Just what it says on the tin, no worries.
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

It appears Microsoft is giving away free downloadable copies of Fable 2. No guarantees on how long this will work:

http://marketplace.xbox.c...0-4000-8000-00004d5307f1

"Don't Let Your Feet Touch Ground", performed by Ask Koley. http://www.onlylyrics.com/hits.php?grid=1&id=1036253]Video and lyrics

Lets Doug walk on air (not fly, walk), as long as it's at least a pleasant day. Effect lasts until the end of the song or until Doug looks down, whichever comes first. He's got a ceiling of 100', but that's plenty for getting from building to building, if not rooftop to rooftop...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

There's a thread over on the SJGames Forums about how to write in clear English. Basically, the original poster wanted examples of good writing, and it's evolved into a "how to write clearly" thread.

http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=73800]High-quality English: your advice?

Just thought some folks might like the thread, both for what it recommends and for what it doesn't recommend. (The works of Shakespeare, for example, are in the "not recommended" list.)
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

While talking with friends in the SD Paragon group last night in-game, one of them mentioned that the server farms were re-located in July from East and West coasts to Dallas TX. I had not heard about this and decided to check it out. Looks like it's true. Here's the link.
And apparently at least part of their offices are located here in Dallas as well. I thought to look them up and see if they might be hiring. (Hey - I have both computer customer service experience and I'm a good design artist) But unfortunately I found out that the Dallas office has laid off 9 people as of last week. Including the guy behind the screen name of Back Alley Brawler(!!!!). So it seems unlikely that they'd be hiring new people at this point. But I'll try and keep an ear to the ground now that I know at least part of Paragon Studios operation is in my area.
I thought I'd pause for a bit and post about this. About to go look up some more info, but even this much is quite interesting.

From the LA Times:  GOP Quietly Shifts Its Stance On Gay Marriage.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

Having just negotiated a deal whereby they'll be getting more money from radio broadcasts, they now want the government to force cellphone makers to include FM tuners in all mobile phones.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

...by the sudden change in look for FF.NET?
And am I the only one who finds it rather cluttered now?
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

I've been working on expanding these guys beyond the original 'mention' in the Cyber Confedaration article... mostly because I've a character who spends most of their life in Fenspace as a Kunstler, they end up doing quite a bit in a current story... and because there's some cool stuff in there. The excessive commas are remnants of wiki-markup, since the original doc was written straight for wiki.

Quote:Originally founded by Alita Gally in 2011 with the aim of defictionalising the cyborg martial art ‘’Panzer Kunst’’, the ‘’Panzer Kunst Gruppe’’ are made up of those cybers capable of undertaking combat operations in open space without the use of a powered suit. As a result, the ‘’Kunstler’’ are among the most cybernetically modified residents of Fenspace. Half of currently active ‘’Kunstler’’ are more than 90% artificial, and all are above 70%.

Independent at first, they established their home base Grunthal, in the maze of canyons that make up Noctis Labyrinthus at the far western end of the Valles Marineris on Mars. After the beginning of the Boskone War they were assimilated into the Sabre Corps where they were most often called upon to tackle Boskone cyborgs and armoured troops aswell as in-space combat. The ‘’Kunstler’’ also found themselves doing everything from courier missions, to ship boarding, intelligence operations and blitz raids against Boskone bases.

Post war, the Panzer Kunst Gruppe have maintained some links with the Supers, with individual Kunstler filling roles on JLI teams that can’t yet be filled with biomods. The Gruppe also provides a training service to the power-armoured or cybernetic forces of other factions, provided they are capable of operating in the Martian atmosphere.

They follow the OGJ rank structure for the most part, mixed somewhat with rating system ranging from ‘’Anfanger’’(Beginner) at OF(D), to ‘’Krieger’’(warrior) at OF-6. A ‘’Kunstler’s’’ rank depends on their experience, their skill and their overall power. The only ‘’Kunstler’’ who regularly see action are those above ‘’Geselle’’ rank.

