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ApplesandOranges posted:Also with the flashbang also in play, along with the syringe that Snake had, I guess the assumption is that Dragon's group found the weapon cache at some point? it HAS been... christ, like five and a half months  ...but the flashbang is actually something Dog has on his person that Brian missed - as it was hidden in the hilt of the knife Dog still had on him, as seen in the final update of Dog's route at the start of the LP 
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Apr 15, 2023 05:04
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So Rooster went for Monkey and she 'miraculously' got away, huh...
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Apr 15, 2023 05:45
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Also laughing at Pig joining in the 'assault' and then Mouse noticing nobody was targeting Ox (and everyone else was accounted for). She was probably holding back and flailing about while everyone else actually did work.
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Apr 15, 2023 06:03
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 [BGM: Stampede of Truth]   … … … ...So I have some questions. Obviously I don't actually mean Rooster Rooster. Dead him means nothing. But what if we pretend he's not dead yet, and we use him to blackmail Dog into killing some one in Dragon's group? ...Yeah, I still have a few questions. How are we going to pretend that we have Rooster hostage? He's dead, and Dog's going to suspect that unless we show otherwise. Then we'll simply show otherwise.Ox went to Rooster's body and ruffled around the corpse. Then, he pulled out a key item.  Rooster's mask? Yup. So, why are you showing me this? Look, we have his mask, we have his clothes. I think the implication is pretty obvious. Hold on a minute... you're not suggesting we pretend to be Rooster, are you? Kind of? How stupid do you think they are?[BGM: Ox's Logic]   Look I'm not saying that the fake Rooster goes up and talks to them, but from a distance, with the right clothes, we can pass somebody off. Well how do you get someone to look at the Rooster from a distance? Here's what I'm thinking. First, one of us will dress up in Rooster's clothes and put on the mask. We tie that person to the chair like they're a hostage. That person can try and struggle like they're Rooster, it'll be a grand old time. Another one of us can stand by the fake hostage and look like we're threatening Rooster with their life. Then a third of us can get Dog and show him the scene, then say if he wants Rooster alive he has to bring the body of someone from Dragon's pack. Then we'll release Rooster, and the final act will be a 3 v 3 fair duel. Doesn't that negotiation run into a whole host of problems? Okay, yeah, but I think we could probably bluff our way through it, maybe. I don't know. Well, what do we have to lose? We're already in a pretty bad situation. If we don't do anything else, we're bound to get killed or executed. I say we try it. I say it's a harebrained scheme the likes of which you'd see in a Looney Tunes cartoon. ...But, honestly, at this point? gently caress it. Why not? Why not do a funny fake hostage prank with disguises and poo poo? Might as well. You don't sound the most enthused, Mouse. I took a hard turn to apathy at some point between the start of this shitshow and right now. Not the best emotion to turn to, but I guess it'll do. So who's going to be the hostage? Obviously it can't be me. It's clearly going to be Mouse. Hold on a minute, why is it 'clearly' me? In case you couldn't tell, I'm a different race than Rooster. In case you couldn't tell, I'm a different gender! I already said it'll be at a distance, and you'll be tied up. I don't like your implications. There's no way we can fully hide skin to the point where someone doesn't notice my race. I think we can sell you as a convincing Rooster, though. … Come on, you've literally got the easiest job! Fine, whatever. Alright, now we're talking. Tiger, you're going to be the hostage holder. All you have to do is stand threateningly over Mouse with a knife. Do you think you can manage that? Aye aye, chief. I've always wanted to be a hostage taker. ...Weird aspiration, but we'll work with that. Meanwhile, I'll try and get Dog to come down on his own so we can do the negotiations. What are the odds we successfully pull this off? I'd put it at a generous ten percent. ...I'll take it.And so, we began the most ambitious Scooby-Doo caper so far. I stripped Rooster and changed into his clothes in the restroom. ...He wore far too much stuff. I also took the opportunity to input the action for this Round. I wasn't sure when I'd have a chance to do it after this, and better safe than sorry. We had already agreed to simply run this round, since we didn't want to risk Dog's group actually ending up in last place, and we already had such a lead. It took a bit of doing to convincingly tie me up. We found some jump ropes in the nearby workout room, so we used those to tie me up. The process of being bound up like that was... not enjoyable. It reminded me of the fact that I was tied up by Brian only hours ago. God, it felt like a lifetime ago. I had completely lost myself in his stupid race. We all had. I was going to be a completely different person after this was all over. ...No, don't think about that. I feel like if I dwell on that for too long, I'm liable to start having a wavering heart. I don't need that to survive.  Ox also stuffed my mouth with a rag. I asked him why this was necessary if I was already going to have a mask over my head, but he said Dog might make me say something, and he doubted if I could convincingly 'sound gagged'. He probably wasn't wrong on that, but I suspect that wasn't the real reason he suggested it. Eventually, we had the setup. Seeing through the mask was difficult. It was also wicked uncomfortable. Still, I had the easy part of the job. It was up to Ox to somehow sell this crazy bluff to Dog. If he could even find Dog – a big if. It was possible Dog was going to stay firmly with the big group. I worried at the chances of this plan's success. Luckily... I didn't need to be too concerned. After a while, Ox did in fact bring Dog down near the cafeteria. He kept Dog at the end of the hallway, but I could still hear their conversation.  