Grrl Power IV: Constantly Expanded Universe

[Rogar Demonblud]

I'm guessing blastwave myself. It seems pretty far away from the shooter to be an aiming reticule.

[AvatarVecna]

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What are the units of length in the right fields of that table?

If Sidney can be around the world in twelve minutes, she can be out of line of sight in three minutes. Which is a lot of dodging, even though we don't know how long it's taken so far. Oh boy, that's a goody, it's two hours, so half an hour to get out of sight, if the thing is stationary, much less if it's orbiting away, and much more if its orbiting in the same direction or following.

I should have known it was wrong, orbit is 18,000 mph, and that takes about half an hour. It's also unclear as mentioned earlier in this thread which mach is in use here, the number of planes that can make mach two at sea level is very few if there's one, which there may well not be (the X15 at full power? did it ever fly that low on full power?)

Whoops! Those are supposed to be meters.

[John Campbell]

I should have known it was wrong, orbit is 18,000 mph, and that takes about half an hour. It's also unclear as mentioned earlier in this thread which mach is in use here, the number of planes that can make mach two at sea level is very few if there's one, which there may well not be (the X15 at full power? did it ever fly that low on full power?)

Flying at sea level is generally called "crashing".

[halfeye]

Flying at sea level is generally called "crashing".

Har de har har. Air pressure doesn't change much until you get to significant heights. The top speeds of aircraft at sea level are sometimes given, though since they are typically faster at altitude, not always.

[Traab]

WOOT! Update!

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Hey with two upgrades she can get the best of both worlds. Pick the speed upgrade and hope its space travel, and boost her shield and hope that if her guess was wrong she can now tank a few hits. Her ppo is already strong enough to hurt the big bads so in the worst case, her choice doesnt unlock space travel, with a stronger shield she can go back and duke it out some more and farm points till it stops working and by the time max and the others rescue her she can be like, "Thanks for the pickup, me and my 12 new upgrades were wondering when it would happen. Oh this mountain of skulls? Yeah, its the alien invasion force. They learn slow."

[Sean Mirrsen]

I think we already established that she doesn't really have anywhere to go. Even if her Flight tree pick is Warp speed, and even if it immediately puts her at the equivalent of Star Trek's Warp 5, she still can't go anywhere useful within the span of a day.

And I'm far from convinced it's warp speed. The jump from Mach 4 to Mach 16 is just a quadruple increase, and it's far from even a significant fraction of a percent of lightspeed.

What I think, is that the flight speed progression is a geometric increase. The current setting is 4⁵ times its original ability to provide flight. Which means that, sans any speed upgrade pips, the "flight orb" would have let the user hover around at roughly 5.3m/s, or ~20kph.

I don't, however, think that this continues on the next tier of upgrades. That line clearly terminates in a special node, and that is definitely some kind of interplanetary drive. If the geometric progression were to continue, by the 4th pip in the next line the speed would only reach ~22km/s, an impressive speed to be sure but not to interplanetary distances, much less interstellar ones.

Which is why I think the next pips are going on an exponential increase. The next speed pip multiplies the top speed by 8. Next after that, by 16. Then 32 and 64. This way, before selecting the final special pip in the second tier, the top speed will end up at ~140000Km/s, just shy of 50% lightspeed. Then the final pip is Warp drive, presumably ~64 times the speed of light.

The problem is, of course, Sydney is really going to need better deflector shields to handle those speeds.

[Rogar Demonblud]

I'd be taking a good look at the green orb's tree right now. Sydney is looking to be isolated for a while, she is going to need food and more importantly water very soon.

[Sean Mirrsen]

The green orb is a weird one.

It's got exactly two pips set into it. And one is one of the weird auxiliary nodes that every orb has, so it likely has nothing to do with its specific power.

So, just one pip, out of three on the strip. And we know it creates air. So... does it just go up the pyramid of basic needs? Sustenance would be next... does it do shelter? Wi-fi?

[5a Violista]

The green orb is a weird one.

It's got exactly two pips set into it. And one is one of the weird auxiliary nodes that every orb has, so it likely has nothing to do with its specific power.

So, just one pip, out of three on the strip. And we know it creates air. So... does it just go up the pyramid of basic needs? Sustenance would be next... does it do shelter? Wi-fi?

I'll bet a later upgrade gives her a feeling of love and belonging, and its final upgrade makes her feel self-actualized.

[Spojaz]

I hope one of the life support ball perks is something that the orb's creators need, but humans don't. A good opportunity for humor and worldbuilding.

E.g. Sydney doesn't need to be drenched in lithium slime (perfect for laying eggs in), but later finds a creative use for it in a clutch situation. Also, dabbler gets to make lubricant jokes.

[Traab]

I think we already established that she doesn't really have anywhere to go. Even if her Flight tree pick is Warp speed, and even if it immediately puts her at the equivalent of Star Trek's Warp 5, she still can't go anywhere useful within the span of a day.

And I'm far from convinced it's warp speed. The jump from Mach 4 to Mach 16 is just a quadruple increase, and it's far from even a significant fraction of a percent of lightspeed.

What I think, is that the flight speed progression is a geometric increase. The current setting is 4⁵ times its original ability to provide flight. Which means that, sans any speed upgrade pips, the "flight orb" would have let the user hover around at roughly 5.3m/s, or ~20kph.

I don't, however, think that this continues on the next tier of upgrades. That line clearly terminates in a special node, and that is definitely some kind of interplanetary drive. If the geometric progression were to continue, by the 4th pip in the next line the speed would only reach ~22km/s, an impressive speed to be sure but not to interplanetary distances, much less interstellar ones.

Which is why I think the next pips are going on an exponential increase. The next speed pip multiplies the top speed by 8. Next after that, by 16. Then 32 and 64. This way, before selecting the final special pip in the second tier, the top speed will end up at ~140000Km/s, just shy of 50% lightspeed. Then the final pip is Warp drive, presumably ~64 times the speed of light.

The problem is, of course, Sydney is really going to need better deflector shields to handle those speeds.

Its entirely possible that as a second line of upgrades it covers stuff entirely different. Like, this line she just maxxed means her atmospheric threshold is right where its at. She cant move any faster than that in atmosphere. The second tier she just unlocked is likely all about space travel in some way shape or form. I mean, its entirely possible that we are about to be trolled super hard and it turns out, "Nope, just more multipliers to speed" But im honestly expecting hyperspace/stargate/wormhole something or other to be unlocked in such a way that she theoretically can get home. Like, imagine if the orbs had a, to use video game terms, bind point. Sydney picked them up in the water of florida, she activates her new form of travel, and it ports her right back to there. The other bigger problem being how to aim herself if she can go back home. If there isnt some sort of world of warcraft style collection of flight paths labeled so she can understand "Alari homeworld.......Oa.......Earth" That sort of thing, she would still be screwed. Maybe that will finally make the last orb start to do something. Astro navigation. Though that again brings up the two orb limit.

[halfeye]

Its entirely possible that as a second line of upgrades it covers stuff entirely different. Like, this line she just maxxed means her atmospheric threshold is right where its at. She cant move any faster than that in atmosphere. The second tier she just unlocked is likely all about space travel in some way shape or form. I mean, its entirely possible that we are about to be trolled super hard and it turns out, "Nope, just more multipliers to speed" But im honestly expecting hyperspace/stargate/wormhole something or other to be unlocked in such a way that she theoretically can get home. Like, imagine if the orbs had a, to use video game terms, bind point. Sydney picked them up in the water of florida, she activates her new form of travel, and it ports her right back to there. The other bigger problem being how to aim herself if she can go back home. If there isnt some sort of world of warcraft style collection of flight paths labeled so she can understand "Alari homeworld.......Oa.......Earth" That sort of thing, she would still be screwed. Maybe that will finally make the last orb start to do something. Astro navigation. Though that again brings up the two orb limit.

I really think Dabbler knows a lot more about the orbs than she's letting on. She has four hands, and hooves for feet, that's ideal for using the orbs hands only, for us and monkeys, feet are alternate hands more or less, it wouldn't make sense for us not to allow feet, but for Dabbler's species not allowing feet makes perfect sense, their hooves can't grip things. How would an octopus deal with the orbs? it has no hands at all, just eight gripping feet.

I want to hear what Dabbler has to say when Sidney makes it home.

[Keltest]

I really think Dabbler knows a lot more about the orbs than she's letting on. She has four hands, and hooves for feet, that's ideal for using the orbs hands only, for us and monkeys, feet are alternate hands more or less, it wouldn't make sense for us not to allow feet, but for Dabbler's species not allowing feet makes perfect sense, their hooves can't grip things. How would an octopus deal with the orbs? it has no hands at all, just eight gripping feet.

I want to hear what Dabbler has to say when Sidney makes it home.

IIRC, Dabbler is not a normal representative of a species, but a crossbreed between several.

[halfeye]

IIRC, Dabbler is not a normal representative of a species, but a crossbreed between several.

There was another succubus at the council meet, they agreed not to fight, but they appeared to be both mimicing humans, there was no indication there that I remember that they weren't of exactly the same species, though I don't remember seeing the other's natural (dabbleresque) form.

[Yuki Akuma]

There was another succubus at the council meet, they agreed not to fight, but they appeared to be both mimicing humans, there was no indication there that I remember that they weren't of exactly the same species, though I don't remember seeing the other's natural (dabbleresque) form.

The cast page very clearly says she's a hybrid.

[halfeye]

The cast page very clearly says she's a hybrid.

Oh. I don't read those. Anyhow, I still think the orbs are hers, she's still got four arms and hooves.

[Keltest]

Oh. I don't read those. Anyhow, I still think the orbs are hers, she's still got four arms and hooves.

Wouldn't it make sense for there to only be four orbs then? And also for her to just, you know, take them back and book it off planet?

[Rogar Demonblud]

Heck, we've already seen what happens to Dabbler's stuff when she lets go. Teleported into a hammerspace vault within seconds.

[Yuki Akuma]

Oh. I don't read those. Anyhow, I still think the orbs are hers, she's still got four arms and hooves.

