Power Core Combiner RPG outline

[Gomess]

Can we *please* call it firepower? I had to check twice when I first got a toy with that rating. I thought I'd gotten a European import or something, it seemed like such a non-English word. Fireblast. Sigh.

Dom, what do I need to bear in mind when creating a character? Is there a prescriptive process or something?

[Dominic]

Assuming we keep the terminology from tech specs, (which is the goal, but not guaranteed), I am going with "firepower".


When making a character, make it playable. Remember, you need to be able to make your character do things that are "points worthy" if you want to be able to keep up with the other players. While nobody is going to be allowed to start with a maxed out combat-monster, it is not a good idea to start with an anemic character. The ability to inflict and absorb damage will be critical. Plan for a robot mode, an alternate mode, along with Minicons or drones.

Mechanically, I am think of two possible scenarios for character design:

-case 1: Everybody starts off with about the same number of points to work with, and will be given a minimum spec of "commander + ___________". From there, players earn points and upgrade their characters as they see fit.

-case 2: In the test scenarios, players start off with varying numbers of points, to allow for more rapid testing of different power-sets and character-levels. Additionally, this would allow for immediate testing of point value disparities and what they would mean in the game itself.


In terms of characterization, it is probably best that everybody start off on the same faction.


Dom

[Gomess]

Dom, PM'd you about the faction thing. Figured it'd be cooler to keep my question a secret until the story starts.

Any limits on character size?

[Dominic]

I am still trying to work out how to handle scale/size questions. (Yet another reason that I am glad we do not need miniatures for an RPG as opposed to a table top war game...) I want to avoid size-changing. But, that is about as precise as I can get now.

[Onslaught Six]

I would say that I have no problem with a theoretical Voyager or even Ultra-sized character, although that would make PCC powerlinking (was that what they even called it?) unweildy. Probably best to keep them to Deluxe size at best. Not that other, non-PCC characters or NPCs couldn't be involved, but you know.

[Dominic]

The PCC line itself is inconsistent on size, sometimes within a set.

Leadfoot (a forumula car) is about the same size as Skyhammer (a fighter jet) and Searchlight (a transport copter).

The worst offender in this regard is Stakeout and his drones. Something the size of (at most) a large deliver truck is much larger in toy form than a WWI landship and a modern fighter jet.

In theory, there is nothing wrong with drones bigger than main characters. But, the points values would be skewed.

[Shockwave]

Ok, I think I see where the bulk of all of our terminology differences are coming from. Dom is basically setting this up as Warhamster with TFs whereas I'm thinking D&D with TFs. And they are essentially two different systems. And I've never played Warhamster so my frame of reference for that.

Shockwave
-No wonder Gomess is confused.

[Dominic]

This is actually going to be closer to D&D. But, with the Minicons and drones, it makes sense to borrow from 40K or WarHammer.


Dom

[Gomess]

Great, as if one foreign language wasn't enough... =p

I'll try to stay out of the rule formation stuff to be honest, but I would like to know we're actually getting somewhere with them.

[Ursus mellifera]

Ok, I think I see where the bulk of all of our terminology differences are coming from. Dom is basically setting this up as Warhamster with Ifs whereas I'm thinking D&D with Ifs. And they are essentially two different systems. And I've never played Warhamster so my frame of reference for that.

Shockwave
-No wonder Gomess is confused.

Yeah, I think he's setting it up as D&D with a Warhammer combat system. Something that could be really cool if it's pulled off well, but also something that would be pretty easy to botch.

*fingers crossed*