Question 20

[Bladestorm]

Alright, so we want a city that’s destabilized? I like the idea of a single epic in control in each Sector. Food sector, market sector, energy production sector, disposal sector, and water sector. Each one could have a thematic epic, and each faction could be uneasily allied with one another at the start.

[Ataraxian Wist she/her]

34 minutes ago, Bladestorm said:

Alright, so we want a city that’s destabilized? I like the idea of a single epic in control in each Sector. Food sector, market sector, energy production sector, disposal sector, and water sector. Each one could have a thematic epic, and each faction could be uneasily allied with one another at the start.

I second.

 

[The Swan Dragon he/him]

55 minutes ago, Bladestorm said:

Alright, so we want a city that’s destabilized? I like the idea of a single epic in control in each Sector. Food sector, market sector, energy production sector, disposal sector, and water sector. Each one could have a thematic epic, and each faction could be uneasily allied with one another at the start.

I'm down for that. I'll have Phytomagnet running the food sector if no one minds.

[Voidus]

Ah, this reminds me of the good old days, don't check the questions thread for a day and then you have several pages of reading to catch up on

On Maples as a term: Definitely agree that this should be something that was brought in from someone in Oregon. Let's blame Nighthound so people in the new setting have at least some reason to hate him as well. (Beyond the innate feeling that everyone is born with that makes them hate someone called Nighthound, regardless of whether or not they know who that is)

I'm in favour of a decentralized ruling power as well. Possibly I'm biased because I want to reintroduce the Minor Epic Empire as one of the smaller governing bodies as an outlet for my renewed Epic creation.

Love the mist idea, just a thought to potentially build on it, could we tie the time-manipulation into it? Because I really like the idea of pockets of altered time being available so that we can justify certain things but them being deliberately and permanently set up does create some problems. So I'm thinking there are a few different types of mist, some that cause time acceleration, some time deceleration, some forgetfulness/some other thing.
Then when we have a few people who are very active and RP several hours/days worth of in-game time, and then someone comes back after a few days absence we can kind of handwave it to a degree with some justification of the mists doing it.

[Bladestorm]

24 minutes ago, Voidus said:

Ah, this reminds me of the good old days, don't check the questions thread for a day and then you have several pages of reading to catch up on

On Maples as a term: Definitely agree that this should be something that was brought in from someone in Oregon. Let's blame Nighthound so people in the new setting have at least some reason to hate him as well. (Beyond the innate feeling that everyone is born with that makes them hate someone called Nighthound, regardless of whether or not they know who that is)

I'm in favour of a decentralized ruling power as well. Possibly I'm biased because I want to reintroduce the Minor Epic Empire as one of the smaller governing bodies as an outlet for my renewed Epic creation.

Love the mist idea, just a thought to potentially build on it, could we tie the time-manipulation into it? Because I really like the idea of pockets of altered time being available so that we can justify certain things but them being deliberately and permanently set up does create some problems. So I'm thinking there are a few different types of mist, some that cause time acceleration, some time deceleration, some forgetfulness/some other thing.
Then when we have a few people who are very active and RP several hours/days worth of in-game time, and then someone comes back after a few days absence we can kind of handwave it to a degree with some justification of the mists doing it.

I would limit the mists to just different time distortions, with different colours representing different speeds. How about red (low energy) is the slowest and violet (high energy) is the fastest?

[The Swan Dragon he/him]

@Voidus That's a neat idea, using the mists to explain the time dilation. Would the citizens and epics just be so used to the mists that...

And I got ninja'd. Well said Blade.

[Arraenae]

7 minutes ago, Bladestorm said:

I would limit the mists to just different time distortions, with different colours representing different speeds. How about red (low energy) is the slowest and violet (high energy) is the fastest?

I like that idea. How easy would it be to see through this mist, though? Heavy mist is going to cut down on visibility a lot.

Edited June 25, 2018 by Arraenae

[Bladestorm]

9 minutes ago, Arraenae said:

I like that idea. How easy would it be to see through this mist, though? Heavy mist is going to cut down on visibility a lot

 

Easier in times closer to regular, maybe, and near impossible in super slow or fast speeds. Using fast lanes becomes a risk, and slow lanes become a good place to hide out.

