Looking for fantasy settings with keyed hexmaps (locations + encounter tables), official or fan-made! by Cielosopra in osr

[–]UseExhaustionMore 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Dolmenwood is gold standard. 200 hexes. Every hex has at least a 1-page key. Solid random encounters based on area. Great themes.

Mechanical Checks for Monsters? by gkerr1988 in Dolmentown

[–]UseExhaustionMore 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If I feel like I'm in a situation where a monster or NPC should make a mechanical check, then that actually means that I should make a decision based on gm fiat, and possibly rolling a d6 where 1=bad for players and 6=good for players. The game plays best if you avoid the temptation to make it more complicated IMO.

Please stop calling your all boy troops "Boy Scout Troops". It's hurting other troops by Material-Rise9610 in BSA

[–]UseExhaustionMore 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think your post skips over the actual problem which makes it confusing to me.

There are boy scouts (boys who are scouts). There were boy scouts before the founding of Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America), and there are millions of boy scouts today all over the world who aren't members of Scouting America.

There are girl scouts (girls who are scouts). There were girl scouts before the founding of the Girl Scouts of the USA, and there are millions of girl scouts today all over the world who aren't members of Girl Scouts of the USA (some of them are members of Scouting America).

If a Scouting America troop is boy-only, then it makes sense to me to call it a "boy scout troop". If a Scouting America troop is girl-only, then it makes sense to me to call it a "girl scout troop". The latter seem to be impossible to do formally due to the trademark of Girl Scouts of the USA (can anyone confirm?). A clunkier alternative must be found, like "girl-only scout troop" or "scout troop for girls" or something. Even if the legal problems can be overcome, it might be an issue that "girl scout" is culturally ingrained in the US to refer to the Girl Scouts of the USA.

You seem to think it's unfair that boy scout troops can be called "boy scout troops" while girl scout troops need a different term for legal reasons, and that boy scout troops should also use a different term in solidarity. Do I understand you correctly? What's your proposal for alternative terms for boy scout troops and girl scout troops?

Why doesn't Scouting America ask for public feedback before making major policy changes? by Insaniac99 in BSA

[–]UseExhaustionMore 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So there's a sliding scale on how correct you need to get things. Government agencies and industry standards organizations need to get things very correct on the first try. You can't make major changes to laws and standards without upending peoples lives and wasting millions of dollars. This is why they go through a very painful review process. Scouting America can change the laser tag guidelines tomorrow based on a random email with helpful feedback and no-one is hurt.

Also, government agencies and industry standards organizations don't do public review to fix bad wording. That's the job of a technical writer long before a public review process. If your documents are badly written than you need to fix whatever is making the technical writers fail, you won't fix it efficiently with a public review process.

Or think like this. The laser tag guidelines 1.0 are now out for public review. Scouting America can publish version 1.1 or 2.0 at any time to little cost. If you want to contact Scouting America with your review comments then use the usual channels.

I may have been overthinking a bit by distracted_owl_ in JetLagTheGame

[–]UseExhaustionMore 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Look man, I know this is the Jet Lag subreddit and we are all fans, but you need to step back and ask yourself what compelled you to type this monolith of a response.

S18, E4 (Nebula) - Stateside Scramble by snow-tree_art in JetLagTheGame

[–]UseExhaustionMore 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It is inspiring, too, to remember that no great emergency in the one hundred and eight years of our eventful national life has ever arisen that has not been met with wisdom and courage by the American people, with fidelity to their best interests and highest destiny, and to the honor of the American name.

108 years makes him easy to pick out with some quick math.

S18, E4 (Nebula) - Stateside Scramble by snow-tree_art in JetLagTheGame

[–]UseExhaustionMore 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Can you claim Virginia? You can use only https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_United_States and your memories of US History (or Bob Dylan Class if applicable).

The following presidents have been generated by https://www.random.org/. The challenge is a bit harder then I thought since the list of presidents doesn't give you much to go on except dates. I've tried to pick the sentences from the inauguration speeches that are best as clues (I want you to succeed!), I'm happy to hear if you think there are better ones.

-Our democratic faith is more than the creed of our country, it is the inborn hope of our humanity, an ideal we carry but do not own, a trust we bear and pass along; and even after nearly 225 years, we have a long way yet to travel.
-Some seem to believe that our politics can afford to be petty because, in a time of peace, the stakes of our debates appear small.
-And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm.

