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Registration Schemes


Clonus

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Since I note that Civil War is a subject of recent discussion...again, I thought I'd bring up my set of different approaches to superhuman registration.  These can possibly be things for dimension-hoppers to run afoul of.

 

1.  Draft registration.  In the United States every young man is legally required to register for the draft.  Given that this is accepted, it is of course reasonable that when you register, you are required to reveal any "special" abilities you may have that might have combat or intelligence gathering applications and any methods for detecting such abilities might be a standard part of the draft evaluation physical.  This is probably the most effective approach to a Federal registration scheme provided the draft is extended to women.  If it wasn't then you might end up with an odd situation where all the men with having been drafted into the military unless they got an exemption for being in law enforcement, leaving only women and draft dodgers (if only in that they hid their powers) to be vigilantes and supervillains.  I look forward to seeing the character who crossdresses to keep his costumed identity from being hunted by the authorities.  

 

2.  Licensing.  Having powers doesn't mean being competent in their use.  Therefore it would be unsurprising to see a law forbidding the use of powers considered dangerous to others in uncontrolled situations (ie, when not in training rooms or something) without first having been certified as to one's ability to use them safely.  Accidental power discharges would mean being sent to a training facility until certified safe.  This approach would mean that powers that aren't capable of causing physical injury or altering minds (things such as sensory powers and passive defenses) would go unregistered if that's all the character has.  Also super martial artists would probably usually slide on the grounds that their "powers" are too hard to define.  In the United States such a scheme would probably operate on the state level 

 

3.  Anti-Vigilante law.  In this version you can have and use powers freely as long as you aren't hurting anyone, but in order to fight crime you have to register as a "police auxiliary"...regardless of whether you have anything clearly identifiable as "powers".  Acrobatic people with two fists and a thirst for justice can qualify.

 

4.  The Carrot.  The government has a registration scheme but there is no punishment for failure to register.  They just offer the people who DO register money and resources.  

 

5.  Covert.  The government registers people with powers.  They just don't tell the public at large or even necessarily the people with power that's what they're doing.  They have a secret agency in charge of tracking down anyone with powers and watching to see if they pose a problem or could be recruited.  

 

 

 

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I went with the Carrot (Covert exists, but "It's a Secret")  The Heroic Examination, Registration Organization will register your Super Identity with a supposedly "unhackable" system. It registers a set of Biometrics, the primary is Retinal scans. It is stored on a very secure Photonic data base (supposedly proof vs Cyberkinesis) The system was designed by Bat-clone, and certified "safe" by him.....

 

In return a registered Super can testify in costume, with retina scan, buy insurance (backed by government) accept rewards, establish a bank account, and pay taxes. Legaly, your Super identity is a separate indivigual from your civilian one, must like a corporation.

 

If arrested you get scan etc to be positively identified, like anyone else. If convicted, it is a matter of public record. Many Super crimminals volunteer for extensive testing in return for a reduced sentence.

 

If not convicted the Court May seal your identity if it see fit to. Local juristictions May outlaw unlisenced heroing, at least until the next doomsday scenario arrises...:)

 

In my Universe this all arose over time, from some court cases, and an attempt to force registration, (Superman Clone publicly announced his intension to retire rather than register, right on the heels of saving the world yet again...;) )  It "helped" that much of the registration 'push" was from Viper, who was trying to exploit the court system to hinder Superheroes, as this was uncovered, backing registration meant backing Viper's plans...bad politics......

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The approach I'm using in some of my fiction is a mix of 3-5. You aren't required to register simply because you possess superpowers. But if you intend on using those powers to fight crime, you must register. "Superheroes" are not exempt from the anti-vigilante and anti-mask laws; freelance policing and wearing an identity concealing mask in public (and especially both at once) is verboten, and punishable by serious fines and/or jail time.

 

On the other hand, if you register and volunteer as an emergency responder, the government will take fingerprints, retinal scans, etc (whatever is needed and will work to positively identify you), train you in use of force law, first aid, crime scene security, and so forth--and provide some limited liability protection (like cops) and insurance coverage, as long as you play by the rules.

 

That being said, the government doesn't wait for people to register. They proactively seek out people with powers, and keep an eye on them.

 

When my heroine, who is a flying brick, takes to flying around the city every night (garbed in black to avoid being seen), the government becomes aware of her. But they don't do anything, because all she's doing is flying around. Then one night she stumbles across a crime in progress (a superpowered thug is causing havoc). She intervenes--and gets a visit from the feds the next morning. Because now she _has_ crossed the line into crime-fighting. They offer the carrot (join the Guardians, get training and legal protection) or the stick (be arrested for violating the anti-vigilante laws). They don't want to arrest her; they want her to join up.

