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17:19, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

[INFO] Important Info - Read Me!

Posted by The NarratorFor group public
The Narrator
GM, 1 post
Lord of Lies
Teller of Tales
Tue 11 Jun 2019
at 14:35
  • msg #1

[INFO] Important Info - Read Me!

Keep these in mind and you'll do fine:


  1. When in doubt ask.
    If you're stuck in-game or out-of-game, not sure how to react or feel like there is anything preventing you from posting, either drop a line in any OOC chat or send me a PM. If you don't get an answer within 24 hours, poke me via PM. While I may not update every day, I do keep an eye out for PMs and questions.


  2. It's your character.
    I spend my day trying to figure out plot lines and run encounters. I do not memorize character sheets. If there is important information pertaining to your character (like how you have dark vision so you don't get the dark penalties I posted) it is your responsibility to bring that up, not mine to remember it. You are the advocate for your character, it is your job to give them every advantage they can have. If you have questions, see Rule #1.


  3. If you have to leave, drop me a line.
    If you're going to be absent for longer then a week, or your RL schedule means you're going to be busier then normal, or school is starting and RL has to be adjusted...whatever the case, drop me a PM before you disappear for longer then a week. If you haven't posted in a week I will view you as an AFK player. I will then begin to NPC your character if they are vital to the plot, finding a replacement player, or working them out of the story. If you disappear for two weeks without prior warning, don't be surprised to find that you no longer have a character. This doesn't mean I can't work you back in, but it would ALL be resolved much better with a bit of forewarning. Even if you don't KNOW but just THINK you might have difficulty posting, see Rule #1: When in doubt, send a PM.


  4. If you take too long, I will advance the story.
    PbP can be slow enough without spending weeks/months trying to create a plan. I've seen this happen game after game after game where when the party has to make a decision nothing gets done and the game grinds to a halt while people just mill around without anything to do. When you are ready for the scene to advance you can notify that clearly by writing in an OOC line at the bottom:

    OOC: READY!

    This will signify to both me and the rest of the group that you're ready to move on. When the majority is ready (or I get bored :P) the game will advance. I will post a default plan and if the plan hasn't changed before then, then that is what you're going to be doing. If you don't like it you'd better speak up and get a new plan in the works before I get bored and hit the fast forward button.


  5. Expect to fail. Expect to be challenged. Expect to be wrong.
    Mary/Marty Sues have no place here. Interesting gameplay stems from drama and drama is a result of conflict and conflict means there must be uncertainty. I find Superman to be the worst because he is so powerful that writers have to come up with convoluted ways to depower him or make him forget his powers in order to challenge him. It isn't dramatic when superman can beat every bad guy and save every day and the same goes here.



  6. I hurt the ones I love.
    Because of the above, the more I like your character, the more I want to stress them, to push them to their limits. If you ever feel that I am being overly hard on your character, you are probably right, and that is a good thing. It means I enjoy them and want to see them push and grow and develop in new and exciting ways. Having everything go your way is boring and probably means I am not putting very much thought into anything. Remember this important phrase: Failing Is Fun.

  7. All the standard social RP rules apply.
    Don't god mod. Don't take things personally. Don't be a jerk face out-of-game. We're all here to have fun.

This message was last edited by the GM at 21:13, Sat 15 May 2021.
The Narrator
GM, 2 posts
Lord of Lies
Teller of Tales
Tue 11 Jun 2019
at 14:37
  • msg #2

Player Conflict

Sometimes player conflict happens.
  • IF YOU HAVE ISSUES WITH ANOTHER PLAYER FOLLOW THESE STEPS

    Step 1: PM me

    Step 2: Call for a time out

    Step 3: Go back to Step 1

    If I don't immediately respond (I'm usually active a couple times per day but you never know because of work/kids/vacation/internet etc.) DO NOT ENGAGE. Just say that you're waiting for me to chime in and just keep PMing me. This isn't Reddit or Facebook or the Youtube comment sections. While I encourage friendly chit-chat this is not the right forum to have a serious business debate or argument. Take it out of the game via rMail.

    If a player tells you that they want to stop so I can chime in, DO NOT PROVOKE THEM FURTHER. If a player has called for a timeout and you continue to provoke them (my judgement) I will boot you no warnings and no questions. Boom. Gone.

    When I chime in I will generally talk to both sides privately and work to resolve the conflict peacefully. Usually it's as simple as ordering both sides to their corner and advising them to avoid one another HOWEVER if there is a mechanical conflict I will rule and that will be final. It may be against the rules, it may be completely arbitrary based upon my wild mood swings at the time but if you call for my intervention I will intervene however I see fit, even if that means everyone gets attacked by rabid monkeys.

  • IF YOU HAVE ISSUES WITH MY RULINGS, PM ME FIRST

    If I'm running a something wrong I'd appreciate a private PM first so I can figure out what I'm going to do about it and then I will make a public post and apology explaining what I did wrong, if we're going to retcon anything and how to move forward. I just prefer to have some time to get my act in order first before being blindsided. Going into the OOC chat and badmouthing me or other players will not be tolerated.

  • STAY RESPECTFUL AT ALL TIMES
    I get that sometimes things aren't going your way and I completely understand feelings of frustrations where your expectations about your action/character/the game don't match reality but nobody wants to play with a sore player.

    It doesn't matter if you're ultimately right or vindicated if the end result is nobody, myself included, wants to play with you anymore. You can be right all the way back to the Wanted-Player ads. It's game, try to have fun and if you can't do that try not to ruin the fun for other people.

This message was last edited by the GM at 21:15, Sat 15 May 2021.
The Narrator
GM, 3 posts
Lord of Lies
Teller of Tales
Tue 11 Jun 2019
at 14:38
  • msg #3

Posting Formats

General Posting

For posting I will be doing the following:
  • "Speech is bolded" to help make it pop. I know some people interpret that as always shouting but that isn't the case. The purpose is that if you're skimming the thread you can quickly pick out what is being said versus is thoughts or other descriptions.
  • "Speech is colored by the target's opinion of you.". If someone is speaking to you as a friend or ally they will talk in blue. If they are hostile it will be in Red and neutral is just black.
  • Out of Character is Orange Orange is a reserved color for OOC comments and mechanics. Battle damage, reminders about this or that, asking you or letting me know that you are ready to move on with the game etc.


For players I highly encourage taking up a color for speech so again when scrolling it is easy to pick up on but you can post however you would prefer. I will ask that you post in 3rd person format as that tends to be the norm and I find 1st person posts from different people to be difficult to read.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:32, Fri 14 May 2021.
The Narrator
GM, 4 posts
Lord of Lies
Teller of Tales
Tue 11 Jun 2019
at 14:38
  • msg #4

Mature Themes

I have set this game as "Mature" and that is how I expect the game to stay. To clarify that just consider what is shown in an R-Rated movie like a Bond Film or even Deadpool.

As per rPol Terms of Use:
quote:
Mature games are games which have (as some minor portion of them) mature themes, strong language, drug use, and/or extensive violence.  Mature games use the Mature Content flag to warn potential readers that some of the game material may be considered offensive.  Despite this flag, Mature Games must remain suitable to all ages.


Language
Traditional swearing is allowed. Drop swear words to your heart's content. Racial slurs, homophobic language and other "hate speech" however is strictly forbidden. Just because you're a bad guy doesn't mean you have to be a dick. Nobody who is accepted here is going to play a character that needs to be racist or homophobic or sexist. Besides there are plenty of other ways to insult someone without crossing real world lines.

Romance & Sex
While I encourage romance and some sense of sexuality in play as part of characterizations note that this is always handled in a mature and respectful way. Nothing will be described beyond passionate kissing and anything more intense will be handled "off screen." If you are involved in a "sex scene" then it will fade to black and skip ahead to the aftermath. Again think about how it works in an R-rated movie. Maybe you get to see a bit of butt or boobs but nothing pornographic.

Violence
I am expecting this game to get violent by its nature but I personally have limits. No excessive torture or gore descriptions. By all means be a bad guy but I don't want to read the next SAW screenplay. Like sex this stuff can be handled "off screen" if necessary.

Children
There is going to be almost no explicit violence against children specifically. This is supposed to be a fun 4-color supervillain game. By all means look menacing or yell at them so they run away and in scenes with widespread catastrophe it may be implied that children were hurt or worse but it will always be "off screen". Burning down an orphanage is a classic villain move but there won't be any descriptions of children running around burning to death.

The Bad Stuff
As per rPoL Terms of Use:

quote:
Games are not allowed to exist -- at all -- which graphically describe:
  • non-consensual sex, sexual assault, or rape;
  • the taking of life for sexual arousal;
  • incest;
  • bestiality;
  • necrophilia;
  • sexual acts involving children under the age of 18, or
  • the sexual exploitation of minors.


