| From: | snake.eyes@***.net (Snake Eyes) |
|---|---|
| Subject: | GCC0.2 Comments |
| Date: | Mon, 14 Oct 2002 04:45:55 -0700 |
or have already been addressed by Jeremie & MC23. Just goes to show one
has to be pretty quick on the draw in order to be original around these
parts. Some suggestions follow.
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BODY TYPE:
Given that this is targeting gamers, and our physical apprearance sometimes
tends to set us apart from the rest of humanity, I (hesitantly) suggest
optional inclusion of Hayden's height/weight tags (maybe using "b" for body
type -- since "s" is already being used). This would immediately follow
the Gender/Age/Locale tag. The "b" tag could also be qualified with the
following "somatype" modifiers in the format of b(x):
e Ectomorph (endurance athlete): Low body fat%, small bone
size, a high metabolism, and a small amount of muscle mass.
m Mesomorph (power athlete): Low to medium body fat%, medium to
large bone size, a medium to high metabolism, and a large
amount of muscle mass.
n Endomorph (nonathlete): High body fat%, large bone size, a
slow metabolism, and a small amount of muscle mass.
! None of your damn business.
Most folks don't fit into exactly one specific somatype, and have a
primary/secondary type, so entries like b(m/n) would also be valid.
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FITNESS & APPEARANCE:
Perhaps, given that we also seem to be unconventionally candid (and given
our penchant for numerical quantification of such basic attributes), we
could even expand this to include tags for physical fitness and (for lack
of a better term) appearance.
FITNESS (where x is a placeholder letter):
x+++ I am an Olympian or professional athlete.
x++ I am a triathlete/aerobics instructor/powerlifter, etc.
x+ I work out & eat right.
x I am a normal, healthy human.
x- I am (sedentary/asthmatic) and eat a lot of junk food.
x-- I have had a heart attack/other serious medical condition.
x--- I am Stephen Hawking.
x! None of your damn business.
APPEARANCE (where x is a placeholder letter):
x+++ I am an underwear model.
x++ I could be a swimsuit model.
x+ I have been told I'm attractive.
x I am of average appearance.
x- I am kind of plain (at least until you've had a few beers).
x-- I fell off the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.
x--- I am John Merrick (The Elephant Man).
x! None of your damn business.
These could both be appended to the above-mentioned "body type" tag with a
slash, and separated by colons, so that "b(e)+:-/+:-" would translate to
"I'm an ectomorph, taller and skinnier than average, and although I'm in
decent shape, I'm not really much to look at."
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BOARDGAMING/WARGAMING/MINIATURES:
MC23 already touched on some of this.
I'd like to see more done on the topic of traditional board gaming. This
could cover classic boardgames like chess, checkers (including the Chinese
variant), go, pente, dominoes, etc. Descriptors could vary from "I am Gary
Kasparov" to "My little sister beats me handily at tic-tac-toe." We could
also cover the various casino card games (poker, blackjack, baccarat, etc.)
here.
It would also be good to cover war/strategy gaming, including the likes of
Risk, Diplomacy, Supremacy, Axis & Allies, most of the old Avalon Hill
bookshelf games, Starfleet Battles, etc. Descriptors could range from "My
'Victory in the Pacific' campaign lasted longer than the actual war" to "I
have the attention span of a gnat, and I'd rather slit my wrists with a
rusty butter knife than sit through that kind of protracted hell."
And I know many gamers dig their miniatures (some came to RPG's via
military tabletop games, and vice-versa): GW/Warhammer 40K, Battletech,
Fistful of TOWs, Etc. I don't have much input on descrptors hear, except
perhaps to base them on size of collection and freqency/intensity of
play. I am specifically /not/ volunteering to index any of these games.
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GAMEMASTERING
One change I would make here is to combine the Gamemastering &
Adventure/Style categories into one overall GMimg entry with descriptors,
not unlike Hayden's body type. Format would be:
GM:A:GS
So, "GM+:--:++" would equate to "I like to GM, I mostly run dungeon crawls,
and I give my players lots of breaks." This also eliminates the need for
multiple "!" entries, as one "GM!" will cover it all.
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PROBLEM-SOLVING STRATEGY
I recommend splitting this into two separate values that would track under
the same "s" category, again not unlike Hayden's body type. The values
tracked would be "Propensity for Violence" (v) and something else (prehaps
"t?") that would equate to thinking, talking, negotiating, or
manipulating. So, the format for Problem-Solving would become:
sv:t
PROPENSITY FOR VIOLENCE
v+++ I have no regard for the sanctity of human life, and will
destroy with maniacal glee anything that gets in my way.
v++ I love the smell of napalm in the morning.
v+ I prefer to negotiate over the barrel of my gun.
v Enough talk -- sometimes one must resort to violence.
v- Bloodshed makes me squeamish, but don't push me.
v-- I am a pacifist.
v--- I am Ghandi, Buddha, etc.
v? You go ahead; I'll bring up the rear.
