~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

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GuardianDreamer
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by GuardianDreamer »

Okay, well, here's everything. I've decided to include Kyouji's app since I feel like it explains a lot of stuff about his character. I will also write a lot of other stuff though. This will be divided into a bunch of sections so as to make it much easier to read. All of this assumes that you are reading them in order, so you should probably do that and not skip around.
Spoiler : App :
Name: Kyouji Kamishiro
SHSL Talent: Treasure Hunter
Age: 17 (To keep up my streak of only 17 year old characters in DR RPs for some reason)
Sex: Male
Birthday: April 15
Blood Type: B-
Weight: This is classified information. Heroes should never reveal how much they weigh. Though it's pretty obvious that Kyouji is pretty slim. Because anime.
Nationality: Japanese

Appearance: With a seemingly infinite amount of youthful optimism, Kyouji's default expression is a bright smile. All of his movements are filled with energy, and the amount of sheer optimism he projects ensures that you'll either be annoyed with him, think he's really weird, or his happiness will cause you to smile as well. He's basically very much a bishonen in terms of appearance, and could easily be called a 'pretty boy' (and cute as well), though he doesn't pay much attention to it.

Kyouji is about average in height for someone of his age and nationality. He has dark red hair in the style of this character's hair, only with added ahoge, and has light brown eyes. Or at least one brown eye, since the other one is covered (More on that in "Clothing"). While he usually has a lot of energy around him (as mentioned earlier), during the uncommon moments where he's serious, he loses all of that energy and suddenly seems more melancholy. But again, usually he's very happy and seems like kind of a ditz.

Clothing: Combining his appearance and clothing together, it really looks like Kyouji walked out of an anime convention, or that he's an anime character who magically became real. He wears an eyepatch with a cute skull design over his right eye (he is blind in that eye, but his left eye works fine) though he occasionally switches to a normal white eyepatch instead. For the purposes of this RP though, we'll say that he's sticking with the eyepatch with the skull design.

Kyouji's outfit basically looks like what a typical outfit for an explorer/adventurer would look like in fiction, regardless of how practical it would actually be. So basically, imagine a sort of Indiana Jones-like outfit (including the brown jacket and white shirt), except without the bullwhip and fedora. He used to have a fedora, but he kept losing them when going treasure hunting, so he stopped wearing them (also because even I have limits to how much I'm willing to totally steal outfits). He wears this because it's similar to the outfits of various fictional heroes that he aspires to be like. Kyouji also carries a scabbard with him, but not a sword.

Basically the dark red hair, eyepatch, adventurer's outfit, and his general energy makes Kyouji seem really 'anime', for lack of a better term.

Personality: Kyouji is the archetypical "Idiot Hero" cranked up several notches. He is overly trusting, seems like kind of a fool most of the time, and seems like a ditz with a lot of energy. Kyouji has a bad tendency to forget things that are important as well, and that's not even getting into the fact that he has a very active imagination and comes up with ridiculous theories about everything. (To list one memorable example, while lost in a cave once, he seriously thought that a bat he encountered was Count Dracula)

Another major flaw that he has is that he can be a bit TOO excitable, and treats almost everything even slightly surprising as some kind of shocking reveal. He also visibly reacts in over-the-top ways, to the point where one wonders if it's actually intentional. To cap off his flaws, he can be rather self-sacrificial, and has a bad tendency to try and befriend people even if they want nothing to do with him.

On the positive side, Kyouji has plenty of good points too. To the right people, his attitude can be endearing, he's usually optimistic and always tries to see the good in things, and while he's not very bright his strange ideas can occasionally lead to moments of brilliance. In addition, he's a hard worker, genuinely tries to be kind to people, and while he can say some insensitive things as a result of his naivety, he's always willing to apologize and make amends.

This is not to say that Kyouji is completely immature, even if he mostly is. One of the few times he's ever serious is when discussing his dreams. He's a treasure hunter because he wants to donate a lot of money to various charities across the world, and he's surprisingly serious when talking about his goal to end poverty. In contrast to his usually idealistic self, he's well-aware that he probably can't truly end poverty forever, but he's willing to give it his best shot.

Also, in case it isn't obvious yet, Kyouji really wants to be considered a hero one day. But for now, he only considers himself a "hero-in-training".

Why This Character Wants to Join the Future Foundation: A hero has to help other people. Kyouji may be kind of a ditz and not very bright, but his desire to help other people is genuine. Not to mention that he thinks the stories about heroes who save the world are pretty cool.

Backstory: Basically, Kyouji was born to a family of treasure hunters, explorers, archaeologists, and more. From the very start, he wanted to surpass all of his family members and help make the world a happier place. As you can imagine, Kyouji began treasure hunting at a young age, often being accompanied by his father (he never knew his mother).

One thing that's a bit odd to note is that technically the person who started the whole "treasure hunting" thing in Kyouji's family was one of his ancestors... Who was a pirate. As in, someone who could be classified as a villain. Despite this, Kyouji believes that his ancestor was a hero, and he proudly carries his scabbard to this day, which is a family heirloom, though the original sword his ancestor used has long been destroyed. (Don't ask why Kyouji was trusted with such a prized heirloom. Just know that he's surprisingly good at making sure it's safe, unlike everything else.)

Kyouji became rather famous as a treasure hunter pretty quickly, having an unbelievable amount of luck in his searches. Unfortunately, he lost both one of his eyes and his father during a treasure hunt through a mountain cave. He has since repressed the memory, and honestly can't remember a thing that happened, but it was confirmed that a rival treasure hunter tried to kill them both after they have discovered an important treasure (which Kyouji also forgot about, due to losing his memories associated with the event).

Despite this, Kyouji continued his life as a treasure hunter, now living with his extended family (who would often serve as his team during treasure hunts). He never lost his optimism, though he's visibly melancholy whenever he thinks about what his life would have been like if things had gone differently.

Eventually, Kyouji was invited to attend Hope's Peak Academy as an SHSL Treasure Hunter. Naturally he accepted for the chance of more adventure. ... In a way, he got his wish, though not in the way he was hoping for.

Any other miscellaneous information: Kyouji's character is basically me deciding to celebrate an archetype I often make fun of through a giant back-handed compliment. He is, essentially, a parody of the Idiot Hero, but at the same time, it's a sort of affectionate parody. Kyouji is basically me making fun of all Idiot Heroes ever while at the same time praising their contributions to fiction, because the land of fiction really wouldn't be the same without them. Also, you can now add Kyouji to my list of 'cute male characters', though in this case, it's partially to support what he's a parody of. (Oh yeah also, if you're worried, I CAN think of a justification for Kyouji to kill, even if he's a parody of an Idiot Hero. Though I think it's more likely that he'll be a victim instead.)
Spoiler : Notes (Read after app) :
- While completely unintentional, I think technically Kyouji would be 18 in the RP since there was apparently a missing year for everyone in the RP. This makes him older than Michio and Hazuki. It's funny.

- Kyouji didn't get to take the whip that I consider his primary tool/weapon because I considered it too OP for the RP itself. Kind of regret it, since it was a big part of how I originally envisioned him. If you're wondering, my primary reason for wanting him to have a whip isn't because of Indiana Jones. No, it's because I had recently played Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, and I thought whips were cool.

- Kyouji was intended to be the very first case's victim, and I put him in the Murder Me First list. He has gained a considerable amount of depth ever since it became apparent that he wouldn't just die first. He sort of started off as a semi-joke character and then evolved into something else.

- His design was inspired by like a billion characters, as I've mentioned before. I was originally writing a list of all the characters that inspired him, but stopped once I realized that I was including characters that inspired the most minor of details, and I thought it gave off the wrong message. I will take the time to note that NONE OF THOSE CHARACTERS ARE PIRATES.

- Should be obvious, but Kyouji is meant to be this weird mix of cuteness and coolness. I like these kinds of characters, you see.

- In an RPG, Kyouji's Luck stat would be unbelievably high.

- While it's glossed over in the app itself, Kyouji's mother, Yumina, died from tuberculosis shortly after he was born. The two share a ton of personality traits anyway. (This is an actual thing that happens with kids who lose a parent sometimes)

- Kyouji holds onto hope that it isn't true, but I've pretty much decided that his entire family is dead as a result of the Despair movement.

- Kyouji's mother has white hair and blue eyes, and I mixed and matched the potential hair and eye color combinations (So red hair and light brown eyes, white hair and light brown eyes, red hair and blue eyes, and white hair and blue eyes) for a while before deciding that he would take his looks mostly from his father, but his personality would mostly be from his mother. The fact that his potential hair colors are red and white is a reference to something.

- Oh yeah, I figure I should mention this now. I believe I said a few times that there would always be THIS ONE MYSTERIOUS CHARACTER in fiction who is an Idiot Hero (not a parody of one), and I would never have Kyouji act sillier than he does. I believe it's time to reveal his identity... Nowe from Drakengard 2. I won't get into details here, but uh... Nowe is not a smart man.
Spoiler : Why did you even apply as Kyouji, GD? :
So! I actually came VERY CLOSE to not applying as Kyouji at all. He almost wasn't a thing. And I mean that in a couple of different ways, which I'll explain now. For starters, I actually wasn't going to apply to UDR at all at first, but then it came to my mind that maybe it would be a good idea to apply because I thought that no one would want to be the first murderer (I was hilariously wrong). So I initially created this character named Touya. I... Actually don't remember much about him, other than the fact that he was an Ultimate Sprinter/Runner, with running shoes, running shorts, and everything. He was meant to be sort of a jerk character, kind of a coward who was haunted by the fact that he kept running away from his problems, but I recall that he had one or two redeeming traits that made it so he wasn't a complete and total jerk. I want to say it was that he had a lot of sympathy for the homeless and the needy and that he donated a lot of money to them, but I don't remember exactly.

Anyway, I sent this app to the GMs, and I think I was actually accepted, but then Ami made that post about how there were way too many people who wanted to be early killers. I then PMed Ami to rescind my app, since the point of my character was now null and void. Then... My memory gets blurry, but I think it was a day or two after that when I suddenly got the idea for Kyouji and wrote his entire app while I was half-asleep, because I really wanted to write a character who was so similar and yet so unlike Hazuki. Actually, believe it or not, it took me a few weeks to fully realize that I had given him a pretty dark backstory (at least for his character type) since I was so tired when writing it. I still find it hilarious how Kyouji's backstory is the most detailed out of my DR RP characters, since his backstory was the only one that I didn't plan out at all.

So yeah. I was VERY CLOSE to not joining the RP. I can't remember exactly when, but I really think that I applied very shortly before applications really were closed. You can confirm this yourself by noticing that Kyouji is at the very bottom of the character list, and I'm pretty sure those go in order by who apped/was accepted first, meaning I was the last person accepted into the RP. Again, keep in mind that I fully intended to have Kyouji die first. I was... Surprised, to say the least. (And had a good laugh when people thought Kyouji had died for a while)
Spoiler : Appearance Meaning :
Kyouji owes his fine red hair to all of the Red-Headed Heroes out there. Seriously. That is a real trope and the reason why I ultimately decided to give him red hair. He had white hair as a potential hair color as a reference to a few specific characters who inspired him (one especially), and also the fact that white can be seen as purity/clearness, if that makes sense. And I wanted him to be the character who was completely honest and straightforward about absolutely everything. I am not kidding when I say that literally anyone in the RP could have walked up and asked him to tell them his entire life story, and he would have revealed absolutely everything (from his own perspective) without lying at all. I found it funny that no one ever really did that (Jackie sort of did that, but only for a few parts of his backstory). I'm going to guess that people (in-character or out) just thought he wouldn't actually do that.

As you can likely tell, Kyouji was meant to be extremely distinct in appearance. I believe it was Got who said that I usually go for more simple designs, which isn't necessarily a bad thing depending on the character (Example: I consider Hazuki to have a fairly simple design, especially after the removal of the hair dye, but I think her design fits her really well). With Kyouji... I really couldn't go for a "simple" design. This was the kind of person who stood out a lot due to his personality and actions, and I wanted his appearance to match. Everything from his red hair, to the star in his eye, to his clothes, to that scabbard without a sword... All meant to draw the eye and make it clear that Kyouji is a very outgoing and energetic sort of person.

Let's talk about his eyepatch, actually. Because it's symbolic and stuff. The in-character reason why he wears an eyepatch is obviously because that eye doesn't work anymore. His eye actually isn't missing, but he can't use it. As I said before, he had two possible eyepatches: The black eyepatch with the cute skull on it (which I went with for the RP), and the white medical eyepatch. The white eyepatch that I didn't go with was really meant to symbolize that Kyouji was still recovering from his past ordeals, even if he didn't fully realize it. The more medical-looking eyepatch sends the message of a "healing process", I guess, whereas the other eyepatch (which I went with) doesn't show as well. Though that's just me, I guess.

As for the eyepatch Kyouji DID go with... That skull is meant to remind Kyouji about his failure and his father's sacrifice to save him. It's kind of dark when I think about it that way. Basically, Kyouji wants to always remember how close he was to death so he can grow stronger, so the skull reminds him of it. I would actually not say that it's a particularly cynical symbol... Kyouji actually has a positive interpretation of it. It reminds him of how close he was to death, but it also reminds him that he has his father's strength by his side, I guess.

Actually, now that I think about it, Kyouji's eyes mean a lot, huh. His undamaged eye has a star in it, which he inherited from his mother, Yumina, defying all logic behind genetics. Put another way, that star is meant to represent that Yumina is there to support Kyouji as well. So yeah. One eye represents his father, Ryouji, and the other one is symbolic of his mother, Yumina. And they'll always be with him even in death. So yeah, I guess his eyes are the most important part of his appearance.
Spoiler : How Kyouji changed over time :
Better title for this section: How DIDN'T Kyouji change over time?

The character of Kyouji Kamishiro started off as sort of a semi-joke character before quickly becoming a lot more than that to me. I was initially going to write him as just an Idiot Hero parody who did a lot of silly things in an effort to provide comic relief in a pretty dark RP full of betrayal and death. Instead, I decided that I seriously wanted to explore what kind of person would seriously act this way, while keeping it positive. Despite his backstory, Kyouji was always meant to be a character who's genuinely happy and idealistic. He was meant to be a very optimistic character who endured a lot of pain and still came out genuinely smiling at the end.

I think that he started changing really early on. I want to say that this started happening as soon as Kyouji's first "serious" scene occurred, where he basically talked back to Monobear and suddenly became a lot more intense. This wasn't even a scene that was originally going to happen. I just sort of decided that I wanted to try writing a semi-serious Kyouji post for once. And then it led to a lot more. Funny how that works, huh?

One thing that really forced me to change my plans for him is the fact that people had a much higher opinion of him in-character than I expected. I apped as him seriously expecting the majority of the cast to be annoyed with him/hate him. As it turns out, a lot of the cast members actually didn't mind him or even liked him, barring a few exceptions. I guess it's because he's so bright and cheery, which is nice when surrounded with such a hopeless situation? Anyway, the point is that the fact that a lot of people actually liked him meant that I felt like I had more room to have serious character interactions than I expected, and help other characters grow. (Kyouji was always meant to be the type of character who would help other characters with their development, since I can justify doing a lot of things with him.)

Finally, perhaps the biggest thing that made me take the shift to a more "serious" (but still silly overall) character is actually due to SPD. Or maybe I should thank Enigma for this one. You see, early on, I actually mentioned on xat that I planned on having Kyouji die early, and I had a conversation with SPD about stuff. Long story short, I basically believed that Kyouji would be Heath's victim... Except apparently that group hug from early in the RP paid off, because Higami didn't want to kill Kyouji, which led to Heath's murder plan becoming a lot more complex. I actually HAD thought far enough ahead to give myself a bit of wiggle room in my app in case Kyouji didn't die first, and I am seriously glad I did, because it paid off. Big time. I felt like Kyouji couldn't keep being COMPLETELY silly due to being so involved in the events of the murder, marking a shift away from silliness. Though, as I keep repeating, Kyouji would always retain some silliness. It's just the kind of person he is.
Spoiler : Relationships/Thoughts/Hugs :
Kyouji is the type of person who wants to be a 'hero', but isn't sure if he can actually achieve that goal. Eventually the point of his character was meant to explore the concept of a 'hero', because I seriously love that character type to death.

One thing to note about Kyouji is that he's very self-sacrificial, but he actually values his life very highly. He believes that his life is precious since his father gave up his life to protect him. However, because his life is 'precious' that way, he believes that he has to be the one who makes sacrifices instead of other people. Recall how Kyouji immediately volunteered to die in Heath's place when his execution came up. Kyouji's logic is strange in that he did that because he values his life so much, not because he doesn't value it at all. In that way, you could say that Kyouji thinks differently from other people.

Overall, I guess I wanted to portray Kyouji's desire to help other people as very idealistic, and that he'd face a lot of adversity, but his goal is NOT stupid. If anything, it's very brave of him, and a commendable goal indeed. Kyouji just needed to learn how to follow that goal while realizing that putting himself in danger makes other people unhappy. Basically... Kyouji likes having friends, and he does worry about them, but using his own (rather eccentric) logic, he finds it hard to understand why other people would get worried about him. Again, it's that weird sort of situation where he seems to be operating under some reverse-world logic, since he does value his life.

Believe it or not, all that hugging actually meant something! It meant a lot of things, honestly. First of all, I should make something clear: As much as I loved to provide ship tease with EVERYONE, I can't imagine Kyouji in a relationship. Not because he's aromantic (you can classify him as bisexual, but it's actually more complicated than that. It involves not having a concept of sexual orientation for himself, won't get into that) but because I thought that it would be extremely difficult to write him in any kind of romance unless I was controlling all involved characters. He's the kind of character who I actually totally would have as a character in a Dating Sim or something, but in RP format it really wouldn't work unless there was a lot of effort.

Kyouji DOES love the rest of the cast. A lot. But rather than romantic love, he sort of sees them all as a family. I actually thought of going as far as to consider having him call the others his brothers and sisters, but I thought it would get kind of weird since I still wanted to do all the ship tease stuff (which I did partially for fun, and partially because of what he's a parody of). I DID want him to sort of declare someone as his blood brother or blood sister later on in the RP if he survived long enough though. Probably Higami or Jackie, though I'd obviously have to get the okay from their players. So yeah. He sees everyone as a family and dislikes the fact that there's a lot of tension between them, especially involving Higami.

Continuing from that, the reason why Kyouji treats them like that is basically because he spent most of his early life just around his family and family friends (who he still considered family). Friendship and family are one and the same to him. I actually wanted to have this one moment where Monobear would reveal to Kyouji that his entire family is dead, but then Kyouji would point out that he still had family members (meaning his classmates). I think that would have given a lot of insight into his character. Kind of regret not being able to do it. (Consider this: Kyouji's offer to sacrifice himself wasn't an offer to give up his own life to save the life of a friend he met just a short while ago in the grand scheme of things. To him, it was an offer to help save a trusted member of his family who he still believed in.)

Going back to the hugging thing (I'm sort of writing this stream-of-conscious like) I wanted Kyouji to eventually realize that not all people like to be hugged by people they just met. Kyouji hugs people because he considers that the ultimate sign of trust. It's him letting down his guard and letting the other person know that he loves them and will protect them, and hopes they feel the same way. Not most people realized this, but I think Itashi got the chance to view it: Kyouji genuinely gets confused when someone is upset or sad about being hugged. Eventually, I wanted him to still be the person who hugs people all the time affectionately, but he would ask permission first, or at least listen when people told him to cut it out.

Finally... About how Kyouji responds to the forces of despair. He obviously has his reasons to not like them. At the same time, Kyouji is the type of person who desperately wants to try to 'understand' other people no matter what. He wants everyone to be happy. He believes that happiness is like a domino effect, in that making a few people happy will eventually help make a greater amount of people happy. He most certainly does NOT believe in the whole 'sacrificing a few people's happiness so a few others can be happy' idea. He never really liked Monobear, as you could tell, but there was this one (mostly played-for-laughs) scene where he tried to understand Monobear more to see if there was any way to resolve it peacefully. Kyouji is pretty idealistic like that.

Basically, I want to drive home the point that Kyouji has a lot more going on in his mind than you would initially think. He's still pretty silly, but I guess he sort of showed that sometimes you NEED silliness to remind you about the happiness that you're struggling for, if that makes sense.

My favorite scene as Kyouji is still the Pong scene. I think it showed a lot of sides to his character in subtle ways while mostly reading like a comedy scene at first (which, to be fair, it basically was).
Spoiler : Stuff I'd do Differently :
There's quite a bit I would do differently if I was given another chance to write as Kyouji, but at the same time, I don't really have any major regrets. I had a lot of fun writing him, I consider him one of my best AAO characters, and all things considered, I think all of this came out better than I thought it would. But I would say that I would have liked to have Kyouji talk to certain people more, and just have his mindset explored more as well. In other words, I would have liked to have the RP continued. I actually talked to Mono and we agreed to have Kyouji and Calliope talk, but... The RP died. Honestly, I really should have had Kyouji talk to Calliope earlier. It was sort of OOC to put it off for so long.

I also regret not writing Kyouji in first-person, because I think it would have been extremely interesting. On the other hand, writing in first person would have revealed that Kyouji wasn't really hiding much, unless people suspected that I was REALLY going on the Unreliable Narrator path. I suppose I should have had Kyouji think more in italics...? I do it a lot with Hazuki in 0.2, and it really works well for her, but I did it so rarely for Kyouji, and when I did it was mostly for jokes rather than stuff that could have shown more sides to him. This is actually something I realized near the end of the RP, and I wanted to correct it, at least within the GM tags. Oh well.

Another thing I definitely regret not doing is having more of Kyouji's "serious" moments be available to all players. There's a LOT going on in his mind, and I really think that only a few characters really got to see that. I think it would have made a lot of things clearer, like why he was willing to forgive Heath so easily, why he kept switching between considering Monobear an enemy and awkwardly trying to 'understand' the Forces of Despair, and why he said some of the things he did.

... Aaaaaaand, of course, I regret not having him talk to Harmon. He talked to Heath enough (and together they will one day scale the large Mountain Dew), but I really felt like I missed out on an opportunity by not interacting with Harmon at all. I think it'd have been interesting.
I think that's it! Feel free to ask me any questions if I missed anything.
Hosted The Year of Luigi competition (and here's the awards ceremony).
Current AAO projects (to be completed eventually, probably, hopefully): A Silly Little Dream (hopefully 2024), My Dearest Direst Disgrace (hopefully 2025)
Stuff I've made on here: QotU
Make My Life Worse
Malleus Maleficarum: The Witch of San Ignacio
The Six Transgender Lesbian Goddesses of Love Are Having A Petty Argument, So They Try To Settle Things Alongside The Three Transgender Gay Gods of Flavor
Defend Him, Not Me!
The Guardian and the Dreamer
I was a guest judge and did a bit of writing for the TICKING TIME BOMB competition.
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by Mono »

(I'm not taking this from GD at all nope)
Spoiler : App :
Name: Calliope Tokuno; Tokuno Calliope [徳の そちりりにらせい]
SHSL Talent: Diva
Age: 18
Sex: Female

Birthday: 7/14
Blood Type: AB
Weight: 46 kg (101 lbs)
Nationality: Japanese

Appearance:
Image
Thin build, 5'2"; 158 cm, B cup. Yellow eyes with red rouge and black mascara. Long, caramel hair tied into swirly twintails. Also has a red headband with a bow on top.
Clothing: Black jacket paired with long black gloves that cover her arms and hands. (ignore that bustle thingy behind her legs)
Under her jacket she wears a strapless shoulderless (I would assume it has something on the back that would keep it on her) brown dress with a red bow in the chest area.
As footwear, she bears white stockings and knee-high black boots.

