Alive for the most part, prepping for the easter dinner. Been watching the quest for years now. Probably around the time of the X mission and I was one of the people who worked on Saetoes weaponry ideas, specifically the heat axe and the shield design from the last thread.

Ya shocked me to hell and back with that finale HC. It was a good shock though.

What an ending. I'm already fully hyped for the second arc, but not much to add beyond the obvious questions that are too spoilery to be answered, like 'Why was Lt. Fullmettool not brought along on this G-rank'?

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>>39151198
I'm glad you enjoyed it. We actually had some concerns and I think, personally, we dropped the ball a little selling the final battle with Nicholz. More on that later, probably.

>>39151287
Lt. Fullmetool was preoccupied fending off Sigma. Well, two Sigmas. They got his old bodies back and started rebuilding the Fenrir chassis.

>>39151342
It's fine. To be fair, it'd probably make sense to debrief Anode on whatever he fought in the end. Not having enough information is part and parcel with our experience so far until we find the reason. Incidentally, the check is probably going to be somewhere along the lines of YES money I take it. Killing a G, delaying a high G target until reinforcements arrived, two mavericks rekilled, and finding the P class threat and MAYBE surviving to tell the tail. Not to mention any aid with the teleporter and damaging the place.

Aside from that, I'm still looking up the info about the mega missions. Going to be a interesting time for our hunter in the future.

>>39151387
It's like you think Anode's alive.

>>39151146
Pretty good. I've been following the Quest since Thread 1.

Aside from the question I asked you on twitter, I currently have 1 other question right now: What was the vulnerability loop?

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>>39151446
>Killing off an MC with this much fanart.
Call it meta, but I doubt they'd want all of it to go to waste.

>>39151510
I dunno, we were tripping death flags all over the place, last mission. Seven saying he'd explain his arm when we hit back, us promising to wingman Em - we might as well have started showing our family photo around.

>>39151510
Season 2 will have Cathode go around trying to get all the Anode Parts from the Diode-Hunters.

>>39151342
>We actually had some concerns and I think, personally, we dropped the ball a little selling the final battle with Nicholz.

Maybe a bit, but I actually liked that Nicholz seemed to parallel Anode. Relatively low-key reputation, "just" an S-rank, he probably got lucky a lot and used ambush tactics to get all those hunter kills attributed to him... and then he turns out to be this hyper-diverse ridiculously tenacious and durable melee combat monster with some truly scary ranged capabilities.

There's something to be said for setting the menace up ahead of time like with Saetos... but it was also fun being thrown straight into the deep end with only vague warnings ahead of time.

Including Cathode was what sold it for me - I was definitely expecting more of a cakewalk with the Cath/Anode synergy, not a horrifying grudge match to a bitter, broken end.

>>39151542
I dunno. We didn't order pineapple cake or confessed our love to Emerald so we dodged the big ones that cause death. Pretty sure it's a hunter tradition to set off as many death flags as possible in a big mission anyways.

>>39151579
We did get grenades so that might have qualified as a pineapple trigger.

>>39151579
I thought we were dating the ride armor.

HC, any word on China, or is that coming with next arc?

>>39151342
Who will the MC of season 2 be?

Is Anode the Mavericks? Is Cathode?

Whatever happened to Emerald?

>>39151620
Pretty sure everyone is dating the ride armor, though India is likely trying to claim it as her own. Either through riding it everywhere, or marking it. Shame really, what denied Seven from getting to fraternize with India wasn't Anode, it was the power armor.

..I still want to ride that baby into a battle just as a war up stage for Act 2. We can do Magma Dragoon cheese.. minus the armor exploding.

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>>39151501
Was that question on twitter about when part two starts?

Sorry to say I don't know for certain--my next four weeks are booked damn near solid.

As for vulnerability, I'm actually really glad somebody asked that.

In no particular order...
Spin Jagwire > Chaff Weasel > Lockon Bloodhound > Tumult Terapin > Guns Wallaby > Winter Wolfspider > Solstrike Saetos > Splashdown Skipjack > Spin Jagwire

Jagwire's cables immobilize the relatively weak Chaff Weasel, whose sensor-flak blinds the targeter-heavy Lockon Bloodhound, whose anti-materiel laser defeats Tumult Terapin's armor, whose powerful energy shield blocks Guns Wallaby's line of fire, whose Phase distortion foils Winter Wolfspider's multidirectional plasma cannons, whose armor-breaking snap freeze breaks Solstrike Saetos's defense, whose powerful heat weapons overwhelm Splashdown Skipjack, whose Highball Skippers catch the evasive Spin Jagwire.

And yes, the weakest maverick on your roster was weak to the strongest maverick on your roster. Life isn't fair, is it, Skipjack?

And as I'm sure you noticed, Wolfspider-L was a hell of a lot tougher to bring down without the lance in hand. You did turn a grueling miniboss for Emerald into a freebie, and the flambard's higher damage output gave you an easier time on Nicholz. Which was something of an issue in its own right.

>>39151553
I'm glad you feel that way, though we've put our heads together and had to grudgingly admit we didn't present the fight as well as we should have. I've got a writeup on that.

>>39151626
Classified.

Classified. Also classified.

Missing in action.

>>39151620
Not yet, sorry. We keep getting sidetracked but we'll definitely get to it. Sorry to keep putting it off on you.

>>39151626
MC of part 2 is Anode, who shut down several of his systems to prevent the virus gaining hold. (I want to believe.)

>>39151672
It's fine, China isn't a big rush. Thanks.

Also, Emerald officially MIA? Oh shit.

>>39151672
Anything of note happen with the rest of the 4th while we were out? Or is it more like "shits going down the rest of us better stay put".

>>39151680
To be honest, Anode is probably well equipped to handle the maverick virus in a way. Storing, containing, and dispersing energy is incredibly useful in several fields after all, and we never really seen any Enker style mavs in X games.

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>>39151711
Oh, you know.

Stuff.

>>39151672
>>39151680
hey MC, since the "is Anode alive or dead" question is coming up alot, are we going to be Anode in the next season or will we get to make a new hunter? Because I'm personally divided. I kinda want to see what the other units are like since we got a damn good look at the 4th but at the same time we got 2 years of a relationship with Anode. Just want your thoughts on it.

How old are our Beret team? Are they all from the same batch?

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>>39151762
Classified, sorry. You'll find our first thing after the interlude.

>>39151769
Berets as a model are relatively new, most of them around six months to a year old. They're from the same commissioned force, but not the same assembly lines.

>>39151756
Somewhere in robohell, that bastard is probably STILL smug as skipjack cries in a corner. That poor fish was the bubbleman of our time.

>>39151788
after seeing that pic that brings a question to my mind, did you actually ever plan to do anything with Susan or was that from the christmas special purposes only? Also I can't remember but what were the names of the berets that agreed to work under us again? or at least the two that talked to us.

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>>39151815
Your fireteam, the Bravely Broken, is composed of Susan, Flak, Marx, and Y. Yes, his name is Y.

They'll be turning up more often.

Whether we die or not, will the fact we trashed a G-rank be made public, or is that sort of thing classified by default?

>>39151756
I'm starting to suspect Saetos was Limit enhanced.

>>39151835
Do they get plot armour from having names?

>>39151847
They get Cain Lab's attention.

>>39151845
Gods I hope not. That would imply things later on.

>>39151835
I thought there was more then 4?

>>39151835
Not gonna lie, I figured SteelTO or Mike would end up as our fourth.

>>39151835
Would bringing Coil instead of Lockon have made much of a difference? Because I didn't realize how much we relied on it until it was gone.

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>>39151847
Yes, but they also go out of their way to hang out around you, so it's something of a wash.

>>39151841
Hunts are generally matters of public record, but this was a very atypical mission. It was a secret base with lots of equally secret tech and some targets of a classified nature. It might not be publicized, but anyone with high security clearance in the hunters will know what went down.

On the subject of Nicholz being a G-class... well, we're going to have to back off of that. The fact is we just didn't give him enough raw destructive power. Look at Shiva, and even Saetos. There were a few factors going for you in that fight, but we massively undersold him.

>>39151876
They're not vanishing either.

>>39151894
It definitely would have helped you play to your strengths. High mobility has been very kind to Anode's staying power.

...Can you guys tell I'm using the Q&A as an excuse to use pictures I won't have much opportunity to use?

>>39151940
B-but our G-killing credentials!

>>39151940
To be honest, he would probably work as a GA as opposed to a G. He was damn strong, no lie, but the guy's main power was behind his weaponry set up. Bind, pinpoint, and then fire a super weapon is amazingly good in a combat situation, but the guy was hella cocky and unlike Saetoes, he wasn't able to back up his smug. Likewise, his gear all seemed high end, but something relied heavily on and he was going up against someone who was used to being the underdog who finally got to use his gimick with his sister.

Definitely need to bring the coil along more though. Maybe incorporate a grapple system when the time comes.

>>39151940
>...Can you guys tell I'm using the Q&A as an excuse to use pictures I won't have much opportunity to use?
kinda surprised that you didn't use that back with lockon, maybe you can use it on doodoo, or whatever that guy who Tanker always dumps his paperwork on name is call, if we ever partner up with him.

>On the subject of Nicholz being a G-class...we massively undersold him. I just figured we did so well against him because we had Cath with us and it was showing off just how well we work together. I had the feeling throughout the whole thing that if she wasn't there it would have been a repeat of the Solars fight but this time without someone to come and surround the bastard and give us a fighting chance.

Any idea what month the next thread will be in? I think we have enough people to start the survey now, if you wanted.

Personally, I think Anode is still alive (...ish), based on the most convincing flimsiest evidence imaginable.

Namely, Schwarz's Christmas Special. Oh, sure, they SAY it was non-canon - but then next year, BAM, surprise twist, it was true all along! And then Christmas is saved for everyone!

Except Cathode, who wasn't there, and is thus Mavericked and/or dead.

Oh good, this is here. I was going to hit you up on IRC, but I might as well do it here.

IF WE AREN'T PLAYING ANODE FOR SEASON TWO I WILL HUNT YOU AND EAT YOUR SOUL. YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO KILL OFF THE BEST MC ON /tg/.

>>39152046
I like you.

>>39152035
I just want to plant paint-bomb land mines for next year's duel, and have Grach on the roof with a paint-sniper rifle. Who's laughing this time, Schwartz?!

