I put together a short draft for my players, a just-the-facts-ma'am version that has clocked in at 13 pages with charts.
This doesn't include the With Great Power rules for point building or Firebomb's Quirks.
Fun times.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Mighty Super Heroes Are Go!
Hey there,
So I am getting back on the horse. I want to take this moment to thank everyone once again for their kind support and their warm humanity with my recent batch of troubled times. It was very very appreciated.
Now as to what is this "Might Super Heroes" thing all about?
As you may notice to the right hand under the "What I am playing" section there is a mock-cover for the not really real Mighty Super Heroes RPG. What happend to BASH! UE? What's going on? Has the world gone crazy?
Well a note about BASH! UE. I still think it is a tremendous game and the first ever power builder I actually enjoyed. I will continue to move forward with my plans to publish roster books for it (and M&M and ICONS, but not HERO since they want a cut of sales for the privilege and the pie will already be super small after the online distributors take their slice) but I won't be running it at my table. Nothing against the game, I just can't fight my Marvel Super Heroes RPG roots. They go over 20 years deep and I just don't feel comfortable running my style of game in another system.
That said MSH (get it?) has a lot of problems, or old mentalities. So one of the things I am doing is updating the FASERIP engine to be more modern. This actually has a lot to do with other super hero games.
For example I am adding the "Callings" from the Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game (SAGA), the "Mental Malfunction" of BASH!, the "Wound Track" from Mutants & Masterminds and other things, some even my ideas too!
Not sure if you guys want to see this here yourselves, but I may post about it and will certainly put up characters with the stats from it.
I will not publish it ever. I might make up a pdf of it but only as a free download and never for cash. Might Super Heroes isn't about that, it is merely about the game I have loved for 20+ years getting a bit of a pimping.
Face front true believers, this is gonna be fun!
*The art used for the cover was taken from the internet and is used without permission. No offense intended.
So I am getting back on the horse. I want to take this moment to thank everyone once again for their kind support and their warm humanity with my recent batch of troubled times. It was very very appreciated.
Now as to what is this "Might Super Heroes" thing all about?
As you may notice to the right hand under the "What I am playing" section there is a mock-cover for the not really real Mighty Super Heroes RPG. What happend to BASH! UE? What's going on? Has the world gone crazy?
Well a note about BASH! UE. I still think it is a tremendous game and the first ever power builder I actually enjoyed. I will continue to move forward with my plans to publish roster books for it (and M&M and ICONS, but not HERO since they want a cut of sales for the privilege and the pie will already be super small after the online distributors take their slice) but I won't be running it at my table. Nothing against the game, I just can't fight my Marvel Super Heroes RPG roots. They go over 20 years deep and I just don't feel comfortable running my style of game in another system.
That said MSH (get it?) has a lot of problems, or old mentalities. So one of the things I am doing is updating the FASERIP engine to be more modern. This actually has a lot to do with other super hero games.
For example I am adding the "Callings" from the Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game (SAGA), the "Mental Malfunction" of BASH!, the "Wound Track" from Mutants & Masterminds and other things, some even my ideas too!
Not sure if you guys want to see this here yourselves, but I may post about it and will certainly put up characters with the stats from it.
I will not publish it ever. I might make up a pdf of it but only as a free download and never for cash. Might Super Heroes isn't about that, it is merely about the game I have loved for 20+ years getting a bit of a pimping.
Face front true believers, this is gonna be fun!
*The art used for the cover was taken from the internet and is used without permission. No offense intended.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
A Personal Update
On February 11th, 2009 my mother passed away. 13 years earlier she had been diagnosed with throat cancer and we got lucky and she beat it, but she lost her voice box. Still she soldiered on for 13 years, took up painting and made a better life for herself.
Then the cancer came back.
Last night, February 19th 2010, my father had another heart attack and had to be flown from the local hospital where he lives to Quebec City where they are going to perform an angiography tomorrow and hopefully only have to add another stent.
