James

[font=franklin gothic medium]I doubt there will be FLUDD, because we have the Wiimote instead. The remote allows you to pull at objects and collect coins and things like that. So it effectively takes the place of FLUDD. Anyway, I thought FLUDD was a good addition to Super Mario Sunshine - it worked well, it was intuitive and it added a new dimension to gameplay. The problem with that game wasn't FLUDD, in my view; it was generally poor level design, often-uninteresting challenges (red coin collecting) and a lack of innovation in some areas. But Sunshine was still a great game by any measure. As for Super Mario Galaxy...I think it makes sense to send Mario to space. You've got Land, World...and what's next? Galaxy, of course. Besides, being in space provides no limitations (not that Mario was particularly limited on the ground either) - by that I mean, there's a lot more potential freedom in creating weird and wonderful levels. I don't think SMG has a "hub" system (thankfully) and I also don't think it has a manual camera (it doesn't need one, because all levels take place on spheres - you'll notice that the camera always maintains a specific distance from Mario). Perhaps you can center the camera behind him or zoom in/out, but I'd say Nintendo is being very careful about camera control this time. The level design has been partially dictated by the need for a clean and effective camera system. This game could come out for launch, but if not it will probably be released within two months of Wii's launch day (according to Nintendo). I wouldn't worry about that anyway - Wii will have a massive launch list as-is (including Zelda, Metroid, Excite Truck and plenty of others).[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Agreed. I'm going to see if Justin can remove this feature as soon as possible. That is, unless Desbreko can do this...but I'm not quite sure how difficult it is to take this feature out of vB itself.[/font]

[quote]no force feedback! NOOOOOOOO. Why did they take it away? "It would mess with the motion sensor" ^*paraphrasing ????? I mean the Wiivolution has a motion sensor AND force feedback, what's up with that? [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]There is no force feedback because Sony cannot use the Dual Shock or Dual Shock 2 force feedback technology in PS3 - that is, unless they pay royalties to the inventor (Immersion Technologies). Sony is currently appealing a court decision that ordered them to pay significant damages to Immersion for violation of patents. Immersion actually said that they would help Sony include force feedback [i]and[/i] motion control in the PS3 controller if Sony drop the appeal and agree to pay royalties. So far though, Sony hasn't agreed to that, which means the PS3 controller won't have force feedback at all. That is, unless Sony finds another way to do it that doesn't infringe upon Immersion's patents.[/font] [quote]My bad at least it will be more entertaining then the 360 controller. Poor guy is being left out of all the fun that the Nintendo Wii and the PS3 cotroller can do. (no reason why I added that smilie other then the fact that I just noticed a new viriaty. Heh man I was gone away for a long time)[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]The tilt technology might be interesting for a few games, but the applications are extremely limited. That's because, although tilt-functionality has been added, the controller itself still features a traditional two-handed design. So, while it might be cool to play flight or driving games with the PS3 controller, you couldn't have sword swings or gun-pointing. The Wii controller allows for that both because it's one-handed (and can therefore act like a gun or a sword or a fishing rod), as well as because it features depth-sensitivity and on-screen pointing. I have to say, I am disappointed in the PS3 controller for one reason: the core design hasn't changed at all. I don't care about force feedback or basic tilt functions, I'm more interested in a comfortable controller. So even if no actual functions change, I'd like Sony to simply update the controller's physical shape a little to make it more comfortable. What would I do? First, I'd soften the angle on the two prongs - they feature a sharp angle at the moment and it isn't good for extended-holding. Second, I'd update the analog sticks. I'd create a flatter-yet-rubbery nub at the top (like the GameCube or Xbox 360 controllers) and I'd add directional notches in the plastic surrounding their bases for added accuracy. I'd also change their position, so that the left stick sits where the D-Pad sits and the D-Pad is moved down to where the left stick used to be (like the GameCube pad layout). Third, I'd update that horrible D-Pad. I really, really hate the way it's all broken up. It's uncomfortable, especially for extended periods of play. I'd join it up and give it a nicer (perhaps slightly longer) travel. I'd also change its surface texture to be a little smoother and gentler on fingers. Finally, I'd