Non HPU: Beacon Of Hope OOC

[CyberDragon]

The individual Kaal are barely smarter than animals. They go by instinct, and if choices are made by majority desires, the majority of individual Kaal are not on their own going to be motivated by advanced incentives like that.

Am I close, Buster?

[Buster]

more or less, yeah.

an individual kaal is only about as smart as an insect. they're only capable of higher reasoning and sentient thought as a collective. their thought processes seem counter intuitive and illogical to non hive species because their primary motivator is the collective instinct of their constituent parts.

[Legotron123]

So that “cure” could essentially just be a virus that changes their brain from “enjoykilling=yes” to “enjoykilling=no?”

[Buster]

no the reference i made to 'curing' them earlier was metaphor for species wide extermination, which they fear will happen if other races start to view them as a threat (See Ghrakkal War) hence their stances on curtailing their own agressive tendencies and the outright ban on sapients as hosts. they're technically an infection remember?

also, good luck with the viral weapon idea. *rolls eyes* they wear Shells for a reason, they're well aware of their weakness to competing infections.

[Neon Icy Wings]

To risk a minor interruption: I honestly can't wait to see how some characters will react to Tatiana walking in and going "So I just got done playing catch with Digilitis, how's things here?" Especially if you take into account the days events. Breaking through an invasion before breakfast, beating down a giant Warlord for lunch and playing catch with a demigod of the universe before supper. Life as a champion is a strange one.

[Legotron123]

Kolt would definitely be more on the chill side, essentially just going ”huh. How’d you do that?”

[CyberDragon]

Hivemind would probably be more chill since he's the one who suggested she contact the demigod in the first place.

Recon would no doubt be excited, and she would want to play with him too.
Gadgeteer would be impressed and surprised that Diligitis took the time to be with someone so much weaker than he is. (Varanians have trouble understanding Diligitis even if many "worship" him.)
Archangel would likewise be surprised for a minute, but it would dawn on him that such a thing is completely within Diligitis's nature.
Whatever Titan may think, even if she was there, would be a mystery as she doesn't speak and doesn't show her face so no one can read her expressions.

[Buster]

Kol: Who?
*whispering*
Whats a hobomancer?
*more whispering*
Oh, That guy. I still don't trust him.
*even more whispering*
So... it's his boss? how is that an improvement?
*offscreen facepalm*

[CyberDragon]

I'm currently bored at work and I've got a question because I'm curious. What do you think the next major arc will be? I haven't given many hints, but I was curious about your ideas.

Or if you don't want to guess, say an arc you would like to see happen. Who knows, it might just show up.

[Legotron123]

I mean, you’ve already told me in PMs what the next arc is, soooooo...... I’d love to see an arc where the team has to retrieve an artifact from some ancient ruins, and they have to go through all sorts of trials to prove themselves worthy. Maybe they have to fight shadowy manifestations of their darkest thoughts, or they have to show bravery in the face of what they fear most. It could be kinda fun.

[CyberDragon]

What we've been planning isn't the next major arc. It's an event, but won't take the whole day. I have mentioned bits and pieces of the next arc in PMs though.

[Legotron123]

What we've been planning isn't the next major arc. It's an event, but won't take the whole day. I have mentioned bits and pieces of the next arc in PMs though.

Yeah, that’s what I was talking about. That’s why I said “you told me” and not “we’ve been planning.” Granted, I don’t know all the details, but I think I have at least a basic outline.

[Buster]

just to stave off possible confusion since it seems like hivemind thinks the port is a storage device, a Cerebral Port is an input/output socket attached to the base of the skull, usually but not always mounted parallel to the spinal column, seen in science fiction works. it's purpose is to act as a direct interface between the brain and a computer system. the most recognizable example of which is the neural jack everyone in the Matrix movies has on the back of their head.

it's just a plug socket though. not the storage media.

[CyberDragon]

Hivemind wasn't thinking it was a storage device. He, and I, knew what it was. A Cerebral Port would have to have some sort of conversion mechanism hooked up to the brain itself to turn the electronic data into bioelectric data compatible with the neurons. It's that part, the part that connects to the brain and performs the conversion, that Hivemind is concerned about the colony eating. After all there's going to be a lot more Kaal where the host's brain used to be than were in a wrist, and more feeding Kaal in the area means a potential greater risk for damage.

