Clever Hans

The Ultra Moderns (stylish celebrity supers role-playing)

Argh. I'm going to have to back-burner this project. I posted this interest check after running across some of the files for this setting (I've worked on and off on this one for many years). Then I started looking for my scenario files... and they appear to have vanished. So, instead of of being able to launch the game with several sub-plots waiting to start cooking right away, I find I have some work to do to get the game ready.

It's work I want to do, but I also want to get a game up and running, so I've decided I will work on getting this game "shovel ready" and fire up this game instead: https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/168281-checking-an-idea-silver-age-superhero-rp-with-randomized-powers/ooc

Drop a line if you would be interested in that one. When I get Ultra Modern ready for character applications, I'll PM everyone who expressed an interest here.

Checking an idea - Silver Age superhero RP with randomized powers

Ok, I understand where you are coming from. Can be mutants, supernatural, or the like but cannot be known. Gotcha. Still game. Curious what powers I get.

@UnseenShade

<Snipped quote by Clever Hans>

So, like the opposite of stuperman? You had me at Random.

@Dnafein

Not being a close follower of Superman comics, I've never been sure just how much of the general public knows that Supes is from another planet. An alien character could potentially hide his origins indefinitely, especially if her physiology was very close to human. And even if it weren't, she could claim that the onset of her powers transformed her in some way. Since no one knows anything about why people are manifesting super powers at this point, who could disprove that claim?

Checking an idea - Silver Age superhero RP with randomized powers

I'm game, though what is the power origin then? Is it an inborn human gene that skated under the radar till now? You mentioned it wasn't supernatural, mutant, or aliens.

@UnseenShade

Literally no one has a clue. :) And my apologies, because I did not make myself very clear: by "No mutants, no aliens, no ancient mythological beings," I meant that at the beginning of the game, there's no record of genetic deviation that would cause super-powers, there has been no documented contact of Earth by aliens, and no mythological beings are known to be walking around.

For reasons of plot:

I would not allow a "mutant" character, in the sense that the character has some sort of genetic alteration that has been pinpointed as the source of her powers.

A character could be an alien, but he'd either have to keep that fact a secret, or deal with the considerable repercussions of being the first alien known to Earth.

I would not allow a character to be some sort of mythological creature with a clear memory of ancient events and relationships with other mythological beings. However, if someone transformed into, say, a quetzalcoatl, and concluded without corraborative evidence that he was actually the incarnation of the legend, I could work with that. :)

Checking an idea - Silver Age superhero RP with randomized powers

I love the idea!

What time period is the world set in? Past? Present? Near Future? Or Distant future?

@BrokenWashing

It would most likely be in the present.

Checking an idea - Silver Age superhero RP with randomized powers

Taking this a step further (not making any promises yet :D )... I'm thinking this would take place on an Earth where super powers are a very recent phenomenon (< 6 months), and super beings are rare (but becoming more common). No mutants, no aliens, no ancient mythological beings. Essentially, one day you were J.Q. Public. The next, you could fly, or lift a boxcar, or mind-control dogs or whatever. As they always seem to, circumstances would draw the team together, probably by way of me giving each player a writing prompt to write themselves into the beginning of the first episode.

Character generation: I have a modified version of the V&V tables, and I'd have players taking turns posting dice rolls to determine powers (and a weakness). this way, players can suggest ideas to tie disparate power elements together (plus its fun to see what other players get!). Players would make 5 rolls (plus one weakness roll), dropping one at the end of the process. The weakness that is rolled can be removed at the cost of dropping another power. Once all the rolls are made, I'd likely allow each player to pick a power to complete their concept.

Does that tickle fancies? Or cause fancies to cease smiling? :D

Checking an idea - Silver Age superhero RP with randomized powers

Considering it is Silver Age, what would be the model used? Are we going classic superhero stuff like with DC or going with the flawed and often low self-esteem of Marvel's entries to the era?

@UnseenShade

Good question. Structurally, it'd be more DC, with strong character archetypes. Emotionally, it'd be more Marvel. There'd also likely be some Astro City influence as well.

Sorcerers and Sellswords - Where'd all that Chaos go?

Not sure if this is still happening or not but i'd love to join if it is.

@deadpixel101

Quite possibly happening. :)

The Imperial Dragoons - A Flintlock Fantasy RP

This looks awesome. Definitely has my interest.

Checking an idea - Silver Age superhero RP with randomized powers

Might be Free or Casual, but I'm just checking interest on a general idea for the moment.

I've always enjoyed the concept of old school Villains and Vigilantes - if you don't know it, it's one of the first supers RPGs, released in the early 1980's. The system is pretty clunky, but the concept behind the game is that players play themselves, with super powers. And like it would be in real life, you don't pick your powers; instead you roll on various tables to build up a power list.

Clearly, the "play yourself" notion wouldn't work out in the PbP medium, but I continue to be intrigued by the random powers concept. I played in several V&V campaigns, and there was never, ever a time when even the most bizarre, rando list of powers couldn't be pulled into some kind of cohesive concept - for example, I once rolled up a robot body, a special weapon, and plant-control powers. WTF, right? Well, that became Veg-o-Matic, the brain-in-a-bot plant-controller with a thousand compartments in his body for seeds of all kinds and a catherine wheel of blades that extended and whirled from one arm! :D

This game would be very Silver Age, and players would have to be willing to OWN the powers they wound up with, and make it fun.

Like I said, just an idea for now... but what do you think?

On the Limitations of Creativity

<Snipped quote by NuttsnBolts>

Ultimately, limitations restrict imagination but encourage reasoning. Another way to say it might be that limitations restrict the right brain but encourage the left brain. Whether that's a bad thing or not depends entirely on the context.

@whizzball1

I feel that in the human brain, creativity is a mixture of reasoning and creativity.