Random Video Game Buys Of 2013

For the entire year, I stored all my video games I bought in one corner, then did a quick video 6 months later, and another at the end of the year. I was actually surprised to see I had bought so much stuff. Randomly buying I also came to realize that I buy a game more if it has Time Travel or Dinosaurs in it. Hopefully seeing everything for one year will help me buy less the next year.

Why I Should Write For Hollywood: Marvel Comics' 'Deathlok'

I have always thought that one of Marvel's missed opportunities at a movie during the start of their films with X-Men & Blade, was Deathlok. Who is Deathlok, and why do I think he is one of Marvel's better chances for a film adaptation?

Deathlok would be a perfect movie for this reason: When Michael Collins, a well-known scientist and pacifist, discovered his employeers were behind illegal weapons designs, he finds his brain placed in a cybernetic weapon known as Deathlok. However, he is able to gain control of this weapon. Realizing what he has become, Michael must wage two wars, an external one to gain his original body against the evil corporation that turned him into what he is, and an internal battle against his own AI, that merely wants to kill everything in it's way to help Collins accomplish his goal.

Do you not see the potential here? You have a pacifist trapped in a death machine. Said death machine is always telling Michael the easiest way to accomplish his goals, but he constantly tells it to explore other, non-lethal options.

Throughout the comic, much of the dialogue is like this:

MICHAEL: They're shooting at us. We need to stop them.
COMPUTER: Recommend rapid fire shot to all 5 targets.
MICHAEL: No, find another way!
COMPUTER: There is only a 17.80% chance you will survive without using lethal force.
MICHAEL: I don't care!

You already have a conflict, where one man refuses to give into the easy tools at his disposal and chooses to live life according to his beliefs, no matter what has happened to him he refuses to compromise his beliefs and take the easy way through life. And what do most heroes do? They don't kill. This writes itself.

Then, there's the hope. You see, Michael Collins wants to be human again, but is it even possible? Well, his original body is still around, being kept alive in a tube, and his former employer holds the keys to making him human again. But will Deathlok kill just to get his life back? Well, of course he won't, but you need to make it appear that he might compromise his beliefs near the end of the movie. There could even be a tragic ending where he sacrifices his body to not kill someone, but in the end, despite the fact he can never be human again, he still has his soul, and that's all he needs to remind himself of who he once was.

So, there you go. You have a pacifist struggling with the fact he is now a weapon of death. He has to fight an AI that would rather kill to keep itself alive. He has to fight evil henchman and some robotic boss at the end that threatens to kill people somehow. He has to fight his desire to compromise his beliefs to be human again. And don't forget his wife, who he can never visit because of what he has become (who might or might not be kidnapped by the corporation to convince him to do what they want). And, just imagine how many unique scenes you can create that GO AGAINST the tradition action movie. You have set-ups for normal shoot-outs, but Deathlok finds a way to win non-lethally. Get crackin' Marvel!

There are many Deathlok characters in the marvel universe, and this one is based on the 1990's version, who had his own series for 4 years.

Why I Should Write For Hollywood: Marvel Comics' The Avengers 3

I am working backwards with all the ideas I’ve had for other people’s licensed movies to show you my version of how I think some movies should be made. There are many movies based on different properties, mostly comic books, that I always wondered why they never made it to the screen.

Imagine, if you will, a trailer for Avengers 3. This is a Teaser Trailer to show everyone who the heroes are. Maria Hill narrates the Trailer. She is talking to someone, but you don’t know who. Her voice is always over the scene below her speech. Due to HTML, this is not in traditional Script Format.

MARIA HILL: “Nick Fury went missing on assignment.”

Show Nick Fury being subdued by a mysterious assailant with the bodies of SHIELD agents all around him. Fury looks at him as if he recognizes his assaliant. A hand moves toward the screen to indicate he is grabbing Fury by the neck.

MARIA HILL: “Bruce Banner was lost by our scouting team.”

Bruce Banner/Hulk is shot at with Tranquilizers in a remote desert-type town and falls down. His eyes glow, but he is then hit with over a dozen more tranquilizers and it prevents him from turning into the Hulk.

MARIA HILL: “Captain America’s home was in ruins; his whereabouts unknown.”

Show Captain America/Steve Rogers already captured, chained to an operating table that raises upward as Maria Hill talks
.
MARIA HILL: “All attempts to contact Thor have met with failure”

Show scene from Thor 3 to indicate Thor is having his own problems in Asgard and is unavailable.

MARIA HILL: “And, just yesterday, Tony Stark was taken while on his honeymoon.”

Tony Stark/Iron Man and Pepper Potts in some exotic county; this is their honeymoon. Cut to Pepper Potts trapped under rubble in a house/hotel, watching someone flying away with Tony Stark.

MARIA HILL: The world is in danger.. We we need a new team to rescue the Avengers…and save the world.

Show Miss Marvel/Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers punching a giant robot in the city.

CUT TO: SHIELD Agents near a limo as she turns around from the robot debris on the ground. CUT TO: Miss Marvel/Captain Marvel flying through the sky. She lands on top of the Helicarrier. QUICK FADE OUT.

CUT TO: Miss Marvel/Captain Marvel on the Helicarrier. PAN LEFT: A small insect-like creature spins around and shoots laser blasts on the ground, then transformers into The Wasp. Behind Miss Marvel/Captain Marvel, a thump is heard and she turns to see Giant-Man/Ant-Man is in his giant form.

CUT TO: CLOSE-UP: Maria Hill standing seriously at the Helicarrier entrance (to inform them of the events, which is this trailer’s dialogue). ZOOM OUT: Quicksilver runs up at super speed to stand left of Maria Hill. Scarlet Witch teleports to Maris Hill’s right.

MISS MARVEL/CAPTAIN MARVEL: “Is this everyone?”

MARIA HILL: “There is…one more.”

SERIES OF SHOTS, EACH WITH EXTREMELY QUICK FADE IN AND FADE OUTS: A hand picks up a syringe (this is the Extremist syringe from Iron Man 3). An arm is injected with the same syringe. A neck pulls back in pain, but we can’t see who it is.

2 SECONDS BLACK SCREEN

CUT TO: Pepper Potts, glowing red with the Extremis virus.

INSERT: TITLE:

AVENGERS 3: Coming Soon



Notes: 1) Yes, I know Scarlet Witch can’t teleport, but she needs a visually different power than everyone else on screen, and it needs to be quick and to the point. 2) In addition, Pepper Potts wouldn’t have the Iron Man arm on her, I just needed a picture that showed she had the Extremis on her skin. #) The villain (or villains) should be revealed in the 2nd Teaser Trailer.
To see this with pictures, go to: My Website's Blog Entry

"The Hand That Played" - An Uplifitng Family Movie, Or A Depressing Indi Movie

I had the best idea for a movie that would be a great uplifting, live-action family movie, but could also be interpreted into a depressing, real-life, independent movie. Not coming soon from Padraic Productions.

"The Hand That Played" - Disney Version

Charles was a great violinist, until a horrible accident left him without the use of his right hands, and they had to be removed to prevent infection from contaminating the rest of his body. Unable to ever play again, he finds his dreams long dead. Until, a breakthrough in robotics gives him a cybernetic arm. Over years of struggle, he is able to teach his arms to play the violin, but not very well. Along the way a girlfriend/boyfriend/child/friend helps his overcome his self-esteem issues when he thinks he cannot ever accomplish his dreams, but they teach him to believe in himself. In the end, he is able to teach himself to play through his robotic arms, and is able to win the greatest violin competition in the world, finally fulfilling his life's dream.

"The Hand That Played" - Indi Version

Charles was a great violinist, until a horrible accident left him without the use of his hands. Unable to ever play again, he finds his dream long dead. After discovering a breakthrough in robotic arms, he volunteers to have his own hands removed to replace them with artificial ones. After years of teaching himself to play the violin again, he enters and wins many contests, but finds himself ultimately disqualified due to his robotic arms being considered cheating. Years of sacrifice and the choice to remove his own limbs have left him without his dreams and what he believes to be a wasted life. Frustrated and angry, he spirals into depression and drugs before meeting some girlfriend/boyfriend/child/friend that comes along and helps him to enjoy life again and that just because you fail, doesn't mean you have to give up on life. Or that never happens and there is a 2nd, alternative ending where he kills himself because society was against at every turn. The End. Movie awards follow.

Freaky The Legacy - Popular (Music Video)

A music video for Freak The Legacy. This is the song "Popular" in which i helped write the music video.

'Displacement' The Graphic Novel Is NOW AVAILABLE on Amazon.com & Barnes & Noble.com

Displacement, the experimental diary comic I started (and my first comic ever) has finally compiled it's 3 issue mini-series into a graphic novel. The entire comic has been re-done with new panel borders to make the comic easier to read. Oh, and guess what?

Displacement is now available on AMAZON.COM & BARNES & NOBLE.COM

Thanks to everyone who has made this possible; my artist, Michelle Balze, cover artist Amanda Kahl, John Bintz for all the questions he answered when I started asking how to photoscan stuff and put them in a comic, Michael Auger for compiling the individual issues together, and Jason Axtell for compiling the graphic novel, in addition to touching up and re-designing all the borders.

