Cantousent

Yeah, I tend to think that whatever we see in this particular forum, will be common knowledge. I can definitely see what you're saying, Ieo, especially since I feel the same way, but I think Comedian is right.

Yeah, I recently switched out the brake pads on the new Mustang for the first time. I slapped on Bendix ceramic brakes. They were quite reasonably priced and they've got a good reputation for brake pads. The rotors were in good shape. Anyhow, I noticed the warranty on them, and I have to say that it sounded too good to be true. It's nice to hear someone with experience vouching for it. I have to fill out the forms and mail them out tomorrow. Anyhow, the older Mustang (1991) is vibrating especially at high speeds or when braking, and so I thought maybe the pads or shoes were gone and maybe the rivets were digging into the rotors, but the disk brakes are great up front and the drum brakes in back are even better, so I think I need to take a look at the struts. I wish you lived around here, man. I'd buy you a case of beer or a bottle of scotch (you can get a 12 year old single malt Glenlivet dirt cheap at Costco) and you could help me knock the job out lickity split. As it is, my brother in law and I will tackle it when we get a free day.

I actually think you were well in your rights to demand service. I tend to be pretty understanding, and so I might have let the guy off, but I also think that it's only fair to settle matter as agreed beforehand. If there's an agreement that the pizza is free after a certain amount of time, it should be free. Of course, I then wrote a long diatribe, but life's too short. lol Watched a few shows with the wife. Plan on checking the brake pads on the older mustang tomorrow. I just hope I don't need to resurface the rotors. God forsaken car repairs make me sad. Still, considering all the grief in the world today, I'm pretty damned lucky. Oh, and something weird happened. My dad had his memorial service in Las Vegas and my aunt relapsed back into leukemia and died of a blood infection. I might not be talking to my family, and I didn't know her all that well, but I didn't hate her or wish her ill, God rest her soul. Anyhow, I'm not looking for sympathy. I wasn't very close to her, but it's still the strangest thing to have happen.

Yeah, but did you learn enough Spanish for the wedding? I was terribly disappointed last night, even though I predicted the outcome. Before I went to bed, however, I had already decided that I would not spend any more time distraught over what I honestly see as a disasterous election. I'm going to live my life and love my friends and pursue my happiness. No matter who is in office, that's my right, and that's my intention. Also, no more news. I'll read or watch the news once a week. Today, I've been in good spirits, and that's the way I'm going to keep it.

The best answer to this is that some religions either do not or did not originate from an idea of an afterlife. In some cases, religions have depicted an afterlife that runs from eternally boring to just plain bad for everyone regardless of life works or faith. The problem with pigeon-holing religion based on an specific function is that you can find, and usually fairly easily, a counter-example. I *do* believe that religion serves a function in society, and so I'm not picking a bone with the underlying ideas behind functionalism. What I *am* saying is religion serves individuals purposes and needs that transcend strict functionalism. In this forum, from what I've seen, it's better to be jaded and doubt everything. In response to that, I have a quote from Dostoevsky: "[y]ou know that that is the peculiarity of your heart, and all its suffering is due to it. But thank the Creator who has given you a lofty heart capable of such suffering: of thinking and seeking higher things, for our dwelling is in the heavens. God grant that your heart will attain the answer on earth and may God bless your path." Doubt. It's good to doubt and even better to question. Sometimes, in self-defense, it's good to be jaded. ...But, to paraphrase the Bard, there are more things between heaven and earth, my gifted friend, than are known in any of our philosophies. EDIT: I can't believe I'm actually going from lurker to participant in a (sort of) religion thread, and I blame Blank. :Cant's good natured scowling icon:

Okay, you guys have piqued my interest. I must now play IWD again, which I already have installed on my system. One of my favorite alltime games.

CS Lewis is one of my favorite Christian writers. I'll admit that I only read this thread because ol' Blankie posted in it, so I don't know the ins and outs, but I'll voice my affirmation of Lewis any time.

