Kelvinbridge

GG's got (back) something PD will never have...

It's small, white, metallic and erratic. Those who know what it is, ye be fairly warned... 7/7/7 it returns.

After being given a free trial of that game which should not be named... Y'know, the one that a abbreviates to a sound of astonishment... I became all misty eyed for Paragon... So here I am, returning once more, again.

Any of them what I used to know still about...?

Clarification of the Position Held by the person known as Kelvinbridge, in order to prevent further misunderstanding, assumption to my motives and to attempt to clear the air:

I'd like to state that I did not say Ammon was bad at his job. I was not aware that he worked in marketing. My comment of "I seriously hope you don't work in public relations or marketing" was not meant as an insult, was meant with a slight amount of dryness, and probably in hindsight should have had a smiley attached.

I apologise for this being taken the wrong way, I've not PM'd this apology because from the looks of things, it needs to be in public to get closure. The reason I've taken this long is because on Thursday I was in a bad mood, and on Friday I had no time.

My position (with regard to my point on the reaction of the wider public) comes from the fact that my personal experience is from the opposite end of the 'perception manipulation' spectrum. I've worked in the media and now work for the civil service, both of which require looking at the bad side of publicity and being resigned to having bad press for any decision. that is why I had focused on that point, and it was a sense of exasperation I was feeling that this was being given lesser attention that I would have thought it required.

I had, as others state they have, made what seemed to me the perfectly reasonable assumption that the events in the forum thread, and in game were in someway going to be interlinked, and possibly nudged in a specific direction for plot purposes. It seems this was not so.

The tabloid article I wrote was not anti-petition (as in trying to stop people signing it), or attempting to wreck the petition, nor defaming the White Vampyr. It was a sensationalist piece which selectively edited the document for an entirely different purpose, and was, in a twisted way, supportive towards the overall sentiment of the petition (i.e. the city should support the non-supers more).

Next I'd like to comment on my departure from the game, if I may. People have made assumptions on my motives for leaving, some do know parts of the reasons. However my reasons are more complex than given.

Yes, the exasperation I was feeling on Thursday did push me over the edge. It has been a contributory factor, but it is not in isolation as the sole reason. There is a combination of factors in game, and factors in my life that have steered me towards the decision I made.

Firstly, as most people that know me know, I actually can't stand the process of playing this game. The "go to warehouse, beat up everything, click glowie, rinse & repeat" cycle is mind-numbingly dull for me.

Second, although I have a full set of 12 characters, I was feeling more and more that I was only able to RP as one or two of them. I know some people do only play one character, but for an altitis sufferer like me, it's hell!

Third, I am currently stressed out of my nut at work. DWP management is currently working on the principle of: If we give already overworked, demoralised staff more work, they'll be inspired to work harder and it will raise morale! Especially if we cut their numbers too! My doctor wants to sign me off work, but I won't let him as doing that will mean I'll never get out.

It is this high level of stress in my life that makes me snappy, and also means that I look to this game as an escape from it all.

The combination of these factors are what made me leave. Not the current situation alone.


And finally, the Scotbot.

The Scotbot entered this story before the circumstances above happened. The Scotbot's actions were not designed in an attempt to end this story, they were designed as an opportunity for character development (seeing as at the time I was under the impression that there was central authority to the story) in the petition's organisers. The obvious moral dilemma, you're wanting to achieve something, the means to do so fraudulently land in your lap, what do you do? You know it's wrong... But it's tempting. That was the reason why I brough in the Scotbot and not any of my other characters.

The Scotbot is (in the main) a comedy character, but occasionally plays plot monkey. Yes, in theory it can make whatever you want if you ask it. However in practice it generally gets something wrong. Kittens to milkshakes for example. And that wasn't a kitten-flavoured milkshake!

With the Infinite Improbability Drive nicked and modified from H2G2, the Scotbot may be classed as ridiculously overpowered, and could be a plot breaker, but I make sure I try to avoid that. For example when Drade asked for a number of exceedingly rare plants, the Scotbot explained that each successive plant would be more improbable to make, and that making a third plant was more improbable than the earth spontaneously exploding, so only two would be provided. The generation of the second plant resulted in a brief period of bobble-headedness around GG for a few minutes until Normality was restored, and yes, this was consensual, I asked all 5 other people at GG that night if they were willing to pretend to have bobble-head characters for a few minutes.

