Zubenelgenubi

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I have a question on morals for statesman/manticore.

Statesman frowns upon manticore's under cover way of doing things, such like his TF involving crey. Though statesman himself sends heroes to stop recluse undercover. How can statesman deem what is okay and manticore cannot?

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Errr... because Statesman is a self-righteous, egotistical jerk?

"Don't you know who I am? I'M ZEUS, [censored]!"

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Which would violate 2 of the 3 main laws of thermodynamics.

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it's how Airconditioners work .... the excess heat could be just enough to give a "human body temperature" ... the key is the fuel that is being used...

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Air conditioners do not violate thermodynamics!

They're just your basic Carnot-cycle engines run in reverse. Heat is moved into an area of higher temperature while creating a reservoir of lower temperature. BUT this requires putting work into the system (usually in the form of electricity).

Nothin’ like a good physics threadjack.

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Hmm in a world where people fly, Freeze foes in blocks of ice, generate Fireblast that nuke foes you bring up Thermodynamics logic?

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Ummm....

Yeessss....?

<.<.
.>.>

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A really efficient steam machine wouldn't need to expel the steam, but would instead allow it to cool and condense internally and re-use the same water again.

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Which would violate 2 of the 3 main laws of thermodynamics.

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Don't tell the people on nuclear submarines.

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I'm sure they already understand thermodynamics.

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They also understand how their steam machine -- the reactor and the steam turbine it pushes -- doesn't vent steam but uses cooling tubes to recondense the water for reuse in the system.

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...and how do those "cooling tubes" work?

I've never seen the plans to a nuclear sub, but I know perfectly well how every power generating turbine in this universe must operate. Heat moves from a place of higher temperature (in this case, the reactor core) to a place of lower temperature (in this case, it has to be the surrounding ocean water). While this heat is moving, some of it can be harnessed to do work (in this case, generating electrical power which moves the screws and does other things onboard).

The efficiency of any engine in existence is capped by its theoretical maximum efficiency. This limit depends on the difference in temperature between T-high and T-low (measured in Kelvins). The TME is equal to 1 – (T-low/T-high).

So the greater the temperature difference, the more efficient the engine may be.

SOMEthing has to carry heat away from the system. If nothing does, then T-cold rapidly increases until it is the same as T-hot. Then the efficiency of the engine approaches zero and it stops producing useful work.

So each and every time you see power being generated or work being done, you can always look for the heat sink. For your car, it’s the radiator in front. For a coal-fired power plant, it’s a river or lake next door. For a nuclear sub, it’s the ocean water. For a steam locomotive, it’s the atmosphere. (Steam locomotives simply vent their steam, rather than re-condense it. This is one of the reasons why they are so damned inefficient.)

So for the specific steam engines we’re discussing, Nemesis automatons, if they don’t somehow vent their steam, then they need another heat sink of some sort. (“Say, has anyone else noticed that Dan eats a lot of ice cream at his desk and makes frequent trips to the restroom?”) If not, they quickly would stop working.


The quote at the apex of this little pyramid implies to me some sort of closed system in which the steam is re-condensed somehow without a heat sink. This is where my thermodynamics quote came from.

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A couple more questions.

Are the Nemesis Automatons that pose as real people powered by steam? Or do they use some other power source? Since they don't belch steam, and they fool so many people, I'm thinking that they don't use steam at all.

Second question, how exactly does Rikti telepathy function?

[/ QUOTE ]A really efficient steam machine wouldn't need to expel the steam, but would instead allow it to cool and condense internally and re-use the same water again.

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Which would violate 2 of the 3 main laws of thermodynamics.

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Don't tell the people on nuclear submarines.

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I'm sure they already understand thermodynamics.

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A couple more questions.

Are the Nemesis Automatons that pose as real people powered by steam? Or do they use some other power source? Since they don't belch steam, and they fool so many people, I'm thinking that they don't use steam at all.

Second question, how exactly does Rikti telepathy function?

[/ QUOTE ]A really efficient steam machine wouldn't need to expel the steam, but would instead allow it to cool and condense internally and re-use the same water again.

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Which would violate 2 of the 3 main laws of thermodynamics.

How could Spanky Rabinowitz (sp?) grow up on the streets of an island that did not exist at the time?

