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Imagination

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Everything posted by Imagination

  1. Some excellent points here! I can certainly see how suggesting keeping ability to what you yourself can do is absolutely limiting. Maybe I failed to convey it, but what I'm saying is that you should moreso stick to what you know. This may not imply being able to actually do it, but just knowing how it works and being able to convey it through your character. This is partially why I really enjoy character with little to no ability, since their potential practically has no limit. Mages are a complicated example, but it works for this point. Obviously none of us can do actual magic. We have to draw off of what we know from roleplay guides, movies, and books, as well as specific continuity and lore for the universe we find ourselves in. How you understand and use that knowledge, as well as the extent of it that you as a player can apply to a story, will be the difference between a novice and an expert, an apprentice and an archmage. Also, I do agree that certain precedent may change how a character works. Using your example, very true, a sniper shooting at dummies and targets their whole career won't be as effective as someone with actual field experience, and being in a low visibility environment would severely hinder their ability to actually perform not matter how good they are. These kinds of challenges can be a plus in some case, I think, as it gives the player an opportunity to try and extend beyond the character's focus, and adapt to a situation they may not be comfortable with. As for the second part, I absolutely agree, and thank you for pointing that out. I neglected to emphasize on the storytelling element. It takes a special kind of player to take a skilled, powerful character and still keep them from being overpowered, or be able to keep a story going to the point where others are satisfied. Our sniper taking out a mage in the first encounter would be a total buzzkill, I agree. It all comes down to the ability of the player, and their ability to make these stories work and play an interesting, integral role is what will help them build their reputation. Thanks so much for the input! It's nice to have another perspective! Helps me think things through. Hope you'll stick with the guide! I'll definitely be writing more!
  2. So now that we have a basic understanding of the rules (I hope, since you should’ve read part 1 before this, very important!), it’s time to work on the next most important thing! CHARACTER “But Magi! Everyone knows you need a character for any RP! That’s how RPs work, durr!” Yes! But this part of the guide will focus on how to develop your character in a way that will capitalize on your own limitations, as well as how to properly develop them into a character everyone wants to interact with. Think about it: The Mane 6 didn’t start off as the great ponies we know and love now. In fact, when they first appeared in episode 1, they were practically nobodies! We didn’t know who they were, what their motivations were, what their personalities were like, what their particular skills were, or what their personalities were really like. We didn’t know strengths, we didn’t know weaknesses, and we didn’t know dispositions. Now in season 5, after hours upon hours of development and experience, they’re national heroes many times over, have influenced several important events in Equestria, and honed their skills to build up a reputation as ponies to be emulated in Equestrian society! The show started basic ideas, and molded them over time into something wonderful. That’s how character development should really work! Though another portion of a character comes from the skill of the player. One big problem I see in a lot of combat characters is that they’re talked up to be fearless killing machines, and then the skill of the player behind them can’t keep that talk up to snuff. Think of it this way. You’re a performer, and people want to see you perform! You post fliers everywhere for your act at the faire, telling everyone how great you are, that the show will change their lives! An experience they’ll never forget! And then, when it comes to be show time, everyone finds out you can’t even juggle properly. Everyone is disappointed because you couldn’t deliver on the hype, and it’s incredibly damaging to your reputation. Don’t bite off more than you can chew! Just because your character might start unskilled, because as a player you might not understand much about combat, or know how to translate it into your RPs, doesn’t mean they will stay unskilled! Through interaction with other players, your character will gain experiences that will serve as valuable lessons to shape them into the sort of character you really want them to be! And who knows? Maybe you’ll learn something along the way too, and you’ll be able to develop yourself as a more knowledgeable and experienced player! Alright, pep talk over. It’s time to get to the fun part. How to develop a character! I like to use a tier system when developing a combat character, based on the knowledge needed to pull off the character itself. Tier 1: Basic – Needs a basic understanding of fighting and minimal knowledge of weapons. Often a novice level combatant with little to no experience. Plenty of room for development, perfect for newbies and veterans alike! Build your character from the ground up through RP! Tier 2: Advanced – Requires a thorough understanding of combat and weapons systems. Can be specialized. Experience can come from extensive training in order to build combatant reputation, though there’s still room for building experiences. Tier 3: Elite – Requires an expert understanding of combat, weapons systems, and is almost ALWAYS specialized. You better know your stuff and how to use it, or else your reputation is going to flop much faster than your character will. Not at all recommended for minor characters or newer players. I’ll show you a good way to build up a character using each tier! Let’s say our character is an Earth Pony mare. A good idea to form this mare into a combatant is to know what we want out of her. What are our interests, and how could we implement those interests to get her to a tier 1 combatant? For now, let’s say we’re interested in ranged weaponry. Firearms, to be specific. Everybody likes guns. But, they’re not as easy to use as some people like to think, and require a lot of knowledge, awareness, and skill. We’ll say she grew up around them, to give her a basic idea of what they are. A family background, perhaps? Father was a gunsmith making muskets for Griffons! She eventually decided to help her father, learning the nomenclature