OOC X-COM Think Tank (part 4)

[ZombieSplitter53]

Do you know what time it is? It's mission time. This one's going to be different than the other Overseer operations. I won't say anything beyond that, do read.

Spoiler: Erebus

Well, different was right. That was one of the most unique missions in general that I've read in a long time. The setting was unique and gave off a creepy vibe. The ship itself was delightfully off putting. Kevin's trip down memory lane was like a horror version of what happened with the Acedia mission. The luring in the cafeteria and the thought of those alien arachnids crawling around, hunting... in the DARK! I would have blown them up too. And Erebus... oh, what can I say that does him justice. He was creepy. His motivations were original. The insanity, the use of his lost love as a zombie puppet, the sheer madness of him... perfection. And poor Atka and Desmond. Atka for having to watch her friend die twice and give up a power that, I agree, would likely lead to her going crazy, and Desmond... for just getting his face punched in. Nothing sucks more then a fight where you can't swing back.

And least he got that kiss in the end... you sly dog.

Overall, 10/10. A+. My one compliant? Didn't get to spend more to in creeps-ville. Though I can understand why, considering how long this one turned out.

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

Two more notes:

First, can I just say that there was something fitting, something... perfect about how Elise reacted to the Chryssalids. Sometimes we tend to forget that those things are WALKING NIGHTMARES that murder you, then turn you into a zombie while your body incubates their babies! It is good to see someone reacting to them appropriately. If this was Rifts or All Flesh Must Be Eaten, every time someone saw one of those things after a long time of not seeing them would have to make a fear roll with willpower as a positive modifier but a -3 modifier just from how freaky they can be.

And second, I love all the different Reflections we've made. Blue World is one of my favorites so far in its design and complexity. But the is something about the simplicity yet versatility of Phoenix. Why beat around the bush when you can just blast a fool away. Must say something about the kind of person Desmond is.

Desmond: "I'm a simple man. A practical man. I like my steak medium rare, my beer cold and American, my women short, feisty, and preferably Inuit, and if you mess with me or my daughter, I'm gonna torch your ass with my fucking Fire Bird!"

 

[MarineAvenger]

Two more notes:

First, can I just say that there was something fitting, something... perfect about how Elise reacted to the Chryssalids. Sometimes we tend to forget that those things are WALKING NIGHTMARES that murder you, then turn you into a zombie while your body incubates their babies! It is good to see someone reacting to them appropriately. If this was Rifts or All Flesh Must Be Eaten, every time someone saw one of those things after a long time of not seeing them would have to make a fear roll with willpower as a positive modifier but a -3 modifier just from how freaky they can be.

And second, I love all the different Reflections we've made. Blue World is one of my favorites so far in its design and complexity. But the is something about the simplicity yet versatility of Phoenix. Why beat around the bush when you can just blast a fool away. Must say something about the kind of person Desmond is.

Desmond: "I'm a simple man. A practical man. I like my steak medium rare, my beer cold and American, my women short, feisty, and preferably Inuit, and if you mess with me or my daughter, I'm gonna torch your ass with my fucking Fire Bird!"

Ahem. How dare you assume medium rare. Desmond likes his meat medium.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

The setting was unique and gave off a creepy vibe.

Thank Marine for that.

Kevin's trip down memory lane was like a horror version of what happened with the Acedia mission.

Marine thought the same. Personally, the part where Kevin snapped out of it and realized what he had been doing gave me chills. I think he got the worst shit out of anyone else on the mission.

And poor Atka and Desmond. Atka for having to watch her friend die twice and give up a power that, I agree, would likely lead to her going crazy,

And it would also make me go insane with how OP it can be if Atka's smart (which she is) and lucky (which is variable).

Blue World is one of my favorites so far in its design and complexity.

Thank you. Having it evolve in the ways it has, from the Icy/Telekinetic Helixes to its original time-rewinding incarnation, to splitting off that shadow Kommandant and losing its durability and some power in return for a lot of speed boost, and finally this version which I believe is a bit faster or more precise, and has an ability that we haven't seen just yet (the wristwatch design hints at what it does) has been really fun.

Must say something about the kind of person Desmond is.

Well, they are Reflections.

my women short

People often forget this about Atka. She's 5'4"!

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Honestly not sure what I can say that hasn't already been said. But fuck it, here we go.

Spoiler

Atmospheric description was good. I enjoyed the whole spooky vibe, and trying to turn the squad against each other like that felt... well, not 'real', but tangible. Is it bad that I actually thought Desmond had turned during that bit? The idea it might be another trick did occur to me, but damn his justification at the time was legit.

Side note, it's really weird given my personal mental images of both Atka and Desmond to see them trying to rekindle the old flame. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it came off as out of character, more that it's a different side to the two of them we haven't seen since the beginning of the story. I'm not used to all this happiness. It's painful. Stop this at once. We need more suffering.

