Luna's Command: The Wibbly-Wobbly Saga (Looking for No More replacement)

No, we're doing a complete changeover to Wanderlust.

I'm Sorry I Thought That Was Obvious

(Also for some reason I thought the new system was coming out much sooner than the use of Valve Time would indicate! Silly me, I suppose. I...seem to have borked up a lot of things.)

So with the knowledge that we are switching over to Wanderlust, is anyone not okay with switching over to Wanderlust when it comes out?

OH FUCKING WONDERFUL, WE'LL BE CHANGING OVER TO A FUCKING WHOLE NEW SYSTEM THAT I HAVE GREAT DEAL OF LEGIT WORRY OF IT SUCKING IN MY EYES WHEN COMPARED TO PONY TALES... AND DAMMIT I WANTED TO UPDATE TO ABILITES, I REALLY WANTED TOO! WHY'D YOU ANSWER ME IF YOU WERE LYING! ALL MY TIME WAS WASTED! WASTED i SAY! FAR AS WE KNOW THE NEW SYSTEM IS GOING TO DO WHO THE FUCK KNOWS WITH EVERYTHING WE'VE GOTTEN USED TO... EVERYTHING IS BEING THROWN OUT AND STARTED FROM SCRATCH, REMEMBER THAT? REMEMBER? WE WERE ASKED IF WE WANTED TO UPDATED FOR FUCKS SAKE! AND I UPDATED NOW I'M TOLD WE'RE NOT?!?!? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (reminder what TYPING QUIRK WAS Karkat's)

But really... To be frank... For all we know we got HALF A YEAR (really yelling here, not karkat, really, am angry and thinking this opinion honestly, mostly) before Wonderlust will be finished and out? Hell if it doesn't come out sooner then that I personally don't even think I'll be able to 'trust' it to have such a CHANGEOVER (NOT UPDATE) to that system... So really, what the FUCK is the point to not changing to Abilities?

Composed Luthier:
Telekinesis 2
Advanced Telekinesis 3
Freaky Knowledge 3
Mimicry* 2
Sharp Eyes* 2
Fabricate 3
Audiomancy 3
Nimble Hands 3
Eagle Eye# 1
Magical Tricks* 3
Many Tongues 3
Kindness (Buffed)

Result: +5 Points
Missing Abilities: 3 (7 Points)
Nerfed Abilities: 1 (1 Point)

Iggy:
Echolocation* 4
Cloud Chaser 9
+1 Training 2
Light Trap 3
Speak With The Dead* 3
Audiomancy 3
Howling Chains# 2
Derp 4
Loyalty (Now Technically Laughter) (Buffed)

Result: +3 Points
Missing Abilities: 2 (7 Points)
Nerfed Abilities: 1 (2 Points)

Lunar:
Magical Attunement* 2
Thunderborn 2
Thunderbird's +1 Ability Thing* 1
Cloud Chaser 9
Eagle Eye# 1
Animal Speak 3
Call Animal 3
Animal Magnetism 3
Arcane Eye 3
Kindness (Buffed)

Result: +6 Points
Missing Abilities: 2 (3 Points)
Nerfed Abilities: 1 (1 Point)

Scorch:
Freaky Knowledge 3
Fireborn 2
Cloud Chaser 9
Grandeur 5
Awesomeness 3
Instant Party# 3
Longrunner 3
Villainous Laughter* 3
Loyalty (Now Technically Laughter) (Buffed)

Result: +2 Points
Missing Abilities: 1 (3 Points)
Nerfed Abilities: 1 (3 Points)

Wandering Eye:
Telekenisis 2
+1 Training 2
Spellchild 8
Eagle Eye# 1
Nightwatch 2
Found It!# 3
Freaky Knowledge 3
Stealth Mode 3
Magical Tricks* 3
Magic#

Result: +6 Points
Missing Abilities: 1 (3 Points)
Nerfed Abilities: 2 (4 Points)

Key:
*: Missing
#: Nerfed
(I might be missing a few other nerfs and I haven't logged buffs)

The three most notable nerfs are Eagle Eye, Instant Party, and Element of Magic. Eagle Eye (taken by three of our non-MIA players) no longer provides a flat +3 to Perception, which is why it only costs 1 point in the ability system. Element of Magic now makes you choose a number of abilities you want to have access to (still one at a time as well), as opposed to giving you access to any. And as a heads-up, if you do persuade Writer to shift to abilities (and most likely when we shift systems at all), Scorch will be dropping Instant-Party. Having the morale bonus only last one hour makes it not worth it...

