Post by Vazad on Jan 19, 2018 11:23:52 GMT
Important Concepts
Spark (Mad Boy/Girl)
Those who have “The Spark” are able to create machines that bend the natural laws of the universe, modifying organisms, creating mechanical creatures, causing reactions that would be normally impossible. They turn the insane into the normal. Often called by the more common name of a Mad Boy/Girl this refers less to their unusual aptitude with creating and more with their temperament, even the most docile Spark will enter a state referred to most often as “The Madness Place”. During which they are the most potent but they become unstable emotionally, lashing out and ordering others around. This state can be controlled with willpower but often causes the downfall for most Sparks that are not taught well. Each spark has their own personal style that shows through in their work, giving each creation, its own personal twist based on its creator.
Spark Hyperfocus (The Madness Place)
The state which a Spark may enter during moments of extreme emotion or inspiration. While in this state they are able to create things that would otherwise be physically impossible, machines made with improper tools or machinery, objects that cause the normal laws of spacetime to bend into a pretzel shape in order to compensate. While fully engrossed in such an episode they tend to focus in on one thing, and invention, a person who has angered them, etc. Only extreme measures or willpower can drag a Spark out of this state. While in the Madness Place those that are around them that lack the Spark, and are susceptible to manipulation may do everything in their power to assist with whatever task the Spark has focused on. Those who tend to this behavior are usually referred to as “Minions”.
Minions (The Help)
Having assistance is important for a Spark, you have only so many hands to throw switches and eyes to keep tabs on gauges. (Well, some Sparks try and overcome these limitations by giving themselves more limbs but even the most enterprising Spark can only be in so many places at once.) To assist with their research, they find useful assistants most often referred to as “Minions”. This could be anything from local villagers to laboratory created monstrosities to specially crafted mechanical assistants. Every Spark who wants to get anywhere in the world needs to know how to delegate.
Construct (A bit from here and there)
Construct is a blanket term for any biological (or partially biological) creation. Anything that has been modified to some degree is referred to as a construct, such as someone who has an extra set of arms or had a limb replaced after a bad lab accident. It goes deeper, of course, creatures modified could be literally anything so the sky is the limit as far as Constructs are concerned.
Pocket Monsters (Gotta catch em all)
The most common type of construct that inhabit the wastelands between cities, Pokémon as they are commonly referred to are a category of lab experiment that has escaped into the wilds and begun reproducing or replicating. Due to the creation of Poke balls and the Heisman-Koffstein principle they are able to be converted into energy and stored for use when needed, this has caused the capture and taming of these specimens to be one of the most common methods for Sparks and Non-Sparks alike to defend themselves. Most Sparks enjoy modifying or creating their own personalized variations to suit their tastes.
Clank (The Sentient Toaster)
The colloquial term for what we would refer to as a “Robot”. It can be used to describe any type of self-locomoting mechanical creation, whether humanoid or not and whether it is cognitive or not. Most react to certain commands or stimuli rather than being fully sapient although there have been cases of creations that could easily pass for cognizant.
The World (To Europa and beyond!)
Geographically the earth is the same as it in our world. Instead of the nation’s we see today people are grouped into city states that form around powerful Sparks who are able to protect them from the horrors of the wider world. The game is going to focus on central Europe (referred to as “Europa”), I’m not going to pre-create any maps or specific information as I would like the players to have a lot of say in their origins. I’ll take what everyone gives me and fill in the rest around it. Just don’t make yourself the amazing master of everything, the mentor of which knows everything about everything and we’ll likely be good. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have.
Science (Science!)
As it’s an important aspect of the game world I would be remiss to not bring it up here. Sparks tend to frame everything they do with Science, even if their inventions break the commonly accepted laws of the universe. They seem to almost be able to read the source code of the universe and make small localized changes to get what they want. To this end there are four major disciplines that Sparks tend to fall into, although if you come up with something interesting that doesn’t easily fall into one of these categories I would be glad to discuss it. Rather than only technology education being able to make machinery each discipline can make creations that fall under the discipline.
Surgical (Utilizes Medical Edu.)
This discipline utilizes existing parts, whether mechanical or biological, to improve their creations. They excel at creations that save or prolong life as well as medicines that might have a variety of effects on biological creations.
Esoteric (Utilizes Occult Edu.)
This discipline relies on the fickle desires of entities outside of their current plane of existence to improve their creations. They excel at creations that allow contact between great distances, even breaching the planar barrier as well as inventions that might seem alien to the average person.
Genetic (Utilizes Pokémon Edu.)
This discipline modifies the very essence of their creations to improve them. They excel at making machines that affect or modify life itself.
Mechanical (Utilizes Technology Edu.)
This discipline prefers to create fully mechanical creations, making exactly what is needed for the task rather than worrying about finding a working template to build off of. Machinery that doesn’t fall under the other disciplines is the purview of this discipline.
Inspiration
The main mechanical change for the game is the Inspiration system. As players hit certain milestones I set they will gain Inspiration points, these allow players to do two things.
Firstly, you can modify your Pokémon/Pokebots. Want to add wings to your creation? Want to change a Pokémon’s type or ability? Want to turn them from a Special Attacker to a Physical one? Tell me which discipline you (or a party member) you are going to use and how you think it’s going to go and roll. If you beat a skill check determined by the difficulty of the change and how many modifications the Pokémon already has and it will happen. Fail and who knows what will happen, I plan on making sure that you never just lose the point, something interesting will happen, but you might not know what it is. This allows you (and your enemies) to make more custom creations.
Secondly, you can spend inspiration to do something so important that it bends the plot your way. You can create a machine that saves to day or find the right button to press to shut the out of control AI down. It’s up to you whether you would prefer to use them to improve your minions or save them to help you out of a tight corner.