[Idea] Superheroes, mega troubles.

[Celestial Goblin]

It's an idea that's stuck in my mind, still open to suggestions. I'm likely to run it, but without too frequent posting. One post per day or two days, no faster. I'm not sure if a system would have to be used with it, though it certainly could.

Year 2040 is here, and our world is still progressing with blazing speed. Like in a music-clip, the first part of the century given us a show of wonders, tragedies, discoveries and fears. Political regimes around the world change faster than fashion fads, technological advances appear faster than goverments would like to, and terrorism for all kind of causes flourishes. Corporations sell tickets for the ever colorful ride that spins beyond anyone's control. First grav cars are available to those who can afford them, US goverment debates the right to own energy and needle weapons by private citizens, while an international group of hackers seizes control of missile satelites and conquers Brazil. Japanese tourists are frustrated, as wherever they go, all places look like home, just with different language. In the electronic, colorful, artificial world, stability returns with the biggest goverments working together to maintain order trough all means possible. The non-sensical regimes, like Trotskyist republic of south Denmark, or Christian Meritocracy of Korea are forced to join the global village or suffer, while broadening civil liberties contrast with total violence used against those who fall outside them.
Genetic engineering, cybernetics, quantum physics, biochemistry, applied parapsychology, evolutive neurology are now monitored more carefully, but since first experiments began around twenty years ago, humans with supernatural powers are a part of reality. Modern Herculeses, New Invisible gals, Real Volverines... They are not welcomed as heroes, and few incidents involving more-than-human criminals lay foundation for predujice and opression against them. Opression breeds resistance, people see plasma-throwing mutants fight squads of SWAT police, and a telekinetic lady throwing Eiphell tower to Gibraltar. At cost of many lives and billions of dollars in military equipment, the last 'supers' are killed or forced under strict control. Some dissapear mysteriously, only to reappear as one-man terrorist organizations or grizzled criminals.

...2041...

You've saw all the crazy stuff in your nu-plasma tv when growing up. You heard people saying it's 'cool', but no one wanted to meet this sort of trouble himself. As you enter maturity and get a shiny citizens ID card, more things trouble your mind than rogue super-heroes. Some need to find a job or sink into poverty on medieval scale, others might be carefree spoiled teens who worry only about their latest true love, or their illegal collection of narco-hypnotic .mp5 files being found. There's the problem, though, something that you did not ask for, nor expect. A new, second generation of super-people is said to exist, seen as a new threat with most draconic laws passed to contain it.
It happened to you, perhaps because your DNA reacted with the experimental drug parents gave you for your allergies, perhaps because of a miraculous, non-repeateble surgery you were subjected too, perhaps cause you just caught *it*, like flu. You will soon be confronting the opressive and corrupted society that hates you for having powers beyond human's reach. You'll be the tragic heroes of this story, straight out of a holo-film or a video game, wheter you want it or not.

One detail eludes those who stack guns and cuffs to 'regulate' your kind, the second generation is only a shadow of the first one. While some wield powers no worse than the first generations, others barely have a few parlor tricks up their sleeve. More of an annoyance than real help. You're it.
You're those losers with feeblest abilities, those who'll catch all hell.

Wow, took more text than i thought it will. Super-heroics in opressive near future. Super(low)powered youth getting into more trouble than they can handle. The chars will be put in situations that superman would have trouble handling, with their sole power being 'give people a mild and harmless electric shock' or 'jump very far'. There is going to be A LOT OF BONDAGE, with the chars being put in nifty restraints, imprisoned in humilitating ways and subjected to lot of frustration.
You won't lose every time, there's place for serious plot, seriour character development, and real heroics, but it won't come easy.

Let me know if you're interested, anyone.

[Rin]

I'd be interested.

So, what kind of superpowers are available? I get 'low powered' but I'd like more examples.

[Jefepato]

I dunno.  I'd be interested, but excessive bondage isn't usually much fun if the PCs don't have any real ability to affect the situation.

I'd say that Mutants & Masterminds is a great system for superhero games, but I don't know if anybody else here plays it.

[Muse]

I do, and run it, and I know a low level but useful power I'd use if I played this game.  (Which would be fun, if I can keep up.) 

That power is what I call a Bloodsword.  Basicly, a purely telepathic, visibile sword wielded by a healthy young person trained in its use.  It has two powers.  A. It attacks the nervous system for stun-only, but very painful damage, if it passes throguh your body. 

B. It telepathicly compels your foes to stop their blows when you parrry. 

[Celestial Goblin]

Heavy bondage is an irremovable part of my concept. I understand what you mean, Jefepato, about being restrained limiting choices, but it only restricts role-playing in it's traditional aspect. There's a lot that can be written on the topic of being cocooned in plastic straight-jacket, a lot that eyes, gagged mouth, fingers can do. My particular kink, i guess.
To clarify the powers, the blood-sword is a very good example of what i meant. The powers can be sophisticated and have any kind of technological or parapsychologicall theme, but limited in overall effect.
The party should have no more combat potential than a group of vigilantes or dissidents, and need to be creative to survive. The powers can have flaws in the form of being non-lethal, limited only to particular objects or being very specialized.

A couple of my own examples:

Fiery, a.k.a. Phil Summers:
Classic Piro-kinetic that can cause objects to burst in fire at sight. He does not control the process well enough to create explosions or make flames appear in thin air. He's not immune to his own flames, but can douse flames the same way he creates them.
Alternatice: He can create flames and even shoot fire bolts, but cannot douse or stop them in any way, once released. Still not immune to them.