Displacement At Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Displacement-Shawn-Padraic-Murphy/dp/1936921030/

Displacement At Barnes & Noble.com: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/displacement-shawn-padraic-murphy/1116800217?ean=9781936921034

Below is the original cover for Displacement, which came out in 2009. The older, single-issue comics were only available on ComixPress.com, which no longer exists. The graphic novel is now the only version available; even future digital versions will use this as a base.

My Comic Book Kickstarter "Mechanaflux #2" Needs Your Help

I have started my Kickstarter for Mechanaflux #2, an All-Ages Fantasy Comic Book. Plus, I am hoping to achieve enough money to make an Animated Trailer and possibly an animated series of shorts if I get enough money.

Mechanaflux is about 3 Earth kids (Cory, Jackson, & Arad) who fall into the world of Flux, where they meet a sword-fighting princess, the last sorceress, and a centaur general (Maria, Darius, & Gluss). Together, they must stop an evil mechanical creature from turning the entire world into metal.

You can find the Kickstarter Here

You can view the video for it below (will be deleted when the Kickstarter ends).

Murphy's Media Memories - Monster Party (Nintendo NES)

Monster Party is a very unusual video game for the time. It features blood and gore on a Nintendo game, but then mixes that with crazy and comedic bosses. And I played this as my 2nd video game at my friends house when I was 7. Watch the video below to learn more about it.

YouTube / BlipTV / Vimeo

Kickstarter Posters Printed (For "Strength") & The Quest To Find A Printer

This is my process for trying to get copies of my prints. Since I am an author, and not an artist, I had to find out which place makes the best quality with the best price. I hadn't done this before. First, here is a picture from two copies, one from FedEx Kinkos, the other from Staples. Can you tell which is which?

Now I will go over how I found out a good place to print posters. My posters are made for comic book covers, which means they are usually EXACTLY 11x14 when increased in size. This means I have to order an 11x17 and cut it to make it 11x14.

IPrintFromHome.Com

      I print from home is a great place to print. You simply drop your file onto their website. You can select from many sizes. In addition, you can zoom in your print to get it to fit, as well as chose to have a white border around the whole picture, or none. They are the only place that has an 11x14 option. However, it is $6.00 a print, plus $3.00 shipping (increasing the more posters you buy—they send it out on a flatboard). I can upload PDF, TIF, or JPG. There is no way I could make copies of these to sell at conventions without spending more than I earn. I will only use this in the future to order a metallic gleam + glossy print for my own wall for each comic cover I make.

OfficeMax

      I was told OfficeMax is the best place to get prints done from 2 different artists. However, I have no OfficeMax in my area, which means this option is out.

OfficeDepot

      Office Depot only prints 11x17 against regular paper; they have no other options . They also do not have shipping tubes. There is no point in going here ever again.

FedEx Kinkos

      FedEx Kinko’s will open my TIF file, but they say they don’t re-size for you, and I had to bring it back with the correct size. They have 3 options for 11x17 posters: Regular Paper ($2.00), 80lb Cardstock ($2.63), or Glossy Cardstock ($3.16). However, the guy I saw the first time wasn’t too helpful, and said the glossy posters and the 80lb cannot roll without cracking.

Staples

      Staples had 11x17 in Cardstock ($N/A)[regular paper that looked grey], Cover Stock ($1.98)[same as 80lb], and Glossy (also $1.98). However, their glossy was 28lb stock with a thick glossy cover. They had one shipping tube, but it was 3 feet long.

UPS Store

      This is where I had to find the 2x15 shipping tube to send the posters. This is the only place they exist. The tubes were $1.79 each. There is no way to print here.

The Winner: Staples!

      FedEx Kinko’s had a Glossy Cardstock (it was basically 80lb, Glossy on the front and back). However, the glossy for Staples was 28lb stock with a thick glossy cover on the front only) FedEx Kindos was glossy on both sides. I don’t know how, but the printer for Staples was much, much better. The FedEx Kinkos poster had lots of small dots where the colors were (see Pictures on the left [both photos]) whereas the Staples printer mixed all the colors together to appear smooth, fludid, and cohesive (see Picture on the right [both photos]). Plus, it was $1.50 less per copy, and I could cut it for free. However, the employee cut it for me, but they would not always be exact. In the future, I wish I could print them without white borders, but no one has that option except IPrintFromHome, and they are way too expense to order copies for conventions to sell.

     Staples automatically includes a white border around your art (as did FedEx Kinkos) but my pictures had more white space on the left than the right of the poster. They could not change this. What was odd is that the test copy did not do this the first time I was there. I apologize in advance to any backers for any slight centimeter difference in the borders.

Murphy's Media Memories - Spider-Man 30th Anniversary Comics: Part 1

Spider-Man is celebrating 50 years in comics, but what were the stories produced for his 30th Anniversary? I look at all the stories in all 4 monthly Spider-Man titles that were oversized for the anniversary. This episode looks at Amazing Spider-Man 365, Spider-Man 26, & Web Of Spider-Man 90.

This is a brief look at all the stories and what got me hooked into reading Spider-Man, as well as a few rants as I talk off topic about Spider-Man in Murphy's Media Memories - Spider-Man 30th Anniversary Comics.

MMM - Spider-Man 30th Anniverary Comics from Shawn Padraic Murphy on Vimeo.

Video at my website at: http://www.shawnpmurphy.com

Audio Interview With InThisIssue - Volume 2, Issue 54

I was interviewed at TriCon by In This Issue. You can find their podcast here below, and I am interviewed on Volume 2 - Issue 54

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/in-this.../id500331436

Their website is here: http://inthisissuepod.com/tag/podcast/

Murphy's Media Memories - JAWS (Nintendo)

My new episode of Murphy's Media Memories is up, and I've finally found a way to get good audio editing from my camera's mic. Jaws was the first video game I ever played. I remember it fondly from when I was around 5-6 years old, and I describe that story in the video. I run thorugh briefly the game mechanics and how my friend and I experienced this game at the time, then pick it up for the first time since 1986 and see if I can figure it out and beat it now that my brain has developed more intelligence and many decades worth of video game reflexes. In addition, I will take you through the other 5 Jaws games made.

You can see the video here: http://shawnpmurphy.com/?p=3916

Help Support My Comic Book Kickstarter: Strength

Help support my comic book Kickstarter project for Strength #2, the second and final issue. Details of the plot and prizes on the Kickstarter.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1945380719/strength-the-comic-superheroes-sexism-and-satire?

How Many Video Games Did I Grow Up With That Had Playable Female Characters?

I thought it would be interesting to see which video games I grew up with had playable female characters, and find out if there was a huge imbalance or not. I'm only going to include Nintendo, Super Nintendo, & Game Boy games (all of these I grew up with that and are games my parents bought for me). I kept the rules in the data gathering simple:       1) Each game goes in Male, Female, and/or Unknown (N/A).       2) A game can go in any of the 3 categories (Donkey Kong Country 2 goes into both Male & Female)       3) I'm ignoring any portrayals of sexist outfits and the male-to-female ratio. This is just a simple tally.       4) All Spider-Man games I own are excluded so as not to skew results (I own...all of them).

NES

Male:    16
Female: 3
N/A:     1

The only games I had where you play females are The Little Mermaid, Super Mario Brothers 2, and Micky Mousecapade. Though it's obvious Mickey is the main character, you control Minnie at the same time. She always dies first, and you can never lose Mickey to control only her. The one N/A game we had was Battletank, as it's never indicated if you are a he or she inside the tank. Most all Nintendo games I had growing had were only male characters you controled. I remember being excited to play The Little Mermaid just because we didn't have a game under the sea (except for a level in Battletoads). Kirby (In Kirby's Adventure) I never made in my head as male or female; it was only much later when I heard him referred to as a he that I must have just accepted it. So, not much variety, but then the Super Nintendo came along.

SNES

Males:     24>
Females: 9
N/A:      0
Megaman X2 is included in the 'male' category because he is referred to as a he and looks like a male (and Kirby, while androgynous, is identified as a 'he'--Kirby Super Star). RPG's such as Super Mario RPG, Chrono Trigger, & Earthbound have a playable female character, so they also get 1 entry in each category. The first Mortal Kombat, despite having only 1 female player, still gets an entry in both, as does Super Mario Kart (Princess Toadstool). Shadowrunner is male only; you can hire female bodyguards, but you do not control them. I did not include the compilation game Super Mario All-Stars, as it's not technically a Super Nintendo game.

I've only bought about 8 Super Nintendo since graduating high school that I did not included in the results, and that was pretty much half and half in terms of playable characters: Kendo Rage / Alladin / Mickey Mouse are female / male / male; while Revolution X and SeaQuest are Unknown genders.

Game Boy

I don't even need to tally it. All my games were Bubble Bobble, Star Trek, Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Super Mario Land 1 & 2, Donkey Kong, FIFA '96, Pokemon Red, & TMNT 2: Back From The Sewers (all males). Only Battle Arena Toshinden had a playable female in it (a fighting game). Tetris is obviously N/A.

So, yeah, just something I thought would be interesting to look at. Growing up, I see that the Super Nintendo games we had had a ton of more playable female characters than our original Nintendo ones. Remember, this is only my games growing up, and won't match yours, or the library of either system.

