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Hugh Neilson

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  1. Downvote
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from ru5150.two in Find Weakness and Lack of Weakness for 6th Edition.   
    You're too subtle for this crowd, Duke...
  2. Haha
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Duke Bushido in Find Weakness and Lack of Weakness for 6th Edition.   
    You're too subtle for this crowd, Duke...
  3. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Chris Goodwin in Find Weakness and Lack of Weakness for 6th Edition.   
    You're too subtle for this crowd, Duke...
  4. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Duke Bushido in House Rules to Simplify/Speed up Combat   
    I recall looking at a Supers game years back where combat seemed really long and realizing that, if I reduced every villain's defenses by about 10 and added 3 DCs to their attacks, combat would go a lot quicker.
     
    If your game features 12d6 attacks and 30 - 35 defenses (no one likes being stunned or one-punched), combat will take a long time.  Take the villains designed on the same model, bump their attacks to 15d6 (so they average another 10 or so STUN) and drop their defenses to 20-25 (so they also take about 10 or so more stun) and combat will go faster.
     
    How many average hits will it take to KO an opponent?  That number will drive length of combat.
  5. Thanks
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Duke Bushido in Killing Me Softly   
    In my view, the change from 5e to 6e achieved the objective of making killing attacks serve that purpose: KILLING, not knocking out, the opponent.  In a four-colour Supers game, this would relegate KAs to a niche power - this is not a genre where killing opponents is a common occurrence. With slightly higher average BOD, the KA may have some utility dealing with automatons, barriers, entangles, etc.
  6. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Sketchpad in Who is the MOST Annoying Villain you have Encountered?   
    Ultimately, it is the GM who decides how to run the villains.  If you can't figure out a scenario that's not annoying to the players, maybe pick a different adversary?
  7. Like
    Hugh Neilson reacted to Pariah in Who is the MOST Annoying Villain you have Encountered?   
    There was a one-shot my friend ran for us when we were all home from college on winter break. The antagonist in question was Captain Heroic™! He had Superman-esque powers: brick, flight, super senses, a couple of ranged attacks, etc. He just showed up in town one day and started doing good deeds.
     
    The catch: there was a fee schedule attached.
    Help an old lady cross the street: $5 Get a cat out of a tree: $20 Rescue people from a burning building: $50 per person Stop a robbery: $500 (Mom and Pop store) up to $10,000 (large chain bank) Fight a team of supervillains: $5,000-$50,000 per villain ...and so on. He even had a toll-free help line: 1-800-HEROIC-1.
     
    It was annoying, but as he and his well-dressed publicist pointed out, there was nothing legally or ethically improper about it. We had no real reason to shut him down.
     
    Until we discovered that he was using his powers to cause a lot of these problems. For example, using his heat vision to start an apartment building fire, hiring villains (through shell companies) to rob banks or kidnap the mayor, things like that.
     
    It was a hard final fight, but it was incredibly satisfying to take that guy down.
  8. Like
    Hugh Neilson reacted to Ternaugh in Political Discussion Thread (With Rules)   
    I still remember this from the 80s:
    "The Moral Majority is neither."
  9. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Christopher R Taylor in Could Rules for Hero Gaming System Be Getting To Complicated?   
    Starting with limited elements of the game is a good teaching mechanism.  You could also design a game (Hero is less a game than a system for building a game) that carves out a lot of elements.
     
     
    I'm not sure that this is any greater variety of concepts than a d20 game, other than the one element of rolling low rather than high to hit/succeed on a skill roll.
     
     
    I'd stick with d6 thanks - much higher average per point spent.  Even if you made it 6 per die, it would still be marginally better than a d8 for 8 or a d12 for 12.
  10. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Black Rose in Tunneling Query   
    I'd start by looking at the cost of 16m through 6 PD and 2m through 13 PD (the two extremes).  Either would cost 28 points.
     
    A Multipower of both would cost 28 + 3 + 3 = 34 points.
     
    If we went to the extreme of a multipower for every increment, there are 8, so 52 points. 
     
    Usable as a second form of movement is +1/4 - I'm not sure anyone has ever assessed how this might be applied to Tunnelling, but it feels like we have multiple modes of Tunnelling here.  We'd have to assess how many different forms.
     
