James

[color=#606060]I doubt the capacity will make much difference to only having a few episodes per disc. It's not about capacity, it's about revenue. I guarantee that if they can slot an entire series on one Blu-ray disc, they will charge accordingly. So I doubt that aspect will get any better for consumers.[/color]

[color=#606060]Yeah, as I said earlier, there are various large retailers that have now dumped HD-DVD. And when I say large retailers I'm referring to major chains that such a format would require to proliferate. As for triple layer DVD...yeah, there isn't much point at the moment. If it can outclass a "next generation" format in terms of capacity, then that says a lot about HD-DVD. I strongly suspect that Blu-ray will be picked up by most companies within the next couple of years if the current trend continues. As for PS3, I'm not sure what you mean when you say its capabilities are stripped down. It's a pretty basic Blu-ray player, sure, but Sony are using firmware updates to increase the flexibility of the console as a movie player (i.e. by adding extra features as they start being incorporated into the discs themselves). [/color]

[quote name='Jeremiah']Can we have a tag that would make text in between it cycle through the colour spectrum? Or perhaps one that would make the text pulse with a bright light every three seconds. It's sure to keep people awake, especially when they're reading long RPG-like paragraphs. [/QUOTE] [color=#606060]When we create a porn forum, we'll talk about that. Until then, it's unlikely.[/color]

[color=#606060]For a summary, Blu-ray and HD-DVD differ in a couple of key areas. One, capacity. Blu-ray discs weigh in at around 50GB (with Sony promising 100GB discs shortly). HD-DVD discs hold around 30GB. The other difference is how they are made. If you produce DVDs in a factory, you only need to upgrade your existing equipment to manufacture HD-DVDs. If you want to manufacture Blu-ray discs, you actually need to purchase new equipment - the laser required to press the discs is different. So companies who make discs and who publish on them are pretty much divided abou the issue and they've formed consortiums on either side to push their preferred format. There's a lot more to it than that, but that's the debate in a nutshell. I personally think Blu-ray will come out on top; several major retailers have already dropped HD-DVD. You can never really tell so early, but it's not looking good for HD-DVD at this moment.[/color]

[color=#606060]I would be worried about a precedent if the family [i]didn't[/i] win. I would hate the thought that people have free reign to protest at funerals, which would have to be one of the most sacred events in the life of any family.[/color]

[color=#606060]On the subject of the constitution...I really can't comment. I don't know exactly what the constitutional ramifications are. What I can say is that I think States have the right to legislate the bounds of public protests to some degree. It would be fine, I think, to limit protests to public places only (i.e. not private residences) and I think it would be fair to place distance restrictions under certain circumstances (i.e. a certain distance from a funeral procession for instance). Ultimately it's a tough question. And I don't believe that you can legislate everything to a fine degree; over-regulation can be just as bad as having no regulations at all. My feeling is that this comes down to common decency. No matter what your beliefs, it is inappropriate to protest at someone's funeral pure and simple. You can not claim to have any kind of moral authority when you are more than happy to insult the dignity of a fallen soldier - and in particular, when you are happy to disrupt the grieving of an entire family. This is really unforgivable and it's also pretty ironic, given the message of the protesters. In actual fact I don't believe that this situation has anything to do with homosexuality. It relates to protesting in general - when is it appropriate to voice an opinion, especially when that opinion is obviously inflammatory? If I were against a political party and a member of that party died...would I stand outside their funeral holding political slogans up in the air? Of course not. At best, it's poor taste. At worst, it completely negates any messages I might be trying to convey; it would take any legitimacy out of my meaning and make me look like a complete nut. So in this case, I feel that the father was right to sue. And I'm glad he won. It is just a shame that such action is even needed. I never cease to be surprised at the depths to which people will go, especially when peddling an ostensibly moral message (which is, underneath, a message driven largely by ignorance and intolerance).[/color]

