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Brockton's Celestial Forge (Worm/Jumpchain)

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Turbonator said:
What's the worst possible roll Joe can get at Somer's Rock? At this point it's clear he'll get at least one big perk that'll raise even more concern among the villains, so what's the worst-case scenario?
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Monstrous Strength may be one, as its activation may force Joe temporarily into his were-dino-wolf form in front of everyone plus make it more monstrous (if I have read the text right).
 
There's a lot to love about this story, but I think that I can identify a top three. They interact and overlap, but three main points.

One, the characters are people. Characters don't just feel like things that exist to do a thing that the story needs them to do, but instead they actually feel like their own people with their own motives and internal worlds. Actual people in a living world.
Especially with the workshop crew. They could have so easily just been cardboard cutout extensions of his power, but they aren't. They are their own people with their own personalities, feelings, focuses, approaches, etc. They aren't just some thing that he has, but people that he knows.

Two, the uniqueness of the powers. Their are some that could easily be done as the same but more. A bigger number in whatever category the perk is. That's not how things get played though. The perks aren't just piles of quantity, but a whole tapestry of different qualities. They might be similar, but they have different flavors to them. Best displayed in this most recent chapter with him jogging through the workshop.

Three, the focus on people. This could just be done as endless tech porn and power fantasy, but it isn't. Who the people are matters. This isn't just random supertinker and his robot army. This is Joe, Garment, Aisha, Fleet, etc. Who they are, what they feel, how they respond to things, the troubles they face, and all that matters. They are the story that's being told. These people, who they are, and how they grow. The perks and powers are less the focus, and more hooks to hang that exploration of these people we know and love.

That last one's not to say that the perks and powers aren't explored interestingly, or that the tech and/or action scenes that show up aren't awesome. Building bodies for Fleet, Survey, and Matrix was riveting.
 
When reading a chapter takes longer than the amount of time passed in story ...

This was another pointless chapter. Outside of Scion and perhaps Eidolon / Gastlig Uaine there is nothing in the Worm verse that can realistically challenge Joe. At this point any conflict needs to be artificially inflated, like March. Joe is essentially a God and making him a Greater God is pointless.

It's really a shame because @LordRoustabout you're actually very good at character development/interaction and when your chapters focus on it your writing & story are top tier. Perks and tech are fun within the context of a story. A story within the context of perks and technobabble is not fun.

Perks and tech are really pointless at this stage of the story; we are dealing with an entity (Joe) capable of creating/using clarketech to do essentially anything and everything.

Honestly, reading this story is an exercise in frustration almost to the point of being masochistic. I read for the brief glimpses of character interaction and actual plot while dredging through the useless sea of technobabble and exposition. Nevertheless I will continue to do so.

Looking forward to the next chapter!

... maybe we'll actually see Joe get ready to walk out the door of his workshop twoards Somer's Rock.
 
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Turbonator said:
What's the worst possible roll Joe can get at Somer's Rock? At this point it's clear he'll get at least one big perk that'll raise even more concern among the villains, so what's the worst-case scenario?
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About the worst possible one from the outside would probably be Strong Spark as others have mentioned, but not for the "the probably crazy tinker just went completely crazy" reason. Because a Spark can make a hand portable mountain destroying zap gun from a hair drier and some chewing gum that will just happen to also dry your hair and make you salivate a little. That is ignoring literally every thing else Joe can do. For a normal spark that would take a few minutes thought, a strong spark can do it without really noticing, and then there's Joe.
 
@LordRoustabout don't listen to those complaining about the story, you are doing great and should feel proud of what you've accomplished. You can't please everybody, but that doesn't mean you didn't please somebody. Personally, I love this chapter, especially that ending bit where Joe makes Penny-Style Ensouled Physical Forms including a HyperBUMA for Fleet, a Sari Sumdac-like cyber-organic Cybertonium body for Survey, and an Omega Nanite for Matrix, that he then Sang to the Unseen to make even better. Especially love the bit about Joe finally overcoming his aversion to using Life Fibers.

*Edit: Actually, I loved that scene so much, here's a Gift.
 
