I know it's been scoffed at over here because of how it's turned into the latest RPG.net Darling, but did anyone over here pre-order Steve Kenson's ICONS?

I did, and I know Tim Kirk did, (and I THINK I saw BASHMAN posting like he did) but we're both pretty hardcore Supers geeks (I mean, I write comics and he designs Supers RPGs...and neither of us make squat doing it...that's pretty geeky)...

It's pretty cool.  Not the "cure for cancer" or anything, mind you.  Seems like a fun, goofy pick-up game (longest part of character generation is picking Aspects, and you can choose to just start with two and define the rest in play) that is heavily based off of Marvel FASERIP, with a few hints of Marvel SAGA in there, plus FATE-style Aspects.  Of the Supers RPGs I have purchased lately, it excites me more than Supers, but less than BASH Ultimate Edition.

I feel like my random ICONS characters are more coherent than my old random FASERIP characters, but that could be less to do with the game and more to do with being 16 years older or so.

I like it so far. It's quite simple, and yes I pre-ordered it. Despite being "inspired by Fate" its more straightforward and traditional in many ways than many actual Fate descendants.

I feel its about as random as MSH (from which it stole Bonus Powers, and of course the long lineage of Power Stunts.)

I'm somewhat perturbed that they stole the Sisterhood from me. (Sort of..) Yet, I guess that's the way of superhero games--lots of similarities.

It's not the game's fault that rpg.net overdo their adulation (before even playing it). Though I do think that response harms it when it's at the level concerned.

I didn't preorder it, but then i don't preorder games. Will this be the greatest shrpg? Who knows. Golden heroes still has yet to be beat in so many many ways. Will it be better than M&M, probably because that game is too complicated for me. Will it be better than Wild Talents, don't know i'd like to buy WT but i can't afford it.

But my concern is that it's another in the timeless list of shrpg's. That's fine, but what happens when the next rpg.net darling comes along using the darling system of the day. How fickle people can be. I mean, we can't possibly run every shrpg going (unless you're a professional reviewer perhaps).

So yes, i'm interested in how it works (is it really that different from spirit of the century which is, essentially, the same thing as far as i can tell - a fate based superpowers game). But i'm not sure i'm in the market for it. Certainly not before i ever get to read Wild Talents.

Quote from: Ghost Whistler;381604It's not the game's fault that rpg.net overdo their adulation (before even playing it). Though I do think that response harms it when it's at the level concerned.

I didn't preorder it, but then i don't preorder games. Will this be the greatest shrpg? Who knows. Golden heroes still has yet to be beat in so many many ways. Will it be better than M&M, probably because that game is too complicated for me. Will it be better than Wild Talents, don't know i'd like to buy WT but i can't afford it.

But my concern is that it's another in the timeless list of shrpg's. That's fine, but what happens when the next rpg.net darling comes along using the darling system of the day. How fickle people can be. I mean, we can't possibly run every shrpg going (unless you're a professional reviewer perhaps).

So yes, i'm interested in how it works (is it really that different from spirit of the century which is, essentially, the same thing as far as i can tell - a fate based superpowers game). But i'm not sure i'm in the market for it. Certainly not before i ever get to read Wild Talents.

I pre-ordered it, but barely paid attention to the RPG.net stuff...I bought it mostly on the strength of Adamant Entertainment's other works (particularly Thrilling Tales), Steve Kenson's involvement and the fact that I could tell it's lighter than Mutants & Masterminds.

Incidentally, in the foreword, Kenson explains his reasoning behind making the game as "I thought it would be fun", basically.  After the awesome adventure generator in Thrilling Tales, and the hints of one like it in ICONS, I was *really* let down by that...and the GMing section just doesn't hold up to the GMing advice/campaign level information/sheer number of options present in BASH:UE.

I'm not regretting the purchase, because I had the money and I like supers RPGs, but I'm sure I will spend *way* more time making random characters then I will using the game.

OH, re: Spirit of the Century.

It doesn't have the "skill ladder" or whatever it was called...and Aspects are limited entirely to characters and not to scenes.

It is REALLY more of a simplified FASERIP (stats are simplified to a 1-10 scale instead of 1 to, well, infinity) than a Spirit of the Century supers game, as far as I can tell.