== Panzer Kunst ==

German for ‘Armoured Art’. A fictional martial art originating from the Battle Angel Alita manga, designed for use by cyborgs, ‘’Panzer Kunst’’ teaches a cyborg how to live and fight in sync with their own body and its enhanced abilities, aiming towards a oneness between all senses.

‘’Kunstler’’ specialise in fighting armed and armoured opponents, as well as zero gravity and aerial combat. ‘’Panzer Kunst’’ emphasises speed and momentum along with distinctive vibration and shockwave based attacks that fracture bone and armour, and jelly flesh. The strongest members are known to be able to crack a truck’s engine block with a single punch.

‘’Kunstler’’ use a wide variety of weapons in the field, ranging from their distinctive and deadly Damascus Blades, to large calibre firearms and even internal body-mounted weapons. The choice is usually made by the individual ‘’Kunstler’’, based on their own preferences and fighting style.

‘’Panzer Kunst’’ teachings have unexpectedly found a wider audience among the recipients of unwanted or unexpected biomods. After all, one of the first lessons every ‘’Kunstler’’ must learn is how to come to terms with their own bodies.

==Kunstler Gruppes ==

Each Kunstler Gruppe consists of a number of ‘’Geselle’’, led by a ‘’Krieger’’ responsible for both their training and their combat operations if and when they deploy together in the field.

‘’’Kammer Gruppe’’’:
Led by: Yoko Rasierklinge
Specialise in heavy anti-armour operations, boarding actions and assaults, along with the use of internally mounted weapons. The Kammer’s are the most physically powerful ‘’Gruppe’’ and are often the most visible ‘’Kunstlers’’. Each ‘’Kammer’’ is usually a BNF in their own right. They are the most likely to work alongside the JLI.

‘’’Kugel Gruppe’’’:
Led by: Ashen Tiger
The ‘’Kugel Gruppe’’ was formed from ‘’Kunstlers’’ who practiced the sport of Motorball. The second most visible ‘’Gruppe’’ after the ‘’Kammers’’, since the end of the Boskone War they have been holding exhibition matches at various locations in Fenspace. While undoubtedly spectacular, the tendency for players to lose limbs has limited the sport’s uptake among most Fen who can’t easily replace a lost arm at a pitstop.

‘’’Engel Gruppe’’’:
Led by: Jet Jaguar
Specialising in aerial and space combat, the ‘’Engels’’ are ‘’Kunstlers’’ capable of controlled and sustained flight. When operating alone, Engels are often couriers of important information. When operating as a ‘’Gruppe, Engels’’ perform high speed raiding attacks or provide light air cover to ground assaults.

‘’’TUNED Gruppe’’’:
Led by: Erwin Lee
The smallest ‘’Gruppe’’ is often assigned ‘Special’ operations. Also the most likely ‘’Gruppe’’ to work with the Space Patrol. Most members will often be officially assigned to another ‘’Gruppe’’ while assigned to TUNED ‘’Gruppe’’.

‘’’AR Gruppe’’’:
Led by: Einz
Though not officially ranked as Kunstler due to being fully artificial, in an emergency the ‘Alita Replica’ AI androids built by [[Daisuke Edo], can deploy in the field either as their own ‘’Gruppe’’, or as a part of ‘’Gruppe’’ they commonly train with.

‘’’Krieger Gruppe’’’:
Led by: Alita Gally
Should the Panzer Kunst Gruppe ever deploy in full, the Krieger Gruppe is formed from the leaders of all other Gruppes, in order to maintain proper situational control and command awareness. This has only happened once, during the Battle of SerenityCon. A member of the ‘’Krieger Gruppe’’ is known to be an OF-8 troubleshooter.

==Trivia==

‘’Constructed Artistry’’: In the original source, there were multiple schools of ‘’Panzer Kunst’’, Alita Gally chose the name ‘‘Gebaut’’ for her constructed school.

