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Feb 2, 2017 20:22
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F 
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Feb 2, 2017 20:36
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C
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Feb 2, 2017 21:25
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C
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Feb 2, 2017 21:32
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A seems the least costly option. Hardjack is more important than some easily replacable nanobots and nanosynthesis in here is a superbad idea.
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Feb 3, 2017 00:40
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A & C: Coat Hardjack in an ablative armor of nanobots to serve as additional EM shielding. Can't really afford to have this fail.
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Feb 3, 2017 01:26
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Tran posted:A & C: Coat Hardjack in an ablative armor of nanobots to serve as additional EM shielding. +1
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Feb 3, 2017 07:40
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Tran posted:A & C: Coat Hardjack in an ablative armor of nanobots to serve as additional EM shielding. As seems to be tradition, Plan Tran.
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Feb 3, 2017 08:12
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Why don’t they make the whole atmosled out of the stuff they use for the data core, drokk-wits have often been heard to ponder over measures of the ‘swig. Hardjack’s composite armor, thousands of molecule-thick layers of cermet lamina sprayed over one another and individually laser-etched with blaster-baffling pulse labyrinths, would be cost-prohibited on a unit any larger than a drone or combat frame, not to mention ludicrously overweight. Withdrawn into its reinforced bulwark, Hardjack can weather ballistic and energetic small arms with ease, and bob insouciantly away from explosions that would radically dismember you. Inside that impervious shell, however, Hardjack is only mortal. While still armored and packed with hardened electronics, your drone’s creamy center is only as resilient as your average mobile infantry, as opposed to the drop-pod in which they deployed. Which is why you elect to stack the deck in your favor by giving Hardjack a loose shroud of micro-drones to diffuse the lethal current before ordering it to couple with the reactor console.  The blinding flash suppressed by your optical compensators, you are able to witness your drone shuddering violently, valves partially articulating in an incessant spasm, rapping out a strident tattoo even as the cloud of micro-drones glows furiously in violent ionization. You smell nothing behind your filters, but you imagine the stink of ozone and melting plastic so vividly as to make no difference. Dead drones scatter to the deck like dried grains, and for one alarming moment, Hardjack’s repulsors dim and the drone wobbles uncertainly in the air. Just as quickly, however, Hardjack regains its equilibrium, its telltales returning to a soothing normal in your display. The menacing messages from the reactor cease, and you painfully relax muscles you hadn't realized you were tensing. “Well siphoned, Hardboy,” Ramadi says admiringly, as the drone rocks slightly and vents a small puff of acrid blue smoke from beneath its dorsal cowling. “I’ll, ah, check that ion manifold later,” you note. ”We’re getting some wild readings on the instruments, Regal,” Vare calls. ”Everything fine and upright Kore-side?” “Specs poz-like down here,” you reply. “At least so far. Have Voulge try to parse those readings, see if we can’t make out something useful.” ”Will do,” Vare replies. ”If we—“ Whatever Vare was about to say transforms into a startled yelp, and you abruptly find yourself horizontal as the entire deck cants several degrees to port. Groans shudder ominously through the vessel’s structure as you painfully pick yourself up. “Vare,” you bark into the comms, “Vare, report!” There is no response. “Better and krumping better,” growls Kamula. “Vare,” you shout again, to no avail. In your mind, you see Fluke tumbling off its docking platform, smashing into twisted wreckage against the walls of the alien craft. Paralysis threatens to overwhelm you in a sudden swell, and you roughly push your sentiment aside. “What are the odds of that being an entirely harmless idiosyncrasy of an old ship,” Ramadi posits hopefully. “Few stasis moddies probably clicked up when the power came back,” Kamula ventures. “Why would that matter,” Ramadi inquires. “Mass,” you realize. “Objects in stasis don’t have it, not like we measure it. The whole hulk is shif…ting…“ You trail off as a you hear a series of chained concussive blasts and energy discharges, muffled by an unknown number of bulkheads but very audible. “Air bubbles,” Ramadi guesses, “right? Big ones?” “We need to check on Vare,” you assert. “We need to know if we just lost comms, or if something happened to the sub.” ”Kore,” comes a faint and heavily distorted voice over the comms. ”Slot it all, anybody there?” “Midas,” you reply in surprise. “Midas, where are you?” ”Sparked-up