[color=#606060]Most people find, once they become a Moderator, that it isn't fun. It's like a job - it's a responsibility. It's a service to our community. So I think it's sort of odd when people think being Moderator would be totally amazing. I don't think it really gives you that much more visibility or anything...it just means you are basically volunteering to help the community out. And as Ken said, the worst thing you can do is proclaim your awesomeness (unless you're Desbreko). The truly awesome people never proclaim it - they are known as awesome because they are intelligent or funny or they're simply a nice person. The most famous people in OB's history are typically the quieter, more thoughtful and creative people. In other words, it's best to just be yourself and to do your best. You'll be noticed more that way than by jumping out there and selling yourself.[/color]

[color=#606060]I moved this thread to Backstage, since it concerns RPGs. Graph of the Heart doesn't make a lot of sense to me...there seems to be a very long preamble and no real concept of what the story would be (in terms of what the players themselves would experience in the other world mentioned towards the end). Meteo City obviously reminds me of the Hybrid Vigor RPGs; are you intending to set the RPG in that universe? Or is it unrelated? It's a concept with potential, but again, there's no real story outline here. There's a basic premise, but it would be hard to know what the actual plot would be when the players start. Is it all just about survival or would a larger plot unfold? (The latter I presume). For me personally, Meteo City is the more interesting possibility. I think if it were fleshed out a bit more it could attract a lot of attention.[/color]

[color=#606060]I think that the game in this story is not real. Crossover is just invented for the purposes of the RPG.[/color]

[color=#606060]Yeah, I'm not sure where this "performance" and "place" differentiation comes from. In Australia, the building is spelt "Theatre" - it is spelt this way for all English speaking countries other than America. Because of the nature of the internet we're always going to have these issues I think, haha. At least we all understand what the word means though. Ratings are great - and I would prefer to have them - but only if they work. Most agreed that people weren't using them properly, so we ended up with pretty much all RPGs being M-rated. If the system doesn't work, then there isn't a lot of point keeping it really. In terms of knowing what you're getting into...the only way to know is to read the Auditions thread. And really, this would be the case anyway. Given that just about all RPGs were M-rated, it was always necessary to read the sign-up so that you had an idea about the premise. Nothing has changed there. All we've done is remove potentially erroneous ratings - if anything it might allow you to join an RPG that you would otherwise have avoided based on an incorrect rating.[/color]

[font=trebuchet ms][b]Name:[/b] Ashley Brenner [b]Age:[/b] 28 [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Appearance:[/b] [img]http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/7324/01dp0.jpg[/img] [b]Crossover Experience:[/b] Ashley is definitely a Crossover veteran; he?s been playing for about three years. Unfortunately his motivations for playing are not entirely healthy. In the real world, Ashley is a successful journalist for a major newspaper. Originally he joined Crossover to investigate its members; the media wanted to determine whether or not continued exposure to such a realistic simulation could be harmful to players. Ashley finished his story, but continued to enter the game. Over time, Crossover became the escape for an increasingly hostile reality including a deteriorating personal life and an increasingly demanding work schedule. Today Ashley is a regular Crossover player who lives most of his life in the game world. Many of his friends are people he only knows through their avatars. Only his closest online friends know anything about his personal life. Ashley is very reserved, even in the online world. Sometimes Ashley thinks that even he is beginning to forget what the real world is like. [b]Etheria:[/b] I will have to enter these later; they require some careful consideration! Sorry about the incomplete sign-up, I promise I will finish it soon! :catgirl:[/font]

[color=#606060]This looks quite a bit more involved than I'd first thought. It reminds me somewhat of .hack//SIGN in terms of the concept. I'll have a read through the sign up and stuff and see how it goes. I'm not really looking for an RPG with lots of stats and complex elements (I'm more interested in just pure story and characters at the moment), but I will still read with great interest. I didn't want to post this in the Backstage thread because I felt it was more a general discussion than something specific I'd talk about if I had joined.[/color]

