How are Superhero games different?

[Cam Banks]

Marvel Heroic Roleplaying doesn't even have ability scores or stats, which is a bit of a change for some people. Actions are always opposed by reactions, which means there are no fixed difficulty numbers. It's really quite different from a lot of other games on the market, and yet in other ways quite a lot alike.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[fireinthedust]

Marvel Heroic Roleplaying doesn't even have ability scores or stats, which is a bit of a change for some people. Actions are always opposed by reactions, which means there are no fixed difficulty numbers. It's really quite different from a lot of other games on the market, and yet in other ways quite a lot alike.

Cheers,
Cam

Oooooh, I looked it up. Coming out in February. I'll have to check it out!

 

[howandwhy99]

Superheroes games are different because of the characters involved. The adventures they engage in are scaled to their abilities. Typically they are super-human characters rather than, say, playing a sentient atom or galaxy, but the genre of supers does dabble into those realms too.

They are about getting outside the easily attuned to human character lives we have and into challenges we would never dream we could face or overcome. For example, turning back time or single-handedly pushing an asteroid out of its path towards the earth. Super-sentience could be addressed too, but, since we are talking about human players portraying and imagining such, it's by definition outside the scope of what can be addressed. Still, attempting to do such is included.

 

[fireinthedust]

thanks for the effort in responding, but I don't know if you've read the rest of the thread or even the OP: I'm asking about the mechanics of super hero games in general, and the differences between them. I'm aware of the gist of the genre, though.

It also diverged into a discussion on whether any games are really "different" from one another, in that certain things need to be covered in any game (health, ability scores, defences/saves, etc.). AND are we merely just arranging deck chairs on the same boat (hopefully not hte titanic) when we swap mechanisms for determining results (ie: bell-curve vs. equal distribution of results, cards, dartboards, etc.)

However, good point bringing up the potential inherent in games set in super comics.

I mean, do any of the games do a good enough job covering the essential requirements for all levels of play? Maybe. Hopefully.

yet another test!

 

[Dragonblade]

Although to be fair, none of the write ups for the DC Adventures books are accurate anymore: The DC 52 reboot just changed everything. Sure they could be similar, but much of the M&M work has been retconned or rebooted.

The writeups in DCA are intended to be the iconic versions of the characters based on how they have been portrayed over their lifespan rather than specific to a particular era or timeline. So they are perfectly accurate for what they are meant to be. The 52 reboot doesn't really matter in that regard.

There will always be changes and retcons in comics, it would be impossible to write a definitive book that wasn't going to be outdated by some event or another.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I mean, do any of the games do a good enough job covering the essential requirements for all levels of play? Maybe. Hopefully.

IMHO, HERO & M&M do a great job at all levels except that they get a little wonky with the low-powered games. As in the guys who are mainly dependent on skills & some gadgets, but are not fit to stand toe to toe with the truly iconic/epic guys in that category, like Batman.

GURPS, OTOH, simulates that level of play extremely well, but can fall apart at the high end of play.

 

[fireinthedust]

Dragonblade: Yeah, sure, but DC still (imho) left M&M hanging with the reboot. Which is, btw, a massive change for the comics beyond merely a small retcon, or event he gradual change over many years. They've gotten rid of most of the background elements, and substantially altered many of the characters. Heck, Green Arrow is totally changed, while others like Superman just look different.

It's a great book for the old continuity, though, no gripes there. Just the timing. Then again, maybe it was the last chance, sort of a last hurrah for the old continuity to be documented before the big change over?