Huh. Well I'll be damned. I knew the guy was an idiot, but to get himself captured like this? How'd you even get him tied up like that? He was pretty out of it when we knocked him over the head. Huh. And you're saying he's still alive? Good as ever. I took this as my cue to prove my 'aliveness'. I struggled in my chair, legitimately trying to escape, while making muffled screams.  Quiet, prisoner!Tiger smacked me in the back of the head in what I'm sure to her was a joking manner... but to me actually hurt quite a bit. She was a little too into character... All I could say was thank god it was Ox doing the negotiations.  Alright, alright, I get what you're saying. You really have us by the balls, don't you? We do. So what do you want? We want someone from Dragon's pack dead. Someone dead, huh? Yes, and we want proof. Provide us the body, and we'll return Rooster and his tablet. Then we'll settle the rest of things – pack v pack.[BGM: Silence]   Hm. And how do I know you'll honor things? If I bring you Snake's head, you could just stab Rooster and then you'd instantly win. We'll have to work out some sort of system. Maybe if you bring someone unconscious, you could drag them into that side room down the hallway. Then we'd let Rooster come to you, while I went in there to finish the unconscious person off. That'd make betrayal harder, don't you think? Woah woah, now you're talking about 'unconscious people' all of the sudden? You realize that's a lot harder than killing someone? Sounds an awful lot like your problem. I promise that if you hold up your end, we'll hold up ours, but if you can't trust us, then come up with a solution you can accept. But I don't think that you exactly have the best bargaining power right now. Fine, fine. I'll think of something. Just don't kill him, okay? We won't. For now. Jeez, no need to make with the threats like that. I'm already going along with this. You've gotta be more understanding than that. … Well, I'll get on it while I still can. See to it that you do. Wish me luck. Good luck. I don't need luck.And just like that, Dog walked towards the stairwell. Ox made sure he left, and then breathed a sigh of relief. The negotiations had actually worked. [BGM: Queen of the Jungle]  Hell yeah! Great job, Ox. I hope he bought it. He totally bought it. Mmph mmmphh mph. Exactly right, Mouse. Mmmph mmmmph! Calm down, we'll get you untied from there. Mmph mmmph. After all, we're going to need to make a hostage swap. Mmmph? It'll be easier to discuss if we just free you for now.Ox walked over and got me free. Thank god. Hostage swap? You heard the negotiations. We're going to have to send you over there. Then they have me as a hostage! Don't worry, I've got a plan.Ox held up a knife. Then, he stuck the knife in my jacket pocket. A... knife? As soon as you're over there, you're going to have to stab Dog. Stab him?? You don't need to kill him, he'll die on his own soon enough, just injure him. Do you think you can handle that? Yeah, whatever, I've already said I'm prepared to win. My issue with this plan is the fact that, oh you know, I'll be tied up! Don't worry about that.Ox picked up the jump rope and began to tie my hands behind my back. Uh, a little warning might be nice. Sorry. Now look, it looks like you're tied up right now, right? Right? But if you pull here... Ox guided my hand, helping me pull on a part of the rope. The moment I yanked the part I held, the whole rope fell apart. Voilá! Not bad, not bad at all. Pretty impressive ropework there. Where'd you learn these sorts of knots? I was a Boy Scout for many years. A Boy Scout? Ha! Of course you were a Boy Scout. What's that supposed to mean? Nothing, nothing at all. You know what? We need to get ready in case Dog comes back all of a sudden.  Back to being a hostage you go. Hey, wait a minute!At his behest, Ox and Tiger tied me up again, stuffed my mouth with a rag, and covered my face with the Rooster mask. There we go. Now you're looking like a proper hostage, Mouse! … I just hope Dog actually follows through on this hostage business. Oh, of course he will. Why wouldn't he? You know, I truly wish I could approach life with the amount of optimism you seem to always have. I truly, truly do.[BGM: Silence]  It took a while before anything else noteworthy happened. I just stood there, tied up and gagged in Rooster's mask. My mind started to wander about how I got to this point in my life. Luckily, the sound of thuds broke me out of that long, dark, winding road. I think that's him.Sure enough, out of the stairwell, Dog dragged Dragon's limp body. Seriously? This was actually working? Ugh... jeez. Man, no matter how many bodies you drag, you never get used to it. You've dragged a lot of bodies? I'm a bartender, a lot of people tend to pass out. Oh. And I also used to be a cop. Huh. Anyways, here's your unconscious pack member. I can see that. You got Dragon? Well, Snake would've been easier, but where's the fun in that? Wow. How were you able to pull that off? With a little help from this.Dog held up a metal chain and swung it around in a circle. Strangling someone to the point where they pass out, but not so much where they die? It's an artform. ...Disturbing, but I'm not going to argue with you. Go on then, bring her into that room over there. Dog nodded, then proceeded to drag Dragon's body into the nearby room. I've held up my end of the bargain. You going to do the same? Yeah, yeah. Tiger, let him go. On it.I felt Tiger's hands, which were on my shoulders, let go. I had to act like a frantic hostage now. As indignantly as I could, I ran over to Dog. I made sure not to face him. It wouldn't take a close look from him to realize I wasn't Rooster. Luckily, Dog's focus was on Ox, who began to make his way into the room Dragon was knocked out in. He was about to finish the job. Murdering Dragon... I'm sorry, Dragon. I'm sorry, Bunny, Snake. But if it's you or me, I choose me. I knew what I had to do. I started to pull on the rope, beginning to untie it. However, before I could finish, Dog turned over to me. Glad to have you back, Rooster. Now that you're here, mind doing me a favor? Die.
