Digest Archive vol 1 Issue 223
From: owner-champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 1999 9:42 PM
To: champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Subject: champ-l-digest V1 #223
champ-l-digest Wednesday, March 3 1999 Volume 01 : Number 223
In this issue:
this would rock (fwd)
Re: I need robot desisng
Re: Vehicle help needed
Re: this would rock (fwd)
Spidey Movie
Re: this would rock (fwd)
Re: Vehicle help needed
[OT] Re: Spidey Movie
RE: Spidey Movie
Re: [OT] Re: Spidey Movie
Re: [OT] Re: Spidey Movie
Kara Fenn
Re: this would rock (fwd)
RE: Movies
Re: Kara Fenn
Re: this would rock (fwd)
Re: this would rock (fwd)
Re: this would rock (fwd)
Re: this would rock (fwd)
Villain's Exits
Re: Spidey Movie
Hero Games Website
Re: [OT] Re: Spidey Movie
Re: this would rock (fwd)
Re: this would rock (fwd)
Re: Villain's Exits
Re: this would rock (fwd)
Re: this would rock (fwd)
Re: Vehicle help needed
Re: [OT] Re: Spidey Movie
Re: Villain's Exits
Re: Villain's Exits
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 09:52:11 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
Subject: this would rock (fwd)
- --
Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html
"10,000 of them...four of us. Those unlucky bastards!"
Andy "the Buffalo" Bartalone
- ---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 09:48:51 -0500 (EST)
From: Andy Bartalone <buffalo@dedaana.otd.com>
To: Slacking Weasels <weasel-patrol@otd.com>
Subject: this would rock
And I agree completely with ALL of the casting.....
Andy
- -------------------------------------------
Regarding a possible X-Men movie..
SUDBURY, Ont. (CP) - This Northern Ontario
mining city could become a super-hero
battleground if a movie based on the comic book
X-Men starts filming here this summer.
[...]
Possible cast members for the film include Patrick
Stewart (Star Trek's Captain Picard) as Professor
X, the wheelchair-bound telepath who trains his
mutant students in the use of their abilities; Russell
Crowe (L.A. Confidential, Virtuosity) as
Wolverine, the ferocious, snarling Canadian;
Julianne Moore (Boogie Nights) as psychic Jean
Grey; and Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To
Do With It) as the weather-controlling Storm.
Science North and the nickel mines would be the
setting for the headquarters of arch-villain Magneto,
an evil mutant who can control magnetism and
wants to take over the planet.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 06:47:48 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: I need robot desisng
At 08:27 PM 3/2/99 -0600, Todd Hanson wrote:
>It looks like other people are covering where to find robots, so I'll offer a
>different suggestion on using robots in your game:
>
>When you design/customize the robots, go with lower defenses (a point or two
>lower than the average DC in party), and more body. The key is to make sure
>that ALL of the PCs in the group can damage them, even if its just a little
>bit. If you have PCs with lower dice attacks and no killing attacks, they
>will get frustrated when they constantly 'dink' off of the robot's armor.
Actually, under certain circumstances, it can be effective to make the
robot's armor *equal* to the number of DCs in the least damaging
character's attack. The character in question should have a high DCV and a
high SPD, and should be at least two DCs lower than the norm for the group.
This way, the character will need to roll better than average to damage
the robot, but will get a lot of shots in, and the robot will need to score
a lucky hit to do anything at all.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 06:48:31 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Vehicle help needed
At 05:07 AM 3/3/99 GMT, <owner-champ-l@sysabend.org> wrote:
>From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
>cc: Champions Mailing List <champ-l@sysabend.org>
>Subject: Re: Vehicle help needed
>
>On Tue, 2 Mar 1999, Bob Greenwade wrote:
>
>> At 04:44 PM 3/2/99 -0500, Michael Surbrook wrote:
>> >Okay Bob, I followed your TUV advice in building this thing. Here is its
>> >base stats:
>> [snip]
>> >Abilities and Equipment
>> >10 Cargo Space: x 4
>> >390 Movement: Flight: 196", x8 NCM
>> [snip]
>> >How's my math? Is this what you described to me?
>>
>> Actually the above section is a bit off. x4 Cargo is 5 points, and 196"
>> of Flight at x8 NCM is 402 points.
>
>Uhm.. don't I get the first 6" of flight for free?
No, but you *can* sell off the 6" base Ground Movement unless you want
it to be able to taxi.
>Also, will x4 Cargo get me te right size, or do I need X8 Cargo?
>(you told me 10 points of extra cargo space).
