelieve that out of hand. I should have gone in shouting "we're all teams of highly coordinated lawn gnomes in suits!" or something, just to prevent him accidentally thinking I was being serious.

[Deffers]

That Nat 20 was still gonna be there. And THAT woulda been fantastic. 'Cos you KNOW he would have tried to screw you over if you'd gone for that. And then the twenty would have appeared, as if from on high...

[llehctim]

Blasters and lightsabers are a densely-packed mix of light and plasma (further converted into something resembling a particle beam in the former case), actually. Not that Chief would know that.:smallsigh:

To be fair, he probably does know every detail of what is needed in a light-saber and a blaster, I think he has tried to explain it to me on several occasions,I however don't and don't particularly care and have an automated antifanboy response, which makes me inherently at best want to ignore at worst hate the topic, when someone talks to me for too much about something I am not already enthusiastic about. I enjoyed the star wars movies, I do not need to memorize everything in the Expanded universe (I don't mind if other people have, just don't expect me to care).

[Alejandro]

He probably dedicates his mind to remembering all of that so he doesn't have to think about real problems, like having a real job and being forever alone. :D

Note: I know way too much Star Wars trivia, I just also live in the real world.

[Sith_Happens]

Wow, all of Chief's efforts to keep his players in Infomercial World and he still buckles under the first natural 20. On a skill check. In a system that I assume still doesn't actually have automatic successes on checks. Which he forgot despite being the designer.

Of course, I assume he still blamed you personally for acing the mission even thought it was the dice's fault.

[Deffers]

Holy crap, I didn't think of that... the random numbers alone weren't enough to save our intrepid players. Marty's own forgetfulness of his own rules saved the players.

****ing incredible

[Mr Beer]

This was the least-awful sounding episode so far.

I mean, it's all awful: sending you in with weapons that you have no idea how to use; nerfing psionics while claiming otherwise; the most absurd plan ever that's actually run "by genuises, dude!"; conning the bad guys into flushing trillions of dollars worth of gear because you rolled well...these are all terribad, I agree.

But at least you didn't have Blackhawke (it's with an "e" at the end, right?) turning up, tucking his tunic in from his latest porn session, grimdarking his way to the objective and doing it for you. Or maybe it needed you rolling 2 20's in a row in order for that not to happen?

[Feddlefew]

But at least you didn't have Blackhawke (it's with an "e" at the end, right?) turning up, tucking his tunic in from his latest porn session, grimdarking his way to the objective and doing it for you. Or maybe it needed you rolling 2 20's in a row in order for that not to happen?

I kind of suspect that was supposed to happen- the entire encounter was set up so that it would be impossible for them to win by fighting and the DM was hinting repeatedly that they should try to kill all the smugglers, but Trekkin managed to complete the mission diplomatically.

[ReaderAt2046]

That was brilliant improve on your part, Trekkin. Good game!

Also, I think IC must have liked your plan, because he played along by sending you the backup team and having them dress up as medics. Your True antagoniztion of him must have kicked in later. BTW, any chance of getting to see the Cthulu campaign?

[Friv]

Alright, I'm caught up. And this is amazing, and a part of me hopes that it never ends (although I know, of course, that it will.)


Dear Diary: today I shredded some guy’s iliac arteries and learned the value of unambiguous communication.

I love how, even when he is allowing you guys to succeed unambiguously, CC finds a way to screw you over.

[Trekkin]

BTW, any chance of getting to see the Cthulu campaign?

Of course! It was just a spinoff from this one, so I want to tell the story in order; there's a lot of odd things that go on that are directly related to the "lessons learned" from the first campaign.

In a way, I guess it's kind of his own descent into madness.

[Marlowe]

Could I ask a really major favour?

I've been reading these threads over the last few days with the constant reaction of OhGodOhGodWhatNext. Was looking forward to reading the blog. A lot.

Except the country where I currently live at work is blocking blogspot.com. And Youtube. And Googledocs for some reason. And certain Wikipedia pages. And lots of other things.

Is their some possibility somebody could copypasta the thing and Pm it to me?:smalleek: I can't just look away.

[Deffers]

If there is a text limit to a PM, then we'll hit it.

Maybe some sorta pastebin dealie might work?

[Trekkin]

I'm working on putting all the posts into .rtfs. (I thought .txt would work, but there are issues with the colors and so forth). If nothing else, it will probably be email-able.

[Geordnet]

I'm working on putting all the posts into .rtfs. (I thought .txt would work, but there are issues with the colors and so forth). If nothing else, it will probably be email-able.
You could just save the page as a .htm file, and send that. :smalltongue:

[Trekkin]

Had I thought of that before copying everything over, I would have. :smallredface:

EDIT: If anyone's curious, it comes out to 75 pages, counting the comments. 33,947 words...I really need to get more concise.

[Marlowe]

Requesting a PM was a stupid idea. I'll be honoured to await an e-mail.

Don't visit this part of the world (logically, the sentence should stop here) without a pile of USB sticks loaded with everything you ever wanted to read, watch, look up, or laugh at ever again.:smallsmile:

[Geordnet]

Don't visit this part of the world (logically, the sentence should stop here) without a pile of USB sticks loaded with everything you ever wanted to read, watch, look up, or laugh at ever again.:smallsmile:

They'd let you keep those? :smallconfused:

[Sith_Happens]

You know, if you're worried about someone catching you saying "China" in a post about Internet censorship, you might want to clear your "Location" line.:smalltongue:

[Qwertystop]

Well. Quite the emotional rollercoaster of reactions, from the start of last thread through this one.

One thing though: Empirical evidence that a 17-year-old with Aspergers (actually clinically diagnosed, not self-diagnosed) can at least write backstories better than this guy. Not sure by how much, not saying this is much good, but...

Note: If you don't know Exalted and Nocturnals, this may not make much sense. For the absolute basics: Exaltation is basically the thing that starts your character off as anything more than some random person just as incompetent as any other random person. A Dragon-Blooded Exalt is about as far above a normal person as a normal person is above a declawed cat, and a Celestial Exalt (all the other kinds of Exalt) is close to as far above them (varying by which kind) It is triggered in various ways - the planned one ("Night Caste", subcategory of Solar) is from doing something especially awesome, specifically with regards to stealth. The one I got ("Nocturnal") is triggered by distortions to Fate preventing someone who should have Exalted from getting one. The starting premise of this particular game was that modern tech was appearing/being developed at an unreasonable, unexpected, and unplanned-by-Fate rate starting from the center of Creation (setting is flat, so this is basically a massive city on a more-massive mountain).

Dragon-Bloods are a kind of Exalt that are weaker but more numerous than the other kinds, and have a religious dogma (in the main nation) that basically says all the other kinds are demons. Others in this Empire also follow this religion. On the outskirts and outside the Empire, maybe, maybe not. Also, corruption is spreading, because the Dragon-Blooded Exaltation is spread by birth, the Empress was basically matricarch of the big families (and used lineage-based magic to keep these nobles in line), and she's recently disappeared.

Mist-under-Archway was originally from a moderately-sized, dense village. Lots of houses, close together, with a few farms on the outskirts. Most of his childhood entertainment was pretty much roof-running – not very social, see, but he was always very good at that.

With increased age came a surprising lack of change. Life as an adult was basically halfway between thief and mercenary - taking his running habit and turning it into a mild living.

Eventually, he tired of this, and decided to try something risky - robbing a group of young Dragon-Bloods who he had overheard were roaming the area(nobody in the area was particularly Immaculate - everybody was hoping for something to mess those pretentious monks up). Though he wasn't expecting any such thing, this Exalted him as a Night Caste just as he tripped a wire he hadn't noticed, and he would later go on to weaken the Immaculate Order via repeated theft and asassinations.

Well, that was the Loom's plan. Rewind a sec?

Eventually, he tired of this, and decided to try something risky - robbing a group of Dragon-Bloods who he had overheard were roaming the area. He didn't hear the critical bit, though: they were visiting in a new invention from the center of the Realm that they called a "helicopter", and were only sightseeing from above.

Yeah. No access, no robbery, no Night Caste.

