Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in disableanonymos' LiveJournal:

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Friday, July 16th, 2010
9:49 am	Account Hacked... maybe. I play Warhammer Online.  Let's just leave it at that. Anyway, I get an email from EA Mythic yesterday, telling me my password on my account has been changed.  In fact I get two, one a 44 minutes past 4 pm, and another at 45 minutes past 4pm. I didn't change my password, so either these emails are fake, or someone changed my password that isn't me. I'm at work at the time, so I get thinking about this, as there is little I can do being in the workplace.  No one I know has that password.  No one uses that account bar me, and even when there used to be two others using that account, I had changed the password since then.  So if the emails are not fake, then logically I have been hacked... I think about that for a second. My password is more than a few characters, contains a number, lowercase and uppercase letters and a symbol.  It's not a common word, or even looking like a common word - it's not leet speak.  It has intrinsic meaning to me, but I doubt to anyone else.  If I think about it, even if they knew all of that, they would still have 2.08 x1017 combinations to try (assuming standard password length, which it is longer than).  If my calculations are correct, would take a single computer dedicatedly doing 5 million attempts every second 28.8 hours to crack - not counting account/password lock-out, which occurs after three incorrect attempts.  That's a pretty damn secure password in anyone's books. So I think it is unlikely my account is hacked, and that these emails are just fake. When I get home, safe in the knowledge that some wanker was just trying to scam me, I go to log in. It fails. I try to login to my account management page - which also fails. Okay, now I am a bit on edge.  I remember that I have still been getting emails - so I try the 'forgot your password' link. This emails me a password re-set authorisation, which I use to re-set my password.  This logs me in to the account management site.  That's better.  I sigh with relief as I check my details.  I save everything and log-out of the account management side.  I break open Warhammer Online, and casually type in my new password. It fails. Shit. Re-log into account management - that works – wtf? Change my password again, and change my account details too.  Save. Log out. Login to Warhammer Online – it fails again. Fuck. I look at my email – I received notices that I had changed my password, then changed my details, then changed my password again. All seems good. Maybe there is a delay? So I wait. I cook dinner. I read a few blogs. I watch a documentary. It's been a while – lets try again. Once again I can get into account management and not into Warhammer Online. Fuck-ass. Time to contact Customer Support. Shoot email off, stating all of the above, and some stuff to let them know I am not just any loon. It is late – gotta get up and go to work again – so I go to bed. My phone lights up and buzzes during the night – it's gotta be 2 am – an email has hit my box, it tells me that Customer Support is not technical support, and I'd have to contact their tech support on this US telephone number between X and Y times. I do a quick calculation. X and Y times in the US are just literally in the space of time that I am at work – with maybe a few hours before hand. Fuck – this means I have to get up early, and make a call on a telephone that doesn't have international dialling enabled, with a phone company who's customer support won't open till the time I should be at work to enable it. Thank fuck for Skype. A few hours sleep, and I get up to minus fucking 6 degrees, and ensconce myself in front of the computer and dial the number on Skype. 10 minutes later I get off hold and talk to a fella who is entirely too chirpy for the time it must be over there, and for the mood I am in in my freezing sleep deprived state. He re-sets my password for me and says that they can login. I open up Warhammer Online, and login using the password they gave – and lordy – it works. The dude tells me to get into the account management an re-set it to something I will remember and something more secure – to which I finish the phone call and do. I then decide to login while I have a few minutes and check some stuff out. It fails. WHAT THE MUTHAFARK IS HAPPENING?!?! I can log in to the account management using this new password, but not the game – and it was working a mere minute beforehand with the password they gave me. See everything I have written above – I basically do that ALL again. Still, all I can get into is the account management, but not the game. Skype open again, I angrily jab at the buttons till I get another fucking cheerful dude. This dude does exactly what the other