I'm sorry but the software doesn't allow that at this time. However, I've shown your request to management and they'll take it into consideration, though I can't really promise anything because it's primarily a limitation of the software.
Monica
It was only a 24 hour ban, but it looks like all of my blogs are gone. Are they really permanently gone and deleted? I lost the originals when my computer crashed last month and I was going to try to download them again when I had the time. Can they be restored or is all that work gone forever?
That's not good. I still haven't gotten to reading the dungeontech blogs. I suppose I could try google cache.
This is the first in a series of articles about introducing fantastical technology into your Dungeons & Dragons game. Gamma World (a setting and game that I adore) has already done much of the groundwork for me by making the game compatible with 4e. Mostly, these articles will discuss the concept of technology in D&D, some guidance to DMs to introduce advanced technology in their games, and options for players in a Dungeontech campaign.
Unknown illustration by unknown artist for cover of Galaxy Science Fiction (Dec. 1957); picture is in public domain.
What is Dungeontech?Technology is nothing more or less than the use of tools. Characters in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign already use tools. The default game setting establishes a level of technology somewhere in the early Renaissance or late Middle Ages, allowing the use of full plate armor, hand crossbows, steel, and even siege engines, but no steam combustion, gunpowder, or electricity. In addition to technology that existed on our own Earth, some characters use tools that do not exist. Most alchemy and poisons do not act like any chemical substance that can be made on Earth. Nor, for example, has there ever been an actual, functioning repeating crossbow (at least not until the 18th century). In addition, arcane and divine implements are also tools, and therefore “tech”, allowing characters to improve their supernatural powers.
For purposes of this series of articles, “tech” refers to tools that are primarily (though not exclusively) mundane in origin and that alter some of the basic assumptions of the default Dungeons & Dragons campaign world. Technology can come in an infinite variety of forms and genres. It can be used to create a campaign world with modern technology, such as computers, guns and air planes. Or it can be used to meld elements of science fiction, steampunk or any other alternative setting you can imagine.
Technology does not need to be entirely divorced from magic. Some of the technology described in these articles will explicitly rely on a melding of fantastic technology and magic. Given the prevalence and casual use of magic in Dungeons & Dragons, this should not come as a surprise; if magic were to exist in the world, one would rightfully contemplate that ingenious inventors would incorporate magical principles into their inventions. Nevertheless, these articles are not intended as merely a catalog of new magic items. (See the Advventurers' Vault books, if that is your desire.) Dungeontech will deal primarily with gear, constructs and other campaign elements that enhance a campaign world designed to differ from other campaigns because of the quality and quantity of the technology available to the characters.
Nevertheless, much of the technology described in thse articles will not work under conventional laws of physics. How then is that different from a magic item? One way to distinguish technology from magic is to deem technology to be operating under laws of physics that resemble, but do not mimic precisely our laws of physics, and that magic involves techniques that let the wielders violate the commonly understood laws of physics. However, when examined too closely, this explanation makes little sense. Magic, particularly in Dungeons & Dragons, follows its own predictable rules, making it more a subset of physical laws than an exception to them.
Another way to view technology is simply another form of magic (or, rather, magic as another form of technology). Technology, however, is usually related to the Martial Power Source in the way that implements and rituals are related to the other powers sources.
This is not, however, to say that Dungeontech's usefulness is limited to the martial classes. Technology is useful to all classes. Technology is, as stated above, tools, and every class gets benefits from the use of tools. Dungeontech should prove just as useful to wizards as warriors .
Why Add Dungeontech to a Campaign?The primary reason to introduce new technological elements into a campaign world is simply to create a campaign world with a unique flavor and style. Players (and Dungeon Masters) can become bored with the same vaguely Western European early-Renaissance campaign setting that has been the default setting flavor for the game since its inception over thirty years ago. Some people introduce new cultural elements, such as East Asian, Arabian, Egyptian, and Mesoamerican aspects (and these can also be incorporated with a campaign that uses Tech). Introducing fantastical or futuristic technology can also add a new and exciting facet to a Dungeon Master’s campaign world.
Another reason to add tech to a campaign is to introduce new challenges, role-playing and combat. With the addition of tech, you can introduce a high-speed chase along a highway, or have the party foil a good old-fashioned train robbery. Technology can provide exciting backdrops to a challenge or present a challenge all of its own. Perhaps the PCs must assault a massive mechanical war machine heading towards an innocent city. Or confront a group of gremlin saboteurs in a massive clock tower, fighting along the gears and cogs.
Throughout history, the introduction of new technology has changed the way societies have worked and introduced new ethical dilemmas with which to grapple. Science fiction, particularly, is known for using fantastical technology as a metaphor to explore ethical and moral dilemmas. Such dilemmas could also be introduced into a campaign that uses dungeontech. These dilemmas might even only exist as background. What if a church declares a new technology immoral and attempts to suppress it? What if this new technology falls into the hands of an evil band that tries to overthrow the just, yet anachronistic, ruling class? What if a technology replaces an entire class of tradesmen, leaving them unemployed and restless? These can be interesting and enjoyable dilemmas for a party to confront. However, the Dungeon Master should be sure that the players are interested in wrestling with such concepts. Not everybody wants to be in the midst of a Luddite rebellion.
