Facebook how I hate you
Oct. 29th, 2009 | 07:21 am
Well, I haven't been able to log into Facebook for a couple of days and my Halloween party is coming up. Nope, my primary place to distribute information is aware that some users can't log in for days and is working on it.
I was going to see if I could get a couple of people to help me set up on Saturday, but alas Facebook is sucking.
I was going to see if I could get a couple of people to help me set up on Saturday, but alas Facebook is sucking.
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d10-d10
Sep. 8th, 2009 | 05:34 pm
I have been going back and forth with a tabletop RPG mechanic and I am still undecided about it.
The goal: have a mechanic that provides a bell curve like number based around a mean skill value, but allow it to open end. If, for example, your stat + skill was 15 I want a die rolling mechanic that would be simple and provide a random number on a bell curve from, say 5 to 25, with the average of 15.
d20 does this by basically adding the die roll to the mean skill number and adjusting the target number by +10. Players quickly learn that their average roll is skill +10 (+10.5 actually but whatever.) The problem there is that the result is not a bell curve and the result has to be adjusted in the game design by the die average, so a +15 attack roll has a 50% chance to hit an armor class of 25.
The mechanic I am looking at is this:
Roll two ten sided dice with different colors where one is the "good" die and one is the "bad" die. The good die adds to your skill total, and the bad die subtracts from it. The advantage is the rolling, say, Precision + Firearms of 15 provides, on average, a 15.
In addition I would have an open ending system as follows: if either the good die or the bad die turns out to be a 10 then the other die switches to the same type. So a bad die of 10 and a good die of 3 would provide a -13 to the skill check. This allows me to make critical failures be on a 1 or less and increasing your skill provides protection from that.
I'd also put in a over the top method of dealing with the case where both dice roll 10 at the same time that can produce fantastically good or bad results so you can imagine that. Maybe having both 10s added or subtracted to another reroll so your baseline for the new roll would be plus or nimus 20, but I am undecided about that.
The elegant thing about the system is that your Agility + Stealth hit check can go directly against your opponent's Awareness + Vigilance skill with no further adjustments needed. I can use the same mechanic to provide a damage roll that gives me a wide range of wound numbers. I can also have attributes and skills fall in the 1 to 10 range which is intuitive, though I would probably let 'leet masters be able to exceed the 10 skill range in heroic games.
"The good thing is the nob goes to 11"
I also like the mechanic because the players never have to change dice. They always know what they are rolling, and don't have to reroll because they rolled the wrong dice.
I like that each skill point provides the same mathematical increase in the possible results in a smooth fashion; you don't have a case where a skill point provides a huge die jump.
In analyzing the mechanic the big detriment is "subtraction is bad" dictum. Basically requiring players to do math on the fly bogs the game down. However, in practice I am rolling a lot of dice testing things and it seems to me that once I adjust to the unfamiliar roll it is pretty easy and certainly isn't worse than accounting for positive and negative modifiers that many games use.
As I work on the mechanic my mind starts seeing the dice and grabbing the difference between the two in the same mental time. So I start seeing rolls at +5 or -3 as I read the dice. This came after the equivalent of, say, two gaming sessions.
My other concern is that players might become frustrated because no matter what their skill might be, they equate a negative roll result as a "bad roll" even when they succeed on the check. I don't know if this would be any different than rolling a 10 or less on a d20 though.
The goal: have a mechanic that provides a bell curve like number based around a mean skill value, but allow it to open end. If, for example, your stat + skill was 15 I want a die rolling mechanic that would be simple and provide a random number on a bell curve from, say 5 to 25, with the average of 15.
d20 does this by basically adding the die roll to the mean skill number and adjusting the target number by +10. Players quickly learn that their average roll is skill +10 (+10.5 actually but whatever.) The problem there is that the result is not a bell curve and the result has to be adjusted in the game design by the die average, so a +15 attack roll has a 50% chance to hit an armor class of 25.
The mechanic I am looking at is this:
Roll two ten sided dice with different colors where one is the "good" die and one is the "bad" die. The good die adds to your skill total, and the bad die subtracts from it. The advantage is the rolling, say, Precision + Firearms of 15 provides, on average, a 15.
In addition I would have an open ending system as follows: if either the good die or the bad die turns out to be a 10 then the other die switches to the same type. So a bad die of 10 and a good die of 3 would provide a -13 to the skill check. This allows me to make critical failures be on a 1 or less and increasing your skill provides protection from that.
I'd also put in a over the top method of dealing with the case where both dice roll 10 at the same time that can produce fantastically good or bad results so you can imagine that. Maybe having both 10s added or subtracted to another reroll so your baseline for the new roll would be plus or nimus 20, but I am undecided about that.
The elegant thing about the system is that your Agility + Stealth hit check can go directly against your opponent's Awareness + Vigilance skill with no further adjustments needed. I can use the same mechanic to provide a damage roll that gives me a wide range of wound numbers. I can also have attributes and skills fall in the 1 to 10 range which is intuitive, though I would probably let 'leet masters be able to exceed the 10 skill range in heroic games.
"The good thing is the nob goes to 11"
I also like the mechanic because the players never have to change dice. They always know what they are rolling, and don't have to reroll because they rolled the wrong dice.
I like that each skill point provides the same mathematical increase in the possible results in a smooth fashion; you don't have a case where a skill point provides a huge die jump.
In analyzing the mechanic the big detriment is "subtraction is bad" dictum. Basically requiring players to do math on the fly bogs the game down. However, in practice I am rolling a lot of dice testing things and it seems to me that once I adjust to the unfamiliar roll it is pretty easy and certainly isn't worse than accounting for positive and negative modifiers that many games use.
As I work on the mechanic my mind starts seeing the dice and grabbing the difference between the two in the same mental time. So I start seeing rolls at +5 or -3 as I read the dice. This came after the equivalent of, say, two gaming sessions.
My other concern is that players might become frustrated because no matter what their skill might be, they equate a negative roll result as a "bad roll" even when they succeed on the check. I don't know if this would be any different than rolling a 10 or less on a d20 though.
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(no subject)
Jun. 15th, 2009 | 11:20 am
Went to NERO this weekend. Ran a module and fought a lot. Played a combat villain and fought a lot. It was glorious actually. Failed Rachel; I just couldn't make "the mask" work. Couldn't see, the players probably couldn't hear me. Felt bad because there was clearly glee in her eyes about the mask.
