Digest Archives Vol 1 Issue 86
From: owner-champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 1998 8:45 PM
To: champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Subject: champ-l-digest V1 #86
champ-l-digest Thursday, December 10 1998 Volume 01 : Number 086
In this issue:
RE: The Beany baby/Dr Destroyer Connection
RE: How do you define 'mutant'
RE: The Beany baby/Dr Destroyer Connection
Re: Jay Ward movies
T-Port and Floating locations
Re: Jay Ward movies
Re: T-Port and Floating locations
Re: How do you define 'mutant'
Re: various junk
Re: Critique Needed: Fiendish Plot
Re: T-Port and Floating locations
Re: How do you define 'mutant'
Re: T-Port and Floating locations
Re: combat drones
Re: Magic Lock
Re: T-Port and Floating locations
RE: T-Port and Floating locations
Re: Magic Lock
Re: How do you define 'mutant'
New superhero name
Re: T-Port and Floating locations
Re: Specialized Skills
Re: Jay Ward movies
Re: How do you define 'mutant'
RE: Jay Ward movies
Re: Question on END... enhancements and limitations
Re: Durability of Various Things
Special Effects
Real World Physics Speedster
Re: Special Effects
RE: T-Port and Floating locations
RE: Jay Ward movies
Re: Real World Physics Speedster
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 01:24:37 -0800
From: "Filksinger" <filkhero@usa.net>
Subject: RE: The Beany baby/Dr Destroyer Connection
From: Curtis A Gibson
<snip>
>
> Save yourselves. Get rid of the insidous things at once.
Don't forget Pokemon. And Furby. And Tickle-Me-Elmo, though it seems
to have lost its effectiveness.
Filksinger
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 01:24:34 -0800
From: "Filksinger" <filkhero@usa.net>
Subject: RE: How do you define 'mutant'
From: Rick Jones
<snip>
> It's the normal folks that concern us,
> now, for in
> them the Celestials left a special genetic trigger that would
> allow some normals to gain superhuman powers after
> exposure to odd
> events (like the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, or
> Spider-Man), and in
> others would self-trigger when exposed natally to sufficient
> background radiation which would make the child a mutant. When
> it's self-triggered, that genetic trigger is called
> the X-Factor.
>
This is extremely interesting. This means that your typical human,
exposed to the radioactive spider that bit Spider-man, would have
ignored it, or gotten ill, or died, but would not have gotten spider
powers. Similarly, when the Leader exposed a town to gamma radiation,
some six people had the gene necessary to let them live and become
super-powered, while everyone else died just the way you would expect,
because they didn't have the gene.
Filksinger
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 98 06:51:44 -0400
From: John P Weatherman <asahoshi@nr.infi.net>
Subject: RE: The Beany baby/Dr Destroyer Connection
Filksinger filkhero@usa.net 12/10/98 5:24 AM
>From: Curtis A Gibson
>
><snip>
>>
>> Save yourselves. Get rid of the insidous things at once.
>
>
>Don't forget Pokemon. And Furby. And Tickle-Me-Elmo, though it seems
>to have lost its effectiveness.
>
>Filksinger
>
Prototypes are bound to be buggy... :)
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 06:37:18 -0600
From: "Michael (Damon) & Peni Griffin" <griffin@txdirect.net>
Subject: Re: Jay Ward movies
At 08:08 AM 12/9/1998 -0600, you wrote:
>> From: Jay P Hailey <jayphailey@juno.com>
>
>> Roger Ramjet. Now *there* was a true super hero.
>
>When Roger takes his Proton Pill, the crooks began to worry;
>They can't escape the Proton Pill's mighty magic fury...
>
>Or some such.
When Ramjet takes his proton pill, the bad guys start to worry;
They can't escape their awful fate from proton's mighty fury.
...I think. It might be '...or proton's might fury.' I don't know, I've
got a couple of the cartoons on tape somewhere.
Damon
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 08:21:28 -0800
From: "David W. Salmon" <dwsalmon@earthlink.net>
Subject: T-Port and Floating locations
Hi ya all ...
Quick question about the use of Teleport and floating locations. I don't
have my book handy (here at work ) so I can't look up specifics to answer
my question.
Q: If I have spent a turn to memorize a floating location, and then that
location moves, can I still teleport to it?
