Sandy

[quote name='DeathKnight][color=crimson']You seem to be under the mistaken presumption that those things make it more appealing.[/color][/quote] It might not appeal to you, but the amount of sign-ups I've gotten proves that it appeals to at least [I]some[/I] people. So I'm not the one being mistaken here. Also, the basic concept for Labyrinth is actually taken from a board game called [url=http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/1899][B]"13 Dead End Drive"[/B][/url], where every player controls each of the twelve pawns, trying to kill off each other's pawns while not exposing own pawns to the other players. I personally, plus everybody I've played that board game with, have enjoyed it tremendously, so I wanted to bring that enjoyment to OB in a new form. As I said earlier, I wasn't even trying to cater to everybody's needs, because I believe it can't be done in a single event. Again, Otaku Idol 2 is a contest, and I really want to win this, so I didn't want to try something I have never done before. This is not the place for full-out experimenting, at least not to me.

Okay, I think I get now that the most basic critique towards Labyrinth is that it is an RPG. However, I have to ask since when have RPGs been excluded from being events? Legionnaires was most certainly an RPG, and so were the OtakuBoards Big Brothers to a certain extend. I don't think I agree with what you said in your MyOtaku page, Charles, about Labyrinth not standing out if it was transferred to Adventure Square. In my opinion it has many elements that common OB RPGs don't have, such as being a contest and the possibility to die in the game (hence the mature rating). I apologize for not making an event for everybody, but in reality, it would be quite impossible to make in such a short amount of time. If I become the next Event Master, I promise you'll see more than Survivor-clones at the Community Event Section. I even have a few projects planned in my head. ;D

[QUOTE=Boo][size=1] Sandy, you start with a line of ?this event is rated M, etc. etc.? and then some piece of poetry. After that there?s the banner. I think that by now a lot of people have lost their attention and already thought ?Heck, it?s just a RP.? The ?PM me your profile? seems to be a rather bad idea. Now it looks like no one?s even interested in your event thing. There?s hardly any posts in it. Oh, and the typography is not good for Internet use. I can't remember myself reading the whole thing.[/size][/QUOTE] Well, it really shows you [I]didn't[/I] read the whole thing. First of all, the piece of poetry and the banner are there for creating the mysterious aura for the Labyrinth. If somebody can't hold your interest even for that long, then obviously my event isn't for them. Secondly, it [I]is[/I] an RPG! One imbued with the element of contest, that is. I don't understand how that differs from White's event, though. For third, people private messaging me their character profile is [I]essential[/I] to this event, because the players aren't supposed to know who has created which characters. Again, read the instructions before passing judgement. And [I]of course[/I] there aren't many posts in it - the event hasn't even started yet! I'll create the event-thread on Monday, Nexus is an "underground"-type of thread, since we we're allowed to have two threads in our events. I [I]do[/I] have the seven players required already, so obviously [I]somebody[/I]'s interested in my event. I'm sorry for sounding so defending, but your criticism was without any basis. If you want to give me feedback, at least give me something constructive instead of just trying to tear me into bits and pieces. No cookie for you, Boo! >:/

[QUOTE=Shy][size=1] [b]1) How do you feel your standing in the OtakuBoards community has impacted the success (or lack thereof) of your event's sign-ups? Be specific. 2) How do you feel the standing of each other candidate in the OtakuBoards community has impacted their own success (or lack thereof)? Be specific. 3) Do you feel you have adequately promoted your event to the OtakuBoards community? How are you doing that? 4) Will your event be able to continue if you do not receive the quantity or quality of sign-ups you expected? What will need to change? 5) How have your expectations for member interest compared to [i]actual[/i] member interest in your event? How do you feel about that? 6) What do you blame for a lack of interest in these events so far? Please be specific.[/b] [/size][/QUOTE] [B]1)[/B] I don't think my position as a moderator has helped me one bit with this event, but it's the fact that I am the creator of three very successful "unofficial" events, namely the OB Survivors, as well as many, many other RPGs at the Adventure Square. I am aware that Labyrinth is quite close to the Survivors in some ways, but it also includes elements such as dynamic storytelling and superpowers that the Survivors didn't have. But Otaku Idol 2[I] is[/I] a contest, and I'd be a fool not to do what I know I [I]can[/I] do. What comes to the sign-ups, I know it's kind of secretive but I actually have the required seven players already. I'm just tweaking some of their sign-ups together with them now. It's true that most of the people who've signed up have participated in my games before, but that only makes me more secure about the success of this event, because I know [I]all[/I] these people will stick with me until the end. On the other hand, I haven't rejected anyone yet. Yes, there's been a total of seven sign-ups for me thus far. But luckily, that's enough! ;D [B]2)[/B] It's hard to say... White has a lot of friends around here (based on his name reading on numerous signatures of other members), so I wouldn't be surprised if in the end he'd get the 13 players to his event. As for Gavin, he's well-known throughout our community, but because of his fame he might be a bit intimidating for some newer members to approach. But I have respect towards both of my rivals, and I hope they can both launch their events on time! [B]3)[/B] My promotion of the game began before I made my pitch with a thread to the "Art by Request", where I asked for a banner/avatar for Labyrinth in exchange for a sure spot as a player in my event. I eventually chose Eclipse's pieces of art, and he's now one of the seven players as well. His banner is on my signature now, as well as working as a headline for my event. I've also had AIM conversations about my event, as well as sent a private message to a selected few, so I've definitely done my share of advertising. [B]4)[/B] If somebody drops out now, I can definitely do this event with only six players, but that would mean it will last much less time and wouldn't involve as many characters to play. It would be a big shame, really, but I'd still do it. As for the quality of the sign-ups, I've requested several players already to change their character profiles, mainly because of similarities with other characters. That's the downside of "invisible" recruitment - the players don't know what others have already sent in. [B]5)[/B] To be honest, with my OB Survivors gaining up to 30 sign-ups, I was amazed that I barely got the seven I needed. It's saved me the trouble of not letting good players in, though. But I guess there's always a reason for everything... [B]6)[/B] OtakuBoards [I]have[/I] been terribly slow lately, especially when it comes to older members. I definitely "blame" real life, school and work can be really hectic when nearing the end of the year (at least my school is). It's hard for people to make commitments to events such as these three, which is why I intentionally made Labyrinth much "lighter" than my Survivors (this event only [I]requires[/I] a player to post once per week, although more is recommended). Time is money, as they say.

