Enderlord's Random Banter #230 (Friendly warning: Might teleport. Don't get wet.)

[Bartmanhomer]

WELP! I'm going on holiday tomorrow! Woo! I have to get up at 6am... less woo.
But hopefully I'll have fun!

I'm not sure if you're happy or afraid about it.

[Rater202]

You know those stories where people find themselves in a fantasy world that seems almost catered to be taken over by either the protagonist's natural abilities or by whatever bullcrap overpowered special ability that they get from the world jump/reincarnation?

Most of them from what I can tell are just generic power fantasies that read as such...

But honestly, there are some days where waking up in another world as another person with problems you can actually solve sounds pretty good.

Like, the "getting hit with a truck and being reincarnated" thing that seems to come standard is a bit too... Permanent, for my tastes, but... Waking up in a fantasy/superhero/space opera setting, getting superpowers, and then coming home exactly where I left off but better for the adventure...

Like, does anyone else ever feel that way sometimes?

[factotum]

I'm remarkably surprised that England labor laws don't cover that, actually.

They do? You legally have to get a 20-minute break for every 6 hours you work, so if Anonymouswizard's company isn't providing that, he should be reporting them to the authorities.

[Lord Raziere]

You know those stories where people find themselves in a fantasy world that seems almost catered to be taken over by either the protagonist's natural abilities or by whatever bullcrap overpowered special ability that they get from the world jump/reincarnation?

Most of them from what I can tell are just generic power fantasies that read as such...

But honestly, there are some days where waking up in another world as another person with problems you can actually solve sounds pretty good.

Like, the "getting hit with a truck and being reincarnated" thing that seems to come standard is a bit too... Permanent, for my tastes, but... Waking up in a fantasy/superhero/space opera setting, getting superpowers, and then coming home exactly where I left off but better for the adventure...

Like, does anyone else ever feel that way sometimes?

I dunno, I find those fantasies boring and lacking in imagination, personally. but then again I'm not real interested such fictional universes as a means of power fantasy, not primarily. I don't see myself in some random protagonist they arbitrarily designate, because I come to watch a show, a story to....how to say it....see journey of the character on their own merits. I am not interested in main characters being blank vehicles for my benefit, at least not for books and shows and whatnot.

What your describing, Rater is what I feel when I play rpg videogames like Skyrim, KOTOR 1 and 2, Dragon Age, things like that. because those are made for that kind of thing. I can't do the same for something that is a book because that stories structure and everything about it structurally set: take as a random example, Spiderman. I can't actually see myself as a Spider-person because being a Spider-person is Peter Parker's power and his power is not my power, and he is not me. he is Peter Parker and I read to see his struggles and how he overcomes them. the same holds true for any story that isn't an actual videogame, and if the character isn't interesting or if the struggle/plot isn't interesting by itself, I lose interest.

but when actually PLAY a videogame, its different. with the games I talked about, the character is often a blank slate for me to determine with a certain boundary. there are limits to how far and where the story can be taken, but I can still make a choice most preferable from those given to me. admittedly such games often provide their own story that I'm interested in participating in, but given Skyrim is known as a sandbox I guess I do that on some level, after all most of my custom videogame characters are actually just named "Ensara" and are basically nothing but my self insert making decisions because I simply don't have the high standards I do when I roleplay or read a book. the most powergamey/power fantasy I ever get is when I play Rakarys, my skyrim high elf vampire wizard, who is basically what happens when you find as many magic mods for skyrim as you want, put them all in and use nothing but magic to solve everything, but even then I do have my own canon for her that Rakarys is evil given all that she has done for kicks and giggles but even she hates the Thalmor for being supremacist jerks who want to unmake the world.

so I guess I have that feeling, I just reserve it for playing videogames built for that.

