OOC Thread 7

[Persephone]

lol Vil...whoops, didn't realized I could do that.

And i'll be gone for 10 days with little to no computer access. I'm heading up to North Carolina tonight until Saturday night then i'll be heading down to Boca Raton and Miami until probably around Friday of the following week. My grandmother has internet, but it's dial up, so i'll try and check in if I can. If I don't have a chance to get on before I leave tonight, bye guys!

 

[Karma]

have a safe journey and a fun time! :nod: ill "fill in" for pandora if necessary.

 

[Persephone]

Hey all. I just wanted to let everyone know that i'll be home tomorrow [Thursday] afternoon. I've been reading everyone's progress and it's been entertaining, great job.

And Farrah, just let me know when you need me for any of the alternate timelines because i'll be able to actually RP tomorrow evening if need be.

 

[Black Widow]

welcome back in advance!

I, on the other hand, have a not so cheery update to share.

I finally got the dreaded call from the computer tech about my pc. It was a kick in the teeth, basically. Hard drive's shot. over $330 to replace. I figure I might as well get a new one since mine was over 3 years old and they've come a long way since then. This might not be so bad if the timing were better but my jeep needs new tires, so that comes first.

All is not lost.... I'll be able to continue to use my sister's pc... but in a limited capacity.... because after all... it IS hers and she wants to use it too.

 

[Clara Oswald]

Just ask yourself: WWHD? lol (What Would Haleigh Do?)

 

[Seer]

I'm heading out of town tomorrow (to detroit) and so if enough people post...I can move us on tonight. I'll be able to post while im in Detroit so don't worry about the game stalling.

i have one "stop" the team has to make before they get to the first major timeline they will spend time in (with Malice, Blackout, Helena and Shadow Weaver :fdevil: )

and then of course when they leave there (finally) they will probably see another "phantom" or two before getting ot the final place where Alison and Ava are.

 

[Black Widow]

LOL Vil. Haleigh, upon answering the phone and receiving the not so great news, would launch into the following response:

"You know.... many centuries ago, those in power communicated by sending messengers back and forth.... when a ruler did not like the message.... he or she simply killed the messenger. I don't like the message you've delivered me. how much time do you request to get your final affairs in order?"

 

[Persephone]

LOL Lexi. That blows about your computer. I'm having computer problems too. I went onto a website the night before I left and ended up getting a backdoor Trojan and a Network Worm, so my dad has to completely wipe out my computer to get rid of the viruses. So as it stands now, i'm on my sisters computer too LOL. I probably won't be on as much as I usually am until he gets mine up and running again, but I will be able to post as well.

 

[MorningStar]

Just letting everyone know I held off posting the wormhole thing because I wasn't sure where we would go lol and I didn't know if Oracle had any plans for us, so I thought I'd wait. But if there is somewhere I should post getting us to if someone just let'sme know I'll post it in the morning

 

[Karma]

Important!

there's some stuff going on that ive been watching and now i feel i need to comment on it because its getting a bit out of hand.

Garrick, our characters need drama to balance the action but realistically speaking, was it REALLY necessary for him to cause Delilah's arm to BREAK? from a reader's stand point that looks brutal and heavy handed and while i NORMALLY dont criticize the actions the characters take (unless its totally illogical and deviates from where the story is going) THAT seemed a bit much and for what reason?

also, Nicolas has been getting into the habit of negating attacks and hits AGAIN. i didnt say anything in THIS thread because i assumed (the first time it glaringly happened) maybe it was an oversight or posting on top of another (and that too is getting to be a problem again , not just for Garrick.) but it wasnt.

As far as the characters go: NOBODY is invincible , NOBODY can anticipate and recover from EVERYTHING IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE. Even Wolverine in MARVEL has been laid out before by attacks from Storm, Psylocke, Dazzler etc despite his adamantium skeleton and healing factor. Harbinger, a PRECOG has been taken unaware, left incapacitated etc.

I know, Garrick, that Nicolas is patterned in some ways after the Hulk with his durability but he is STILL mortal. EVERYBODY (characters) will have weakspots. Nicolas TOTALLY negated Persephone's attacks in the battle with the alternates Alison and Ava. It was NOTICED by more than one person and MY mistake was letting it slide. I guess i've gotten comfortable (as have we all since most of us have worked in rpgs together for a long time) with NOT having to keep a close eye on things since certain player's departure. But what Nicolas did not only negated Persephone but it disheartened Sam, the player, who DID put alot of thought and creativity into that and that is why alternate Alison went as far as she did to bring Nicolas down. there HAD to be a point where the idea that the "mainstreams" were on "THE ALTERNATE'S TURF" became evident and dealing with two women who had a 10 year power boost was not something Nicolas shouldve been able to shrug off.

