Recently I made a post about Rising Force Online. I would like to correct a few things in that post.

Mainly this: the Bellato MAU is not as big-ass as I might have led some of you to imagine. The average Corite and Bellato individual is human in proportion. Battle axes and halberds really look like two handed-weapons when wielded by the humanoids. Long swords are really long swords, as broad swords are broad. When an (Accretian) Imperial soldier wields, they look really tiny. The size difference becomes more pronounced when it comes to firearms and bows. When an Accretian holds a rifle with both hands, it looks proportional. When the humans hold the same rifle (all three races can use around 90% of what weapons the other races can use), however, they look like they're lugging around artillery pieces.

This is probably why no humans can use launchers unaided, and only the mechanical monsters can. By this, I mean the whole of Accretia and MAUs. The difference is that Accretians can easily switch weapons from launcher to another weapon - MAUs cannot. This implies that the horsepower output of any Accretian is what allows them to carry, aim, and fire the launcher without flying back a few meters every time. This also means that MAUs are just plain heavy, which is why they don't get knocked back when some of them fire their missiles.

Winding back to size, an Accretian is at least 25-50% taller than a human. And since Bellato fear the Accretian monsters, they made their weapons against them bigger. A Massive Armor Unit is around 25% taller than an Imperial, but boasts better protection and weaponry. MAUs, however, are not invincible. I've seen an attack group of 3 go down in the face of Cora magic. Granted, there were 2 dozen or so Corites, averaging to level 30, and the MAU squad went down like trucks on thin ice. The Corite hit and run tactic using spells showed them.

MAUs are scary when they raid low-level areas. The Corite response, as shown above, was superior sorcery. The Accretian response - I have yet to see it. In theory, once an Accretian gains access to the level 30 Grenade Launcher, MAUs are toast - the Grenade Launcher can shoot stun grenades which should stun even MAUs. Even its smaller level 10 cousin can throw grenades that screw the accuracy of whatever it hits, potentially providing trouble for the MAU.

A last curiosity is the Flame Thrower. It is considered a launcher type weapon, usable only by the Empire. In real life, flamethrowers have no recoil, so why can't the humans use them? Perhaps the answer lies in the weight and the intense heat generated by the weapon. I've seen Bellato and Cora armor, and none of them look heat-retardant - unlike the Flamethrower infantry of Command and Conquer. MAUs take flamethrowers to a new height, with some models boasting two flamers on the unit. Cheesy cowards.

Major sort-of upheaval in my life: my sister has made it her mission to see that I finish my thesis on time, or kill me trying. While I do appreciate her effort, I'm going to hold back giving her my gratitude until I actually finish the damned thing, which has been for the last two years.

Yeah, I know, I suck. :b

Recent changes: I've taken a vow to avoid softdrinks and sodas as much as possible. Shouldn't be too hard, given the high cost of them drinks.

I've recently tried my hand at Rising Force (RF) Online. Man, it reminds me of Tantra. KSers galore, and the bad part is you can't go into PK mode and off the mothas, if the motha-F-ing KSers are of your race. Sheesh.

Backstory: After the mechanical Accretian Empire was shamefully defeated by the combined weak flesh and blood forces of the Bellato Union and the Holy Order of Cora, all three factions decided that they wanted this holystone-rich planet in the Novus sector. Bellato and Cora broke off their truce - the holystone is up for grabs.

The Accretians are like a massive capitalist robotic ant hive. Each of the three castes are expected to kick ass in the name of and improve the economy of the Empire. If they don't Darth Vader will come back from the dead and whup their non-performing asses silly, and no one wants that to happen. Basically, a master ROM BIOS, either a warrior, ranger, or specialist, is cloned and downloaded into an upgradable hardware bundle - the characters. This basic ROM features no unique or flashy skills, unlike the characters of the other factions. The one good thing that comes out of this mass produced intelligence is that every Accretian is built with the knowledge of Launcher usage. These missile/rocket launchers cannot be wielded by puny humans due to weight and recoil - and it is not unheard of for frontline close combat Accretian units to unleash a withering volley of missile fire before drawing weapons and engaging. Also, Accretian scientists have developed a wide variety of Launcher ammunition to deal with any situations their soldiers might encounter. (In fantasy MMORPG terms, Launchers can be equipped with Fire, Earth, Wind, Water, and Neutral elemental bullets.) Accretians can deploy and enjoy launchers as early as level 15.

If Accretians were this good, why did they lose to the Bellato and Cora Combine?

Well, they were up versus 2:1 odds. The Cora had elemental attack magic, and the Bellato had MAUs (Mobile Assault Units - aka BattleMechs / Mobile Armor). While Accretians could hold their own against the big, bulky MAUs, and they have consumable items that boost magic resistance, in the long run numbers will tip the battle.

To wit: a lv 35 Accretian Specialist might have around 2000-3000 HP. A single MAU, the lowest grade, has at least 100,000 HP, and is piloted by a Lv 35 Bellato Driver. MAUs come in 2 flavors, Goliath (close combat) and Catapult (ranged combat). MAUs are huge - the average Accretian is roughly 6 to 9 feet tall (2-3 meters), and MAUs are easily 5 to 10 times bigger. (There is an unsurety of height ratio, as no MAU has stood still long enough for a curious Accretia unit to measure it. Scientists attribute this to the caffeine in Bellato Driver's favorite beverage.)

So why did I pick Accretia? Because robots are cool. Because elemental rockets and missiles are cool. Because flesh is weak, and steel is strong, which was why the Bellato built MAUs in the first place. It is proper to say that Accretians have no souls; only living things have mere souls. What Accretians have are spirits of steel.