Greg

Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers

-Sense mutant powers

-Precognition only for other people

-Speed reading, eidetic memory

-Talk to inanimate objects

-A really high defensive power, but no attack abilities

-Someone with lots of cool powers that can't use them because of some mundane physical impairment

Re: Star Hero not available in online store?

I'm not a huge PDF fan for casual reading, but I love them for looking up things. In Acrobat go to View -> Page Layout -> Continuous (it's probably on single page) then it won't flip pages on you anymore instead it'll smoothly scroll through the document.

Just glancing around doordice.com

http://www.doordice.com/Games/ProductListings.cfm?Game_UID=E5VIZQA8&Category=Sci%2Dfi

has a copy in stock.

Re: A Game Of Questions

Wasn't it Death Tribble?

Re: Shamans, or "restrictions on spell schools"

Is the Ogre shaman from Everquest or something? I had a player in my last Fantasy game want to play an ogre shaman. If so have you tried to just model your character from the source?

Re: Just Picked Up Champions Worldwide

President Reagan - he said "Nobody stop Bolivia" during a lunch set in Brasilia' date=' at presence of a general-president which was losing the control over the country to give room for democracy and the lunch theme was exactly the kind of aid which USA could give to us during the whole democratic transition process.[/quote']

 

So we were there giving aid, but we're bad guys because of a brain fart?

 

Back on topic (sorry didn't mean to go all NGD on the thread) I'm simulataneously reading the thread on RPG.net on CW and somebody mentioned that a common pitfall for these types of books is the tendency to flavor characters with local color. Australian superheroes with crocodiles or Canadian hockey players or what have you. I've seen the book, but haven't sat down with it yet. What kind of things does the book do to make a character distinctive to a particular region? Or is there anything? My concern about getting the book is that I could take any other CU character and just give them a foreign sounding name.

Re: If I were an Evil Overlord....

If I were an Evil Overlord, and I learned that there was a prophecy that some

child was destined to destroy me, I would refrain from trying to kill him or his

family right away. That way, when he grows up, he'll have no reason to come

looking for me at all -- until my first attempt to eliminate him once he's grown

up, that is.

 

 

Major Tom

Diabolical Fiend-in-training

Tell that to Darth Vader

Re: Star Hero fictional settings we haven't seen

Something I just started looking at the other day was some sort of amalgamation of Piers Anthony. In particular Mute, the Cluster Series and Orn, Ox and Omnivore.

Androids, Teleportation for FTL travel, Consciousness transfers for budgetary and ecological reasons and an increase in psychic powers with the caveat that nobody have more than one power (keep power levels low)

Re: Star Wars - Balancing Jedi with everyone else and heroic vs. superheroic

From my limited experience with swordfighting from the SCA back in college and some fencing classes, arm grappling usually comes into play more with polearms because you're relatively safe reaching for the shaft. With a long sword you need a fair amount up upper arm whereas with a rapier you're doing a lot more with your wrists. A lightsaber basically weighs nothing so you're probably more likely going with a fencing stance. Darth Sideous even had a pistol grip like my fencing instructor had. So think sword in the front and opposite arm behind to minimize the amount of stuff in the way. With a lightsaber if somebody did grab your forearm you still have a chance to swat at them with your wrist since the weapon is essentially weightless and just needs to brush against them. A commando really needs to be careful because if you dropped it, it'd probably take their leg off. Since you're in a fencing stance, your sword would be fairly far from your body and you'd be relatively safe. You could compare it to trying to disarm somebody with a plasma cutter or something like that. Just a brush is enough to main someone.

