Seenar

Re: Character Sheet Outlines

Thanks to you both.

I would like to get some of those neat outlines to pencil in characters? Does anyone have an online resource for that?

I remember some with the name Albert Deschesne on them that were pretty cool.

Thanks

Re: Planet Building Help Needed

If the orbit of the gas giant is about equal to earth's it should have about the same elemetents.

Changing its size will change its gravity quickly. Gavity is based on mass.

Mass is based on density/volumn.

Volumn of a sphere = V = 4/3¶r^3

.75% radius of earth then has a volumn that has a .75 Earth for r.

Equatorial Earth Radius = 6,378.135 km, so it has a volumn of roughly 3.45955+E11

.75 Earth radius = 4738.601

V Moon = V = 4/3¶(4738.601)^3 Giving you a rough Volumn of 1.4187E+11

This means the volmun of the moon would be 41% that of Earth.

Assuming densitiy of the material is constant (not a good assumption with a smaller size), we can assume that the gravity would be around 41% of Earth's.

If you plug in our moon's size of 3476 km radius, you will see that gives you about 1/6 a G, for the moon.

I would also reconmend this book Worlds Without End by John S. Lewis. It is a great great great reference for "doing it right".

Re: Changing to Heroic identity

I can see the logic behind that, but I think it would work just as well for a character who's change was not instant, but was noticable enough that there could be no disguising that it was in fact Thunder-Man! booming about. It is most useful coupled with a secret ID, a reputation, etc. IMHO. The instant change power is great for Wonderwoman and Superman, but Bruce has to stop and change into Batman. Bad example - Bats is all focus heavy. Ummmmm .... Hulk? Nope. Human Torch? no. Thor? Uh-uh. Ummm Shazam?

 

Ha! Spiderman! Those webshooters are strictly available only in uniform. I think.

Ironman might be a good example too.

In general, we don't let someone take OIHID and Focus. We saw a real abuse of OIHID, so we worked to make it a real limitatiion.

Drain v. Instant Change!

Stuck as a Demon, are you?

Re: Costing Problem: Senses

#1 Detect Environmental Markers:

 

This was originally three 17 Point senses that I condensed into one detect with 2 additional "classes of things" tacked on. I also dropped microscopic for the viral and chemical detects based on "SFX"

 

27 Detect Environmental Markers, Bacterial, Fungal, and Viral Infections and Chemical Warfare Agents 12- (Unusual Group), Discriminatory, Analyze, Sense, Transmit 0

Is this analysys instant? Maybe the Discrimantory and Analyze could take extra time. the Detect gives you the warning, and the other 10 points are reduced. A full turn Lim, would save you 5 points.

As GM, I would probally let you drop the base cost of the sense to 5, since it is an unusual group. (Unless you are going to be in the battle field a lot)

 

#2 Radio Communications Suite:

 

The rapid is intended to reflect the fact that the onboard computer can monitor multiple frequencies for keywords and the like.

 

37 HRRP (Radio Group), Concealed (-4 with HRRP PER Rolls), Rapid: x100, Targeting, Tracking 0

 

Could the rapid part be part of a multipower?

 

# 3 Telecopic Vision, Parabolic Hearing, Extended Radar Range.

 

28 +8 versus Range Modifier for Hearing Group, Sight Group, and Radar 0

 

Clealy something that does not always need to be up. Does this happen at full DCV? A half DCv while you stablize might work to decrease costs.

 

#4 Radar.

 

33 Radar (Radio Group), Discriminatory, Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Rapid: x100, Transmit 0

 

#5 Improved Perception.

 

This brings his rolls to 15- before mods.

 

9 +3 PER with all Sense Groups 0

#6 Improved Visual Spectrum.

 

5 UV Perception (Sight Group) 0

 

5 IR Perception (Sight Group) 0

 

10 Microscopic (X100) with Sight Group 0

 

10 Transmit with Sight Group 0

#7 Improved Aural Spectrum.

 

5 Ultrasonic Perception (Hearing Group), Transmit 0

Those are some of my ideas to make things cheeper.

My other thought is too use the Replaceable Limitation. In a Star Hero game, can all this be purchaced? If so, you really need a price break.

Re: Changing to Heroic identity

In our games, anytime someone buys OIHID, we make them buy the basic Instant Change power.

Re: Alignment Issues

Actually, I agree with others that characters should never be required to be of a certain alignment. I have no problem with Evil Paladins or Good Druids. But alignment will play a major role in my game.

