Mattchstick

Project Crossover [Video Game Crossover RP]

Ruben Verislav
Level: 2 [3/20]
Day/Time: Day Three - Evening
Location: Forest of Skyrim to Stormcloak Fortress - Ulfric's Tent
Tag: @Holy Soldier@Lugubrious@Zarkun@DracoLunaris
Word Count: 737

Content with the now fully fleshed-out plan, and having been dismissed for the night, Ruben stood to his feet and dusted the debris from his kneepads. The others meandered off to find a place to rest, with Piper holding back to offer a few more suggestions. The mention of food caught his attention and Ruben realized it had been a considerable amount of time since he had a proper meal. A deep growl beneath his body armor confirmed his suspicion. Now that the adrenaline was gone and the brainstorming was done, he needed to refuel. Unfortunately, Ulfric had been telling the truth about his rations; specifically, that there were not many. Ruben feared to tell the leader how much he could eat at one time. The massive Russian could stomach enough food for three people with little effort. He contented himself to eat only as much as he could carry in one hand, using the second to hold a wooden mug.

He stepped out of the tent and took a deep breath of the night air. The frigid breeze and bright sky reminded him of the Siberian landscape he was raised on. Far from major metropolitan areas and power stations, the night sky was a familiar sight, though the stars are constellations here were very different. He wondered for a moment what his nation looked like now. The aliens had invaded on a global level, and, though he had never been dispatched to Russia, they were just as much at risk as any other country. Hopefully they were still contributing to the XCOM program. More than that, hopefully they still existed. His immediate family had passed years ago, but his home had endured. He doubted he would ever see it again, but it didn't trouble him; Ruben knew what he was getting himself into when he signed up. Or so he had thought. It didn't seem as if anyone was truly prepared for an extraterrestrial war.

Speaking of extraterrestrials...

Ruben sat himself down on a heavy log, laid his food out beside him neatly, and removed the foreign weapon from the slot on his back to properly examine it. It was definitely a rifle, in terms of length at least, but as for how it functioned? He flipped it in his hands, impressed by the lightness of the weapon, and wrapped his hand around the grip and frowned. It was horribly uncomfortable. The stock didn't rest smoothly against his shoulder, and there were no proper optics mounted to the top. Perhaps it was the size of his hands or the shape of his body armor. Either way, he wouldn't be using it in combat anytime soon. Perhaps Vahlen could turn it into something more practical. He visualized the firepower of the laser weapon in the form of a battle rifle and nodded to himself. It would turn the tide of the war back home.

That would have to wait. Ruben re-examined the map in his mind as he ate. He had forgotten to factor in his smoke grenade and was now wondering where it could be used effectively. It was easily visible and would give away his position, so it would need to either be used before the battle as a distraction or during a firefight as cover. The smoke reduced the accuracy of any enemies firing into it or surrounded by it without affecting the aim of allies. Combined with sprint, it would allow him to get nearly anywhere without being harmed. He was still holding onto the hope that he was not the only medic and that someone with healing capabilities, maybe even healing magic if that existed, was on hand. Otherwise, he would only be able to save one life. Who would he pick? The question followed him as he returned to the tent and removed his body armor, identifying a less rock-hard place to lie down. Ideally, he would have orders, but it sounded as though the Boss was going to be separate from him on the mission. His team would take priority, but all of them would be on the other side of the field fighting the "small one." What happened if Ulfric told him to save the life of one of his men, only to need it later to save a team member?

Orders are orders. That was the rule. But, for the first time, it didn't sit well with him.

High Casual Rant

Literally this thread:

High Casual Rant

The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that it's not cowardice. It's either insecurity or ignorance. I didn't dodge Advanced because I was afraid of doing a lot of work, I dodged it because I didn't want to commit to something I didn't think I could handle long-term. I'm good at writing 2-5 paragraphs. I enjoy it. I would not enjoy intentionally doubling or tripling that number to meet the "standard," which is misleading.

The problem is that we have perfectly good, talented, eager writers who just don't fit into the categories or their descriptions. They should probably be in Advanced.

