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GADGETS & GEAR -- What Do *You* Want To See?


Steve Long

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Originally posted by Geoff Speare

A paint-marking gun that doesn't use Cosmetic Transform (so that it's not harder to shoot big people). :)

 

Not to steal Steve's thunder, but wouldn't the "partial effect" structure manage? If he was small, he'd be fully painted, but since he's large, all I got is his rear end.

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Okay Steve, You Asked:

 

How about cyberware and other cybernetic gear?

 

Or some of those gadgets from the Saturday Morning Superheroes? (No, not the MMPR. Although for the next Vehicles book...) I mean those of the 60's 70's and 80's. Like Space Ghost's PowerBands, etc.

 

Or some of the vide variety of gear in Anime? Captain Harlock's sword/blaster, Nagisa Kano's braclet from Iczer One (combination defensive sheld and defensive weapon ), various wepons from Ninja Team Gatchaman/G-Force/BoTP/ER,

 

 

--Just my two cents.

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T-Spheres - Roughly the size of grapefruit.

 

Mr. Terrific carries 4 or 5 of them, but there are normally three floating around.

 

They can be ordered to fly to certain places (controls are in Mr. Terrific's costume), so can indeed knock people or things. They were also used to cover Black Canary's, er, modesty once.

 

They contain cameras which broadcast information back to Mr. Terrific's mask (which contains a HUD). The cameras send images on the visible and infra-red spectra. I wouldn't mind betting they have a starlight or similar function and are probably capable of communicating auditory information.

 

They can project holograms, including complex images.

 

They can also make someone invisible, not only to sight, but also to visual and audio sensors. I am not sure but think they can fulfil the latter function without making Mr. Terrific invisible to normal sight. hence he cannot be recorded on video tape, digital cameras, etc. I am not sure if this only works on Mr. Terrific himself. I can't recall seeing it work on others. He might be able to use the images power to do something a little similar.

 

Knowing DC, they could easily have other functions.

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Not to steal Steve's thunder, but wouldn't the "partial effect" structure manage? If he was small, he'd be fully painted, but since he's large, all I got is his rear end.

 

That's how I just wrote it up last week, for a heroine who has a gadget pool of survival/sports equipment. 2d6 Cosmetic Transform, Partial Effect. Fits nicely in her 15-point VPP.

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A couple of more thoughts...

 

I'd really like to have a good selection of gadgets intended for use out of combat. In particular, include some things that can be used in investigation or espionage situations. I'm not talking about real-world technology here, though if you can come up with some superhero-oriented extensions of such technology it would be extremely cool.

 

And again I'll emphasize the need for more movement gadgets. I don't know how many times as GM I've gotten a cool-looking character, but had to ask, "How does he get to the scene of the action?" (Usually the character ends up hitching a ride with someone else, though one individual actually intended to use taxi cabs and public transportation.) Swing lines, jet-boots, concealable hang gliders, spring-boots... and, of course, the ever-lovin' Rocket Lawnchair. ;)

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Originally posted by Sketchpad

This was mentioned in another thread and I wasn't sure if it was mentioned here, but I'd like to see the return of Dr. McQuark :) I always loved using this character and he'd make a great tour guide through the book ;)

 

I'll second that - putting some of the discussion in the words of a character, rather than a player or GM, makes these nicer reads. Kind of like UNTIL descriptions of superppwers for USPD.

 

Of course, the function of the book should not be overshadowed, but running commentary from the King of Gadgeteers would be a nice touch for the book.

 

If McQuark is "unavailable" for whatever reasons, perhaps a new "Master Gadgeteer" could be used, then appear in Ultimate Gadgeteer.

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Knockout Gas / Chloroform. It's incredibly expensive (under most methods) to build a simple handkerchief that puts the target to sleep after a grab.

 

Team Gadgets. Lots of examples of team communicators, locators, uniforms, etc.

 

Traps and security systems. Base-type equipment. Also, rules and samples of Danger Rooms.

 

Surveillance equipment, including Spidey-tracers.

 

Rope! :)

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Something I almost forgot about, and don't think has been mentioned before...

 

Medical gear. Life-sustaining chambers, stasis field generators, wound sealants, bioscanners, that sort of thing.

 

I thought of one other thing yesterday while I was away from the computer, but now I can't recall what it was. If I remember it, I'll post it...

 

Oh, and I'd strongly recommend dividing the book up by purpose (though I assume you already are doing that). :)

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I'd like to see:

 

A floating orb that can shoot down incoming attacks..

 

A frictionless bodysuit

 

"Magnetic" boomerangs or shuriken

 

Hoverboards (ala Back to the Future)

 

Psi-static generators

 

The old but trusted Bag of Marbles, and the new Bag of Exploding Marbles

 

Limpet mines and triggered devices

 

Sattelite Lasers controlled by a wrist computer

 

Inertia-ray guns

 

Force field projectors

 

Bolos of various flavors

 

EMP weapons

 

A Vibro-cannon

 

And a jet-staff

 

-CraterMaker

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This might be a bit much to ask, but you did open the floor to requests...

 

The henshin (transform) belt from the Kamen (Masked) Rider series

 

Specifically, the most recent series' have the belts doing more than just acting as a focus for the hero's powers. In fact, the current show (Kamen Rider 555 [Faiz]), the Faiz Driver (what the belt is called in that show) is *constantly* being stolen and used by the bad guys.

 

Of course, there's certainly grounds that this would be a better entry for "The Ultimate Powered Armor"...

 

-Yogzilla

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Also, I am sure you are planning on douing this anyways but a reminder that in Hero, there are more than one way to make a power, and while this is one way it is not the only way (I prefer my EMP weapons to be based on RKA's not dispells, and I also prefer my Astral Forms to be Multiforms, for instance)

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Already mentioned but I'd like to see (Spidey) Tracers.

 

Multi-purpose wrist communicators, including triangulating on the person you're speaking to, GPS, etc.

 

Already mentioned again but a very detailed Shrinking ray. (Ok, they're shrunk. What stats do they have?)

 

Ice Bullets (melt with no trace)

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I'd love to see a write-up for various effects. Gas clouds, for example (they cover a large area and fade after a certain time period). Also, I'd love to see some discussion concerning the unique game concepts that gadgets bring up:

-a table to relate gadget size to OCV modifiers to hit the gadget

-a guidline for how damage to a gadget might effect the gadget's abilities.

-repair timetables for gadget damage

-skill lists and skill roll modifiers to build and repair gadgets.

 

...and last but not least: GRAPHICS!! Lots and lots of pretty pictures...

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You also might want to consider a chapter on how to build gadgets from different comic "ages"--Golden Age gadgets would have a much different look and operating principle than current-age gadgets; just compare early diagrams of Batman's utility belt to today's diagrams, or the original design for Spider-Man's webshooters as opposed to today's design.

 

 

Also, gadgets make great plot devices--if you'll pardon the expression. I remember an Adventurer's Club adventure where the PCs had to deal with an influx of autofire laser pistols called "Retaliators" that exploded lethally if used once too often. And of course, there are those gadgeteer-types who neither fight nor commit crime, but sell their works to whomever can pay. I can easily see such a character catering to the "wannabe" crowd--those who believe all you need to fight crime are a rocket pack and a bandolier full of stun grenades, or stickup artists who think a freeze-ray weapon will make them unbeatable. You get the idea.

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