Imagine A GM, Rolling On An Orange Chart. Forever.

If you click it, it will be bigger.

So, as I pointed out to back in that long Sandboxes And The Roguish Work Ethic post back in whenever I wrote it, one way to make a hero-centric sandbox is to have the heroes acting as revolutionaries in an oppressive 1984/WH40k/RIFTS-coalition/Handmaid's Tale/Animal-Farm-In-Gamma-World/Vecnacracy/Age-of-Apocalypse/Legion-of-Superheroes-Vol-4/Occupied France/Pretty Much Anywhere When The Mafia's After You/Ballardian Distopia horrible suckworld or otherwise metaphorical badplace.

Conveniently enough, there is an old module--Nightmares of Future Past--for Marvel Super-Heroes/FASERIP by Steve Winter, which has that exact concept as a premise. And, more importantly for me here today--it has a fun chart!

The chart is about the villains finding the party's hideout. They roll once a day.

It works in the following way:

Your baddies start in the middle column where I put some blue numbers.

The idea is the players have some sort of scrambly device protecting them from being found by the Mutant Detectors. The device can be good or crappy or great or whatever--the central column goes from "no mask" (that is, no protection device) all the way up thru Marvel's rank system Feeble, Poor, Typical.....up to Unearthly.

Side note: naturally you can sub in the rank system for whatever system you're using and sub in the antidetection device for whatever the PCs are using to conceal themselves. I have put in the d20 numbers. We can say they represent the Intelligence of the party member who designed the camouflage for the PCs base, or the stealth number of the party's thief, or the DC of the protection spells the wizard is using to hide everybody or...whatever. Just basically know that the best possible thing the PCs could pull off would get them up at the top and if they're like fuck it we don't give a fuck they're down in the No Mask box.

So you start each day with the fascists looking for our heroes. They roll on the appropriate middle-column box matching the level of the heroes' concealment on the first day. If they fail their roll, then that's a white result. If they get even (like they need to roll 6 or above and they roll 6) then that's a green result (I know, there's no green on the chart, chill--all shall be explained), if they succeed unequivocally that's a yellow result, and if they succeed like whoa that's a red result.

So you tick off the box where the villains are. If you get a white result, you follow the white arrow and tick over to that box. If you get a green result, you stay where you are. If you get a yellow result or a red, you follow those.

So you just moved to a new box. Rock on. That was fun.

The new box is interpreted as follows:

-Base Located means the villains bust in to the heroes' base.

-Start Over means you go back to the middle and start over. I know, you are indeed shocked and so glad I told you.

-Other Base means the villains have found some other revolutionary cell, not you. There'll be news of it that'll get back to the heroes.

-Tip-off means the Man has gone and done something which makes it obvious they're on the heroes' trail and so the party knows.

-Miss Target means the villains have just raided...an umbrella factory? A House of Pies? WTF? They hit the wrong place. It's funny.

-Event means--in the original--a whole list of various thingamavents that are interesting that could happen on Fascist Mutanthunt Earth. In the original it's like "Oh there's a mutant just escaped and being chased by Sentinels--do you help or not?" or "A bunch of Boy Scouts accidentally stumble on your base" et cetera. This is the place where you write a chart of events that are specific to your setting.

-All The Blank Boxes And All The Results Above 'Base Located' In the Central Column just mean nothing happened that day and the heroes are left to make their own trouble that day or you just go "Ok, Wednesday's quiet" and you tick over there and roll again the next day.

At any rate, after you resolve a box, the villains start there and roll again the next day from there.

____

In addition to this chart, Future Past suggests the brilliant and traumautizing idea of using the players home town as the hellworld sandbox in question.

Now, on account of Google maps and streetview this is an even better idea than it was when the module is written. Hell, set it anywhere you want.

Ahhhh, Bushwick, I miss you. If you ever end up on this corner, run do not walk to Las Islas and get some chicken and rice and 2 of the orange ball things. Unless it's taken over by robot logiceater bad domination machines.

Now the only part left is to pick some local landmarks to serve as possible targets for your PCs' cell. Which of course they have to walk to while you click "forward" on Google street view. If there aren't like 9 zombie games on the market which suggest exactly this method I'll eat...I'll eat like some pasta.

_______

BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE

So I'm also thinking you could use this for a war. Basically, instead of the middle column representing just how well-concealed the party is, it could, in general, represent how close the party is to their target--Confederate Richmond or The Gates of Mordor or The Death Star or any other target. Instead of "Base Located" the box is "Your unit attacked".

