Crane's Short Reviews

[D3V10517Y]

On 3/3/2024 at 12:51 AM, cranebump said:

The Flight of the Kage [ID: 60077] by @D3V [board sig: unk]

(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.

 

PLAY IF: You like Japanese-inspired motifs, solidly constructed, with some 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

 

Thank you for taking the time to play and review my arc.

 

You make a fair point about the lack of any sort of geopolitical explanation.  I'm well aware that Japan doesn't have an emperor anymore, and the JSDF is called a "self defense force" specifically to avoid the word "army." It logically follows that without an army there couldn't really be a Shogun.  I obviously took some liberties with that (maybe could have done some actual research into how Japan is represented in the game world), but we are in a setting with super powers and super technology, and I felt a Japan that held onto the ancient culture and traditions while still adopting futuristic technology would be an interesting fusion.  It was a judgement call on my part, and if that pushes my story into the realm of non-canon, so be it.  If I had more room, I would have liked to give more details about the Kage organization and their role before the events took place.

 

This was my first attempt at making an AE arc, so there were a lot of new mechanics (and limitations) for me to learn.  I have some background in programming and modding, and I've been doing creative writing as a hobby for upwards of 20 years.  I hope my lack of experience with the Architect was partially compensated for by my love for writing.  I am working on a follow up that amounts to a counter-offensive and introduces new characters and new factions.  I've learned more about the Architect and even went back to polish up the first arc a little bit (colored text!).  I'm putting the finishing touches on part 2 now.  I hope it doesn't feel "rushed."  Compressing meaningful events into 5 missions with a few paragraphs crammed between them, with practically no dialogue...  I would have liked more options to help with the pacing.  What I wouldn't give for a cut-scene.

 

I struggled with getting the balance right in the first arc.  It was a nightmare!  It played fine with my fully built level 50 defender, with a level 10 defender, and even a level 1 brute.  Solo.  Adding one player ramped up the difficulty so much I was shocked.  Now I do all of my testing with a level 50 scrapper at 2x+0, just to see what the experience will be like if someone wants to play it with a friend.  I'm always open to comments, suggestions, and feedback.  Feel free to send me in game mail @d3v.

 

Again, thanks for playing!

[cranebump]

2 hours ago, D3V10517Y said:

It was a judgement call on my part, and if that pushes my story into the realm of non-canon, so be it.

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.:-)

Edited March 7 by cranebump

[cranebump]

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.

Edited March 11 by cranebump

[cranebump]

3 hours ago, D3V10517Y said:

This was my first attempt at making an AE arc, so there were a lot of new mechanics (and limitations) for me to learn.  I have some background in programming and modding, and I've been doing creative writing as a hobby for upwards of 20 years.  I hope my lack of experience with the Architect was partially compensated for by my love for writing.  I am working on a follow up that amounts to a counter-offensive and introduces new characters and new factions.  I've learned more about the Architect and even went back to polish up the first arc a little bit (colored text!).  I'm putting the finishing touches on part 2 now.  I hope it doesn't feel "rushed."  Compressing meaningful events into 5 missions with a few paragraphs crammed between them, with practically no dialogue...  I would have liked more options to help with the pacing.  What I wouldn't give for a cut-scene.

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!

Edited March 8 by cranebump

[CellyEl]

ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL

The Lost Girls by @cranebump

 

5 Missions knocked out with light RP discussion in a team of 6, in about an hour and a half. The arc begins like any standard contact mission arc, quickly assigning a flavorful character to the Kings Row PPD that acts as your contact and sending you to fight the Lost, who seem to be stealing Fem&Ms. From there, the story takes some sharp turns, throwing you into (non-violent) conflict with Vanguard, into an alliance with Vanguard, and doing battle with a cavalcade of Intermediate Strangeness custom enemies, interspersed by Lost.
 

I'd like to note that mixing some new units into an existing group is one of my favorite custom mob design tropes, because it dulls the intensity of any errant enemy mechanics and also firmly places them in the player's mind as part of that existing group.
 

Ultimately, a fun, eminently RPable romp that suited my post-praetorian current-day sensibilities, and narratively answers a question that the Doyleist in me had written off as, 'well, budget tho'.
 

PLAY IT IF: You're functional at level 25; You like feeling sorry for, but also punching the shit out of, the Lost; You want a good group AE RP mission without a long story investment; You have the elegant and wise opinion that Vanguard is presented as too squeaky clean, and want a story that pushes back on that.

NITPICKY BULLSHIT: A lot of the post-mission debrief text doesn't paste neatly into CoH's chat field, and there were a couple formatting issues. That said, nothing that pushed me or my crew away.

