Goldengirl

I got the impression that small rebellions happened every now and then. Really though, just small stuff like Lankan's uprising in G3. They never got anywhere because of the immense power of the Shaper's military state, obviously.

Palestine joined the UN. That's pretty good by my books.

The solution to that, I believe, is to have strict rules on magic/technology. Perhaps it would be best of all to have a set spellbook and not allow for any research advancing it whatsoever, as a bit of a heavyhanded way to stop the arms races. In terms of RP's having a purpose (storytelling vs. winning) I definitely think that this is conducive to have a purpose or endpoint. Better, of course, in terms of actually finishing the RP. In terms of fun, that depends on the players and what they want.

I don't really do anything sensitive on my computer, nor do I have a lot of information stored here that couldn't be accessed on, say, my Facebook. That's my best form of digital security. The only thing I'd be worried about is my email address, and then only marginally. That said, I do have a series of passwords, some individualized and some mass-used depending on how much I care about the particular security of that site and the information on it.

I always remember the World of Avernum RP (and its revival) about the simultaneous collapse of Avernum and the Empire as my favorite RP from this forum. It was faction-based, but the individual leaders and characters in the factions were crucial parts of the RP. My first play-through was embarrassing, and my second was much better, even with the same faction... I don't remember why the revival ended up dying out. I like playing in the world of games Jeff has made; they provide a familiar lexicon of ideas for Spiderwebbers to use in their roleplaying. It's a universe that's already mostly fleshed-out. That said, rules need to exist. I remember a Geneforge factional RP that quickly devolved into godmodding and then sputtered out as a result of the roleplayers creating new and more powerful creations to fight each other. The original Avernum RP that I discussed earlier, before the revival, itself ended due to the equivalent of a magical nuclear bomb dropped by TM. At that point, it was welcome, because the RP wasn't going too well, and it provided a heavy-handed "Rocks fall; everyone dies" closure to the mess. The point remains, though, that magic/technology (insert quote about sufficiently advanced technology here) has to have some sort of hard set rules to its development and/or use, or it can quickly cause problems in an RP. Specifically, I'd prefer a new factional RP in the world of post-Geneforge 5, or post-Avernum 6 universes. I say this because they are societies with multiple states (Sucia and Terrestia, the myriad of ending options as a result of A6) that can realistically be seen to devolve into even more states and factions to squabble with. Avadon, while having a lot of potential for factional RP, is a game that I am wary about because it's so new and there is relatively not as much known about it as a result. This also. I really shouldn't even be writing this post right now...

Oh yes, I completely forgot about Capture Soul and Simulacrum. Yet another reason why Exile and Avernum has stronger parties; Jennell just can't compare.

This comparison would be a bit better if it were between Avadon 2 and Avernum, since Avadon was short in relative comparison and thus levels weren't as high as they might have been otherwise. I think the true test is this: Who can beat Redbeard on torment the most readily? I'm tempted towards Geneforge, since a Shaper with all creations could handle the Soul Jars and still have plenty of firepower to throw at Redbeard himself. Exile would similarly fare well. Avadon and Avernum, though, I don't know; the Soul Jars and high mana costs might drown out an initial better showing for Avernum.

...Why? Granted I've seen some stupid stickers, but it's not like it hurts the sound quality at all. People are free to express themselves, and we should keep a culture that allows for that expression - even if it's by stickers on guitars.

I've played a variety of instruments over the years, but the only one I'm any good at is the piano. I currently am in a pretty casual garage band where we jam around and try to come up with new (good) stuff. I've also publicly performed, but at recitals. I've yet to do a concert, and I'm not particularly inclined to pursue that avenue. Music is a hobby for me, not a lifestyle or a potential career. I like pretty much all types of music. Generally, when people say that, they immediately omit country and rap (at least in my experience) but I enjoy those as well. If I'm picking, though, I'll pick indie rock or techno, depending on my mood.

Exactly! His techniques must have been accurate if he was so good that he got exiled for it.

Ovid was more or less contemporaneous with Virgil and Cicero, though; they are three of the most influential writers of the golden age of Latin literature. Ovid, personally, is my favorite. There can be no greater review of the efficacy of Ovid's Art of Love, a sordid poem on seduction and adultery, than the fact that Ovid was exiled by the emperor because of the immorality the book provoked.

I accept your resignation. Later, at the end of the tournament, we can make that match up, if you want. For now though, let's just proceed full steam ahead.

I'm glad you like it. And yes, your interpretation is valid; death of the author, and all, y'know Am I alive or dead? You'll have to ask Schrodinger's cat.

And the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and the nationalist conflicts in the Middle East, and rebellion in Vietnam, and...

I dabble in poetry as a hobby. Here is one of mine from last year; my style has changed a bit since this, but I still like it.

BMA, I sent you a challenge. I won't actually be able to play until Saturday, at the earliest, when I should be free for most of the time. Good luck to us both.

I'm in, same username. Sylae, will you be matching people up to play, or...?

I voted "no," but that's just because I need more information about when this tournament would be. I don't have the most free time in my schedule, so unless it's pretty casual and probably drawn-out (or in December) I wouldn't be able to do it.

As a student in Washington, I can say that I have very little actual hope for this referendum to say law. Local coverage has been abuzz about possible reactions from the federal government, mostly focusing on the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution. I don't think anyone actually thought this would get passed.

You are vastly underestimating the potential for a skribbane rage attack. The last time that happened, pedestrians entered a population bottleneck. As a result, all of today's pedestrians are descended from the handful of survivors who lived to walk away from the fight. Alorael helps to guide along the process of natural selection by weeding out the weak, as well as eliminating the walking dead who are another natural predator; he keeps balanced on two feet and moving forward at an equilibrium level.

Well done. I think the more relevant question, though, is how many of those posts have been pictures of the Nethergate screen? I suppose we could throw in the pun police image, too.

I understand what each of your individual questions means, more or less (although I'm a little unsure by what you mean for "cruellest month" for April) but I'm still confused as to what the general theme you're aiming at. Are you insinuating that the time of the year has a causal effect on behavior?

Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis. You'll be back. They always come back.

Does this trend hold when looking at per capita amounts of paper? The population has gone up quite a bit since the 60's and 70's, too, y'know.

L'Affaire Saint-Fiacre, by Simenon. One of his Maigret detective novels. I enjoy that I can still do fairly well at figuring out mysteries even when the text is in French.