Or just otherwise how conspicuous the PCs are, on a scale.

Like if you imagine the Shire-To-Mordor hexmap plus The 9 and the Orcs rolling on this chart every day, then you can pretty much model everything that happens in LOTR.

In effect, the Orange Fascist Chart functions as a kind of counterforce to a hexmap. The heroes explore or seek and the villains roam around the orange chart, making stuff happen.

Unlike just a straight d100 chart of events to roll on each day, it models the heroes attempts to hide themselves a little better plus the villains attempts to find them is dependent on how well they did the day before without a lotta math. Plus you don't have to think up all your events for the table at once, just having one event locked and loaded if you roll "event" is good enough. The rest takes care of itself.

That said, there's probably a way to model it pretty closely where you roll on a chart which has more results on it then the die has sides--add numbers if the PCs are well-hidden, subtract if they're not, add if the last roll was successful, subtract if it wasn't. etc. But hey, this chart's already here, might as well use it.

CAGE MATCH! Marvel Super Heroes v. Marvel Heroic

Ok, so there is a new Marvel superhero RPG out.

Tho old one (Marvel Super Heroes a.k.a. "FASERIP"--named after the stats used in the system) is pretty well respected.

How do they stack up? Try this:

Open a window with this here in it.

Put it next to what follows and read in parallel.

(I’m using bold text for the GM (a/k/a the Judge).) Okay, so let’s cut to a new scene. Spider-Man, you’re on top of the Fisk Building. Since you stopped to threaten the Kingpin a second ago, I’m going to say that the Vulture’s had a few minutes to take to the air. He's flying away at 6 areas per round as is his wont, so if you want to do anything, now's your chance. The Vulture looks over his shoulder at you and snarls, “You’ll never catch the Vulture, wall-crawler!” What now?

(I’m using regular text for Spider-Man’s player.) Well, I guess I could try to web him up. But last time that didn't work so well, plus he'd probably going to spend all his points to dodge it, plus if I don't catch him now the Atomic Slut will annihilate Battery Park and everyone in it!

Wait, why are you talking about that, that isn't in the original example?

Because in this version of the game I have to actually worry about consequences of my PCs actions in the fictional world we created rather than just consequences in terms of which digit I have to carry on my character sheet.

Oh, right, anyway, carry on...

Ok, so I need to hit him but I need to make 100% sure I do it or we're all doomed. Fuck! I don't know what to do, this is my first time playing.

This is your first time playing?

Yeah, I mean, you told me in the FASERIP system I didn't really necessarily have to know the rules I could just say what I wanted to do and you could explain if necessary.

Oh yeah, that's totally true--a lovely thing about good systems. So what you're going to need is some Karma points to add to your roll in case you miss the Vulture. Now normally you get those after the session ends but I give them right away otherwise the players forget what they even got them for and they are less a part of the economy of the game.

Wait, you're hacking the system? Why?

Because that's what all good people do. Hacking is good. Hacking is smart. Hacking is a force that gives us meaning.

Oh, right.

Here's another hack: there's a horror game hack that by making something go wrong for your PC you can get a bonus....

"Oh no! I’m out of webs!" Yeah, I mean, I really wanted to ruin the Kingpin’s upholstery back there. You should see the place. Webs everywhere. I guess I shouldn’t have been so wasteful.

Let's say that gives you karma = half the power rank of the power you just crippled. Incredible hardens to Monstrous, split the difference, call it Amazing. 25 Karma. Plus how are you hitting the Vulture?

“Without my web-fluid, he may be right!” There’s probably heavy industrial stuff on this rooftop, right? Like A/C units, satellite dish, water tower, that kind of thing? I’m gonna rip up a big chunk of roofing machinery and chuck it at the Vulture. Mmmm...I think I want some more karma: “Hate to wreck property, but I gotta keep the HVAC unions in over-time!” Role-playing award?

Yes, wow, that seamless melange of soft-hearted-pseudo-New-York-provincialese and Level Nine Anti-Funny sounded exactly like vintage Al Milgrom. You are at 30 karma and I am impressed. Anyway, Vulture gets a 75 to dodge, you are at -4CS (don't mind me, I'm talking to myself, newbie) you need a 46 to hit him.

Yeah but I need something insane to actually knock him out of the sky right? I want to destroy the wings.

98 to get a red result and stun him--I'd say this is roughly the same thing. Red result to disable his harness, he'll roll against it as if it were a stun to avoid falling out of the sky.

