Classic_Spaceman

Ooh, nice entrance - You remind me of a couple friends of mine. Not sarcasm, by the way, you really do. I’m putting my blaster down, and I suggest the rest of you do the same. We don’t want to start anything. Tester-Three: Stand down - This doesn’t need to be a fight. Everyone just stay calm. Hi. . . What’s your name? I was fixing my visor when we first arrived on Gnorra, so we weren’t properly acquainted. I meant to tell you I like your armour - Even more, now. Anyway, I think I know why you’re here - You tracked the crystal, right? I tried to hand it over before we left, but the officers just hurried us along. I want to talk this through, so just let us know what you want, and we can reach some kind of agreement. We don’t intend to cause trouble. By the way, how do you plan on getting back to Gnorra? Teleport?

Whoa. . . I have no idea what that is - I'll need to play it back. For now, I'm bringing the crystal with me. OK. I think I'm starting to put this together. I've been reviewing the footage since we left the vault - That. . . image. . . looks avian, and those flagships have a definite birdlike design. Also, I just realised that the Cydonian sigil could represent some kind of winged creature. I'm not sure this means about the Cydonians, though. By the way, does anyone else think it's ironic that the Cydonian flagship is called the "Iconoclast"? For a regime so interested with formalities and symbols, it's something of a contradiction. I mean, it could be a reference to the destruction of others' institutions, but, considering what we know of the annexation of Gnorra, that's unlikely. I never did - I just wanted to understand them, and know what we're potentially up against. Agreed - And I think I know who to contact. When we first arrived here, I talked to a Cydonian soldier about our mission. Since the Cydonians have been trying to shut the Umbra Auction down, I told him I'd inform him when we had more information. His name was 'Bailey' - If we can find him, we can turn the crystal over, along with our other intel and evidence. Officer: As my companions have said, we're on our way back to the space port, but we do have some unfinished business here on Gnorra. Do you know a Cydonian officer named 'Bailey'? If so, please let him know that Yelana Fennix has more information - He'll know what I'm referring to.

By "world-building", I meant that I have been trying to write Yelana as a person who occupies a wold that exists beyond the confines of the current game. As such, I have included off-hand details in her dialogue, in order to make it feel more natural/realistic. I am not sure what you found to be "too big" for background information, so I would appreciate if you could cite some specific examples. This, in addition to retooling Yelana's character and background overall, is something that I have been working on/towards. I apologise for this. I had intended for the interactions between Yelana and Tester-Three to resemble the kinds of Human-Droid rivalries often seen in Star Wars, but after @Endgame informed me that it was a breach of etiquette, I dropped the topic. Again, I am not quite sure how it seems that Yelana possesses 10,000 years' worth of information. However, on that note, my approach towards writing has been that, as this is a sci-fi/sci-fantasy universe, information is relatively easily-accessible (as it is IRL), and, as she is a Blacktron (or whatever we end up calling it in the finalised game) agent, Yelana has had both direct and indirect knowledge of a variety of subjects. Also, just to be clear, Yelana and I are not the same person (as your post seems to suggest). While my RP-ing mistakes may manifest themselves in her, I specifically chose a female character so that I would have a bit of distance from said character (as I am male), and would not simply play a version of myself. Thus, I may decide to write Yelana as a know-it-all, but without being one myself. This distinction is important, as I am unclear as to who is coming across poorly - Yelana or I (or some combination of both). Though I initially conceived of her as such, I have been reworking her into more of a spy/intelligence agent (hence her recording everything, avoiding violence when possible, etc). I probably should have explained the language. I had decided to write Yelana's actions into her speech, rather than simply giving OoC exposition, so I gave her visor a voice-interface. This was fine, until the party entered the auction, and I realised that Yelana should not be announcing her actions in such a setting. To rectify this, I started creating a language for her to use (with translations provided, when necessary), so that NPCs would not be able to understand her. This was somewhat of a retcon, however, as she should have been using this language with her tech for the entire mission. OK. I was attempting to indicate which text was in-character and which was not, while retaining italics to use for emphasis, but I will try to work out some other signifier. Thank you. I appreciate constructive criticism/input (with specific issues cited), as I do want to improve my writing/RP-ing.

I am new, so I did not (particularly at the start of the game) have a full understanding of proper etiquette and format. I wish that you had brought this to my attention earlier, however, as I had absolutely not intended to come across as an “a-hole”! I apologise. I was initially writing Yelana as a bit snarky, but I have been reworking her character since the beginning of the game. I found (just from rereading my own posts) that what I had intended to be light sarcasm, seemed more hostile without any indicators of tone. Specifically what elements of lore have been a problem? I actually have been making things up, as an attempt at world-building and creating a backstory for Yelana. I wanted her to seem experienced, so I have written things in with the intent to convey that (such as the bit about Super Plasma Potions being flammable). I had never written Yelana to be charismatic, since I have always thought of her as someone who usually works alone (and now needs to work as part of a group), but I also have not intended her to be unlikable. Do you have any advice for how to improve Yelana’s character? I am open to suggestions.