‘’Artist’s blades’’: On reaching the rank of ‘’Geselle’’ and being assigned to a ‘’Gruppe’’, a ‘’Kunstler’’ receives a set of Damascus blades. Manufactured from pattern-welded handwavium-steel, these are extraordinarily sharp and resilient. The design of the blade depends on the preferences of the individual ‘’Kunstler’’, but most tend towards a single butterfly-handled sword, or a pair of elbow-mounted blades.

‘’Grundlose deutschen’’ : In order to distinguish the ‘’Panzer Kunst’’ from eastern martial arts, German attack names, titles and some commands are used, which often causes actual speakers of the language to wince, since they were created using Babelfish.

‘’Shaded eyes’’: Before going into combat, out of tradition, ‘’Kunstlers’’ apply a distinctive eye-black to their cheeks. Often red rather than black, in actuality.

Group Stereotype: Cyborg’s gone way too far towards the machine, and proud of it.

Quote:Alita Gally believes herself to be a cyborg who lost her memory after being injured at the Islandcon incident, despite what records show about there being no casualties. She believes that her body was rebuilt by Daisuke Edo in 2009, and that the only remaining part of her that is originally human is her brain. She took her name from a Manga she read shortly after awakening... Battle Angel Alita.

Alita shares her appearance and many personality elements with her namesake, and chose to reconstruct the cyborg martial art of Panzer Kunst, based on the original Manga source, leading to the Founding of the Panzer Kunst Gruppe. She is headstrong and courageous, and tends to push back against anyone telling her what to do.

Already an exceptional fighter with beyond human strength, reaction times and abilities, thanks to her artificial body, the reconstructed ‘’Panzer Kunst’’ gives her an edge over other mechanically more powerful foes. Alita can take down an adversary many times her size.

The AR series, are AI androids, constructed copies of Alita sharing the same body designs with a more advanced AI which has grown on from the original template. Unlike the original, they know they’re artificial.

What Alita doesn’t know is that she is actually an Android built by Daisuke Edo in 2009 in an attempt to..well.. build Alita from Gunnm. She didn’t realise that fact when she woke up,... and he has been too afraid to tell her since.

She cares for Daisuke a great deal.

==Attributes ==

‘’Unknowing Angel’’: Alita is an Android. She doesn’t know this, believing herself to be a human cyborg. Whether this is an immutable handwavium quirk where her mind selectively filters anything that might impinge upon that belief or not is unknown. Daisuke has never dared test it.

‘’Armoured Artist’’: Alita developed the reconstructed Panzer Kunst technique, and is probably it’s most adept practitioner.

‘’Don’t tell me what I can’t do’’: Sometimes the best way to get Alita to do something, is to tell her she can’t.

==Handwavium Abilities ==

“Like Changing clothes,”: Alita has three bodies. One for daily life, one for motorball and a ‘berserker’ body for combat. Switching between them takes about an hour with a competent tech. Normally Daisuke does it for her.

* ‘’Daily wear:” Alita’s first and most commonly worn body is based on the first body she is seen using in the Manga. It’s her baseline, and roughly equivalent to the average fenspace android. She doesn’t physically need to eat or sleep, but does so anyway, and naturally doesn’t age so is potentially immortal.

* “Motorballer:” Alita’s motorball body is a copy of the number 99 body Alita used during the motorball story arc’s in the Manga. This body features high speed running wheels in the feet, enhanced reaction times over baseline, and a pair of Damascus blades mounted on the elbows. It breaks easily, but is also easy to fix.

* ‘’Berseker’’: Alita’s berserker body features enhanced strength, reaction times and armour plating, at the expense of some weight, and some poor aesthetics. Alita does not like using the body... it has poor strength control thanks to onboard power boosters operating in a positive feedback loop.

Quote:Daisuke Edo is a Japanese engineering student originally from Tokyo, who hitched a ride to Fenspace rather than tell his parents he failed his exams. A fan of the Gunnm manga, he set about building an android replica of Gally, using scrap parts ‘borrowed’ from various fen along with some handwavium .Sometime in 2009 she awoke... and he was rather surprised to find that unlike other androids... she didn’t realise she was an android and not human.

