The Freedom Phalanx TF Rewrite Thread
By
Arctic_Princess,
Posted on: 2010-07-06 12:53 in Suggestions and Ideas
Quote:
-Remember to have Synapse invite the group to Pocket D to celebrate later...
|
Originally Posted by Arctic_Princess
Part Two: The Electrical Anomaly
Awards the Synapse's Cohort badge After the two adventures, Synapse feels that he and the team have struck up a great friendship. They've managed to fight crime, without resorting to wearing the 'dorky' uniforms of the PPD, and have put a major Archvillain behind bars. |
Ah yes, of course, the obligatory reference to Pocket D! 
Just assume that all of them have that at the end...
Now, what do folks think of a series of arcs unlocked by being awarded the Task Force Commander Badge?
Forgive me for not fully reading everything, I do plan to eventually. One of the things that sticks out about some of the current implementations of the Phalanx TFs is that the base plotlines for some aren't half bad but there's too much filler and not enough wow factor in the finales. I think Psyche already is decent at the core but needs a trim and perhaps a cutscene during the sonic bomb portion to show how it is affecting people.
What might add a bit to your suggestion is attempting to craft one or two of these in the MA. Granted, our resources are still vastly limited but it can be feasible. While it was a bit flawed due to having a bit too violent way of describing things, someone had done an otherwise excellent revamp of Psyche that maintained all the major plot points. I'll try to find the number for it.
Groovy.
I considered it (writing these in the AE) at first but I don't think I can do my ideas justice and, as stated, there simply isn't the tech for us to do that. Possibly not even ...yet .
Knock yourselves out though.
I purposefully left the majority of text, number of clues, details of clues etc out because, well, I was aiming for the structure change rather than the nitty gritty of who says what.
And I really want to know if Numina is too far out there, compared to the others. Especially the second part.
Actually, if you'll allow me a bit of out-loud introspection, here's why I changed each TF:
Synapse
Fighting clockwork all the time gets boring.
Fighting clockwork all the time in a series of missions that should convey that they are causing havoc everywhere, but really are just filler is exceptionally frustrating.
Sister Psyche
I quite like Psyche: Her writing has touches of humour that amuses me. But there's never really anyone who challenges her in game. I think you get to fight her two/three times as a villain, compared to Luminary et al.
So Psimon Omega was, for me, the obvious choice of a villain for the first part (even though he's ultimately after Aurora). And the Clamor part is too good a plot to pass up.
I also wanted the game to reflect the relationship between Manticore and Sister Psyche. Apart from the Valentines mission, nothing else is mentioned about the couple.
Citadel
Do I even need to state why this needed changing?
Luminary is also a fun character. Villains will recognise her as 'that robot chick that cheats', and she's noted for being a bit of a party animal.
Plus, Citadel + potential army of Citadels needs something more epic than fighting on the same map, then beating up Vandal. Where's the drama in that?
Manticore
I started with Manticore because I originally wanted Revenant as an end boss for Synapse. Then the whole Freedom Phalanx novel poured into my conscious brain.
The story involved Manticore quite heavily and I thought it would be a neat way of a) reminding players again that he and Sister Psyche are married, b) that he's the Batman of the City of... Universe and c) that he might be coming round to this whole teamwork thing too!
I also considered adding Doctor Null (Rudolph Bein) but that would have potentially made Manti's TF a three-parter with more plot twists (and holes) than swiss cheese cheese strings!
Numina
I don't know about anyone else but I don't care two figs about Woodsman. I certainly don't believe he deserves to be the centre of the final Freedom Phalanx TF.
Also the giant hunt needed fixing.
And the Nemesis Army, featured so heavily in regular content at that level, were actually a good foil.
And Hamidon! It's arguably more dangerous than hiding the Woodsman, who whilst being a good guardian of The Hive, hardly deserves a full scale, city-wide manhunt (imho, of course ).
Part Two: Shifting in Time
Awards the Numina’s Compatriot badge.
Level range 35-40.
Numina has a special task for the team, and it involves time travel. She suspects Nemesis of a plot so bold that she is prepared to invoke powerful magics to allow them to travel back in time and prevent... their own destruction!
But there is hope – Numina and Infernal have identified a particular timeline and a series of events where Nemesis have likely interfered.
