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Team Up Cards Tips

AH! So you want to know about Team Up Cards huh? That must mean you have some! They are rare you know? Can you show me who you have? I want to pull some data…. For SCIENCE! I totally don’t want to steal your cards.

*BAKAW!*

Oh. You must be wondering who that is, this is my trust Bird and sidekick, Eggstro! He has some good attacks and is fairly strong. But being his father, pretty much, he’s always much happier when I’m around. In fact, he’s also much stronger when I’m around. We have that kind of bond… you wouldn’t understand… But I’ll try to explain anyway.

Eggstro is a fairly normal chicken. He usually does low level attacks to his enemies. But when I’m around the effect almost triples. Basically, without me, he’s a stupid useless bird.

*BAKAW!*

Okay, maybe not useless. But what I’m trying to say is that some of us are just stronger around one another. Let’s take Frank and Rodney, that’s the human with the zebra brother. Don’t ask. Anyway Frank is such a buffoon he’s usually hitting his own friends. But he’s much more competent with Rodney around. His range and damage increases when next to his brother. Isn’t that neat?

Certain team ups can only occur when the two of them are right next to each other. If one of them is standing back, the team will have no effect. Isn’t that crazy? It’s pretty cool seeing friends and family from the same universe coming together and busting some heads. But that’s not where the true fun is.

The true fun is in seeing what happens when two characters from different universes come together. When this happens some crazy things can happen. The pair is always found together! They even start to look different from the way they normally do. I guess some could break the fourth wall and consider it “Changing art styles”. When you see two different characters from two different universes on one card? That means you have a very special card… that I totally want to steal…

These “Team Up Cards” are almost always significantly more powerful! Most of them see an increased power, an increased health, or a variety of attacks not normally seen together. Each of these will come with some sort of risk or reward. They can be significantly more powerful together, but die a lot easier. They could have significantly more health, but not be as strong. These cards are usually high risk, high reward, just how I like it!

If you want to take down that stupid meteor you’ll take a second look at which of us your using! And if you see that some of us can team up with each other, always take a second look… TRUST ME, I’M A SCIENTIST DOCTOR PHYSICIST WITH A PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE!

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Matt Dubya Meets Alex Pig from SMPR

Dear Journal,

 

    Today I went to a farm on a date and saw the cutest pig ever!  The owner of the farm said his name was “Alex,” to which I chuckled to myself, since human names on animals always tickled my funny bone.  My date said he looked like he would taste delicious, so I did what any good Pastafarian boy would… I told her there was a pair of Fug Boots filled with a Pumpkin Spice latte in the pig pen, to which she jumped right in and started wallowing, trying to locate these precious items.

  While she was distracted, I asked Alex Pig to run away with me, he gave me a warm nod, acknowledging that we shall be together forever.  While the owner of the farm’s back was turned, I scooped Alex in my arms, and ran away… I didn’t get far because the farmer’s wife caught me with her strong farmer hands, took Alex Pig back in one, and threw my butt out of the farm with the other.

   Since that day on, I’ve been visiting Alex Pig dressed in a sombrero and a balaclava on a regular basis.  Today was the 100th visit, and am still building my Trojan Pig to sneak Alex out in, because sweet yeezus, these farm visits are adding up!!

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Tony from SMPR – First Day of Class

Alright, me! It’s day one of class. Day one…sounds so nice. It’s a new beginning with new goals. And I’m going to be one heck of a comedy doctor. I’m gonna comedy doctor so hard they’ll be laughing all the way to the blood bank! But boy oh boy, I hope I’m not in over my head with this. Studying comedy medicine is SO different from my last career, it’s gonna be a rough adjustment! Look at me…saving lives in such different ways. From busting perps on the streets with my obnoxious partner Blair to treating the sick after only these 4 years of comedy medical school…plus at least 3 more years for a residency…and up to 4 more years for a fellowship. But from there on I’m living the dream! Wait who is that up ahead? That young woman-squirrel looks just like my ex-partner Blair! Don’t tell me she’s attending MMUCMS too!? She needs to stay out of my life! Sheesh!

But anyway, It’s the education that sounds so exciting though! That means I’ll be meeting new people, hopefully making some new friends, and making the goofiest videos and skits imaginable. And my imagination goes pretty far…because I’ve seen some craaazy stuff, man.

Oh wow look at all the nervous faces! Should I be nervous? Nah, it’s too nice of a day to worry. Wow I totally forgot my roommate Matt is walking right next to me. He’s been talking to me this entire time I’ve been having this inner monologue. Uh oh, he stopped talking. Now he’s looking at me. He must want me to say or do something. I’ll just nod my head…Oh good, he’s talking again.

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The First Attack

I have calculated all of the odds. No matter how I do the math, I keep coming to the same result. The game is changed vastly depending on the first attack. The start of the game is usually determined by the host. But be weary, it may be extremely casual to say “I will do the first attack” or even “You can do the first attack”, but it’s always best to have a finite way to determine the start of the game. Knowing how big the start of the game is, helps you determine how to start it.

 

I will break down each possible example of what could occur provided either you or your opponent get the first attack.

