Brokering the Brickers: Arc 37724

@GlaziusF.

Running this on a merc/TA mastermind (former Wyvern, don't ask), level high enough to be exemplared down. Diff 3 for actual bosses though I may come to regret it.

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Hmm. Got a reluctant killer here. This could explore some interesting places.

Interesting little mid-boss, but I was expecting something more interesting on the way back than just a couple of ambushes. I guess it was just luck that some of the mission was empty.

...man, my inside lady pities him too. Any chance you could tell the people who actually bought your freedom what they're getting into, lady?

No?

You're a peach.

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More invading Paragon City to off people.

...man. SWAT Equalizers are just a giant pain in the pain.

Huh.

For a second I thought, given Hadley's clipboard, that Corleone was behind the initial heist.

But dropping Lucky disabused me of that notion.

Wow. Second person in a row who says the thing we're covering up was some kind of crime against humanity.

Makes a guy wonder.

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"Giovanni's threat" (mission 3 briefing)? Maybe that should be "Giovanni's no longer a threat".

Considering la familia does have its roots in protecting the people when the government don't give a damn, I can see where Marcello gets it.

But it's time to off some Longbow, looks like.

Looks like the commander has some mementos... and the dons are worried about my contact getting all soft on 'em.

So... what? A couple of former mutual acquaintances were in the wrong place at the wrong time and got gunned down? Is that what I'm meant to piece together from this mission?

Let's see what this guy says when I get back to him.

Ah. Not mutual friends.

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Vincenzo, let me explain something to you. Everybody I've iced has been somebody's flesh and blood. There are a lotta cryin' people at a lotta funerals because of me. Because of us.

This thing that is asked of me, it is no different. I won't be surprised if you try and stop me, Vincenzo, I really won't. But don't pretend this is somehow different.

So there's a warden, who's pretty interesting to put down...

But after all that the actual people here are minions, protected by a single Longbow minion each.

Man, you could sneeze and blow 'em down. To the point that I have to check NPC dialog for what they say because their health just drops so fast.

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Storyline - ***. Honestly, I was expecting Vinnie to show up in that last mission. Or... do anything except wring his hands and whine about how he can't do anything. This is what they make a consigliere these days?

Design - ****. The nandful of customs that show outside the last mission are pretty well-realized, and the plot advances nicely through incidental details. But flyswatting the last mission's objectives doesn't feel right. Maybe there's some Longbow magician who encases them inside ice golems or something of the sort, just so they're something less than a speedbump and they have time to plead for their lives.

Gameplay - ****. SWAT Equalizer web grenades. PPD Ghost flashbangs. I know it's just the standard spawns but even so.

Detail - *****. Very solid here. Really drives in the stake.

Overall - ****. Mostly for the contact, who whines and worries and doesn't do anything, even though he ought to have the motivation one way or the other.

I didn't plan on having Vinnie do anything to stop you for four reasons...

The first is that he's a Family capo, but is no match for fighting a Security Level villain at 25-30 (OK, so some Family mobs DO exist at that level range, but they're laughably easy). He can fight if he must, but not if it means getting annihilated by his own contracted killer.

The second is that he's already being sought for killing three people and freeing a criminal from police custody, so showing up in a Longbow base where the last targets are being held would probably get him arrested and put away for a long time, even if he did rat on the Family to get out of it.

Third, even if he did try to stop you and failed, the Family would know he tried to help the cops. He'd be a dead man then, too. I wrote him to be somewhat of a coward, and while it would make sense for him to go into the base and stop what you're doing, he'd probably get killed trying to stop you, and he's no hero.

Lastly, I never actually wanted Vinnie to affect the player's choice in the final act: tossing him in to fight you in the final battle would make it hard for me to write a "successful" mission dialogue at the very end. I admit that may be my fault at the writer, but how would the Family handle his deception? I wanted Vinnie to earn his promotion, since he wanted it so much, but doing it in a way which shows to be careful what you wish for!

Considering who the final targets are, I did design them to be pushovers and to be killed swiftly if the player so chose. While the idea of ice golems and somehow beefing them up would make the dialogue last longer (and perhaps give the player more of a chance to change their mind), I'd still rather keep them as minions and weak. I actually planned them to have only Brawl or even a standard pistol as their only self-defense.

I see where you're coming from, since the dramatic impact of their pleading is what makes the final mission either satisfyingly demonic or extremely repellent. The NPC dialogue goes too quickly for minions, considering the damage... I'll consider upping them to Lieutenants if only to beef up their HP and make their dialogue last longer.

I know, I hate the PPD too. I wish I could edit those powers out of them but that's impossible right now.

Glad you liked the small things!

We can discuss Vinnie's vacillations over PM or in-game if you'd like. I tried writing him as realistically as a guy in his position would be... not that I'd know anything about that, heh. I appreciate your review and rating!