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ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

Welcome to another fabulous game of BattleCON! Today, we've got two constructs facing off against each other in a duel for the ages.

In the left corner, the robot defender of the multiverse, it's ARIA, being played by me, the inestimable ActingPower!

In the right corner, the runaway shapeshifting experiment, it's Kehrolyn Ross, being played by the amazing sabrechicken!

Will ARIA's droids shock Kehrolyn into submission, or will Kehrolyn's flexibility outmaneuver ARIA's metal exterior? There's only one way to find out! It's time to battle! ...CON!





We will... probably be playing with regular Special Actions. Or do you prefer the Force Gauge, sabre? Either way, just give me a minute to set up the board, and we'll get this party started!

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ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

We're using the Modbot today! (Fitting, considering I'm fighting with ARIA.)

potatocubed posted:

I made an automated BattleCON PBP moderator.

It's basically a gmail account attached to a spreadsheet in google drive, with a script which fires every minute to check for new messages. All it does is keep move choices secret until everyone's finished ante-ing -- it doesn't check any rules, make sure card combos or antes are valid, answer queries, or any of that. You'll have to work that out with your opponent. It's also not particularly robust: I designed it for use by people playing in good faith, so I'm sure a dedicated dick could break it over their knee with little effort. (From an infosec point of view though, it's all hosted in the Google cloud -- so it's exactly as secure as that is.)

I've tested it a little bit bouncing moves back and forth between two of my email accounts, and it seems to work okay, but I'm sure you talented folk can find ten thousand faults if you feel like giving it a test drive.

Known Problem #1: For Battlecon Bot to work, you and your opponent need to agree on a unique game ID. If you accidentally pick someone else's, you'll probably all get error messages or weird move choices.

Known Problem #2: There are no takebacks. Once you've sent your move or ante in, that's it. Locked.

...unless you send in another move or ante so quickly that Battlecon Bot reads that one first, since it checks from newest messages to oldest. This might be a bug or a feature depending on your point of view.

Known Problem #3: It's for 1-on-1 games only.

With those caveats aside...

INSTRUCTIONS

1. You and your opponent choose characters* and come up with a unique game ID between you. This is also where you'll set up the PBP thread, etc.

*I just now realised I didn't build in an option for this. But you can improvise a mutually hidden character selection easily enough using the same bot.

2. Each of you sends an email to sabattleconbot at gmail doot com. The subject line should be your game ID. In the body of the email you should put:

Required: "Move:" followed by the move you've chosen.
Optional: "Active:" followed by "Y" if you're the active player this beat. For the purposes of finding out who antes first.

(If you use both, make sure they're on different lines.)

If only one of you claims active, that player is set to ante first. If both or neither of you claim active, it goes to whoever's email Battlecon Bot read first chooses between you at random.

You should both get a confirmation email, and one of you should get an instruction that it's your turn to ante.

3. You ante by sending Battlecon Bot an email containing "Ante:" followed by your ante. So long as the subject line contains your game ID this should work just fine; I know it works if you just click 'reply' to the message Battlecon Bot sent you, so... maybe just do that? And I'll try to make it more robust when I have time.

When you ante, you'll get a confirmation email and your opponent will get an email offering them the chance to ante. These messages go back and forth until both of you pass by anteing nothing.

When both players have passed, Battlecon Bot emails both of you the moves and antes, and then you can hie to your game thread and work out what all that means.

If you want to improvise a secret character select, make your first move the name of your character then ante nothing. That'll work just fine.

HOW IT WORKS
Basically, the script reads all the unread emails in Battlecon Bot's inbox every minute, and vacuums up anything following the phrases "Move:", "Active:", or "Ante:" as a plain string. It then compares these to what it knows about the game state, checks to see if they're valid inputs, and either returns an error message or records the appropriate details in its companion spreadsheet.

It never shares anyone's emails -- it sends its messages individually.

After every beat is complete, it wipes that record from the spreadsheet, and it runs a cleanup every week to delete anything that's over 7 days old. In this way I hope to keep the spreadsheet down to a manageable size.

AND THAT'S IT
So, uh... go ahead and test it, if you feel like playing some PBP Battlecon. If you manage to break it leave a message here or DM me. You could theoretically email Battlecon Bot, but the only time I ever look at that mailbox is when I'm testing it, so you might be waiting a while for an answer.

Oh, and when I send in my starting cards, I'll include which droid I'm starting with. Should be fine.

