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Author	Topic: The Game Masters Guild
MASTERPRENN Title: JCC Man., who jus noticed his own title. You jerk Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 10/28/06 10:57am Subject: RE: The Game Masters Guild
	I think there is a happy medium between not pissing off everyone, and not pleasing everyone. If you have a terrorist attack a city (A likely scenario), don't make it "Those damn Arabs" or "Those stupid gays." (Sorry if I offended anybody, but this is complelty hypothetical, and does not refelct my views on the subject). Instead, make it "A group of terrorists are planning on bombing a harbour." And then have your heroes go protect that harbor. There are always fun mob situations as well. What are some other scanarios that you guys can think of? I think that brainstorming will help any perspective GM run a creative game. What do you guys think? -----signature----- "When you see me, what do you see? I see a big bushy beard and hair." - Stephen Colbert/Cornel West
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Zedd-Vega Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 10/28/06 11:11am Subject: RE: The Game Masters Guild
	I agree with you whole-heartedly on the terrorist issue, but the last thing anyone would want to repeat (game-wise or not) is another 9/11. We can fight terrorists, we can mention terrorists, we can defeat terrorists. I don't know if that solves anything, but I know by reading comics for almost my entire life, that terroism is something heroes deal with. I was just saying that if the game is based in the "real world", that these issues might become more sensitive to deal with and we wouldn't need to worry about dealing with people who think that issue is bad, but worrying more about the mods interfering. And what I meant by including aspects of homosexuality was like those sexually ambiguous superheroes (Early Batman and Robin for an example). Humorous wisecracks along those lines. Again, another penny or two to toss in the pool. I'm not trying to rile you guys up, but to touch on some points that could alert our friendly mods. -----signature----- "All your base are belong to us..." Cats I'm 97% high fructose corn syrup! "Boba Fett? Boba Fett?! Where?!" Han Solo: RotJ The One and Only Darth Mandalore Sev in Ghost Ship Executor
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LightWarden Registered: Oct '01	Date Posted: 10/28/06 11:30am Subject: More random thoughts and ideas...
	Obi-Wan21 posted: I don't see a Superhero RPG touching on homosexuality. Did you see the first two X-men movies ("Have you tried... not being a mutant?" Heeeelllllooooo Subtext. Though I suppose you could make a case for it being one of many other forms of pointless discrimination)? As to feminism... well, it totally sucks to be a female in most comic series. You're usually used as a plot device (and often killed off to promote the hero to new levels of angst), your powers are often derivative (or appropriately feminine: healing, precision fighting and seduction powers... yay!), and to top it off, your costumes and poses are usually designed to be as sexy as possible (complete with the artist emphasizing your anatomy in most of the panels. I mean, how many times do you get male superheroes doing pelvic thrusts that could kill a rhino?). So, I think they might just have a point... And no, terrorist attacks are not necessary. It entirely depends on just how much grit you want to put into your game. You can move the slider to whatever fits your ideal game world. Less grittier games would tend to cover plots that are often outlandish (such as shrinking the Eifel Tower), feature theme villains ("Oh no, Pogo the Clown and his army of Springy Soldiers are holding up the patrons of the Chuckling Duckling Comedy Club, while Pogo shows off his true comic genius!"), tend to be relatively non-lethal (with no maiming or murder or dramatic changes) and other such Golden Age tropes. Basically, a lot of different ways to steal things, as well as generally menace the public. Moving along into the grittier areas, and you start getting crimes such as organized crime, smuggling, gang violence, murder, slavery, domestic violence, rape, sexual abuse, etc. You can even make distinctions between various crimes such by being explicit, or mixing grittier elements by having things such as a gang who maims and mutilates its victims in order to maintain power (as opposed to a gang who just sort of appears out of no where for the sole purpose of looking somewhat intimidating and recieving a beating). It entirely depends on what mood you're going for (and what the TOS will allow. Check with your local Mod Squad, ladies and gentlemen). Regarding the God-moding... You might want to be specific about what constitutes it. One of the things about superheroes is that they tend to be pretty super. Thus it's not unlikely that they could vastly overpower someone (even if it's another PC) given the right situation. There's also the potential for players to come up with tactics/novel uses for their powers that can completely turn the tables on their opponents. I'm not sure if the fights should always be equal, or when if it should be called "God Mode" when one player absolutely whups another. I'd recommend that you make sure your players have some sense as to the scale of their powers (how fast they can move, how much they can lift, how much destructive force their eye rays possess, how high they can jump) and then decide how realistic you're going to make it (since your average can be knocked out with just one punch by either Batman or Superman, even though Superman's fist is a heck of a lot more damaging in theory. While you may argue "pulling the punches", you might get a similar situation