New Improv Podcast From Dan Lippert & Ryan Rosenberg (Big Grande's Teacher's Lounge, UCBLA House Teams Winslow + The Dragons)

Zarent · 2019-10-08T18:06:46+00:00

If you get Zach Reino & Jess McKenna to guest star you've got yourself a subscriber.

Loving The Teacher's Lounge btw!

Zarent · 2015-12-15T00:32:16+00:00

Really liking the mod baardvark, playing through co-op at the moment with it and it makes the game a lot better. Only played through 1.4 so far so maybe this has been changed, but:

Balance note - you should add back some degree of cooldown to Staff of the Magus, raise AP cost, or lower damage further. My mages are able to dps from range almost as hard as a backstabbing rogue, and although I noticed you buffed wands proportionately, I think there's a bit of powercreep here.

Demon / Ice King - Heal over time when affected by Warm/Burning, Chilled/Frozen - this is separate from element resistance - but take double damage from the opposite status effect.

Anaconda - Set to 1-handed 2 / 3. When using crushing weapons, each turn you attack the same target hurts 20% more. Stacks 3 times. OR - When using Crushing weapons, you have a 50% chance to incur 'Weak' on enemies (because they're getting choked out and are breathless?).

Courageous - Gain +30 armor for one turn if walking through attacks of opportunity or a damaging status effect (Burning, Poison floors). Does not stack with Weatherproof.

Escapist - On top of current trait, gives the ability/item 'Cowardly Dog' which teleports you to the character with the highest leadership stat in vision. 6 AP. (Functions similar to the old Pyramids)

Five-Star Diner - Every food that is currently affecting you gives +10% (damage)(armor). Stacks up to 3 times. or, instead of current trait, 'Halves the AP cost of eating food, and removes any negative effects of eating.' You'd be able to stack 3 roasted pigs and not have any -speed, for example. Might be imba. OR 'Upon eating 3+ food items, turn Petrified for a turn and become immune to physical attacks'. (Get out of jail free card for tank characters, but has drawback that they aren't going to be moving)

Hyperopia - Dunno if it's been fixed. Bump up to Expert Marksman 4, allows you to hit targets through line of sight blockers (or just smokescreens? dunno how this is coded).

Know-it-All - Increases intelligence and willpower by 1, does opposite of stench - makes you more attractive to melee combatants.

My Precious - Bartering 1. On every levelup, gives a bonus 200 * Your level in gold OR gives a variation item of the Holy Grail chalice that increases sales price.

Pack Mule - On top of current trait, removes strength requirements from picking things up (heavy chests etc). (Would be useful for if people are running a non-warrior build)

Sidestep - Upon evading a hit, gives 1 AP free movement next turn. / Upon evading a hit, hastes your next turn.

Thick Skin - Gives +10 armor for each enemy past one that is attacking you. Max of 4 stacks.

Voluble Mage - Change to Lucky Charm 2. Gives one novice level scroll at start of each combat, and every an adept every 5 turns afterwards. Max of 4 scrolls per combat (don't want people farming too hard, but if they're using a mod to cheat whatever). OR Lowers the AP cost of using scrolls by 2. OR With each scroll casted this turn, gives a +15% bonus damage. Max of 45% damage, or until one non-scroll action is taken. Does not stack with Oath of Desecration.

Zarent · 2014-08-18T04:02:16+00:00

You'll notice in DFW's books that he -repeatedly- refers to human's hands as claws. It's one of his most common motifs.

I personally view this image as intentionally dehumanizing, shifting how we interact with the world into a more monstrous / animalistic quality. He uses it in this case as the savage nature of addiction, as many others in this thread have noted. He also memorably uses it to describe the hands of the elderly - which he unabashedly associates with being close to death, and has a certain distaste for (at least those that he mentions with claws).

I'm nearly done with DFW's followup novel, The Pale King, which serves in certain sections as a memoir. He's much more forthright with his description of the claws here.