Good points, but the Sabrillo can be cloned back into existence - I've had some experience with the kind of genetic extrapolation necessary. My theory on the egg's value is that Vannoy wants it as part of GLESP's collection, which would grant him both considerable social status and monetary donations. Perhaps, but we won't know unless we examine it. If you want to leave, we can, but I'm taking the crystal with me. And, yeah, I know the holo was damaged on our end, but that still doesn't explain my other questions - Nor does it make the situation seem any less coincidental. Interesting. . . Oh! Kleeck: See if you can communicate with this thing - I think it may be alive! Remember when I was trying to figure out what the Cydonian sigil represented? Drayfo said something about this being an idol, and 'Trips' said it was connected to the Sovereign - What if this is some kind of containment-unit for a non-Humanoid life form, and that's what the sigil represents?

I was more concerned about you damaging it. Oh, it's definitely possible to clone the egg - GLESP just doesn't have the capabilities, or perhaps the desire, to do so. Personally, I think Vannoy just wants to have the last of a nearly-extinct species - He always struck me as suspicious. We could have interrogated him for more information on GLESP and Vannoy, and if he became a problem, we could have simply turned him over to the Cydonian authorities. And don't think I haven't been paying attention either - You are rash, impulsive, aggressive, and arrogant. Your little stunt in the shiplot endangered our mission far more than anything I've done. Bounty-hunters are common, and outside the Core, they don't have to be registered. Someone asking questions about a criminal fugitive and attempting to coordinate with local law-enforcement doesn't raise much suspicion on planets like this. About questions - You ask too few of them. Have you never considered why the holo of Vannoy was scuffed? Why he scrambled to send a mercenary team to retrieve the egg, instead of contacting the Gnorran government with a legitimate claim? Why he seemed to have enjoyed that Sabrillo-egg omelette a bit too much? I'd thought that someone who was alive while the Ring was still under construction would posses a more insightful and nuanced worldview. I'll keep working on the Cydonian crystal - We need to know what it is before we do anything else.

Be careful!

If even my visor can't get a read on this thing, it must be extremely important. We need to be careful - I'll take a closer look at those panels.

Jek was greedy and stupid, but there were other ways to deal with him - I'd advise keeping your murderous altruism in check for the rest of the mission. Black-market Plasma Potions - The Core outlawed those years ago, one of their decisions I actually agree with. They're highly flammable, too - And even explosive, depending on the formula. Dunola - You want one? Tester-Three: You take the egg. You're the only one here that can't eat it, and I know you'll protect it from anyone who tries. Igaz, you can take the Emerald Blaster - I'm more interested in that Cydonian crystal. Speaking of. . . <En'kaas A'ti - Secc'a Xi'adat, Gar'A'ti-Xia: Cydonian Collective, Cydonian Kahm-Xia> ["Scan It - Access Data, Subjects: Cydonian Collective, Cydonian Government"]

<Ba-En'aralek, Kahm'Daash-Li - Fennix Na'l-Secc'a> ["Acknowledged, Commander - Fennix Out"] What the. . . ? <A'tel> <D'rosen En'kaas> What? How's it clear? <Xi'adat Secc'a> ["Data Access"] <En'kaas A'ti - Ab-En'akan> ["Scan It - Reconstruct"] <An'yiv> ["Stop"] Unbelievable. . . ! IGAZ! What the FRELL is wrong with you?! I step away for a frelling minute, and you murder an unconscious prisoner?! Jek wasn't going anywhere, and if you were worried about him going to the Cydonians - which he wouldn't do, not as a thief - you could've just locked him here in the vault when we left! Also, I still have the data pad from his ship, so if he did try anything, we could easily have just had him arrested! I don't know why I'm surprised, though - I should've expected as much from someone who takes trophies. OoC: Yelana's examining of the droid is a Technology proficiency check. New Stats (2 EXP used to increase the Smarts stat to 2, then 1 EXP used to buy the Stealth proficiency):

<Na’l-A’tel> Wrong move, Jek. We can find the egg without your help - It just would’ve been easier if you’d cooperated. <Gar’A’ti Ba-Gat’a> [“Target Locked”]

@Endgame: How is this different from a stun/non-lethal setting on weapons?

You seem to hate Vannoy - Why? Was he opposing workers' rights - I saw that four-chevron insignia on your ship - or is it something else? If you want the Sabrillo to be eradicated, why did you take the job at GLESP to begin with? Just to steal the egg? Ah! Getting pissed now. . . You're running low on options, Jek, but we can still make a deal - Tell me something useful. Enson: Target that drone, and let me handle Jek. Last chance. . . OoC: I need to wait for @Endgame to post Jek's response, in order to decide what Yelana's next action will be.

What is the purpose of the different weapon types? Currently, I see melee weapons as useless, short-range weapons as inferior to long-range (particularly since weapons' ranges are selected by the player), and artillery as over-powered. Some kind of requirement is needed, IMO, in order to justify not using only long-range (or artillery, if available) weapons. ?

