Empress_NA

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" Have you ever tried, just, turning off the T.V., sitting down with your kids and hitting them."


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Yes, I have. It works. My name is Lord Recluse, and I approve this message...
Brought to you by the Rogue Island Comittee against stupid children. Save a child, steal a pony.

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hahah.. you mean like, the Librarian?

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Actually, I saw that movie on a whim and thought it was pretty entertaining.

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likewise... only reason I remembered it

... I dont even wanna talk about it...

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Makes me think of Indiana Jones/Lara Croft-type character, who retrieves ancient artifacts and tomes for hire. Would be wearing glasses (sterotypical of librarians lol) and dresses conservatively. But there is little to go on of age (still in elementry school or was it just backstory?), origin (mutant/natural/tech/sci/magic), or abilities. Is she a scrapper? She has outbursts in classes, sounds like one or maybe a blaster.

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hahah.. you mean like, the Librarian?

more like "Giles: year one", to me ;P ;P

well she WAS, certainly...

but there's no dates on that post, so it could very well be that she is older, now.


However, I like the idea of a Teen or youthful hero...

here's a quick little mock up of an idea (shes not gonna be 8... but she could be 11-12)
General idea

now, to explain, first there is the discription on this thread.... I like the glowing eyes... like awakened eyes to something beyond normal understanding. the tie would be more like an ascot, or even a minature ruff poking out of a stiff collar from the corset-ish vest....
I imagine that her classical leanings would bring about a costume reminicent of classic stage costumes.... blended into a modern, youthful aesthetic...
collars like this or like this... though fashioned, obviously to fit her. (I like the idea of keeping the masculine tones of those collars though, cause they are indicative of those time peroids and have a certain "strength" to them...)

and costumes something like this also come to mind... but I think it should be lighter, more fun, even coquettish (depending on her age)

Marvelous, darling... I cant wait to hear more.


((Well written, and I love that you could use this as "in the past"... or nearly current (personally, I prefer the latter).. Also, you've asked for help "fleshing out" the concept... and Im sort of curious... where would YOU see it go?
You have the idea, a young hero who's "not very good with people", but more importaintly, she had gained her power through all that she has learned, what she believes, in books. I notice also, that she seems to stick "mostly" with fiction, especially interested in fantasy and weapons that fit that genere(classic weapons). It seems to me that it wont be a tech or mutant your crafting here.... magic is an obvious choice, but I see something else.

what if there is a system... a unifying law of creation... something more natural.... Im not speaking of "creationism", though of course it is in those books as well. Pieces of it are in every printed page, and ever piece of art.. small, maybe only a letter here, a word there. The Greats may have a whole sentance. All those who create are graced... but none before have had the wit, the bredth of field, or the intuition to see the greater picture.


a greater picture that, if understood, could enable a person to become a true creator.... bringing about matter, energy, or even vitality(heck, all three) from nothing.

Dr. Evans is the key... why would a scolar of physical phenomenon resign himself to the written word? Because he feels there is some value in it. Possibly he believes this natural truth, this unity of creativity exists....
believes that there is a piece of the puzzle in all things created, and all things created are written about. And as he watches this young girl understand arcaic english intuitively at such an age, who is so smart, and quick... he begins to believe that little Izzy might be able to understand what is hidden there, in all writing...

We then have a young girl or young woman (depending on how long it takes to uncover and master this knowlege in books) who's powers we could manifest in any form what so ever... creating a weapon purely by concentrating, or creating fields of energy to hamper her foes... even locking down enemies by restructuring the matter benieth their shoes(or OF their shoes).
through knowlege and understanding she has the power to change the world. Of course she is merely mortal, and such effort would be taxing, limiting her abilitys....for the moment.

this also leaves us with more interesting twists and turns. Once Izzy understands this truth... what will Evans do? Afterall, this is not something that, even if seen, can be understood by just anyone.
What does he do, now that he's right in his theories? he cant risk the knowlege being public, who knows the chaos that could come from just a handful of people who "understood". But is he the dutiful protector? or does he have his own, less genuine interests in keeping Izzy close at hand.... more nefarious interests???))