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Apr 18, 2023 01:18
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Okay the race argument isn't really a great one. Ox's face would be covered and he wears a full suit. There's his hands, but they can be tied behind his back. I don't know if the mask covers his neck, but still, I don't think it would be that hard. Compared to Mouse being visibly smaller and possibly shorter compared to Rooster. Also Pig is really doing nothing, huh.
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Apr 18, 2023 01:26
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I... what? This is going to turn out really ugly. Dragon will likely spring up to life and try to kill Ox or Tiger, and Dog's going to try to kill Mouse. As long as one of them dies, Team Mouse is doomed. On the flip side, as long as Dog or Dragon dies, Team Dog/Dragon will be doomed. Team Mouse better think of something. Quickly. Sketchie fucked around with this message at 02:25 on Apr 18, 2023 |
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Apr 18, 2023 02:18
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Rooster's dead. I'm pretty sure that means that Dog and Pig are already doomed. The coup here for Mouse's team is to kill Dragon, as that means that they win essentially by default after one or two rounds pass.
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Apr 18, 2023 02:48
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This was a spectacularly terrible plan. But in the words of Qui-Gon Jim, “At least it’s spectacular!”
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Apr 18, 2023 03:20
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Based on what they've been doing the race's mechanics should mean they all lose this round, unless they told Tiger to Dive. But whatever, this route is already messed up; let's enjoy the explosions.
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Apr 18, 2023 03:39
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NeoRonTheNeuron posted:Based on what they've been doing the race's mechanics should mean they all lose this round, unless they told Tiger to Dive. But whatever, this route is already messed up; let's enjoy the explosions. If they all input their actions this round already, not necessarily. If Dog/Pig used Monkey's tablet to Encouraging Crow Mouse/Ox/Tiger to the end, then they still lose because Dog/Pig have to Run, which pulls them out of last place past Horse/Sheep/Monkey (Monkey would have made no movement actions and Horse/Sheep's tablets are in Mouse's group's hands). And no way Dragon's group could have made it to the end this round. The caveat would be if Dog and Pig both did a 0-pace Confess, but if Mouse's group had also used Rooster's tablet to boost them out of last place, they're out.
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Apr 18, 2023 06:10
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Yeah, it's true that we don't quite know what everyone's moves are or when they inputted them. The race's mechanics have hardly been a focus for this trial, but it's still fun to discuss. We weren't shown the race tracker last time, but I estimated this: MOT: 12 -> 21 (trinket x3) BDS: 6 -> 13 (run x3 + rooster boost) HSM: 11 (though it should have been 12) -> 11 RDP: 5 -> 11 (run x2 + monkey boost) Given how HSM group is all dead and that they were Monkey-boosted last round, RDP are forced to Rooster boost HSM. A double 0-confess is also logical to remain in last. All moves from their group should already be inputted since there's nothing better for them to achieve and delaying is dangerous. This set of moves would normally prevent MOT from escaping this round, ensuring a round of conflict. But MOT seem to all be running; this leads to the "everyone dies" scenario: MOT: 21 -> 24 (run x3) BDS: 13 -> 16 (run x3) HSM: 11 (though it should have been 12) -> 15 (rooster boost) RDP: 11 -> 15 (monkey boost and double failed confession)
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Apr 18, 2023 08:28
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I'm expecting Dragon's "I made sure six of us would survive" to end in everybody dying in every route.
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Apr 18, 2023 09:13
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Unrelated to the current issue, but I noticed the one person who has previously disappeared and somehow avoided execution hasn't had their body turn up yet.
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Apr 18, 2023 14:15
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NeoRonTheNeuron posted:A double 0-confess is also logical to remain in last. It's actually a bit risky, because Brian solely decides how many points they get and he knows who's Defeated. There's nothing stopping him from making up a reason to give them 5 points.
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Apr 18, 2023 15:43
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whitehelm posted:It's actually a bit risky, because Brian solely decides how many points they get and he knows who's Defeated. There's nothing stopping him from making up a reason to give them 5 points. Unless "Brian" is dead. 