Edit: Managed to leave off the entire point of the first sentence.

Edited March 9 by CellyEl
I'ma dingus

[cranebump]

Oh, man. I have a doppelgänger.:-)

 

Thanks for running that. That’s one I completely forgot about. If you send me the formatting flubs, I’ll give them a fix. 
 

and it didn’t occur to me that it would probably be a good idea to have some guest reviews. It would certainly increase the number of arcs that get seen and recognized. Thanks @CellyEl! I need to get one of yours in here. Send me a suggestion for what you’d like featured.

[CellyEl]

DO NOT ADJUST YOUR SET

Magnificence by @cranebump

 

Did my usual Monday night menace RP AE arc, and digging through Rogue arcs, I saw Craney once more.

Sure, this works out, I'm sure it'll be morally questionable-
Nope, Seven Samurai. One of the better adaptations of the original material out there, not afraid to move around the narrative a bit while still capturing 'village barely hanging on forces back better armed opponent through dispossessed mercenaries' vibes.

Obviously, in the 7 stack we ran with, some of the details are going to be speed bumps more than memorable encounters, but that's not a problem of the arc, just a problem with large groups, and I feel like the recruitment mission would have felt more meaningful if we weren't a brutal stack of rapidly exploding blasters and a werewolf.

Spoilers:
That said, it's one of the few 'and then you don't get paid, but learn a LESSON IN LIFE' arcs where the ending felt deserved and cozy for our pack of ne'er do wells instead of something to gripe about next time; between the soft job offer from Johnny Sonata and the question, "What good would it do to rough up some slummers," it manages to feel less like getting cheated, and more like it just didn't pan out this time.
 

All told, a good time. Good customs, good story, good RP fodder, and never have I seen so many Wailer Lords in a mission.

[Darmian]

On 3/9/2024 at 11:13 AM, cranebump said:

it didn’t occur to me that it would probably be a good idea to have some guest reviews. It would certainly increase the number of arcs that get seen and recognized.

Oh you do not want me reviewing stuff!  ROFLMAO.

[cranebump]

57 minutes ago, Darmian said:

Oh you do not want me reviewing stuff!  ROFLMAO.

Just the GOOD stuff, amigo. Just the good stuff.:-)

[cranebump]

The Last Crystal Out of Cimerora by @Take One (author/board sig) (ID: 43014)

Our author is no stranger to excellence, and this L50+ arc ably shows it. Marcus Valerius has disappeared just before he was about to take his fateful voyage to the end of the world (accompanied by the Idol of Mot, so you know the conversation will  be sTeL (you) La (will) rrrrrr (DIE!). You get a non-collect call from the past, from  Sybil Brammlet (not to be confused with Doyle Bramhall Sr or Jr). She needs clues from the future, and that means you, pardner. You begin by visiting the Midnighters, where you end up rescuing…guess who? (c’mon…what Midnighter ALWAYS needs to be rescued…come onnnnn...search your memory....). Quick hitting first mission, featuring a narrative cameo from everyone’s favorite set of groundbreaking jaws that love to suddenly appear and unceremoniously devour people (except "people" aren't the snacks it's currently seeking). Pace never lets up (unless you’re Crane, and you like to run around those outdoor maps, passing right by the glowies because you didn’t have your damned headphones on). Clear narrative. Expert design. It’s a straight-ahead, no nonsense piece of brilliant economy and design expertise. @Take One always delivers. This is no exception. A Fortunata-sanctioned Seal of Approval. PLAY IF: You want to rumble through time with your Incarnate. I ran solo on easy, but you'll have a nice little romp if you crank it up and bring along your favorite sacrifices (er...friends! Bring your friends...yeah...).

Edited March 24 by cranebump

[Take One]

Thanks for the good review!

[cranebump]

Greetings all, from the land of Spring Break, where it is freakin’ drizzly and chilly, and an eclipse looms on the horizon. King’s Row? No, because that would all be metaphor (and this sleet and shit is real here in the midwest currently). Today I sought out lowbie arcs for my Slot Machine rando, Songarden. Because nothing solos faster or more effectively than a Plant/Sonic Resonance Troller (unless it’s just about every other combo you can think of). Did a search for “my level, SFMA,” only to find less than 3 full pages of arcs (3 of which are my own Solace story). Bit disappointing in a way but, if you think about it, AE stories can be tough when you’re running actual, real toons (much less my gal here, who is cash-strapped because I refuse to seed her [due to self-imposed, silly little challenges I set for badass self]). Note that I purposely avoided anything marked “1-54.” I wanted stuff specifically designed for my range (up to 20). I also didn’t hop on to authors I’ve played before (because your awesomeness should be obvious by now, right?).:-) With that in mind, here’s what we did today:

 

Bricked Electronics by  @Zasani (ID: 6625)

Published in JUN 2019, this lowbie arc (or LBMA [yes, there evidently is such a thing]) features Mark Freeman as your friendly neighborhood contact dealing with a minor tech issue involving phones (that immediately intersects with Brickers–in Paragon City! [fancy that!]). You take one some Clocks, and clock-like beasties that pack a bit of a sonic punch (if you’re a helpless little troller like I am). You get taken down by something made of old stereo parts (again, if you’re me, the super tough squishy with exactly 2 DO’s slotted in STA). Later on, you meet up with a ranting techhead named JJ, which leads to a romp through a “gassy” Council cave (because the Council are secretly bats–ALL of ‘em), back to the Brickerss (with some fancy toys as allies), and, finally, a whiz-bang finale with a 15-minute timer (on a small map that my squishy and her ally cleaned up in less than 6 mins).

 

Design-wise, it’s solid. One really clever/helpful thing the author does is a terse, sort of bullet point recap via the begin mish clues screen featuring “Leads,” “Evidence,” and “Action Items” (yours and your contact’s). Keeps you abreast of what’s going on if you get lost in the verbiage. It also previews the next map! It’s a really neat add, indicative of Zasani’s arcs (if memory serves [I feel like I ran this one before, or something like it-Freeman. Analog tech. But that had Rikti IIRC]). There’s also some humorous musings from Council members on the efficacy of gas in relation to the possible genius that is Nemesis, and a Watergate reference (because why not?).:-) 

 

What we end up with is a lowbie-friendly arc that skews just about right on every level. A reSOUNDING Seal of Approval (in stereo Hi-Fi!). It’s worthy of adding toin-game contact Freeman’s list. He’s an especially well-written contact. Fun stuff! Play if: you want a fair and balanced mish for any AT in the teens to 20.

We then went with 2 arcs from a new (to us) author:
 

Operation Shadow Eye by @Flying Carcass (ID: 37971)

Our next entry is a short one (3 mishes), with only 3 runs, and a low star rating (3). I’m playing the hell out of this, because we all know that ratings can be deceiving, since just one person having a bad time can tank your work for good. So, off we go.

 

Your contact is Agent Six (a personal fav, and featured in my own Noble Mettle story). She wants us to check out an illegal shipment where Omega Watch wants to find out who the recipients are. This puts you AGAINST the PPD. Six wants the shipment to go through, so you can track down the bigger fish at the end of the clandestine trot line. This is a nice “ends justify the means” approach, which is a nice change of pace form standard hero fare (yes, we're a vig here, but you know what I mean). I feel slightly dirty right off the bat (which, if you’ve done any of my own work, you know that’s where I seem to live).:-) Once we make sure the bombs get through, we’re led to Wyvern (not surprising, since we’re walking the thin, gray line here). Wyvern’s involved in a pretty insidious plot that seems to revolve around blackmails and threats, leading to a quite heinous action on the part of one of its Lt's (the plot itself is expanded upon by an incongruously appearing Hellion, who feeds you an optional clue [that perhaps should be required, because it seems key]). Clues point “upstream” to a “shadowy organization” whose eventual identity will be familiar to you, unless you really are a straight up newbie to the game.

 

Design-wise, it’s plenty good enough. Some noteworthy aspects: use of Wyvern patrols in an open space is an excellent choice, since they fly all over the place, so you have to watch your ass (well...I did...I have no defense). Good mix of objectives, with optional ones that add flavor (Hellion boss in M2, for example). Customs are judicious, fit the story, and are just tough enough to get you into trouble if you’re not careful at this level. Pace is VERY quick. No fuss, no muss. Six tells you “do this” and you do it. 

 

