The City of Heroes Multimedia Genius Contest - 11/07 theme: Freedom
By
Alexander_Drako,
Posted on: 2011-11-07 10:59 in Forum Games
Freedom
“Our old place in Imperial was much nicer.” Denise Croft sniffed, looking around the small Kings Row apartment that her, her husband and her baby son had been shown to by the FBSA. It was sparsely furnished, with just the essentials in the bathroom and kitchen, and a couple of fold-away chairs and a small dining table in the living area. While the place itself was clean, the neighbourhood outside looked a little unloved, and there was a worrying lack of PPD presence.
“Lots of things about back home were nicer, dear.” Larry 'Ironjack' Croft sighed, dressed in slacks and jeans instead of his tight, metallic costume. “I was a Top Dog. We had the perks and the privileges. It'll take us a while to get on our feet here. Think of it as temporary. Because it is. I'll start searching for work tomorrow.” He paused, watching his wife looking out of the window at the streets below. She was right of course, but... she hadn't seen what drove him to uproot them across dimensions. If she had, then she'd understand.
A soft cry came from behind him, and with a big smile he lifted Daniel, his son, into his arms. “Sounds like someone's hungry, eh Champ? Denise, the formula they gave us, what bag is it in?”
“I'll go fetch it and make some up.” Denise said, looking away from the man with the skull mask menacing someone on the street below. She tried her best to smile for her husband as she went to the kitchen, but her heart wasn't in it.
Stepping up to the window, Larry and Daniel looked outside and quickly spotted the gang member.
“Son, I know when you're older you might wonder why we're in this city. It might not be as clean as Praetoria, or seem as safe... but that's why. It only 'seemed' safe. I did things, saw things, that I never want you to have to see. And that's why we're here now.” Larry whispered quietly, cradling his romper-suited son to his chest. “I'll work hard for you and your mom, and I'll help the city out, show them just what us Praetorians can do. So even though it'll be tough on us at times, I did it for us. For you.”
Larry trailed off watching a man, who back home would be Powers Division, arrest the thug with a mere gesture and command to render him harmless before placing some sort of teleporting beacon tag on him. The pair watched as the hero checked the almost-victim over, giving them a hand up from where they'd been shoved over before heading off with a friendly wave. Back home? The hero would have been forced into becoming a Seer.
“I did it so you'd have the freedom to do or be whatever you want, son.” Larry smiled, kissing Daniel's forehead. “Especially if you grow up like your old man.”
“Our old place in Imperial was much nicer.” Denise Croft sniffed, looking around the small Kings Row apartment that her, her husband and her baby son had been shown to by the FBSA. It was sparsely furnished, with just the essentials in the bathroom and kitchen, and a couple of fold-away chairs and a small dining table in the living area. While the place itself was clean, the neighbourhood outside looked a little unloved, and there was a worrying lack of PPD presence.
“Lots of things about back home were nicer, dear.” Larry 'Ironjack' Croft sighed, dressed in slacks and jeans instead of his tight, metallic costume. “I was a Top Dog. We had the perks and the privileges. It'll take us a while to get on our feet here. Think of it as temporary. Because it is. I'll start searching for work tomorrow.” He paused, watching his wife looking out of the window at the streets below. She was right of course, but... she hadn't seen what drove him to uproot them across dimensions. If she had, then she'd understand.
A soft cry came from behind him, and with a big smile he lifted Daniel, his son, into his arms. “Sounds like someone's hungry, eh Champ? Denise, the formula they gave us, what bag is it in?”
“I'll go fetch it and make some up.” Denise said, looking away from the man with the skull mask menacing someone on the street below. She tried her best to smile for her husband as she went to the kitchen, but her heart wasn't in it.
Stepping up to the window, Larry and Daniel looked outside and quickly spotted the gang member.
