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Post by Ms Liberty Too on Jun 18, 2014 14:08:40 GMT -4
In the Spotlight: TigerScript for In the Spotlight! Season 1 Episode 1Theme music ends, spotlights come on left wing, Shadow Elusive enters set Shadow Elusive: Hello, hello [pause for cheering] all you future members of the City of Titans, and welcome to: IN THE SPOTLIGHT! [pause for cheering] Yes, this is the show where we bring the various makers of City of Titans into the spotlight – like it or not [pause for laughter]. And I, Shadow Elusive, PR and Community manager, will be your host for the foreseeable future...or until they figure out my secret identity [pause for laughter]. But enough of that, let's go on to tonight's guest! Please welcome, one of the latest and greatest addition to the art department, Darin 'Tiger' Calhoun! Come on out! Tiger enters set from right, takes seat on right. Tiger: Uh, thanks, it's great to be here. Shadow Elusive takes left seat. Shadow Elusive: It's great to have you. So, your capacity with us at MWM is what, exactly? Tiger: I'm doing concept art, lore, and PR, but I am mainly the artist/writer for the official City of Titans comic book. Shadow Elusive: :double take: Really? An official comic book? Tiger: Yep. I will try to make it a monthly comic. It will be quite a task but I'm working the process out. Shadow Elusive: And you're going to do the whole thing yourself? What about the story you'll be telling, who decides that? Tiger: Well the comic is mainly my purview, but I am working with Robin on that part. We'll have a big meeting in June about the overall concept and details. I would prefer to have the comic reflect the player's experience of the game, have it follow the story arcs of the game issues. I'm going to do my best to involve the players with various contests, but the details on how do to that are still in the works. Shadow Elusive: So you're saying the comics will reflect the experience of a hypothetical player's character in the game? Tiger: Yes. I would like it to go from the moment of empowerment, to fledgling hero, to finding a mentor, joining a group, fighting a major villain with a team, to becoming a fully fledged hero. That's the arc I'd like to follow for the first 12 comics or so. I'd also like to have some comics from other view points, including a heroine, a vigilante, and even a villain. They'd be vignettes at first, and if any of the characters become popular we can spin them off in a one shot or mini series with another artist. Shadow Elusive: Wow, you're really planning to take this all the way huh? Tiger: Yes, including having a physical comic book in comic book stores. Or an e-comic from most providers. Shadow Elusive: So how did you come to be someone who could do all this? What's your story? Tiger: Well, I've always loved comic art. I've been drawing as far back as I can remember. I remember watching the original Batman series with my dad late at night, and in school I'd draw Batman and the rest of the characters from the show. I actually went into the Navy so I could get a college grant to go to Joe Kubert's School of Art. Shadow Elusive: :looks impressed: Well that's dedication. Tiger: I suppose. I was on the USS Iowa from 1986 to 1990. I started out as a boatswain's mate and later became a gunners mate for turret 3, the aft turret. That meant transferring out of my old division. About two months after that I heard there was another comic artist on board. So I went to meet him. Me and the other artist compared portfolios, and we talked until about 3AM. We had high hopes and dreamed of working for Marvel together. Shadow Elusive: I'm getting a bad feeling here... Tiger: On April 19th 1989 there was a detonation in my old turret during a firing run. It killed 47 crewmen, including the other artist. I keep a list of their names on my wall. To remind me of the opportunity I have that my friend doesn't. Shadow Elusive: I'm so sorry...but at least you had the money for art school. Tiger: No, I didn't even have enough for a year. Shadow Elusive: :shocked: What? Tiger: I had to take community college back home. That's when I published with Greater Mercury comics. It was crappy work, but , I was published. Shadow Elusive: Wait, published? You don't happen to have any pictures from that do you? Tiger: Sure, right here Shadow Elusive: :points at screen: Graphics cue! Shadow Elusive: Maybe it's just my untrained eyes, but that doesn't look so bad. Tiger: It's your eyes all right. See, the owner of my comic book shop told me about a local Marvel artist, inker Mike Witherby. I called up Mike and asked If I could bring over my portfolio and he said yes. When I brought it over he looked at me and said, "Whip it out and put it on the table." So I put my best work on the table and he looked at everything. Then he said, "Do you want me to be nice or do you want me to be honest?” Shadow Elusive: :winces: I may not know much about art, but I know what an introduction like that means. Tiger: Yup. I told him to be honest, and he said my art was crap. Shadow Elusive: :groans: I knew it... Tiger: Yes, but it was actually a good thing. He told me why it was bad, and made me an offer. I became an assistant inker under him. I got no credit, but I learned the craft. And that's how my journey as a professional got started. Shadow Elusive: Oh, so Witherby became your mentor. Tiger: Yep. With Mike we did everything from Hulk, X-Men, Ghost Rider, Punisher, and finally Morbius. Mike left Marvel and me when he joined Jim Shooter for the Defiant comic company, which unfortunately didn't last long. I and my best friend self-published his comic The Wild in '95. The Wild was drawn by my friend Josh Diffey. I did the writing, inking, lettering, coloring, and publishing. Shadow Elusive: :interrupting: Hang on, all of that work and no pictures? Tiger: On the contrary Shadow Elusive: :points at screen: Graphics cue! Shadow Elusive: I love doing that...okay, so then what happened? Tiger: After 96' Mavel and DC were no longer accepting mailed in submissions. I did the various comic cons but I never got a break. And then in 2002 I was hit by a semi truck and I couldn't draw any more. Shadow Elusive: :heavy double take: Wait, what??? Tiger: I was hit by a semi. I had severe whiplash and concussion, and the bridges between various functions of my brain were damaged. I had to rebuild those bridges before I could work again. Shadow Elusive: :stunned: Whoa... Tiger: That's when I found City of Heroes. I used video games to stay active as part of my rehabilitation. And City of Heroes was a big part of that. I also started writing a book for the same reason. It took me seven years to finish. By then I'd also regained my ability to draw. Shadow Elusive: Wow...that's quite a story you know. Most people could consider overcoming all that pretty inspirational. Tiger: It's just life. We all have our challenges. There are those out there that have much bigger challenges than me, and they are my inspiration. Shadow Elusive: I guess we all look up from wherever we are. So what happened between then and now? Tiger: Well all my contacts in the industry were gone by then. Career wise, I've been a house husband and aspiring author. But when I heard about the City of Titans project I had to try and be a part of it. I started doing art work on the forums and filled out the volunteer form and four months later they brought me aboard. Shadow Elusive: Wait, don't tell me you weren't doing any drawing. You love drawing that much, you must have been. Tiger: Haha, got me. Well there were lots of little personal stuff of course, but when Champions was in beta I did a pretty detailed drawing of some costume contest winners as a prize. Shadow Elusive: :points at screen: Graphics cue! Shadow Elusive: Thanks, I really wanted to do that one more time. Okay, I think that about wraps it up for today— Tiger: :interrupting: But wait, what about that fan comic I did on the forums? Hurricane Atlas? Shadow Elusive: Nope, out of time. Besides, that's not a dev, we can't put that [announcer voice] IN THE SPOTLIGHT! [canned cheering]. I'm sure some other update will cover it. Tiger: Well, okay. Shadow Elusivee: Great! See you all next time folks on [announcer voice] IN THE SPOTLIGHT! [canned cheers] Fade lights, roll credits Note: Request from Shadow. “Can we break up all those graphics into individual bits so I can yell 'Graphics Cue' more often? Pleeease?”
