Chat about the game...

I know I threw this out awhile back but can we go with the idea of Putty being a different person in each reality and still keep my DUPS?

Just like there were two different Green Lanterns and two different Flashes, back when Earth-One and Earth-Two existed in the DC universe, I would kind of like there to be different Puttys in different universes. Unless you had plans for the P'uternarians in the "original" universe, that is.

IF it is allowed, then the Putty of Nazi Universe will not make the transition to the "original" universe. He could die gloriously or as a failure at the very end of all this. He could escape and become a great Underground Leader. He could become Adjutant's sidekick. His fate could be left up in the air for some future adventure. Or something else.

Then once things are set right, I can introduce the "original" universe Putty - slighty different origin, slightly different appearance, same powers.

Yes? No? Maybe?

[quote="Admin"][quote="Steeple_jackuk"]Field Manipulation
Grade 2

You're probably right about the damage to an area, but it's non direct-able so you'd have to be pretty sure that whomever is in the blast radius is someone/something you'd want to be cut to ribbons. With regards the 12d6, it's possible, should you roll a 6. So if we say,1d6x1d6 htk to larger targets in the area and 2d6 to smaller targets in the area maybe the balance could be struck right....A normal person would be in serious trouble should they be caught in the radius, however...

Ok I agree, I just wanted to make sure it wasn't a game changer, we can always retcon stuff till it fits.


Love Ice restraint and cold snap. Here are some other suggestions

Brain Freeze in the game, not sure how it might be improved, but a ice cold attack to the head, causes disruption, missed attack, loss of a frame or damage etc. Some effects might be more effective if in returning for dropping damage you disrupt an attack or make a person loose a frame etc. More tactical as such.

Iced up, shoot a cone of ice up to 30m and any glass, visor, mask or at GM discretion, becomes frosted over so person is rendered unable to see, and fights at -2/4? Visor takes 2 frames to clear, but after one frame the - is halved.

Snow ball I guess this is the idea that for 2 points instead of the field manipulation being a cold effect the hero fires snow ball pellets at a person up to 20m distance, which do 1d6 damage and give a -1 to hit. This is directional though, so unlike a general effect that hits everyone this can be targeted, Maybe roll a d20 and all but a 1 (critical miss should it count) hits?

I think I'm clawing at the barrel at the moment, but if I get anything else I'll mention it. But I think this gives us scope to show some real improvements to the power.

Sj

Steeple_jackuk wrote:Field Manipulation
Grade 2

Ok comments, refinements and suggestions in red.

The Character has an advanced control of the element or energy field they use with grade 1. Grade 2, specifically Cold Manipulation, offers these benefits:

Enhanced Range. 30m range

Character can still attack with 2D6 energy manipulation in an action (which costs no energy to use), but also has 15 energy points over 5 rounds to spend on 3 of the following effects:

• High power attack - for 6 energy points the character can attack with 8D6 (split as desired between htk/htc) in one action. agreed
  
  
• Quick Attack - for 2 energy points the character can attack with 2D6 in one frame. They can boost this by spending 2 per extra D6 up to a maximum of 4D6 in one frame (for a cost of 6 energy points) agreed
  
  
• Area attack - for 6 energy points the character can attack everything in a 5m x 5m area with 2D6 HTK from ice that shatters like glass. The nature of the power is such that a single creature may take more than one hit if they are larger or at the front. 'Normal' size objects are struck with 2D6, whereas larger than man size are struck 1d6 times (each doing 2d6 HTK). This effect is much like that of a nail bomb, and should be used sparingly by heroes in the right circumstances.
  
  I like this but I wonder if it should be less powerful against larger creatures/people. I mean that's potentially 12d6 HTK damage ok dividers take it down, but I think it ought to be to a maximum of 6d6htk. It just seemed a big upgrade from 1 to 2, grade 3 yes.
  
