Topics

Which game did you play first?

Do you prefer history, geography, english, or one of the social sciences? Classics possibly, or languages?


I like History the most (clearly). In one way I don't even know why, it's just an incredibly enthralling subject. I guess I like the story element, the tales of real people and how they lived, but also with my political hat on history is so, so important for seeing how the world at present has become the way it is. If you don't know the cause of a problem, it's often futile trying to solve it.

Should science only develop and be allowed to develop in directions where there are clear financial or material benefits to be gained? The UK and US have both moved in this direction - a lot of US research is now done privately, for entirely commercial work. However, many great discoveries have come as the result of originally purely theoretical work, and governments have been criticised for failing to fund "science for the sake of science".

Personally I'd like to see more general science funding for wider research... what does everyone else think?

What should be done about the fact that the finance of many of our countries is in deep ***t? More cuts or later cuts? Is this a sign that we should never borrow money again unless utterly necessary and try to eliminate structural deficits? Should more countries create some form of the old US Glass-Steagall act to break up investment and high street banking?

I get increasingly worried that, with the trend to trusting authority less, too little trust is being placed in science these days. While it's always good to question everything - indeed this is what science is based on - the fact is that most people don't understand a lot of science. This makes it easy for frauds and cranks to come up with "simple" bogus explanations and try and discredit scientists; people often believe them, too.

What do y'all think?

What are the things that you truly cannot live without?

For me...
- Looks like it's internet forums doesn't it? Actually I'm not really addicted to them I wouldn't say, they're just more interesting than Of Mice and Men on the tenth re-read.
- Books. That's a genuine addiction.
- Learning. I just love knowing new things.
- Folk music. Yes, I'm odd.

Do you believe in it? If not, why not?

Okay... forum changes. And yes, I am mean to be having a break.  

- Exilian Software forum created for hosting non-game software projects
- Shoutbox added for the hell of it
- ES and EG given a new category

That's all for now. Bye again!

Expect me back on the 19th of June and no sooner or later. Bye, all.

Try not to lose:
a) faith in this great project of ours
b) hope for the future
c) your car keys
in the interim period.

You're all wonderful, bit I need to go focus on less wonderful things like English Literature. If the forum goes to pot over the next month, it's my fault but I'll do my best to kick new life into you all when I get back. Farewell!

http://www.votecure.com/vote/

^ A wonderfully insane new UK political party.  

I'm considering changing the Cult of Slaanesh for a different faction in the new mapped version. THis is because the Cult is pretty much Dark Elf centric anyway, and also that there'll be a lot of map space with few factions in.

So the options are:

MAIN OPTIONS
- Leave the Cult as is; they'll contest the northern New World with the Dark Elves and High Elves.
- Change to Hobgoblin Khanate
A second greenskin faction based in the NE of the map. The disadvantage of this is that there are factions there already so there'd be less point, and I'm very short on models so they could end up a relatively boring faction to play with. On the other hand, they exist in GW fluff unlike most of my other ideas.
- Change to Dragon Islanders
In the Dragon Islands in the SE of the map. A more varied human faction with a mix of tribal and more "civilised" units, possibly with some exotic eastern-style troops. WOuld be relatively easy to start as vanilla models could make a good start. Probably my current favourite as they can contest the southern Darklands with the Chaos Dwarfs and Ogres and also the Southlands with the Orcs and Lizardmen.
- Change to Amazons
My second favourite idea, adding a third faction to conetest the New World with the Lizardmen, Undead and High Elves. Hopefully SubRosa might lend me a couple models to help get them started, and the New World might feel quite empty without them (4/5 Lizardman provinces, 2 Skaven provinces & 2 Undead provinces aren' much for an area at least as big as the Old World which is divided into many, many provinces and factions.

OTHER IDEAS
- Change to Norscans
Will fill in the North of the map better, with a faction of Marauders and other human troops to battle the Beastmen and the Hordes of Chaos. Could end up feeling very like HoC-lite though.
- Change to Southland Natives
A faction to make the southlands more interesting, with tribal warriors and berserkers and pygmies and fun like that.
- Change to Wilderlanders
A faction native to the Nothern New World, somethinlg lacking in actual Warhammer as the Lizards are to the south, HE to the East and DE to the Norht but nobody between them. Not sure what units they'd have, I'm thinking a Native American theme but with surprisingly kickass technology/dsicipline
- Change to Darklanders
A faction to contest the Darklands with Dwarfs, Tomb Kings, Ogres and Chaos Dwarfs. Possibily a bit Indian in theme, with quite good technology and a balanced inf/cav mix.
- Change to Southland Goblins
Another Greenskin faction, with the limitation of me not having many models. Would be added instead of O&G getting a Southlands province to fight with Lizardmen and Tomb Kings.

So, any thoughts anyone?

Ok, here's the election from the eyes of a 16 year old British nerd... I'll look at the major issues and so on over the next 4 weeks in this thread. probably making unnecessary historical refercnes on the way just because I can.

[1. Constitutional Reform]

Okay, some polls on the major issues of the UK election to start discussion.

1. Constitutional Reform
Options for changing the vote system.
First past the post (Current system, favoured by Conservatives)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_past_the_post
Alternative Vote (Favoured by Labour)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_vote
Single Transferrable Vote (Favoured by Lib Dems)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_transferable_vote

2. Economics & Taxation
Cut next year or later? Also, which methods of taxation do you prefer? And where should cuts fall?

3. Afghanistan
Stay for 2 years (current plan) and train the Afghan army? Or stay as long as the Afghans need us to, for the long haul with increased aid? Or for that matter get out NOW and stop our troops dying?

These are my notes for school revision, hopefully quite itneresting nevertheless;

http://www.wavcott.org.uk/revisionsite/index.html

ANy comments or ideas? Or for that matter contributions, if they fit in with the UK GCSE syllabus.

Okay, just for fun since it's nearly the UK Election (in a couple months).

Here's my challenge. Create your own political party! Or join one someone else has made. Then, when we have all of them we'll put it up to vote and see which is most popular.

We're going for this to assume the absence of a recession; you're competing to control a medium sized, moderately comforatble but not terribly rich country. Thus you can indulge in whatever political philosophy pleaseth you most.

Had to be done. "Story" books only please, either fiction or historical novels. I'm also going to put the restriction that you may only put one book in from each author (so for example each of us can give one Terry Pratchett book but DD can't come in and post all of them in a list).

I'll start with the first 5.

1. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
2. The Once and Future King - TH White
3. The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
4. Small Gods - Terry Pratchett
5. Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8588527.stm

Take a look. These guys didn't realise that practicing Islam was LEGAL in the UK, which goes to show how good the Taliban propaganda machine is. It makes me wonder how much better the world would be if people just tried to understand one another sometimes...

Thoughts?

I'm gonna post any progress I make with Warsword here.

Progress will be reported here when it happens.

Boar Boyz and Black Orc Boar Boyz have been added to the game as of today.

Article written for the Call To Arms e-zine;

http://s1.zetaboards.com/A_Call_to_Arms?topic=2919758

Enjoyyyy.