Hey Guys!!! Next Valentine's Day you CAN give here the whole Solar System! (Funny, I don't see a Flat Earth in this selection.) . . . Is that a Borg Cube in the bottom row??? LOL
Keep It FUN!
Dan G
|
TRANSFORMER Amusement Park Ride
Well, THIS could be interesting for some folks! . . . or really, Really lame.?
?
Now, if they would just add some working weapons systems . . . . LOL
Keep It FUN!
Dan G
|
Re: What Happened To Plain Old Boring Sci-Fi Hero
Thanks Guys!
LOL Watch it Terry, us "Millennials" (I'll only be 63 come next weekend. YIKES! LOL) can still get away with being crotchety. Its ~ Grandfathered ~ into our contracts. (BOOOO! LOL)
Don't worry Ron, I've always been a One Finger Typer. (It drives the wife & kids CRAZY! LOL) Us Old Farts know how to Work With What We Got. Right? . . . Or, at least, Work With What THE MILEAGE Has Left Us, anyway. LOL
I hear where you're coming from, Ron. = The whole social-political PC thing has fragged (to use an old "millennial" military term. wink-wink) the "Hero". Especially in the movies and TV. . . That would ~ almost ~ be understandable. = PC and sex (Nowadays, more and more Bi-sex than anything else.) sells to the HollyWeird types. --- But I would think that what with all of the books, and especially all of the self published books out there, that ~ somebody ~ would dare to break that chain.?
However, when looking for a book, I read a LOT of the reviews from folks. I'm often amazed by complaints from folks that a writer would dare to use the First Person Only perspective and not devote twenty chapters to "character development" regarding each and every NPC that pops up in the story. = What should be a short story, becomes a whole trilogy (at best) or a massive series devoted purely to PC character development. = Screw both the Story and the Hero.?
I think THAT might be the reason behind a total lack of originality in books/movies these days. = The writer just doesn't have the TIME to come up with anything NEW, because he is too busy filling pages and pages with forced NPC PC BS or face the wrath of the general Zomieized public.
No, I'm not trying to make excuses for today's writers. I'm just trying to figure out where the heck MY HEROES went.
Think about this. = Could the old John Wayne, or Clint's High Plains Drifter, or Arnold's Dutch from Predator, or Willis' McClane from Die Hard, or even Campbell's Ash from Evil Dead series, etc, etc? characters or their GREAT Stories have cut it in this ~ modern ~ PC driven movie/ book world??? === Sadly, I VERY SERIOUSLY doubt it. = And just How SAD would THAT be??? =? . . . So, I gotta wonder. = How Many GREAT Heroes and their STORIES have we missed out on over these PC years????
Yeah, I'm afraid this PC world has driven way too many nails into The Hero's coffin to ever get to see them rise from the dead. = I want my ticket back out of this Heroless universe!?
Keep It FUN!
Dan G
|
Re: What Happened To Plain Old Boring Sci-Fi Hero
I figured, I was just giving you some trouble back
Terry Sofian
tsofian@...
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Hunt <btlarea@...>
To: X-DimTraveler < [email protected]>
Sent: Sat, Aug 18, 2018 4:46 pm
Subject: Re: [X-DimTraveler] What Happened To Plain Old Boring Sci-Fi Hero
I was being smart asp - im 67
sorry about lousy email ... got carpel tunnel and have to type one finger left hand
Ron
|
I decided to go a bit further so you understand how I feel ... no hero's - that's the way it is now ... wreck any that used to be, replace with those who don't know what bathroom to use or need coloring books when stressed.
story lines ... I haven't seen anything new in years ...zombies? - monster animals ... is that all there is ???? lousy writing at best - no imagination seems closer to truth
sex sells so make most of it until movie is hair short of XXX ... boring
cant beat enemy with most advanced weapons on earth - dig up old ww2 tank or put back in commission tired old ship ... almost as bad as the only cop to catch bad guys - some washed up old drunk ... stupid as day is long
do I see any possibility of movies getting any better soon ... NO
Ron
|
Re: What Happened To Plain Old Boring Sci-Fi Hero
I was being smart asp - im 67
sorry about lousy email ... got carpel tunnel and have to type one finger left hand
Ron
On Sat, Aug 18, 2018 at 5:10 PM, Terry Sofian via Groups.Io <tsofian@...> wrote: Do we have a millennial here?
