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A gentle request about guns and "clips"...

Started by Vellorian, August 14, 2010, 08:15:18 PM

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VectorSigma

#30
August 15, 2010, 10:24:19 AM
Quote from: Vellorian;399292Most refer to them as "mags".  A single syllable, if that's what you're needing. ;)

Ah, yes, I remember that in 'Modern Warfare' now. :)
Wampus Country - Whimsical tales on the fantasy frontier

"Describing Erik Jensen\'s Wampus Country setting is difficult"  -- Grognardia

"Well worth reading."  -- Steve Winter

"...seriously nifty stuff..." -- Bruce Baugh

"[Erik is] the Carrot-Top of role-playing games." -- Jared Sorensen, who probably meant it as an insult, but screw that guy.

"Next con I\'m playing in Wampus."  -- Harley Stroh

Narf the Mouse

#31
August 15, 2010, 06:06:22 PM
And in other pedantry, "graphical user interface" or GUI typically refers to a user<->computer interface in a computer program which uses graphics as a primary means of communication between the user and the program's backend. If it's primarily textual, it's simply a "user interface".

This has been brought to you by facts you probably don't know, probably never cared about and for which you probably have had no need as of yet, as well as dissertations that can be out-pedant'd.

:D
The main problem with government is the difficulty of pressing charges against its directors.

Given a choice of two out of three M&Ms, the human brain subconsciously tries to justify the two M&Ms chosen as being superior to the M&M not chosen.

Vellorian

#32
August 15, 2010, 06:19:33 PM
Quote from: Narf the Mouse;399411And in other pedantry, "graphical user interface" or GUI typically refers to a user<->computer interface in a computer program which uses graphics as a primary means of communication between the user and the program's backend. If it's primarily textual, it's simply a "user interface".

This has been brought to you by facts you probably don't know, probably never cared about and for which you probably have had no need as of yet, as well as dissertations that can be out-pedant'd.

As a Product Manager for new software development, where part of my responsibility is to design UI/UX, I'm actually quite familiar with this fact!  :)
Ian Vellore
"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" -- Patrick Henry

Vellorian

#33
August 15, 2010, 06:24:44 PM
Quote from: Cylonophile;399318In some cases a weapon may need power AND some form of material, like gauss darts or some form of matter for a plasma gun. I guess they'd come in clips and be called clips., with enough battery to fire the whole load of material.

Making a sperarate power cell and material holder would be complex and make people watch 2 things in battle.

It would be totally annoying, as a player, if this was like the whole "hot dogs and hot dog buns" packaging issues...

"Okay, so your darts come in packs of 32 and your charges can launch up to 40 of them..."

One of the many things my Marine buddies have told me is that they often leave mags with some rounds left in them if they are on specific mission--that way, with each specific point, they can rely on the fact that they *know* how many rounds they have in their magazine.  

Aftwards, if they have time, they collect the discarded mags and reload them.  (Mind you, these are also the guys who throw away a round if they drop it on the ground, rather than risk putting dirt and dust into the action.)
Ian Vellore
"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" -- Patrick Henry

Narf the Mouse

#34
August 15, 2010, 06:32:20 PM
Quote from: Vellorian;399415As a Product Manager for new software development, where part of my responsibility is to design UI/UX, I'm actually quite familiar with this fact!  :)
Hence the lack of absolutes in the general designation of probable reader traits. :)
The main problem with government is the difficulty of pressing charges against its directors.

Given a choice of two out of three M&Ms, the human brain subconsciously tries to justify the two M&Ms chosen as being superior to the M&M not chosen.

Narf the Mouse

#35
August 15, 2010, 06:33:46 PM
Quote from: Vellorian;399417It would be totally annoying, as a player, if this was like the whole "hot dogs and hot dog buns" packaging issues...

"Okay, so your darts come in packs of 32 and your charges can launch up to 40 of them..."

One of the many things my Marine buddies have told me is that they often leave mags with some rounds left in them if they are on specific mission--that way, with each specific point, they can rely on the fact that they *know* how many rounds they have in their magazine.  

Aftwards, if they have time, they collect the discarded mags and reload them.  (Mind you, these are also the guys who throw away a round if they drop it on the ground, rather than risk putting dirt and dust into the action.)
...Nasty ideas for Shadowrun/Cyberpunk GMs. :D

"This ShootMaster 3000 has just detected a non-standard energy cell interface and must reboot."
The main problem with government is the difficulty of pressing charges against its directors.

Given a choice of two out of three M&Ms, the human brain subconsciously tries to justify the two M&Ms chosen as being superior to the M&M not chosen.

pspahn

#36
August 15, 2010, 07:16:32 PM
Quote from: Narf the Mouse;399411And in other pedantry, "graphical user interface" or GUI typically refers to a user<->computer interface in a computer program which uses graphics as a primary means of communication between the user and the program's backend. If it's primarily textual, it's simply a "user interface".

This has been brought to you by facts you probably don't know, probably never cared about and for which you probably have had no need as of yet, as well as dissertations that can be out-pedant'd.

:D

Heh, well if were going down this road, I'll throw in PIN number.  So that would be your Personal Identification Number number?  :)

Petr
Small Niche Games
Also check the WWII: Operation WhiteBox Community on Google+

Narf the Mouse

#37
August 15, 2010, 07:21:13 PM
Quote from: pspahn;399425Heh, well if were going down this road, I'll throw in PIN number.  So that would be your Personal Identification Number number?  :)

Petr
Canada must be Cyberpunk, I've got a SIN (Social Insurance Number) number!
The main problem with government is the difficulty of pressing charges against its directors.