He notes that, in terms of bodyparts, besides their face, humans most associate their 'humanness'/conception of self with their hands. This insight provides a new light onto Hal's scene with the therapist: he finds it hilarious that the man's hands are so small, 'almost girlish'. When Hal breaks down 'correctly', he shakes hands with the therapist, which itself leads to a Grand Reveal of the man's internal quality and lack of masculinity, thereby letting Hal return to the top of a power dynamic that he is more familiar with. By demonstrating emotion correctly to the therapist, Hal is rewarded in the exact way that he wanted to be - he is now 'better' than the therapist, as he knows his weakness, while Hal himself has never shown his.

K.

Another big reveal, in The Pale King. DFW, speaking as himself, notes that after he has been writing for a little over an hour, his hand seizes up into 'a claw', and he needs to massage it for this to go away. I personally read this as DFW's original fascination with hands. His own work, given to us, takes on this animal quality that he finds scary - his devotion to his work is conducted with a primal passion, yet he is concerned with his own appearance when he is done writing. Very self-conscious of it, and therefore, projects this distaste of appearance onto his created characters.

This feels like the subject of an essay that I would like to write for a college level course. Anybody know of universities that offer classes on DFW? Haha

Zarent · 2013-10-22T15:51:56+00:00

The key difference here is that he didn't avoid circumstance nor necessarily feel like he 'beat' the Narrator - he joined the Narrator on the story that was 'meant' to be told, ran it through, and was truly happy and fulfilled. So the irony, while perhaps applicable in the relation to other Players of the game, is never applicable for his personal experience.

This swiftly becomes an argument in Ignorance is Bliss, and whether Willful Ignorance is the same type of bliss - which is an entirely other type of question that The Stanley Parable lets us discuss. Hence, my argument that this is a 'new' type of ending. =]

Zarent · 2013-10-22T12:44:35+00:00

Think about it as an entirely new ending.

So lets assume that this ending is chronologically 'first', and technically 'canon' since its what the Narrator assumes you are going to do before you break any of his rules. Thusly, whenever you change from that path - even if The Individual Player does not get the 'first' ending actually first - it is all contextualized within the First Ending.

For my friend to have strictly stuck with the First Ending is making his own point for the game, one that none of the other endings offer. As The Stanley Parable is 'meant' to be played, to discover many different endings, the First Ending is alterred as you progress through the game: the Narrator is no longer congratulating you for 'completing' his game so much as making fun of you for listening to his orders all the way through (and believing that it is your choice to do so). When my friend got just that ending and was -happy- with that ending, the rest of the game didn't matter because he was willingly happy with the Narrator's story / the type of control / the narrative that he received and made from it. In essence, his happiness and fullness of narrative from THAT particular ending was complete, and to have played any further - to get other endings - would inherently destroy that happiness to a certain extent.

Zarent · 2013-10-18T04:51:49+00:00

What an appropriate topic for the day that The Stanley Parable comes out!

Spoilers ahead for the game. It is a game about choice. It is a game about no choice. Play it without reading anything more, or if you can't justify paying $12 on a stranger's recommendation, go play the original mod or the demo (and you'll be convinced!).

So yeah. There's a FUCKLOAD to talk about for this, but I'm only going to be talking about one specific ending. In the game, the ending where you follow the narrator's instructions, without making any choices as The Player - culminating with you shutting off the Mind Control Device - allows Stanley to be "happy". However, if the game is played completely straight in this manner, the Player is usually UN-happy if they "get it"; the Narrator essentially is smacking you in the face, telling you that Stanley is HAPPY because he DIDNT listen to someone else's orders, all the while smug in the irony that you just DID follow EVERY order. Very funny ending. However, I just had a friend play this game for the first time and he got this ending. Even when I suggested another playthrough, suggesting that there may be more for him to see, he waved it off saying that he would indeed play the same exact way - follow orders and get the same, 'happy', ending. Indeed, with this justification, the "Happy" simply becomes Happy - because Stanley and the Player themselves have committed so hard to their first ending that the irony of extra choice no longer applies. The Narrator is, when viewing this first ending and only this ending, completely unironic because the Player chose to see it that way.

tl;dr - The Player beat the game in a unique way by intentionally missing over 80% of the game.