Of course, this trips the rule on denied-Exaltation-by-unfated-events, just as he realizes all his plans were wasted and the helicopterfull of Immaculates flies overhead. The Nocturnal exaltation might be made as a consolation prize, but its timing? Not the best.

[Lord Torath]

Don't visit this part of the world (logically, the sentence should stop here) without a pile of USB sticks loaded with everything you ever wanted to read, watch, look up, or laugh at ever again.:smallsmile: Upon returning have your best IT guys check each one on a non-networked computer for malware. :smallannoyed: Or just don't bring them back with you, and Spread the Non-Conformist Ideology! :smallbiggrin: Fixed that for you.

[Deffers]

So basically, the SUE files are so engrossing people are willing to cross a totalitarian regime to read more.

If that ain't a five star review, I really don't know what is.

[Marlowe]

It's not like they go trhough your bags looking for horrible contraband like a dvd copy of Ghost In The Shell and a lot of D&D PDFs--it's actually interesting what they let people watch. I've seen people in internet cafes doing marathons of Naruto--as long has they're watching it on a government approved site that the government can make some money off. Interesting, anime is very popular; but it's ALL Naruto, Detective Conan, some of the teachers here remember Sailor Moon and Saint Seija. Seinen doesn't seem to exist for them.

You see grown men driving around with steel Autobot and Decepticon logos on their cars.

RPGs sites seem to be fine. They don't have the concept of pen and paper rpgs here so they have no local product to protect. It would be interesting to see what I could access if I still played MMORPGs.

The reason they block the sites I've mentioned is a lot about money; forcing people to rely on the local equivalants which are, yes, filled with commercials, unblockable pop-ups, and malware magnets.

Anyway, I'd like to talk about "the Rise of Marty". But I can't. Not with the thought that somebody intended this for publication in my head.

[Arbane]

Anyway, I'd like to talk about "the Rise of Marty". But I can't. Not with the thought that somebody intended this for publication in my head.

I've seen some pretty obnoxious Mary Sue characters in actual published game lines: Samuel Haight from the Old World of Darkness games springs instantly to mind. And at least he had the decency to DIE at the end of his story-arc, unlike a lot of White Wolf's UberNPCs. But then, he was intended as a villain from Day One...

Or, for the D&D players here, guys like Elminister and Drizzt. :smallsigh: But even they have better writing than Chief Circle's.

[Alejandro]

Note to self, figure out a way to sell PnP games in China.

[Trekkin]

Anyway, I'd like to talk about "the Rise of Marty". But I can't. Not with the thought that somebody intended this for publication in my head.

If it helps, it wasn't to be just that. It was also to continue with the novelization of the adventures (of Marty)! We were to play a minor role as side characters!

[Eldest]

If it helps, it wasn't to be just that. It was also to continue with the novelization of the adventures (of Marty)! We were to play a minor role as side characters!

How does that help?

[Sith_Happens]

If it helps, it wasn't to be just that. It was also to continue with the novelization of the adventures (of Marty)! We were to play a minor role as side characters!

So what was/is he planning to do about the whole "copyright law" thing?

[The Glyphstone]

So what was/is he planning to do about the whole "copyright law" thing?

"Royalties are payments made in exchange for the use of your creations, right? I'll just talk to them and set up an arrangement where they pay me royalty fees in exchange for me featuring their characters/universes in my work, so it's all legal."

[Trekkin]

So what was/is he planning to do about the whole "copyright law" thing?

The one time I asked about how copyright law interacts with his work in a general sense, I got this response:

"Oh, it's totally fair use; I've studied it quite extensively. The parts I'm actually copyrighting and selling don't infringe on anything, and if they get greedy and claim it does, I'll gladly go to court over it."

I feel like I should point out that he considers himself a peerless expert on every kind of law in existence, despite having had no formal legal training, and has repeatedly said that he doesn't see any need for a lawyer when he can just represent himself.

As far as I can determine, he thinks all of law hinges on one's ability to argue and find loopholes and nitpick things to death, all of which he's just so fantastic at; to give him credit where credit is due, if the legal system actually worked like a poorly written courtroom drama, he might have a snowball's chance in hell.

Obviously I don't mean to offer legal advice, but I can't help but think that relying on the delusions of a thundering idiot is not common practice in any field.

[Arbane]

The one time I asked about how copyright law interacts with his work in a general sense, I got this response:

"Oh, it's totally fair use; I've studied it quite extensively. The parts I'm actually copyrighting and selling don't infringe on anything, and if they get greedy and claim it does, I'll gladly go to court over it."


I am filled with tears knowing it will be at LEAST a year before he has anything out to be sued for.


he doesn't see any need for a lawyer when he can just represent himself.


And thus have a fool for a client, as the old legal saying goes.

I am so looking forward to this bozo's head-on collision with reality.

[JoshuaZ]

The thing is the rough idea that this is fair use isn't by itself unreasonable. But for many areas of law (and copyright is definitely high on the list), how good your lawyers are matters a lot. Going up against a large number of distinct major corporations with big-term law IP lawyers and lawfirms on their side just isn't winnable unless you've got the same resources. The fact that this would be probably a mix of grey area, ok stuff and stuff that's unambiguously not ok won't help matters. And in areas where there is leeway, annoying the judges can work wonders for your opponents, and that's easy to do when you aren't a lawyer, even if you aren't Chief Circle.

[jindra34]

Actually the biggest problem he has is with Fair Use. Namely that any use of names, characters, worlds or other copyrighted or trademarked material can only be considered Fair Use when its used for reference, parody, or without intent to make money or deny money to the holder of the copyright or trademark. Which he is walking straight into.

[Arbane]

Which he is walking straight into.

I'm reminded of Mykal Lakim and his obvious Vampire: the Masquerade ripoff, but that's a different sort of IP violation.

[Alejandro]

With luck, he will be steamrollered by real lawyers, get sued, lose everything, and then we can laugh at him. :)

[JoshuaZ]

Actually the biggest problem he has is with Fair Use. Namely that any use of names, characters, worlds or other copyrighted or trademarked material can only be considered Fair Use when its used for reference, parody, or without intent to make money or deny money to the holder of the copyright or trademark. Which he is walking straight into.

It is a little more complicated than that. There's a multipronged test, so in theory parody that makes money for example can pass it. But yes, the making of money or competing with the infringed stuff is going to be hard to get around. One relevant bit about parody also is that in practice, whether the judges find something funny matters much more than anything else for seeing whether it passes the test. See for example the Jordache/Lardashe cases, where Lardashe won with functionally incompetent lawyers and close to zero case on parody grounds.

[Arbane]

One relevant bit about parody also is that in practice, whether the judges find something funny matters much more than anything else for seeing whether it passes the test.

Chief Circle had better pray to Ao-Sue that he gets a gamer judge, then.

One who's never met any of his players. Is it possible to get sentenced to death in a lawsuit? :smallbiggrin:

[jindra34]

JoshuaZ: You read the 'OR's as 'AND's. Of course given that he might be using trademarked titles (HALO, Code Geass, Star Wars, and CthuluTech are all trademarked in reference, at the minimum, to their genre type) he will run into a major issue there, seeing as the parody clause doesn't exist there (to the degree where you might have to pay royalties over saying a Star Wars parody is one) he'd have a much tougher court time. And of course to save time companies would put the trademark and copyright lawsuits together.
I'd guess he'd also request a trail by jury, which while given by the constitution, is a very bad idea in civil cases of intellectual property.

[JoshuaZ]

JoshuaZ: You read the 'OR's as 'AND's. Of course given that he might be using trademarked titles (HALO, Code Geass, Star Wars, and CthuluTech are all trademarked in reference, at the minimum, to their genre type) he will run into a major issue there, seeing as the parody clause doesn't exist there (to the degree where you might have to pay royalties over saying a Star Wars parody is one) he'd have a much tougher court time. And of course to save time companies would put the trademark and copyright lawsuits together.
I'd guess he'd also request a trail by jury, which while given by the constitution, is a very bad idea in civil cases of intellectual property.

Yeah, those are all good points, which makes his case look substantially weaker.