[Rater202]

I dunno, I find those fantasies boring and lacking in imagination, personally. but then again I'm not real interested such fictional universes as a means of power fantasy, not primarily. I don't see myself in some random protagonist they arbitrarily designate, because I come to watch a show, a story to....how to say it....see journey of the character on their own merits. I am not interested in main characters being blank vehicles for my benefit, at least not for books and shows and whatnot.

What your describing, Rater is what I feel when I play rpg videogames like Skyrim, KOTOR 1 and 2, Dragon Age, things like that. because those are made for that kind of thing. I can't do the same for something that is a book because that stories structure and everything about it structurally set: take as a random example, Spiderman. I can't actually see myself as a Spider-person because being a Spider-person is Peter Parker's power and his power is not my power, and he is not me. he is Peter Parker and I read to see his struggles and how he overcomes them. the same holds true for any story that isn't an actual videogame, and if the character isn't interesting or if the struggle/plot isn't interesting by itself, I lose interest.

but when actually PLAY a videogame, its different. with the games I talked about, the character is often a blank slate for me to determine with a certain boundary. there are limits to how far and where the story can be taken, but I can still make a choice most preferable from those given to me. admittedly such games often provide their own story that I'm interested in participating in, but given Skyrim is known as a sandbox I guess I do that on some level, after all most of my custom videogame characters are actually just named "Ensara" and are basically nothing but my self insert making decisions because I simply don't have the high standards I do when I roleplay or read a book. the most powergamey/power fantasy I ever get is when I play Rakarys, my skyrim high elf vampire wizard, who is basically what happens when you find as many magic mods for skyrim as you want, put them all in and use nothing but magic to solve everything, but even then I do have my own canon for her that Rakarys is evil given all that she has done for kicks and giggles but even she hates the Thalmor for being supremacist jerks who want to unmake the world.

so I guess I have that feeling, I just reserve it for playing videogames built for that.

I think... Either I wasn't clear or...

You mention Skyrim?

Imagine going to bed one night and then waking up in the cart taking the prisoners to Helgen.

You're actually there.

Then you do the whole damn thing--except, since it's real instead of a game, some things go a little differently--and once there's nothing left to do you wake back up in your bed.. but with all the stuff from your adventure as Dragonborn.

That's approximately what I'm talking about--fantasizing about that kind of thing.

[Lord Raziere]

I think... Either I wasn't clear or...

You mention Skyrim?

Imagine going to bed one night and then waking up in the cart taking the prisoners to Helgen.

You're actually there.

Then you do the whole damn thing--except, since it's real instead of a game, some things go a little differently--and once there's nothing left to do you wake back up in your bed.. but with all the stuff from your adventure as Dragonborn.

That's approximately what I'm talking about--fantasizing about that kind of thing.

I mean I was just saying the closest thing I could to relate to that so.....*shrug*

....I'd have the wabbajack?

to Mehrune's Razor, The Black Star, Mace of Molag Bal, and so on?

you'd allow me access to CHIM?

I'd come back with all the skyrim stuff and abilities I possibly could...but given what I do in Skyrim, I'd probably come back evil.

[BisectedBrioche]

I'm remarkably surprised that England labor laws don't cover that, actually.

At my work, you get a 10 minute break on a 4 hour shift, two 10 minute breaks on a 6 hour shift and two 10 minute breaks and an unpaid 30 minute break on an 8 hour shift.

I'm not sure how much of that is law and how much is the union doing its job (we lost the 10 minute breaks on 4 hour shifts briefly when it was slipped into the small print of a pay rise), though.

[Form]

At my work, you get a 10 minute break on a 4 hour shift, two 10 minute breaks on a 6 hour shift and two 10 minute breaks and an unpaid 30 minute break on an 8 hour shift.

I'm not sure how much of that is law and how much is the union doing its job (we lost the 10 minute breaks on 4 hour shifts briefly when it was slipped into the small print of a pay rise), though.

What!? Those sneaky, dishonorable jerks!

[Anonymouswizard]

They do? You legally have to get a 20-minute break for every 6 hours you work, so if Anonymouswizard's company isn't providing that, he should be reporting them to the authorities.

