Gaming Development (D4 EE Bunks)

[Felicity]

"I prefer warmer temperatures. It's handy for mech piloting, si?"

She listened as he explained about the game. Some of it she didn't get. RPG? Rocket propelled grenade? That doesn't make sense. "O-okay. Got to stop the evil wizard. So, it's like an old fantasy story with elves and dragons, but a game? Eehm. Is it fun?"

[Theodore Beker]

"Yeah, you know, Elves on the moon, Morlocks underground, wizards that can bend physics... I fought a dragon yesterday on a floating mountain. My party is Figario, a human apprentice wizard, Yasmine, a Tolkin priestess, and Margoth, a Darkling warrior," he gestured at three of the 4 sprites on the screen, "Let me start it back up. I'm fighting a manticore right now." He started the game back up and the larger fourth sprite started to beat its wings as it took to the air. Menus popped up as Theo keyed in commands and the one in the pointy hat fired a blue beam at the monster causing the number 3786 to appear over its head in red before the one that was mostly black and blue jumped forward and slashed at it with a suddenly giant sword.

[Felicity]

She struggled to follow, but it sounded fun. "I don't know what these races are, but it's interesting." This was also her first time seeing a depiction of a manticore, rather than the tank named after the fantasy creature.

It became harder to follow as more began to happen. "So, they're fighting, si? Why did that one's sword get bigger?" She pointed at the pixelated character as she looked to Theodore for answers.

[Theodore Beker]

"Well, it is sort of a long established graphical conceit," he tapped a few more keys as the manticore rose up and flicked its tail sending a rain of spines at the party causing them to blink red and numbers in the menus to quickly count downwards, "The hero sprites in these games are relatively small compared to the larger monster ones. It allows the monsters to have more detail and character to their design while seeming more imposing beside the heroes. There are some sidescrolling sections where it doesn't work this way but those are for when the game is focusing on a single character. Let me finish this fight up and I'll show you the character screens..." He tapped away and the little sprite in what seems to be a white cloak raised her hands causing the character in the pointy hat to glow blue for a moment then that character raised a stick, an odd voice file played, and thunder clap sounded followed by 5 streaks of pixelated lightning crossing the screen through the manticore. It faded out and new jubilant music played as the sprites danced.

[Felicity]

"That was quick." Felicity leaned toward the screen, scrutinising it. She sounded surprised. "Your heroes are pretty strong. Eehm, or that manticore was really weak." She sat back up normally to dry her hair more. "It'd be nice if that cheery music played whenever I take out an enemy in Kiara."

[Theodore Beker]

He laughed, "You want me to install victory music on your Mech? Yeah, I could probably do that."

"I had been conserving my big special moves but I figure I can mess around showing things off while I have company and worry about progress latter," he went about quickly checking menus after battle, "Manticores are a pretty strong random encounter in this area but I am geared up pretty well for it so I can normally take them effectively without pushing anything too expensive energy wise it just takes a little while. Sort of like conserving AC20 ammo until you have a good shot. So what do you want to know about the world and characters?"

[Felicity]

Making a few hesitant murmurs, Felicity held up her hands and waved them side to side. "No, eehm, that'd probably be too weird. I was joking." She was at least joking now. In the moment she'd strongly considered it.

Felicity took her towel and draped it around her neck and shoulders. "Pues, there's an energy limit?" She couldn't quite put together an ammo count with an energy cost. That was such a weird thought. "So, you said one of them is an apprentice wizard, si? What do then need to do to become a full wizard?"

[Theodore Beker]

"It could be some other little tune but the result would be the same," he chuckled, "Anyways you think about it."

"To become a full wizard I have to find a quest item and promote him," he opens Figario's character screen up revealing a mess of numbers HP, AP, Intelligence, Agility, Stamina, Strength, Cunning, Willpower, a list of equipment, a list of 'Spells' and large detailed portrait of a bespectacled boy in a broadrimmed pointy hat and a cloak that both seem too big for him, "See this stat here," he pointed to the screen, "That is Aether points or ap. Like a limited battery of mystical power to use for special abilities and spells. See Figario has a 364 ap and can cast Mystic beam which is cheap efficient damage for 5ap, a bunch of other moves or Electroclasm which hits 5 times for big damage but it cost 50ap."

[Felicity]

Most of that went over her head. She gives a small nod. "Can you get ap back? Was it okay to use it on that manticore?" Felicity asks in between looking at all the stats and the character picture. "He looks kind of cute."

[Theodore Beker]

"Oh, yeah, I just have to rest either at a waypoint or by using a tent item. I don't have one of those yet so I'll just return to the waypoint," he hit some keys, "Yasmine and Margoth are pretty nice, too. I like the artwork in the game quite a bit." The two other characters flash by Yasmine appears to be a short busty girl in a big white cloak and a short green dress while Margoth is a tall slender dark skinned figure with pointy ears and fairly basic black armour.