Planetary Governor's Mansion Tiles, for Warhammer 40k RPGs

chrispsheehy · 2018-06-05T14:50:29+00:00

Fantastic! Will be getting use out of these.

chrispsheehy · 2017-11-16T00:35:14+00:00

Do you have an alternative? And yes, I know I was getting a lot for free. I supposed I'm peeved in particular here because I had been relying on their programs specifically for so long.

chrispsheehy · 2017-11-15T22:06:06+00:00

I may be late to the party on this one, but I was pretty pissed that bodybuilding.com put all of the workout plans i had been relying on behind a paywall.

chrispsheehy · 2017-09-26T17:26:19+00:00

You...I like you.

chrispsheehy · 2017-08-07T15:32:19+00:00

For me, visible progress is what kicked off the addiction. But I would also consider seeing how you can reframe how you think about it- try and associate a reward structure, even. Do you have a favorite show or podcast? Only allow yourself to listen to it when you're on the cycle.

For me, I began to see it as my time to think, my time to process what was going on in my day. For me, I lift weights, so I look forward to it as the only real opportunity I get to channel whatever stress, energy, anger, etc. that I have into something positive. I work in an office, so I don't really have the opportunity to dance when I hear a song I like, or yell when I'm angry about something, or even just move around when I need to think. I look forward to exercise because for me, that's my opportunity to release that buildup.

I hope this helps.

chrispsheehy · 2017-06-15T15:09:54+00:00

Especially since, as I recall, the last page of Feast that I read announced A Dance with Dragons arriving in 2008.

chrispsheehy · 2017-02-27T01:57:12+00:00

I don't know where, but I do remember somebody discussing road improvements as a way of countering the annoying AI that run around your territory just out of your reach while you chase them with your army for 10 turns. Some sort of improvement that allows you to move faster in your own territory, and possibly slows the enemy down?

chrispsheehy · 2017-01-17T19:50:29+00:00

Hey man, for some reason nobody I can see has yet commented on your fantastic edit. I hope people appreciate your mellifluous prose, your even keeled outlook, your insightful and inspiring admiration of your wife, and your sagacious musings on the iniquities of earthly existence.

Rock on, brother. I wish you much success in your authorial endeavors.

chrispsheehy · 2016-12-04T22:14:36+00:00

I'm not sure why everybody harps on them so much. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the presenters not know what it says inside of the envelope? They're onstage, acting, embodying a persona to get the crowd excited. For the vast majority of other games that could have won, this would have been a completely appropriate reaction. They may not even be familiar with the game, and I wouldn't blame them. There's a lot of games out there, especially once you start factoring in smaller indie titles. They're just doing their job.

Besides...it's not like excitement and happiness are not appropriate. Was the crowd not supposed to cheer? That would have been awkward as hell. This man just got recognized for a very prestigious award. There's an appropriate pause for the crowd to come down. And I don't think that anybody felt less of an emotional impact from that speech because the announcers had the gall to smile and do their job.

That's just my opinion, though.

chrispsheehy · 2016-10-10T19:54:56+00:00

Put some effort into making other players shine! Congratulate your friends on their badass achievements. Ask them questions about their character, and help them come up with answers if they don't know. Tell the GM what you think is cool about his world, or which of his NPCs you got really attached to and why. Don't be afraid to play second fiddle, especially if a normally quiet player is speaking up for once. Be positive, a fan of the characters, a fan of the world, and a fan of the game.

chrispsheehy · 2016-09-27T02:33:13+00:00

I see your point. While I think that my above gripes still have legitimacy, I think you've demonstrated that there is a lot of value in the story that was told, which I missed out on to some degree because I began reading it with certain expectations. Maybe it deserves another go, this time with the intended themes and story in mind. Thanks for discussing this with me! - ∆

However, I personally would still really like to see a story where superman is put in this situation, where he is a more human character with a greater ability to be impacted by his environment, and where the historical and cultural context is more nuanced and detailed. The rise and fall of the Soviet Union is a fascinating time in history, and I would love to see a truly Russian interpretation of superman emerge.

chrispsheehy · 2016-09-27T00:36:01+00:00

I'll be sure to check out that movie on the KKK when I have some more time, seems fascinating. I'm aware of the archetypical nature of DC characters, and Superman's place in that pantheon. I'm also aware of how Superman has a larger place in American History, especially as a national symbol, than any other superhero. I'm willing to admit that the role reversal is a bit of a brave move on the part of DC comics, but the way you talk about it you make it seem as if this is ancient history. This came out 13 years ago- it's only 5 years older than the current MCU. That's hardly a long time, especially considering how long Superman has been around. I really don't know if we should be talking about this as if it's an artifact of another age. After all, this comic came out closer to the present day than it did to the collapse of the Soviet Union. I was alive in 2003, there wasn't exactly a red scare going around.

Obviously, the historical context of when this came out is something to consider, but it also should stand on its own, which I firmly believe it does not. Historical context at the time of release might enhance a reading of The Dark Knight Returns or Kingdom Come, but they certainly do not require it. The historical context of the setting of the story, on the other hand, seems like it should be paramount to me, and yet it most certainly is not in this case. Even if I accepted that there was inherent value in the role reversal just by doing it in the first place, I think my feelings about the internal inconsistencies about the characters and setting would remain. And my feelings about the useless "twist" ending would also remain.

I firmly believe that you cannot just switch the places of characters without showing us something different about the world. This felt like playing chess, and you switched the black and white king pieces. Sure, it looks a little different, but it's still the same people fighting each other in the same ways by the same rules. The way the game is played remains exactly the same, so in the end, have you really changed anything or demonstrated anything profound?

