Way Walkers: University

@WayWalkerLeigh Speaking of Red and Montage, if Montage is all ways, then doesn’t that include Red’s way too? And if so, I’d expect that it would probably be Red’s original way if he has one.

@P_Tigras --yes, Montage’s Way does recognize the Red as one of their ‘additions’–but it is not something spoken of greatly outside of the Way. (at least in this particular timeline) Though no, it is not the Red’s original Way, but decent guess. :wink:

@WayWalkerLeigh If it’s not Red’s original Way, then that implies Red did have an original Way… :wink: It also seems to imply that they see Red’s Way as imperfect and in need of adjustment as an “addition”, quite possibly to prevent madness. So the follow-up question would be to ask if that’s something they only do with Red’s Way or if they’ve felt the need to adjust the other Ways that they practice as well. And yeah, I can see why Montage’s followers would be reluctant to talk about their ‘addition’ of the Red Way in front of others.

@P_Tigras actually i just meant that the point of Montage is to take a more ‘buffet style’ approach to the Ways, intermingling philosophies to best suit an individual–adding in what they need to. It’s recognized more amid Montage than any other Way that no single Way is always appropriate for every individual for their entire lifetime, so technically all the Ways are ‘additions’ added or subtracted when needed to evolve. And yes, very touchy subject–one even a few Montage followers get a bit uptight about. Again, if my books ever come out–you are gonna just love the Balori! XD

And yes, this *does* indicate there was a Way the Red embodied *before* falling to madness…though it’s not something yr gonna find out in history class with Master Cael. :stuck_out_tongue:

@WayWalkerLeigh Ah, that’s why I used the word “seems” on my second point. Thanks for the explanation. Balori? Hmm…sounds like the plural of something big, nasty and downright evil…as in the evil king of the giant Fomorions in Celtic myth, or a very nasty type of demon in D&D. It’s also spelled very similarly to Tolkien’s balrog…

Aha! I knew it! So there is an original Way of the Red. Now I have to wonder why that original Way of the Red was the only one that fell to madness, and if there is a vulnerability in that original way, or simply a major character weakness in the deity who developed it. I should probably take the time to read through all of the little travel stories to see if any of them shed any more light on this. I never did read the story that @Havenstone did. I should address that.

@P_Tigras – they are a particular sect of Way Walkers. :wink:

Keep in mind, the Children are not full-deities, simply more Aware souls who embody particular aspects of Spirit–none of them are ‘gods’ or ‘demi-gods’, just…more ‘awake’ as it were. That being said, yes you should–and you should also hit-up the website for the short stories if you haven’t already: http://waywalkersguide.com/the-books/way-walkers-short-stories/ In particular A Mage’s Heart and A Mage’s Life–they are early work, but have some fun tidbits. (you’d probably like Surreal Darkness, too, b/c there is a demon in it.)

I wanna cry. I really enjoyed the demo of this game, and after playing it I was so ready and excited to buy this game. But I can’t because its not on my kindle fire. I hope the game becomes available on the kindle fire soon.!

@12lexy12 --email support@choiceofgames.com and tell them directly.

@WayWalkerLeigh, I’m back – feel free to hit me with any responses you’ve had in mind since the beta! Below, for the record, are my comments I sent in about the world of Way Walkers.

* “Montage” strikes me as kind of a funny name for a demigod – of the Twelve, this is the only one which is also an English word (other than Big Red, of course), and the idea that “the way that combines all ways” would be an (English) montage of those ways feels wrong to me. Montage has connotations of cutting, editing, and thus reducing or simplifying… the Other Ways’ Greatest Hits, rather than the Ultimate Way. I would expect ultimate truth to have a more organic, deeply integrated relationship with the lesser truths. Also, it just makes me think of e.g. this.

* I’m curious to find out what “the Red” embodied before it Fell. Presumably not Madness & Evil… so what’s been missing from the (rather exhaustive) pantheon since the Fall? (PS: on a later read-through, I let Jun tell his story, in which it sounds like the Red was always the embodiment of Evil, and the Great Fall wasn’t something that happened to the Red, but something it caused. Interesting – seems to cut against Master Cael’s version).

* Interesting rationale from Master Simon for why binding/evicting ghosts isn’t a violation of the First Law. So the 1st Law is really, “Don’t violate anyone’s free will… unless they’re breaking the natural order”? Master Simon’s explanation also implies that breaking the natural order causes harm even if the ghost hasn’t been actively harming anyone.

Seems like you could drive a truck through those exceptions to the 1st Law – unless “the natural order” is much more evident on this world than our own, you can justify a whole lot of violating free will by appealing to the natural order! (Of course, that’s not a flaw from a story perspective; as Asimov’s Laws of Robotics taught us, laws are interesting precisely because of their exceptions and loopholes).

* Ditto for Master Arasoi’s revelation that the 2nd Law is actually “don’t do any lasting harm”… For an institution based on 5 Laws that seem resolutely, fundamentally non-violent, the university’s duelling yard is a surprisingly aggressive place, verbally and physically.

^Laws being man made, you’re going to be able to drive a truck through any of them.

:wink: I interpreted the laws as just an ideal to be guided by rather than an absolute because it would be rather difficult for the writer to put down in the text a law that will be interpreted the same way by all readers, much as it is in reality.

