Trolling for Interest: Mass Effect Game (some spoilers within)

[SalmonMax]

Good afternoon, all. I have been tinkering on a Mass Effect game for some time now, and it's at the stage where I can decide to move forward and run it, or put it back on the back burner and wait for another time. To help me decide, I'd like to see if people here are even interested in such a thing. Here are some parameters that I'm sure enough of to say up front:

- This takes place after the events of Mass Effect 3, according to a canon that I will decide the results of. The game will focus on exploring, discovering and re-discovering, and the relationships between worlds...handled with diplomacy or more forceful tactics. Do we rebuild what we once had or create something new? Can we do better if we start from scratch, or do we lose too much in ignoring the lessons of the past? And of course, there are so many planets out there that were never on the Relay grid. What do we do with those?

- I'll 90% chance be using 3rd Ed Mutants and Masterminds, with template packages to represent races, training, and access to things like biotics and omnitools. If someone thinks there's a better system for it, I'm listening.

- This will not have a large cast. The characters will be crewing a new ship, the Excalibur, which is tasked to make contact with colonies and worlds isolated by the events in game continuity. In addition, the Excalibur will be capable of exploring systems never before accessed because of the lack of Relays in their systems. I don't expect to be recruiting more than five"ish" players for this.

- If a lot of people sign up, it means I'll have to be picky when it comes to who I select. I'll give feedback and suggestions to anyone with a submission, but in the end I will be choosing the characters that fit the game's tone, theme, and work best with one another. Rejection doesn't mean it was a bad character in any way.

- PC's can be military or civilian, but should be built around the themes. Exploration, discovery, diplomacy (and combat can be seen as a form of diplomacy ). There will be a mix of assigned task and more open-ended goals. Once we have a group, we can discuss the question of rank hierarchy and ship command. I am prepared to have an NPC be the captain if need be.

- We value consensus. Any ideas or suggestions will at least be considered. Please share.

Thanks!

[jameson (ST)]

Interest is present, though I have little knowledge of the setting.

[SalmonMax]

Jameson, excellent point!

Detailed knowledge of the setting is not required. I will be providing a document with basic setting info on recent events, races and societies. It wll be scaled back to make it easily digestible. The information on the Mass Effect Wiki is also considered canon, except where where I specifically note differences. I'll be available to help during character generaion with explanations for questions, and suggestions for how to customize concepts and fit them into the Mass Effect setting.

[z005]

I'm intrigued. I've never played ME3, but I've been jonesing for a hard sci-fi game. I'd probably like to do a pilot/scout/explorer in the military, as I've been doing a lot of diplomats & civilians lately (as in for the past half decade ).

This is Malachite, btw.

[Guo Zhenglai]

I've played all three games and I'd be interested in joining, if you decide to move forward with this.

[SalmonMax]

A pilot would be fine, of course. One thing I will suggest considering is the position of a shuttle pilot, rather than pilot of the main ship. A shuttle pilot has more opportunity to be involved with goings-on on planets. There will be times when the ship docks, and everyone can leave. Other times, the ship stays in orbit and sends a shuttle down. If you're the pilot of that shuttle, it's easier to make sure you're included all the time.

That said, any of those choices is fine. Just be aware of the ramifications.

Edit - Also, you can be rated as a pilot but not actually have 'pilot' as your official ship position.

[Joani]

Color me interested.

[Dawn OOC]

How defined are the races? Is there room to introduce one of our own?

[SalmonMax]

We can talk about it. I won't rule it out entirely, but I'd like to keep that kind of exotic background to a single player character. If everyone wants to play something new, then I may as well just run a home-brew space opera game.

Which may also be a possibility if people aren't interested in this one.

[SeaEagle]

You know... homebrew space opera sounds... fun!

[Charlotte]

I'm obviously interested. Suggested title: "Mass Effect: Jump Zero."

You know, because of the Jump Zero station that was exploring the pie-in-the-sky FTL travel theories before the discovery of the relays and... yeah, no, I don't have a girlfriend, it's complicated.