whirligig had a bigger kick than anticipated,” he replies through the electronic fuzz. ”Must’ve blacked out for a tick. What’s our status?” “You came through, you old failure,” says Ramadi. “Power’s back up. You did survive the process, but I guess we can still call it a win?” ”All that sentiment is fogging up my visor,” replies Midas. ”Get that breaching drone down here; I’m stuck behind...some kind of a security bulkhead, maybe?” Before you can reply, you hear a keening metallic wail, chorused by several other voices. Your blood runs cold, and Ramadi’s eyestalks retract into her head. “Raikk,” Kamula rasps, eye narrowing. “Take that as security’s a deffo, then.” “Echo Four,” you call to the compartment, “you around? Could really use a bit of timely assistance, here…” “I thought you were invited,” cries Ramadi. ”Our hosts,” mutters Midas, ”and by extension we, appear to be suffering a potentially fatal breakdown of communication. That said, if someone could let me out of this scrab-hole, my appreciation would not be insignificant…” “Could hold this compartment,” Kamula ascertains, peering critically around himself. “For a bit. Unless they deploy what you’d call Exotic Ordnance…or some grife-beggar puts a hole in the krumping reactor housing…” “You want to stay here,” bubbles Ramadi incredulously. “Skipper, we can’t stay here. This situation has…evolved in an undesirable direction.” ”Hate to do it,” adds Midas, ”But I agree with Kinu. We need to pull back to the sub and regroup.” “If the sub is still there,” growls Kamula. ”Wait, what?” Everyone suddenly begins talking over one another at once, and you can feel everything starting to come unglued. “Choke it,” you cry suddenly. “I can't think; everybody just choke it!” Relative silence returns, and you nod curtly. “Much as I’d love to table this issue, we don’t have the time…or...I mean, or the table. We're split up, not sure if we've even got a ride home, and there most likely things on the way to murder us.” "You put it that way," Kamula rasps, "you make it sound downright krumping unpleasant." Who do you wish to deploy (if anyone) to the following objectives? Obj. 1 Return to Fluke and regroup, if applicable. Obj. 2 Extricate Midas. Obj. 3 Continue to Reconciliation: You may be able to get a handle on events, or at least become more aware of the circumstances around you. Obj. 4 Stay at the reactor. Obj. 5 Something else (specify):_______________. You can deploy any or none of the following operatives to any of the above: Regal Ramadi Kamula Scuzzy Jr. Hardjack Crossbones
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Feb 10, 2017 20:39
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Obj 1: Ramadi and Crossbones Obj 2: Kamula Obj 3: Regal and Hardjack.
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Feb 14, 2017 03:50
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Lazaruise posted:Obj 1: Ramadi and Crossbones This seems good, provided Scuzzy stays with Kamula so we have some good situational involvement going on
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Feb 14, 2017 05:50
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Please don't die, thread 
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Apr 10, 2017 03:09
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Then we should add more votes. I don't have any better ideas, so Plan Lazariuse/Blasphemaster it is. Obj 1: Ramadi and Crossbones Obj 2: Kamula and Scuzzy Jr. Obj 3: Regal and Hardjack.
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Apr 10, 2017 03:26
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OP probably has more pressing concerns, though hopefully not regarding a child's wellbeing this time around. Best to just sit, wait, and give what positive vibes you may.
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Apr 10, 2017 03:50
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This is me sending positive vibes for our OP, hope all is well.
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Apr 10, 2017 09:19
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Thanks for the concern, everyone. Fortunately, everyone is doing well on the average, but a combination of Life and a demotivating lack of votes did kinda push this onto the back burner. I don't have an interest in seeing this dead, though, so I can definitely get to work on the next update if there's interest.
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Apr 10, 2017 15:16
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I didn't vote because I really don't have a good suggestion on how to split the party up, but this is a really fun and imaginative CYOA and I always feel giddy to see an update 
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Apr 10, 2017 15:41
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Same here, I couldn't decide on a split I liked. I'm sorry I contributed to your demotivation duder
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Apr 10, 2017 15:54
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The game has a small playerbase in general, so a choice with low voting tends to be disproportionately quiet. I appreciate the readers that do vote and provide feedback, though. I'll get to work on the update once I get the plumbers out of my yard...
