Transformers: Steel Reign

[Cynical Cat]

and having a survivability rating around Wazpinator's,

Meh. Whatever.

Funny. I recall a massive amount of armour as well as the ability to form a gestalt. Did they get left off the list because that would make sniping at me more difficult?

[SirNitram]

The armour is not noted because despite it, I still have Wazpinators tendency to die.

The Gestalt wasn't mentioned because it was not intended to be a comprehensive list; a mere pointing out that I have in fact taken far more dire penalties than 'Low maneuverability' for alot less.

[Cynical Cat]

The armour is not noted because despite it, I still have Wazpinators tendency to die.

The Gestalt wasn't mentioned because it was not intended to be a comprehensive list; a mere pointing out that I have in fact taken far more dire penalties than 'Low maneuverability' for alot less.

Low maneuverability wasn't the only penalty I took either and you mentioned "no special powers" remember? And heavy armour means you don't have Wazpinators tendency to die, it means the GM keeps blowing up Shockwave at point blank range.

[rhoenix]

Since you helped me calm down in your own charming way a few days ago Cyncat, I'll return the favor now.

Deathstrike's super-cyber-intuition/logic regarding Reaper was a bit much. Talk to DS about editing your last post so you don't suddenly fall from a makeshift grenade after all that, and move on.

[Cynical Cat]

Deathstrike's super-cyber-intuition/logic regarding Reaper was a bit much. Talk to DS about editing your last post so you don't suddenly fall from a makeshift grenade after all that, and move on.

Perhaps it was. I obviously feel differently. My departure stands.

[Dark Silver]

Your decision.

My decision is thus: Deathstrike won't be killed - nor will he be rebuilt/given a new protoform.

His laser core and personality modules will be placed in extended suspension pending his "rescue" - to be installed in a new body at a later date.



At this point, there will be changes in how things play out, beyond the aforementioned "Track everyone everywhere" bit from before. The following are effective IMMEDIATLY, I don't care who you are. This is to better balance the game.


1) An initiative system is now set in place. Especially in the form of actions - if there are actions being taken, especially towards a NPC, you wait for a reply post. If there is combat, or your tracking a NPC, you WAIT FOR THE GM! Don't assume you can do as you want, and the GM will simply take it. At the very least, TALK TO ME if you want to off a NPC (most of the "faceless masses" in combat you can feel free to gut in big scenes, primary cast especially from the show and certain NPC's, don't expect to off so fucking easily. Those where the elites of the Autobots and Decepticons, not your average joebots).


2) Combat - If you bring up the Shuttle Scene from the movie as a reason behind one and two hit kills, you won't win. That scene was done because of changes to the toy line, otherwise TF's are pretty god damn resilient (case in point, later in that movie, Ultra Magnus literally got his ass blown apart by four Sweeps and "Armada" shooting him. Yet he was put back together and polished up by the Junkions without being worse for wear). They can take alot of punishment, and it takes very exacting shots, or positively overwhelming damage to make a permanant kill.

Deal with the fact that you will not be killing all the time, that infact, some opponents (of the Transformer variety anyway) will infact, be able to escape, or even return from what you thought was dead. Even direct missile hits will not result in immediate death or severe damage. We've seen Autobots and Decepticons both take missile hits, and still remain combat capable after. Missiles are still your best damage dealers, but their also not going to primary arsenal for even fliers. Fuck, unless specifically designed to have assloads of missiles, your not going to have a huge supply of them either. Dedicated missile users, or ones much like Skyshadow was (before Marcao disappeared) pretty much are the only ones who should have a fuckload of missiles. Normal flyers should have a definate maximum (usually no more than ten missiles) in their racks, while ground pounders, unless fitted with it, shouldn't even have missiles in bot mode (even then, it shouldn't be more than 2 missiles in bot mode without reloading).

You are not gods gift to accuracy. Not every one of your shots will always be dead on. This applies more so if you can't even see the target, and are only going off indistinct signs (a thermal blob, for instance, is hardly enough to allow you to make exacting shots). Transformers and humans do not just stand still to be shot at, so your shots won't always hit their mark. Stationary objects, are different. And some of your opponents are just more manuverable than you.