>>39152068
Why thank you. I like you too. I also like Hunter Command, but point remains, I WILL EAT HIS HEART AND SHIT HIS SOUL IF ANODE IS DEAD.

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>>39151979
I know, I know, we're both kicking ourselves over it. We'll give you another bite at that apple someday, though you can bet it's going to be a bigger fracas.

>>39152016
I actually only got that specific one only recently.

And yeah, it was definitely Cathode's presence that made the fight even possible. Either of you on your own would have lost handily.

In the meantime, though, that gives me a good segue into the case for Nicholz.

He's an Incept Chaser, like Curtiss and Schmitt from the Megamission card games, and the middle of the three. Schmitt, who you saw get eaten by Limited, was strong enough to take on X, Zero, and then X AND Zero, and sweep them until met with upgrades.

With Nicholz, we wanted to showcase Cathode and Anode at their finest, taking on threats way outside their weight class via their synergistic builds, clever tactics, and their extensive training in covering one another. That said, the fight fell somewhat flat, especially for a final boss, and double-especially for taking on the strongest enemy you have ever faced, fullstop. We were a bit rushed for time, and it's hardly the first time something didn't go as planned, but that's not an excuse.

I did want to do a rundown of the reasons the fight went as it did, though, just for perspective.

The first and foremost thing is that you were victims of your own success. Writing that fight, I was astounded, because you made literally every right call and completely shut down the first half of the fight. Blackout on the sensor bit was a great move, and so was buying time for Cathode to try to take out the other. Imagine how that fight would have gone if he was able to freeze you and then instantly snipe you with his strongest weapon (that Sniper Rail would have given X and Zero grief) with pinpoint accuracy. Using the backup battery was a very, very good idea, and we were literally just discussing the hit you were going to eat from that hibeam halberd, had you not used it.

hey command, random question.

With all the stories people bring into your threads of games they've played using this setting do you ever consider any of it cannon in your story (unless is plain just doesn't work) or no?

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>>39152118
The corollary to that is that shutting down Nicholz's most powerful attacks is basically the only reason you won in the first place. 4 damage a shot (yes, I track this), 6 if you were stunned, 8 from the halberd in melee. Neither you nor Cathode had the durability to withstand more than a few hits of that, Cathode being sturdier but less evasive. Even with everything going right, you were still both down to the wire.

The third is that you haven't seen the end of what Nicholz could do. His most powerful weapon (more than capable of jumping a threat rating up a class) was one you only got hit with once, and it had effects beyond draining your WEAPON cells. More info on that to come.

The fourth is that you had the hard counter to his defensive gimmick. That pink particle effect was called Scattering Shield, and it basically eats buster shots and ray beams for lunch. It took Cathode jumpstarting your capacitors for a fatal shot to beat it.

And the last, of course, is your synergy. Cathode and Anode were built to defend one another and drilled in their most formative years until they needed near zero communication to coordinate effectively.

>>39152035
>>39152087
He'd be very proud of you.

And then he'd trigger Contingency A.

>>39152046
Oh dear. Also, thanks very much for the high praise.

>>39152022
Was just thinking that, yeah. Stand by.

>>39152138
Uralmash got a cameo.

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>>39152138
I try to work in what I can, and I'd like to give everything at least a nod. Some things will figure more prominently than others since I've had time and opportunity to coordinate with the storytellers.

Starting the survey next post.

>>39152141
>More info on that to come.
Insert scream here.

>Contingency A.
Insert more screaming here.

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Here's what I've got--I tried to remove anything that might make these questions feel 'loaded' one way or the other.

1: I’ve wanted to experiment with multimedia--the voice recordings we did for Grach and whatnot, things like that. Should we continue playing around with that, or would the story be better served without them?

2: How do you all feel about the infamous “lose all your upgrades between installments” thing? First off, let me nip the Saetos in the bud--we’re not taking that away from you until you’ve had a chance to actually use it, whatever happens. You earned that shiny and we’ve talked it up for so long I absolutely refuse not to give it to you. That said, do you want to keep or lose your upgrades as plot goes on? Keep them, or have them taken away?

3: Do you want more aspects of classic MMX gameplay? The most obvious one I can think of is visible life bars. Another might be LIFE and WEAPON drops off enemies--we’ve got fluff handy for those if they feel appropriate.

4: Do you want more nonstandard elements, or should we stick closer to the classic formula of eight mavericks, with special missions and final stages? This, I guess, ties into a broader question--do you want story feel to be more gamelike, or less?

5: How would you feel about more character play diversity, rather than primarily your main protagonist? More? Less? I know people were getting tired of it by the end of the long final mission stint, but would either lesser doses or a shift in narrative design to accommodate that be something you want?

6: For that matter, what about moving past protagonists, either now or in the future? Would you like to stat up a new hunter in a new unit, or the like? Maybe narration-hop to existing ones? Really, anything goes.

>>39152141
>And then he'd trigger Contingency A.
right, we'd need Indy to have her new jet ready with paint bombs (don't exist, we'll build them with R&D if we must) and carpet bomb the base. We'll deal with the consciences after and to hell with them.

>>39152141

Contingency A is the one for when there are Russians about, yes? Haha, Grach would be so surpris-

...Oh. Oh no.

GRACH IS IN ON IT! ABORT, ABORT!

>>39152182
1 Yes, I love that shit. Keep it up.

2 I HATE it. It's frustrating and pisses me off and makes everything harder. Obviously you need to do it more often (with the addendum that we should always eventually get it back, we earned that shit, we deserve to keep it in the long run).

3 I think that'd be very cool.

4 I really like the way it's been going so far, honestly. It feels like a good mesh of the game and story. Add in the classic aspects from question 3 and I think we'd be perfect.

5 I honestly prefer sticking to a main character. I don't really like the alternate POV stuff, it can be fun but... eh. I'm here for the main character and his interaction with other characters.

6 I already said I'd eat your heart if Anode dies. Buuut, down the road if he were to happily retire, then yeah, I could get into a new hunter in a new unit. Could be fun.

>>39152182
1) No particular opinion regarding multimedia, do whatever works.

2) I love our shinies. Love them. Even Cain Labs wouldn't be so cruel as to remove them, would he?

3 & 4) I trust you guys to make it work either way. As long as it keeps to the same quality, more or less gamelike is no big deal to me.

5 & 6) Much prefer all Anode, all the time, except for bonus interludes, special occasions and the like. Statting up new Hunters would be fun, but only as a new game, and I doubt you have the time to run two quests. Alternatively after Anode is dead, and I agree with soul-eating anon on that score. Much as I joke about him going Mav, I want to keep playing him.

>>39152182
1. Do what you feel best. I honestly just pop in and lurk, so I don't really feel invested in those, but if they add so much story value that you feel they're worth the effort, then go for it.

2. I'd rather keep them, to be honest. I like the idea of a hunter improving himself and getting stronger, and hopefully getting that elusive SA-Rank. Losing upgrades feels a little contrived, to be honest.

3. Definitely. I'd love to see how you'd fluff it out.

4. Do what you feel best. Sometimes the eight mavericks work, and give us choices we like, but at other times the pacing gets a little off. On the other hand, when you and Cain Labs take the show on the rails sometimes, it really showcases some awesome stuff, but it gets wonky when you add in those interludes sometimes. Bear in mind that the interlude issue was only an issue because of your really rare runtimes.

5. I don't particularly mind if you can run more, but when threads get spread months apart, it gets a little disappointing when you find yourself opening up a thread and- oh, it's another squadmate we barely know. Whoopee.

6. Well, I have the feeling that shifting between Anode and Em, or Anode and Cathode would be a nice dynamic, but I'd prefer sticking to what we have now. The Em thread you ran was particularly amazing, but I personally am here for the main show. Narration hopping tends to offer perspective, but doesn't provide the intensely personal story arcs you can achieve with a single character.

>>39152182
1: IT's a nice little addition and I don't mind it, but keep in mind that there may be some people who can't hear. I liked what you did in the christmas special with it, typing the words out and using the media thing, but so long as it doesn't become a huge part of it.

2: Some things I can see falling either to the wayside, being lost, or either integrated or upgraded. Just like in megaman games where some weapons have similar applications, I'm sure there will be some weapons will appear in different forms.

3: Life bars might be a bit meta, but it could help us gauge things in combat a bit. The item drops however? Really depends. I can see them being used in big missions to keep the action up without slowing down, but for things like skipjack and Terrapin, where speed was more important, or stealth missions, getting healing items would sort of negate the rush feeling.

4: I like it how it's done so far. It's a good mix of game and story, and there is plenty of wiggle room to whats needed. Besides, every new game always have a few gimicks to it and a secret boss or two.. or three.

5: Thats sort of tricky. I can see team ups easily, but it does take a long time between threads. Nothing wrong with it, but it's always a good idea to allow a quick look into the MC or side characters just so they aren't forgotten, like showing what one person's actions caused for the other's mission.

6: I honestly like Anode and I would like to see more of the world through his eyes. Secondary protags are fine as well, since I'm sure some day Anode will have his own student.

>>39152182
Regarding 6th, now I'm seeing Anode pinned down/unconscious/kidnapped and we, as Bravely Broken, rescuing him

I think it'd be awesome

>>39152182
1) Neutral on that.

2) ASLDKHGALSDGHAJLSGH FUCK

3) Sure, but the life bar thing? No, not unless it's something you tracked on your end and kept hidden from the players and that can be iffy. You do a good enough job of describing how wounded we are as it is, so I don't see the purpose in reducing immersion for a negligible gain.

4) Fine as it is.

5) The switches right now are way too frequent. I enjoy them in moderation, but it feels like the quest just exploded with perspective changes as of late.

However, I'm cool with Anode/Emerald.

6) I'm fine with moving onto another Hunter if/when Anode's story ends, but not before that.

>>39152182
1: I say go for it but also write down whatever you throw off site in the thread somewhere as well. I've heard from some users that they have problems actually pulling those files up sometimes and when you do things like that the file might not be there if someone is reading the thread later from the archives.

2: I"ll go either way with this one, I mean we were running out of room for crap we got off of mavericks near the end so freeing it up would be useful, but at the same time seeing how after those blackout rockets and lockon beam saved our ass I'm still a bit hesitant to just let them go. So again I'm ok with either option.

3:Sure, could make them rare though, like something you'd usually only find in an armory or something. I mean those mavericks have got to have some way to resupply there troops.

