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Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!grkermit!masscomp!clyde!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!uokvax!rigney
From: rigney@uokvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: looking for superhero FRP advice/yar - (nf)
Message-ID: <4128@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 24-Nov-83 22:47:19 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.4128
Posted: Thu Nov 24 22:47:19 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 26-Nov-83 07:16:06 EST
Lines: 31

#R:lanl-a:-378800:uokvax:2400018:000:1625
uokvax!rigney    Nov 23 05:44:00 1983

Champions tends to have a very low combat-time to real-time ratio;
on the other hand, as in the comics, many battles are over very
quickly.  In concrete terms, our average battles are 30 seconds in
game time, with the shortest unit of action being the second, and
with 3-4 players running 2 characters, and me running 4-12 villians,
can take 4 hours to complete, with never a dull moment.  We are
quite experienced, but the game moved along just as fast with minimal
experience, as the combat system is *very* easy to learn and use.
Time required to create characters is largely a function of how 
complicated and clearcut the character is - I've spent hours on a
single charcter; I've also produced a character in under 5 minutes
when inspiration struck.

Certain types of characters can slow the game if they require a
great deal of book-keeping to reflect their fluctuating state; of
course, you can just avoid these (admittedly pathological) cases.
With one character per player play would go much faster, since there
would be less shuffling of personality and mind-set; but we like
having two characters each so if one gets knocked out of the fight
the player needn't sit out.  And we like Battle Royals, so we tend
to draw out fights anyway to savor the utter annihilation of our
worthless adversaries - uh, sorry about that, I got carried away.

After seeing Champions played for 5 minutes I ran right out and
bought a copy, I still feel that way about it.  But Superworld
sounds just as good.  If you do buy Champions, and would like to
trade characters, let me know - I'm always interested in other
people's heroes.