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Apr 18, 2023 20:21
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 content warning: suicidal ideation [BGM: Fire Breath]  Dog held out the chain he had with both hands and made for my neck. I saw my life flashing before my eyes. Quickly, I finished untying the ropes and swung at him with the knife in my pocket. At the last minute, he jumped away from my swing. With my cover clearly blown, I pulled off the mask and spit out the rag. What the hell? Oh my gosh, Mouse? What an unexpected twist! What's going on?Just then, Ox burst out of the room he was in, knife in hand. After him came a fully awake Dragon, sporting a metal pipe and a vengeance.  Think you can just kill me while I'm asleep? Got news for you, rear end in a top hat! You can't! Gaah. So it was a setup. Further down the hall, back in the cafeteria, I saw Tiger as well being attacked. Bunny! So sorry about this Tiger, but, well, you know how it is. No hard feelings? You think you can take me down just because I'm injured? Ha! I admire the spirit. But if you think that's enough to take me down, you're totally out of luck.Through her injuries, Tiger sent some wide swings back at Bunny, keeping him at bay. Still, it was clear that without interference, Bunny would probably be able to outlast Tiger in a fight. Instead of focusing on that, however, I had to deal with Dog, who stood before me with a deathly serious expression.  Guess we both planned to double-cross the other. How ironic! Tch. What are you on? You just tried to kill your own pack member! My pack member? Oh no, no no no.Dog swung his chain at me. I narrowly avoided it hitting my head. It was pretty obvious the whole 'hostage' shtick was a ruse. I admire the creativity, but come on. There were a dozen red flags about that whole fishy setup. And I'm not a complete rube. You didn't even buy it a little? I admire the artistry that went into it. But sorry, it was a hollow attempt. Further down the hallway, Ox tried to fight off Dragon, with little luck.  Ha! You call yourself a man, and yet that's the best you can fight? How'd a wuss like you survive for so long? First of all, I'm still pretty young all things considered, so it hasn't been 'so long'. Secondly, in case you missed a few centuries, we're not all a bunch of barbarians anymore. So unlike a sewer rat like yourself, I've never had a need to beat people up. Of course you haven't. Instead of punching people, you call them 'sewer rats'. If you're going to deny it, I wouldn't bother. I've prosecuted dozens of cases for lowlifes like you. I know how your stories start. And I know how they end. How 'bout I teach you how your story ends right now! Dragon lunged at him with the pipe, but Ox ran away. And not, like, a little bit. He just started sprinting down the hallway. You little poo poo! You wanna just flee? You're not getting away that easily!Dragon chased him down. I felt a little uncomfortable with that exchange for a few reasons, but I had bigger things to worry about. Dog was still coming at me with his chain. Even though he wasn't exactly a bodybuilder, I couldn't take down a fully grown man with police training on a good day. However, I had a knife. If I could just close in the distance... So this is it, huh? You're trying to kill us? To be fair, you kind of killed me. But at this point, you're going to die anyways! Why are you going through all this effort? Do you really care that much about Dragon's pack winning? Oh Mouse. Who said anything about Dragon's pack winning? He swung once more at me with the chain. This time, I was able to completely duck under it. I tried running at him with the momentum I had, but he backed up and shortly swung the chain at me again. I had to quickly stop my approach to prevent him from smacking me across the face. Obviously you're trying to help Dragon's pack. That's why you told her about our fake hostage plan, and why you're trying to kill me now. You want Dragon's pack to be the last one standing. You misunderstand me. Of course I don't want your pack to live through this. But I don't want Dragon's pack to stay alive either. What do you mean? Monkey's pack is already dead, and your pack will soon be as well! Whose pack do you want to win? Nobody's!Dog swung again. Another miss. You can't honestly mean that. You're just trying to throw me off my game. Well, it won't work. You obviously don't mean that, because Dragon's team is entirely on track to win. Sure about that? Yeah! Then where's Snake? Wh-what? I'd wager the round ends in a couple more minutes. I don't think Snake had already entered his action when I met with him, in case there were... strategic differences. And Dragon's group will be in for a rather nasty surprise. You can't be serious!! I don't care about this enough to lie. Why on earth would you want that?! I'm a bit of a gambler, Mouse. I like to bet on horses from time to time. And you know how you win at betting on the horse races?He swung the chain over his shoulder. You bet on all of them! Dog swung overhead down at me. I blocked with my right hand, the one holding the knife. It hurt like hell, and I dropped the knife to the floor. He pulled the chain back. Well... that's the saying, anyways. In actuality, if you do that, you just wind up losing money. But that's beside the point.He started to swing the chain again. I couldn't let this go on. I didn't know what was up with Dog, but he was absolutely crazy. I had to beat him here and now! I ran forwards, picked the knife up off the floor with my left hand, and backhandedly stabbed him in the gut. All the while, he continued his swing, sending the chain slamming into my side and wrapping around to hit my back. It stung like hell, and nearly knocked all my breath away. But it didn't completely knock me out. The same couldn't be said for Dog. He fell to the floor, reeling from the stab wound. As his breathing got heavy, it dawned on me what I had just done. I