[quote name='Doublehex']I've got a question; where do we put the background and personalties of each of our characters? Because I was writing mine when I realized that I had no idea where to put them.[/quote] Ha, good question! I was expecting someone to ask this... ;D The thing is, you [B]don't[/B] put any biography or even much of personality into your character profile. Because this is a cooperative story, the backgrounds and personalities of the fifteen characters mold up when they are played by the different players. [I]Always[/I] keep in mind that in this game, you will play as every character, so you will be shaping each of them up in your part as well. Getting too attached to your own characters will most certainly hurt you in this game. Hope this answers to your question!

I thought about that one, but in the profiles I've got this far it hasn't been a problem. In any case, this game requires much strategic eye, so if you see two character pics that look kind of similar, it's not tough to bet that they belong to the same person. So it's really the fault of the player who made the characters. In any case, nobody else but me will know which character belongs to which until the end of this event, unless the players reveal their "pawns" to somebody else. This will keep the excitement going until the very end. ;D Thanks for the question, BK, it wasn't stupid at all! [B]As for other matters[/B], there has been a [B]change in the rules[/B] of how to build your characters. [I]Your two characters must not originate from the same country[/I], for the sake of variation. And if either of your characters come from USA, [I]remember to name their home state[/I]. Also, keep them sign-ups coming, people! There's still room for more enthusiastic players. ;D

[QUOTE=The13thMan][COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic] Anyways, Sandy, you forgot to ask a would you rather question! Urgh! >.< So now i shall do it for you! Bwahaha. [/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] I [I]just[/I] remembered I forgot! What a paradox, btw... Well, you beat me to it, anyway. ;D

I don't want to be a spoilsport... Wait, yes I do! Anyhow, you guys don't seem to know that most of your questions break the parameters that [B]The13thMan[/B] explained in the first post. You were supposed to make questions that [I]anybody[/I] can answer - including those who [I]don't[/I] have wife, daughter, sister, brother or the know-how to shoot with a gun. What's up with all the "you must kill somebody or somebody else dies?" questions, anyway? Don't be so morbid, people! [QUOTE=DeadSeraphim][COLOR=Indigo][SIZE=1][FONT=Arial] "You have to choose between a few short years as an AIDS infected individual, or a complete life-time withouts AIDS, but with no genitals. What do you pick?"[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE] I'd take AIDS and die within a few years. I love my weewee so much!

