Digest Archives Vol 1 Issue 25
Desmarais, John
From: owner-champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Sent: Thursday, November 05, 1998 1:52 AM
To: champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Subject: champ-l-digest V1 #25
champ-l-digest Thursday, November 5 1998 Volume 01 : Number 025
In this issue:
Re: Race central to concept? (was Anglo-HERO)
Re: Cute Joke
Re: Campaign Styles/Types
Re: Poll Homegrown Universes (was Re: Breadth vs. Depth)
RE: Online Magazine
Re: Shadow of a Doubt
Re: Everyimmortal skills [long]
Re: That Alta-Vista Translate Page is Great Stuff
Re: Look Out! It's Mr. Fist! (SFX: Multi-SFX Gauntlets)
Re: Breadth vs. Depth
Re: Cumulative Power Frameworks
Re: Dark Side (???) was Reverse Experience Points Anyone?
Re: Possession?
Re: [Fuzion] Re: The Ultimate Vehicle!
Re: Star Trek Campaigns (was Re: Howdy!)
Re: DARK CITY
Re: Expanded gestures and incantations
RE: Gaming
Re: DARK CITY
Re: History or RPG's (Re: Traveller)
Re: Everyimmortal skills [long]
Re: Physical vs. Energy Flash (was RE: Non-Lethal Weapons)
Re: Boon to Mankind: you WILL drive properly
Re: Poll Homegrown Universes (was Re: Breadth vs. Depth)
Re: Did you have to do that?!? (A Question rears it's ugly head)
Re: Immortal Challenge!
Re: Look Out! It's Mr. Fist! (SFX: Multi-SFX Gauntlets)
Re: Skills: the Batman Option
Re: Look Out! It's Mr. Fist! (SFX: Multi-SFX Gauntlets)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 21:46:30 -0500 (EST)
From: Jason Sullivan <ravanos@njcu.edu>
Subject: Re: Race central to concept? (was Anglo-HERO)
On Thu, 20 Aug 1998, Michael (Damon) or Peni R. Griffin wrote:
> > For some characters, race CAN'T be an issue. Iron Man and Spider
> >Man wear full body suits, limiting the chance that anyone will find out
> >who they are as well as totally masking their race.
>
> Remember that the Secret ID is part of the character, not only his Hero ID.
> Race needn't be an issue for Iron Man and Spiderman, true. But that's
> because it's possible to have wealthy Asian, or Hispanic, or
> African-American industrialists (or freelance photographers), *not* because
> they wear full body suits with masks or helmets.
>
> Damon
What I meant by this is Spider Man and Iron Man can't be judged by
their race because their costumes fully conceal their race. So, short of
a professional investigation into the cultural identity of iron Man and
Spider Man, which would be impossible due to the fact that they are
'heroes' and have Secret IDs, and unveiling of said heroes, admittance to
be of a certain race, or rumors there of, neither iron Man or Spidey could
really be judged by their race.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 13:00:19 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@access.digex.net>
Subject: Re: Cute Joke
On Wed, 19 Aug 1998, Bob Greenwade wrote:
> >Stackpole). I always liked the artistic in-jokes on some of the older
> >Hero stuff.
>
> Me too -- and it's not all older stuff. (See The Ultimate Mentalist,
> page 13.)
Is that the Steve Long pic? Heck, there is a better one than that! How
about memembers of PSI plotting to take on the Satellite of Love?
(from Mystery Science Theatre 3000)
I can't remember the page# though.
***************************************************************************
* "'Cause I'm the god of destruction, that's why!" - Susano Orbatos,Orion *
* Michael Surbrook / susano@access.digex.net *
* Visit "Surbrook's Stuff' the Hero Games resource site at: *
* http://www.access.digex.net/~susano/index.html *
* Attacked Mystification Police / AD Police / ESWAT *
* Society for Creative Anachronism / House ap Gwystl / Company of St.Mark *
***************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 22:32:18 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@access.digex.net>
Subject: Re: Campaign Styles/Types
On Tue, 29 Sep 1998, thomas deja wrote:
> Welll lessee....i've played a Cyberpunk style Hero game based on THE
> PSYCHO (A great DC miniseries), two different 'Teen Games' where the
> players built normal teens first on 1000 points, then placed 75 points
Uhm... that *has* to be a typo... right?
> of powers on them, a Mega-Hero game with unlimited power points as long
> as they balanced.....