Initially afraid of hurting her, or possibly afraid of annoying someone with superhuman strength and reactions, he didn’t tell her otherwise instead telling her that she was a cyborg, and that she’d been injured during the kaboomite accident a few weeks earlier and lost her memory. Gally... who insisted on being called Alita, proceeded to take after her namesake.

A skilled technician, he provides a lot of technical support for the Kunstler, and is usually the first port of call if anyone needs repairing. He doesn’t normally do cyberisations himself... being a tech rather than a surgeon. He does do tune-ups and alterations of existing parts, but some Kunstler prefer to have the work done by other cyber’s, normally the one who installed their parts in the first place.

He specialises in doing a lot with the bare minimum of equipment, reusing salvaged and scrap parts from other cyborgs, or from the construction of Helium. He can usually rebuild the body of an over enthusiastic motorballer, or a Kunstler who’s been damaged in action or training. The end result doesn’t always look good, but it usually works as good, or better than new.

Daisuke also constructed each of the AR-series androids, imprinting them with each with Alita’s memories (at her own request), to create training instructors and sparring partners for Kunstlers, which could be damaged and repaired with little difficulty. Unlike Alita, the AR series know they’re artificial.

He cares for Alita a great deal.

==Mundane Attributes ==

‘’Scrapheap Challenger’’: Can rebuild anything using re-used parts and salvaged materials. Strangely doesn’t seem to have as much luck with brand new parts.

‘’The Masquerade’’: He feels he must keep Alita from learning her true nature. For this reason, he is the only person who does her maintenance.

“Blind without them’’: Is far-sighted, and isn’t as quick to get a new set of eyes himself as he is to rebuild someone elses. He still wears glasses, with added magnifying attachments to help with fine detailed work.

“Non-fighting type:” Doesn’t usually fight if he can help it. Alita has tried to teach him some self defense... with varying success.

“Squishy:” Ordinary Mk 1 unmodded human being, and determined to stay that way thank you very much.

Quote:The AR series are androids build by Daisuke Edo, based upon the original Alita, and using her memories and skills as a template. They were constructed at Alita’s request once she had perfected her Panzer Kunst technique, to help with training others. A unique modular design allows an AR to share parts with any other AR, aswell as to be easily repaired after sparring matches.

The AR series are of course naturally capable fighters on their own, and will occasionally join with the Gruppe they train with when it deploys in the field, though in general, do not operate on their own. In an emergency, they can deploy as their own Gruppe.

Needless to say, they each share Alita’s skill with Panzer Kunst, and her determination to do for themselves. They’re not forced to remain at Grunthal... it’s doubtful anyone ‘’could’’ force them if they tried.
Each of them are simply named using their construction number in German. Einz, the first, is their de-facto leader, the eldest sister. The youngest is currently Zwolf, the twelfth to have been built.

==Attributes==

“Sisters of metal”: Each AR series can share parts with any other AR. They’re all built to the exact same template.

“My own Person!”: A good way to get a good arse-kicking is to make the suggestion that an AR is 'merely' a copy of the original. Each of the AR series strives to be their own person, rather than ‘just a copy’.

‘’Armoured Artist’’: Each AR is an expert in Panzer Kunst, having been programmed initially with Alita’s skill, and trained extensively.

‘’Don’t tell me what I can’t do’’: They all have one characteristic in common... they all share Alita’s headstrong self-determination.

==Handwavium Abilities ==

‘’Steel Angels’’: Each AR is an android, with beyond human strength and reaction times. They don’t need to eat, sleep and will never age. In theory they are immortal. Unlike Alita, they know what they are.

“Like changing clothes,”: Each AR has three bodies. One for daily life, one for motorball and a ‘berserker’ body for combat. Switching between them takes about an hour with a competent tech. Normally Daisuke does it for her. In generall, these are the same as Alita's

* ‘’Daily wear:” In general, also the body preferred by the AR’s, though they change the hairstyle or colour as much as possible.

