Story time first!
So, some time ago I was playing King of Fighters 2006/maximum Impact 2, and it sucked me into the fighting game genre. Particularly, it's own little branch of the genre. I'd always been a fan of the little OVA's the fighting game genre produced (Street fighter OVAs, and Fatal Fury the Motion Picture remains one of my favorite movies), and so I figured, wouldn't an RP in such a theme be fun?
This led to the idea to make one such RP, imbuing it with a story that was a bit cheesy sci-fi-y, but just close enough to cool to be accessible (Again, see the KoF vibe), and to create a stock of characters for it that people could opt to play if they didn't want to make their own. This last part proved to be nearly the end of this idea, however, as making all of the stock characters mixed with my own tendency to procrastinate about projects that aren't already involving multiple people made it take FOREVER(and to my knowledge the movesets of an entire fighting game roster are usually created by a TEAM of developers, so that didn't help either I bet).
Summary. I have seen this aspect of the forums for the first time, and since the people who frequent the Escapist forums often seem like pretty pleasant/intelligent folks, I figured why not give it a shot. So below is the plot, along with the name and description of all the stock characters I finished, and two I didn't (they're at the end). Look it over, see what you think, and vote!
STORY
There are various legends in the world. Some have been relegated to the status of myth, some are still a part of active religions, or are stories unto themselves. As many legends as there are, there are also many people who believe them to be truth, some so vehemently that they are driven to or actively choose to do terrible things because of them.
One such legend pertains to the Biblical Grigori, supposedly the first angels to fall from Heaven, who went among the daughters of man and founded children. These creatures were called the Nephilim, twisted giants of terrible visage and power. There are variations regarding how the Nephilim were finally destroyed: One states that they were taken into heaven, saved from their wretched existence. Another, more in keeping with their reputation as fearsome monsters, states that they destroyed each other in a civil war incited by an archangel (so as to save humanity from them).
These are just stories, of course. Judging by description, whatever beings actually inspired the Nephilim legend were the same creatures that spawned the Titans of Greek myth. Nonetheless, they are a legend, one around which other stories have evolved.
Of these, the pertinent one is the legend that the Nephilim bloodlines survived, or some of them, anyway (Biblically speaking Goliath was thought to be a Nephilim), and passed down through history, diluting over time until the genes were largely recessive, with abnormal traits appearing in a child only once every several generations or so. Still, some people put stock in stories. Enough to keep track of bloodlines through centuries, to theorize about what the blood (and in more modern times, the genetics) of such beings might be able to do. What the?practical applications, might be. It is here our story finds its founding.
In Veltown USA, one man named Darren Hunter believes in the story of the Nephilim blood very strongly. So strongly that he has bent the considerable resources of his company Excelsior Genetics (Ex-Gen) towards researching it, tracing family lines and, once samples could be acquired, analyzing and extracting DNA. All covertly of course, so the company?s full resources couldn?t be brought to bear. But finally, after a series of intensive experiments - and not a little illegal activity - a certain degree of success was achieved with TS-09, in which the genetic codes specifically granting the power of the Nephilim were transferred into a previously completely average host who was then able to control the powers. Darren Hunter was quite excited at this apparent success; enough so that he authorized the next step of the plan, to acquire other subjects of interest living in Veltown itself, both for the Nephilim project and others. But you know the old cliché: The best laid plans of mice and men?
CHARACTERS
Brian Zemin:
Derrick Arshavir:
Oleanna Triel:
Ahiga Yiska:
Ronny Sharp:
Benjamin Jones:
Looking over it, I know it's kinda pitifully sparse. I had other people lined up to play two more characters, and they may or may not make an appearance. I encourage people to make their own characters if they don't want to play one of the stock characters, and I'm including one of the characters I'll be playing below, with her move list, to give an idea of how character creation should go.
Sanuye Huyana:
All of the stock characters except for Ronny and Benjamin have complete movesets already, and would be provided upon request.
Obviously, fights are expected to occur, and would be resolved based on logic, quality, and roleplaying skill. If you type a long, beautiful post about a maneuver that's completely impossible for your character, it'll be tossed out. Likewise, if you wrote something like "I punch them in the F***ing FACE breaking their nose an killing them", it would also be ignored. Pleasant middle ground is what we'd be going for here, people.
So, there you have it! Give it a look-over, see what you think, and vote! Or comment, as you will. If I get enough yes votes then I'll turn this thread into the RP thread proper, or make a new one (regardless of 'no' votes if enough people are interested), and put up character submission guidelines.