[Geordnet]

JoshuaZ: You read the 'OR's as 'AND's. Of course given that he might be using trademarked titles (HALO, Code Geass, Star Wars, and CthuluTech are all trademarked in reference, at the minimum, to their genre type) he will run into a major issue there, seeing as the parody clause doesn't exist there (to the degree where you might have to pay royalties over saying a Star Wars parody is one) he'd have a much tougher court time. And of course to save time companies would put the trademark and copyright lawsuits together.
Yet another case where Chief Circle's execution ruins an okay concept.

He could publish his system with a generic guide to developing settings of various tech and magic levels, without a single word of anything exclusive to a specific setting outside the public domain. As in, instead of giving stats for a Star Wars blaster vs. a Halo plasma rifle, he'd give stats for a "generic" rapid-fire energy weapon, then provide rules for how to adapt minor variations to it.

Even if he explicitly states that these rules are intended to adapt copyrighted IPs, the only people whom are actually "violating" the IPs are private gamers, whom do so only for their own personal entertainment -which is Fair Use. The only case I see against this would be competition with an existing adaptation RPG, but all in all that's a lot weaker. If he publishes his system non-profit (which is realistically the only way he's ever going to see it used) then his defence becomes even stronger.

Either way, he could at least release the specific adaptations separately, perhaps in the public domain (but at least as free downloads). I'm not enough of a lawyer to know exactly how that would factor into a case against him, but I doubt it'd hurt.

[jindra34]

Either way, he could at least release the specific adaptations separately, perhaps in the public domain (but at least as free downloads). I'm not enough of a lawyer to know exactly how that would factor into a case against him, but I doubt it'd hurt.

No, no he could not release specific adaptations of copyrighted/trademarked content without permission (likely include royalties to the holders) for his system (free or not) and get away with it if the system was anything but an utter flop. Primarily because its the exact sort of action that Intellectual Property laws (namely unauthorized use of intellectual property for personal benefit, or to harm the holders/authorized users of Intellectual Property) exists to prevent. As currently described its dancing on the edge of the border between civil and criminal violation, doing it in that manner would likely bring it fully into the domain of criminal violation.

[JoshuaZ]

No, no he could not release specific adaptations of copyrighted/trademarked content without permission (likely include royalties to the holders) for his system (free or not) and get away with it if the system was anything but an utter flop. Primarily because its the exact sort of action that Intellectual Property laws (namely unauthorized use of intellectual property for personal benefit, or to harm the holders/authorized users of Intellectual Property) exists to prevent. As currently described its dancing on the edge of the border between civil and criminal violation, doing it in that manner would likely bring it fully into the domain of criminal violation.

Can you expand on this? I have trouble seeing how this could move into the criminal category?

[jindra34]

Can you expand on this? I have trouble seeing how this could move into the criminal category?

It revolves around the fact that the works (the supplements detailing adaptation) wouldn't even be able to exist with out the violation of copyright material. And also as I understand it his current plan cuts very close to the edge, doing it in the supplement manner (while removing the system as a whole from the issue) simply makes the issue very clear cut.

[JoshuaZ]

It revolves around the fact that the works (the supplements detailing adaptation) wouldn't even be able to exist with out the violation of copyright material. And also as I understand it his current plan cuts very close to the edge, doing it in the supplement manner (while removing the system as a whole from the issue) simply makes the issue very clear cut.

Er, isn't the relevant bit 506(a) (http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap5.html)? I'm failing to see how this would fall under that.

[jindra34]

Er, isn't the relevant bit 506(a) (http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap5.html)? I'm failing to see how this would fall under that.

Read over 106(2). That is the basic point of infraction. And having a setting book for an otherwise un-accesible setting (do to tight control by the company) would be a selling point for the theoretical game. Though personally I'm not sure on the whole of it.

[JoshuaZ]

Read over 106(2). That is the basic point of infraction. Though personally I'm not sure on the whole of it.

Doesn't that just establish this would be a copyright violation? That's distinct from the criminality issue.

[jindra34]

Doesn't that just establish this would be a copyright violation? That's distinct from the criminality issue.

Caught me during an edit over it. Basicly being able to say 'Here you can play Star Wars/WH40k/Whatever, now' is a selling point for a game. Just look at how many setting type books GURPS 3rd had.

[Geordnet]

If we assumed he did not publish any specific adaptations in any way, shape, or form, would publishing a general set of rules for adapting existing settings (without mention any specific ones) without making a profit off it be okay?

What if the rules were nominally for making your own settings, perhaps with a few original work examples; and at most a sub-section was about adapting existing works?

[jindra34]

As long as you avoid using the trademarked name, or anything unique or exclusively defining to the system: Yes, and it doesn't matter if your selling it or just distributing it. GURPS and other generic systems have been doing that for a while, to the point of pretty much being as close as possible to the line without actually crossing it.

[Trekkin]

Well, this has certainly been legally illuminating. It's a bit sad that the subject of all this thought will never benefit from it...

[Arbane]

Well, this has certainly been legally illuminating. It's a bit sad that the subject of all this thought will never benefit from it...

Feel free to send him a link to here. :smallbiggrin:

[Geordnet]

Well, this has certainly been legally illuminating. It's a bit sad that the subject of all this thought will never benefit from it...
You might convince one of your mutual acquaintances whom Chief Circle still likes that Chief Circle's going to hurt himself with the copyright violation. If said acquaintance still cares for Chief Circle at all, he'll do what he can to get this information through. :smalltongue:



Feel free to send him a link to here. :smallbiggrin:
:eek:

You must have missed the discussion on the first thread. Suffice it to say, that would be a very bad idea. :smallyuk:

[Deffers]

Arbane just likes chaos, actually. Personally, I'm split. This might be a serious wakeup slap, or it might be just a silly-ass flame war.

[The Glyphstone]

Feel free to send him a link to here. :smallbiggrin:

Probably a bad idea in general, even if there was even a smidgen of hope Chief Circle would benefit from anything in the thread...we've managed to dance around the edges of External Baggage in the first thread, and this second thread was veering uncomfortably close to the boundaries of Legal Advice. Best to leave him in ignorance, and maintain maximum odds of the thread staying open so Trekkin can keep giving us updates about blog posts.

[TuggyNE]

Arbane just likes chaos, actually. Personally, I'm split. This might be a serious wakeup slap, or it might be just a silly-ass flame war.

It can be both.

But please, let's avoid trying to make it either; the Playground is of only middling assistance at best in helping people realize they have and are a problem. At best.

[Deffers]

How's the next post coming down the pipeline, BTW, Trekkin?

[Marlowe]

I'm still grappling with the idea that Sephiroth Cullen's reality warper powers, coming from being an "Authyr", work in a universe that he did not write.

Also, I'm very grateful for the post. However, could certain people (I'm looking at you Sith Happens) be a little bit more careful in what words they string together? Concerning where I am and the local authorities?

I ask this because my home computer's suddenly been cut off from the Playground for the last five days. This is a recurring problem probably more to do with an unreliable (read: local) ISP combined with an unreliable site (the Playground is iffy to access...anywhere I've been.), but it still makes me a little worried. I have a campaign to run, after all. And automated word matches are how they do their blocking.

Please nobody say the the "T" word.

[Trekkin]

Please nobody say the the "T" word.

I will avoid using a thesaurus for Chaotic purposes.:smalltongue:

As to Ao-Sue's ability to have powers outside his own setting, it 'works' like this:

He can only influence his own settings; he can't for example write that someone in his setting pops out to Star Wars for a shopping cart of turbolasers, because he's no longer technically 'in his setting'; this will be used later to justify other settings not thrashing him silly. This is also why he can't affect himself directly.

However, whatever he makes in his own settings works as he dictates elsewhere. That's why his vampiric benefactor could turn him vampiric, for example. It also means that he will eventually write that someone gives him the ability to ignore the above rules, and since it happens within his setting, it works.

It's the most fantastically ramshackle logic I've ever seen.

EDIT: New post is...increasingly incipient.

[Geordnet]

It also means that he will eventually write that someone gives him the ability to ignore the above rules, and since it happens within his setting, it works.

...Dare I ask why nobody else can follow in his footsteps? :smallconfused::smalleek:

[Morbis Meh]

A better question would be why no one, in the entire history of existence tried this and has counter measures to prevent this sheer amount of stupidity?