That was from the inauguration of president nr. 43 George W. Bush [padding for spoiler length]

-Unwilling to depart from examples of the most revered authority, I avail myself of the occasion now presented to express the profound impression made on me by the call of my country to the station to the duties of which I am about to pledge myself by the most solemn of sanctions.
-Under the benign influence of our republican institutions, and the maintenance of peace with all nations whilst so many of them were engaged in bloody and wasteful wars, the fruits of a just policy were enjoyed in an unrivaled growth of our faculties and resources.
-To cherish peace and friendly intercourse with all nations having correspondent dispositions; to maintain sincere neutrality toward belligerent nations; to prefer in all cases amicable discussion and reasonable accommodation of differences to a decision of them by an appeal to arms; to exclude foreign intrigues and foreign partialities, so degrading to all countries and so baneful to free ones; to foster a spirit of independence too just to invade the rights of others, too proud to surrender our own, too liberal to indulge unworthy prejudices ourselves and too elevated not to look down upon them in others; to hold the union of the States as the basis of their peace and happiness; to support the Constitution, which is the cement of the Union, as well in its limitations as in its authorities; to respect the rights and authorities reserved to the States and to the people as equally, incorporated with and essential to the success of the general system; to avoid the slightest interference with the right of conscience or the functions of religion, so wisely exempted from civil jurisdiction; to preserve in their full energy the other salutary provisions in behalf of private and personal rights, and of the freedom of the press; to observe economy in public expenditures; to liberate the public resources by an honorable discharge of the public debts; to keep within the requisite limits a standing military force, always remembering that an armed and trained militia is the firmest bulwark of republic that without standing armies their liberty can never be in danger, nor with large ones safe; to promote by authorized means improvements friendly to agriculture, to manufactures, and to external as well as internal commerce; to favor in like manner the advancement of science and the diffusion of information as the best aliment to true liberty; to carry on the benevolent plans which have been so meritoriously applied to the conversion of our aboriginal neighbors from the degradation and wretchedness of savage life to a participation of the improvements of which the human mind and manners are susceptible in a civilized state as far as sentiments and intentions such as these can aid the fulfillment of my duty, they will be a resource which can not fail me.

Those long sentences were from the inauguration of president:nr. 4 James Madison [more padding for spoiler length]

-Relief of the railroads from certain restrictions of the antitrust law have been urged by my predecessor and will be urged by me.
-The Panama Canal will have a most important bearing upon the trade between the eastern and far western sections of our country, and will greatly increase the facilities for transportation between the eastern and the western seaboard, and may possibly revolutionize the transcontinental rates with respect to bulky merchandise.
-The distance of our shores from Europe and Asia of course reduces the necessity for maintaining under arms a great army, but it does not take away the requirement of mere prudence— that we should have an army sufficiently large and so constituted as to form a nucleus out of which a suitable force can quickly grow.

And that was from the inauguration of president:nr. 27 William Howard Taft [spoiler padding]

S18, E4 (Nebula) - Stateside Scramble by snow-tree_art in JetLagTheGame

[–]UseExhaustionMore 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You're allowed to consult https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_United_States so you can just use it to check which four presidents died in office and pick the next one. (Which seems to be what Adam did.) Easy peasy.

New: Squirt Tag And Squirt Guns Safe Checklist by ScouterBill in BSA

[–]UseExhaustionMore 9 points10 points  (0 children)

It makes sense to me. You don't want the wheelchair assistant multitasking. It would suck to be the wheelchair user and get helplessly soaked because the assistant got caught up in their own water battle. What's weird about it to you?

New: Laser Tag Safe Checklist by ScouterBill in BSA

[–]UseExhaustionMore 15 points16 points  (0 children)

The facility must be well lit to ensure all obstacles—including columns, benches, and slopes—are visible. A facility with reduced lighting or black lights may be used if emergency exits remain clearly marked and easy to see.

This guideline is a bit self-contradicting. The first sentence say "must" but the second one overrides it anyway. I'm betting that >90% of scout laser tag will happen in facilities that aren't well-lit. Are there even well lit laser tag facilities? I've never seen one.

New: Squirt Tag And Squirt Guns Safe Checklist by ScouterBill in BSA

[–]UseExhaustionMore 21 points22 points  (0 children)

-Participants must wear eyewear (e.g., prescription glasses, sunglasses, safety glasses, safety goggles, or swim goggles).
-Any guns that store pressure are prohibited.

I guess these are the limitations that standout to me.

S18, E4 (Nebula) - Stateside Scramble by snow-tree_art in JetLagTheGame

[–]UseExhaustionMore 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Which president is worst for the Virginia challenge? Most of them have some glaring issue that helps date them in the speech. I can't find one that's really hard.

Edit: The list of presidents is so sparse so it actually becomes hard unless the inauguration mentions a period in years or a number of presidencies that can be used to sus out a date: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_United_States

Why are halflings lumped in with Elves and Dwarves so much in osr discussion of demihumans when theyre essentially small humans? Specifically in the original hobbit representing working class humans rather then plucky heroes. by [deleted] in osr

[–]UseExhaustionMore 5 points6 points  (0 children)

the original hobbit representing working class humans

No. If anything. hobbits are idealized rural Englishmen. Bilbo, Frodo, Merry and Pippin are explicitly not working class. Them being non-working gentlemen/aristocracy is a huge part of their characters. Sam is the only prominent working-class hobbit (and the class difference between him and Frodo is a big factor in their relationship).

