Daredevil is weird in that he has a Secret ID when no one else does, so maybe that can give us some insight into how to deal with Dottie as the only character in our game who doesn't have one.
Well, on one hand, Dottie can't get too too too in the public spotlight or she will attract the attention of someone who realizes she is a Raft escapee (of course I included that as a complication so it's bound to happen at some point). So she has no secret identity, she's also not going to be a celebrity crimefighter like, say, Iron Man. She more doesn't just have any f@@$s to give if someone knows who she is. (I suppose it's sort of along the lines of Jessica.)
The "no secret identity" thing for Dottie is more that she has no "normal life," no normie friends or family who need protecting. She doesn't have the "I can't tell you what's going on because x will get hurt" because there's no x (and while she has a current goal of minimizing chaos, she's not going to have her heart broken if people do get hurt). Her normal life was taken from her when she was a small child, she lost her country decades ago, and her only friend/respected rival died relatively recently. She's got nothing to lose--even if she DOES get recaptured she'll deal--and that gives her a certain freedom others don't have. Which means she is the one who can walk down the street and confront people as a rep of the group when others who need to protect their secret ids can't do that.
The problem with the series as compared to our series, and one of the things bugging me about our game, is that these sorts of games thrive on scenes and moments that focus on two or three characters in isolation, which is obviously not a good idea in a group game.
While I am always a fan of keeping the group together as much as possible, PBP does at least allow a little better for splitting the party *sometimes* at least, since the scenes can still effectively be run "simultaneously" in different sets of spoilers. (This is a lot of work the the GM, but it's at least doable and works better than at the table.) So if the plot demands, we can probably be temporarily split off. The key is to be sure we all have a singular point to return to. Getting an HQ for us to stay at, train at, confab, eat shawarma (or Chinese) with, etc. may help a lot with that.
As for the Defenders itself, I'm liking it so far (I've thrown some initial thoughts on it in the thread in the Television subforum here), though the pacing is awfully slow. I like the idea of our game fitting into some of its general feel.
I was envisioning a non-secret identity for Qi'n. While allowing Owl man to go full on Batman and adopt me as his ward did occur to me, the Robin/Kato vibe is not really what I was aiming for. I'm thinking he'll be fresh off the boat when introduced (literally). He's an undocumented immigrant and apparent minor, with no legal identity (all listed in his complications). I am figuring he will get a job and a room at a local temple, sweeping floors and such for his room and board. Kind of like Kwai Chang Kane (or Luke Cage), he'll develope a reputation as a local you can go to for help when you're in trouble.
Damn need to steal me some SHIELD credentials. Ooo a.ward would be weird
Ready to join in whenever you are. Not sure how I might join during this caper. I'll give it some thought.
I was hoping that would be the case, just like the Defenders and regular comics
Hopefully we can switch scenes as needed as well.
I'm ready to go-ish. I'm thinking either we walk in and talk, or we sneak in after hours. Either way, a little more info on Horizon would be useful before we go in.
True, basic layout, security and what not. All good things to know for infiltration
I'm willing to be hiding in the vicinity as backup.
Everything OK? Tumbler, I think we're waiting on the result of that die roll---hard to infiltrate a company when you don't even know what it is they do. Once we get that I think we're all ready to roll.
Anyone else here?
Sorry if I held things up asking for more info, I just really didn't have a clear picture of what we were trying to accomplish apart from "find out more about unusual metal supply." If I screwed it up, I'm really sorry.
I'm here, but just observing so far.
Sorry, somehow I lost track of the request for more information and thought we were stalled. I'm not very good about driving things forward. I continue to feel like I have no idea how to run a PbP.
I've only been running one PBP so far, and that's with people I know personally--and it still takes a lot of time and attention, and a lot of times I have to nudge my players pretty hard to move forward. I don't think any GM finds it easy.
Don't be hard on yourself. I will say don't be afraid to give us a nudge if something seems off or it seems like everyone's doing nothing. We can also work harder at being proactive.
FWIW combat in a PBP is slow so starting with a combat may have established an expectation of a slow pace as well.
Agreed
I'm sorry, Dottie's a little mean.
I apologize for my absence the last few days. Depression and anxiety have gotten the better of me.
That's really hard. Do what you need to take care of yourself.
Just curious, who's still around? I know the board flukes haven't been helping. I think we lost Mothman awhile ago (looking at his posting history on other games, looks like he flakes out a lot), but Doc Icarus you still here? Batman and Nite Owl posted recently. Are we still bringing in Qin?
Still around. Just waiting in the wings.
I think we can front seat folks now. Dottie and Nite Owl are out of their recon and ready to meet up with the rest of the band. Last week was killer with the boards not really working and not being able to post from my phone at all.
If we are all amenable to checking out this warehouse lead, I'll write that up. I assume we will want to do some research, so I'll try to put some information gathering together.
Sounds good!
Aye Aye, Cap'n Tumbler!
We will be bringing in Qi'n here as well as getting on a little bit of a railroad to deal with this gang. I apologize for this whole thing being so ungainly. I've been involved in 3 years worth of MNM games here on the boards, and they are always hard, for some reason. I'm still searching for the right mix of freedom and rails. Feedback is always welcome.
