Fen wrote:

Since you're too busy stalking supermassiveblackholestar to read my post,

Wha?  who have I been stalking?  That's a new one. You're all the emo ones.  Man - whaaaaa, my game is being shut down by "the man".  And then telling, harping, flaming on anyone who says otherwise.  I'm the troll, that's nice - like there hasn't been multiple attacks made by the same ppl over and over gain when others try to be some be somewhat positive, and try to keep a good word going about MxO, over this same damned subject - stupid counter childish counter threads, (We are NOT the problem) .  Get over it.  Stupid Rarebit is gone - whaaaa , ..... pffft, so what. SOE might shut down MxO - or not. It's business, it's reality, wake up.  I've been busy at my RL job, doing other things like working on an animated project, maybe playing a different game, been having a life. While I wait to see what SOE is going to do with this title.  At least I don't sit and whine and moan about it all the dam time and annoy the others who are still trying to support game.  Who cares about what you think or how disgruntled you all are that your precious Rareybit is gone and the game is in a state of limbo - it is what it is, sit down and shut it, or get off the pot.  I'm just taking a stand and shoving back, that's all, cause these little boys deserve it.

Fen wrote:

Fen wrote:

I have a request of the people going to Fan Faire.  Please don't go and just kiss up and shmooze with Walrus and company.  We, as a community, don't want to see pictures of you pretending to punt Walrus.

I ask that you be direct with your questions about the future of the Matrix Online.  Ask why we're not on the Station Store anymore, what plans there are for the future, etc.  If at all possible, go to Smedly himself.

As consumers, we're being ripped off paying $15 a month for a game that has zero development.  These people need to be held accountable for their desicions.

 

Why be a *a device used to introduce a stream of water into the body for medical or hygienic reasons*?  It was a request.  In my opinion, the crappiest thing you could do as a community member is to be in the position to ask the direct questions and use it to shmooze and drink instead.  What I'm asking, is that while you're drinking and shmoozing, you get answers.

And sorry, but I'm not going to pay upwards of about $1000 US to just be brushed off.

And don't give me that "pointing the finger and waving the community card" bit.  Every single person in this community wants to know what's happening with the game, and those of you who are going will be in the position to at least get an answer.  Don't waste it.

You know - I'm just going to be absolutely blunt here, because I'm realy good at that.  Since you are so pissy about the state of things and just anti-MxO now, go play a different game already or shut it up.  There are lots of other thriving games out there. don't tell the dedicated players who are still supporting the game, going to Fan Faire maybe just to have a good time becaus they enjoy it not to go.  that is completely assinine.  Man - stupid, stupid stupid.  So for you, Don't go, don't spend your money, who cares. The others are absoltely free to do as THEY choose.  And maybe talking to Wally face to face is a good thing?  Who knows.  But man, that just blows me away.

The rest of the ppl actually going are going to have a fun time regaurdless.  And more power to them.

Just go play a different game already if you hate this so much all of you nay-sayers - jeeze of f'ing pete.  I'm so tired of the whining and crying.  It's that simple.  And flame me out - I don't care.

Bayamos wrote:

No dev means no matter HOW easy the idea is, it's not happening!

  Whaaaa! No devs! Me go sulk now!

Jeeze oh pete....

Doesn't mean things can't still be suggested if a new crew comes along.  We can dream, and still make the suggestions. I'll go brainstorm with the folks who still like to come up with things. Even if there isn't a Dev as present yet. It's just for the fun and imagination of what we could have if not for anything else.  Imagination - is a great thing to have.

Heh, right now I'm on: Ghostlands

Maybe at this point Dracomet or 9mmfu should just go in and change the name of the NPC. Since it is causing this much of an uproar.

I don't think Rarebit ever intentionally meant religious conitations or anything of the sort.  My take on it was, he made in one of his classic overly obscure reference styles to Smith - taking note from the game Enter the Matrix.  In which in a live action cinematic sequence, Smith encounters Niobe/Ghost (player) in the white hallways - towards the end of the game.  Smith's clones surround them and he quote the biblical line: "(Smith clone 1) - I am the Alpha, (Smith clone 2) - I am the Omega,  (Smith clone 3) I am the Beta ... blah blah..."    Also if anyone remembers that tiny scene in Matrix Reloaded where Smith overwrites that one Operative - the Operative says: "Oh god!" and Smith smiles and says: "Smith will suffice."  The matrix is full of multiple cultural religious references.  But Rarebit NEVER intended to make such a big deal out of this.  Although I do think he let his ego get away with him a bit.  When he designed this, like he tended to do, he didn't think things thru enough or how it might go - and this is the result.  The bitter bickering and fighting over 1 stupid little NPC.  That's simply was it is Rarebit's classical tenancy towards design oversight, and it's probly just a big Smith reference - it does look and talk like Smith, if only for it's shiny baldness.  And Walrus explained also, Rarebit meant it's sort of in reference to his end-time at SOE.

Tetragrammaton controversy: I was an ex-Grammaton so I'll try to clear some of this up if I can (if anyone will listen),  Tetragrammaton is in reference to the movie Equilibrium.  Beachhead used it in light of the dictatorship government in the movie that rules over the society. The name in that movie uses Tetragrammaton as a ways to say - (how to explain) "We are Godlike, governing all" - meaning the ruling government thinks of itself as all powerful and god-like.  It's a very Matrix'like movie.  If you want to know more, ask Beachhead (if he's ever in), Cadsuane, Smike, RedLeopard, Draqe, or whom everelse is left in Tetragrammaton Faction.  When I went to Fan Faire 08, one of the CCR guys who took the Grammaton name away came to me and was all apologetic, saying "I'm sorry, I didn't know what it was - someone said it was religious, yadda yadda, I had to take it because of SOE policies ... but I gave it back, I'm really sorry about that ..."  I said: "It's ok man, it's in reference to a kind of obscure movie, a lot of ppl can easily make the mistake." (I wasn't sitting all alone.)  Please see the video links to the movie.  It's kinda a B movie, but it's not all that bad - great action, lots of guns - very Matrix inspired.  But that's what Beachhead started The Tetragrammaton from - not some religious wierd thing.

Equilibrium Video 1

Equilibrium Video 2

Equilibrium Video 3

If there are any 2 major topics to be avoided on the interwebz because they only cause yelling and screaming, it's religous and polictical debates.  This is just stupid.  I say change the name - it would be much easier at this point - jeeze oh f'in pete!

I'm in the middle of moving so I haven't had any time to draw pics or anything. Soon as I get settled I'll get those up ASAP. It's been quite a hard time - especially with the looming threat of Boeing cutting 10,000 heads out of their workforce. I am afraid everyday, some of you kids just don't undestand what it's like to have a massive lay-off threat to your livelyhood like that looming over your head all the time.  You pretty much loose everything - your health benefits, your pension, your Union rights, everything, and you have to figure out a way to keep paying all your bills.  That's way stressfull everyday.

Sorry about some of the upsetedness, uh ... negativeness I guess.  It's just 5 years of pent up animosity I suppose - you can only put up with so much sometimes.  Everyone says "Just ignore it" yeh ... it still adds up.  What counts I guess is I still play MxO and do support it - and the community, those that have genuine heart and aren't meanies and play for the fun of it.  I really want to see MxO continue - hopefully get a new design/Dev (eventually), which that is completely in SOE management and Walrus's hands - not ours. And Walrus has never said he isn't going to NOT replace the designer seat - he only alluded to it may be a little while.  BUT I believe he probly will, I don't see how you can't, either thru a transfer from another SOE title (most likely will be the case) or whatever.  It takes time to find a person, train them on the tools, and see if they do good - be patient.  And they might be going thru a restructure in how they are managing anyway.

I for one would love to see what my fellow players are going to with the story till then.  If I have time and the opportunities, maybe even partake in some of what ppl are doing.  Only 1 point I do agree with on the other side - is that too many ppl want to do their own version of things. So we have too much and too many different directions, and then another problem of butting heads, (God-modding?).  BUT - Rarebit never said we HAD to follow what he wrote to a tooth.  He just gave it all out there for someone to either pick up and continue, or modify from where it stands or even just completely ignore it and do what they want.  He never said - YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT I DID!  In fact, he WANTED ppl to either add on or carry on, or do what they wanted with The Matrix story.  And I suppose I'll have to give him some goodies for that. 

Some ppl don't want to do anything if Rarebit didn't do it, and that's completely up to them and if that's what they want to do, then go ahead.  I'm betting that would be the same case even if a new design/Dev came into the picture and started trying to do his/her work ... and ppl stick their nose up at his/her work simply because it's not Rarebit ... which would be very sad.  And actually this is an attitude I have already run into :/ - ppl have passed judgment without even having a new designer yet.  I can only imagine how frustrating Walrus finds that - when he and his managers start trying to find a replacement to simply get the job done and fill the empty seat.  Rarebit is gone and he's not coming back. He's moved on, he probly got a great new job somewhere and is doing awesome for himself.  So - we need to learn to be accepting, or let this game fizzle and die.  That is our choice.

I'm going to keep supporting the game - still planning on going to Fan Faire 09.  Not nobody is going to try and bully me out of that.  We'll see what happens in the future.  I still love MxO - still a dedicated player, despite all the poopieness I've endured over the years.  I like Matrix because I like the mythos, the Movies, what the original movie started.  Not because of game devs or whatever - I am here because I like The Matrix - what the Wachoski's laid out.

So ... there.  Not trying to be a negative nancy, and it wasn't negative at all really.  Just saying a few things. 
Now back to moving.

Walrus wrote:

...... Giving a full toolset for events to players was never in the cards, as the internal structure of our toolset was never designed to work outside a secure network--not to mention being rather not-user-friendly. Recent issues with players being able to use admin-like powers without permission show what a pandora's box we would open putting those tools out, even with rigorous testing. ....

I think what Wally is alluding to, is a few weeks back some trolls popped ingame and where using every Dev/Admin tool in the book. Meatwadding, Assasin Abs, Codebombs, Spawns, Insta-Flag, you name it. Some ppl found it amusing, others where just being relentlessly harassed.  I encountered one such Troll under the name of "The Failure" on Recursion, turns out it was a.k.a GodTier - and his other pals.  When I sent in the CCR tickets, I also let Virrago know, quite loudly (I might add).  Only thing Virrago said was that these players/trolls had found an exploit in some item or something. Allowing them access to Admin/Dev abs and controls. I was told it was taken care of and the sploit has been fixed. (does make one wonder what that item was ... just curious)

Now, if it was some kind of god-like sploit that's one thing.  But if Wally means giving some players such permissions ... without the rest of our knowladge.  Then there IS something seriously wrong here and my bitter gripes about Player Favoritism with the Devs aren't all that unfounded.  Thanks Walrus, and Rarebit - I always knew it.

That's always been the problem with this game from the start - it reflects the neglect of the ppl running it.  The game itself is only a tool, a thing. It's the ppl who shape it, build it and interact in it that make it what it is.  If only we could have a team that has more self-discipline in their jobs and sense of responsibility, accountability, and passion for what they do.  Perhaps with a Dev team who cared about it, and went by their employment rules, didn't play favs, we could have a more profitable, and better game.  But till then ... so be it Wally.

Sorry that was kinda scathing ... but whatever. Needs to be said.

As for the update itself - meh. Not surprised about the items from Omega at all, kinda expected it.  I stopped using Vista when my Vista locked itself out, which it still does on my machine when I try to install it again.  So I just said f'it and stuck with XP.  Game runs better on XP anyway.  High lvl RSI captures should have a 15% or 20% drop rate instead of the 10%, simply because of the difficulty involved in getting them for individuals.

Hmmm, story development got me thinking. The characters would change (some slightly, others in bigger ways) with a new person - if I was in charge of all that, here's some of my ideas on what I would do with them.

