The PPC Posting Board - Latest posts

Not a whole lot of people are signing up, but eh, whatever. It'll be a small tourney, in that case.

I'm still planning on entering, I'm just procrastinating on posting my team.

I mean, there was the initial hype, but when I initially downloaded it, I saw it as an inferior version of Ingress with no depth or substance and an incoherent gym battle system.

No idea what they've done with it since then. I mean, with my shyness and lack of social tact, I couldn't even play Ingress (which required teamwork), a game that I viewed as much better, due in part to that teamwork dependence adding some actual depth and substance.

And not on a road, either, in case you were worried. :)

hS

As for me, I think that it's important to focus on the road and not Pokemon Go.

We were, I explain, but the buggers all waltzed off thataway, and then this crazy dancing thing got me, too, and I have no idea where they are or what's going on here. But I feel a bit better now that you're here, Sister.

(( I dunno how much you want us RPing this, and I can't pretend I know how people actually talk in M41/42, so... ^_^; ~Neshomeh ))

Is the PPC Pokemon tournament still on? I haven't seen a post calling for more signups or a "Tournament START!" one or anything, and I hope it's still a thing that'll happen.

The webcomic I cannot recommend highly enough is Unsounded by Ashley Cope. Not only is the art gorgeous, not only are the characters sympathetic and compelling (or awful and compelling), not only is the story engaging, not only is the world richly imagined and deeply realized... it's also the most regularly updating webcomic I've ever seen, so when you get caught up, you can rely on it to be there for you! {= D

I honestly don't know where to start explaining the story. You begin by meeting Sette Frummagem, a brash young girl with a mysterious lion tail, who is either dragging or being escorted across the continent by Duane Adelier, an erudite zombie wizard. They're on a mission to make Sette's cousin pay his dues to her beloved crime lord father. Are you curious yet?

They run across of a gang of evildoers who are stuffing living people, including kids, full of a dangerous magical substance to sneak it across the border into a neighboring country for nefarious purposes, the true extent of which is revealed in time. They meet Quigley, an expatriate of Duane's country, and his blind son, Matty, who travel with an enormous construct built with the body of a mountain ogre, Uaid. Uaid is very cheerful about it and quite fond of Matty. Quigley is unhappily doing One Last Job for the evildoers. You know you gotta go see what that's all about.

And, look, it just gets even more complicated and beautiful and terrible from there.

I warn you, parts are fairly disturbing (one of the evildoers is a pedophile, for instance; you'll cheer for every bad thing that happens to him), but I never got the impression that any of it is arbitrary. And even the creepy, upsetting images of terrible manifestations of magic gone wrong are drawn with such care and attention to detail, it just blows me away.

I've been trying to get Phobos on board with this comic for years, and he won't just on principle at this point even though I've bought all three existing volumes of the print version just because I like it that much and they're sitting right there on a convenient shelf, so somebody please join me!

~Neshomeh

I mean only being four days out isn't too bad, right? Right?

Four days out from what, you ask? Why four days since I was meant to give you guys the latest prompt. I'd like to thank Toth for this one and for (somehow) reminding me of this.

Theme: Partaking in hobbies.

See you in two(ish) weeks

Novastorme

Here I am, on the downswing after the high that was PAX ('Plith and I went up together, and yes, it was amazing): exhausted, numb, tired, and unable to focus on just about anything in my surroundings. In this present state, I for some reason thought it was a good idea to write about stuff I found that may be of interest. And stuff I found before PAX that may be of interest.

The point is, I have games to ramble about, and I am way too tired to stop myself. Feel free to join me in rambling about games, play the games I ramble about and report on them, or whatever. I dunno. Words. Games. Let's do that thing now.

First off, I'm going to mention some stuff that's not really all that relevant to us, but that people here might be interested in. If you ever wished there was an FPS that worked like Super Smash Bros. and also that everyone in it had a grappling hook, a game called Sky Noon is due to release soon, and it does that, and it's pretty good.

