[Nexus] OOC 38: The Mün Is Not Enough

[Zefir]

The Bushranger it's your turn in Watch.

[Slii Arhem]

I feel like I want to address something of Hatter's points that was left forgotten. And not with criticism, but with advice. I'll try to keep it short.

Enshadu picks fights, yes. But... If someone doesn't pick fights, or start arguments... How can there be conflict? If... Magtok had never ripped off Excelsior, or whatever he did... There would have been no conflict. Isn't a character who picks fights kinda... Required?

This seems to be the main part of roleplaying you took to heart, and it's a good one. Conflict builds characters because it gives them something to react to, and gives their players an idea of how they'd react in a crisis, which isn't something everyone can get by just dreaming up a scenario on their own.

But conflict is a many splintered thing. You don't need power overwhelming to provide it, or survive the consequences of it coming about. Magtok survived this long after provoking Excelsior (and vice versa, since no one can agree on which side has the shinier toys) because the two factions had a subtle, low level conflict with each other. They didn't need to drop in on each other in a bar, gloat about their triumphs, and then throw up an invincible force dome and teleport away from harm.

Although knowing Riv and Magtok, they easily would have just for a bit of silly if TE and Mags decided that the scene worked.

What in character conflict needs above all else is out of character cooperation. People need to feel safe in saying "Hey guys, I've worked out a villain character that I want to do a few crazy things with, but not completely ruin the character concept since I worked so hard on him. Could we all agree ahead of time that whoever shows up to deal with him doesn't kamehameha him on the spot and wipe him out utterly?" and get a positive response. From there, everyone can send things of an appropriate power level and maybe succeed at thwarting the villain, or maybe not. Maybe you even all decide as a group what the outcome will be, and the fun is in getting there instead of fighting to win.

And as a second, hopefully shorter point. Plots and Xanatos Gambits are very good things to hide from other players, so you get to look smart and diligent people can retrace all the clues you dropped in previous pages and threads and feel smart too when they figure it out. Powers, abilities, and weapons are all things that the general population of FFRP seems to think we should all be able to see, debate, and give advice on if necessary. Larger scale weapons cause people worry with good reason, and if they're all out in the open you can take questions on the points that worry them and either adjust them to fit the scene/setting better if you think it's necessary, or put their fears to rest if they misinterpreted it.

Oh, and for all aspiring villains out there. Always try to go out with a smile and stick your best foot forward into the heroes' collective crotch. You may not realize it, but being funny to the players affords you a lot of messy destruction before your demise, and possibly a resurrection if there's enough demand for your return. It's like a comic book that way, where the Joker always breaks out of Arkham for another go at it.

[happyturtle]

New idea: Toonside

Any character can enter the thread, but once you do, toon physics prevails. You get shot up by a machine gun? You end up full of holes and can't drink a bottle of water without it spraying out. Flattened by a steam roller? Simply plug your mouth with your thumb and blow yourself back up. All acme products are available to help you win or lose. All fights are meant to end quickly and have a clear winner and loser, but losing only means slinking off, coated in carbon from your failed explosion trap, to try and plot again.



Thoughts?

[Lady Serpentine]

*Big giant thing that would stretch the screen if properly quoted*

*Claps*

We may have some personal issues, unfortunately, but... Very nice. Seems like a good candidate for going into the first post.

[Slii Arhem]

*Claps*

We may have some personal issues, unfortunately, but... Very nice. Seems like a good candidate for going into the first post.

C'nor, I'm never one to hold grudges. If you're willing to let bygones be bygones then I'd rather consider nebulous personal issues null and void from this point onwards. I'd hope that we both would have grown as people and players by this point and be willing to roleplay with each other when the opportunity arises.

[Lady Serpentine]

C'nor, I'm never one to hold grudges. If you're willing to let bygones be bygones then I'd rather consider nebulous personal issues null and void from this point onwards. I'd hope that we both would have grown as people and players by this point and be willing to roleplay with each other when the opportunity arises.

I had been unaware we had them until I accidentally dredged them up, so certainly.

[MPG]

Hi there,
I've been lurking around for a while and figured now was as good a time as any to start playing.
Again.
I doubt if anyone will remember me, I mean its been 2 years (and 24 OOC threads ) since I left, so I may as well be new. So... Hello, howdy, bonjour, [insert random greeting here]
Anyways
I'll probably re-introduce an old character and then maybe a few new ones that have been trying to claw their way out of my cranium.
Sorry in advance if my posting is inconsistent while I get back into the swing of things.
Lookin' forward to RPing with you.

[Reinholdt]

All in all, I'm considering about 1/3rd of Southside for AMEN as this crude drawing done in paint shows.



Should leave more than enough room for the other factions/various churches from what I can tell. Does this seem reasonable to everyone?

[Beans]

I... think I've been around long enough that I would have been around when you left, but I have no memory of you so HELLO PERSON HOW ARE YOUR SHOULDERS TODAY.

[Lady Serpentine]

Beans I think it may have been your turn in the Nest?

*Waves to the sort of new person*

[Lost_Deep]

One thought, Rein?

How are they going to control that? It's a large area, I suspect it's safe to say that it's larger than the AMEN base. Especially if it's built in multiple floors. And with both the AMEN base and the chunk of southside, how are they going to inhabit, much less control, it all?

I realize that they have minions, but I don't think they have that many. With that much of southside claimed, what would they do with it all?

[Slii Arhem]

All in all, I'm considering about 1/3rd of Southside for AMEN as this crude drawing done in paint shows.



Should leave more than enough room for the other factions/various churches from what I can tell. Does this seem reasonable to everyone?

Well, I'd be more comfortable with "AMEN claims a reasonably large but unspecified portion of Southside for themselves that leaves lots of vague unclaimed plots of land for anyone else who wants to come along" in the interest of fairness to new folks who want to do things in Riverside without stepping on toes. S'just my preference for what happens with Southside after talking with Vael before she pulled out her faction and left it blank. Feels more in the spirit of what was intended.

[MPG]

*Gasp*Really Beans I'm "shocked" you don't remember.
1 archive dive later,
Nexus OOC X December. 2010

Something about pirates...
Edit: I LOVE YOU FOREVER MPG.

Hehehe. Actually I don't think I interacted with many of you directly.
So I'll pretend I don't remember anything. My shoulders are a bit sore now that you mention it.

[Reinholdt]

One thought, Rein?

How are they going to control that? It's a large area, I suspect it's safe to say that it's larger than the AMEN base. Especially if it's built in multiple floors. And with both the AMEN base and the chunk of southside, how are they going to inhabit, much less control, it all?

I realize that they have minions, but I don't think they have that many. With that much of southside claimed, what would they do with it all?

Firstly I guess I need to specify that isn't a single building. There is to be a wall built, bout chest high to clearly mark the area off though for passer-bys. Then there are minions, gun emplacements, members, a flying pirate crew, crime lords if they survive, possible mass-produced mechano-panthers, a satellite and various other odds and ends. I don't see much of a difference between controlling this area and the ambiguously numbered Tenebras, Malechenar, or Hunters controlling their much larger territories.

As for what they'd do with it, they'd build. Make it a habitable place to live, or at least an interesting one. Give each AMENite the chance to build their own structure. Bring in some of the swamp gnolls perhaps, orcs, trolls, general unsavory types. It's not there to just be empty forever.

Well, I'd be more comfortable with "AMEN claims a reasonably large but unspecified portion of Southside for themselves that leaves lots of vague unclaimed plots of land for anyone else who wants to come along" in the interest of fairness to new folks who want to do things in Riverside without stepping on toes. S'just my preference for what happens with Southside after talking with Vael before she pulled out her faction and left it blank. Feels more in the spirit of what was intended.

I've gone out of my way repeatedly to make sure there's space and ability for anyone who wants to come along. There should still be plenty for that and I don't feel this really impedes their ability to do so. If anyone does, let me know.

[Morty]

Hi there,
I've been lurking around for a while and figured now was as good a time as any to start playing.
Again.
I doubt if anyone will remember me, I mean its been 2 years (and 24 OOC threads ) since I left, so I may as well be new. So... Hello, howdy, bonjour, [insert random greeting here]
Anyways
I'll probably re-introduce an old character and then maybe a few new ones that have been trying to claw their way out of my cranium.
Sorry in advance if my posting is inconsistent while I get back into the swing of things.
Lookin' forward to RPing with you.

I do remember you. You had a character on that big martial arts event I organized. Welcome back.

As for Southside, I suppose it's alright. So long as other people can establish their own people there.

@Happy's idea: Sounds silly and entertaining. Where would this Toonside be, though?

[happyturtle]

@AMENside: I think the main reason AMEN wouldn't be able to control a large a territory as the other factions is simply the NPC issue. There isn't a starting population to control, and it's hard to imagine many people choosing to move there who aren't hardened criminals (and thus quasi-PCs rather than general NPCs). However, as long as AMEN doesn't take all of Southside, I don't really have an opinion one way or the other on how much.