[Welsh Halfwit]

Added to my last post. Realised I'd forgotten Cherry and Sana.

[CyberDragon]

I've been thinking about ideas for mini-arcs that we could do while the Beacon is traveling in the latter half of tomorrow. I had the idea of this sort of super-hero MMA type tournament people might be interested in. Professional super fights.

If that sounds like something Hivemind wouldn't allow, he's the one who came up with the idea. Part of the earnings from ticket sales goes to funding the champions while the rest is distributed between infrastructure, poverty relief, and various other public programs and institutions including hospitals and orphanages. Hivemind knows people love seeing super-hero fights as long as they aren't at risk of being blown up, and he knows supers with combat powers tend to like using said combat powers. Throw in the aforementioned public funds, and it's an "everyone wins" scenario. Except... you know... for whomever looses the match. They obviously don't win. But they have fun too!

Anyway, Eira is a fighter in the ring. Titan was banned for being literally unbeatable. Current heavyweight champion is a guy known as "The Mountain." about 17 foot tall human, power being massive super strength and partial kinetic absorption in addition to his impossibly massive size.

[Legotron123]

Kolt might be interested in that. There’s something similar back home that he’s taken part in a couple of time, so as long as nothing happens to turn him off of a friendly sparing competition (like say, a massive argument with a teammate), he’ll probably join it. Liz would probably do rather well in the tournament too, assuming she can be convinced to join. Her Shipmaster form would curbstomp a lot of the weaker contestants, and the forms/powers she’s going to be gaining along the way will make some of the tougher fights a bit easier.

[Buster]

it would likely be best to keep Kol away from there. she has a history with arena combat, and i doubt Hive is oaky with his competitors fighting to the death.

[Neon Icy Wings]

Tatiana would probably be interested in a fight club. It would remind her of fighting her mercenary buddies on missions, especially as I don't think anybody on the team has fought each other in anyway.

[CyberDragon]

it would likely be best to keep Kol away from there. she has a history with arena combat, and i doubt Hive is oaky with his competitors fighting to the death.

Intentionally fighting lethally is prohibited, as is dirty fighting, as well as any attempts to debilitate your opponent. That said, stasis triggers are built into the fighters' outfits and healers are on standby, so nobody ever gets permanently injured or killed in these fights.

[Legotron123]

Would it be against the rules for Quint to take over Kolt’s body when he gets knocked out in order to keep fighting?

[CyberDragon]

No, but given Kolt's suit isn't regulation friendly and Quint doesn't have access to Kolt's powers, there wouldn't be much he would be able to do.

[Buster]

Intentionally fighting lethally is prohibited, as is dirty fighting, as well as any attempts to debilitate your opponent. That said, stasis triggers are built into the fighters' outfits and healers are on standby, so nobody ever gets permanently injured or killed in these fights.

i'm sure you've noticed from her fighting style consisting entirely of attempts to dismember and maim, that's the only way she knows to fight. she holds herself back enough in the field so the opponent is not quite dead yet, more or less, but you put her in the ring and shes's going to assume she's walking out victorious or not at all.

[CyberDragon]

Yeah, Hivemind wouldn't let her fight in the ring until he thinks she can follow the rules of the fight. Though she might catch on after seeing a round or two and noticing both combatants always leave the match with all limbs still intact. (Wishful thinking)

[Legotron123]

What’s the arena like? Is it just like a standard boxing ring, or does Hivemind simulate different environments to make things more interesting?

[CyberDragon]

What I had in mind was a fairly standard 1-on-1 fighting ring surrounded by a force field. Granted, it's a large one. The idea is to make things completely balanced, with the only factors determining who wins being the powers and and skills of the fighters themselves. Sort of like how Smash Bros tournaments are always on Omega stages.

Though that might be flexible. But if there is varying terrain, it will still be confined to the ring.