for each piece of the gun, how cartridges worked, and how to tell if something wasn’t working, which would include test firing! This is a basic example, but a good way to establish a background of exposure to our particular weapon interest. We can use this to establish a basic knowledge of the weapon, from which we can press on and establish this character through RP! Personally, I love to start here. We have bare bones of a character, enough to be accepted if we write out the finer details, and then from there release them out into the world to interact with other characters, make some friends, go on adventures, and develop on those experiences to become great! But for some, this might not be enough. We want a bit more than bare bones. We want some meat on those bones, something to fall back on so we don’t look like such a newbie, or we don’t feel like waiting for action to find us to get that experience. This is where tier 2 would come in. So we want to go beyond our gunsmith’s assistant. Let’s make her a soldier. Military backgrounds are a great way to establish a background with training and weapons. But a mistake that a lot of people make is that they don’t consider that a vast majority of military training isn’t for combat! There’s precision drilling, classroom instruction, learning how to tend your barracks space, eat, sleep, and clean as a team. Characters learn discipline, honor, respect, and how to stay physically and morally fit! This can certainly give us that meat we want to establish a hardy sort of combatant, ready for their trial by fire! Most specifically, they have a chance to hone their fighting skill. So, back to our gunsmith’s apprentice. During her weapons training, she’d learn how to clean and maintain her weapon, how to properly hold it, compensate for recoil, and reload quickly, as well as improving on her marksmanship. This also opens doors to team experience, as she’d have to learn how to operate as a member of a firing line, learning commands and responsibilities. There are other ways to establish a learned background, of course, however this will also coincide with our tier 3 example. Sure, she can shoot better and has some combat training. But for some, even this might not be good enough. We want to strive for something more, and push out a character that’s ready to go for the worst the battlefield has to offer. Ready to chew it up, spit it back out, and fight it again. This is for players who truly believe they have the knowledge and experience to pull off this sort of character, and be able to play them well enough to still be desirable to interact with within the community. Let’s make this soldier a sniper. What does it take to be a sniper? Well, it’s stepping out of your comfort zone. It’s going anywhere, anytime, without exception, all for the shot. It’s understanding how to use elements of nature to your advantage, how to be efficient, and be the last thing they never see. Sounds cool, right? Well, you better know what you’re talking about in your posts, or your character isn’t going to be as cool as you hoped. She would most likely move on to a different weapon system. Probably imported griffon semi-automatics or bolt action rifles and an X4 magnification scope. She’d have to learn the ins and outs of these weapons all over again, knowing what part is what, how it contributes to the whole, how to keep it clean and how to put it back where it belongs. She’d have to know how rifling works, and how to reload the weapon. She would have to practice with its handling, practicing and perfecting every element of the firing cycle: feeding, chambering, locking, firing, unlocking, extracting, ejecting, cocking. Then she’d have to delve into the world of advanced marksmanship. What is the maximum effective range of her weapon on a point target? Area target? How does distance and wind affect the bullet? How much does she have to compensate for the bullet to strike true? What’s a good method for judging distance and wind speed/direction? Is the target moving, and if so, how far will she have to lead them while still taking those other factors into account? To all these questions, not only will your character have to know the answer, but you will as well in order to best use this skill to your advantage. Otherwise, you’ll make for a very poor marksman. You’ll notice each tier of this development requires more specific knowledge than the last, which is fine and good, but just because you have the knowledge doesn’t necessarily mean you have to throw in an instant war hero to the RP. It’s all a matter of what you get out of it. Sure, if you can effectively play a tier 3 character you’ll fare a bit better in combat, however the experience is had. It’s done. The development of your character’s skills can’t go much further. This is why I prefer tier 1, or even tier 2 characters so much. It still gives us the capability of letting the character learn through RP, and letting others experience these transitions with us! It creates strong bonds when players can learn and develop together, and for strong and trustworthy friendships on the battlefield! These are very bare-bones descriptions of these different sorts of character developments, but well enough to guide you. Please keep in mind that the above is simply my own system for considering combat characters, and is not to be taken as scripture for what you do! It’s important to go your own way, though also good to consider the advice above, and know what you want out of an RP experience. But remember, what’s MOST important, is taking into account what you REALLY know, and what you can effectively portray in a character! THAT is the difference between great characters, okay characters, and bad characters: The ability to play their capabilities and meet the expectations of others you interact with, especially at higher levels. Building your reputation as a player is paramount! Hope you enjoyed part 2 of this guide! Stay tuned for more, and if you have questions or comments, leave them below, or feel free to PM me!