Another game of interest is Lightseekers. To be clear, I mean the TCG, not the mobile RPG that's set in the same universe and goes by the same name. It's a TCG, which means that it has to stand next to Magic, but having played a few rounds... it seems to come off looking pretty good? It's stolen some good stuff from Magic (cards have colors that affect them mechnically), Hearthstone (you have a hero card, and you can only play cards that have the same icons as your hero, ala Magic's Commander, with some exceptions) and Netrunner (limited actions per turn, and a choice between taking actions and drawing cards). Like Yugioh, most cards have no cost, but it works a lot better here than in Yugioh, because actions per turn are far more limited—you can only do two things, and each one costs you a draw. Also interesting is that there are no monster cards. Instead, there are direct attack and defend cards, and "Buffs," which remain on the table, but typically only for a limited number of turns, during which what they do may change as the card rotates... I'm explaining this really badly. Suffice to say, if you have enough disposable income to get into a CCG at least casually, and you're not going for Magic, I'd say Lightseekers is definitely worth checking out.

Finally, Steel Battalion is awesome. Those of you who know Steel Battalion probably know this already, but those of you who don't: it's a mech game where you pilot a giant mech with an enormous controller that makes you actually feel like you're in a giant mech. Sadly, it was an original Xbox exclusive, and you can't get it easily anymore. So I won't go on further, because that would be mean. Suffice to say, if you ever get a chance to play Steel Battalion, don't turn it down.

Now onto the main course! These are games that have some sort of narrative to sink your teeth into, at least to some degree, or allow you to make your own tales. All are tabletop, and either RPGs or (in one case) wargames. Most of them are indie RPGs, associated with The Forge or Story Games (online communities: the point is, if you like this stuff, there's more where it came from).

Sadly, I haven't had time to play these yet, so I can't promise anything other than that I found them interesting, and they looked pretty good. So... I dunno. Maybe they're at least worth a look? a few of them are free, so...

Anyways, let's begin!

Mobile Frame Zero is wargame where you battle giant robots against your opponent. So far, so standard. However, there's some neat stuff here! for one, this is a much faster, simpler, and generally more approachable game then BattleTech, or even the simpler BattleTech Alpha Strike (BattleTech being the standard-bearer for giant robots fighting). It also has a setting that feels distinctly not-BattleTech, being closer in feel to Gundam. Really really Gundam. Not 100% Gundam, there are some differences, but if you like Gundam, you'll like this.

Oh, and did I mention that instead of buying really expensive models or something, you build all of your robots out of LEGO, and are free to build them however you wish, so long as you stay within reason and attach bits that represent modules in accordance with the rules? Because that's true. And it's awesome. And since the rules can be downloaded for free, provided you have a lot of multicolored D6es and a bunch of of those really tiny fiddly LEGO pieces, the game costs nothing to play. There's also an expansion that deals with starship combat that is around, and an RPG.

Joshua A. C. Newman, the creator of that game, also made some pretty neat RPGs. One is Shock, which claims to be about social science fiction. I can't speak to it in detail, because I don't really know much.

His other game, The Bloody-Handed Name of Bronze, I actually did purchase, and so I have a bit more to talk about. It's... weird. Really weird. In a good way, I think. It's a game in which you play either a might hero of one of the spirits of the world, destined to achieve great things, fearing your might, or you play a sorcerer, knowing the true names of things and thus able to bargain with the spirits of the world.

The rulebook is... cryptic at best, written in character, as if a part of the very world and game it describes. If you want to actually play this thing (I know I do), you will need it, but you'll also want the author's blog posts at your side to help explain things and provide insight into the spirit of the game, particularly these two (you can also find free downloads for earlier versions of the game there).

Speaking of free things, Lady Blackbird! This is a game where the characters are decided ahead of time, but the world isn't. The initial scenario is always the same, but the players help to fill in both details about how this steampunk space opera world functions, and about what their characters are like and what their backstory is (a big part of the game is people going is "hey, remember when we did this thing?" and then roleplaying that thing out). Did I mention it's free?

