Idea: Non U.S. Game Setting for Champions

[Hermit]

Okay, while some proclaim it too utopian, I've enjoyed Millennium City. I eagerly await Vibora Bay even more, despite the fact it's in Florida (I'm in Eastern TN, it's a football thing).

 

However, I think there maybe, and I stress the maybe, a demand for a city or local setting for Champions that is outside of the United States. Judging by the eager thumbs up at the news of the supplement on global champions, and the responses I've seen to threads about Non American Super Heroes (Very friendly and great ideas in them); it might be well recieved, particularly if fans got to voice their own views.

 

Heck, at the very least it might make a decent set of DH articles.

 

Mind you, I know some will say 'use this city' or 'try this city' but I think sticking with the 'make believe' cities ala DC style probably works best for a gaming universe. No nitpicking about how "You got the bridge wrong" or some such

 

And those using real cities can still rip the supplement off in part or piece meal.

 

What do you all think? (This includes you official types if you wish, you're people too after all )

 

And if you think it's a good idea, where in the world would you want this fictional city?

[Enforcer84]

Give the CU its own Latveteria.

a small european nation with one big city...

donesn't the CU have an original African Nation? perhaps use that?

[lemming]

Originally posted by Enforcer84

Give the CU its own Latveteria.

a small european nation with one big city...

donesn't the CU have an original African Nation? perhaps use that?

There is that Russian City, Larisagrad. I think an adventure there would be good.

 

Two African countries, IIRC.

 

Isn't there a Champions Worldwide in the works?

[Solomon]

IIRC Lugendu is the fictional African country with a villainous leader.

 

Then there are Chiquador in C. America and Guamanga in S. America.

 

Small european countries that don't really exist? Why, we have plenty already: Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican..

[Redmenace]

I'm reading the Omlevex book now, central to it is a group of Islands called Metazon. It's something of amalgam of different realms, a dark mystic one, a utopian one etc, any one of which could be expanded into a specific nation.

 

 

As to a inclusian into the larger CU, I'd want something like a fictionalized Taiwan, modern technology, organized crime, access to Chinese myticism all with a Eastern flavour.

 

I'd think this would make a good site for a major Viper Nest particularly as a staging area for operations in China. It would also be a good site for a "Watchers of the Dragon" sort of martial artist campaign.

[freakboy6117]

Why use a country at all

 

Pacifica.

 

In 1982 a large meteorite crashed into the pacific 200 miles south west of Hawaii. Except it wasn't a meteor it was the core of a self-sustaining intelligent alien city launched into space following a major disaster

 

The city started to rebuild its self in the middle of the pacific its remote servitors harvesting minerals from the ocean floor a month later a star shaped island rose from the sea floor approximately the 15 miles in radius UNTIL dispatched a science team when they arrived they discovered the island was composed of microscopic robotic building blocks and was reconfiguring its self to human physiology. Stairs and doorways altered configuration colors changed to better fit the human visual range eventually after several days of as the scientist explored the first avatars of the city appeared. Silver and gold humanoid figures that came and talked to the scientist in language culled from television broadcasts.

 

Eventually the city established a dialogue as best it could it's reasons for journeying to earth following the calamity on its home world it was dispatched as a repository of the culture of the planet unfortunately during its long interstellar voyage much of its memory have become disorganized.

Pacifica as it named its self appeared before the UN and offered its self as a home to the dispossessed-taking refugees from all over the world. As it slowly reclaims its memories it creates more advanced technology its has already moved closer to the equator and grown a space launch facility that is its principle industry. The diverse mix of ethnicities make for an interesting time Pacifica has a large scientific community studying the anthropological data as well as the many advanced technologies incorporated into the island so far few have been successfully adapted to earthly technology but there is hope that soon all cities ion earth shall be like Pacifica.

 

Unfortunately the city has its problems foremost is social trouble of integrating it constantly growing diverse population and the criminal element that came with them organized criminals from all over the old vie for the lucrative markets.

Meanwhile the advanced alien technology is attractive to various groups including governments and corporations as well as more sinister forces.

 

Finally the cities fragmented memory can be a problem with sudden memory reshuffles resulting in recreation of fauna from its native world advanced weaponry being produced by the cities automated factories or even earthquake like spasms in the cities infrastructure to this end the city has sought to invite an international team of hers to help defend it as well as home grown heroes often empowered by the cities technology.

[Hermit]

Well, I was thinking more city than entire nation... no reason Canada, Finland, Japan or Brazil couldn't have a fictional city added on. (Well, okay, Japan maybe feeling crowded)

 

Set it up with a history that blends well with the area around it, takes into account the super nature of the universe, and stock it with an NPC hero or two, and villains ready to swarm the place unless a group of PCs can stop it.

[Ghost who Walks]

Rather than a City, I wouldn't mind seeing some towns. Small towns in the Midwest, where strange things occur...rather like Smallville for Superman.

 

I remember one being mentioned in Champions Universe (name escaped me...Haynesville???)

 

Besides serving as bases for Heroes, they would be useful for where the player comes from. It would be interesting to have some of the most powerful heroes on Earth secretly spending the weekends in North Dakota, where their folks live.