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Apr 10, 2017 16:06
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big bag of nacho cheese posted:Thanks for the concern, everyone. Fortunately, everyone is doing well on the average, but a combination of Life and a demotivating lack of votes did kinda push this onto the back burner. I don't have an interest in seeing this dead, though, so I can definitely get to work on the next update if there's interest. Oh. Well, then any split is fine and I hope Life promptly returns to order.
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Apr 10, 2017 16:08
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Yay! 
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Apr 10, 2017 16:29
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Sometimes I'll read the update and enjoy it and then not vote, and it's usually because I have no idea what to do next and the situation seems so perilous that I don't want to get it wrong. But maybe in this case it's better to be a wrong-voter than a non-voter.
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Apr 10, 2017 23:07
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big bag of nacho cheese posted:Thanks for the concern, everyone. Fortunately, everyone is doing well on the average, but a combination of Life and a demotivating lack of votes did kinda push this onto the back burner. I don't have an interest in seeing this dead, though, so I can definitely get to work on the next update if there's interest. I'll vote more often!! Promise! everyone to the sub Toughy fucked around with this message at 00:42 on Apr 11, 2017 |
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Apr 11, 2017 00:39
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HBar posted:it's better to be a wrong-voter than a non-voter. Explicitly this. I'm not going to punish players for participating. Worst case scenario, you make a space dinosaur sad, and something interesting happens.
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Apr 11, 2017 02:18
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HBar posted:Then we should add more votes. I don't have any better ideas, so Plan Lazariuse/Blasphemaster it is. Yeah, I'll back this as well as committing to posting here more often! I love this game and was bummed that it fell off my reading list only a few days ago. I tend to be a reader and non-voter, but now I'll be a voter and non-reader! wait what
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Apr 11, 2017 03:37
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I dont usually vote but reading this was always the highlight of any given day.
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Apr 11, 2017 04:35
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I refuse to make space Dinos sad.
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Apr 11, 2017 15:50
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 “Kamula,” you bark, “go drag Midas out of whatever scrab-trap he's crawled into. Take Scuzzy for optics and point defense.” “Scuzzy,” growls Kamula, puzzled. “Why not Crossbones? Krumping AP burner won't do much good against a security lockdown.” “Because Crossbones is going with Ramadi,” you assert, “back to the Fluke.” A general scrum of people futilely protesting over one another ensues, and you sigh in frustration before dragging your synthetic claws down the wall with a hideous metallic shriek. “Right,” you snap once silence reigns once more, “Crossbones is with Ramadi, because I don't know what fresh drokk is going to drop between here and there, and I don't need another person trapped in this mind-slot of a ship. K, I'm sure you've got the chops to get Midas out of there, and Scuzzy will watch your back.” “And while all this is going on, I assume you'll be merging with the alien overmind,” Ramadi drawls. “I'm going to Reconciliation,” you confirm. “If I can get a connection, a real one, I might be able to lift these security protocols and get us access to the real glim-stack.”  Shortly thereafter, you find yourself stalking down a dim corridor, the only faintly smoking Hardjack trailing loyally behind. Finally, you come to the hatch marked by Echo Four in one of her sporadic appearances. “We may lose link for a bit once I do this,” you state over comms. “I'm not sure how involved the Reconciliation process will be.” ”I'll be here,” snarls Kamula between grunts of effort, “trying to pry this sleeb-stuffing door open!” There should be a manual override,” interjects Midas, “have you tried that?” “S'what I'm slotting well doing, you qwag-suck” Kamula snaps back, “poz?” “Well,” you reply with less than genuine confidence, “keep at it, K. Ramadi, making progress?” “As it happens,” Ramadi reports, ”Crossbones and I were not melded into a wretched techno-organic abomination by that transit pod...so, that's a win. Also happy to report that we have successfully traversed a series of identical tubes, and are now growing ever closer to another series of identical tubes.” You try once more to hail the Fluke, to no avail. “Time to reach out and touch someone,” you state, anxiety coiling in your belly, as you enter the chamber.  “Oh,” you remark with vague disappointment as you step into the cramped, disused confines of what could generously be called a closet.  “Oh...” you moan as the world around you changes.  You feel almost as if you've been plunged into warm water. From the chill, clinical corridors of the ship, you now find yourself immersed in a thick, humid atmosphere, redolent with strange new aromas and the strident choruses of insects. Your footclaws flex into thick leaf litter, and unseen creeping things scurry away from the movement. A low-hanging frond from some strange planet brushes against your arm...your arm! You goggle at your forelimbs, the glorious sting feeling all too real when you poke them with a probing claw. “You made it,” comes Echo Four's familiar voice, for once unmodulated by electronics. “I'm glad!” “What sort of holo is this, you ask, glancing around wide-eyed at your lush, primordial surroundings. You lift your arms toward Echo Four, who also seems entirely flesh. “What sort of holo are these?!” “Not a holo,” Echo replies happily. “We're streaming this simulation directly into your cortices. It's as real as your mind lets it be. Go ahead, try to touch something!” You reach out, running a hand (flesh!) along a broad, deep green leaf. It feels vaguely rubbery, slightly spongy...very leafy. Echo grins and holds out her hand. You gently place your own atop hers, feeling the warmth of her scales and the gentle pulse of her heartbeat. “If I had haptics like this in my own augs...” you muse. “Is this a sim of an Erb world?” “No,” Echo replies, a brief giggle bubbling from her throat. “This is our world. Originally, I mean. This is where we came from.” For a moment, you can't say anything. In the distance, a great beast lets out a resounding bellow that is a long time fading. Echo gives a sly smile that makes you feel like part of a shared secret. “Our origin? So the Erb did take us from here...” “Plucked us from the jaws of extinction,” Echo agrees, playfully winding a flowering liana around your neck and shoulders. “Would you like to take a look around? I promise, the simulation is...extensive.” “I...hm.” You feel...strange. The air here is heady and deep-down familiar, almost amniotic. A strange energy fills your limbs, and you want to run and leap! Echo is welcoming and very...present. You know you came here for a reason, but... A. How often do you get the chance to see where your species was born, in the body that should have been yours? Take the scenic route. B. Take a look around, but not for too long. There was...something you were supposed to do? Maybe? C. No! You don't have time for this. You need to...wait, what? Do the thing! Do the thing right now!
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Apr 11, 2017 18:56
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I get the distinct feeling that this simulation is meant to ensnare us, so C, also yaaaay the legend continues!
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Apr 11, 2017 20:03
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A, even though I know it's some kind of trick. The sight of us with flesh-and-blood arms made me a little sad! Enjoy it for a while.
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Apr 11, 2017 22:38
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C Sadly, there's no time to frolic 
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Apr 11, 2017 23:28
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I know I'm supposed to vote C, but let's be honest, we're going to B here a while.
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Apr 11, 2017 23:36
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Volmarias posted:I know I'm supposed to vote C, but let's be honest, we're going to B here a while. Yeah, me too.
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Apr 12, 2017 00:18
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B, and let's ask whether/how time runs differently in the Matrix. I doubt we can live out an entire life in 40 minutes like that one Star Trek episode, but I'd be surprised if we're in a rush. B can turn into A but not the other way around. C I don't know about because of its connotations.
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Apr 12, 2017 00:37
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B. If we don't spend at least a little more time here, we're going to regret it forever. I suppose if we take too long and some of our friends die, we're going to regret that too. But we can get new friends, we can't get a new long-extinct homeworld. (yay i'm wrongvoting!)
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Apr 12, 2017 06:12
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b My Reeg is high on this shiz...but remembers the mission...but like back in the cyber-memories there where you keep your grocery lists and promises not to drink your roommate's cheap drinkin' booze but you do anyway. Right in the skin-feels. Savor it... 
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Apr 12, 2017 06:30
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I can't believe you've drawn so many cool images for this CYOA. B because I want to see more.
