[Goalsystem] Super Mission Force

[Erny]

Slightly off topic but did you create the TTS game set up yourself Buttabean74? Or is there a perhaps heroclix setup for supers like this already in existance to download. Just thinking how easy it would be to set something similar up for gaming with friends that live to far away for real table toips. I've used 2d systems before for large battle games quite well but skirmishes really need the 3d table.

More on topic I'm enjoying how this is all shaping up and should post a proper game up soon.

[Buttabean74]

Someone has setup a Super system 3rd,on tts,so I'm ajust using the city that he has made,I have created goalsystem dice and both Super system 3 And 4 sheets in the form of a deck of cards,the original creator had cards but it was all in Spanish,tts is pretty much what it says it is,a 3d virtual tabletop with full functionality,You can't automate as much like say Maptools,But it's so fantastic to be able to play vs other people from so far away,it opens a whole new player base. I use it to learn rules and such from many skirmish/Rpg games,from goalsystem to warhammer,sobh,power legion etc.Inexpensive no setup or breakdown the the uses are limitless.  There is also a 3d version of Heroclix with working bases pretty amazing,I certainly recommend it,to me it's a necessary 3rd party resource.

[fourcolorfigs]

Let's talk book formats for a moment. We're getting close enough to start down this road.

Color. As it stands, SMF will be black & white. I don't have enough color art to warrant a color book, and I am happy with the economy and look of B&W. So that's settled.

Dimensions. Right now we're working with an 8.5" x 11" setup. I liked that on VP, SS4, and B&B, and I like it for this. Either way our layout will be single column with the occasional sidebar.
I am intrigued by Lulu's comic book, digest, and square options.

Binding. Right now it's going to be perfect bound, softcover. I've found the quality of POD hardcovers to be hit or miss from run to run, so I am leery of them. A coil binding has the most utility, and Lulu offers a neat looking A5 option--5.83 x 8.26 inches. That intrigues me.

Joe and I will make the ultimate decision on this, but I wanted to get folks input as well. A lot of folks just buy PDF these days, so our layout will make any size we choose moot--it's going to look good and read really on most any tablet.

Thanks for any input!


P.S. Just a little aside, SMF stands at around 26K words right now, and is close to being complete, in my mind, save for adding sample characters. SS4 finished at over 67K words. They're very different games in terms of design goals. Just a fun little factoid! 

[fourcolorfigs]

Just updated the file. A few little things.

-- Clarified drowning rules

-- removed some duplication on the knocked down rules

-- Added Dangerous Ground as special event/condition to another scenario

-- Failed to mention last time, I nerfed Scrapper (Counterattack) just a bit, it now does a flat 2 Body damage. This makes it less devastating since you can announce its use AFTER you see the combat results. Still recharges on 3+, so you will likely get one use of it per battle.

Thanks!

[Erethor]

Let's talk book formats for a moment. We're getting close enough to start down this road.

Color. As it stands, SMF will be black & white. I don't have enough color art to warrant a color book, and I am happy with the economy and look of B&W. So that's settled.

Dimensions. Right now we're working with an 8.5" x 11" setup. I liked that on VP, SS4, and B&B, and I like it for this. Either way our layout will be single column with the occasional sidebar.
I am intrigued by Lulu's comic book, digest, and square options.

Binding. Right now it's going to be perfect bound, softcover. I've found the quality of POD hardcovers to be hit or miss from run to run, so I am leery of them. A coil binding has the most utility, and Lulu offers a neat looking A5 option--5.83 x 8.26 inches. That intrigues me.

My preferences are for 8.5x11 B&W softcover. Hardcovers tend to be too expensive for a casual investment. Spiral-bound is nice but, depending on the quality, the wire can wear-out easily, and the game is streamlined to where you really don't need to have the book open for rules-referencing.

[styx]

You should check with Uncle Mike on the Cthulu Groups that made Strange Aeons, his binding is great, he uses a spiral bound book, softcover but has a nice plastic like cover. I could snap shots, but really it is a well bound book, the spiral makes it easy to open, lay flat and read on a table plus the paper quality has blown any other book out of the water. The book price to me he charged for them was very reasonable.

Black and White works fine, maybe a color front for the book to make it pop.

[fourcolorfigs]

I have the Strange Aeons book. It's a lovely book and an excellent example of what a good spiral binding can be.

I don't know if Lulu can do that for us. My current budget and business model (such as it is  ) confine me to using POD. It just works for where I am as a company right now. So I can't get something approaching that quality thru POD, then I am likely to stick to a softcover, perfect bound book similar to Void Pirates and B&B.

Unless I could finance a sewn binding HC, I am not wild about Lulu's hardcover output. It's Ok. But I am very happy with the softcovers they let you produce.

As it stands Joe and I are hashing out whether we want standard 8.5 x 11 or the more interesting A5 size.

We'll see...

[fourcolorfigs]

Played two play-test games today and made some fixes and tweaks. Uploaded latest version reflecting these.

Some stuff:

-- Fixed some minor issues with the Fissure scenario

-- Adjusted some stuff with the Henchmen rules; clarified the 2D rule and Veterans rules a bit

That's mostly it.

The games today went very well!

 

[Erethor]

Quick rules question. Can a single model have an entangle on more than one enemy?

[Cait Sidhe]

If the summoning ability fails to summon anything does it still need to recharge?

Is there any reason henchmen have a limited choice in backgrounds? E.g. what if I want magical zombies or acolytes?

[fourcolorfigs]

Quick rules question. Can a single model have an entangle on more than one enemy?

Yes. I added some text on this to clarify.

[fourcolorfigs]

If the summoning ability fails to summon anything does it still need to recharge?

Is there any reason henchmen have a limited choice in backgrounds? E.g. what if I want magical zombies or acolytes?

On summoning, you only need recharge on a successful attempt. On Henchmen, I don't see why they shouldn't have all backgrounds. I can change that. I was just trying to be minimalist. 

[Cait Sidhe]

On summoning, you only need recharge on a successful attempt.

What about when the Summoning is part of the Sorcery pool?

[fourcolorfigs]

What about when the Summoning is part of the Sorcery pool?

In that case you would need to Recharge it. The spell fails, I guess!

[Erethor]

Thanks for the response!

I have a couple other questions:

-Does anything add bonus dice or rerolls to entangle escape attempts? Like, super-strength (minor) gives +1D to breaking objects or grappling. Would that apply to escaping Entangle? The rules don't say so, but I was wondering if they should, basically counting entangle as a type of grapple?

-To get the +1D bonus for charging, you must move the last 2" in a straight line. If you started your turn 1" away from an enemy, does that mean you can back up a few inches and then move into contact (assuming you had enough movement) and still get the charge bonus?

-About the question from Cait Sidhe on Summoning. He asked about when summoning is part of the sorcery pool. Just to be clear, doesn't Summoning always have to be with Sorcery? I don't see any other way to take Summoning as a major power without taking Sorcery first.