Interesting movie for ideas

Antman · **Posted:** Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:46 pm

I just picked up and interesting movie today, Steamboy, a nice little anime. I could pick out a ton of little things that would be great additions to my game :idea:

. I recommend it for anyone who loves Dragonmech as much as I do (my number one fav game).

Jengenritz · **Joined:** Sat Dec 04, 2004 9:44 pm **Posts:** 630

I just saw Steamboy last night...that was a solid idea.

Sword Guy · **Joined:** Fri Jul 30, 2004 11:28 am **Posts:** 121

Yep. Steamboy's good. Though I highly recommend never to watch it with a practical mechanical engineer. "But it doesn't work that way!" is the operative phrase.

Still, it has plenty of good ideas, and a steamborg too. There are also a few good dramatic moments that lend themselves to a suitably cinematic DragonMech game. The best example is most likely where the gigantic machine is activated, all of the gauges all fall from whatever reading to zero, and then go into the red as . . .

Well, I'll not spoil that particular suprise. Just watch it, it's good.

mythfish · **Posted:** Mon Dec 17, 2007 1:49 pm

Finally got around to seeing it. Some very nice gear forest-type moments!

Arek · **Joined:** Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:05 pm **Posts:** 189

If you've seen the movie Hellboy, isn't the concept of Kroenen interesting?

A friend and I thought about writing a Clockborg whose augmentations run off of Dragonmech clockwork and he has to wind himself up to keep himself going and give himself a quick boost in power.

Although the Ghostgear is similar to Kroenen...

modus666 · **Joined:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:15 am **Posts:** 87

Arek wrote:

If you've seen the movie Hellboy, isn't the concept of Kroenen interesting?

A friend and I thought about writing a Clockborg whose augmentations run off of Dragonmech clockwork and he has to wind himself up to keep himself going and give himself a quick boost in power.

Although the Ghostgear is similar to Kroenen...

hmmmm...clockwork borgs.....

maybe it could work something like this:

1) instead of requiring more water than normal, the clockwork borg must spend an hour each morning winding its various springs to maintain the bonuses granted by its artificial parts

2) clockwork borgs could suffer additional detrimental effects from critical hits, perhaps derived from the clockwork mech critical chart, as their parts are more fragile than the steamborg

3) clockwork borgs could, as a full round action, overwind, similar to barbarian rage, a certain number of times per day, granting temporary rage-like bonuses, (say +4 str, and +4 dex and +2 reflex saves) for a number of rounds (say 3+con mod) finding themselves fatigued afterwards as their parts are overworked.

4) clockwork borgs could easily gain artificial parts and steam-powers that work just like normal, only stylized as clockwork rather than steam driven.

this could make an interesting core class alternate to the steamborg, representing something more elegant and agile but slightly more fragile.

mythfish · **Posted:** Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:45 pm

modus666 wrote:

Arek wrote:

If you've seen the movie Hellboy, isn't the concept of Kroenen interesting?

A friend and I thought about writing a Clockborg whose augmentations run off of Dragonmech clockwork and he has to wind himself up to keep himself going and give himself a quick boost in power.

Although the Ghostgear is similar to Kroenen...

hmmmm...clockwork borgs.....

maybe it could work something like this:

1) instead of requiring more water than normal, the clockwork borg must spend an hour each morning winding its various springs to maintain the bonuses granted by its artificial parts

2) clockwork borgs could suffer additional detrimental effects from critical hits, perhaps derived from the clockwork mech critical chart, as their parts are more fragile than the steamborg

3) clockwork borgs could, as a full round action, overwind, similar to barbarian rage, a certain number of times per day, granting temporary rage-like bonuses, (say +4 str, and +4 dex and +2 reflex saves) for a number of rounds (say 3+con mod) finding themselves fatigued afterwards as their parts are overworked.

4) clockwork borgs could easily gain artificial parts and steam-powers that work just like normal, only stylized as clockwork rather than steam driven.

this could make an interesting core class alternate to the steamborg, representing something more elegant and agile but slightly more fragile.

That's pretty cool. I like the "overwinding" in particular.

Arek · **Joined:** Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:05 pm **Posts:** 189

Quote:

mythfish Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:45 pm Post subject: Re: clockwork borgs... hmmmm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

modus666 wrote:
Arek wrote:
If you've seen the movie Hellboy, isn't the concept of Kroenen interesting?