10 points of Cargo would get you x16 space. As for whether it'll get
you the right size, I'll have to go back and check the base size... but
basically, the math is to add 1 to the multiplier, divide by 2, and apply
it to the original size (in *total* hexes) to get the Vehicle's new
dimensions.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 07:53:07 -0800 (PST)
From: "Steven J. Owens" <puff@netcom.com>
Subject: Re: this would rock (fwd)
Michael Surbrook writes:
> To: Slacking Weasels <weasel-patrol@otd.com>
> Subject: this would rock
>
> And I agree completely with ALL of the casting.....
> -------------------------------------------
>
> Regarding a possible X-Men movie.
It certainly would rock, and I like some of the casting choices,
but my advice is to just forget about it until the movie's been
released and you've heard good things. Every time I brush up against
the movie industry I learn to fear it even more. Go pickup Gaiman's
latest prose anthology, _Stardust_, and read the "Sons of Man" story,
about a writer working on a movie script. I have absolutely no doubt
the story is semi-autobiographical and if anything the inanities it
describes are probably toned down.
Steven J. Owens
puff@netcom.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 08:12:17 -0800
From: Christopher Taylor <ctaylor@viser.net>
Subject: Spidey Movie
Just for general note, the legal difficulties surrounding the Spiderman
Movie have been resolved. Cameron should start work on this soon, probably
after he finishes whatever he is working on right now. Personal favorite
for Spidey? John Cusak... with someone lithe, fast, and agile in the
costume (he's covered totally, as long as they have a similar build and
size, it doesnt matter who they actually are, and can use voice overs and
closeups with the mask up can be John).
This could reshape comic book movies for good.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sola Gracia Sola Scriptura Sola Fide
Soli Gloria Deo Solus Christus Corum Deo
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 08:13:56 -0800
From: Christopher Taylor <ctaylor@viser.net>
Subject: Re: this would rock (fwd)
>And I agree completely with ALL of the casting.....
>Regarding a possible X-Men movie..
>
> SUDBURY, Ont. (CP) - This Northern Ontario
>mining city could become a super-hero
>battleground if a movie based on the comic book
>X-Men starts filming here this summer.
> Possible cast members for the film include Patrick
>Stewart (Star Trek's Captain Picard) as Professor
>X, the wheelchair-bound telepath who trains his
>mutant students in the use of their abilities; Russell
>Crowe (L.A. Confidential, Virtuosity) as
>Wolverine, the ferocious, snarling Canadian;
>Julianne Moore (Boogie Nights) as psychic Jean
>Grey; and Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To
>Do With It) as the weather-controlling Storm.
>
> Science North and the nickel mines would be the
>setting for the headquarters of arch-villain Magneto,
>an evil mutant who can control magnetism and
>wants to take over the planet.
Russel Crowe??? Umm stop me if Im wrong, but Wolverine is short and really
buff ... I don't visualize ANY person that I know of in Hollywood in the
part. The others seem pretty good... although you know they are going to
put some cheezy new character like Marrow or Jubilee (gag, gag) in the movie.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sola Gracia Sola Scriptura Sola Fide
Soli Gloria Deo Solus Christus Corum Deo
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 11:17:08 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
Subject: Re: Vehicle help needed
On Wed, 3 Mar 1999, Bob Greenwade wrote:
> >> >Abilities and Equipment
> >> >10 Cargo Space: x 4
> >> >390 Movement: Flight: 196", x8 NCM
> >> [snip]
> >> >How's my math? Is this what you described to me?
> >>
> >> Actually the above section is a bit off. x4 Cargo is 5 points, and 196"
> >> of Flight at x8 NCM is 402 points.
> >
> >Uhm.. don't I get the first 6" of flight for free?
>
> No, but you *can* sell off the 6" base Ground Movement unless you want
> it to be able to taxi.
Okay. This thing uses anti-grav and doesn't need to taxi.
> >Also, will x4 Cargo get me te right size, or do I need X8 Cargo?
> >(you told me 10 points of extra cargo space).
>
> 10 points of Cargo would get you x16 space. As for whether it'll get
> you the right size, I'll have to go back and check the base size... but
> basically, the math is to add 1 to the multiplier, divide by 2, and apply
> it to the original size (in *total* hexes) to get the Vehicle's new
> dimensions.
Errr... uhm... right. I didn't follow that. Could you maybe show your
math?
- --
Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html
"10,000 of them...four of us. Those unlucky bastards!"
