@KK: OK, let's address some of the points you've mentioned.

• About mutants and genetically upgraded humans: Well, that one aspect of the setting I'd like for you to help me to refine, so you have control to shape that part of the story however you see fit. However, there are some key aspects you need to consider:
  
  -The war against the Xenomechs has been going on for “only” 7 years, with the first 2 or 3 years being fought without the help of the technology contained within the Cosmo Ark. So, remember to take that into consideration when it comes to the creation of artificial humans, as their growth rate would have to be accelerated in order for them to be more than toddlers at this point of the story.
  
  -Mutants vary drastically from case to case. Yes, some shape-shifters are quite prone to turning feral while transformed, but others have it backwards, with their altered state being more intellectually developed than their human form. Unpredictability is the key word here, which is why they're researching for ways to stabilize their powerful abilities.
  
  -You're free to craft the strengths and limitations of this pyrokinetic character as you see fit... As long as you don't turn her into the “instant-win-card-who-thinks-all-other-pilots-are-superflous-to-her”, of course.
  
  One “disadvantage” I can think of for her, would be need of a special kind of suit to protect herself from her own powers. Basic displays of her ability shouldn't be such a big concern, but I think that even an enhanced human body would have troubles to withstanding more extreme temperatures. But, that's mostly a suggestion, I'd leave yo to decide what might be appropriate for her.

• About the Guardian Force itself: Unlike SERVE, the Guardian Force is rather open about their programs and projects related to human enhancement, because they know the backlash against them will be worse if they hide their intentions from the general public; after all, there's no malice behind such projects, as they only want to improve mankind's capabilities, not only to fight the Xenomechs, but to improve life-quality of everyone, in general.
  
  Now, about Guardian Force higher-ups: They're pretty decent folks, with all of them working for the sake protecting Earth and mankind as a whole. They greatly shun those would dare to use the Ark's technology with the intentions of exploiting people, for example. So, individuals with a shady agendas or twisted intentions are swiftly discarded from their ranks.
  
  So, there won't be twisted and shadowy conspiracies among them, because they don't allow that kind of things to happen. If they start turning against each other, that's like giving the Xenomechs a golden opportunity for them wipe-out mankind more effectively, something that everyone learned the hard way during the first years of the war.

• About their technology: The aspects you previously mentioned...
  
  
  I figure the key to directed energy weapons, for one, though I guess that can be counted as general mech tech? Then effective ways to modify biology to create better soldiers, humans more capable of surviving the extreme combat conditions brought about by the xenomechs. Mechanical augmentations rather than simple prosthetics, physiopharmaceutical augmentation, that is the use of advanced drugs and chemicals to improve on the human body, maybe even genetic therapy to grow our own superhumans or otherwise genetically alter a human to enhance his performance to superhuman levels.
  
  
  There should be more non-genetic related matters, like things for easily producing food or making stronger healthier food. Probably one of the first things a technological giftbox from benevolent aliens should include a way to maximize/produce/enhance resources.
  
  ...Are indeed amongst the technologies contained within the Ark, along with everything necessary for space travel and colonization, like ultra-efficient energy reactors, terraforming technology, gravity manipulation and, yes, warp-drives that work infinitely better than the ones used by the Xenomechs. (so they can teleport mechs and other assets instantly across the planet in order to respond to the emergencies faster)
  
  There are a lot of other “nifty toys” contained within it, and I'd like to hear your suggestions related to them. As I've said, this setting is being built by everyone involved in this story, so I'd like for everyone to add things you might consider appropriate for the story.

About the Xenomechs:

• Just like Strigon said, right now they have no master nor a superior intelligence behind them, as they've grown far beyond the control of their original creators.

• The way their “evolution” works is roughly similar to what Zero described, with them using their constant battles against sapient civilizations in order to create bigger, more powerful weapons and adaptations.

• However, since their “intelligence” is quite basic, they can't develop more “refined” weapons like psionic warfare, or nano-tech bacterias/viruses... Fortunately for every civilization attacked by them, otherwise they would have easily wiped mankind in a mere few weeks.

