RE: GM/Adventure concept...

["Dom de Bechi" <dddl21455@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Looking at security measures, the replies from Roger and Robert on the
subject raise most of the pertinent points. I'd just like to add my
two-penny-worth.

Whilst it is feasible to create a state of the art security installation,
the cost versus benefit has to be weighed up from a realistic perspective.
For me, ME is a game founded on gritty reality, so plausibility and
consistency are important things. You're not going to spend millions
protecting the secret recipe for cheese on toast. To a certain extent, the
level of precautions taken (and the margin for error they leave) are
generally in proportion to the level of security that is necessary.

The other side is playability, because it is only a game. The scenario needs
to be playable but challenging. Even though it may be a fantastically
protected site, there still has to be some way in there (even if that
involves thinking in the exact same way as the designer of the scenario).
Otherwise it is a truly impossible scenario (and one that players will
simply find frustrating and futile).

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert J. Hansen [mailto:rjhansen@inav.net]
Sent: 12 November 2001 22:15
To: millenniums-end-l@firedrake.org
Subject: Re: GM/Adventure concept...


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> I removed your badly articulated and nonsensical word bulimia
> as irrelevant to above mentioned goal.

Janne, I'm going to say this as politely as I can, and also using
short sentences composed of one-syllable words so that there will be
absolutely no misunderstanding as to what I mean.

=====

Life is short.  You don't have time to be mean.

=====

Now, for the rest of my long-worded diatribe.  You asked a question
which is open-ended in the extreme.  You did not specify a budget for
security (and financial constraints are often the -defining- trait of
security!), you did not specify an expected threat condition
(security from industrial sabotage is different from security against
terrorism, etc.), you did not specify whether the materials inside
the building were classified or secret (in which case there would be
extensive destruction protocols), you did not specify whether the
facility was military or civilian (which gives an enormous difference
in the training and equipment of the staff), you did not specify the
environmental conditions (is it often rainy? overcast? sunny?  These
things make quite the difference in planning, you know).

Given that you gave us absolutely no useful information, I find it
surprising that you could expect us to take your request seriously.
Roger did a damn sight better than most of us, and he at least took
you seriously enough to give you a response--even if it was a
humorous, tongue-in-cheek one.

There is a lot of wisdom buried in the wit.  If you choose to discard
it, none of us here will stop you.  But insulting Roger for helping
you is far beneath you.

> You should be ashamed of yourself.

You're the one who ought be ashamed.

You're going into my killfile, Janne; as soon as Roger tells me
you've delivered him the apology he's due, you'll come out of it.

Usually, I don't give a second thought to whether or not I sign an
email, but this is one of the few occasions in which it will be an
honor to pen my name in electronic ink, as it were.


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