User talk:Raine Valen/Archive 36

Hey

Has your MSN changed, by any chance? I fell off the face of the earth for a while. -- Oiseau | 06:01, 5 September 2011 (UTC)

Don't worry, that's a fad now. -- Armond Warblade 06:11, 5 September 2011 (UTC)

Indeed, still the same. — Raine Valen 17:18, 5 Sep 2011 (UTC)

Do you ever go on it? :0 -- Oiseau | 03:07, 24 October 2011 (UTC)

I should be on it right now. I'll check that. — Raine Valen 3:16, 24 Oct 2011 (UTC)

Well, I wasn't. I am, now. — Raine Valen 3:18, 24 Oct 2011 (UTC)

New musings

Please. -- Armond Warblade 19:06, 5 September 2011 (UTC)

I was thinking about doing a thing. — Raine Valen 19:24, 5 Sep 2011 (UTC)

Do a toothbrush. →[ »Halogod (talk)« ]← 03:45, 24 October 2011 (UTC)

C-C-C-C-COMBOS!!

The first one seemed to go well enough, and I haven't done anything here in a while, so I'm going to carry on in this vein.
This one is going to be a little more complicated, though. For the first exercise, we designed individual skills with the criteria that only existing mechanics could be used in order to promote thinking outside the box, as it were. This one, on the other hand is more of a challenge, testing your critical thinking skills in addition to your creative abilities.
The task is to design a combination of skills (3 or more) that become exponentially powerful when used together. Let's look at an existing example:

• Barbs – triggers on physical damage to target; deals untyped damage to target.
• Hundred Blades – triggers on attack; deals physical damage to foes adjacent to user.
• Sun and Moon Slash – triggers on use; attacks target foe twice.

The total here is tons more than the sum of its parts, individually. Barbs alone pumps out one packet of damage per swing – we're looking at double that with either Hundred Blades or Sun and Moon Slash, and four times that with both. Going from 1x effectiveness t 2x to 4x is an exponential growth, which is what we're shooting for.
But there's criteria, of course. In the last exercise, you had to use existing mechanics; the same is true for this one, as well. However, it doesn't stop there. You also have to make sure that (1) each skill is viable outside the combo, (2) a single character using the combo is weak overall (e.g. W/N HundredBarbs), and (3) that the combo itself and the skills therein do not break the game. I'm not asking for it to be perfectly balanced, but it cannot break the game. Savvy?
Good stuff.

As is customary, I'll start it off:

Soulfreezing

• Sleet Shackles (Water Magic) –

10 1 12 – Hex Spell. (2...4...4 seconds.) Target moves 33...59...66% slower. This hex is reapplied whenever that foe takes cold damage.

• Chilling Aura (Wind Prayers) –

10 12 – Flash Enchantment Spell. (15 seconds.) Initial effect: deals 10...34...40 Cold damage to nearby foes. Whenever you use an attack skill, all adjacent foes take 5...17...20 Cold damage. End effect: deals 10...34...40 Cold damage to nearby foes.

• Soul Barbs (Curses) – Soul Barbs.

Eh. — Raine Valen 19:55, 5 Sep 2011 (UTC)

Throw in some Shivers of Dread and you've just removed a target from the game. elix Omni 21:48, 5 September 2011 (UTC)

Bullet Hell

• Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy (Marksmanship) –

10 5 60 – Elite Nature Ritual. Create a level 1...8...10 spirit. For non-spirit creatures within its range, projectiles miss if they would deal fatal damage. This spirit dies after 30...126...150 seconds.

• Sharpshooter's Gamble (Marksmanship) –

10 5 60 – Nature Ritual. Create a level 1...8...10 spirit. For non-spirit creatures within its range, projectiles deal 1...80...100% more damage but have a 1...80...100% chance to miss, and Asuran Scan fails to function. This spirit dies after 30...126...150 seconds.

• "One clean motion, no hesitation." (Command) –

10 5 – Shout. For 5...17...20 seconds, the next time target non-spirit creature uses a projectile, if it hits, it deals +5...41...50 damage and inflicts a Deep Wound for 5...17...20 seconds; if it misses, that creature is knocked down. This is harder than it looks. Vili 点 22:16, 5 September 2011 (UTC)

Never Bring a Knife to a Gunfight

• Woespreader (Soul Reaping) –

5 1 20 – Elite Enchantment Spell. For 10 seconds, your next Necromancer Hex Spell also afflicts an additional 1...6...7 foes in the area of your target.

• Price of Failure (Curses) – Price of Failure.
• Displacement (Communing) – Displacement.

If only fail chances were additive instead of multiplicative. Vili 点 22:16, 5 September 2011 (UTC)

Next to Godliness

• Absolute Grace (No Attribute) –

5 ¼ 1 – Elite Spell. All other party members lose all conditions and hexes. All of your other skills are disabled for an additional second for each condition or hex removed.

• Taking Care of Business (Divine Favor) –

-1 15 3 – Enchantment Spell. While you maintain this enchantment, every time you remove a condition or hex from another ally, you gain 0...4...5 Energy.

• Succor (No Attribute) – Succor.

