Dark_Respite

*pant gasp wheeze*

Video's still not finished yet... I know I still have today and tomorrow, but OY!

*gasp wheeze cough*

And darn it, some of my Darkness Control footage didn't come out so I gotta shoot it again... ARGH!

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

Hurry up and create an in-game avatar of yourself so I can record you and demoedit you into a video.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

With the Oscars on tonight, I got to thinking, "You know, we have a lot of these categories in our game... and I think it would be seriously spiffy if we, the players, could vote for certain arcs, characters, etc as the best of the year." And name it after the most famous statue in the game, of course!

For example:

Best Original Score - Some cutscenes have seriously cool music.
Best Cinematography - Those really spiffy custom maps? There ya go.
Best Visual Effects - Rain on maps? Lightning effects in the sky? Adding a videocamera overlay?
Best Film Editing (cutscene) - The cutscenes that come across as cinematic.
Best Film Editing (trailer) - A reason for Paragon to put out more ads.
Best Cutscene - Speaks for itself.
Best Trailer - Natch.
Best Short Arc - "Short" would need to be defined, of course. This covers writing, cinematics, NPCs, etc - the whole thing must be a polished, well-conceived whole.
Best Long Arc - Same goes for "long".
Best Costume Design - Some NPCs are better looking than others...
Best Writing - Not quite the same as "Best Short/Long Arc", this one is primarily about the writing and storyline.

The cutoff is Jan 1st to Dec 31st of each calendar year - and the content must be LIVE on the servers (Beta does NOT count!) for it to qualify. The community mods could come up with a preliminary list of nominees, and the players have a short time to voice additional possible contenders. Then the actual voting, and in April, to coincide with the anniversary of the game, VOILA!

"And the Atlas goes to..."

We could even U-stream it, and get Zwill to host! He can even sing!

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

ImagesByAlex has a thread in the general City Life section called Sketch-a-Week where he does really fast doodles of characters based on screenshots and bios. He did such a fantastic job with Oops! that I was really hoping he'd do another one for me.

Just my luck... he chose Posi and Sora for (what else) Valentine's Day.



Is this hilarious or what?

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

You ARE still coming to the Pummit, right? Even just as a player?

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

*waves*

Welcome back!

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

Have played the arc now a couple times (both hero and villain side). As with all things, my first thought was "How would I re-do the cutscene?" (Especially to help the story make more sense...)

My hero version is this, with a couple slight changes to mission 3. (Villain version still needs work...)

a) Numina is there to conduct the ritual, as the magical member of the Freedom Phalanx (and a member of the Midnight Squad). Manticore is there because Psyche's his wife, Penny is there just in case "Aurora" tries any shenanigans at the last second, the hero is there in case Wade pulls some stunt.
b) The urn is already there, and a clue found indicates it's meant as a psychic repository.