Inspectres and Lacuna are two games by the same man (Jared A Sorenson), and they are both quite interesting. Inpsectres is a game designed for Ghostbusters-style comedy horror shenanigans. If you like RPGs, and you like Ghostbusters, this is probably the one thing I've listed here you should totally buy. Lacuna, by contrast, is more a straight-up horror game, a surreal world of secret agents and insect-people that exists as much in reality as in the mind of the people within it. I likened the psychological and horror aspects to Evangelion when I first picked it up (confusing the heck out of Jared, who had never heard of the series), but honestly Inception might be more apt. I dunno.

Microscope is probably the game most of interest to the PPC. It is a game explicitly designed to be about worldbuilding. I can't do it justice, but I can say that if you want to sit together with your friends and build a timeline and a world around something (not a geographical world, but a world with characters and history and stuff), this is probably the best way to do it. It also now has an expansion/extra manual/collection of ideas to get you started. So that's fun.

Finally, the single oddest game I found at PAX: Hot Guys Making Out. Yes, really. I laughed at it and initially thought it looked awful, but I read about someone else's play and the mechanics, and... it might actually be good? It uses playing cards as a mechanism to control actions, and works in a manner not entirely dissimilar to a trick-taking card game. So that's interesting. I dunno. But if you're interested at all... I did just link it.

That's just the start, of both games (RPGs or otherwise) that seem interesting, and what I saw at PAX. I left out all the panels, and a ton of board games and other stuff that we found. I might provide more information later, if there's interest, but I sort of have to go now, and I've left you more than enough games for the time being. Once again, feel free to add your own to the list. I leave no restrictions, just leave stuff you find appropriate, enjoyable, or whatever, that you think we should know about. Actually, seriously please do contribute, because it's helpful, and I like new games.

Good luck, and happy playing.

I have no idea whether that's representative or sheer fluke, but yeah, I now have a phoenix of my own. ^^

The game has changed quite a lot since it was released, but this latest change has moved away from the 'interacting with other people' business that it seemed to be getting into. For me, that's perfect - I'm happy to ignore everyone around me. ^^ The kids still love twirling Pokestops and watching evolutions, so there's something for everyone!

(Except Kaitlyn, who's not really into Pokemon.)

hS

I've never kept the fact that I think Alice is the best character a secret, so this is inordinately pleasing.

Though a non-tweaked version would be hilarious, provided Bella plays it absolutely straight. Instead of 'my boyfriend is a creepy stalker who climbs through my window and stares at me while I sleep AND THAT'S FINE', we'd get 'my girlfriend is completely doolally and makes no sense at all AND THAT'S FINE'.

... in fact...



Leah just really, honestly, can't.

hS

Very nice!

I haven't played Pokémon Go since the week it came out, but both my parents are still into it—mom puts me in charge of getting Poké Stops for her when we go out shopping together, so I guess I sorta play it on her behalf?

It's... okay. I guess. >.>

I think with a bit of tweaking to Alice's personality (like not having her throw away clothes after her siblings wear them once) she would be an awesome love interest in a lesbian love triangle between her, Leah, and Bella.

Throwing Beau into canon Twilight would be entertaining as all getout, though.

And now I want to write one of these, gods help me...

If we can get genderbent!Twilight, I'm sure we can get both versions of slashy!Twilight. I'm picturing this one as Bella unable to decide between Leah the grumpy werewolf (who, per the wiki, is Speshul as the only girlwolf EVAH) and Alice the... frankly bonkers vampire.

...

...

... okay, be honest with me; does that not sound better than the original story? Leah and Alice are both classic movie romantic interest archetypes dialled up to 11 (Alice in particular is the Manicker Pixie Dream Girl); I think any scene in the series could be improved by cut-and-pasting them into their male counterparts' places.

(Improved so far as comedy value goes, anyway.)