Needless to say I am stressed.
Now, in June of 2009 I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, brought on not only from poor diet and exercise, but also do to the stress accumulated from my mother's passing, having a job that was just too stressful and then losing that job thanks to lay offs.
I have made a good run of it and have managed to keep my blood sugar levels in check and get my A1C down to 5.45% which is the same as being non-diabetic. This does not mean I am not diabetic, it just means I am holding off the complications that will come later in life.
Stress does not help at all.
I can't sleep. I couldn't eat today, though I forced myself to. I am smoking way too much, which is not good either. All in all I am a wreck today. Like a car that has been driven hard and bounced off too many barriers I feel all dinged and broken.
I know this will pass and I am staying positive in my mind for my father, believing that he will only need another stent and perhaps this will be a wake-up call for him to start taking his heart meds like he should.
It has been a hard year for him. My mother, his wife, was also his best friend and partner in life. They fought and carried on and acted like savages sometimes, but they loved each other and saw each other through some pretty hard times.
I spent a month with him at Christmas, not wanting him to be all alone at that time of year without Mom. I could see the sadness in him, the depression and the guilt for a million things he blames himself for from their years together.
I can't say I was surprised when I got the call this morning from one of my sisters telling me he what had happened, but it threw me for a loop nonetheless.
Why am I posting this here? I dunno, I just needed to write it down I suppose. Get my feelings out in a form that allowed me to ramble on and still have a point.
Nevertheless, I still can't sleep.
Then the cancer came back.
Last night, February 19th 2010, my father had another heart attack and had to be flown from the local hospital where he lives to Quebec City where they are going to perform an angiography tomorrow and hopefully only have to add another stent.
Needless to say I am stressed.
Now, in June of 2009 I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, brought on not only from poor diet and exercise, but also do to the stress accumulated from my mother's passing, having a job that was just too stressful and then losing that job thanks to lay offs.
I have made a good run of it and have managed to keep my blood sugar levels in check and get my A1C down to 5.45% which is the same as being non-diabetic. This does not mean I am not diabetic, it just means I am holding off the complications that will come later in life.
Stress does not help at all.
I can't sleep. I couldn't eat today, though I forced myself to. I am smoking way too much, which is not good either. All in all I am a wreck today. Like a car that has been driven hard and bounced off too many barriers I feel all dinged and broken.
I know this will pass and I am staying positive in my mind for my father, believing that he will only need another stent and perhaps this will be a wake-up call for him to start taking his heart meds like he should.
It has been a hard year for him. My mother, his wife, was also his best friend and partner in life. They fought and carried on and acted like savages sometimes, but they loved each other and saw each other through some pretty hard times.
I spent a month with him at Christmas, not wanting him to be all alone at that time of year without Mom. I could see the sadness in him, the depression and the guilt for a million things he blames himself for from their years together.
I can't say I was surprised when I got the call this morning from one of my sisters telling me he what had happened, but it threw me for a loop nonetheless.
Why am I posting this here? I dunno, I just needed to write it down I suppose. Get my feelings out in a form that allowed me to ramble on and still have a point.
Nevertheless, I still can't sleep.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?
So after a barrage of posts recently things have dropped off here at the old Earth Alpha.
Well let me explain.
February 11th was the anniversary of the passing of my mother. As that day got closer and closer I started feeling less and less "chatty" I guess would be the term. Fortunately my girlfriend and my friends were more than supportive and the dreaded day passed without any drama.
The other thing is that I was getting depressed by the lack of employment opportunities as I watch my EI slowly dwindle and get ready to go away. Not a lot of fun. One of the primary reasons I have decided to leave Montreal at the end of my lease and relocate back to Vancouver.
The last issue has been dealing with the Final Age project (the fantasy setting we are working on) and then looking at costs for art and such for the Zenith Comics Presents project, so that was sort of taking up my mind as well.