Andy "the Buffalo" Bartalone
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 11:13:45 -0600 (CST)
From: "Dr. Nuncheon" <jeffj@io.com>
Subject: [OT] Re: Spidey Movie
On Wed, 3 Mar 1999, Christopher Taylor wrote:
>
> Just for general note, the legal difficulties surrounding the Spiderman
> Movie have been resolved. Cameron should start work on this soon, probably
> after he finishes whatever he is working on right now. Personal favorite
> for Spidey? John Cusak... with someone lithe, fast, and agile in the
> costume (he's covered totally, as long as they have a similar build and
> size, it doesnt matter who they actually are, and can use voice overs and
> closeups with the mask up can be John).
My favorite for Spidey in-costime would be Yuen Baio - he's worked and
trained with Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung, so he can definitely handle the
moves, and he's got the right build for it, too.
J
Hostes aliengeni me abduxerent. Jeff Johnston - jeffj@io.com
Qui annus est? http://www.io.com/~jeffj
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 12:34:40 -0500
From: Brian Wawrow <bwawrow@fmco.com>
Subject: RE: Spidey Movie
You want lithe, fast and agile? I suggest the most underated actor in
Hollywood today Mark Wallberg. Yes, Mark Walberg of the Marky Mark and his
funky butt fame. Check him out in the Basketball Diaries and The Big Hit.
Although, I'd rather see him play Nightcrawler.
On the X-Men movie, I completely agree with Patrick Stewart as Prof. X and
Angela Basset as Storm. Wolverine has always been the toughest one to nail
down. Stallone is physically about right but worthless as an actor, I would
tend more towards someone like Bruce Willis. For the villian, I'd rather see
a completely animated Apocalypse with the voice of Avery Brooks. I'd also
like to see Dolph Lundgren show up as Sabretooth. Although, it would be cool
to see Rutger Hauer as Magneto ripping up shield material in Sudbury.
I've been waiting for an X-Men movie as long as I've been waiting for Master
of Magic II and I have just as much hope that I'll see it.
That is all.
BRI
] Just for general note, the legal difficulties surrounding the
] Spiderman
] Movie have been resolved. Cameron should start work on this
] soon, probably
] after he finishes whatever he is working on right now.
] Personal favorite
] for Spidey? John Cusak... with someone lithe, fast, and agile in the
] costume (he's covered totally, as long as they have a similar
] build and
] size, it doesnt matter who they actually are, and can use
] voice overs and
] closeups with the mask up can be John).
]
] This could reshape comic book movies for good.
]
] --------------------------------------------------------------
] ------------
] Sola Gracia Sola Scriptura Sola Fide
] Soli Gloria Deo Solus Christus Corum Deo
] --------------------------------------------------------------
] ------------
]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 13:17:47 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
Subject: Re: [OT] Re: Spidey Movie
On Wed, 3 Mar 1999, Dr. Nuncheon wrote:
> My favorite for Spidey in-costime would be Yuen Baio - he's worked and
> trained with Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung, so he can definitely handle the
> moves, and he's got the right build for it, too.
YES! Yuen Biao is the man!
- --
Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html
"10,000 of them...four of us. Those unlucky bastards!"
Andy "the Buffalo" Bartalone
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 10:32:08 -0800
From: Christopher Taylor <ctaylor@viser.net>
Subject: Re: [OT] Re: Spidey Movie
>> Just for general note, the legal difficulties surrounding the Spiderman
>> Movie have been resolved. Cameron should start work on this soon, probably
>> after he finishes whatever he is working on right now. Personal favorite
>> for Spidey? John Cusak... with someone lithe, fast, and agile in the
>> costume (he's covered totally, as long as they have a similar build and
>> size, it doesnt matter who they actually are, and can use voice overs and
>> closeups with the mask up can be John).
>
>My favorite for Spidey in-costime would be Yuen Baio - he's worked and
>trained with Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung, so he can definitely handle the
>moves, and he's got the right build for it, too.