upate the shoulder buttons. Sony seems to have done this with PS3 somewhat, but we don't really know just yet. I'd basically do what Microsoft did; have two digital front buttons and two rear triggers. All of those upgrades wouldn't really change the fundamental function of the PS3 controller, but they [i]would[/i] at least bring it in-line with Xbox 360 and make it far more comfortable. I do not know why Sony doesn't do this. Obviously they are concerned about change and they don't want PlayStation owners to be alienated by a new design. At the same time, they could get away with making [i]some[/i] changes to the controller's "feel", while still keeping everything in a fairly similar position and keeping a basically familiar format. I don't know if you've used the Xbox 360 controller, but it's a beautiful design. No, it isn't as innovative or interesting as the Wii controller, but I really feel it's the epitome of traditional controller design. It's certainly the most comfortable and well-made controller I've used so far...and that's saying a lot, considering all the other controllers I've used over the years. If you try the Xbox 360 controller with a good game and then go back to PS2...you may find yourself let down.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Okay, let me take a moment to answer a few of your questions. First of all, your country of origin is simply to do with your character's background and their personality - no character will begin at their country of origin (unless their origin is France or USA). This brings me to my next point also. Right now I am thinking that half of the players might start in Paris 2 and half may start in Chicago (also known as Neo Chicago or Meteo City, if you followed the old RPGs at all). This would present an interesting dynamic, because the USA is partly controlled by Second Faction and various areas of the country are still under civil war. The environment would be very different to West France. So my thinking is that I can create two alternate threads - events happen at the same time, but players are on those two different continents. This way we can still tie-in the two threads and there might be times where characters from each continent will have the opportunity to meet up or even talk to each other over the phone. Also, to The Boss...yes, you may change that ability on your profile. Sandy, yes, free-flowing is the word of the day - it will continue to be implemented. But having the two threads as well as the "opt-in" chapters will add just enough structure to keep things moving. Grace, fighting/violence will vary. A lot of the game will be centered around more cerebral moments...lots of character development and history. But sure, there will be moments of emergency and panic - moments where characters may have to escape from somewhere, or fight or explore. Variety is key I think.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Thank you, thank you. :catgirl: At the moment I am planning on having a seperate Anthology thread which may deal with different aspects of the story (perhaps it may explore an alternative time period). The details for that are far from final, but I think it may allow everyone to participate in a way that doesn't put everyone on top of each other. I understand that this will mean things will take a little longer, so I apologize about that. But once we get started, it should be good fun. At the very least, it'll be interesting to see how this whole experiment goes.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Okay, so sorry to everyone for any delays - work is bad. Below you shall find a list of players in this RPG. Before I announce the list I want to say one thing - I [i]loved[/i] all of your sign-ups. You guys worked so hard and they are all beautifully written. I've added as many people as I could, but obviously I don't want this thing to get too out of control. For those who didn't get in, do not worry - there may be other opportunities to get involved. In any case, thank you all so much for your support and interest. It's very heartwarming. :catgirl: [img]http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/6253/hvdechoix4av.gif[/img] [list] [*]Emilio Batou - Italy (Starwind) [*]Allisa Osborne - Germany (Lady Katana) [*]Ethan Newark - United States of America (Angelus_Necare) [*]Jake Owens - United States of America (Monkatraz) [*]Liane Grayson - France (Doukeshi) [*]Darren Henderson - United States of America (indifference) [*]Miguel Del Rios - United States of America (The Boss) [*]Zoraki Sunoco - Russia (Ikillion) [*]Bethany Henderson - United States of America (Aaryanna) [*]Sigrún Luntdotter - Sweden (StarrStruck) [*]Alexander Crowne - England (Retribution) [*]Julia Vella - Australia (Sakura) [*]James Lawrence - Isle of Skye/Scotland (Raiyuu) [*]Mahima Gavaskar - India (Ozymandius_Jones) [*]Malcolm Greyson - Republic of Ireland (Blayze) [*]Leo Dennett - England (Zidargh) [*]Rhodesia Matsumoto - Japan (Pumpkin) [*]Bellerophon Andrianopoulos - Greece (Sandy) [*]Dawn White - England (Grace) [*]Fr. Neil Edmund Gratzner - Republic of Ireland (Gavin) [*]Brooke Hathorn - Australia (Kura) [*]Samantha Henderson - United States of America (SunfallE) [*]Turk Marley - Rum Cay/Bahamas (Dragon Warrior) [*]Aaron Pierce - United States of America (StrikeGundam) [*]Sonja Breck - Canada (Ecstasy) [*]Lucas Ansel - France (James) [/list] Phew. What a long list. I included as many as I could, but sometimes there were overlaps and it was difficult to get everyone in. Sorry about that. Right now I am deciding how to divide this list up a little; I have some ideas about how we can get everyone posting without it getting confusing. This may include an OB Anthology companion thread to the RPG, in which some of you will post. Hopefully this will be a fun experiment, congratulations to everyone who got in and thanks again to everyone for signing-up![/font]

[b]Name:[/b] Lucas Ansel [b]Age:[/b] 28 [b]Gender:[/b] Male. [b]Place of Origin:[/b] Marseille, France. [b]Known History:[/b] Lucas grew up in the lush Marseille countryside, with his mother, father and brother. From an early age, Lucas exhibited an active imagination; he was popular at school and constantly found new ways to entertain himself and his friends. Unfortunately, as a result of his active imagination, Lucas was rarely able to concentrate on schoolwork, finding it to be stale and unchallenging. After graduating high school, Lucas decided to move to the big city - Paris - to find inspiration. While studying art history, Lucas managed to gain internships with several major museums in the city, including the prestigious Louvre. Unfortunately, Lucas was never able to finish his studies or realize his dream of working within a major museum. Once the Coma set in, his life - as well as the lives of many of his contemporaries - was to be changed forever. [b]Personality:[/b] In many respects, Lucas is a traditional artist - quiet, thoughtful, introspective and curious. At times Lucas can be [i]too[/i] introspective, spending a lot of time analyzing himself and others. At times Lucas feels incomplete as a result of missing his family and having no lover to speak of, but his imagination allows him to occupy himself without becoming too dependent on others. [b]Appearance:[/b] [center][img]http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/3575/sample1ub.jpg[/img][/center] (Please note that this picture shows Lucas with wings unfurled; when retracted, there is no trace of wings on his body - he does not, for example, have any visible ridges on his shoulderblades). [b]Animal Genes:[/b] [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffin"]Griffin[/url]: "The griffin's dual nature led it to be associated with Jesus Christ, God and man, king of heaven and earth. The eagle half of the griffin signified Christ's divinity and the lion half represented His humanity. Because no one could block the path of a griffin, this creature was especially associated with that passage in the Gospel which records Christ's marvelous passage through the crowd at Nazareth who were determined to throw Him off a cliff (Luke 4:28-30). During the Middle Ages, griffins were symbols of Christ's resurrection. The strength of the lion and the wisdom of the eagle combined in the griffin symbolized the strength and wisdom of God." [b]Hybrid Abilities:[/b] [b]Divine Flight:[/b] Lucas has the ability to rapidly unsheath his wings and lift-off from the ground on the spot. He is capable of flying long distances and is highly mobile in the air. [b]Divine Strength:[/b] The Griffon is itself a combination eagle and lion - it is therefor a hybrid in and of itself. Just as Lucas can fly, he also maintains the strength of the Griffon - Lucas' body posesses strength beyond most men, which allows him to lift heavier objects, jump higher, run faster and accept more physical damage than the average man. However, it is important to note that the lion aspect is only one half of the Griffon - therefore, the lion does not permeate the Griffon's abilities completely. As a result, Lucas can only employ Divine Strength at certain intervals and for limited lengths of time. He is still mortal and is more than capable of being fatally wounded. [b]Divine Wisdom:[/b] One of the most important aspects of the Griffon - its third and final pillar - relates to its incredible wisdom. In Lucas' case, this can most basically be described as a variety of psychic abilities. Lucas has the ability to interpret thoughts and see situations from a variety of angles. With sufficient effort, Lucas can also "break into" the mind of another person - though this can be a dangerous practice at the best of times. Divine Wisdom is perhaps the most mysterious of Lucas' abilities and he is barely aware of it himself. It is a skill that can only develop through practice and great care - unfortunately Lucas does not yet have the ability to correctly harness this capability to its fullest extent. [font=franklin gothic medium]Thanks to everyone for your sign-ups. The final list of players will be revealed soon and the RPG will commence! If there are any further questions, please feel free to use the Underground thread.