4:I say mix it up. I'm not sure how long you plan on running but I say for every season mix the formal up a bit just to keep us on our toes. Also I'm leaning more towards less gamelike because you do such a wonderful job at making your world fell alive.

5:It's less that I'm tired of Anode and more that I want to see what the rest of the hunter units are like. Plus some of them are bound to die or go Maverick so Cain labs is bound to have fun with that.

6: Honestly this comes down to how much time you can give the quest. As it is now where you only can really show up once a month if we're lucky I don't really think you could focus on more then one protagonist outside of a few major events like the final there or specials otherwise we'd never get anything down. Would like to see some new hunters that we can mess around with from time to time as well just to see the other units from an inside view and to maybe try out some new fighting styles. As for hopping on to existing ones, I like it as it shows us other styles of fighting then we use but I feel unless we helped make them into what they are now you can't really connect in the same way.

>>39152182
1. They're fine. You've been smart with where to use the voice stuff, so keep doing what you're doing.

2. This one I've really been thinking about. Honestly I'd be okay with losing shot upgrades, but I'm mixed on upgrades that went into our lance.

3. Naw, I think we're good where we are. It makes us think about the best ways and times to use our weapons since we have a limited amount. And life gauge isn't worth it IMO.

4. I'd be fine whichever way. I've enjoyed the Mav missions and side missions format. But if you feel like going off the rails will give you more freedom to do what you want, go for it. I trust your judgement on this.

5&6. This is really a matter of run frequency. At the current rate I'm more for the majority Anode.

>>39152350
>I'm cool with Anode/Emerald
That sure is openminded of you, anon!

>>39152395
I realized what I did just as the post went through.

I regret nothing.

>>39152182
>1:
I encountered those voice thingies in the archived threads, but never got them to work. Too quiet, even with my speakers cranked up. Sounded about like someone humming gently in a huge cavern.
>2:
I'm fine with losing half the upgrades... but I'm really attached to the Chaff Rockets and the Tension Coil (which we use less, but factors into our eventual plan to Become Batman, or at least Robin to Cathode's Batman). Chaff is just stupidly fun an trollish, I grin every time we fire the damn thing. Not that it matters, since Anode Is Definitely Dead.
>3:
Nah. Although introducing them over time as "new" inventions might be interesting. Just to shake things up.
>4:
Yes, keep the 8-mission system. It just makes the quest feel more like a Mega Man thing, to me. More between-missions stuff, maybe, or more high-powered threats that require more downtime between them?
>5:
>6:
[big, helpful shrug]

>>39152404
[spoilers]ishipit[/spoilers]

>>39152182
1. Sure. It at least helps with immersion, and the effort is clearly there.
2. No. We aren't nearly as pacifist as X is.
3. So long as it doesn't get bogged down in mechanics.
4. Nonstandard is fun, if you want to keep it how it is, that's fine too. I can't imagine this keeping on the rails now that the training wheels are off though.
5. Needs more frequency before you shift perspectives, as people have said above.
6. Stick with what we've got. Too much time invested not to.

>>39152436
Agreeing with coil and chaff, if we have to lose our weapons, I hope we could at least keep those.

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>>39152395
>>39152404
I love you guys.

As for the poll, I'm getting a general consensus on "I'd be more fine with the diversions from the main character if you ran more frequently."

I definitely plan to, but as the last few...um, years, have indicated, my plans fall through a hell of a lot.

For what it's worth, the alternate player threads would always be a sometimes food, and almost universally be characters you know and (hopefully) care about. The thing about the finale was an attempt on my part--and I hope a successful one--to make the refight stage of any Megaman game more interesting. We had an unusually dense number of reappearances by Anode's targets for that reason, with a few more retired mavericks brought back for Flares and Em. Either way that many diversions will be very infrequent, and my lesson's been learned--if I use them, you'll be back to Anode sooner rather than later.

As for voice stuff, I do try to be conscientious for any potential deaf readers out there and transcribe what's been included. The Grach transcripts were put on mediafire on an MHQ account to make sure they'd be accessible, though I don't know what to do about the audio issues some readers have reported. Either way, it sounds like I can keep attempting them where it's relevant, and I'll keep including instory transcripts of each piece.

>>39152182

1. Yes, it's rather fun.

2. How about giving up some, but not all of the weapons? T Coil helps a lot, would be nice to keep it around.

3. Pass on life bars. The LIFE and WEAPON drops would definitely be nice, but hopefully fairly rare.

4. A few more nonstandard elements here and there could be nice.

5. The character changes are fun, it is nice to know how the other characters do their work. Wouldn't really mind more, less or the same of it.

6. I wouldn't mind moving past protagonists in the future. Would be nice to stick with Anode till he dies though.

>>39152481
It helps that our weapons are mostly intergrated as well. Phase is in our lance.. once we regain it, and our misercord uses our ice. Turn Saetos into a weapon or equip and we'd likely keep it as well.

Hell, if the weapon data in our VWES was damaged due to the shiny field, we could likely incorporate a few bits into the weapon or give the bravely broken our hand me downs.

>>39152503
Regarding multimedia, it's fine if it's transcribed, but although I have permission use /tg/ at work when MHQ is running, I can't use the speakers there. If it's purely voice-based, I have to wait to get home to click them, which is a minor pain.

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>>39152556
...that's a pretty awesome workplace, I have to say.

>>39152588
I'm one of the two company directors, which helps. Even managed to get the day off for the end of arc thread, thanks to the early announcement! (The other director will never understand my hobbies.)

>>39152182
1. Multimedia stuff is cool. Keep doing it.

2. Fuck no. Only way I'd be okay with that is if we can get them back later on at no significant cost.

3. I like what you've been doing so far. Maybe have WEAPON drops be very rare, and as rewards for doing cool shit or using effective weapons on specific enemies.

4. Again, keep doing what you've been doing.

5. I much prefer playing as Anode, but every once in a while playing as someone else would be cool. It got extremely annoying near the end when we had like 5 straight threads where Anode wasn't playable.

6. As people have said before, a new protagonist would work only once Anode's story is finished.

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So here's another round of questions, this is a bit more broad.

What were your favorite parts of the story? Least favorite? Places we could improve (aside from run frequency, which is probably my greatest failing).

How about favorite characters? Least favorite characters? Favorite maverick and/or fight? Any other input about things you like, things you don't like, things you want?

Hit us up, that's what this thread is for.

>>39152682
favorite part of the story for me was the after mission wrap up where we got to see how well we did an got a new toy from taking down a maverick. I always found it interesting to see how people reacted depending on how bad we fucked up or by how well we succeeded.

Favorite characters, Anode, Em, and Schwarz. Anode because duh, Em because he was the perfect partner in crime for Anode, and Schwarz because all legends have someone to show them the ropes. Cath as well just because I love the sibling rivalry.
Least favort would be tanker just because I find him sad and Seven because we don't really know much about the guy and what we do know isn't all the flattering.

As for the mavericks, Solars was fucking awesome even if it was a bitch and a half but that's what made it so great when we finally beat that bastard. Least favorite would be wolf spider because that fucker is what got us in therapy.

>>39152682
>Favorite
I liked the ratio between missions and base-life. The socialisation and activities in downtime really helped me get attached to Anode, and getting a look at the world building is fun. Love the infantry, Grach, pretty much every character (especially Emerald). Even Seven.

>Least
Apart from runtime, I can't think of any. Best quest.

Would have liked to be more in-depth with Saetos, maybe in a recurring villain kind of way. He seemed to have a particularly fleshed-out personality, and it's a shame we'll never get to explore it, unless CL wants to torment us more. I took an instant liking to Vector Addax, is I can see why you and CL were so disappointed to kill him off.

Spending more time in actual training would be good - more of a focus on sparring, ride armor piloting etc, although that's more down to the way votes go.

Need more metts.

>>39152682
Favorite moment: Tumult Terrapin. I can't choose between the mission or the bossfight
Least? None yet, to be honest
Favorite character: Good old Schwartzhund, followed by Em, Hammer Frog and Grach
Favorite maverick/fight: Already put Terrapin, so I'll put Winter Wolfspider here. Damn, that death was hardcore
Things I like/want: More Hammer Frog and Grach screentime

>>39152802
Seconding more Grach.

>>39152682
I'd say my favorite bits happen when we manage to pull things off and feel PROUD of our accomplishments and seeing the results of it. Getting that armor, seeing the guy thank us for saving him from jagwire, saving diamond and the others and the steel barets going up to bat for us felt like we did good. As for bad? Ehhh, nothing really horrible. It does feel like we don't get any middle ground in victories. We do end up heavily damaged often, and sometimes it does feel like we get punched for making the right choices. It happens though and I hold no real issue with it.It'd be really boring if we always came out from fights clean, and war always has casualties.

My favorite is the 4th in general, except for Seven who is my least. The characters have pretty good personalities and feel very fleshed out, but Seven always seems to just fade from the spot light and just doesn't show much about himself.

Favorite fight would have to be Terrapin's stage and Saetoes final fight. Both did well in feeling appropriate and kept the character interactions high. Wolfspider would be my least favorite due to his dickery in general.

>>39152682
Favorite character is Glacier Gibbon. I love how he steals the spotlight every thread, always ready with a witty quip and- wait, no.

Wellington's cool.

>>39152682
Regarding pic, will we ever combine with Em and form some kind of Megareploid of whirling, bladed, movie-quote-shrieking death?

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>>39152908
>will we ever combine with Em

>>39152118
>>39152138
What I'm getting from this is that we did really good and made absolutely no mistakes, and the fight seemed overly easy as a result?

I'm not seeing the problem with that, honestly.

>>39152682
Favorite moment: Taking down Saetos. While it might have lost a little impact thanks to our recent fights, that doesn't mean that it was any less of a "HOLY FUCK DID WE JUST FUCKING DO THAT?!" moment at the time.

Least favorite: Pretty much everything to do with Wolfspider. It has its place, and I definitely wouldn't want less moments like that if our decisions call for them, but holy fuck we got screwed over hardcore.

Favorite characters? India and Emerald. Those two consistently stood out to me the most, which is saying a goddamn lot with this cast.

>>39152922
Thank god we're both a) reploids and b) male, and can't breed. I don't want to imagine the kid that would result from such an unholy unity.