1.) By "force", I meant that the first grid does not allow a player to stand nearly anywhere the board and be able to hit almost every target. By having fewer squares that can be targeted, the first grid requires players to think more about their starting positions, and to collaborate with each other to ensure that all enemies are covered, rather than simply standing at the centre (or near the centre) and attacking in virtually any direction. Moreover, due to the nature and structure of the game (namely, the presence of other party-members), collaboration is already "forced", so I fail to see how this would be an objection to the Grid 1 system. As an example of my issues with the second grid, consider a player with a long-range weapon on the current Battle Grid layout: - Under the Grid 1 system: D3 hits both Drones and Trips; C2 hits Drone A, Samba, and Jek; C3 hits Trips; C4 hits Drone B, Samba, and Jek; B2 hits both Drones, Samba, and Trips; B3 hits all enemies; B4 hits both Drones, Trips, and Jek. Only one square (B3) can target all enemies, and it is in-range of even melee weapons. - Under the Grid 2 system (As I understand it): D2, D3, and D4 hit all enemies (with the possible exceptions of Drone B from D2 and Drone A from D4), and these squares are only in-range of long-range weapons (and are thus safe from Samba, Trips, and Jek). 2.) True, but I prefer the more straightforward way, as (probably due to my being new to the game) I find it easier to conceptualise. Additionally, moving to the side, rather than back, could put a player out of the range of one enemy, but allow another enemy to be targeted safely during the next round (See moving from C3 to either C4 or C2, if the only enemies were Samba, Trips, and Jek). 3.) I was referring to the stand-at-the-centre-and-attack-all-directions strategy. I know that long-range weapons would not actually become artillery weapons under the Grid 2 system, but the effect would be the same from certain squares (namely D3, C3, and B3). As a side-note, I actually oppose the inclusion of artillery weapons in the game, specifically because I feel that they are over-powered as compared to the other weapon ranges, and that they would encourage players just to stand as far back as possible and safely attack the entire board (E2, E3, E4).

I think that the first grid (45-degree angles only) should be used for diagonal attacks and movement. Pros include that it forces collaboration and strategy among players (as no single player can hit every target on the board), it allows injured players to evade attacks by moving to un-targeted squares, and it does not effectively make long-range weapons into artillery weapons. Additionally, it is more intuitive, and simpler to calculate, with regard to the game’s structure - That is to say, if ranges are dictated by a given number of adjacent squares, determining attacks and movement would simply be a matter of counting squares in a direct line. The only Con that I can think of for this grid is that enemies can simply sidestep attacks, forcing players to expend a turn to move back in-range. That said, by allowing movement and switching of weapons to be combined with other actions in a single turn (which I want to see happen anyway, as this would considerably increase battles’ speed and available strategies), this problem would be resolved. As for the issue of weapon ranges, I suggest combining long-range and short-range weapons into a single category (“Ranged Weapons”), and changing the range to a maximum of four squares and a minimum of two. Melee Weapons would still have a range of one square, but would now be required for attacks from that distance.

I must be misunderstanding something - It seemed to me that the second grid allows a player to attack any square on the grid, regardless of position. Perhaps @Endgame can clarify?

Let's make a deal, then - You cooperate with us in retrieving the egg, and we let you go. Vannoy didn't say anything about what to do with you once we found you - He just wanted the egg back. Igaz: Stab "Trips" for me - I'm moving to C4. Jek: I have two possible shots from here. Surrender, hand over the egg, tell us what you know about Vannoy and GLESP, and I'll take out the drone. Otherwise. . .

What about incorporating these effects into Elemental weapons, so that they do more than just inflict "Elemental Damage"? For example: Electrical weapons deal a stun effect, Sonic weapons knock enemies backwards, etc. I think that this is what we should use. It makes the most intuitive sense, as attacks would only be along a direct line-of-sight, and it allows players to move in order to avoid attacks.

<Saatak'a D'evlor. . . Zh'ekor> ["Tactical Overlay. . . Project"] Moving to E4 will put you in-range of Drone A - D4's clear, though.

I assume that it means that game-mechanics supersede genre conventions/tropes. That said, as the game is still in development, we can decide to include weapons with stun-capabilities, if we so choose.

I think that @Harkonen was the only one to suggest that Wave 3 will be the final HS wave. BTW, I am saving @Harkonen's Wave 3 "leaks" (which seem just to be educated guesses (particularly Re: Minifigs), based on @Falconfan1414's Instagram leaks), in case they decide to delete their posts again:

Which ones are you thinking of that do not have a stun setting? A few with stun settings (aside from those previously mentioned), just off of the top of my head:

I assumed that Energy weapons would have a stun-setting, since nearly all do. Additionally, I was unaware that a battle was about to begin. Since Enson's Stealth check failed, my plan was to have Yelana stun Jek, thus allowing the party to enter the storeroom as Enson would have (had his check succeeded). BTW: Can attacks and movement occur diagonally? This is not quite clear from the rules (Which is why Yelana is attacking from C3, rather than D3, since D3 is three spaces diagonally from both droids).

Because you can't seem to follow basic instructions? For what it's worth, I was going to take you alive - You frelled up that plan, so this whole mess is really entirely on you. Dunola: Sit this one out and use a Plasma Potion - I'll take "Trips" again. <Gar'A'ti Ba-Gat'a> ["Target Locked"] OoC: See discussion thread.