((Ive posted an idea for costume, with notes on your other thread (I would hope that you can flex your "team muscles" to be able to create your idea in the game, even though the pieces may not already exist)...))

((Here's the link, for the costume ideas..))

I think maybe you should do an "update" of the original idea, Tobay...

I think we struck upon some solid revisions durring our conversation that many "new readers" might miss. And whether it sounds arrogant or not...

I'd kinda like to hear new posts about the idea "as it stand now"... rather than having good solid posters read the OP, and offer up suggestions that we've already discussed.

I have to say... I do prefer us being on the same page

my original idea for encorporating backstory and origin was this:


Selecting your origin (level 0) automatically granted you the "inherant" first ability in that origin's "BSPP"

when you reached the first level where you could choose a BSPP, and you went into the list of available pools, you would see that you already have one power in the bspp of the origin you choose...

so, for every other BSPP durring this first selection, you could spend your first point in the first or the second power (ala PPs)
however, in your origin pool, you would have the choice of the second or third power in the pool...
Allowing that, because people already know you're a magic origin.. you have the "ability" to tell them more about your magical past (granting the character its next bspp power)
where as, telling those interested something new about you (that you were a student, or a lone wolf, etc..) would be unknown before then and be starting with the inital choices.


Combines with a structure that places all the "best" powers in a bspp at the top (you'll remember I suggest before that the pools have 6 powers, not four), and a limited number of total pool power selections (I beleive I said 9)
If a person wanted to "get to the good stuff", at the BEST they would only be able to acheive that for three bsp pools... thus limiting the potential of mini-maxing naturally.


Now, what this ALSO does... is enable players to choose Multiple Origins on the same character (for all of those magically-imbued robot ninja out there)
because "origin" is now something you can "purchase" in the bsp pools, though you start the game as a Mutant, you can later "explain" how you are also a martial artist (take powers in the Natural bsp pool), and that really, your mutant powers just allow you to use the Crystal of Awsomness, where your effectiveness really comes from (taking a power in the magic bsp pool)

It not only gives you a "slight" bonus, for choosing a particular origin (a single power headstart) without sacrificing any of your power choices (meaning that you could max out your origin and still have enough power choices left to diversify)
...but it enables you to customize and refine your origin to uniquely fit your character.


all the while, maintaining the balance of the current pools (i.e. you have a limited number of choices, if you want the good stuff from a particular pool, you'll have to balance that out with less from another), without "forcing" any character to specialize (with nine powers, you still have enough to get to the "second teir (3rd power)" or more in 5 bsp pools, if you want to.... but doing so means you miss out on the "powerful" powers deeper into each pool (of course I use the term "powerful" loosely, as we intend for BSP's to be "nice" but not "necessary") )

my idea about origins and backstories never "forced" anything on anyone.... it just gave a headstart for a particular backstory pool....

it gave you "something" for picking your origin... but it didnt force you to choose one of another, as it did not "prevent" you from choosing other "origin based" background pools if you wanted to.


also... increasing penalties for multiple pools does NOT encourage, enhance, or aid diversity...

what it DOES do... is make the "background" less important than the "benifit"
if you can only max out one pool, your going to take the pool that gives you the most benifit, reguardless of its "theme" or how that "Theme" fits your character.


the object is NOT to make players limited.... but to make Specialization... ACTUALLY specialization.... i.e. make it difficult to "max out" multiple pools (if not impossible), but never to make it difficult to aquire SOME of the powers in multiple pools...


and never, ever, make it a sacrifice to diversify.... all thats doing is encouraging mini-maxing.

heres hoping dude.... to be sure, ive never seen anyone's direct idea get encorporated into the game.... but I'd love to at least see something LIKE this idea make it.

you GOT attention, remember?