[DrakeMarshall he/him]

18 minutes ago, Bladestorm said:

I would limit the mists to just different time distortions, with different colours representing different speeds. How about red (low energy) is the slowest and violet (high energy) is the fastest?

That would imply that the agricultural sector would be covered in green mist, which might be fitting, all things considered.

3 minutes ago, Bladestorm said:

Easier in times closer to regular, maybe, and near impossible in super slow or fast speeds. Using fast lanes becomes a risk, and slow lanes become a good place to hide out.

From my current understanding of time dilation, there would already be visibility issues inside really fast/slow zones, because really fast ones would be really dark inside, and really slow ones would be really bright inside.

[Bladestorm]

2 minutes ago, Drake Marshall said:

That would imply that the agricultural sector would be covered in green mist, which might be fitting, all things considered.

From my current understanding of time dilation, there would already be visibility issues inside really fast/slow zones, because really fast ones would be really dark inside, and really slow ones would be really bright inside.

Side effect of Enoch’s ability is light manipulation? Otherwise yeah that would have a significant effect.

[DrakeMarshall he/him]

10 minutes ago, Bladestorm said:

Side effect of Enoch’s ability is light manipulation? Otherwise yeah that would have a significant effect.

Well, if you are in a slow zone, you are potentially experiencing multiple days worth of sunlight in the timeframe of a few seconds.

Which is enough that it could honestly give you eye damage if you weren't protected against that sort of thing. If not literaly burns on your skin. For a really slow zone, you might want to try passing through in a car or something to shield from all the light.

The light was also useful as a visual cue for being slowed down or sped up. If the sky just got darker, you are probably being sped up (that, or nightwielder is visiting Edmonton). If it's getting uncomfortably bright, things might be slowing down.

Edited June 25, 2018 by Drake Marshall

[Bladestorm]

6 minutes ago, Drake Marshall said:

Well, if you are in a slow zone, you are potentially experiencing multiple days worth of sunlight in the timeframe of a few seconds.

Which is enough that it could honestly give you eye damage if you weren't protected against that sort of thing.

Aha! This is where mists can come in. Through some handwavium they either absorb or emit light to make the situation appear normal, and this energy is magically disapeared. *handwavy motions*

[DrakeMarshall he/him]

2 minutes ago, Bladestorm said:

Aha! This is where mists can come in. Through some handwavium they either absorb or emit light to make the situation appear normal, and this energy is magically disapeared. *handwavy motions*

I'm not against removing the lighting effects, the main reason I didn't handwave them away already is because before people were thinking about mists it was the only visual cue the time zones could have.

[Bladestorm]

Just now, Drake Marshall said:

I'm not against removing the lighting effects, the main reason I didn't handwave them away already is because before people were thinking about mists it was the only visual cue the time zones could have.

Alright so now we have a city with 5 sectors, each controlled by a different faction. Epochs powers change time in different places, and create different coloured mists based on the time effect he has in place.

A recent influx of Epics due to the new leader of Calgary and the destruction of Oregon has resulted in a number of new players in the game for control, and the fragile alliances between the 5 sectors are beginning to crumble. 

 

Is is this about right?

[DrakeMarshall he/him]

Just now, Bladestorm said:

Alright so now we have a city with 5 sectors, each controlled by a different faction. Epochs powers change time in different places, and create different coloured mists based on the time effect he has in place.

A recent influx of Epics due to the new leader of Calgary and the destruction of Oregon has resulted in a number of new players in the game for control, and the fragile alliances between the 5 sectors are beginning to crumble. 

 

Is is this about right?

That sounds about right, although we should give more time for people to come online and comment on some of that.

How about the mists are just either red for slow or purple for fast, and the degree of slow/fast was determined by the thickness of the mists?

[Bladestorm]

11 minutes ago, Drake Marshall said:

That sounds about right, although we should give more time for people to come online and comment on some of that.

How about the mists are just either red for slow or purple for fast, and the degree of slow/fast was determined by the thickness of the mists?

Your character! Specifics of his powers are up to you. Personally I like the many colours idea for the aesthetic.

