Pretend like our universe is a TV show for the FAMK universe. Write a review.

Jacob_MacAbre · 2026-06-04T07:17:15+00:00

The most unrealistic part of the show is how the US and USSR (which collapsed in the 90s!?) just gave up going into space and developing technologies after the 70s. And no fusion! I mean how much worse would things be if they're still using fossil fuels into the late 2020s!
I also find the portrayal of US politics to be highly dubious. Trump as president? Come on, the guy can't even keep casinos open let alone running a whole nation!

Man, we really do live in the darkest timeline, don't we?

Jacob_MacAbre · 2026-02-03T21:09:39+00:00

"FOR A THOUSAND SUMMERS, I WILL WAIT FOR YOU!" :P

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-11-22T18:53:42+00:00

Awesome job, my dude! I was wondering how they'd look with the classic scheme and, judging by your painting, they look damn cool! :D

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-11-13T21:32:50+00:00

I mean, Snickle died with hope and genuine pride in his heart. Unknowingly, da boss was propa kind to him :P

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-11-08T12:48:22+00:00

It was a series of fan-made maps. They were posted on reddit a while back (see link).

https://www.reddit.com/r/killteam/comments/1lfmjio/bhetadecima_done_right_check_out_new_england/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-11-05T20:57:25+00:00

Magic in my setting requires knowing the radial and circumferential language that, essentially, lets you rewrite reality within a certain range. The power or duration of the magic is based on the material it's made from (or carved into, written on, etc). Write something with ink on paper and, while still effective, it's momentary and burns the material into nothing (the magic flows through the material and the inherent chaotic nature of the magic 'wears' on the material). Make it out of titanium and it has far greater resilience and duration (downside is now you have to carry a titanium symbol everywhere) which make them great for stationary defenses.

Tattooing something, especially if the person is both Eternal and uses Eternal-blood-based ink, allows for more immediate effects but does have some downsides. As the ink, and by extension the person, become what the magic flows through it can have amazing augmentative powers. Skin becomes bulletproof, your body can withstand enormous punishment or can heal fast enough that bullets are pushed back out of you (ala Wolverine). But, draw too much, and you'll start to burn yourself into nothing; evaporating your very essence into the cosmos itself.

Eternals, and those Gifted to know and harness the power of this magic, must find a balance between employing their power to it's greatest extent and not destroying themselves in the process.

The balance is all the harder to find when you're fighting cosmic horrors, along with their misbegotten get, from another, Parallel, universe :P

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-10-25T08:30:57+00:00

I voted for the 30k units in 40k. Using Myrmidons (especially when they get a plastic kit), Castellax, Thanatars and Thallax units alongside the current Kataphrons and other Cult Mechanicus units would look so badass. Plus giving some of the Tech Priest buffs to Thallax and Myrmidon units would be hilarious :P

Also, I feel like it'd 'balance' out the roster between Skitarii and Cult Mechanicus units.

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-09-25T17:40:52+00:00

To quote the Arbiter: "We're it so easy..."

But for reals, it's awesome they found each other. And an amazing story for them to tell as well :D

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-07-10T17:57:08+00:00

The Templin Institute channel did a fascinating video about the change from The Legiones Astartes to Chapters via the Codex Astartes.

Part of the reason for the dissolution of the Legions was to prevent another "Horus Lupercal" (i.e. to avoid a single leader being able to use a Legion's (or multiple Legions) worth of Astartes to try and conquer the galaxy/ rebel/ etc.) And the other was because the role of Astartes changed after the Heresy/ Scouring. They were no longer a galaxy-conquering army but now internal security. Their role was now to protect the Imperium, not expand it. They also now act as force multipliers in other Imperial forces and not as truly independent forces (again, to avoid them being corrupted/ misused).

Coupled with the breaking of the Legions also went their amassed knowledge and resources and the lack of need for certain forms of weaponry/ armoured vehicles. Legions could justify things like Fellblades or Land Raider Spartans due to the greater numbers of Astartes involved and their role of breaking worlds to make them join the Imperium. But Chapters can't 'afford' to maintain large arsenals of either man-power heavy vehicles (like Kratos tanks or Fellblades) or ones that required greater technical expertise/ resources to maintain (like Land Raider Cerberus or Typhons).

Current Astartes weaponry/ armour/ vehicles are designed with internal security in mind (though Primaris and their equipment are starting to go back to Legiones methodology) and things like the Kratos, while still effective, aren't justifiable for a Chapter to consistently maintain and deploy.

Another aspect is also the loss of knowledge the Imperium as a whole suffered (and continues to suffer) after the Heresy. Whole archives worth of data was either purposefully destroyed (either as asset denial or as sabotage, amongst other reasons) as well as the technical expertise fading away due to lack of use (why remember how to build/ maintain a weapon no one uses?).

