SleepyDrug Posted April 4, 2003 Report Share Posted April 4, 2003 Wait a moment and consider the power level question. If we have 279 villains, most of them will be on the lower end of the power structure. Important next question? So what would be the breakdown of power levels? Omega-class (1000+ point world threatening villains) 1% or 3 supers. Examples: Count Nefaria or Ultron Alpha-class (300 to 1000 point first string) 24% or 67 supers. Examples: Diablo, Dr Octopus, Hobgoblin, Absorbing Man, Titania, Wrecker, Speed Demon Beta-class (200 to 300 point second stringers) 35% or 98 supers. Examples: Shocker, Trapster, Constrictor Gamma-class (150 to 200 point third stringers) 20% or 56 supers. Examples: Discus, Stiletto Delta-class (100 to 150 point super lackeys) 20% or 56 supers. Examples: Split Second Squad. If we are talking about a Marvel Universe NYC, i think these numbers are accurate. If we're in a more DC style place, we need to reduce them slightly because DC has a weak villain population. But adjusting the Population Density figure solves this problem nicely. Also, spillage is likely to be global in many cases, especially the higher point value villains. Most Omega's are worldwide villains. Consider, Dr Doom, Magneto, Mandarin in Marvel or Mordru, Obsidian, Injustice Gang in DC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thirdbase Posted April 4, 2003 Report Share Posted April 4, 2003 I'm going to steal all this and use to get a PHD in comic book population distribution. Seriously, sort of, I wouldn't use the Marvel Universe or DC as an example. Marvel has problems in that virtually all "Heroes" are either in NY or LA. Name one Chicago based hero and villain. And the DC Universe has multiple NYs under different names and is only slightly based in the real world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutant for Hire Posted April 4, 2003 Report Share Posted April 4, 2003 Originally posted by Thirdbase I'm going to steal all this and use to get a PHD in comic book population distribution. Seriously, sort of, I wouldn't use the Marvel Universe or DC as an example. Marvel has problems in that virtually all "Heroes" are either in NY or LA. Name one Chicago based hero and villain. And the DC Universe has multiple NYs under different names and is only slightly based in the real world. On the flip side, we've been coming up with some fairly compelling arguments as to why NY and LA are the primary foci for superhero activity. Of course yes, Chicago, Dallas and Miami would also be places of significance and Marvel does tend to neglect those places. On the flip flip side, there's nothing that says that those cities don't get a lot of activity off-camera, so to speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepyDrug Posted April 4, 2003 Report Share Posted April 4, 2003 Now it depends on what sort of universe you want to run. A Marvel-style campaign centers on cities with 10 million + people. A DC style city focues on major cities under fictional names. Flash is in St. Louis, if you think about it. Wonder Woman in DC, Martian Manhunter in Denver.. Champions universe centers in a fictional mega city. Question is, is my logic flawed? or just not suited to your universe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thirdbase Posted April 5, 2003 Report Share Posted April 5, 2003 Originally posted by Mutant for Hire On the flip side, we've been coming up with some fairly compelling arguments as to why NY and LA are the primary foci for superhero activity. Of course yes, Chicago, Dallas and Miami would also be places of significance and Marvel does tend to neglect those places. On the flip flip side, there's nothing that says that those cities don't get a lot of activity off-camera, so to speak. I remember an Avengers issue from the early 90's I think where an earth shattering event occurs in Chicago, and there is a panel with two Chicago Cops looking at both Avenger teams and several other heros lamenting that all those heroes and not one in Chicago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted April 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2003 I remember a few comics with Thor living in Chicago, but I believe it was very brief. Sometimes I think Marvel really misses out in not taking advantage of a few more cities outside of the big apple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted April 5, 2003 Report Share Posted April 5, 2003 Originally posted by Hermit I remember a few comics with Thor living in Chicago, but I believe it was very brief. Sometimes I think Marvel really misses out in not taking advantage of a few more cities outside of the big apple. I suppose it might still be an issue of reference availability: since the Marvel editorial offices have always been in New York, any detail of real continuity that you want to use, you can verify with little more than looking out the window. Admittedly, that's less of a factor nowadays with the Internet, but you'd still have to do more research. You can always set a book in another city if one of its principle creators is based in or intimately familiar with that city, but what happens when that creator leaves the book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted April 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2003 True, but sometimes fan support is amazing, and as you said, the internet is exceptional. If a comic editor were to tell the fans of the super hero who's mag he was running "We could use some information on...