Traveller's Café 2: Discussion, tea, brainstorming & advice

[Gigaverse]

Well, I was thinking monsters...

But, why not lizards with extra toes?

Bloated frogs, three-horned cows, orange-leafed plants, everything that is entirely irrelevant.

The latter two from Fallout and the first from Warhammer?

EDIT: Oh wait, you said three-horned and not two-headed...

[Alleniana]

Bloated frogs, three-horned cows, orange-leafed plants, everything that is entirely irrelevant.

The latter two from Fallout and the first from Warhammer?

EDIT: Oh wait, you said three-horned and not two-headed...

Bloated as in a frog with approximately 10% more body mass, three horned cows with the third horn stunted, small and twisty, and orange-leafed plants just sickly versions of the Rl thing.



so irrelevant it's lovely

[Gigaverse]

The latter two from Fallout and the first from Warhammer?

EDIT: Oh wait, you said three-horned and not two-headed...

Bloated as in a frog with approximately 10% more body mass, three horned cows with the third horn stunted, small and twisty, and orange-leafed plants just sickly versions of the Rl thing.



so irrelevant it's lovely

Grandpa Nurgle is best bloated frog

[Alleniana]

Bloated as in a frog with approximately 10% more body mass, three horned cows with the third horn stunted, small and twisty, and orange-leafed plants just sickly versions of the Rl thing.



so irrelevant it's lovely

Grandpa Nurgle is best bloated frog

Kermit is best frog
no wait
Freddo is

[The Armed Republic of Dutch Coolness]

Bloated as in a frog with approximately 10% more body mass, three horned cows with the third horn stunted, small and twisty, and orange-leafed plants just sickly versions of the Rl thing.



so irrelevant it's lovely

Grandpa Nurgle is best bloated frog

Blessed be Nurgleth.

[Gigaverse]

Grandpa Nurgle is best bloated frog

Blessed be Nurgleth.

I thought "th" was only to be added after verbs.

[The Armed Republic of Dutch Coolness]

Blessed be Nurgleth.

I thought "th" was only to be added after verbs.

Never been to Davin's moon, have you? You should go there sometime!

[Lonbonia]

This idea probably sucks, but no harm in trying...

High Concept: Post-Apocalyptic Survival Event.
Genre/s: Character, Survival, Free-world.
Detailed Description: It is 2030, and the world has been recently almost annihilated by a new, deadly nano-virus that has accidently escaped CDC's most hidden laboratory. It had the ability to replicate three, deadly diseases, mainly smallpox, ebola and anthrax. It was almost about to be cured before the nanovirus has managed to completely corrupt the built-in kill-switch, rendering the broadcast completely useless. The nano-virus was made for the pure intention of using it as a biological weapon against Russia.

All the countries of the world has suffered, with no more remaining other than a post-apocalyptic world. You are one of the 'Immune' people in UAE. You remember that the last research scientists has moved to the last base, which was Abu Dhabi, as a last resort, and now they have failed. You are currently asymptomatic, which is possible to stay that way for years before the nanovirus activates in your system, without a doubt killing you.

Unless you manage to fix the kill-in switch and resume the broadcast, that is. With the help of the other survivors in the same city as yours, you might not feel lonely at all, for a while. You never know if Abu Dhabi is actually the last city that still has a living population.

[Grenartia]

Why everyone values realism so much?

Because generally, it's easier to understand a narrative on an emotional level if you can relate to it. Realism aids that process.

For the record, I've come to realize something like ES, for example, has pretty much always been a sort of Magical-Realism narrative.

Exactly.

Though, I always figured Excalibur just took place in an alternate universe with very little (or at least not as radical) divergence from our universe.

Maybe it's just me, but I find that without realism, even figures, it just devolves into an endless string of tropes and paves the way for godmod.

Everything is tropes, man. Without them, there's no story devices, no sequences, no scenes, no archetypes. Nothing.

Because generally, it's easier to understand a narrative on an emotional level if you can relate to it. Realism aids that process.

For the record, I've come to realize something like ES, for example, has pretty much always been a sort of Magical-Realism narrative.