How Not To Make Money In Comics: My Self-Publishing Adventure Part 5 & 6 (Serius Spin-Off & First Artist Hire)

How Not To Make Money In Comics

My Self-Publishing Adventure

Part 5 & 6: 2006 & 2007 (Serious Spin-Off & First Artist Hire)

      The Webcomic I created (Wesleyan World) was continuing to be a source of enjoyment, even though one would say the art is pretty below average (that’s being nice…to myself). At one point, I wrote a comic script based on the idea I had for the serious storyline, but it was just too boring. I eventually found a short story I wrote in undergraduate college that I realized I must have gotten some subconscious inspiration from, and decided to place the idea of another self clawing it’s way to the surface of a human mind to guide it’s user to what it should be as a representation of the ‘id’ that most people contain. After writing my first comic script, I then placed it in a folder on my computer and forgot about it, because getting an artist was considered unrealistic to me at this point in my life.

      Many months later (this was later 2005), I brought up the idea of a comic book I wanted to make to my friend Michelle Balze (a fellow graduate student at Long Island University’s Southampton College) and she said she was actually making a comic with (or for) someone at the moment. Later, we met so I could describe the plot of my book and she could show her some art samples. I then realized it was a perfect sketch-style for my diary-esque comic book. We then later talked about doing the comic and the page rate.

      I will list the pay for next year when the project was actually complete for easier inventory processing. She started drawing, and eventually finished in the next year. Though I would leave New York and move to Maryland.

      After moving to Maryland, I commissioned her for 3 covers and a replacement panel for one of the pages. The total cost of the project was $???.?? for a 3 issue mini series (22 pages each, 3 Covers, & a replacement panel)

      After the project was done, I had 3 finished comic books (a 3 issue mini-series), but had no idea what to do with it. I was able to find a very large photo scanner to scan the pages into the computer so I could get them in my email, and then they sat on my computer for a few months.       Eventually, my salvation came when someone told me about the Small Press Expo. An independent comic convention sounded like the perfect place to get help with people who had done it before. I tried to ask people questions about how they printed their comics, but mostly I was still confused and felt way out of my league. Someone I had talked to behind the counter (I wish I could remember this person) told me to speak to Evan Keeling, as he had a local group called the DC Conspiracy. Upon talking to him, I learned that the DC Conspiracy was a group of artists & writers (or both) that met once a month. It was something I started attending every month, and I met lots of people and got some good advise. Eventually, I just hired someone who knew computers to format it for ComixPress.com’s specs, as they were well known and looked the best to deal with at the time. I have no skills when it comes to computers, so hiring someone for this minor action was pretty much a necessity. He offered to do it for a small amount, stating it would only take a few hours to format everything. After he aligned my comic to their specifications, I submitted them, then weeks later had a preview copy sent to my house for all 3 issues. Holding in my hand was the comic I had started 2 1/2 years ago.

      From the DC Conspiracy, I had heard they were going to get everyone together for a table at SPX and split the tables based on full, 1/2, or 1/4 tables. I immediately signed up for a 1/4 of a table, as I only had 1 comic book (even though it was 3 issues).

      Next article (and next year) I start showing you actual numbers with my comic costs, and how I started making more comics from there (and hopefully stop sounding so dry and analytical in my speech). I will only mention the total cost of a project the year the project is completed.

You can follow the rest of my publishing adventures here: http://shawnpmurphy.com/?page_id=3473

Murphy's Media Memories: Return Of Halley's Comet (1985)

For the latest Murphy’s Media Memories, I transfered an old VHS tape I had and uploaded it to the world. Welcome to the world of 1985, where you can learn about Halley’s Comet (if you are a kid). So, just how is this low-budget direct-to-video 80’s edutainment? Let’s find out.

http://shawnpmurphy.com/?p=3799

Also, if you are interested, you can watch the actual VHS I transfered to YouTube as the very bottom video.

Murphy's Media Memories: M.A.N.T.I.S. (Part 3 of 3) The TV Series: From Good To Bad

This is the final episode of the 3 part M.A.N.T.I.S. review. This time, after showing you the TV Movie, then the Pilot, I take you through a brief summary of the 1st half of Season 1, and describe how great it is, but then I get into a detailed analysis of why the 2nd half of Season 1 is a complete and utter disaster.

http://shawnpmurphy.com/?p=3773

Murphy's Media Memories: M.A.N.T.I.S. (Part 2 of 3) - The TV Pilot vs The Movie

Here is my 2nd part of the M.A.N.T.I.S. Now that you’ve learned of the TV Movie, I show you the TV Pilot for the M.A.N.T.I.S. TV show. The character Miles Hawkins (as MANTIS) and the same actor playing him (Carl Lumbly) return. An all-new cast appears for a new concept on the M.A.N.T.I.S. that is an entirely different direction and tone than the TV movie. Now, M.A.N.T.I.S. is an action-adventure show for ‘all audiences’ in a prime-time network slot. Watch the TV Pilot and my mussing on it, and how though it was changed from it’s original incarnation, it is still a very good series.

http://shawnpmurphy.com/?p=3684

Written Interview With ComicsDC

I have an interview up at a blog. It's a pretty lengthy interview that goes over how I started writing, how I found artists, what I'm currently doing, and much more.

Comics DC is "for information and events relating to cartoons and comics (including comic books, comic strips, political cartoons, animation and caricature) in Washington, DC and its environs (including counties such as Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Prince George's, and Montgomery.)"

The interview is here: http://comicsdc.blogspot.com/2013/06/meet-local-comics-writer-shawn-padraic.html

(My website link - http://shawnpmurphy.com/?p=3863)

Audio Interview With TheWombMates

I was interviewed at SPACE by TheWombMates.com. You can hear me on the audio here along with many other artists and writers at SPACE.

http://thewombmates.com/2013/04/30/episode-37-space-con-2013.aspx

(My website line - http://shawnpmurphy.com/?p=3820)

Anime Fantasy Quest - Who Would You Take With You?

An ancient evil has erupted and is consuming an unknown (to you) fantasy world. You are sucked in and chosen as a hero, but first, you must recruit a party of adventures to help you defeat the great evil (that has finally returned). Chose 4 adventurers from any ANIME (series or movie or OVA) to join you (you are the 5th). Rules: 1) You can only chose Fantasy anime characters (so no Gundams or Cowboy Bebop characters, but, hey, One Piece is considered a Fantasy, and you can even cheat and use Final Fantasy VI and Darkstalkers since they were made into anime). 2) You can only chose main characters, or supporting characters. No villains (unless they later become main and/or nerfed supporting characters [see below]) 3) Only 1 character per series. 3) You must have a 3/2 or 2/3 ration of males and females (counting yourself)

Rubette (from Rokudo) - Swordfighter/Archer Rubette is a powerful sword fighter; she defeats nearly all the villains in the first 3 episodes while the main character, Gokudo, only defeats about one or two. She is eventually given a magic bow with unlimited energy arrows, so she can do combines close-combat fighting with long-range attacks. In addition, she is loyal to her companions, even when they lie, cheat, steal, or hit on her; she accepts everyone for who they are, even taking care of her friend when he turns into an old man. On the negative, she loves fighting, and will jump into any fight instantly and might make encounters longer and harder than they need to be. As a bonus, if it's the Rubette from the end of the series, she will also have additional powers from the God she has trapped in her body. It is extremely dangerous to underestimate her and she will help take out most enemies quickly.

Lina Inverse (from Slayers): Magic-User Lina Inverse is one of the most powerful magic users. Though she is hard to get along with (don't make her mad) she at least tries to do the right thing, even it usually involves blasting whole towns in the process. Her anger and insanity can be used to get under the villain's skin to subtlety allow them to make mistakes. When facing many legions of undead or orcs, and very large enemies like Dragons or Gods, her powerful spells would be an absolute necessity.

Anubis (from Ronin Warriors: Season 2) - Spiritualist, Leader, Summoner He was once a villainous leader, and would bring some different ideas and plans to the group with his previous leadership experience. In addition, he also has many devastating attacks with his armor, but now has additional magic from following the Ancient One by use of a magic staff. He has a strict code of honor which could help bring the other members of the group in line (though it also has the potential to just lead to arguments with Rubette and Lina). He would also be the most likely of the group to be able to solve the main darkness' weakness, as well as how he came to be, why he's back now, etc; all essential information for defeating the main bad guy in the end.

Etoh (from Record of Lodoss War) - Healer No matter how powerful you are, you will always be hurt, and you need to be able to be healed quickly. I couldn't think of any healers except Etoh and don't normally see too many in fantasy anime (and the other healer in the Lodoss TV series--but she would always be kidnapped due to people wanting to use her blood to resurrect a god so...). Etoh gets his healing powers from the god Falis, and can use it to heal you very quickly when the party needs it. Plus, he can defend himself, so you won't always have to protect and/or worry if anything is happening to him during battle.

That's it. Hopefully this party could save the world without killing each other in the process.

What would your party look like?

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Chapter 9 - Rage Unleashed (FINAL CHAPTER)

      Samuel leaves me at the dock to the Lighthouse, and says Martin, Pendleton, & Havelock have turned on each other. Can’t say I’m surprised. Then he says he is disappointed in me because of my actions. Well excuse me for trying to save my own life. I knocked out many guards, and I never killed any Weepers. Was it not enough?

