Which Viper?

[Ninja-Bear]

18 hours ago, Sketchpad said:

 

You could buy the Image Portfolio Platinum products off DriveThruRPG and use his art. This is one of many: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/91000/Image-Portfolio-Platinum-Free-Edition-Storn-Cook

The FASERIP retro clone I got I believe has this artwork.  I ran across a thread where the author stated that he got the artwork free. Incidentally most of the artwork I saw in it was the same as SW Super Power Companion. It’s still good comic book feel artwork.

[Spence]

On 4/24/2021 at 1:13 PM, pawsplay said:

I sometimes hear opinions that seem to treat reading a module as a cardinal sin. That's a huge assumption, though, that someone intends cheating. A lot of people read a lot of modules because they mostly GM. If you want a module to be fresh, especially one published decades ago, you should be tweaking elements of it.

 

Completely different from what we (or at least I) am talking about.

 

With an old module that is being rerun there is an expectation that someone at the table may have read it or even run it before.  But with this there is also the expectation that they would mention this to the GM and know that the GM will tweak the adventure. 

 

What we are talking about are the munchkins. 

True event. The D&D module released and hits the shelf on Wednesday.  GM buys a copy and says he will be able to run it on Saturday for interested parties.  Several other people buy copies, I do and put my copy on the shelf for later.  On Saturday we complete chargen and begin play. And hour or so into the game the party has been pretty bloodied and is just looking to get somewhere to take a long recovery and try not to die.  One of the players becomes agitated and keeps returning to a location and "searching", they finally lose their cool and call the DM a cheater and reveal their copy of the module open to the location.  Apparently there was supposed to be an encounter there and then a secret door with treasure that the munchkin wanted.  Your classic scumbag player cheating his way through by actively reading the adventure in game and then loses it and throws a tantrum.   For completeness, the encounter was not critical to the adventure and the DM knew we were battered enough we would lose the encounter so he removed it.  Of course no encounter no reward, but at least the party lived and could play out the rest of the game. 

 

The plus side the DM/GM was old school and invited the idiot to leave, and with the heads up other GM's were able to avoid session contamination by not inviting him to their games in the future. 

 

Bottom line, having read or run an old module in the past is one thing, having your own copy at the table and referencing it during the game is one of the few things in RPG's that can be referred to as actively cheating with intent to cheat the game.  Just all kinds of wrong.

 

 

[Terminax]

I like the modern look of Viper. Nothing against the older costumes, but they're products of a different time.

[Christopher R Taylor]

That is my concern, I want everything to look more modern and up to date, not dated and ollllld (copious eye rolling and texting) to younger players.

[greypaladin_01]

If the concern is wanting things to be as 'current & cool' as possible then I suggest 4A or 5 based on tone of the adventures.   Looking at modern superhero shows / films / games should be the benchmark and not comic books.   
 

[pawsplay]

There is an actual Cobra figure called the VIPER. I tend to dislike any depiction that looks too much like this because of the strong association I have:

 

 

[archer]

Spaceballs-style helmets are the biggest problem with people today taking the older uniform versions seriously.

 

Back in the 1980's if you wanted to cram advanced tech into a helmet (and you weren't Tony Stark), the helmet needed some bulk.

 

Today with everything done with chips, people expect a helmet that's minimal but can do vastly more functions than a cell phone, laptop, and high-tech nightvision binoculars combined.

[Sketchpad]

15 hours ago, pawsplay said:

There is an actual Cobra figure called the VIPER. I tend to dislike any depiction that looks too much like this because of the strong association I have:

 

 

 

Hmm... I don't know. A bit of modification on the modern one and they look pretty cool as Viper Agents.

 

[Christopher R Taylor]

wouldn't take much modification to make it work.

[LordNightmare]

15 hours ago, Sketchpad said:

 

Hmm... I don't know. A bit of modification on the modern one and they look pretty cool as Viper Agents.

 

 

My only problem with this is that they're wearing goggles on a helmet. Guess flash defense didn't come standard.

[steriaca]

1 hour ago, LordNightmare said:

 

My only problem with this is that they're wearing goggles on a helmet. Guess flash defense didn't come standard.

The helmet provides flash defense.  The goggles provide telescopic vision. Also, someone tell the agent the goggles are to be worn inside the helmet, not outside of it.

 

"But it looks cooler that way."

[Opal]

It's steampunk.  Put goggles on your hat:  viola, SteamPunk.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Yeah its one of those artistic decisions: the helmet looks too plain, it needs a detail here.

[Terminax]

I like the more modern look, simply because tacti-cool is the in thing and will sell better to the more modern set. I'm sure 70s/80s fashion choices may become in-vogue again in the future but they aren't right now. I do agree with the sentiment it looks a little too close to GI JOE/Cobra esthetics but design choice can be tweaked right? Also depends on the artist. The technical 5E outfit drawing definitely gives off that Cobra Viper look, but other illustrations have a slightly more stylized appearance with blackish fang "sideburns" coming down over the sides of the visor part of the helmet and that brings it closer to be agent wear.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Here's what the VIPER agents look like in Champions Online

 

I prefer a more amber yellow and brighter green, personally

[Terminax]

 

This is the one I like. Couldn't find the B&W version I was trying to describe.

[Christopher R Taylor]

I really like that as a VIPER design, with a little tweaking in colors.  Where's it from?

 

Update: 6th edition champions universe.  Needs a bit more armor look, and the yellow is too subdued and minor, but its a good template.

[Dravencour]

When I fought VIPER back when I played Champions Online, their main motif was green and yellow, though their munitions guys favored red and black too.