In the Dojo (O.O.C. Chat - Session Zero)

[Purr]

BTW, is there an age range you are looking for?

I've been wondering about that for a few days now. I think the answer is "yes, I want all of your characters to be within a few years of one another. Say... 5?" I think I'd like it if your characters were all between the ages of, say, 16-20? Or 18-22? You are all 1st level and while its nuts to have as many Skills as each of you has at your age if you were human, well, you're not! =)

In fact, I'm thinking 10 years ago, you were rescued together! That would take up the time for most martial art system learning time requirements, plus it would mean your characters would have spent roughly half of their lives or more together! I'd like it if everyone knew each other extremely well. It doesn't mean you always get along; it just means you grew up together under the same roof, training in martial arts and developing your Mutant Animal Powers while absorbing and practicing Skills.

If your characters are to be a team, then the more you have in common, the better. Age is part of that.

How does that strike everyone?

 

[Sherwood]

Sounds good to me. Early 20's it is.

 

[Purr]

Sounds good to me. Early 20's it is.

Thanks for your vote! Let's see how the rest of the team answers and we'll come to a decision together. =)

Sherwood What did you decide upon concerning computer skills? Going all Donatello or something else?

 

[Sherwood]

Thanks for your vote! Let's see how the rest of the team answers and we'll come to a decision together. =)

Sherwood What did you decide upon concerning computer skills? Going all Donatello or something else?

Of course. Take my vote for what it's worth.

I think I'm going to stick with the computer skills. Moyo is on the cutting edge of the new technology.

 

[Purr]

Of course. Take my vote for what it's worth.

I think I'm going to stick with the computer skills. Moyo is on the cutting edge of the new technology.

And the only computer guy he knows who can type away with both hands while doing something else with that trunk of his! =)

 

[Silanon]

Another vote for the 2nd sheet - didn't check out much of it, but it's based on solid feedback - gotta be better.

No problem with the age, but a related question: what's the life expectancy and maximum age of a mutant? Because falcons don't get too old (25 years in captivity), with an expectancy of six years or so - most die young. So potentially, early 20s is already tombstone territory.

 

[Purr]

Another vote for the 2nd sheet - didn't check out much of it, but it's based on solid feedback - gotta be better.

Looks like 2nd draft it is! (The only change was making that very first page more vertical and less horizontal, splitting up terms of information instead of putting them into small groups of 3 or 4 terms in 1 line). =)

No problem with the age, but a related question: what's the life expectancy and maximum age of a mutant? Because falcons don't get too old (25 years in captivity), with an expectancy of six years or so - most die young. So potentially, early 20s is already tombstone territory.

Well, perhaps in the Real World, but this is my game! I say we play as long as we want with characters that fit the bill. They're mutants after all - they live as long as we want to play them! In the case of animals, sure, 10 years is quite a while - animals are definitely adults by that age. Or are they?

If we want, we can say that each person in your family-team (hope we come up with a cool team name at some point) was captured at a very young age. Perhaps between years 2-4. Then they were turned into mutants, rescued by the Savior, and then trained from then on for the next 10 years in a new life that largely replaced the old.

In the end, no character is going to get old and die in this game, but it's important to decide what kind of life they had (if any!) prior to their transformation and rescue and life with the Savior. And then the game begins when the Savior is no longer in the picture and the family-team leaves for San Francisco!

At least, that's what I've got in my head. The best games are made with multiple heads! So what does everyone think of that?

 

[Silanon]

I'm totally fine with the early 20s - think I like that better than ending up at 13-ish. There's a human part that ought to have reached adulthood as well. It's it known how long mutants live in this world? Can our characters safely assume that they'll be in it for a while, or is it unknown? Pretty sure that might change my character's outlook on life...

 

[Purr]

Kaerri I think it's nonsense that canines and vulpines receive no bite attack. Enjoy a free 1d4 + 1/2 Physical Strength bite attack (or pay the 5 BIO-E fir 1d6 + 1/2 P.S.)!

Also, bite attacks now do 1/2 Physical Strength damage instead of no P.S. damage regardless of Size Level , P.S., or differing types of Strength (Brute, Crushing, etc.). I don't agree that a chihuahua's bite (say, d4?) has a chance to outdo that of an alligator's (2d6?) in damage done if the dice roll that way? I feel P.S. should play a part.

Also, I think it's nonsense that Ninjitsu-trained martial artists never receive Knock-out from Behind. I am changing this so they do receive it and at 1st Level.

Silanon In my game, Mutant Animals have the same lifespan of humans. Yes, your characters should be in it for a good long while. Well, that is, unless you become an adventurer or would-be hero or those things you see in movies and comic books. Then hey! You might live forever like they do! Ha ha! =)

Psychie Sherwood Oh! One more thing. I'm taking a page out of your book(s). If you receive the same Skill from more than once source, then your characters receive a +5% bonus to it (no change to Weapon Proficiencies).

