Thia Halmades

Welcome to my first post as I semi-live blog my way through Fallout 3. The game is THE post-apocalyptic RPG of this generation, and it warranted some attention here in the PA section of 'other genres.' Hopefully, you'll find this article entertaining enough to read some of my "other work" (cough, plug, cough). So I started playing FO3 this morning. Tastes like Oblivion. Has the same feel in graphical design for the Wasteland; it's gorgeous. Don't get me wrong. But it didn't come off as revolutionary; it was very much a Bethesda game from the stand point of how things feel when you move through the environments. Very stiff, very 'animated,' and lacking in a sense of tactile connection that you get in a game like Gears of War. I recognize that this isn't a tried & shooter, but it's also remarkable just how much you realize it within the first couple of fights. However, if you can get past that, there is a stiff departure from the Arena Scrolls franchise and it goes directly into a very FallOut tasting sort of world. The VATS combat system is really THE way to go in battle; I'm not certain, but knowing Bethesda, I would guess that all firefights are governed by die rolls; pulling the trigger rolls the dice, which determines your accuracy. There doesn't seem to be much purpose in NOT using VATS because of this, which sort of takes away from the FPS feel of it all. But that isn't why you play Bethesda games; you play Bethesda games to become someone else. The question is, can you become someone else who isn't Broken, Buggy & Busted? So maybe I should explain VATS. Like Knights of the Old Republic, VATS allows you to freeze time and target specific elements of your opponent; it becomes necessary because your accuracy seems significantly improved from the VATS perspective than it does when firing blindly. One of my complaints with Bethesda games is that the combat feels weak; that improves slightly with the advent of VATS in Fallout3, but you still notice it; that element of the engine, which really should be shining by this point, still frustrates and grates. I would love to be able to play Fallout 3 like a true shooter, more like a Deus Ex successor than a new Oblivion. So I'm two hours in, and I can say this: It works. That statement is said simply, with no fanfare or applause, it's a simple, "Hmm. It works." It's almost surprise; the opening of the game tastes PRECISELY like an Arena game, except instead of escaping prison (which I've done in every game, including a variation that was done for Morrowind) you escape the Vault. There are a few key events early on that start the story, but then, like other titles in the Bethesda lineup, you're free to wander (and get into trouble) as you see fit. So let's talk about that for a moment, because it's critical to the purpose of Fallout 3. The game is about exploring the Wasteland, and giving you more options than you can reasonably fulfill. Said another way, and having looked at the Perk list and the stat system, the reviewers are correct; you cannot, at any point, max everything out. That's a good thing; it guarantees that you'll have a different core gameplay experience, even if it feels the same, or if you're personally focused on developing different skills to do different things. I won't say I do or don't like it; it's far too early in the game for me to really commit to an opinion. I haven't seen the quests or gotten any of the interesting weapons, or past level 2. I'll say the opening sequence is really well handled, and that it was the most interesting start of a game in a long time. It is assuredly not Mess Effect, with its horrendous pop in and weak combat, but melee combatants like to mix it up. VATS almost seems like an "excuse" to not build a strong FPS experience, and for some people, that'll be fine, but honestly, there's no point in going gun-bunny in this game because it's Skill based -- not user-input based. Yes, you need to put the reticle on the target, but it suffers from the same lack of animation frames and herky-jerky movement as other Bethesda games, it just fixes it in a different way. I suppose this bothers me far more than anyone else who's reviewed it; I was looking forward to a sort of wild weasel FPS experience combined with the depth of Morrowind. I'd like to join factions, I'd like to have the rock solid feel of a minigun in my hands and cut loose with 200 rounds of belt fed ammo. I don't think I'll get that experience here, and that's a little dissapointing from an expectations standpoint. What I will talk about, though, is morality. Two hours in, and my karma is tanked. The reason: every other game you have resources, bad guys, and fairly easy, pain free roads to survival. Those characters (Mass Effect, Final Fantasy, etc.) don't have to worry about gear, because they get gear like its candy. In FallOut3, you have to worry about everything. Do you drink the irradiated water? Do you want to pick up the really cool thing that belongs to someone else? You can, but your karma immediately drops. If the choices you're forced to make early on are any indication, then the game is going to put you through the moral wringer, expressly because there are no easy choices. There are also no "wrong" ones. You'll have to kill; that's how it goes. You'll have to find solutions to problems with limited resources. I don't know that'll last -- RPGs eventually give way to you carrying enough stuff to take down a tank, but the original premise; that it really DOES watch what you do, it knows when you steal even if an NPC isn't watching -- is VERY cool. Remember that whole thing in Knights of the Old Republic, you break down one door and the guy catches you, but it's never touched on again? They fixed that. Karma becomes ephemeral, it's always following you around, and that's a great thing. It speaks poignantly to what you'll do to survive in the wastes. But, as with all first time efforts, I already dream of Fallout 4. I can't say it doesn't pay off, though -- dreaming of Resistance 2 did some wonderful things. ** More to come as I advance in the game.