Yeah, while structure speaking I should get a 33.3(3sf) break it's set up here so that it doesn't break the letter of the law. The main problem is the enforced single break when shifts can easily stretch across three meal times.

I'd use unionisation to get more breaks, but right now the good awful pay for this entire sector is a bigger issue (although it's not as bad as servers in American restaurants*).

* Although that's setting the bar so low you'll wake a balrog while searching for it.

[Bartmanhomer]

That reminds me of Rihanna's song called Work, Work, Work, Work.

[Rogar Demonblud]

This is a weird week. The South got snow and up here in the Unfrozen North we had a half inch of rain and wind gusts of up to 85 MPH. I get to spend my weekend cleaning up some downed trees.

[Bartmanhomer]

I got a question to ask, is TV dinners healthy?

[Tvtyrant]

I got a question to ask, is TV dinners healthy?

Probably not. Read the nutrition label and compare it to your needs.

[Rogar Demonblud]

If nothing else, the sodium count is generally through the roof.

[Rater202]

If nothing else, the sodium count is generally through the roof.

Granted, that's not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, your body does need some sodium to function properly, but sodium is very much "too much is bad" things.

It depends on your diet how much sodium in a given meal is too much sodium.

[Rogar Demonblud]

The last TV dinner I had contained 210% of my RDA of sodium. I've seen others that actually get up to 400% if you do the math.

[Fyraltari]

Granted, that's not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, your body does need some sodium to function properly, but sodium is very much "too much is bad" things.

It depends on your diet how much sodium in a given meal is too much sodium.

That's true of basically everything. Too much water: dead. Not enough fat: dead.

[Tvtyrant]

The sodium one is in part caused by the low potassium in the American diet. Potassium removes sodium from the blood stream, but basically no one eats enough potassium to meet their daily recommended dosage. That's because potassium is very low dosage in everything but potatoes compared to calories, making it nearly impossible to get enough without overeating (except for eating unflavored potatoes regularly.)

Proper nutrition is hard.

[Rater202]

The sodium one is in part caused by the low potassium in the American diet. Potassium removes sodium from the blood stream, but basically no one eats enough potassium to meet their daily recommended dosage. That's because potassium is very low dosage in everything but potatoes compared to calories, making it nearly impossible to get enough without overeating (except for eating unflavored potatoes regularly.)

Proper nutrition is hard.

Yes. yes it is.

This is why most of my fantasies involve Marvel's super-soldier and other peak human drugs.

It's explicitly stated that Cap or anyone with a sustainable amount of Infinity formula could spend all day on the couch eating junk food and they'd still be in perfect physical shape. No excess fat, no atrophied muscles, no loss of condition, no malnutrician.

[Fyraltari]

Yes. yes it is.

This is why most of my fantasies involve Marvel's super-soldier and other peak human drugs.

It's explicitly stated that Cap or anyone with a sustainable amount of Infinity formula could spend all day on the couch eating junk food and they'd still be in perfect physical shape. No excess fat, no atrophied muscles, no loss of condition, no malnutrician.

That's not a drug, that's magic.

[Mystic Muse]

That's not a drug, that's magic.

Yeah. Though, I'd be right there with Rater getting it if it were an option.

[Rater202]

That's not a drug, that's magic.

A drug created by magic is still a drug.

And, well... Yeah.

The infinity formula is a derivative of the Elixir of Life. It is explicitly created with alchemy, which is treated as a form of magic in the Marvel universe.

And while it isn't explicitly stated, I'm pretty sure that there are alchemical components to the Super Soldier Serum. Its basic function is "like the infinity formula, but better in every way" and the way it works is "you combine a bunch of different drugs, viruses, and energies within the body of the subject which causes them to merge into a miracle substance that transmutes the subject's body into a perfect immortal human down to the molecular level"

One of the attempts to make the SSS is even called the alchemy formula, and Dr. Erksine explicitly calls the SSS a potion.