If you violate that I will boot you from the game and report you to the admins, no questions asked. Instead if you're unsure about something remember Rule #1: PM me! Let me know where you're going with it and I can help make sure you're not crossing any lines.
The Narrator
GM, 5 posts
Lord of Lies
Teller of Tales
Tue 11 Jun 2019
at 14:40
  • msg #5

Game System

This game is going to be freeform from your perspective but behind the scenes I may use dice and stats to resolve disputes and conflicts.

You will use die sizes to determine your stats. An average human has a [1d3] in the following stats, while super heroes typically range from [1d6]-[1d12] and ultimate threats might go higher. In general, a larger die size beats a smaller one so by default even your weakest stat will let you roll over a regular everyday henchman.

Groups of henchmen however might be able to increase their die size based on numbers so while a single security guard is only a [1d3] threat a dozen of them might become a [1d6] threat, twenty might be a [1d8] threat and a hundred of them might be a [1d12] threat.

Regular conflicts will be resolved using the averages but if there is any kind of special circumstances or factors then I will actually roll the dice. You don't ever have to worry about touching the dice roller, this is all stuff that I will take care of behind the scenes but I want you to understand what is going on before proceeding to the stat blocks.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:24, Sat 15 May 2021.
The Narrator
GM, 7 posts
Lord of Lies
Teller of Tales
Tue 11 Jun 2019
at 14:44
  • msg #7

Character Creation

Everyone will be rated behind the scenes on the following stats:


Physical
this is a catchall for physical strength, endurance, and durability. High physical lets bullets bounce off of you, lets you jump high into the air, bend steel beams etc.

[1d2] - A child
[1d3] - Ordinary person
[1d6] - World-class athlete
[1d8] - Standard super soldier/Captain America level. Batman level peak martial arts & tenacity.
[1d10] - Super strength & Durability ala The Thing or Colossus
[1d12] - Unstoppable strength like Superman or unstoppable regeneration like Wolverine

NOTE: This is a rating based on effects, not cause. Wolverine would be a [1d12] because he can take an enormous amount of damage and can physically cut through almost anything in his path. He might not be as strong as superman but the end effect is a top tier physical fighter.

Speed
How fast you can move and think. This both encompasses super-speed but also advanced mobility like an Iron Man flight suit or Nightcrawler teleportation.

[1d2] - A frail
[1d3] - Ordinary person
[1d6] - World-class sprinter/regular car
[1d8] - Standard super soldier/Captain America level. Batman levels of grappling and vehicles or Nightcrawler level short range teleportation or Spider-man web-slinging and agility.
[1d10] - Faster than a speeding bullet, Superman Style.
[1d12] - Super-speed like The Flash or Quicksilver.

NOTE: It is assumed that characters have transportation outside of battle but if a vehicle is not intended to be used in fights directly against villains it isn't counted for this stat.


Mental
This goes beyond intelligence for comic style Science! Super tech inventions that defy physics, super intelligence that can let them use comic-book science to solve problems. This could represent resistance to mind control and psychic powers but this is a case-by-case scenario as Bruce Bannor would have very high mental stat however as the Hulk he can susceptible to trickery or mental manipulation.

[1d2] - A child or highschool drop-out.
[1d3] - Ordinary person
[1d6] - Leading expert in scientific field
[1d8] - One of the smartest people alive. Oracle or Hank Pym level.
[1d10] - Super Tech Inventor. Iron Man/Mr. Fantastic super science inventions.
[1d12] - I'm Batman. I have already thought of everything. Even my failsafes have contingencies in place.


Powers
A catch all for supernatural powers that don't fit into any other category. This could be elemental control, always having the perfect gadget in your utility belt, psychic powers etc.

[1d2] - A child or very minor power like being able to make your fingertip glow like E.T.
[1d3] - Average person's junk drawer. Minor useful mutant abilities like always finding an open wi-fi signal.
[1d6] - Military grade hardware or low-level mutant or psychic abilities.
[1d8] - Spiderman's spider powers, Superman's heat vision and frost breath (this could vary wildly depending on how often he remembers he has it...). Many X-men fall under here like Iceman or Rogue's draining abilitie.s
[1d10] - Batman's utility belt or Iron Man's armor. Storm's weather control or Scarlet Witch's magic or Magento's metal control.
[1d12] - Professor X or Dark Phoenix level psychic abilities.

NOTE: Powers that give super-strength/speed/durability etc. are covered elsewhere but creative use of those abilities might fall under powers. For example Colossus would primarily be represented via Physical but the unique properties of his metallic skin could qualify as powers.