Chameleon, a.k.a. Nathalie Blackrose:
Opposite of the above, her power is resistance to elements. She can survive fire, cold, acid, radiation and electricity, though very powerful dosages will cause her pain and distress. Her skin changes colour in contact with each element, and a few minutes after exposure she will have strange patterns on her body. She can also change the colour of her skin at will.

Wiretap a.k.a. Ivo Seifeld
Skilled programmer and hacker, he can acces computer systems by merely touching any part of it. Still limited by what the technology is limited too.

Razoress a.k.a. Andrea McKenzie
Her fingers can turn into razor-sharp blades, and she can choose any shape for them. They're better than cybernetics because thery're undetectable and infallible, but it's still just blades.

[Jefepato]

Oh, well.  Guess this game isn't for me at all, then.  I will probably read it, but actually playing through scenes like that myself makes me ill.

[Rin]

Allright, I'm still interested.

I've got a few nifty concepts allready cooking.

[ZK]

Remember, a game is not your's. It's also your player's. The concept is interesting, but forcing all your players to be a particular role is rather linear and boring. Why not allow players also to play as the ones doing the restraints?

[Jefepato]

Allowing PC dominators isn't a bad suggestion, but I can see why CG would choose not to do this (because he wants to abuse helpless PCs himself, no doubt)...

[ZK]

The concept is decent, but one-sided. The way it's presented would make it more suggestable for a type of 1 on 1 game as it is in fact one sided. Linearity is only good when you need to get back on track with the original concept and storyline. But forcing all the players to do something isn't fun, but limiting. So, why not allow PC Dominators?

[Rin]

*considers the board*

I expect we'd find ways to abuse each other, even without CG's official sanction. ;)

[Jefepato]

But forcing all the players to do something isn't fun, but limiting.

Judging by the several people who are still interested in this game, some people don't agree with us on that point.

[Celestial Goblin]

You two are right, i have a lot of ideas for putting the characters trough trials. But hey, i was supposed to be open to suggestions. I didn't have the full idea when i began writing the intro, then i got all excited and lost in my own imagination. So ok. The world remains unchanged, but any kind of roles are open. Heroes of low and high power, normal people, duty obeying lawmen, scientests mad or otherwise, evil tormentors and villans. I'm also not telling anybody how he should play, loads of shackles are optional.

[ZK]

I'm simply offering my opinion and suggestions.

But, if you do allow people to play as the Dominator as well, you'd garner more players then before.

Please take no offense to them. ^_^

[Jefepato]

Intriguing, CG.  Are you familiar with the Mutants & Masterminds system at all (especially the second edition)?

I'd be interested in playing a villain, but I'd probably need a better idea of who the heroes are before I settle on a concept.

[Faolan]

I could be interested. I'd have to play a girl if I was going to be dominated but I could get behind being one of the vile human supremists that captures one of the heroes as well.

I've played Champions, GURPS supers, Heroes Unlimited and Marvel Superheroes in my time as far as systems go.

[Celestial Goblin]

Sure, come all and enjoy yourselves. I'm playing in an online Marvel Superheroes game now, and i'd be willing to try mutants&masterminds, cause i heard good stuff about it.
If such will be your will, the hero-hunting squad can play the main part in the game, with some players playing the victims and some the hunters.

[Jefepato]

If you're familiar with the M&M system, CG, what PL would you like to have people play at?  Would victims be the same PL as hunters, or lower?

[Rayve13]

I'm interesed, probably a hunter role. Character type similar to the Comedian from the Watchmen mini-series.

[Celestial Goblin]

Mmm, that has potential, Rayve13.
I'll gladly use M&M, but i'd like to hear your opinions. Some people don't like statted games, though i have no problem with them.

[Muse]

Oh, dear... 

In all likelyhood, CG, when you allowed dominators to play as well, you turned your game from a small, easily contained plot to a multi-tiered game, and turned it from a campaing along the lines of your basic D&D to a free for all along the lines of Champions of Justice. 

Nothing at all wrong with champions of justice, mind you, save that it's various plots run at various speeds. 

I for one would much rather play a superbabe strugling against the forces presented by the GM and finding myself dominated or the reverse as the case may be.  Not because I don't enjoy the thought of Zullokitty getting her tentaclles on my charecters nublie body, but simply because I'd like to be part of an organized plot. 

[Celestial Goblin]

I know, it's getting complicated. At worst, it's going to be like, two games in the same universe.
One thread for the 'Hunter squad' and other for the poor super-fugitives on the run.
Still undecided, cause i also planned to be the 'story-teller' rather than the 'moderator'. Still, i hope we'll cope.

[Muse]

Well, I'm still intrested. 

If you'd allow the super-fujatives on the run to be level 10, I'd like to play Heartbreaker, my light controling idol-singer gal. 

BUt if you prefer more like level six, I'll make a girl wtih a bloodsword. 

[Rin]

I've never tried M&M and I don't have the book, but I'd be willing to dl it and give it a try.

Since there're two primary groups(Hunters and Hunted), will we be restricted to one character, or allowed multiples?

[Rayve13]

I can also be a victimy character as well. I'm open to being at either end of the whip/prod/etc  ;D

And I'm also open as far as a system. M&M is good, free-form is easier, all is happy.