I'm presuming that we're starting on Earth, an unspecified amount of time after the events of the last game?

[SalmonMax]

The plan is to set it roughly 20 years after the first. Partly because I think that's a plausible timeframe, partly because it lets things settle down a bit so it's not about picking up litter and bodies on Earth, and partly because it lets characters from the game continuity age and move into positions where they won't be interacting with folks much...to avoid the whole 'now here's THIS guy you remember from the game' thing.

[Quantum Fire]

I would be interested.. would likely play an asari biotic warrior of some sort, most likely from the fleet that was part of the attack to rescue earth in 3.

[SalmonMax]

Without giving too much away, I'd say that's a fine concept.

And since it's sort of come up, let me extend another question.

Is the 'mass effect' part of this a turn off to some of you? I could do homebrew, though I'd feel it incumbent to mention that it probably wouldn't be a 'star trek/star wars' type setting where there's more alien species than you can shake a stick at, and the entire galaxy's been explored three times over. I'd like to preserve a bit more mystery in the cosmos...and leave room for new lifeforms and new civilizations and so on.

[Quantum Fire]

Personally I love the mass effect universe, I think you should stick with it.

[The Traveler]

I'm going to have to withdraw interest. I think I'm overbooked for games.

[jameson (ST)]

Re: ME vs homebrew

not a turn off as such, but I know for me it would eliminate the feeling or being behind the 8-ball *shrugs* I'm adaptable, I'll survive either way

[SalmonMax]

Well, it's not like you're any more familiar with my homebrew sci-verse than you are with Mass Effect. The advantage of Mass Effect is that theres a ton of information available online too.

But I understand.

Right now I want to plow forward with the Mass Effect idea, because I've already sunk a surprising (to me) amount of work into the template system I want to use to streamline character generation. Regardless of what setting we end up with, I'll be making any info you guys need readily available.

[AceWildcard]

sounds interesting. I may join it.

[Guo Zhenglai]

I'd be fine with homebrew, but I'm also just fine with the ME setting - as you say, it means there's already a ton of information online that's readily available to anyone who wants to go looking for it.

[Dave ST]

Color me interested, I'm not to thrilled about M&M Setting (I prefer Alternity for Mass Effect games) but like the others, I'm adaptable. Human Infiltrator concept most likely.

[Telluris]

I. AM. KROGAAAAN!

(Yes, that's me expressing my interest and concept)

[Dave ST]

*rides up on his mechanical mount* "Krogan Maaaaaaaan!"

[Charlotte]

I'd prefer to keep it Mass Effect. To get the same level of background as ME you'd need to do a ton of work - and you still get a huge degree of freedom since where life goes after the end of ME3 is wide-open.

Plus, we would all be carrying those little unfolding guns.

I'd probably be mixing tech skills and biotics behind my glowing holographic force field, myself. Not sure if I want to go alien or human just yet.

[Guo Zhenglai]

I'm personally leaning towards a human biotic (probably vanguard), but I'm flexible.

[SalmonMax]

Okay. I will be moving forward with this game, as there seems to be plenty of interest, and my ideas for it are coalescing quite nicely. A few last words before I start planning the thread though:

First...this isn't going to be a 'rush through chargen and play almost right away' thing. I have a fair amount of stuff to do to prepare to begin, and depending on circumstances, I might (though right now I am not planning on) want to see the new ending material before starting the game proper. Fortunately, since I am free to determine this game's canon, I do not feel compelled to do this. It will probably only happen if I find out it's due for release very close to my start date anyway, so we won't lose much time over it.

I do expect character generation to take a little more time than it does for some games. I won't be artificially inflating the time, but I want to make sure all the PCs are both pleasing to their players and well suited for the game and the team. More than one draft is probable. This won't be because I don't 'like' the character (if I didn't, I wouldn't have picked it for the game at all), just that it either needs a tweak or two to bring it into harmony with the game premise or setting, or I see opportunities that I want to inform you of for synergies and/or RP potentials.