• They prioritize the destruction of sapient lifeforms over anything else. They don't care too much about “lesser” lifeforms, and they don't actively seek to destroy them, but they don't have any objections about doing so if they get in their way. This aspect is key in order to define their original purpose.

• Now about their original purpose... Hmmmmm... I still haven't decided which one is the argument that convinces me the most... But, I'd like to discard KK's idea of them being an “affectionate” way to test other civilizations, because that alternative creates some serious problems and issues... Besides making their original creators look like suicidal jerks, something I'd want to avoid considering our plans for their future.

Now, I have a very important question for everyone:

What shall be the name of the Super Robots / Mechas used in this story?

I'd like to define their name in order to include it in the introductory post, so we can start setting things in motion

edited 26th Aug '13 3:13:41 PM by VPhantom

Actually the pyrokinetic is a man. He's usually a half-elf fire dragon, and I wanted to take his core characterization to use as a character here. Though granted, whenever Faith has superhuman powers pyrokinesis is on the list. She's a bit of a pyromaniac...

I take it Guardians would be too obvious? Saints and Paladins seem too holy (Though I do like the sound of Driver Saint), Vita (apparently Italian and Latin for life) seems a touch weird. Perhaps an acronym would work?

Anyways... Well the pyrokinetic (aforementioned half-elf fire dragon) is intended as a PLUS. I figured he has pointy ears in his default form and takes on a form somewhat imaginative of a humanoid sized man/dragon hybrid. In his normal form I see him having pyrokinesis that favors control and generation while severely discarding power. The inverse is true for his "draconian" form and he's stronger & tougher in that form (Though he perceives all actions towards him as aggressive and his emotions are pretty easily influenced with him acting more on impulse than rational planning). Additionally, I imagine the draconian form shortens his life with each use since its distorting his body to make and then shedding all the excess matter while repairing his human form. He might need to eat a lot of meat just to fuel the transformation as well.

Well, SERVE developed an aging liquid from their studies of the Eldritichians so they could rapidly age later generation Fae wouldn't making them naturally age faster. Guess that's somewhat the reason Gen-3 Fae were so mentally unstable... Besides that, I take it there's virtual reality or something so the artificial humans' minds can develop?

Since genetic godplay didn't start until seven years ago, hows the whole thing viewed both within and outside the Guardian Force?

Okay, let's see here. I'm not much of a logistics guy. Too focused on the warmongering. Anyway ideas for artificially made PLUS.

Mechanical Augmentation: Mechanical augmentation involves the surgical replacement of limbs and organs with mechanically or electronically enhanced equivalents. Augmentations differ from standard prosthetics in that the augmentations interface directly with the central nervous system via a biochip, an artificially grown wetware computer installed in the brain, allowing for spectacular performance when compared to prosthetics interfacing only with the ends of peripheral nerves. Performance is entirely dependent on the quality of the augmentation and how well mantained it is.

However, the process isn't perfect. People with mechanical augmentations require regular dosages of a stabilizing drug in order to mantain a proper connection between the biochip and the implants, while many also develop a dependency on painkillers as the process leaves them with a lingering sensation of pain akin to a migraine. Some people's bodies also reject the biochip outright for as of yet undetermined reasons. It is also, you know, an outright butchery of one's body, which puts many people off. I really have no idea what other disadvantages these could have. I assume an EMP weakness of some sort, but that can be spammed so easily one might as well not even be a cyborg, especially if it's a complete killswitch. Thoughts, ideas?

Physiopharmaceutical augmentation: Physiopharmaceutical augmentation, on the other hand, is available to any who wishes to subject himself to it. It is a standarized process meant for more massive use than mechanical augmentation, meaning the results it produces are always essentialy identical and superior to lower grade mechanical augmentations. By mutating the body using a specialized cocktail of chemicals, the subject can attain superhuman level of physical performance without replacing chunks of themselves with robotics. That's the basic idea anyway. In practice the process has an extremely high lethality rate and is thus used sparingly in people especially selected for the process, effectively making it rarer than mechanical augmentation. Feel free to come up with further disadvantages, haven't given em much thought.

Genetic tampering For the vat-grown supersoldiers, the Ark technology includes a way to artificially accelerate their growth, both physical and mental (the mental one can be the same one used on the mechanical life-forms' neurocomputers). The accelerated physical growth, however, means that a genome soldier's life expectancy is only a couple decades' long at most, as the process creates a rapid aging effect on the bodies.

Gene therapy can also be applied to normal humans with minimal risks and side effects, modifying their genes so they more closely resemble an intended apex. The effects are lesser than those of physiopharmacological augmentations and only superior to the lower grade mechanical augmentations, but it's by far the safest and least conspicuous method.

Kinda rushed through the last chunks. Thoughts, ideas?

Not really sure why they would need to hop up on drugs for maintaining a cybernetic implant/limb, though what about raymanian limbs? Short-ranged floating arms sounds interesting, and since its not actually connected to the body you would only need a way to power and control it instead of also integrating it with your biology.

Though I figure whatever survivors there are for Physiopharmaceutical augmentation would more often have deformities or useless/not-as-expected abilities. So I figure its not really a route often used and that the finest subjects would easily be outclassed by all the other super soldier projects. Hoping for random beneficial effects isn't as productive as purposely causing the desired result.

Well, an actual accelerated biological aging isn't required. Though I figure earlier subjects would have that flaw, and since they got about twenty years top any that's temporally seven would be at least three decades old physically. Though, regarding genetic stuff...

I figure the younger someone is, the more easily influenced they are. So while older PLUS would have stabler yet weaker powers younger PLUS would have stronger but more unstable abilities. Which ends up running the problem of child soldiers and using young children for said super human projects. Though, when faced with the threat of extinction, all possible means would be preferable. Then again, V would likely say no to child soldier stuff, since it makes things more messed up. Though, focusing all your resources on producing weaker weapons than what you could isn't beneficial when trying to fight against superior enemies.

Still, there's most likely no child soldiers or kids being used as test subjects. But I still want it to hold true regarding natural PLUS, since a younger being wouldn't be as biologically developed as an older entity. Though I just realized the madness of the Ark hasn't been used until four years ago, five tops. Which means a lot of their genetic-related programs would be highly unrefined or underutilized. It also means Earth has been defending themselves somehow without mecha for 2-3 years, and I thought it was agreed the war has been going on for 10 years? Either way, that really changes and messes up a lot of my ideas.

V, whats the youngest a pilot can be?

edited 27th Aug '13 3:06:27 PM by Kkutwar

I had this cooked up forever ago, and then my internet died and I just added stuff to it.

I figure making and connecting something that already imitates standard human anatomy to your brain is far simpler than making a floating limb that you somehow manage to properly control by thought, but it's not a bad idea I guess. Can certainly be stylish and cool. Also I basically took this stuff from the Deus Ex universe. Something about augments being rejected by the human body unless the person takes regular doses of a drug meant to prevent the brain and nervous system from rejecting the biochip and augment connection.

With Chem Augs (because I'm getting tired of typing the whole thing down), the cocktail always has the desired effect, the same increased reaction times, strength, resilience, etc. Problem is, only an already exemplary specimen can survive the process in the first place, so it's not practical at all.

I mostly want accelerated aging so people can actually have adult-bodied vat-grown soldiers. But also so we're not stuck with those "I look 7 but I'm actually 30 mentally" characters.

I like that younger PLUS have more powerful but less controlable abilities. Child soldiers is a wierd line to tiptoe, because it's wrong and it can be handled rather grimly, while many a mecha show has preschooler protagonists controlling or collaborating with the giant robots in an obviously positive light. Mayhaps natural PLUS abilities can only manifest starting, say, age 15? I personally like it when things have been happening for a longer time than 7 years, leaves more room for character concepts.

Having said all this, because I like to brainstorm and having excuses to write crap down, maybe the best way to handle this would be to just let people decide how exactly their character is special, and work with them on that and incorporate it to the world. I mean natural PLUS are made by a hole in reality, they can be almost anything, and the Ark is a collection of multiple alien technologies, who knows what ways of creating superhumans players can come up with that we wouldn't even consider.

In a completely unrelated note, I must insist we come up with a proper reason to justify why in the everloving fuck anyone would want to melee things with their giant robot. Yes, I know the reason is because it's cool. I love me some good ole fisticuffs and swording things as much as the next guy, but we do have firearms for a reason, hell even now we have ways of blowing something up from thousands of miles away in a fairly accurate manner. Why wouldn't someone just make a walking gun of death and fire it beyond standard engagement range? I know it's meant to be a super robot roleplay and that G Ms have the final say in everything, but why not try to nip that little issue in the bud and excercise some minor creativity?

Universal Century Gundam actually attempts to establish why close quarters combat is so important, limited visual range is the only feasible form of engagement as a side-effect of the use of a special particle used in energy weapons, so even dedicated sniper units are generally closer and more exposed to their targets. This coupled with the lack of computer-aided aiming and the speed and maneuverability of Mobile Suits mean that getting up close and personal where your weapon cannot possibly miss is a very valid choice. I like this explanation and we can easily adapt it as "the dimensional rift caused by teleportation messes with long range sensors and targeting". Maybe even throw in communications, so a team can't just be supervised from space, some kind of command unit needs to be present in engagements.

Another completely unrelated note, but what about adding a real robots? They'd go something like this: All of them are about 5 metres tall, all use regular modern weapons but upscaled, nothing energy based or special like vibroblades, railguns or heat weapons. For melee they either have bludgeoning instruments or pilebunkers. They were what mankind had, other than conventional weapons such as tanks and planes, when the Xenomechs first hit. An agile, versatile addition to traditional warfare at the time of their invention, they're heavily outclassed by xenomechs and S-class robots alike but are still employed to help patrol and guard populated areas, as almost any soldier can pilot one of these to decent effect.

For those, I take "real robot" as the extra realistic ones, such as Armored Troopers from VOTOMS and Gasaraki's mechas, because let's face it, Gundam is and always has been as fantastical as Mazinger or Getter, it was just given a slight coat of attempted military realism paint. As a personal note, I would like some size limits for super robots. I'm a sucker for making everything be the same size, and I blame Super Robot Wars' sprites for that, but if we can't have everything being (insert feet tall), then I'd go from (40 meters in feet) to (who the fuck knows)

Now for a completely OOC bit, there something I'd like to discuss with my co-gms. And by discuss I mean I'm gonna go on a little rant here. No harm intended. Anyway, the subject is creativity in character creation. I'd very much like to outright forbid direct ripoffs. There, I said it. Don't get me wrong, being inspired by something is fine, Gurren Lagann would not be what it is if it didn't take so much from Getter Robo, down to Spiral Power being a somewhat mellowed out Getter Energy, but it wasn't literally Getter Rays in a different universe, nor was the titular mecha literally Getter Robo.

V's mecha in the Humongous Mecha RP is a very obvious reference to Mazinger Z, but he didn't take a picture of Mazinger and went "This is my mecha" while describing the unit's weapons and functions using the exact same terminology as the original. That was good, it was a nice little tribute to a robot he liked. Conversely, someone took a Super Robot Wars J unit and just literally made it his unit. Same name, same functions, same weapons with the same terminology that didn't even really apply to the roleplay he was in because they were specific to that one SRW's universe. That is bad, it is lazy and is literally copypasting for what is supposed to be a fun exercise in creative writing. If people want to use what amounts to the Tallgeese 3 or Big-O or whatever the fuck else, that's fine by me, I like them as well. But at least put some effort into it and don't make it LITERALLY the fucking unit from a pre-existing work.

As I'm fond of saying, feel free to tell me to fuck off, I'm not the most original person in the world nor anywhere near close, I just admitted to ripping mechanical augmentation specifics off of Deus Ex Human Revolution and suggested adapting Gundam's Minovsky Particle effect to this roleplay as part of a worldbuilding process, I have no excuse for that, they're good bits that can be used to expand this universe, but literally ripping off a character and/or machine from another universe to use as your own elsewhere just irks me intensely.

