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What are "kewl powerz?"

Started by Andrew Morris, July 07, 2005, 07:24:25 PM

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ffilz

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If that is the case, then it's likely that whatever term you wind up using will quickly gain the same connotations to the same people. Those who like kewl powerz will like lollipop abilities; those who look down their noses at kewl powerz will have the same attitude toward lollipop abilities.
I think M.J. is also right.

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The question is, do we have a duty or incentive to revive the positive meaning of the phrase, or should we let it die, and move on to something not so loaded?
I think we (I?) have a duty to try to avoid marginalizing certain play styles because I think less of them (especially, when in fact I find that actually indeed, they are what I enjoy most - play is supposed to be play afterall).

Sometimes I think it's worth taking a derogatory term and owning it. In one online forum, someone called those of us who liked to keep threads clean and in the right sub-forum "compatmentalized dorks." Rather than letting the term be derogatory, we claimed ownership of the term, and are proud to claim ourselves as "compartmentalized dorks" because we value the benefits to keeping discussion ordered (and I value that Ron is most definitely a comparmentalized dork - and The Forge is better for it).

In that light, I'm willing to claim ownership of "kewl powerz" even though I don't think too much of leet speak.

Frank
Frank Filz

Mike Holmes

Quote from: ffilz
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If that is the case, then it's likely that whatever term you wind up using will quickly gain the same connotations to the same people. Those who like kewl powerz will like lollipop abilities; those who look down their noses at kewl powerz will have the same attitude toward lollipop abilities.
I think M.J. is also right.
I think that if you call them something ridiculous like Lollipop abilities that, yes, you'll get the same problem. But remember that the term had become relative. If you use a serious name, and give it a serious definition, I don't see it happening.

Remember, when we create a term here, hardly anyone but we end up using it anyhow. In any case, we'll know what we're talking about even if somebody else ends up twisting the term.

Yes that means we can, "own" the term "Kewl Powerz" if we want, but it means that new people here will be confused until they learn our local meaning then. With a new term, they know they have to look it up, instead of assuming that it means what they've always heard the term to mean elsewhere.

Because we can't keep Kewl Powerz meaning what it means elsewhere and use it usefully. Because, again, it's a relativistic term everywhere else.

Mike
Member of Indie Netgaming
-Get your indie game fix online.

Bob McNamee

Kewl Powerz  would be a fun name for a game though.

Something with flashy blasts and folks being knocked-back multiple city blocks after a punch. With a light, quick system... and lots of color.
Bob McNamee
Indie-netgaming- Out of the ordinary on-line gaming!

Adam Dray

Quote from: Mike HolmesYes that means we can, "own" the term "Kewl Powerz" if we want,

That's "pwn" ;)
Adam Dray / adam@legendary.org
Verge -- cyberpunk role-playing on the brink
FoundryMUSH - indie chat and play at foundry.legendary.org 7777

Larry L.

Quote from: Bob McNameeKewl Powerz  would be a fun name for a game though.

Something with flashy blasts and folks being knocked-back multiple city blocks after a punch. With a light, quick system... and lots of color.

Actually, I was planning to jump over to the Design forum and start just such a project.

Then I realized that my game would be funtionally identical to Capes.

Accursed Lower-Basch! DOOM will not forget this.