BZPRPG News and Discussion

[otter]

It's like trying to standardize the anatomy.

 

the horror

[Nato G]

I've heard stories about anatomy standardisation... bad stories... that end on cliffhangers...

[25K Now!]

Hahaha, standardising the anatomy.

 

Fun times.

[Razgriz]

Which defeats the purpose of Ta-Matoran having heat-resistance in the first place. 

no it doesn't

 

Not all elements are created equal. Bo-Matoran have pre-loaded extensive knowledge of herbs and plants.

and here I had my boy looking to study for nothing ohohohoho

[Timageness]

My personal head-canon views those with the element of Crystal as having multiple societies and cultures to explain why everyone seems to use a different prefix when referring to that particular power set (since I believe that there are currently three at the moment), but I do tend to use Cy- as a blanket term, so thanks, Xemnas.

[Nato G]

Yeah, I've always used Cy. It's what's on the wiki, so I went with that. 

[Let's Henshin!]

Been gone a bit.

 

You're all still crazy. 

 

Just perfect. 

 

Now to wrap up stuff so I can actually post again. 

 

Also were you guys really arguing over a weapon being ineffective in certain situations? Well gosh golly, I guess long swords are out of the question for that one day when I end up in small corner. 

 

No more long swords kids, move along.

[Keeper of Kraata]

You're not gonna get a standardized trait. If you want to run one by us, by all means. But getting people to accept a detail like that as standard isn't something you can do. They'll either take to it themselves or they won't.

The problem is what you are saying is antithetical to the rules-heavy nature of this RPG! Pretty much every character aspect or choice is covered somewhere, and you are giving players a blank check to come up with whatever the they want?

 

And this coming from the guy who said a Toa of Air wasn't powerful enough to mimic a vacuum cleaner?

[otter]

"Rules-heavy nature"
 
are you sure you know where you are, man
 
this place is actually pretty lenient if you think about considering just how sandbox it is
 
the only way we could be considered "rules heavy" is with how much we strive to maintain
 
I dunno
 
realism
like keeping out a rail-gun sword

[shadow pridak money gang]

 

You're not gonna get a standardized trait. If you want to run one by us, by all means. But getting people to accept a detail like that as standard isn't something you can do. They'll either take to it themselves or they won't.

The problem is what you are saying is antithetical to the rules-heavy nature of this RPG! Pretty much every character aspect or choice is covered somewhere, and you are giving players a blank check to come up with whatever the ###### they want?

 

And this coming from the guy who said a Toa of Air wasn't powerful enough to mimic a vacuum cleaner?

 

 

 

Aside from the Dasaka, this argument is categorically wrong; we've eliminated gender constraints, allowed freedom for players to choose (mostly) any mask they want to create some pretty OP element/mask combos, edited around canon elemental pronouns (Pa-Matoran for Plasma, Ve-Matoran for Plantlife, etc) and only kept traits belonging to canon Matoran where they belong - relegated to that canon Matoran. Crystal's a custom element designed and fleshed out mostly for this game by players, not the staff; if anything, us naming a random elemental trait would stretch further into overbearingly rule heavy than something that's actually necessary.

 

We're not going to tell you if your Cy-Matoran have better armor output, can forge crystals, or glitters like Edward Cullen at a pride parade. We don't care that much. If you do care, feel free to get inventive.

 

Or just complain. That's cool too, but in the end it doesn't get you anywhere.

 

-Tyler

[Keeper of Kraata]

Compared to the time when the BZPRPG was a new setting every year, this IS rules-heavy. I don't see any Rahkshi detectives running around.

 

And as for why I want an answer so badly? It's for a thing. If Nuju doesn't like it, I'll tell everyone.

[otter]

We've got a smaller player base now and we've slipped a little more toward the side of the story and what would make sense given our location, rather than crazy over-the-top stuff like kilometer long airships. Sue us. This really isn't rules heavy at all compared to a lot of different RPGs that have been on this site and others in the past, and so I must say: it's funny you mentioned vacuums earlier because your argument sucks (joke stolen like a true friend, obligatory "JK" @ Keeper)

 

And if your thing requires a standard trait for a non-canonical type of Matoran that's just about only found in the RPG section of this website, then you're gonna have a bad time. And if your thing needs a trait for a specific matoran but not a standardized one for all the matoran of crystal, then you really don't need to mention it in here, do you?

Edited January 3, 2015 by The Otter

[sunflower]

Meh, most of the new rules put in place deal with things that were either too much trouble than their worth or things that people were abusing and so some boundaries had to be set up.

 

Like the Mahiki.

 

And to be fair, the game back then was chaos, with people running around with armies of toa and makuta and whatnot. Not that the freedom was bad, just that it wouldn't mesh with our current story-heavy game.

[Keeper of Kraata]

I keep asking if Dasaka are immune to mental attacks (outside those perpetrated by other Dasaka) as Ce-Matoran are, but that gets ignored whenever I bring it up.