Your weapons aren't being anymore nerfed than the NPC's. The only time you see a NPC getting "one shot" kills will be when the NPC is against another NPC, for drama sake, and even then, it'll always be on a no named NPC. And even then, it may not be a one shot, much like the NPC Reaper named Diax, all he did was shoot him with a electron scrambler to make it easier to use his melee weapon to "finish the job". I just left out the part where he hacked the poor bot to pieces.




3) Direct "wireless" access to TELETRAN-1 is hereby shut off. You want to pull heaps of data off of TELETRAN, find a fucking computer console. Anything more complex than a report which can be given over a normal comm channel, expect to no longer get it. This means no more holographic maps projected into your brain in real time, no more streaming data, etc etc. If you want the maps, get a console, and download the information through a physical link up like every other bot does.

I'll still let you do limited linkups, like if you want to use TELETRAN to enhance your sensor range within the Ark (like Breakout did during the search for Reaper) but it won't be a full feed. The feed will be restricted, because basically, your Cybertronian mind couldn't handle the amount of information that TELETRAN could put through and regularly deals with, not without fucking your own cerebral processors up.


4) Communication channels - Comms are handled vocally, or in the case of certain bots, subvocally (like a real low whisper). Private comm channels can be done, but you don't open the comms in your head. Almost all TF's have a external comm to them (the only ones who don't have restricted functions in their communicators anyway).

Ex. Optimus Prime has two communitors built onto him - one activated by touching his left right shoulder insignia (it "flashes" briefly when activated and he's receiving), and a set built into his arms/wrists that flip for visual communications. Each time he uses them, he absolutely has to vocalize what he wants to say.

There are no perfectly silent communication channels anymore.



5) This has been a huge pet peeve lately.... Travel Time. It takes time for you to move from point a to point b. if your outside the Ark, and random NPC is in the forward sections of the Ark, you can't just jump with no delay from point a to point b, and find them in the exact position they were in. Allow for travel time in your post. In the last section, I've seen posts that made Blurr look slow in the way the PC's where moving. they went from Entrance of the Ark to the nosecone sections faster than shit, without running into anyone else.

Also, the Ark is not made out of paper. It is made of out fucking metal. Sounds from outside or within rooms aren't going to be heard more than a few meters out. You won't hear gunfire from outside the Ark if your out in the med bays, or near the C&C, or anything like that. Not everything in the Ark is next to the front door (actually...most everything in the Ark isn't anywhere close to that ramp and hallway. This doesn't of course, include the bunkers and buildings located outside the Ark itself.).


5) Sensors.......

Yeah, unless your a specifically designed bot, your sensors (especially visual) are limited to normal ranges. If you can't see it, you can't detect it. In other words, your sensors can't pick up an approaching Autobot if you can't hear him, or don't actually see him.

The only two PC's currently able to pick up things BVR, is Crimson (and this is limited to actually tracking for mineral deposits) and Shellshock (who was designed for a OtH sensor suite for his missile launches), and even they are limited in what they can pick up (Shellshock, for example, can lock onto approaching targets, but won't visually see who they are) Energy readings from the sensor will let him know if their Autobot or Decepticon though. This ability is curtailed indoors, and he actually has to have it active for it to work).






For now, that's it. If you have suggestions or comments, feel free to make them. If you think anything else should be balanced to make it more fair, please make not of it here, and I'll review it.

[Charon]

I feel I cannot stress one point enough.


TALK TO THE GM, AND TRUST THE GM. If you have come up with a plan that involves a named NPC and might be questionable, bounce the idea off of him, see what you can work out, and go from there. If you want the GM to give some on his position you're sure as hell gonna have to give some on your position as well

[Cynical Cat]

No wireless to TELETRAN-1? Total bullshit. The might Transformers can't even radio their hyper computer which has satellite links and whatnot?

No coms without speaking aloud? Talk about absolutely shitty design work.

Reaper wasn't an IR blob. He was located, at close range, in fucking corridor. Easy fucking target.

Don't have players call hits on themselves. I'm not playing anymore, but calling misses when you should be taking hits is worse than anything I've been accused of. If Dark Silver is calling the hits, he needs to call all of them, the ones on player's included. Otherwise, its just a weak half measure.