Just a note here. I'm seeing folks taking some kind of Leaping in their BIO-E powers. That might be useful if the entire team has access to that. Don't want to leave anyone behind.
EDIT: Except some of your animal types cannot take Leaping. Not even Leaping: Standard. Hmm...
EDIT again: Aaaah, rackelfratz. =) I could be talked into giving it to a Fox, but an Elephant? That's too much! Heh! Oh well! =)

 

[Silanon]

Silanon In my game, Mutant Animals have the same lifespan of humans. Yes, your characters should be in it for a good long while. Well, that is, unless you become an adventurer or would-be hero or those things you see in movies and comic books. Then hey! You might live forever like they do! Ha ha! =)

And from how I read this, they also know that they live as long as humans, right?

Also, bite attacks now do 1/2 Physical Strength damage instead of no P.S. damage regardless of Size Level , P.S., or differing types of Strength (Brute, Crushing, etc.). I don't agree that a chihuahua's bite (say, d4?) has a chance to outdo that of an alligator's (2d6?) in damage done if the dice roll that way? I feel P.S. should play a part.

Does that have any influence on break attacks as well? I'm not familiar with the nuances there.

 

[Kaerri]

Looks like 2nd draft it is! (The only change was making that very first page more vertical and less horizontal, splitting up terms of information instead of putting them into small groups of 3 or 4 terms in 1 line). =)


Well, perhaps in the Real World, but this is my game! I say we play as long as we want with characters that fit the bill. They're mutants after all - they live as long as we want to play them! In the case of animals, sure, 10 years is quite a while - animals are definitely adults by that age. Or are they?

If we want, we can say that each person in your family-team (hope we come up with a cool team name at some point) was captured at a very young age. Perhaps between years 2-4. Then they were turned into mutants, rescued by the Savior, and then trained from then on for the next 10 years in a new life that largely replaced the old.

In the end, no character is going to get old and die in this game, but it's important to decide what kind of life they had (if any!) prior to their transformation and rescue and life with the Savior. And then the game begins when the Savior is no longer in the picture and the family-team leaves for San Francisco!

At least, that's what I've got in my head. The best games are made with multiple heads! So what does everyone think of that?

I like this. We can toss hints from player to player, too ("Your character would probably know this about mine") for things that come up during gameplay but hadn't been specifically discussed beforehand.

Kaerri I think it's nonsense that canines and vulpines receive no bite attack. Enjoy a free 1d4 + 1/2 Physical Strength bite attack (or pay the 5 BIO-E fir 1d6 + 1/2 P.S.)!

Also, bite attacks now do 1/2 Physical Strength damage instead of no P.S. damage regardless of Size Level , P.S., or differing types of Strength (Brute, Crushing, etc.). I don't agree that a chihuahua's bite (say, d4?) has a chance to outdo that of an alligator's (2d6?) in damage done if the dice roll that way? I feel P.S. should play a part.

Also, I think it's nonsense that Ninjitsu-trained martial artists never receive Knock-out from Behind. I am changing this so they do receive it and at 1st Level.

EDIT again: Aaaah, rackelfratz. =) I could be talked into giving it to a Fox, but an Elephant? That's too much! Heh! Oh well! =)

Bonus fox gif for the lols

(I cannot imagine how that could be real, but also I cannot imagine how it would be both low-quality pixels and high-quality motion physics at the same time, if not!)

 

[Kaerri]

EDIT again: Aaaah, rackelfratz. =) I could be talked into giving it to a Fox, but an Elephant? That's too much! Heh! Oh well! =)

Sorry, Sherwood! I tried to find evidence for, but reputable sources only provided evidence against. But then, maybe the rest of the group will be using Leaping to reach places that Moyo can just stretch his hand (or trunk) up to?

Smithsonian Magazine: Ask Smithsonian: Can Elephants Jump?
Apologies for the popup and video ads -- I'm not even sure where they are on the page, I had to turn off my ad-blocker to get the page to load and suddenly there was loud noise and no video playing. I recommend muting the page (to do that in Chrome, right-click on its tab at the top and there should be an option for it) and then unmuting when the video loads. But the video itself is fun enough I'm sharing despite the loud, intrusive ads.

PBS Nature:


National Geographic: Also has some other fun elephant facts.


Bonus video for cuteness! A news clip about two baby elephants born in the same zoo at about the same time, 15 years ago. ("Bouncing" in this case is figurative.)

 

[Sherwood]

I would be surprised to learn that elephants can jump, so no worries that there wasn't any evidence to the contrary. Thank you for looking, Kaerri .