>>39152922
Anode's parents and Em's team up on a project. The end result is sent to 4th overland. His first words to Anode and em are "Daddy!"

>>39152682
Run frequency could definitely use some more regularity, but I actually find that once a month or so seems to work quite well for you (and us). MHQ has this air of... prepared polish, I guess you could say. It frequently feels like Anode is in a big world where Things Are Happening, rather than the whole thing being driven by the MC's actions. I like that. Homeless Mutant Quest does the same, very effectively.

Favourite Maverick is Spin Jagwire, no question. Most of your mavs are notable in their own right, but that deadly lunatic was a meme all to himsAAAAAAAART

>>39152182
1. Go for it. I like the art and sound clips.
2. pls no. I like our stuff and I feel like taking it all away would cheapen the experience. It works in the games, but I don't think it would translate well to the quest.
3. Could go either way. I'd prefer a narrative approach though.
4. Don't mind either way
5. I'm not a huge fan of stories that jump between multiple perspectives too much, but every now and again I don't mind it.
6. Meh, don't really mind. I'm not a huge fan of protagonist hopping though

Enjoying the quest so far, keep it up.

>>39152980
Both hilarious and traumatizing, especially when he then starts dating India.

>>39152980
Oh god we got to ask our parents if they ever make us a new sibling to program them to call Cath mommy just to fuck with her.

>>39153014
ITT: Why Cath ends up going Mav and slaughtering Anode.

>>39153050
worth it

>>39153078
Only if it calls Blitz daddy.

.... Okay. I know what we need to program our future mett to do.

I have a thing for you HC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stsHXs6kYnY
Can't be the best without this, after all.

>>39153110
>.... Okay. I know what we need to program our future mett to do.
...have it talk dirty to certain people only when they are alone to make it look like the person they're talking to is insane for clamming that not only can a mett which can't even talk is talking but also saying very dirty things?

>>39152182
1) Those were fun. Though accidentally finding the script early for the Grach one was hilarious.

2) I'd rather avoid that for a couple very key weapons. The Misericorde, Blackout Rockets Tension Coil just feel to key to Anodes fighting style now and being without the Coil for the final battle just felt off. I wouldn't mind have certain powerful weapons, such as the one to be made from Saetos' data, "restricted" allowing for a "this is serious" flag when we are allowed to use them.

3) Currently ambivalent, but will comment if something doesn't work.

4) I think the classic formula works, but am not against occasionally mixing it up.

5) Short interludes controlling other members of the "Team"/Main Cast (i.e. India, Em, Susan, Grach, Schwartz, Cathode and Seven) are fine occasionally, but not consecutively. Controlling Flares Firefly (a character that I think could make a good future member of the "Team") and Em worked and was pretty cool, but Wisent felt unnecessary.

6) Right now I feel Anode's story has just begun. He is still a wet behind the ears rookie and his real end must come as a badass grizzled vet in a fight so full of Movie references that even the Mavericks know it.

Favorite character? Hard to choose, pretty much all the main cast are great.
Least favorite? Hard to choose between Dodo and Tanker.

Favorite Moment? The final fight with Saetos
Least Favorite? Controlling Wisent

>>39153173
I meant having it chase Cath and Blitz around, squeaking Mama and Papa at them, but that works too.

>>39152182
Already gave you this on IRC, but so seems only fair to keep discussion where everyone can see it, so my opinions:

1, personally don't really care much for watching/listening; a lot of times I read your threads at work and that could be (more) awkward. It can be a thing, but I wouldn't want it to be an integral thing (i.e. don't make it Homestuck).

2, *This* time, you have a good narrative set-up for us losing the stuff we were carrying (but not lance upgrades, or the T.Coil since that wasn't on us), and you've explained why it happens to *X*, but I think trying to force it after every season would seem wonky since it's not standard Hunter fare. Why's it keep happening to us?

3, If these had been there the whole time, worked in and explained, I'd be all for them, but adding them now feels super-weird and difficult to explain. They dropped for X in MMX and X2, but then not for us here, but now they are again? Wat. Leaving them out just means they're not a part of the MHQ version of the universe, and that's fine. Ironically, this is actually the question I probably feel most-strongly about. I really don't like the idea.

4, I have no particular investment with the 8-maverick-then-final-stages-plus-some-interludes thing; if it works, go for it, if it's limiting, drop it.

5, I actually liked pretty much all the alt characters' threads, unlike apparently everyone in the thread. Sure, time between threads is a disappointment, but I've been happy with all the MHQ I've gotten.

6, Definitely not ready to give up on Anode yet.

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>>39153155
What.

What.

...What.

Is that what I--

WHAT

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>>39152928
In the Nicholz fight you did pretty damn well for yourself, yeah.

Though speaking of mistakes, there was one big one I can think of in Anode's hunts. It's bothered me for a while since I'm pretty sure the failing was, once again, mine.

On Skipjack's mission, taking the ride chaser through the mine field damn near resulted in losing the thing, which would have resulted in civilian casualties due to the torpedo attack on the islands. The only reason it didn't go that way (I had an alternate level path ready where you would have assaulted Skipjack's research lab from the seafloor) was because you had just come from Em talking about surfing a torpedo when he took on Bright Seastar, and it changed the tone you were approaching the mission from. If I hadn't thought that was my fault, you guys would have eaten the consequences, but I didn't want to punish you for a misread I was responsible for.

>>39152182
1: i'm not realy opposed to it if it works out keep doing it.

2: losing our shinies would suck but we could use a bit of a clean up stuff we don't use much and such.

3: while a LIFE bar would be rather meta i would like a more indept view of how well or how bad we are doing.

4: the standerd formula works pretty well, but i feel it could be expanded more with some more.

5:i realy like sticking with the main character but going to different view points would be nice from time to time.

6:i feel that anondes time is not yet up and would like to stick with him some more.

>>39153155
Alert! Alert!
P-Class threat detected!
Scramble all Everythings!

I think dropping *some* of the upgrades makes sense, since I don't want to have to navigate through a three-fold chinese menu of boss abilities on our character sheet.

But at the same time, even X and Zero keep abilities they gain over the course of the games (dash and beamsaber being the big examples).

Back in the aughties I had a little hunter character whose alternative to a VWES was just replacing his entire arms before going on a mission. I guess Anode could end up with something similar.

Gimmick slots for internal systems, so we end up mostly earning sidegrades rather than an endless list of available options and stackin upgrades?

>>39152182
1) Go ahead, provided you give transcripts for any of us who lack speakers/working ears.

2) I'd say keep the upgrades, but have the constant improvement of tech render them obsolete over time unless we sink obscene amounts of cash into them.

3)I'd say keep health status to Anode noting just how bad his shit's been kicked in, but pickup drops off enemies would give us a bit more leeway in how we get things done.

4) Standard formula became standard for a reason, but throw in some unique missions every now and then.

5) Stick to just one person for most of the time, but have the occasional swap so we get some diversity.

6) When Anode is truly dead because of fuckups on our part, then we can stat up a new hunter.

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>>39152682
My favourite part of the story was, without a doubt, the Saetos fight. I really liked him as a villain. The art helped.

My favourite character was also Saetos. I don't really have a least favourite character, to be honest.

Favourite maverick fight, again, Saetos. Winter Wolfspider is a close second, followed by Spin Jagwire.

Things I like:
Character interaction and banter. Can't get enough of it. I really like the cast thus far
How well you've captured the setting

Things I dislike:
The fact that you only run every two months
People who vote against the Saetos Sword of Full Retard +5

>>39153621
Saetos, get out. You're dead.

>>39153155
Maverick Hunter Quest: The Videogame?

>>39153621
>Saetos Sword of Full Retard +5
Don't think I've heard of that before. What is that?

>>39153642
I will keep voting for that sword every time it comes up. Alone, if I have to.

>>39152682
Favorite part of the story may have been the rescue mission with X. It was a good way to expand the world and a nice change of pace. Don't really have a least favorite. Maybe Vienna because we never REALLY used the Crossmore.

Favorites are Anode, Em, and Schwarz as you probably expect. I also surprisingly like Tanker, I hope we can eventually mend that relationship. Least favorite is also unsurprisingly Seven, but we're supposed to dislike him so I don't think that really counts.

Favorite mav was Saetos, favorite fight was Saetos and Shiva. I really liked the frantic "we're fucked" atmosphere of the Shiva fight, it was a good showing of how outmatched we were. Terrapin and Wallaby were also good.

I appreciate you not pandering and letting us waifu everything (though I guess that's also good on my fellow players' parts). Quality quest.

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>>39153678
A beam saber made using the pure DNA data Saetos left you. Em took a look at it and promptly told you it would melt the materials it was made out of and kill or incapacitate most Reploids on ignition due to the high electromagnetic output.

It's also totally possible to make one that would work, and people really seem to love the idea. I've said before I can totally make it happen, but you're going to have to invest some resources in being able to use the thing without getting the magnetic sickness.

>>39153678
Basically, one of the options for the Saetos data is a two-handed beam sabre so powerful that it starts killing everything in the general vicinity just from being activated, and makes Anode feel sick purely because it's basically a miniature star in sword form.

>>39153678
Retardedly powerful beam saber that kills all the things ever.

>>39153737
Anode is in a fairly unique position to take advantage of it though, yes? Because he is already fairly heavily shielded against electromagnetic interference due to his unique design and build.

I would love to invest the resources to make him proof against it and then get the sword, because that way we have something to use when things really hit the fan and all nearby hostiles need to be dead about 30 seconds ago.

>>39153787
would have to be careful using it around allies though. probably could make it a beam saber add on though.

>>39153737
>>39153745
Ooooh. I'm surprised I somehow managed to miss that. Neat.

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>>39153707
Waifu is one of those deadly tonics I'm going to do my level best to avoid.

I do want to leave the romance option open, however, just not in the usual "harem of girls tripping over themselves to win the Protagonist Bowl" sense.

I should note broaching the topic got Cain Labs to sing about murder, so take that as you will.

>>39153737
Not a big fan of it myself. We have means to basically use the data to make a strong weapon/piece of gear thats not just sheer attack power. The coil is why we do so well since it offers more than attack options. Likewise, our strongest weapon, the sniper laser is not that handy outside fights.

Besides, a solid weapon/shield that can super heat the edge and turn it into a electro magnet can likely do the same thing without screwing every ally in a 100 yard radius.

>>39152182
1. Those speech bits are great, and should stay. Not often in one of these games you get to hear them, right?

