Instructions (OOC)

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

The basic structure of the game is simple: Each team starts out in their own zone, each zone starts out with that team's flag in it, and play continues until EITHER all four flags have been collected in one zone (that zone's team wins) OR all teams have been eliminated from play (draw).

There are four teams (Red, Green, Blue, Yellow). Four captains are selected randomly (OOC we're picking them, but IC it's random) and they select their teams, one at a time. (The number of players will be a multiple of 4; we'll round out with NPCs)

Sadly, somebody made the mistake of letting Hank program this thing, it got a little... um... overelaborated. Additional refinements:

• There's a fifth "neutral" zone that belongs to nobody.
  The field is laid out like a cross, with each player zone at one point and the neutral zone in the center. You have to cross the neutral zone to get from one player zone to another.
  The zones are sealed off by automatic doors. You can open them by pressing a button, but they take five seconds to open. Also, each zone is about the size of a football field.
  The point of this is to lessen the advantage of really fast students somewhat; it takes time to get into and out of zones. Please RP accordingly, especially fast folks like Toby, Warren, Rogue, etc.
  
  
• Each zone has holographic traps, enemies, obstacles, etc., like in most Danger Room simulations.
  Your team's zone is harmless to your own team.
  If you're "killed" or otherwise neutralized by a DR element, you are eliminated from play. (If you're carrying a flag when that happens it falls to the ground at your feet.) You're free to continue RPing your character reacting to that, but your character isn't allowed to do anything in-game.
  
  
• The team's zones are "themed" as follows:
  • Red - Cartoons
    
  • Green - Sci-Fi (Star Wars)
    
  • Blue - Fantasy
    
  • Yellow - Horror
    
  
  The first post in each zone will include a general setting description, but we're counting on the players to have fun describing their interactions with the environment and to make stuff up as you go along.
  In other words, this is not a GM-controlled thread... you have to make up stuff yourself. Make up whatever you like that's in-theme... attacks by blaster-wielding aliens or zombies or orcs, buckets of paint you can paint tunnels through brick walls with, etc. Have fun with this!
  If you're stuck for ideas, feel free to post on this OOC board for suggestions.
  
  
• The middle zone is full of generic deathtraps.
  In addition, it's a "no-power" zone... while you're there, you can't use your powers. (They still work, it's just against the rules.)
  
  
• It's permitted to act directly against other players, including using your powers on them outside the middle zone. You can't directly take them out of play that way, though . For example, Josh can't "kill" another player with his TK, but he can TK-throw them in the path of an onrushing train.
  
  
• Each flag is hidden somewhere in the zone; to find it requires some searching around and interaction with the area. As with threats and such, make these up yourself to a large degree - the flag itself is indicated in each area, but there are a multitude of ways to acquire each one.
  
  

Please allow the pregame thread to be mostly wrapped up before proceeding to the main game.

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

Current Lineup
Josh
Ororo
Bobby
Warren
Pyro
Rogue
Nikkolas
Tatiana
Toni
Matt
Jake
Laurie
Danny
Toby

These 14 players will comprise the game. I'd like there to be even teams, so two NPCs from the Institute will also be available, and can be g-modded at will by their team members.

These NPCs will most likely be Wolverine and Alice (Zip), unless there are any objections or better ideas.

[Laurie Collins]

Question: will Laurie's pheromones work on in-game critters or just other players? As in, could she- if she can calm herself down enough with something comparable to team sports going on around her- say convince the zombies that they really, really want to do the macerena? Completely random not-happening example obviously (or is it really my secret strategy?!) but you get the point.

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

Laurie's pheromones would work on in-game characters... as long as they have the proper chemical receptors. For example, holographic troopers would be no match for her. Animals and zombies (for obvious undead reasons) might be sketchier territory. Either you can do the research on exactly how her pheromones interact chemically with others... or just decide for yourself whether you want her effects to work across species. Your choice! :) I'm pretty sure you're not exactly a science person, if I remember correctly, though...

Ditto for psionic-type characters. You, too, can fully interact with the Danger Room's holographic creations through the wonders of holographics animatronics robotics Shi'ar technology stuff.

