-When anyone mentions the word, "gonzo." (Drink twice if they mention Clinton Boomer in the same post.)
Just for that, my next NPC write up is going to be based on Hunter S. Thompson.
RPG Superstar 2013
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka Steven T. Helt
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When they use an en-dash instead of an em-dash. I hate it when that happens :-) And so does James, iirc
Hey - I could use some education about this. What are you talking about? Don't judge me. : )
When they use an en-dash instead of an em-dash. I hate it when that happens :-) And so does James, iircHey - I could use some education about this. What are you talking about? Don't judge me. : )
I'm not sure if you're being serious or joking, but in the interests that someone else may want to know about the differences between an en-dash and an em-dash, here's some guidelines given to me by Sean while working on Realm of the Fellnight Queen:
The En-Dash:
- If showing a range of values (such as 15–30) or where you actually need a minus sign (like 1d6–1 weapon damage), use an en-dash: –
- An en-dash is roughly the width of the letter "n," thus its name.
- In Windows, you create an en-dash by holding Alt and typing (using the numeric keypad, with Num Lock on) 0150. You can also use the Charmap Windows application.
- Microsoft Word usually has its autocorrect feature turned on so if you type a hyphen after a space and then more words after another space - like this, it will automatically convert the hyphen into a single en-dash.
The Em-Dash:
- If you want to indicate a blank entry...like for a null CR value, a creature with no Constitution or Intelligence score, or a negligible weight vallue...that's an em-dash: —.
- An em-dash is also used as the break between a listing of spells and the spell level in a spellcaster's stat-block, such as: 1st—charm person, sleep, ventriloquism
- Also, a break in the middle of a sentence showing a separate thought—like this one—uses an em-dash.
- An em-dash is roughly the width of the letter "m," thus its name.
- In Windows, you create an em-dash by holding Alt and typing (using the numeric keypad, with Num Lock on) 0151. You can also use the Charmap Windows application.
- Microsoft Word usually has its autocorrect feature turned on so if you type two hyphens in the middle of a sentence with no spaces--like this--it will automatically convert those two hyphens into a single em-dash.
I find that it's often easiest to copy and paste the appropriate dashes when working on something once I've got them properly defined in a manuscript's text somewhere. Recycle and reuse, when possible.
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RPG Superstar 2013
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka Steven T. Helt
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I appreciate you thought I might have been joking, but alas, I was not. I have heard of em-dashes and never got much of an explanation. Not terribly germaine in the medical, insurance , or restaurant fields.
But now I know and I'll try to be conscientious about it.
Thanks, Neil.
On a Mac, the en-dash is Option+hyphen; the em-dash is Option+Shift+hyphen.
My hero!
On a Mac, the en-dash is Option+hyphen; the em-dash is Option+Shift+hyphen.
I woulda said that in the message to NS but I knew he was on one of them PC thangs. :)
I'm not sure if you're being serious or joking, but in the interests that someone else may want to know about the differences between an en-dash and an em-dash, here's some guidelines given to me by Sean while working on Realm of the Fellnight Queen:
Hey - I could use some education about this. What are you talking about? Don't judge me. : )
[you crit wall of text]
[wall of text dies]alternatively, you could also write a short macro or two to do all that for you, then key bind it. Or put it on one of your extra mouse buttons that you never use. since I play a LOT of games, i've got a super spiffy combat mouse with more room for macros and scripts than I know what to do with. something like this might be worthy of space on my macro list.
Okay, I knew all about the em-dash and what to use it for, but regarding the en-dash I'm unclear on something: what's the character between 0 and = on my keyboard? Is that technically a hyphen? Or is it just an undifferentiated horizontal bar, not preferred because intelligent layout software doesn't know what you mean by it? I figured if it were anything, that would be the minus symbol, but you say to use en-dash for that.
Contributor
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Star Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 9
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Okay, I knew all about the em-dash and what to use it for, but regarding the en-dash I'm unclear on something: what's the character between 0 and = on my keyboard? Is that technically a hyphen? Or is it just an undifferentiated horizontal bar, not preferred because intelligent layout software doesn't know what you mean by it? I figured if it were anything, that would be the minus symbol, but you say to use en-dash for that.
Wow. I always thought that character could be used as a minus, hyphen, or en-dash.
...what's the character between 0 and = on my keyboard?That's a hyphen.
I never realized the nomeclature of the 'dash' was so detailed.
