November 28, 2003
Job test
On Wednesday I went in to try out for a job. Knowledge Engineer, they called the position.
When they'd rung up the day before they'd mentioned a test. So I went there expecting something small, kind of a general area knowledge test.
What do I get? About five or six sheets of paper with not too many questions. And on the front was written, innocently, This test should take approximately three hours.
And it did, too. Is this something unusual, or is it just par for the course?
November 25, 2003
Novel News
Finally finished!
Yes, I know it's been ages. Lazy me, busy me, and all the excuses...
...but when I picked up the reading again I couldn't put it down until I'd finished. Chapters 25 and on, at least...maybe a couple earlier.
KT, Liz--I know it's taken me ages to finish reading it and all, and I'm less than halfway through checking it out like I said I would.
But my hat's off. You've done a great job here, and I'd really like to see where you're planning on taking Aylin, Deshi and the new kronig from here. If there's a follow-up book that's going to hit the market, you've already got my money!
Pic!
Someone on Digital Dreaming drew a picture of my Nocker!
Here's Mike. Yes, the artist definitely has his tongue firmly in cheek!
November 13, 2003
Masterwork
Hmm.
What do you call it when one of your characters keeps a more regular journal than you do?
Or when he designs a cool weapon that, theoretically, might even work in RL with some tinkering?
Is 'geek' the appropriate word? Or 'addicted,' maybe?
Mike's a Nocker on Digital Dreaming. The White Wolf side, of course. And, as a Nocker, is currently at the rank of Journeyman and wanting to move up to Master.
In his particular field (the Weapons Guild), that means he needs to design a cool weapon. So I took the glimmerings of an idea that some of my friends from the Hall might recall me talking about, and then made the mistake of talking to a friend about it.
The friend in question just happens to be considering a career in architecture.
A suggestion for all my fellow RPers out there? Never suggest an idea born of fantasy to someone with such a practical nature.
Why not? Because they might do something scary like turn around and present you with a way you can actually, really do it.
About two or three days after we started talking, he presented me with a radically-altered schematic of how it could be done--and probably work, too. Which resulted, a week or so later, in the following submission on the Digital Dreaming forums:
A small pile of papers finds its way into Rosenstone's inbox. There's a note pinned to the top in Mike's neat, slightly curly handwriting:
Master Rosenstone,
I know I've only been working under you for a month so far, but this idea has been knocking around in the back of my mind for quite some time now. I finally managed to flesh it out and now wish to submit it formally as my Masterwork proposal.
Michael Tinke'lade
Masterwork Proposal
Michael Tinke'lade
Item: Segmented/Whip Sword
General Description: A segmented single-hand weapon that can be either rigidly held together and used as a standard broadsword, or can be unlocked and swung as an edged, segmented whip.
Detailed Description: The blade is composed of seven (7) central segments and one (1) end segment, for a total blade length of 2'1. Blade segments are constructed of refined and hardened silver.
The end segment is 3" wide, 1" thick, and tapers over its 6" length to a point. A lead inlay adds to the weight of the segment for better performance in whip configuration, and the control cable is fused to both blade end and weight. A dual inclining cylinder projects downward from the flat piece at the bottom for linking with the segment below. The lower edges of the end segment come to razor-fine points, for better entanglement and/or damage in whip configuration.
Central segments have blade-edge length 3" and overall length 4 1/4", with a width of 3" and thickness of 1". The top six segments come to razor points below, as with the end segment, for better catching/damaging an opponent. All segments have dual inclining cylindrical locking mechanisms below and a similar recepticle above, for seamless interlocking of segments and to ensure that the blade re-forms smoothly and securely. Two triangular wedges at the top of each segment follow this line of rotation and slide into the segment above as it is drawn down, triggering the unlocking mechanisms. It then releases its cable anchor point, allowing the next segment to be reeled in. Two small hooks on the bottom of each segment lock it to the lower segment as it is drawn in, releasing only when the segment's anchor point strikes the latches in the hollow. The center of each segment is hollow to allow the control cable to pass freely through, and the mechanism by which the individual segment's anchor point is grasped is located in this hollow area. (See details for locking mechanisms below.)
A single control and guidance cable runs down the hollow center of the blade. The cable is composed of buckytubes and is 1/10th of an inch in diameter, with a breaking/cutting strain well above anything to be encountered in combat. At seven points of approximately 7" apart are located the anchor points of the seven central segments. The anchor points begin at the size of 2/10 of an inch in diameter for the segment closest to the tip and expand out to 8/10 of an inch for the final segment before the hilt. As a result, the anchor points slip smoothly through any segment lower on the blade than its own. When the cable is drawn in tightly, the segments form a solid blade no different from a standard broadsword in any way, including breaking strain.
When a segment's anchor point is pulled into the hollow while extending the weapon into whip configuration, it gets caught on four switches. Two of these move upwards and engage a pair of locking bars that prevent the anchor from moving back down out of the segment as well as keeping the cable in the center of the hollow. The other two move inward and rotate the locking hooks, unlocking the segment from the one below.
The hilt and crosspiece are constructed of silver, with the hilt bound in leather for a good grip. Both arms of the crosspiece and the handgrip are hollow, containing a unique four-pulley system under tension from three springs--two at the ends of the crosspiece and the third at the base of the handgrip, with the fourth pulley centrally placed and immovable at the point that blade, hilt and crosspiece meet. The central cable begins anchored at the fourth pulley and runs through the one at the base of the hilt first, returns to the central pulley, and there is redirected to both ends of the crosspiece before again being redirected into the blade length itself. The three springs pull their individual pulleys outward from the central one with an approximate force of 40 pounds each, resulting in an fast snapback when the controlling switch releases them. Two hands on the grip is advised during retraction.
A switch on the grip is placed for the thumb of the right hand, as the sword is designed to be used single-handedly. It functions as an on-off switch for the three retraction springs in the hilt. In the off position, the springs are taken off-line and exert no pressure on the pulleys, allowing the blade to be extended to its full whip length of 5 1/2'. When switched on, the springs are again allowed to pull the pulleys outward, and the guidance cable rapidly retracts, collapsing the blade segment by segment until it returns to fully-solid blade configuration.
If a willing--and *only* a willing--FUBAR can be located, I intend to attempt to forge it into the blade as a living, intelligent guidance for the linkages. If successful, this will help ensure that in whip configuration the user will not be struck by any of the edges when/if the whip lashes backwards, as well as ensuring that the maximum number of edges and points strike the opponent.
As an added bonus should this be successful, some of the FUBAR's other abilities--light, shock or other similar--may also be added to the blade's capabilities. This is secondary in importance.
*attached to the written description are four schematic diagrams of the blade and its individual segments*
Blade and whip. (Caution! Big!)
Single segment.
Cable lock mechanism.
Segment lock mechanism.
And of course, there's the actual credits for the ideas and work involved:
Soul Edge/Calibur (and, I'm told, Brotherhood of the Wolf) for the actual starting idea of a sword/whip combo.
Michael (last name omitted), the architect-to-be who helped with segment design and practicality.
Visio Technical 2002, the program used for the schematic creation.