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Post by spikes on Jun 19, 2014 3:02:31 GMT -4
I think I have that comic book, Rise of the Midnight Sons (or Suns), which I think revolved around Ghost Rider. Might even have the poster hidden away some where. Never heard of The Wild, but cool concept name.
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Post by Ms Liberty Too on Jun 25, 2014 16:16:58 GMT -4
Project Update #89: A Titanic Glossary Posted by Missing Worlds Media ♥ Like
Howdy, Titaneers!
(Who’s the Leader with the Plan that’s good for you and me? D-O-C! T-O-R! T-Y-C-H-E!)
Today, we’re going to give you the first revision of our City of Titans glossary.
We’re making up all kinds of new words. Like ‘cromulent’. Okay, not like ‘cromulent’. Like Raellions. And it’ll probably help if we lay them all out in one place, so that you guys know what we’re talking about. It’s true, some of the things we’re about to say in here contradict earlier things we’ve said. That’s largely because we were keeping things true to what we said in the Kickstarter. But, well, we’ve changed a few things since then. So!
WORDS!
Monetary Words:
Raellion: One Million.
Stars: Our version of Cash Shop Credits. I think I’ve gone over this once or twice, but basically, credit card companies charge transaction fees. If we bill you two cents for a hat, it’ll wind up costing us more to sell the hat to you than we get from it. So we’re going to have to charge chunks of cash, like, five, ten or twenty bucks, then convert that into ‘stars’ which can be used to buy electronic products. It is theoretically possible stars could also be earned in-game, in a similar way to EVE and Wildstar. We’re not going to promise that for sure till just before launch and we have everything coded and tested, but that’s the way we’re headed.
Ingenuity: How much credit you have with the world. Yeah, well, we wanted something that started with INF but nothing sang to us. We’re up to changing it if someone gets a good idea.
Launch: There will be multiple ‘Launch Days’ as the game progresses. The character creator. The demo. The card game. The flamethrower. But the one we all refer to as ‘Launch’ is the one where the game actually opens with more than one zone and multiple people can be on at the same time. Currently, we’re aiming at level 35, with rapid expansions to 50 after. (Everything is planned to 50, but it’s all about money at that point - the more money we have, the more game we can make.) This is the point at which free subscription months will kick in.
Character Building Words:
Character: Your player avatar. Who you are today. Your hero. Your villain. Your tiny piece of art.
Class: Your choice of primary and secondary power set priority and access.
Gladiator: Melee/Protection
Bulwark: Protection/Melee
Striker: Ranged/Support
Guardian: Support/Ranged
Tactician: Control/Support
Taskmaster: Summons/Assault … wait, that one’s not for launch. Oops! Well, let’s say there’s a lot more _categories_ of primary and secondary powers that we want to unleash. But we’re sticking to the simpler ones at start. As we get better at making the game work, we’re going to get a lot more complicated.
Primary Power Set: The thing that defines your class. “I punch things.” “I’m tough.”
Secondary Power Set: The thing that defines your class slightly more clearly. “I punch things… and I’m agile!” “I’m tough… and I’ve got a big hammer.”
Tertiary Power Set: Less powerful, but still handy. “I’m super tough, super strong… and I can shoot heat vision from my eyes.” Good for customizing who you are.
Travel Power: “Oh, and I can fly, too.” You get that one at level 1 - but it won't be at full power till level 15 or so. Don't worry, in case you like the utility of the slower version, there'll be a handy pocket version available to pick up. And no, we're not limiting you to just one - you just get one, for free. If you want it.
Trivial Power: Freebies that you can pick up just for fun. Unlockable emotes, for example. “I’ve got Super-Ventriloquism!” “No, you’re just moving your lips when I talk.”
Mastery: The thing that, combined with all the above, makes you special. This is what breaks the rules of the game. “And people just feel better about themselves when I’m around. They’re inspired, they fight better together.”
Boosts: Sometimes you need a little pick-me-up. These consumable power boosts make you stronger, tougher, faster… briefly. And the fun part is that they’re just a little customizable, too.
Adventure Words:
Here’s another case where we welcome suggestions as to good names.
Swarmling: Has about one HP. But there sure are a lot of them.
Critter: Weaker than a standard enemy. Some kind of tiny imp, generally found in a pack.
Mob: Standard Enemy
Experienced: Tougher Enemy
Boss: Tough Enemy
Named Boss: Really tough enemy, equal to one PC. On the other hand, they don’t get to use Boosts.
Epic Boss: Oh, these guys are tough enough for a whole team. Good thing they’re only found in specific missions, generally. Not free-roaming. Probably.
Monster Boss: These guys? Free roaming. Tough enough for a zone to gang-tackle.
EPIC MONSTER BOSS: Yeaaaaah, uhm. Tastes like Jello.
Plot: A single adventure, generally involving an instanced location.
Story: A series of adventures, with an overall theme.
Arc: A series of stories involving one specific enemy.
Quest: Something that probably involves a princess and a dragon. Not available at launch.
World Words:
Neighborhood: A thematically consistent area within a District, that tends to have similar stories. In New York City, Hell’s Kitchen is a Neighborhood.
District: It’s like a zone, only… bigger. I mean… yeah, you’re gonna need to take the subway here. Manhattan is a District.
Subway: It’s a hole in the ground full of metal boxes people ride in. Also occasionally mole men swarm up and attempt to invade the surface world from it.
Mole Men: CLASSIFIED. (Moley moley mole) Warning: If you dig under the Mole Men's bases, pop up, and accuse them of being vile surface dwellers, they will not get the joke.
Martians: That’s War of the Worlds, not World Words.
Landmark: A significant building or location or even vehicle of some sort, that generally has some history, plot, or adventure behind it.
Blimp: A thing you can ride on.
Trainer: I have no idea what that is. They’re not in this game, at least. There are, however, helpful people that’ll tell you the kind of thing you need to do to train yourself up, or how to make better... well, I'll leave that part for later. You can usually find them at a…
Player Nexus: We do not have quest hubs in this game. The people you meet will either be someone you’re led to, introduced to while doing something else, or just find somewhere. They need help, they’ll call for you. Or you’ll call them. Some of them will have signal watches. Most of those, you’ll wish didn’t have signal watches. Like Timmy Simian. He’s a good kid, though. Anyhow, we do have places where people will tend to congregate - there are player amenities there, places to craft, places to show off, places to hang out.
And that’s our first list of new glossary words. We may add more as the game develops, and we’ll probably revise one or two on this list.
Catch you later, Titaneers!
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Post by difoj on Jun 26, 2014 13:56:26 GMT -4
Time to cancel my donation
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Post by spikes on Jun 27, 2014 2:27:33 GMT -4
If it can fly, it can be shot down . . .
