From: Andrew Sturman [andrew_b_sturman@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: Monday, September 10, 2001 7:16 AM To: bplist Subject: [BLUE PLANET] - eye-spots Hi All interesting article over on space.com on brittlestar micro-eye-spots over almost the whole body. http://www.space.com/searchforlife/alien_eyes_010823.html Andrew ____________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Manos, Christopher P [CManos@crt.xerox.com] Sent: Monday, September 10, 2001 6:11 AM To: 'blue_planet@lists.ient.com' Subject: RE: [BLUE PLANET] - When is the next book due GRIN WFB, Ahhh another fan. :) -----Original Message----- From: Andrew Whincup [mailto:shanhat@angelfire.com] Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2001 12:53 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - When is the next book due I'm not really sure what the problem is. A book every few months is really quite quick. "realms of sorcery" for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay has been in the pipelines since 1988. And we're still waiting. Patience is a virtue...I think. Andy --- Shanhat "I'm too young to marry Too old to mess about Let me be your carry out At closing time." Oysterband http://shanhat.webjump.com/ Get 250 color business cards for FREE! http://businesscards.lycos.com/vp/fastpath/ *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Heivilin, Jim [banzai@missouri.edu] Sent: Monday, September 10, 2001 8:41 AM To: 'blue_planet@lists.ient.com' Subject: RE: [BLUE PLANET] - When is the next book due > -----Original Message----- > From: kabael@softhome.net [mailto:kabael@softhome.net] > Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - When is the next book due > The problem is that I just want to know what's up when a date > is set and then delayed. "It'll be out sometime soon" is > different from "It'll be out tomorrow" and then have it next > week. > > I can wait, I just wanna know. :) > I can totally understand this and have been in situations were you are the dispenser of "the word" and there are basically two situations (each having two primary courses of action). First the information doesn't flow down and you have nothing to tell anyone. In that case you can either withhold the information and wait for you to get the word before you send it out. Nominally the word arrives late and you dispense it and it appears to people that you're messing with them - not giving them the word until the last minute. Or you can tell them you don't have the word and you look like a fool. (personally if information - such as it is - is flowing I don't mind looking like a fool) Next is the situation where information IS flowing but it's changing so fast you can't get notes written. Again in this case you can withhold the word until the situation solidifies and it looks like the word won't change again. Then (again) people thing you're messing with them holding the word on purpose until the last minute. Or you can dispense the word as it comes down and it changes every five minutes and people think you're messing with them. In this situation I've discovered passing the info on is the better course of action (having been on the end of this type of situation with people doing both courses on me). If we add to this some game industry specifics from printers we can illuminated things a little better. When a game company (even one as big as Fantasy Flight) puts an order in it still won't be of "significant" size (in comparison with other publishing types of orders). So if something bigger comes up with a higher priority and a shorter suspense then it's entirely possible our print job could be bumped down the list. And from a business perspective pissing off a $10,000 customer isn't as big as pissing off the $200,000 (or more) one. So once the book goes to the printer we could give you the estimated return date they give us but it might change tomorrow or next week. And whether we find out why it got bumped depends on the sales rep you're dealing with. They have the same communications difficulties we do (tell them and look like a fool or keep quiet and hope they don't conclude that). And if you set the date early on then there are even more things that could happen to change the date. And we've all laughed at Microsoft (for example) when they miss their ship date by six months. If you continually say things and then circumstance forces you not to follow through then eventually no one listens when you cry wolf. So while I can understand the point of view, I also realize (and I hope I've shed a bit of light on things) that other things are going on I might not be aware of which are beyond anyone's control. Jim *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: John Daly [jdaly_iv@yahoo.com] Sent: Monday, September 10, 2001 11:45 AM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetacean Tactics Let's not forget another simple tactic: Taking those Non-Jim-Suit divers down nice and deep and dropping them off. If they take too long to get to the surface, the human drowns; too fast to get to the surface, the human gets the bends. I agree with lots of stuff Megan has to say below - for long range combat, I'd focus on using the thermocline to hide the cetacean or having the cetacean do a quick turn to create a knuckle and swimming back to hide in the knuckle (knuckles don't transmit sound really well). I also think the Cetacean would use "terrain" and the "native wildlife" to its advantage. Herding carnivorous fish, hiding in caves with a "cupped" roof which can be prepared in advance to hold an air pocket, and my personal favorite: the ram into the coral reef. --- "Megan C. Robertson" wrote: > Greetings dear hearts, especially Jeff. > > Cetacean tactics will be based on the fins' mastery > of their environment. > They will use all 3 dimensions, tight twists, turns, > rolls - a bit like a > good fighter pilot, only taking into account the > specific qualities of > water. Perhaps the best way to look at it is as a > mix of fighter pilot and > submarine tactics. Those with sonar-like > capabilities will use them both to > detect and confuse their opposition. Remember things > like thermocline > layers, you will find them bobbing up and down to > baffle those seeking them, > while maximising their own efforts at detecting > others. Some of the > mammalian ones will train to maximise the time they > can remain underwater > between breaths, all will use the necessary trips to > the surface to their > best advantage, and seek to deny air to their > opponents when they are > gasping for it. Some may acquire air supplies to use > to stay down longer in > combat situations. > > When they actually mix it in a furball (which is > possibly not the best term > for underwater combat, but hey, I'm a groundpounder, > OK?), moves will > include a lot of butting with the snout against > vulnerable parts of the > opponent's anatomy. Gills, if the opponent has them, > will be a prime target. > Or the blow hole if that's appropriate. Human > opponents will find their air > hoses and tanks attacked, and their masks knocked > off. Most divers hate > loosing the face mask (I happen not to be bothered, > but they tell me I'm a > bit unusual in that respect!) By movement and > targeted blows, our cetacean > heroes will attempt to disorient their opponents, > confuse them so that they > do not know which way is up. They'll attempt to trap > them in rock formations > or wrecks. Lead them towards the lairs of such as > Moray eels or whatever > nasty carnivorous beasties might be around. Do we > have poisonous sea snakes > on Poseidon? Driving an enemy into a pack of those > could be amusing. > > Well, there's a few ideas... hope they help :-) > > Hugs and kisses, > > Mexal. > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to > majordomo@lists.ient.com > with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body > of the message. > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email alerts & NEW webcam video instant messaging with Yahoo! Messenger http://im.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: C.K. Lee [ckl@ccilearning.com] Sent: Monday, September 10, 2001 12:11 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: RE: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetacean Tactics Its interesting to hear all the takes on cetacean tactics from the group - my only real reference for this up to this point would have been what I've read in Startide Rising (from David Brin). Which, btw, I think is required reading for fin players! :) CK -----Original Message----- From: owner-blue_planet@lists.ient.com [mailto:owner-blue_planet@lists.ient.com]On Behalf Of John Daly Sent: Monday, September 10, 2001 9:45 AM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetacean Tactics Let's not forget another simple tactic: Taking those Non-Jim-Suit divers down nice and deep and dropping them off. If they take too long to get to the surface, the human drowns; too fast to get to the surface, the human gets the bends. I agree with lots of stuff Megan has to say below - for long range combat, I'd focus on using the thermocline to hide the cetacean or having the cetacean do a quick turn to create a knuckle and swimming back to hide in the knuckle (knuckles don't transmit sound really well). I also think the Cetacean would use "terrain" and the "native wildlife" to its advantage. Herding carnivorous fish, hiding in caves with a "cupped" roof which can be prepared in advance to hold an air pocket, and my personal favorite: the ram into the coral reef. --- "Megan C. Robertson" wrote: > Greetings dear hearts, especially Jeff. > > Cetacean tactics will be based on the fins' mastery > of their environment. > They will use all 3 dimensions, tight twists, turns, > rolls - a bit like a > good fighter pilot, only taking into account the > specific qualities of > water. Perhaps the best way to look at it is as a > mix of fighter pilot and > submarine tactics. Those with sonar-like > capabilities will use them both to > detect and confuse their opposition. Remember things > like thermocline > layers, you will find them bobbing up and down to > baffle those seeking them, > while maximising their own efforts at detecting > others. Some of the > mammalian ones will train to maximise the time they > can remain underwater > between breaths, all will use the necessary trips to > the surface to their > best advantage, and seek to deny air to their > opponents when they are > gasping for it. Some may acquire air supplies to use > to stay down longer in > combat situations. > > When they actually mix it in a furball (which is > possibly not the best term > for underwater combat, but hey, I'm a groundpounder, > OK?), moves will > include a lot of butting with the snout against > vulnerable parts of the > opponent's anatomy. Gills, if the opponent has them, > will be a prime target. > Or the blow hole if that's appropriate. Human > opponents will find their air > hoses and tanks attacked, and their masks knocked > off. Most divers hate > loosing the face mask (I happen not to be bothered, > but they tell me I'm a > bit unusual in that respect!) By movement and > targeted blows, our cetacean > heroes will attempt to disorient their opponents, > confuse them so that they > do not know which way is up. They'll attempt to trap > them in rock formations > or wrecks. Lead them towards the lairs of such as > Moray eels or whatever > nasty carnivorous beasties might be around. Do we > have poisonous sea snakes > on Poseidon? Driving an enemy into a pack of those > could be amusing. > > Well, there's a few ideas... hope they help :-) > > Hugs and kisses, > > Mexal. > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to > majordomo@lists.ient.com > with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body > of the message. > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email alerts & NEW webcam video instant messaging with Yahoo! Messenger http://im.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: C.K. Lee [ckl@ccilearning.com] Sent: Monday, September 10, 2001 5:27 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: RE: [BLUE PLANET] - When is the next book due? How about narwhals. OK, so they're just beluga's with horns (generally speaking)... but they just look so darned cool! CK >We introduce pilot whales, belugas and common dolphins as PCs and >detail the legacy of genlift. There are rafts of info on primal and genlifted >behavior, cetacean settlements, additional technology, communication and even >fin humor. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: David R. Crowell [gpfarm-dave@northnet.org] Sent: Monday, September 10, 2001 5:20 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetacean Tactics The fastest way to get me to leave Blue Planet forever is to make cetaceans a copy of Brin's. I can't stand them. I have been very glad to date that BP's fins have had a very different characterization. YMMV --dave ----- Original Message ----- From: C.K. Lee To: Sent: Monday, September 10, 2001 1:10 PM Subject: RE: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetacean Tactics > Its interesting to hear all the takes on cetacean tactics from the group - > my only real reference for this up to this point would have been what I've > read in Startide Rising (from David Brin). Which, btw, I think is required > reading for fin players! :) > > CK > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message.