Personality: Because she's a silly celebrity, she thinks very highly of herself. Her priorities: Herself, her makeup, then everyone else.
Well, she could try to warm up to someone if they behave well enough. Being a creep (I'm looking at YOUR character, enigma) certainly will not help that.
She also occasionally tries to act like the super diva she's known as and will occassionally sing a random tune that might not even exist.
Of course, her peppy diva-ness is something to distract the other people from figuring out that she's on a mission. Yet, nothing big is going to distract her from fulfilling it successfully.
Will often speak li--ke this. or like~ this.

She's loyal to her organization and has never failed a mission. She barely cares about what others have to say in public about her, this includes her new classmates. Often ignores her own emotions if she's on a mission. All in all, outside of a mission she's completely self-centered, but on a mission she concentrates on her goal to fulfill and only on her goal.

Why This Character Wants to Join the Future Foundation: Someone needs to motivate everyone, right? With singing, of course!

...

Well, no, not really.
The Hidden Anti-Hope Movement Organization has sent her to the camp to fulfill a single mission:
1. Infiltrate the Camp
2. Gain a classmate's trust
3. Kill them
4. Don't get found out at the class trial and escape


Backstory: Calliope. "Beautiful voice."
Despite her japanese origin, her parents named her this because they always thought their child was going to be something special.
Well, she certainly was. She also was making trouble and even more trouble. She was terrorizing the entire apartment they lived in, never behaved well. Her parents even forgot her fifth birthday. A year later, much to her disappointment, her parents locked her out of their apartment and she never got in again. Calliope was so angry and sad, she couldn't believe they did that. Wasn't she something special? Hence the name?

Wandering the streets alone, she met some black-cloaked women in an alley. Despite her parents telling not to talk with strangers, she replied as one of the cloaked woman said: "Were you abandoned by your parents?" "Y-Yes." "Come with us, we'll show you something." The women took her to some kind of hidden base placed in the middle of nowhere of the town. As they go down a elevator, they end up in some kind of cave with monitors around the place and a big table in the middle. Just where was this? More, what was this? To be exact, it's called the Hidden Anti-Hope Movement (HAHM for short).
This undercover organization trains young children to be experienced and skillful agents/killers to spread despair over the world.

Over the years, Calliope also had to go under this training. Her skill with a blade was astounding for her small build - she also sang occasionally and the trainers also made her excel in that. After all, a "beautiful voice" could be used as distraction. At age of 16, after 10 years of her training, she is finally done and ready to go on her first missions - first, she has to get a disguise, though. She disguises herself as "The Abandoned Diva that rise from nowhere". For some months HAHM arranged concerts to manifest Calliope's disguise perfectly.
Soon, she gets her first mission - the goal? To kill her parents. She gladly accepts, of course.

While her parents were out, Calliope broke into their new apartment. She silently waited inside. As her parents entered the apartment, she started to assault them. With some kicks she's thrown them to the ground and leans down with a sharpened kitchen knife. And she slowly, slowly, slowly cuts vital parts of her parents as she mutters, "you've abandoned me", "you said I was special", "i always thought i mattered to you until you forgot my birthday"

"well"

"i am special now"

"i'm an idol"

"but more importantly, i'm a killer"

"don't even try to call help"

"i'm gonna give you a special performance"

"the first and last one you will ever damn see."

With the blood on the knife and on her clothes, she writes "Ars longa, vita brevis." Art is long, life is short.
The Art of Killing, of course.

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Calliope became fascinated with murder. She's taken on more and more missions (and has to manage her concerts and songs too, by now she enjoys it somewhat) that had to do with killing. Over two years she soon became one of (if not) the best killers/agents in the entire HAHM.

The Hidden Anti-Hope Movement Organization had found out that the Future Foundation is opening some kind of "training camp". With the goals of the Future Foundation working directly against the HAHM's, one of the most skilled killers of the HAHM is sent on a mission:

1. Infiltrate the Camp
2. Gain a classmate's trust
3. Kill them
4. Don't get found out at the class trial and escape


Unanimously, they voted to send Calliope on the mission. She accepts gladly.

Misc:
Likes: Good makeup, Bodyguards, Fulfilling her missions, (edible) fish
Dislikes: Creeps and peasants, any food with a lot of fat
Spoiler : How this has changed over the course of the RP :
Pretty interestingly, actually. I started off Calliope as the famous brat I planned her to be, and ended up making her warm up to quite a few more people than I thought I would (I also had a bunch of rivalries, considering how I messed with Kari in Chapter 2) I did still want to talk more to a few people (Jackie, Kyouji in particular) and of course, I wish Harmon hadn't left us so early. Even though it looks like I would kill him according to my plan in my app I actually wouldn't bring myself to do it. xD

Calliope definitely had some interesting changes over the RP... even though most of her actions that were seen by the public were sheer acting on her part to actually make people think she's being emotional. She definitely has a heart, but most of her thinking over the course of UDR had been, like I said, acting (This was actually why she didn't look very bothered that Harmon died in Chapter 2, as a lot of people noticed). I like to think that at night she thinks and mutters about all the things she keeps to herself. But yeah - Calliope is probably my most well-developed character even though I didn't even get close to the climax of her character arc. Chapter 1's events did throw me for quite the loop after all. I murder apped like... two or three times and got declined every time. xD I apped for Chapter 2 as well, but then the RP just died.
Spoiler : Why does Calliope exist :
Calliope is essentially the birth product of me realizing: "Hey, all of my goddamn characters are way too nice or cute - let's make someone NOT NICE AT ALL." And thus I have obtained my darkest character yet... and even my best one. Welp. Seriously, though, I got really sick of writing characters like that (Seika was an example for being nice yet really afraid of the situation, and most of my other temporary Characters like the Tsukis and Hitomi Emikorei from the first Magical Girl RP were really cutesy which makes me barf now), so I made Calliope. I have to say she ended up fitting in pretty nicely into the cast!

Honestly, the moment I was able to further develop her (even though I never got to FULLY develop her), I was enjoying writing her a lot, and the events that followed with the storyline just made me keep going. It was a very fun experience to write Calliope and I'll be looking to write more less cute/nice characters in the future. (And... some males too.) The sad part is, I cannot bring Calliope into any other RPs because her backstory is very DR-specific, unless I make a "despair-less" Calliope, but then I feel like the spirit of the character wouldn't be the same, and honestly, that just feels wrong to me, which is disappointing because UDR ended so abruptly. :/
Spoiler : Relationships :
Very interesting on Calliope's part - She's been big with Harmon, seen around him a lot in Chapter 1, thinking (or pretending to) about him a lot after Chapter 1... and the truth is, while I do like Harmon as a character (and their player!) a lot, and I've been on good terms with both... in-character, "Despair"-Calliope (I suppose I'll keep calling Revealed!Calliope this) did not actually like Harmon. Actually, while we're on the topic, I might as well share my character's survey results (what Calliope thinks of the other characters IN CHARACTER. I would like to remind that these are NOT my opinions - I liked essentially every character).

---

"What is your CHARACTER'S opinion on the following other characters? Place an "X" next to the category that best fit your CHARACTER'S opinion on the other characters. ANSWER THIS WITH YOUR CHARACTER'S FEELINGS, NOT YOUR OWN, IN MIND!

Anthony Foreman: SHSL Lyricist ♂ [Gav]
Like:
Dislike: X (Get away on my flash drive; also constant attempts to talk to Calliope are annoying her)
Neutral:
Katsuro Kyouken: SHSL Yo-yoer" ♂ [Trybien]
Like:
Dislike: X (His attitude at the trial pretty much ruined her opinion of him)
Neutral:
Mikoko Kamiyashiro: SHSL Shrine Maiden ♀ [Blackrune]
Like:
Dislike:
Neutral: X (She's quite a person who sticks out but it's not like she has any complaints about her)
Calliope Tokuno: SHSL Diva" ♀ [Mono the Merp]
Like: X (Hi, I am so totally not full of myself!)
Dislike:
Neutral:
Seltha Hunth: SHSL Survivalist ♀ [ZetaAzuel]
Like:
Dislike: X (You keep being against meeeee rude)
Neutral:
Jackie Crow: SHSL Punk Rocker ♀ [gotMLK7]
Like: X (She's also in the music business! And she's a pretty cool person overall.)
Dislike:
Neutral:
Heathcliff Schilling, Jr.: SHSL Sports Team Fan ♂ [spd12]
Like: X (I'm conveying that Calliope's thoughts on Heath are that she hates him for killing Harmon but innerly she likes how he's consumed by despair... and I can't exactly say "ooh cool this dude is despairing that is hella" so yeah. He's still smelly though.)
Dislike:
Neutral:
Ōgi Kakusu: SHSL Roboticist ♀[Topaz]
Like:
Dislike:
Neutral: X??? (WHO EVEN IS THIS IS ROBERT REALLY A SHOJO I KNEW IT)
Ariel Espinosa: SHSL Gunsmith Bio: ♂ Pronoun Preference: ♀ (MTF Transgender) [Gumpei]
Like:
Dislike:
Neutral: X (Never really talked with her)
Song Min Ri: SHSL Sniper ♀ [Itashi]
Like:
Dislike:
Neutral: X (Never really talked with her much either)
Hikaru Yukimura: SHSL Super Sentai ♀ [Dave]
Like:
Dislike: X (Same as Seltha)
Neutral:
Phineas Masters: SHSL Ringmaster" ♂ [Detective Luke Atmey]
Like:
Dislike: X (His attitude is grating)
Neutral:
Daisuke Shuto: SHSL Marksman ♂ [SS Sleuth]
Like:
Dislike:
Neutral: X (Haven't talked much and he hasn't really done anything to make her dislike him)
Higami Omocida: SHSL Conspiracy Theorist ♂ [enigma/spd12]
Like: X (Same as Heath)
Dislike:
Neutral:
Harmon Grennan: SHSL Playwright ♂ [tb2fan]
Like:
Dislike: X (Let me sum this one up into something Calliope would say... "He's so damn gullible that he really believed I liked him! Harmon was so into me, I would've gotten him to do aaaanything I want if he wouldn't have met this truly despairing end.")
Neutral:
Raymond Sapphire: SHSL Pyrotechnican ♂ [Wackyman]
Like:
Dislike:
Neutral: X (Eggs. ... for real though they haven't talked much)
Kyouji Kamishiro: SHSL Treasure Hunter ♂ [GuardianDreamer]
Like:
Dislike: X (HE'S SO DAMN HAPPY AND NAIVE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA)
Neutral:
Kari Bel: SHSL Masseuse Bio: ♂ Pronoun Preference: ♀ (MTF Transgender) [Court-Records]
Like
Dislike: X (Whenever I meet u I think of an insect)"

So yeah, that was something.

I'm sad I didn't get to pull my big reveal. Would've been awesome.
Spoiler : The planned Climax of Calliope's Story :
As I've mentioned many times before over the course of this post, Calliope was envisioned as a murderer. (Fun fact: Seika was planned to kill someone at some point too (but not from the start when I made the character), but reluctantly and also with Tankyu as her assistance. I just never got to do that because Whirl's been... I dunno. And I kind of got burned alive (Damn you Zeta's RNG...))

Regardless - I even had an alternate ending in mind if the class votes incorrectly at the trial. I'd have pulled something like...
*dramatic removal of her headband, letting her hair down*
"Mission complete."
Then explain a little what that was all about, but not a lot because that'll be saved for when she's actually caught later, and then enjoy a nice laugh when everyone else is executed.
However, if she was going to get caught (inevitably, obviously), she'd have gone insane. In fact, I even had a small piece of art for that:

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"AahhahHaHAHahahhAHAHahAHAHAhhahahAHAHAHAHahaaaaaa!"

Isn't it glorious? Then I was going to have a big exposition on my backstory, and how I hated almost everyone, Harmon gets a special mention, her despair over the organization's loss (which is actually why she felt so ill when it was revealed in the trial, not because of the videos that were shown. By the way, I didn't plan this part, Ami did - it was pretty interesting.) ... and yeah. I'm obviously pretty disappointed that none of this ever got to surface. I MIGHT write something about it if I'm bored (though I'm not going to promise anything, and I think I'd mostly be doing it for myself anyway since I'm not sure if people would be interested in seeing it... then again I'm writing this post for solely this purpose. Silly Mono...) but for now... no. I'll just have to live with the sudden death of the RP. It's too bad.
So... yeah, that happened. Glad I could get that out. I'm still very disappointed about the lack of closure, but hey. Atleast I get to post this. Oh well.
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GuardianDreamer
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by GuardianDreamer »

Oh right, I forgot to mention this (and thanks to Mono for the reminder), but I said that Kyouji likes literally everyone in the survey. Easiest survey ever.
Hosted The Year of Luigi competition (and here's the awards ceremony).
Current AAO projects (to be completed eventually, probably, hopefully): A Silly Little Dream (hopefully 2024), My Dearest Direst Disgrace (hopefully 2025)
Stuff I've made on here: QotU
Make My Life Worse
Malleus Maleficarum: The Witch of San Ignacio
The Six Transgender Lesbian Goddesses of Love Are Having A Petty Argument, So They Try To Settle Things Alongside The Three Transgender Gay Gods of Flavor
Defend Him, Not Me!
The Guardian and the Dreamer
I was a guest judge and did a bit of writing for the TICKING TIME BOMB competition.
My Twitter is here
Avatar is of Marth from Fire Emblem, commissioned from @PiyoStoria on Twitter.
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by lazyplague »

Spoiler : Design Process :
I’ll admit, I didn’t put as much thought into Hikaru as I would have liked to. A lot of her personality had to be shaped after the initial apping, due to me re-apping with her instead of a different character. Still, I did have a few thoughts towards her design that might explain a few things.

I started out with the basic idea “I want to write a sentai.” There wasn’t really anything special there, but that’s how most characters start out. From there, it was simply a matter of what kind of character could I make that’d be simple, yet able to have flexibilities and depth. I admit I didn’t completely finish her backstory until after the RP started, but I mentioned that before somewhat. In the end, she was intended to stand for a radical idea of hope and justice, simply because she had no idea what those were. She was eventually going to start doing daily “morale ups!” where she tried to force people into the gym to exercise while she said things like “You’re great!” or “Everything is A-OKAY!” in order to keep people’s hopes up. She was also going to patrol the halls in order to make sure no one was doing anything suspicious.

In order to achieve that, I had to make a character that was inexperienced and unsure of who or what she was. So, I made a character who was thrust into the front-line as the Red Heroine. Initially, Hikaru was “The Blue Heroine” and her dad was “The Red Hero.” They fought together, although her dad often made the decisions and did a lot of the fighting. Not too long before UDR (I forget how many exact years) her dad died when he went to fight a battle without Hikaru, and lost. He was found drifting down a river, completely burned to a crisp. Filled with a generic feeling of vengeance, Hikaru decided to pursue the criminals… To no avail. There was no traces of them anywhere, making vengeance impossible. Fast forward to UDR, and you have a leader who has lead no one.

Initially, she was filled with confidence, but that was before she truly grasped the situation, making her very cocky and talk down to others. Once she sees Monokuma, she has to hide in her suit to make her feel powerful. Often she has to consider how to deal with the whole despair situation, reacting in several different ways. To those who don’t know how her thinking works, she’s very erratic, but in reality; she’s just trying as many ways to see what works. Nothing she had done worked completely, so she was forced to try and adapt.

A fun thing is that, she couldn’t accept failure. She attributed Harmon and Heath’s death to her incompetence, and would eventually use this to convince herself she couldn’t win by trying to save everyone.

Overall, the idea of Hikaru was that she was sort of riding off the back of her Dad’s fame. She wasn’t a true “Ultimate.” She never was intended to be. She was strong and had brute force, but in the end she was just a super confused teenager who ended up entering the konami code into a bookshelf. Her lack of experience as a leader shows in the latest motive scene, where she says “she has no right to choose.” In a way, she’s right, but a true leader always has to make tough choices. Especially when you can see no alternatives. Eventually, she was planned to go and kill over this one moment, due to the fact that she’s a highly compulsive, yet indecisive character. She’d end up crying and regretting it heavily, but she’d have killed. Kind of an unwilling Herovillain.

If some of these seem a bit inconsistent, remember that a lot was developed after I decided that her disorganized character was a bit too much!
Spoiler : What have I learned? :
I learned that you should DEFINITELY think through a lot of what you’re about to do before actually doing it. Hikaru suffered from a lot of lolhikaru moments that I regret quite a bit. Even if I could justify them in a way, they impeded on others’ enjoyment of the RP, and it made me out as not taking things seriously enough. I enjoyed writing Hikaru overall, but lolhikaru was indeed a thing.
Spoiler : What I would have done differently :
I’m not actually sure besides “write a tad bit more consistently.”
Spoiler : Clicking moments! :
One of these moments was definitely when Hikaru said she didn’t have the right to choose. It highlights what makes her a terrible leader perfectly. She wasn’t ready, she wasn’t composed. Hikaru was basically everything that a leader shouldn’t be, hidden in the clothing of a leader. She had mostly just been copying how her dad used to act before then, but she ran into a problem she didn’t know about.
Spoiler : Killer :
Hikaru was intended to be a killer (or a victim.) She would eventually be pushed off the deep end by all the failures that she put to herself, and would eventually decide that it was impossible to do anything any other way. She’d probably kill one of the more despair-ridden students herself, or someone close to her. Eventually, she’d just end up crying once she was found out, somewhat like a stubborn child who was told they did something wrong. It would probably be gross looking. Grody!
Not even close to nearly everything I want to say, but I can post those later.
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by Sleuth »

Alright now that I have some time, I'll do a proper schpiel on Daisuke Shuto. Here we go.
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don't smoke kids. or you'll turn into daisuke. and that's awful.
Spoiler : The App That Began It All :
*Name: Daisuke Shuto
*SHSL Talent: Marksman

As this is a rather vague power, I'll expound upon them. Daisuke's talents are purely that: Talents. He has the incredible innate ability to target objects and hit them with pinpoint accuracy, with all manner of throwable object, be it balls, knives, darts, arrows, or bullets. He unconsciously adapts his body to whatever he's wielding to hit his target with pinpoint accuracy and speed. His eyesight is also extremely good, allowing him to pick off targets from far away, provided he has the proper tools (E.g. He can't hit a bird out of the sky with a speck of dust.) He's also extremely quick with his hands, able to throw multiple objects at once and throw several objects consecutively. There is a limit to his ability, of course. In order for him to perform, he must be in his "zone", where he blocks out all distractions and focuses entirely on using his ability. Otherwise his marksmanship is still good, but nowhere near Super High School Level. His ability is enhanced the deeper he concentrates and the more focused he is; but at the cost of his awareness and easy vulnerability, as well as his inability to throw accurately at all if distracted or taken by surprise. He's exceptionally good at trick shots, but the general rule is "if he can't see it, he can't hit it." And while he's very skilled at targeting, he can't exactly shoot a bullet out of mid-air or intercept a laser beam with a throwing knife.

*Age: 19
*Sex: Male
Birthday: June 25
Blood Type: Z
Weight: 135 lbs
Nationality: American (Of Japanese descent)

*Appearance:
Image

Daisuke is a tall, scrawny young man, with dark brown eyes and spiky black hair. He has long arms and legs, and an almost stretched-out body that make him seem quite foreboding. He's often slouching or leaning back, never quite standing at his full height, unless while competing or being serious. His skin is fair, but much of it is scarred and reddened; pulling back his sleeves reveals a myriad of wounds and healed over scabs, and there are plenty more all over his body. His clothing makes him appear larger than he actually is, and he often moves rather sluggishly when not in action. Atop his head are an old but still wearable set of goggles, bearing the brand name "Twin Tigers", and have a slight tint to them.
*Clothing: Daisuke typically wears a heavy overcoat with black fur lining around the sleeves and lapels. The coat is striped in repeating bands of dark turquiose and black, and closed by four belt buckles. Underneath this, he wears a plain white T-shirt, emblazoned with a cartoon rabbit head, a speck of blood drawn on it, and the brand name "Murder Bunny". He wears his aforementioned Twin Tiger goggles on his head at all times, and rarely ever removes them from his person. He wears tight black jeans and black boots underneath, and keeps everything important in his seemingly bottomless coat pockets.

*Personality: Daisuke Shuto is a brash, rude, and abrasive young man, who gets his kicks from getting a rise out of others. He is made of biting remarks and bitter sarcasm, though his wit could stand to be a bit sharper. He's the first to criticize and mock others when things go wrong, rather than try and actually fix anything. It's been thought by many a psychologist that his penchant for insults and violence works as a coping mechanism for stress, just before Daisuke promotly informed them that they "should find a coping mechanism for their broken jaws." He then proceeded to break their jaws. Daisuke is quick to anger and needless violence, though despite his violent streak, he's actually not an incredibly good fighter, which he is aware of. He lacks any kind of discipline or fortitude needed to study martial arts, and his control is next to none, making him highly volatile. He rarely thinks of the consequences of his actions for anyone other than himself, and figures that "normal" people all do the same. As such he's extremely self-centered and distrustful of others, especially those who've "had it easy".

Most of this is thought to stem from Daisuke's enormous inferiority complex (which broken-jawed psychologists can attest to) and his massive competitive drive. Daisuke has been known to do whatever it takes to win, within the rules of the game. He's never been known to outright cheat, but he will push himself as far as humanly possible to win at any cost, to himself, or thise around him. For example, while he won't go so far as to use cheat sheets on an exam, he will instead work his damnedest for days on end to prepare, and triple-check his answers to be sure. He does not take defeat well, by any means, and becomes horribly depressed and anguished by his own losses. He'll rarely blame his opponent, since they're supposed to try and beat him, after all, but focuses all his anger on himself, for days on end depending on the severity of his loss. Even losing something as simple as a coin flip is enough to send him into a self-destructive rage. The only thing he hates more than getting last place is second place-- The thought that he was so nearly close to victory and STILL lost drives him mad. It is suspected he might even welcome a Monobear execution were he to lose a class trial.