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Post by Ms Liberty Too on Jun 29, 2014 13:24:28 GMT -4
Time to cancel my donation
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Post by Ms Liberty Too on Jul 5, 2014 9:03:21 GMT -4
This is our Independence Day Howdy, Titaneers. Happy Fourth of July. This is Warcabbit with a very important message about independence. First, sit back, and watch our video. Then I’ll explain. We’ve made videos before. You’ve seen them. And I’ve got to tell you something. We used things we bought that other people made for most of them. A building here, an animation there. Even the particle effects from the FX video were pulled straight out of Unreal Engine 4’s library. Not this time. Every special effect, from the mortar launch to the sizzling arc, to the explosion in bright colors, is the loving result of some very hard work from all of our coders and artists. You know we never do anything for just one reason - this was our tool to make sure we had the FX system under our command. I think we’ve got this one. And that’s right - those mortar shells you see launching actually fly through the air, and they’re timed to explode when they hit the apex of the arc, thanks to gravity. Every firework is the result of physics, from ignition to the time the last spark hits the ground. Every spark is a calculated flame, dying on the breeze. The wind can blow it, the smoke can drift, up and down. Every boom, every pop, every crackle is spawned by the animation, at the appropriate time. Nothing is pre-judged, nothing is pre-loaded. And when we say boom, pop, and crackle, they’re there. Our recording software couldn’t pick them up, but they’re built in to the explosion itself. Even better than that, though, is that we had five different people making those fireworks. And each person passed the design to the final person who assembled the whole thing. And, as you can see, it all worked. We’ve learned a few trouble spots we’ll have to clear up, but we’re really starting to make progress on having people work on things together. And that’s something we’ll need. We’re now at a point where we can say many buildings you see are made by one of our artists. I mean, really, how many giant Phoenix shaped lighthouses are there? Well, besides the one in our logo, of course. We’ve got day, we’ve got night. We’ve got a sky with stars, and a sky with clouds. This is how far we’ve come. There are miles to go, and skyscrapers to build, but this is the point where we stand on our own two feet and say, “Happy Independence Day!” And , if you thought this was shiny, wait till the next tech update. Yours, Chris ‘Warcabbit’ Hare, Nate ‘Dr. Tyche’ Downes, DeathSheepFromHell, Petalstorm, Ozonicus, Haki, BobMC, and the rest of the City of Titans family.
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Post by Ms Liberty Too on Jul 9, 2014 22:40:38 GMT -4
Tales from the Underworld: One Night in Charleston
Fog choked the streets of Charleston. The district wasn’t the liveliest part of Titan City at the best of times, and the heavy mist only encouraged people to stay inside all the more. Once, decades ago, Charleston had been a thriving center of art. Its boulevards had played host to wealthy socialites headed to theaters, jazz clubs, and speakeasies. Today, the clubs and theaters were now long shuttered, and the speakeasies devolved into dingy, struggling bars.
And the three men striding purposefully down the sidewalk, bundled in long coats against the damp fog, weren’t wealthy socialites, either, despite their suits. Two swaggered with the broad shoulders and rough faces of experienced bullies. The third, an older man, was less bulky, but he had a look of hard authority, the look of a pragmatic man no one would trifle with. The look of a hardened killer.
“Here it is,” he said. He gestured to a flight of stairs leading down from the sidewalk to a lower-level entrance to a brick building. A neon sign above the doorway proclaimed “the Opal Room.”
They stepped into the club’s vestibule, and to the older man, it was almost like stepping back in time. His uncle, the man who’d inducted him into the Black Rose, had told him stories about this place. Being a member of Titan City’s foremost organized crime outfit hadn’t quite lived up to his childhood fantasies of respect, money, and power. But here, where a smiling hostess and coat-check girl approached to take his men’s overcoats and welcome them into the club … it felt right.
He greeted the hostess—the owner—familiarly. “Evenin’, Miz Palinski.”
She smiled coolly. “Please, Mr. Castilucci, call me ‘Opal.’” It was an apt name. Her fair skin stood out in the dimness of the vestibule, and her long, white hair glistened with a faintly opalescent sheen. “Welcome to the Opal Room, gentlemen.”
One of Castilucci’s younger guards smiled at the blushing coat-check girl, but the other reflexively shoved his hand beneath his sportcoat, toward his shoulder rig, as she approached. Castilucci rolled his eyes. That boy had always been stupid.
Opal arched a fair eyebrow at the young thug. “You know this place is neutral ground, right?” she said. “You and the Five Dragons can shoot at each other as much as you want out on the streets, but in here, you boys behave yourselves. Remember, I’m keeping an eye on you.”
The bodyguard puffed up his chest. “Listen, chippie, if you think you can keep me from—“
Castilucci held up a hand, cutting him off before he could make things any worse. It was all he could do to restrain himself from slapping the kid on the back of the head, but that wouldn’t do. Members of the Black Rose didn’t show disrespect to one another in public.
“Don’t you know anything?” he said. “You make a ruckus in here, Opal can mutant-zap you with so much bad luck you’ll cut your own throat by accident.” The threat of Opal’s powers had kept the Opal Room a safe hangout for Titan City’s underworld for years. Making a scene in here wouldn’t just get the kid killed; it’d embarrass Castilucci, and through him, the Black Rose. Father Omerta wouldn’t be happy. Especially given the reason for tonight’s visit.
Castilucci turned to the young-looking woman. “Sorry, Opal,” he said. “Joey here’s new in Titan.”
“Think nothing of it,” she said, smiling in self-satisfaction. She ushered the three men into the Opal Room’s dim, smoky interior. It was a Wednesday night, and the club was quiet. A tired-looking jazz trio played on a small stage. Tables surrounded a deserted dance floor. Most of the patrons were mundane members of the underworld, like Castilucci and his men. A few costumed villains—a man in a full suit of crimson plate armor, a guy in a black robe with glowing eyes, a woman with a cybernetic arm—rounded out the crowd. Castilucci’s bodyguards stared, but he ignored the costumes. Decades of Titan City’s crime world made even the fantastic seem commonplace after a while.
Opal jerked her thumb over her shoulder, toward a booth at the back dimly lit by an overhead, hanging light.. “Your … uh … friends are waiting over there,” she said wryly. Castilucci nodded his thanks, and Opal withdrew gracefully. Castilucci and his men crossed the empty dance floor and stood before the table.
An athletic-looking woman who appeared to be Chinese sat in the back of the booth. She had short, beautifully styled hair and wore a vivid blue business suit. Like Castilucci, she was flanked by bodyguards. One man wore a shiny suit of some cheap fabric with a wide, open collar. He smiled mockingly beneath a thin mustache. The other wore a bright green martial arts robe, a brace of wooden daggers, and a matching scarf tied around his head.
A sharkskin suit and a bathrobe? Stupid Five Dragons got no sense of class, thought Castilucci.
The woman nodded formally. “Ah, you are the emissaries of the Black Rose,” she said. Despite her prim appearance, she had a serious, contralto voice. “I am Miss Yu, Lady White’s assistant. Milady sends her greetings and honors to your Father Omerta, and hopes and trusts that he prospers.”
Castilucci slid into a chair opposite Miss Yu. The shadows beyond the overhead light hid the rest of the Opal Room, making the table seem even more private than it was
Castilucci let his bodyguards loom over the table, but Miss Yu didn’t seem intimidated. “You Five Dragons,” he said, “always gotta be polite, even when you’re shootin’ us in the heart, eh? Pull the other one, girlie.”
Miss Yu pursed her lips. “Pull the other what?”
He wondered if she was making fun of him. “Never mind,” he said. “We got business to talk. Much as our bosses hate each other, those Barons guys are cuttin’ in on both our,” Castilucci paused significantly, “‘businesses.’
“This new bokor boss of theirs in Ironport … he’s crazy. Offin’ our guys and yours right and left, then sending the bodies back to fight us as those creepy zombis--!” Castilucci choked himself off in disgust. Like many of his Black Rose colleagues, he found magic vaguely disturbing and the Barons’ necromancy doubly so. “It’s sick, is what it is!”
Miss Yu, gently raised a cup of … tea? “Indeed,” she said. “This bokor upends every form of order. Milady grows concerned. She proposes we find a … permanent solution to this problem.”
Castilucci’d thought of that, too, but there was a problem. “An’ how do we do that?” he asked. “We move against the bokor, he weakens us, and you grab Ironport. You move against him, we do the same to you.”