So here you go. Unexplained Maths. Yay!

Do recall that Insta-Party does also work to keep us form having to worry about FOOD AND WATER in-game too you know... No matter how likely or unlikely that is to become a thing... It's something I feel is major to point out as STILL BEING THERE. It's fine if you still don't want the nerfed version. But hey I'm just pointing it out.

EDIT: Also in one MAJOR way there was buff to Abilities system Magic: IT CAN GIFT THE TALENTS TO OTHERS TOO! Along with this one simple buff, it lasts THREE times as long then it's short 5 minutes it lasted before. Sure it was nerfed... But was also buffed too... Don't over look that. There is "You or a willing ally you can see gain access to that ability for the next 15 minutes." Phrasing here in black and white that states this buff I speak of... And personally I LIKE THE NERF to magic... Before it was an Element that was endlessly growing in power non-stop cause in theory there was always "new utilities" that could be thought up to exist no matter how balanced or whatever. Also the old Element of Magic... I could never plan around using it... Only took it for flavor reasoning at best. But the New Magic Element? Not so! Cause it's a short little five listing of powers to pick from and think about... And this set I'd argue that if somebody really wants to "un-nerf" the Element, I'd suggest having all of those abilities be trade outable just like the rest of the skills are... You just gotta have a good OOC or IC reasoning (best to have both) to request such a change. And if the GM allows... Poof the Element is totally back to nearly it's full power it once had before. And really overall it was nerfed less than how much it was clearly BUFFED. Even most of the rest in major to minor ways got buffs, Loyalty and Laughter two of the weakest elements (even though old-laughter was a major hoot! to use) are up to par with the rest. Generosity? It got a minor wording clarity from what I see when I look at the Utility Talent's Doc... Honestly, sadly was nerfed, but it's only problem is it's endless lack of deff for "without distortion" detail, and the old version was kinda powerful without ANY limit on the time you had before the question-power wore off kinda OP even if there is a muddled issue with WHAT DOES WITHOUT DISTORTION MEAN? Tenacity is the only element without any buff, nerf, or change whatesoever. Only things I disliked was the removal of the Magic Drain Elements... That was totally a misstep in my opinion there... (same with it's removal of Evolution Destiny)

Xel, the "reasonable complaints means we won't switch over" thing still applies, and it will continue to apply even once Wanderlust has come out. Please do not yell at me. Yes, roleplaying Karkat is still yelling at me, I'm sorry. Yes, walls of text with frequent all-caps is interpreted as yelling, I'm sorry. Either way, there are some arguments there, so I guess I'll look at all that after I attempt to smooth things out here. Here is my thought process:

AProcrastinatingWriter wrote:
In fact, just as a general warning, when we're done with this "session" we're going to be switching over to the new system, if there are no reasonable complaints otherwise. It seems like a good time to do so - let us just say things are about to shift a little (no more wiping people out of existence, though, I promise), and according to markers we should be done sometime in late June or early July if things pick up a little now, which is when the new system is coming out.

In this post, and one later, though I never reference Wanderlust by name I do make reference to "The new system" which I mention in both has not yet come out. I never lied to you; I said I'd look over your sheet when it was time for the full changeover (when the "new rules" came out), and that was what I was planning on doing. I never used the word update, I always used the words "switching over" or some variant thereof. I am sorry for the misunderstanding, and admit I could have been a lot clearer by mentioning the doc by name, so I am very sorry for that.

What that all boils down to is this: as I already said, I thought I was being obvious when I wasn't, and I apologize.

So I'm not in depth in with the upcoming stuff or the happenings here so what is this wanderlust thing?

deonte9109 wrote:So I'm not in depth in with the upcoming stuff or the happenings here so what is this wanderlust thing?

https://ponytales.forumotion.com/t858-a-brand-new-system-official-announcement

Ignore the fact it was posted on April 1st. That was intentional and a reference to last year...

Xel has PMed me regards complaints about the Wanderlust system and moving forward over past confusion. The issue is currently being worked out.

In the meantime, time is up. Within thirty minutes, we'll have updated.