On Saturday, August 18, 2018 Ron Hunt <[email protected]> wrote:
"hero's" are politically incorrect ... plus there is little "eye candy" to the old outdated concept.
how's that for showing my age? LOL
Ron
|
Re: What Happened To Plain Old Boring Sci-Fi Hero
Do we have a millennial here?
On Saturday, August 18, 2018 Ron Hunt <[email protected]> wrote:
"hero's" are politically incorrect ... plus there is little "eye candy" to the old outdated concept.
how's that for showing my age? LOL
Ron
|
Re: What Happened To Plain Old Boring Sci-Fi Hero
"hero's" are politically incorrect ... plus there is little "eye candy" to the old outdated concept.
how's that for showing my age? LOL
Ron
|
What Happened To Plain Old Boring Sci-Fi Hero???
Greetings All,
Okay, is it just me or does it seem that almost every sci-fi book these days has to include some form of "Magic"??? Either in the form of actual D&D type spell casting magic or hyped up Jedi "Force" type psionics. There just doesn't seem to be any way of escaping it. --- I enjoy Sci-Fi Fantasy probably as much as anybody else, but it gets a little wearing when nearly every writer out there feels they need to lean on that plot crutch to help save their story from, what I can only assume that they assume is, Plain Old BORING Sci-Fi.?
Of course the seeming now inverse (???) of Wizard Magik is the "only one of its kind" Super-Duper (Tekno-Magik) Anime type battlesuit or mecha, or Run Down "lost" Ancient battleship that alone defeats all of the evil invading alien battle fleet or would be despot dictator's hordes of loyal followers.?
Whatever became of the Hero or Heroes who through pure Guts, Grit, Determination and using their Brains still somehow always managed to Save The Day??? Have writers (and their readers) become that lazy that they must rely on cheap overused plot devices rather than Thinking their way out of whatever major doom they have dreamed up??? --- Or is this a modern sci-fi literary social statement (Those crafty SF writers have been doing that to us for ages! lol) implying that people these days are only able to overcome their troubles if Somebody or Thing outside of their "normal" selves provides them with a Silver Bullet type of salvation?????
Egads! I sure hope not!?
But to tell you the truth, growing up on SF I seemed to get more personal motivation,?self reliance,?and inspiration from those old school Guts & Brains type Heroes than I see any of these modern Magiked Up Glitz & Glamour ones generating in these current crops of generations. It just seems that too many folks these days are waiting for their Super Magik Crutches to arrive to bail them out of a situation rather than just rolling up their sleeves and getting down to work to get the job done.?
Give me a REAL Hero anyday!
Thoughts???
Keep It FUN!
Dan G
|
GM Tricks of the Trade #3
From: Troll Lord Games <troll@...> Date: Thursday, August 16, 2018 Subject: GM Tricks of the Trade #3 To: tsofian <tsofian@...>
Even More tricks all GMs must master... |
This is the 3rd in our ongoing tips and tricks for GMs. Periodically we will send out these little nuggets written by Master GM Stephen Chenault.
Being a GM, DM, or CK is a tricky business. You must be able to think on the fly, keep people engaged and lead them down the path to adventure. Bogged down in the minutiae? Stuck in a dungeon? It's important to lead the players to the best game they can have. That's why our CEO and founder, Stephen Chenault -- a gamer for over 40 years and CK that can keep a game of 20 plus moving smoothly -- has put together another 5 gems guaranteed to give you your best game.
|
#1: One of the GM¡¯s major tools are their descriptions. Whether the characters are in a dungeon or wandering overland, in a battle or talking to an NPC, describing the scene and the monsters and people is a key part of the table top experience. When describing things don¡¯t forget smell and sounds. Describe what the see, but tell them how it smells, try to relate it to something they might already know, such as fresh baked bread. The sounds of things too are important. These senses can bring someone into a scene like nothing else.
?