Agent Gray & Agent Pace:
Put Gray back in the command seat where he belongs!  Seems like Pace took over that seat too much under Rarebit's writing too often ( due to his crush on her *rolls eyes*).  Agent Pace would be Gray's 2nd hand in command - don't worry, she won't be the silly liaison chick like she was in the beginning, that was annoying.  But Gray will be doing much more of the commanding of operatives, and come back out in the open again - instead of being swept under the rug like he was.  Gray will go back to being kinda semi-glitchy, for interest and because it is how he was originally written - Agent corrupted by Smith, yadda, yadda, yadda.  Pace will be closely monitoring him - maybe like that old Agent Skinner back in those old Beta days.  But She's not going to be the queen of the machines like under Rarebit's rule. Oh - and I would bring back her Italian quirks - She would have quite a bit more Italian speak than just her 2 words: "Tesoro" (sweetie) and Ciao!  Translators like Bablefish are a wonderful thing - and players who are actually Italian are a good resource also.

Merovingian/Persephone:
Kinda the same - as they are canon from the movie.  I'd make sure they stay true to what they are.  Their other characters probly won't change too much.  Flood is fine as he is, maybe a little less annoying.  And bring out a more zany Effectuator! He'll attend all official party events - and maybe some player events on occasion.  Effy would be more player interactive than he was - more of a bridge that way.  Others ... Ookami / Malphas, probly will stay the same - but they might be in more of a struggle against each other (underworld?)  Vampires vs Lupines!!

Niobe / Ghost / Other Zion characters:
Niobe & Ghost stay the same mostly because they are canon. As with most of the Merv spin-off characters like Colt they would stay the same for the most part. I would work on their depth a little more and try to revive the neglected Zion as much as I can.  Truth was, Rarebit never liked Zion or it's characters - that was one of the biggest problems. Question - does Tyndal have a Jack or was she freeborn?  I'd love to have her actually show up once in a while somehow.  Eh, could always write it in the story.

CYPH:
Veil & Cryptos:
No - I am not going to change Veil around or anything. She stays the way she is.  BUT I would intend to bring Cryptos back out from under the rug he was swept under. Mainly by playing the 2 characters off more equally - as kind of Jeckle and Hyde / Brother - Sister kind of thing.  They argue alot, as Veil is the ditzy teen attitude, and Cryptos is all dour and serious.  In LEs involving CYPH activities - the 2 of them would show up, not just 1, depending on how it could be played out.

EPN:
The Kid starts to become much more Neo-ish.  Not in power, but in attitude, I guess I mean he would start to think he is the next Neo - kinda like he does but now more than ever.  I probly wouldn't bring Shimada back to life, never knew that character very well (except for her butt, thankx for that Rarebit ).  I don't know if I would replace Shimmyadda, But making The Kid more dynamic and maybe make him in pursuit of the Morpheus Sim would be a good angle.

And re-instate the EPN & CYPH tags. That was a f'ing stupid idea to kill those!

Misc Characters:
Stuff that was added in over the course of MxO: Assassin, Daniel Wright, Oligarchs (Wireframe guys), Anome and his Unlimits, and other misc. characters Rarebit dropped in - might get used at points and others might get axed completely.  Like I said, no "spunky" shiny pink bubble-gum girls, stuff like that. And more of a balance of Male and Female characters - not all femme-characters. I don't get love-crushes on my toons.

So, story Ideas - and all that goes with bringing back LEs, structured and scheduled LEs - because the Live Events where the life-blood of MxO. Something that did make it very different from other MMOs where you do nothing but grind away.

Cinematics ... hmm, I am an animator (I have an Assoc. degree in Art & Animation) If there was Time I would try to make cinematic pieces. It would depend.

If I could be Dev - I would deffinatly fill the designer slot, being the artist and all.

I would:

*Work on new items, clothing, weapons, collectors stuff, and specials, rewards. Bring out any currently locked things over time.  Now - the thing about this stuff is - you have to do it within reason and can only do it with which tools you have availble.  Rarebit wasn't able to make completely new models and animations and all that from scratch because it wasn't game development mechanically possible. He HAD to re-paint stuff, however it was his lacking abilities to creatively re-paint a lot of things that is the issue.  Anyway, making all new models, animations to go with them, and stuff would take an entire team of designers, not just 1 guy.  Not to mention needing all the code you need to run it all correctly.  BUT - with drive, and my creative touch - I would definatly make some interesting gear, and stuff.  And I would listen to the demands of everyone, but if I gave you everything you dreamed of, you wouldn't have a game to play.

*Raise the lvl cap to top out at 60.  I believe that Monolith original intended for MxO to top out at 60 at some point. As the Coder Compile items menu tops out at lvl 60.

Abilities:
    *Add in new ones, meaning I'd probly have to take existing ones and make them player avalible. Lupine abs, Zen abs, Blood Noble abs, things that maybe locked off currently. Since I'd intend to raise the lvl cap to 60.
    *Tweek existing abs to make the flow improved. Hacker/patcher more effective, in combat - I have some ideas for that. Need some self heals to make it more useful.

*Switch the lvls of Westview and International around correctly. So that Westview is the 2nd area for lvling and International is the 3rd, as it should flow, (Richland and Downtown stay the same)  So the flow would be, Richland, Westview, International, Downtown - the way it is now is kinda stupid as missions start to send lvl 14s to Westview too early, simply because Westview and Richland are directly connected - I think.

*Mission systems - Special Holiday missions, more holiday events then just Halloween and Winter.
    *Bring back the Crits - as I would be bringing back LEs.
    *Less annoying banter from the operator - ugh shut him up already!!  Maybe not totaly, but jeeze oh' pete he got    damned annoying sometimes.

*start incorporating LEs again - on a more scheduled and controlled basis. Not just randomly happening, luck of the draw LEs like before (I always hated that).  And not annual Org meetings, or something lame like that - bring back classic story piece LEs - but scheduled ones, to try to accommodate and include as many/all players whom can attend as possible.