@Toonside: I don't know if it should be a canon or quasi-canon location or an AU. If the former, then randomly somewhere equidistant from OutInside and Riverside. If the latter, then where isn't an issue. Either way, its own thread.

[Darkcomet]

I don't think you can be equidistant from Outside.

It's kind of. Around and surrounding everywhere, because it's outside. (I also think it's kinda silly to see characters referring to it specifically by that name, as such, but that's beside the point...)

Just saying.

[happyturtle]

@DC: ^^

@GDM:

Did you not see Grandmaster Shui'yan block the door-smashing? Because he did. Would you like a link to the post?

Yes, I saw the post.

As Mr Ritz walks around attending to business, the old man will follow him. However, when the strange people from the blue box show up, he will move away and follow them across the casino.

Kal will find his door-smashing halted with a precise blow to the inside of his arm, knocking it away and rendering it numb and throbbing. A foot will slam into his solar plexus, winding him and knocking him backwards onto the floor. (all attempted, of course).

"I'm afraid I can't let you smash up the premises."

You correctly said that you attempted to hit Kal at the inside of the arm, and the solar plexus, leaving it up to Kal's player to say whether it succeeded.

Nope, it's wood. A plain wooden door. Kal will be able to smash right through that poor door, and unlock it.

And it's up to Hatter to decide whether the door of the premises he controls can be smashed.

[Office]

Woo! Progress! Kal bashes through the door, but then has his arm paralyzed by some jerk who's rather over attached to it. He's not kicked in the solar plexus though, as he has enough sense dodge that.
"Go." He says to Decker, before launching his cunning counter attack! Instead of bothering with namby pamby nerve strikes or pressure point blows, he attempts to use the ancient techniques passed down to him from generations past by the wise and learned masters of the Black Lotus Academy, where he did his training.
...
He tries to knee his assailant in the groin, followed by headbutting him.
...
Hey, whatever works, man.

So Kal's player decided that the arm paralysis move wasn't fast enough to stop him. The door got smashed, but then Kal's arm got smashed, but Kal avoided the solar plexus kick.

Lobby Office

The Docent has said on previous occasions: "They're roller skates. I wear roller skates now. Roller skates are cool."

Spoiler

Show

"Jane Smith" rollerskates through the door wreckage, and attempts to skate around Marciano and Felandria to scoop Butler up in her arms.

This is highly unlikely to work, and very highly likely to result in the devil time lord crashing into one or more of the people in the office. Roller skates aren't nearly as cool as she thinks they are.

Thus there is wreckage, and Jane Smith rollerskating through it. And crashing into people, because trying to rollerskate over splinters of door isn't terribly sensible.

(Also, if you have a post that's only an question or clarification about someone else's post, and doesn't have any IC content, it should be posted here. Otherwise, IC threads can end up with player to player discussion interrupting the roleplay. For one or two posts, it isn't too bad, but sometimes a discussion can go on for longer before everyone understands what is happening. We started using the OOC thread back in the way old GLoG days when we had one of those debates carry on for several pages, and it killed several rp scenes. )

[GrandDM]

[@GDM:


Yes, I saw the post.



You correctly said that you attempted to hit Kal at the inside of the arm, and the solar plexus, leaving it up to Kal's player to say whether it succeeded.



And it's up to Hatter to decide whether the door of the premises he controls can be smashed.



So Kal's player decided that the arm paralysis move wasn't fast enough to stop him. The door got smashed, but then Kal's arm got smashed, but Kal avoided the solar plexus kick.



Thus there is wreckage, and Jane Smith rollerskating through it. And crashing into people, because trying to rollerskate over splinters of door isn't terribly sensible.

(Also, if you have a post that's only an question or clarification about someone else's post, and doesn't have any IC content, it should be posted here. Otherwise, IC threads can end up with player to player discussion interrupting the roleplay. For one or two posts, it isn't too bad, but sometimes a discussion can go on for longer before everyone understands what is happening. We started using the OOC thread back in the way old GLoG days when we had one of those debates carry on for several pages, and it killed several rp scenes. )

Sorry. I missed some of those posts. Duly deleted.

[horngeek]

Say, anyone want to interact with Rose? Either in WATCHTOWER or Inside, I'd say.

[The Alexandrian]

Three of my AMENites are planning on constructing buildings inside of AMEN's claim (a temple and a research facility, to be exact) which should, in both the long and short term, help Riverside become more economically prosperous and stable, improving the lives of the citizens across the city as they might employ a significant percentage of the population and possibly offer college kids scholarships to the school of their choice!