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]To the original poster, I think you may have missed the point of myOtaku. While I understand your desire for greater control, it must be said that myOtaku is really designed to be a service for those who aren't as comfortable getting knee-deep in code. Yes, you can manually provide your own HTML code in many areas of myOtaku (including the intro and posts themselves) and there are ways you can override our core system if you so desire. However, it's important to understand that we've tried to design a site for people who are more casual users that don't necessarily want the added complexity of HTML. I continually petition for greater control on myOtaku and that will be coming in the future, I can assure you. Unfortunately it's the same story where we have a very large network and a very limited number of dedicated staff, particularly in terms of skilled programmers. It can be tough to attend to everything all the time.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I saw this film a couple of nights ago. I certainly liked it...probably about as much as X-Men 2. The first X-Men was okay, but I really wanted the series to get into the meat of the story - the introductory aspect to the first X-Men made it somewhat boring for me, being someone who is already familiar with the franchise. There were many things that I feel they got right with X-Men 3. For one thing, I think they handled the [spoiler]Pheonix[/spoiler] sub-plot quite well, especially considering the amount of stuff they had to pack into the length of the film. The sub-plot also added to the generally apocalyptic nature of the film, which certainly added to the overall atmosphere. When I really think about it, I think the main reason why I enjoy these films is simply the actors - I like pretty much all of them and they all interact incredibly well on screen. I can think of few movies in recent times where I've seen actors who seem to have such strong established relationships. The only actor who occasionally annoyed me was probably Halle Berry (I keep getting the impression that she's injected herself into a larger role as a result of tantruming...which certainly doesn't keep it true to the comic or the cartoon series). Special-effects wise, X-Men 3 also really introduced some totally new effects [spoiler]such as the CG-skin modification used on Patrick Steward and Ian McKellen to make them appear younger[/spoiler] and generally all of these new techniques were handled very well. I suppose my only disappointment isn't so much with the film itself...it's more with the idea that this might be the last X-Men film. Can anyone confirm that? Based on the events of the film and based on its title...I'd imagine so. I guess that disappoints me simply because there are so many fantastic X-Men plotlines that may simply never be shown in a film. And given how well this series has been handled in general in its film conversion, that's a disappointing thought. Although, apparently there's going to be a Magneto prequel, which would be good, especially if Ian McKellen plays himself as a younger man (using the technique mentioned earlier). One thing I enjoyed about the film was that the subject of "curing" mutation reminded me a lot of those nutty groups in the US who want to "cure" homosexuality. I liked that the film raised the idea that there isn't actually a need for a cure and that there are multiple sides to the story. I felt that this X-Men really had a strong parallel to that particular issue, where the previous films seem more obviously centered around racism and general prejudice. So of course, I enjoyed that aspect of it, and I hope it illustrated the issue more clearly for those who may not have much of an understanding of it. All-in-all, I'm disappointed to see the series end, but I thought that X-Men 3 was a pretty good way to go out. Not a perfect movie - it had a couple of pacing issues and such - but I think it did a pretty good job in terms of what it set out to achieve. I hope they release a box set of the trilogy, as I'll probably be picking that up. Edit: Gah, I missed the end credits![/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Yes, that's fine...as long as we don't have too many characters who fit that model. :catgirl:[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Adam may have already read this but in any case, I will tell him about it when I see him. Perhaps you could post a screenshot here so that we can evaluate it? Our sites are generally cross-browser compatible and I'm sure Adam would like theOtaku.com to be viewable in as many browsers as possible.