Other classic Scotbot ways of not making requested items are: gross mininterpretation, stubborness, irritation, taking a dislike, erratic logic, malfunction, critical malfuntion, being touched, and kittens.

The Scotbot's primary funtion is make food, drinks and classic impossibilities (a moon on a stick, a piece of turf that is always greener on the other side, a cake you can have but not eat).

I think I've addressed all the required points... Let's stop, and move on.

Edit: By stop, I mean stop bickering. I'm not ordering you to stop the story.

[ QUOTE ]
Hmmm, not sure how much 20,000 words translates to but my general rule of thumb is that if you write in size 12 Courier font, one page equates to approximately one minute in screen time. That does vary of course, if it's a page full of description it can be done in one shot or equally two lines made to fill out much longer dependent on direction. But approximately 1 page to 1 minute has always worked ok for me. I'll run a word count through one of mine later and see how many words it comes out at.

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Certainly 12 point Courier is what I was taught to write scripts in, accurately replicates a typewriter y'see! And the 1 page = 1 minute thing too... Wonder if this thing will have the enforced layout that I learnt too... Where speech is in a narrow column in the middle of the page with the speaker's name in caps above it...

My enjoyment of this game has been pushed to an all time low.

As with last time, here's what happened next:

The Canada Corps heroes are recalled to Toronto.
VX-R is removed from circulation.
Oryctolagus gets a gob as a museum guard.
Half N Half decided to take time to spend the money he's stolen.
Iceflame returns to being legally evil.

Perhaps we'll meet again...

I'm tired of labouring this point... Getting patronised doesn't help my mood. If you can't grasp the concept of what effect a known villain signing the petition would have on the Public's perception of the petition, I seriously hope that you don't work in public relations or marketing.

I'd like to know if the originators of this plot realise that known villains have put their name to the petition (or have claimed to do so in conversations in Pocket D) as a gesture of "support" for their friend, White Vampyr.

Do they realise what an absolute disaster this would actually be? The public reaction alone would be crazy, and I don't mean within the "hero community", I mean with the general public and the municipal authorities. Heroes that have signed would have their status called into question even by the most supportive, and the taint of collusion with Recluse would seep through into public perception.


Another point I'd like to make... People have said things along the lines of "oh how wonderful that this has caused mass participation of the RP community"... And there has been a comparison to the Requiem plot... I avoided the Requiem plot like the plague (and was aided by leaving the game for 3 months), and truthfully I'd really like now to apply the same measures to this one, but the unfocused scope of this plot means I can't. It's city-wide. It's around every corner. I feel I can't justifiably ignore it (as I normally would do for any plots that I have no interest in. Decry that as "bad RP" all you like, I RP to have fun, not sit around feeling like bashing my brains out with a stone, my work gives me that enough.). Not being able to opt out of this is not condusive to my enjoyment.

I also feel like I'm not able to influence it (so I don't feel it's freeform... To me there seems to be a desired path.). Yes, I wrote the tabloid article here on the forums, but it doesn't appear to be that one that's caused any trouble, in fact it hasn't generated any response (of course the article is written with the implication that denial shows truth, after all why would they deny the document says what the paper said it did unless it really does...) and as has been pointed out by Quilla, where is the response to the production of a full pile of the signatures of every registered hero in Paragon? If the response is "oh well they were shredded immediately because we couldn't use them", I'd ask - Where was the moral indesicion? If passion wrote the petition, why should common sense and logic rule its collection?

As for getting the GG crowd more involved, please don't. I like being able to go and RP somewhere that the petition doesn't reach. Besides, you'd need a massive amount of hubris to pass that petition around at the feet of one of the objects you're essentially objecting to.

VX-R stared at the young signature-collecting hero. (This is quite a disconcerting feeling when you consider that the Scotbot has no eyes or any other facial features...)

"Say whit?" asked the small white robot.

"It's a petition, for heroes to sign."

"Ye want signatures o' heroes?"

"Yes, to show their sup..."

"Ah kin dae that..." interrupted the 'bot. VX-R's chest plate opened, a ream of paper was thrust out into the young hero's hands. "Ivvry signature o' ivvry hero oan the city's books, taken direct frae the registration depairtment, perfect fascimilies. Yir autograiph collection'll be the envy o' a' the collectors. Ye sellin them oan thon eBay? Share and Enjoy!"