Two hit kills? Not a lot of those, but there are a lot of two hit (or one hit from the null ray or so on) drops starting from the first episodes. Really depends on what you're using, of course. Bumblebee's not exactly going to get a two hit drop on anything bigger than Laserbeak, but Megs or Prime can but down just about anything with very few shots. I don't recall asking for more than cripples with multiple shots/prolonged beam slicing.

And I stand on principle in saying that NPCs are not a priviledged class. The GM is privileged, not NPCs. If a NPC can one post, one shot kill with GMs permission, so can a PC.

[Dark Silver]

Notice where I gave permission for PC's to gut the nameless hordes freely without discussing with me (within reason).

most of the "faceless masses" in combat you can feel free to gut in big scenes

I probably should amend that to say feel free gut them within reason (talk to me if your unclear on that).

The Sensors thing I'm open to suggestions.

And ask, and I shall receive......as from Cynical

Broadspectrum hearing and vision. Things like radar as well, because of targeting computers. Beyond that, specialist bots like Crimson being able to find energon and minerals and hiding Decepticon assassins with her gear. Reaper's stealth will still apply, but won't cover him in the open or if he's spotted, but then stealth doesn't work if you've been spotted. It will allow him to sneak around and he will be able to passively detect active measures, so he and say Ravage are still sneaky while not being wank.

Which will work...Sensors are for broad spectrum hearing and vision, but your still limited to Visual Range for anything involving optics (thermal scanning, UV scanning, etc). Radar gives you target pings, which you then confirm with visual sensors, mostly for targetting purposes. Even Radar becomes useless when there's a multitude of stuff obstructing it (like being indoors of a starship, or a base with narrow passageways).



As for the "wireless" stuff, hard secure lines to TELETRAN from a a single bot comes out to be wanking - open a comms channel to TELETRAN is pretty much the same thing, they should be secure frequencies anyway. Just the amount of DATA being relayed is being cut off. Audio updates from TELETRAN to you is fine, but your not going to get the real time raw sensor feed directly from TELETRAN's sensors, because it simply holds to much data for a normal TF to work through quickly enough. They may be hyper advanced war machines, but TELETRAN is even more advanced than they are. You'll have to get filtered, reports beamed along the secure comm channels, and even then, anything beyond, you'd have to access a dedicated terminal uplink.

Some people may argue i'm being unrealistic with some of these restrictions, but I'm also trying to keep true to the GenOne mythos. The recent movie may have had some good ideas, but I don't want to break with the heart of what we enjoyed as youths.

[Dark Silver]

Clarification, since Nitram asked for it.


Anything you can do over a normal comm to another Autobot, you can do to TELETRAN, even relatively small "downloads" over the comm channel (a localized "snapshot" map, data concerning certain weapons, etc) you can do. Don't expect a massive data dump to go either way though.

Unless equipment has been specifically designed for it (utilizing secure satellite linkups [Ex: Prime's Trailer in base mode, certain Autobots with OtH sensor suites, etc]), your not going to be able to get more than can be vocalized or streamed through. No real time data uplink (otherwise Prowl would have done that in the GenOne episode where his battle computer was damaged - contact TELETRAN and let it take over). It's a limitation of the design mechanic of the Autobots, their for the most part, unchanged from manufacture models, while TELETRAN is one of the most advanced peices of tech, and undergoes constant upgrades and updates.

[Cynical Cat]

Unless equipment has been specifically designed for it (utilizing secure satellite linkups [Ex: Prime's Trailer in base mode, certain Autobots with OtH sensor suites, etc]), your not going to be able to get more than can be vocalized or streamed through. No real time data uplink (otherwise Prowl would have done that in the GenOne episode where his battle computer was damaged - contact TELETRAN and let it take over). .

Limited data transfer makes sense, but Jesus fucking Christ did you even think of the episode you were referencing? The one where a human uses a fucking joystick to control his body for the 1st time as an uber elite remote combatant? It was corny when I was a kid watching it, but now the stupid just burns.

[Cynical Cat]

If you want to preserve the G-1 feel, leave out the parts of G-1 that suck or don't really make sense. Starscream's a treacherous bitch, Soundwave can read minds, Ironhide is crusty, and Prime is a noble leader. Bad physics, stupid characterization, and retarded computer science should gently rust on the wayside. That's not the stuff we love about Transformers.