* “Motorballer:”Sechs and Sieben prefer the motorball body.

* ‘’Berseker’’: .Feunf prefers her berserker body, day to day. Drei and Elf refuse to use theirs.

==Trivia==

Elf and Sieben are OF-5 troubleshooters, most often working in Metropolis.

Vier left Grunthal in 2017, joining Starfleet to make her own name.

DARK WATCHER
(VO)
We thought we knew the threat. We were wrong.
We thought they were divided. We were wrong.

FADE TO:

EXTERIOR - STEEL CANYON, DAY.

The appearance of a normal day in the Canyon is broken as VANGUARD tanks and helicopters appear on the streets. Sirens begin to wail, and the civilians begin to run, fleeing for shelters. HELLIONS can be seen heading for a sewer entrance, followed by other lower-tier villain groups. Public loudspeakers and helicopters amplify the voice of LADY GREY across the zone.

LADY GREY
All civilians are to move to the nearest emergency shelter immediately! Hostile military forces have been detected on approach to Steel Canyon!

FADE TO:

INTERIOR - RIOT FORCE BASE, CONTROL ROOM

Lady of the Peace and Sell-Sword stand in front of the monitors, watching the images from Steel. On a side monitor, the roster of Riot Force is visible, with almost every single name lit up, indicating that hero is active and in the field.

SELL-SWORD
Legendary is already moving, and I got a call from the Infamous. Vanguard and Arachnos are mobilising in the Isles as well.

LADY OF THE PEACE
A full scale assault?

SELL-SWORD
Almost certainly. Didn’t think they had the numbers.

They fall silent, watching the vehicles and infantry, countless heroes moving around them. Sell-Sword turns, looking at the list of names.

SELL-SWORD
Is Silicon...

LADY OF THE PEACE
Still MIA.

FADE TO:

EXTERIOR - VANGUARD BASE, RIKTI WAR ZONE, DAY.

The base is clearly on high alert, with hundreds of soldiers of heroes in position, a line of artillery behind them. They’re backed up by LONGBOW personnel and aircraft, and Serpent Drummer and W.M. Dietrich stand next to each other, their eyes on the killing zone ahead of them, faces grim.

FADE TO:

EXTERIOR - OUROBOROS, DAY?

Mender Silos stands before the Pillar of Ice and Flame, his expression unreadable. Romulus stands at the bottom of the staircase, crackling with Nictus energy.

ROMULUS
Did you honestly believe my master wasn’t aware of your attempts at manipulating him?

FADE TO:

INTERIOR - PARAGON SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS, ARMORY

Leon McNichol finishes putting on his armor, then picks up his multi-rifle and makes one last check. Knight of the Peace waits near the door, tail lashing in agitation.

FADE TO:

INTERIOR - SILKY DOLL, UNDERGROUND ARMORY

Priss Asagiri stands in front of her hardsuit, glaring at it. Or rather, the severe battle damage. Behind her, Mackie Stingray is studying a computer monitor.

MACKIE STINGRAY
Optics, totally fried. Gel layer is failing, the jump jets don’t respond to the diagnostic at all, the operating system is crashing...

PRISS ASAGIRI
So, it’s beyond even your magical touch.

MACKIE STINGRAY
In the time left? I could patch the holes. That’s about it.

Priss merely nods, closing her eyes and twisting a simple ring on her finger.

PRISS ASAGIRI
Sylia...

FADE TO:

An aerial view of Paragon City, angling down from above the ocean.

DARK WATCHER
(VO)
We thought we were prepared.

Flickers of unnatural light can be seen in the air, before the War Walls shut down. All of them.

DARK WATCHER
(VO)
We were wrong.

CUT TO:

EXTERIOR, ATLAS PARK, NIGHT.