Too strong? Vili 点 22:16, 5 September 2011 (UTC)

DK Tank

• Summoning Shadows —

10 20 — After 3 seconds, all of caster's foes unwillingly Shadow Step to positions adjacent to the caster.

• Mark of Pain —

10 1 20 — Foe 30 seconds, whenever target foe takes physical damage, all adjacent foes take 10...34...40 shadow damage.

• Whirling Defense —

10 60 — For 8...18...20 seconds, you have a 75% chance to block attacks. Whenever you block a projectile attack, adjacent foes take 5...10...11 damage. Solo anything in 10 seconds flat! Technically, growth is geometric only in the presence of 2 or more enemies, otherwise it's linear. I've always wanted Summoning Shadows though, more than any other monster skill. I've also always wanted to play as Mallyx ever since I saw him, the animations are goofy but cool. Funny monkey! :::3 Fuck ANet for not putting him in the margonite tonic. Fuck them in the fucking neck. Oh, and while we're on the subject:

• Edge of Extinction —

5 5 60 — For 30...126...150 seconds, whenever a creature dies, it blows up all similar creatures in an orgy of chain destruction. –Jette 00:34, 6 September 2011 (UTC)

Summoning Shadows violates the criteria because it breaks the game. :> — Raine Valen 2:17, 6 Sep 2011 (UTC)

Does not. The monkey uses it all the time and nothing ever crashes. –Jette 03:50, 6 September 2011 (UTC)

And if you want, you can examine my think tank for ideas. I'm sure one of them will break something. –Jette 14:43, 6 September 2011 (UTC)

Artillery

• Fire Brand (Fire Magic) –

25 2 – Enchantment Spell. Whenever you deal physical damage to a foe, that foe and adjacent foes take 5...13...15 Fire damage and begin burning (1...3...3 seconds).

• Hundred Blades – Hundred Blades.
• Sun and Moon Slash – Sun and Moon Slash.
• Shrapnel (Fire Magic) –

15 1 20 – Enchantment Spell (60 seconds). Whenever you deal Fire damage to a burning foe, all other nearby foes take 15...39...45 Fire damage.

• Pyroclasm (Fire Magic) –

25 2 4 – Elite Spell. Affects target foes and nearby foes. Deals 10...34...40 fire damage to each affected foe and nearby foes. Only affects burning foes.

Warrior uses Hundred Fire Brands to light shit up; ele exploits burning and Shrapnel to rape shit with Pyroclasm. — Raine Valen 2:34, 6 Sep 2011 (UTC)

whirlwind attack over sams for pve, since 5 hits are better than 2 24.130.140.36 02:56, 6 September 2011 (UTC)

Stop!

• Hammerball (Earth Magic) –

10 1 5 – Elite Enchantment Spell. Target ally is enchanted with Hammerball for 3...9...10 seconds. The next time that ally comes in contact with a foe, that foe is knocked down for 3 seconds. This spell causes Exhaustion. (50% failure chance with Earth Magic 4 or less.)

• Holy Strike/Stonesoul Strike (Smiting Prayers) – Holy Strike/Stonesoul Strike.
• Crushing Blow (Hammer Mastery) – Crushing Blow.

Touch range counts as "in contact". Vili 点 03:32, 6 September 2011 (UTC)

Who the hell do you think I am?!

• Broad Head Arrow (Marksmanship) – Broad Head Arrow.
• Kamina's Surprise Attack (Strength) –

4 – Stance. For 1...12...15 seconds, while wielding a katana, your next 0...2...3 attack(s) count(s) as a bow attack, interrupts your target, and causes Bleeding for 5...21...25 seconds.

• Gash (Swordsmanship) – Gash.

Bleeding will cover Dazed, and/or Deep Wound will be applied immediately. Vili 点 03:32, 6 September 2011 (UTC)

Avenger

• Def. Support (Tactics) –

5 30 – Stance. For 30 seconds, the next 1...4...5 times an adjacent ally would take damage, you and that ally swap places, and you take that damage instead.

• Void Avesta (Curses) –

5 ¼ 1 – Elite Enchantment Spell. For 5 seconds, the next time you take damage, the source of that damage takes that damage as well. (50% failure chance with Curses 15 or less.)

• Forsaken (Wind Prayers) –

15 2 15 – Enchantment Spell. For 30 seconds, whenever target ally loses an enchantment, all foes in the area take 10...34...40 cold damage. Forsaken probably breaks criterion 3, but eh. Vili 点 06:22, 10 September 2011 (UTC)

example

• Frustration - Frustration
• Panic - as in panic
• Wastrel's Worry - Wastrel's Worry

Wastrel's Worry means targets will use skills. Panic means mass interrupts. Frustration then cashes on it which means damage. --Boro 17:12, 14 September 2011 (UTC)

PvE Pwnage

• Panic (Domination Magic)
• Err.... Panic (Domination Magic)
• And moar Panic! (Domination Magic)

Panic mass-interrupts, then Panic interrupts more and Panic interrupts a bit more, then you re-apply more Panic to interrupt and it is quite a flexible build. When playing against Bosses, spam Panic, Large groups of minions, Panic, Mursaat, Panic, Hard Mode, Panic, Dervishs, Panic, Monks, Panic. Drawbacks: the only skill / minute your opponant can get off may deal slight damage to your 8 mesmer party. --Silven 03:17, 15 September 2011 (UTC)

Minions don't use skills, so Wastrel's Demise is better in that situation! Vili 点 03:28, 15 September 2011 (UTC)

I would love to see an 8 mesmer group try to ball enemies efficiently in DoA HM. Would be a good laugh. --ஸ Kyoshi 19:02, 15 September 2011 (UTC)

Trust me, it works --Silven 08:26, 18 September 2011 (UTC)

Vidyagames.