dude did – but I don't let him go – I keep him on the line as I change my password again in account management, telling him what I am changing it to, and try to login to the game – it fails. He tries it on his end – and doesn't say anything for a while. Then he says that they are going to change it on their end and what I would like the password to be. I give him a password. It is different, but has all the same elements of my last password – just longer. I think to myself that this means it is a problem on their end – that passwords in account management are not flowing through to the game. I ask him how this could have happened and what had been causing this problem. He said that he does not know why people hack other people's accounts, and neither does he know how it occurred – he is not a tech person. Wait a minute. The email at 2 am said they were not tech people, and to give these people a call, as they were tech people – but he's just saying that they are not. Whatmotherfuckingmonkeyshavetheygotworkingforthemthen?! Anyway – so my account works – but only because they re-set it at server side. Fuckers. Current Mood: annoyed (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, July 11th, 2010
1:06 am	Roleplaying Games - what should stats do? Given six character statistics that have ratings from one to ten, three physical; agility, endurance, strength - and three mental; perception, reason and resolve - what should they do for characters in game? Things that are narrative and abstract are preferable - so not so much how much weight a character can lift, pull or push for strength, but perhaps how many extra descriptors may be added to in game action. Some other examples may be: Perception: each point gives a descriptor for what your character is paying attention to. Reason: each point gives you a 10 real world seconds to make a decision for your character. Agility: each point gives you an action in game. Don't let these examples bound your thinking - if you have an off-the wall idea, I'd love to hear it. So, any suggestions? Current Mood: curious (Comment on this)
Friday, July 2nd, 2010
10:17 am	Roleplaying Game Systems and Attributes Of the tabletop games I have played - D&D has 6, WoD has 9, Shadowrun has 9 too, Dark Heresy has 9 again, Cortex has 6 and FATE doesn't really have any definable, but still has them if you chose to make it part of your character. Long ago, a friend of mine said something that effected my thinking along the lines of, "Roleplaying games need attributes to give an idea of how characters are capable of interacting with their environment - you need a measure of whether someone can push that stone, or see that hidden thing." And unless I am mistaken, look at any roleplaying game, and you will find some measure of these things. So what attributes are needed or key to a Rolplaying game? Looking at the attributes from the above, you can get some idea by looking at the similar traits. Common to all five stated games are some form of: Strength Intelligence Dexterity/Quickness/Agility Constitution/Stamina/Body/Toughness/Vitality Four of the games have some form of: Wilpower/Resolve Charisma/Presence/Fellowship Wits/Perception/Alertness/Reaction The rest are unique to the system, but can theoretically be represented some other way in the other systems - and that's the question I ask - which attributes are key, and which attributes are replaceable by other systems or derived attributes? So what attributes do you think are musts in a roleplaying game, and why?  What do you thing can be replaced by another method in a roleplying game - and how? Current Mood: curious (9 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, December 28th, 2009
2:33 am	Peopled Out I never thought I would say this... Lots of other people use this term, and for them it is probably quite apt - but I never got it. I couldn't conceive of such a possibility. I mean I've been exhausted before, and other people have been a real contribution to that - but I finally discovered a state that could only be described by this term... "Peopled Out" Yup. The day before yesterday, I just had it up to here with people, became the world's largest grumpy-bum - and needed a time out from everything involving humankind. I should have seen it coming. I've just spent over a week in close proximity with 8 other people. Days started as early as 5am (when the four year old got up and dragged mummy and daddy with her). Often it was from that point on non-stop noise and loud activity till at least 10pm and often it wasn't until two or three hours later that the place became actually silent. Add to that, because it was xmas season, and there were a lot of rich foods in my diet, sleep often did not come - at all. Most of all, what surprised me was the constant sound. I am used to someplace being quiet. Nowhere in the house was quiet - or if