BobGreenwade

Re: Counter-stereotyping I just realized that one of my characters in Champions Online goes against type. I started Red Streak as a simple Soldier archetype, with a bunch of guns. But then it came time to choose a Travel Power, and the best one I could see was Superspeed. So she runs super-fast, but unlike typical speedsters she doesn't fight with her fists -- she shoots.

Re: The Lost Cover Art Caption Contests: Issue #54 "I didn't draw it! I promise!"

Re: The Lost Cover Art Caption Contests: Issue #53 "Now look what you did, you knucklehead!" "Sorry, Moe!"

Re: The Lost Cover Art Caption Contests: Issue #52 "Hey! Get off my lawn!"

Re: TV show concept I'd style it like a classic comic book superhero world, with a JLA/Avengers type of team. Everyone uses costumes and public aliases. Most of the villains are more down-to-earth in their dress code, but still use code-names, nicknames, and other pseudonyms. Superheroes have been real for a relatively short time. The main characters are the first of their kind. The pilot is about how they all come together. About two-thirds of the stories would deal with modern-day issues, social questions, and other things that we worry about in our everyday world. These could range from nuclear weapons to life as a celebrity. The rest would be stories along the lines of "what if superpowers were real?" -- the kind of thing that couldn't happen in our world, but affect the main characters personally. That would be my starting point, at least.

Re: ADVANCED PLAYER'S GUIDE II -- What Do *You* Want To See? And now we're entering the Twilight Zone. Or the No Parking Zone. (As long as it isn't the Korta Zone.)

Re: A DC Animated-style HeroMachine

Re: ADVANCED PLAYER'S GUIDE II -- What Do *You* Want To See? That's my intent.

Re: A DC Animated-style HeroMachine I find #2 and #5 to be the most dramatic. If he has a bright, shiny, upbeat personality, #5 would probably be better; if he's more down-to-earth, then I'd say go with #2.

Re: ADVANCED PLAYER'S GUIDE II -- What Do *You* Want To See? Equipment Gadget mass rules (such as those in the first edition [with 3rd Edition rules] of Star Hero, including the Miniaturized Advantage) would go a long ways toward helping to apply Range Based On Strength. It would also give a point-based method for determining Concealment and other modifiers, including tying in to the “Hit Locations and equipment” rules mentioned above, for those who want such a thing. Some guidelines on managing money might be helpful, particularly for Fantasy and Sci-Fi settings where the economy is not the same as, or even closely similar to, our modern economy. This isn’t likely to be a major feature in any game, so intense detail probably isn’t called for, though it would be good to have a basic structure through which a GM can create a highly detailed system if it’s called for in a specific setting. ...Whew! Keep in mind that some of these items will probably not need any more detail than a mention as a possibility used at the GM's option. For example, the half-point purchase suggestion could almost be cut-and-pasted from my post above.

Re: ADVANCED PLAYER'S GUIDE II -- What Do *You* Want To See? Environment Movement and other penalties for various terrain (swamps, forests, deserts, etc.) Advanced rules for sleep deprivation. Rules for large-scale natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and such.