Two examples ... Ex1) I am in Airplane A and memorize a location. Airplane A
then takes off without me. I then board Airplane B and catch up to Airplane
A so that I am within my Teleport distance. Can I Teleport to my floating
location inside Airplane A from inside Airplane B? Ex2) (more practical I
think) If I step inside an elevator on the 1st floor and memorize that
location and then step off the elevator. The elevator then goes to the 4th
floor. Can I teleport from the 1st floor up to the floating location inside
the elevator on the 4th floor?
Any takers ??
Thanks in advance for your help ...
Dave
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 08:08:20 -0600
From: "Guy Hoyle" <ghoyle1@airmail.net>
Subject: Re: Jay Ward movies
Thanks for the correction! I don't think I've seen RR since kindergarten,
and I'm 38 now :-)
Guy
- ----------
> From: Michael (Damon) & Peni Griffin <griffin@txdirect.net>
> To: champ-l@sysabend.org
> Subject: Re: Jay Ward movies
> Date: Thursday, December 10, 1998 6:37 AM
>
> At 08:08 AM 12/9/1998 -0600, you wrote:
> >> From: Jay P Hailey <jayphailey@juno.com>
> >
> >> Roger Ramjet. Now *there* was a true super hero.
> >
> >When Roger takes his Proton Pill, the crooks began to worry;
> >They can't escape the Proton Pill's mighty magic fury...
> >
> >Or some such.
>
> When Ramjet takes his proton pill, the bad guys start to worry;
> They can't escape their awful fate from proton's mighty fury.
>
> ...I think. It might be '...or proton's might fury.' I don't know, I've
> got a couple of the cartoons on tape somewhere.
>
> Damon
------------------------------
Date: 10 Dec 1998 10:05:52 -0500
From: Stainless Steel Rat <ratinox@peorth.gweep.net>
Subject: Re: T-Port and Floating locations
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"DWS" == David W Salmon <dwsalmon@earthlink.net> writes:
DWS> Q: If I have spent a turn to memorize a floating location, and then that
DWS> location moves, can I still teleport to it?
Um... depends on exactly what it was you memorized.
DWS> Ex1) I am in Airplane A and memorize a location. [...]
You did not memorize a location; you memorized a feature of a vehicle.
And the same answer applies to your second example as well.
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 19:03:13 -0800
From: jayphailey@juno.com (Jay P Hailey)
Subject: Re: How do you define 'mutant'
THIS IS SPOSTA BE FOR FUN!!!
>
>YMMV :)
This is also a very succinct way of phrasing the basic point. Gaming is
a hobby activity done for fun. If strict adherence to Biology, genetics
and physics is your bag then by all means, run with it. And if being too
picky about the science stuff gets in the way of having fun, then don't
sweat the science.
It *is* possible to have fun games in either manner, it's just a matter
of finding the one that works for you.
Jay P. Hailey <Meow!>
"A B C D E-F-G. Eric the half a bee......"
___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 07:30:10 -0800
From: jayphailey@juno.com (Jay P Hailey)
Subject: Re: various junk
>5. Anyone seen A Bug's Life? If yes, were you able to enjoy the
>movie, or were you (like me), sitting there trying to figure the
>relative STR of Dim the beetle, the body of Rosie the widow's
>entangle, how much PRE did the Moth have, etc...?
>
>6. Thanks for your time.
5. Although I haven't seen this film yet, I do this with most of the
movies I watch these days. So do many of the people I game with. We're so
gone on gaming that we frequently refer to things in RL as if they were
gaming references. I.E. when I can't find something my partner will pick
it up and wave it at me, saying "You blew your PER roll." either this
means that we have a lot in common or that we're com-letely mental. I
don't want to know which.
6. You're quite Welcome, I'm sure.
Now I have a Contact, "People who hack Hero System" E-mail only, 14-
Jay P. Hailey <Meow!>
"A B C D E-F-G. Eric the half a bee......"
___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 17:15:03 -0800
From: jayphailey@juno.com (Jay P Hailey)
Subject: Re: Critique Needed: Fiendish Plot
>Does this scheme seem to be workable? Any elaborations or
>consequences that I have not forseen?
>
>Thanks in advance for your help.
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>"For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert."
>--Charles Fort
Sounds good. AFAIK (and I am guessing) sewers in a major city are laid
out with a general up and down orientation. This is so that sewage will
flow in the appropriate direction.
So the best places for the Tanks of Rat-Mad will be along the upper most
of the uphill sides of the sewage system. If San Frederico has handy foot
hills then there would be a good place.
The water works engineer would be able to easily direct the PCs to the
proper places, if they think to ask. But he'd also be liable to tell the
Police the same thing. And of course the Police aren't going to be too
happy to have their city threatened with mad rats. So you may want to
provide them a handy distraction.