Explosions rip across the city, as the famous statue of Atlas takes a hit from an artillery shell that shatters a portion of the globe. Underneath it, Ms. Liberty and Evangelia rally the wounded heroes, throwing themselves into the teeth of another charge from the Imperial Defense Force legion attacking them. Evangelia leaps over the front ranks, bringing her sword down with enough force to almost tear a War Walkers head off.

CUT TO:

EXTERIOR, PORTAL CORP, PEREGRINE ISLAND, NIGHT

Net Sabre drops to her knees, letting Sachie Hanagawa jump over her and hit Marauder hard enough to send him stumbling back. Before he can recover, Net Sabre is sending arcs of electricity ripping through him.

CUT TO:

INTERIOR, VANGUARD BASE.

The bodies of dozens of Vanguard are scattered over the floor, the corpses of heroes and villains mixed in with their ranks. Faultline carries a wounded W.M Dietrich in his arms, as Fusionette and Colonel Morgan cover their retreat. Dozens of Praetorian Warworks pursue them, autocannons roaring.

CUT TO:

INTERIOR - SILKY DOLL, UNDERGROUND ARMORY

The roof shakes from a sudden explosion above, and Priss Asagiri and Mackie Stingray look up in surprise. The engineers attention is pulled back to her computer as alarms start wailing.

MACKIE STINGRAY
Praetorians just blasted into the shop and are heading for the underground entrance? How did they know-

PRISS ASAGIRI
I think we can confirm the quality of the Seers. We can’t let them get the armory Mackie. Arm the self destruct and seal your armor. We’re fighting our way out.

MACKIE STINGRAY
But your armor’s toast! What’re you gonna do?

Priss takes a massive pistol from a weapons rack, along with several clips that she stuffs into her jacket. Slamming a fresh clip into place, she works the slide and heads for the stairs.

Priss Asagiri
What I always do. Improvise and kick some ass.

CUT TO:

EXTERIOR, FOUNDERS FALLS, DAY

Purrfect Archer, Purrfect Scrapper and Inyme W’tin leap from a rooftop seconds before the explosives they’ve left behind take out their enemies. As they reach the ground however, over a dozen Seers teleport in around them.

SEERS
Unusual psychic signature detected. Containing.

PURRFECT SCRAPPER
See! This is all your fault!

PURRFECT ARCHER
Excuse me?!

CUT TO:

MONTAGE: Scenes of combat across Paragon and the Isles, with heroes and villains alike tearing into the invading Praetorians. Throughout the montage, Statesman can be seen battling Tyrant, groups like the Paragon Clockwork and the Outcasts can be seen coming out of hiding and fighting back, Castle blasts Warrant through a building... but then we see a dead hero. Then another, and another...

UNKNOWN VOICE
(VO)
They’ve taken out the medicomm!

The sequence continues, showing Priss in hand to hand combat with IDF Troopers, Lady of the Peace igniting an entire petrol station as War Walkers advanced through it, Counter Sabre and Justice Sabre fighting back to back at the entrance to a civilian shelter... and more dead heroes. Strangers at first, but then, members of the Legendary and their allies appear, scattered across the city. Others are seen restrained, helpless, prisoners of the Praetorians.

FADE TO BLACK

DARK WATCHER
(VO)
But this is not the way the world ends...

FADE TO:

EXTERIOR, ATLAS PARK, DAY

Aside from a still burning car, the parking lot is abandoned and empty, forgotten in the war raging across the City of Heroes. Then, with a flicker of unnatural light, Silicon Sabre appears, followed by Valles, Twilit Blade, Flame of the Peace and more. Even as the first arrivals step forward, looking out over Atlas Park, more continued to appear behind them.

FLAME OF THE PEACE
So... This is Primal Earth... Are we too late?

SILICON SABRE
Let’s find out.

With a roar of jump jets, Silicon Sabre takes to the air, followed closely by the Praetorian heroes.

FADE TO BLACK.

CITY OF HEROES: THE PRAETORIAN WAR