when a superpowered villain does something that would normally kill a civilian, but the civilian survives. Again, this is part of the mood). Finally, I'd suggest having an independent arbiter (or more than one if you don't trust him) for deciding when players are getting out of hand. And if you're going that route, I'd recommend the GM not play any one particular character to the same extent as the players (to maintain fairness). Then you can have the government or some other organization grow wary of a character that's pushing your buttons and whack him. If you want organization: Well, there are definitely benefits. As a loner, you're limited to your own resources and information. If the game is somewhat balanced, those who have powers probably won't have lots of super computers to spot criminals in addition to those powers, and thus will be resorting to the Spider-man Patrol method of finding criminals. If you want your players to organize, organize their opponents. Nothing like a superpowered Arms Race to get you moving. -----signature----- CDG Guild Master Strange how one small thing can determine the fate of so many... especially if it's a twenty-sided die The Internet is SERIOUS BIZNESS! It's all fun and games until someone loses a leg. TF.N RPGs: Less fun than pretending to have sex
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Obi-Wan21 Registered: Aug '02	Date Posted: 10/28/06 12:03pm Subject: RE: The Game Masters Guild
	I understand the sub-text of the X-Men movies, but this isn't X-Men. A game focusing on a whole sub-plot about gays though, really unlikely, as it is for females to not get the fair play they deserve. Yes, major attacks on cities aren't needed if you have a villain of the week, but that isn't exactly the best formula for an RPG, I say realistic and gritty, the attacks could be central to plot or used to move characters together if the interaction wasn't high enough. As I said, there are many other holes to fill when dealing with crime and robberies. All of which could be done within the makings of the TOS. I'd also frown upon someone having super computers and bases to detect crime. This isn't Marvel or DC, as the story progresses things could move forward, some heroes become organized, but throw the Government in there and you have a logical explanation for an organized group of heroes with the equipment to get it done. Dealing with characters having a rough time excepting their abilities, and how if/when they openly reveal their powers to the public and are treated, that's up to said PC. I also believe fairness can be obtained if the GM is playing a character, as such, three GM's could control the NPC's and be allowed to play along. It's not like any one PC will be central to the plot anyway. As such, NPC's would be what the game used to move forward with. -----signature----- This is usually the part where people start screaming. Fan Fiction & RPG Links In Profile.
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LightWarden Registered: Oct '01	Date Posted: 10/28/06 1:17pm Subject: RE: The Game Masters Guild
	I think it would help if we had some tenative idea as to who the GM was (I'm not campaigning, I'm just confused) and what sort of vision the GM had regarding the game. Right now, the best we can do is make a case regarding what we think will work, or how you could go about things. While I like democracy, I think a leader (specifically the people running the game) would help us find something to work for. Right now, I really have no idea as to what the heck we're doing. I may not be reading this correctly, but I think the idea many people seem to be pushing for is that of beginnings. The PCs recently find their abilities, and now have to decide what they're doing with them. It also seems like the public is unaware of abilities. If this means that superfolks are pretty much non-existant, then you're going to probably need some sort of origin, trigger, or other catalyst for change. Things like energy bombardments, next generation of mutants, parents involved in something which caused them to pass on defective genes, big chemical explosion, whatever. It might be good to figure that one out. Anyways, if powers are a new thing, that means that both the heroes and the villains are going to be on training wheels. They're just picking up their costumes and identities; no established patrol routes or hidden bases with secret technology. You probably won't have a supervillain of the week with serious threat potential until the villain has had time to adjust to the new powers. This means that your first opposition will likely be in the form of established crime, mob organizations, crooks with weapons, maybe humans trained to the peak of ability or tech villains. On the other hand, if powers are something that's existed before, then you already have structure in place. If the public is unaware of supers, then there's like a code of invisible war in place, and people who will stop at nothing to keep the existance of the players and everyone else involved as a secret. Either way (public ignorant or public informed), you will have role models, organizations to join or fight, government groups to keep the balance, power blocs, and pre-established threats at the upper levels. In this sort of world, it becomes less about discovery and more about adjustment, I think. Anyone have any ideas as to which way the game will be going? And while I'm at it: If the players are starting out, with evolving powers, will they be able to decide where they go, or will the GM do that? -----signature----- CDG Guild Master Strange how one small thing can determine the fate of so many... especially if it's a twenty-sided die The Internet is SERIOUS BIZNESS! It's all fun and games until someone loses a leg. TF.N RPGs: Less fun than pretending to have sex