*Story: Quickly finish this stupid Oligarch thing - while it has some interesting aspects, bubble-gum pink chicks (that act too much like Veil - 1 Veil is more than enough k-thnkx), overpowered wireframe freaks, and nekid shiney program ppl that Agents or Zion can't do anything about are just too weird and not very Matrixy.  Maybe incorporate some of Rarebit's 13-14 chpt ideas, like bringing back the Oracle (defiantly is a must). BUT ... I wouldn't follow it all. There will be a new, and totally different - much more traditional Matrix driven storyline that will play out.  Back to the basics - The always deadly and malevolent Agents, Merv and his insatiable greed, Zion striving for human freedom, and the philosophies that drive it and make us more self aware. THE MATRIX! 

*Add Feral Mood (Lupine stance) 

Course - all this might take more than just a month or 2. Maybe it would take several months.  But hey, whatever it takes.  Here are the rules, I expect no less of myself:

QMS: Quality Management System
Produce and continualy improve product that meets customer and regulator requirements.
Say what you do. (Documentation): Use current work procedures and instructions
Do what you say. (Compliance): Follow procedures and instructions that affect your work.
Prove it. (Records) Demonstrate your work in accordance with process and procedure and provide objective evidence.
Improve it. (Process Management/Continual Improvement) Implement change based on information/metrics

Quality Policy:
I am personaly responsible & accountible for the quality of my work.
I aquire /use all tools and skills needed to meet quality requirements.
I know my objectives. (Process improvement goals and metrics)

In other words - no more 1/2 azzed cr4p.  Only quality!

Hopefully that'll keep this d4mned game running.

Working on a new costume for Fan Faire 09 - yes there will STILL be a Fan Faire 09' and I STILL plan on going.  This is going to be my premiere costume.  I'm going as Ookami!  Slight mods ... it's black, not brown.  Gloves with nails (more for convienience (glue on nails absolutely suck and are a pain in the azz!)  Hope to see/meet new faces at Fan Faire - probly will be a smaller bunch ... but maybe that's a good thing *shrugs*.  Anyway - Here's my idea for my dynamic costume!

I have it now because I was struck with this idea all of a sudden and just had to put it together.  Sometimes I'm like that, just get a wild idea and have to go do it - right then and there.

Yes that is my car, and yes the tattoos are real.  The fangs are not however.

Yey Ookami - Wolf!

'Japanese Wolf' - "Okami/Ookami" usually describes is the Honshu Wolf (Canis lupus hodophilax; Japanese: Nihon okami), The other endemic wolf of Japan was the Ezo Wolf (Canis lupus hattai; Japanese: Ezo-okami), also known as the Hokkaido Wolf, which occupied the island of Hokkaido in Japan. The Japanese Wolf was afforded a benign rather than malignant place in Japanese mythology and religion.  Unfortunatly all Japanese wolves are known to be extinct.

Okami the game - capcom

Animal - Wolf, Wiki

But I am deffinatly sure that's where the Monolith guys got the idea for our favorite Adolpha wolf girl.
And yeh ... heh, I deffinatly couldn't resist having her as my pet!

Basicly in Japanese - Ookami means: Wolf.  So - Ookami's name simply is ... Wolf. Hia Wolf!!

I found it odd when I looked thru the game files and found Ookami's texture paks n' stuff labled as: Ookama ... not Ookami ... strange.

She is probly my favorite character i'd have to say.  I like her ruthless agressiveness and claws and all that.  She's probly the most unique - like the lupines, also has that Feral Mood I always wanted.  Feral mood ftw!! Axe that ridiculous Umbrella mood and replace it with Feral - that always should have been done.  I hope a new designer gets around to giving us Feral Mood someday.  Anyway - Ookami was always my Favorite.

Thanks all!  I've got some more coming,RedLeopard, and some new ones down the line.  I am in the process of moving so - bear with me a little - but I'll be sure to get them.

Here's something to keep it over in the meantime:

This is a snippet from a day of BloodlustV's story-event line he has running. This day PixleKitty got to bait BloodlustV's targeted person by er ... a little flirtatious persuasion, some beers and slipping him a special EJP preventing poison-code "Mickey" when he wasn't looking.

So far this event line has been running extremely well!  It's small, but fun, BloodlustV and his fellow actors keep it very interactive, and it keeps us entertained.  Blood and his fellow ex-liaison, and other fellow actors and  other player RPers are some of the best ingame actors I have ever seen.  At the end of a meeting/event (how the story is carried) it seems like everyone is mostly pleased.  We seemed to walk away feeling like we accomplished something at the end of the meeting/event.  There wasn't a whole bunch of snarling at each other too much, getting frustrated with impossible lvls to beat or exclusion, or loudly grumbling - OMG This Sux!! And everyone seems to be on a relatively level playing field.  It's the way Events should be - should have been.  Course, I'm really partial to BloodlustV - but heh ... that's just me <3 <3

Here's some pix:


BloodlustV in his Combat outfit. He doesn't have the green hair anymore ... something my character Darkhawk actually helped him with (thru RP of course). Guess I have to change that drawing?  That's my toon PixleKitty - she's dressed up to play the "bait" to get Bloodlust's Targeted guy to drink the pill.  Seducing him into taking it with a little flirting at a bar, and over some beers was the plan - worked like a charm!  We are Merovingian after all.

Can you spot the ever mysterious floating beer bottles that reside in Club Janus?  I dunno if it's just my video card - or what ... but those beers just float in mid-air all the time.  Fizzy Lifting Drinks!!

Found Him!  After we raided the bar - he ran to the Mech archivist to pull a disappearing act to a construct for a grand finally battle for his life in 01.  Crazy guy ... awh ... no kiss before you go huh?  Figures.

In the end we got the dude - and everyone was actually fairly pleased.  There are 2 more targets still ... so who knows what facing them will bring.  Only next week will tell.

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uuuhhh ... how did THOSE get on there?!  I dunno ... *looks innocent*

This is kind of a shock, I guess.

Well - for what it is worth Benny - I loved you and hated you at the same time. It was fun meeting you at Fan Faire 08.  You are still pretty hawt looking. Heehee.

May your endevors out there be good ones, maybe you'll get to make your own title someday and it will be a big hit.