Re: Star Wars - Balancing Jedi with everyone else and heroic vs. superheroic

But in Star Wars the Republic is EVIL so there's nothing really to keep a Jedi from going against them. There's not really in grey area in the Lucas universe so it's simply good vs. evil. In KOTOR 1&2 it's different because there are neutral Jedi in both games. If Lucas had written those then those 2 Jedi would be sliding to the dark side because they're actively rejecting the Jedi code. From an RPG perspective a Jedi isn't all that different from a D&D paladin. Anything on a grander scale is decided by the Jedi Souncil and a Jedi then needs to follow whatever they say to be "lawful". The hardest part is like the intro to the game Ultima 6. How would a Jedi respond to:

Thou hast been sent to secure a needed treaty with a distant Lord. Thy host is agreeable to the proposal but insults thy country at dinner. Dost thou:

* Bear the slurs

* Rise and demand an apology

A local bully pushes for a fight. Dost thou:

* Decline, knowing that no lasting good will come of it

* Trounce the rogue

Thou art sworn to uphold a Lord who participates in the forbidden torture of prisoners. Each night their cries of pain reach thee. Dost thou:

* Keep thine oath and ignore the deeds

* Report the deeds

Thy friend seeks admittance to thy Spiritual order. Thou art asked to vouch for his purity of Spirit, of which thou art unsure. Dost thou:

* Vouch for him, hoping for his improvement

* Express thy doubt

There aren't clear answers to any of those. The Jedi has to choose his alliance with the council or to what he thinks is right. I'm sure some are going to have what they *know* to be right. That's probably what is going to make a Jedi so interesting to play.

PS: here's a link to all the question from U6 - http://www.tk421.net/ultima/ they could all make for interesting hooks once modified.

Re: Star Wars - Balancing Jedi with everyone else and heroic vs. superheroic

A lot of the source material focuses on the fall of the Jedi so we're seeing a slanted view of them. At that point in time in RotS they were hypocritical and took themselves a little too seriously. That's basically the whole conflict in KOTOR2 as well since the Jedi were sitting idly by during the Mandalorian wars. I think Jedi should need to take some sort of honor code as a disadvantage, but the way they act on that should make a pretty interesting role-playing experience. If you transplanted them into the movie Equilibrium the Sith would be the good guys. The Jedi have to somehow be compassionate about the people around them yet at the same time not be empathetic with others and instead shield their emotions.

Re: Star Wars - Balancing Jedi with everyone else and heroic vs. superheroic

Depending on what era you're talking about a commando may very well be force sensitive and could become a Jedi...or maybe that'd cause the SW universe to implode.

Re: Paging Dr. Oddhat, Dr. Foxx!, Dr. Oddhat! Japanese translation.

Y'know' date=' I'm gonna draw that picture someday . . . [/quote']

 

There ya go!

Re: Paging Dr. Oddhat, Dr. Foxx!, Dr. Oddhat! Japanese translation.

I was actually going to mention the pun thing. That only firms up that not only would they use kotatsu, but he'd always be sitting at his little table.

Re: Paging Dr. Oddhat, Dr. Foxx!, Dr. Oddhat! Japanese translation.

I'd probably still lean towards kotatsu. It's not like you can't have 2 words with the same spelling that mean different things. They'd look completely different in kanji. Chan would be pretty insulting to an adult.

Worst case you could call him Tatsu Chisai

Re: Paging Dr. Oddhat, Dr. Foxx!, Dr. Oddhat! Japanese translation.

I think you'd probably use the word kotatsu. Tatsu being dragon a ko- being the prefix usually used for young or little.

Re: Product artwork

Not pimping any one person, but I've seen great artwork both on the Heavy Metal magazine forums: http://metaltv.rightangleinc.com/mboard/list.php?5

and in RPGNet's Freelance forum: http://forum.rpg.net/forumdisplay.php?f=12

Any artist is going to have good days and bad days, but I think Hero should definately look at people that excel at black and white lineart since that's what looks best in the format their printing. I don't know of any of their artists other than Kevin Long (and Sembieda), but I really like the stuff in Rifts sourcebooks. Didn't I just read on their website that Kevin hung out with Steve on a panel? If they were inclined I'm sure Mr. Long could call up his ol' buddy Mr. Sembieda and get some referrals to some other artists.