The start of the TF involves an Ouroboros-style portal appearing by Numina. Only members of the TF can use the portal and Numina warns the team that there is no turning back once they enter. (Hospitals are available during the missions to follow)
Mission One: Attuning to the Time Stream – Numina’s Spell – the team is exemplared to level 10
Mobs: Skulls, Hellions, Clockwork, Vazhilok, Trolls, Outcasts
Map Used: NEW map – ‘Office’ (decorated with Hellion and Skull designs) -> (Warehouse -> Sewers) -> SMALL Steel Canyon instanced outdoor map
Numina contacts the team using the ‘voiceover’ dialogue to inform them that they are having to adjust to the time stream. Numina will be able to readjust their combat abilities when they have completed the tasks set before them, such is the nature of the spell cast.
Key Tasks:
- Break up Fights (5 in total, between Trolls and Outcasts)
- Place the Jewel of Hera in the Pedestal (The pedestal looks suspiciously like one of the statues that surrounds Williams Square)
- Exit through the Portal
Mission Two: Stepping Through Time – Numina’s Spell – the team is exemplared to level 20Numina explains, via ‘voiceover’, that the Nemesis army has disrupted the timeline in order to conceal themselves from the team. If the team can continue forward, completing the tasks set for them, then they should eventually catch up with Nemesis and foil his plans to destroy them at the eleventh hour.
Map Used: Tsoo Tattoo Parlour -> Striga Bridge map -> NEW Talos Statue outdoor map
Mobs: Family, Tsoo, Sky Raiders, Banished Pantheon, Warriors, Freakshow
Key Tasks:
- Defeat 20 Warriors
- Defeat 20 Freakshow
- Defend Talos’s Statue
- Exit through the Portal
Mission Three: Almost There – Numina’s Spell – the team are exemplared to level 30Numina states that there should be a final pedestal somewhere in this timeline (the Sword disappeared when Talos’s statue is defended). Cracks are starting to appear in the spell as Nemesis are slowly changing the future. You must hurry!
Map Used: Crey Lab -> Small Council Base -> Devouring Earth Cave
Mobs: Crey, Rikti, Council, Arachnos, Devouring Earth, Circle of Thorns
Key Tasks:
- Defeat 30 Devouring Earth
- Defeat 30 Circle of Thorns
- Retrieve the Shield of Honour (again, lame name!)
- Activate the Pedestal
- Exit through the Portal
Mission Four: Deja Vu – Numina’s Spell – the team are back at their TF levelMap Used: Atlas Park City Hall
Numina warns you that Nemesis has thrown everything at you to keep you out of his way. Whilst she has stabilised the team in the time stream, Nemesis is still calling the shots. They’ll have to defeat whatever obstacle remains in their way before Numina can shunt them through to Nemesis.
Key tasks:
- Defeat the Nemesis Simulacrum Army
- Exit through the portal
Yup, you guessed it! Nemesis has created automatons of each team member that he intends to use to destroy the team and manipulate its members from this point forward. The idea was spawned from the lore regarding the reason the Rikti first invaded Primal Earth. And the Posi TF! See, it has all come full circle!Mission Five: Defeat Nemesis – Numina’s Spell
Numina has aligned the team with Nemesis, who is holed up in his stronghold, protected by a series of ‘Guardians’. Each Guardian represents an aspect of the villains that have featured in the preceding Task Forces. Hence, there are five in total.
They have a combination of powers based on two major enemies from each TF. Ambushes of Nemesis appear after each guardian is defeated and will follow the team, making the next guardian difficult (especially if a lieutenant is felled and casts Vengeance!)
Map Used: NEW map – Steampunk corridors with circular chambers at the end that continue on. At each circular chamber is a guardian. Nemesis waits at the 6th chamber, on a throne.
Key Tasks:
- Defeat Archmage Vazhilok (EB – A Dr Vazhilok robot with Ruin Mage powers)
- Defeat Clockwork Capone (EB – A Clockwork King model with Family Boss guns)
- Defeat Clamor Omega (EB – A Clamor robot with psychic powers)
- Defeat Zenith Totem (EB – A Giant Zenith Mech Man with Totem Boss powers)
- Defeat Crey Revenant (EB – Countess Crey robot with super strength and some invulnerability)
- Defeat Nemesis (AV) - accompanied by Nemesis Army, naturally
Debriefing: The team have survived the hellish onslaught of Nemesis who tried every trick in the book to shake them off his trail and destroy them forever. They faced themselves and all the villains along the way that have tried to cause havoc in the city.They are true Heroes, each worthy of the title Numina's Compatriot!