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

Beat 1

ARIA -- 20/20
Discard 1: Laser Strike
Discard 2: Dimensional Dash
Finisher: Laser Lattice
Droids deployed: Dampener Droid
ARIA's images

Kehrolyn Ross -- 20/20
Discard 1: Mutating Strike
Discard 2: Bladed Burst
Finisher: The August Strain
Effects: None
Kehrolyn's images



Discards are in! Send in your first attack pair.






Reveal
Mutating gives Kehrolyn an extra Soak 2! (Not that she's gonna need it.)
Catalyst Reconfiguration has priority 4. Mutating Exoskeletal Dash has priority 9. Kehrolyn is the Active Player!

Active Player
After Activating: Kehrolyn advances 1 space.

Reactive Player
Before Activating: ARIA moves to the far left corner, then places the Turret droid on space 5!
ARIA's droids attack! The attack misses!

End of Beat
Kehrolyn's mutation overwhelms her, and she loses 1 life. She then gets shot at by the turret, losing another 1 life.

ActingPower fucked around with this message at 21:18 on Jun 19, 2016

saberchicken
Jun 15, 2016
I prefer with Force gauge because that's the only way I've ever played. I'll get my discards in tonight.

EDIT: Actually, I'm fine with Special Action as well. Most people on SA seem to play Special Action.

Sent!

saberchicken fucked around with this message at 03:35 on Jun 19, 2016

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

Let's stick with Special Action. That way, neither of us have to ante. So convenient!

saberchicken
Jun 15, 2016

ActingPower posted:

Let's stick with Special Action. That way, neither of us have to ante. So convenient!

In that case, can you link me the rule book for the set with Special Action?

I'd like to know how to activate each action, what each action means for me and my opponent, how to switch sides of my finisher (use Finsher with more than 7 HP?), and what actions take priority over others.

EDIT: Is there any way to get email/RSS notifications from bookmarked threads?

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

Oh... okay. I can't seem to find it, and trying to explain it just makes me remember again that Level99 desperately need an editor. XD So... wanna switch to Force Gauge? You may want to change your Discards if you like; I'm not going to.

Oh, and I'm going to be using the Dampener as my first droid.

saberchicken
Jun 15, 2016
Nah, it's okay. I think pulse rearranges board and makes opponent discard pair, but doesn't advance counter. Cancel makes opponent discard pair and advances counter. Finisher is finisher unless you don't meet requirements -> you can choose to switch. Not sure what happens with special action priority though.

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

Pulse is higher "priority" than Cancel, Cancel is higher "priority" than Finisher and regular attacks, Finishers are exactly like attacks, but they win ties.

Anyways, since the discards are in, you can send in your first attack! It's probably gonna be a while until I get mine in, though, since I"m about to go to bed.

ActingPower fucked around with this message at 06:07 on Jun 19, 2016

saberchicken
Jun 15, 2016
How to I use certain actions? IIRC, Strike/Dash = Finisher, Burst/Dash = Pulse, Shot/Grasp = Cancel?

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

saberchicken posted:

How to I use certain actions? IIRC, Strike/Dash = Finisher, Burst/Dash = Pulse, Shot/Grasp = Cancel?

It's Strike or Drive for a Finisher, but yes.

saberchicken
Jun 15, 2016
Oops, that's what I meant. Sent in my pair last night.

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

ActingPower posted:

Active Player
After Activating: Kehrolyn moves 1-3 spaces. How far, Kehrolyn?

For this Beat, I'll be updating last, so I'll make the next Beat post. If you like, when you're updating last, you can post the next Beat instead. The album with the squares is here.

saberchicken
Jun 15, 2016
I'll move left 1 so I'm at the center.

So if I take the last action in a beat, I should post the next Beat?

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

Beat 2

ARIA -- 20/20
Discard 1: Catalyst Reconfiguration
Discard 2: Laser Strike
Finisher: Laser Lattice
Droids deployed: Dampener, Turret

Kehrolyn Ross -- 18/20
Discard 1: Exoskeletal Dash
Discard 2: Mutating Strike
Finisher: The August Strain
Effects: Dampened, Locked-On



Send in your next attack pair!






Photovoltaic Shot has priority 3. Exoskeletal Whip Burst has priority 1. ARIA is the Active Player!

Start of Beat
Kehrolyn retreats 1 space.

Active Player
Photovoltaic Shot has range 1-6. Kehrolyn is at range 4-5. ARIA's attack hits!
On Hit: ARIA removes her Dampener Droid for +1 Power.
Kehrolyn takes 3-2=1 damage! Kehrolyn is stunned!
After Activating: ARIA places her Magneton Droid onto her space.

