The RPG Advice Thread

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The_Shogun

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#351  Edited By The_Shogun

@_retrofire_: I gave it my best shot but I just thought it was kinda.. dull, I guess. Which sucked because it seemed like the kind of show I'd really enjoy. Sometime I'll give it another shot though, sometimes its just my mood at the time that keeps me from getting into stuff.

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_Grifter_

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#352  Edited By _Grifter_

@_retrofire_ said:
@the_shogun said:

@_nox_: You know, I thought the Sopranos kinda sucked. It was one of those things that was the first of its kind and so it got a lot of praise but it can't even compare with more mature, developed versions of the same thing. Rome was a lot of fun though. I'm into that era, so I enjoyed it.

I haven't seen Rome but I always thought Soprano's was hit and miss episode to episode. Great one ep and boring or bad the next.

Personally I'll take the first three seasons of Boardwalk Empire over it any day...Up until they killed Harrow off :/ I didn't even see the episode it happened in. Once I heard he got offed I lost all interest.

Stopped watching BWE after that happened. You should give Rome a watch when you have the time for it. It's a shame Rome only got two seasons..

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Thee_Champion

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@sodiummastermind: No worries. Unfortunately there aren't any space-based or pirate-based teams right now :/

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_RetroFire_

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@the_shogun: Nah I can understand that. If you only watched the first few episodes it did get off to a boring start.

@_retrofire_ said:
@the_shogun said:

@_nox_: You know, I thought the Sopranos kinda sucked. It was one of those things that was the first of its kind and so it got a lot of praise but it can't even compare with more mature, developed versions of the same thing. Rome was a lot of fun though. I'm into that era, so I enjoyed it.

I haven't seen Rome but I always thought Soprano's was hit and miss episode to episode. Great one ep and boring or bad the next.

Personally I'll take the first three seasons of Boardwalk Empire over it any day...Up until they killed Harrow off :/ I didn't even see the episode it happened in. Once I heard he got offed I lost all interest.

Stopped watching BWE after that happened. You should give Rome a watch when you have the time for it. It's a shame Rome only got two seasons..

Might as well kill off Tyrion Lannister and Darryl Dixon. There were signs throughout the show where it stopped being it's own animal and started playing off the trends of those two shows. Unexpected deaths, scandals etc. bad move on their part because up until then it was pretty original.

You and me seem to be on the same wave length when it comes to shows. I'll probably check it out this weekend.

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SodiumMastermind

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@thee_champion Thanks! I have another question linked to my first. Can your character be RP'ing in 2 different places, at 2 different CVnU times, but in the same location thread and at the same irl time?

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Arceus_Aurelius-Rex

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....

You know I'd like to know that myself.

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Arquitenens

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#357  Edited By Arquitenens
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SodiumMastermind

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@arquitenens Ok, thanks. Through asking questions here, I think that I am right in saying that on ComicVine, there aren't really any strict rules, you just have to be logical and fair to other RP'ers.

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Arquitenens

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@sodiummastermind: More or less, something like that! ^_^ Feel free to ask questions as needed.

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Arceus_Aurelius-Rex

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So on mobile, would it be preferable to type dialogue grouped with narration "Like so?"

Or do you think people would prefer I split dialogue and narration?

"Like this?"

I've always wondered. Same question for thoughts and such on a PC, split or just keep it all together? Because I know that splitting makes it a little easier to read, but that also makes the thread longer.

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Arquitenens

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#361  Edited By Arquitenens

@arceus_aurelius-rex: For me, I think it's all about your personal preference, but I don't think it's dependent on whether you're on mobile or not at all. [Personal opinion.]

There are a few factors that play into it. Whatever feels right with your voice is one thing. Whatever tone you're trying to convey. This is the case with many breaks in paragraphs/line breaks (and syntax, but I wanna keep relatively focused). Sometimes people do it when they're changing subjects. They follow a formula: topic-sentence followed by support and description. But this isn't really a rigid rule, not in fiction-writing. You really go by how you feel, or whatever feeling you're trying to convey in your writing. Sometimes when people want to push a tense or sharp tone, they'll work with frequent breaks, single-line and single-sentence paragraphs, particularly when a line or chunk of dialogue (or narration) is supposed to stand out, or supposed to have a more emphatic effect (umph!). LL is big on sharp effect like this, especially in action posts. Mercy is also good for seeing this blended in general.