Edited January 3, 2015 by Keeper of Kraata

[otter]

Maybe send a PM rather than asking about it in here, because in here is the only place I've seen you ask about it at all?

[Keeper of Kraata]

Whatever. The thing I am working on will suss that out as well.

[Krayzikk]

 

You're not gonna get a standardized trait. If you want to run one by us, by all means. But getting people to accept a detail like that as standard isn't something you can do. They'll either take to it themselves or they won't.

The problem is what you are saying is antithetical to the rules-heavy nature of this RPG! Pretty much every character aspect or choice is covered somewhere, and you are giving players a blank check to come up with whatever the ###### they want?

 

And this coming from the guy who said a Toa of Air wasn't powerful enough to mimic a vacuum cleaner?

 

 

Oh boy. Where to begin.

 

Well, firstly I think there's more than a little bit of irony in stating that a staff ruling is antithetical to the game that that staff member was hired to run. I'm aware that you've gone to the boss with the same question, and you will find he will give the same ruling we did. I assure you I wasn't hired for my stunning good looks.

 

And, as a matter of fact, it is not a "blank check" because it still has to go through us, the staff. Crystal is an element thought up by players a very, very long time ago. Like the Lesterin it has been accepted into the game's culture, but also like the Lesterin the details of the element is still in the realm of the people who made it. 

 

Furthermore, I'll let you in on a little public secret; elemental traits don't mean much. You're rarely going to find a time where they're an issue, or a time where they were deemed overpowered. They aren't even usually mentioned outside of certain circumstances. I can't remember the last time a Fe-Matoran mentioned theirs, or a Le-Toa theirs. Outside of a few specific elements (Fire, Ice, Earth, etc) they don't come up.

 

Making a standardized trait for a custom element by way of staff decree is pointless, bordering on overbearing. As my colleague noted above. 

 

And, really? You're trying to use a previous ruling by myself, on an entirely different subject, dealing with how an element works to try and go against my lack of a ruling on an elemental trait? The failures in that logic are so ridiculous that I'm not even going to address them.

 

I keep asking if Dasaka are immune to mental attacks (outside those perpetrated by other Dasaka) as Ce-Matoran are, but that gets ignored whenever I bring it up.

 

The last time you brought it up was here. You brought it up as a statement, not as a question. If you have a question you want answered, you should firstly phrase it like a question. And if you want it definitively answered you should PM it to a staff member. You're not being ignored. To be ignored implies that we are consciously avoiding answering just your question, because our management and duties revolve entirely around you. And not just us, but every other player is doing the same. This is not the case.

 

Now, since it is so important, I shall address this. It is probable that the Dasaka have a heightened resistance to psychic attacks from Kanohi, as they are by their very nature watered down versions of powers the Dasaka possess themselves. Outright immunity is something that the staff would have to discuss, but a heightened resistance is probable.

Edited January 3, 2015 by Ninth Krayzikk

[Keeper of Kraata]

I just thought it would be a nice way to flesh out the world. Again, I will elaborate on why I am hanging onto this detail if it isn't found to be relevant.

 

Anyway, moving on... I remember it being mentioned that the Dasaka didn't make metal weapons out of their dead for obvious reasons. One thing I realized: why not out of rahi bones, like on Barus Magna? Respect the rahi and not enough, I am guessing? It could be a nice world-building detail if the ancient Taajar clans used bone weapons that were partially metal.

[silo]

Oooh, might use that idea if you don't mind

[Constructelf]

Again, where do you get the blacksmiths? You have the metal, but unless they've been perfecting their art for decades at the very least, you're not gonna be able to make quality stuff out of it, if at all.

 

Also, the metal may turn out to be more similar to copper than to iron, in which case you're better off using crystal.

[Mr. House]

Taajar still carry small stone knives to this day...

 

But anyways, the BZPRPG with all of these tight rules makes it a certain kind of game. Makes it a manageable, highly consistent game with very little bickering, or else player abuses. It has some flaws, but is nonetheless enjoyable and balanced. For all the complaining about them, let me bring up the example of the old, Pre-2011 BZPRPG as a counterpoint to the game at present. Having played since '09, I think I have a fairly good grasp about what it was.

 

Now, back in the days of the Santun/Kin, and up to Locus Abeo, the rules were incredibly loose. Players could create virtually anything. Fully powered Makuta (I personally had several), Toa with one to two elements, or combined elements, custom Kanohi, Elements, and Species without any hint of staff involvement. Players could create gigantic organizations with fully-fleshed militaries. For example, the old Brotherhood of Ak'rei'an had a player Archangel, Army, Navy, Air Force and Special Forces! All this remained until '09, when this lack of rules degraded the game into an admittedly fun battle between villain/neutral factions. One so severe that the entire world was destroyed because of their actions, and Tuck had to ferry out everyone onto magic ships to Aensetr Derrum.

 

So, try not to complain about too much rules. Knowing the alternative, be thankful, very thankful.  

Edited January 3, 2015 by Mr. House

[Makuta Miras]

Fully-powered Makuta? 

 

In the BZPRPG?

