Lurker > azuarc

One song left and a dream

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

You don't say.

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

Me: Wow, look how complicated this new trial is. I'm up to 10k words and still going.
Anagram: Drops a 14k narrative-rich chapter that's only a third of the trial.

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

Anagaram posted...

Posted another chapter

Didn't even see this post. RIP. I'll get to it tomorrow.

Went on a total bender today. Found out what I wanted from my third case, even if it felt like I rushed into it rather than doing more character development. I had two ideas for how I wanted this trial to go, but it's case #3, sooo....m-m-m-m-m-m-multideath!

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

Completed minor revisions for the 40k prologue. Gotta find a beta reader now, I guess. Can't decide if I should keep revising with chapter 1 or continue the first draft. Also not sure how much I'll even get done while VGMC noms are going.

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

Anagaram posted...

Yeah, I am. I plan to finish everything. The problem is that investigations and trials take ten times longer to write than normal life because you have to plot out every single minor detail in advance, then repeatedly go through things and make sure all of the points and details line up perfectly, or else the mystery doesn't make sense anymore.

As a pantser, I found the trials the most fun, exhilarating part to write. I've drafted two trials so far, and they represent the two days where I've output the highest volume of material since I started this project. (First trial might have been two days. It's much longer than the second.)

Now, we'll see how well they hold up when I go back and edit. Pantsing a mystery is a dubious project, so I'm hoping that there won't be too much I need to tailor to maintain the mystery, provoke intrigue, and not spill the beans along the way.

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

BTW, you're going to at least finish your second case, right?

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

NeatoAnAccount posted...

and of course mikan is the murdererest murderer who's ever murdered

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

Some of those remarks are amazing.

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

rwlh posted...

76. Mitch Miller and the Gang - Coventry Carol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JupDfqwrMp0
@azuarc (1 remaining)
6 / 5 / 6 / 10 / 6.5
67

Hey, look at that, our first 10!

Wee! We had this record when I was a kid, and my parents were old-school, so vinyl was absolutely a thing in my house. I kinda wish I had kept this one when I cleaned out my parents' house, except I wouldn't have had anything to play it on. But Mitch Miller's Christmas was my introduction to a ton of Christmas carols -- most of them well-known, but then there was this odd-ball song that was somber, creepy, in this weird key, and I just loved it. When people ask me, my favorite Christmas song, I tell them this, just because it's so unique sounding. Honestly couldn't tell you the words; I know they're pretty grisly. Something about Herod slaughtering babies. But I don't really care.

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

Finished the majority of trial 2. It's far less comprehensive an incident than the first trial. I'll need to take some time to invent something far more imaginative for the next one.

With the new month, I've decided I should go back for rewrites on the prologue and as much of chapter 1 as I can get through. Considering that was 66k on the first draft, and some stuff needs to be expanded on, dunno if I'll get through all of that in a month, but I've written far more for NaNo. Anyway, the hope is that I can recruit some feedback from a beta reader after this pass. If anyone's interested, let me know.

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

"As a medication, it is used to treat a type of cancer known as acute promyelocytic leukemia.[2] For this use it is given by injection into a vein.[2]"

Huh.

Thank you for asking.

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

Does anyone know a colorless, tasteless poison that someone could put in a drink (preferably water) that would be fast-acting and lethal? Outside of maybe arsenic, which I have a few problems with, I'm not finding anything with cursory web searches, and understandably that information is not as easy to find as some other things would be. Figured I'd ask at a place where people would understand why I'm asking.

I mean, I might just invent one, but I'd prefer to use something that exists.

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

I suspect you've heard this, but we'll try

Another Bound Neo - Trample Machine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77lgyiuAkPw

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

NFUN posted...

nominate a song that I have not heard for me to rank. If I have heard your nom, I'll tell you and you can try again.

I feel like this is going to be a challenge in itself.

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

NFUN posted...