Be Seeing You

Here's what I have been working on over the weekend. I've been sick, napping a lot - i wanted to get as many done as I could before going to work again so it's been kinda frustrating.  But - I got most of them done, only 2 more in the set to go - red and green!

Mindsweep - pulling a Neo move!

Zippy - and his Squirrel army!

Zippy the favorite kids cartoon of the Matrix!  He has magical red & blue acorns!

The mysteriously beautiful Dreamliner

Asna & Monet dancing the night away.

Asna wanted to be colored in a little Black Snakeskin dress. A black snakeskin dress would look pretty cool to go along with the other colors in the collection come to think of it. There isn't any black Sif Snakeskin dresses in the game, although I think I have seen white ones.  But - I'm sure that since Rarebit is sooooo fond of making everything so monotonously monochrome;   It probly wouldn't be hard to convince him to make a black version of a Sif Snakeskin Dress, which in this instance might be a good thing.

Soon as I get them done, in a day here: Lt O'Brien and RedLeopard

CPT_Starschwar wrote:

Rarebit wrote:

 

 

Hmm. The shiny belt buckle isn't present on normal black plain slacks... and those look a tad lighter/ more detailed... could these be the System Slacks?

Mmmm - wait ... Could it be ... Void Shades?!  FINALLY?!!  Anniversary is just around the corner.

If it is the stupid black plain slacks ... pffft, we already have those.  "Oh no wait, they are "System Slacks" ... Ookaaaaay ....  I am guessing they would have the same buffs the Formal Skirt (Agent Pace Skirt) does? Or if it's a chapter reward, hopefully some new bonuses.

I'm really hoping I'm right and it's the Void Shades.  I So want Void Shades, I remember I did illustrate the need for special Void Shades. They rock!

EDIT: double posted due to stupid forum hiccup

I also figure this is why the gang npc's often are not "returning to home" like they should, lately.  You've all probly seen it - the gangs just grouped up in wierd places, standing in the middle of the street after following a player.  It's probably because they lost their pathing and can't return to home.  So they just stand there and group up on top of each other, loose their brains and can't attack back - good for us huh?  Simple trigonometry - "8 ball, corner pocket."

Here's some pics, and a little fun story with stuck NPCs;

Oh my!! 3 headed mutant Furies! Aaaahh!

This Bullet Harle Kin became lost and can't return to her group. Even thought they are just across the street there.

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And this is an good example of the groupage of the gang npcs just standing out in the middle of the street - stuck.  They don't return to home, and won't attack if attacked or won't agro anything around them either. They litteraly are stuck or something. "Special Needs People"

Hello there, you seem to be lost. -- Dur, Can you help us? We is stuck.

Of course I can!  --- Uh, is she safe? What lvl are you? -- I'm uuhhh, lvl 2!

I can help you! I kill joo! --- Aaahh!She no lvl 2! Owchies!

Quiet you! you'll respawn where you are sposed' to be. ---  Aaaah! Big meanie!!

Fun Fun - lack of LEs? So what - you have to make up your own stuff.  I have imagination.

Here's some screenshot dumps I wanted to put because some are fun, and also illustrate our evermost favorite bugs.

First - some new characters I made up:
A cute pair to RP with. I sort of juggled some of my existine non-played Syntax characters around and re-dressed them up a bit to do something fun with them.

If any is wondering what the "Red Dragons" is in refference to - I'm not telling - sept for some hints. That it maaaybe a skateboarder term, and I listen to XM/Sirius satilite radio in my new car.  You'll have to google it for yourself. Yeh - I made myself a faction. It's nothing serious, it's just purely for fun.  After all, that's what this game is all about ^.^, Last time i checked It's a game isn't it?  Red Dragons is open if anyone asks or has this dying desire to be a merv who loves to RP and needs a guild ... er Faction, maybe even if just to plop a baby alt in.  I don't care - it's just for fun.  I'm not taking it that seriously.

They are not Bro & Sis - they are actually a couple.  But more like a couple that have been together for a while as they seem to argue a lot.  But they seem to love each other.  Dynamic characters - FTW! You'll probly see them at Tabor West off to the side talking in Area to each other.  Or running around lvling.

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This was some latenight Sleepwalker hunting. The thing about this pic is - I call it, "8 ball, corner pocket."  That is a traditional pool player's term. A dev for an ancient game called Drakkan  once said "simple trigonometry" (at a Sputnik meeting) - huh, yeh right simple trigonometry.  Actually, all it really IS, is just simple trigonometry at play here.  After all, games are just triangles - all 3D is triangles. Not that I'm good at math - I'm horrible at it, I'm just an artist.  BUUUUT, if any dev can figure out what might be going on - I'll give them cookies and kisses!  As this kind of pertains to this wonderful, rumored trick that some MxO player discovered about the Sleepwalkers.  My theory is after watching what was happening after our box drops and one of us pulling the Sleepwalker down: it's "8 ball, corner pocket." just a little simple, pathing trigonometry.  Hint: this sort of shows a correct angle perspective from my normal behind view.

But, also to the Devs - remember this simple rule: "Don't fix what is not broken".

Thanks all, I love the cartoon squirrel, Ren & Stimpy and warner bros cartoons ahave always been my inspirations.

Here are a couple more:

The green clad Lt.O'Brien - I decided to maybe make him a Patcher because 1. It's green, and 2. I don't have enough spellcasters.

See, i got to you.

And on request - the stunning Asna and Monet dancing the night away!

It took me a few characters to finally realize the actual flow and how screwy it is.

I think for some wacked out reason Richland and Westview are put right close together - but the lvling flowchart is actually intended as:

Richland --> International --> Westview --> Downtown

Not:

Richland ---> Missions send player automaticaly to ---> Westview (regaurdless of lvl) ---> International ----> Downtown

You missions start sending you into Westview from Richland about level ... 13-14 or so >.o  And it's 20 - 30 area where International is your 1 to 20 area.  I believe this is more due to the fact that Richland and Westview are all one big piece, and so close together, and International (Chinatown) is more or less a completely separated construct, like Downtown.  You can thank Monolith for this ... they set the play flow order order of the gang lvls all wrong in my opinion.  How it SHOULD be is Richland and Westview should be more like Richland and International - switch the lvls of the Westview gangs with the Chinatown gangs (in theory).  And then you should have a proper play flow. 