2. I would say let us keep our bits. Unlike the videogames, the barrier between us and them is money, not finding capsules, and frankly it would just mean spending more money to get our toys back. Now, that isn't to say some can't be gone. Em's MIA and had our lance, and the misericorde could get damaged easily enough.

3. I would like to give them a shot at least.

4. The beautiful thing about the series has been how inventive they were in the games on typing. Most mavs in the videogames didn't fit the niche of specific typings. So keep getting inventive.

5. I think hopping bots is a sometimes thing. While new views are fun, it would get old if done all the time.

6. Much as I would like more faces and builds, I would say stick to the main character.

Now, a question or two back at you, so we know something to come: what were the baseline options for Saetos's data? It seemed like the sort of thing X parts are made of in its way.

I know Em is/was against upgrades, but he is a good example for my purposes. Say he wanted to get a gimmick like Cath's knuckle spike shot thing that was melee, then ranged on contact for armor piercing. Not as VWES, but as a replacement for his buster to play better to his strengths and accomodate that weakness, fully integrated into him. How would that work, and how much would that cost, in terms of a few jobs to all of India's Vienna pay? I saw mention of integration of weapon data ages back, and wondered about this for a long while.

Also, well, if you open up with us not being Anode, what about Seven? He is quite possibly the one we know least about. And, well, if we are Anode, would buster upgrading smooth things with Seven at all?

>>39153809
Well, yes. It isn't something that would be used in the presence of civilians or when fighting with your back to an ally.

It's something for search & destroy missions where collateral doesn't matter. I think it'd make Zero proud.

>>39153837
>however, just not in the usual "harem of girls tripping over themselves to win the Protagonist Bowl" sense.
Thank fucking god.

>>39153837
I sort of wanted to see India and Anode hook up but I'm not particularly bothered about relationships beyond providing another opportunity for CHARACTER INTERACTION, so I guess I could take it or leave it.

>>39153892
from what I'm getting they could hook up but we're going to have to work for it

>>39153925
India is deathly afraid of feelings

>>39153849
But why waste our super weapon on a thing we can only use in a specific situation? Chances are we will never really use it and will sit in the closet most of the time. I would like a more defensive weapon with other benefits to it's use. Remember, two of the main selling points is Saetos' super armor and the magnetic claws and they keep getting passed up in discussion.

>>39153686
It's okay, anon. I'll be voting with you.

>>39153955
I'd also be fine with super-armour.

Really, I just want something that either sends offensive capability through the roof, or makes Anode near impossible to kill. Utility, I can take or leave.

>>39154047
I'd love super-armour, but I prefer our speed. If we could keep or increase our mobility while getting superior armour, it would be worth it, but not getting hit at all is best.

That LN upgrade for supercooling our dashes looked good.

>>39153955
The super armor was a later upgrade and not part of Solar Saetos' base stats (the data we got) from what I understand.

>>39154047
>>39154084
It's why I went for the Solstrike shield design last week. Magnetic grip to attach it anywhere, a thrust that cans erve as both a speed assist and simple flamethrower, and a edge treated to both serve as a electro magnet and to be super heated. Could keep it buckler/small shield size and intergate the shell into it and we'd have a point defense/constant use punchy thing/booster helper with an extra 'screw your innards' option.

>Schwartz gets back from mission
>Em MIA/dead
>Anode Mav/dead
>schwartzdrinkingforever.gif

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>>39153847
Working on your questions.

As for the Saetos upgrade...

VWES upgrades: Due to the completely intact DNA data Saetos left you, the results of weapon data application will be that much stronger and true to the original. In addition, due to the quality and purity of the data, one additional VWES refinement is available for whatever upgrade is selected.
The downside is that this data is protected--Saetos primed it to delete itself when copied over. It can be transferred, but you still wind up with exactly one copy. This means that no further duplicates of the data can ever be requisitioned.

1: Ultraviolet Laser: 64 burstfire lasers, invisible to the naked eye. They fire in rapid succession, so you bleed ammo quick. A further refinement (and paying for additional powerplant generation and linkup) could provide effectively infinite invisible laserfire, at the cost of a VWES slot to carry it along. Alternatively, the UV systems could further emulate the original by splitting each laser into three differently-angled shots and releasing a UV flash on the first shot in a burst, blinding anyone with the sensors to see it.

2: Fusion Cannon: 2-shot VWES emulation of Saetos’s signature buster. Extremely powerful, but slow-moving projectile that detonates into a sphere of fiery death. The wielder is not heatproof--danger close. An additional upgrade could emulate Saetos’s EM envelope guidance system and allow limited movement of the projectile in flight. An alternate upgrade path could double the efficiency, allowing a total of 4 shots.

Bear in mind this is only the VWES entities--nonstandard upgrade options (and doozies, at that) remain to be seen.

>>39154170
I'm not a huge fan of either of these. I'd rather use it for something else swordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordswordsword

>>39154170
Yeah looking like nonstandard is the way to go.

>>39154170
>"Fuck You" Light (Not Hyperbole) Machine Gun
>"Fuck You" Nuke Cannon
ftfy

Also, between the two, I'll vote on the "fuck you" machine gun

>>39154170
I dunno that UV Laser sounds great. It full of justdiediediediediediediediediediediediediediedie

>>39154319
Those are just VWES, mind. If we had endo, that could very possibly make a whole new suit for us.

>>39154170
Can we implement full retard sword as an overcharge mode on our Lance?

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>>39154170
saetosdata.gif

>>39154386
Now imagine that happening on metal, and very very fast

I don't think I'll sleep tonight...

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>>39154370
The Ascent Lance would get slagged inside and out by the attempt. You'd first need to replace the outer casing and components with higher thermal resistant materials (and as a conduit for the capacitor, it's already very high and still not enough). On top of that, it has no upgrade space since the conduit channels run all the way through it.

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>>39153847
To make, say, Stake Shell non-VWES, Emerald would need to buy the subsystem, link it to a suitable power source (his LIFE cell specifically doesn't have much that draws on it but basically any other Reploid would need an auxiliary). Then he'd need the fabricators inbuilt and slaved to a WEAPON cell--which he would need to buy, replacing the old buster parts entirely. So, LIFE link -> WEAPON cell -> minifabricator -> subsystem, all purchased separately, all integrated to one another via linkups, and then he could start pile bunkering people. That would cost A Lot, with an option on A Fucking Lot, and drastically increase the weight inside that arm, opening up a whole slew of complications for his balance.

As for Seven, we're discussing whether or not you should get a piece of the action in the interlude from his perspective. Upgrading his buster probably wouldn't do much smoothing. He's still just kind of a dick.

>>39154459
So what you are saying is it would be far more cost and time effective to go with a whole new weapon.

Since we can technically take our armor off, I just had a thought: could we make a second armor set? We are designed to be able to take some of our bits off at least for easier repair, could it end up being like an X-5 armor that could be swapped out?

>>39154459
So it would have to be it's own thing and likely something more solid if we want to rein in it's electro fuckery to just the weapon. I am certainly hoping we have enough money to afford making it a good part of our kit.

I'll still fly with the solstrike shield and/or something solid and practical, but I take it saetos armor and thrusters would be crazy good?

>>39154170
Both sound pretty good, but I'll wait and see what we could do with those "nonstandard upgrade options". I like the sound of that. The big sword sounds nice, too, though. Gives us something to upgrade towards/around; long term goals are always good to have.

Out of curiosity, would any prospective Saetos upgrades involve improving Anode's capacitor? Such as adding to its capacity, or its ability to SAFELY draw power off massive power mains? Saetos handled a lot of power, seemingly without much danger to himself.

>>39154505
I meant more just getting it to be that we aren't some terrorbeast from beyond sanity, but just a dickish coworker with no impulse control.

>>39154505
I would personally love something from Seven's perspective. There may be a lot of hate for him, but I'd love to dig a little deeper.

>>39154505
I wish I could into art because that fucking zweihander design keeps making me think of Giantdad Emerald.

>>39154570
>terrorbeast from beyond sanity
Why would we ever want to stop people from thinking this?

>>39154459
Could we buy a second lance that would have the necessary upgrade space and thermal resistance? Or is that in the price area of A Fucking Lot as well?

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>>39154548
Saetos's DNA didn't have much to do with armoring, that was just a side-effect of his design--built for independent entry and exit from orbit. Most of his systems were regulation for high EM signature and intense heat.

>>39154569
The capacitor itself wouldn't be largely compatible, but the systems architecture built around it might be.

>>39154570
>>39154585
Well, offering that specific thing would probably just piss him off. Seven's response to an offer to upgrade his buster would be, in order:
1: Fuck you, none of your business
2: None of your business, fuck you
3: I'm not a goddamn charity case
4: I've got money, money won't help.

>>39154604
I'm not gonna lie, The Legend Never Dies would be an appropriate theme for the little bastard.
"WHAT VWES YOU GOT, BITCH?"

>>39154680
I'm not interested in upgrading his buster, just maybe... I dunno, picking up some of the less technical work for him? It would help his workload, give us something to do, and probably teach us about what goes into mission planning and requirements. He might be less of a dick to us, too.

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>>39154673
That's probably the only real way you could go about making the sun saber a reality. You would need to special-order the best thermal-resistant alloys you could machined into a weapon hilt, then custom-order the individual components of the saber's inner workings, built to the same specifications and extremely high outputs. Then you could worry about integrating the data and making your glorious sun saber.

Incidentally, Cain Labs floated the name Zanka no Tachi, while I suggested Claimh Solais.

How much does a Beret earn from a standard C/B/A rank mission as backup? Presuming they don't do anything particularly noteworthy, like soloing a B rank or whatever?

>>39154785
Emerald would go gay for this sword, wouldn't he? Outright blurt 'I love you' when we test fire the saber.

>>39154785
I'd love to build in in private (probably with Em's help for the expertise) and let everyone think it's just another lance.

Then a big mission comes up, we tell everyone to get clear, and show what it can really do. Cue 'WTF, Anode!?' from nearby allies, and hysterical laughter from us and Em.

>>39154833
>>39154841
Except he could never get near it. Truly the most cruel of fates.

>>39153842
i agree it is a huge waste to make the statos data into a pure weapon. not to mention the beam saber of fuck you is to shity to our allies civilians and any fragile assets.

>>39154885
Obviously we must do this now. For sadism!