just make it look professional, and send it along to one of the redtags (preferably of the Dev variety ;P)

nope.... I was really shooting for:

Backstory powerpools:
Lonewolf
Merchant
Mutant
Rogue/theif
Magic
Science
Technology
Olympic athelete


.....etc


obviously there would be a dozen or so of these background sets... (5 origin, plus 6-7 "occupation".. occupation is a bad word... "calling" might be a little better)


so, at level one, you'd have the first power in the Mutant backstory pool which... if it really was a "bother"... could simply be the inherant power we already get.

when you reach level ten, you do a quick mission, and afterwards, your contact wants to know a little bit more about you...

so, you can pick up a new Backstory power pool (either the first or the second power) or you could spend that power choice on the Mutant power pool (which would let you choose the second or the third power in that pool)


so, you would, essentually, have a headstart towards growth in the Mutant power pool... because you ARE a mutant origin.


however, someone who was, say a Cyborg (tech origin) would still be able to grow in the Mutant power pool if he/she wanted to (after all, maybe they were a mutant before, but being a cyborg is what made them a hero/villain)
So, even though your chosen origin gives you a little headstart, it doesnt limit you in any way
(also, due to the nature of the system, you actually arent losing any time "growth wise", because of your origin choice, and you wont be able to diversify all that much more, if you build up your origin set (one extra power one way or the other))

how would they be mini-maxing it? all the same rules apply...


if the system is balanced.... what is there to mini-max (more to the point, how would encorporating origins create that problem, where without them it wouldnt exist?)


If your going to have a system that "storywise" revolves around a character defining his/her own BACKSTORY.... the characters "Origin" should play some part in that system...


I agree in some respects... I dont want origins to matter too much..

fire is fire, right? doesnt matter if its magic or a flame thrower...


but I DO think that origins should be encorporated into the game in a meaningful way (not just an excuse for the Devs to time-sink us running around to a specific store to buy or sell something.)



how can you have a "Backstory Powers Pool" without the origins?
More than that, though... encorporating the origins allows all those Magically awakened Robot Ninjas out there the chance to truely flesh out thier origin in game (after all... was it the magic, the technology, or the martial arts training that made our Robot Ninja-mage the hero he is today?)

Not just like origin, Lime...... EXACTLY like it....



think about it..... what if Origins were part of the history pools?


basically, choosing your origin at the begining of the game, automatically gives you the first history pool power in the Magic Origin Pool or the Mutant Origin pool....

what this would mean (apart from giving origins potential for more depth in the game) is that your origin would mean something....

Not "mean so much" that people would choose one origin over another.... but because you already had one power in that history pool.... at level ten when you got to choose your "first" history pool power.... you could get either the first/second power in any of the history pools OR get either the second/third power from from your origin's pool



basically, you'd be able to progress along your chosen origin at a slightly accelerated rate, because its your origin.


BUT, because all origin sets are there to be had by anyone... if you want a particular bonus that a particular origin has (i would hope that none of these History pools would have something a character would "need" to have, outside of personal biography needs.)
...all you have to do, is choose that history pool at ten...




so, we have a way of encorporating backstory into the game... AND we could do what people have been trying to do since beta.... make Origin's "Mean something" without having them be "important"


after all, getting the level one history pool ability for your origin wouldnt count against your 9 total history pool power choices, nor would the history pool abilities be so good that players would feel compelled to choose a particular origin to get a jumstart on a particular list of abilities...

agreeing with me is always good for ones health

you know.... the more i think about it....


how many people dont do the second costume slot mission... or the Cape mission?
even if they NEVER put a cape on, or never make a second costume (though, how many players dont do that, either?)


what Im getting at.... is if you make it "Free" (have a capetype mission ever ten levels or something to "increase your fan-base" or something)
and there isnt anything to lose by doing it....


why would you need to compensate those who choose not to? you dont get anything in compensation for not doing the cape mission....
you dont get anything to compensate for not choosing a title....
theres no compensation for people who choose NOT to take power pool powers (not really, anyway)
theres no compensation for players who choose not to hunt badges to aquire accolades....


