Lost Souls
Game and random talk today.
I'm still playing Lost Souls MUD on and off. The skill system they're using is an example of what I think is an extremely well thought out, intricate webwork of design. It defies concise explanation, because a single skill can alter a variety of variables - sword skill adds to your attack rating (likelihood to successfully hit with a sword), damage rating (amount of damage you do with a sword), keep capacity (amount of 'credit' you have and can put towards retaining an item over a reboot or logout), and so on. The best way to explain it would be to provide my character as an example and flesh it out, but I'll do that another time.
Feeling a bit out of it tonight. Too much philosophy, politics, and cosmology reading I think. The funny thing is, I don't entirely read these things for my own sake - but it breaks my heart whenever I come across an argument where people are fumbling with ideas they don't understand or can't articulate, or worse, coming to conclusions that everyone tells them are the only possibility when that's far from the case. I've never been a big fan of intellectual bullying. Or at least I haven't been for a long time now. Nevertheless, I'll have to read up on Michael Heller's work - the guy just snagged a Templeton prize, and he's an admirer of Leibniz, who I will do an entry on in the future. Theoretical models of penultimate designer and sustaining of the universe are things I enjoy reading up on. Also, porn.
Oh, picked up a car too. Fell in love with it on the spot - a 1983 Black on black 300D Mercedes. In beautiful shape, turbo diesel, readily moddable to run all kinds of biofuels if I so desire. But what really sold me is the appearance and the interior - finally, a car where my knees aren't on the damn dashboard. Slow acceleration, but who cares? Let someone run into me if they want, this car is a tank.
Back to games. Still a big fan of Monster Hunter 2 Freedom for the PSP - actually, I'm surprised at how the PSP in general has developed - finding out little things about the hardware that I never realized or appreciated, like the save state it has and such. Also, I'm looking into the iPhone more and more. Seeing what my brother accomplishes with it impresses me. I resisted getting one because I'm not a big fan of the apple hype, but hey, if it's as functional and convenient as it seems to be..
Politics - yeah, I'm just jumping around here - remains boring for me. Not a big fan of Obama, charismatic as he is. Kind of getting sick of the heartfelt appeals I keep reading about on blog sites too. Not at all in my memory has a candidate inspired such vapid declarations of fealty from so many - everyone talks about the feelings and thoughts Obama inspires. Hope. Pride. More hope. Change. Actually, that about covers it. It's actually pretty depressing to me, as it screams "people will pretty much back anyone who can make a stirring speech and maintain the right image". It doesn't help that I regard maudlin routines as a negative sign. I was an adamant supporter of Pat Buchanan, but even though the guy is a master communicator, it always came down to the philosophy, the policy intentions, the details. I don't cast a vote because of the emotion it will stir in my heart. Actually, I don't vote at all. Not for these guys, anyway. As an aside, anecdotally, the same people who usually praise Obama's vision and presence and positiveness usually pull a knife out and gut Hillary when the subject switches to her. I get a kick out of that.
Easter's coming up too. Various reflections there. Looks like it should be peaceful this year too, unlike last year. Oh, btw - if anyone ever wants to comment on these LJ things, contact me, or throw an email to misterpengo@gmail - really, I disallow comments because I reject the comment culture that most blogs and sites nowadays try to foster. Doesn't it strike anyone as odd that many comment sites feature more content from the original contributor, by far, in the comment section than in the original post section? But I've done this rant before.
I'm still playing Lost Souls MUD on and off. The skill system they're using is an example of what I think is an extremely well thought out, intricate webwork of design. It defies concise explanation, because a single skill can alter a variety of variables - sword skill adds to your attack rating (likelihood to successfully hit with a sword), damage rating (amount of damage you do with a sword), keep capacity (amount of 'credit' you have and can put towards retaining an item over a reboot or logout), and so on. The best way to explain it would be to provide my character as an example and flesh it out, but I'll do that another time.
Feeling a bit out of it tonight. Too much philosophy, politics, and cosmology reading I think. The funny thing is, I don't entirely read these things for my own sake - but it breaks my heart whenever I come across an argument where people are fumbling with ideas they don't understand or can't articulate, or worse, coming to conclusions that everyone tells them are the only possibility when that's far from the case. I've never been a big fan of intellectual bullying. Or at least I haven't been for a long time now. Nevertheless, I'll have to read up on Michael Heller's work - the guy just snagged a Templeton prize, and he's an admirer of Leibniz, who I will do an entry on in the future. Theoretical models of penultimate designer and sustaining of the universe are things I enjoy reading up on. Also, porn.
Oh, picked up a car too. Fell in love with it on the spot - a 1983 Black on black 300D Mercedes. In beautiful shape, turbo diesel, readily moddable to run all kinds of biofuels if I so desire. But what really sold me is the appearance and the interior - finally, a car where my knees aren't on the damn dashboard. Slow acceleration, but who cares? Let someone run into me if they want, this car is a tank.
Back to games. Still a big fan of Monster Hunter 2 Freedom for the PSP - actually, I'm surprised at how the PSP in general has developed - finding out little things about the hardware that I never realized or appreciated, like the save state it has and such. Also, I'm looking into the iPhone more and more. Seeing what my brother accomplishes with it impresses me. I resisted getting one because I'm not a big fan of the apple hype, but hey, if it's as functional and convenient as it seems to be..
Politics - yeah, I'm just jumping around here - remains boring for me. Not a big fan of Obama, charismatic as he is. Kind of getting sick of the heartfelt appeals I keep reading about on blog sites too. Not at all in my memory has a candidate inspired such vapid declarations of fealty from so many - everyone talks about the feelings and thoughts Obama inspires. Hope. Pride. More hope. Change. Actually, that about covers it. It's actually pretty depressing to me, as it screams "people will pretty much back anyone who can make a stirring speech and maintain the right image". It doesn't help that I regard maudlin routines as a negative sign. I was an adamant supporter of Pat Buchanan, but even though the guy is a master communicator, it always came down to the philosophy, the policy intentions, the details. I don't cast a vote because of the emotion it will stir in my heart. Actually, I don't vote at all. Not for these guys, anyway. As an aside, anecdotally, the same people who usually praise Obama's vision and presence and positiveness usually pull a knife out and gut Hillary when the subject switches to her. I get a kick out of that.
Easter's coming up too. Various reflections there. Looks like it should be peaceful this year too, unlike last year. Oh, btw - if anyone ever wants to comment on these LJ things, contact me, or throw an email to misterpengo@gmail - really, I disallow comments because I reject the comment culture that most blogs and sites nowadays try to foster. Doesn't it strike anyone as odd that many comment sites feature more content from the original contributor, by far, in the comment section than in the original post section? But I've done this rant before.