Okay, read the update, not sure what is happening atm. Please help...

Next post I make will likely be of LUNAR VS THE BIG BALL OF ROCK AND FIRE!!!

Paper Shadow wrote:Okay, read the update, not sure what is happening atm. Please help...

Bombs exploded, volcano went off, heat was rerouted and kinetic energy redirected. The plan, basically.

And now to try and get to the meteor FINALLY getting finished with whatever it is it needs to do... I've trying to Skill Challenge attacking the dang thing. Which can mean anything... (moving into a quick one-on-one losing fight with the meteor if I've failed the skill challenge, or that's what I hope is the worst outcome of failure) Not even sure what winning would mean too... So whatever your call is what we do Aproc... Just please have that rock fall and the plot advance now... WE'VE WAITED SO DANG LONG FOR THAT!

(hell part of me thinks having some type of FIGHT THE METEOR combat being the ending to this ending up in the past. And a way to see how many peoples are still here in the game might be a fun way to finish off this plot-point)

Highly suggest if we do the fight it be a timed punching bag fight, you keep track of how much damage we do, (and maybe also what our possible "max" damage /could've/ been too thought that idea is likely to be too complex). Like there is 5 or 6 rounds till the combat ends... And like ongoing damage in effect that increased by one at the end of each round. You rate how much damage we do... And what the "targeting" is like for the meteor... Would assume there is more than one target that and things shift in what's the target to hit when for max damage output. Unsure if the Meteor would have some type of full party AoE damage done... But I'd suggest it flat damage... Each time going up by one. There might be other things the Meteor could do... But that's just what I'd suggest to be easy mechanics to quickly build this fight. And post-fight we get rated on how much damage is done? Seems like a fun idea in my mind.

Today has been a long day. I will be doing more things tomorrow. Updating this might just be one of them. It also might not be.

BTW, me and Xel have smoothed things over and come to an agreement. Go ahead and update your characters, if you want to. One week after Wanderlust comes out, we'll be taking a vote on whether we want to change over or not.

AProcrastinatingWriter wrote:Okay time for a little bit of transparency:

I don't like making people move even when plot necessitates it after a bad experience in the other game I used to GM on these forums. I am all for letting the meteor land, doing a bit of last-minute roleplay, and getting over all this, but people need to move out of the village first.

Honestly, we've all been waiting a while, so within 24 hours I need these posts up or I am making them for you. Costume Change and Shimmer are MIA and have been for a while and we're dealing with it and Lunar's about to attack the meteorite, so that means Composed Luthier and Iggy need to either make a post detailing how they get the heckle out or else whatever else it is they may want to do. Join Lunar in the charge? Some random third option? I dunno!

Wait... LEAVING THE VILLAGE IS WHAT YOU WANTED OF YOUR PLAYERS? Even though everything that popped up IC seemed to imply that NOTHING wrong was going to happen from staying in the village and if anything I got the impression that leaving it was putting yourself in greater danger than staying in it! I don't get this logic... I don't get it... Either a) you wanted us to abandon everyone in this village to die... or b) everyone was going to live because of plot-reasons that Nihl has already set up to keep the village safe... Those were the impressions that came across to me. I don't know about the rest of the players. But that's totally what impression I had gotten. I'm just kinda shocked you tell us now you wanted us to leave... When everything else seemed to imply that we had to stay in the village when meteor smashed...

Got the impression that the railroad wanted everyone in the village... And there was plot-mines that we'd land on if we exited. Also recall how every time we tried to convince everyone else to leave... You then seemed to send us with reasons why to stay... It just baffles me...

Luthier was talking about leaving the village. The zebras are in the middle of evacuating already. I want whatever my players want.

Admittedly, given the choice, the Railroad Machine would not have chosen Leaving the Village as its first option, but there has been outcry from the players to make like that one scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Get On With It. Ergo, leave the village, or if I'm reading you wrong (and as I specifically mentioned) do option C, something else.

Or charge the meteor head-on like Lunar has.

Lunar has entered "buck logic, I'm doing what's fun!" mode at this point...

Whoops! Posted message in the wrong topic!

Snipped it now. It's in Xel's post for posterity's sake.