had killed someone. I had killed Dog. I should've felt bad... but in the moment, there was kind of a lot going on, so I didn't have much time for the guilt thing. Dog! Quit being confusing and tell me why on earth you did this! ...maybe it's a mistake. But... this is a cop's instinct. Okay, so you're useless.I walked away from Dog. That was... probably insensitive, considering he was literally dying, but hey, aren't we all? In the cafeteria, the fight had solidly shifted to Bunny's advantage. The injuries were catching up with Tiger. [BGM: Steadfast Gallop]  It's... it's not over! It is. Please, don't make this any harder than it has to be. What, you're asking me to just sit down and die? If possible. No! Okay then. Wait, Bunny! You don't have to do this. I'm sorry Mouse, but I really do. No, I mean you really don't. You guys have already lost. What are you talking about? Snake is dead. Wh-what?! How? You're just trying to deceive me! Bunny, look at me. Look at my eyes. Are these the eyes of a liar? … … It can't be. You're just trying to trick me. Really? Then where's Snake right now? ...Gah! Bunny turned around and quickly ran away. He was likely going to check and see if I was telling the truth or not. After all, it was pretty important. ...Thank God. He listened to reason. I went over and helped Tiger sit down. Hey, hey, take it easy. I'm fine, trust me! No, you're not. Come on, sit down. You need some rest. ...If you insist.Just then, two people ran in. Ox, looking exhausted, was trying to put as much distance between himself and Dragon. Dragon, however, wasn't looking tired, and was in fact gaining on him. Dragon, cut it out! Why the hell would I? This bastard needs to die! No, he doesn't. Dragon, I don't know how to tell you this, but... you've already lost. What? How! How in the world?! I... The final branch for this route is whether we can successfully convince Dragon or not. We'll talk about what happens when we fail to do so in the bonus update, but for now, we have to give her a distraction that she'll actually believe could happen... I killed Snake! A member of your group is already dead! What?! What?Ox, for the love of God, don't blow this. She's not going to buy that Dog did this, so I had to sell her a story. I don't believe you! Oh really? When was the last time you saw Snake? Th-that's... Dragon started to look nervous. He hadn't entered his move for this round when he died. Which means that he's going to be executed this round! And that means that you're going to be executed this round! So why take us down with you? You're saying I'm going to die too? No, no, there's no way. gently caress that! Dragon, I realize that– No, gently caress that!Dragon stormed away, in a rage. ...No, she didn't storm 'away'. She stormed over to the kitchen. …Mouse, are you serious? Kind of? Actually, Dog killed Snake. What? It's crazy, I'll explain later. For now, what's Dragon doing?[BGM: The Undying]  Dragon was clearly acting strange. She was grabbing a bunch of knives from the kitchen. Then, she took one and... put it between the collar and her neck? It only barely fit, but yeah, using the thin distance between her neck and the collar, she was able to stuff a knife between the two. She then grabbed another knife and repeated the process. In the front, and the back, and to the sides, she stuffed knives all around her neck. It... wasn't a pretty sight. This endeavor left her neck with a bunch of cuts, and her breathing was constricted. But what was the point of it all? Dragon, what's going on? gently caress. You.She looked like she had nothing to do with us. I guess in a sense, she didn't. Right now her objective had completely shifted from attacking us to... whatever she was doing now. I was confused as to what exactly that was, until I heard the television start to speak. Because it speaking signaled that the Round was over. It signaled that Dragon's execution would be starting. ...However, something funny happened. I guess the collars weren't shining examples of sound engineering, because somehow, some way, the knives stuck between Dragon's neck and the collar ran interference. Something about the solid steel defense blocking off the encroaching blades caused the mechanics to malfunction, causing all sorts of sounds that shouldn't be coming out of the collar. Was... was this working? ...After a bit of time, I stopped hearing sounds come from the collar, and yet Dragon still stood.  Her neck looked like a bloody, constricted mess. I could hear her breaths, raspy and uneven. Her head looked slightly off-color. But she stood. Even execution couldn't take her down. Dragon, the Unyielding. Dragon, are... you okay? … Ox, is she going to be okay? I don't know. Maybe? If we can get a medical team here quickly, it's probably possible for her to get out of this unscathed. For now though, Dragon, you should sit down and try not to move much. You don't want to disturb that, er, delicate situation. We still have at least a round to go before we can get out. …Instead of taking Ox's incredibly reasonable suggestion, Dragon had an alternative plan.  You... assholes... You think you can kill six people... and get away with it?Dragon's voice was raspy and pained, but filled with rage. Uh, Dragon? I feel like maybe we should talk about this.Instead, Dragon swung her pipe at me. I blocked with my left arm. OW!!! gently caress!! Mouse!! I'm... fine.I had to do something.  She wouldn't believe us before, but now, with the hard evidence around her neck... I lied! I didn't actually kill Snake! Dog did! Wh-what?Dragon stopped in her tracks. I don't know why he did it, he was babbling about making sure none of us survived if he couldn't. But think about it – I was pretending to be the hostage, when could I have gone all the way to wherever Snake is and kill him?? … Ox, Tiger, myself, we didn't actually kill anyone from your pack! You still acted against us. You still tried to kill us.