VP Question

[momofvincent]

I usually do VP late PST, so I've had to miss CCG runs lately. However, I suspect some of you are on some of these runs.

Here's the question. Last night I went on a run, and there was one Hollywood. She was a very little duck. I am a tall cat. When it got to the pies, there were only three of us left, she was one.

She hung way back and was a good pie aimer, and offered advice via speed chat. The other toon, a rabbit, tried stunning with some success. So did I but I missed.

The rabbit and I kept tooning each other up.

But every time I ran to try and toon up the little duck, my pies flew over her head. I tried backing up, but nothing worked. At LONG last, after the VP managed to get all the way back to the starting point, she went sad, then me.

Q: How do you toon up the miniature toons? I felt horrible, because she was so helpful and when she asked for a toon up, I failed.

[Crazy Orville Bumbleberry]

I believe there are only two way to effectively toon up the small toons.

1. have them stand on the ramp closer to the cage than you are. With your toon standing below them, you should be able to pie them effectively. This leaves you with your back to the VP, so listen for the sound he makes before jumping. This also leaves you open to gear/oil attacks.

2. have the small toon jump while you rapidly throw pies. Quite a few miss and timing is crucial.

[Miss Tear Ious Cat]

Well it's a known fact it's hard to pie small toons. The strategy thread says that you should only go small if losing laff points isn't a concern. It's more of a "Become small at own risk" kind of thing, so I expect the small toon pretty much saw this coming, right?

[momofvincent]

Sqeaky, I think you are right. That must be why she hung back the whole time.

I really refrain from keeping my back to the VP. I've had mixed results by listening to sounds.

But I'll be more willing when my LP gets higher and I can afford a few gear hits.

[doc quackenheimer]

Originally Posted by Squeaky

Well it's a known fact it's hard to pie small toons. The strategy thread says that you should only go small if losing laff points isn't a concern. It's more of a "Become small at own risk" kind of thing, so I expect the small toon pretty much saw this coming, right?

The odd thing is that your supposed to take small toon tasks for close stunning so your toon is lower to the door when your close. This toon was stunning from a distance so there is no benefit to small toon anyway. My opinion is the pie bar and not the toons size is what makes a pie hit or miss.

[momofvincent]

was referring to pieing other tunes for tune-up.


Regarding stunning, this toon was so nice, and giving speed chat advice regarding the blue bar. She knew what she was doing, but I think she realized her size was a liability for tune-up, and was forced to stay far away to avoid gear.

Given the suits of the tunes going in, I can see why she took the chance. I was really very surprised only three of us made it to the pie throwing.

[Miss Tear Ious Cat]

Ok, to answer that question:

It's hard to pie them, and they get a warning about it in the strategy thread, so pieing them shouldn't be a concern in the first place seeing as how they know it's tough and still decide to do it. So pieing them is pretty hard, you'd need to do that while they're jumping with good timing, but don't feel bad if they go sad, because they know about the risk they took and still decided to take it.

[Sir Monty McGrooven]

I have to agree with you there. I've tried the small toon task for stunning and never noticed any difference in the pie throwing. I can't really speak of any benefit for gear hits either.

Originally Posted by doc quackenheimer

My opinion is the pie bar and not the toons size is what makes a pie hit or miss.

[Dizzy]

Originally Posted by Sir Monty McGrooven

I have to agree with you there. I've tried the small toon task for stunning and never noticed any difference in the pie throwing. I can't really speak of any benefit for gear hits either.

Originally Posted by doc quackenheimer

My opinion is the pie bar and not the toons size is what makes a pie hit or miss.

I have to disagree on this point. I have 5 toons total, ranging in size from an actual "small toon" (task taken) to a toon that was created tall in the toon creation screen (but not a "big toon" from a task).

I can stun EASILY with Dizzy (small by task), Mousewife and Miss T. Fied were created short but not "small" by a task and can stun pretty easily, Little Dizzy is just a tad taller and though she stuns fairly easily, she has more misses than do the other 3, and Super Dizzy has the most misses of all, who was created a bit taller. I have to stand in 4 different places to accommodate the 4 different sized toons as well. It is for this reason that I decided to go ahead and max out Super Dizzy, so I can arbitrarily take small toon tasks which will last 30 days.

Now then, once I change my stance to accommodate the different sized toon, my pie meter works exactly the same on all 5 toons.

[LadyZippyBoingenpretzel]

I suppose it varies from toon to toon, certainly it does for normal size toons - Evan can easily stun on cog slayer but not on King. I took my mouse to the VP training run and did great up close but I have yet to get a single hit in from the exact same position with the fat horse. I took the small task on the horse and found I was hitting at the exact same angle I was before when I was tall and leggy. Go figure!