  
• Barrier - for every 3 energy points the character can erect a barrier with 1d6 Htk. Every 3 points spent after that increases dividers by +1 (so 6 points has div of 2, 9 points div of 3) and HTK of the barrier by 1d6. The barrier can cover a 2m x 2m area or a 1m x 1m area which makes it thicker (double the rolled HTK)
  
  again this felt like getting force field for free, especially with the other bonus I think it ought to be without damage dividers, or weapon attacks above say 3 and above don't suffer damage dividers. So that the average Joe would find it a problem, but a meta human would be delayed.
  
  Other refinements might be:
  
  Slippery floor. for every two points spent an area 5x5 or 1 x 10 long (a bit like the way energy attack uses different shapes based on a grid pattern) becomes slippery, anyone with Dex of 11 or less cannot stand up, above needs to make a Dex check or slip over movement is halved. Those with agility of reflexes can walk normally? Takes an action to perform.
  
  Ice slide, like the energy barrier but this is a slide or ramp that takes an action to perform, but can build a slide or a ramp, for every action spent the character can form a slide or ramp the length of their normal movement x1/2 to take account of the fact this isn't as easy as walking.
  

Chill Blane For every 2 points spend an area 5x5 meters (this might want to be 10x10) becomes unnaturally cold, so cold everyone within fights at -2 unless immune from cold, or they make a vigour check etc.

Mirror Mirror The character can throw up an ice mirror, in a frame, for 2 points that can act as a distraction or be used to stand opposite so they can fool a character into thinking they are standing in one place, when in fact they are behind. The mirror melts unless concentrated on in 2 rounds and shatters from any blow weapon class 2 and above.

Ok those are my suggestions for now.

Sj[/quote]

You're probably right about the damage to an area, but it's non direct-able so you'd have to be pretty sure that whomever is in the blast radius is someone/something you'd want to be cut to ribbons. With regards the 12d6, it's possible, should you roll a 6. So if we say,1d6x1d6 htk to larger targets in the area and 2d6 to smaller targets in the area maybe the balance could be struck right. Basically, it's mainly of use against unpowered foes but we've seen in the comics plenty of times where someone like spiderman suffers from this kind of attack where even his agility can't dodge everything coming his way, but 2d6 htk won't take him down. A normal person would be in serious trouble should they be caught in the radius, however...

Maybe other refinements - some kind of ice restraint, effective against characters without super strength (maybe the restraint has an effective strength of 1d6 per 2 points spent, and the victim/attacker roll 1d20 plus strength, if victim gets lower they are restrained/slowed for a number of frames equal to the difference? Various super powers like flight would help, giving you a bonus to break free and so on)

Cold snap - against non living objects able to freeze fluids and such in hydraulics systems, fuel lines and so on to stop an engine, a walking robot and so on.

If you've got any more suggestions we'll pick a list, knock out the guidelines for the power to your satisfaction and put it into play, be tomorrow I should think.

Paul

Field Manipulation
Grade 2

Ok comments, refinements and suggestions in red.

The Character has an advanced control of the element or energy field they use with grade 1. Grade 2, specifically Cold Manipulation, offers these benefits:

Enhanced Range. 30m range

Character can still attack with 2D6 energy manipulation in an action (which costs no energy to use), but also has 15 energy points over 5 rounds to spend on 3 of the following effects:

• High power attack - for 6 energy points the character can attack with 8D6 (split as desired between htk/htc) in one action. agreed
  
  
• Quick Attack - for 2 energy points the character can attack with 2D6 in one frame. They can boost this by spending 2 per extra D6 up to a maximum of 4D6 in one frame (for a cost of 6 energy points) agreed
  
  
• Area attack - for 6 energy points the character can attack everything in a 5m x 5m area with 2D6 HTK from ice that shatters like glass. The nature of the power is such that a single creature may take more than one hit if they are larger or at the front. 'Normal' size objects are struck with 2D6, whereas larger than man size are struck 1d6 times (each doing 2d6 HTK). This effect is much like that of a nail bomb, and should be used sparingly by heroes in the right circumstances.
  
  I like this but I wonder if it should be less powerful against larger creatures/people. I mean that's potentially 12d6 HTK damage ok dividers take it down, but I think it ought to be to a maximum of 6d6htk. It just seemed a big upgrade from 1 to 2, grade 3 yes.
  
