Meeting The Ultimate Gamemaster

Scribbled on 9 March 2008 at 05:24 PM

Happy Women's Day! :D

I planned to post it two or three days ago but a visit from a long-time friend, and the hangover that followed, prevented me from writing anything. Or reading. Or walking.

A wave of mourning swept across the Internet this week. Gary Gygax passed away. For those too lazy to click on the Wikipedia link, Gygax was the creator of Dungeons & Dragons, the first table-top role-playing game. Since then (and it was more than 30 years ago) the RPG industry, table-top or electronic, has created many new powerful brands. It's interesting that geeks around the world seem to have taken his death personally. We have lost many significant people recently, Noble Prize winners, great leaders, pop-culture icons and whatnot. Those losses are sad, of course, but they don't feel personal. I don't know why this feels different. Perhaps it's because he created worlds for us, stimulated our brains, made us think (role-playing games are really nothing but a gigantic thinking excercise). And we are using the results of his creation everyday, be that playing World of Warcraft or any table-top RPG. Now he gets to meet the Ultimate Gamemaster...

In other news, not much, I must say. I want to sleep all the time. It's enough for me to close my eyes and next time I open them a few minutes had passed. It doesn't feel as much as physical tiredness as mind numbness. The brain just refuses to stay awake. Could it be a long term effect of my AD pills? I've never been taking ADs for such a long time. Then again mentally I feel stable. Not cured by any means but I don't have to be afraid of myself. I just plod along, dividing my time between work, the guild, the blogosphere and the gym, and try not to think too much about the future.

I have a question to our resident photographers. Do any of you guys have experience with HDR photography? HDR pictures look simply amazing and I would very much like to able to create them. I just don't know how.,

9 folks have spoken :: post a comment :: link

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Scribbled on 9 March 2008 at 05:37 PM by sarai

both OOTS and Penny Arcade did tributes to Gygax, quite fitting I thought

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Scribbled on 9 March 2008 at 06:38 PM by sladewilson

Dude, I want to sleep all the time also - sad thing is, I don't get the chance to barely sleep at all.

Maybe it's one of those - you can't have what you want the most?

That would explain my Angelina Jolie fetish... And you have to check out the new "Wanted" trailers....whoo boy....

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Scribbled on 9 March 2008 at 07:41 PM by elisla

http://abduzeedo.com/20-beautiful-hd...ures?=main

You might find that link interesting.

An HDR image is a series of images with different exposures then using photoshop or some other software they are combined to make a single image.

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Scribbled on 9 March 2008 at 08:03 PM by pizzofmine

I had that feeling recently, about wanting to sleep all the time. No matter how much I sleep, I always wake up not having enough.

In my case though, it's due to lately, perhaps due to mental fatigue that I constantly felt that there's things missing, the feeling of "I'm-not-suppose-to-be-here-doing this" feelings.

What a coincidence, I've just discussed about HDR with birdnest as he posted about the topic a few weeks ago.

What Elisla said is pretty much it.

You need to merge a few images (usually three pictures that has <b>different</b> exposures (either done in camera or photoshop) to do it.

The tools usually used is Photomatix or photoshop (CS2 & CS3 Version).

Photoshop CS3 have simplified this function (though I am not sure about the previous versions). In photoshop through:

File > Automate > Merge to HDR


As for how to make one, you're in luck, there's a lot of online tutorials available. copy and paste this keyword to your Google search form : HDR, tutorial

http://www.vanilladays.com/hdr-guide...hdr-guide/

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Scribbled on 9 March 2008 at 11:01 PM by logis

When i had a depression sleep was indeed the ultimum max. Helas to get out of a depression to sleep but to do something active. I started to walk, not minding other people, just walk. It gave me the energy to do other things and one thing lead to another.

Anyway, i was lucky to get out my depression. I hope you somehow succeed to get out of yours.

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Scribbled on 12 March 2008 at 07:06 AM by ben

I wish I could sleep that easily. I can't turn my mind off.

Sad about Gygax, the man certainly left a legacy.

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Scribbled on 13 March 2008 at 12:25 AM by LadyVisine

Normally, all I want to do all winter is sleep. Perhaps your sleepiness is related to your medications, but maybe there is a bit of it related to the seasons? Now that Spring is around the bend, I hope you start to feel perkier.

R.I.P Gygax. He certainly changed a lot of lives, in his own way.

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Scribbled on 13 March 2008 at 04:36 AM by Squilla

Panthera dons a black armband. Although she has long been a loner (ie. has not played D&D since before it even went online) she will never forget the time she rolled a double 20 and was granted the magical retractable claws. RIP Gary Gygax. And thankyou for allowing me (and millions) to embrace our inner nerd.

Sleep is gooooooood, Bitzky. No need to feel apologetic about it. Here's hoping the dreams are sweet and lead to good things. :D XXXXX

Replies

Scribbled on 15 March 2008 at 05:47 PM by bitzky

Sarai: Yep, saw both of them :)

Slade: "Wanted"? Never heard of it. Will check!

Elisla: Ah so thats how they create them! I thought a special camera or lens is required. Hmm, should probably invest in a tripod. Unless I will try the RAW file technique.

Pizzo: Sounds like we are in the same boat, ghostie. And thanks for the link!

Logis: Yeah, I took the first step when I started to visit the gym again. And planning my vacations. And just think ahead instead of treating each week as the last one. So progress is being made :)

Ben: Oh it sounds nice but when it starts interfering with your work and chorse it's not that pleasant at all :(

Lady V: Hmm, it could be just usual moomin winter hibernation :D

Squillla: Oooomg! You are an RPG-er too! *roll a natural 20 on moomin dance ability* :D

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