Okay, so I’m going to throw the AC Unit one-handed at the Vulture and break those smelly wings. And I'll need more Milgrom dialogue! “Vulture, if you’re flying south for the winter, you’ll need air-conditioning!”

5 more karma and you are at +35. Also, that "smelly wings" thing makes me think maybe you just are Al Milgrom and so I shouldn't be giving you these karma awards at all, but whatever...

80! Plllllus 35!

Yes sir he is down. The Vulture groans in pain and plummets from the sky! He’s going to try to roll to.... (Roll roll) Yeah. Not going so well. He’s falling toward a building helplessly–thinking maybe he had a spare power pack somewhere and realized he forgot it at home. What do you do now?

I’m going to swing over there and get him.

The Vulture’s screaming out, “My wings, my wings!” He’s unsure whether to be more scared of Spider-Man or hitting the rooftop, and so isn’t able to prepare well against either.

I’m closing in on my web-line. Thwip! Thwip!

Okay. And–hey, wait a minute! Weren’t you out of web-fluid?

I, um, forgot. Yeah, forgot. Say, you know what’s interesting about the Vulture? He’s like Spider-Man’s evil grand-dad or something. They’re both gadget-guys, they’re both acrobats, but Peter Parker is a nice kid and.....

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Ok so why isn't the Vulture dead smartguy?

Ok, he's gonna try to tumble with it...alright, he's alive. Took some slam damage from falling 3 areas. Okay, so let’s say you’re clambering onto the rooftop where the Vulture landed. He’s all banged up and looks like he’s seen better days. What now?

(play continues)

Random Spacemonster Generator

A bizarre silhouette of gargantuan proportions shambles into the lurid mesh of wire, halogen and indicator light...

This table has been playtested once for FASERIP and was grotesquely successful, it can easily be adapted to any sci-fi game, though since it's at its most effective when the "veil" is pulled back it's better if you are cool with that playstyle...

"Roll a 6-sider..."

"Um, ok...5?"

"It's a 'Thraxian...' roll again."

"3"

"'...war'...' roll again."

"6"

"'...squid from planet...' roll again."

"1"

"'...Twelve'. It's a Thraxian Warsquid From Planet Twelve."

(Players happy.)
(Fun obtained.)
(Small rubber toy placed on board)
(Players happy again.)
(All details of size, limb arrangement, means of locomotion, etc. will match the toy used.)
(Battle commences.)
___________
Ok, roll 3d6, one at a time.
(Any rule or 'crunch' detail specific to the Marvel-Superheroes RPG will appear in blue: assume FASERIP stats of: GdGdAmMnFeFeFe. Assume no Karma. Assume power rank of any abilities is--duh-- Monstrous.)

(Health = 150 + 10xnumber rolled on first d6 here)(Yes I realize this is not the canonical way to calculate FASERIP health scores. The Thraxian Glaxothrox annihilates all human mathematics with its eyebeams.)
1. Gorgallian
2. Vortaxian
3, Zortakkian
4. Polarian
5. Thraxian
6. Karkalian

1. Throg- (swallows foes)
2. Glaxo- (eyebeams)
3. War- (horns or claws, S:Un E:Un)
4. Gorgo- (radiation breath)
5. Slime- (supersticky or superslippery)
6. Zergo- (sonic shriek)

Body armor = 10x number rolled on third d6 here...
1. -worm
2. -throx
3. -beast
4. -squid from Planet (D6: 1- X 2- Z 3- Twelve 4-Zool 5- Crax 6- 99)
5. -sphere
6. -crawler from Dimension (Have players roll a d10 and then just pick a number that sounds cool and isn't the number they just rolled. Dimension Nine is the default.)

(superhero counters used during playtest, front row L to R: The Thing (sculpy), Wolverine, Mister Fantastic, Spider-Man (can't tell but it's done with Sharpies), Thor)

Basic Hand-held Kirbytech Weapon Generator + Random Techroom Feature

Roll 3d10

1 megaplasmic (heat damage?)
2 gravitonic (increases or decreases mass of target?)
3 tachyon (time effects?)
4 neutronic
5 negadimensional (teleportation effects?)
6 antimatter
7 negasonic (sonic damage?)
8 ionic
9 protonic
10 photon (blinds target?)

1 disruption
2 dispersion (splits target in two?)
3 inhibitor (shuts off/reduces powers/abilities?)
4 neutralizer
5 distortion
6 inversion
7 displacement
8 destructor
9 disintegration
10 annihilation (most powerful weapon?)