[Qwertystop]

...Dare I ask why nobody else can follow in his footsteps? :smallconfused::smalleek:

After he became able to use his powers outside his own fiction he used them to prevent other people from doing the same.

Or he made a thing (while in his reality) that would shoot a cross-reality defeats-all-immunities deathray at anyone who was in the process of writing themself into power.

Or he just didn't think about it.

[Sith_Happens]

I'm still grappling with the idea that Sephiroth Cullen's reality warper powers, coming from being an "Authyr", work in a universe that he did not write.

Also, I'm very grateful for the post. However, could certain people (I'm looking at you Sith Happens) be a little bit more careful in what words they string together? Concerning where I am and the local authorities?

I ask this because my home computer's suddenly been cut off from the Playground for the last five days. This is a recurring problem probably more to do with an unreliable (read: local) ISP combined with an unreliable site (the Playground is iffy to access...anywhere I've been.), but it still makes me a little worried. I have a campaign to run, after all. And automated word matches are how they do their blocking.

Please nobody say the the "T" word.

Oops, sorry.:smallredface: Topiary?

I really would clear the "Location:" on your profile, though, since it shows up in all your posts and might get detected.

[comicshorse]

After he became able to use his powers outside his own fiction he used them to prevent other people from doing the same.

Or he made a thing (while in his reality) that would shoot a cross-reality defeats-all-immunities deathray at anyone who was in the process of writing themself into power.

Or he just didn't think about it.

I'd guess the third option

[Trekkin]

There's a new post (http://irolledazero.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-sue-system-reprimand.html). It's not very funny, though; it's more of a segue into the posts of others, when their schedules free up.

[Deffers]

Wow. That is painful to read through, man. Wow. I can't believe the dude, seriously.

[Geordnet]

And there, the true hideousness of this affair rears its gorgon head.

Everything leading up to this point, the plot holes, the absurdity, the shortsightedness, all of it is fine for a game if you don't take it too seriously. Sure, there were a few worrying bits here and there, but they were merely previews of this event... Where you find out that the disheveled but forgivable exterior belies the rotten core.

Honestly, it's too late for anything but regrets, but it's a tragedy that the others weren't around to watch this. It probably would've spared you all a great deal of pain if they'd stopped here, too. :smallfrown:

[Mr Beer]

There's a new post (http://irolledazero.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-sue-system-reprimand.html). It's not very funny, though; it's more of a segue into the posts of others, when their schedules free up.

Holy crap...you just walked out? Wow. You have a lot more tolerance than me, that's for sure. When you say "his face was priceless" as you walked, was he actually expecting you to kow-tow to him after that display?

Also, have to ask...why would you join another campaign of his? I have to say, it could be the best campaign in the world but it would be minus me after a GM spoke to me like that.

[Sith_Happens]

Wow... I went into that post expecting the worst, and it still ended up being far worse than I expected.


I start, actually, with “Okay, clearly something’s happened here to piss you off. What do I need to change to make the game fun for you to GM again?”
After about a full minute of staring at me, he opens with “[your character] is dragged out of his room in the middle of the night and thrown into psychiatric prison.” Insert self-satisfied smirk.

This part right here perfectly sums up everything that's wrong with Chief as a GM (if not as a person):

You, as a player, realize you've done something to irk to your GM. In what my frequenting of this forum leads me to believe is a once-in-a-generation event, you, as a player, are the one who offers to talk things out OOC and fix whatever problem your GM has with you and/or with what you did.

He, as the GM, refuses this offer and kills off your character while b****ing you out IC for the very thing you offered to talk over with him.

My latest gift to Chief Circle:
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100823133236/naruto/images/6/65/Tsukuyomi-sharingan-genjutzu.jpg

[Mr Beer]

Staring for 1 minute before speaking...I'd be looking at my watch pointedly before 10 seconds and silently getting up and walking around 15. Would not be sitting back down either.

[Arbane]

He, as the GM, refuses this offer and kills off your character while b****ing you out IC for the very thing you offered to talk over with him.


And even more egregiously, what he's upset about was the PCs completing the mission with (almost) no violence, since that meant he couldn't call in Marty Stu Junior to remind the PCs what kewlness looks like.

Trekkin definitely made the right call in not playing with this guy again for a year - too bad it was only a year, but his loss is our gain...

[jindra34]

Yep. Jailed for displaying extreme competence. No fault there for walking out. And no why he had you go full-auto makes some degree of sense. Or at least sense as it relates to everything else.

[Ionbound]

Trekkin, I have 2 questions. 1: Has the touhou universe been eaten by this monstrosity and 2: Have you considered brewing up something similar to master spark to kill the Sue?

[Geordnet]

The irony of it all is that Trekkin never intended to "derail" the campaign this way, it was Chief Circle who had him roll a deception check for an obviously ridiculous statement. And even then after the natural 20, having them do anything but be distracted/confused by it for a round. (Which is what would actually be RAW, by the way.)

Everything Trekkin did after that was just building on that initial break Chief Circle gave him. :smallyuk:

[jindra34]

And even then after the natural 20, having them do anything but be distracted/confused by it for a round. (Which is what would actually be RAW, by the way.)


That would be true in D&D 3.5. But this is a completely new system, and based on how botched it is, I'd hesitate to say or guess what is and is not RAW.

[Alejandro]

Hahahaha. Staring at you for a minute without speaking? Confrontational body language? Defensive positioning of GM screen? What, did he think he was the Great and Powerful Oz?

As much fun as it would have been to, say, gouge out his eyeballs and replace them with d20s, you did the right thing, other than sitting there for a minute while he didn't speak.

[Joe the Rat]

Hmmm, using the Moon Logic of Troll World, and based on the following points
1) Training is basically telling you that you don't know anything ("yet"), can't do anything ("yet"), and show you how much trite cliche exudes from Mr. Badasse Stubble-Facede Longcoate (with a scar, I assume)
2) You are not given gear sufficient for a 3-way firefight (against shield generators), or have a proper team for a stealth mission, and
3) You are not instructed, cleared, or otherwise made competent in the gear you do get

Clearly you were supposed to find the bad guys and use the ill-defined Summon Backup (I) to call in Ladyhawke or whatever his name was, then go play Munchkin or something while the GM rolls dice cutscenes NPC awesomeness, because awesome NPCs are exempt from the Dice of Fate.

Also, the way the universes work is you fix things by blowing them up, and let the reality work around the resulting plot-hole. Y'know, since plot holes aren't an issue.

---

I could actually make all of what happened make sense, using the metaconcepts of the setting to establish your character as having Omni-Authyreal potential, and the excessive force being your character "creating plot" in another universe through your narrative (and consequently actually retconning the existing SW shield generators into Combine traps), and use the existence of plot holes in the rules and meta-setting as a BS ontological mystery for the players, or possibly a red herring. Mind you, that's because as much as I run on Rule of Cool, I LIKE it when my players manage to figure out creative solutions to problems, and I WANT to be out-thought as a challenge. But that's the difference between being a rusty, crusty, disorganized, cardboard cliche, trope-dependent, monocultured, weapon obsessed, self-absorbed hack of a GM that pulls things out of his ass to continue the plot, and being Chief Circle.

[Qwertystop]

Has this guy read Inkheart (and the sequels)? They do some of this right.

[Salbazier]

WTF?

Just started reading this two days ago. I've only read the first two pages of this thread and a few of the previous one. I just clicked on the last page on a whim and... Uhh, I'm in serious need of expletives here. I just can't believe how this story always find out a way to get worse in every update I've read.

Wait a minute, that was the PROLOGUE? :smallfurious::smalleek::smallsigh: Should have read the whole blog first. :smallsigh: I wanted to say that it was good you walk out before Chief found a way to get even worse and actually approach the insanity of Lankybugger's PsychoDM but, yeah. Good luck to you pal.

Also, thanks for bringing this entertainment :smallbiggrin:

[Arbane]

Hahahaha. Staring at you for a minute without speaking? Confrontational body language? Defensive positioning of GM screen? What, did he think he was the Great and Powerful Oz?


I'm imagining Gendo Ikari with a uglier beard.