“A joint operation, then,” said Miss Yu.
Castilucci threw up his hands. “There’s no way I’m trustin’ my crews around your magic-flingin’ weirdoes on any ‘joint operation!’”
“You misunderstand,” said Miss Yu, unfazed. “Our two organizations will jointly fund a third party contractor. In fact, I’ve invited him here tonight.” She gestured toward a shadowy figure standing just beyond the lamplight.
The figure stepped forward. He wore a suit of matte black Kevlar and plastic plates, vaguely resembling the plate armor of a late medieval knight. A belt around his waist and a harness on his back held an assortment of dark, utilitarian-looking gadgets. His helmet concealed all but the lower half of his face and veiled that in shadows. A dimly reflective, bluish visor hid his eyes. On his back, he wore a high-tech crossbow.
A costume, Castilucci thought. The kind you don’t cross.
“Miss Yu has told me about your bokor problem,” said the man in a flat, steady voice. “I’ll solve it—permanently—just a little cash down, plus a favor.” He smiled tightly. “You can call me ‘Arbalest.’”
The bokor, Castilucci realized, has no idea what he’d gotten himself into. Uneasily, Castilucci realized he felt the same way himself.
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Post by spikes on Jul 12, 2014 18:42:16 GMT -4
Would be very Stonehedge-ish if the sun fell perfectly thru those wings on the lighthouse structure (as seen in that 4th of july vid), and pointed to some place like in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Additionally, I wonder if all these stories will have any baring on things in the game, such as Exploration Badge locations that these stories hint at, or mission NPCs.
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Post by Ms Liberty Too on Jul 18, 2014 11:23:53 GMT -4
In the Spotlight: Doctor TycheTranscript for In the Spotlight! Season 1 Episode 2[Theme music ends, spotlights come on left wing, Shadow Elusive enters set] SHADOW ELUSIVE: Hello, hello [pause for cheering] all you future members of the City of Titans, and welcome to: IN THE SPOTLIGHT! [pause for cheering] Yes, here is the time and place where we drag key members of MWM up for your personal perusal – by their heels if necessary [pause for laughter]. And I, Shadow Elusive, PR and Community manager, am still your masked host for the evening – they almost caught me changing identities but I got out a window [pause for laughter]. But enough about us, lets get to our new guest! And we've got a real star tonight. Please welcome, the one, the only, the long standing and original, founding member and current President, Nathaniel – Doctor Tyche – Downes! [cheering, Doctor Tyche enters from right, takes a seat] DOCTOR TYCHE: Hello, thanks for having me. [Shadow Elusive takes left seat] SHADOW ELUSIVE: Our pleasure. I just hope we haven't topped ourselves so early in the series. Any chance of a new President to interview someday? DOCTOR TYCHE: Actually, yes. How it works is, we elect 6 people to the board, and they select one of themselves to be the company president. This happens once a year. SHADOW ELUSIVE: [excited] We could have a yearly 'meet the new President' spotlight? Awesome! [turns towards left wing] , is somebody writing that down? ...Okay okay! [turns back to Doctor Tyche looking annoyed] Sheesh, break character for two seconds...Okay, so that's how that works. I assume you could stay president if they decided to reinstate you. DOCTOR TYCHE: Yes. SHADOW ELUSIVE: Well, what exactly does the President do? DOCTOR TYCHE: Honestly? SHADOW ELUSIVE: Well, yes. Why, that little? DOCTOR TYCHE: Manage the board, act as the interim step between the board and the company. Generally manage the company and make sure that the game development and business sides are all on the same page. SHADOW ELUSIVE: So, important but boring, mostly. DOCTOR TYCHE: Yup. Most of my work is still being Technical Director. SHADOW ELUSIVE: Okay then, lets move right along to that. Basics first. DOCTOR TYCHE: As technical director, I have to oversee and manage the technical aspects of MWM. This ranges from developing the software development toolchain to hiring the programmers. While I do not program myself, I need to keep a close watch on the programmers to make sure that they are delivering what was asked for. I also work as 'company scrounger', a lot of the time, digging for better deals for any piece of technology needed. Saving $200 here, $80 here, it adds up. It does mean we do not always get the latest gear, nor get it as quickly as we could if we just dropped on it, but we do get what we need when we need it, well, most of the time. SHADOW ELUSIVE: That would be a sort of unofficial position right? DOCTOR TYCHE: Yes and no. Being the technical director means that I am in charge of procurement. My frugalness is one of the reasons I ended up in the position. If someone better came along I'd be happy to work with them, the key is getting the most bang for the buck. For instance, today we needed a new switch, as we had outgrown the simple one for our servers. This is time critical so we did not have the time to wait for the best price. But I still dug around and found an open box model for almost $100 dollars less than retail, from the manufacturer. SHADOW ELUSIVE: So, what were the other reasons you got the job? DOCTOR TYCHE: I've managed a team in a high stress/high output environment. In other words, I was the manager of a retail store. It may sound unusual, by the reality is, retail management has a lot of skills needed for handling people, regardless of the actual job roles they manage. So, combine my technical know-how, my management skills, and my skills for procurement, and you get a technical director. SHADOW ELUSIVE: No cookies? I hear cookies are supposed to help too. DOCTOR TYCHE: Nope, no cookies. Fudge was the secret bribery material. My wife makes killer fudge. SHADOW ELUSIVE: Ah, the out-of-the-box approach, nice. DOCTOR TYCHE: Heh. SHADOW ELUSIVE: Well, moving on. You mentioned technical know-how. Got a quick and dirty list on that for us? DOCTOR TYCHE: I've been working on computers since my grandfather broke the 6510 in our Commodore 64, forcing us to resolder the socket in order to replace it. I was maybe all of 9 or 10. My father recruited my for his website business when I was 19, which got me familiar with Linux as one of his day job workers, Jon Hall, recommended I learn it. SHADOW ELUSIVE: [nods] DOCTOR TYCHE: I quickly got wrapped up in Linux kernel modifications and building. Eventually got involved with an effort to produce a faster Linux kerel. Stemming from the Stampede Linux effort a small group thought to make a Linux optimized for different systems. It began as Enoch Linux, but was renamed to Gentoo, after a breed of penguin. Those in the Linux community know Gentoo, and the rather maddening methods we employed to create the fastest Linux on the planet. SHADOW ELUSIVE: Uhhh..is that a good thing or a bad thing? DOCTOR TYCHE: Yeah, let's move on and let the IT folk either groan or celebrate at that. After that, wound up working with a neo-Amiga company. When the bottom fell out of the PowerPC market I wound up working for Ritz Camera. Spent a few years in retail before going back into computers. At first a contractor, developing web server solutions, improving the performance of database clusters, I wound up working for Stream Global Solutions, a major support sub-contractor for Dell Computers. I worked for them for two years, moving up the ladder to their server training area. Left them to become a writer. And yet, here I am, working on technical systems instead of the novel I'd planned on. SHADOW ELUSIVE: Do you regret that? I mean, I'm sure you don't regret helping CoT in general, but do you regret letting the novel slide? DOCTOR TYCHE: Nope, there will be time to write it when the time comes. SHADOW ELUSIVE: So, one dream at a time eh? DOCTOR TYCHE: Don't have time for more than one. SHADOW ELUSIVE: Which beats having time for none. So! I think we're out of time and I think we got our time's worth – even if you didn't bring me any fudge. You realize this was technically an interview. DOCTOR TYCHE: But you didn't even pa— SHADOW ELUSIVE: [interrupts quickly] Well wasn't that a great interview folks, so long and see you next time [announcer voice] IN THE SPOTLIGHT! [canned cheering] [curtains, credits] Note (from producer): Can we please have someone talk to Shadow about his professional behavior on screen? He's driving me crazy [scrawled underneath note by hand] 'Give me fudge cookies! Shadow Elusive'. FROM THE TEAM TO THE COMMUNITY: We'd like to remind you all that the KS perks are being managed through our website, you'll need to make an account there to be kept up to date and receive non-tangible perks. We encourage everyone to join.