~ Mark, Rachel and the monster camp people were great. Professional, listened to suggestions, helpful. I actually did see Annie in passing once and she said "Hello!" but since that was all of 5 seconds I can't really include her by name, but I am sure she would have been helpful if I had needed anything.
~ The players were great. I ran a module with high combat through the twisty woods with crazy lighting and an area to cross a brick wall and all four groups were awesome. There were glowing feathers to find and place at glowing ward locks, a trap and a puzzle at the end. The players fought through it all, got drained near the wall, did the trap and puzzle with no explicit marshal needed, and never complained or went out of game. No holds, and players were *really* good about taking hits.
I figured people hear it a lot when things are screwed up so I might as well give some praise when players are great.
~ My stats were probably a little high for the last two groups as the twisted spider. 10 Magic Bind is brutal enough, jumping to 15 after the puzzle lock opens was ugly. I was trying to compensate for a 13 to 3 PC to NPC ratio and make the PCs feel pressed but I probably didn't need the jump. The last group basically gassed their way out of the mod. I am learning to hate Tim Barry; his skills at making me "not have fun now" are too honed. Once Gabriel ran out of poisons at the end encounter Tim stepped up and said "enough of you." I'll have to get him first next time.
~ I think there is a disconnect between the staff and the players. I found collaborating with the staff to be enjoyable but I also found their statting philosphy to be different from my own. I think they tend to "wade" through PCs as big creatures and stat appropriately for that but those stats tend to be way too high for my style of fighting. Another philosophical difference is I like to have a clear division of fighting NPC and casting NPC so the NPCs form clear tactics and fire lines and PC have tactical targets. NERO tends to try to mix the two in one creature which I don't have as much fun with. After digesting the stats I was originally given as the big creature I asked to swap around some stats so players could actually fight me, but more importantly so I could actually fight them and they were rewarded for not getting hit. I ended up dropping a majority of the spell strikes and add a carrier so I had to actually hit the players to deliver my ugliness.
I also made the command decision upon seeing how the first wave went that my Earth pyramid was only good for healing my minions; if I had thrown a 10 column into myself the PCs would have probably lost or at least fought me for another two hours. But at the end people were using Magic Missile scrolls on me so I doubt it would be the latter.
As more evidence of this philosophical difference they have a lot of 3 take out undead; fighting undead that can open up with packet take outs like Poison Nauseau. I believe the idea is to thin out PC numbers so provide a better fight but I don't find it as enjoyable as a PC or NPC. Personally I find it doesn't tend to work that way; in fact that statting type tends to add to the problem because the PCs can never afford to fight NPCs on equal terms even if they encounter them in relatively equal numbers. The PCs are trained to call for back up immediately because they know they'll lose people to the initial packet wave and thus only approach fights in overwhelming numbers even if they feel like fighting. I think I favor a statting style where melee undead don't have packet take outs (packet damage is fine in moderation; fighters can tank it if they suck at dodging) with an ocassional explicit caster behind them that can't cast while being hit. That provides PC casters with a target for suppression fire, lets the fighters position and actually engage in melee and gives juicy targets for the rogue/skirmisher types.
~ There was probably too much down time between my last module and the field fight; that was my fault. Not only did I need an extra 10 minutes or so for liquid to hit my system but I could find my drake mask. Once we realized how unfightable the Mask was I couldn't find my black lizard mask and was running back and forth to my truck in the parking lot to find it. Once I finally found it, got into the wing harness and got laced up into the entire costume I ran out the door without even blacking my chin.
~ The NPCs fighting with me as the big villain in the town fight were awesome. They seemed to derive great pleasure in keeping me alive and generally making it tactically difficult for the PCs to take me down. Since the NPC had no parries the big slays were particularly brutal but the NPC warrior types were pretty much spot on in throwing parries to eliminate big slays on me.
~ If could have eliminated Bren and Jake as archers I am pretty sure the PCs would have lost.
All in all very fun time.
Edit for things I meant to mention:
~ It was great to see some of the healer's guild in a twisty dark woods fighting module. I thought it was great (and unexpected) to have Mother Merry and Sister Prudence climbing through the module and )in Sister Prudence's case) throwing take outs into me.
~ Mark, Rachel and the monster camp people were great. Professional, listened to suggestions, helpful. I actually did see Annie in passing once and she said "Hello!" but since that was all of 5 seconds I can't really include her by name, but I am sure she would have been helpful if I had needed anything.
~ The players were great. I ran a module with high combat through the twisty woods with crazy lighting and an area to cross a brick wall and all four groups were awesome. There were glowing feathers to find and place at glowing ward locks, a trap and a puzzle at the end. The players fought through it all, got drained near the wall, did the trap and puzzle with no explicit marshal needed, and never complained or went out of game. No holds, and players were *really* good about taking hits.
I figured people hear it a lot when things are screwed up so I might as well give some praise when players are great.
~ My stats were probably a little high for the last two groups as the twisted spider. 10 Magic Bind is brutal enough, jumping to 15 after the puzzle lock opens was ugly. I was trying to compensate for a 13 to 3 PC to NPC ratio and make the PCs feel pressed but I probably didn't need the jump. The last group basically gassed their way out of the mod. I am learning to hate Tim Barry; his skills at making me "not have fun now" are too honed. Once Gabriel ran out of poisons at the end encounter Tim stepped up and said "enough of you." I'll have to get him first next time.
~ I think there is a disconnect between the staff and the players. I found collaborating with the staff to be enjoyable but I also found their statting philosphy to be different from my own. I think they tend to "wade" through PCs as big creatures and stat appropriately for that but those stats tend to be way too high for my style of fighting. Another philosophical difference is I like to have a clear division of fighting NPC and casting NPC so the NPCs form clear tactics and fire lines and PC have tactical targets. NERO tends to try to mix the two in one creature which I don't have as much fun with. After digesting the stats I was originally given as the big creature I asked to swap around some stats so players could actually fight me, but more importantly so I could actually fight them and they were rewarded for not getting hit. I ended up dropping a majority of the spell strikes and add a carrier so I had to actually hit the players to deliver my ugliness.
I also made the command decision upon seeing how the first wave went that my Earth pyramid was only good for healing my minions; if I had thrown a 10 column into myself the PCs would have probably lost or at least fought me for another two hours. But at the end people were using Magic Missile scrolls on me so I doubt it would be the latter.