[FONT=Palatino Linotype][center][SIZE=1]This event is rated M for mature with excessive violence, crude language and possible sexual content.[/SIZE] [color=DarkGreen][i]Where legends come to life Where fairy tales are reality Where dreams are seen with eyes wide open Where there is no escape Where is the Labyrinth?[/i] [IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/Labyrinth/labyrinth3.png[/IMG][/center] Fifteen people from the modern world, total strangers to each others, wake up at the center of the Labyrinth ? a seemingly endless maze where there are baffling wonders and deadly hazards around every corner. Very soon they find out that they possess peculiar powers that they did not have when they went to sleep, powers they know through fairy tales and folklore, powers of the heroes and villains of myths and legends reborn within them. So begins a desperate race to find the way out of the Labyrinth. Some of the fifteen decide to team up, while some prefer to go solo. Death befalls on them one after another, for the maze is as lethal as it is miraculous. With only their new-found powers and each other to rely on, will any of the fifteen make it out of the Labyrinth?[/color] [center][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/Labyrinth/labyrinth5.png[/IMG][/center] Welcome to the [b]Labyrinth Nexus[/b]! This is the place where all the [b]out-of-character[/b] discussion and information is kept. Here you can also ask specifically about this game and give some feedback about it, if you like. But most importantly, here you will find out everything you need to know if you want to [b]join this event[/b]. [i]Labyrinth[/i] will have spots for [b]seven players[/b], all of whom will control a total of [b]fifteen characters[/b] during the game along with me. So, this is not an ordinary roleplaying game where you pick a person and play as him or her all time. This time, the seven players and me will create a story around the fifteen characters who have all woken up in a gigantic maze filled with wonders as well as dangers, each possessing unnatural powers they didn?t have before. However, it wouldn?t be much of an event without a big twist in it. Besides being a [b]collaborative story[/b], [i]Labyrinth[/i] is also a [b]competition[/b]. Here are the rules to this game: [indent][b]1.[/b] In order to become one of the seven competitors, you must send me a [b]private message[/b] with the [b]profiles of two characters[/b] you want to include to the total of fifteen. Wether you are in or not depends wholly on how interesting and unique your two characters are. Details on how to create the characters will follow up later. You have time until [b]Monday the 20th of November[/b] to send me your character profiles, that means a whole week. [b]2.[/b] The fourteen characters created by the seven players are [b]secret[/b] to everybody else but the creator and myself. Think them as your own pawns that you have to protect from the others. Revealing your two characters might make the other players attack them, and then you will lose this event. Of course, you can make [b]alliances[/b] with your rivals, but in the end, there can be [b]only one winner[/b] in Labyrinth. [b]3.[/b] The sole [b]winner[/b] of this event will be the player whose created character (or both characters) are the last ones alive. Yes, this event involves players [b]killing off[/b] each others? characters with varying methods [b]in-game[/b]. The killing can happen with for example a trap falling on the character or by an assault of a beast. Just like anybody can play as any character, anybody can kill a character. When both of a player?s characters are killed off, he or she will [b]lose the event[/b] and will have to leave the game [i]on the following weekend[/i]. There are certain restrictions and rules regarding killing, elaborated in the rule number 5. [b]4.[/b] My own role in Labyrinth is to create the fifteenth character, the so-called [b]Black Horse[/b], which is secret to everybody except myself. I will participate in the storytelling just like the seven players, controlling all characters and making sure that the plot moves on. My Black Horse can be killed off just like any other character, but he or she might as well win this event. It would be unfair for me, as the master of this game, to be able to kill off characters just like the seven ?real? players, so instead I get to [b]revive[/b] characters. For more details on that, I refer again to rule number 5. [b]5.[/b] What comes to killing and reviving characters, this game will use a [b]card-based system[/b] as well as [b]weekly rounds[/b]. All seven players chosen to this event will get one [b]Death Card[/b] at the start of the first round (or week). That card [i]must[/i] be used during that round to kill off one of the fifteen characters. That card can be used only once, so [i]one player can kill off just one character per week[/i]. Please note that even if players lose both of their characters, the players will remain in the game until I [b]officially announce them as having lost[/b] during the following weekend. In the weekend, [b]at the end of each round[/b], I will use my power to revive a character with my [b]Life Card[/b]. Only after that everybody will know which players have been eliminated from the event. At the start of the next round, all the remaining players will get new Death Cards, and the game continues until there is only one player left besides me. This will take approximately [b]three rounds[/b], or three weeks. [b]6.[/b] When you want to use your [b]Death Card[/b], you will have to show it in your post with the picture of the character you?re going to kill, like this: [center][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/Labyrinth/labyrinth-deathcard.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/ava-balthier.jpg[/IMG][/center] For reference, I?ll revive a character the same way with my [b]Life Card[/b]: [center][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/Labyrinth/labyrinth-lifecard.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/ava-balthier.jpg[/IMG][/center] There will be [B]other cards[/B] that will come into play during the game, handed by me to the players or used by myself, but let?s keep them a secret for now. The point is, whenever you use a card, you must show it along with the face of the character (or in some cases, characters) you want to use it on. [b]7.[/b] The [b]setting[/b] of this event is meant to be a strange, dream-like maze, where the walls can shift from hedges to tunnels to gaping ravines ? whatever the players? imaginations produces. The fifteen characters will encounter many monsters and creatures taken straight from myths and fairy tales, as well as devious traps and other hazards. All characters come from our time and planet (while the Labyrinth can feature elements from any time and location), but like the prologue says, as they awake in the center of the Labyrinth they will find out that they each possess a supernatural power they didn?t have before. This is where this game will kick off. What happens next is entirely up to the players. In the story, there?s only one rule: [i]nobody will get out of the Labyrinth alive before the end[/i]. [/indent] Now that you?ve read through the rules included to this event, you should be ready to sign-up for this. As I said previously, in order to do that, you must send me a [b]private message[/b] (do [i]not[/i] post it anywhere else) with the [b]profiles of two characters[/b] you want as your secret pawns in this game. The profiles must include following information and [i]nothing else[/i]: [indent][b]Picture:[/b] Use a [i]drawn[/i] facial picture of your character, preferably in the size 128x128 pixels, although I can easily modify it for you if you don?t have the tools for it. As a hint, you can use avatars of characters from video games or anime. [i]No photos of real life people[/i], however, because they do not suit the style of this event. [b]Name:[/b] It should reflect the nationality of the character, not too imaginative, but not too ordinary either. A good bonus is if you manage to tie the name to the power in some way. [b]Gender:[/b] One of the characters [i]must[/i] be a male, and the other a female. No exceptions allowed. [b]Age:[/b] [i]One[/i] character must be [i]either[/i] younger than 15 [i]or[/i] older than 35, for the sake of variation. The other character can be any age you want. [b]Origin:[/b] Any place on the planet Earth that exists in the year 2006. This is the place the character lived before he or she woke up in the Labyrinth. Your two characters [i]cannot[/i] originate from the same country, just to make the characters more varied. [b]Occupation:[/b] Simply what the character does for a living. Can also be a child, a student, a senior citizen, a housewife etc. [b]Power:[/b] This is where your originality and imagination is really put into a test. Each character must find out that they have a supernatural power when they wake up inside the Labyrinth. That power can help them survive in the Labyrinth, or perhaps lead them to their doom. What?s important is that [i]the superpower originates from a hero or a villain in some existing mythology or legend or fairy tale[/i]. This can mean anything between transforming into a werewolf to the power of seeing to the future through a mirror. Any equipment that the power may need (such as weapons, jewelry, clothes) the characters will have on them when they wake up. [/indent] Here is an [b]example[/b] of what I?m looking for (note that this character will [i]not[/i] be used in the actual game in any way): [indent][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/ava-balthier.jpg[/IMG] [COLOR=DarkGreen][b]Name:[/b] Drake Jackson [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Age:[/b] 29 years old [b]Origin:[/b] Texas, USA [b]Occupation:[/b] Gas Station Owner [b]Power:[/b] He has the power of the medieval dragons to breathe scorching fire from his mouth. The reach of the flame is up to a feet.[/COLOR] [/indent] So simple, but so decisive. In case of two equally good characters having too similar names or powers, I will consult the creators to change them. I will reserve the right to make minor changes and tweaks to the profiles to myself. A good tip would be to make the profiles so that they cannot be identified with you in any way. Also keep in mind that the personality of these characters will shape up during the game, and if somebody makes your character a raging lunatic in the process, you?d be better off just accepting it or else you?ll expose yourself to be the creator of that character. Once I have picked the seven players by [b]Monday the 20th[/b], I will start the [i]Labyrinth[/i] game-thread and post all the profiles of the fifteen characters there. After that, the event will truly start. Meanwhile, if you have any questions at all about signing up or this event in general, please post them [b]here[/b]. [SIZE=1]Pictures are courtesy of the OtakuBoards member Eclipse and the computer game Heroes of Might and Magic V from Ubisoft and Nival Entertainment.[/SIZE][/FONT]