The young hero looked rather confused. "But..."

VX-R glared at him. "Noo if ye'll jist git ootae mah way, Ah hiv tae go provide fuid tae people that cannae affoard nane. Barf."

A PARAGON INQUIRER EXCLUSIVE!

This paper has come into possession of a secret document circulating through the heroic community in which the heroes explicitly blame themselves for the sorry state of our once fair city!

The document contains any number of inflammatory statements. For example it states that heroes are engaged in sending out a "message to the kids out there that if you can't be super-powered, you can't be anyone." The document also states that heroes are forcing "kids turn to 'dyne or gangs" because the heroes have made sure that "only power is acknowledged" in Paragon!

The hero document, currently secretly doing the rounds, states clearly that heroes are to blame for turning the city into "a war-zone".

But more worryingly, it seems that the heroes want more power. The secret document states that the supes are planning "to hold a mass meeting of super-heroes" at city hall to demand that our democratically elected representatives bow to their wishes because they "feel it is time again for change"!

This paper feels it is quite clear that, as we've predicited for many years, the heroes are planning to attempt to seize power in the city. We must stand up and fight against these smiling would-be tyrants! As the document itself says "for too long, the city has idolized its super-powered citizens", we can only agree, especially now that they wish more than to be idolized.

We have a GG thread... Pocket D is becoming a rapidly more popular RP spot...

Is this thread destined to run, or fall at the first hurdle, get shot and then melted down for glue?

It's in your hands!



I'm rubbish at recaps... But, um, here we go...


Spear turned up (in civvies, so he's Alex) and was having a brief conversation with Hand of Sorrow (I think) about Canada. HoS left, then I crashed (go me!) and logged back on as the little bunny Oryctolagus... Who revealed to Tormentress that he's not from Earth, and is really when you get down to it basically a museum security guard.

Brought in Half'N'Half who downed a bottle of Absinthe, spoke briefly with Tress, mocked Eci Hammer, got mocked by a bunch of heroes, then left to find some meths...

Cue the return of Spear, as Alex (in the middle of the bar, silly me...) who was generally sociable with all.


I'm sure more important things happened, but maybe other people will post here too and say what they were...

Thing is that not everyone standing around at GG is necessarily playing a hero. Or maybe they're playing a hero in civilian mode, who therefore probably shouldn't be recognised. As Z points out, perhaps it is best to send a tell first if you want to walk up and go "Hey! You're...!"

Also, considering the number of heroes... Wouldn't the daily paper be like a phone book if every heroic action was reported?

Just thought of something that's missing from the guide...

Remember! Just because you can understand another language as a player and want to show off your skills at it, other characters may also be able to understand the language but the player can't, so you should stick to typing in the recognised language of the group you are in, but with a tag to say which language your character is actually speaking...

For example:

Mikhail Romanov: <Russian> "I don't think I'll ever understand Americans..."

It's only fair. I might make a Chinese character, but I don't know a word of Mandarin. However the character should be able to understand anyone else speaking in Mandarin, that character shouldn't be out of the loop due a lack of player lingustic skills.



However anyone who attempts to suggest the Scotbots are speaking a different language to English will be subjected to a torture most horrid.

Dunno why, but these made me think of Tarot cards for some reason...

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26: Why are somepeople speaking in <Policeman: text> or the like?


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Because they're Z and play about 7 characters at the same time!

[ QUOTE ]
Upload them via ImageShack!

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Um... I have Red...

Apologies here, I know this might seem like trying to bump up my stuff again, but my webspace provider is going to be deleting my account so the links will stop working... I've had to move things to another place so they're still accessable...

So here we go...

Scotbot
Spear and Nova Scotia
Ontario
Ontario in colour, with shading!
Yukon
Yukon, with colour

Again, apologies for having to post all these again... But any further comments welcomed...

Hmmm...

Well I have the Scotbots... Theoretically capable of providing your request for anything by wringing the universe through the IID. However the Scotbot is limited by so many eccentricities, illogical rules, attitude, indifference, incompetence, misunderstanding and general stubborness.