As more evidence of this philosophical difference they have a lot of 3 take out undead; fighting undead that can open up with packet take outs like Poison Nauseau. I believe the idea is to thin out PC numbers so provide a better fight but I don't find it as enjoyable as a PC or NPC. Personally I find it doesn't tend to work that way; in fact that statting type tends to add to the problem because the PCs can never afford to fight NPCs on equal terms even if they encounter them in relatively equal numbers. The PCs are trained to call for back up immediately because they know they'll lose people to the initial packet wave and thus only approach fights in overwhelming numbers even if they feel like fighting. I think I favor a statting style where melee undead don't have packet take outs (packet damage is fine in moderation; fighters can tank it if they suck at dodging) with an ocassional explicit caster behind them that can't cast while being hit. That provides PC casters with a target for suppression fire, lets the fighters position and actually engage in melee and gives juicy targets for the rogue/skirmisher types.
~ There was probably too much down time between my last module and the field fight; that was my fault. Not only did I need an extra 10 minutes or so for liquid to hit my system but I could find my drake mask. Once we realized how unfightable the Mask was I couldn't find my black lizard mask and was running back and forth to my truck in the parking lot to find it. Once I finally found it, got into the wing harness and got laced up into the entire costume I ran out the door without even blacking my chin.
~ The NPCs fighting with me as the big villain in the town fight were awesome. They seemed to derive great pleasure in keeping me alive and generally making it tactically difficult for the PCs to take me down. Since the NPC had no parries the big slays were particularly brutal but the NPC warrior types were pretty much spot on in throwing parries to eliminate big slays on me.
~ If could have eliminated Bren and Jake as archers I am pretty sure the PCs would have lost.
All in all very fun time.
Edit for things I meant to mention:
~ It was great to see some of the healer's guild in a twisty dark woods fighting module. I thought it was great (and unexpected) to have Mother Merry and Sister Prudence climbing through the module and )in Sister Prudence's case) throwing take outs into me.
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Halloween?
Oct. 10th, 2008 | 11:14 am
So, is there really *no* Halloween parties on Friday the 31st? My roommate is claiming that nothing is going on and we should have a costume party. It's not that I mind the set up (even though I have to work that day) but I just had people over and this seems right on the heels of my last get together. (I mean, how many parties can people take?)
Still, my roommate is psyched for some reason to have a Halloween party, although I suspect its more a desire to avoid having Halloween come and go with nothing cool to do. I suppose I could decorate my house and have a costume Halloween party if nothing else is going on.
Still, my roommate is psyched for some reason to have a Halloween party, although I suspect its more a desire to avoid having Halloween come and go with nothing cool to do. I suppose I could decorate my house and have a costume Halloween party if nothing else is going on.
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August Party
Jun. 28th, 2007 | 01:49 pm
I am thinking of having a party Saturday night on August 18 since my birthday is around that time. I will probably be giving out prizes instead of receiving them so it won't seem totally self serving and, well giving them out is probably going to be more fun for me than getting stuff.
With it being August I can do stuff in my backyard as well as in the house. This opens up the possibilities of outdoor pavilions with ice and drinks and things, and basically clears the house a bit.
That said, I am looking at a party with open invite that has a theme that will minimize the costuming, or at least the layers. Since it will likely be hot and humid having a theme were people don't have to wear much is good. Lots of cold drinks are good as well. Maybe some way to cool down like a slip and slide since I don't have general air conditioning.
So what is a good summer theme that's fun and won't be too geeky to drive away people?
With it being August I can do stuff in my backyard as well as in the house. This opens up the possibilities of outdoor pavilions with ice and drinks and things, and basically clears the house a bit.
That said, I am looking at a party with open invite that has a theme that will minimize the costuming, or at least the layers. Since it will likely be hot and humid having a theme were people don't have to wear much is good. Lots of cold drinks are good as well. Maybe some way to cool down like a slip and slide since I don't have general air conditioning.
So what is a good summer theme that's fun and won't be too geeky to drive away people?
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WTF New England, WTF
Apr. 23rd, 2007 | 03:48 pm
I would just like to point out that 8 days ago I cut short my LARP event because it was snowing hard in Massachusetts.
Today, 1 week and 1 day later, Logan is reporting 86 degrees and my car thermometer claims it is 91.
WTF.
Someone please contact Mr. Vivaldi to change his work the the Three Seasons because there is no Spring.
Today, 1 week and 1 day later, Logan is reporting 86 degrees and my car thermometer claims it is 91.
WTF.
Someone please contact Mr. Vivaldi to change his work the the Three Seasons because there is no Spring.
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It's been a while...
Sep. 18th, 2006 | 04:28 pm
Maybe it's a weakness, but spending weeks and weeks writing rules and answering hundreds of emails doesn't exactly motivate me to write LJ entries. Madrigal came and went. I am psyched for the new campaign. The new rule book is largely done, with only tweaks and flavor text left.
The staff rocks house, as always.
I spent some time this weekend hanging with Madrigal players and talking shop, as I am wont to do. Fun stuff. I also worked on my ultra-top secret Endgame costume. I wish Aralis 2 wasn't a roleplay oriented low combat event. I guess it's good since people are going to the Bluff that weekend, but that means the game is on the backburner until Spring. It's not that I don't like roleplaying oriented events. I just don't think the character I have in mind will be much use at an event like that right out of the gate.
Low attendance at my Superhero game. I am sure Scottie was enjoying a much deserved after event meal and hang out after Radiant, and Jesse is hit or miss because of his child and pregnant wife. Still, you can have surprising amounts of carnage with only two players and a villain that fires napalm grenades.
I am happy to report that the handy man suggested to me by![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
somehedgehog rocks and a lot of minor yet increasingly annoying things around the house are getting fixed. Now I need to do some organization and clean up. I have no idea what I am going to do about the sliding French doors. As cool as they are, no one should design a door where you have to pull apart the wall if it won't open. Unless it's a secret door that opens with a torch sconce or something. Then it's okay.
I spent most of the weekend prop shopping and working on Madrigal related stuff. With Halloween coming 'tis the season for prop shopping. Hard to come by cool stuff since I already have most of it, but every now and then I still run across a mind blowing prop. I had a chance to get some Endgame costume props as well.
I should probably decide on a theme for my New Year's party. I should probably have some kind of group or web site or evite thingie for it so everyone knows they should come. I probably lose a lot of people every year who don't know whether they are invited or not. Maybe it is time to revisit the Alice in Wonderland theme again. I liked that one and it's been a while.