As Monday draws near, I just want to say to Gavin and White that I knew you two would be my adversaries ever since I read the ideas for your events. It'll be a tough competition with you two against me. From now on, let the best organizer win! ;D It's [I]game on[/I]!

Well, I might as well join the fun. ;D I think this game needs a feminine... hmm, [I]bite[/I]. [COLOR=DarkOrchid]~*~*~*~*~ [B]Name:[/B] Xenia Rosanova [B]Age:[/B] 118 years (turned into a vampire at the age of 19 in 1909) [B]Gender:[/B] female [B]Race:[/B] vampire [B]Alliance:[/B] Vampiric Alliance [B]Description: [/B][url=http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=25919&stc=1][COLOR=DarkRed]Xenia[/COLOR][/url] (in her costume as a member of the nobility) [B]Weapons:[/B] Most of the time she carries a short [url=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Rapiere-Morges-2.jpg/180px-Rapiere-Morges-2.jpg][COLOR=DarkRed]rapier[/COLOR][/url] hidden inside a black [url=http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00030LXN0.01-AO293CY7PLEN9._AA280_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg][COLOR=DarkRed]lace parasol[/COLOR][/url]. However, she tends to stay away from pure mélées, preferring a more covert and sophisticated approach. [B]Specialist Skills:[/B] She is a master of seduction, taught by her vampiric mother, the Black Widow Yelena Rasputina. She knows just the right perfumes, costumes and manners to make any man (or woman, for that matter) fall for her. Her graciousness and beauty is otherworldly, and she knows well how to use that as her advantage. Her skills in seduction are not those of a trashy prostitute, but those of a true lady. [B]Personality:[/B] While many other vampires turn berserk at the sight of fresh blood, Xenia always stays calm and collected. Evil tongues call her a porcelain doll created by the Black Widow for her to play with, and Xenia doesn't really disagree. She does have feelings, albeit they are obscured by her unnatural state of half-life, but whatever she truly feels, she keeps inside her. The only person she has ever opened to is her mother, her queen and her enslaver, the Black Widow. Just because she doesn't go mad from the thirst of blood, doesn't mean she hasn't got any cravings. Xenia is especially fond of young men, especially those who have just passed their puberty. She has turned many youth to her vampiric cohorts. Like she is a doll to the Black Widow, the young men are her collection which she intends to grow until she has a whole army. [B]Short Bio:[/B] Xenia was born to the noble family of Rosanov in the Imperial Russian region of Belarus in the year 1890. Ever since she was a child, she made journeys to the Emperor's court with her family, and became to know the royal customs by heart. She admired the imperial princesses and ladies in their billowing dresses and glistening jewelry, and wanted nothing else but to become one of them. To her misery, a feared enchantress called Yelena Rasputina, caught her sable eyes on the young Lady Rosanova. It wasn't until Xenia was nineteen, however, that Yelena managed to get the girl to meet her privately. From that day forward, Xenia lived with Yelena Rasputina, who was much more than a wicked witch. Her family begged Xenia to return home to Belarus, but then came the revolution and the Russian Empire fell, and Xenia hasn't heard from her biological family since. Soon began a series of massive wars, during which Xenia and her vampiric mother fled to Transsylvania, home of many ancient vampires. It wasn't until the late 20th century that the two, along with all their new allies from Eastern Europe, left their refugee camp and headed west, towards greater amount of power and blood. Xenia wasn't well aware of what exactly Yelena had in mind, but she didn't really care about it either - she just did what her queen told her. [B]Notes:[/B] Hope you don't mind the strong connection I put between my character and the vampire leader, Blayze. I just thought Xenia would integrate to the story better this way. My aim is to make her a different type of vampire aside all those killing machines. [/COLOR]