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Obi-Wan21 Registered: Aug '02	Date Posted: 10/28/06 1:59pm Subject: RE: The Game Masters Guild
	It is in my opinion that the evolution of a player's character will be up to them specifically. While the GM has the central device of moving the plot forward. It is also in my interest that we set this in a Present Day real world where people are just learning their powers, the characters that is. Any of the plot centralizing around other main villains, or some government plot will be handled accordingly by said Game Master. Beginnings are where I stand on the matter, let us show how these people are coming to be, and then the world WILL certainly come to know them, and invoke a whole 'nother intrigue of gaming. Allow the characters to learn what they're capable of and decide how they want to serve the world, as hero or villain, it will allow for a more open game and just feel more personalized. While on the matter, I've composed a list of abilities that we may either expand on, or move to NOT being allowed. ____________________________________________ I believe a list of ALLOWED abilities should be in the opening post, so the Player knows what they're dealing with and what specific abilities can do. And with such a long list, players won't be repeating many abilities and will allow for more individuality. here's the list: List of ALLOWED Abilities- Flight- The ability to soar through the air, either by wings or a self induced ability. Shape-shifting- The ability to alter one's appearance to that of another human being. Anamorphic- The ability to change into an Animal. Elasticity- Ability to stretch, deform, expand and contract one's body into any form they can imagine. Liquification- Ability to turn partially or completely into a liquid. Size shifting- Ability to increase or decrease one's size. Sublimation- Ability to transform into a gaseous or mist form. Illusion- Ability to alter or deceive the perceptions of another. Usually visual, it may be a light-based effect, a sound-based effect, a mind-affecting effect, or any other effect that causes one to perceive things that are not necessarily real. Psionic blast- Ability to overload another's mind causing pain, memory loss, loss of consciousness, vegetative state or death after having created a psionic link into that person's mind. Psychic weapons- Ability to create a weapon, like a knife or grenade, of psionic energy that can harm mentally and not physically. Mind control- Power to control the actions or reasoning of another. Telepathy- Ability to read the thoughts of, or to mentally communicate with others. Psychometry- Ability to relate details about the past or future condition of an object, person or location, usually by being in close contact with it. Precognition- Ability to perceive the future. Sometimes it is only expressed in vague dreams while asleep, other times it is clear and occurs at will and when awake. Mediumship- Ability to see and communicate with the dead (ghosts). Empathy- Ability to read or sense the emotions or feelings of others. Danger sense- Ability to sense personal danger. A limited form of clairvoyance. Omni-lingual- Ability to decipher any language. Wallcrawling- Ability to cling to objects or surfaces by a variety of means. Superhuman Strength- Above normal physical strength. Superhuman reflexes- Ability to react faster than a normal human. Sonic scream- Ability to use one's voice in a manner of offensive or defensive ways. Separation- Ability to separate parts of your body and have them act of their own accord. Self-detonation or explosion- Ability to explode ones body mass and (presumably) reform. Reactive Adaptation/Evolution- Ability to develop a resistance or immunity to whatever they were injured by or exposed to. This effect can be permanent or temporary. Poison- Ability to assault others with one or more varieties of toxins, with widely disparate effects. Photographic Reflexes- Ability to mimic any athletic or martial arts movement after seeing it once. Pheromone manipulation- The ability to generate and control pheromones which may have various effects. Natural weapons- Physical attributes such as claws, sharp teeth, quills, webbing, and other qualities usually associated with animals. Natural armor- An unusually tough and durable outer shell or skin. Invulnerability- Partial or total imperiousness to harm. Matter Ingestion- Ability to consume any sort of matter without any ill effects on the user. Invisibility- Ability to render the user unseen to the naked eye. Enhanced senses- Enhancements of sight, smell, taste, touch, or hearing. Echolocation- Ability to determine location of items in the environment by use of reflected sound waves, whether generated by the character or ambient sound, (Also known as Sonar Sense). Duplication- Ability to create physical Doppelgängers of oneself. Body part substitution- Ability to replace one's limbs or other body parts with those of another. Healing Factor- Ability to heal rapidly from any injury; the rate of recovery varies from character to character. Time travel- Ability to travel through time. Teleportation- Ability to move from one place to another without occupying the space in between. Superhuman speed- Ability to move faster than usual. Often times approaching light speed. Summoning- Ability to summon objects or beings for their assistance. Portal creation- Ability to create wormholes in time or space. Pocket universe- Ability to create temporary pocket dimensions or access permanent 'small' dimensions. Electrical transportation- Ability to travel through electrical conduits (such as power lines, or telephone lines), often entering through devices such as televisions, electrical