[The Young Pyromancer he/him]

Blue and red might be better, as particles slow down when we get colder and speed up when we get hotter, which red and blue represent.

Wait, maybe the mists can be affected by weather patterns to some extent, so we could have weather/time forecasts.

Also, when are we going to start?

Edited June 26, 2018 by The Young Pyromancer

[Comatose he/him]

2 hours ago, Bladestorm said:

Alright, so we want a city that’s destabilized? I like the idea of a single epic in control in each Sector. Food sector, market sector, energy production sector, disposal sector, and water sector. Each one could have a thematic epic, and each faction could be uneasily allied with one another at the start.

I’m curious how these sectors would develop.  Most cities (Edmonton included) aren’t split up that cleanly and if we have power destabilized I would think each faction’s turf would need a little of everything.  Strictly regimented sectors is something you usually see in dictator city states with strict regulation.  

You also have to account for things like the core/downtown area having most of the tall structures in the city and the arena, and the huge river valley running through the city.  

It might be okay for some of the factions to have ‘specialities’ so to speak, based on their locale, but it should probably be a little more complex and messy than five distinct sectors with singular focii.  

1 hour ago, Voidus said:

Ah, this reminds me of the good old days, don't check the questions thread for a day and then you have several pages of reading to catch up on

On Maples as a term: Definitely agree that this should be something that was brought in from someone in Oregon. Let's blame Nighthound so people in the new setting have at least some reason to hate him as well. (Beyond the innate feeling that everyone is born with that makes them hate someone called Nighthound, regardless of whether or not they know who that is)

I'm in favour of a decentralized ruling power as well. Possibly I'm biased because I want to reintroduce the Minor Epic Empire as one of the smaller governing bodies as an outlet for my renewed Epic creation.

Love the mist idea, just a thought to potentially build on it, could we tie the time-manipulation into it? Because I really like the idea of pockets of altered time being available so that we can justify certain things but them being deliberately and permanently set up does create some problems. So I'm thinking there are a few different types of mist, some that cause time acceleration, some time deceleration, some forgetfulness/some other thing.
Then when we have a few people who are very active and RP several hours/days worth of in-game time, and then someone comes back after a few days absence we can kind of handwave it to a degree with some justification of the mists doing it.

If we do mist for time dilation (totally fine with that) what do people think of still having an epic with a wide spread intermittent memory interference ability?  I really am partial to that as a plot point but if others are opposed I’m good to scrap it.  

[Bladestorm]

10 minutes ago, Comatose said:

I’m curious how these sectors would develop.  Most cities (Edmonton included) aren’t split up that cleanly and if we have power destabilized I would think each faction’s turf would need a little of everything.  Strictly regimented sectors is something you usually see in dictator city states with strict regulation.  

You also have to account for things like the core/downtown area having most of the tall structures in the city and the arena, and the huge river valley running through the city.  

It might be okay for some of the factions to have ‘specialities’ so to speak, based on their locale, but it should probably be a little more complex and messy than five distinct sectors with singular focii.  

If we do mist for time dilation (totally fine with that) what do people think of still having an epic with a wide spread intermittent memory interference ability?  I really am partial to that as a plot point but if others are opposed I’m good to scrap it.  

I like the idea of the memory messing. Maybe have it occur whenever someone views strange, floating orbs that everyone attributes to the mists? 

Also, I agree that each sector will have a bit of everything. However, the leading epic or Epics could have powers related to their sectors specialty, such as the farming sector being led by a plant epic. The river problem could be resolved by the disposal/waste group having poisoned it during a past attempt at a coup, leading to the rise of the water sector led by an epic capable of creating potable water, etc. Just spitballing, but that’s the general idea. 

 

EDIT: I vote for a Friday start, as that’s the day I finish exams.

Edited June 26, 2018 by Bladestorm

[DrakeMarshall he/him]

14 minutes ago, Comatose said:

I’m curious how these sectors would develop.  Most cities (Edmonton included) aren’t split up that cleanly and if we have power destabilized I would think each faction’s turf would need a little of everything.  Strictly regimented sectors is something you usually see in dictator city states with strict regulation.  

