Speaking of playing solo, anyone here is free to add me to their friend list. My active account is Keepscaite, I almost never use Almond-Riddle.
In fact, I just sent Ember-Break a friend request.
Speaking of playing solo, anyone here is free to add me to their friend list. My active account is Keepscaite, I almost never use Almond-Riddle.
In fact, I just sent Ember-Break a friend request.
"More of a Solo player"
Welp, Time to start fortifying against the sea of rocks and fanta- Lest I wish for my own demise.
I really really hate Kirito. I hate everything about SAO in general. It completely and utterly fails to really capture the charm of an MMO, is one of my bigger gripes with the series. Another thing I hate about SAO is how pointless all the characters feel in comparison to Kirito, it's as if the whole world revolves around this one dude, and I hate that.
On the other hand, one of my favorite anime is Log Horizon. It's what SAO would've been if the author actually knew anything about MMOs. It also does tje exact opposite of SAO by having a non-linear style of narration with the whole story pieced together by all thw different characters. More than half the arcs (plural, not just one arc) don't even feature Shiroe (the MC) at all. But if LH had a weakness, it's that the animation is really cheap. There's also almost no action, with most episodes comprised of just people talking. Not that I'm complaining, most of those conversations are pretty engaging, especially when they go into world-building, as the world of LH is crazy detailed, expansive, and has a buttload of lore to boot.
Based Marmalade-sensei.
Hey, to be fair- I really liked LH.
However, SAO on the other hand- I don't feel the whole superiorety thing or whatever.
I mean sure, it's just another harem sugarcoated with lots and lots of swordplay and whatever.
Then again, the books are so much better than the animation.
I liked the Alicization Arc most- Even though I still really want that last few books god damnit
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Edit: Alicization took away the whole harem and tossed it out the window.
Which I was very grateful of. But guess what? He'll just write more. And eventually it'll be back blah blah blah.
SAO was okay.
I would definitely play SAO itself.
Never read the LN, just wasn't interested. To be honest, I find a lot of Light Novels these days pretty bland. The only exception being Mushoku Tensei.
I don't really compare the two because they're in almost entirely different situations. The only thing that really binds them together is the whole "stuck in the VRMMO" thing.
In SAO, the players are stuck but have an objective, after that whole thing finishes, Kirito gains another objective, and then another, and so on. The end result is always known beforehand -- although it may happen sooner than expected, and the path leading up to said objective can take variable amounts of time. But you get what I mean.
LH doesn't have an objective. This is because they're put into the game without knowing how to get out, plus, there's not really much to lose by dying (besides some *SPOILER IN NEXT WORDS*
Memory Loss *SPOILERS FINISHED*
), and what is lost is pretty negligible. This allows LH to do a couple more... Interesting things in their world. Economics, town security, actual raids without huge risks are just a few. By not telling the players how to get out, the players are forced to "live" in LH, that's the main difference; seeing as in SAO you're forced to "stay until you reach the end".
I think of SAO's original VRMMO world like an apartment, you rent it out, and move out to a better place if you successfully gain enough to do so. If you screw up, you're kicked out.
LH is like you've been put in a distant relative's house with no hope of escape, so you just have to deal with it. You can mess up in the house as much as you want, but you won't be leaving it any time soon.
Oh I know that the two are like apples and oranges in regards to their respective worlds. But I still think that SAO could've been executed a little better. I could say the same for LH of course.
This looks like an interesting RP. Especially since you can have your own little story-line. I like that. Might be joining. Just need to brainstorm for a bit. Write down character info. Gets lost in my head ssometimes.
I can't do anything.
Strom's not too far from Keep (who is unconscious as of #240), Isphea (who has not responded to Keep's unconsciousness -- last post #223), and Grell (who has not responded from the panic-release by Keep to take the blunt of the Swarm Drill-Bomb -- last post #198). Not far enough to do any sub-plots... The next thing he'll probably do is encounter the group again, ready or not.
I need either @Liminori or @Sonosuke to make a post before any movement is made.
Can't move Pippin, either, because she asked a question at #284 to The Hunter *cough*@Sawhero*cough*. Moving without the rest of the group is also a no-go.