[NUMINA BEGINS THE RITUAL, PSYCHE IS ON THE ALTAR, MANTICORE, PENNY, AND THE HERO ARE NEARBY. THEN...]
[PSYCHE ON THE ALTAR] Psyche: My powers... no... NO-!
[NUMINA REACTS AS PSYCHE THROWS HER HEAD BACK AND SCREAMS] Numina: What the...?
[MANTICORE LOOKS AT HER] Manticore: What's wrong?
[NUMINA LOOKING UP AT PSYCHE] Numina: The ritual... it's... it's pushing her powers out of control!
[HERO REACTS] Hero: What?!
[NUMINA, MANTICORE, PENNY, AND THE HERO ALL GRAB THEIR HEADS] Everyone: AAGGHH!
[SHOT CHANGES TO PARAGON CITY EXTERIOR - CIVILIANS EVERYWHERE ARE IN AGONY]
[ANOTHER SHOT OF PARAGON - MS LIBERTY IN AGONY]
[ANOTHER SHOT OF PARAGON - INSIDE PHALANX HEADQUARTERS, SYNAPSE, POSITRON, BAB, ARE DOUBLED OVER WHILE CITADEL LOOKS ON HELPLESSLY]
[PENNY YIN CONCENTRATES (TWO-HANDED CASTING/HEALING MOVE)] Penny: I can... do this!
[NUMINA, MANTICORE, PENNY, AND THE HERO ARE GASPING FOR BREATH, BUT PSYCHE IS STILL SCREAMING] Psyche and Aurora both: AAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!
[PENNY GASPING] Penny: I did it! I'm shielding us!
[MANTICORE LOOKS AT NUMINA] Manticore: Stop the ritual!
[NUMINA SHAKES HER HEAD] Numina: I can't...
[CUT TO SHOT OF AN ARTIFACT SOMEWHERE DEEP IN ORANBEGA - IT'S SURROUNDED BY THE BODIES OF THORNS - AS WELL AS TYRKA'S BODY] Numina: It's being empowered by something here in Oranbega...
[HERO LOOKS AROUND] Hero: Oh, no...
[SHOT OF PARAGON, CIVILIANS STILL IN AGONY]
[PENNY STOMPS HER FOOT] Penny: There's gotta be SOMETHING we can do!
[CUT TO PSYCHE ON THE ALTAR] Psyche: Justin...
[MANTICORE SHAKES HIS HEAD BUT IS SILENT]
[HERO LOOKS AT MANTICORE] Hero: What if we knock her out?
[PENNY SHAKES HER HEAD] Penny: Then Wade will take over her mind completely!
[NUMINA LOOKS UP AT PSYCHE] Numina: Shalice, mind-ride out of there... use Penny... HERONAME... Justin... but GET OUT OF THERE!
[PSYCHE STILL SCREAMING] Psyche: I can't... Aurora... I'm... sorry...
[DIFFERENT CLOSEUP OF PSYCHE] Aurora: NO-!
[THE URN GLOWS BRIEFLY THEN BACK TO PSYCHE] Psyche: Justin... please...
[MANTICORE REACTS] Manticore: No!
[BACK TO PSYCHE] Psyche: You must!
[MANTICORE REACTS] Manticore: I'm not killing you!
[CLOSEUP OF PSYCHE] Psyche: PLEASE!
[HERO LOOKS AT MANTICORE]
[PENNY LOOKS AT MANTICORE]
[NUMINA LOOKS AT MANTICORE]
[MANTICORE LOOKS DOWN AT HIS HANDS, THEN DRAWS THE BOW AND NOCKS IT]
[CLOSE UP OF HIS FACE] Manticore: Shalice...
[MANTICORE FIRES]
[LIGHT FLARES OVER THE ALTAR, THEN THE WHOLE SCENE GOES BLACK FOR A MOMENT, THEN...]
[IN PARAGON CITY, PEOPLE ARE RECOVERING]
[INSIDE PHALANX HEADQUARTERS, THE PHALANX RECOVERS] Synapse: It's stopped...
[ANOTHER ANGLE OF THE HEROES] Positron: But at what cost?
[BACK IN ORANBEGA, LOOKING DOWN FROM ABOVE, MANTICORE AND THE REST ARE KNEELING AROUND PSYCHE'S BODY] Manticore: Shalice...
[FADE TO BLACK]

It's longer, I admit... but I think it'd tie up a lot of loose ends, and give it a bit more resonance.

*shrugs*

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

Oh God, I hope it's not on the 28th - I'll be getting no sleep between now and then if that's the case trying to get this video done.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

Had a good crowd of volunteers this afternoon/evening - thank you all for coming. Taking a short break (two and a half hours of solid filming is EXHAUSTING) and then may be back on later tonight. Otherwise, round 2, Wednesday, same time, same channel.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

I've been sitting for a solid five minutes trying to think of what to say here, and I really don't know. I saw that AWESOME loading screen and thought, "Okay, THIS should be good..."

... and then... it wasn't.

I know a lot of folks think I'm a dev fangirl/apologist (pick one), but I agree with SlickRiptide and several other folks who've said that the SSAs should be worth the $15/$35 that we pay to play it. ($35 if you buy each installment, $15 if you sub for one month for arc 7 and play all of them in one go.)