You also have to account for things like the core/downtown area having most of the tall structures in the city and the arena, and the huge river valley running through the city.  

It might be okay for some of the factions to have ‘specialities’ so to speak, based on their locale, but it should probably be a little more complex and messy than five distinct sectors with singular focii.

Agreed. If the sectors aren't under all one leadership, it won't be broken cleanly into distinct sectors.

Quote

If we do mist for time dilation (totally fine with that) what do people think of still having an epic with a wide spread intermittent memory interference ability? I really am partial to that as a plot point but if others are opposed I’m good to scrap it.

Yeah, I like the memory interference thing. The mist thing was originally paired with the memory power, and I think you should go with that if you want to.

If you don't want to, I can make mist a thing for time dilation. But if you do, and people want a stronger visual for time dilation, I can think of something else.

[MacThorstenson he/him]

58 minutes ago, Comatose said:

I’m curious how these sectors would develop.  Most cities (Edmonton included) aren’t split up that cleanly and if we have power destabilized I would think each faction’s turf would need a little of everything.  Strictly regimented sectors is something you usually see in dictator city states with strict regulation.

I think that Epoch would have set up the sectors for administrative purposes when he ruled the city. After he became too weak to rule the different factions tried to take over. Maybe one or two sectors could be completely conquered with their leaders refusing to conquer further because of difficulty with communication because of time dialation. The other sectors could be split up between multiple factions. 

[Bladestorm]

1 hour ago, Drake Marshall said:

Agreed. If the sectors aren't under all one leadership, it won't be broken cleanly into distinct sectors.

Yeah, I like the memory interference thing. The mist thing was originally paired with the memory power, and I think you should go with that if you want to.

If you don't want to, I can make mist a thing for time dilation. But if you do, and people want a stronger visual for time dilation, I can think of something else.

 

38 minutes ago, MacThorstenson said:

I think that Epoch would have set up the sectors for administrative purposes when he ruled the city. After he became too weak to rule the different factions tried to take over. Maybe one or two sectors could be completely conquered with their leaders refusing to conquer further because of difficulty with communication because of time dialation. The other sectors could be split up between multiple factions. 

We can make it much less clear cut, but I like the idea of different sectors with different flavours, who the others have to try to rely on to an extent. 

We could only use the mist in one sector because of their ruling epic, and some other effect to showcase time zones if that’s preferable for the characters writers. That would give us 5 very distinct sectors.

Edited June 26, 2018 by Bladestorm

[Voidus]

1 hour ago, Comatose said:

I’m curious how these sectors would develop.  Most cities (Edmonton included) aren’t split up that cleanly and if we have power destabilized I would think each faction’s turf would need a little of everything.  Strictly regimented sectors is something you usually see in dictator city states with strict regulation.  

You also have to account for things like the core/downtown area having most of the tall structures in the city and the arena, and the huge river valley running through the city.  

It might be okay for some of the factions to have ‘specialities’ so to speak, based on their locale, but it should probably be a little more complex and messy than five distinct sectors with singular focii.  

If we do mist for time dilation (totally fine with that) what do people think of still having an epic with a wide spread intermittent memory interference ability?  I really am partial to that as a plot point but if others are opposed I’m good to scrap it.  

If we're going with a few factions then I'd say they'd probably each have a base of operations, a suburb that's indisputably theirs, and then they regularly engage in turf wars/salvage missions in order to secure whatever resources aren't available in their suburb.
The city center is probably going to be largely demolished, I'd say it's too obvious a target for territory disputes for it to last long.

I really like the memory thing too, my justification was going to be a subconscious-manifestation Epic essentially, building off your idea that their power is tied to their dreams. Time dilation is very often observed in dreams where you feel like you live a whole lifetime in a single night, or you feel like over the 8 hours of sleep you only had one small dream. Also ties into memory loss as is the nature of dreams. And maybe a few other weird artifacts that happen from time to time. (eg. When the Epic is having nightmares we get Mistwraiths, nothing too substantial or damaging but just creepy and canon fodder if we need it.)

[Comatose he/him]

Here's a map of Edmonton.  Eventually we will need to make a custom one like we made for Oregon, but for now this should help with visualization hopefully.