you found a place that was (often the toilet cubicle or car outside) it wasn't for long as some other noise intruded. You also could not leave the house unless you wanted to be wet, as it rained all the time bar for two days. I really only snapped on boxing day. Both TVs were on full volume (no one believes in subtitles, they just up the volume ante till one participant gives up trying to hear, then despite the silence from one corner, leave the volume there till the next contender comes along). One of the people was watching DVDs in their room, and had the same volume competition philosophy as the TV watchers, but with a full giga-watt 5.1 surround sound system - so winner hands down with bass reverberating through the earth's crust causing tsunami on the other side of the planet. The four year old's mother had decided that one ear-shattering rendition of the entire "Wicked" song-list was not enough, and was playing the music at planetary alignment shattering levels on the computer whilst accompanying it in her fully trained stage with no microphones needed voice - and paused only stop her child distracting her from making everyone's eardrums bleed by putting on the nine hundredth and ninety nine billionth repartition of 'Charlie and Lola's "Shiny Red Shoes" episode. I have so many positive things to write about. I would like to finish writing up my description of the MacCon games I played (a mammoth task I am not sure I can manage, having only just completed the draft of the Shadowrun game, with 4 other games to go). I would also like to write about how I finally did some touristy stuff in the blue mountains, and how freakingly awesome it was to gad-about on a steam-train - and how Shannon and I said something freaky shortly afterward in relation to a marriage concept that worked for both of us. I would like to write lots more positive and cool thing in here. Gah! One positive thing I can say - thank gawd for the mentality of people on Sydney public transport. No one says anything to you, no one looks at you, no one really does anything eye-catching, distracting or otherwise. They just sit and pretty much look straight ahead, or at their books, or ipods or whatever till they need to get off. If it wasn't for my 45 minute piece of mind this mentality provided me with today - I would not have managed catching up with my brother or some cammie friends. Current Mood: aggravated (Comment on this)
Sunday, December 13th, 2009
8:06 am	Macquarie Con Initial Encounters Havn't Been to Mac U in ages, so going back and not only finding that everything was in the same place - but that MacCon was actually in my old stomping ground (if you could call it that) was kinda humbling. Parking was a bitch still - that never seems to change. I had hoped to nab a parking permit from one of the peoples I know - but it turns out that this would not have helped for a number of reasons - so $18 it cost us. As we strolled it, I saw Metcalf in one of the gaming rooms, and he was coming out of registration as we approached. I greeted him broadly with "Hey! Metz!", to which he looked at us, very surprised and shouted back something along the lines of 'fuck me, there goes the con.' From what people said in pathfinder, it seems that Metz is well known down here - but more of that later. I wanted to get in on a Shadowrun game, so hadn't committed to anything. JK had asked previously through Chris and Mike if I could help out, and I had been non-committal. He asked himself when I rocked up, and I said that I would if I couldn't get into SR. Rego revealed that the much coveted "Steam and Shadow" would not be running. Buggah. Month and months ago I was all faux shitty with the GM for running a game that was so awesome sounding, but that I couldn't make. Turns out I was wrong about the making thing - so duly booked in, announced s such, ended the sulk war, and rocked up. (Actually sulk war ended because I couldn't think of a better comeback) So, yeah - to hear that it wouldn't run was a huge thing. Much kudos for the GM and knowing when she shouldn't be turning up. She can be quite stubborn sometimes and rock up when she's really not feeling well (actually been my experience for most of her games, and they have all rocked tho). Rego also revealed that it would be unlikely to get into an SR game unless we split up - to which Mike sort of latched onto and had me saying that I would help out, and so would Shannon and Evan. It seemed certain, so we engaged in organising games schedules - again... Thus begins the 5 person waltz of players, games, con organizers, and confused players. I wanted to see if we could get into a Shadowrun game. We got confused over lack of slots in Mage versus helping with, and consequently, none of us booked in, and we booked other games over the top. Evan and I got in a SR game that afternoon, Shannon booked in to a Pathfinder. Shannon and I booked into "The Foxes Eyes" for the next morning - Evan booked in for Pathfinder. Sunday afternoon has us all booked into "The Mean Streets of Rome". Waltz over, everyone bows, and runs away. So then things got started, and I'll try and write more about that later. Current Mood: chipper (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