I'm just making this post to make sure people don't think I've died or something.
@Tech-Star, @Flame-Shinobi, @Ember-Break, @Keepscaite, @Thinslayer, and @Sawhero I need u guys 2 react 2 scorpio before i can do anything. IF i got the wrong people, just tell me. Why does everyone sleep in on winter break?
Give us some time. We don't always respond immediately.
Also, I just got a job, and this is my finals week. I'll try to keep up, but I make no promises.
Good luck with finals and yay! A job! I have finals week in like, one week. I'm on winter break :P
My characters are just sitting here, I could make them do stuff. But its against their nature. Unless maybe Beck.
Really I haven't done anything because I haven't seen any activity here so I don't know if I should post to spur some action on only to have one person reply.
I may not be the GH (game host), but I'm still thinking about the direction I want to take this story in. I have a tentative plan for Gwen, but it's not enough to generate its own story arc yet. Feel free to post something, and I'll hopefully be able to reply.
So... Uh... There's an odd Good vs Evil (or in this case, survivor/friendlies to Swarm/Evil) ratio going on.
With the Tortodrone group alone, there're 6 survivors.
Other than that group, there's Meteko and Drace on the camp level, the Campsite group (consisting of 3 people), and the Strom-fighting group (with another 3 members).
There's also Syber, who's still supposedly wandering the Abandoned Gremlin area above the Tortodrone level (last post on him was #189).
That's a total of 15 Friendly types. And so far, the only run-ins with non-friendlies have been Cult!Drace, which disappeared, the Apocreans who approached the Campsite group (and then later fled), and Strom.
The Caina will probably reappear soon, because Zhaver should be returning any day now. But that still won't provide a huge re-balance to the ally/enemy ratio. So for now, it's like... 2 bosses and a couple minions versus almost 4 full parties of knights, not to mention that some knights seem to be incredibly powerful.
I recommend adding in enemies. There's enough motion on the three layers which are currently active to say that they'd attract the attention of a small army of Apocreans looking to gain sacrifices for their deities, but that's just a momentary suggestion.
The question is, what should you add? It needs to be something challenging, certainly, and the Apocrea only gives you so much to work with. Unless you came up with new stuff. Or modified stuff.
Beck is alone because Syber left to go report back to the Apocrean council... Or whatever the higher ups are called. I'll make a post detailing that.
I got a psychic crazy knight named Tech Star, who stole his name from Auto having gone insane and thinking Auto was copying him, who is the vessel of Vog. So basically Gwen for a giant burning ash tail...
Then I got the Dark Gunner, who is technically made of his dark and light sides who act independently. Think of him like a slightly stronger Arkus, and there's two of him.
I could have those as atags. And give them a buff.
I actually had an idea for a villain I haven't gotten a chance on using yet. I'll put him in soon.
Just a note on what Scorpio can do.
Scorpio's Armor: Very high damage resist, seeing as it was made directly from Snarbolax fur. For short periods of time he can make himself near invisible.
Scorpio's Body: Scorpio has enhanced senses, seeing, hearing, smelling, and moving, since part of his life was as a feral animal. Smelling is like an animal's sense of smell. Moving is that he moves slightly faster and can change weapons instantly. Hearing is that he can hear very well. Seeing is he can see much farther and much more accurately.
Scorpio's Weapons: Instead of his sword's charge attack summoning a holographic Snarbolax, it summons a Snarbolax. The charge time is significantly raised though. His bomb does the same and has a slightly larger radius, though it does have a much larger priming time. Scorpio's Grim Repeater is modified so it shoots in three round bursts.
That's everything besides some things already covered in my char. app.
If any1 noticed Snakey-One, I was skyping w/ him the other day and he told me he has a villain idea but its really really kinda OP
If he posts the idea of the enemy here in the Discussion Thread, we'll be able to make adjustments.
Antagonists will need to be controlled with a lot more care than Protagonists; if someone makes the Antagonist go out of control and/or react on a whim, characters die for no reason, then people abandon the RP -- Chaotic Antagonists can act without reason... But they'd need to have some sort of backstory for why they're chaotic in the first place.