[Dark Silver]

Unless equipment has been specifically designed for it (utilizing secure satellite linkups [Ex: Prime's Trailer in base mode, certain Autobots with OtH sensor suites, etc]), your not going to be able to get more than can be vocalized or streamed through. No real time data uplink (otherwise Prowl would have done that in the GenOne episode where his battle computer was damaged - contact TELETRAN and let it take over). .

Limited data transfer makes sense, but Jesus fucking Christ did you even think of the episode you were referencing? The one where a human uses a fucking joystick to control his body for the 1st time as an uber elite remote combatant? It was corny when I was a kid watching it, but now the stupid just burns.

It was corny, but the fact is, Prowl COULD have contacted TELETRAN to take over those functions IF he could have done so.

Instead of going for TELETRAN, he went for the fucked up over the phone lines thing with the joystick kid. Prowl isn't stupid, if TELETRAN would have been a option, he would have gone for it right away instead of the retarded shit that happens - that GIVES us a limitation (even if it is a soft limitation) on what can be done.

Bad science as it may be, but it's still precident.

Bad physics, stupid characterization, and retarded computer science should gently rust on the wayside. That's not the stuff we love about Transformers.

Thank you for informing me of being guilty of all these things. If I'm not doing a good enough job for others, I expect them to come out and tell me, instead of allowing you to be their spokesperson.

[Cynical Cat]

Stop trying to rationalize stupidity. The scene was in there just to introduce Chip and it was dumb. Move on.

EDIT: Unless you want to set a precedent that even non-tech characters to easily wirelessly long distance hack a computer in seconds.

[rhoenix]

(This is the second version of Blindside, brainstormed after a long conversation with Dark Silver about this very topic. I've included items which were glossed over but not discussed, such as the anti-gravity systems and the aspect lock for the missiles, which I've expounded upon in this writeup. I welcome feedback for this, especially because I'm rather proud of how this turned out.)
(EDIT version 1.01 - I managed to forget including his height, so I included a "vital stats" block as well)
(EDIT version 1.02 - I also managed to forget his coloring)
(EDIT version 1.1 - With input from DS, I clarified the "Stealth" section to only mention the reduced radar profile with no other systems, and removed the "basic running speed" under Vital Stats)
(EDIT version 1.2 - After speaking more with DS, I greatly edited how the anti-grav systems work, reducing them to giving flight in robot form and simply aiding the vernier thrusters for maneuverability in jet mode.I also added entries for thermal & noise bafflers for the regular thrusters, with a small blurb about his paintjob that keeps air friction down)
(EDIT version 1.21 - After a reminder from Agent Fisher, I edited his profile to show that he won't be an immature asshole all the time. Just on Mondays)
(EDIT version 1.3 - After another talk with DS, I've fine-tuned the entries about anti-gravity, the ion blasters, the missiles' "aspect lock" ability, and removed the paintjob blurb)
(EDIT version 1.4 - After speaking with Havoc and DS both about his intended role, I've changed his role to that of "Tactical Aerial Assault" and removed his advanced sensor suite, and his aspect lock capabilities)
(EDIT version 1.41 SEMIFINAL - As a "finishing touches" edit, I cleaned up the entry on his Ion Blasters, and a few other sections as well for clarity, after going over it again with DS)
(EDIT version 1.42 FINAL - Finalized weaknesses, and edited the anti-grav systems)

Name: Firetrack (formerly known as "Blindside")
Allegiance: Autobots
Functions: Tactical Aerial Assault
Quote: "Don't waste the time you have."

Vital Stats:
- Height (robot mode): 9 meters / 29.53 feet
- Maximum speed (robot mode, with anti-gravity engines): 200 mph
- Maximum speed (jet mode, with full thrusters): Mach 2

Profile/History: Originally born as Firetrack, a brash loudmouth of a ground-based racing Autobot. His attitude, general clumsiness, and brashness did not serve to endear him to others. However, one day during a race against Hot Rod, he was captured by Shockwave, and experimented upon - giving him the second alt. form of a wolf. Due to an unknowingly well-timed Autobot attack, he managed to escape, though his fellow Autobots did not recognize him for who he was, or even that he was an Autobot.

