thandrak

Blogging from within ChampionsOnline

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 02:20:30 GMT

This is a blog from within Champions Online. This is only a blog. If this were a real message, I'd have something to say.

Well, TF:TM1 had the Ironhide special edition car...

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:11:33 GMT

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/22/2010-transformers-special-edition-chevy-camaro-unveiled/

Now you can own Bumblebee.

I! Dig! Giant Robots!

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:55:21 GMT

http://pc.ign.com/dor/objects/18954/mech-warrior-project/videos/mechwarrior_trl_phoenix_70709.html

Watch the video. See the 'In Game Footage' light. Notice the pre-used assets (Buildings, cars.) Listen to the computer's voice. Watch the tips of the barrels and the buildings.

The Unseen are back. And they're slow, ugly, heavy, and brutal.
(Game using the Unreal 3 engine)

NICE!

Writer's Block: Grab and Go

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:13:41 GMT

Scenario: For exactly 1 minute, you get access to all the databases of all the intelligence agencies in the world (CIA, FBI, KGB, MI-5, etc). What do you want to find out before time is up and you're caught and jailed forever?

View 503 Answers

Delete my address, name, and biographical data from all of them. Geez!

Chaos On The Strip, Story One

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 22:30:25 GMT

A. Challenger Enters The Ring.

     The lights would have blinded me, if my eyes weren't already closed. It's time. Three months of actual work, and it all boils down to the next fifteen seconds. I've done this jump before, to the inch. We set it all up back on the ranch, we used these exact ramps... without the colorful candy coating. But that won't change anything. I'm sure. We even had the sensor in place for the volcano.

     The music's hitting the second stanza. Reach up, wave, and gun it. Hold the wheelie for five... four... three... two... and merge with the ramp. Traction is good, even with the tampoed Mirage Casino logos. Hold it... seventy... ninety at the mark.

    Why... is the bike lurching sideways? Gun it, two inches left, make up the speed or die. That's it. I'm flying. I'm low. Rear's off balance. Can't tell why, don't look. We're spinning. Nothing I can do. Not yet, at least, I'm parabolic. And I don't need to look back. I can hear the slapping sound. How the hell did I get a blowout like that? There were only a thousand miles on the tires. Not relevant. Okay. Coming upright.. and passing over the volcano. Still low. And to the right.

     And the earth shakes and the heavens explode. Not the volcano, I was expecting that, the cloud of flames. No. I can see it. I can see everything, now, as I tumble. I can see a pathway through the flames. I just have to take the chance. I have to dare. Because everyone is watching. And hoping. And praying.

     Feet up, on the seat. Crouch. Three. Two. NOW. And I jump off the bike. I reach for the heavens. I can do this. The bike spins below me. I tuck, and I dive. Pretend I'm skydiving. It's easy. Feet down, get ready, we're going to make the landing on the ramp. Make it look easy.

     And I surf the metal path, laughing in ecstasy. I'm watching myself, I think. It's not me doing that. That was impossible. So it can't be me. But I know I could do it again. And that's the sound of the motorcycle impacting on the supports, isn't it? Yes, it has to be. The ramp's buckling. So... I should lean this way. And I do, and I tumble to the ground, free and clear.

     That's Bud running towards me. I don't know what she's saying. That's funny. It doesn't even sound like english. But she's holding me up. Nonsense. I can hold myself up. And I can. And I do. Because there's one last task I have to accomplish. It's necessary. So I walk out to the center of the stands. Ten thousand people easy. Maybe more. Maybe a lot more. I don't care. It's everyone, and that's all that matters. And I pull my helmet off, and I look them all in the eye. And I give them the double-thumbs-up. And they roar. Because that's their job. And I couldn't have done this without them.

     I wave, and I allow Bud to drag me off. You know, it's really starting to sting where I landed. Probably something to do with all that red stain down my leg.

But everything's going to be all right now. I know what I'm here for.

A Challenger Enters The Ring.

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:36:48 GMT

Man, getting me to put permanent words down is hard.

Arianna Mae Challenger, Take One
Calling: Daredevil
Nature: Gambler
Pantheon: Dodekatheon
God: Dionysus

Str 3, Epic 2, Dex 4, Epic 2, Stamina 4, Epic 2.
Cha 4, Epic 1 Man 2, App 3, Epic 1.
Per 3, Int 2, Wits 2.

Art 1, Athletics 3, Brawl 3, Control 4, Craft 1, Fortitude 4, Investigation 2, Medicine 1, Presence 3, Science 2, Stealth 3, Survival 3, Thrown 3.

Birthrights: Relic 1: A small medallion on a chain, with a die in the center of it. The die can spin freely along one axis. The 6 and 1 are pinned. Grants access to Chaos. Followers 3: Maenads. Her party crew/pit crew. Stats of Amazons. What, 3 of them, I figure? Guide 1: Her manager. Actually trustworthy. Strange, but true.

Knacks: Crushing Grip(STR), Holy Bound(STR), Cat's Grace(DEX), Monkey Climber(DEX), Damage Conversion(STA), Self Healing(STA), Body Armor(STA), Center of Attention(Cha), Never Say Die(APP). (It's Super Dave Osbourne!)

Boons: Chaos 2.

Virtues: Expression 3, Intellect 2, Valor 4, Vengance 1.

Legend 3.

Willpower 7
(Insert story about the volcano)

I was tempted to skip the Boon, and just have her go pure Stats, and have no contact with a godly father at all.

Zen Parable to remember.
There was once a man who was being chased by a ferocious tiger across a field. At the edge of the field there was a cliff. In order to escape the jaws of the tiger, the man caught hold of a vine and swung himself over the edge of the cliff. Dangling down, he saw, to his dismay, there were more tigers on the ground below him! And, furthermore, two little mice were gnawing on the vine to which he clung. He knew that at any moment he would fall to certain death. That's when he noticed a wild strawberry growing on the cliff wall. Clutching the vine with one hand, he plucked the strawberry with the other and put it in his mouth.

He never before realized how sweet a strawberry could taste.

Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine open beta!

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:55:42 GMT

Follow the link for a key and the client. Hurrah for MegaTen!
http://files.filefront.com/Shin+Megami+Tensei+Imagine+Online+Client/;12521810;/fileinfo.html

Bill O'Rights needs to see this.

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:57:51 GMT

http://blog.wired.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2008/09/16/mccain_phone_2.jpg

Heh. Heh. Heh.

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:33:50 GMT

I did a bad thing on Scans_Daily today.
http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/5084133.html

I did a bad, bad thing. But it's all in canon...

With luck, very bad things will come from this. Gee, someone's reading it that works on the Animated Series...

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 04:41:59 GMT

List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're any good, they must be songs you're really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your LiveJournal along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they're listening to.

Johnny Cash: When The Man Comes Around
TMBG: Whistling In The Dark
The Stooges: Search and Destroy
Enya: Orinoco Flow
Marilyn Manson: This Is The New Shit
Rob Zombie: The Scorpion Sleeps
Kingston Trio: Merry Minuet

Ambush Bug

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:46:07 GMT

New 6 issue limited series. Woo!

Time wounds us all.

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 13:30:47 GMT

Sadly, Eric Wujick is dying of cancer.
http://www.palladiumbooks.com/press/erick.html

Hm. A social science RPG

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 15:05:50 GMT

http://glyphpress.com/shock/

Very cyberpunky. Based on the concept of praxis. You get a series of paired traits, like "money/compassion" and a praxis number of, say, 4. You want to buy something with money, roll under 4. Want to awe someone with compassion, roll over 4.

Crucible City 2 discussion.

