Super Squirrel

Re: Aldaric Gaming Presents: Easthaven

I had my first submission made by someone other than me. It also revealed a bug. I fixed the bug and am very pleased to see the purpose of the site is beginning to be discovered and implimented.

Re: A Thread for Random Musings

A comic on Userfriendly regarding the newest product by Google: Google Talk

http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20050828

Re: Aldaric Gaming Presents: Easthaven

I did more layout changes today.

Magical Items and Spells are now in their own section and the original layout look is slowly being split into sectional areas only.

Yesterday I added five new spells. 2 Fire Spells, 2 Wind Spells, and a Divine Spell.

I improved the popup window for when you are create new items and spells. I also improved a bug so that now you can add divine spells to the database.

I had a dream that someone created a new item for the Easthaven system but alas it was but a dream.

Re: The Network: Campaign Setting Idea

http://aldaric.com

Currently only the Easthaven system is up. I haven't finished the system for Easthaven by any stretch of the imagination. But it is getting there.

Re: The Network: Campaign Setting Idea

Actually, I'm just talking about making the campaign setting. I host Aldaric Gaming, and I'm probing interest for the next Campaing Setting to add in. I wanted to do a Dark Champions feel campaign next and was trying to find out if this idea would be popular enough to be used.

Re: The Network: Campaign Setting Idea

I would find it interesting, but I would love to play the "normal guy in the wrong place" rebel. Some small arms, no high tech weapons or body armor. No high end training. It would be interesting to see what info/sabatage you could do. Maybe 25+25 characters with limited equipment.

Aliens??? What are they like biologically (I have many hours of graduate level biochemistry)??? How do they think? What do they want?

I was thinking that ground forces have been mostly in some sort of protective suit / body armor and that early advancements were planned to prevent fallen alien soldiers from being recovered by their enemies. Thus information on them would be limited or restricted as GM access only. Though enough intelligence would be known that it is known they are biological and would know what the aliens look like outside of their body armor.

Perhaps a good early adventure could be capturing an alien alive or dead.

The idea is from the original X-Com games. The problem with the X-Com games (at least from the alien perspective) is that that they come in and scout first. So by the time you have the powerful alien attack ships you already have alien technology. This would be a campaign world where taking back the planet from the alien invaders would take a very long time, if possible at all.

Re: Black box recorder

Reasons why I think it should have Independent:

1) You are talking the difference of 2 points at tops off the power.

2) It can be accessed and used (good or bad) by anyone.

3) If an enemy knows where it is on the character and doesn't want battle information recorded, they can target the black box and destroy it. It costs the Player a whole whopping 1 XP to replace.

Furthermore, as a rule I think it should require a Systems Operations roll to be able to access information from the box. This isn't a limitation but rather a declaration. The player would have to place some points into Systems Operations to be able to use the power, negating any points gained from it.

Re: Problem with creating a FH spell.

Why not use Transfer? I'm assuming you have an active point cap so this is what I'm going with.

Control Illusion: 1d6 Transfer Images to Images, Can Transfer Maximum of 24 Active Points, Autofire (x5, +1 1/2) (60 Active Points), Only for Taking Control of an Illusionary Spell (-1 1/2), Must Have Control of Full Power to Gain Control (-1/2). Total Cost: 20 Points.

The maximum effect of Adjustment powers can be increased by 2 for every 1 Character Point spent. Therefore the above is 15 for 1d6 + 9 points for an extra 18 points of control. Autofire costs an extra +1 for Transfers.

Alternatively you can do:

Control Illusion: 1d6 Transfer Images to Images, Can Transfer Maximum of 28 Active Points, Autofire (x3, +1 1/4) (58 Active Points), Only for Taking Control of an Illusionary Spell (-1 1/2), Must Have Control of Full Power to Gain Control (-1/2). Total Cost: 19 Points.

It will take care of most low power illusions pretty quickly. It would require going above 60 active points to get the sample illusionary spell in 5th Revised.

I just noticed a problem though, Transfer is a No Range. It would require ranged for a +1/2 advantage. Perhaps, the best way to do this is going to be with Cumulative.

Lets see. 2d6 Transfer, Ranged Cumulative(+1/2) (60 Active Points) 20 Total.

