Tadeusz
Member
Mark,
You were interested in Oak's previous world. I'm not sure I mentioned this.
Jim Butcher wrote the series 'The Dresden Files', and it became a short-lived SciFi channel show by that name. Oak took the role of the doppleganger of detective wizard hero 'Dresden' who in that universe was 'Oak'.
JTM
Member
It's been bugging me ever since I read Oak's last world, so I'm going to take the opportunity to complain that at one point you had a Red Court member fully vamped-out in a dream sequence and misidentified it as a White Court vampire. I dunno that it ended up actually mattering, but it was pretty clear from later context that you hadn't deliberately swapped them, and White Court super-mode has them turn pale and get silvery eyes.
I think it might have gone over better with Oak if you'd sent him up against the Denarians, since that seems right up his alley.
Incidentally, I find the choice of theme for the Raith party rather clever.
Tadeusz
Member
White Court vampires have a black demon slug inside them (not sure if thats physical or spiritual)...and Black Courts...I think they look kind of black and dead and shrivelled up a bit.
Now, in the opening I did have Black Court vamps running wild over the Windy City because that was one of the Doom Endstates....total collapse of any restraint, and Black Court vamps hunting at will and in the open.
I've only read about half the books so I'm not totally familiar with all them. The Denarians are the ones with the coins and the fallen angel attached to the coin, right?
Fully vamped out...
White...silver eyes and impossibly beautiful
Black--walking corpse?
Red...not sure
What do you like to be called MJ?
"M'lord" is good, but I can't seem to get anyone to use it.
As Merlin says to Lauren, it doesn't really matter what you call me as long as I know you mean me--but it will help our relationship if it's something respectful (or at least not insulting).
The story, since it has to do with Gaming Outpost:
I was Mark Young on WNNN-FM, and pretty well known particularly among the Charismatic/Pentecostal communities of extreme southwestern New Jersey and northern Delaware for that. We started a newsletter, and I did much of the writing and worked with the printer, who happened to be the assistant editor of a local newspaper, The Elmer Times. (Elmer is one of the small towns around here, technically in Salem County but far from everything in that county and much closer to things in Cumberland County--as if you needed to know that.) I wrote a couple pieces of political satire which they carried in their paper, but to avoid the connection between "Mark Young" the Christian radio announcer and the guy who wrote those pieces, we agreed that they would be published under the name "M. Joseph Young".
I liked the name, and by the time we were working on Multiverser I'd decided that anything I published would be under that name. Call it a nom de plume if you like; it really was my name, but in a form that I could use that sounded sophisticated or something.
When Multiverser hit the market, I got a running start on its release with the establishment of several "feeder" web sites; but I used different names on them. Sometimes I was "Mark J. Young", on the song lyrics and the Dungeons & Dragons(R) materials; but I was "M. Joseph Young" on the Multiverser site and the temporal anomalies site. (I might also have been "Mark Young" somewhere, but I don't know for certain.)
Then Gary Gygax encouraged me (and maybe fifty other people) to write something for this new web site, Gaming Outpost. I produced Morality and Consequences: Overlooked Gaming Essentials, under the name M. Joseph Young, and so joined a growing list of game authors who had articles published here. But to find out what people said about it and to interact with them, I had to create a screen name for the forum. I don't know whether "Mark Joseph Young" would have been too long, but I thought it probably would, and I also thought that it would be confusing to be "Mark Young" or even "Mark J. Young" given that the Multiverser material was all as "M. Joseph Young", but equally confusing to be "M. Joseph Young" given that the D&D material was all as "Mark J. Young". So I thought "M. J. Young" would solve the matter, and set up the account that way.
No one had ever called me "Emjay" before that, but now they did. The name stuck, and became how I was known on gamer forums everywhere, and at gaming conventions. It is the way I sign ninety-nine percent of my e-mail. There are people who know me fairly well who don't know my first name, and sometimes I get called "Mike" by people who forget; but there are also people who have made a point of learning it and remembering it and using it.
