Jemal
Adventurer
Good day to everybody! I had meant to post this earlier but the site problems have been preventing me.
This month marks two auspicious occasions in my life. The first being my 30th birthday (Nov 29th), the second being the 10th anniversary of my involvement with ENWorld. I've realized that the only other sites on the internet I was using 10 years ago were Hotmail and WOTC.. I rarely go to Wizards anymore, and only use hotmail when required...
But ENWorld has been my internet home for the majority of the last decade, a decade that has seen MANY changes in my life - Yes, I've taken some breaks, probably 2-3 years of that time overall, but I don't think there's a site out there that I've spent more time on than this one!
And so, in celebration of this event, I am going to attempt to host a special game, and I hope that many of you will join me.
THE GAME!
First off, yes I am running 3 other games, but they aren't taking up an insane amount of time, and this one will be relatively easy to run. Also, I'm warning you all now that If I do have problems, my posting in this game will slow if I have to compensate for my other games, but I don't forsee such problems.
Now, I've been thinking of this for over a month, trying to decide exactly what to do, and I was reminded of a game that occurred here years ago called the ICCG - In Character Character Game - where several of us played ourselves in a game where we gained strange powers.
I'd like to do an homage/variation to that, as it was one of my favourite early games, so here is my idea :
Anybody who would like to join will play a variation on themselves - It may be you as you are now, as you were in your past, as you imagine you'll be in a few years, or even an alternate universe version - The only thing that matters is that at it's CORE - Who it is, It's personality and the basic way the character thinks - You are playing yourself. The time will be the 'undefined near-future' maybe a year, maybe 5. Many people are attending the "ENWorld Convention", mingling IRL with the people they've only known through these forums before now.
Without revealing the story, All I can say is that a 'global event' happens that alters the fabric of reality, and creating all sorts of weird sh*t!
One of the hotspots happens to be the Convention, and many of the gamers there are affected oddly, some gaining strange abilities, others changing drastically - both physically and mentally. The same thing happens in numerous other locations around the world.
I have pondered many different systems for the game.
I thought about d20 modern, as the ICCG was, but it's a bit too limiting for what I have in mind.
I also deeply pondered D&D as it is what drew me to gaming, and to ENWorld in the first place, but wanted a more modern/super-heroish feel than fantasy.
I even briefly considered BESM, but it isn't as well known and is a tad too broken.
So in the end, I decided on Mutants and Masterminds (3e). It seems to be my system of choice for the last few years.
But Despair not, those who were interested but know not the ways of M&M, for our assistance is yours should you desire to be a part of this, as the game is relatively easy to learn, and based off the general d20 system.
Thematically, I see this as a Fun, lighter game as opposed to the more gritty/serious games I usually run. More old school comicbook less drama. Not Silly, but.. Fun. There will still be some drama and seriousness, just less.
Real world Physics will be applied loosely, mostly being replaced by movie/comicbook/videogame Physics... so if you have problems with suspension of disbelief, or can't overlook instant-growing clones, techno babble, and the occasional Phlebotinum, I'd suggest steering clear.
Those who wish to participate will begin without the need for character sheets, simply "role-playing" themselves mingling with each other until their powers manifest. You will need to have a character ready for the initial manifestation, but that will not be until after the new year.
[sblock=Side note]I had initially intended on beginning the game on Dec 21st/22nd as a joke/nod to the end of the Mayan Calender, but the timing isn't too feasible being around such a busy time of year, so despite how thematically appropriate it would be, I've decided to wait until everybody has more free time in 2013.[/sblock]
THE MECHANICS!
Once the event has occurred, you will start as PL 5 heroes with 75 points. I expect power to increase at a fairly fast curve, and not entirely evenly (not exactly 15 pts = 1 PL). Your PL will increase more rapidly at first, in relation to Points, but they'll level out after a few levels, after which point you'll be gaining more points than PL.
So try not to build characters towards a specific PL/Point 'butter zone' because this game will be leveling faster than most. I'll also allow not spending all your points at start, saving some for when your PL Increases, to help get to your new Caps if you wish to do so.
There will be little in the way of Mook fighting - You won't be super heroes fighting crime, there will be Super Villains and Large, World or at least City-threatening crisis to deal with.. not car-jackers and drug dealers.
Character powers : practically Anything goes. Unlike most of my games, I will not be requiring detailed power explanations - If you want the power to summon anvils that drop on peoples heads and then disappear, go ahead. No need to go into detail about how. Just try not to make it too weird - Like I said, I want a FUN game, not silly.
I will also be adding one power that I enjoy in BESM - It's called "Unknown Power".
It is kindof the opposite of the 'variable' power - You buy ranks in it, and get MORE points than you put in - but you don't know what they are!