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Good approaches, and similar to what I've used in the past. I think any law that requires people to register just because they have powers (ie - because of Who They Are) would be a very hard sell, legally and morally, at least in the US. But requiring people to register in order to play hero (ie - because of What They Do) I think makes more sense. And of course, anyone who gets arrested is going to get analyzed, studied, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, and numbered.

 

In my last straight-up Champions campaign, the PCs were the first "new" superheroes to emerge, 10 years after all superhumans had been wiped out by plot device. There was a registration law on the books, but it had never really been enforced before. So when superhumans started reappearing, there was a lot of pressure within the government to actually enforce the registration law this time around.* So PRIMUS gave the sales pitch to the PCs; I expected it to become a source of ongoing tension between the PCs and the authorities. But my player surprised me and 3 out of 4 decided their PCs would agree to register. Totally didn't expect that! The PCs position was that it made sense for them to register as individuals, but they felt it should still be voluntary. Which still allowed me to play the "government tensions" card periodically, and they continued to work with unregistered supers, including PC#4.

 

* And yeah, of course VIPER was behind it. VIPER is always behind it!

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In the new manga Boku no Hero Academia, 80+% of the population has some kind of "quirk", so anti-mutant prejudice is not really a thing anymore.  And secret identities are rare to non-existent because no one bothers to conceal their quirks.  (There's one massive exception.)  However, in order to be a professional super-hero and get government bennies, you have to pass tests and get a license.  Thus our protagonists are attending a hero academy.  There is no exam for becoming a villain, so far as we can tell--it's early in the story so we don't know if there's a bad guy school.

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Keep in mind that registration didn't start with Civil War. It really started back when Gyrich was dictating who was and wasn't going to be an Avenger.

To some extent, but that only applied to who could be in the Avengers. Some people got kicked off the team, but no one was arrested or had to reveal their identity. In fact, they even set up a retinal scanner so new heroes like Ms. Marvel could verify their costumed identity without revealing their civilian identities.

 

...And no, I didn't roll a natural 3 on my KS: Comics Roll. I just happened to re-read that issue a couple days ago via Marvel Unlimited! :snicker:

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I am a simple minded GM so I go with letting the players know that not joining PRIMUS means that they could be put in jail for using their powers in an unregistered manner - that is the stick.  The carrot is that PRIMUS helps the players with their base, provides them with first class help in their base, police powers (national - which has never come up) and PRIMUS will cover the cost of repairs from any property damage.

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I don't like registration.  I don't want to see it in the games I play either.

 

As I see it, if the government has the manpower to hunt down heroes and force them to register (throwing them in jail if they don't, presumably with anti-super technologies), then they should be spending their time going after villains instead.  It rapidly turns into a "super hero vs the government" scenario.  And I'm not interested in playing that.

 

And just so everyone knows, stopping a crime in progress is not vigilante behavior.  Everyone has the authority to make a citizen's arrest if they witness a crime in progress.

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And just so everyone knows, stopping a crime in progress is not vigilante behavior.  Everyone has the authority to make a citizen's arrest if they witness a crime in progress.

 

What about if the character is patrolling looking for criminal activity?  That probably would be consider vigilante behavior.

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I don't like registration.  I don't want to see it in the games I play either.

 

As I see it, if the government has the manpower to hunt down heroes and force them to register (throwing them in jail if they don't, presumably with anti-super technologies), then they should be spending their time going after villains instead.  It rapidly turns into a "super hero vs the government" scenario.  And I'm not interested in playing that.

 

And just so everyone knows, stopping a crime in progress is not vigilante behavior.  Everyone has the authority to make a citizen's arrest if they witness a crime in progress.

 

Everyone doesn't have the authority to do it anonymously.  

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What about if the character is patrolling looking for criminal activity?  That probably would be consider vigilante behavior.

 

Doubt it.  What do you think a neighborhood watch is?

 

Everyone doesn't have the authority to do it anonymously.  

 

Of course they do.  Now if you're going to haul a guy in to the police station, and the only thing they've got against him is your word that you caught him doing something illegal, then yeah, the police are going to want some sort of information on who you are.  But if a guy is holding a bunch of people hostage, and you slug him in the jaw and knock him out?  There's no law requiring you to stick around and tell the police all your information.  You stopped a crime in progress, you left.  Perfectly legal.