I dont think we need to find a way to "compensate" players who choose not to use this feature....
It needs to be a compelling feature (i.e. have something intrinsically benificial) without feeling like it NEEDS to be taken (just look at fitness :-/)


if it "costs nothing" to do, then people will do it, if they feel like it, or they feel it benifits them...



Hell, if all you do is play Duo's with your roomate 90% of the time.... why WOULDNT you pick up the Dynamic Duo history pool....even if it had almost no benifit... if it had some, you'd get it...

same with soloers, same with people with no epic patron handing out Inf....



I dont think we need to "compensate" people who dont want to do it.... I think we need only balance the concept, so that it isnt "required" to do.
(btw, you need an "Olympic Athlete" history pool too...)

the balance comes in two fold... availability and gravity.

if we make the powers available every 5 levels, starting at 10, that gives players the oprotunity to aquire 9 powers. if we deepen each History Pool to 6 powers, that would mean you could max out one pool and get up to the 4th power on another.

if growth works for these as it does for power pools, then they would look something like this:

Power one/ power two (pick one)
Power one/ power two/ power three (pick two)
Power one/ power two/ power three/ power four (pick three)
Power one/ power two/ power three/ power four/ power five (pick four)
Power one/ power two/ power three/ power four/ power five/ power 6 (pick 5)
Power one/ power two/ power three/ power four/ power five/ power six (chose 6)


so, if you wanted to invest in three of these pools evenly, you'd be able to get the 4th power on each of them, but not be able to aquire the 5th or 6th powers.




now, by "gravity", what I mean is that, like the current pools, the later abilities are usually the better abilities. So, what I would suggest, is that the 4th, 5th and 6th powers in a pool be a "tangable benifit" to the character. essentually though the first three powers in the pool would give some minor bonuses, in essence they would be perogative/IC choices. However, if a character chose to "specialize" (i.e. not try and take everything) they could aquire abilities that would have a tangable benifit to their gaming experence (i.e. Soloing is what I do, and I do it damned well)


so, if you want to "mini-max" the history pool... you're either getting a max of 3 minor/moderately benifitial abilities from three seperate pools (over the course of the WHOLE game, mind you)

or you could get 3-4 (one minor, 2-3 moderate/good) by "specializing" (in game terms, being very skilled at one aspect of life, before becoming a hero)





your second question is a stickler... let me think on it a little bit.

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Yeah, I agree these shouldn't be selectable/slottable powers. They should be little inherent auto powers earned automatically as you lvl.

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just to clarify... the CHOICE should be earned.... never the powers themselves.
this isnt like accolades where "sell 500 training enhancements" gets you the Haggle power.... that, frankly, sucks [censored].


I see no real problem with making them power pools... except then you HAVE to make them viable alternatives to other power pools.... i.e. you are making background options(i.e. fun, creative, and/or unique ) into game mechanic risk/reward options....

that, I dont like.... And personally, I think the desire to make them power pools stems from the community's general desire for more powerpools.



I think they need to be like titles.... at the very best, have a mission from your inital contact along the lines of a cape or respec mission (preferably the cape missions) that gives you a good shot of in game "story"... while at the same time, giving the player the sense that they are "moving up in the world" because people want to know more about them (sorry, I really like the idea of aquiring history pools because, in game, people are trying to find out more about your past.)

the mission could be selected at level 10 by going back and talking to your original contact, who's just thrilled that you're well on your way to making a difference(hero), proving your worth to arachnos (Kalinda)/not taking arachnos' crap (burke)

it would add a sense that your inital contacts "care" about whats happening to you (villain side, of course.. you reflect upon them.. and heroside they just like to know they did their job) forming a bond that could translate into Origin story archs (mentioned in another thread around here) for heroes, and gives you a more solid foundation for returning to your inital villain contacts beyond "I have to"

we're already slot starved at the begining of the game....


