Seconding Harris's post - brilliant!

I too was getting nervous as we walked as to where this was going to end up.

Thanks Mr Joe!

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It's not an optical illusion. It just looks like one.

Thanks CMJ for the new snazy feature at E-boys ^_^ will save time of tracking about the island hunting for the goo prices.

Seriously? Nothing for more than a month? Come on, thankless people!


I want to say thank you for the outpost hitpoint readout in the Council Offices! Now we know if an outpost is breached or not without wading in there and crossing our fingers - and easier to find one if you're looking for one, too. I like the "there are 3 other people here" notice at the bottom of the outpost screen, too. (Though perhaps it will cause me to check the list of online contestants more obsessively than I already do... wait a minute...)

Wahay! Can transfer all (of one sort) from backpack to bandoleer. Superb.
Also, the new pub in New Home. I'm claiming that the real ale is named after myself, and I'm sticking to it. I'm not making the same claim for the lager though.

Seconded. This is AWESOME.

-Rose

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moooooooooo Visit and help me finish the monster list: goo.gl/rpBGe (Ya'll mostly know me as CLOG, fyi)

Speaking of awesome, I just looked at my character's page, and found my medals have been made super shiny! Thanks CMJ/any one else involved!

"This is a funny joke because it involves a pun, or play on words. Puns are funny because they highlight the pathetic inadequacy of organic language, specifically in regards to its imprecision in certain critical social situations."

Fantastic writing as usual, CMJ.

YOU CAN SORT YOUR INVENTORY!!! HOORAH HOORAY!

Apologies in advance ... this will be kinda long winded. In summary, it's thanks to all the people that make Improbable Island wonderful.

Clearly this must foremost include CMJ and the Mods, who make order chaotic and then keep the chaos orderly, in such delightful and subtle ways. You humble me with your giving.

But it extends to all the people who come here and write so wonderfully, and take the time to have fun, and create fun for others.

So, the long version ...

Recently I was sailing around on the Pacific Ocean in a small sail-boat for over 20 days straight. Not just coast hopping ... waaay out there, hundreds of miles off-shore. Now as anyone that has done much cruising on the Pacific will attest, one of the delights of sailing is when your course stumbles into the playground of a pod of dolphins. Dolphins are curious and playful creatures, even the way-off-coast wild ones. It's not just something they learn to do to get fed by trainers or tourists.

When you sail into an area where dolphins are, they will divert from whatever they are doing and come over to the boat en masse, and, well, cavort. They swim around the boat, they surf the bow wave. They pair up and do formation leaps out of the water.

It's a long story as to why, but on my recent sail I was often 'on watch' alone for long periods. Several times I was tired, cold, wet and grumpy. Then the dolphins would turn up. Sometimes in pods of up to 20 dolphins. It was like magic. I immediately felt better, and would find myself smiling at their antics. Pondering their life, it occured to me that they gain nothing from doing this. They don't 'do' anything, they just play. Sometimes I imagined that I could hear them giggle.

At one point I found myself thinking "if only people could be like this". Then it occured to me, that I know some people who are like that. It's you.

So, yeah. Thanks to you all for making me feel better. For making me smile when I log on feeling tired and grumpy. For having, and sharing fun.

A few weeks from now I'll be out there again. This time for about 3 months, sailing from California to Australia, solo. I'll get tired, wet, cold and grumpy; then dolphins will turn up, and I'll think of you.

D.

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The lunatics are taking over the asylum! Come with?

First of all, in response to Daedalus' remarks above: that is damn cool!

Second of all, I don't know if it's been addressed yet, but I just started noticing that pack monsters give extra experience. Awesome-sauce! This certainly helps make up for the extra stamina-drain. Much appreciated!

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Something something unintelligible gibberish something.

I believe that's a bug, actually, along with the extra stamina drain.

Hmm... Maybe I'm remembering it wrong, but I thought they used to only give the experience of one monster, like they did before the introduction of packs?

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Something something unintelligible gibberish something.

Hmm, do you mean at the end of the fight? I thought you meant experience for fighting/running and other actions, and that's always been multiplied by the number of monsters you have to fight.

Yup, I mean Level experience. Action experience I hadn't noticed, but I did see in the Petitions that you are correct, those increase quicker.

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Something something unintelligible gibberish something.

I was idly rereading the book just now .... and I don't know whether it's a wonderful coincidence, or whether CMJ has also read The Meaning of Liff - but I was absolutely delighted to find that Douglas Adams' definition of "Scronkey" is "Something that hits the window as a result of a violent sneeze." The midgets, they have a history! There is a proud and ancient tradition going back to at least 1983. So, thank you, Douglas Adams, and thank you, CMJ. You just made my day.

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Improbable Reference Links - goo.gl/MRBnb -------------- Land Registry (map of Places) ---- goo.gl/bpkRR

Weirdly enough, that is a co-incidence.

Thank you, Z, for accepting two of my three monster suggestions.

Thank you, CMJ, for the 10 dollars worth of Supporter Points. You're far too generous.

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http://maniak.cu.cc/

Thank you, CMJ:

for the new(...ish) inventory options.

for the awesome new stories.

for listening to us when you can, and telling us "NO." when you can't.

for helping me meet my lady.

for GIVING us a great game, and being a standup guy.

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"Ain't nothin' left to do but smile, smile, smile." -The Grateful Dead

footnote: and for being as well as recruiting far better tech support than Microsoft.
(looking at you as well, Eb, Z, Sessine, and that urban legend that is Epaphus!)
(I'm kind of loathing XBOX LIVE, if you're wondering. Makes me more thankful for y'all.)

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"Ain't nothin' left to do but smile, smile, smile." -The Grateful Dead

I have NEVER seen that guy. Ever.

Anyways, I guess I'm going to say thanks for all of the thought and fun details that go into all of the stories, especially the robot stuff.

I just like robots. They're so very interesting! Why don't I play one? I dunno. Fuck, I need to think about this.