12 total points transferrable. No good.

1d6 Transfer Ranged, Cumulative(+1, 48 Points Total), Delayed Rate of Return (1 Minute; +1/2) (45 Active Points) Total Cost: 15

48 points should cover all illusions. Simple ones will be taken in 1 or 2 turns. More powerful ones go down at about 3 or 4 phases. Normally you can't use Cumulative to improve a power but as the SFX is that you are taking control of a limited type of power, I think it is okay.

Re: Black box recorder

Eidetic memory is correct but I don't generally allow independent for superhero games. What's the drawback for the character with the OIHID armor? What justifies the -2 limitation value? Will the black box be broken every other adventure to force the player to buy new ones? If not then I would just go with the OIHID or IIF limitation and leave it at that.

Let him use Independent. That way VIPER can steal it and use it for a tactical analysis of their enemy. And if they are lucky, the might even learn a secret or two.

The Network

12 weeks ago, a total of six thousand pods were shot from an alien craft orbiting modern day Earth. The trigectory of these pods specifically targeted major military institutions in all corners of the globe. The craters from the impact themselves were enough to completely disrupt modern military capabilities. But the pods which all survived impact opened and hostile aliens began attacking and destroying the military forces at these bases. Most island countries are left untouched. Japan and England have but a single pod each to contend with. Shortly after the invasion begins, all satellites are destroyed.

11 weeks ago, most military heavy countries in the world have managed to regroup and provide enough force to dramatically slow what is now believed to be a full scale military invasion of Earth. Fortunately for the inhabitants of Earth, the aliens seem limited to ground forces only. The oceans have remained safe from attacks. Air forces, while difficult to use successfully due to the loss of most strategic air bases, also are effective in pushing back alien advances.

9 weeks ago, it has become apparent that a wide spread of forces is unsuccessful. China, Russia, and the United States have been forced to give up portions of its soil to the Aliens in order to sustain a force strong enough to defend crucial remaining bases and industrial resources. Due to the lack of alien naval power, the US retreats to its western and eastern coasts, leaving the middle of the United States unprotected. Russia withdraws to its western borders and forms an alliance with all contries with Atlantic Coast line. It will offer naval power and support in exchange for supplies to secure its remaining land.

8 weeks ago, the President of the United States issues orders to declare on alien controlled Panama. Large invasion force begins taking control of Panama, giving the United States access to the much needed Panama Canal. The Panama Canal becomes the third most defended location by the United States after its naval shipyard in Groten, Connetticut and the Naval Command Center in Norfolk, Virginia.

7 weeks ago, the alliance in Europe strengthens and all countries involved create the the European Network. England, like most smaller island nations, has been left relatively untouched and becomes the central command point for the European Network. The United States, whose West and East coast have been limited to easily jammed radio communication, establishes a communication grid using Submarines.

5 weeks ago, the United States extends its underwater communication grid across the Atlantic and contacts a Russian sub. The EN assists the United States in forming a communication chain between all remaining countries. The project is code named: The Network.

4 weeks ago, negotiations between the US and the EN conclude. First priority between the nations is to support expanding the Network to contact all countries still in the game. Second priority is to retake coastal lands with access to crucial resources needed. Astronomers who have been monitoring the activity of alien orbital crafts report that the crafts have seem to left orbit.

2 weeks ago, French scientists discover that it is possible to send electronic text transmissions overland by creating impedence on alien transmissions. The transmissions are restricted to 10 kilometers. The system is named Voleur Transmissions or VT for short.

Last week, a team of US special forces successfully deploy a team within Alien control lines by means of a night time HALO jump. The team begins reporting back the first intelligence of Alien operations beyond the battle zones.

Yesterday, the US Special Force team discovers that aliens are relying on high powered transmission relays to establish their communication grid. They propose that it may be possible to redesign chief components in the transmission relays to extend the VT Grid deeper into alien controlled lands.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm mostly curious if anyone would find a setting like this interesting and worth playing a campaign in. Players could be anything from Military Personal going on HALO drops to Vigilante/Rebels with communication to The Network by means of the VT Grid.