High Casual Rant

I think the whole thing is just perception. People consider themselves above the title "Free" because it sounds lazy, while "Advanced" sounds intimidating. People RP as a hobby, not a career, so "Casual" sounds more accommodating. But the description of Casual is "at least a paragraph or two, character development, and some depth. Grammar and spelling are encouraged. Generally one paragraph (a few sentences) per post." That sounds low-effort, which is discouraging for people who put a relative amount of work into their RP (enough depth and development for a stable role-play with a preference for two or three paragraphs per post). Hence the "high-casual" tag; people who want to write at a high standard, but are worried that they just don't measure up to the title "Advanced."

I've seen RPs in Advanced that have 10-15 paragraphs per post. I can't imagine writing that much over and over when I also have a job and obligations in real life, so I generally avoid it. But the Casual description says "generally one paragraph per post." So where do I go with my general two to five paragraphs?

I think a large problem, therefore, is the description of the sections. Instead of Free, Casual, and Advanced, they sound like Free, A Little Better than Free, and Advanced. There are many members here who write at an Advanced level and don't even realize it because the imaginary Advanced bar is so high.

I'm in a Casual RP and an Advanced RP, and I write at the same standard for about the same number of paragraphs (two to five) in each. And it fits just fine in both of them. But you wouldn't think that from the descriptions of the sections.

RPGC #18: Adventure Calls - Discussion

I have an idea for this but I don't know if I can drag an actual story out of it.

The Hunger Games but Not Really

B U M P

RPGC #17: Singing in the Rain - Discussion

I am both surprised and disturbed that my story about a man in the modern era losing everything and being gunned down in the street by Hitler won. Thanks, all you strange, strange people.

So do I get to pick the next theme?

Mattchstick's CS Matchbook

Allison Hawthorne

Name: Allison Bethany Reid-Hawthorne
Age: 19
Appearance:
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 145 lbs
Likes:
- Smiling
- Social Media
- Driving
- Upbeat music
Dislikes:
- Alcohol
- Pessimists
Zodiac Sign: Gemini
Special Talent: She can type very quickly both on a keyboard and smartphone. It makes writing essays and text messages a snap.
Profession: Student living at home. Works for the SCVRS.
Bio/Personality:
The first three years of Allison's life were with her natural parents, Ellie and Derrick Reid, who were still in college when they met. They married in their prime, both looking forward to an easy, happy life together. Unfortunately, fate was not so kind. Carefree at first, Ellie gave up the wilder side of college life of partying, choosing to instead drop out and focus on working to take care of her new family. Derrick didn't let go so easily. As a result, the lifestyle didn't let go of him either. After graduating and moving into a small one-bedroom apartment with his wife, he and his is "buddies" started meeting at bars instead of on campus. When he found out his wife was expecting a child, Derrick tried to quit. After a few attempts, he gave up trying and let alcoholism embrace him. A young Allison rarely saw her father sober.

When she was four, he thought it would be funny to let her take a shot of whisky with him. She threw up most of it and was in the hospital for several days afterwards. Ellie drew the line there and told Derrick that either he went to AA and stayed there until he was clean or she was gone. Derrick, who was hammered at the time, threw a half-empty bottle at her head. It left a scar on her forehead that she still has to this day. Ellie filed charges and won, denying Derrick of full custody and moving out.

Starved for cash, Ellie moved into a small house with a close relative, who let them stay there on the condition that Ellie go back to college and finish her education. She accepted and re-enrolled, completing her Bachelor of Science degree in business while Allison stayed home. While in college, Ellie found herself spending time with Erick Hawthorne, the TA for one of the classes she was having more trouble with than she expected. They grew surprisingly close and ended up dating and marrying several years later. Allison was hesitant to accept having a new father but Erick was a patient, compassionate man. He never tried to force himself into her life and let Allison adjust to his presence at her own pace. She formed a strong bond with him and gladly volunteered to be the flower girl at their wedding. Allison keeps a picture of the three of them on a hiking trip in her wallet at all times.

Erick was a hard worker who believed that people should earn what they have instead of expecting it to be handed out and he actively encouraged Allison to do well in school and pursue higher education. She complied, maintaining an A average in middle and high school. Three weeks before graduation, Erick and Ellie finally decided to move to an actual home (more of a large apartment, really) in Sol City. Allison was sorry to say goodbye to the friends she had made, but promised to stay in touch.