poles, or computers. Darkness or shadow manipulation- Ability to create or manipulate darkness and shadow. Time manipulation- Ability to affect the flow of time, slowing, accelerating or even stopping it. Sound manipulation- Ability to mentally manipulate sound waves. Reality warper- Ability to change or manipulate reality itself. Radiation Manipulation- Ability to manipulate toxic radiation along the electromagnetic spectrum. Probability Manipulation- Ability to alter probability, causing unlikely things to happen or likely things to not happen. This is often described in terms of blessings and curses. Molecular manipulation- Ability to mentally manipulate molecules and objects on a molecular level. Mass manipulation- Ability to increase or decrease mass in an object or person. Magnetism manipulation- Ability to control or generate magnetic fields. Light manipulation- Ability to control, generate, or absorb photons (particles of light). Gravity manipulation- Ability to manipulate or generate gravitons, or other types of gravitational interactions. Transmutation- Ability to alter chemical elements, changing them from one substance to another. May be limited to self-transmutation. Density control or phasing- Ability to alter the density of objects or possibly even one's self. Typically manifested in two primary forms - intangibility (low density) and invulnerability (high density). Animation- Power to bring inanimate objects to life or to free a person from petrification. Weather manipulation- Ability to control or mentally affect the weather. Water manipulation- Ability to control, generate, or absorb water. Plant manipulation- Ability to accelerate the growth of, control or animate plant life. Fire manipulation- Ability to control the kinetic energy of atoms to generate, control or absorb fire. Electrical manipulation- Ability to control, generate, or absorb electrical fields. Earth manipulation- Ability to control the classic element of earth; sand, stone, rock, lava, or dirt. Cold manipulation- Ability to reduce the kinetic energy of atoms and thus reduce temperature, often used to control, generate, or absorb ice. Air and wind manipulation- Ability to control, generate, or absorb air or wind. Force field- Energy shields, often invisible or translucent, produced as a form of protection. Energy manipulation- The ability to control and generate various forms of energy. Energy conversion- Converting one form of energy into another in various forms and intensity. Energy constructs- Similar to Force Fields, but far more intricate; the ability to create complex shapes (such as giant boxing gloves or cages) or even functional machinery (such as fire extinguishers or laser rifles) out of solid energy. Energy blast- Various forms of energy that are expelled from the body. Energy beams- The ability to generate or transform various forms of energy into a "solid" or concussive beam of energy. Power sensing- Ability to sense and recognize superhuman powers. Power negation- Ability to cancel the superpowers or mutations of others. Power mimicry or absorption- Ability to copy or absorb another's powers or skills. Telekinesis- Ability to manipulate and control objects with the mind, often in ways not visible to the naked eye. An extremely powerful telekinetic might be able to control individual atoms. Technopath- Ability to manipulate technology. It could manifest as a special form of electrical manipulation, a special form of shape-shifting, or even a special form of ESP. __________________________________________ Secondly, I've started on an early make-shift character sheet. To help move things along. Here is that: Basic- Name: Age: Sex: Hometown: Current Location: Character History: Appearance- Hair: Eye Color: Facial Hair: Build: Clothing: Personality- Traits: Likes: Dislikes: Habits: The Extraordinary- Ability Slot One: (Your primary ability. Must be learned before others can be trained in) Ability Slot Two: (Your Secondary Ability. Can be used once Primary Ability has been trained in. You do not HAVE to have a secondary ability) Ability Slot Three: (An OPTIONAL Ability that you may or may not ever receive. It is the Game Masters decision) Disadvantage: (Every power comes with a price. It is the Game Masters decision what your characters specific 'catch' is) ______________________________ Obviously the list can easily be expanded upon, this is just a starting point for where we can move to. It's all a work in progress. -----signature----- This is usually the part where people start screaming. Fan Fiction & RPG Links In Profile.
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MASTERPRENN Title: JCC Man., who jus noticed his own title. You jerk Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 10/28/06 3:30pm Subject: RE: The Game Masters Guild
	I gotta run, but I wanted to say this one thing. There is alot of great conversation going on here. I love it! Obi- That is a great list, very extensive...and I don't want to see that list go to waste, but it is more of the GDG's territory. I suggest posting it there...They deal with first posts, we deal with what happens after. Thaks! -----signature----- "When you see me, what do you see? I see a big bushy beard and hair." - Stephen Colbert/Cornel West
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Obi-Wan21 Registered: Aug '02	Date Posted: 10/28/06 3:38pm Subject: RE: The Game Masters Guild
	Oh, I had a feeling it would belong there. I just know that there's alot of discussion on God-modding and powers, so I thought I'd post it here to see what points of abilities should be allowed and such, and what moves into god-modding. Though I will post it there as well. -----signature----- This is usually the part where people start screaming. Fan Fiction & RPG Links In Profile.