And this just isn't. But what really gets me, I think, is that there was so much potential here that got misused, ignored, or just outright tossed out the window. I'm not going to post anything like "how *I* would have done it" until Part 7 comes out. I want to see the whole thing from beginning to end before I do it.

I also agree with EarthWyrm - they could have the most brilliant ending in the history of gaming/comics/etc, but if the leadup was less than stellar, it just opens the door for more backlash ("why wasn't the REST of the arc this good?!", or worse, no one's stuck around to see it).

Still, I did have an idea or two for a quick little video for this WWD, but the I-22 trailer takes precedence.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

I know a lot of folks are gonna be busy with WWD6, but don't forget - if you need a break and want to help me film on the beta server, I'll be there starting at around 4pm PST/7pm EST!

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

Hmmm...

Soulcatcher - somewhere between Misguided Idealism and Revenge. She is a Netherworld echo of heroine Andrea Blake, found in the Netherworld by another villain who used forbidden blood magic to trap her in a body. She has most of Andrea's memories up until the age of seventeen (when Andrea first died and returned to the mortal realm). But she still has much of Andrea's personality and moral code, which is slowly starting to drive her insane. She is dimly aware that there is more of her 'soul' somewhere in the world, and she wants it back.

Dissoulution - Misguided Idealism, Revenge, and Higher Purpose. She was fifteen when the Rikti invaded, and was told she was too young to be of any use. Bitter at being denied her right to fight and die for the world she loved, she let herself be captured by the Rikti, stole some of their technology, and escaped. She has now nearly perfected a virus targeting Rikti DNA that will destroy them utterly - and anyone with Rikti DNA is also a potential victim (Timothy Raymond, Angus McQueen, the Lost, etc). She doesn't care. Her only goal is to eradicate the threat to her world. And if the heroes aren't up to the job... she is.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

Staff fighting is not "technically" part of I-22. Within its timeframe, yes - but not actually part of the release itself. (Going off the main features page)

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

Heya, everyone - sorry for not posting this sooner, but I've been a bit busy. The Ko just scored her new uber-spiffy gaming/videography rig, PLUS new software AND new music, so I've been busy trying to get everything set up and ready for use. (Not to mention helping hubby with HIS new computer.)

Why is this not getting posted in the beta forums, do you ask? Well, it will also get posted there, but more people are on the main forums, so it improves my visibility.

ANYWAY...

Starting on Tuesday (Feb 21st) and going thru at least Friday (Feb 24th), I'm going to be on the beta server almost every evening starting at about 4pm (PST)/7pm (EST) and going until whenever I burn out (with occasional breaks for food). I'm going to need assistance in filming the trials ("Drowning in Blood" and "Dilemma Diabolique"), plus if you've got Darkness Control, I'd love to see it in action. Story arcs, the new Adamaster zone event, etc - I'm gonna be filming it all.

What this means - you have to be willing to play thru the same content a couple times in a row. You also have to be willing to listen to directions (like "Don't exit the map until I say you can leave" or "Please turn off whatever that power is, it's obscuring the shot").

If you're amenable to helping (remember, you must be a VIP member to have beta access), please join the Beta Testers channel on the beta server, and keep your eyes open for @Samuraiko. Drop me a tell or just ask in the channel if filming's in progress and how you can help.

Much obliged in advance, and hoping to see folks on the beta!

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

You know, I really wish I knew how to code. I'd love to create a random generator tool where it has all the male NPCs from COH and all the female NPCs from COH, and voila, instant pairing. (Or you could set it for same gender relationships, in the interest of equality, and leave the exact nature of how offspring are produced to the modern wonders of handwavium science.)

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

FINALLY, acknowledgement that there's a need for documentation! (At least in the first picture's description.)

There may yet be hope for me to find a job in this industry!

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

The mind boggles... hmmm.

Oh. I know.

The child of Faultline and Fusionette. With her mother's energy powers and her father's earth powers, she has an attention span of a hummingbird on crack. She can pluck boulders from the ground, convert them to pure energy and then hurl them at her opponents. She also taps into ley lines beneath the earth and manipulates them by will alone, causing them to erupt from the ground in exploding shards.

Her name?

Power Spike.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite