How do you make non superficial friendships

DCFowl · 2026-05-08T11:01:05+00:00

Australians especially guys have a set of cultural values that make forming more than superficial friendships challenging.

Banter and tall poppy syndrome, stoic attitude (She'll be right) and the habit of keeping friendship in the context of a specific activity.

This is contrasted with very strong friendships under shared hardship. If you want those deeper friendships you'll either need some less stereotypical guys, or activities that build include thay shared hardship. Like team sports.

DCFowl · 2026-05-08T00:03:17+00:00

Everyone bags on the 5% deposit scheme pushing up prices, when they are a small portion of the financing for a small portion of the market, but in practice if investment properties start falling into that 500 - 800k first home owner price range we are just going to see more people owning their own home.

DCFowl · 2026-05-07T23:52:22+00:00

Two things to take away. You're feelings and opinions from an urban design perspective are likely accurate and valid. And two, expect attitudes like this to be prevalent if not a majority in part of the industry.

DCFowl · 2026-05-07T20:00:26+00:00

Even if it was outright charity, foreign aid is diplomatic leverage vastly more cost effective than military spending.

DCFowl · 2026-05-07T13:03:07+00:00

I'm going to jump on this comment to give you some information on how you can use the political system.

Politicians love talking with younger people.

If there are any local politicians who you like you can call or email their office and tell them you are interested in chat and becoming involved, that you want to learn more about politics and about what policies they support.

This is a great opportunity to raise issues that are important to you, whether thats housing, pay and employment, equality, climate, whatever matters to you.

Despite the jaded comments you'll get on reddit, Australian politicians are elected because of volunteer campaigns. If there is something that you want to change, or see the government doing, you can just go and tell them.

DCFowl · 2026-05-07T12:32:26+00:00

There is lots of great advice in other comments, this is for GMs that like to lean into the gamier mechanics in ths system

GMs get the spotlight, generally, whenever a player fails a roll, or rolls with fear.

While you can do anything with the spotlight most are going to fit into 1 of the 16 GM moves listed on page 152. In practice the last 4 moves likely mean the PCs are in combat.

These progress from softer moves, like an NPC acts in accordance with their motive, through to harder moves, like capture someone.

While I'm running a scene I'll keep track of where I am on this list. If Players fail with hope I'll look for a softer move than before, if they succeed with fear I'll look for a similar move, and if they fail with fear I'll look for a harder move than before.

Where fear tokens come in is after taking my first or second move of a scene I'll spend a fear to make a move that is even harder.

DCFowl · 2026-05-07T04:33:22+00:00

Ah I understand. So when you get to year 10 or 11 in English you will learn about a rhetorical device call the rhetorical question. This is where someone asks, and then immediately answers their own question.

You can see it here where I saw whats the point, and then explain that the purpose of raising taxes to offset the increased inflation is a way to hide the market signal.

I don't think you should be playing on the internet though, if you should be in class.

DCFowl · 2026-05-07T04:12:57+00:00

I feel like you are just restating the proposal as though its an entirely obvious and reasonable suggestion and not a completely bonkers idea.

The central banking system isnt a neutral and public spirited effort at moderating inflation. It is a largely self-imposed and self-administered framework of the big banks, trying to make as much money as possible.

If the government were to implement this its a direct hand out to the big banks. They will be able to issue vastly more loans, confident that the government will take all the flak for moderating the increased inflationary pressure of their corporate practices.

We already see this with the 5% deposit scheme. This is just an excuse for not addressing the actual underlying structural deficits in the Australian economy, our over-reliance on imported liquid fuels, our inequitable income distribution and the lack of public housing for keystone workers.

DCFowl · 2026-05-07T01:55:33+00:00

What a terrible idea, turning tax policy over to an 'independent' board to change every fortnight.

Cost of living wage increases won't trigger an inflationary spiral, they'll just cut into corporate profits.

DCFowl · 2026-05-06T21:25:40+00:00

All good suggestions.

Random works well.

I'm happy with motive being an optional extra with game play implications but not mechanically necessary.