I don't know. I can easily relate to my EH characters, even if they come from a setting which really isn't realistic. IMHO, as long as the emotions, motivations and traits of a character are human and make sense, understanding and relating to a narrative isn't that hard.

Not everybody is you.

Now I am? Are you certain I wasn't a page back?

Aerogel then.

The problem with tanks is that they're plump and they don't got them sexy legs.

I like tanks. I like to see them operating in a combined arms setting with mecha, too. Just not with Western-style mecha.

There's not much of any justification for having mechs and tanks in the same setting. Its like having combat zepplins and combat helicopters in the same setting.

Because that's what I wanted to base the basic setting on?

Mind, it's not actually set in the actual American Revolution, or in our own universe.

So your country have connection American Revolution?

Space American Revolution. With Mecha.

I know, P. I know, I'm just confused as to why people must always use something that is come from America.

Because, its something most people here can relate to. Which greatly improves immersion. We've been over this before.

1. Except the Wookiepedia article clearly states several AT-ATs were lost to treacherous ice conditions (i.e., crevasses and the like) before even getting a chance to engage the Rebels.

2. Didn't seem to affect the Rebels (neither the snowspeeders, nor the starfighters, nor the starships), Imperial dropships, or the Imperial probe droids all that much.

3. Like they weren't already? That was pretty much exactly their design philosophy, was quantity over quality.

1. Precisely! I know that doesn't sound like the answer you were expecting, but they never sank into the snow, they instead fell into geographic barriers the pilots misjudged or didn't see early on enough. The article never states that the AT-AT's weren't fit for the battle and rather all losses taken before the actual fighting were due to Veers attempting to take a route that had already been deemed shorter, but much more dangerous. Given that in spite of what has been said previously, Vader actually had plans to destroy the base from orbit before he knew Skywalker was present, but yet again, error on the part of the Fleet Admiral gave the rebels an early enough warning to get their defenses up. Also, inb4 you say you never said what I just disproved:

3. Read my post again. I never said it was impossible for the walkers to get through. In fact, I clearly and blatantly acknowledged that they DID get through, even though they clearly shouldn't have, as they should've sank into the ice and snow like a Wooly Mammoth in a tar pit.

2. First, the snowspeeders were designed to deal with the cold and thus were built to withstand such forces; the starfighters and transports evacuating the base were doing just that, evacuating! They weren't attempting a precision bombing strike on a heavily defended shield generator; Imperial dropships are too big and powerful to be affected by such factors and the Imperial probes travel over the surface and have been given the necessary tools needed to scout out their individual targets.

3. Indeed, but to have sent in squadron after squadron through undoubtedly well-guarded holes in their shield defenses would have put too many Imperial resources at stake, and given that almost everyone involved in the Battle for Hoth was incredibly skilled and had plenty of combat experience thus leading to such an outlook being highly risky given the low chances of actually successfully completing the mission.

1. The key word in my statement being "should've". As in, the fact that they didn't sink into the ice and snow confounds me as much as a continent-sized chunk of Alderaan not being destroyed and remaining habitable would be. As in, that Lucas didn't kill off Jar Jar in the first 5 seconds confounds me. As in, the whole midichlorians explanation confounds me.

2. Granted for everything save the starfighters. The starfighters were protecting the transports from TIE attacks. I.E., little different from the conditions (both in terms of environment, and combat, and a combination of the two) those very same TIEs would've faced had they been sent to take out the shield generator.

3. Any more resources than the entire fleet they had in place, and the dozens of walkers (both AT-ATs and AT-STs), and all the infantry they sent?

I see this contributes heavily to the development of an RP.

It does, currently debating whether or not I should continue on with using basic Imperial forces as seen in the Trilogy to retake certain planets within one of the newer RP's, and thus, by contributing material, I'm developing said RP. However, in order to do so, I must discover potential flaws, and the research I've done around this topic is certainly far from over.

Plus, it does allow a decent opportunity to discuss large scale military tactics, which provides useful information for RPs which would utilize them. To say nothing of the deconstruction of the myth of mechs as effective weapons.

I am intrigued by this Thirty Years War Disney idea. I wrote my undergrad dissertation on the early modern history of the Habsburgs, and the Thirty Years War is a special interest of mine.