Nicolas is the physically strongest character...but like superman, hulk, wolverine and others in marvel who were of the same distinction but even THEY can be brought down. Alison, Morgan, Ava have all taken hits MANY times....You can do the same. There is no competition here, and the players will appreciate your character MORE if he gives AND takes.

I should have spoken out about it sooner but thats my fault. i guess we all get in ruts sometimes.

the next thing, for everyone, is the lack of attention to oracle's direction that seems to be growing among certain characters. your characters have much creative latitude bbut i've ALWAYS asked that everyone please follow oracle's cues and incorporate that into your character's response. you can still accomplish what you'd like your character to accomplish while ALSO following the cues and direction of Oracle.

Finally, some posts are downright lackluster. we dont need "Fillers"...if you have nothing substantial to add, then you can say that in OOC or the shoutbox and see if anyone else's character might be more suited to post at that moment. i dont mind that and it might help us from getting stuck. I shouldnt have to "pm suggestions" ....everyone in the game is creative enough and has a reputation for good rp'ing and you should be able to come up with your own ideas to ADD where you can in the storyline we're in.

 

[Rampage]

There was no intent to break Delilah's arm. That was the effect that was given by others and it was made heavy-handed. The point was that Nicolas has time and again stood idly by while member of his own team have attacked him and done nothing. At this point, there was no way he was going to watch Delilah walk over, see what's on her mind, and then allow her to simply smack him. He CAN erect a shield and did, as a TK would often do as a reflex. I wrote that it would hurt her, the pain shooting up her arm (maybe like a bad case of funnybone, but no more), but not to BREAK it. That was more than I wrote and an assumption that was unneeded. Besides, was it really wise for her character to think that she could simply smack Nicolas and not suffer? He could have just as easily set his jaw and had the same effect, he simply didn't want her to even TOUCH him. And as Lexi said in the shoutbox, if the shoe were on the other foot...(I''ll finish what I got from that) there would be not ONE thing said about whatever happened to Nicolas if he laid a hand on ANY of the female characters.

As for the attack from Sam, I did not realize that she was disheartened by the parry. When I read a post, if I can IMMEDIATELY think of an EASY parry, I usually write it. To me that has ALWAYS been how I did it. If Persephone had used her wind powers or her control over heat and cold, Nicolas would have surely been hit and took damage (possibly massive damage). But to a scientist, lightning is NOT a scary attack when he is also a telekinetic standing in a house filled with wiring connected to the GROUND. Technically I suppose that I could have made the ionization of some of the air in the room an issue and the heat expansion could have had some concussive effects...

But to me, the problem I see is that too often many of us write an attack as if it is a DONE DEAL. You go on to write the effect or explain how it is unstoppable. As I have often found out myself, that is not the case. I typically write my attacks open-ended so as to allow for counters, because in fighting that is what happens.

One issue I am having a problem with is that I am finding a herd mentality. The guy(s) in the group are spoken to in any way, and often attacked and not ONE female seems to get that maybe they shouldn't do that if they don't want to get hit back. I understand that part of this storyline includes trouble for Nicolas right and left, and I can take my medicine, but it seems unrealistic that no one has had the thought that to attack him impetuously and without restraint might be a bad idea, if not downright wrong. Just seems a bit over the top. Especially when the ladies RARELY seem to actually attack each other, no matter what problems they have. They threaten, but hardly ever attack.

Look, if you are all agreed I am simply making him too tough, I apologize and I'll work on it. But my biggest pet peeve in comics is when the strong guys always labeled SLOW, or when he gets knocked out over bullshit. Maybe I have incorporated that too much into my posting. But I believe that Nicolas takes his lumps as much as anyone else. Hell, he nearly died the last major arc, and that was over an EXPLOSION (which I would have howled in disgust at if I were a reader and read that for him).

The biggest concern for me right now is that I am getting a unified mind that makes no sense. The easiest way for there to be conflict in the RPG is if Karen, Ava, Morgan, Alison, or Delilah disagreed on damn near anything. They all seem to exist to reinforce each other right now...

 

[Karma]

Calm down honey. this isnt an ATTACK! it's just ME talking real talk to the players. Trust me, if this were 5 years ago...you'd HATE working with me! I was MUCH worse. Like i said, I made the mistake of not addressing this right away and its not about "everything being your fault", its just that as Mastrix of the game, I'm the one who haS to bring these things out because other players may not be comfortable doing so.