Clothing is still a way for people to differentiate themselves in socio-economic categories. It was even moreso over much of the past. I think different countries where 'races' like elves and dwarves and humans identify themselves by nation or region ahead of elf, dwarf, or human makes it even more likely that the style and manner of dress will be more important in order to differentiate groups. Along the lines of what Kaz said, I think the benefits of the armor should transcend mere protection. New Vegas, for example, had excellent reasons to eschew heavier armors in favor of lighter armors. In fact, with beasts like deathclaws ignoring DT, essentially equalizing armor effects from light to heavy, you're better off donning something that either enhances your ability to kill them faster or allows you to avoid them better. New Vegas armor might bump a simple stat, but it's just as likely to raise a skill, prevent radiation damage, provide faster health regeneration or other effects. ...And there's a pretty good assortment of armor in the game. If Project Eternity does the same thing, we might have a lot of different armors, but at least they'll be well differentiated by location, type, and function. Heavier is still better for sheer protection in the long run, but there are good reasons to wear a wide variety of armor. In fact, medium armor may well be the best in New Vegas, and there may be sensible reasons why medium armor might be best in a fantasy game. I think, for sheer protection, all things being equal, 'heavier' armor should be better, but there could be 'realistic' reasons for characters to wear lighter armors. For one thing, apparently mage armor is superior against everything except firearms, and that dimension alone could have all sorts of ramifications. Great, JD. I'll finally be able to throw off those damned mage robes in favor of better kit only to be forced to wear my goofy assed mage robe on *top* of my armor. :Cant's rueful grin icon:

Okay, whose wife? If you need a place to stay under the radar, just let me know.

Congrats on the promotion. Seconded. EDIT: mmmMMMMMMMMMM Fio! I love me some Vietnamese food. Better than Thai in my opinion. Of course, Korean is best. Bibimbop, nakji dolsot, and seaweed soup. I love octopus or squid with rice.

Scotch is too bitter and imposing? I think not. I'd say it's dry and rich by comparison. Typically, bourbon has a disctinctive sweet flavor that makes me gag just a little when I taste it. On the other hand, I do fancy rum, which also tastes quite sweet, and it has certainly gotten short shrift in this discussion. We sound like a bunch of booze-hounds in this thread, which is fine because I *am* a boozehound, but it's hard on the body. I wouldn't want anyone to think I'm glorifying killing one's liver. Just talking about an activity in which, sadly, I engage often. I'm sitting to watch a show with the wife before I go out to a Freedomworks event to do volunteer work. I know I know... some 'tolerant' folks will heap scorn on me for being a Republican. Anyhow, I'm a big guy, but I think most folks around here would be surprised at how well I can handle irate and hostile people peaceably. In fact, I'm wearing my "proud to be an adorable American" t-shirt with a kitten on the front just to show how soft and cuddly I am inside. lol

Gin has a distinctive taste but the first time I had a dirty martini it was made with vodka and I didn't want to risk changing the flavor. Generally, I've prefered gin martinis, but I've never really bought into martinis in the first place much until I tasted the ol' olive brine concoction. It was anything but a college student fru-fru drink, I can tell you. It had such a full taste. Extremely salty, with probably only enough vermouth to frost on the side of the glass, and I'm assuming good quality ****tail olives. I know that I've tried pimento and jalepeno stuffed olives in my own, but then again I've also tried a dirty martini made with my own homemade pickle brine. It was... different. lol I *do* agree with you that vodka, in my mind, is best used in mixed drinks. I don't like the taste of it for its own sake and I find potato vodka disgusting. I've never much taken to bourbon, but I do enjoy a good Rye. The thing to keep in mind is that, while I might not live hand to mouth, I don't have a lot of money. I drink way too much to buy expensive booze. Nevertheless, if I'm drinking scotch, I'm willing to spend just a little bit more. I've never been such a snob that I'll turn my nose at a blend, especially if someone else is buying, but I view Scotch as a treat rather than a staple, so it's aged over 20 years and single malt. I've even traveled to Scotland to visit a 'Scotchery' in Gretna Green. EDIT: Watching tv while I play a little New Vegas again.

I like how the update has created a more holistic discussion of different things. Armor is important because it protects people against weapons. It can be enhanced by magic and created, enhanced, or modified by crafting. When we discuss armor, we're actually discussing how everything relates to one another. One thing that I would caution, however, is that sometimes perceived truths completely trump reality. That is to say, if you adhere completely to 'reality,' you will end up with a system that will at times defy players' intuition, and they will believe something is far-fetched, silly, or even 'unrealistic,' even if it is entirely realistic. I'll give an example: Someone earlier mentioned that it's a myth that rubber tires can save a person if his car is struck by lightning. I read his reason, and it made sense. He seemed to have a realiable source to back up his claims, and I frankly believed him. However, the vast majority of people playing the game will probably still believe that rubber is the best defense against electricity attacks. I'm not picking on electricity per se. It just happens to be one example I remember that *doesn't* revolve around plate being actually lighter and more mobile than people believe. I've never worn plate armor. I have worn chain shirts, and all of them were pretty bulky and fairly heavy. There are two ways I can think of to address the issue. The devs could provide some in game reason to educate the players, such as an expert armorsmith explaining to the PC: "Yar, most o' these ignorant fools think that rubber be the best defense 'gainst lightinin', but really it's having a well grounded metal that moves the current away from the body. Ya savvy?" ...Or, and this example is just as viable, they could simply use the intuitive and widely believed erroneous assumption. Sure, they'll have to deal with a vocal minority who will come just to raise hell, but I don't think that's a big deal. Whichever they use, they have to create a system the widest majority of players find believable *and* enjoyable. That system will, in order to accomodate the two vital requirements, at times fail to be realistic. EDIT:...