Daisuke ultimately cannot stand being looked down on, and hates being anything but the best. He sees everything in life as a competition, and feels the constant need to show off and prove his talent to himself. His skill as a marksman both enraptures him and disgusts him; because while he has an incredible natural talent that is peerless amongst his classmates, he also knows that his "Talent" is just that: a natural-born ability that he had no hand in building.

If anything, the closest Daisuke retains to a moral compass is his strict thoughts on cheating. He takes claims of cheating very seriously, and has a strong notion of balance and fair play. He himself despises cheaters, and will do everything in his power to punish them if he finds them out.

*Why This Character Wants to Join the Future Foundation: So he doesn't have to put up with all the "despair" outside. Rather than do anything productive, he figured he might as well kick it in the comfort of the FF for as long as he needs. Doesn't intend to really do much, except survive and focus on not being killed. It's much safer here, anyways. So much safer here. You'll be very safe. You'll be quite safe. Are you my mummy?

*Backstory: Daisuke Shuto was born on June 25, to the Shuto family in Someplace, Whatever State, America. He and his family were poor and he had a rather rocky relationship with his parents. As a child, he was very quiet and shy, living mostly in fear of his parents' constant arguments and violent outbursts. Their financial state did not help the situation, as the Shuto family was forced to move so often that Daisuke barely remembers which was his home town. He was frequently bullied as a child, and teased for being short, scrawny, and dumb. These became the scars that dug the deepest for him, and he'd never quite get over the impact those words left on him.

He first discovered his talent while walking home from school one day in the 3rd grade. A group of bullies across the street started pelting him with rocks, causing him to hide. Suddenly angry, he started picking the rocks back up and hurling them back, nailing each of his aggressors easily. He found that no matter what he threw, he could figure out just how to make it go fast, far, and to the mark. Though he didn't think much of it at the time, he began embracing his talent as a way to stand up for himself and keep himself entertained.

It wasn't long before his talent started earning him attention. He began throwing pencils, cards, chalk, boomerangs-- all with incredible accuracy, much to his classmates' delight. Of course, Daisuke's parents quickly got word of this, and decided to capitalize on this newfound power. They drove Daisuke down to a seedy old bar, where darts was a common game. Daisuke's father made bets on his boy, who won them each time. He even bought the boy a pair of "lucky goggles" for his win. Suddenly, everyone loved Daisuke, and he was happy-- so long as he kept winning.

Then, one day, as he was completing a winning streak, a group of men entered the bar, asking to see Daisuke's talent. They bet good money against him and, naturally, they lost. The men declared Daisuke had cheated, and, taking up arms, demanded all of the Shuto Family's winnings. With no way to fight back, the Shutos were once again bankrupt, and Daisuke went back to being loathed and ignored by his parents. He began to realize that if he wasn't strong enough or good enough, he would always be hurt and ostracised, and thus made himself a promise to be the best at everything he did.

His competitive nature only grew as time went on. Winning almost became the same as surviving; he fought for first prize the same way a starving animal fights to kill its prey. This attitude ended up leaving a wake of pain in his path; injured competitors, destroyed equipment, shattered egos; Daisuke's drive led him to run down anyone in his path, and driving away anyone who might have been able to help.

Then the Tragedy occured; the Most Despair-Inducing Event in the History of Mankind. The Shuto family was instantly swept up in the chaos; not that it mattered much to Daisuke. He found his parents dead, buried in wreckage as the riots went on. He decided that life out in the open was far too dangerous. He was in no mood to die, so he sought out the Future Foundation, pushing his Talent to the limit in an effort to be saved. All he seeks now is asylum from the madness. Even if that asylum takes him down into the pits of hell...

Any other miscellaneous information:
• Daisuke's jacket is outfitted with countless miniature pockets for his throwable tools, such as knives, darts, cards, or needles. He has these ready-sewn into his jacket for easy and instant access.
• Because of his rather self-destructive nature, Daisuke's body is more or less covered in various scars, including knife wounds, bruises, burn marks, and stitches yet to be removed. Some were self-inflicted, others were not, and he claims to not know which are which. He's broken several bones as well, and as such, isn't too keen on letting people see him without bulky clothes on.
• Despite his violent streak, Daisuke has never actually killed anyone before. The closest he's ever come was when a fellow student attempted suicide because he beat his score on a test. Though he'd never admit it, the incident severely shook him, and he's still stone cold terrified of death. However, when irrational or enraged, such humanity goes straight out the window. Oh, Daisuke. What a charmer.
• Daisuke's goggles are his most cherished posession, and without them, it's entirely impossible for him to focus on his marksmanship. He technically could still use his skill without them, but they're such a powerful security blanket for him that it would take a good deal of time to recover if they were ever lost. They were a gift from his father and are the only thing his parents ever bought for him.
• Daisuke is a smoker and frequently smokes cigarettes, and has at least one pack on him at any given time, along with a lighter. As of yet, his nipples have not fallen off.
Spoiler : Why'd You Even Do This? You Were In Both Other DRRPs! :
I'm not really sure what bizarre twist of fate left me in all three DRRPs when I clearly was awful in them. But I am glad that for whatever reason I got put in, because Daisuke's performance has sorta made up for the travesty that was Sylvie Silverwing in DRRP. (Though now i gotta make up for Kagami Mutsuho. gdi.)

As for why I entered... I think it was mostly that Daisuke felt like a character I wanted to revisit and do properly, and finally get it right. I guess to an extent I succeeded. So... yay.

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so THIS is what success looks like.
Spoiler : So Where Did He Come From? :
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i hate embarrassing photos.

I forget the exact details of how I came up with Daisuke, but he started off as a pretty flat, antagonistic jerk character who was meant to be a cocky, ambitious first killer with a strong competitive nature that he couldn't really back up with his actual skills. His talent as a "marksman" was sorta indicated by his last name, "Shuto", which is basically just "shoot" in a Japanese pronunciation.

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pictured here with a character that would have been much more interesting to write. actually, nah I'd just have had her sit in her room and never talk to anyone.

Back then he had little depth beyond "antagonistic competitive jerk". He didn't even have his trademark smoking addiction yet. Most of that came about as I fleshed him out more, turning him into a lot more of a "miserable" character who didn't really know what to do with his life. I guess that mostly came from my tendency to make all my characters constantly miserable or downtrodden as my way of empathizing with them, though this tends to more often than not be a bit overdoing it. My ideas to keep Daisuke more relatable were to play up his more tragic or human aspects, such as his constant fallibility, hubris, self-worth and insecurities, and addiction problems. Daisuke himself is really not a character that's all that glorified, and a lot of my writing revolves around how pathetic he is most of the time. He wants to be a tough guy who's 3EDGY5ME and is an uber badass at everything, but in reality is just a jerkish anti-social guy with ambition but little actual confidence .

Daisuke, at his core, was always a character clinging deeply to his pride to try and give him a sense of self-worth; inside he was a really broken, scared, and downtrodden person looking to try and grasp some satisfaction out of life. His fear of death came less from actually fearing that his life would end, but more the fact that if he died, THIS would be all he'd accomplished. He would die alone and unfulfilled and that was why he kept living in spite of the awfulness of the world around him. He claimed not to believe in hope, but he probably had quite a bit, and really deep-down wanted things to get better somehow, even if he had no idea when or how that would happen. He wanted respect and validation (and ultimately love) from the people around him, and had been misguided from an early age to think that his talents and performances were the way to get it. This led him to setting up unrealistic expectations and goals for himself, which he'd then hate himself for not reaching, putting him into an endless spiral that made him the jovial fellow he wound up being.

So I guess the element that makes Daisuke himself is "weakness". I upped his weakness and vulnerability a lot from his original self, and wanted to increase his bravado and misguided attempts to get validation from others. These sort of things mostly came from myself in a way. Not that I'm saying Daisuke is my self-insert or anything but I pulled from what I (mostly) knew of myself in an attempt to give Daisuke more of a "soul". I think, all things considered, it worked much better than Sylvie or Kagami ever did. Those two were such utter messes that even when I did try to inject a bit of soul or heart into them it mostly just disintegrated and came back out as stupid. Sylvie has sort of come out slightly better as I've been reworking her over time, but Kagami... not so much. I guess the current Daisuke you were reading has mostly come from drawing on my own flaws and inadequacies of which there is no shortage whatsoever.

....as for "where he came from" he was 1st killer in Unnamed DR Fanfic. That's it.
Spoiler : So What Did You Regret? :
I think a lot of my disatisfaction with all three of my DRRP characters is that they all (for one reason or another) never got into a lot of interaction with the other characters. (If Daisuke wasn't winding up on 'Dislike' on a good number of those surveys I wasn't doing my job right) His entire character is basically kinda tragic in that he's a jerk, but a very sympathetic one who MIGHT be able to have used his talent for good, but got crushed by his own ambition and inner demons as well as just plain bad luck.

As I mentioned before I regret playing to "softball" with Daisuke. I think I upped the "tragedy" to a point where it wasn't really him being a "tragic jerk" so much as a "tragic guy with a bad attitude and manners". I feel like it kinda undermines the "realism" of the character when I don't go all the way with things, and Daisuke's general anti-socialness led to a lot of wasted time and missed opportunities. I did enjoy the interaction between Daisuke and Min Ri, since she's probably one of the people Daisuke would most respect and want to befriend, but IIRC that stopped being a thing since I took an AAO hiatus around that point.

I also regret my hesitation on Daisuke's willingness to kill. IC he's still extremely horrified of killing even though he tries to make no big deal about it and is still terrified of death himself. IC it makes sense for him to not want to kill, but for the sake of moving things along I probably would have had it come down to it eventually. Though my reasons for not being a killer in either DRRP were a mix of not making sense IC (which also kinda stemmed from the not-interacting thing) and my own troubles with thinking up a mystery that would be interesting for more than about 2 seconds.

Lastly, I do sorta regret the overtly DARK DOOM AND GLOOM stuff I did with Daisuke. His story involves a lot of real world issues and things that I'm not entirely sure I handled with the utmost competency, such as addiction, parental abuse, trauma... I was fairly certain I could tackle the self-loathing and insecure bits, but sometimes I feel like I went overboard on the DARK themes to places where I couldn't really stack up. I'd like to re approach those angles when I'm older and hopefully wiser.

I feel like Daisuke could have gone in two ways-- Been destroyed by his spiral of despair and ultimately taken his jerkiness to the extreme to try and prove himself, or been hoisted out by his true comrades and bring himself to survive and live on, or at least be killed with some semi-satisfaction in his life. As a killer, he probably would have gone after Kyouji, since his personality is basically the exact opposite of everything Daisuke is.

So yeah. If I were to do it again, i would:
A) Be more of a jerk
B) Kill people

Image is too big, but this is roughly what that would have looked like.

yes i am the best writer. why don't more people be like me.
Spoiler : Hey Daisuke, Nice Jacket :
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yes. yes it is.

Daisuke is probably one of my better-designed characters, in that I put about 2 seconds of thought and foresight into it beyond "durr looks cool". As you can see in the earlier art I did of him above, Daisuke's jacket wasn't initially striped. I added them later on because it felt too bare. He also became a smoker, which referenced his own addictive, downward spiral that he continued to feed into himself. I guess you could say that the smoke is a visual representation of Daisuke's inner demons and helplessness to his own mind. You could also say that it's there to give me an excuse to draw spooky demon smoke for SYMBOLISM.

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are you sure these are cigarettes I'm smoking here

I'd basically decided on giving Daisuke a look that mixed his ideal self and actual self. He sported COOL GOGGLES and a STYLISH JACKET over an emaciated, wire-thin body and a scarred, thin face. He smoked COOL CIGARETTES while constantly hacking out a lung as a result. He uses SWEET THROWING KNIVES and yet lacks any kind of actual fighting ability to make good use of them. In some ways, I suppose, he wound up being kind of a deconstructed Generic Shonen Protagonist, as he'd probably look like one of them if he bothered to clean up.

Other than that, the other notable things about Daisuke's design are mostly explained in his app. The signifigance of his design is probably why I like it so much; instead of just rule of cool, most of his accessories have some kind of meaning to them, making him more than just a walking fashion disaster.
Spoiler : What Happened On The Fly? :
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come with me if you want to *hack* *cough* *wheeze*

A LOT of Daisuke things happened on the fly-- Namely, his backstory. Throughout the GM tags, as Ami and Kwand can attest, there are several snippets of Daisuke's past that I essentially came up with as I went, ranging from scenes of his life before the Tragedy to him wandering the post-apocalyptic world. These kinda came out of my desire to flesh out Daisuke more and more and explore the experiences that made him who he is. I've unfortunately lost track of them, but let me just put the best one.
500,000,000 years ago...

Daisnail slowly crawled out of the primordial ooze, his lungs burning from all the twigarettes he'd been smoking. As his muscly snail body slowly reached the soft, mushy soil, he let out a huge wheeze, and quickly picked up another pack of twigarettes to smoke down.

"Yo, Daisnail!" A nearby voice said-- It was his good friend, Sylvie Snailverwing. She quickly squished along until she caught up with Daisnail, which took about 4 hours because they were both goddamn snails.

"Hello Daisnail-san!" Snailverwing said cheerily, "Have you been smoking again?"

"Piss off."

"You know it's bad for you, Daisnail-san!" Snailverwing chided, "What would your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson THINK of you if he knew you were a smoker?"

"I dunno." Daisnail-san-sama-sempai said, blowing out a cloud of smoke.

"It seems like you have several suppressed mental issues that, if not checked, will only fester and thrive and consume you in your later years!" Snailverwing went on, "If you do not learn to overcome your shortcomings and the tragedies of your circumstances, you may very well become no better than the monsters you fear."

"That's great," Daisnail said, the last of his twigarette crumbling away.

"Daisnail-san, has your own paranoia and distrust even prevented you from establishing meaningful and healing relationships? I had no idea you were so far gone!" Snailverwing put a hand to her head dramatically. "Oh, poor Daisnail-san... I can only wish you the best, and hope that your self-destructive nature does not pass down through the millennia. Goodbye, Daisnail-san. I have my own destiny to meet-- To invent a highly flawed legal system to base a dramatic video game series on."

With that, Sylvie Snailverwing left, and would go on to establish the Three-Day Court System that would be used for eons to come.

Daisnail was stepped on by a Brachiosaurus and then died three days later of lung cancer, but not before cursing all his kin to bear the genetic pain of his failure.
yup. that was a thing i wrote. Ok but on another note this is probably more what I actually did:
The bell jingled and hinges screeched as the battered old door once more swung open into the old, empty bar. A lone, old bartender sat behind the counter, mindlessly polishing a single glass, as the tall, lanky kid standing in the doorway slowly hoofed his way over to the seat, and muttered three simple words before slumping down.

"...A pint, please."

The bartender's hand stopped as he polished the glass before him, his bushy white eyebrow raising at the voice entering his ears. The voice's owner was clearly young-- A teen boy by the sound of it. But the tone was old, and held a heavy rasp to it-- So the bartender wasn't quite sure what to make of the young-yet-old man sitting before him, his forehead pressed to the counter and his entire body simply laying limp on the seat.

"...How old are ya, kid?" The bartender asked, already knowing what the reply would be.

"Old enough," Mumbled back the kid, motioning with his hand, "...Do you have Old Jeager?"

"Got any I.D.?" The bartender went on, not looking up from his glass-- He knew the answer to this one, too.

"...What the hell does that matter anymore?" The boy demanded, groaning, "...Look, just give me a damn drink. I'll give you money, on the off-chance it's still good anymore."

"Cash is trash," The bartender replied, placing his glass down with a 'thunk'. "But if ya got some of the... you know..."

The boy let out a heavy sigh-- Before the bartender knew it, the boy had placed a handful of small, white orbs wrapped in delightful clear cellophane. The bartender's eyes widened at the sight-- He'd had so many of them, and yet...?

"...Just give me as much as this'll get me," The boy rasped, his hand still placed over the candies warily.

"Big spender," The bartender replied, slowly reaching for the bottle of Old Jeager under the bar, "...How'd you get ahold of all them Rays?"

The boy scoffed. "Saved 'em. Rays of Hope mean nothing to me."

"You..." The bartender's eyebrow arched, and his other hand began to inch towards the revolver positioned right next to said bottle. "...You ain't got any taste for Hope?"

"...I'm not with 'them', if that's what you're asking," The boy replied quickly, his eyes flashing briefly, "...Are you gonna take 'em or not?"

The bartender plunked the bottle onto the counter, and the young man quickly slid over the candies. The bartender put up an admirable show of restraint, examining each one with wide, childlike eyes, before slowly, gently unwrapping one, and stuffing the rest into his trousers. As if about to dig into a sirloin steak, the bartender's jaws opened slowly, tentatively, before the little candy pearl dropped into his maw, and was chewed slowly, savory, and swallowed. Shivers of delight rolled through the old man, and despite all his control and restraint, the grin that washed over his face could not be hidden. The boy did not bother to watch-- He gave the old man one look of scorn and derision, before quickly pouring himself a glass of the Old Jeager.

"...You know, son," The bartender said, glancing at a long-forgotten calender stuck up on the wall, "Today would've been a special day, few years back. If things hadn't gone wrong, you know... I'd be celebratin' today... Me and my family."

A soft grunt was all that was offered in response, followed by a silent sip of the drink.

"...A lot of folks don't bother to remember these days-- Hell, most don't even remember WHAT day it is, usually. But... It was days like that what gave us hope. Days like today would've been. For me an' my kids..."

"I know what day it is," The boy replied softly, downing the last of his drink.

"...That right?" The bartender replied, his eyes once more arching with intrigue. "I'm impressed, boy. That why you came here?"

"...You could say that."

"...Well then, from one torn up ol' fogey to another..." The bartender said, tipping his hat to the young man with a smile, "Happy Father's Day, son."

Daisuke glanced at the bottle, the all-too familiar words "Old Jeager" staring right back at him. The bottles had felt so large, long ago. He remembered when his pudgy little hands could barely hold more than two. When he closed his eyes, he could practically hear it now: "Fetch me the Jeager, son."

"...Happy Father's Day." Daisuke muttered back with a nod. He took another long sip of the cold, bitter alcohol, then turned and left without another word.
A lot of Daisuke's added quirks were also sorta improvs from his original incarnation. As for things that I added in the app itself:
- Daisuke's ironic Japanese hatred. This was a detail that might have been a bit hard to miss, but Daisuke's pretty American for a full-blooded Japanese guy. This is due to the fact that his parents weren't too traditional and he grew up in America, so by the time he found out anime was a thing he was basically just irritated by the whole thing, and by most of Japanese culture. I added this mostly because I felt it would be amusing to have a character that just didn't care for anime in one of THE most anime environments ever. (hipster sleuth gooo)
- His hatred of cheaters and obsessive "fair play" weren't parts of his character either, but I feel they help give him a bit of honor to his personality. Competitions are really the only place Daisuke gets to shine.
- Daisuke's goggles didn't initially have any kind of specific meaning. I felt it would be better to give them a function and emotion to them that would make them more than just shiny head decoration.
- Daisuke's harsh past also wasn't an initial part of his character, though it was likely there in some capacity. I feel like the original Daisuke probably had a much cushier life and rode his talent a lot more.
Spoiler : Is It Over Yet :
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totally won this fight

Well that's about all I have to say about Daisuke in this RP. I think this was by far the best run I had in any of the DRRP games and I enjoyed it a lot. I really wish we could have done more, but I'm happy with the things I did do. Daisuke will very likely be showing up more in my future stories and the like, and he's become one of those characters that I really enjoy writing. I'm sure he's off competing with Isis to see whose life I ruined more.

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totally won this fight too

Thanks for reading all of my nonsense, and thank you to the GMs and all my fellow players. The story may not have finished, but it was a blast anyways.

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See you around, space cowboy.
Final Bonus: Daisuke Shuto's Evidence Knives from Case 1.
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enigma
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by enigma »

Alright, now it's my time to play my hand.
Spoiler : Applied Higamatics: The App :
Name: Higami Omocida (Eng. Order)
SHSL Talent: SHSL Conspiracy Theorist
Age: 18
Sex: Male
Nationality: Japanese

Appearance: Higami is short with a very round face, but frail/scrawny figure. He has ridiculously large and round eyes, quite cutesy almost. Similar to the eyes of chibi characters. Those eyes are a reddish-brown, with more of an emphasis on red. He also has square framed glasses on his nose. His hair is messy and brown, but has been (unsuccessfully) swept back to keep it out of his eyes. Basically, he looks super adorable and bishie.
Clothing: A black business suit, with a tissue sticking out of one of his pockets. However, it's rather crumpled and open. On the back of his suit is the emblem of a bloody handprint. In lieu of a typical tie, he wears a red bow tie. For a shirt, he wears a buttoned up white shirt. On the shirt, is a checkerboard pattern on the collar.

Personality: Higami is driven by trust. No not trust towards him. Don't be dumb. That's silly. No... For his "friends" to trust eachother. And, sadly, that mentality is also combined with the idea of a "common enemy". That's right! Higami aims to constantly play the part of the villain to direct all the wrath of his friends towards him, so that they will never fight or suspect eachother. How deep does this role go? Enough that he's willing to assist any killer at all! AT ALL! However, inside, he wishes others would protect him and trust him... But he's also slightly egocentric in that he feels he's a martyr sacrficing himself and protecting everyone by being the bad guy. You could call him a delusional and obsessed "anti-hero" of sorts.

On top of that, he's already aware that he is consumed by a sort of paranoia. He doesn't believe anyone trusts or believes him or cares about him and that there's always some kind of unseen mastermind pulling the strings behind everything.

Why This Character Wants to Join the Future Foundation: Actually, he joined the FF because he DOESN'T want to rebuild the world! SHSL Despair is perfect for the world! A common enemy for them all to fight again with a common goal of rebuilding the world. So, he wants to subtly hold back the progress of the FF as much as he can from the inside. To keep the world locked in a constant equilibrium of fighting between good and evil. To give the world a constant, frozen, trust.


Backstory:

The most important day of Higami's life was the day the Most Despairing Incident in the History of Mankind happened. Though, to get the full scope we have to look back further. Back when he was a very, very young child. Higami was born with an unknown, or at least undiagnosed, mental condition which results in the paranoia indicated above. As a young child, this isolated him from other children and left him unable to connect with people. Since his parents were rarely ever home, this left him wtih only the internet to turn to and interact with. It is among these forums and sites that he discovered all the conspiracy theories of the net. He was enthralled. He KNEW that there was someone behind these occurrences. He KNEW things were being hidden from him. Of course, he was rather skeptical at the same time. This manifested itself in tireless research aiming to prove or disprove these stories of secrets and cover ups. Eventually he became well known on the net as a conspiracy theorist, denying or strengthening conspiracies from around the world. Though, most notable was his theory on Hopes Peak. More specifically, the post which predicted the events that would later occur (though, not in THAT much detail.)