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HOW in the WORLD have you guys read this entire fic, more than a million words, and yet you're STILL surprised at how it's written? Really?? After Roust explicitly said that he's tried to cater to certain readers rather than do what he wanted, and that it didn't work out? That he's set in the way he's gonna write from now on?
Honestly, criticizing is fair enough, but when you continually criticize something that's been talked to death about, changed, and ultimately found to work best the way it always was, why persist? It's just annoying, for those of us who enjoy the fic, and I assume to Roust as well. Complaining more won't change anything, other than people's mood for the worse. Please stop. Take a break or stop reading if it doesn't interest you any more.
At for the chapter itself, good stuff. Getting both Tetra and Joe's hangups addressed can only help, and it's wonderful to get to see Joe go all out in the creation of his AI's bodies.
 
Kyle craig said:
Will the skill thief from the empire be able to steal anything from Joe and his posse cause that would be disastrous. I hope we see the somer rock arc from someone else pov, like if the next chapter start with the undersiders already in the meeting place so we can see an outside view of Joe and the gang but Lord is probably going to show it from Joe first then the others any way
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It has been confirmed that he could skill stuff, but Joe could Un do the effect.

Also it would end up bad for the empire as there would be two out comes.

1
Victor ends up brain end cause Joe has more info than a human brain can handle and ends up brain dead.

2
Joe realizea what is happening with Victor at the meeting and tells everyone else what is happening, significantly wreaking the empires position and Kaiser needing to make a example of him to not end up on the chopping block himself.
 
Mesaphrom said:
Honest question, would the presence of the Workshop Crew in his head or his brain chemistry expertise help with the whole insanity thing? Is it something that can be mitigated?



Lethe of The Forgotten Filther be like: Why? He can already do what you people can but better! :V



Apprearance wise? The FMA one that nom off his arm and the Titan one, can't really remember the others. Mental wise is the Strong Spark one that was mentioned above.
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That one counts as post jump so he's gets to keep his arm. He's probably not getting out of meeting Truth though and considering how big the perk is, he might physically be brought before Truth.
 
Garaichu said:
HOW in the WORLD have you guys read this entire fic, more than a million words, and yet you're STILL surprised at how it's written? Really?? After Roust explicitly said that he's tried to cater to certain readers rather than do what he wanted, and that it didn't work out? That he's set in the way he's gonna write from now on?
Honestly, criticizing is fair enough, but when you continually criticize something that's been talked to death about, changed, and ultimately found to work best the way it always was, why persist? It's just annoying, for those of us who enjoy the fic, and I assume to Roust as well. Complaining more won't change anything, other than people's mood for the worse. Please stop. Take a break or stop reading if it doesn't interest you any more.
At for the chapter itself, good stuff. Getting both Tetra and Joe's hangups addressed can only help, and it's wonderful to get to see Joe go all out in the creation of his AI's bodies.
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I absolutely agree, it's honestly a little disgusting to see so many people, one after another, parade out the same tired "criticism" that ultimately boils down to them not personally liking the pacing or the subject matter of the story. Especially when their words have explicitly been addressed by Roustabout. It reeks of a certain oblivious boorishness, and to see it repeated ad nauseam is perhaps my greatest gripe with this thread. Having to sift through "pls go faster" or "me no like tech porn" or the ever engaging "TL;DR, did I mention TL;DR? HEY EVERYONE, I THOUGHT THIS WAS TOO LONG, SO I DIDN'T READ IT LOL!" to get to any discussion of remote value tends to grate.
 
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Garaichu said:
Please stop. Take a break or stop reading if it doesn't interest you any more.
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But that's the thing, it's clear they they do like it, it's just that there this 'muck' (IE: perks and technobabble) that keeps getting in the way of what they like (character interactions and world building) and as long as those parts keep being interested than they will keep coming and complaining about what they don't like even if the parts of what they don't like is tagential to what points they're making since the 'muck' is so overwhelmingly more present than any of those other parts its hard to not talk about them.