10:09 am	Radio Ad The Camarilla Australia proudly presents: Vampire Masquerade Gran Ballo A Masquerade Ball, Anachronistic Pomp and Example of Vampire: the Requiem Join us for an evening of boisterous expression, merrymaking, music, dancing, catered delicacies – and amongst it all barely contained predators make deals, display their progeny, pay homage to their betters, and the rank and file wait to be impressed. Vampires come dressed to the nines and are followed diligently by entourages of ghouls or other retainers clothed to match. No better time exists for a vampire to ascend the social ladder – or make a glaring misstep. Play a pre-made character, create your own to play or simply watch what goes on. Masks of vibrant colours, designs and shapes are a must – but if you lack one, plain masks will be available. Costumes and other vibrant displays are highly suggested - in fact, the more grandiloquent the costume, the better. Saturday the 20th of February Armidale Ex-services Club 7pm Light Refreshments will be served. Pick-up from anywhere in Armidale can be arranged. Current Mood: accomplished (Comment on this)
Monday, December 7th, 2009
2:19 pm	Gah! Your blinkered lack of attention is not a system that we currently support. Please contact your supervisor, trainer, or jockey to rectify this issue. Current Mood: disappointed (Comment on this)
Friday, December 4th, 2009
10:14 am	macquariecon Heading to [Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a www.macquariecon.org>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.] Heading to <a www.macquariecon.org="">macquariecon</a> next weekend. I havn't registered for anything but games on Sunday and a Cam game. Hoping that I can travel down on Friday and play some games on Saturday. I'd really like to play <a href="http://www.macquariecon.org/index.php?module=games&amp;game_id=3">Shadowrun</a> - not that I've played SR4 at all, or got any people to play SR with me. Really looking forward to the <a href="http://www.macquariecon.org/index.php?module=games&amp;game_id=4">Chthulu Invictus</a> and <a href="http://www.macquariecon.org/index.php?module=games&amp;game_id=15">Steam and Shadow</a>. Not sure what, if anything I have to have to play these - and I may end up being a third wheel because of that. Oh, well. It's not here - and that's a plus. Current Mood: apathetic (Comment on this)
Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
4:26 pm	I don't write here often. I never did, but I do so even less these days. Even when i do, it is usually because I am depressed or stressed out - or both - like now. Maybe it is because I never meant this as a space to blog - simply to reply to someone else's blog... hang on... I never got anything that was promised from that blog post - and I gots the grades... well. some of them. Current Mood: depressed (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, September 10th, 2009
9:39 am	Sexualisation My brother recently wondered:  Why everything in our society has to be sexualised?....why cant we just shoot the cast of "Packed to the Rafters" without them ripping their clothes off??? I am not sure what provoked this musing - but I felt compelled to write on it and share it with you... Everything in our society becomes sexualised because it provokes reaction that sells and makes a buck.  Honest and conserved is boring - people want the risqué or the voyeurism because ultimately the forbidden pleasures are alluring and enticing - and it thrills us. Marketing people realise this, and know that even the scary and thrilling is boring - I mean look at modern horror - it's all about blood and gore and in your face visceralness.  Sex and violence are some of our core drives as a species - we can't escape this - it's part of us, built into us.  I don't think we should bottle it all up - that's repression and therefore dangerous - but the trick is to manage it responsibly and without impinging on others and their rights.  In the end it comes down to is it right for you. Make your own decision and let others make theirs. If you don't like the sexualisation of something, avoid it. Others may like it - and your commentary of it often sparks more of the same rather than diminishing it. Controversy sells just as well. In the end, it's just all about further filling coffers. (Comment on this)
Monday, July 20th, 2009