Now, there are at least dozens of late teen/early twenty-somethings around here who call me "Dad", "Daddy", "Papa", or "Padre", but that's a local thing. There are also some who work closely with me and call me "Mr. Young" because that's what think they should call me. Some of them just don't use any name at all, because they don't know what name to use.
My friends and family call me Mark, and with many of them I will sign "Mark" either alone (mostly family) or above the fuller "M. J. Young". I have grown accustomed to "MJ"; it has the advantage that it is comparatively rare--I've only once encountered someone else on a forum who went by "MJ" and that was a girl, and to some degree she threw everyone off because they so associated "MJ" with me even when they were talking with her. They call me that at Ubercon, and it's usually what's on my badges, so I suppose it's become my "professional name".
Interestingly, I have three signatures (in three different handwriting styles)--the aforementioned "Mark J. Young", the autograph "M. Joseph Young", and an artistically stylized version in which the letters of "MarkJ" are also the letters of "Young" (can be seen here), but no signature that corresponds to the familiar "MJ".
John, you don't call me "Mark" because you objected to my attempt to sign my e-mail that way. That's fine. Call me M.J., or Professor, or whatever makes you feel comfortable. Adam calls me MJ because he met me at a convention; Eric calls me Mark because we've corresponded as peers and friends. Kyler calls me "Dad", but he comes by that honestly.
I still feel funny when people write to me as "Joseph", but I guess I set them up for that, so I accept it.
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
the girls (probably not all the girls, but since there were only maybe sixty of them at the school altogether the fact that fifteen to twenty did this is a big deal) would create "Mark J." names for me, ranging from "Mark J. Composer" to "Mark J. Creep", depending on their present attitude toward me.
Homer J. Simpson
Bartholomew J. Simpson.
I've been told that Bart's middle name is never revealed, but Homer's middle name really is Jay. Homer Jay Simpson.
There are also some who work closely with me and call me "Mr. Young" because that's what think they should call me. Some of them just don't use any name at all, because they don't know what name to use.
I used to call you that in email. For as often as I address you by name on the forum, it became much easier to just go with the shorter MJ. That's probably what I would call you in person.
John, you don't call me "Mark" because you objected to my attempt to sign my e-mail that way.
I don't recall that. Seriously, to me, it would be like calling a respected high school teacher by name. To me, that's what you were. Teaching the time travel theory.
(Doing Therapy)
JohnA1nut
Member
Two
I'm watching The Incredible Hulk TV show. Ever notice that people attack The Hulk with just their bare hands or some club weapon? Forgetting the fact that The Hulk has superhuman strength, who in their right mind would try to attack Lou Ferrigno?
(Doing Therapy)
It's probably the big dog mentality. After all, a predator will avoid dangerous prey in favor of harmless prey--a lion will bring down a smaller weaker antelope rather than challenge a bull elephant. If you make a dangerous dog think you are more dangerous (think Arnold and the attack dogs in True Lies, it will retreat. So if you think that the giant green Lou Ferigno wants to eat you, like the Cat facing the Dog in the twelfth episode of Red Dwarf you make yourself "look big"--in this case by trying to communicate to the monster that you are not going to be easy prey, and it should look elsewhere for a meal.
Of course, since The Hulk is really a nice guy who only attacks those that hurt him, it's the wrong move. But you can't know that by looking at him.
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
you make yourself "look big"--in this case by trying to communicate to the monster that you are not going to be easy prey, and it should look elsewhere for a meal.
Fight the good fight and he will decide that you're not worth it. I still think running would be far wiser just by visual inspection of The Hulk. He's obviously way stronger than you. At the time, Lou Ferrigno was recognized as one of the strongest men in the world. The attack probably won't succeed. If The Hulk IS intent on eating you, you just handed yourself to him. If you run, he might decide he doesn't want to chase you.
(Doing Therapy)
You can never be certain.