Most new players don't even know they are supposed to go to International as their next step in their teen lvls, since it just starts pushing them into Westview by default. I know back in '06 when I started I spent so much frustrated time being sent to Westview - and didn't even know Chinatown existed.

But ... it's MxO ... for whatever reason it wasn't done the logical way.  But, if you like the challange - of course it's always there and you are free to continue braving the wilds of Westview if you please.

Those are my just observations and my opinions on the subject.

Dulux wrote:

Sent you one unbuffed and one level 14 Enhanced to start you off with anyways, hope they are okay

Hi Dulux, I'm your Guildie Bubbles heehee! ^.^

Bubbles is 11 right now - but she'll grow into it real soon. Thankx lots!  I really appreicate it!!

Thanks all!  I really appreciate it! 

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Lt0Brien wrote:

Mindsweep's
Very nice pose, thought that was pretty epic there.

Zippy's
Had me lawling in my bed for at least 25 minutes there, even my anti-gamer GF laughed.

RedLeopard
Lookin' smexy in that red suit as usual, nice job Dark =P

 

Still waiting on mine however >_> cant wait to see what you do with that Green Suit of mine.

Heehee, don't worry Mr. Greeny-Jeans, I got your picture coming right up.  Along with a couple of others.

I just wanted to get these up real quick.

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Oh, I'm really looking for a certain style of blouse - I REALLY love the blouses in MxO.  I dunno, they are pretty, sexy without being overly - how you say ... slutty? They are tastefully pretty.  Some of the blouses are kinda Goth - the "Spider" ones are anyway - I like the flared sleeves, and they have a variety of styles and colors. 

But there is one that I am really looking for DH has a black Contrast Midriff Blouse on - but for my other characters, and probably DH also - I need more of them!  I'm very much look in in particular on Recursion for a WHITE Constrast Midriff Blouse for Bubbles.  So, here's the ad - kinda cross posted.  If anyone can make one - lemme know!  I'll see what kinda deal we can work out.

Bubbles is so silly - she's just funny ^.^

Like the red one on on my character here: Bubbles420

So if anyone can code one - let me know, send an email or tell me here plz!  Thanks lots!!

Sketches, all cleaned up and stuff.  The finals coming real quick.  I think the toughest part is thinking of the poses and the expression to put each person in.  Everyone has their own expression for their character, or what they want to be in the Matrix - so that's the most challenging thing.

I was re-watching Matrix Re-Loaded to get some screenshots, and I was inspired to use a pose For Mindsweepx:

Mindsweep pulling a "Neo" move.  It was a move I saw in Reloaded, where Neo fights the 3 Agents after Smith gstops by that underground meeting to drop off the earpiece.  darn ... no eyelasers.  He's awesome at fighting s I figured that Neo jump would suit Mindsweepx best.  The outfit I had pictures of Mindsweep in was kind of a Neo-ish outfit, so the idea fit. 

I really hope Zion gets some more positive points going for it sooner or later. I mean, I'm a machine person - but I understand the great need for balance.  When I watched the scene from Revolutions where Neo was making the Truce Deal with DuesExMachina, I remembered what this whole game was spun off of originaly.  That 1 scene ... Here's to hoping Zion gets some kudos soon!!

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Neo: I only ask to say what I've come to say, after that, do what you want and I won't try to stop you.
Deus Ex Machina: Speak.
Neo: The program 'Smith' has grown beyond your control. Soon he will spread through this city as he spread through the Matrix. You cannot stop him, but I can.
Deus Ex Machina: We don't need you! We need nothing!
Neo: If that's true, then I've made a mistake and you should kill me now.
Deus Ex Machina: What do you want?
Neo: Peace.

(Zion: Temple entrance)
{Sentinels charge the temple entrance, then suddenly stop}
Niobe: What are they doing? *to Morpheus* What are you doing!?
Lock: Morpheus!

(01)
Deus Ex Machina: And if you fail?
Neo: I won't.

(Zion: Temple entrance)
Niobe: {looks up and sees sentinels slowly circling} Neo.
Morpheus: He fights for us.

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ZippyTheSquirrel!!  Yes - here he is.  This one is kinda puzzling, had me stumped for a while - but I really wanted to do something fun.  Zippy has control over the Squirrel programs in the Matrix.  He can send an attack squad of squirrels after you on a split second notice!! - Okay, that is totally silly, but it's really funny!!  It IS the Matrix you know ...

ZippyTheSquirrel with his attack squad.

And I made a little extra of him - The most popular cartoon show in The Matrix.  All the Bluepill children get up every Saturday morning to watch the Zippy The Squirrel Show!! He has magical Red and Blue acorns. Ooouuuu

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Here's for a really close friend of mine. RedLeopard!  I am sure lots of you on Syntax know him, he sure loves to talk.  He's super nice and pretty much always cheerful. And always a strong, die hard, supporting member of the Tetragrammaton. RedLeopard is really a great guy, sometimes a bit ... talkative ... but he's really upbeat and friendly.

The Leopard image in the back will be much more faded and absorbed into the background.  I sort of want him to be his cheerful, go-lucky self, but have the fierce spirit of the leopard behind him.  And red!

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I really like doing Player Characters - ppl who have created their own little on-going RP characters.  It's really neat to read their stories and learn what their character is all about.  She gave me the description which I included below with the pic.

