cranebump

I always thought the same about the difficulty of Goldside, though I couldn't say if it's harder for new players or not. I've never been a "new" player and played it.:-)

Problem solved: I have 6 arcs under two other accounts that I haven't used in ages. They're all unpublished now. I think I've gotten a bit smarter over the last 1,000 days since I messed with those, since I told the same story in 5 arcs, rather than 12.:-)

A simpler way of asking this is:, Assuming all of my published stories are under the same account/login, shouldnt my list of published arcs Be the same, no matter what computer I login on?

OK, I may be having an issue with arcs showing up has published and yet I don’t see them as published on my list. So I’m going to check my knowledge here to see if it’s me or not. I assumed that files I am working on (Local files) are maintained only on the computer on which I worked on them. So if I needed to work on the same local file from one computer on a different computer, I would need to file transfer it to the correct location. As far as published files go, my assumption was that once they were published on one computer, I could access the published file on the second computer, and then download it from there using “save as” (Locally). I realize that Custom critters will not be moved to the new computer if I do it in this way. At least I don’t think they do? Anyway, I wanted to confirm this, because it looks like there are missions appearing on other players search list as published arcs. That I do not see as published on my main computer I use for scripting. Having moved files from one computer to another some months ago, is it possible that the second computer contains the list of published missions that the first computer does not? Shouldn’t I see the same list of published missions regardless of what computer I am on? I hope I’m making sense here.

Likely going to wait till next page drops before doing anything new. In the meantime, I'm going to scan all my published arcs for internal consistency. Been watching Molly's runs on Twitch, and it sure looks like there are more published arcs under my name out there than I have on my actual "published" list (including one with the "Mobius" keyword that shouldn't have it). It screwed up @LordRassilon's run through the Mobius story today, which should have gone into Modius 4: Dempsey's Hard 8. Now I'm wondering how may other of the old Mobius stories are floating around there, among the new, much better, final version. Gah! I swear, shit like this...

Many of my characters on Torch do story arcs exclusively or near exclusively. Our Long Riders SG exists mainly for that purpose (and to provide a base for travel). It’s a very small group of us, a handful, but we’re dedicated to a an old school feel (with certain concessions for the way things are now, like using P2W for the freebies [sans XP buffs]). I’ve got several alts making that slow, solo journey. Even with the ones who aren’t set up that way, I’ll often follow the same path you mentioned (though I skip Twinshot, and usually head to KR, rather than Hollows). I even waste some dough on DOs at low levels, just because I like the little extra oomph. So, you’re not alone, kemosabe. I think the game is better when I’m not OPed. Thankfully, we can still play it that way, if we want.

Covering Fire. Raises enemy defense (or movement maybe, since targets are “pinned down”). yeah…that’s better as a debut. maybe gas canisters that enhance endurance or health?

Ahhhh...I had no idea.

A whip set with a “swap ammo” effect, allowing me to switch between damage types. A swingline travel power. Varied animation on the hurl power. I want to throw generators, forklifts and couches, like the TK trollers.:-)

He won’t after he surrenders will he?

I’ve had Veles kick my ass before. But I can’t recall ever failing the timed rescue. Might be an issue if you’re still being chased by Veles’s Grave Knight (which I believe doesn’t die because Veles surrenders before he falls).

Greets, all. In hopes of raising the story-based AE profile, I’ll be providing some short reviews of SFMA story arcs. In keeping with my old Under the Radar Reviews, I’ll be zooming in on new work (in most cases, that means “new for me”).:-) My criteria basically hinges on 2 things: *Is it fun? *Is it technically/narratively well-executed? I’ll follow that up with the usual Play this if… recommendations. I won’t be providing a blow-by-blow report, replete with pics and such (I seem to have gone over my limit on that?) And I certainly won’t be doing anything like the in-depth critiques I sometimes do for certain arcs. Rather, I’m shooting for a broad spectrum of what’s out there (outside the Dev’s Choice selections, which you’re going to see anyway, and farms, which are a different thing altogether). Things I really dig will receive various versions of the coveted Cranebump’s Seal of Approval (redeemable practically nowhere). Before I begin, I’ll take a moment to hype the usual juggernauts, namely @Ankylosaur, @Darmian. The Dev’s Choice selections speak for themselves. Beyond that, I can heartily recommend (from experience running their stuff) @Clave Dark 5, @Take One, and @LordRassilon. You can find some specific mish critiques I’ve done (on and off) over the years here: https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/39283-under-the-radar-reviews-dec-22-edition/#comment-524234 https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/37778-under-the-radar-reviews-sep-22-arc-1481-the-tannhauser-gate/#comment-501120 https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/37292-under-the-radar-reviews-vol-2-1-florida-man-and-sandals/#comment-494590 https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/24016-under-the-radar-reviews-2-the-lazarus-project-by-coulomb/#comment-290846 Now – on to the other stuff! I’ll start with a couple of recently completed arcs, beginning with: The Pariahs: Magus Gray (ID: 58682) (Author sig: @Star-Strider2; Board sig: @Seed22) This is a Croatoa arc where the author cleverly features most of the usual suspects from our magic zone. Along with some NOTABLE cameos (by that, I mean certain bad guys that make a brutha say, “Oh….he’s there…”). The arc focuses on the titular character, a member of the murdered Winter Court, as he attempts to find out who done the deed. It’s clean, clear, well-executed and well-written, and has a nice surprise at the end. Highly recommended! (see the Crane Seal of Approval there? Of course you do). PLAY THIS IF: You want a mysterious, magic-focused arc, infused with Croatoan baddies. Love and Robots (ID: 58834) (Author sig: @Wonder Knight; Board sig: @d4everman) The intro text reads: Queen Cyborg has been turning ordinary citizens into her robotic slaves. Now she's seeking the scientist that created her. But is she seeking his knowledge to transform more people into cyborgs or something more unsettling. That sounds creepy. But then you hop in the mish, and you get face-punched with some silver age goodness in tone and tenor (ably represented by the contact CAPTAIN EAGLE!). You’ve got a boss who thinks you’re a flyspeck (YOU! Can you believe it? [I can...(sigh)], and custom minions who accentuate the effect as they chatter about their superiority (even as you send them to the mat. Lots of fun. Reminds me of the comics I first read way back in…er…a LONG TIME AGO! (one of them’s civvie ID is Dwayne Dibley – that’s a name ol’ Stan would be proud of). Arc includes some excellent design using the bank map, great NPCs (with intertwining relationships and motivations that shape the plot, brisk pace (thanks to well-placed objectives), and a cool themed minion group. Plus, it’s got bots. And guns…Crane sorta likes Bots and guns…ahem. Verdict: VERY well done. Add a sterling seal, to go with Kyksie’s recommendation (which has to be worth…well, something, right?).:-) PLAY THIS IF: You enjoy some silver aged bombascity (but not overdone), coupled with a twisty relationship-based narrative throughline Cat: It’s What’s for Dinner (ID: 53231) (Board and author sig: @Kyksie) Two words. Freedom Furlanx. And that’s all I’ll say. (no, it’s not – you know me too well, don’t you?) You want some comedy? It’s here, my friend. We always say, Don’t take Kyksie too seriously. This trek through an alternative universe of freaky feline Falanx members proves it (it also confirms the disappointing fact that schlongbow is everywhere {evvvvverywherrrrre}). A humor-filled romp, and a fur-lined Crane seal (strokable currency, while you contemplate conquering the cat-iverse. (On a serious note: Beyond the constant humor, really novel use of: “choice” in the finale; nav text in all the missions. [and no time wasters.]):-) PLAY THIS IF: You want high comedy and, well, cats (kitties, to be more precise?) Bassilisk (ID: 51947) (Board and author sig: @TwoDee) We began with the usual threat to Audiophiles everywhere…Okay maybe it’s not the "usual" threat, but our Psi-Cop contact with the fancy officer's hat wants us to look in on it. Starts with a quick hit in Mish 1 and proceeds through a Kurse cameo (!!), a map full of armed and angry ravers, and your usual (and not so usual among the bosses) Rikti bastards. Eventually, you discover a fiendish plot involving everyone's unfavorite gene-manipulating aliens and...well, you can find out for yourself. Arc is excellently scripted, mechanically sound (even with a near-plethora of collections in an early mish), and will eventually let you use all your toys (after a brief level-down in the early going). The author provides concise recaps at the end of each mish, allowing quick and easy tracking of the narrative throughout. NOTE: Hold onto your butts, if you’re weak to psychic/sonic, etc! The early play could get dicey. Later play, too, if you've tuned this one up and not tanking it. If not, be ready to (perhaps) gobble up those insps and stick with it. In the end, you’ll be treated to a great arc! A silvery Seal of Approval for this very nice one-shot! PLAY THIS IF: (1) You don’t mind being levelled down for the opening salvos; (2) you really want to beat up ravers, (3) you like puns:-); (4) you don't feel the word bugnuts is used near enough; and -- most importantly -- (4) you demand well-crafted, tightly-constructed, cleanly and interestingly scripted arcs (because this one surely is). [Plus, how many stories start in a record shop? I'll say...2 and a half! {maybe}] Worth a run, folks! So, there's our opening salvo. We'll try to treated you to a passel of these in small parcels over time. Support your AE authors! It's not just for farming, folks. In the meantime, WATCH THIS SPACE. Visualize Whirled Peas, Crane

You ain’t kiddin’. ‘Cept I keep making new ones.

Don't think so, kemosabe. But some of the other folks might know better than me. I sure haven't seen it. Even NPCs with flight capability aren't always flying. Some patrols with flight movement will use it to travel up levels. But fighting in the air? Not that I've ever seen. (of course, I've never been looking for it).:-)

My stronger toons are all in an Excelsior SG made up of my alts. As I've shifted more to soloing over the last year (and trying to catch story arc teams where I can), I've found myself on Torch a LOT more than Excel (to where I'd consider it my "home" shard now). With Excel often in the red, and me no longer in need of hurrying along as much (nor wanting to wait at all to enter the fray), I've been seriously thinking of moving my entire stable to Torch and living there more or less permanently (I'll always switch shards to help a buddy, though -- or a stranger).:-)

On the first part: that's exactly what people should do. Kudos to you (and others) for doing that. (and I feel like lots of people do) On the second part: I don't see fast players lambasting anyone else, either. I don't think it's that they're necessarily "nicer" than non-speeders. Rather, I think slowpokes don't matter to a speed demon, because it's about gittin' 'r done ASAP. If that's the team's stated objective, more power to 'em. If the expectation is otherwise, then it looks like the speeder could give a sh*t about everyone else (whether they're actually thinking that or not). But, really, you nailed it. Advertise. And if someone DOES advertise a style, and I hop in on it, I really should do my best to support that style of play (for a speed team, that may mean some stealth and those handy team TPs and such). Reminds me: I've run on some, kind of, "hybrid" teams, where the leader will say, "Solo if you think you can handle. But please don't enter the mission until the leader zones." (I think that's how Blapperella does it on the old school runs, like Sister Pysche). If I ever got off my ass and started more actively leading teams again, that would be an approach I would probably use. I also wish I would see (or start, damn me) more smaller teams, as @Krimson suggested. A "star" team of 5, for instance. Long story short: advertise what you're doing. If you don't, then don't complain about what you get. The old days of the automatic expectation of tanks herding to a pummel spot are pretty much gone (in open play, at least). That said...my squishy still follows the tank. I need SOMEONE to blame for my stupidity, after all.:-)

That was exactly the one I was thinking of, @Clave Dark 5. It's really something unique.

+1 million :-)

With a LOT of emphasis on vigilante/rogue stuff. I'm thinking adding new stuff at 20+ actually makes sense, considering the pace of levelling these days. You can fly right through the early levels without touching any of the story contacts and end up at 20 in a heartbeat, making this the de facto starting point for segueing into story-oriented stuff. Which is why I doubt we'll ever see any work done on stuff below that, since you can Habashy-Costel/Fields-Thiery yourself right out of Atlas Park in a heartbeart. Even some of the very excellent lower level stuff (like Laura Lockhart) bleeds into the 20s, so there's no incentive to hit the truly lowbie stuff, unless you're learning the game, or are a completionist. Or you like meandering through contacts, then tracing your character's history through the experience (which I do, with some characters). This is why, though I'd LOVE some new work done in AP/KR/STEEL, etc. the fact is they're being mostly skipped anyway, for various reasons. It's not a good use of HC's resources at present. (imho) . That said, I would love new blueside content.

I agree with the OP, but I believe their answer to why they join teams then run off is going to be related to maximizing rewards gain in the shortest time span, and they figure this is a faster way to do it. Or perhaps it IS just chest thumping. Hard to say, because there are often advocates of that style of play. I suspect we’ll likely hear from one in 3,2…

It's great work, kemosabe. I'll feature it in my next batch of short reviews. Check your typos! In particular:

Watt the hell is going on here?

Mine may as well be off, most times. I run a lot on my laptop, and there are certain things I cannot easily hear at low volume. Like glowies. I end up slipping on the headphones for those sometimes. On the whole, the game sounds don't really bother me. But those REALLY BRIGHT custom effects? Another story...

Hmmm...maybe I misinterpreted their intent, then. Yeah, I think what you've got there is a good solution for avoiding the body bag situation. What kind of mess you want to put up with certainly sums up the AE design choices.:-)

@Defeat All Snakes’s suggestion, above would achieve the effect for sure. But the OP was originally asking about having the “dead” NPC as an objective. Having the actual body would be preferable, but would require a bit more work to simulate the effect. However, nearby glowie drawing an ambush is going to activate the “dead” bod when the bad guys roll in. could avoid this with an Enemy boss spawn back up the path, with boss text indicating “you’re under arrest” etc. This would draw the player(s) away from the dead NPC. On the whole, though, In this case, you can either take a 1 step, unpretty approach (body bag spawns ambush), or the much more artful, 3 step approach (unclickable body, nearby glowie, boss group). Depends on how important it is to you to have the actual body. Also: in lieu of a body bag, you could instead use an object, say a piece of machinery, and say the body is stuffed there. Then give it a gruesome description or something. Sometimes what can be imagined is stronger than what we can see.