***************************************************************************
* "'Cause I'm the god of destruction, that's why!" - Susano Orbatos,Orion *
* Michael Surbrook / susano@access.digex.net *
* Visit "Surbrook's Stuff' the Hero Games resource site at: *
* http://www.access.digex.net/~susano/index.html *
* Attacked Mystification Police / AD Police / ESWAT *
* Society for Creative Anachronism / House ap Gwystl / Company of St.Mark *
***************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1998 13:37:24 -0700
From: Lizard <lizard@dnai.com>
Subject: Re: Poll Homegrown Universes (was Re: Breadth vs. Depth)
On Thu, Sep 03, 1998 at 02:44:19PM -0400, David Stallard wrote:
> Message text written by Michael Surbrook
> >I have never tried to run in any published universe, even our Feng Shui
> game was altered to fit what we wanted to play. OTOH, I have used many
> published characters, although very few were dropped straight into my
> universe(s) without some sort of modification.<
>
> Why? Are all of the RPG companies way off base in the setting creation
> department, or have you just not found a setting that you have been happy
> with? Or do you just enjoy tinkering? This seems like way too much work
> to me, but apparantly a lot of GMs feel they need to "own" every aspect of
> their gameworld.
>
I can't imagine using anyone elses setting 'as is'...even when I ran Star Wars,
I always set it outside the main continuity, so I would have an open
canvas on which to paint.
Almost all the fun of GMing is world building;using published settings is to
gaming what microwave dinners are to cooking.
Of course, I started back in 1978 when there WERE no published settings;it
never occured to us back then that we could use someone elses world.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 15:38:01 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@access.digex.net>
Subject: RE: Online Magazine
On Mon, 26 Oct 1998, Dave Mattingly wrote:
> Several people have already mentioned my Haymaker zine, which as of now is
> only available to contributors. Hero Games' official stance seems to be that
> Digital Hero is the new Adventurers' Club.
>
> Something I'd like to do, though, is to make a 'Best of' supplement
> combining some of the best work of Haymaker, HeroZine, Rogues' Gallery, and
> Clobberin' Times into one nicely printed and bound issue.
>
> Does this sound like something that people would like?
Considering some of hte people that contribute to these APAs and
magazines... yes!
***************************************************************************
* "'Cause I'm the god of destruction, that's why!" - Susano Orbatos,Orion *
* Michael Surbrook / susano@access.digex.net *
* Visit "Surbrook's Stuff' the Hero Games resource site at: *
* http://www.access.digex.net/~susano/index.html *
* Attacked Mystification Police / AD Police / ESWAT *
* Society for Creative Anachronism / House ap Gwystl / Company of St.Mark *
***************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 01 Nov 1998 09:00:40 -0500
From: Chris Hartjes <chris@ergmusic.com>
Subject: Re: Shadow of a Doubt
Mike Christodoulou wrote:
>
> "These are not the droids you're looking for."
>
> Suppose that Obi Wan could sway men's minds. But suppose that
> he didn't have any variety in his commands -- that the only
> thing he could do with his mind control is "These are not the
> droids you're looking for."
>
> More to the specific example I have in mind: a character who
> can project a single thought -- "Things are not what they seem.
> Doubt your senses." The actual effect or end result of such
> a command would depend on the target and the current situation.
>
> Mind control? limited to only this one command? What's the
> limitation worth? What's the mind control dice modifier?
>
> Or is this such a limited power that it is better modeled
> through another mechanism? Presence? Mental Illusion?
> Something else?
I seem to remember Obi-Wan saying that this sort of thing only works
against "the weak of mind". This leads me to believe that this ability
is Mind Control with the limitation that can send one thought as you
mentioned.
Chris Hartjes
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 21:48:14 -0500
From: Ross Rannells <rossrannells@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Everyimmortal skills [long]
Bob Greenwade wrote:
> At 09:17 PM 8/11/1998 -0500, Ross Rannells wrote:
> > ...Most importantly, what kind of Ice Cream do the sloth
> >dwellers like?
>
> Obviously: Rocky Road.
> (BTW, I'm finding this whole thread fascinating!)
> ---
> Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROs member]
> http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
> Homepage of the Merry-Go-Round Webring! (Wanna join?)