“Son, I know when you're older you might wonder why we're in this city. It might not be as clean as Praetoria, or seem as safe... but that's why. It only 'seemed' safe. I did things, saw things, that I never want you to have to see. And that's why we're here now.” Larry whispered quietly, cradling his romper-suited son to his chest. “I'll work hard for you and your mom, and I'll help the city out, show them just what us Praetorians can do. So even though it'll be tough on us at times, I did it for us. For you.”
Larry trailed off watching a man, who back home would be Powers Division, arrest the thug with a mere gesture and command to render him harmless before placing some sort of teleporting beacon tag on him. The pair watched as the hero checked the almost-victim over, giving them a hand up from where they'd been shoved over before heading off with a friendly wave. Back home? The hero would have been forced into becoming a Seer.
“I did it so you'd have the freedom to do or be whatever you want, son.” Larry smiled, kissing Daniel's forehead. “Especially if you grow up like your old man.”
- End -
Obligatory legal stuff:
If I am a winner, I permit NC Interactive, Inc. and NCsoft Europe Limited to use my name, likeness, photograph, hometown, and any comments that I may make about myself or this contest that I provide for advertising and promotional activities. I also certify that I am at least 13 years of age and am eligible to participate in this contest.
If I am a winner, I permit NC Interactive, Inc. and NCsoft Europe Limited to use my name, likeness, photograph, hometown, and any comments that I may make about myself or this contest that I provide for advertising and promotional activities. I also certify that I am at least 13 years of age and am eligible to participate in this contest.
The stage had been erected to overlook the disaster of broken buildings and shattered streets below. The platform itself was an incongruous spectacle before the backdrop of destruction; its surface sparkling clean and decked out with bright bunting in powerful primary colors. Standing at the podium perfectly centered on the stage was Rick Razorski; his three piece suit was only slightly less immaculate than the stage. His top button was undone and his tie artfully slackened.
“Freedom!” he bellowed into the microphone. “Paragon City was formed on the foundation of an idea! An idea that Freedom was something worth cherishing! Worth fighting for! The mortar of this ideal made from the very blood and sweat of our most respected citizens, the Heroes of Paragon!”
“Yeah, but none of your blood and sweat! Unless this is just a secret identity… do you wear spandex when not running for office there Rick-O?”
The obligatory voice from the back of the crowd again, Rick fumed. The same voice had heckled at every single one of his appearances since he’d put his hat in for Mayor of Paragon City.
Ignoring the pest as best he could, Rick continued. “If elected as Mayor, the protection and support of our great heroes will be my first priority! For, by keeping our heroes safe and prosperous, we shall keep our populace safe and prosperous!”
“Well that’s downright interesting from someone whose chief campaign contributor is Chris Jenkins!”
Rick’s teeth gritted so hard his jaw creaked, but he persevered. “By joining hands with our community’s heroes, both super powered and non-, we can strengthen that community! The prior administration has dropped the ball with regards to our heroes! That’s why so many of them have gone vigilante in the past year. I promise an open arm policy for our current heroes and a stronger screening process for the so-called Rogues coming up from the Isles!”
“That’s just beautiful there Rick-O! I haven’t heard such a well-rehearsed and artificial sounding speech since I worked in that office building filled with Nemesis Automato-ACK!”
From the outer ring of the crowd, the words “Assassin’s Strike” floated upwards into the suddenly quiet air.
Rick smiled widely around the immense feeling of satisfaction that welled up inside him. Hitting his stride now, he leapt eagerly into the remainder of his speech.
Later, in the back seat of the sedan that whisked him away from the press and his loyal supporters, his chief aide looked at him with an expression of open admiration.
“It’s like I said, Wallace,” Rick drawled between long leisurely draws on his cigar. “Location, location, location. We’ve never been able to even touch that little pain in the neck in any of the other places I’ve given my speeches. At best we could only hope a wandering civilian would push him slowly away.”
“I’m sorry I ever doubted you, sir.”
“Yep, once I’m Mayor I think my Siren’s Call speech will be heralded as the turning point of my campaign.”