I'll wait a week at most before deciding on this. Probably more like a couple of days.
So, some time ago I was playing King of Fighters 2006/maximum Impact 2, and it sucked me into the fighting game genre. Particularly, it's own little branch of the genre. I'd always been a fan of the little OVA's the fighting game genre produced (Street fighter OVAs, and Fatal Fury the Motion Picture remains one of my favorite movies), and so I figured, wouldn't an RP in such a theme be fun?
This led to the idea to make one such RP, imbuing it with a story that was a bit cheesy sci-fi-y, but just close enough to cool to be accessible (Again, see the KoF vibe), and to create a stock of characters for it that people could opt to play if they didn't want to make their own. This last part proved to be nearly the end of this idea, however, as making all of the stock characters mixed with my own tendency to procrastinate about projects that aren't already involving multiple people made it take FOREVER(and to my knowledge the movesets of an entire fighting game roster are usually created by a TEAM of developers, so that didn't help either I bet).
Summary. I have seen this aspect of the forums for the first time, and since the people who frequent the Escapist forums often seem like pretty pleasant/intelligent folks, I figured why not give it a shot. So below is the plot, along with the name and description of all the stock characters I finished, and two I didn't (they're at the end). Look it over, see what you think, and vote!
STORY
There are various legends in the world. Some have been relegated to the status of myth, some are still a part of active religions, or are stories unto themselves. As many legends as there are, there are also many people who believe them to be truth, some so vehemently that they are driven to or actively choose to do terrible things because of them.
One such legend pertains to the Biblical Grigori, supposedly the first angels to fall from Heaven, who went among the daughters of man and founded children. These creatures were called the Nephilim, twisted giants of terrible visage and power. There are variations regarding how the Nephilim were finally destroyed: One states that they were taken into heaven, saved from their wretched existence. Another, more in keeping with their reputation as fearsome monsters, states that they destroyed each other in a civil war incited by an archangel (so as to save humanity from them).
These are just stories, of course. Judging by description, whatever beings actually inspired the Nephilim legend were the same creatures that spawned the Titans of Greek myth. Nonetheless, they are a legend, one around which other stories have evolved.
Of these, the pertinent one is the legend that the Nephilim bloodlines survived, or some of them, anyway (Biblically speaking Goliath was thought to be a Nephilim), and passed down through history, diluting over time until the genes were largely recessive, with abnormal traits appearing in a child only once every several generations or so. Still, some people put stock in stories. Enough to keep track of bloodlines through centuries, to theorize about what the blood (and in more modern times, the genetics) of such beings might be able to do. What the?practical applications, might be. It is here our story finds its founding.
In Veltown USA, one man named Darren Hunter believes in the story of the Nephilim blood very strongly. So strongly that he has bent the considerable resources of his company Excelsior Genetics (Ex-Gen) towards researching it, tracing family lines and, once samples could be acquired, analyzing and extracting DNA. All covertly of course, so the company?s full resources couldn?t be brought to bear. But finally, after a series of intensive experiments - and not a little illegal activity - a certain degree of success was achieved with TS-09, in which the genetic codes specifically granting the power of the Nephilim were transferred into a previously completely average host who was then able to control the powers. Darren Hunter was quite excited at this apparent success; enough so that he authorized the next step of the plan, to acquire other subjects of interest living in Veltown itself, both for the Nephilim project and others. But you know the old cliché: The best laid plans of mice and men?
CHARACTERS
Brian Zemin:
A Junior in Veltown?s West End High school, a youth of average height with black hair and slightly darker-tinted skin, a noticeable slant to his eyes. Brian is a third-generation American citizen, his family originally from a western province of China. He is a good student and a serious sort of person, pulled this year into the new martial arts appreciation club by his best friend, even though Brian is already a near-master of his family?s own fighting style (Incorporating a mix of Chinese styles, favoring open-palmed strikes). Two other special qualities set Brian apart from the standard seventeen-year-old: One is his psychokinetic ability, manifesting visually as purple light and useable for a wide range of effects. The other is the list his name is on, in a database at Excelsior Genetics.
Derrick Arshavir:
A Sophomore at Veltown West End High School, Derrick is known for truancy, poor grades and an abrasive attitude. Blond, with hazel-green eyes and pale skin, Derrick is skinny but far from frail-looking, muscles easily visible. He?s never been a bully, but he?s never been someone others could get along with either. His fighting style bears similarities to karate, focusing on hard strikes with fists and legs. Derrick has developed a slight obsession with Brian Zemin, but this is only for the moment: anyone too strong for him to beat down easily can garner the same feeling. Ironic though, since his name is on the same list as Brian?s at Excelsior Genetics.
Oleanna Triel:
A teacher at Veltown West High School, Oleanna is one of those teachers that elementary school boys end up having crushes on, and high-school boys have dirty thoughts about. Of course, in high school such a teacher might have her classes made difficult by one or two exceptionally aggravating people, either through general disruption or a more lecherous form of behavior. But Oleanna Triel has a frightening way about her when she wants to, that makes damned sure people stay in line. And if someone?s really insistent on being annoying?well, those folks tend to return white-faced after conversations with her, and not step out of line again.
Tall, auburn-haired and brown eyed with a definitively sexy curve and tone to her body, Oleanna enjoys an active night life outside of the school, and has a definite wild side -visible in her wardrobe (even her conservative outfits manage to be sexy) and her fighting-style: a mix of empty-palm martial arts and personal flair, that doesn't always concern itself with things like fair play. This wild side has one other outlet, one most people would never know barring looking into her past or getting on her bad side.
Oleanna Triel has a certain skill with and attraction to fire.
Tall, auburn-haired and brown eyed with a definitively sexy curve and tone to her body, Oleanna enjoys an active night life outside of the school, and has a definite wild side -visible in her wardrobe (even her conservative outfits manage to be sexy) and her fighting-style: a mix of empty-palm martial arts and personal flair, that doesn't always concern itself with things like fair play. This wild side has one other outlet, one most people would never know barring looking into her past or getting on her bad side.
Oleanna Triel has a certain skill with and attraction to fire.
Ahiga Yiska:
Ahiga?s gotten used to being a walking stereotype by now: The huge Native American guy who is great to his friends and dangerous to anyone who gets him angry. His great size led him to a wrestling fighting style: at first just for fun with friends in his youth, but as time went on it proved useful for him as a way to focus his mind and discipline himself, and thus gain better control over the strange powers he can wield, that seem to spring from his thoughts and emotions alone...
Ronny Sharp:
Born and 'raised' in the poor section of Veltown, Ronny's used to the crappy side of life; home was crap, school was worse, and the only options the world gave him seemed to be dead-end toil until he died. And like many in his circumstances, he rejected this. If society's order was going to screw him over, then to hell with it. Ronny thus became a gang member and all-around criminal, putting an innate stamina (Often said to come from beatings administered by his father, though those who say it usually find themselves in the ER) and quick wit to use in rising up the ranks, until he was the head of his own gang. The Shivs are now a fairly influential force in their area of Veltown, and blond, blue-eyed, under-six-foot, almost lanky-looking Ronny sharp is a feared young man. His gang would have even more influence if not for the savage beating he received some months ago from another young man named Derrick Arshavir. All attempts at retribution against the other teen have thus far been fruitless, and Ronny "the knife" Sharp is starting to get fed up with the failure. And the things Ronny gets fed up with never last very long.
Benjamin Jones:
Ben was always lucky. Good-looking, strong, and just all-around talented, with an affectionate and reasonably wealthy family. He flexed his talent and muscles in school, becoming a sports star and doing decently academically...and falling into the habits that claim so many with talent, he also flexed his ego, becoming the kind of kid people either adore and kiss up to, or hate. He graduated high school and went on with a football scholarship to a nearby college. When he wasn't picked by recruiters for any pro teams though, Ben redirected his considerable physical talents into the arena of personal bodyguard work. A few celebrities, rap stars, and then he landed a steady job at Excelsior Genetics. Finally able to apply the sycophancy and skill he'd learned in school in a real-world setting, he quickly rose to the head of the main building's private security force. This got him privy to some pretty secret work the company was doing, and even involved in some of the less-secret stuff. Like the experimental programs for enhancing latent psionic abilities in humans (predecessors to the Nephilim project and its siblings). Ben is now a go-to guy for the corporation, and reliably does whatever they ask him to do. Whether that's protecting company assets, or 'escorting' someone from the premises, or much-less-than-legal work, Jones'll do it with a smile.
Looking over it, I know it's kinda pitifully sparse. I had other people lined up to play two more characters, and they may or may not make an appearance. I encourage people to make their own characters if they don't want to play one of the stock characters, and I'm including one of the characters I'll be playing below, with her move list, to give an idea of how character creation should go.
