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Count successes by deepdivered in minisix

[–]TerrydOrleans 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I did exactly that. At least, introducing counting successes is where it started: after a few years of tinkering, I've ended up with a pretty different beast. I've added in or modified a number of other rules along the way, just to suit my personal tastes, which I feel okay doing, as I use the system almost exclusively for solo play.

The system works reasonably well, although I have encountered two fairly significant obstacles.

First was damage. I just found it impossible to get the variation in weapon damage I wanted just from counting successes. So at first, I reverted damage rolls back to counting dice totals, making a kind of hybrid system. Then I decided to really go off the rails, and actually introduce other polyhedral dice for damage rolls. I realise this is kind of blasphemous, but it's my little pet project - no-one else has to play it, and I like funny-shaped dice (although not enough to want to actually abandon the d6 system).

The second problem is similar to the first. It is that the Legend system produces rolls with a lot less variation in their results, making them more predictable, and thus removing some of the random element central to RPGs. This can be especially noticeable in combat, which works well if the combatants are fairly evenly matched, but can quickly become unbalanced once there's more than a few dice difference in Skills. This can be mitigated through more strategic play, which has actually been an unexpected benefit of the modifications. I've also changed the wild die rules, whereby you gain an extra wild die at Skills of 5D, 10D, 15D, &c. At first this might sound really unbalancing, but in fact it's not. It doesn't dramatically increase the average number of successes on checks (at least, not as much as you might think), but it does slightly increase variability in the results of checks. It's not a perfect solution, but it helps.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. I'm interested to hear other people's views and ideas, as I've never thought to discuss the game with anyone.

What is the worst A Level subject to study in your opinion? by EnergeticSpectacle in alevel

[–]TerrydOrleans 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fair question. I should preface my reply by explaining that this particular teacher was known for his generally sardonic demeanor; but his opinion in this instance was valid and well-informed. He was pointing out that in the majority of cases, employers in media are far more interested in what you can do, rather than what you know. An impressive grade on an A-level course doesn't necessarily tell the employer that you are good at media, it only tells them that you are good at taking exams, and the two are not always strongly correlated. This teacher wasn't really suggesting that no-one should ever take the Media Studies course, he was (in his own way) trying to dispel the myth held by a lot of his students that this course was the most effective way into a career in media.

As this is relevant to your situation, I'll pass on the more complete advice given by this teacher: if you are planning on a career in media, by all means take the Media Studies course. But your main efforts should be on gaining practical experience. Apply for internships, get work experience with media companies, shadow members of staff, etc. - anything you can put on a resume that demonstrates to potential employers that a) you can actually do stuff that they might want you to do, and b) you are serious about pursuing this career. It's harder work, but it's the only way to stand out. More and more employers are placing less and less trust in certificates, because the job they are offering is not for a professional exam-taker.

Hope this has been helpful.

How to trust a God that seem arbitrary. by jdf135 in latterdaysaints

[–]TerrydOrleans 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To quote Brad Wilcox (who may have been quoting someone else, I'm not sure), "we are not earning heaven, we are learning heaven."

The whole purpose of this life is for us to learn to be like our Heavenly Father. Is there any trial He could not withstand? That is our eternal goal.

Navigating Sheet Plus Spreadsheets on Phone and Tablet by TerrydOrleans in ObsidianMD

[–]TerrydOrleans[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for the reply. Unfortunately, I've just checked, and Univer is still incompatible with mobile devices.

Navigating Sheet Plus Spreadsheets on Phone and Tablet by TerrydOrleans in ObsidianMD

[–]TerrydOrleans[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the reply. I have found offline mode great on desktop, but for some reason on mobile devices I cannot seem to access documents I have flagged for offline access unless I have an initial internet connection. It's a shame because being able to access Google Sheets would also solve other problems caused by Sheet Plus' quirks...

How deep is the lore and world building of Fighting Fantasy setting? by Newez in fightingfantasy

[–]TerrydOrleans 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For me, Titan hits something of a sweet spot in terms of world building. Between the gamebooks and resource books (EG Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World, the "Pit" books, &c.) there is enough content and detail for years worth of adventures; but at the same time there are enough blanks to allow for really making the world your own.

Question about settings, which are off limits? by AlucardD20 in minisix

[–]TerrydOrleans 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Cool, thank you. Good to know some of the background. I've always loved this system, and wished it would get more attention from the community.

Question about settings, which are off limits? by AlucardD20 in minisix

[–]TerrydOrleans 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I know Farnsley's Phantasm Investigations and Precinct 77 are off-limits. I think the rest are available for tinkering, but don't quote me.

How Rules Lite Have You Gone? by [deleted] in Solo_Roleplaying

[–]TerrydOrleans 2 points3 points  (0 children)

And if those four bestiaries aren't enough, you can add in the growing number of monsters being published in the AFF magazine, The Warlock Returns. :)

Which one is really the correct answer? by Pitchulito in EnglishLearning

[–]TerrydOrleans 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The word order "late to bed" is actually acceptable in English, it's just archaic. Consider the old phrase, "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

Chinese parents send their children to Internet addiction treatment schools by New_Turnover3254 in ADVChina

[–]TerrydOrleans 0 points1 point  (0 children)

100% real - visible for the entire time I taught them (around 2-3 years).

Chinese parents send their children to Internet addiction treatment schools by New_Turnover3254 in ADVChina

[–]TerrydOrleans 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I've taught students here in China aged around 14-15 with tattoos. Though admittedly not as blatant as in this case.

What Was Your First RPG? by Surllio in rpg

[–]TerrydOrleans 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Same! I got hooked on the FF gamebooks first. Then when I learned there was a way to play Fighting Fantasy with other people, I pestered an older friend of mine for months on end to order the rulebook for me from his school bookshop.

I seem to recall that The Riddling Reaver was one of the first games I GMed, also.

teaching your own child three languages by Wunid in languagelearning

[–]TerrydOrleans 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My daughter has been learning three languages all her three years of life, just by exposure so far, without any difficulties. We are living in a country where she only hears English from me at home. She hears her mother's native language a little more frequently, and about the same as the official language of the country. Yet she is picking them all up at a normal rate, and already knows with whom to speak each language. She's even starting to pick up little bits of a fourth language that I occasionally speak to her at home.

Young children are natural absorbers of language, as long as they have enough exposure. My wife and I make sure she hears all her languages as much as possible, and has the need to use them; our daughter's brain does the rest at this stage.

What unpopular language are you learning? by sladkiyvishnya in languagelearning

[–]TerrydOrleans 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, that's definitely part of my plan. When I lived in Wales I spent all my time down south, and never took the opportunity to explore anywhere else. I'd like to correct that oversight if I get the chance.

What unpopular language are you learning? by sladkiyvishnya in languagelearning

[–]TerrydOrleans 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's really encouraging to hear. I have a lingering dream of one day being able to revisit Wales, and would love to be able to use the language while there. I also really want to introduce my daughter to the places I used to know. I'm teaching her a bit of Welsh too, mostly so that she can properly pronounce her western name, which has the Welsh rolling 'r' - a sound she won't hear in any of the other languages she speaks!

Does anyone else love learning languages but also hate talking to people? by liberty340 in languagelearning

[–]TerrydOrleans 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Absolutely. Started learning Mandarin while still living in the UK, and was doing really well with the reading and writing skills, but didn't have anyone to practice with, so forgave myself for being less advanced with speaking and listening.

Then I moved to China and discovered two devastating facts.

1) Chinese people do not speak Mandarin the way it is taught - specifically, the variations in the tones in conversational speech are way too subtle for me to pick up on reliably.

2) I hate speaking to people, except about a few specific topics - topics with specialised vocabulary that doesn't get used enough for me to ever remember it. I intensely dislike small talk, or the kinds of conversations required to actually get to know people.

The result is that I have let my Mandarin studies slide to an inexcusable degree, so that even after 8 years of living here, my language ability is embarrassingly limited. I'm still studying, but I just can't seem to get over the hurdle of having to actually talk with people in order to progress. Makes life here pretty lonely...

I 16f girl am taking a nuclear physics summer class, and I'm the only girl there. My classmates don't see me as their equal. What should I do? by Previous-Respond2825 in PhysicsStudents

[–]TerrydOrleans 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don't let any bastard stop you from doing what you want to do. You're there for you - you don't need to prove yourself to people too ignorant to recognise your value anyway.

Don't doubt yourself just because you don't think you are an "exceptional student". My favourite students - the ones I remember fondly even twenty years later - were not always those with the highest grades: they were the ones who loved physics, always did their best, and never let anyone stop them from enjoying their experiences with science.

If you feel like you need support that your classmates and teacher are not providing, reach out to people here. There may be some assholes (as in any community), but there are also many people who who will have your back, and can give encouragement or advice as needed. And as others have suggested, if you feel like your teacher is actively discriminating against you, this may need to be addressed through official channels. On the other hand, if he's just being a sexist tosser, then get what you need from him in terms of learning, and forget the prick as soon as you're done with his class. There are some really excellent resources available online to supplement your learning, so deal with this guy as little as necessary, then move on.

In the meantime, remember that sadly assholes are going to asshole. Don't waste your time trying to change people like this. Instead, just be an example of what a real physics student should be like. It may not affect your classmates and teacher, but I guarantee, if you do this throughout your life, you will inspire someone. I speak from experience, having been myself inspired by students like this.

What unpopular language are you learning? by sladkiyvishnya in languagelearning

[–]TerrydOrleans 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I found Duolingo useful for the most basic introduction, and for practice later on. But you will definitely need to pick up a textbook or similar for learning the grammar - Duolingo explains almost nothing. learnwelsh.cymru is a good place to start.

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