And... of course... If I am a winner, I permit NC Interactive, Inc. and NCsoft Europe Limited to use my name, likeness, photograph, hometown, and any comments that I may make about myself or this contest that I provide for advertising and promotional activities. I also certify that I am at least 13 years of age and am eligible to participate in this contest.
On the other hand, I respectfully request that if I AM the winner, that I not be the recipient of a new forum title since I like my "gold plated steelclaw" just fine.
My mind wanders so often you've probably seen its picture on milk cartons. - Me... the first person version of the third person Steelclaw
Atlas Park
The crunch of fist meeting face was strangely satisfying, as Paradox Eight, controlling the Paradox Helix Battleframe, plunged through the mass of Hellions. The armour surrounded her like a skin, feeding data directly into her sensorium, co-processors synthesising all the combat data into other sensory streams. Sight, Sound, Hearing, Taste, Smell, Tactical radar and Ultrasound, exotics, mass, energy, Tac Net and database feed. Fighting in the Paradox Helix was like being unto a God. Everything she could ever want to know, see, or call upon to help her fight better was hers, at a thought, down the ansible links. Stronger, faster, smarter, these were no mere words, these were the concepts she lived.
Noting an external temperature rise, P-8 turned, her fist and foot in sequence smashing one of the Damned off his feet, even as he tried to incinerate her. Which, she thought a trifle smugly, was a bit rash. The PHB was rated up to blast furnace temperatures, a little fire was nothing. Efficiently, with an economy of motion and energy that would have had major martial artists applauding, she put the rest of the Hellions down. An easy test.
The knowledge then entered her brain of a robbery in progress, some eight or nine blocks away. Stepping out of the circle of now unconscious Hellions, she leapt, the PHB automatically kicking in its inertial compensators, a mighty leap to the nearest rooftop. She made her way from rooftop to rooftop, leaping huge gaps with ease, moving faster across the tops than a sprinter could have across the street. The PHB gave her this without flinching, without even pausing to gather itself. She could feel herself grinning, the sheer exhilaration of being able to move so fast, so far, so free, unburdened by limitations. Joy in motion. She had the freedom of choice here, the ability to do as she wanted, to set aside everything else, and simply revel in her abilities. Coming off the final roof, she dropped to the street in front of the group of very surprised robbers, the PHB amplifying her war cry so that it resounded off the surrounding buildings, as she invited them to come and get some.
Elsewhere
A room, somewhat like a hospital room, but more personal, more homey. The walls were made up of monitors, showing telemetry, although the various machines here had never had their genesis in any place of medicine. The bed was occupied, a small woman, perhaps 25, with close-cropped brown hair, lying inert. A wheelchair sat by the bed, waiting to be used. Cables ran from plugs in the back of her neck to a bank of computers and ansible coms. Wired into the room and its systems, Jennifer Morgan, paraplegic, cybernetics system designer, was in no sense here. Her perceptions were of the PHB, fed back to her brain in this room by ansible links, instantaneous quantum response. Paradox Eight was Jenny Morgans own brand of freedom. Freedom from herself.
Obligatory legal stuff:
If I am a winner, I permit NC Interactive, Inc. and NCsoft Europe Limited to use my name, likeness, photograph, hometown, and any comments that I may make about myself or this contest that I provide for advertising and promotional activities. I also certify that I am at least 13 years of age and am eligible to participate in this contest.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Here's my entry of what freedom has always meant to me
(Image is 1.46mb)
If I am a winner, I permit NC Interactive, Inc. and NCsoft Europe Limited to use my name, likeness, photograph, hometown, and any comments that I may make about myself or this contest that I provide for advertising and promotional activities. I also certify that I am at least 13 years of age and am eligible to participate in this contest.
It was going to take a long time to settle in, Mrs Muldoon thought, fumbling with the keys to her new Atlas Park apartment. Galaxy City had been home for such a very long time, and at her age change wasn't something she was inclined to embrace.