[quote name='Gavin][SIZE=1']Well actually what I meant Sandy, and this was probably me being unclear was that the moderator who is reading the thread simply assigns a rating based on the perceived content. [/SIZE][/quote] Oh, okay. But if [I]I[/I] got to decide what rating should go to what game, most of the games that the creator rated [M-LVS] would be [E] or at most [PG]. Like the game featuring cute warrior cats, which is now rated [PG-LV]. XP As it is, I just have to trust the game creator to put a correct rating in it (although there have been cases when I've adviced the creator to put a lower rating for the game - like for instance in a game with a [M-LVS] rating, the creator stated that s/he doesn't want any sex or too harsh language in it). But who are we mods [I]really[/I] to say what rating your game should have and what not? It's the creator's game, and as long as it follows the basic guidelines about grammar and post length, the contents can be just as mild or excessive as the creator wants.

[quote name='Doublehex']Well, I'm a guy, and its hard for me to write from a woman's POV.[/quote] Always remember that women are humans too, there are just as many different types of women as there are different types of men. You can have a butch woman or an evil woman, they're not all weak princesses only capable of nurturing and childlabor. ;P As for the movie Species, [url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114508][B]here's the link[/B][/url]. It tells of a "sexy" female alien descending to Earth, then it get's researched and then it escapes causing havoc everywhere. It's one crappy movie, but luckily your story is much better. ;D

[QUOTE=The13thMan][COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic]Sense of humor is not appropriate when discussing one's religion. You should know this by now, everybody should. [/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] Honestly, people should be able to laugh about anything, even death. It'd make the world a much, much happier place when people wouldn't take everything so damn seriously and personally (I know I'm at fault here too, but hey, we're all humans here). Remember that you can laugh [I]at[/I] somebody, or [I]with[/I] somebody. A little self-humor doesn't hurt. Besides, I wasn't making much of a joke: I [I]have[/I] read the same theory about a god whose lost his powers because of people not having faith in him from about a cazillion different fantasy novels.

[QUOTE=Ezekiel][SIZE=1] I like DeadSeraphim's idea, too, and I'd be willing to work with that.[/SIZE][/QUOTE] With new members posting new games weekly, along with all the older members with their new games, I for one could not keep a track on who I've already put a rating for once and who not - and the sheer amount of PMs we'd have to send! X/ Plus, with four mods working on the Adventure Square, we wouldn't know who has already sent a PM to which member, and just the thought of that is making my head hurt! Trust me when I say, people, the current system is the simplest. You'll get it if you'll ever get the chance to moderate the Arena. The simplest solution is the best. [quote name='Gavin][SIZE=1']However having hit the return button by accident while still posting a thread, it's annoying to have to PM a friend on the staff and have them change it.[/SIZE][/quote] It'd be equally annoying for us to have to PM the user about what rating he or she would prefer to have in her game. [I]And[/I] we would most likely have to send that kind of PM much more often than the single user in this current system. Try to think about our workload, too. We aren't exactly paid employees here... We do this out of the goodness of our hearts!

