I have finally published my second arc. Originally, I just wanted to use it for Blood Crucible's plot. I'd planned to run him and Jez Cavell through it (and Keen if possible) purely for RP and to advance the character's story.
As I was working on it, though, I realized two things: 1. this was going to include my first custom villain group and 2. I get 3 publication slots and am only using 1 so far. So I decided to try and make it so that anyone could jump in and give it a shot. That involved a lot more exposition as well as taking out some of the stuff that assumed BC and Jez would be there. Some of that stuff I just generalized. Some of it I just had BC himself fill in.
I'm very happy with it except that I accidentally made the final AV a lot tougher than I'd intended. Thank you, Fyre and Keen, for shuffling characters around to make that defeat possible. I'll cut him down a bit and we can replay it if you two want.
I'm happy with the way the arc turned out overall, and feel satisfied with the story (most important!). Now I need to figure out if #3 will be something self-indulgent (Styrm) or something more accessible (like the "rescue people from a burning building" idea I had).
P.S. Fyre and/or Keen: did either of you catch the explanation of BC's superhero name in all that plot exposition? :)
Showing posts with label plots. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plots. Show all posts
Monday, May 11, 2009
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Update!
Just to summarize my City of... of late. Some items briefer than others. :)
Vagabond Wizard
I love the RP between DefenderVagz and Lunatrix. We've hit a point where I'm really curious to see what will happen next, and I'm eager to play again. :)
I know the ice shields aren't any fun to look at, but Luna's a freakin' tank with all those buffs. I've added Electric Mastery, so Vagz has a single-target immobilize to throw down now: the same Electric Fence that he spams with gleeful abandon as BlasterVagz. Luna's added Cold Mastery, so in addition to Vagz' three slows, we have another one. With all the talk of caps, I wonder what the bottom is? >:)
A few more levels and Vagz will have armor and Luna will... have another shield. Yikes.
Sounds of Silence
I love the VEATs. When we actually come up against a challenge, we're shocked. I love that! I wasn't going to take Mind Link 'cause I didn't think we needed another defense buff, but the Devouring Earth taught me that sometimes we will. And it gives a huge buff against psi which, you know, very handy. And it gives a to-hit buff. So that's what I'm mainly slotting it for.
Silence can tell the three of them are getting stronger. And now he's discovered that Lord Recluse has been screwing with them. That just firms up his resolve to become the best of the Widows. He's working his way up to... well, it might be obvious, and if it's not... I'm not going to tell you! :-D
Vagabond Blade
After sitting at 48 forever, Fyre and I went on an ITF yesterday (yay for paid days off). She took Evan Caine, that defender everyone's talking about (I teamed with her once before, honest). It was a good strong ITF, and we did really well. Afterwards, I was just over 2 bubbles from level. So we went and smacked around some Praetorians... and Vagz is now Hero of the City twice over.
Shouldn't be too much longer 'til it's three times...
Derick Darklight
Darklight finally made a full-blown appearance last night. Derick was walloped a few times by Red Caps and ended up face-planting a lot. Darklight seized the opportunity to force Derick to the back and take over. Ellianne Sylvanie had a chance to actually talk to him once she realized Derick wasn't in control any longer.
Unfortunately for Darklight, while he's getting stronger, Derick is still a force to be reckoned with. Derick forced the Nictus back down again relatively quickly. Elli almost sounded disappointed... :)
But Darklight's not done yet...
Vagabond Wizard
I love the RP between DefenderVagz and Lunatrix. We've hit a point where I'm really curious to see what will happen next, and I'm eager to play again. :)
I know the ice shields aren't any fun to look at, but Luna's a freakin' tank with all those buffs. I've added Electric Mastery, so Vagz has a single-target immobilize to throw down now: the same Electric Fence that he spams with gleeful abandon as BlasterVagz. Luna's added Cold Mastery, so in addition to Vagz' three slows, we have another one. With all the talk of caps, I wonder what the bottom is? >:)
A few more levels and Vagz will have armor and Luna will... have another shield. Yikes.
Sounds of Silence
I love the VEATs. When we actually come up against a challenge, we're shocked. I love that! I wasn't going to take Mind Link 'cause I didn't think we needed another defense buff, but the Devouring Earth taught me that sometimes we will. And it gives a huge buff against psi which, you know, very handy. And it gives a to-hit buff. So that's what I'm mainly slotting it for.
Silence can tell the three of them are getting stronger. And now he's discovered that Lord Recluse has been screwing with them. That just firms up his resolve to become the best of the Widows. He's working his way up to... well, it might be obvious, and if it's not... I'm not going to tell you! :-D
Vagabond Blade
After sitting at 48 forever, Fyre and I went on an ITF yesterday (yay for paid days off). She took Evan Caine, that defender everyone's talking about (I teamed with her once before, honest). It was a good strong ITF, and we did really well. Afterwards, I was just over 2 bubbles from level. So we went and smacked around some Praetorians... and Vagz is now Hero of the City twice over.
Shouldn't be too much longer 'til it's three times...
Derick Darklight
Darklight finally made a full-blown appearance last night. Derick was walloped a few times by Red Caps and ended up face-planting a lot. Darklight seized the opportunity to force Derick to the back and take over. Ellianne Sylvanie had a chance to actually talk to him once she realized Derick wasn't in control any longer.
Unfortunately for Darklight, while he's getting stronger, Derick is still a force to be reckoned with. Derick forced the Nictus back down again relatively quickly. Elli almost sounded disappointed... :)
But Darklight's not done yet...
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Doomed Task Force
First of all, I had intended to post this sooner, but things have been busy here, and I begrudge my time at home, preferring to play instead of blog.
Fyre made excellent points in her blog. If you have not read it, go look. I'll wait.
Done? Good.
I have not played E-VAC/E.VAC in quite some time. I even had him in a coma for a while, specifically to get away from the character. There are good reasons for that and the fact that he's twice level 50 is the least of the reasons. So what are the primary reasons? Well, the first and foremost is very simple: I was tired of the RP in Team 2.0 (aka Team Angst). It had settled into a horrible and annoying little cycle:
Masonry would do something terrible. He'd revel in being evil for a bit. He'd suddenly regret it. He'd tell revised versions of what happened to people who weren't there. Those people would get righteously indignant on his behalf, believing E and Fyre were terrible people for not forgiving Masonry's "minor" faults. Fights and arguments ensued. Quiet descended. The cycle begins again.
When I heard Fyre and I were going to be invited to a Statesman Task Force that involved Masonry and was going to focus on RP, I knew no good would come of it. I don't say this to be mean to any of the players involved, but my first thought was that there was no way I would do it. My four eligible characters would be two versions of E and two versions of Vagz (Vagabond Mage and Vagabond Blade). There's no way E would team with Masonry. As for Vagz, while he tried to meddle and be helpful a while back, he washed his hands of the whole situation with Masonry's "death", even taking back the mace he had crafted special for Masonry.
I was not going to go, and looking back on it, I was not wrong. I should've refused to go in the first place.
Yes, I realize extra people were needed for there to be any hope of getting past even the first mission or two. Yes, I realize there was plot to be advanced and all. Yes, I know the people I normally team with on Sundays would've been there with or without me. Guess what? That's why I ended up going.
But I regret it.
The next time E sees Masonry, it had better be a fight to the death (E's or Masonry's, just so long as it happens). And as has already been guessed, E is none too happy with Frost, either, after hearing he's gone back to Masonry. E understands that Frost has to follow his heart, but in this case, it's a betrayal. Nothing matters more to E than his daughter and Masonry put her in harm's way. Frost is fraternizing with the enemy.
To the players involved in Sunday's TF: please don't try and put these characters together IC again without a strong, definite plan. And even then, talk it over with me first. I will not be willing to go through that again. Ever.
Fyre made excellent points in her blog. If you have not read it, go look. I'll wait.
Done? Good.
I have not played E-VAC/E.VAC in quite some time. I even had him in a coma for a while, specifically to get away from the character. There are good reasons for that and the fact that he's twice level 50 is the least of the reasons. So what are the primary reasons? Well, the first and foremost is very simple: I was tired of the RP in Team 2.0 (aka Team Angst). It had settled into a horrible and annoying little cycle:
Masonry would do something terrible. He'd revel in being evil for a bit. He'd suddenly regret it. He'd tell revised versions of what happened to people who weren't there. Those people would get righteously indignant on his behalf, believing E and Fyre were terrible people for not forgiving Masonry's "minor" faults. Fights and arguments ensued. Quiet descended. The cycle begins again.
When I heard Fyre and I were going to be invited to a Statesman Task Force that involved Masonry and was going to focus on RP, I knew no good would come of it. I don't say this to be mean to any of the players involved, but my first thought was that there was no way I would do it. My four eligible characters would be two versions of E and two versions of Vagz (Vagabond Mage and Vagabond Blade). There's no way E would team with Masonry. As for Vagz, while he tried to meddle and be helpful a while back, he washed his hands of the whole situation with Masonry's "death", even taking back the mace he had crafted special for Masonry.
I was not going to go, and looking back on it, I was not wrong. I should've refused to go in the first place.
Yes, I realize extra people were needed for there to be any hope of getting past even the first mission or two. Yes, I realize there was plot to be advanced and all. Yes, I know the people I normally team with on Sundays would've been there with or without me. Guess what? That's why I ended up going.
But I regret it.
The next time E sees Masonry, it had better be a fight to the death (E's or Masonry's, just so long as it happens). And as has already been guessed, E is none too happy with Frost, either, after hearing he's gone back to Masonry. E understands that Frost has to follow his heart, but in this case, it's a betrayal. Nothing matters more to E than his daughter and Masonry put her in harm's way. Frost is fraternizing with the enemy.