Jay P. Hailey <Meow!>
"A B C D E-F-G. Eric the half a bee......"
___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 10:59:54 -0600 (CST)
From: "Dr. Nuncheon" <jeffj@io.com>
Subject: Re: T-Port and Floating locations
On 10 Dec 1998, Stainless Steel Rat wrote:
> "DWS" == David W Salmon <dwsalmon@earthlink.net> writes:
>
> DWS> Q: If I have spent a turn to memorize a floating location, and then that
> DWS> location moves, can I still teleport to it?
>
> Um... depends on exactly what it was you memorized.
>
> DWS> Ex1) I am in Airplane A and memorize a location. [...]
>
> You did not memorize a location; you memorized a feature of a vehicle.
Which of course begs the question, "what is a 'location' for the purposes
of the teleport power."
The answer (for me at least) would be 'It depends on SFX'.
If your teleportation is based on knowing the exact longitude, latitude,
and altitude that you want to teleport to, then no, memorizing an airplane
would not be possible - you would teleport to the place where you were
when you did the memorizing of the floating location. On the other hand,
you could conceivably 'memorize' a location without actually physically
going there.
If your teleportation is based more on the 'feel' of a location, then you
would be able to teleport onto a moving airplane - but you might have
trouble teleporting to a place if it's changed considerably since you
memorized the location.
If your memorizing of a floating location involves dropping some sort of
(real, magical, psychic, whatever) 'homing beacon' then there's no reason
why you shouldn't be able to teleport to the airplane - however, the
beacon would probably be detectable by some means, and might even be
able to be tampered with.
J
Hostes aliengeni me abduxerent. Jeff Johnston - jeffj@io.com
Qui annus est? http://www.io.com/~jeffj
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 09:59:10 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: How do you define 'mutant'
At 10:25 PM 12/9/98 -0500, Dave Mattingly wrote:
>Glen Sprigg wrote:
>>an organization called Humanity. These guys aren't prejudiced
>>against mutants; they're prejudiced against any and all paranormals,
>>including those who use technology or even super-skills a la Batman.
>
>Bryant Berggren wrote:
>>If anything, a paranoid
>>group bigoted against "paranormals" should be /favorably/ disposed towards
>>essentially unaltered humans (like Batman or Tony Stark) who prove
>>themselves competitive with the "freaks" -- they prove the superior nature
>>of the "normal folks".
>
>And that's the line that HOHO (the Honorable Order of Humans Only) plays in
>my campaigns. They exalt the Batmen and Iron Men and other training/tech
>humans of the world, and seek to keep the human race pure, but advanced.
Yeah, HOHO is not just a twinkie outfit full of dumdums. ;-]
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 10:06:37 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: T-Port and Floating locations
At 08:21 AM 12/10/98 -0800, David W. Salmon wrote:
>Hi ya all ...
>
>Quick question about the use of Teleport and floating locations. I don't
>have my book handy (here at work ) so I can't look up specifics to answer
>my question.
>
>Q: If I have spent a turn to memorize a floating location, and then that
>location moves, can I still teleport to it?
>
>Two examples ... Ex1) I am in Airplane A and memorize a location. Airplane A
>then takes off without me. I then board Airplane B and catch up to Airplane
>A so that I am within my Teleport distance. Can I Teleport to my floating
>location inside Airplane A from inside Airplane B? Ex2) (more practical I
>think) If I step inside an elevator on the 1st floor and memorize that
>location and then step off the elevator. The elevator then goes to the 4th
>floor. Can I teleport from the 1st floor up to the floating location inside
>the elevator on the 4th floor?
>
>Any takers ??
The answer is yes, you can Teleport to a Floating Location that moves,
as long as it's in the nature of the location to move. If your location is
aboard an airplane or in an elevator and said vehicle moves, then your
location moves with the vehicle and you can teleport to it as long as it's
within your maximum Teleport distance.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 09:53:51 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: combat drones
At 03:34 PM 12/9/98 -0800, Wayne Shaw wrote:
>>At 08:37 AM 12/8/98 -0800, Wayne Shaw wrote:
>>>
>>>>My only question is this: Who pays for the Automaton's computer brain?
>>>>The PC or the Automaton? Meaning, does the PC buy two separate
>>>>followers (a computer and a robot body to carry it around) or does he
>>>
>>>This has always been my interpetation, since otherwise the nested cost
>>>savings can get very ugly. This comes up every so often when building
>>>vehicles or bases with AIs, too.