I myself love everything about this story even if its meant to be a slog, but I can see where they're coming from.
 
LordRoustabout said:
this power, Connections Hell,
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Connections: Hell
LordRoustabout said:
about three dozen ideas modifications to it
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delete ideas
LordRoustabout said:
full extent of my powers, including by Master Craftsman
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delete by
LordRoustabout said:
There's nothing weird about Apeiron of the Enigmatic Artificer."
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delete of, add comma after Apeiron
LordRoustabout said:
Workshop were kind of Fucked.
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fucked
LordRoustabout said:
I just need to unlock his aura
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Aura
LordRoustabout said:
repeated use of the Mythic Forge and a colossal amount of mana
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LordRoustabout said:
and not one the Mythic Forge naturally extended itself to.
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LordRoustabout said:
final construction I dropped the Mythic Forge
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All of these should be Mystic Forge
 
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insertname099 said:
Can anyone turn up any images for what Fleet's based off of? HyperBUMA gives nothing in Google images...
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I can't find it and have never watched the series before except briefly. Another name for BUMA is Boomer, and the wiki mentions a Super Boomer project (which may be an alternate name for HyperBUMA), but my Googlefu fails me.
 
I kinda feel like this chapter needs a warning: reader beware. Thousands of words worth of tldr Magitech manual or textbook. Nothing of significance happens that can't be explained by summary of powers gained so just skip for next interlude if you're not a fan of techno babble. More and more looking forward to interludes because main pov just leaves stupid readers like me bored to tears.
 
I think Mind-Open is a referens to Mother of Learning or is it from somewhere else?

I think Paxton Fettel will make PRT panic again as they are probably testing his title and then suddenly it isn't a strange title.

Finally did we get anti ziz watches. Both we the readers and Joe has waited a long time for that.

I really liked the difference between pure workshop and semi workshop 'members.' That it was a big difference just between those who have been created and arrived because of Apeiron and outsiders. Not that Aisha is a bad outsider but that she's still sorta a guest, just like Roust said. It was nice feeling that.

Happy that Tetra told Apeiron that she doesn't want to be dissed from helping, even if that help is donating life fibers. Tetra is coming along as a dark horse favorite in the crew.

Woah, man! Daedalus' Student is here! All the BIG powa is here! I wonder what PRT will say as Apeiron has gotten 4st 600 perks and a couple 500 ones since he told them he'll rest. He has become several times more powerful since he told them he'll rest and take it easy. They'll probably cry, think it's a ploy and up his thinker rating. I mean a quality 600 perk is serious business. Not to mention Feel It Out perk.
 
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Elychari said:
I kinda feel like this chapter needs a warning: reader beware. Thousands of words worth of tldr Magitech manual or textbook. Nothing of significance happens that can't be explained by summary of powers gained so just skip for next interlude if you're not a fan of techno babble. More and more looking forward to interludes because main pov just leaves stupid readers like me bored to tears.
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Okay, seriously, why does this website lack a Dislike Button? Stop the complaining, seriously. This story is well over a Million Words. If you are still reading up to this point, you obviously must like it, and yet you are posting complaints about the format that dozens of others have also complained about and dozens upon dozens of others in turn tore down as they and the Author have explained the reasons for this type of writing before and it boils down to this: "You can't please everybody". If you don't like it, then why did you read a chapter that is, by itself, longer than some books? If you didn't read the chapter, then why post about it? Just either stop reading, or quit complaining about Lord Roustabout's writing style. There are literally hundreds of millions of words of fanfiction out there to read, go find something else if you don't like this one in particular. If you have an actual, constructive criticism, then give it, but otherwise, this particular piece has been done to death.
 
Personally, I just want to go on record and say that I loved everything about this chapter and love everything about this story. So thank you for everything you've done @LordRoustabout . No matter what happens, you have continued support.

Also funny thing. Yesterday was my birthday and I was waiting all evening in anticipation for this update (and would have been disappointed if it got delayed again) but had to sleep due to work the next day (today).