"Dreamliner is a Sentient program in control of flight systems around the Matrix. She was constructed to work under the Metacortex Company's Flight & Research Development Division.  She works under the guise of "Terra Krause", the oddly charming & attractive, yet elusive Engineering Executive at Metacortex. She secretly develops plans and designs of flight efficiency for the machines outside The Matrix simulation. Dreamliner also has a hand in occasionally writing various small dream programs for the Bluepill-humans."
People love their characters!  I hope I can bring them to life as much as I can for them

Sorry, I've been snowed in and trapped at my parent's house over the last 7 days ... *ugh*

I had to get to work (Boeing never closes for nothing) for the 22nd and the 23rd and Dad 4x4 has the truck with traction. He has to drive me to work, as my car is snowed in.  Luckily Dad also works at Boeing (30 years!) I have chains, but I only made it out of the heavily snow covered back streets, and had to remove my chains when I got to the main road, and then drove to my parents house.  Which was pretty snowed in also at the time.  And had to sit there, where my Dad took me to work the 2 days before my vacation break from Boeing.  Now I'm on vacation, and got home by Dad's kindly driving. BUT - have no car as it is STILL snowed in at my parents house!! I have to wait till it thaws out enough for me to go back and drive home.

BUT I did get some sketching done while holed up at my parents house so I will have some stuff up shortly.

The Seattle area, and it's sister cities like Everett are never very snow ready. :/
Spokane WA  is more snow normalized for the most part, as they have it all the time, but not us.  We suck when we get caught in winter downfalls like this.  And we only wish it was snow like in the game - the snow that NEVER accumulates ...  heh.

I got about, 1+ foot of snow.  It was a White Christmas indeed.  Well, despite the hassles, it is very beautiful. I got pictures, soon as I can get them out of my camera maybe I can post a few.

O.O!! Ooouu!!  Jewelry reveled on my birthday?! YEY!!
I feel loved <3 (ok, not really - just a tiny bit - maybe, i dunno) 

You're too kind Viraggo *blush*

I'll love getting those!  I was taking about jewelry earlier ...
I love the idea and will deffinatly be getting some bling-blings!

Mr. T fully supports the idea!  "I think dat all the kids should have dah' jewels. Know what I mean?!"

*coughs* (no - it's not that nasty cold I had earlier)

LINK

It's kinda hard to tell from the angles and the over-bright about those globe glasses.  I think they'll probly look better in person (the game) directly when we get them.  I will deffinatly be getting some pairs of these for my toons.

I think the only things that might be detracting from them and confusing the concept - are they should be a slightly blue-ish tint.  Now I know there isn't supposed to be any "Blue" (sept for the FF jeans) - but these probly could be better if they where slightly bluer - being winter and their theme being "Globe" as in the "Snow Globe". And the snowflake images look like they are too small and not sharply defined enough to stand out and really be seen.  The thing about the previous glasses - Awakened, Headless - is that their textures are virbrant and really pop out!  With a very small item - the image needs to be just big enough to be seen to be recognized, and have that contrast.

They still aren't that bad - and I will be grabbing quite a few pairs for all my characters.  Boy - with all the snowflakes I'll be collecting , the Holiday Hook.. eh, "Helpers" will really be giving me some lovin'! :D

I gave these glasses some free promotion in my SOCA Winter Ball Poster.  I think this was the concept that was intended.

Mystic Twins Jad1a and Travi with "Snow Globe" Glasses.

Come to the SOCA Winter Formal Ball! To kick off all the MxO winter festivities, come party with us and dress up in your snappiest formal wear.  Hmms, I guess if Mave was on Syntax, he would have to wear his fancy boxers for this one .

EDIT - I forgot the where >.< Do'h!

Looking forward to the boots.  Although they aren't really all that wowza.  Guys need more foot wear as stated before in various threads.  There does need to be more new lower lvl content to balance out all the new high lvl content.  Not everyone is a 50 all the time.  So this is a good addition - keep up the work in adding the lower lvl stuff along with the high lvl stuff.

Except for Feng's bowling shirt is fairly unique, the girl top is very common.  I would rather have probly taken the red coat some of the other Pheonixes have.  Problem is - some gangs sprot unique clothings and others sport everyday droppables.  Walrus did say to me that the clothing on the gangs and NPCs is modeled to fit their body type, whatever type it is - 1,2, or 3.  So in order to fit it to player avatars, it has to be worked to fit all 3 of those model types somehow.  ( I asked Walrus about all this in the morning hours at Fan Faire about the second day over a cup of coffee while watching him play around on his test server at a kiosk. It was just some casual converstation and questions about design and whatnot.)

Here's what I always thought that Pheonix's would look good as.  It's just something I always had in mind as thinking they needed.  Moar flames!  After all - they are Pheonix Gang, Pheonix = Bird of Flame.

Finals!

Nicho! Dedicated Cypherite, and tough man of the organization.  EPN better watch out or they will have a whole lot fo him to deal with.

Cerlaine - recently named a Femme-Fatal, she certainly earned the title with her deft knife thowing skills and hand to hand combat prowess.  She deffinalty is a deadly nubian princess for sure!

Sometimes you run across a very unique Player Created Character - and Mendelevius certainly is one.  Mendelevius is defined as being a program writen that brings and spreads diseases of many kinds throughout the Matrix.  Perhaps it once his purpose, as a certain control measure?  (sometimes in labratories disease is used to control populations and study their effects on living subjects ((usually rats/mice/insects - but in The Matrix Story case - the machines experimenting on bluepill humans)) )  Anyway: somewhere along the line Mendelevius became corrupted and decided to take his abilities to try and overtake The Matrix and the blue-pills within for himself.  Thus trying to gain control of The Matrix.  He was of course defeated and has to go into exile.  Now he serves the Mervovingian - but he does have his own agendas still.
*In a sense - Mendelevius could be defined as Pestilence, which was one of the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse.  And alot of the mythos of The Matrix is based on biblical references and this player decided to spin up on that a little. (so yes, I did use the term "Harbringer" in refference to Mendelevius's character correctly)

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Since I made Bubbles on Recursion I have been playing her a little here and there. I didn't just deleted the toon right after that meeting, why would I? There will be more meetings and spur events in the future. And it seems most of the parties and meetings and little surprise events seem to happen on mostly Recursion lately.  So - I am able to take more Rescursion server character orders!  Just send the info to Bubbles420 - but still PM me/and or email ingame to Bubbles420 . Recursion ftw? They need a bridging like everyone says ... -.-

:/

Sounds like thike these meetings are not going very well.

