Messages

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General Chaos / Re: Best Internet Vidyas

« on: July 03, 2013, 11:39:39 PM »

Have two video's to share.  The first is the "Frontier Psychiatrist" music video by The Avalanches.

<a href="" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win"></a>

The second is perhaps the oddest thing I've ever seen come out of Japan, and I lived there for a year...

<a href="" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win"></a>

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General Chaos / Is Lovecraft existential or merely a common misconception?

« on: June 26, 2013, 11:51:39 PM »

Hello everyone,

Just wanted to know your opinion on this matter. Do you think that Lovecraft's literature can or should be classified as existential? I would argue no! I think that the existential label is widely misunderstood by the majority of the populace and therefore is widely misused. I recently read Jean Paul Sartre's essay titled "Existentialism is a Humanism" and have been thinking of this subject for a couple months now.

To simplify things, all quotations are from Sartre's essay "existentialism is a Humanism" as translated by Mairet, unless stated otherwise. (I figure I will cite the Grand Inquisitor chapter of the Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky at some point as well).

So to start things off let us define "Existentialism." Sartre's essay is actually devoted to this purpose but I will paraphrase and present some key points.

Sartre says that "Existentialism is nothing else but an attempt to draw the full conclusions from a consistently atheistic position." Existentialism, according to Sartre, holds that existence precedes essence; that we make our soul by forming our own destiny. "... there is no human nature .... man is responsible for what he is." Existentialism, under this perspective holds then that man is ultimately in charge of his own life, his own destiny. To be a man under an existentialist view is to be free: "man is free, man is freedom."

I feel this notion is summed rather well in the Brother's Karamazov when one of the brothers says "..everything is permitted."

So, in regards to Lovecraft I consider his works to present a view of the universe where hope is certainly lacking, but a universe where the human race is ultimately subject to the whims of the powers at be. Humanity is certainly not free. Humanity has, perhaps to some extent, some choice influence on their destiny, but it is rather negligible. You may temporarily prevent the goals of Nyarlathotep, or great Cthulhu, but you can never thwart them.

So, just curious as to what your opinions may be. Where do you fall on this topic? Am I wrong?

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General Chaos / Re: What Vidja games are you playing?

« on: November 14, 2012, 12:45:17 AM »

As Tadanori said, Space Marine was not very satisfying at all. Rather disappointing actually.

On a different note, has anyone played Natural Selection 2? It's different in that it mixes RTS and FPS with units and commanders being real players. It can be a lot of fun, especially if you win. Very satisfying. I recommend checking it out, it might be a good game for a lot of you. It's especially fun to just mess around with your friends in as well.

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General Chaos / Re: What Vidja games are you playing?

« on: October 16, 2012, 10:12:28 PM »

Well I suckered my roommate into buying me Xcom. Gotta say, I've loved every minute of playing it. The intro/tutorial is very railroaded though, made me a bit frustrated. However, since then it's been a blast. I highly recommend it.

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Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: What have you bought because of the podcast?

« on: October 16, 2012, 10:08:33 PM »

RPPR is what turned me onto Roleplaying and Lovecraft actually, so my list is all of my role-playing items and Lovecraft literature.

1. COC
2. Delta Green (Signed by Adam Scott Glancy)
3. Delta Green Eyes Only
4. A Dirty World
5. Mask of Nyarlathotep
6. Strange Eons (A book of scenarios for COC)
7. Caleb's No Security
8. All Flesh Must Be Eaten
9. One of the Living
10. All of Ross' books, except Curriculum of Conspiracy and Road Trip
11. Eclipse Phase
12. The Laundry Files
13. Mount and Blade (All three)
14. 4 or 5 Books of Lovecraft
15. Tickets to the Lovecraft Film Festival last May where I met Mr. Glancy! (I told him that RPPR turned me onto Pagan Publishing         and he said he was gonna send you guys a fruit basket or something)

RPPR single handedly is responsible for me being a table-top role-player.

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Recruitment Board / Re: Masks of Nyarlathotep [Call of Cthulhu 6th edition, 6 players Needed]

« on: July 13, 2012, 01:37:20 AM »

I'll play if you're still looking for players, just give me a couple days to make my character.

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General Chaos / Re: What Vidja games are you playing?

« on: July 11, 2012, 06:50:17 PM »

Yeah, I misspoke, it doesn't come out till August 28, or 25 for people who per-ordered it. However the next beta play is the weekend of the 20th this month.

Unfortunately I'm gonna miss it... got commitments with the girlfriend.

Anyone interested in maybe making an RPPR guild once it releases?

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General Chaos / Re: What Vidja games are you playing?

« on: July 10, 2012, 09:18:48 PM »

Anyone here playing or going to play Guild Wars 2?

I just bought it but haven't been able to play it though, waiting for the parts for a new comp I'm going to build this week.

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Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: Synnibarr! Hear that Ross????

« on: July 06, 2012, 02:49:49 PM »

Well if he does a pdf release, or physical release, I think us fans should pitch in and buy a copy for our beloved radio show host.

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Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Synnibarr! Hear that Ross????

« on: July 06, 2012, 07:55:04 AM »

Hey, just thought that I'd mention that there is a kickstarter for Synnibarr. For those of us who listened to RPPR a few years ago, we all know how much Ross loves Synnibarr.

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General Chaos / Re: H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival (Portland)

« on: May 14, 2012, 07:16:13 PM »

Haha, maybe most younger people do have better taste.

But yes Ross, you do make a good point. It is a small niche audience, although it was on a Sunday that I went and it wasn't that expensive. But, I'm glad to hear that it is in fact popular with younger audiences as well.

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General Chaos / Re: H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival (Portland)

« on: May 14, 2012, 01:36:42 PM »

Well I went and it was amazing! I finally got my hands on the Delta Green source book for only $40 and I even met Adam Scott Glancy and had him sign the book for me. There were a lot of really cool shorts, and the short that won first place actually came from my university so that was pretty exciting.

On a different note, I think I was by far the youngest person there. Everybody seemed middle to late aged. I would have thought that more younger people were into Lovecraft. Has anybody else found this same phenomenon?

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Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: Thanks Tom

« on: May 13, 2012, 12:39:44 PM »

Again, by far my favorite!

Also I tried Black Books, and unfortunately for my roommate I tried it while he happened to be sleeping. I couldn't stop laughing that I woke him up. Twice.

It is another great British sitcom

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General Chaos / Re: The Heretic Cycle: a new fantasy series from Ross Payton

« on: May 13, 2012, 12:35:12 PM »

Ah, for some reason I thought it was longer than that. But still, a pretty decent length for a short serial. I like the format a lot actually. It kind of reminds me of a television show or something but in book form and without the commercials.

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Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: When Tom Church Dreams....

« on: May 12, 2012, 12:44:27 PM »

Oh my gosh, it's a Nazi Darleck! How cool!
The cake goes to you my friend, the cake goes to you.