The Most Despairing Incident was a big turning point for him. He saw how people turned against eachother, he saw the distrust. And, it seemed, that he was right all along. Deepening his paranoia and feelings about people. But, at the same time, he was sad. He could never trust people, no matter how badly he wanted to. And now... no-one could trust eachother.

Then the second turning point occured. The broadcasting of the School Life of Mutual Killing. More specifically, its finale. The trust that was shown between Naegi and his friends. It shone. It was something that Higami wanted... No! Needed! That kind of trust between people! But...yet, he knew that it would never be his. He was obsessed with it, but he was also aware it was not meant for him. That's when he decided he would do whatever it would take to ensure that those who could partake of it would! That he'd be the messenger for trust amongst friends.

Skip ahead to the Future Foundation and the rebuilding of the world. How everyone was teaming up together to stop SHSL Despair. That was it. Teaming together to fight a common enemy. THAT was how... you kept trust between the people.
Spoiler : The Start of Darkness: Designing Higami :
How did I come up with Higami Omocida? After all, as some of you know, I originally apped with a radically different character who was promptly rejected. Disheartened, I didn't intend on creating another character and apping again. I was done, as far as I knew. And then I had a conversation with Spd about DRRP1 and SDR2. And it got me thinking.

"What sort of character would be a good subversion of the characters of DRRP1?

In my humble opinion, the final deadlock of DRRP1 was we were left with a bunch of characters who all trusted eachother, were friends and would never kill. And the psycho's who'd gone way off the deep end. Higami was more meant as a bit of a tribute/take that at the former (note I say "take that" but Higami was never meant to offend with his existence). As a result, I wanted to create a character who fit the "trusting" and "friendship" criteria, but would be easy enough to make kill. To that end, Higami's character was inspired by the characters of Michio and Ryuuma, mainly, but with elements of other characters from the first RP. On top of that, I took ideas from the generic "friendship"-type protagonists, such as Naegi.

I admit, I took some superficial elements from Michio and Ryuuma (conspiracy theorist in comparison to paranormal investigator, being the most obvious one) when designing Higami but I found it most important that he be his own character. He couldn't just be a "Dark" version of the characters that inspired him. He had to be unique, in his own right.

Speaking of inspiration and being unique. Komaeda. I figure people saw quite a bit of him in Higami. But, here's the thing, while I looked at Komaeda as an example of a "twisted protag" character, he's radically different from my approach to this. Higami shouldn't be a horrific psychopath like Komaeda, who only cares about his obsession and not other people. Komaeda says he cares about all the other students but his way of thinking is alien and... pretty damn evil. Believe it or not, I designed Higami with the intent that he be empathetic to a degree. He's crazy, I suppose, but he's not an axe crazy monster. He's insecure and not entirely honest with himself, but he gets that people get hurt and suffer. He just has it's value set to a weird place.

Now, let me talk about his actual design. The checkerboard pattern on his collar was intended to make him suspicious-looking, but also to show he has different sides to him that we see. "Good" and "Evil". The fact that he was supposed to be "bishie" or "adorable" (as noted in the app) was mainly just because, frankly, I figured people would sympathize with him more or just figure he's a good guy based on that. Now, with the bloody handprint design, none of you saw that since you only had the sprite. That was... sorta-intentional. The main idea was that he seemed like a normal guy on the outside (hence his simplistic design) but there was a whole cauldron full of... issues bubbling beneath the surface.
Spoiler : Higami the Killer: What was the deal with Higami and the murder? :
And here we go. Higami's role as an accomplice. You may be wondering what was going on there. Well, put simply, Higami had set up a win-win situation for himself. To understand this, you need to know how Higami sees himself.

Higami, despite not being for the FF, does NOT agree or like Monokuma. After all, how could he feel anything but hostility towards a bear that causes so much distrust. Similarly, Higami had very... mixed feelings on Heath. He liked Heath and trusted him, but at the same time Heath was hurting people and was supporting the bear.

For this, Higami saw only two ways of the trial playing out:

1. Higami gets caught and is executed. Everyone kills him trusting eachother, and dies believing in eachother. To Higami, this is a fate far greater than having to distrust and hate eachother and then finally dying as friends turn against eachother and murders tear the group apart. It's better to die on your feet, than to live on your knees, as they say. Furthermore, this would serve as a rebellion against Monokuma. No students means no death game, and how anticlimactic would that be to happen in the first round. Furthermore, if everyone dies before falling into despair than Monokuma would have lost.

2. Higami's ruse is exposed and Heath is executed. In this scenario, a true member of despair (someone not deserving of trust) is executed. But, even more importantly, Higami will be hated by the rest of the group for his actions in the murder. That's precisely what he wanted. You see, then Higami could pretend to be a major villain. Pretend to be the mastermind, even! (This was something I'd been planning since the moment I apped.) He'd pretend to be evil and become the common enemy. No-one would fight or distrust in eachother, because they all would be united against him. They'd have a clear target, and so wouldn't breakdown.

You see the common theme in both scenarios, right? Higami sees himself as something of a martyr. Sacrificing himself for the greater good. In one, he dies so that everyone else will be spared despair and distrust and Monokuma will "lose". In the other, he sacrifices his chances at friendship or trust and all relationships he had to become a monster so everyone will band together and fight as one trust filled unit. In his mind, he was "saving" everyone in a way.

This was also why he spared Kyouji, and tried to kill Calliope instead. He'd convinced himself anyone would be willing to die to save their friends and create that strong trust. After all, they WERE all members of the FF against despair. But, at the same time, he couldn't bear to kill one of his only friends he's ever had. Someone like Higami doesn't make many, or any, friends, really. He'd want Kyouji to be there to feel the trust at the very end. Meanwhile, Calliope dying made the most sense to him since he fully believed in the argument he had made before.

Note that, despite all this, Higami still regretted killing Harmon but sees it as a necessary action.
Spoiler : Whatever Happened to the SHSL Conspiracy Theorist?: Plans for the Future :
I went into the RP with the intent of being killed, preferably in the second chapter. Ideally, it would be a lynch murder where people banded together to kill him. Even more ideally, I (and also Higami) would have hoped that Kyouji and Jackie were the ringleaders or at least majorly involved. Of course, the plan was that when Higami died he would have planned that he remained the "master villain" after death with everyone now being assured that evil has been defeated and punished. However, this isn't how I imagined it would have worked out. My final action in the RP, was to compose and hide a coded letter for Jackie and Kyouji (with instructions on how to find it and to translate the coded message left as riddles in notes at their doorways) which explained what Higami really felt and his wishes that he remain the villain after death. I figured this would be revealed to the court during the trial for Higami's murder, shedding new light on everything he'd done. This was based on how a certain reveal after death in the original DR game changed a characters character completely, just done in a way I felt worked worked better (note that I do not have a high opinion on the source I based this on.) In the end, Higami was meant to be a character both capable of being seen as sympathetic or as a crazy monster. It's up to you, really.

The following is the un-encoded letter Higami left:
Higami wrote:I'm going to start this story from the beginning. The truth is, for all my talk of trust, I never could trust anyone. Ever since I was a child I had some form of inherent paranoia. But I forced myself to try and trust. I knew I should trust, that I had to trust. But it was like a glass wall which I couldn't get past. So instead, I knew, if I couldn't trust... I would help others learn to trust eachother. It would be my goal in life. It would be the only thing I could believe in. The only thing I could trust anyone, the only thing I could trust myself to do. Some might say I became obsessed but... I don't care. To trust is the most beautiful thing in the world. To feel trust... I imagine it would be the most beautiful feeling. I wanted to see it. That moment of pure true trust between people. When they truly believe in eachother. But, I had a question. How? How can you get so many people to unite? And to trust eachother?

Sometimes we learn things from the most unlikely places. It was the despair, Monokuma, that showed me the way. In the wake of despair, where people only saw sadness, I saw potential. All these people, believing in eachother and trusting eachother, so that they could fight back against despair.Joining together in pure trust, against a common enemy. And that's... That's what I wanted. I wanted the world to stay like this forever. That's why I joined the Future Foundation. I'm sorry. I wanted to keep the battle at a constant stalemate. Jackie-san, you're probably chatising me for being such a selfish bastard. I know. It was selfish. I'm sorry.


In any case, I learned what mattered. A common enemy is the greatest way to bind people together. And that common enemy... is me. I'll be that common enemy. I'll be the devil, so that you may all ascend to become angels. I can't trust, so that's okay. Since I can't join you all, then I will be that stepping stone to let you reach that trust. I'll be happy just to bathe in it's light. I'll be happy, just seeing everyone else happy. So, for that, before I continue this story... I have a favour. Kyouji-san, Jackie-san... If you're reading this, I'm dead. In that case, I only have one request. One thing to ask you, truthfully and honestly. If you truly trust me, and if you truly care for me, you will respect my one wish that I trust you to complete.

Let me be the mastermind. Even in death, continue this charade. Make me out to be a villain so that you all have something to fight against. Drag my name through shit and mud, so that the trust I have worked so hard to make never dies. And, furthermore, I want you to trust in the rest of the students. I want you to believe in them. To trust that whatever decision they made, they believed was good and right and just. Please. This is my only wish.

Kyouji-san. I do not regret the murder I helped commit. Though, in the trial you only recieved half the truth. There was a reason I sent that note to Calliope-san. Actually, the thing is, I didn't lie in it. I wanted to save a friend! I wanted to save you. I couldn't let Heath-san kill you, as was his original plan. So I took it upon myself to choose a sacrifice for the sake of trust. And Calliope-san seemed like the easiest victim.

I'm sorry.

But, in the end, the trial went well. Actually, it could have only gone well. See, it was a sort of checkmate for me. If I was found guilty and was executed, I'd have died happy. The last thing I would have seen was the most beautiful trust of everyone truly trusting eachother, as they got rid of me. Secondly, it would have beaten Monokuma's game. If everyone died trusting eachother, if the game was over, then this wouldn't go on any longer. No-one would truly fall into despair. Not you, not Jackie... Not even Katsuro-san. I believe you could call it a mercy killing. In any case, it would have defeated the bear. I would have liked that. Everyone dying happy, with only the one who refused to trust leaving.

But if Heath was convicted, which is what happened, that was fine too. A member of despair, someone who rejects trust, would be executed. And, more importantly, I could play the role of the psychopathic accomplice and the mastermind. You would have an enemy to fight. And I could foster that trust among you. And if I was killed... There would be joy and victory. You could feel like the mastermind was defeated, and had no reason left to fear or distrust. That would have been nice, wouldn't it? I would like that very much.

In any case, I didn't kill you because I wanted you to be alive to see that true trust. It was a selfish whim but... I couldn't help it.

I want to be hated and reviled. I want to be the villain. And I want you all to hate me. So that even Monokuso will be defeated by trust. So that trust will fill and overwhelm the world.

Even though, in the end, I was never much use. And I was never truly able to trust.

I apologize for what a burden I'm putting on you. I apologize for never learning to trust you both. I apologize for everything I put you both through. And I apologize for the pain you must have felt.

I'm sorry.

Sorry.

Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

...Never give into despair. Jackie-san, Kyouji-san... I love you both.

Trust in me.

Your friend, Higami.
Spoiler : We Don't Need These Feelings: Higami and his Relationships :
Well, let's start off by saying that Higami doesn't feel romantic love. Why? Because he doesn't even believe he can. Whether he's asexual or something else entirely is another debate I don't care for so I'm leaving that be.

Now, then. Higami liked and cared about all the other students. He considered them all precious friends, of a sort. As such, he forced himself to trust them (sort of.) Even though his brain said "NO NOPE NO-ONE CAN BE TRUSTED" or, at the very least, he was telling himself his trust wasn't genuine subconsciously.

However, he particularly felt fondly for Jackie and Kyouji. Again, because they were his only friends. Heath, too, he was fond of before he found out that Heath was EVIL. At which point, he cared for and liked Heath but felt... slightly bad about it. But not enough for him not to go along with Heath's murder plan!

Not much left to say here. Higami'd tick every box on the like/dislike sirvey as "like", anyway.
Spoiler : Supplementary Materials for Conspiracy :
Bonus Higami stuff I wrote up on request:
A Short Bad End Story wrote:
Trust
So this is the end.

Have you ever heard of the eye of a tornado? The tranquil center within a violent, raging storm. If that was to be personified, to take form, it would be Higami in this moment. Thrown about like a rag doll and spun around as if he was on the most extreme of Disneyland Teacup rides, surrounded by the jeering and angry forms of his fellow students. The UFO he was tied to, bumped across the road once more. The FBI, all Monokuma dressed in black suits, continued their pursuit in black vans. It was an overly elaborate setup for the simple execution of a rather frail boy. But, well, Monobear was nothing if not dedicated to the convoluted. And, well, truth be told... It was quite a spectacle. And yet, in the midst of this, Higami remained calm.
---
"So, you finally confess! It was as I clearly suspected from the start."

Katsuro gloated as Higami finished his confession.

Is that so? I'm glad. I trusted that someone here would play that part, and I'm glad to see you were that cog in this large machine. And now, it's time to pull the lever and let trust be made!

Higami broke into a wide, almost shark-like grin.

"Well, I guess that even the stupidest of us would hit the nail on the head once in awhile. I mean, if you give 1000 typewriters to a monkey... It'll eventually turn into Shakespeare, right?"

It was a bad habit of Higami's to attempt to use English idioms, usually to...less than perfect results.

"BASTARD!" Jackie interjected. "How can you be so goddamn selfish! To murder another classmate like that! And then yer lied straight to my face! And fer what?! Fer this trust bull?!"

She's pissed. Though, I guess that's fair.

Higami sighed and tilted his head back, so that his upper face was shrouded in shadow. It's easy to fake a psychopathic smile, it's much harder to fake that certain... homicidal glint in your eyes. Especially when they were wet with almost blooming tears.

"Hahahaha~!" Higami began with a laugh. That's what the villain is supposed to do when he's finally caught in the act.

"That's right! You and Kyouji-san were...so gullible! So easy to fool."

Higami paused to steel himself, and proceeded to practically repeat what he had just said. Redundant. But it was a typical unconcious tic of liars.

"From the start, you've been playthings for me! I can't believe you actually ended up trusting me! What are you? Stupid?"

...Forgive me, Jackie-san. Kyouji-san. But, trust me. This is the best way to end this damn game. We all die, with trust in our hearts. Truly believing in eachother. Don't you want to see that? That beautiful moment when we all truly believe in one another?

Yes. This was all for that single moment, when everything perfectly comes together.

"Higami! You're still a good person! I know you are! I can sense it!"

A familiar cheery voice rang out.

No, Kyouji-san! Don't say shit like that! People might actually believe it!


"You were just tricked by Monobear! But don't worry! I still believe in you underneath!"

This trial's over! Stop it!

"...And if anyone's going to be executed for this crime it should be me!"




"USO DA!"

Higami's scream erupted through the 'court room'.

"Hahahaha! Kyouji-san, you idiot! This is too funny! I killed Harmon because Calliope really pissed me off! That's all there is to it! So hurry up and let me get killed!"

I'm begging you. Just stop and let this come to a close.
---
*Bam*

The UFO bounced against the ground once more, sending vibrations through Higami's body. It seems the FBI Monobear's (the monobears in black?) had managed to shoot down the UFO. It bounced across the ground repeatedly, like a stone being skipped, before turning on it's side and rolling along the ground. As the world went upside down and back right up again, Higami almost threw up. But behind his closed eyes, and on his face, he wore a calm, happy smile.
---
"Upupu~ Looks like you bastards have finished voting."

Monokuma laughed, as the final results were cast.

"And, all but one of you voted Higami Omocida. Well, I guess that's not surprising considering that psycho rant just now."

As expected, the group of students began their admonishment.

"You've gone too far!"

"Harmon was a good man!"

"YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU!"

And so forth, and so forth.

So, this is what an overwhelming trust looks like. It's not obvious, but this is the most beautiful thing I've ever witnessed. I'm glad this will be my final memory.

"Alright, then! Let's get on to the fun part! It's execution time~!"
---
Higami cracked open an eye and looked at the scene before him; what he had worked so hard to accomplish.

"Ah!"

He let out a gasp of sudden fear and anguish, his eyes flying fully open. This was not what he had wanted! Not what he had intended.

Before his eyes, the students were dropping one at a time. Not in a whole group as he had imagined. And those who still remained alive, were panicking. Filled with distrust. Fear. Despair.

"Higami lied!" "He wasn't the killer?!" "So who was?!"

And amidst this all, a single laughing dual coloured bear in black and white.

"Upupupupupu~! What? You really thought your little trust thing would work out?"

'no'. Higami mouthed the word silently at the realisation of what was going on. But, quickly, it became a piercing scream.

"NO! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! NOOOOOOOOOO!"

He struggled against his binding to the UFO, but it was no use.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, MONOKUSO?!"

"Just letting them die quickly like that would be such an anticlimax. And, besides, I want them to really taste despair."

"Oh god... Oh god! What have I done?"

"Yes, that's right! This was all you H. Omocida!" The bear pronounced the name "homicider".

"Clininging onto your weak ideals of trust. Of defeating me! But in the end, despair crushes all hope. And extinguishes all trust. Upupupupu... GYAHAHAHAHAHAHA~!"

I... I can't. What have I done?! I've played right into his paws! But... In the end... In the end I won't show him my despair. I can't show him.

And then Monobear said something...Something unknown to us. And Higami's eyes grew wide. And in that split second, when his features perfectly captured the feeling of despair, the UFO finally toppled over.

Image

[>>UDR-CASE 1: BAD END<<]
A Higami Questionaire Thing wrote:A Q&A thing I did as Higami for Hersh.
enigma wrote:
hershel_layton wrote:
Spoiler : 100 Questions~ :
Part 1: The Basics
What is your full name?
Omocida Higami
Where and when were you born?
Ah... I was born in Tokyo. Though, I can't really say where specifically. Or the date or time. This isn't a secure document... But I could tell you in person?
Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)
My parents are still alive and healthy! Don't worry! They're just very busy, like usual. But that's fine. Even if I never see them, I TRUST they have their reasons.
Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?
Nope. I'm an only child. Unless I have an evil twin, but the evidence points away from that.
Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.
I live with my friends over at Tartarus Tower. Their trust is like a gem, beautiful but requiring polishing. And I'm the one who will polish it. I'm just a dirty rag, anyway, so what better purpose do I have in life. Ha ha. That was... A joke. Mostly. But I do love them. I believe in them. And that's why I'll use our circumstances to foster the most beautiful hope. Even if it costs me... Something very special.
What is your occupation?
Student or conspiracy theorist, I suppose? Or Agent of Hope or whatnot? But that's not true. I am... A professional monster, with the job of providing hope. Just as a nation unites during war, I can be that dictator. I'm a martyr, maybe? Or is that too arrigant.

Never mind, that's stupid. Ignore what I said. Please.

Write a full physical description of yourself. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks.
Ah... Ah, well... I'm short and plain. I'm really nothing special. I suppose browny-red eyes and light brown hair is unusual in Japan but... No. Never mind. I'm nothing special. Just an ordinary conspiracy theorist, ha ha...
To which social class do you belong?
Um... Medium? We can afford internet and that's all that matters, I think...
Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?
Well... This is a secret but I'm deathly allergic to dogs. Oh, and I get motion sick easily. And then there's my eyesight. And... Um.... The thing.... The anti-trust.... Nothing. Simply the signals the government uses to control and brainwash the populace! And the secret parasite present within us all!
Are you right- or left-handed?
A-Actually, I'm ambidextrous.
What does your voice sound like?
It's... Normal. Maybe a bit quiet? A little higher than normal? It's... It's really nothing strange.
What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?
Trust. I love the word. It's the most beautiful thing in the universe. It has the power to end any war and save any depraved soul. It is something that must be lived by. I... I was locked away from it, but I can still be it's ambassador! I can SACRIFICE MYSELF FOR TRUST. It's worth more than any live, when providing the good that people deserve. It's stronger than love and hope and despair. It's what friendship and everything we care about is born from. Promise me you'll love trust. Promise me that... If anything happens to me, you'll trust me and not let it be in vein. Please accept and offer trust, and fix this sh*tty world.

....sorry. That went overboard. Sorry. I... I also swore. That's not like me. My apologies.

Al... Also, I like to use english phrases because they sound foreign and interesting. Besides, I need to improve my english if I'm ever going to find out the secrets in the country of conspiracies! America! I know you're hiding bigfoot and the greys! And I'm going to find them.

What do you have in your pockets?
Um... Stationary. And paper. And all the references and documents that I could possibly need for checking facts and data...
Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?
N-Not that I know of! *holds up hands defensively* S-Sorry! Sorry! Sorry about that! *bows repeatedly*

Part 2: Growing Up
How would you describe your childhood in general?
Quiet. And full of distrust.
What is your earliest memory?
My earliest memories were all wiped from my mind when I was 1-2, as is done with all of us. Our worldly knowledge and governmental secrets are locked away forever! The question isn't what is it, but where did they go?
How much schooling have you had?
All of it so far. And cram school. I think I had a tutor once...
Did you enjoy school?
Who cares if I enjoyed it? All that matters is that I fulfilled my goals. Yes... By acting as the lightning rod of distrust, trust was formed. It was truly beautiful. They would all perfectly trust in eachother, and would trust me to take whatever pain was necessary to keep that trust.

I just wish I hadn't believed that I could climb the wall separating myself from them.

And that I learnt my purpose so late.


Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities?

Uh... Aheheh. Not to sound arrogant, but I think they're all natural. Self taught, I guess? Um... Maybe the internet helped?

While growing up, did you have any role models? If so, describe them.

um... It's embarrassing but I used to look up to the heroes in Anime. I really liked the protagonist of Princess Boo-ko or whatever it was called. She had so many friends who she could and would trust unconditionally. TV's pretty cruel though. You can't just make friends and bonds so quickly. It's not just a case of defeating someone in battle to form an everlasting friendship with them... And people can't just learn to trust people as quickly as the shows would have you believe...

I'm not bitter. It's when I learnt my first lesson. The television is nothing but a means of propaganda and lies from the government and the illuminati. The waves it sends off are just brain washing signals.

...the kind of signals which will placate you, and then hurt you.


While growing up, how did you get along with the other members of your family?

We got along fine. They'd be out of the house, so I'd rarely see them. And then I was always in my room finding links when they were around. But we had an unspoken trust to not bother eachother. Probably...

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A comedian. Or an alien. Or a cult leader. Or cthulhu. I wanted to be many things, heh heh...

As a child, what were your favorite activities?

Researching and discovering conspiracies. And then arguing them online. And playing some Polybius at the arcade on the weekend. Whatever happened to that game, anyway?

As a child, what kinds of personality traits did you display?

I was nothing but a needy brat who only wanted what I couldn't have. Someone who didn't understand the wall around me. And didn't understand my purpose or my goal. Someone who didn't understand the beautiful and perfect gift I could help others obtain. But now I'm mature and understand the walls around me. I trust that I'll fix everyone's trust, even if they will hate me!

