Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Oddly enough, the questions about infrastructure decay have stayed in my mind thanks to this old HG forums thread. Some interesting experiences and conjecture expressed, and a few sources cited or linked to.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Oddly enough' date=' the questions about infrastructure decay have stayed in my mind thanks to this old HG forums thread. Some interesting experiences and conjecture expressed, and a few sources cited or linked to.

 

Hmm...the dreaded Chinese Snakehead Walking Fish. There should be a writeup for that in PAH.

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I've been waiting for this for a WHILE now.

 

Mutations, Mutations, Mutations

Mutations are extremely important. I'd ultimately, like to see a list of mutations for various body parts (arms, legs, head, skin) with minor and major severity. I'd like there to be a random chart to determine a minor or major mutation on a character (be it NPC or otherwise).

 

It also would be really nice to see rules on how to handle handling, preventing and treating "radiation" that can trigger mutations.

 

Tech Salvaging

Rules on finding lost technology and rules on how to repair them are very important IMHO. In addition to this, rules on Trading in the Post-Apoc world.

 

Those are the ideas I have off the top of my head. I have others that will come to me later, I'm sure.

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I'd like to see something in the book about typical post-apoc societies. From "The Postman" gangs, to Thunderdome arena survival camps, to the Councilmen survivalist walled settlements. At least a breakdown for the type of civilizations that may emerge would greatly be an aid to GMs.

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Alas' date=' you shall have to be cross. I don't want to cite specific campaign sites or similar resources in a genre book, if for no other reason than I don't want to look like I'm officially "endorsing" something like that. I'd rather let people find those things on their own. [/quote']

 

You could, perhaps, mention at least the system he has for Adepts in the discussion of "magic" in the post-apoc. But then again, you could just do The Savage Earth as an official post apoc setting too.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

A Judge Dredd style setting, or info on one would be cool.

[Arkham]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

A mention of a Six-String Samurai style setting, or standard 80's heavy metal video setting. Guns and circular saw blades built into guitars, etc.

 

I think that would be cool.

[Publius]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

A mention of a Six-String Samurai style setting, or standard 80's heavy metal video setting. Guns and circular saw blades built into guitars, etc.

 

I think that would be cool.

'45 Psychobilly Retropocylpse, daddy-o!

 

Love it.

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

There is also the Earth 2 style apocalypse. A colony expedition goes terribly wrong. I've also seen this else where in Trigun.

[Labrat]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

There is also the Earth 2 style apocalypse. A colony expedition goes terribly wrong. I've also seen this else where in Trigun.

 

"Lost Planet: Extreme Condition" for XBox 360. Currently playing it right now. Terraformed colony goes bad, alien bugs are attracted to the 'heat'. (Why insectoids when they don't handle the cold very well? Don't get me started). But there's ruins and discarded tech and human bodies cast about frozen in the snow and ice pirates galore!

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

As far as trading goes, maybe some watered down version of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs would help out. How well fed would someone have to be before trading some of his food for a working iPod sounds like a good idea?

[Guest Goradin]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I loved Aftermath. It was not as hard as some recollect if you read the rules and had a calculator but man was it uber realistic. I recall my players scrounging for shells for their guns cursing the fates that the box of .22 rounds would not fit in their .44 and drawing their knives to face the hordes of mutant bikers. It was by far the best ever PA game ever made and very realistic. I think players have their best gaming when their on the edge, no one finds a walk through very satisfying.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

'll need anthropomorphic animals - whether restricted species (Planet of the Apes) or virtually every species (Gamma World, Kamandi) these are pretty much a subgenre which needs to be in at least one setting.

[Steve Long]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

You may have heard that the Mayan calendar ends on the day we would know as December 21, 2012. Some scholars have interpreted this to be a prophecy of the end of the world.

 

You might say I've heard that; I have a shelf of books on pre-Columbian civilizations and cultures about as long as you are tall. Thus I know this is complete and utter crap based on a total misinterpretation of the Mayan calendar. It may deserve some mention, but if it does, it will be one that points out the flaws as well as the possibilities.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

You might say I've heard that; I have a shelf of books on pre-Columbian civilizations and cultures about as long as you are tall. Thus I know this is complete and utter crap based on a total misinterpretation of the Mayan calendar. It may deserve some mention' date=' but if it does, it will be one that points out the flaws as well as the possibilities.[/quote']

 

Depends on how much realism you want, vs how cinematic you want. Is this a lot less realistic than a nuclear accident leaving a viable population of humans, and mutating various animal species to anthropomorphism? It seems most PAH games (most RPG games in general) would have at least one aspect that's equally unrealistic.

