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mauman posted:And I'm aware of that, thank you. The effect on the creations themselves was only one of the narrative factors to be concerned about. Solutions own mindset and the canisters was another.
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Dec 8, 2016 10:07
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I just caught up and holy poo poo how am I still alive?! I'm very proud of my artila namesake. Carry on, little soldier.  Also voting 5, if only to see most of the content this game has to offer organically.
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Dec 8, 2016 13:44
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placid saviour posted:I just caught up and holy poo poo how am I still alive?! I'm very proud of my artila namesake. Carry on, little soldier. I really expected placid saviour to bite it in that combat. It's a testament to how stupid and random the AI is that your little artila survived. I was not, however, expecting PurpleXVI to essentially be one shot (it was two hits, but both in one alpha's turn). That was brutal. The difficulty level spikes at this point in the game, so usually it's around here that people start absorbing creations and using their next-tier options. Right now our options are weak battle creations (our shaping skill there is quite low): the base thahd and base clawbug; the fairly strong fire creations (our skill there is almost as high as magic shaping): base fyoras (weak!), base roamers (a moderate step up, especially since we have a couple points in roamer creation, and they have both a good bite, an ok HP pool for when you get them, and acid), and cryoas (not bad, but you usually get this around the time when you start getting some pretty cool magic creations, so I never made much use of them); and our fairly strong magic creations (magic creations don't have the great damage and better durability of the fire shaping line, but they also stack on more status effects like stunning and acid): base artilas (decently strong but very squishy, acid, tend to stun) and base vlish (  and you'd have seen these by now but with two artila we're already rolling in squish).Also, yes, I totally made Big McLargeHug (we ran out of characters) to use the thahd name suggestion.
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Dec 8, 2016 18:11
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:Big McLargeHug (we ran out of characters) Anyone who doesn't appreciate the obvious improvement here is a bad person 
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Dec 8, 2016 18:53
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I thought it was pretty good too! 
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Dec 8, 2016 18:58
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The name evokes the image of a cross between the WWE's Bayley and a large, muscular ape-man. It's a very good name, is what I'm saying.
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Dec 8, 2016 19:33
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If nobody's mentioned it, the entire Geneforge series is on steam for 6 bucks.
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Dec 8, 2016 20:10
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Ha, gotcha! I have all of Spiderweb's Steam library already! ... My name is dont be mean to me and I have a Steam Problem.   💸
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Dec 8, 2016 20:21
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The other spider web games are off on gog, too. I got avadon for $3
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Dec 8, 2016 20:21
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Slaan posted:The other spider web games are off on gog, too. I got avadon for $3 You're Slaan again! I've been thinking of doing an Avadon LP in the future if no one beats me to the punch. I might do the first game between finishing G1 and starting G2. Resisting long-term planning is hard.  Especially since I also need to finish up some more books and get those out on the market. Doing the LP consumes some serious time, but it's also really recharging my writing batteries.dont be mean to me posted:Ha, gotcha! I have all of Spiderweb's Steam library already!  I might try Nethergate at some point, I've just put it off because... reasons?wiegieman posted:If nobody's mentioned it, the entire Geneforge series is on steam for 6 bucks. It bears repeating!
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Dec 8, 2016 20:27
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Buy it anyway, support the best writing in indie games. Hell, in most games.
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Dec 8, 2016 21:10
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Here's an extremely professionally made gif showing a cute and not especially hidden easter egg from the title screen. I definitely didn't waste a sizeable chunk of the afternoon trying and failing to get the Steam version of Geneforge to go into windowed mode, and I certainly wasn't defeated by VirtualDub while trying to capture video.  