France exists in the Disney canon, thanks to Beauty and The Beast and Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Can't say the same about Germany, Bohemia, the Netherlands and other large chunks of Europe, unfortunately.

I'm pretty sure the Aristocats also confirms the existence of the geopolitical entity known as "France". As for Germany, its confirmed by the WWII propaganda, assuming that counts. And if it does, then WWII itself confirms the existence of every party to the conflict.

Boooo.

Well, Frozen has three ambassador characters who the credits say are French, Spanish and Irish, so those parts exist, at least. I've heard talk that the Southern Isles is Denmark, where The Little Mermaid is also theorized to be set.

Indeed.

Regarding the British isles, England is confirmed to exist, with the legend of King Arthur being real. Merida's kingdom is supposed to be Scotland.

Regarding the Middle East, well, there's Agrabah, which is apparently either in Arabia or in Modern Iraq. And the black kingdom from the Princess and The Frog, which I guess is something like Ethiopia.

Regarding the far east, China is confirmed to exist, along with the Mongol Hordes. So does India, where animals can actually talk with humans. No news about Japan, unfortunately.

I think England is also confirmed by 101 Dalmatians, and its almost certainly confirmed by the Peter Pan movies.

And, see above with regards to Japan.

Notice that it's pretty much a carbon copy of the attack on Pearl Harbor, except Japan's on our side because coolness.

Still, I'm personally not even sure if I'd put it in the Second Europan War. I was thinking either a Korean War expy or a Nam expy.

Because why not?

I still plan to make my Korean War/WWZ crossover at some point.

Obviously character based. And I'd ask for RP samples unless it's someone I've been in an RP with before so I can keep out people who can't write at least a paragraph.

Now the only problem is how to convince Americans to RP as soldiers that aren't American because I'd want to do this with a small European military that has no business being able to hold off a Soviet/Russian invasion for more than a couple days.

Some specific ideas off of the top of my head, if you want them:

1. Danish military forces - mostly local militia, probably - fighting to hold Bornholm Island against a WarPac amphibious invasion as part of a general war between NATO and the Pact. Maybe there could be added stakes to the general war as a whole - like maybe...a crucial anti-ship missile installation on the island preventing a Soviet naval breakout from the Baltic into the North Sea, requiring it be held at all costs?

2. Norwegian forces (you could even SpecForce-wank if you wanted it to and include the legendary Norwegian Rangers) trying to hold Kirkenes or the Trondheim Gap against an overwhelming Soviet armored attack coming south towards Narvik and Oslo.

Nordic countries seem to lend themselves the easiest to this sort of thing.

You forgot the obvious one P2TM would flip its shit over:

3. Magical Finnish Death Metal playing mech squads destroying Soviet tanks with the magical powers of Death Metal. Because, you know. Fuck realism.

I remember posting this here a while ago and not getting very much feedback. I started working on it again, and I was wondering what y'all thought of this idea of mine.

RP Interest App Form

High Concept: Players, associated the with various factions inhabiting a post-apocalyptic Louisiana, will duke it out against a tyrannical government, vicious bands of raiders, and each other, all the while working to figure out the secrets to a... secret.
Genre/s: Post-apocalyptic, action / adventure
Detailed Description: So, basically, the Cold War turned nuclear. Most of the major cities in the world got nuked, leaving only rural areas and third-world countries populated. Now, 100 - 200 50 years later, the world is beginning to rebuild. Sort of. For the majority of the time between now and the nuking, a large part of the central U.S (as well as Louisiana, where this takes place) were heavily irradiated and, therefore, uninhabitable, due to the vast amounts of nuclear wast flowing through the Mississippi River and its tributaries. But recently, people have started to move down the river and settle around old New Orleans. Since then, a tyrannical / fascist / police state government has taken control and is now oppressing people, 'n' shit.

There's also some anarchists, some raiders, and quite possibly some left over Communists. Also, no mutants. Or zombies.

I know I said previously that I'd be interested in this, but I don't think I can divide my time between 3 RPs. And Lord knows how much I want to do an RP set in my old stomping grounds...

[Hornesia]

Kass, what are you on and where can I get some?