As a child, were you popular? Who were your friends, and what were they like?

Everyone was my friend, and I was no-one's friend. But it's okay. I trust that I helped them feel the warmth of trust. In the end.

When and with whom was your first kiss?

Love is unnecessary. It's as accessible to me as trust, but not worth pursuing.

Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?

AH! E-EH?! N-No. I haven't even swung a bat, let alone gotten a hole-in-one! I-I trust you'll stop with these questions now!

If you are a supernatural being (i.e. mage, werewolf, vampire), tell the story of how you became what you are or first learned of your own abilities. If you are just a normal human, describe any influences in your past that led you to do the things you do today.

Watching the world end and the way the hopeful and the despair-filled banded together in their sides... They trusted eachother fully. They were each forging something beautiful. A trust worth more than a million lives. I trust that their trust is the most trustful trust that thiw world could ever trust... I wanted to be part of it. But I know that's just a wall. But I can still help it. I can bring about a golden, trusted utopia.... Haaah.... Haaaanghhh....

Part 3: Past Influences
What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?

The most despairing incident in the history of mankind is what they call it. But isn't it the most beautiful and trustful sacrifice in the history of mankind?!

Who has had the most influence on you?

Ah! Ah! Well, I do everything I do for everyone else, don't I....

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

At only the cost of one man and one fiend, I've created a beautiful trust and stopped the plan of a monster. That is something I am truly proud of. Now I can truly die happy...

I have no regrets...


I won't miss them. Even if they are the only one's to ever trust me...


There's no hope or trust for me anyway. All I have to look forward is hell, and the embrace of the trust that I will feel in death. And maybe... Maybe Jackie and Kyouji and the rest will truly join hands and reach a SHSL Trust then. Yeah. I trust that will happen.


What is your greatest regret?

That I'm still alive. A trust filled death and the end to a twisted, distrustful game... If they only sacrificed me.... This conspiracy could end.

What is the most evil thing you have ever done?

I'm told that it would be killing Harmon. But I think that's wrong. It was not trusting my friends and giving them the confession that would have killed me as soon as the trial began. I withheld my trust, and now I have been punished.

Do you have a criminal record of any kind?

Do those still exist?

When was the time you were the most frightened?

I hid in a punching bag once. Everyone's trust was riding on me. If I had failed, then I trust distrust would have only plagued them all. And then the plan went awry. Luckily, I fixed it but... During that moment... I think the world may have ended and a secret time travel device reset reality.

What is the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to you?

One time I refused a friends gum because it was poisoned. I should have just accepted the poisoned gum. At least if I died, it would be a death by trust. And then he would feel trust and happiness too, I think.

If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why?

Ah... Ahahaha... Time travel is restricted by the geneva convention, I think. That's why CERN keeps it secret. Besides, the butterfly effect would kill us all if I changed time...

What is your best memory?

The expressions of trust for eachother that I prompted from my friends when they condemned me to death.

What is your worst memory?

The second they chose to let me live, and broke the trust I had for them...

Part 4: Beliefs And Opinions
Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?

An optimist believes people are good, right? I think I'm mostly that... But I can accept that they are capable of evil, too...

What is your greatest fear?

That I will die without even leaving a bit of trust behind. Sometimes... I trust you'll keep it secret... It keeps me up at night, and I shake and.... I don't want that to happen.

What are your religious views?

CTHULHU FTHGAN!

I looked at Scientology, but it was too strange and unrealistic...


What are your political views?

There will be no need for a government in a perfect, utopian world. All that matters is every person learns to trust one another.

Or were you asking me for my theories on the different governments? I can lend you my files if that's what you meant... Heh heh....


What are your views on sex?

ACK! I TRUSTED YOU WOULDN'T ASK ANY MORE WEIRD QUESTIONS!

Are you able to kill? Under what circumstances do you find killing to be acceptable or unacceptable?

Sometimes sacrifices are necessary... Upupu.... Sometimes, you need to be the hidden sniper to save everyone...

In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?

To spread distrust... Someone who does that isn't fit to live on this planet. They deserve death, and nothing less.

Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?

I believe in the idea of someone you can trust unconditionally and who trusts you back in the same way. I trust that is similar?

What do you believe makes a successful life?

One where a person's purpose is fulfilled in full is the best sort of life, isn't it?

How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in what way)?

.................................I hide only what needs to be hidden.

Do you have any biases or prejudices?

Um... As a conspiracy theorist, it is my duty to remain unbiased and only see the hidden truths in things!

Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why do you refuse to do it?

I refuse to give up. I will never lose hope that this world van be filled with a beautiful flower of trust.

Who or what, if anything, would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)?

Heheheh... I trust it doesn't need to be said?

Part 5: Relationships With Others
In general, how do you treat others (politely, rudely, by keeping them at a distance, etc.)? Does your treatment of them change depending on how well you know them, and if so, how?

I'm very polite and respectful. I... Don't try and keep people at a distance. I want to be close but... In any case, in my current situation I will treat them how I have to.

Who is the most important person in your life, and why?

Hmm.... There... Someone showed me an overwhelming trust for me recently. He's an idiot. A piece of useless trash, but so am I. I hope he learns to trust others and distrust me. Before he ruins everything.

Who is the person you respect the most, and why?

There's this girl. I trust that she can make friends and trust others easily. She's filled with a passion which she'll need to.... Never mind. She was willing to trust trash like me before, but she's smart enough to hare me now. I trust she'll find my gift...

Who are your friends? Do you have a best friend? Describe these people.

I have a lot of friends. They're the hope fir the world. And I'm willing to die for their trust!

Do you have a spouse or significant other? If so, describe this person.

......i trust i've made it clear by now. No.

Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened.

I love trust! And only trust!

What do you look for in a potential lover?

.....Heheh. So this is the hidden conspiracy. The aim to confuse the populace spreaded by the illuminati. But you're tricky questions have been outwitted!

How close are you to your family?

I trust that we're all close! Even if we never see eachother or talk...

Have you started your own family? If so, describe them. If not, do you want to? Why or why not?

........

Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help?

I can't turn to others for help. I have to trust them to hate me, and I must trust myself to continue alone.

Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why?

....No. I don't trust anyone. I'm a reject.

If you died or went missing, who would miss you?

I trust no-one will. As it should be.

Who is the person you despise the most, and why?

I despise only Monokuso! For trying to make us distrust eachother. For not revealing themselves and denying us a clear, common enemy. I trust he will be defeated.

Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?

It's my duty to cut down incorrect arguments and polish/fix correct ones. That is my role as a conspiracy theorist.

Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?

My role isn't that of a leader. I know my role...

Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not?

Ah.... Well... I prefer interacting online, to be honest....

Do you care what others think of you?

..................no. I do not.

Part 6: Likes And Dislikes
What is/are your favorite hobbies and pastimes?

I love finding the hidden patterns and conclusions of our world and discussing them with others! I like reading too, but my main joy is theorising. I trust you understand.

What is your most treasured possession?

I really love my laptop. It's never let me down and it's the most convenient device that I own...

What is your favorite color?

Red, I guess? It's a passionate colour, and it's warm...

What is your favorite food?

Ah... I don't normally eat but... I suppose I like fruit sandwhiches? They're soft and sweet. Though you have to make sure that they're not poisoned and are prepared by a trusted chef... Assasins lurk everywhere in the kitchen.

What, if anything, do you like to read?

Newspapers, websites, fact books, old files, "fictional" recounts.... Anything which might have hidden clues and links in it. Answer-holding works.

What is your idea of good entertainment (consider music, movies, art, etc.)?

Um... I watch documentaries? I... I don't watch Tv. I don't even know a single idol! I watched a bit of anime online once. On accident. I don't listen to music or look at art either.... Hrrmm.... Sorry.

Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? If so, why? Do you want to quit?

Not voluntarily. However, our water contains a secret mineral in it which has minor hallucinogenic properties which blinds us to the secret horrible truth of our reality.

How do you spend a typical Saturday night?

Honestly, everyday is exactly the same to me. I don't notice the difference.

What makes you laugh?

Being happy~!

What, if anything, shocks or offends you?

I'm easily startled and shocked, sadly. But I trust that no-one can offend me. I'm just scared that I offend others...

What would you do if you had insomnia and had to find something to do to amuse yourself?

I used to have insomnia and it was a lot of help. The less sleep you have, the more time you can focus on filling your mind with facts. Besides, sleep makes you more susceptible to mind control...

How do you deal with stress?

I just trust that everything will turn out okay.

Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan?

I don't need a plan, but I trust that I'm prepared for most situations.

What are your pet peeves?

Oh! OH! Oh no! I have no pet peeves! Really!


....well, maybe when people flip flop on what they say and think in an argument but....


Part 7: Self Images And Etc.
Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel when this routine is disrupted?

24 hours is devoted to research. Sometimes this means going to the library or buying books, but mostly it's just using the laptop and printer. Sometimes the posterboard in my room to web and diagram things...

What is your greatest strength as a person?

My ability to spread trust and find hidden truth.

What is your greatest weakness?

That I am unable to feel the most beautiful feeling in the world...

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I'd fix myself.

Are you generally introverted or extroverted?

Ah... W-Well, I'm probably an introvert.... I think...

Are you generally organized or messy?

Organisation is the key to forming a good theory! However, I can always trust my desk to become messy as the data and documents pile up....

Name three things you consider yourself to be very good at, and three things you consider yourself to be very bad at.

I'm good at formulating conspiracy theories, cutting down conspiracy theories and fulfilling my role.

I'm bad at reaching my goals, trusting and being human....


Do you like yourself?

No-one likes me. And that's the way it should be. Even if he seems to still believe in me, he should give up soon...

What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime?

I want to create a beautiful world where everyone trusts eachother. Or... More selfishly.... I want to see a perfect, unflawed trust...

But if I'm to be realistic, I think I can acheieve the second. But only on a smaller scale. If I can just save all of us from distrust.... I trust I'll die happy.


Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Under the ground.

If you could choose, how would you want to die?

I want Jackie and Kyouji to kill me. I want them to die having taken down a monster and being trusted and loved by everyone, while also achieving the perfect trust in this world. This is the only option available to me, after my trusted death was denied to me... The death which would have let me have completed everything I trusted...

If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do in the time you had left.

Leave a message to those two, convince everyone that I'm the mastermind, set up the perfect trust to be born from my death...

What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered after your death?

I want to be remembered as a demon and a monster that was slayed. I trust that I will be hated and killed, and that will lead to everyone's friendship.

...though, I think I want those guys to remember me fondly. Even just secretly...


What three words best describe your personality?

Pathetic, useless, distrusting...

What three words would others probably use to describe you?

Monster, disgusting, evil

If you could, what advice would you, the player, give to your character? (You might even want to speak as if he or she were sitting right here in front of you, and use proper tone so he or she might heed your advice...)

Higami. Your paranoia ended long ago, the only thing stopping you from trusting is yourself. You want to feel it, so accept it. I know you won't believe me now, but I am an emissary from a greater plane... And I can promise you, that your missions done. You can rest down, and finally feel the warmth you've wanted for so long. You may never be forgiven, but you can try. Good luck.
And that's everything I can think of to say on Higami. Questions would be appreciated if you're confused on something, but that' all I'm going to write out for now. Thanks for following Higami's journey to it's "end" of sorts!
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by Sleuth »

you heard me blab about my own character so you'll be rewarded with MORE BLABBING about what I thought about the other characters in light of these reveals.
Spoiler : Actual Bird :
Jackie is great. The martial arts and choreography are fantastic, the stunts are great, and his dedication to his art is very-- Oh wait

Jackie Crow was definitely fun to read, and a great character along for the ride. Got mentions that he's based her off the female tropes he likes and I guess we have sorta similar taste then. (GOT = SLEUTH CONFIRMED 2k15) She has an entertaining personality and a backstory that really enhances her character (which I know because reasons but have long since deleted). I look forward to seeing her again sometime.
Spoiler : Pirate Indiana Jones :
Kyouji was a pretty big presence in the RP, and he was pretty fun to read. He was pretty much always involved in things and I liked how he got along with the cast. I think if the game had gone on Daisuke might have eventually warmed up to him, then immediately attempt to repress those feelings. Or murder him. One or the other.

With GD's reveal as usual I'm really appreciative of all the love and effort GD puts into him as well as most of his cast, and I particularly liked the bit of symbolism involving his eyes. It was pretty great stuff, and I love when characters have designs that carry their own weight. GJ GD.
Spoiler : Home O. Cider :
Higami was another character that really stood out in the game, and wound up giving the RP a lot of energy. I think by nature, Higami accomplished a lot of what I'd wanted to accomplish in my DRRP runs; an interesting, memorable character that left considerable impact. Higami himself was certainly pretty memorable and had lots of passion about him; he felt like a character that had a lot put into him, which I like.

I was pretty intrigued at Higami's way of thinking, and I like his plans for the trial. Pretty interesting stuff, and from his perspective a lot of what he does makes some good sense. I'd be interested to see how the character would have gone on down the line, but I think he's a very good antagonistic force as either a killer or victim, which is a big bonus.
Spoiler : Her Hair Isn't THAT Hard To Draw :
Calliope was a fun character. She had a pretty strong personality so far and made quite a few connections to other characters, which is always good. Daisuke didn't interact with her too much, so I can't really talk that much about her, but she had some of the more unique and defined relationships of the RP.

The reveal Mono gave us changes a lot of that and is pretty cool from a character standpoint. It puts a different spin on her relationships and interactions, and I would have really loved to see it happen firsthand. I like the idea behind it, and it adds a new layer to the character. Especially following the reveal that Heath was also working for SHSL Despair, this would have been a great follow-up to see, and add a new layer of tension to all the pre-existing character relationships; who ELSE might be a member of SHSL Despair?

I also find it amusing that two people (sorta) intended to target Calliope. (Higami as mentioned in his spoiler corner and Anthony in Gav's)
Spoiler : Future Justice Rider :
I liked her execution and she was memorable as a character, which is good. I liked the character concept and Dave seems to have more to reveal about her. On a more separate note, female Red Rangers are always cool.

As to what Dave revealed so far, I like the idea of her becoming a tragic villain, and the backstory about her and her father. It would have been an interesting to see her become a killer and have to defend herself as the case unraveled. I get the feeling it would have been a very interesting trial to see. I also like that she's a Red Ranger with no idea how to lead, and that she's been thrust into a position she's not ready for. It makes for a more sympathetic character than one might imagine from her bravado.
Spoiler : Anthony "One, Two, Three" Foreman :
I unfortunately can't say much about Anthony, since Daisuke didn't interact much with him and Gav only threw out a bit of info on him so far. But I will mention that I find it amusing how many music-related SHSLs we had this time around. We could have had UDRRP the musical.

I'd be interested in learning more if Gav decides to add to his thing.
Spoiler : daisuke something or other who cares :
worst character 0/10
All around, really liking these. I see a lot of love for these characters and I regret not being able to interact with more of them.
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by spd12 »

I have some added bonus stuff for Higami, as his second writer!

When I was gearing up to write him, I worked on a list of things to keep in mind when I wrote his posts and bounced it back and forth with Enigma before settling forth to write him. Writing Higami was not very easy, but I like to think I did very well.

I did deviate slightly in a few places from Enigma's original intents, but it's very subtle. I'll go over the list and add any commentary where relevant, in bold text.
Spoiler : Higami's portrayal notes + added post-mortem notes :
- Hilarious GM tagged information with bolded text where appropriate. Higami destroys eyes on all old paintings to blind the Illuminati... and on subway ads... and on toys...

- Is a conspiracy theorist of the highest caliber (so, actually completely nuts and paranoid, difficulty trusting, which is why he loves/values it so much). This is why you saw him doing very strange things on the second floor.

- Higami is hopelessly out of touch with pop culture, since he rarely watches tv or plays video games.

- Almost never eats unless prompted (bad for health, already established he's not very strong or tough in general). Had a great series of posts with GD over this, when he was offered a fruit sandwich and orange juice by Kyouji.

- Actually very highly intelligent and an excellent analytical thinker, even when going off on very, very strange tangents. The plan was for him to die in the second chapter, so I don't think he'd have had much room to display this if it went through.

- Self-deprecating internal monologue with italics, but try to be more confident when projecting menace. This was really fun to do. One of the big bits of appeal for me is that I have never, ever had to step in and play someone else's character before, and the opportunity to change up my writing style a little to accommodate this was fun. It also made certain posts more difficult and time-consuming to write, which was the tradeoff.

- Higami doesn't have much confidence in himself (he doesn't even trust himself to some degree) so he's pretty much constantly nervous under his calmness or psychoticness.

- Going 'hmm' and sighing is common.

- Higami plays with his hair or scratches the back of his head when nervous.

- He can say some very interesting things with a straight face, as though completely believing what nonsense he spews.

- Obvious, but he has a verbal tic of "I trust..." before saying what he expects to happen or what he hopes will happen and such.

- Higami has a bad habit of using messed up/incorrect versions of common english sayings. Didn't have much opportunity to do this, but at least got one in towards the end. This was Enigma's biggest complaint about my time on him.

- Only refers to Kyouji and Jackie with honorifics (always) because of how much he cares for them. Occasionally uses chan for people he's acting like he looks down on. Later on, I had Seltha added to this list when she displayed - to his twisted view of logic - a surprising amount of trust. Likewise, he decided not to acknowledge Ogi/Robert as a person because she hid inside Robert (implying to him that she ran on distrust, and in fact caused some real disarray when she was 'revealed' at the end of Chapter 1's trial), which is why he didn't really say anything to them in one of his last posts. In my run I slightly de-emphasized the love of individual characters and went more into the love of trust, which I think made my portrayal a little more strange and alien than Enigma's run.

- Kyouji and Jackie are people he genuinely values and does not want for them to come to harm. It will hurt every time he says something terrible to them. I didn't get to really do much with Jackie in my run, but what I got in with Kyouji was absolutely fantastic. Kyouji was a big part of UDR's high points, no doubt.

- Currently pretending that, for reals that he is that awful Monokuso. May or may not be terribly convincing, but it's not for a lack of trying. Honestly I backed off on this a bit since it didn't seem like anyone was going to be fooled, but I kept up the menace all the same where appropriate.

- Higami takes his portrayal of a mastermind with reference to the typical psychopath. Despite his lack of films and shows, he is aware of the stereotypes and so makes sure to overuse creepy laughs and other psychopathic cliches. I made sure every time he got really bad about it, it felt a bit forced. He actually broke character a bit over Phineas and his obsession with the moose head, at which point he kind of had to get level with him about his priorities.

- Higami is attempting to portray being the mastermind, as such, he's using Monobear's signature laugh. In reality, his normal laugh is a nervous heh...heh...

- His current goal is to push everyone together by acting as an envoy of distrust, so they will trust as a way of fighting him. As such, while his trust speeches continue (dis) in brackets and red is added before every trust (since red represents a hastily edited in/tacked on edit and brackets can mean not to read something/ignore it)

- Find some choice Michio quotes from 0.1 to corrupt at some point. His name is a parody of Michio's in the same vein Komaeda's is of Naegi. I do subtly make fun of the fact "ci" is not a real syllable in one post at some point. However, I backed off on corrupting a quote more out of respect of GD - I know he's sensitive about people doing stuff regarding his characters, and didn't want to push him over the edge by taking the parody too much further beyond the name.

- Higami, while a sort of take that/satire of the Hope and Trust characters of DR and DRRP (most notably Michio) who were sort of a source of issues near the end with the never ever kill/always forgive mentality, Higami IS meant to be a sympathetic character in hindsight. But only in hindsight. (This is kind of a take that at Chihiro, my (Enigma's) least favorite DR character, but is also meant to be played straight.) Interestingly, because of the way he's written, he arguably actually IS a Hope and Trust character who is going about this in a flat out twisted and crazy way.

- Higami also is expecting, almost pushing, to be killed this time. Furthermore, he hopes it's a lynch murder since that is a show of trust among a group. Almost happened, in a sense! I worked with a few players over the course of some weeks - working in elements of Harmon's last play (the audience participation bit was my suggestion for example) - to help make it happen. The application was sadly rejected, though.

- When in doubt, Komaeda it up, with trust instead of hope. (Trust trust trust trust trust trust trust~) Komaeda was one of the best written characters in DR2, as his madness was consistent, interesting, and helped kept pushing the story forward. He is also, like almost any professional product, subject to extremely careful proofreading and editing. This is a luxury you do not have in a constant improv game like any roleplay, ever, but I put on the best show I could in trying to stay consistent to his psychoses while still leaving breadcrumbs of foreshadowing.

- (redtext) THAT'S A LIE!! (Break!!) (a.k.a uso da, assuming I have the translation correct) If he survived to Chapter 2's trial, I admit I would have been shouting this in English instead of the intended Japanese by Enigma. It feels much more confrontational that way.

- Higami's favorite videogame is Polybius. This is irrelevant but he truly does love it. This is hilarious if you know the urban legend.
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by tb2fan »

Okay. So I wasn't sure how to respond to this because I was nearly certain it would come off as bitter and resentful of my experience in the RP. I think I know how I want to go forward with this. I'll keep it short.
Spoiler : Backstage Harmon (The App) :
*Name: Harmon Grennan
*SHSL Talent: SHSL Playwright
*Age: 17
*Sex: Male
Birthday:May 22
Blood Type: Type O
Weight: 149 Lbs
Nationality: British
*Appearance: Standing at about 5’ 7”, Harmon is most distinguishable by his neatly combed orange hair with red highlights. He has a few light freckles on his cheek. He’s rather thin, with deep brown eyes.
*Clothing: He wears a red-orange polo shirt with sleeves down to his elbows. Simple blue jeans that go to his black dress shoes. On his belt he has a small blue thumb drive that looks like a blue flame.
*Personality: Harmon is an incredibly snarky individual, and will make dry remarks about a lot of things. He’s not mean by any stretch of the imagination, but he tends to use his unique humor to cope with adversity in his surroundings. He is incredibly awkward around cute girls
When he tries to talk to a girl he likes, his hands will shake, he’ll blush a very noticeable shade of red, and just tends to jumble his words. This isn't to say he won't try, but let's just say it's one rocket that never quite clears the launchpad.

He has a tendency to get irritated with idiocy, which he responds to with, you guessed it: Sarcasm! But when you get down to it, he really tries to make friends as much as he can. It's just not his strongest suit. He also has a tendency to talk in theater slang that can be a little hard to decipher. He's also subscribes to certain theater superstitions, such as "Break a leg" and "Don't say the name Macbeth."

*Why This Character Wants to Join the Future Foundation: In order to get this world back on track, you need to bring up peoples spirits. Harmon sees that with the power of the stage, he might be able to help keep hope alive.
*Backstory: Harmon grew up in the outskirts of London, often attending the many large performances at the big theater hall. From the age of 5 he learned how started trying out for their performances and landed a small child role as a side-character. He was content. He was on the stage!