> http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
Another question occured to me after my previous post. How do the sloth dweller
bury their dead? Cremation and burrial seem out of place on the back of a
slow moving creature. Could it be that that they feed them to the sloth, thereby
completing a circular life cycle. The sloth giving them life and they giving the
sloth life.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 1998 09:41:43 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@access.digex.net>
Subject: Re: That Alta-Vista Translate Page is Great Stuff
On Tue, 20 Oct 1998, Donald Tsang wrote:
> Guy writes:
> >Too bad there's no online resource for English to Latin; I need to
> >translate "Out of Chaos, Order", and it's been too many years since my
> >Latin classes.
>
> There is a page that does Pig Latin, Jive, Valspeak, and Swedish Chef...
> does that help? (http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/jbc/home/chef.html)
There is a similar page called The Dialectizer at:
http://www.rinkworks.com/dialect/
that does Pig Latin, Jive, Swedish Chef, Cockney, Elmer Fudd and 'Moron'.
It's great fun to load up webpages and read the changes.
***************************************************************************
* "'Cause I'm the god of destruction, that's why!" - Susano Orbatos,Orion *
* Michael Surbrook / susano@access.digex.net *
* Visit "Surbrook's Stuff' the Hero Games resource site at: *
* http://www.access.digex.net/~susano/index.html *
* Attacked Mystification Police / AD Police / ESWAT *
* Society for Creative Anachronism / House ap Gwystl / Company of St.Mark *
***************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 12:32:58 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Dr. Nuncheon" <jeffj@io.com>
Subject: Re: Look Out! It's Mr. Fist! (SFX: Multi-SFX Gauntlets)
On Wed, 12 Aug 1998, qts wrote:
> >My questions are as follows:
> > The Gauntlets are a 0 Range EB with VSFX. I need to but _two_ of
> >these, one to represent physical EB and one to represent energy EB?
> >
> > What is the best framework to represent said power set?
>
> Shouldn't this be HA or HKA?
>
> VSFX is the only advantage you need - everything in your description is
> covered by this as you're doin g the same base damage (no AP,
> Penetrating, whatever)
> qts
I suggest HA or HKA, just because they allow the Strength adds.
Alternately, you could put a +1/2 advantage on the EB, 'strength adds to
damage'.
You might want to consider using Variable Advantage instead of VSFX - this
would let you reshape the gauntlets to do AP damage, Penetrating damage,
etc.
And, of course, you could put 1/4 worth of your Variabel Advantage into
VSFX.
I had a character with a sword that did this...very nice.
J
Hostes aliengeni me abduxerent. Jeff Johnston - jeffj@io.com
Qui annus est? http://www.io.com/~jeffj
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1998 00:55:46 -0500 (EST)
From: tdj723@webtv.net (thomas deja)
Subject: Re: Breadth vs. Depth
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Actually, it's both--Spider-Girl started out as a WHAT IF story that
proved to be so popular that the powers that be at Marvel decided to
launch their third attempt at a second universe--SPIDER GIRL (which
began as the WHAT IF story cited), J2, and A-NEXT. There is no X-Men
title, although the 'X-People' show up n an issue of J2.....
I give the line about a year....
"'Money doesn't talk--it screams."
--A.J. Benza, HOLLYWOOD MYSTERIES AND SCANDALS
____________________________________
THE ULTIMATE HULK, containing the new story, "A Quiet, Normal Life," is
available now from Byron Preiss and Berkley
_______________________________
MAKE UP YOUR OWN DAMN TITLE, Tom Deja's webpage
www.freeyellow.com/members/tdj
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Subject: Re: Breadth vs. Depth
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Precedence: bulk
> There was a What If? recently, the only comic I read in full for years, I
> think, where Spiderman, retired for about 20 years due to losing a leg,
> found himself being hunted by the new Green Goblin, whose father had died in
> the battle that cost Spiderman his leg. There was this wonderful scene where
> Peter Parker went to the Avenger's mansion to get help. Looking at all the
> "youngsters", he left with a "Never mind."
>
> He just couldn't see having a bunch of "kids" go into battle for him.
>
> Then his daughter shows up and kicks GG's butt.:)
>
> Filksinger
That's not a what if. It's a new regular monthly series set 15 years
into the future. It's part of a new line that includes I think 4 titles.
One a future Avengers, one a future Juggernaut (as a hero, his son I
think), and one a future X-title.
- --
Rook ¿Õ ¿ë ±â WebRPG TownHall Magistrate townhall.webrpg.com <0){{{{><
__ Super WebRing http://orion.supersoldiers.com/heroes/webring.html
/.)\ Nothing vast enters the life of mortals without a curse.