Re: My Halloween game I have to ask ... is that quote in your sig line from me, or Mattingly? Additionally. Mister Sprinkles?!

Re: What does a "20 Comeliness" look like to YOU? Dude. Whoa. I feel better nah.

Re: Setting Creation Help Why don't you just, you know? Send me an email?

Re: What does a "20 Comeliness" look like to YOU? Dana what's her name from Heroes -- it's the body, but her face is beautiful also. I got for the oval faced types, and for exotics. In that line. Monica Belucci. I'm not into: Gwyneth Paltrow; I like skinny chicks, but there's something... missing. It's all very subjective I know. I also don't go for Cate Blanchett, but I like Emma Thompson. The mother from Terminator (the new series) does wonders for me, but the lead from Fringe does nothing for me. And I'm at work, so no pictures, but finding those people should be easy enough. I would marry without a moment's hesitation: Summer Glau. ... and she's it.

Re: Mass Effect Campaign Setting I wrote a Mass Effect review which is hiding somewhere around here... I think it's even in the StarHERO forums, in fact. Good stuff, you should read it. The game is solid, just grossly overrated.

Re: 'En passant' extra attack Speaking from my personal design preferences, I'd do this as a Trigger, setting the Trigger is a 0 phase action (you get knocked down) and then goes off (when you get up again).

Re: Mass Effect Campaign Setting

Re: Mass Effect Campaign Setting

Re: Mass Effect Campaign Setting Wow. I got complimented and I hadn't even posted yet. I RULE. Ship Design: Er... I hate to do this, but I'd check my build for the Frigate thingy under HALO: CE. They don't touch on ships & ship-to-ship combat enough to really get into detail, you'd need to fake it or go to a Wikia.

Re: Mass Effect Campaign Setting I'd run in the other direction, but I like watching train wrecks. I'm not saying it can't be done -- quite the opposite. But being a stickler for detail (such as HERO: Combat Evolved) I can't really lend my build skills to the project. If you really want to do this setting, properly, then I have the following suggestions: 1) Build the class package deals, including the appropriate MP slots. Bear in mind that in this setting, each caster type can only use one power at a time, period. The MP itself has Lock Out, IIRC. Most of the powers are also instant-duration, so it isn't a big deal to change slots and activate, but there it is. 2) Do NOT build each weapon. Ugh. That whole I - IX thing drove me crackers. Build a core group of weapons, or nick my HERO: CE designs. Just remove the "Charges" limitation and build in a modified "Activation Roll: Burnout" limitation, depending on how much 'heat' the weapon generates. Said another way: Weapons in that setting use a brick that doesn't ever effectively run out; it just shaves off quantum particles and fires them. However, weapons overheat after too much use. So the build I proposed (and used in parts of HERO: CE) goes something like this: All weapons pick up Activation Roll/Burn Out; burn out doesn't mean it can't be used until the end of the scene, but it does take 1 player phase to cool for each point the roll was missed. (One phase period is meaningless when most people have a SPD 3, you'll never blow a roll by that much). Consistent use of the weapon increases the Burnout chance; so round by round you will eventually burn out unless you lay off the trigger. It's gonna happen. This is part of the mechanic. Laying off the trigger for one phase lets the weapon vent normally, rather than gambling with your burnout roll. Pistols have the lowest chance, then shotties/rifles, then Sniper rifles. Some mods add to the burnout (HEAT rounds are +1, say) and some mods reduce it (Gas Vents reduce by their flag number; so a Gas Vent I would reduce the Burnout by 1; a GV III by 3, and so on). Follow me? It's a TOTAL pain in the @$$ to build, but it's something I've been working on how to model without a ----load of handwavium. 3) Build your racial packages 4) Set your thresholds; I live in a 2d6 world; to me, a 2d6 KillingAttack is brutalicious. My good friend Tony runs an Alien Legion campaign; all of the Killing Attack weapons in that setting have Penetrating. Period. This raises the tension in a way that traditional HERO design does not, and I thought it was so brilliant that I'll be adopting it for my own campaigns. 5) Then, finally, go the Mass Effect wikia and build the powers to your comfort/setting level. Stir & enjoy! Caution. Contents may be hot. Oh. And please unf--- the MAKO in your design. That thing is so freaking retarded.