>>39154680

>built for independent entry and exit from orbit.

Upgrade our leg springs with the data. Jump to the moooooon

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>>39154800
Probably a percentage hazard pay atop a standing salary. Percentages aren't usually more than 5k, and that's for direct involvement. If they're tasked after a high-class threat, they receive commensurate increases in pay, but in general, the expectations (and demands) set on them are lower.

>>39154833
>>39154841
Em would probably manage to exclaim "CO--" before he promptly keeled over dead. As he is and as it is, he would very likely be killed outright by being anywhere near it once engaged.

>>39154903
Admittedly, it's a huge waste of data, money, time and effort for the most part, but you're forgetting the most important of the entire design.

It's really, unbelievably fucking cool.

>>39154133
that is such a sweet idea I hope we pick that

>>39154909
How long has passed in story?

>>39154909
As the saber would be built from scratch, doesn't that mean the data would not be actually used?

>>39154909
Yeah. Again, voting against it personally as it is too much like the Spark Cracker for my tastes, or whatever Wisent's nuke was. It would be too nasty for anything at all and I don't like a weapon that would make us worse for being pure attack power. It turns on, we live but are so fucked we have trouble moving straight, much less using it right.

>>39154909
What sort of safe range are we talking? Meters? Tens of meters? A mile away, in a bunker?

How about turning the data into a support unit?

Or would that be too macabre?

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>>39154948
A few months. Anode just turned three.

>>39154956
The saber itself would have to be built to be able to accept the data without slagging itself. You'd use the data in developing those components, or integrate them in once it's been tested to withstand holding in a sun. Think of it kind of like a Davy Crockett launcher. You just need to upgrade the thing (and yourself) to be radiation proof.

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Honest question, here, about human Hunters:

Did the endless Samus/Master Chief/Warframe jokes ever die off? Or are they STILL submitting powersuit modification requests that make someone at a desk somewhere get out a steel bin, a lighter, and a stress doll?

>>39155010
>We built our own Zero
Nah.

>>39155010
Asked that once. Basically, we aren't built for it at the moment and if Saetos gets shot down, we lose that piece of kit for good. Still like the idea admittedly of something like a fire eagle mechaniloid that links up to us for a big whammy.

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>>39155067
>literally putting a Giant Eagle in the quest

>>39155033
I thought we'd just turned two?

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>>39155057
Most powersuits are ill-suited to hunter work, with the advent of magnetic buffers and shielding.

At the end of the day, the most (and by extension, most) non-kit hardware that a human hunter uses is cybernetic replacements, be they for limbs or organs. There's a tradeoff--humans can deal more effectively with certain anti-Reploid measures, but in exchange, they're incredibly fragile. They rely more on mobility than endurance, and power armor costs them too much of the former for not enough of the latter. It also opens them up to all the weaknesses a Reploid might contend with, and no escape if their exoskeleton becomes a metal tomb.

>>39155113
He's been two for a while. Keep in mind the age includes his time acclimating to being alive, his training with Cathode, and his pre-hunter education.

>>39154929
this may just be me being a huge protoman fan but i think the multi use fuck you shield is supper cool in its own right and while I admit is less intrinsically cool, far more importantly makes us able to do more cool bad ass things which is what i think is important here.

>>39155178
I also think the shield is great, I just want both. Because I'm greedy.

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>>39155211
I actually understand how you feel. I'm genuinely disappointed I can only give you one of the Saetos upgrades I cooked up.

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>>39155161
>Human Hunters are AUGMENTED

Not only is this far superior, but it opens the door to endless Deus Ex quotations that probably entertain a small number of Hunters (human and reploid) and drive the rest of them nuts.

"GET BEHIND ME, IDIOT, A HUMAN CAN'T REPEL FIREPOWER OF THAT MAGNITUDE,"

"WHATEVER YOU SAY, FLATLANDER WOMAN,"

"I AM NOT A MACHINE!"

"WHAT A SHAME,"

"FOR YOU!"

"I hate you two so much. So god damned much. It's unreal."

>>39155211
would you be cool with making a less awesome fire sword with less valuable data and more money and using the statos data shield? Because i like the oh shit sword as part of our kit but dont like the idea of "wasting" the super data on it.

>>39155226
Sword of Full Retard +5, plus the shield. Even without those, at some point, we have to go full sword and shield, like a goddamn knight. Just for shits and giggles.

>>39155270
we can only have one though.

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>>39155235
India actually plays retro PC games, so she could (and would) do this on the regular. She references old games like Anode references movies.

>>39155255
I'd be okay with that, yes. Not killing Em by activating our weapon would be a major bonus.

>>39155304
Has she discovered Monkey Island yet?

>>39152182
>1: sure if you feel up for it but dont let it slow down the already slow up dates.
>2: I propose that we get to keep one or two of our pivotal upgrades and make them standard like how x kept the dash system but we can lose most of our capacity. I would also like to be able to buy toned down versions from past "games" for money
I would say we keep the t coil and buy a toned down phase distorter and chaff (we need chaff for the troll). Though i think should keep what we got with cash.
also if most of our weapon data got damaged by the pink death storm that would explain it as well as give an excuse to give the broken data as hand me downs to the berets like another anon said
>3: YES!!!
>4:I like the gamy bits but i also like the charicter drama so my opinion is game like misions and similar flow back at base
>5: I like the idea but i have 2 concerns A: I want the MC to have at least half the spotlight time (2/3 is better) and B: we should go back to the mc after at most two threads. of one or two other characters.
>6: I like the idea of following one character and his associates through the universe better than fundamentally jumping around in a travelog of the setting but with the right setup i could see us passing the torch and continuing the same linear narrative with a new focal character after the other retires dies or gets promoted to a desk.

>>39155290
We need to drop to our knees when we get this info in-game, and scream a horrified NOOOOO to whatever poor bastard told us this.

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>>39155327
Yep. She can hold her breath for more than ten minutes, but insult swordfighting isn't her bag.

How much would it actually cost us to build a mettool? Not a combat-worthy one or anything, just a decent standard one.

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Sorry for the delay there.
>>39155433
Not much. A civilian model could be bought for a few hundred zenny. A basic combat model wouldn't be more than a few thousand. Then again, you're really not gonna do much with one combat met and then it will inevitably explode.

>>39155742
Could we integrate one to the back of a ride chaser as an auto-turret?

>>39155742
... They're cheap.

I want a dozen. Evil, cackling ones that run around in a horde, lunging to headbutt everyone's ankles.

>>39152182
> 1: I’ve wanted to experiment with multimedia--the voice recordings we did for Grach and whatnot, things like that.

I like the experiments!

> 2: How do you all feel about the infamous “lose all your upgrades between installments” thing?

I personally prefer losing them. In this case Em can lose our lance, and a certain someone can rip all our upgrades out.

> 3: Do you want more aspects of classic MMX gameplay?

I feel as if the Life Bars might make /tg/ too paranoid, but am willing to give them a try. Only use drops on large slog missions.

> 4: Do you want more nonstandard elements, or should we stick closer to the classic formula of eight mavericks, with special missions and final stages?

I feel this is a good narrative frame, but feel free to make things unexpected if they fit. (change it for a reason, not change it because you want to)

> 5: How would you feel about more character play diversity, rather than primarily your main protagonist?

I'd like to start building up an explicit Zero to our X. I don't feel Cathode or Emerald fill this role.

> 6: For that matter, what about moving past protagonists, either now or in the future?

I feel the Protag really helps the story. Keep it!

>>39152682

>What were your favorite parts of the story? Least favorite?

I felt your on the mission writing was the best and worst. I'm going to be different and say my favorite part was Jagwire. My least favorite was Gratch. I felt Gratch's mission didn't flow very well.

> How about favorite characters? Least favorite characters?

Schwartz is my favorite. Least favorite is probably Hammer Frog. Maverick: Bloodhound

>>39155860
>I'd like to start building up an explicit Zero to our X. I don't feel Cathode or Emerald fill this role.
>Emerald not being our Zero
Absolute blasphemy.

>>39155835
the day they get infected with the maverick virus nobody is going to notice a goddamn thing.

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>>39155860
>>39155901

>>39155820
Only if you paint the helmet blue and white and name it R2.

More seriously, you could, but there are any number of more effective ways to do something like that. And don't forget, the mechaniloid would need to recharge.

>>39155860
>>39155901
Guys, we're a high-mobility mainly melee fighter who can also fight at range.
We are the Zero.

>>39155161

>Most powersuits are ill-suited to hunter work, with the advent of magnetic buffers and shielding.

I'm the DM for the game HC was in. The following was in my game and is no way canon:

I actually used some humans wearing agility based power suits, to give them better maneuverability and a... teleport function that could not be relied on (One user lost almost all of their limbs because the teleport only managed to grab her torso and head). Basically getting caught in those things is a death trap, and it doesn't help you really stand up to reploids.

>>39155919
>Only if you paint the helmet blue and white and name it R2.
I'm okay with this.

>>39155923
And we're also Mav, so there's another similarity!

HC, can we have a list (whenever) of qualifications we can try? It was mentioned in the non-canon Fullmetool interlude that we got some ride-armor qualification, and I think Indy mentioned a combat driving one, but what else could we do to increase our skills?

>>39155901
Em and Cathode started even with us. I think what I want doesn't work like that. Schwartz would fit, but I'm not sure I want to see him take on that role.

>>39155923
It could be cool if we were the Zero in such a situation, and someone else was the X. That way we could have a scrub we mentor show up and surprise us.

>>39155354
We already know this IG. We have known since getting the data.

>>39155919
>More seriously, you could, but there are any number of more effective ways to do something like that. And don't forget, the mechaniloid would need to recharge.
I see, I'm just sort of brainstorming ideas to make us as knightly as possible (I mean, we have a lance and misericorde, and are thinking of getting a shield or sword to go along with them), and a mount is fairly high up the list of knightly shit.
So's a mace or warhammer, for that matter.

>>39156047
Em's better than us. It's only his armor that keeps him from being S. But seriously, we work and interact so well with Em, it just feels weird to have a close combat-partner who isn't him (and maybe Cath or Indy or occasion).

>>39156099
I wouldn't say Em's better than us, we have the mobility, durability and ranged advantage so I'd say he'd be fairly screwed if we were to fight.

