Non HPU: Beacon Of Hope OOC

Post by **CyberDragon** » Mon Apr 16, 2018 9:28 pm

What's everyone waiting on?

Legotron123 · Post by **Legotron123** » Mon Apr 16, 2018 9:38 pm

I’ve just had a busy day, so I haven’t been able to post. I’ll start writing it now.

Post by **CyberDragon** » Tue Apr 17, 2018 9:30 pm

First darkness trap.

In a pitch darkness trap, after every full turn you are in the trap one person will be eliminated at random. Same rules for what happens if you run out of time.

Deske · Post by **Deske** » Tue Apr 17, 2018 9:37 pm

Is this a trap that's supposed to be like the "Show it off" trap and doesn't actually have a solution or is this something you can think your way out of?

Post by **CyberDragon** » Tue Apr 17, 2018 9:47 pm

The darkness trap might have a few ways of getting past it. One way would be figuring out how to turn on the lights again. From the sound of that pop however, the bulb is now dead.

The second way to get out of the darkness trap would be to get out of the room. You should still be able to inspect things with a sense of touch to figure your way out.

Post by **CyberDragon** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 5:30 pm

I'm going to be honest, you guys are already past the time you originally had for this room by two days. I realized you wouldn't have enough time, so I decided to give you more. However, I can't give unlimited time for this. Tomorrow, it will have been a full week. Saturday, the lights will go out.

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:10 am

One of the dragon type Zoids ('80s toys got technical and brilliant) http://zoids.wikia.com/wiki/Groundrago

Post by **CyberDragon** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 5:07 pm

So, one way or another this room is ending soon. I'm thinking of just ending this training session after this room so we can get to the actually interesting plot. Is everyone OK with that?

Legotron123 · Post by **Legotron123** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 5:14 pm

I’m fine with that. I’m about as tired with this whole thing as Kolt is.

Post by **CyberDragon** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 5:15 pm

Yeah, this wasn't my best idea.

Buster · Post by **Buster** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 5:26 pm

admittedly, i sabotaged Kol because i knew my schedule was coming up on a rough patch, but in hindsight i'm kinda glad i wasn't in there.

Legotron123 · Post by **Legotron123** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 6:11 pm

Yeah, there’s just so much stuff I want Kolt to do that I can’t because he’s stuck in the holodeck. I want to talk to Talya and Kobor about what the heck happened in the simulation, I want him to ask for Traci’s name, I want him to talk to the guy from the mech yesterday, assuming he’s on the ship, I want him to find out that Jenny’s brother is alive and be happy for her, I want him to talk to Hivemind about the Yah Rin portals that are opening up (which CD said would happen after the simulation), and I want to do so much more, but I can’t.

Post by **CyberDragon** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 6:18 pm

This will be over by tomorrow. When you try to find new things to do and new mechanics to experiment with to keep things from getting repetitive, some things end up as gold, some things end up used by the demons of Pandemonium to torture lost souls. This just ended up being one of the latter.

Buster · Post by **Buster** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:39 pm

among other problems it kinda undermines the intimidation factor when the players can see the boss' character sheet and know in advance that half the party could actually take him individually, let alone together, had the deck not been stacked unfairly.

For example, Kol is stronger and tougher than he is, is an experienced hand-to-hand combatant, has endurance and perception buffs instead of powers, and has grown up in a subterranean environment meaning she's used to pitch black. Unless she's trapped or distracted, there's no guarantee he can take her at all, let alone easily. Similar problems with Kolt, again not sure randy can take him at all, on a level playing field. Had Talya been there, her active scan could have tracked his every move no matter how well he hid, thats kinda her main ability. Ulrich's light control would have completely undermined the whole shadow mechanic had he been allowed to use it. Digital locks can be hacked or overloaded, and analog locks can be picked or vibrated apart, which should be within Jenny or Tatianna's capabilities. Etc, Etc.

There's challenge, and then there's fake difficulty.

Also the keys to that sort of storytelling are tension which is easier to maintain the less the audience knows, and we knew a TON going in, and pacing which is extremely hard to control in a nonlinear environment, something text RPs inherently are no matter how hard one tries to apply rails, because there's little in the way of hard limits on what players can and cant write.

Legotron123 · Post by **Legotron123** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:55 pm

Yeah, that’s another problem with the whole thing. I’ve actually checked Lycans strength with Hivemind, if he would fight Kolt in a one on one battle, he would get CURBSTOMPED. He can’t do anything that could even scratch Kolt’s forcefields, and there’s nothing he can do to stop Kolt from re-enacting that one scene in Freddy vs Jason and turning him into a pinball. In a more peaceful example, if Kolt was willing to cheat like him, he could just put a forcefield over the whole group and the whole thing would be a breeze.