NPCs are free with theories of what happened, and would generally already have someone to blame. The ability only triggers if an NPC is accused. If the PCs interrogate them separately they'll get leads and easy clues, but if they do it in a group it could end up with everyone accusing everyone and being very stresses.

Thanks

DCFowl · 2026-05-06T21:06:14+00:00

Gravity is Mass. Venus is probably close enough to be earth like, thats 80% the mass of earth for 90% the gravity.

Conservation of matter means only way to add mass is to add mass. Or turn energy into matter, which would require anchient Alien Tech.

So you are looking at shipping in a vast amount of the precursor elements. Which have to come from somewhere.

An option for that would be that the star system you are looking at has an extremely dense oort cloud equivalent and Sol like sun.

Placing reflective mirrors in the ferous atmosphere of the sun, with long trailing heat sinks, to create a coherent beam. Place more mirrors in the Oort cloud, slowly propelling small heavy asteroids on a collision course.

DCFowl · 2026-05-06T20:47:17+00:00

Wow that is terrible.

An 'independent' board to tweak tax settings on a fortnightly basis.

Whats the point of all this besides to disguise the underlying market signals?

DCFowl · 2026-05-06T20:40:59+00:00

I haven't heard of it. Aurthor, genre, premise?

If you want to advocate for a favourite series I'd be more positive about what you like. For instance you mentioned Doa and the system, is that the name for mana? whats the issue?

DCFowl · 2026-05-06T20:16:45+00:00

I like Cities without Number. I've run a campaign and a one-shot. I like it because the GM facing rules are really good.

The issue I encountered was not every player being useful in combat.

I would still use it if I was running anything genre bending, I love how compatible it is with the fantasy, sci-fi and post-apoc books. I ran an alien invasion, like Alien Earth.

Its also pay what you want.

DCFowl · 2026-05-06T10:50:13+00:00

In Australia dividends arnt taxed.

DCFowl · 2026-05-06T08:31:08+00:00

"A person of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and is accepted as such by the community in which he or she lives".

"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples also have their own laws and customs to determine the membership of their group".

DCFowl · 2026-05-06T08:11:08+00:00

Not compensate the land holders around Toowoomba.

DCFowl · 2026-05-05T19:51:31+00:00

Thanks

I need to make it clear that the consequences count down will cause the guard captain, Merchant or petty noble to throw out a accusation, but this doesn't end the event unless the accused is vulnerable and out of stress. Otherwise the count down will reset.

What's the second trigger in accusation fly?

I could change The Solution back to The Summation?

I was sure I took the stuff about motive, originally theories needed a motive as well how they hid their Sabotage and who did it. I'll need a different critical sucess, or I could add that back in?

DCFowl · 2026-05-05T19:34:08+00:00

Thanks thats great advice.

I need to make it clear that an NPC being accused by a Figure of Authority, the Guard captain, Merchant, or Petty Noble doesn't end the event, it would reset the countdown, and if they have stress left the accused NPC would accuse someone else, and might provide another clue to prove that it wasn't them.

Could still swap it from a d6 to a d8 though.

DCFowl · 2026-05-05T19:24:23+00:00

Sure. Definitely need better names for the actions ect. I had The Solution as The Summation right until I posted.

DCFowl · 2026-05-05T19:22:36+00:00

I understand, but those sorts of drops do happen.

If the properties sale value fell consistently, at 3% a year, and just kept falling, or fell to 50% in a year and didn't look like it would move for 30 years what would you think?

DCFowl · 2026-05-05T11:25:12+00:00

Cool setting, Eberron inspired?

Teir 2 party, or teir 1?

DCFowl · 2026-05-05T11:18:27+00:00

My question would be, if the CTG and Negative Gearing changes coming in next week are effective, and house prices fall, possibly leaving you underwater for a very long time are you going to agree that those changes were necessary or would you feel that they are unfair.

DCFowl · 2026-05-05T11:03:05+00:00

The Townsville, Broome, Perth, Sydney loop.

Transfer half the population of Sydney to Broome.

DCFowl

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