At the age of 10, he hit the big time with his first big part. It was a huge scale production… and he was the star! They had him acting in more and more roles until the age of 12 when he showed his aptitude for writing plays and musicals. He had picked up a few tricks from the people he worked with and gave it a try. Within months he had produced his first full length musical, catching the eye of the nation.

In 4 years, he had become one of the biggest theater producers in Britain at the age of 16. The most popular shows in Britain were either written or produced by him, or at the very least, he had been a consultant. Then the despair incident occurred. At the time, he had a flash drive with his final script for what he felt would be the greatest show of the century. But now theater was dead. Harmon held hope that no matter what happened, somebody someday would find the USB drive. As he saw it: his greatest work would survive no matter what. Then he learned of the Future Foundation, and with it, new hope for his art.
Spoiler : His Game Experience :
Concidering how far into the second chapter the thing died, it turns out harmon had about half the experience of the rest of the game, which isn't actually too bad in retrospect. Anyways, for what he did do, I enjoyed.
Spoiler : The Roleplaying Experience :
So as I've said multiple times. I don't exactly roleplay for the same reasons as a lot of people around here. I basically model harmon after myself, and built him into what he is through a few years of development. I know that seems like a lot of effort to put together one character of rather questionable intrigue (I admit, harmon is a self insert character, and that makes him super unoriginal.) But what I hope is understood is that I'm frankly a terrible writer. I have a hard time writing a character without making him come off as me anyways. So I decided to tear off all pretenses and just outright say "this is me."

And it's not even something I want to improve on. Writing isn't a huge passion of mine, and it isn't even that much of a hobby. I do what I do for... well... personal reasons I won't go into.

Anyways. I know this has brought me at odds with the overall roleplay style of this forum, and I won't argue it here.
Spoiler : What I would have done differently... take two :
Honestly... this might surprise some people.

I wouldn't have done anything any differently.

*is kicked off a bridge.*

But in all seriousness. With the exception of my own OOC reactions and behavior, I think I did a pretty good job with the character in the circumstances. I feel I played him to the best of my ability, because hey, I've spent years honing him into something I can roleplay with ease. I think that I did well with anything within my own control.

So yeah, obviously I would have liked to see him make it past chapter one and get to help solve a murder, but that wasn't in the cards. But I think that I played the cards as well as anyone in my position could have as far as roleplaying goes.
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by spd12 »

Thanks, everyone who has shared so far. Since we've stayed positive about it... have some more bonus content!

Here's some more fun Heath reading, as the game's one and only successful (...of sorts) murderer.

Heath's post-mortem can be found here, if you missed it a while back: http://aceattorney.sparklin.org/forum/v ... 35#p680918

The (censored, to protect Higami spoilers) murder app that became chapter 1's murder is here: http://aceattorney.sparklin.org/forum/v ... 65#p682000

Now, today, I give you both of Heath's apps. While both were accepted... I sent in a different one later to flesh him out a bit more in case he didn't get to be the first killer.

For sake of historical purposes, you guys get to have both. Enjoy!
Spoiler : Heath app, first take :
Here ya go. I go into more detail later, but from the get go I want to make it clear that this guy is meant to be someone who dies during the events of Chapter 1, either as a caught killer or as a victim (who may well have been caught doing something equally bad).

So, here he is, first submission of my entry to your DR-style game of play pretend.

*Name: Heathcliff Schilling, Jr.
*SHSL Talent: Sports Team Fan
*Age: 17
*Sex: Male
Birthday: November 29th (Sagittarius)
Blood Type: B-
Weight: 204 lbs. (Imperial)
Nationality: American

*Appearance: 5'9" tall, overweight, blonde hair, brown eyes, caucasian but slightly pinkish due to constant outdoor exposure. His hair is cut short but somehow still manages to look like a disheveled mess.

*Clothing: A very worn jersey shirt, colored a duller yellow with the team number 4, outlined in deep red, with red short sleeves - which sport the jersey belongs to doesn't matter. Red bandage above his left eyebrow for some reason. Beige cargo shorts that go past his knees, yellow and red tennis shoes with white socks. There's bandaging around one of his shins, and around one of his elbows as evidence of somewhat recent injury.

*Personality:

Heath is a very cheery and dominant personality. He has opinions, and he likes to make them known with as much enthusiasm and cheer as possible. Physically speaking, he's not terribly imposing but he can make up for it with sheer volume as needed (...or unneeded). He's the sort of guy to take an idea he likes and ride it all the way down that he can, and can project heartfelt cheers like none other - even if they aren't entirely genuine, at times. He does not limit his interests to a single sport - he likes all of them! So long as a local team plays it, he'll back them.

Because he hangs onto ideas with such fervor, he really is very stubborn to deal with at times and can be very difficult to convince otherwise even in the face of overwhelming evidence against his claims. He is generally of the belief that anything can be overcome with just enough cheer and enthusiasm where reason and strategy fails - it's pretty arguable that he's not all that bright, given how he rolls with charisma rather than reason behind a lot of what he says or pushes forward. (Yet, he will somehow be the easiest Bullet Time Battle opponent, in meta terms... assuming he survives to the Chapter 1 trial, of course.)

His talent does not sound particularly useful at face value. However, he has managed to observe (and, more importantly, survive being in the presence of) any number of bloody contests those under the sway of Despair have somehow managed to organize and carry out. He is so familiar with a lot of the bloodsports and skirmishes that he can very easily identify and call out a group's tactics or movements with very little advance notice.

This actually makes him a lot more dangerous a person than one may be willing to account for. While he is not all that physically capable, he reads people as a group very skillfully, and can easily identify a weakness among them to be exploited. The Future Foundation has hopes that they can take his enthusiasm and attention to detail to make for an effective small scale squad leader for anything, ranging from small military operations to even rebuilding projects. His seemingly endless optimism is also really infectious, a highly valued trait when everything seems so grim.

He has team spirit, yes. The thing is... he's not on the Future Foundation's team! Wait... what?! See backstory for further details.

*Why This Character Wants to Join the Future Foundation: It's the biggest twist to his character... he doesn't, at all! This plays a huge role into my plans with him (see the bottom of my application).

*Backstory:

Heath, prior to the Most Despair-Inducing Event, had a pretty normal suburban American childhood. He bonded with his friends and family, primarily, over sports... which is not uncommon. Didn't matter the game, really. He made it a point to try and attend every game he could involving a local team playing. He was infatuated with athletic teams in general, obsessing over them in great detail even when he had next to no actual control of what would ultimately go down.

Really, he was such a common sight that a few teams would name him as an honorary member. In other ways, this was an escape from the fact that he did not have great athletic ability of his own and this could never actually make the sports teams in his school years. Maybe he wasn't great at playing ball, but he was always great at being there for the teams he cheered for. If life stayed the way it was going, he'd continue to have an uneventful life as a particularly dedicated fan for the rest of his days.

Then the Worst, Most Despair-Inducing Event in the History of Mankind happened (from this point on, to be known as just the Event). Where madness took over the hearts and minds of the populace of the world in general, and it spread worldwide very quickly from the epicenter of Hope's Peak over in Japan.

In the wake of society's collapse, bloody contests sprung up left and right from the bored minds of people allowing themselves to be driven by senseless violence and ill intent. Gladiator bloodsports. Death races. American football with the use of live bombs. There was barely any organization or coherence to the madness, given that survival rates for any given athlete (and a fair portion of the audience) remained slim.

Heath, against virtually all reasonable odds, actually thrived in this environment. Part of it was just his attempt to cling to the normalcy in life no longer available to him, and he transitioned very well to a fundamentally shattered society now founded on misery and, yes, despair. He attended these horrible, dehumanizing events and actually managed to keep his head screwed on tight enough to mentally catalogue and follow many of the more prominent teams to spring up in these new sports.

In fact... he begun to really like them a lot more than the ones of a world now long gone, though "accidents" in play would slowly but surely claim the lives of friends and family alike. He attended the same riots that would break out after every game, to be a part of crazy violence-fueled parties... all intents and purposes, Heath was basically a part of Despair, with a capital D. For a time, this barbaric yet charmed lifestyle continued.

The Future Foundation wanted to get a foothold in this mess, given that these bloodsports played a large part in continuing to broadcast the teachings and messages of SHSL Despair. They came in masquerading as a team in one such game, and Heath decided to be a part of the violent welcoming committee to let them know whose turf it was.

At least... until his last meal didn't sit right, and had to use a restroom. He was in proxy to what would follow, as the Future Foundation made its no-nonsense approach to handling Despair clear. One by one, the fan club fell in a bloody battle - this was not a team of competitors, it was essentially a military unit! Heath would be the last one alive, and sure to be put down...

...had he not tapped into his inner cowardice and immediately surrendered. He made up a story on the spot with some true bits (death of friends and family over recent years), that he really simply only watched these games maybe in the hopes of one day finding a way to return things back to how they were, or something of that sort. All sorts of empty, hope-filled bile and nonsense as someone who remembered how these games used to be!

They fell for it. In exchange for not being put down, he was able to go into great detail about how the various teams were organized (or, oftentimes, how they weren't) and help the Future Foundation unit overcome what could come their way. He didn't think that they'd stand a chance at first, but before he knew it, the Future Foundation's unit had pretty much taken back that neck of the woods and shut down one of the many vectors in which Despair spread.

Heath, feeling he ultimately betrayed his team (he absolutely did in order to save his skin), fell into a serious rut. The Future Foundation had no time to play counselor - after all, this was an ongoing struggle against despair, and they believed that a young man like him may well carry the hope they need to take the world back and rebuild. It is then they would put him together with other folks they believed to be filled with talent and hope, given the honorary title of SHSL Sports Team Fan and the goal to take what talents he has for the better good.

He has other plans. He doesn't want to go back to the world of before. The drama feels so much more real, now, that to go back to before would be to turn back the evolution of what it feels, to him, to truly be a fan of a collective athletic effort. The stakes are so much higher, the emotions and aggression so much more real... to return to the world he now loves, he has to make just one winning play to cement his place in SHSL Despair's team as the one who defeated the only opposing team to stand a chance against them.

SOME IMPORTANT NOTES:

- If I get in, I want to be one of the deaths of Chapter 1. No ifs, ands, or buts about it! He's one of the first to die. If I can't get a murder application accepted in time, then I volunteer to be the first victim, straight up. While at the time of writing there's no guarantee that Teruko over in DRRP0.2 will actually survive Chapter 1 herself (no sacred cows... only hamburger), this character I am very deliberately writing to be short term. In this fashion, I hope to alleviate people of the fear of having to be one of the first to go (to an extent, I'll need a victim of course). If anyone else apps in with a similar sentiment, point them my way and we'll work out an awesome first crime between us (him very clearly trying to appeal to Monokuma and turn on his friends would make for a great reason for anyone to kill him to try and "save" everyone else, except... doing that also potentially dooms everyone else... despair!!).

- I have some difficulty figuring out a good motive for anyone to kill when a) the characters already know the state of the world outside, b) if they do successfully kill odds are the Future Foundation will know and try to hunt their rear end down, and c) there would have to be some incredible external reason as to why anyone would be willing to turn on their fellow recruits, barring some really convincing motives by Monokuma. This is why my ultimate motivation for the character is that he's really a dirty friggin' coward and is going to kickstart things because he was never really subscribing to the Future Foundation cause to begin with - he was rolling with Despair all along and just managed to lie his way into not being killed on the spot. I'm sure Monokuma will find his terror and desperation to be utterly delightful when he is carted off to execution, but his motivations would make for a wonderful first victim too. To say nothing of how the fact a Despair sympathizer managed to get in there with them... could there be anyone else?! This would set the stage wonderfully for future conflict.

- For the short time this character would be in play, consider me entirely at GM disposal if you need me to do something to help move stuff along outside of being the first killer or victim. Other than that I hope to have a memorable, distinctive run for the short amount of time they will be around.

- He is named after two baseball players who were at the bad end of separate trades (Heathcliff Slocumb, Curt Schilling) as a subtle way to suggest that he himself is part of a really bad deal, because he is - not to mention what Curt did when he decided to go from baseball to game development. "Jr." was just thrown in for the hell of it. Yellow is the color of cowardice and, in some cases, untrustworthiness. Both of which sums him up very well.

- If he survives to be a part of the Chapter 1 trial, he's putting on pitch black facepaint on one side of his face under the mention that it's his game face. It is going to be hilariously overt foreshadowing as to which team he's really on, so I'll need access to that somewhere to complete that sight gag.
Spoiler : Heath app, second take :
Yes, I was already approved. However...

Given the notice Ami put about how so many people are lining up to be early kills - I didn't think I'd see competition there, honestly! - I've decided to go on ahead and flesh out the character a little more to be viable long term if it came to it and send it your way. (I still consider myself and the character to be expendable all the same, and a stepping stone towards everyone else's development or story as needed.)

He's still ultimately about the same (at the start he is pro-Despair, cowardly, and wants to bring the Future Foundation down and go back to the glorious world where everything is just so much more real and exciting), but I'm adding more details to work with if I end up having to write him long term, and to add more potential hooks for plot purposes if needed. Possibly even a reason for him to change his mind! But, we'll see how things go in play.

Thanks again for accepting me from before, have a free polished-up reapplication all the same.

*Name: Heathcliff Schilling, Jr.
*SHSL Talent: Sports Team Fan
*Age: 17
*Sex: Male
Birthday: November 29th (Sagittarius)
Blood Type: B-
Weight: 254 lbs. (Imperial)
Nationality: American

*Appearance: 5'9" tall, overweight, blonde hair, brown eyes, caucasian but slightly pinkish due to constant outdoor exposure. His hair is cut short but somehow still manages to look like a disheveled mess.

*Clothing: A very worn jersey shirt, colored a duller yellow with the team number 4, outlined in deep red, with red short sleeves - which sport the jersey belongs to doesn't matter. Red bandage above his left eyebrow for some reason. Beige cargo shorts that go past his knees, yellow and red tennis shoes with white socks. There's bandaging around one of his shins, and around one of his elbows as evidence of somewhat recent injury.

*Personality:

Heath is a very cheery and dominant personality - to use an example already seen, I don't think he's that far a cry from Tsuyotoko Osuji over in DRRP2 on the surface. He has opinions, and he likes to make them known with as much enthusiasm and cheer as possible. Physically speaking, he's not terribly imposing but he can make up for it with sheer volume as needed (...or unneeded). He's the sort of guy to take an idea he likes and ride it all the way down that he can, and can project heartfelt cheers like none other - even if they aren't entirely genuine, at times. He does not limit his interests to a single sport - he likes all of them! So long as a local team plays it, he'll back them.

Because he hangs onto ideas with such fervor, he really is very stubborn to deal with at times and can be very difficult to convince otherwise even in the face of overwhelming evidence against his claims. He is generally of the belief that anything can be overcome with just enough cheer and enthusiasm where reason and strategy fails - it's pretty arguable that he's not all that bright, given how he rolls with charisma rather than reason behind a lot of what he says or pushes forward. He kind of runs with group momentum and a mob mentality, stronger when more people agree with him on something.

He has team spirit, yes. The thing is... he's not on the Future Foundation's team! Wait... what?! See backstory for further details on just what set him up to this way of thinking. Nonetheless, in the present, he's all right with the crazy decayed, toxic world out there. There's no doubt that it's affected his health in mind, body, and soul alike, and yet thanks to the influence of the despair culture he's ultimately quite all right with it. The idea that anyone - even a small team of talented students like himself - could stand to take it all away in the actually foreseeable future? It frightens him, and he doesn't want hope to take away the wonderful, crazy world despair left for him.

Worse yet, he ultimately, believes he wants right back out into the world of chaos and disarray that doesn't actually care whether or not he kills off one of the Future Foundation's last, great hopes in the process - he's just another hilarious eventual splatter on the metaphorical windshield in a best case scenario. Something he thinks he's okay with, as someone so poisoned by the influence of the despair-heavy environment of the world outside.

As it is, he's actually really a giant coward attempting to play it cool and disguise his insecurities (and disloyalties!) under a guise of cheerfulness and optimism, and - as will be read in the background - did ultimately throw people under the bus for his own well being. It will probably be amusing to watch him squirm when the majority opinion is turned against him on even the more insignificant issues, such as how a MRE tastes. Though he does try to push his thoughts and ideas, I imagine his actual convictions will flip flop in the face of more socially dominant people more as a side effect of his own inner demons that the despair world magnified.

The thing is, and his backstory lights a bit on this, part of the reason he got so into becoming a spectator of sports was because of an extension of feeling powerless and unable to really affect anything for the better from a distance, no matter how much he studied opposing teams or how loud he shouted from the stands. This festered and grew as despair overtook the world, and that is how it took root. Sure, he's proven to the Future Foundation through dumb luck that he isn't just a loud, brainless twit. He may not be the sharpest tool in the shed /or/ the strongest soldier they could ever recruit...

...he has so thoroughly immersed himself into just team sports and their various plays and plans actually gives him a real talent for identifying, reading, and calling out what a group might be planning to do, with little to no advance warning. He has managed to observe (and more importantly, survive being in the presence of) any number of bloody contests under the sway of Despair, which often broke out into small-scale military skirmishes unto themselves. His fellow recruits might not take him very seriously on the surface, but this does legitimately make him a very good strategist in seeming complete spite of himself - and much, much more dangerous than he looks if he gets a good read on everyone else over time and figures out good weaknesses to work with or against (who follows who, what do they do, where are they likely to go at any given time, that sort of thing).

I imagine the others won't regard him very highly given his physical, emotional, and social weaknesses on the onset. That will be amazing to work with as a writer, as his own terrible thoughts about what he thinks he wants festers and grows over time, seeing himself as a single fan cheering on their team in the opponent's home court. The thing is, the Future Foundation themselves have seen the good in him enough - they do have true, high hopes that his abilities could be honed into either a viable small scale squad leader, or someone who could help easily manage and organize people according to their strengths on any number of social or rebuilding projects... or someone who could help bring friendly athletic contests back to how they were. He was immersed in the world of despair for a time, but they see someone worthy of hope. That's a powerful gesture to give someone who has previously embraced powerlessness, and he has yet to acknowledge this fact. Besides, the optimism he projects - however genuine or not - is kind of infectious, sometimes, in a situation that seems impossibly grim.

He may never get to appreciate this kindness, given how this whole situation is going to end in a bloodbath with many of the promising recruits dead (and the very high likelihood - at least from the onset - that he'll be one of the ones doing the killing). Should things turn out favorably enough for him, he may come to grips with the idea that now he actually sort of is what he always wanted to be - a valued member of a team. A team of whom people are watching, a team that carries much on their shoulders far greater than just winning a year's contest and some transient trophy or title. A team of whom everyone is truly valued as a means of taking back the course of human history from the nihilists, hedonists, and psychopaths. A team where his own unique skills, abilities, and (the good facets of) his personality. A way that he can all contribute to this real, greater good in a lasting, tangible way. A place in history where he can say that, yes, he had the power to make things happen after all, in a way almost no one else could ever fully replace.

If he can realize and embrace this more positive view of his place in things through the game of mutual killing and come out a survivor without having murdered anyone, he'll proudly bear the colors of the Future Foundation (and then probably shout war commands from a lawnchair and a giant foam finger, but... uh... let's not get too far ahead of ourselves). As it is right now, he's just another hilarious splatter on the windshield of despair waiting to happen. Whether he follows that to its sad, bloody end or finds a new lease on things - or some tragicomedic in-between - will just have to be seen in play.

*Why This Character Wants to Join the Future Foundation: It's the biggest twist to his character... he doesn't, at all... to start. Backstory has more information.

*Backstory:

Heath, prior to the Most Despair-Inducing Event, had a pretty normal suburban American childhood. The oldest son of a famous athele (of whom the actual sport they played remains ambiguous as something of a running gag, but if it absolutely must be declared at some point in play, it's curling), obviously there was a lot of pressure for him to follow in his footsteps. To the father's utter disappointment growing up, Heath was not particularly athletically inclined.

This did not stop Heath from trying to bond with friends and family over sports in general. Given curling's relative unpopularity in the States, he ended up casting a very wide net of appeal of sports of all kinds. Baseball? Basketball? Hockey? American Football? Actual Real Football As It's Called By The Rest Of The Planet? If it was a team sport (or even just as small as having two person teams, like doubles Tennis), he had an interest in watching it.

Enthusiasm could only carry him so far. As a child, no team would have him at recess no matter how much he tried to appeal to them. This did not lead to much success as he started getting older, as no formal school team tryout would accept him as a player. Part of it was that he just didn't want to disappoint his father as he already knew he had, but he sure kept trying... to no avail. This did little to damper his love for team sports.

He made it a point to try and attend every game he could involving a local team playing - school, professional, you name it, that was his hobby and basically his life. He was infatuated with athletic teams in general, obsessing over them in great detail even when he had next to no actual control of what would ultimately go down over on the sidelines. All this was more or less to compensate for his own inability to maintain any sort of healthy physical shape or good eating habits, but the enthusiasm was second to none. Really, he was such a common sight that a few teams would name him as an honorary member - probably just in jest.

This would lead to a particulary uneventful adulthood in a time that would not lead into the Worst, Most Despair-Inducing Event in the History of Mankind (from this point on, to be known as just the Event). Madness took over the hearts and minds of the populace of the world in general, and it spread worldwide very quickly from the epicenter of Hope's Peak over in Japan. The Event's influence went far and wide, in mysterious and inexplicable ways. Who knew that America would care so much that the best academy of the civilized world would have its corrputions exposed, and that the great disappointment which followed would erode all hope and faith in mankind across the globe?

In the wake of society's collapse by the Event, bloody contests sprung up left and right from the bored minds of people allowing themselves to be driven by senseless violence and ill intent. Gladiator bloodsports. Death races. American football with the use of live bombs. There was barely any organization or coherence to the madness, given that survival rates for any given athlete (or the audience, for that matter) remained slim.

Heath, against virtually all reasonable odds, actually thrived in this environment left by the Event, his own sense of self worth having eroded greatly over the years and thus allowing despair to cement a place in his mind, heart, and soul (also his pancreas). Part of it was just his attempt to cling to the normalcy in life no longer available to him, and he transitioned very well to a fundamentally shattered society now founded on misery and, yes, despair. He attended these horrible, dehumanizing events and actually managed to keep his head screwed on tight enough to mentally catalogue and follow many of the more prominent teams to spring up in these new sports.

In fact... he begun to really like them a lot more than the ones of a world now long gone, though "accidents" in play would slowly but surely claim the lives of friends and family alike. Maybe it was inner frustration at his own failings that saw him take a perverse joy in having those hard-working athletes' efforts come to naught as they met a bloody end. Maybe he just liked the explosions more. It felt more real, more genuine. Almost like a challenge as to whether or not it was worth remembering the team playing in a given contest at all, as odds were as good as any that they'd all be dead by the end - or even before the match began, as the case might have been.