Chief Technical Officer
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I never realized the nomeclature of the 'dash' was so detailed....what's the character between 0 and = on my keyboard?That's a hyphen.
Oh, these are just the ones people actually use. There are also non-breaking hyphens, soft hyphens, figure dashes, horizontal bars, hyphen bullets...
It'll all be covered in my upcoming article, "The Ecology of the Dash."
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Contributor
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Star Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 9
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I never realized the nomeclature of the 'dash' was so detailed....what's the character between 0 and = on my keyboard?That's a hyphen.Oh, these are just the ones people actually use. There are also non-breaking hyphens, soft hyphens, figure dashes, horizontal bars, hyphen bullets...
It'll all be covered in my upcoming article, "The Ecology of the Dash."
I'd bet Wolfgang would love to publish that in KQ. Plus it's edition neutral, so that's a bonus.
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Chief Technical Officer
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Now, I'm no linguist, but I really don't see much point in having three different types of dash when they're pretty much entirely defined by their context. Are there at least some cases I'm not seeing where it might make a difference?
Well, the em-dash and the hyphen in particular actually do pretty much opposite things. A hyphen connects words more strongly than a space, while an em-dash sets them apart more strongly than a space. Take the following:
A hyphen shows you that the linked words are closely associated with their next-door neighbors, while an em-dash links words—or more often, phrases—that are distinct from their neighbors.
See, in the sentence above, the hyphen tells you there's a strong relationship between "next" and "door." The words on either side of the em-dash, though, aren't directly connected, and it's the job of the em-dash to set them apart.
It's kind of like the way that parentheses in mathematics tell you the order of operation.
If I used them wrong, it would be (at best) harder to read... and in some circumstances, using the wrong dashes could actually change the meaning of what you're trying to say.
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Now, I'm no linguist, but I really don't see much point in having three different types of dash when they're pretty much entirely defined by their context. Are there at least some cases I'm not seeing where it might make a difference?Well, the em-dash and the hyphen in particular actually do pretty much opposite things. A hyphen connects words more strongly than a space, while an em-dash sets them apart more strongly than a space. Take the following:
A hyphen shows you that the linked words are closely associated with their next-door neighbors, while an em-dash links words—or more often, phrases—that are distinct from their neighbors.
See, in the sentence above, the hyphen tells you there's a strong relationship between "next" and "door." The words on either side of the em-dash, though, aren't directly connected, and it's the job of the em-dash to set them apart.
It's kind of like the way that parentheses in mathematics tell you the order of operation.
If I used them wrong, it would be (at best) harder to read... and in some circumstances, using the wrong dashes could actually change the meaning of what you're trying to say.
Ah, thanks! That makes sense. Now you've got me wishing that you were serious about that article.
Oh, these are just the ones people actually use. There are also non-breaking hyphens, soft hyphens, figure dashes, horizontal bars, hyphen bullets...It'll all be covered in my upcoming article, "The Ecology of the Dash."
madness.
...what's the character between 0 and = on my keyboard?That's a hyphen.
I thought it might be, but I was confused because to a programmer it's definitely a minus—and programmers were the original users of computers.
Then I realized keyboards existed before computers. D'oh!
On a Mac, the en-dash is Option+hyphen; the em-dash is Option+Shift+hyphen.
Thanks! I was cutting and pasting it from Paizo pdfs for my Superstar entry. This is much easier.
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Well, the em-dash and the hyphen in particular actually do pretty much opposite things. A hyphen connects words more strongly than a space, while an em-dash sets them apart more strongly than a space. Take the following:
A hyphen shows you that the linked words are closely associated with their next-door neighbors, while an em-dash links words—or more often, phrases—that are distinct from their neighbors.
See, in the sentence above, the hyphen tells you there's a strong relationship between "next" and "door." The words on either side of the em-dash, though, aren't directly connected, and it's the job of the em-dash to set them apart.
It's kind of like the way that parentheses in mathematics tell you the order of operation.
If I used them wrong, it would be (at best) harder to read... and in some circumstances, using the wrong dashes could actually change the meaning of what you're trying to say.
Vic, as a professional technical writer I now consider you my hero.
I never realized the nomeclature of the 'dash' was so detailed....what's the character between 0 and = on my keyboard?That's a hyphen.Oh, these are just the ones people actually use. There are also non-breaking hyphens, soft hyphens, figure dashes, horizontal bars, hyphen bullets...
