Bay 12 Games Forum

I seem to no longer be in Jachu's coalition, so I'll need an invite at some point. I'll be available to be cycled in if there's no room earlier.

Sorry about that. Thought we might need to swap out some more people. I'll re-invite you now.

Someone brought up Rome: Total War without mentioning Europa Barbarorum? For shame.

EB fleshes out the barbarian factions and adds more gameplay features.

Depends on what you meant by a 'good king', yes Bhelin does things that are obviously 'good' for the dwarves, and even the outside world, but he also suffers rebellions and becomes an utter tyrant and gets rid of the semi-demicratic Assembly which could pick the best king from anywhere in dwarves society and now it is likely going to be his eldest child. The other guy on the otherhand keeps this old system and suffers less rebellions due to keeping dwarves values.

At least midget Stalin is for equality among the people and eliminates the backwards Caste system that saw dwarves treated like dirt for how they were born. The dwarven Assembly was too corrupt a system and only supported the greed of the nobles anyway. Trading an Oligarchy for Dictatorship isn't a terrible direction, especially when the Dictator actually gets things done... like survival.

Quote from: Vector on February 06, 2011, 04:58:40 pm

I think the real problem would be more "people who can't get their next fix will often destroy other people's lives in an effort to get another fix, and don't really care about laws anymore most of the time."

I seem to recall reading about a government program, I believe in Switzerland (though I could be wrong), though I'm hazy on the specifics, that went out and gave free heroin to addicts, along with literature regarding treatments and whatnot, with the express purpose of shutting down the black market trade in it and reducing related crime, with further prevention as a secondary goal. As I recall, it was controversial, but successful.

You're probably thinking of Portugal.

Kinda late but I skimmed and didn't see anybody else correct you

@Max White: Try to link to papers (http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/archgenpsychiatry.2011.5) instead of journalism, when possible.

On the ability to cast spells.
Spellcasting, I'd say, is limited by an individual's mental ability. If a person has a higher ability to control their thoughts and has a 'better' imagination then it will be easier for them to cast spells and pull off the necessary mental techniques to perform spells. This is perhaps why some do not pursue spellcasting as it is easier for them to lug around heavy armour and to swing a sword than to cast spells and they could attain a higher ability in melee combat.

The book above, though it may not necessarily be true to the lore, suggests that being able to cast more advanced spells is only possible through training in a certain area, which may mean training in the mental techniques used in that area.

I believe this is the state of affairs. Only certain people have the talent and drive to succeed at Magic, and even then typically related to a particular school, whereas most people do not have the mental endurance or flexibility to make it through training. A person who constantly doesn't understand what it being put forth to them will struggle a lot more than one whose mind can quickly spot the meaning and method of knowledge being presented. At most an untalented person may learn a bunch of cantrips such as the Novice level spells, but without considerable intellect (and mana pool) they will be unable to comprehend the truly powerful spells whereas a master can not only cast those spells, but cast them in a way that isn't as magically draining.

I've sorta been drifting about. Not really putting much effort into it as school started up and I'm awfully busy lately.

I'm still game for any town though.

Here's how it'd go:
1.  Dude gets loan, which bank will gladly give out because it's a certainty that RM will pay enough to cover the interest
2.  Dude sets up shop
3.  RM buys shop for a sum large enough to cover loan interest plus substantial profit to dude (because why accept the offer otherwise?)
4.  Dude laughs all the way to the bank

Lather, rinse, repeat.  Your hypothetical scenario fails. 

That isn't how driving somebody out of business works... Starbucks doesn't eliminate their competition by going around purchasing other coffee shops.

Flare's town example probably isn't good though, as a small group of people is easier to organize towards a cause such as buying from a local butcher to ensure long-term meat supply. Even if Murdoch brings in his propaganda arm it's pretty much impossible to hide the negative effect his business was having on the locals because it's out in the open.