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[Ghostbusters] is hiring! Now an equal-opportunity employer!

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Do you believe in UFOs, astral projections, mental telepathy, ESP, clairvoyance, spirit photography, telekinetic movement, full trance mediums, the Loch Ness monster and the theory of Atlantis?

If there’s a steady paycheck in it will you believe anything I say?

If the answer to these questions is “yes” then welcome aboard!


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What are Ghosts?
The term “ghosts” can refer to a range of phenomena from ethereal mists that cause emotional unease, psychic “echoes” of past events or people, free-roaming phantasms caught in a repeating cycle due to a turbulent incident at the site, or even fully-formed, conscious spirits of the deceased. In-addition the term has come to also encompass extra-dimensional presences who draw their power from the paranormal realm. For more information consult Tobin’s Spirit Guide or Spates Catalog of Nameless Horrors or the updated Spengler’s Spirit Guide (1997).

Our History:
The Ghostbusters paranormal investigations and eliminations business began in September, 1984 when an interdimensional cross-rip caused a surge of supernatural activity across the island of Manhattan. With no one else to call, three professors from Columbia University pooled their collective skills and know-how and launched into action to combat the paranormal threat with their own custom-designed equipment. Without backing from the city and with the University terminating their employ Drs. Stantz, Spengler, and Venkman took out an exorbitant mortgage on Dr. Stantz’s childhood home and went into private business for themselves.

Did you know the founders experimented with several names? It’s true! It was a delicate balance of finding a name that sounded serious and which didn’t have its rights owned by an existing company. In the end the founders decided to settle out of court with a film company after running out of ideas.

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Their major credits include:
  • The creation of compact, portable positron-colliders and muon traps to restrain and contain ectoplasmic manifestations.
  • A successful exorcism of a persistent green, gluttonous apparition from the Sedgewick Hotel in Manhattan. Unfortunately this entity later escaped through no fault of the company.
  • The destruction and/or banishment of Gozer, the Sumarian god of destruction from the 22nd floor of a Central Park West apartment building along with a 100-foot recreation of the Stay Puft Marshmallow man, a (then-popular) snack food mascot.
  • The discovery and exploration of a “river” of pink, psychomagnatheric ectoplasm running below the city in the abandoned pneumatic rail tunnels.
  • The capture of the ghosts of convicted murders Nunzio and Tony Scholeri during their assault on a New York City courthouse.
  • Animating the Statue of Liberty and guiding it to walk across the water and through the city on December 31st, 1989, galvanizing the positive energies of the New Years Eve crowd.
  • Confronting and defeating the late Carpathian sorcerer Vigo Von Homburg Deutschendorf as he attempted resurrection into the body of the infant son of an art-restoration technician at the Manhattan Museum of Art.
  • Leading a joint operation to stop the assault on New York City by an amalgamation of spectral entities that gelled together due to a competing business opting to try to destroy ghosts rather than capturing and containing them.

Let’s meet the team:
We’ve enlisted the talents of many individuals over the years. From our first expansion the staff with Winston Zeddemore (still with the company!) to hiring untrained college students to combat the unknown the uniform has been worn with pride for over 30 years.

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Full Roster:
Spoiler:
Dr. Egon Spengler
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Dr. Egon Spengler, Ph.D. is a former professor of paranormal studies at the Columbia University. Upon his termination, Egon founded Ghostbusters, Inc. along with Doctors Ray Stantz and Peter Venkman. He is considered the brain behind the Ghostbusters and has designed and built nearly all of their equipment, including the Proton Pack and the Storage facility. Typically, Ray is the only other member of the Ghostbusters who has no trouble understanding Egon's technical jargon.

Dr. Raymond Stantz
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Ray's devotion to the company was obvious when he mortgaged the house his parents had left to him to provide the capital to begin Ghostbusters Inc. Ray was also a handy man and largely responsible for the repair and modification of the Ecto-1. He wasn't particularly religious, but did seem to believe in a spiritual realm of sorts. In the video game it is shown he believes in the concept of a soul. He also states that he played a game entitled Ghosts and Gargoyles while in the seminary, indicating he may have at one time considered becoming a clergyman.

Ray is regarded by Peter as the "heart of the Ghostbusters." Indeed, Ray displays a level of ebullience when it comes to Ghostbusting and paranormal science in general unmatched by any of his colleagues (One example is were Peter was slimed by Slimer is where he exclaims "That's great! ACTUAL physical contact!"). His mention of an undersea, unexplained mass sponge migration shows he's more than eager to go anywhere it takes to study the strange and unusual.

Ray is generally the most positive of the group in outlook, however bits of cynicism will surface on occasion.

Dr. Peter Venkman
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Peter is portrayed as the "lazy" Ghostbuster. He doesn't usually take his work seriously, has a dry sense of humour, and flirts with women, including clients such as Dana Barrett and Ilyssa Selwyn. While Peter is a scientist, he isn't as technically experienced or academically inclined as Egon and Ray, and also tends to be more aggressive when fighting ghosts. [1]

Peter also slacks off on experiments and usually focuses on the women or other subjects, as in the first movie he is testing sixth senses and shocks the boy in the experiment for getting the answers wrong (even though he was really getting a majority of them right) and refuses to zap the pretty blonde (even though nearly all her answers were wrong). Peter is also a very outspoken person, as he back-talked to EPA representative Walter Peck and provoked him when the discussion shifted to the storage facility. This encounter led the Containment Unit being shut down and all the ghosts escaping over New York. Peter's fast-talking, however, "bargained" the percentage from the broker they consulted in mortgaging Ray's house (in order to lease the firehouse), as well getting their first payday of $5,000 made busting Slimer. His "gift of gab" also won over the mayor's judgment against Walter Peck.

Janine Melnitz
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Janine is highly sardonic with her eccentric bosses, while taking her job in such an unusual business in stride. As such, no matter how strange circumstances become at work, she is largely unflappable. Her hobbies included racquetball and reading

While office admin work is her official position, Janine has been known to don a pack and jumpsuit on occasion. When the guys disappeared she lead a new team not-only to rescue her employers but also kept New York's ghost problems in check at the same time. She really deserves more paid time off.

Dr. Winston Zeddemore Esq.
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Out of the four, Winston is perhaps the most conventional. He is the common man of the Ghostbusters. He is a responsible dependable person, however as shown in the jail in Ghostbusters he does think for himself. His Christian background shows sometimes in ethical issues, and may be partly why he is so dependable. Winston takes over the mechanical aspect of Ecto-1, leaving Ray more time to work with Egon and build new equipment.

As a part of his employment interview, he was asked if he believed in many paranormal activities and phenomena, but he said that he'd believe anything as long as there was a steady paycheck involved.

Ron Alexander
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Ron Alexander [1] (Also Known As Ronald Tyson Alexander) is a scheming New Yorker who wants to get into the Ghostbusting business one way or the another. He later founded and led the Ghost Smashers. Then he got arrested... but became one of the New Ghostbusters... then joined the Chicago Ghostbusters.

Brian “Rookie” Welsh
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The Rookie arrived at the Firehouse for his first day of work in late November 1991 when a Psi Energy Pulse suddenly passed through. With the modified Proton Pack prototype strapped on, the Rookie faced his first entity, Slimer. However, during the attempted bust, the Sloth Ghost was released from the Containment Unit after the Rookie shot it by mistake. When the Sloth Ghost was recaptured and returned to the grid, the mission to recapture Slimer began. The Rookie soon became embroiled in an Apocalypse event with the other Ghostbusters and proved his mettle as they unraveled the machinations of the Cult of Gozer.