I have no qualms with the fact that this may be seen as "godlike" playing. Try and get something that isn't food, drink or fundamentally useless out of a Scotbot and I'll drag it into a comedy routine, which is the purpose of the Scotbot. Light relief from the never-ending rain of low-grade angst at GG.

None of my other characters are in anyway uber...

Here we are, finalising my quartet of Canadian heroes...

Yukon

And also...
With Colour!

I've tried a different way of adding the colour to this one than I did to Ontario's pic... As you'll no doubt have noticed.

The wings are a bit "hmmm", and not coloured... And there is a slight perspective imbalance to his left hand side... Strangely I only ever notice these things after I scan them... Weird, huh?

Anyway, as ever, comments of all varieties welcomed, requested and begged for.

Welcome to Creative, insert various other welcoming phrases here.

If this is 6 months of degredation of talent, I think it'd take at least a decade before you lose the ability to draw! I really like it! Can't wait for more to come...

There is one thing that seems just a wee bit off, the left arm just seems a tad over long...?
But seeing as my perception of perspective is really screwed, it might just be me...

Wow... Simply wow...

The word "interesting" always makes me nervous... Always puts me in mind of a supervillain's response to his minions latest reason for his nemesis' escape...

My excuse for no shading on the coloured version. It was nearly midnight and I had to go to bed! Plus the longer I was using my mouse to do the colouring, the more tempremental the mouse became...

Anyways, the continuing evolution of this picture... I present Now with shading: a preliminary test.

Technical point, Scots poetry is best enjoyed (and understood) when said aloud. The more you exaggerate the accent the better! Seven years of Burns has shown me that...


For those confused by the language, here is the translation into English. WARNING: This causes the loss of some of the poetry...

Ask And I Will Provide
By Kelvinbridge

You're soaked, and looking for a towel?
Don't worry.
You're exhausted, and needing a stool?
I'm on to it.

A can of Field, your mother's skull,
An apex day return from Hull?
You get them all, and more besides.
Just ask, and I will provide.

If you need something to drink,
I'm the one to make it.
I do advise you stop and think,
Exactly what you want to drink.
Once you order, there's no going back,
You'll take what's given, and that's that.

If you're sick, it's not my problem.
You should have been more careful.
If you order what you cannot stomach,
You're very clearly special.

Don't touch me! Give me more room.
I'll stab you with my Spork Of Doom.
I'm polite across the class divide,
So just ask, and I will provide.

OK, I said I was going to bed... But instead I did this...

Now In Colour!

There's no shading, I know, and it's very crude... But all I have to do this with is a mouse which sometimes has a mind of its own...

Today has been creative day for me...

My final artistic effort of the day. I say that with certainty cuz I'm off to bed after this.

Ladies and Gents,

Ontario!

Comments of all varieties welcome! Desired even...


EDIT: I am aware that the sunglasses wouldn't actually fit on his face.

What is it about today? I seem to have been awfully inspired today...

Anyways, forewarned is forarmed they say. Although I find forearms usually exist between elbow and wrist... The following poem is written in Scots dialect. It contains no rude words.

Please do provide comments, even if just to say that it was so dire you're now gouging your eyes out with the headless remains of a Barbie doll!

Sit back (but not so far you can't read the screen) and enjoy:

Aisk An’ Ah Will Provide, or The Song of the Scotbot
By Kelvinbridge


Yir drookit, an’ luikin fir a tooel?
Dinnae fash yirsel.
Yir fair pugglt, an’ needin a stool?
Ahm oan tae it.

A can o’ Field, yir mither’s skull,
An apex day return frae Hull?
Ye git them a’, an’ mair beside.
Jist aisk, an’ Ah will provide.

If ye need somthin tae drink,
Ahm the wan to mak it.
Ah dae advise ye stoap an think,
Exactly whit ye want tae drink.
Wance ye oarder, thirs nae gang back,
Ye tak whit’s giein’, an that’s that.

If ye boke, that’s naw mah proablem.
Ye shud hiv been mair careful.
If ye oarder whit ye cannae stomach,
Yir virry clearly speyshul.

Dinnae touch me! Gie me mair room.
Ah’ll chib yiz wi’ mah Spork O’ Dhoom!
Ah’m polite accroass the cless divide,
So jist aisk, an’ Ah will provide.