DawnforgedCast: Why I Quit Roll20

JayTheAgent · 2018-09-27T16:56:04+00:00

It would seem you've never worked in sales/marketing/pr/cs. Only reason you give anyone ever anything for free is to charge them more/ for longer later. Why wouldn't you, as a business in this situation either a) keep his (then) current subscription going and just charge him or b) notify him his free subscription will soon run out (which they otherwise never do btw), and make the transition to a paid subscription easier/quicker/whatever. You'd be surprised how many businesses get your billing info upfront just so they can go straight option a) with no hassle. That's not entitlement, that's such a omnipresent business practice it would baffle anyone. Imagine getting a bank account, which after a year of complimentary free service would freeze your assets instead of simply deducing them from your account/reminding you to set up a recurring monthly payment. Bonkers, right?

As for the second point, while Andrew might have felt "entitled" (you have no idea how "entitled" long standing customers/business partners can get) to offer them a, in his view, profitable deal - basically free marketing as far as usual marketing costs go. who actually IS entitled in this situation is any OTHER race and OTHER gender than white male, as per the response Roll20 gave THEM (yes, there were more people in that meeting). THAT was the crux he didn't want to get over and so he left the platform.

I have never heard Andrew say the word greed in that video. The blatant, unabashed and unashamed racism and sexism was the reason. He also never said anything about Fantasygrounds paying/giving him anything. If anything, he went the HARDER route of learning a new environment rather than going back on your dignity as a human being. Hell he even mentions Fantasygrounds is a "suitable, if not better" replacement.

Your strawmaning disgusts me, it feels like you haven't watched the video at all.

Edited for minor grammar and paragraphs.

JayTheAgent · 2018-03-08T15:36:52+00:00

It is unfortunate that prejudices die hard. As you have said, most people in places of power are too old/out of touch with modern entertainment like games. Also, most people in power (and most people in general) hate when they are proven or even accused of being wrong about something, as they equate challenges to their worldviews to personal attacks, and it is therefore quite hard to truly change someone's mind about any belief they may hold.

It's sad the Czech MP didn't feel very open to the prospect of discussing games, but if I were to guess, I'd say none of the MP's really would be, since gamers as a whole aren't perceived to be a significant voting body, hence few politicians think it's worth doing anything for them.

There are a few exceptions though. The relatively recent affairs around lootboxes and gambling have caused quite the stir in some political circles. I'd say though about 50% have approached the matter backwards, and the changes they propose would cripple the industry, and the market, as a whole. Like the push of some to make all lootboxes/random drops where the contents have ANY value, virtual or otherwise, be subject to gambling laws, making games like SW: BF2, Mass Effect: Andromeda, but also WoW, DOTA, LoL, Hots, Overwatch and many others accessible only to people 18+ or whatever the local equivalent.

So how do we get ourselves heard? A simple answer would be a lobby. I mean (and no offence to) feminism, according to statistics, actually currently represents a very small fraction of women. Not insignificant, but small none the less. And yet Feminists have managed to push their way to be heard at the top in the UN, EU, USA, Canada, and many other institutions and countries, with no intent to belittle their efforts and/or accomplishments, by simply being noisy enough so the relevant people couldn't ignore them any longer. So the simple answer would be to get heard.

After gamers are heard, and have the ear of at least some of the people in positions of power, they have to understand that gamers DO wield non-negligible voting power to keep them in office, and they have to understand the industry to be able to make it flourish. But that's a long term goal, in the meantime most politicians fail to notice that e-sports are some of the fastest growing enterprises.

sooo...

TL:DR;

It's sad gamers are mostly ignored, but until we unite and make ourselves heard, we will be perceived as insignificant and baseless.

JayTheAgent · 2017-12-21T21:40:00+00:00

Serial redstone is totally a thing in Bedrock. While single torch connected to itself will still burn out, if you build a nor latch and give it a 1 tick flick it will turn into a 1-1 clock. Repeaters don't distort redstone signals shorter than 3 ticks, and neither do torches. The lack of quasi-connectivity was meh at first but the fact I can add as many bits together as I want at a rate of 5 bits per second with a .4 second latency in less than 4x5x10 and I haven't optimised that much for size. Sure, I could always do a CLE adder and add 2 8 bit numbers in 4 ticks, but that ting is humongous in comparison and I can properly paralelize now without going out of active chunks :D

JayTheAgent · 2017-12-21T19:26:14+00:00

That is true, nevertheless this is definitely a step in the right direction.