After Ivo Shandor was destroyed by the Ghostbusters, the Rookie was offered the opportunity to lead a potentially lucrative Ghostbusters franchise in Chicago.

Kylie Griffin
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After Ray Stantz went back to active ghostbusting, he hired Kylie to run Ray's Occult. On occasion, she would help out the Ghostbusters by researching ghosts for them. After Walter Peck had the Ghostbusters permits revoked, Ray attempted to get Kylie to help him look for loopholes in the team's contract with the city.

Kylie was brought in by Janine to help with trying to find the Ghostbusters after they were abducted by demonic forces. Walter Peck justified leaving Kylie on the team because she was thoroughly vetted by PCOC (Paranormal Contracts Oversight Commission) due to her close working relationship with the Ghostbusters and she had extensive experience in paranormal research. Kylie remained a Ghostbuster and helped out when the others were too busy to go out on a bust.

Special Agent Melanie Ortiz
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FBI agent and partner of Special Agent Jim Savage. She later joined Janine Melnitz's Ghostbusters team. Melanie currently serves as a liaison between the FBI and Ghostbusters. She is not an active member of the company but has the training to operate the equipment during emergencies. She has a close relationship with Dr. Peter Venkman but nothing romantic has developed.


So there we have it? Think you've got the moxie to lug a 30lb nuclear backpack up a 20-story walk-up?

Call 555-2368 today!

Have you or someone you know seen a spook, specter or ghost? Don't waste another minute! Call the professionals.
Find a franchise near you!

Then you'll be teaching Willie! [School]

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What school thread would be complete without this?

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Finals are creeping closer, and spring break should be right around the corner for most of us. Looking forward to throwing my alarm clock out the window for a week. I'm going to be nervously awaiting my financial aid for summer but at least I can sleep in, and really, that's all that counts.

The King Has Returned to His Rusted Throne [NBA] Thread

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This is the SE++ basketball thread wherein we talk basketball particularly the National Basketball Association which is a professional basketball league in the United States. How the Cavaliers totally aren't going to repeat history and they'll finally get it done and Lebron and Kevin "Eat, Pray" Love are going to stay in beautiful Cleveland forever until they get 10 championships.

This is a shirt my friend designed:
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[Telltale Games] - Game of Thrones Episode 3 out this week

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Telltale Games is an independent game developer in California

They make adventure games

They used to be like this

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And now they're like this

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PREVIOUS SERIES'
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A collection of six episodic games based around an anthropomorphic dog and his hyperkinetic rabbity thing buddy.

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Marty McFly and Doc Brown return in a completely new Back to the Future adventure.
Six months after the events of the third film, the DeLorean Time Machine mysteriously returns to Hill Valley - driverless! Marty must go back in time and get aid from a resistant teenage Emmett Brown, or else the space time continuum will forever be unraveled!

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While explosively stripping the evil pirate LeChuck of his demonic mojo, Guybrush Threepwood inadvertently infects the entire Caribbean with the arch-fiend's expelled voodoo, which threatens to transform buccaneers into unruly pirate monsters. Pursued by a notorious cut-throat Pirate Hunter and a creepy French Physician who believes that Guybrush's eerily-infected hand holds the secret of eternal life, Threepwood sails the seven seas in search of La Esponja Grande, a legendary sea sponge with unparalleled voodoo exfoliating abilities. But little does Guybrush know, his quest is part of a larger, more sinister plot, and good and evil are not always as they seem...
Who can Guybrush trust? Where can he turn? Everything you think you know will be challenged as Tales of Monkey Island builds to its unexpected finale!

CURRENT SERIES' ON HIATUS
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Many months have passed since the events seen in Season One of The Walking Dead, and Clementine is searching for safety. But what can an ordinary child do to stay alive when the living can be just as bad – and sometimes worse – than the dead? As Clementine, you will be tested by situations and dilemmas that will test your morals and your instinct for survival.

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From the makers of the 2012 Game of the Year: The Walking Dead, comes a gritty, violent and mature thriller based on the award-winning Fables comic books (DC Comics/Vertigo). As Bigby Wolf - THE big bad wolf - you will discover that a brutal, bloody murder is just a taste of things to come in a game series where your every decision can have enormous consequences.

An evolution of Telltale's ground-breaking choice and consequence game mechanics will ensure the player learns that even as Bigby Wolf, Sheriff of Fabletown, life in the big bad city is bloody, terrifying and dangerous.

CURRENT SERIES' RUNNING NOW
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Game of Thrones: Season One is a six part episodic game series set in the world of HBO's groundbreaking TV show.

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This new story tells of House Forrester, a noble family from the north of Westeros, loyal to the Starks of Winterfell. Caught up in the events surrounding the War of the Five Kings, they are thrown into a maelstrom of bloody warfare, revenge, intrigue, and horror as they fight to survive while the seven kingdoms tear themselves apart. You will take on the role of different members of the Forrester household, and determine their fate through the choices you make; your actions and decisions will change the story around you.

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Tales from the Borderlands is a five part episodic game series from the creators of The Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead: A Telltale Games Series. Set on the unforgiving world of Pandora after the events seen in Borderlands 2, this is a story full of Borderlands’ trademark humor, following two adventurers on their quest for greatness.

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You’ll play as Rhys, a Hyperion ‘suit’ with dreams of being the next Handsome Jack, and Fiona, a Pandoran con artist looking to score her biggest ever swindle. Thrown together as unwilling partners in an adventure to recover cash they both think is theirs, their journey will take you on a wild ride where gangsters, bandit lords, and Vault Hunters are just some of the obstacles you’ll encounter, in this new take on the award-winning universe created by Gearbox Software.

The first episodes of Game of Thrones and Tales from the Borderlands are now available on basically everything that can play video games

I hear they're pretty good!

And God saw every DOODLE that had been made and, behold, it was very good.

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Hello Essy Plus Plus

Do you like to make pictures?

Does the sensation of sliding a small cylindrical plastic object across an oh-so smooth and welcoming plastic surface excite and entice you to create life?

Perhaps you prefer to mix colourful crushed rocks together with water and wail away on a cave wall or some tree bark with your fists?

Whatever your pleasure, this is a safe place to share, inspire, and be inspired in the wondrous art of illustration.

Feel free to share your creations. Don't be shy, my sweet. There is no judgement here. Only be mindful to link that which may be deemed NSFW, as images still load behind spoiler tags.

Below you will find a useful video tool, with tips and techniques on refining your magic:
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I'll start this off. After a weird months-long hiatus of not putting pen to tablet, I decided to get back on the doodle train with a work of blatant shameless plagiarism that my friend requested last night.

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[TECH THREAD] We are calling the new Macbook the Helium 'cause Tankhammer is a genius

Come For The [Final Fantasy XV] Demo, Stay For [Final Fantasy: Type-0 HD]!

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NA: March 17th
JP: March 19th
EU: March 20th


Final Fantasy? Let me tell you when that series went downhill. It was when-

Kindly take that somewhere else. This here is a dedicated thread for the two new Final Fantasies. Except, one is an HD version of an old PSP game and the other is a re-branding of an unreleased PS3 game....still, they're going to be new for some people!

So what makes these games so special?

Well for one thing, you might actually enjoy them. Or rather, the odds seem higher than usual, based on the reception from importers and PAX-goers alike.