\(@/ http://www.infinex.com/~rook/SH/ Super Hero RPG Site
- --WebTV-Mail-1047215776-1836--
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1998 11:27:03 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Dr. Nuncheon" <jeffj@io.com>
Subject: Re: Cumulative Power Frameworks
On Wed, 30 Sep 1998, Bob Greenwade wrote:
> At 11:05 AM 9/30/1998, qts wrote:
> >On Tue, 29 Sep 1998 15:49:56 -0400, geoff heald wrote:
> >
> >> I also
> >>seem to remember that more than one framework per character is at least
> >>discouraged.
> >
> >Really? IIRC Seeker has at least two Multipowers.
> And while there's nothing that I can find in the BBB that addresses this
> issue, I do agree that this should be generally discouraged -- but by no
> means forbidden (Seeker's case being a case in point, where the two
> represent widely divergent things).
I've used two, and they even represented similar things. One was a
Multipower of gadgets (the character's 'stock arsenal' - stuff he always
carried) and the second was a VPP of gadgets that he could change around
in his lab. I pondered adding a third, small 'gizmo' pool (or partially
buying off the 'only in lab' limit), representing the ability to always
have the right gadget on hand, but I didn't wind up going with it.
J
Hostes aliengeni me abduxerent. Jeff Johnston - jeffj@io.com
Qui annus est? http://www.io.com/~jeffj
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 10:27:37 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@access.digex.net>
Subject: Re: Dark Side (???) was Reverse Experience Points Anyone?
On Tue, 8 Sep 1998, Bob Greenwade wrote:
> >Speaking of my game, does anyone know
> >who Darkside (from an anime) is?
> If Michael Surbrook or someone else who really knows his anime doesn't
> respond with something usable, see if Darkseid is what's intended. In case
> you don't know, he's the Big Baddie in Jack Kirby's New Gods, and has
> plagued everyone from the Justice League to the Legion of Super-Heroes.
I have never heard of a anime character named 'Darkside'. I'm willing ot
bet the character is 'Darkseid' from DC comics. If any further details
are known, please pass them on.
***************************************************************************
* "'Cause I'm the god of destruction, that's why!" - Susano Orbatos,Orion *
* Michael Surbrook / susano@access.digex.net *
* Visit "Surbrook's Stuff' the Hero Games resource site at: *
* http://www.access.digex.net/~susano/index.html *
* Attacked Mystification Police / AD Police / ESWAT *
* Society for Creative Anachronism / House ap Gwystl / Company of St.Mark *
***************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 22:08:12 -0500
From: Ross Rannells <rossrannells@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Possession?
Filksinger wrote:
> From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
> >
> <snip>
> >>Does that mean that working with Hero is like programming in machine
> >>language? *Grinz* *Ponders* The analogy is there, methinks, as are both
> >>the joys and headaches.
> >
> > Think of d6 as machine language (probably), but Hero as C++. It's a
> >robust system with a lot of pre-defined functions, but there are also a lot
> >of things you have to figure out how to do yourself, and there are
> >different takes on doing them, each with their own advantages and
> >disadvatnages.
>
> I have thought of the HERO system as resembling programming for some time.
>
> If it is C++, is Fuzion BASIC?
>
Hero is definitely not a bastardized wannabe immataion, which is what C++ is.
Hero is more along the lines of Smalltalk or Objective C, simplistically
powerful. Hopefully the next version of Hero will bring it in line with Java.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 15:45:58 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@access.digex.net>
Subject: Re: [Fuzion] Re: The Ultimate Vehicle!
On Mon, 19 Oct 1998, Bob Greenwade wrote:
> I will point out that the largest single section is the Sample
> Characters and Vehicles. This will include updates of the Slingshot (the
> Champions' jet) and Death Rider; a full write-up of Warhawk; an update of
> the Slissii (from Robot Warriors); a bunch of original characters, to
> demonstrate various vehicles types and specific rules in the book; and
> about 6-7 pages of "conventional" vehicles from motorcycles to a 49-meter
> yacht.
And, if luck will ahve it, one unconventional Moller Skycar... right?
***************************************************************************
* "'Cause I'm the god of destruction, that's why!" - Susano Orbatos,Orion *
* Michael Surbrook / susano@access.digex.net *
* Visit "Surbrook's Stuff' the Hero Games resource site at: *
* http://www.access.digex.net/~susano/index.html *
* Attacked Mystification Police / AD Police / ESWAT *
* Society for Creative Anachronism / House ap Gwystl / Company of St.Mark *
***************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Aug 1998 12:30:30 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@access.digex.net>
Subject: Re: Star Trek Campaigns (was Re: Howdy!)
On Sun, 9 Aug 1998, B.C. Holmes wrote:
> I also ended up converting my FASA Star Trek campaign to Hero, so I had
> a bit of trouble with some of these skills:
>
> Leadership (is this just PRE? Or is there a real skill, there?)
Fuzion and GURPS use this to. I thik a good thing to adapt is Oratory.
> Starship Tactics (as a different skill than Small Unit Tactics)
Yes.
> Zero-G Operations (PS?)
Ninja Hero and UMA makes this a KS.
***************************************************************************
* "'Cause I'm the god of destruction, that's why!" - Susano Orbatos,Orion *
* Michael Surbrook / susano@access.digex.net *
* Visit "Surbrook's Stuff' the Hero Games resource site at: *
* http://www.access.digex.net/~susano/index.html *
* Attacked Mystification Police / AD Police / ESWAT *
* Society for Creative Anachronism / House ap Gwystl / Company of St.Mark *
***************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 11:05:36 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@access.digex.net>
Subject: Re: DARK CITY
On Sat, 29 Aug 1998, B.C. Holmes wrote:
> One of my campaigns has some similarities to Dark City -- it's based on
> "The Hole", a campaign described in an article of Pyramid magazine.
>
> The main characters live in this 30-foot wide Hole on the surface of an
> otherwise barren planet. It's always dusk. There's no way to leave,
> and nobody knows who (if anyone) is really responsible for creating the
> Hole and bringing people to it.
A minor correction here. The Hole is 30 *miles* wide.
> I've thrown in lots of elements from Shadowrun and the old _Grimjack_
> comic.
Ahhh... "Grimjack", always a good source of ideas for many genres.
***************************************************************************
* "'Cause I'm the god of destruction, that's why!" - Susano Orbatos,Orion *
* Michael Surbrook / susano@access.digex.net *
* Visit "Surbrook's Stuff' the Hero Games resource site at: *
* http://www.access.digex.net/~susano/index.html *
* Attacked Mystification Police / AD Police / ESWAT *
* Society for Creative Anachronism / House ap Gwystl / Company of St.Mark *
***************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 1998 10:03:37 +1000
From: m <jonesmj@topaz.cqu.edu.au>
Subject: Re: Expanded gestures and incantations
aren't minor effects like head bops just part of visible power effects?
qts wrote:
> On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 21:19:58 -0500, Melinda and Steven Mitchell wrote:
>
> >> From: qts <qts@nildram.co.uk>
> >> On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 01:24:55 -0500, Melinda and Steven Mitchell wrote:
> >> >Question:
> >> >If a 2 handed weapon gets a -1/2, what does a 2 handed gesture require?
> >>
> >> a 2H weapon effectively requires continuous gestures, so -1/2 is
> >> correct.
> >
> >Good answer.
> >>
> >>snip
> >
> >> As I with VPPs, I think you've not read the descriptions closely
> >> enough.
> >
> >I know how it works in standard Hero. I'm experimenting with a house rule
> >because I don't think the way it works in standard Hero is fair, giving a
> >FH game.
>
> It did not seem that way in your initial post. Given that the current
> Limitation of -1/4 is for obvious movements/loud magic phrases, and
> this seems reasonble (how often is a mage restrained?), you'd have to
> go to -1/8 for more modest movements/normal speech. I do like your idea
> about shouting, though.
>
> qts
>
> Home: qts@nildram.co.uk.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1998 11:40:34 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@access.digex.net>
Subject: RE: Gaming
On Mon, 5 Oct 1998, geoff heald wrote:
> My brother says Hero is wonderful for it's flexability, I say it's
> frustrating for it's lack of support. And I notice he keeps trying to get
> _me_ to design and "iron mongery" of medeval weapons for him. It looks to
> be a lot of work.
If you want arms and armor from the Middle Ages, visit my website, I have
an extensive listing created it make such weapons more realistic and
in line with the real world.