Post by **CyberDragon** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 10:08 pm

To be fair about how "half the party could actually take him individually", The Lycan is supposed to be sort of this universe's version of Batman in that he's just that good at what he does despite not having significant powers or major superhuman strength. When he showed up in the cafeteria, he surprised Hivemind. That means he managed to sneak up on Hivemind in a ship where Hivemind has eyes and ears everywhere that see and hear everything. Yes it technically doesn't make sense for a character with so few powers as The Lycan to be able to take down opponents, and it doesn't seem fair that I didn't give any chances to fight back. However, The Lycan is a 30 year veteran in a never-ending fight against enemies, many of whom are much more powerful than anyone on the team. It wouldn't make sense for him to get taken down by a team of recruits, even if they have prior experience in other organizations or in fighting in an arena like Kol.

I digress though. I admit it. This was not thought through very well. It was poorly put together, dramatically changed from the traditional game, went on way too long, failed to have any real tension or suspense, it was just horrible. One way or another, it will be over by tomorrow.

Buster · Post by **Buster** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 11:05 pm

The whole batman allegory doesn't work though.

Bats is what he is because he's trained in dozens of martial arts and is one of the smartest people if not the smartest person on DC's version of earth. All of his greatest feats are attributed to being able to out think and out plan EVERYONE. He has the nickname 'worlds greatest detective' and the trope 'Batman Gambit' named after him for a reason. He can take opponents leagues above his weight class because he has the intellect to predict how his opponents think, and the resources to prepare the right equipment for the job.

Randy on the other hand is barely above average intelligence, nor is there anything in his sheet that explains anything like that...

As to rookies trouncing an expert... Ahem...

Mark Twain once wrote: There are some things that can beat smartness and foresight? Awkwardness and stupidity can. The best swordsman in the world doesn't need to fear the second best swordsman in the world; no, the person for him to be afraid of is some ignorant antagonist who has never had a sword in his hand before; he doesn't do the thing he ought to do, and so the expert isn't prepared for him; he does the thing he ought not to do; and often it catches the expert out and ends him on the spot.

Post by **CyberDragon** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 11:15 pm

*looks at Randy's character sheet*

... wow. I thought I gave him more than that. I need to respec his sheet because while he doesn't have a superhuman intellect, he is supposed to be smart enough to have invented all of his gadgets and illusions, and smart enough to do... basically what you just said.

EDIT: I just edited his sheet. He was supposed to have a higher INT score than a six.
EDIT EDIT: I like that quote, Buster.

Buster · Post by **Buster** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 11:23 pm

yeah, it's basically a fancy way of saying "untrained and self taught individuals are unpredictable. Beware the talented amateur."

Post by **CyberDragon** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 11:30 pm

Kind of like what my dad says. "Nothing is foolproof because fools are too darn smart." Something like that.

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Mon Apr 23, 2018 12:18 am

I recall one of the Judge Dredd books where something like that happens. On a hoverboard where the killers are waiting for him. They know how he should come around a corner so prepare for that. Dredd comes around so badly that he almost kills himself but the killers miss him too.

And, with reference to the situation? Interesting goes well with invention. Boredom comes with without it. You gave something inventive a try.

Many consider Patrick Troughton (the 2nd Doctor) to be the FIRST 'Doctor Who' as Hartnell's Doctor took time to settle down and doesn't really start to become the Doctor for over a year from the start. They slowly developed things to that point. At a later point you might try the holo scenario again but better, having taken on the reactions and the mistakes made this time around. And the third time could be even better. Or never again. Your choice.

Legotron123 · Post by **Legotron123** » Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:14 pm

You guys ever have a really weird and random thought about this RP, one that just makes you “brain, what the heck?” Because I was just listening to What’s the Use of Feeling Blue from Steven Universe a few days ago, when for some reason I realized I could absolutely see Allsight singing this to get Kolt to stop thinking about Lila after her death. That thought has been driving nuts me since then, and I really wanted to share it with you.

Deske · Post by **Deske** » Thu Apr 26, 2018 12:15 am

Sorry that I haven't been keeping up very well. This week's been a doozy and every day has basically ended with me going to sleep when I get home.