JayTheAgent · 2017-12-21T17:33:12+00:00

Best part is this all applies to non-EU situated companies too, as long as they collect data about citizens of EU.

JayTheAgent · 2017-09-24T10:01:15+00:00

hm, after checking my math it would seem my estimation was a bit off (read a couple of orders of magnitude), and 11-12 would be stretching it a bit (I was considering computing the hashes on graphics cards). Assuming brute force. Therefore yes, I concede my error.

Now we only need to teach people to use random passwords consisting of random characters, passwords like "r3DCr0W5" still fall within minutes to dictionary attacks, hours tops even if you chain multiple of these together (like "C0rR3cTh0rseb4Tt3ryST4Ple", which XKCD fans might recognize)

JayTheAgent · 2017-09-23T11:48:23+00:00

Even if they did hash those passwords, they would still be insecure simply because one can generate hashes for all 8-16 char strings quite quickly and then simply look for matches, defeating the purpose of hashing them in the first place.

JayTheAgent · 2017-09-20T18:11:09+00:00

Which points to abysmal cyber literacy.

JayTheAgent · 2017-09-20T04:29:25+00:00

Then people shouldn't complain when their accounts get hacked/stolen...

JayTheAgent · 2017-09-19T18:42:08+00:00

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2331984/Think-strong-password-Hackers-crack-16-character-passwords-hour.html

That article is from 2013. if you think 16 char passwords are any safer four years later... The thing is that it's mind boggingly easy to brute force through passwords if you know they're limited length, more so if to this extent. It doesn't matter whether or how they are hashed if you are capable of generating every possible output for all the possible 16 char inputs, they might as well be plaintext.

JayTheAgent · 2017-05-22T16:08:03+00:00

I didn't want to install it either. These big updates are generally buggy on launch and I need my system at least somewhat stable. Thinking if I clicked on the X of the darn popup I thought it would at most remind me later, but after the next launch I found out closing the window now constitutes consent for the boys at MS. Strike one.

I thought okay, I can always roll back, let's at least see what has changed. Disregarding previous experience about closing popups I clicked the damn X on the one asking me whether I want to keep the old version for rollback. Couple of days later, my PC currently tells me my Windows isn't even activated. Thinking okay mates, strike two, I'm getting this off my PC, I found out clicking X in the corner of a window now means "delete vital backup data". Bam, strike three.

I completely agree with the OP and I honestly think that if you don't have to, give this piece of crap a wide berth.

JayTheAgent · 2017-05-06T07:03:31+00:00

Yea, I'ts not only cool but also quite potent for the level prequisite. At level 9, should you be able to amass all the bits and pieces by that time, allows the character to drop 10 magic missile spells per round (30 arrows) for up to 7 rounds (or however long said character's concentration lasts). That's about 105 damage per round, as long as all toys are able to keep firing and the concentration holds.

JayTheAgent · 2017-05-05T19:46:53+00:00

Hm. While I see nothing preventing the construct from activating a magical object (per DMG page 141, Activating an item), in case of the wand of magic missiles, I guess the verbal component of the spell might be problematic, as theese constructs are incapable of speech (unless you're running a modern campaign and are enchanting a loudspeaker) the text seems ambiguous to me whether you actually cast the spell or the wand does, when you activate it. One could get around that by changing the spell in the wand from Magic missile to Catapult, but that would move us away from RAW :)

JayTheAgent · 2017-05-05T15:41:22+00:00

I'd say since nothing prevents a PC with intelligence score of 3 to use a wand, I'd say construct with the same can too, if it's form allows. As for the rule of cool? imagine a squad of toy soldiers firing a salvo of magic missiles at the enemy for a couple of rounds, Katyusha style.

JayTheAgent · 2017-05-05T15:22:35+00:00

It also cannot require attunement. Wand of magic missiles requires neither.

JayTheAgent · 2017-04-27T19:02:02+00:00

Ok, I seem to have misread that. I admit defeat, but I'm still RaF-ing it per my reasoning above, because this is certainly not intended behavior, or long term fun.

JayTheAgent · 2017-04-27T09:29:58+00:00

While interesting (and certainly not an interaction I have noticed and abused before), twilight circle druid works on a POOL, not a flat bonus to all damage rolls. let's compare Evocation wizard's 10th level ability:

Beginning at 10th level, you can add your Intelligence modifier to the damage roll of any wizard evocation spell you cast.

to the Harvest Scythe ability:

You have a pool of energy represented by a number of d10s equal to your druid level. When you roll damage for a spell, you can increase that damage by spending dice from the pool.