That said, while there are still no jobs on the horizon, I am ready to get back to work and start getting down to brass tacks with the projects. So hopefully over the next few days I will be able to start posting again. Let's stay positive.
Cheers
Well let me explain.
February 11th was the anniversary of the passing of my mother. As that day got closer and closer I started feeling less and less "chatty" I guess would be the term. Fortunately my girlfriend and my friends were more than supportive and the dreaded day passed without any drama.
The other thing is that I was getting depressed by the lack of employment opportunities as I watch my EI slowly dwindle and get ready to go away. Not a lot of fun. One of the primary reasons I have decided to leave Montreal at the end of my lease and relocate back to Vancouver.
The last issue has been dealing with the Final Age project (the fantasy setting we are working on) and then looking at costs for art and such for the Zenith Comics Presents project, so that was sort of taking up my mind as well.
That said, while there are still no jobs on the horizon, I am ready to get back to work and start getting down to brass tacks with the projects. So hopefully over the next few days I will be able to start posting again. Let's stay positive.
Cheers
Friday, February 12, 2010
New BASH! Forums
Hey all, just a quick note to tell you all about a new set of BASH! forums that are now online.
Stop on by, sign up and have fun!
Stop on by, sign up and have fun!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Brief Update
Sorry there's been no movement this week, but I am taking a week to myself while I sort some things out.
I'll be back next week :)
I'll be back next week :)
Monday, February 8, 2010
The Red Menace & More Public Domain
As the loyal readers know I am working on developing and hashing out my Silver Age for the Zenith Universe, as that will have a direct link to the Bronze Age which the campaign is set at the latter edge of.
In doing so I get to do something I haven't had a chance to do for a long time... develop Soviet supers!
For me the Cold War, while not a lot of fun in the real world, provides an excellent and deep pool to dive into for creativity and story telling. Back in the 80's and early 90's I had developed a crap-load of Soviet supers, complete with authentic Russian names thanks to my roommate at the time who had studied Russian in college.
More on that as it develops.
As for the Public Domain, I have come to a most excellent decision as to how I am going to progress on using it.
There is a team in my world called the "Protectors of New York". I had used them once for a campaign, but had never really developed them beyond some PCs who stepped in after the original team was killed in the collapse of the Twin Towers.
Since I have no notes and they were always just sort of this "other" team, I have decided to tap the Public Domain heroes and create a team who's names can never be on the front cover!
The premise is that they were a bunch of heroes who came together during the Golden Age and were battling Nazis or what have you, when they all got turned into statues by some evil axis magician character (you can see I have really fleshed this out ;) ) and were left in a warehouse in New York from 1942 on.
Flash forward to 1976, the country's Bicentennial and somehow (haven't decided yet) the spell is broken and they are all suddenly 33 years later than they should be.
This to will be more on it as it develops.
As always thoughts, suggestions, comments and feedback are more than welcomed, they are sought.
In doing so I get to do something I haven't had a chance to do for a long time... develop Soviet supers!
For me the Cold War, while not a lot of fun in the real world, provides an excellent and deep pool to dive into for creativity and story telling. Back in the 80's and early 90's I had developed a crap-load of Soviet supers, complete with authentic Russian names thanks to my roommate at the time who had studied Russian in college.
More on that as it develops.
As for the Public Domain, I have come to a most excellent decision as to how I am going to progress on using it.
There is a team in my world called the "Protectors of New York". I had used them once for a campaign, but had never really developed them beyond some PCs who stepped in after the original team was killed in the collapse of the Twin Towers.
Since I have no notes and they were always just sort of this "other" team, I have decided to tap the Public Domain heroes and create a team who's names can never be on the front cover!
The premise is that they were a bunch of heroes who came together during the Golden Age and were battling Nazis or what have you, when they all got turned into statues by some evil axis magician character (you can see I have really fleshed this out ;) ) and were left in a warehouse in New York from 1942 on.
Flash forward to 1976, the country's Bicentennial and somehow (haven't decided yet) the spell is broken and they are all suddenly 33 years later than they should be.
This to will be more on it as it develops.
As always thoughts, suggestions, comments and feedback are more than welcomed, they are sought.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Alias the Spider
In 1936 young Thomas Hallaway was a rich, bored playboy with far too much money and no where near enough motivation. His drunken outings and string of inappropriate encounters left him the embarrassment of the upper crust. After getting the daughter of a rather important international financier pregnant, a group of "old money" conspirators got together and decided to do something about Tom.
Using their contacts, they hired a secret group of assassins known as the "Society of the Spider" to kidnap and assassinate Hallaway, thereby having his entire estate fall into the possession of his unscrupulous cousin Howard. The plan went off without a hitch, and Thomas was soon in the clutches of the Society. With all the conspirators there to witness the event, the acolytes of the Society lashed Hallaway to a giant web and called forth a gargantuan spider, that they worshiped as a god, to feed on him.
Unknown to the conspirators or the Society, Hallaway's loyal valet Chuck had followed them and infiltrated the meeting. As the giant spider bit into Hallaway, Chuck lept from the shadows and fired his .45 into the giant spider, killing it. The cultists were horrified but that quickly turned to rage as they swarmed Chuck seeking revenge. No one noticed on the web that Hallaway was not dead. In fact he was better than before. Somehow the spider's venom had transformed him, making him a very peak of human potential.
Leaping from the webbing and joining the fray, Hallaway quickly dispatched of the cultists and tied up the conspirators in the webbing. At Chuck's urging they left the scene, but not before calling the Police to round up the criminals.
Deciding that his life had been spared for a reason, Hallaway decide that he would use his second chance to make something more of himself. Fashioning himself a costume and using his vast resources to acquire various gadgets and weapons for the fight, he called himself the Spider and began his crusade on crime.
=-=-=-=-=
This character is based off the public domain version of "Alias the Spider" thought with heavy modifications added in to make him more than just a boring guy with a bow.
I thought about giving him a crossbow, but am not sure about it. I also debated giving him a gun too.
I see him having a network of spies, street kids, etc which he calls his "web" sort of like the Shadow's network of informants. I also see him being quite obsessed to the point where he eventually becomes that dark loner in a cave, waging a one man war on crime. When the government orders all heroes to unmask in the early 50's, the Spider doesn't even acknowledge them.
I also see him fighting the remains of the Society of the Spider, sort of Spider-Ninjas etc...
So thoughts?
The Roster of the Banner
Okay these are the peeps in the picture from left to right;
Back row: Doc Titan, Sparrowhawk, Guardsman, Titan, Black Atlas, Thunder, Mariner, Bronco, Brute, Cyberknight, Amazona, Max Plastic and Zorn.
Middle row: The Angel, Optic, Jack Flash, Nightstar, Turbo-Fox, Doctor Diablo, Liberty Lass, Zero-G, Golden Hornet 2, Dragonfly, The Spider, Wisp, Doctor Destiny and Aqua.
Front row: Dr. Dynamite, Glitter, Major Victory, Kid Victory, Spangle, Lady America, Vapor Girl, Micro, Telepath, The Scarlet Wasp, Gyro, Magnet, Gravity and The Golden Hornet.
There ya go :)
Edit: Forgot to add in Optic in the middle row :P
Back row: Doc Titan, Sparrowhawk, Guardsman, Titan, Black Atlas, Thunder, Mariner, Bronco, Brute, Cyberknight, Amazona, Max Plastic and Zorn.
Middle row: The Angel, Optic, Jack Flash, Nightstar, Turbo-Fox, Doctor Diablo, Liberty Lass, Zero-G, Golden Hornet 2, Dragonfly, The Spider, Wisp, Doctor Destiny and Aqua.