She heard a noise, and looked around nervously. Some things were the same wherever you went - there were still gangs of thugs hanging around on the street, terrorising innocent citizens. She clutched her handbag tighter, and hoped they weren't coming after her.
Once upon a time, she thought, when Kelly Graham lived in Galaxy City, they wouldn't dare. People had the freedom to walk the streets, then. People had respect for each other.
But Kelly Graham, like the part of the city that had borne the name of her heroic alter ego, was gone.
"Hey, old lady! Hand over your cash!"
The Hellions jumped out from behind the corner and surrounded her, baseball bats in hand. She cowered, and her keys slipped from her fingers.
"Please don't hurt me," she cried.
They slapped their bats into their hands, grinned, and took a step closer.
Quit your shaking and hand over your cash.
There was a sudden bright flash. Mrs Muldoon covered her head with her hands as a familiar red and white blur rushed in, seemingly throwing light at the Hellions, then slapping teleport tags on them while they were disoriented.
"Oh my," Mrs Muldoon said, smiling at her regular saviour. "You are so brave!"
The young hero smiled, her green eyes twinkling behind the red domino mask.
"My pleasure, Mrs Muldoon.
She bent down and picked up the keys Mrs Muldoon had dropped. Here you go," she said. "You be safe now.
Mrs Muldoon watched The Girl Beyond Compare speed off into the distance, saw a distant flash of light and smiled. Galaxy City may have fallen, but Paragon City's heroes were still there, still fighting for the freedom of everyday people.
With the streets so recently cleared of thugs, she thought, she might as well indulge in the freedom of a little stroll to the shops before tea.
-- Obligatory Stuff-- If I am a winner, I permit NC Interactive, Inc. and NCsoft Europe Limited to use my name, likeness, photograph, hometown, and any comments that I may make about myself or this contest that I provide for advertising and promotional activities. I also certify that I am at least 13 years of age and am eligible to participate in this contest.
The Purple Party Pagan of Paragon
Globals: @Morgana Fiolett / @Genevieve Moore
Altoholic with too many characters to count now I have all these shiny servers...
Freedom to be a delusion lunatic wearing a pink bunny suit that fights against crime.
Freedom F-YEAH!!!
stuff they made me say: If I am a winner, I permit NC Interactive, Inc. and NCsoft Europe Limited to use my name, likeness, photograph, hometown, and any comments that I may make about myself or this contest that I provide for advertising and promotional activities. I also certify that I am at least 13 years of age and am eligible to participate in this contest.
The renovation of Atlas Park had brought many benefits to the local area. To the Crimson Archer, it brought new challenges new heights to scale, rewarded with new vantage points from which to look out across the city. It still took her breath away.
And still, she felt the instinct to spread her wings and soar above it all, hear the wind in her ears. Before she'd been the Crimson Archer, she'd grown accustomed to that liberty, the gift of her mutation.
And then, just as suddenly as she had gained that freedom, it had been taken away.
She didn't have to imagine that it had been like losing a part of her body. The weapon that had taken away her powers had cost her her wings, too. There were side benefits to that the world wasn't built for people with wings, as she'd discovered in the early days after her mutation manifested but they seemed like small consolation now, compared to what she'd lost. It frightened her a little to imagine that she would one day get used to this, just as she'd been used it before she ever got her powers.
How was that fair? Those who broke the law, she arrested, and sent to prison where they served out a term, and were released. For her selfless service to the city, the Crimson Archer had lost something she might never get back. She couldn't count the days, or try to get out on good behaviour. Only a miracle not that those were unknown, nowadays would let her fly again.
But the fairness of it wasn't the point, she knew. Before she'd ever put on a costume, she'd been a cop. Before she'd ever had powers, she'd made the choice to stand up for law and order. To make a stand it meant nothing if you were prepared to sacrifice nothing. She'd seen people die or suffer permanent injury in the line of duty. None of them had wanted to make that sacrifice, any more than she'd wanted to sacrifice her powers. That was just part of the responsibility she and they had accepted.