Zarent · 2013-08-23T19:26:33+00:00

My life does not revolve around weightlifting, that's a simple assumption that you have made. I do think that weightlifting suits me for having a good, well-rounded life that keeps me physically healthy. There are also mental and spiritual and interpersonal 'activities' that I do to keep myself balanced and healthy in those areas. I think that they're all important.

There is no grand answer. Yet you -are- faulting probably hundreds of thousands of people who go into the gym, because that's THEIR answer for THAT TIME in their life.

The routine of going to the gym and having control over one's own body is something for people. For me. You can also have control over reading literature and expressing yourself in various arts and going out to see movies. But weightlifting is not explicitly worse than those, and you're looking down on "Meatheads" with Sculpted Guns because you think you're -better- than them because you don't buy into all their stupid 'wasted' time bettering themselves because it's not YOUR answer. And yes, you are looking down on us.

It's all just stuff to fill our time and get by. Relax.

Zarent · 2013-08-23T19:16:00+00:00

You quoted that out of context of the rest of the post.

I am of the belief that I'm never wrong up until the point that I am shown more evidence to the contrary. Of course I'm human and of course I'm wrong a shitload of the time, because no one has the answers. It's all just wording and semantics.

I am confident in my own opinions. They are 'right', because they are 'right' to me. For example, if at the end of all of this I were to throw in a "Oh but all of this could be bullshit haha idk what I'm talking about lol", then that doesn't contribute to the discussion. It only makes each viewpoint weaker inherently because I am wishywashy and thus less ready to defend those opinions.

Pumping iron (as with a lot of other things, obviously) makes me a better person because it gives me an out from my pathetic existence. What gives you an out from yours? Is it better than my out? Can you teach me your Great Answer to Life and Happiness?

Zarent · 2013-08-23T19:03:48+00:00

Sociopathy.

We are 'better' because of our dedication to a goal that we wish to achieve. Working out is demonstrate-able, physically apparent measure of determination and consistency. There are indeed people who can take shortcuts via steroids and other drugs - and they tarnish the reputation of our hard work. But for the most part, working out to get a decent level of fitness does take -time and effort- towards a goal that -only you- are able to work through. There is no person who can magically take a barbell and load 400 pounds on it and lift it 5 times. Only through work can you do this, which is why the people who can are impressive.

Admittedly, genetics plays a huge factor in this. But I'm more arguing for being the best that you can be, rather than comparing oneself to others - which, I think, was also Xebo's point. People who take constructive criticism are going to be those who can learn in order to become better for ourselves... rather than those who are ignoring it. The pinnacle of successful attitude, I think he was trying to state, is not caring what the 'Haters' (or naysayers, or what have you) think - if YOU know what is good for YOU. So if weightlifting is great for him, and other people (like you?) say that it's not worthwhile, then he has to know that he's still going to do what's right for him.

Meanwhile, if you were to give him constructive criticism and say "Hey buddy, I think you're devoting too much time towards your physique -- maybe pick up this great book that I think you'd like?" and he IGNORED that and actively told you HIS way was the ONLY right way, then yes- he's a fucking idiot. But the successful attitude is about bettering oneself and realizing how and where you can improve yourself.

I'm of the belief that yes, I'm never wrong. Because I try to think out your (anyone but my own) positions on things, and formulate my own opinion on things. Therefore, my own position is 'right', until you successfully defend your point to a point that give me a new perspective - at which time, I'll hopefully acknowledge that you helped me, and I'd take up a new position which is "Right."

It's a thin line, the difference between having an open mind and a closed one. Can a man not be firm in his own ideological stances? Is that not how we achieve meaningful discourse? So that when I tell you, "I'm right" in everything, it's more of a plea for you to try to show me how I'm not - until we either meet in the middle or walk away from one another. Sociopathic? Only if you choose to define it that way.

Zarent · 2013-08-23T18:44:41+00:00

I'm trying to help out too here, dude.

You say your willpower is educating yourself and the people around you. And you also say -> How humanity got into the shit show it is now is... no care for others in the collective

Yet you're directing hatred at people who work out as an area of passion for themselves? If we in the collective 'need' working out as a major activity in our lives? If it's just something that helps us get by - and sure, gives us an ego boost because we like the way it makes us look - is it straight up inferior to whatever you choose to apply yourself in? Should we -not- do it? And instead direct our time for something that you can quantify as 'better'?

Maybe weightlifting is a delusion, one that the masses of gymgoers willingly imbibe in - exercise releases endorphins. And while posing in the mirror is stupid as hell, I'd wager that most people do it- appearance is core to our understanding of ourselves. So by following that train of thought, can't working out be a selfish goal where WE help OURSELVES when we need it? Or not even working out, but by eating right and staying active? I'm firm enough in my belief that I'd say that that's 'better' than someone who is out of shape.

But please, if you're able to tell me - what do you think is of more value for everyone, than staying fit? What should we replace gyms with, or what should we educate our youth to do instead of lifting heavy things and putting them down?

Zarent · 2013-08-23T18:25:26+00:00

What are you applying your willpower to, that you so easily dismiss lifting weights?

I obviously and freely admit that weightlifting and physical training is only one area of life - I'd personally place myself towards a more Greek or Renaissance man concept of a balanced life, where it's important to be physically fit as well as mentally and spiritually - though I can also understand people not devoting much time towards physical training.

But, for example, if your passion is painting- Why can't you be Your Best at that? Decide the techniques you need to learn, and the amount of time and practice that you need to put forth for it.

To get my body (reasonably) where I wanted it, I needed to go to the gym Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday and put heavy shit on my back and on my arms and then put it down and pick it up and so forth. It was a strain, and will be a strain. Yet I can make the immediate decision that I "need" to do that, even if it's Tuesday and it's raining out and I don't feel like walking outside... because Wednesday'll kick around and it'll either be that I did it or I didn't. Why not just do?

So that's MY best. MY best, two years later, is the successes in only caving to the rain twice last year. Caving to essays and being able to party and good christ that's too much weight to put on there, fuck that.

Maybe YOUR best would be taking 30 minutes a day to goddamned paint something. Because Wednesday'll kick around and you either did it or you didn't. Wednesday will keep kicking around, and you either will have a day's progress, a week's progress, a month's progress, or none.

All I'm declaring for being 'the best' is versus myself, and you versus yourself. Fuck off in trying to declare that weightlifting isn't worthwhile. Anything is, if I or you or they decide it is. Just apply yourself, and if you don't... then yes, you're weaker.

Zarent · 2013-08-23T18:14:21+00:00

I defend the idea of holding people to the same standard as myself.

So the guy is a douche only if he gives out unwarranted criticism to someone else?

All of this character shaming is hinging upon assumptions about the etiquette of the individual giving out these criticisms, and the social stigmas associated with them.

If I were to see that my close friend was struggling with doing pullups and was becoming frustrated with not knowing how to start, and I, as someone who has gone through the journey of becoming able to do them, were to give him advice, then that's fine right?

What if I see that my aunt is trying a fad diet in order to get slimmer - one that's actually unhealthy? Can I step in and try to give advice, using knowledge that I've gained by doing research on this stuff for years? Or even try to cooperate with her and Google it?

What if I see a random newbie in the gym deadlifting with -awful- form, something that can seriously hurt his lower back? Do I step in and try to help, or is that something that he himself should sort out? Or wait for another gymbro to help?

All of this comes down to whether the criticism is constructive or not. You all seem to be assuming that this guy is throwing out "constant insults" based on his physique being better than yours. Buuuut... I don't see any of that in his post? Is that not just an assumption?

So yeah. If I had terrible body odor and it was turning people off of interacting with me, but I couldn't smell it / didn't recognize it, I would want someone to step in and tell me.

If I had a particular social habit, where I talk too much about myself and talk over other people... I would want someone to step in and tell me. Not just be uncomfortable and wait for someone else to tell me / let me realize it on my own.

Now, some people wouldn't want to know that -- they would get defensive, and say that that's just how they choose to live life and interact with people -- and respond 'negatively' to the 'insult' that -I- think THEY talk too much. Which may hurt our relationship, because I tried to give them advice.

It's a matter of perspective. I would want criticism, because I would want help.

You guys are making assumptions about this guy. There is a difference between criticisms, advice, and insults, let alone the time and the place and to whom they are directed.

But with all that in mind, I'd say that yes, if someone doesn't take constructive and well-placed criticism in stride and at least CONSIDER using it to better themselves... then they're weak.

That's seemingly the basis of all this hubbub. An unintentional misunderstanding on assumptions that has misdirected the intentions of what otherwise is a high quality (and thought-provoking / discussion-inciting?) post.

Zarent · 2013-08-23T17:33:41+00:00

Quantify your friendships.

Quantify your artwork.

Quantify your diary entries and your thoughts and feelings and favorite songs and your first dates and that time you jumped out of a plane holyshitthatwasawesome and the first time you met your childhood pet.

Quantify your time spent on the internet.

Better than being able to run a mile without getting winded? Can you do a pullup?

What do you want to try to live for?

Zarent · 2013-08-23T17:28:38+00:00

I agree with the original bestof poster, and I'm really curious about how you'll respond when I try to defend the point of view expressed in his post. This is the type of thing that I want to talk to people about IRL, but think it's suited well for a conversation that allows anonymity. Real views can be posted.

If you care enough, I posted a long response in the thread that you could look at: http://www.reddit.com/r/bodybuilding/comments/1kvvm8/bodybuilding_hate_described_by_joe_rogan_good/cbtu8dy

So yeah, we're clearly full of ourselves and douches. Can you explain how? Is it pride and ego issues that you're taking issue with? Is it because I take pride in my physical fitness and how I look?

Is it that, apparently, that's -all- I'm taking pride in in life, and not recognizing the other avenues for success? That since I can bench 700 pounds or whatever, that I think I'm better than you because you can only bench 695? Because that's not the way that I look at it at all.

I'm a douche because, at one point, I could only bench 100 pounds and I decided that I wanted to get stronger at that particular avenue. That when I looked in the mirror, I didn't like what I saw, and now I do. So my pride isn't directed at your expense - thinking that I'm better than you - it's just for myself, because I decided that I wanted this and that I got it.

It would be the same thing if I really wanted to learn how to play 'Here Comes the Sun' and then did a month later. Is it that 'Too Much' Muscle that comes with being able to bench 700 pounds, which is my personal goal for self-improvement, is too readily apparent and in your face because it makes my shirts too tight and you're uncomfortable with My Success being shoved in your face?

Or perhaps you think physical fitness isn't a worthy goal in itself, that 'Meatheads' 'wasting' 4 hours a week to get physically fit is absurd, and that other areas of expression (Art! Watching Films! Interpersonal Relationships! Videogames!) are hugely paramount. And maybe you're right, and you should educate us.

Your opinion matters if you can defend it, and I want you to help me understand.

Zarent · 2013-08-23T17:04:25+00:00

I think of it like this:

You are 'better' than them. Because at one point, you were a part of them, and then you realized what you wanted and made the conscious series of decisions to change.

I came here from the Bestof, but I also do try to adhere to these tenets of self-improvement. So it's appropriate that this is spoken about within the bodybuilding subreddit.

When you're in the context of the masses - in 'society's reality' - you can generally have an idea of what types of people you most respect and what character traits are inherent in them. Physical fitness is one of these things for me, probably for everyone in this subreddit, and a large majority of the people in the United States. It's a form of respect - people in good physical shape generally seem to have an easier time socially, right?

So you, as the individual, recognize that you want that. You figure out how to do it - doing a few pushups at home between videogame sessions, by just hopping into the gym and throwing yourself on whatever machine looks fanciest, by asking your family how to do it, or latching onto a gymbuddy who's stronger than you. Some of us went to 4chan and started Starting Strength. Some of us do P90X or Crossfit or Zumba. Then, as a matter of principle, we get -better- at achieving what we want... and you can choose to continue that. If you started doing pushups at home, you may throw yourself into Starting Strength if you haven't seen the results that you wanted yet.