>>
>> My general angle (whether book-legal under 4th Ed or not) has been to
>>simply apply INT (and EGO, if necessary) to the entity in question
>>(Automaton, Base, or Vehicle). Thus, if a Vehicle is self-aware, it just
>>has all the regular Vehicle characteristics, plus INT and EGO (and,
>>optionally, PRE). Then the Vehicle buys all Programs, Skills, and such
>>that it needs to function.
>> At any rate, this is the approach I recommend in TUV.
>
>In practice, this is pretty much the same thing as sticking an AI into it.
>If it didn't have Ego, you'd need to do something with the programs anyway.
>Only question is whether it needs to buy SPD and DEX twice. I can see
>arguments either way.
This is precisely the reason that I recommend just sticking any INT,
EGO, and such as Characteristics for the Vehicle (or Automaton or
whatever). The computer automatically has the same DEX and SPD as the
Vehicle that way; otherwise you have to buy them twice, and may have to
deal with issues of how they're affected by Adjustment Powers, differences
in DEX and SPD, whether the two entities (the Computer and whatever it's
stuck in) can be separated, etc.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 98 18:47:04
From: "qts" <qts@nildram.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Magic Lock
On Mon, 07 Dec 1998 14:44:30 -0500, Scott Nolan wrote:
>At 07:42 PM 12/7/98 +0000, qts wrote:
>>On Sat, 05 Dec 1998 04:46:10 -0500, Scott Nolan wrote:
>>
>>>I'm trying to create a Fantasy Hero power that will magically lock and
>secure
>>>all the openings into a building (windows, doors, etc.).
>>>
>>>I've built it this way:
>>>
>>>40 STR Telekinesis, Area Effect , x2 area , uncontrolled,
>>> only to lock and secure doors and windows, 1 continuing
>>> 1-day charge.
>>>
>>>Problem is, this is mighty expensive for such a low-level power.
>>>Is there a better way to do this? Transform might lock the doors,
>>>but what keeps them magically held?
>>
>>12 40 Str TK [Base 60], AE: Radius +1, Personal Immunity +1/4 [Active
>>135]
>> Only to secure entrances -1, 1 Continuing 1-day charge -0, Gestures
>>(-1/4)
>> Incantations -1/4, Concentration 0 DCV when casting -1/2, Static
>>OAF -2
>> Side Effects -1, Extra Time: 1 hour -2 1/2, RSR -1/2, x2 End -1/2
>> Req KS: Warding Lore 18- -1 No Range -1/2 [Total Lim -10]
>>
>>Personally, I'd make it a 1 week charge for 150 Active and 13 Real.
>>
>>Don't forget that this is going to be a Visible power: making it
>>Invisible would make it 180 AP and 16 Real.
>>
>>But do you really need 40 Str TK?
>
>I believe I do, if I want the door to be largely impervious to the strength
>of people with strengths in the 20-25 range. And Either 150 or 180 AP
>for such a minor power is -ridiculous-. That was my original problem.
>
>I know -how- to construct the power; I was asking for help in constructing
>it with fewer AP.
I'm going to be unfashionable and say 'Stuff the AP'. For this sort of
power, and it is anything but minor, it is the Real Cost which matters,
not the AP. The game effect of this is tremendous - the PCs have to
bash through every door, while the mage just opens them.
qts
Home: qts@nildram.co.uk.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 11:15:23 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: T-Port and Floating locations
At 10:59 AM 12/10/98 -0600, Dr. Nuncheon wrote:
>On 10 Dec 1998, Stainless Steel Rat wrote:
>
>> "DWS" == David W Salmon <dwsalmon@earthlink.net> writes:
>>
>> DWS> Q: If I have spent a turn to memorize a floating location, and then
that
>> DWS> location moves, can I still teleport to it?
>>
>> Um... depends on exactly what it was you memorized.
>>
>> DWS> Ex1) I am in Airplane A and memorize a location. [...]
>>
>> You did not memorize a location; you memorized a feature of a vehicle.
>
>Which of course begs the question, "what is a 'location' for the purposes
>of the teleport power."
>
>The answer (for me at least) would be 'It depends on SFX'.
>
>If your teleportation is based on knowing the exact longitude, latitude,
>and altitude that you want to teleport to, then no, memorizing an airplane
>would not be possible - you would teleport to the place where you were
>when you did the memorizing of the floating location. On the other hand,
>you could conceivably 'memorize' a location without actually physically
>going there.
The basic form of a Floating Location is that you physically go there
and spend a Turn memorizing it.
