[OOC] Running and Gunning - Higan Vs. The Magna Pater

[Drifting Pollen]

All right, here's the long and short of it:

Melon's right about the lens. Most large cameras will in fact have layers of glass in front of the lens, and while these would almost certainly have been broken, destroying them would not impact the functioning of the cameras themselves. The vital parts tend to be buried pretty deep inside... and while blunt force trauma might be enough to severely damage them, these ones are covered in armor, and likely toughened up, given they're part of a freaking battle mech. Indeed, a smart engineer would have made sure that the essential components were thoroughly insulated against large 'smashing' attacks from the outside. Though we can't necessarily say that this is the case here, I'd say that the main lens surviving is more likely. The right side getting taken out is clearly based on the character sheet, so any arguments about that being 'too convenient' are pretty much unfounded.

Doctor's right about the initial grab not working. He'd already established the speed of his character, as well as its flexibility and readiness for a counterattack. So it would get away in time to make its attempt at squeezing under the arm- leading to Melon's latest post. However, it's now Doc's turn, and he has a chance to respond to that.

As for most of the other stuff... there have been multiple accusations of metagaming and whatnot, as unofficial judge I recommend taking them all and throwing them in the big fat garbage can of forgiveness. Yes, there were arguably minor problems on both sides, but none of them stopped the fight from going on or being fun up to this point. Going through them impartially would take forever, likely ruin what was honestly a pretty cool fight so far, and would probably reveal about an equal amount of mistakes from both sides.

And yes, the current fight is technically rather lopsided. If both contestants want to re-balance things to even them out or whatever, then do as you like, so long as the two of you get along. For the purposes of the main points being disputed, however (the grab and the cameras), see what I wrote above.

Hope that helps. Are there any particular points you two feel I still need to address, or does this cover things?

[Doc Doctor]

@MelonHead

Well, that's that. Since it's the judge's decision, I concede that point. Forgiving you is a silly thing, because I never had anything against you in the first place. I'm just glad the match can continue, and I hope it's fun for all. It's a lot like a Stanley Kubrick movie, you know? The I.C battle looks neat, but behind the scenes there's chaos.

[Doc Doctor]

@Drifting Pollen

Can you drop by now and then to keep us on the straight and narrow? As you can probably tell, Melon and I make for a combustive mix.

[Drifting Pollen]

@Drifting Pollen

Can you drop by now and then to keep us on the straight and narrow? As you can probably tell, Melon and I make for a combustive mix.

@Doc Doctor

Honestly, from what I've seen, Melon and anyone makes for a combustive mix :P Nothing wrong with that, a few quibbles aren't that big of a deal, so long as things don't get as messy as they did in the Majesty Tournament.

Regardless, I've been reading this fight for fun anyways, so I'll be keeping up with things :) If you two want my humble opinions on anything else, I'll do my best to oblige, so long as I have the time and/or willpower!

[MelonHead]

Hey, all I ever wanted to do was create as cool a fight as possible, but my own curiosity is satisfied, cheers for looking in Pollen.

I would say most of my fights probably look like Kubrick movies, none-the-least because I'm incredibly perfectionist about Arena fights. I'm probably the worst person for 'letting things slide' in Arena for that reason, as opposed to what one may think in regards to me just being out to win every match. Ultimately, what is there to gain from winning or losing an unranked match after all? As long as the fight is cool, who cares, I just don't like the fight being vague or leaving the reader thinking 'is that even possible?'

Anyway, glad we can keep going, as this will probably be my last 'for fun' fight in a while.

[MelonHead]

By the way Doc, I understand your evasion and I accept it, but your comment that the Mech's flexibility was poor is kind of irrelevant. It's not really bending at all, it's just dropping its elbow down, like I said sort of like pledging allegiance or whatever it is Americans do. It's hard to describe but it's really a very simple movement.

Anyway got some Pizza coming then I'll try and get into a writing frame of mind.

[MelonHead]

Also just to point out Electro vision is based off the same thing in Alien Vs Predator for hunting the cold blooded Xenomorphs, it works by highlighting the bio-electrics in a creature that can't be hidden unless you effectively 'turn off' as your character can. Point being, mucous does not have any bio-electrics, so it would not impact the lens.

Not that it matters much, if the claw goes right inside the lens it's probably fucked anyway, though from what I'm reading your character just stuck out the wall slam, so presumably most of its lower body is trapped by the weight of the Mech up against the wall.

