CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

[Beast]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

1 campaign I was it had something like this but the substance was ketchup

it was illegal to have ketchup out side the Sol system

 

 

I would like to see something unique to earth that is attractive to aliens. A reason for them to come here.

 

Tossing out an idea: Coffee. Its a plant that only grows well on earth. to some aliens, coffee beans are candy. To others a drug. To one race it can be refined into a potent bio weapon, deadly to their enemies but harmless to them. For yet another race its just a fine, but exotic drink.

 

It every case its rarity makes coffee very expensive. Aliens conduct an illicit trade with coffee growers, or their national leaders, trading manufactured gems (indistinguishable from the real thing with mere human technology), for unprocessed coffee beans.

 

This brings intergalactic cops, spys, criminal organizations, and adventurers to earth, mixing together for one thing: coffee.

 

This is just an example, but it gives all sorts of excuses for alien encounters and combat.

 

The heroes could be tasked with rescuing a 10 foot tall talking cockroach hiding in the back room of a restaurant. He's just a lost crew member and wants to get back to his ship. The health inspector may need to be mind controlled over this little incident. Of course the alien criminal organization, seizing an opportunity, unleashes a monstrous alien "Hit Man" to finish this rival off. The space smugglers will be glad to get their navigator back, and the contact may prove to be an interesting way to introduce the heroes to space.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I always liked the DC and Marvel Universes reasons. A Progenitor's seeded world with massive Mystical potentials and large numbers of World Breaker classed Super Beings who have consistently defeat World Conquerors and Dimensional Warlords. A world where even base line sentients have risen to wield massive power above and beyond their technological capabilities. These Terrans or Humans as they call themselves have traveled among the stars and battled threats to the universe that even mighty Star Empires and Celestial Beings have balked at confronting. From among them HEROes shall rise and fall, but Earth is still here.

 

 

I like that.

 

 

QM

[Lord Liaden]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

BTW regarding the "cosmic entities," please include a note as to what, if anything, happens to any of them when magic fades from the galaxy. It would be helpful to know whether some of them still play a role in future eras of the Hero Universe.

 

Oh, and don't forget the Empyreans (Ancient and alien). And kelvarite.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

What about alloys like Kendrium, Destrium, etc...

 

 

Anything new?

 

 

QM

[Ranxerox]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I'm never going to be all that interested in running a space-faring superhero campaign, but if you include enough character write-ups I might buy it as an "enemies" book and bring the baddies to earth.

[lapsedgamer]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

The problem is that the character is written in such a way that ICly, this is impossible. Nebula is a space cop with alien morals and no compassion. Let me explain how this translates in an environment where everything is kept IC and the gamemaster doesn't pull punches. If I were running this character, I would have to play the ball where it lies, because, comic book game or no, the character is going to take out the greatest threats first. Usually, when dealing with unknowns, that means "The person who deals the most damage."

 

Let's look at your adventure setup for Duress. What the HECK are the other players doing while your character runs around Duress? Anything that the GM does to let the character out of Duress is going to look contrived and a freebie thrown at the player unless he paid for powers and abilities to get him out prior to doing so. Spending XP to get out of duress during the adventure IS cheating. Period. You shouldn't be allowed to spend XP on the spot during an adventure to fix a problem that you didn't forsee.

 

While you are doing that, the other players are sidekicks, period. Let me tell you how this runs with 99 percent of PC groups.

 

Player A: Oh, my god! What happened? She shot him! He's GONE. Completely GONE.

 

Player B: She killed him?

 

Nebula: I merely sent him to an extradimensional prison in another galaxy for his crimes. You are next, doer of evilness.

 

Unless the players all decide that they want to be shot by Nebula, the PC's are going to beat the living daylights of Nebula, or Nebula is going to find herself hard pressed and run away. And Nebula is VERY good at running away. No group of superheroes worthy of the name is going to stop and negotiate with someone who just sent their ally to another dimension! They'll trash her or bring her to justice for kidnapping, assault, reckless endangerment, and a host of other criminal offenses. Plus, remember, Nebula is "One Shot, One Kill." Every hit sends a character to Duress.