Quote from: Ghost Whistler;381604So yes, i'm interested in how it works (is it really that different from spirit of the century which is, essentially, the same thing as far as i can tell - a fate based superpowers game). But i'm not sure i'm in the market for it. Certainly not before i ever get to read Wild Talents.

It is really different than SOTC--which is more pulp heroes, and a bit more crunchy than Icons. Icons has no Skill Ladder, no stress tracks, no potentially  huge lists of of aspects. Just a few key things. It also has attributes which most FATE3 games don't have per se.

Is it good? Yes. Is it brilliant? I can't say. I think its a bit more traditional than most Fate things, which is good and bad. I like it well enough.

Quote from: Ghost Whistler;381604Will it be better than Wild Talents, don't know i'd like to buy WT but i can't afford it.

But i'm not sure i'm in the market for it. Certainly not before i ever get to read Wild Talents.

Are you aware of the "rules only" version of WT?

Quote from: Tommy Brownell;381576It's pretty cool.  Not the "cure for cancer" or anything, mind you.  

Now that would give the hobby the mainstream appeal some people want.

Quote from: Tommy Brownell;381576Seems like a fun, goofy pick-up game (longest part of character generation is picking Aspects, and you can choose to just start with two and define the rest in play) that is heavily based off of Marvel FASERIP, with a few hints of Marvel SAGA in there, plus FATE-style Aspects.  Of the Supers RPGs I have purchased lately, it excites me more than Supers, but less than BASH Ultimate Edition.

Very intriguing. I am somewhat familiar with FASERIP (played a couple of times back in the day, and recently acquired a copy), and I've never played SAGA, but on this other thread it was highly praised by some.

As for FATE, the jury's still out (I've only run one session, and I'd like to run a few more before passing judgement on the system), but I suppose supers is probably the best genre for it. Though from what you've posted later, looks like all it's taken from FATE is a fairly simplified implementation of Aspcets, and little more.

Quote from: Ghost Whistler;381604I didn't preorder it, but then i don't preorder games.

That makes two of us. Septimus, anyone? Eoris?

Quote from: Ghost Whistler;381604Will it be better than Wild Talents, don't know i'd like to buy WT but i can't afford it.

WT Essential Edition is $10 and has all the crunch you need (little or no fluff), and it seems to be available via IPR but not Amazon. I'd like to pick up the full-blown WT 2e just for Ken Hite's setting creation chapter, but at $50 (or even $32 from Amazon) I'm not sure I can afford the luxury, either.

EDIT: Scooped by Dubya, right above.

Anyway, I've recently borrowed a friend's WTEE and it's a good, solid system. Character creation is not at all complicated, as far as point-buy goes, and feels a lot like the simpler implementations of Storyteller (i.e. NOT like Aberrant, or Exalted, or Scion). Archetypes and Meta-Qualities don't strike me as indispensable, but may come in handy in four-color games with lots of "meta-powers" (power duplication, power negation etc.) going on, and I actually like tinkering with them and creating new ones. And power creation, of course, is where the game shines.

Mind you, I am NOT a gearhead, and the words "character build" make me cringe. Hell, maybe it's all the medication (I've just had dental surgery). But I'm enjoying character and power creation (the "Miracle Cafeteria" is great help) far more than I expected. Of course, it takes a lot of player-GM trust (or just a strong GM present at character creation), but we're fine with it. Besides, I have yet to see how it fares in actual play (I am still worried about the relativbely frequent complaints of grittiness/lethality).

Quote from: Steve Dubya;381618Are you aware of the "rules only" version of WT?

Yes, but it's not in the shops and I don't do pdf's nor can I afford postage fees.

I pre-ordered this one because I'm also a major supers geek.

Quote from: Kinetic;381679I pre-ordered this one because I'm also a major supers geek.

Ah-ha!

Any thoughts thus far?

Quote from: Kinetic;381679I pre-ordered this one because I'm also a major supers geek.

Yay!