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Good stuff, DW. I think this is definitely my favourite comic from you. This latest one is simple, but it really follows the theme and style well. Nice work. :)[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]The Da Vinci Code is one of my favourite novels (as well as Angels and Demons), so I was definitely looking forward to seeing this movie. I feel that the movie was a mixed bag, honestly. The big problem here was trying to translate all of the novel's content to the screen - and given the general complexity of the novel, that's no easy task. In general I feel it was done well, with the key points covered...but there were certainly a few significant scenes left out. Although I suppose that's only natural when you do a novel to film conversion. Originally I was very happy with the casting choices - particularly because Tom Hanks doesn't do sex scenes (and given that the novel's romantic undertones are incredibly subtle). Unfortunately Tom Hanks was really wooden in this movie...far moreso than he usually is. That was a little disappointing. I really liked Audrey Tautou, although at times her accent was a little too thick for English-speaking audiences I'd say. But I don't really fault her for that - I'm glad they chose a genuine French actress, rather than someone [i]pretending[/i] to be French. Not to mention the fact that I generally like Audrey Tautou as an actress anyway...she didn't do too badly, given that English is not her native language. Ian McKellen was fantastic as per usual - it's clear that he really loved the role. And as Sandy mentioned, the "flashbacks" were great. Given the historical points in the novel (particularly the critical component about Constantine), I think that it was important to physically visualize everything and that aspect was handled effectively. In fact, that was the main reason I wanted to see the film; I was curious as to how they'd handle the historical components on screen. Unfortunately the big issue is that the film simply didn't have time to cover all of the detail in the novel, as I mentioned above. In the novel there are many times where we are getting lectures and descriptions from either Langdon or Teabing about specific things - for example, when Langdon goes into great historical detail about where the Catholic church borrowed symbols and dates from Paganism and so on. This was covered very lightly in the movie, but I felt it was an incredibly important part of the novel. So overall, I was happy enough with it. It wasn't what it could have been...but that's largely because the novel itself was so good and so rich with imagery and detail.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Sorry, that was a typo. All characters come from the present day - from the late 20th century/early 21st century. I feel certain I've mentioned that somewhere here. If not, I'm sorry about that. The main relevant point is when the coma ends - but that's something which doesn't actually matter to any players at this stage. Since you are "just waking up" in the future, your character will have no presumed knowledge of it - you will learn as you go along. That way a new world can be created, which players can shape and influence (this also provides room for players to influence history and so on). So yeah, all of the information you need is provided either here or in the sign-up thread. If something isn't there, then it's probably not relevant at this point in time.[/font]

[QUOTE=Grace][SIZE=1] My question is kind of simple, how long have our characters been in the coma status? I want to edit my sign up so it's almost flawless, so I can get in. lol [/SIZE][/QUOTE] [font=franklin gothic medium]Your character's life took place in the early 21st century. But don't worry about that. The amount of time the character has been in a coma doesn't matter to players right now - none of them will have known how long they were in a coma until they wake up anyway. As for sign-ups, I imagine they'll be open a few more days. I wanted to give players plenty of time to think about their characters. And there are still a few more people who I'd like to see sign-up.[/font]

[quote name='Sandy']I just posted my sign-up, but it left me wondering exactly how "super" can our characters' abilities be? [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]I suppose it's just a question of keeping them "within reason". So...no laser beams or anything like that, lol. And nothing that would make the character invincible or something. As long as the abilities are based on animal abilties and as long as they are reasonable, they should be fine. Yours were good, I was happy with what you'd put there. In regard to backgrounds and how much influence they have...that'll be for me to decide. Not every character will be able to have major revelations all the time. But that's partly just because if everyone was always influencing the plot all the time, the story would be too unfocused and complex. However, depending on what is written, I can guarantee that players will be able to influence the story in very significant ways - perhaps even to the point of deciding how it ends and how the direction changes.[/font]

