Weekly Short Stories Contest and Company! discussion

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message 101: by [deleted user] (new)

Sweet! I have a friend whose in the canadian army and he;'s a vehicle technician. and a Private. its SOO weird cuz hes my bros age (ok i guess hes my bros friend) and hes got like... sorta emo hair and a snakebite so yea and then logan gets and email and is like 'hey man! im in the army! im a Private!' totally out of the blue xP

i have no idea why i just told you that. lol.


message 102: by Kymela (new)

Kymela (kymelatejasi) | 674 comments That's the reason I don't like the Army too much. I want to learn how to make good decisions in an operation last minute and the Army doesn't teach you that, the Marine Corps does. Although, Intel might work differently, but I'd still rather try for the Marines first since they're short on female Intels. They pass the DLAB, but can't get through boot camp. I just need to make it to the Crucible and I'm good. ^_^


message 103: by Edward (new)

Edward (edwardtheresejr) | 2434 comments The Army has it's role, but I wouldn't want to work in that system either.

I still say you should be Navy if you're going to work as a language expert.


message 104: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie (chasmofbooks) | 2875 comments All right. That makes sense. The marines suddenly sound cooler than the Army. Haha.

Mind you centralized command is useful in certain situations. Army is mostly an occupational force because centralized command works best in a known terrain - like when you establish a base. Decentralized command is better for assaults, because it undermines the enemy's strength at less cost of life on both sides. Makes a lot of sense. It seems very logical.

So you're planning on joining the marines, Edward?


message 105: by Edward (new)

Edward (edwardtheresejr) | 2434 comments Probably in a year or two. I have a couple of things to do first.

So ... time for coffee. I really wish we still had some of that flower-tasting beans.


message 106: by Stephanie (last edited May 04, 2011 07:06AM) (new)

Stephanie (chasmofbooks) | 2875 comments Flower-tasting beans? Interesting...hey guys, jsut as a reminder this is the last day you can submit your entry for the short story and poem contests.


message 107: by [deleted user] (new)

I don't want this group to die :(


message 108: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie (chasmofbooks) | 2875 comments You've got to participate in the contests then. People are just probably busy this week.


message 109: by [deleted user] (new)

I was trying this week, honestly but i only came up with crap and half stories :(


message 110: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie (chasmofbooks) | 2875 comments :) No problem. Maybe it was a rough week for everyone.


message 111: by [deleted user] (new)

Maybe :) I'll work harder hehe :P


message 112: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie (chasmofbooks) | 2875 comments Haha


message 113: by Edward (new)

Edward (edwardtheresejr) | 2434 comments Actually ... I just kept forgetting. When I remembered to write it was my own story so ...

Pink chapters? Now I have to write, just for the absurdity of it.

I meant flower-tasting coffee-beans, by the way. Just to clarify.


message 114: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie (chasmofbooks) | 2875 comments Oh, okay. Lol. Okay. I hope you guys have fun crafting your master pieces then.


message 115: by [deleted user] (new)

I started last night. *giggles* i love it.
I think some people are a bit confused for it, but I think it's good - encourages our imagination stimulus.

does that even make sense?
wait... stimulates our imagination. Huh?


message 116: by Edward (new)

Edward (edwardtheresejr) | 2434 comments Both make sense, but "stimulates our imagination" sounds better.


message 117: by [deleted user] (new)

Yea. I was thinking. haha.
ah, well, you know me and my blonde phrasing sentences of. right?


message 118: by Edward (new)

Edward (edwardtheresejr) | 2434 comments I'm blonde. It makes all the blonde jokes with my friends ironic because I'm largely accepted as the smart one ... in a group of people who's idea of relaxation is a game that requires text books to play.


message 119: by [deleted user] (new)

That doesn't surprise me hehe :P You and my brother would get along quite well. But IDK where he is.... hmm.
I guess I'm sort of the same. Other that the fact I'm a redhead right now. Except my group of friends doesn't exactly read textbooks for fun.... I think I'm the only one who does that. :P


message 120: by Edward (new)

Edward (edwardtheresejr) | 2434 comments Well, the books aren't actual text books. We play Dungeons & Dragons which have these books that are highly similiar to school books, complete with carefully defined key words and complicated statistics. Once you learn the formula the game is a breeze ... assuming you get along with the people you play, because the entire game is cooperative and you all have to work together not only to overcome obsticles but making the storyline worthwhile. It can be quite exhausting, resulting in "burnouts", but it is fun.