 

Remember that most games are run by this principle. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. If you, as GM, use tons of one shot, one kill villains, then the players will put stuff like this on their sheets too, and then your game is pretty much ruined, because you will have no recourse but to build better one-shot, one kill characters, and that's how they will react; with wars of escalation. I've seen this before in other games hundreds of times. Plus, as GM, you don't have a defense here. Using a crappy deus-ex-machina hole in the rules tactic to send characters to an extradimensional prison is a jerky move. I've seen stuff like this destroy games and create angry players too many times to ever use this.

 

The time differential only works in a game where you don't keep careful track of time. In the game I run, SIDs are just as important as hero IDs. "You aged me four weeks in the span of two hours?" is just as bad as "Only one minute passed, but six weeks passed in the real world?"..."Oh, my god, I got fired!" "Oh, my god, I failed algebra." "Oh, my god, my girlfriend is going to bed with some other guy. I got dumped in absentia."

 

It only takes one or two adventures like this to turn people into power gamers with no regard for anything the GM does. Trust me. I've lived through it enough times to know. You have to respect the rules as GM. But you have to respect your players more. This is a low-down, dirty tactic that does nothing but abuse the fact that no one would ever buy Extra-Dimensional Movement, only to protect against Extra Dimensional Movement power. Power Defense is not an absolute shield here. It depends on the SFX of the Power Defense. The stupid thing is, the best defense against this is Density Increase or Growth. If Nebula doesn't have the mass multiples, she can't transport you. While it makes a ton of sense, it also leads to STR inflation. This kills concept-driven games, too.

 

The Maguffin that can release you idea in a situation like this is CHEATING, unless it comes with a consequence. The most logical thing would be a dimensional movement machine. However, if the PC can't force someone to operate it for him, he's pretty much doomed. Do you have any idea what the penalties for Systems Operation are for figuring out an unfamiliar alien machine with a tech level above yours? Rules as written, this is like -12. It's like 7 tech levels and -5 for unfamiliar. Most PC's can't even ROLL this number. When was the last time you saw a PC spend 15 points on his Systems Operation skill? The average skill roll is around 13 to 14-. If you give the hero an ally that he has to work with who's distasteful, like a galactic criminal or something like that, then there's a consequence, because he can't get out without releasing another bad guy.

 

The problem is that if you do this, Nebula comes after him, and it all begins again. This is dirty pool, too.

 

The American words for GM are Tough, but Fair. This is unfair, period. You automatically create a situation where one PC is the "Star" for weeks on end, or some people might as well not show up to the session, start another game, or spend three hours outside smoking.

 

I know I would really hate to be chewing my cud for four hours while a GM dealt with this. And I CERTAINLY wouldn't appreciate the extra four hours of time that player got if it got dealt with offscreen. The three worst things about the CU are 1) Power Escalation 2) Everything comes from magic and 3) Nebula.

 

You play games with your friends. Don't treat them like acquaintances.

 

I can tell that you are very passionate about this, but I still don't see it that way. If I as GM knew that the players wouldn't want to play out a scenario where one character was absent while they tried to save the other PC, and the player whose PC was absent was playing Dr. Silverback or someone, for a couple of sessions, I guess I wouldn't do that. I think it might be fun, but I guess I can see how some folks wouldn't get it.

 

The time differential thing and all the complications that go with it are fodder for roleplaying to me. All those matching complications you got points for will have to eventually bedevil you. Everything you listed as things that could happen are kind of clever and might make for a good game with the right people.

 

If everyone goes into Duress at the same time and has to come out, that might make for a neater never-split-the-party vibe, but I don't believe that it is always wrong to split the party and play things out that happen at different times simultaneously or off screen. If the other players can't stand to have one person have a quick solo run that's handled off screen, I guess we can all mob around together and kill stuff, but I tend hate those sorts of games with a passion if that's all that's going on. I can play an MMO and do that from the comfort of my own couch. Hell, I don't even need the headphones on, so I don't have to talk to anyone.

 

I don't believe that it is cheating in an RPG as long as the GM is trying to keep the game flowing and give the players some interesting challenges without making it TPK. If the GM makes a McGuffin and makes it reasonable to get with some effort this is not cheating. Cheating to me is twinking out your character so that he/she can never be effected by anything just because you were effected by an exotic attack once before. If you know that the main villain for more than one arcs of your campaign is Menton or PSI, you might try to invest in some Metal Defense devices. If you encountered Menton once and it didn't go well, I don't think rewriting your whole character is called for.