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Post by spikes on Jul 19, 2014 11:35:14 GMT -4
FROM THE TEAM TO THE COMMUNITY: We'd like to remind you all that the KS perks are being managed through our website, you'll need to make an account there to be kept up to date and receive non-tangible perks. We encourage everyone to join. Has anyone signed up, I guess I should soon to keep up to date on the perks? and not sure why libby's quote got so big ? ?
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Post by difoj on Jul 19, 2014 18:56:41 GMT -4
I thought I did back yonder, but it said my email wasn't valid so I signed up "again"
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Post by Ms Liberty Too on Aug 2, 2014 19:21:05 GMT -4
Superior Fashion Sense - A Doctor Tyche RequirementOne of the oft overlooked qualities of the vigilantism and villainism found throughout Titan City is the rapid growth of costuming flair as time expands forward to my inevitable domination. When I began, it was so common to find people who were wearing what was, for lack of a better term, pajamas with brightly colored underwear on the outside. I cannot count the number of times I faced off against someone who was wearing long johns or ballet tights. It was outright embarrassing. Today however, a wide variety of costuming options are available. For those with the money to spend, there are several fashion boutiques who cater to those who lack the time or skill for costuming. They offer a wide variety of elements, materials, cuts, and patterns which can be combined to create any look or feel you wish, for a price. For the do it yourself person, like myself (I would never be caught dead shopping retail) the options are far more plentiful, even if you must do more work to get that particular look you wish. Have you ever tried to locate meter-long vacuum tubes lately? Ignore those who would have you fit some mold, where you have to wear some special 'gear' to be viewed favorably. Narrow box thinking has no place in Titan City. I expect all of you who would dare challenge my absolute rule to at least carry with you a basic concept of fashion. Failure to do so only makes your inevitable defeat all the more humiliating. Now, putting your head into a new super suit, especially for one so new to this business we are in, this requires a lot of forethought. What image do you wish to present? The goody-two-shoes? The menacing brooder? Your concept lends itself to a palette, both in color as well as texture. Your brooder will likely have leather, chains, and various other dark and gothic elements, while the goody-two-shoes is apt to be dressed in bold colors, using fine silks and sparkling like a Seattle vampire to just ooze “I'm a good guy” when he breaks into your lair for the 8th time that day. Since any pattern can be matched with any color or material, this means that the brooder and goody-two-shoes from above may be using the exact same pattern of clothing, but thanks to the wonders of modern fashion will look completely different. Identifying the right pattern to give you the look desired can be time consuming, but the results are well worth it. Of course layering can be key to any outfit. What would the brooder be without their trench coat-covered angst after all? The right top layer can be what makes or breaks any would-be hero or villain. Armored suit, jacket, bandoliers, ammo belts, or my personal favorite the magnetic control suit, the right exterior can make or break the impression upon your victims – from coats to helmets, the sky is the limit. Be you a dapper gentleman or a blood soaked monstrosity, always pay careful attention to your outfit. I expect to see each and every one of you arriving at my door dressed appropriately for the occasion. Otherwise, well, the humiliation will be most extreme.
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Post by Ms Liberty Too on Aug 7, 2014 16:23:43 GMT -4
Art - T-shirt of the MonthThis week we’re going to talk about some of the less direct ways the art department lends effort to the project. We recently showed earlier shirt designs from the Kickstarter, and they were so popular that we decided on expanding that. Starting with Anthem in September, we will begin to introduce a new t-shirt design every month. These shirts will be available for that month and then they’re gone. Okay. Maybe not completely gone - we haven’t ruled out releasing them again in the future. Our first shirt in the series is by one of our principle concept artists, Kateland Morris. Kateland is responsible for designing the core look and feel of all of our factions and a number of principle characters like the Rooks below. Without further ado, Anthem! Pricing and purchase links will be available on September 1st. Next month - Character Building! Written by - Petalstorm P.S. You will be able to meet Kateland for yourself along with editor Stephanie Smith and writer Jack Snyder at Dragoncon where they will be discussing what we have done so far, and where we are going.
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Post by spikes on Aug 12, 2014 0:52:48 GMT -4
along the lines of t-shirts, I think the following clip could be said for CoT. Get the name out and make money at the same time.
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Post by Ms Liberty Too on Aug 16, 2014 19:55:45 GMT -4
Vril - Urban Legend Or World Domination?Titan Chronicle By Anton Knight In the annals of World War II, there have been many tales of the incredible programs put forth by the Third Reich. From their Ubermensch chemical augmentation program to the genetic alteration of animals to create beasts of war, it is well documented that, to the scientific arm of the Nazi party, there was no such thing as an experiment they would not attempt in order to gain an edge against the super powered elite of the Allies. One of the lesser known programs, however, was the attempt to find, and then utilize, the forgotten technology of what they knew as the Aryan race. They had built up a huge mythology about it, believing even that the Earth itself was hollow, and that the entrance to the interior, where all of the Aryan technology awaited, was to be found in Antarctica. Now, the Antarctican mission at the end of the war is well known, that the hidden base they had built near the south pole was destroyed by a surprise Soviet raid. What is not well known is what the inspectors of the base found, but thanks to new documents uncovered after the fall of the iron curtain, we can reveal to you now. The base which was destroyed was manned with hundreds of men, each carrying weapons that, upon casual inspection looked to be normal German weaponry. But upon closer examination, things began to look very unusual. Instead of being assembled, the components looked to be a completely solid object, with only the moving pieces independent of the main assembly. No seams, no bolts, no welds, as if the entire system was manufactured out of a single piece of metal. Then there were the bodies themselves. For all of the talk of a master race, Germans were as diverse in height, weight, and facial feature as anyone else. But not these soldiers. According to the records, every single one measured 184cm tall, weighed 82kg. And the faces, while not identical, looked as if close relatives, brothers, and of a uniform age. Even more unusual, the autopsies made particular note, none of the cadavers had a navel, nor any scar as if the bellybutton were removed. Outside of the base, there were round indications in the ground, as if there had been something resting in those spots beforehand. The purposes of these were never resolved, nor were whatever had rested there located. Within the facility, the majority of the records were burned, but a few fragments survived. These fragments discussed a facility known only by the code name Vril. In Nazi mythology, Vril was the term for a “life giver” in a novel popularized in Nazi Germany at the time. Included on these fragments was a symbol, the Black Sun of the Thule Society, a band of Nazi occultists who all had thought were extinguished years before. This same symbol was found on the armor of all of the soldiers which had been killed, adorning their helmets and chests. Whatever this Vril is, if it ever existed at all, there has remained a school of thought focused on this strange incident. Whispers and conspiracy thoughts that they had indeed found this “Vril” and were now in control of the most powerful energies known to mankind. Serious scholars scoff at the thought of a hidden band of Nazis still existing, hiding out ready to strike at some point in the future. They dismiss claims by others of seeing flying disks, UFO's, sporting the Black Sun, or of strange masked soldiers who answer to none yet stand in support of them. But to those who believe, it is all too real. With the real worries of the modern world, where a lone figure such as Cumulus Rex can destroy a city in a single night, worrying about strange leftover soldiers from World War II seems almost quaint. But in the shadow, some people continue to insist, the Vril are waiting, watching, and preparing for their time to strike.