There is absolutely zero chance this is true.

[Sean Mirrsen]

New comic!

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Well... contrary to my initial assumption, the segmented center blip is not merely an indicator for how many of the radial nodes are filled.

However, it appears that it is instead a power expansion slot. It'd be hilarious if it unlocked the ability to use more than 2 orbs somehow, but instead I think that it's similar to how Carmageddon 2 does the car upgrades. First you buy a slot, then you fill the slot.

I don't know if the radial location of the filled sector is significant. It'd be a bit weird if it was, since it'd lock the order of upgraded orbs, although the two orb nodes we see filled on the central radial array kind of imply that.

So, what it means is... either it now allows one more radial node to be filled (thus potentially giving the individual orbs an extra property), or it now somehow empowers the second unknown orb.

Also, yay 4-dimensional space calculus! That's definitely some kind of spatial manifold projection.

[Traab]

Sydney you freaking idiot. Ugh. I cant believe she put that second point where she did. She already could be fairly certain that finishing off that one shield line means her defensive abilities get a boost (if its anything like her speed upgrade, holy crow) Which would have meant, if she COULDNT just figure out how to leave she would have been in a solid position to farm the iron giants till they stopped giving her upgrade points. She found the limit of her shield, its time to push it further dangit. But no, she decided to go for a random upgrade she has no clue as to what it does, while in the middle of a warzone. I mean sure it could have unlocked a jackpot as now she can use three at a time or something else awesome, but its just as possible it was some sort of super specific power that only works under the right circumstances, which we wont know until it happens.

[Rogar Demonblud]

I still say life support is the most important thing right now.

[Traab]

I still say life support is the most important thing right now.

Maybe, but thats even more theoretical than combat options. Though less so than randomly choosing the middle. MAYBE it would activate an "always on" option, MAYBE it would provide food and water or something like that to sustain her, there is no way of telling. Her life support as it currently stands is sufficient for space travel. It provides breathable air. Any upgrades are likely to be surplus to requirements. My working theory is one of the pips will unlock a healing/regen effect. After all, life support can mean so many things! lol What honestly bugs me a bit is, unless this quickly turns into a sci fi comic with lots of space travel, this new ability is of heavily limited use. Her speed upgrade is great, yeah, but other than that, she isnt going to be showing much value for her three pips spent.

[Rogar Demonblud]

At this point, Sydney has gone without water for hours, while also being highly active. Given her love for extra-caffeine drinks (which are notoriously dehydrating), she probably needs at least two liters of water Right Now. The Life Support Orb is her only shot at getting some. Without that, she's going to pass out soon.

[Traab]

At this point, Sydney has gone without water for hours, while also being highly active. Given her love for extra-caffeine drinks (which are notoriously dehydrating), she probably needs at least two liters of water Right Now. The Life Support Orb is her only shot at getting some. Without that, she's going to pass out soon.

Ok now thats a fair point I hadnt thought of. Although she did just pass over a rather large body of water, so if she has any water purification tabs she should be set to drink once she locates a river or lake. Sink into river, call up shield trapping water, drop in tablet, drink. Or risk it if not. Hey, if you gotta drink you gotta drink, maybe have dysentery later, but better than passing out now when fighting/running for your life.

[Keltest]

Ok now thats a fair point I hadnt thought of. Although she did just pass over a rather large body of water, so if she has any water purification tabs she should be set to drink once she locates a river or lake. Sink into river, call up shield trapping water, drop in tablet, drink. Or risk it if not. Hey, if you gotta drink you gotta drink, maybe have dysentery later, but better than passing out now when fighting/running for your life.

That's... arguable. As far as ways to die go, dysentery sucks pretty hard. If my choices were "get vaporized" or "live another couple days while slowly dying of dysentery", I would give serious consideration to just facing the vaporization head on.

[Forum Explorer]

That's... arguable. As far as ways to die go, dysentery sucks pretty hard. If my choices were "get vaporized" or "live another couple days while slowly dying of dysentery", I would give serious consideration to just facing the vaporization head on.

But those aren't your choices, it's die of dehydration or maybe perhaps die of dysentery. Because sometimes water is clean enough to just drink straight. It's a gamble, but when your options is death if you don't then you've got nothing to lose.

[lord_khaine]

Well i do support that trying to get away from that was the correct choice.
Sydney is playing on hard mode. She does not know the extend of those things ability to adapt.
Getting surprised by the tracktor beam were already almost enough to kill her.
And whats worse, she dont know how hight these things rank. They can easily just be the cleanup guys.

Of course the problem she face is massive.
She dont know where she is.
She dont know where earth is.
She cant go fast enough to reach earth in her current lifespan.
And worst of all, on less than star-gate speed its unlike that she can stay awake long enough reach home.
More than anything else she needs a way to rest.
Because she is dead if they catch her sleeping.

[RowenMorland]

And whats worse, she dont know how hight these things rank. They can easily just be the cleanup guys.

Yeah, it is pretty clear that the invasion is over. The best stuff might have been returned to storage and have a lengthy start up sequence.

[HandofShadows]

Seems that center pip wasn't waster after all.