  
• Barrier - for every 3 energy points the character can erect a barrier with 1d6 Htk. Every 3 points spent after that increases dividers by +1 (so 6 points has div of 2, 9 points div of 3) and HTK of the barrier by 1d6. The barrier can cover a 2m x 2m area or a 1m x 1m area which makes it thicker (double the rolled HTK)
  
  again this felt like getting force field for free, especially with the other bonus I think it ought to be without damage dividers, or weapon attacks above say 3 and above don't suffer damage dividers. So that the average Joe would find it a problem, but a meta human would be delayed.
  
  Other refinements might be:
  
  Slippery floor. for every two points spent an area 5x5 or 1 x 10 long (a bit like the way energy attack uses different shapes based on a grid pattern) becomes slippery, anyone with Dex of 11 or less cannot stand up, above needs to make a Dex check or slip over movement is halved. Those with agility of reflexes can walk normally? Takes an action to perform.
  
  Ice slide, like the energy barrier but this is a slide or ramp that takes an action to perform, but can build a slide or a ramp, for every action spent the character can form a slide or ramp the length of their normal movement x1/2 to take account of the fact this isn't as easy as walking.
  [/quote]
  
  Chill Blane For every 2 points spend an area 5x5 meters (this might want to be 10x10) becomes unnaturally cold, so cold everyone within fights at -2 unless immune from cold, or they make a vigour check etc.
  
  Mirror Mirror The character can throw up an ice mirror, in a frame, for 2 points that can act as a distraction or be used to stand opposite so they can fool a character into thinking they are standing in one place, when in fact they are behind. The mirror melts unless concentrated on in 2 rounds and shatters from any blow weapon class 2 and above.

Ok those are my suggestions for now.

Sj

Ok the math part is something I'm usually not great with, so feel free to chip in with suggestions...

Field Manipulation
Grade 2

The Character has an advanced control of the element or energy field they use with grade 1. Grade 2, specifically Cold Manipulation, offers these benefits:

Enhanced Range. 30m range

Character can still attack with 2D6 energy manipulation in an action (which costs no energy to use), but also has 15 energy points over 5 rounds to spend on 3 of the following effects:

• High power attack - for 6 energy points the character can attack with 8D6 (split as desired between htk/htc) in one action.
  
  
• Quick Attack - for 2 energy points the character can attack with 2D6 in one frame. They can boost this by spending 2 per extra D6 up to a maximum of 4D6 in one frame (for a cost of 6 energy points)
  
  
• Area attack - for 6 energy points the character can attack everything in a 5m x 5m area with 2D6 HTK from ice that shatters like glass. The nature of the power is such that a single creature may take more than one hit if they are larger or at the front. 'Normal' size objects are struck with 2D6, whereas larger than man size are struck 1d6 times (each doing 2d6 HTK). This effect is much like that of a nail bomb, and should be used sparingly by heroes in the right circumstances.
  
  
• Barrier - for every 3 energy points the character can erect a barrier with 1d6 Htk. Every 3 points spent after that increases dividers by +1 (so 6 points has div of 2, 9 points div of 3) and HTK of the barrier by 1d6. The barrier can cover a 2m x 2m area or a 1m x 1m area which makes it thicker (double the rolled HTK)

===========

Gahhh. It's late (or feels late) so I need to hit the sack. Anyway, open to suggestions and wanted to make a list of 10 effects that you could choose three from at normal cost and use the rest at slightly higher cost. Feel free to offer suggestions, then we'll knock out the costs and balancing. Shouldn't take too long when my brain is working (it really was a LONG day ) Am sure there are glaring holes in the maths/balancing but we'll do the same sort of thing should Stormwarden ever boost his Weather Control to the heights beyond what is thought maximum (Grade 3).

Good to have you back anyway Dave, understand if you have more time away, as usual.

Paul

Admin wrote:Would be posting/updating about now but just need a direction you guys are going in. The quest to find a magical artefact obviously is a priority... However your new alien friends could be fine allies if you were to provide them with enough fuel to power their ship... Your call!