To the players involved in Sunday's TF: please don't try and put these characters together IC again without a strong, definite plan. And even then, talk it over with me first. I will not be willing to go through that again. Ever.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Welcome to Grandville
Fyre-Hex and Cpt. William Piett have finally hit 40 and started up in Grandville. After the last couple levels of nothing but newspaper missions in St. Martial (interrupted at one point by working with Johnny Sonata), it's nice to have new missions, new contacts, and new scenery. And on top of that, Will is my highest-level villain with 'Ware Wolf still languishing at 36.
Now, I've been to Grandville twice before. Both times, I was taking advantage of Hide and Superspeed (it's good to be a stalker) just to be all touristy. Now I'm able to really get in there and explore, and Grandville is amazing, grand, and disturbing. A perfect evil HQ for Arachnos. Lots of people complain about extra lag, but I don't find there to be that much extra. I mean, I notice it, but it's well within tolerable limits. 'Course, I'm missioning in Grandville, not street-sweeping.
Will's already putting together a lengthy list of contacts. I developed a habit in St. Martial of clicking anyone who might be a contact, just to see what they'd say. And I've accidentally picked up a couple contacts that way, including the Rikti delegation standing in Recluse's lobby. Will won't be working with them, so they'll just take up space in the contact list. :)
Things are getting tense for these two. I hesitate to reveal details here yet, but Will's story is basically told and now, it's Fyre's story and Will is guest-starring. I'm loving the RP, and I can't wait to find out what happens next.
Oh, and I'm loving the fact that, after all this time playing "City of...", I'm playing missions I've literally never played before, fighting enemies I've never fought before even. I'm loving it!
Now, I've been to Grandville twice before. Both times, I was taking advantage of Hide and Superspeed (it's good to be a stalker) just to be all touristy. Now I'm able to really get in there and explore, and Grandville is amazing, grand, and disturbing. A perfect evil HQ for Arachnos. Lots of people complain about extra lag, but I don't find there to be that much extra. I mean, I notice it, but it's well within tolerable limits. 'Course, I'm missioning in Grandville, not street-sweeping.
Will's already putting together a lengthy list of contacts. I developed a habit in St. Martial of clicking anyone who might be a contact, just to see what they'd say. And I've accidentally picked up a couple contacts that way, including the Rikti delegation standing in Recluse's lobby. Will won't be working with them, so they'll just take up space in the contact list. :)
Things are getting tense for these two. I hesitate to reveal details here yet, but Will's story is basically told and now, it's Fyre's story and Will is guest-starring. I'm loving the RP, and I can't wait to find out what happens next.
Oh, and I'm loving the fact that, after all this time playing "City of...", I'm playing missions I've literally never played before, fighting enemies I've never fought before even. I'm loving it!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
It's Been a While...
A lot's happened both in-game and out. I'll likely confine myself to the in-game stuff, though. Bear with me as I try to summarize... and probably go off on tangents.
Will
Will is now walking the line. Mostly because of the example set by Fyre (granted, kinda in reverse), Will went back to Paragon. He found a PPD desperate for more men, especially experienced ones who, at least from a legal standpoint, had only been on a leave of absence. They shoved his badge back at him, got him a Hero ID so he could make full use of his talents and equipment, and threw him out on the streets. For all intents and purposes, William Piett and Bill Peterson are two entirely different people. And so far, Will's keeping it that way. He's slowly finding the "protect and serve" that he lost when the Rikti wiped out Baumton, but so far, that's not actually making his time spent with Fyre in the Isles any harder. At the level we're at, the foes on both sides of the fence are pretty much the same: Thorns, Carnies, Devouring Earth, Nemesis... heck, Fyre & Will are even getting "rescue the citizens of St. Martial" missions.
Mechanically, Mo is turning HeroWill into a killing machine. With her buffs and healing, he's not squishy at all and his snipe is Fortitude + Build-Up (+ red insp) + Sniper Shot = instant death for yellow-cons and below. He's even one-shotted a few orange-cons. As a companion, Mo is a lot different from Fyre. She's more open and more into magic. Will's family is Welsh, so he grew up hearing stories of the Fae. He didn't believe them until recently (yes, even with all the weirdness of Paragon and the Isles), but he's slowly remembering things he'd heard and trying to find the books his grandmother gave him. He teases Mo some and expects her to tease him back. To him, they're team-mates. Partners. And so he acts toward her much the same as he would toward a fellow officer.
Things with Fyre are a lot different. Will sees her as a friend, although he worries often that she doesn't view their relationship the same way. He finds her easy to talk to under almost any circumstances, and he feels like they have a lot in common, especially after the most recent revelations. But things have gotten a little awkward, and Will himself has been having his share of issues. Rikti, Boomtown, and a recent problem with Nemesis messing with him has kept Will less focused than normal. Maybe he just needs a vacation. :)
Team Cold
I'd write out the SG name, but frankly, I can't remember it. :-P
I have fun creating alts and trying out new power-set combinations. I also have a blast coming up with and playing new character concepts or working with old ones to come up with something new. The recent attack of Altitis Sundays replacing Task/Strike Force Sundays has been a blast. This ice-based team is so far my absolute favorite. The characters all have stuff in common but all have a lot of differences, too. There's a fairly good-sized pool of ice powers to choose from, so even the thematic overlap hasn't left anyone feeling redundant (I don't think). I gotta say, I'm glad Mason decided to create the tank, though. I would've done it if we didn't have one, but I stink at tanking. That and a brute have been the only archetypes I just can't seem to get my brain around properly.
In any case, it's tough waiting for nights where we can get the whole team together 'cause I want to play the ice guys (and girls)! I'm looking forward to a bit more development character-wise, but since I've already seen glimpses of it, I'm not worried. It'll happen.
Miscellany
It feels like a lot more than that's been going on. Maybe it's the depth of the plots Will is involved in. Maybe it's the RL issues that I don't feel like talking about right now. I've had some trouble focusing on the game sometimes. I find myself getting a bit distracted mentally and realizing I've gone through entire missions without saying a word. There's been a lot on my mind lately, and one of the things I do to deal with it is play games and hang out with friends. Yeah, even if it's hanging out in a virtual world.
Mason, if you're reading this, when we say we understand about you being distracted, pre-occupied, needing to tend to RL, etc., I want you to know I'm not just saying that. Been there, been through that, and heck, it still happens. Don't feel bad. It's a game. We're supposed to have fun, not feel obligated to play it. :)
Will
Will is now walking the line. Mostly because of the example set by Fyre (granted, kinda in reverse), Will went back to Paragon. He found a PPD desperate for more men, especially experienced ones who, at least from a legal standpoint, had only been on a leave of absence. They shoved his badge back at him, got him a Hero ID so he could make full use of his talents and equipment, and threw him out on the streets. For all intents and purposes, William Piett and Bill Peterson are two entirely different people. And so far, Will's keeping it that way. He's slowly finding the "protect and serve" that he lost when the Rikti wiped out Baumton, but so far, that's not actually making his time spent with Fyre in the Isles any harder. At the level we're at, the foes on both sides of the fence are pretty much the same: Thorns, Carnies, Devouring Earth, Nemesis... heck, Fyre & Will are even getting "rescue the citizens of St. Martial" missions.
Mechanically, Mo is turning HeroWill into a killing machine. With her buffs and healing, he's not squishy at all and his snipe is Fortitude + Build-Up (+ red insp) + Sniper Shot = instant death for yellow-cons and below. He's even one-shotted a few orange-cons. As a companion, Mo is a lot different from Fyre. She's more open and more into magic. Will's family is Welsh, so he grew up hearing stories of the Fae. He didn't believe them until recently (yes, even with all the weirdness of Paragon and the Isles), but he's slowly remembering things he'd heard and trying to find the books his grandmother gave him. He teases Mo some and expects her to tease him back. To him, they're team-mates. Partners. And so he acts toward her much the same as he would toward a fellow officer.
Things with Fyre are a lot different. Will sees her as a friend, although he worries often that she doesn't view their relationship the same way. He finds her easy to talk to under almost any circumstances, and he feels like they have a lot in common, especially after the most recent revelations. But things have gotten a little awkward, and Will himself has been having his share of issues. Rikti, Boomtown, and a recent problem with Nemesis messing with him has kept Will less focused than normal. Maybe he just needs a vacation. :)
Team Cold
I'd write out the SG name, but frankly, I can't remember it. :-P
I have fun creating alts and trying out new power-set combinations. I also have a blast coming up with and playing new character concepts or working with old ones to come up with something new. The recent attack of Altitis Sundays replacing Task/Strike Force Sundays has been a blast. This ice-based team is so far my absolute favorite. The characters all have stuff in common but all have a lot of differences, too. There's a fairly good-sized pool of ice powers to choose from, so even the thematic overlap hasn't left anyone feeling redundant (I don't think). I gotta say, I'm glad Mason decided to create the tank, though. I would've done it if we didn't have one, but I stink at tanking. That and a brute have been the only archetypes I just can't seem to get my brain around properly.
In any case, it's tough waiting for nights where we can get the whole team together 'cause I want to play the ice guys (and girls)! I'm looking forward to a bit more development character-wise, but since I've already seen glimpses of it, I'm not worried. It'll happen.
Miscellany
It feels like a lot more than that's been going on. Maybe it's the depth of the plots Will is involved in. Maybe it's the RL issues that I don't feel like talking about right now. I've had some trouble focusing on the game sometimes. I find myself getting a bit distracted mentally and realizing I've gone through entire missions without saying a word. There's been a lot on my mind lately, and one of the things I do to deal with it is play games and hang out with friends. Yeah, even if it's hanging out in a virtual world.
Mason, if you're reading this, when we say we understand about you being distracted, pre-occupied, needing to tend to RL, etc., I want you to know I'm not just saying that. Been there, been through that, and heck, it still happens. Don't feel bad. It's a game. We're supposed to have fun, not feel obligated to play it. :)
Sunday, September 2, 2007
So... Now What?