      I then feel the Outsider’s protection against Samuel gone. I ready my bow, ready to kill Samuel as he leaves, but then realize that he is one of the few that didn’t betray me. Plus, he also saved my life. I watch him go away, remembering what he said; we’ll never see each other again. I then remember I didn’t say goodbye to Cecelia and wonder if I will see her again, too.

      Realizing my actions of killing only partially have created a bad outcome, I don’t really try to knock anyone unconscious anymore. My psychic text powers alert me to the fact that I'm still a bad person even for killing a few people. I alert myself to some guards and then Stop Time at the exact moment they shoot their gun. I then possess another guards body and leave him right in front of the bullet. I watching as Time returns to normal, and the bullet flies right at the other man, killing him instantly. I possess one guard and take him into the water, killing him instantly. They all live on an island, yet never bothered to learn how to swim. Upstairs is a metal walkway that leads to a door, and I hear and guards above, but start firing my gun to get them down here. I quickly rewire an Arc Reator and it kills 3 of them slowly, meaning I have to run around them as it kills all of them in a few second. I possess the next few and walk them into the reactor.

      My wave of destruction is cut short when I enter the Guardhouse and find Martin and his men (a combination of city Guards & Overseers) are attacking Pendleton. They have already blow out a hole in the fort. I approach the guards and Martin while Martin is yelling at Pendleton, only to find that they are not interested in fighting me. I stand directly in front of Martin's face, and he just stares at me; NOT A SINGLE PERSON OF THE 7 PEOPLE IN THIS OUTDOOR AREA TRY TO ATTACK ME! Martin must realize that I’m here to kill him, right? He shows no emotion and just stands there, dumbfounded at my resurrection. I decide to let him live, as it appears he is waiting for me to kill him for the guilt he must feel.

      I search all around the complex, going along the rooftops, the middle areas, and the ground, in what is a very large circular Guardhouse. With so much cliff and water below me, I start knocking guards unconscious and throwing them off the balcony, where they smash against the rocks or fall into the sea to drown below. Sometimes I see their small, lifeless bodies floating in the water around the island.

      When I eventually find Pendleton, atop the guard tower he doesn’t talk to me, just stares at me like Martin did. So I kill him for setting me up in the duel to die all that time ago. I was expecting something more epic. Maybe an apology. Maybe a final death threat. Why just a vacant stare and no dialogue? I don’t have my closure. I didn't hear you suffer and scream as I watch my spring blade cut you to pieces. Then I climbed to the tallest tower and chucked your body into the raging rivers below. May your soul be damned to hell, Pendleton.

      Upon returning to different areas, I find that guards are magically returning in areas I already cleared (No one else ever attacks me in this outer area, and continues to stand still ignoring my footsteps and obvious facemask that matches all wanted posters. I leave to explore the other dock, but find absolutely nothing other than a few guards and a health potion. I do see two large, empty boats, so perhaps that is where the reinforcements that populated my cleared areas came from.

      The Lighthouse towers in the distance; who knows how high it is? There is only one way to the Lighthouse, and it’s through one small metal platform holding one guard and an Arc Reactor. I can see a small metal walkway under it where a re-wire weapon is housed. I possess the guard then take out the Whale Oil. Now there is nothing stopping. I gaze up at the tower and wonder how it was built is the could only only carry a few pounds at a time across this very small walkway. They had to have hauled the parts by ship and used pulleys...somehow. I'm just going to assume the Outside helped them.

      I see Lightning crack in the distance over my town of Dunwall. But, then I turn toward our city, and it’s on fire; I see nothing but smoke. What is happening to my city while I am gone?

      I climb down and explore the Lighthouse’s bottom, but there is nothing there. I then return to the elevator to begin my accent. As I rise, I wonder why there was only 1 guard here; if I know there was only one way into my house and someone wanted to kill me; I’m pretty sure I would have placed at least 10 guards around this elevator.

      I start by going up the steps and Blinking behind a guard, who I knock unconscious and throw off a balcony. I watch him fall for what feels like a minute. I follow him with my zoom eye until he vanishes from site; that’s how far up I am.

      I Blink behind the walkway the opposite direction I’m suppose to go, walk around the corner, up an air conditioner, and find myself on top of the Greenhouse. In the distance, I hear Emily and Havelock arguing. He is struggling with Emily, and tells her that I’m a bad person. Emily says that I am her friend and that I am coming to kill him. She is right about that.

      Instead of helping her, however, I go down the stairs and find a maid that Havelock has killed. I toss her over the balcony and continue downstairs and find…the maid hanging straight down off the balcony railing. Her toes are hanging on the edge, supporting her entire weight as she flows with the wind.

      I walk into the Greenhouse and find Havelock’s notes. He says everyone in the conspiracy must die except people with something to lose. He also wonders if Emily is my child. I wonder about that , too. I also find a mattress on the floor that I can tell is where Emily was kept.

      I finally decide to save Emily and Blink over to where Havelock is, and accidentally knock him unconscious when I wanted to kill him. Emily thanks me for saving her, then asks if I killed them all. I tell her yes, and she says it’s a good thing, as she’d have them all killed anyway. I have just saved the future Empress of Dunwall, but how will she rule now that she has been surrounded by death and betrayal? I killed for her so she could take the throne; all she has learned from that is that you must kill to get what you want. The future is bleak, and Dunwall will most certainly suffer under her rule.

      The Outsider does not say hope is completely lost; for he can give me the ability to turn back time to when I first arrived in Dunwall, and try again. I accept the Outsider’s gift, but now I can only think of how angry I am that nothing went the way I wanted. I had tried to be equally punishing and forgiving, only to find no middle ground. There is only one thing to do now. Now, they will all pay; everyone in Dunwall – I will kill them ALL!

The End?

Continue To "Kill Everyone Playthrough Stats (In the Near Future)"

Return To: "Mission 8 - Hound's Pit Massacure"

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Chapter 8 - Hound's Pit Massasure

      I emerge from the sewers to find Cecelia. I am in her apartment safe house. She says that Lydia, Wallace, & Callista were killed. What? Admiral Havelock thinks that if anyone found out they killed the Lord Regent, that it would all be over for them. Hello? You killed an evil dictator that no one liked! Tell the people the Lord Regent killed the Empress and that his reign was illegal.

      Cecilia says she saw it happen from the attic, and that they had apparently forgotten about her altogether. She has been hiding in her secret apartment for days. Admiral Havelock has claimed the title of Lord Regent and claimed Corvo killed the Empress & the Lord Regent, and helped station Overseer Martin in charge of the Overseers, and Lord Pendleton into the government. Havelock claims I worked with a terrorist group and that they are searching for them. Now, the entire Hounds Pit is full of patrolling guards.

      I take out a Tallboy and 2 guards to clear the streets, then hide their bodies in Cecelia’s apartment. “Did you do that?” she says. With the streets clear, I survey the land and find 4 guards and a tallboy in the field near the docks. The Tallboy starts firing and I think he’s spotted me, only to realize he’s firing at the building whose roof I am on because he is trying to break into Piero’s workshop. On the ground I can see 3 bodies. I already know who those belong to.

      I go inside the house to clear out those patrolling inside. I want to search for anything important, but everything inside has been stripped clean. All I find is some old blueprints in a trash can. I search the sewers, and found that Wallace had apparently stashed one of Lord Pendleton’s audiographs here. I want to kick it into the river but it has apparently been cemented into the sidewalk.

      I return to Piero’s workshop and found I can still enter from his window. I overhear Piero & Sokolov talking about ideas to cure the plague, and see they enjoy working together. This is probably the only positive thing to have happened since I started this journey of revenge. Piero has completed a different type of reactor with Sokolov’s help, one that can either cause people to go to sleep, or kill them all instantly. I tell him to wait.

      It is now I reveal in my murderous rage. I re-enter the first floor of the bar (that I hadn’t cleared yet) and start causing chaos. I start purposely causing destruction and raising the alarm. I hide into someone’s body, and walk then into a corner. After he’s away from the others, I jump out of his body then kill a nearby guard that was all along. I then wait for a guard to run around and possess him. It’s fun watching 6 guards running all over the place searching for me not wondering where I am. Eventually, after killing another guard or two this way, I get bored and bring forth the wind, pushing them into the wall, and cutting their throats while they are distracted. Another guard is not so lucky, he dies instantly because he is right next to the wall. Lastly, I take out the 2 tallboys by returning to the roof of Piero’s workshop and shooting them with guns until they all die. I return to Piero’s workshop, only to find the Sleep and Kill option has been removed. Peiro is slightly agitated when I tell him I already cleared the place of the guards. “You spent 5 minutes doing what I spent days to build?”

      I find out that there is a signal canon in Emily’s old room, which should alert Samuel to return to the island, as he ran away previously when everything started going down. I find one last recording from Callista. I had to find the key in here off of Callista’s corpse. Samuel arrives, and I seriously contemplate killing Piero and Sokolov and carrying their corpse over to Samuel, but these people have actually been nice to me, so I decide against it. I am not a true psychopath, after all. Samuel takes me to the lighthouse, where he says Emily has been taken. It looks like I have one final mission before my vengeance can fully be satiated.