The staff rocks house, as always.
I spent some time this weekend hanging with Madrigal players and talking shop, as I am wont to do. Fun stuff. I also worked on my ultra-top secret Endgame costume. I wish Aralis 2 wasn't a roleplay oriented low combat event. I guess it's good since people are going to the Bluff that weekend, but that means the game is on the backburner until Spring. It's not that I don't like roleplaying oriented events. I just don't think the character I have in mind will be much use at an event like that right out of the gate.
Low attendance at my Superhero game. I am sure Scottie was enjoying a much deserved after event meal and hang out after Radiant, and Jesse is hit or miss because of his child and pregnant wife. Still, you can have surprising amounts of carnage with only two players and a villain that fires napalm grenades.
I am happy to report that the handy man suggested to me by
somehedgehog rocks and a lot of minor yet increasingly annoying things around the house are getting fixed. Now I need to do some organization and clean up. I have no idea what I am going to do about the sliding French doors. As cool as they are, no one should design a door where you have to pull apart the wall if it won't open. Unless it's a secret door that opens with a torch sconce or something. Then it's okay.I spent most of the weekend prop shopping and working on Madrigal related stuff. With Halloween coming 'tis the season for prop shopping. Hard to come by cool stuff since I already have most of it, but every now and then I still run across a mind blowing prop. I had a chance to get some Endgame costume props as well.
I should probably decide on a theme for my New Year's party. I should probably have some kind of group or web site or evite thingie for it so everyone knows they should come. I probably lose a lot of people every year who don't know whether they are invited or not. Maybe it is time to revisit the Alice in Wonderland theme again. I liked that one and it's been a while.
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Interesting read...
Sep. 11th, 2006 | 10:32 am
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Need More Rulebook
Aug. 30th, 2006 | 04:03 pm
Well I posted the latest sneak preview to the Madrigal list. Of course two minutes after I posted it I found several small things wrong. Ugh. Less than 9 days left. The religion section is taking me way longer than I thought. I am like 10 days behind where I wanted to bo. Maybe it's because I wrote all the descriptions 10 times each and I am still not entirely satisfied with it.
Hopefully I can get out a history tonight as well. Then the players should have most of what they need to get together their histories and prepare to play.
My only concern is I write down concept first, then go back and rebalance. This version has a lot of rebalancing. I did my fighter skill spreadsheet and worked on balancing all the fighter headers so hopefully that should be decent.
It is a non-trivial task to create so many skills to round out the rulebook. I am more than a little burnt out on the whole thing but I still have to finish religion and I still have to do a lot of the hidden side stuff like High Magic and Manifest Headers. Tick. Tick. Tick.
Oh did I mention I am writing plot for a weekend as well? It probably means that gaming is off for this week which sucks. Because that means I will lose two weeks. I still have to finish the power limitations for my superhero system, since Madrigal completely eclipsed that. Although I am really psyched with the campaign work that's being done and the staff is great.
Hopefully I can get out a history tonight as well. Then the players should have most of what they need to get together their histories and prepare to play.
My only concern is I write down concept first, then go back and rebalance. This version has a lot of rebalancing. I did my fighter skill spreadsheet and worked on balancing all the fighter headers so hopefully that should be decent.
It is a non-trivial task to create so many skills to round out the rulebook. I am more than a little burnt out on the whole thing but I still have to finish religion and I still have to do a lot of the hidden side stuff like High Magic and Manifest Headers. Tick. Tick. Tick.
Oh did I mention I am writing plot for a weekend as well? It probably means that gaming is off for this week which sucks. Because that means I will lose two weeks. I still have to finish the power limitations for my superhero system, since Madrigal completely eclipsed that. Although I am really psyched with the campaign work that's being done and the staff is great.
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On that whole dark matter thing...
Aug. 23rd, 2006 | 09:21 am
Well it looks like I was wrong.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?ch
I always suspected that dark matter was some lame excuse of a theory for an incomplete understanding of gravitational forces and how they interact with other dimensions. Apparently there is no other way to explain the huge gravitational forces that the bits of solid matter exert on the plasma of the universe. Huh.
Well, must update my superhero campaign then.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?ch
I always suspected that dark matter was some lame excuse of a theory for an incomplete understanding of gravitational forces and how they interact with other dimensions. Apparently there is no other way to explain the huge gravitational forces that the bits of solid matter exert on the plasma of the universe. Huh.
Well, must update my superhero campaign then.
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Still doing Madrigal rules
Aug. 17th, 2006 | 02:47 pm
I have been writing everything except LJ recently - Madrigal rules, insurance forms, tabletop superhero rules, tabletop Fantasy campaign information, so I might as well catch up here too.
The main part of the rule book was posted. I still have tons left to do yes, but what was posted was pretty significant. Players seem excited and I think this new update introduces entire new character archetypes that break the mold of most LARPs. In particular I think the Herald header will completely change how large scale battles look and feel in the game so I am particularly excited about that.
The Madrigal players have been very supportive of the new rules. Madrigal players just rock.
All this has taken away from finishing up power limitations for my superhero tabletop game. I am so psyched with how the system came out. It's a joy to run and makes for some very interesting superhero battles. My players have been really good about the updates and I think the system is stable - only tweaks from here on. Scotty is the king of the complicated/interesting character so he is happily testing the limits of all the weird stuff like alternate forms, duplicating characters, and fun stuff like that. I suppose at some point I will seek out some hapless game master who wants to run a superhero campaign and is willing to help playtest the rules.
I still haven't registered for Endgame or Aralis 2. I might have to skip an event because I am just overwhelmed with stuff to do. I am on good financial footing with all the automotive woes but I still have tons of paperwork to do. The combination of that, Madrigal, work, etc. is overwhelming. I read through Mythical Journeys and they fixed some gross game balance issues (like 20 point slays in an uncalled damage system - now it's 5) so I might give that another try. So I am going to put together two teams I think - one for Aralis and one for Mythical - and work solo at Endgame where I can flee from zombies without worrying that I am screwing a group.
My house needs a lot of work. Which means I have to find a reliable contractor. Which is a hard thing to do. Ceilings need refinishing, doors need fixing, plumbing needs to be upgraded and replaced, and I have to de-animal my attic and garage. I could use someone to work on the yard as well but at least I have reigned in the jungle that was once my yard.
It wouldn't be so bad if I could sleep. Insomnia sucks. 5 days now.