A friend and I thought about writing a Clockborg whose augmentations run off of Dragonmech clockwork and he has to wind himself up to keep himself going and give himself a quick boost in power.

Although the Ghostgear is similar to Kroenen...

hmmmm...clockwork borgs.....

maybe it could work something like this:

1) instead of requiring more water than normal, the clockwork borg must spend an hour each morning winding its various springs to maintain the bonuses granted by its artificial parts

2) clockwork borgs could suffer additional detrimental effects from critical hits, perhaps derived from the clockwork mech critical chart, as their parts are more fragile than the steamborg

3) clockwork borgs could, as a full round action, overwind, similar to barbarian rage, a certain number of times per day, granting temporary rage-like bonuses, (say +4 str, and +4 dex and +2 reflex saves) for a number of rounds (say 3+con mod) finding themselves fatigued afterwards as their parts are overworked.

4) clockwork borgs could easily gain artificial parts and steam-powers that work just like normal, only stylized as clockwork rather than steam driven.

this could make an interesting core class alternate to the steamborg, representing something more elegant and agile but slightly more fragile.

That's pretty cool. I like the "overwinding" in particular.

You people are scary.

That's close to what a friend and I were thinking of. Only we would have made the clockborg periodically have to wind himself up at least a few times during the day, and he would have the usual artificial parts, but also be able to modify himself for extras instead of steampowers. Like, say, being able to use weapon finesse for all one-handed weapons, or gain a bonus to jumping and tumbling.

Or, I should say, be able to use dragonmech-style precision clockwork to increase his own physical performance, in ways that a steamborg wouldn't think to do.

I like your version of 'overwind', and if I made this a class separate from Steamborg, I'd keep the artificial parts, lose the steam powers, and replace them with a list of options, similar to what the Steam Monster got in Steam warriors (Precise 1, Precise 2, Swift Unwind 1, etc)

Any suggestions?

modus666 · **Joined:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:15 am **Posts:** 87

im working on it, i'm not sure HOW different to make the clockwork borg from the standard steamborg though. my tendency is to make is a slight variant, keeping artificial parts and steam powers intact, and modifying some of the specials they get over time. i'll post it once i get the time to put something coherent on paper

mythfish · **Posted:** Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:26 am

modus666 wrote:

im working on it, i'm not sure HOW different to make the clockwork borg from the standard steamborg though. my tendency is to make is a slight variant, keeping artificial parts and steam powers intact, and modifying some of the specials they get over time. i'll post it once i get the time to put something coherent on paper

.

Yeah, I was thinking about doing it too, and had the same thought process. To do it the way I think it should be done, it's really just a steamborg variant and not really a class unto itself.

Although I was thinking the clockborg wouldn't get steam powers. After all, they're not running on a steam engine. They could still carry one around like a coglayer, but it's not the same natural fit as it is with a steamborg.

modus666 · **Joined:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:15 am **Posts:** 87

mythfish wrote:

Yeah, I was thinking about doing it too, and had the same thought process. To do it the way I think it should be done, it's really just a steamborg variant and not really a class unto itself.

Although I was thinking the clockborg wouldn't get steam powers. After all, they're not running on a steam engine. They could still carry one around like a coglayer, but it's not the same natural fit as it is with a steamborg.

well really, there's nothing wrong with many of the steam powers being clockwork flavored rather than steam flavored. many of them are like that anyway.

mythfish · **Posted:** Wed Feb 06, 2008 12:16 pm

modus666 wrote:

well really, there's nothing wrong with many of the steam powers being clockwork flavored rather than steam flavored. many of them are like that anyway.

True, but then they're not steam powers.

Arek · **Joined:** Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:05 pm **Posts:** 189

mythfish wrote:

modus666 wrote:

im working on it, i'm not sure HOW different to make the clockwork borg from the standard steamborg though. my tendency is to make is a slight variant, keeping artificial parts and steam powers intact, and modifying some of the specials they get over time. i'll post it once i get the time to put something coherent on paper

.

Yeah, I was thinking about doing it too, and had the same thought process. To do it the way I think it should be done, it's really just a steamborg variant and not really a class unto itself.