 

...I so wish I was on BZP back then. 

[Nuju Metru]

Fully-powered Makuta? 

 

In the BZPRPG?

 

...I so wish I was on BZP back then. 

 

Some of those fully-powered Makuta translated 40 of their Kraata abilities' worth of raw power into un-blockable, incredibly autohitty psionic strength... the fact that that was even possible should already raise some red flags. Characters like that had the right to rip your head clean off your shoulders, and then use it to practice their two-seam fastball (against a nearby rock). Characters like that raised and controlled massive forces of Rahkshi or Neo Shifters expies on a whim, shrugged off injuries and PC foes like water, and kept pieces of other characters' faces as trophies on their airship mantles.

 

It was an age of tremendous bullies, and it was a lot less fun than I just made it sound.

[Makuta Miras]

Huh. Okay then.

 

So would we ever see severely weakened* Makuta (Aside from him) in this version of the RPG?

*As in, only one or two powers, no Rahkshi creation, no currently unapproved Kanohi etc.

[Nuju Metru]

Huh. Okay then.

 

So would we ever see severely weakened* Makuta (Aside from him) in this version of the RPG?

*As in, only one or two powers, no Rahkshi creation, no currently unapproved Kanohi etc.

 

mmmnope

[sunflower]

Huh. Okay then.

 

So would we ever see severely weakened* Makuta (Aside from him) in this version of the RPG?

*As in, only one or two powers, no Rahkshi creation, no currently unapproved Kanohi etc.

Seeing as Makuta are hulking suits of protosteel armor with enough raw power to give Toa Teams pause already without powers, probably not. Could certainly try though.

 

Bossman ninja. Wooo

Edited January 3, 2015 by Gravity

[otter]

are superpowered beings made of metal and pure muscle not good enough for you or something

[Razgriz]

But can they dance good

i mean like

really good

[otter]

just so long as you don't do it in Ta-Koro

 

you don't want to have a

 

 

 

 

 

fire burning on the dance floor

[Silvan Haven]

 

 

Some of those fully-powered Makuta translated 40 of their Kraata abilities' worth of raw power into un-blockable, incredibly autohitty psionic strength... the fact that that was even possible should already raise some red flags. Characters like that had the right to rip your head clean off your shoulders, and then use it to practice their two-seam fastball (against a nearby rock). Characters like that raised and controlled massive forces of Rahkshi or Neo Shifters expies on a whim, shrugged off injuries and PC foes like water, and kept pieces of other characters' faces as trophies on their airship mantles.

 

It was an age of tremendous bullies, and it was a lot less fun than I just made it sound.

 

 

I always thought it was amazingly fun back then. I will also say nothing about the move set invented for no other reason than to deal with a certain overly psionic Makuta who's name may or may not have started with a U and ended with Z.

[Krayzikk]

Uhuraz's demise remains one of the best posts in the BZPRPG. Any iteration.

[shadow pridak money gang]

The T.O.Y.S. Store

 

If I missed your tech request lately, feel free to shoot me a PM or just talk to Avak or Thok in Ko! As far as I can tell, I approved Darkon's latest cache, IcarusBen's glider, and Kughii's lockpick, but I feel like I'm missing something. Feel free to hit me up and let me know!

 

-Tyler

[Not Quite Dead]

I'm guessing it's lost to internet entropy?

[IcarusBen]

I was going to make a pun (Wizard of Uz) but now I can't, cause someone already said the real name.

 

Thanks, Kray. 

 

Back to the Cy-Matoran thing, I don't want a trait because rule-heavy.

 

It's because every other element has a trait!

 

Inconsistency, people. Inconsistency.

[Razgriz]

Perhaps the most important cultural exchange to date.


because I can link things in N&D too
 

[Krayzikk]

Every other element is also official, not fan-made.

[IcarusBen]

And this makes Crystal different because.... Reasons.

 

The fact of the matter is that this would be fine if Crystal wasn't on the official list. Custom elements are allowed, y'know. But when it's on the official BZPRPG list of elements, a certain amount of information is expected.

 

Plus, seriously, how hard would it be just to give us one trait?

[otter]

ITT: People getting all worked up over something that doesn't ultimately matter in the long run

 

if you want a trait for your matoran of crystal make one

 

there's no reason for an official trait to be made because invariably there'll be somebody who doesn't like it, will claim that the staff are being oh so rule heavy and evil and blah blah blah and oh look that's why we didn't do this in the first place because it's pointless and will just cause problems ultimately to do it

 

just go sit down and drink your chocolate milk (or protein shakes if you're raz or tiragath) in peace like big kids mmk

 

edit: I can words

Edited January 3, 2015 by The Otter

[IcarusBen]

Ta-Matoran 1 and 2 both have fire resistance. Ga-Matoran A & B both have the ability to hold their breath longer. Ce-Matoran X & Y both have higher-than-usual psychic defenses. Cy-Matoran I has better natural defense, but Cy-Matoran II has the ability to identify crystals by touch.

 

Do you see the problem here?

[Geardirector]

Nope!