End of Beat
Kehrolyn gets hit by the turret. She loses 1 life!

ActingPower fucked around with this message at 05:01 on Jun 20, 2016

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

ActingPower posted:

Start of Beat
Kehrolyn retreats 1 or 2 spaces. How far, Kehrolyn?

You don't have to set up the next beat if you don't want to. It would just be easier, since otherwise I'll have to wait until you post.

saberchicken
Jun 15, 2016
I'll retreat 1. drat, I'm getting rekt.

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

Beat 3

ARIA -- 20/20
Discard 1: Photovoltaic Shot
Discard 2: Catalyst Reconfiguration
Finisher: Laser Lattice
Droids deployed: Magneton, Turret

Kehrolyn Ross -- 16/20
Discard 1: Whip Burst
Discard 2: Exoskeletal Dash
Finisher: The August Strain
Effects: Locked-On



Next attack pairs!






Reveal
Kehrolyn's base is ionized to Priority 3!
Ionic Dash has Priority 10. Ionized Whip-silver Drive has priority 5. ARIA is the Active Player!

Start of Beat
Kehrolyn is pulled one space towards the Magneton Droid!

Active Player
After Activating ARIA advances 3 spaces, passing by Kehrolyn!

Reactive Player
Before Activating: Kehrolyn advances 1 space.
Kehrolyn's attack automatically misses!

End of Beat
Kehrolyn does not move.
Kehrolyn loses 1 life from the turret!

ActingPower fucked around with this message at 20:17 on Jun 25, 2016

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

Have you sent your move in? Or did I somehow forget to send mine in?

potatocubed
Jul 26, 2012

*rathian noises*
I had a quick look at BCB to check nothing was going wrong there. Whoever's playing Kehrolyn forgot to put the game ID in the subject of their email.

saberchicken
Jun 15, 2016

potatocubed posted:

I had a quick look at BCB to check nothing was going wrong there. Whoever's playing Kehrolyn forgot to put the game ID in the subject of their email.

Oops, sorry. No wonder there weren't any updates. I just resent my pair.

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

ActingPower posted:

Before Activating: Kehrolyn advances 1 or 2 spaces. How far, Kehrolyn?

End of Beat
Kehrolyn may move up to 1 space. Where would you like to be, Kehrolyn?

You can choose one of these three:




So the question is, do you wanna go into the corner, or do you want to get hit by the turret?

saberchicken
Jun 15, 2016
I'll advance 1 and take the turret shot.

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

Beat 4

ARIA -- 20/20
Discard 1: Ionic Dash
Discard 2: Photovoltaic Shot
Finisher: Laser Lattice
Droids deployed: Magneton, Turret

Kehrolyn Ross -- 15/20
Discard 1: Quicksilver Drive
Discard 2: Whip Burst
Finisher: The August Strain
Effects: Locked-On


Ready for the next attack pairs!





Laser Burst has priority 1. Quicksilver Bladed Burst has priority 11. Kehrolyn is the Active Player!

Start of Beat
ARIA retreats 2 spaces!

Active Player
Kehrolyn advances 3 spaces, passing ARIA!

Reactive Player
ARIA's attack automatically misses!

End of Beat
Kehrolyn retreats 1, nimbly dodging the turret!

ActingPower fucked around with this message at 04:37 on Jun 28, 2016

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

ActingPower posted:

Active Player
Kehrolyn moves 1, 2, or 3 spaces. Where to, Kehrolyn?

And here we get to an interesting predicament. Since you're the Active Player, does your End-of-Beat effect go off first? 'Cuz if it does, then I can't hit you with mine. :(

saberchicken
Jun 15, 2016
I think like SoB, EoB resolves in order of Active -> Reactive player?

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

saberchicken posted:

I think like SoB, EoB resolves in order of Active -> Reactive player?

Right. Seems like it's pretty obvious where you want to go, right?

saberchicken
Jun 15, 2016
Yup, dash 3 and EoB retreat 1.

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

Beat 5

ARIA -- 20/20
Discard 1: Laser Burst
Discard 2: Ionic Dash
Finisher: Laser Lattice
Droids deployed: Magneton, Turret

Kehrolyn Ross -- 15/20
Discard 1: Bladed Dash
Discard 2: Quicksilver Drive
Finisher: The August Strain
Effects: Magnetized


Bring it on!






Photovoltaic Strike has priority 4. Magnetized Bladed Exoskeletal Burst has priority 0. ARIA is the Active Player!

Start of Beat
Kehrolyn has nowhere to retreat!