Exactly this is why I ended my last post with:

OOC: Ok gang feel free to chip in here, I've wanted to open things up but feel this is the time for input from us all.

To be honest I am all for helping get the mineral, but for the reasons mentioned by Paul it isn't without its risks. But should we do it we've got some valuable allies.

And if I am honest - if I step back as a player I don't think we've got a killer gm and I'm not a paranoid player so I can't imagine Paul would offer this up to us, if it weren't possible to our primary goal as well. We know we'll have to face Adjutant, so it might as well be with allies?

But again what do you Kendal/Dave think?

Sj

Would be posting/updating about now but just need a direction you guys are going in. The quest to find a magical artefact obviously is a priority - without it freeing the White Warlock would be a waste of time (Magician with no magic to work his tricks). However your new alien friends could be fine allies if you were to provide them with enough fuel to power their ship. That's a mission not without risk as that space station - and the guy building it, aren't that far from the moon where the Lunarium mine is... Your call!

Admin wrote:uh... wow... That is... superb That'll do nicely Great work!

And to think, we are in one of those little itty bitty nodules that are on one of its 'wings'!!

uh... wow... That is... superb That'll do nicely Great work!

Here's a mothership for you.

Due to restrictions I've noted on here, you may not get the full pic so I've posted the thumbnail links as well.

I knew there was a use for all those cylon parts I've been working on!

POSSIBLE PUTTY ORIGIN[S]

I'm cool with whatever origin you come up with. After all, he has no clear memory of his early life. It is also possible that whatever reality is at the moment, his origin will change with that new reality and all those realities and origins are mixed up in his head.

Admin wrote:
Oops sorry Dave - missed that one whilst view the spaceships pic. Will take a look when I get back from work today. With a quick glance no 2 (Vigour) would be the only upgrade (1 brand new power) at this stage, or you could upgrade 2 existing powers. Field Manipulations main point is that it doesn't require a hit roll, making it very potent. If you want to go with that we can thrash out a 'Darkening Shadows official Grade 2 Field Manipulation power' - hopefully everyone will chip in with suggestions and 'whoa, that's too much or could be better'

Anyway, best get to work

Basically I don't mind upgrading two existing powers if I can do it straight away, but if its going to take a while, then I'd rather have field manipulation just be a 1 frame attack instead of two - so I can make more use of it. That was the one thing I wanted above all else. And if its one new power then I'd be happy with either a upgrade to vigour, strength or energy attack.

The other thing was how we develop the redundant weather control, in crunch terms. I'm not trying to slip in extra's but whilst we are refining and developing characters this is an area I'd like to see changed but how it works in crunch/practice I'm happy to leave up to you. But I was making suggestions before because I didn't want to leave you to do all the running around working it out, without at least me making some suggestions along the way

So to recap in order of priority:
1. Field Manip in 1 frame, is my top upgrade I want.
2. Some kind of straight upgrade to either vigour, strength or energy attack
3. some refinement to make weather control more useful.

Thanks

Sj

Kendal - will see what I have knocking about when August comes - can't promise anything as the computer upgrades depend on money - not enough means clothes. Enough means a nice new overclocked (to 4ghz) system with 6gb ram. Probably have a few bits going spare in that case (processor, motherboard a stick or 2 of memory maybe - I tend to boost up the computers that are left) Arggh time. Work. Later!

Steeple_jackuk wrote:

Hey Paul, what did you think about the suggestions I was making re upgrades? I'd like to know where we're going with this and what you think. If you don't like it that is fine (I won't be hurt) but I am keen to know what's what.

Sj

Oops sorry Dave - missed that one whilst view the spaceships pic. Will take a look when I get back from work today. With a quick glance no 2 (Vigour) would be the only upgrade (1 brand new power) at this stage, or you could upgrade 2 existing powers. Field Manipulations main point is that it doesn't require a hit roll, making it very potent. If you want to go with that we can thrash out a 'Darkening Shadows official Grade 2 Field Manipulation power' - hopefully everyone will chip in with suggestions and 'whoa, that's too much or could be better'

Anyway, best get to work

I'm using Doga L3 - it has limitations in plenty but is quite versatile if you have a decent imagination.