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Dec 8, 2016 22:20
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Looks good to me 
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Dec 8, 2016 23:33
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Living on the Mercy of Strangers You have one last stop to make before you delve into the defile where the Sholai rebels are bottled up. Back west, back where the land is green and the water is potable, you stop in Pentil to tell Leader Rydell what's become of one of his spies. You feel like you owe it to Houten. You can't stop that servile's agonies, but you can deliver his final message. Rydell remains as ever full of awe when you approach, though you know by now that this awe is superficial; there's no faith here that will ever really serve you. "I met one of your spies in Kazg. His name was Houten." You pass on Houten's message, though you leave out the circumstances of your meeting. Let Rydell draw what conclusions he will. The Obeyers will never manage to do to you what they've done to the other sects on the island. They'll never manage to do to you what Houten suffers in their name. "This is sad news," Rydell says. He sags back into his chair, almost, for a moment, someone you can identify with in his mourning. "He was a good servile, as loyal to your kind as any. Still, his joyous martyrdom shall not be in vain, especially since we have learned the information he gave so much to obtain. Thank you, Shaper. Whatever else your beliefs, you have done a kind thing for us." You shrug. Rydell's praise is meaningless. What comfort can he offer you?  Solution levels up from delivering the bad news. We bump up Blessing Magic to 3 so that we can use Haste from now on, and we bump up Magic Shaping for whenever we get around to making some vlish friends.   Though the narrow canyons blot out most of the sky, the earth here becomes greener and richer as you walk. At last, you approach an obelisk in a spot where the grass is healthy and wildflowers bloom. The trees here are a little sickly, but they at least have leaves and new growth. You wouldn't have imagined the relief that floods you if you hadn't spent so much time in the Kazgian deadlands.  But that respite is short-lived. One of them emerges from the shadows. Someone has given it chitin armor in anticipation of armed resistance. RickVoid hits the battle alpha first, burning it severely before it can call out to any unseen fellows. Placid saviour and the fyoras follow up with a volley that finishes the alpha off before it moves another step.  The rogue alpha is merely the first of many. Big McLargeHug flexes menacingly at the trio of challengers as RickVoid and placid saviour pick their target, a more isolated alpha approaching from the east.  All three battle alphas converge on Big McLargeHug, though, and in an instant your fear is realized -- the battle alphas rip Big apart with their hands. Your thahd didn't stand a chance. The alphas all wear fixed grins that bare large, square teeth, cracked and stained by whatever the alphas have been biting out here.  With Big out of the way, you and your more tender creations are on the menu. GreatEvilKing and idhrendur pelt the marked alpha with fire as you hasten them. RickVoid, invigorated by your blessing, rapidly fires off a series of shots that reduce the battle alpha to ooze.  But there's no reprieve. Two more battle alphas charge in from the east. One tackles placid saviour, half-crushing it beneath the alpha's massive weight. You step back. The alpha could just as easily grab and crush your ankle, leaving you helpless.  The fyoras scorch it, but two of the alphas surround GreatEvilKing and try to repeat their savage murder of Big. Desperate, you toss a handful of potent healing spores in the air. Infused with your essence, they accelerate healing factors in creations you Shaped. Then you cast a war blessing on your team to fully exploit their power. You will need every bit of it to pull through this fight.  At last, the alpha crushing placid saviour falls. RickVoid spews acid on one of the pair menacing GreatEvilKing. This the alpha into trying to run all the way around the team to reach RickVoid -- a foolhardy aim, as the fyoras finish it off before it can harm the artila.  You keep up the haste enchantment. Your only goal is to maximize your creations' combat potential and enable them to rain blows down on these rogues.  The artilas whittle down the last alpha menacing GreatEvilKing, but its comrade lights in on idhrendur, who quails at being the target of such a powerful rogue.  GreatEvilKing sears the face of its nemesis and the blinded alpha turns to flee. But the artilas' acid proves too much even for the battle alpha's body, and the rogue stumbles, collapses, and goes still.  The remaining alpha charges placid saviour again, once more coming far too close for your personal comfort. Idhrendur finishes the battle alpha off by igniting the noisome compounds your artilas covered it in. Fortunately, its agonies last only a second. Once again, you've lost a companion. Big accompanied you for barely half a day. You need a creation that can shake off the blows of powerful battle creations, but so far, you haven't specialized in such arts. You trusted in superior firepower instead -- not precisely a mistake, but now you find that you lack flexibility. After some thought, you decide to try a clawbug. Your command of Shaping this type of creature isn't the strongest, but perhaps it will prove more resilient than a thahd. You don't want to send an unready creation out to die again. The clawbug is easy enough to make, with a nervous system far simpler than a fyora's. You name your new vanguard Zeniel. North, there's a gap in the cliff that leads into what you think is a much larger cavern system. There's a dim light coming from within, but you can't make out very much from where you are.  As soon as you take a step, another battle alpha charges. It must have been slow to recognize the sounds of battle earlier. You're glad of it; even one more battle alpha might have turned the tide completely against your team.  