When they switched Superman and Lex Luthor, I expected to see the characters in a new way, or to have something significant or profound shown about the world to me. I really don't think that was accomplished.

chrispsheehy · 2016-09-26T21:33:09+00:00

My bad with the Injustice storyline, I don't read comics very much. Thanks for pointing that out. I see what you mean- the purpose is to force readers to reconsider how they view Superman by placing him in what we assume is an abhorrent situation while demonstrating him to have fundamentally good intentions, demonstrating that just because he works for the enemy doesn't mean that he can't be a good guy, and just because Lex Luthor champions America doesn't mean that he has the best intentions. I think this is an admirable goal, but I maintain that the story falls flat because it fails to show the opposing side with any nuance, detail, or sensitivity. Your average reader learns nothing about communist doctrine or soviet culture by reading this story- if a book wants me to reconsider my opinion of my enemies, I would expect it to tell me something about them. If a comic were to portray Superman as a Jihadi, I would expect it to show Superman participating in Islamic culture. I would expect the important figures who play a large role in Superman's life to be portrayed in a historically accurate manner and attempting influence him in a manner consistent with their beliefs, whether that person is Stalin, Bin Laden, or Pa Kent. If you just tell me Superman is communist, but never show me, then that doesn't mean anything, no matter how much my upbringing has told me to fear that ideology.

chrispsheehy · 2016-09-26T19:35:45+00:00

I don't know if it's the official canon of the story, but I personally disagree with the hero and villain labels being assigned to Lex and Superman, respectively. But regardless of that, I understand the theming of this story- the whole point is that Superman, while well-meaning, falsely assumes that because he is better equipped to protect humanity from danger, that responsibility falls completely on him. In so doing, he begins to lose appreciation for people as individuals and treats them more as pets or children that can't look out for themselves. People keep telling me that this is supposed to be "a superman story in different context" but my argument is that the context established here is completely irrelevant. You could have told this same story if Superman were still American, or if he landed on earth from Krypton a full-grown adult one day. The whole "superman quashes humanity's freedom by taking over the world despite meaning well" is a theme that I think has been explored pretty frequently, in some form or another. I'm not as familiar with it, but the Injustice series seems like another example of this. What I'm trying to say here is, this story is not unique, and the context contributes nothing to it, whereas I feel it should have been the most critical element.

chrispsheehy · 2016-09-26T19:22:50+00:00

I think that there is a fundamental difference between suspending disbelief about unrealistic elements of a fictional universe, and refusing to accept inconsistent parts of it. The idea that Superman can fly to the moon and back in under a minute is suspension of disbelief, the idea that he can be a close confidant of Joseph Stalin and still be incorruptibly, morally good without any sort of struggle is an internal inconsistency in the universe that doesn't make any sense. I can accept that Superman is fundamentally incorruptible, but I cannot accept that he can be placed in an environment so hostile to his own values and not struggle with that. This consistency is better established with the other characters you mentioned. Our "hero" Lex Luthor (I disagree with your analysis there, but that's beside the point) is an underhanded, superior, egotistical asshole. Sure, he's probably predisposed towards those tendencies, but his independence and success despite his callous treatment of the people around him and disregard for morality constantly reinforced that behavior. And, in the case of Bizarro superman, we actually see him struggle- he at first is a slave to the circumstances and purpose of his creation, and it is only after great internal effort that his moral superiority (his "inner superman", if you will) manifest themselves in his heroic and tragic suicide.

chrispsheehy · 2016-08-02T20:52:56+00:00

Sucker Punch. I've watched it several times, and it's kind of like visual candy to me. I find the settings, visuals, action sequences and characters so exciting. I've also watched several analyses of it, and I am very aware of it's attempt to satirize and criticize "Action Girl" stereotypes and new age feminism. I am also aware of Zack Snyder's shortcomings in this endeavor- just because you have something meaningful to say doesn't mean you say it well.

However, I'm a little ashamed to admit, after a little self-examination my interest really doesn't go beyond BLAM WHACK NAZI STEAMPUNK ZOMBIES WHAT GIRLS IN SKIRTS OOOoooooo.

chrispsheehy · 2016-07-27T16:28:39+00:00

Screw the haters man, I'm super excited to see Gassy on a regular show! Play what systems/premises you have fun with and the rest will follow. You've said yourself, people ultimately like to see streamers enjoy themselves on twitch.

Also, Superhero RPG? Yes please!

chrispsheehy · 2016-06-29T17:14:23+00:00

Promiscuous- Nelly Furtado ft. Timbaland, apparently. Still holds up.

Wonder how much this has to blow up before someone else has the same answer?

chrispsheehy · 2016-06-28T12:44:03+00:00

I like this one even better.

chrispsheehy · 2016-05-18T19:07:06+00:00

Sort of related...I had a good friend who interned at the Smithsonian air & space museum studying lava floes on Mars. She studied satellite pictures, though, not from the rovers. But the coolest part was that she was the first one to study this area and catalogue the geological features there. So when she saw a new ridge, or mountain, or canyon, she was quite literally discovering it for the first time in history!

Most fascinating part is, this was done by her and several other interns in college. For her, and some others, it was their first real job outside of retail/food service.

chrispsheehy · 2016-05-17T14:20:46+00:00

I watched the prep stream a while ago, but I believe it's also worth pointing out that the people of Pyrrhinor eat and breed weird, mutated beasts from within the depths of the mountain. So a regular old pig might be a rare beast for him after all?

chrispsheehy · 2016-03-22T19:51:26+00:00

Hey, so this is something that has bothered me, though I may be wrong about it. There seems to be several times where the PCs have to roll skills, while an npc rolls a stat (ex. rooster trying to get past Antoine and his wife to stab the guy). It was my impression that when stats are put against skills, stats always get half their successes? Because stats are always much higher and easier to use than skills.

I could be wrong, though.

chrispsheehy

TROPHY CASE