/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal

>>132206
"They should be, and perhaps they will be, but for now they are useful to me." Brie smiles and glancing sidelong gives Lavren a one-eyed smile.

>>132209
When you use that method of calculation it looks like Equestria really is bigger than North America. As I said before, the Naval map has the seas around Equestria as much smaller than that, and I am less sure but I think the air map does too. That does not mean the maps are consistent with each other.

I'm still going for a portrayal of Equestria as steadily centralizing its power as time progresses. If you look to the river coalition, the various nations there remained completely separated, and only recently formed a decent coalition. In the griffin lands, there was an attempt to unify all of griffindom, but it fell apart after ~250 years. According to leaks, Saddle Arabia will have a similar story of trying to reclaim a lost empire. So I am going with Equestria having a similar attempt, but actually succeeding (except for Severyana and a few other places) because of Alicorn immortality/longevity. Of course by the time of the setting of the campaign, East Equestria has been completely divided into separate autonomies or even separate protectorate countries.

>>132210
I've played three different games as New Mareland since the Husky update. I could relate some of what happened here if desired.

>>132212
Yes. Please do read the posts that have happened since, as I like some of the ones I have written.

The last post for Amber Sunset was >>132043

>>132211
He tilts his head
"How did you expect it would go?"

>>132213
"Well, unless you have more questions, you may proceed. You may use my Stork. It will take you to the Whinnyapolis airport. A larger plane will be waiting for you there."

>>132213
"Don't worry, Im sure we'll have time to exponentiate as we travel." He winks finally to Lavren.
"It is good that her majesty is pleased then." Brie says formally. "Any last favors or objectives I should be aware of?" He says slyly, his eyes almost squinting, a shit-eating grin on his face, one fang peeking out.

>>132214
"We would take him in for reward, but seeing him after we pulled him out made me decide otherwise."

>>132215
She answers:
"The objective is to ensure Changelingia is safe from ponies who would raid our lands and capture our nymphs. Any expansion to that objective will occur after the situation on the ground in Baltimare has been assessed and reevaluated. Good luck. You'll have more time to talk on the planes."

Lavren stares at Brie, saying nothing. The whole set of changelings is packed into a pair of small monoplanes - Lavren, Seb, Fun, Wesley, Kerr, the Queen, and the very sharply dressed military officer drone who accompanied her here. Brie may speak to to the above while in the planes, prior to boarding, or in the Tarmac at Whinnysota. It's a long ride to Baltimare.

>>132217
"Why is that?" Mala asks

>>132219
Curses, I don't have the energy to try and seduce the queen right now ;_;
Can we
- \ \ | I To Be Continued at the boarding of the plane?

>>132220
Sure. The queen is following Brie at minimum to the Whinnysota airport.

Football

>>132222
Pic

>>132220
Um... are you saying you want to continue it later?

>>132219
"Pity, perhaps. I also would like to believe in second chances, I suppose."

>>132043
Amber drinks in her surroundings. "It's like a rainbow in its own way," she murmurs. "Quite a few generations of the same family have read together in this room, I reckon…"
Amber carefully walks on the carpet, as if afraid to break anything, and takes a look over the different titles on the shelves.

The StuG III is the most underrated German AFV. This is coming out of left-field, but that was my thinking when I was mass-producing medium tank destroyers, and it worked.

>>132224
"I do not know," Mala looks away, and out the window
"I am afraid of him still. I kind of feel like he should be shot, if there is anyone who should be. But I also know that all the same reasons would apply to me, and I want to be free."

>>132225
The Canterlot Tales, Maregyar Folklore, On Music and the Harmony of the Spheres, Ars Magna et Ultima, Selected Works by Alfred Hinnyson, Blackwater. Among so many others

She answers
"Oh yes. Several owners here have collected books over the years. Some are rare, first editions, And some were read to there foals at night."

Some of the books are significantly older than the house, and some are much newer

>>132226
Amber sucks in a breath, then peers over at her guide. "These books could have a museum all of their own! Some of these I've wanted to read for a while. Do you read books here?"

>>132226
Silver nods to Mala.

"Indeed, it is moral conundrum. Perhaps there was no 'good and evil' to choose between, but rather between compassion and ruthlessness."

He pats Mala on top of his head.

"Between those two, I would rather be compassionate."

>>132227
She answers,
"Well... I don't read them myself... But there are tables here for reading, yes."

>>132228
"Maybe..." Mala has an uncertain and unsatisfied expression. He closes his eyes and smiles, however, when silver pats him. His diamond ears part over to the side, making room for the hoof.

