nedjelja, 7. studenoga 2010.

Hobby weekend. Hobby no. 3: D&D


Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc.Wizards of the Coast since 1997. It was derived from miniature wargames with a variation of the Chainmail game serving as the initial rule system. D&D's publication is widely regarded as the beginning of modern role-playing games and the role-playing game industry. (TSR). The game has been published by
D&D departs from traditional wargaming and assigns each player a specific character to play instead of a military formation. These characters embark upon imaginary adventures within a fantasy setting. A Dungeon Master serves as the game's referee and storyteller, while also maintaining the setting in which the adventures occur. The characters form a party that interacts with the setting's inhabitants (and each other). Together they solve dilemmas, engage in battles and gather treasure and knowledge. In the process the characters earn experience points to become increasingly powerful over a series of sessions.
The early success of Dungeons & Dragons led to a proliferation of similar game systems. Despite this competition, D&D enjoys a dominant market position in the role-playing game industry. In 1977, the game was split into two versions: the more loose, open framework game system of Dungeons & Dragons and the much tighter and more structured game system of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as AD&DADnD). AD&D 2nd Edition was published in 1989. In 2000, the original version of the game was discontinued and the AD&D version was renamed simply Dungeons & Dragons with the release of its 3rd edition. These rules formed the basis of the d20 System that is available under the Open Game License for use by other publishers. Dungeons & Dragons version 3.5 was released in June 2003, with a 4th edition in June 2008. or
As of 2006, Dungeons & Dragons remains the best-known and best-selling role-playing game, with an estimated 20 million people having played the game and more than US$1 billion in book and equipment sales.pre-made adventures as well as commercial campaign settingsDungeons & Dragons is known beyond the game for other D&D-branded products, references in popular culture and some of the controversies that have surrounded it, particularly a moral panic in the 1980s falsely linking it to Satanism and suicide. The game has won multiple awards and has been translated into many languages beyond the original English. The game has been supplemented by many suitable for use by regular gaming groups. 

subota, 6. studenoga 2010.

Hobby weekend. Hobby no. 2: Airsoft

I continue my hobby weekend with another one which probably no one here heard about :D


Airsoft is a hobby or sport which uses toy firearms to shoot small plastic pellets around six millimeters in diameter. Common uses for airsoft are competitive gaming (similar to paintball), military simulations, target shooting, and military training. While similar in operation to BB guns, airsoft guns use lightweight plastic projectiles instead of metallic BB's. Airsoft guns also typically have a muzzle velocity of less than 180 m/s (600 ft/s), compared to a BB gun which may have a muzzle velocity of 365 m/s (1200 ft/s) or more. The combination of the lighter BB projectile and the reduced muzzle velocity means that airsoft is generally considered safe when used in a controlled environment and with safety equipment like protective eyewear.
Airsoft games vary greatly in style and composition depending on location, budget, and the quantity of participants. However, they often range from short-term skirmishes and organized scenarios to military simulations and historical reenactments. Gaming with combat situations on a mock battlefield mainly involve the use of common military tactics to achieve the set objectives. Participants typically use varying types of airsoft weaponry along with either real or replica military gear and uniforms.

History

Airsoft was designed in Japan in the 1970's and marketed in the United States in the 1980's by a major BB gun manufacturer. Airsoft was conceptualized as a new approach in BB gun application as opposed to the common air gun that was designed for hunting, the airsoft gun was created with a purely recreational application in mind.
Because of this interest, manufacturers started to produce spring-powered replicas of real firearms. These guns fired several sizes of plastic, aluminum, or rubber BB's, but they were eventually standardized into 6mm and 8mm sizes. The early spring powered guns later evolved into gas and battery powered guns using a variety of configurations. Electric or battery powered airsoft guns became known as "AEG's" (Automatic Electric Guns), which began to show up in North America in the mid 1990's. This is due in large part to the starting of many new AEG manufacturers in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other countries.
Airsoft guns are also being used for military and law enforcement training purposes all over the United States and in several other countries. The airsoft gun brand "Systema" has created an M16 airsoft imitation firearm that functions exactly like the real counterpart. When the last BB is fired, the weapon stops shooting, a new magazine must be inserted, and the bolt catch must be operated before the gun is able to fire again. Gun enthusiasts of all ages enjoy airsoft guns due to their striking resemblance to their real counter parts. Many law enforcement agencies are starting to use airsoft guns because of the realism they portray. Most of these airsoft guns are very similar in appearance and action and thus make good training aids. In the past, law enforcement agencies had to resort to either unloaded firearms, plastic guns, or rubber dummy guns for certain training exercises; but, with the advent of airsoft, law enforcement personnel can now use a very real-looking yet safe alternative.
  