For every 2 points you put into Unknown Power, you gain a 3 point pool. At any time in the future, the GM (Me) may convert these points into new powers for you - often (But not always) ones that are suited to a situation your character is in. These points follow all the normal rules for spending points, but only the GM has any say in what the power is. Once a power has been given to you from this pool, you are free to use it and modify it as though it were any other power.
You may NOT request a specific power or genre of powers, this is not just a cheap way of getting extra powers. It's fun and the powers will be useful, but not game breaking. They may not fit perfectly with other powers you have (Or each other), but they won't be useless.
For the character who truly doesn't know what they are capable of!
[sblock=Unknown Power Example]
Say Piratecat has 75 points and has placed 10 points in Unknown Power - he would have then essentially have a 65 point character with 15 points in his 'Unknown Pool'. During one scene, I give him Immunity to Fire as he gets thrown into a pit of lava. He climbs out, everybody being amazed at the lack of damage he's taken! He would then add "Immunity: Fire (5) to his list of powers, and remove 5 points from his unknown pool. He now has a 65 point character + Immunity: Fire + 10 points remaining in Unknown Pool
[/sblock]
Now, there will be a FEW restriction:
As stated before, nothing overly silly. (Yes i realize 'overly silly' is a point of view, if I see anything I'll mention it).
I understand it's hard to accurately judge and portray your OWN stats, so don't worry about getting them perfect - this is an alternate you, after all, it can be a little different.
Your Characters should all have one Expertise skill that represents Player Knowledge, with 5 ranks in it. You will not need to make checks, the character knows what you know.
On this note, unless you are giving yourself an enhanced knowledge/intellect as part of your 'super powers', I would like to ask that people be Honorable and truthful as far as what you know - Don't Google things unless your character's doing the same thing in game! If you ARE playing an 'intelligence enhanced' character, then feel free to Google away to account for that.
But still keep in mind that Science won't always work the same In Game, reality becomes warped!
NOTE: all Other skill checks will still be required, so if you can tightrope walk IRL And want your IC self able to do it as well, I suggest getting your Acrobatics check up to about +10.
I also understand that some of you may wish to use devices/gadgets. Feel free, we'll figure out how you get it in game - maybe you find it, or someone gives it to you, or you develop it with newly enhanced intellect and skills. Who Knows?
SO, Questions? Comments? Volunteers?
This month marks two auspicious occasions in my life. The first being my 30th birthday (Nov 29th), the second being the 10th anniversary of my involvement with ENWorld. I've realized that the only other sites on the internet I was using 10 years ago were Hotmail and WOTC.. I rarely go to Wizards anymore, and only use hotmail when required...
But ENWorld has been my internet home for the majority of the last decade, a decade that has seen MANY changes in my life - Yes, I've taken some breaks, probably 2-3 years of that time overall, but I don't think there's a site out there that I've spent more time on than this one!
And so, in celebration of this event, I am going to attempt to host a special game, and I hope that many of you will join me.
THE GAME!
First off, yes I am running 3 other games, but they aren't taking up an insane amount of time, and this one will be relatively easy to run. Also, I'm warning you all now that If I do have problems, my posting in this game will slow if I have to compensate for my other games, but I don't forsee such problems.
Now, I've been thinking of this for over a month, trying to decide exactly what to do, and I was reminded of a game that occurred here years ago called the ICCG - In Character Character Game - where several of us played ourselves in a game where we gained strange powers.
I'd like to do an homage/variation to that, as it was one of my favourite early games, so here is my idea :
Anybody who would like to join will play a variation on themselves - It may be you as you are now, as you were in your past, as you imagine you'll be in a few years, or even an alternate universe version - The only thing that matters is that at it's CORE - Who it is, It's personality and the basic way the character thinks - You are playing yourself. The time will be the 'undefined near-future' maybe a year, maybe 5. Many people are attending the "ENWorld Convention", mingling IRL with the people they've only known through these forums before now.
Without revealing the story, All I can say is that a 'global event' happens that alters the fabric of reality, and creating all sorts of weird sh*t!
One of the hotspots happens to be the Convention, and many of the gamers there are affected oddly, some gaining strange abilities, others changing drastically - both physically and mentally. The same thing happens in numerous other locations around the world.
I have pondered many different systems for the game.
I thought about d20 modern, as the ICCG was, but it's a bit too limiting for what I have in mind.
I also deeply pondered D&D as it is what drew me to gaming, and to ENWorld in the first place, but wanted a more modern/super-heroish feel than fantasy.
I even briefly considered BESM, but it isn't as well known and is a tad too broken.
