Archibald! You can only have one strength. Either the incorporeality or the stench has to go.

>>74091
No no, I was just messin'. I just didn't read the bit in here about how you didn't want those kind of characters anymore. My apologies.

>>74107
Characters that pretty much only serve to help out the other adventurers are fine; at least your rubber ball dude can get destroyed by traps.

2 things:
1. Since I already have a character in the wings, would it be fair if I used Sasha steppington?
2. I have another character idea. Should I suggest it now, or later after Zack meets his inevitable unfortunate demise.

>>74108
So...does this mean Blast Beard needs editing?Because I was originally going to go for a wind up robot, but I thought it would be better to not have to depend on others. So I thought instead of being rewound by others, it would rewind itself up, which is kind of impossible unless it was the legs that were specifically wind up.

>>74109
>1. Since I already have a character in the wings, would it be fair if I used Sasha steppington?
If no one else wants to take her, feel free.

>2. I have another character idea. Should I suggest it now, or later after Zack meets his inevitable unfortunate demise.
I would prefer if you waited for Zack to die, because it's not really fair for others if you sort of reserve your next slot; it makes the line longer for people who have yet to play.

>>74111
Blast Beard was a bit borderline, but I was willing to give it to you. If you'd like to make him a bit more in line voluntarily, I recommend you limit him to only one type of firepower.

Well, is Zaealix does take Sasha, is Zack removed from the waitlist, or no?

Let me preface this by saying I've got no problem with your decision regarding Mavek, and I'm not asking this to contest that decision or anything like that. It just seems like you're getting upset with some of the entries, so I'd like to get some clarification so we can avoid problems in the future and you and the players can all stay happy.

Where do you draw the line between two different "Strengths"? For an example of what I'm finding confusing, Doppler has potentially infinite different skills that could count as strengths, but it's conceptually a single ability that can be singly enumerated, so I can understand why you'd count it as a single ability. Blasht Beard, on the other hand, has multiple listed powers which are individually enumerated, but conceptual relatives of "guy with hand cannon". I can also understand why that one is OK.

I don't want to make this about Mavek, but I'm going to use her as an example because we don't have many examples of rejected characters to draw from yet. Conceptually, she was "alien with laser tentacles". To me, it seemed like "moves things or cuts things with them" was no more a description of two different powers than "shoots big bullets, small bullets, or heavy bombs" was a description of three abilities for Blasht Beard. In terms of different things that I could do with that ability while keeping it under a single conceptual heading, it also seemed far less versatile than what Doppler can do.

Again, I'm just asking in the interest of clarification. I'm not upset that either of those characters are in, nor am I upset that Mavek as originally written is not. I'm perfectly happy with her just being able to cut stuff. I was more bothered by the "You guys keep this up and I'm going to have to start rejecting people" remark, because that seemed to me to indicate that something about my entry had frustrated you, and that was the opposite of my intention. I promise I wasn't trying to pull a fast one on you or anything, and I was surprised that the entry upset you. I'd like to make sure we can all avoid that in the future. If you're just playing it by ear and the problem was just that the listed strength was too strong, that's perfectly fine too. Just, please understand that we don't know where you draw that line yet and we aren't trying to subvert your awesome quest or anything if we accidentally cross it.

I think I would like to suggest for Steppington.

Perhaps a rule that anyone who does not currently have a running character can suggest for a character that has been inactive for a day?

Hrrm...I think I get it.
Blast has multiple 'shoot stuff' powers, but they more or less have the theme of increasing power/blast radius, as well as a delay in switching modes and only can use one at a time.
In the case of Mavek, she had multiple powers, but much less limitations to prevent her from using them at once, and a weakness that was...Well, outside of water hazards, wouldn't apply that much.
I think something that might make strengths/weaknesses more flexible and fuzzier is that a normally OP strength can be balanced by a particularly nasty weakness.
Blast Beard basically has to pause every 5 turns or so to wind himself up again, which while it doesn't sound like much, it means he's going to move slower than everyone else.
Of course, this is all speculation on my part, I could be wrong though...

>>74117
Nope.

>>74118
I can tell you're trying pretty hard not to come off as confrontational, but please don't feel like you have to couch your language carefully to avoid offending me. :P

I'd like to say that it wasn't about you, and I'm sorry if you felt offput by anything I said; it was just a growing trend that I wanted to stomp on before it got out of control. The characters lately have been getting a lot more... intricate, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'd really like to point out that this isn't really a quest about a skilled band of adventurers. It's not a Pathfinder campaign. It's supposed to be a silly, fun thing where simple characters go up against needlessly complicated tricks and traps. I want to afford everyone as much creativity as I can, because I know making characters is fun, but there's a line in the sand I have to draw, and I'll try and define it for you as clearly as I can.

You've pretty much got the idea of why I let Doppler and Blast Beard in already. Doppler's strength can be boiled down to a single, simple word or phrase: 'Morphs.' or 'Can shape change.' It's a pretty versatile strength, but I'm willing to allow it because it's so simple and I'm pretty sure I can still kill her. Blast Beard's real strength is his cannon, which is, like Mavek's arm things, a single weapon, but unlike Mavek's whips, it only serves a single function: it shoots cannonballs (of varying size). The cannonballs all do roughly the same thing.

I'll be honest; I had to think for a while before I let Blast Beard in, and I was tempted to reject him, but it seemed like a lot of effort had gone into him, other people liked him, and I didn't want to step on that, so in the interest of everyone having fun, I let him in. That's the principle I'm mainly abiding by, is making sure everyone has fun with the quest. It may lead to me making somewhat inconsistent decisions, but I'd really rather rule on the side of the players in most cases.

As for Mavek, well, you actually described her as being able to do several things: move herself around with her tentacles, manipulate objects with them, and turn them into superheated whips to attack things. That's really three separate things to me, but I was willing to combine the first two and let you choose between weaponry and mobility as your strength.

It really wasn't about you at all, it was just sort of a growing thing. First Archibald had two powers, which I didn't really actually catch until I'd already let him in (which I only did because I wanted to see his face when I killed him anyway), then Blast Beard seemed way too complicated, but I let him in anyway to be nice, then Mavek seemed to be going down Blast Beard's road as well and I felt like I had to make some sort of stand so that we didn't end up with a whole party full of Swiss Army knives and invincible trap detectors. I'm sorry if I came off as rude in doing so, it wasn't my intention, I've really just been having to carefully word everything I say so as not to snap at people today. It's not your fault.

I feel like the line should probably be thus: You need to be able to describe your character with a word (the name of the power) and/or a sentence (that describes the power succinctly). If your character gets more lengthy than that, you are probably overthinking Puzzle Dungeon. For example: "Strength: Shapeshifting," or "Strength: Can create superheated hard-light tendrils to cut through things." I don't really mind if you try to game it a little to get your character through, for example, "Strength: Hand-cannon. Can shoot six small bullets, two large bullets, and a large, bouncing cannonball with a two-panel fuse." Just don't go too far.

Here's something important, though: You really don't need to rigidly define your character's abilities. That's sort of my job. The quest does not have any mechanics beyond my own common sense and sense of humor, and I'd like it to stay that way. If you overstep your boundaries, I'll let you know, either in writing or by telefragging you into a wall.

That's another thing: It's probably not a good idea to put so much effort into your characters because you'll get attached to them, and probably get upset when they die. I really don't want anybody to think that they can make a character on Level 1 and have them last to the end of the quest if they just try hard enough. It's not happening. You're gonna die. I will design future levels to destroy you. You can't escape your fate. Prepare accordingly.

>>74119
Ok! You can start suggesting for her immediately.

>>74122
Okay. Regarding my phrasing, I had to be careful because it would have been very easy for my questions to come across as "WAH YOU REJECTED MY CHARACTER", especially given the timing. Thanks for answering, I think that explains it.