In the final rankings, Tempest 2000 > Gamera 2000 > Tyrian 2000

You shut your filthy mouth!

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

Anagaram posted...

Finally posted a new chapter.

And done.

I see you're up to 114k now. I just finished drafting my first trial and I think I'm at 68. I wonder how long all of that will be after the rewrite. (I definitely need more character development, especially so my killer doesn't seem too obvious. If I wrote a lot of details about you, you're either the victim or the killer.) I am, incidentally, very proud atm of how this first case turned out despite the fact that I mostly made it up as I went. Hopefully I don't see something that changes my mind later...and I can figure out what the next case is about. I have some vague notions about future cases, but not the upcoming saga.

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

skullbone posted...

I reached a point during this expansion where I was just conceding if a Paladin played pen flinger so hopefully it's not as popular.

I would slow-play every turn so as not to reward them with a win that quickly.

---

Only the exceptions can be exceptional.

Forceful_Dragon posted...

10x a year

You know that blocking isn't a one-month thing that expires, right?

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

LiquidOshawott posted...

11k at BGs now

Wish I had that success. I was climbing for a while, and I've done nothing but bleed rating for like 2 weeks now.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Oh, I'm not anywhere close to posting. Everything's going to need rewrites, and I probably want eyes on it first before releasing into the wild. Plus, if I want to maintain a consistent release schedule, I almost feel like I want to write the whole thing first. (Oh man, that's a tall order.)

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Been on a tear the last few days because I finally got to the part where I'm starting to write the first case, which is something I've been seeing play out in my head for weeks now.

Anagram, you still working on yours? Been three weeks since an update.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

metroid composite posted...

Biggest one by far is 2 mana Starving Buzzard. Hunter has been dead in wild for a long time, but this might just breathe life into wild hunter decks, cause 2 mana Buzzard is absolutely bonkers.

omg

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

I surprised myself today by writing 6500 words. I haven't produced that much in a day in quite a while. I've now drafted a chapter from 14 of my characters, and the 15th needs to not be next, which means I need to write from the perspective of the character that I still don't have nailed down. I have little one-off lines here and there where I needed to have someone speak and just went XXX said, but they have absolutely nothing of substance.

Now, I'll have to rewrite these chapters anyway, and I'll make them a more complete character at that point, but here's the problem: I legit don't know who they are. I'm not sure who I want or need. Anyone want to offer any ideas?

Also, gamefaqs wouldn't let me tag this whole section with spoilers because apparently separate lines are separate spoilers and I can only have 15...which is dumb, since it would have been one continuous section. But anyway, putting this disclaimer here for anyone who thinks they might like to read some day AND doesn't want to be spoiled AND thinks I'll actually reach the point of publishing the story.

Existing cast (Americans, not Japanese...white if not otherwise noted):

Male:
Guitarist - Lean, wiry, cantankerous, crass, impulsive, not very bright. Really into chess girl. Imagine if Kazuichi were a bit of a prima donna.
Team manager - Physically, he's corporate Gonta. Has taken on a leadership role, but doesn't strongarm anyone.
Streamer - Short, Hispanic, wears ballcap, very high strung. Not afraid to say things for effect, but not a problem solver.
Investigative reporter - Average build. Pragmatic, to the point, can be obstinate. Not a leader, but will take charge when he wants.
Butcher - Southerner. A little tall, a little doughy. Generally laidback and content to watch the room, but a touch cynical.
Thief - Short, tan, decent looking, I haven't written him well. He's supposed to be a partner to the chemist, astute and wary, but takes her lead.
Cartographer - Arab. Soft-spoken, dignified, academic, quietly passionate.
??? - ???