Well then... You guys just keep on thinking about what the Ark has brought for Humanity and I'll stick to my comfort zone of justifying and explaining what and how the Xenomechs have become the way they are now.

And that character with the machine from SRW: J? I totally remade him into something far worthier in your eyes.

See? That's what I'm talking about! That works perfectly! It's still more or less the same unit, I'm perfectly able to recognize it as the Bellzelute from Super Robot Wars J, but at least it's not literally the goddamn Bellzelute copypasted into a different world. Would I rather people try and come up with mildly original concepts rather than use an altered pre-existing unit? I would, because I'm a pain in the ass like that, but what you did there, Strigon, is all I ask for: that people don't outright take an existing mech and/or character and slap them into the roleplay.

edited 27th Aug '13 11:24:29 PM by Z3R0H3X

Goes without saying!

That I'm a pain in the ass?

That I'm not supposed to use copy-and-paste characters and mecha! Although I am guilty of the whole copy paste thing too since Oracle and Epine Noir are essentially armored cores with a few edits here and there.

@KK: Stop coming to such assumptions, from the timeline thingy I posted; they were already capable of making super robots from Ark tech in the middle of the first year. But due to the incompatibility of Earth and alien technology, the process was slow at first; but progress sped up considerably near the end of the 3rd year after tons of research and study on the thing.

edited 27th Aug '13 11:45:24 PM by Strigon

I'm just messing, bro. Yeah I know Evangel and Oracle. Nexus was alright, Last Raven goes back and forth between being assburningly infuriating to the most spectacular Armored Core game I've ever played. I'm not a GM in Fall of Man, people can and should do whatever the hell they want there regardless of my opinion, but since I was granted some power here, I figured I might as well propose this. I can't be the only one that's bothered by it or thinks that putting a little bit of work into character creation makes for a better product.

@KK: I'm fine with that character concept! The penalty to his life-span inflicted by his transformation seems a bit harsh, though, specially considering that he can't completely control himself while doing so, which is already a reasonable and appropriate flaw for it... But, if the “life-drain” aspect is integral to your plans for him, then go ahead pal!

@Strigon: The Ark wasn't found until 3 years into the conflict, so those first were fought using only conventional weapons. So, the first Super Robots appeared roughly half-a-year after that.

• “Real Robots? In my Super Robot story? It's more likely than you think!” - I'm all OK with the idea of Real Robots also appearing in this setting. In fact, my main character's (who will be transplanted from the previous RP) backstory involves her piloting utilitarian mechas, (meant for building, rescue, handling of hazardous materials, etc.) before being given the chance to join the Guardian Force. So: Definitely! There's plenty of room for Real Robots (both militaristic, and utilitarian) to show up!

• “About the back-story time-frame”: That's the good thing about the planning face – We can change anything at this point before setting things in motion, that's when it's rather hard to do so.
  
  I said 7 years, because it was a middle ground between 5 and 10 years, which were the first proposals... Well, that, and because I've got a fixation with the number 7 for some reason... I just like using it whenever possible. HOWEVER, we can change that time period to whatever length you think would be more appropriate/interesting/flexible.

• “How young pilots can be?”: As Zero proposed, I'd also like to go with 15 years as the earliest age an individual can be recruited as a pilot. While it's true that a lot of old-school Super Robot series have extremely young protagonists, the truth is that those are also far goofier than the setting of this story... So, yeah, I'd prefer to avoid having Child Soldiers roaming around; the implications are rather horrifying.

• “How does Guardian Force and the world see the latest developments related to human enhancement?”: Now, that's a plot driving question! I think it's something we'll have to flesh out in the story proper, because I think the opinions vary heavily from one person to another.
  