With the exception of Will, whose story is progressing very nicely, I am stuck. I've got the RP version of writer's block with every other character I've got. There's stuff I want to do. Stuff I should do. Characters that deserve some attention. And yet...
E-VAC / E.VAC / Lost Phantom
E's in a coma. His greatest foe has been vanquished. But the story has continued without him, important things happening to Fyre, Masonry, and the Keens. I had a couple ideas for E's astrally-projected self... but his one visit seemed to have all the effect I could've wanted. Bringing him out more just feels redundant, and at level 8, he's hopelessly behind everyone else level-wise.
Does E come out of his coma, then? Do I try and get E2 from 49 to 50? And then what? I just don't see where to take this. Or even whether.
Vagabond Mage / Vagabond Blade / Vagabond Magus / Gray Wizard
Vagz is known pretty widely. He's meddled in almost every ongoing plot, usually in a minor way. I love playing the character just in general, but it feels like his only reason for existing is to act as an element in other people's stories. While that's not entirely bad, unwanted meddling is going to get him in trouble rather than making him any friends. I had an idea a while back for something bad to happen to him, but... well, I'm not sure how many people would be interested or how many characters would care. I think Vagz has become too distant. I don't know what I can do to bring him back down. Something to think about, though.
Jack Royale
I originally created this character to join an SG made by an old friend of mine. The concept was a family who had all acquired powers through various means and battled evil together. Kind of the hero version of the Royal Flush Gang. When that concept group broke up and the other people in the SG disappeared, Jack languished. Other than BigVagz and ScrapperVagz, he's the only character who's been around since before the first anniversary of the game. He had some life brought back to him teaming with Fyre's PB... but now I haven't played him in a very long time. I love his powers and his attitude, but... well, he can't really solo. I have no idea what to do with him.
Speed Trial
I love his powersets. I love his attitude. I have a blast playing this character... but I have no one to play him with. He doesn't really have a story. He's my character that I just have fun with. No drama, no angst... just a punk kid who thinks super-powers are awesome. But unfortunately, there's no story in that. And no real connections. And so he's a character with no friends, no team-mates, and powersets that make soloing with him a long, slow, tedious process.
So... Now What?
Just like the title says, I'm left staring at my list of characters wondering what to do next. It feels like Will's is the only story I'm telling right now. I need alternatives. Something else to play alongside it so when those nights come where I'm thinking "you know, Will needs a break" or I just want a break from playing "pet-wrangler", I've got something else to play.
Hopefully, inspiration will come.
E-VAC / E.VAC / Lost Phantom
E's in a coma. His greatest foe has been vanquished. But the story has continued without him, important things happening to Fyre, Masonry, and the Keens. I had a couple ideas for E's astrally-projected self... but his one visit seemed to have all the effect I could've wanted. Bringing him out more just feels redundant, and at level 8, he's hopelessly behind everyone else level-wise.
Does E come out of his coma, then? Do I try and get E2 from 49 to 50? And then what? I just don't see where to take this. Or even whether.
Vagabond Mage / Vagabond Blade / Vagabond Magus / Gray Wizard
Vagz is known pretty widely. He's meddled in almost every ongoing plot, usually in a minor way. I love playing the character just in general, but it feels like his only reason for existing is to act as an element in other people's stories. While that's not entirely bad, unwanted meddling is going to get him in trouble rather than making him any friends. I had an idea a while back for something bad to happen to him, but... well, I'm not sure how many people would be interested or how many characters would care. I think Vagz has become too distant. I don't know what I can do to bring him back down. Something to think about, though.
Jack Royale
I originally created this character to join an SG made by an old friend of mine. The concept was a family who had all acquired powers through various means and battled evil together. Kind of the hero version of the Royal Flush Gang. When that concept group broke up and the other people in the SG disappeared, Jack languished. Other than BigVagz and ScrapperVagz, he's the only character who's been around since before the first anniversary of the game. He had some life brought back to him teaming with Fyre's PB... but now I haven't played him in a very long time. I love his powers and his attitude, but... well, he can't really solo. I have no idea what to do with him.
Speed Trial
I love his powersets. I love his attitude. I have a blast playing this character... but I have no one to play him with. He doesn't really have a story. He's my character that I just have fun with. No drama, no angst... just a punk kid who thinks super-powers are awesome. But unfortunately, there's no story in that. And no real connections. And so he's a character with no friends, no team-mates, and powersets that make soloing with him a long, slow, tedious process.
So... Now What?
Just like the title says, I'm left staring at my list of characters wondering what to do next. It feels like Will's is the only story I'm telling right now. I need alternatives. Something else to play alongside it so when those nights come where I'm thinking "you know, Will needs a break" or I just want a break from playing "pet-wrangler", I've got something else to play.
Hopefully, inspiration will come.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Update
Yeah, it's been a while since my last blog post. Things have been going on in real life to keep me distracted, not the least of which is losing my job and then starting a new one. I've been enjoying just playing the game. Which is not to say I've just been power-gaming. On the contrary, a lot of new RP has been opened up since my last entry.
Ryu Tatsu
We got T3 to level 27, but... well, it's looking like the team isn't going to go anywhere. The characters are too different, too disconnected, and the disinterest, I think, is growing. I don't know what will become of the rest of the team, but for me... well, ever since revealing Ryu's reasons for being in the Isles, it feels like... well, it feels like he's done. There's not really anything else there.
Cpt. William Piett
New things are popping up all the time for Will. Fyre is proving to be both a good and bad influence on him at the same time. I expected one or the other, but both? It's weird. Fun, interesting, and leading to all sorts of story... but weird all the same. I've already created an alternate Will which prompted a nice piece of RP. Hard to say exactly where it'll go.
There's also some complications with Ges, one of the Nazi characters Masonry has. Will was willing to ignore the kind of person Ges was because all he wanted him for was another fighter. And he's definitely good at that. Unfortunately, and both Will and I were dreading this, conversation came up and discussions of Ges' background came up. Made for some fairly uncomfortable moments. Yet somehow, less uncomfortable than "Master Masonry". :)
The Grey Wizard
After a conversation between Fyre and Vagz, I re-created "VillainVagz". He's a fire/cold corruptor, and so far, he's only level 8. Re-kindling a connection to Angel Noir first established during the Winter Event, it was definitely an interesting duo. Although for some reason, Mal'ing down Angel had a rather nasty effect on the XP I was earning. But yes, Vagz is visiting the Rogue Isles once more.
Corvus Venator
I deleted him to make room for new alts, but missed him almost immediately. I liked the look I'd made for him. When I found myself stumped for a look for a "fun" alt over on Triumph... well, naturally I re-created him. He went from a claws/SR scrapper to a TA/Archery defender. Other than that, I intend for him to be the same character.
Also deleted and missed is Derick Darklight, my warshade. I liked the story I'd crafted for him. He had a great look, and I would've liked to RP him more... but I wasn't playing him, and I was starting to not look forward to more warshade stuff. Oh, well. Maybe eventually he'll come back.
Ryu Tatsu
We got T3 to level 27, but... well, it's looking like the team isn't going to go anywhere. The characters are too different, too disconnected, and the disinterest, I think, is growing. I don't know what will become of the rest of the team, but for me... well, ever since revealing Ryu's reasons for being in the Isles, it feels like... well, it feels like he's done. There's not really anything else there.
Cpt. William Piett
New things are popping up all the time for Will. Fyre is proving to be both a good and bad influence on him at the same time. I expected one or the other, but both? It's weird. Fun, interesting, and leading to all sorts of story... but weird all the same. I've already created an alternate Will which prompted a nice piece of RP. Hard to say exactly where it'll go.
There's also some complications with Ges, one of the Nazi characters Masonry has. Will was willing to ignore the kind of person Ges was because all he wanted him for was another fighter. And he's definitely good at that. Unfortunately, and both Will and I were dreading this, conversation came up and discussions of Ges' background came up. Made for some fairly uncomfortable moments. Yet somehow, less uncomfortable than "Master Masonry". :)
The Grey Wizard
After a conversation between Fyre and Vagz, I re-created "VillainVagz". He's a fire/cold corruptor, and so far, he's only level 8. Re-kindling a connection to Angel Noir first established during the Winter Event, it was definitely an interesting duo. Although for some reason, Mal'ing down Angel had a rather nasty effect on the XP I was earning. But yes, Vagz is visiting the Rogue Isles once more.
Corvus Venator
I deleted him to make room for new alts, but missed him almost immediately. I liked the look I'd made for him. When I found myself stumped for a look for a "fun" alt over on Triumph... well, naturally I re-created him. He went from a claws/SR scrapper to a TA/Archery defender. Other than that, I intend for him to be the same character.
Also deleted and missed is Derick Darklight, my warshade. I liked the story I'd crafted for him. He had a great look, and I would've liked to RP him more... but I wasn't playing him, and I was starting to not look forward to more warshade stuff. Oh, well. Maybe eventually he'll come back.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Proto-Rikti
The moment I'd been waiting for with Will finally came. Well, one of them, anyway.
Even though Fyre tried to tell him very early on about the connection between the Lost and the Rikti, he was in complete denial over it. He used poorly-founded arguments, stupid little details, and ultimately just blind denial to keep from having to acknowledge that she was right. No, not because it was Fyre. Statesman or Recluse could've come to him and told him every detail in person, and he would've mustered the exact same amount of resistance to the idea. Possibly more with Recluse.
To recap, back when Cpt. William Piett was Cpt. Bill Peterson of the PCPD SWAT, he lived in Baumton ("Boomtown"). He had a wife, two kids, a dog, and a whole lot of friends and relatives, all living in the same area. In early 2002, he was working a lot, away from his family and friends, trying to help clean up the street crime that plagued Paragon City. Except for a few of his co-workers that he was chummy with, everyone he loved and cared about died in the Rikti invasion. He hates the Rikti as the aliens that took his life away. To a far lesser (and strictly subconscious) extent, he hates the heroes of Paragon for not saving his family as well as blaming them for why he wasn't there to protect his family. He and some of his co-workers, each with their own reasons, left Paragon City. They are the mercenaries.