Currently Allison is living at home. She is working on enrolling in a college, though she really doesn't know what she likes yet and is leaning towards general studies. Her flippancy about it has caused a small amount of friction between her and her father, who wants her to study medicine and guarantee a good career. She had offered to join a rescue squad and, by the time they moved, had completed all the basic training to become an EMT Class 1. Her parents have suggested continuing down that path for the time being, though they encourage her to look around the new city and see what else interests her.

As far as personality goes, Allison is a cheerful, optimistic young lady who strives to look past the bad and hope for the best. Her outgoing nature and restraint from violence make her a good negotiator. Her Irish lineage lends her a fiery temper that she rarely loses, though she becomes embarrassed easily and her face often turns bright red as a direct result of either. Her stepfather's drive to work hard and achieve your goals has impacted her life, though it has been slowed down a bit by social media and technology. Even she would admit that she spends too much time on her phone. When it comes to a crisis, though, she is level-headed and professional, and as a result has been a valuable member to rescue squad calls.

Your character's favorite song: Jackpot - TheFatRat.

The Hunger Games but Not Really

@PrinceAlexus Approved. Sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I already added her to the roster.

Project Crossover [Video Game Crossover RP]

Ruben Verislav
Level: 2 [1/20]
Day/Time: Day Three - Evening
Location: Forest of Skyrim to Stormcloak Fortress - Ulfric's Tent
Tag: @Holy Soldier@Lugubrious@Zarkun@DracoLunaris
Word Count: 686

Nodding briefly in confirmation, Ruben shouldered his rifle and stepped in line, following the group at the rear to the fortress, which was just as disappointing up close as it had appeared from their point of arrival. Heavy timber and furs were hardly a means of defense against an invading force, especially one wielding the firepower of the previous group. He glanced down at the mulch floor and lifted a boot to examine the imprint. If only Ulfric could be introduced to the wonders of reinforced concrete.

The party regrouped in the largest tent around a large fire pit, which had been repurposed as some form of crude map. The XCOM soldier listened intently to the vague description of the area and scowled slightly. He certainly hadn't been expecting aerial photography, but he was hoping for at least a paper map. He had a good memory but it wasn't photogenic. Fortunately, the XCOM initiative provided extensive training in blind operations, since it was impossible to know where they would be deployed. Being prepared to engage anywhere, at any time, was a core element of his job, and with a good team he knew he could compensate for a lack of information. Unfortunately, he was not sure he had a good team. If nothing else, it was unlikely that any of them had received similar training. They had performed well in their first engagement, but the post-combat discussion suggested there were larger problems than a lack of battle tactics.

Ulfric's description of the Steel Gods was somehow even less specific than Ruben had expected. One had tusks, one resembled a wolf, and one was small. Dr. Vahlen would not approve of such descriptions. He made a mental note to gather as much information on each as possible for a report. Earth was woefully unprepared for the Sectoids. Any information he could supply on otherworldly enemies would be invaluable. To his surprise, and satisfaction, the Boss laid out an actual plan of attack, assigning him to the largest of the enemy targets. Ruben couldn't help but grin. Not only was he going to be working directly with commanding officers, he would be taking on a real challenge. Analyzing a completely new enemy, determining a point of attack, and filling it full of holes sounded like something he might actually enjoy. The prospect of healing and protecting fifty other men was a bit daunting, but Ulfric was on hand. He would hopefully be able to organize tacticians of his own to help protect his men. He gave the boss another nod of consent.

Azura and Piper took the opportunity to offer their feedback, with Piper's being surprisingly well thought out. Aware that the burden of speaking had passed to him one more, he shifted on his feet and crouched down, re-reading the map with Ulfric's commentary in mind.

"This is the only point of entry?" he asked, pointing at the gate. "I do not see us moving 100 men through here into a position of attack without being noticed and attacked first. We will have to move very quickly to get into a safe position to strike before being spotted."

He moved his hand to aim at the guard tower. "I suggest we first move to secure this tower. It should give us a clear view of the entire area, allowing us to coordinate attacks and spot ambushes before engaging. If the enemy is intelligent at all, they will already have someone located there. They will see our force approaching before we can reach the gates. Send in a unit of men to climb and clear the tower first.

"From there, I would have both teams move along the walls as swiftly as possible, with the intent to reach the highest point of the city before engaging. Move the men in groups of perhaps ten at a time rather than the entire force, with a group remaining near the gates to secure our exit and eliminate enemies trying to flee the city."

He paused, then sat back down away from the map and waited for a leader to reply.