I did some research on the Chiak before I confronted it, and used every tool available to me to try to understand it. What I realized was that this monster was playing a game, and its prey were assumed to be in the game. If you attacked it, you were playing the game as a predator, like himself, and so he played by defending himself and killing you. If you ran, you were in the game as prey, and he pursued, caught, and killed you.
I had him completely baffled by standing in front of him engaging in (telepathic) conversation: that was not playing the game, and he did not know what to do with me.
But then, if you don't know the enemy, you can't pick the optimal strategy.
--M. J. Young
Tadeusz
Member
Perfectly reasonable choice, John, and often times, its the optimal one. Fact is, I suspect as a percentage, its more often the optimal than other choices. David of the Bible, who ended up doing some serious bad to the bone stuff, did on occasion run.
Its kinda like Mark's story about the Blue People by the lake....verser says 'Hi'....Blue People are mortally offended and kill him on the spot.
JohnA1nut
Member
Eric, MJ mentioned that you believe in billions of versers from millions of worlds? I'm with you. Even that many could qualify as "Rare in the extreme" if you take into account the size of the Multiverse. There's caveman versers, there's AI versers, anywhere there's scriff, versers are launched.
(Doing Therapy)
Tadeusz
Member
Absolutely, but I'd restate it slightly....
Billions of versers from Millions of Billions of worlds might be better. We should ask MJ what percentage of universes have one verser.
I would say that E.R.'s explanation of a special Naga World connection should not be discarded, but instead used as a tentative truth that points to a greater truth. Also, I'd say it justifies a higher percentage of versers from our timeline like worlds.
JohnA1nut
Member
I still think this game needs more damage categories. Now that I better understand how it works, I'm more happy with it, but still not. Under this system, a 9mm and an AK-47 are both base Dangerous. That means I've got a pistol, which at point-blank range, does the same damage as my AK-47. I'd LOVE to have a pistol like that!!!! At the same time, it is just a little bit unrealistic. (I think this is really funny) I've had the math explained as to why, but perhaps "Advanced" damage categories. "You can play the game with these damages, or you can use the advanced categories, which will probably require the use of a calculator" For the referee who doesn't mind putting in a little extra effort into making a good game. Thoughts?
(Doing Therapy)
Oak
Member
It sucks it up here, and therefore spews it out... elsewhere/elsewhen?
Perhaps a white hole forms, now or elsewhen in time, in this universe or in another.
Perhaps it just gobbles chi up until a critical mass is reached, and then explosively spews it all out at once.
And perhaps those using chi have to fight to keep from getting sucked in or sucked through... :o
Jhiaxus
Member
It really depends on the universe I would expect. If you were in an anime universe, it would likely draw heros and villains to that spot, or monsters/spirits. In a normal world, probably it would reach critical mass and explode. If you were in a dream or spirit would, it would probably rip a hole or gateway somewhere. I think there is no catch all to that question.
Magnus
Member
@JohnA1nut Wikipedia has a good article Here.
If you leave it like that, all the chi would tend to gather in the planet and a puny human will wouldn't be enough to get it from the planet.
I would suggest having the chi attract more chi when it has a will acting on it.
This ensures that when Magnus dies from to much chi, the mass of chi doesn't continue to suck the planet dry. If it didn't have a will holding it together it would probably produce a large explosion.
If we operate under this idea we have to have to have something’s will keeping the chi around the planet. I suggest using some world spirit or Gaia or something.
Vary it's will and you can control how fast Magnus draws chi.
If you want a world where Magnus's chi use is weaker than the locals magic, make the world spirit will strong.
If you want a world where Magnus curb-stomps most people with chi, make the world spirit will weak.
All those other things are interesting and a large amount of chi could do those things.
Gathering chi would definably get the attention of spirits, youkai, kami, fae etcetera
The more chi Magnus has, more powerful things notice him.