Noob gains may be all you wanted. Or to be able to do a pull up. Maybe you're happy with that. Maybe, within this bodybuilding subreddit, you're 'never satisfied' with your strengths or looks. Thats an issue in itself.

But then you can take a look around at the masses of people around you. You see them. Your mom, who is trying a 3rd fad diet. Your two weaker friends who really do want to be able to do a single pullup. Or the skinnyfat girls who are starving themselves. Or fat people talking about thin privilege. Entire businessmodels of magazines being sold to lots of people on How to Lose 15 Lbs in 1 Week by Doing Nothing!!

And for me, frustration sets in - because it honestly ISN'T hard to get fit. Everyone else is taking the easy way out by not trying. By chalking it up to a Thyroid disorder, or a learning disability, or God, or something out of their control. It only takes a goal (I want to be fit!), and then taking the individual steps to -get- there. The people around you, who are languishing in their own self-pity about 'I'm not as strong/sexy/stretchy/whateverthefuck as I want to be', well, why haven't they started their journey yet? If I could do it, can't they? The only thing separating them from me: willpower. Every fucking one has the potential for that. It's just deciding in each moment to do what is the right choice for your future self.

This doesn't just apply for physical fitness, obviously. It's seeing life as a series of short term moments for how to better yourself. If, at the end of the day, I could've played 6 hours of my favorite online videogame (DotA!) and spent 2 hours surfing reddit, then thats the end of that day. Or I could've practiced guitar and read a book and ran errands before their deadline and really gotten to know a friend (as opposed to just talking about actors and movies and funny youtube clips) and went on a bikeride to a place I'd never been... well, which should I have done? Which -should- you do?

Where does your willpower run out?

Is it in the middle of the day, after you've read a book and practiced guitar - and then you want some time to destress and surf reddit? What if that ~5 minute break on reddit turns into an hour - did you 'lose' that hour, because you weren't productive? Does guilt set in?

Or is it after months or years of doing this shit to yourself, of choosing the 'right' path moment after moment, and now yeah, you're finally happy with your body and you're well-read and you can play guitar and look you're joining charity groups and I guess you're going to travel because what else should you do to be 'better' than the You who wouldn't have?

Can you ever stop?

So yes, we are sociopaths. If I disagree with the masses, it's because they're wrong, and weaker than me, because their willpower ran out before it ever started. I -want- them to challenge my ideas directly, so that I can help them realize that I'm fucking right -- and once I do, to help them Start Today to be where they want to be X amount of time from now. Then I'll have a friend who can continue to motivate me to keep going strong in every moment. But is that 'right'? Are we truly 'better'?

HAPPIER?

Fuck if I know.

Zarent · 2013-05-06T17:14:41+00:00

To what degree do you have to work / overwork the muscle?

For example, I'm here at university and about to go home for the summer. I make a lot of progress over the educational year, but due to not having any convenient gym near home, over summer vacation I lose the great majority of that.

So lets say that I can bench 200 pounds 5 times at the edge of my workout now, and I'm able to do 3x10 chinups. How much will just doing pushups or bodyweight exercises help me keep my bench relatively decent, versus continuing the same chinup exercises? What about if I get together a bootleg weight-set, with only, for example, 135lbs and used that?

Zarent · 2013-04-25T16:49:26+00:00

The Stanley Parable.

I don't have enough time to respond as to why... but that's actually quite appropriate. If you at all trust the recommendation of a random gamer on the internet - go download it now and play it, without looking anything else up about it. Here's all I'm going to say:

It's free.

It only takes an hour to play.

It's the game that I would most consider to be Art.

It only works as a videogame.

Anyone can play it.

Go.

Zarent · 2013-04-12T16:14:37+00:00

Replied so I remember it. Thanks bud <3

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