 

--

 

At the end of the day, an effective superhuman registration act, one the government actually has the ability to enforce, means that you don't need superheroes at all.  If there's a government agency out there who can threaten Super-Dude with incarceration if he doesn't obey, then why the hell can't they stop Grond?

 

It's a very Iron Age concept, and one that's not well thought out.

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Farewell Speech

 

Super-Dude:  Ladies and gentlemen, it is with a heavy heart that we, the members of the Atlas League, come before you today.  There has been much talk in the media about the newly passed 'Superhuman Registration Act'.  The League has always prided itself on following the laws of the land.  While we may have each been blessed with amazing powers and abilities, this does not make us above the law.  We do, however, feel that forcible registration of any active superhuman is a violation of our privacy.  Therefore, the members of the Atlas League are saddened to announce our retirement.  No longer shall any of us use our abilities in any sort of crime fighting or 'super-heroic' manner.  We have wrestled with this decision for quite some time, but we feel this is the only way we can remain true to our ideals, protect ourselves and our families, and yet not violate the laws of the land we all love.  We thank you for the trust that you have placed in us over these last 10 years.  Good night, and may God bless America.

 

Super-Dude steps away from podium.

 

Super-Dude returns to podium.

 

Super-Dude:  Oh yes, I almost forgot.  The members of the League have made a small list of housekeeping items that need addressed.  We wish to pass this on to the government so that proper arrangements can be made.  (looks at index cards)  The Cloak tells me that Insane Clown Man has escaped from the Gothic City Asylum and is currently pouring fifty thousand gallons of... ?

 

The Cloak:  Juggalo Juice.

 

Super-Dude:  Okay, of Juggalo Juice into the Gothic City reservoir.  If you could avoid drinking the tap water in the city for the next few years, that would be for the best.  Amazonia would like to remind everyone to continue praying for the 500 missing female children who have been kidnapped in Seaport City this week.  Her nation is in continued negotiations with the rogue sorceress who has taken them to her interdimensional fortress.  Umm, Emerald Beacon wants to warn the residents of Skyline City not to fire their handguns at the 4 mile wide alien ship that has been hovering over the city for the last 20 minutes or so.  We have not seen any signs of hostility from them, but we don't know how the ship works and you might hit something important.  Umm...

 

(flips cards)

 

Super-Dude:  Merman would ask the Navy to stop testing depth charges in the following locations, because we don't want to wake something up.  Again.  You know, there are a lot of coordinates here, I'm just going to give these to Lois.  Is that all guys?  Okay, thank you again.

 

Super-Dude steps away from podium.

 

Super-Dude returns to podium.

 

Super-Dude:  Oh yes, I'm sorry, last thing I promise.  Tomorrow marks 90 days since the last appearance of Mrs. Mephistopheles, the 7th dimensional demon princess sorceress.  You might remember the last time she came to Earth and transformed everyone on the planet into cartoon animals, and then enslaved you, and I made her leave by tricking her into saying the name of the Lord while on holy ground.  Just like I have the last 37 times she appeared, every 90 days for the past 9+ years.  So, you know.  You might wanna do something about that.

 

Super-Dude steps away from podium.

 

Atlas League leaves.

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At the end of the day, an effective superhuman registration act, one the government actually has the ability to enforce, means that you don't need superheroes at all.  If there's a government agency out there who can threaten Super-Dude with incarceration if he doesn't obey, then why the hell can't they stop Grond?

 

The automatic assumption that everyone will disobey the law seems unreasonable.  

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The automatic assumption that everyone will disobey the law seems unreasonable.  

 

The people who will voluntarily obey a law that the government has no ability to enforce are not the people you need to register.

 

Are you prepared to handle all the problems this will generate if Super-Dude just quits?  How do you handle civil disobedience from super-heroes?  Super-Dude stops Professor Executioner's evil plan.  Your agents confront him.  "Super-Dude, we need to have a word with you.  You aren't registered with the government."  And on national television, Super-Dude laughs at them and says "No, and I never will be," and flies away.  How do you respond?

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The people who will voluntarily obey a law that the government has no ability to enforce are not the people you need to register.

 

Are you prepared to handle all the problems this will generate if Super-Dude just quits?  How do you handle civil disobedience from super-heroes?  Super-Dude stops Professor Executioner's evil plan.  Your agents confront him.  "Super-Dude, we need to have a word with you.  You aren't registered with the government."  And on national television, Super-Dude laughs at them and says "No, and I never will be," and flies away.  How do you respond?

 

You seem to be stuck on the Civil War model.  

