JBRam2002

Bot Reporting 2.0

I wonder if there is a way to ban 【 and its opposite from being in post titles. It seems this character is always used by the bots, likely because it's bold and draws attention. It would probably only be a temporary fix until they get a new script, but it might silence them for a short time.

Beginner's DnD 5e Game - Group 2

((OOC: DM post))

Jakaar was slightly taken aback by the abrupt interruption from the paladin, although that seemed more due to the abrasive nature of his demands than any attempt to elicit fear. With half of his assailants turning away from him, the dragonborn smiled and stepped back onto his box, but was interrupted again by the damned tiefling. Worse, she did bring up some good points.

"Listen, I don't just do this for the coin, although that's certainly a boon. Our leader has claimed to have met this witch himself, and passed this information on firsthand." Jakaar fumbled through his robes as if he were looking for something, and after a few seconds, withdrew a piece of parchment from an inner pocket. "Here. This is where you can find us. I was sent to find recruits for our circle, but... perhaps you can be good recruits and also a friend in the future, no?"

The top of the parchment boasted a sigil followed by an address to a cathedral in one of the southern districts of the city. The bottom of the page held the current date and an invitation to participate in "a ceremony you will never forget."

The dragonborn smoothed his robes and glanced over the now dispersed crowds. "If you'll excuse me, I must return to 'losing my dignity,' as you so bluntly put it. Perhaps I shall see you tonight. Woe betide those who ignore my call!" Jakaar resumed barking his message, apparently ignoring the group for now.

The 'Explain The Appeal Of......' Thread

Why do people like Overwatch? I feel I should like it since it's a team-based FPS like Team Fortress 2, but I just don't get it.

@UmbreonRogue

Its basically team fortress for younger gamers who never discovered team fortress. So they treat it as something original and fresh. The cutesy but mild lite-erotic character designs allow cynical older gamers who have underdeveloped sex lives and an unhealthy obsession with irony to find things to 'gush' and also viciously argue about online.

@Dynamo Frokane

I mean, that could be one way to look at it, but there are a ton of people who have played TF2 and love Overwatch as something unique from TF2. Also, I would probably suggest that passive aggressive explanations that insult those who care about the item in question do not actually help explain very well.

The basic structure of TF2 is not unique. No one thinks that it is. It differs from TF2 in several ways. 1) TF2 allowed hyper-customization and pay-to-win strategies. When you're up against an enemy player, you don't know what their abilities are unless you know what items they carry. Overwatch removes this hyper-customization. Any Ana player has exactly the same abilities as another Ana character. Why is this a bonus? Because the game goes to one's skill and game knowledge instead of the items they carry and how long they've been playing.

2) TF2 has a handful of characters with many playstyle choices. Overwatch has many characters with relatively limited playstyle choices within the same character (but has nearly every playstyle covered). This goes back to #1. If you're playing against a Reinhardt, you know that you need to burn down his barrier and about how long it will take. If you're playing against a Pharah, you know that there are places she can't reach you and who best counters her. Sure, TF2 has similar strategies, but it's much more explicit in Overwatch (and there are still plenty of nuances to be found).

3) Overwatch has structure. TF2 tends to turn into a cluster with dozens of unused game mods that no one cares about. TF2 also has probably the worst tutorial system I have seen in a game. Overwatch's isn't exactly amazing, but you at least know how to play and where to find stuff.

In short, Overwatch took what made TF2 great and refined it. Sure, there are cutesy characters, and sure, plenty of people treat them as waifus. But that is not why most people love the game. People love it due to the polish and care that Blizzard has put into the game, and the fact that it's really fun. Nearly every playstyle is well-represented, and even if you suck at shooters, there are heroes you can excel at.

The 'Explain The Appeal Of......' Thread

What is the appeal of "hyper fantasy", wherein magic is just everywhere and essentially combines with or replaces technology? I mean this in the sense of, what is the point? I have noted a strong leaning of persons towards this mentality, where fantasy elements are just common place and everywhere; people see these really unusual, fantastic and impossible things without any reaction or reflection on them. Why even make it "fantasy" at that point when everyone can do it and the world has no great unknowns? You've bottled the genie already, more or less.