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Apr 12, 2017 11:39
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C
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Apr 12, 2017 13:03
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You struggle to bring to mind your mission, but every fiber of you wants to leap and bound, run and hunt. As you try to collect your thoughts, they slide away like silvery fish into the dark hollows of your mind. “I do,” you agree, “but…There’s something I was supposed to do. It’s fuzzy…what’s going on, Echo?” Echo Four cocks her head and reaches out to touch the unaugmented flesh of your shoulder. “Nothing’s wrong,” she chirps reassuringly, the chipper tone somewhat less eerie now that she has a set of organic eyes. “You’re just processing a lot of data. It will pass, so just enjoy yourself in the meantime!” “Reconciliation,” you mutter, painstakingly snatching the word out of your mental fog. “I need to Reconcile so I can…Do…something.” You flinch as an enormous insect buzzes loudly over your head, so close you can count the veins in the blur of its four iridescent wings. “Something about a link…it’s important!” “Calm down,” Echo croons, pulling in close and bumping your flank with hers. “You’re Reconciling now, and it will go a lot better if you stay calm and enjoy the simulation.” “This,” you glance around warily, “this is Reconciliation?” “Were expecting something with more tubes, Regal Kore?” Echo winks and musses your crest. “Technically, this is a front-end to make the process more comfortable. But you like it, right? That’s important…it’s important you be at ease.” “Well, yes,” you admit, still struggling “It’s amazing, but…” “Don’t worry about subjective time,” Echo says, intercepting your worry before you can manage to articulate it. “We’ve got plenty of time…” She takes your hands in hers, gently massaging long-forgotten muscles in your palms with a delicate touch. “In fact,” she continues, leaning in close, “the process will go faster if you just relax and let it happen.” You nod absently, doubts receding even as the sensations of the primeval world around you grow increasingly vibrant. “Just,” you begin, mustering a final bout of resistance, but Echo Four swings her hips, body-checking you with her hindquarters. You stagger and scrabble to retain your footing as Echo darts into the darkly greening ferns and cycads, sprightly laughter trailing behind her.  You pant with joyous fatigue as you spring up a series of mossy stones, feeling looser and more limber than ever. The sun beats down as you crest the rise, warming scales long used to languishing under station lights, but far from discomfort, you feel a glorious warmth radiating throughout your body. You creep to the edge and watch the enormous grazers below trudge warily down to the water, great crested heads turned to the sky. You hear a piercing cry and squint upward, watching a flock of leathery fliers gliding across the cloud-dappled heights in a raucous, gamboling mass. Your thoughts are clearer now, physical exertion, or perhaps progressive Reconciliation, burning away some of the fog. Bringing your eyes back to earth, you find Echo Four, watching you with playful curiosity, her own flanks heaving as she catches her breath. “What happened to all of this,” you muse. “And why did the Erb single us out to preserve?” “Impact event,” Echo explains matter-of-factly. “Sure death sentence for a pre-Faculty species. As to the other bit, well, why do the Erb do anything? I suspect it was a combination of our advanced cranial capacity, developed social structure, and impending tool use, but who can say, really?” She points down toward the herbivores now honking and splashing in the shallows. “I suppose we could have just as easily been uplifted from one of those…” “Horror of horrors,” you gasp, “none of my hats would fit!” Echo looks at you strangely, her expression both wistful and faintly tinged with regret. “The Erb aren’t funny,” she states. “That’s probably not a surprise…” “Maybe their humor is just too advanced for mere mortals,” you venture slyly. “There’s…more to that than you know,” Echo admits. “Even among the other Echoes…cross-cultural humor is difficult enough, never mind cross-species, or trans-dimensional, or…” She trails off, reaching up to twist her sidelock. “Must be lonely,” you say, leaning affectionately against Echo’s side. “I can’t imagine…” You catch Echo’s maudlin gaze and give her a crooked smile. “Thank you for sharing this with me,” you whisper. Echo’s expression lifts, and she reaches out to grasp your arm with sudden ardor. “There’s more, you know,” she purrs, crest flexing as her lips slide back in a toothy grin. “So much more to show you. It’s been so long since I’ve been able to share it.” Your skin suddenly feels very warm and very alive beneath her hand, and your breath catches at the closeness of her. Her scent fills your nose, blossoming with the recent exertion, and you feel that peculiar, but not at all unwelcome tension winding in your belly. “Echo,” you croak, “I…” She silences you with a look that pins you in place and threatens to set your hips to squirming. “Let me have this,” she croons with a sudden hunger, sliding the length of her body alongside yours and leaving a line of fire along your scales. “Let me have something to hold onto when you’re gone, and I’m alone in the dark again…” A. You have time to give solace to a lonely prisoner in a dark place. Be kind. B. Your heart belongs to another, and you intend to keep that faith. Be true. C. You still don’t entirely trust this, and neither you nor your crew can afford for you to slip away. Be alert.
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Apr 13, 2017 02:42
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I want to vote B or C, but my avatar makes demands I can only obey. A 
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Apr 13, 2017 02:56
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