Empire Bay (M&M 3E)
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So I threw Empire Bay MUX up a year or so ago in the hopes that it'd become a nice little sandboxy place for superhero RP. That never really happened. We had some nibbles at first but interest just never took off.
I'm still jonesing for some hero RP and I have a bit more time on my hand lately so I figured I'd take a bit more of a direct hand with the game. I won't say it's "re-opening" because technically it never closed. What I'll say is I'm hoping to start sparking more RP. To do that I'm looking to do 2 things.
1: Draw in players. To that end I intend to start up a government based hero group. That's all I really know for now, that's it'll be government based. I figured we can hammer out the rest of the details as players come to claim slots on said team. While I have other obligations (such as my Force and Destiny game) I still think I could devote 1 or 2 days a week here for purposes of RP and scenes.
2: Draw in staffers. This can also probably be broken down into two areas. First, I'd like some app staffers. People familiar with the system who can help those unfamiliar with the system craft characters. People who could explain PL caps and help build power sets and what not. The code does a good job of checking to ensure characters remain within their points but app staffers would also help by ensuring no PL cap breaks happen on the sheet. They'd also need to be familiar with the coded systems to help code challenged people with apps.
Next would be plot staffers. People looking to run scenes, maybe 1 or 2 a week. They could be general scenes or if you have an idea you want to build on and explore (like a group of mutants or themed heroes or whatever) that'd be fine too. I think it'd be great to have a little bit of both.
I recently did a purge of all idle characters so if you had a character on the game they have likely been @nuked. This was just an attempt to clean up the DB, nothing more. So if you're interested in either of the above come on over and we can chat.
We have a wiki at http://empire-bay.wikidot.com/ and you can connect to the game via muxmadness.com:1200.
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... I have been hankering for some M&M 3E. Oh my goodness. Uh. It's been a while and I'm hella rusty, but I will absolutely check you out.
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This is definitely something I've been looking for- for a while.
I'm... gonna get re-acquainted with the sourcebook 'cause it's been forever for me.
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I really like this game. Me and two other people are making a family team (I'm on Pacific time, late afternoons and evenings), and staff is advertising for a government group. So there's stuff starting up!
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I wish M&M 3E didn't terrify me.
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@BobGoblin It took me months to learn whatever version we used at Crucible City, I expect it will take me just as long again. People have been very helpful.
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From just reading the book it does not look like a huge amount has changed but i have not actually played third ed yet.
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The largest changes from 2e to 3e is that combat is a lot less lethal. There are no more 'killing' attacks anymore, people get knocked unconscious and /then/ have to be attacked to death from that point on etc.
The other changes is to the attributes. Rather than buying say an 18 strength you'd just by a +4 modifier in strength, or something like that. Works out to be pretty much the same.
Skills were also changed, as in you can get more of them for cheaper now iirc.
That's pretty much it off the top of my head.
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My app just got approved, and I'm looking forward to playing
I'm going to dip my toes in this weekend after rehearsal and see what's what! -
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It can be daunting... especially if you've never had a chance to play it (like me- always wanted to but could never find a group)- but I'm excited!
Well. Excited and scared.
And I know things now, many wonderful things... -
@Thenomain said:
I wish M&M on the whole didn't terrify me.
Third Edition is easier because it doesn't use as much d20 stuff. The system is designed to more tightly present the sort of gameplay that it caters to.
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@Sammi Unfortunately M&M on the whole is easily abused. There are a few holes that can be exploited very easily, movement powers usable as an attack for example, affliction itself is just silly stupidly easy to abuse, and there are a few things that can break stuff, Multistrike, All Out Attack, even Taunt can do bad things to people.
Add into the fact that there are some wide discrepancies in power levels going on with some PL 12 people on the grid (Who are full to the brim with Afflictions, of course) and most people are PL 10 and there's not much of a forward going storyline to participate in.
I wonder how hard it'd be to code up Savage Worlds... idea for a different thread there.
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Those sound like problems with how you play, not something that the system makes you play, if that makes sense.
I prefer design systems where what you describe matters. Savage Worlds is simplified to the point of meh-ness for me.
Replace afflictions with any number of mechanisms where things only give you benefit when they actually hinder you. Talk about abusive power builds to avoid. And more than anything, talk about what super hero RP is supposed to look like on this game. This is where White Wolf's Aberrant and EABA Eschaton both excel: imparting how this is supposed to look and feel.
I have a waggish sense of humor.
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I don't mind flexible systems, and M&M certainly is that. Flexible systems either require consistency, or a different outlook for the campaign/theme. Perhaps both. I am just not a min/maxer and there are far too many of those in a MUSH environment. That's speaking as a GM type person. As a player, I could care less.
Ie is it about what you can do or what you would do with it? I know that seems the same idea, but it's drastically different.
In one you you are usually limited by power levels, points, etc. In the other, the GM and or RPG doesn't really care, and it's about your impact.I like the impact rpg systems, but I don't think they are suitable for MUSH. Not enough consistency.
I don't think I made any sense just now haha. Back to searching for caffeine.
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@Misadventure Maybe, but I have played way to many MU*'s to just not be concerned where holes for exploitation exist and aren't addressed one way or the other. People are often competitive and that means they will use every little bit of power they can in order to make themselves 'better' than the rest. I also do not play on the game, just stating what I've seen on the few times I've visited there.
It's worth a vote down by the guy running it though so.. yeah.
You're right that there does need to be more direction, especially in a super hero game, and that is something that Aberrant did rather well: This is the world, now go crazy! Some people like tighter themes though where the 'bad guys' are clearly laid out and that ain't Aberrant. Everyone there is Shades of Gray depending on how you look at it. Except for the guys who go completely cray but that's a given.
To me though M&M is a system where you need a lot of GM oversight in order to make a conducive environment for play, and mass amounts of PC's with 1 staffer who works and has RL etc is... not a good fit for it.
Just my opinion.
Though I am not gonna back down on the fact that there are PL 12 people on the grid, when most people are PL 10 by the rules of CharGen which is sketchy.