[Hermit]

Actually, I'm wondering if maybe They shouldn't have "The Town that Borealis Built" as a setting in Canada. What if the master villain of the north managed to seize control of, and fortify a previously small town. The plan was to set it up as his staging point, and if need be, the Capital of a "new Canada". Soon others flocked to his banner (Either out of greed, or geniune sympathy for the cause) bringing with them powers that helped in rapid construction, and super tech. Even the landscape was altered somewhat.

 

For three months, they prepared and it looked like Canada would only regain it by loss of many soldiers. Instead, Canada's heroes managed to infilitrate and assault it. Though it was not without cost, they were victorious in driving off Borealis.

Some of the heroes decided to help with the clean up removing the more dangerous devices left behind, and a few even stayed around.

 

This brought other scientists, sociological experts, and reporters by the score. It also brought tourists, and that brought money. The result was a boom in growth and influence.

 

Now it's a vibrant city, not so high tech as MC over all, but full of signs of one madman's vision for a new Canada.

 

Welcome to (Fill in City Name), the Town That Borealis built

 

Just a thought mind you

[Pegasus]

Originally posted by Hermit

Actually, I'm wondering if maybe They shouldn't have "The Town that Borealis Built" as a setting in Canada. What if the master villain of the north managed to seize control of, and fortify a previously small town. ...Welcome to (Fill in City Name), the Town That Borealis built

 

Just a thought mind you

 

This one has some great potential.

 

Unfortunately, a town controlled by a major supervillain has been done already.

"Welcome to Orlando, the Town That Eisner Built."

 

[freakboy6117]

personally beyond the invented city idea i think some cities could really do with some more fleshing out as a superhero realm paris, london, berlin.

 

the new invented cities and sates tend to be useful because you can do what you like with them and you dont have real residents complaing but i think its more interesting to imagine what superhumans would do to a real place.

[Hermit]

Originally posted by Crisis

This one has some great potential.

 

Unfortunately, a town controlled by a major supervillain has been done already.

"Welcome to Orlando, the Town That Eisner Built."

 

 

Yeah, but Borealis is a villain with a somewhat noble vision... big diff

 

 

BTW, does anyone know of any program (Preferably free...cheap me) that helps generate City maps?

 

Or for that matter a generic city map that's easy to modify? I don't want to have to erase teeny little street names etc.

[Peregrine]

Originally posted by Crisis

This one has some great potential.

 

Unfortunately, a town controlled by a major supervillain has been done already.

"Welcome to Orlando, the Town That Eisner Built."

 

 

*yawn*

[Hermit]

Originally posted by Hermit

 

BTW, does anyone know of any program (Preferably free...cheap me) that helps generate City maps?

 

Or for that matter a generic city map that's easy to modify? I don't want to have to erase teeny little street names etc.

 

Hardly generic (in the traditional sprawl sense), but to answer my own question... it would seem some folks at the University of South Wales in Australia have some cool 'what if' designs for cities.

 

http://www.fbe.unsw.edu.au/exhibits/MUDD/Generic/

[Vondy]

Some interesting choices might be:

 

London

Paris

Rome

Toronto

Mexico City

Rio De Janeiro

Hong Kong

Shanghai

Bangkok

Bombay

Moscow

Jerusalem

[freakboy6117]

I wouldnt recommend Toronto I had one of my Hawksmoor moments whilst visiting toronto is the most unhurried city i visited in north america it has no bustle no hurry it seems quiet even during rush hours it really very odd. Frankly Duluth had a more superheroic vibe than Toronto even if it does lack tall buildings to leap over.

[Hermit]

Well, I was speaking of fictional cities from the start and while I see a lot of folks disagree, I really DON'T think the DoJ is likely to put uot supplements on real ones. It just seems to be an invite to being stuck in the errata zone forever (among other things) as people who actually live there point out numerous errors. That, and there's less chance of fans going "But my campaign's chicago is totally different, so why buy the book?"

[freakboy6117]

what you really need is generic locations that you can just thrust into what ever city your using perhaps with suggestions on how to change it to fit diffrent countries

[Logan D]

One almost essential feature of "adventure" cities is the presence of water. Specifically, either the ocean or a large river leading to the ocean. A port city has so much more going for it than a land locked city in several ways.

 

- Waterfront/docks - Crime organizations and supervillains always seem to have something to do with these areas. Whether smuggling something into the country, corrupting the labor force or the inspectors, or what have you. The docks are always a potential source of intrigue. Plus there's lots of heavy stuff to break or throw around in a fight. Ships themselves can be great mazes to hunt or be hunted in.

 

- Water avenues of transport or escape are always handy.

 

- Terrain is almost always more varied in interesting ways at a port city. San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area, for example, is defined geographically by the ocean, the bay, and the surrounding hills and mountains. London is defined by the Thames. Bridges over the spans of river/bay are always good sites to hold confrontations (Spiderman movie is a good example).

 

Those are just a few examples. I could do more, but I'm tired and I need to go get something to eat.

[BoneDaddy]

Something on the North Sea, someplace on the Mediterranean, someplace in the Alps, someplace on the Danube. Someplace in Europe. I agree it should be fictional, but some oppotunity to adventure in Europe would be nice. Zenda. Luxembourg would actually be nice, but we can't fit another city in there.