SPACE Convention in Columbus, Ohio

I will be at SPACE in Columbus, Ohio this weekend. Since the last SPACE convention I've got a new The End issue out (#3) with a Fantasy theme, as well as my new Fantasy All-Ages comic, Mechanaflux. In addition, I have a 4 page story that will appear in the 2013 SPACE Anthology that will be available for purchase at the convention, and it will also be available digitally. This last week I was at TriCon in Huntington, West Virginia (a 1 day show). Mechanaflux premiered there and it was a pretty good time. My sister gave birth to her son the day before, so I also got to visit family and see the new baby after the show.

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Chapter 7 - The Flooded District

Mission 7 – Flooded District: Beware Hagfish & River Crusts

       I dream of going through a closed off District that is populated by zombies, only to realize I was thinking of the Thief novels again, but then I wake up and find myself in a closed off District of the city with zombie-like creatures.

       I take a brick from my cage and throw is at the floorboards above, breaking them one by one. Amazingly, there are no guards on duty, but I do see my wanted posters on the wall for killing the Empress & the Lord Regent. But, I also notice that the wall has many posters of people’s faces with red circles with a diagonally line through it. These are assassinated targets. I also find a book where they list their current targets and the outcome.

       I go downstairs and make my way though the water, possess a hagfish, and swim through a vent to leave the building. I then Blink up to the highest balcony to take out the Assassins in the building I just escaped, because I can.

       I learn pretty quickly to stay out of the water; there are hagfish everywhere. I jump along the rooftops, until I hear the sound of screeching that can only be a River Crust. Below, I see 6 River Crusts. I equip my grenade, toss it off the roof, wait a few seconds as it bounces toward them, then Boom!, watch as the explosion flings them across the waters. I usually have to be close to them, wait for them to open up their hard outer shell, then shoot them; but the grenade will kill them instantly even with their shells closed.

       I bounce across the rooftops, encountering Overseers. Apparently they are fighting the Assassins, and failing at it, as I find their bodies everywhere, but don’t find a single Assassin body. I also find some Assassins, and some Weepers. The Weepers all live together crowding around fires. They look like homeless people until you get close; at which point they come at you with a rage and try to kill you. I knock most of them unconscious and toss them over the fence so no one will find the bodies.

       I return to the area where Daud first kidnapped me and threw my gear away. Luckily, there are no assassins here. I survey the entire ground and blow up lots of River Krusts in the process (while also obtaining more gold, as every dead River Krust has a pearl inside). I wonder why I am still collecting gold since I can’t use it for anything anymore.

       I jump across the roof and climb as high as I can, but eventually find I need to be on the ground to activate the stairs. I find an empty whale oil tank, fill it up, then take it over to the power station to activate the stairs. Once inside from the top, I climb all the way to the bottom, where my gear is waiting surrounded by 5 Weepers. I don’t have time for this; I shoot a grenade into the middle of them and watch them all explode. I then take my gear back from my indestructible bag.

       When going to the other part of town, I find a note that says they used kids, which led to many people dying. I also find a few homes in the rooftops, but one has a code for a safe where I’m heading. In the next section, I am walking along a man-made walkway from old metal scraps obviously placed by the assassin to make their lives easier. I explore everything, and get lost trying to navigate my way through the large section of the city where sometimes you have to go through a house and jump out the other window to reach a different section.

       I enter Daud’s house, and freeze time to take out 3 assassins. However, while I’m doing this, Daud says he can sense me coming, and that those powers won’t work on him. He’s right. When I eventually find him, he’s not affected by my Time Stop. I see his minions frozen, but he is moving and fighting me. I shot many gunshots at him, and cross blades as well, until finally, I back up and toss a grenade. I think Daud explodes, but after the battle, I can clearly see the bodies of the 3 Assassins I killed, but no Daud. What gives?

       I listen to Daud’s audiograph, which is interesting; he did kill the Empress, but is remorseful about it, even deciding to kill the Lord Regent for hiring him to do it in the first place (only I beat him to it). I leave and return to the next section only to feel that Daud is still alive. How did he escape? Where did he go? I don’t like the fact that he’s still alive, but I don’t want to go back there and search for him either.

       The next section of the city is the main body dumping area. Every few minutes, a train passes overhead and drops many bodies into the river; there are so many piles. I see two people struggling to survive as one man dies in the other’s arms.

       There are many homes to explore and rob here. I eventually find a woman who moved here on her own because she has the plague, and two men who came here to rob the place but now can’t get out. The two men have a key to a room I want to go to, so I kill them and take it from them. What I find inside is so many items.

       Next, I have to kill some Tallboys so I can blink up to a very high platform, then remove the whale oil that powers the Wall of Light. However, removing the Whale oil sets off an alarm and two more Tallboys arrive. I have to walk to the other end of this entire street to jump onto the train, and then ride it to the end. However, at the end is another Wall of Light, and nowhere to go. I jump back the way I came and explore the city. Eventually I find a key to the front door, and some lights. If I turn them on, the Tallboys will start hunting for Weepers in that area, giving me time to get around them. Once at the front gate below the train, I see another Tallboy patrolling. I sneak through and arrive away from this horrible place.

       Earlier I had found a letter from the company before the district had flooded that mentioned they used boys in their work that frequently died. Then, the City Watch are told to use people suspected of the plague to install the lights, then kill then when they are done. I wonder why I should place Emily on the throne of such a corrupt city.

       I’m not done yet; this section of the city isn’t connected to the others, so I have to use the sewers to escape. The first thing I see is a dying thug. He says Slackjaw went after a creature, and that some of their men died. This leads to a very odd scene; Granny Rags has captured Slackjaw and asks me to help her cook him. I agree. I then talk to Slackjaw, and he says to help him out. I agree also, just so I can get any gifts from him, but Granny Rags overhears my conversation and jumps right to the conclusion that I’m after her. She starts teleporting all over the large cavern, commanding an army of rats to attack me. I kill her, but she just comes back.

       Slackjaw tells me I have to find her charm and destroy it; only then can I kill her for real. I frantically search her bedroom, but can find nothing. Maybe it’s outside; still nothing, and this whole time I’m being clawed at by rats. I return to the bed eventually and find that the charm is under the pillow. I toss it in the furnace and destroy it. Then, I go to Granny Rags and slit her throat. I release Slackjaw, who gives me a key. He just stands there smoking.

       I find another Outsider shrine and The Outsider appears; confused as to why I let Daud live. I’m confused at that, as well. I find a river under Granny Rags 2nd house and ride it down back to the beginning of the sewers. I eventually make my way through more Weepers, and collect another Bone Charm. It is then I realize that I can’t get all the bone charms. I forgot one near the beginning of my quest here, but I can’t return; I fell through a sewer grate that close automatically behind me. I can now no longer get all of the Bone Charms. How will I sleep at night?

Continue To "Mission 8 - Hound Pits"

Return To: "Mission 6.5 - My Influence"

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Chapter 6.5 - My Influence

      After killing the Lord Regent, everyone invites me into the bar for a drink. I walk toward the bar, but I realize it’s not completely over; the killer of my beloved Empress is still out there. I even worry that they will surprise on the way into the bar. Suddenly, I panic and try to block Samuel from entering the bar; what is the killer has found out about me and is about to kill everyone in the resistance?

      Samuel makes it into the bar, and I look around for any indication of an attack. As I talk, Lord Pendleton demands to be called Lord by Admiral Havelock and gets really testy about it. I experience a little wooziness. Was I just drugged by my allies? Or, is this a side-effect of my time-warping with the Outsider’s powers all the time?

      I had seen Emily’s art earlier, and she drew a monster with a sword fighting people. Was that me? When I talk to her at the bar she says she wants the people to fear her the way I’ve shown fear to others to gain respect. What have I done? Emily is going to grow up to be the opposite of her mother, and it’s all my fault.

      Then, I talk to her again, and she wants to put many people on two different boats, then crash them together just because she can. This girl is going to be a disturbing Empress. I don’t think I want to see what she turns into.

      I then talk to Overseer Martin, and instead of trying to clean up the Overseer’s sins like I expect him to do, he says that Campbell’s notebook will make it easy to keep everyone in control to do what he wants; he's going to blackmail everyone in the religion to follow things his way. Everyone is so jaded and evil now. Even Cecelia wants Lydia gone because, even though they are both servants, she thinks Lydia talks down to by her.

      What have my actions done? I’ve shown them all that my violent ways and turned them into violent individuals. I have helped carved a way for people in power that now I don’t want to be in power.

      I don’t get time to philosophize, as I quickly fall to the ground. I was drugged, and I see Pendleton, Havelock, & Martin teaming up to kill me. They only care about power? What about the very term of the Loyalists? What about the times I saved their lives?! They say they plan to turn over the man that killed the Empress and the Lord Regent to get in good with the public. As they leave, Samuel mentions to me that he had to make the poison in front of them, but tried to half the dose so it wouldn’t kill me. He says they are worried that I will control Emily if I am around, but…she would know that I just suddenly disappeared, right? She knows I didn’t kill her mother, so when Havelock starts saying that I did, she’s never going to believe him again. I wonder that, if I had acted differently, and not killed anyone, would I have been betrayed? How is it I can see the inner thoughts of all my allies with my magical heart, but I couldn’t see that they were trying to betray me?

      I awaken in a boat in the Flooded District. While still paralyzed, I am found by people that teleport like I do. They bring me before Daud, the man who killed my Empress. He tells me he doesn’t understand how I have the powers I do (and I’m wondering the same since mine came from the Outsider himself; how do they get theirs?) and tosses me into a small hole with rats and bricks. My revenge is only half complete; for now, Daud must die to finish my original mission to avenge my Empress. But, after that, I will start a new mission of vengeance--they will all pay for betraying me. But I can't really fault them; I showed them a bloody and violent path to their goals, and though I feel responsible for their betrayal, I still feel betrayed, and they will all have to die.

Continue To "Mission 7 - Flooded District"

Return To: "Mission 6 - Revenge: End Of The Regent's Reign""

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Chapter 6 - The End Of The Regent's Reign

      I find myself on the ceiling, watching the guards talk to the Lord Regent through a box which displays his image; and they can actually hear him talk back to them. I didn’t know this had been invented yet. I slowly make my way around the place by freezing time and knocking all 5 guards unconscious. I then turn on the TV and reveal myself to be Corvo to the Lord Regent. He is surprised, but quickly calls guards to my area, which get to die because I’m tired of using up all my elixirs. The shock on the Lord Regent’s face was priceless, though, and well worth the effort of almost getting myself caught.       I make my way to the far left door near the entrance and find a huge room of Lord Regent busts. How many did he have commissioned in the 6 months I was in prison? It’s like he pre-ordered them years in advance because he knew he was going to overthrow the Empress. And there was a statue outside with the Lord Regent's full body. How did he torturer the sculpture makers to make sure they produced all these fast enough?

      I then go the door on the far right towards the entrance and find a staircase that I follow all the way up to the top. There is nothing here but a magical floating clipboard. There is a microphone and controls to indicate this is where all the audio comes from throughout the city, but I can find no speaker. I try to use it myself, but the microphone does not work. I try and select the audiograph, but it doesn’t work either. Maybe I need to find an audioograph card to input into it? Maybe I'll find an audiograph of Burrows' that details his entire master plan the way Garrett found out many of Karras' plans. I run out the front door of the castle, then return to this exact spot, but the clipboard is still floating in the air and nothing works. I abandon my plans to tell the world about how evil the Lord Regent is, and will have to merely settle for his death.

      I walk into the basement and hear the maid talking about delivering food to the torturer. I take to the air vents and follow her from atop them and find out the location of the torturer. First, I eat his food, then, I go downstairs and murder him and his dog. When I first entered, he was taking delight in beating a corpse. I learn that all the people in the castle are afraid of him because he not only follows the Outsider, but he also steals things and is generally creepy when people try to interact with him. Even when the maid delivered his food, the first thing she did was run back to the kitchen.

      The torturer’s chamber is not in a good location. Why would the regent place this only a few feet from his chamber upstairs. Also, you would have to bring criminals through the castle chamber to get them down there. The only thing I can think of is that he actually torturers people in the prison and this is his own personal quarters, and he doesn’t sleep on a bed, and only orders corpses to attack as a hobby whenever he is bored.

      I knock out all the guards on the first floor, tossing them onto the beds. At one point, the maid has a dream spasm and can’t stop twitching over and over again, banging her knees onto the bed. I’m surprised she doesn’t wake herself (or the others).

      I search most of the rooms, and at one point find an Overseer praying. I sleep dart the dog and knock him unconscious. I then learn it’s a good thing I didn’t kill him; this was Martin’s insider. I use my heart to find out there is another bone charm behind a wall, but I can’t find out how to get it. I’ll have to come back later.

      I learn that the Spymaster purposely wanted me to go away, leaving the Empress vulnerable, but if he wanted to kill her, why did he wait so long? Of course. When I first returned, the Spymaster said that I was full of surprises because I returned two days earlier than they expected. Either they planned to frame me for the murder a few days before I returned, but before I arrived in the city; or, they were always going to kill her when I arrived to blame it on me, and had to quickly push the timetable up 2 days when I arrived early.

      I find the Lord Regent’s bedchamber, but he is not there. I search for the door to the roof in what seems to take forever. I arrive inside before so many guards that I freak out and possess a rat to quickly hide in the shadows. I slowly take out the guards and knock them unconscious, then chuck their bodies into the moat below. I possess a rat again to get into the safe room the Lord Regent built, and find him speaking to someone else. Is the Lord Regent working for someone else? A foreign power?

      I find a way to take out the Tallboy, hide from the alerted guards that arrived at his demise, and see the Lord Regent is hiding behind a Wall of Light. Well, this will be fun. I rewire the Wall of Light, go in through the front door, possess his body, then jump out at the exact moment the Lord Regent is in-between the Wall of Light. He vomits, draws his sword, then I see his very body shatter into ash. The Lord Regent rules no more.

Continue To "Mission 6.5 - My Influence"

Return To: "Mission 6 - Revenge: Anticipation"

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Chapter 6 - Revenge: Anticipation

      Samuel is not where I left him due to the Tallboy patrols, and I have to jump over the dam to get to him. When we arrive home, Samuel walks into the yard. Don’t go Samuel; Pendleton’s up there; he betrayed us. I expect Samuel to die, only nothing happens.

      I return to my room to find a Bone Charm from the other Boyle sister, thanking me for not killing her. How did they find me? I’m surprised the City Watch isn’t here right now. I find Emily, who is playing hide & seek, then go to Kill Pendleton, but the Outsider forces me not to. For some reason, the Outsider has designated certain people that I cannot kill, and every time I lift my blade, I feel a pull to put it back in my pocket. Pendleton doesn’t talk about the letter at all, and I wonder why; just because I walked away? I still delivered the letter, even if I did run away from the fight; I still know what he did!

      Anyway, I’m anxious to end the Lord Regent’s life. I should go to sleep, but I am running on adrenaline and vengeance. Samuel takes me to the Lord Regent's stronghold (my old castle where I was once the Empress' bodyguard). I start out swimming and exploring the rocks outside, seeing if there is any other way to get into the castle, but even the balcony in the docking room is far too high. I climb up behind the water elevator that stretches nearly 10 stories high. I’m back where I started; this is the same dock I entered when I started the g...when I returned home from my message to the other city. This time, however, there are patrolling guards. I quickly go out a window, and find that I can Blink to the lower courtyard, avoiding an unlocked door and a Wall of Light. I go to the roof and see that I can survey the entire length of the path to the castle entrance. I’m so high up that no one, not even the Tallboys, or even the gun-firing Watch Tower, can see me. Since I can see them, I quickly take out 3 guards with sleep darts.

      I then find the best combination of powers ever. I freeze time to walk up to the Tallboy, then use my double jump. At the very top of my double jump, I can stab the Tallboy and kill him instantly. It’s so fun to unfreeze time and watch the pieces of the Tallboy fall to the ground.

      I’m accidently spotted by the Guard Tower, and run to avoid being splattered by the bullets. I run to the right and hide in the bushes, slowly waiting for guards to walk by. In a quick amount of time, I go through 2 guards, and immediately make it upstairs on a balcony, then Blink to the Watch Tower. I reprogram the tower and watch as it kills all the people below in a glorious firefight of explosions that takes 5 minutes to kill everyone.

      I walk to the courtyard and find that a maid was shot by the Watch Tower. Eh, I tried to avoid the blood of innocents, but now that it’s happened a few times, I’m starting to care less about it. I learn about the torturer who interrogated me for 6 months, and decide I should kill him for no reason even though that’s really going out of my way for this particular mission since I already have someone I’m currently trying to get revenge on that seems more important since this Regent killed by Empress, but I guess revenge is not logical.

      I’m not happy about the courtyard I’ve passed; everything has been makeshift guard towers, tons of lights, and a huge Watch Tower right in the middle of the door. The Lord Regent has destroyed the majesty of this castle, and as I find a way inside by using a small shaft, my mind intensifies with pleasure at the anticipation of killing him.

Continue To "Mission 6 - Revenge: The End Of The Regent's Reign

Return To: "Mission 5 - Crashing The Party"

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Mission 5 - Crashing The Party

      Outside the Boyle home, I find many Tallboys, and tons of Weepers. I play along the rooftops and evade patrol routes, but I don’t kill anyone today; not even Weepers. Maybe I’m in a good mood today, but I make it my goal that no one dies tonight.

      After exploring every house I can, I look for ways into the manor. I posses a fish to get in the basement, walking through a door which leads to the kitchen. I eat the food they are cooking then go into the locker room and steal some coins. I then realize that I just stole the meek amount of money that the maids get paid by the nobles; I am a bad person.

      Going upstairs, I can see the party to my left, but the stairs continue upwards. Unfortunately, when I try to go up, a guard blocks the stairs and pushes me away. I only have to wait a minute for him to walk down stairs, at which point I make sure no one is looking, and quickly make my way upstairs.

      I run into the White Boyles room, only to find out from the first room that I’ve searched is the Boyle that I am looking for. In her bathroom I make a great discovery; she has a key to the Dunwall Castle. At one point, guards start walking through her room to the hallway; you must go through White Boyle’s room if you want to go to the 2nd floor hallway? This is some messed up design. I would hate to live like that.

      I leap off her balcony and run into the man Pendleton wanted me to deliver the letter to. I follow him to the field and a guard starts talking about me being Pendleton’s proxy for what I realize, once they open a box of pistols, in a duel. That lying sack of shit. Pendleton wants me dead! But doesn’t he need me to overthrow the Lord Regent? He’s also a coward, getting me to fight a battle for him; but I think he knows I can win because he needs Lady Boyle gone, also. I’ll kill him when I return.

      I go around to a guard station and steal some gold while a guard is looking. He does not care. I then eat an apple on the desk, to which he exclaims, “Hey, my apple.” I start laughing in his face. I return to the party and start talking to everyone. At one point, I bother a guy who says he doesn’t think I’m on the guest list and reports me to a guard. When he asks who I am, I simply tell the guard I work for the Outsider, and he just believes I’m drunk.

      All 3 Boyles are in masks, and playing a game with their guests in which they must guess which is which. I already know from the notes I’ve seen upstairs. I talk to all the Boyles, and once I’m sure the White one is my target, I seduce her by making it look like I am after her, but not because I’m trying to win this game. I don’t tell her I know which Boyle she is, or show her who I am.

      She escorts me up to her room, and as I follow, she says she is with someone powerful at the moment, but she can’t name him. She says she doesn’t like him, and just needs him to help her family survive in this city. This is not a villain. I knock her unconscious then freeze time to get her body through the maids in the kitchen so I can take her downstairs. The man in the mask says that she’ll be fine, and I sort of trust him, until he says she’ll have all her life to love him. I’m going to try and not think about that, I just ran through the house and it’s streets without killing a single person for the first time, and this is how it had to happen.

Continue To "Mission 6 - Revenge: Anticipation"

Return To: "Mission 4 - Kidnap Sokolov: Kidnap & Interrogate"

Murphy's Media Memories - M.A.N.T.I.S. (1 of 3): The TV Movie

This begins my look at the Live-Action MANTIS TV Movie and the Live-Action MANTIS TV series (all from 1994 - 1995). There are 3 distinctly different MANTIS universes, but to understand where I'm coming from, first I'll briefly summarize and explain the 2 Hour TV Movie, MANTIS. This is about a black, disabled, millionaire, scientist, superhero. No, wait, that's suppose to be a secret. Did I also forget to mention that it's 100% black actors (main characters) that deals with gang violence?

In the TV movie, you are learning about the MANTIS through a mortician and reporters eyes as they try to find out who this new mysterious 'superhero' is, while MANTIS tries to prevent a gang war and election fraud. It's much more exciting that I make it sound in that sentence.

BlipTV / YouTube / Vimeo

MMM - M.A.N.T.I.S. TV Movie from Shawn Padraic Murphy on Vimeo.

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Mission 4 - Kidnap Sokolov: Kidnap & Interrogate

      There are many ruined buildings on this side of the bridge. The Overseer’s have 2 people captured, and I free them. At one point I find a Weeper in his house and kill him, only to find his blood move up the walls and teleport to his desk. The Weeper’s blood defies the laws of physics.

      I get to Sokolov’s home, at which point I make a startling discovering; he has Overseers on duty with the music emitter which cancels out my magic powers. This is not good. I try not to kill anyone, but it only lasts until the 2nd floor hallway when there is no way to hide quick enough.

      Sokolov is in the Greenhouse on his roof. He doesn’t know who I am, but quickly temps me with money. I knock him unconscious. I read on his desk that a subject is going to die, and walk up the gate to put the Weeper out of it’s misery, only to find it’s actually a human! How depraved is Sokolov to be experimenting on live people? She cowers in the corner and thanks me, saying she needs rest before trying to escape, but I know she won’t be leaving here alive.

      I return home, and once I go to sleep and wake up, I find Emily in my room. She says she felt safe in here and asked if it was alright to be here. I told her she could go wherever she wants and she goes into the corner to read a book.

      I find Piero spying on Callista in the bathroom. I tell him I won’t report him if he stops, and he apologizes. I then accidentally walk into the bathroom (because I have to go into every room just to make sure nothing new has occurred) forgetting the reason he was staring through the keyhole in the first place. I tell Callista that it was an accident, then talk to her again and tell her I’ll leave, at which point she calls me a gentleman.

      Having gained so much money scattered around the city, I buy every upgrade form Piero, then start the Interrogation of Sokolov. Captain Havelock has a dumpster full of rats ready to unleash on Sokolov, but I instead ask Sokolov is he wants anything in return and find out he likes old alcohol. Luckily, I talk to Piero and find he has a rare liquor, but it’s expensive. He wants to know if there is another way, but I tell him this is important and that he should sell it to me. Sokolov is impressed by my manners and tells me the Lord Regent’s biggest financial backer is one of the three Boyle sisters, but he doesn’t know which one, as he only painted her from behind under unusual circumstances. Luckily, Sokolov says he was going to meet her in person for the first time at their annual party. I then make preparations to take her out in her own home.

      I talk more to Sokolov, and he says he knows I didn’t kill the Empress. Of course, he also hints that he knew the Empress intimately, and I wonder if he’s trying to mess with me. Before I make my way to the bed, I run into Cecelia, who gives me a key to an apartment across the street. She says I can hide there if anything ever happens. I know that something is going to happen.

Continue To "Mission 5 - Crashing The Party"

Return To: "Mission 4 - Kidnap Sokolov: Crossing That Bridge"

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Mission 4 - Kidnap Sokolov: Crossing That Bridge

      Samuel takes me to the far left of Kaldwin Bridge. The lights are so bright that not a single soul can go undetected on the other side. I need to deactivate the lights if I want to escape with Sokolov later. I swim along the entire area, but can find no ledges to get to and am instead attack by sea bass. I eventually have to dry off and make my way inside to a mine cart. I can’t wait to turn it on and go for a ride. I make sure to disable the men outside first so I can then enjoy my ride in piece.

      I next swoop under the stairs and then Blink across the river to a drawbridge. I pull the lever and it rises upward, going to a house with a Weeper. Why is this small bridge here? Anyway, I return and finally enter the district where people live on the bridge itself.

      I enjoy knocking out the noble and stealing his money, but he wasn’t that smart. He hid the combination to his safe on his paintings; that’s pretty brilliant, but he stated he did so in a journal right next to his safe. I wouldn’t have discovered the combination the first time, but no, he had to write down the exact order of the painting in his journal. Well, his fault is my gold and Bone Charm. Don’t really know why a noble would have one of these bone charms, though.

      I then find another Bone Charm, but the man who found it killed his brother for stealing it and stayed in the city (he was supposed to leave by boat) only because he felt he should after he found the bone charm. Since he built a shire, I am able to contact the Outsider. He informs me that Sokolov has tried to contact him, thinking that a certain spell or incantation will help him unlock the bone charm’s power, but he says Sokolov doesn’t have the ability to use that power. He would actually visit him, if he thought he was more interesting. The Outsider speaks so calmly, yet his bone charms obviously have a negative effect on people.

      I possess a dog, and get ready to attack a guard, but then find I can do no such action. I was really looking forward to ripping his body apart with the dog’s teeth. I instead climb as high as I can and jump down directly on him to kill him from above. I use his body to cushion my fall so I am not injured.

      Next, I grow tired of hiding like I’ve done every mission; I get spotted on purpose, and have 3 guards and 1 dog follow me around a corner, then I shoot them all with sleep darts. I then notice that 3 more guards stand still near an Arc Pylon. I climb the roof and toss a grenade into the middle of them, then watch as their bodies hilariously explode and toss themselves into the waters below.

      Next is the bridge. I am attacked by electricity bolts as soon as I enter from the Arc Pylon. What a devastating device; I lost nearly everything. I drink an elixir and remove the Whale Oil. However, on the next one, I reprogram it to attack the guards, but it isn’t attacking them, even though a guard is standing right there. I walk up to the guard, who freaks out at my ability to evade the Arc Pylon, but as soon as he draws his sword, he’s exterminated into ash. I guess the Arc Pylons base themselves on motion. I then make short work of the lights, ensuring my future escape.

      I climb on the hinges of the massive bridge in front of me until I can’t anymore, then Blink to the top and activate the crosswalk. I find a dead body at the top of the bridge, hording money; he’s obviously one of Slackjaw’s thugs. After I cross the walkway, I knock out a guard and place him on top of a box (the only one of the walkway) and HE FALLS THROUGH IT. I think for a minute that I’ve tossed him into the waters below, but then I still hear him snoring. I can’t pick him up anymore, and he’ll wake up trapped in a box.

      I rescue a guy who says he’s got some pearls for me if I’ll help him out. He also says he was just selling scrap. Yeah right, buddy; you’re Slackjaw’s man that was captured because I HEARD YOUR FELLOW GANG MEMBERS TALKING ABOUT IT. Actually, now that I think about it, I never saw your gang members corpses, which means the Arc Pylons got them. Anyway, I let him out and follow him, but soon we are stopped by River Crusts. These things; they look like flower pods, but quickly open up and spit green, acidic poison the burns my flesh. I instead chose to explore more, and find two thugs in a house guarding some pearls and other goods; I take them all. I return to the River Crusts to slow down time and take them out quickly with my gun. My jailed friend leads me to the house I had just plundered, and takes a drink from the water. He them immediately turns on me and starting blowing fire. What makes him think I was responsible? Yes, I was, but he has no evidence of this. If I can trick your entire organization into helping me after I’ve already poisoned your elixir and killed half of your gang, I’m pretty sure I should be able to feign innocence with this one guy. Either way, he’s dead now. Time to move on.