He attended the same riots that would break out after every game, to be a part of crazy violence-fueled parties... all intents and purposes, Heath was basically a part of Despair, with a capital D, waving about the banner of Monokuma and enjoying the sheer audacity of the whole situation even as he had numerous close calls to his own life. For a time, this barbaric yet charmed lifestyle continued, and he was just another anonymous face in the mob of people who just let their id run wild.

The Future Foundation wanted to get a foothold in this post-Event mess, given that these bloodsports played a large part in continuing to broadcast the teachings and messages of SHSL Despair. They came in masquerading as a team in one such game, and Heath decided to be a part of the violent welcoming committee to let them know whose turf it was.

That was... until his last meal didn't sit right, and had to use a restroom. He was in proxy to what would follow, as the Future Foundation made its no-nonsense approach to handling Despair clear. One by one, the fan club fell in a bloody battle - this was not a team of competitors, it was essentially a military unit! Heath would be the last one alive, and sure to be put down...

...had he not tapped into his inner cowardice, or perhaps just into a shred of humanity that still had some sort of self-preservation instinct, the comfort of being part of a mob having melted away completely with the barrel of a gun pointed at him. Immediately surrendering, he made up a story on the spot with some true bits (death of friends and family over recent years), that he really simply only watched these games maybe in the hopes of one day finding a way to return things back to how they were, or something of that sort. All sorts of empty, hope-filled bile and nonsense as someone who remembered how these games used to be! Kind of like sports fans themselves, yelling at things they ultimately could not change just by being there.

They fell for it. In exchange for not being put down, he was able to go into great detail about how the various teams were organized (or, oftentimes, how they weren't) and help the Future Foundation unit overcome what could come their way. He didn't think that they'd stand a chance at first, but before he knew it, the Future Foundation's unit had pretty much taken back that neck of the woods and shut down one of the many vectors in which Despair spread. He cringed at seeing the surgical elimination of these bloody games he so came to love, and ultimately felt even more powerless than before.

Heath, feeling he ultimately betrayed his team (he absolutely did in order to save his skin), fell into a serious rut. The Future Foundation had no time to play counselor - after all, this was an ongoing struggle against despair, and they believed that a young man like him may well carry the hope they need to take the world back and rebuild in spite of... well, poor physical shape. It was then they would put him together with other folks they believed to be filled with talent and hope... but not before he was given the honorary title of SHSL Sports Team Fan, and the goal to take what talents he has for the better good.

He had other plans. He doesn't want to go back to the world of before. The drama feels so much more real, now, that to go back to before would be to turn back the evolution of what it feels, to him, to truly be a fan of a collective athletic effort. The stakes are so much higher, the emotions and aggression so much more real... to return to the world he now loves (or just simply is so deep into despair that he cannot see anything else), he has to make just one winning play to cement his place in SHSL Despair's team as the one who defeated the only opposing team to stand a chance against them.

At least, that's what he was going to tell himself as he and some other promising young folks were rounded up for training... but what could he do? He's just one big fan against the odds, who never had to play ball before and really prove himself on the metaphorical field in life or death stakes, when absolutely every instance before this ended in embarrassment and disappointment. That's scary. That's despairing.

That's fear that a certain someone will be bound to prey on, magnify, and laugh at if they push the right buttons. The aftereffects of the Event may well never be fully erased, as long as people like Heath can be manipulated into destroying such attempts to rebuild.

------------

That's all, for real this time. Thanks again for reading this app a second time (and approving the first one regardless).

DICK GUMSHOE COSPLAYER DEATHMATCH IN A FLAMING CAGE SURROUNDED BY AN ACID POOL OF GLASS-ARMORED SHARKS WITH BAZOOKAS IN THEIR MOUTHS THAT SHOOT FLESH-EATING PIRANHAS WITH WINGS AND THEN EXPLODE GOOOOO

(Feb. 25th '15: I totally won said deathmatch AND I GET TO COSPLAY AS DICK GUMSHOE, suck it)
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by DLA »

My turn now.
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Spoiler : The App :
*Name: Phineas Masters
*SHSL Talent: SHSL Ringmaster
*Age: 16
*Sex: Male
Birthday: July 5
Blood Type: AB+
Weight: Unknown
Nationality: British
*Appearance: He's a bit tall for his age, has blond hair that's a bit long, blue eyes, and light skin.
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*Clothing: He wears a red top hat with a yellow band, a white dress shirt, a red vest with gold lining, a red coat, a red cape, red pinstripe pants, and black dress shoes. He also carries a black cane with a gold top.
*Personality: Phineas is one of those people who will do almost anything for money, which he later spends on odd things he'll never use, and also for the attention. He also likes to be in control of what happens to him, and will carefully devise a plan for most situations that could happen to him, even those that are extremely unlikely. He tries to make sure that these plans go according to plan. He has lots of fun watching his performers, though is a bit frightened by some of the more dangerous people in his circus. Basically, he's more than a bit greedy, loves attention, and is quite paranoid, but does have plenty of plans in case something does happen to him, and always tries his best to ensure they go off without any interference.
*Why This Character Wants to Join the Future Foundation: He wants to track down his old circus performers as well as continue to entertain people as he did before the despair incident to continue making money so he can satisfy his greed and buy unusual hats and other odd things.
*Backstory: Phineas was left an orphan at a very young age after his parents died in a mysterious accident, and was taken in by a kind ringmaster who owned a traveling circus. The ringmaster introduced him to all the performers, let him watch their shows, and let him travel with them, and before long they became like family. As the ringmaster got up in years, he decided it was time to name a successor to take over the circus when he was gone. He named Phineas, which very much angered the clown, the ringmaster's lifelong friend, who had been with the circus from the beginning. Shortly after Phineas took over, the ringmaster grew quite sick and passed away. The clown, believing this his chance to take over now that there was no one to protect the boy, set a fire during one of the shows. As everyone escaped, Phineas was searching for an escape route. The clown stayed in the tent to make sure he didn't leave, and tried pushing him into the fire. Phineas tripped him with his cane, which was given to him by the ringmaster before his death, causing him to fall into the flames and die. Phineas then quickly left the burning tent, and blamed the clown's death on an accident, as the circus continued to travel. He regretted having to do it ever since, as before the ringmaster's death, the clown was a good friend of his. When the despair incident occurred, Phineas's circus performers split up and many of them went their own ways, leaving Phineas alone and circus-less. With nothing else to do, he attempted to track some of his performers down, with little success. He wants to join the Future Foundation in order to be able to conduct a more thorough investigation on their whereabouts, and to restore his circus to its former glory, as well as to bring entertainment to the masses once more and continue making money off of it.
Any other miscellaneous information: He loves deep-fried fair food, and also likes chocolate milk.
Spoiler : Design Choices and Such :
Phineas's red and yellow color scheme for his clothes was meant to be like that of a circus tent's. His cane was meant to actually serve a use, as I had planned to give him a leg injury he had gotten whilst escaping the fire, but I completely forgot to include it, and decided to make it a habit of his to spin it around, which he probably did when he was actually running his circus and gave a damn about things. His name came from P.T. Barnum, the famous showman and collector of oddities, whose first name was Phineas, and Masters because he was I couldn't think of a last name for his adoptive father, the ringmaster, so I just went with the obvious.
Spoiler : What I Had Planned for Him :
In the beginning, Phineas was planned to be more like the personality section above, and he was a lot more actively trying to be a jerk and smug. That changed rather quickly, as I will discuss below. At one point when I was making his app, I had even planned for him to be Marvin's twin brother in disguise, but as I had decided Marvin's twin brother served no purpose once I basically retconned him out of existence, I decided to make Phineas similar to the SHSL Ringmaster I had planned for my failed DR fic at one point. I had also gone into the RP with him planning to make him a late game killer, around Chapter 3 or 4. More on that later.
Spoiler : What Changed, and Stuff I Never Explained or Talked About :
Once the RP actually started, I realized that how I planned to have him act wouldn't have made sense for someone who had lost both his biological parents and his adoptive father, as well as everyone he had once considered family leaving him. So I decided to make him a lot angrier and less trusting of people, due to the betrayal of the clown and the fact that all his performers left. Another thing I didn't elaborate on in the app was the fact that he was a tyrant when he ran the circus, using the abuse of his newly gained power to help him forget about the ringmaster's death, which is why everyone left him when the Most Despair Inducing Event happened, and why he continues to act like he thinks he's the boss.

Once he got into the facility, he kind of stopped giving a crap about his performers and finding them, and actually preferred it to the crappy circus tents he was living in before getting in, as opposed to the luxurious trailer and "big bucks" he would frequently brag about. He had an average amount of wealth and did have a nice enough trailer, but most of it was taken when he was abandoned. He basically lived out of some old tents, a refrigerator filled with snacks, and the technology he had, which was probably some video games, a TV, and a radio. Once he learned of the murder situation, he still didn't mind much, but once he learned the others were, according to Monobear, murderers, he became less trustful of them. He also began to feel more guilt about what he'd done now that he no longer had the power he was used to, which is why he was so afraid of the moose. He felt that the moose was judging him for accidentally killing the clown and abusing his power, and found it very unsettling.

Other little things don't fit into either of the two paragraphs but still go in this spoiler tag are going to be in this third one. One of these is the less than subtle "flaming clowns" thing I had him mention early on in the RP, though this was before I decided to make him actually feel guilty about what he did. Something more subtle I did that I do was the marshmallows. What's a common way to cook marshmallows? Fire. And for all the talk I did about how Phineas's backstory being one of my best, it really only became that after I made all those changes to it mentioned in the two earlier paragraphs to help it make sense and be more complete.
Spoiler : Relationships(Existent and Nonexistent) :
Perhaps the thing I had planned on the least was that Phineas would actually make friends. Once I had decided that he would be distrustful of everyone, I decided that it would take a lot for him to gain someone's trust, and that one thing going against his trust could easily set him off. The whole marshmallow incident was an example of this, and he had already made up his mind that Heath was not one to trust. His friendship with Hikaru wasn't something I had planned for, and Hikaru was probably the first person he'd considered a real friend. As for romantic stuff, nothing like that ever happened in-RP, but considering he had just discovered what friendship was, I doubt it would have happened for a while, if ever. He's still not even sure about his sexual orientation, but on to what a lot of people were probably wondering about.

Who did Phineas truly hate? Heath, for one. He considered the theft a major violation of his trust and felt that someone who couldn't listen to his simple instructions was a bad apple. Once he found out he was right, his hatred for Heath rose immensely, and his trust for everyone was at an all-time low. At this point, he considered Heath to be 100% evil and irredeemable, which is why he acted so excited during the execution. He merely considered it a form of entertainment like the danger acts he had grown up watching. And then there's Kyouji. Did Phineas truly despise Kyouji? Well, let's see. Once the whole Monobear situation happened, he considered Kyouji's happiness annoying. And then there were the hugs. Phineas was already wary of everyone in the facility. Close physical contact with any of them was the last thing he wanted, as he believed it could mean a knife in his back. So that made him even more annoyed by him. Not to mention the oh-so-many hours of sleep he lost when Kyouji was unconscious. But did he actually hate him? No. He very strongly disliked him, and didn't trust him at all, but he didn't want him dead. He only wanted Heath dead after it was revealed he murdered Harmon, as he considered it justice. But he didn't wish death upon anyone else in the facility. Not even Higami, which he didn't trust or distrust, as he saw him as possibly valuable, such as against the moose.
Spoiler : Killer? Survivor? :
Okay, so first let's talk about what my original plans were, which I had come up with around the end of Chapter 1. I had decided for sure that Phineas was going to be a killer, and had gone into the RP with the intention to make him one. He probably would have done some big deception during his murder plot, with an attempt to make it seem like something supernatural had done it, for a bit of a theatrical touch. He would have been a Chapter 3 or 4 killer, and his motivation probably would have been something like being sick and tired of being trapped there with what he considered a load of murderers, not realizing the irony of it until after he was revealed. He probably would have gone after Anthony or someone he hadn't talked to much so there would be less suspicion on him. He would have burst into insane laughter while simultaneously crying when revealed, talked about his backstory, and then said something like good riddance.

Those plans changed a bit when he discovered the concept of friendship. Once he found someone he could actually trust, he probably wouldn't break their trust by committing a murder. The hundred-percent certainty that he was going to be a killer began to decrease when I decided I could have him learn over time that not trusting anyone could be bad, but distrusting people was also necessary, and eventually learn to reach a balance between the two. I knew that he only had immunity for Chapter 1, so I had come up with another plan to have him survive as long as possible. Since we didn't make it past Chapter 2, I never decided which one I would go with. Depending on the events of the following chapters, it could have been either one.
Spoiler : Stuff I Wish I Could Have Done :
I would have had Phineas do more interaction with Hikaru and Higami, as well as talk to the others more, though whether he'd trust them eventually is questionable. I also would have had him show off more skills he learned at the circus besides the juggling I had him do at one point. I think I should have had his collection of oddities and his hats actually do something besides just be there, and I also wanted to eventually reveal the clown poster with the red X through it that he had taken off the wall, crumpled, and thrown in his closet(which anyone could have found there if they had decided to investigate).
Spoiler : Curtain Call for the Circus Chief? :
I enjoyed what I got to write of Phineas in this RP, even though there's lots more I didn't get to do with him. He was one of my most fun to write RP characters, possibly because of all the secrets behind him. I'm honestly kind of on the fence about using him somewhere else. In all likelihood I will write stories and whatnot with him, and he'll show up in RP xat like usual, but I'm not sure whether I'll use him in another RP. I'd need to rework a lot of my plans for him, and maybe make a few changes to backstory, but it's possible I could. Only time shall tell, I suppose.
If anyone has any questions, please, feel free to ask them! I'd be glad to answer them! I wish I had some kind of a bonus to post here, but writing this thing has wiped me out a bit, so I didn't have time to write out a little story thing for Phineas. One will happen eventually, though. I will get around to it.
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The Final but not so ending chapter.
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by spd12 »

I think that's almost everyone that was active...? Aside from Trybein and Topaz.

In which case, nice to see all the designs laid bare - some of the intended directions were surprising to read now (and I've been rereading the game with this new info in mind).

I'd like to switch gears here, and feel now it's important to talk about what we liked about the game, and why.

So, I'll start us off here.

- I liked the inventory system of mental and physical a lot. It felt like less of a hassle player-side for keeping tabs on important information and items you had a hold on. I don't know how stressful it might have been to deal with on the GM end, but I liked it as a player. In some cases it gave vague foreshadowing, which was a nice touch.

- I feel the first floor was amazing in terms of allowing a wide range of possible murders, and otherwise being colorful and fun/interesting to explore. Individual character rooms were a highlight - enthusiasm was shown for our individual characters there, and it was appreciated. The second floor, too, was varied and interesting in its composition.

- In retrospect, I do like how in the early goings it was easy to swap in and out characters in case of super early burnouts or changed minds. Examples include Nearavex having never posted so his slot was given to someone else, Topaz deciding a different character would be more interesting to play, and so forth. Sometimes people get cold feet or decide an idea doesn't work, and I think the flexibility was appreciated and even welcomed - I'd be all for allowing this sort of thing to happen again the next time there's a 'closed circle' setting, with appropriate suspension of disbelief in place. (In fact, I think 0.2 could probably afford to replace two characters who basically did nothing with fresh ones...)

What about the game did you guys enjoy?
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by gotMLK7 »

I guess I can elaborate a LITTLE more about Jackie Crow without outright spoiling her story.
Spoiler : Designing the Punk :
So Jackie's design, as stated before, is very much inspired by Roxie/Homika from Pokemon Black and White 2. The punk rock attitude in a rather small package and such, as well as some small details like freckles. She's also, believe it or not, designed to be cute (or at least what I generally see as cute). Big blue eyes (juxtaposed by her rather small eyebrows), freckled face, small proportions (she's thin, shirt, and rather flat chested), and with a small upturned nose (more visible in her non-sprite art). However, with her intimidating outfit, tattoo, skull earrings, and constant scowl. She's pretty clearly supposed to dress more intimidating than she actually looks. Put her in a different outfit she's positively adorable.
Spoiler : Effin' Personality and Writin' Style :
So I went in expecting to be writing the same character as Jackie was initially planned to be - Willing to hurt others for her own sake but ultimately unable to actually be too cruel. This was the plan back in her original I started RP, Fenrir's Tower.

However, I took a different, more passive approach that largely begun with the Pong game with Kyouji. She became a very...latchy person. She got overly connected to Kyouji because she grew emotionally attached to him, and actually worried for him rather frequently, especially after she thought he was dead. She constantly SAID she hated everyone around her, but people who befriended her found her to be not only be thoughtful but borderline dependent on them. She's close to being a tsundere in that way.

However, I tried to write her very realistically. I put thought into her dialogue and actions that would make sense in the situation at hand. In an RP where things got cartoony sometimes, Jackie was intended to be very grounded in reality. She reacted poorly to the murder (she ran to the bathroom to throw up at the sight of the corpse and had a brief panic attack during the incident) and in general called people out on their crap.

However she's also clearly a person who tries to act like a bigger bad@$$ than she really is. For all her slang and swearing she censors the F and S words because she doesn't like saying them ("Quit yer bullsssshhhh-!") and when she tried to be tough and drink beer she found it disgusting and just had some tea. She has her reasons but she's definitely someone trying to seem a lot more aggressive than she generally is. Not to say she isn't aggressive; she gets pissed off a LOT.

Jackie's also rather passionate about her feelings. She'll call people out in bull crap because that kind of stuff strikes her hard. The biggest way to get on her bad side is to act unsympathetically towards the deceased. She values life immensely and held a great respect for Harmon and to a level even Heath after they died, and grew a resentment towards people that disrespected their memory.
Spoiler : Of Swearing and Pong: Jackie's Relationships :
So Jackie's main relationship was obviously Kyouji, whom she found to be a rather nice guy that she tended to cling onto a lot. The Pong game was a big highlight for her, as the display of friendship was a big comfort for her. She punched Kyouji when he scared her into thinking he had died, but honestly, that was a culmination of her fear; she was seriously scared that Kyouji was killed and would have beaten the CRAP out of Heath had he killed him. Kyouji was by far her best friend and the one person she trusted her life with, though not with any romantic intent involved.

Speaking if which, Heath is a gray area for Jackie. She hated him for killing someone. She'd have beaten him to near death if she could. If she seemed like she was pissed at him in the trial, she was, because she was convinced he did it and was kind of mentally targeting him while still trying to be reasonable and cautious in the proceedings. After his death, she thought what happened to him was horrible...but she had lingering thoughts of him being a terrible person. She hated that she hated him. That being said, she was pissed at people that treated his memory like he was worthless, just like with Harmon.

That leads me to, believe it or not, Phineas. She actually HATED Phineas after all he expressed joy at Heath's death over marshmallows. She hated anyone who insulted the dead but had she interacted with Phineas she'd be VERY hostile. She was ready to punch him for what he said and probably hated him most by the end of the game.

Higami was an odd one for her. She was very brought in by his talk of trust. She latched onto anyone that treated her kindly, so she very much wanted to believe Higami was a good person for what he said. Confronting him in the trial depressed her greatly, because she felt betrayed by his kindness. She was pissed off at him afterwards, and would continue to be for a while, but it was partially pissed at him for his actions and pissed at herself for letting him get to her.

Selena was a very late relationship but she went into minor detail about her backstory with Seltha. She would have grown rather attached to Seltha as well had the RP continued and would likely have seen her as a big sister type. Though I also had a feeling Seltha would try to kill her tbh so I was cautious on that front.

Daisuke was an odd one for her, too. He annoyed her and said a lot of things that pissed her off (see the last motive event) but she respected how few craps he gave. She wouldn't cling to Daisuke but he'd be the kind of guy she would have some real talk with, and would be the first person she'd go to if she needed to just talk casually about things without any BS. Hated his smoking habit, though.

Calliope she kinda hated by kinda didn't. She didn't like how Calliope acted and thought she was a spoiled brat, was extremely superficial, and was one of the BSiest people in the house. She likely would have changed and grown fond of Calliope in the long run...or at least grew a mutual respect for her. Still wanted a duet with her.

Most other people in the cast she was apathetic towards as far as I recall.
Spoiler : Punk's Not Dead, but the RP is? My Writing Experience :
So I can say that Jackie's one of my favorite characters to write. Sadly was kind of a mistake in hindsight because of the whole death game thing but I'm at least happy with all the positive feedback I got writing her.

I'd say UDR's probably my favorite of the DRRPs but more out of personal reasons than anything. Jackie's the only DRRP character I made I actually connected with. She also had the most relationships and some if my favorite interactions in a role play to date. She's a memorable character for me and I would love to use her again and give her arc closure in the future.

I was rather fond of most of the cast, too. There were some characters I admittedly tend to forget at times but for the most part I quite liked the cast. There was some animosity involved in the RP which is a big no-no but I don't recall ever personally experiencing it so all in all I had a pretty good ride, even if my paranoia got the better of me when it came to murder time.
So that's kind of the gist of it with what I'm willing to reveal about Jackie. I hope I'll have an opportunity to use her again and I hope you all enjoyed her character!

I'd add pics and stuff buuuuut typing this on a phone so tough luck.
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Hersh/Fiendy has credit for the amazing GiGi pics and enigma has credit for the adorable Kenshin Mega Man sprite!

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Gav
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by Gav »

That's pretty much all the info I have to give.

In hindsight, Anthony is the perfect DRRP character: a character without any hugely interesting personality traits with a regularish backstory that is incredibly expendable - yet, the person RPing one will grow to like it anyway. It would be an interesting thing to study.
gotMLK7 wrote:This is a list where NBA Jam beats Mega Man 2.

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
spd12
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Re: ~UDRRP: Forlorn Field Trip~ {OOC} MURDER APPS UPDATE

Post by spd12 »

As promised, character reviews, all hidden behind spoiler tags for every player. (You may read others' tags! This is just to stop the post from being a huge block of text.)

I'm not interested in starting fights, so please don't take anything I say as my intent to do so. This is just my thoughts on the characters and the overall writing. I will be ignoring combative responses.

When I partake in a collaborative writing project, I feel it is important to show enthusiasm and interest in others' writing as much as your own, and hopefully my reviews reflect that.

If I wasn't going to be enthusiastic in other players and their time, I wouldn't be participating in things like this.

Anyway, here's the reviews...
Spoiler : Gav - Anthony Foreman, Lyricist :
I do admit that I feel this character did come off as a bit flat. Based on his SHSL I thought his dialogue would probably be full of wordplay and rhyme, but he didn't really stand out at the beginning.

This was, from what you said, part of your intentional design for them to be someone who could be killed easily (or eventually kill) and not have people be upset over it... but I feel there's some problems with this mindset.