(I wouldn't mind meeting a Kitsune (Fox Spirit) or a Kyuubi(Nine Tailed Fox Spirit))
JohnA1nut
Member
MJ, I'm just curious about something. In TerraNova, to be honest, the ONLY reason I went on the mission to save the station was because I knew that my character was half in love with Lauren Hastings. If the team had been made up of all men, he wouldn't have gone, and would have opted to let the ship hit the station. He's going to survive, and if God wanted to save them, He could have. I remember you saying that "Your death lies elsewhere." Somewhere other than the TerraNova station. I could very well have opted to stay onboard the station and let the others go without me. I'm just curious. As referee, how do you think you would have handled me staying behind on that? "You guys go, good luck and have a good time." What? A GE roll for their success? I would have bought a lawn chair and a box of popcorn and watched the ship come in. The ONLY reason he went was because he was half in love with Lauren. If Lauren had been Lawrence, he wouldn't have gone on the rescue mission at all.
No offense, but I think Eric has a better style. He doesn't make me go to the action, he brings the action to me.
Tadeusz
MemberThat is a very good point, M'lord.
I just wanted to say that every time I see that post it brings a pleasant chuckle. Thanks for that smile.
John, you know better than to ask what would have happened. There are too many variables. I certainly would have left the outcome to a GE roll, but I think that "barely good enough" would have meant that only millions of people died and the life support systems on the station remained minimally functional, and "better than expected" probably would have meant that there were a dozen critical impacts of debris from the ship after the defenses managed to shatter it into large chunks, so hundreds of thousands were dead or dying. Without you, they stood almost no chance.
Eric has a different style, and I use it sometimes but prefer not to use it, and prefer that my referees not use it. In fairness, Eric doesn't always use it, either; he just uses it more than I would. If I put you in
You were in exactly two of my worlds, and you didn't finish the second--in fact, you didn't even stay in it long enough to reach a point where things were going to start happening. So I'm not sure how you can meaningfully address my referee style.
But I'll open the floor. Eric, Adam, Kyler, Michael, Ahmetia, at least have been in two or three worlds I ran. To what degree do you think I bring events to you, and to what degree to I make you go find the events?
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
You were in exactly two of my worlds, and you didn't finish the second--in fact, you didn't even stay in it long enough to reach a point where things were going to start happening. So I'm not sure how you can meaningfully address my referee style.
B Movie Monster World
Dancing Princess
TerraNova
Terminator (beginning.)
So I was actually in 4 of your worlds. I'd say that gives me sufficient basis for comparison.
(Doing Serious Therapy)
Glantri
Member
I'm very happy with the ratio between having to find events and events coming to me.
I'm in my 3rd MJ world (well 4th if you count the tropical island, which is definitely events come to you)
My experience in NagaWorld was self driven, but with the number of hooks that a player could take interest in, it's not difficult to create events.
My time in Michael Warlock (I'm not sure of the title actually) was a great split, although much more events come to you style than NagaWorld. Part of this I imagine is because it was a storyline adaptation, there is a set time line, and isn't really the option of the verser spending a couple of years settling in. I enjoyed that world a lot, I had to work to make some of the things happen, but that was because I wanted a bit of control over what happened not because the story felt stagnant.
I'm still new on TerraNova (I'm actually not even on TerraNova but a passenger ship while studying to be a pilot (and to be technical on a day trip to a tropical planet)) but I'm absolutely loving that world so far. It didn't take much for me to find something that would catch my interest, and I feel a nice level of control over the events. While I'm definitely not going to try and become the hermit of TerraNova, I do have rather lengthy plans for what I hope to accomplish there, if things going my way even spanning multiple lifetimes. It's just a world so rich with possible avenues, especially to an academically minded person. It's nice that in such a world I can prolong my stay by being safe, and not have seemingly random events rip me out of the world. My biggest fear currently is space pirates, and from the sound of it they're rare enough that I'll hopefully graduate without seeing any, let alone one's that would be formidable.
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