The taxi arrives at a tan colored building with narrow windows perhaps five or so stories tall near the center of the city.

>>132229
Amber sheepishly asks, "May I?"

>>132230
The pair get out and pay the driver for the trip. Silver looks up at the tall structure and whistles before going inside.

>>132231
"Well... we try to keep most of the books preserved. But maybe some of them, you can touch.

>>132232
The building isn't the tallest in the area, but it's much larger than most of the buildings in Baltimare. Going inside through the front door, there is an off-white colored mare waiting at the reception desk. Mala seems unsure as to whether he should or should not enter.

>>132233
Silver smiles at the receptionist, before looking back at Mala and motioning with a hoof for him to follow.

>>132235
"Well.... the ones that can be reached without ladders." She answers, sounding almost strangely tentative.

>>132234
Mala cautiously walks in, almost afraid of the place. The receptionist notices Silver, but does not initiate the conversation.

"Ladders? Oh, do you mean secret tunnels?" Amber grins.

>>132237
“No no: rolling library ladders to reach the higher shelves. There are a couple in here.”

>>132236
"It is okay, Mala. Do not worry."

He trots up to the receptionist desk.

"Excuse me, I am Silver Sword. Is this where I can pick up reward for illegals captured during raid on 33 Hoebuck?"

>>132239
Her eyes become very wide
“Uh.... I think you are looking for R&M. Third floor, you can take the stairs or the elevator, down the hall and to the left.”

>>132240
He smiles and nods to her, seemingly unaware of the nature behind her reaction.

"Ah, thank you very much!"

He heads for the elevator, but not immediately getting inside. Instead Silver stands in front of it looking unsure and excited at the same time.

"I do not believe I have been in elevator before, if memory serves."

>>132241
Silver walks down the hall to find a more open area with marble floors, a pinkish colored wall, and a metal door just a little too dull in color to be stainless steel. This must be the fabled elevator, with a black button to the right of the metal door frame. Mala follows, and says nothing, looking curiously at the metal door.

>>132242
"Oh, some of these are likely as old as Equestria, and many are over five hundred years. But those are on the higher shelves, out of the way. The lower levels have books stocked here from the beginning of the ninth century by Frequent Wind."

>>132243
Silver steps inside the newfangled contraption.

"Shall we head for third floor?"

>>132244
>>132243
Wait. No. Recalculating.

At the end of the open area is an open door with a brass door frame over head. Looking inside is a carpet floor, hardwood walls, but most importantly a brown colt sitting next to a lever, looking over at the two creatures.

>>132245
"There have been some new additions since then. The current owner wants to keep pace with advances in science and the newest literature. The biggest contributions were simply at the begging of the last century, but we have Hummingway and Joy, as well as Jazz Age and Stagbuck."

>>132246
time machine noises

Silver looks over at the colt.

"I suppose you operate elevator?"

>>132247
The colt, in red hat and red uniform answers "Sure do."

>>132248
Silver steps inside, and motions for Mala to join him.

"Can you send us to third floor?"

>>132249
Silver steps in, and Mala joins cautiously afterwards
"Sure can" the colt answers

Entering the small room, he presses a button that closes first the brass door on the first floor, and then a folding grille metal sliding door closes from the inside, securing the car but making it possible to see out of the car at the door. With his hoof, the pegasus colt presses the lever forward, and the elevator moves upward with the sound of an electric traction motor. Mala is startled by the movement, and moves his legs out wider to remain stable. The elevator moves up and lets the creatures see the door pass below them, then the wall between floors, then the door of the second floor, and finally to the door on the third floor, which opens to the left, and is followed by the metal grille door opening.
"Third floor"

>>132251
"Well, it hasn't been lived in over the past decade. At least, it hasn't been the primary residence. The current owners have another house further inland they use. They will sometimes stay here on some weekends, but they've opened this house up for historical viewing. That is why it is open like this."

Okay, I has to sleep now. I hope I'll see you tomorrow, poners

>>132250
"Thank you."

He tips the colt 5 Bits before trotting out of the elevator.

>>132256
“Thank you!” He says. To the left is a longer hallway, but to the right is another area, looks like a waiting room, with the words “Revenue and Migration Service” on the wall. There’s a white unicorn mare at the reception area, who is typing on a type writer

>>132257
He trots up to the receptionist.