Sorry this one sounded like the least best one.  I kind of suspected that - you know, you Zions are very correct when you say Rarebit hates and/or is biased against Zion.  I was at Fan Faire 08 and he said so himself.  In an open forum discussion at one point I was asking something about org. rewards (concerning the FM1500 controversy) and said - "You don't want to make them because it seems like you are biased to Zion and Merv.  You favor the Machines"  And he laughingly declared: "Of course I'm biased! Hahahaha!!"

And lately he does favor Machine and Merv.  And has given Zion the total short end of the stick (so to speak).  Which - even though I play a Machinist most of the time - I think is absolutley wrong.  When being the Dev. the writer should try to give equal consideration to both sides - in this case the 5 sides.  But still there is 2 basicly sides - "good and evil (light and dark)".  I think Rarebit doesn't write or like Zion because he doesn't understand it.  But that does not give him the excuse to treat it the way he does!

It is easier to write up bad characters, villains, and such because we all like to be silly and somewhat "bad-azz".  It's more difficult to play the heroes and play the morality and the just cause.  The thing about The Matrix Mythos is that nothing is set in stone, sometimes the line blur. But Zion is NOT weak!, or the lesser 1/2!  And should not be treated as such. Niobe and Ghost are powerfull characters.  Rarebit said: "Shimada is my least fav. character..." he said so himself in a previous thread about design (or something) - and what did he do? He had Veil (his fav. character) killed her - no surprise to me there.  The only thing he seemed to like about Shimada was her bvtt.  He doesn't understand Niobe - or how to play her correctly.  She is an aggresive character - who steadily believes in Zion's cause, but is not quite as zealous at The Kid.  And The Kid (now with Shinada's death) would be quite the Zealot.  Which SHOULD put an interesting spin on things.  But I have my doubts and have absoutly no faith in his ability to write the story correctly or fairly for Zion.  Yeh I'm a Machinist - but this is too far!!  Constantly giving Zion players the shaft is just stupid and wrong - especialy on Rarebit's part.

The favoritism - not only of players, but of the orgs - has to stop!

Beat me up if you guys will.  I believe what I believe.

I couldn't stay long. But it didn't seem all that different from the more passive Q&A Live Events of the past.  There seemed to be a lot of questions in the begining about the Oligarchs and stuff from Chapters ... uhm what was it, 10.3 I think.  Other than that it wasn't all that bad.  Agent Gray isn't going to answer everything because that is part of the story and discovering things and doing your homework and actually reading some of the past missions (archives).

If ppl are stumped for character names - I know sometimes I am for my game characters.  Try these quick and easy name generators:  NAME GENERATATORS
But don't go too crazy, I don't think a p0rn-star name is really going to help either.  Although that might be funny!

As for all this firefighting, I think some of the underlying animosity here stems from ppl being suspicious of and tired of the favoritism, myself included.  Go ahead and bash me for it - I know you guys always will.  But it exists and it's the truth. 
So what can be done about it, if anything?  Probably nothing because it's never going to change. :/

Heehee! Thanks!

well, those are just ideas of things i would make if I could.  I also like the shoes ideas - for the guys in the Clothing Items wanted thread.  Lately there has not been enough stuff for the guys.  It's been pretty fluffy, puffy femme- stuff.  I mean, a golden ball gown and high heels, return of the pantsless Gi in a male style version, with a pink trim?!  A pink ninja Gi ... It's getting overboard - less and less good and serious content for guys and not enough balance for both genders equals total lameness/fail.  A certain dev needs to stop focusing so much on the female RSI and balance out both genders equally. I mean - we all like pretty girls ... but, most of the players are guys and they are finding less and less good content for their RSIs (hence their need to make "shims" - I dislike that term) I have noticed. Void Shades are really cool - and yes, I'm sure they can be adapted to the female, as simply as all the rest of the items. It's just a simple change of clicking a setting avaliblity to both - I'm pretty sure. That's just an opinion.

Anyway - I finally made a Recursion Alt! All those Recursion guys I met at Fan Faire - I wonder if you'll find me.  It's sort of for the upcoming Mech meeting and upcoming events - since 2 of them seem to be scheduled for Recursion.  The Mech meeting AND the Party.  Gray/Pace had better not be late to the metting - or I will be VERY angry and will be placing complaints.  I can't stay long as it is as I have to go to work at 3:00.  So - I'll miss most of it anyway - but THEY better not be late (like they usually are).  I'm serious - the tardiness thing is unacceptable (and it was discussed at Fan Faire briefly), especaily now that the regular LEs have been done away with.  So - I hope it's all good.

Meet BUBBLES!  It's fun to make up a silly character once in a while - just for the fun of it.  Bubbles is really just for fun - she is not to be taken all that seriously.  I tried to make her as silly as I could on purpose - then she kinda grew on me :/ ... as sorta cute in a :p kinda way. BUBBLES!!

imax - maaaaaybe.

Here's the sketches of 3 ppl coming up. I have been working on these - and game characters, and job, and the loss of my car, and all that stuff.  So - here's some fun stuff!  And some suggestions for the perverbial suggestion box.  They are only suggestions - don't rip me up about it.

That is NICHO - not Nacho.... heh heh.  jk.  In an old Beavis and Butthead game I played, at one point you could get Beavis to kneel down to a vent and yell into it: "Naaaaaaaacho!"  It is so funny.  Sorry dude - but that name just reminds me of that - I know Nicho isn't that, he's the brothah' of uber coolness - but still, I just can't forget that nacho bit.

Cerlaine - the sistah' of expert knife throwing. A deadly girl with a super sharp aim.

Mendelevius, the harbringer of disease and famine in the Matrix. 

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Now for the other stuff:

Void Shades! They are so much better than those big fat, old-grandpa, blockers.  But none come with buffs, they are only avalible as non-buffed eyewear for guys from some meager clothing vendors.  That's pooey - always has been.

How about THIS to go with that silly Gas Mask!  I want this for X-Mas in 2009!!
Although I dunno how a girl version of this would work ...
You have to protect the jewels man, not just defend your nose against noxious fumes.

And I'm a woman saying all this. Go figure.