Your artilas strike first, weakening the rogue. It bull rushes Zeniel and cracks the clawbug's carapace. Idhrendur and GreatEvilKing struggle to even singe the alpha, but with your blessing long faded, they can barely even get close. Zeniel sways in place, one breath closer to collapse, but you inch forward as close as you dare and throw all the healing magic you can into your creation. That canister of Kurit's decides the difference between Zeniel dissolving or surviving. It braces itself against another beating while your artilas finish what they started, dissolving the battle alpha into a pool of murky sludge.  The battle alphas set up a den at a dead end. One of them left a hatchet -- you're glad they're only armed with fists. A battle alpha with even a simple woodsman's hatchet would be a danger to itself and everything around it. More than they already are, anyway. I'm fairly sure Battle Alphas and their chain of creations are a reference to the caste system in Brave New World. Alphas and thahds are usually characterized as being physically imposing but also very stupid.  You backtrack to the gap you spotted before. The interior is weirdly bluish limestone left behind unknown eons ago. As you creep in, bones roll under your feet. Caution is well-advised here. The light you noticed before turns out to be a crystal lamp activated thanks to the undulation of a turret's nozzle. You spy out a second turret as your eyes adjust to the dark.  The turrets spot you in turn. Your artilas fire on the nearest turret to the right, but can't quite finish the job. You inch forward and fire your venom baton, but your shot clinks harmlessly against the cavern wall. The tiny wet sound of the turret spitting a thorn is your sole warning of what comes next. A hand-length barb buries itself in your armpit, just where your mail leaves a gap. The burning pain steals your breath away and spreads rapidly through your chest. There's a disconcerting smell of smoking hair and something far sharper than vinegar. It's all you can do not to crumple. Your creations rally without you to guide them and finish off not only the turret hidden in the dark, but also the one you first saw. It's then that RickVoid shrills an alarm -- more turrets at the back of the cave! Zeniel remains behind with you to act as back-up in case more battle alphas ambush you from behind. The artilas and fyoras are more suitable for trading fire with the turrets; Zeniel isn't fast enough to close with the turrets and take them out, so the exposure doesn't merit the risk. The clawbug rattles its tail excitedly at the scent of your blood, but luckily the creation remains firmly under control. Its atavistic responses are just an unnerving facet of the clawbug that you'll have to get used to.   You flood your body with healing energy to re-knit torn flesh and chase out infectious agents, but the inflammation doesn't stop spreading. The turret thorn burns your hand as you slide it out of closing muscle and fascia. Idhrendur burns out the final turret as you cure yourself. This was a good reminder not to step in. As much as you want to protect your creations, the whole purpose of their creation is to protect you. You only get in the way.  The bottleneck the turrets guarded opens up into a wider gallery here. As your team heads deeper into the caves, the crystal lights bloom to life around you, illuminating you for the benefit of whatever lies ahead, but leaving you night-blind. Still, what you make out in the gloom ahead would make any Shaper uneasy. Game Text posted:Ahead, you see several of the outsider humans. They see you. They draw their weapons, but don't approach you. One of them shouts something in their tongue. You don't understand it.  You approach one of the warriors. From what you can make out in the poor light, his armor and sword are of fine quality, and he wears a crimson tabard belted over it all. Perhaps it means something. Game Text posted:This outsider doesn't speak any of your tongue. Even if he did, he doesn't seem like he would want to talk to you. He seems to be afraid of you. He simply says, "Masha. Masha." Maybe it's a name. You pass several more Sholai guards who nervously repeat the name "Masha" whenever you try to talk them. These outsiders are clearly terrified, which has a strangely calming effect. That's right. They should be afraid. Trespassers, thieves, looters... A little ways away from the guards is a servile on a mat by a tiny subterranean pond. This servile has obviously thrown his lot in with this small group of outsiders. He bows to you. "I am Narsu. Hello, Shaper." "What are you doing here, servile?" He must be mad to put himself between the Sholai and the Takers -- it's only a matter of time before the Takers successfully starve these outsiders into a desperate attack on the East Kazg gates. "Shaper, I was a Taker of Kazg. I believed that we... well, I will not bore you with my minor thoughts. But then, Gnorrel came, and she started dealing with Trajkov and the Sholai, and I thought it was mad. So I fled. And I came here," Narsu says. "What do you think of the Takers?" So much for each Taker owning himself. They're just as apt to beat and kill any servile with an unpopular opinion as the Shapers are to destroy a rogue. "They want to kill us. They might even have sent you to kill us. Any Takers who come here, we kill. Otherwise, they will use tricks to kill us all." "I see." It's best to remain noncommittal. You'll parley with these outsiders before you decide whether you'll take up the Taker's commission to eradicate them. Regardless of what the serviles want, it wouldn't be out of line with Shaper policy to eradicate outsiders who breach Barred lands or who try to use Shaper secrets... But at the same time, you've never heard of the Sholai, and this group has, at least, repudiated Trajkov. "The Takers are deadly to the Shapers, to the serviles, to all. I renounce them." Narsu shakes his empty fist at an imagined Taker. Lucky for him, none are around to answer his insults. "Tell me about these outsiders." "Masha is the leader here. She is to the north. Deal with her. She is wise, and she has things to say that you should hear." That's one mystery resolved. "If you decide to help her, come back to me. If you are with us, I can tell you things which could help you." "Can you teach me any of the Sholai tongue?" Your stolen knowledge isn't enough to pick up any of the muttered conversations you can hear behind you. "I know too little. I cannot help," he admits. How has he gotten along with these outsiders so far if he's only able to talk to Masha?  