    Allocatable resistant protection is a +1/4 advantage (with a caution sign). It seems like moving defenses around is no less useful than shifting Tunneling around.  If we applied a +1/4 advantage to one of the two extremes, we would get 35 points, which is remarkably close to placing the two extremes in a Multipower (although that's skewed a bit by rounding - we could bump to 20 meters/6 defense or 2 meters/15 defense for 32 + 6= 38 vs 40 for a ++1/4 advantage on 32.  Still in the ballpark.
     
    This is a bit more flexible than just choosing one or the other.  I'd also interpret it as "auto-adjusting" - the player moves 4 meters through defense 6 (or less), then hits rock with 10 PD, so "spends" 8 meters to shift up to 10 defenses and has 4 meters remaining, just as if he had allocated 18m/8 PD from the outset.
     
     
    If it were a VPP, it could have a 28 point pool, Cosmic, no skill roll, Tunnelling Only(-1 1/2), so 28 + 17 = 45 - a bit more pricy but with many more variations (including advantages) available.  That also backs up 42 points.
     
    So a bit more flexible and valuable than a +1/4 advantage, which leads me to a +1/2 advantage or 42 points.  More pricy than a "pick one or the other" multipower and less pricy than "pick any combo" as a multipower.  This does not seem unfair, so let's call allocatable a +1/2 advantage.

    I think I'd also call it +1/2 for defenses, and even for Entangle switching between dice and defenses.
  11. Like
    Hugh Neilson reacted to Christopher R Taylor in Could Rules for Hero Gaming System Be Getting To Complicated?   
    Its amazing anyone learns to play D&D based on that standard.  The truth is, all games look complicated and confusing when just reading the rules.  But when you sit down and start to play, they fall into place easily enough.  That's how 99.99% of us learned how to play ANY of these games: a buddy invited us to play and we dove in, learning as we went.  Almost nobody learns to play a game by reading the rules and thinking them over.
  12. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Sketchpad in Is Hero still your "go-to" rpg system?   
    Back in the day, the Star Trek RPG (old enough that no one had to ask "which series") stimulated a great article about the tropes needed to get the feel of Star Trek.
     
    The Prime Directive - we don't interfere.
     
    Integrity - Starfleet Academy is filled with tests of character and opportunities to flunk out, so those who make it through all have high inegrity.
     
    "Take me and free my men." - the Captain would trade his life for any crewman.
     
    But it also discussed the tropes the GM had to honour.
     
    That integrity leads to challenges, but success and not failure.
     
    When the Captain walks into a hopeless situation to save that random crew member, it's not really hopeless- there is always a way to turn the tide.
     
    "Phasers, Sir?  Ye've got 'em - I managed to restore one bank."
     
    I'm amazed how often I read GM diatribes of their players who refuse to follow genre tropes, and instead gravitate to murderhobos who don't trust or care about NPCs.
     
    Then we dig a little deeper.  Heroes show restraint?  They lose the combat and the villains win.
     
    Heroes don't kill?  The villain comes back, this time causing even more damage to anything the PCs/players care about.
     
    Trust an NPC?  You get betrayed.
     
    Those genre tropes the heroes follow cause them challenges, but they also come back to the heroes' benefit, not their detriment.  If the GM won't follow that trope, why would the players follow their genre tropes?
  13. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Ninja-Bear in Is Hero still your "go-to" rpg system?   
    Back in the day, the Star Trek RPG (old enough that no one had to ask "which series") stimulated a great article about the tropes needed to get the feel of Star Trek.
     
    The Prime Directive - we don't interfere.
     
    Integrity - Starfleet Academy is filled with tests of character and opportunities to flunk out, so those who make it through all have high inegrity.
     
    "Take me and free my men." - the Captain would trade his life for any crewman.
     
    But it also discussed the tropes the GM had to honour.
     
    That integrity leads to challenges, but success and not failure.
     
    When the Captain walks into a hopeless situation to save that random crew member, it's not really hopeless- there is always a way to turn the tide.
     
    "Phasers, Sir?  Ye've got 'em - I managed to restore one bank."
     
