Vaudevillain

While Dylan was out having fun with friends, John was hard at work planning for his old friend's downfall. It was easy, too. Menagerie was a mess of players with hardly any structure to it. Groups of all kinds milled about the flying city of Skyline, each with their own agenda. John made his way around, talking with the groups and figuring out what they wanted.

Most were there to see Dr. Zlo. John ground his teeth after every conversation with a fan. They were all so into the idea, having fun watching and interacting with the character. A few of the players were even starting to dress like him!

John couldn't understand it. It wasn't like World of Supers was all that fun. The game barely had any balance, little progression except for finding new powers, and such a ridiculously abusable death system it was a wonder the company hadn't given up and started over. Sure, the system made sure faction wars had a clear winner, but it also made it easy to grief someone down to F reputation. Compound losses on death without a quick escape meant players with an agenda could use the system to their advantage.

And no one in the city even tried to come up with some kind of countermeasure for the griefing. It was like Menagerie was asking for someone to attack it. It was a good thing John was there to show them their error. His plan would show the city just how unprotected they were, and Dylan would see that he needed help after all.

But in the meantime, John would gather more intelligence. He needed his plan to be perfect. John wouldn't accept anything less from himself.

"So, how's your decision coming along?" Jack asked Dylan after their session. "You use up all the Phlebotinium yet?"

"Don't I wish," Dylan said. "I've got a serious case of choice anxiety. There's just so much to choose from."

The two were sitting in the video call from their session, the group finally comfortable enough to use their cameras along with their voices. Jack looked a bit like her in-game counterpart but had none of the messiness. Her hair sat in a perfect pixie cut, not the messy tangles her World of Supers character portrayed.

"That's cause Vert has a lot of horizontal progression instead of vertical," Jack answered.

Jack started to explain, talking with her hands, "Okay, it's like this. Almost every game has a progression system. It's a way of rewarding the player whenever they complete a task. However, what that reward is can vary. Vertical progression is the term used when the reward is a straight power-up. Think getting a new armor with better stats. It makes you more powerful compared to others. Horizontal progression gives you more options, but might not make you stronger."

"Just more versatile," Dylan cut in.

"Exactly," Jack answered. "Vert has a lot, and I mean a lot, of options. It's kind of their entire selling point at the moment. Hence, a lot of horizontal progression."

"Wouldn't adding a power be vertical progression too?" Dylan asked. "Since it does make you stronger."

"Eh, kinda?" Jack answered with a tilt of her head. "But you have to look at it as a whole. Everyone gets the same hard limit on powers and upgrades, meaning that technically no one will ever have an advantage over the other in that department. Sure, some powers might be stronger than others, and some might outright counter, but no one will ever have an unfair advantage due to having more powers than someone else."

"You make it sound like World of Supers doesn't have any vertical progression," Dylan remarked.

"That's because it doesn't," Jack answered.

"Wait, but what about the reputation system?" Dylan asked.

Jack shrugged, "If it did anything, sure. But it doesn't. All it gives you is a bit more access to the world. Honestly, I think the rep system was shoehorned in by someone at the last minute. It doesn't fit at all with how the game plays."

"Okay, I see what you mean," Dylan nodded.

"Honestly," Jack said. "If you want my opinion, the game should do away with reputation entirely or actually make it a vertical progression system. There's enough there for it."

"Like, allow a player to get more power if they have more reputation?" Dylan asked.

"That's one way," Jack answered. "And that's the vertical progression I was talking about. But I was thinking more along the lines of limiting the player's movement until they grew in rank. Start them off on some city street, fighting a few crooks. Make that the tutorial lessons and whatnot. Then, move on to a city block, neighborhood, the whole city, multiple cities, then the entire map. It would give players something to work toward and grant them more power in the form of more contacts and a bigger network."

"Of course, if you did that, the game wouldn't be as social," Dylan said.

Jack nodded, "True."

"Back to the topic at hand," Dylan said. "What do I do about my powers?"

"Well, what have you got already?" Jack asked.

"I spent two Phleb on Sciencium generation," Dylan said. "And one more on a power upgrade. It lets me add desired upgrades onto any of my creations. Not on the fly, as it still lists a bunch of materials, but it will let me diversify."

Jack nodded appreciatively, "Going all-in on that Mad Science?"

"Yeah, thinking about it," Dylan answered. "Though, the fact that I can't interact with magic at all is a pain."

"Get a magic power, then," Jack said.

"But it doesn't really fit with what I'm going for," Dylan answered. "Dr. Zlo is the classic villain. The one with all sorts of zany inventions and schemes that make little sense."

"Could you cheat it a bit?" Jack asked. "Get a magic power that looks like something from a zany invention?"

Dylan thought about it, "Maybe? I'd have to think about it first."

"Well, you still got one more slot," Jack answered, leaning back in her chair. "You want another power or an upgrade?"

"Upgrade, I think," Dylan answered. "Another power would spread me too thin. Like you said, Dr. Zlo has to all-in on Mad Science."

"In combat upgrade or out of it, then," Jack asked.

Dylan tossed his hands in the air, "In combat? Since I already have an out of combat one with the upgrades."

"And it needs the mad science theme, right?" Jack asked, leaning forward.

Dylan nodded, "Yeah."

"What about a monsterfication ability?" Jack asked. "Use your power on something and monsterfy it. That seems like something you could do."

"I dunno," Dylan wobbled his head. "I tried a monsterfier earlier on, but I'm not sure if I'm sold on the idea. I've already got my minions. Making more seems like I'm doubling down."

"I guess look at it this way," Jack said. "What is it you're lacking when you fight?"

Dylan thought about it for a moment, "My main issue in fights has always been that I don't have what I need to win, and I can't create what I'd need to win either."

"So some kind of versatile firepower or a way to craft on the fly," Jack answered. "Okay, I see what you mean. Now, crafting on the fly isn't hard if you get a gadgeteer power. They just combine two things for something new and more powerful."

"I feel like Dr. Zlo should know what he's getting," Dylan said with a shrug. "He isn't the kind of villain who likes surprises, so a power involving them wouldn't work."

"Okay," Jack said. "Maybe there's something else we can do."

The two thought about it for a bit longer, Jack slowly sinking into her chair while Dylan started to bite his lip. They sat like that for a minute before Jack finally came up with something.

"I got it," She said. "See if you can get an upgrade that solely looks at the stuff in your inventory for ingredients."

"You think that would work?" Dylan asked pensively.

"I don't see why not," Jack said. "The game should be powerful enough to work with that limitation. Plus, whatever you add to your inventory would expand your options."

Dylan thought about it. It definitely fit the idea he wanted for Dr. Zlo. This upgrade would just make the villain better at crafting on the fly, giving Dylan more options in his fights. He'd have to stock up on random things in his inventory, but the added versatility would definitely help in battles. Dr. Zlo wouldn't get stuck unable to craft because his power required some material he couldn't acquire at the moment.

"I think it's a great idea," Dylan said.

"Cool, now for your last power," Jack said.

"Let's jump into World of Supers for it?" Dylan asked. "That way, we can test the new powers right there?"

"I've got some stuff to do," Jack said with a frown. "Otherwise, I'd love to get on."

Dylan shrugged, "I can wait if you want."

"Yeah?" Jack asked.

"It's not like I've got anything pressing inside World of Supers that would make me rush my choice," Dylan said. "After all, it's only a game."

"Alright," Jack smiled. "I'll text when I'm free."

Dylan smiled back.

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