@The Harbinger of Ferocity

I would expect the same reasoning for any fantasy setting: because it is impossible for us to use magic in the real world, and delving into the possibilities and where they lead is an interesting mental exercise. For example, if everyone can use conjuration magic to create food and water, what is the purpose of work and commerce? If the necessities are covered, why would some even bother to work at all?

Usually however, even in extreme high magic fantasy settings, there are limits. Spell slots or mana points, or perhaps people only learn specific schools of spells. I have yet to find an intriguing world where every person is able to perform every type of magic with no limits. I have, however, seen worlds where magic replaces technology, and the lore behind these worlds are usually quite intriguing: gods conferring with man for a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship, or a mage association rising to power due to their collective abilities and keeping others under their thumbs.

In addition, these fantastical worlds are balanced by even more fantastical challenges. Magic usage is often concentrated in specific areas, leaving the rest of the world unkempt and overgrown. Nature mixes with mana and grows rampant and unchecked, creating massive monstrosities that threaten everyone they see. Or perhaps mana is being used at too great a pace and is slowly destroying the world as life-giving energy is wasted.

In short, the point of high fantasy is to create impossible challenges and limitless stories, then give the player the ability to rise up to the challenge. High fantasy worlds typically are not fully explored, and neither are they without unknowns (in fact, usually quite the opposite).

Persona - Academic Akrasia

Kimiko Maita

Kimiko awoke with a start, an unpleasant dream shaking her from slumber and delivering her to the twilit bedroom she inhabited. The time on her clock showed that she had awakened meer minutes before her alarm would have sounded, but there was little reason to wait. She switched on her bedside light and picked up the pack of Tarot cards that awaited her. Shuffle, cut, and shuffle again. A silent prayer for guidance, and the card was drawn. “Seven of Wands,” she murmured, unimpressed with this offering. “Aggression, Defiance, and Conviction... not the card I wanted today.”

Kimiko yawned and slipped out of bed, her hand silencing the alarm within a second of its first chirp. She withdrew her ceremonial haori and hakama from her closet and donned the traditional dress before turning her light off and exiting the room. “Father, it's time,” she called as she crossed the living room with another yawn.

A small cup lay on the table, some liquid untouched at the bottom. Kimiko looked down at the cup and shook her head disapprovingly. It had been awhile since her father had last partaken of sake. Almost an entire year, to be precise, coinciding with the date of her mother's death. Last year's mourning had resulted in some fairly unpleasant moments. She doubted her father would be joining her this morning.

The miko opened the front door to their humble home and traversed the short distance to the shrine, her sandals kicking at the morning dew on the lawn. Once at the shrine, Kimiko performed her daily routine: emptying the offering box, putting out blank slips of paper, and awaiting the dawn. Once the sun began to approach the horizon, Kimiko bowed towards its rising and began the ritual: a combination of tai chi and dance crafted to honor the sun during its awakening. Normally the ritual was a beautiful duet of father and daughter, but today, Kimiko performed her solitary part with precision.

A quick change into her school clothes, and Kimiko began her short journey to school. Of course, she stopped in at her one allowed vice: the Sacred Grounds. Perhaps it was due to the coffee shop’s proximity to the shrine or how its naming convinced some patrons to also toss a few yen into the offering box, or perhaps it was the excruciatingly painful pun in its name, but Kimiko's father never disallowed a stop for coffee. She entered and ordered her coffee as usual (black) with as few wasted words to her kouhai behind the counter and took a seat in the corner of the dining area, looking out the window. This too was a portion of her daily rituals, a cleansing of the mind as she breathed in the aromas and listened to the bustling city awake.