  3. Ruby was glad Applebloom was here. She didn't get to see her outside of school often enough. The little farm pony was usually too busy with crusader stuff to hang out, which is perfectly understandable. Pinchy understood that finding your cutie mark was a top priority! "Hi Applebloom! I'm doing super!" and it was true! She couldn't think of anywhere else she'd rather be right now! She got to see her classmates, she got to spend time with her mother, and the Princesses were here! That's a big deal! But, back to business. Applejack did have a point. Her mother did kiss her goodnight every night... She never thought of it that way. She just figured kisses other than her mothers were icky, but how re they different? Maybe it was a stranger issue? Pinchy will have to delve into her own mind on this later. She had some thinking to do. Maybe she'll write a paper about kissing strangers and turn it into Miss Cheerilee! It might be as big a hit as her cooties project was! But then, Applejack made a fatal suggestion. What am I supposed to do? Kiss the ground? Kiss a tree? Kiss a rock? Pinchy gasped, her eyes sparkling. "You. So. SHOULD!" she squealed, not at all trying to be dismissive or offensive. "Your trees need love too, Miss Applejack! I mean, you buck them and kick them all day long, but when was the last time you thanked them? If you gave your trees a kiss now and then, maybe it would make them happy! Maybe if they were happy they'd grow them faster, or... or... or the apples would be even MORE delicious!" She seemed super serious, even tearing up happily at the thought of Applejack showing her trees some love. "That would be so great!" Of course, this was all based on her interpretation of when Miss Cheerilee told her that plants are alive. Right now all she could think about was happy trees. "But... I guess that's okay. Can I get my kiss on the forehead though?" Ah, it seems little Pinchy assumed she'd have to go muzzle-a-muzzle with Applejack. With Big Mac, maybe. But she'd never admit that.
  4. Hey there, everypony! It's been almost two years since I've posted in this blog. Probably should've waited until the 2 year mark in 3 days to make this extra special, BUT I knew I'd forget. So I'm doing this today, while the idea is fresh in my head. So we've somewhat recently had Canterlot Chronicles added to our lovely forum, allowing for a multitude of more lenient things that World of Equestria does not! Certain races, new locations, edgier storylines and, I believe most importantly, COMBAT. Everypony likes fighting! Well, maybe not everypony, but combat is a new element for this forum that can draw out particular stories, or add that little extra something to animosities or rivalries between characters. Whatever the reason, ponies can now fight. But, with this comes a negative effect. Not everypony is on the same page when it comes to combat RP. Some of us (like myself) obviously have an idea of how to go about it, as we may have extensive backgrounds in combat RP. Not every place plays the same, however, and not every player plays the same either. What we need to remember, however, is that combat RP must be seen as fun and healthy competition, rather than constant violence and anger. I wanted to write this guide to help give people a better understanding of combat RP, how to be better at it, and how to make it more fun! Brace yourself, as this may be a bit of a read. I'm very passionate about combat RP, as I've had more fun times fighting than I can count, and have made some of my best memories with it. So, we need to start with the basics, before we get into actual fighting: RULES! Every board has 'em, and for good reason! Combat RP is absolutely no exception, and actually have more rules governing it (typically) to ensure a good time is had by all, both winner and loser. Here are some common rules for combat RP that I've seen over the years, and I'll go into brief detail for each one: -Rules of Consent -Post Orders -Player Conduct -God/Power Mode -Post-Time vs Real-Time -Technology Limits -Ranged Weapons and Magic -Death -Retcon 1. Rules of Consent By far, the most important possible thing to be included in any combat RP whatsoever. Rules of Consent are basically a set of rules that amount to "If your character does not want to fight, they do not have to". Rules of Consent ensure that roleplays are not derailed by sudden combat, ensure that all participants in a combat situation are willing, and also protects players and characters from certain conditions they may wish to avoid, such as death, serious injury, mind control, and a whole myriad of other things. Of course rules of consent cannot be used as a cop-out to avoid all harm. Only in instances where the harm would seriously change your character, such as dismemberment or disfiguration. All combat RPs should have a general set of rules for combatants and noncombatants in this regard, and the easiest way to go about this is to establish a (OOC) line of communication between two or more participants, such as PMs so not to interrupt the flow of the RP with unnecessary chatter. Whenever something major/controversial is about to happen, bring it up, and ensure the player on the receiving end is both aware, understands, and accepts what is about to happen. Of course, it's also important to establish if the player wants to fight at all! Example: Player 1: Hey, my character is going to attempt to use mind control next post. Do you consent to this? Player 2: I'd rather they didn't... Player 1: Okay, no problem! Asking for consent not only instills trust between players, but can also alleviate nasty OOC confrontations to problematic interactions. It also ensures that all players who wish to opt out of combat have an opportunity to do so. If an issue with consent does occur, most specifically instances where players who do not wish to fight are repeatedly instigated, do not hesitate to report posts, or contact RP helpstaff or moderators immediately. A good guideline for this is the three strikes rule: 1. Tell the other player 'I do not consent'. 2. Tell the other player 'I do not consent, if you try again I will report'. 3. Report. Remember that rules of consent are there to keep players who wish to play happy and engaged! It's an integral part of combat RP, and if nothing else is remembered, remember RULES OF CONSENT! 2. Post Orders This is an easy one to explain, but important nonetheless. A lot of you I know are very familiar with post orders, however in combat RP it is extremely important to maintain this order. This gives all players involved an opportunity to properly plan their moves, as well as giving them a set order of things to react to, regardless if it's happening to their character or not. I know some of you are asking 'What if a player becomes inactive, and we're waiting on his/her post?'. Unfortunately this can happen! Even in real time roleplaying games, people can get disconnected, leave the computer, or fall asleep! In this instance, it may be hours or days before someone posts a response in a Canterlot RP. There may be an understanding between players that posting may be slow, however due to the fast-paced nature of combat, it's ideal to ensure posts and responses are made in a timely manner. For Canterlot, I'd say it would be fair to give the tardy party a notice after two days. After five days, with either no response to the notice or the RP, if there is a consensus with the other players, then the player next up in the order can be skipped to keep the game going. Players who are skipped in the middle of a combative action can usually be considered incapacitated at worst. It's up to the group to determine what happens! 