As for maleslash!Twilight (Gaylight?)... we could just crib Beau from the other book, or make Bella trans, but maybe it'd be more fun to pick on someone else entirely? Hmm... I'unno, is there anyone hapless enough to be substituted for Bella in there? Maybe we do need to abduct Beau...

(Steph would be turning in her grave at this conversation, were she dead, which I'm pretty sure she's not.)

hS

In fairness to Jacob's behavior in New Moon, the worst he did in terms of keeping Bella safe was not giving her a damn helmet while they were riding their motorcycles—she was the one who kept ignoring his warnings to slow down and bashed her head in.

The cliff-diving was Jacob's idea, but he told Bella he'd show her how to do it properly when the weather permitted it; Bella just went ahead and jumped without him so she could see her Edward hallucinations again. (Sooo romantic, amirite?)

I'm pretty sure Jacob is still better for her than Edward (who wanted to - and managed to - straight up murder her, because that's what 'undead' means), but I'll concede that they're both amazingly bad for her, and pretty darn bad as people. Even during New Moon (which is the best book due to having almost no Edward), Jacob spent his time endangering Bella's life constantly.

I feel like there's kind of no good outcome available to Bella? Assuming she can't just leave Forks, she's going to spend her life being stalked by one supernatural creature or another, because apparently she's Just That Tasty. Even if she became self-aware enough to recognise that all her relationships are unhealthy, she'd still pretty much be Buffy without the Scoobies, which is super unsafe.

hS

PS: Laughed at her breaking her hand? o.O Gods, werewolves, amirite? ~hS

...sexually assaulted Bella in Eclipse. Yes, forced kissing is legally considered sexual assault (and even if it wasn't? Still way the hell not okay).

And when she punched him in the face for it and broke her hand, he and her own father laughed about it, and the book portrayed it as a very silly experience with Bella overreacting.

Hell, Jacob tried to claim Bella was overreacting because she didn't want to admit she liked it.

#TeamTyler'sVan

Scene I. A website

The News: Pokemon Go will let you catch Pokemon!

Huinesoron: Cool!

Huinesoron: Aww, my phone won't run it.


Scene II. A phone shop

Huinesoron: One new phone, please!


Scene III. Outside

Pokemon Go: Gotta catch 'em all!

Huinesoron: I intend to, my friend!

Pokemon Go: ...

Huinesoron: ... but now I'm bored of Rattata.

Pokemon Go: ...

Pokemon Go: Gotta catch 'em all... in Johto!

Huinesoron: Yay! Johto is cool!

Huinesoron: ... so...

Pokemon Go: ... in Hoenn!

Huinesoron: I mean, Gen 3 has some cool Pokemon, but I'm still drowning in Caterpie and Natu here.

Pokemon Go: Spin Pokestops every day for more stuff!

Huinesoron: Which is... nice, I suppose? But stuff doesn't help me find any new Pokemon.

Pokemon Go: Team up with your friends to go on raids at the local gym!

Huinesoron: 'Friends'?

Pokemon Go: Wow! You can catch Legendary Pokemon in these raids!

Huinesoron: Yeah, but I point you at my previous comment. I don't have people I go Pokemon hunting with, and I've only talked to someone at a raid, like, once.

Pokemon Go: ...

Huinesoron: ... soooo I guess I'm never getting a legendary anything, then. Welp.

Pokemon Go: ...

Pokemon Go: Complete missions and win prizes!

Huinesoron: Okay, it's just more Pokeballs and stuff, but at least the missions give me a goal, so I guess that's cool.


Scene IV. Outside. A rainy day.

Prof. Willow outta nowhere: HUINESORON!

Huinesoron: Wait what yes me what?

Prof. Willow: You have completed a simple task once per day for eight days!

Huinesoron: Well, yeah; they were things like 'Catch three Swablu', and I could bin the missions I didn't want and get a new one, it wasn't hard.

Prof. Willow: Here is some stardust for you!

