Rogue Redside Arc lf feedback

[cranebump]

 

Current Issues

• For some reason, in M1, custom group Rebounders is placing critters on the map marked Don't autospawn. Checked into it on system where I crafted the group, and everything is properly marked. ALSO: Friendlies are attacking their own truck (sigh). None of this happened during tests. Going to pull the thing down, then republish.
• FIXES: Switched level range to 35-40, which fixed the M1 issue, which I think was caused by differences between in mish objectives and mish set range, which had a 5-level difference, forcing the system to populate weirdly. DELETED the truck. The map already has trucks on it.:-/
• Mission 4 was misnumbered as 3. Fixed that.
• Sometimes, Clue 5 from M2 doesn't pop. Since it merely reinforces the exit pop, I'm taking clue numbering off. That way, it it does or doesn't, there's no jarring effect of the "missing" clue #.
• I think the major stuff is fixed. Proceeding to tests with different toons.

 

Issues I am aware of, but not planning to change:

• Spawns on M2 cause some running back and forth. I could switch the map, but I like the one I have (and I like how things spawn at mish's end). So, I'm leaving that. The map is small enough that it's not a long run anywhere. If it be a sin, 'tis a minor one.
• so I do a test run today and the bosses line up perfectly. Go figure. Most of the time, the 3rd boss is back up the tunnel.

 

Things I know about and will probably tweak:

• Boss spawn point prior to mish end. Keeps popping on either floor 1 or 2 (when I want it on 2). Will probably switch to a different map.
• Mindspyre objective cannot clear because she’s a friendly boss. I’ll have to drop her optional text.

 

Design notes and possible spoilerage:

Spoiler

• Was running my new Glogre build in St. Martial and found a badge in this weird slum area. Started wondering, Well, who lives HERE? Realized I had 2 SM maps I've never used. After that, it was like, well, what's it gonna be about? After that, I got this idea, and well...the inspiration for the story is pretty obvious. 
• Character ideas for The Seven (well, the Six you work with) come from mixture of various movies, but loosely based on Seven Samurai.
• The bad guy's name is directly from the 1960 film.
• Since gathering a group of 7 allies in a single mish to "take on X" is just more than I wanted to handle, I dropped them in in various places. You only actually ally with 2 of them. The rest are part of the team, each performing off-screen tasks, or meeting with you as minor objectives/window dressing in the mishes. 
• Since the above changed the nature of the premise (a siege against bad guys), I have the siege play offscreen, and the player working the grand scheme details while it occurs. Works better this way, I think, since it makes missions much more manageable.
• Various Easter Eggs/references: Sondheim, E.T. Some of the verbiage comes from quotes from the 2 American versions of Mag 7 (esp. mission titles), and others come from Seven Samurai. (including the moral lesson spelled out so plainly at the end, and in the Souvenier clue).

Thanks in advance, and enjoy!

Crane

Edited July 21, 2023 by cranebump

[raven9864]

I'll give it a run tonite!

 

~Paws

[raven9864]

Here's my observations:

 

Spoiler

This was a fun little arc with a great narrative connective tissue. The events flow nicely from one mission to the next. Excellent continuity.

 

I love seeing custom toons, and I stop to look at "Info" on critters and other toons as often as possible. Nice mythology going on.

 

Talking to Mindspyre wouldn't complete for me. I tried map clearing, etc. but it never completed for me. I suspect something in the chain is off.

 

Its a little shiny (to me) to be a rogue flavor. Rogue is one step off of being villain, and the contact keeps appealing to my "good nature" and sense of honor. I feel it would make for more consistent narrative to appeal to my ruthlessness, with a dirtier payoff, one where the contact gets dirty paws for giving it, but the Rebound is better off. You don't be willing to work with Rogues unless you are desperate (I blackmail the contact) or have a little bit of rogue in you as well.

 

It feels a little more vigilante than rogue to me, as I understand the alignment system.

 

The bosses are challenging and can put you down if they catch you off guard. Nice flavor on the wailers, and I'd like to see them again in a future arc. The map choices are exquisite. One personal pet peeve is the fade in glowies. I spent far more time trying to find that scanner than any other part of the series. Second was the Wailer Lord I had to attach the device too. Maybe a term in title that matches with the nav window so I know what to look for a little better. I ran past him twice thinking he was just another boss.

 

4 out of 5 stars my friend overall. The story was engaging, and I could see my charqacter and his responses in my brain. Well done.

 

 

~Paws

[cranebump]

Thanks for the detailed observations and suggestions. On the basic stuff:

• I thought the objective text matched in M4. I’ll have to check. 
• I could include verbiage about where the scanner pops up, since it’s always in one of the fountains, every single time I’ve run it.
• Locating subdued Waiker: There IS some text by the surrounding enemies, and those surrounding the Wailer are not other Wailers, but cops.
• Good point about alignment/ethos as it pertains to the story. However, it would take a major rewrite to develop the type of feel you mentioned, above, so that’s just not going to happen. I’m too lazy for that.:-) Not sure a vigilante ethos really fits, because vigilantes don’t spend a lot of time in St. Martial. (And cannot get mishes there in the actual game, which is the main reason I made it Rogue). I guess, if I had to justify the choice of Rogue, I’d do this:

Spoiler

The PC expects payment, and Calhoun does promise it, even as he yammers on about “honor” and such. For all we know, the PC is a giant jerk who will take out War Dog for paying them in Philosophy, rather than currency.
 

It’s Colhoun that has this thing about using violence to help others. He’s a convert, and wants the player-characater to convert, too. As far as the player goes, he’s engaging in illegal activity in Mish 4 and 5 (esp. 5-that’s private property, and they’re extorting Sonata). Of course, a vigilante breaks the law for the greater good, whereas a rogue does it for personal gain.
 

in the end, the PC is promised a huge payment. They may be helping the downtrodden, but they’re doing so for their own gain. If they turn into Episode IV Han Solo by the end, that’s fine. If they don’t, that’s fine, too. Colhoun could well be wrong that the person he hired has any honor at all. Technically, too, Colhoun did the rogue thing by insinuating pay and giving nothing. That was a douche move, though he justified it as the right thing to do. In essence, he gambled that the PC wouldn’t turn around and kill him, or worse, turn them over to Sonata or Calvera. But his promise of payment has been a lie. Well, technically speaking. He manipulated the PC. Plus his team is all former criminals, so you have that, too (though they seem too nice to have been decent ones).:-)

 

There. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it .:-)

 

Edited July 21, 2023 by cranebump

[raven9864]

I'll give it another spin as soon as I can.