So why the denial about the Lost? Will could deal with an alien invasion force trying to wipe out humanity. He deals with it badly, but it's... acceptable, I think is the best word for it. Finding out that the invasion force is a group of mutated humans? That most of this second invasion is made up of humans from our own world? It's not so easy to deal with the idea that one of the gangs that lives on the unmarked graves of his friends and family is basically trying to hook up with the people that razed Baumton in the first place.
In any case, at level 30, "Lost" missions become "Rikti" missions. So as you do "Lost" missions at level 28-30, increasing numbers of the mobs will be true Rikti instead of the mutated Lost. We had our first one of those last night. Will's been building up to this because, as Fyre pointed out, the Pariahs are pretty much short Rikti with hoods. He's been trying, consciously and unconsciously to ignore what they meant. Then we rounded a corner and found Rikti Infantry and Drones. It was a shock, and part of his brain shut down. He started babbling.
In the next room, there was a Rifleman, more Infantry, and a Communications Officer. Will lost it. He started shouting and running from room to room, gunning down or pummeling every Lost and Rikti he could find, acting recklessly (and thanks to Fyre and the pets, not getting in any danger) and finally the mercs had to tackle him and pin him to the ground to make him stop. Lt. Sinatra (the commando) talked to Fyre. She didn't say very much, but it seemed clear she understood to an extent what Will was going through. Even later, while Will was still partly off in his own little mental world, she still seemed concerned.
What comes next for Will vs. the Rikti? No idea. Just gonna play it by ear. :)
Even though Fyre tried to tell him very early on about the connection between the Lost and the Rikti, he was in complete denial over it. He used poorly-founded arguments, stupid little details, and ultimately just blind denial to keep from having to acknowledge that she was right. No, not because it was Fyre. Statesman or Recluse could've come to him and told him every detail in person, and he would've mustered the exact same amount of resistance to the idea. Possibly more with Recluse.
To recap, back when Cpt. William Piett was Cpt. Bill Peterson of the PCPD SWAT, he lived in Baumton ("Boomtown"). He had a wife, two kids, a dog, and a whole lot of friends and relatives, all living in the same area. In early 2002, he was working a lot, away from his family and friends, trying to help clean up the street crime that plagued Paragon City. Except for a few of his co-workers that he was chummy with, everyone he loved and cared about died in the Rikti invasion. He hates the Rikti as the aliens that took his life away. To a far lesser (and strictly subconscious) extent, he hates the heroes of Paragon for not saving his family as well as blaming them for why he wasn't there to protect his family. He and some of his co-workers, each with their own reasons, left Paragon City. They are the mercenaries.
So why the denial about the Lost? Will could deal with an alien invasion force trying to wipe out humanity. He deals with it badly, but it's... acceptable, I think is the best word for it. Finding out that the invasion force is a group of mutated humans? That most of this second invasion is made up of humans from our own world? It's not so easy to deal with the idea that one of the gangs that lives on the unmarked graves of his friends and family is basically trying to hook up with the people that razed Baumton in the first place.
In any case, at level 30, "Lost" missions become "Rikti" missions. So as you do "Lost" missions at level 28-30, increasing numbers of the mobs will be true Rikti instead of the mutated Lost. We had our first one of those last night. Will's been building up to this because, as Fyre pointed out, the Pariahs are pretty much short Rikti with hoods. He's been trying, consciously and unconsciously to ignore what they meant. Then we rounded a corner and found Rikti Infantry and Drones. It was a shock, and part of his brain shut down. He started babbling.
In the next room, there was a Rifleman, more Infantry, and a Communications Officer. Will lost it. He started shouting and running from room to room, gunning down or pummeling every Lost and Rikti he could find, acting recklessly (and thanks to Fyre and the pets, not getting in any danger) and finally the mercs had to tackle him and pin him to the ground to make him stop. Lt. Sinatra (the commando) talked to Fyre. She didn't say very much, but it seemed clear she understood to an extent what Will was going through. Even later, while Will was still partly off in his own little mental world, she still seemed concerned.
What comes next for Will vs. the Rikti? No idea. Just gonna play it by ear. :)
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
The Best Laid Plans of Dragons...
Well, Ryu finally laid his hand down on the table. For those who weren't there or weren't paying attention, here it is in a nutshell.
The dragons in Japan are dying out. They are being crowded out by humanity, especially modern humanity. And since tatsu (Japanese dragons) are born as carp, they've also been fished out or captured. Ryu's mate was killed in the bombing of Hiroshima.
So the Dragon King (Ryuujin) sent Ka-Riu out with the last clutch of dragon eggs to find them a new home. Tatsu need humanity, space, low-predator waters, and a food supply. Ka-Riu picked the Rogue Isles because the current leader has no interest in the isles themselves. His plan is to topple the current government, set up a new leader, and then help improve the isles, both to make them a good place to raise dragons as well as to make it a better place for humanity.
Yeah, it was a bit of a reach even as I was writing it, but I still like it as a backstory, plot-holes and all.
The dragons in Japan are dying out. They are being crowded out by humanity, especially modern humanity. And since tatsu (Japanese dragons) are born as carp, they've also been fished out or captured. Ryu's mate was killed in the bombing of Hiroshima.
So the Dragon King (Ryuujin) sent Ka-Riu out with the last clutch of dragon eggs to find them a new home. Tatsu need humanity, space, low-predator waters, and a food supply. Ka-Riu picked the Rogue Isles because the current leader has no interest in the isles themselves. His plan is to topple the current government, set up a new leader, and then help improve the isles, both to make them a good place to raise dragons as well as to make it a better place for humanity.
Yeah, it was a bit of a reach even as I was writing it, but I still like it as a backstory, plot-holes and all.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Prognosis: Not Good
Dr. Nguyen slammed down his clipboard and buried his face in his hands. He sighed loudly and moved to massage his temples. He looked down at the clipboard. He looked up at the machines. He looked over at the computer. They all said the same thing they did the day before. They all gave the same information.
But what the hell does it mean? he thought, and not for the first time.
Dr. Pace was still alive. But for the second day in a row, his brain activity dropped to almost undetectable levels. If it was like the day before, when everyone panicked, it'd last for an hour or two... and then shoot right back up.
But what the hell does it mean?
But what the hell does it mean? he thought, and not for the first time.
Dr. Pace was still alive. But for the second day in a row, his brain activity dropped to almost undetectable levels. If it was like the day before, when everyone panicked, it'd last for an hour or two... and then shoot right back up.
But what the hell does it mean?
Friday, August 3, 2007
Oh, Captain, my Captain.
I know I've started a lot of posts this way lately, but...
It's hard, sometimes, to play a character who is an outsider to your own story. It's difficult to separate Piett from what I know from playing E for so long. And lately, I've had some moments where I've had a hard time remembering what Piett has heard or been told versus what I know because I was E. Heck, I'm pretty sure I've screwed up that separation a few times, usually erring on the side of "he doesn't know", leaving others to remind him (IC or OOC) that he really should know by now.
In any case, the Rikti are definitely not freaking Will out as much as I thought they were going to. They are freaking him out, especially when he's hip-deep in them for too long, but he gets back to "normal" pretty quickly. Does that mean he's all right? Hell, no. It means he's in even more layers of denial than I thought when I created him. And it actually gets easier to bury himself in denial when there's more people around. More to think about, more to keep track of, and more reason for him to put on his game-face and focus on the work.
No, I'm not suggesting less teaming. Don't be paranoid. I love the teaming.
When it comes to Master Masonry, Will doesn't trust him in the slightest. Mas keeps asking some very (to Will) personal questions. The probing just makes him that much more determined to keep his own council. There's something seriously wrong with this "hero" who leads a pack of thugs around, breaking their necks when he's unhappy. The only thing Will knows for sure right now is that he's got to be ready to try and take Mas out if it becomes necessary. How? Well, he's got some ideas...
Then there's Keen Havoc. Fyre and Mas treat him like "instant friend" because of his relationship to the other Keens (Stronghold and Frost). Will thinks they're nuts to do so. He's very obviously his own person with his own (hidden) agenda and plans. He seems like a decent (if rude) fellow, but the more decent someone on the Isles seems, the less likely they are to actually be decent.
As far as Ges and Schlachtfeld go, Will thinks of them as decent soldiers and somewhat useful. If they actually are Nazis... well, there's worse on the Isles. So long as all they're doing is work, it's fine. Just... don't want to get into a political or philosophical discussion.
Then there's Fyre-Hex. Will feels very protective of her, but he's confused as to whether he's having bodyguard feelings, fatherly feelings, or if he's developing a crush. She is quite capable of handling almost anything the Isles can dish out at her, and yet... why is someone like her on the Isles in the first place? He's taken rich idiots into dangerous places before, usually to see them lose their lunch and beg to be taken home. He's worked with heroes and villains before, but Fyre... it's like she's both at the same time. The player obviously knows a few things the character doesn't, so the character is still pretty confused about the whole situation.
Oh, and after last night's conversation, I think I pretty much have to put some more levels on my newest Virtue alt Lost Phantom. The RP idea that made me create him in the first place seems like even more of an interesting idea now. I just have to find a way to get some more levels on him so I can pull it off.
*chuckles evilly*
It's hard, sometimes, to play a character who is an outsider to your own story. It's difficult to separate Piett from what I know from playing E for so long. And lately, I've had some moments where I've had a hard time remembering what Piett has heard or been told versus what I know because I was E. Heck, I'm pretty sure I've screwed up that separation a few times, usually erring on the side of "he doesn't know", leaving others to remind him (IC or OOC) that he really should know by now.