Now for the annoying part. Tweaking. What would make this better are the little things. Mission titles for one. Yeah, you don’t HAVE to have them, but my take is they’re a way of establishing atmosphere by framing the story thematically. But this is more preference than anything else. More pressing tweaks include: make sure the accept text is a logical response. Before M2, Agent Six gives us her brief, without actually asking us to accept anything. A better response might be (“Listen to the details,” or even “Go on…”). Carriage returns: Grammar and such is strong in this arc, but paragraphs need to be split. Otherwise, it looks blocky and less clean. Objective text: use the “plural/single” entries with multiple objects (i.e. “2 bombs to disarm,” followed by “Disarm the last bomb,” rather than “2 disarm bombs”). These are extra effort things that set an average arc apart from above-average (or better). Beyond that, it feels like the story just got started when we exposed the “shadowy organization.” Now, if this were an in-game mish, it would be a great stage setter for this same group’s appearance later one. Nice bit of foreshadowing. As is, it abruptly ends. If, indeed, the intent is to simply introduce said “shadowy group,” I’m wondering why not deepen the mystery just a little bit? We expose the group, but have we really ended their plot (which hinges on a single kidnapping)? If this is what they’re doing, then it seems a HUGE gamble to bet on just a single, shaky capstone in their arch. Considering whom we’re dealing with, I’d expect more layers, a bit more complexity in their plan. I think, at the very least, we should confront a bigger boss, maybe, and end up with the feeling we’re on their radar (when we see them later). And what about fallout from messing with the PPD’s goals? (there’s a whole pursuit angle there that might be interesting and scary for the lowbie vigilante we are at this moment).

 

On the whole, it’s a quite competent piece of design and narrative, and a nice little diversion. Love seeing Wyvern. Love it when we delve into gray areas. Cleanly written and direct. Completely fair and balanced for a lowbie (with just enough danger, if you’re not careful [EX: cramped quarters on the finale map]). Solid bones. Just needs the bells, whistles and window dressing to make it exemplary. A solid, provisionary Seal of Approval, with hopes to see it a bit more fleshed out. Play if: you like your stories short, sweet and clear. You want to slap the shit out of Manti’s mercenary arseholes. 

 

Manhunt by @Flying Carcass (ID: 45987)

This gem (in the 8-20 range) is a rollicking villainous piece, with a simple, but really fun premise. After a bank mish gone wrong, you evade the PPD (and associated heroes) over multiple arcs. Great design all around. Specific stuff: use of glowies in M1 is really cool, cosmetically. Had a tussle with a tough custom Lt hero (man, it took a while to lock him down). M2 had a hero that I got ganked by, then just bypassed (freakin' Serpent's Reach, man). M3 puts you on a huge map full of heroes trying to hunt you down (another nice touch--this is a map I normally hate, but here, it works). After making your escape, you aim for payback (if you’re me, you zone in RIGHT NEXT TO some thugs). You have a packed-room tussle before exacting your revenge, then out you go (or rather, I do, because I can only handle so many bullets from cascading minions). GREAT, fun arc, and one where I have to say you don’t need titles, because it would interrupt the flow. A really nifty piece of design and breathless storytelling. Well done! A fast-moving, dodging and weaving Seal of Approval. PLAY IF: You want to feel the heat (and give out some of your own). Highly recommended.

[Kyksie]

IIRC, Bricked Electronics was on the live server, it got some good reviews there too.

[cranebump]

Test for the Destined Ones (ID: 19492) by  @Warning Shot  

Arachnos is testing out all the “Destined Ones" to find "the deserving "among their number. So that means...a test. A few of them, it seems. Your constantly-less-than-impressed “Arachnos Virtual Recruiter” hits you up in AE itself, putting your through your paces (to include the requisite insults about your lack of prowess [regardless of whether you've actually demonstrated it]).  Missions start out in a “buggy” AE holosim (the contact, too, is "suspiciously buggy"). It's all part of the narrative, though, as this clever premise makes useof the very AE environment that you’re standing in when you accept the missions (basically turning your actual location into the story setting). To put it less than poetically, this idea is some really clever shit.:-) Kudos! What an idea!

 

No spoilers here. You unravel the whole affair, then take care of the insidisous perps, who really have concocted a nifty little scheme (that was obviously executed by the lowest tech bidder).:-). Your left standing tall in the end (but pondering whether any of it was real). Well done! A glowing (if somewhat "suspiciously glitchy") Seal of Approval. PLAY IF: You want to run your lowbie through their paces against some familiar foes in unfamiliar situations (and strange alliances). Or just play it. It’s a nice piece of crafting. Creative, sharp, and meticulously scripted. A fair test of the L1-20 range for which it's scripted. Mainly, it's a fun, fast-moving run. Nice job!

[Zhym]

On 1/26/2024 at 5:28 PM, cranebump said:

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

I just finished running this with one of the more silver-age toons I have (at least the one who isn't a tanker, because running arcs solo on a tanker is sooooo slow), and I agree—this is a great arc.  There are a few typos or grammar/style issues in the text, but the story is top notch.

Edited April 27 by Zhym

[cranebump]

Sky King’s Ransom [ID: 530] by @von Boomslang.