Anyways, is Snakey-One wants to put in an App for a villain, he can go right ahead; he'll just have to be a bit more careful in his movements if he does.
While I have a post here, do you mind telling me exactly how Scorpio's charge attacks summon real Snarbolaxes (Snarboli? Snarbolax in plural.) Depending on your answer, the weapons may or may not be considered OP -- the Snarbolax is a boss monster after all.
Well, hi. I'm Snakey-One. I saw Saucce's post about my villain idea for the new ruler of Haven. Here it is:
Name: Creos
Gender: Male
Age: As old as Apocrea (A.K.A. Roughly 15,000)
Color(only for knights and monsters): ebony black with bright purple glowing eyes
Race: On Cradle, Demigod/son of Apocrean Soul Harvester. Anywhere else, just a guy with several weapons. Technically, he his Apocrean.
Good or evil? N/A EVIL!!!
Personality: Cold and detached.
Armor: Apocrean Costume with the same stats as Ancient Plate set
Shield(optional): Apocrean Shield Costume with the same stats as the Ancient Plate Shield
Weapons: Obsidian Edge and Obsidian Carbine
Bio/history: Came to Haven after the first Apocrean attack. He slightly helped putting Haven back together more tactically, so it would ward off basic monsters, like wolvers.
Relations: N/A
I am yet to release the powers that he has/can use. (Not mostly good. Evil to the core!)
So, just a heads up, but for main storyline, I was planning for Coryn and maybe one other person to go fight Maulos, and the rest to fight Vanaduke. If you can tell me the connection between, these two enemies, there may be a slight spoiler award for you.
The items he used to make the weapons were real snarbolax body stuff. Not just recreations. When he made these weapons, it served as a summoning horn, and actually, the snarbolaxes appearance is gonna be delayed from when the charge attack is used. When he uses them, it tugs on the essence of the snarbolax and teleports them. Also, Creos was once his friend and helped with some magical stuff. IT can only be used once in a while.
I forgot one of Scorpio's abilities, but this one's a surprise
@Snakey-One
The Apocreans don't control Haven. The Swarm does. The Apocrean cult began growing soon after the fleeing of Haven. See Nyroc's Guide to a Devastated Cradle Post #7.
@Sawhero
Is it because they're Fire and Ice? Could there be some sort of conflict between the two? An overlap of influence perhaps?
@Saucce
Maulos is the giant Ice Trojan boss from the "Heart of Ice" danger mission.
Snake mentioned to me that Creos has minor control over the swarm and the suggestion that he is their enforcer
I think that Creos could be (A) a swarm enforcer (B) the true leader of the apocrea cult. If anyone has any more suggestions, that would be great. Thx
Thinslayer had previously depicted the Swarm as a sort of Hive-Mind (#131 in this thread). I'm not sure if that's what's been accepted for this RP (because no discussion was put towards the topic), but the idea of the Swarm being a giant group-consensus with all of the possessed influencing it would make sense considering the chaotic nature of the... Thing.
Like I said, I'm not sure if this is how the Swarm works in this RP, but if that is how it works then Creos would have to be part of the Swarm-mind -- another possessed creature only distinguished due to its power (which it would retain, along with some Swarm abilities alongside it).
That would mean that his personality would have to become more Swarm-Like and less... Well... Individual.
More input needed.
EDIT: Forgot to put my opinion on the subject.
I personally like the idea that Creos would be the "true leader" of the Apocrean Cult, because then mobilizing the Apocreans and making it a force against the knights would be possible -- if we're staying in accordance with Nyroc's Guide, that would mean that the "Oracle" would just be a puppet leader.
I'm feeling generous. Maulos wield the Heart of Ice. This mace is the ice to Vanaduke's fire mace. They're the exact same. Imagine the power of having two legendary weapons!
I think that Creaos should be a more individual type person, but I still want him to be affiliated with the Swarm. Is there a way to do that?
If we kill them... Can we loot their weapons? ;D
Also, are the bosses staying the same size as in-game? Or would Vanaduke become more Knight-Sized (if not a bit larger)?
