Fanfic Helpdesk: Technical and Scientific Help for Writers

[Feast of the Muse]

... can we just stick with "OC". It involves typing one less letter and so saves a WHOLE lot of time!!! (what? I'm a guy. Less work = Lot better )

Because "Other Character" is already claimed - crossover fic. But thank you for the love!

[SF_and_Coffee]

Because "Other Character" is already claimed - crossover fic. But thank you for the love!

Actually, OC is "Original Character" - that's what the term was coined to mean in fanfic altogether, before crossover fic even existed. Non-canon characters made up by the author (like my Tesni and Cadogan) are OCs.

[Feast of the Muse]

Ah, I thought it was for a character who was canon to another show. See, there is no consistency with all the sites. I was telling Choo, I used to read Xena/Gab stories all the time, and they were classified as altfic because of the lesbian relationship. But if I want to read Sam/Janet fic of a lesbian nature, I'm apparently looking for "femslash". Guess which terminology I prefer?

[SF_and_Coffee]

It does get confusing. Generally, though:

OC = Original character
OFC = Original female character
OMC = Original male character

Just for grins, here's what Wikipedia says.

[WraithRichard]

Well, this if Deja Vu.

In the meantime, how heavy of an object would one need to kill someone via blow to the head?

Object is shaped like one of those etch-a-sketch pads they carry around on Atlantis.

[Whytewytch]

Yeah, only moms pass on mitochondrial DNA (that IS what mtDNA is, right?), just like men can only pass on stuff form the Y chromosome.

If it's in the nuclear DNA, it'd depend on whether it's recessive or dominant, and if its on one of the sex genes.

Not sure about the last one.

I need to see to learn & sometimes need to think out loud, so thank you all for your patience. I've actually been drawing out geneology trees for my characters, which is how I got that one of the males could not have gotten a mtDNA mutation from his father, simply because it is passed on maternally.

I think the dominant vs recessive gene thing might actually work better. I'm talking about the Ancient gene here. Some people have it and can make Ancient tech work without thinking about it, some people have the gene and can make Ancient tech work with concentration. Some people react to the gene therapy and are able to make Ancient tech work after the therapy, some people are unaffected by the gene therapy.

Not sure if the last one would help or not, more curiosity, I guess.

The Ancient gene is not sex linked to my knowledge. It could still be recessive if what I've been Googling (& my 15 year-old's advanced bio class help) is correct. Two parents who are carriers & had 4 children would (theoretically) produce one who was affected (had the gene), two who were also carriers and one who was unaffected.

"So, how did you spend your Mother's Day?" my friends might ask.
"Studying recessive vs dominant genes and nuclear vs mitochondrial DNA. How else?"

Choo, you've got me laughing! I got my hubby a card for Christmas. On the front was a man looking like the cat who ate the canary, standing in what looked like the remains of a Christmas-box tornado. Decorations strewn willy-nilly, some even on the tree. At the top it read, "How men decorate for Christmas" & the dialogue cloud next to the man said, "Done!"

[SF_and_Coffee]

Except in cases of very light objects, I think the force with which it is wielded is probably more important than the weight of the object. Also, consider what portion of the skull bears the brunt of the impact.

[WraithRichard]

The impact is in the back of the head, but I think weight counts for something. Beating someone with an ipod would take time.

[SF_and_Coffee]

True. Then again, an iPod is in that category of light objects I mentioned.

Hmmm... just as a guess, maybe anything that weighs a couple of pounds or more should be enough, I think. *goes hunting for info*

[Feast of the Muse]

The impact is in the back of the head, but I think weight counts for something. Beating someone with an ipod would take time.

Be sure to use a corner! LOL

[SF_and_Coffee]

Try this.

[Whytewytch]

Well, this if Deja Vu.

In the meantime, how heavy of an object would one need to kill someone via blow to the head?

Object is shaped like one of those etch-a-sketch pads they carry around on Atlantis.

Because of distribution of mass, I would think one of those "etch-a-sketch pads" () would have to be quite heavy, heavier than something with a smaller surface area like, say, a hammer; it would also need to be wielded with great force. I would also think it would depend on where in the skull the character gets hit--if I remember right, different areas of the skull have different thicknesses. I'm not a doctor (obviously!), just from what I've gleaned.

ETA: Looks I'm the last one to this party! LOL

[Keeper]

Except in cases of very light objects, I think the force with which it is wielded is probably more important than the weight of the object. Also, consider what portion of the skull bears the brunt of the impact.

there's a spot, just behind the eyes...

The impact is in the back of the head, but I think weight counts for something. Beating someone with an ipod would take time.

ahh oops well, in that case... reading around: you want one of the things that is - effectively - a little bit heavier than your average laptop screen, to do the actual damage.

chances are you'll need to use the corner - or else drop it from a massive height, which is unreliable due to the sheer fact it'll catch wind, plus your target might move.

on the other hand, if it's structurally reinforced, it may be able to withstand hitting someone's head and not actually shatter after a few blows.

of course, if your object is merely shaped like one of those tablets, you can determine whether you're able to strengthen it further or make it out of a material (naquadah maybe?) that might withstand the force involved.

[WraithRichard]

of course, if your object is merely shaped like one of those tablets, you can determine whether you're able to strengthen it further or make it out of a material (naquadah maybe?) that might withstand the force involved.

Oh, it can break. The important part is you've hit the guy several times.

I'm htinking hte back of hte head, but in between the eyes could work if I change the 'choreography' slightly.

[Keeper]

Oh, it can break. The important part is you've hit the guy several times.

I'm htinking hte back of hte head, but in between the eyes could work if I change the 'choreography' slightly.

with the eyes thing, run your fingers along the side of your head, from your eyes to the back, and about... maybe a centimetre or so? back, you should notice a sort of 'pit' on each side of your head.

this is, to the best of my knowledge, the weakest part of the skull. next weakest is around the top of the nose, or else the top of the skull itself (which i believe is one of the last parts to fully solidify.)

i should mention that my biology background is GCSE, about... 12 years ago, and i got a CC (double award accredition, for doing bio/phys/chem.) i remember vague bits and pieces, but not much, so i could be talking utter boll**ks here, but i'm 99% certain about the bits on the side of the head.