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And how exactly are the farms impeding you getting enjoyment out of MA? You might find more enjoyment if you ignored them and quit reporting them. Sounds like it is stressing you out too much.

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The problems of farms clogging the MA system are well documented and discussed elsewhere. The pro-farm crowd won't/can't/doesn't want to understand these problems, so repeating them here would be futile anyway.

The anouncement about Dev's Choice and HoF going away was very welcome news indeed. That right there removes most of what was stressing me out. Thank you for your concern.

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You're just referring to the BADGES for DC and HoF going away, correct? Because there's no indication so far that they intend on removing the classifications themselves.

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Yes. You are correct.

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Oh and don't even get me started on all the players who got their pill box and heavy badges prior to those exploits being fixed. >_< along with other retrospective nerfs. This is why I have given up on the badge hunt.

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To be fair, many badges have also had their requirements lowered from what they were before. I got Zookeeper when it was 10k bloody monkeys, and Reformed when it took literally 6 weeks of work being confused in Siren's Call by a cooperating plant dom. And I got Isolator in RV before the flashback system came out. And a [censored]-load of people got Fabricator by converting base salvage to brainstorm ideas in one short afternoon when it took me weeks of effort.

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I think the best way to summarize my feelings is out of a disney movie. "And when everybody's super, nobody will be"

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Pixar =/= Disney

(not at the time the quoted movie came out)

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And how exactly are the farms impeding you getting enjoyment out of MA? You might find more enjoyment if you ignored them and quit reporting them. Sounds like it is stressing you out too much.

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The problems of farms clogging the MA system are well documented and discussed elsewhere. The pro-farm crowd won't/can't/doesn't want to understand these problems, so repeating them here would be futile anyway.

The anouncement about Dev's Choice and HoF going away was very welcome news indeed. That right there removes most of what was stressing me out. Thank you for your concern.

I just got done playing it. Apparently I did the newest, most improved version. It's really good. I enjoyed it a lot.

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I am still seeing arcs that are obvious farms... with over 500 plays. The number of plays means nothing. A real gem of an arc could be sitting at 10 plays, the reason for that is the sorting order.

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And I'm reporting obvious farms on a daily basis and still seeing them many days later.

This annoys me to no end. These arcs are exactly what Positron himself said MA wasn't for, what he said would be removed, and yet there they remain... the arterial plaque of the entire architect system.

I'm fed up. I had high hopes for MA breathing new life into the game for me. But between the obvious farms that go unremoved and the exploits and the lack of any more Dev's Choices even though I've personally played 2 dozen arcs FAR better than several Dev's Choices already out there... I'm just tired of it.

I barely play anymore. The situation has sapped my enjoyment of the game away.

I’m sorry to say this, Turg, but there’s something seriously wrong with this arc. You know how I feel about Part I, but this sequel is very seriously flawed.


*SPOILERS*SPOILERS*SPOILERS*




The first two missions were fine. Not fantabulous, but I felt you were leading up to something. (You did this in the first arc... start out kinda slow, then BAM! Holy-[censored]!) I was catching a “Serial Experiments Lain” sort of vibe from it. Cyberpunk, hackers, and cyber-stalkers leading into a problem of computer security that would threaten Dani’s own existence. And there was a clue that she herself would turn out to be to blame for it all, by perhaps going places and doing things that she really shouldn’t have. Poking her nose into secret places. Drawing attention to herself. Exposing her own vulnerabilities.

Then SUDDENLY I’m in Croatoa fighting red caps. W. T. F.?

And with them are illuminati minions. Who? (Yes, I know who the illuminati are, in the context of the real world, but in the game world, their existence is not established.) And I come back and Dani is all, “They’re real? really real?” Is WHO really real? These villains that have never been discussed before, ever? Villains who are not part of the cyber-punk mythos upon which your plot is based?

The clue about Dani “being everywhere” was dropped completely.

And all this magic stuff came out of nowhere. It was jarring, odd, and a total non sequitur. We go from “Posi is helping me” and “Manticore is working with me” to Azuria and the Cabal and magic, magic, magic.

And I thought Arachnos was to blame for her “death,” not some odd demonic force.

It’s as if a mission went missing in there somewhere. The mission that made it all make sense. (There *is* only supposed to be 4 missions, right?)




I’m sorry, bro. I did not like it. I hate to sound harsh, but yikes.

OK, I ran this arc.

