Originally published at Where is my Power Ring?. Please leave any comments there.
Initial Thoughts:
The baseline game starts with the creation of a single archetypeal character and follows them through fice ‘ages’ of comic books. Inspired by the creative works of earlier eras, this one character in turn inspires other characters as time goes by. Mechanics draw on random tables, the dice on the drawing style of How to Host a Dungeon, and on the Hard Boiled Cultures approach to quasi-randomized cultural differences. In all cases, the player is encouraged to adjust (liberally if desired) results to meet their tastes. Characters that capture the imagination of the populace (including explicitly the Core Character) gain aspects as they move through the ages.
Aspects can be power-related, relationship-related (including recurring Villains), home-base related, secret-identity-related(?).
The Pulp Age: Inspiration
Most of the ‘first wave’ Golden Age heroes can find their roots in the heroes of the past: the pulps, myth and legend, the works of Arthur Conan Doyle and Edgar Rice Burroughs. A random table is provided to identify the inspiration for the Core Character for this game. This inspiration forms the basis of the Core Character’s first Aspect.
The name of Golden Age heroes did not necessarially link to thier powers in any direct way. A random table is provided to identify the name of the Core Character.
The Core Character’s name gets written in a circle in the middle of the Character Map. His first Aspect is written on the Aspect Record.
The Golden Age: Explosion
Following the introduction of the Core Character, there is an explosion of copy-cats. Naturally, not all of them survive beyond thier introduction, much less to show up again in later ages. Play during the Golden Age focuses on only those characters that ’stuck’.
A random table or set of rules determines what happens each year - a new character emerges, a kid wonder emerges, a character captures the attention of the populace and becomes Major, or eventually the age ends.
New characters are given an age-appropriate name, duplicate an existing character (the one closest to where the die falls on the Character Map) with random deviation(s), and are placed on the map.
Kid Wonders merely get an age-appropriate map and are added to the Aspect Record - they don’t get the chance to be ‘true characters’ until a later age.
A random table determines what causes the end of the age.
The Silver Age: Revival
A new Character Map is started with only the Core Character transferred.
Possible activities - new character introduced based on name or concept of Golden Age character with deviations, new character introduced based on Silver Age character map, team is introduced, a character captures the attention of the populace and becomes Major, or eventually the age ends. Also introduction of Universe Aspects.
Any Major (or Core) Character transferred from the Golden Age adds an Aspect.
The Copper Age: Relevancy
As Silver Age, but add ‘Relevant event occurs to existing character’ (including character death) and the introduction of non-Super or borderline-Super characters (particularly Horror-inspired) to possible activities. Also Sidekick grows up and aspect loss (temporary).
Age Ending Events expand involve Crises and Hero Wars.
The Bronze Age: Grimmer and Grittier
As Copper Age, but new characters have a chance to be anti-heroes. Shift from ‘relevant events’ to ‘grim and gritty events’. Speculation Events.
Age Ending Events can include Collectables Glut.
The Silicon Age: Licensing and Merchandising
As Copper Age, but include movie, video game and other franchising events. Golden Age characters introduced during the Silicon Age are often the originals and not dopplegangers as in other ages.
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