Given a choice of two out of three M&Ms, the human brain subconsciously tries to justify the two M&Ms chosen as being superior to the M&M not chosen.

Fifth Element

#38
August 15, 2010, 08:33:39 PM
This is a thread on an RPG site? I don't get it.

Considering the similarity in function between clips and mags, I can't see how using the terms interchangeably in an RPG context does any harm to anything at all. Someone complaining about it is just complaining to complain, probably driven by a feeling of elitism over those who don't "know" like they do. IMHO.

I mean, seriously, how many people use the term "longsword" incorrectly when playing D&D or a similar game? What's the issue?
Iain Fyffe

Vellorian

#39
August 15, 2010, 08:51:47 PM
Quote from: Fifth Element;399435This is a thread on an RPG site? I don't get it.

Considering the similarity in function between clips and mags, I can't see how using the terms interchangeably in an RPG context does any harm to anything at all. Someone complaining about it is just complaining to complain, probably driven by a feeling of elitism over those who don't "know" like they do. IMHO.

I mean, seriously, how many people use the term "longsword" incorrectly when playing D&D or a similar game? What's the issue?

As the OP, I can say this is not based in any form of elitism at all--merely a sharing of information that is not readily available to some.  

As a writer, I think it's important to be accurate.  I shared some knowledge.  

What you do with it is your business.  

So, IMHO, you're dead wrong.  :)  But, you're free to believe anything you like--erroneous or not.  ;)
Ian Vellore
"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" -- Patrick Henry

Koltar

#40
August 15, 2010, 08:55:13 PM
Quote from: Fifth Element;399435Considering the similarity in function between clips and mags, I can't see how using the terms interchangeably in an RPG context does any harm to anything at all. Someone complaining about it is just complaining to complain, probably driven by a feeling of elitism over those who don't "know" like they do. IMHO.


Thats kind of what I said earlier in the thread.
Who cares what the damn thing is called if it slows down the damn game arguing about or getting nitpicky about it?

I know a veteran who forgets proper names for certain common things all the time - however our group of friends know what id being referred to. Thats what counts.

Hell, I gave up trying to correct people on the difference between a 3-ring binder and a photro album.  As long as everyone know what being referred to - having the pet peeve ...especially at the game table it just isn't worth it.

Roll the damn dice and keep the game moving.

- Ed C.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUn-eN8mkDw&feature=rec-fresh+div

This is what a really cool FANTASY RPG should be like :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-WnjVUBDbs

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Vellorian

#41
August 15, 2010, 08:57:45 PM
Quote from: Koltar;399438Thats kind of what I said earlier in the thread.
Who cares what the damn thing is called if it slows down the damn game arguing about or getting nitpicky about it?

I know a veteran who forgets proper names for certain common things all the time - however our group of friends know what id being referred to. Thats what counts.

Hell, I gave up trying to correct people on the difference between a 3-ring binder and a photro album.  As long as everyone know what being referred to - having the pet peeve ...especially at the game table it just isn't worth it.

Roll the damn dice and keep the game moving.

Again, where do you see this impacting the rolling of the dice or the playing of the game?  I'm talking about the writing of the game and about writers using the correct nomenclature so they don't look like they failed to do appropriate research.

You've brought it back to rolling dice twice now.  How exactly do you see this impacting an actual gaming session?  Because it escapes me entirely...
Ian Vellore
"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" -- Patrick Henry

mxyzplk

#42
August 15, 2010, 09:58:43 PM
Quote from: CRKrueger;399300When I was playing Shadowrun everyone used "clips".
When I was playing Rifts or other military campaigns, everyone said "mags".
It was the same people, weird now that I think of it, we all switched to mags or magazines when in military context.

I agree and I've seen the same thing.  In most contexts, if someone says "magazines" in any fiction then it's a situation where they are trained military or a paramilitary whackjob; cops and criminals say "clips," and total civilians just fumble around and leave their safety on so they can get humiliated by the characters in categories 1 and 2 above.
 

VectorSigma

#43
August 15, 2010, 10:30:50 PM
I confess that after my "why is he reminding us of this?" phase it occurred to me that I've given my share of similar 'gentle reminders' to friends when it came to stuff _I_ knew about (in this case, languages) when they were "doin' it wrong". :)
Wampus Country - Whimsical tales on the fantasy frontier

"Describing Erik Jensen\'s Wampus Country setting is difficult"  -- Grognardia

"Well worth reading."  -- Steve Winter

"...seriously nifty stuff..." -- Bruce Baugh

"[Erik is] the Carrot-Top of role-playing games." -- Jared Sorensen, who probably meant it as an insult, but screw that guy.

"Next con I\'m playing in Wampus."  -- Harley Stroh

J Arcane

#44
August 15, 2010, 11:53:32 PM
Quote from: mxyzplk;399447I agree and I've seen the same thing.  In most contexts, if someone says "magazines" in any fiction then it's a situation where they are trained military or a paramilitary whackjob; cops and criminals say "clips," and total civilians just fumble around and leave their safety on so they can get humiliated by the characters in categories 1 and 2 above.

Hee hee.  I was reading IMFDB the other day, and there was a caption under a picture of Simon and Kaylee in the Firefly article that cracked me up:

Quote

Sean Maher and Jewel Staite both do an excellent job of portraying people with no weapons training at all.
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