It's none of your concern. You follow the curve of the tunnel north and west. There are fewer light crystals here; the lack is made up for by braziers, but not all of them are stoked. The canyon outside has little wood or brush for burning, and with the patrolling battle alphas, gathering firewood is too dangerous.  You meet one of the outsider humans, a female. She stands tall and proud, and is attractive, in a strange alien way. Yet, you can't help but feel anger and disgust. This is an outsider, after all, in lands Barred by the Shapers. There is generally only one punishment for that crime. Swift death. You manage to crush your instinct to lash out at her for the moment. She holds out her hands in a gesture of peace. She begins to speak, crudely using your own language. "Shaper, I am Masha of the Sholai. We are strangers, from far away, stranded in your land. We wish to deal with you." "Who are the Sholai?" you ask. Before you can determine if you're foes, rivals, or even allies, you must know who these outsiders are. "We are people from land far away. Icy land, harsh, across sea. We are great explorers, so we came here." This makes sense. No Shaper has ever crossed the western sea. Some consider it to be impassable. This viewpoint is obviously incorrect. The Sholai had probably never even heard of the Shapers before they landed here. This does not, of course, change the fact that the law dictates that all outsiders on Barred lands must be killed. "And who are you? Why are you on our island?" Masha smiles, relieved that you want to deal with her. "This is core of our dealing, there being much I tell you now. I tell you our story. You ready?" "Tell me your story." You remember to uncross your arms. If you can't seem welcoming, well, at least you can seem open to hearing her out. "Yes. We were explorers. To cross great sea. Three large ships. One sinks on way. Many lost. We hungry, and much water and wind ripping sails. No food. Then miracle." She raises her hands towards the unseen heavens. "We see island here. We land. One more boat lost, bottom ripped on harsh rocks. Only one boat left, not enough for us, and we trapped on this Sucia Isle. Then our leader goes about to explore. Leader is Trajkov." "Tell me more about Trajkov. What did he find?" you ask. Now you're finally getting to the meat of the issue... The incident that has Sucia spinning out of control. "He found many tunnels on north end of island. Mad Trajkov goes in to explore, and he finds secrets of you. He look for shelter. He find madness." Masha doesn't sound like she was very fond of him to begin with. She shakes her head as she goes on. "He find books and labs and your secrets. He has all come ashore and hole up in tunnels. We look for food and settle to repair, and he studies your secrets and figures out your language and learns how to use your canisters. He gains your power, and shares it with those he trusts most. And then he gets plans." You dislike the sound of that, though perhaps it's because of all the trouble Trajkov's machinations have put you through this far. "What plans?" "He find out you have something called the Geneforge, some amazing powerful thing. He and allies want to use it. But they can't. It not ready. It need full Shaper for some reason." This must be why the Takers tolerated your arrival in their territory -- they need you. "So he get a Shaper. Not you, though. He get another Shaper first. He send out ship and abducts Goettsch." You've never heard of Goettsch, but you motion for Masha to keep going. "Goettsch is old Shaper. He comes and learns of Geneforge. But then he flees. Trajkov furious. Goettsch is still on island. We don't know what he doing, but he here. "Trajkov still want power, so he give command to get you. And then we know we must flee. Anfisa, Trajkov assistant, make plan. We take small boat. We slip away. Then things go wrong," Masha says. Her voice thickens with frustration, making her words even harder to understand. "What happened?" "I was just lesser than Anfisa and know less of what Trajkov was doing. She know much, and she have journal. It in chest." Masha points to the sea chest against the wall just northwest of the fire. "Magical chest. Locked. But when we leave, Trajkov knows and sends ship after us. He sink us on docks at southeast corner of isle. Anfisa killed. We flee into tunnels. Key to chest still on Anfisa body. We think it is back at docks. We want to be in chest. We think things inside help us with goals." Now you know you're approaching the part where these outsiders beg a favor of you but try to make it seem like an exchange. "What are your goals?" "Trajkov is mad. He tinkers with awful balance. He angers your people, and commits crimes against them, and our mission is to meet people and make peace. Trajkov is true rogue, raising hate in your people, hurting the Sholai. Trajkov must be dead. Then we will try to meet with your people in peacefulness. That is the goal we have." Rogue outsiders. Yes, that's the same thought you've had since finding out about Trajkov and the Sholai. "I'll help you open the chest." "That is what we wish for and hope. That is dealing we want. Go southeast. Find body and Anfisa and hope to find her key. In return, we share more information with you. We hope you repulsed by Trajkov as we are. We may find common cause," Masha says. Of course she offers information. What else does this outsider have that's of any value? These rebels' supplies must be stretched to the limit already. "What do you know about my abduction?" You find yourself crossing your arms again but you don't stop. "Madness. Stupid madness. He send our last ship, you destroy us, we