RPG setting idea: Project ARK

[Kane]

Hello all. I'm a long time TMNT and RPG fan, and I'm new to this board. I've been brainstorming this idea for an RPG setting, which parallels the new cartoon series upto January 31st, 2004. Let me know what you think.

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Shortly after the disappearance of the Utrom's waste container in the sewers of New York, the Utroms launched an investigation. They arrived too late to prevent the mutation of the turtles and Splinter, but they did observe the results of the accident. Intrigued, the Utroms began to secretly watch the turtles' activity under the streets. Seeing that the turtles posed to immediate threat to humanity or the Utrom's plans, the Utrom's decided to formally experiment with the mutatgenic properties of their gel on the native terran life. This initiative was called Project ARK. (Anomalous Recombinantion Kinase activity)

Five Utroms were sent to Boston, where they formed a small genetic start-up company amid the city's thriving biotech community. This company, called ARK Genetics Inc., was the Utrom's cover for their activity in Boston. They constructed a secret base underground and turned it into a laboratory for experimentation with mutating animals. A total of twenty-four mutants were created over the span of about ten years. With the exception of a small decontamination facility, the Boston lab contained none of the Utrom's advanced technology. It used convential terran technology exclusively.

When the Ninja Turtles infiltrated the Utrom's headquarters in New York, the Triumverate issed an emergency call to the Utroms living in Boston. Hastily, the project members removed all evidence of their advanced technology and abandoned the lab. The Utroms left the mutated animals a brief explanation, advising them to take as many supplies from the lab as they could and flee into the sewers if their masters did not return.

Needless to say, the Utroms did not return. The mutants broke into small groups and went their separate ways into the sewers and tunnels underneath Boston to find their own paths.

All of the mutants in Project ARK are aware of the Utrom's presence on Earth. The official reason for the experiment was to create a new generation of strong and loyal guardians, or so the mutants have been told. Some of the mutants secretly resent their alien masters for treating them like lab experiments. Conversely, other mutants are upset at the sudden disappearance of the Utroms with no warning and little explanation. The Ninja Turtles are known only as legends to the mutants. One group has left Boston to seek out the TMNT in New York, and have not been heard from since.

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If I were to run this game, I would plan to use a rules set called The Window, a good rules-light system that lends itself to easy play over the Internet. (http://www.mimgames.com/window) All PCs would be mutants with full hands, speech, upright stance, and no human looks, as per the Palladium RPG. Special abilities would be subjective based on mutant species.

[heretic888]

This system looks *really* interesting. It has definately piqued my interest.

I will play a Mirage-ish Michelangelo, if I can. I'll try and come up with (and post) a character sheet for him based on this Window system shortly.

[heretic888]

This is something I worked out on my own. These are my own personal conversion of the Palladium attribute scores (which some of you may be familiar with) to the Windows system:

- Low (D30): All scores below 6.
- Below Average (D20): 6, 7, and 8.
- Average (D12): 9, 10, and 11.
- Above Average (D10): 12, 13, and 14.
- High (D8 ): 15, 16, and 17.
- Very High (D6): 18, 19, and 20.
- Incredible (D4): All scores above 20.

Hope this helps.

[heretic888]

MICHELANGELO HAMATO

Mutant turtle.
Male.
Dark green skin.
18 years of age.
5'2" tall.
180 lbs.
No hair.
Black eyes.
Wears a dull black cloth belt, two black elbow pads, two black kneepads, two black wristbands, and a long red bandana with holes cut out for his eyes.

Michelangelo Hamato has...

High physical strength. (D8)
Incredible agility. (D4)
High health. (D8)
Average knowledge of the world. (D12)
Very high powers of perception. (D6)
Very high luck. (D6)
Above average sanity. (D10)
No magic. (N/A)
Natural body armor. (D12)

Michelangelo Hamato is...

A master of ninjutsu martial arts. (D6)
An incredible acrobat. (D4)
A great climber. (D6)
Incredibly stealthy. (D4)
A quick runner. (D10)
A great swimmer. (D6)
Very skilled at concealment. (D8)
Very skilled at disguise and impersonation. (D8)
Fairly skilled with explosives. (D12)
A skilled lock-pick. (D10)
A skilled pick-pocket. (D10)
An average cook. (D12)
A very skilled escape artist. (D8)
Good at first aid. (D10)
Very skilled at misdirection. (D8)
A good driver. (D10)
A talented writer. (D10)
A talented guitarist. (D10)
A talented drummer. (D10)
A talented artist. (D10)
An avid comic book fan. (D8)
An avid science fiction fan. (D8)
An avid movie fan. (D8)
Extremely charismatic. (D6)

Michelangelo Hamato is carrying...

A pair of steel nunchaku.
A pair of shuko.
A kaginawa.
Two dozen shuriken.

Michelangelo can...

Hold his breath for 10 minutes.

[cqb101]

I'd like to play as Casey in this RPG....I'll try to set up some attributes soon.

[Kane]

Wow. Looks like I got some interest, alright. I was thinking that maybe we could play this over AIM or some other chat utility.

Heretic888> Careful on your translation from Palladium there. Remember, D4 skills are superhuman abilities. The probablitity line isn't smooth A d6 would be equal to a 20, and a d4 would be somewhere in the high 20s. It's tough to find a perfect translastion algorhithm.

Don't think so much about beating the system. Start with a background and personality, then extrapolate what you think your character would have based on his background. How and why do you have all those skills? Don't just write down everything that you think would be cool.

I like your mix of skills, but I don't think starting characters should have d4 level abilities, and maybe one d6 ability at the most. With regards to some of the extras provided by the Window website I won't be using sanity or magic (No Shinobi). Luck will be used, but I would determine starting Luck based on relative power levels between characters. The natural armor you have by virtue of being a turtle is cool.


cqb101> Um... keep in mind that Casey would be in New York with the TMNT. This game would be something of a spin-off. Your character can have a Casey-type personality if you want, but you can't be the man himself.

[heretic888]

Careful on your translation from Palladium there. Remember, D4 skills are superhuman abilities. The probablitity line isn't smooth A d6 would be equal to a 20, and a d4 would be somewhere in the high 20s. It's tough to find a perfect translastion algorhithm.

I know. They were just general guidelines I took.

Don't think so much about beating the system. Start with a background and personality, then extrapolate what you think your character would have based on his background. How and why do you have all those skills? Don't just write down everything that you think would be cool.


I didn't. I simply converted the skills, powers, and abilities he had as an NPC in the Palladium rpg.

I like your mix of skills, but I don't think starting characters should have d4 level abilities, and maybe one d6 ability at the most.

Okay, I suppose I should address a couple of things here:

1) Mikey technically isn't a "starting character". He's been training (along with his brothers) for the better part of two decades, and also has years of additional combat experience (they probably would have been "level 1" when they were 13 and had their "first battle").

2) The only trait I have Mike a d4 in is Agility, which was a whopping 24 in the TMNT rpg. Its *supposed* to be really high. If you think a 24 (which is the highest a normal character is normally supposed to get without outside bonuses) is too low for a d4 rating, then say so. A 16 to 18 are supposed to be "exceptional".

And, only 2 of the skills were d4: acrobat and stealth. His prowl skill in Palladium is at 98%, as high as it gets. I really just made his acrobat skill d4 because of his agility score. If his agility were lower, I'd lower that one, too.

Anyways, tell me what you'd think would be the best alternative for the character.

With regards to some of the extras provided by the Window website I won't be using sanity or magic (No Shinobi). Luck will be used, but I would determine starting Luck based on relative power levels between characters. The natural armor you have by virtue of being a turtle is cool.


Ok. Cool by me.

Laterz.

[Kane]

Hmm... Well, he could make a good mentor for the party, if you could come up with an explamation as to why he's in Boston. In this situation, he would probably be better off as a NPC.

[heretic888]

Hmm... Well, he could make a good mentor for the party, if you could come up with an explamation as to why he's in Boston. In this situation, he would probably be better off as a NPC.

Uh-oh.

So.... you're saying that the TMNT are NPCs in this one??

[Kane]

Yeah, I'm going for a sort of spinoff. Original characters as PCs. The TMNT and other characters from the show would all be NPCs. Or is that sort of thing not done here?

[Kali]

Yeah, I'm going for a sort of spinoff. Original characters as PCs. The TMNT and other characters from the show would all be NPCs. Or is that sort of thing not done here?
It's your RP, it's your rules.

I'd like to join. I was hoping to create an aquatic mutant, and I was wondering if that was okay. (Not sure if you had specific species in mind for the project.) I figured that this would require two sets of "stats", in and out of water, though. I always seem to create the most complicated characters. :lol:

I'm assuming current age would be dependent upon age at mutation. I decided traits based on species, but skills would depend on training. Using common sense, I can figure a few things out. I'm still working on it. I'm starting to like this system.

[heretic888]

Yeah, I'm going for a sort of spinoff. Original characters as PCs. The TMNT and other characters from the show would all be NPCs. Or is that sort of thing not done here?

Well, generally the TMNT are PCs in the PBP rpgs that we have around here (although there are plenty of original PCs, too). Of course, its your game so you can establish whatever rules you want.

Unless we were going to one of the gaming rooms in the Palladium chatroom, I doubt I would be able to play anyway. No AIM.

Regardless, here are my slightly abridged guidelines of converting Palladium to Windows based on what you have said:

- D30: Poor: 1 to 4
- D20: Below Average/Unskilled: 5 to 8
- D12: Average/Hobbyist: 9 to 11
- D10: Above Average/Skilled: 12 to 15
- D8: Exceptional: 16 to 19
- D6: Peak Human: 20 to 24
- D4: Superhuman: 25 and above

To give an example, the NPC Michelangelo in the Palladium TMNT rpg had the following attributes:
-Intelligence Quotient: 11
- Mental Endurace: 14
- Mental Affinity: 19
- Physical Strength: 16
- Physical Prowess: 24
- Physical Endurance: 17
- Physical Beauty: 16
- Speed: 14

So, in Windows, he would have approximately the following traits:
- High physical strength. (D8)
- Very high agility. (D6)
- High health. (D8)
- Average knowledge of the world. (D12)
- High powers of perception. (D8)

Hope this helps!

[Kane]

It's cool that I'm getting some interest. Don't worry too much about stats, just try to give me a good character concept and background.

[heretic888]

So.... are the TMNT PC's in this one or no??

[Kane]

No. The TMNT will NOT be PCs in this one. All PCs must be original characters.

[cqb101]

No. The TMNT will NOT be PCs in this one. All PCs must be original characters.

Ahhh, ok.....That wasn't very clear in the first post. Anyway, I have a few character ideas.....

[Hannah]

Wow! This looks cool. 8) I'll make up some character. Hmm...

[heretic888]

(sorry, guys, but I think I'll pass. Be really hard to play without AIM.))