 

I wouldn't be jealous if the GM handled the other player's time in Duress by bluebooking or E-mail. It also wouldn't bug me if the GM ran the two things simultaneously. I think most people can hold off on metagaming enough to get something out of that. It all depends on the personalities involved. It's more a matter of taste. It's also not fair to say that one player would be the star for weeks on end. Most shows are able to resolve plotlines like this in one or two episodes. It's just a matter of keeping it brisk.

 

You can't really win a table top RPG, and the only way to lose is if no one has fun. It's not a direct competition between the GM and the players. It's a cooperative storytelling session with the GM trying to create an environment and basic plotline for the players to improv off of, often riffing off of stuff that they provide. The rules keep everyone honest, but even the Line Editor says that you can tweak things to make more dramatic sense if needed.

 

If you believe that the only way to "win" a scenario is to tactically beat the villain, what happens when Dr. Destroyer or Valek is on the board?

[kahuna's bro]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

what is TPK?

[Michael Hopcroft]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

what is TPK?

 

Total Party Kill. A session in which all the player characters are killed, removed from the campaign world, or destroyed. Usually a sign that the GM has created an adventure that the characters the players have cannot survive. Most common in D&D and other games where the GM has an adversarial relationship with the party.

[Steve Long]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

OK, let's just shut this down for a bit then.

 

This is not a thread for discussing/debating particular characters. If and when I feel like asking for y'all's opinions on given published characters, I'll start a thread for that.

 

This is a thread asking for suggestions for the contents of Champions Beyond. Some of you apparently can't grasp that simple concept, so let's stop the discussion for a couple days, and hopefully it'll sink in.

[Steve Long]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

OK, let's try this again. Suggestions for CB, or discussions of its proposed content, are as always welcome; please take discussion of marginally-related topics to other threads.

[quozaxx]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

And do the "grays" exist in the CU? Who are they? And was the CIA allowing aliens to kidnap people and mutiliate cattle in the 60s and 70s in exchange for advanced technology? And what about the mysterious Men In Black (MIBs)? More evidence of alien infiltration?

 

Also is there any mention of Area 51? Does it "officially" exist in the Champions Universe and would be most appropriate to answer in Champions Beyond.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Within the space available, I'd like to see as much fleshing out as possible of previously mentioned spacefaring cultures, including solo villains. I find placing them in context can lead to far more interesting adventures, where the villain's entire culture can come into play.

 

This may also be a good book to discuss running long-term story arcs such as an alien invasion without getting the "ugh! Not more of these standard aliens" reaction. Conveying the scope of the arc without bogging the game down in every battle of the invasion, for example.

[Escafarc]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Since what I need most is Gadroons and they are already listed I have nothing else to say on this matter. I will now continue to wait on them:D

[GestaltBennie]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I'd like to see info on the various galactic "worlds" such as the Galactic Martial World, the Galactic Mercenary World, the Galactic Religious world, etc. What races are likely to become mercenaries? Are there any infamous mercenary companies that might come to earth and wreak havoc? Alien arms traders who'd be happy to help those snazzy green-clad insurgents with their "small local conflict", as long as VIPER pays their price? Any weird galactic cults eager to send missionaries to earth to convert us (with a telepathic nudge, of course) to their true faith?

 

I'm expecting to see info on what the man on the street knows about each of the major races, and how alien contact in general has impacted us as a species.I'm also interested in seeing whether superhumans know more than the general public, and also what the aliens think of *us*. It's possible that the Malvan broadcasts of earth superhumans have done *interesting* things to our reputation.

[Hermit]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I think most of what I would suggest has already been presented by others. I think maybe a brief blurb listing the possible origins for a PC either as an alien or having alien contact might be handy. "A dozen quick ideas on why you'd end up on a planet not your own" be it political asylum, last member of your species (we should all know this one, but maybe someone's been in a cave ) and more

[Susano]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I think most of what I would suggest has already been presented by others. I think maybe a brief blurb listing the possible origins for a PC either as an alien or having alien contact might be handy. "A dozen quick ideas on why you'd end up on a planet not your own" be it political asylum' date=' last member of your species (we should all know this one, but maybe someone's been in a cave ) and more[/quote']

 

Wow, another "me too!" post for that idea!

[BobGreenwade]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Somebody else mentioned the Star*Guard. Having enough information in the book to play a Star*Guard campaign (even if that means using mostly home-brew villains) would be a big plus IMHO.

[The Main Man]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I don't know if there will be a 6e version of Villainy Amok, so I'll at least suggest that perhaps the "alien probe scenario" could somehow be featured as a sample adventure.

&nbsp:

[Susano]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I don't know if there will be a 6e version of Villainy Amok' date=' so I'll at least suggest that perhaps the "alien probe scenario" could somehow be featured as a sample adventure.[/quote']

 

I was just thinking that instead of the "Alien Invasion" you could go with something simpler -- like Space Pirates who want to loot a certain place of even a person. Naturally, said pirates all have super powers.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

When discussing the Hzeel, it would be nice to explain how Teleios got his hands on an Hzeel predator to experiment on (the Lodge from Champions Of The North).

 

On the subject of alien interaction with humanity, were there any alien visitations to Earth prior to the first Sirian invasion in 1938? Any "ancient astronaut" influences?

[dsatow]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Just my $0.02

 

I wouldn't mind seeing also

1) The riff raff for the heroes. In comics like LSH, the heroes are always fighting some riff raff in every other issue. People with heavy duty blasters robbing a bank or causing other problems.

2) Some basic weapons and equipment you usually see.

2a) A few star ships like luxury liner, police vessel, pirate ship/smuggler ship, and private space ship.

2b) Standard blasters (pistols and rifles). Not a lot but enough to provide a little diversity.

2c) A space station (base) description as a location for heroes to use or save

2d) A standard colony (base) description as a location for heroes to use or save

3) Some info involving life in the future. Things like favorite Holovid programs("I'll buy that for a dollar","ISN news","Real Life:Mars"), recreational drugs(Soma), places to relax (is there a planet Rysa?), etc. Are there some shady megacorps (Brande corp)or major institutions (Time Institute)?

[BobGreenwade]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Just my $0.02

 

I wouldn't mind seeing also

1) The riff raff for the heroes. In comics like LSH, the heroes are always fighting some riff raff in every other issue. People with heavy duty blasters robbing a bank or causing other problems.

2) Some basic weapons and equipment you usually see.

2a) A few star ships like luxury liner, police vessel, pirate ship/smuggler ship, and private space ship.

2b) Standard blasters (pistols and rifles). Not a lot but enough to provide a little diversity.

2c) A space station (base) description as a location for heroes to use or save

2d) A standard colony (base) description as a location for heroes to use or save

3) Some info involving life in the future. Things like favorite Holovid programs("I'll buy that for a dollar","ISN news","Real Life:Mars"), recreational drugs(Soma), places to relax (is there a planet Rysa?), etc. Are there some shady megacorps (Brande corp)or major institutions (Time Institute)?

I think these things are mostly fodder for things like Star Hero, Galactic Champions, and Terran Empire.

[Susano]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

As Steve said....

 

I'm getting started on the long-awaited Champions Beyond, which deals with outer space, aliens, and related subjects in the present-day Champions Universe as opposed to the Galactic Champions era).

[Lord Liaden]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I just remembered, Supernova (from Galactic Champions) is on the cover of the 6E Champions Universe book, implying that he exists in the present-day CU. Will we see him in CB?

[Stalin_McRally]

Re: CHAMPIONS BEYOND -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Lots on "alien tech", such as:

 

1. what is it based on (circuty, crystal and whatnot).

2. What it can do.

3. what it cannot do.

4. how it integrates tech from another race/type and how compatible those would be

at its default setting, with some examples on hybrid tech wich ranges from experimental - reliable - advanced or something like that.

 

5. a couple of "what if.." scenarios on earth, among others how our shadow biosphere

would look/be like as an alternative dimension?

http://thebioblog.com/2010/02/alternate-life-styles-scientists-predict-the-possibility-of-a-shadow-biosphere/

 

I realise that what i ask may aimed toward the wrong book, or it may req too much content, but i have full confidence the devs wont dissapoint as usual!