Part of it is always figuring out players' play styles--at table you're usually working with the same kind of group, in PBP you get all kinds of players, and some wait for something to happen and some make things happen.
At the same time, you also need players to post at all. I don't know if it would help you, but it would certainly help me as a player to know if other players are too busy to check the thread more than a couple times a week, or they are checking in regularly but don't have any input (in which case the occasional comment in Discussion of "I'm here, I don't have anything to add," would be EXTREMELY helpful). I feel like we're all waiting for posts that never come. I understood this game to have a 1/day check-in expectation, and the participation is far lower than that. I have no idea if people just aren't showing up/aren't interested anymore, are busy but haven't let us know to move forward without them, or they're reading the thread but not saying anything, so we're waiting for a response that never comes.
Communication is crucial to the success of any campaign regardless of system and, to be blunt, I feel like that is where this game is considerably lacking. But that requires all of us to do our part, not just the GM.
I also worry because I post fairly often that I'm dominating things and I don't want to do that. But I also recognize that I committed to posting on a regular basis, and I want to honor that commitment.
I'm usually busy on the weekends. And when there's not much to put in, I'm not used to posting thumb-twiddling. but If that's what people want, I can do it.
I'm also very forgiving of having rails. It's hard to keep a game going and when people bog down too much it's hard to re-engage. I'd rather have us move forward then spend three months making plans.
Left my laptop at work. Can't get a post up tonight.
Sundays are my Table top game days. So I was doing that.
All in all I have been enjoying this all
I'm usually busy on the weekends. And when there's not much to put in, I'm not used to posting thumb-twiddling. but If that's what people want, I can do it.
Noting this for all concerned: can always just say in the Discussion thread you're still around but have nothing to post IC. That way folks aren't waiting for your response.
In most PBPs, people by default, especially GMs, want to wait for all players to check in so they don't feel left out. Then games stall because everyone's waiting for a post that never comes.
I'm also very forgiving of having rails. It's hard to keep a game going and when people bog down too much it's hard to re-engage. I'd rather have us move forward then spend three months making plans.
I agree. Also Doc Icarus noted we did have the site explosion for a bit which didn't help things.
Something I've been thinking about...
I'm unlikely to raise Dottie's Toughness much more (unless I decide to get her some kind of protective suit). I was looking at the tradeoffs one can make, and if I DON'T indeed raise her Toughness beyond 6, I could buy her Dodge up to 10. Which seems appropriate--she should be extremely hard to hit for her "weight class" as it were.
I was thinking of lowering her Fortitude save from 8 to 6 and then putting those two points into Dodge instead. I hesitate, because a higher Fortitude save keeps her from nasty consequences if she gets knocked out/rendered dying, though I could always drop a point into Diehard if I'm really worried about that. She is immune to disease and poison which reduces need for common Fortitude saves right there, and the stuff she would need to save against (various powers like weaken or environmental effects like radiation) I don't think she necessarily has to be unusually resilient to.
I am NOT certain I want to do this, but I wanted to know if this was kosher to do, and if so, what folks' thoughts on it were.
If you're directing that to me specifically, that's not really my immediate concern, just about making her more effective in relation to her concept.
Given this campaign started off as pretty lethal, especially for a low power campaign, in general having some extra healing for the group may be a good thing.
I figured we would get a some power-ups suit-wise.
If you are going dodge-shifted, you should perhaps buy uncanny dodge into another sense. You really don't want to get caught flat-footed with your build. I could even see danger sense for you, as you've been trained to react to signs that normal people wouldn't even recognize.
I wouldn't drop fort, because getting stunned is also bad.
I could also buy it up whenever we get points to spend for experience. I'm not sure when that'll be so I was thinking rebuild now and then re-buy up Fort later.
I never understood the sense-association with Uncanny Dodge in 2e. In fact I'm not even sure how it works (is it with people WITH the sense are unaffected or WITHOUT the sense are unaffected?). They re-removed it in 3rd Edition, which is one of 3rd Edition's many improvements. (3rd Ed also has some things I don't like in it, but that is definitely not one of them.)
Just for fun I counted. That was about the 12th 1 someone rolled in this campaign, and one of the eight of which were combat rolls (and at least the 3rd that I rolled). ;p
All of those build notes seem fine to me, Dottie.
Even though it isn't my fault, I apologize for the dice rollers. It is dampening the heroic feel of the campaign.
You guys should go crazy on these guys, people. This is your chance to look good.
Since the steam is now filling the room, now would be a good time for you guys to join in. They can't see through the steam so you can get a drop on them very easily.
Otherwise: there's a lot of dudes, and my combat rolls hate me. If you leave--like what, 8 dudes to just us, it could go very badly. We need your help.
My 2 cents.
Yeah dice hate me too
I'm about to go off for the holidays for several days. May check in with my phone but not sure so giving a heads up to all. Will check back in no later than Dec 29, probably before.
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, and wishes of happiness and health to all.
Currently am waiting in a waiting room abojt my dads fate. He is in the hospital fighting for his life. So I will be spotty
I'm so sorry to hear that, Nite Owl. Thanks for checking in with us. Obviously you have far more important things to worry about right now, we'll be here when you get back. I pray all will go as well as it can.