The Phoenixian

So, I just came across an interesting, early access indie Action RPG: CrossCode. And now I'm going to gush a bit about it. Looking around shows that it seems to be moderately well known, but I was immediately struck by the sheer level of polish in it, one beating many published games and which I've only seen matched among early access games by Factorio and AM2R. It's not finished, and lasts about 15-20 hours so far but what's done is very well done. To begin with you start as Lea, a character who is not so much "stuck" in an MMO, as traveling through it in order to recover her memories. And likewise not so much a "heroic mime" as fully able to put more personality and expression into three words than many characters get with a full vocabularies. Rather than being the player avatar, she stands as her own character, and one who both has a distinct personality and is very easy to engage with as a character. As far as actual gameplay goes, the combat system is quite well polished, even with numerous powerups still saying "not implemented yet", and only gets better as one progresses towards unlocking its elemental variants. It feels like a proper branching path, with the option to either make a balanced build, or aim for specialization. Setting wise the game itself does a very good job on selling the idea that the world is a popular MMO, Players run to and fro along thoroughfares, guilds and frustrated players hand ask for favors just as do NPCs, and folks you meet early on can be seen in the background progressing alongside you. (From both party members and rivals, to even simple running gags such as the girl who inexplicably sits on tables when there are chairs instead.) The music is good, and the art can only be described as "gorgeous". Lastly, I would be remiss not to mention the ice floors, which don't take up much of the game, but are notable in that sliding on ice + twirly dodge mechanics + fire element = flaming ballerina. [/gush]

I'm with Dan here: Not everyone cares about what gender they are, but for those who do care? Show them the respect they deserve.

For one thing, one imagines that if Sirleck took over the body of just anyone, they'd have family and friends who would notice when their personality very suddenly changed. Especially if their wealth brings them into the public eye where such a change would be noticed by everyone. One imagines that "Rich dowager starts acting like her late husband after he dies" is something Immortals keep an eye out for. The fact that he can normally "take breaks from" his host also gives rise to the question of whether or not the host their own will restored when he does so. Which could be problematic for him if they have friends and family they can contact. Which is the whole reason he went for Magus. The guy is a complete unknown which helps him go unnoticed big time. And in the end, staying safe and alive is far more important than money.

Suns are terrible children because they waste so much of their potential.

Nanase casually putting her arm around Ellen. (Very daaaw) Ellen likewise quietly V5ing herself a few pages later.

No no, it's likely far worse: He plans to stage a live original play of Twilight. The actors themselves are not vampires, but the outrage and need to defend their honor will attract many.

When it comes to canonical examples, you've got: Shadow Stalker: The living smoke person mentioned earlier: shifts between being human to a smokelike form that can pass through glass and thin walls. Fenja and Menja: Identical twins who grow to giant sizes, taking less damage from attacks the bigger they get. Legend: Shoots lasers as a blaster power, can also turn into an energy state that absorbs damage and grants him greater speed at the cost of cognitive functions. The general rule of breaker powers seems to be that it's a very specific state you shift to and back from. Non-breakers for contrast: Eidolon: Trump: At any moment will have three random powers appropriate to his situation. At any time one may be dismissed to gain another. Crawler: Changer, any time he's hurt by something his body alters to adapt to it. Changes are permanent and based in biology. Regenerates and spits acid. Sundancer: Blaster, creates a sun hot sphere that grows and moves on command, the notable "resemblance to a breaker" part of power is that she has an aura of normal temperature around her that keeps her from being fried to a crisp. Glaistig Uaine: Trump: As per Eidolon, has three powers at any given time, the difference is that she chooses which ones. Any time a superpowered individual dies near her she gains their power for her collection and can thenceforth call on it at any time. ----------- Worm's a pretty popular fanfiction setting on some sites, so here's another resource, for those interested: the Word of God thread. I'll link all the specific posts I referenced. Be warned: there's quite a lot of stuff there. ------------- On the other side of the original post, thoughts on how the PRT would set up in Moperville and what strategy they'd use. With the PRT you have the numbered departments, 1-67, for the 67 largest cities and thereafter you have the special zones with their own departments, either for purposes of quarantine or keeping an eye on a cape town, but the majority of cities and towns with at least one notable cape have PRT offices: Not fully staffed departments but there to keep an eye on things. Notably, Worm's main city "Brockton Bay" is a special, zone though it's never outright mentioned in story. Specially, it's noted to be a "hive of scum and villainy" (distinct from designation HOSV) and be a "cape town" Quanrantine zones are mostly for the really really important areas. Places where keeping things in order keeps the fate of the city, and far more, in the balance. In Moperville's case, the PRT might be in the midst of considering setting up a special office and calling it a cape town, but it isn't likely to be one yet. (Brockton Bay, notably, had over thirty capes between its various villain groups.) Still, due to a head honcho of the paranormal investigations department living there and a few paranormals such as Raven, you do likely have a branch office and as the energy clog starts to make the lake of magical power and Pandora starts triggering single power mages, it's going to start seeing a bit more activity. Pandora showing herself on camera may draw eyes, but I'd expect that the the new years "Not-Tengu" brainwashing incident and the following Griffon in the mall incident are probably the point where people really start talking about doing something.