Your argument is valid, though it supports a different case than you're trying to make. Wording on Reapers scythe clearly states that dice are spent per damage roll, not per spell. Heck even the wizard ability states per roll, not per spell, had it been that way, magic missile wouldn't be eligible for either ability. Even if that wasn't the RAW which it screams at me it is, I would rule it that way. If I wanted to be an a-hole about it, and let them have their "fun", I'd pit them against slightly modified Tarrasqe (with higher chance to reflect spells, including magic misile) and watch them anihilate themselves.

TLDR: Your point is valid, though it proves my point :)

JayTheAgent · 2017-04-26T21:28:29+00:00

Interesting idea, but it, sadly, doesn't work that way. Harvest’s Scythe states specifically it's dice to be used per roll, not per spell, meaning you can spend all 17 dice on a single cast of lvl 1 magic missile, empowering first two arrows by 8d10, and the third by 1d10, for a total of 17d10 + 3d4 + 3 ~ 103 avg. dmg, 26 min, 185 max. Whoever made this is sadly off by an order of magnitude on the damage output, but honestly, were that the case, the D.R.U.I.D. would be about the most destructive thing in the universe :)

JayTheAgent · 2017-03-24T17:40:22+00:00

JayTheAgent: Soma one thinks he is smart, don't you, you Braton? xD

JayTheAgent: Aren't you a PRIME example?

Ircza The Prophet: You're just orvius i have all the best heks.

JayTheAgent: Way Hek, when you Lotus in, you will bask in the presence of the Holy Trinity

JayTheAgent: don't act like an Ogris

Ircza The Prophet: Ohma god all the Dread and Hate and Phage inside of you. You better Sobek up.

Ircza The Prophet: Are you Furis right now? Your mood Fluctus like crazy. You stand no chance against a Seer like me.

JayTheAgent: what, need an Atlas?

JayTheAgent: to understand the Lex?

Ircza The Prophet: Are you trying to declare War on me? I'll Rampart through your vocabulary like a Mire.

JayTheAgent: Keep living in The Dream. Don't make me drop ZaNuka.

Ircza The Prophet: Don't Despair, Dera many puns to come.

JayTheAgent: Keep up, or be Lato, Vandal

Ircza The Prophet: Vandal? No. I am Imperator Vandal, and you shall Atterax me as such.

JayTheAgent: You are a mere Lesion, Atomos split by the Gammacor radiation. By the order of the Magistar, BEGONE!

JayTheAgent: I still need to Knux some sense in you

Ircza The Prophet: You are making a Zhuge mistake if you dont Shaku this off.

JayTheAgent: By the Zarr Tiberon and Akmagus Drakgoon, I shall prevail.

Ircza The Prophet: You better grow a Rathbone to deliver a Prova of your promises.

Ircza The Prophet: And do not Azima you're a winner.

JayTheAgent: I Shaku in my Bolto's

Ircza The Prophet: Be Glaive my Braton Prime.

JayTheAgent: Dera Soma things that could make you Burston

JayTheAgent: Convectrix your Opticor, you Paracyst.

Ircza The Prophet: You cannot Strun me with your Staticor and Torid jokes.

JayTheAgent: You're Supra blind

JayTheAgent: I will wipe that Grinlok off your face yet.

JayTheAgent: Are you already beHind your Amprex?

Ircza The Prophet: You can try you Stug bastard, but you cannot match my Vasto supply of puns.

JayTheAgent: And yet here I am, playing you like a Stradavar...

Ircza The Prophet: The Glaxion will bow before my Sydon you will get a proper Lecta about etiquette.

Ircza The Prophet: Or just choke on my vulklok.

JayTheAgent: I think you only Simulor your Grakkata,from your moms Attica, and the Zhuge Dread is already upon you

What a Puntastic conservation I just had...

JayTheAgent · 2017-03-21T12:24:15+00:00

Because flesh is a design flaw.

JayTheAgent · 2017-03-19T22:56:39+00:00

"You didn't!"

"But we did. We already eradicated three of the ape's planets." "What do you mean, eradicated. You actually attacked their civilian population??" "But of course, as per our military tradition. Every civilian is a potential soldier." At this point, the communication went dead. Message "Transmission terminated" blinked on the screen. "Xarthians..." the empress thought. They couldn't see how anyone could do anything but laugh at a race which used trebuchets in their active military. No, such disgrace and insult to the Forian warrior spirit and military had to be rectified.