3:01 pm	pizza (correction), power and writing update Correction: Pizza Joint is called "Angelinos Pizzeria" Of course this means it is a completely different guy - but the pizzas are still ace (been there twice), and the other Italian food looks really nice. Update: They've replaced our fuses with circuit breakers (about time), but apparently left the melted wires.  We are therefore treating power very carefully. Writing has continued.  I am posting once a week and have enough material written in advance to keep it up for another 3 weeks, which is nice. (Comment on this)
Friday, July 17th, 2009
3:46 pm	PtAP August 1st Games Werewolf: the Forsaken - Shear Endurance Challenge A howl splits the night air, and it's lilting sound conveys a message of... Invitation: "Come to Copper Rocks..." Challenge: "...play us at our own game..." Glory: "...become the Quicksilver Hand..." and Honour: "...or be counted a wuss." Sundered Claw have thrown down the gauntlet, and issued a challenge to the other packs – but as they gather to test who has "Shear Endurance", another silver-pawed note appears for each pack. What does this note contain? What other mysteries of the waterfall way will it compel the characters to seek? Why are the packs being directed to strangeness around the area? Who is the silver-pawed informant and who do they think they are directing the packs? With so many territorial Werewolves gathering in another pack's territory, will they play nice with each other competing for the winning place in a game Sundered Claw use to challenge each other, or will hostilities ensue? ...and what secrets of the Waterfall Way have they forgotten or neglected? Vampire: the Requiem - Elysium Grand Opening Elysium! The domain whispers - Elysium! The domain has taken a firm step in the direction of civilization as the newly anointed Prince has declared the Old Leagues Club to be the court's Elysium - a safe haven for Kindred gatherings, free of tension, fighting, or conflict of any kind. ...and if you believe that, I've a bridge to sell you. The Prince is in the Lancaea Sanctum's pocket - or is it vice versa? Do the Crone have some religious 'services' of their own in mind for Elysium's grand opening? Will the Carthian Movement treat the event as a convenient gathering of all their targets - I mean rivals? And are the Ordo Dracul behind it all, laughing at puppets who think their strings are cut? Or are there other eyes on the Kindred of New England, watching from behind the scenes? There is one way for you to find out... ... Elysium is opening on August the First. Everyone who's anyone will be there. But who's to say everyone who's there will leave again? Current Mood: accomplished (Comment on this)
Friday, July 3rd, 2009
5:35 pm	pizza, power, cold and writing. Oooooh! There is a new gourmet pizza joint open in town!  At least, that's what they tell me.  It's called 'Angelos', so I have a suspicion that Angelo who used to be running the restaurant where the Red Grapevine now is has decided that his pizzas were the most popular (and they were) and just gonna concentrate on that.  I wonder if he does calzones... This is also good because while we now have power back, we have to be careful. Yes, we lost power.  For a whole night!  A whole winter night without power!  A whole winter night in FARMidale without power! It was freezing. Thank gawd for laptops with batteries, candles, and phat lute from Sydney.  It was so cold I couldn't sleep.  At least I had plenty to read. Speaking of reading, I've been writing a lot recently.  Mainly stuff for characters - which given that and that it's been directly after a funeral is generally rather grim and depressing.  For those of you who know where - go read it if you want. For those of you who care, but don't have a foggies - just ask. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, March 6th, 2009
1:06 pm	GREATEST SHAVE FOR LEUKAEMIA FOUNDATION 2009! Just a reminder that it's only a week to go till I shave the back of my head into a mirror of the front for charity! Imagine the set of mutton chops I sport on my face now - then imagine them mirrored on the back of my head - eyebrows and all! And YOUR DONATIONS stop me shaving it all off! So far I am keeping my haircut trimmed and silly-looking for 26 days – which has been an amazing $574.61 in donations so far! The daily cost increases by 10% for every additional day, so: $ 595.91 in Donations, and I keep it for 27 DAYs. $ 721.05 in Donations, and it stays on the back of my head for 29 DAYs ! $ 872.47 in Donations, and I look like a street theatre reject for a full MONTH !! $1055.69 worth of Donations and I risk respectability for a MONTH and 3 days, but also give my backward beard a face !!! Most of us are a poor bunch, and I understand if you can't donate - but anything you can spare is worth it - and may prolong my looking ridiculous. If it gets to $1000 of donations, I shall henna tattoo a face on the back there as well. As an added bonus - I will donate however much I am short of another day in order to make that day count!  