 

[Purr]

And from how I read this, they also know that they live as long as humans, right?

Silanon Your team? They probably understand that they definitely ought to. It isn't like you guys and gals have a community to call upon for data - you have nothing of the sort. You are, however, armed with the science and "magic" that highly suggests it!

The science comes from the facility you were all rescued from. The Savior is no scientist, but the Savior has friends among the yokai. The Khan family and Inari's foxes were both involved in your rescue (again, thanks to the Savior letting them in on the discovery that is your team). They can say for certain that yokai live as long as humans or more if they take excellent care of themselves and don't pick up many of the bad health habits that modern (198X) humans follow (do I really need to list them? Right?).

And now we come full circle with the introduction of your family member, Toby the Corgi (yes! He won first place!). He is your doctor, your veterinarian, your scientist of the spirit - and he was trained by someone the Savior trusted and they all came to the same conclusion as the Khan family and Inari's foxes - live long and prosper (barring any bad luck or bad habits and keep with a good attitude and good habits!). Toby, by the way, being naturally positive and energetic, is expected to live quite some time!

How about your characters? =)

Does that have any influence on break attacks as well? I'm not familiar with the nuances there.

Autocorrect strikes again and it's cool! "Break Attack!" If your character successfully Strikes three times in a row, they power up for a Break Attack! The next attack, if successful, causes +5 damage and sends a normal baddie flying! Hiyaaa! =)

Er, yeah, uh, beak attacks? Yes, a parakeet's beak attack should not have the same power as, say, the peck of a raven! Yowch! Thanks for bringing that up, Sil! I thought about it last night but I likely became distracted and to went to sleep without typing about it! =)

I like this. We can toss hints from player to player, too ("Your character would probably know this about mine") for things that come up during gameplay but hadn't been specifically discussed beforehand.

Yes, yes, yes! How else does a family get to know each other except through interaction?

Bonus video for cuteness! A news clip about two baby elephants born in the same zoo at about the same time, 15 years ago. ("Bouncing" in this case is figurative.)

Oh my gosh, talk about cute! It's a baby Moyooo! Aaaah! =)

Thank you for looking, Kaerri .

Yes! Thanks, you! =)

 

[Purr]

That moment when your Corgi NPC will not - for the life of you - tell you which martial art he wants to pick!

1. Chinese Dog Boxing Kung Fu (highly acrobatic, silly, unorthodox, would be terrific for parkour-like scenes, but no weapon proficiencies and he likes those).

2. Moo Gi Gong (Korean weapon-based system - you get ALL of the Ancient W.P.s including improvised weapons, but it's really lacking unless you have a weapon. He likes the lore behind weapons too).

3. Ninjitusu! (Because it's the 1980s and ninjas are cooool! Unarmed, armed, lots of skills, and best of all - who would ever think that happy-faced doctor/scientist is really a Teenage Mutant Ninja Corgi?! Aaaaah!)

 

[Silanon]

There's also HtH:Basic for those who fear nothing!

 

[Silanon]

How about your characters? =)

Well, I'm planning to get into situations that lower the life expectancy quite a bit - gotta change the world, right? If she finds the spark to get her going, that is.

 

[Purr]

Well, I'm planning to get into situations that lower the life expectancy quite a bit - gotta change the world, right? If she finds the spark to get her going, that is.

She just might!

She have a name yet or did you thrown one and I missed it with my head in the clouds? =)

 

[Silanon]

Not an official one - name in progress is Glut - which ain't really a name but the German word for embers. If I don't find anything that I like better, it might just stick...

 

[Purr]

Not an official one - name in progress is Glut - which ain't really a name but the German word for embers. If I don't find anything that I like better, it might just stick...

Huh! In English, Oxford says it means, "an excessively abundant supply of something." Huh!

 

[Kaerri]

Indeed, in English it's from (probably) the same Latin root word as "glutton"...which doesn't seem to describe your character at all, based on what you've shared so far. If you go with Glut for a name, eventually I'll be able to disassociate the German word from the English ones, but it could take a while.

 

[Silanon]

I'd better not take that risk - one more reason to find a fancy name it is!

 

[Purr]

I'd better not take that risk - one more reason to find a fancy name it is!

Could we help? I mean... what kind of name are you looking for? Something dark but not evil? Something adventurous? Something bird-like?

 

[Kaerri]

I like to go to behindthename.com and search within an appropriate language, sometimes for an appropriate meaning and other times for a name I just like the sound of.

 

[Silanon]

Hard to say - I'm looking for something short, melodic that fits the character. Looked for names that mean darkness, moonlight, ember, and general bird names as well. Two I just noticed on my way home: Ayla (Hebrew, Turkish - with the moonlight) and Merel (Dutch - blackbird).