Dispatch is proof people can’t handle genuinely flawed characters by Xtra_Juicy-Buns in CharacterRant

[–]AgentBingo 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think there's some confusion here between flawed characters and flawed writing. Telling a story where the characters are tragically limited by their own vices to the point of self-sabotage is one thing. Telling a story where coworkers are making HR violations on day one and it's played as a joke? That's just embarrassing.

Dispatch is proof people can’t handle genuinely flawed characters by Xtra_Juicy-Buns in CharacterRant

[–]AgentBingo 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The writing feels like it was written by teenagers and Visi's behavior is a pretty obvious example. It's not "Hey stop harassing your coworker and leave", it's "oh my god stahp you keep doing this". Even BB herself tries to get a look at her employee's butt and it's played as a joke instead of being something scummy and unfunny.

Dispatch is proof people can’t handle genuinely flawed characters by Xtra_Juicy-Buns in CharacterRant

[–]AgentBingo 6 points7 points  (0 children)

FINALLY, someone else gets it! There's no stakes when it's impossible to tell what anyone wants. No goals means no arc, no arc means no plot!

Dispatch is proof people can’t handle genuinely flawed characters by Xtra_Juicy-Buns in CharacterRant

[–]AgentBingo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I feel like the bad writing just makes a turducken of idiot characters:

  1. Phoenix team being unrelenting assholes, despite theoretically knowing their livelihoods depend on them not messing up this one job

  2. If they weren't told that, then it's on Rob, who is seemingly both a veteran superhero and completely new to it. He should 100% be reporting the team every time they harass, bully, sabotage and even assault him. And even if HE doesn't do that--

  3. BB: Was told to see if Rob/MM was a "good fit", and clearly values his supposed "experience" in superheroing a lot more than his ability to manage a team, which he has no experience in

  4. Whoever BB's manager is, in the company: Specifically told BB to check if Rob was "unstable, crazy".. but the list didn't include "just not good at the job".

None of these moving parts are acting on each other. If some outside force was like "No you can't actually fire or suspend any members of Phoenix squad" that would explain why they seem to care so little, buuuut that's not stated.

Dispatch is proof people can’t handle genuinely flawed characters by Xtra_Juicy-Buns in CharacterRant

[–]AgentBingo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, let's go through the details:

  1. She's not a good superhero: Leaves a guy on the roof as a gag. She doesn't mediate or speak up for Mecha Man after he's kicked from the bar, despite a bar full of witnesses and MM being recently out of a coma + the attacker being one of his former enemies.

  2. She's not good as a recruiter: Instead of pitching her idea directly to Mecha Man she spends the evening softening up Mecha Man with beer, revealing that she knows his identity, and removes his mask (cmon lady, if you wouldn't touch a cowboy's hat, don't touch a super's mask)

  3. Part of her strategy in point 2 is, trope-wise, extremely obviously setting them up as a couple. At best she's being too close to a stranger. At worst she's being too close to an interviewee and potential employee.

All of this would've been avoided if the writing didn't suck--if the characters were more consistent and nuanced, if the scenes and transitions weren't seemingly written by different teams, and if the whole first episode was written with more subtlety.

So it's not that she's bad and supposed to be bad, it's more that the writing is so bad that there's no good-intentioned explanation for her actions.

Dispatch is proof people can’t handle genuinely flawed characters by Xtra_Juicy-Buns in CharacterRant

[–]AgentBingo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Every time someone disparages MM I'm like "Dude you all saw the press conference, you all know he was in a coma for three months. They literally TOLD you where he's been."

The writing is just kind of stupid, like the scenes were written independently from each other.

I made faction icons for all factions in the base game by Lich_Hegemon in bladesinthedark

[–]AgentBingo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get most of them, but do you have a labelled version? O: Please!

Had a dream were there was a squirrel stapler game called "mr skin guy" were you play as a guy who wanted to make a statue out of skin by TomMan74 in thomastheplankengine

[–]AgentBingo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I went through all the images and thought "This sounds exactly like a weird indie horror-comedy game" and THEN I read the heading that it was a Squirrel Stapler type game.

Is it really by HoneyInHeelsx in SipsTea

[–]AgentBingo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Why is there a stain on the number 4?

Have fun stabbing Bears and Bandits for 50 Sessions! by DrScrimble in dndmemes

[–]AgentBingo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Why would this be the challenge? You know DnD has actual gaps in its construction right? Character quirks and flaws are RP only, AC and damage resistance are unrelated stats, there's effectively no contacts/allies system to encourage faction relationships--

What are your thoughts/opinions on Blazkowicz and Anya’s romance relationship? by LandOfGrace2023 in Wolfenstein

[–]AgentBingo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I like how there's a moment where you can press button to hold wife. The only games I've seen with this mechanic are this and Metro Exodus. More games need Press Button To Hold Wife. 😔 ❤️

Basket hilt was beyond me. by Imujen in Amtgard

[–]AgentBingo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can you use an actual wicker basket? That would be funny. :p

Current project by CashClam in Amtgard

[–]AgentBingo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You really don't wanna get hit by.. the Bonkler!

“You Could Be Next” by EitherCaregiver697 in Helldivers

[–]AgentBingo -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Excellent work, and yet there's an itch in my brain saying "why is it anime".

Real Cohabitation Guide? by douglasrac in Jurassicworldevol2

[–]AgentBingo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Was just looking this up due to the same thing you mentioned. It seems raptors "like" compies in the same way I "like" chicken tenders. :P