I'm not sure about the obsessive qualities people seem to assume D&D players have. It is really just a social game, and none of our group became obsessed, even after months of weekly gameplay.


message 121: by [deleted user] (new)

Hmm. Sounds interesting, never heard of it.
No, you don't seem obsessed. If you were obsessed,it would have been the first thing you mentioned. :P
I like games that make you think and that you have to have a strategy to win... instead of just like... chance... who ever rolls the highest number of dice wins. I really like playing Dominion, and the last time i played Formula D was pretty interesting. I totally lost though haha


message 122: by Edward (new)

Edward (edwardtheresejr) | 2434 comments Well this involves a lot of dice rolling, but you can boost your chances by building you characters in a certain fashion (adding bonuses) and working together well. The primary mechanic of this game is: roll the d20, add bonus, compare it to the opposing defense. If your d20 + bonus is equal to or higher than the difficulty check, you succeed in your action and effects follow. Sometimes you are penalized for missing. Usually this mechanic is in the form of attacking, but there are also skill checks - like Bluff compared to enemy Insight to see if you can lie to them, or vice versa to see if you can catch them in a lie.

The process for creating a character and adding together bonuses is rather complicated. First you choose a race, then a class, then ability scores, then this and that, all of which affect each other in some way, then finally determine the bonus to attacks. Then if you last long enough you gain a level and get to improve all those stats.

The fun of it is in its versatility. The Dungeon Master makes up an adventure completely unique to the game being played, each player creates a character utterly unique to them, and everyone together handles the game in whatever why they find works. The result is rarely what everyone expects coming to the table, but usually fun.

At the same time it follows rules that create a real understandable chance of failure, which makes the game exciting.


message 123: by [deleted user] (new)

that actually sounds really interesting. Complicated, but interesting.
It sort of reminds me of Dominion in a way... but not quite. Like, in Dominion it's basically a specialized card game. each player has their own 'kingdom' and they buy actions... some are attacks, some are defenses, some are bonus cards... and then you have to buy your own land as you go on. Its addicting, and it also always has different types of cards, so the result is never the same.

I like the way you're talking about building a character. It seems that it's a very long process. Do you start again each week or pick up where you left?


message 124: by Edward (new)

Edward (edwardtheresejr) | 2434 comments Usually you pick up where you left off. We've never actually "completed" a game - usually there is a collective burnout that causes a lot of people to fall away. Ideally when one person feels a burnout coming on they explain it to the others so everyone can take a couple of weeks off, but that rarely happens unfortunately.

There are thirty levels your character can evolve through, and each level up is slightly different. The thirty levels are split into three tiers. The heroic tier is about your character finding her way in the world, the paragon tier is when your character is uniquely strong to be famous in their specific field, and the epic tier is when your character is pretty much a superhero and heading for their epic destiny, which is how your character leaves the world to some higher existance - anything from simply fading away, to establishing a lasting effect on the world (a religion or kingdom), to becoming a demi-god. I want to finish one game so that the epic destinies affect the world in some manner for the next set of characters.

Currently I'm DMing a game with my papa and a friend. While we're still on level one, Jacob already decided that his current character will become a conscious piece of armor for his next character. I thought it was brilliant.

If I sound obsessed now, realize that I talk as much about writing when playing the game. And about sketching while game programming and game programming while working out ... it's all connected to me.


message 125: by Kymela (new)

Kymela (kymelatejasi) | 674 comments Edward wrote: "The Army has it's role, but I wouldn't want to work in that system either.

I still say you should be Navy if you're going to work as a language expert."