Social
The ability to not just talk but lead and get people to follow your commands. Seen in dictators and presidents and CEOs and musicians. Charisma, charm, good looks, take your pick.  This can be used to help represent things in the background like recruitment drives for organizations or the ability to talk a foreign government into opening its borders so you can run in and bring a villain to justice or negotiating a peace between two rival gangs.

[1d2] - Typical comic book fan :P
[1d3] - Has friends, doesn't stick out at parties.
[1d6] - Everyone generally likes him. Superman level of charm.
[1d8] - Lovable and endearing. Everyone loves Spiderman, right? Or Nick Fury's ability to get big egos working together.
[1d10] - Magneto level charisma to lead large groups of powerful
[1d12] - Lex Luthor. How does he go up against superman and still find endless minions and villains to act as cannon fodder for him!?

NOTE: Being very sociable is not the same as mind control. Even Lex Luthor with his [1d12] can't just walk up to Superman and recruit him to crime and it is NOT a replacement for good roleplaying. I expect this is going to be a "dump stat" for many characters unless they are playing a niche kind of build like Super Spies.

Archetypes
There are several different stat arrays you can use:

1) The Specialist: [1d12], [1d10], [1d8], [1d3], [1d3]

2) The Generalist: [1d10], [1d10], [1d8], [1d6], [1d6]

3) The Jack (of all trades): [1d8], [1d8], [1d8], [1d8], [1d8]

So here are some examples:

 
Superman (Generalist)
Physical: [1d10]Speed: [1d10]Mental: [1d6]Powers: [1d8]Social: [1d6]
 
The Hulk (Specialist)
Physical: [1d12]Speed: [1d10]Mental: [1d10]Powers: [1d3]Social: [1d3]
 
Spiderman (Jack)
Physical: [1d8]Speed: [1d8]Mental: [1d8]Powers: [1d8]Social: [1d8]
 
Batman (Specialist)
Physical: [1d8]Speed: [1d3]Mental: [1d12]Powers: [1d10]Social: [1d3]
 
Magneto (Generalist)
Physical: [1d6]Speed: [1d6]Mental: [1d8]Powers: [1d10]Social: [1d10]

Nobody says this has to be a perfect fit. There is always going to be nuance and nitpicking. Maybe Batman should have higher Social because he leads the Bat family but flipside is early Batman gets into a lot of messes by refusing to play nice with others. This isn't supposed to be cut and dry, set in stone but to provide overall guidelines for resolving conflicts.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:29, Sat 15 May 2021.
The Narrator
GM, 8 posts
Lord of Lies
Teller of Tales
Tue 11 Jun 2019
at 14:44
  • msg #8

Genre & Tone

Super hero stories can run a very wide gamut from wacky zany Scooby-Doo hijinks to brutal Punisher blood & gore and everywhere in the middle.


Genre
The overall "genre" for this game will be Silver Age with Modern Sensibilities. Silver Age meaning that the heroes are heroes and the villains are villains. Powers are larger than life and you will face appropriately named villains with names like Typhoon or Daughter Death but not overly campy Golden Age villains like "Paste Pot Pete".

Modern Sensibilities means that stories are more complex than just "villain tries to take over the world and hero has to save them." We will adopt the modern take of diving into what drives both the heroes and villains and taking the time to have real reflection on what it means to be a hero.

Tone
I will put tone down on several scales: Darkness and Seriousness

- Darkness
Ranging from extreme dark and edgy like Punisher or Watchmen versus campy 70's Batman I would put this game somewhere in the middle with most other comics. Nothing darker than you would find in an average Batman, nothing lighter than you would find in a typical Spider-man book. Brutal anti-heroes that cut villain's throats need not apply.

- Seriousness
Ranging from extremely serious Batman who never cracks a smile versus wacky characters like Deadpool or Squirrel Girl that destroy the 4th wall I would again put it somewhere in the middle. I am fine with going to more serious style heroes but it would be nice to have them show a little life and personality but please no "wacky" characters. No Deadpool "We're in a comic book!" style or wacky bizarro concepts. No "Matter Eater Lads" or "Maggots" please.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:59, Sat 15 May 2021.
The Narrator
GM, 10 posts
Lord of Lies
Teller of Tales
Wed 12 Jun 2019
at 13:53
  • msg #9

TBD

Under construction.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:08, Sun 16 May 2021.
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