In any case, the Rikti are definitely not freaking Will out as much as I thought they were going to. They are freaking him out, especially when he's hip-deep in them for too long, but he gets back to "normal" pretty quickly. Does that mean he's all right? Hell, no. It means he's in even more layers of denial than I thought when I created him. And it actually gets easier to bury himself in denial when there's more people around. More to think about, more to keep track of, and more reason for him to put on his game-face and focus on the work.
No, I'm not suggesting less teaming. Don't be paranoid. I love the teaming.
When it comes to Master Masonry, Will doesn't trust him in the slightest. Mas keeps asking some very (to Will) personal questions. The probing just makes him that much more determined to keep his own council. There's something seriously wrong with this "hero" who leads a pack of thugs around, breaking their necks when he's unhappy. The only thing Will knows for sure right now is that he's got to be ready to try and take Mas out if it becomes necessary. How? Well, he's got some ideas...
Then there's Keen Havoc. Fyre and Mas treat him like "instant friend" because of his relationship to the other Keens (Stronghold and Frost). Will thinks they're nuts to do so. He's very obviously his own person with his own (hidden) agenda and plans. He seems like a decent (if rude) fellow, but the more decent someone on the Isles seems, the less likely they are to actually be decent.
As far as Ges and Schlachtfeld go, Will thinks of them as decent soldiers and somewhat useful. If they actually are Nazis... well, there's worse on the Isles. So long as all they're doing is work, it's fine. Just... don't want to get into a political or philosophical discussion.
Then there's Fyre-Hex. Will feels very protective of her, but he's confused as to whether he's having bodyguard feelings, fatherly feelings, or if he's developing a crush. She is quite capable of handling almost anything the Isles can dish out at her, and yet... why is someone like her on the Isles in the first place? He's taken rich idiots into dangerous places before, usually to see them lose their lunch and beg to be taken home. He's worked with heroes and villains before, but Fyre... it's like she's both at the same time. The player obviously knows a few things the character doesn't, so the character is still pretty confused about the whole situation.
Oh, and after last night's conversation, I think I pretty much have to put some more levels on my newest Virtue alt Lost Phantom. The RP idea that made me create him in the first place seems like even more of an interesting idea now. I just have to find a way to get some more levels on him so I can pull it off.
*chuckles evilly*
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
It's Hard...
...to let a character properly freak out when you're busy (1) keeping your pets and teammate(s) alive and (2) lagging really badly. Or maybe I've under-estimated Will. Or maybe both. Or maybe it's just that he's building up to a total melt-down when he finally sees the RWZ.
Whatever the reason, so far Will's reaction is milder than I had expected, consisting mostly of borderline paranoia (he's constantly checking the sky) and semi-fatalism ("We're all gonna die!"). He and his boys want to sign up with Vanguard and battle the Rikti threat wherever they can. An understandable reaction when you realize that all of them lost friends and family in the first Rikti invasion.
I busted out Will's new "Invasion" costume. Once again used the "Stealth" pieces as the base (chest and legs), but he's got the shield-projector gloves on still along with his new rocket boots and a helmet. I like the stealth set a lot, as those who've seen my most recent characters can probably guess. It's a good "light armor" alternative to the flak jacket. Most the other "light armor" costume pieces just don't look right to me.
In any case, I wish that it was possible to get Will into the RWZ while the event is still going on, but a run from 22 to 35 just isn't possible without cheating. So the invasion zone events will get fewer and farther between before Will sees what's happened to the crash site. That'll be interesting, but a long way off at this point.
I've got some screenshots from the weekend I meant to post. Maybe I'll remember when I get home tonight.
Whatever the reason, so far Will's reaction is milder than I had expected, consisting mostly of borderline paranoia (he's constantly checking the sky) and semi-fatalism ("We're all gonna die!"). He and his boys want to sign up with Vanguard and battle the Rikti threat wherever they can. An understandable reaction when you realize that all of them lost friends and family in the first Rikti invasion.
I busted out Will's new "Invasion" costume. Once again used the "Stealth" pieces as the base (chest and legs), but he's got the shield-projector gloves on still along with his new rocket boots and a helmet. I like the stealth set a lot, as those who've seen my most recent characters can probably guess. It's a good "light armor" alternative to the flak jacket. Most the other "light armor" costume pieces just don't look right to me.
In any case, I wish that it was possible to get Will into the RWZ while the event is still going on, but a run from 22 to 35 just isn't possible without cheating. So the invasion zone events will get fewer and farther between before Will sees what's happened to the crash site. That'll be interesting, but a long way off at this point.
I've got some screenshots from the weekend I meant to post. Maybe I'll remember when I get home tonight.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Just Another Random Update
For those who've been wondering (just a couple of you, maybe), I was really hoping Will would finally (IC) figure out how to project a force field around himself. i.e. (OOC) I wanted to get Dispersion Bubble (not PFF) before the Invasion. As it is right now, Fyre and I have agreed to ignore the invasion for RP purposes for a few days 'til we're both ready for the drama it's going to cause. I don't want to wait too much longer, though, 'cause I read the event is only going to last for two weeks. Hopefully, I can get Will his big bubble before the week is out.
With Keen about to disappear on us for an indeterminate period of time, though, T3 could probably use a little more attention. It sounds like the current plan is to shelve T3 while Keen is away. Which is okay by me. Lord knows I've got enough characters on the shelf just gathering dust. And I really do want to get Vagz (all three of him) wading into the I10 fun.
I've got a new character (relatively: I created him a couple weeks ago, got him to 5, and stopped) that I created for potential RP. Unfortunately, I need to get him to a certain level before I allow him to be seen by the people I want to RP him with, and it's slow-going to level him solo, especially since I don't solo much. I suppose I could try and get on PUGs with him, but it's no secret: generally-speaking, I loathe PUGs. I can tolerate them if I'm on them with a friend or two (snarking in /tells helps me deal), but a couple of deaths or slow going in a non-RP team, and I get bored or irritated and start looking for something else to do. In any case, with the invasion going on, it's probably not the right time for the RP I was contemplating, so I'll shelve the idea for a little while. Get the character a level or two at a time, maybe. We'll see.
I've got a number of characters I'd love to RP the invasion with (Derick Darklight, Jack Royale, and Speed Trial all come immediately to mind), but a limited time for actually playing the game. And I admit to being kinda fixated on the Fyre/Will dynamic at the moment. From what I hear, there's a thread in the Virtue forums where people are writing out their characters' reactions to the invasion in a kind of "where were you when..." scenario. I might end up doing that here since this is the only CoX-related forum I can access from work, so don't be shocked if I do a little writing based on a character you've never heard of. :-D
Oh, and I want to thank Fyre, Keen, and Masonry for all the screenshots they've been posting lately. Since I mostly post from work, I don't have that capability unless I remember to do it at home. And as you can guess, I'm usually distracted by actually playing once I'm home. :)
With Keen about to disappear on us for an indeterminate period of time, though, T3 could probably use a little more attention. It sounds like the current plan is to shelve T3 while Keen is away. Which is okay by me. Lord knows I've got enough characters on the shelf just gathering dust. And I really do want to get Vagz (all three of him) wading into the I10 fun.
I've got a new character (relatively: I created him a couple weeks ago, got him to 5, and stopped) that I created for potential RP. Unfortunately, I need to get him to a certain level before I allow him to be seen by the people I want to RP him with, and it's slow-going to level him solo, especially since I don't solo much. I suppose I could try and get on PUGs with him, but it's no secret: generally-speaking, I loathe PUGs. I can tolerate them if I'm on them with a friend or two (snarking in /tells helps me deal), but a couple of deaths or slow going in a non-RP team, and I get bored or irritated and start looking for something else to do. In any case, with the invasion going on, it's probably not the right time for the RP I was contemplating, so I'll shelve the idea for a little while. Get the character a level or two at a time, maybe. We'll see.
I've got a number of characters I'd love to RP the invasion with (Derick Darklight, Jack Royale, and Speed Trial all come immediately to mind), but a limited time for actually playing the game. And I admit to being kinda fixated on the Fyre/Will dynamic at the moment. From what I hear, there's a thread in the Virtue forums where people are writing out their characters' reactions to the invasion in a kind of "where were you when..." scenario. I might end up doing that here since this is the only CoX-related forum I can access from work, so don't be shocked if I do a little writing based on a character you've never heard of. :-D
Oh, and I want to thank Fyre, Keen, and Masonry for all the screenshots they've been posting lately. Since I mostly post from work, I don't have that capability unless I remember to do it at home. And as you can guess, I'm usually distracted by actually playing once I'm home. :)
Monday, July 16, 2007
Reptile Fetish
Yesterday was a good Task Fo... er, Strike Force Sunday. That first Strike Force is, to me, interesting and a lot of fun. I think we did really well on it, even though we struggled a bit to begin with. I think that had more to do with the fact that we were on a slightly-increased difficulty level and while we were all at 18, the mobs were spawning at 20-21. It became much easier once we all hit 19. The fact that by the end of the SF (and 1 newspaper mission to nudge the Bomber over) we were all 20 (except for our special guest star, the Green Corruptor, who started out a level behind us) was just icing on the cake.
So the next step was, naturally, the costume slot mission and the cape mission. The costume slot mission was the standard hunt, and although one of the ambushes kinda surprised me, we banged it out pretty quick. Only one of us actually wanted a cape, but if we were gonna do the mission for one, we might as well all do it and get the auto-complete. After all, we may not want a cape now...
If you've been following this blog or the associated ones at all, though, you know what that second costume slot means for Ryu. He can finally "reveal" himself as a dragon to his teammates, something I think all the players have been kinda waiting for. I had it in my head that, with Ryu getting hungrier and hungrier, once I had the costume, I'd wait for a defeat or a near-defeat (something that would really irritate Ryu) and have him change and go nuts. Dramatic, shocking reveal and all that.