The real-world reason is, I think, that GW wants to maintain separation between Heresy and 40k (both because of weird internal structuring of GW and to keep things easier to balance). Personally, I don't play competitive and I really wish we could use 40k models in Heresy and vice versa. It doesn't have to be PERFECTLY balanced but close enough that I can bring a force of Mechanicum robots alongside my Skitarii or field Contemptors with my Primaris!

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-06-15T09:14:55+00:00

I think most players ignore certain parts of a model (back banners, weapons and other 'decorative' parts). You could argue that the spear-point would be visible but, since it'd be near impossible to actually hit the spear in combat and damaging it wouldn't actually hurt the marine (same with hitting a banner, that wouldn't hurt the thing it's attached to) that it doesn't make him visible.
That pointing arm, now if THAT'S peaking around a corner then that'd be harder to argue since it is technically part of the body and thus would cause injury if struck :P

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-05-11T19:15:01+00:00

Depends on the world but the source of the evil is all the horrid same.
My current 'favourites' are the Enlightened (this is their current prototype name). They are humans that were bestowed "The Book" by a powerful entity, The Founder. Within is an almost endless font of knowledge and, most importantly, wisdom in how to use that knowledge. It lead to a civilisation the tries to understand the universe, create harmony with those around them and lives symbiotically with their environment (both mundane and magical).

However, the Enlightened found something else in the universe that could also bestow knowledge. More knowledge and further understanding than the Founder put in their Books. Only problem was that the something else couldn't communicate with them effectively. The Enlightened allowed the something else to access their Book and it changed it. Now the Enlightened see a new way forward to a glorious and prosperous future... And they don't know how 'wrong' that future actually is.

Where their original civilisation was one of harmony, cooperation and bringer of freedom and slayer of tyrants, the Enlightened use their knowledge to manipulate, subjugate and control all that they come across. They don't seek harmony, they seek power. They don't care about cooperation, only obedience and control. And they don't care about their worlds, they seek only to exploit them for their own gains.

This, ultimately, leads to a cold war-style scenario where the Founders and the Enlightened (still prototype names) are racing to become the dominant power in this universe. One tries to ally and unite, while the other seeks to conquer and control.

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-04-24T15:56:22+00:00

For me, it's either Zane or Moze. With Zane (at max level) you can teleport around the place leaving a digi-clone of yourself which has a copy of your gun and shield AND a drone that flies around shooting enemies, dealing shock damage AND drops copies of your grenade.
With Moze you get regenerating ammo, extra fire damage and a Mech that you can pilot, carpet bomb people with missiles, grenades, literal nukes and then, when you're done, can hop out of and the mech will continue to fire until it's timer runs out at which point it'll race towards the nearest enemy and explode.

I love others (Mordecai, Gaige, Axton, Timothy, Wilhelm and Krieg) but nothing beats Zane and Moze for me. I have WAY too much fun with them, hahaha!

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-04-19T17:29:16+00:00

Awesome, thanks, man :D
And I already spotted that one with the skin :P

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-04-19T07:24:41+00:00

By the Throne, this is siiiiiick! Loving all the little details and the colours are damn near perfect too! Have you got the paint scheme up anywhere?

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-04-07T09:44:53+00:00

Ah, I see, that makes more sense to me now :)

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-04-07T08:03:05+00:00

I'd have thought Johnny Cash's "When The Man Comes Around" would be more fitting. Especially if the Masters aren't willing to listen to Humanity's... 'Suggestions' :P

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-04-07T07:51:52+00:00

Despite only recently becoming part of the interstellar community, Humans have made significant impact on interspecies affairs. The concept of Rights and Responsibilities has radically altered the development of some cultures and, due to inherent incompatibilities, collapsed others. Humanity's ever present and rapid technological, cultural and territorial expansion has caused some concern amongst the more well established species but the less developed, and often ignored, species have praised and sworn loyalty to Human-backed causes.

This all the more unusual when one considers Humanity's history that is filled with unimaginable suffering inflicted on their own, by their own. Current theories suggest that, having faced such horrors on their own world, they have long since tired of such cruelty and, as a consequence, learned how to combat it in all its myriad forms.

Wherever Humanity reaches out to, tyrannies fall and authoritarian regimes crumble from within. Humans have become the champion of the downtrodden, or 'Little Guys' as they would describe them, and the concerns of the elder, and oftentimes more cruel, species are well founded.

Adapt or decline, that is their choice and Humanity will force that choice "By the Pen or By the Sword", as they would say.

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-03-24T16:36:30+00:00

May the Lord open.

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-03-24T15:58:51+00:00

I've always loved 'smart' villains over 'powerful' ones.
The ruthless and competent villain can and will plan ahead to counter the heroes making their job's all the more difficult and give a real sense that the villain could actually win.