Like I said, though, the Marine Corps is short on theirs. They may be a department of the Navy, but they still need their own.


message 126: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie (chasmofbooks) | 2875 comments Avree The Quirky ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ wrote: "I started last night. *giggles* i love it.
I think some people are a bit confused for it, but I think it's good - encourages our imagination stimulus.

does that even make sense?
wait... stimula..."


That makes sense. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself!


message 127: by [deleted user] (new)

Edward wrote: "Usually you pick up where you left off. We've never actually "completed" a game - usually there is a collective burnout that causes a lot of people to fall away. Ideally when one person feels a b..."

It's natural :P
That sounds really complicated but really interested.... haha, now i wanna play :P lol


message 128: by [deleted user] (new)

Stephanie wrote: "Avree The Quirky ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ wrote: "I started last night. *giggles* i love it.
I think some people are a bit confused for it, but I think it's good - encourages our imagination stimulus.

does th..."


hehe :D


message 129: by Edward (new)

Edward (edwardtheresejr) | 2434 comments I set up a method for playing online, but it is difficult without the books.


message 130: by [deleted user] (new)

Yea, i bet it would be.....


message 132: by Kymela (new)

Kymela (kymelatejasi) | 674 comments Hmm...Not sure where I should tell y'all this, but the internet is going out today. I will try to write and post a story for this week, but I can't guarantee being able to try another for a long time.

I'll miss y'all.


message 133: by [deleted user] (new)

aw.... come back soon!
you mean your disabling your internet?


message 134: by Kymela (new)

Kymela (kymelatejasi) | 674 comments Yes. We're moving in September, but starting to turn subscriptions off now to save money.


message 135: by [deleted user] (new)

Ohhh. Dang, that totally sucks!! well, as soon as September rolls around, don't forget about WSS ;)


message 136: by Kymela (new)

Kymela (kymelatejasi) | 674 comments We won't be getting it back until round Christmastime at least. XP


message 137: by [deleted user] (new)

Awww!!! You cant forget about us tho :( you guys go to public school?


message 138: by Kymela (new)

Kymela (kymelatejasi) | 674 comments No. We're homeschooled. I'm out of school.


message 139: by [deleted user] (new)

Mmm. Im not too sure if you means you aint doing school or are graduated :P Im homeschoole dtoo :P


message 140: by Edward (new)

Edward (edwardtheresejr) | 2434 comments Homeschooled means we don't go to a school, but we do follow a cirriculum set by our parents ... more or less. Mostly less. My sister there is a graduate though.

There's a convient community center with internet access by our house, so we might make occassional visits. Submitting a story might be a little hard (how do you have Vista with '03 Office anyway?) but we'll try.


message 141: by [deleted user] (new)

My dad hates vista and the new office, so we have XP and '03 office, but everything else is up to date :P
sweet! I hope you guys get to stay more or less around here ;) and i wrote numerous stories and poems in a hotel lobby, surrounded by strangers :P ah i remember that night... it was interesting :P


message 142: by Kymela (new)

Kymela (kymelatejasi) | 674 comments I love Office 10. Hate Vista. I want to see Windows 7.


message 143: by [deleted user] (new)

I haven't had a chance to use Vista or Office 10 much.


message 144: by [deleted user] (new)

Oh, wait - I did but it was on a mac :P I had a mac for years from my school lol


message 145: by Kymela (new)

Kymela (kymelatejasi) | 674 comments I love being able to take backgrounds off of the pictures in word. I made a binder cover with it. :D


message 146: by Edward (new)

Edward (edwardtheresejr) | 2434 comments Computers are so funny when they play chess. They'll always make an exchange that's to their material advantage. It's really easy to manipulate.


message 147: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie (chasmofbooks) | 2875 comments For those of you who are participating in Camp NaNoWriMo this July, August, or both, here's a link to the group I created for it: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/4...

Also, the link to the Camp website: http://www.campnanowrimo.org/


message 148: by Caitlan (new)

Caitlan (lionesserampant) | 2869 comments what is camp nano wrimo?


message 149: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie (chasmofbooks) | 2875 comments Do you know what NaNoWriMo is? If so, then it's basically the summer version.


message 150: by Caitlan (new)

Caitlan (lionesserampant) | 2869 comments oh okay :) thanks


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