Regardless of your feelings of the previous generation, Type-0 and FFXV are being billed as the start of a modern Final Fantasy resurgence (which arguably began with Final Fantasy XIV, which nearly everyone loves. Go check that out too!); emulating much of the success of Yoshi-P's public image, the director behind Type-0 and FFXV (Hajime Tabata) along with his team members are putting considerably more effort into demonstrating their titles and making improvements through community feedback. For example, Type-0 HD is shipping with an improved camera than originally conceived thanks to the feedback they received during TGS. And did you ever think old Square would embrace memes like the one created for FFXV?

It still remains to be seen whether Square's new feedback-friendly approach will result in improved output from the company, but it's an appreciated approach nonetheless.

I don't want to pay $60 for a PSP port and a demo (Alternate: I'll pay $60 for a demo just like I did with MGS2!)

Don't count Type-0 short, even if it is more of a budgeted remaster than a full-fledged remake (you know how much Square hates that word). The word of mouth from people who imported the original has been very positive, billing it as a new type of FF game (oh, so that's why it's called that!) that brings some fresh new ideas to the long-running, continually-changing franchise. In fact, let's start things off talking more Type-0.

Final Fantasy: Type-0 HD

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Overview

The story focuses on Class Zero, a group of twelve students from the Vermillion Peristylium, a magical academy in the Dominion of Rubrum. One day, the Militesi Empire launches an assault on the other Crystal States of Orience, seeking to control their respective crystals. When Rubrum is attacked, Class Zero are called into action and become entangled in both the efforts to push back and defeat the forces of Militesi, and the secret behind the war and the existence of the crystals. The setting and presentation were inspired by historical documentaries, and the story itself was written to be darker than other Final Fantasy titles.

This is the first Final Fantasy title to be given an M rating, and it's easy to see why; the opening movie alone has more blood and violence than several FF games put together, and the concept of teenagers forced into a magic war with other nations is handled much more seriously than Final Fantasy VIII. Just the act of using traditional FF summons requires sacrificing one's life to complete the ritual. The concept of young children being the only ones capable of wielding a massive power and forced to engage in violent acts is a popular premise among Japanese storytelling...which means Final Fantasy truly has become Anime. Players can take this even further by enabling the original Japanese language, as Type-0 will have dual audio for both Japanese and English, a long requested feature among hardcore fans. FFXV's demo will also have this option, but Square cautions that the full release may not have the same privilege.

Cast of Characters

A big thanks to @Renzo for providing a spoiler-free synopsis of the characters.

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Ace (Cards)

While he maintains a cool exterior, he has a tendency to act recklessly. He is a kind and gentle boy at heart.

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Machina (Drill Rapiers)

A new Class Zero cadet. A kind-hearted honor student who’s considered one of the most talented cadets in Akademia.

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Nine (Lance)

Enthusiastic and direct, he likes to quickly make black-and-white distinctions.

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Eight (Fists)

He fights only using his limbs as he dislikes weapons that can easily take human lives. Eight is always cool under pressure and a quick decision-maker.

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Trey (Bow)

Calm and collected at all times, he rarely leaves himself open. An intellectual, his stories can get long, as he displays his knowledge endlessly.

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Jack (Katana)

Constantly wears a smile and jokes around, the class clown. An unflappable optimist who tries to cheer others up, but is often seen as shallow.

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King (Dual Pistols)

Stoically trains every day. He comes across as cool due to his laconic nature, hating to waste his breath or time.

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Queen (Broadsword)

Upright, incorruptible, and intelligent. She has a straight-laced attitude like her dependable blade. A class president type that does not forgive injustice.

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Seven (Whip Sword)

She cares for others and is popular with female underclassmen. There is a modest side to her, having difficulty saying “no” and always accepting requests asked of her.

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Rem (Daggers)

A new Class Zero cadet. Machina’s childhood friend. Excels in magic. Respectable, kind, and serious-natured.

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Deuce (Flute)

Gentle, serious, and a hard-worker. She’s kind-hearted, but also righteous, executing Class Zero missions without hesitation.

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Cinque (Mace)

Slightly peculiar and speaks placidly, but wields the mace because she believes “it’s better when it inflicts more damage.” She gives no mercy to enemies.

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Sice (Scythe)

A bit blunt and mean at times, but holds a clear idea of what good and evil means to her.

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Cater (Magic Gun)

Extremely competitive in nature, she doesn’t get easily discouraged regardless of the situation. Full of energy, she is impulsive with a never-give-up attitude.

A Warning About Preview Videos

It seems that in Square's eagerness to promote Type-0, they've ended up showing too much of the game's story, to the point that players have cautioned even visiting the main site. If you want to avoid spoilers, it is highly recommended you avoid all preview material out there, minus any that I can verify and put here in the OP.

In the meantime, give the utterly fantastic soundtrack a listen:

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So what kind of game is this?

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In a nutshell, it's a mission-based action RPG in the vein of Phantasy Star Universe, Ragnarok Odyssey and many other games typically found on the PSP/Vita. You start with three characters that you can freely swap around, but when one falls in battle that spot is immediately filled in with one of the remaining 11 characters. Essentially it's like having 14 lives per level, and you'll want to manage your team properly as the difficulty is said to be quite punishing at times. Each of your characters also possess a unique style of play, so learning to master their strengths and weaknesses is also a must.

Gameplay Tips

A great writeup of beginner tips by Renzo. No spoilers, but I'll put it in spoiler brackets for those wanting to go in fresh.
Spoiler:

Gameplay and Upgrades:
1. Hold the attack button to continuously attack. You don’t need to mash.
2. Each member of Class 0 has their own speed, strengths, and weaknesses. Try them all to find the ones that fit your playstyle.
3. Use Kill-Sight and Break-Sight. Against tougher enemies and bosses, this is the difference between completing the mission and a Game Over.
4. Spend your ability points. Abilities are unlocked by reaching level milestones AND maxing out ability trees. Even if you don’t like the abilities you have already unlocked, max them out and see what else you unlock. You might discover a new side to that character!
5. Remember to upgrade your magic periodically in the Alto Crystarium. Find magics that suit your playstyle and the strengths of each individual character and boost those magics with Phantoma.
6. Some standard attacks require holding up or down on the control stick while attacking. Look at the Controls tab in the menu while on a mission to discover new moves.
7. Magic Canceling. It’s tough to master, but you can deal a ton of damage quickly with Magic Canceling.
8. Breed a new Chocobo every time you come back from a mission! They come in handy, and it's good to have a bunch on hand.

Difficulty, Leveling, and Equipment:
2. Use multiple save files. Always have one save file that is not during a mission.
3. Underleveled for the next mission? Save your game when not on a mission and go to the Title Menu. Use the Mission List to play previously-completed missions for more experience, money, and items. Barring that, go out to the World Map and get into some random battles.
4. The rankings at the end of missions dictate your rewards. Better rankings equal better rewards. Try for an S Rank to get the best reward possible.
5. S.O.s, or Special Orders, are the best way to get new equipment. Activate S.O.s in the academy, then accept the ones you think you can complete while on a mission. Completing difficult, unique S.O.s often reward you with new weapons and accessories. The really good weapons and accessories are not usually sold in shops, so complete S.O.s if you want to move beyond starter equipment.
6. Use Academy Backup if you’re having a lot of trouble with a mission. AI-controlled allies will jump in to help you get through a tough spot.

Story:
1. NPCs often have multiple things to say. Talk to NPCs several times to see what’s on their minds and learn more about Orience and its people.
2. NPCs react to the events in the story. Even though some NPCs always seem to hang out in the same spots, they always have something new to say right before and after every major mission.
3. Check the Crimson Codex. Using the History option in the Title Menu or from the book inside the Crystarium (library), the Crimson Codex provides a wealth of information about the bloody history of the Four Nations of Orience, including character profiles, enemies, and Eidolons.

Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae

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I've lost track of what this game is. Didn't it start as some PS3 game?

This video will tell you absolutely everything you need to know.

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By far the longest developed FF title, the game formally known as Versus is Final Fantasy's longest running joke and a testament to Square Enix's failures of the PS3/360 console generation.

But people are slowly stopping to point and laugh, and are instead stopping to gawk at the gorgeous visuals and appealing features.

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Judging by the demonstrations we've seen, the team behind FFXV is putting its lengthy development time to good use. In addition to adopting more modern RPG sensibilities like a huge open world, discoverable locations and events and real-time battles, the game is also touting an impressive attention to detail, including an uncountable number of character animations and intricately detailed towns and outposts. Even the wildlife designs go far beyond the familiar FF monsters; there is a wide assortment of creatures (both fantastical and realistic) that make up this massive world, with the developers also confirming activities such as fishing and possibly taking photos as well.

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Oh, and all that footage is just one area...which has been stated to be one of the smallest regions in the game.

So what's in this demo?

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Estimated around 3-4 hours, the demo takes place in the Duscae region (and not in its entirety, either), featuring a specific story path (locate and eliminate the Behemoth and use the reward money to repair your car) but also lots of additional sidequests and locations. The game will save your progress, so you don't have to worry about doing everything in one go, and is also said to feature a few "surprises", including a possible appearance by one of the game's summons.

Cast of Characters

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Noctis "Noct" Lucis Caelum

The main protagonist. A childhood affliction endowed Noctis, heir apparent to the throne of Lucis, with the mystical power to see a heavenly light, through which he can sense others' deaths. Noctis rejects rigid royal conventions and acts as somewhat of a renegade, much to the dismay of those who tend to him. Yet while "Noct" may act brash at times, he does so in defense of those loyal to him.

He has been described as "neither Cloud nor Squall" in regards to his personality, with much speculation that he is putting on airs to fool his enemy in a move inspired by Hamlet.

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Gladiolus "Gladio" Amicitia

As lord of the noble House Amicitia, Gladiolus continues a line sworn to protect the crown. "Gladio" shares a friendship with Noctis that transcends birth and title, and his loyalty to his liege is born not of duty, but of brotherhood.

He is considered the Tank of the group, and also issues the introductory tutorial in the demo.

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Ignis "Iggy" Stupeo Scientia

Ever the unwavering voice of reason, Ignis was weaned on shrewd logic and a classical education from boyhood so that he might one day counsel the would-be king, Noctis. He applies the deep mutual understanding and trust they have built over time to help smooth over Noctis's brusqueness with others.

He could really use a bath.

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Prompto Argentum

The puckish playboy Prompto befriended Noctis in his school days. He wears a chip on his shoulder as an outsider to the royal circle, but remains eager to do all he can for the cause.

He is described as having zero combat experience, and instead improvises during battle with wild, often clumsy movements.

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CidneyCindy

She introduces herself to the party as the head mechanic, much like the recurring character from the series, Cid. She will pop up in different places as after a shaking experience she begins moving around the world. While she is not deeply involved in the story, she is important because of her profession as a mechanic.

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Cor Leonis

A living legend of Lucian lore, Lord Commander Cor Leonis's devotion to the art of war is surpassed only by that to his king. Little love is lost between the ill-starred stalwart and Noctis's retinue, yet honor binds him to keep watch over the group all the same.

To date, he is the only confirmed guest character for the party. It is unknown if there will be more, or if he will become a permanent party member at some point.

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Stella Nox Fleuret

Stella is a member of the wealthy Fleuret family and resides in the land of Tenebrae. Little is currently known about Stella, except that she meets Noctis at an aristocratic meeting, and they share some sort of connection. After a near-death experience early in her life, similar to Noctis, Stella can see the light from the Kingdom of the Dead, which grants her special powers. Although the two do not wish to fight each other, they are forced to do battle as a result of unknown circumstances.

Since Versus' rebranding, Stella has remained the most asked about character, as she has yet to formally appear in any of the new footage. There is some speculation that she has been rewritten/replaced by Luna, a girl who appeared in the previous TGS trailer and who shares similar features with Stella. While this would be a potential disappointment to fans of Stella's original concept, the somewhat tongue-in-cheek secrecy by Square suggests she may still exist. Either way, we should get a final answer on this sooner rather than later.

What do Type-0 and FFXV have to do with FFXIII?

Canonically, nothing. The short version is that they planned out a basic concept and mythology and told three directors to build their own separate stories around it. Don't think of it like an expanded universe, but rather a fanfiction generator: here's a pitch, go do something with it.

While Type-0 uses familiar FFXIII terms like L'cie, it is unknown if FFXV will follow a similar approach (Fal'cie were originally referred to as "Gods of Death" in an early Versus promo).

Will FFXV run into the same sequel fatigue as FFXIII?

The folks behind Square have been going back-and-forth on this, some talking about the potential of sequels while others insisting that FFXV will be an individual story. As long as Stella's role isn't specifically stripped out of the original just so they can have Final Fantasy XV: How Stella Got Her Groove Back, there is no reason yet to dismiss the idea of a sequel. Type-0, meanwhile, is being considered for a continuation, though whether it is a direct sequel or an entirely new story is uncertain.

So when is FFXV coming out?

Ah ha ha ha.....ha.

Probably not this year, if they're still taking feedback from the demo. Hopefully by E3 we'll at least get a tentative date.

Go ahead and advertise, you shilling whoreson

If you're interested, I've got a little podcast that talks about the current happenings of the Final Fantasy series (while also looking back at the classics), with several PA members joining in (and more are always welcome).

For an LP of Type-0 and FFXV, check LockedonTarget's YouTube channel.

For comments regarding the official localization of Type-0 versus the fan-made PSP one, check out Renzo's Twitter.

Remember to MARK YOUR SPOILERS!

IMPORTANT GAMEPLAY TIP: If you want a proper lock-on for enemies, you have to hit R3 after using R1 to "focus target". Pressing R1+R3 together will also speed up the lock-on process, making it almost snappy enough to compensate for quick-moving enemies.

You can also do a dash/flash-step by holding L1+O while moving the left stick in any direction. This can let you close in on enemies quicker and smoother than using the warp attack.

TO ENABLE SUBTITLES: Hit Start>Help>Options while in-game. This also gives you access to additional options like camera sensitivity (go max!)

King Joffy's all-new Game of Thrones thread.

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I'M BACK MOTHERFUCKERS.

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Did you really think you could live without the one true king of Westeros?

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Season 5, back in April!

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This is where shit will start to get hairy with spoilers, so as YOUR RIGHTFUL KING, I demand the following or I WILL CALL for MY MOTHER:

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1) Please mark spoilers as being either for the BOOK or for the SHOW. Spoilers also include things like hints about plotlines from casting info, actor's instagram feeds, and really anything that will give away plot stuff that hasn't been published/on tv for the current book/season. It's spoileriffic!

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2) Obviously, no posting warez-download links for show stuff. HBO go is easy and fast and probably available in a country near you.

BOOK 3/SEASON 4:
Spoiler:
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3) DO NOT KILL THE KING! QUIT IT!











Hey you, I saw that. Put it back! [Kids]

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It's the parenting and kids thread! Tell us your tales of little ones, infants, newborns, young tykes, noenates, and pregnancies!

God, which one of us will be the first to have teens?

Indie Games: They're like video games, but smaller!