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LightWarden Registered: Oct '01	Date Posted: 10/28/06 4:12pm Subject: To the GDG! - Date Edited: 10/28/06 4:14pm (1 edits total) Edited By: LightWarden
	To the GDG boys! -----signature----- CDG Guild Master Strange how one small thing can determine the fate of so many... especially if it's a twenty-sided die The Internet is SERIOUS BIZNESS! It's all fun and games until someone loses a leg. TF.N RPGs: Less fun than pretending to have sex
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Sith-I-5 Registered: Aug '02	Date Posted: 11/7/06 12:01pm Subject: RE: The Game Masters Guild
	Games Masters encounter stresses and problems that players aren't even aware off, and if we have a guild for GMs, I think this should be a place for them to blow off steam and share experiences, so you know you are not alone in any hassles you have been having. Obviously try to be general with recollections, rather than identifying any particular player. -----signature----- Crowning Moment of Awesome – THE MASTER. Summoning six billion robotic beach balls Of Doom to decimate the Earth, blowing a good-bye kiss to the Doctor, all the while dancing to "Voodoo Child". EPIC. EVIL. WIN. 007 Family - DVC's twin bro'.
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MASTERPRENN Title: JCC Man., who jus noticed his own title. You jerk Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 11/14/06 7:50am Subject: RE: The Game Masters Guild
	Sorry for lack of updates, all. I'm hoping to beat RL into control after this weekend, and then be able to devote a lot more attention to the Guild of Game Masters. Sithy, this will be a community for GM's...but we don't want to spam or flame...I have no problem with venting here...as long as it doesn't turn into trash talking...or talking bad about a particular player...I would rather GM's come here to share expereince and ideas and tips, and ask questions... So...it's looking like this superhero game is going to happen. They are discussing the starting conflict over there in the GDG...so here we'll discuss in game conflicts. Should it be one group of bad guys throughout the whole game? Should it be diferent groups? How many threats should there be? Just one? -----signature----- "When you see me, what do you see? I see a big bushy beard and hair." - Stephen Colbert/Cornel West
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Darth_Meerkat Registered: Oct '06	Date Posted: 11/14/06 2:14pm Subject: RE: The Game Masters Guild
	Well, I think it should be maybe 5 major villains, and you run into various thugs...maybe keep one group of thugs around who sign on with different baddies to get a shot in at you. Something random and insignificant to keep people laughing. And things should be kept random...first a comp virus, maybe, then superweapon, then nanovirus, etc. -----signature----- CC-1138 in the Clonetrooper/Stormtrooper Fanclub RPF Adoptee of MASTERPRENN Senator from Mandalore - Galactic Senate Game Clonetrooper/Stormtrooper Fanclub CT-0010 HGTTV: Don't panick http://hgttvboards.myfreeforum.org/
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Trimaj Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 11/14/06 3:34pm Subject: RE: The Game Masters Guild
	i'd also like to join as well, and i must admit it's been some interesting discussion going on. i'll just have to get completely caught up. -----signature----- I'm just a figment of your imagination. Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity. -Albert Einstein
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SephyCloneNo15 Registered: Apr '05	Date Posted: 11/14/06 4:04pm Subject: RE: The Game Masters Guild
	I made the silly decision just weeks before launching a new Game that I didn't need any advice at GMing for the time-being, despite the improvements the GDG and CDG has helped me make in their respective domains. I'd like to join the GMG, and I'll be adding it to my sig ASAP. -----signature----- Member: GDG, GMG. Sub-GM: CDG Zam Wessel Lives! Recipient of Thrawn McEwok's Squib Creations Limited-Edition Replica Glove of Darth Vader™ "Samuel L. Jackson isn't only a fine actor, but a gamer. He's one of us." ~ Kotaku
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MASTERPRENN Title: JCC Man., who jus noticed his own title. You jerk Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 11/14/06 4:31pm Subject: RE: The Game Masters Guild
	Welcome aboard you guys! We are glad to have you! Feel free to jump in at any time...or to PM me with issues you want to see discussed. You will be added to our next roster update. -----signature----- "When you see me, what do you see? I see a big bushy beard and hair." - Stephen Colbert/Cornel West
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