Female:
Chess player - Average height, well-endowed. Logical, but aloof and unaware of interpersonal stuff.
Children's author - Short, plump, slightly younger. Very innocent and naive. Also energetic. Half kindergartener, half kindergarten teacher. Imagine a human version of Monomi.
Activist - Black, outspoken. Probably exactly what you expect.
Conspiracy theorist - Wears a hoodie and secludes herself from others. Very secretive, but also confrontational when she does come out. Has not yet demonstrated any useful skills because she's too busy playing chapter 1/2 Maki.
Food critic - Pretty average in every way. Really likes team manager.
Fitness Enthusiast - Not as big as Sakura, but bigger than Akane. Originally wrote her as kind of a dumb jock (Aoi), but I'm finding she has more of a brain as I go on.
Chemist - A bit on the tall and strong side, but not as much as the previous. Reads people, schemes, very sus.
Student - Indian. Petite. Has memories wiped, which makes her even more curious so as to fill her gaps.

My notes have prospective talents scribbled at the bottom for the ultimate {dreamer, thespian, nobody, machinist}. I feel like I probably want someone who isn't always, but can be disagreeable, and that isn't an attention-seeker like the actor probably would be. Machinist was based on the idea that there's nobody here who builds of creates anything physically (except arguably the chemist or maybe the butcher.) They don't need to be physical, and they don't need to be un-physical. Nobody in the group is explicitly meek, which the ultimate nobody would be. Or maybe I'm just completely whiffing and there's a component I'm not seeing. I dunno; characterization is usually not my strong suit in writing, so crafting an ensemble cast like this is a really unique experience for me.

Anyway, I could probably write out of sequence, since I think I know what the second-to-next chapter wants to be, which will finally end the introduction phase and launch into the first case, but I really ought to figure out who this last guy is before I go much farther.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Why are names so hard? I'm refusing to write about two of my characters because I haven't found a name for them I like yet. I finally picked one today, and then realized after writing half a chapter that it's way too similar to one of my other names.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Kokichi isn't about making it to the end of the killing game. He's about defeating it. Unlike Nagito, who's batshit crazy and wants to believe in the other students to succeed, Kokichi only trusts himself, so he goes about it by taking matters into his own hands. It's just unfortunate, to him, that he knows he's being targeted during case 4 and has to take action to ensure that doesn't happen. He is, however, very anti-killing in general, which we can see more readily at the end when we get into his lair and find out about his group. What happens with Gonta absolutely changes him, even if he hides it, because he wanted to believe that Gonta chose his actions and not because Kokichi put him up to it, and then Gonta doesn't remember any of it and Kokichi has to spell it out in such a way that makes him look culpable -- notably to him. At the end of case 4, I absolutely hated him, but by the end, it becomes far more apparent what his deal is.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

DRUID

Out:
Moonfire
Claw
Healing Touch
Savage Roar
Swipe
Starfire
Ironbark Protector
Savagery
Wrath
Mark of Nature
Bite
Keeper of the Grove
Force of Nature
Starfall
Ancient of Lore
Gift of the Wild

In:
Innervate
*Mark of the Wild
Power of the Wild
Wild Growth
Soul of the Forest
*Druid of the Claw
Nourish
Ancient of War
*Cenarius

From wild:
Pounce
Enchanted Raven
Landscaping
*Menagerie Warden

New:
Nordrassil Druid (4m 3/5, reduces next spell by 3)

That's a lot of staple stuff gone. Swipe, Wrath, Starfall, basically all the direct damage spells. In fact, there aren't *any* left in the core set. Also a bunch of chaff and icons of the past have been cut, like Claw, Ironbark, Savagery, Bite, Force, Savage, etc. Adjusting to all of that being out of the cycle is going to be jarring.