I thought I'd share the first PC I rolled up. Naming suggestion from Tommy has stuck so far. (It's pretty Silver Age..though)

Name: Commander Cranium

Epitaph: Master of the Unassailable Mind

Identity: Former Military Officer

Motivation: Defending the Innocent


Challenge: Enemy (Left Blank for GM.)

Prowess: 5
Coordination: 5
Strength: 5
Intellect: 6
Awareness: 5
Willpower: 10

Powers:
Telepathy 6
Telekinesis 6
Esp 5

Specialties: Leadership, Military

Determination: 2 Stamina: 15

Background: Commander Cranium was once Commander John Kincaid, a military officer of some note who'd been moving swiftly up the ranks due to his tactical mind and skilled leadership. When some of his men went MIA, and he was frustrated with the official investigation he went on leave due to "mental stress."

Shortly thereafter he found himself in a small "unnamed" country tracking down the war criminal who may have been behind the disappearance and possible deaths of his soldiers.

Assailing the compound where he believed they were being kept, he was shot, captured, and locked in a cell. Everyday they would come and torture him, laughing at his pain and his weakening demands to see his men. Drugged he was moved cells to avoid him being discovered by some U.N inspectors. There he was thrown into a dirty 5x5 room with a withered old man who refused to speak, eat, or otherwise interact with the guards. Little by little the old man nursed Commander Kincaid to health, between the rounds of mental and physical torture. The man who gave his name only as Shirav. Each night as the guards left them alone the old man would whisper, ever so softly to Kincaid. At first he could not understand. Then each night as he struggled for strength and to hear, the man's words became clearer. The words were kind, assurances that his men would be well. that they were nearby. He must refuse to break a little longer. Keep fighting. For he was the only one who could rescue them.

One day he was returned to his cell and found the old man meditating. Angrily the guards struck the old man down with the rifle and spat on him. The old man reassured him. He was alright. He must be strong and not give into anger. Only through perseverance would free him Determined Kincaid rose onto his unsteady feet and fixed the guard with a stare that could shake mountains. The man was held unmoving, unable to strike Shirav. Something had snapped inside Kincaid. His mind was free.

Helping up Shirav, the guard yelled for aid, but they could not stop him as he tossed them aside like litter and smashed his way through walls with his mind, all the while carrying out this tiny, frail, old man.

Finding the warlord, he demanded his men. Frightened at the fierce glowing eyes and shifting room around him as he was held aloft and spun like a top. He stammered they were not there! Yet Kincaid knew he lied, and spun him. Telling the warlord that Shirav had told him they were! Terrified, the warlord denied this again--claiming he was mad, that Shirav had no TONGUE to speak. Kincaid laughed then. He knew the truth from the warlords mind. Slamming him into the ground he floated out, smashing everything in his pass. Still cradling Shirav.

His men he found, delirious, ill. He freed them and floated them into a vehicle which he then moved by will alone.

Arriving at the nearest friendly base. He collapsed at last. Safe. The last thing he heard before darkness claimed him was Shirav's voice. "You are at last..free"

The military had many questions for him, but the top brass demanded much of his time for weeks. He didn't see Shirav again. Unwilling to utilize his powers entirely in the service of military agendas and for political gain, he retired, and turned into being a superhero. Only a few top brass know the whole story, and know Commander Cranium's secret identity, and they do occasionally call on him when the need is great enough. Knowing full well he will serve the best interests of his ideals.

Quote from: Tommy Brownell;381708Ah-ha!

Any thoughts thus far?

Had no time to go through it yet. Monday is one of my game nights, so I got home late, spent some time with the girlfriend and then went to bed kinda early.  Tonight, however, I will be venturing into the long forgotten realm of random character generation.

And I couldn't be happier

Quote from: Kinetic;381728Had no time to go through it yet. Monday is one of my game nights, so I got home late, spent some time with the girlfriend and then went to bed kinda early.  Tonight, however, I will be venturing into the long forgotten realm of random character generation.

And I couldn't be happier

I've made nine freaking characters since last night...=P

Four heroes, four villains and an undiscriminating angel of death.

Quote from: Tommy Brownell;381741I've made nine freaking characters since last night...=P

Four heroes, four villains and an undiscriminating angel of death.

By all means, Mr. Brownell, do share.