In some cases, the introduction of technology changed how people engaged in combat. Gunpowder, particularly, changed combat. Once reliable firearms were developed, hand-to-hand combat changed radically. Compare a fight scene from a movie set in a fantasy setting with a fight scene set in a Western. In the fantasy setting, even one with rudimentary gunfire, such as The Three Musketeers, the combatants might fire a single shot (if they had a ranged weapon at all) before closing quickly with swords and fists. In a Western, the combatants would try to fire quickly, and then dive for cover from which they could continue to fire their pistols. Stealthy combatants might attempt to sneak, from one position of cover to the next, until they were close enough to engage the enemy with fists. Most combatants did not even bother with a melee weapon.
When introducing new technology into a campaign setting, try to determine if this technology would change the manner in which battles are fought and won. Changing how combat is fought can favor some characters over others, changing game balance. Either every effort should be made to maintain the game’s balance, or the players should be told ahead of time how this new technology might unbalance the game, so that players can design their characters accordingly.
If used appropriately, tech can offer a rich variety of rewarding challenges and encounters, creating a unique and colorful backdrop for any Dungeon Master’s campaign!In the next article, I will discuss two techniques to introduce dungeontech into a campaign: as background and as flavor.
I know some people have permanently lost loaded photos from bans so I imagine it's possible that your blogs are gone. Hopefully that's not the case, but with this software ...
My galleries seem to be gone as well. Which is weird because that's where my avatar links from. Which means, I imagine, the photos are still on the system somewhere. Which means the blogs should be there too... I hope...
My galleries seem to be gone as well. Which is weird because that's where my avatar links from. Which means, I imagine, the photos are still on the system somewhere. Which means the blogs should be there too... I hope...
Interesting - and cause for hope. From this and your other post, I'm of the same mind as you. Seems part of your account is still under suspension for some reason. Should be fixable.
More updates again. If I go to Manage posts and hit "edit" and "submit", it apparently resurrects my posts. So now I have to manually cast raise dead on each of my blog articles. After this I'll go and work on my photos.
Revenance + Revivify works better. It doesn't result in XP loss for the (formerly) dead. Just sayin'.
;)
I'm sorry there was a glitch with your blogs and photos when you were unsuspended. I'm going to let people know about the delay in getting your blogs back, as well as your continuing issue with your photos. As far as I understand it, accounts are either suspended or not suspended, there shouldn't be a different suspension for your blogs and your photos or anything like that. Individual items may be missing if those items where in violation of the Code of Conduct, but that's not what it sounds like you're dealing with.
Monica
Hey Wrecan,
I'm sorry there was a glitch with your blogs and photos when you were unsuspended. I'm going to let people know about the delay in getting your blogs back, as well as your continuing issue with your photos. As far as I understand it, accounts are either suspended or not suspended, there shouldn't be a different suspension for your blogs and your photos or anything like that. Individual items may be missing if those items where in violation of the Code of Conduct, but that's not what it sounds like you're dealing with.
Monica
I believe this was said earlier in the thread, but just in case it wasn't:
There was also an issue with another poster whose pics were found to have been deleted when his suspension ended (within the last weekto ten days). Since they were pictures of shoes, I doubt they violated the CoC. Just letting you know that, while it may be mythic rare, it's not a completely isolated occurence.
The reference number is 10216-000553.
It also raises the question of whether they have a "pending" option.
When I logged onto the Customer Service site to see if there was any progress on the problem that I still cannot access the videos and photos on my profile's gallery, ro the galleries of the groups to which I had uploaded photos, I saw that the problem had been listed as "resolved" even though it was not resolved and nobody from Customer Service ever contacted me about this.
The reference number is 10216-000553.
Hey Wrecan,
Can you double check that number? I'm not finding it in the database. Even something that's solved out would be available, so I think you may be missing some numbers. The first set should be 6 numbers, for example.
Monica
I took a quick look at your incident. It's in the correct hands, I can't tell you when you'll get a reply, but the issue is being looked into.
Monica
Hey Wrecan,
I took a quick look at your incident. It's in the correct hands, I can't tell you when you'll get a reply, but the issue is being looked into.
Monica
Any chane I'll get my pictures back?
Hey Wrecan,
I took a quick look at your incident. It's in the correct hands, I can't tell you when you'll get a reply, but the issue is being looked into.
Monica
Any chane I'll get my pictures back?
Sorry homicidal_squirrel, I wouldn't have any information about that. However, if you've filed a bug report via the help site I'm sure it's being looked into.
In case you need that link again: wizards.custhelp.com/
Hope that helps!
Monica