Shanghaid, the port for hijacked threads

[malorum]

I read that the new AIs that are defeating all the human players could be putting a damper on the chess scene, but not involved to know if this could be the case.

At least this won't be a problem for ASL. Besides, an AI can't engage in witty banter during the game. Which is half the fun, for me at least

 

[Actionjick]

The What about your ASL stuff when you're gone thread is veering off into Viking funerals and Vikings in general. A worthy topic


One Viking movie was mentioned that was a favorite of mine and reminded me of another that I really remember for one particular scene.

The movie was Erik the Viking, I think and I'll check.

The scene was where the Vikings in their ship have been transported to Valhalla but they can't get past the wall. The Christian priest who is traveling with them says " what wall" or something like that and walks right through the Viking's wall!

The philosophical non heathen part of me still finds that to be very intriguing.

Erik the Viking. 1989. Tim Robbins, Terry Jones, John Cleese.

 

[Actionjick]

The what your ASL dollars will buy thread is veering off into why people don't write articles. I mentioned that Fish's reply as to why In Contact folded is that " we'd rather play than publish ". Very true. We were not the guys to take on publishing.

The initial concept seemed hassle free. People would send us info of tournaments, events, clubs and gatherings and opponents wanted. Simple. Plenty of time to gun and publish. Relatively young and full of piss and vinegar. We were fairly lazy also. After all we were the guys who made attendees at Oktoberfest fill out a SASE ( self addressed stamped envelope) for the next Oktoberfest registration.

The initial concept did not survive first contact with the Allied Troops ( lol what a jick) and morphed into something we were not capable, willing or qualified to handle. Sorry about that. At least we tried but sometimes you really should stick to what you are good at.

 

[Actionjick]

Looking at the posts for various events I have noticed that most have published lists of scenarios to be played. I have no problem with this method and can appreciate the advantages of it.

I believe however as a TD my selections would not be enthusiastically received. Even bitd I believe I would not have done a good job at selecting scenarios for an event.

We may have had a list of sorts for the first couple of Oktoberfests but there really wasn't that many to choose from.

How do TDs do it today? How much does their personal likes and dislikes affect scenario selections?

Thanks!

 

[fenyan]

From what I know they try to pick relatively balanced, "fun", "fresh", not overly complicated scenarios that will fit into the time window they require.

 

[Actionjick]

From what I know they try to pick relatively balanced, "fun", "fresh", not overly complicated scenarios that will fit into the time window they require.

Thanks! The time for each round is a deciding factor IMO. There are so many variables.
Well they seem to get it done and all TDs should be commended for their efforts.

 

[Actionjick]

The what takes precedence thread was about walking wounded MMC. I didn't recall this rule and looked it up in the index of my 2nd edition ASLRB. It referenced chapters that I do not have.
When was this incorporated into the system?

Lol precedence always reminds me of the movie The Flim Flam Man. The town Sherriff at one point states that catching the moonshiner takes pre•c•dence over catching the con artist.

 

[Old Noob]

Walking Wounded rule is in a couple of the HASL modules. ("A Bridge Too Far" is one of them and I think one of the Stalingrad modules)

 

[Actionjick]

Walking Wounded rule is in a couple of the HASL modules. ("A Bridge Too Far" is one of them and I think one of the Stalingrad modules)

Thanks!

 

[Actionjick]

While researching for The Word I checked out foxhole. One of the examples of it's use quoted a book, What They Carried. Weirdly in a conversation that morning with the young leasing consultant she had mentioned that book as being the only military book she had ever read. Quite the coincidence.

 

[Actionjick]

While researching for The Word I checked out foxhole. One of the examples of it's use quoted a book, What They Carried. Weirdly in a conversation that morning with the young leasing consultant she had mentioned that book as being the only military book she had ever read. Quite the coincidence.

The Things They Carried is the correct title. It wouldn't let me edit. If there is an edit gun like the old rep gun I am in trouble!

I can edit this post though.

 

[Actionjick]

Fifty years ago today a naive eighteen year old with aspirations of being a sailor reported for basic training. So the journey began.
Captain Bacchus and I are celebrating by having a few cups of the fruit of the vine and watching All Creatures Great and Small. Original series. First season. Captain Bacchus is a real softie. So is Actionburk.

 

[Actionjick]

Got into a discussion of Balance and A 26.4 on the Maximum Agression thread. I made the point that as written A 26.4 was not meant as a fix for a skewed scenario but as consolation, as Tuomo put it, for the player losing the dr when both players want the same side. Tuomo and I both agreed that Balance is generally viewed these days as a fix for an " unbalanced " scenario.

I was wondering how modern scenario designers view A 26.4 and Balance. One would think that for the most part they would consider their scenario design as being well balanced. However not being a designer that's just a guess. I'd be interested in hearing from some designers about this but didn't feel the subject merited it's own thread. Thanks for any input.

As stated in the Agression thread we almost always used A 26.4 as written and intended.

Balance is an illusion, a balanced lunchtime doubly so.

I don't think I received a response from any scenario designers. Perhaps I will post it in a more appropriate place

 

[Actionjick]

I asked in the Pinned Topics thread about the meaning and particulars of how a topic gets a pin. Fenyan responded with a screenshot but alas it didn't help the OOMT out. I thought that I would throw it out here to see if anyone can help out the TC. lol Techno Conscript.

 

[Actionjick]

I asked in the Pinned Topics thread about the meaning and particulars of how a topic gets a pin. Fenyan responded with a screenshot but alas it didn't help the OOMT out. I thought that I would throw it out here to see if anyone can help out the TC. lol Techno Conscript.

In the same vein I would like to know how bookmark works and if it could answer some of the problems in the Pinned Topics thread.

 

[Actionjick]

In the same thread I posted about losing material in Electronic LaLaLand, a terrifying place indeed and a major contributor to the early demise of In Contact.

I've related this story elsewhere so stop me if you have heard it.

We spent a weekend entering the mailing list for In Contact into Fish's Apple IIe. He had this software (?) for it called GEOS. To put it mildly GEOS was a piece of crap. All weekend long it was enter addresses then " booting GEOS "!! That phrase is burnt into my memory.

Btw both of us were not good at typing We were nearing completion of this laborious task when all the info we had tediously entered just vanished!!???!!! Never to be seen again. Lost in Electronic LaLaLand.

While not a major factor in the demise of In Contact it certainly was not a morale booster. A whole weekend of gunnin lost.

As Fish once said " we'd rather play than publish ". Lol somebody's got to do it. Might as well have been us.

 

[Old Noob]

Pity about that. I vaguely remember at a LA Origins (1980s) giving my address to Fish for "In Contact" subscription.
Now I know what happened (and that's the rest of the story!).

 

[Actionjick]

Pity about that. I vaguely remember at a LA Origins (1980s) giving my address to Fish for "In Contact" subscription.
Now I know what happened (and that's the rest of the story!).

Sigh. Definitely our low point in ASL. Once again my sincere apologies to everyone we let down, disappointed, screwed or however you view it.

 

[Actionjick]

In the African American Divisions thread I mentioned Chateau de Quesnoy. It got me reminiscing about how much I enjoyed Crescendo of Doom. Great module!

 

[Actionjick]

In the African American Divisions thread I was encouraging Dwindham to design his own scenarios and not take the five years of research that he implied was needed to do such.

If you have an idea or aspiration just go for it. So what if you fail?

Of the three ASL related things we tried two worked out pretty well. The third not so much so but at least we tried.