Instead, what we still have includes minor mana cheats (Innervate, Nourish, Nordrassil Druid), buffs (improved Mark of the Wild, Power of the Wild, Soul of the Forest, Cenarius), and a very small collection of choose one cards (Power, Druid of the Claw, Nourish, Ancient of War, Cenarius). Maybe 5 isn't that small, but most of those cards haven't seen recent play. There's very little beast support outside of Raven -- is a 1 mana 2/2 that good in 2021? -- and Menagerie Warden. I'm honestly not sure what druid's identity is here. It certainly isn't treants. It's not mana ramp. It's not beasts. It's not...well, much of anything. Druid will be completely dependent on the sets of the current year, because these cards don't even seem like they're likely to augment an existing deck beyond maybe 1 or 2 cherrypicks. Making a core-set-only deck, though? Yeesh.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

NFUN posted...

95./53. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Steel for Humans
Nominator: @trdl23
8.8 (8.8/0)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLqktDBIew8

OYE LAZARE LAZARE

badada tunn, badada tundra! badada tunn! badada tundra!

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Ooh, artwork. What's the starting point for this? With a name like Soft Reset, I assume you went with the option to stick to a canon cast.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Okay, so what we ought to do is just talk about these classes one at a time. Going alpha, let's start with Demon Hunter.

In:
Battlefiend
Crimson Sigil Runner
Chaos Strike
Sightless Watcher
Spectral Sight
Feast of Souls
Eye Beam
Aldrachi Warblades
Coordinated Strike
Ashtongue Battlefiend
Chaos Nova
Raging Felscreamer
Warglaives of Azzinoth*

Out:
like everything...okay, um...
Thunderhoof Slayer
Satyr Overseer
Soul Cleave
Glaivebound Adept
Inner Demon
Blur
Consume Magic
Mana Burn
Twin Slice
Ur'Zul Horror
Illidari Felblade
Soul Split
Umberwing
Blade Dance
Wrathscale Naga
Altruis the Outcast
Command the Illidari
Wrathspike Brute
Flamereaper
Hulking Overfiend
Nethrandamus

New:
Kor'vas Bloodthorn (pen flinger legendary)
Gan'arg Glaivesmith (3/2 +3 attack this turn)
Illidari Inquisitor (King Krush demon)

*Warglaives are reduced to only 3 durability

.

And yeesh oh man is this overwhelming. Like, where to start...

I'm going to miss a lot of these cards from when I've played DH, like Umberwing, Satyr Overseer and Glaivebound Adept. I'm definitely NOT going to miss a lot of these cards from playing against, like Twin Slice and Blade Dance. A ton of major identity cards are gone, like Altruis, Inner Demon, and Wrathscale Naga.

Looking at what remains, we have...
3 outcast cards
5 card draw effects
2 cards with +hero attack
2 weapons
8 minions, 4 of which are demons and 1 is related to demons
1 board clear/multi-kill (not counting Coordinated Strike)
1 "big" card (6+)
4 medium cards (4-5)
11 small/early cards (1-3)

.

Without analyzing the rest, I feel like Demon Hunter will seem like the most changed in one sense -- it launched with a set that basically pushed it into existence, and so many of those cards feel like part of the class's identity (like where's Skull of Gul'dan?) -- and the least in another, because we've had the least time to have the effects become ingrained in our mind. (What do you mean, there's no Animal Companion or Kill Command?)

What remains maintains the class identity, but I feel like they've removed most of the bullshit people hate contending with against demon hunter. Outside of two cards that were nerfed (Battlefiend, Warglaives) I doubt there's anything on this list that people are going, "but oh god, I still have that to deal with." Overall my verdict is that the class feels incredibly neutered and will be super dependent on whatever cards are in rotation. However, since the most powerful card here is easily the new 8 mana 8/8 rush, maybe DH starts playing for longer games and then tags you in the face for 9 after rushing into your taunt. Just not sure they have the tools to get there.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Camden posted...

...it's going to take me at least another week of playing to get someone to accept another random friend request in the middle of the match.

How did you friend request someone mid-match? The only way I know of to get a person's ID is from your last played opponent.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

NFUN posted...

I don't know if it deserved to get as far as it did in VGMC. Maybe it should've only been a semifinalist or something. Ocean good.