[Trekkin]

Holy crap...you just walked out? Wow. You have a lot more tolerance than me, that's for sure. When you say "his face was priceless" as you walked, was he actually expecting you to kow-tow to him after that display?

Yes, yes he was.


Trekkin, I have 2 questions. 1: Has the touhou universe been eaten by this monstrosity and 2: Have you considered brewing up something similar to master spark to kill the Sue?

1. Chief Circle will inevitably answer "yes" before launching into a long, pedantic quibble over calling his magnum opus a "monstrosity".

2. Leaving the campaign was easier.


And even then after the natural 20, having them do anything but be distracted/confused by it for a round. (Which is what would actually be RAW, by the way.)

This was the most I wanted: a round of less coordinated return fire while we found cover.

And to answer what several people asked: I came back because other people were telling me the campaign had gotten better and he was a less tyrannical GM. These other people were, in retrospect, playing exactly how he wanted; they weren't wrong, just ascribing his change to something that wasn't valid in my case.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Ugh, that is...something else.

[Geordnet]

That would be true in D&D 3.5. But this is a completely new system, and based on how botched it is, I'd hesitate to say or guess what is and is not RAW.
Well, this is a d20 hack. And see this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=283190) for a discussion detailing several ways of properly handling this sort of situation -none of which being what Chief Circle did.

Besides, as was noted before, if he was following his own rules, a natural 20 isn't an automatic success. :smalltongue:



I could actually make all of what happened make sense, using the metaconcepts of the setting to establish your character as having Omni-Authyreal potential, and the excessive force being your character "creating plot" in another universe through your narrative (and consequently actually retconning the existing SW shield generators into Combine traps), and use the existence of plot holes in the rules and meta-setting as a BS ontological mystery for the players, or possibly a red herring.
That's my standard method of dealing with inconvenient details (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FanonDiscontinuity) in a work I otherwise like: apply broad strokes and alternative interpretations of the "facts" until I reach an explanation I'm ok with. :smallwink:

[llehctim]

That would be true in D&D 3.5. But this is a completely new system, and based on how botched it is, I'd hesitate to say or guess what is and is not RAW.

The only stable rule by RAW in this system was rule 0 since it was under development, and 'basically an alpha test'

[Trekkin]

The only stable rule by RAW in this system was rule 0 since it was under development, and 'basically an alpha test'

He called it an alpha when you were around? I was told this was more or less end-stage beta.

Apparently we tested it into last year.:smalltongue:

[Geordnet]

With Chief Circle at the helm, it probably needs to continue on into gamma, delta, epsilon and zeta testing. :smallbiggrin:

[Lord Torath]

Hmmm. I distinctly recall reading this in your briefing:

The phrase "by any means you may see fit to...employ" sees frequent use.He obviously didn't really mean it.

[Mr Beer]

The whole episode compounds so much fail and suck together, it's just ridiculous:

- sending the PCs on a mission that they can't succeed in

- don't tell them that they can't succeed

- don't tell them that they are supposed to call in PornHawke or even allowed to

- don't tell them they are not allowed to think laterally

- allow them to think laterally and ludicrously succeed

- berate player for succeeding (as allowed by GM) and not calling in PornHawke (as not told to do)

That's even without the ludicrously over-the-top berating, of the kind a cliched tycoon might deal out to some luckless subordinate, as opposed to a someone who is voluntarily associating with you and you are not paying them to take your ****.

Now I'm angry on your behalf Trekkin. I will punch the next neckbeard I see.

[Sith_Happens]

I will punch the next neckbeard I see.

That's a nice monitor you have there.

Shame if anything were to...

http://i.imgur.com/TFCwi.jpg

...happen to it.:smalltongue:

[TuggyNE]

That's a nice monitor you have there.

Shame if anything were to...

http://i.imgur.com/TFCwi.jpg

...happen to it.:smalltongue:

That's horrifying, and I'm horrified.

[Mr Beer]

That's a nice monitor you have there.

Shame if anything were to...

:kingofneckbeards.jpeg:

...happen to it.:smalltongue:

It's cool, I've just been to the gym and then I punched a neckbeard on the way back. He seemed quite surprised and angry but I have no regrets. A good work out and then hitting someone is a sound way to release tension...I'm kind of a modern Zen master really. Take notes.

[Feddlefew]

It's not like there haven't been a lot of famous people with neckbeards....
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Nero_1.JPG/450px-Nero_1.JPG

:smalltongue:

[Malrone]

Ha. Haha. Bwahahahahahaha.
Ahhh. Ahah.
*sob*

How does Chief Circle always manage to plummet to some darker place in the howling vortexes of hate and insanity that occupy the Lovecraftian pits he spawned from. Truly, my mind was not meant to know.

Good to see you're still alive, Trekkin&Co. Just got a brief dose of the now scarce internet, and will take a deeper dip into your blog while opportunity permits.

[Geordnet]

It's not like there haven't been a lot of famous people with neckbeards....
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Nero_1.JPG/450px-Nero_1.JPG

:smalltongue:
Please.

Nero doesn't hold a candle to this guy. :smallamused:

[Malrone]

It occurs to me how similar the M.I.C. is to a setting I play in- and how much better it is handled for us (granted there are still issues).

I have been a part of what is the Multiversal Guild for some time now. The MVG setting was established primarily to make being a player easier; too many people would be forced away for a few weeks at a time or die too quickly, and the plot would suffer for it. So, this guild was established to have both a ready supply of adventure-drones at hand, and a way to easily enter/exit a situation.

The MVG is housed on its own demiplane, of course. Entry onto this plane is through Waystations situated in population centers on various material planes (or worlds within them). Several other campaign settings we had and the well known "living settings" were incorporated as these. Guildmembers used these for transport, but could also invoke a limited planeshift to return to the Guild. Said planeshift had a number of restrictions to prevent abuse
-cannot use when "one feels threatened"
-cannot use when surrounded by so much inhibiting material
-the linked tattoo must occupy an item slot (though it could be suppressed by another item, though this would have to be removed for each use)

The Guildplane was air-conditioned, warded to prevent violence, and had many amenities that were free-use for active members. There was also a bazaar that contained damn near everything, though anything was a steep +/- 50% market-price (depending on purchase or sale, respectively). Entry onto the plane was barred if one was diseased, creatures with contagious conditions needed special licenses, and guests were allowed but expensive.

The Multiversal Guild is at its core an LE entity that maintains a "Good" persona. Advancement is possible, members are paid and have personal freedom, and anyone who fails too often or damages the reputation of the Guild is killed discreetly. I recall one time the party TPK's not by virtue of combat failure, but because of just how horrendously a mission was botched .

An overarching plot has of course been very slow to grow, though there are now both a major antagonist and a grand mysterious to address in addition to everyone's personal issues. The MVG is not all-power, but is influential. It is accepted most places, but by many is also distrusted or limited (Elminster prevents any Guildmember with access to [I]Limited Wish or greater access to Faerun).

It's been a good experience most ways, so far.

I'm sorry for the ramble. And I'm sorry Trekkin, Ihlectim, EH02, for all the nonsense you've gone through for us forumites.

[llehctim]

Also I apologize for being a possible contributor to slowing down the posts, but I figured since I really wanted to play an RPG. I was going to finally get around to GMing my campaign (I figured I'ld try pathfinder since I'm not a big fan of D&D3.5 just in general).

Granted I may be doing something wrong given that they managed to beat one of the NPCs that they weren't even supposed to fight yet that was 7-8CR above them, but eh so long as everyone is having fun, and by doing so they succeeded in protecting the town, so tis' all good and it's not like it severely damaged the plot, just delayed one of them.
And I appreciate Trekkin being nice enough to agree that certain summoned creatures are perhaps not balanced (I'm looking at you power ranger lantern archons, which I still don't believe should be CR 2).
Certainly from the GM perspective, I can't really see Trekkin being intentionally destructive of the campaign, and when he does accidentally do something gamebreaking he is willing to work it out with the GM (not that this was in doubt, just mentioning it).

On an unrelated note, does anyone know a good way to make players not try to kill each other due to a conflict over between summoning things from beyond reality is a kill-able offense and whether they are just misunderstood.