I can't tell you how weird working Madrigal is. It's alternately exhausting and exhilarating. I am on an energy high for a long time and it spikes when I post the rules and then *bang* back lash just knocks me off my feet. The same thing happens after a weekend but to a lesser degree. I guess most creative projects are like that for me though.
The main part of the rule book was posted. I still have tons left to do yes, but what was posted was pretty significant. Players seem excited and I think this new update introduces entire new character archetypes that break the mold of most LARPs. In particular I think the Herald header will completely change how large scale battles look and feel in the game so I am particularly excited about that.
The Madrigal players have been very supportive of the new rules. Madrigal players just rock.
All this has taken away from finishing up power limitations for my superhero tabletop game. I am so psyched with how the system came out. It's a joy to run and makes for some very interesting superhero battles. My players have been really good about the updates and I think the system is stable - only tweaks from here on. Scotty is the king of the complicated/interesting character so he is happily testing the limits of all the weird stuff like alternate forms, duplicating characters, and fun stuff like that. I suppose at some point I will seek out some hapless game master who wants to run a superhero campaign and is willing to help playtest the rules.
I still haven't registered for Endgame or Aralis 2. I might have to skip an event because I am just overwhelmed with stuff to do. I am on good financial footing with all the automotive woes but I still have tons of paperwork to do. The combination of that, Madrigal, work, etc. is overwhelming. I read through Mythical Journeys and they fixed some gross game balance issues (like 20 point slays in an uncalled damage system - now it's 5) so I might give that another try. So I am going to put together two teams I think - one for Aralis and one for Mythical - and work solo at Endgame where I can flee from zombies without worrying that I am screwing a group.
My house needs a lot of work. Which means I have to find a reliable contractor. Which is a hard thing to do. Ceilings need refinishing, doors need fixing, plumbing needs to be upgraded and replaced, and I have to de-animal my attic and garage. I could use someone to work on the yard as well but at least I have reigned in the jungle that was once my yard.
It wouldn't be so bad if I could sleep. Insomnia sucks. 5 days now.
I can't tell you how weird working Madrigal is. It's alternately exhausting and exhilarating. I am on an energy high for a long time and it spikes when I post the rules and then *bang* back lash just knocks me off my feet. The same thing happens after a weekend but to a lesser degree. I guess most creative projects are like that for me though.
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Keyboards
Aug. 9th, 2006 | 02:11 pm
Okay, I admit I suck at typing. I can get surprising speed with my lame hunt and peck method, when I get tired or distracted I often click the wrong keys. Hitting Delete isn't that annoying, but there are other keys that totally screw with the state of my machine. I don't need keys for that. Where can I get a keyboard that makes sense? I just want a keyboard WITHOUT the following keys:
CAPSLOCK! While I suppose that the ability to put yourself in CAPSLOCK mode might be infrequently useful to people who want to look like noobs online, this key brings me personally nothing but pain and woe. I don't need this capability in one key. If I really want to use all caps on something I am perfectly capable of holding the shift key. If you want to put some key combo in an operating system or app to put someone in caps mode then fine. Just make it hard to find like Cmd + Shift + C + Delete or something. Maybe then fewer people online will embarass themselves.
HELP! Sometimes I might want help using an app. In this case I and everyone else in the world is perfectly capable of using a menu option or key combo. I don't need a help key that will invariably knock me out of my current app and start up the help viewer system everytime I miss the Delete key.
STUPID ASS WINDOWS KEY THINGIE. Windows has a stupid ass key to swap apps right next to the control key. This means that invaribly I will switch out to another app right in the middle of what I am doing. This is particularly annoying when I am in an app in Marquis (Full Window) mode which then completely disappears. This invariably happens right as I engage someone in PvP (of course), but it is also annoying just using WordPad. It's features like this that make me not at all surprised that people in this world suddenly snap and start shooting random other people on the off chance they had something to do with said keyboard feature.
I want a keyboard without these keys, or to somehow remap them permanently to function keys or something.
CAPSLOCK! While I suppose that the ability to put yourself in CAPSLOCK mode might be infrequently useful to people who want to look like noobs online, this key brings me personally nothing but pain and woe. I don't need this capability in one key. If I really want to use all caps on something I am perfectly capable of holding the shift key. If you want to put some key combo in an operating system or app to put someone in caps mode then fine. Just make it hard to find like Cmd + Shift + C + Delete or something. Maybe then fewer people online will embarass themselves.
HELP! Sometimes I might want help using an app. In this case I and everyone else in the world is perfectly capable of using a menu option or key combo. I don't need a help key that will invariably knock me out of my current app and start up the help viewer system everytime I miss the Delete key.
STUPID ASS WINDOWS KEY THINGIE. Windows has a stupid ass key to swap apps right next to the control key. This means that invaribly I will switch out to another app right in the middle of what I am doing. This is particularly annoying when I am in an app in Marquis (Full Window) mode which then completely disappears. This invariably happens right as I engage someone in PvP (of course), but it is also annoying just using WordPad. It's features like this that make me not at all surprised that people in this world suddenly snap and start shooting random other people on the off chance they had something to do with said keyboard feature.
I want a keyboard without these keys, or to somehow remap them permanently to function keys or something.
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5001 things I hate about insurance claims.
Aug. 9th, 2006 | 11:38 am
First let's get the whining out of the way.
Tired. Insurance claims. Finances. Bills. No sleep. Allergies. Eck.
Okay, now that I have that out of my system, on to other crap.
The rulebook is coming along - I am planning on putting the rules, races, skills, and spells out this weekend sometime. The new headers are cool, though Brian thinks *everyone* will buy the Acrobat header. I think the cost will balance it out. I think the FotM will be Warlocks. We will see. I have two concerns currently. First, anyone who wants to continue running the same character will likely bitch if I don't give their race decent racials that fit into their concept of that race. For new races that isn't an issue, but for existing characters it introduces a situation where the character they already built is forced into a set of racials. Second is I am not modifying the classes that I am happy with. Existing characters with strong headers won't get new toys to try, so they might be tempted to change to something new simply because it is new. For characters with strong headers I think they will be disappointed that their characters didn't get a revamp. At least they will have racial skills to try.