A Fixed Location "need not be physical; it could, for example, be a
living creature, an airplane seat, or whatever." And a Floating Location
"functions identically to a fixed location, except that it can be changed
during an adventure." These are taken directly from the HSR's description
of Teleportation, so this is a by-the-book rendering. Handling
Teleportation otherwise requires a Modifier, a house rule, or both. ("Not
that there's anything wrong with that," he says in his best Jerry Seinfeld
voice.)
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 15:21:23 -0500
From: Brian Wawrow <bwawrow@mondello.toronto.fmco.com>
Subject: RE: T-Port and Floating locations
] The answer is yes, you can Teleport to a Floating Location
] that moves,
] as long as it's in the nature of the location to move. If
] your location is
] aboard an airplane or in an elevator and said vehicle moves, then your
] location moves with the vehicle and you can teleport to it as
] long as it's
] within your maximum Teleport distance.
Could you thereby drop a floating location on a small object like a
coin? Further, could you buy a slew of floating locations through a
collection of foci, like little black adhesive disks? That would be
handy for scenarios where you have to retreat from a battle, do some
healing, get your goodies together and *poof!* show up for the rematch.
Kind of like an enhanced Spidey-Tracer.
BRI
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 13:46:01 -0500
From: Scott Nolan <nolan@erols.com>
Subject: Re: Magic Lock
At 06:47 PM 12/10/98 +0000, qts wrote:
>On Mon, 07 Dec 1998 14:44:30 -0500, Scott Nolan wrote:
>
>>At 07:42 PM 12/7/98 +0000, qts wrote:
>>>On Sat, 05 Dec 1998 04:46:10 -0500, Scott Nolan wrote:
>>>
>>>>I'm trying to create a Fantasy Hero power that will magically lock and
>>secure
>>>>all the openings into a building (windows, doors, etc.).
>>>>
>>>>I've built it this way:
>>>>
>>>>40 STR Telekinesis, Area Effect , x2 area , uncontrolled,
>>>> only to lock and secure doors and windows, 1 continuing
>>>> 1-day charge.
>>>>
>>>>Problem is, this is mighty expensive for such a low-level power.
>>>>Is there a better way to do this? Transform might lock the doors,
>>>>but what keeps them magically held?
>>>
>>>12 40 Str TK [Base 60], AE: Radius +1, Personal Immunity +1/4 [Active
>>>135]
>>> Only to secure entrances -1, 1 Continuing 1-day charge -0, Gestures
>>>(-1/4)
>>> Incantations -1/4, Concentration 0 DCV when casting -1/2, Static
>>>OAF -2
>>> Side Effects -1, Extra Time: 1 hour -2 1/2, RSR -1/2, x2 End -1/2
>>> Req KS: Warding Lore 18- -1 No Range -1/2 [Total Lim -10]
>>>
>>>Personally, I'd make it a 1 week charge for 150 Active and 13 Real.
>>>
>>>Don't forget that this is going to be a Visible power: making it
>>>Invisible would make it 180 AP and 16 Real.
>>>
>>>But do you really need 40 Str TK?
>>
>>I believe I do, if I want the door to be largely impervious to the strength
>>of people with strengths in the 20-25 range. And Either 150 or 180 AP
>>for such a minor power is -ridiculous-. That was my original problem.
>>
>>I know -how- to construct the power; I was asking for help in constructing
>>it with fewer AP.
>
>I'm going to be unfashionable and say 'Stuff the AP'. For this sort of
>power, and it is anything but minor, it is the Real Cost which matters,
>not the AP. The game effect of this is tremendous - the PCs have to
>bash through every door, while the mage just opens them.
The mage -is- a PC. But what matters is that he/ they operate off of a VPP
with considerably fewer than 150 AP.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hold it the greatest wrong to prefer life to honor
and for the sake of life to lose the reason for living."
Juvenal, Satires
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scott C. Nolan
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 09:43:32 -0800
From: jayphailey@juno.com (Jay P Hailey)
Subject: Re: How do you define 'mutant'
>Bryant Berggren wrote:
>>If anything, a paranoid
>>group bigoted against "paranormals" should be /favorably/ disposed
towards
>>essentially unaltered humans (like Batman or Tony Stark) who prove
>>themselves competitive with the "freaks" -- they prove the superior
nature
>>of the "normal folks".
>
>And that's the line that HOHO (the Honorable Order of Humans Only)
>plays in my campaigns. They exalt the Batmen and Iron Men and other
>training/tech humans of the world, and seek to keep the human race pure,
but
>advanced.