Front row: Dr. Dynamite, Glitter, Major Victory, Kid Victory, Spangle, Lady America, Vapor Girl, Micro, Telepath, The Scarlet Wasp, Gyro, Magnet, Gravity and The Golden Hornet.
There ya go :)
Edit: Forgot to add in Optic in the middle row :P
Friday, February 5, 2010
Yet Another Stab At The Banner
So I have added every hero I have made an image for so far into this thing.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
Thursday, February 4, 2010
I Need A Batman
Yup that's right.
As I work on the Silver Age for the Zenith Universe, I have my Superman (Guardsman) and I have my Wonder Woman (Lady America) but I am missing a Batman. The guy who uses brains and skill instead of powers. The guy who everyone wonders if he is a hero or a villain. The guy, who when the American Government says "Unmask or go to jail." in the 50's doesn't say anything, he just ignores them and keeps going.
Now the hard part of this is that I don't want him to be a dead-to-rights rip-off of the Bat. Certainly Guardsman doesn't strike anyone as Superman on first blush. He isn't an alien, he started in 1944 and was powered by a magical helmet. Lady America (nicknamed the American Amazon for those who might miss it ;) ) isn't directly Wonder Woman either. She has no powers, uses Martial Arts and is a wrapped in the flag patriot. Essentially she is Wonder Woman masquerading as Captain America.
So how to have a Batman who isn't really a Batman at first glance.
I am wracking my brain on this one and coming up empty, so I turn to you all for input, ideas and guidance.
One caveat, please don't offer me characters from your own campaigns or creations unless you are also giving me permission to use them in publishing ventures (for which proper credit will be given to you if the character is used) as well as to twist, fold, spindle and/or mutilate as I see fit to make them work in the Zenith Universe.
Just had to get that out of the way.
As I work on the Silver Age for the Zenith Universe, I have my Superman (Guardsman) and I have my Wonder Woman (Lady America) but I am missing a Batman. The guy who uses brains and skill instead of powers. The guy who everyone wonders if he is a hero or a villain. The guy, who when the American Government says "Unmask or go to jail." in the 50's doesn't say anything, he just ignores them and keeps going.
Now the hard part of this is that I don't want him to be a dead-to-rights rip-off of the Bat. Certainly Guardsman doesn't strike anyone as Superman on first blush. He isn't an alien, he started in 1944 and was powered by a magical helmet. Lady America (nicknamed the American Amazon for those who might miss it ;) ) isn't directly Wonder Woman either. She has no powers, uses Martial Arts and is a wrapped in the flag patriot. Essentially she is Wonder Woman masquerading as Captain America.
So how to have a Batman who isn't really a Batman at first glance.
I am wracking my brain on this one and coming up empty, so I turn to you all for input, ideas and guidance.
One caveat, please don't offer me characters from your own campaigns or creations unless you are also giving me permission to use them in publishing ventures (for which proper credit will be given to you if the character is used) as well as to twist, fold, spindle and/or mutilate as I see fit to make them work in the Zenith Universe.
Just had to get that out of the way.
New Banner Test 3
Okay so this is the direction I am going for as I keep testing this stuff.
Thoughts on this one?
Thoughts on this one?
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Setting Idea
So Bashman suggested my compiling all my setting information into a source book, presumably for BASH! but certainly could be stated for other games as well.
Now I have plans to release roster books of villains for $4.99 on pdf each, but now I am considering this in stead.
There are a few points to consider as I think about this;
1] My campaign is designed and set in 1984. While I can ignore this with roster books, not so much in a setting book. Is there a market for a 1984 set campaign universe? Really?
2] Art. Right now I have some irons in the fire to get characters drawn up in static poses for roster books, but to do it as a setting will require more "action" or "scene" art. That's a lot more involved and not sure how to get that for cheap or profit-sharing.
3] I originally made my setting as a full world, then as a city and now I am not sure. I think global settings are lacking and that Freedom City, while great, is too focused for my tastes. That said the success of the project cannot be denied.