[QUOTE=The13thMan][COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic]I said that god gave us free will and because of this he lost some of his power. I said that he is not all powerful. He does [B]not[/B] have control over our lives, that's what it means to have free will. [/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] I think I've read that theory from about a cazillion fantasy novels... The Bible's not one of them, though. Anyways, time for me to jump in! [B]1. What religion are you CURRENTLY following? If you don't have one, then why?[/B] I don't follow any religion, thus I am athEIst (not athiest, people!). People seem to think atheism is an organized ideology, but it's not really. Sure, some atheists have started organizations, but most of us don't belong to any of them. Aside religion, what I [I]believe[/I] in is the good and the bad sides in every individual. I have faith that anybody is capable of doing good as well as evil things if they want or the circumstances they live in support it. I'm a humanist in that sense, yes. [B]2. Why do you follow that religion? Parents, personal reasons, etc?[/B] My childhood family belongs to the evangelic-lutheran church (not that we ever went to the actual church building except in weddings, funerals and confirmations). My granny who raised me from teenage years to adulthood divorced (is that the right word for it?) from the church when there was this big fight about female pastors many decades ago, and she never rejoined. However, she has always said that she believes in a higher forced looking after us from the heavens. As for me, I've been against other people telling me what to believe and how to believe for as long as I can remember, and after my confirmation I finalized my decision: I didn't want to belong to an organization that had so many values I couldn't agree with. As an adult, I've gotten even more confident about my atheism, but I try to keep my respect to other people's beliefs as well (because who am I to say that they believe wrong - how could I know that?!). I still resent the hypocritism and intolerance that the church represents, but at the same time the church has done many good things in Finnish society and in the third world (such as aid the poor). I will most likely always stand my ground, though, no matter if the church will eventually approve us gay people as sane and equal human beings. I don't have faith to the things said in the Bible and by the mouths of the pastors, so I really don't belong to that institution. [B]3. Do you ever feel that people often critisize you because of these beliefs?[/B] Yes. Everybody just assumes that you're part of the church (although only less than 20% of Finnish people actually go to masses), the same way everybody just assumes your straight, or that you grew up with your mother and father as a child. It's just one of those things people are accustomed to in their own life, not realizing how diversing other people's lives can be. I've never had had any [I]serious[/I] criticism about my atheism, though, at least nothing I couldn't brush off with the staple "you believe your way, I believe mine". I've also tried not to critizise other's religions, but as I said earlier, there are just some values in the evangelic-lutheran church that I simply cannot tolerate. People just tend to take that kind of criticism as an attack towards the whole religion (but in most cases those people are fundamentalists to whom everything is black and white). [B]4. This one may spark a little bit of arguing: Do you believe that your religion is the one true religion? If so provide evidence.[/B] I believe that the need to have faith in [I]something[/I] comes from the dephts of human nature - there have been religions since the dawn of human history. It's not a vital need, though - one can very well live without believing in a higher force. To claim that only [I]one[/I] of the thousands of existing religions (or millions of religions that have ever existed) is the only true religion is absurd to me. Of course people can say they believe that way, but nobody can [I]know[/I] for sure, honestly. And if you don't [I]know[/I] something for a fact, then you are wrong to condemn (or even oppress) other people for not believing what you believe - it's arrogant, hypocritical, and downright evil. Religion is a complicated issue, and a very personal thing, too. As many of us have seen during this internet age, converting somebody to believe the same as you is not an easy task, oftentimes trying it only leads to disrespect and bad blood. Just look at the current situation between christians and muslims - humans hating each other only based on their religions, failing to see that we're all mere humans in this puny globe of ours, floating somewhere in the eternal vastity of the universe. How can you say that [I]you[/I] know the secrets of that universe?

I said I'd comment your story, so I will. First of all, like Idyllwyld, I really liked the way you mixed sci-fi with ancient mythologies here. Sure, it's been done before, but in this age and time, what wouldn't be? So the theme was quite interesting, to me. Also I loved how you replaced the "oh my lord"s and "for god's sake"s with references to the gods that the characters worship. Then the plot... Well, I think I saw a hint of the movie "The Species" in it. Also, the virtual reality world in the beginning is quite a cliché as well, but I reckon you're intending to mix up a bunch of clichés to make something new (at least that's the impression I got). There's too many things going on, however, for a first chapter. You should definitely focus more on introducing the setting and the characters in the beginning, but I know how the story can just drag you along with it, so I wouldn't count it as a big mistake. As I said, the characters could've been introduced more, and there were definitely too many of them for an opening chapter. To me, it seemed that scene with the Michael-guy was really apart from everything else that went on in this chapter, and should be moved to a later point in my opinion. You were also dropping some obscure names without really explaining what they meant (Vercian? Ausbusten?). Also, as an equal rights -person, I wasn't very fond on the idea that all you characters were male except for the mysterious (nude?) she-android. Women aren't mere sex objects, dammit! I've got to give you props for making the main characters hate her, though. Usually all the men just swoon over characters like Apera. Okay, then to the language. I really liked the scenes where you put the reader into a character's position - I honestly haven't seen that style but a few times before in my life. The grammar was great as well, but your problem seems to be those irritating typoes that turn words into another words that alter the meaning ("des[B]s[/B]ert planet", "he was star[B]t[/B]ing at him"). Also, the name of the Admiral changed from Mecia to Mecai to Mercai during the chapter. Fantasy names can be tricky, so you should be extra careful with them. All in all, it was a great read. Although it was long, it also seemed to move forwards quite hastily. Anyway, I hope you take my feedback as constructive criticism! I'd love to read more of this. PS. I know you have the habit of putting obscure titles to your stories, but could you perhaps elaborate "Arcanum" a bit more? What does it really refer to?

The ratings don't have that much to do with people's ages than they have with the content. There's no way to prevent say a sixteen years old person to participate in a M-rated RPG, nor there should be, because if the sixteen years old person thinks he or she can take whatever the game includes, then it's appropriate for him or her. It's the same other way around: some over eighteen years old people don't want to participate in games with gore, swearing and sex, and with the rating system, they can avoid that type of games. So think the ratings outside their "real-life" context, they are not there for censorship, just as enforced guidelines. What comes to closing threads scaring people away, if the mod has closed it with respect towards the creator and no humiliation involved (so the blame's not on the [I]way[/I] the mod closed the thread), then those people should really go into themselves: are they perhaps too sensitive? It really isn't that hard to copy everything and paste it to a new thread, [i]although[/i] at least I am case-sensitive when it comes to missing ratings - usually if the other content inside the RPG is good/great, I'll PM the creator and ask for the rating. It doesn't happen very often, but that's just my way of doing this job.