But I think the most important thing is to go with the flow. Don't think too much about it and let nature take its course. Usually your gut will tell you right; and as you read more, and write more, you'll get a better sense for how things should blend, so then your paragraphs and breaks start to, more or less, form on their own. Of course, if you start something you can later decide you like it better another way. When in doubt, if you've got a few ways of doing it in mind, do it both ways and see which way feels better when you read back over it.

If you're still not satisfied with that answer, you could try reading different writers (around here, professionals who write books, whatever) and start to get a feel for what works.
Or maybe wait and see what better/more experienced/technical writers around here have to say.

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Arceus_Aurelius-Rex

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@Arquitenens: That was a great answer, thanks a lot! You're the best

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Arquitenens

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I need Mercy!

@mercy_ I don't know where you're at but I need you!

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Mercy_

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deactivated-59c716930b8a6

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Romance. How do ya do it?

How does one go about it, how do you make it thrive? To that field of knowledge, I mustn't have arrived!

How is it done, how do ya do, is it hard just like the SAT? Just answer me, what do I do, TELL ME YOU LITTLE RAT!!!

Is it fun, is it awkward, what is it, I must see! Just sit down and take your time, I'll warm a cuppa tea.

Just come along, explain to me, how is romance written? What do you do, who must I ask, perhaps Mercy while carrying a kitten?

Just answer me, and then I'll be, I'm running out of time. I'm all out of lyrics, especially ones that rhyme!

*Bows*

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deactivated-5a4aaebccd120

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@dreadpool10: Start with chemistry between the two, make it obvious yours is attracted to the other, but subtlely. Make small moves to show interest or affection then let it progress from there. Once you get past that part it's pretty organic.

Now I wanna ask Sha about a hawkman/girl relationship...

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Clara Mass

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#368  Edited By Clara Mass

@dreadpool10: *has flashbacks to when I was CV arm candy* Oh God.

Romance is cool if it serves a purpose for your narrative....always build it with someone you trust. Even pitch the concept if you're call with one of the writer's around here.

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Medusa_Merc

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How to deal with the stresses of running a large-scale RP?

How to avoid giving spoilers for planned plot elements for said RP?

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Arquitenens

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@mercy_: I need your help! To speak to you.

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God_of_Demise

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ShadowSwordmaster

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How to deal with the stresses of running a large-scale RP?

How to avoid giving spoilers for planned plot elements for said RP?

@_braveheart_ might help you here.

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_Braveheart_

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How to deal with the stresses of running a large-scale RP?

How to avoid giving spoilers for planned plot elements for said RP?

By large scale, do you mean having a large number of people involved, or the amount of time?

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Leonardo_Liafador

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Anyone perhaps give any advice on how I can improve?

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Medusa_Merc

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@_braveheart_: Both. Time especially. As in, really big plans for something that seems small right now.

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_Braveheart_

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@medusa_merc: Developing ideas for the rp and putting them in practice as it proceeds is one way to keep it going. What also helps is the collaboration of the people involved, as in, having them give out ideas of their own. These are pretty much the two major things that kept my rp going for a long time.

Does that answer your question? btw, sorry for the late response.

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deactivated-57916056a8182

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How to deal with the stresses of running a large-scale RP?

1 - Team up with another writer to be the co-showrunner of the event, this will allow you to have the load shared and not feel that you have to log in and post hourly or risk holding up the flow of things. Doing an event on here with 10+ moving pieces is an acceptable idea only for the insane or Sha (she secretly thrives off of the stress)

2 - Understand up front that an event is supposed to be an outline and not a script, no matter what you had planned people are going to throw curveballs that you did not plan for. If you feel the need to push things in a set direction no matter what actions others take, not only will you lose your mind in forcing the action down the path in your head, but you will be telling the others involved that what they do really does not matter. Embrace the surprises and adapt and you will find things to be far more interesting than a preordained outcome.

3 - Don't be afraid to say no. If people keep wanting to join in order to push a personal agenda over the actual theme of the event, you will find yourself juggling a dozen storylines you never intended to the waters get muddied quickly. This is not to say you should attempt to quell voices other than yours, but you don't owe it to anyone to throw your idea to the side on a whim.