***************************************************************************
* "'Cause I'm the god of destruction, that's why!" - Susano Orbatos,Orion *
* Michael Surbrook / susano@access.digex.net *
* Visit "Surbrook's Stuff' the Hero Games resource site at: *
* http://www.access.digex.net/~susano/index.html *
* Attacked Mystification Police / AD Police / ESWAT *
* Society for Creative Anachronism / House ap Gwystl / Company of St.Mark *
***************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 12:01:48 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@access.digex.net>
Subject: Re: DARK CITY
On Sun, 30 Aug 1998, Bob Greenwade wrote:
> At 02:59 PM 8/29/1998 -0700, Lizard wrote:
> >IIRC, the hole was 30 MILES across, actually. :)
>
> That still seems kinda small to me... was it pretty deep?
Lesse, the Hole is 30 miles wide and a mile deep. It has something like
700 square miles of land, of which 30% is arable and a population of
300,000 (and can take 100,000 more before straining the ecosystem). 75%
of the population is human, the rest are... some other race(s).
Note that a hole this size would stretch from Baltimore, Maryland to
Washington DC. And it is a circle as well, so there is quite a bit of
space to be had.
***************************************************************************
* "'Cause I'm the god of destruction, that's why!" - Susano Orbatos,Orion *
* Michael Surbrook / susano@access.digex.net *
* Visit "Surbrook's Stuff' the Hero Games resource site at: *
* http://www.access.digex.net/~susano/index.html *
* Attacked Mystification Police / AD Police / ESWAT *
* Society for Creative Anachronism / House ap Gwystl / Company of St.Mark *
***************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1998 07:00:52 -0700 (PDT)
From: Brian Wong <rook@shell.infinex.com>
Subject: Re: History or RPG's (Re: Traveller)
> >> Does anybody know offhand what the first superhero RPG was? Villains &
> >> Vigilantes was my first, though I quickly switched to 2nd ed. Champions.
> >
> > SuperHero 2044, published in 1977
> >>
> >> There must be a good history of RPG's somewhere out there on the net. If
> >> anyone has a URL, I'd love to see it.
> >
> > I don't know about on the net. But there is print.
> >
> > "The fantasy Role-Playing Gamer's Bible" Sean Patric Fannon
> > ISBN 0-7615--0264-5
> >
> > It mentions that D&D was first published in January 1974 in a print run
> >of 1000 copies. With 2000 more printed in August of that year.
> > Chainmail was already 'in wide circulation' by the time of GenCon IV in
> >1971.
>
> Metamorphosis Alpha came after DnD quite quickly - weren't there
> articles about it in The Strategic Review?
According to the book, Metamorphosis Alpha was the second Sci Fi
game in 1977. FGU beat them with the one I mentioned in there that flopped
(Not Space Opera, that came later).
- --
Rook ¿Õ ¿ë ±â WebRPG Town Hall Magistrate townhall.webrpg.com <0){{{{><
__ Super WebRing http://orion.supersoldiers.com/heroes/webring.html
/.)\ http://www.infinex.com/~rook/SH/SHlinks.html Super Hero Links
\(@/ http://www.infinex.com/~rook/SH/ Super Hero RPG Site
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 01:05:14 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@access.digex.net>
Subject: Re: Everyimmortal skills [long]
On Thu, 13 Aug 1998, Lockie wrote:
> > >you should do
> > > so openly with points bonus, not some mangling of the ES skill list.
> > > (that is if you can't *bear* just sticking to the normal points level)
> >
> > Okay, now you seem to think that the GM can give out bonuses to a PC
> based
> > on origin. Correct?
>
> yes.
Then why the big beef over the altered ES list for an immortal origin
story? In effect, the GM is giving the PC a bonus based on origin.
***************************************************************************
* "'Cause I'm the god of destruction, that's why!" - Susano Orbatos,Orion *
* Michael Surbrook / susano@access.digex.net *
* Visit "Surbrook's Stuff' the Hero Games resource site at: *
* http://www.access.digex.net/~susano/index.html *
* Attacked Mystification Police / AD Police / ESWAT *
* Society for Creative Anachronism / House ap Gwystl / Company of St.Mark *
***************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 15:01:22 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Dr. Nuncheon" <jeffj@io.com>
Subject: Re: Physical vs. Energy Flash (was RE: Non-Lethal Weapons)
On 21 Aug 1998, Stainless Steel Rat wrote:
> "N" == Nuncheon <jeffj@io.com> writes:
>
> N> Therefore, Physical Power Defense would, if it existed, defend against
> N> Power attacks with physical SFX
>
> Lava, a 'physical' special effect with Energy Defense being an appropriate
> defense.
Only because whoever wrote up lava in that way decided to call it an
'energy' attack. Lava, and flaming swords, and various other attacks have
components of both physical and energy to them, and are thus difficult to
model in HERO.
In any case, you disregarded the second half of that, which was "or those
defined to be Physical at character creation - the same as Physical
Defense defends against EBs or KAs defined to be Physical."
What it boils down to is that you would have to define the attack as being
physical or energy - just like you do with an EB, an RKA or HKA in the
present rules.
The SFX of the power would determine which type of attack it should be.
If you wanted your lava-based EB, you'd have to pick 'physical' or
'energy' for it. If you wanted a lava-based Drain, then you'd have to do
the same thing, based on how it drains whatever it drains.
J
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 18:01:21 -0500
From: Ross Rannells <rossrannells@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Boon to Mankind: you WILL drive properly
Filksinger wrote:
> From: Ross Rannells <rossrannells@worldnet.att.net>
>
> <snip>
> >You haven't even touched the surface yet. The AI with enough computing
> power to
> >safely drive a car at our current computing power would be rougly the size
> of the
> >moon.
> >
>
> A group of researchers are starting road tests of such a system soon. I
> don't think they have a computer quite that size in the car.
>
> It would give a whole new meaning to "wide load" though, wouldn't it?
>
> Filksinger
Have the got the car so that it can actually share the road with at least one
other vehicle?
Did they finally get the Nerual Nets to follow the yellow line down the steet
without stopping during a rain storm and at every intersection?
Is is safe enough yet to allow pedestrians to walk in front of it?
There are hundreds of other mistakes and misques that have occured in the past,
but we'll get it right sooner or later (most likely much later).
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1998 10:26:50 -0400
From: David Stallard <DBStallard@compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: Poll Homegrown Universes (was Re: Breadth vs. Depth)
Message text written by "Melinda and Steven Mitchell"
>Microwave GM brings home the published adventure and serves it as is.
The Cooking GM buys the published world, brings it home to his GM
"kitchen," where he proceeds to carefully prepare and season to taste. A
setting grilled at GM Smith is a very different taste from the same setting
deep fat fried at GM Jones.<
This is just silly.... It implies that you can never have fun with a game
unless you hack it to pieces and reform it in your own image. I've been a
Microwave GM, a Cooking GM, and a Homegrown GM over the years, and none of
these approaches is "better" than any other. I'm starting to sense
somewhat of an elitist view that "real gamers make up their own
stuff...published data is only for weenies." Of course, the same people
who I get this from are the same ones clamoring for their special settings
to become published data. You can't have it both ways....
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 22:00:10 -0500
From: Ross Rannells <rossrannells@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Did you have to do that?!? (A Question rears it's ugly head)
JayPHailey@aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 98-08-22 02:22:51 EDT, you write:
>
> << For me Genocide is funded by a couple of really rich meglomaniac mutant
> heaters (much like the taliband ?sp) >>
>
> Actually in my game world genocide is asupport by quite and fairly wide spread
> anti-mutant prejudice. A number of people in high places in the government
> are Genocide sympathizers, and so a lot of military funding and "Black
> Projects" are diverted to Genocide. Lots of current and former military
> people involved. There is no way a single idividual could fund the Gencide in
> the Omega Squad world. They have spend litterally hundreds of millions if not
> billions of dollars.
>
> In our world Genocide is also being support from out side by various foreign
> powers who'd like to see nothing better than the U.S. eliminating it's pool of
> meta-human talent.
>
> Jay <meow!>
Genocide must be a lot more powerful in your world. In mine they are more along
the line of the KKK, lots of norms with gnuns and a couple of really powerf ul
agents. I used to have Bill Gates funding genocide, until I got the Viper book:)
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 04 Sep 1998 00:53:15 -0700
From: Rook <rook@infinex.com>
Subject: Re: Immortal Challenge!
> > Another question is: if it's an Advantage, can it be taken on only
> >part of Regeneration? If it would make sense to do so but it's an added
> >element, what sort of Limitation does one take to make it work that way?
> > (Personally, I do prefer your POV of calling it an added element. I'm
> >just showing how it *could* be interpreted the other way.)
>
> If it is an added element, can it be bought by itself?
>
> 3 LS: Does not age
>
> 20 Regeneration: Heals even when dead
>
> Imagine an unkillable immortal built with _that_. He _always_ comes back,
> but not for weeks or months.