Hell no! It's all mine! Get your own -Expletive deleted- you -Expletive deleted- and you can just go and munch on some -Expletive deleted- because you're a selfish -Expletive deleted- no-good, son of a -Expletive deleted- -herding -Expletive deleted-! Also, who'd be upset if I brought up my older RP, Fallen Colony again. I get no one ever displays anything further than a slight peak in interest, but still... I really was hoping it would be a hit.

I'm not saying you're on something, but if you are, maybe put some in the evidence locker for later.

[Hornesia]

I....I don't know.

It maybe my lack of thinking before posting..and *gulp* attention seeking.

There I said it, I finally realized it may be attention seeking.

I like to seek attention too, but not by being an op, besides, I learned my lesson after the first scolding from Nat and You-know-who. Also, don't pull that "it's because I have Aspergers" card because I am diagnosed with it too yet I realize that some people don't want to hear my ideas after a while (I still do my best to try and carry it through, but it never works). High-functioning forms of Autism are no solid excuse, and neither is it coupled with ADHD, ADD (both of which go hand-in-hand). Just find an RP, jump in, build up repertoire that way by sticking with the project as hard as it may seem (or when you grow bored of it, find another to continue exerting your creative impulses while keeping posts going in other ongoing projects) and then when all else fails, then come up with ideas, hold onto them for a week, if you don't find an RP you want to join by the end of that week, then move on with making your own. If any of the ones you are in or have found have attracted more than enough of your attention, repeat all of the steps from coming up with a new RP until the desired results are achieved.

Aspergers and anxiety disorder here. Basically this.

[Altito Asmoro]

I like to seek attention too, but not by being an op, besides, I learned my lesson after the first scolding from Nat and You-know-who. Also, don't pull that "it's because I have Aspergers" card because I am diagnosed with it too yet I realize that some people don't want to hear my ideas after a while (I still do my best to try and carry it through, but it never works). High-functioning forms of Autism are no solid excuse, and neither is it coupled with ADHD, ADD (both of which go hand-in-hand). Just find an RP, jump in, build up repertoire that way by sticking with the project as hard as it may seem (or when you grow bored of it, find another to continue exerting your creative impulses while keeping posts going in other ongoing projects) and then when all else fails, then come up with ideas, hold onto them for a week, if you don't find an RP you want to join by the end of that week, then move on with making your own. If any of the ones you are in or have found have attracted more than enough of your attention, repeat all of the steps from coming up with a new RP until the desired results are achieved.

Aspergers and anxiety disorder here. Basically this.

You are?

Hell no! It's all mine! Get your own -Expletive deleted- you -Expletive deleted- and you can just go and munch on some -Expletive deleted- because you're a selfish -Expletive deleted- no-good, son of a -Expletive deleted- -herding -Expletive deleted-! Also, who'd be upset if I brought up my older RP, Fallen Colony again. I get no one ever displays anything further than a slight peak in interest, but still... I really was hoping it would be a hit.

I'm not saying you're on something, but if you are, maybe put some in the evidence locker for later.

Suree

[Alleniana]

Aspergers and anxiety disorder here. Basically this.

You are?

He's Hornesia...?

[Hornesia]

You are?

He's Hornesia...?

I'm basically a combination of learning differences that couldn't make it in public school.

[Hornesia]

Aspergers and anxiety disorder here. Basically this.

You are?

Full list: Aspergers/High Functioning Autism (Depending upon your stance of how it should be classified), Anxiety Disorder, and Dysgraphia. Nice trifecta.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

"3. Magical Finnish Death Metal playing mech squads destroying Soviet tanks with the magical powers of Death Metal. Because, you know. Fuck realism."

(Not direct quoting because I'm on mobile).

I am more than fine with this, actually.

There's a certain point where you can start playing the utterly absurd straight. The line is hard to find, but it's wonderful.

[Altito Asmoro]

"3. Magical Finnish Death Metal playing mech squads destroying Soviet tanks with the magical powers of Death Metal. Because, you know. Fuck realism."

(Not direct quoting because I'm on mobile).

I am more than fine with this, actually.

There's a certain point where you can start playing the utterly absurd straight. The line is hard to find, but it's wonderful.

Even Nightkill approves of this?