As heavy as that responsibility was, she couldn't imagine refusing it. The moment she was sworn in as an officer of the law, she'd given up some of her freedoms the freedom to look the other way, to keep her head down and stay out of trouble. She'd taken an oath to stand for something greater than herself an oath freely taken, an acceptance that she would sacrifice whatever was necessary.
She would always miss what she had lost, the freedom she had sacrificed. But freedom for its own sake was an empty thing. She had seen it, over and over, in criminals and supervillains, people who harmed others in the name of their own freedom. Freedom that had no meaning, until one finally accepted responsibility.
* * *
If I am a winner, I permit NC Interactive, Inc. and NCsoft Europe Limited to use my name, likeness, photograph, hometown, and any comments that I may make about myself or this contest that I provide for advertising and promotional activities. I also certify that I am at least 13 years of age and am eligible to participate in this contest.
Knights Exemplar: Wolfram, Autumnfox, Starlit Spirit.
Militia: The Portent, Wavekite, Mr. Sandman.
The Cadre: WarpLocke, Zajin.
Numerous others.
((A good excuse as any to start using Video Maker!))
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dY4JnrF88w&
If I am a winner, I permit NC Interactive, Inc. and NCsoft Europe Limited to use my name, likeness, photograph, hometown, and any comments that I may make about myself or this contest that I provide for advertising and promotional activities. I also certify that I am at least 13 years of age and am eligible to participate in this contest.
Adrienne sat in the waiting area at Icon, paging through a photo album of the stores past and present customers, while she waited for one of the shops tailors to be free. Some of the costumes she recognized, those of Paragons best and brightest, others she had only seen in passing while patrolling the streets of the city.
Hmm. Maybe an armored look this time... she thought, as she idly turned the page. Or something more classic? Theres just so many choices--god! I wonder what dad would say if he saw me in a getup like that!
Her smile died on her face before it fully formed. She didnt have to wonder what her father would think, she and him had already had that fight. He hadnt been thrilled at his genetically perfect little angel donning a mask and fighting crime. But then, she wasnt perfect, was she? Once she had manifested mutant control over fire, he had shuffled her off to a boarding school in the city, and proceeded to pretend she didnt exist.
But that was behind her now. She was an adult now, and with a new costume, a new heroic identity, she could finally be free to do what she felt was right.
Adrienne? A voice jolted her out of her thoughts, and she smiled and shook hands with the Icon tailor.
So, what are we doing for you today, miss?
I dont know. The skys the limit.
***
For the legal eagles:
If I am a winner, I permit NC Interactive, Inc. and NCsoft Europe Limited to use my name, likeness, photograph, hometown, and any comments that I may make about myself or this contest that I provide for advertising and promotional activities. I also certify that I am at least 13 years of age and am eligible to participate in this contest.
Thank you to all the participants in this first (of many) Multimedia Genius contest! I didn't expect that judging the first one would be such a tough choice; though there were only a few, the submissions were outstanding. Some were poignant, some hilarious, some inspiring. I definitely look forward to seeing more of your creativity in future contests!
It was a really tough choice, but this week's winner is....ZORTEL! Please PM me with what code you'd like from the list (and which region!).
Thanks again to everyone who participated. Don't forget to try your hand at the other games this week, and look forward to next Monday's Multimedia Genius!
Congrats Zortel
Wow... I wasn't expecting that at all. Uh, thank you!
What started in mind as a story about a Praetorian discovering the joys of cable television quickly turned instead into a story of new beginnings. Maybe one day, a story will come about with a Praetorian discovering the joys of a TV experience where every channel isn't TPN. But not today.
I'll probably enter the others in the next six weeks, just because it's a nice little way to get the creative juices flowing. Good luck, and look forward to reading your stuff. 
It was an awesome and very heart-felt story Zortel... congratulations for a well-deserved win!