There was a guy in the DNAgents comic like that. Took him fifty years
or so to come back the first time. The second was much quicker (a few
issues).
There was also a guy in issue 8 of Spider Woman who couldn't die unless
a truely caring person was willing to give their life for him.
Both of these two were normals otherwise.
And of course, about half of DC and Marvels characters have this power
in some form or another. :) Special Effect: Script Immunity. :)
- --
Rook ¿Õ ¿ë ±â WebRPG TownHall Magistrate townhall.webrpg.com <0){{{{><
__ Super WebRing http://orion.supersoldiers.com/heroes/webring.html
/.)\ Nothing vast enters the life of mortals without a curse.
\(@/ http://www.infinex.com/~rook/SH/ Super Hero RPG Site
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 98 18:53:53
From: qts <qts@nildram.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Look Out! It's Mr. Fist! (SFX: Multi-SFX Gauntlets)
On Wed, 12 Aug 1998 12:32:58 -0500 (CDT), Dr. Nuncheon wrote:
>On Wed, 12 Aug 1998, qts wrote:
>
>> >My questions are as follows:
>> > The Gauntlets are a 0 Range EB with VSFX. I need to but _two_ of
>> >these, one to represent physical EB and one to represent energy EB?
>> >
>> > What is the best framework to represent said power set?
>>
>> Shouldn't this be HA or HKA?
>>
>> VSFX is the only advantage you need - everything in your description is
>> covered by this as you're doin g the same base damage (no AP,
>> Penetrating, whatever)
>> qts
>
>I suggest HA or HKA, just because they allow the Strength adds.
>Alternately, you could put a +1/2 advantage on the EB, 'strength adds to
>damage'.
I avoided that as it's not 'official'.
>You might want to consider using Variable Advantage instead of VSFX - this
>would let you reshape the gauntlets to do AP damage, Penetrating damage,
>etc.
The way it was described was tuned to the opponent's Vulnerabilities,
so VSFX is the way to go.
qts
Home: qts@nildram.co.uk.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 08:36:34 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Dr. Nuncheon" <jeffj@io.com>
Subject: Re: Skills: the Batman Option
On Tue, 4 Aug 1998, BILL SVITAVSKY wrote:
> But the system doesn't offer GM's a clear way to cut the costs
> of things like languages one isn't likely to use often, Area
> Knowledges for places beyond the usual campaign bounds, and
> skills that are dictated by character concept but not terribly
> useful in practice, such as the Riding skill I felt compelled to
> buy for this character who started life as a medieval knight.
Here's an idea...buy a couple slots of Cramming. Convince your GM to let
you swap 'study time' for the limitation 'only skills I've picked up in my
long life', or at least to give you levels for them so you can buy it.
(I'd say they both cancel out at about +1/2 & -1/2 each...)
If you're using some skills daily, then they should be on your character
sheet...and if you haven't, say, ridden a horse in 100 years or so, you're
probably going to be pretty rusty when you climb back up in the saddle -
thus the 8-. If you find yourself doing something a lot, re-buy the
skill as you get practice.
Combine with various SKill Enhancers to taste.
J
Hostes aliengeni me abduxerent. Jeff Johnston - jeffj@io.com
Qui annus est? http://www.io.com/~jeffj
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 16:38:48 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@access.digex.net>
Subject: Re: Look Out! It's Mr. Fist! (SFX: Multi-SFX Gauntlets)
On Tue, 11 Aug 1998, Jason Sullivan wrote:
>
> My questions are as follows:
> The Gauntlets are a 0 Range EB with VSFX. I need to but _two_ of
> these, one to represent physical EB and one to represent energy EB?
I'm not certain on VSFX, but would that be covered by the advantage
already?
> What is the best framework to represent said power set?
You could by a Multipower with two ultra EB Slots, one physical and one
energy and VSFX for each.
***************************************************************************
* "'Cause I'm the god of destruction, that's why!" - Susano Orbatos,Orion *
* Michael Surbrook / susano@access.digex.net *
* Visit "Surbrook's Stuff' the Hero Games resource site at: *
* http://www.access.digex.net/~susano/index.html *
* Attacked Mystification Police / AD Police / ESWAT *
* Society for Creative Anachronism / House ap Gwystl / Company of St.Mark *
***************************************************************************
------------------------------
End of champ-l-digest V1 #25
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Date: Tuesday, December 29, 1998 09:13 AM