There was no intent to break Delilah's arm. That was the effect that was given by others and it was made heavy-handed. The point was that Nicolas has time and again stood idly by while member of his own team have attacked him and done nothing. At this point, there was no way he was going to watch Delilah walk over, see what's on her mind, and then allow her to simply smack him. He CAN erect a shield and did, as a TK would often do as a reflex. I wrote that it would hurt her, the pain shooting up her arm (maybe like a bad case of funnybone, but no more), but not to BREAK it. That was more than I wrote and an assumption that was unneeded. Besides, was it really wise for her character to think that she could simply smack Nicolas and not suffer? He could have just as easily set his jaw and had the same effect, he simply didn't want her to even TOUCH him. And as Lexi said in the shoutbox, if the shoe were on the other foot...(I''ll finish what I got from that) there would be not ONE thing said about whatever happened to Nicolas if he laid a hand on ANY of the female characters.

okay, so in this instance it appears to be a matter of perspective. on MY part (as a woman who is EXTRA sensitive to the idea of men causing women pain or distress) it stood out to me. I also know that it took Vil by surprise. YES, Nicolas CAN errect shields and such and that's part of his power. HOWEVER, he could have simply blocked her hand and forced it down or something else. ultimately it's your character, you chose what you wanted to do and that is your right. I was just pointing something out ( we can ALL do that you know, that's what this OOC thread is for OR we can talk about it via PM if you ffel comefortable doing so). What Delilah was doing was one of those "Dynasty" moments...you know, Blake getting smacked by Alexis after a bitter exchange. we dont often get moments like that in the game and since Nicolas IS the primary male among a group of admittedly disfunctional women, it can be assumed he'll be in ALOT of "dramatic moments" with them.

As for the attack from Sam, I did not realize that she was disheartened by the parry. When I read a post, if I can IMMEDIATELY think of an EASY parry, I usually write it. To me that has ALWAYS been how I did it. If Persephone had used her wind powers or her control over heat and cold, Nicolas would have surely been hit and took damage (possibly massive damage). But to a scientist, lightning is NOT a scary attack when he is also a telekinetic standing in a house filled with wiring connected to the GROUND. Technically I suppose that I could have made the ionization of some of the air in the room an issue and the heat expansion could have had some concussive effects...

listen, I'm a marvel comic fan just like you, so ALOT of what you do with Nicolas, i can see and understand. There've been times when i've had to explain to sam or vil just WHAT you were doing with Nicolas so they didnt feel overwhelmed but YOU have to remember that most of US come from a different "school" when it comes to rpging. most of us were "trained" to GIVE AND TAKE hits. we were also "trained" to make our attacks as airtight as possible when it's our turn to hit. even if an attack is posted in a way where it seems like there's no escape, if a character can do what he/she can to defend against AS MUCH damage as it normally might inflict, then please do. BUT IF NOT, then just take it and roll with it.

Unlike some of the other players, i started in rpg's with them with a comic background as well as video game rpg's like phantasy star so i had a similar background to you, BUT i also acclimated to what was going on at Charmed Boards and similar places. i see both sides and have used both ways. I just want you and everyone to remember to GIVE AND TAKE. I'm not saying EVERY ATTACK SHOULD LAND EVERY TIME (and belive me, Oracle wont allow it either lol) BUT be FAIR! be realistic. There's no Phoenix's or other cosmic beings here. EVERYBODY can be laid out some way. I personally know many things (and have used them sometimes via mystech or magick) that can vex a psychic. I've also seen Storm put down Jean Grey who was considered a premier telekinetic in her time.

But to me, the problem I see is that too often many of us write an attack as if it is a DONE DEAL. You go on to write the effect or explain how it is unstoppable. As I have often found out myself, that is not the case. I typically write my attacks open-ended so as to allow for counters, because in fighting that is what happens.

see above response. we ALL need to really work on finding a balance. I know personally that Sam was trying her best to make sure she nailed Nicolas with Persephone's attacks because many times he HAS shrugged her off. That's not a slight against YOU. I'm not saying you're a BAD rpg'er, im just telling you what is THERE.

One issue I am having a problem with is that I am finding a herd mentality. The guy(s) in the group are spoken to in any way, and often attacked and not ONE female seems to get that maybe they shouldn't do that if they don't want to get hit back. I understand that part of this storyline includes trouble for Nicolas right and left, and I can take my medicine, but it seems unrealistic that no one has had the thought that to attack him impetuously and without restraint might be a bad idea, if not downright wrong. Just seems a bit over the top. Especially when the ladies RARELY seem to actually attack each other, no matter what problems they have. They threaten, but hardly ever attack.