Stormy's Updates.

I have to admit that I've been wondering about this. Given the combats we've been in I would love to go for Tough Skin as a principal beginning. The rest I'm very unsure about. I'm still thinking about the lightning globe device - as Stormy can't really aim his power per se. I was also thinking that, as I seem to use his fogbank trick a lot to blind enemies, that I'd like a 'power stunt' there to use it in only one frame and not take up one action. So its more readily available that way.

And one day he'll get back to his home to continue those martial arts classes he was taking!

Limerickcot wrote:

Admin wrote:See the Issue 3 thread - got a different ship for you to draw

Been thinking of upgrading my system lately, might do for my birthday (as a 'treat'). I use Xp at the minute but plan to go to 7 and bung as much memory in the machine as I can afford. Been over 5 years since I touched my machine and 2-3gb (one has 2, the other 3) is ok for Xp until I start messing about with Paintshop pro, then things get slower. I'm guessing the 3d rendering thing you use has rather higher system requirements...

Thats nice - can I have your old one? I'm working on less than 1.5gb!

What programme do you use Kendal?

I'm just about to upgrade my machine to windows 7, from vista which is rubbish. I'm hoping that windows 7 will be less temperamental and do what it says on the box.

Hey Paul, what did you think about the suggestions I was making re upgrades? I'd like to know where we're going with this and what you think. If you don't like it that is fine (I won't be hurt) but I am keen to know what's what.

Sj

Admin wrote:See the Issue 3 thread - got a different ship for you to draw

Been thinking of upgrading my system lately, might do for my birthday (as a 'treat'). I use Xp at the minute but plan to go to 7 and bung as much memory in the machine as I can afford. Been over 5 years since I touched my machine and 2-3gb (one has 2, the other 3) is ok for Xp until I start messing about with Paintshop pro, then things get slower. I'm guessing the 3d rendering thing you use has rather higher system requirements...

Thats nice - can I have your old one? I'm working on less than 1.5gb!

Admin wrote:I think I remember the comic books, or something of them. Ultra tight swimsuit style costumes? Some woman who was kinda feral, like a jungle cat? *scratches head* unless that's Tigra. A team of super heroines? Been reading on RPG.net about comparisons between supers games. No mention of Squadron UK Time for an update, refresh, new edition? The SQUK game certainly has a low-mid level comic book feel and always felt the most 'British' that I could get out of any supers game (I think I tried them all - save Femforce! and Wild Talents - that's based on the WEG D6 system if I recall). I think random character generation has a nice 'old school' feel but points based is the most common way of doing things these days, guess that's why SqUK feels dated. The magic system you mention sounds workable - sure you can do whatever you like with magic, but it costs!

Ms. Victory, Synn, She-Cat, Nightveil and a bunch of old golden age characters who have fallen into public domain.

How could we bring a magic system into SQUK since we don't have a power point buy system? Off the top of my head the only way I can think of doing so would be to use one roll to buy "Magic Spells". This gives you the right to use any powers you have extra rolls in Magic added to it. So if I put five of my rolls into Magic, one roll gives me the power, that leaves me with four rolls to use as needed. If a power says it takes two rolls to have the basic power, then I only have 2 rolls left to get 2 more "magic spells" working. Or, using only one slot powers, I can have up to four different "spells" to use at any time, changing the "spells", changing the spells as a two frame action.

That's not double the cost like the Superbabes system but you are giving up one roll just to be able to change powers over as you want. Or if that is too cheap a cost, make it two rolls to get "Magic Spells."