Re: Halo Hero characters Okay, I've read through these. Either you're a mind reader or at some point I did package deals for the Marines and have since forgotten about it amidst all of my other work, so we'll assume the latter. These look good, Rich. Iis he called 'eyes' because of his mad deductive skills, or he is teh sn1p3rz?

Re: Halo Hero characters HAL-EG-O? YES. OMG. I. Am a genius. Ha ha ha ha! *goes zinging off down library corridors*

Re: Halo Hero characters LEGO baby. One of my players has recently insisted that I switch to LEGO, because you can do Damn Near Anything with them. I wonder if they have HALEGO?

Re: More fun with Morty the Incompetent Mugger The Lord Captain Thia Halmades would be at a bit of a loss, seeing there are a lot of options here, so I'll just follow the instructions and roll me a d6... and I get a 4. 4) ...A big, tough, mean-looking character taps Morty on the shoulder, says "Hey jerk, that's my mother you're messing with!", and punches Morty's lights out. The Lord Captain opens his mouth to say something, realizes that anything he said would be hypocritical, and thanks the gentleman for his services. "I'll ... well, let's be honest. I'll take the trash to the dump, by which I mean the local law enforcement authority. However, I should... admonish you that by rule, only licensed law enforcement officials and those individual specifically empowered to uphold the law, should be punching people's lights out. I'm willing to chalk this up to defense of house & home, if you're willing to concede that you won't make a habit of this." It turns out that the big palooka is in fact a Law Student, and agrees to have coffee with the Lord Captain at a later date to further discuss this fascinating topic. Thia drags the moron to the nearest cop and hands him over. Zam'azi'nel'kalree rolls and gets a 2. 2) ...Granny chants a bunch of unintellegable syllables, makes some strange gestures, and transforms Morty into a frog! She puts him in a mason jar and stuffs it into her purse. He very -- very -- quickly decides this is not a matter for the Legion and very rapidly walks in the other direction. Ephraim "Easy" Zintel encounters the situation with a 6. 6) ...Granny pulls a ridiculously huge handgun from her purse and sticks it right in Morty's face. She demands that he hand over his wallet. In the confusion, EZ slinks around granny and eases up behind this idiot and puts him into a rear naked choke, rifles his pockets, finds his wallet, takes the cash out of it and gives granny a decent amount of "grocery money," which he explains, "Morty here wanted to give you as a gift, ma'am. Now Morty and I are going to ... talk." Morty wouldn't be bothering anyone after that. Ever. EZ is a professional killer, and he's a family man. If this clown has stooped to dealing with Granny, then he needs removed from the scene. If there was trustworthy law enforcement, EZ would simply wreck his life for the next six to eight weeks and put him in traction, then fork him over, saying calmly that he'd "fallen down some steps while trying to mug an old woman." If at any point in this procedure Morty gets uppity, then he'll be staying down. Permanently.

Re: Which mechanic for magic works best ... *sigh* "What they said," Thia mutters as he passes by, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "Really, at the end of the day?" Thia begins paring an apple as he sets his feet up on the aged wooden table, scarred with poorly played knife games and still burnished to a shine with a beautiful deep set glow, "It depends on what you like." You hear this as he says it around a mouthful of sliced apple. "Take me, f'rinstance. I'm a Paladin. My powers are based on a Multi-Power framework. If I want to Smite someone, that's a slot. If I want to Lay on Hands, that's a slot. Odds are good I won't do both at once, so that's all right. I could have done as an EC, which would be fine, but it wasn't as 'clean' and cost a bit more, although it would be perfec... lee..." Thia's thoughts trail off as the apple slowly levitates out of his hand, and lands neatly in the palm of a rather plain looking human woman, in a loose tunic and heavy canvas pants. "Or," as she bites hard into the apple, grinning at Thia, "You can build it as Wizards and Clerics are built for our setting; as an 'iVPP.' An inVariable Power Pool, meaning it's highly structured and limited, but the theoretical possibility is very high. You can always write and add new spells without worrying about whether a player has points to pay for it -- they only need to establish they have the ability to cover it. So if their power only covers spells of up to sixty active points, they can't learn a seventy-five point spell, but if they come across one in their class, they can possibly memorize and then cast it." "Things to think on." "Um... Ryssa? My apple?"