    I'm amazed how often I read GM diatribes of their players who refuse to follow genre tropes, and instead gravitate to murderhobos who don't trust or care about NPCs.
     
    Then we dig a little deeper.  Heroes show restraint?  They lose the combat and the villains win.
     
    Heroes don't kill?  The villain comes back, this time causing even more damage to anything the PCs/players care about.
     
    Trust an NPC?  You get betrayed.
     
    Those genre tropes the heroes follow cause them challenges, but they also come back to the heroes' benefit, not their detriment.  If the GM won't follow that trope, why would the players follow their genre tropes?
  14. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Doc Democracy in Is Hero still your "go-to" rpg system?   
    Back in the day, the Star Trek RPG (old enough that no one had to ask "which series") stimulated a great article about the tropes needed to get the feel of Star Trek.
     
    The Prime Directive - we don't interfere.
     
    Integrity - Starfleet Academy is filled with tests of character and opportunities to flunk out, so those who make it through all have high inegrity.
     
    "Take me and free my men." - the Captain would trade his life for any crewman.
     
    But it also discussed the tropes the GM had to honour.
     
    That integrity leads to challenges, but success and not failure.
     
    When the Captain walks into a hopeless situation to save that random crew member, it's not really hopeless- there is always a way to turn the tide.
     
    "Phasers, Sir?  Ye've got 'em - I managed to restore one bank."
     
    I'm amazed how often I read GM diatribes of their players who refuse to follow genre tropes, and instead gravitate to murderhobos who don't trust or care about NPCs.
     
    Then we dig a little deeper.  Heroes show restraint?  They lose the combat and the villains win.
     
    Heroes don't kill?  The villain comes back, this time causing even more damage to anything the PCs/players care about.
     
    Trust an NPC?  You get betrayed.
     
    Those genre tropes the heroes follow cause them challenges, but they also come back to the heroes' benefit, not their detriment.  If the GM won't follow that trope, why would the players follow their genre tropes?
  15. Like
    Hugh Neilson reacted to Christopher R Taylor in DC Movies- if at first you don't succeed...   
    From what I've seen, Orm look a lot more like Aquaman than Jason Mamoa.  Its too bad they didn't trust the character enough to go with the comic book version.
  16. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Chris Goodwin in Need help with a magic Item build   
    I think extradimensional space is an easy approach, provided you're comfortable with APG content.
     
    Given the space is, by nature, extradimensional, I see no need for Transdimensional.
     
    The important thing is that you get the desired results, and this seems to do the trick (even if a bit of judgment is required around the edges to fill in "GM call" aspects).
     
    Many of us (myself more so than most) get wrapped up in the build details.  Getting the desired effect and feel is what's really important, especially as it looks like this will be a magic item for which character points aren't paid anyway. I can't imagine the choice of mechanics used to get the effect you're looking for having much detrimental impact on a game, although it's handy if you want to replicate the effect later (e.g. a player wants a spell with a similar effect).
  17. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Doc Democracy in Change Environment Underwater 5th Edition   
    6e added the option for Suffocation to Change Environment, I believe in APG I.
     
    This was an item we had never had in Hero, and one I raised in the SETAC discussions, as it crops up on occasion in the source material.  Personally, I'd also allow it as an adder to a Barrier (englobed targets can't breathe) or Entangle (covering the target's face and suffocating them). For your spell, CE seems like the best base power anyway.
  18. Like
    Hugh Neilson reacted to unclevlad in Need help with a magic Item build   
    Plus, the sheer size of 6E is already an issue...look at the whole "is 6E too complicated" thread.  There's no consensus, but it's also got support for at least saying "in some areas, yes."  Much of the material in APG is fairly narrow/specialized/niche somehow...which means, not that useful in the core work.  
     
    Finding anything in the PDFs is already a PITA without adding a lot more text.  Now, if 6E can be edited, revised for cleanup on some things, and certain things reconsidered (I think Damage Reduction is notably overpriced, for example)...and reorganized in HTML...then the length issue becomes irrelevant.  "Special cases" can be a link to discussions like (I've got APG I open) Damage To Subject, under the skills rules.
     