How to avoid giving spoilers for planned plot elements for said RP?

1 - Be subtle, bury the clues and moves within seemingly unrelated posts and make people earn it. Spell out the broad strokes as plain as day to allow people to take part and not get lost, but the fine strokes should require some thought to be put in to divine your endgame.

2 - Get other writers to make some said moves as your proxy as that will obscure the intention involved. Many will assume that such a post is related to a personal direction over the showrunners and allow for the "ah ha!" moment when they realize the planning in hindsight.

3 - Don't tell everyone in a PM your plans, the moment you do it will spread like wildfire because the Vine could not withhold revealing gossip even under gunpoint. Major plot points should only be given to those who directly require it for a set purpose beforehand.

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_Braveheart_

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@medusa_merc: Then again, you can also take Armistice's advice. I haven't been in the rpg forums for long and Armistice has more experience.

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Rated_R_Superstarr

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@medusa_merc said:

How to deal with the stresses of running a large-scale RP?

2 - Understand up front that an event is supposed to be an outline and not a script, no matter what you had planned people are going to throw curveballs that you did not plan for. If you feel the need to push things in a set direction no matter what actions others take, not only will you lose your mind in forcing the action down the path in your head, but you will be telling the others involved that what they do really does not matter. Embrace the surprises and adapt and you will find things to be far more interesting than a preordained outcome.

Yeaaaah buddy
Yeaaaah buddy

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deactivated-57916056a8182

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@rated_r_superstarr:

I agree that it is the most important of the suggestions by far, and also why I have never seen the completion of any the few events I've taken part in over the years. I haven't been around much to judge recent events but in the past the practice was rampant to the point of being the norm.

@medusa_merc: Then again, you can also take Armistice's advice. I haven't been in the rpg forums for long and Armistice has more experience.

Considering I've been inactive for longer than I've actually been active since my debut, you are probably more of a vet than I am (LOL)

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_Braveheart_

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@armistice: lol maybe, but you explained it better.

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Medusa_Merc

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@armistice: @_braveheart_:

Thanks.

I'm already doing a good portion of those things, which makes focusing on improving the rest that much easier.

And the way things have been going already, this RP could span almost a year if the pace stays steady. Multi-part, of course. But maybe things will speed up as it gets more intense. Who knows?

We'll just have to sit back and find out.

And, the main reason I asked is because the last large-scale RP got run right into the ground. It required HEAVY participation from me with everyone, and it just sorta crashed and burned when I took a break from it. I switched alts to avoid awkward silenced XD

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deactivated-57916056a8182

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@medusa_merc:

Activity and consistently available writers are so sporadic it is very hard to maintain anything of scale nowadays, I'm actually more surprised when an open event makes it completion than not at this point. Because of that if a showrunner takes even the slightest of breaks mid-stream they risk either losing participants to a competing event that sprang up out of the blue, or the limited attention spans get caught up in something else.

I can't imagine people getting that bent out of shape by a single event crashing and burning, considering how often that happens, but I'm also not privy to the circumstances involved. Either way I wouldn't get your knickers in a twist over it too much.

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Rated_R_Superstarr

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And, the main reason I asked is because the last large-scale RP got run right into the ground. It required HEAVY participation from me with everyone, and it just sorta crashed and burned when I took a break from it. I switched alts to avoid awkward silenced XD

Percentage wise, crashing and burning is the norm. When that happens depending on how deep into the event it was before the crash, just cherry pick feats, interactions, and plotlines and tie them into your canon. I've been doing that for 8 years now. Works just fine :P

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Medusa_Merc

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Rated_R_Superstarr

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_RetroFire_

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@medusa_merc said:

And, the main reason I asked is because the last large-scale RP got run right into the ground. It required HEAVY participation from me with everyone, and it just sorta crashed and burned when I took a break from it. I switched alts to avoid awkward silenced XD

Percentage wise, crashing and burning is the norm. When that happens depending on how deep into the event it was before the crash, just cherry pick feats, interactions, and plotlines and tie them into your canon. I've been doing that for 8 years now. Works just fine :P