Meanwhile I am still totally floored by the sheer amount of stuff I have to do to finish up all the claims. Coupled with Madrigal, and the fact that some kind of burrowing critter is *escavating* my garage I just am somewhat overwhelmed with everything. Frikkin' burrowing mammals. WHY AREN'T THE 5000 FERAL CATS EATING THESE THINGS? Between the cat, skunks, squirrels, moles, muskrats, and morganucodons my backyard is like Mutual of Ohama's Wild Kingdom. Okay, I made up the part about the morganucodons.
I can't tell you how annoying it is to drop 3500 dollars on 3 different repairs and *still* have my truck make a wheel clicking noise as I drive.
Tired. Insurance claims. Finances. Bills. No sleep. Allergies. Eck.
Okay, now that I have that out of my system, on to other crap.
The rulebook is coming along - I am planning on putting the rules, races, skills, and spells out this weekend sometime. The new headers are cool, though Brian thinks *everyone* will buy the Acrobat header. I think the cost will balance it out. I think the FotM will be Warlocks. We will see. I have two concerns currently. First, anyone who wants to continue running the same character will likely bitch if I don't give their race decent racials that fit into their concept of that race. For new races that isn't an issue, but for existing characters it introduces a situation where the character they already built is forced into a set of racials. Second is I am not modifying the classes that I am happy with. Existing characters with strong headers won't get new toys to try, so they might be tempted to change to something new simply because it is new. For characters with strong headers I think they will be disappointed that their characters didn't get a revamp. At least they will have racial skills to try.
Meanwhile I am still totally floored by the sheer amount of stuff I have to do to finish up all the claims. Coupled with Madrigal, and the fact that some kind of burrowing critter is *escavating* my garage I just am somewhat overwhelmed with everything. Frikkin' burrowing mammals. WHY AREN'T THE 5000 FERAL CATS EATING THESE THINGS? Between the cat, skunks, squirrels, moles, muskrats, and morganucodons my backyard is like Mutual of Ohama's Wild Kingdom. Okay, I made up the part about the morganucodons.
I can't tell you how annoying it is to drop 3500 dollars on 3 different repairs and *still* have my truck make a wheel clicking noise as I drive.
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Another reason why people in the FDA need to be bitch slapped.
Jul. 13th, 2006 | 10:08 am
From the Boston Globe:
Autism, mercury, and politics
By Robert Kennedy Jr. | July 1, 2005
MOUNTING EVIDENCE suggests that Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative in children's vaccines, may be responsible for the exponential growth of autism, attention deficit disorder, speech delays, and other childhood neurological disorders now epidemic in the United States.
Prior to 1989, American infants generally received three vaccinations (polio, measles-mumps-rubella, and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis). In the early 1990s, public health officials dramatically increased the number of Thimerosal-containing vaccinations without considering the cumulative impact of the mercury load on developing brains.
In a 1991 memo, Dr. Maurice Hilleman, one of the fathers of Merck's vaccination programs, warned his bosses that 6-month-old children administered the shots on schedule would suffer mercury exposures 87 times the government safety standards. He recommended that Thimerosal be discontinued and complained that the US Food and Drug Administration, which has a notoriously close relationship with the pharmaceutical industry, could not be counted on to take appropriate action as its European counterparts had. Merck ignored Hilleman's warning, and for eight years government officials added seven more shots for children containing Thimerosal.
Mercury is a known brain poison, and autism rates began rising dramatically in children who were administered the new vaccine regimens. A decade ago the American Academy of Pediatrics estimated the autism rate among American children to be 1 in 2,500. Today, the CDC places the rate at 1 in 166, or 1 in 80 boys. Additionally, one in six children is now diagnosed with a related neurological disorder.
In 2000, the CDC met with pharmaceutical companies and the FDA in secret to review its findings linking Thimerosal with the dramatic rise in neurological illnesses. According to transcripts, participants were alarmed about the undeniable links between the Thimerosal and widespread brain damage in children. Dr. Bill Weil told the group, ''You can play with [the results] all you want. They are statistically significant." Dr. Richard Johnston admitted he feared his grandchild getting a Thimerosal-containing vaccine. But the group was most concerned with keeping the findings secret. ''Consider this embargoed information," said Dr. Roger Bernier, a senior director at the National Immunization Program, at the meeting's close. The CDC now says it has ''lost" the data that supported the crucial study and has persistently defied congressional requests and federal law requiring it to open up the federal Vaccine Safety Database to scientists and the public.
Numerous animal, DNA, epidemiological, and other studies point to Thimerosal as a culprit in America's epidemic of neurological disorders. Autistic children have been shown to have higher mercury loads than nonautistics, and there have been reports of significant improvements in some brain-injured children by removing mercury from their brains. Most of the symptoms of autism are similar to the symptoms of mercury poisoning. Scientists have been able to induce autism-like symptoms in mice by exposing them to Thimerosal. A recent study by an FDA scientist, Dr. Jill James, found that many autistic children are genetically deficient in their capacity to produce glutathione, an antioxidant generated in the brain that helps remove mercury from the body.
Government health agencies who green-lighted Thimerosal have turned a blind eye to the hundreds of studies linking Thimerosal to a wide range of neurological disorders and joined the pharmaceutical industry to gin up a series of flawed European studies to exonerate Thimerosal. Those studies examined children exposed to a tiny fraction of the Thimerosal given to American kids and took advantage of the autism spike that resulted from deceptive data-gathering in Scandinavia to argue that autism rates are unrelated to Thimerosal use.
Drug makers wary of liability reduced Thimerosal in most children's vaccines in recent years, but the preservative remains in flu shots, tetanus boosters, and over-the-counter drugs. Mercury-laced vaccine stocks were given to American children until the end of 2003.
Government officials who continue to champion Thimerosal should recognize that this is not just a theoretical exercise in bureaucratic face-saving. Their wrong-headed defense of Thimerosal safety in the face of overwhelming science is discouraging testing of promising treatments which may be effective. They are depriving vulnerable populations from being identified to avoid Thimerosal. They also cannot escape responsibility for their failure to warn international health agencies and governments who, based upon American assurances, are now injecting the developing world's children with this brain-killing chemical.
Robert Kennedy Jr. is senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Autism, mercury, and politics
By Robert Kennedy Jr. | July 1, 2005
MOUNTING EVIDENCE suggests that Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative in children's vaccines, may be responsible for the exponential growth of autism, attention deficit disorder, speech delays, and other childhood neurological disorders now epidemic in the United States.