Better than Reset TY.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Wow. My method is "Is it day 1 of expansion? Do I have gold left? Buy packs. Else, do not buy packs."

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Camden posted...

I'm greedy and like to hoard gold. I won't spend said gold on packs any more than I think is necessary, often times stopping before I even have all of the rares. I won't spend it on battlegrounds perks. I won't spend it on arena runs once my tickets run out. I just want to have it, sitting there in the bottom right.

What's that, a hero skin was released for 1,500 gold? SIGN ME UP!

(But really, I'm totally buying that hero skin and then not ever using it.)

Gold is for buying packs, imo, and buying packs is done by spending gold. If you're using your gold differently or buying packs via other currency, you're doing it wrong.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

NFUN posted...

one of the three I know.

RIP Gracemeria

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

I play around that all the time.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

You double stole the fish. That's just gross.

It's funny you don't even bother leading with the parrot because you have so many goldrinn triggers. Second makes complete sense with the hero taunted; it's just funny to see.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

I mean, it was a great chapter. I just thought you were behind schedule because you were too busy ranking waifus or something.

Also, regarding earlier, I was deliberately vague because I wasn't sure I wanted to openly discuss my characters, but now I'm not so sure. I've probably said this elsewhere, but characterization and planning are the two weakest points of my writing, and they're the two things I'm being forced to do extensively right now.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Wow, that was a long chapter.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

None of them. Or all of them. I'm rotating narrators.

But yeah, I'm surprised you didn't ask that sooner.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

She does seem pretty hot in that picture.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Fischl is much better than she seems at first. I didn't care for her at all when I started, but everyone was raving over her. At the time, I didn't really get the idea of having people do anything more than just stand on the field and do damage, though. Fischl can do that, but it's not what she's about. (Also, she's much more viable if you just spam the attack button rather than doing aimed shots.)

swordz - the physical tower is pretty awful. It fires faster and it has better range, so I thought it'd be great, but in practice it really doesn't work out very well. Stick to water+ice or lightning+fire.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

He is, but mostly because of case 5. After case 4, you really do want to shove him out an airlock.

That moment when he realizes you've swayed the crowd with a lie he can't disprove, and he says okay fine, the killer was Gonta Gokuhara...and not even Gonta knows he did it.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Most Japanese names are half vowels. Wouldn't take much to make it "more than half." Ibuki Mioda or Miu Iruma, i.e.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

ESY16 posted...

These are 3rd place boards in the current BGs meta:

You should see my finishes over the last few days, most of which were 5th place and below. I tanked 800 rating with often what I thought was a pretty good board, only to get hit for 30 by someone.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Was writing today, doing this weird thing where I'm jumping between creating characters, contemplating future scenarios, and pantsing some early scenes to get a better feel for the world, and I was writing the part where the game's rules were given to the players. As I was doing that, darn if I didn't come up with like three really bizarre twist scenarios. I don't know I want to use any of them, but they're certainly interesting. I'm also really not sure how Monokuma would react to any of them.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

BK_Sheikah00 posted...

When I was farming Thundering Fury for Fischl I kept getting Thundersoother. Now that I'm trying to get good Thundersoother pieces for Keqing, only Thundering Fury drops.

This is why I generally keep anything with decent stats/substats, even if I don't improve it.

Definitely don't hoard 5-stars like swordz, though. I'm pretty selective.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Okay, perhaps I misspoke. I had to do the web thing quickly last night because my sister needed me for something suddenly, so I didn't pay it much attention.

I released 5 lanterns, but only 3 of the 5 lanterns on the main page lit up. Not sure what the difference is.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

I got 5/5, /shrug

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour

Anemo towers are garbage. Ordinance aren't very good. The support towers are completely unnecessary. By the end I was just setting up four tower squads of hydro-cryo-electro-pyro from front to back.

---

Video Game Music Contest 14 champion: Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour