So before I respondify, I'd like to run something past you guys. One of the things I don't feel I handled properly in the DW draft is my power level- more precisely, the minimum power draw limit. What I was trying to do was to present a meaningful limitation on my abilities, by a) making me expend more power per spell than my opposition, and b) rendering subtlety difficult, if not impossible. I don't think I managed it.
The point was to set my minimum possible power level high enough to be significant overkill for most situations, but not so high that I couldn't get things done. Too high to make most basic spells, up to and including a typical flight spell- work. High enough that a working spell produces worrying amounts of overkill- like, "sure I can take a shooting spell and make four bullets with it, but they're going to be the size of your chest' levels of overkill. Part of the problem is that I don't have a real sense of where my limits are, both at the top and bottom ends.
DW-Magic Missile, version 1, is literally incapable of producing any less than six bullets, each the size of one of Nanoha's typical shots. Is that too much? Too little? V1 topped out at 32 shots in a volley. This feels too low.
I suppose what I'm asking is how ranks scale in the 'verse. If an A-rank power expenditure has a value of 1.0, what rating does an AA-rank expenditure have? Here's what I know so far:
SSS: Theoretical maximum power, possibly achieved by Saint Kings only. Demi-godly, if not divine.SS: Living tactical nuke (10-100 kiloton explosive capacity). Hayate (or Presea Testarossa) at full blast.S: High-level mage.AAA:AA:A: My minimum power output. Overkill for one-on-one combat, except against Aces, preferably in aerial battles in evacuated areas.
Not included in this scale are the partial ranks. A+ and AA- are different rankings in this system, and there should be a difference between them.
At the moment, I think each letter you go up the scale should mean more than the last. The jump from AA to AAA is bigger than the jump from A to AA, and the jump to S is bigger still. Going from S to SS should be a dramatic, if not insane, jump- this fits with how there are only two SS-rank mages (Vivio might be anywhere from AA to SSS, depending on when in the timeline you look at, whether or not you count Relic-induced juicing, and canon fiat) known.
Rob: Sort of. The sadism is a reaction, yes, to something that hasn't happened yet. It might be possible, assuming a relatively normal person in place of me... but that would be a major divergence. I'm writing *me* here, not a properly socialized human being, and it's about bloody time for something other than 'LOL Imma just makes friends w/ all teh Numbarz'. I've had it too easy. As for the glasses, they're a bit too big for her face, and go opaque too easily- part of her disguise, don'tcha know.
Tennie: That would be telling. If you want to know, look up Canon!Quattro's history.
Jorlem: We've talked about the holodeck part, but I want to reiterate. The mass weapon point is made of Good Idea, and I will most likely steal it. Thanks again.
CD: ...'special Cutie Circuit skill'...?
o_o
Anyway, funny you should mention it. Quattro didn't start out with an IS. Food for thought.
**********
I managed to get my thoughts back on track before she and Uno got across the room. ...okay, this wasn't what I was expecting. Different Quattro is different... but is she really?
The way I see it, there are two possibilities here. One, this Quattro is just as much a psychopath as the canon one, and she just chose a different disguise for it this time around. Two, she's not crazy, and this is her real self.
In the absence of any real data, the safest approach is to stay the course, and assume the worst. If I do that and this really isn't an act, then I risk not forging enough of a bond when the time comes. What should I do?At this point, the two of them had reached our end of the room. By this point, the doctor had lost interest in the whole discussion; instead of his overdramatic spiel, Uno made the introductions, motioning to each of us in turn. "Everyone, this is Quattro, our newest sister. Quattro, meet Tre, Imma, Cinque, and Sein."
Everybody else moved in close to Quattro to greet her. There were introductions, attempts at conversation, an attempted Sein-bearhug (stopped in time by Tre, thankfully)... all the sort of things I expected my new 'family' to do.
The only difference was that I wasn't part of it. I was still standing in the same spot as before, frantically trying to decide whether to block her off or let her in.
After a good minute of this, I quietly snuck out the door, retreated to the containment room, and fired up the practice range. At the time, I wasn't really thinking in words- I just felt an overpowering need to blow something up, wear myself out, go unconscious, and worry about my next move in the morning.
Entry 43 (Day 750)
What was that. WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?!
I think I just did something monumentally stupid. Long story short? Quattro's not what I expected. She's not acting like a psycho, she's not acting like a clown- if anything, she's closer to a nervous, introverted schoolgirl than the deceptive sadist I was expecting.
When I noticed this at the usual new sister meet-and-greet, what did I do? Nothing smart. The smart move would've been to lie like a rug, pretend to be all excited, and watch her like a hawk. The less smart move would've been not to engage- to just acknowledge her, and keep quiet. Oh, and watch her like a hawk.
Instead I froze up. I freaking froze up like an idiot... and then I ran. Spent the evening blowing up stuff until I couldn't even stand.
What was I thinking?
So Quattro wasn't who I'd expected. That shouldn't have thrown me for a loop like that. I've known for years that no plan survives contact with reality without a few changes- why should this one be any different?
If anything, this is a great opportunity for me. There's a non-zero chance that this Quattro isn't actually the psycho I expected. If that's the case, I could've had one less enemy to deal with... and one more sister to stand by my side.
...that's the real issue, isn't it? Family. If she's faking, she's a danger, and I need to steer clear. If she's honest, she's family, and I need to treat her like it.
If I treat her like family and she isn't, I open myself to betrayal. If I treat her like the Quattro I know and she isn't, I lose a potential ally, friend, and sister... and run the risk of helping make her into what I fear. It all boils down to one question: can I let her in? Can I trust this new Quattro, knowing that she may very well use that trust to hurt me?
Dangit, I've always sucked at trusting new people like this.
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.
The point was to set my minimum possible power level high enough to be significant overkill for most situations, but not so high that I couldn't get things done. Too high to make most basic spells, up to and including a typical flight spell- work. High enough that a working spell produces worrying amounts of overkill- like, "sure I can take a shooting spell and make four bullets with it, but they're going to be the size of your chest' levels of overkill. Part of the problem is that I don't have a real sense of where my limits are, both at the top and bottom ends.
DW-Magic Missile, version 1, is literally incapable of producing any less than six bullets, each the size of one of Nanoha's typical shots. Is that too much? Too little? V1 topped out at 32 shots in a volley. This feels too low.
I suppose what I'm asking is how ranks scale in the 'verse. If an A-rank power expenditure has a value of 1.0, what rating does an AA-rank expenditure have? Here's what I know so far:
SSS: Theoretical maximum power, possibly achieved by Saint Kings only. Demi-godly, if not divine.SS: Living tactical nuke (10-100 kiloton explosive capacity). Hayate (or Presea Testarossa) at full blast.S: High-level mage.AAA:AA:A: My minimum power output. Overkill for one-on-one combat, except against Aces, preferably in aerial battles in evacuated areas.
Not included in this scale are the partial ranks. A+ and AA- are different rankings in this system, and there should be a difference between them.
At the moment, I think each letter you go up the scale should mean more than the last. The jump from AA to AAA is bigger than the jump from A to AA, and the jump to S is bigger still. Going from S to SS should be a dramatic, if not insane, jump- this fits with how there are only two SS-rank mages (Vivio might be anywhere from AA to SSS, depending on when in the timeline you look at, whether or not you count Relic-induced juicing, and canon fiat) known.
Rob: Sort of. The sadism is a reaction, yes, to something that hasn't happened yet. It might be possible, assuming a relatively normal person in place of me... but that would be a major divergence. I'm writing *me* here, not a properly socialized human being, and it's about bloody time for something other than 'LOL Imma just makes friends w/ all teh Numbarz'. I've had it too easy. As for the glasses, they're a bit too big for her face, and go opaque too easily- part of her disguise, don'tcha know.
Tennie: That would be telling. If you want to know, look up Canon!Quattro's history.
Jorlem: We've talked about the holodeck part, but I want to reiterate. The mass weapon point is made of Good Idea, and I will most likely steal it. Thanks again.
CD: ...'special Cutie Circuit skill'...?
o_o
Anyway, funny you should mention it. Quattro didn't start out with an IS. Food for thought.
**********
I managed to get my thoughts back on track before she and Uno got across the room. ...okay, this wasn't what I was expecting. Different Quattro is different... but is she really?
The way I see it, there are two possibilities here. One, this Quattro is just as much a psychopath as the canon one, and she just chose a different disguise for it this time around. Two, she's not crazy, and this is her real self.
In the absence of any real data, the safest approach is to stay the course, and assume the worst. If I do that and this really isn't an act, then I risk not forging enough of a bond when the time comes. What should I do?At this point, the two of them had reached our end of the room. By this point, the doctor had lost interest in the whole discussion; instead of his overdramatic spiel, Uno made the introductions, motioning to each of us in turn. "Everyone, this is Quattro, our newest sister. Quattro, meet Tre, Imma, Cinque, and Sein."
Everybody else moved in close to Quattro to greet her. There were introductions, attempts at conversation, an attempted Sein-bearhug (stopped in time by Tre, thankfully)... all the sort of things I expected my new 'family' to do.
The only difference was that I wasn't part of it. I was still standing in the same spot as before, frantically trying to decide whether to block her off or let her in.
After a good minute of this, I quietly snuck out the door, retreated to the containment room, and fired up the practice range. At the time, I wasn't really thinking in words- I just felt an overpowering need to blow something up, wear myself out, go unconscious, and worry about my next move in the morning.
Entry 43 (Day 750)
What was that. WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?!
I think I just did something monumentally stupid. Long story short? Quattro's not what I expected. She's not acting like a psycho, she's not acting like a clown- if anything, she's closer to a nervous, introverted schoolgirl than the deceptive sadist I was expecting.
When I noticed this at the usual new sister meet-and-greet, what did I do? Nothing smart. The smart move would've been to lie like a rug, pretend to be all excited, and watch her like a hawk. The less smart move would've been not to engage- to just acknowledge her, and keep quiet. Oh, and watch her like a hawk.
Instead I froze up. I freaking froze up like an idiot... and then I ran. Spent the evening blowing up stuff until I couldn't even stand.
What was I thinking?
So Quattro wasn't who I'd expected. That shouldn't have thrown me for a loop like that. I've known for years that no plan survives contact with reality without a few changes- why should this one be any different?
If anything, this is a great opportunity for me. There's a non-zero chance that this Quattro isn't actually the psycho I expected. If that's the case, I could've had one less enemy to deal with... and one more sister to stand by my side.
...that's the real issue, isn't it? Family. If she's faking, she's a danger, and I need to steer clear. If she's honest, she's family, and I need to treat her like it.
If I treat her like family and she isn't, I open myself to betrayal. If I treat her like the Quattro I know and she isn't, I lose a potential ally, friend, and sister... and run the risk of helping make her into what I fear. It all boils down to one question: can I let her in? Can I trust this new Quattro, knowing that she may very well use that trust to hurt me?
Dangit, I've always sucked at trusting new people like this.
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.