It's interesting that if we WERE trying to powergame, it would be more a linguistic problem than a roleplaying one, since "telekinesis" would make it but "carries a roll of toilet paper and fingernail clippers" would not. I'm also assuming "can shapeshift into a burrowing worm, a flying creature, and an electric lizard specifically" would have failed while "shapeshifts into anything" succeeds. Hmm.

I'm assuming "omniscience" or "omnipresence" omni-anything would probably be out. How about teleportation? Creating objects out of energy, like Green Lantern? Actually, since the limitations are on which ideas our culture has already lumped together linguistically, could we refer specifically to a well-known character? "Has the powers of spider-man", for example?

Come to think of it, maybe we could just all get to suggest for Sasha Steppington until she dies or her player comes back?

That way things keep moving, both because she's active, and probably going to die very quickly thereby bringing in a new character.

>>74130
Nope, only the character's owner can suggest for them. It's not that kind of quest.

>>74129
Teleportation is technically in, depending on how controlled you are with it. Considering I have full control over where you end up, it might be a short-lived character. I'd prefer it if you were more creative than just 'is Spider Man,' so I'd probably reject that one. Really, I'm not saying you can't start with a roll of toilet paper and fingernail clippers. I seriously never said that, anywhere, it's even a single sentence. I wouldn't reject any of those, words in my mouth, om nom nom.

Anonymous 2013/07/26(Fri)19:41 No. 74139 ID: 885ee8
File 137489291228.png - (61.59KB , 600x780 , temp.png )

>>74132
Sorry! I did not intend to put words in your mouth. I was also not intending to criticize your system. I was just trying to summarize it and couch it in terms that made sense to me, bringing up what I thought were some novel ramifications in the process as food for thought. I liked the idea that it was basically a linguistic puzzle! I thought the toilet paper and fingernail clippers thing failed due to:
>Doppler's strength can be boiled down to a single, simple word or phrase: 'Morphs.' or 'Can shape change.' It's a pretty versatile strength, but I'm willing to allow it because it's so simple and I'm pretty sure I can still kill her. Blast Beard's real strength is his cannon, which is, like Mavek's arm things, a single weapon, but unlike Mavek's whips, it only serves a single function: it shoots cannonballs (of varying size). The cannonballs all do roughly the same thing.
I interpreted that to mean that a strength had to be either one concept that can result in multiple abilities or multiple abilities that fall under one concept. Fingernail clippers and toilet paper are not related to one another conceptually and do not confer the same "abilities".

But now I feel like I'm going on too long about it. Like you said, it's just for fun. I'm looking forward to playing. But now I find myself longing for a character that could clip his nails and wipe his ass.

Oh well, maybe next time...

>>74139
I assume that's an analogy. I just think you're overthinking it, and should really stop doing that, and just come up with cool characters, explore interesting places, meet exotic people, and get killed by them.

Anonymous 2013/07/26(Fri)20:03 No. 74141 ID: c23ab0
File 137489419198.gif - (13.93KB , 400x282 , eg.gif )

R.I.P.

i'm WIZARD as a strength, who the fuck knows what a wizard can do? i just say "tries to cast a spell that ______" if it's good then i cast it, if it's OP i can't.

>>74106
Whoops, just saw this! I caught that early on, have decided to go with the stench. Revised ability and Weakness.

DEATH STENCH: slowly poisons people in a close radius to him
the drawbacks of this are a bit obvious, but amount to this: if he is in the same room as a team member for more than two turns consecutively they will start taking damage.

That better?
Apologies for not responding, I did not realize there was a /dis/ thread for some reason ahaha.

I did some thinking and honestly trying to use him as an xray guide to mechanism workings is probably not quite the way to go.

>>74208
Just so we're clear, you'll... float, I guess? But it's not your strength, so you'll pretty much travel normally, and still trigger traps like pressure plates.