     
  19. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Christopher R Taylor in Need help with a magic Item build   
    I think extradimensional space is an easy approach, provided you're comfortable with APG content.
     
    Given the space is, by nature, extradimensional, I see no need for Transdimensional.
     
    The important thing is that you get the desired results, and this seems to do the trick (even if a bit of judgment is required around the edges to fill in "GM call" aspects).
     
    Many of us (myself more so than most) get wrapped up in the build details.  Getting the desired effect and feel is what's really important, especially as it looks like this will be a magic item for which character points aren't paid anyway. I can't imagine the choice of mechanics used to get the effect you're looking for having much detrimental impact on a game, although it's handy if you want to replicate the effect later (e.g. a player wants a spell with a similar effect).
  20. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Duke Bushido in How is Chaosium Basic Role Playing compared to Hero System?   
    I recall the Traveller system being pretty lethal, but we never got into Traveller (or any Sci Fi games, really).
  21. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from L. Marcus in Change Environment Underwater 5th Edition   
    I'll share
  22. Like
    Hugh Neilson reacted to Grailknight in DC Movies- if at first you don't succeed...   
    Just saw Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and can't understand the negative press. Was it Oscar quality acting and writing? No. Did it have good action, a cohesive plot and characters with understandable motivations? Yes, to all three.
     
    The worst thing I can say about this movie is that it redoes the plotline of the first with Orm in Mera's role and sibling rivalry instead of romantic tension. But it does so many good things to counteract that. It only teases a long fight scene against run of the mill thugs, The things they do fight are credible threats either in numbers or power, the humor is kept in check and doesn't seem forced, and the evil masterplan is over the top only in its timescale.
     
    Best of all, the characters remain consistent in personality and in powers. Black Manta is given a powerup through Faustian bargain, but remains true to his vendetta against Arthur without slipping into melodramatic villainy. Orm has plenty of reasons to hate Arthur from his perspective but does still act for Atlantis" benefit as he sees it and comes to realize that he doesn't really know Arthur. Arthur realizes that he's a flawed king, but he keeps on plugging away as best he can. The rest of the cast is used fairly well and not overly distracting in any way.
     
    Is it the best superhero movie out there? No, but it's a very solid entry in the genre an if DC had more like it, they wouldn't be in such a state. It's easily as good as any GotG movie and very similar with a more serious tone. Solid 7.5 out of 10 from me.
  23. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Christopher R Taylor in How is Chaosium Basic Role Playing compared to Hero System?   
    Back in high school and early university, we played a lot of three games - Champions, D&D and Call of Cthulhu.
     
    One observation that came from those days was that character creation was inversely proportional to lethality.  A Champions character was a lot of work to create, but the system made them very tough to kill, rather than KO.  D&D was quicker, and character death was also a more significant possibility.  Cal of Cthulhu? Characters had to be quick to create as you'd be making a lot of them.  As I recall, it was the original Shadows of Yog-Sothoth that opened with the comment that the characters should be fairly experienced - no more than half should be brand-new.
  24. Haha
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from MrAgdesh in Need help with a magic Item build   
    Someone who values the storage space and is not deeply analyzing the benefits and drawbacks from the perspective of a paranoid murderhobo?
     
    Why would anyone design a metal contraption powered by flammable substances spewing out noxious fumes so that they can travel at great speeds and potentially end their lives should there be a malfunction, inclement weather or a slight driver error (whether by the person driving this one or someone driving a different one)?  Historians and archaeologists believe that this reflected the devout religion of Ah-Toe, a deity of speed who demanded such sacrifices from his faithful.
  25. Like
    Hugh Neilson got a reaction from Rich McGee in How is Chaosium Basic Role Playing compared to Hero System?   
    Back in high school and early university, we played a lot of three games - Champions, D&D and Call of Cthulhu.
     
    One observation that came from those days was that character creation was inversely proportional to lethality.  A Champions character was a lot of work to create, but the system made them very tough to kill, rather than KO.  D&D was quicker, and character death was also a more significant possibility.  Cal of Cthulhu? Characters had to be quick to create as you'd be making a lot of them.  As I recall, it was the original Shadows of Yog-Sothoth that opened with the comment that the characters should be fairly experienced - no more than half should be brand-new.
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