Re: DoA Characters Eh... I could put one together for you, Edsel, but to do her right is expensive. I think I have to buy her gravity defying chest as a Power, but I'm not certain. No, I never wrote her up, but she's "Ryu Light." Lots of MA, her Ninjitsu Multi-Power, and some retarded stats. She also plays golf. Who knew?

Re: Manned Giant Robot Exactly. You can give him plenty of piloting skills, the odd super-skill, what have you. Trust me. Zane (the PC with his robot) built CRAZY robot on whatever I alloted him, and he loves that thing. It's a matter of campaign balance as well as anything else. Some people DO use Multiform, where the Multiform is "summoning" the vehicle, then it just takes "extra time for it to show up," and the vehicle itself being a thing you maintain is an SFX. So you can do that for a Supers game, whereas I would not allow it for something harder & grittier.

Re: Manned Giant Robot I apologize, Check. I'm completely lost here. This sounds like a textbook case for "vehicle." As a character, I spend the points to have the giant robot. I know it works because one of the PCs in my campaign did precisely this; worked out really well, oddly, right down to it being about 12' tall. So maybe I'm just missing the part where it's important it not be a vehicle? It exists outside the character, requires maintenance, and so on. What am I missing?

Re: Glee! Wow. That came out even better than I anticipated.

Re: WWYCD: You have 24 hours to release the innocent. Hmm. Well, were this an Imperial matter, where either Thia or Jerome would likely be involved, then Thia would (in a PC capacity) begin doing the research, attempting, on some level, to find out what's going on and why. He isn't going to jump (although, like any government agent, he can certainly be told too if it comes to that). Jerome is a lot more likely to: 1) Assemble a small squad, and get them incarcerated. Turn the offices upside down until he gets four or five really solid hits on people who, based on prior criteria, would be freed. 2) Get transferred INTO their cells with them, and wait and see what happens from there. Karas would have no clue what's going on, and simply moodily follow the rest of the party around.

Re: Request:Hero off of 250 points You likely cannot do Prime on 250; not and still have him be effective. The good news is that his Vehicle mode is fairly cheap (once you get past the problem that it's freaking huge). The bad news is his Robot Form is insanely expensive, given his size, strength, weapons array, not to mention his skill set, high PRE, INT, STR & CON, and so on. I built my "transformer" (Karas) for a Teen Champions game, using Multi-Form. He's still no where near strong enough, and a properly built Prime would mop the floor with him.

Re: Help with "Flavor" for Energy Projector. How about something not done overly often? I'm leaning towards a "Heroes" esque game about 'actual crime fighters' who use their supernatural powers to solve & fight supernatural crimes, something I'll likely blend into my Beta team for the Halliruch Campaign. But I think I have this image of Crucible as an Arson Detective; sort of a not-entirely-psycho John Constantine. My image is of hime with an expensive (but not Italian) suit jacket flipped over one shoulder, a blue shirt with one corner untucked, in slacks, a belt, and cowboy boots (which are covered by the slacks, so you just see the heel and patterned shoes). Expensive watch, wedding band, and an "inner fire" in his eyes that's obvious to anyone who meets him (as Distinctive Features, Noticed & recognizable, not concealable, detectable by commonly used senses).

Re: Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens The Lord Captain is partial to melee training, and in his spare time maintains his weapon collection and engages in the odd bit of light reading. He enjoys heavy red wines and books on military history. Jarome likes silence and quiet, and being treated like a "normal guy." Both of them are devoutly religious, but for entirely different reasons. Thia because he believes the world can be saved. Jarome because he fears for his own immortal soul.

Re: Hand-to-hand stun weapon /bonk NNDs ARE STUN only unless purchased with Does BODY (+1).