have you read past stories? LOL Alison and Morgan attacked Haleigh OFTEN. Haleigh man handled Blaze, Bane MOLESTED damn near EVERYONE. Don't think Nicolas has a target on his chest. HOWEVER as he IS the only primary male in the game with several connections to the characters, he IS in a prominent position and the more prominent a character, the more likely he/she is to be the object of attention OR conflict. I experienced that with Darkchilde back in "Generations of War" (which is what our current playing thread is a nod to) EVERYONE wanted to fight her from the GoL becaue i was a FIXTURE in the fighting threads. She was often HATED, the problem came when PLAYERS starting confusing HER with ME (ask sam and vil about that) but that's not happening HERE. THE PLAYERS dont have a problem with you...its just that Nicolas THRUSTS himself into such prominent positon that he's almost ASKING for the level of attention/scrutiny/conflict he gets. Karen, Morgan, Delilah, Alison and recently Ava are all very close the first four have been a "family unit" for YEARS prior to forming the Six so OBVIOUSLY there's going to be a strong bond there. It's just like when Blaze and Haleigh were close and Blaze would often side with Haleigh against her sister, Morgan. I didn't have a problem with that. Blaze and Morgan are sometimes like Jane & Sydney from Melrose Place...sisters yes, FRIENDS...not always. Nicolas has a close friendship with Haleigh and Haleigh has often been at odds with Morgan, Karen, Alison and Delilah BUT Haleigh also has a bond with those women that allows them to be in each other's lives DESPITE their often difference of opinion. Ava has a bond with Morgan and Alison due to her bond with Darkchilde and Hecate. but i think you've seen many times where bond or not...there will be catfights and blow outs among ANYONE.

[quoter]Look, if you are all agreed I am simply making him too tough, I apologize and I'll work on it. But my biggest pet peeve in comics is when the strong guys always labeled SLOW, or when he gets knocked out over bullshit. Maybe I have incorporated that too much into my posting. But I believe that Nicolas takes his lumps as much as anyone else. Hell, he nearly died the last major arc, and that was over an EXPLOSION (which I would have howled in disgust at if I were a reader and read that for him).[/quote]

YOU look "we all" nothing. "we all" didnt discuss this OR you behind your back trust me on that. a few words were brought to me here and there before, and here i am NOW. on one knew i was going to do this. If you have some issues, if ANYONE has issues, please bring them up. that's what discussion is FOR. I think that yes, Nicolas IS a little TOO "untouchable". I'm not asking him to fall down at the slightest breeze or just stand there and get hit by every bullet and blast that comes, but i AM REMINDING you (and everyone else) that all of our characters our humans, no matter what physical, mystical enhancements they have...they can still be hit, hurt or killed (and then resurrected via the seige perilous )

Nicolas did a fantastic job in the last storyline, especially the climax, he did well in the mythology story...he's had MANY great moments and contributed to many OTHER m oments in recent six game play. But we ALL have to be carefull not to get in ruts, or get too comfortable, so dont take offense to this, it's just dialogue which is what we need OOC to keep things going smoothing IN character.

The biggest concern for me right now is that I am getting a unified mind that makes no sense. The easiest way for there to be conflict in the RPG is if Karen, Ava, Morgan, Alison, or Delilah disagreed on damn near anything. They all seem to exist to reinforce each other right now...

again, it's not always that way. maybe it has been RECENTLY but look at the roster? do we need a find a way to break up the monotany on that? if you (and/or others) think so, then let's address that now.

 

[Persephone]

I just want to quickly say my peace then move on.

I don't have a problem with you Garrick. I never have. I think you're fun as hell to RP with and a great guy. Farrah called me up one evening after watching something on TV about wind that reminded her of Persephone. I mentioned something about the wind attack I did during the Victoria arc of this caper that in turn lead me to mention that I was a bit annoyed that Nicolas brushed off my attack like it was nothing. Farrah mentioned she PMed you about it [without my knowledge and BEFORE I mentioned anything to her] so I was like, okay cool, and let it go. This is a game, first and foremost, and we are all here to have FUN. I'm not sitting at my computer devising ways to take down Nicolas and/or hurt him just for the sake of hurting him. EVERYONE knows Ava has disliked Nicolas since the moment he joined the six....it's been a running joke. Ava was the ONLY person who disliked Nicolas until recently [which i found out was for a reason]. I did this to cause drama, period. Not because I hate you, and not because I hate the character Nicolas. You and Farrah base the majority of your actions in this game off of comics, I base mine off of soap operas. The more drama in my eyes the better. It keeps things spicy [which btw I loved Haleigh and Nicolas' touching in XS because that's EXACTLY what would happen in a soap]. But hey, that's just me. Everyone can attest to the fact that i've been the soap junkie of this little group since MoE/GoL and have brought my fair share of drama to whatever game i'm in. It's just who I am, and I hope you understand the majority of what I do with my character is to, in some way, cause drama.

Like everyone in this game, I take pride in my character and my posts. So when I see certain things happen in the game that I happen to not like or disagree with it is a bit disheartening. I just want you to know that i'm not PMing Farrah everytime you post and bitching to her lol. Quite the opposite actually. The majority of the time i'm complimenting the way Nicolas handled things. But LATELY [just within THIS caper] I've gotten annoyed with the ignoring of posts and/or brushing off of attacks. Like Farrah said, I was 'trained' during the ADA/FGB on the Charmed boards to take hits before I could attack myself, and i've always gone by that. But I understand that it can't always be like that.