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Post by spikes on Aug 17, 2014 12:48:39 GMT -4
lol what's a game without Nazis. given all the crazy things they did, lots of options.
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Post by Ms Liberty Too on Aug 29, 2014 21:18:43 GMT -4
Highway To The Danger RoomThis is Warcabbit coming at you, straight out of Game Tech. It’s one of the hats I wear at City of Titans, and it’s one of the ones I’m proudest to wear. I’m lucky. I have two guys who are smarter than I am working with me. One’s got a PhD in Industrial Engineering (Complex Systems) and the other’s got a PhD in Physics (Education). And, every so often, I manage to contribute an idea that they haven’t thought of yet. It makes me feel METAL! Now, when you get down to it, there’s not much _to_ Game Tech when it’s done. If I were to say, “Roll a D20, add some numbers, compare to a target.” you’d know it’s Dungeons and Dragons, and the fact that there’s not _that_ much more to it is what makes it work. Getting there is a lot more hassle. We have the Function and the Lens, and both of those are critically important to what makes the game work. And we’ll tell you about them both… a lot closer to Alpha. (Whoever winds up making the next generation of Mids is going to need to know all about it. We’ll help, if we don’t do it ourselves.) Right now, I’m going to tell you about some of that ‘add some numbers’ business. Take everything I say here as something less than the final truth. We’ve been working on this a while, and we know the system as a whole will work, but we need to do some play testing on the exact numbers. Any specific item may change a bit before we’re done. Now, I’m a gamer, and I’ve been gaming long enough that I thought pong machines were a really neat idea. (I still think digital wrist-watches are a really neat idea.) I’ve been playing Dungeons and Dragons and Marvel Super Heroes and DC Heroes by Mayfair and Champions and Superworld and Villains and Vigilantes and Gurps Supers and Mutants and Masterminds. And a thousand other games, other genres, and other styles. ( League of Hoboken, anyone?) When it comes down to superheroes, I've learned a few things. Number one: It feels best, to me, when the hero is the character you develop, the powers you assign, and the style you choose. Giving a “+6 To Punching Glove” is just wrong. But if you happen to have a Punch attack, giving it 4D6, and NND for a Chi Punch? That feels right. I have limits on what I can do, on how good I am at balancing, and at how much experience I have, so I can’t promise you custom powers - yet - but there are things I can do to make the game feel more like what you want. One of them is learning lessons from the past. Final Fantasy VII was interesting. It was a step towards a gearless game. It mattered as much what you put into your gear as what your gear was, and you could choose. You could choose thunder, or fire, or water… So let’s go with that. Your power exists, but how much of what it does, is decided by the things you put in it, like something from SW:TOR. So! Your power is defined. For now, let’s say it’s an Energy Blast! Single target, decent range, good amount of power to it. It…. oh, let’s say it’s an Electrical Blast, which leaves you weakened and slowed. Seriously, I’ve been tazed and it just left me flopping on the ground not really wanting to move for a bit. (And if you touch Superman when he gets shocked, you get super powers! It’s true! Happened like three-four times.) Well. You’ve gone up a level, and you want to power it up. You notice you just got something from leveling up. It’s an Augment Socket. Place the Augment Socket in your power. There you go, one socket, ready to take an Augment. Better find an Augment to put in it. Here’s one. Damage. I like damage. , what’s this? You put it in the socket, and now there’s another socket below it. That’s a Refinement Socket. Some Augments have no Refinements. Some have one. A very few ones have two or three. Now, this is interesting. I’ve got a Refinement in my inventory too. It’s Accuracy. I can’t put an Augment in my Refinement Slot, and I can’t put a Refinement in my Augment slot, so I can’t do the equivalent of full-slotting just for damage, can I? Not until mixed sets exist. (Mixed sets won’t exist at launch. We need a lot of data mining before we can say what’s useful.) Let’s level up a few more times. Two, three, and that’s four. Four Augments per power. Right now, a base Augment is a 25% boost, so that’s 100% damage if you slot for nothing but damage. This may change as we test things, and certainly, we expect to have more powerful Augments later. Don’t worry, we’ve balanced for it all. (The numbers are not, strictly speaking, exact, due to various formulas involved - that 25% boost is to something called Output you’ll hear more about one day, and not Damage directly.) But what’s this? There’s something right on my power set. I can put an Augment there. But it won’t take just any Augment. It’ll take a Power Set Augment. What do these do? Well, we’ve talked about how you can customize your attack’s color - red lightning, blue lightning - and its animation - pulse-sharp shocks, a constant stream, a jacob’s ladder - and how you can even use weapons with it or not, if you choose - a magic wand, a ray gun… but what if you want more than we give you? What if you take this two-blades set and you want it to symbolize the focused totality of your psychic energies? Well, we can’t predict everything, but we can give you a punch dagger. And you can paint it translucent pink. Good start. But it won’t be the same unless it does psychic damage. So… let’s find a Psychic Power Set Augment and put it in. , look. Now your knife does Psychic Damage instead, and your enemies all get headaches when you stab them. Flaming Fists? Freezing Bullets? It’s all possible. No Refinements there, though. This works for primary and secondary and even tertiary power sets. But sometimes there’s weird things, like a static bonus to regen, or a travel speed boost for all power sets. Those kind of power set augments get to live in your tertiary sets. But you only get one or two per character. Now, these are just the default types. And they’ve got a limited number of things they can do. Extra damage, extra accuracy, less energy spent, extra secondary power boost, extra primary power boost, extra protection of various types. If you get 49 levels above the place you got it at, it’ll decay to half power, but it won’t fail entirely. Crafted items? Well… those are another story. And I’ll give you two little teasers. First, you’re not going to be carrying around fifty pairs of fairy pants. The things you make come from what you see and do and think of, not from looting the fallen. Second, remember what I said about mixed sets? Those may not exist, but simple sets will. Slot three of the right kind of augment, and you might just get a little bonus. And they don’t decay at all. Catch you later, heroes. And villains. Augment yourselves! Read a book! As always, to discuss this update, catch us over at the City of Titans forum.