I agree and MAN can he move, he's unreal, I love watching his stuff, if you
think Jackie Chan is acrobatic you have seen NOTHING.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sola Gracia Sola Scriptura Sola Fide
Soli Gloria Deo Solus Christus Corum Deo
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 12:02:51 -0800
From: Tracy L Birdine <hawk291@juno.com>
Subject: Kara Fenn
KARA FENN
Ranger/Woodswoman
16 STR 6
21 DEX 33
16 CON 12
15 BODY 10
18 INT 8
17 EGO 14
16 PRE 6
16 COM 3
5 PD 2
3 ED 0
3 SPD 0
6 REC 0
38 END 3
33 STUN 2
Characteristics Cost: 99
3 Ambidexterity
5 14- Fast Draw
3 13- Combat Sense
4 13- Contact: Seligad, Healer/Inventor/Mage
5 Tracking 14-
3 Tactics 13-
3 Trading 12-
3 TF,Horses / Donkeys
9 Survival 14-
5 Streetwise 13-
3 Stealth 13-
9 3 Rng Levels,all ranged attacks
3 Paramedic 13-
3 High Society 12-
5 Bureaucratics 13-
3 Climbing 13-
3 Breakfall 13-
5 Animal Handler 12-
3 Acrobatics 13-
4 WF,Common Melee,Common Missile
4 PS: Ranger 13-
3 Riding 13-
5 Shadowing 12-
3 Traveler
Powers Cost: 99
Total Cost: 198
Base Points: 100
10 Psych Lim,"Last of her people",uncommon,strong
15 Hunted,"Concealers",more powerful,harsh,appear 8-
10 Psych Lim,"Sense of Duty: Kael",uncommon,strong
10 Psych Lim,"Affiliation: Kael's Crew",uncommon,strong
10 Psych Lim,"Very Tenacious",uncommon,strong
Disadvantages Total: 55
Experience Spent: 43
Total Points: 198
___________________________________________
Kara is the third member of the party, having met Kael on the road.
|- /\ \\/ |<
CO/Alpha Company, Black Horse Regiment
ICQ: 32038562
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 12:39:17 -0800 (PST)
From: "Steven J. Owens" <puff@netcom.com>
Subject: Re: this would rock (fwd)
Christopher Taylor writes:
> Russel Crowe??? Umm stop me if Im wrong, but Wolverine is short and really
> buff ... I don't visualize ANY person that I know of in Hollywood in the
I don't know if the guy is Russel Crowe, but from what I remember of
LA Confidential, I'd guess they're talking about the guy who played the cop
with the beserker streak. I think that'd be a good cast; he's a decent
actor and he's kinda buff and that's really more important than somebody
who's super-buff but has the acting skills of a block of wood. I could
easily imagine him playing wolverine. (Not Bruce Willis, though; Bruce
Willis always plays Bruce Willis, and his personality doesn't quite fit
wolverine).
Steven J. Owens
puff@netcom.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 12:15:09 -0800
From: Christopher Taylor <ctaylor@viser.net>
Subject: RE: Movies
>On the X-Men movie, I completely agree with Patrick Stewart as Prof. X and
>Angela Basset as Storm. Wolverine has always been the toughest one to nail
>down. Stallone is physically about right but worthless as an actor, I would
>tend more towards someone like Bruce Willis. For the villian, I'd rather see
>a completely animated Apocalypse with the voice of Avery Brooks. I'd also
>like to see Dolph Lundgren show up as Sabretooth. Although, it would be cool
>to see Rutger Hauer as Magneto ripping up shield material in Sudbury.
Yawn Apocalypse, what a dull villain, I hate those guys that have always
existed and show up suddenly.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sola Gracia Sola Scriptura Sola Fide
Soli Gloria Deo Solus Christus Corum Deo
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 14:45:26 -0600 (CST)
From: Curt Hicks <exucurt@exu.ericsson.se>
Subject: Re: Kara Fenn
> From: Tracy L Birdine <hawk291@juno.com>
>
The character has traveler but no area knowledges ?
How does the Psych Lim,"Last of her people",uncommon,strong
affect her ?
How does the Psych Lim "Sense of Duty: Kael" differ
from the Psych Lim "Affiliation with Kael's Crew" ?
The way that last is worded it sounds more like a reputation
or distinctive feature or maybe some kind of identity disdavantage.
Curt Hicks
> KARA FENN
> Ranger/Woodswoman
>
>
> 16 STR 6
> 21 DEX 33
> 16 CON 12
> 15 BODY 10
> 18 INT 8
> 17 EGO 14
> 16 PRE 6
> 16 COM 3
> 5 PD 2
> 3 ED 0
> 3 SPD 0
> 6 REC 0
> 38 END 3
> 33 STUN 2
>
> Characteristics Cost: 99
>
> 3 Ambidexterity
> 5 14- Fast Draw
> 3 13- Combat Sense
> 4 13- Contact: Seligad, Healer/Inventor/Mage
> 5 Tracking 14-
> 3 Tactics 13-
> 3 Trading 12-
> 3 TF,Horses / Donkeys
> 9 Survival 14-
> 5 Streetwise 13-
> 3 Stealth 13-
> 9 3 Rng Levels,all ranged attacks
> 3 Paramedic 13-
> 3 High Society 12-
> 5 Bureaucratics 13-
> 3 Climbing 13-
> 3 Breakfall 13-
> 5 Animal Handler 12-
> 3 Acrobatics 13-
> 4 WF,Common Melee,Common Missile
> 4 PS: Ranger 13-
> 3 Riding 13-
> 5 Shadowing 12-
> 3 Traveler
>
> Powers Cost: 99
> Total Cost: 198
>
> Base Points: 100
> 10 Psych Lim,"Last of her people",uncommon,strong
> 15 Hunted,"Concealers",more powerful,harsh,appear 8-
> 10 Psych Lim,"Sense of Duty: Kael",uncommon,strong
> 10 Psych Lim,"Affiliation: Kael's Crew",uncommon,strong
> 10 Psych Lim,"Very Tenacious",uncommon,strong
>
> Disadvantages Total: 55
> Experience Spent: 43
> Total Points: 198
>
> ___________________________________________
>
> Kara is the third member of the party, having met Kael on the road.