[BGM: Silence]  And lastly, we have to appeal to her in a way that actually will matter – in a way that Dragon could respect Mouse for. I had a pack to protect, too! I had to help Ox and Tiger, too! They didn't deserve any of this. If it was just up to me, then maybe I would've given up. But that would mean letting them die when they were counting on me. And that's a line I'm not willing to cross. …Dragon glared at me. The raging energy she had seemingly depleted from her. ...Tch.Instead of fighting anymore, Dragon just stormed off towards a nearby column and leaned against it. It was clear she was low on energy. Frankly, it was a miracle she was even alive, even with her makeshift neck-shield. If she had exerted herself any further, who knows what would've happened? I turned anxiously to Ox. So... what now?[BGM: Somber Howl]  It's over. Next round, we'll pass the finish line. With everyone else dead, we can use their tablets to make sure Dog's pack isn't in last place. Then, we'll be free.Tiger, who had been resting, walked over to join us. Seriously? Just like that, we can go free? We won? I doubt anything will be 'just like that'. But on the whole? Yeah, we won.The moment Ox said that, I started to break down and cry. Mouse, what's wrong?So much had happened in so little time. So many deaths. Some I was responsible for. Was... I a murderer now? It was hard to tell. Either way, I knew I wouldn't be getting any sleep for weeks to come. Brian had completely driven us against each other. Ultimately, myself, Ox, Tiger, and somehow Dragon would survive this game. But none of us would really win it. We went to war with one another, and as usual, all that was left were mysteries and misery.  [Ending – 5 of Spades]  If Dragon finds the Grouping Whistle, she will use it. Grouping together seems better to her than having individual traitors. Unless the two special personalities are in the same pack, all Grouping Whistle games look the same. They're bloody massacres with casualties on all sides. If lucky, three will be able to get out alive. This path ends in an incredibly unfavorable position. Avoid at all costs.
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Apr 20, 2023 00:02
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Did Monkey live? Guess we'll never know.  Also wow, Pig really just... got off-screened. Snake, too. Sorry guys, you weren't that important. Anyway, the route's... okay, I think. The set-up is probably ultimately more interesting than the pay-off, and it felt more like a Dog/Bunny route than a Dragon route. But I think it does fine for what it is, and is probably ultimately more interesting than a standard 'character got an assigned traitor personality' like most of them.
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Apr 20, 2023 00:27
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Goddamn. Dragon may have shot everyone in the foot, but that was pretty loving metal.
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Apr 20, 2023 00:28
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Dragon: I’ve guaranteed that 6 of us will live! And then it looks like we’ll have some bad ends with a 100% mortality rate.
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Apr 20, 2023 00:40
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Maybe it's been too long since Dog's route so I'm forgetting how his mind works but... Is he just being a bad loser or what?
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Apr 20, 2023 00:58
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He's depressed and doesn't care if he dies or not.
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Apr 20, 2023 01:05
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gegi posted:Maybe it's been too long since Dog's route so I'm forgetting how his mind works but... Is he just being a bad loser or what? He's a depressed, suicidal, nihilist that was completely broken by the corruption during his time in the police. His gimmick is that he clings to and fights for life but yearns for death and courts it with risky behavior. Hence his route being him just going nuts until someone takes him down.
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Apr 20, 2023 01:14
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So being generous and assuming that Monkey/Pig/Snake are, indeed, dead, let's look at the survival rate of our racers, not including Mouse since well, she lives on every 'good end': Ox: 7/12 (dies in: Mouse, Ox*, Bunny, Rooster, Monkey, Dog) Tiger: 5/12 (dies in: Mouse, Bunny, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Dog) Bunny: 4/12 (dies in: Mouse, Ox, Bunny, Dragon, Horse, Monkey, Rooster, Dog) Dragon: 4/12 (dies in: Mouse, Tiger, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog) Snake: 4/12 (dies in: Mouse, Tiger, Bunny, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Monkey, Dog) Horse: 4/12 (dies in: Mouse, Bunny, Dragon, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog) Sheep: 6/12 (dies in: Mouse, Bunny, Dragon, Snake, Sheep, Monkey) Monkey: 8/12 (dies in: Mouse, Dragon, Rooster, Pig) Rooster: 8/12 (dies in: Mouse*, Bunny, Dragon, Monkey, Rooster) Dog: 3/12 (dies in: Mouse, Ox, Bunny, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Rooster, Dog) Pig: 6/12 (dies in: Mouse, Ox*, Bunny, Dragon, Sheep, Monkey, Pig) * preventable deaths while still getting good end ApplesandOranges fucked around with this message at 07:57 on Apr 20, 2023 |
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Apr 20, 2023 01:16
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Those survival rates are interesting. Perhaps Ox is just good at survival. Or maybe he is as guilty as Rooster and Monkey. Dragon's collar defense was great to finally see. Reminds me of VLR
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Apr 20, 2023 02:45
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Ox dies in Monkey's route as well - he is killed by Rooster, who is then killed by Snake.