Look to some other characters who were intended to be early knockouts: Heath, Kyouji, Higami, and Calliope. All were colorful and very distinctive people in their mannerisms, outlooks, and such. Detachment shouldn't mean lower quality, forgettable, or anything of the sort.

I do however praise the idea - and this is no small praise - of not getting too attached to a character. A character is merely a device to tell a story, and in a story defined very strongly by death, the ability to do this is not just commendable... it should be mandatory for participation in games like these.

Even if you intend to be hands off in the long run and not fret too much about how things go in future projects like this, don't ever be afraid to go all the way to put on a good show. He started to gain some steam as time went on, but he never really came to his own that much.
Spoiler : Trybien - Katsuro Kyouken, Yo-yoer :
I'm going to have to open this one on a bit of a downer, as it is the most distinctive thing that defined the character for me, so please bear with me here.

The biggest criticism is in his behavior during the trial - and yours as a player, too. I wasn't sure where the player's thoughts end and the character's began. There didn't seem to be much to his character other than 'win the trial,' with how quick he switched gears. This, and you went and publically trashed the work everyone involved put forth on the trial with Zeta. I had to sit through that in silence, given the rules in place about not exposing yourself unless given the GM say-so.

It was extremely hurtful to experience, and I need to repeat it again here so everyone reading understands the following: we may sometimes be writing villains, but the writers are still human beings who put forth a lot of work to give you guys something to solve. No one should feel punished for helping push the main thrust of the game, even if a few mistakes still managed to slip through the cracks.

Now... I do feel you were starting to turn this around in Chapter 2, when Katsuro was making some very harrowing decisions that would bring a bunch of people together under his line of thinking. THIS is good drama. This helped solidify his character a lot more, and going over the archives I was very much respecting the direction he was going. His conflicts with Kari was starting to show some added depth to his person as well, which I liked.

He had a rough start, where he seemed to barely have any character other than trying to run with what you (the player) thought was amusing ans leaving at that, but stood to have an incredible finish. I'm purposely withholding some details in case you want to share them yourself - as you have not posted in this thread in a while - but considering I spent the beginning of this space with criticism, I feel it's best to leave this on a good note.

I felt you grew as a writer very quickly in a short amount of time, so I'm sure you already took the lessons from above to heart from here on out.
Spoiler : Blackrune - Mikoko Kamiyashiro, Shrine Maiden :
I am amazed with how intricately designed she must have been, with her mannerisms and just about everything about her. You have an understated way of presenting your characters that is very concise. It lends itself a little more mystery as a result, which in a setting like this, is good.

A lot of what really made her shine was locked behind spoiler tags, most of which I could only read now that the game has been officially declared dead. This is something that crops up with multiple people, where unless you interacted with them directly, odds are good you only ever saw little of them. I was impressed with what I discovered on a re-read - the duality of the character is intriguing.

One thing that does puzzle me is the seeming presence of a supernatural element where the setting tends to forego that sort of thing. Regardless of how theme-breaking the concept might be, it did seem like you had a good handle on it.

I'd have loved to see how she would have developed from there, if there were any other interesting aspects to her to bring front and center at some point. It seems like you bowed out of both DR style games entirely as of writing, which is a shame given your reputation on the site as a highly respected trialmaker.

A part of me feels like more should be said here, but there isn't much more I could add.
Spoiler : Mono the Meerp - Calliope Tokuno, Diva :
I liked the character's initial presentation a lot. Someone who treated herself like a huge honkin' deal and came off as haughy and even dismissive of most people? That's a great personality type to work with in settings like these, and I rather enjoyed the conflicts of personality that sprang up because of it.

I have to admit some form of confusion. You were talking about wanting character development before you died in xat at least once... and yet, it sounds like you were hoping to kill about as soon as possible. I don't know if you were trying to mislead the other players, but the desire strikes me as odd - it sounded like you wanted to live a while, not go in guns blazing like you tried to.

I was frustrated for a while about how quiet you were during and after Harmon's murder when I worked hard to try and set up a scenario where you might get that development. The revelation that she really didn't have feelings for Harmon makes the seeming apathy make sense, although it still made me sad that I got such a bad read on what you claimed to be your desires in telling the character's story.

On the whole, what must not be swept under the rug was your willingness to be an early killer to help start things off. That's a very important role to undertake in stories like these, and I commend you for trying to go for it in both chapters - even if we had conflicting interests on that front.

I do think you greatly overreacted to Gav's character's negative commentary at the beginning, though.
Spoiler : ZetaAzuel - Seltha Hunth, Survivalist :
Seltha was a fascinating character from the get-go. Her reticence in wanting to really stick her neck out too much to others - at least from what I saw - and the way she took her situation was all largely a strong, captivating read.

I think what helped overall make her that much more human - though possibly an inconsistency - was how much she was willing to show trust to the likes of Heath and Higami even after being given strong evidence to the contrary (maybe in the latter's case, what he perceived to be trust more than actual trust being given). It showed comfort, as a writer, in being deceived. That takes a lot of real maturity and trust on the player side, so hats off to you for that - a character is not beloved for how strong they are, but how relatable they are.

My biggest issue is the one I've already noted under Trybein's entry, the one where you participated in mocking the efforts of Enigma and myself on a livestream... and how you were more interested in going for the jugular to 'win' the trial before it even started, while you and Trybein more or less accused me of trying to win myself.

It always bears repeating. The people who write the murders are human beings who went through plenty of time and effort - across multiple GMs, no less! - and it's not fun for anyone involved to be snubbed or insulted for doing their part to push the game forward.

If I'm not mistaken, you're one of the youngest players present. I'm in respect of how well you seem to grasp emotional nuance for the most part, as that takes some life experience before you can replicate a lot of what you put forth with both sincerity and relative accuracy. You'll likely be a great writer if you pursue that as a career.
Spoiler : GotMLK7 - Jackie Crow, Punk Rocker :
Jackie was a later entry to replace one of the early idlers. Her overall activity and presence had proven to me that the idea to keep the roster a bit fluid to account for early idling and/or withdrawals was actually a really good one.

She had a distinctive way of speaking and did carry quite a bit of humanity on her person among a cast that often seemed desensitized or oblivious to what was going on around them, and this made her highly relatable - a character I'd have wanted to see pull through. I liked her reaction to seeing a dead body, and how she broke down when Phineas was all but musing over killing to get something important to her.

While you did acknowledge this in part some posts back, I want to point out something to other readers as well for their own reference, from http://aceattorney.sparklin.org/forum/v ... 10#p692653:
gotMLK7 wrote:Honestly the paranoia of potentially dying in DRRP panics me a bit right now and I'm not motivated or relaxed enough to post here quite yet (I've been on a very minor RP hiatus recently in general due to the situation but DRRP in particular stresses me out).
This post highlights some honestly unacceptable and disrespectful behavior to the game, its progression, and its players. Holding up the entire game with possession of something important to the current chapter's motive because of fears it would open up your character to the POSSIBILITY of being killed is a toxic mindset - Ami had to take hold of Jackie to move the plot forward at one point, even.

In fairness, I cherry-picked that line out of a post highlighting other very significant stresses in your life at the time - all of which are absolutely reasonable ones, mind, real life trumping over anything else - but this one still stands out very greatly to me as an issue.

It's one thing to be happy with one's work and efforts. It is another to covet them and their preservation at the expense of others. A healthy separation of yourself from your character is something all collaborative writers need to have.

Beyond this issue, I really had no qualms with Jackie's writing! You've acknowledged that you probably wouldn't be doing any more "death games," and I think that's a good call. I feel you are a strong writer aside from this nasty wrinkle, so I look forward to seeing what else you do from here out.
Spoiler : Topaz - Ogi Kakusu, Roboticist :
The two-in-one gimmick is not entirely new, but I feel the concept was ultimately sound - the presentation of the huge EMBODIMENT OF AMERICA that is Robert being but a shell for his genius robot pilot Ogi likely would've won me over easily if I were handling applications.

The foreshadowing about Robert being a robot was handled fantastically, and made his gimmick that much more entertaining. He seemed forced and exaggerated because he wasn't even a person in the least, he was a robot! Even so, I felt you held the line between 'over the top' and 'overboard' admirably, so he was always fun to read instead of being grating. His one-dimensional behavior, as being only one part of a whole, was just about as perfectly done as can be.

The tension that mounted from seeing the first trial's revelations - that Ogi was being pictured before anyone knew she was a thing - was a really solid bit of paranoia.
A part of me wishes she hid this a while longer so that this uncertainty could've helpd drive uncertainty a bit longer than it actually did.

It also probably would've added a bit more punch to Ogi's character too, in that she might have chosen to hide herself longer in fear of being identified as a malcontent even as misconceptions of who the mysterious girl was might have driven further tragedy. The accidental leak of her character name in the survey may have spurred this premature reveal, so it may well have been that your hands were tied. (I do feel the cast under-reacted to the truth, the Seltha battling aside.)

I'm sad to say that beyond this reveal, I honestly didn't get that strong a read on Ogi's character outside of Robert. I'm not sure if it's because the game was just starting to wind down, or if maybe there was lessened interest on your end to keep going once the novelty of Robert's secret was put into the light. It seems you lose interest in things fairly quickly, which is too bad - I like seeing your energy in writing when you're really feeling up to it.

I do think overall, for their runtime, Ogi/Robert was a worthy replacement for the Anatomist character you shelved (who wasn't too bad herself). The only real criticism I could give in regards to changing your character is that high quality character art of your previous character was done up before you made the switch. Nobody likes having their work go to waste!
Spoiler : Gumpei - Ariel Espinosa, Gunsmith :
Sadly, I saw so little of Ariel that I don't have anything to work with in regards to a proper review of the character, beyond liking the transition of her sunny disposition giving way to caution and fear.

I'm sorry the character ultimately didn't work out for you in the game's setting.
Spoiler : Itashi - Song Min Ri, Sniper :
Min Ri might not be spoken of so much in terms of the game, but I think she easily stood as one of the very best characters for a reason only a few characters of the cast honestly share: she really truly feels like she was a product of the world the game took place in.

Not only that, she really tried to engage the background of the game (the NPCs) more than a lot of people did in my cursory re-examination of the game. In this sense, she was a really valuable outlet for helping set the story and the situation from the very beginning... all while showing off unique aspects of her personality (neat freak, etc) in a really smooth way. There's a lot to praise, here, and I'm sad you seemed to not have much of a presence in Chapter 1's murder.

I'm honestly surprised that I didn't have a fresh memory of who she was and what she did when I decided to do up character reviews, to find that she was actually very prominent - just that a lot of her was hidden away behind spoiler tags, which prevented me from reading them and really appreciating her presence in the game until now. The way she came to terms with Heath's true nature was really powerful, for example.

It did seem like the obsessive behavior of CR's character put a serious damper in your enjoyment. Don't ever be afraid to speak up and OOCly say, 'I'm not comfortable with this' in any sort of setting of this nature! Especially something like this, with very heavy and dark subject material.

On the whole I'd love for you to swing by and share everything you're willing to about Min Ri's design and person, because she clearly came off as someone with a lot of thought put behind them.
Spoiler : Dave - Hikaru Yukimura, Super Sentai :
Conceptually, I feel this was one of the stronger characters of the cast. Someone who was about as close to a superhero as a human being could get during times of the greatest crisis Earth has ever faced, now trapped with a bunch of unstable teenagers with so many questions to ask. A bunch whom one of her station is compelled - but yet powerless - to try and stop from falling into one tragic decision after another.

This is an excellent inner conflict that I feel you did very well when you had your heart in it. Emotional vulnerability is a very hard thing for writers to grasp, especially with characters who could be considered very strong. I feel you got the balance right. I just wish you'd maintain this confidence more often, and be able to say to yourself, "yes, my character would/did do this, and that's fine."

You mentioned hating how she tried to destroy all the booze in the bar, where to me that felt like a powerful moment where I had to consider if that might've played a role in her background and frustrations. Leaving interesting speculation for readers is always good, as it keeps them invested in wanting to read/know more! The way she acted during the first trial is a less shining example, where it felt like you were throwing up your hands more often than not.

I do like the ultimate truth of the matter where she took up the mantle of being a leader without being ready to do so, and how that affected her ability to try and get a grip on the situation. That said, for her coloration I would've gone with a bluer-purple palette as subtle foreshadowing that she was really her team's blue ranger trying to be the red-clad leader.
Spoiler : Detective Luke Atmey - Phineas Masters, Ringmaster :
Your character felt extremely disconnected in writing. This may have been intentional as part of his character design. He came off as someone who was much more self-interested in his own thoughts and goals than any other person, and that's not a bad angle to go with.

The callous disregard for others was palpable when he set Jackie off during the motive reveal for chapter 2, and really a defining moment for him overall when he showed much more interest in his own personal advancement than anything else.

However, it honestly felt like you were writing more his reactions to events like he were an outside spectator instead of someone who was part of the game's environment.
To use a personal example, I felt he underreacted to the fact that he was in the company of someone who HELPED MURDER HARMON and came off as someone who may well have been AN ENEMY OF THE LAST BASTIONS OF HOPE, all brushed aside over the immediate situation of that silly moose head.

The sum and worth of a character is how they help push the story forward and affect the environment around them... and vice-versa. I feel you'll improve steadily as a writer once you break out of the mindset of just asking "how does my character react to this specific instance, right now" as opposed to "how does my character react to this as a summation of everything that has happened before?"
Spoiler : SS Sleuth - Daisuke Shuto, Marksman :
Daisuke was a solid and entertaining character every time you posted as him. He walked like he had a chip on his shoulder, like the world had steadily eroded him but that he was still more or less willing to pull through in his own way. He was an excellent example as to how to make an arrogant jerk that was still likeable to read.

Something about him I feel is extraordinary is that he felt, more than just about anyone else, like an actual product of the game's setting. You could believe that he saw the things he did, experienced the stuff he did, all at an age far too young to really stomach it. You hit it out of the park big time as presenting him as a real part of this troubled world. He was grim, but not overbearingly so. A lot of the really good stuff was confined to GM tags, but he still showed plenty of character in public.

You stuck to your guns even when investigating the first murder with him, and he was even correct about a number of his observations and assumptions... all while still keeping entirely in character. I am really at a loss as to figure out what I could suggest to help improve him further, because this guy was easily a contender for the best-written character of the entire game. He might even be the winner, even with the times of inactivity.

I do know you, as a writer, have issues of confidence a lot. This is why I tried to be encouraging to you in the early goings of 0.2. You're doing fine, it's all improv, we sometimes slip up here and there and get eaten up by it. Yes, even if it's something almost no one will ever notice. This one, though, I don't think you needed any help.

So, good one on you! I look forward to reading whatever else you put forth from here on out.
Spoiler : Enigma - Higami Omocida, Conspiracy Theorist :
This review will cover your time on the character on Chapter 1, even though I was his player in Chapter 2. I was involved in the process of creation for the character, so I admit my thoughts and opinions are a little skewed because I knew what was going on from the very beginning.

What I really like about you as a writer is that you go all in on what you do. You're enthusiastic and willing to go the extra mile, and I think it paid off big time by the time Chapter 1's murder rolled around. Higami always seemed a little off, very subtly so, but I feel he did a great job in establishing some relationships by the time things flipped on their head. This made the sting of his seeming betrayal that much greater!

Higami was intended to be strange, seen as dangerous, and yet ultimately be sympathetic after the fact when one reconciles with the way he thinks and sees things - a character intended to be killed before all his depth could be put forth. This is a design that shows comfort with the mortality of a figment of one's imagination, which is a very important skill to have. Even with his somewhat alien way of thinking to most people, this didn't stop him from making connections with people.

He wasn't off to the side being weird, he was in the thick of it as much as anyone else, and that's what helps make him memorable. I think that was more a failing on my run - he wasn't as into the thick of things as you were on him.

Not many players appeared to go this route, as they seemed to bank on either surviving or frontloading all their character development to be clean and tidy before their execution. This helped give him his unique flavor, and this was one reason why I was willing to go the extra mile and pick him up when you decided you were done.

I feel your only real failing on him is what comes naturally with what has been your strength of a writer - you sometimes don't seem like you have a great hold on when you might be going too far into OOC discomfort territory.

I'm glad that you went into the game and got to play, on the whole. He was interesting to read, write, and work with when it came to our various plans and schemes for our individual stories, which I hope will become more of a standard thing among the playerbase if we ever see more projects of this nature - comfort in seeing each other as part of a team that's telling a story, not competitors clawing for influence and runtime length over everyone else.
Spoiler : tb2fan - Harmon Grennan, Playwright :
I understand roleplaying is a touchy subject for you in general. I feel if I gave you a straight review, you would take it the wrong way and miss the meaning behind what I write down.

Instead, I'd like to point you to these characters' reviews instead, to read them and see what I liked and felt needed room for improvement, all of which involve aspects I think you could take and learn to improve yourself with...

- Seltha (Zeta)
- Jackie (Got)
- Anthony (Gav)
- Phineas (DLA)
- Daisuke (SS)
- Raymond (Wackyman)
- Kyouji (GD)
- Kari (C-R)

I'd read these guys and think about applying the lessons to yourself, above all.
Spoiler : Wackyman - Raymond Sapphire, Pyrotechnician :
Sadly, I didn't really see enough of the character to form a strong opinion beyond his overall bleak and pessimistic mindset. I'm sorry to hear he didn't really click for you in the long run.

There's not a whole lot to say here this time, though I think he could've been a really nice foil to Kyouji if you were able to build up and keep momentum.

It does seem like that Gumpei's character's connection with Raymond (and their quick disappearance into the ethereal mists) might have played a small role, if only a small one given Ray's longer active time after the fact - I'd like to take a note to all readers that it's important to diversify your interactions with other characters where possible, and not to put all your eggs in one basket (this is an issue some other characters had).

What was there was really nice, I wish we got more.
Spoiler : GuardianDreamer - Kyouji Kamishiro, Treasure Hunter :
One significant failing I've seen in a lot of writers over the years, is that it often seems like they are writing to impress others rather than to tell a story. Sometimes they get caught up in trying to pander to a crowd's liking that a character seems tailored only to be liked, and little else.

I'm happy to say that Kyouji does not fall into this trap, even with just about all the possible red flags that get thrown (friendliness, eternal trust, seeming unwillingness to partake in heated conflict with appropriate detachment). You said he was more of a parody of video game heroes, or something of that sort, but I think you handle his personality archetype so well that it crosses into sincerity against the bleak backdrop of UDR's world.

His personality clashed with just about everyone in an intriguing way. Though he was part of a world gone nuts, he appeared to maintain his optimism and good cheer. This is a world where such things should no longer exist, and yet... Kyouji does. He manages to maintain this largely convincingly in just about all of his interactions with others.

He also had the effect of bringing out interesting sides in other characters because of these traits. Interactions between himself and others did not make him interesting - he had the effect of making everyone involved that much more interesting, and that is a trait to be admired in a character. That, and he played ball with just about everyone! He didn't stick to the same people.

You occasionally have issues where one character feels more dominant in reading, that there is rarely a true parity in interest between writers of different skill levels. Suffice to say, I feel Kyouji had excellent writing chemistry with almost everyone, and the game was truly better for it.

It sort of makes me glad that Enigma convinced me not to kill Kyouji, even though the two of us discussed this idea and how cool you were with it going through! Given what you did with your newfound extended lifespan, I have to say it's a credit to how malleable you were with your character's fate and willingness to play ball with the added time given you weren't even planning to have.

I long considered one of your weaknesses as a writer being that you seemed afraid to go into conflict with characters, but I think Kyouji's time showed me that you're willing to engage in conflict in unconventional and unique ways. Overall, he might be one of the best I've seen from you so far.
Spoiler : Court-Records - Kari Bel, Masseuse :
If I had to be honest from a pure storytelling perspective, Kari was not really all that intriguing as someone who is part of a mystery setting. She didn't really seem to give all that much as a character in terms of descriptive writing - some of the same problems at least a few other people had. Her seeming favor towards despair was noteworthy, if only in terms of 'how did she even get inside to begin with?' That said, she lacked in subtlety significantly.

This did not stop her from being entertaining to read, in how she liked to stir up trouble with other people. I had a great laugh when going over the game's posts to see how she would talk to the NPCs after the end of the first trial. Given she replaced a dropout and was reasonably present, I'd say she was inoffensive at her worst, and a bit better than the sum of her parts at her best.

One concern I did have is to whether or not she was a character as opposed to just being a stand-in for yourself to participate in the mystery aspects of it all. You did seem a lot more invested during the murders than almost any other time. I think as time went on it felt like you got a better hold at a general personality for her, but for the most part she really felt more like a stand-in for yourself.

Always remember to respect the work and effort someone went through to put a mystery together, and don't just try to win the trial before it begins for others. These games should never be treated as competitions to see who is the smartest - it's a cooperative story.

In addition, I will say I felt kind of creeped out about how much she chased after Min Ri, or how - when temping Gav's character for a while - you seemed focused on interacting with yourself still. It's hard to find the right balance when it comes to writing romance without coming off as creepy or obsessive, but it does sometimes feel like a line was crossed from time to time.
Spoiler : Ami - The NPCs :
I feel the five "good guy" NPCs deserve their own overall review, so I'm going to give them. It's going to fit all of them together rather than go over any one individually.

Conceptually speaking, the setting of the game was very interesting. Outside contact, and knowledge of how the outside world was going in? That's quite a change from the standard formula, but one I was willing to give a shot.

The thing at the end of the first trial was phenomenal, and finally gave them a real presence beyond being talking heads. It was gripping, interesting, and did an amazing job for setting the stage for the rest of the game - I just wish they kept that momentum up!

What would've been cool after the end of the first trial was if everyone were called for an assembly as a means of trying to remind them of their mission and to not let the actions of Heath and Higami dictate what you do from here on out, etc, etc, with appropriate Monokuma mood-ruining to help give a sense of really fragile, short-lived solidarity among the cast... but alas, it wasn't to be.

I think overall they weren't a bad idea - I could tell they all had some work put into them to make them interesting, and some got in some great one-on-one conversations - they just needed a bit more screen time, if only just a bit more.

When you're up for it, I'd be happy for you to come back and share with us the overall plot of the story.
Spoiler : Overall :
The UDR cast was potentially at its strongest just from the fact that so many people expressed interest in being killers. I don't have any doubts that the game would've made it to the end as long as interest in playing held up.

Between Heath, Calliope, Hikaru, Daisuke, Kari, Anthony, Phineas, and at least one or two others, we had enough that even a killer accidentally taking out another future killer probably would've not been much of a setback.

On paper, this should've guaranteed a really steady amount of conflict to see the game through on its premise of a slowly dwindling cast.

On the downside, I do feel that there was some level of disconnect between more than a few people of the cast and the world around them. I was surprised to see so many people seem upset with the idea that they were killers (of extremely bad and scary people), or what have you.

If the narrative were standard "we don't know what it's like out there, there's also no outside contact," I don't think this would have stood out as sorely as it sometimes did.
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