1 pistol
2 rifle
3 ray
4 beam
5 mine
6 disc
7 glove
8 grenade
9 gun
10 blaster

All weapons just do energy damage unless the name of the weapon suggests something else. Range (if applicable) is proportional to number shown in 1st d10 roll, damage is proportional to 2nd d10 roll.

In superhero games, weapons have barely any ammo and will run out shortly after the villains drop them.


Random Techroom Feature
d12
1 Water line
2 Door controls
3 Electrical/power conduit
4 Plasma conduit
5 Remote viewer/window to other room
6 Computer terminal
7 Lights
8 Power conduit for other room
9 Ventilation shaft
10 Controls for nearest device in this room or elsewhere
11 Radioactive waste conduit
12 Roll again but feature is huge/major--i.e. a big fat water pipe, conduits for all power in area, etc.

Secret Wars Marathon

Ahh, has there ever been a comic finer than Secret Wars? Ok, so yeah, there has. Many times.

But I will maintain that there has never been a finer idea for a comic than Secret Wars. In the Speak, Memory-esque words of its creator:

"Fans, especially young fans often suggested to me 'one big story with all the heroes and all the villains in it', so I proposed that. It flew."

That, my friends, is what democracy is all about. Any political system which results in The Lizard playing pattycake with Klaw, Mad Master of sound, is clearly the finest on All Possible Infinite Earths. Aaaanyway...

Relevant point for this particular here blog is that Secret Wars was indeed popular and so got very efficiently turned into an adventure by TSR in short order and this adventure is actually kind of good. (If you don't believe me, you can take a look at it and nearly everything else ever created officially or otherwise for the old Marvel FASERIP system here.)


It's actually not surprising that Secret Wars survived the transition from comic to adventure intact since the plot pretty much could've been one of those framing paragraphs you see in ads for con wargames "A spastastically powerful and poorly dressed god has teleported a ton of A-list villains and heroes to a planet full of random trouble and forced them to do battle. There are some bases for each side to hide out in and, also, Galactus." Or, as finer minds than mine might put it: : "ON THE PLANET ARE VILLAINS, FIGHT!"

The adventure, like the FASERIP system itself, is elegant as fuck: an opening exposition spiel (roughly the same one the heroes from a disembodied voice in the comic), a map of part of the planet (a hexmap, even) and maps of some bases, a timeline of what the villains will do if left unmolested, and a handful of random possible other events to be rolled at regular intervals...and reams of superhuman stats--natch.

Now I could probably write a whole blog entry about how this is a great Archetypal Old School Adventure Format that should be in every publisher's arsenal right next to the Site-Based Adventure and that it could readily be used for any kind of war story or megacrossover emulator and that if you just substitute, say, the Wilderlands of High Fantasy for battleworld you've got a whole factional-warfare-plus-sandbox railroad-free campaign right there but that's not where I'm going with this today.

Where I'm going is: we're definitely playing this. I have never ever ever run anything where people play characters other than ones they themselves have created, but the monopoly-with-squatters-effect possibilities of seeing McCormick play The Mighty Thor is just too fucking good to pass up.

The emails have gone out, and it's on the calendar. So far The Thing, The Hulk, Spider-Man, Thor, Captain America, Nightcrawler, Rogue, and Storm have all written back and I'm waiting for a handful more.

I have scheduled it several months in advance, to be sure everyone has the entire weekend clear. Another nice thing about scheduling it for late spring is: I have several months to think of how to make it more fucked up and complicated.

So: suggestions?

Have you read this comic?* Have you played this module? (Big Fella, Barking Alien and Delta I am looking at you.)

Things I am currently considering:

-Adding random tables for found Kirbytech and room features (convenient water pipes, electrical lines, etc.) (maybe could be repurposed for Gigacrawler, too.)
-Fucking with the Hulk at intervals, Peter David style.
-Making Kang do some stupid time-warp tricks.
-Having my Mac do Ultron's voice for me.
-Giving battleworld slightly more personality.
-Going nuts with the over-the-top karma-awards for hamming-it-up a-la whoever you're playing. Like if you're the Thing and manage to say "Whatta revoltin' development", hey, 5 Karma points there, young sportsman!
-Along the same lines, since "... only FOURTEEN sentences of dialogue in the entirety of the Secret Wars series ended with a period. Every other sentence ended with either a question mark or an exclamation point!!"...Karma points will be subtracted for every time a PC says something in character that is NOT confused or excited!!!??!!
-Adding MODOK

And, hey, if it all goes well, I may run it at a con.







______
*If not, you should. It is divine nectar from the comic book gods.