Id rather these just adhere to the NOBLE AND HONORED tradition of "Character Specialization"... by which a player has oprotunities throughout an RPG to give minor bonuses to a particular character to make them a "better choice" for certain activities.

Truely, in a standard RPG (non-PnP) these are purely number-based arangements (Tabs and the like) that you can use to one time boost a particular stat or a skill that increases a haggle ability.
There is actually a concept nearly IDENTICAL to the OP idea in Wizard's "The Forgotten Realms" PHB. In it, at character creation, the new character can chose feats that relate specifically to the character's background (natural magician, thug, sliver tongued, ect...) that give a minor boost to activities it relates to, Plus a bonus to activites over the life of the character (i.e. Blooded: +2 bonus to spot checks(minor boost) plus +2 to iniative)

all thats different here, is the application. Instead of a single shot that boosts your character relating to his/her background...

we have a series of minor boosts to the character that remain essentually thematic that add demension to them beyond power choice...


so, once again.... One Elec/energy blaster will be ever so slightly more different than the next Elec/energy blaster..






and Blackdream, you are wrong about the Lone Wolf being overpowered (unless its a minor dat-mine issue)
What you have to take into account is the significant difference between solo leveling and team leveling... i.e. after around level 20, it is a laughably large chasm. team play works, solo play doesnt.

if anything, something like Lone Wolf would bring solo play more in-line with group play (but STILL not its equal) meaning that, yes... someone who took it could actually progress at a more compairable rate to team players (not faster than)
also, please remember that said Lone Wolf bonuses wouldnt exist outside of solo play.... so the pool wouldnt boost team play xp...



speaking of Lone Wolf... dont forget "Dynamic/Dasterdly Duo" Tobay

I like the idea... sort of reminds me of the bonuses you get from accolades, but on a "personally creative" level... as has been said, if you WANT to invest your character into these sets, you can... or they can be like Provoke.... something you probably arent going to take (split my hairs about that on a private message if you like)


I agree however, with whomever said that it should be a system seperate from powers/power pools. Not so much because I wouldnt want to "waste" a slot on them.... but, like origins... they ARE something seperate from our powersets and pools.

Im not sure how else it could be encorporated..... perhaps every 5 levels you can "increase public awairness"???
basically, it isnt so much that you (the character) are selecting powers that illustrate your history....

...instead, its more that your noteriety is increasing... people are investigating you (either to assess a threat, or to start a Mr. YOU fan club...)

at certain milestones... lets say... level 15... maybe again at 25... this noteriety even warrents you a heroic/villainous "title" of sorts... like Valiant, or Brutal... just throwing stuff out there ;P



you could deepen each of these "history pools" to have 6-7 powers in them (following the pool growth system would still work) giving you the ability to "max out" a history set, and even aquire abilities from other sets...


just like titles, these pools would be totally up to the perogative of the player.... when you go to the trainer, theres a question there "Tell me about developing my history"

and then at level 5 theres the option "tell me something about yourself"

and when you select from a particular pool, the trainer says "I'll spread the word that you were once a dedicated student."



there could be dozens of such sets with various combinations of "non-com" history pools and bonuses to different GENERAL playstyles (It would be very very bad to have anything too specific (like a "buffs allies better: buffs work better on teammates" sort of pool...) too much "stamina-ness")


I could see one that improved the character's abilities when teamed with supergroup members... and definately one for "family of heroes" backgrounds (though, what the benfits would be, would take some crunching)




basically, a whole family of ability choices that further enable customization, give us a pleasant boost to certain aspects of the game, without ever feeling so "necessary" that players would feel compelled to chose background pools that mini-max their character's effectiveness. (not that some wont anyway, but we dont want it to be like "oh, you're a DM scrapper? you should have taken the Mommy never loved me pool, NOOB!")

Damnit, who erased the L and the R off my boots?!

(followed shortly by)

so, "Lord" is to the "Left" of "Recluse"....right?