3. Player Conduct This can also be easily explained. No one wants to play with Captain Sourpuss. Just because there is a moment of violence between two opposing characters, it does not mean there should be opposition between the players. It all comes down to trust, respect, and good sportsmanship. 4. Powergaming and GodModding They're all words I'm sure we've heard before, and both are a definite no-no in combat RP. But in order to understand how to avoid them, we have to understand what they mean, as they are often confused. Powergaming- Powergaming, by definition, is: "a style of interacting with games or game-like systems with the aim of maximising progress towards a specific goal, to the exclusion of other considerations such as (in video games, boardgames, and role-playing games) storytelling, atmosphere and camaraderie." What does this mean? In layman's terms, it means that a player is forcing an action against another in order to ensure that an RP goes a certain way. Players need to be able to have an effect on the flow of events, and be in control of their own fates and actions. Otherwise, what's the point? A good example of this is having a player attempt to control a character they do not own. Example: Player 1: Fighter 1 swings his sword at fighter 2, making him step back. It's also worth mentioning two other things that stem from this: Metagaming and Instahits. Metagaming is a player mixing OOC and IC in order to gain an advantage. A safe example of this is a character knowing another's name when they've never met before, because the player had read the character profile. Another more serious example is a player taking OOC information (such as a character profile) that contains certain weaknesses or secrets their character would otherwise not know, and then use them in RP to their advantage. A good way to avoid metagaming is to follow the mantra of 'I know nothing'. Instahits are, as the name implies, an instant hit from an attack. This is a definite no-no in combat RPs. Example: Player 1 cuts Player 2's head off. The best way to avoid this is to post attacks as attempts, which will be covered in greater detail in a later issue of the guide. GodModding - A nasty word. In a basic sense, GodModding is a style of playing that gives a character the ability to perform without limits or boundaries. An incredibly popular example of this is a character that virtually cannot be hit or harmed by anything. Good sportsmanship is a cornerstone of successful combat RP, so it's encouraged for players to take a hit now and then, especially for a system that does not use dice to initiate/counter attacks (such as posting on a forum). No character is good enough to avoid everything, and no character is strong enough to be impervious to harm. Even characters like the Princesses, as powerful as they are, have vulnerabilities and limits. 5. Post Time vs Real Time It's incredibly important for players to consider that as everyone is posting (hopefully in order), a scene is slowly rolling out before them. Every post is like a few frames added to an entire scene, at the end unfolding into an epic battle. So we need to consider just how much time is encompassed in one post? Example: The Elven guard's breath echoed in his ears as he sprinted through the forest, desperately hoping to make it to the scene in time. The farmer's wife had run back to the barracks and told him her husband was under attack by poachers! No couldn't let another life slip away on his watch. Not again! It wasn't long before he approached the scene, throwing his back against a nearby tree as the two continued to brawl. Sweat trickled from his brow, wiping it away from his stinging eyes as he hear the poacher cry out. Suddenly, there was a loud clash of steel! The guard's breath escaped him, hearing an opening! He rounded around the tree, bow in hand, and drew an arrow from behind him. He squinted as he acquired his target, and drew the string back to hear the familiar creaking of his faithful weapon.​The highlighted portion of this relatively short post is the actual combat action, likely in response to another action made by other players. The actual time this encompasses? 3-5 SECONDS. The rest of the post was to establish background for the character's involvement, which was clearly occurring while other actions were on the field. The actual response, which advances the story or coincides with a current action to prompt reaction, is much shorter in scope. Think about it, an archer isn't going to take five minutes to look around a tree, draw his weapon, and take aim. Especially when there's something at stake. It's unreasonable and silly. Combat is very, very quick paced, and it's important to keep this in mind when making your combat actions! Don't try to stretch your actions beyond a few seconds, or it could go into the realm of being unreasonable, or creating unnecessary difficulty for your fellow combatants. 6. Technology Limits It's very important to understand technological limits in regards to combat RP. It sets a basis for what sort of weaponry and protection/lack thereof is allowed in game. It can also set a precedent for character limitations. It ensures that all players are on the same page in regards to what is/is not allowed in battle, as well as giving players the ability to specialize characters based on available technology/tactics. Another side-effect of technology limits is that it gives players the opportunity to try different tactics to maximize their chances of success, depending on the limits. For example, say you're setting the game in a Victorian era. Here we see a general lack of armor, but all types of early weaponry still in effect. This would give players the ability to be creative with their loadouts, and be especially mindful of hazards. For example, deep pikes and muskets used in unison make for a devastating infantry-based defensive tactic against cavalry. But, it doesn't offer much cover from other muskets or arrows. [Picture, because Canterlot is being a butt and won't let me just insert the image https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/3mal-c3kE5qp92oYhImoeMnfeHpgF9ZD_S6lwK7Q3rcQLE7CbgernSfYPPQmO9kiqVPLdHUAFrWiWi83Jex35hbK9-V8CBAKE4HWvSj7INEd2-mZ57TaLSTXatLrE11dc92Zz-4] Or say it's in a fantasy/steampunk era, where we may see knights in shining armor carrying mortars. In this instance, while the mortars are hand portable and incredibly powerful, combined with the heavy, thick armor for a good defense, may make for a deadly warrior... But a very, very, VERY slow one, and likely won't be able to respond as quickly. It's just a good idea to know what is allowed, what isn't allowed, and what you can and cannot do with what's available. A player who understands limitations can turn the tide of any fight in their favor, if they know how to capitalize on them! 7. Ranged Weapons and Magic This is an incredibly broad topic, and one that I will write extensively about in another post. However, in terms of rules, it's a good idea to go back to considerations for post time vs real time. Bows/Crossbows are fairly simple to use, but require training and concentration to use effectively. The best way to go about them is to establish your posts into separate tasks, each with a combat action time of about 5 seconds. For example: Post/Task1: Draw arrow and pull back Post/Task2: Take aim and release A 2 post minimum I feel is more than fair to establish a good passage of time, as well as to give players enough time to potentially react, or just be aware the attack is coming. Ranged weapons should not be instantaneous, in order to keep things balanced. In regards to combustion ranged weapons, a good standard to go back to is the standard of the minuteman. Minutemen were famous during the American Revolution for their ability to fire 3 rounds from their muskets every minute, one every 20 seconds. For those of you who may know how a musket works, that's pretty darn fast! But of course it pales in comparison to the era of bolt-action and magazine-fed weapons, which can fire almost 5 times the rounds in the time it takes a Minuteman to fire just one ball. Again, we need to consider real time. We'll go back to the musket, as these kinds of weapons are relevant to what's allowed in Canterlot's combat RP. For a character with extensive training and practice, it's one ball every 20 seconds, with there potentially being one round reloaded at the beginning. Since a post should not take more than a few seconds per action so not to cause too much difficulty in the flow of time, this means it could take several posts to reload! A good way to do this is to, again, break it up into tasks per post. Post/Task 1: Retrieve ammo [~5 seconds] Post/Task 2: Load round [~10 seconds] Post/Task 3: Take aim [~15 seconds] Post/Task 4: Fire and prepare to reload [~20 seconds] It's pretty slow! 4 posts to fire one shot?! Of course this isn't the be-all-end-all of how it works in RPs, however in my opinion it's a fair standard to keep things balanced. In the hands of an experienced player, this limitation shouldn't be a problem, and they'll be smart about when to fire and reload. It's all in the play style. Now, magic. This is an incredibly broad topic, which follows much of the same rules as the ranged weapons above. However, there's several other things to consider, such as the method of spellcasting, the power of the spell being cast, the power of the mage performing the casting, their surroundings, etc. Magic is a very very very difficult thing to play well in combat, and it would be a disservice to try and condense that all here. I will make a post about magic and how to play with it well enough to be balanced, fair, and successful. 8. Death Hey, it happens. We can't go on forever. While I'm fairly certain death is not permitted in Canterlot's combat RP, it's still important to inform you all about should you branch off to other text RP venues. In regards to the rules of character death, the most important thing to consider is CONSENT, CONSENT, CONSENT. A player MUST be able to consent to death, especially if it's an established character that will affect others in the continuity. Should a player consent for their character to be killed, then it must be discussed what the condition of death will be: Permanent or temporary? Obviously, a permanent death is permanent. The character is dead, buried, and forever out of the game. While it may be a great thing to include some emotion and drama into big RP communities, it's also a very serious thing to consider. No take-backs, no matter how many other characters cry at the funeral. Temporary death implies that there is a method in which the dead character can return, such as magical resurrection. If this is what is agreed upon, then it must be established how long the player must wait before they can be revived. In a real time RP environment, like where I gained most of my experience, the rule was one month. But, in a forum environment like this, that might not be so reasonable. It's up to the players to decide how long to wait. For instance, there could be a secondary plot planned for after the character death, and they can return following its conclusion. 9. Retcon A Retcon is very serious. In any RP, a retcon usually means that something has happened that is damaging to continuity, and official action is being taken. This could mean several posts must be made to backtrack to a certain point where the issue occurred, and then replay the moment in order to maintain continuity. Or it could be as simple as a certain action of a post being deleted or altered in order to avoid problems later on in the game. When a retcon occurs, it's important to be mindful of what has changed and why, and most importantly, not to get upset about it. If the staff or a player feels a retcon is necessary, it's probably for a reason, and there likely won't be a change made without probable cause. The best way to deal with this is to carry on with the story as is after the retcon, and try not to let the break in continuity happen again. Keep in mind that a retcon does not mean you're a terrible player, or that someone is upset with you. All it means is that there was a problem with the continuity of the story or a breach of rules or conduct, and it's been fixed not only for your benefit, but other players as well! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And there you have it! It's a general rundown of some rules you may see in properly established combat RPs. When I say properly established, I of course mean a game that might go on for quite some time, over many pages. I'm aware there is the arena topic currently active, and while it is good fun, it is NOT typical combat RP. Keep in mind that the arena topic is very subjective and not objective, being based on the opinions of outside parties to determine success, and you're confined to only a few posts. This guide hopes to give players a more expanded understanding of what combat RP is really like, and just how far they can go with it! I hope you all enjoy these tips through the coming posts and have just as much fun with these tremendous experiences as I have!
  5. Prepare your backside for friendship, you shadowy, shovel-wieldin', shameless, sick, sinister, son of a Siamese salamander.

    1. Dio

      Dio

      TASTE THE RAINBOW!

    2. tacobob

      tacobob

      Weird to see a toon by those guys that is actually kind of cute.

  6. I like Hotline Miami too much.

    1. JeffMangum

      JeffMangum

      I love that game too. Did you play the second? If so, how was it?

    2. Imagination

      Imagination

      The second one is even better, but the story's hard to follow if you aren't paying attention. I hope they make more!

    3. Imagination

      Imagination

      Also I love the fans. Alex and Ash are my favorite.

  7. I'm Irish, and I approve this image.
  8. Pinchy was too distracted hopping about in line, just lost in her own little world as she weaved through the other ponies in line. Of course, it did originally start with chasing a butterfly. But, those things were elusive! She lost it in the crowd. So she had to entertain herself some other way. All things considered, it was probably kinda rude, just running about while these nice ponies were just trying to wait. Eventually she came to her good senses and returned to her mother. It just so happened that they were next! "Sorry mommy! Here I am!" She gave her mother's leg a big hug and wouldn't let go, giving it a loving nuzzle before returning to her own hooves. "I'm here Miss Applejack!" she answered the farmermare, practically bouncing. "I don't have to get a kiss, do I...? That's icky" Oh, but they couldn't even discuss that before discussing the sale itself! "I was gonna buy a bushel or two for mommy, cuz I remember she said she needed some! But now she's here! I didn't know she was coming, so now we can buy them together!" She certainly loved spending time with Berry. Every second was happiness!
  9. Going to McDonald's at 12Am cuz I can

    1. SteelEagle

      SteelEagle

      YOU'RE AN ADULT AND YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT!

    2. Imagination

      Imagination

      Except ride those cool battery-powered car toys without other adults looking at me funny.

    3. DreamySunday

      DreamySunday

      Never mind other people!

  10. "I should proofread this post" "Nah bro, it's all good." -Me shortly before regret

    1. Solaria

      Solaria

      Regret? Nah bro, it's still good.

    2. Dio

      Dio

      Proofreading is for scrubs.

    3. XanXeto
  11. Storytime #4 - Martial Fartist So here's a story about one of Magi's low points. I don't have many, and they don't matter much because I'm perfect. You guys have heard some awesome moments of mine, so I think it's only fair I share an embarrassing one, and this comes to mind pretty clear. In my younger years my brother and I were aspiring martial artists. For some reason, we decided that American Kempo was the way to go. We went from studio to studio, because membership fees and such be expensive yo... Aaaaand at one of the places the 'master' may have stolen a bunch of money and said "deuces" but that's another story for someone else to tell. I don't know the nitty gritty of that. Anyway We were pretty ameteur. Or my brother was. I was the best. At the last dojo we went to, I held the record for number of side blade kicks to a punching bag without my foot touching the floor. About 100-something. But that's also another story. During one period of instruction, we were sitting around in our gis on the mats and listening to the instructor. We were learning... I don't know I can't remember. But it was Kempo stuff. All was going well, when suddenly, I felt a disturbance in the force. I froze, everything slowed down. Decisions, 007, decisions. My options: 1. Excuse yourself and go to the restroom, just in case 2. Put all remaining focus and life energy into holding that bugger back 3. Gamble I was sitting the the middle of a crowd of a couple dozen kids, and was too awkward to just get up and shimmy through the class. So option one was out. Option two, heck no. It was coming. It was too late to restrain it. Only one option remained, and I tried to rationalize that it was the best one. Perhaps it would be silent. Then people would just point fingers at each other and I could just play tragic bystander. It didn't feel that powerful. Surely it would pan out that way. But when it arrived... It was not silent, Canterlot. There was no whisper about this. As it reached the end of its journey, it turned the speakers up to 11. It caught me and likely several others in the parking lot by surprise. There was absolutely NO denying this one. All eyes were on me, including the bewildered instructor who looked like I had just mastered the five star palm of death. Unwanted attention, for an unwanted reason. I just sat where I was and waited for my brain to shut itself down so I could die. But I didn't die, and class continued as if nothing had happened shortly afterwards. I writhed in self-pity for another half hour before my mother finally arrived to pick us up at the end. My brother relayed every horrific detail. I'm sorry Canterlot. I'm so sorry.
  12. So I says to my wife with one leg, "Peg...?"

    1. swamp337

      swamp337

      No.

      Or yes.

      Probably yes.

      All my yes.

  13. I'm back. You're going to die. I guarantee it. If you attempt this, you must print and sign this waiver: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cannibal Pizza Damages Waiver With the signing of this totally legal waiver I hereby exonerate the instructing party (Imagination of Canterlot.com and the account's actual owner) from all liability and fault for any damages to person, family, friends or property, including but not limited to scorched grills, destroyed toilets, ruptured stomachs or death from delicious. Attempts at legal action will result in the agreed confiscation of all money on my person, the contents of my pantry, my firstborn and my soul. Imagination has every right to deny awards for damages be they emotional, physical or spiritual. By signing this I acknowledge Imagination as the one true holder of the Nega Baked bad, and is therefore beyond reproach and is dastardly handsome. Under threat of perjury and being called lame, I sign, X ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I don't have a lot of money anyway, so suing would be useless. BACK TO BUSINESS I know you missed me. I missed you all too. And you know what? I'm not even waiting until Saturday. I can't. It's too much. I was going to save this. I really was. But since I've been gone so long and haven't given you fine folks a good helping of cardiac troubles, you've forced my hand. The Cannibal Pizza! Now, I constructed this monster not too long ago during a cookout. We were at the beach, and there was a general store not far away. We had a few alcoholic beverages (which I certainly do not recommend) and decided to play God. This is what happened. What you'll need: -A LOT of pizza crust stuff (we used Pillsbury) -Cheese! (Any will do. Will describe what I used) -Pizza toppings of your choice (Lots of em! Seriously, you're gonna want to break the bank) First, you need your bottom layer. Yes, I said bottom layer. We'll wait for you to change your pants and get back before we continue. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... you good? Alright. This will be what I call the 'calzone' layer. I used mozzarella and pepper-jack cheese and spinach. Close that off with another pizza crust and close it off. Make a calzone. A calzone the size of a pizza. Mind you, I did this with a charcoal grill. Mistakes are bound to be made if you are not experienced. This is alright. I don't blame you. Yes I do Once that's done, you're going to move on to the stuffed crust. We don't have time to wait again, relax. Take enough pizza crust that you'll be able to make a tube that can wrap around the outside of this calzone. Stuff it with what you like. Personally, I used Cabot sharp cheddar cheese. I was experimenting, leave me alone. Now, what you're going to want to do with this is again, make a tube to wrap around the calzone, but make sure not to close it all the way! Let the outside of the calzone be touching the cheese inside so it'll fuse to it. It might not hold together as well as it would if you just rolled some of the original dough, but that's fine. This is a monster, it's bound to fall apart. Call it artistic license and shut up. I love you. Once that's done you grill this again. "But Magi, what if I burn the calzone layer?!" Do I have to think of everything?! Okay, fine, no, it's okay. You can put several pieces of tin foil under the calzone layer to keep it from being directly exposed to the fire if you're using a grill like I did (MAKE SURE THE FOIL IS SHINY SIDE UP SO IT DOESN'T STICK). If you can, try to expose the crust though. Figure it out, I'm not your dad. Once that's done, you should have what looks like a stupid-looking crusted calzone. Fix it. For the sauce thing on top, you can use anything. Tomato sauce is boring, but if you're boring, go for it. I used some kind of white creamy stuff. Might have been Alfredo. Ranch, blue cheese, or Caesar will work too. Or BBQ sauce or buffalo. You're making it, not me. You do you brohamski. When you goT your sauce, add your toppings. Yes, toppings come next. I put sausage, bacon and red pepper on mine. Then cook it. I know this is difficult because you have a stupid-looking calzone under all this plus foil (if you took my advice). SO. If you can, try to bake it. Not too long, just long enough for the cheese to melt. Yes, you put more cheese on it. Before the toppings preferably. I should've mentioned that before? You signed the waiver, you have no say. We're in this together! When it's done, try to eat it. Unless it eats you. Analysis: I'm dead and writing this from beyond. That's how spectacular this is. Not only will this annihilate you with deliciousness, but it'll just as quickly revive you into the pizzaworld. That's like the netherworld, only you can eat pizza. It's awesome and I've never been happier. If you accidentally burn the bottom layer, no worries. Scrape off the black and you get a bit of added crunch!
  14. I'm suddenly feeling... Patriotic

  15. Hey Canterlot guess what

    1. QuickLime
    2. tacobob

      tacobob

      You've purchased us all very expensive Christmas gifts and will be mailing them out today?! :D

    3. stormchaser1991

      stormchaser1991

      yay us thanks Imagination

  16. I have this one REALLY long nosehair that's bugging me. The internet is the best place to tell people these things.

  17. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life!

  18. People don't think the universe be like it is, but it do.

  19. What does the fox say?

    1. Show previous comments  3 more
    2. Dio
    3. SunsetSombra

      SunsetSombra

      *SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!*

    4. Solfire

      Solfire

      Forget what the fox says

      *Closes the door*

      Engineer: Nope!

  20. Fried Twinkies? Contract?

  21. Skype is being dumb and won't let me connect. It has finally had enough of my shenanigans.

    1. RarityDash

      RarityDash

      But we miss you on skype! :(

    2. Halide

      Halide

      Oh, Skype. For a multi-million-dollar service, it sure is unreliable. Seriously though magi what OS you runnning?

  22. Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood morning, Canterlot! I missed our story time on Wedneaday and for that I should be punished. With a stick. Anywho, I have yet another super duper special recipe for you! Now I know some if you are going 'these aren't legit recipes because you don't give us measurements or times or anything like that! Just what's in it! Ur dum!' You may be right! However for my recipes, I usually guesstimate. I don't keep track of how long stuff cooks, and I don't use exact measurements of stuff! I like to experiment, as should you! But your point stands, I am pretty dumb. Which is a great transition into my next disasterpiece! I was making some chicken the other day and remembered something. It's that our funderful admin, Rose, keeps expecting me to put doritos in my food. I'm convinced that she is sincerely and severely disappointed by the absence of these delightful triangles. Dry those tears, Rose, Magi is here to make it better! Introducing the Chip Chirp! The bird with a chip on its shoulder! Ha. What you need! Chicken breast Blue cheese crumbles Bacon (obvious!) Cool ranch Doritos French's Fried Onions Jalapeño peppers Avocados Ranch dressing Mashed taters Garlic powder First! You need to cook your bacon! Make it nice and crispy! Brittle, even! Next, crush this bacon into tiny pieces and put it all in a bowl, along with the blue cheese crumbles. MIX! Then you put this mess in the chicken! Cut it open and expose the center! You can cook the chicken first and then add the mix, but I did them at the same time. Just make sure to check for pinkness when cooking the chicken. You don't want any! This chicken is going to be breaded! So! You need to grab whatever you would use for breading or even batter and crush up some Doritos with it! Add the French onions, and mix! Please note, this WILL make a mess and might not hold together if you aren't an experienced cooking dumby, like Magi. So when the chickens done, it should be golden with a lot if flakes on te surface. Fun! But we aren't done yet. Cut up some jalapeños and dice some avocados. No cooking needed. Add these to a good heap of ranch dressing and mix! Then you can top the chicken with it! Gorgeous! As for the taters and garlic powder, garlic mashed potatoes makes a fantastic side for this chicken. Analysis: I can't eat any other chicken anymore. This is the only stuff for me. The tender moist chicken, the delicious center, the crispy, crunchy coating, and the topping! Just.. Just... How do I spell 'Mmm', Canterlot? If you can't tell me that, at least give me the number for 911, because I have a heart attack over how much I love this. Rose, I hope this makes you as happy a it made me. What's better, is I might even have a picture of it this time! More on that later when Im able to post it, as I just made this last night as my own 'welcome home' meal. EDIT: Apologies for the entry spam! Not sure what happened there. All other entries of thi have been removed, so now you have just the one! Which is all you need, right? EDIT NÚMERO DOS: Picture's up! Behold! Though its pictures above with a quick rice dig I threw together. All my taters got eaten
  23. Hello again, Canterlot! Grab your forks and alert your surgeons, because its time for another Nega Baked Bad masterpiece! Continuing my theme from last week, I will be focusing on MREs one last time before retuning to real food! This one is affectionately called the 'Yut Yut', the word Yut being. Common Marine Corps term for Yes. Or just a general term of motivation! Try it, and you'll swear you had the urge to shave with a ka-bar and make fun of the Army! Anyway, this recipe is probably the only 'burger' you can get in the field! You need: Real bread 1 Beef Patty MRE 1 Beef Taco MRE 1 Vanilla Snack Cake 1 MRE heater The bread is easy. Just snatch it from the chow hall if you have the chance! Next, get the two required MREs. Easy! The beef patty will have condiments, and the beef taco will have meat similar to a sloppy joe! You need to heat both of these and place them on the bread! You then add some mustard and ketchup, a pinch of salt, and use the cheese spread for the cheese an you're done! Simplicity itself! Though I dare just one of you to try to eat this beast with your hands. If you have the snack cake, enjoy it! Along with the other MRE snacks you get. Analysis: This is the closest thing to a real burger you can get in the field, and it's terrific. Especially if you haven't had a real burger in weeks. It will not only be delicious, but make you appreciate the little things a bit more in life and refresh your soul. A terrific escape from the hustle an bustle of the military life. Construct yours today, and take your arteries for a ride! CAUTION: May make you a bit gassy!
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