[Arbane]

On an unrelated note, does anyone know a good way to make players not try to kill each other due to a conflict over between summoning things from beyond reality is a kill-able offense and whether they are just misunderstood.

Smack them over the head with a rolled-up newspaper.

....That seems to be my standard response to most RPG problems these days.

[Trekkin]

Also I apologize for being a possible contributor to slowing down the posts, but I figured since I really wanted to play an RPG. I was going to finally get around to GMing my campaign (I figured I'ld try pathfinder since I'm not a big fan of D&D3.5 just in general).

Granted I may be doing something wrong given that they managed to beat one of the NPCs that they weren't even supposed to fight yet that was 7-8CR above them, but eh so long as everyone is having fun, and by doing so they succeeded in protecting the town, so tis' all good and it's not like it severely damaged the plot, just delayed one of them.
And I appreciate Trekkin being nice enough to agree that certain summoned creatures are perhaps not balanced (I'm looking at you power ranger lantern archons, which I still don't believe should be CR 2).
Certainly from the GM perspective, I can't really see Trekkin being intentionally destructive of the campaign, and when he does accidentally do something gamebreaking he is willing to work it out with the GM.

On an unrelated note, does anyone know a good way to make players not try to kill each other due to a conflict over between summoning things from beyond reality is a kill-able offense and whether they are just misunderstood.

Well, Master Summoner was also a more suitable archetype when there were two players (me and a Gunslinger) and we needed meat shields by the score to not die. With the healer and the sorcerer on the field, we're doing enough damage that the life/death rate of the summons gets skewed. I'm working on it, I tell you.

And the conflict thing is actually a good question in general, especially for what happens next in the prologue, I believe. Same player dynamic, actually: no-nonsense, sensible type is royally ticked at an optimistic risk-taker. This time around, I'm the optimist, but the sensible one remains constant.

Admittedly, this time around it's a bit more justified (I can be irritatingly upbeat), but in the next few stages of the SUE files prologue, inter-party conflict of this sort starts rearing its head in a significant way.

Speaking of which, I should really get back to nagging people to write those.

[Sith_Happens]

Speaking of which, I should really get back to nagging people to write those.

Could you act as editor for those parts? No offense to llehctim, but I'm not sure his formatting habits are really conductive to longer posts.

[llehctim]

Could you act as editor for those parts? No offense to llehctim, but I'm not sure his formatting habits are really conductive to longer posts.

My bad? I do tend to ramble, but yes, I figured I'ld write a list of things that happened run them by EH02, then have Trekkin phrase them in a less boring way.

[Trekkin]

New post is coming, everyone; it just takes a while to get everyone's input when we're all scattered.

[Arbane]

It just occurred to me - given Chief Circle's obnoxious Japanophilia, what's his opinion of Legend of the Five Rings?

Edit to add - And now I'm wondering how S.U.E./Chief Circle deals with different universes having incompatible afterlives... I'm going to go out on a limb and guess 'badly'.

[Jacob.Tyr]

It just occurred to me - given Chief Circle's obnoxious Japanophilia, what's his opinion of Legend of the Five Rings?

Man, what about history in general...? Does every inaccuracy in a historical account create a parallel dimension that varies based only on that inaccuracy?

[Deffers]

Whatever happened with this? You guys OK?

[Lord Torath]

Well, this is the end of the school year for many schools. Graduation could be getting in the way.

But, yes, I agree. I'm eager for an update.

[llehctim]

Sorry, might be a while, we need to wait for one of the members of the group to fix up what I don't remember, since for the beginning of it I was just there to tear things apart and be a nuisance, and he is kindof the main character of the story, given I later made a sidekick type mage. However he is out visiting some friends until graduation, so it might be a bit longer.
:smallfrown:

[Trekkin]

Lord Torath has it. One third of our writing team has been jubilantly partying in Georgia all week, totally incommunicado.

On top of that, graduation is a bureaucratic nightmare when you have classes and research over top of it. I'm starting to think the school motto is "[X] is due [tomorrow]. Please allow 72 hours for processing."

So once all the beans are successfully counted in triplicate, the lab cluster is running again, and I don't have several pages of essay due, I'll get around to continuing the blog.

Again, sorry for the delay.

[Sith_Happens]

Don't worry about it. After all, this is as much for your catharsis as our entertainment.

[Scow2]

Whoa... I keep seeing how this could have been a fun, interesting (If frequently absurd) game had it not been played by a sociopathic DM. Going on early, plot-unimportant missions with no training or procedure to follow could have made sense as the organization's IC test of your characters' ability to make the best of a bad situation in a relatively controlled environment, while still having a sense of agency. That the DM suddenly turned that entire setup on its ear as soon as the session was over was like a triple-punch, though.

I can see why Rick didn't have quite as obvious problems at first (And even had fun?), given how his introduction played out. That seemed like an actually fun sort of situation to play out - Yeah, the impossible odds Rick bested seem absurd in the setting - but the Anthropic Principal version of the Theory of Narrative Casuality made it work out - and, even in the setting, that sort of thing isn't without precedent. There are several cases of someone in the 40k universe besting seemingly impossible odds... only to lose everything in the process. Sort of reminded me (in a positive way) of Dragon Age: Origin's beginnings.

Seeing what looks like cool gems of gaming make the misery of the setup and DM's attitude even worse.

Even the setting conciet itself could have been fun... if it wasn't spelled out to the players that the MIC was just wrecking **** For No Discernable Reason (Such as, even if the settings actually WERE immune to the dimension-hopper's shenanigans, it was painted otherwise to the players and organization).

[Sutremaine]

Please nobody say the the "T" word.
Can someone make an acrostic or something to tell me what it is? I can't pick it up from the context.

[Fable Wright]

Can someone make an acrostic or something to tell me what it is? I can't pick it up from the context.


Also, I'm very grateful for the post. However, could certain people (I'm looking at you Sith Happens) be a little bit more careful in what words they string together? Concerning where I am and the local authorities?

I ask this because my home computer's suddenly been cut off from the Playground for the last five days. This is a recurring problem probably more to do with an unreliable (read: local) ISP combined with an unreliable site (the Playground is iffy to access...anywhere I've been.), but it still makes me a little worried. I have a campaign to run, after all. And automated word matches are how they do their blocking.

Please nobody say the the "T" word.
>Lives in America (presumably)
>Local authorities
>Word describing a group of people that America has had trouble with recently beginning with T.
Nevermind, then. Now I'm lost too. Probably should also read the location line before talking.

Maybe it refers to the event just before the 1990s that the Chinese Government doesn't want anyone talking about? Links to the censorship that Sith was talking about.

[Qwertystop]

>Lives in America (presumably)
>Local authorities
>Word describing a group of people that America has had trouble with recently beginning with T.

Very definitely not, on the first point, and therefore probably also the last. Read the "location" tag.

[Lord Torath]

I'm pretty sure Marlowe's referring to the event DMofDarkness alluded to that took place at the end of the '80s. (DMofDarkness, you may want to get rid of the year. The government in question blocked all mention of one of their own stock exchanges when it dropped by an amount that referenced the date of The Event. Nothing to do with tha ki... ah.. tha event (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0335.html), but they still shut it down). Of course, as well as possibly triggering the Censors, it also veers close to discussing real world history, so it's a good idea not to pursue this line of discussion.

If that's too obscure for you, Sutremaine, I can be more explicit in a Private Message.

Edit: Thanks, DMofDarkness! :smallsmile:

[Sutremaine]

Well, I saw the PM before I saw the rest of this topic, but given the gaming context it probably would have taken a while for that event to come to mind anyway.

[Marlowe]

That's one "T" word. I was thinking over another somewhat closer to (my) home. Think "Yeti".

[Trekkin]

And there's a new post (http://irolledazero.blogspot.com/2013/05/theoretically-optimal-dming.html). Still waiting on that one guy.

[Qwertystop]

That's one "T" word. I was thinking over another somewhat closer to (my) home. Think "Yeti".

Ah, got it. Not sure when it would have come up, but it never hurts to be safe.

[Morbis Meh]

And there's a new post (http://irolledazero.blogspot.com/2013/05/theoretically-optimal-dming.html). Still waiting on that one guy.