 

Scenario 1: Free for All 4 Players: You are up first and get to determine the first attack. The nature of the game forces you to always choose a target and the card you use. Due to this nature, you will have to announce the first person you will be attacking on the field, and which card you want to lead with. Being the first player that has to attack means you are opening the door to be attacked. Whether you like it or not, you are painting a target on your back regardless of who you hit first. The player you attack will more than likely be able to turn the crowd against you because you did the “hit first”. If you lead with a strong card, you are also putting that card at risk. If other players see you as a threat at the beginning of the game, it will be easier for them to choose their targets as their turns are reached. This game is not only a game of having the best cards, it’s also a game of strategy, and you have to be prepared for every situation.

 

Scenario 2: Free for All 3 Players: Your opponent goes first. This means that they have the unfortunate disadvantage of having to target another player at the beginning of the game. Painting a target on their back for subsequent players. The benefit they have is picking up the first item, which can give them advantage later in the game. If the opponent chose to attack you, you can very easily rebuttal and strike them back. Provided you don’t get attacked though, you can open the door for an even better strategy. You can work alongside their victim, and get the feel for the characters they have as well. This will allow you to get a good read on the room and have an understanding of who you are up against. If you have non-threatening cards you are more likely to not be attacked. This may also be a good excuse for you to slowly chip away at the health of the stronger characters on the field. Take advantage of every opportunity given.

 

Scenario 3: 1 v 1: In a one on one battle, you don’t have to worry about other combatants forming a mob mentality. You don’t have any other options, you are forced to attack your only opponent. It’s best to know who is in your attacker’s hand. If you get the first strike, and were able to analyze the cards they are using, you could be at a huge advantage. Since you will also be receiving the first item, the first move in a one on one battle is game changing. Provided the opponent gets the first attack in a one on one, you could be at a huge disadvantage. You might want to have a backup, or a strategy in-case of each situation.

 

Given those examples please be very careful how the first attacker is chosen. Be spatially aware of who your opponents are using at all times. You want to be able to take town the stronger characters, and be aware of the people purposefully using bad characters. If you are playing in a big crowd, it might be a good opportunity to go for a reroute. This will not paint a target on anyone’s back, will not cause vendettas through the game, and will give you the opportunity to see who is gunning for you.

 

… But no matter who is chosen the rest of the game will have consequences.

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The Creation of Beyond Average

Hey guys! Alex again! Shranks is a compilation of Universes. While at face value you may just see art styles with wacky designs and different “series names”, there is actually so much more at work here. There are 13 dynamic and moving worlds filled with hundreds of characters. Each character with their own story, personality, voice, thoughts. From comedy to drama, everything is covered. A world with talking birds holding handguns, to having dragons for parents, to a wasteland of fantasy characters, every place is something new and fantastic.

 

Every universe has its origin, not just in terms of fiction. I wanted to talk a little bit about how we actually came up with some of the crazy characters and universes you see in the game. For this article I wanted to talk about Beyond Average…

 

Beyond Average was very much a “spur of the moment” kind of thing. My brother and I had realized that we spent a lot of time watching TV, playing games, and really kind of just vegging out and blowing time. We ended up taking a day to purge our minds. Tony and I sat with our own individual pencils and notebooks. As we sat there, no TV, no music, no games, just the corners of our mind… we started doodling on the paper. Taking the ideas from our head and literally just drawing the first things that came to our minds.

 

The first official character created for this series was “Greg”. He starred in a hand drawn comic explaining the “True Meaning of Christmas”. After that I kept drawing, creating new strange characters and comics. With the ideas going straight from my imagination to the page.

 

“Dragon Dad” was next. A comic about a Dragon who was the father to other strange monsters.  It was around this time that Tony actually came up with the general concepts for Simpletons as well. With some of his first concepts now being translated to our social media comic for that series.

 

At the time the characters I was creating weren’t necessarily all from the same world. A few weeks later, while watching some cheesy horror movies, I once again wanted to just draw and work on some fun concepts. It was then that I came up with some of the main characters. John and Anna had been created, and the foundation for the universe was formed. Focusing on a strange boy that can inexplicably do crazier and crazier things. Flying when he wanted to, shooting lasers if he wanted to, and fighting with swords, while those around him were…significantly more tame.

 

The characters I created prior easily found their footing into this crazy world. I continued to draw little comics and doodles featuring more characters and expanding the world while in my College courses. The more boring the day, the more fantastical the comic.

 

I can’t wait to share more of this universe with you guys! As time passes I hope I can show you more characters, tell you more stories, and keep expanding the worlds we create!

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Beyond Average

Welcome to “Average Town”, the most normal place ever. Nothing too exciting ever really happens. Everyone lives their same normal life, wake up, work, go home, and go to sleep. That is, until one day something changed.

 

Flying straight into Average Town is John, the most Beyond Average person you’ll ever meet. Forced into exile from his city, all John wants to do is try to start life anew. But that won’t be so easy for him, as it seems crazy follows him very closely.

 

Anything can happen when John is around, and his roommate, Peter, immediately learns to hate that fact. John will get sucked into a living cereal box, go on blind dates, fight giant dragons, find time scepters, fight emperors, and force his average friends into insane situations.

 

Crazy has become the new norm, and now anything is possible in this wacky world.

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Tony and Alex on the Weekly Sit Down

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]You can watch as Alex and I are interviewed on the Weekly Sit Down! We discuss how Shranks was created, our plans for the future, why we don’t send game ideas to Sega anymore, and we even play a game of Shranks![/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]