 

Most RPGs limit a character's alignment to "good"; even games that espouse evil characters almost always severely limit those characters' actions and abilities and end up rewarding only those characters who obey the law. In my game, your alignment will definitely carry consequences. For example, evil characters entering most towns will almost certainly be persecuted or at least heavily monitored. Likewise, good characters encroaching into "evil" lands will be particularly sought after by their residents.

 

In my game, if you really want to be evil, you can be. You want to murder children? Go for it! Just beware that officers of the law (and possibly Heaven) will be on your trail!

Or even other PC's I imagine.

Re: Costing Problem: Senses

I have created a house rule of 1 point detects. These are for senses that just don't come up very often. 1 point instead of 3 may not sound like much, but it could add up with multiple sense.

Perhaps a lists of the senses would help too.

Re: Dyson Sphere (shell) - Dysonica Anyone?

I used on in a fantasy concept that never made it to a game. Basically, the whole universe was the size of a shell around a central light source. Night was caused by large orbs circling the sun in various directions. Of cousre in fantasy, the weird physics worked.

In SF, I would suggest you first settle on how fast people can travel. Are the suck on the Sphere? If they are having to use 20th Century levels of transportation, it will take them a long time to get around.

If you have not read Nivin's Ringworld, I would do so. His Bigger Than Worlds essey (in Neutron Star or Playgrounds of the Mind, I forget which) is good too.

Re: Price List

I have a detailed equipment list in my campaign material. It is for my own setting though. Go to the downloads page in my sig and look under Star Aria.

Danka I think it will give me a starting point.

Re: Help request with new power

A way a freind of mine did it.

1" Teleport, Usable as an attack

Negates Velocity (+1/2)

Only to place target exactly where target was (-1)

How's that?

Anyone have a handy price list of SciFi gagets? Just looking for something generic, but it it goes to a specific game that won't be horrible.

Re: Rarity of Magic?

One big annoying point for me is when barbarians or primatives have all sorts of magic. If they got so much magic, how come they live in huts? In my games, advanced magic goes with advanced civilization.

I tend to have a higher standard of living, population density than possible without magic. There are lots of wizards, but not everyone can cast spells. Wizards tend to live very well, commanding the big silver (or gold) to improve society. Espically Water Mages in cities.

It is the old "Hey, I cast Continual light on street lamps for prrofit" argument.

In my Kith Dalton universe, the King of Kith Dalton is supported by a magic sword. It forces him, and the ruling council to stay true servants of the nation and the people. Magic makes for better rulers.

Re: Help with "Power Ring" type device

Well, I would write down eveything it can do, and then see what that means it cannot do.

If you look at GL in JLU, he has basically Teke powers, with some Life Support, FTL and energy scanning abilities. All of it is ability to manipulate energy and matter. That rules out mental effects pretty clearly. If you tell your players Green Lantern in JLU, they should get the idea.

Re: Playing without END

We find that End really is only an issue for Spellcasters in our FH games. Eveyone else just does not do enough to warrent worry ing about it.

Re: What are _____ like in your game?

It depends on the game.

Here is how it is in my Kith Dalton Game:

http://www.seenar.com/games/kith_dalton/Races.htm

Re: How effective do you feel weapons should be

This is for a game I am getting ready to run:

SHIP WEAPONS

 

Normal Space Weapons

 

Nuclear Lasers

A nuclear laser uses a small radioactive “shell”. When the laser fires, the material drops to a lower atomic state (i.e. the material becomes the next element in its decay chain at a faster rate than its normal half-life). This energy goes out in pulse or raw power. While the laser needs minimal power to fire, internal nuclear batteries can supply this. The rest of the power comes from the transition state change.

 

Missiles

Normal space missiles use gravity drives to catch targets. They may have an explosive warhead (thermonuclear or anti-matter), mount a one shot nuclear laser, or use an impact gravity field to disrupt the drive field of the target. Missiles are hare to use in normal space because ships have powerful missile defenses that can knock them down at substantial ranges (see Point Defense, below).

 

Graviton Disruptors

Using the main drives, a ship can project an offensive gravity polarization field that degrades the effectiveness of another ship’s drive. Large ships, with power generators can eliminate the thrust generated by smaller vessels. If a target is unable to generate its own fields, the Graviton Disruptors act as crude tractor beams.

 

 

Hyperspace Weapons

Energy weapons degrade at a much higher rate in hyperspace than normal space making them almost useless. Lasers simply have no range once they leave the Q-field around the vehicle. This means energy point defense is also useless.