>
>
> |- /\ \\/ |<
> CO/Alpha Company, Black Horse Regiment
> ICQ: 32038562
>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 13:26:09 -0800
From: "Filksinger" <filkhero@usa.net>
Subject: Re: this would rock (fwd)
From: Steven J. Owens <puff@netcom.com>
<snip>
> It certainly would rock, and I like some of the casting choices,
>but my advice is to just forget about it until the movie's been
>released and you've heard good things. Every time I brush up against
>the movie industry I learn to fear it even more. Go pickup Gaiman's
>latest prose anthology, _Stardust_, and read the "Sons of Man" story,
>about a writer working on a movie script. I have absolutely no doubt
>the story is semi-autobiographical and if anything the inanities it
>describes are probably toned down.
A classic of science fiction, "The Puppet Masters", by Robert Heinlein, was
the basis of the original "The Body Snatchers" (and Heinlein successfully
sued over the theft). A few years ago, it was turned into a movie. In order
to distinguish it from the horror movies of the same name, the movie was
named "Robert A. Heinlein's The Puppet Masters". The result was a third rate
adventure flick that barely resembled the book at all.
A friend of mine who is a Heinlein fan and hater of the movie met one of the
authors of the screenplay at Worldcon about 4 years ago. He said he spent
several hours trying to convince a thoroughly depressed playwright that "it
wasn't that bad". Apparently the two playwrights spent a great deal of time
trying to get the essence of the movie into the final version of the
screenplay, finally succeeded, and then discovered that a director has total
power over what gets filmed and how it is edited. _He_ completely rewrote
the screenplay into the inane trash that eventually reached the screen and
died with barely a ripple.
So, whenever I see rumors like this I always remind myself that it takes a
lot of people doing things right to make a movie and only one idiot in the
right position to utterly destroy a movie.
Given that there are probably 5 times as many movies that get to this stage
as are ever released, I'd take this announcement with a grain of salt.
Filksinger
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 16:24:51 -0600 (CST)
From: Curt Hicks <exucurt@exu.ericsson.se>
Subject: Re: this would rock (fwd)
> From: "Filksinger" <filkhero@usa.net>
>
> A classic of science fiction, "The Puppet Masters", by Robert Heinlein, was
> the basis of the original "The Body Snatchers" (and Heinlein successfully
> sued over the theft). A few years ago, it was turned into a movie. In order
> to distinguish it from the horror movies of the same name, the movie was
> named "Robert A. Heinlein's The Puppet Masters". The result was a third rate
> adventure flick that barely resembled the book at all.
>
I didn't think the movie was that bad. I was also surprised that it was as
close to the book as it was.
I ran a 'Puppet Master' scenario once. An NPC hero team that was located
closer to the alien invasion beat the PC's to the scene. I'm afraid it
devolved into a standard mind-controlled good guys versus non-mind-controlled
good guys scenario. I didn't really play up the scenario enough to do it
justice. It did have the long-term effect of changing the dress codes in
that area of the country so that nudity, near-nudity, and skin tight costumes
like the supers wore were more commonly worn.
Oh ! Plus it provided a background to my master villain's chief of staff,
a Marine colonel who shot down a plane of civilians which may or may not
have been slug-infested and was crucified by Congress...
Curt
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 14:42:25 -0800 (PST)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: this would rock (fwd)
>From: Steven J. Owens <puff@netcom.com>
>A classic of science fiction, "The Puppet Masters", by Robert Heinlein, was
>the basis of the original "The Body Snatchers" (and Heinlein successfully
>sued over the theft). A few years ago, it was turned into a movie. In order
>to distinguish it from the horror movies of the same name, the movie was
>named "Robert A. Heinlein's The Puppet Masters". The result was a third rate
>adventure flick that barely resembled the book at all.