I think I remember the comic books, or something of them. Ultra tight swimsuit style costumes? Some woman who was kinda feral, like a jungle cat? *scratches head* unless that's Tigra. A team of super heroines? Been reading on RPG.net about comparisons between supers games. No mention of Squadron UK Time for an update, refresh, new edition? The SQUK game certainly has a low-mid level comic book feel and always felt the most 'British' that I could get out of any supers game (I think I tried them all - save Femforce! and Wild Talents - that's based on the WEG D6 system if I recall). I think random character generation has a nice 'old school' feel but points based is the most common way of doing things these days, guess that's why SqUK feels dated. The magic system you mention sounds workable - sure you can do whatever you like with magic, but it costs!

Weaknesses to gain extra points for powers or attributes would be something nice to have in SUK but not totally neccessary.

I've always felt that magic was too limited in this game but that's about all. I have a game called Superbabes, based on the Femforce Universe from AC Comics. They had what I considered a nice way to do magic. You paid so many points into a Magic Pool, then you could have any power you wanted but it cost double normal costs. You had so many points to spend on attributes, skills and powers.

You wanted to fly, cast mystic bolts, go invisible, go intangible, see something far away, encase someone in a mystic cage? Use the power points in your magic pool to do so but twice what it normally would cost to do so if you had just bought each power separately.

I see no way of using such a set up in SUK though but it was probably the nicest flowing way of doing magic in any superhero game system I came across.

And I loved thier Bimbo Points earned for Bimbo Events!

See the Issue 3 thread - got a different ship for you to draw

Been thinking of upgrading my system lately, might do for my birthday (as a 'treat'). I use Xp at the minute but plan to go to 7 and bung as much memory in the machine as I can afford. Been over 5 years since I touched my machine and 2-3gb (one has 2, the other 3) is ok for Xp until I start messing about with Paintshop pro, then things get slower. I'm guessing the 3d rendering thing you use has rather higher system requirements...

Purely hobby.

I don't have the PC memory capacity to use the really great programs out there. Just wish I did. I can make the door smaller if you want it? No probems really and I can do it in about 15 minutes tomorrow (most of that time is the time to render and upload it - not to change it).

Superb I think the scaling is a little off (I wanted it to be bigger, so the door would be smaller) BUT I also envisaged the thing as being so odd alien technology as per the Tardis, where its much bigger inside, so I'll retract my earlier statement! You really are a wiz with the 3d render program Kendal... That your job, or a hobby?

Thanks for the heads up re issue 3 part 2, linked in now

As for the power upgrades, ok lets go with this (subject to your approval)

1. Weather control existing power - now becomes just Ice wind, movement is reduced, or wind chill causes -2 to hit, reduced dodge dividers or some such. No actual physical damage, (unless you want it to) but more immobility etc.

2. Vigour increase,New power - I've already rolled for this and written the states below.

10 vigour 1d6+6=10

Which would mean: my vigour now becomes 24

40 HTC +49 = 89 Stag:17 Stun 8
33 HTK +48 = 81 Hosp 8(4)

3. Field Manipulation to grade 2 - existing power...This is my most important option - I like the idea of points, but the one thing I was holding out for more than anything was a quick blast option? But perhaps with a pool of points we could play it like this:


Quick blast - 1 frame 1d6 damage (HTC or HTK) but for the cost of 2/4 additional points this can be increased by 1d6 to a maximum of_ ?

Area effect, extend the effect beyond one person for every square targeted, it cost an additional 2/4 points. Damage is 2d6 if normal, 1d6 if quick blast?

Combine, for the cost of 4 points can be combined with wind blast, but takes 2 frames?

Ice Shield, Small mansized shield of ice, takes 2 frames to make, and uses 2 or 4 points for every square covered, blocks line of sight, can be thickened or widened for additional cost of points and 1 frame addition. Not sure with this if you say each point allocated = 1 htk of wall or if you roll 1d6 per point allocated. I guess its not fair to make this the super power force field by default so trying to think about using it as a gimmick that could become like that power later on maybe.

Not sure how underpowered over powered this is but the points is the key issue and if along the way we need to tweak it up (its much easier to make it more powerful later on than less, I think) then that is easily done.

But in any case I am not suggesting I get all these gimmicks but that these might be the way it could be developed - with quick blast being the one I wanted the most, but points dependent so like energy attack its got enforced limitations.

What do you think?

Sj