Character generation information will be released as I finish it, so you guys have chances to try it in-process and see how it works....or how it doesn't.

My hope is that by the time we're ready, your PC's will probably already be done, or close to it.

As for races available, since the game starts on Earth, a beginning character can only be of a race that can be found there, at least at first. These races are:

Human

Asari

Salarian

Turian

Krogan

Quarian

Drell

There's a few other races that I am not really encouraging, but won't rule out someone who has a good concept, and is willing to accept that the race may limit them in some tangible ways. These are:

Volus

Hanar

Elcor

The geth are not available for a beginning character.

As an M&M game, there are no classes as such, however there are formalized regimens of training and specialized skill sets that are what 'classes' represent in the video game. In this game those are represented by 'templates.' A template is a package of traits that's purchased as an integrated module. A template gives no point break or discount...it is only an organizational thing. Templates are optional, though encouraged for military characters since military training tends to be standardized and specialized. Templates can be added to, but not subtracted from, and because they represent real-world training, they do have some recognition in-game.

For example, if you have the 'Soldier' template, then you are an enlisted member of the military of your faction, with whatever that entitles you to. If you take the Officer template, then you're an officer in your military. Rank 1 is included in each of those templates. More rank can be purchased to start as more than a private or 2nd lieutenant (or equivalent 'bottom' ranks). Similarly, if you take the Biotic Adept or Vanguard templates, then you have been trained in a set of biotic abilities and achieved recognition (certification/licensing/whatever your culture dictates) for that. You can take biotic abilities without a template. They'd just represent abilities you were not 'formally' trained in...via a tutor, or self-training perhaps.

There are five general types of template. Race, Training, Biotic, Omnitool, and Gear. Pretty much all characters can benefit from Training and Gear. Biotic powers and/or Tech powers (via upgraded and mastered omnitools) are more specialized and may not be appropriate for all concepts, though there are no rules-based limitations on taking them. For example, in game lore the Turians have very, very few biotics...but I allow Turian PC's to take biotics because it IS 'theoretically' possible, and should be an option. Of course, if -everyone- wants to play a Turian biotic...then we may need to work something else out. Race templates are in most cases very inexpensive, just giving some quirk and flavor to help differentiate a human from an asari from a quarian...etc. I'm keeping the cost down so it doesn't incur the 'Shadowrun Elf' syndrome, where a race is expensive enough to play that they in many cases wind up weakening a character, or making some concepts very difficult, because so much emphasis has been placed on a wide variety of abilities.

Gear templates represent the character point cost of weapons, armor, and other game-useful gear. They come in packages, or individual items can be picked up if you want to mix and match. Gear is essentially a variable power pool that can only be changed on the ship, or other armory-type location. How many points you devote to it is up to you, but the templates exist to help make sure you can tell at a glance how many points are needed for different levels of defense and offense, and other utility-type equipment. They help ensure you don't grab a giant gun and forget to pack armor.

Anyway, I am still working specifics out, and I don't want to give point values until I have a good idea of what an 'average' character will cost. I realize templates probably sound complex now, but I think they'll really help streamline the mechanics of character generation. You won't have to, say, design your assault rifle and kinetic barriers from scratch...you just decide if you want light, standard or heavy military gear (with each costing more than the last). If you have biotics, you probably don't need (and can't afford) heavy gear. But rather than do the complicated arithmatic, the packages are precalculated. Then you can raise powers or buy other stuff with the points you have left.

And so on. Hopefully it will be useful. If not, we can always just make characters the old-fashioned way.

[Dave ST]

Is it possible to be a Krogan Vangard who rides into battle on his Elcor war mount?

[SalmonMax]

Krogan vanguard, yes. Elcor mount? No.

But we can discuss the salarian-engineered dinosaurs.

