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bio website denubis.wordpress.com
location Sydney, Australia
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Dr. Brian Ballsun-Stanton is a Philosopher, Information Technologist, and Game Theorist exploring the Philosophy of Data. He has a Ph.D in Philosophy from The University of New South Wales in addition to a MS & BS in Information Technology from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

He has developed a new methodology (The Social Data Flow Network) to explore how individuals in the field understand the nature of data. Currently, his research is exploring the social construction of technology, focusing on the user-driven change of technological tools, in addition to his research of data warehouse ETL strategies for disparate data sets.

Beyond philosophy, Dr. Ballsun-Stanton has experience in haptic research, specifically the use of gesture control of human computer interfaces and an abiding interest in robotics as seen in his flying robotic cable-array manta-ray.

His interests include the academic study of Role-Playing games, the exploration of how science fiction literature transforms reality, and the social consequences of a technological world outpacing society's cultural assimilation of its consequences.

He is a long time gamer, having helped to design the indie game Pax Draconis. He has been running an Ars Magica game for the last 6 years and has extensive experience with indie games and both 3.5 and 4e D&D.

Papers you may be interested in:


Apr
20
comment Effect of natural environment on the development of cultures
How is this question best answered by an RPG expert instead of an anthropologist or the history stack exchange? (This is an excellent PhD dissertation though...)
Apr
17
comment How does a DM correct the balance after accidentally giving the players too much gold?
Excellent answer Bradd. Welcome!
Apr
17
comment Should long Aspects be split?
Welcome to the site, Jane.
Apr
12
comment Damage roll with a psion character
I'm sorry Andreas. This site isn't designed for this level of rudimentary advice. I'd take a look at: ehow.com/how_7740148_fill-out-dd-character-sheet.html Or its equivalents. Take a look at our faq for some ideas of good questions for this site.
Apr
12
comment Damage roll with a psion character
Welcome. Can you edit your question to include your character's powers, feats, and items? We'll reopen the question when it's answerable.
Apr
12
comment Removing bad rolls from a d20
Yes (I think) but this is almost certainly a better question for the cog sci stack: cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/rationality
Apr
11
comment Why do D&D Paladins Have to Be Lawful Good?
Do you have any citations for this?
Apr
11
comment Why do D&D Paladins Have to Be Lawful Good?
Also, answers that digress into arguments about alignment will be deleted. This is a question about the history of gaming as design decisions informing rules. Not alignments.
Apr
10
comment How powerful is a gnat?
Welcome to the site, Christopher. Can you elaborate some more on your answer?
Apr
9
comment How to play a Dwarven Gutbuster?
I wouldn't bother "custom creating." Make him a druid, but call the druid something else and make sure to describe your attacks the way you want to. The druid's mechanics fit your desired fluff well.
Apr
8
comment Where can I find a non-Lovecraftian medieval religious horror game that will inspire dread in my players?
As this is a system-recommendation question, please adhere to both the FAQ and the rules for subjective questions as outlined in Good Subjective, Bad Subjective and on our Meta. In particular, all responses should be based on actual experience and contain references and examples whenever possible.
Apr
7
comment How can I arrange for the long-term containment of magical animals?
To amplify, if you find that several rooms are cheaper than one structure, go with that choice. The magic will place constraints on the building, not vice versa.
Apr
7
comment I am a novice, so are my friends. What should we start out with?
Fran, Welcome! Take a look at the questions that mxy linked. Do they solve your problem? If they don't, what specific question do you have after reading those questions?
Apr
7
comment How to play a Dwarven Gutbuster?
What level range are you building this guy for?
Apr
7
comment How can I arrange for the long-term containment of magical animals?
Assume that we want to safely contain, preserve, and show off the animals for at least 10 years. This is effectively a magical zoo.
Apr
4
comment What is a sci-fi system that would feel familiar to reluctant Pathfinder players?
Welcome to the site. Unfortunately, our standards for sys-req require a familiarity with the material being presented. While this is likely a good answer, we don't actually know if it is or not until someone has sat down with the module in question. In any event, good catch and welcome to the site.
Mar
28
comment Crit Fighter in DnD 3.5
Welcome. Could you add some more details to this? Perhaps a specific build or some discussion of expected damage?
Mar
23
comment Modern or future polar horror adventure
Welcome Tad. Could you instead of just simply linking us, give us some details about the adventure and the review? We like to armor (even slightly) against bitrot.
Mar
21
comment What are the benefits of roleplaying?
Yep. Closed. Mind you, if you scoped this to a domain that could be researched, it'd be fantastic. Ping me when you edit and I'll reopen.
Mar
19
comment It is commonly said that epic spellcasting in D&D 3.5e is broken. What are some examples of broken epic spellcasters?
Protected due to spam.