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, welcome to 'With Great Power...' Marvel Universe Masks

12:48, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

The Bullpen (OOC)

Posted by The WatcherFor group 0
Ricochet
player, 120 posts
Sasha Struck, age 16
The Bull
Tue 15 Jun 2021
at 23:24
  • msg #304

Re: Welcome to our new Co-GM, OakMaster! :-)

It strikes me now we're supposed to just be making one post each in the team-specific threads. I've started condensing my posts to make that happen.
Counterforce
player, 95 posts
Svetlana Kragova, 15
The Brain
Wed 16 Jun 2021
at 06:21
  • msg #305

Re: Welcome to our new Co-GM, OakMaster! :-)

I'm not sure, I think that just makes it harder to follow. After all, it's a conversation in which we work things out, not just us stating our picks once.
Ricochet
player, 121 posts
Sasha Struck, age 16
The Bull
Wed 16 Jun 2021
at 06:47
  • msg #306

Re: Welcome to our new Co-GM, OakMaster! :-)

Maybe we keep working things out using the character creation threads and then drop the final results into the team threads? It looks like the team threads we have set up are for easy reference on those bits of the character sheets.
The Watcher
GM, 214 posts
Knows All, Sees All
Wed 16 Jun 2021
at 07:14
  • msg #307

Re: Welcome to our new Co-GM, OakMaster! :-)

I'm back for awhile.

Mania, I will try and get those answers to you tonight.
The Watcher
GM, 216 posts
Knows All, Sees All
Wed 16 Jun 2021
at 08:15
  • msg #308

Re: Welcome to our new Co-GM, OakMaster! :-)

I am not seeing any swap requests (which now can be processed very quickly and easily) in the Character List thread.  This says to me that the provisional Team Rosters y'all setup are good and Team Setup is finally done.  If I am wrong, let me know where you would like your character to be and I will get it done pronto.  Let me know any mismatched placement soon so this game can hurdle this speedbump.  Again, mea cupla for the hash of it all.

With Teams setup (or darned near so), each team can now discuss the game stats of Influence, Relationships and When Our Team First Came Together among their own small group of members.  There's no immediate hurry but you can start a lively debate (as many of you have already done) already.  In addition, you can optionally choose the 'super' name of your team when you are fighting crime in costume and who might be the team leader.  If a team member doesn't reply to these debates in a timely manner, just talk among the other team members who do for now.

This game can start moving forward.  Some of you don't have your playbooks quite nailed down yet.  We can roll with that for now.

IC thread #2 (with two She-Hulks) will wrap up in a few posts.  It is completely optional.
IC thread #3 (with a gift bag) is the continuation of this game.  The thread begins freeform and with all of the PCs together as one group unconcerned with teams.  It should end using the rules and with well-defined teams which are still working together as one for this thread.  This thread is also optional but highly recommended.
IC thread #4 (not created yet) should start fully rules-compliant and with the teams more delineated.

I will spend what time I have tonight now catching up.  If I don't get to your questions are replies tonight, I will try to do so tomorrow.
Ricochet
player, 122 posts
Wed 16 Jun 2021
at 08:28
  • [deleted]
  • msg #309

Re: Welcome to our new Co-GM, OakMaster! :-)

This message was deleted by the player at 00:33, Fri 18 June 2021.
The Watcher
GM, 217 posts
Knows All, Sees All
Wed 16 Jun 2021
at 08:52
  • msg #310

Re: Welcome to our new Co-GM, OakMaster! :-)

OK, now catching up on Bullpen replies.

Counterforce, the dark sandstorm obscures all vision (and possibly other senses for those that have them) but is beginning to fade.  So, imagine about fifteen seconds of total darkness once the sand gets a-swirlin'  And then the sand clears and you will see...

Well, let me get to that.  I haven't yet had time to continue that thread but should soon.  In the meantime, just write your characters doing what they can as the darkness begins to clear.  I couldn't expect any more than that and neither does the thread yet.  Don't worry, the threat is not that immediate yet.

You are also pretty much correct, Counterforce, about the rough order of things before this moment in game time.  I will have to put the Beloved Ghost on the back burner for now.  There just hasn't been time to develop the Ghost properly.  But we are telling a non-linear game so there will be plenty of time to fill in the gaps.  I know it is difficult to write for characters who know what happened in all of the gaps but their players don't.  But it can be a fun challenge.

Myself, I like the way Masks does this with the Influence, Relationships and When Our Team... playbook entries.  You suggest something in the past but with not too much detail so it can be filled in later.  I may have already mentioned a sister PbtA game, Blades in the Dark.  BITD starts with the characters in a hopeless situation but then the characters can write the flashback scenes that explain why the current situation isn't quite a hopeless as it seems (example, subtitle: "Three weeks earlier...").