So anyway, i'll leave it at that.

 

[Rampage]

Ultimately, I think the difference is what I am sensing, as far as RPG'ing style. Fair enough. I did not mean 'you all' sit up at night plotting against me (I am paranoid at times, but not THAT paranoid:nod, but I am coming from a bit of a different perspective.
I do understand your concern about violence against women. The only reason I found THAT post viable for Nicolas was because Delilah essentially did that to herself. He has still not actively attacked ONE member of the Six, not in any REAL way. The mind thing also was not an attack per se, it was meant as a lesson for her to understand what it was like to be telepathic, especially since she claimed otherwise. In fact, this point had been alluded to the first day that Nicolas and Cameron met, because he understood and they still didn't.

As far as monotony, that is how I would characterize the interactions with Nicolas right now, to some degree. Delilah, Ava, and Alison seem to be a behavioral monolith, while Nicolas has (or had, before NOW) different ways of dealing with each of them.

 

[Persephone]

Well...maybe I plot just a little.

As for the relationship between Ava and Nicolas, Ava may dislike Nicolas BUT when he's in crisis she's always there for him [much to her dismay LOL]. This is how I see it: Haleigh doesn't have a problem with men, period. She's very much a 'guys girl'. She gets along better with men, she relates to them...she's pretty much a hot sexy tomboy LOL. Delilah didn't have a problem with men either, BUT, because of the whole Conner situation she was burned in a very bad way resulting in her most recent behavior toward both Nicolas and Mike. Even in her last post she stated 'i just don't want to be touched...i don't know what's wrong with me.' A subconscious reaction/behavior to what happened to her in the last caper. Alison...she enjoys men, BUT, ultimately I think she doesn't want to open her heart because she's afraid of being vulnerable and getting hurt. Recently she started disliking Nicolas for reasons [that I was told] would be for the next storyline. Morgan and Ava are similar but different. Morgan doesn't trust men, period. Mainly because of her father. Nicolas already telepathically saw what happened to her to make her NOT trust men. Ava, on the other hand, has been burned many times by men [she's like 2,ooo years old, that's a LOT of men LOL]. Hades captured her to be his trophy wife [but she got the last laugh in the end ], Brenthon courted and seduced her only to drop her like a bad habit and sleep with another woman. So on and so forth. So there ARE reasons for all their behaviors...just remember how brutal Ava was to Cameron when he returned. It's not just Nicolas my dear, LOL.

 

[Rampage]

I am understanding that a bit more NOW, it could be simply a testament to your writing that it seems SO bad. I similarly think that some of you may be getting Nicolas misunderstood also, although I am not sure good writing is the cause.

I have also tried to take a BIG step back, analyze what I am doing with the parries. Part of what I am realizing is that when Nicolas is engaged with a female, a parry IS his offense. That makes his turn usually, and that is where I am off track. I cannot substitute a parry for a response simply because he will probably not hit back. I will have to undo that tendency. I am not promising a complete reversal, but I am sure Farrah will do what she needs to do as well.

Also, if ANYONE has a question about what I did or why in the RPG, let me know ASAP. I have no life, I am a married father of one who goes to school so I am on her a LOT getting away from it all. To ANYONE, ask/critique/debate as much as you like. This situation is right here is the most fun I have had in a while, LOL.

Sam, you know I love you:igitt: You too, Farrah. So anytime we have to talk, I am glad we can. For me this never gets in the way of the respect I have for you BOTH.

As far as Ava is concerned, I get it now. I just thought you were making her a psycho. Now I know she is just a hater, LMAO!!!:raspberry

Also, this Delilah thing is out of control. Hopefully we can fix it. If not, it won't be the first woman to want to kill ole Nic, lol. But we will see...

PS--I enjoyed being Hades as Persephone got her last laugh. Dying was never so HOT!!!

 

[Karma]

Sam has brought up some good points. Garrick you can understand better (if you havent already begun to) some of the women in the six by the past story lines. there's aLOT of history.

Keep in mind that Spellbinder, Foxfire and MorningStar are all holdovers from ANOTHER Rpg from YEARS ago on the now defunct Marvel Boards.com it was called "Valiant" and you've seen numerous references to it. The three women sustained trauma in that game that has carried on into this one. Spell and Delilah have come along way but there's alot of history consider. Spellbinder is tied into the "dark trinity" [ Darkchilde, Spellbinder, Magik] an idea that started in the Masters of Evil which itself was one half of the battling force in "Generations of War", an rpg on Charmed boards. Generations of War is a spin off from the "forces of good on the boards" versus " academy of demonic arts" which was the rpg where most of us met (sam, vil and myself ). Lexi joined us in Generations of war with "Piper" who later became "Titania"... many of the characters in the six began somewhere else OR have cross time alternates etc. you get the idea...there's history and backstories that run with most of these characters and that can account for the way many of them behave.

as for what's happening right now Nicolas is seeing Alison's prophecy come true. its the perfect retort to his remarks against her at the dinner table where he basically told her that as a precog, she was a day late and a dollar short (among other "things" LOL).