 

Hyperspace combat revolves around the use of Qimat Impulse Missiles, generally called Q-missiles, or “QIM” (pronounced “kim”). QIM carry their own Q-fields, and have high-energy drives that allow them to accelerate to their targets in Hyperspace. Armed with nuclear or antimatter warheads, they detonate close to their targets. It is fortunate that the nature of hyperspace inhibits energy transmissions, since shields do not operate in hyperspace.

 

QIM can be fired from ships sitting in normal space to attack hyperspace targets. The advantages of this are obvious. A ship in hyperspace can fire missiles against a normal space target that has the full range of point defense and shields. Meanwhile, it must rely on very limited defenses.

 

 

SHIP DEFENSES

 

Shields

All ships with gravity polarizers can generate quantum shields. Quantum shields are much like particle “foam” of quantum states that must be breached before energy or matter can reach the target. The particles are forced into subspace states, between normal and hyperspace. Because of the polarized nature of the shield, energy and objects can travel outward from the ship, while still maintaining the defense.

 

The quantum “foam” is ablative in nature. As they are stuck, energy is diverted into moving the shield particles into a normal state. With each quantum bubble “popped”, the shields lose some defensive value.

 

It takes most military ships about 5 minutes to fully build up its shields using its main drives. During this time, no other drive activity is possible, despite the energy being poured into the drives. Once raised, shields require ongoing maintenance energy.

 

Shields cannot be repaired “on the fly” by the ship generating because shields are built from the outside in (with the outer shell first), and damaged in the same direction. Thus, shields cannot be repaired without being dropped. It is possible, however, for an allied ship to repair the shields of another ship. Both ships must stop thrusting and be in close proximity.

Re: How effective do you feel weapons should be

Hand-helds damaging a ship?!

 

Can a RealWorld™ soldier put a hole in a cruiser with his rifle? Not I've heard.

 

You'll have a weird feeling universe if you do that. You want that feel (space ship in danger from a 'grunt' then OK. But you're players maybe freaked :shock:

Actaully, they just sank a missle cruiser with machine gun fire in a test.

It took a lot of bullets but they did it. If Starships don't slug it out, but use deflection and what not to avoid getting hit by missiles, then their armor won't need to be all that high. It all depends on how they fight.

Re: Character name help!!!

Doc Conner "From Conchobar, the chief of men, powerful among men, a leader"

Doc Hazard "(origin: Br.) From ard, nature, and has, high--of high disposition, proud, independent."

Re: Making the Big Map

Thanks those are all helpful. I think I am going with an XY map and make the scale such that the depth of the Orion arm is not as much of a factor.

I am working on a space opera game. Any ideas on making the big map for the game?

What has worked for others?

Re: New Ablative Limitation

I am working on a Shield Concept for a Star Hero game where I am going to be using limited BODY as the shield. Basically, the BODY will have a -1/2 limitation: Outside of Defenses. (Not quite an OAF, as it cannot be taken away in combat, other than doing body). And it will have the Limitation: Cannot be repaired by normal means (-1/4), and Cost End (-1/2) Total [-1.5]

The shiled generators are purchaced as an Aid Body. The Aid is not large enough to put up the shields in one go, so several times are needed, and the Aid will have its maximum effect increased. My plan is to require 5 min of Aid to get the shields maximixed, with one min of time needed for each "casting" of Aid.

Further, the Aid can only be used in sequence, so the shields are built from the outside in. This means you cannot repair shield that are still up since they get damaged from the outside in as well.

I hope this idea helps.

Bryan

Re: Countering powers w/powers

For Mind Control and the like, we have a house rule that another use of Telepathy can roll "body" vs "body" to break the mind control.

Re: Favorite Sci-Fi Weapon

EE "Doc" Smith's Lensman

The Planetary Nut Cracker:

Take two worlds moving in opposite relative directions, and slap inertial dampeners on 'em. Then, move them aside another world and shut the dampeners off.

WHAMMO!

Also, if we are branching out, I don't want to have a ray gun as much as I want a flying robot that is basically a ball turret, like VINCENT from the Black Hole.

Re: Hero Prime Directive

*chuckles* Well, technically at least Prime Directive isn't linked to Trek beyond TOS so....

Anyway, just amusing myself imagining adapting the SFB Doomsday Ed. to Hero.... On the bright side; plenty of ships. On the down side; you think people are intimidated by 5th ed?

 

... Go Kzinti!

If you look at the data in my link, you will see I put a Kzinti Doctor on Board the USS Kennesaw

http://www.seenar.com/games/primedirective/prime.html

Look under Setting