"Hello there. I am Silver Sword, and this is my partner Mala. We were part of group that cleared 33 Hoebuck and captured group of illegals there, and were wondering if this is where we can pick up reward."

>>132258
She looks up and smiles
"Oy, your with that? Parade Pass is handling that. He just came back in the office. Let me fetch him."

She turns around and yells
"Hey! Parade Pass! Somepony is here for you!"
She looks back to Silver, then stands up and walks back into the hall. It's a solid minute, but the familiar yellow pegasus in a green uniform walks out. He looks to Silver and smiles, saying to SIlver

"Well fuck me, it's you again! What'chu comin' ova here for?"

The white mare answers for Parade Pass
"He said something about a 'reward.'"

He responds
"Oh a, a reward. Well, let me see here. Come to my office"

>>132259
Silver nods, and follows him.

>>132260
He walks down a white hallway, and then opens an unremarkable wooden door. This leads into a small halllway that splits off to the left, and goes past a door and a few interior windows on what seem to be offices or conference rooms, and then enters into a larger area with a few cubicles, a couple of which have ponies in them at typewriters. At least one of the ponies is missing a leg. He keeps his pace before reaching a wall lined with offices. He finds one that he opens the door on

"Aight, you can come on in"
He opens the narrow door into the office. On top of one shelf is a single framed picture of what looks to be Parade Pass and a mare in a dress. This is the lone element of personalization in an office that has no creature comforts or other efforts at personalization. Indeed, with cardboard boxes on the ground and papers haphazardly strewn across the desk, it looks more like a storage room than an office worker's office

Parade Pass sits down at the desk and starts flipping threw pages
"Let me just... There was an official tally here somewhere. I think it was 30 captured non-citizens? Let me.."
He looks through the papers. There is one chair before the desk

>>132261
Silver decides to sit in the chair, if Mala does want it first.

>>132262
Mala sits down next to Silver. Parade Pass looks over at Mala, as if not certain why he is there, and then goes back to looking at the papers

"So uh... it says here the reward is 150 bits for each alien turned in. There's 30 turned in total, so that's uh.... 4500 bits for ya."

>>132263
Silver lets out a low whistle.

"Not bad, not bad at all."

>>132264
"Well uh, this is for the lot of ya. You're gonna have to share it. We're not holding the pot for ya. But you really left a mess in there. Burning, stabbed, a zebra torn open. There was a stag and a stallion who had to have surgery. There were cut open or somethin'. I never seen anything like it."

>>132265
"Yes, they were making sacrifices. It was...not pretty. Still, even split between members of party, that is still significant amount."

>>132266
"Aight, well that's fucked. Good thing they're taken out. We'd love to have the smugglers who were working the business, or their ship captains."

>>132267
"We would have too, for extra reward if nothing else. Ah well, what we got is still impressive. I believe there five core members of our group? Myself, Mala, Iron, Dark Star, and Midnight. I do not know if I am forgetting anyone else..."

>>132268
"Heh. I don't know. You'll have to figure that out amongst yourselves. I'm not sure how long you've stopped the traffickers. They have a way of coming back, if you don't sever the head."

>>132269
"Ah, that I know. Perhaps there is more to this trafficking operation in Manehattan, since I remember in dossier that Manehattan was primary stop for this group. Either way, I will make sure others get their rewards fairly."

>>132270
"Oh Manehattan is doing their own thing. There's far more R&M officers there, we just sort of guarding the flanks. Also uh, I think you might have pissed off some of the locals by killing that rich landowner. He was someone important to them."

>>132271
"Oh, thank you for heads up. I suppose most of angry ones would not believe he was head cultist?"

>>132272
He blinks
"Even now I barely believe it, and I was there, sort of.

Then he adds:
"You didn't come across any of the head traffickers, the shipping lines they used, or their documents by any chance, did you?"

>>132273
"Hmm...I did pick up some documents from safe that was in Maakie's own office, as well as some blackmail photographs."

He pulls said documents and the photographs out and offers them to Parade Pass.

>>132274
He looks at the photos
"Oh look. Ponies fucking. And some others shaking hooves... I don't know who these ponies are, but I know the locals know."

Then he looks at some of the other documents
"Oy! Contracts. Now this is something the analysts can make use of, I think"

>>132275
"Other than photos and documents, all we found was name of steam ship they were using as transport. I think I have it written down here somewhere...ah, here!"

He gives over a piece of paper they used to mark down the name of the steam ship.

>>132277
"Well, a few of the upper bedrooms are closed because they are used, sometimes, and of course a few of the spaces used for the remodeling are closed. But yes, the house is open to the public most days."