If you go directly to the east of Edmonton, you will see a bedroom community called Sherwood park - I think this would be a great sector for one of our factions.  I was thinking, the obvious choice for a vanilla run government would be the legislature building (their old centre of power - Edmonton was the Albertan capital) - but it's also an obvious place for an epic to take over.  What if the vanilla government is holed up in Sherwood park instead, sitting back and plotting to 'take over the city'.  

28 minutes ago, Bladestorm said:

 

We can make it much less clear cut, but I like the idea of different sectors with different flavours, who the others have to try to rely on to an extent. 

We could only use the mist in one sector because of their ruling epic, and some other effect to showcase time zones if that’s preferable for the characters writers. That would give us 5 very distinct sectors.

27 minutes ago, Voidus said:

If we're going with a few factions then I'd say they'd probably each have a base of operations, a suburb that's indisputably theirs, and then they regularly engage in turf wars/salvage missions in order to secure whatever resources aren't available in their suburb.
The city center is probably going to be largely demolished, I'd say it's too obvious a target for territory disputes for it to last long.

What if instead of grouping the different parts of the city (And maybe allowing for a "no man's land" down town, we have different populations kind of grouping together?  Something we could do is pick landmarks, and think about which epics/factions would use those as a home base, and then look at the area around that and build the territory from there?  Like I said, the River Valley is very large and steep, so it works as a good barrier.  

The West Edmonton Mall (North America's largest shopping mall) would be an interesting fortress.  It's got hotels attached, a wave pool waterpark, an indoor amusement park complete with a roller coaster, both of which could probably be transformed into something neat, and a big building with not many windows which could be defensible.  

The aformentioned legislature building could also be another base, unless it's destroyed.  I assume Epoch will want to be central to cover a lot of the city, so this could be a good place for him.  

The University of Alberta and the attached Hospital could be a base for another group.  Maybe an Altermind style coalition of intelligentsia?  Or perhaps the opposite, a bunch of drop outs reclaiming the space?  

We could have like, a "young epics" coalition - essentially a group of hipster 20 somethings with powers to large for their ages or ambitions, who take over Whyte Ave (82 Ave on the Map) in the Strathcona and Garneau neighbourhoods) and don't do much but hang out in formerly trendy spots while harassing passersby

27 minutes ago, Voidus said:

I really like the memory thing too, my justification was going to be a subconscious-manifestation Epic essentially, building off your idea that their power is tied to their dreams. Time dilation is very often observed in dreams where you feel like you live a whole lifetime in a single night, or you feel like over the 8 hours of sleep you only had one small dream. Also ties into memory loss as is the nature of dreams. And maybe a few other weird artifacts that happen from time to time. (eg. When the Epic is having nightmares we get Mistwraiths, nothing too substantial or damaging but just creepy and canon fodder if we need it.)

This is interesting.  I kind of like the idea though, if the time dilation thing is happening, of keeping Epoch as a separate epic, and having another epic creating area wide effects making the city zany.  The idea of changing up the effects is interesting though.  You could also have the effects change if the character is sleep deprived or sleeping too much?  

I'm not sure how I feel about mists any more (I really don't want it to be too similar to Mistborn, but maybe it's too late and the idea is stuck).  Did anyone have thoughts about light bubbles or ghostly flowers as a manifestation of the sleep power instead?  Or have any other ideas?

[The Swan Dragon he/him]

7 minutes ago, Comatose said:

 

This is interesting.  I kind of like the idea though, if the time dilation thing is happening, of keeping Epoch as a separate epic, and having another epic creating area wide effects making the city zany.  The idea of changing up the effects is interesting though.  You could also have the effects change if the character is sleep deprived or sleeping too much?  

I'm not sure how I feel about mists any more (I really don't want it to be too similar to Mistborn, but maybe it's too late and the idea is stuck).  Did anyone have thoughts about light bubbles or ghostly flowers as a manifestation of the sleep power instead?  Or have any other ideas?

Someone had mentioned the light bubbles/ghostly flowers before, I liked that idea. It's not exactly unique, but it is different.

Edited June 26, 2018 by Weirdpersonx