cranebump

I think players will get the full payoff of your story as you develop it in subsequent arcs. And you've touched on the the agonies of he system completely. It's quite a lesson in economy, made harder the more original your milieu. There's a desire to do a lot of verbiage in MISH begin and end text, which, for a player desiring depth, is a godsend. But your average player, I think, will gloss that stuff, because the average player is just there to get a taste of something new (which you have given them, in spades). As I've done more and more scripting, I've taken to a middle-of-the-road approach, which, in many cases, relies on the shorthand that a bit of lore connection provides (shortcuts and all that). Mechanically, the way you approached the reconstitution of the team is exactly the way it should be done (path of water--you take what the engine gives you, and you did, including those niggling little boxes). Of course, you'll find that polishing in AE is the same as with any other writing -- you can polish forever, but, at some point, you'll just decide, Well, this is as done as it's gonna be. I can only say the initial process gets easier and swifter the more you do it (though, as always, some small agonies will remain). And that, as a first foray, this was good. So, no worries about that! Btw, welcome to the SFMA club, hombre. We're glad to have you!

Hoo boy...I have Psychic Clocks in one of my arcs, too. Wonder if I should check it out. They aren't mixed with anything. Maybe I'm safe?

NPI: Leucochloridium [ID: 44863] by @TwoDee [Author and Board sig] This 4-mission oldie but goodie (from 2021) begins with a wellness check on First Warder Darius Cross, handed to you by in-game contact and EPA rep Kyle Peck. Initial check reveals Cross has disappeared, and we’ve got Carnies involved. Further investigation reveals DC’s gone a bit ‘round the bend (don’t do drugs, kids–or do, as it turns out [you’ll see why]). We find out there’s more to Cross’s mental bender than we originally thought. Along the way, we get a Grant Creston appearance (HUZZAH! [it’s just a clue ref, but that’s okay]), the world’s shortest AE mish (M3, which, due to lucky placement [I think?] had me traveling about 50’ inside a LB base and clicking a glowie [after a, er, "warm reception"), a very empathetic and emotional Kyle Peck (dude had me feeling weepy–and it wasn’t even about me), and a load of sensory details early on (in particular, smells…lots of smells...and disgusting stuff stuck to my body and...well, you'll see). It's Interesting story with some nice touches (esp. The VERY clever and novel escort mish in the finale [bravo – that was cool]). A bit of back-and-forth in some missions (placement in AE is tricky, at best). Ditto to clue arrangement, which is a slave to objective placement and how the player proceeds (translation: you’ll have to scroll up and down a bit, at times, which is pretty typical of AE stories, to be fair). There’s a big last map that would play very well with a team looking to smash some mobs (and a nice surprise in there for those teams). Presentation of “Peck the Empathetic” was more interesting than your standard fare contacts. And the final reveal is pretty twisty, to say the least. A nicely done arc. A teary-eyed Peckish Seal of Approval, for a nice story (relating to [or at least understanding] the "bad guys" is always a feather in the cap) and a clinic on how to drop clues early on to set up your ending. Enjoyed it! PLAY IF: You like a twisty little “ghost” story with your Carnie soup (there’s others, but “Carnie Guisada” is TASTY). Play with a team if you want to have a nice rumble on a good-sized, interesting finale map. (NOTE: Be sure to do a web search on the title – it’s kinda gross, tbh.):-) P.S. There are quite a few NPI stories available. Might be worth a run, as well, based on this one.

Yep. It's a choice you end up making in the AE meat grinder. My thing wasn't the non-canon part. That happens all the time. It was the nature of the setting.. I tried to make it clear, too, that that was a me thing. Pretty sure most casual players won't care about things like that when they run your mish. They'll enjoy your customs. For my part, I truly hope that, in belaboring the real-world stuff, I didn't detract too much from what is a well put together arc, cleanly written and designed, with a coherent story. For a first time arc, it truly is very well done. The rec I received to play it is from someone whose opinion I greatly respect. They certainly liked it, and I did, as well (apart from the strange things I obsess about). FYI: I served in Japan for 3 years. WELL acquainted with the JSDF. You mentioning it brought back some memories.:-)

Yup. Same here. 3 slots in sprint. Boy was I marginally fast!

+0/x2-3 usually. I can usually handle more minions on any AT. After that, just depends on how it’s going. I’m usually not in a super hurry to level up when soloing. I like the merits from arc completions.

What exactly does “a well-rounded team” mean to you? And then this: if you’re forming the team, then isn’t the burden of team composition on you? If you don’t want multiple trollers, then make that clear in jour recruiting (though it should be a given that if each of the trollers had completely different powersets, your “well-rounded” diversity could be inherent in that). I dunno. I think if I’m consistently having some sort of issues with teams that I run, my first diagnostic step would be to look in the mirror.

The Flight of the Kage [ID: 60077] by @D3V [board sig: @D3V10517Y] (This delve into foreign intrigue [which looks like it’s from a capable first-timer] comes from a recommendation we received via PM. In the aftermath of a bloody coup by an organization called The Shogunate, you’ve been sent in response to a call for assistance, sent by Kaminari, a member of the Kage organization (and long-time servant of the Imperial Family). You begin by investigating false signals intended to lure the scattered Kage members into a trap (and now you, as well). Diving into various backdrops that appear suspiciously familiar (looks like they buy their decor from the same vendors as Paragon City), you square off against black-clad Shogunate forces (who really enjoy using guns and nasty devices [among other things]). What follows is a reconstitution of the group in the form of rescues, culminating in a nicely-designed scrum in Mission 4 against a series of bosses, aided by your batch of allies, taking place in one of the new lab big rooms. You finish the story up with a mish that can best be described as a mercy killing. On the whole, this feels like a first-time effort, though it is cleanly written and mechanically strong. In particular, there’s some novel use of clue drops in Mish 4, which Kaminari pieces together for you before sending you off to end the arc. A bit of objective repetition early on (mainly the necessary rescues, which are often followed by fighting an ambush-spawning boss – who tends to appear behind you, making you backtrack). There IS a defeat all in M4, but the map is manageable, and relatively small (and you have aggressive boss allies to help with the cleanup). Story-wise, there’s some drama and tragedy built in. NPC relationships matter in the plot resolution. It’s set for L’s 1-54 (my 50 found it pretty easy, but I’m imagining not so much, if I scaled substantially down against those stun drones). I don’t recall ANY typos, so it is meticulously edited. So, overall, it’s solidly built. Now, I have TONS of questions about the setting: Is this supposed to be modern Japan? Or some sort of alternate version? (entirely possible, since the CoH world is, itself an alternate setting). It seems like we’re talking about a full-on Monarchy, rather than a constitutional one. In this case, a lack of ties to the in-game world forces the player to go to another level of belief suspension. This being a superhero game, it shouldn’t be hard to do. But I DID wonder how this event figured into the larger, political scope of things (other little things, too - like why Kaminari had to “call in favors” to get help, when it might’ve been in the U.S.’s best interests to send help anyway, since there’s a coup in progress). But these are the things I think about. Other players might care less. Which is why I’m splitting my shadowy Seal of Approval in two. On the one hand: it’s well-crafted, especially if this is a first effort [and it looks like it is]. It’s got a decent story, and some unique flavor. On the other hand, the lack of ties to any in-game lore or setting demands partial-to-whole-cloth world composition, or at least some backstory about the land to which we’ve traveled (well…for me, it does–I was bothered by it the whole time).* In the end, however, there are many more positives than the one (admittedly subjective) issue I’ve observed here. For all I know, this is a mish for an SG, a context which changes things. Whatever the context, it's worth your time. Check it out! PLAY IF: You like Japanese-inspired motifs, solidly constructed, with some very nice NPC interplay and story. OR: if you want to completely escape the Paragon City/Rogue Isles vibe (save for the decor, of course.).:-) P.S. The author is currently working on a follow-up, as evidenced by the work in progress they’ve posted. *this assumes I didn't miss anything

True. Yesterday I was looking to purchase some components and Luck Charms were pulling 4K. Haven't seen that in...well, I can't recall.

Should add you can also pick up explore merits, now that they spawn the locations you need to find as tips. Generally agree that the converter thing isn't optimal, but it is quick, for those who don't want to spend time crafting. You really can just sell things off and buy from vendors, if that's your druthers.

I'm assuming you can also grab the explore badges from Echo: Galaxy to get 5 more merits, if you're going the enhancement converter route. Easily over a mil. Sell your first orange on AE, that should put you close to 2. If you're not into crafting IOs, you should have plenty to run on DO's for a while. To be frank, though, once you get used to the game a bit more, you'll probably be able to get to 20 without slotting anything, depending on the route you take (and the toon you run).

You are correct @dtjunkie. There certainly is more about the Skulls than I allowed for in my post, above. I don't usually run Watkins or Buzzie, which may explain that. Thanks for the catch!

You do realize the current devs didn’t write most of the old blueside stuff right? Beyond that, certain things will eventually come to light via play (like the Lost, whose true origin you can almost surmise right now, if you out the clues together). Other stuff you leave behind. You want to know more about Dr. Vahz without reading a wiki? Good luck. Vahzilok arcs end at level 20. Skulls? They’re a street level gang with some connection to the ‘Dine trade. Need more than that? Well, there isn’t more, since they, too, cap at 20 (in AE, anyway…in game maybe lower). By the time you’re at 20, you’re moving on to Warriors, Sky Raiders, Tsoo etc. There are, in fact, only a few groups that span levels 1-54. They’re the…well…you should check the wiki.:-) (or maybe play redside, which has a nice “Destined Ones” arc you can follow, or Goldside, which has you working with various factions)

How much attention? Not enough. I've only recently played the converter roulette game, which seems to be a good investment overall. For lowbie toons I'll sell the obvious high ticket items I just don't use (prismatic aether being one of them). I hold on to orange (due to the routlette thing), and hold onto merits much more than I did before. When I have a high level toon oozing with salvage I might sometimes go on a selling spree with the yellows, which seem to net good $$. Well, sometimes.:-)

Power differential. Your average group can blow away a lot of stuff these days (esp. when you consider the % of vets we have still playing). The old school pull to a corner, etc., doesn't really come up unless you do get a situation liked you described, above. Then the old ways is the best ways. I just don't see it all that often in default mode. There's a few folks that want to run that way, and still do. Speaking of: One person in particular who runs mission arc teams fairly regularly insists on that mode. Which is fine, but, they're just...bitchy about it -- like it's orthodoxy. Took an invite to a team, got on it, and the first thing they did was complain there were too many ranged toons everywhere.* I just said, "Got it. I'll clear a spot." Hopped off before mish started. I should've recognized by the toon name (having run a few excruciating times with them before), but I figured it out too late. I wouldn't normally bail on anybody, but for some people you gotta make the exception. *Wondering if they ever had the pleasure of a group full of Rad DEFs that just melts everything. But then, maybe that's the issue.

Thanks much! I'd probably go with the newer ones.:-) (Though of the long forms The Bleed has gotten good responses..)