...Trekkin where do you find these people? Are you being tortured for bad Karma? Do you kick puppies and babies when you go outside or randomly wander into people's houses and hide their remote?

[jindra34]

...Trekkin where do you find these people? Are you being tortured for bad Karma? Do you kick puppies and babies when you go outside or randomly wander into people's houses and hide their remote?

Seconding this. Seriously not one but two people who apparently fail to grasp understanding of the first letter of RPG. I'm a wee bit amazed, though that guy (minus the ending, that bit was just spiteful on multiple levels multiple times) appears to have some fairness with the rules. Just an unholy urge to railroad the game, and the run the players over with the train on those rails.

[The Glyphstone]

There's a joke here about the only way to get someone caring about your finance degree is to run a railroady game with the 'plot' centered on economics.

[Trekkin]

...Trekkin where do you find these people? Are you being tortured for bad Karma? Do you kick puppies and babies when you go outside or randomly wander into people's houses and hide their remote?

I've had good DMs too, but those stories are more involved and less interesting. There are also far fewer of them.

[Lord Torath]

I've had good DMs too, but those stories are more involved and less interesting. There are also far fewer of them.Less face-palming, brain-achingly funny? :smallamused: Quite Possibly. Less interesting? I seriously doubt it. The various Campaign logs here see a lot of traffic. :smallbiggrin:

But you'd probably need a different Blog for them. Maybe. The Good DM's might look even better when viewed in close contrast to Chief Circle and AnotherDM. :smalltongue:

[llehctim]

Seconding this. Seriously not one but two people who apparently fail to grasp understanding of the first letter of RPG. I'm a wee bit amazed, though that guy (minus the ending, that bit was just spiteful on multiple levels multiple times) appears to have some fairness with the rules. Just an unholy urge to railroad the game, and the run the players over with the train on those rails.

He is one of the several people who have made me have a knee jerk irritation reaction to anyone mentioning optimization (theoretical or otherwise), and no he is a stickler for RAW rules (that favor him), if they dont favor him he flat out ignores the rules and pretends he didn't read them, which he did in another campaign I was in with him.

On a side note, If I spontaneously stop being lazy/busy, Im considering trying to rewrite my campaign journal for a deadlands campaign I was it, with trekkin as the GM.

[Sith_Happens]

Speaking of which, who was the Crusader in that? The thought of a new player having their first impression of ToB ruined by a bad campaign makes me incredibly sad.

[Trekkin]

Speaking of which, who was the Crusader in that? The thought of a new player having their first impression of ToB ruined by a bad campaign makes me incredibly sad.

The DM's roommate, I believe. If it's any consolation, he wasn't very into pen-and-paper roleplaying in the first place.

[Morbis Meh]

He is one of the several people who have made me have a knee jerk irritation reaction to anyone mentioning optimization (theoretical or otherwise), and no he is a stickler for RAW rules (that favor him), if they dont favor him he flat out ignores the rules and pretends he didn't read them, which he did in another campaign I was in with him.

On a side note, If I spontaneously stop being lazy/busy, Im considering trying to rewrite my campaign journal for a deadlands campaign I was it, with trekkin as the GM.

So he is the definition of a Munchkin... a cheater and an all around D-Bag to play with? You guys need to purge your social circle...

[Trekkin]

Graduation did that handily.

[Deffers]

Congratulations on that, BTW! Now you have a circle of true fire-forged roleplaying buddies and bright futures ahead of you. Looks like, if nothing else, stuff is looking up! :smallsmile:

[Alejandro]

Graduation did that handily.

Congratulations. You've taken your first step into a larger world.

Hopefully one with less stab-worthy dbags.

[Trekkin]

Congratulations. You've taken your first step into a larger world.

Hopefully one with less stab-worthy dbags.

Were CC not such a normal representative of the students and faculty around here, I'd share your hope.

Anyway, a new post is coming (i.e. I haven't forgotten about this thing).

[Jbr208]

Were CC not such a normal representative of the students and faculty around here, I'd share your hope.

I am trying to find a way to put my reaction into words, the problem being that a string of half-words that breaks down into obscenities isn't terribly interesting to read or even the least bit appropriate to post.

CC is bad enough. With CC's lack of social grace and his tenuous grasp on reality I struggle to understand how he gets by. Now I'm being told that a healthy plurality, if not a majority, of the other folks on campus are cut from the same cloth. How in God's name do these people accomplish anything with their heads planted so firmly in their hindquarters? Perhaps my lack of understanding for that comes from having a lower "EQ" than these apparently superior men and women.

Unrelated note: the forum users need to find a color to use for sentences full of bile and venom, really could have used it in the last sentence of that paragraph.

[Big Fau]

I am trying to find a way to put my reaction into words, the problem being that a string of half-words that breaks down into obscenities isn't terribly interesting to read or even the least bit appropriate to post.

CC is bad enough. With CC's lack of social grace and his tenuous grasp on reality I struggle to understand how he gets by. Now I'm being told that a healthy plurality, if not a majority, of the other folks on campus are cut from the same cloth. How in God's name do these people accomplish anything with their heads planted so firmly in their hindquarters? Perhaps my lack of understanding for that comes from having a lower "EQ" than these apparently superior men and women.

Unrelated note: the forum users need to find a color to use for sentences full of bile and venom, really could have used it in the last sentence of that paragraph.

To be fair, Trekkin is likely referring to a small sample pool that he happened to interact with. If everyone at his institution were like CC it is highly probable that they would have created some form of anti-intelligence singularity that would then consume all sentience as we know it.

[Jbr208]

To be fair, Trekkin is likely referring to a small sample pool that he happened to interact with. If everyone at his institution were like CC it is highly probable that they would have created some form of anti-intelligence singularity that would then consume all sentience as we know it.

A good point, I tend to overlook details like sample size when I don't sleep enough :smalltongue: Regardless of the precise size of the sample space however, Trekkin's claim indicates a problem within the programs Trekkin has completed. That is a troubling matter all on its own and could form the nucleus for this "anti-intelligence singularity" of which you speak.

Trekkin, we need more polling data to fuel my absurdly focused (and partially insomnia initiated) outrage/disgust with your university's population!

[llehctim]

From my observations, its less a factor of everyone being stupid in everything, but people being semi-extreme idiot savants who think because they know their subjects well, other subjects being 'easier', are also logically something they are experts in etc... And Charisma and social skills was (obviously) a dump stat for most people which helps make everyone sound like idiots when they try to explain something while still winning a conversation or however else they think conversation works, which annoyingly varies from person to person, and can further change in groups.
Obviously I haven't figured out the correct way to have a conversation either, it tends to vary making it difficult, but I have concluded that I find little enjoyment gained from 'winning' conversations (not to be confused with minor corrections, which amuse me to no end for some reason).

tldr: Our college was full of idiot savants (myself included), who kindof suck at communicating, and people are annoyingly complicated.

[Trekkin]

...and that gives me an idea for yet another blog post. Now if only I didn't have ten pages of essay due over the next four days.

[Alejandro]

In my experience working in higher education, people like Trekkin will do very well because they readily admit they have flaws as well as strengths. That turns into reliable character for the real world.

The people convinced they are gods generally get crucified.

[Geordnet]

tldr: Our college was full of idiot savants (myself included), who kindof suck at communicating, and people are annoyingly complicated.
Interestingly enough, I've been working on a setting origin story that revolves around the Powers That Be being something like this. :smallbiggrin:

[WyvernLord]

Uhhh, I just read all of this starting last night. Dude just, wow.

Good job surviving man. I'm glad I haven't had that bad a GM ever.

[Trekkin]

Uhhh, I just read all of this starting last night. Dude just, wow.

Good job surviving man. I'm glad I haven't had that bad a GM ever.

Like I (ineptly) tried to explain in the new post, he's partly a product of his environment. I don't think many people would be that bad a GM in someplace normal.

[Big Fau]

Like I (ineptly) tried to explain in the new post, he's partly a product of his environment. I don't think many people would be that bad a GM in someplace normal.

His arrogance likely stems from his upbringing, rather than his social environment.