I welcome Mania to our motley crew! :-)  The Mainstream Marvel Mania is quite a firecracker in her own right, lots of potential there.  Quickly, I don't mind players having extra characters.   In fact, I encourage it.  I do try to keep them in separate scenes as a general rule so they don't, as a group, overshadow, the single-character players.  The actual symbiote can be represented in different ways using the rules.  I had not heard of a Symbiote playbook.  If someone could give me a link, I will likely approve it (I've approved all of the others I have seen).


UPDATE: Here is a reddit post that essentially links to a whole bunch of freaky Masks material, the Symbiote among them.  It will do for now, I think, until we can find better ones.
https://www.reddit.com/r/PBtA/...custom_playbook_the/

Go ahead, Mania, and just let me know where your comments are should I have missed them (thread and date should be enough).

Let me ask if anyone else would like to make an alternate player character (or characters).  You've seen how easy the rules are for making a playbook character.  And we can make as many teams and schools as we can.  Remember, Marvel Comics really started with just one title, the Fantastic Four.  Now look at it.  There is infinite canvas for us.  Once I know how many extra characters to expect, I can guess on how to best assign them to existing teams, or start new ones.

BTW, I have signed up for Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited so I can research some characters more in depth and possibly get some spot-on art for the game.  This game wasn't the only reason for subscription, I enjoy it for its own sake.  I have to admit, the comic search feature is awful and there are workarounds I have found for those who might be in the same situation.

If y'all are wondering just how much IC posting you should have done by this point.  The answer is it has all been optional up to now.  But please go ahead and post (OOC or IC if you want to have your characters debate these choices within the game) in the team threads where team specifics are beings discussed.  The first three IC threads had to be freeform and forgiving while we were doing the heavy-lifting of team setup and the like.  This does not mean participating in the thread was a waste or your time or mine.  There were all kinds of rewards for your efforts (for me as well as you).  They are just not as tangible as the more formal Masks elements (Potential, Influence and then Advancements, for examples).
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:56, Wed 16 June 2021.
The Watcher
GM, 218 posts
Knows All, Sees All
Wed 16 Jun 2021
at 08:57
  • msg #311

Re: Welcome to our new Co-GM, OakMaster! :-)

Stopping tonight, have to (sleepy).  But I will keep catching up to replies and messages tomorrow...
The In-Betweener
GM, 11 posts
Wed 16 Jun 2021
at 12:43
  • msg #312

Discord renewal!

Ricochet:
It strikes me now we're supposed to just be making one post each in the team-specific threads. I've started condensing my posts to make that happen.

Counterforce:
I'm not sure, I think that just makes it harder to follow. After all, it's a conversation in which we work things out, not just us stating our picks once.

Ricochet:
Maybe we keep working things out using the character creation threads and then drop the final results into the team threads? It looks like the team threads we have set up are for easy reference on those bits of the character sheets.


Yeah, this is my fault from when I set the threads up. I was modeling after another Masks game I was in, but failed to take into account this worked because we had worked all of the back and forth out in the OOC thread.

So let's use those threads as working threads, and then I can edit the top post with the final disposition for easy reference. That should be easier than having to bounce around to everyone's individual character threads.
Ricochet
player, 123 posts
Sasha Struck, age 16
The Bull
Wed 16 Jun 2021
at 16:31
  • msg #313

Discord renewal!

That's perfect, thank you!

Also, I dunno if you GMs have such a thing yet, but a thread that lists the NPCs we've brought into the game would also be handy, to make sure we get good use out of them.
The Watcher
GM, 224 posts
Knows All, Sees All
Thu 17 Jun 2021
at 07:20
  • msg #314

Discord renewal!

I can see the confusion with all of these tangled threads.  Several people have opened threads without consulting me first.  That sounds like a complaint.  I assure you it is not.  I'm so much more grateful for the overenthusiastic than the retiring.  In the balance, I believe this chaos storm of creativity is the right one.

As to where and when a player should post.  At this moment, all IC threads are optional.  I do understand how confusing it all is.   Posting IC right now simply adds some great role-playing moments and GM exposition (no small things in themselves).

If it seems there are multiple places to put needed player information, choose your favorite option and post there.  As the fundamental constants of the game are being determined, I (and perhaps other GMs) will track down, condense and correctly thread the needed information.  Nothing any player types should be wasted and should only be typed once.  That is the ideal, anyway.

Don't forget, we have just got the teams sorted.  And this game has now cleared one thousand posts with my contributions tonight.  And it is not even two months old.

We will get there.  We are just taking the scenic route... :-)
The Watcher
GM, 234 posts
Knows All, Sees All
Thu 17 Jun 2021
at 08:01
  • msg #315

Discord renewal!

I have to stop tonight but I have been able to add some to the game.  I will keep on adding more tomorrow night.  If I haven't gotten to you yet, I will get to you as soon as I can... :-)
Leviathan
player, 43 posts
Thu 17 Jun 2021
at 08:08
  • msg #316

Discord renewal!