Military Simulation



"MilSim", short for Military Simulation, generally combines airsoft play with some military live-action role-playing elements. This type of play has been criticized by some players as less "fun" than scenario-gaming because of the amount of roleplaying required and the less frequent action. Several goals or missions may be assigned to each team, along with a basic load-out (supply) of ammunition, rations, and radios.
A key element is that you cannot shoot as fast as you may want to in Military Simulation games, and you must use low capacity magazines to replicate the actual magazine capacity of the authentic firearm the airsoft gun is designed to look like. This is often referred to as "real-caps". Examples of these include the 30 round STANAG, P-mag, and E-mag magazines of the M4, M16, Type 89, SCAR-L, and several other guns.
Teams are supposed to remain in the field for the duration of play, returning to a staging area or "safe zone" only for medical emergencies or other special circumstances. Military simulation games often last several days. For example, the large Berget annual event in Sweden lasts for six days with no breaks. In large scale Military Simulation operations, the players often use vehicles such as painted vans and trucks. In some cases, such as Operation Irene (an annual Military Simulation held in the Midwest U.S.), real APCs and tanks are used.Such large-scale events can take place in MOUT (Military Operations in Urban Terrain) facilities.
True Military Simulation requires players to adhere to an agreed level of uniform authenticity and to play as part of a team.

Skirmishes

 

Skirmishes are also known as "pickup games". This is a more common form of airsoft. These games are considerably less strict with their rules and restrictions, and thus it is the style of play for most players and a common event even for MilSim players. Realism may be broken in this style of play with things like high-capacity magazines, clothing that doesn't match with any nation's uniform (or non-military style dress), and a lack of rules. Occasionally, teams may use specific uniforms on either side, but usually players dress in a variety of military or paramilitary clothing to their liking.
Skirmishes are often structured as multiple short to medium length games, containing various different scenarios, including capture the flag, attrition style games, deathmatches, or simplified CQB games. Other skirmishes can run for the entirety of the game day, playing out like a much shorter MilSim event, including full game plans with objectives. These objectives can range from anything as simple as capturing a certain location to something as complex as collecting parts of a bomb from around the skirmish site, assembling them, and then planting the assembled bomb in the enemy force's base.
  
Teams

There are many organized teams of varying sizes in various countries around the world. Some prominent teams have 50 or more players and are able to send delegations to regional or national events. In the Philippines, there are many amorphous groups of airsoft players organized into "teams" of varying sizes. There have been attempts to create large nationwide organizations of airsoft players, but many of these have neither succeeded nor persisted except for ArniesAirsoft.co.uk in the United Kingdom and AirsoftForum.com in the United States. Both of these large airsoft communities have over 35,000 members and receive on average more than one million airsoft visitors each month.A few local and regional organizations have also been able to sustain significant airsoft memberships as well.
  
