tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post8500055359668235580..comments2024-03-29T02:34:55.592-04:00Comments on The CRPG Addict: The Black Gate Bonus: The Books of BritanniaCRPG Addicthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-86823584980409941532020-07-04T15:30:48.827-04:002020-07-04T15:30:48.827-04:00Ha! I admit I'm surprised. I thought there was...Ha! I admit I'm surprised. I thought there was a bigger overlap between people who play RPGs, and people who listen to Rush.toddboosternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-40416686736506523262020-07-03T19:00:25.741-04:002020-07-03T19:00:25.741-04:00Um, I may be wrong, but "Up is Out" seem...Um, I may be wrong, but "Up is Out" seems to me very much to be an allusion to the book called Flatland. <br /><br />It's a book of fiction that illustrated in its narrative the mathematical idea of "dimensions" and "higher-dimensional worlds". <br /><br />The book was written from the POV of a 2D geometrical creature living in the 2D world in a society of other 2D geometrical creatures (squares, triangles, spheres...); those creatures had a social hierarchy based on their 2D shapes. <br /><br />One day a 3D geometrical creature entered this world - in the mathematical sense it was like a 3D object was sliced by the "plane" that was protagonist's whole world. Because there is a lot of ways to slice one and the same 3D object with a plane, the higher-dimensional guest confused the protagonist at first.<br /><br />The higher-dimensional guest managed to both explain and show the protagonist the existence of a fundamentally different dimension; it took a time and a lot of effort to "grok" it, but finally the protagonist understood what "up" means and how it's different from "north". Because, you know, if you look at the usual standard map (which IS a 2d plane), it's "north" is physically up on the paper.<br /><br />So, to the end of his days, this guy tried to convince other inhabitants of his world that "Up is not north! It is different, it's UP!"<br /><br />It may be a bit of a stretch, but, technically "Up is Out" could mean that the direction "up" from the 2D-represented world we see on the computer monitor is technically "out" of the monitor inside our world; so up IS out and, technically, this experience could be accessible if, Flatland-style, some person from our world could contact the reality depicted on the monitor. <br />And who would be better equipped to understand the implications than a (proto)-physicist?<br /><br />Of course, it may be that it's only a stretch anyway. In some sense "up is out" even here on the Earth, since technically "up" is "outwards from Earth's central core".Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17044384583192888822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-48812240570841042982020-07-03T16:00:22.506-04:002020-07-03T16:00:22.506-04:00I didn't know those names until now, but I'...I didn't know those names until now, but I'm persuaded.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-56148827258433338192020-07-03T04:33:12.012-04:002020-07-03T04:33:12.012-04:00I think “The Trio by Leepeartson” is referring to ...I think “The Trio by Leepeartson” is referring to Rush - Geddy Lee, Neil Pearl, and Alex Lifeson.toddboosternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-72338354867785521892020-06-17T18:08:09.668-04:002020-06-17T18:08:09.668-04:00As I recall, a cook in one of the earlier Ultimas ...As I recall, a cook in one of the earlier Ultimas mentions that the "mantra of eating" is YAM.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-37708735265121663032020-05-25T13:52:18.035-04:002020-05-25T13:52:18.035-04:00"Why Good Mages like Black Magic" sounds..."Why Good Mages like Black Magic" sounds like the eternal question of 'why good girls like bad guys.'Antkibohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04427184365004200781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-87412208740409770232020-05-16T02:16:05.114-04:002020-05-16T02:16:05.114-04:00"Gone with the Wisp by Margareta Mitchellino&..."Gone with the Wisp by Margareta Mitchellino" is a variant of Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17469456743040538842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-49479127517279565232020-05-06T11:56:53.142-04:002020-05-06T11:56:53.142-04:00Specifically, both aliens are tiger-like, and cons...Specifically, both aliens are tiger-like, and constantly lose wars against humanity.<br /><br />There's another Kilrathi/Ultima connection - I'll rot13 it as it's in Ultima Underworld 2: Gur Gevyxunv, gryrcnguvp pngf gur Ningne rapbhagref va Xvyybea Xrrc, ner cerggl pyrneyl yrff fbcuvfgvpngrq qrfpraqnagf bs gur Xvyenguv, nf gurl'er qrfpevorq nf univat ybfg jnef jvgu uhznavgl naq sbetrggvat nobhg gurve fgnesnevat cnfg.<br />Lughnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-75044104714922998392020-05-06T11:38:15.898-04:002020-05-06T11:38:15.898-04:00@JarlFrank: it's implied that the Avatar's...@JarlFrank: it's implied that the Avatar's body is basically renewed every time he or she travels to Britannia. That's why you start the game at a low level each time. So basically, it's just that this particular body is virginal.<br /><br />@Anonymous: Lord British's first name is revealed to the player in Ultima V, when Chuckles greets the Avatar upon entering Castle Britannia.<br />Lughnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-84086938168078999752020-05-06T06:42:37.983-04:002020-05-06T06:42:37.983-04:00The Ringworld novel might have been included becau...The Ringworld novel might have been included because of the similarities between the Kzinti in that novel and the Kilrathi - both are feline aliens with a warlike culture.