>
>Dave Mattingly
>http://haymaker.org
At least until Batman or Iron Man beats the hell out of their recruiters.
Then he's "sadly misguided" or a "Psychopathic Vigilante"
In my head I can hear unhappy Genocide people wondering why these people
don't *get* it?
Jay P. Hailey <Meow!>
"A B C D E-F-G. Eric the half a bee......"
___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 13:46:56 -0500
From: geoff heald <gheald@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: New superhero name
This might fit into the Lame Villians file:
Bipolarbear.
I see this as a (probably Rissian) manic depressive, maybe with multiform.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 05:56:56 -0800 (PST)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: T-Port and Floating locations
>Hi ya all ...
>
>Quick question about the use of Teleport and floating locations. I don't
>have my book handy (here at work ) so I can't look up specifics to answer
>my question.
>
>Q: If I have spent a turn to memorize a floating location, and then that
>location moves, can I still teleport to it?
Is it a full turn? I thought it was a phase. But I believe the answer to
your question is yes, unless the moving object leaves your range.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 15:16:25 -0500
From: geoff heald <gheald@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Specialized Skills
At 08:09 AM 12/9/98 -0600, you wrote:
> I have a character that wants to be a computer Hacker. He is really
>good at cracking into Computer, but he is unable to program computers
>otherwise.
>
> How do I do this? Do I give him Computer Programing with the
>limitation only to Hack into computers?
>
>
In the real world, he'd have Computer Use not Computer Programming and
would be really good an guessing passwords and the like. Cryptography?
Oh, and this use of the term "Hacker" seems to really flame-off Linux Users.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 16:16:00 -0500
From: geoff heald <gheald@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Jay Ward movies
At 08:08 AM 12/10/98 -0600, you wrote:
>Thanks for the correction! I don't think I've seen RR since kindergarten,
>and I'm 38 now :-)
>
>Guy
>
>
About the time that late at night becomes early in the morning (on the east
coast of the US) Cartoon Network shows them.
And right after Space Ghost Coast to Coast, I think.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 05:59:35 -0800 (PST)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: How do you define 'mutant'
>This is also a very succinct way of phrasing the basic point. Gaming is
>a hobby activity done for fun. If strict adherence to Biology, genetics
>and physics is your bag then by all means, run with it. And if being too
>picky about the science stuff gets in the way of having fun, then don't
>sweat the science.
>
>It *is* possible to have fun games in either manner, it's just a matter
>of finding the one that works for you.
>
It's a particular fool's errand to pursue real world science to much in a
superhero game. It just doesn't work.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 14:05:51 -0500
From: geoff heald <gheald@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: RE: Jay Ward movies
At 10:24 PM 12/8/98 -0600, you wrote:
>At 05:23 PM 12/8/1998 -0800, Bob Greenwade wrote:
>> I was about to confirm with my belief that Roger *Ramjet* was a product
>>of Jay Ward's fertile imagination (since it had a similar pace and look)
>>when I saw Damon's post.
>> However, I do think that Roger Ramjet would be fertile ground for a Hero
>>System supplement!
>
>Agreed. I'm not going to attempt this myself, but for anyone with way too
>much time on his hands: Roger is a jet pilot, as are his junior sidekicks
>the American Eagles (Yank, Doodle, Dan and Dee). When Roger downs his
>proton pill, he gains "the power of 20 atom bombs" for 20 seconds. Doesn't
>sound like much time, but these were only five minute cartoons. Some of
>the villains in the show were Jacqueline Hyde, Noodle Romanoff from
>N.A.S.T.Y., Lotta Love, General G.I. Brassbottom, and the Height Brothers
>(Cronk, Horse and Gezundt). Gary Owens provided Roger's voice. Roger and
>the gang were based in Lompoc, CA.
>
>Damon
>
Nitpicking Central here: Noodles Romanoff.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 10:31:42 -0800
From: jayphailey@juno.com (Jay P Hailey)
Subject: Re: Question on END... enhancements and limitations
>> I have this character concept of a super who gets his powers from the
sun,
>> or at least they're solar-based. The powers cost normal END in
overcast or >>indoor conditions, less END in pure sunlight, and more END
when, say, >>underground. (Night would be normal.)
>
>Since the Advantage and Limitation would seem to balance each other
>out (depending on where the character spends most of his time), there
>really is no reason to count the points. Just write it up as part of the
>special effects.
>
>But, if you really have your heart set on counting points, do it like
>Sunspot from the New Mutants: END Reserve, recharges only in direct
>sunlight, with a -1/2 Limitation (more or less) on the REC cost of the
>Reserve.
I have a superman clone, (actually the character type seems to have
proliferated) who's powers run of an END Pool. It has small recovery on
it's own. Then I bought a second, Higher REC that operates only in direct
sunlight, and feeds into the END pool
And, although it's not in the power, The GMs and I have an understanding
that it would hardly work at all if underground or in a strongly shielded
box. If I were to model this in Game terms, I would have the 1 point REC
that is resident in the END pool and the 5 point Sunlight REC have a
limitation (Not underground or like evironments) and then by yet a third
1 point REC with an Extra Time Limitation. Maybe one point per hour. Then
I'd tell the GM that it's actually dependant on how deep. 1 per hour *or
more*.
But the character is working well as it is.
Jay P. Hailey <Meow!>
"A B C D E-F-G. Eric the half a bee......"
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------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 14:33:16 -0500
From: geoff heald <gheald@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Durability of Various Things
At 12:58 PM 12/8/98 -0800, you wrote:
>>
>>WS> Problem is, the damage figures for the two should probably be based on
>>WS> the motorcycle for damage tot he car, and the car for damage to the
>>WS> motorcycle.
>>
>>Why should it? Damage is nothing more than the transfer of kinetic energy
>>and the accompanying elastic deformation. A stationary vehicle has no
>>kinetic energy: it has zero ability to do damage. All it can do is absorb
>>kinetic energy from whatever it is that hits it.
>
>First off, I did not recall that the larger vehicle was immobile. In any
>case, however, in the real world impacts between vehicles of different mass
>tend to heavily favor the more massive vehicle, moving or not. I can only
>conjecture as to the physics involved.
>
>
Okay, let me get ready. (Jeeze, how can knowledge rust? Little oil on the
hinges and...)
Physics.
If I recall correctly (and I'm sure not an expert), once the two objects
have collided, their previous velocity is irrelevant. Well, not
completely, since a car with the brake holding it in place is harder to
accelerate than a car with the brakes off. The kinetic energy involved is
totalled up and devided according to the mass of the objects involved. If
the Cherokee had been struck by a 40 ton tractor trailer doing the same
speed, it would have been fired forward into the Neon and the truck would
have barely slowed sown. This is because, with its much higher mass, the
truck carries much more energy and only needs to give up part of it to
accelerate the Jeep. Also, the truck would take far more damage from
hitting a building instead of a car, as would the motorcycle, because there
is no hope of pushing the building so all the energy becomes damage.
A moving object has momentum. A stationary object has inertia. The
momentum reflects a moving objects "tendancy to remain in motion" while
inertia reflects a stationary objects tendancy to "remain at rest". In
terms of a collision, they're basicly the same. You must counteract the
momentum, by converting kinetic energy, to stop the one and overcome
inertia, by converting _to_ kinetic energy, to move the other.
Ever see one of those toys with the frame and five swinging balls? One
ball comes down and strikes four in a row, and the last one in the row flys
out almost as far as the one that hit, then it all swings the other way.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 17:21:41 -0600
From: redbf@ldd.net (bobby farris)
Subject: Special Effects
I have a generic situation that I need an answer for.
Two characters are battleing it out. Timelord, controls time, is
fighting Battlesuit Guy.
Timelord has a 6d6 drain vs Speed defined as the ability to slow the
time of others. Battlesuit Guy has 25 pts worth of Power Defense defined
as magnetic shielding to his electrical circuits (he got hit once by an
EMP suppress).
Does Battlesuit Guy get to use his Power Defense against the
Timelord's Drain? If so, considering that his Special Effect is so
different than what is needed to stop the Timelord's drain how do you
explain it.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 18:46:49 -0500 (EST)
From: Jason Sullivan <ravanos@njcu.edu>
Subject: Real World Physics Speedster
What laws of reality prevent a 'speedster' from actually coming into
being?
I don't know an awful lot about physics, but I would probally lean towards
the fact the human body can not withstand the stress of running at super
high speeds and could not utilize the proper ammounts of energy required
to maintain such a high speed.
However, the more specific the answer, the better position I'll be in to
create a certain NPC speedster.
Comments welcome. Hope to hear from you soon.
- -Jason Sullivan
- -+-<-+->-+-<-+->-+-<-+->-+-<-+->-+-<-+->-+-<-+->-+-<-+->-+-<-+->-+-<-+->-+-<-+-
"Fools are my theme, let satire be my song."
-Lord Byron; English Bards and Scotch Reviewers. Line 6.