[Buster]

Actually, flat terrain without obstacles isnt perfectly balanced, it favors combatants that can attack from a distance. The only reason this doesn't come into play in smash much is that game has projectiles be on average noticeably weaker than melee combat. Something that doesn't happen outside fighting games.

[CyberDragon]

You make a good point. The arena's a work in progress.

Any suggestions for how it works would be welcome. I don't have the time to think on it right now.

[Legotron123]

Maybe do something similar to what RWBY did with their tournament, have a list of different environments and randomly select two of them in each match. This does have the possibility of giving one opponent an advantage over the other, but that just adds another aspect to the challenge. How well can you adapt when your opponent is given an unexpected advantage?

[Buster]

and here's your daily dose of wierd.

[Welsh Halfwit]

As, June and Kol aren't weird.

[Legotron123]

Random idea I had while waiting for the next post, does anyone else think this would make a good theme for Diligitus’ avatar?

[Buster]

that sounds more like it belongs in a Shinra Energy Corporation building during a dramatic scene...

[Legotron123]

You’re not wrong, I just tend to get more feelings of holy and regal power out of it than villainous ones.

[CyberDragon]

Brad has no idea what he's in for.

[furrygamer793]

Okay I believe you… didn't think about Brad's powers, he could easily grow huge to be an easy target then suddenly shrink as small as possible as a means of evading the attack, afterwards he uses his opportunity to get on to titan then grow big enough to hold titan down. There, easy as making lemonade with a mix.

[Welsh Halfwit]

Gotta admit I've kinda liked Hannabelle & Gear at the movies. Two old pros behaving disgracefully...

[Buster]

Brad has no idea what he's in for.

Okay I believe you… didn't think about Brad's powers, he could easily grow huge to be an easy target then suddenly shrink as small as possible as a means of evading the attack, afterwards he uses his opportunity to get on to titan then grow big enough to hold titan down. There, easy as making lemonade with a mix.

yes, because, "strong enough to bend reality with physical force alone" is so easily restrained.

from what we've seen so far it looks like Titan's narative purpose is to save our buts if we're about to TPK ourselves, meaning she has to be stronger than all of the player characters combined, but frequently gets sidelined by other things so she cant just win for us. likely introduced because we made enemies of a few 40k-esque Ruinous Powers in our first outing and they've been hounding us ever since.

[CyberDragon]

Okay I believe you… didn't think about Brad's powers, he could easily grow huge to be an easy target then suddenly shrink as small as possible as a means of evading the attack, afterwards he uses his opportunity to get on to titan then grow big enough to hold titan down. There, easy as making lemonade with a mix.

yes, because, "strong enough to bend reality with physical force alone" is so easily restrained.

It's alright, Buster. He didn't join until after Titan went off to do other things.

For reference, furrygamer, You might want to read this post, which has a demonstration of Titan's power.

from what we've seen so far it looks like Titan's narative purpose is to save our buts if we're about to TPK ourselves, meaning she has to be stronger than all of the player characters combined, but frequently gets sidelined by other things so she cant just win for us.

That's not far off, but not quite the whole story either. Titan is one of what I call the "Contingency Characters." These are characters designed specifically to be far FAR more powerful than a Player Character is allowed to be. As the name suggests, they are there to guard the plot against player actions. Is a player godmoding? A Contingency Character shows up and beats them down so they can either be removed from the plot (or the entire game) so they don't break the game for others, in a way that doesn't break the game or narrative either. Is the party about to get wiped? A Contingency Character shows up to balance things out without an unexpected nerfing of the villain out of nowhere.

Titan is, in SPECIAL-P points terms, a 10+ in the power section. In other words, higher power than is allowed for players, and in other other words a Cosmic Tier character. Only one other character of that tier has appeared in-game, and that is Tempest. There are a small handful of Contingency Characters that are of an even higher tier (Which I just say have a Power score of INF, AKA God tier), and he's even showed up in-game. A lot, actually. Other God Tier characters tend to be the big-bads of the overarching storyline.

You are also correct in that I usually have these Contingency Characters off doing other things on other parts of the planet, or incapacitated at the start of the fight so that they can't just win the fight for you.

[Buster]

well i figured the munchkin/griefer proofing went without saying.