[Nikkolas Blagetovich]

Well, would Raspy's power work on DR creatures since they aren't real? Would his mind control, 'meld', work with the creatures even though they don't have real emotions? Or is his power basically aimed against the other teams? You may have answered it above, but I always have to ask. ^_^

[Bobby Drake]

(Chorus)
Hank sings:
It's...
Holo-ani-pseudo-sentient-Shi'ar-graph-robotics!
Even though the physics is absurd -- I mean, exotic --
If you poke 'em long enough they're volatilely pyrotic...
Holo-ani-pseudo-sentient-Shi'ar-graph-robotics!
All: hum-diddle-iddle-iddle, hum-diddle-aye; hum-diddle-iddle-iddle, hum-diddle-aye

Warren, spoken, in a bad attempt at a cockney accent:
Because I was a mutant freak
When I was just a lad,
My father gave me wings a tweak
And told me I was bad,
But then one day I found a tech
That singed me achin' wings
With flames from some explodin' wreck
And that's the tech I sings: Oh!

chorus repeats

[Bobby Drake]

Re: Rasputin's and other powers on DR sims

For narrative purposes, I think the best answer is that the DR's holo-ani-pseudo-sentient-Shi'ar-graph-robotics handwaving technology makes simulations behave like the thing they simulate unless it's entertaining for it not to.

Which means that, in effect, telepaths can read holographic minds, Rasputin can mind-control holograms, Laurie can affect holographic emotions, John can control holographic flames, etc. etc. etc.... unless it would be more fun for that not to work in some specific scene, in which case it doesn't (because the sim "wasn't properly programmed").

And vice-versa -- a simulation of a mindless robot or zombie or whatever is immune to telepathy and mindcontrol, unless it would be more fun for it not to be, in which case it isn't (again, this would be a "bug" in the sim).

This makes no real-world sense, of course... but the Danger Room in general doesn't make any sense. Handwave handwave mutant handwave advanced technology handwave interactive quantum holotopography handwave handwave. Just roll with it and move on.

[Laurie Collins]

...*stares at Bob*

Uhm. Anyway.

I have it on expert (Toni) authority that Laurie's pheromones work across the species gap, but I'm going to go with them not working on the zombies.

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

Thank goodness!

I mean, what if Foghorn Leghorn tried to kill you in the Danger Room?

*giggle*

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

A note on posting order.

There isn't any. We can't come up with something that's going to work across the board, because a 14 person order certainly won't... and neither will splitting it up depending on which area you're in.

Basically, post whenever you want, but be considerate of others you're playing with. If you can't post for some time, when you return, it's probably not a bad idea to just assume you fell behind because of a trap, were split up from the others, etc etc.

Finally, I've had the suggestion of Susan Storm (The Invisible Woman) as a substitution for Logan, who may or may not actually be at the Institute. (It takes forever to find yourself in Canada, doesn't it?) Anyone have a preference either way?

[Jake Sheppard]

Query - Sue would have to be on a *no powers* kinda gig, wouldn't she? Unless the retrovirus treatment has been implemented beyond Bobby then she'd be killing herself... either way, she's now either a flatliner or not supposed to use her powers?

((Apologies if that makes no sense... I'm doped up on codeine due to the whole bone-munched left foot thing))

[Bobby Drake]

The basic convention i adopted with cyberBob was that using your powers at their existing "level" (whatever that means) wasn't a problem, but "pushing" them made them more powerful and increased your risk of popping at any moment.

Cuz what's the point of superpowered NPCs who can't actually _use_ their powers?

It's kinda like being able to walk or jog safely, but running breakneck to catch a bus might give you a heart attack. Which is great until someone comes after you with a knife and you have to run breakneck.

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

Yeah, I had the same problem until Wabobnda told me that. Seems plausible in a handwavey fashion for me.

[Warren Worthington III]

So, still remaining to show themselves:
Jake
Josh
Pyro
Rogue
Tatiana
Toby
Warren
Zip (NPC)
Logan or Sue (NPC)

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

Current Lineup
Josh
Ororo
Bobby
Warren
Pyro
Rogue
Nikkolas
Toni
Matt
Jake
Laurie
Danny
Toby
Alice
Sue
Logan

Nikk has just let me know that he's decided to pass on Tatiana playing in the CTF game - after all, she's 11 years old. And could probably get stepped on.

So we'll probably have both Sue and Logan, unless someone can come up with a fun replacement for Logan.

Public Service Message: The Administration Team here at 100m has nothing against Wolverine. Promise! *chortle*

(( updated 5/25 ))