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Apr 20, 2023 03:27
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gegi posted:Maybe it's been too long since Dog's route so I'm forgetting how his mind works but... Is he just being a bad loser or what? He’s a sore loser in his ending too. After losing a game to Mouse he tries rushing her with a knife but gets shot, which means all the people he tamed end up dying too. ApplesandOranges posted:Ox: 8/12 (dies in: Mouse, Ox*, Bunny, Rooster, Dog) Pig can survive on Ox’s end too. There’s 2 versions of Ox’s good ending - one where Pig dies, one where Ox dies.
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Apr 20, 2023 07:04
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Good catches, amended!
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Apr 20, 2023 07:57
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Huh...we still didn't learn a whole lot about Dragon, including what her connection to the case is. If her only connection is Rooster's grudge...
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Apr 20, 2023 14:16
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 content warning: suicide Dragon's route, done and done. And with that, we're in the last bonus update until we've finished the story!  Our journey is far from over, but it's still nice to take a look back and see how far things've come from the start, huh?Themis has gone on record saying they tried very, very hard to make each route unique and stand-out from each other, but if they had to reuse a gimmick or Major Trinket for a route, this one's would be the one they'd use – just because of how much it shifts the group dynamics, and how it would be interesting to see the group act in different teams. Their biggest regret is the fact that because of the nature of everything being from Mouse's perspective, it's hard to really get a sense of the other groups' dynamics unless they directly come into contact with Mouse. They even went so far as to muse about what it would be like for the route to be from the main perspective of another team (like the Dog/Pig/Rooster pack), and have to witness them fighting to find a way to come out on top. Like Dragon herself, the branching paths are very straightforward, like some of the first routes we hit early on in the LP. The first one is whether the group survives Dragon's trap or not – similar to some of the other “immediate danger” endings on other routes, there's not really much to show, so I'll just summarize and show the ending card off. Obviously, having Tiger do exactly what Horse did by reaching through the door is a mistake – Snake injects her with the poison, Tiger collapses, and Mouse recognizes that they've lost and willingly succumbs to smoke poisoning so she can die quickly. That's it.  [Ending – 6 of Clubs] The situation Mouse found herself in was certainly hectic. However, keeping a clear head at all times is vital for success. If Mouse doesn't analyze her surroundings quickly and clearly, things will take a turn for the worse. It's unlikely Mouse would trip at this stage, though.The second one is after Mouse's pack and Sheep/Monkey are ambushed in the cafeteria – the branching point is if Mouse decides to accept defeat, rather than not giving up. [Accept defeat.] [BGM: Bullfighter]  What had this race done to me? Was I really considering putting my life above half a dozen others? It doesn't matter how we got to this situation. If the only way for me to win is murdering six other people, I wouldn't have any part of it. While I felt some obligation to Tiger and Ox, I had just as much obligation to everyone else. I had to make the selfless choice. ...We should give up. What? If we give up now, six other people will live, right? In that case, we should focus on the greater good. The greater good? Mouse, they're a bunch of criminals and murderers. What are you talking about? Are you referring to them fighting back against us? Like we were planning on doing? That's... Mouse, as humans, we have an obligation to survive. I have obligations in my real life. So does Tiger. Don't you? Even if I do, they don't justify murdering six for the sake of three. That's a 2 to 1 loss of life. You're thinking about it too much in the abstract. Giving up now means you, specifically you, will die. Knives will enter your throat until you choke on your blood and pass out. Once you pass out, you will never get to experience a single thing again, and your existence will permanently vanish from the world. Your mother will weep at your funeral. Are you prepared for that? ...I'd rather die as me, than get out of here a murderer. Tiger, are you hearing this? Mouse, you're making a mistake. I totally get the urge to be a team player, but we're your team right now.  Plus, those assholes totally stabbed me! I'm so angry right now, I'm not letting them get away with that with no repercussions. I get that you guys might not agree with me. But you're not going to convince me otherwise. I'm going to go to Dragon and say that we surrender. Go to Dragon? She'll kill you!! Then I'll die with my head held high. This isn't just about you, Mouse, we'll die too! I'm sorry. Nope. No. I'm not letting you leave here until you start thinking straight. Then you'll have to stop me. Okay then.[BGM: Silence]  Suddenly, Ox shoved me to the floor. Ow! Tiger, help me put her to sleep.Put me to sleep?? Sorry about this, Mouse. We'll discuss this more later.Before I knew what was happening, Tiger put me in a sleeper hold. Hey...! Let go... I could feel my consciousness leaving... How did Tiger know how to do something like this...? That was my last thought until I passed out. When I woke up, I felt myself tied up. I was... tied to a chair. ...In the cafeteria? ...And that's not all, I was also wearing a mask. A mask? ...What was I wearing? I looked down, and realized I was wearing Rooster's clothes. What the hell? Why was I wearing Rooster's clothes?  Further down the hallway, I saw a body. ...Ox? Why was he lying down like that? Don't tell me... I tried to get out of my bindings. They were tied too tight. What the hell had happened when I was out? I kept struggling for a few more minutes. Then, I felt a sting on my throat. ...No, it was more than a sting. It was a piercing feeling. Were these the knives? Oh. I was being executed. ...This is what I had wanted, right? … As the knives began to enter my throat, I changed my mind. I didn't want this. ...No, no, stop this! gently caress, gently caress, auhghghah!! It was so, so, so painful. When I finally felt my senses start to fade, it was a blessing. Thank God. I was finally dying.  [Ending – 6 of Diamonds] It is noble to put the group over the self. It's not a decision to take lightly. If Mouse wants to sacrifice herself, then she will die. But is that the best outcome?The final branching point is if you fail to talk Dragon down at the end. ...Unfortunately, like the first ending, there's almost nothing to show here too, since a wrong choice immediately has Dragon lunge at Mouse and beat her to death with the pipe, no matter which choice it is you make wrong. A little anticlimactic this late in the LP, but hey, what can you do? That's Dragon for you. [Ending – 6 of Hearts] Dragon is a raging beast. She can't easily be beat, and she can't easily be reasoned with. But Mouse is a good speaker. If she's smart about it, she should be able to talk Dragon down.Next update, we start on a different path towards... well, it's still a different route, right?