The news of the day seemed to revolve around an unfortunate car accident, but instead of the typical embellishments, most who talked about this event spoke of the impossible. Gossip rarely was entirely factual, and although Kimiko trusted the veracity of the conversation about as much as she trusted her father with sake, the contents were consistent enough to pique her interest. Some sort of supernatural event was at the very least widely believed to have occurred. Maybe the shrine would see more business than usual today.

Once the impatient barista was graciously relieved by her manager, Kimiko took the opportunity to head out herself, not bothering to keep up with her kouhai’s hurried pace. The blonde’s destination was the school, and she intended, as was customary for her, to be one of the first individuals present. Being allowed to participate in chorus was a long fight with her father that she had only narrowly won, but each time the group sang together was the highlight of Kimiko’s day. She was certain that today would be just like any other.

Persona - Academic Akrasia

Incidentally, Uchima Senior High has a five-day week. Saturdays don't need school, except for club activities. The uniform for males is a gakuran, while females have a red blazer.

@Crimmy

Just Kimiko's color~ I assume there is more than just a blazer. Standard schoolgirl skirt?

DnD 5e - Beginner's Game

Drajhan quickly sheathed his blade, attempting to be as unthreatening as possible. Even he knew when he was outnumbered, and the better peace that could be kept with these newcomers, the more likely that all would survive this journey unharmed. He knew little about these creatures, but they appeared friendly, at least to Lorenthar, albeit unrefined. Unsure whether they were dim-witted or just lived outside the nomal culture, Drajhan felt it best to not proclaim all of his greatness at once.

"Master woodsmen," Draj spoke up, approaching the company of firbolgs slowly, "we witnessed yesterday the destruction of an important Gate. My friends and I attempted to stop this attack, and Lorenthar was kind enough to aid us. We were, regretfully, unsuccessful in our endeavors, and from what knowledge I have gleaned about this Gate, it seems this loss shall be sorely felt for quite some time."

Drajhan's countenance darkened, showing his own contriteness before he continued. "Lorenthar then led us here to recover from our wounds. We were just now getting to know each other better before deciding upon our course of action. If I am not mistaken, I believe we may have been on our way to find you, or at least some gathering of people who could aid us with more information. Have you seen the Gate? If so, is it irreparable?"

Beginner's DnD 5e Game - Group 2

”Woe betide those who ignore my warnings! The old Witch of the Sea casts her lofty gaze upon us mere denizens below! Her dark patron, whose name shall ne’er be uttered, shall bring the cities of this world crashing down! Stone shall not sit upon stone! Fields shall be salted!”

The dragonborn droned on for a few minutes before being stopped by the tiefling. Her mannerisms were, to an untrained eye, those of a lover or at least a love interest, but the look on the dragonborn’s face was far from subtle as he stopped his message and turned towards her. “Listen, lady, I don’t know who you are or what you want, but I’m working here,” he whispered hoarsely, sending an unconvincing grin and a nod back towards the crowd.

With a harrumph and a clearing of his throat, the dragonborn raised his voice again. “Lo, the sea witch has sent her messenger even now! I must attend to other duties. Beware the enemies of the world who seek to bring Bourgund to her knees!” The crowd began to disperse as the dragonborn stepped down from the wooden crate that had elevated him slightly and turned to face those who remained.

“Fine. You all owe me big time for this,” he growled, his voice holding none of the lilting sounds of his apocalyptic message. “The name’s Jakaar. I’m just passing on a message like I was told. I’ll give you five minutes before I set up again. Any more, and I lose out on my five gold today.”

Persona - Academic Akrasia

@SavoI'm not sure if Kimiko can handle all of them at once, however eager she might be to try.

I'll just let you read into that however you wish. :P

Persona - Academic Akrasia

I'm so excited to play aaaaaaa. If anyone wants a pre-established relationship with Hina, please let me know! She could easily be a familiar face from working in different places and/or if your character is the type to hire her for the odd job here and there :'D

@Lime Blossoms

I can see Hina and Kimiko being very good friends in the future~