Delilah is a woman who , until Bishop, tried to be as virtuous as the light she channels. Vil has done a very good job of playing her and even with the trauma Delilah sustained during the Supreme Pontiff storyline and this most recent one with Bishop, Delilah has been (imo) a very interesting character but if nothing else she's close and loyal to morgan. karen views her as a daughter and she morgan and alison are like sisters...OF COURSE Delilah is going to be wary of a man like Nicolas it makes perfect sense and i thin Vil plays that well. Delilah was always the most "well adjusted" by comparison to her "sisters" and most other members of The Six but some stories have shown that she is NOT without her own problems.

Sam brought up the point about playing her character from a "soaps" perspective and that's unique because we dont have anyone else who does that. i make references to my favorite soaps at times but Sam is definately a soap buff just like garrick and i are comic buffs.

we all bring something special to the table and garrick, without you...im not sure where the stories of the six would have gone as we could never keep a strong MALE player/character for long. when i bring things to your attention, you almost always respond defensively and i would hope that by now you'd realize im not doing it to insult you. this isnt MD, i think you see that i'm very flexible as a mastrix (and trust me...i wasnt always LOL) but i have to make sure EVERYONE is feeling like they are enjoying themselves and that everything feels things are going at least fair and balanced.

again, for all of us i think more attention needs to be paid to what oracle says, she tries to set up backstories or provide overviews and details that sometimes appear to go overlooked. references to MoE, Valiant, other timelines etc...those are important indicators as to why any given character in THE SIX might behave as they do.

 

[Black Widow]

well i see you kids are working things out.

Lol, to be honest, about the whole breaking Delilah's arm business... I didn't get that from his post. I guess like you guys said, it was a difference of perspective. But really when Delilah started making a sling I was so confused... I literally went back to DC'S post to check if I'd inadvertantly MISSED the part where DC picked up Morningstar and tossed her across the room or something, lol. i guess that's just my complete lack of sensitivity, LOL.

But yes.... I think we're all aware that the girls can run around slapping ANYONE they want upside the head, but Nicolas[and Mike also] is in a very precarious position because if they were to do that, all hell would break loose.... but I think that's an interesting angle for a male player and so far, Garrick, you've done a great job dealing with that restriction. I agree that you're in an awkward position in that you have to determine WHEN aggression is okay and what is acceptable and a LOT of the time.... a parry is the only choice other than just letting yourself get slapped.

I do tend to lean a little more towards Sam's POV when it comes to RPing, on the other hand. [I really love the DRAMA too, but that's not really the issue here] I have almost NO comic background and when I originally started RPing, it was on a Charmed board and it was really just a whim because I was bored.... but I was ALSO taught to take my licks.... and my general rule of thumb was to take most of the little attacks, half avoid the medium attacks, and find a way to parry 2/3 of the BIG stuff, but definitely sustain SOME damage because ultimately, people like to see that they aren't just fruitlessly punching air and the more interactive an opponent is with your attacks, the more fun it is to fight them. I know that's the way I personally feel about it. If I'm fighting someone who is dodging everything i throw at them, i get bored easily and the creativity of my attacks pretty much plummets because why waste GOOD attacks on someone who's just going to shrug it off?

But overall, I think everyone HERE is at the level where it isn't really a PROBLEM, persay.... just so long as we all keep in mind that it's about BALANCE.

As for the final issue... I just wanted to say that allegiances in this game are ALWAYS shifting. In the beginning Haleigh was on the outs with everyone except Blaze and Cameron and slowly that's changed. Morgan hated her, but has come around and sometimes they're in complete agreement, sometimes they utterly disagree. Alison also hated Haleigh in the beginning but after Morgan 'died', a big change came about between Alison and Haleigh and now they understand each other very well and MOST of the time they get along fine. Karen doesn't really like Haleigh, she never did but every once in a while she sees the good in Haleigh and that kind of keeps their relationship evolving, if slowly. Delilah and Haleigh used to hardly look at each other, let alone speak. They were kind of like 'well, i've got to deal with her, so whatever.' but NOW they're at the point where they can not only appreciate each other, but TALK to each other like friends might. lol.... Haleigh really didn't trust Nicolas at FIRST... mainly because of the timing of his arrival and the stuff going on with her [and the recent departure of Alexis] but NOW they have a very deep bond, she trusts him, etc. Blaze and Cameron are gone now but even when they were AROUND... there would be a time or two when Haleigh would get into a spat with one or the other and I'm sure eventually Haleigh and Nicolas will find a time when even THEY can't agree and that will be interesting...