Huinesoron: Yay, it's enough to level up one Pokemon. Once.

Prof. Willow: Here is a mYsTeRy ItEm for you!

Huinesoron: Yay, it's 20 Pokeballs. Saves me going to the Pokestop, I guess.

Prof. Willow: Here is a Pokemon for you to catch!

Huinesoron: Look, it's been Houndour the last three times, it's not that exciting. Can I just--

Moltres: SKREEEEE!

Huinesoron: ... wut.

Moltres: SKREEEEE!

Huinesoron: ... wut.

Ultra Ball: [Flops to the ground]

Huinesoron: ARGH why is my screen wet and stopping the balls throwing properly?

Rain: [Falls]

Kyogre, somewhere: ehehehehehe

Moltres: [Burst out of fourth Ultra Ball] SKREEEEE!

Huinesoron: JUST GET IN THE BALL ALREADY!

Moltres: [Gets in the ball already]

Huinesoron: ... welp, that happened.

---

So now I have a Moltres, apparently?

I know a lot of people were interested in this game when it first came out. A year in - anyone still playing? How've you found it?

hS

... was always a better character than Edward, due to not being a creepy stalker. (Evidence: in Twilight, Edward tries to romance Bella by sneaking into her bedroom. In New Moon, Jacob tries it by teaching her to ride a motorbike.) So Bellastasia should like him. ^^

But I think you're right; the photographer sounds more likely. I'd peg Taylor as being one of the Cullen siblings - probably Alice, as she was the one who got on best with both Edward and Bella. There's a slight chance he's actually Carlisle (the Dad-Vamp), because that wouldn't be creepy at all.

Obviously this is all based purely on your comments; I've not gone anywhere near Fifty Shades (even when <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/pub?id=1Up0PAwPzPV5j-b4-YMXYuup9VLpq85-10cD2YoY69E">inflicting it on Jay and Acacia).

Also my Jacobist (Jacobite? No, that's something else.) sympathies are showing...

hS never read Breaking Dawn and isn't convinced it exists, thankyouverymuch

I was vaguely curious while I read Fifty Shades of Grey if the characters other than Anastasia and Christian had Twilightverse analogues, but since I really don't know all that much about Twilight, all I could do was wonder. But Jacob is a fairly major character, and considering the whole Team Jacob vs. Team Edward thing, there's an eerie amount of sense in seeing Shades!Jacob get cast as Shades!Edward's butler.

On the other hand, though, Taylor is always portrayed as a positive character. Ana likes him, and there's some level of close trust between him and Christian that didn't get explained in of Grey. So I don't know. Maybe Ana's clingy photographer friend that Christian is jealous of is the real Jacob clone?

—doctorlit, potentially Team Jacob by default now

As it stands, the Permission article assumes that you will start out in the classic way: by writing a pair of PPC agents going off on missions. But more and more, I feel like people are going in with large numbers of agents, and being bewildered by the implicit 'one team' notion.

Question for the PGs, then: does the article (or - Valar forbid - the Permission process) need altering, and if so, how?

hS

Like... Taylor? Like Taylor Taylor?

That's deliberate, right? I mean, there's three years between the Twilight movie and Fifty Shades coming out, so... that's deliberate. Right?

hS

Haven't really managed to get my brain in gear to think of it, so this is as good a time as any to break out:

Team Second Worst Swordsman

Fuzzball the Togekiss
Snowball the Glalie
Baseball the Golem
Beachball the Aurorus
Hardball the Skarmory
Goofball the Greninja

And for substitution...

the return of Katie Boundary the Death Malteaser (Minior).

It looks like we're at six signups now, plus I assume Iximaz, so hopefully that's enough for a tournament? I'm happy to bring along the Baby Firestarters (Charmander, Cyndaquil, Torchic, Tepig, Fennekin, Litten, with Chimchar watching from the sidelines) as a 'joke' team so the person who gets a by in round 1 can still play a battle, if you want.

hS