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(AoH)4 Color Super Hero Game Proposal


Jordan

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For the past few months I've been desiring a really good Super Heroic game to get into. I love the games I'm in so far but The Magisterium isn't really about super heroes and Time of Crisis is going to be an Exiles homage from my understanding.

What I am proposing is a classic Super Hero game in it's own unique world. Naturally Lots of comic book tropes will be in play; Aliens, quasi-Human secret civilizations, comic book technology and magic, monologuing arch villains and so on but the world would be created from the ground up. Like comic books, Death would be a rarity. The gist is that costumes supers have been around for no more than 5 years and the characters are some of the first super heroes on the scene.

The system would be Mutants & Masterminds 3rd Edition and while Iam still working out all the details, I figured I'd post this to see if there was any real interest in a game like this.

So what do you guys say?

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Very good questions Jameson!

Do supers actually wear costumes? Why?

Depending on how new supers are, they might or might not. I see the development of costumes springing from the super villain's desire to be anonymous, hence wearing a mask or facial covering so as not to be recognized. Over time these would get more elaborate until you end up with the modern idea of a costume. On the heroes side wearing a mask might have evolved from the desire to protect one's real identity and costumes probably came about with the desire for something sturdier than street clothes and the desire to be easily recognized. Perhaps the first costumes were meant to pull the bad guy's attention away from bystanders?

In the end, I'd like to see Supers wearing costumes but they don't have to be skin tight spandex.

What changed in the past 5 or so years to cause the rise of the supers?

This is something I'm still trying to figure out. I'd like to leave open the possibility for all sorts of Archetypes; from aliens to super science, to magical characters so I'm not sure what the event should be, or even if one is needed. I do like the nebulous "metagene" of the DC universe that hand waves away why people can have powers.

Perhaps the event is a cultural shift rather than just some "cosmic event that changes the course of mankind." Perhaps super powers have been around a lot longer but it is only with the advent of modern technology that people have really begun to notice or pay attention on a larger scale. With cameras and smartphone everywhere and instant accessibility via the net, it would be very hard to keep powers out of the public eye these days.

To be honest, I am open to suggestions on this one.

When you say 4-color do you really mean 4-color? Including the light heartedness of that era?

I suppose what I mean is that I don't want to have that "Grimdark" Iron Age feel to the game. Heroes for the most part should be Heroes, even if they have a bad attitude about it. They should be willing to risk themselves when the bad guy lobs a car at the bystanders to cause a distraction so they can escape.

While I don't want the game to be a slapstick joke, lighthearted humor is a good thing. I don't want mopey, navel-gazing transhumanists. I was heroes ready and able to punch the bad guy in the face to protect their city! I want the game to feel like the stories you'd read in the comics. So I don't know if that is the true definition of 4-color or not but I hope that explains the tone I'm looking for.

That is not to say there is no grey in the world. I suppose The Freedom City universe would be a good idea of where I'd like to go.

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I'd like to play, if you'll have me. No idea what kind of character, or rather too many. I've wanted a SUPERS! game for a while. Silver age, sounds like, is what you're going for. And that's what I'm up for.

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I'm glad to see that people are showing interest in this, so I'll start working on some world and campaign specifics. I'm going to start working on a rough timeline for the world tonight.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a game location? I'm thinking New York City simply because it's so iconic and easy to get information for but I'm open to suggestions.

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Well some things to consider Jordan:

  • Do you want to be near water? Lake, river, sea, ocean?
  • Do you want a city that has its own baggage that you will need to either work with or work around?
  • Do you want a city that is heavily metropolitan, or do you want something with a little closer proximity to nature?

Personally I would take a city with less baggage. One near water, and with natural areas in close proximity. Depending on your size and your preferred regions there should be more than a few options. I rather like the idea of Emerald City, being near the ocean, with natural forests and mountains nearby and a good mix of both "big city" and "small city" atmosphere. In theory that book is due out -very- soon, maybe we can take what they give us in the ECK adventures and limp until release (GR has said they want to be able to release around the time of Gencon)??

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A crazy idea. A comic-loving geek goes out to fight crime - with no training whatsoever. He gets beaten by gangbangers and somehow manages to avoid the whole secret identity gets discovered.

The twist that makes this no longer Kick-Ass, (aside from the geek being older)... he develops psychic powers and then genuinely trains. So he actually becomes a very skilled hero. Sorta Psylocke-ish.

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Jordan, if I may suggest: Miami. Different atmosphere and setting compared to New York. Seattle works too if you want a Pacific NW sort of feel. Either or, those sorts or locales would be incredibly fun. Miami though would be a good choice because of it's close proximity to Cape Caneveral and NASA. A good magnet for freaky things if I ever saw any.

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Alien Paragon, I think. Sort of Braniac 5 or Martian Manhunter, but with different powers. Probably a powerhouse, with some funky lightning. I'll be super-original, in light of Chosen's question, and go with 'Titan'.

Also, for the city, I'd suggest... no, don't care. Anywhere is fine with me.

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Okay, some more tidbits. The city is going to be San Francisco and the Bay Area cities (Berkley, Oakland, Silicon Valley and so on...). There is an Alien race known as the Kal'shiir in residence on the planet somewhere in or near the city (I haven't locked down the location quite yet) . Alcatriz is currently being transformed into a super-max Super Villain prison, it is semi operational but unfinished at the moment.

Also. I'm considering instigating the "Collateral Damage" rule. Basically collateral damage is going to be hand waved away unless it needs to be dealt with for some sort of story reason. That said, any character can earn a hero point by declaring that their character has caused significant damage to the surroundings or bystanders. This is more than just a bent lamppost of wrecked car. Think collapsing buildings, tearing up the whole street of hospitalizing innocents. Not only will this have an effect in combat but can also have longer lasting ramifications that could come back to bite you in the ass.

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I can work with San Fran. Silicon Valley is closer to LA though, right? Sorta iffy suddenly on the area. But pleanty of superheroish opportunity in SF.

As for the Collateral Damage thing, if it was accidental and it turns into a disaster for your hero - then a HP should land in your lap. But if you're being a douche and constantly not giving a darn that there are people around... perhaps not.

Opting to have a miss go to a building... in theme and worthy of a HP.

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Damn, this sounds pretty fun. If it's alright, I'd like to throw my hat into the mix (assuming I survive the bar next week), and bring Neutrino Girl along for the ride. She's a powersuit concept I made for City of Heroes. Here's a random page from a pathetic and hilariously bad comic I once drew...just to give you a gist:

lostandfound2.jpg

...notice the profoundly detailed backgrounds.

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