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-27624895966832280122020-05-04T15:20:14.030-04:002020-05-04T15:20:14.030-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Radianthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03866535042372152723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-63228251103763293422020-05-04T12:50:07.216-04:002020-05-04T12:50:07.216-04:00Depends on if I already know it, don't know it...Depends on if I already know it, don't know it at all, or if I happen to carry a dozen versions of the book already. That last one causes me to make the Deepest Sigh (TM)<br /><br />Honestly, some books have fun stories I like to read more then once, but there's a certain point where I'm more like "neat, some loot to sellt" and less "neat, a new book to read"<br /><br />It's the Boring Book Threshold or BBK.Libluinihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15524606710871977666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-54927563891933590322020-05-02T18:16:22.548-04:002020-05-02T18:16:22.548-04:00Just out of curiosity, what was the thesis of your...Just out of curiosity, what was the thesis of your dissertation in general?CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-40440375994846588802020-05-02T00:03:20.610-04:002020-05-02T00:03:20.610-04:00Hey! Who here has watched the Helvetica documentar...Hey! Who here has watched the Helvetica documentary? Anyone?<br /><br /><br /><br />Hello?Iffy Bonzooliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07519858732154180575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-54602095094893463032020-05-01T23:58:27.115-04:002020-05-01T23:58:27.115-04:00If I don't want to hear the tavern wench's...If I don't want to hear the tavern wench's sob story from the proverbial Horse's Mouth, then I definitely don't want to pore over third-tier content added for bulk.Iffy Bonzooliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07519858732154180575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-70859348745433307602020-05-01T23:55:41.004-04:002020-05-01T23:55:41.004-04:00Yeah, people in glass houses... I wonder if that m...Yeah, people in glass houses... I wonder if that means they didn't realize they had a dud at the time...Iffy Bonzooliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07519858732154180575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-28916242846034318792020-05-01T23:50:43.383-04:002020-05-01T23:50:43.383-04:00What about alcohol?What about alcohol?Iffy Bonzooliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07519858732154180575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-22700669327258938622020-05-01T22:43:05.163-04:002020-05-01T22:43:05.163-04:00It looks like a 2-6 pixel wide proportional font, ...It looks like a 2-6 pixel wide proportional font, with a height of 7 pixels, and 4-level anti-aliasing. While most glyphs are only 4 pixels tall, there is a nominal 3 pixel gap below them, and the descenders occupy 2 of the 3 pixels.<br /><br />I tried reducing the line spacing to 6 pixels, and it's very legible, but it caused more eyestrain. Trapgatenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-58331355765949404302020-05-01T18:05:57.013-04:002020-05-01T18:05:57.013-04:00"He should have been Lord Cambridge, then.&qu..."He should have been Lord Cambridge, then."<br /><br />He is! His full name is Lord <em>Cantabrigian</em> (=of/from/pertaining to Cambridge) British. (I can't remember exactly where in the series this was disclosed, but it was hinted at as early as U3 with the letters "LCB" in the castle fountain.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-55737911615231282782020-05-01T16:16:41.516-04:002020-05-01T16:16:41.516-04:00I think you can only get the patched version these...I think you can only get the patched version these days most places online, like GOG.<br /><br />I have the unpatched version on 3.5" disks somewhere, if he was really keen for the torment of the original design.Adamantyrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14962009901412877763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-75212803521721678982020-05-01T15:18:19.947-04:002020-05-01T15:18:19.947-04:00Regarding the Wayfarer's Inn register -- you f...Regarding the Wayfarer's Inn register -- you find out in a book at the court in Yew that Tervis is an alias of a wanted thief....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-37088958539962066792020-05-01T15:10:51.745-04:002020-05-01T15:10:51.745-04:00That would explain the receiting hair lineThat would explain the receiting hair lineMarc Sthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08732120014575394311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-32428189406923904012020-05-01T10:56:08.940-04:002020-05-01T10:56:08.940-04:00I had a chapter of my dissertation on the use of b...I had a chapter of my dissertation on the use of books in videogames. I can't remember it all off the top of my head, but there were a few different categories:<br />--games that required an external book to play (a Japanese version of Ni No Kuni made the player consult a 'book of magic' that came with the game)<br />--games that used books as the framing device (A character is reading from a book, or a book opens, and it's implied that the game is either the story they're telling or the "real" events, like in Final Fantasy Tactics)<br />--games that present significant portions of their interface as books (like the original Nier)<br />--the book and writing presented in a meta way (Alan Wake)<br />--and finally, the case that Addict is covering here, representations of books within the diegetic gameworld.<br /><br />It was probably my favorite chapter to write; I got to think a lot about how the concept of books circulates within games.Person of Consequencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04788436443987713504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-64456561818403914702020-05-01T09:33:52.366-04:002020-05-01T09:33:52.366-04:00Why not? Daggerfall uses 5px font as the main font...Why not? Daggerfall uses 5px font as the main font for the most of the game text, as far as I can tell.<br />https://www.old-games.ru/games/pc/elder_scrolls_daggerfall__the/screenshots/20_5d9dbd68ce5ca.pngVladimIr V Yhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04673420469663885531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-56478067926271509472020-05-01T07:05:48.021-04:002020-05-01T07:05:48.021-04:00I was ready to completely disagree with you there,...I was ready to completely disagree with you there, but fair play, that Self cover is absolutely fantastic.Alan Twelvehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11250817307212302011noreply@blogger.com