One of the reasons I've been a heavy drinker is that I tend to be able to drink huge amounts of booze without the attending hangover. I've waited until now to post because I actually had a horrible hangover this morning. So, what I've done is gone about my business squinting at everything and everyone and covering my eyes whenever I saw a bright light, which I only hoped could be the afterlife saving me from my hangover. Ugh, if people get these all the time, I don't see how they can drink at all. I'm curious about this Irish Car Bomb, Gftd, so please tell. I promise, I won't be offended. Gratz on completing your dissertation, Nep. Good man! Even if life is a bit unfocused after such an undertaking, it's still awesome you did it. Happy you got home safe, Bruce. As for you, Enoch, first of all, I use vodka, and while I don't buy the store brand stuff, I never buy anything more expensive than Grey Goose. Second of all, most of the time I've already ruined that with Gallo Vermouth. Why? It's the only one I can get at the grocery and I don't want to hie my ass to a packaging store. Third of all, it used to like that olive briny taste. Now I don't think I could stomach another dirty martini. I've sworn them off for live. Finally, if, by whiskey, you mean scotch, I'm with you. :Cant's broad grin icon:

I made myself a few dirty martinis. I've been enamoured of them since I had one in a jazz club in LA a few weeks back. Good God, they're terrible addictive. Anyhow, this is my drinkin' day, and I think two of those and a Long Island Iced Tea is good enough. I'm switching to the dry vermouth, chilled, so's to let myself down a little easy before I hit the sack. As for you, Cal, ya bastard, tell us something about what happened in your life. You can't just comment on poor wretches like Mal. You have to give us the skinny on the cold shoulder chic you're rooming with lately. There've been tiems, I would have called such a cold shouldered woman 'Vifen.'

As long as my wife is alive, I'll kill all zombies I meet. On the other hand, if my wife's a zombie, I'll just let her zombify me. I'm only 6'2", but I've got an extra foot on Sarge in terms of meanness. As long as I'm keeping the ol' lady alive, I'll be the meanest mother ****er in the valley. In times of great need, I *can* turn off my inclination to plya the nice guy.

Probably an awareness thing, Gorgon. If you don't normally have a mustache, folks notice when you grow one. I'm shaving my pirate beard, but I might keep the 'stache until December, I guess.

If my mage is forced to wear silly assed looking robes because they're the only decent wizard gear in the game, I'm going to rampage through the street like Godzilla on a sugar high. Project Eternity is supposed to be great for nostalgia, but if we're dropping some of the stale things from the past, how about having decent options for spell hurlers who would favor a more fashionable appearance. I'd rather wear a wizard kilt. I swear, I'd rather have my mage wear a top hat and tuxedo while swingin' a cane sword than be forced to wear goofy looking robes. Both would look ridiculous, but at least I could attend a state dinner in the tux. Okay okay. It's out of my system. Must. calm. down. All that said, I can't say to folks, "oh, don't worry that you don't want elves and dwarves in the game. It's what they do with the character that matter, not the race..." and then throw a fit over mage robes. It's just... you're going to have races other than elves and dwarves for folks who want them. Throw those of us who hate mage robes a bone and also give us things ranging from trousers, shirts, and boots to a nice set of plate. Sure, it might not be as splendid as the wizard robes of maliforous magedom, but at least I can go into the grocery without everyone staring.