Eye and face protection
The minimum safe level of gear required to participate in most games includes a pair of impact-rated goggles or shooting glasses to protect participants' eyes. If shot from at least ten feet away, there will be no damage to other body parts. Traditional prescription glasses and sunglasses, or goggles not designed specifically for use with airsoft or paintball guns, may break or shatter upon being struck causing damage to the eye.
Full-face masks (similar to, and often including paintball masks) are considered the safest form of eye-protection since they cover the rest of the face, protecting vulnerable parts such as teeth. Some airsoft masks are made with mesh screens, although there is debate that fragments from lower quality or bio-degradable BB's may pass through the mesh and enter the eye. However, there have been no recorded incidents of such an occurrence. While masks offer superior protection, they can interfere with the use of scopes, and in cheaper masks, condensation inside the goggles can reduce visibility. During very hot days the masks can also cause the player to overheat more quickly due to the lack of air circulation.
Full-face masks (similar to, and often including paintball masks) are considered the safest form of eye-protection since they cover the rest of the face, protecting vulnerable parts such as teeth. Some airsoft masks are made with mesh screens, although there is debate that fragments from lower quality or bio-degradable BB's may pass through the mesh and enter the eye. However, there have been no recorded incidents of such an occurrence. While masks offer superior protection, they can interfere with the use of scopes, and in cheaper masks, condensation inside the goggles can reduce visibility. During very hot days the masks can also cause the player to overheat more quickly due to the lack of air circulation.





petak, 5. studenoga 2010.

Hobby weekend. Hobby no. 1: Krav maga

I next few days i am going to present you some of my hobbys, so lets start, for the first one to presen i choosed Krav maga

Krav Maga ("contact combat", "close combat" or "full contact") is an eclectic hand-to-hand combat system developed in Israel that involves wrestling, grappling and striking techniques, mostly known for its extremely efficient and brutal counter-attacks, as it is also taught to elite special forces around the world. It was derived from street-fighting skills developed by Imi Lichtenfeld, who made use of his training as a boxer and wrestler, as a means of defending the Jewish quarter during a period of anti-Semitic activity in Bratislava in the mid- to late-1930s. In the late-1940s, following his immigration to Israel, he began to provide hand-to-hand combat training to what was to become the IDF, developing the techniques that became known as Krav Maga. It has since been refined for both civilian and military applications.
Some refinements include, but are not limited to, the incorporation of elements from traditional Asian martial arts.

  

Krav Maga has a philosophy emphasizing threat neutralisation, simultaneous defensive and offensive maneuvers, and aggression. Krav Maga is used by the IDF Special Forces units and several closely related variations have been developed and adopted by law enforcement and intelligence organizations, Mossad, Shin Bet, FBI, SWAT units of the NYPD and United States Special Operations Forces. There are several organizations teaching variations of Krav Maga internationally
.
  
Basic principles
Generally, there are no rules in Krav Maga, as it is a defense fighting technique which is not regulated, but utilized to keep the user safe and incapacitate the opponent by any means necessary. Men and women generally undergo the same drills. It has no sporting federation, and there are no official uniforms or attire, although some organizations do recognize progress through training with rank badges, different levels, and belts.
General principles include:
  • Counter attacking as soon as possible (or attacking preemptively).
  • Targeting attacks to the body's most vulnerable points such as the eyes, jaw, throat, groin, knee etc.
  • Neutralizing the opponent as quickly as possible by responding with an unbroken stream of counter attacks and if necessary a take down/joint break.
  • Maintaining awareness of surroundings while dealing with the threat in order to look for escape routes, further attackers, objects that could be used to defend or help attack and so on.
Basic training is a mixed aerobic and anaerobic workout. Protective pads and other personal protection equipment may be used during initial training. Scenarios are used to train personnel for situations typically encountered in street patrol or combat situations. Training scenarios teach students to ignore distractions.Other training methods to increase realism might include blindfolding or exercising trainees to near exhaustion before dealing with a simulated attack, as well as training outdoors on a variety of surfaces and restrictive situations.
Training also covers situational awareness to develop an understanding of one's surroundings and potentially threatening circumstances before an attack occurs. It may also cover ways to deal with potentially violent situations, and physical and verbal methods to avoid violence whenever possible.


srijeda, 3. studenoga 2010.

četvrtak, 28. listopada 2010.

The uknown things about failing




Definition of failing

A usually slight or insignificant defect in character, conduct, or ability
First Known Use of failing

1590

Examples of failling

He has some minor failings.

We could talk about your failings, but it would take all night.