stranded now. That all we know about it. Forgive our foolishness." She bows her head. You'd like to tell her how much her presence here offends you, especially since her foolishness destroyed your drayk-craft. "Let's discuss something else. You speak my language. Can you teach some of yours to me?" "I glad to, but first we need help. Fair trade, straight across. First, I tell you our story and you help us. Then I teach." You narrow your eyes. Without a better grasp of their language, you might not be able to speak with Trajkov's faction. Masha is keeping a tight grip on one of the few things she can potentially control in her situation. "You know this island is forbidden to you? The penalty for being here is death." She looks down at the ground. "We know this now. But our choice was landing here or death. We were ignorant of rules. We hope you choose justice over law." "I am looking for a boat. Where can I find one?" "First, please let me tell of story and ask your help. Then, if you can help us, we give you information, straight across trade." This trade is starting to sound less and less reliable -- language lessons, a boat, and who knows what else... You could probably make her promise you the moon if you'll only return with Anfisa's key. "I'll be back if I find the key," you say. You look past her to see what must be the box in question. Game Text posted:This is a crystal box. Shapers sometimes make them. They're quite rare and prized. Perhaps not, then. She points at a boringly ordinary thing nearby. Game Text posted:There is a heavy, worn sea chest here. It has obviously seen many long journeys. You attempt to open it. Game Text posted:The chest is locked. You inspect the lock and find that, though it looks very weak and rusty, it has several small runes on it. It seems to be magically sealed. You walk back to where the servile Narsu contemplates the pool. "I am eager to help the Shaper, as long as the Shaper brings peace," he says. "Masha wants me to recover a key." "I am glad you are helping her. There are two ways to the docks where Anfisa fell. One involves much combat, and one is blocked by many traps." Narsu examines you a little too closely, but doesn't offer an opinion on what he thinks you might be best suited for. Traps have been little more than temporary roadblocks so far. They're annoying, but less of a threat to life and limb than battle alphas. "Tell me about the trapped way." "Don't leave these tunnels. Explore them to the east. There are tunnels that lead through the docks, but there are traps there, some old, some new. Eventually, the tunnels lead to the docks." "And the defended way?" "Leave these caves to the south and go south from here. There is a large ruin there, full of rogues. They are cunning. When alone, they will stay far from you, but when in packs, they will charge. Keep your blade handy when passing through there." The rogues must not be battle alphas. They didn't flee even when you encountered them singly.  You return to the gallery where the Sholai warriors stand a long, tense vigil against the Takers and the rogues. One among them whom you missed before wears blue and doesn't seem to be armed. He's making a strong effort to become invisible the mundane way. He must be one of the outsider wizards. He has several sacks of goods at his belt. When you approach, he looks very nervous, as if he expects you to attack him at any moment. He points at himself and says, "Solyony." Then he backs away a step. "Can you speak my tongue?" you say, carefully enunciating each word so that the cringing outsider can't miss it. Solyony looks at you blankly. Then he points at his chest and says, "Solyony" again. The conversation goes downhill from there. I'm not sure how I missed snagging a screenshot of poor Solyony, but we'll probably see him again in the future.  You give up in favor of exploring the rest of the limestone caves. The tunnel system seems braided, from what you can tell. Game Text posted:These caverns look like an old clawbug lair. All of the clawbugs here were probably killed a while ago.  The turrets here ignore you, which is a relief.  A narrow passage leading further east seems to be in use as a trash heap. You hold your breath and pick your way past without looking too closely at the shadows. Irritatingly enough, this route quickly dissolves into a snarl of tight crevices where you can only pass in a single file. The first mine makes itself known by detonating on Zeniel, who limps back with a shattered leg. You try to move a little more carefully after that -- there's no telling where another mine might pop up. There are few to no lamps in this little slice of hell.  One bright spot does come up; more of those delicate lattice crystals were seeded back here, and you find two that are large enough to help you heal your creations.  Another narrow tunnel leads you to a dead end. Someone must have tried to expand this tunnel or perhaps make a shortcut to another, as there's rubble and sledgehammers here. You're not sure how long ago the work stopped.  The clawbug tunnels prove irritating to navigate. You stop to rest at a few green crystals and recharge your essence. The demands of healing Zeniel after it detonates mines for you really take a bite out of your stamina.  It takes some time and even some chalk to mark the wrong paths, but eventually you think you've found the path Narsu meant...  Next time: Just Because It Sounds a Bit Like PIE-lon Voting is open til sometime tomorrow, Friday the 9th! If you haven’t made your mind up yet, please cast your ballot.
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Dec 9, 2016 00:09
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Learning the Outsider language seems pretty essential.
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Dec 9, 2016 01:25
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Oh, Battle Alphas. I'm glad I got terribly lost and wandered into places where I just barely survived each encounter (and thereby gained a bunch of levels just by exploring) because those Attack On Titan looking motherfuckers do not look fun when you're on 'par' with them.