Well, I said all THAT because I just wanted to tell you, Garrick, and really remind everyone that friendships grow/change, they get better and sometimes worse and though right NOW a lot of people are stacked AGAINST Nicolas... that won't last FOREVER... rather, it's kind of one of the focal points of this arc. Haleigh was there not too long ago [with the Silver Swan story] and since then things have changed, as things always will. Any given circumstance will cause this group of people to align themselves DIFFERENTLY.... I think right now we're seeing a lot of extremes and most of them aren't in Nicolas favor, but I've no doubt that Nicolas will get popular again and later, OTHERS will find themselves on the outs and that's just part of what makes the game interesting.

:2cents:

 

[Clara Oswald]

Well, I guess I should put my 11 cents in, though I wasn’t going to.

That was more than I wrote and an assumption that was unneeded.

I honestly read Garrick’s post as if he broke her arm. I actually went back and read it again before I posted again. I read it again just now and I just got what he really meant. But that’s the kind of thing that a clarifying post in OOC would have taken care of. BUT I don’t really appreciate the suggestion that I intentionally made some self-serving leap of the imagination. I read the post wrong – so did others – that’s not a crime.

In any case, I wasn’t really concerned with Nicolas breaking Delilah’s arm so much as the fact that my entire post was negated and made worthless. I’m not a good RPG-er, I know that, but I work really hard on my posts. Delilah doesn’t get to be involved in “drama” that often, and most of the time she feels like a pointless character. This storyline is the first time I felt like she was an equal partner. And I felt in this scene kind of proud of it and the fact that it had good dramatic effect.

We weren’t having a battle, Delilah wasn’t “attacking” Nicolas. It was a story device for dramatic effect. I have no doubt that Nicolas had the ability do what he did to Delilah, but in that situation I feel like Garrick should not have chosen to make him do it. It totally undermined me and made me feel once again like Delilah’s actions don’t matter.

Besides, was it really wise for her character to think that she could simply smack Nicolas and not suffer?

Maybe not, but who cares if it’s wise or not? She reacted in the heat of the moment after Nicolas used his powers on her. The problem is not that she got hurt, the problem is that instead of using some sort of other retaliation, you negated my post. Had Nicolas taken the slap, then grabbed her arm and squeezed it hurting her or breaking her arm even, that would have been perfectly fine. But I think you should have reacted to my post rather than rewrote it.

And as Lexi said in the shoutbox, if the shoe were on the other foot...(I''ll finish what I got from that) there would be not ONE thing said about whatever happened to Nicolas if he laid a hand on ANY of the female characters.

Again – punch Delilah in the face, I don’t care. But don’t make a cheap post saying what I did didn’t happen. If Nicolas slapped Delilah, I’d have her jump over the table and smack him, I wouldn’t post some bullshit like “Delilah ducks and Nicolas only hits air.”

But to me, the problem I see is that too often many of us write an attack as if it is a DONE DEAL.

I don’t appreciate this comment at all. I ALWAYS leave the outcome of my attacks to Oracle, posting only what Delilah intends to do to her opponent. But we were not fighting. Nicolas wasn’t going to be harmed in the least. They were having an argument, and Nicolas got to use his POWERS on Delilah and it’s ridiculous that she couldn’t even be allowed a slap.

The guy(s) in the group are spoken to in any way, and often attacked and not ONE female seems to get that maybe they shouldn't do that if they don't want to get hit back.

Well maybe the GUYS in the group shouldn’t be rude to Delilah if they don’t want to get hit back.

but it seems unrealistic that no one has had the thought that to attack him impetuously and without restraint might be a bad idea, if not downright wrong. Just seems a bit over the top.

I’m sorry, but again, it’s not like Delilah went over there shooting photons at Nicolas. If you were mad enough at someone that you were going to slap them, would you actually be sitting there going “Oh, hmm, I wonder if this is a good idea?” No. It’s not unrealistic, or over the top. Expecting Delilah and the others to simply bow down to the superior strength and intellect of Nicolas, however, is.

Especially when the ladies RARELY seem to actually attack each other, no matter what problems they have. They threaten, but hardly ever attack.

Did you miss the bit of the story where Morgan and Haleigh were rolling around in the mud?

The biggest concern for me right now is that I am getting a unified mind that makes no sense. The easiest way for there to be conflict in the RPG is if Karen, Ava, Morgan, Alison, or Delilah disagreed on damn near anything. They all seem to exist to reinforce each other right now...

You mean it’s the easiest for you. It makes perfect sense, as Sam and others have posted. They’ve known Nicolas about five minutes, he’s just made some very bad statements to Alison and Morgan, and now he’s flirting with another woman. OF COURSE Delilah is going to not be happy with him right now. And on the subject of existing to reinforce each other – what exactly is the purpose of Mike except to mimic everything Nicolas says and does?