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Post by Ms Liberty Too on Aug 29, 2014 21:20:15 GMT -4
Tales from the TCPD: The Ironport Fiasco (Composition)The call for SWAT came in late in the day. Low, autumn sun shone in Kathleen Aurelia’s eyes as the SWAT van forced its way through the evening traffic on the Hercules Bridge. She’d been in Titan City only a few months, and she’d seen some frightening things here, fighting alongside SWAT. But even now, in the chilly, autumnal evening light, she loved it. “ “Nervous, Aurelia?” said Lenny Alvarez, crouched across from her on the van’s functional seats. “Not with you backing me up in that,” she said. She gestured absently at Lenny’s gear. It took up most of the rest of the compartment; they rode alone in the second of two SWAT vans dispatched to the crisis. She looked up to catch Lenny grinning crookedly at her. “You’re just jealous because my outfit’s more slimming than your body armor.” Kathleen just smiled and shook her head. This was Lenny’s way of dealing with the tension—bantering. She’d discovered over the past few weeks that it helped her, too. “Admit it. You only trained on that thing because you wanted to have an excuse to say, ‘Time to put on the old COP suit.’” Lenny pretended to think for a moment. “Well, I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t a big factor.” When Kathleen didn’t laugh, he added, “Seriously, I’ve heard there were some delays on deploying these things because it took NWT and the city six months to think up an acronym that spelled ‘cop.’” He laughed. Kathleen continued watching the scenery, such as it was, through the reinforced window. She lived in Hollybriar, which remained suburban despite the development in the rest of Aurora over the past fifty years. She still hadn’t seen much of South Titan, except on rides like this. They moved faster now that they’d left the bridge traffic behind. They navigated past deserted factories and refurbished condos rubbing shoulders uneasily in Clarkstown. Soon, the eclectic, inexpensive buildings and scattered art installations of Highpoint flashed by. Kathleen had nearly moved there rather than Aurora; Highpoint had the reputation of being cheap and fun while still being relatively safe. They passed by a café, and she heard a split second of music from inside. They crossed into the unlovely, functional cinderblock and metal buildings of Ironport. Though the sky remained streaked with yellow and orange, the dim blue of early evening had fallen in the deserted streets of the shipping district, turning warehouses and loading docks indistinct. They rounded a corner and emerged beside an immense dock stacked with enormous cargo containers. Piles of wooden pallets burned like bonfires. The van rolled to a stop behind one of the containers. Kathleen donned her helmet and glanced at Lenny. “I’ll be right behind you,” he said. “Just gotta put on the old … well, you know.” Kathleen grinned. She slung her New World Technologies-made shock rifle over her shoulder on its carry strap and swung out the van’s rear doors. Outside, the damp breeze from the bay alternated with the heat of the flames. Across the dark water, the lights of North Titan twinkled. Kathleen hurried to the SWAT command post, beside two more vans that had already discharged their occupants. Chief Gherrenfur stood in the center of the group, dressed in Kevlar armor much like Kathleen’s. His eyes gleamed, reflecting the flames far more brightly than the humans’. “Aurelia,” he said, nodding in greeting. “Where’s Alvarez?” “Right here, sir,” said Lenny’s voice, now tinged with electronic overtones. Heavy footsteps rattled on the pavement beneath her. Kathleen looked around to see her fellow officer approaching, now armored in his Computer Operated Protective Suit. The COP Suit added a foot to his height and covered him in black and white plates of high-impact plastic, making him resemble a human-shaped prowl car. Behind his transparent faceplate, he winked at Kathleen. “I just had to put on my—“ “Yes, Alvarez, we know.” Gherrenfur growled softly and rolled his eyes. “Here’s the situation, team.” He gestured toward a dockside warehouse with a clawed hand. “Two hours ago, Detective Aragon of Narcotics arrived here for an undercover operation. He was posing as an envoy to the Pyrebrands from a drug cartel from someplace off in South America, where they supposedly have their own supply of Chaser.” Many of the officers nodded in immediate understanding. The Pyrebrands were Titan City’s biggest distributors—and consumers—of Chaser, the superdrug that granted advanced-stage addicts powers over fire. For over a decade, detectives had suspected that the Black Rose controlled the Pyrebrands’ Chaser supply, and thus the gang, though they’d never found proof sufficient to stand up in court. An independent source would free the Pyrebrands to make a bid for power of their own. “Aragon was sniffing for evidence that would tie the Pyrebrands to the Black Rose conclusively, something that’d hold up in court,” Gherrenfur continued. “But the operation went sour. Just as Aragon began the meeting, a hero bursts in, starts busting heads, and in the confusion, Aragon’s cover gets blown.” Gherrenfur’s hackles stood up, and several officers muttered about “stupid hero hotshots.” “Enough,” said Gherrenfur. “Stay focused, team. Plus, turns out this hero—his name’s Topaz—bit off more than he could chew. Aragon was meeting with Skullcharred himself.” A couple officers whistled, and Kathleen blinked in surprise. No wonder Chief Gherrenfur was here in person. Skullcharred—formerly pro football player Thomas “the Wash” Washington—had been the biggest sports scandal in decades when he vomited flames all over an opposing player in a championship game. His career ruined, he’d turned to Chaser with a vengeance and turned the Pyrebrands into an underworld power, ultimately taking the name “Skullcharred.” “Skullcharred,” Lenny scoffed. “Sounds like a kind of smoked fish.” “Shut up, Alvarez,” ordered Gherrenfur. “Skullcharred himself bugged out as soon as the hero showed up, but he left a big contingent of his fire-flinging senior Pyrebrands behind. We’ve forced them back into the warehouse, but they’ve taken Aragon and this Topaz idiot hostage. They’re refusing to negotiate. I don’t have to tell you how crazy threatened Pyrebrands can be. Sooner or later, they’ll take out their frustration on Aragon and Topaz. We’ve gotta get in there, rescue those hostages, and take out twenty or thirty Pyrebrands, before this turns into an even bigger fiasco.” He looked slowly around the circle, locking eyes with each officer in turn. “This’ll be a tough operation, but I know you’re all up to it. We have two viable access points: the front door and a delivery dock with a sliding gate around the back. Alvarez, you’ll lead a team in through the front door.” The circle had gone even more silent as Gherrenfur discussed tactics, and Kathleen heard a soft buzz of servos as Lenny nodded in response to the command. “Once the gangers are occupied, I’ll lead a second team in through the delivery port and hit them from behind.” Gherrenfur rattled off a string of names assigned to each team. Kathleen would be part of the second team, attacking from the back. “Let’s go,” the Chief said. “Time’s wasting for those hostages.” Whirling red and blue lights, like the light bar of a squad car, lit up on the chest of Lenny’s COP Suit. The teams moved into position. Moments later, Kathleen’s team waited silently at the delivery door. Gherrenfur’s pointed ear twitched, and Kathleen heard the sounds of gunshots, muffled bangs, crackling flame, and muddled shouting from inside. Gherrenfur nodded. Two breachers, SWAT troopers equipped with personal rams and shotguns, smashed in the delivery door. Thick smoke billowed out of the aperture. The troopers donned gas masks, and they stepped inside, covering each other with their weapons. The warehouse’s interior was chaos. Streamers of tear gas and smoke swirled through the cavernous space. Sparks of gunfire and gouts of flame from the Pyrebrands lit the clouds like far-off lightning. Flashing beams of red and blue from Lenny’s lights cut through the smoke. Above the cacophony of weapons fire, flaming blasts, and furious shouts, Gherrenfur’s voice rang out beside her, “Everyone down on the ground, now!” Unfortunately, no Pyrebrands complied. Kathleen sighted for targets down the gleaming barrel of her shock rifle. It wasn’t as easy as aiming a firearm. The glowing lights around the shroud kept washing out her vision. With a scream, a Pyrebrand charged at her out of the cloud of gas. As it always did when she faced combat, time seemed to slow down for her, and she caught every detail of the onrushing ganger. He showed only the earliest signs of Chaser dependence: a red flush to his skin, bloodshot eyes, and some slight cracks in the skin of his hands and around his eyes. He wore the gang’s usual mixture of red and black street clothes covered with flame patterns, as if he’d painted his clothes to resemble a ‘70’s muscle car paint job. He held a knife high in one hand, ready to stab down inexpertly. Spittle flew from his mouth as