[color=#606060]I know I?ve already posted here, but I haven?t actually answered the question I don?t think! [b]So how is the quality of the RPGs being posted? Does it stack up to what you knew of the past RPGs posted in OB?[/b] In the past I think that the quality RPGs were few and far between. It was usually the same small group of members who produced the really amazing stuff. Now, good quality RPGs are pretty common. The standards have definitely increased over time. I suppose people probably feel more pressure to make high quality RPGs these days?but still, the results are a lot better. I?ve seen so many improvements that now I often feel slightly intimidated when signing-up for an RPG; I do not want to disappoint the creator or the other participants. [b] What do RPers want these days? What elements of an RP do you look at before signing up?[/b] It?s really hard to answer that specifically; for me it?s a kind of intangible thing. I guess there are certain genres I look for (especially sci-fi), but it?s pretty wide open. Usually it?s the concept that captures my attention, as well as the opening post. If the initial layout/story is interesting to read, then that will probably hook me in. If it?s very bland and uninteresting, then I probably won?t bother. This doesn?t mean it has to be a weird and wonderful concept; sometimes the most tried-and-true concepts work well, if the writers are good.[/color] [quote] I'm thinking of coming back summer break for me. Don't know what kind of RP I might make, but we'll see.[/quote] [color=#606060] That would be great. I keep being too late to sign-up for things and the stuff that is still open at the moment doesn?t interest me a great deal. So I?d like to see some new stuff come down the line![/color] [quote] When you look at signing up to an RPG, does it matter who posted it?[/quote] [color=#606060]No it doesn?t. In fact if anything I am probably guilty of specifically looking for RPGs made by people who I?ve never RP?d with before. But yeah, I don?t specifically look at who posted it. The title gets my attention first and then the concept/opening post seals the deal for me. :catgirl:[/color]

[color=#606060]So is this looking like it may launch soon? I thought I'd see how it's all going. :catgirl:[/color]

[color=#606060]I haven't seen confirmation that the game's orchestration isn't MIDI-fied like TP's was...but then again, TP was a GameCube port and I'd say all the music was pretty much done at that stage (i.e. it was made for a much smaller capacity disc). I'm hoping that because of the DVD format, Nintendo will have the space for full orchestral sound. [/color]

[color=#606060]Well, yeah, all other English speaking countries would spell it "theatre". So in that sense the majority of English-speakers would spell it that way. However, as I said, most of our visitors are American. If that were to suddenly change tomorrow and 70% of our visitors were European...well, maybe we'd look at changing. In any case, it doesn't matter too much. I'm used to seeing both International and American English spelling, so no matter what I'll at least know what the word says, haha.[/color]

[color=#606060][center][size=4]Event Master Auditions[/size][/center] So the time has come to choose a new Event Master. During his short time in the role, White did a fantastic job. But now we need to get things moving again and we need an energetic and creative Event Master to lead the way! Rather than approach potential candidates or hold a competition, I thought it would be a good idea to simply hold open applications. This way those people who are truly interested will put in the effort. It also gives everyone the chance to have a go. All you have to do is answer some simple questions and I will choose based on that. Think of it as being a bit like a sign-up sheet for an RPG; feel free to be creative and thoughtful with your responses, but don?t feel that you need to answer with massive amounts of detail ? I?m sure your enthusiasm and interest will come through if you?re genuine. :catgirl: Also I should mention that I will be creating an Events Suggestion Thread right here in the Convention Center soon, so that any new Event Master will be able to work with other members to create events. For these applications though, I just want to see your ideas! Anyone may apply, including all members and Moderators. And now, on to the questions. [b]What is your availability? For instance, if you held an event where you had to tally votes, you might need to invest more time than usual.[/b] [b]Are you happy to work with members to bring their event ideas to life?[/b] [b]List two of your own event ideas here. You will need to be able to bring your own events to OB, as member-driven events will not always be available.[/b] [b]Are you going to be committed to the job? Why should we make you Event Master?[/b] And that?s it. Some pretty simple questions, but that?s all I need to know. Good luck to all who apply![/color]

