Warp9

Re: Superhero Images Looking at the swordsman (great image btw) as an example, you wrote: “the outfit complete with swords and all was free.†Do you mean that it was one of those free props you were talking about?

Re: Superhero Images Thanks. . . . BTW, if you have any suggestions for improvement of my 3D work, they would be much appreciated. I still have a little bit of uncertainty about the concept of reliance on 3rd party models; isn’t it sometimes a problem? Here is a small excerpt from a discussion on the RPG.net Freelancing and Freelancers Forum ( I’m adding the URL so you can read the full discussion if you want to). The discussion is about using Poser to create images for character portraits, and the problems involved in finding specific 3rd party models to go with a given character. It would be interesting to hear your take on it: http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=116868&perpage=10&pagenumber=2#post2276663 IMO Sacrosanct is making some unfair assumptions about CG art on the whole, but it seems that the point might be valid in relation to Poser generated images. It would be nice to have the perspective of somebody who has some specific experience in this area.

Re: Superhero Images Thanks for answering my questions. And I really like the images in your gallery. Very nice work, even the stuff you weren’t happy with looks pretty good to me. 3D art is very interesting to me. Unfortunately, I don’t have access to Poser or any library of pre-built models, I have to make everything from scratch myself. I know that my stuff may not be as good as the Poser models, but I keep learning and getting better. Here is a sample of my 3D work. . . . This scene is something I’ve been working on (I have several different versions of it): Some might remember my old scene: “Kronos vs the Combat Droid.†I redid both Kronos and the Combat Droid. I’ve posted some versions of the new scene over in the “non-gaming discussion†forum Art thread. One of the advantages of 3D art is that it is easy to make changes. Even little things like shifting the camera, or adjusting the lighting can have a huge impact on a scene. I keep on coming up with more and more variations on the same scene as it gets “tweaked†in various ways. I do have a bunch of new versions of variations of “Kronos vs the Combat Droid.†I will not make everyone suffer by posting 100 slightly different versions of the same scene–but it would boost my post count But I do have one more version that I really like, and I’ll post it here. . . .

Re: Superhero Images Nah, it'd be OK. I'd buy some nice body armor, and a whole bunch of stinger missiles (14d6 explosion, no range mod). And maybe a bazooka.

Re: Superhero Images Nice work (on all your images). And I don't think that anybody will hold the use of tracing against you; lots of other people do it too. In the end, it is the result that matters. And you get good results.

Re: Character Background Feedback Please I like most of what you've written. The main thing that I'm not sure about is Wallace's use of his powers. Now to many comic book fans, powers have one use--to bash villians. However, to somebody who is into quantum physics (which deals with the fundimental nature of light among other things), powers over light have much more important uses than "bashing people." Wallace's Father used his powers as a "means to an end," Wallace would likely see the powers as an end in and of themselves. IMO Wallace would probably use his powers more than his Father does/did, but just not in combat. Of course all this stuff is just my opinion, take it for what it is worth.

Re: Superhero Images You seem to be getting very nice results from Poser. When you are putting stuff together that way, is it pretty easy to get exactly what you are looking for? Or can finding the right prop sometimes be difficult?

Re: Superhero Images Very nice work. . . what program did you use to model it?

Re: Question for you all That is pretty much my take on this whole issue.

Re: Question for you all I see what you are saying here, but I'd go with a different take. The special effects of the defense of various characters will work differently. One character may have "steel-skin" that will bounce bullets off, a character such as the Blob may seem to absorb the bullets. A character with the talent "Combat Luck" may seem to dodge the attack (which is also a type of "invisible defense"). I could see it as just being a special effect that the character "seems to take the damage." Second I believe that the rules probably back me up on this point of view(from page 69 of FREd): "Powers which inherently cost no END do not automatically have visible effects." Thus the advantage is unnecessary in this case. The previous statement is made assuming the power is bought as "armor," armor normally does not cost END. Finally, I'm not sure that it is always possible to tell exactly how much damage got through the defenses anyway. If you want to fake a specific state: death, unconsciouness, being stunned, etc. . . that might cost you. IMO what we are talking about here is just not worth a +2 advantage. I'd call it a simple "special effect" on the way the defenses work and be done with it --- Extra Cost = zero. But again that is just my $.02, ymmv.

Re: PBEM:The New Universe Sorry if I'm coming of as hostile, but this is just my way of asking questions. I also have an interest in the "realistic super-hero" concept, or I wouldn't bother asking you any questions. And as for the player finder thing, I do not think that you violated any major rules by putting this here. I was just pointing out that maybe this thread should have been placed else where, especailly if you don't want to discuss your game. Again, sorry if I have come off as being hostile.

Re: PBEM:The New Universe Agreed. But there is still the question of reaction speed which could limit bricks (as opposed to action speed). Well, I'd agree that many things happen in the comics which are not realistic. But as far as the qusetion of "raw power" goes, I don't think that shape is the major restriction in that case. If that is all you wanted to do, you should have started this thread over in the "Player Finder" forum, that is what it is there for. I assume that, if you started a thead in this forum, then you must want to discuss your game.