he charged her. Kathleen fired a short blast from the shock rifle. The lack of recoil always surprised her, but she managed not to pull off-target. The lights around the shroud flared, and a crackling beam of energy rippled from the barrel to the center of the crazed Pyrebrand’s chest. He dropped, convulsing. Kathleen scrambled atop a pile of crates in one corner of the room. There, she could look down through the chaos and spot targets for the shock rifle. Clouds of gas and smoke shifted and whirled around her, hiding and revealing a dozen scenes of battle. The chaingun built into Lenny’s suit’s forearm spun as it unleashed a hail of bullets. Energy crackled around its other hand as it backhanded a Pyrebrand away. A Pyrebrand with glowing, red-hot cracks in his skin gestured angrily and flung a wave of fire toward two troopers. Gherrenfur, his fanged jaws wide and seemingly unaffected by the gas and smoke, screamed orders Kathleen couldn’t hear over the roar of flames and gunfire. As quickly as it had begun, the battle wound down. The smoke cleared to reveal more than a dozen Pyrebrands sprawled on the warehouse floor, some slain, but most alive, cuffed with high-tech shackles, and looking none too happy. Troopers clustered around a single, fallen officer. Lenny loomed just behind them in his COP suit. “Find them!” shouted Gherrenfur. “Find Topaz and Aragon!” His nose twitched. Kathleen gingerly stepped down from the heap of crates. She stumbled over a body half-buried in broken slats and other debris. She heard a groan. She knelt down and flung the debris aside. A powerfully built man in an amber-colored outfit lay beneath it. Kathleen spotted an elaborate, Art Deco-style pistol or ray gun holstered at the man’s hip and the tattered remnants of a cape around his shoulders. Tinted goggles covered his eyes. Dark burns marred his suit. “Chief!” she cried. “I think I found Topaz! He’s injured!” Seemingly in moments, a paramedic knelt beside her, working feverishly on the hero’s injuries. When had the paramedics arrived? Kathleen withdrew to give him space. She drew up beside Gherrenfur, who stood with Lenny, watching as officers secured Pyrebrands’ cuffs and read them their rights. “Aurelia,” said Lenny, sounding more serious and more nervous than she’d ever heard him, “are you all right?” She nodded tightly. Stumbling across the horribly burned Topaz had been far more disturbing than the firefight itself. “Aurelia,” said Gherrenfur. He looked at her levelly. “Good job today.” “Thank you, sir,” she said. To her disgust, her voice came out slightly breathless. “Your first major operation,” Gherrenfur said. “You did well.” His voice dropped to a soft, steady growl. “Now, relax, and let it all go.” She nodded. “Sir!” shouted one of the other officers. “This Pyrebrand lying here, at the base of this wall … this isn’t a Pyrebrand. It’s Aragon, sir!” “Don’t tell me, you fool. Paramedic, to that officer!” Gherrenfur pointed. “No, sir,” said the trooper. “He’s been hit in the back of the head with some kind of energy weapon. Aragon is dead.” Gherrenfur snarled incoherently. Kathleen exchanged an uncertain glance with Lenny. Something told her that this fiasco was just the beginning. Discuss this update here: cityoftitans.com/forum/discuss-tales-tcpd-ironport-fiasco-composition
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Post by Ms Liberty Too on Aug 29, 2014 21:21:29 GMT -4
Find Us at Pax And DragonCon (Time-Sensitive News)Okay. So! Two big conventions this weekend, and we've got a presence at both. DragonCon: We've got Cajun Catfish, Jack Olantern, and Conundrum of Furballs all present, and we've got our very own panel: videogaming.dragoncon.org/2014/07/29/missing-worlds-media/ - this should be the link, but the site seems to be down. Missing Worlds Media Presents: City of Titans Time: Sat 02:30 pm Location: Grand Salon E - Hilton (Length: 1) City of Titans , the spiritual successor to City of Heroes, is being put together by a group of volunteer developers left homeless by the closure of the game. Pax: Nate "Dr. Tyche" Downes himself is going to be there, and he's doing a panel. prime.paxsite.com/schedule/panel/its-complicated-developers-relationship-with-backersIt's Complicated: Developers' Relationship with Backers Developers on Kickstarter need backers to fund their games, but what happens after the money comes in and the developers get back to work? We talk to a panel of developers who have run successful Kickstarters about how they handle development with thousands of stakeholders. Learn how to use the pressure and feedback to make a better game without it being overwhelming, and about what backers can do to help. Panelists: Matt Gilgenbach [President, Infinitap Games], Ryan Dancey [CEO, Goblinworks], Nate Downes [President, Missing Worlds Media], Lat Ware [Founder, Crooked Tree Studios], Colin Sullivan [Attorney, CrowdCounsel] Sandworm Theatre Saturday 8/30 4:00PM - 5:00PM And . Have fun out there. Discuss this news update here: cityoftitans.com/forum/discuss-find-us-pax-and-dragoncon-time-sensitive-news
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Post by Ms Liberty Too on Aug 29, 2014 21:23:22 GMT -4
Just so you don't miss anything the previous 3 posts are all new.
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Post by spikes on Sept 1, 2014 1:42:22 GMT -4
thanks for posting libby, as the powers will be interesting. they really seem to be working on uniqueness of player toons appearance and powers. Got to watch that MMO review of Dragon something? cause the people mentioned what they think makes a good MMO - and that is being invested in the game and if you have a toon that is yours and only yours you feel some attachment to that toon. there needs to be more conventions in the NE - ! only thing I ever got to was a States and ?maybe Positron appearance at Fat Jacks in Philly, and stupid disposal camera film did not develope but at least got a nerf bat signed by States. They had a question contest for a free CoV game, but I had to decline cause I had enough accounts - got a game card I never used.
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Post by Ms Liberty Too on Sept 22, 2014 22:44:28 GMT -4
Proving to the Producer (Tech, Video) 3 comments 25 likes
One of the hardest challenges the technical department has come across has nothing to do with code at all, but is a limitation of imagination. Those who don't have experience working with the code often have difficulty imagining just what it is we can actually do with the engine.
They come from older systems, older games, and often can't grasp that the limitations they grew used to just don't exist anymore. To prove that we can do more, often times we need to build little demonstrations.
But, instead of wasting time on just a throwaway demo, we incorporate these into other systems we are prototyping, so we can reuse the code and systems later on.
One area which some folk were having a tough time grasping was the ability to blend and vary the length of animations. We needed to demonstrate, so we incorporated a system to do so into our character creation camera control UI framework, allowing us to mix animations to go from standing still, to walking, to jogging, to running, and even adding in a jumping animation to the mix.
And these systems can be reused later on when we do the animation selection and posing system for the avatar builder. There is no waste, just the need to demonstrate a system with an eye for reuse later on - like the reuse of the 4th of July explosions. Reduce, reuse, recycle, as the saying goes.
Obviously, the UI itself has not been fully developed, none of the lovely artwork which will be featured by the time we release it. This is just the proof framework, the underlying guts exposed to the world.
But what it can do already is close to feature complete. As you can see, the controls enable us to control the position of the camera and player model. We can scale it, focus on the face or body, and manipulate the way it behaves. Whatever we need. Now it will be progressed to the artists, to help improve the look and feel of the system.
And adding more controls, from color picking to material selection, is relatively straightforward as well. Symmetrical, or not, no problem for the framework to handle. We expect that the basic system here will be used throughout the costume selection and power construction areas.
Of course, this is just the beginning, the very baby beginnings of the character builder. You'll see more as time goes on.
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Post by spikes on Sept 23, 2014 10:55:56 GMT -4
One area which some folk were having a tough time grasping was the ability to blend and vary the length of animations. I think there was a company suing NCSux and some other companies for stealing their code for this tech. Don't think the lawsuit went any where, but hiring lawyers is expensive. However, by now, it's more common place. Therefore, might be hard to prove code was stolen when so many people are using it.
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Post by difoj on Oct 1, 2014 22:37:27 GMT -4
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