So, any thoughts on this train? ;)
Now I have plans to release roster books of villains for $4.99 on pdf each, but now I am considering this in stead.
There are a few points to consider as I think about this;
1] My campaign is designed and set in 1984. While I can ignore this with roster books, not so much in a setting book. Is there a market for a 1984 set campaign universe? Really?
2] Art. Right now I have some irons in the fire to get characters drawn up in static poses for roster books, but to do it as a setting will require more "action" or "scene" art. That's a lot more involved and not sure how to get that for cheap or profit-sharing.
3] I originally made my setting as a full world, then as a city and now I am not sure. I think global settings are lacking and that Freedom City, while great, is too focused for my tastes. That said the success of the project cannot be denied.
So, any thoughts on this train? ;)
Mighty Super Heroes! or Excelsior! ?
This is the question.
I have promised to do a retro-clone this year of MSH Classic (FASERIP for those who remember) in response to my feelings on 4C. Yes I wasn't very impressed.
Now over on Grognardia there was some talk about MSH Classic today and I posted about this. Naturally I posted about my plan to do this and how I wanted to call it "Mighty Super Heroes!" Get it? M-S-H?
Anywho, an upright citizen named Delta reminded me and everyone that Marvel and DC hold the trademark on the term "super hero". Now while I don't fear that they would come after me for a "free" project, nonetheless anarchist (yes I see the delicious irony in that) suggested calling it "Excelsior!" instead. I like that too.
So what do you think folks? What are you thoughts on title?
Comment please :)
I have promised to do a retro-clone this year of MSH Classic (FASERIP for those who remember) in response to my feelings on 4C. Yes I wasn't very impressed.
Now over on Grognardia there was some talk about MSH Classic today and I posted about this. Naturally I posted about my plan to do this and how I wanted to call it "Mighty Super Heroes!" Get it? M-S-H?
Anywho, an upright citizen named Delta reminded me and everyone that Marvel and DC hold the trademark on the term "super hero". Now while I don't fear that they would come after me for a "free" project, nonetheless anarchist (yes I see the delicious irony in that) suggested calling it "Excelsior!" instead. I like that too.
So what do you think folks? What are you thoughts on title?
Comment please :)
Monday, February 1, 2010
Temporary Logo Change
Feeling the need to spruce the place up a bit while I work on this superhero stuff I am going to be playing with the banner at the top a bit.
For now I am using a place holder of the Zenith Comics Presents! logo.
This will more than likely change soon.
Tomorrow I get my new laptop... oh joy! It's like Christmas Eve or the last day of school! Tomorrow is just full of possibilities now. Tee hee.
Cheers.
For now I am using a place holder of the Zenith Comics Presents! logo.
This will more than likely change soon.
Tomorrow I get my new laptop... oh joy! It's like Christmas Eve or the last day of school! Tomorrow is just full of possibilities now. Tee hee.
Cheers.
Gods Bless Stellar Phoenix Recovery!
So there's good news and bad news.
Bad news: Computer still dead, no resurrection or zombie action here.
Good News: Using Stellar Phoenix Recovery I was able to save all my role-playing documents that represent all 25 years I have been creating and writing stuff down! So much so am I impressed with them that I will be adding a hero to the Zenith Universe named Stellar Phoenix and they will be good! :)
Yay! I hereby declare this a day of celebration for all life on Earth Alpha!
Go forth! Be happy! Heck multiply a bit if you'd like!
;)
Bad news: Computer still dead, no resurrection or zombie action here.
Good News: Using Stellar Phoenix Recovery I was able to save all my role-playing documents that represent all 25 years I have been creating and writing stuff down! So much so am I impressed with them that I will be adding a hero to the Zenith Universe named Stellar Phoenix and they will be good! :)
Yay! I hereby declare this a day of celebration for all life on Earth Alpha!
Go forth! Be happy! Heck multiply a bit if you'd like!
;)
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