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Apr 21, 2023 00:05
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Bonus update today because I think this is the shortest bonus update in the LP to date, and because after this, well... you'll see 
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Apr 21, 2023 00:06
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Mix. posted:you'll see I can't believe Horse was the real mastermind all along!
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Apr 21, 2023 00:16
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So that's all of our 12 member's routes completed. Who, right now, is your favorite?
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Apr 21, 2023 00:18
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oh boy we're getting into the wacky vn hijinx aren't we
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Apr 21, 2023 00:20
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Junpei posted:So that's all of our 12 member's routes completed. Who, right now, is your favorite? Snake, because too often in games like this there's the "smart" character who can do no wrong. Snake, on the other hand, is clever, has an extremely relevant background (former military), knows that he has some limitations, but also is completely blind to several others. He's just a fun character to have around, whether you're rooting for him or against him, it is cathartic to see him get his comeuppance. He's also relevant in a lot of routes as a dispenser of information, so even when his screentime is marginal, he still contributes in a way that makes the player think.
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Apr 21, 2023 00:58
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Junpei posted:So that's all of our 12 member's routes completed. Who, right now, is your favorite? Good/Fun Routes: Mouse, Monkey, Bunny Solid, Solid: Dog, Pig, Dragon Alright, I Guess: Ox, Tiger, Snake, Rooster Ehhhh: Horse, Sheep As for characters: Good: Rooster, Monkey, Dragon, Dog Decent: Snake, Pig You're Alright: Mouse, Tiger Wasted Potential: Horse Weak: Ox, Sheep No: Bunny ApplesandOranges fucked around with this message at 01:12 on Apr 21, 2023 |
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Apr 21, 2023 01:08
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Junpei posted:So that's all of our 12 member's routes completed. Who, right now, is your favorite? Snake is up there for me too, but I think mine is Dog. His cynicism won me over early, and his conflicting self-preservation on principle versus not giving a poo poo about gambling with his life is a fun dynamic for someone in a death game. He's in a close battle with Rooster though, which surely needs no explanation.
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Apr 21, 2023 01:15
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You know, I'm actually kind of disappointed how Themis didn't even use or reveal the other major trinkets and their effects in the story. So far the game has revealed and used the Grouping Whistle, Taming Whip, Kavar's Poison, Draconic Prayer Statue, Butcher's Knife, Sheep's Clothing and Second Craw (unless I've missed one or two). That's 7 out of 12. I would've liked to know what the other 5 major trinkets are. That aside, it seems that we're finally on our potential -true- route where everyone survives, huh? I wonder what's going to happen in that one. 
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Apr 21, 2023 01:19
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Huh, the Dragon bad ends are 6s but the good end was a 5? ...is what I thought, but it looks like a typo again. And in the game text! The Zodiac Trial posted:The card clearly has a 6!
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Apr 21, 2023 02:54
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I'm having a hard time coming up with a pick between dog, snake, and rooster. I want to say snake because it's amazing how consistently he screws himself over by overthinking how clever he is. But dog has been great, and rooster had me from the moment "I have questions." Dropped.
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Apr 21, 2023 04:51
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AweStriker posted:typo Yeah I usually just correct any spelling or grammar issues I encounter (or just, like, sometimes the narration doesn't work when it's in a paragraph as opposed to being split up between clicks), no big deal, but sometimes it's just unavoidable like this one still much better in terms of general cleanup than quantum suicide was, where literally two routes just were flooded with mistakes to the point i felt like i was doing editing work lmao
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Apr 21, 2023 04:54
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