#2: ¶Ù´Ç²Ô¡¯³Ù underestimate simple adventures. A quick adventure with a very simple plot can be loads of fun. A hunt, transporting an item, a 3-room barrow mound. Include 1-2 NPCs and allow for lots of role playing. These adventures are easy to prepare for and can fill up several hours with no problem and really engage the players.
?
#3: Try not to allow anyone get lost at the table. If someone is not participating or allowing others to run their characters, figure out what skills they have and adjust the situation enough to give them reason to make a check. It can be any kind of attribute check, from something as simple as discerning an NPC¡¯s intent to as complex as tracking a wild boar. One simple check can bring someone to the table quickly.
?
#4: A great way to break in a new player to most role-playing games and teach them the game¡¯s mechanics quickly is with terrain, specifically swimming a river. Crossing the river can require a great many different attribute checks, from intelligence and perception in finding the best area to swim, to the actual act of swimming with dexterity, and even strength and constitution in surviving the swim. Crossing a river can easily require 4-5 different attribute checks. And as importantly, you can control the outcome by mitigating the challenge level you assign, the challenge level can change constantly (it need not be only one check to swim) and if things go poorly hidden material under the water can offer more attribute checks, allowing a drowning character the chance to grab hold of something or stand on it. Once the river is crossed, the new player should have a better understanding of the mechanics.
#5: Rolling dice is fun! Obviously, the GM has to make many of the rolls. But, whenever you can yield a roll to the players, do so. ¶Ù´Ç²Ô¡¯³Ù roll to see if the horse bolts, allow them to roll to see if they can better control the horse. If they want to do something, have them make an attribute check, you can govern the outcome with bonuses and penalties, but allow them to make the check.
Follow these simple rules when interacting with your group and you will be assured a great game night, every night.
|
|
Author, CEO of Troll Lord Games, and GM specialist Stephen Chenault is a veteran of innumerable campaigns, in both D&D and Castles & Crusades, the game he created along with Mac Golden and Davis Chenault almost 20 years ago. He worked closely with Gary Gygax from 2001-2008 and has over 30 published titles to his name, including the Codex of Aihrde, Rune Lore, Mortality of Green, & Monsters & Treasure of Aihrde.
Bonus! -- Get more GM Tips from Stephen in this interview by Satine Phoenix
|
|
Resources for all Gamers! |
|
|
|
Would you like to see more GM Tricks of the Trade?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amazing Robots That Could Someday Change The World
Yeah, I know, like we haven't heard this before, right? But a few of these are pretty new from the last time I've seen one of these videos so I thought I'd --- SHARE THE HORROR!!! . . . And Yeah,?Okay, ~ maybe ~ I read / watch too much Sci-Fi, but these little guys REALLY CREEP ME OUT!!!!?LOL
?
Keep It FUN!
Dan G
|
Re: Scott Lowther is creating Pax Orionis, the Alternate History of the Orion Program | Patreon
I would LOVE to see a NOVEL, or better, a whole series based on this Atomic Age AH/SF universe! I've actually been waiting for it since the first time I heard about it. A MAJOR bonus is that Scott Really IS A ROCKET SCIENTIST (Actually Better, an ENGINEER!!!) so I'm sure his story will be based more on Real Sci rather than mere Tekno-Fantasy. 1000 Bonus Points from me for THAT! . . . But I just ain't all that keen on a whole book being fictional mag articles, tech reports, histories, etc. As chapter openers, GREAT! . . . but not the whole book. I think that would pretty much kill it for me. --- I'm tempted to send him the two bucks just to get a peek. But his writing concept pretty much even kills that. = DARN! I really did want to READ this STORY.
Has anybody else invested in this project??? Is it worth giving a fighting chance????
Keep It FUN!
Dan G?
?
|
Scott Lowther is creating Pax Orionis, the Alternate History of the Orion Program | Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/PaxOrionis?utm_medium=email&utm_source=growth&utm_campaign=creatoryousupport&utm_term=cta
|
Okay, I'm really clueless regarding Bug breeding habits, but I would think that, well, being BUGS, they could breed as many of whatever they needed for the preservation and benefit of the hive. Sorta like ants. If their nest is in a hostile environment, they breed more warriors to protect the nest. If in an area with an abundance of harvestable foodstuffs, they breed more workers.?