@Snakey-One
I'd like to see more opinions on what the Swarm should be like before continuing... But if we're going with the Hive-Mind idea, you could always make it that the Apocreans house Swarm-Infested Knights. Giving a sort of "Allegiance for the sake of x" (where x is a specific goal both the Hive-Minded Swarm and the Apocrean Cult wish to accomplish).
That Allegiance would probably have something to do with taking over... Something. Or destroying something. My suggestion is to point it towards The Core. It wouldn't be far off to say that getting rid of a Pure being would be in the best interest of both parties -- it would also give incentive to have Swarm/Apocrean creatures chasing after Gwen.
Easy as dark matter birthday cake!
1. Both use maces that inflict a status.
2. Both fight in an area based on their statuses. (Lava and ice.)
3. Both summon status related monsters in their fight.
4. Both use orb attacks in the same way.
5. Both are involved with destruction regarding their element. (Vanaduke burned Almire, Malous attempted to freeze Cradle.)
6. Both are bosses.
7. Both are fiends.
8. Until the gunner update everyone used Blitz Needle against them. Now they do it even more.
9. Both have multiple stages.
Here's what we know about the Swarm so far in Spiral Knights canon:
There is at least one other creature in the real world with those attributes:
This leads me to believe that the Swarm is, in fact, a dark spirit of some kind.
@saucce: you said Scorpio has the senses of an animal, and I can't find how far exactly that is in numbers. One thing I did find is that a dog can smell 40 feet underground. If you have any data on this that would be helpful. The longest distance accurately recorded is about .7 miles. Beck could technically be positioned that far away. Maybe more like .5 miles, because Beck's sniper rifle is not that large of a caliber.
I really meant to place the bullet to cause Scorpio to be suspicious of the group. They were all at like a standstill when I posted.
Maybe I assumed much, but if I were facing a big group with one of them pointing two pistols at me and then a shot glanced off of the ground at my feet, I would get a little angry.
I have my own thoughts on the Swarm, if you wouldn't mind me saying.
I more or less think the Swarm is not a hivemind or a virus or anything like that, but more a singular entity or force, and I don't really think it can possess people as you say (Where are you even getting that from, anyways?).
I think it's minions (those you fight in the Unknown Passage) are not the creatures themselves, but copies. With the dead Gremlins seen at the beginning of the floor, and the Swarm Gremlins in existence, I think it more or less uses the bodies as a blueprint, to which it recreates it out of... well, whatever it's made of. The turrets and portals being more or less an extension of it.
Yeah, that's about what I think as well.
But Strom is a Swarm creature, and is not a recreation -- so heavy influence would turn into possession in this RP. It should be noted that Strom has his own independent thought because he does not rely on the Swarm for the most part -- the influence has not taken over his mind because its influence is not strong enough... Not yet, anyways.
The only thing that's being called into question is whether the Swarm creatures are independent, or more Hive-Mind oriented -- this would change the behaviors of Swarm monsters in close proximity to one another, and also how they would handle certain things (in this case, it's how they'd handle the Apocreans, should they wish to be allied with them).
@Diemios: What you've described are applications of my theory. A spirit is a "singular entity or force," right? The Void Forms, Turrets, Portals, and Sources you fight in the Unknown Passage are the bodily form that this spirit takes on. Spirits can and do possess people, influencing or outright replacing the minds of their victims.
@Ember-Break: If the Swarm is a singular spirit entity, then the Swarm creatures are neither independent nor hive-minded, but rather extensions (like limbs) of the Swarm's spirit.
I was so close to getting the connection and by the time I had posted you had already revealed it!
I'm feeling generous. Maulos wield the Heart of Ice. This mace is the ice to Vanaduke's fire mace. They're the exact same. Imagine the power of having two legendary weapons! - Sawhero
1. Both use maces that inflict a status.
If possession is a thing, It could be a hive-mind, with changes.
Let's say if someone is a really good tactician, and the Swarm takes them, wouldn't turning them into just a puppet get rid of some of that potential?
Higher-ups could have a degree of individuality, if only because their minds can benefit the Swarm's goals.
Think of it like brainstorming. The hive-mind can consult the higher-ups to provide solutions to a problem.
