Sandboxing Supers

Paranaturalist Posts : 2026 Join date : 2013-03-26

Okay, I can use that.

Now, lets continue the discussion on how supers are viewed upon.

Spectral Posts : 952 Join date : 2013-03-31

I mean, I really think it varies, but I think people almost unanimously hate superman types for the destruction they cause, not to mention some wish they would just kill the bad guy instead 8f engaging in a punching contest through the city

this is kindanspecific but the ideamstill stands, no one really likes the ones rhat makemallot of mess.

Paranaturalist Posts : 1005 Join date : 2013-03-29

I disagree. I think most people would like them, since there's supervillains running around that the police force can't do anything about. They need heroes. That's another reason for law enforcement not to like them, too- as far as they're concerned, every super's just another unstoppable uber-criminal waiting to happen.

There'd still be a fair number of people that don't like heroes, though, since the cops aren't the only ones who can generalize. Plus, I bet many would be jealous of them.

And I think 3% of a city's population is a little more than you may have guessed. By that number, there's be 240 thousand supers in New York City. 240 would be a reasonable number for a city of that size if you ask me, but not 240 thousand. And they all know about a good number of other supers because crime fighting tends to put you in the news.

Spectral Posts : 952 Join date : 2013-03-31

Nonono von, not superheroes in general, just the muscly, crash through build7ngs while figting types that deal out so much damage when fighting, calling them for help is redundant.

not to mention police forces adapt, so paperwork and protocol would be adjusted accordingly.

Paranaturalist Posts : 2026 Join date : 2013-03-26

On the numbers of supers, I like the 240 as an estimated guess for the number of supers (not suoerheroes or villains, just people with some degree of superpower) in da big city. It gives me plenty of leeway to have a decent number of supervillains, and supervillain teams, also being an estimate, it can end up being off by a margin or two to give me a little more leeway.

I like it much better then the 5-10 number that was being thrown out.

Paranaturalist Posts : 1005 Join date : 2013-03-29

5-10 for a small town was what I was going for. I guess I should have just started with the big city number, since that was likely to be the setting from the start.

And yeah, you've got a point there Spider. I misunderstood you, because I don't read much superman and I kind of assumed he only caused that much careless destruction in the movie.

Paranaturalist Posts : 2026 Join date : 2013-03-26

He kinda did only cause that much careless destruction in the movie. Superman is generally loved, y everyone. He also tends to make it a point not to cause destruction like that. Itsone of the reasons why the movie was dumb, Superman doesn't carelessly knock supervillains into stuff and threaten thousands upon thousands of lives.

Anyway, not here to discuss movies or comics.

Spectral Posts : 952 Join date : 2013-03-31

I wasn't being specific to him, I merely used him as an example.

Paranaturalist Posts : 2026 Join date : 2013-03-26

Since we're not coming to a consensus on this point, I'm making a ruling. It's going to be a case by case basis. Some cops love supers, some ops hate supers, some don't care, and some have particular hates/loves.

All we need is one more person. Hopefully Wootius will come back or Soroya123 will post as shes been promising. I am saying though if answers to the part 1 questions are not posted by this Wednesday, we'll be moving on to part 2 and if people are still interested, they would have missed their opportunity to join in the discussion for part 1, but can join in for part 2.

If we get a person who is active, we can plan on the character creation for the first session on Sat. I will inform ya guys by Thursday if it is happening this Sat, otherwise, Next week is the last week and if we don't get that third person, this thing isn't going through.

Paranaturalist Posts : 2026 Join date : 2013-03-26

Results for Part 1:

Spoiler:

It is now too late to answer the questions to Part 1. It is locked in. Anyone wishing to enter at this point must then Answer Question 10 only and participate with Part 2.

Part 2.

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Part 2 is the details of the setting.

1. Do we want to use a pre-existing City, or make up our own? Since we're going street level, your team will be based in one city (mostly). We most certainly want the city to then be full of interesting stuff to do and/or elaborate on, plus give us plenty to build characters off of.

