Battlestaff Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 I've seen in a couple of other posts people referring to "Genre Convention #xxx" and "Cliche #xxx." I was wondering what genre conventions/cliches people think are absolutely important to running a successful game. For example: Genre Convention/Cliche # 1 Any mask, no matter how small, will conceal the identity of the wearer from everyone, even family and friends intimately familiar with the wearer. Others? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Serpent Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Corrolary to Cliche #1 Any attempt to disguise will function as said "mask" - strange goggles, glasses in secret ID but not in hero ID, wig and flashy costume, etc. Also, no one will recognize their voice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Serpent Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Genre Convention/Cliche #2 Superheroes will somehow get involved in even the most thoroughly-planned nefarious schemes. (In game terms, one of the reasons so many villains have unluck) Heroes happen to patrol the right areas at the right times, be present in Secret ID at place being robbed, be eating dinner at restaurant Mob boss is being hit at, have a unique item or ability that is needed to power a villain's latest device, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solomon Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Genre Convention #3 Any two heroes meeting for the first time will immediatly proceed fighting each other for no apparent reason, then team-up to fight a common enemy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rechan Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Genre Convention #4 The person who knows the hero's secret identity is always loyal, pleasant, willing to help, tight lipped, and is generally captured but never spills the beans. If beans are ever spilled, those who know will be silenced through death, insanity, comatose, frozen in whatnot, subject to amnesia, or some other form of shutting them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartman Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Genre Convention #4a Regardless to how a Secret Identity is uncovered, it will be effectively protected by the end of the storyline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyBoy Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Genre Convention #5 If three or more heroes stumble upon the same villain at the same time, they will become a semi-permanent super team upon defeating said villain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rechan Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Genre Convention #6 Any news item mentioned in the storyline, most often revolving around recent discoveries, new inventions, events, famous people coming to town, or new/old/rededicated buildings will come into contact with the Super soon enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyBoy Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Genre convention #7 There is always sexual tension between a hero and a villain of the opposite sex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost who Walks Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Genre Convention #8 Few people will think the hero is dressed strangely. The will not call the police as soon as they see him. They will however, always call the police if the villain is seen, no matter what he wears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Scrivner Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Genre Convention #9 There is always a handy, unmetered parking space available for the (Fill-in-the-blank)-mobile at the scene of a crime. If a hero does find it necessary to double park, he never gets a parking ticket. Furthermore, the hero's favorite means of transportation never gets its doors dinged by the careless owners of nearby vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redmenace Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Genre Convention #9 No recently invented phenomena or technology, no matter how revolutionary or useful will significantly effect the world around the heroes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Originally posted by FlyBoy Genre convention #7 There is always sexual tension between a hero and a villain of the opposite sex. Genre Convention #7a Should a hero in his/her secret ID meet a fascinating NPC of the opposite sex, and begin to strike up a romance with him/her... there's a 75% chance the NPC is a villain, is related to a villain, or is hunted BY a villain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyBoy Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Genre convention #11 No matter how many relationship problems it would solve, the hero must never tell his or her significant other their secret identity. Exception: The secret identity must be revealed upon proposal of marriage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Serpent Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Genre Convention #12 Few if any deaths of supers/villains are ever final. Mysterious improbable escapes, resurrections, etc. are the norm. Corrolary: Despite this, most people will generally assume the death to be final until proven otherwise. Also known as the "Nobody could survive that!" Law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elysea Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Genre Convention #13: If the debut of a new supervillain has been immediately preceded by the mysterious disappearance of any high-profile scientist, actor, politician, military officer, or multi-billionaire, the supervillain will inevitably turn out to be that missing person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristopher Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 This list is great. I'm going to compile it later, and if I'm ever able to write a comic book, I'm going to play bloody hell with all of these conventions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Battlestaff Posted November 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Genre Convention #14 In any mystery, the killer will invariably turn out to be the person left with the detective's girlfriend/fiancee/wife while the detective and his associates go off to investigate the prime suspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wormhole Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Genre Convention #15 The heroes will never encounter competent, attentive guards at the villain's headquarters. Guards at the front gate will be encountered sleeping, playing poker, drinking, and/or looking at the latest issue of Hot Babes®. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solomon Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 Genre Convention #18 Joe Average will always gape in awe at the appearance of a new superpowered hero/villain, even if his world has been overflowing with anything from kryptonian aliens to Norse gods for the last sixty years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phydaux Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 Genre Convention #17 If any large object falls toward a crowd of people, everyone will run safely away except for one small child/mother with a baby who will stand stock-still directly under the falling object of death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 Originally posted by Solomon Genre Convention #16 Joe Average will always gape in awe at the appearance of a new superpowered hero/villain, even if his world has been overflowing with anything from kryptonian aliens to Norse gods for the last sixty years. No, Convention #16 is "Any sufficently popular villian will reform and bacome a hero." After Avengers #16, where the original members left, and Captain America made a new team from Iron Man's foe Hawkeye, and Brotherhood of Evil Mutants members Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristopher Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 Originally posted by McCoy No, Convention #16 is "Any sufficently popular villian will reform and bacome a hero." After Avengers #16, where the original members left, and Captain America made a new team from Iron Man's foe Hawkeye, and Brotherhood of Evil Mutants members Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Also known as the Pro Wrestling Axiom of Comic Book Villains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 Genre Convention #19, If a new character uses a codename previously used by the same company, sooner or later there will be a fight between the new charactercter and the original character, winner take all, for the rights to the codename. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rechan Posted November 21, 2003 Report Share Posted November 21, 2003 Convention #20 if there is a flaw in the Villain's new superweapon, a talisman which will protect the hero from a powerful spell, etc, the hero will stumble across it near the beginning/have it with him his entire life and he will take it without thinking about it. This will ultimately be the undoing of the Villain's plot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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