It'll all be covered in my upcoming article, "The Ecology of the Dash."
Will this article include "Dash" and "Hyphen" base traits?
No, it's mostly focused around dashes. It just tells you to apply the "young" simple template if you want a hyphen.
No, it's mostly focused around dashes. It just tells you to apply the "young" simple template if you want a hyphen.And a half-fiend template for an underscore.
Would the "Advanced" template be used for the "minus" sign?
Wow, this thread gone a bit off topic: from waiting to punctuation. lol
And you Question this?
Wow, this thread gone a bit off topic: from waiting to punctuation. lol
wait until we start applying templates to things. Just how many templates CAN one apply to a goblin, one is forced to wonder?
Wow, this thread gone a bit off topic: from waiting to punctuation. lolwait until we start applying templates to things. Just how many templates CAN one apply to a goblin, one is forced to wonder?
Hmmm ... Pathfinder Bestiary? Or are other source books allowed?
Hmmm ... Pathfinder Bestiary? Or are other source books allowed?Wow, this thread gone a bit off topic: from waiting to punctuation. lolwait until we start applying templates to things. Just how many templates CAN one apply to a goblin, one is forced to wonder?
3.5 rules and pathfinder. go wild.
I think when we did this at our local game store, we topped out at 11 templates. and that was one funky looking goblin by the time we were done.
We never made a hypergoblin like you are describing, but in my college campaign, the DM did once throw in a boss with as many templates as he could find that would fit together. It was a wizard's failed experiment in manipulating quintessence (in this campaign, a miracle substance left behind as residue from time travel, with wide magical/alchemical uses) and using it to infuse a living being with extraplanar energies.
Basically he ended up with a swollen, misshapen Lovecraft-style drake with all kinds of demonic, elemental, psionic, construct, and Gods know what else traits. It was highly resistant to most damage and had a plethora of special attacks.
I'm pretty sure the critter's frothing insanity was the only thing that saved us. I can't remember how we killed it but I think it inolved a Portable Hole and Mordenkainen's Disjunction...
So kinda like the half dragon, fiendish, vampiric, were-snail, from Order of the Stick.
don't forget lich, lycanthrope, half-fiend, half-celestial and mechanical templates. But you have to figure out which order to apply them in or it falls apart and your hypergoblin implodes.
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RPG Superstar 2013
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka Steven T. Helt
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If not an outright rule, there's at least a conventional wisdom that there should be limits on the number and kinds of templates. No stacking lich and vampire, for example. I would say no half-celestial and half-fiend, either. Though, cheddar as that sounds, I think you could tell a pretty good story about a planetar hero who gave up everything for his erinyes lover and their love child. Hmm.
I use templates pretty heavily in my epic game, but I think I've topped out at 4 or 5 - though some, like Evolved (Libris Mortis) I've applied up to 17 times.
Always been a big fan of Multi-Headed, too (Savage Species) and the epic Pseudonatural template. Great for screwing with the heads of casters - SR equal to 5 x HD is nasty.
Just picked up Advanced Bestiary - I'd say less than half of the templates are really good, but that's still a lot.
Got my eye on the Horsemen the Apocalypse one now.
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Friend of mine (and a player in the two groups I run) ran his game (with a different group of people) for a while adding a template to everything, which sounded six kinds of crazy until I asked him why he did it.
His answer: "My players have all the monsters in the books memorized. This way they don't know everything about everything."
If not an outright rule, there's at least a conventional wisdom that there should be limits on the number and kinds of templates. No stacking lich and vampire, for example. I would say no half-celestial and half-fiend, either. Though, cheddar as that sounds, I think you could tell a pretty good story about a planetar hero who gave up everything for his erinyes lover and their love child. Hmm.
well yeah, but we were building a hypergoblin for fun, not as a 'serious' monster entry.
When I first started writing I would despair waiting for responses from the Black Hole that was the Dungeon and Dragon magazine slushpile.
Don't just wait... there's reasons for this... if you get rejected, then what? If you don't have anything else in progress or out waiting for a response then you can become frozen. But if there is something else out there the rejection doesn't feel so much like the end of the world... you still are waiting for another response, or you have another project in progress to mitigate the loss of the rejection.
UUUUUURRRRRGH...
** heroically tries to pull the thread back on topic ***
Good point Koldoon. Time to start practicing my chops on some villians. Only 7 days left...
Patience...
breathe deep...