>
>A friend of mine who is a Heinlein fan and hater of the movie met one of the
>authors of the screenplay at Worldcon about 4 years ago. He said he spent
>several hours trying to convince a thoroughly depressed playwright that "it
>wasn't that bad". Apparently the two playwrights spent a great deal of time
>trying to get the essence of the movie into the final version of the
>screenplay, finally succeeded, and then discovered that a director has total
>power over what gets filmed and how it is edited. _He_ completely rewrote
>the screenplay into the inane trash that eventually reached the screen and
>died with barely a ripple.
Actually, the first part of the movie _wasn't_ that bad, and didn't parallel
the book that badly. The repositioned the movie in the present instead of
the future, and changed the appearance and behavior of the slugs slightly
(which was understandable; they'd be a little dull for what was going to get
marketed after all as essentially a horror movie), but the characters were
fundamentally the same, and the plot followed about the same. The character
of the Old Man was _quite_ recognizeable as played by Donald Sutherland.
More than anything else, the movie showed a bad example of 'ran out of
budget at the end' syndrome, as that's where it mostly where it fell apart.
Not that your point isn't correct, but I'm always a bit amazed at the
hostility toward this movie; it's actually not that far a miss, all things
being equal. Now if you want to talk about deliberate betrayal of story
intent, talk "Starship Troopers". But let's not go there.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 18:25:18 -0600
From: Bryant Berggren <voxel@theramp.net>
Subject: Re: this would rock (fwd)
At 01:26 PM 3/3/99 -0800, Filksinger wrote:
> A classic of science fiction, "The Puppet Masters", by Robert Heinlein,
> was the basis of the original "The Body Snatchers" (and Heinlein
> successfully sued over the theft).
Uh, no. "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" was actually based on a novella by
another author. Heinlein's lawsuit was against the makers of the film "The
Brain Eaters".
> A few years ago, it was turned into a movie. In order to distinguish it
> from the horror movies of the same name, the movie was named "Robert A.
> Heinlein's The Puppet Masters". The result was a third rate adventure
> flick that barely resembled the book at all.
>
> A friend of mine who is a Heinlein fan and hater of the movie met one of
> the authors of the screenplay at Worldcon about 4 years ago. He said he
> spent several hours trying to convince a thoroughly depressed playwright
> that "it wasn't that bad". Apparently the two playwrights spent a great
> deal of time trying to get the essence of the movie into the final
> version of the screenplay, finally succeeded, and then discovered that a
> director has total power over what gets filmed and how it is edited.
> _He_ completely rewrote the screenplay into the inane trash that
> eventually reached the screen and died with barely a ripple.
I read the screenwriter's summation of this fiasco elsewhere on the net a
while back. The eerie thing is that the director in question WAS trying to
rip off of Body Snatchers ... so much that HE had to completely rewrite his
rewrite when a LEGITIMATE Body Snatchers remake was released midproduction.
- --
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 15:49:10 -0800
From: "Filksinger" <filkhero@usa.net>
Subject: Villain's Exits
I was just reminded the other day of the best villain ending I can ever
remember, and was curious. If you can manage to reveal it without creating a
big spoiler (which is why I won't tell you mine), what is the best end for a
villain you can recall?
Filksinger
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 15:09:11 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Spidey Movie
At 08:12 AM 3/3/99 -0800, Christopher Taylor wrote:
>
>This could reshape comic book movies for good.
I agree -- though for good or ill remains to be seen.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 15:50:50 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Hero Games Website
Well, now I'm seeing an update to the Hero Games website. Said update
is a bit out of date, but hopefully, even if there isn't another update
tomorrow, whatever situation caused the problem will be resolved soon.
Of course, I'm wanting to buy both New Bedlam Asylum and PRIMUS, so I'm
just waiting impatiently for the online store to be up! :-]
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 15:04:46 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: [OT] Re: Spidey Movie
At 06:39 PM 3/3/99 GMT, <owner-champ-l@sysabend.org> wrote:
>Received: from beelzebubba.sysabend.org ([208.243.107.6])
>From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
>cc: HERO System Mailing List <hero-l@sysabend.org>
>Subject: Re: [OT] Re: Spidey Movie
>
>On Wed, 3 Mar 1999, Dr. Nuncheon wrote:
>
>> My favorite for Spidey in-costime would be Yuen Baio - he's worked and
>> trained with Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung, so he can definitely handle the
>> moves, and he's got the right build for it, too.