So if it gets to 29 days and I am $60.40 short of 30 days - I'll donate to make up that to 30 days.  If it gets to 33 days, and we are $105.57 away from 34, I'll chip in that amount to prolong my suffering! You can either donate in person (I have official receipts), or via the web-page: http://my.imisfriendraising.com.au/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=277965 From there click on the "Sponsor Me" button to donate to the cause - and my suffering! Join my other sponsors (if you havn't already): Jolyon Ansuz ($172.61), Diana Helmrich ($100.00), Crystal Plowman ($57.00), Hilary White ($50.00), Tiffany-Jo Williams, ($40.00), Elliott White ($30.00), Amy Mann ($20.00), Nathan Heberly ($25.00), Angie Henricks ($10.00), Ross Williams ($10.00), Cate Mitchell ($5.00), Mark Fletcher ($5.00) and Matt Debus ($2.40)! Even the UNE Vice Chancellor thinks it is a good idea: From: une-official-bounces@une.edu.au [mailto:une-official-bounces@une.edu.au] On Behalf Of vc@une.edu.au Sent: Friday, 20 February 2009 5:01 PM To: une-official@une.edu.au Subject: [une-official] The UNE Voice - January 20, 2009 The UNE Voice General Notices: Help clone Conrad White and support the Leukaemia Foundation ITD staff member Conrad White is raising money for the Leukaemia Foundation, and you can help him. For those who haven't met Conrad, he sports an impressive set of mutton chop sideburns and a moustache, which he proposes to mirror on the back of his head along with eyebrows and a face, if only he gets enough sponsors. The more money he raises, the longer he will keep this amazing forward-reverse man look. If he receives more than $872.47 in donations he will keep his bizarre haircut for a whole month. To sponsor Conrad on this noble tonsorial quest, visit: http://my.imisfriendraising.com.au/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=277965 Forward this MESSAGE to as many of your family, friends, email lists, forums, blogs and so on that you think would like to see me look positively ridiculous for as long as possible!   It's for a great cause!  So get them to prolong my idiocy now! I dare you all to breach the $1000 mark in Donations! (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009
12:41 pm	Conrad does World's Greatest Shave 2009! I've just signed up for the Leukaemia Foundation's World's Greatest Shave 2009 ! Why did I sign up? Well it was about time for a change - and I wanted to do something really different! What's different?  You've coloured your hair before!  You've shaved your head before!  How can you be different? Well imagine the set of mutton chops I sport on my face now - then imagine them mirrored on the back of my head - eyebrows and all! That's cool, but won't you just shave it all off afterward? Aha!  YOUR DONATIONS stop me shaving it all off! $50 and I keep it for a day - and increases by 10% for every day after! $ 55 in Donations, and I keep it for 2 DAYs. $ 66.55 in Donations, and it stays on the back of my head for 4 DAYs. $ 88.58 in Donations, and I look like a street theatre reject for a full WEEK! $172.61 worth of Donations and I risk respectability for 2 WEEKS! $872.47 Donated to the Leukaemia Foundation and I'm the amazing forward-reverse man for a MONTH! What you need to do is go to MY Profile Page: http://my.imisfriendraising.com.au/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=277965 From there click on the "Sponsor Me" button to donate to the cause - and my suffering! Forward this email to as many of your family and friends that you think would like to see me look positively ridiculous for as long as possible!   It's for a great cause!  So get them to prolong my idiocy now! I dare you all to breach the $1000 mark in Donations! Current Mood: bouncy (Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 17th, 2008
9:22 am	Getting on with People in the Camarilla 101 This post is a combination of replies I have made to some people and edited for cohesion.  If you think you've read it before, or read this sort of thing from others - read it again and think for a second before forgetting it. As a good friend wrote - it's the season for people to be declaring that they've had enough and are leaving the Camarilla.  Every year this occurs and some we actually loose forever, some come back, some (myself included) never really make good their promise and hang around like a bad smell anyway.  