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Dec 9, 2016 02:08
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:
Because it's probably the worst Spiderweb software game out there? Even Vogel doesn't like talking about it, and has no plans to come back and remaster it.
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Dec 9, 2016 02:41
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berryjon posted:Because it's probably the worst Spiderweb software game out there? Even Vogel doesn't like talking about it, and has no plans to come back and remaster it. The screenshots have a vaguely off-putting quality, but I'd never heard it's bad. This could be entertaining for like ten whole minutes! Night10194 posted:Learning the Outsider language seems pretty essential. I'm fairly certain you don't have to in order to complete the game, but there are benefits! vdate posted:Oh, Battle Alphas. I'm glad I got terribly lost and wandered into places where I just barely survived each encounter (and thereby gained a bunch of levels just by exploring) because those Attack On Titan looking motherfuckers do not look fun when you're on 'par' with them. I hate them so much.
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Dec 9, 2016 02:46
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Night10194 posted:Learning the Outsider language seems pretty essential. Someone who recognizes they belong here as little as we do! Also yeah this is probably our best shot at reading Trajkov's book, as it were. Tonight's reading: the real Sucia Island among the San Juan islands of Washington: extremely modestly sized, surrounded by even tinier islands and its namesake navigational hazards (reefs and rocks), and mostly used as a campground.
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Dec 9, 2016 02:49
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I'm still convinced you got into that big fight earlier in an attempt to kill off your fyoras.
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Dec 9, 2016 03:50
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I'm fairly sure Battle Alphas and their chain of creations are a reference to the caste system in Brave New World. Alphas and thahds are usually characterized as being physically imposing but also very stupid. Actually, the Alphas in Brave New World are the highest and smartest caste, followed by Betas at #2 and so on. I think it's just a reference to the typical Strong Dumb Guy you see in all sorts of games.
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Dec 9, 2016 03:53
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MagusofStars posted:I'm fairly sure Battle Alphas and their chain of creations are a reference to the caste system in Brave New World. Alphas and thahds are usually characterized as being physically imposing but also very stupid. Hey, I didn't say it was a correct reference.  TooMuchAbstraction posted:I'm still convinced you got into that big fight earlier in an attempt to kill off your fyoras. I solemnly swear I wasn't up to that kind of no good. dont be mean to me posted:Someone who recognizes they belong here as little as we do! Also yeah this is probably our best shot at reading Trajkov's book, as it were. Sucia Island is the campground of the misfit Shaper toys.
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Dec 9, 2016 04:06
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:Here's an extremely professionally made gif showing a cute and not especially hidden easter egg from the title screen. There's more to this! If you click on one of the spawned things, it'll despawn, letting you click the pad for another random spawned thing. If you do this until all the spawned creatures are of the same type, you get a goofy quote displayed in the bottom right, with the quote changing depending on the creature type.
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Dec 9, 2016 06:12
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Ayndin posted:There's more to this! Yeah, I just totally lost my mind at manually screencapping it all and couldn't take it anymore. Utterly defeated by Geneforge. 
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Dec 9, 2016 06:15
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I remember being really annoyed at this next area, pylons suuuuuuuuuck.
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Dec 9, 2016 06:20
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:Yeah, I just totally lost my mind at manually screencapping it all and couldn't take it anymore. Utterly defeated by Geneforge. Fair enough! I saved screenshots of two of them while I was testing to make sure I properly remembered that the quotes change from monster to monster, and if you'd like I can probably sit down and screengrab the rest this weekend. Apologies for turning this into a CIA document, everyone.
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Dec 9, 2016 06:23
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1B If voting is still open, anyway. I care more about a good story and good character than 'seeing all the content'. Besides, I'm sure Pool will share most of it after the fact, anyway. Included among all this is that when someone actually tries 'playing everyone against each other', they typically end up failing embarrassingly and get left rotting in a ditch somewhere. Not something I imagine Solution would be willing to leap into feet first, especially with so many unknowns still around.
