Matt Frisbee

Hopefully, I'm not gushing, but the movie The Brave One should be required watching for anybody who plays or runs Dark Champions. This movie stars Jodi Foster and to be honest, it gets seriously dark and nasty about the whole vigilante thing, plus throws in a surprise ending that really makes the movie genuinely enjoyable. There's plenty to nitpick as well, but overall it is an excellent movie. Don't let the slow start keep you from enjoying the whole thing -- it takes a while to set everything up, after all. Watching the main character slide from the mundane to the surreal was the most enjoyable, and it was done so well that congradulations are in order for the writer, director and Jodi. Many aspects of being a vigilante are addressed, including screw-ups and secrecy issues, plus the fear (and secret desire) of discovery. If you play Dark Champions, you really need to see this movie. Matt "See-you-at-the-concessions-counter" Frisbee

Re: Yet Another PA Campaign Idea Try reading the "Dies the Fire" series by S. M. Stirling. The story uses the idea that electrical devices, firearms, explosives, internal combustion engines and so forth no longer function, placing the world back on a pre-industrial footing. The author's take on the subject is that about 90% of earth's inhabitants die after the first year and the rest are scattered into isolated pockets where Neo-Feudalism and Neo-Tribalism is born. If you're open minded enough to tolerate the Wiccan angles (there's an entire chapter devoted to it in the first book), it's not a bad read. Of course, I'm anti-social enough to enjoy any book that kills off 90% of the world population... Matt "Just-kidding" Frisbee P.S. If you do read it, be advised the third book gets stupid toward the end and comes to a rather unsatisfactory conclusion (IMHO).

Re: [PAH] Themed Characters Let's not forget the Abbey of St. Liebowitz -- preservers of forgotten tomes of knowledge and other information. The dress code is pretty easy but the bravery factor in Neo-Luddite society would be very high. If you're feeling really in tune with nature you could always go for the Neo-Tribal look -- watch the kids in Beyond Thunderdome or in Lord of the Flies for ideas of how it might work. And last but not least, if beasts of burden have survived, how about a good new-fangled Mutant Hoe-Down with cowboy motifs and old school shooting irons? Sort of like Blackstarr meets The Postman... Matt "Yeah-I-forgot-the-medication-today" Frisbee

Re: Post-Apocolyptic Hero Campaign Idea: Interesting, but perhaps a little too cliche for the players, who have probably seen both Alien and 28 Days Later. To give it a twist, try having the ship's computer awaken the characters because of an object in the ship's path -- a really large alien space ship that is bathing the character's ship with radiation from a sputter drive or some such. (The ships are crossing paths but moving in generally the same direction.) The characters discover that the pilot crew is already dead from exposure to the radiation (presumably failing to navigate the ship away from the hazard), and the ship's systems are being adversely affected by the alien ship's radiation. Can our heroes make contact with the aliens and get that ship out of their path before all of the colonists die from radiation exposure, or can they affect some sort of makeshift solution until they can affect repairs on their own ship? Matt "Just-tossing-out-an-idea" Frisbee

