Crey vs Clockwork-- level != power


Enantiodromos

 

Posted

Why do I care whether something makes sense, or how to make it make sense, in-character? Because I'm a roleplayer. On occasion. With the right prompting & people to RP with.

Anyway. It's not that I NEED everything to make perfect sense in-character. The fact that violet shields flicker around me when I'm telling my teammates where not to step (leadership/maneuvers), is nonsensical, but it's a game thing. Most of that, I can live with.

Still, if people can't readily agree beforehand on how the world "is," it's hard to RP in conversations about that world.

So, who would win, Hopkins vs Dr. Vazilok? Why? Who would win, Capo Boss vs the Kraken? Why?

I realize I'm also taking advantage of the hidden premise that naturals suck, which believe me, I'm intensely aware of.

I don't think we should treat levels as a straightforward gague of raw power, in-character, is what I'm saying.

I look at levels as more of a way of keeping track of which badguys you've already soundly defeated. If, for example, there're no longer any Skulls who aren't deep grey to you, what that means in character is: you've mostly broken the Skulls as an organization, and you know their tricks. They may still occasionally harass superheroes, but they'll never again be the threat to Paragon City they were a few months ago (when you were level 6).

Levels work better for tracking novelty, individual storyline, and fame, than they do for tracking raw power.

This may be something that everyone who plays MMORPGs understands intuitively now, and if so, I apologise.

But if I meet a heavily armored looking level 2 invulnerability tank on the streets of AP, in-character I'm going to act like you're tough as nails, even though I could easily brawl a "heavily armored" level 2 villain "to death."

If that tank says to me, "Woah, Dr. Maningzhoue! The famous tactician and psychotherapist! How do you survive up against all those Crey Power Tanks, with no superpowers?!?"

I'll respond: "Very, very carefully. But don't let the media distract you, man. It's folks like you, with real powers, every day, defending our city, that makes it safe. I know you could take down a Crey Tank, if you knew what their specs were. Wanna come with me and hunt a few down?"

Then I'd SK the tank, and we'd go kick some Power Tank butt.

OTOH, if that tank says to me, "Woah! It's Dr. Maninzhoue! You're incredibly powerfu, dude!"

That's the point at which I'm at a loss to keep RPing.


Choosing a Controller V2 | Splattrollers | Plant/Rad | Fire/Storm | Mind/Emp & Mind/Rad
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Being a Healer | The word Necessary | Natural Concept Characters

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
So, who would win, Hopkins vs Dr. Vazilok? Why? Who would win, Capo Boss vs the Kraken? Why?

I realize I'm also taking advantage of the hidden premise that naturals suck, which believe me, I'm intensely aware of.

I don't think we should treat levels as a straightforward gague of raw power, in-character, is what I'm saying.

I look at levels as more of a way of keeping track of which badguys you've already soundly defeated. If, for example, there're no longer any Skulls who aren't deep grey to you, what that means in character is: you've mostly broken the Skulls as an organization, and you know their tricks. They may still occasionally harass superheroes, but they'll never again be the threat to Paragon City they were a few months ago (when you were level 6).

Levels work better for tracking novelty, individual storyline, and fame, than they do for tracking raw power.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting post, and I don't disagree with you. But, I'm going to add my thoughts on the matter.

Another to classify an enemy's level is to gauge as a threat, not compared to a hero, but Paragon city as a whole. Raw power does not equate much into this; however, things to consider and interupt is the organization that the enemy is attached to and decide how dangerous that group is when you factor in their intentions, resources, territory, and capabilities.

Example, the Hellions are low threat because they're mainly into petty crimes, and don't have the resources compared to a group like Ritki or Crey. Skulls would be more dangerous in Kings Row compared to Galaxy because KR is considered their turf. They are more dangerous in Steel or Perez because of the increased gang warfare against other criminal groups (with more resources), thus a greater threat level.

Organizations that span across every level, like Thorns or 5th. They can be explained based on their intentions. Wizards in KR's rooftop, conduction ritual sacrifices, are less or a threat than the mages who are summoning demons in FF, or possessing scienctist on PI. Am I making sense?

To answer the versus questions in the versus. Hopkin would win against Dr.Valz., (in my opinion) in a one-on-one match. However comparing the resources, and intentions both people and they're faction represent. Hopkins is clearly a higher threat. With the Kraken vs. a Capo boss. In a fight, the Kraken would own the family mobster; but (assuming this is the Kraken in PP, and not in the sewer trail) the Capo is a higher threat because the hydra are contained in the sewers and perez, while the Family (with more mafia-connections and criminal intentions) remain a higher threat level to Paragon city.