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Video Games are bullshit. But sometimes, they're not quite so bullshit. That's where Indie Games come in.

Sometimes they're Artsy.

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Sometimes they're Fartsy.

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Sometimes they're Violent.

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Sometimes they're Musical.

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Sometimes they're Mythical.

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Sometimes they're Psychological.

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And sometimes they're Exciting!

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Usually, though, they're just really shitty and have zombies in them. Real shame, that.

What are your favorites?

Go west, young [travel] thread

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So I am on a grand months-long sojourn across the entire continental United States (mostly the west coast because the family is there) and I've been enjoying the many and sundry wonders of this great nation

But also I've been bored stiff driving across interstates and wondering why anyone would ever go to New Mexico for any reason. Also I got food poisoning in a Waffle House in Texas when there was three inches of snow on the ground. It's been a weird couple of months!

Still, it's been a real fun experience, for the most part. There's something about the simple goals of a road trip, the clarity of purpose and (beyond holiday and family obligations) the freedom to go wherever you please that makes it different from flying somewhere and renting a car, y'know?

So in light of the scope of this journey I am on (and since Christmas is over now) I thought I'd make a thread where we could talk about traveling and vacations and stuff

Where have you been, SE++, and where do you hope to go?

...and also can you Seattle people tell me where to go because I don't know shit about anything around here. I guess the space needle is cool?? And there's casinos I guess???

FIGHTING GAMES - Red Bull Kumite March 28th!

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16 PLAYERS ENTER:
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A FULL DAY OF EXCITEMENT:
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STREET FIGHTER V DETAILS TO BE ANNOUNCED:
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ALSO THE NEW TEKKEN CHARACTER IS A BREAKDANCING CATGIRL:
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Fake guns and the people who love them. [NERF]

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I got a Nerf gun yesterday for the first time in a while. I'd resolved to be an adult and wait until my kids were old enough to play with them, but this gun finally broke me:

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It was just too beautiful. I know there are other adults who love Nerf, and maybe there are some Airsoft enthusiasts too? We should talk fake guns.

I guess you could talk about LARPing too but why would you want a foam sword when you can roll with big fake guns? Makes no sense to me.

Whatever your plastic weapon of choice is, we should all agree that playing with toys as an adult is great.

Powdered Alcohol Is Now Legal In America (page 33)

Hospitals and Long Term Treatment: Chronic illness thread for the repeat customers part 2

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Ok, there have been a few threads recently that flirted with this concept, but I would like to offer a safe haven for those who have Chronic Health Problems. Not Mental Health issues or Hypochondriacs or those who 'get sick' and proceed to 'get better,' I am talking about those of us with physical conditions that we live with and try to 'placate' in the long term.

Because for us there is no real 'cure' or 'getting better,' there is 'remission' and 'flare-up.' If we feel depression, it's not due to brain chemicals being goof, it's due to the crippling physical pain that saps strength. We are those that go to the hospital and know more than the doctors do unless they are specialists at the top of their game. We have been around the block and know when a doc is lying to make you feel better, rushing to get you out the door so he can deal with an easier patient, and when a doc is actually taking his time because he gives a shit about what happens to your ass.

So let's share stories and updates on these lifelong conditions of ours. I've got a few stories, but I'll start with a brief description of my condition and an update on where I stand.

Munkus Problems:
Crohn's with the complication of a Colectomy (I had my colon surgically removed because they were sure I had colitis, they are wrong in these scenarios about 10% of the time apparently).
Dealing with Crohn's since I was 13, so about 13 years of Crohn's or about half my entire life. Crohn's also causes/is related to my other issues (anemia, arthritis, psriosis, chronic epdidymitis, fistulas)

My update is that I have a slowing fistulazing tract causing enormous pain which is too close to operate at the places I've been but close enough to cause FUCK FUCK pain. Doctors think I am lying or seeking drugs, I put on a strong face for my best friend but this most recent visit colapsed and I am now hoping I get to go to the hospital because holy fuck it hurts. I just want an end to this endless parade of suffering and misery. I have few things, books or games, to keep my mind off. When I try to play the games I want to play, the pain sucks the fun out of it. So I don't know, I am at wits end and am trying to lose it. I haven't been around much here due to pain. I haven't kept up my social life due to real pain.

tl;dr - My update is that my Crohn's is winning the battle and the war against my body.

How about you, fellow chronic physical illness sufferers? Let's compare scars and war stories, vent about doctors and other such bullshit, share updates and reveal our sordid past with our diseases and cancers. Let's talk disease! Hospitals! Pain! Walking it off!

This is Mel Kiper's Hair. Welcome to the [NFL] Draft Thread!

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DRAFT ORDER

1. Tampa Bay Bucs
2. Tennessee Titans
3. Jacksonville Jaguars
4. Oakland Raiders
5. Washington Redskins
6. New York Jets
7. Chicago Bears
8. Atlanta Falcons
9. New York Giants
10. St. Louis Rams
11. Minnesota Vikings
12. Cleveland Browns
13. New Orleans Saints
14. Miami Dolphins
15. San Francisco 49ers
16. Houston Texans
17. San Diego Chargers
18. Kansas City Chiefs
19. Buffalo Bills(Picked owned by Cleveland)
20. Philadelphia Eagles
21. Cincinnati Bengals
22. Pittsburgh Steelers
23. Detroit Lions
24. Arizona Cardinals
25. Carolina Panthers
26. Baltimore Ravens
27. Dallas Cowboys
28. Denver Broncos
29. Indianapolis Colts
30. Green Bay Packers
31. Seattle Seahawks
32. New England Patriots

KIPER'S CURRENT MOCK
1	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
2	Tennessee Titans	Leonard Williams, DE, USC
3	Jacksonville Jaguars	Shane Ray, DE, Missouri
4	Oakland Raiders	Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
5	Washington Redskins	Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska
6	New York Jets	Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
7	Chicago Bears	Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
8	Atlanta Falcons	Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon
9	New York Giants	Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
10	St. Louis Rams	Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
11	Minnesota Vikings	Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
12	Cleveland Browns	Devante Parker, WR, Louisville
13	New Orleans Saints	Dante Fowler Jr., DE, Florida
14	Miami Dolphins	Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
15	San Francisco 49ers	Breshard Perriman, WR, UCF
16	Houston Texans	Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (FL)
17	San Diego Chargers	Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
18	Kansas City Chiefs	Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State
19	Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo)	Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
20	Philadelphia Eagles	Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
21	Cincinnati Bengals	Vic Beasley, DE, Clemson
22	Pittsburgh Steelers	Landon Collins, S, Alabama
23	Detroit Lions	Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
24	Arizona Cardinals	Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
25	Carolina Panthers	T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
26	Baltimore Ravens	Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
27	Dallas Cowboys	Carl Davis, DT, Iowa
28	Denver Broncos	Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami (FL)
29	Indianapolis Colts	La'El Collins, OT, LSU
30	Green Bay Packers	Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
31	Seattle Seahawks	Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami (FL)
32	New England Patriots	Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan

RAIJIN'S MOCK DRAFT

1. Tampa Bay Bucs - Crwth
2. Tennessee Titans - Prometheus
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - A robot who understands how to love
4. Oakland Raiders - Who ran the fastest 40 at the combine? That guy.
5. Washington Redskins - John Smith
6. New York Jets - Geno Smith 2.0
7. Chicago Bears - Baloo
8. Atlanta Falcons - Offensive Lineman who used to be a bouncer at Atlanta's famous Gold Club
9. New York Giants - Ymir
10. St. Louis Rams - A Moving Company
11. Minnesota Vikings - Fran Tarkenton
12. Cleveland Browns - Does it matter?
13. New Orleans Saints - A robot who doesn't understand how to love
14. Miami Dolphins - Scotty Disguised
15. San Francisco 49ers - Someone who will get arrested in 2016
16. Houston Texans - A Jadeveon Clowney ligament donor
17. San Diego Chargers - All of Philip Rivers kids
18. Kansas City Chiefs - Joe Montana IV
19. Buffalo Bills(Picked owned by Cleveland) - Does it matter?
20. Philadelphia Eagles - The Liberty Bell
21. Cincinnati Bengals - Someone else with red hair
22. Pittsburgh Steelers - A scapegoat for Ben Roethlisberger
23. Detroit Lions - 4 wide receivers
24. Arizona Cardinals - A time machine to get Kurt Warner when he was in his prime
25. Carolina Panthers - New truck for Cam Newton
26. Baltimore Ravens - Haribo Gummy Bears
27. Dallas Cowboys - Jerry Jones
28. Denver Broncos - A new neck and arm for Peyton Manning
29. Indianapolis Colts - Trade this pick for a running back who sucks
30. Green Bay Packers - A.A. Ron Rodgers
31. Seattle Seahawks - Backup legs for their secondary
32. New England Patriots - Tony Gronkowski

Superior Golden Superweapons. Made of Gold. [Danger 5 thread]

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From the team that brought you Italian Spiderman comes a new show to SBS, Danger 5. Originally conceived as a followup to the aforementioned movie, Danger 5 will instead follow the thrilling adventures of an international team of spies out to kill Adolf Hitler. And Dinosaurs. And Japanese Robots. And Sharkmen?

And basically this looks awesome and here's the web-series that is also the pilot and I want this to come overseas so bad ughhhh

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read DANGER MONTHLY

It (maybe) will be available here for international viewers (including the us maybe)

http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/program/167/Danger-5


Welcome 8ack to Homestuck | Sleeeeeeep!!!!!!!! (until 4/13)

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After over a year, Homestuck is now updating regularly again!

Here's a convenient horse-based calendar system to help you plan out your coming weeks:

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If you're just joining us again and have maybe forgotten where you left off, here's some helpful hints. Let's start from, say, [ S] Cascade.