Why couldn't the Bugs just breed more flyers if that is the threat that the Hive faces??????
Keep It FUN!
Dan G
|
I'm reading a very hard to understand book on the development of the French Air Force between the wars and it got me thinking about Bug tactics, especially air tactics. For the most part, Bugs rely?on their ground forces to strike targets, defeat any military capabilities, harvest resources and return with them to the Hive. Their aerial units generally lack staying power. Their wings can't take a whole lot of damage and the units of flying lancers just evaporate in combat when faced with powerful opposition. This would lead to these valuable units only being used if the stakes are very high, if the enemy is weak or if losses can be kept low.
One way to keep losses low is to only use the flyers as scouts. In these cases, they wouldn't be used in groups but in a thin screen of individual bugs that will flit about? looking very much like giant dragonflies in terms of motion.?
Terry Sofian
tsofian@...
|
I'm often amazed by (even though I know way better than to be) by Military Hidebound Reasoning. Yet another great example is the Lockheed L-133 Starjet. Engineered by Lockheed in -> 1939 <- they offered this JET fighter to the USAAF, but guess what, the US Army was not interested in JET fighters. . . . Well, at least not until they heard and saw what the Germans were throwing up into the skies a few years later! = "Oh, by the way, those 'Jet' thingamabobs you were talking about a couple of YEARS ago, . . . do ya think we could still get a few of those?" . . . Yeah. LOL
It's too bad really, the USAAF could have led the way AHEAD of the Germans. Instead, as the Allies tried to play catch up, the FOUR Lockheed P-80 Shooting Stars that did manage to make it to the front before the end of the war, gave only a very sad showing. = Too Little. Too Late. --- It's also Too Bad because the L-133 was one Very Cool looking bird!
?
So I guess the next time you hear someone going on about how in an Alternate History WWII German (Woulda-Coulda) Wonder Weapons would have "won the war", you can always throw in --- Well, that all depends on whether or not, in all fairness, you take in American (Woulda-Coulda) Wonder Weapons as well. LOL
Keep It FUN!
Dan G
|
Another politically correct piece of crap that I know I won't bother to watch.
I love how they want to glorify how much money a movie makes, they do that because the fact of the matter is they are charging a LOT more but attendance is down!!
Ron
|
Picard Returns To New Star Trek Series
Greetings All,
First Off --- I Really HATED STNG!!! even more so than any of the other spin-offs they did of the show. The only one I liked was the one all of the Fan-Zombies hated = ENTERPRISE. Go Figure. LOL
So now in an attempt to make up for the last couple of Really Bad overextensions of this TV franchise instead of another "alternate" timeline gig HollyWeird decided to get really creative and just bring back Patrick Stewart to save their show. --- Will it work??? = Probably. The Zombies LOVED STNG, and Picard most of all.?
Me? = Why can't HollyWeird just let the dead Rest In Peace???
?
Keep It FUN!
Dan G
|
Greetings All,
Well, . . . Yep, here we go AGAIN! --- ANOTHER HollyWeird, "If we can't think of something ~ new ~ , let's just rehash the crap out of an old cash-cow for a few more bucks, and then scream it's all the fault of Close Minded White American Males when it flops like the dead fish it is." movie.?
Enter, TERMINATOR 6, (from Wiki) = "It will be the sixth installment in the??and serves as a direct sequel to?, while disregarding the subsequent films as occurring in alternate timelines."
Yeeaaahhhhh, . . . watch the trailer. So they went and Fembotted T-6 and claim all the other flicks were "alternate" timelines. . . . Because THAT always works So Well, Right????Remember what they did to GHOSTBUSTERS??? HollyWeird obviously sure as heck doesn't.? --- But "Alternate" timelines worked for Star Trek and Star Wars!!! Well, at least their Fan-Zombies are so hungry for more that they LET THEM WORK. = Zombies! Where's My Chainsaw??? LOL
?
Can't Keep this one FUN!
Dan G
|
Re: Referee's book designer's notes
VERY WELL SAID!!!
Keep It FUN!
Dan G
|
Dan G
