posted
Ok, tonight I'm printing out the front and back covers of the first two books for my Legion game. The Players book is entitled "Legionnaire Commlink Rules" and the other book is called "The Cosmos Masters Guide to the 30th Century".
I have an introduction on the back of the Players book so that's covered. The Cosmos Masters book I have only a few ideas in my head and have't really started writing it. I'm trying to formulate what information should go in the book and thus what should appear in writing on the back cover.
So I'm looking for input on what should be included. So far I'm considering descriptions on:
Organizations such as the Khund Empire, The Dark Circle and The Dominators
Issues such as Time Travel, different dimensions, and a layout/description of Smallville for Superboy. I'll need a 30th century description of Metropolis as well.
A brief write-up of each Legion story in order to assist Cosmos Masters in including the very basic plot of a comic into their game.
Tips on running the game, how to create plots and subplots and other related info.
What I also need to include (somewhere) are rules for space travel, space ships, all sorts of equipment used in the 30th century as well as inventions that Brainiac 5 is working on and the machinery/equipment found in the Legion Headquarters. We also have weapons and vehicles that need to be included.
I'll be making detailed descriptions of planets, what they are like, resources they carry, level of technology they have reached, that sort of thing.
As far as where the Legionnaires character stats and NPC descriptions are I'm not sure where to put it. I know I want to include every villain and NPC I can, such as the President of the United Planets, Ambassadors, Science Police characters, etc. I'm just not sure how to organize it all. I think maybe the Legionnaires should be in a separate book simply to provide the players with easy access to them for their character selections.
I am considering doing a more than one write up on each Legionnaire in order to give players more choices on different power levels Legionnaires may have. My thought being that if play was in the Adventure Comic days, then stats would be lower overall. Characters taken from the 1970's era would be a little more powerful, followed by the 80's being still a bit tougher. This would give players more choices in character selection. The basic idea is to group the Legionnaires into groups based on how powerful they are. Each Player takes one Legionnaire from each group plus they make a Legionnaire of their own to subsitute one of their available selections. This should somewhat provide character balance in the game. For example if I do 3 write-ups for Lightning Lad, each would be more powerful than the last so that they can pick which one they want to portray, an Adventure Comic days Lightning Lad, one from the 70's and another based on the 80's comics.
I'm also planning on writing a book entitled "Encyclopedia Galactica" which at this point I think will be more of a guide to the various planets satellites, maybe some space phenomonens as well. What else would you include?
Anyway, I'm looking to cover ideas I'm mising as well as how the information should be organized.
As of so far the Players book includes:
Introduction Traits such as Sterength, Intellect, etc. Specie choices from various planets Plantary write up's that give some information but are not overly to long (1/2 page to 1 page each). Areas of Expertise (Skills) Basic play rules (inititiave, movement, etc. Combat Character advancement. Powers
Each book can hold about 200 pages before the spine becomes to full.
Anybody care to throw their thoughts and suggestions out?
posted
Thanks for the replies. I'm asking these questions for a couple of reasons.
1. There is going to be tons of information that gets written up for a few books and I need a good standing outline to get it done.
2. If this game turns out well (and currently I think it's is) I would attempt to contact DC comics or other game companies and see if it can somehow become a reality and appear in stores one day. I'm grounded well enough to know this is a true shot in the dark, but at the same time I'll never forgive myslef if I don't try.
3. To me it makes sense that if the game were purchasable or available as a free download, the people most likely to check it out are going to be the established Legion fans to begin with, therefore in a sense I'm asking you what you'd like to see in the game and how would you like it organized!
Yesterday I got the back written for the Cosmos Masters Guide. It reads as follows:
"Take a trip around the galaxy, exploring every parsec. Discover the deepest secrets of the Dark Circle, the sinister motivations of the Khund Empire or the Dominators. Peek into the computerized brain of Tharok, mastermind of the Fatal Five. Learn all about the United Planets and their peace keeping force, the Science Police.
Take a look into the past, present and future of your campaign; for you will find a summary of all the classic Legion stories you grew to love. Follow the Legion timeline as it unravels startling revelations of what has and could occur in your game. Discover for yourself the mysteries of the galaxy and slowly unveil them to your players. You are the Cosmos Master; the campaign is yours to tell. Bring your players out from the deepest recesses of space and into the light of the brightest star so they may see the consequences of their actions and the heroism that lies within.
This book offers superior advice on how to run a Legion of Super-Heroes campaign. An indispensable guide to the galaxy that every Cosmos Master must have!"