A 2-mission, Sky Raider focused arc composed in 2019, this short stack delves into the doings of a scarred Rikti war vet who’s turned “hero-hunting criminal vulnerable.” One Major Ransom has turned from protecting the populace to endangering them as a member of the Raiders. Your contact is Justin Greene, but is represented by a MekMan avatar for reasons never explained. Right off the bat, I just flat out fail the first mish. I find and free my escort, but we’re set on by an ambush, which totally pummels my shortlived alliance with the warrior prisoner I’m there to rescue (perils of setting on x5 and aggroing captor group, plus a group nearby, plus the arriving ambush). The beat-up bad guy reveals the location of Ransom, where I’m sent with an admonition not to let him get away (which means I probably have a second failible mish to undertake). There’s a tangential rescue early on (from a perp who’s standing in the midst of a Raider throng, sipping coffee).  Tight quarters turns this into a bit of a farming experience, which works well with my tank. Good thing, too, since, as expected, there is a chase scene with the end boss. I thankfully do not fail this time. 

 

What’s here is well-constructed. Story-wise, it introduces a Sky Raider plot involving other scarred vets (and a vow of revenge by the bad guy, whom you actually find twice in the finale [it makes sense when you run it]). On the whole, though, it felt like a story that had just started when it ended. So, for me, it felt unfinished. Plus there’s that Justin Greene in a Mek Suit thing that’s just never explained. Well-constructed, and obviously well-edited. But just a half Seal of Approval, seeking its concluding mate. PLAY IF: You want something ultra quick in the 20-24 range. Set it on x8 for tight quarters massacre-age. (and Booms, I hope you return to this story someday).

 

NOTE: I was on my way to producing a second arc in this review, a full 5-mish one. Unfortunately, ran into a mish I couldn't complete. Literally couldn't. Problem with an objective spawn in M3. Whatever I was supposed to find just wasn't there. After trundling around a large cave map for what seemed like 6 and a half years, I finally bailed out. Will attempt it again soon. 

Edited May 3 by cranebump

[cranebump]

Sticking to the back pages, where we find a lot of material with not near enough plays. Obviously, it's a mixed bag back here, but, of the ones I ran today, all of them are competently executed, and one of them is an out-and-out gem. Without any further ado (yes...what is and why do we need any further of it?).

 

ENJOY ME HEARTIES! (or Harties, if you have antlers?)

 

Two Earths Devoured [ID: 55072] by @Dr. Clockwerk

A 2023 entry for L25-30, with no plays [boo, community…boo], your task is to keep Praetoria Hami from uniting with Primal DE. Praet Marchand is your contact, issuing orders on behalf of “the Emperor” (I’m assuming NOT Palpatine). You’re sent beyond the sonic fence to rescue a scientist named Naylor. “Infested” Praet troops abound on the woodland map (so if you like those Heavy Troopers, Scryers and assorted Clocks, you’re in luck – there are plenty). You move from there to a DE-infested facility (a no frills defeat all set in a Praet underground map). Another “clear the infestation” follows, this one with several rescues (superheroes all, none of whom have fleshed out bios, or give much [if anything] in the way of clues). As you delve into Prime Hami’s aims against Praetoria, you’re aided by a Seer who’s inept at reading human minds, but an expert with “inhuman” ones (and has some pretty neat dialogue to accentuate this condition–but no original bio, alas). Mission 4: I COULD NOT FIND what I was supposed to lead the Seer to. Something didn’t spawn. So I rebooted, went back in, found nothing again, so I let her die at the hands of a patrol, just so I could go on to the finale. Not sure what I may have missed, since AE failures are cosmetic at best. As for the ending, no spoilers, but will say that it harks back to an earlier mish. It also uses one of my favorite maps (that leads to a bit of close quarter work, depending on how you approach it). Couple of small issues: (1) you CAN fail mishes on this one (though, if you play with any sort of competence, you won’t), and (2) bios on the supers you rescue in an early mish are disappointingly sparse. Which makes me wonder whether this arc would work better using stock supers from Primal Earth who already have writeups. In any case, it’s overall cleanly written. Plot is fast-paced, and unadorned – there’s no mystery here (though there is a bit of a twist at the end). Variety of maps, and a few interesting customs mixed in with the Praets (like the beamweapon-firing clockwork critter–I liked that one).:-) A Seal of Approval, tagged with a small sigh for the missing bios (which, if you play this, you’ll see why they’d be a good addition. PLAY IF: You like mixing it up with Praeties and DE in the L25-30 range (where you ain’t a stone cold killer as you’re gonna be).