[Doc Doctor]

@MelonHead

In my post, I was visualising Slimy as being on the mech's head rather than back, so that it wouldn't be pinned. I mentioned that its tail would have been raised above the back. Just felt like it was a good idea to check up with you on this before rolling along. Where I come from, if a misinterpretation comes along, it gets corrected I.C'ly. For example...

Me:
-Gonad threw a kick at the baboon's head as it stood.-

Opponent:
-As the monkey had never stood after ducking, were Gonad to follow through with said kick he would be left at the baboon's mercy for a punch in the nuts.-

It's sort of like autocorrect, drawing attention to a misunderstanding without having to pause the battle. Here though, I've noticed that matches look cleaner because things get settled in the background.

So, I'll give it a fling!

[MelonHead]

I don't really understand why its ribs were broken then? Slimy is just too long to settle on top of the Mechs head without part of its body dangling down.

[Doc Doctor]

@MelonHead

I was picturing it having been already most of the way over the mech's top by the time it extracted its head, having raised itself up beforehand to keep from being draped over the mech's back and to attack the lens (hence the line about it having lifted its tail above Higan's back). It's possible for the middle of the tail to get trapped, if Higan leans back some more.


Like this, but with the tail fully out of the way and the ass hitting the wall (it has no pelvis, so its ass has ribs like a snake).

[MelonHead]

That only makes sense because the lizard is about a foot long though, where-as your creature is at least eight foot long in regards to its body and the Mech is only twice the size of a human. The space on top of the Mech for it to sit on is four foot long at most, so there's four feet of the creature's body unaccounted for that almost has to be dangling down the back of the Mech for it to make sense that it was able to attack the lens. Unless it's carrying out some immensely confusing contortions you haven't mentioned, such as sitting in a spiral on top of the Mech or something.

[Doc Doctor]

@MelonHead

Who says it's the back that it's hanging over? I believe it would be mostly crouching over the front of the mech, looming over the optics since it not only slithered that way to escape the grab, but also was partially pulled by the mech itself. It's in a different position than when it used the rock. There's also a difference between laying down and sitting. When it is laying down, its main body is eight feet. When it sits, it doesn't take up too much more than half that, as long as it keeps its tail out of the way. If it were fully laying down on the mech's head, it wouldn't have the height needed to swing down its heaviest blows on the optics.

Also, two more things. In your post you said that it "flung itself back" to escape Higan's sight, however it never moved away from where it had been pulled. Also, its slime should too up what few spots of vision Higan has left.

[MelonHead]

Well, I was just looking at the act from a physical perspective, your character doesn't seem to have lower legs, so presumably if it were perched on top of the Mech I don't really see how it's lower body wouldn't have to dangle downwards.

'Also just to point out Electro vision is based off the same thing in Alien Vs Predator for hunting the cold blooded Xenomorphs, it works by highlighting the bio-electrics in a creature that can't be hidden unless you effectively 'turn off' as your character can. Point being, mucous does not have any bio-electrics, so it would not impact the lens'

[Doc Doctor]

@MelonHead

I get it, and normally that would be the case when dealing with a long bodied opponent. Unlike a lizard, though, Slimy has enough raw strength and balance to stand up without needing its arms for support (though it prefers dragging itself around, since that's scarier). It can stand like how a cobra, or Medusa, stands.

It makes up for its lack of legs to gain purchase with by being a really sticky fucker too.

And I won't argue about the electro vision, I had a feeling it would be able to see right through the goo. Doesn't that mean it can't see other physical obstacles though?

[MelonHead]

In theory but significant obstacles do tend to show faintly for that reason. It's completely based off the a v p ability. I can accept that slimy physically could hold itself so it's body isn't behind the Mechs however the actual collision with the wall is the issu there. Slimy may not be pinned but in a hunched position he's also going to be launched off the front of the Mechs like a rocket sticky or not because of a lack of contact points to the Mechs. At least that's how I see it going down if slimy is in that somewhat awkward position

[Doc Doctor]

@MelonHead

That's why I mentioned that most animals would have been knocked off, and that's also why it didn't attack the instant they hit the wall. It needed a portion of a second to get back its center of gravity after being whacked so hard. Like I said though, its mucous is sticky enough to let it hang from a ceiling by the tip of its tail, and it has around four feet of surface area to be plastered to right now. It would take many tons of force to pull it off, and even more to just smack it off. Also, the wall wouldn't be encroaching that much into Slimy's backside since Higan isn't doing like reverse head butts to the wall. It's conceivable that some of the hide on its belly could be jigged loose, so that perhaps if it eventually tries to ditch the mech's head it will also leave a patch of its underside behind, losing the ability to make mucous in that area.