>>74226
Hm. that is actually a veery fine point, I hadnt thought of that. But yes, I suppose that is the case? I might rework it a bit, perhaps an alternate skillset could do away with the stench of death entirely and focus more on his floatyness?
OH I ACTUALLY GOT ONE!!
He can control his density (allowing him to fly or activate pressure pads, etc), but has a one in five chance of accidentally going superdense, effectively immobilizing him and dropping him into whatever is below him at the time.
Would that be a better power-weakness, do you think?

>>74240
Just... resubmit the character in the thread when you're done brainstorming, okay?

>>74241
Will do! I'll try to keep away from giving you any headaches, though! let me know if anything I suggest is a bad idea to you, yo.

if it isnt clear this is a joke suggestion Archivemod 2013/07/28(Sun)18:05 No. 74243 ID: e1609c
File 137505992781.jpg - (19.92KB , 256x206 , originalthecharacter_9746.jpg )

Speaking of horrible ideas:
What if I made a terribad joke oc for puzzle dungeon, who's ability is SUPERMODE MEGASOLDIER but his weakness iss TRAGIC BACKSTORY: anything that isnt a blank wall will send him into a wailing angsty catatonia from which the only escape is a three paragraph description of their luxurious hair in broken english.

>>74243
I know it's a joke, but it still made me cringe.

Anonymous 2013/07/28(Sun)21:04 No. 74249 ID: c23ab0
File 137507064786.jpg - (58.82KB , 264x204 , appropriate reaction.jpg )

>>74243

Little Deyzuna 2013/07/29(Mon)09:22 No. 74267 ID: cf49fc
File 137511496787.png - (473.75KB , 839x469 , Little Deyzuna Crying.png )

>>74243
YOU BASTARD! STOP RIPPING OFF MY CHARACTER! YOU'RE DOING IT ON PURPOSE! STOP IT! YOU'RE BEING MEAN!

>>74243
>>74244
>>74249
>>74267
Now I feel almost OBLIGATED to do this

>>74282
Allow me to explain: No.

Little Deyzuna 2013/07/29(Mon)17:29 No. 74290 ID: cf49fc
File 137514414456.jpg - (49.11KB , 800x415 , Little Deyzuna in the saddle.jpg )

>>74282
No way! You're not copying ME and getting away with it! I'M in this adventure now, and there's nothing you can do to stop me.

Hey it sure would be nice if the people who were playing posted some actions

I really just want to see what happens when that water meets that acid. My guy (Baelno) is allowed to carry a sword and shield in with him, right? What happens if someone dies in the next level, but some of the traps on this one still work?

>>74295
Once everyone alive/able to leave exits the level everyone new will spawn at the next one.

>>74296
...everyone? that cant be comfortable...

Tiki Time 2013/07/30(Tue)16:59 No. 74358 ID: a01b62
File 137522875117.png - (13.48KB , 488x154 , hejibits30.png )

>>74356

quick question: Your thoughts on people commenting when they have no character in play?

>>74403
I have no strong feelings one way or the other. Perhaps it's best kept to /questdis/.

Hmm. What happens if shenanigans cause the level to become impassable?

>>74613

> implying anyone is ever going to make it past level 1

>>74613
I said already:
>>74043

Schedule's been tight! I'll try and get back to updating this weekend but it may not be super frequent.

Given it's been about a week, I'll put the remaining characters up for adoption and process Muffins's action tonight.

>>76246
king chicken is still here, and he's getting bored of chillin in the nether

>>76246
Sweet Tooth is still kicking as well.

Baelno is ready to help, but he's pretty far down in line. (The only thing I think he can do to help now would be to heat the rock enough to make it shatter.)

what huh? i'm here, and remember taking an action this turn..

A.F. Garfunkle, eagerly awaiting deployement sir!

No, no, you guys; the surviving characters. Sorry, my bad! Anyone who wants to submit actions for one can take them over.