Re: Innate combat skills

I agree that it seems not worth a -1/4 limitation that way. But you could do it as follows:

Sense Dependent (-1/4)

When one sense is unavailable, the power has an Activation Roll of 11-.

When two or more senses are unavailable, the power is not available at all.

Re: "Stances" for magic wielders

It keeps you from putting all of your XP into something I don't like doesn't it?

Re: Aldaric Gaming Presents: Easthaven

I have begun moving into better page layouts. I added a new section today, spells which lists all spells by category.

http://aldaric.com/easthaven?type=spell

Re: Silly question, How much damage do nukes do

I suppose would could look at the building damage a nuke does, with explosion rules and figure it out, if the rules mesh well with reality, but I was wondering if anyone else has looked at this.

 

At ground zero a nuke weapon will vaperoize just about anything for a short distance, thats gotta hurt at least a bit.

Are you talking a Clean or a Dirty Nuke?

Re: "Stances" for magic wielders

Now that I have a better website format up and got some bug editting out of the way, I have been able to get my magical stances page up. Thanks again Captain Obvious. You'll note your name is in the credits section and if you click on the name, it brings up your post for quick repping.

http://aldaric.com/guidelines?keyword=stance

Re: DC's turn toward the dark

I think this says anything I can say at this point in time:

Re: "Stances" for magic wielders

I have created the section for them but I haven't started putting up any Magical Stances yet. Something about work being busy or some such non-sense like that.

Re: Aldaric Gaming Presents: Easthaven

I spent a very big portion of my day getting the style and layout improved for the website. I'm about ready to begin putting in the finalized layout system but I've pretty much worn myself on that level for today.

Tonight at work I'll try and add some new magical items onto the page.

Re: open door spell

I got a problem with the lockpicking skill way,

 

example

 

wizard: I cast lockpicking skill spell.

gm: (grinning)

fighter: great --- where your tools

Wizard: tools?

gm: (grinning)

fighter: yea you need tools to lockpick a door.

 

a little time later

gm: (grinning)

Wizard: alright using the sliverware and wire I have tools now so I . . . . .

gm: (grinning)

Wizard: the door is just a simple metal door with a handle and no key hole . . .

gm: (grinning)

Wizard: so I can not pick the lock cause I can not get to the lock, so with this skill . . .

gm: (grinning) you know for certain that you cannot open this door from this side.

Wizard; I blow the door. . .

 

A spell that cast a skill gives you the skill, not the tools or the ablity the access what you need to do, the skill does not open the door, the use of the skill opens the door.

Lockpicking. Page 64 of Fifth Revised:

Characters must have lockpicks or other equipment to use Lockpicking (or, at the GM's option, use an appropriate Power, such as Telekinesis).

Re: The Ultimate Steve Long

The world has enough trouble with the one of me' date=' Dr. A. I'm pretty sure that other people changing into me would be a bit more than everyone could handle. [/quote']

Great! Way to go and give Dr. Destroyer ideas!

Re: Pulp Hero, after looking it over

What exactly happened with the Hard Covers? Were they shipped incorrectly or misboxed?

Re: "Stances" for magic wielders

You mind if I steal the basic idea presented here for my Easthaven campaign setting?

Re: I could watch him get slapped around all day

Do I have to pick a character? Can I pick, say, the manager of the comic for not doing a good job with storylines?

Re: Aldaric Gaming Presents: Easthaven

Easthaven is up to 62 entries now. In the last couple of days I have made several minor changes, fixed a couple of bugs, added a couple of features, made a ton of edits made on existing items, I also just added two full NPCs just a moment ago. And thanks to my webmaster installing GD support, I now have the ugly "Add New Item" replaced with server generated images.

Oh yeah, and RPMiller doesn't know it yet, but I've got him designing me a new export template to help make the character sheets look better.

If a character has a power that boosts a characteristic under certain conditions and also has a power with Requires a Skill Roll based upon that Characteristic, should the cost of RSR be based on the higher or lower of the values?

For example, if Media Man has 20 STR normally but has +10 STR when in the presense of Live Cameras, would his Seismic Smash's Requires a Strength Roll be -3/4 because of his base STR Roll 13- or would it be -1/4 for his occasional STR Roll 15-?