 

Gang Problems [ID: 209] by @Wolfbeast @Wolfbeast

A 2019 entry for lowbies, ranging from 5-15, featuring the usual suspects. In this 3-piece suite you delve into a possible alliance between the Hellions and Skulls.Arc description suggest a team of 3, so I put on 3 pairs of socks and head in. Our contact is once again a Mekman, labeled Paragon City Representative, which tells me this is a glitch in the AE, probably brought about through updates between the publish date and now. In any case, “Mekrep” is wordy and cheerful in giving us a “check out Skull activity the cops somehow missed” task. Of note: the Mayor asked specifically for me (need to give my PR guy a raise, I guess). You do indeed find out that the Hellions are working with the Skulls in some sort of pact NOT involving drugs (WHA...?).:-) The rep tells me the Mayor is “unsurprised” (which, for some reason make me immediately suspect him of being involved in the whole thing). You do indeed find shenanigans – a new faction (using the same gd name I used for a similar idea with my Ordinary People arc). By the time I get to mish 3, my suspicions about the Mayor are confirmed. He’s involved! (but not the way my paranoid brain originally thought). Short version: the whole nascent Skullion mixology is nipped in the bud, and you end up a big damned hero. One the whole, it’s got good enough bones for a lowbie arc. Any sort of plot intricacy is put aside, mainly due to the “3-act structure” (you just can’t develop much background, unless you want to bombard the player with clue-age). A few typos, and format would be improved by use of colored text to differentiate dialogue from action [which appears in brackets, like this]. Felt a bit like a first attempt, and not an awful one. Usual pitfalls are avoided by keeping things nice and simple. A competent Seal of Approval. PLAY IF: You want a lowbie arc that presents Skulls and Hellies in a different context.

 

The Great American Skull Fry [ID: 25805] by @Sappho II

Another 3-mish lowbie arc with a truly-effective description: The Skulls have kidnapped Statesman (probably pretty easy, since the guy’s dead and all).:-) Time for a jaunt back in time (so to speak--this is obviouslt pre-Darrin f*****g Wade). Your contact is Uncle Sam (yeah…that guy). Fits, as the tone is less than serious (as evidenced by the first mish objective: "Free Statesman from his shameful captivity with the Skulls!" Sure enough, we find a depowered Statesman (except he’s AWFUL short…like maybe 5’ tall).There’s an appearance from Flower Knight, which is pretty cool (SHE seems the right height).:-) Some nice jokes in the pop dialogue (including one where a Skull notes that “Justin actually got the purse today”). You find a plausible (and “dangerous to the world!”) explanation for the sudden Skull ascendency, and off you go to put a stop to it. Lots of humor. Winks, nods and nudges at familiar elements of our game (including the strange, but frequent phenomenon of lowbies saving the world instead of the big guns), and the best Azuria appearance I’ve ever seen (or at least the funniest). Extra points for the Nav text on the finale-like a million extra points. Seriously. It’s worth a run just for that. A solid gold Seal of Approval (in the shape of a smiling Drama mask). PLAY IF: You want a well-written arc with a humorous slant. WELL WORTH YOUR TIME. The Skull Girlfriends’ dialogue is excellent: Here’s a small taste: I wanted to go to Galaxy City to do some shopping. But nooo... we had to go to Hell.):-) Priceless...:-)

Edited May 4 by cranebump

[cranebump]

Red Gold: A Sharkhead Story [ID: 39802 ] by @FourthSurvivor

Touted as a sequel to Diviner Maros's arc, this L20-30ish (it varies on the high end--most are 20-29) arc drops you back into the Coral trade, working for the pleasantly named Death Master. You start out as part of wide-ranging hit on Cage assets (DM wants 'em ALL). This somehow places you at Villa Requin, where, as you're gettin' dat bag, some Spiders, THEN some RIPPERS show up yelling, Hail Lord Recluse (or some such). Weird...You're told that "Mako's Marines" showed up, but I didn't see anything that looked sharky for some reason. A buyer for the coral is on the list, but DM has better things for you to do, namely hit Mako's favorite haunt and steal some of HIS shit (I'm too big for my britches, sure, but, c'mon -- why am I poking MAKO?). The Chum Bucket is a quick hitter. You find yourself a fence in there, after a short spat with the Fam. The Hunt for Red Coral (-tober) sends you to The Pit next, where slags roam (or rather, UNDER it). Clever little mish follows here, involving your Slaggies and some Scrapyarders. We get a lead from Crazy Jim that takes us to Potter's Field (ahhhh...nice --I wrote an arc using that as a backdrop). Collection for your pains isn't as simple as it seems, sending you on a walk down "Succubus Alley" (and I'll leave it at that). The finale has you securing your smuggler ship against some familiar faces (including a lil boss cameo I'll leave for you to discover). All in all, a well-crafted, fast-paced, mean mission (seriously...I just felt like a mean ol' bastard the whole time [which is the point, I'm thinking -- this IS the Isles). A sliced-up seal of approval (thanks to our finale bosss) [wink]. PLAY IF: you want a neat little "tour around Shark," complete with the zone's usual suspects.