Re: ADVANCED PLAYER'S GUIDE II -- What Do *You* Want To See? Combat Entering Combat: Combat could open with a “Segment Zero,” which functions like a Segment 12 but is not followed by an immediate Post-12 Recovery. Movement (Turn Mode): Given the removal of the hex as a measurement, perhaps a change from the current method of “move in a straight line and then turn sixty degrees” to something using the same measurement as the radius of a circular arc would be appropriate. Combat Maneuvers: Could we have a further array of “By” maneuvers, such as Throw By? Possibly, an introduction of “half-point” Combat Modifiers, to make combat more granular (two +½ OCV modifiers, for example, would equal one full +1 OCV modifier). Advanced rules for combat in zero-gravity and free-fall. Possibly also rules for lowered or increased gravity. Hit Locations: For new “Additional Hit Locations” (APG1 173), perhaps you could add Groin (for either the femoral artery or the genitals) and Heart (which could double as the breastbone or the solar plexus). An optional “Hit Locations Within Hit Locations” rule and/or table could increase the detail of certain battles when it’s called for. For example, a Head shot could be fine-tuned to hit Eyes, Neck, Mouth, Nose, Ears, Cheek, Chin, Forehead, etc. The Hero System really needs a simple rule for aiming at a particular Hit Location, but missing that location and hitting another. (I saw a Western once where a gunslinger shot the gun out of an enemy’s hand. An onlooker called out, “Nice shot!” The gunslinger snarled, “I was aiming for his head!”) Some way of formally connecting Hit Locations with where a character keeps various pieces of equipment would be helpful. This may or may not call for new rules; I’m thinking that a diagram, showing a “Hero Man” pose divided into the various Hit Locations with spaces for writing in what equipment is kept there, would be the minimum. (If there are new rules for this, they could tie in to the gadget mass rules mentioned below.) Wrestling/grappling: Basically, brief rules for two characters fighting while holding on to each other, as seen in Greco-Roman wrestling. (This could be as simple as an OCV bonus or DCV penalty, or something much more complex with its own set of maneuvers.) Sucker Attacks (6E2 128): Expand to include a rule for tricking two or more targets into shooting each other. (This should probably take about two or maybe three paragraphs.) Long-Term Fatality: The current rules for Bleeding allow for someone to sustain an injury that will prove fatal in a matter of minutes. Someone on the boards suggested that there should be a rule for those injuries that will cause death in hours or perhaps days if the character doesn’t get medical treatment (and maybe even if he does). This could be an extension of the Impairing and Disabling rules, if desired. Comeliness Attacks (see Characteristics) About the social combat system, some of my suggestions can be found (explicitly or implicitly) in my suggestions on Characteristics. It should, ideally, also include some guidelines on helping players handle characters with significantly better or worse social skills than their own. How about updating the diceless combat system from Digital Hero #1 for 6E?

Re: Immunity to cancer Cancer can be triggered by chemicals, by radiation (UV, X-Ray, Gamma, et al), and other sources. If you want a character to be immune to cancer itself, it should be to the disease. I agree with OS that it would probably be around 3 points, though it could also be 2 points if you don't expect it to come up that often. (Remember too, if only for context, that cancer can appear many years after the triggering event -- the original cancerous cell can lay dormant for that long before it becomes a hazardous growth.)

Re: Counter-stereotyping I think there was a villain along those lines in Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew.

Re: Official Hero Boards Super Team And Chat Channel! Head Pounder has reached Level 8, and is ready to embark on the "Why'd It Have to Be Purple?" mission in Westside, but not strong enough to take it solo. If someone else (who can do a team invite) is at the same point, let me know when you'll be on and I'll see if I can set aside the time to join in.

Re: How to create alien language? I finally got around to finding these: Language Construction Kit Grammar Sketch Outline (PDF) How to Create a Language Those should be enough to get you started.

Re: In Progress From Blackwyrm Games: Mythic America The punchbowl of Blackbeard's head would make a great artifact for Warehouse 13.

Re: Fantasy Art Thread Well, if I can enjoy and appreciate the piece even though I disagree with the statement, it can't be all bad. (Not that the statement or my disagreement with it are all that strong.)

Re: A DC Animated-style HeroMachine She's the gorilla my dreams!

Re: A DC Animated-style HeroMachine

Re: Counter-stereotyping I also seem to recall that Golden Age Champions had an obese speedster.

Re: Counter-stereotyping One counter-stereotype I did myself was Mental Man. The stereotype mentalist is grim, super-intelligent, and slightly socially challenged. Mental Man is a laid-back surfer dude type -- and I can, like, totally relate to that, dude.

Re: List Your CO Heroes! Thanks, E84! Here's Head Pounder: [ATTACH=CONFIG]38169[/ATTACH] And here's Red Streak: [ATTACH=CONFIG]38170[/ATTACH]

Re: List Your CO Heroes! I just grabbed the F2P over the weekend and got started with Head Pounder (Level 2 Behemoth). My other slot has Red Streak (Level 1 Soldier) waiting in the wings. If someone would kindly post a reminder on how to do a screen capture with CO, I'll post pics.

Re: Guess the inspiration behind this superteam! Thomas Jefferson, not Andrew Jackson.