The story said "no, we're not gonna do it that way".
After a dinner and costuming break, T3 started talking. First about Zen, then about Kain's costume change and powers. We were talking about how over-exposure to radiation is what gave Kain his powers, and just for a laugh, I threw out that something similar had happened to a friend of Ryu's and now he spewed radiation from his mouth.
Yeah, Godzilla reference. Sue me.
But instead of being a throw-away joke reference (like Ryu saying "I am not afraid of any ghost"), Luna and Bomber pursued it. I won't quote the conversation, but the reptile fetish thing that Luna brought up way back came up again, and the muse nudged me. Ryu isn't a rampaging monster, it reminded me. He would just tell people sooner or later. Do it now.
Oh, all right.
I'd designed the costume in my head back when I created the character. When I sat down to the costume creator that first time, I built Ryu's "second" costume first. Then I converted it into the human form that became his "first" costume. You can change faces, skin color, claws, hair... everything on the character is mutable from costume to costume. Except height and base body design. So Ryu had to be ready to be turned into a whip-thin seven-foot-long Japanese dragon.
That did make my job at the Facemaker very easy once the second costume slot was open. The only debate was wings. Traditionally, Japanese dragons don't have them, but people (myself included) would be kind of expecting them. I decided to go without for now. I can always add them later if I change my mind.
So, with a "I trust you three" and "let's keep this between us", Ryu stepped out of alakazamreact as a dragon. Oh, that was a fun pose, and a great scene to watch and play in. I'm not sure if the reactions would've been bigger if the players hadn't been expecting it. Kain had the reaction I expected (a slight raise of the eyebrow and the equivalent of "huh"). I had expected Luna's reaction to be bigger and more horrified, but she took it quite in stride ("Oh, so that's why it's tough to make you invisible. You don't look like that."). Bomber's reaction was fun. The insane person thinking he's going insane.
Once all three had gotten over their initial reactions, the conversation kept going, and that was fun, too. I revealed a couple of the cards I'd been keeping hidden. "Ryu Tatsu" is actually "Ka-Riu" (also spelled "Ka-Ryu"), one of the dragon lords of Japanese folklore. His seven-foot "height" is his full and actual size, he is fiery red, and an acid-spitter. (Search the web for more info if you're curious. I did a little research before creating this character. :) )
Ryu revealed that he is starting to get very hungry. The food available in the Isles is not suited to his needs and Arachnos has confiscated his attempts to import what he needs. And he also revealed that he has other needs that are not being met... but was somewhat shy and changed the subject. The others let him (or to be more accurate, it was very easy to distract Bomber), and so the only other "card" that got tipped was when Ryu said that his servants aren't what they appear to be either.
As a side note, we also got a little more of the Bombardier's back-story. I'll let Mason post on that in detail, but Ryu (and his player) loves stories, especially those that tell how things came to be as they are. But he is also polite, so when Bomber says "I don't want to talk about it any more", as far as Ryu is concerned, the subject is closed. Ryu's player, on the other hand, would love to push for more backstory from all the characters. Especially, at this point, Luna, who has been pretty quiet and hasn't shared much more of her story than is in her bio.
I think, though, that each member of T3 has now put out their backstory a bit. We've teased each other with some of the secrets our characters are keeping, so I think we're finally past the introduction/prologue of this story and into "chapter 1", the beginning of which I place on the Strike Force.
Now what happens next?
So the next step was, naturally, the costume slot mission and the cape mission. The costume slot mission was the standard hunt, and although one of the ambushes kinda surprised me, we banged it out pretty quick. Only one of us actually wanted a cape, but if we were gonna do the mission for one, we might as well all do it and get the auto-complete. After all, we may not want a cape now...
If you've been following this blog or the associated ones at all, though, you know what that second costume slot means for Ryu. He can finally "reveal" himself as a dragon to his teammates, something I think all the players have been kinda waiting for. I had it in my head that, with Ryu getting hungrier and hungrier, once I had the costume, I'd wait for a defeat or a near-defeat (something that would really irritate Ryu) and have him change and go nuts. Dramatic, shocking reveal and all that.
The story said "no, we're not gonna do it that way".
After a dinner and costuming break, T3 started talking. First about Zen, then about Kain's costume change and powers. We were talking about how over-exposure to radiation is what gave Kain his powers, and just for a laugh, I threw out that something similar had happened to a friend of Ryu's and now he spewed radiation from his mouth.
Yeah, Godzilla reference. Sue me.
But instead of being a throw-away joke reference (like Ryu saying "I am not afraid of any ghost"), Luna and Bomber pursued it. I won't quote the conversation, but the reptile fetish thing that Luna brought up way back came up again, and the muse nudged me. Ryu isn't a rampaging monster, it reminded me. He would just tell people sooner or later. Do it now.
Oh, all right.
I'd designed the costume in my head back when I created the character. When I sat down to the costume creator that first time, I built Ryu's "second" costume first. Then I converted it into the human form that became his "first" costume. You can change faces, skin color, claws, hair... everything on the character is mutable from costume to costume. Except height and base body design. So Ryu had to be ready to be turned into a whip-thin seven-foot-long Japanese dragon.
That did make my job at the Facemaker very easy once the second costume slot was open. The only debate was wings. Traditionally, Japanese dragons don't have them, but people (myself included) would be kind of expecting them. I decided to go without for now. I can always add them later if I change my mind.
So, with a "I trust you three" and "let's keep this between us", Ryu stepped out of alakazamreact as a dragon. Oh, that was a fun pose, and a great scene to watch and play in. I'm not sure if the reactions would've been bigger if the players hadn't been expecting it. Kain had the reaction I expected (a slight raise of the eyebrow and the equivalent of "huh"). I had expected Luna's reaction to be bigger and more horrified, but she took it quite in stride ("Oh, so that's why it's tough to make you invisible. You don't look like that."). Bomber's reaction was fun. The insane person thinking he's going insane.
Once all three had gotten over their initial reactions, the conversation kept going, and that was fun, too. I revealed a couple of the cards I'd been keeping hidden. "Ryu Tatsu" is actually "Ka-Riu" (also spelled "Ka-Ryu"), one of the dragon lords of Japanese folklore. His seven-foot "height" is his full and actual size, he is fiery red, and an acid-spitter. (Search the web for more info if you're curious. I did a little research before creating this character. :) )
Ryu revealed that he is starting to get very hungry. The food available in the Isles is not suited to his needs and Arachnos has confiscated his attempts to import what he needs. And he also revealed that he has other needs that are not being met... but was somewhat shy and changed the subject. The others let him (or to be more accurate, it was very easy to distract Bomber), and so the only other "card" that got tipped was when Ryu said that his servants aren't what they appear to be either.
As a side note, we also got a little more of the Bombardier's back-story. I'll let Mason post on that in detail, but Ryu (and his player) loves stories, especially those that tell how things came to be as they are. But he is also polite, so when Bomber says "I don't want to talk about it any more", as far as Ryu is concerned, the subject is closed. Ryu's player, on the other hand, would love to push for more backstory from all the characters. Especially, at this point, Luna, who has been pretty quiet and hasn't shared much more of her story than is in her bio.
I think, though, that each member of T3 has now put out their backstory a bit. We've teased each other with some of the secrets our characters are keeping, so I think we're finally past the introduction/prologue of this story and into "chapter 1", the beginning of which I place on the Strike Force.
Now what happens next?
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Captain Piett
First of all, I admit it: I stole the name. I'm sure at least one of you knows from where. But I think it's an acceptable theft since... well, that'll come out eventually. :)
Fyre and Will make for an interesting duo. I've always been told that defense-based characters are risky at best, but teaming a force-fielder with a fire dom is proving to be pretty cool. It was rough at first, but now with Will on IOs and DOs, only bosses seem to be able to give the mercenaries too much trouble. I can't wait to see what happens once I've got Stamina, SOs, and Dispersion Bubble.
But mechanics isn't what I wanted to talk about here. I'm having a blast playing a "newbie".
Will was living in Paragon City when the Rikti attacked. He lived a fairly sheltered existence there, details of which I haven't let slip yet. He left shortly after the invasion and has been traveling the world, doing the mercenary thing for the past few years. He does his research before he takes a job, but he was never a hero and doesn't have any security clearance of any sort. So while he's heard of a few of the more obvious things, I take a large portion of what I've learned playing CoH to level 50 (almost three times), and I throw it out the window.
Will doesn't believe Fyre when she tells him about the connection between the Lost and the Rikti. He doesn't know who the Malta Group is. He's heard of the Tsoo but had never seen them before last night. He didn't know Crey was an evil corporation (although that was easy enough to believe since they have a headquarters in the Rogue Isles). He's never heard of the Paragon Protectors.
I think once you've played the game for long enough, especially if you've gone all the way through to 50, it becomes easy to take for granted everything you've learned. It's easy to forget that a huge majority of what your hero learns along the way is a secret from most the world. Look at people creating brand-new characters who work elements of the game world into their character's background and get it wrong. Especially the Rikti, who are [potential spoiler alert] not aliens from another planet, but humans from another dimension [end spoiler].
And honestly, while it's easy to get comfortable in the world of CoX, pull yourself out of the game for a moment and think about some of the plots, pretending that you know nothing about them. To the average Joe on the street, what the heroes of Paragon go through has got to sound pretty ridiculous. So that's the way I'm playing Will. Sure, some of the plots of Paragon bleed over into the Rogue Isles. And yes, Will will have to come to terms with some of it. Eventually.
My favorite moment of the night? I'll try to dig up the exact quote later, but as Fyre was trying to explain Rikti politics and the factions to Will, she said she regretted not paying more attention when E was talking. :)
Fyre and Will make for an interesting duo. I've always been told that defense-based characters are risky at best, but teaming a force-fielder with a fire dom is proving to be pretty cool. It was rough at first, but now with Will on IOs and DOs, only bosses seem to be able to give the mercenaries too much trouble. I can't wait to see what happens once I've got Stamina, SOs, and Dispersion Bubble.