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Also, on another note, a little reference app I made for my character to be is almost done, just so people don't get confused on my character's appearance and weapons.
Yeah. That makes sense.
@Other RP'rs
If there are no disagreements, can we have the Swarm act in that matter henceforth for those corrupted by the Swarm?
I don't really care how the Swarm works, since I leave that up to the GM's.
Hive mind it is.
Annnnd it's done. It' messy, but it ain't a dictionary. Just a little reference so people know what's up with my character, who's introduction post shall be put in very soon.
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Name: Diemios
Rank: Vanguard
Profession: Knight/ Part-time researcher
Vanity Armor: Authentic Spookat Mask with Arcane Halo, Influence Obsidian Mantle outfitted with several useful things, such as a canteen on the front and a Vitakit on the back. Has both a Shadow Cat Tail and Shadow Wings.
Actual Armor: Snarbolax Set
Weapon Specialties: Gun and Sword
Weapons: Gilded Griffin, Obsidian Carbine, Lionheart Honor Blade
Shield: Exalted Honor Guard
Battle Sprite: Black Kat Seraphynx, LV 3 (Dazzling Light Ray, Violent Heart Attack, Seraphic Aura)
History: One of the first to delve into the Clockworks, Diemios was well respected amongst the Spiral Order, participating in many of their toughest missions. After a while, though, he began writing a guide to the various creatures down in the Clockworks. After it was all said and done, he began going back into the Clockworks, right around the time the Apocrean rulers and Swarm invaded Haven. He hasn't been seen since.
I did some research here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sniper_rifle#Maximum_effective_range and I'm guessing beck's rifle only has a range of around probably 800 meters before the energy (What gun does beck use?) "bullet" would "expend" it's energy. Thats approx half a mile. So... yeah. Again, I can smell you bro.
I read somewhere on the SK wiki that somewhere on the unknown passage near the swarm, herex's mark and the mark of the crimson order i believe, are present. THis leads me to believe that the swarm was created as a bioweapon by herex and the crimson order. Could it be a zombie virus of some kind?
@Ember-Break I think that you are saying that I should make Creos the leader of the Apocrean Cult. Or not. I really don't know if that is what you meant, but I think that that is what should happen. Would it be pushing it if I said that he was trying to make a pact with the Swarm to destroy something that may or may not be the Core?
@Xpapaya
I'm not the GM, but... From what I can see, it's like this:
1. I think, so far, we've been going by "No controlling other people's knights" with sleight exceptions.
For an example of an exception, when Keep was moving ahead of the other knights in an attempt to highhandedly destroy Strom, Keep was forced back to the group whether he liked it or not -- in order to make the battle more interactive for the others (instead of them just watching as the would-be boss dies). Responses from knights should be their own responses, not one that others make them say. In this way, making a knight say something without their creator giving the OK is a no no.
As it's been mentioned time and time again in the Discussion forum, the gear Knights wear can be OP (within reason), but the character cannot be OP without Sawhero's approval. So... Power-play shouldn't be very prominent in this RP. I think.
2. Seeing as you can make your character originate anywhere they like, that's quite accurate. If you're meaning to ask whether or not knights are able to be in one place and magically appear in another the next instant... Then no. Because that wouldn't follow the way traveling seems to work thus far. In other words, you start anywhere you like (so long as it makes sense that said character would be there without previous interaction -- having a 20ft giant appear in the forest, then saying "the knights just didn't notice it 'till now" would be kinda unrealistic), but must then travel within a given timeline from that point on.
I love examples, so here's another.
If you and one other knight start off in the same place, move to the same area, and then return to the original location, they should both arrive at the same time. Let's just say, for the sake of the example, they move at the same pace as well.
If one knight said "It took 2 days to reach point A, going back will take another 2 days" but then the second knight says "I reached point A and got back in 1 hour", then it wouldn't make sense. Timing distances logically, and manage events chronologically makes it the easiest for multiple events to go along together in separate locations. For now, all of the separate groups are going at around the same time-line, so as long as no one goes "20 days later", we'll be fine.
But... If you're asking whether your knight should always initiate combat with a jump attack... Sure. They're quite effective. ;D