 

P.S. Nothing is quite so satisfying as rifle-butting someone in the face, followed by the word DOMINATION popping up on the screen:-)

Edited May 15 by cranebump

[cranebump]

A trio to get the summer well underway:

 

Kicking the Habit [ID: 38516] by @Echo13

A high level arc (L50-54), explicitly designed for an SG (Invictus, if I have it right). We’re called in by Detective Howards to deal with a situation involving the Destroyers (and their Fixidine trade) and the Scorpion Gang (who’ve got their own drug, ‘Kick’). Howards and his crew need help dealing with the trade (and gangs) expanding into Atlas Park. After beating up the lowlifes, you’re pointed upstream to bigger fish (specifically, a perp named ‘V’). A trail of “convenient” (as the Det puts it) clues leads you to a bigger picture involving some unusual bad guys, who look like statues when you confront them (but who pack a punch once they “emerge”). A few typos, but nothing serious (which I can totally relate to, and often provide in my own arcs [and review]).:-) Clean, clear missions, neatly laid out. Some good, tanky bosses. Straight and to the point. Plus the author has a slew of longer story arcs that might be worth a whirl, if you want to run your own SG through what looks like an interesting narrative. Looks like some good world building there. Kudos. A shadowy Seal of Approval (‘cause there’s more here than meets the eye, if Howards is right [and he probably us]).:-) PLAY IF: You want to whoop some drug dealers (who’re part of something much bigger). Maybe look into Echo's other stuff if you want some extended SG material.

 

Fox on the Run - Crey Labs  [ID: 55140] by @Catbird Global: @Kartanian (hope I got this right)

A L50+, 2-mission Vigilante/Rogue mish designed for well-slotted Incarnates (it disclaims). The Titanium Owl has a lead on some lucrative data. It’s a straight-up smash and grab, with a lot of Power Tanks. Set it to max and fill the map up. NOTE: It’s listed as having AV’s, but it’s an AV rescue, rather than a slugfest. Direct and straightforward. It is exactly as it says. Has a contact with some definite character, and a friendly invitation to look up the designer in game (whose sig I have placed above). Extra points for using Sweet’s classic pop tune in the title (which came out about the time I started getting into “my own” music back in Junior High (yes…I am old…). A power-armored Seal of Approval for this quick hitter. PLAY IF: You want to trounce Crey (and have a couple of decent boss fights-the custom Crey bosses have some serious armor.

 

Defenders of Talos [ID: 44578] by @Jiro Ito

This L20-27 arc from an accomplished (and award-winning) designer has you seeking out an SG that disappeared in the wake of the 2002 Rikti War, working with 2nd generation contact, Black Trojan (which could double as a very lucrative brand name for a certain set of merchandise [hey...it worked for Johnny Walker...).:-) The lad wants to find out more about a purchase he made involving tech belonging to his Pa, the OG Black Trojan. So it’s off we go to a Warriors base that includes choppers we’d like to get to (but Ahnold didn’t gives us those instructions, so c'est la vie).:-) No spoilers. It's a good arc. Has nice tie-ins to: an in-game vendor; an instantly recognizable mish entry pop text (Anton’s about to have a very bad day). Excellently developed character in Young BT. Uses some unique maps to great effect. Well-written, both in terms of narrative, and mechanics (pristine, grammar, spelling and so on). A couple of nice twists thrown in at the end, leading to a sort of bittersweet finale (which I lean toward in my own stuff, so I dig that a lot). Fine storytelling! An old-school-refurbished-to-a-new-sheen Seal of Approval. PLAY IF: You appreciate a solid, very well designed tale. Worth your time!