(fill in city)" I bet he'd get a response... enough responses to cut his work lord down a lot. I guess we need bigger comic book companies in other parts of the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcw43921 Posted April 8, 2003 Report Share Posted April 8, 2003 Another thing to to consider are the suburbs and smaller cities close to the bigger city. St. Louis, for example, has not only the suburbs of Bridgeton, St. Charles, Maryland Heights, etc. but across the Mississippi, the cities of East St. Louis, Cahokia, Granite City, and others--including Edwardsville, which has a campus for Southern Illinois University. The same for New York--in addition to the five boroughs you have nearby Newark, Jersey City, and Bayonne to the west, and Mt. Vernon and New Rochelle to the northeast. Across the Delaware from Philadelphia is Camden, NJ, and up the river is Trenton, the state capital. Just looking at any metropolitan area map will give you an idea of the possibilities for superhero challenges--and the opportunities for supervillains. Better make sure your heroes have plenty of movement capabilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba smith Posted March 26, 2008 Report Share Posted March 26, 2008 Re: Cities that need heroes how about a super in orlando fla?[i live in nearby titusville] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BNakagawa Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Re: Cities that need heroes There are any number of cities in Iraq that desperately need a superhero. Unfortunately if there was a SuperSunni, he'd probably spend all his time battling Super Shiite. sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmurie Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Re: Cities that need heroes Madison, WI has a MASSIVE university, a large research hospital, biotech all over the place, and is generally a nice place to live while being relatively close to Milwaukee and Chicago. I could easily envision UW-Madison as a location for a College of Superhuman Research. For the VERY fast superhero it's relatively close to Minneapolis/St. Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindscape Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Re: Cities that need heroes How about Mephis or Nashville. Never see any teams based in Tennessee, course the most important thing we have is the country music capital of the world so that might have something to do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Shephard Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Re: Cities that need heroes posted by BNakagawa There are any number of cities in Iraq that desperately need a superhero. Unfortunately if there was a SuperSunni, he'd probably spend all his time battling Super Shiite. sigh. Funny you say this. For Halloween last year some kids at my sons school showed up for super HERO dress up day dressed as suicide bombers. When the teacher asked about it the kids said in the Middle east nations "suicide bombers" are HERO's. Funny how some super villains can be some people super HERO's and shows how screwed up the value of life is over there. You know San Francisco needs HERO's badly, but the City Council Government would just outlaw them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Re: Cities that need heroes How about Mephis or Nashville. Never see any teams based in Tennessee' date=' course the most important thing we have is the country music capital of the world so that might have something to do with it.[/quote'] So the question is not whether you would be attacked by supervillains, but when. Such attacks would be quite common too. After all, we know how many aliens visit Graceland every year. Fighting Space-Elvises would be a full time occupation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corven_Ren Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Re: Cities that need heroes how about a super in orlando fla?[i live in nearby titusville] Dude I used to live in Titusville. My old GM and some friends ran supers who had a base undernasth the wild game presevere out near Cape Canaveral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherSkip Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Re: Cities that need heroes As for Texas... well, I'd ask a Texan, but going by some guess work and your own theories... Texas is a gateway between the United States in Mexico. The fact that some of the passage might be illegal (unlawful immigration, drugs, whatever) would only enhance villain hero interaction, akin to Miami for Florida. Texas is still rich in oil/mineral wealth... as for the supernatural side of things... I don't know the Amerind tribes of Old Texas well enough to say, but I think there would be potiential for shamanistic sort of mysticism. On the flip side, the monestaries etc established before Texas gained its indepence could be used by a clever GM ... perhaps there were Infernal forces that needed to be fought.. and might yet rise again. For some specific cities... Dallas has become one of the Southwest's leading business and cultural centers. The city houses the main offices of major Oil companies. I believe it's one of the nation's main fashion centers, and been involved in the production of comercials and short films. Ft. Worth, nearby, is less fashionable and sophisticated perhaps, but has things like a Muesuem Complex within a four square block area. (Besides, Six Flags Over Texas is pretty close, and Amusement park superbattles can be a hoot) Houston is not only extremely populated, it is intricately tied to the space program. How's that for 'Tech'? Houston, as of 1996, was ranked 1st in the nation when it comes to