[QUOTE=Retribution][size=1]Does our character history have to end with us becoming incapacitated? Do we need to include any information at all on this great exodus to West France? Thanks.[/size][/QUOTE] [font=franklin gothic medium]Nope and nope. :catgirl: [/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Frankly, I have enough trouble getting regular events and other things organized, without another one being added to the list. lol If we have time to do something like this, we should presumably have time to tackle other, more significant issues that will improve the site. I do like the idea, I just feel that it's not something we can really devote our time to at this stage. I'm more interested in repairing some of the fundamentals of the site to make it easier and more enjoyable, before we start going after other things.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Yeah, by having opt-in chapters we'll still have a cohesive main story...but the players can choose when they want to be involved in it for the most part. Anyway, your question is something that I can't really answer until the RPG begins. Sometimes there will be intense moments of action and conflict...and at other times the RPG will have a much stronger emphasis on the cerebral aspect. One thing I really want to do, more than anything else, is allow characters to develop deep relationships in this RPG. I really want to explore characters' pasts and their current relationships as well - in addition to learning about the history of West France and the world beyond. Paying strong attention to my posts in the RPG, as well as the posts of others, is ultimately going to be the key to pushing the thing forward though. But as I've said, revelations and artifacts will be conveniently listed for those who might miss subtle clues in the posts themselves.[/font]

[center][IMG]http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/8189/hvlogosignup4hj.gif[/IMG] [img]http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/3140/monalisas3gw.jpg[/img][/center] Welcome to Hybrid Vigor. Before you begin, please read the first post in the Underground thread (click here to view it). The original post sets the stage for the beginning of Hybrid Vigor and it should give you some idea as to what your character could be like. So that I avoid cluttering this thread too much, I'm going to use the sign-up thread to focus on exactly what information you need to sign-up specifically. But you [i]will[/i] need to have read my first post in the Underground thread before you even consider signing up here. You may also use that thread to ask questions as the RPG continues. Below, you'll find the sign-up form as well as other information about how this RPG works. Have fun! [center][img]http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/6605/hvfreechapters5hp.gif[/img][/center] In this RPG, I will be using a system called Free Chapters. How does this work? Well, as the RPG's creator, I will be "running" the RPG. This means that I will be directing the course of the overall plot - the very general path that the RPG takes. All players will have the ability to affect the storyline in significant ways, though, and I am specifically hoping that players will guide the plot forward themselves. As I post, I will routinely introduce new chapters. These chapters will basically revolve around my character or a certain situation - they will provide the "spine" of the plot. In other words, they will represent the main course that the plot takes. However, not all players need to participate in the chapters. If the "main plot" of the RPG is occurring in Paris 2, your character doesn't necessarily need to be there - they might be in another city elsewhere, following up their own sub-plot that you have created for them. They don't have to interact with the players who are involved in the main plot at all. And those who opt-in on the chapter can move their character out of it at any time. In this way, I will continue to create chapters and direct them, but other players can choose whether or not they wish to participate in those specific chapters. Players may not make their own chapters and there will still be a posting order, but now players can participate in any way they like - whether or not they are involved in the current chapter or not. [center][img]http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/6381/hvrevelationssu5xn.gif[/img][/center] This RPG will contain plenty of plot-twists. And although I will be directing the [i]overall[/i] plot, [b]all[/b] players will have the opportunity to contribute a variety of revelations that will affect the story. As you can imagine, though, if everyone contributes a major earth-shattering revelation, the story could quickly spiral out of control. In order to fix this problem, all revelations (including my own) will be listed under the [b]REVELATIONS[/b] area in the Underground thread. It will be a simple dot-point list, which all players can follow, so that you can keep track of story revelations. In this way, all