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 00:29:43 GMT

Manny says, "What's up."
You say, "Manny, you've expressed dissatisfaction with the direction of the game."
Irene ??
You say, "I'm not happy, myself. Mostly in that I seem to have issues finding social RP, but hey, at least some of that is entirely my fault."
Manny says, "I think part of that too is on a superhero game people would really like to interact in their super-personas."
Manny says, "But since it's so frowned upon, the safest thing to do is meet as normal humans which is fine but can get divisive."
Irene says, "Yeah, the secret identity thing is sort of hard for me to RP."
Irene says, "And many normal humans are boring."
Manny says, "So you have the cops with cops, teens with teens, college kids with college kids."
Manny says, "When people are in super-identities they're -all- superheroes and therefore have something in common to meet up about."
Manny says, "I'm just wondering if this is one of the issues."
Alexandra says, "And I can't even get with the college kids, because they formed a group long before I arrived. :P"
You say, "I happen to be in the same boat there, Alexandra."
You say, "I've suggested a proposal to staff on that very matter, Manny."
Hank says, "And the thirtysomething mechanics with...uh...yeah."
Irene says, "And the old maids."
Manny isn't a superhero at all, so only meets people very rarely socially. OR he's arresting them or something.
Manny says, "I mean I still RP a lot. It's fine."
You say, "Essentially, the classic Contest Of Champions/Secret War routine. _or_ the Floating Metahuman Rave. If you recall, even Champions had that sort of location... was it Neutral Ground?"
Irene says, "Pocket D?"
You say, "Half the problem is the effort to enforce a form of IC WoD Masquerade, of course."
You say, "Pocket D for CoH."
Alexandra says, "I'm sure that will be shot down as unthemely. Frankly, I'm surprised FAME hasn't been firebombed and the members eviscerated yet."
Irene says, "Well, they're going to live forever, Alex, didn't you hear their song?"
Manny says, "Lack of RP is not my own problem here but I know it's a problem for others."
Manny says, "Anyway, this is why I finally said 'enough' and sent in a legwork request to talk to the governor."
You say, "I think the police need a special metahuman operations division. Who can have authority over metahuman incidents."
Gia says, "I'll just say this. There has been a communication issue between the staff as a whole and the player base, and to some extent, between staff, resulting in mixed/inconsistent messages from them regarding some themely bits. I pitched an idea to one of them to fix this. From what I've been told since, they all thought it was a great idea and it will be happening. This should help with a lot of the things people are grumbly about."
Hank says, "Well, there's AEGIS."
Manny says, "Not only about the Lady Y deal but the laws and such that caused that to happen, and what can be done to change them. But I have no idea if I'll be allowed to even meet and discuss it."
You say, "That's federal. I mean like a SWAT team."
You say, "Like Maggie Sawyer in DC or, is it Blue Steel in MArvel?"
Manny says, "And yeah, Madison, I've been asking for a metahuman liason thing since I started."
You say, "I think half of the issue is that the metahumans have to do something... like save the world. (Oh, wait, they did.)"
Manny says, "As things have played out I've ended up like some kind of unofficial metahuman liason because they find me when I'm out of the station and we talk and I don't arrest them, which makes me wonder if I'm a bad cop now."
You say, "But still, say, something that shows they're threatened. A public SCION issue might do it. I'm sure the cops are still after whoever killed what's his name."
Gia says, "That helped, Maddie. But you've also got the IC public contingent who think that was all our fault to begin with."
Alexandra says, "You're pre-Bat-signal Gordon. ;)"
Manny says, "I reopened that case, Madison."
You say, "Right."
Manny says, "The files got messed with."
Hank nods to Gia. Yeah, this whole thing smells of miscommunication and/or poor communication on a lot of fronts. And of people on all sides getting increasingly entrenched. (No offense to anyone here, but it's starting to feel to me like some people on all sides don't actually *want* anything resolved, at least not if it involves compromise. And no, I'm not going to single anyone out there.)
You say, "I agree, Hank."
Manny is stuck until he gets federal assistance and that may not be enough.
You say, "That's why I'm doing this."
You say, "Contrawise, Madison is a natural superspy, and has nothing to deal with."
Manny says, "Nessa also put in a request to talk to the chief of police about that situation three weeks ago and it was never granted."
Manny says, "So honestly we're trying!"
You say, "I think that's a Sinestro issue."
You say, "As in, "Sin was running that plot. Sin is on vacation""
Manny says, "Oh, no. I mean it happened long before that."
Gia nods. "There has been a growing tendency to read things in the worst possible light. To look for ways to be incendiary. This is not helping create change, it is just causing distress and /retarding/ change."
You say, "Yes, but he's stressing."
Manny says, "She's not here so I can't ask her but I remember when she submitted it."
You say, "And this is why I think we need a town meeting."
You say, "You see my point, Hank, Manny, Gia?"
Gia says, "Yes."
Manny says, "Gia, also, I think the insinuation of 'OOC room sitters = losers' is not something that should be promoted."
You say, "I'm going to look straight at someone. I may even say their name."
Manny says, "But yeah, Madison, you are right. This needs to be discussed."
You say, "They're not a loser. They run plots. But they have a really _sharp_ tongue."
Manny says, "Well I keep telling her to simmer down."
Manny says, "But some of it goes back to the previous game, too. Lots of straws and such."
You say, "Yeah, I know, but you're not helping, person who knows who she is."
Madison point accusingly.
Irene looks at Roberta in horror.
Hank says, "I think...it might help, yeah, Madison. Long as it's done the right way. We need a productive discussion, which I I think we're all capable of, but I also think things are volatile enough that things could go all shouting match pretty easily, too, and that we *don't* need."
You say, "Not that she can't help, and she certainly has _reasons_ to behave the way she does."
You say, "Should I say her name, or is it obvious?"
Gia says, "The think I've proposed is part way there."
Gia says, "Thing, rather."
Manny says, "She's not around at the moment Madison so for now it's best to stop pushing that :)"
You say, "Well, I was thinking she might see it in scrollback."
Manny says, "Boba."
Roberta says, "Manny."
You say, "I have _no_ intention of saying what I said behind her back."
Manny says, "Anyway I'm all for productive discussions."
Manny says, "I have a particular pet peeve which is to be accused, directly or indirectly, of being a non-contributor to a game that I contribute to."
Gia says, "I agree that a 'towm meeting' kind of thing has potential to go the wrong way badly. But opening/improving lines of communication and clarity regarding theme and where it's going are crucial, and it sounds like they're going to be addressed in a serious way."
Manny says, "So it's partly that, too."
You say, "Pretty much everything has a potential to go the wrong way."
Manny says, "Anyway I know as a -general- thing that a chunk of the playerbase is worried or dissatisfied with how theme stuff is going right now."
Hank says, "I will say that, I like the game, flawed as it is in places (and there's no such thing as a flawless game), but if things turn too dramatic without any resolution, I'm done, because I don't need that in my life right now. And yeah, I'm not saying it shouldn't be tried, Madison. Just that it's a good idea to step carefully."
Manny says, "There've been a lot of discussions about it, I logged a few that were interesting and constructive, but I didn't share them around."
You say, "If there's one thing I'm good at, it's moderating and being an agent."
You say, "I do it a lot on CoH. I do it so well that I got asked to do it for the game."
Gia says, "I think a town meeting at some point is a good thing, but not something to leap right to before some of the air is cleared, first. That's what the thing I suggested would move toward -- clarity."
You say, "Well, I don't know what the thing is."
You say, "But I think, really, half the reason, is for _staff_ to listen to each other."
Irene says, "I would like to not feel like I am causing a vast divide by hanging out with you guys. :("
You say, "There is no vast divide."
You say, "Let me rephrase."
Manny says, "I was told by a newbie that he was afraid to come into the OOC room because staff would look down on him."
Manny says, "So."
You say, "This is a game. We are here to have fun. There is no vast divide yet."
Hank says, "I think it would be a VERY good idea, regardless of the Upcoming Thing, to just get players and staff in the same place, talking to each other. Too much gets passed around second and third-hand around here, and it's inevitably the worst possible read on things, and that's just toxic to a game like this. (Man, why is that stupid mediation class I took a trillion years ago coming back to haunt me?)"
Roberta says, "Fuck, if it is such a 'problem' and the attitude is wide spread along the staff then just close the OOC room and force everyone on the public channel. Whatever. :P"
You say, "And, sadly, we have an issue where some players and some staff can push each other's buttons and then push buttons back."
Roberta says, "The 'magical problem' (whatever this is) will then be solved just as magically."
You say, "You're right about the toxic part, Hank. We're not there right now, we may not be headed there, but it is one of several possible futures."
Manny says, "Yeah, Hank is right."
Irene concurs with Roberta, if it's that big of a deal. I would also like team channels, but.
Hank says, "I'm pretty sure exactly that has been proposed. And (I know you're being sarcastic), I think it's pretty obvious that it *wouldn't* solve 'the problem', it'd just remove one of the obvious symptoms of it. Honestly, I don't care much either way, though I like a decent OOC room just because I like to get to know players as people before/simultaneous with playing with them as characters."
Manny nods to Hank.
(End of first log)
(Second log)

