[OOC] Arena Chat Thread

[Doc Doctor]

@Sarpedon
Which character you have in mind?

[Sarpedon]

@Sarpedon
Which character you have in mind?

@Doc Doctor

That's what I am saying, I'm not sure. What sort of power level do you prefer?

[Doc Doctor]

@Sarpedon
Low to mid powered? Unpowered is fine too.

[Sarpedon]

@Sarpedon
Low to mid powered? Unpowered is fine too.

@Doc Doctor

I'll see what I can dig up then. I know I have someone that qualifies.

[MelonHead]

Something I was thinking about the other day, unsure if it would even be possible.

I was contemplating how the Arena is made up of interesting fights, but that the actual capacity to really utilize subterfuge and other less standardized forms of combat is really lacking, due to the nature of unconscious meta-gaming. To clarify, I mean that if an opponent chooses to lie in wait in a particular spot, their opponent can't unknow that knowledge, and will therefore be biased in their actions to a varying extent. This is just one example of this, but still.

I was thinking, a potential method for overcoming it would be a 'Hardcore Mode', which would essentially consist of three participants. The first two are responsible for posting and fighting, the third is the judge and mediator who also plays a special role, similar to that of a dungeon master they alone receive the complete posts from each player, and use these to describe the scene as the opponent would be able to see it. They may include subtle clues or remarks if they feel a character would have revealed their position in some way, and can reward smart play by giving a character an advantage on their attack.

It would be difficult to realize, but I think an Arena battle where you truly see through your own character's perspective and have only that to work with would really make for excellent combat, particularly at lower tiers.

[LeeRoy]

I like the idea, the actualization would require a shit ton of work that would have to be planned out in advance days before the first post is even made. It would require, of course, the three consenting parties all agreeing on the direction that it should be going. And the complete trust in the impartial mediation of the third party.

[Skallagrim]

I have participated in events like that. They require a goodly dedication from the judge, but can be supremely enjoyable.

[The 42nd Gecko]

Something I was thinking about the other day, unsure if it would even be possible.

I was contemplating how the Arena is made up of interesting fights, but that the actual capacity to really utilize subterfuge and other less standardized forms of combat is really lacking, due to the nature of unconscious meta-gaming. To clarify, I mean that if an opponent chooses to lie in wait in a particular spot, their opponent can't unknow that knowledge, and will therefore be biased in their actions to a varying extent. This is just one example of this, but still.

I was thinking, a potential method for overcoming it would be a 'Hardcore Mode', which would essentially consist of three participants. The first two are responsible for posting and fighting, the third is the judge and mediator who also plays a special role, similar to that of a dungeon master they alone receive the complete posts from each player, and use these to describe the scene as the opponent would be able to see it. They may include subtle clues or remarks if they feel a character would have revealed their position in some way, and can reward smart play by giving a character an advantage on their attack.

It would be difficult to realize, but I think an Arena battle where you truly see through your own character's perspective and have only that to work with would really make for excellent combat, particularly at lower tiers.

@MelonHead

Certainly, it's a fun idea, just requires a lot of investment.

[ImportantNobody]

@MelonHead

I like the idea.

For stuff like that it also might be best just to plan the battle out for a story and allow characters to fall for stuff, but if we wanted an actual battle from it where you can win or lose, that may be the best way to do it.

[MelonHead]

@MelonHead

I like the idea.

For stuff like that it also might be best just to plan the battle out for a story and allow characters to fall for stuff, but if we wanted an actual battle from it where you can win or lose, that may be the best way to do it.

@ImportantNobody

Yeah that would be an option, but what I'm talking about is almost the complete antithesis of this, where the OOC is almost entirely removed from the experience, complete immersion in the RP if you will. As there is a judge present by necessity as well the potential for fighting and arguing would be diminished to the point of almost a non-factor.

And yes, the main issue would be the difficulty in assembling three dedicated individuals, but I do think it would be an amazing experience. If any two people were willing to try it I'd happily play the role of the DM/Judge for a test run. Might need some more thought but I'll definitely be working on this for a while.

Also LeeRoy, you owe me a post as your giant rhino-lizard.

[Tasuke]

@MelonHead

I'm down if someone else is.

[ImportantNobody]

@MelonHead@Tasuke

I was going to say I'd join as Evvie but she'd just charge in anyways. This will work best for assassin-like characters.

[The 42nd Gecko]

@MelonHead@Tasuke I've got a ninja armed with bouncy balls*.

*Oddly not a joke character. He originated in a Naruto RP where they were holding a tournament to determine the next leader after they had just lost their leader in battle, and he was like, "It's really dumb for us to be fighting this tournament with bladed weapons and explosives and laser beam magic given that we're already in a super weak position. I'm gonna fight only using stealth items, guile, healing magic, and bouncy balls to protest." Managed to get second place, and his value on human life and sneakiness came to be defining factors in his character throughout future incarnations.

[LeeRoy]

Why is Narutoverse so popular? Just asking, because I've watched the show and like I'm not bashing on people who like it. I'm just saying I don't understand why it's so common.