NEGOTIATING STRATEGY(?)
t++++ I am Cthulhu.
t+++ I am Hannibal Lecter.
t++ I am a psychiatrist, psychologist, or trained hostage
negotiator.
t+ I have pretty good intuition, and rely on it to negotiate,
talk, or manipulate my way out of most situations.
t Violence isn't the only answer -- let's think this over first.
t- I tend to over-analyze most situations, and am punished
accordingly.
t-- I can't think/talk my way out of a paper bag.
t--- I privately curse my GM for his relentless persecution of me
with all of these absurd machinations and cruel mind tricks.
t* I use the Jedi Mind Trick exclusively.
t? Huh? I'll let one of the "roleplayers" talk us out of this one.
So, a rating of "s++:+" would indicate a problem-solving strategy of "I
like to blow shit up, but tend to rely on my wits."
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SETTINGS & CHARACTER TYPES
How about a protocol or nomenclature for designation of multiple (or
primary/secondary, etc.) setting/character/game options? Perhaps separation
with a semicolon? It might be useful to have some way to denote this: "I
usually play a Human troubleshooter in the Twilight:2000
modern/post-apocalypse game, but I also occasionally play a Ghoul ex-merc
in the Shadowrun cyberpunk/fantasy game."
Like SMO/PA:H6[T2K];CP/F:Uf[SR]
or SMO/PA:H6[T2K](CP/F:Uf[SR])
Or is that just too damn much information?
And how about a "Healer" class to denote a doctor, medic, medicine man,
etc. (any character who primary focus is tending to the wounds & physical
ailments of others without benefit of magic, psionics, or divine intervention)?
And how about a "Scholar/Academic" (teacher/professor/non-magical
researcher) class? And would a journalist be considered an "Investigator,"
or are they specific enough to warrant a class of their own?
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LARPING:
Does hosting/participating in a night of "How to Host a Murder" or one of
those other dinner party "mystery-in-a-box" games count as a LARP? If they
are a separate group, descriptors could rank from "I am the Sherlock Holmes
of my dinner group" to "I'd rather stay home and eat cold cat food out of
the can."
And what about The Assassination Game (a.k.a. "Killer")? If this is deemed
different from LARPing (and I believe it should be), descriptors could
range from "Last Man Standing" to "First to Die."
If neither of the above is to be considered a separate category form
LARPing, then I recommend inclusion of "LA*" to indicate "While I may admit
to having participated in some of these LARP-like activities, don't you
dare call me a LARPer."
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SERIAL KILLER
It is becoming conventional wisdom that video games cause mass murder and
roleplaying creates serial killers. Given that this asshole running around
Washington, DC, is now being called "The Tarot Card Sniper" in the American
media, and the armchair profilers are volunteering that he is a maladjusted
loner with a God complex who "probably plays Dungeons and Dragons," it
might be a good time for us gamers to take a stand and nip this
"anti-gaming sentiment" crap in the bud. I recommend ranking your
homicidal tendencies with the following addition to the GCC:
sk+++ We are Zodiac
sk++ I am the Son of Sam, Ted Bundy, etc.
sk+ I'm really just getting started; I have yet to develop much
of a style, per se -- but you shall be hearing from me soon.
sk Sure, I've considered it, but it was merely an academic
pursuit, research for a work of fiction, or preparation for
a gaming session.
sk- The thought never crossed my mind. This guy gives gamers a
bad name.
sk-- Forget about gamers, this asshole gives humanity a bad name.
sk--- I am a criminal profiler/I work at VICAP.
sk! I refuse to dignify this with an answer, you sick bastard.
sk? What sniper?
sk* You Americans just need to ban guns. That fixes everything.
And just to douse the inevitable flames I'll get over this, it was a
joke. A very bad joke. Sorry for the bandwidth.
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OTHER ISSUES:
I was going to suggest elaboration upon the topics of computer gaming & web
presence, but these have apparently already been covered.
On the topic of publication, etc: how about inclusion of the "$" a la
Hayden as a variable to indicate that you are a pro, get paid, or have won
contest money (or other compensation) in a specific topic area?
Humbly submitted for your perusal,
~Snake Eyes
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GCC0.2:
y71.us[SFO] G82 SMO/PA:H6[T2K] B+ f-(--) RM rm++ rr++ l-(+) m-(+) w
s+++@ GM+(-) A-(+) GS+(-) h(++) p>+ LA!(--) C+ CG-- F+(-) c(---)>+
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______________________________________________________________________
"Hey, at least I'm not a troll!"
-- Slogan on T-shirt worn by
my ghoul/ex-merc PC.
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