[Fyraltari]

Yeah. Though, I'd be right there with Rater getting it if it were an option.

I mean, if magic were real, we'd all be like this.

[Tvtyrant]

I mean, if magic were real, we'd all be like this.

I would hope that if human beauty standards were super easy they would disappear rather then we all be cookie cutter hot people. Shaved monkey with a narrow waist is only a thing because narrow waists are hard to get, otherwise I would hope we would try some more interesting shapes.

*The ultimate example of this issue is Joe Rogan, who is 20% bodyfat with abs and adominal muscle attachments too wide to be conventionally attractive. No amount of exercise or even plastic surgery can correct that, he just has a wide abdomen.

[Rater202]

I mean, is there a single person here who wouldn't take the magical mystery drug that makes it so they'll never have to deal with any health problems ever again(short of swimming in toxic sludge or someone engineering a bio-weapon specifically for people like you, I mean.)

I know I would kill to be rid of the products of bad habits when I was younger, easily irritated sinuses, astigmatism, intolerance for butterfat, myopia, early unset arthritis, random migraines for no apparent reason, and family histories of diabetes and various cancers.

If I could brutally murder all of those problems the way I did my strawberry allergy things would be golden but no, I'm stuck with all of that and it scares the hell out of me.

[Rogar Demonblud]

At least some of those are cumulative damage, so I'm not sure if <random comicbook drug> would fix that.

[Rater202]

At least some of those are cumulative damage, so I'm not sure if <random comicbook drug> would fix that.

The ones I'm talking about explicitly do--the SSS and any amount of infinity formula large enough to be "sustainable" never leave the body and periodically reapply themselves, once more resetting your body to the prime of health and youth.

The only confirmed limit is that the Infinity Formula doesn't seem to be able to regenerate limbs but even then the only person with a missing limb wh got the formula lost it decades ago and it has long since scarred over.

[Anonymouswizard]

I mean, is there a single person here who wouldn't take the magical mystery drug that makes it so they'll never have to deal with any health problems ever again(short of swimming in toxic sludge or someone engineering a bio-weapon specifically for people like you, I mean.)

Only if it doesn't have to be injected.

Honestly, my personal fantasy involves replacing my eyes, spinal cord (and possibly the rest of my nervous system), and various other bits with technological equivalents to get rid of the physical elements of my disabilities including slow reaction times and poor dexterity. Yes it would require regular eye cleaning and surgery to keep everything running correctly, but when your manual dexterity and reaction time is at 'D&D doesn't simulate it' levels you start wishing that you could cut meagt without everybody thinking you're going to cut your fingers off.

[Rater202]

Only if it doesn't have to be injected.

Honestly, my personal fantasy involves replacing my eyes, spinal cord (and possibly the rest of my nervous system), and various other bits with technological equivalents to get rid of the physical elements of my disabilities including slow reaction times and poor dexterity. Yes it would require regular eye cleaning and surgery to keep everything running correctly, but when your manual dexterity and reaction time is at 'D&D doesn't simulate it' levels you start wishing that you could cut meagt without everybody thinking you're going to cut your fingers off.

I mean, if you replace your entire nervous system are you ever still you anymore? Or just a duplicate?

At bare minimum, you need the amygdala, the hippocampus, the cerebellum, and the prefrontal cortex to remain intact and I'm not so sure how replacing the other parts of the brain would affect them.

[Anonymouswizard]

I mean, if you replace your entire nervous system are you ever still you anymore? Or just a duplicate?

At bare minimum, you need the amygdala, the hippocampus, the cerebellum, and the prefrontal cortex to remain intact and I'm not so sure how replacing the other parts of the brain would affect them.

Okay, I might have used 'entire' when I meant 'most of' because work has been long. The point is I wish we had the tech to meaningfully increase people
s dexterity and reaction speed because I'd abuse it like there was no tomorrow.