[Krul]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Name: Reia
Race: Asari
Lifestage: Maiden
Age: 157
Combat Training: Asari Commando, Biotic Adept
Non-Combat Training: Diplomacy and Xeno-Psychology
History:
Her mother was in her fifth century (in the Matron lifestage) when she met Reia's father, a turian commander, it is possible her father's military mindset was part of why she chose to train as an asari commando. Her mother had a more gentle way of dealing with matters, and that is part of why Reia also studied diplomacy and the psychology of the other known races in the galaxy, bringing the two different mindsets together, and making her a valuable asset to any group or team.

Due in part to that early focus, though Reia is fairly young, for an Asari, but she is one of their best, trained in methods of dealing with matters either force or diplomacy, and her study of xeno-psychology also often had her assigned to mix race units, sense she often understood other races a little better then her fellow asari. Her mix of capabilities had her under consideration for Specter status shortly before the reaper invasion.

In combat Reia prefers to use speed, precision and agility over brute force, in ranged combat she prefers sniper rifles and pistols to submachine guns and assult rifles, and backs up her combat training with considerable biotic power, using her biotic abilities to keep the enemy off balance then following up with lethal attacks.

NOTE: There, consider this my general submission, or at least the idea I'm working with.. let me know if it works or not.

[SalmonMax]

That is pretty cool, Krul, but I want to say to folks...you can totally talk concepts; that's a great idea, but bear in mind the game's still in development. So this isn't going to be something that happens next week, or even next month. You've all got some time to think and to decide.

[Dave ST]

Salarian engineered T-Rexes flying Normandys? This game is gonna rock...

[Joani]

Female Human Soldier and I'm Fine with M&M and ME Setting. Just played like the first hour of part 1 not much more beyond that.

[Charlotte]

Idea I have is a turian sentinel (tech and biotic skills) born on Earth.

One unanswered question regarding everyone stuck on Earth is, what's gonna happen to all the dextro-amino based DNA life forms that can't eat a single thing that grows on Earth. Now, with Mass Effect's industrial minifacturing, it would theoretically be possible to synthesize food for Team Dextro - but no question, there will be food shortages and problems that would stretch the limits of turian flock behavior. So every turian would probably need to be somewhat adept at minifacturing and quick repairs, and that's where tech skills would come in.

Biotics, I have an idea that turians born on Earth after the detonation of the Crucible seem to be exhibiting higher than expected levels of biotic birth - whether it's the result of the environment (the most benign explanation) or some kind of experiment along the lines of the kids shipped off to Brain Camp (the more sinister explanation) would remain to be seen.

If biotics on a turian are too big a stretch, said turian would work well as an engineer. Though summoned pets are a hell of a thing in M&M...

[SalmonMax]

The saving grace is that the Quarian fleet came to fight too...and they brought their dreadnoughts.

Quarian dreadnoughts are basically Lifeships (giant space habitats for those not in the know) with the biggest guns the Fleet could buy welded on. The civilian Quarian population is on Rannoch by the time of the Battle of Earth, but they didn't have time to strip out all the life support 'stuff' in the lifeships.

This worked out surprisingly well for them.

Now, that's not to say food's not an issue. They can't create food out of nothing, and Earth hasn't got a lot of functioning farms in the aftermath of the war. Fortunately though, the Reapers were after industrial capacity, not agriculture, so they didn't make a concerted effort to attack fields...it's more a lack of FARMERS than anything else. So there are dextro-farms on Earth now, which basically grow normal food, ship it up to the lifeships where it's processed, then shipped back down. Efforts to relocate the food processing equipment are under way, and have been for awhile...but since it smacks of "aliens making permanent residences on our homeworld," it's not easy to find a place to put them. Plus, a lot of Quarians, not all but a lot, packed up in a few lifeships and took off via slow FTL for Rannoch after the battle. This reduced both the need for dextro food, and the capacity to produce it.

The upshot is that turians and quarians on Earth are okay. They can't really overeat, and having kids is not encouraged at the present, but they're not in all-out rationing mode. Quarians are used to husbanding food, and turians have that military mindset, so it hasn't been as big a problem for them as it might have been if humans had been stranded over Palaven.