So in the end, I decided on Mutants and Masterminds (3e). It seems to be my system of choice for the last few years.
But Despair not, those who were interested but know not the ways of M&M, for our assistance is yours should you desire to be a part of this, as the game is relatively easy to learn, and based off the general d20 system.
Thematically, I see this as a Fun, lighter game as opposed to the more gritty/serious games I usually run. More old school comicbook less drama. Not Silly, but.. Fun. There will still be some drama and seriousness, just less.
Real world Physics will be applied loosely, mostly being replaced by movie/comicbook/videogame Physics... so if you have problems with suspension of disbelief, or can't overlook instant-growing clones, techno babble, and the occasional Phlebotinum, I'd suggest steering clear.
Those who wish to participate will begin without the need for character sheets, simply "role-playing" themselves mingling with each other until their powers manifest. You will need to have a character ready for the initial manifestation, but that will not be until after the new year.
[sblock=Side note]I had initially intended on beginning the game on Dec 21st/22nd as a joke/nod to the end of the Mayan Calender, but the timing isn't too feasible being around such a busy time of year, so despite how thematically appropriate it would be, I've decided to wait until everybody has more free time in 2013.[/sblock]
THE MECHANICS!
Once the event has occurred, you will start as PL 5 heroes with 75 points. I expect power to increase at a fairly fast curve, and not entirely evenly (not exactly 15 pts = 1 PL). Your PL will increase more rapidly at first, in relation to Points, but they'll level out after a few levels, after which point you'll be gaining more points than PL.
So try not to build characters towards a specific PL/Point 'butter zone' because this game will be leveling faster than most. I'll also allow not spending all your points at start, saving some for when your PL Increases, to help get to your new Caps if you wish to do so.
There will be little in the way of Mook fighting - You won't be super heroes fighting crime, there will be Super Villains and Large, World or at least City-threatening crisis to deal with.. not car-jackers and drug dealers.
Character powers : practically Anything goes. Unlike most of my games, I will not be requiring detailed power explanations - If you want the power to summon anvils that drop on peoples heads and then disappear, go ahead. No need to go into detail about how. Just try not to make it too weird - Like I said, I want a FUN game, not silly.
I will also be adding one power that I enjoy in BESM - It's called "Unknown Power".
It is kindof the opposite of the 'variable' power - You buy ranks in it, and get MORE points than you put in - but you don't know what they are!
For every 2 points you put into Unknown Power, you gain a 3 point pool. At any time in the future, the GM (Me) may convert these points into new powers for you - often (But not always) ones that are suited to a situation your character is in. These points follow all the normal rules for spending points, but only the GM has any say in what the power is. Once a power has been given to you from this pool, you are free to use it and modify it as though it were any other power.
You may NOT request a specific power or genre of powers, this is not just a cheap way of getting extra powers. It's fun and the powers will be useful, but not game breaking. They may not fit perfectly with other powers you have (Or each other), but they won't be useless.
For the character who truly doesn't know what they are capable of!
[sblock=Unknown Power Example]
Say Piratecat has 75 points and has placed 10 points in Unknown Power - he would have then essentially have a 65 point character with 15 points in his 'Unknown Pool'. During one scene, I give him Immunity to Fire as he gets thrown into a pit of lava. He climbs out, everybody being amazed at the lack of damage he's taken! He would then add "Immunity: Fire (5) to his list of powers, and remove 5 points from his unknown pool. He now has a 65 point character + Immunity: Fire + 10 points remaining in Unknown Pool
[/sblock]
Now, there will be a FEW restriction:
As stated before, nothing overly silly. (Yes i realize 'overly silly' is a point of view, if I see anything I'll mention it).
I understand it's hard to accurately judge and portray your OWN stats, so don't worry about getting them perfect - this is an alternate you, after all, it can be a little different.
Your Characters should all have one Expertise skill that represents Player Knowledge, with 5 ranks in it. You will not need to make checks, the character knows what you know.
On this note, unless you are giving yourself an enhanced knowledge/intellect as part of your 'super powers', I would like to ask that people be Honorable and truthful as far as what you know - Don't Google things unless your character's doing the same thing in game! If you ARE playing an 'intelligence enhanced' character, then feel free to Google away to account for that.
But still keep in mind that Science won't always work the same In Game, reality becomes warped!
NOTE: all Other skill checks will still be required, so if you can tightrope walk IRL And want your IC self able to do it as well, I suggest getting your Acrobatics check up to about +10.
I also understand that some of you may wish to use devices/gadgets. Feel free, we'll figure out how you get it in game - maybe you find it, or someone gives it to you, or you develop it with newly enhanced intellect and skills. Who Knows?
SO, Questions? Comments? Volunteers?