Prior to 1989, American infants generally received three vaccinations (polio, measles-mumps-rubella, and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis). In the early 1990s, public health officials dramatically increased the number of Thimerosal-containing vaccinations without considering the cumulative impact of the mercury load on developing brains.
In a 1991 memo, Dr. Maurice Hilleman, one of the fathers of Merck's vaccination programs, warned his bosses that 6-month-old children administered the shots on schedule would suffer mercury exposures 87 times the government safety standards. He recommended that Thimerosal be discontinued and complained that the US Food and Drug Administration, which has a notoriously close relationship with the pharmaceutical industry, could not be counted on to take appropriate action as its European counterparts had. Merck ignored Hilleman's warning, and for eight years government officials added seven more shots for children containing Thimerosal.
Mercury is a known brain poison, and autism rates began rising dramatically in children who were administered the new vaccine regimens. A decade ago the American Academy of Pediatrics estimated the autism rate among American children to be 1 in 2,500. Today, the CDC places the rate at 1 in 166, or 1 in 80 boys. Additionally, one in six children is now diagnosed with a related neurological disorder.
In 2000, the CDC met with pharmaceutical companies and the FDA in secret to review its findings linking Thimerosal with the dramatic rise in neurological illnesses. According to transcripts, participants were alarmed about the undeniable links between the Thimerosal and widespread brain damage in children. Dr. Bill Weil told the group, ''You can play with [the results] all you want. They are statistically significant." Dr. Richard Johnston admitted he feared his grandchild getting a Thimerosal-containing vaccine. But the group was most concerned with keeping the findings secret. ''Consider this embargoed information," said Dr. Roger Bernier, a senior director at the National Immunization Program, at the meeting's close. The CDC now says it has ''lost" the data that supported the crucial study and has persistently defied congressional requests and federal law requiring it to open up the federal Vaccine Safety Database to scientists and the public.
Numerous animal, DNA, epidemiological, and other studies point to Thimerosal as a culprit in America's epidemic of neurological disorders. Autistic children have been shown to have higher mercury loads than nonautistics, and there have been reports of significant improvements in some brain-injured children by removing mercury from their brains. Most of the symptoms of autism are similar to the symptoms of mercury poisoning. Scientists have been able to induce autism-like symptoms in mice by exposing them to Thimerosal. A recent study by an FDA scientist, Dr. Jill James, found that many autistic children are genetically deficient in their capacity to produce glutathione, an antioxidant generated in the brain that helps remove mercury from the body.
Government health agencies who green-lighted Thimerosal have turned a blind eye to the hundreds of studies linking Thimerosal to a wide range of neurological disorders and joined the pharmaceutical industry to gin up a series of flawed European studies to exonerate Thimerosal. Those studies examined children exposed to a tiny fraction of the Thimerosal given to American kids and took advantage of the autism spike that resulted from deceptive data-gathering in Scandinavia to argue that autism rates are unrelated to Thimerosal use.
Drug makers wary of liability reduced Thimerosal in most children's vaccines in recent years, but the preservative remains in flu shots, tetanus boosters, and over-the-counter drugs. Mercury-laced vaccine stocks were given to American children until the end of 2003.
Government officials who continue to champion Thimerosal should recognize that this is not just a theoretical exercise in bureaucratic face-saving. Their wrong-headed defense of Thimerosal safety in the face of overwhelming science is discouraging testing of promising treatments which may be effective. They are depriving vulnerable populations from being identified to avoid Thimerosal. They also cannot escape responsibility for their failure to warn international health agencies and governments who, based upon American assurances, are now injecting the developing world's children with this brain-killing chemical.
Robert Kennedy Jr. is senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council.
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(no subject)
Jul. 11th, 2006 | 01:43 pm
Massachusetts Turnpike Authority Chairman Matthew J. Amorello says "These are safe tunnels."
Huh?
No. By definition, these are *not* safe tunnels. When someone dies due to large concrete chunks falling off your tunnel then you lose the right to say they are safe tunnels. By, um, definition. Apparently Amorello speaks a different version of English then I do.
Maybe "safe" is now slang for "something that falls down and kills people" sort of like "phat" might be used to describe Beyonce?
I didn't realize Amorello was so hip that he made up new and creative ways to use terms that used to be so simple.
Yo Amorello. Yo.
Huh?
No. By definition, these are *not* safe tunnels. When someone dies due to large concrete chunks falling off your tunnel then you lose the right to say they are safe tunnels. By, um, definition. Apparently Amorello speaks a different version of English then I do.
Maybe "safe" is now slang for "something that falls down and kills people" sort of like "phat" might be used to describe Beyonce?
I didn't realize Amorello was so hip that he made up new and creative ways to use terms that used to be so simple.
Yo Amorello. Yo.
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Mmmm. European Steel.
Jun. 27th, 2006 | 01:24 pm
Examples of excellence in early metalurgy.
http://www.berwicktoday.co.uk/ViewArtic
Somewhere there's a Shadowrun awakened adventure here. Or maybe I'll have it be Excalibur in my superhero campaign, needing only a spell to make it whole.
http://www.berwicktoday.co.uk/ViewArtic
Somewhere there's a Shadowrun awakened adventure here. Or maybe I'll have it be Excalibur in my superhero campaign, needing only a spell to make it whole.
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199
Jun. 15th, 2006 | 05:17 pm
Warning. Sometimes I write an entry to myself that will hold little interest to others so I can read it later and figure out what I was up to. Stupid health journal stuff ahead.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
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Finally, some rain.
Jun. 14th, 2006 | 02:26 pm
Well, it's pouring rain here. Thank goodness. I was getting worried that the reservoirs were getting low and that my grass wouldn't hit 3 feet in height due to the lack of rain. In that six and a half hours of sun we got in the last month I was getting really anxious. Is there enough rain? Will 6 hours of sun dry up all the lakes and rivers? How will the people visiting Boston from Seattle feel truly at home with 6+ hours of sun? And most importantly, how will all those people who already have deep salon tans feel special if anyone can just walk outside into the sun and also irradiate their skin?
Fortunately my mind has been set at ease by the soft patter of the current downpour of rain.
MELISSA - Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream! Yummy graham cracker swirls. YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT!
Fortunately my mind has been set at ease by the soft patter of the current downpour of rain.
MELISSA - Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream! Yummy graham cracker swirls. YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT!