[Labrat]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

As far as trading goes' date=' maybe some watered down version of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs would help out. How well fed would someone have to be before trading some of his food for a working iPod sounds like a good idea?[/quote']

 

I think a section on Starvation and Dehydration rules would be more than appropriate for the genre... (I believe in Wasteland Hero I started chewing off REC as conditions worsened, it's been a while since I've looked at my own material but it made sense at the time).

 

I also think that this may be a good spot to insert any 'Heroized' rules regarding the effects of despiration on Sanity (especially since Horror Hero may not make it out for quite some time). How long before 'civilized man' turns cannibal? How long does a man have to go hungry before he shoots his own brother for a few crumbs? How long does a man have to suffer the psychological effects of being 'the last man alive' before he starts talking to a Wilson soccer ball? More importantly, how does this go on before it starts to affect characteristics and manifest as permanent Psychological Disadvantages?

[lgguy]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Thus I know this is complete and utter crap based on a total misinterpretation of the Mayan calendar.

 

Not to derail the thread but, this is the first time I have heard someone say that the Mayan calendar has been misinterpreted in that manner. For my own personal curiosity, could you point out a few books and/or other references where this is discussed?

[Steve]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Not to derail the thread but' date=' this is the first time I have heard someone say that the Mayan calendar has been misinterpreted in that manner. For my own personal curiosity, could you point out a few books and/or other references where this is discussed?[/quote']

 

In case anyone's interested, I did a little googling and came across this webpage which discusses upcoming End of the World predictions coming after 2010.

 

We now return you to the interrupted thread.

[Labrat]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

In case anyone's interested' date=' I did a little googling and came across this webpage which discusses upcoming End of the World predictions coming after 2010.

 

We now return you to the interrupted thread.

 

I disagree with anyone from the Christian faith stating such things.

 

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come." Mt. 24:42

 

"Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you." Rev. 3:3

 

According to Christian beliefs, if we knew when to expect the Judge we'd live the wild life until the day (hour) before Dad was pulling up the driveway...

 

The 'Revelation' scenario generally shouldn't fall into the post-apocalyptic theme. It is a future where people will be living under a dystopia kind of government with one world religeon and one priest-king ruling the world. A loaf of bread will cost a day's wage (or a month's or a year's) and everyone will have to bear a special 'mark' in order to do any kind of commerce... the rebels wouldn't bear the mark and be considered 'outlaws', so that might work as a neat campaign theme. I don't know if I would classify that as a post-apocalypse sub-genre though, those who don't like the idea of starving would simply comply with the government's requests and sell themselves over to assimilation.

[TonyTempest]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I have been looking forward to a book like this for a long time, as well. Most PA books are devoted to a single setting, but one that can explore a wide variety of options has been something I've been hoping for.

 

Some of the things I'd like to see:

 

In the Crossover section, post-superhero PA. The most famous one (I imagine) is the X-men's Nightmare of Future's Past. The tv show Heroes had a similar future where mutants/heroes were hunted by the government (though it never was shown to be as bad as in the X-men). We don't need a whole setting write up, just a mention of a world turned against its heroes as one possible Champions/PA crossover.

 

Another crossover, mentioned above by Sociotard, is the "monster destroys civilization" idea for a Fantasy crossover. Reign of Fire where massive dragons destroy civilization is a good example. E.E. Knight's Vampire Earth series is about vampires (aliens that gave rise to the myth of vampires) returning to Earth to rule again. although the novels make them aliens, a sudden rise of fantastic vampire/undead would certainly create an eerie post-apocalypse world.

Sociotard also gave some other good examples of monsters (either singly or grouped in mythology) that destroy the world... I think that's a good idea.

 

In a way, the movie Red Dawn was an example of a localized apocalypse/war apocalypse using Sociotard's examples...

 

 

Another post-apoc-- one that doesn't get a lot of love--- is the flooded world (the original biblical apocalypse). Waterworld did this...the coolest scene for me from this was the flooded city sceen. Also in the anime Blue Submarine no.6, where submarines have a cat and mouse battle amongst the skyscrapers of a flooded city. Even if the whole world isn't flooded, an underwater city is a cool idea to explore if the characters can find a way to breathe (depending on the setting, magic, superpowers, mutations, or discovered tech that works... scuba or mini-sub).