I was expecting Morpheus and the SHIV to fade into obscurity for the rest of the mission when they were left at the entrance (which kinda had me thinking 'well why bring the fuckers along in the first place') which is why I was so pleased to see them actually come back into actually doing something. The method of doing so was glorious by the way - the current antagonist trying to bugger off only to run into the one guy too large to fit inside.

And Avy sending off 30 lances instead of 20 was more amusing to me than it probably should have been given the gravity of the situation.

*Garden Intensifies*

Fuck up Gem-from-one-post-in-the-future.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

[Mission review placeholder post. Will actually comment in depth when I'm not being forced to construct a garden. Overall response - was good]

*Garden Intensifies*

 

[DarkGemini24601]

Spoiler

Is it bad that I actually thought Desmond had turned during that bit?

Muahaha someone fell for it.

I'm not used to all this happiness.

Neither am I. Notice how much figurative language I was utilizing when Atka was pissed? I'm so used to writing suffering now.

And Avy sending off 30 lances instead of 20 was more amusing to me than it probably should have been given the gravity of the situation.

Fucking bullshit is what both of those attacks were.

 

[MarineAvenger]

Spoiler

Muahaha someone fell for it.

Neither am I. Notice how much figurative language I was utilizing when Atka was pissed? I'm so used to writing suffering now.

Fucking bullshit is what both of those attacks were.

Spoiler

Honestly, I don't even think Dahl was fooled so that says a lot about you Tax, when the second season of Re:Zero comes along I forbid you to watch it, and so sorry Mr. Leader of the story. How's a taste of your own medicine when you send US against bullshit?

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Spoiler

Honestly, I don't even think Dahl was fooled so that says a lot about you Tax, when the second season of Re:Zero comes along I forbid you to watch it, and so sorry Mr. Leader of the story. How's a taste of your own medicine when you send US against bullshit?

I've said this before and I'll say it again. You remember that time Stacie first approached Samuel and it took him several paragraphs to work out she was trying to go out with him? I was channeling myself there. I'm a fucking idiot sometimes.

 

[MarineAvenger]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. You remember that time Stacie first approached Samuel and it took him several paragraphs to work out she was trying to go out with him? I was channeling myself there. I'm a fucking idiot sometimes.

Pfft. Sometimes he says.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

 

[Frostlich1228 (Alt)]

Spoiler

Muahaha someone fell for it.

Well, I'll give my reaction to it.

My reaction to it was that Desmond was the one being controlled there, the smile being the givaway. We were just seeing it from an outsiders perspective instead of the insiders from the similar scene before.

 

[MarineAvenger]

Well, I'll give my reaction to it.

My reaction to it was that Desmond was the one being controlled there, the smile being the givaway. We were just seeing it from an outsiders perspective instead of the insiders from the similar scene before.

What? No. Desmond never was controlled at all. It was all an illusion in Atka's head. She imagined his words, and imagined him killing Qamut. He never set her on fire either, hence why when she came back to reality, her armor was fine. All those actions Desmond took were delibrately in self-defense in the real world.

 

[Frostlich1228 (Alt)]

What? No. Desmond never was controlled at all. It was all an illusion in Atka's head. She imagined his words, and imagined him killing Qamut. He never set her on fire either, hence why when she came back to reality, her armor was fine. All those actions Desmond took were delibrately in self-defense in the real world.

Uhh... Yeah.

I know that. I was just explaining my first reaction to the scene like Tax did.

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

I was fooled for about three seconds if that helps. Then Desmond started to twirl a metaphorical mustache, and it dawned on me.

...hmm... imagining Desmond with a handlebar mustache...

 

[DarkGemini24601]

I was fooled for about three seconds if that helps. Then Desmond started to twirl a metaphorical mustache, and it dawned on me.

...hmm... imagining Desmond with a handlebar mustache...

Atka would have realized it too if she wasn't as angry as a thousand burning suns.

 

[MarineAvenger]

Atka would have realized it too if she wasn't as angry as a thousand burning suns.

This relationship can only pan out well.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

Got a short collab for you guys.

Spoiler: Summary

A 6'8" man challenges a woman more than two feet shorter than him to a duel, and gets his ass kicked.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Mission up for you all. Myself and Frost this time, bringing you a show like no other. Coming to you live from the Sydney Opera House, it's Operation Shimmering Discord!

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

Hey guys. Sorry I've been so quiet and stuff. To be completely honest... I had this assassination mission in Peru, but in order to get close to the target, I had to seduce, which meant getting a sec change because I don't do things half assed, then getting the job down, getting the sex change back, and yada yada yada... and here I am.