Ummm.. I need help sorting my stats.. and quite a few other things. I need to go back to my character creation, but I got carried away.
Ricochet
player, 124 posts
Sasha Struck, age 16
The Bull
Thu 17 Jun 2021
at 08:09
  • msg #317

Discord renewal!

Leviathan: What help do you need? I can help with those things, preferably in your character creation thread.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:33, Fri 18 June 2021.
The Watcher
GM, 235 posts
Knows All, Sees All
Fri 18 Jun 2021
at 07:01
  • msg #318

Discord renewal!

Busy. Maybe more tomorrow.
Counterforce
player, 97 posts
Svetlana Kragova, 16
The Brain
Fri 18 Jun 2021
at 17:53
  • msg #319

Discord renewal!

I am going to assume we have encountered people using Counterforce's technology at least once during the year. Perhaps it played a role in what happened to the Beloved Ghost.
Ricochet
player, 126 posts
Sasha Struck, age 16
The Bull
Fri 18 Jun 2021
at 19:03
  • msg #320

Discord renewal!

Do we still need the Beloved Ghost? I'm not sure how much that brings to the group when we already have a ton to work with, and since we still have no idea who or what the Ghost was or is, it's hard to build in the necessary belovedness. Seems kinda like something we'll have to duct tape on once we can put something in that slot anyway.
Ricochet
player, 130 posts
Sasha Struck, age 16
The Bull
Fri 18 Jun 2021
at 22:50
  • msg #321

Discord renewal!

For the Known NPCs thread, here are a few other suggestions:

Peter Parker and Jessica Drew, Ghost-Spider's mentors.
The Mary Janes, Gwen's band (we never declared that Mary Jane is Peter's age in this universe, right?)

Wolverine, Beast, and Professor Xavier, Jubilee's adults.

Roger Schubert and Diane Smoot, Ricochet's former film producer and his ex-wife who have recently been fostering her while her parents are hidden under SHIELD protection.

Anna Maria, Octopus's lab partner.

Flash Thompson, Mania's mentor.

Bruce Banner, She-Hulk's cousin and blood donor.

Darkstar, Midnight's mentor.

Nootka and Evaloo Tuvalok, Stone Cold's parents.

I think I missed some.
Counterforce
player, 101 posts
Svetlana Kragova, 16
The Brain
Fri 18 Jun 2021
at 23:37
  • msg #322

Discord renewal!

Svetlana's father, Anatoliy Kragov, currently in a Russian prison for abetting terrorists.

Her grandmother and guardian, Pavlina Kragova.
Ricochet
player, 131 posts
Sasha Struck, age 16
The Bull
Fri 18 Jun 2021
at 23:47
  • msg #323

Discord renewal!

Oh! And Copycat, Black Widow and Forge.
Ghost-Spider
player, 54 posts
Gwen Stacy
Sat 19 Jun 2021
at 00:43
  • msg #324

Discord renewal!

Let's assume MJ is Peter's age, since Gwen and Harry aren't + Otto is missing as a teacher and he shouldn't have just Felicia for influence.

Gwen's band can be Murderface, which was their name before MJ renamed it.  Assume they disbanded when Gwen got sent to boarding school?
Harry Osborn/ Green Goblin age 16, status missing
George Stacy: NYPD Captain.  Gwen's dad.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:16, Sat 19 June 2021.
Ricochet
player, 133 posts
Sasha Struck, age 16
The Bull
Sat 19 Jun 2021
at 00:51
  • msg #325

Discord renewal!

I guess she'll need a new band, then, if she's brought the drums.
The Watcher
GM, 237 posts
Knows All, Sees All
Sat 19 Jun 2021
at 07:36
  • msg #326

Discord renewal!

I have added an optional question about Moves, the central mechanic of Masks, to the Polls and Debates thread and would like your input.  Essentially, I am trying to pace the game to your inclinations.
The Watcher
GM, 238 posts
Knows All, Sees All
Sat 19 Jun 2021
at 07:36
  • msg #327

Discord renewal!

As mentioned above, since your characters can't die or really be hurt for long, game balance isn't so much a thing.   And the game is about emotional growth which all characters can do until their exit.

Also, we are in the Marvel Universe where characters never stay dead for long (just playing hooky) and the entire timeline can be written and rewritten over and over again ("One More Day").  It is the most forgiving setting for mistakes, retcons and reboots I can imagine.  So nailing down the particulars of Playbooks and other rules strictures is important and we are working towards that goal, it is not the immediate priority that it might be in other games.  The Marvel Universe regenerates like Wolverine. :-)
The Watcher
GM, 248 posts
Knows All, Sees All
Sat 19 Jun 2021
at 09:01
  • msg #328

Discord renewal!

Gotta stop here tonight.  Should catch up tomorrow and continue to move this game forward...
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