 

Whatever you find room for, I am looking forward to this book!

 

david

[Sketchpad]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

how about a discussion on the Flora and Fauna of PA Worlds? Like how plants have mutated ... or possible ideas on how animals may mutate. Maybe something like a "Mutated" package that can be added to normal creatures ... or, with zombies, a "hungry dead" package.

In the case of the more fantastic PA Worlds, how about magic that reacts with technology? Or a return of mythological ideas in concept rather than just having them return. For example, instead of having Fantasy Elves return, have a sub-species of mutant that resemble elves take on the name from a book.

For a Road Warrior sort of world, how about packages for Duelists, Cops and some treatment of a few gangs? Also, while I know that you can't break down the systems in a car wars like fashion, how about giving a few minor ideas on hardpoints, makeshift weapons and alternate fuel sources (like in The Last Chase.

Also, if there's room ... how about a world that machines ruled?

[Lucius]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

From The Dark Crystal:

 

Jen: "The Grand Conjunction? But what does that mean?"

 

Aughra: "It means - the end of the world! Or the beginning. End, begin, big changes either way. No more Aughra!"

 

 

 

 

 

Aughra's sanguine view of her own impending end aside, she makes a valid point: what is apocolypse for one species or civiliation could be genesis for another. For the Apes of Planet of the Apes, the old Human dominated world would be a dystopia; the same goes for any other anthropomorphic mutant animals, new breeds of Human mutants, Faerie returning after the "rule of iron" was finally broken, old aboriginal Human cultures reverting to their traditional way of life, new Human cultures that could never have arisen had the world not radically changed course from the path it was on....

 

It is worth remembering that apocolypse is nothing new; we've seen it before, and the Fall of the Roman Empire is an example of "The End of Civilization!" that everyone is familiar with. Another example is the "plague apocolypse" that befell parts of Eastern North America when the natives were exposed to European diseases for the first time. Most Americans know that Tisquantum, or Squanto, who helped the colonists we now call "The Pilgrims," knew their language because he had already sojourned in England; less well remembered I think is the fact that he was the last survivor of his own tribe, who had all died of disease. Imagine getting carried away in a flying saucer and when you finally got an alien to drop you off back on Earth you discover that your entire nation had been wiped out in the meantime....

 

And this ties back in with what I was saying about apocolypse also being genesis; the first English settlers of this continent did not have to hack farms and towns out of the wilderness. They took over farms and towns that had been abandoned. The began working land that had lain fallow for a time but had already been planted and worked for generations before. Some historians have asserted that had the Americas been an unpeopled wilderness when discovered by Europeans, they might have remained so to this day; I think that's an exaggeration, but it is true that the founding colonists of Massachusetts wrote that they thanked God for having prepared the way for them by depopulating the land with sicknesses they regarded as heaven-sent.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Coming soon: Planet of the Palindromedaries "You cut out his brain, you bloody bicephalous beast!"

[Sociotard]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Oh, could you include a writeup for a cockroach and a Twinkie? It'd be funny. (even if people "didn't get it" when you put a towel in Star Hero)

 

Imagine getting carried away in a flying saucer and when you finally got an alien to drop you off back on Earth you discover that your entire nation had been wiped out in the meantime....

Now that is an excellent idea.

 

Oh, and in a reverse of localized apocalypse: localized non-apocalypse. One country or city is all that remains after the rest of the world falls. That one place often survives by oppressive fascism. I just watched "Children of Men", where this was the case. Heck, "V for Vendetta" was similar as well. I wonder if it's leftover inspiration from The Battle for Britain?

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Oh, could you include a writeup for a cockroach and a Twinkie? It'd be funny. (even if people "didn't get it" when you put a towel in Star Hero)

 

The sad irony is that, although Twinkies ended many a major super-battle in the 70s and 80s, in the post-apocalypse, entire villages will be slaughtered for a box.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Post-Apocalyptic Hero -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Another post-apoc-- one that doesn't get a lot of love--- is the flooded world (the original biblical apocalypse). Waterworld did this...the coolest scene for me from this was the flooded city sceen. Also in the anime Blue Submarine no.6' date=' where submarines have a cat and mouse battle amongst the skyscrapers of a flooded city. Even if the whole world isn't flooded, an underwater city is a cool idea to explore if the characters can find a way to breathe (depending on the setting, magic, superpowers, mutations, or discovered tech that works... scuba or mini-sub).[/quote']

 

Combined with a localized apocalypse, this could be an Atlantis campaign.