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Anybody ever use the CoH universe as the campaign world for TTRPG play?

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cranebump

cranebump

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We're winding up a 3-year fantasy campaign soon, and I've been pondering what to do next. I'd considered continuing with the next iteration of the same game world, which I've already prepped for. However, considering the amount of time I spend on CoH, including scripting AE stuff, it got me to thinking: Why not align my interests? I am therefore thinking seriously about running a lengthy supers campaign my trio of players, using the Sentinels Comics RPG, set in the CoH universe. 

 

My questions are:

-has anyone done anything similar? 

-how did it go?

Edited by cranebump
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I have done a TON of AE work, both long form and single arc. Just search the AE mish list for my sig @cranebump. For more information on my stories, head to the AE forum sub-heading and look for “Crane’s World.” Support your AE authors! We ARE the new content.

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Triumphant

Triumphant

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No, but it's a cool idea!  As long as you can get the buy-in from your player group, I say go for it.  I'd love to play in a campaign like that.  I ran various one-shot games of MSH rpg back in the late 80's and a DC Heroes campaign in the 90's.  They were very popular and my group had a blast with them both.  While this was long before CoH existed, of course, I see no reason why it wouldn't make a great setting for TTRPG play. 

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Zhym

Zhym

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Not quite tabletop, but I was in a play-by-post game ten years ago, during the Interregnum, that was started up by one of my fellow gamers who also missed CoH.  The setting wasn't explicitly CoH, but the homage was clear.  The setting was Atlas City, some of the major organizations included Arikas Shipping Inc, Chiron Pharmaceuticals, Chocolo Sweets, Poseidon Electronics, Rook Industries, and Supers for Hire.  And my Super had a contact: Maurice Feldon. 

 

It was a fun game and I'd definitely jump in again.  And running it play-by-post (under the 4c system) meant we could create characters that the computer game doesn't support.  For example, my character was a robot dog.  Here's his background:

 

Quote

Origin
The Simulated Canine Autonomous Mental Probe (S.C.A.M.P.) was developed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the next generation in the wars against terrorism and illegal narcotics.  It was built not only to smell bombs and drugs with incredible skill but also to read minds.  S.C.A.M.P. knows if you’re carrying drugs.  Or if you’re thinking about carrying drugs.  Or if you’d like to do drugs.  Or if you ever did drugs.  S.C.A.M.P.’s (removable, expandable) memory units are admissible as evidence in forty-seven states.

 

Shortly after initial deployment in the field, the robotic dog achieved sentience.  As a side effect of its psychic ability—or as DHS put it, “due to a spontaneous psi-associated undocumented feature outside original design specifications”—S.C.A.M.P. can also control minds. It is prone to using this power to make humans bring it treats.  No one knows why DHS programmed a robotic dog to eat treats.

 

Because DHS did not plan on a robotic dog needing to speak, S.C.A.M.P.’s dog mouth is incapable of forming most human words.  Thus, despite S.C.A.M.P.’s exceptional intelligence, its spoken vocabulary is extremely limited.  Its primary means of communication is telepathic.

 

Description
S.C.A.M.P. resembles a large chocolate Labrador Retriever. Its Plastimetal™ structure is wrapped in a TuffSkin™ coat covered with FauxFurr.™

When DHS developed S.C.A.M.P., the agency was in the midst of a campaign to improve public relations. It designed the robotic dog to look lifelike and friendly, and planned to introduce it with the slogan, “National Security’s Best Friend.”    

 

Contacts
Maurice Feldon: Maurice was the lead researcher on the S.C.A.M.P. project.  He still performs occasional upgrades and maintenance on the robotic dog.

 

Edited by Zhym
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lemming

lemming

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Had my own campaign world(s) from long time Champions games, but I did steal elements from CoH and ran a one shot at a con once.  And you can still download the brief bit from Eden? Games from DTRPG.

 

Reminds me to get back to doing some P&PUE conversions since that's the system I prefer now.  (Still has crunch, but works more on descriptions)  Conversions are really just for overall feel, not a strict powers in CoH means X in P&PUE, though you could setup something I suppose.

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Greycat

Greycat

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... wasn't there at least a preview of a COH RPG? Or did that not even get to that release stage...

 

Ah. yeah. All we have is the quickplay - https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/2979/city-of-heroes-rpg-quickplay-pack

Kheldian Lore and Backstory Guide 2.0: HC edition

Out to EAT : A look at Epic ATs - what is, could have been, and never was

Want 20 merits? Got a couple of minutes?

Mini guide to the Combat Attributes window

 

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biostem

biostem

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2 hours ago, cranebump said:

I am therefore thinking seriously about running a lengthy supers campaign my trio of players, using the Sentinels Comics RPG, set in the CoH universe.

Very few of my friends played CoH back in the day, so whenever we were looking for a setting to play TTRPGs in, it was either some other IP or a generic setting.  Especially if you aren't going to really explore the entire breadth of the CoH setting, and early-on in the campaign, you'll basically be up against the likes of the Hellions or Skulls, which are pretty generic low-level gangs with a magical flair.  Trying to delve into things like Superadine or Excelsior for the Trolls or Freakshow, or even larger-scope lore topics like the Well of the Furies may just bog down the already slower pace of a TTRPG.  Don't get me wrong - I love CoH and its setting - I just don't think it'd translate well to a PnP RPG that only meets like once or a few times a week for a couple hours...

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cranebump

cranebump

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16 hours ago, biostem said:

Very few of my friends played CoH back in the day, so whenever we were looking for a setting to play TTRPGs in, it was either some other IP or a generic setting.  Especially if you aren't going to really explore the entire breadth of the CoH setting, and early-on in the campaign, you'll basically be up against the likes of the Hellions or Skulls, which are pretty generic low-level gangs with a magical flair.  Trying to delve into things like Superadine or Excelsior for the Trolls or Freakshow, or even larger-scope lore topics like the Well of the Furies may just bog down the already slower pace of a TTRPG.  Don't get me wrong - I love CoH and its setting - I just don't think it'd translate well to a PnP RPG that only meets like once or a few times a week for a couple hours...

One thing about the system I’d use is it is not level-bound. An arc featuring Hellions could have just as much danger as any other. I think the setting can still work. But I can always create an approximation if need be. I can also drop certain elements, like the Well, if I wanted. None of my players plays this game. And only one of them might bother reading any of the wiki. 

Edited by cranebump
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I have done a TON of AE work, both long form and single arc. Just search the AE mish list for my sig @cranebump. For more information on my stories, head to the AE forum sub-heading and look for “Crane’s World.” Support your AE authors! We ARE the new content.

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catsi563

catsi563

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added several elements of COH into my Heroes Unlimited multiverse for sure  but thats it for the most part

My Dear you deserve the services of a great wizard but youll have to settle for the aid of a second rate pick pocket

~Schmendrick

 

So you mean you'll put down your rock, and I'll put down my sword; and we'll try and kill each other like civilized people?

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zenijos10

zenijos10

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On 6/29/2024 at 10:50 AM, cranebump said:

We're winding up a 3-year fantasy campaign soon, and I've been pondering what to do next. I'd considered continuing with the next iteration of the same game world, which I've already prepped for. However, considering the amount of time I spend on CoH, including scripting AE stuff, it got me to thinking: Why not align my interests? I am therefore thinking seriously about running a lengthy supers campaign my trio of players, using the Sentinels Comics RPG, set in the CoH universe. 

 

My questions are:

-has anyone done anything similar? 

-how did it go?

I ran a GURPS game in my own version of paragon city.  It was a lot of fun! Finished the whole story, played it for about a year.

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Rishidian

Rishidian

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I've been thinking of running a Champions game using some other sources for inspiration:

 

--Superpowereds series by Drew Hayes

--Wild Cards series edited by George RR Martin

--For the really messed up: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

 

I also used some GURPS source materials since they have a plethora of books 

 

BTW - any advice would be greatly appreciated

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lemming

lemming

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49 minutes ago, Rishidian said:

I've been thinking of running a Champions game using some other sources for inspiration:

 

--Superpowereds series by Drew Hayes

--Wild Cards series edited by George RR Martin

--For the really messed up: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

 

I also used some GURPS source materials since they have a plethora of books 

 

BTW - any advice would be greatly appreciated

I used GURPS IST and the other supers books for inspiration for my Champions games as well.

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