Okay gang, in honor of it snowing TWICE here when spring is supposedly on the way (and it being wash day all. day. long.), we bring you four arcs. One review by request, another to piggyback on a previous run that gave a good report, and 2 "back pages" entries (FYI: back page entries are SFMA arcs buried deeper in the listing "soil," often needlessly. You get just one low-star review, that arc can be shoved away forever, due to one person's subjectivity [or just plan shitty mood]). We'll be perusing those regularly. Anyhoo, here's what we got: Dhahabu Kingdom and the Indelible Curse of Hate [ID: 60044] by @ZamuelNow (author and board sig) A transdimensional blueside adventure that places you in the role of ally to Queen Auri of the Dhahabu. You travel to her dimension to combat a terrible curse that plagues her people (including her husband, Aurus). Cleanly crafted. Neatly written. There’s a spider king here, but not quite the one you know (don’t worry-he’s almost friendly). Clever reskinning of in-game critters, plus some nice customs (pack some purples, fyi). A challenging penaultimate mish – not always a great idea to dive in, as I found out. You might faceplant, but it IS doable, trust me. PLAY IF: You like mishes with a magical angle, some interesting (and sometimes very tough) foes, strong scripting, and an unforgiving sorcerer boss with some scary-ass minions (I speak of the penultimate mish here). A solid, radiation-tinged Seal of Approval that comes with this WARNING: the debuff is real, my friends. Proceed with caution if you run solo, and above default settings (specifically 0/+4, as I did–you wouldn’t expect that to be difficult, but hubris-boy here found out otherwise).:-) Takes From Beyond the Fog: The Rook’s Gambit [ID: 49351] by @Lockely (author and board sig) Another extradimensional blueside offering, except that the bad guys are coming here. You’re working with superhacker Mark Freeman (a nerd who calls other nerds “nerds”) to investigate the sudden appearance of a new gang in Faultline. One thing leads to another, and you’re suddenly in a “Fixx.”:-) Well, so to speak. Between Mark, PortalCo, and, of course, (mainly) you, you fend off another pesky threat from another timeplacespace. Nods to Lewis Carroll everywhere (more than a nod – an actual hand-waving, Hey! That’s Lewis Caroll, man!). Contact has some real personality. Lots of nice customs. An optional Giant Monster, if you’re feeling Red-Queen-haughty. Nicely scripted and competently designed (which is clearly shown by making full use of the "AP in flames" map). A bunny-eared Seal from the Mad Cranebumper. PLAY IF: You like the type of tone an LC-steampunkish romp holds. OR: you want to kill a GM. OR: you’re in a “save the world from freakish Wonderland things!” mood. VIEW THIS ARC ON TWICH RIGHT HERE. The Ghastly Secret of Dreams [ID: 45185] by @Poltergeist Prince [board sig: @Clave Dark 5] [NOTE: I did not recognize this as Clave's work until I did a little digging on what else the author had done. All I can say is...I should have known...):-) It all started with…getting abducted by aliens…Yup. That’s how it starts. A few somewhat dim “Bulbs” intercept your mediport signal, beam you in, strap you down, and start doing an illegal “dreamjuice” operation (as you are informed by Officer Slook [rhymes with nuke {which makes a brutha think, Why not just spell it Slueke or Slyook, or even Sluke, or something?”}]). What follows is something to not ever take seriously, as you plumb the “ghastly secrets” the story presents (which includes the author’s “ghastly” admission that they’d like a Dev’s Choice someday [for the merits, man!])*. After dealing with Rikti lawyers, mashup reptile creatures, and your own birthday party (during which you prove you are Paragon's biggest douche bag), you eventually make the world a safer place for our slightly, -- and waveringly -- sentient species (or perhaps just for yourself and your juice-filled brain). Cool little alien customs, and use of some iconic maps. Strong design and execution. Loads of personality. Played for laughs, all the way. A red-nosed Clownbump Seal of Approval (go ahead…squeeze it). PLAY IF: You’re looking for a COMPLETE diversion (this includes the admitted diversion from a coherent plot [yet another “ghastly” secret revealed in this story]), OR: play if you REALLY REALLY REALLY want to destroy a whopping big case of toilet paper (I always have…ahhhhhh..FINALLY!). *P.S. They did and DO have a Dev’s award: The Dance-Off That Saved Christmas ID:44962] Infection From the Isles [ID: 40915] by @TwoFistedKid [boardsig unk] A (mostly) lowbie arc that puts you in touch with Longbow “early in your career,” where you square off against Arachnos, which is plotting to bring the Infected to Paragon City. Along the way, you smash Spiders, Stricken and Rippers (oh, my!), hit up Matt Burke, and run into good ol’ Doc Creed (not the Apollo type). A straightforward run, as such missions (by their very nature) tend to be. Emulates that lowbie feel really well. That said: the yo-yo from Mish 1 (L9) to M2 (L40), then, later, knocked down to L4 (Mish 4), gives you a bit of whiplash. Unnecessary whiplash, as this entire thing is doable where 3 of the 5 mishes land – L9. It’d be very well worth it to fix that up. A pending Seal of Approval, because it’d be unnecessarily tough actually running a lowbie through it, due to the upper level, mish 2 hop. Everything else is competently done (in some cases, cleverly done, as was the use of the Defend Object mechanic [as a non-required objective] to cause ambush waves. Bet your ass, I’m stealing that one]). PLAY IF: You want to run your Heroic lowbie against some Rogue Isles villains. If the level range were straightened out, it'd fit right into the game.

Couple observations:

It might be I'm SURE it's fine in default mode. And I did finish it. FYI: I multi-faceplanted in my OWN recently completed arc. That was higher settings, as well. Since teams will run like that, though, I imagine it will be a fair challenge (I'm speaking of your arc and mine here). Plus, it's not like my tank is completely optimized like some of the master builders here. Main thing is the writing is clear, the objectives fall into place well, etc. It's well-engineered, which is what you want, as a baseline. Everything else is fiddly bits here and there.

Running it right now, and will provide write up in my reviews section soon. Couple things: there's a missing carriage return on the intro screen (space between paragraphs). And I don't think it's necessary to repeat the accept text each mish (in blue, top of page). If you want to keep that, though, I'd change the Accept text to just "Accept," and have the blue text appear on the next screen to indicate what the PC actually said. It's a minor thing, but it is noticeable (to me, anyway). Everything else is well done so far (only on M3). (Speaking of: REALLY great placement of objectives and writing on that mish. I did NOT disturb the treasure.:-) (I can vouch for the groups in M4. TONS of debuff. Entire groups of nothing but bosses. I'm not squishy, and I'm having to think about pulling.)

See above for the REAL reason.

I do. But it pains me to beg.:-) I did just receive 5 new slots. But spending 3 to produce 7 mishes just…it hurt to think about. So I just couldn’t do it.

Athletic run+sprint. Sometimes one or the other, depending. I tend to like IO sets that grant +Movement, simply because being slightly faster feels so semi-boss:-)

Well what you call random we call by name. Or so Rickie sez:-)

Just tested with aL29 SS/Invul tank, who uses primarily DO's. Cruised, save for my usual END issues. Boss fights required some INSPS, but it was fairly easy. Now to try with a squish.