[Deputy Monty]

I'm not about to argue with the experts... "Doc or Sir Monty" Nope, not me...no way...Not going to argue but

My experience is my short toons (DM and Nicky) are better stunners than big ol' Megazapper or medium sized Joby.

From the beginning of the CCG, I found Nicky was my best toon for the group because:
*I keep her colorless and so she's never small and therefore can easily get healed if necessary. She's as good as it gets for me with stunning.
*And her drop is awesome and sometimes can "save the day".

[Sir Monty McGrooven]

lol a difference in opinion or experiences IMHO never consitutes an argument. It's simply a healthy discussion, or at most a debate - unless it gets personal. For instance, I have been in VP with Dizzy more than once and I'm happy to have a back stunner of her caliber with us whenever possible, but (and correct me if I'm wrong) I've noticed that she stuns from more of a center box position. Experiences with different size toons may be dependent on where you initially position yourself.

Originally Posted by Deputy Monty

I'm not about to argue with the experts... "Doc or Sir Monty" Nope, not me...no way...Not going to argue but

My experience is my short toons (DM and Nicky) are better stunners than big ol' Megazapper or medium sized Joby.

From the beginning of the CCG, I found Nicky was my best toon for the group because:
*I keep her colorless and so she's never small and therefore can easily get healed if necessary. She's as good as it gets for me with stunning.
*And her drop is awesome and sometimes can "save the day".

[Dizzy]

Originally Posted by Sir Monty McGrooven

lol a difference in opinion or experiences IMHO never consitutes an argument. It's simply a healthy discussion, or at most a debate - unless it gets personal. For instance, I have been in VP with Dizzy more than once and I'm happy to have a back stunner of her caliber with us whenever possible, but (and correct me if I'm wrong) I've noticed that she stuns from more of a center box position. Experiences with different size toons may be dependent on where you initially position yourself.

Aww thanks for your kind words Monty!

Absolutely correct about where I stand! I love hogging the center of that door and it is definitely where I'm best! I try to never put Super in the center, knowing she is so tall that others have difficulty throwing pies around her, but if I'm the only one in back I always put her in the center. Dizzy is so tiny she can go wherever she wants, pretty much, even if others are behind her.

However, when I say I have to stand different places, I was referring to how close I have to stand to the vp, not which side. Super Dizzy must stand MUCH closer to the vp than Dizzy. Dizzy can stand further away from the vp but still at very close range. Basically, Super must stand no more than 3 regular sized toon foot/paw lengths from the door and Dizzy can stand up to 5 regular size toon foot/paw lengths from the door.

Now then, when I play on my laptop, I have difficulty stunning on any toon. Dizzy is marginal and the others I don't even try with anymore. Even the short toons stink at stunning when I'm on the laptop - not sure why. So if you see me hanging out in front you can probably be sure I'm either on the laptop or I saw that there were enough stunners already.

[momofvincent]

For the life of me, my tall cat can't stun yet. Captain Zippety keeps hitting too high. I have even tried all the different blue bar lengths. When I'm in the center I keep getting zapped down by gear, then the door closes. It seems if I'm to the side, but too far back, I also get zapped. (Those of you (Dawgy) that went on the VP training run with me can attest to this, LOL).

So can you guys suggest the best position for my cat? Or strategy? This is the only thing in the game I haven't mastered. I only have one toon.

Maybe this weekend I can make a CCG run.

[Dizzy]

Originally Posted by momofvincent

For the life of me, my tall cat can't stun yet. Captain Zippety keeps hitting too high. I have even tried all the different blue bar lengths. When I'm in the center I keep getting zapped down by gear, then the door closes. It seems if I'm to the side, but too far back, I also get zapped. (Those of you (Dawgy) that went on the VP training run with me can attest to this, LOL).

So can you guys suggest the best position for my cat? Or strategy? This is the only thing in the game I haven't mastered. I only have one toon.

Maybe this weekend I can make a CCG run.

My best suggestion is to get with an "experienced" stunner beforehand, and make arrangements for them to bring a tall toon if possible and actually SHOW you where to stand. Go in back with them and watch them. Of course, this depends solely on you both boarding the same elevator (and no jumping of course). Not knowing HOW tall your cat is, I would be happy to help you by taking Super Dizzy. I have learned through a LOT of trial and error and watching other more experienced toons. Now I even took Super Dizzy in back to stun when she was 25 laff and didn't require any toon up.

It's very hard to *TELL* someone where to stand, but my best suggestion is to watch the door when it opens. It is fully open just barely beyond the edge of the treads of the vp. I stand almost on top of the door - just barely enough away from where it would be fully open. Sometimes I get just a little too close and the door opens right on top of me. If you are lower laff, I would not recommend being this close until you have more experience. It took me MANY vps to go from far away back stunning to very close range back stunning.