Um... Did Lunar's attempts to fight the Meteor do anything? (I mean I'm fine if not... Just wanta be 100% sure before I post a reaction.) Cause the post as I read it... Seems that Lunar did nothing to the meteor, and only thanks to PLOT-MAGIC did the Hippogriff still live. From what I guess, this type of plotmagic was from either Nihl or Princess Luna, and there was a second type of plotmagic in play that did unknown things...

There is no such thing as plotmagic in my games. Everything has an explanation in my head before I put it down to paper, so to speak. But that aside, yes, you did nothing to the meteor. The meteor, in turn, did nothing to you.

Plotmagic is my catchall term for magic from an unknown source that seems equally have plot-ish related reasonings to exist. Hell sometimes magic from a known source can be plotmagic if the effects said magic is doing seems to be major to keeping the plot moving smoothly.

Also I am thinking of trading out Trance and Drain Blood from my combat build to take Firebolt and Piercing Shot... That ok?

old talens that I'm removing:

new talents I wanna try out:

Lastly... I've been meaning to ask, but could we maybe get the annoying "Pick 8 talents, Take 5 into battle" rule houserulled away? It's fine if it stays... Just feel as time goes on it only leads to "on shit I shouldn't have taken these five into battle but should've taken my option B or C talents instead..." & "flavor wise why does my character not be able to do X just because I didn't take it into this fight? Even though if I had somehow known I'd have used that talent a lot more than what I already had used?" types of events... And I'm unsure what it really adds to the combat system other than complexity. Sure there is the "Swapout a talent for a Minor" rule, the Open Options and Prepare Spell talents, & the Spellbook weapon to try and work around that rule... But, spellbook seems to just make the rest of the weapons feel like your crippling yourself or you don't even bother with the rest cause spellbook is just mechanically easier to build with to make neat combos with. The talents while really neat... I've found not the most fun to try and build with. And the swapout rule only works to solving ONE talent slot that was the misstep, when it might feel like two or three talents were the problem you've found. Just my two bits on the "Pick 8, Take 5" rule over my games...

Combat talent swap duly noted.

All 8 talents is fine, but in exchange the enemies are going to be notably tougher from this point onwards. That cool?

Ouch... Um... How much stronger we talking? On second thought, why not? Unless the rest of the party highly is against the idea of buffing enemies... (though at this point I'm kinda just hoping to learn if we've hit the mythical level 4 or not yet. Called mythical, cause unless I'm mistaken, the normal pbp party NEVER gets past level 3 before the game just "ends" from whatever random little thing... Hell most games are lucky to have hit level 3 in and of itself.)

Ok... New system out... And from what I've seen and the privet chat I've had with Dan... I'd strongly say we shouldn't do the changeover to the new system... New system only is good for NEW CAMPAIGNS... Not old ones... Even more so if there was some combat mechanics you found yourself enjoying cause you wont find them in the new system. (nothing of that was what dan said, if anything he was very helpful and willing to in fact build me new moves when pointed out the ones that were missing that I really liked and junk) So I strongly say FUCK THE NEW SYSTEM IT'S OF NO USE TO US!

Agreed.

As per the enemy buffing, we've kinda been steamrolling most of the enemies we've encountered anyway...

Another little Combat Talent Swap idea I'm going to do: Taking out "My Life is Yours" to take "Mend". Not the most idea trade out... But I do like the idea of giving regen to allies when in this system people getting not targeted is kind the norm. Though sadly equally Mend is kinda also like putting a target on the allies back to to be hit before their turn so they don't get any healings... Which is kinda a major dick move by a GM... So I guess... This is less of a "I'm going to do this swap" but more "I'm thinking of doing this swap but I'm unsure of how useful it'll be" so Aproc what's your opinion on me using Mend? Would it basically be paining a target on myself or an ally? Or are my worries unfounded? (also realize that it can't be used on yourself, that's kinda dumb in my opinion and might be helpful to be given a houserule or two? One houseruling to allow for self-targeting and the second would be that the regen can't be taken off till after the first round? Well the self-targeting one doesn't really need it's change, but the making sure that allies will be healed at least ONCE would be nice... Might also be nice if this regen would also trigger for KOed peoples but get's auto-lost if done that afterwards... But that's just an afterthought suggestion really.)

Also as an aside, what next is there to do in-game? I mean... Um... What's the next plot-line to work with? Also any idea if we've leveled or not?