Sanuye Huyana:
A sophomore at Veltown West End high, Sanuye has a Native American heritage she is quite proud of, and a potent set of abilities apparently deriving from that same heritage. Or more specifically, from a legend within that heritage, of a great beast, a battle, and blood spilled across the earth. The ?beast? part seems to hold true, be it a legendary creature coming through the ages or Sanuye?s own will: when she fights, one can see hints or more of what might only be described as a monster, in the energy that shapes itself about her limbs and body.
She is otherwise largely a normal girl, black haired and short, with a slender, toned frame and skin of a shade caught somewhere between Caucasian and Native American. Her eyes are a bright brown.
Confident and self-assured without quite being arrogant, Sanuye is a patient girl who can nonetheless be quite dangerous when someone raises her ire.
Specific moves
Phase One: Sanuye?s most basic attack, though it holds power belying her slight frame. Swinging one arm forward in a hooking attack, Sanuye projects a bright white horizontal crescent. Barely more than a melee attack, this energy crescent expands as it travels away from her arm, but only to a distance of two or three feet. At this range it immediately loses its potency and vanishes.
Much weaker than most other forms of energy-based attack, the deadliness of this move lies in the great speed with which Sanuye can release it (the required action is literally only the strike with her arm), the near-instantaneous time it takes to travel to its maximum range, and the fact that it is only the first part of a truly dangerous combo.
Phase Two: The follow up to phase one, Sanuye strikes in the same way with her other arm, creating another crescent of energy that is slightly bigger and more damaging than its predecessor. Though just as swift as and more damaging than Phase One, the Phase Two crescent travels only a few inches past the maximum range of the previous attack. Additionally, Sanuye can only release a Phase Two crescent immediately after she fires off a Phase One. If the lag time between blows is any greater than a second, she cannot use this attack and must start again.
Phase Three: The final blow in Sanuye?s phases combination, the Phase Three crescent is bigger and more damaging than the previous two, just as swift to release and strike, and travels a full foot beyond the range of the Phase Two. As with its predecessor, Sanuye cannot release the Phase Three crescent without first using the previous two attacks. Should all three of these blows connect, they can deal greater damage than most other energy-based attack forms.
Rise to Noon: Normally, the energy around Sanuye is prominent only on her limbs, and then only when she strikes with them, taking the shape of reptilian-looking claws or other strange appendages just overlaying her own skin. In this attack, Sanuye is engulfed for a moment by the red light that flows about her: leaping up into the air with a striking elbow and a sweeping hand, the light takes the shape of scaled arms ending in wicked claws, around her own arms and hands. At the apex of her jump, Sanuye completes the partial turn she began in to strike out with one leg and kick her opponent away, a strike in which the red light takes a shape that looks noticeably like a reptilian tail. Most often used against opponents who attempt to jump in to attack, this strike is equally effective against opponents on the ground.
Hummingbird to Falcon: Sanuye leaps up into the air and then flies down and forward directly at the opponent. As when she kicks, the red light around her lower legs seems to solidify more fully into reptile, or perhaps dragon-like, legs. The light also spreads from her back as though it were bat-like wings, as well.
Claw Break: Starting off as a seemingly simple strike, the only giveaway to this move is the windup to it, about three fourths of a second longer than she?d normally take to attack. Sanuye strikes straight out, and on a successful hit into her opponent?s stomach, twists her hand and brings it up in a tearing motion, made all the more animal-like by the draconic-looking arm the red light forms about hers. Having lifted someone into the air this way, Sanuye follows immediately with a powerful strike from her other hand that knocks the target into the ground and away.
Super Moves
Grand Crescent: Folding her hands across her chest and then swinging them both out at once, Sanuye greats a horizontal crescent of energy greater than any of her lesser attacks, twelve feet from one point to the other and flying out twelve feet from her. As with the lesser versions, this strike is nearly instantaneous: the only practical chance to avoid it is to move or throw off Sanuye before she launches it.
Hammering Legacy: A combination that lends credibility to the legend in Sanuye?s background. She raises one leg and strikes out with it in a downward-sweeping kick. At the same time the red light extends outward and forms a huge, dragon-like tail which follows the motion of her body. It strikes down, then sweeps up, carrying the target up as well. At this point Sanuye switches the leg she?s standing on and strikes down with the other. The tail flips around her and again follows the motion of her leg, dissipating after this last attack.
She is otherwise largely a normal girl, black haired and short, with a slender, toned frame and skin of a shade caught somewhere between Caucasian and Native American. Her eyes are a bright brown.
Confident and self-assured without quite being arrogant, Sanuye is a patient girl who can nonetheless be quite dangerous when someone raises her ire.
Specific moves
Phase One: Sanuye?s most basic attack, though it holds power belying her slight frame. Swinging one arm forward in a hooking attack, Sanuye projects a bright white horizontal crescent. Barely more than a melee attack, this energy crescent expands as it travels away from her arm, but only to a distance of two or three feet. At this range it immediately loses its potency and vanishes.
Much weaker than most other forms of energy-based attack, the deadliness of this move lies in the great speed with which Sanuye can release it (the required action is literally only the strike with her arm), the near-instantaneous time it takes to travel to its maximum range, and the fact that it is only the first part of a truly dangerous combo.
Phase Two: The follow up to phase one, Sanuye strikes in the same way with her other arm, creating another crescent of energy that is slightly bigger and more damaging than its predecessor. Though just as swift as and more damaging than Phase One, the Phase Two crescent travels only a few inches past the maximum range of the previous attack. Additionally, Sanuye can only release a Phase Two crescent immediately after she fires off a Phase One. If the lag time between blows is any greater than a second, she cannot use this attack and must start again.
Phase Three: The final blow in Sanuye?s phases combination, the Phase Three crescent is bigger and more damaging than the previous two, just as swift to release and strike, and travels a full foot beyond the range of the Phase Two. As with its predecessor, Sanuye cannot release the Phase Three crescent without first using the previous two attacks. Should all three of these blows connect, they can deal greater damage than most other energy-based attack forms.
Rise to Noon: Normally, the energy around Sanuye is prominent only on her limbs, and then only when she strikes with them, taking the shape of reptilian-looking claws or other strange appendages just overlaying her own skin. In this attack, Sanuye is engulfed for a moment by the red light that flows about her: leaping up into the air with a striking elbow and a sweeping hand, the light takes the shape of scaled arms ending in wicked claws, around her own arms and hands. At the apex of her jump, Sanuye completes the partial turn she began in to strike out with one leg and kick her opponent away, a strike in which the red light takes a shape that looks noticeably like a reptilian tail. Most often used against opponents who attempt to jump in to attack, this strike is equally effective against opponents on the ground.
Hummingbird to Falcon: Sanuye leaps up into the air and then flies down and forward directly at the opponent. As when she kicks, the red light around her lower legs seems to solidify more fully into reptile, or perhaps dragon-like, legs. The light also spreads from her back as though it were bat-like wings, as well.
Claw Break: Starting off as a seemingly simple strike, the only giveaway to this move is the windup to it, about three fourths of a second longer than she?d normally take to attack. Sanuye strikes straight out, and on a successful hit into her opponent?s stomach, twists her hand and brings it up in a tearing motion, made all the more animal-like by the draconic-looking arm the red light forms about hers. Having lifted someone into the air this way, Sanuye follows immediately with a powerful strike from her other hand that knocks the target into the ground and away.
Super Moves
Grand Crescent: Folding her hands across her chest and then swinging them both out at once, Sanuye greats a horizontal crescent of energy greater than any of her lesser attacks, twelve feet from one point to the other and flying out twelve feet from her. As with the lesser versions, this strike is nearly instantaneous: the only practical chance to avoid it is to move or throw off Sanuye before she launches it.
Hammering Legacy: A combination that lends credibility to the legend in Sanuye?s background. She raises one leg and strikes out with it in a downward-sweeping kick. At the same time the red light extends outward and forms a huge, dragon-like tail which follows the motion of her body. It strikes down, then sweeps up, carrying the target up as well. At this point Sanuye switches the leg she?s standing on and strikes down with the other. The tail flips around her and again follows the motion of her leg, dissipating after this last attack.
All of the stock characters except for Ronny and Benjamin have complete movesets already, and would be provided upon request.
Obviously, fights are expected to occur, and would be resolved based on logic, quality, and roleplaying skill. If you type a long, beautiful post about a maneuver that's completely impossible for your character, it'll be tossed out. Likewise, if you wrote something like "I punch them in the F***ing FACE breaking their nose an killing them", it would also be ignored. Pleasant middle ground is what we'd be going for here, people.
So, there you have it! Give it a look-over, see what you think, and vote! Or comment, as you will. If I get enough yes votes then I'll turn this thread into the RP thread proper, or make a new one (regardless of 'no' votes if enough people are interested), and put up character submission guidelines.
I'll wait a week at most before deciding on this. Probably more like a couple of days.