Some people give their reasons, some do not - almost always it comes down to other people - and to those I say: There are always going to be people in the world that you won't like - it's just human nature. In my experience, if I concentrate on what I enjoy and ignore that and those that I do not like or get on with, I can bear their presences, even be friendly and genial, and still overall have fun. I know people think that Camarilla is a leisure activity, and that as such they shouldn't have to put up with people they don't like - but real world leisure activities are just as full of people who piss you off. Gone clubbing and had ice chucked over you - do you not go clubbing again? Had someone talk through a movie - do you never see a movie again? Had a restaurant stuff up your order - do you not eat-out anymore? The real world is full of dickheads that you just have to put up with daily, else become a recluse. The Cam is just the same. Because of it's open, all-inclusive policy, and because it is set up so most casual gamers can choose to come along to a game or not, and not be penalized for it, the Cam draws a lot of people. These appealing factors bring people that many of us would not normally game with - people of all types and play styles. Some of these play styles are going to clash with your or my play style, and unfortunately in the Cam you have to either put up with it, or find some way to avoid it. A lot of the time the people you think are playing to have their power-trip at the detriment of others are just exploring a different play style to yours. Those players who are there to play more cooperatively are also engaging in a style of play - one that is equally valid to the power-trip to the detriment of others - and as equally valid to the lone wolf style - as valid as any other style. The nature if White Wolf's Vampire game is especially prone to the more antagonistic types of play style - that's just how it was written and designed. It does not mean that you cannot play cooperatively, or with any other play style - in fact I approve of anyone who can - it's just that the nature of the game will often prevail.  A good friend of mine said that Vampire LARP is only good when there are enough people playing that you can ignore all the dickheads, and play with people you like. If this is true (and I tend to think it is), then given the size of some games, most people should have little problem with this with only the occasional dickhead flavoring to the game. It's human nature to be subjective. Any person you like, you view with better intensions - you cooperate with and find them in game to be 'giving'. Any person you don't get along with, you tend to think the worst of them in game - that they are bullying or taking an unfair advantage.  Both may be just exploring their style of play. Don't get me wrong, this is not an excuse for people to bully and take unfair advantage - meaning for an awful grey area - but the main difference is that people who are exploring a style of play tend not to continue that outside of game. So give people a chance.  Go out after game, between game, before game and honestly, genuinely give people a try.  If you still don't like them - that's fine, you are not expected to get on with everyone that is drawn to the Cam - find some way in game to avoid them, or minimise their effect on your gameplay, on your fun.  Sure, your gameplay will have to change a  bit, and it will mean a bit of effort (although hardly much in the scheme of things), but you will probably find yourself enjoying games more. While I respect people's desire to be part of the Cam or not part of it as they please - I have found that if people scrutinize their reasons and explore ways to reduce the things they dislike - then the Cam can be enjoyable no matter who or what is involved. Some people leave and never come back to the Camarilla - I am glad that I did come back - twice. In this, my third attempt at it, I like to think that I have learned a lot and will play how I like to, with whom I want to, and enjoy the open casual gaming that the Cam allows because of that. Just my two cents given the spate of this sort of thing going around at the moment. Take it or leave it - your choice. Current Mood: contemplative (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
3:25 pm	Zoom World my head is still sspinning from: http://zoomquilt2.madmindworx.com/zoomquilt2.swf (Comment on this)
Sunday, July 27th, 2008
6:42 pm	Indie Newcastle Premium: NINE POINT OH -- Newcasle Pub Scene: NEGATIVE SCORE AND FALLING The Place: Newcastle. The Reason: Not FArmidale and see old friends. The Excuse: Cam Indie Premium Session. The Result: PURE GOLD (bar the pubs). Not Armidale is good. So good that when I saw the Indie event advertised in Newcastle, I broke my self imposed cam exile and went to it. Here are the details: The Good: NOT ARMIDALE. Many people caught up with. Many drinks consumed. Grand Hotel Food. Grand Hotel Atmosphere. Hobby store. Comic Store. 1920's clothing store. Game setup/plot was fun. In-game agenda engaged with gusto. In-game accent dodgy but stable. In-game plan adhered to and successful. Paymaster Cafe Food. NOT ARMIDALE! The Bad: No neat drinks No doubles Pub lockout times Pub closing times 1/4 of game time freeze (self imposed). Newcastle taxi service The Ugly: Drunken relating the "onegina" theory to S.O. All in all, more good than bad or ugly - and the ugly really got canceled out by S also being happy to not be in Armidale. Summation: Fucking Awesome. Most fun I've had in ages. Well done Southern Cross! I really enjoyed myself. Current Mood: cheerful (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, July 10th, 2008