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Dec 9, 2016 13:50
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kommy5 posted:1B Well, perhaps, but do remember that Solution's contracted a pretty severe case of the Protagonists, so we can probably assume she's the female Shaper equivalent of Toshiro Mifune or Clint Eastwood or the Continental Op or what-have-you, so her odds of success at playing all sides against the middle are probably better than most! In less metafictional reasoning, everybody has a reason to want her on-side, even the people who would normally want her dead. As long as she's not too blatant about her shenanigans they have incentive to keep her around. POOL IS CLOSED posted:I hate them so much. On a scale of 'wandered into Watchhill and got one-shotted by a Thahd due to inattention' to 'wandered north of Vakkiri and got one-shotted by a clawbug before I could parse what was even happening', where do they fall? (I understand that the wastes are intended to check whether a player is paying attention to the folks telling them 'no but seriously that area is bad news', but god drat, that area is bad news.) vdate fucked around with this message at 16:02 on Dec 9, 2016 |
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Dec 9, 2016 15:57
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Solution has a pretty severe case of magical meth addiction.  I'll save my pylon rage for the update.Also, if anyone reading has an account on the LP master list, can you update our listing so the "genre" section says RPG? Or if specific subgenres are desired there, sci-fi tactical RPG, and maybe note that it's a narrative & completionist run. I'll have an update later (no ETA, sorry); voting will close when that update is posted. If you're undecided, vote! If you want to change your vote, please do so in a new post and note that you're retracting your vote for whatever specific option you previously chose. This will help me a bunch!
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Dec 9, 2016 18:02
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I am surprised that the creature named for me continues to survive.
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Dec 9, 2016 18:36
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5
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Dec 9, 2016 19:51
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Gimme a 5
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Dec 9, 2016 20:27
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:Also, if anyone reading has an account on the LP master list, can you update our listing so the "genre" section says RPG? Or if specific subgenres are desired there, sci-fi tactical RPG, and maybe note that it's a narrative & completionist run.
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Dec 9, 2016 20:56
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I vote for 
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Dec 9, 2016 22:13
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Just Because It Sounds a Bit Like PIE-Lon... Doesn't mean there's any hot, tasty fun to be had. This is probably the worst drat direction to approach the Eastern Docks, as you'll soon see.  The tunnel widens, the floor flattens, and bits of masonry appear. This route leads you into an old Shaper facility buried in the limestone and gypsum cliffs. The air back here is stale and dank, and small creaks and drips echo unpleasantly in the dark. Luckily enough, as you cross the threshold from re-graded tunnel floor to mostly intact tiled floor, a floor lamp lights up, illuminating not only Zeniel but also most of this chamber.  Zeniel's proximity causes an automatic door to slide open. You see something else glowing -- it looks like a pylon, and an active one at that. You curse your abysmal luck...  Placid saviour and RickVoid strike first. The substance the pylon was manufactured from proves vulnerable to their spittle. You're grateful that nothing you've encountered so far has been proof against it.  You're less grateful after the pylon counter-attacks. It spews a series of searing orbs that leave most of your team gravely wounded and on the verge of death. Worse, your creations reel from shell shock. You order a barely-responsive Zeniel out of the way and push for your ranged creations to finish the pylon off. It explodes in a shower of sparks and an ominous burble...  If these are the traps Narsu meant, you're nervous about what awaits you here. You draw back and tend to your creations' wounds. None are lost, but that's more a matter of luck than anything else. You've never encountered a pylon til now, but you've heard of them -- terrifying tools whose only real weakness is that they're stationary like turrets. They're a similar technology to power spirals, but you doubt you can ever get close enough to try to manually disarm one. Pylons are the devil. Obviously they can't be disarmed, they're a mob. Their ranged attack targets multiple foes like searing orbs. The attack stuns on a successful hit, reducing target AP by one or more. If you close in on a pylon, it can use a slowing attack and an energy-based single target attack. When you destroy them, they explode into poison. There are some exploity ways to defeat them, but I usually don't favor those methods. All said, the pylons are worse than turrets.  Zeniel notices the second pylon before you do. You order the clawbug to draw back behind a nearby wall, then you have your artilas and fyoras approach separately in hopes that the pylon can't strike more than one if they're well-spaced.  The pylon releases a beam of scintillating light that focuses on GreatEvilKing, who struggles to shake off the energy's influence and misses its next shot. Idhrendur, backed up by Zeniel, is able to pass through the automatic door, catch the pylon unawares, and finish it off.  You investigate the nearby cabinets now that this room seems relatively safe. All you find are whips and cuffs. You're not sure that you want to know what this place might have been for back in the old days.  Another pylon awaits you in an alcove around the corner. Placid saviour does credible damage to the thing, but eats another strong blast of magic in turn. RickVoid trades attacks with the pylon, but your team takes the worst of it, with both artilas and Zeniel in wretched shapes thanks to the pylon's powerful, punitive searing orbs. Still, a lone pylon isn't enough to stop your creations. When the pylon inevitably explodes, you once again heal up your team and advance further down the hall.  You unlock the lever and pull it. The door slides open immediately...  