Also, this Delilah thing is out of control.

No, it’s part of the ongoing story.


You seem to have this fixation about making Nicolas Mr. Big Bad Powerful Man, and thus expect no one else in the RPG to be able to do anything to him and have our characters cower beneath his might. And you cast off our attacks as if we're puny things that shouldn't DARE to mess with Nicolas. And anytime anyone tries to do anything that might make him seem weak (in your eyes), you tell us we’re not understanding how powerful he is. So everyone has to walk on eggshells around Nicolas and BE NICER to him than we would to a FEMALE character in the same position. But that’s not really cool anymore. We get it, we get what Nicolas’ powers are. But that has nothing to do with how the characters interact on a personal level. And just because you want your character to be loved by everyone, that doesn’t mean when there’s conflict between characters that the rest of us are acting irrationally.

It’s like you equate any conflict between the other characters and yours as us saying yours are weak. Which is not the case at all. No one thinks Nicolas is weak. I’m happy to never have Delilah interact with Nicolas again if you want, but that would be pretty boring. It you don't want any story going on between characters, then you should find a pure battle RPG to play in. Otherwise, you need to get that conflict is what makes the RPG what it is.

 

[Rampage]

I honestly read Garrick’s post as if he broke her arm. I actually went back and read it again before I posted again. I read it again just now and I just got what he really meant. But that’s the kind of thing that a clarifying post in OOC would have taken care of. BUT I don’t really appreciate the suggestion that I intentionally made some self-serving leap of the imagination.

Fair enough, but it was a LEAP. There is NOT ONE indication that the arm was broken. NOT ONE. If you were confused, the OOC works both ways. The shoutbox also is operational, and I am here OFTEN.

We weren’t having a battle, Delilah wasn’t “attacking” Nicolas.

I would strenuously disagree. A slap is as basic an attack as you get, to hit someone. I don't care WHAT they do on Dynasty or of frankly you thought that it was 'cool'. I frankly, did not. As a man who has suffered abuse at the hands of a woman because his convictions did not allow him to fight back, I thought the move was rather tacky and disgusting to a degree. I really did not want to get into this aspect of my feelings about it and I focused on the fact that it was an attack and my RPG experience tells me that attacks can be parried, ESPECIALLY if the defender is not going to move offensively. But I RESENT the implied supposition that a woman slapping a man is not an attack. It stretches common sense beyond its bounds and smacks of SEXISM. Because I am certain that if Nicolas had slapped Delilah, no one would be ambivalent about whether or not it was an attack, including you.

I ALWAYS leave the outcome of my attacks to Oracle, posting only what Delilah intends to do to her opponent.

Apparently not. That is why you are here. You made an attack, and while I acknowledge that I have done this a couple of times here and it needs to be rectified, your attitude about this presupposes that what I did was completely out of bounds. It was not, and while I plan to work on it in the future, this has little to do with what DELILAH wanted to happen and everything to do with what VILANDRA wanted to happen. The post was illogical and poorly conceived. I would expect no different for Nicolas were he to expect to walk up SLOWLY to Alison (a precog with mystical powers) and tried to smack her. The premise was ridiculous, and all of the whining about my posting will not change that. At least Sam had a logical post, and I accept the blame for screwing that up. By the posting I see now, I'll have ample time to take my licks.

You seem to have this fixation about making Nicolas Mr. Big Bad Powerful Man, and thus expect no one else in the RPG to be able to do anything to him and have our characters cower beneath his might. And you cast off our attacks as if we're puny things that shouldn't DARE to mess with Nicolas. And anytime anyone tries to do anything that might make him seem weak (in your eyes), you tell us we’re not understanding how powerful he is. So everyone has to walk on eggshells around Nicolas and BE NICER to him than we would to a FEMALE character in the same position. But that’s not really cool anymore. We get it, we get what Nicolas’ powers are. But that has nothing to do with how the characters interact on a personal level. And just because you want your character to be loved by everyone, that doesn’t mean when there’s conflict between characters that the rest of us are acting irrationally.

Let's see, since Nicolas joined, he has nearly died at least once outright (last arc), had a stroke nearly died and lost much of his offensive telepathic powers, had his skin nearly burned off once or twice (?)...I'm sure I'm missing some other things. It's not like Nicolas hasn't taken his lumps overall, at least as many as Delilah since he joined. As for him being Mr. Big Bad Man, you tell me: what is it supposed to be? He has Class 100 Strength but isn't REALLY that strong? He has the durability that goes with that but screw it, I like the way this looks better so let's ignore that right now?As far as he rest you believe what you want, I don't give a damn. In fact do whatever you want, I don't care. Just let me know via PM or OOC when the bullshit is coming and I'll be ready, Vil. And it will be COOL. At least to you, and isn't that what's important?