5:29 pm	TLC Virginity Lost I've been working for UNE's Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) for a few weeks now. TLC manages the two Learning Management Systems that UNE employs to spread course material to students. One of these is called "BlackBoard" - or for those who knew the predecessors, WebCT 6. BlackBoard is by far the most troublesome of the systems, but is often the easiest to fix the problems for because of the support team at UNE and from BlackBoard itself. It seems the standard for people in TLC (at least the programmers) to break BlackBoard every-so-often - and is in fact expected of new people working for TLC within a week of their employ. Four and a bit weeks on my timesheet, and I have had a lot of tinkering around in BlackBoard. And I do mean a lot - 11 average alterations to 2586 units so far - that's 28,446 updates for the mathematically challenged. It should have broken well before today. My consolation is that not only did I achieve it today, but I broke it good too. Not only could I not continue my work, but no one could upload or import any data to the system at all. Everyone, even the most experienced of the users here were getting fatal errors all over the place, and their browsers were crashing, followed shortly after by a forced attempt crashing everyone who was using the System's computers as well! Tense calls were placed to the BlackBoard Developers in the the US - whose remote diagnostic tools crashed when interacting with our server. Finally we all just gave up and went home for the night - hoping that leaving it alone while they jump-started the server and let the US Developers tinker from their end would fix it... In other words, this was not just loosing my TLC Virginity - this was loosing it in a mop-and-bucket-clean-up threesome of nineteen year old midget MILFs while being filmed and then the vid getting over a million hits on YouTube. Fuck yeah! Current Mood: ecstatic (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, July 9th, 2008
4:01 pm	job paranoia Just need to get this off my chest - write it down - think clearly about this. For the last three weeks, not including this week, I have been entering 7 links into every unit in second semester - some 4700 of them.  This is a tedious process of finding the unit, clearing irrelevant links, importing the 7 basic links, changing their icons, adding a description to each, clearing the log data, marking the unit done and moving on... Now all of that does not really fit with what I was hired here to do. Assistant Multimedia Programmer - that's my job title.  While most job titles are bunk, I'd expect either a bit more than what I've been doing. I've been told that this job I'm doing right now "simply needs to be done" and that there is "no other way to do it" and that "I'm the only one can be spared to do it". This sort of work, and those justifications from employers does fit with other things I have done before - and that does not bode well for this job. Previously in other appointments when I have not met with what was expected from me - sometimes due to my own fault, but often due to the employer being unable to tell me what I was doing wrong - I have been lumped with menial tasks - much like this. McDonalds:  Given cleaning jobs far in excess of the norm because I was not fast enough or did not learn fast enough. Maccas food prod, and yet I was picking up trash in the concourse and off the highway. Finally when I turned up late for a shift I didn't know I had, they gave me more cleaning for the 8 hours, then my marching orders. Star Systems: the boss looked over my work, said it was okay, and moved me onto another project - never telling me that he was actually unsatisfied with what I was producing, never telling me what I could do to improve - soon I ended up on the production floor, far from my position in Advertising/Marketing - then finally I was let go. UNE Data Analyst:  My fault here, but wound up doing the shit data entry job till they finally said that my services were no longer required. There are more - but these are the most notable. The real problem I have here is that all I have been doing is this - this is all they have ever given me to do.  It's kind of like in my application and interview they couldn't fault me - but secretly didn't like or want me.  No reason to not employ him - but we really don't want him - so maybe we'll give him the shit job. dunno - am I being paranoid? (1 Comment |Comment on this)