Zeniel immediately explodes in a cacophony of magical fire that disorients and stuns GreatEvilKing and RickVoid, who are unlucky enough to be close to the door but fortunate enough to be hidden by the walls. From your narrow vantage, you see posts for restraining creations as well as a central shaping platform and a few oddly placed, stand-alone walls. There's also a platform with another ancient, decaying control panel here.  You said you'd try to find Anfisa's key, so despite Zeniel's death, you must press on. Your artilas slither through the door and press themselves against the northern wall in hopes that they might be out of range of the second pylon. Idhrendur and GreatEvilKing follow, crowding each other into the corner until idhrendur scores the finishing blow.  The second pylon gets its share of blood, though. RickVoid, GreatEvilKing, and idhrendur all eat searing orbs even as you finish blessing them with improved reflexes. Still, haste enables your fyoras to put the pylon down before it can recharge for another shot. Once more, you pour out essence on healing your badly mauled creations.  Exhausted, you decide it's time to retreat for now and reinforce your team with a fresh creation. May it last longer than Big McLargeHug and Zeniel.  You take a breather in Kazg. Though you can't shake off the prickling feeling of hostility here, you manage to get some rest by holing up in the northeastern sector. None of the Takers harass you. On your way out of the eastern fortress gate, you pause to create a roamer in full view of the guards there. Even if they hate you, they can't hide their awe at the naked power of creation which only Shapers command... If you don't count the pretenses of thieving Sholai. You think that Like Clockwork will be able to serve you well. You've learned more about shaping roamers than you knew back when you created PurpleXVI. But perhaps you won't immediately return to that hell of pylons Narsu guided you to... Combat with regular rogues who can only punch and kick might be better.  You return to the canyons that lead to the refugee caves.  Unsurprisingly, your previous skirmishes didn't fully purge the battle alpha threat.  But with five creations capable of ranged, magical attacks, a single alpha doesn't stand a chance. By the time the rogue reaches your vanguard, it's already the walking dead. RickVoid's last strike is merely a formality.  You intend to head back into the caves, but not only do you meet a battle alpha coming from the east, but it also has an ally trailing behind.   Though placid saviour takes another serious beating, all of your creations survive, and the wretched battle alphas fall. Near the secondary shaft leading into the limestone caverns is a tiny, dead end cavelet full of trash and bones that some of the alphas have been using as a den. You clear everything out, netting some coins and pods for your trouble. Instead of going further into the caves this time, you stick to the canyon. Being out in the sun is a welcome change after the oppressive darkness of the pylon facility.  An obelisk just before the canyon turns south says, "Kazg - West; Primary Docks - Southeast; Holding One - Northeast; Holding Two - North." You wonder if Holding is like the High Defense Cells you passed through days ago... They may be worth checking, if only to replenish your much diminished supplies.  Next time: There Is No Substitute for Competence Voting Results posted:Alright! Voting is over for this round.
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Dec 9, 2016 22:30
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31 votes
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There really isn't any sort of graceful way to take down pylons, I seem to remember that occasionally there are levers or power spirals that allow you to disable some of them, but goddamn, it's rarely possible to reach them without fighting your way through half of the goddamn pylons it can disable.
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Dec 9, 2016 22:53
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PurpleXVI posted:There really isn't any sort of graceful way to take down pylons, I seem to remember that occasionally there are levers or power spirals that allow you to disable some of them, but goddamn, it's rarely possible to reach them without fighting your way through half of the goddamn pylons it can disable. The rather exploitative method is to go into combat mode just out of the pylon's range, figure out where its turn falls relative to yours, wait for it to waste its turn, then attack (preferably at range, with haste and war blessing, though the pylons are weak to melee). I usually don't do this because it's slow and very boring. I'll admit that I totally didn't expect friend Zeniel to be vaporized, though. Poor bug. 
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Dec 9, 2016 23:06
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PurpleXVI posted:There really isn't any sort of graceful way to take down pylons, I seem to remember that occasionally there are levers or power spirals that allow you to disable some of them, but goddamn, it's rarely possible to reach them without fighting your way through half of the goddamn pylons it can disable. Few things about Pylons: >Searing Orbs hits a maximum of three targets - usually the two closest targets to the primary attacker. So you can often exploit this by keeping a couple expendable thahds sitting in the midst of your ranged pack. It also has a limited range of 'spread', so you theoretically can spread out enough to keep it from actually hitting multiple targets. But in practice, Pylons are generally in tight spaces so it's pretty rare to be able to pull that off. >Their melee attack is also pretty nasty, but at least they're only targeting one creation, so it's often still worth it to sprint into melee range. >If your Shaper is slow as poo poo (probably!), the poison explosion on death is actually the least of your concerns, since it only hits your buff melee creatures and your Shaper will likely get the chance to cure creations before the poison actually does damage anyways.
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Dec 10, 2016 00:25
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You usually also won't be running around with starter tier creations either, which makes pylon-bashing marginally less irritating...
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Dec 10, 2016 00:31
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:You usually also won't be running around with starter tier creations either, which makes pylon-bashing marginally less irritating... ...not that you're bitter or anything.
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Dec 10, 2016 02:41
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