Gia says, "I've never been staff anywhere, which I'm sure is no surprise to anyone familiar with my history of staff-o-phobia. Which phobia the CC1 staff got me over, actually. I love this game, I like and respect the staff, and I like playing here. The theme here is /different/, definitely. It can feel restrictive. But it's also interesting to be part of it unfolding into something else, which is kind of the point."
Manny says, "But it's not particularly interesting to people who want to play Superheroes. Rather than people with powers."
Manny says, "There is this promise that the players will shape the place by their actions but since not much of that is happening yet, it is making morale flag for people who wanted to play superheroes."
Hank nodnods to Gia. Yeah, I actually *do* like the theme, for the most part. I don't think the problem is the theme so much as, as I think you've mentioned, a lot of assumptions about the theme. I dunno, Manny, I'd say that just plain 'people with superpowers' would have a harder time in this setting, rather than easier. Since you're almost required to have a secret identity.
You say, "I think that point precisely is the key."
You say, "The big superheroic event. The _one_ big superheroic event."
You say, "Came without warning, had five people in it, and has had nothing else happen."
Manny says, "I'm saying they do have a harder time, Hank."
Madison is _very_ glad Mary, for a whim, ran the Adamstown Riot that night. Aren't you, Manny?
Manny says, "Yeah, it was nice to have something to do."
Hank says, "Well, a lot of that is the staffer who ran the big superheroic event being on vacation, but yeah. More big events, a sense that, well, the world is changing beyond the abilities of the powers that be to keep a lid on things and that heroic figures are actually *needed* rather than, at best, a public nuisancee."
Hank says, "And yes, the riot thing was awesome."
Gia says, "Atlantis being on hold because of Sin taking a break has slowed things down a bit, definitely. The stop-the-missiles thing was just the first big volley, there's a lot more to come. And yeah, he's a coding freak. :)"
You say, "Does anyone here like running plots?"
Madison isn't good at it. Or at least, comfortable with it.
Manny says, "I do, actually."
Gia says, "I oove GMing tabletop. I've never run a scene here or at CC1 out of fear of screwing it up."
Manny says, "But I've been waiting because the type of scenes I run are not welcome in this theme."
Alexandra says, "I am not comfortable with it at all. But I can try. I'm just convinced I suck."
Irene says, "I've run a nondiced thing or two. I am not a big runner tho', it is true."
You say, "Okay. Let's pause, and give Manny the floor. Manny, pitch me three overarcing plots of the kind you want. (When I say go)"
Hank says, "I like running the very occasional plot. But I don't know M&M anywhere near wel enough to do it."
Manny says, "Oh. Eh, honestly I've tweaked my plot pile to be runnable here and I plan on doing them."
Manny says, "Once staff outright said PRPs shape this world I dusted off the list. I haven't started yet because I just finished my first week back at school and I'm recovering a bit."
You say, "We have established a situation, I think. The situation is, as Manny said, and as Hank said, that "ore big events, a sense that, well, the world is changing beyond the abilities of the powers that be to keep a lid on things and that heroic figures are actually *needed* rather than, at best, a public nuisancee.""
You say, "Is what's needed."
Manny says, "Anyway, on C1 I had some time flux plots I didn't get to, because they were global and staff asked me to hold off as they were doing a global."
Manny says, "I can't do them the same way here but I have other methods, and if it's too 'silly' (as some staffers seem to find anathema) well, too bad. I only really care if players find stories engaging and entertaining to play through."
You say, "So, Manny, I want you to come up with some unworkable plots that _would_ fit that situation. Because I want to know what you mean about 'plots that won't work here""
Manny says, "Well I can't do my robot ninjas anymore :|"
You say, "I should note that a very powerful telepath can make people _behave_ as if they were from another era. It's reasonably period for games like that."
Manny says, "Yeah, I'm going with illusion/mental stuff to do that arc."
You say, "But would robot ninjas be something that creates the sense we need?"
Manny says, "Then no matter how weird it gets, it's not 'real' anyway so staff can't care."
You say, "My plot, you've noticed, _is_ an effort in that direction."
Roberta says, "Frankly I think a big thing that'll solve a lot of problems would just eliminate all staff plots and have all things be PrPs. The 'DMs' or whatever can just run PrPs as their playerbits, while granting creative freedom to the whole player base and encouraging everyone to pitch in while at the same time empowering those who do pitch in. I'm also not big on this wanting to control everything - give a lot of freedom and allow players to submit world altering events if they want to do so, while allowing them to be approved without a lot of red tape. Or hey - afraid of world altering events? Just remove them. It is highly unlikely a DM plot is actually going to be 'world altering.' Port Liberty didn't get nuked by Atlantis, nothing in the basic function element has changed and I doubt it will change. As it is we're working on a two tier system here, no matter how much we might say otherwise. You want equality you put it into the system. You don't just mouth off about how PrPs matter so much and how you shouldn't bitch about 'staff plots' because you should just all go entertain yourselves with your totally meaningful PrPs. What matters happens to be staff plots right now - those involved in staff plots over and over are FCs here. No wonder it is causing player base conflict! Finally, remove the OOC room and force everyone to talk on the public channel so whatever retarded bias is going around gets solved."
Irene explodes.
You say, "Cops won't work with metas, so _crooks_ will. Metas may not be the leader of the gangs, the established crooks will get a line on a meta and control them. With _great_ luck, a meta will be critical in solving a case the cops can not. Yaay! I will now read what Roberta said."