I'm looking for some worthwhile games for PC. What should I play?
Considerations:

• Gameplay is MOST important, but it should be nice to look at, too, ideally.
• My PC is not a fucking beast. I can run Devil May Cry 4 no problem, but I can't run Deus Ex at minimum graphics (seriously, wtf is up with it?).
• I'm bad at FPS games. I can't aim with a mouse or a controller, and those are what I play with.
• If I can't just get it as an executable or straightforward executable, please tell me how to run it. I'm a noob.

I'm sure pretty much all of you have more gaming background than I do; what've you got? — Raine Valen 23:13, 1 Oct 2011 (UTC)

Well, what kinds of games do you like?

• Epic RPGs? You could try Xenoblade Chronicles.
• Fighters? Melty Blood is simple and a fun way to kill some time.
• Puzzle games? I'm sure you have heard of Portal and its sequel.
• Turn based strategy? Battle Moon Wars is a good one.
• Action? Chantelise is good old hack and slashing.
• Mercantile? Recettear will test your ability to make money.
• Games which have a good game component but also coincidentally feature eroge? Sengoku Rance and Utawarerumono are kickass and fairly challenging to boot.

That's about all I can offer you. All of these games are relatively easy to install and don't have too high computer requirements (my laptop sucks but it can play all of them acceptably). Hit me up on MSN or something if any of them look interesting. Vili 点 23:39, 1 October 2011 (UTC)

Vili, your answers have pleased me. I am glad to call you my friend even though I can't see you on MSN. elix Omni 20:54, 3 October 2011 (UTC)

I can recommend you a few from my Steam account.

• Terraria (2d Minecraft)
• Swarm Arena (Two hives throw drones at each other)
• Recettear (Capitalism and dungeon crawling)
• Spiral Knights (Dungeon crawling, free game but you need "energy" to play, which regenerates slowly or can be bought with $)
• VVVVVV (Tough platforming, basically you shift gravity up and down rather than jumping)

None of these are very graphics-intensive, I run them all on a laptop smoothly (though I have to play Swarm Arena on lower settings). --ஸ Kyoshi 01:05, 2 October 2011 (UTC)

Civ iv is addicting and can be played on an old computer with a broken wrist (I'm doing it!). -- Armond Warblade 14:26, 2 October 2011 (UTC)

Dungeon Siege one and two: These are game design masterpieces. OK graphics, sys requirements says 32mb vcard or better, nice landscape, multiplayer, mods/maps/both (Lands of Hyperborea for ds1 really drives home). Three sucks donkey balls though, so stay away from it. I learned from painful experience. Also Minecraft, Ultima Underworld 1 and 2 (came before doom). --Boro 19:45, 3 October 2011 (UTC)

Terraria is nothing like Minecraft. They are not even remotely similar. For example, Terraria doesn't require autism to play it for several hours at a time :D -Auron 23:04, 3 October 2011 (UTC)

When you look at all the changes and features in 1.8 and 1.9, it's really more like Minecraft is becoming a 3D Terraria. elix Omni 03:10, 5 October 2011 (UTC)

I fail to see the difference other than the implication that Terraria is better because it came first. --ஸ Kyoshi 13:32, 5 October 2011 (UTC)

Starcraft 2. InfestedHydralisk 20:28, 3 October 2011 (UTC)

League of Legends ffs lol. elix Omni 20:54, 3 October 2011 (UTC)

WTB Vetaura's Harbinger.

I'm sure at least one of you has one to sell. — Raine Valen 13:31, 22 Oct 2011 (UTC)

I might have a harbinger, if that's what you're asking for. –Jette 13:40, 22 October 2011 (UTC)

c, that thing. — Raine Valen 13:45, 22 Oct 2011 (UTC)

Fuck no. Are you kidding? I'd have to put an eighth mortgage on my smelly cave. –Jette 14:31, 23 October 2011 (UTC)

You'd have to mortgage your cave to SELL something? — Raine Valen 14:35, 23 Oct 2011 (UTC)

No, I'd have to do it in order to buy one. Those thing are way too expensive. –Jette 16:07, 23 October 2011 (UTC)

does it really not have the second r? 24.130.140.36 16:56, 23 October 2011 (UTC)

Yes, it's "harbinger," not "harbringer," in much the same sense that it's tome, not tomb. –Jette 17:41, 23 October 2011 (UTC)

wow, I have been using that word wrong my whole life, alwys thought it came from "harm bringer" or something 24.130.140.36 18:36, 23 October 2011 (UTC)