manufacturing and distrubution of Petrolium equipment. It is a port city. The Texas Medical Center, near downtown, is a world renowned medical facility. San Antonio, home of the Alamo, is the third largest city in Texas, and while it may not have some of the same super draws as Dallas/Ft. Worth or Houston, it does have history. Really, natives of said state could tell you more. Over all, I think Texas meets all your criteria... the only down side is it doesn't have as glamourous as rep as L.A., NYC or San Fran... but any Super Villain doing his homework would see it as a choice plum waiting to be plucked. I like the sports analogy btw, and have had similar thoughts myself. Then again, the Texans I've met are almost obnoxiously (Sorry guys) into Sports teams. I imagine they'd embrace super hero teams with equal fervor. Not obnoxiously in to sports teams says the texan who built such wonders a Dallasite and a few others. Now then.... DFW area: lots of museums, and universities and actually they train alot of the medical staff for the rest of the country, you want avant guard medical stuff go to Dallas. Six Flags over Arlington is practically between the two and With DFW Airport you have a major airline hub that can bring in the visiting Eurotrash Villians Also this was where the mob lived in the 70's (especially jewish ones) so there could be a second generation effect going on there. I35 goes though DFW and that is the major drug trade route up from Mexico which ends in Oklahoma City and gets spread out from there (according to my gang bustin cop buddy out there). so OKC could be a draw for anti Drug heroes. uranium mines are in Texas, Nuff said on the weird background there. Denver Has a Huge impact on the financial world because of in part the Denver Mint as well as a fairly large finanical district (according to my wife the banker of 10 years). It isn't too far away from the now abandoned NORAD (okies so not that important) And DIA has the Eurotrash draw however it is a gateway city to the gambling casinos in Black Hawk that while not the size of say Vegas, definately somewhere for the mid grade of Super villians of say the Spidey/batman Caliber/power to operate. Word has it that new mobsters are hanging out in Trinidad of all places which was once a big place to go to get a sex change operation done. And that could be a cover for illegal super surgeries... Why do i know all of this? cuz i have lived in both places AND set 5 campaigns in Dallas and 3 In Denver as well as both of the comic strips for my daughters (one in Dallas, one in Denver). Oh yeah in response to the Name a hero In Chicago from Marvel? the Great Lakes Avengers (appearing in some issues of various Avengers books Hawkeye found them and dealt with them for a while) Got 5 Answers to THAT question and a bonus cuz it is a team (Flatman, if you must have one name). however Dallas definately needs more Supers in Marvel after all the Fall of the Mutants occured there and no one has gone back to close the gate door on the Adversary yet.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherSkip Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Re: Cities that need heroes Well, remember what I said in a previous post about counterforces. The question is whether there's enough loot in the city to support ~279 supervillains (assuming a 50/50 split and that's actually conservative). Most likely there are going to be wars of sort weeding out the weaker supervillains. I'd use 558x as the base character point 'pool' for the superhero population of the city, and then I'd divide it by the hard cap of supers per capita period to give the mean point base for characters in the city. I'm not sure what power curve scale I'd draw around it. What that means is that past a certain point, percentage boosts do not increase the numbers of supers in a city, they just increase the average power level of the supers in the city. Actually there's some feedback effect because the more powerful the villain, the more greater the chunk of the city they're going to want to themselves. A supervillain X times as powerful as the average is going to want X times the take of an average supervillain. It's really even more complicated when you factor in minions and supervillain teams. But the short of it is that there might well be fewer superheroes than you might expect on average in New York City but when you look at the gross power level, it's where its predicted by your formulae. Actually it should run about 10-to-1 on Villians to Heroes ratio most of your comic book heroes run at that level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmurie Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Re: Cities that need heroes Madison' date=' WI has a MASSIVE university, a large research hospital, biotech all over the place, and is generally a nice place to live while being relatively close to Milwaukee and Chicago. I could easily envision UW-Madison as a location for a College of Superhuman Research. For the VERY fast superhero it's relatively close to Minneapolis/St. Paul.[/quote'] Oh right, I forgot about the Badger, but that's out of print a long time now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba smith Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Re: Cities that need heroes Dude I used to live in Titusville. My old GM and some friends ran supers who had a base undernasth the wild game presevere out near Cape Canaveral. i'm new to these boards may i ask who they were? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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