But mechanics isn't what I wanted to talk about here. I'm having a blast playing a "newbie".
Will was living in Paragon City when the Rikti attacked. He lived a fairly sheltered existence there, details of which I haven't let slip yet. He left shortly after the invasion and has been traveling the world, doing the mercenary thing for the past few years. He does his research before he takes a job, but he was never a hero and doesn't have any security clearance of any sort. So while he's heard of a few of the more obvious things, I take a large portion of what I've learned playing CoH to level 50 (almost three times), and I throw it out the window.
Will doesn't believe Fyre when she tells him about the connection between the Lost and the Rikti. He doesn't know who the Malta Group is. He's heard of the Tsoo but had never seen them before last night. He didn't know Crey was an evil corporation (although that was easy enough to believe since they have a headquarters in the Rogue Isles). He's never heard of the Paragon Protectors.
I think once you've played the game for long enough, especially if you've gone all the way through to 50, it becomes easy to take for granted everything you've learned. It's easy to forget that a huge majority of what your hero learns along the way is a secret from most the world. Look at people creating brand-new characters who work elements of the game world into their character's background and get it wrong. Especially the Rikti, who are [potential spoiler alert] not aliens from another planet, but humans from another dimension [end spoiler].
And honestly, while it's easy to get comfortable in the world of CoX, pull yourself out of the game for a moment and think about some of the plots, pretending that you know nothing about them. To the average Joe on the street, what the heroes of Paragon go through has got to sound pretty ridiculous. So that's the way I'm playing Will. Sure, some of the plots of Paragon bleed over into the Rogue Isles. And yes, Will will have to come to terms with some of it. Eventually.
My favorite moment of the night? I'll try to dig up the exact quote later, but as Fyre was trying to explain Rikti politics and the factions to Will, she said she regretted not paying more attention when E was talking. :)
Thursday, June 28, 2007
I was working in the lab late one night...
"...well, run it again!"
"But Dr. Pace... we've run that test twenty times already. The catalyst just isn't working any more. It hasn't for days now!"
"But why, dammit!? How on earth has the condition hit a plateau? Why am I not getting worse and why can't I get better? I want my hearing back, dammit!"
"Dr. Pace... we know, okay? The whole team has been here the entire time. And we've been working on it while you're in the field as well as while you're... um... resting."
"Blacked out, you mean. Speaking in tongues. Delivering prophecies of doom. You can say it, Dr. Nguyen. It's not like I'm... okay, it is like I'm unaware, but you've told me about it. Shown me video and such."
"Yes. And at this point, I think it's pretty safe to say the team knows as much about your condition as you do. Maybe more, even. We're all putting in overtime on this, but there's just no indication as to why you've stabilized or why your condition refuses to respond positively or negatively to anything."
"Well, run the test again."
"...all right, Dr. Pace. Give me your arm, and we'll draw some more blood."
"But Dr. Pace... we've run that test twenty times already. The catalyst just isn't working any more. It hasn't for days now!"
"But why, dammit!? How on earth has the condition hit a plateau? Why am I not getting worse and why can't I get better? I want my hearing back, dammit!"
"Dr. Pace... we know, okay? The whole team has been here the entire time. And we've been working on it while you're in the field as well as while you're... um... resting."
"Blacked out, you mean. Speaking in tongues. Delivering prophecies of doom. You can say it, Dr. Nguyen. It's not like I'm... okay, it is like I'm unaware, but you've told me about it. Shown me video and such."
"Yes. And at this point, I think it's pretty safe to say the team knows as much about your condition as you do. Maybe more, even. We're all putting in overtime on this, but there's just no indication as to why you've stabilized or why your condition refuses to respond positively or negatively to anything."
"Well, run the test again."
"...all right, Dr. Pace. Give me your arm, and we'll draw some more blood."
Monday, June 25, 2007
Styrm Update
For those who didn't make it last night, here's the key point: because the Kronos went down too fast and too easily, it could not have been Styrm at the wheel. After all, as E said IC, the thing came straight in, shot at E, and was wasted in a few minutes. There's no way Styrm was driving it.
The final confrontation with Styrm will be in the timed mission against the AV version of the Kronos. Anyone who wishes to attend, even just to watch, is invited. We will shuttle people inside and then "unteam" them if necessary.
I hope this will be tonight, but it's hard to say for sure after what happened yesterday. It might end up waiting 'til tomorrow.
EDIT (6/26/07 9:00 AM) - Due to angst beyond my control, Styrm/the Kronos Titan was not seen last night. Stay tuned, true believers. I do hope to wrap this up this week.
The final confrontation with Styrm will be in the timed mission against the AV version of the Kronos. Anyone who wishes to attend, even just to watch, is invited. We will shuttle people inside and then "unteam" them if necessary.
I hope this will be tonight, but it's hard to say for sure after what happened yesterday. It might end up waiting 'til tomorrow.
EDIT (6/26/07 9:00 AM) - Due to angst beyond my control, Styrm/the Kronos Titan was not seen last night. Stay tuned, true believers. I do hope to wrap this up this week.
Angst Force Sunday part deux
I had a plan for yesterday, and I thought it was a pretty good one. Team Angst is already on Crimson's "World Wide Red" story arc, both E and Frosty. The Kronos ambushes at mission 9, appears in mission 16, and we were on #3. Instead of our usual task force, we'll plow through the story arc, I'll use E's IC voice-over to tweak the given plot a little so that it meshes better with our own plots. The last time we fought the Kronos, it was a half-hour long grueling ordeal, so this time, I'll call out all the reserves. I'll make an OOC call just before the ambush, and an IC one for color as soon as the monster appears. Whatever team forms from the ambush will continue on through the arc. We'll get to the final mission, possibly ushering extra people in by teaming and un-teaming, beat "Styrm", and ride a triumphant high... culminating a couple missions later in E's "end". I thought it'd be a blast, a hoot, and a nice way to quit playing E for a while.
The best-laid plans of mice and men...
Instead of the Jack/Lodestar Masonry, still in tragic/abused hero mode, doing his duty in the face of adversity... Nathan shows up. Well, that's not something I'd planned on in the slightest. Yeah, I thought he'd come out to fight the Kronos, either the first time around or the second. Probably both. I didn't expect another long argument like this. Not right off the bat. I mean... after Styrm was down and before I "closed out" E, maybe, but... It's the same old argument from the last time Mason "went evil", and all I can figure is that Mason's player is back-pedalling on the "Masonry is a villain" issue and trying to drag Nathan back to hero stuff. Unfortunately, that ship has sailed for E. There have been too many chances, too many betrayals, and threats to his daughter are unforgivable. Nathan leaves. E, recognizing the torn feeling in Frost, tells him there'd be no hard feelings if Frost wanted to go with Mason. He means it, but Frost decides to stay with E and Scarlette.
So here I was thrown off the plan already. Okay, we've lost Masonry. And apparently Mason's player isn't going to offer us a replacement character, either. Well, that'll slow us down, but... I guess Mas has something prepped, so we'll continue on.
Then Frost drops the bomb that Nathan is out because Frost asked Jack to let him out. Naturally, E completely flips out. He's completely blind-sided again by someone he trusted letting out Nathan again. The argument here was shorter, mostly because Frost doesn't seem to know what to say. So now Frost leaves.
Well, damn! We're down to two. I went and cranked back the difficulty to Rugged. Scarlette & E run a few more of the missions. Scarlette then tells E she's been in contact with someone "more powerful" than her, filling this mystery person in on what happened. Scarlette's been told she probably ought to leave town for a few days, and this person will fill in. E heads to the CIA offices that are the next mission, waits to meet Scarlette's replacement...
...and it's Fyre. I expected this. E did not. He practically falls apart in relief, unloading everything that's been happening, everything he's feeling... cut short (thankfully) by the fact that Fyre pretty much already knows what's been going on thanks to Scarlette. So E & Fyre continue on, coming at last to the mission after which the Kronos makes its first appearance.
Okay, since it was such a rough and long battle last time, we'll hit all the bases. OOC, I tipped off the Dauntless Global, the Help channel, and Futura Force. Fyre left the mission ahead of E and hit Broadcast. I give everyone a few minutes to switch characters if necessary and get into place so when the IC call goes out, they can jump into the fight and maybe the battle will last 15 minutes instead of last time's half-hour. I was worried that, like previous occasions, once the Kronos downed E, it would run off and disappear, so I tried to get everything set up just right.
I have never seen so many Decoys and Phantasms in my life. I don't know who called out the Illusion Controller High Guard, but the northwest corner of Founders was flooded with heroes and pets. Instead of fifteen minutes, I think the Kronos lasted maybe 2-3 minutes. It managed to down E with its initial alpha (which I knew it would), but the thing didn't stand a chance.
Umm... oops. I hadn't planned on that battle being so short. Or on the fact that Mas & Keen (and a few others as well?) would wait for the IC call to start traveling to the spot (which wouldn't have mattered if the Kronos had lasted as long as I'd expected). Well, crap. I'm just shooting blind here now.
It's getting late, and there's still five missions left in the arc before the final battle. So we do one more with Keen. In the middle of the mission, Fyre let's it slip that Serra left. She's not hiding deep in Fyre's mind any more. She's gone. We're in the middle of stuff, though, so it gets pushed aside for the moment. After the mission, we let Keen go off to bed, and then let Team Angst go for the night.
Maybe we'll get to finish this thing off tonight. But at this point, I'm not counting on it. The plan is already shot to hell. Better to play it by ear for the rest of the tale.
The best-laid plans of mice and men...