>>132278
I should have a bunch of time next week to play if we can’t get to it this go around.

Is there an official Equestria at War thread? If not I'll give a small update here. It just turned to the year 1021 and a stalemate still exists, albeit we pushed the enemy back into their own territory minus some occupied islands I plan to retake. The actual problem we had was not the number of troops but rather the poor supply of New Mareland; however the AI's been actually competent and been building infrastructure and buildings that help so the situation is better. Total losses are 8 million on our side compared with 4 million on theirs.

I hadn't noticed a naval invasion in my northeast and the new Griffonian Empire managed to take a stretch of territory from Manehattan to Albion. Fortunately I saw it in time and my tanks mopped up that whole army really well. Otherwise I'm mostly a participant in the naval and air game. Thanks to better airports we can now put up a good fight and the airspace over the entire New Mareland theater is contested but slightly in our favor. The enemy took that northeast island off my coast and stuck a bunch of planes there, but that makes it easy for me to train my wings up to veteran. I've also learned how to actually patrol water zones so we're in decent shape there. However, I was messing with task force composition and I've run into a serious issue where even though I explicitly merge task forces, and there's space in the task force for that ship, it will immediately split off and reenter the reserve fleet. As a result neither of my carriers will join my main strike force and can only patrol virtually alone, and because this has happened to my destroyers as well I have a shortage of screens and patrol forces.

The enemy has been edging ahead of me in terms of planes and has a lot of jet fighter Is, so I decided to leapfrog and go for jet fighter IIs while using my ample air experience to make the ultimate propeller fighters in the meantime. On the ground side I disbanded my heavy tanks and replaced my mediums with modern tanks. There are some teething issues, though: my production had been barely keeping up in terms of both planes and tanks, and because of this drastic switch I'm quickly running out of actually good fighters while I wait for jet wings, and my 13 modern tanks per week probably won't ever cover the 4.4k shortfall I have in my divisions (and that's AFTER I disbanded my non-frontline tank divisions). Funnily enough though I stopped production I still have a surplus of a couple hundred super-heavy tanks. I'm building more factories but I'm reaching the point where, even with limited exports, I can't get enough steel. The entire world is likely to be running out of steel as I've resorted to squeezing out a few more units from trade partners.

It's pretty funny how this war has ended up in a perpetual stalemate unlikely to end until the end of the game itself, whenever that is. Wartime conditions have become the new normal for the ponies of Equestria (for context, Flurry Heart became the ruler of the Crystal Empire). One operation I plan to employ once I get more jet fighters is to nuke Talouse and use my pegasi divisions to capitulate them, then using this on Wingbardy. I was considering getting missiles but I've read they're fairly useless for strategic bombing and jet bombers are far better. I'm betting that the Dread League going on the warpath will break the stalemate, as they border the Griffonian Empire.

>>132282
Neat. I'm not sure if I have ever had a game go as late as to 1021

>>132283
This game is just to see how things turn out, what the cut-off point is, and to play around with features. I'm glad the colonial war happened because otherwise as Equestria I would probably be just sitting around on speed 5. Although the mod has late events it's clear at least some countries aren't intended to be played for so long, because I've been on continuous focuses for five years and don't have anything to spend political power on. Also Hearts of Iron 4 is notorious for getting laggy in the late-game due to so many divisions.

Rolls around in the lush grass looking extremely snuggable and cuddly.

>>132286
D’aww!

Does anypony think they can play today or this weekend?

>>132288
Eeyup!

>>132288
Brie has unfinished business with the Queen, so yes.

>>132288
I certainly can!

>>132286
Hope you can join us, Sven!

>>132286
Fantasy Play has a Manticore exhibit to break into

>>132276
He looks at it
“Now this’ll help at least a little bit. Always report ships, captains, and shipping lines that have been hauling contraband and aliens.”

>>132292
The last reply to Amber was >>132278

>>132291
It’s basically Brie’s initiative. I have a cinematic for everything on the trip back to Baltimare unless Brie wants to do something

>>132278
"Well, there's only so much daylight in a day and I did promise myself I would explore as much as possible." She quickly clarifies, "This is my first day in Baltimare and its history is truly impressive. Do you mind showing me the rest of the house, please?"

>>132293
Silver nods.

"Of course. I believe that is everything, besides reward, of course."