While the open-endedness of the powers is neat and all, the outright limitations subjected to the characters is just like. Awful.

Like, you're never the best, because the protagonist literally becomes Jesus Christ right near the end.

The coolest powers are limited to ten people, the tailed beasts.

And if you make your character stronger than that, you're making a Mary Sue. At least according to other people who play with Narutoverse characters.

Like.

There's so many other ways that you could go about it, y'know. And I honestly don't see the appeal.

Edit: Also, @Melon, I'm on it. It'll be up in a lil' bit. Been distracted with the shite-ass holidays.

[The 42nd Gecko]

Why is Narutoverse so popular? Just asking, because I've watched the show and like I'm not bashing on people who like it. I'm just saying I don't understand why it's so common.

While the open-endedness of the powers is neat and all, the outright limitations subjected to the characters is just like. Awful.

Like, you're never the best, because the protagonist literally becomes Jesus Christ right near the end.

The coolest powers are limited to ten people, the tailed beasts.

And if you make your character stronger than that, you're making a Mary Sue. At least according to other people who play with Narutoverse characters.

Like.

There's so many other ways that you could go about it, y'know. And I honestly don't see the appeal.

Edit: Also, @Melon, I'm on it. It'll be up in a lil' bit. Been distracted with the shite-ass holidays.

@LeeRoy

What I've always done and liked with Naruto Verse is when we go, "Nothing from canon is canon but the general powers available to everybody." Tailed Beasts? Nope. Super god powers? Nope. Setting? Nope, different countries and clans. Just the same magic system, effectively, with the crazy near the end cut off.

When I watched Naruto, my favorite battle was always Kakashi vs Zabuza, I really liked the power level and mind games of that fight, even if it was a little spy vs spy one upsmanship. And that's the power level I like in Naruto Verse RPs. When a person pulls out their super rage beast mode totally not a tailed beast power, I always responded "Kay, I throw a smoke bomb. Have fun ticking off your proverbial life bar while I hide."

[LeeRoy]

I can respect that answer, honestly I wasn't expecting an articulate response. @The 42nd Gecko.

Cause I just re-read my shit and it's totally standoffish when I didn't mean it to be.

Also, Zabuza should have been later in the show. Like right after the chuunin exams. Because the animation quality got a bump, and Zabuza's story is genuinely good. Not like, oh this is the best thing ever.

No, Naruto isn't known for it's storytelling. It's story is kinda jumpy and gets really dumb. But Zabuza and Haku was a literally heartwrenching subplot that had writing that stood out like a sore thumb in early Naruto.

Though I'll be frank, I watch Naruto for the moments when they hit MY favored range of power and just decimate landscapes with their abilities. Coupled with the higher quality animation of those episodes, mmph. Beautiful.

Edit: I did it again, this isn't meant to sound standoffish, it's just 12 in the morning and I haven't had any sleep since yesterday.

[Tasuke]

@The 42nd Gecko

Your point being?

[The 42nd Gecko]

I can respect that answer, honestly I wasn't expecting an articulate response. @The 42nd Gecko.

Cause I just re-read my shit and it's totally standoffish when I didn't mean it to be.

Also, Zabuza should have been later in the show. Like right after the chuunin exams. Because the animation quality got a bump, and Zabuza's story is genuinely good. Not like, oh this is the best thing ever.

No, Naruto isn't known for it's storytelling. It's story is kinda jumpy and gets really dumb. But Zabuza and Haku was a literally heartwrenching subplot that had writing that stood out like a sore thumb in early Naruto.

Though I'll be frank, I watch Naruto for the moments when they hit MY favored range of power and just decimate landscapes with their abilities. Coupled with the higher quality animation of those episodes, mmph. Beautiful.

Edit: I did it again, this isn't meant to sound standoffish, it's just 12 in the morning and I haven't had any sleep since yesterday.

@LeeRoy

Hah, no problem, that's fun too. It just isn't what I liked about Naruto. Though, I can appreciate some of the later fight scenes, I just feel it lost some of the essence of trickery when so many times it comes down to "My Jutsu is bigger."

@Tasuke If your question is about when I mentioned a ninja with bouncy balls, I was offering myself for the "two players send their messages to the GM, and the GM acts as a go between to describe what each player sees" game. If it's about Naruto, a question was asked, and I gave my honest answer.

[LeeRoy]

I absolutely love over the top fights that span miles, simply because the characters are fast any powerful enough to clear that much distance and leave it in absolute ruin. Marvel and DC do this from time to time, with characters like Captain Marvel, Beta Ray Bill, Sentry, Apocalypse, Superman, Darkseid, the list goes on.

There's a reason a huge chunk of my characters are in High-Powered. Spectacle is my dish, realistic devastation by terrifyingly powerful entities gets my blood pumping like boiling lead.

Nothing is more exciting to me than a superhuman battle that drags on for so long the two characters exhaust eachother and eventually it's decided by who collapses first.

[LeeRoy]

Hell, I nearly cried when I learned about One Punch Man getting an animated series.

Lord Borous, Garou, and Tatsumaki all have fights with Saitama like what I just described. Minus the exhaustion bit on Saitama's part.