My mind wanders so often you've probably seen its picture on milk cartons. - Me... the first person version of the third person Steelclaw
Congratulations, Zortel!
[ ProTip: The banner is a link to art refs!! | The Khellection | The HBAS Repository | Brute Guides (4/16/10) | How To Post An Image - A Quick Guide ]
Biggest Troll on the forums? I'll give you a hint:
Congratulations. 
Knights Exemplar: Wolfram, Autumnfox, Starlit Spirit.
Militia: The Portent, Wavekite, Mr. Sandman.
The Cadre: WarpLocke, Zajin.
Numerous others.
Submissions open every Monday only from 10 AM Pacific Time (1 PM Eastern Time / 6PM GMT / 19:00 Central European Time) until 5:00 PM Pacific Time (8:00 PM Eastern Time / 1:00 AM GMT / 2:00 Central European Time) between November 7, 2011 and January 30, 2012).
Welcome to “Multimedia Genius,” a fun new weekly forum game! Every Monday (except holidays), a new theme-of-the-week will be posted on the Official City of Heroes® Freedom™ Forum. You’ll have until 5:00 PM Pacific Time (8:00 PM Eastern Time / 1AM GMT / 2:00 Central European Time) on the applicable contest date to submit a drawing, short text, short video clip, short audio clip, or screenshot that fits the theme. After 5:00PM Pacific Time (7:00 PM Eastern Time / 1AM GMT / 2:00 Central European Time), the judging will commence.
The individual who posts the winning submission will be determined by members of the Paragon Studios Community and/or Development Team and will receive their choice of one of the following Costume Codes and the Forum Title "Multimedia Genius [date]":
- Carnival of Shadows Harlequin
- Freakshow Tank Boss
- Paragon Police Department Hardsuit
- Carnival of Shadows Ring Mistress
- Knives of Artemis Lt.
- Praetorian Clockwork
- Praetorian Police Department
- Rikti Mentalist
- Vahzilok Meat doctor
- Coralax
- Victoria MK VI
- Olympian Guard
To kick things off, this week's theme is [Freedom]. Create a multimedia piece with the theme of what freedom in City of Heroes means to you!Rules -
1) Reply in the official City of Heroes Freedom™ forum thread created for each weekly Multimedia Genius with your multimedia submission.
2) Your reply must contain a single multimedia entry. Multiple entries (of the same or different types [e.g. two drawings, a drawing and a video, etc.]) will be disqualified.
3) Short text submissions must be 500 words or less. Short audio and video clips must not exceed 3 minutes in length. Screenshot and drawing submissions must have a filesize of 2 MB or less.
4) The use of copyrighted material or trademarks NOT owned by the Sponsors or yourself is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Your submission must not infringe any patent, copyright, trademark or other intellectual property right, or any privacy, publicity or publishing rights of any third party, or be libelous, obscene or otherwise contrary to law.
5) Your submission must also contain the following statement. Please note that your submission will be disqualified if this statement is not present in your post:
If I am a winner, I permit NC Interactive, Inc. and NCsoft Europe Limited to use my name, likeness, photograph, hometown, and any comments that I may make about myself or this contest that I provide for advertising and promotional activities. I also certify that I am at least 13 years of age and am eligible to participate in this contest.
6) To enter the contest weekly, as of November 7, 2011, you must be 13 years of age or older. If a winner is under 18 or a minor in his or her state/province/country of residence, his or her parent or guardian must also sign any applicable releases and documentation.
7) Please note, only 1 (one) entry per forum account will be accepted. If you post a second time, you'll get disqualified, so make your one entry count!
8) Entries must conform to the Official City of Heroes Freedom™ Message Forum Rules and Guidelines.
9). If you win the City of Heroes® Multimedia Genius Contest one week, you are not eligible to do so again for the next 6 weeks. This is to allow other people the opportunity to win. Please be courteous to others and bear in mind that, while you are able to participate during the weeks you are not eligible to win, you will not be able to win again until after the 6 weeks have passed.