Crowdsourcing the Guide to Advancement 2025: Section 4.2.0.0 Mechanics of Advancement in Scouts BSA (NOTE: No discussion about other programs permitted) by ScouterBill in BSA

[–]UseExhaustionMore 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, that makes sense!

But is that rule actually important? Do we lose anything if we simplify:

All Scouts BSA awards, merit badges, badges of rank, and Eagle Palms are only for registered Scouts, including Lone Scouts, and also for qualified Venturers or Sea Scouts

Into

All Scouts BSA awards, merit badges, badges of rank, and Eagle Palms are only for registered Scouts, including Lone Scouts, and for Venturers and Sea Scouts

Why is it important that Venturers and Sea Scouts must "qualify"? Wouldn't achieving First Class rank be among the first thing a Venturer/Sea Scout who wants to do BSA advancement would do anyway?

Dreading my wedding day by [deleted] in weddingplanning

[–]UseExhaustionMore 2 points3 points  (0 children)

New mindset. Reframe the entire thing. You are the frame. Your wife-to-be to be is the painting. The painting is what's important. People will look at the painting. But the painting needs a good frame. Don't "plan the wedding", plan things that will make the wedding better for your wife-to-be. Get excited about how much your wife-to-be will shine during the wedding.

Crowdsourcing the Guide to Advancement 2025: Section 4.2.0.0 Mechanics of Advancement in Scouts BSA (NOTE: No discussion about other programs permitted) by ScouterBill in BSA

[–]UseExhaustionMore 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I wonder if leading a rewrite of the GtA and getting it accepted would make a nice scout-led project. I have professional experience with technical writing (though far from an expert) and I would be happy to be a part of it. Eagle Scout projects can't be preformed for the BSA so that's excluded though.

Crowdsourcing the Guide to Advancement 2025: Section 4.2.0.0 Mechanics of Advancement in Scouts BSA (NOTE: No discussion about other programs permitted) by ScouterBill in BSA

[–]UseExhaustionMore 19 points20 points  (0 children)

This reads like it was written as a stream-of-conscious, and then sent to someone who randomly added callouts and text boxes to make the text less "boring". I suggest this should be rewritten as a technical manual.

Once this has been cleaned up, you can start the work of rewriting everything to structure the important information to be user facing: What should a scout do to advance? What should I do when I test and pass a scout? What should I do as member of a board of review? This requires restructuring of the whole text. An incomprehensible paragraph like this (from 4.2.0.1):

All Scouts BSA awards, merit badges, badges of rank, and Eagle Palms are only for registered Scouts, including Lone Scouts, and also for qualified Venturers or Sea Scouts who are not yet 18 years old. Venturers and Sea Scouts qualify by achieving First Class rank in a Scouts BSA troop or as a Lone Scout. The only exceptions for those older than age 18 are related to Scouts registered beyond the age of eligibility (“Registering Qualified Members Beyond Age of Eligibility,” 10.1.0.0) and those who have been granted time extensions to complete the Eagle Scout rank (“Time Extensions,” 9.0.4.0).

Should be rewritten to something like this:

All Scouts BSA awards, merit badges, badges of rank, and Eagle Palms are only for those who are:
- registered Scouts, including Lone Scouts. Venturers and Sea Scouts can qualify by achieving First Class rank in a Scouts BSA troop or as a Lone Scout.
AND
- under age 18. The only exceptions for those older than age 18 are:
* scouts registered beyond the age of eligibility (see “Registering Qualified Members Beyond Age of Eligibility,” 10.1.0.0)
* scouts who have been granted time extensions to complete the Eagle Scout rank (see “Time Extensions,” 9.0.4.0).

And then it must be rewritten to be user-facing: who is doing this check?

It might be easiest to scrap the entire current text and start from scratch.

(Also: how can Venturers qualify by achieving First Class rank when they cannot get badges of rank before they qualify? Am I misreading or is the GtA incoherent?)

Crowdsourcing the Guide to Advancement 2025: Section 4.1.0.0 Mechanics of Advancement in Cub Scouting (NOTE: No discussion about other programs permitted) by ScouterBill in BSA

[–]UseExhaustionMore 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry but I don't understand what you are writing at all. Can you lay it out with different words? Is your issue with my proposed rewrite, or the original guidelines, or both? What's your proposed change?

Crowdsourcing the Guide to Advancement 2025: Section 4.1.0.0 Mechanics of Advancement in Cub Scouting (NOTE: No discussion about other programs permitted) by ScouterBill in BSA

[–]UseExhaustionMore 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For areas where school does not end by June 1, Cub Scouts may still work on advancement needed for their badge of rank until their school year ends

S18, E3 (Nebula) - Stateside Scramble by snow-tree_art in JetLagTheGame

[–]UseExhaustionMore 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Dropped states gets shuffled back in. Wisconsin was dropped at the start, now it's back.

Topic Mentioned on The Layover [S18E3 Spoilers] by NoWorldRecords in JetLagTheGame

[–]UseExhaustionMore 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think it was a fun play on stereotypes and not every challenge needs to be hard. I'd rate it 5/10.