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Sub-plots

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Spiff
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Sub-plots

I've been experimenting with an idea, and I haven't gotten very far along with it, but it's far enough along to talk about.  I like the idea of adding another layer to the game so that while the heroes are beating on the villains, they can also be doing something else also.  It happens all the times in the comics -- sure Daredevil has to track down Kingpin and beat him up, but he's also working on a very delicate case and needs to prove his client is innocent.  Or Spider-man is getting kicked around by the Green Goblin again, but he's also trying to find a way to help his buddy Norm who's been acting weird lately (again).

I'm envisioning it working something like this -- each hero has a number of sub-plots they can choose from at the beginning of the game.  Each hero can only have one sub-plot per game.  Since there are so many heroes, that's going to mean a lot of sub-plots need writing, but I'll worry about that later.  The sub-plots come on a card (printed out by me for now) with a brief explanation of the plot and then four steps along the way towards resolving the plot, two on the front of the card and two on the back.  Each step of the plot has a "do" section and a "gain" section, as in "do XYZ and you'll gain ABC".  The "do's" should always be things that the hero could do normally, but the sub-plot is just giving them a reason to do it in a certain order, or at a certain time in the game, etc.  The examples below will show you what I mean.  The "gains" will always be small rewards for completing that step in the sub-plot.

Conditions of each "do" section can only be satisfied during that point in the sub-plot, meaning that if are at point #1 in the plot but you happen to do the things that satisfy point #3 in the plot, it doesn't count.  You have to be at point #3 and do the proper things to satisfy the conditions.

There is no penalty for not completing your sub-plot before the end of the game, nor is there any reward for completing is beyond the rewards you get for each step along the way.  The sub-plots are just something extra to add some flavor to a night's gaming.

I'm a little hesitant about writing out stories for the characters the SotM guys have come up with.  Don't want to step on their creative toes or write stuff that takes the characters in directions they wouldn't want.  If they like this idea and want to write sub-plots for the characters themselves, that's even better. :)

Here are two sub-plots I've come up with so far, one for Haka and one for Ra.  They've never been playtested, so I have no idea how well they work, although they feel like they should be fine:

Haka:  "Vision Quest"

Haka is visited by Te Punga Waka, a nature spirit who sends Haka on a vision quest to discover whether he was ever truly worthy of leading his tribe.

1) Commune with the spirits

Do: Haka must use any two "Haka of..." cards, in no particular order and not necessarily consecutively.
Gain: Haka regains 1 hp.

2) Prove your prowess

Do: Haka must strike the killing blow to a total of three villain cards
Gain: Haka gains +1 damage for his next turn.

3) Lose yourself in the spirit world

Do: Haka must play at least one "Rampage" card while not having any equipment cards (i.e. weapons) in play.
Gain: Haka may use two powers on his next turn.

4) Truly know yourself

Do: Haka must have two of these three cards in play at the same time: "Punish the Weak", "Dominion", and "Enduring Intercession"
Gain: Haka may return one card from his discard pile to his hand, and Haka regains 2 hp.

Here's one for Ra:

Ra: "The Golden Lotus"

Ra discovers that the fight against the super villain will destroy the fabled egyptian artifact the Golden Lotus unless he can discover its location in time.

1) The Staff will show the way

Do: Use Ra's Pyre power on two separate targets while the Staff of Ra is in play.
Gain: Ra gains +1 damage for his next turn.

2) Burn away the obstacles

Do: Ra must do a total of 25 fire damage to any combination of targets.
Gain: Ra may draw two cards and discard one.

3) Careful now, easy does it

Do: Ra must strike the killing blow to a total of three villain cards by doing exactly their current hp in damage, no more.
Gain: Prevent the next 2 damage that would be done to Ra.

4) This belongs in a museum

Do: Ra must do 7 or more points of fire damage to the villain target in a single turn while having at least one of the following cards in play: "Living Conflagration", "Solar Flare", or "Flame Barrier"
Gain: All heroes regain 1 hp.

Thoughts?


Spiff's SotM site: www.spiffworld.com/sotm

awp832
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I hesitate about giving the heroes strictly more power with no drawbacks of any kind.  Also,  if Ra's subplot #1 is legally possible to complete, I certainly don't know how it can be done myself.  Unless you mean it can be done over the course of multiple turns, in which case, no problem I guess.

The idea is kinda cool,  little "story missions" are a good idea,  but I'd almost rather wait for an expansion and have like, a "campaign mode" or something instead.  I'm also not sure the game requires something else to do.....  but if there was, I'd prefer it to be in the form of:

Do:  W.    Gain:  positive effect X for the rest of the game.
Failure:  Y Occurs,  Penalty:  Negative effect Z for the rest of the game.

-awp


"He robbed from the rich and he-
gave to the poor.
Stood up to the Man and he-
gave him what for. 
Our love for him now,
aint hard to explain,
the hero of Canton,
the man they call "Jayne""

meakatommy
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I agree with awp832, that giving the heroes more power with no negative effects might make the games turn in their favor too much. But the idea is great.


Poop can wait, Time Crisis is now!

Spiff
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I'm not sure it's accurate to say that there are no drawbacks of any kind.  The drawback is a soft one.  By putting a small limitation on the player's action, the player gets a small reward.  In Ra's example, for his first plot point he has to use his Pyre power on three separate targets while the Staff of Ra is in play.  To do this, he needs to make sure he he uses his built-in power three times rather than using other powers that could possibly be more efficacious, and he needs to do it while the Staff of Ra is out (and yes it would happen over multiple turns).  It's not a huge imposition, but the reward isn't huge either.  The idea is just to give the player a reason to be engaged with the game in a different way.


Spiff's SotM site: www.spiffworld.com/sotm

Adam
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I think this is very cool, though me being who I am, I'm in favor of it being a little more involved. Without too much away, we have some mechanics in the upcoming expansion that will appeal to the story fiend in you, and even more down the line, including some very big changes to the way the game's potentially played.

The Conscience
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I am a firm believer in "if it's not broke, don'r fix it". As a player I like my games the way they are and do not endeavor to change them or add to them as I don't know the true intent behind the design as well as what will be coming in the future. I have trouble understanding those people that design cards and alternate scenarios for a card game that already has a huge amount of replay as well as an engaging and fun theme.

Having said that I do have to admit that I am a part-time board/card game designer and have designed at least 6 games over the last few years and although they have not seen print as of yet it does make me more sympathetic to game designers and players alike.

While I can see how fun it is to speculate and dream about what the future holds I feel that to deviate too much from the concept that has been presented by initiating alternate rules or cards from anyone other than the designers is interesting to read but generally unnecessary.

That is all.


The Myth, The Legend, The Dream. You can't escape The Conscience!

arenson9
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Cool ideas. At this point, though, I'm still enjoying playing the game as is, looking forward to really learning all of the existing heroes and villains, and not looking forward to any expansions or additions. I expect that will change ... eventually.


Hi. My name's Andy. Feel free to call me Andy, since, ya know, that's my name. (he/him/his)

If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If not now, when? If I am for myself alone, what am I? -- Hillel