New RPG Name

I've been working on an RPG setting. I'm thinking of calling it A Space Based RPG, limited to our Solar System, and inspired by Star Trek, The Original Series, but more based on Horatio Hornblower and the Napoleonic Wars than TOS's Cold War feeling. I'm still working out the details, but I think the name part is taken care of at least.

The Responsibilities of Economics

There's a Mitchell and Webb sketch where they discuss the value of the local water safety measures taken by the city. One is proud that the city has done so much work to keep children safe from drowning, but the other points out that every dollar spent on water safety is money taken away from direly needed police, fire prevention, road safety, and so on. So the city should only spend exactly enough to prevent anyone from drowning? No, you can't know that you've spent just enough to prevent any deaths, so the optimal solution is to prevent most drownings every year. Yes, some people will die, and it's preventable, but there's a finite amount of money for the city, and other uses would save more lives.

It's played as comedy, but the point is entirely valid. The state has an immense power to determine who lives and who dies.

I think that's why Libertarians don't like the power of the state. Even though the state saves lives, the fact that it gets to choose which lives to save gives us a lot of cognitive dissonance. How can we conscience spending money on a stadium when that money could have meant a child is fed? Libertarians choose to reject the whole idea instead of thinking about that issue. Unfortunately, it's actually the worst solution to do nothing at all.

It just makes them feel better to blame the victims.

AwesomeThoughts

Awesomenauts is a fun game. Some thoughts:

Investment

If you're going to ever get Solar Tree, you should get it early on. I always do, and it pays for itself pretty quickly. In fact, I get just about any item that gives you a chance to make more money. I love Voltar's and Raelynn's money boosting items in particular.

Gender

There are currently 13 Awesomenatus in the game. Two of them are female. The rest are all male. You could argue that there are some whose gender is ambiguous, but that would make two categories of gender that outnumber the ladies significantly. Usually, women are second class in games, this time they're third.

Alternate Builds

I really like playing Attack Voltar. People keep saying that Voltar has to be a dedicated healer, but his drones can do massive damage. They can do bursts of 40 damage pretty rapidly; that's almost as much as a "burst damage" attack from a more aggressive hero.

I also like Kitten Derpl. I'm not sure it's any good, but it's fun to shoot ridiculous waves of kittens at people.

Genji is Broken

It seems like everyone agrees that Genji, and particularly his lightning attack, is overpowered. I agree. He can clear out a lane of enemy drones so fast.