Sheesh, people here are acting like they were personally harmed by Saddam Hussein... Hungry for a little blood, eh? Anyway, I'm glad they finally got a resolve to this situation, and that it was [I]the Iraqis[/I] who decided it, not UN or USA or any other foreign party. It must mean a lot of those who were oppressed by Saddam's government. Like [B]HedonismBot[/B] said, it's too bad that Iraq is now in chaos and turmoil, it definitely needs a strong leader now (one which isn't a dictator or a foreign nation). But I also agree with [B]The13thMan[/B] that the peace will eventually be restored, one way or the other.

I'm very much in love now, going steady for 1,5 years soon. In the beginning, everything was rosy and wonderful, which I'd call the "falling in love" phase. Then came the doubts: am I good enough for him? Is he good enough for me? Will he find somebody better and leave me? This is my first (and hopefully the only) time in love, and I saw those doubts and uncertainty as a part of this new experience. As said, it has pretty much evened out now. It's no dancing on roses, nor is it a bumpy ride. Sure, we have our ups and downs just like every couple out there, but they're not big enough to cause friction. However, I think we have jammed into where we are now, because I'm dreaming about moving in together, and he's not ready to leave home yet. But luckily, there's no rush. I think I'm just the type of person who wants to move fast towards better. I'm rehearsing my patience, because that's one of the main things you're required in love.

[QUOTE=Raiyuu][FONT=Trebuchet MS] And it looks to me like Morpheus is trying to put that humongous GameBoy in his trouser pocket. Because, y'know, normal GameBoys fit there, but his doesn't because, well, it's humongous. You see what thinking about [i]that[/i] type of photocomic does to your brain?[/FONT][/QUOTE] Oh, [I]pocket[/I]! Heh, me and my silly, pervy mind... XP Yes, my mind is far beyond prepair - so far that I think I'll actually enjoy the [I]special[/I] Hell you're sending me, Rai. ;D

[COLOR=DarkGreen][FONT=Century Gothic]Welcome to the Adventure Arena, [B]sky[/B]! Before you start creating RPGs here, you should read the [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=44318]sticky[/URL] about Adventure Arena Basics [I]thoroughly[/I]. Once you have, you will learn that we require a few specific things from our games: that the writing is readable and has a good grammar, that an appropriate rating would be put to the headline, and that the introduction would be at least three paragraphs long. Now, although you do have a rating, your grammar is quite sloppy with many obvious typos caused by typing too fast, and your story is poor and confusing. You need to focus more, put more thought to it and spend some more time with it. I'm going to have to close this thread now, but if any more questions arise, we moderators are only a PM away! Thanks! [I]- Sandy[/I] [B]*thread closed*[/B][/FONT][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=Desbreko] [color=#4B0082] He already puts the Pokémon plushies on top of my monitors into obscene poses.[/color][/QUOTE] Eh, I do that to my figurine boys sometimes too. ;P It's fun, you should try it! Too bad my figurines are too stiffy, they don't really bend to all the directions I'd like them to... What do you say, [B]Raiyuu[/B]? How about [I]that[/I] type of photocomic? XP [B]Morpheus[/B]: are you trying to put that humongous GameBoy down your pants or [I]what[/I] in that photo?! :/

[QUOTE=White][COLOR=DimGray][FONT=Tahoma]How is it "basically identical"? The only thing the same is the picture (which YOU provided) and the font/text placing (Which is obviously going to be in the middle anyway). And you also recommended the font![/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] So the picture and the text and the placing are the same, so that leaves only the color to differ from Eclipse's. And as I said, I liked Eclipse's colors better, so there. Really, thanks for your input nevertheless! :D Oh, and everybody go check out my submission to Otaku Idol 2, it's now up!