>
>YES! Yuen Biao is the man!
Yuen Baio?
How about Scott Baio?
[GDR]
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 18:18:33 -0600 (CST)
From: gilberg@ou.edu
Subject: Re: this would rock (fwd)
>> Glen Danzig for Wolverine. It's perfect.
>
>He is a little tall isnt he? Hes huge enough LOL
He just looks that way. He's actually quite short and stocky, AFAIK.
>> And Jubilee is good for her father-daughter type of relationship
>>with Wolvie.
>
>Thats Kitty Prydes role and she was a much better and more interesting
>character.
Agreed, but either work--and Jubilee is currently better known.
Besides, Juby is a Rocky Horror Picture Show fan, and that has to count for
something.
-Tim Gilberg
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 15:43:17 -0800
From: "Filksinger" <filksinger@usa.net>
Subject: Re: this would rock (fwd)
From: Bryant Berggren <voxel@theramp.net>
>At 01:26 PM 3/3/99 -0800, Filksinger wrote:
>> A classic of science fiction, "The Puppet Masters", by Robert Heinlein,
>> was the basis of the original "The Body Snatchers" (and Heinlein
>> successfully sued over the theft).
>
>Uh, no. "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" was actually based on a novella by
>another author. Heinlein's lawsuit was against the makers of the film "The
>Brain Eaters".
Augh! I thought I had deleted that line. I knew it wasn't TBS, but I
couldn't remember the name.
<snip>
>
>I read the screenwriter's summation of this fiasco elsewhere on the net a
>while back. The eerie thing is that the director in question WAS trying to
>rip off of Body Snatchers ... so much that HE had to completely rewrite his
>rewrite when a LEGITIMATE Body Snatchers remake was released midproduction.
Hmm. I read the same summation, but had completely forgotten that detail. If
I wasn't at work, I'd have reread it before posting.
Filksinger
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 18:45:00 -0600
From: "Michael (Damon) & Peni Griffin" <griffin@txdirect.net>
Subject: Re: Villain's Exits
At 03:49 PM 3/3/1999 -0800, Filksinger wrote:
>I was just reminded the other day of the best villain ending I can ever
>remember, and was curious. If you can manage to reveal it without creating a
>big spoiler (which is why I won't tell you mine), what is the best end for a
>villain you can recall?
I'll have to think about this for a while to come up with something out of
one of my games, but I can think of a favorite from comics right away: The
Executioner. Kind of a minor villain, really, mostly a henchmen of The
Enchantress, an antagonist of Thor and occasional ally of Loki. The
Executioner died a hero, holding the bridge (with machine guns!) against
overwhelming odds while the good guys got clear. When the ammo ran out, he
used the guns as clubs until he was inevitably brought down by sheer force
of numbers. I may dig that out and read it again now...
Damon
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 18:30:05 -0600
From: "Michael (Damon) & Peni Griffin" <griffin@txdirect.net>
Subject: Re: this would rock (fwd)
At 12:39 PM 3/3/1999 -0800, Steven J. Owens wrote:
> I don't know if the guy is Russel Crowe, but from what I remember of
>LA Confidential, I'd guess they're talking about the guy who played the cop
>with the beserker streak. I think that'd be a good cast; he's a decent
>actor and he's kinda buff and that's really more important than somebody
>who's super-buff but has the acting skills of a block of wood. I could
>easily imagine him playing wolverine. (Not Bruce Willis, though; Bruce
>Willis always plays Bruce Willis, and his personality doesn't quite fit
>wolverine).
Once upon a time, I think Robert Conrad would have made a good Wolverine,
but he's a few years past that now.
Damon
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|************* Beware of geeks bearing .GIFs ***************|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|Damon & Peni's homepages: http://www.txdirect.net/~griffin |
| Children's Books -- Dolls -- X-Files -- Pulp Magazines |
| Computers -- Gaming -- All Human Knowledge |
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 15:47:58 -0800
From: "Filksinger" <filkhero@usa.net>
Subject: Re: this would rock (fwd)
From: Wayne Shaw <shaw@caprica.com>
<snip>
>
>Actually, the first part of the movie _wasn't_ that bad, and didn't
parallel
>the book that badly. The repositioned the movie in the present instead of
>the future, and changed the appearance and behavior of the slugs slightly
>(which was understandable; they'd be a little dull for what was going to
get
>marketed after all as essentially a horror movie), but the characters were
>fundamentally the same, and the plot followed about the same.
True, the first part was pretty close. I forget what the main parts needed
in the opinion of the screenwriters were, though I remember agreeing with
them for the most part.