Although I was thinking the clockborg wouldn't get steam powers. After all, they're not running on a steam engine. They could still carry one around like a coglayer, but it's not the same natural fit as it is with a steamborg.

I dunno. I think to really do this justice, this looks like it really would be a class unto itself--another next step in the evolution of the steamborg.

For one thing, they don't have steam engines constantly sucking water out of their bodies, so they don't drink like fishes and they don't have a big exhaust pipe coming out of them. Although they probably make noticeable tick and whirr sounds.

But that raises several questions:

-Is this clockwork done internally, implanted via surgery, or is it integrated into the body as a second, outer skeleton?

-Because Dragonmech clockwork really does seem to be the business when it comes to precision, it'd be cool to have the clockborg reflect this. But what can do you (besides with switch out Fort and Reflex saves) to help make them into a class that really does show nigh-total control of their bodies and movements?

-What about winding requirements of their clockwork? How often should that be required?

-Do they get steam powers? If not, then what do they get to replace them?

I'd really like to see this as its own class, related to the steamborg but still a horse of a different color. So I'd be nulling their steampowers and replacing them with some some nifty precision-related abilities (like a limited ability to combine both strength and dexterity when wielding weapons, or increased jumping/tumbling/balancing ability) and possibly that "overwind" state.

But, hey, that's me.

Arek · **Joined:** Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:05 pm **Posts:** 189

I'll try to skirt around outright describing the steamborg here, but I think some mirroring might be in order for the Steamborg/clockborg.

The steamborg gains a class feature starting at level 4, and improves on it at 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18.

It also gains abilities at 5, 9, and 17. Level 17's ability is Ageless. I'm sure that one can stay allright.

But assuming at artificial part at every even level, Lose Self at level 3...That means the clockborg would need abilities at 4, 5, 6, 9, 9 (again), 12, 15, and 18.

If this is going to be a seperate, and cool, class, it therefore needs cool options at those levels. The Steamborg's are pretty nice (+2 to Con and what adds up to a further +3 to already awesome Fort saves, anyone?) but I'd like to avoid recycling them. So here's some ideas, for criticism and review.

-Level 4: Overwind: The clockwork harness has integrated into the clockborg's body well enough that he can now control how quickly his main spring unwinds. He may enter a state of rapid unwinding, which grants him +4 to Str and Dex, and a further +2 to Reflex saves, as per Modus's above description. Thank you, modus.
-Level 5 and level 9: It'd be nice to have a couple of ability chain-options here. The Steamborg can get a natural armor bonus at level 5, and massive upgrade in toughness at level 9. So maybe the same sort of bonus for the Clockborg, only relating to Dexterity? (Come to think of it, these may be great additions to the regular options of a steamborg).

modus666 · **Joined:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:15 am **Posts:** 87

yes i picture the clockwork borg 's specials emphasizing grace and agility over raw durability, i started another thread just for this nifty idea with some bullet poitns for the preliminary stuff i did. going to repost your stuff here there as well...

Arek wrote:

I'll try to skirt around outright describing the steamborg here, but I think some mirroring might be in order for the Steamborg/clockborg.

The steamborg gains a class feature starting at level 4, and improves on it at 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18.

It also gains abilities at 5, 9, and 17. Level 17's ability is Ageless. I'm sure that one can stay allright.

But assuming at artificial part at every even level, Lose Self at level 3...That means the clockborg would need abilities at 4, 5, 6, 9, 9 (again), 12, 15, and 18.

If this is going to be a seperate, and cool, class, it therefore needs cool options at those levels. The Steamborg's are pretty nice (+2 to Con and what adds up to a further +3 to already awesome Fort saves, anyone?) but I'd like to avoid recycling them. So here's some ideas, for criticism and review.

-Level 4: Overwind: The clockwork harness has integrated into the clockborg's body well enough that he can now control how quickly his main spring unwinds. He may enter a state of rapid unwinding, which grants him +4 to Str and Dex, and a further +2 to Reflex saves, as per Modus's above description. Thank you, modus.
-Level 5 and level 9: It'd be nice to have a couple of ability chain-options here. The Steamborg can get a natural armor bonus at level 5, and massive upgrade in toughness at level 9. So maybe the same sort of bonus for the Clockborg, only relating to Dexterity? (Come to think of it, these may be great additions to the regular options of a steamborg).

Goodman Games

Interesting movie for ideas

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