players can be keep track of what's going on in the grand scheme of things. If you wish to create a revelation for the RPG, you simply have to PM me. If I like the revelation and it doesn't conflict with anything, I will post it in the Underground thread. If I don't like it, or if it conflicts with something, I will tell you via PM. Obviously we can't have people uncovering revelations frequently. So, I will only update revelations now and then, so as not to confuse everyone. Whether or not your revelation is used depends entirely on how well it works with the story and so on. [center][img]http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/6805/hvartifactssu5es.gif[/img][/center] Artifacts work a lot like revelations, except that they relate to specific objects. Artifacts are somewhat less important and the way they are used really depends on the players. Basically, artifacts that are important to the story (perhaps they lead to the uncovering of a revelation) will be listed in the appropriate area within the Underground thread. One of the first artifacts in the RPG will be the [b]Mona Lisa[/b]. [center][img]http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/5938/hvfinalwords4zq.gif[/img][/center] So, before you sign-up, I'll just summarize some key points here. You may ask questions in the Underground thread if any of this is too confusing. [list] [*]This RPG will contain a posting order. You do not need to participate in chapters, but you must post when it's your turn. [*]To add a revelation, PM me. Think carefully about your revelation, as it could significantly impact the main story. [*]Artifacts can be added in the same way. Be creative with this one. [*]While your character does not need to be located wherever the chapters are occurring, all characters must remain within West France until the Revelations section reveals what lies beyond. [*]All characters are hybrids (for more detailed information on hybrids, check out the Sign-Up form below). [*]Uh, I think that's about it! If I've forgotten anything, please use the Underground thread to let me know. [/list] [center][img]http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/1747/hvsignup6ql.gif[/img][/center] Before we get to the sign-up form, I just want to spend a quick moment explaining hybrids. As the Underground thread mentions, hybrids are a genetic fusion of human and animal. Hybrids' animal features are generally not obvious (you're not likely to see a human walking around with an animal's ears, for instance). The idea is that the animal's abilities are inherent within that human being - whether we're talking night vision, enhanced sense of smell, faster running speed, ability to climb up walls, camouflage, etc etc. However, hybrids may have some very subtle distinct features (uniquely coloured eyes and hair are common among hybrids). Generally I want you to think about eye/hair/skin colour, as opposed to things like antlers or forked tongues or whatever. If I need you to edit your character's appearance, I'll just ask you via PM. [b]Name:[/b] Please use a first and last name. Please let's not have a million Japanese-style names. Your character can be from anywhere, so try to keep the name relevant to their country of origin. [b]Age:[/b] Self-explanatory - let's try to have relatively few teenage characters. [b]Gender:[/b] Can be male, female, both or have the ability to change genders. Don't forget that various animals have these abilities too. You may be as mundane or as creative as you like here. [b]Place of Origin:[/b] City and country, preferably. Add any further detail you like. [b]Known History:[/b] Talk briefly about your character's history, before the coma. Please be creative here - I'm looking for characters with different jobs, families, educations, etc. Try to be relatively realistic, too. All characters are from the early twenty-first century. [b]Personality:[/b] Pretty obvious - just talk briefly about your character's general personality. [b]Appearance:[/b] Picture and/or a description would be just fine. Again, please remember the nature of hybrids as mentioned at the start of the Sign-Up form. Let's also avoid any Sailor Moon look-alikes. [b]Animal Genes:[/b] Which animal is your character crossed with? You may only choose one. Think carefully about that animal's abilities. [b]Hybrid Abilities:[/b] You may have [b]three[/b] hybrid abilities. Usually one ability is stronger or more powerful than the other two. Remember that these abilities derive from your Animal Genes. So if you choose, say, a snake...you might have heat vision and poisonous saliva or something along those lines - fangs would be acceptable, as long as they're relatively subtle. Please try to keep these abilities within reason. And there you have it! I will post my sign-up shortly and I really look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with. There are some new elements to this RPG, so I really hope nothing here is too confusing. I will do my best to answer any questions that arise, anyway.