>The character
>of the Old Man was _quite_ recognizeable as played by Donald Sutherland.
Sutherland was perfect. If I was asked to redo the movie, I might cast him
myself.
>More than anything else, the movie showed a bad example of 'ran out of
>budget at the end' syndrome, as that's where it mostly where it fell apart.
Probably true.
>Not that your point isn't correct, but I'm always a bit amazed at the
>hostility toward this movie; it's actually not that far a miss, all things
>being equal. Now if you want to talk about deliberate betrayal of story
>intent, talk "Starship Troopers". But let's not go there.
The biggest problem of Starship Troopers is that it was a "glorify the
military" book, made into a movie by a man who hated the military, had no
idea how the military worked, had no idea how to portray a war movie, and
didn't understand the book at all.
In his credit, he did _try_ to portray what he thought it was about.
However, you are correct. That's for a different time and list.
Filksinger
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 15:04:09 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Vehicle help needed
At 05:10 PM 3/3/99 GMT, <owner-champ-l@sysabend.org> wrote:
>From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
>cc: champ-l@sysabend.org
>Subject: Re: Vehicle help needed
>
>On Wed, 3 Mar 1999, Bob Greenwade wrote:
>> >
>> >Uhm.. don't I get the first 6" of flight for free?
>>
>> No, but you *can* sell off the 6" base Ground Movement unless you want
>> it to be able to taxi.
>
>Okay. This thing uses anti-grav and doesn't need to taxi.
Admittedly, the math works out the same; it's basically just one of
those little bookkeeping things, to avoid confusion. :-]
>> >Also, will x4 Cargo get me te right size, or do I need X8 Cargo?
>> >(you told me 10 points of extra cargo space).
>>
>> 10 points of Cargo would get you x16 space. As for whether it'll get
>> you the right size, I'll have to go back and check the base size... but
>> basically, the math is to add 1 to the multiplier, divide by 2, and apply
>> it to the original size (in *total* hexes) to get the Vehicle's new
>> dimensions.
>
>Errr... uhm... right. I didn't follow that. Could you maybe show your
>math?
Yeah, I didn't really explain that very well because I was rushed at
that particular moment.
Your base vehicle, from the sheet I got, is listed as ~50 tons -- in TUV
terms, it'd be SIZE 9 -- with a total space of ~32 hexes.
Of those 32, 16 is assumed to be "free" Cargo space, and 16 is stuff
like engines, outer bulkheads, etc.
If you spent 5 points on increasing Cargo, that's x4 the basic Cargo
space, which comes to 64 hexes. Add the 16 for mechanics, and the total
area for the Vehicle is 80 hexes.
(Yes, that's the same number of hexes as if you'd just gotten +2 levels
of Size with a Limitation. It just *happened* to work out that way because
of where this particular Vehicle falls on the Vehicle Size Table.)
I hope that helps make things clearer. :-]
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 17:41:27 -0800
From: "James Jandebeur" <james@javaman.to>
Subject: Re: [OT] Re: Spidey Movie
> Yuen Baio?
> How about Scott Baio?
> [GDR]
You're just evil, you know that? :)
JAJ, GP
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 17:44:30 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Villain's Exits
At 03:49 PM 3/3/99 -0800, Filksinger wrote:
>I was just reminded the other day of the best villain ending I can ever
>remember, and was curious. If you can manage to reveal it without creating a
>big spoiler (which is why I won't tell you mine), what is the best end for a
>villain you can recall?
What kind of ending are you referring to? Death, escape, bye-for-now...?
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 20:46:49 -0500
From: Alan Williams <starlite@gtii.com>
Subject: Re: Villain's Exits
At 03:49 PM 3/3/1999 -0800, Filksinger wrote:
>I was just reminded the other day of the best villain ending I can ever
>remember, and was curious. If you can manage to reveal it without creating a
>big spoiler (which is why I won't tell you mine), what is the best end for a
>villain you can recall?
I'll have to think about that one. What immediately came to mind was the
story of how one of my heroes, in a 21st-century campaign, came to become
one of Dr. Destroyer's worst enemies *before* Zerstoiten became Destroyer....
- --
Alan N. Williams ICQ: 4828472
starlite@gtii.com guardstar@yahoo.com
"Methinks sometimes I have no more wit than a Christian or an ordinary
man has; but I am a great eater of beef, and I believe that does harm
to my wit." -- Sir Andrew Aguecheek, TWELFTH NIGHT I.iii.
------------------------------
End of champ-l-digest V1 #223
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Date: Tuesday, June 15, 1999 01:05 PM