>>132294
Uh... I’ll generate more when I am back to my laptop

>>132295
“Ah. Yes well uh..”
He looks up and around, processing his thoughts
“Let me, let me go approve the money from a supervisor, and see if an analyst can make sense of these documents”

>>132296
Silver nods again.

"We shall wait here while you do."

>>132297
He leaves for several minutes. But when he walks back, he tosses a roll of bank notes on the desk
“Well today’s ya lucky day. Analyst says these are traceable contracts. They’re willin’ to add anotha fifteen hundred to to the pot. Er’ ya go. Six thousand. That’s a lot of money I tell ya.”

>>132299
Silver's eyes go just a bit wider at the mention of the amount.

"Very nice, very nice!"

He takes the roll of money, stands up, and offers Parade Pass a hoofshake.

"It has been pleasure."

>>132300
“Aye, well it’s been a weird as shit time for me uh... it’s been a pleasure”

He shakes Silver’s hoof. His shake is looser, but he moves his hoof up and down faster than normal, and wears iron horseshoes nailed-in. He has a smile on his face

>>132301
Silver smiles back and releases the hoofshake.

"Heh, I cannot blame you. Is not everyday you put down sacrificial cult. Ah well. Have good day, Parade. Perhaps we will meet for more business in future."

>>132302
“Well hell I’d take you out for a beer. That’s some impressive shut back there. As for business you’re a bit messy but you captured more aliens than a full sized raiding party in a night.”

>>132303
"It was more messy than I would have liked, too. I am just glad we got through it all without loosing anyone. Maybe I will take you up on that beer sometime, though. Goodbye, Parade."

>>132304
“Aight. Take care. You can keep your... ‘special’ photos, by the way”

>>132305
Silver gives Parade a sheepish smile before gathering those up as well. He then turns back, goes down the elevator (giving the colt another 5 Bits for operating it), and then back outside.

>>132306
And so, Silver and Mala are back on the street, with a large amount of currency

>>132307
A large amount that just might get larger. Silver pulls out his map of Baltimare and locates Sicamore Street. He then calls a taxi for him and Mala and gives the driver the street they're going to.

All of you are cute ponies.

>>132309
gasps

... Even me?

>>132309
Aw, thanks!

By the by, although not relevant to Baltimare specifically this stream goes over towns built by industrialists in this sort of setting and may be good for worldbuilding: [YouTube] Cigar Stream #43: Designing the City [Embed]

>>132310
Especially (You).

>>132316
is a cute pony

>>132308
A taxi comes, and takes them that way. The taxi takes them through the city center, through the central plaza, down south through south town, then further east. The trip begins with skyscrapers lining the streets, then apartment blocks with shops at the bottom, then lines of department stores and restaurants, then apartment buildings and schools, then lines of older row houses. More modern constructions are replaced with a style of an older Equestria, with two story building cramped together with high roofs and occasional jettying. Then the street lines up against the river. The river is a hundred feet wide at the very least, and to either side is a hundred feet of grass, and a concrete wall of twelve feet or more. To one side the river opens up, with land lining either side before eventually seeing the bay. To the other, the river snakes through deeper through the city. A trestle bridge crosses it, and so too does the taxi, going over to a side with more spaces between houses and commercial buildings. Crossing over, there are more single family homes, but several factories, mills, and tanneries as well. It's after crossing down one of the main avenues, then off to a side street, that eventually the group comes to Sicamore street.

Sicamore street is a small street in a semi-rural area east of the main city, evidently in the southern part of Horseshoe bay. On every side of the road is forest of deciduous trees, bare-limbed in January. Singe family homes - single floored and often old - frequently break up the forest. Towards the end is a single home to the right with a fence around it, and the end of the paved road, with gravel road proceeding a little further into the brush and forest.

>>132294
"Why, yes. I guess I can show you the State room or the dining hall"

>>132317
"Just set us down at end of Sicamore Street, thank you."

>>132318
The driver stops. It's about 10 bits. Mala gets out and looks around

>>132319
Silver pays the driver, and gets out with Mala. He looks at his map to get a sense of direction.

"Alright, he said to trot 300 meters east, so...that direction."

Silver heads in the direction Maakie indicated.

>>132320
The map only gives so much help, as it lacks a bit of detail in the wilder areas south of the city. What Silver can guess from the map is that there is a small mangrove swamp that connects to the bay just beyond the end of the street, with a stream or small river feeding it.

The dirt road continues some feet, before being over taken by tall grass, brush, and willow trees

>>132321
Silver hopes he's keeping track of distance as he trots. It's potentially easy to get lost in this terrain.