Maybe AMEN could also build and staff a university in Riverside as part of a sneaky recruitment campaign! It could be a useful asset to everyone, though it'd benefit the forces of evil most of all!

And I hope I'm on the right path with Fel.

I like Fel's backstory and mannerisms! I'm looking forward to rping with you in the future!

The force really doesn't have great numbers, just good weapons, which is.... Kinda the point.

A small force properly armed, trained, organized, and positioned can be a crazy effective instrument of death as were the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae.

Also the Irregulars never actually fought Zee, and she's really not that tough defensively at all.

I don't think I even remember Zee doing anything to stop Remnant from blowing her brain up, so focused was she on saving the Nexus.

*Snip!* *More Louv're Tower Clarissa complaints.*

I think I've already addressed these grievances in the past. Not many people fired upon Clarissa. There was some guy who tried to kill her that she crushed the head of in a door, there were a couple of guys at the end of the hallway that she had her the monster (that she had physically brought into the building with her) grind into paste (immediately after which the monster was destroyed), set fire to a money printing room with completely normal fire that a fire suppression system could have easily extinguished, climbed up an elevator shaft, shot elevator shaft doors at cultists (that didn't hit anyone because they were disintegrated), dodged magic disintegration bolts (a dodge or die attack), melted two sand cultists, a floor, and walls thereby bypassing an elementium door, took a nap after falling through the floor that she melted, and then teleported away. Aside from melting the sand cultists who would have died in the vortex Marciano later spawned in and the tentacle monster she summoned to attack the soldiers so that they could die valiantly in battle instead of dying to the void after it had already been established that Marcy would lose the battle and that the tower would be completely destroyed IC (by Clarissa even though the plot hadn't yet been resolved, Clarissa had planned to do no such thing, and that wasn't the conclusion of the plot anyway). I'm not trying to invalidate your point or anything, I'm simply stating this for the record.

*Snip! Adorable pic of Dena and Kirk!*

D'aww! So cute!

[Shadowcaller]

Alexandrian, happy actually posted watch so you can post there as well. (Plus in the casino.)

[The Alexandrian]

Okay! Thanks for the heads-up, SC!

Also, I have a question about the casino scene! Do you guys want in on the Kal fight scene (betting on it, intervening, or anything else) or for it to be acknowledged but ultimately passed by on the way to the game tables?

Edit:

Actually, isn't it Rein's turn in the WATCH slave rescue planning scene now?

I'm not feeling very well right now. I'm gonna call it a night and I'll be back to respond to everything tomorrow. Sorry!

[Deathkeeper]

Nope, I've made my post. Alysha found the box and is trying to hand it to Red.

Hey BR could you get on this? I checked and KM's right. It's your turn, then GDM, then mine, and KM back again.

[Gullara]

Okay! Thanks for the heads-up, SC!

Also, I have a question about the casino scene! Do you guys want in on the Kal fight scene (betting on it, intervening, or anything else) or for it to be acknowledged but ultimately passed by on the way to the game tables?

I'm thinking just pass it by. No need to clutter things up or anything. I just had to have Kirk boggle at it for a moment.

Unless SC has a particular idea of course.

[Reinholdt]

Actually, isn't it Rein's turn in the WATCH slave rescue planning scene now?

I'm not feeling very well right now. I'm gonna call it a night and I'll be back to respond to everything tomorrow. Sorry!

I can't particularly think of anything to add at this point, sorry.

[The Bushranger]

Hey BR could you get on this? I checked and KM's right. It's your turn, then GDM, then mine, and KM back again.

Eep, sorry I missed it! I'll get on that.

[Deathkeeper]

For the record I think it's Rein's turn in DFI
It's still Zefir's turn in Arcanus
And Mahonri and GDM in inside.

[The Alexandrian]

One, not godmodding. All combat actions are attempted.

I have some hopefully useful input on this for you, GrandDM!

In the Nexus, one should always place words like attempted or tried before an action directly involving property of another player. It's considered a rule of proper etiquette that makes everything run smoother here because people can, understandably, feel frustrated if they think that the other player isn't acknowledging the fact that the fates of their characters are ultimately decided by the player of the character and not dictated by anyone else.

[GrandDM]

For the record I think it's Rein's turn in DFI
It's still Zefir's turn in Arcanus
And Mahonri and GDM in inside.

*Frantic thread trawl to find what happened last*

Ah, OK.

*Post!*

EDIT: @Alexandrian: Fair point. I'll try to remember that.