Re: Star Wars - Balancing Jedi with everyone else and heroic vs. superheroic

As another possibility' date=' you could use the resource points as suggested from Dark Champions.[/quote']

 

I started reading the section right before work this morning. First reaction is that it looks good, but I haven't gotten a chance to full delve into it.

 

re: commandos and what not...

I think it's tough to compare the two since the movies focus on the legendary Fett bounty hunters, last of the Mandalorians, and basically the top rung of Jedi. I think in that scenario it's going to be 10-to-1 for the Jedi in straight hand-to-hand. In a situation where the two are hunting each other in a Kashyyyk jungle I'll give it to the commando who has the superior arsenal. In a random smackdown two top tiers might be a closer to 50-50 if the soldier can use some sort of entangle followed by a grenade. The jedi may be able to swat soldier and grenade away in time though so who knows.

 

Back towards force ideas, I was planning on a Jedi Push to be a telekinesis throw and Choke would be telekinesis with a grab/squeeze. Nothing too fancy, but both utilizing existing rules. I tossed around making it BOECV, but that makes it way too expensive to ever be able to lift an X-Wing out of a swamp. +3/4 (+1 BOECV, -1/4 standard defenses can be used) seems a little too pricey for what seems like should be default for telekinesis.

Re: Star Wars - Balancing Jedi with everyone else and heroic vs. superheroic

I don't get the idea that there are bullets in the Star Wars universe. Even Bowcasters (Wookie crossbows) shoot energy. I suppose a horde of Ewoks could chuck slingbolts at Jedi though the Jedi could probably just hold his hand up and they'd probably all stop in mid-air. I'd probably rule they could stop a bullet though because otherwise all Bounty Hunters would be sporting six-shooters.

No idea if Jedi get hand-to-hand training, but KOTOR2 give them all sorts of non-weapon fighting ability. I'd just leave it as an option to the player though they're probably going to be faster on foot then a normal commando.

And I told myself I wouldn't debate this kind of stuff.

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now?

PC fan noise

Re: Star Wars - Balancing Jedi with everyone else and heroic vs. superheroic

The EU balances things a bit by having a composite material that can reflect lightsabers. As well as KOTOR, which has personal force fields. In the g-canon universe a trooper may not be able to take a Jedi, but they're going to have an array of blasters and grenades that'll put them one up against crowds or against vehicles.

Re: Star Wars - Balancing Jedi with everyone else and heroic vs. superheroic

Most of the members of my group come from a Rifts background and I feel they need structure in their lives after such abuse.

Re: Star Wars - Balancing Jedi with everyone else and heroic vs. superheroic

Yeah, everybody would have to pay for equipment. I'd still like money to be a driving force for certain types of characters so I need to come up with some incentive to those archetypes. This project has gotten a little derailed though because of players wanting to play dark side and some arguments over the nature of the force. I guess that's just what happens when you try something so close to certain fans. Once I get to lay all this out on paper though i'll hopefully bring this to some fruition.

Re: Scavenging the ashes of Fallout 3 . . .

I think sometime last year, but if you go to the same site you linked it's in their FAQ for FO3.

Re: Scavenging the ashes of Fallout 3 . . .

Bethesdasoft, of Morrowind renown, has been working on Fallout 3 so don't give up hope yet.

Re: Star Wars - Balancing Jedi with everyone else and heroic vs. superheroic

I was thinking about making 20 a hard limit at character creation, higher/lower based on race, then just having the standard x2 after that. It's a lot harder to bite that x2 bullet with the 2-3xp you might have gotten from a game session.

I'm still torn on how to handle race packages. If the net gain from a racial package is 0 should it count against your point total? Plus, should stat adjustments be +3 STR or say +3 STR Max? It's always been a hard one for me in Hero since theres nothing that really makes a Wookie (PC character) stronger then a human PC other then they spent more points.