I doubt he'll try: To my understanding, Sirleck has preference for people with few attachments and little past history. Which makes sense as such things make it harder for others to ping to the fact that somethings different. I'm guessing that Raven is too well known for that. This strikes me as him surveying a potential threat: Raven has a much broader authority to act when Magic is involved and the brain-jacking vampire likely counts. Aye. Personally I'm aghast. Really, the greatest part of living 500 years is to see the effect you have on the world as the years turn.

I would imagine that they are scattered... but they are also vampire hunters, and as such the favored prey of vampires. One imagines Raven, following rumors of his kin, praying he can find them in time to protect them. This time.

Honestly, it strikes me less as rivalry, and more as misguided but well meaning concern: "My sister is crazy and she needs to be stopped" mixed with "If I my sister dies, she'll be sane again." Logical, and consistent with Immortal biology but terrifying and crazy in its own way. Do tell.

Hence (great) nieces rather than grandchildren. Were it not for that fact, I'd still speculate they were nieces, but the relationship would be on Raven's Mother's side. But that's impossible so: More distant. In any case, It's makes some sense to me: He can't serve his country, so Raven instead took to following his half-sibling's family around. If he couldn't fight for his country like he truly desires, he could still stay by his family, and their magic allowed him some small degree of intervention. Although... going full on crazy train: What if Voltaire is Pandora's brother and he is Susan and Diane's father? It was mentioned early on that Susan has "Elf-like ears" and Voltaire's bangs bear a passing resemblance to Susan's father's (assuming he grew out the back), along with a passing resemblance to both sisters. It would also explain why the twins are blond when both their father and mother have darker colors. (He was transformed so as to live out a mortal life for a bit, but they inherited his true hair color.) Though it does raise one heck of a lot of questions on how Elves actually work.

"Accounts receivable means many things to many people" -- Someone who owed my family money, during court. Also my signature: It very much emphases how I try to talk to others.

I'm given to wonder if Susan and Diane aren't actually Raven's (X-fold great) nieces. Reason being that when Raven disguised Grace she noted that she looked a lot like Susan. And it makes some sense to me: Immortals would be more likely to involve themselves with a magical bloodline, like that of a vampire hunter. A younger, saner Pandora might well involve herself with, and fall in love with, a vampire hunter, leading to the birth of Raven, while the mortal side of the bloodline continued. Them being in the same town is entirely reasonable if we assume that Raven came to America following the records of his extended family and Pandora came after, following her son.

I must admit, when I saw the Dan mention the theory that many people thought Ashley was Pandora, I was both amused and disappointed. Disappointed because it meant that it wouldn't be new for me to throw out a well cited post about the utterly insane idea as a joke. Amused because it was prevalent enough to acknowledge.

Yeah, Like I said, I don't really see it... but it would make me laugh my head off. Thanks, it's good to be back.