Stealing a Decepticon shuttle, he crash-landed on the fourth planet of the Kleitall system, quite a distance from where Cybertron was at the time. There, he met Thundershot, an enigmatic Autobot who taught him the ancient Cybertronian martial art Metallikado. It was then that he changed his name to Blindside.

After many thousands of years of training, he was sent to Earth by Thundershot, where he became reacquainted with other Autobots, and the continuing war. By this time, all his more deplorable personality traits had been shed, leaving him as a thoughtful, contemplative and compassionate Autobot, a far cry from who he once was - even if he did play pranks every once in a while.

During his first major fight with a Decepticon, he was overpowered and nearly killed by the Autobot's own defense autocannons protecting the Ark, as his IFF module had been cut out by this Decepticon, Reaper. He lost slightly less than half of his memories from being so badly damaged, but he did survive.

When his spark core was placed into a waiting protoform, what emerged surprised everyone, including himself later. Having forgotten so much, including that he had changed his name to Blindside, he now calls himself Firetrack once again, but for far more fitting reasons now. He now appears in his robot mode as an even mix of silver and black, with golden eyes. In jet form, he appears as grey and silver, with black trim.

However, having never before been a flyer, and having notoriously bad aim with guns before, he has much to get used to, in addition to trying to recover his fragmented memories. Even so, despite people's initial fears from him taking on what to everyone else was his "old" name, and not one filled with promise, he acts now much as he did as Blindside. Indeed, he's a bit more personable now, and with a better sense of humor.

Alternate Form: Tactical aerial assault / joint-strike fighter. ( Image )
In this form, he is capable of a maximum speed of mach 2, though has a near-silent subsonic cruising speed. With his turbine thrusters fully engaged at speeds of Mach 1 and above, he leaves a short trail of reddish-orange glowing gas in his wake. Though this trail fades into nothingness fairly quickly, it lends credence to his name.

Abilities: His new jet form gives Firetrack amazing maneuverability and agility. He has above average armor and strength for a fighter; though both are reduced somewhat from what he was used to in his incarnation as Blindside, his increased agility and anti-gravity capabilities offset this.

- Anti-Gravity / Flight systems: In robot mode, these systems allow him to fly at a maximum of 200 mph in any direction.
In jet form, however, their true capabilities begin to shine. His anti-gravity engines are much more quiet than regular jets (though not as quiet as his turbine thrusters), and strong enough to give him true VTOL capabilities without the need of a runway.
In his jet mode, he has small, but powerful vernier thrusters mounted in several places along his wings, his nose, vertical stabilizers, canards, as well as strategic places along the top and bottom of his jet form. These allow him his amazing agility when airborne, capable of moving him to face any direction he wishes with short but powerful bursts.
His turbine jets have thrust-vectoring capabilities of a 30 degree angle alteration up or down, and provide the thrust to get him to Mach 2. Thermal and noise bafflers on his main thrusters greatly reduce both the thermal bloom and the noise from his engines to be more unobtrusive than even his anti-gravity systems, allowing him near-silent subsonic flight with a very small thermal signature.

- Radar-Reducing Profile: Though only effective in his alt. mode of his jet, the design and materials of the jet greatly reduces his radar profile. Since his jet turbine engines have both thermal and noise baffles on them, he doesn't give a very large thermal bloom either, whether his anti-gravity generators are active or not. He is however detectable by other means normally.

Weaknesses:
- Never before having been a flyer, Firetrack will be spending some time learning the subtleties of flight, getting used to all the capabilities of his new alt. form, as well as aerial combat.
- His anti-gravity engines also are a curse to him fighting hand-to-hand until he gets used to using them - making his strikes very fast, but with no weight behind them. His current form also moves a bit differently than his old one; even if he isn't consciously aware of the differences, they still affect how he tries to move with the instincts he gained from training with his old form.
- He has notoriously bad aim with his guns. However, all of these things will be eventually alleviated with time and extensive practice, though he knows that time is against him.
- Lastly, his vernier thrusters and his turbine thrusters both draw from the same systems. If he gets too fancy with mid-air acrobatics, that system can overheat, leaving him without both vernier and turbine thrusters for a few moments while that system cools down and re-initializes. While the system reboots, this leaves him particularly vulnerable to attack.

Weapons:
- Primary Weapons: Twin Heavy Ion Blasters - Located on his forearms in robot mode, and on his wing pods in jet mode. Powerful energy weapons in their own right, they are capable of firing twice a second each. They do have different power settings, from soft enough to cause no damage during training, all the way up to burning through armor; however, higher settings have a higher power consumption.

- Secondary Weapons: Missile Banks - Firetrack has two missile firing points, giving him extra versatility; however, only one of them can be used in robot mode. His wing hardpoints allow for 1 long-range missile, 3 medium-range, or 5 short-range missiles each, and can be fired from his jet form only. A small launcher above each air-intake holds four mini-rockets each. These launchers are the only missile launcher systems available in robot mode, and do not hold ordinary missiles; they only carry miniature unguided rockets which fire only along a straight line.

- Hand to Hand Combat: Though he does not remember some of his lessons, Firetrack still is well-trained in the art of Metallikado. However, with his new body, which has very different capabilities, it will be a while before he can move without thought or fight anywhere near as well hand to hand as he did in his previous incarnation as Blindside. He does carry an energon sword with him at all times, however - mostly to offset his lack of the claws he once had.

[LadyTevar]

Not another damn jet!

Why the hell did you go with a JET?!

[Dark Silver]

Stop trying to rationalize stupidity. The scene was in there just to introduce Chip and it was dumb. Move on.

EDIT: Unless you want to set a precedent that even non-tech characters to easily wirelessly long distance hack a computer in seconds.

I was going to argue the point with you....but you know something..it'll be ultimately fruitless to do so.



My deepest apologies for having wasted everyone's time.

[rhoenix]

Not another damn jet!

Why the hell did you go with a JET?!

For a few reasons - he could be a much better scout as a jet, it would add some very interesting character development for him, and because I like jets.

My deepest apologies for having wasted everyone's time.

Hrm? How did you waste everyone's time?

[LadyTevar]

Not another damn jet!

Why the hell did you go with a JET?!

For a few reasons - he could be a much better scout as a jet, it would add some very interesting character development for him, and because I like jets.

Ok... let's think a minute here. Firetrack remmbers being a CAR. Firetrack can't hit the broadside of a shipping container with a targetting sight. Firetrack's a immature hotshot, worse than HotRod.

Why would you make him a plane?!

EDIT:
After a bit of thought, yes, a plane makes sense for him.
Firetrack: You mean I can be a plane? WOOHOOO! YES!

[rhoenix]

Ok... let's think a minute here. Firetrack remmbers being a CAR. Firetrack can't hit the broadside of a shipping container with a targetting sight. Firetrack's a immature hotshot, worse than HotRod.

Why would you make him a plane?!

EDIT:
After a bit of thought, yes, a plane makes sense for him.
Firetrack: You mean I can be a plane? WOOHOOO! YES!

*laughing*

Well, to be fair, with his personality the way it was before he became Blindside, there was simply no chance in hell any Autobot leader, mechanic, or scientist would ever authorize this change for him, even if he was the last hope of the Autobots.

Even though he may not remember his name was Blindside, many of the things he learned while he was Blindside are still with him - he's not an immature, egotistical ass anymore. I'm going to play him as a combination of him as a more grown-up, thoughtful version of the old Firetrack, with quite a few of his sensibilities as Blindside.

All that said though, him finding out he can fly will make him rather overly happy for a few days after he gets out of the CR chamber, true.

[LadyTevar]

Hornet will be happy to teach him

[rhoenix]

Hornet will be happy to teach him

Yes, Havoc and I already agreed that would probably make for some truly amusing scenes. Muhah!

[rhoenix]

After many edits, Firetrack is more or less finalized - his role is now Aerial Tactical Assault instead of recon, with a couple changes to his abilities as a consequence.

[LadyTevar]

You've been awful quiet, Frigid.

Still gonna lead us on the raid to steal the Nemesis?

[General Havoc]

Hornet will be more than happy to show someone the finer points of flight.

The fact that he will be more than happy to do so should worry you.