randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jun 30, 2015 7:00:59 GMT -6
The Force. Not only is it what empowers the Jedi, it drives events in improbable ways, even as early as Ep. IV. The dark side thereof. Is it the early-Lucas "corruption of the Force" or the late-Lucas "light-dark balance of the Force". Canonically, in either case, the dark side is a separate and objectively existent thing; "neutral Force" theories have always been shown to be deceptions of dark side origin.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jun 15, 2015 9:53:43 GMT -6
And don't forget the Kessel run ! I have a theory about that as well, and was actually going to start a thread on in in a day or two once some of the chatter from this one died down. Assuming we get much actual chatter or debate on the issue. How about this: Suppose there is a region near Kessel which is full of asteroiods or planetary masses such that hyperspace travel is impossible. This would mean that the Falcon would have to rely on regular-space engines. So, perhaps the Falcon is moving fast enough to let relativity kick in and the distance between Kessel and some standard location gets relativistically shrunk from its usual to "less than 12 parsecs." See, science rules! My favorite explanation for this one is that Han Solo was trying to pull a fast one on what he saw as a couple of desert rubes. (Not original to me, but I forget where I saw it.)
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on May 23, 2015 12:20:23 GMT -6
Try things out, don't be afraid to see what happens. And don't be afraid to admit you made a mistake. If that's not a mantra for RPG players and DMs alike, I'm an illiterate.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on May 22, 2015 15:39:30 GMT -6
Oh, it's even worse than that. He has two other series, both set in a different world from the Belgariad, and uses the same plot in those as well. Amazing.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on May 5, 2015 16:53:36 GMT -6
Alright, SCIFI GEEKS: I need recommendations for gritty, military scifi novels focused on repelling some sort of alien invasion. Ideally with dubious moral choices and truly *alien* adversaries... GO! Define "truly *alien*." If it means "psychologically completely unlike humans", what you have is a "bug hunt" - there is no common ground for any other kind of interaction, and at least one of the two parties is unwilling to peacefully coexist.* If it means "physically unlike humans, but with at least some psychological common ground to allow interaction", then I second "Mote in God's Eye". *It takes two to make peace, but only one to start a war.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Apr 8, 2015 7:27:45 GMT -6
This looks like a lot of fun, and definitely a change of pace from the Magic-User we've come to know over the last few decades.
Looking forward to your playtest results!
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Mar 26, 2015 12:50:04 GMT -6
Interesting take, mr Mornard. To me, the static endgame sounds like a moment to say, "and they lived happily ever after. The end. Roll up a new level 1 party." Who's to say you can't do both?
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Feb 11, 2015 7:13:52 GMT -6
What they (I) need is an indie publisher co-operative knowledge sharing base ... So start one; with the other folks in this thread, for instance. Be the one who makes the difference.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Feb 2, 2015 10:24:12 GMT -6
My personal and subjective reaction is "cliche of a different kind" - "The geography is based on X, therefore use the cultures of X." This as different from "Let's explore the cultures of Y in the geography of X," even where it is acknowledged that "cultures of Y" is a cliche all its own.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jan 17, 2015 8:10:44 GMT -6
Accents aside, I got that Russian Boyar kind of vibe from the dwarves myself.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jan 5, 2015 6:40:14 GMT -6
No matter what they produce, it will never satisfy the 0.1% hardcore fans. It won't happen. Ever. This is true of any pre-existing property, book or older film. First, hardcore fandom is too small of a group to be a target audience. Second, hardcore fans have their own mental picture of what *should* be produced, and no one will ever create an external experience to match the standard set by what is already in their heads.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Nov 24, 2014 21:52:37 GMT -6
That makes sense tetramorph, as under most encumbrance schemes the above as stated seems fairly light. I am of course assuming the astrolabe was not too heavy, as it was hanging from your neck. Indeed under the Zylarthen scheme you would have been able to move quietly or climb a nearly vertical wall (!) If you were a Thief you could even hide in shadows (probably aided by your cloak). One "halfling" might move the category from light to moderate, but that's still fine for fighting and running. My wife often wears one of our 20 pound younger twins (7 months) on her back while cooking or doing light housework (lighter than a 7-year old, admittedly). Two twins can be carried, one in front and one in back, or even two in the front. A lot of it's about having the proper pack or harness, of course. As you guys may know (and I didn't until a few years ago) there's a whole industry and community about how to comfortably and efficiently wear babies. According to the SRD, a halfling weighs between 30 and 35 pounds (much less than I would have thought, but it perhaps makes sense). So a strong man could presumably fight while wearing one or even two. Of course, why you would want to wear two halflings (within the game) is another question... Meatshields?
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on May 28, 2014 10:17:11 GMT -6
I will be downloading the Basic PDF and probably using it to start my 9 year old son in RPGs.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on May 22, 2014 5:11:46 GMT -6
As fighters, dwarves are limited to 6th level. Elves are capped at 8th level as magic-users. Why not split the difference and limited a dwarf cleric to 7th level? Just an idea. My initial thought was that if dwarven fighters are limited to 6th level then their clerics ought to be some level below that (maybe 4th) but I think your logic is pretty good. Max fighter level of 6th and max cleric level of 7th weakly implies that clerics are more influential than fighters in this dwarven society. This is neither inevitable nor inescapable, but it does introduce some interesting possibilities for dwarven culture in this campaign/setting.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Apr 17, 2014 6:13:06 GMT -6
Thread necro...
I am going to be using TS to run an Agents of SHIELD PBeM. (Be careful what comments you post to a friend's Facebook entry...)
The tech curve will be a bit interesting, but I will be able to handwave some of that due to the PBeM format.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Apr 17, 2014 6:06:41 GMT -6
I love Top Secret (the original, not the S.I. edition that came later). It provided many a good evening of gaming after we had become tired of continual D&D and Traveller play. Ahhh, Operation: Sprechenhaltestelle, I have such fond memories of thee... Necro reply... I have been drafted to run a PBeM Agents of SHIELD game using the original Top Secret rules as a result of an offhand remark on Facebook. Old School, meet New Era.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on May 12, 2013 6:19:03 GMT -6
Great stuff!
One minor quibble: the later section of Vol 3, entitled "Special Suggestions for Monsters in Naval Adventures", notes that Giant Squid and Giant Octopi are "Found only in salt water...". The obvious reconciliation is to re-roll on the "Swimmer" table if either creature is rolled for in a River or Swamp.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Mar 19, 2013 17:36:39 GMT -6
On the other hand, it does suggest an interesting alternate mechanic for clerics vs. undead. Definitely needs some fleshing out and tweaking, though.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Aug 2, 2011 18:11:57 GMT -6
There was an interim step in the paradigm shift. From the beginning "explore the referee's world" to the Dragonlance-inspired "be entertained by the referee's story" to "collaborative storytelling" (aka PC adventures), the last being a reaction to the second (and the excesses thereof), while the first was all but forgotten until the OSR brought it back.
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