Continue To "Mission 4 - Kidnap Sokolov: Kidnap & Interrogate"

Return To: "Mission 3.5: Repetition"

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Mission 3.5 - Repetition

      On the way home, I have a sudden feeling of dread; I left the door open in the basement when I left. What if other Weepers found their way into the basement and were able to go into our hideout and kill everyone while I was gone. What if, because of my oversight, I return to find all of my allies are now Weepers. Emily would have no followers and no way to claim the throne and I’d have just achieved a completely empty victory at getting her home.

      Again, I return to the Hell’s Pits, or whatever my base is called. Yeah, I’m pretty sure I can just tilt my head 45 degrees upward to read the sign, but whatever. Callista tells Emily she will be teaching Emily, and Emily wants to see her new quarters. I use my Heart to listen to Emily and hear the Heart say she has seen many dark actions and seeks comfort in childish things, but it never lasts. I also hope that I am not, in fact, HOLDING THE HEART OF HER DEAD MOTHER RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER and further killing her soul and outlook on humanity. Also, hopefully she doesn’t put together that I NOW POSSES THE ABILITIES OF THE PEOPLE THAT KILLED HER MOTHER.

      Luckily, there are no charms that the Outsider decided to leave me today, for I was feeling rather tired of tracking them down and wanted a rest. I’m supposed to find Pendleton first, but, man, I might as well be tracking those bone charms again because it takes me 15 minutes to find him behind the tower. Couldn’t he have told Havelock where I should meet him?

      Interestingly, the maid now feels a little sad for Pendleton and wonders what it would be like to be with him; this from the same woman that thought it was a stupid idea to even think of marrying him.

      I try to show the rest of my allies my new powers of fake teleportation (I’m bending space to move faster, actually), but they all say, “Did I just faint.” I don’t have a lot of hope for this new regime should we succeed in overthrowing the Lord Regent. If my own allies are so close-minded to refuse to see what’s in front of their own eyes, how can they see what’s happening to the very people they will help to rule without making things worse?

      Pendleton is sad his brothers are gone, but says, “I suppose I’ll have to have children, or recognize one of my bastards,” nice guy. Then, he says, “This is a new beginning, I’ll make sure of that.” His words sound ominous. I hope that he isn’t using us to kill his brothers so he can take over their prestige and votes, and is, in fact, continuing to use us so that he can become the next Lord Regent. If it wasn’t for the audiographs of his diary that reveal more of his inner soul, I would have killed him right there rather than chance it (and made sure to kill his servant, too—I really hate that guy).

      I go to sleep and have a dream where I relive my escape from the prison without letting a single person spot me, and hear a small, bleep as I finish my mission. I wake up to find I have salivated all over my pillow. Better get to the next mission.

Continue To "Mission 4 - Kidnap Sokolov: Crossing That Bridge"

Return To: Mission 3: Find Emily: Golden Cat Bathhouse

Dishonored Story Playthrough: Mission 3 - Find Emily: Golden Cat Bathhouse

      I start on the streets, wondering where that hotel is that was supposed to be a shortcut, and instead sneak along the roads to a dead end near the canal and knock out a prostitute who was admiring the view. I climb up many air conditioners, listen to some guards, then knock out all the guards that are patrolling the rooftops.

      I find a back entrance once I climb over the roof and jump onto a balcony on the 2nd floor. Luckily, a noble and his ‘woman’ are passed out in front of me. I learn 3 guards into the room while I find under the fireplace, then kill then once they've given up the search and turned away from me. I later knock out two prostitutes and bring them back to the room as well, enjoying my safety. I find later that the bodies like to disappear, and wonder what happen to them. Oh well, their lives aren’t my problem.

      I then realize, that though I increased the number of Sleep Darts I could carry, I never actually bought any sleep darts (and only had 2 for the entire mission). I curse myself and slit the throat of a City Watch guard in front of me in anger.

      With all the hallways of the 2nd floor clear, I find a staircase that leads to some rooms. Along the way I’ve heard where the Pendleton’s are, but I was going to visit every room and kill them if I saw them, so it wasn’t really too much concern for that information, but luckily everyone thought they should state what room the Pendleton’s were in every other room I went to.

      I ignore all the rooms for now and go up the back stairs which only lead to the women's living quarters; they look like guard rooms of a noble's house. And then, surprisingly, I find that Emily is there! She is excited to see me and gives me a hug (though I had to take my mask off for a second so she'd know it was me. She says she’ll show me an easy way out. I tell her to wait as I explore the room next to her, but when I return, I find she hasn’t waited for me. Oh no! What if she’s killed along the way? I’ll have failed everything I promised to the Empress! I frantically run down the stairs, searching the 2nd floor for her. The heart doesn’t help either, telling me that I should stay close to her to make sure she doesn’t drown; thanks for rubbing it in my face. It isn’t until 10 minutes later that I return to the stairway to search again and notice the VIP sign; this leads to an area I hadn't explored, a back entrance I just remembered should lead back to the Distillery District where Granny Rags was wandering. With luck, I find her alive. She says she’ll be ok from here on out and that she knows the way. I am confident that, despite 8 city blocks of Weepers, City Watch guards, Bottle Street Gangs, and gun-torrent Watch Towers that she’ll definitely be safe; nope, definitely no need for me to escort her at all.

      I find myself getting annoyed at two women in the bathroom upon my return. I spot them staring at a mirror in a bathroom, doing their makeup. I try to sneak in, but as soon as creep along the wall, I bump into a glass cup that falls and shatters on the floor, causing them to turn and spot me. Both of them run away screaming for help. Since both of the 2nd & 1st floors are empty now, I don’t care. Let them try and find some help. Of course, I just realized that I didn't take out the guards in the garden. And, how was I able to sneak up on these women at all when they were looking at a mirror?

      I sneak along the outside ledge to Morgan Pendleton's location in the Ivory Room. I open his balcony door and try to lure him outside, but he never comes. I smash some windows, and he just stands around dumbfounded. Irritated, I leap up through the window to announce myself, hoping to scare him. However, Morgan Pendleton is waiting for me, and THROWS A DINNER PLATE AT MY HEAD WHICH KNOCKS ME OFF THE WINDOW AND INTO THE RIVERS BELOW. Yes, I am a highly trained sword-fighter, warrior, and assassin, and I almost got killed by a scrawny noble with no combat experience. Maybe I’m not cut out for this job.

      I burn with revenge. My blood boils at the satisfaction I know I will soon receive. Every climb from the street back up to his room is building to his death. I enter through the balcony door I left open and cut him to pieces, feeling glee in my revenge. I toss Pendleton into the waters below the same way he did to me, but his body gets caught on the railing and twists and contorts around it. I’m not a scientist, but I’m pretty sure physics don’t work this way. But, I do speed through the air and defy those same physics, so I try not to question the world god has made.

      His woman shrieks, and she stays still on the ground, and easy target to knock unconscious. No matter how angry I am, I know it's not here fault and that I shouldn't kill her; she’s just trying to make a living. Then, I remember she said no one helped her old boss as he screamed for hours, and seriously think about throwing her off the balcony to drown, but luckily my desire to kill the other Pendleton returns, and I leave her there with the emotional scars of having a man killed in front of her with his blood splattered all over her dress.

      I see guards approaching (didn’t I clear this hall?) and quickly return to close the door where Pendleton was and quickly teleport upstairs. I can hear people searching for me. I spot a guard on the balcony and quickly throw him off as I hear the voices behind me fanning out. Sorry, but my life trumps yours.

      The other Pendleton is talking about having his women dress up as someone he hates so he can ‘punish’ her. I’ll be glad when he’s dead. Though interestingly, I hear that there is a noble he hates because they have many crystal deposits under their land. I wonder who this person is?

      I return to the Artist’s house and open the safe, but I can’t find Slackjaw. I was going to give him the combination to the safe, after I had already plundered it first, of course, but I can’t find him at his desk. Oh, well.

      I then remember I forgot to collect the runes in the Bathhouse. Am I really going to go back after my mission is complete just for something that that I know will only make me feel slightly more powerful my gaining the ability to regenerate my health from water? Sigh. Yes, yes, I am.

      After going through the level again, getting the runes, then leaving the Golden Cat, and entering the first street, I find my previous actions rewarded: three guards are back on the street (magically), and I watch as each one is ripped apart by the Watch Tower I re-programmed. This technology thing is so undependable. I make my way to the Wall of Light, only to find it off. I was pretty sure it was on when I left for the Golden Cat. I walk through and find that the Whale Oil is empty. The guards were killed by my Watch Tower before they could start it up again, leaving me a straight path to the boat.

Continue To "Mission 3.5 - Repetition

Return To "Mission 3 - Find Emily: Revisit The Previous Level