mylittlejamjar | Thirteenth Scale

Entry tags:

Thirteenth Scale - Visual

[Oh look, it's a little dumb dragon in a big dumb hardhat, a set of blueprints rolled up under his arm.]

So yeah I get that the last several weeks - hey, lets call it, the last month - has sucked pretty bad, but you know what doesn't suck really bad?

Video games~

See, since there's a lot of dumb, empty land around the place, we're taking some of that dumb empty land outside town and making it awesome by putting an arcade there. It should be up and running by this time next month, but hey since this place is lame and not like there's much else to do...

You can come and test some of the machines my boys and I made so far. You know. Get a chance to play a few games for free. I'm a pretty nice guy, so I think I can spare that for you, cause you'll be coming back when it opens in proper next month.

Though if you're gonna send a few bits my way, hey, I don't mind.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

.....Do you actually know how to make games like that?

[Because again, he knows some alien technology thanks to helping an alien invasion, but for video games? That's crazy. His understanding is rooted pretty squarely in 1996.]

Nah, not yet. I was just kinda hoping.

[Someday.]

Nothing wrong with the games I got. You'll see. You got any ideas for stuff from your place, I'll try and make them work.

Yeah, I'm sure they're great.

[Nothing wrong with the classics.]

Yeah okay. I'll come by and see what you got, then I'll let you know.

Cool. Come whenever you want, it's not hard to find. I'm kind of going to be there for most the next month so hey. Whenever's cool.

[And when Tadashi arrives he'll see that, as quickly as it started, the construction of the arcade is going quite well. The building is still foundation and support beams, skin and bones, but quicker than you'd think something just announced today would be getting done.

It's thanks mainly to the small force of Mr. Saturns mulling about, wearing small hardhats for safety as they do their work. Many of them are working on the building itself while some tinker with the arcade machines. Pokey himself is just kind of lounging about, a foreman's hat on, until he spots Tadashi.]

Hey. Pretty sweet start up, don't you think?

[As Tadashi approaches, he grins a bit as he looks around.]

Yeah, that's really impressive. You should have the place up and running in no time.

Yeah.

Yeah...

[The boy, who seemed so pleased with his work now just...stares off at it. He's still smirking, but it's more like his face hasn't figured out it's time to change expressions yet.

Just far away.]

No time at all.

[He straightens up.]

Hey. C'mere. I'll show you the games we've got so far.

[And so the little dragon leads the way. There certainly is an assortment of games: fighting games, brawlers, racing games, shooters. The kind of games most arrogant young teen boys would probably be interested in. Games representing a pretty clear demographic.

They run fine. They're pretty strictly 90s in presentation, however, though some of them are done in the basic 3D that was starting to become popular at the time.]</small.

[Though he does notice the slight shift in mood, Tadashi doesn't comment on it as he follows Pokey, getting a good look at the games.]

Very nice. You do have a pretty good selection going here.

You ever think about some dancing games, though?

[Those were always pretty popular in the arcades back home.]

A what?

[He just kind of narrows his eyes in confusion at you, Tadashi.]

Why would you want to dance in a game?

A dancing game. Get some platforms synced to the game, and people will step on them in time to music.

I have no idea, but it's really popular where I come from. Plus, considering how musically-inclined the residents are here, it might work out pretty well.

[He seems to think on that. It is a goofy, dumb idea, at least to him because dancing is seriously lame but...if they were that popular, and the weirdos here DO really like music...like a lot. To the point it almost has power, and...

He just thinks on it, a moment more.]

...How big are they? Are there a lot of them, I mean, sounds kind of like a competition game if it's dancing.

Yeah, there are versus modes. Usually there's only a couple of machines, so there's always these lines to play them at the arcades back home.

Let's see, the platforms are about... [He draws a square in the ground with his hoof.] This big? With arrows here... [He breaks the square into a grid, putting the four arrows in place.] Like that...

Normally there's two platforms for competition, but given that most residents here have four legs, it might be a good idea to add more arrows for a bit of a bigger challenge.

[The boy looks at it, just nodding his head.]

We could do that.

These machines, they're pretty big right? You think if you were, you know. Enterprising enough...

Maybe you could hide some kind of code in it to short out the electricity in the building?

[Wow.

Good job being subtle on that Pokey.]

Yeah, they're a pretty decent size...They'd probably have to be a little bigger to accommodate four-legged players...

[He blinks, glancing at Pokey curiously.]

Well, you could if you really wanted to, I guess...

[But why would you want to?]

Awesome. Thanks.

[He is surprisingly quiet for the boy. He looks once, matching Tadashi's gaze only briefly before looking back down at the ground.]

...Any other game suggestions?

[He's still looking on a bit puzzled, but doesn't push it. At least for the moment.]

Well, other than some of the classic platformer games, I think you've got most everything covered.

[He nods his head a moment, and then...]

Look.

Can I ask you a question? Like, I'm asking you and hoping you won't tell anyone else anything we say here, but it's something I gotta ask.

[Tadashi blinks curiously as he looks towards Pokey.]

Yeah, all right...What's up?

[He couldn't promise he wouldn't tell anyone, depending on what it is, but...he'd do his best to keep it between them.]

...Okay. Let's say there's something you know is dangerous. And you're pretty sure that it's going to keep being dangerous. But there's still a...you know. A chance it may not be, eventually. You don't want to just expose it, because everyone should get a second chance, even if it could be a dumb thing to do.

You think it's a better idea just to expose it, or do you think it's right to give them a chance to better themselves?

[Tadashi's quiet as he listens, and when Pokey's finished he takes a long moment to really think, considering the options.]

Has...Has it done anything yet? Anything at the moment that would make it a concern?

It hasn't taken any active actions, at least that I can tell. But it has plans. So. You know.

I've kind of worked myself into them to sidetrack them.

[He nods.]

Well, that is a start...Maybe try to find others who might be able to help.

But...if there is a chance for it to change...even a small one...that might be a lot better in the long run than trying to just stop it from doing something dangerous.

[The boy just nods for a moment, thinking again.]

If he can change, yeah.

...You think that's really possible, though? Someone evil changing for the better? Or deep down are they just always going to be a jerk?

I think it's always possible, yeah.

I mean...it might be harder for some than others. But, I mean...unless he was always evil...if someone can turn evil, then it should be possible to turn back, y'know?

And even if he was always evil...I still think if they're able to make a choice, there's always a chance.

It just...might take time.

[Always a chance.

A long time ago he'd have laughed in Tadashi's face at that. A part of him still wants to. The question isn't fully about Giegue; a part of Pokey will never be fully convinced he isn't still evil. That Mayfield didn't change him as much for the better as he thought.

But it did change him. At least a little. He can't deny that. And so many times it seemed to change him even more than he though.]

...It can take a while, sure.

I just, you know. Don't want things to get too dangerous. I don't care too much about the stupid horses here, ya know. But I don't want to hurt them.

Thirteenth Scale - Visual

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]

[visual]=>[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

Re: [Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]