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... Setup: Our heroes in the Firefly-esque Traveller game have managed to get their wreck of a starship off the planet, despite the best efforts of local and Imperial authorities to stop them. The problem is that the crew was in such a hurry to get the ship off world, they're starting to discover a few things they missed in the repairs... Shep: Keep your vacc suits on, people. I'm reading a rapid drop in cabin pressure in the commons. Rav: I'm on it. Nero, pass me a tube of gunk. (Gunk is an emergency hull patching compound for small holes and gaps, like a tube of caulk.) Nero (OOC): My guy's on the engineering deck, so your character will have to come get it. GM: The pressure in Rav's compartment has dropped low enough to trigger the decompression alarms. The automatic hatches are sealing it off. Shep: Rav, find that stupid hole and jam something in it so I can repressurize that compartment! Nero: What's the rush? He's got a suit on. Shep: All our gorram food packs are in there and they're not rated for vacuum! Rav: Food packs? Hey there's an idea! (To GM) I'm looking in the cupboards for a really gloppy one like chicken a la king or goulash. Nero: Skip the Julia Child act, just patch the humping hole! GM: Rav finds one, and its sides are bulging out like an overinflated mylar balloon. Rav: I get near the hole in the hull and punch a small hole in the food pack. Shep (OOC): What the ---- are you doing? GM: The semi-liquid contents burst forth from the overpressured bag are being sucked into the hole -- Rav: And glopping up around the edges a bit? GM: Yes, actually. Rav: Good. I slap what's left of the pack over the hole and pull out my trusty roll of duct tape to anchor it, then layer it over to shore it up. GM: Looks like it's holding for now. Rav: Shep, is the pressure stabilized yet? *GM nods to Shep and holds up four fingers* Shep: Holding at 4 psi. Attempting to repressurize now. GM: The patch is holding. The pressure comes up enough to allow the hatches to open again and kill the depressurization alarms. However, a quick glance at the cupboard shows your effort was too late to save most of the food packs, as they have burst from the lack of pressure. Rav: Well, at least I know what's for dinner tonight. Nero & Shep (almost together): What? Rav: "Pop" luck! (A chorus of groans) Matt "Yeah-I-like-a-good-pun" Frisbee

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group...

Re: Is this too dark for DC? "Paying One's Debt To Society" really has some meaning here. I'd be surprised that corrupt DA's, Cops and Judges wouldn't pursue some people just because of the size of their bank accounts and fabricate both charges and evidence to extort money from these rich individuals. The way this should work is that there is a show trial for the "guilty" but despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the person is found not guilty or is found guilty but is given a slap on the wrists in the form of a large fine (which is sort of how it works right now). Here's my suggestion for your game -- if a person pleads "no contest" to the charges, then they would still be found guilty, but could avoid prison time with the payment of the heafty fine. Justice is still served (technically), but the rich just simply walk, albeit somewhat poorer. Matt "Been-working-the-dark-places-for-a-long-time-now" Frisbee

Re: [NPC] Nevada Interesting -- if it wasn't true, it would sound like the opening to one of those "Children of Death" anime shows that has been so sickeningly popular of late. Properly done, it could leave vigilante types with a truly tough moral dilema -- resubmit an obviously disturbed individual back into an institutional system that has failed to rehabilitate her, or execute a child to stop the bloodshed? If she learns how to handle a gun, there may not be a choice at all, though it would make an interesting "urban jungle hunt" scenario. Of course, if one of the victims manages to scrawl "Nevada" on something before dying, there's an interesting murder investigation hook -- include details for someone who remembers the internet buzz on the original murder in Japan and things get sticky... Matt "I-hate-this-sick-world-but-it-sure-coughs-up-some-great-gaming-hooks" Frisbee

Re: [for fun] The Blue Moon Killer vs. Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli Hmmmm...The Harbinger vs. The Fonz -- um, the censors would never allow it. Matt "The-Fonz-would-so-kick-that-poser's-butt" Frisbee

Re: Need Perjoratives! I remember the Black Skull (Psychotic Crime Overlord in Gotham City) calling costumed superheroes like Batman "Drag Queens with Toys" all the time. I also had a decidedly low-key supervillain refer to a particularly flamboyantly costumed heroine as a "Heavy Metal Flasher" since the costume included a latex bikini, leather duster and polished metal armor plates. (Oh, did that mouthy villain get it that night...) In a campaign city that was particularly unfriendly to superheroes, the cops refered to them as F-S-M's (Future Straitjacket Models), P-J's (for Punch & Judy as well as pajamas) and U-R-C's (Urban Renewal Catalysts). Matt "Hope-that-helps" Frisbee

Re: Thoughts on some superhero origins I could stand the Remo Williams movie just fine -- the master's obsession with soap opera and general distain for the rest of humanity was worth the price of admission. Five pages of one of the novels, though, had me gagging with excessive testosterone poisoning. If you're in a mood to watch something slightly different and you've had your fill of La Femme Nikita, Remo Williams is worth a bargain rent (though it might be easier to dredge it up from the bargain bin).

Re: Dredging Obscurity for Villain Ideas

Hi everyone! I'm hoping I can tap the massive comic book brain trust out there to cull some ideas for metahuman villains that I haven't rehashed to death in my previous campaigns. What I'm looking for are metahumans (preferably Silver or Bronze age types) you personally think are (or were) pretty cool in the comics that simply didn't get the exposure you thought they deserved. Of course, you may want to give some Cliff's Notes on the character so I have some idea how to generate him or her (or it). Thank you in advance, and I'll rep as many of you as I can for your troubles. Matt "Bottom-of-the-barrel-of-monkeys" Frisbee

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... Unless you're making a joke here (in which case I only just got it), in the Frisbee-verse "fallout" is a PG-friendly general purpose curse word for characters. "Gorram" and "hump" are also used, since we are all Firefly fans, though they are used much less frequently. "Seven Sisters" covers most of the epitaths directed at the dieties of the universe. Fortunately, none of the characters have ever been in a bad enough spot to utter "Belgium" but I'm still working on it. Matt "Science-fiction-quasi-profanity-inventor" Frisbee

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... Setup: The Firefly-esque Traveller game from my previous post. Our characters, desperate to avoid the Imperial authorities looking for their wrecked ship and its contraband cargo, jury rig a set of gravitic lifters to it so it can be moved to a better hiding place at a nearby strip mine. Problem with most jury rig jobs, of course, is that they only work for so long... Shep (Pilot): We're moving! We're moving! Rav (Passenger): I kinda wish we *urp* weren't. Any way you can steady this thing before I lose my lunch? Nero (Engineer): Gorram reactor control program is only working intermittently -- that's why she's riding like a six bit whore! *Ship pitches nose down violently, the final straw for Rav's stomach as he becomes violently airsick* Shep (to Rav): Hey, watch my shoes! Nero: Go barf on the Engineering deck -- fallout, it might ballast out this heap! Matt "Old-School-gamer" Frisbee

Re: Alien Stereotypes Any of the "alien" races that look and function exactly like humans (or at least well enough to mate with us). Any race that requires males to gestate the young or can impregnate human males. Any race that has more than two genders and requires group gropes to procreate. Any race that values the warrior ethic to an idiotic extreme. Any Bug-Eyed Monster that finds humans to be a tasty and nutritious snack food. Any race that cannot adequately function in interstellar society. Any emotionless machine race that is superior to humanity in many ways that hasn't enslaved or destroy humanity. Any race that could have substituted for or explain the legends of ancient human gods. Any race that is essentially an anthropomorphic mammal from earth's biosphere. Just a few off the top of my head... Matt "Asimov-Rules" Frisbee P.S. Yay! My 800th post! Hopefully, I've had something worth saying in every one of them...

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group... The Setup: Traveller game (Firefly-esque on the Solomani Rim just five years after the end of the Solomani Rim War -- the Impies are the bad guys in this game). Our Heroes, Shep and Nero, are making their first look over a starship they've obtained and are attempting to salvage. Rav is on the lamb from the local authorities and has been hiding out in the starship's hull for a few days. The ship has been here for years, so critters have been living in it as well... Nero (stepping through a convenient hull breach): I found a way in. Watch your step. Shep (following): Seven Sisters, it stinks in here! What died? (Blows Dexterity Check, steps in something) Aww, man! I just bought these shoes, too! Nero: Told you to watch your step. Rav (chambering a round in his pump shotgun): That's good advice. You SHOULD watch your step around here. Here's another good bit of advice -- keep your hands where I can see 'em. Nero: Easy, friend. We don't want any trouble. Rav: Who's "we"? Shep: I'm Shep, and I'm the owner of the ship your trespassing on. (indicating Nero) Nero is my partner. Who are you? Rav: My name's Rav, from Starship Pest Control Services. Nero: If you weren't pointing a shotgun at me, I'd critique your work. Rav: Well, fallout, kid -- I can only eat so many of them at a time... Matt "Old-school-goodness" Frisbee

