InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I'm a trendy tote bag!"

lickety (lickety) wrote in rp_tutorials,
@ 2009-05-02 19:29:00

Entry tags:

resources: fandom specific

Marvel/X-Men/Mutant Reference Post

Okay, this is a post following suit with Chaperoned's HP Reference Post. I figured I'd answer the same question posed, and answer a few more that I see pressing against the x-men/marvel community! :)

question: How do you know which characters to ban? Which to allow? Etc.
opinion: As there is no right answer to this question, generally you want to rule out who wouldn't fit. Most characters who get ruled out first, are the "godly" supervillains. These include Selene, Apocalypse, Galactus, etc. Generally, any character who can single-handedly put the world into a state of immense terror should be automatically nixed. (Unless you'd like to use them for plot, NPC them!) Second, get rid of all of the reality warpers/dimensional hoppers. You don't want a character like Trevor Fitzroy, who can absorb life force and teleport across dimensions. Too godly. If you'd like the characters in the game, have the mun simplify them. Like Scarlet Witch? Have them app for a pre-house of M Scarlet Witch. Like Illyana Rasputin? Call forth a pre-soul sword/limbo illyana. The same could be said for a non-x-men/marvel game. Ban characters that can cross dimensions.

Thirdly, as far as x-men related games go, you really don't want "children of" unless it's that type of game. 'Children of' come from different dimensions, and are a hassle. They don't really work for most plots, unless you're strictly 616 canon, or you intend to utilize the birth of x-men's kiddos. Next, you should avoid characters with the god-like powers. These are characters possessing over 5 unreasonable abilities. Mimic, M, Gabriel Summers, Phoenix are a usual ban. BUT, just like with the option we gave the earlier Scarlet Witch, every character has a simplified version. They are usually when the character is first created. A game should offer or allow these.

That's about it, on the banned list. Others would include person preferences, (many people HATE layla miller/butterfly) and clones. Most clones are automatically disqualified in many games, however they can be fun.

Generally, I think the X-MEN/Marvel community has a nice understanding of what is and isn't fly for a game, as far as submitting an application for one.

question: What is god-modding? Meta-gaming? How do I avoid this?
opinion: God-modding/Meta-gaming are terms used to describe when something happens, where one mun's characters completely and irrationally do something, without the consent of others. For example. Let's say I'm playing Phoenix in a game. In this particular example, let's say Phoenix is attacking Wolverine. God-Modding would be having Phoenix telekinetically throw Wolverine against the wall, and then against the floor, and back on the wall once more. It is when you're writing in another character without their permission.

You wouldn't BELIEVE how many times I've seen this happen, in not only x-men games, but everywhere else! I'll be playing a demon, and all of the sudden a chick from no where comes and slips holy water into the demon's drink, or having some guy kick a ball against your character's head, when they really meant to hit the wall. This is GOD-MODDING. Now, how do you prevent this? Sure, you may have done it, and just now realized it. I have a solution for you!

When posting an action, especially in a fight scene, I usually leave things open at the end. For example, remember our Phoenix vs. Wolverine? Instead of having Phoenix completely attack the shit out of Wolverine in one turn, how about she slowly begins to lift him up off the ground, with her hand pointing toward him, utilizing her telekinetic abilities? This not only implies an attack, but also does not completely bash the other mun's character, and allows them to provide feedback. While you're levitating Wolverine, that player could recognize being levitated. If they do this, then go on with the next bit.

However, the key is to do things gradually. Now levitated, Jean exercizes her telekinesis by sending Wolverine toward the side of the wall. Her arms stretched, while her hands focus that raw psionic energy. Then, let the wolverine mun take it from there. MOST PLAYERS ARE GOOD ABOUT TAKING HITS. A lot I've played with, will write their characters taking damage, or realistically blocking. Wolverine's body smacked against the concrete surface, but the surface wounds healed rather quickly. Now rampaged with anger, he took off toward her body, an unsheathed right fist heading in her immediate direction. The claws glistening with blood.

Make sense? Now do that for non action posts. The key is to leave enough information for the mun to play with, but also allowing you to utilize growth in the thread. Hopefully this increases some general understanding.

Any other questions? Comments? Anyone have anything to add about how they go about things? Feel free to answer, reply or ask them here. Please excuse my crappy examples. They were really spur of the moment.

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

fromamerica
2009-07-03 05:08 am UTC (link)

While I really do appreciate the attempt to write a helpful article, this is currently more confusing and opinionated than it is explanatory. I do feel the fandom could use more articles about how to deal with powerful characters. For example, an article explaining the most commonly banned banned characters which covers why they are banned and potential ways to nerf their powers to make them playable or an article detailing who you, as a mod, usually ban and why you chose to ban these characters would be much more useful of a resource. Most people who take up the effort modding an X-game are going to have enough knowledge about the X-universe to know the majority of the epic and overpowered characters and how complex and complicated the timelines and alternate realities can be. New mods are much more likely to benefit from details and experiences on how players can abuse different powers to disrupt game play and how to prevent that abuse. This would help prepare them for what they are likely to find themselves facing in their games and allow them to start thinking creatively and making informed decisions as moderators, rather than attempting to follow a laundry list of which characters one person thinks should be banned.

To be entirely honest, and please do not take this as a personal attack as I do not say this to be mean, but it does not feel like you put a lot of thought or effort into the article. It seems to largely be opinion over which characters you do not want to see or deal with in your game, especially given the lack of supporting evidence, reasons or justifications, rather than a tool to help budding moderators. The writing of the article is unclear and unpolished and is well below other, similar articles for other fandoms. I feel it is a rather poor representation of what we as X-fans are capable of and do write. A general revision of the explanation of god-modding to cut down on the random capslock and to provide better, cleaner examples would be another great addition to this article. Enough of a revision where it does not need the disclaimer about how the examples are crappy would be a great improvement. After all this is a community about how to better RP and games in general, why post something that you know is crappy? I think you are off to a good start with a great article idea, but more time, effort and thought needs to be put into this. Thanks for reading, and if you decide to act on any of my suggestions, I will be excited to see a revised version.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read comments) -