Sword testing

[Richter B.]

You know since seeing that comic I have been thinking that
the sword might be able to do only one type of attack once
and then never able to do it again????

it's just a thought, but if it did do that then that would surely
suck big time?

[The JAM]

[...unWARP!!!]

Good evening.


Ah, speculation time!!

The sword would naturally drain itself, seeing that each major attack takes at least 1/2 of its total lux capacity, or even 100%. The full ones I'd call "Big Blasts" (reminescent of a handwritten fanfic I wrote long ago). It's recharging capability would offset that slightly, depending on how quickly it can build up a charge again.

Apparently, the sword is not controlled mentally, like some weapons of the DC or Marvel universe, hence, it's firing randomly. Perhaps Quentyn should try voice commands? If he did, today's strip might read:


"QUESTOR SWORD: FLAME!!!"

"QUESTOR SWORD: SPARKS!!!"

"QUESTOR SWORD: NOISE!!!"

"QUESTOR SWORD: LIGHT SCIMITARS!!!" (I think that's what's happened there, not sure)

"QUESTOR SWORD: FREEZE!!!"


I'm sure you all can come up with much cooler commands, lol...


The previous experiences might have gone something like:

"QUESTOR SWORD: LIGHT SABER!!!"

"QUESTOR SWORD: LIGHTNING!!!"

and maybe even:

"Questor sword: State local time!"


Could the sword be depleting each spell as they're cast? If so, wouldn't the sword eventually run out of attacks at some point?

[Earl McClaw]

Apparently, the sword is not controlled mentally,... hence, it's firing randomly.

Could the sword be depleting each spell as they're cast? If so, wouldn't the sword eventually run out of attacks at some point?

If it was then absolutely it would run out. I don't think that's what's happening. What's going on, then? Well, how about this.

The sword has received an enchantment that seems incomplete. The completion (maybe like a software dongle for those who know what those are) is Quentyn himself. Wielded by anyone else it just sits there, or maybe does something useless -- or even harmful. Wielded by Quentyn it can begin to work. In a way his sword is an augmentor for Quentyn's meager lux talents.

But our Questor doesn't know how to use it yet. In time he'll be able to call up the specific effect he wants. Until then it's going to be a desperation reaction. ("I'm hacking on this thing but it's only hurt by fire." *FWOOSH*) Still, he's already figured out how to trigger it. I think he'll learn rapidly.

[RHJunior]

1)spells in the questorverse aren't like bullets in a gun. They're more like programs on a computer--- and the lux is the electrical outlet they're plugged into.

2)Perhaps it wasn't clear in the strip, but the effect is entirely random. It resets every time the sword runs out of juice, and right now it activates--- generally--- when Quentyn draws it.

3)What wasn't illustrated is that, work or not, it's still got that infernal "buy me" talking ad stuck on it.....

[StrangeWulf13]

1) Yeah, figured as much. The way things have been described before in the comic made me think "computer" when it came to magic.

2) Okay, got the random part. What I didn't know is that it resets when it's out of lux. This means he can use the same attack again, so long as he hasn't used up all his lux yet. If he does, the sword "crashes", and can't function until it "reboots" which scrambles things all over again. Rather frustrating.

3.) *sigh* It figures. The one thing he doesn't want on the sword he can't get rid of. =P Too bad he can't "reprogram" it to play different songs. Would be nice if he was on a long journey and needed something to pass the time. Only problem would be that anyone who can hear would know when he was coming, and bandits and monsters usually don't warn you when they're gonna strike.

[The JAM]

[...unWARP!!!]

Good evening.


Perchance, among the amaglam of spells scrambled in the sword, there is a scrambler spell, one that contains the RND(x) function, sort of.

This scrambler spell wouldn't actually scramble the spells themselves, otherwise who knows what might happen if Quentyn tried to attack, maybe it would scramble the order the spells come out?

Otherwise, the order the spells came out in would have been noted by the analysis team.

Has anyone thought of analysing the sheath? Perhaps the random element is in there somewhere.


Also, Ralph, are the spells *completely* random? Aren't Quentyn's moves altering the "categories" the spells are chosen from?

(I'm no fightmaster, so feel free to correct the terminology of the moves)

Thrust - slow attack (flame)
Parry/block - jump (sparks, note that there is no connecting ray)
Upper thrust - distraction (noise)
Slash - multiple slash (scimitars)
Upper chop - steady beam (freeze)


And to recharge, you just need to sheath the sword?

[RHJunior]

I'm afraid you're overanalyzing, a bit. The reason Quentyn's in different poses is because he still hasn't quite grokked the "trigger"... he has to wave it around more or less at random till it does something.

As to recharging... as Master Rillcreek observed, it has good "draw"... which means it pulls in ambient lux from the immediate environment. One of the drawbacks it currently has is that Quentyn can't control how much lux it expends at a time, so it's always operating at full throttle.
It'll all get sorted out in time; but for now, that sword is NOT leaving the college grounds.

[Earl McClaw]

It'll all get sorted out in time; but for now, that sword is NOT leaving the college grounds.

ABSOLUTELY! 8)

Still, we have to wonder just how much control over the sword Quentyn will end up with. Duplicating the enchantments? Not likely.

I still think there's a lot of Quentyn in that enchantment. He'll probably have better results when training himself than just practicing with the sword.

Okay, so what will he need to be able to do before he can take the sword with him? Learn to activate (and more importantly how to avoid) the trigger - yes. Learn to control the power level - maybe. Select the effect - probably not. Any other opinions?

[Mwalimu]

Lots of interesting thoughts on the sword, so here are a couple more.

First, are Masters Rillcreek and Irons aware of Kestral's role in enchanting the sword? Is she involved in the testing at all?

Second, however randomly it may be acting during all of this testing, recall that the one time Quentyn had to use it in a real life situation, it did what was needed most. It could have been "luck of the draw", so to speak, but somehow I suspect not.

[The JAM]

[...unWARP!!!]

Good evening.


Also, if they DO happen randomly, without any control at all, how is it that Quentyn was able to do the "QUESTOR SWORD: LIGHTNING!", right about....<a href="http://npc.keenspace.com/d/20031109.html">here</a>, where he appeared to be in total control?

[Earl McClaw]

Also, if they DO happen randomly, without any control at all, how is it that Quentyn was able to do the "QUESTOR SWORD: LIGHTNING!",... he appeared to be in total control?

Apparently the sword still held a lux charge from the first blast, and the "easy aim" might have been a characteristic of that spell configuration.

[UncleMonty]

[quote="The JAM"][...unWARP!!!]

Good evening.


Also, if they DO happen randomly, without any control at all, how is it that Quentyn was able to do the "QUESTOR SWORD: LIGHTNING!", right about....<a href="http://npc.keenspace.com/d/20031109.html">here</a>, where he appeared to be in total control?

[Greyscribe]

Too bad he can't "reprogram" it to play different songs. Would be nice if he was on a long journey and needed something to pass the time.

Ooo--an iSword! ('Tis a pity the earbud wires get tangled 'round one's neck when one swings the blasted thing.)

--GS

<i>No Apple lawyers were harmed in the making of this post.</i>

[Earl McClaw]

<i>No Apple lawyers were harmed in the making of this post.</i>

Unfortunately.

(Nothing against Apple. Just a generic cheap shot against lawyers.)