This interest check is for building a universe based on a familiar set of archetypes. The idea is to build a universe but not necessarily a team right off the bat unless the lot of you wants to. We could just as well base the team off of the Justice League, however I think the Avengers gives us a lot more archetypes to toy with. The cast will hopefully be around 7-9 players or so, with any major archetypes lacking in the RP to be created by the rest of the group. So if we go with a Justice League set of archetypes and we need a Superman to kill off I can toss a name out there, somebody could come up with a power set resembling Supes’ to a degree, a few of us could all have a hand in the backstory. Same thing could be done with an Avengers set of archetypes if nobody takes the Thor/God archetype. The idea is to create a universe together right down to the supporting super-characters in need.
Here are a couple of Avengers offshoot teams created by DC. First off ‘the Maximums’ based on the Ultimate Avengers aka the Ultimates:
Here’s another with a much larger cast based on the larger Avengers line-ups of recent relaunches:
The general idea is to build a universe similar to how the big two comic book companies have done with heroic crossovers, fights between them, and team-ups leading into the eventual founding of a superteam within the game. Now, that isn't saying you HAVE to join a superteam. Originally in the comics the Hulk only joined the Avengers long enough to take down Loki. When looking at the building blocks of a more connected universe I look to movies and story lines like Batman vs Superman, Civil War, the Avengers, Justice League War [the animated retelling of the new52 JL origin], Hulk vs. the Thing, Secret Invasion, etc. There are a lot of teams and concepts involved, but not everyone's characters will be team players or want to be. And I get that. There will always be the option no matter which universe we take ques from to have a 'Wildcard' which is exactly what it sounds like. Can be anything and not even based on an existing archetype. Maybe you wanna create something of an amalgam of Hawkman and the Punisher and toss into a DC themed universe as a vigilante w/superpowers? That can still happen. I'm looking at using a Green Lantern archetype or a Black Panther archetype myself.
I'm also going to be one of those people who insist this is a High Casual RP. I'm not exactly looking for Advanced level length posts, I just don't want to have to assist everyone with their own individual stories because that isn't what this game is about. Two or three players could be working on their own thing in the game while I'm mimicking a battle like Hulk vs Thing or Superman vs Batman with another player in the background. If we lack a Superman or Capt. America type character, then the group can have dibs on collectively making them like I mentioned above.
I won't bother posting a Character Sheet template or anything yet, this is just to test the waters with a new original universe concept since the two games I GM have both slowed down. Looking for 7-9 players or so to begin. You can make a hero or villain. I also need everyone's opinions on which universe to take notes from, DC or Marvel. Again, I think Marvel gives us more archetypes to play with... and I'm a huge DC fan. We'll also likely come up with an original universe equivalent of NYC or Astro City so that most of the heroes can be neighbors somewhat defending smaller areas of a much larger city.
So, who's got heroes? And who potentially wants to co-create other supporting heroes and villains with the rest of the group? If enough players show interest I'll get the Character Sheet template up sooner than later.
~KL~
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