Wow, I honestly didn't know you guys didn't celebrate Holloween. Well... I basically think of it as a western European holiday, and so I thought that our Aussie and NZ friends, as well as you guys in South Africa, went in for it. If I'm wrong about that, I'm merely ignorant not malicious. ...But if you guys in Europe don't celebrate the day, then most of the folks here won't have pics or stories to share. :Cant's sad sighing icon:

Ouch, Mal. That sucks. On the other hand, huzzah, Gorgon. People are actually pretty decent at heart, I think in me pirate heart. Finally, damn straight, Red. Now go play Dead Money and report back to us! Oh, and I did something entirely pointless. I just ordered a couple of Attic Greek readers in order to get back into the language. I think I've almost lost it at this point for lack of using it, and that depresses me greatly. Maybe it's pointless, but I'm going to pull out the ol' text books again and find something to translate. Maybe biblical stuff. That's relatively easy.

Here I am, ol' Grey beard. Sadly, I look this ugly in real life also, but I did enjoy the costume. Now, I'm shaving that dreadful beard.

Happy All Hallow's Eve, everyone! Cute costumes? weird pictures? strange stories? Share it all with us here. I'm going as Greybeard the pirate tonight, and I'll post a pic of it later. I would have gone as Brownbeard the pirate, but my beard has sadly gone grey. An interesting fact is that October 31st is the day Nevada was admitted into the Union in 1864. That's why one of the state's monikers is "Battle Born." The state's motto is "All for Our Country." When I was a kid, we would get a day off every year at the end of October, and I always thought it was for Holloween. lol http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/nevada-day Anyway, have a safe, happy, and healthy holloween, everyone! Don't eat too much candy, but dress up and share a pic with us!

I'm going to look into the wire. Doesn't sound like my kind of show necessarily, but I keep an open mind about these things. I'm definitely going to look into Brimstone. That actually sounds pretty damned interesting. I can't remember which one of you mooks brought up Cracker, but it's a great show. It's kind of like the proto-type House. A bit depressing maybe. Some else mentioned Twin Peaks. The show completely lost me after they caught the 'killer.' I thought it was pretty damned funny before that, though, and it has probably the best dramatic scene of any show I've ever seen on tv. The scene where the Major relates his vision to Bobby caught me so off-guard that I just sat looking at the tv slack-jawed. lol I didn't watch the show when it first came out, so I only caught it on netflix a few months ago. I'm sure the scene had impact because of events in my personal life over that time period, but I think it was awsome. Finally, as one of the few Republicans in this forum, I think the Daily Show is funny as hell. Jon Stewart might be a liberal, but he shoots straight at both sides, and sometimes has tougher interviews with Democrats than so-called 'legitimate' news outlets.

The only thing I would point out is that there's a difference between getting into the nitty gritty discussing game mechanics and using those mechanics during gameplay. If you boil down Saywer's tier system to its essentials, it's not hard to understand, tweaks the underlying mechanic to something that fits into the Project Eternity vision, will be easy to use in character building. The thing is, when the devs post a story update, there will be folks who wish they'd spent that time trying to rework mechanics. It's all good. Every update won't be pleasing to every backer, but it's the end result that concerns us, right? Don't think that they're not spending as much or even more time on story just yet. Give it time, keep checking updates, keep advocating for what you want, and there's a good chance that what you want will be addressed sometime soon. Frankly, I'm more interested in the story and how the PC fits into it than I am in armor. Sure. I'm with you. ...But I know that dealing with these game mechanic issues is just as important as dealing with the story, so I'm happy to let the game mechanic folks have their day in the sun. Our day is coming too, you know. EDIT:...

I actually have a different view. I don't mind them tinkering with ideas, but sometimes the solution is no better than the problem. Sometimes the remedy kills the patient. Now, in regards to armor, I believe, since the devs are building up the system from scratch, it makes sense to rethink old ideas and try to improve on the system. Same will go for magic, weapons, and all sorts of other ideas. It's not like they're taking the Dungeons and Dragons system and trying to make minor fixes. They're looking at a variety of systems and trying to formulate the best approach for a brand new system of their own devising. ...On the other hand, what I'd like them to do is look at all those systems and keep in mind that complexity for its own sake is not a solution that fixes something that is not necessarily a problem. From what I've seen, Sawyer keeps an open mind about these things. He's not trying to make changes just for their own sake or as a way to prove 'ownership.' He's thinking through and trying to come up with what he believes will be the best system possible. I know I'm putting words in his mouth, for which I beg pardon, but I think that there's good evidence that he listens and sorts out different ideas. So I wouldn't fret too much about the fact that they're revisiting ol' tried and true ideas because that's what they'd have to do to create a working ruleset in their new universe. Start worrying when you see them discard working ideas just because they have something to prove. At that point, I'd completely agree with you. EDIT: I can't write a post these days without leaving out words that change the meaning. :Cant's scowling icon: