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Superhero Game- checking the mechanics, need input

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abdantas
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Joined: 11/13/2012

So I was watching videos on Sentinels of the Multiverse and I realized there hasn't really been a game that focuses on the fact that super-heroes have secret identities. So a few months ago I started working on a prototype that I finally got a chance to try with my local board gaming group last night.

let me know what you think.

The board has 9 "city blocks" (different neighborhoods, Government, residential commercial, etc etc) which are arranged on a 3x3 box pattern. Each player is then given an origin card (which tells them which dice they can use whenever performing checks [currently i use my descent 2nd ed dice because they work perfectly]) They are dealt the neighborhood in which their hideout resides and based on their origin they get to pick 3 super-powers with 2 different uses each (some of the superpowers effects doubles for different cards, but more on that later)

Goal: each player is trying to get to 20 points first to gain the "key to the city" and to be deemed the official protector of paradigm city.

execution: crime events are drawn and are attached to the different locations, if any crime event is failed, that neighborhood is plunged into chaos and whoever has the card corresponding to that locale no longer can claim his points at the end of the game. Also, for every power you continue to use, someone else might use one of their two actions to try and deduct which power you have, therefore nullifying the points you would otherwise get from that ability.

crime events: i mentioned crime events, they are flipped over (1 for each player +1 per stealth token) and placed on the corresponding neighborhood. the active player then decides where he will choose to try and stop the crime while other players might use 1 of their actions to either help or hinder the Active hero, keeping in mind that when you aid the criminals, you might destroy a block, and if half of them are gone, the city is plunged into chaos and everyone looses) Whenever someone rolls a Lightning Bolt, they collect energy that lets them use their special powers, but players need to be careful, because once the event is over, the active player will roll the lowest defense dice, and everyone will add the energy values of the powers they used to that number, and if its equal or higher to the current "subterfuge" total they leave clues of who they are at the crime. If the player leaves 3 clues he's out of the game.

Any thoughts?

abdantas
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Joined: 11/13/2012
7 views and nothing

Really? I was honestly looking for some feedback on how maybe i could get rid of the dice rolling without over packing with cards.

Dralius
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abdantas wrote:execution:

abdantas wrote:
execution: crime events are drawn and are attached to the different locations, if any crime event is failed, that neighborhood is plunged into chaos and whoever has the card corresponding to that locale no longer can claim his points at the end of the game.

This concerns me a bit thematically. Heroes could be disincentivised to help in areas of the city that they won’t be earning points in. It’s not very heroic to let a part of the city burn because your not getting anything out of it.

abdantas
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Joined: 11/13/2012
City destroy

Well, there's a rule I failed to mention that if 2/3 of the cd is destroyed it is plunged into chaos and everyone loses. Also, after the residential block is destroyed, if another crime is placed upon it and the heroes defeat it, that neighborhood is restored.

Also, the idea is that the heroes are more of an antihero. Think more wolverine then superman.

Like, Spider-Man covers manhattan where-as daredevil is in Hell's Kitchen.

Dralius
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abdantas wrote: Like,

abdantas wrote:

Like, Spider-Man covers manhattan where-as daredevil is in Hell's Kitchen.

The daredevil grew up reading was tough but a goodie two shoes. As a lawyer he would defend criminals daredevil had caught and get them off on technicalities.

Blunder
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Joined: 09/25/2012
I'm developing a game which

I'm developing a game which sounds very similar to yours in a lot of ways ;) with a decaying city and heroes choosing between incognito or super. The way you are suggesting (vs) went down poorly with my group playtests, simply because the lions share of comic characters are teams who co-operate. Its flies against the comic convention to a degree with heroes competing.

Still it sounds good :D I'd love to hear your groups thoughts.

abdantas
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Joined: 11/13/2012
Competition

I don't see it as "competition". I think of it as a semi-coop. Although they have to work together to an extent, keeping in mind that there will still be only one winner. It's more of an anti hero game. These guys are all rogues that even though they sometimes are on the right side o the law, they're not afraid to commit a questionable deed to get their way

abdantas
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Incognito vs super

Also, on the incognito vs super. In my game they are trying to keep a lot of their information secret from the other players. During a players turn they can try to figure out where you operate from and what your powers are, making you unable to count those bonus pints at end game. A player might end the game by getting to 15 points, but he might have revealed all his abilities and have his neighborhood over run, another player might be at 12 with a 5 bonus for keeping his area intact and end up being the actual winner. It was meant to giv the players the thought of, who can I trust? Or who's just playing me to try and figure out were I'm operating from?

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