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Thu Apr 26, 2018 6:18 am

I've wanted to include a variation of that 'armour' line for some time. It's taken off a little known film George Segal's (The zany adventures of) Robin Hood. After he punches a soldier in the stomach. "Never, but NEVER, hit a man in the stomach when he's wearing armour. Really smarts!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9IaIp29vLg

Post by **CyberDragon** » Sat Apr 28, 2018 5:33 pm

I might take a break today. I'd like for at least one more person to post before I do. I think I will move the plot along in the next post.

Legotron123 · Post by **Legotron123** » Sun Apr 29, 2018 11:31 pm

You know what I hate? When I’ve doubled checked a post, I’m confident I’ve gotten all the spelling errors, and then ten minutes later I get a PM about how I used the wrong name.

Post by **CyberDragon** » Sun Apr 29, 2018 11:36 pm

What wrong name? Sol? Sol is Solomon's short name.

Legotron123 · Post by **Legotron123** » Sun Apr 29, 2018 11:56 pm

I accidentally used Kolt instead of Lewis. I edited it out, so it’s not there anymore.

Post by **CyberDragon** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 7:34 am

Yeah, I thought I might have time today to post in the morning, but then I saw how many things I have to respond to and I knew this post is going to take a while.

I'll have it up after work like usual.

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Sat May 05, 2018 3:17 am

I don't know why but I've always been fascinated by the Shetland Islands. Those co-ordinates would land you in the Island Capital, Lerwick.

Legotron123 · Post by **Legotron123** » Sat May 05, 2018 6:09 pm

Is anyone else curious about the Canine Homeworlds? Because I read that and I think of this one cheesy movie I saw when I was a kid, where dogs were actually settlers from another planet, and we were supposed to be their pets, but somehow the dynamic got reversed, and there’s this plot point about keeping it secret from the homeworld because if they found out they’d come in and subjugate the humans. It was a weird movie.

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Sun May 06, 2018 1:50 pm

I had thought about calling the world Canisol but decided against that after thinking about it for a few moments.

Post by **CyberDragon** » Sun May 06, 2018 8:58 pm

On one hand, I originally had in mind that Hivemind sent Kobor to a different briefing room to the one he was meeting the Steelhaven higher-ups in. On the other hand, I'm curious as to what their reactions would be to the squid creature.

Legotron123 · Post by **Legotron123** » Sun May 06, 2018 9:34 pm

It’s not going to be the weirdest thing they’ve seen on this ship. That yellow armadillo thing me and Welsh mentioned earlier? That’s a reference to the Talpaedans from Ben 10, who have evolved to have organic pneumatic drills in their forearms. A squid thing is nothing.

Post by **CyberDragon** » Mon May 07, 2018 7:55 am

I go to get some sleep and when I wake up the main plot's been hijacked and you guys have started a gunfight. XP

Letting it slide this time because I told Welsh in advance how I planned for this to go. Next time I would appreciate asking me first before moving the main plot along without me. I might have things planned that I haven't told people about.

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Mon May 07, 2018 8:11 am

Sorry there. There's still hunters elsewhere, probably.

Deske · Post by **Deske** » Mon May 07, 2018 11:10 am

*spins revolver* Did someone say somethin' about a hijackin'

Buster · Post by **Buster** » Tue May 08, 2018 7:54 am

CyberDragon wrote:Hivemind rather angrily addressed the team. "Jenny, you had one job to do!" He sighed. "Kolt, Kol, just don't kill anyone. Hannabelle, calm down. Your family isn't in there. MT's scanning for their location now. That little stunt you just pulled could have cost everything. In addition, can you imagine how this looks? Because it looks like we just beat the tar out of a bunch of police officers. It doesn't matter if they're frauds. Even if the fire fighters and the real police, who are on their way, believe us any one of these bystanders or neighbors could have taken video of that. And if the people behind it are who we think they are you know they will try to use that against us. Now come on, we have to find the family. One of these guys might know where they've gone."

To be fair, our group has a track record rapidly approaching being on par with the crew of the Normandy II. Verry effective, but about as subtle as a hot pink rocket propelled nuclear powered steamroller. what was he expecting?

Post by **CyberDragon** » Fri May 11, 2018 7:49 am

Just to clarify, the small group of two is basically lycan fodder. They're there to get the family involved in the story and then immediately get their tails kicked by The Lycan and Arctos. The bigger group is for you guys.

Legotron123 · Post by **Legotron123** » Fri May 11, 2018 11:35 am

The bigger group back in the city? Or is there another group we don’t know about?