Hank nods. I honestly don't have a problem with the 'Everything is done as a PRP' model, if that's what it takes to combat the perception that Staff plots are what changes things and nothing else ever can. I expect staff would want to keep some oversight over what happens, as well they should. But it's not a bad direction to move toward.
Roberta says, "Well, I'll come back I guess in six months to see if the world has magically changed to being meaningful because of PrPs or if it is still a two tier system in which the GMs run the important plots (these are human beings and they have friends, there is nothing wrong with this), these friends end up in them over and over, and I get to play an NPC who occasionally pops up in a story revolving around a few FCs."
You say, "I should point out that it's not just that Staff is staff."
You say, "It's also that Staff is freaking awesometastic and runs fantastrimetrical plots, and each plot they run spawns a dozen PrPs."
Roberta says, "Yeah, that is great. But it doesn't really address the problem of inequality. It is a badly run system. No matter how awesome the people in the system happen to be. The system /sucks/."
You say, "It only sucks because staff isn't running anything, and the level of awesome has gone down."
[Public] Zod has been booted repeatedly. Apologies if I missed any pages.
You say, "There are other things we can do to raise it."
You say, "The question is, how and why. I think a player run plot of awesomeness might do really well."
Hank says, "Well, the inequality thing is also a bit of a self-fulfilling prophesy. If certain players are perceived to have the Favorable Eye Of Staff Upon Them, then any time any one of them gets into a staff scene (whether because they did a hell of a lot of legwork, have a lot of RP establishing them as connected to that plot, etc.) it is going to look like more evidence of Staff Favoritism whether it is or not. And if Staff purposefully *avoids* running plots for those people, well, that's no good either. I do agree that more PRPs should happen, and, the more I think of it, calling everything a PRP seems like a better and better idea."
Roberta says, "I'm not interested in running PrPs in this environment. They're going to have to run a shit load of Staff plots then, because this place is discouraging to PrPs. Or they'll just run the amount of staff plots they want to run, people will eventually leave the game as they cannot partake in them (as it is happening now), and the player base will even out at a cool 15 people."
Manny says, "I think saying you'll take people idling in IC grid rooms over people in OOC rooms is not very positive at all."
Irene says, "I mean, I do not want a fight, although I suppose I could mail the person and tell them how I feel, except that I suspect it will either have no, or negative, effect."
Roberta says, "Yeah, I don't buy the self-fulfilling prophecy line. I hear that so often whenever people are raising complaint it makes me want to gaaah, no offense. It isn't an illusion here. There are real game issues I've pointed at. These exist. It isn't going to solve the problem by saying they don't exist, it is just an illusion in which you can fix by saying 'enjoy yourself' (even though you are not enjoying yourself because of said problems). If they fixed the problem would the game explode or do you think more people will begin to enjoy themselves? I'm not crazy here - I've actually enjoyed games. I really am able to do so, I promise. What you're pointing out here is just a natural player response to the game issues that exist, sure it'll cause a feedback event, but the feedback event is arising from the issues, not the players alone."
You say, "Roberta, I agree."
You say, "However, I think that we _can_ fix it ourselves. It would be easier with the aid of staff."
You say, "But I don't think that it's impossible."
Hank says, "I'm not actually saying that the issues don't exist. I'm saying that the self-fulfilling stuff exists *too* and complicates things, and makes the actual issues that much more difficult to deal with. I'm trying to identify the problem, not explain it away."
You say, "Hank, do you agree with my thesis statement about the kind of plot we need?"
Hank says, "More or less, I think. But I don't think that a plot (or ten plots) is even close to *all* that we need."
You paged Manny with 'Sure. Software, hardware, either way. I was thinking with hardware, it'd be easier for not-internet capable stuff, and give a clue that can be traced back.'
You say, "No, but it's _one_ right step."
Hank says, "Yes, absolutely."
You say, "What other right steps can there be?"
You say, "And don't forget, we _do_ have a new staffer. This can only be good."
Manny says, "A new staffer who won't pick any of us for scenes due to where we are."
Irene says, "I really don't like that."
Irene says, "I mean, I know I keep coming back to it"
You say, "It'll still pull stress off the other staffers."
Roberta says, "Eh, I'll send my suggestions to staff. If nothing happens I'll try to leave the game on a classy note without any rage."
You say, "I know, Irene, and that's something for the town hall discussion. Not for this discussion."
Manny says, "Zod just noted on his wiki page that he'll follow a similar thing of picking IC people."
Irene says, "But I really don't like it. :) If the other staffers who will take people who hang in the OOC room do more things that would be nice."
You say, "We can't do anything about it."
You say, "We can do stuff about it later. Let's see what else we can do now."
Hank says, "There still needs to be some sort of open line of communication with staff, too. We can do *that* now (well, when they're on), too. Well, actually, what needs to happen is that the idea of Players in one camp and Staff in the other needs to have a stake driven through its heart and be buried at the crossroads at midnight."
Hank says, "Sure, it happens at every game ever. That doesn't mean it's acceptable."
Spectrum has arrived.
You say, "I don't know if you've noticed, but a few people are upset with how the game's been going."
Spectrum says, "Kinda, yeah."
You say, "Well, we've been discussing it. Would you like the log to come up to speed?"
Spectrum says, "Sure."
You say, "Let's take a while for Spec to digest this."
You paged Zod with 'Reading it? Again, this is as close to honest as I think we can be. Try not to be upset.'
Hank says, "I think discussion had kind of lulled a bit as it is :)"
Irene says, "Well my one issue can't be dealt with and I have no real proposals for other things :("
You say, "I agree. The current topic is other flaws in the game. We've covered two. A: Lack of superheroic hookups, and B: lack of massive heroic action."
You say, "We've decided we can't do anything about C: Staff snipes at the OOC room"
You say, "We _can_ do something about D: ooc room snipes at staff."
Irene says, "Well, OK, I will stop."
You say, "Well, it's more a matter of airing them in an appropriate and constructive location. The 'town meeting'."
You say, "Anyone got an E?"
Irene says, "Needs more shenanigans."
Spectrum says, "Okay, the idea of newbies hiding from the OOC room for fear that it will get them in bad with staff is new to me."
Manny says, "It was just one and they've left the game anyway so it's probably not pertinent."
Spectrum nods.
You say, "More schenanigans. Yes, I think we need crazy things."
Manny says, "It was before Poison Ivy was made a staffer and made that remark on her page, too."
You say, "Again, that's C. I don't like it at all."
Spectrum says, "C's a big issue for me, just the same. Especially if, say, Poison Ivy's warning applies to people who are idling alone in their grid apartment. That doesn't reward people who are engaged."
Manny says, "That's something I was wondering about, Spec. If it means people idling IC get preference."
Alexandra says, "We'd still have to have staff approval for plots, though. We can't three alien invasions a week."
Spectrum says, "I mean, preference to people actually out in RP is another matter. But I don't even have a grid apartment to idle in because I ICly never take anyone there. :)"
Hank says, "I'm a bit worried about all of this being presented as "THIS IS HOW THE GAME IS GOING TO CHANGE, HOPE YOU ENJOY IT" to staff. Not that we shouldn't be trying to make thigns better, but it could so be presented the wrong way."
You say, "Well, there's a quick way to fix that."
Manny says, "If people are in a scene RPing and you only want to select from them, does that mean every person in that scene gets taken?"
Manny says, "Or just one, breaking up the RP?"
[Public] Madison says, "You're not reading this as a list of random demands without empathy from the player base, are you?"
Spectrum says, "That's also true."
Manny says, "If it's a matter of people out in public RPing and a staffer comes in and drops a scene on them, that's fine."
Manny says, "But I've never seen that happen despite it being promised on C1 and on other mushes."
You say, "See? Easily fixed!"
You say, "Oh, I've seen it happen."
Spectrum says, "When I run I'm inclined to take people who aren't already in scenes, because taking one person out of a small grid scene can make the scene collapse, and that ends up shutting people out of RP rather than getting them into one."
Manny says, "Same here."
You paged Zod with 'Someone had the concern this might be read the wrong way. That was just me reassuring them irreverently. Any response beyond 'GRR! DIE PLAYERS! DIE!' was acceptable.'
Irene says, "I've seen it happen on M3. It is usually epic."
Hank nodnods. Yeah, I've honestly been annoyed at that practice sometimes (though it *can* be done well), both because it derails scenes, and because it leads to people thinking that RP is *just* a way of getting into plots. People don't (or shouldn't) need to be bribed to RP.
You say, "Meh, I wouldn't mind it happening more here."
Spectrum says, "Rewarding people that are active is a great idea. Requiring that they be already in RP right now seems a little backwards...if I'm in worthwhile RP I'm unlikely to answer a scene announcement. Well, unless I'm desperate to get into a scene."
Bulletproof has. I've also seen staffers consider it here and decide against because it was too big a scene. Which is something else needs considered; the smaller scene size here needs to go up faster.
Manny has had people do that to him, but not on C1 or C2.
Irene trying to find Ivy's statement
Manny says, "I kind of accidentally did it once, here, because of a misunderstanding. Thinking everyone in my current scene was being involved but this was not the case (so the already going RP scene died)."
Roberta says, "Having staff approval for huge plots if fine, if only it is actually world altering. But a lot of this 'world altering' stuff seems like a lot of nonsense. At most they are just 'really big' and they don't actually alter anything significantly in the long term. So whoopee, we have an isolated pocket dimension called Atlantis. Great. We still wake up every morning and get coffee from the Port Liberty Star Bucks. They invaded? Awesome, but unless Port Liberty changes to New Atlantis it isn't a world altering event IMHO. It just is some RP fodder. :P Any player can do the same thing."
Manny says, "So I'm extremely careful about that now."
Spectrum says, "That's important too. The whole mess from a few weeks ago came largely from scenes being so much smaller. I think. On CC1 with most staff scenes in the 4-6 player range, if two in every scene were from prior scenes in the plot it didn't matter much. Here where it's been scenes averaging 2-4 players, that turns 2-4 openings for new people into 0-2."
Manny says, "Yeah."
Manny says, "And it's misleading if they say 'four people!' but really they're already determined to pick two or three people previously involved."
Spectrum says, "Even with policy being the same, it made for a perception, and beyond that a fact, of it being harder to get in. So even with no one at fault it made problems."
Manny says, "I mean maybe in that case it's better to just page the previously involved people, see if they are free, THEN call if there's room left. If that's how they really want to do things."
Roberta says, "Yeah, the people can be awesome and fine running as staff alts. The system just sucks."
[Public] Super-Vain! Heather tacklehugs Ao