Pre-existing City: Pros, A lot of the work is already done for us. We can even use a map and use the cities important landmarks as our own. Cons, It won't be as 'personal'

Make our own city: Pros, Allows a more personal build, along with the ability to shape the culture of the city and its inhabitants. Cons, Much more work, no map pre-made

2. Super History

How long has it been since supers started popping up? How long has it been since they were public?

3. Alien History

Are we still on for aliens being integrated into society? Shoot me some ideas, answer some of these original questions asked if yes.

Quote :: How are they perceived by the common person, law enforcement, media, and the government.

It also adds other questions like are they refugees? Or are they some form of immigrants? Is this one race or is it multiple? How long ago were they on earth, and when did they become public, if at all? If there is still an origin alien government to deal with, how is their relations with earth government as a whole?

Paranaturalist Posts : 1005 Join date : 2013-03-29

First, I don't know where else to say this: I'll be absent for a week, starting tomorrow. I'll be back on the 28th, but I'm not sure when on the 28th. See you all then.

1. I think we should use a pre-existing Location, but rebuild it from the ground up to suit the campaign's needs. That way we get the sense of reality that comes with using a real city, but we also get to personalize it.

3. I was thinking that there'd be several species in contact with humans, but there'd be one species that makes up the vast majority of immigrants to earth. That species is pretty much accepted by society and has been around a lot longer than the others. Most of the other species of aliens aren't on terribly good terms with humanity, but there haven't been any intergalactic wars or anything like that just yet. For political intrigue, we could have one species that might be on the brink of war. Earth could have refugees from that species, but the rest of them would probably be proper immigrants. Alien species outside of the widely accepted one are a fairly recent development, only popping up in the last ten years, say; but the widely accepted one has been around for at least a few decades. And I tend to scoff at the idea of aliens living undetected on earth, so I'd rather they all be public about their presence from the moment they approach earth.

Paranaturalist Posts : 2026 Join date : 2013-03-26

1. That's basically what we were going to do if we build our own city. I dont want to bother on remaking the whole world. We are using earth and America. Sorry if that wasn't so clear. Unless you mean we're replacing a city with our own and taking its name, which defeats the point of using a pre-existing city.

2. I don't tend to scoff at all of undetected aliens, Higher levels of technology easily beating our own, and not wanting to alarm a populace armed with self destructive weapons is a good motivator for a stealthy approach and negotiation before a public reveal.

If you want a sudden reveal and a very public one when they came, I then must ask the why? Did the aliens not have a choice, was it an emergency, some other reason? I basically need to know how they approach earth and why is earth a good place to immigrate and yet not (give at least too much) advanced tech. Unless we want a sci-fi city setting for our heroes.
that brings me to question 4.

4. Technology level: Is our city a: modern city, a sci-fi city, 1930, 1970, some other time period?

Paranaturalist Posts : 1005 Join date : 2013-03-29

1. If we're only talking landscapes with this, then I'd like to use a pre-existing city. I was only suggesting we toss out the existing culture of that city and replace it with our own, which seems to be what we're going to do anyways. Using a real location makes it seem more real.

2. I'd suggest: The aliens are relatively our equal in technology, but have invented some things in the course of their history that we never have. Likewise, they never came up with some ideas that are commonplace for humans. Anyways, they developed hyperspace travel in a massive scientific breakthrough, and earth was the closest inhabited planet. After They basically treated us like a newly discovered country, introducing themselves publicly and diplomatically, and the whole thing went astoundingly smoothly. Now they're on pretty good terms with earth, so their citizens can immigrate here and ours can move there. Transit takes a few days, but it's nothing too harrowing.

4. Sci-fi, definitely sci-fi. Not too sci-fi though, just modern equivalent with some more advanced techonology mixed in. Ideally, we'd have a translator system that deciphers brain patterns to discern the raw intention behind words, as a sort of lampshade for us making spontaneous contact with an alien race and not having translation issues. A villain could even repurpose it for mind reading.