Spoilers, obviously
Spoiler:
- The kids turn out to be responsible for creating the Green Sun.
- Act 6 opens with introducing us to the post-Scratch kids' universe, introducing Jane, Roxy, Jake, and Dirk.
- Since they are from the post-Scratch universe, that means their guardians were the post-Scratch analogues of Rose, Dave, and Jade. John's Dad, though, appears exactly the same as Jane's Dad.
- In the post-Scratch Earth, the kids receive the Sburb Alpha from the all-powerful Crockercorp.
- Instead of Becquerel, post-Scratch's Earth's First Guardian is Gcat.
- Act 6 is punctuated with a series of Intermissions, which track the adventures of the pre-Act 6 cast.
- Act 6 also introduces the pre-Scratch trolls (instead of Alternia, they called their planet "Beforus"). Only two of them are important to late events: Meenah, a spunky heiress whose hero is the post-Scratch version of herself, Her Imperial Condescension; and Aranea, a bookish Scorpio troll with a gift for gab whose hero is the post-Scratch version of herself, Mindfang.
- Speaking of HIC, as Lord English's servant, she has been tasked with preparing the post-Scratch universe for his arrival. At some point in the future (relative to 2011), she took over all the world's government and wiped out most of the human race. Before this, she headed Betty Crocker, Inc.
- Jane and Jake are from 2011, while Roxy and Dirk live alone in the post-apocalyptic future brought about by HIC.
- Act 6 also introduces the Cherubs Calliope and Caliborn.
- Calliope is portrayed as shy, gentle, and sweet. Her brother, Caliborn, is a psychopath.
- One of the major reveals is that the two cherubs share the same body. When one goes to sleep, the other wakes up. When we first meet them, they are trapped in a room until one of them comes to "dominate".
- At the end of Act 5, the original or "beta" kids were separated into two groups. Rose and Dave reached godtier in the closing moments of Act 5, and joined the remaining trolls (Karkat, Terezi, Kanaya, and Gamzee) on the meteor. Jade, John, and all the planets and sprites from Acts 1-5 hitched a ride on a battleship Jade piloted through the Fourth Wall.
- Two exceptions to the troll count are Aradia and Sollux. Sollux is still half-alive, while Aradia is godtier but otherwise mostly neutral.
- For the most part, nothing productive happens on either vessels during the three-year journey to the new, post-Scratch kids' universe. As the meteor sails through the Furthest Ring, it occasionally interacts with dream bubbles, which for the most part means encounters with the pre-Scratch trolls. The dream bubbles also intersect each other, meaning some of the trolls from different universes can interact.
- Meenah sets about trying to raise a ghost army, which she winds up putting to use for Vriska's plan to gain the ultimate weapon to defeat Lord English. Also assisting her in this plan are Aranea, Tavros, half-alive Sollux, and several other dead trolls. Karkat meets her in one dream bubble and they agree to work together, but nothing comes of it.
- Terezi spends a large part of Act 6 with her eyes covered, with the reveal near the end that she had Aranea (a Slyph of Light) heal her eyesight. She has come to regret this. She is also still wracked with guilt by her decision to kill Vriska. Until an invention near the end of the meteor's journey, she has gradually developed a Faygo-addiction in the throes of a blackrom with Gamzee.
- Rose develops an alcohol problem, but begins dating Kanaya. Kanaya also met her ancestor, a troll named Porrim who is, shall we say, very comfortable in her own skin. She teaches Kanaya the trick to controlling her drinker glowness.
- Given the fact that Kanaya was last seen trying to kill him, Gamzee spends most of the time on the meteor in hiding. In one dream bubble sequence, though, a troll named Kurloz brings him the pieces he needs to outfit himself as a godtier. This includes a ridiculous codpiece.
- Dave mostly spends his time hanging out Karkat and/or WV, whom he refers to as the Mayor.
- Jade dates Davesprite for a while before they break up. John gradually gains some teenager angst, but at his core he's still, well, John. In one dream bubble sequence he steals/recovers a Ring of Life, which has the power to bring any ghost, well, back to life.
- For the most part, the new kids are long on interpersonal drama but short on doing things.
- Jane is the first into the Medium. Jane is equal parts serious and silly, and enjoys solving mysteries. She has a huge crush on Jake.
- Jake loves adventures, being strong, and blue alien ladies. He turns out to also have been Jade's Penpal from back in the day. His speech is peppered with early-20th century slang, despite growing up in 2011. He lives on a remote island, but the island is covered in jungle infested with beasts from Alternia. Jake isn't sure who he likes, and is for the most part baffled as to why people find him attractive.
- Dirk is a too-cool-for-school genius. While he very much appreciates irony, he is generally more low-key and legitimately calm, cool, and collected (as opposed to, say, Dave). He invented an artificial intelligence based on his own intellect (though from a couple years ago) to serve as an auto-repsonder, and then embedded the program into one of his pairs of shades. As a result, while has grown more mature, the AR is still mostly himself at 13. Dirk and the AR both have a huge crush on Jake.
- Roxy is a spunky h4x0r g1rl who has, perhaps unsurprisingly, a drinking problem. She legitimately loves wizards, and also cats. "Her possession" is the answer to what happened to Jaspers, basically. Roxy has a crush on the unobtainable Dirk.
- The alpha kids interact with each other and the two cherubs. Calliope is nice and friendly and tries to give the alpha kids advice without affecting the timeline too much. She considers Roxy her best friend. Caliborn taunts and insults the alpha kids, though he hates Dirk a little less than the others. As a result, he asks Dirk to draw weirdly tame "pornography" for him.
- The Alpha kids all enter the Medium with various degrees of distress, but their session is a void one: its Skaia cannot bear the seeds of a new universe, no matter what they do. This is where Jade's plan comes in: by bringing the Skaia and planets from their session, they can make it whole. This explains the 8-planet diagram from Act 2.
- Caliborn predominates over his sister (by hiring his session's Jack Noir to kill her dreamself and then escaping his confines by biting off his own leg) and enters the Medium into a dead session, which has special rules. Also mysteriously present in this realm is Gamzee, who despite Caliborn's best efforts, continues to live. At this point, Caliborn also talks directly to the narrator/author.
- In the Alpha session, their HB? was decapitated by Dirk and through a series of events that Jack Noir is captured by the forces of Propsit. DD? takes over administration of Derse in his stead, though he still ships off most of the boring paperwork to Jack.
- Let's fast-forward a bit. Jane alchemizes both the cherbus' jujus, which are red and green suckers. They combine, and then Jane cannot resist taking a lick. This engages TRICKSTER MODE. She gradually infects the other three alpha kids, though it seems to have little effect on Dirk other than changing his appears. They declare that being tricksters allow them to resolve all their personal problems and make everything great forever. The end.
- They wake up with massive hangovers on their quest beds in the middle of Prospit and Derse.
- Still in jail on Propsit, Jack receives a gift. (It's actually the second one he gets, but the first is a useless one from CD?.) It contains the fixed up, green-felt Lil' Cal doll. As Caliborn stares into its eyes, Jack does the same, causing him to be overtaken by his will. Jack stabs out his own eyes, saws off his own leg, and blows his way out of the prison. The fires begin consuming the planet.
- At the same time, HIC appears (having also usurped this universe's Derse). Together, and Jack and destroy Propsit and Derse's moons, thus killing the Alpha kids on their quest beds.
- Jake and Jane are immediately beset by the crazed Jack, but Jade arrives just in time to stop him. She transports him to the edge of their Incipisphere.
- HIC uses her inherent Scorpio and Taurus powers to control Jade, who thus becomes "grimbark". She then teleports Jane's tiaratop right onto Jane's head, giving HIC direct control over Jane.
- Dirk, being the most dangerous of the kids, also gets transported to the edge of the Incipisphere.
- Roxy and Jake are then thrown in jail back on Derse.
- As the meteor gets closer to its arrival, we are also treated to intermissions of intermissions where Caliborn expands his retinue of followers (who turn out to be the Felt) while he destroys planets in a tricky and specified order.
- John has one last encounter with Vriska and Co., which ends awkwardly since most of her crew abandons her because, well, she's kind of an asshole. She does, however, succeed in finding the "weapon", which turns out to be a weird panel that looks like the Sburb logo. John sticks his arm in it, which causes him to zap away.
- These "zaps" bounce John around in the Homestuck canon. They also allow him to alter the procession of it without any repercussions (as opposed to time travel). Notably, many back pages of Homestuck now have John's arm hidden somewhere in them.
- Spades Slick survived the raid on Hussie's mansion by Lord English, and escapes with the Felt and Ms. Paint in tow. They use the 4th Panel to go back to Doc Scratch's apartment, and then escape through the grandfather clock to alpha kids' Incipisphere. This adds a third party working their way back toward the inner planets, after Dirk and that universe's Jack Noir.
- John continues zapping uncontrollably through the canon, but he finally winds up back in the new Medium, just after the battleship arrives.
- The Meteor approaches at the same time. Jade appears and then teleports all aboard to John's location, much to his happy surprise.
- At this point, Caliborn has gained control over the narrative prompt and hijacks the website for an infantile parody of Homestuck called "HOMOSUCK".
- While laughing manically, he accidentally unlocks a panel in the room he's currently in (similar to WV) which contains three items: a basic drawing book for children, a "How to Draw Manga" book with a poorly drawn manga lady on the cover, and the Homestuck ACT 6 ACT 6 SUPERCARTRIDGE EXPANSION PACK.
- Caliborn fills the cartridge with special stardust and plugs it in. The stardust becomes a factor in most of the narrative up to the present.
- After being reunited, the remaining kids and trolls have been scattered across various planets. In time, we learn that only John has any idea what happened, but he's usually not around for every long as he continues to run from Jade.
- Jade (well, HIC) has a mission for the still in-jail Roxy: to use her powers as a Rogue of Void to "steal" the Matriorb back from being destroyed. Roxy reluctantly agrees to comply, though Jade isn't really very good at being evil.
- Jane, now basically a robot for HIC, also has a mission for Jake: even though she doesn't know why she liked him so much now, she says that he will still give her lots of children once she's running the show. Jake, for his part, sobs uncontrollably and whines to his brain ghost image of Dirk.
- Jade also has a mission for Dave, but he is extremely reluctant to ever use his time-travel powers ever again.
- Jade and Jane team up to give Kanaya and Karkat a mission, and to secure their compliance, Jane kills, and then using her Maid of Life powers, revives Karkat.
- This sort of works, but it mostly just makes Kanaya pissed off at Jane.
- John's windy powers can clean up the pixelation caused by the stardust.
- At first, the original(?) Jack Noir and PM, now both infused with Bec powers from their rings, were chasing after each other, but they have settled into working together.
- As events wind toward where the Gigapause started, John sends himself to meet with Roxy. He tries to help her with using her godtier powers to use the Matriorb, which sort of helps.
- However, he heads back to the Battleship and notices that his ring is missing. This is because Aranea had Gamzee hid in his fridge and then steal it when the opportunity revealed itself. Using mind control, she then has Gamzee go to sleep and bring her the ring, thus reviving her. Aranea's plan is to fuck things up sufficiently that the current session doesn't bear fruit, and then use her own powers to prevent the chain of events that spawn Lord English, this removing him from all realities. Meenah tries to talk her out of it, but fails and instead is left to chill out with Vriska.
- Aranea then sets her plan in motion by trying "awaken" Jake's Page of Hope powers via a kiss. This fails, so she just heals him instead. This causes Jake to speak entirely in booming, old-timey phrases. He is also powerful enough to fend off even Jade. To resolve the situation, Jade teleports everyone in a certain radius to her own planet, LOFAF. (Which is also where Karkat and Kanaya are already.)
- Karkat hears from Meenah about Aranea's plan, and also contacts Dave, who in turns gets in touch with Rose. Thus, the remaining characters converge on LOFAF.
- In the ensuing fighting, Aranea kills Jade by burying her under her own house. Aranea manipulates the odds to make Jade's death just. Dave wants to use Jane's powers to remedy the situation, but Gamzee comes out of no where and entangles himself with Jane. After that is resolved by a flying Terezi kick to the face, PM and Jack arrive and fly off with Jade's body.
- Terezi begins beating up and stabbing Gamzee with her cane.
- Ghost Jade winds up at the same voidy vortex Calliope has ensconced herself in. (This is the last sighting of these two characters as of right now.)
- Jake's hope powers cause his brain ghost image of Dirk to become real. Dirk takes up the fight against Aranea by using his Prince of Heart powers to rip Aranea's soul from her body, which will kill her even despite the ring. However, the ring's effects make this task very time-consuming.
- In this process, Rose arrives to see that Roxy is passed out beside that scene. Dirk tells her to get Roxy out of there.
- Jake's protective hope field dissipates as Aranea slowly dies, giving Jane an opening to kill him. His death is considered heroic.
- Aranea's soul snaps back into her body, but her mind control spell over Gamzee is broken, so he starts to beat the shit out of Terezi. Jake revives near the scene, but he is unable to do anything. Neither is Rose.
- Jane takes the opening to move in on Aranea, so she puts her to sleep. However, Jane powers through it and sort of begins sleep-beating her up.
- Karkat and Kanaya arrive just in time to witness the scene. Karkat tells Gamzee that they're not going to hug it out this time, but that's right when HIC's battleship arrives. She looks none too pleased at the situation.