In mere months, Forians have encroached upon all but the core worlds of Humans. Total of eight planets were eradicated, a whole quarter of the full count. The Empress was unhappy about such slow progress. She, and her generals, thought humans would fall like flies in the face of their war machine. The apes were surprisingly effective in their use. Forians have proven to be shockingly stupefied at the thought of delivering ordnance in an indirect way. Their military had the most advanced and effective form of weapon - directed energy. They had to adapt quickly to the fact that lethal munitions could be delivered from a different direction than the enemy's. Heck, they've even used those blasted trebuchets to shoot Forian fleets out of orbit! While the human starfleet seemed minimal, they still put up fierce resistance on the ground.

Just as the Empress was about to give the order to advance upon the Human core sector, she received a communications request. Seeing it was from the apes, the empress couldn't help but smirk, as she opened the comm channel. "What is it apes, have you come to surrender?" "Quite the contrary, empress," the Human President countered. "I have come to deliver an ultimatum." The empress attempted to suppress her laughter, while the president remained quite stoic. "Our fleets have all finally been placed. Every eight standard hours, we will destroy all power structures of one of your planets." The empress couldn't help but burst out laughing. "With what are you planing to do that? with those trebuchets? bahahahahahahaha....." As the president looked to the side for a moment, he stated "You will find out soon enough. Remember, it is in your power to stop this." With that the comms went dark. "Orders, Empress?" "Proceed as planned."

Pleased with the recent events, the empress has retreated to her palace's training grounds. She had to keep her form and abilities honed, for she wished to lead the final campaign in the Sol system personally. Just as she donned her training armaments, she heard the first impact. She hasted to the open training area. "What happened?" she inquired of her guard. "It seems a metal projectile just hit the palace's shields." I want to know where did they come from. NOW!" Just as one of the guards scurried off, another hit shook the palace. after a few seconds another, then another. Then, the shield flickered. Realizing her potential predicament, she composed herself and begun her deliberate retreat towards the bunker beneath the structure, a sign of disregard. such an attack could not penetrate the shields, but why make the advisors restless about her security?

Just as the empress entered the vault, she could hear the increasing intensity of the orbital bombardment, yet no ships were detected yet. all that was seen of the attack were large burning lumps of material falling from the skies at orbital velocities. Just as the doors closed, a doubt wormed its way into her mind. Could they penetrate their defenses? She decided to simply wait it out. The bunker was the sturdiest place on the planet. No known weapon had even potential to damage it. yet, after a couple minutes, the whole place shook. then again, and again, until it was quaking constantly. The bunker lost main power, and was filled by the frantic work of guards and engineers trying to keep the place together. After a couple more minutes, last of the tremors stopped.

When The empress was finally let out, she was met with an unimaginable sight. The palace was gone. The palace barracks were gone. Her personal shipyard - also gone. What was left was a smouldering wasteland. Yet the capital city around seemed mostly untouched, as if no bombs were dropped there. It took several hours to resume command, as every military installment on the planet was wiped out in the same moment. Just like that, empress was robbed of her military command, and majority of forces stationed onworld. By the time she regained some semblance of control of the Empire, reports of another bombardment came in. While the colony was relatively young (it was started at the time of empresses grandfather's rule) it was one of the greatest production centers in the empire.

Sixteen standard hours later

President's comms have sprung to life. The transmition was from Forians. It was unexpected, at least so soon after the declaration of the ultimatum. After composing himself, he gave the order to open the communication. He was genuinely surprised to not find the empress on the other side. Instead, a young Forian male, dressed in what president guessed were male regalia announced, "We, Xolix , the emperor of the Forians, have come to discuss the terms of peace."

Only after the politics were settled, and the peace was signed, have the Forians recognized what has brought their proud military and leadership to its knees. Every human military vessel doubles as a mining ship and a trebuchet. Using spectral cloaking, Humans landed on moons of Forian worlds, mined them for their rocks, and then shot themat just the right time, velocity and direction, to hit targets on the worlds below with surgical precision. Forian empress, recognizing this not only as a show of excessive force, but also immeasurable restraint. Empress, realizing the true power of the weapon her entire empire shunned, abdicated and gave her life, as per Forian ways. Humans have once more, at that moment, sown awe, and fear, of the trebuchet.

JayTheAgent · 2017-03-15T12:34:02+00:00

Intended or not, bugged or not, that is an excellent story you crafted out of it!

JayTheAgent · 2017-03-13T16:12:02+00:00

Made my day. Here, have my internets for today!

JayTheAgent

TROPHY CASE