[Sith_Happens]

Uhhh, I just read all of this starting last night. Dude just, wow.

Good job surviving man. I'm glad I haven't had that bad a GM ever.

The blog, the first thread, or both?

[TuggyNE]

The blog, the first thread, or both?

There's another whole thread of this??? :smalleek:

[A_Moon]

There's another whole thread of this??? :smalleek:

A link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=275152) for your convenience.

[TuggyNE]

A link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=275152) for your convenience.

Yes, I know, thanks. I've read it. Hence the blue text.

[jindra34]

I finally got through that monster of a post on your 'school'. And yeah an environment like that seems to scream SOCIAL DARWINISM. Which is the same idea that lead to early industry paying people below starvation wages, working them for long enough straight that they couldn't find time to eat in the first place and all that other messy stuff. And leads me to wonder how the school isn't getting into extraneous legal troubles.

[Jbr208]

His arrogance likely stems from his upbringing, rather than his social environment.

Agreed, however his social environment seems to encourage this kind of social dysfunction. Reading Trekkin's post was sobering. I attended a state university and never caught so much as a whiff of anything like what was described in his post. I can understand professors being rigorous to an extreme, but the institution sounds like it has a problem and would benefit from study. In particular, a psychological study by a body from outside that environment could yield some interesting insights. Honestly I think that should be done for most four-year colleges, with the reports made public for the benefit of incoming students.

[WyvernLord]

The blog, the first thread, or both?

Both.

Can't wait for more. :smalltongue:

[ReaderAt2046]

I have possibly the most perfect family in the world, but I never really realized that until I heard about a bunch of other families. Now the same thing is happening with my college. PRAISE THE LORD FOR SANE FAMILIES AND COLLEGES!!!

[Qwertystop]

Yeah.

Actually... Um. I realize that you don't want to give away your general geographic location, but... what general area is the college in? More specifically, is it in the general Pennsylvania/New York/Connecticut/Massachusetts area? Sudden irrational worry that it's one of the colleges I'm looking at.

[Trekkin]

I really, really wish I could say, and keep people away, but I'm pretty sure if I did they'd find some way to take away my degrees and/or sue me into a fine mist. At the very least they would "lose" my requests for transcripts like they do with other troublesome students.

(That is explicitly not an implicit request for legal advice, by the way. We've had issues with that before; I'm just being [more broadly] paranoid.)

I suppose if you really want to make sure you don't attend, do everything you can to research the institutions you're looking at. Then throw out everything written by them and focus on what's said by the students. Parts of what I put in the post are echoed fairly closely by various review sites, and we have sites of our own explicitly for students to kvetch. Just...read what's there with an open mind. It really is that bad.

[Arbane]

Trekkin, you should make it more obvious that this is a reference to your new blog post. (http://irolledazero.blogspot.com/2013/06/sort-of-sue-local-environment-variables.html) (Or you did, and I missed the announcement.)

And wow, your college sounds terrible. I went to a tech college, and it wasn't nearly that bad.

[Fable Wright]

I really, really wish I could say, and keep people away, but I'm pretty sure if I did they'd find some way to take away my degrees and/or sue me into a fine mist. At the very least they would "lose" my requests for transcripts like they do with other troublesome students.

Wow. I recognize the school you're talking about, confirmed after checking other students' reviews. I am now very glad my parents talked me out of going there...

[Trekkin]

Trekkin, you should make it more obvious that this is a reference to your new blog post. (http://irolledazero.blogspot.com/2013/06/sort-of-sue-local-environment-variables.html) (Or you did, and I missed the announcement.)

And wow, your college sounds terrible. I went to a tech college, and it wasn't nearly that bad.

I'm holding off on promoting the blog until I can regularly generate new content. It just doesn't feel right to point people to something when I can't meet my own deadlines for it.

EDIT: oh you meant my post about the new post. I have no idea how I forgot to post that.

[Geordnet]

I'm holding off on promoting the blog until I can regularly generate new content. It just doesn't feel right to point people to something when I can't meet my own deadlines for it.
There's already plenty of content for people to read there. Just because you aren't adding more, that doesn't mean you shouldn't show off what you've already written. :smalltongue:

[ReaderAt2046]

I'm holding off on promoting the blog until I can regularly generate new content. It just doesn't feel right to point people to something when I can't meet my own deadlines for it.

EDIT: oh you meant my post about the new post. I have no idea how I forgot to post that.

Is that why you took it out of your sig?

[Sith_Happens]

Trekkin, you should make it more obvious that this is a reference to your new blog post. (http://irolledazero.blogspot.com/2013/06/sort-of-sue-local-environment-variables.html) (Or you did, and I missed the announcement.)

And wow, your college sounds terrible. I went to a tech college, and it wasn't nearly that bad.

*reads*

...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FFr_CL_FHPk/SdRMwfoyE_I/AAAAAAAAJ6M/2ombWgPHUtM/s400/souleater51-00044.jpg

[Morbis Meh]

Yay for Canada and publically funded post secondary education! Though cliques were pretty much the same in my experience but we did have an anime club XD

[Geordnet]

Yay for Canada and publically funded post secondary education!
I'd have thought that something government-funded would be more prone to this sort of bureaucracy/corruption...

[Halna LeGavilk]

I'd have thought that something government-funded would be more prone to this sort of bureaucracy/corruption...

I would caution that we should head this off at the pass lest we stray too close to the 'no politics' rule.

[Geordnet]

I would caution that we should head this off at the pass lest we stray too close to the 'no politics' rule.
Hence why I didn't elaborate. :smalltongue:

[Sith_Happens]

Where the money comes from is much less important than the attitudes of the people running the place, though the former can be used to influence the latter. And it's not like the US doesn't have practically as many public universities as private ones anyways.

(Which is all I really have to say on the subject.)

[Trekkin]

And for once, I keep to a pathetic mockery of my schedule with a new post (http://irolledazero.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-sue-files-succession.html). This one has rants in it!

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Marty points out that Palpatine is a speciesist and this means he’s dismissing potentially useful officers


the immediate and slightly frightened response from the GM will be “EU is not canon”…right before he starts gushing about Thrawn again.

Does Not Compute.

Not that I'm at all surprised. :smallsigh:

[jindra34]

And his idea on military deployment and importance. I think there may have been very few military operations in all of history where supplies lines and logistics were not important. And all of them were entirely isolated to a single town. And very short.

[The Fury]

Fun fact about supply lines: crews on warships need to eat food to perform their jobs, supply lines also supply food. Not that that makes any difference here. After all, this is the SUE system!
Maybe Star Destroyers have provisions sufficient to keep the crew fed 'til doomsday? Maybe they get stuff to keep their supplies restocked from worlds they conquer? Honestly I don't even know! But hey, I think I'm putting far more thought into this than I'm supposed to.

[RandomLunatic]

Does Not Compute.

Not that I'm at all surprised. :smallsigh:

I thought the same thing. Not to mention Darth Maul, Nute Gunray, most of the Seperatist leadership, Prince Xizor (EU, but still), and that chubby dude with the head-tails that followed him everywhere in the prequels.

The Empire may be speciest, but I do not think Palpatine himself is.

[Geordnet]

And his idea on military deployment and importance. I think there may have been very few military operations in all of history where supplies lines and logistics were not important. And all of them were entirely isolated to a single town. And very short.
And no doubt were only possible because supplies were brought there before the battle. :smallyuk:


Now why don't the PCs just commandeer some of these magically efficient ships and go raiding unguarded sectors indefinitely? Oh, right... The enemy always knows where the PCs are, retroactively when they're there, and always has a conveniently close patrol which isn't too busy to dispatch its entire task force off to investigate one sensor ghost. :smallsigh:

[The Fury]

Now why don't the PCs just commandeer some of these magically efficient ships and go raiding unguarded sectors indefinitely? Oh, right... The enemy always knows where the PCs are, retroactively when they're there, and always has a conveniently close patrol which isn't too busy to dispatch its entire task force off to investigate one sensor ghost. :smallsigh:

This despite the fact that the Imperial Fleet is now dispersed all across the multiverse, yes? Sure, why not! My brain keeps trying to parse some sense out of this but I got nothin', I think I failed a Sanity Check.