It'd be like a Paterskin cap, Davy Crocket style. In fact, Melon. You have to promise me something. If Higan does win this, he has to make Slimy's body into a legit hat to wear everywhere.

[MelonHead]

If he wins he'll take Slimy's head and mount it on his mantle piece, though the A.S.P would look rather dashing in a Slimy hat.

For all intents and purposes Higan's mech is doing a sort of reverse head-butt into the wall, as he literally threw it backwards into it. I don't know how much force would be required to break the adhesion of your character's mucous, but I believe the force exacted by the Mech's 30 tonnes slamming into the wall at about 20mph (let's say, to be conservative?) would probably be sufficient -if- Slimy's lower body isn't clinging to the Mech, as at least one of its arms aren't in position to.

My most recent post also doesn't really make a whole lot of sense because I either mis-read or it wasn't clear that Slimy was dangling over the front of the Mech, which would mean the moment Higan's chain-gun started firing it would be in the firing line even before he lifted it to scour the top of his mech. Though he couldn't know that, and neither did I apparently, so I guess that's a fortunate factor in the long run.

Regardless, there's not much more I can say about the situation, it wasn't particularly clear what was going on and I'm not entirely sure the physics of the actions hold out, but if none of your character's body is behind the Mech then I suppose the pinning move won't do much, though it's still in Higan's interests to close off his character's rear for his next move, and potentially the tail might get caught from what I read.

Anyway, I guess you might as well post, take whatever is relevant from my post and apply it to what's happening, I'm not going to complain if the Pater's body isn't trapped at any rate.

[Doc Doctor]

@MelonHead

The mech weighing 30 tons means there will be virtually no resistance that Slimy can put up, but its body is indeed squishy and can accommodate what space the wall encroaches at 20 mph. Remember, it can squeeze into whatever its head can fit through, like a sewer rat. It's comparable super gluing one of those floppy rubber reptile toys you find in dollar stores to the top of a big ol' doorstopper book, and smacking the broad of the book into a wall. It rustles the jimmies of what's on top, makes it wiggle and jiggle, but is unlikely to make it go flying off. Basically, Slimy is absorbing the shock and using its great balance to keep on the offensive.

But Slimy does have bones and a limit to how much force it can absorb, hence the broken bones and potential loss of its belly skin. Anyways, I'll post now.

HOWEVER! If you find any problems with my next post, please don't hesitate to point them out! If you want my character to take more damage or something, we can work on that.

[MelonHead]

The issue is that the act of gluing itself to the top of the Mech would probably increase the amount of force its body did take ten fold. If it was not stuck to the top it would probably just have been shunted straight off the front of the Mech, and hurt its ass, however by resisting falling off the Mech its ass had to instead essentially take the 30 tonnes of the Mech's body slamming into the wall. It's hard to describe unfortunately, but I suppose you just have to imagine it like a giant block of wood with a smaller block of wood on top overhanging, it you threw the two blocks at a wall the upper piece would shoot the opposite direction upon hitting the wall, but if it were glued down it would take the full force of the bottom blocks weight and prevent it making contact with the wall until either it broke or the glue broke. I suppose in a sense Slimy did break, but not perhaps as much as would be necessary considering how fat Higan's mech is.

Still, some damage was taken and it -pretty- much makes sense, so no complaints. We'll see what happens next in the wonderful world of Mechs vs Alien vampires.

[MelonHead]

@Doc Doctor The fuck? That's... what.

That's literally just cheating lol, what the hell? You failed to compensate for the pauldron in your previous post, or even mention it, and carried out a dodge that involved throwing your weight rightwards, nothing about a great high-jump that would see you sail over the pretty significant pauldron without touching it. And it's not like I haven't mentioned enough times to refer to the reference picture. Then, because I use it to discover which way your character dodged the chain-gun fire you go back a post and compensate for it after I've already put my plan in motion? What the fuck lol.

I'm going to need a moment to recover from this one, that's just hilariously bad form.