Guys, can we have a vote on getting another misericorde? It's extremely useful, but a pain in the ass to have to judge whether to use it or save for later. Only 5k for another liquid nitro fuck-you-armor attack per mission seems like a good deal to me.

>>39156149
Just wait until subspace becomes a thing, we'll have like seven of them.

>>39156149
It'd be way more since it'd need a second copy of the weapons data, wouldn't it? I thought the 5k was just for the saber, not for the LN mod.

>>39156130
His sheer skill and redundant systems make him a massive threat, though. If he can get in close, as we've seen from his reaction times during sparring, we'd be fucked, and it'll be a lot of training for us before that changes. He's fast as well, so if it's open ground, he probably would get in close - it's only a corridor or similar where I feel we'd have a definite advantage.

>>39156187
Shit, I can't recall. HC?

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>>39156022
All hunter commissioned officers get a basic cert to operate ride armors and chasers, but you're not particularly astounding at either. You could train for that. You could go in for piloting, but that would be very situational. Additional range time and sparring practice would improve your accuracy and melee skills--the latter came up in the Nicholz fight as well. He was better than Anode, but because you sunk some time into melee, he was able to hold him off for a decent amount of time without being hurt, and keep him tied up for Cathode to do her thing. You could try for stealth training, or for counterintel, or hostage rescue, or whatever other function you think you'd like to do.

Really, it's easier to think about what sort of things you'd actually want to be good at and then ask about training for that, rather than get a full listing.

>>39156213
>He's fast as well, so if it's open ground, he probably would get in close
Raikousen makes us faster, significantly faster.
Combined with our chaff rockets I doubt he would get close.

>>39156253
stealthstealthstealthstealthstealth

>>39156253
Could we use Nicholz' data to get his maneuverability pack?

>>39156262
Yeah, but that takes charge, which presumes we have both the energy and the time to react and activate. If he came in hard and fast, such as an ambush, he'd likely get us.

Which reminds me, we need better sensors. Fuck ambushes.

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>>39156235
The 5k was for the saber itself. The bigger problem problem is that making the misericorde involved adapting the data away from its stock configuration, so unfortunately, it's one of a kind.

On the bright side, you could look into upgrading it to be more effective or usable more often. Look for opportunities to add synergistic upgrades, or for improved hardware.

>>39156309
Nada, sorry.

>>39156318
>If he came in hard and fast, such as an ambush, he'd likely get us.
And if we ambushed him we'd kill him with Lockon before he knew we were there.

>>39156340
>Nada, sorry.
What can we do with Nicholz' data?

>>39156340
Aww, two 'cordes would have been handy. Pity.

>>39156340
>The bigger problem problem is that making the misericorde involved adapting the data away from its stock configuration, so unfortunately, it's one of a kind.
Couldn't we just get another copy of the data and adapt it again?

>>39156340
One of our parents is pregnant, isn't she? How long until our new sib descends from the womb of horror, ready to be corrupted by us?

1: I couldn't hear them when you did them, so I have no real opinon.

2: I want to see Anode improve further and further as the story continues, so I'd say we should keep our upgrades.

3: I'm happy with where we are.

4: Once again, I'm happy with where we are. I suppose we could go with more nonstandard elements. The 8-mission/season thing seems a little out of place, given that the games have an overarching plot where a crisis is happening. We didn't really have that.

5: RUN MORE. Other characters play differently, and we get different perspectives, which is nice, but I don't want to go for 4 months with no Anode if there's an alternative. There's also a time and a place for it, I think. Breaking off of Anode's story at a cliffhanger to read about whose-your-fuck's epic nose picking mission would be highly frustrating.

6: I like Anode. He's got a solid amount of history and characterization. I'd hate to have that gone.

Going back to question 2, most hunters have been around for years, right? How are they not swimming in VWES systems and upgrades? We're already significantly different, and it's only been a few months since we started service.

>>39156555
>epic nose picking mission
DAMN IT, SEVEN, NO WONDER YOUR BUSTER'S FUCKED UP

I love how when I don't post, HC gets blamed.

>>39156555
>How are they not swimming in VWES systems and upgrades?

Aren't they? Em has a huge rotating saber-base, Schwarz has full component upgrades at all levels, and we haven't seen most other people in full action, just on base.

>>39156781
CL's here. EVERYONE PANIC.

>>39156781
Don't worry, Cain Labs.

I'll get to you too.

Though your tiny black soul might give me heart burn.

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>>39156781
That'd be because he has greater visibility.

>>39156588
>DAMN IT, SEVEN, NO WONDER YOUR BUSTER'S FUCKED UP

what is up with that anyway? Did I miss something in some thread?

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>>39156363
Nicholz didn't leave data to be recovered, sadly. As a general rule, most of your special bosses aren't going to. I forget, have we gotten into recoverable and nonrecoverable DNA before? TL;DR if you can capture the DNA to rebuild the maverick, it can also be copied by the hunters.

>>39156389
A few threads ago I had to announce we were changing that--hunters only keep an archive of the stock weapon produced from the data, not the data itself, and so you can requisition duplicates only of the stock weapon data. Security measure in-story, balance measure out of story. Also keeps things interesting, so you can't just wear everything you could make from a single maverick like you're playing Monster Hunter.

>>39156404
She was on leave when you visited home, so it can't be too much longer.

Stand by for long-ass paragraph for VWES/upgrade question.

>>39156826
Just waifu and husbando at him until he begs for mercy.

>>39156823
>CL's gone to Mexico! EVERYONE HISPANIC

>>39156826
I'm amused that you think I have a soul.

Loving the poll results, by the way. Are there any other questions we should ask you?

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>>39156837
Only Anode asking and getting a very angry "shove it" response from Seven for his trouble.

>>39156555
Most hunters don’t retire targets nearly as often, Anode’s been faced with an atypically busy period. In addition, Anode has been in the early hunter “growth” period, where you have all sorts of upgrade space and economy, so it’s easier to add new stuff. Once you run out of space, upgrades become harder to come by, and your VWES is the most expedient way to mount new equipment. From that point upgrades become more lateral moves, sets based on the parameters of any given mission. To answer your question more directly, most hunters upgrade themselves as much as they can, which isn’t much, and then they go to VWES. Many have issues with the fear of going maverick (see Wisent’s VWES lock), or prefer not to integrate new equipment. The long and short is by the time you see them many have already upgraded themselves as much as they can with new components, and then the rest is trying to keep on the treadmill. For that matter, having VWES is only a relatively new requirement, and though many opted to buy one, it’s very expensive to install from scratch and requires some system overhaul if not intentionally built to use one. The end result is that you won’t see a lot of use from them, particularly from older operatives--and the ones that do aren’t gonna call out when they switch to a special entity.

And in part what >>39156796 said.

>>39156837
We know his buster's fucked up somehow, because we saw him using some badass weapon on the range, and then he was refused to go on the G-rank, followed by him gazing dramatically at his arm and telling us he'd explain it after this mission. We must investigate, for science.

>>39156870
>Are there any other questions we should ask you?
Ask us whether we should keep our lance pink or not. We need an official vote on this, as the most important matter in the quest.

>>39156906
I'm betting it has to do with staying power. He may only have 7 shots of Super Blam.

>>39156972
I'm thinking maybe the DNA didn't integrate properly, and he's rejecting it or something, leading to his arm being fucked-up. Or something. It seems more serious than just 'only a few shots'.

>>39156956

Nah, we good with the fuchsia blade. Finagling with the color will mess with the output.

>>39156972
Maybe he has a 7-slot VWES, which has the side-effect of not leaving much room for buster?

>>39156972
Zero also said he didn't hit hard enough, so I'm thinking "strong but limited shots" may not be the problem.

The infantry's great, but I kind of wish we'd picked the recruiting job. Going out and trying to convince people to join the Hunters using our weird /tg/ charisma would have been fun.

>>39157017
Maybe he's got an experimental 7-slot VWES that accidentally the weapons data every time he fires anything.

>>39157054
But Zero likely wouldn't know of that new buster weapon Seven had. It's not like they're buddies, and Zero has better things to keep track of.

>>39156796
So, when's that session report?

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>>39157065
Consider for a moment how presentable Anode is when he gets home from most of his missions, and then try to imagine selling someone on joining that crowd.

It'd be like going door to door as a barefoot shoe salesman.

>>39157122
I know, it'd be fantastic. We'd end up recruiting all the Flak-type personalities and scaring off the Seven-types. HQ would be even more fun!

And I hope we meet the cousin/brother/whatever he was of that TV salesman sometime. It would be ironic if after all these 'Anode is a Maverick' suspicions, we ended up with two human Hunter friends or minions (including Rob).

1. I have no issue with the presence of multimedia elements even if I can't always experience them. I ask that you write a transcript of all of them for the disabled/those with no means to listen/etc.

2. I would prefer not losing everything we've worked so hard to amass. I could accept some losses if, for example, most of Anode's body is destroyed due to our fuckups (or if he dies, of course), but not as much if it would just be an arbitrary thing. If you're planning to have Nicholz's attack damage the systems, I'd rather it be partial than total so we can keep some of the iconic options.

3. I would rather not see explicit life bars or pickups enter the quest, particularly since we haven't had them so far. You do a fine enough job of telling us how jacked up we are. For ammo I could see there being recharge stations and such in facilities, but I don't like the idea of finding drops on enemies.

4. No strong opinion here. Do what you think will be most fun at any given time. I trust you at this point. Keep the current overall level of gaminess otherwise.

5. I am fine with switched viewpoints now and then but ask for a good 75% to be our main protagonist. This seems to be a common sentiment.

6. I think I'm more okay with switching MCs than most here. I want there to be a real risk of Anode dying, especially if the votes go towards very risky or foolish options, and I would be fine with making someone new or taking over someone else when that happens. I could also see a switch happening if Anode lives and his story reaches a good spot to leave off.

>>39152182
>1
So long as the text-only crowd isn't denied information, which you've been good about, it's a nice touch.

>2
I'd be in favor of a (recurring) loss of VWES data, so that we don't wind up having to spend an hour every mission bickering about what loadout to use, but lose of the fixed upgrades seems unnecessary to me.

>3
Keep the lifebars hidden. LIFE drops don't really make sense, given that self-healing is supposed to be such a red flag in case of maverick. WEAPON drops will encourage use of VWES to handle problems instead of "but what if I need that laser for the boss!".

>4
Don't really care either way.