I must say I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. No offense to you, Aisynia, but it’s been my past experience that whenever someone complains about “1-star griefing,” their mission actually sucks. This is actually the first time I’ve seen one not suck in these circumstances. However, this is not to say that I believe you were griefed, as you said earlier.

The arc is very long, with big maps. Some missions take a long time to complete. And there is a lot of text. A LOT of text. It will not appeal to a lot of players who want fast action, short missions, and easy-to-finish arcs. And it’s evil. Really, REALLY evil. The story contact makes Westin Phipps look like a Boy-Scout Troop Leader. Even though it’s marked as villain content, genocide on a planetary scale will not appeal to many.

I think it’s well written, mostly. I think you succeeded in what you were trying to do. And I think you’ll need to prepare yourself for the inevitable consequences of that.

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"we're dealing with a menace"

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Little harsh, don't you think? I mean, it was only one airplane.

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That's appreciated

Kinda wish we couldn't rate posts at all sometimes. I've been drive by 1-starred several times in the past. My response is always the same: If you do it, fine, but have the balls to come by and say why.

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I personally never send comments if I 1 or 2-star an arc. Quite honestly, I'm afraid of revenge star griefing. If there were a way to leave feedback anonymously, I would do it and say why I starred it as I did. Wish we had that option. Really I do. Sometimes the arcs that suck the most were made by my good in-game or forum friends... and that's really tough then.

Aisynia, I'm going out with the family (and our squwaker) in a few minutes, but I plan on getting drunk and playing arcs late into the night. I'll swing by yours and give it a whirl. And, just for you and just this once, if I think it sucks [censored] I'll be sure to send comments and say why.

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You know it's possible to give someone a friendly reminder WITH the friendly part intact? Just a thought.

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Good thought. Perhaps there might be some kind of, I dunno... symbol... like this one -->

Then I could use it in a post and make sure that the person I'm talking to knows I'm being light-hearted and friendly. (Seriously, Aisynia, I was trying to be friendly about it. I'm not at all sure why I came across differently to you.)



PLEASE everyone, please remember to play one of the previously nominated arcs and give an opinion on it before voting on another. (*Zube looks sideways at his good friend Neuronia*) Part of the whole idea behind this thread is to get more plays for worthy story arcs. And to give additional feedback for the authors.

<-- repeat of emotocon to show that friendly reminder is being kept friendly.

Thanks for the post, Devious, but you ignored rule #5

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(5) Before you post your nomination, play one of the earlier nominees (any of them) and say whether or not you agree with the person who nominated it.

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Please take a moment and do so. Kbythx.

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School Spirit #89349

"The National Cheerleading Competition is coming up and the girls of Paragon City University are determined to bring home the trophy. Their best chance of success, however, hinges upon convincing a former teammate to rejoin the squad."

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For this arc to languish in obscurity is a crime. It's really, really good. I just recently praised IanThem's arc as being "nearly ready for a Dev's Choice." Well, this arc is ready right frikkin' now.

I just started a thread to (unofficially) nominate arcs for Dev's Choice. And this arc is the one I used to kick off the thread. Read that thread here.

If you only have time to play ONE arc today, GO PLAY MINE!! But if you have time to play two arcs, then do this one next.

NOMINATION #1

SCHOOL SPIRIT (89349) by Great Cthulhu

A neat, short, simple story. Clearly written with an easy flow and no hard-to-understand plot twists or hidden info that the writer failed to include.

You join Paragon University, but while collecting your books, you discover some disturbing news. Eventually you’re drawn into a tragic series of events. The conclusion makes you feel heroic and yet crappy at the same time.

What I liked about this story is how there were no real villains. Just people being people and doing what seemed right to them at the time. Of course, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to kick their [censored].

Good use of custom critter design.
Good use of standard critters in appropriate places.
Good use of the provided maps.
Only long enough to tell the story.
No annoying, unnecessary “kill-alls” or other problems.
Grammar and spelling all were excellent.
Little bits of humor thrown in (like the PPD showing up at a club to check everyone’s ID’s for underage drinking).

My only grumble:
The description makes it sound like a humorous arc, but it’s not. Use of [TAGS] would help here.

OK, this thread it to unofficially offer the player base the chance to tell the devs about great story arcs that we think should be made into Dev’s Choice. Here any given individual can nominate an arc and hopefully (if this thread grows well), get it to the attention of the Devs.