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Rated_R_Superstarr

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@rated_r_superstarr said:
@medusa_merc said:

And, the main reason I asked is because the last large-scale RP got run right into the ground. It required HEAVY participation from me with everyone, and it just sorta crashed and burned when I took a break from it. I switched alts to avoid awkward silenced XD

Percentage wise, crashing and burning is the norm. When that happens depending on how deep into the event it was before the crash, just cherry pick feats, interactions, and plotlines and tie them into your canon. I've been doing that for 8 years now. Works just fine :P

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_Vex_

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Where's Pyro at? :/

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Arceus_Aurelius-Rex

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I find it hard to stay in character as my mood shifts out of my characters mood. Arceus is supposed to be a serious and somewhat somber character, for example, but when I'm in a good mood I can't help but joke around some.

Do you guy have any tips in how I better stay in character? A shock collar that goes off whenever he makes a snarky remark, maybe?

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Alexander_Apex

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@arceus_aurelius-rex: Music can sometimes help. Watching a movie or show with a serious cold yet cool villain may help too.

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Arceus_Aurelius-Rex

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@alexander_apex: That seems like it would work, yeah. I know you don't know my character too well, but so you have any suggestions for movies or music?

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Alexander_Apex

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@arceus_aurelius-rex: For music I use Pandora - Stations: Saltillo & Hans Zimmer compilation

Movies....not sure. As you said I dont really know your character. But maybe watching the Flash episodes with Captain Cold? He's got a decent blend of seriousness and humor. Hannibal is good for the intellectual serious archetype. I've recently been vibing the new Powers series. Alot of personality archetypes in that.

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Arceus_Aurelius-Rex

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@alexander_apex: Powers eh? I get that free, guess I might as well check it out. Thanks again man! I'll definitely check out that pandora station too.

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deactivated-59c716930b8a6

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Alright, so this question isn't really an advice question, but a question based on opinions that I want to hear from people.

In your opinion, what is your definition of a good villain or antagonist?

Hold on, got one more question.

In your opinion, what makes a villain cliche?

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Cassius_Knightfall

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Alright, so this question isn't really an advice question, but a question based on opinions that I want to hear from people.

In your opinion, what is your definition of a good villain or antagonist?

Hold on, got one more question.

In your opinion, what makes a villain cliche?

A good villain to me is a person who could be considered heroic if their means where not so dark or so apparently selfish. Aka Dr Doom. Someone you can relate to but fundamentally disagree with the way they do things.

Cliche is difficult to define one persons cliche is another homage or reference. For me its only really cliche if its copy and paste and predictable and this dull for the reader.

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Alexander_Apex

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@dreadpool10: A CV villain/antagonist will only ever be as good as the users/heroes putting him over. Know what I mean? You could be a villain and write yourself as the biggest bad ass ever, but if the heroes/users you're fighting dont help sell you, put you over, play you up in the manner you are hoping for, then you're dead in the water. You can only build your own character up so much before requiring a push from the community. Its a symbiotic relationship.

Arent all villains cliche? LOL cliche doesn't have to mean bad or unlikable. Some of the greatest movie villains ever were cliche as hell :P

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deactivated-59c716930b8a6

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@alexander_apex: @cassius_knightfall: Very interesting answers. :D

I rather like villains that could be considered good or heroic in their ideals, as well. But the way they go about these ideals aren't so heroic, perhaps bordering on malevolent at times.

Aren't all villains cliche? LOL cliche doesn't have to mean bad or unlikable. Some of the greatest movie villains ever were cliche as hell :P

That.... actually makes a lot of sense, lol.

Really depends on how well the cliche itself is written, doesn't it? Like, you could be a power hungry/take over the world type villain, but if you can write it well, the cliche itself becomes good.

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_Dox_

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Y'all better hook up Mom today, the Vine will be there when you get back.

(signing off for a bottle of vino and some surf and turf, later)

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Alexander_Apex

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@dreadpool10: Pretty much. Like Cass pointed out too, I've always been partial to villains who's ideology is sound. Its the application that defines them as "evil or bad." Kinda like Civil War. Iron Man was actually right in his line of thinking. It was the manner in which he attempted to execute the idea that was bad or flawed. IMO.