Re: PBEM:The New Universe As I said above, it is possible to trade off acceleration to move more mass more slowly. You can also move less mass more quickly. But if you are constrained to a given mass, then you can't make that sort of trade off. Greater strength allows a character to move more weight the same distance, in the same amount of time, as a weaker character. Greater strength allows the character to do more work, in terms of damage, in the same amount of time, as a weaker character. That sounds like engery output to me. And bricks will not necessarily be speedsters because they don't have the reflexes for it. On the other hand, if a speedster runs mechanically in the same way as a normal human, then IMO he would have to have brick like abilities. You don't have to be an auto engineer, but you do need to have some ideas about how real world physics works, if you want to run a realistic game. And I want to make it clear that I am not some absolute guru on these matters, these are just my (somewhat informed) observations. As for the limits on a "human shaped body," what are your assumptions based on here? There is a question of how strong the materials which make up this body could be. And there is a question of the largest power source that would fit within this body. (and there is also a question of the limits of practical application of strength/speed--but that is more a question of the environment than the body itself) How strong can a material be? I have to say that I don't know what the limits to material strength are. How much power can you fit into a human sized (and that is more a matter of size than shape) body? well I don't know the answer to this one either, but if you had some engine based on direct matter conversion, you could get a great deal of power in a small area. We are just discussing the concept of running a "realistic" super hero game.

Re: PBEM:The New Universe As I think about it, it might be possible to have a "low acceleration" speedster, with friction contol abilities. He would move across the ground in a manner similar to a roller-blader. That kind of character could get by with out enhanced muscle power. Or maybe it would be possible to have a bouncing based character. Either like Bouncing Boy, or like some one with springs built into his feet. Given that there is a limit to how sharp an angle a runner's feet can push off against the ground, at some point, as he continues to kick off with more force, a speedster is likely to turn into a jumper anyway.

Re: PBEM:The New Universe It is worth adding to my post above that it is possible to set up a mechanical system which will allow an ant to move an aircraft carrior a very very short distance over a very very long time. Or I can set up a system that will focus on moving a very small mass a great distance over a short time. But, all other things being equal, if I want to move the same mass a greater distance over a shorter time, I will have to get more power.

Re: PBEM:The New Universe Perhaps you could give me some examples of what you are talking about. I can believe that a vehicle can be fast without having too powerful of an engine, if it is lightweight (like a motercycle)--but there is at least one bike with a 500 hp engine. A tank can have a powerful engine and be slow because it is very heavy. But all the race cars I know about have high horse power engines. Again: Force = Mass X Acceleration Acceleration = Force / Mass And some other definitions form physics: Work = Force X Distance Power = Work/Tme. So, by definition, a high hourse power engine can move a large amount of mass, a fair distance, in a short time. So please show me a race car with a low power engine. . . . You said that you wanted to run a realistic game. . . . So we are just talking about what it means to run a realistic game.

Re: PBEM:The New Universe It is probably not fair to try to hold you to a standard of "absolute realism." However, that being said, I think that it is possible to start with one unreal premise (such as the "White Event") and follow it to its realistic logical conclusions. One of the BIG issues I've had with mainstream comics is that they often do not seem to get the relationship between speed and power. I can imagine Stan Lee at a car dealership arguing with the owner. Car Salesman: Here is the fast car that you asked for, it has a 500 horse power engine. Stan Lee: But I want a fast car--not a powerful car. Your game should at least be realistic enough to cover the speed-power issue. Also if you are going to apply the effects of the speedster's power to his clothes, then you should plan on that character having armor skin, and enhanced bones. Because it the character's abilities damage his clothes then they should logically have the same effects on his body. And if you are going to assume that a character has some sort of magical feild which protects him from the effects of friction, then why shouldn't the feild also protect his clothes? (and at that point, we'd be back to the standard "comic-booky" speedster)

Re: PBEM:The New Universe

Re: PBEM:The New Universe

Re: PBEM:The New Universe It sounds a like a cool game concept in general. Could you say a little more about what "realistic" abilities are, in terms of your game? Are we talking about "electric eel" powers here (in other words, something based on real world creatures)? Or is the realistic part relating to the functioning of the powers (for example, a character with energy projection powers might need to constantly eat in order to fuel his abilities). Or are we talking about something else?

Re: PBEM:The New Universe IMO that doesn't seem to be in keeping with the "realistic" concept of the game. In real life people don't avoid having equipment because they "don't have the points saved up."

Re: Exalted-style effects? Who says that "Huge levels of Bureaucracy skill wouldn't do this" ? At the very least, I should think that an "Extraordinary" skill use (FREd p29) should do it.

Re: Megascale Combat exponential/logarithmic all the way baby!

Re: Superhero Images Here is the "cat dude" again (also this time in color)

Re: Superhero Images I finally got a chance to colorize some of those sketches I posted eariler in the week. Here are Felix and Drok again (this time in color).