[The Empire of Pretantia]

"3. Magical Finnish Death Metal playing mech squads destroying Soviet tanks with the magical powers of Death Metal. Because, you know. Fuck realism."

(Because I'm not quoting that big old thing Grenartia made)

Indeed Nightkill, this is certainly before that line you mentioned.

Assuming it can be executed in a non-gimmicky way, of course.

[Ayreonia]

"3. Magical Finnish Death Metal playing mech squads destroying Soviet tanks with the magical powers of Death Metal. Because, you know. Fuck realism."

(Not direct quoting because I'm on mobile).

I am more than fine with this, actually.

There's a certain point where you can start playing the utterly absurd straight. The line is hard to find, but it's wonderful.

That's the silliest thing I've heard about the Finnish military, and I've heard a lot. The Soviet Union collapsed over a decade ago!

[Swith Witherward]

So this is mostly just a zombie apocalypse rp in Japan?

So yeah.

Some quick feedback on it... from the chick married to the Japanese guy.

Westerners don't always grasp the way Asians think, unless you're going for an anime feel. Setting it in Japan is interesting, but take into account recent disasters there. The way the society responded to the Tsunami and the earthquakes. Also take into account the gun laws and attitude in that society. Here's some stats, although I don't know how accurate they are: http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/japan.

Also this.

From http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/07/a-land-without-guns-how-japan-has-virtually-eliminated-shooting-deaths/260189/
What is the role of guns in Japan, the developed world's least firearm-filled nation and perhaps its strictest controller? In 2008, the U.S. had over 12 thousand firearm-related homicides. All of Japan experienced only 11, fewer than were killed at the Aurora shooting alone. And that was a big year: 2006 saw an astounding two, and when that number jumped to 22 in 2007, it became a national scandal. By comparison, also in 2008, 587 Americans were killed just by guns that had discharged accidentally.

Almost no one in Japan owns a gun. Most kinds are illegal, with onerous restrictions on buying and maintaining the few that are allowed. Even the country's infamous, mafia-like Yakuza tend to forgo guns; the few exceptions tend to become big national news stories.

The only guns that Japanese citizens can legally buy and use are shotguns and air rifles, and it's not easy to do.

To get a gun in Japan, first, you have to attend an all-day class and pass a written test, which are held only once per month. You also must take and pass a shooting range class. Then, head over to a hospital for a mental test and drug test (Japan is unusual in that potential gun owners must affirmatively prove their mental fitness), which you'll file with the police. Finally, pass a rigorous background check for any criminal record or association with criminal or extremist groups, and you will be the proud new owner of your shotgun or air rifle. Just don't forget to provide police with documentation on the specific location of the gun in your home, as well as the ammo, both of which must be locked and stored separately. And remember to have the police inspect the gun once per year and to re-take the class and exam every three years.

tl:dr If you're going for a realistic RP, your characters might have an extremely difficult time finding weapons to defend themselves. Shotguns and air rifles are available, but try finding a house with one on the fly. That would be difficult. If you're going for an anime feel, the everyone probably has a gun and is a crack shot, or something equally absurd.

Meh. Just my two cents.

[The Grey Wolf]

Well, I've been the OP of an II thread for only 25 hours and now I know why I'm sticking with P2TM.

[The Empire of Pretantia]

Well, I've been the OP of an II thread for only 25 hours and now I know why I'm sticking with P2TM.

What happen.

[The Grey Wolf]

Well, I've been the OP of an II thread for only 25 hours and now I know why I'm sticking with P2TM.

What happen.

OOC in the IC, people wanting their nations to have over a billion inhabittants, people ignoring how real diplomacy works and declaring war right off the bat.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

What happen.

OOC in the IC, people wanting their nations to have over a billion inhabittants, people ignoring how real diplomacy works and declaring war right off the bat.

II can be tough to do. But I haven't tried very much of it lately.

I quite like that virtually every P2TM rp has apps that you need to fill out to join.

[The Grey Wolf]

OOC in the IC, people wanting their nations to have over a billion inhabittants, people ignoring how real diplomacy works and declaring war right off the bat.

II can be tough to do. But I haven't tried very much of it lately.

I quite like that virtually every P2TM rp has apps that you need to fill out to join.

Believe me, I know. Read through a few of them.