[color=#606060]Well, most of the world would spell it "Theatre". Americans just have to spell things phoenetically for some reason. But since most of our visitors are American, I felt it would be most logical to stick to American spelling. We will continue to revise/edit/update as necessary, but this was definitely a bigger update than usual.[/color]

[center][size=4]Backstage[/size][/center] This sub-forum for the Theater is for all out-of-character discussion about specific RPGs, but also for general discussions and questions about role-playing on OtakuBoards. You can also create and browse threads about development, help and ideas for new RPGs. The Backstage can be used for help, planning, resolving conflicts, giving feedback, talking about RPGs in general, swapping ideas or even clarifying what is happening in the current game. Just remember that this sub-forum is only meant for discussion about RPGs on OtakuBoards as opposed to other forms of RPGs (videogames, for example). Please keep these rules in mind when you take part in the RPGs. Ignoring them will result in warnings and an eventual ban from the site. If you have questions, need help or just want to chat about something, feel free to PM one of the Theater's Moderators. Alternatively you can use the Information Kiosk forum to ask questions or make suggestions about how we can improve this part of the boards.

[color=#606060]I'd say the dumbest insult I've ever heard is "Peach Head". Some members may know what I'm talking about there, lol.[/color]

[color=#606060]I think the non-virgins can safely say that they took this thread's virginity. :catgirl:[/color]

[quote] 1st time is unique, but the 2nd time is oh-so similar to the 1135th time. [/quote] [color=#606060]As anyone who has had sex will know (or at least most people who have), this statement is pretty much false. Yes, your first time is memorable. But it doesn't mean that every other time is similar or the same as each other. In fact, you will often find that you have more memorable experiences [i]after[/i] your first time. This is likely because you've gained experience and/or you're with a partner who is also more experienced (and thus, the whole thing is a lot better). Sex is not really a black-and-white thing, it's something that can and does change over time. Your 1,000th time can often be even more memorable or unique than your first time. It just depends who you're with and what the situation is.[/color]

[color=#606060]Tell that to the people who were tortured by Japanese soldiers. Or, you know, all the South Korean "comfort women" who were held against their will and raped on a daily basis. Sorry to put a serious spin on the discussion, but I think quite a few people would say that [i]nothing[/i] makes apology a moot point.[/color]

[quote name='Shy'][size=1] [B]Ladies of London[/B] has a lot of potential (although I do admit that the concept is a little dry.) I'd love to explore the reality television angle to the RPG, rather than it just be an excuse for big explosions and car chases. One of my favorite movies is "Network," and if you've ever seen that it probably gives you an idea of the kind of "Media is God" stories I'd like to tell. Plus, I really want to write about the LadyBoys of London, because I'm weird like that. [/size][/QUOTE] [color=#606060]Actually I don't envison LoL as being terribly action-oriented as such...I kind of view it as being more character driven than that. I suppose a bit like KA, but probably with less action elements. Still I think there's plenty of scope. KA was pretty thin in concept and the writers made it amazingly good. I'd hope for the same with LoL. Anyhoo...I wouldn't mind the idea of incorporating music into your RPG, but I agree that I don't know how many people would actually do that at the moment.[/color]

[color=#606060]This thread is quickly becoming very cool. :catgirl: Ro Sham Bo sounds awesome. It reminds me a bit of the never-started Wonka Inc., in terms of being about music as well as a secondary subject. I would like to see more music-based RPGs. I personally hope Ro Sham Bo gets made; I'd join that for sure. But all of these ideas are fantastic. I know what you mean about concepts and little else, Joshboo; I'm the same way. I've had this problem with Ladies of London (although I'm making slow progress there).[/color]