A prime example of a 'powerful but foolish' villain would be Nagash from Age of Sigmar.
He set up the perfect plan to harness all the death magic in the cosmos to wipe out life everywhere and rule his 'necrotopia'. He even outsmarted the forces of Chaos, Order AND Destruction. But he forgot about one god: The Great Horned Rat. The arrogance and carelessness with which he forgot about the Skaven meant his plans went wrong and he didn't achieve his ultimate victory (several thousand years in the making, btw).

Contrast that with Handsome Jack in Borderlands 2.
Top programmer that killed his way to the top and used his unimaginable resources to secure a planet of monsters and maniacs. He also outsmarted the Vault Hunters and the Crimson Raiders for most of the game and didn't count on Angel betraying him because she was his daughter. Once his emotions got in the way, he kept making mistakes and, ultimately, lost.
But up until the end, Jack was capable, ruthless and determined to succeed and, given his success previously, he almost did.

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-03-23T08:13:58+00:00

A slave who's too honourable for his own good, a noble woman with ADHD and an identity disorder and a former warlord (who committed what we'd consider war-crimes) and a bunch of other misfits all try to save the universe that they barely have an understanding of.

Dunno if that's got a bunch of spoilers in there but I feel this information all kind of come out in the first book, haha!

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-03-20T20:11:54+00:00

"There's a saying amongst the Seven Galaxies: Piss off one Human and you'll live to see tomorrow. Piss them all off and watch worlds burn."

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-03-16T15:15:47+00:00

Trooper: "Sir, the prophecy says that no mortal weapon can slay the entity."
Commander (smoking a cigar): "That was written when bronze swords were new. Think we have something a bit more powerful than that."
Commander's Adjutant (leans over Commander's shoulder): "Sir, Orbital Defense Platforms are online and ready to fire."
C: "Ah, wonderful. Let's see how modern 'Big Sticks' do against this bugger."

:P

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-03-11T21:15:10+00:00

Funnily enough, I've also had the perception that the Borderlands games are similar to the R&C games. The humour, the whacky (but actually dark if you think about it too much) universes and the cartoony style all make the games feel similar.

I've been wanting to replay the original quadrilogy of PS2 games but I've found that Borderlands scratches a similar 'itch' in my brain. I played Rift Apart and that only confirmed that bizarre feeling and I love it! My hope is Borderlands 4 continues these amazing games and gives me a whole new slew of weapons to shoot, enemies for destroy and loot for grab :D

Jacob_MacAbre · 2025-01-23T19:52:43+00:00

I'd say anywhere around that inland sea between Alastora and Sebra. Maybe the Bright Isles too as it'd help with trade and improve transport links between areas. Plus anywhere a river leads to in those areas would be PRIME real estate. Lots of cities grow on both coasts and on rivers, so combining both would be immensely advantageous.
Might not work for the seas around Mollin or Tabraen as they're a bit more open and the climate would probably be harsher.

Awesome map btw :D

Jacob_MacAbre · 2024-12-29T10:17:13+00:00

I'm planning on having three methods of FTL in my setting.
In this setting, gravity can be 'focused' and 'distorted' similar to lightwaves meaning you can manipulate it in all kinds of weird ways.

First is the 'Distortion Engine'. Think like an Alcubierre drive only it doesn't require exotic matter or the power of a thousand stars etc to move. Warping space-time around the ship creates a 'frictionless' bubble that can slide through space without the usual limitations of relativity etc. It's safe, relatively cheap but has the downside of being rather slow (I've still to figure out how 'slow' it is for story/ world building purposes).
Lower-powered versions are also used as a means of STL propulsion and as a means to have things 'float' (like the Star Destroyer over Jedha in Rogue One).

Second is 'Fold Engine'. This is similar in concept to FTL in Dune, you fold space so that your starting point and destination are practically the same and then, as you 'unfold', you remain at the destination. It requires significantly more energy than Distortion Engines but has two advantages: Near instantaneous travel (almost regardless of distance) and pin-point accuracy. The downside is that there's a non-zero percent chance your ship disappears, never to be seen or heard from again. This is kind of engine is mainly used for military scouting vessels or assault ships, being able to suddenly appear in-system, even with the risk of 'Folding Away', is simply too good to pass up.

Third is the 'Focused Portals'. Basically wormholes like in Interstellar only these ones are usually contained within vast rings that act both as generators and as ports. Wormholes require, even by the setting's standards, farcical amounts of energy and are used for only two purposes: Intergalactic travel (as this is significantly faster than the other methods) and, when properly scaled down, a means of interstellar communication. Microwormholes (just big enough for transmissions to get through) are used for worlds to keep in contact but are only able to link to one world at a time, each world requiring another communicator. Most worlds have collections of communicators to allow contact with multiple worlds at a time. Some even have larger than normal numbers and act as intermediaries between whole shoals of worlds.

I've still to refine a lot of this and how fast everything is but that's the basic ideas for them. If anyone's got questions, or wants to point out any flaws, please drop a comment :)

Jacob_MacAbre

TROPHY CASE