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Post event stream of consciousness
Jun. 12th, 2006 | 12:00 pm
Well, I am not as tired or frazzled as I thought I would be after the weekend. By the time I ate, drove through hellish construction traffic, backed in the trailer and unpacked the bare minimum necessary it was already 11:15. After a shower I got to bed a bit before 12:00. Strangely I woke at 7:15 before my alarm feeling refreshed. I suspect it is because the deep sleep of someone who just ran an event on 8 total hours sleep is much more refreshing than the light tossing sleep I usually call rest.
I think my biggest regret for this weekend is that personal problems for Rick took him from us for this event. I am hopeful everything will work out for him. Sure we missed him but more importantly I would have liked him to see the fruits of his contributions to the game. The Madrigals were amazing and much coolness revolving around Joval had to be set aside. I guess I will contribute by sending my powerful psychic energies to Monique to make her better. Okay, barring that I will drop them a get well card.
Crap, I don't have his address? Okay, maybe a get well email.
The players and NPCs rocked this weekend. The players really stepped up for the end game in my opinion, deciding how to approach the final battle and stopping all four of Myrekiel's works. The outcome pretty much happened as I had hoped. We tried to get the newer players involved - both physically and emotionally - in the game. Time will tell how well we succeeded.
We had some concerns that the players would take our attempts to foreshadow future plots and conflicts as losses, but that didn't seem to be the case.
The Madrigal Staff just rocks. I can't say enough good things about them. They just work tirelessly to deliver, and there's no drama. They really work hard to give the PCs and NPCs fun, even at the expense of their own fun. The attitude towards the game is fantastic. The meetinga are even fun. I am psyched to continue into the next story arc.
Meanwhile all this has derailed my life and now I have to scramble to fix it. I have let stuff slip. Stupid things like the fact that my lawn is knee height. Every time I plan to mow the thing it rains. There's just a lot of day to day stuff to catch up on. It's crazy.
I think my biggest regret for this weekend is that personal problems for Rick took him from us for this event. I am hopeful everything will work out for him. Sure we missed him but more importantly I would have liked him to see the fruits of his contributions to the game. The Madrigals were amazing and much coolness revolving around Joval had to be set aside. I guess I will contribute by sending my powerful psychic energies to Monique to make her better. Okay, barring that I will drop them a get well card.
Crap, I don't have his address? Okay, maybe a get well email.
The players and NPCs rocked this weekend. The players really stepped up for the end game in my opinion, deciding how to approach the final battle and stopping all four of Myrekiel's works. The outcome pretty much happened as I had hoped. We tried to get the newer players involved - both physically and emotionally - in the game. Time will tell how well we succeeded.
We had some concerns that the players would take our attempts to foreshadow future plots and conflicts as losses, but that didn't seem to be the case.
The Madrigal Staff just rocks. I can't say enough good things about them. They just work tirelessly to deliver, and there's no drama. They really work hard to give the PCs and NPCs fun, even at the expense of their own fun. The attitude towards the game is fantastic. The meetinga are even fun. I am psyched to continue into the next story arc.
Meanwhile all this has derailed my life and now I have to scramble to fix it. I have let stuff slip. Stupid things like the fact that my lawn is knee height. Every time I plan to mow the thing it rains. There's just a lot of day to day stuff to catch up on. It's crazy.
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Let me get this straight. 29?
May. 23rd, 2006 | 01:57 pm
You have got to be kidding me.
Okay, I am no fan of American Idol. In fact, it annoys me that someone was genius enough to find a way to make money - tons of money - while finding the next souless pop idol to pawn off on America. I don't watch it, yet I know an awful lot about American Idol since the radio stations, television shows, newspapers, and magazines spend so much time spamming its coverage.
So I saw the last two contestants pictured in the Globe or somewhere - god knows why I still go to that web site for actual news and don't stick to CNN - and I was like "whose the old guy?" It struck me odd since I remember hearing the age limit for idol was fairly young. Puzzled they sucked me in and I went to the web site to see why they let in some old guy. His name is Taylor Hicks.
Age: 29?
You have got to be fucking kidding me.
The guy is totally gray. He has wrinkles all around the eyes every time he smiles. Wrinkles that stage make up can't cover? 29?
Is anyone at all buying this?
Let's look at his bio:
His American Idol. Ray Charles.
His fave female singer: Cyndi Lauper
His fave male singers: Billy Joel, Van Morrison, Bob Seger?
Collectively when was the last time *any* of these artists had an album in serious contention for *anything*? 1989 at the latest? *If* he was 29 that would have made him 13? That means his tastes didn't change at all through high school and college - or anytime through his adult life?
Seriously, what the hell?
So, he has totally gray hair. He has wrinkles all around his eyes everytime he smiles. All his tastes run to 70s and 80s music. Yet we are supposed to believe this is all coincedence and he just happens to be a prematurely gray, wrinkled man with outdated tastes that happens to just be within the upper range of Idol-dom?
Or maybe, I don't know, he could be, um, LYING?
Okay, I am no fan of American Idol. In fact, it annoys me that someone was genius enough to find a way to make money - tons of money - while finding the next souless pop idol to pawn off on America. I don't watch it, yet I know an awful lot about American Idol since the radio stations, television shows, newspapers, and magazines spend so much time spamming its coverage.
So I saw the last two contestants pictured in the Globe or somewhere - god knows why I still go to that web site for actual news and don't stick to CNN - and I was like "whose the old guy?" It struck me odd since I remember hearing the age limit for idol was fairly young. Puzzled they sucked me in and I went to the web site to see why they let in some old guy. His name is Taylor Hicks.
Age: 29?
You have got to be fucking kidding me.
The guy is totally gray. He has wrinkles all around the eyes every time he smiles. Wrinkles that stage make up can't cover? 29?
Is anyone at all buying this?
Let's look at his bio:
His American Idol. Ray Charles.
His fave female singer: Cyndi Lauper
His fave male singers: Billy Joel, Van Morrison, Bob Seger?
Collectively when was the last time *any* of these artists had an album in serious contention for *anything*? 1989 at the latest? *If* he was 29 that would have made him 13? That means his tastes didn't change at all through high school and college - or anytime through his adult life?
Seriously, what the hell?
So, he has totally gray hair. He has wrinkles all around his eyes everytime he smiles. All his tastes run to 70s and 80s music. Yet we are supposed to believe this is all coincedence and he just happens to be a prematurely gray, wrinkled man with outdated tastes that happens to just be within the upper range of Idol-dom?
Or maybe, I don't know, he could be, um, LYING?