Active Player
ARIA's Strike has range 1-3. Kehrolyn is at range 2. ARIA's attack hits!
On Hit: ARIA removes both Droid markers for +2 Power!
ARIA's attack does 5-2=3 damage. Kehrolyn is stunned!
After Activating: ARIA places the turret under her space.

ActingPower fucked around with this message at 01:15 on Jun 29, 2016

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

Beat 6

ARIA -- 20/20
Discard 1: Photovoltaic Strike
Discard 2: Laser Burst
Finisher: Laser Lattice
Droids deployed: Turret

Kehrolyn Ross -- 12/20
Discard 1: Exoskeletal Burst
Discard 2: Bladed Dash
Finisher: The August Strain


Next Beat's ready!





Reveal
Kehrolyn is at range 2. ARIA's attack canot stun!
Dimensional Reconfiguration has priority 7. Exoskeletal Whip Shot has priority 2. ARIA is the Active Player!

Active Player
Before Activating: ARIA moves to space 7 and places a Magneton Droid in space 6!
ARIA's droids attack! They miss!

Reactive Player
Kehrolyn's Shot has range 1-5. ARIA is at range 6. Kehrolyn's attack misses!

End of Beat
ARIA teleports to space 6.

ActingPower fucked around with this message at 03:54 on Jul 1, 2016

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

Beat 7

ARIA -- 20/20
Discard 1: Dimensional Reconfiguration
Discard 2: Photovoltaic Strike
Finisher: Laser Lattice
Droids deployed: Turret, Magneton

Kehrolyn Ross -- 12/20
Discard 1: Whip Shot
Discard 2: Exoskeletal Burst
Finisher: The August Strain


Bring it on, amig@!






Pulse! What's the plan, Stan?

ActingPower fucked around with this message at 05:42 on Jul 2, 2016

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

ActingPower posted:



Pulse! What's the plan, Stan?

...Crap, you did a Pulse. It's the squirrelest rule in the entire game. XD I... believe it works like this. You're free to move me, yourself, and any of my Droids to anywhere you like. (If you wish, you may put both Droids in the same space. I have the frames for it.) Afterwards, our discards will cycle, but it will still be Beat 7. Correct me if I'm wrong. What would you like to do?

(For convenience, I like to number the squares, starting with 1 on the left and 7 on the right.)

saberchicken
Jun 15, 2016
Oh wow, I didn't know you could move markers around too.

For pulse, I thought only your opponent's pair discards or is that cancel? I know for sure beat remains the same.

Regardless of whether or not my pair recycles, I'd like to do Kehrolyn | O | Aria | O | O | O | Both droids

EDIT: Kehrolyn in 1, Aria in 3, both droids in 7.

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

Beat 7b

ARIA -- 20/20
Discard 1: Catalyst Shot
Discard 2: Dimensional Reconfiguration
Finisher: Laser Lattice
Droids deployed: Turret, Magneton

Kehrolyn Ross -- 12/20
Discard 1: Whip Shot
Discard 2: Exoskeletal Burst
Finisher: The August Strain


Where were we? All right, let's start again!

saberchicken
Jun 15, 2016

ActingPower posted:

Beat 7b

ARIA -- 20/20
Discard 1: Catalyst Shot
Discard 2: Dimensional Reconfiguration
Finisher: Laser Lattice
Droids deployed: Turret, Magneton

Kehrolyn Ross -- 12/20
Discard 1: Whip Shot
Discard 2: Exoskeletal Burst
Finisher: The August Strain


Where were we? All right, let's start again!

Did you discards recycle? I thought Catalyst Shot was just added to your discard 1.

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

saberchicken posted:

Did you discards recycle? I thought Catalyst Shot was just added to your discard 1.

I cycled mine, but not yours. Isn't that right?

saberchicken
Jun 15, 2016

ActingPower posted:

I cycled mine, but not yours. Isn't that right?

I think Pulse adds your current pair to discard 1 and doesn't cycle. also, cancel = both players put current pair in discard 1?

Mad Fnorder
Apr 22, 2008
Pulse= Pulse-r doesn't cycle, Opponent does.
Cancel= Canceler picks up their base and discards their special action. Opponent dumps pair to Discard 1 (having 2 pairs there),.

ActingPower
Jun 4, 2013

Mad Fnorder posted:

Pulse= Pulse-r doesn't cycle, Opponent does.
Cancel= Canceler picks up their base and discards their special action. Opponent dumps pair to Discard 1 (having 2 pairs there),.

That's... what I did, right?

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Mad Fnorder
Apr 22, 2008
Yep, looks good!

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