Edited June 6 by cranebump

[Jiro Ito]

On 6/3/2024 at 10:24 AM, cranebump said:

Defenders of Talos [ID: 44578] by @Jiro Ito

This L20-27 arc from an accomplished (and award-winning) designer has you seeking out an SG that disappeared in the wake of the 2002 Rikti War, working with 2nd generation contact, Black Trojan (which could double as a very lucrative brand name for a certain set of merchandise [hey...it worked for Johnny Walker...).:-) The lad wants to find out more about a purchase he made involving tech belonging to his Pa, the OG Black Trojan. So it’s off we go to a Warriors base that includes choppers we’d like to get to (but Ahnold didn’t gives us those instructions, so c'est la vie).:-) No spoilers. It's a good arc. Has nice tie-ins to: an in-game vendor; an instantly recognizable mish entry pop text (Anton’s about to have a very bad day). Excellently developed character in Young BT. Uses some unique maps to great effect. Well-written, both in terms of narrative, and mechanics (pristine, grammar, spelling and so on). A couple of nice twists thrown in at the end, leading to a sort of bittersweet finale (which I lean toward in my own stuff, so I dig that a lot). Fine storytelling! An old-school-refurbished-to-a-new-sheen Seal of Approval. PLAY IF: You appreciate a solid, very well designed tale. Worth your time!

 

Thanks so much for playing, my friend, and for supporting other authors' work in this cool format!  

Edited June 9 by Jiro Ito
grammar...some author i am...

[cranebump]

Teen Phalanx Forever! [ID: 1326] by @PW

In this L15-20-25 arc, we're offered a chance for the "teen version" of our hero to join the young 'uns. Seeing as I have no conception of the actual age of my latest troller project, I take the bait. Starts with a neat little nugget in the first mish subtitle that "introduces" the sidekick version of your toon (clever!). Your contact, the one and only Coyote, sends you straight into the danger, helping out the TP (that's Teen Phalanx, not the stuff those of us without bidets so indelicately use for fun and profit [or necessity...let's add that]). the Phalanx, of course, are sidekick versions of the big team: Manticora, Citadel XP, Kid Valkyrie, etc.  I'm glad they're here! 'Cuz soloing with a troller is...slow.  Now, I DO have concerns about someone called "Back Alley Boy," but that's just mistrust and a dirty mind. Bit of lather, rinse and repeat (gather team, beat a boss and such), but it's a good shower, since you get to take on some of those pesky low-level bosses who are just footnotes these days in the speedy TF romps. Obvious care and detail shown in fleshing out the Teens (which esp shines during M3, when you rifle through their personal lockers. Villain-wise, it's mostly stock footage, but there are some customs mixed in that relate to each mish's plotline. NOTE: The ally rescues are mandatory. You could probably run off, kill the boss and come back for them, but having them around is helpful if you want the boss fights to be quick. Otherwise, be ready to tote a team around with you, some of whom are set to passive (which, for some reason, can make them not as one the ball when tagging along -- Manticora likes to lag back, for example). Mish 3 is a highlight, with clever use of a very small map, with excellent "clues" and a surprise boss (well...I thought she was). An angsty Seal of Approval. PLAY IF: You want a light-hearted romp with the teen team, tied up in various villainous schemes, including one involving mail order brides (not kidding...in mission 1...straight off play it, you'll see). 

[cranebump]

Once a Hero [ID: 37945] by @Lord of Robotics

In this well-constructed L20-29 arc, your contact is Psychic Witch. She wants you to check into a new drug on the scene, called Dreaming. Skulls have it. It’s not good. For them or anyone. Your adventure in bustin’ takes you through some rescues and such, where you discover that the drug seems to put people into a - ready for it? - dream state.:-) The real mystery of course is where all the weird monsters are coming from when they do (witches and such, zombie types, and some reskinned baddies, along with many customs). Eventually you discover that [REDACTED] is behind the drug, and that their experiments have [REALLY LONG AND SUPER REDACTED]. It’s an excellently constructed arc, with real care and attention to detail. It is uniformly solid. Has a bit of a twist, but it’s well-telegraphed. I particularly  liked the hero NPC brothers you run into on the Croatoa map. My one single petty gripe – there’s a semicolon. I hate semicolons. People don’t speak in semicolons. And, like Vonnegut said…[ahem] But I digress.:-) This is great work. A dreamy 5 stars for this one, and a non-horrific Seal of Approval.

Edited August 18 by cranebump

[Zhym]

On 8/17/2024 at 8:41 PM, cranebump said:

My one single petty gripe – there’s a semicolon. I hate semicolons.

And I used to think I was nitpicky for hating timed missions and kill-all missions.

 

Congratulations; you've won the "petty peeve" contest!  Beating me at that game is quite the accomplishment.

[cranebump]

4 hours ago, Zhym said:

And I used to think I was nitpicky for hating timed missions and kill-all missions.

 

Congratulations; you've won the "petty peeve" contest!  Beating me at that game is quite the accomplishment.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

 

(pst...semicolons are stupid):-)

[TerroirNoir]

Hmm. Not only is @cranebump apparently writing four excellent AEs PER DAY, he's now overtaking me in the one thing I know how to do on this damn forum!  Insert Muttley noises about here.