- -=-_=_-=-_=_-=-_=_-=-_=_-=-_=_-=-_=_-=-_=_-=-_=_-=-_=_-=-_=_-=-_=_-=-_=_-=-_=_-
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 16:00:13 -0800 (PST)
From: Anthony Jackson <ajackson@molly.iii.com>
Subject: Re: Special Effects
bobby farris writes:
> I have a generic situation that I need an answer for.
> Does Battlesuit Guy get to use his Power Defense against the
> Timelord's Drain? If so, considering that his Special Effect is so
> different than what is needed to stop the Timelord's drain how do you
> explain it.
Unless limited somehow, power defense works against all power attacks -- thus
yes, it does work. However, some GMs prefer to require power defense to take
limitations to only work against some types of effect, as there are very few
special effects which should legitimately affect _all_ power attacks.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 13:23:32 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: RE: T-Port and Floating locations
At 03:21 PM 12/10/98 -0500, Brian Wawrow wrote:
>
>] The answer is yes, you can Teleport to a Floating Location
>] that moves,
>] as long as it's in the nature of the location to move. If
>] your location is
>] aboard an airplane or in an elevator and said vehicle moves, then your
>] location moves with the vehicle and you can teleport to it as
>] long as it's
>] within your maximum Teleport distance.
>
>Could you thereby drop a floating location on a small object like a
>coin? Further, could you buy a slew of floating locations through a
>collection of foci, like little black adhesive disks? That would be
>handy for scenarios where you have to retreat from a battle, do some
>healing, get your goodies together and *poof!* show up for the rematch.
>Kind of like an enhanced Spidey-Tracer.
This is an interesting thought.
I don't think that a small object such as the coins or disks you mention
could actually *be* a location. However, one could be treated as a Focus
for a Floating or Fixed Location -- essentially, the coin is enchanted (or
whatever), the character drops it at the location he wants to memorize, and
there it is.
Potentially the character could even give one of the coins to each of
his friends, and could then Teleport to the side of any of them as needed
(though in this case, they'd be Fixed Locations, not Floating). This might
violate the letter of the Teleportation rules, but I'm not so sure that it
goes against the spirit. At worst, some new Advantage (say, a +1/2 or +1
to not have to take a Turn to memorize) would be needed to keep the spirit
of the thing satisfied.
Certainly this is something to be considered for HSR5, or perhaps some
Ultimate book where this would be covered.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 18:32:36 -0600
From: "Michael (Damon) & Peni Griffin" <griffin@txdirect.net>
Subject: RE: Jay Ward movies
At 02:05 PM 12/10/1998 -0500, geoff heald wrote:
>>the villains in the show were Jacqueline Hyde, Noodle Romanoff from
>>N.A.S.T.Y., Lotta Love, General G.I. Brassbottom, and the Height Brothers
>>(Cronk, Horse and Gezundt). Gary Owens provided Roger's voice. Roger and
>>the gang were based in Lompoc, CA.
>>
>>Damon
>Nitpicking Central here: Noodles Romanoff.
Hey, *I* believe you. But my reference, the ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ANIMATED
CARTOONS, says 'Noodle', so that's what I used. ;)
Damon
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 16:28:33 -0800 (PST)
From: Anthony Jackson <ajackson@molly.iii.com>
Subject: Re: Real World Physics Speedster
Jason Sullivan writes:
> What laws of reality prevent a 'speedster' from actually coming into
> being?
(a) Friction. Maximum friction (feet on ground) is not much higher than the
weight being applied, so minimum turning is roughly one G, giving a turning
radius of roughly (speed, meter/second)^2/10. Thus, to get the standard
running turn modes in Champions (2 meter radius) you can't be going faster than
about 2"/segment. In addition, air resistance will exceed the amount of force
you can apply for forward movement at 100-150 mph. Note that clinging would
allow evading this limitation.
Aside from this, all the other limitations are really only limitations specific
to normal humans, which presumably most speedsters aren't. A few others:
Strength: in general, if you double your rate of movement, you increase the
magnitude of the forces involved by a factor of 4. Changes to shape and stride
can modify this somewhat, but while someone 10x faster than a normal human (but
still human-shaped) might be able to get away with less than 100x the strength,
32x is probably the lower limit (strength around 35).
Endurance: the power requirements for running at high speeds are extremely
high, so that a normal cardiovascular system can't deal with it. I'm not sure
exactly how fast you would need to be before it became impossible to power your
body with air-breathing lungs, but super-speed requires superhuman endurance.
------------------------------
End of champ-l-digest V1 #86
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