As OP and Egotistical Busy-Body, I’m setting forth some rules:


(1) YOU MAY NOT NOMINATE ONE OF YOUR OWN ARCS!
This thread is not about promoting your own arc. It is about giving deserved recognition to a great story you’ve played and want to see more widely experienced by others.

(2) Only post about ONE arc at a time.

(3) Post no more often than once a week.

(4) Say why, specifically, you think it deserves consideration. More specifics are better. Avoid spoilers if possible, but you may need to leak details in order to fully explain your choice.

(5) Before you post your nomination, play one of the earlier nominees (any of them) and say whether or not you agree with the person who nominated it.

(6) YOU MAY NOT NOMINATE ONE OF YOUR OWN ARCS!
(Did you all get this last part? Attempting to do so will result in being whacked in the head with Zube’s Frickin’ Clue & Reading Comprehension Stick.)


I'll start us off.

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I'm not looking for ratings in particular, just plays for the Author line of badges.

v Down there. v

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One of those "down there" is this:

The Time Bandits, Arc ID 39008

I very much recommend this arc. It could use some tweaking, but with a bit of work, I personally feel it could earn a Dev's Choice. It's MUCH better than several Dev's Choice arcs I've already played, as a matter of fact.

Kudos.

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I don't have to worry about my queue being large - I've noticed that after I called Vandem's arc a pile of self-indulgent [censored] people have been quietly reluctant to actually ask my opinion on things.

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Well, I don't know about self-indulgent, but pile of bull-[censored] would fit my arc rather well.

29973
"The Running of the Bulls"

A shameless, goofy, totally unapologetic attempt to cram as many gawd-awful cow puns into a story arc as the 100k limit will possibly allow. And yet it has an actual story which can be (hopefully) enjoyed which ties it all together.

Keep that in mind and please give it a run.


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What that convinces me is that the rating system is completely useless for naturally supporting good arcs, since there is a lot of [censored] that's high-rated, and even DC'd or HoF'd. What is important in getting yourself at the top of the ladder, getting badges and tickets and a big fat ego, is just how shameless you want to be in pimping your arc to people.

I may just be in a bad mood right now.

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You’re not. You’re absolutely correct.

There are 3 DC arcs that should be drug out into the back yard, thrown into a pit, doused in gasoline, set on fire, covered in lime, buried, and have the ground above them tilled with salt. The only thing I can think of to explain their being in the DC Club is nepotism, gambling debts, or an exchange of sexual favors.

And the pimping part, yeah. I HATE that aspect of this whole thing. I want to be a SUPERHERO, not some ad executive of a movie company. (Quite aside from the fact that I’m not very good at it.)

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Zuben--just did you arc. Kudos on lots of humour and a large number of subtle and not-so-subtle pop cultural references--for me, that kind of thing makes a mish. So, here's some feedback:

Mission One: I enjoyed myself immensely. Very much liked the cow enemies and almost peed when I suddenly got the joke about the Red Bulls. Now I can usually take down most bosses with little effort so I blithely sauntered over to that scumbag. He heals. Sunovabitch.  Mish fun, not too long, fun. And “Heroes” was a re-run 

Mission Two: “I’m here to kick [censored] and chew grass!” ROFLMAO! Had fun on this one too; found the boss challenging solo but got ‘er in the end. Good map for me too as my main toon is a flyer. The two PPD lieutenants spawned quite close together so they were an easy rescue, but I imagine this is a random factor.

Three and Four - pretty straight forward, good challenge, I enjoyed them. Cowthulhu! Whee!

My only real criticism is one of your bosses in the final mish--the King of Burgers, I believe (gravity powers), Bugger was insanely tough and smacked me around. I image he'd have been more managable with a group tho.

Overall, a balanced and funny arc. Top marks for you, and my full endorsement (not that its worth much, but....)

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I almost made a complete stranger pee her pants...? Wow... High praise!

Tweaking the bosses is a difficult thing. I've played through the arc with a team of friends and they all said, "Put in AV's!" And I've had feedback to the effect that the EB's should be removed or turned into easy regular bosses.

For King of Burgers, may I ask did you have Capt Bootes' help? And did you use BF's during the fight? (Personally use of BF's makes 'troller-type enemies pretty straight-forward to defeat).