Seeing the update on the alert bar was one of the best things to wake up to and considering I'm near addicted to this story it felt like I got my fix when reading it. I even made a mental joke about me just injecting the story into my eyes so that I can enjoy all the tech wank and character interactions presented to us.
 
I'm more of a plot > perk explanation/integration type of guy so when when a chapter like this comes out I'll just scroll and stop every few thousand words and check if he is still talking about his new perks or tech. If he is, then rinse and repeat the scrolling until the chapter is over or plot starts up again. Saves me time and investment after I realized how the author likes to write his story. I love this story but dislike how we can get 30k works (almost HALF OF A HARRY POTTER BOOK) and the plot is in the same place. But hey, its how the author likes and writes his story. Not my place to tell him how to write it but criticism is fair game. We'll get to the plot eventually lol just a waiting game.
 
Finally got finished reading this awesome chapter! And god, I desperately want a full description of the bodies the three AIs now have. Dear god its going to be amazing to see the reactions once Joe and the Workshop Team walk into Somer's Rock.

bubblegumcrisis.fandom.com

Boomer

Boomers are synthetic life forms produced by the Genom Corporation. Typically, they are called Voomers (VOodoo Organic Metal Extension Resource), and referred to as Boomers if they go wild and start killing. Some people call them Boomers whether they are out of control or not, so it is also a...
bubblegumcrisis.fandom.com bubblegumcrisis.fandom.com

Considering the design of BUMA? Dear god Fleet is going to be intimidating as FUCK. He is a god damn Divine Beast.

Makes me want Leviathan to come sooner rather than later. Because THAT will be amazing.

And we're still weeks out from the canon arrival!

Dear lord all the upgrades and wonderful creations! Delicious, delicious Tech Porn.

I can't wait to see Survey's elegant look and Matrix's transformers inspired swarm of Nanobots.

God, I expect Saint to just die of a stroke when they all walk in.

This... this is going to be beautiful!
 
sonicyoash said:
If you don't like it, then why did you read a chapter that is, by itself, longer than some books? If you didn't read the chapter, then why post about it?
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While I understand the desire to shout down complaints (and the complaints really don't add anything at this point, as LordRoustabout has made his stance clear), do not pretend that people are just strolling into the thread and starting the story with chapter 50. Investment is a thing, and the people who have read this far have invested about the same reading time as the entire Harry Potter series, just as an example. While stopping and going to read something else is probably the healthiest option, few people are able to just drop that investment and move on without expressing their discontent. Much easier to drop something when you haven't spent literal days of your life reading it.

And while you didn't mention it in your post, a common response to peoples' complaints is that the dynamics of the story have been the same since the start, so why are people complaining? This simply isn't true. There were 8 days of story and about 180k words prior to the first fight with Bakuda, Uber and Leet. Between that fight and the big fight with the ABB, 4 days and 350k words. Since that fight, 2 days and 390k words, and we are still an update or two away from a meeting. Every update spends less time on plot. If you're ok with that, thats ok. But being not ok with that is ok too. I recognize that it is annoying that people keep talking about it, but its not like its a group of posters who have collectively decided to muddy up the thread. Its mostly people who cross threshholds of annoyance and disinterest at different times, and feel the need to speak up about it when they do.

I probably will drop the story soon, because my investment is declining as time goes on. And thats ok, theres plenty of other stories out there for me to read and there are plenty of people who enjoy this story as it is and will be happy to keep reading. I legit am happy that you all continue to enjoy it.
 
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Chiming in as someone who's been on both ends of this.


What helped me was realizing that I stuck around for a million+ words when I will drop a 100 word story if the first sentence has bad vibes.


I admit that the most powerful BCF-reader tool you can have is skimming. If you only want to read character interaction, skim skill descriptions.



For instance, I very much enjoyed the moment where Aisha hits Tybalt with the Ginobli-esque euro-step/hesitation head scratchies combo.


But did I read everything about how the new power let's him see the potential improvements for his shit? No, but I got that he can see the potential improvements to his shit by holding them for awhile from my skim.


If you read Delve you should be a veteran of "I don't read this story for 3 months but when I finally come back it's good."
 
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