Zeropoint Posted November 7, 2004 Report Share Posted November 7, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... I see it as a sliding scale: Everyday tech (a normal PDA) Tech that's a little ahead of the curve (a PDA with the power of an average desktop computer) Technology that's WAY ahead of the curve (a PDA with supercomputer-level power, holoprojector display, and the ability to adapt software from other operating systems in realtime) Technology that invokes Clarke's Law (a PDA consisting of an apparently featureless crystal worn as an earring, which has a sentient operating system and communicates with the user "telepathically") Somewhere in between the third and second levels, real tech starts to diverge from super-tech, and there needs to be an in-game explanation for why one character can do it, and no one else can. Keep in mind that science advances rapidly, and what seems like "magic with a tech veneer" today might turn out to be perfectly normal technology. So, I guess what I'm trying to say here is that there is room for both "supertech is really magic" and "supertech is just really advanced tech" in the same campaign. This means, naturally, that I reject the company line about magic being the source for all superpowers in my campaign world. I can't make any changes in the official Chapions Universe--that's up to Steve and company--but I have the power to make whatever changes I want in MY campaign universe. Zeropoint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nero's Boot Posted November 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... As for those who despise one source of superpowers and supertech: It can be done in a cool way or manner, if done right. Take, for example, my favorite high-powered supers game, Aberrant, published by White Wolf Game Studio: In Aberrant, all superpowers derive from a node of tissue in one's brain that enables you to access "Quantum energy," the source of all energy in the material universe. Super intellect, energy blasts, super strength, and the ability to fly faster than sound all originate from this tiny nodule of brain matter known as the M-R node. In essence, all superpowers have one originating source. And White Wolf pulled it off! Aberrant is one of the best supers games I have ever had the joy of owning, and I hope to whatever patron saint is in charge of gaming that more games of equal caliber eventually hit the market. --Godlike is another such "one source for all superpowers" game setting NB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metaphysician Posted November 7, 2004 Report Share Posted November 7, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... Not *quite* true, as only eximorphs gain powers from having an MR node. Psychamorphs and paramorphs don't. However, its essentially just an expansion of the concept, except with three specific sources of powers rather than one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepyDrug Posted November 7, 2004 Report Share Posted November 7, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... Point of Order: In DC if you are refering to "the source" as seen in the 4th World books (New Gods, etc) then it is drawn upon by highfather and used for technology, the mother boxes If you are refering to the Godwave then the gods of myth and those who are empowered by them (wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, etc) are powered by it. I was refering to the source. Forgot about the mother boxes and ... is it Takion now? ... being able to draw on it. But then....as i think on it, the mother boxes and highfather are able to manipulate any special effect, aren't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bblackmoor Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... In essence' date=' all superpowers have [i']one[/i] originating source. And White Wolf pulled it off! Eh... ick. Different people have different tastes. Personally, I detested Aberrant. I played it a while, gave it what I think is a fair shake, and it's just not for me. But back to the subject, I was able to skim through Conquerors, Killers and Crooks over the weekend, and it's a terrific book: the next on my list to pick up, as a matter of fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchellS Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... Eh... ick. Different people have different tastes. Personally, I detested Aberrant. I played it a while, gave it what I think is a fair shake, and it's just not for me. But back to the subject, I was able to skim through Conquerors, Killers and Crooks over the weekend, and it's a terrific book: the next on my list to pick up, as a matter of fact. Yep, CKC is a great book which seems to have a good balance of pre-5E characters and new characters. I would have liked to have seen a few more mid-level heroes in it. About half of the book is 350 point characters which are only good for one-on-one encounters. Your forced to arrange them into groups to make them competitive against hero groups. I hope VVV has more pre-assigned groups or more mid-level characters who can fight the hero groups as individuals or in pairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristopher Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... Yep, CKC is a great book which seems to have a good balance of pre-5E characters and new characters. I would have liked to have seen a few more mid-level heroes in it. About half of the book is 350 point characters which are only good for one-on-one encounters. Your forced to arrange them into groups to make them competitive against hero groups. I hope VVV has more pre-assigned groups or more mid-level characters who can fight the hero groups as individuals or in pairs. I don't recall any heroes in CKC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Watcher Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... I don't recall any heroes in CKC.Well, depending on your definition of hero, Nebula might count. She does have one line refering to her as a superheroine from the Andromeda Galaxy in Champions Universe. Though I personally wouldn't consider her one. And Foxbat is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from becomiing a hero. Or more accurately, an annoying and unwanted sidekick to an unlucky hero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutant for Hire Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... Abberant is not everyone's cup of tea. The thing about the Abberant universe is that it is totally Iron Age, with just about all of the trappings of the Silver Age ripped out and a much more cynical take on matters set up. Powers make people inhuman, and people with too much power have a danger of losing their humanity. There are powerful secret conspiracies behind the scenes, there's no real 'good guys' or at least everyone thinks they're the good guys, etc. I had a few issues with the White Wolfisms in it, but on the whole I thought it had some very commendable parts to it. With a bit of work it could have been turned into a definitive Iron Age gaming world. On the flip side, it would have done it by rejecting just about all Silver Age conventions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchellS Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... I don't recall any heroes in CKC. Sorry, I must have changed the word to characters from hero right after you posted. I was doing some writing about heroes before I made my reply and the word just stuck instead of villain. Of course if you're playing in a villain's game CKC is full of heroes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeropoint Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... Captain Chronos is a hero, in my understanding anyway. The only reason he'd seem like a villain is that he has to do weird things for purposes that the heroes probably don't understand at first. Zeropoint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nero's Boot Posted November 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... Not *quite* true, as only eximorphs gain powers from having an MR node. Psychamorphs and paramorphs don't. However, its essentially just an expansion of the concept, except with three specific sources of powers rather than one. Incorrect. Psi is a form of non-superheroic psychic power, and telluric energy is simply really low-key psi. --Adventure! takes on the pulp genre, Aberrant tackles superbeings, and Trinity takes on sci-fi NB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metaphysician Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... Incorrect. Psi is a form of non-superheroic psychic power' date=' and telluric energy is simply [i']really[/i] low-key psi. --Adventure! takes on the pulp genre, Aberrant tackles superbeings, and Trinity takes on sci-fi NB Um. . . wuh?? Yes, Psi is psychic power. . . but it is *NOT* quantum power. Thats the whole point. Similarly, paramorphic/daredevil abilities are unconnected to either Psi or Quantum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... We've left HERO behind here haven't we... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristopher Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and... We've left HERO behind here haven't we... Unfortunately, it would appear so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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