Instead of the Jack/Lodestar Masonry, still in tragic/abused hero mode, doing his duty in the face of adversity... Nathan shows up. Well, that's not something I'd planned on in the slightest. Yeah, I thought he'd come out to fight the Kronos, either the first time around or the second. Probably both. I didn't expect another long argument like this. Not right off the bat. I mean... after Styrm was down and before I "closed out" E, maybe, but... It's the same old argument from the last time Mason "went evil", and all I can figure is that Mason's player is back-pedalling on the "Masonry is a villain" issue and trying to drag Nathan back to hero stuff. Unfortunately, that ship has sailed for E. There have been too many chances, too many betrayals, and threats to his daughter are unforgivable. Nathan leaves. E, recognizing the torn feeling in Frost, tells him there'd be no hard feelings if Frost wanted to go with Mason. He means it, but Frost decides to stay with E and Scarlette.
So here I was thrown off the plan already. Okay, we've lost Masonry. And apparently Mason's player isn't going to offer us a replacement character, either. Well, that'll slow us down, but... I guess Mas has something prepped, so we'll continue on.
Then Frost drops the bomb that Nathan is out because Frost asked Jack to let him out. Naturally, E completely flips out. He's completely blind-sided again by someone he trusted letting out Nathan again. The argument here was shorter, mostly because Frost doesn't seem to know what to say. So now Frost leaves.
Well, damn! We're down to two. I went and cranked back the difficulty to Rugged. Scarlette & E run a few more of the missions. Scarlette then tells E she's been in contact with someone "more powerful" than her, filling this mystery person in on what happened. Scarlette's been told she probably ought to leave town for a few days, and this person will fill in. E heads to the CIA offices that are the next mission, waits to meet Scarlette's replacement...
...and it's Fyre. I expected this. E did not. He practically falls apart in relief, unloading everything that's been happening, everything he's feeling... cut short (thankfully) by the fact that Fyre pretty much already knows what's been going on thanks to Scarlette. So E & Fyre continue on, coming at last to the mission after which the Kronos makes its first appearance.
Okay, since it was such a rough and long battle last time, we'll hit all the bases. OOC, I tipped off the Dauntless Global, the Help channel, and Futura Force. Fyre left the mission ahead of E and hit Broadcast. I give everyone a few minutes to switch characters if necessary and get into place so when the IC call goes out, they can jump into the fight and maybe the battle will last 15 minutes instead of last time's half-hour. I was worried that, like previous occasions, once the Kronos downed E, it would run off and disappear, so I tried to get everything set up just right.
I have never seen so many Decoys and Phantasms in my life. I don't know who called out the Illusion Controller High Guard, but the northwest corner of Founders was flooded with heroes and pets. Instead of fifteen minutes, I think the Kronos lasted maybe 2-3 minutes. It managed to down E with its initial alpha (which I knew it would), but the thing didn't stand a chance.
Umm... oops. I hadn't planned on that battle being so short. Or on the fact that Mas & Keen (and a few others as well?) would wait for the IC call to start traveling to the spot (which wouldn't have mattered if the Kronos had lasted as long as I'd expected). Well, crap. I'm just shooting blind here now.
It's getting late, and there's still five missions left in the arc before the final battle. So we do one more with Keen. In the middle of the mission, Fyre let's it slip that Serra left. She's not hiding deep in Fyre's mind any more. She's gone. We're in the middle of stuff, though, so it gets pushed aside for the moment. After the mission, we let Keen go off to bed, and then let Team Angst go for the night.
Maybe we'll get to finish this thing off tonight. But at this point, I'm not counting on it. The plan is already shot to hell. Better to play it by ear for the rest of the tale.
Friday, June 22, 2007
More Trouble in the Rogue Isles
As Fyre mentions in her blog, Fyre-Hex has gone to the Rogue Isles. The Nathan part of Masonry would probably be unsurprised to find out she has "people" with her. In this case, she hired Cpt. William Piett, a Mercenaries/Force Field mastermind. He is practically a standard-issue mercenary, complete with guns, military training, people under him, and a shady past. In addition, he also has a pair of high-tech gauntlets that allow him to project and manipulate fields of "solid" energy. Naturally, his first thought was to use this as another weapon (force bolt at level 1), but he can also envision a practical application of defensive shields (he just took deflection shield at level 4). To supplement, he's also scrounged up taser darts (origin power), coated the gauntlets with Sands of Mu, and swiped a Nemesis Staff (veteran rewards powers). A connection with DJ Zero also got him a Pocket D teleporter and a jump-pack (it's good to be a V.I.P.).
He has already spent some time on Mercy Island, making connections and getting his reputation established locally. Matthew Burke was a big help in that area. Other than that, I haven't fleshed out the character too much in my head. He's going to be a bit stereotypical to start, but I'll fill him out more as ideas come to me and the RP continues. The way he sees it, his job is to protect Fyre and act as her guide. She may have done the hero schtick in Paragon City, but the Rogue Isles are a whole different ballpark. I envision that Fyre has hired him for other jobs before, so he does know her. However, he doesn't know what this latest "job" is all about. He's hesitant to ask (good mercs keep their mouths shut and do what they're paid to do), but his curiosity will probably get the better of him eventually.
Fyre and I had a lot of fun getting the two new "villains" to level 4 last night. I hated to break it off, but I had to wake up for work this morning.
He has already spent some time on Mercy Island, making connections and getting his reputation established locally. Matthew Burke was a big help in that area. Other than that, I haven't fleshed out the character too much in my head. He's going to be a bit stereotypical to start, but I'll fill him out more as ideas come to me and the RP continues. The way he sees it, his job is to protect Fyre and act as her guide. She may have done the hero schtick in Paragon City, but the Rogue Isles are a whole different ballpark. I envision that Fyre has hired him for other jobs before, so he does know her. However, he doesn't know what this latest "job" is all about. He's hesitant to ask (good mercs keep their mouths shut and do what they're paid to do), but his curiosity will probably get the better of him eventually.
Fyre and I had a lot of fun getting the two new "villains" to level 4 last night. I hated to break it off, but I had to wake up for work this morning.
The Angst Continues
I thought after our blogged discussions yesterday that we'd be re-starting T3 over on Guardian, so I started out by making space over there. Deleted Sapphire Death, my Ninjas/Trick Arrow mastermind. He had a halfway interesting look, and he was how I learned I can solo an MM pretty easily if I have to, but since Ryu is Ninjas as well (and SD was only level 6), no need to keep both. Then I logged in Eryx the Hunter, my AR/Traps corruptor and one of the leaders of the VG Fyre and I put together eons ago. I figured since odds were the other three had a good half-hour to an hour on me, they'd already have their characters prepped, maybe even up to level 4 or so. I'd hand out the invites and then go set up Ryu.
Except my GFriends list showed that Keen Frost, Masonry Redux, and Scarlette Blade were on. And to make things weirder (to me, anyway), Scarlette was on a team of 7 and Keen & Mas were each solo. So, after 10-15 minutes of sending tells around trying to figure out what we were doing, I ended up on E. :)
As was probably fairly obvious to the rest of the team, E is miserable. He hasn't seen Fyre in days. He hasn't seen his daughter in months. The guy he thought was his best friend is now evil, and his few other friends are all going through some seriously bad times of their own. He gets ambushed by Malta at least three times a day, and he knows Styrm's out there still. He's in a lot of pain, and the degeneration is spreading.
And he feels like he has no one to talk to about it. He's feeling like a burden on his remaining friends, like they're all thinking "yeah, we know you're dying, now shut up and get on with it already". And in the back of his head is the idea that he drove Fyre away. He doesn't believe that consciously, but the subconscious can often be louder than the logical mind. And as he mentioned to the team last night, he's starting to think that even if a "cure" can be found, he wouldn't want to live. Not with his physical condition and his situation the way they are.
On top of that, the research at Steel Canyon Med seems to have stalled now that the radiation has stabilized. The team can't figure out what's happened, but it looks like everything they're trying now, including things that had an effect before, is doing nothing. Something very odd is going on, and no one seems to have an explanation for it.
Well, Keen and Mason had to leave after a couple missions, and since we're porting T3 over to Guardian, Fyre and I decide to re-use the slots on Virtue and create a new duo. We've been talking about some new story ideas for a while now, and since we had opportunity and motive, we decided to go ahead and give it a try. More on that later, though.
Except my GFriends list showed that Keen Frost, Masonry Redux, and Scarlette Blade were on. And to make things weirder (to me, anyway), Scarlette was on a team of 7 and Keen & Mas were each solo. So, after 10-15 minutes of sending tells around trying to figure out what we were doing, I ended up on E. :)
As was probably fairly obvious to the rest of the team, E is miserable. He hasn't seen Fyre in days. He hasn't seen his daughter in months. The guy he thought was his best friend is now evil, and his few other friends are all going through some seriously bad times of their own. He gets ambushed by Malta at least three times a day, and he knows Styrm's out there still. He's in a lot of pain, and the degeneration is spreading.
And he feels like he has no one to talk to about it. He's feeling like a burden on his remaining friends, like they're all thinking "yeah, we know you're dying, now shut up and get on with it already". And in the back of his head is the idea that he drove Fyre away. He doesn't believe that consciously, but the subconscious can often be louder than the logical mind. And as he mentioned to the team last night, he's starting to think that even if a "cure" can be found, he wouldn't want to live. Not with his physical condition and his situation the way they are.
On top of that, the research at Steel Canyon Med seems to have stalled now that the radiation has stabilized. The team can't figure out what's happened, but it looks like everything they're trying now, including things that had an effect before, is doing nothing. Something very odd is going on, and no one seems to have an explanation for it.
Well, Keen and Mason had to leave after a couple missions, and since we're porting T3 over to Guardian, Fyre and I decide to re-use the slots on Virtue and create a new duo. We've been talking about some new story ideas for a while now, and since we had opportunity and motive, we decided to go ahead and give it a try. More on that later, though.
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