>5
It was a bit overdone in the final mission, but if they'd been shorter segments or alternated with Anode segments they'd have worked nicely. Plus, if you alternate POVs you can be writing for one POV while readers vote on action for the other.

>6
I'd like to stick with Anode.

>>39156796
Heeeey, didn't you promise story time? Gonna have it ready for next thread?

>>39154785
Claimh Solias

Fuck yes.

I want it so badly.

>>39152182
I guess I should answer these.

1. I actually enjoyed the Grach recordings, but the audio quality wasn't best. I'd be interested in knowing what other kinds of integration you might try.

2. Don't Metroid me, bro. I can understand some things we can't easily replaced being damaged or destroyed, but I'd rather that be for narrative reasons.

3. I think you convey game abstractions as story pretty well.

4. I love that there are elements in place to make the standard format feel natural. I think we should keep that format, though. It's a beautiful tradition.

5. I like perspective swaps, and I believe they'll be just fine as long as we don't do them so many in a row like that. Three other Hunters with holiday specials interspersed was stretching it.

6. If we screw up Anode bad enough, I think I'd like starting from scratch with a new recruit again. A blank slate upgrade path, and all.

Favorite part of the story I think is the Saetos op. The stakes were higher and more personal than ever, and shit got super real.

Least favorite is probably the few times off-mission when the endless upgrade discussion bleeds into the story.

Favorite character is probably Grach, and I'd like more of that guy. Favorite maverick is Saetos forever. I don't know about least favorite, but I feel like Conda could use a lot more screen and development. Dodo, too.

>>39157114
Probably in a few hours as Q&A dies down.

Speaking of "high activity", how the hell does Tigershark keep up his level of retiring? Wasn't it mentioned a while back that he'd been on multiple missions in a single day, and even if that's not necessarily a regular thing he spends every possible moment out killing stuff.

>>39155178
A shield is cool

But a doomsday zweihander is cooler.

>>39157891
He needs to do a lot of missions so he can save up and buy his very own spaceship. He'll never be the first spaceshark otherwise.

>>39157894
sure but it's so limited in usage and besides like you said it's a doomsday weapon no way command is going to let us use that with out special premission.

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>>39157935
So what's everyone's favorite filename?

>>39157891
He takes whatever he can find and has a strong shielding system and a body built like a construction vehicle--nicks and scratches aren't damage, they're decor.

>>39157961
Not that anon, but I basically want a reason to scream, 'THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE' while we decapitate someone, and it would just be wrong to do that with a lance.

>>39157972
Was Seven in the rangers, or am I remembering it incorrectly? If so, when did he join 4th?

>>39157972
You'd think he'd run out of targets eventually, though. Or have to start picking on C-listers.

>>39157961
Sure, but it's good to have a trump card that is so strong you need special permission to use it.

Really, I just want an excuse for Anode to mutter the phrase
>"Command, I need to use 'that'."
And then the hype train kicks into high gear

>>39157972
>He takes whatever he can find
So Tigershark's doing a whole lot of lower rank work instead of a lesser amount of higher rank work?

>>39158059
>"Command, I need to use 'that'."
>"No, Anode, we already said you can't use a chicken that way, or PETA will kill us all."
>" The OTHER that."
>"Oh, that's fine then. Continue."

>>39158059
yeah but that is some realy good data and a lot of money used on a weapon that we might only use 3 times, sure it's cool as all hell but it feels like a waste when we could have used it on something that will be far more useable and will see us alot more mileage.

>>39158050
At least Skipjack will have plenty of company on whichever level of Hell deals with people torn apart by robosharks.

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>>39158072
He does the higher rank work, too. He's right up there with Schwarzhund in terms of "don't fuck with this." He's just perpetually restless. Repair, recharge, retire, repeat.

>>39158032
Seven's been in the Fourth for a long time, and through veterancy and usefulness made it to Major, and third-in-command in the unit hierarchy, after Frog and Schwarz. He's remained posted here since he received his commission, about five years ago.

>>39157972
For the question, it's probably,
Anode dispatched two mechaniloids.gif

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>>39158164
May as well post them, we've only got like a hundred images to spare.

>>39157972
Can't remember the name exactly, but something like 'Beret encounters A-rank Mav'. The general level of NOPE amuses me.

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>>39158202

>>39158199
Pretty sure everyone sees Em as best bro (or husbando, in some cases). How does it feel to see your super-speshul-OC so popular, HC?

Oh! I just got a good one. Em's a sword nut, do his siblings have any gear like that they prefer, or did they upgrade their internal kit? Also, I think Em's type is grappler gals from what we saw, between Schwarz trying to hook him and Bast up and his reaction to Firefly, is that right? Not for shipping, just because hey, it's stuff to consider when writing fluff

>>39157972
Blitz sees Anode driving a transport toward him at mach 3.png

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>>39158252
It's weird as all hell. I've mentioned before I still go by Emerald on some corners of the internet, and I've got readers on some. Have to prefix character-Em so they don't think I've suddenly come down with a case of the third person.

It's also really freeing, which I also think I've mentioned before. MHQ Em isn't really mine anymore, he's yours.

Which coincidentally gives me leave to do terrible things to him.

>>39158284
Diamond has a high power buster and a non-saber melee that's roughly on par with a hibeam. He prefers maneuverability and lightweight, low profile equipment that won't interfere with his flight. Most of his stuff is inlined and internalized, as a result.

Sapphire is built for all levels of aquatic operation from deep sea to coastal shoreline, but excels in the middle. As a result she favors weapons and gear with high staying power, to last her through 6th Marine's longer-than-average hunting times and ranges.

As for girls, Em's more than a little intimidated by Bast, and knowing Schwarz was using him as ablative armor against controversy made him nope out of there at mach one. He likes Flares because she's a strong melee fighter, she's cute and approachable, and because she's very short. Remember the little guy isn't even five and a half feet tall. Fun trivia about that, not sure I've ever mentioned in thread, when I first came up with him as a tiny little spawnlet, 5'5" was super tall. I got older and Em's height stayed the same. Eventually I found it kind of endearing and unique in a world of tall, stoic badasses, so it stuck.

>>39158442
speaking of Schwarz, what would he say about our performance with our last mission? I mean up until we got back stabbed I felt we did pretty good. Still looking forward to seeing his face when we tell him we shot Shiva.

>>39158149
I value narrative coolness over mechanical practicality, honestly.

>>39158541
he's dead

he's dead anon

anon

he's dead

>>39158442
>Which coincidentally gives me leave to do terrible things to him.
Sense of foreboding, increasing.

If he goes Mav, do we volunteer to kill him, so Diamond doesn't have to?

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>>39158639
Your call.

>>39158541
He would be very, very impressed. Anode handled some insane odds on that mission and went above and beyond.

>>39158353

>>39158686
Whoever archives this, we're hitting the post limit.

I almost forgot - did we accidentally make X think we're professional?

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>>39158725
I'm sure you'll have a chance to disabuse him of the notion.

As for archiving, stand by, I'm on it.

>>39158563
well then it seems we have come to an impass since i'm pretty much the opposite of that.

>>39158860
I also value coolness, and Megaman is not a poster boy for practical robit designs.

>>39158817
Time to program those dozen metts to headbutt his legs. He can't possibly trash anything so cute.

>>39158860
Fair enough.

>>39158959
>>39158860
Duel to the death for our amusement.

>>39158895
oh ofcourse i realize this but there is a difference between worshipping practicle robot designs and not wanting to waste valuable limited resources.

289 posts, and still no idea when arc 2 begins. Please don't say 2016. Or 2017.

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>>39159330
21XX, of course.

Also, speaking of timeframes, time between threads aside, how was the length of the finale? The Zero op was absolutely enormous, since it was basically your Sigma stages. Glacial thread rate and too much non-Anode action aside, was the relative amount of story material good? Too much?

Also also, posting this one for someone on the IRC.

>>39159417
It was a good length, not too rushed and not overly drawn out. Would this have been an X mission if we'd picked Zero for the hostage rescue?

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>>39159470
You'd have gotten this op--a much shorter version of it--and run a primarily 17th operation for the finale.

>>39159417
Now, how did I know you'd say that?

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>>39159470
>Zero doing hostage rescue

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>>39159509
Cain Labs had to go take care of something, so I'm on deck to be gleefully unhelpful.

How's my driving?

>>39159528
But with even more stabbing.

>>39158563But here is the thing what is cooler the thing that saves our ass through thick or thin ot the thing we hipe up and use once to save the day. I thing the former. Plus we can do the stupid overkill ~80% as well with ether lesser data or even just 60% for just money but super flexible high end utility is harder to do and Shields anon there cool to especially rocket powered shield bash flamethrowers.

Also is it cooler to stand back to back with your best bro when you pull your uber sword or have to peel away from him. I think epic team-ups are awesome.

>>39159532
Would it be possible to get our hands on a load of decommisioned or broken bat-based mechaniloids? Hypothetically speaking.

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>>39159628
That sounds like you're going to do something cruel and irresponsible to Cathode's boyfriend.

Of course you can.

>>39159628

For purely scientific reasons of course.

>>39158981
Me to we can still have a stupid over the top ace I just dont want to make it out of the one off super data when we can get more cool off it in the long run and substitutes exist.

>>39159647
>>39159665
I make no suggestions as to what they may be needed for. But I believe we may, at some point, need to visit Cath's unit while she's away.

Far away.

>>39159647
Can you run full simulations on the training sims? Instead of just being in a pre-generated terrain versus a particular Mav, could we create a fully detailed building layout, for example, or can it not be programmed like that?

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>>39159871

>>39159647
How many hypothetical future mavs do you have ready?

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>>39159786
Depends on the unit. There are a few that have better or worse sims--the 2nd is known for having the ability to project an unusually large simulation to help train in approach and terrain, for instance.

>>39159903
I've got the next eight lined up, plus some fun side missions. I have a handful of ideas past that and the ability to drum up any number more on demand.

Cain Labs? Dozens at the ready, constantly.

>>39159975
Nice. I meant for the 4th specifically, if we could maybe run our team through some sims. Unless they're one-person or for officers only.

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>>39160038
You couldn't run that in the Fourth's sim, no.

>>39160181
Guess we'll have to build a giant death-trap maze for them to run instead. Oh well.

>>39159588
You probably aren't going to convince me. I think the sun saber is a fucking awesome idea, and I'll keep voting for it.