And that's that where we stopped! (Uh, let me know if I missed anything important or got anything wrong.) When I have time I might add links to this. Updates resumed here.

The thread for things with more/less than two legs (NSF ento/arachno/ophidiophobes)

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Hello there!

Welcome to the thread for everything that creeps, crawls, or slithers!

It's certainly the season for insects, spiders and snakes, but we can appreciate them year round too!

Even though they might be frightening to some, creatures like these can be stunningly beautiful, and really quite fascinating.

Let's take a look at some creepy-crawlies that might just change someone's mind on whether they're creepy after all!

That little fellow up there is a Bold Jumper, a beautiful little fellow with metallic blue mouthparts. Don't be afraid of him, because he isn't afraid of you! The bold jumper is an inquisitive little spider, and will happily jump up to a waiting hand to see what's going on. Like the vast majority of spiders, they're completely harmless and very charming! The Bold Jumper is a common species, so try taking a look for one sometime! You'll be glad you did.

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This is a personal favorite of mine:the Labyrinth Orbweaver
The Labyrinth Orbweaver gets its name from the unique web it builds. Like a tiny camper in the woods, this forest dwelling species builds itself a little tent out of a leaf, which it integrates into a tangled web, hence the labyrinth name. They hide inside the tent as they wait for prey to come flying by, emerging to drag captured bugs back or to make additions to the web. I've been lucky enough to find one of these lovely spiders nearby, and I've been visiting her often. She laid eggs recently, and although this unfortunately means she doesn't have long left to live, I'm excited to see her offspring hatch and balloon away on little silk strands to find their own spot for a web.

Spiders are pretty cool, no?

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As resident bugboy, I'd be remiss not to include some six-legged friends too!

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the fine specimen seen in this video is a dobsonfly, a nocturnal insect attracted to bright lights as so many bugs are. He's brandishing some incredible mouthparts, which look quite dangerous. However, you have nothing to fear from him-they're far too unwieldy to bite down on human skin! Instead, he uses them to grasp a female during mating. Speaking of females-they can bite with their smaller mouthparts, so don't bother them too much! (It's almost a universal rule of the invertebrates that the female is bigger and more dangerous, so do as the males bugs do and appease them with little gifts of food. You might avoid having your head bitten off post coitus!)

It's a personal life goal of mine to encounter one of these, but I haven't managed it just yet. My closest encounter was with a fishfly, a close relative. If you live near water, keep an eye out for me! The larvae are aquatic and the adults don't stray far from a lake or pond. You might also find them if you like fishing, as the larvae, called hellgrammites, are often sold as bait!

Speaking of bugs with impressive appendages, check this guy out!

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This one, again a male, is a scorpionfly! You can see why he has that name, with that impressive stinger and all. But trust me, he's harmless and definitely not interested in stinging you. He can't-even though it happens to resemble a scorpion's tail, it's actually his genitals! That's right, scorpionflies let it hang out and they don't even care. The lady scorpionflies are presumably very impressed. What's really cool-and I didn't even know this until I started putting this OP together-is that the scorpionflies are closely related to fleas! Talk about diversity of form!

there's so much to talk about when it comes to invertebrates! After all, they outnumber us mammals far both in number of species and biomass! We could probably fill a thread just talking about beetles, if we wanted to. There are a lot of beetles.

I'll finish up by linking to some cool things, in case you've been inspired to learn more!

If you're interested in identifying a bug, or just looking at some great pictures, my favorite resources are whatsthatbug.com/ and bugguide.net. They're both great ways to figure out what species you've just seen in your yard. And then, if you're like me, it's also a good way to get consumed entirely for an afternoon.


Everyone loves cordyceps, the fungus that literally turns ants and other insects into brainwashed zombies. This video gets linked a lot, but I'd figured I'd put it in anyway in case you haven't seen it yet. Insect parasites are really fascinating-crickets in particular are hosts to another mind-controlling parasite that forces them to commit suicide by jumping into water, at which point the parasite emerges as a very, very long worm and reproduces. I'll spare you videos of that, but they're all over youtube, if you're interested.
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Finally, everyone should read this. It's a thrilling tale involving a species of giant stick insects that once were thought to be extinct, but had one remaining tiny population on what once was a volcano in the middle of the ocean. Surrounded by sharks. I'm not making this up.

So come into the parlor, as the spider said to the fly, pull up a seat, and talk about your favorite creepy-crawlies, whether they be spider, insect, snake, or something else entirely!

[Dark Souls]'s moon is waning. Soon the nightly hunt begins.

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Dark Souls 2 is out now and it is a game you can buy and play.

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The journey of the Cursed Undead is long and arduous, but with the help of others you may see your journey to its inevitable end. Here are some answers to common questions!

ALWAYS exhaust an NPC's dialogue before leaving them. Many NPCs don't give you items until the second or third time you try to talk to them. Some of them won't even become merchants or make covenants available until you try repeatedly!


Why does my weapon keep breaking?
Spoiler:
The durability system in Dark Souls 2 is different than in previous games. Every time you rest at a bonfire your weapon's durability is restored (unless fully broken). Hitting things with your weapon lowers its durability. This includes walls and corpses! Avoid doing these things and your weapon will last a much longer time. In addition, weapons have different durabilities, and some weapons may simply be more fragile. If it continues to be a problem, consider finding a second weapon that you enjoy using to swap between the two, saving your strongest weapon for the toughest foes.

Why are these Ruin Sentinels such bullshit?
Spoiler:
For many players the Ruin Sentinels are the first roadblock boss. You should attempt to fight the first one entirely on the ledge you're standing on, as going down to the ground level will aggro the other two. I recommend attempting to dodge their attacks rather than block them, as they are strongly telegraphed but deplete much of your blocking stamina. They take the most damage from strike weapons such as maces and hammers. In addition, if you are capable of powerstancing maces, the L2 attack will stagger one when you hit with all 3 strikes. Good luck!

How do I get a White Soapstone?
Spoiler:
In the Forest of Fallen Giants, find a trustworthy man named Mild-Mannered Pate. Go through the door next to him and fight your way back out. When you talk to him again he will give you a white soapstone, and you can now be summoned for co-op!

In addition, you can break the door above the second bonfire in the Forest of Fallen Giants (the one with Merchant Hag Melentia). This door will lead to a room with a Small White Soapstone, which is like a White Soapstone, but smaller. Also it gives you less time for co-op, and different rewards.

How do I get an Orange Soapstone?
Spoiler:
You don't need one! Just go into the start menu, and go to message to tell all the skeletons how you feel!

Why would I ever make a Mundane weapon?
Spoiler:
Despite the stats screen of a Mundane infusion making it look undesirable, making a weapon Mundane gives it secret S scaling in your lowest stat. This makes Mundane scaling very effective for a character who has spread their points around. Mundane is best on weapons that have multiple hits or attack very quickly, like Santier's Spear, Avelyn, or Dagger.
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