[font=franklin gothic medium]I think Ken's post does illustrate that standards are much better than they were two years ago or more. The issue we are facing now is only very recent - and it's largely the result of massive staff changes. Staff have moved, some don't have the time anymore and some simply are no longer interested after moderating for such a long time. It has been necessary to hire more staff - and we still need more. However, I do not want to rush through staff at the same time. Desbreko and I choose staff very carefully - this is why you'll find that staff usually stick around for quite a long time. We don't have a very high turnover of Moderators because we choose very carefully in the first place. I'd rather have quality staff who stick around and really make the effort, than have an influx of staff that provide a quick fix. In any case, the issue is now being dealt with and I think you'll find this'll be a very short-lived problem.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I just bought this game yesterday, so I haven't had much chance to really dig right into it. However, I've played enough to start getting an impression of the game. I have to say, I really don't like the whole Lord of the Rings-style mythology [i]but[/i], I'm enjoying this game. In many ways it reminds me of Zelda - it's more open in some ways, more restrictive in others. Initially, the character movement and some of the stiff animations (and the plasticky-looking bits) turned me off, but as I've experienced more of the game, I've really been enjoying it. I'm a newcomer to this franchise, so it was interesting to see what all the fuss is about. I can definitely see why people love it though...the amount of depth is pretty astounding. And I really love the way that you can basically ignore the main quest and do whatever you want - in particular, I love the way that new quests appear somewhat dynamically. I mean, you literally come across new situations along your travels, which is very cool. It gives the game a sense of realism and non-linearity that few other games really have. Has anyone else actually bought this game? I'd like to hear your thoughts, especially those who are further on. I have the game on Xbox 360, so I'd be interested in hearing how the PC version stacks up too.[/font]

[QUOTE=The Boss][color=dimgray][size=1] Also, I highly doubt [B]Smash Bros.[/B] will be including Cloud and Snake into the cast of characters. I surely hope that was a joke.[/color][/size][/QUOTE] [font=franklin gothic medium]Actually, Smash Bros. Brawl will include Snake as a playable character. Apparently Hideo Kojima begged Nintendo to include him. Nintendo has indicated that there may be other third party characters as well (possibly Sonic, too). I'm relatively happy with the show thusfar. Sony have pretty much bombed - with a couple of exceptions (MGS4, Final Fantasy XIII), they were completely and utterly disappointing. I think this generation will be the start of a decline for them. Microsoft were great, with a strong showing for Xbox 360. There are some absolutely amazing games coming out for that system, including titles like Bioshock and Mass Effect. So I was very happy with what they've been showing. Getting GTA IV is also a feather in the cap for 'em. And Nintendo...well, they pretty much stole the show. The gameplay impressions for Wii have been incredibly positive all-round and we're finally seeing a return to form for the company - an innovative new Mario title (seriously, check out the impressions of that game - particularly the IGN impressions), a Wii-specific Zelda (with more Wii enhancements than previously thought), a new Metroid, an exclusive Wii Resident Evil, an exclusive Sonic (which finally fixes the problems associated with the Sonic Adventure titles), an exclusive Dragon Quest, an exclusive Final Fantasy and so much more. 86 games in development, 27 on the show floor at E3. It was about time for a comeback, I think.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I've never been a part of any club or anything (the closest I've ever really gotten to that would be an online guild or whatever, but that's not really similar), so I doubt I can offer any really concrete advice. But my first thought would be that if you want people to come back, you have to make it worth their time. So perhaps some variety would be good - not just watching videos, but also critiquing relevant films, having a book club and maybe even an art club where people can create and discuss art relevant to your association. I think that's probably one of the key ingredients. If people join up but then they feel bored or they feel like nothing is happening, they will probably want to just drop out. Also, community involvement might be a good way to keep people interested. Perhaps you could discuss ways to educate people about tolerance and you could physically put some of those ideas into action.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I have noticed the issues that some of you have mentioned in this thread and you can be assured that I'm going to be taking steps to deal with it. Unfortunately we're still in a situation where we need more staff in certain areas and where we need to re-emphasize our rules/policies.[/font]