 

Scenario 1:  It's the middle of World War II.  The American government asks every red-blooded American male in a certain age range to register for the draft and on the registration form there's a line asking the registrant to mention any special abilities that might make them particularly useful for military or intelligence work.  What kind of man decides, "No I won't reveal that I'm bullet-proof"?  

 

Scenario 2:  For generations people with super powers have been offered an automatic scholarship to an educational facility which is supposed to teach them how to use their powers safely.  Anyone who doesn't go is assumed by all around to be a potential menace and probably intent on a life of crime (and that includes all the graduates of Sky University...ie. the superheroes).  You just got super powers.  What do you do?  

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I've always liked Bob Greenwade's Oregon Hero Sanction.  It's not simply the government registering and regulating superheroes -- as Bob says:

 

 

It's superheroes governing themselves, with State oversight at their request.

 

I implemented it (with minor tweaks) in a New York City campaign I ran long ago, and plan to use it in my upcoming Boston campaign.  Tweaks mainly involved making the computer files that included hero identity info more secure, based on suggestions made by the players. 

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You seem to be stuck on the Civil War model.  

 

Scenario 1:  It's the middle of World War II.  The American government asks every red-blooded American male in a certain age range to register for the draft and on the registration form there's a line asking the registrant to mention any special abilities that might make them particularly useful for military or intelligence work.  What kind of man decides, "No I won't reveal that I'm bullet-proof"?  

 

Scenario 2:  For generations people with super powers have been offered an automatic scholarship to an educational facility which is supposed to teach them how to use their powers safely.  Anyone who doesn't go is assumed by all around to be a potential menace and probably intent on a life of crime (and that includes all the graduates of Sky University...ie. the superheroes).  You just got super powers.  What do you do?  

 

1) No one dresses up in costume in that scenario.  You've just got super powered soldiers. That's not a super hero world.

 

2) I reject the premise.  I tell the GM I'm not interested in playing a game at Superhero Hogwarts.

 

You specifically brought up the Civil War model in your first post.  Yet both of your scenarios here are based upon denying any type of choice to the player.  You might as well just say "the government knows who you are already".  Neither of these are anything approaching a normal superhero world.

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1) No one dresses up in costume in that scenario.  You've just got super powered soldiers. That's not a super hero world.

 

2) I reject the premise.  I tell the GM I'm not interested in playing a game at Superhero Hogwarts.

 

You specifically brought up the Civil War model in your first post.  Yet both of your scenarios here are based upon denying any type of choice to the player.  You might as well just say "the government knows who you are already".  Neither of these are anything approaching a normal superhero world.

 

1.  Captain America did.  In fact, his propaganda application is one of the more believable premises for how superheroes start using costumes.   

2.  I never asked you whether you were interested in playing that game or even the one where you start out as recent graduates.  The question is, does this setup make sense as something most heroes would go along with?

 

I did bring up Civil War but only to say that these were alternatives to the incoherent unconstitutional dogs breakfast that was Civil War.  

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1.  Captain America did.  In fact, his propaganda application is one of the more believable premises for how superheroes start using costumes.   

2.  I never asked you whether you were interested in playing that game or even the one where you start out as recent graduates.  The question is, does this setup make sense as something most heroes would go along with?

 

I did bring up Civil War but only to say that these were alternatives to the incoherent unconstitutional dogs breakfast that was Civil War.  

 

1.  Captain America didn't exist in the world you described.  In the comics he existed in a world where there were already superbeings, and the government managed to create one of their own.  In that situation, where you already have costumed beings running around, it makes sense to use him that way.  In the movie version, he wasn't supposed to be running around in costume at all.  In both versions, the intent was to have an army of super-soldiers, not guys in costume.

 

2.  I don't think it makes sense as a setup.  I don't see how you ever get to that world.  "Everyone is going to automatically assume you are a villain, even the other heroes."  The insinuation is that people aren't going to wait to see if you commit a crime, they're just going to attack you on sight.  It's so far removed from both standard superhero stories and the real world (real world as in the level of trust people have in government) that I don't buy it.  It feels very forced and artificial.

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The Live Action "Tick" series had "Superhero Licenses" that were handed out by the DMV.  Without one a Hero would get a ticket.  You had to give your true identity, which was less a problem in the Tick Universe as being a superhero was more a profession.  In fact Captain Liberty told Arthur that villains could spot a "Closeted" hero a mile away.

 

In my superhero universe Crime Fighters act as "Bounty Hunters".  U.S. courts have no interest in how someone ends up before them.  "Good Samaritan" Laws are much more flexible for people who stop crimes and save people from accidents.  

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