Roberta says, "The no staff plots -- PrP only thing is working fine on another MUSH that suffered problems similiar to this one ATM."
Spectrum says, "That's how it often was done at CC1, I recall. Got a lot of announcements of "Got two openings here!" for scenes otherwise arranged for people deep in the storyline."
Manny says, "Also, the staff saying that PrPs change the setting, not staff plots, was news to most of the players."
You paged Aornis with 'I'd like to share with you an ongoing discussion in the OOC room, if you're of a receptive mind.'
Manny says, "Yet it was presented as if we should've known all along."
You say, "Wasn't to me."
You say, "I rather understood it from the start. It's the whole State of the World thing."
Irene says, "That kind of feels like a philosophical statement."
Irene says, "Rather than an action plan, so to speak"
You say, "Notice that in the last two, part of the change has to do with how Heroes did a lot of rescue work. The train and the ferry disasters."
Hank says, "Well, I'm glad you did, but apparently you were in the minority, Madison. :) (Which just brings us back to the central point that this is largely a problem of communication, or lack thereof)"
You say, "True, Hank."
Roberta says, "News plots certainly doesn't convey that feeling, Manny."
Spectrum says, "It seemed to me to be rather against what I'd heard from staff before, with things like Magneto pointing out staff plots whenever he mentioned things that could change the next SotW, and like getting Famous Metahuman, based on popularity, being based on staff plot requirements. So I was really surprised by it."
Roberta says, "'Finally, a PrP cannot change the setting in any way.'"
You say, "The setting, no. The _effects_ can change the state of the world, though."
You say, "Rodney King. Cops beating on a black guy didn't change the world."
You say, "But the effects of that event did."
You say, "So, no cutting Florida along the dotted line."
You say, "But if your hero runs amuck and uses a bus full of nuns as a baseball bat?"
Roberta says, "I'm sorry, I really don't see PrPs as anywhere near as important as anything that is ran by staff in this current system."
Alexandra says, "She'll get 15 years for vigilantism and be acquitted of murder."
You say, "Save the cheerleader. Save the world."
Irene says, "Well, yes, I know we are not supposed to do such things and we have to be paranoid about our public image."
You say, "Be more than paranoid! Be active!"
Alexandra says, "Buzzword spouting needs more specifics. You realize staff made a NPC specifically to tell us to -be- paranoid?"
Manny says, "If you're active I need to arrest you."
Alexandra says, "Oh, yeah. And Enchantress's posts saying that police and metas do not ever mix."
Brady stopped interacting with the cops after being told it's a bad thing.
Brady says, "This theme is flawed as it stands."
You say, "I meant, 'when rescuing people, do it with heroic flair, or polished service' kind of thing."
Roberta says, "Yeah, ugh."
Manny says, "It's cut down on a lot of my RP, yeah :)"
Roberta says, "Which sucks :("
Manny still talks to some metas but it's not like it was before.
Roberta says, "Why can't the /players/ decide if it is a bad thing?"
Roberta says, "Jesus."
Irene says, "Well, I admit that a lot of what appeals to me is opposing villainy rather than rescuing the hapless. I don't know if this means I don't get superheroes, or, what."
You say, "I think we've now established Town Meeting Issue #2."
You say, "Let's try to codify it."
You say, "The heroes want some way to operate in assistance to the police. Personally, I would suggest something like the old 'posse commitatus' thing. Where the cop has the power to deputize a citizen for a single incident."
Spectrum says, "I'd be a lot more comfortable if I'd seen any clear signal from staff on how much change we can ever expect to see through IC actions, since it seems to vary extremely widely depending on which staffer is asked, the prevailing winds and phases of the moon, or whatever it is that's led to answers there being all over the map."
You say, "Good point. Okay, that's town meeting issue 3. Well, two, and the previous 2 is 3."
Manny says, "I will note that I was cautiously talking to metahumans in costume until staff yelled at me for it."
Irene says, "What, mine?"
Roberta says, "Yeah! I know. A lot of this could be solved by just producing a level playing field and let everyone have at it with a few guidelines set down."
Brady says, "Any theme element that has the effect of limiting and trestricting RP is a bad one for a game."
Roberta nods.
You say, "Darn right, Brady."
Roberta says, "At the moment is it like I am playing an NPC in some dudes sandbox project."
Irene says, "Limits and restrictions can sometimes channel creativity."
Hank says, "Ideally, a game this size should offer more than one style of plot, really. Not *just* Heroes Writ Large, or whatever (even if that's the general shape of the world). Since if there's one thing that's been demonstrated here, it's that there are a number of different pictures of what the ideal superhero game should be."
You say, "Which is why the neo-silver-age is so popular. It works."
Roberta nods.
Spectrum says, "I'm just seeing a lot of troublesome dualities here. It was a big stress in beta that we were supposed to come up with archetypical character ideas, but then so many iconic comics characters here would be unallowable for theme reasons. We're given JLA-level stats and it feels like we're expected to play a street-level Marvel vigilante existance. We're told the setting is going to be realistic especially with its legal and moral quandries, and then we're given fictional laws to enforce that "realism." We're told that our actions will change the world....then we're told not to try changing things or we'll be swatted. We're told SCION is foremost an OOC mechanism to make sure heroes aren't too out there and too weird, then we're told they're an IC organization we can fight like any other villain. We're told not to treat it as a paranoia conspiracy game, then we see an NPC carefully sneaked in as a player then killed as an example, with assurances after that it will happen every few months to keep us on our toes. Err....this may all make a coherent whole in the minds of staff, but it just leaves me really concerned about where I stand in this setting. In the OOC way that makes it less compelling to play rather than the IC way that's fun to RP, I should note."
Roberta says, "Haha, yeah Spectrum."
You say, "Brilliant."
Irene says, "What is interesting when me and Spec were talking in the past is that a lot of junk out of anime works better here than comic book stuff."
Irene says, "Or would hypothetically, anyway."
Manny says, "Nice summation, Spec."
Spectrum laughs. "That's the weird part, yeah. The modern high-tech/supernatural/generally empowered anime genre is a lot easier to fit theme with than, like, the great majority of superhero titles.
You say, "For saying how much of my stuff was filtered through manga influence."
Manny says, "You guys are right."
Hank nods. Yeah, to the extent that I have a problem with the game on a philosophical level (which, for the most part, I don't), it's that. There's a tacit idea (whether intentional or not, and I would say it probably is not) that we need to play 'right', and that we aren't the ones who get to decide what is playing right.
Irene says, "Right. It'd be a lot easier to be Cutie Honey or the Knight Sabers or something than it would be to be Batman or Iron Man. - I concur with Hank."
You say, "The Knight Sabers _are_ super heroes."
Spectrum says, "Yeah, that was the prime example. The Knight Sabers would be much easier to swing in this theme than Iron Man."
You say, "I mean really."
Manny is, as this character, based on two specific superhero comics and it's really only partly working out. PL10 is in a Batfamily of sorts and while it is mostly street level vigilante heroism it's not working out well in this theme anyway.
Hank is essentially trying to be Iron Man, but yeah :)
Irene says, "Right, but it's like, style, how they roll. You could have one rich woman with science who makes some good, but focused, power suits and have a team that way. While Iron Man has nearly magical armor for all situations."
Spectrum says, "The Knight Sabers are a sentai team....which really is just superheroes with a low budget and themed costumes. So yeah. :)"
You say, "... You've never seen Heroes, Irene?"
Hank says, "Though I'm Iron Man Year One, I suppose. Also, not evil."
You say, "Sentai are live action Avengers, after all."
Manny gives Hank a drink.
Irene says, "Only tiny clips here and there, and my JoJo fandom means I heard that Hiro is also a fan."
You say, "See: Captain Japan."
You say, "Great line in an early episode. "This is how I roll" from Hiro."
Spectrum says, "Also, like, even when Iron Man had a secret identity, he had a public identity."
Irene says, "Iron Man, employee of Stark Inc."
rene says, "Anyway, I guess that's what is not there. There does not feel like there is any real epic adventure. Even with Atlantis stuff, it feels like what we really are are the mutants in X-Men."
Irene says, "And to some extent, of course, we ARE, but."
Spectrum says, "You can't do the Fantastic Four here, and the Fantastic Four are the constantly cited example of what Famous Metahuman -is-."
Chase returns from nap and such. And waves.
Roberta says, "If you want to run a meeesterious singular story plot that actually moves forward then do it with your tabletop group. Not with a crap load of people. We are not clowns. We cannot all possibly fit into your car."
Spectrum says, "Which is a pity, since their particular brand of it would be even more thematic and meaningful here than it ever actually was in the Marvel Universe. :)"
Irene says, "But Roberta, you're half-Clown."
Roberta says, "inorite"
Irene says, "I suppose you could compose a group of people who are kind of liek the X-Men. This may already exist, of course."
Irene says, "But on some level I want to foil evil rather than engage in social reform."
Spectrum can be insubstantial. She'll sit where you're sitting.
Roberta says, "Haha, yeah Irene."
Irene says, "Like I'm not against social reform but."
Roberta says, "I am uninterested in this activist crap."
Spectrum says, "I don't mind doing social reform. I think it's a cool thing to do and new from CC1. On the other hand, right now I am uncomfortable since I don't know how much of possible IC goals have reasonable, or even remote, OOC chances of coming to pass."
Manny says, "I like helping people but that's not going to be a goal for every single superhero."
Manny says, "Some will do it some will not, they shouldn't all be forced into one rigidly defined code. That's not how it works in comics either."
Roberta says, "Yep. :|"
http://wora.netlosers.com/index.php?topic=910.0
Manny half idles to read Clark's review of C2.
Brady can't really disagree with any of it.
Hank nodnods. And even then, different people are going to have different approaches to *how* they help people/change the world/whatever.
Spectrum says, "It is amusing though, on what was said before. I'm doing well with my characters here, I think. I also did not really use comic book sources for much of my inspiration in either of my characters. Friends that did tend to be having more trouble."
Hank is not really having that much trouble with Hank, honestly.
Manny says, "All my characters are rooted in superhero comics."
Manny says, "I mean, not because I am not creative (I swear that I am :| ) but because I like seeing particular tropes used when I play in a superhero theme."
Irene says, "Right, I agree."
Spectrum says, "I wasn't into comics when I designed Ellie years back for a tabletop New Mutants type game. Nick is related to an old concept I did for a modern hidden supernatural thing, with some ideas taken from various sources."
Chase says, "That's sort of ironic yeah, Spectrum. Rakshasi's doing alright, but they're really only tangentally connected to their archetype, while I have trouble with Chase here, who's intended to be a carbon thematic copy of a golden-age superman."
Irene says, "What I guess I mean is that while things like reforming the public opinion or saving the orphans in Yakistonia are, to me, RP side dishes, not the main course."