Turian biotics are uncommon, but not unknown. No special narrative wiggling is necessary. And the fact is that more than one Reaper (and a whole loooooooooooot of other ships) was blown the hell up over Earth from the fleet action and from the Crucible. A single Reaper has a mass effect core that's bigger than entire ships. That's a lot of eezo raining down in a fine, particulate mist. So yeah, it's fair to say there's a whole new generation of biotics being born. And...you know, a lot of unfortunates who lost the 'biotic lottery' too.

The Asari have pretty much taken over the training of biotics on Earth for the time being, though they act under the authority of the Alliance military in doing so.

[Dawn OOC]

This game does not sound like the game for me. I withdraw my interest, but thank you to Max for all the effort he put in for me!

[SalmonMax]

You're welcome.

And I want to re-iterate here, just to be 100% super duper #1 clear...

The game is still early in development. No one is being held to anything right now.

I'll announce a time when I'm ready to start going over character pitches in detail. At that time I will not be taking "go look in the Trolling for Interest thread for my submission." I'll be making a character pitch thread, and everyone who wants a shot will post to that. If it's a copy/paste, that's fine. No problem. But I won't even be -looking- in this thread at that time. What's happening right now is that people are throwing ideas around, and I'm helping with some game lore to help people develop those ideas. And that's it.

So right now, no one's in yet. No one's out yet. No one's anything yet except interested or not. That's all this thread was ever meant to determine.

I'll still answer questions and make weird little comments, but I just want everyone to understand that this is all just kind of table talk right now. It doesn't "count."

With that in mind, Carver, if you change your mind later on as I post the relevant details, there'll be no problems if you still want to try a concept. If not, that's cool too.

[Charlotte]

One potential problem for the dreadnoughts departing for Rannoch is that the barrier to travel via conventional, non-relay FTL is more than just time. To creat the mass effect envelope that cheats the speed of light, a negative electrical charge has to be passed through the drive core - and this charge builds up. Without a planetary body to discharge the core, it would short out the systems on board the ship.

So either the quarians departing for Rannoch knew it was a long shot and were banking on a series of large enough planetary bodies to discharge on - since discharging in the vacuum of space is impossible - or they knew something the rest of the coalition forces didn't, like how the Reapers were able to travel at slow-FTL without shorting out. Either option has story possibilities.

Also, I figured the quarians would be able to help; I was just speculating in terms of overall lore, since it's possible to get to Earth without the quarians (you monster.)

[SalmonMax]

Hmm, good point about the discharges. I had forgotten about that. Well, it's not necessary for the story that they leave. Or perhaps they either have their own methods of dealing with the charge build, or can engineer one before leaving... I'm still juggling some plot ideas, as you can see.

And yeah, without the liveships, I imagine it's much harder for the Turians to survive...but then again, I'm not sure how many actual Turians made it to Earth or survived the battle in the first place. So it's in a big grey area. But for this game, I get to make those calls...so a fair number survived, and the quarians were on hand to help.

[Sailor OOC]

Well I have a burgeoning idea for my character... I was thinking that my character is a young woman born after the war and grew up helping her Mom and Dad start reclaiming cities on earth for rebuilding in the British Isles. She's a outdoorsy-type with lots of survival and medical skills (She couldn't front line and her folks made sure she knew how to look after herself). After she turned of age, she joined the earth military and showed a talent for being a sniper from all the hunting she did in her youth.

Lucrezia Wilhelmina Anderson. Ready for action.

I'm not sure if I'll make her N7, and not sure what her rank will be.

And before you think "oh, sniper lone wolf"... She specifically prefers to work with others. In fact she insists that anyone not travel alone.

[Dave ST]

N7 is a rank within the Systems Alliance Navy, not a branch of the military. It's the highest rank attainable within their special forces. Like a S.E.A.L. from our modern military.