@Havenstone – *hug* so happy you are back! Was Napal fun? XD

Anyways–‘Montage’ does hold the connotation of ‘bits and pieces’ simply b/c it is recognized that it is nearly impossible for anyone to fully embody all 12 Ways while, well, ‘in-a-body’ lol. Its is the Ultimate Way, yes, but b/c it strives to become the ultimate *personal* Way-- ie, the most specialized Way a person can follow unto themselves, often ‘picking and choosing’ the portions of each Way that suit their specific journey. Of course, the ultimate ideal is to embody them all, but the little bit of tongue-and-cheek to the name is that, in reality, it’s impossible–or at least, highly improbable. It also brings to light the concept of the Spirit conciseness being a collective conciseness, and that all souls are but ‘smaller portions’ of Spirit, while the Twelve are in reality, larger or more Aware portions of this conciseness. So, yes there was a bit of thought and humor put into his name. :wink:

The Red *did* fall to madness and that is what caused the Great Fall–when the old world was destroyed and the new created. What most Way Walkers do not know is that the Red did embody a different Way before falling to said madness–something most ppl don’t pick-up on or ask after, so kudos for you to have sought it out. XD I’ve actually decided to include that bit of information in the sequel, so you’ll find out then. :wink:

Actually, the ghost *is* actually harming living people by wandering about, yes. They dont gain energy in the traditional methods b/c of their lack of a body, so they will inadvertently (or maliciously) ‘drain’ or ‘steal’ energy from living beings to supply themselves. She is also, absolutely, doing harm to herself by lingering, though i’d be two pages of explaining that here. XD I made this logic a bit more evident in the patch, thank you.

It honestly has little to do with ‘the natural order’ so much as ‘shes harming living ppl’, who technically are ‘in lesson’ or in ‘life contract’–and theirs is really the freewill everyone is so concerned with. The ghost is, technically still a person, but her freewill gets knocked down a peg b/c of the harm shes doing. Its like how a person can murder someone and say ‘i was following my freewill’, but we can also turn around and say, ‘you violated the person who was murder’s freewill b/c they didnt want to die.’. So basically, the freewill law stands in effect until you start using it to ‘do harm’ or more blatantly violate someone else’s freewill.

And as far as dueling and Master Arasoi–this is one of those times where the word ‘harm’ becomes relative, as it was your choice, ie, your freewill to join up in dueling with all the physical harm it entails. You can refer to the more extended version of the five laws the MC gives the teacher in the beginning, it directly states that what seems like harm to one might be helpful to another. (Also keep in mind, he was referring to the rules of dueling, not the spiritual rules, which are, thankfully different–though most Kubeshians and Rheanics would agree with the ‘lasting harm’ thing–so long as of course, the persons involved have all agreed to go beating-up on each other)

And of course, this brings me to the Red Follower logic of the 5 Laws, which basically falls to the concept that all harm is internal and perceived by the person feeling the harm–and since, of course the ‘world’ itself is not actually ‘real’, then there really isn’t any such thing as ‘harm’ to go getting upset about, b/c after all, you are choosing to feel harmed. and of course, if thats not enough for you, well then, when you signed your life’s contract an greed to be born, you agreed to all the things that could happen to you in-body, all the good and the bad, so then, nothing anyone does to you is technically violating your free will. XD i loooove Red followers!

@RVallant —i agree. as said above, there’s plenty of loop holes, as it should be, b/c let’s face it, the world wouldn’t be any fun at all to go romping around in if everything was perfect. XD But overall, the saying in the series is ‘The First Law is First for a reason’, and *most* fall to that when things get sticky. (though there is a whole sect of ppl that get into the argument that there are really only 4 laws, as violating someone’s freewill is technically, a ‘harm’ and so ‘do no harm’ is the more important rationale, and i’ve got a whole history written up about the debates that lovely discussion has caused in the WW Universe. hahaha XD)

@WWL,
Didn’t make any comments, never do.
Idk why I don’t.

@Zed —um okay–i guess hello then, glad you commented at all! :slight_smile:

@Havenstone,
NEPAL!!!
I was gonna go there in July or August, but didn’t get a chance.

@WayWalkerLeigh, Nepal was great, thanks – confirmed that I still like it better than anywhere else on the planet. Mooting a career change to go back there and launch a trekking hotel, actually…

I understand where you’re going with Montage and the Laws better now. :slight_smile: And I had a chuckle at the Red followers’ combination of maya and social contract theory to justify, well, anything they feel like. Look forward to finding out more about The Red in future instalments…

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This sounds interesting, but I can’t play it since it isn’t out on the Kindle. Does anybody know when it comes out on Kindle if it does?

@Havenstone —looking forward to your insights when i do. :wink:

@zinnia–to my current knowledge it is not being slotted to go to kindle until they feel they would gain enough downloads from it to justify the effort—email jason at waywalkers@choiceofgames.com as for it on kindle to hurry that process along.

Okay I have finished playing the game for the first time and I am simply amazed!
It’s the most amazing game ever I tell you, I adore it and I just want it to continue! But alas I need to wait it seems.
But I must admit I really look forward to the dating option in the next game, since when is a teenagers life complete without drama based on romance?

Though I couldn’t help but think it would be interesting to have some sort of discussion between sem/Jun over the main protagonist, not necessarily romance based, but they do certainly seem to have to piss territories off around you, expecially if they are both boys I would assume, that is if you manage to get a friendship going with the two of them.

Also just a curious thing, if you and sem hook up how with the vampirism go into it? Because face it, it can either be extremely hot or extremely freaky, and I am not exactly sure how it’s going to end heh, so just wanted to ask, because I am extremely curious.

But love your game and I love the sense of personality you get from your char, it’s very interactive and the char can be anything from a powerfull nerd, to a cheeky liar, it’s amazing <3.

@koneko --thanks! and as far as the vampireisum goes, i’ve addressed certain aspects of that in the WW:sequel thread. Basically it’ll be touched upon, and i think the readers will be surprised by how it’s viewed in Clan culture, and what spin Semryu takes on it as well. :slight_smile: and i’ll do my best not to make it freaky. XD

I like freaky vampires. lol