Based on things so far, the Cosmos Masters Guide will contain a timeline of the Legion history along with ways for the gamemaster to include these events within their game. Special rules support the "Fate" of characters giving players options about how they want to handle certain events when they arise.
Example: A player who has Ferro Lad as a character will have three options to choose from when finally faced with the Sun Eater. Based on these options, the player may elect to have the character killed just as he was in the comics, he play out the situation and let the dice rolls fall where they may and possibly survive the situation (in Ferro Lad's case), or they may choose their own destiny and not follow the comic book story at all, thus creating an entierly new reality in regards to that particular event.
The back of the book indicates that special organizations will be discussed in detail in order to add them to the game. I'd like to include as much detail as possible so that it covers a large portion of the book.
My thoughts were to make the Cosmos Masters Guide sort of a Campaign book as well as have a Legion timeline and brief story descriptions of each comic book, finally adding in misc. rules such as space travel, space hazards, different dimensions, etc.
Too much for a 200 page book? Perhaps! If so what gets put into a different book? Should there be a book entitled Encyclopedia Galactica that covers all the Legion related worlds, space bases, etc. all in one volume?
What about the equipment? I'm guessing by the time I'm done, this section will be pretty lengthy in itself. I want to include what the players find in the Legion HQ as well as other very common items. I also want to include a "wish list" of equipment the players can add to their headquarters. These items would be inventions that Brainiac 5 is working on (or that come from other sources).
In the game, the players earn a form of group points which allow them to add new equipment to their Legion HQ, the points can be used to do things like add new members, change the Legion Constitution, even avoid or have a particular villain arise at their request (shortly down the road of coarse).
Anyone have suggestions to help organize?
The point being this is something the players would have access to and be able to read about in advance. Its intended more for the players than the Cosmos Master.
-------------------- I have lived for the Legion and one day I shall die for the Legion.
From: Bgztl | Registered: Feb 2008
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posted
The back of the Players Guide serves as an introduction to the entire Legion concept and what has become famous within the comic series. The back of the book reads as follows:
"Welcome to the 30th century, a time when technology has reached its finest hour. Sentient species from various worlds throughout the galaxy have formed one alliance known as the United Planets. Their primary objective is to provide its trillions of citizens with a safer and better way of life. The Science Police, the peace keeping forces of the United Planets serve to protect the conglomeration of unified worlds. Though the United Planets and their Science Police are a force to be reckoned with, the evils of the galaxy are far to great.
Emerging from the deepest and darkest recesses of space are warring races of the Dominators and Khunds as well as the secret organization known as the Dark Circle, all of which who seek to destroy the United Planets and bring them to their knees.
The 30th century is also wrought with countless super villains. Individuals such as Mordru the Merciless, a sorcerer so powerful that he rules an entire planet and the mere wave of his hand shakens worlds to their very cornerstones. The Time Trapper, a cloaked figure who is capable of manipulating and controlling the time stream itself. Finally, perhaps the most powerful group of super-villains to band together, the Fatal Five. Emerald Empress an enchanting beauty who's Eye of Ekron is as deadly as her cold whisper. Persuader, the man wielding the atomic axe, a weapon capable of cutting through any matter. Mano, a villain so dangerous that he can destroy a world with the touch of his disintegration hand. Finally, Validus, the most powerful being in the galaxy, with his great strength, invulnerability and weakened mind, he is controlled by Tharok, the leader of the Fatal Five, a half man half computer.
In the midst of all this chaos, one man had a vision, he was easily one of the richest persons in the galaxy, non other than R.J. Brande himself. After being saved by three teenagers from an assassination attempt, these gifted individuals with remarkable powers collectively became the greatest super-hero organization the universe would ever know. Together, Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad would gather together many other teens each possessing a unique super power, a sense of justice and a thirst for adventure. This group of teens banded together to safeguard the galaxy from the greatest threats known to all and they called themselves the Legion of Super-Heroes."
I mentioned in my first post the type of information that would appear within providing I can fit it all in. One major chapter I left out which will appear is various personality game mechanics characters and villains will have. Each personality stat will have a description and hopefully a game mechanic tied to it as well. The Legionnaires and villains from the comics would already come with theirs on the character sheet and would serve as roleplaying guidlines for that individual.
When a player creates their own character they can choose from the same selections or work with the Cosmos Master and write new ones to portray their character as needed.
Finally, I don't think I'm gonna have room in this book for equipment, transports and space oriented rules such as black holes, space combat, etc. and that another book will be needed for this. Alternatively, I could place Power descriptions into another book thus making room for the above ideas?
What would you do?
-------------------- I have lived for the Legion and one day I shall die for the Legion.
From: Bgztl | Registered: Feb 2008
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