Re: Is "Hollywood-style" decompression accurate? Yes, that's right -- thanks for pointing that out. Bully and a tiger for you! Matt "I-stand-corrected" Frisbee

Re: Is "Hollywood-style" decompression accurate? I guess the alien device also produced ozone to block UV rays and in sufficient quantities to provide immediate protection. Also, it produced a pressure wave of oxygen sufficient to displace or mix with the existing Martian atmosphere (and the Venusville habitat, where the oxygen levels were "bottoming out") without immediately setting anything flammable with an ignition source on fire -- a common condition when a blast/pressure wave passes through an enclosed space and breaks stuff and/or knocks it over. Yeah, it was a fun movie in that Hollywood "whatever-makes-the-most-impressive-special-effect-and-to-hell-with-reality" sort of way. Matt "Curmudgeon-with-a-tub-of-buttery-popcorn" Frisbee

Re: Is "Hollywood-style" decompression accurate? Disclaimer: I'm not an expert on this subject, so don't quote me. Major issue for anyone unlucky enough to be caught in a decompression will be the lack of oxygen. Presuming one had no warning, the victim will have about 15 to 30 seconds of consciousness and mobility before passing out due to oxygen deprivation. If the environment is lower pressure / high oxygen content, opt for the high end of the scale. Next major issue is the bends, especially if it is an earth standard atmosphere. Nitrogen bubbles in the blood will cause debilitating pain (presuming the victim can get oxygen without a suit) long after the decompression (and will have other detrimental effects since most space environments don't have a decompression chamber, though a sophisticated airlock might do). One issue I've always had a problem with is the suction from the blowout lifting people from a full gravity environment (The Black Hole and Total Recall movies were the worst). I think inertia issues, if nothing else, would prevent this from happening. Things turning inside out due to pressure differences? Doesn't happen when we bring stuff up from the bottom of the ocean, so probably doesn't happen in space, either. But death by decompression still would be a lousy way to die (like there are any good ones). My two cents' is now in the ring. Matt "Too-tired-to-be-witty-right-now" Frisbee

Re: The amazing Superblog! I have to say that the Cockfighting episode is my personal favorite. Such incredibly evocative imagery there -- and funny as all hell, too. Matt "Digging-it-all" Frisbee

Re: Organization SUSHI "If you knew SUSHI like I know SUSHI..." Matt "The-Musical-Man" Frisbee

Re: Now that is a space suit... If you think that's wild -- how about a space suit that will allow you to skydive from 60 miles up?! CHECK IT OUT (scroll down the link page to get the picture) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1859186/posts Yeah, that's going to get FAA approval...right. Matt "The-skeptic" Frisbee

Re: GMing a Post Apocalypse campaign Yo Killer, Some thoughts about your Mad-Max-esque universe proposal: 1) After 50 years, what vehicles that aren't homebuilt are going to be either cannibalized for parts, museum pieces with no fuel or lubricants, or a piles of rusty metal. 2) On top of that, most of the roads that aren't being used will have turned into thickets of brush and crumbled piles of asphalt (or covered by sand in a desert). So vehicles had better be able to manage serious off-road conditions and still make incredible alcohol mileage (not likely). 3) Any survivors this far gone are going to be cautious at best of strangers and preemptively homicidal at worst. What few towns there are will have defenses, fortifications and militias to man them. 4) Any mutations 50 years out will not be beneficial, but detrimental and more than likely fatal. Some areas may be so radioactive that it kills all life to the point that even decay will not take place -- imagine mummified bodies (and parts) leftover from the war just lying around... 5) Local governments with resources will still be around, but any vestage of state or federal authority will be long gone if there isn't military might to back it up. Most likely scenario will be remnants of military units acting as marauders and bandits, warlording over the resources they need to survive. Good luck with your game. Matt "Too-much-of-a-realist" Frisbee

Re: Answers & Questions Q: What's the philosophy statement of that one race with unilateral symetry again? A: Psychadelic purple with neon green polka dots.