Paranaturalist Posts : 2026 Join date : 2013-03-26

1. I don't think tossing out the pre-existing culture and replacing it with our own makes any sense with using a pre-existing city. Because one, it defeats the realism that you are trying to convey with it because a culture is just as connected to the city as the landscape, New York isn't New York without its people, example, having a southern culture city and calling it New York. Its New York in name only and destroys the feel of the city and the realism.

Two, the city would not have been built that way with a different culture. Culture heavily defines how a city is built, there would be no Chinatown, no Hell's Kitchen, no Brooklyn Bridge, without the culture. A pre-existing city has a history defined by its people and cultures and the city reflects it. Again loosing the realism your working for when you slap Los Angeles title on it, yet the culture is japanese.

An evolved culture makes sense, where the culture has changed due to the arrival of our supers and Aliens, that has stemmed from the old culture, which would happen if we went with a pre-existing city, but throwing out the old culture makes no sense and really doesn't work.

Paranaturalist Posts : 2026 Join date : 2013-03-26

We ran out of time :c

I was hoping for at least three players but no one else committed.

I still do want to do this thing, but we will only have a duo it seems. Is that fine with ya guys?

And as such it is the deadline and part 2 is not resolved, it will be auto resolved. We will be using a pre-existing city if we continue.

It will take place in New York unless you have a different city youd be super excited about, and is big enough for our needs.

We will be doing Part 3 this weekend and next weekend, at they will take place in the chat and on roll20 system. For part 3, we will be discussing schedules and pitching heroes.

As I said before, when we pitch our heroes, you need to pitch me at least three. They do not need to be complete autobiographies, more like character outlines. You will basically be needing to tell me their personality, their basic powerset, and how they got it. We will then discuss and vote on the ones we like and will use.

This Weekend, I'll be on at 8:00p.m. central on Sat and Sun as well as next weekend if need be for the pitches.

THis is all assuming you guys want to go on with this.

Paranaturalist Posts : 1005 Join date : 2013-03-29

I'm fine with two, but I'd be super excited if a third person got onboard. Has Soroya said anything on the subject?

I'm back from my trip, anyways, so I'm looking at a mostly clear schedule. We can do part 3 whenever you and spider are available. I'll also be in the chatbox at 8:00 tonight with at least two character pitches.

Paranaturalist Posts : 2026 Join date : 2013-03-26

Soroya has told me she is unable to put the time needed last time I talked with her.

Paranaturalist Posts : 2026 Join date : 2013-03-26

Welp, seems I missed everyone. Will try to be on every night aroudn the same time in the chat, and most definitively sat and sun

Paranaturalist Posts : 1005 Join date : 2013-03-29

I'll be in the chatbox at 8:00 tonight if you're free.

Paranaturalist Posts : 1005 Join date : 2013-03-29

Make that 8:15.

Paranaturalist Posts : 2026 Join date : 2013-03-26

Von's First 2 pitches. I will still try to be on every night around 8 in the chat, so just waiting on Spider.

If anyone is still interested yet wasn't a part of the Sandboxing, its ok, its not too late to join, I would love to hear your pitches too

Spoiler:

Spectral Posts : 952 Join date : 2013-03-31

Ill try to get mine done before the end of tomorrow.

Paranaturalist Posts : 2026 Join date : 2013-03-26

Gotcha man. Also feel free to think of questions you might want to ask Von about his pitches that I may of missed, group interaction and all, and a more informed vote.

And Von, how goes that last pitch?

Paranaturalist Posts : 1005 Join date : 2013-03-29

It's coming along, I think. I'll tell you when it's ready.

Paranaturalist Posts : 2026 Join date : 2013-03-26

Hola, Will be on at 8:00 central today and tomorrow. If we can finish the pitchess and vote, we can then work on the character sheets and with a little luck be ready to start on the 19!