Episode 206 of the Letters Page: Writers’ Room: RevoCorp Presents Earth Inc

The Akash’Mecha story

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I really hope Adam remembers the scene of Naturalist covered in limbs when he’s drawing for that deck… That would be sweet to see!

I like the idea of Akash being influenced by the mechanics of the body she inhabited. Not really in a “mind is a plaything of the body” way (which annoys me), but more in a biochemistry way. Like how behavior and thoughts can be influenced by hormones and neurotransmitters.

Also, normalizing at the higher end for balance is definitely the way to go. Star Wars: The Old Republic had a problem in its early development. Namely, most prior SW games had either made Force-using characters super-powered compared to everyone else, or nerfed the playable versions to uselessness for “balance.” Bioware decided that the best way to do it was to make ALL classes as badass as the Jedi/Sith. I think they succeeded, and it’s demonstrated in one of their first cinematics, where you have a Republic soldier charge a Sith with a knife and a grenade… and win (well… he’s got some nasty scars, but the Sith lord ended up in worse shape).

Been waiting for this episode ever since I saw the name “Akash’Mecha” in playtesting.

Dang, this is so cool, I just have zero commentary. It’s rare we get something this big and new on the LP anymore!

Oh no, that poor Transformer! D: I need to know who it was.

Okay, let’s start shipping Kaargra and Arataki now. :V

I sure do love catching tiny things in an episode that I can write a stupid letter about! :3

Does anyone know if “Clayton” on the cover is Maggie Clayton? If so, I wonder who else is credited on these Critical Event covers…?

I think History of Sentinel Comics will clear it up but it certainly feels like it’s referring to Maggie Clayton. I also know Jewett is on the various Matriarch Events which should be referencing Brian Jewett who often writes as Cult of Gloom.

Great episode, and curious to see where that Revocorp hint is going. I’m guessing an upcoming critical event for a villain in, maybe the Revocorp Presents expansion?

(I am only guessing at that expansion name, based on the current pattern.)

Also, while i agree that Kaagra and Haka wouldn’t match well, I think they’d have a great… fling. Through several walls possibly.

I’m looking forward to the continuing adventures of Doctor Hamfist…

But otherwise, I don’t love this one. I definitely disagree with Adam’s high opinion of this story; I found it very overwrought, with lots of over-the-top aspects that really break my suspension of disbelief.

Sorry to be super negative as I sometimes am, but there just isn’t much in this week’s episode that I responded positively to. I think I recall a small thing I enjoyed, but I don’t recall what it was, and was disinterested enough in the rest of the episode that I’m unlikely to go back and look for it. It probably involved the Naturalist, who is one of my favorite characters; some of the brainstorming they did for him, eg using Crocodile form for stealth purposes rather than damage, were mildly cool, but I don’t know what if anything I might have really enjoyed this week.

I mean… Adam and Christopher have said over the years that they wanted give Revenant his own deck, but Kismet took his place in the lineup…

Finished the episode. So Secret Lads is definitely the most unexpected meme and/or ensemble Darkhorse to ever come out of this podcast. At least, to me.

This story makes a lot more sense with the knowledge that a) Akash is a void spirit, not a real nature spirit, she’s just been wearing an earth and plants costume for aeons. So now she discards the costume, and the discarded costume hates being separated from her and fights to turn her back into itself. She’s Venom! Are C&As characters all just Venom?

The mecha cult of gloom interests me more than this story does. If they intentionally cut off functional limbs to sacrifice for building zombies, the constant phantom pain of those severed limbs will be a continual drip feed of weavable gloom.

Best! Cover! Section! EVER!!!

I on the other hand love that trope. The thing about fake compliments they talked about really emphasizes why; people are so dumb that even if they know a compliment is completely insincere and shamelessly manipulative, they’ll still feel good about it. “I love you, you stupid idiot that I’m exploiting!” “Aww, I love you too!” Facepalm We deserve better than this reality we are imprisoned within.