[FONT=Palatino Linotype][SIZE=1]This event features mature content in the form of explicit violence, crude language and possible adult situations.[/SIZE] [center][color=DarkGreen][i]Where legends come to life Where fairy tales are reality Where dreams are seen with eyes wide open Where there is no escape Where is the Labyrinth?[/i] [IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/labyrinth3.png[/IMG][/center] Fifteen people from the modern world, total strangers to each others, wake up at the center of the Labyrinth ? a seemingly endless maze where there are baffling wonders and deadly hazards around every corner. Very soon they find out that they possess peculiar powers that they did not have when they went to sleep, powers they know through fairy tales and folklore, powers of the heroes and villains of myths and legends reborn within them. So begins a desperate race to find the way out of the Labyrinth. Some of the fifteen decide to team up, while some prefer to go solo. Death befalls on them one after another, for the maze is as lethal as it is miraculous. With only their new-found powers and each other to rely on, will any of the fifteen make it out of the Labyrinth?[/color] [center]+++++[/center] That, my dear OtakuBoarders, is up to you. [b]Seven players[/b] will be chosen to participate to this event, but instead of choosing roles for themselves, [b]everybody plays every character[/b]. The story will thus be told together, from the perspective of fifteen different characters. But it wouldn?t be much of an event if there wasn?t a twist to it. Each of the seven players will [b]create two of the characters[/b], but keeping it a [b]secret[/b] which characters are theirs. Why, you ask? Because [b]only one player can win[/b] this event, and that one is whoever manages to have their character as the last person alive. Yes, only [i]one[/i] of the fifteen will manage to escape the Labyrinth at the end. [b]Killing off characters[/b] is done by the players themselves. Each player can and should kill off one of the characters [b]once per week[/b] by using their weekly [b]Death Card[/b]. That card must be used during the week, but the exact moment and the method of dying is up to the player. When players [b]lose both of their own characters[/b], that player has lost the event and will have to leave it. But as a ray of hope, there?s me, the creator of this event. I will create the fifteenth character, the [b]Black Horse[/b], who?s identity is of course secret from the players. [i]Only I will know which characters are created by which players[/i], unless a player is foolish enough to reveal them to the rivals. Because of my advantage, I will not have Death Cards, but one [b]Life Card[/b] per week, which I will use to [b]revive one of the slain characters[/b] at the end of the week. Thus, the event is played in about three rounds lasting one week each. [b]At the end of the week[/b], I will use my Life Card and then announce which players have to leave the game in that round. After that, every remaining player is dealt a new Death Card for the next round. For reference, this is what the Death Card and the Life Card look like: [center][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/labyrinth-deathcard.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/labyrinth-lifecard.png[/IMG][/center] I might also put some other cards into play to affect the event if necessary, but I?ll keep them up my sleeve for the time being. Now you must be asking what is required to play [i]Labyrinth[/i]? The applicants must simply send me a [b]private message[/b] with the profiles of their two characters. There are certain requirements for the characters, however: [indent][B]1.[/B] One must be [b]male[/b] and the other a [b]female[/b]. [B]2.[/B] At least the other character must be younger than 15 [b]or[/b] older than 35. [B]3.[/B] Both of them must [b]originate[/b] from our time and somewhere on our planet. [B]4.[/B] Both of them must have a [b]supernatural power[/b] that they got when they woke up at the Labyrinth. This time, I want you to think of something you would find in a fairy tale book or an ancient myth. Such powers could include transforming into a werewolf, petrifying objects with your gaze or slaying giants with a mere sling. [B]5.[/B] You must include a [i]drawn[/i] (no real-life people) [b]picture[/b] of both of your characters faces, preferably in a square shape (as a hint, use avatars from video games or anime).[/indent] I will choose the seven players among the applicants [B]in two weeks[/B], and we will play with their characters (and with my own one) for the duration of the event. Remember that playing with [i]only[/i] your own created characters is a perfect way to expose them to your opponents. The actual event takes place in one thread, but I will make a second thread called [b]Labyrinth Nexus[/b] for ?underground? purposes, such as questions, comments and community?s feedback. For a final hint, pretty much everything is possible inside the Labyrinth ? [i]except[/i] getting out before the end of the game. [center]+++++[/center] Now I?ll answer Shy?s questions. [B]Who wants to be an Event Master?[/B] Me, me!!! [B]Why I want to become an Event Master?[/B] Well, for starters, I've always been a sucker for all sorts of award shows, competitions and contests, and ever since I created the first OtakuBoards Survivor, I noticed I have a knack for creating such events for these boards. OB Survivor is pretty much the only (positive, heh) thing I'm famous for in this community, but I want to prove to both myself and everybody else that I'm not a one trick horse. I want to continue your legacy of providing OB with intriguing and versatile events to enjoy. I really am an entertainer by heart, I love to be on the lime light and make people feel good. [B]Why Community Events are important?[/B] The name tells everything: they're [i]community[/i] events, made for the community's sake to bring the individuals in it closer, to introduce them to each other and overall make this community a more active place. In this individualistic time, people lack the feeling of belonging to a community, to be a part of something bigger, and I think it's wonderful that internet and OtakuBoards in it offers that experience to them. [B]Why I wouldn?t suck at the job?[/B] My head is constantly filled with ideas, and I'm easily excited by new ones. But as the three OB Survivors prove, I can also push an idea all the way through it's execution and conclusion, and motivate others to do it with me. I have time for organizing events on my hands, and if i don't, I'll arrange it somehow. I'm not a person to start something and then leave it half-way done [I]unless[/I] I don't get any support from others. My imagination is also unparallel, much to the chagrin of my sense of reality. [B]My favorite memory of OB?[/B] Ah, being a part of this community for four and a half years now has really given me lots to reflect upon. Mostly positive, but also some negative memories. I fondly remember my time as a part of the Digipeeps, along with you and Ginny and Sara and Devildramon and the rest. We were a community within a community, and I loved our common project, Digimon Tamers V2, which really was grandiose until it died out (much because of James's attempt to get us Digipeeps out of our little den, sob). So yeah, that's my favorite one. [RIGHT] [size=1]Pictures courtesy of the member Eclipse and Heroes of Might and Magic V.[/size][/RIGHT][/FONT]