Is it me?

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 00:44:42 GMT

Or is this link incredibly ineffably awesome?
http://www.freewebs.com/thekingofwolves/index.htm#111597760
Reminds me of Unknown Armies a bit. Ut... read.

Madison Trelawney (Shadow Princess) v 1

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 02:52:29 GMT

Madison

PL: 10 (180 pp) ABILITIES: STR: 16 (+3) DEX: 16 (+3) CON: 10 (0) INT: 14 (+2) WIS: 12 (+1) CHA: 14 (+2)
SKILLS: Acrobatics 2 (+5), Bluff 10 (+12), Climb 6 (+9), Computers 6 (+8), Concentration 8 (+9), Artistic 4 (+6), Diplomacy (+2), Disable Device (+2), Disguise 4 (+6), Drive 1 (+4), Escape Artist 8 (+11), Gather Info 4 (+6), Handle Animal (+2), Intimidate 2 (+4), Investigate 6 (+8), Current Event 3 (+5), Medicine 6 (+7), Notice 10 (+11), Search 8 (+10), Sense Motive 5 (+6), Sleight of Hand 6 (+9), Stealth 8 (+11), Survival 1 (+2), Swim 1 (+4)

FEATS: Ambidexterity, Chokehold, Improved Pin, Evasion (1), Improved Grab, Quick Change (1), Luck (1), Improved Grapple, Dodge Focus (3), Attack Focus (Melee) (1)

POWERS: [Cont] Shadow Form [10], [Sub] Concealment (Visual) [Ex: Continuous] [Fl: Limited To Shadows, Passive] [4], [Sub] Elongation [4], [Sub] Insubstantial [Ex: Continuous] [1], [Sub] Protection [Ex: Impervious] [10], [Sub] Super-Movement (Slithering, Wall Crawling 2) [3], [Sub] Super-Senses Darkvision, Infravision [3], [Sub] Super Strength [3], [Sub] Additional Limbs [1], [Array] Possession [PF: AP] [6], [Alt1] Strike [Ex: Penetrating] [PF: Affects Insubstantial x2] [10]

COMBAT: Attack 9 [Unarmed +3] Defense 10 (4 flat-footed) Init 3

SAVES: Toughness 10 (10 flat-footed) Fortitude 5 Reflex 8 Will 6

DRAWBACKS: Vulnerable -Light-Based Attacks [Freq DC 10] [Sev DC 10], Power Loss -Shadow Form, No Shadows [Freq DC 15] [Sev DC 5]

Abilities 22 + Skills 28 (0 ranks) + Feats 12 + Powers 75 + Combat 32 + Saves 15 – Drawbacks -4 = 180 / 180

Penny, final version

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 06:13:36 GMT

PENNY Really just about final now!

PL: 10 (180 pp)

ABILITIES: STR: 12 (+1) DEX: 18 (+4) CON: 14 (+2) INT: 18 (+4) WIS: 14 (+2) CHA: 16 (+3)

SKILLS: Acrobatics 2 (+6), Bluff 10 (+13), Climb 2 (+3), Computers 3 (+7), Concentration 2 (+4), Diplomacy 8 (+11), Disable Device 4 (+8), Disguise 2 (+5), Escape Artist 8 (+12), Gather Info 8 (+11), Handle Animal 1 (+4), Intimidate (+3), Investigate 8 (+12), Current Event 3 (+7), Medicine 2 (+4), Notice 10 (+12), Journalist 2 (+4), Search 8 (+12), Sense Motive 5 (+7), Sleight of Hand 6 (+10), Stealth 1 (+5), Survival 1 (+3), Swim 1 (+2)

FEATS: Beginner's Luck, Connected, Contacts, Evasion (2), Hide in Plain Sight, Improvised Tools, Luck (5), Quick Draw (), Taunt, Uncanny Dodge, Well-Informed, Defensive Roll (8)

POWERS: [Array] Nauseate [Ex: Area, Selective Attack] [PF: Subtle, AP, AP, AP, AP] [10], [Alt1] Power Control [Ex: Area, Selective Attack] [10], [Alt2] Power Control [10], [Alt3] Nullify [Ex: Duration] [PF: Subtle] [10], [Alt4] Nullify [Ex: Power Resistance] [PF: Subtle] [10], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [Array] Luck Control (Other, Worse of Two) [PF: AP, AP, AP, Subtle] [2], [Alt1] TK [Ex: Precise, Perception] [PF: Subtle] [1], [Alt2] Quickness [Fl: Gathering Clues Only] [9], [Alt2] Super-Senses (Precog) [Fl: Uncontrolled, Places and Times to be at only] [4], [Alt3] Concealment [Fl: Blending, Passive] [PF: Subtle] [5]

COMBAT: Attack 8 [Unarmed +1] Defense 5 (3 flat-footed) Init 4

SAVES: Toughness 10 (2 flat-footed) Fortitude 7 Reflex 10 Will 8

DRAWBACKS:

Abilities 32 + Skills 26 (0 ranks) + Feats 24 + Powers 55 + Combat 26 + Saves 17 – Drawbacks 0 = 180 / 180

Penny, semi-final version

Sun, 10 Jun 2007 16:25:13 GMT

I keep feeling like I'm missing something.

PENNY
Maybe remove the Healing?

PL: 10 (180 pp)
ABILITIES: STR: 12 (+1) DEX: 16 (+3) CON: 12 (+1) INT: 14 (+2) WIS: 12 (+1) CHA: 16 (+3)
SKILLS: Acrobatics 2 (+5), Bluff 10 (+13), Climb 2 (+3), Computers 3 (+5), Concentration 2 (+3), Diplomacy 8 (+11), Disable Device 4 (+6), Disguise 2 (+5), Escape Artist 8 (+11), Gather Info 8 (+11), Handle Animal 1 (+4), Intimidate (+3), Investigate 8 (+10), Current Event 3 (+5), Medicine 2 (+3), Notice 10 (+11), Journalist 2 (+3), Search 8 (+10), Sense Motive 5 (+6), Sleight of Hand 6 (+9), Stealth (+3), Survival 1 (+2), Swim 1 (+2)
FEATS: Beginner's Luck, Connected, Contacts, Evasion (2), Hide in Plain Sight, Improvised Tools, Luck (5), Quick Draw (), Taunt, Uncanny Dodge, Well-Informed, Defensive Roll (8)

POWERS: [Array] Nauseate [Ex: Ranged, Area, Selective Attack] [PF: Subtle, AP, AP, AP, AP, AP] [10],
[Alt1] Power Control [Ex: Ranged, Area, Selective Attack] [PF: Subtle] [10],
[Alt2] Power Control [Ex: Ranged] [PF: Subtle] [10],
[Alt3] Nullify [Ex: Power Resistance, Duration] [PF: Subtle] [10],
[Alt4] Healing [PF: Subtle] [10],
[Alt5] Nullfying Field [PF: Subtle] [10],

[Array] Luck Control (Other, Worse of Two) [PF: Subtle, AP, AP] [2],
[Alt1] TK [Ex: Precise, Perception] [PF: Subtle] [1],
[Alt2] Quickness [Fl: Gathering Clues Only] [PF: Subtle] [9]
COMBAT: Attack 8 [Unarmed +1] Defense 5 (3 flat-footed) Init 3 SAVES: Toughness 9 (1 flat-footed) Fortitude 7 Reflex 9 Will 7
DRAWBACKS:
Abilities 22 + Skills 26 (0 ranks) + Feats 24 + Powers 64 + Combat 26 + Saves 18 – Drawbacks 0 = 180 / 180

I'm still your friend, Dave

Thu, 31 May 2007 02:28:58 GMT

Daisy, daisy, do, I'm half crazy, all for the love of you...

Penny V2

Sat, 26 May 2007 18:34:07 GMT

Hm. Like 25 points left, and no defenses.

[b]----------Character Details---------[/b]
[b]Player Name:[/b]
[b]Character Name:[/b]
[b]Character Alias:[/b] Penny
[b]GM's Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Height:[/b]
[b]Weight:[/b]
[b]Hair:[/b]
[b]Eyes:[/b]
[b]Power Level:[/b] 10
[b]Power Points:[/b] 154
[b]Appearance:[/b]
--------------------------------------

[b]----------Background---------[/b]

--------------------------------------

[b]----------Ability Scores---------[/b]
[b]Strength:[/b] 12 (+1)
[b]Dexterity:[/b] 16 (+3)
[b]Constitution:[/b] 12 (+1)
[b]Intelligence:[/b] 14 (+2)
[b]Wisdom:[/b] 12 (+1)
[b]Charisma:[/b] 16 (+3)
--------------------------------------

[b]----------Saves---------[/b]
[b]Toughness:[/b] +1
[b]Fortitude:[/b] +7
[b]Reflex:[/b] +9
[b]Willpower:[/b] +7
--------------------------------------

[b]----------Combat---------[/b]
[b]Attack Bonus:[/b] +2
[b]Damage Bonus:[/b] Unarmed +1
[b]Grapple:[/b] +3
[b]Defense Bonus:[/b] +5 (+3 flat footed)
[b]Initiative:[/b] +3
--------------------------------------

[b]----------Lifting Capacity---------[/b]
[b]Light Load:[/b] 43 lbs
[b]Medium Load:[/b] 86 lbs
[b]Heavy Load:[/b] 130 lbs
[b]Max Load:[/b] 260 lbs
[b]Push/Drag:[/b] 650 lbs
--------------------------------------

[b]----------Movement Rate---------[/b]
[b]Base Speed:[/b] 30 ft/r / 60 ft/r / 120 ft/r
[b]Leap:[/b] 11 ft / 5 ft / 2 ft
--------------------------------------

[b]----------Skills---------[/b]
[list][*][b]Acrobatics[/b] - 2 (+5)
[*][b]Bluff[/b] - 10 (+13)
[*][b]Climb[/b] - 2 (+3)
[*][b]Computers[/b] - 3 (+5)
[*][b]Concentration[/b] - 0 (+1)
[*][b]Diplomacy[/b] - 8 (+11)
[*][b]Disable Device[/b] - 4 (+6)
[*][b]Disguise[/b] - 2 (+5)
[*][b]Escape Artist[/b] - 8 (+11)
[*][b]Gather Info[/b] - 8 (+11)
[*][b]Handle Animal[/b] - 1 (+4)
[*][b]Intimidate[/b] - 0 (+3)
[*][b]Investigate[/b] - 8 (+10)
[*][b]Knowledge: Current Event[/b] - 3 (+5)
[*][b]Knowledge: Popular Culture[/b] - 3 (+5)
[*][b]Knowledge: Streetwise[/b] - 3 (+5)
[*][b]Knowledge: Civics[/b] - 2 (+4)
[*][b]Medicine[/b] - 2 (+3)
[*][b]Notice[/b] - 10 (+11)
[*][b]Search[/b] - 8 (+10)
[*][b]Sense Motive[/b] - 5 (+6)
[*][b]Sleight of Hand[/b] - 6 (+9)
[*][b]Stealth[/b] - 0 (+3)
[*][b]Survival[/b] - 1 (+2)
[*][b]Swim[/b] - 1 (+2)
[/list]
--------------------------------------

[b]----------Feats---------[/b][list][*][b]Beginner's Luck:[/b] Spend a Hero Point to gain 5 temp skill ranks
[*][b]Connected:[/b] Make a Diplomacy check to call in favors or aid
[*][b]Contacts:[/b] Make a Gather Information check in one minute
[*][b]Evasion (2):[/b] Suffer no damage from attacks allowing a Reflex save
[*][b]Hide in Plain Sight:[/b] You don't need cover or concealment to hide
[*][b]Improvised Tools:[/b] No penalty for not having tools for a skill
[*][b]Luck (5):[/b] +5 hero points
[*][b]Quick Draw ():[/b] Draw & ready a weapon as a free action
[*][b]Taunt:[/b] Demoralize using Bluff rather than Intimidate
[*][b]Uncanny Dodge:[/b] Retain your dodge bonus while flat-footed
[*][b]Well-Informed:[/b] Gather Information check when meeting someone
[/list]--------------------------------------

[b]----------Powers---------[/b]
[b]Nauseate[/b] {} - Power Rank 10 - Cost 52 (5 * 10 + 2)
[i]Extras:[/i] Ranged, Area, Selective Attack
[i]Power Feats:[/i] Subtle, AP

[b]Alternate Power 1 of [i]Nauseate[/i] (50/50)[/b]
[b]Probabilty Control[/b] {} - Power Rank 8 - Cost 50 (6 * 8 + 2)
[i]Extras:[/i] Ranged, Fortune
[i]Power Feats:[/i] Subtle, AP

[b]Alternate Power 2 of [i]Nauseate[/i] (21/50)[/b]
[b]Power Control[/b] {} - Power Rank 10 - Cost 21 (2 * 10 + 1)
[i]Power Feats:[/i] Subtle, AP

[b]Luck Control (Other, Worse of Two)[/b] {} - Power Rank 2 - Cost 7 (3 * 2 + 1)
[i]Power Feats:[/i] AP

[b]Alternate Power 1 of [i]Luck Control (Other, Worse of Two)[/i] (5/5)[/b]
[b]TK[/b] {} - Power Rank 1 - Cost 5 (4 * 1 + 1)
[i]Extras:[/i] Precise, Perception

[b]Alternate Power 2 of [i]Luck Control (Other, Worse of Two)[/i] (3/5)[/b]
[b]Quickness[/b] {} - Power Rank 9 - Cost 3 (0.33 * 9)
[i]Flaws:[/i] Gathering Clues Only
--------------------------------------

[b]----------Cost Summary---------[/b]
[b]Abilities:[/b] 22
[b]Combat:[/b] 14
[b]Saves:[/b] 18
[b]Skills:[/b] 25
[b]Feats:[/b] 16
[b]Powers:[/b] 59
[b]Total Cost:[/b] 154
--------------------------------------"

Fri, 25 May 2007 19:40:05 GMT

windlord.stanford.edu 4626, is rebooting. Crucible City is changing to Mutants and Masterminds 2e, PL10, 180 points, in a Heroes-like 'powers are just starting now, but there's hints of stuff before' like world.

So I made a sidekick. Nosy reporter. Either one. Based it on Nancy Drew and Rick Jones. Her name is Penelope "Bad Penny" Brown. She keeps turning up where she isn't wanted.
Seventeen years old, in high school... and she doesn't know she's a probability manipulator. Bad things happen to people she doesn't like. (Nausea, Subtle.) They fall down, they mess up things they could normally do. On the other hand, someone she's rooting for (Probability Manipulation, Fortune) will never fail.
Oddly enough, a surprising amount of people have their pencils break or pants fall down when they've annoyed her (TK, Precise, Perception, Subtle)... and that doesn't count what might just happen to a supervillain that's trying to hurt her. (Power Control) (Off... on. Off... on.)

I'm just not horribly satisfied with the build yet. Anyone want to look at this and give some advice?

Penelope Brown, M&M 2.0.
PL10, 180 points

Max attack/def 10 max save dc 10 max toughness 10 max save/abil bonus +15 max ability 40 max skill 15
Ability: 1/pt above 10
attack: 2 per +1
defense 2 per +1
save 1 per +1
skills 1 per 4
feats 1 per feat
powers base x rank

BAB +2
Def +5
=12 pts
Ref = 6
Fort = 6
Will = 6
Toughness = 6
=18 pts
Str 12
Dex 16
Con 12
Int 14
Wis 12
Cha 16
= 22 points

Acrobatics 2 Bluff 10 Climb 2 Computers 3 Diplomacy 8 Disguise 2 Disable Device 4 Escape Artist 8 Gather Information 8 Handle Animal 1 Investigate 8 Knowledge (Current Events) 3 Knowledge (Popular Culture) 3 Knowledge (streetwise) 3 Knowledge (Civics) 2 Medicine 2 Notice 10 Search 8 Sense Motive 5 Sleight of Hand 6 Survival 1 Swim 1
100 pts skills = 25 points
=77 pts

Feats: Beginner's Luck, Connected, Contacts, Distract(Bluff) Evasion 2, Hide In Plain Sight, Improvised Tools, Luck 5, Quick Draw, Taunt, Ultimate Save (Reflex), Uncanny Dodge (Auditory), Well-Informed
18 points
Power Cost: (Base + Extras - Flaws) X ranks + feats

Nauseate: Probability Control: 10 levels
Ranged, Area, Shapable
Nauseate: 2/rank, 10 ranks, Area(+1), Selective Attack(+1), Ranged(+1) (+AP + Subtle = 2 PP) = 50+2 PP
Probability Control: 4/rank, ? ranks, Ranged(+1) (Area+1?) (Selective Attack+1) Fortune (+1) Jinx (+1)
OR
Probability Control: 4/rank, ? ranks, Ranged(+1) Fortune (+1) w/50 points = 9 ranks + subtle
Power Control: 2/rank.

TK: Luck Control: Time Control,
Luck Control 3/rank, 2 ranks. (Other characters) (Worse of two rolls) = 6 PP
TK: 2/rank. 2 ranks, Precise (+1) Perception(+1) = 8 PP
Concealment: 2 / rank, Sight (2), Hearing (1) Smell (1) Passive (-1), Blending (-1) Mental (+0?)= 1/2 ranks= 2 PP
Quickness X (Flaw, Gathering Clues Only -2) = 9 ranks = 3 PP = 1 day = free action.
Okay, discussed options that would let you stumble on clues. Try this - Quickness X (Flaw: Gathering Clues Only -2), so you'd get 3 ranks for each 1PP spent. Enough ranks of this and you could 'search' a room in a fraction of a second, and the SFX can be stumbling on the clue. So you'd buy that, and high Search.

Screwing with Andy

Wed, 02 May 2007 16:45:20 GMT

What I tell you three times is true.

Heh. Heh. Heh.

Earth-10 #1

Tue, 01 May 2007 01:53:22 GMT

In concert with dvandom scavgraphics and jarodrussell, I bring you something... new.

In 1956, the history of comics changed forever. Superheroes returned. With Showcase #4, presenting the Flash, none of what you see on the comic stands would be here. No Heroes. No Spider-Man. No Men in Black. Possibly no Superman, no Batman, no manga.

In 1956, the Silver Age was brought into existance with an iconic hero, the man of the moment. He was streamlined, jet-age. Aerodynamic and... as the dreams of the era asked, the fastest man alive. The 1950s were about speed. Born the year of the Highway, born as rockets launched and jets screamed, Barry Allen was the icon of applied science.

In 1985, the universe was reborn again, as many worlds became one. Simpler in number, more dynamic in personality, more complex in depth.

In 2006, they were reborn again. And we were told something. There were heroes of a lost earth in 1985. Green Lantern of Earth 8: Kyle Rayner. Captain Atom of Earth 8: Breach.

And I thought to myself... what if? What about an imaginary story, which may never happen, but then again, may, of a new world found by heroes in a time when heroes were most called for. In 1956, they truly reinvented the heroes for a new age. In 1985, they tried, piecemeal. In 2006, they hardly bothered.

What would happen if they did? Oh, Tangent was there, and it was good, but it was nothing but the names kept, the trademarks, the world thrown out and nothing else kept.

What if we needed heroes for today? What kind of heroes does our world call for?

Welcome to Earth-10.

It starts with a September morning when heroes were needed... and they didn't respond in time. All of those who died in our world were heroes, especially those who tried to take back Flight 93.

But what happens if there are people with powers that day? What happens if they see a call for action they can not deny?

We start, not with Superman, not with Wonder Woman, not with Batman. We start with someone minor. Someone else.
What is the need of this hour? What are the dreams of the 21st century?
I give you Power Girl.

It's morning in the city. And Karen Starr is on her way to class, stopping for a bagel at a cart. She's college age, and she's... well, she's not the chesty wonder we know. Blonde hair, short, fashionable. Earrings, a light coat, jeans and smelling her coffee. And then the unimaginable happens. The first plane flies overhead, and impacts, horribly. She drops her drink.
She stands in shock. We all did. And then... there's another dot, getting closer. It snaps her out of the fugue she fell into and if there ever was a time for heroes...

From above, a blue and white spark. A corona of power arcs towards the plane, and stops. Between the second tower and Flight 175 she stops. And the power lances out, and the wing of the plane is clipped off. Immolated, vaporized. And the plane dips away from the tower... and that's when our heroine realizes there are people still inside. She dives down, trying to catch the flaming carcass. The corona catches, lifts. It burns and scorches as well, but it works like a force field for long enough. The plane skips over Wall Street, the crash no longer a desperate plunge, but a falling glide.It skips across the river, impacting with the warehouses on the north side.

Our heroine survives. And the world changes.
In the first press conference, she bobbles an answer, and winds up with a corny old name. She's a media star who doesn't want it. She's a heroine, authentic and true. Well. Not so much. But she tries... though honestly, she just wants to start her web design company. Not be involved in a media circus. She's really interested in a whole new way of communicating with people.
But she doesn't really have that choice anymore.

In the months to come, more heroes come. But who are they?

Superman, strange visitor from a distant future.
Wonder Woman, inspiration from the past who fights for liberty and justice.
Batman, myth or man? He is the terror that lives in the night of the corrupt city.

Interesting. Fleisher-Era Anime. I'm not joking

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 23:26:54 GMT

This one's interesting just because I have some idea what's going on, but not much. Anyone able to figure it out?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyGvGMa2RFg

This one... listen to the voices. Man, who is that spider?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH1v4vkUBt8

For Foomf

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 18:02:11 GMT

http://www.sheldoncomics.com/comics/sheldon/archive/sheldon-20060210.html