  I think that the Guardian Force considers this “evolution leap” something good, not only because of the combat applications, but because of all the technology they could develop in order to improve human life: Make people live longer, eradicate dangerous diseases, etc. However, I imagine that the common people might be wary, and even afraid of it. Some of them might see it as the end of the human species, not as a forward step. But, then again, I think that opinions on the matter will vary heavily from person to person, with Guardian Force pilots opposing to it, and common folks being fervent supporters of it.

• “About a Minovsky-Particle-like effect”: That sounds reasonable, and perfectly in line with the kind of disruptions the Xenomechs' messy inter-dimensional jump methods could carry along with them.
  
  We might need to refine it, though, in order to make it a little less "Gundamish"... Hmmmmm... Any ideas?

• “About 'copy-pasting' characters and mechs”: Yeah, I also agree with your point, pal. Not only is rather lazy, but it also limits your ability to develop the concept beyond the scope of the original. There isn't too much I can add to the point, because you've already said what's most important: It's good to borrow concepts from other stories, but if you're gonna do so, you should always imprint them with you own special mark, so that they become something more than just a lazy copy of the original.
  
  So, do you want me to include a special clause in the sign-up page in order to discourage the egregious “copy&pasting syndrome”?

• “About the Super Robot's 'Standard Size'”: I'm perfectly fine with establishing that point too. 40 m would be roughly 130 ft... That seems fine by me. Or, does anyone else has a different proposal?

edited 28th Aug '13 12:15:57 AM by VPhantom

The thing with the Minovsky particle jamming is probably a lingering effect of the exotic particles and radiation left behind by portals but is quite harmless to most life unless in high levels and also disrupts insufficiently shielded electronic devices with a weak EMP effect, and exacerbates the Blooming effect on directed energy weaponry, forcing them to be used up to a maximum of 5 kilometers. Though there are some weapons that are capable of hitting from a massive 20 kilometers away, but those ones are very big and bulky.

As for the copypasta and super robot size: Enforce it and the barest minimum height and weight should be 30 meters and 200 tons.

For a timeframe, I'd say 2 decades? 2 decades, split up into 2 periods of 7 years of warfare followed up by 3 years of peace each? I like decades, you like sevens, it allows plenty of time for development of stuff and more varied/older character bios. By the time the roleplay starts, the second period of peace comes to an end many expected, but all prayed would not happen. For the timegaps, we can make it so it's xenomech's cooldown timer? Say, they take that time to analyze what they've learned? Perhaps allow for the planet, which has put up a significant fight, to recover so then they can steal even better technologies from them? Teleporting limitations? I dunno what do you think?

Further ideas to limit rangespam and the logic solution of powerful explosives from a continent away. Maybe the teleporting momentarily creates an area of disrupted space in which the fights take place? The dimensional gateway opens, and before the xenomech can come out, the super robots go in and fight it in this distorted place between universes where stuff just works wierd. The mecha taskforce's goal is to destroy the enemy or enemies, preventing it or them from leaving the area, and getting the hell out of dodge before the area collapses on itself. Especially since if the portal closes with foreign material still within, it produces a lovely detonation capable of leveling nearly anything close by. It makes for an automatic arena but it doesn't quite have the same effect as fighting on Earth soil, yakno?

I'm glad you agree on no copypasting. Yes I would very much like for it to be a special clause in the signup thread. Maybe even put it like, big bold letters. Underlined big bold letters or something. People can't miss it. Don't just discourage it, say that people who do it won't be accepted until they put some work into turning their ripoffs into tributes/references.

The size thing, I wrote that while my internet was dead so all those parenthesis? I was supposed to replace them with actual figures. 40 meters is half as tall as Pacrim's Jaegers, give or take a few meters depending on the Jaeger. Gao Gai Gar is about 30 meters tall, while King J-Der is a whooping 100 meters. Gunbuster stands at about 200 meters not counting the pointy shoulders, while a regular mobile suit from early UC is 20 meters or so. A Scopedog's like 4 meters tall. So I dunno, say, 40 minimum to 50 maximum meters for supers? That'd be about 130 to 165 feet.

The spacial disruption thing wouldn't work out too well. A better idea would be that Xenomechs are too quick, fast and tough to be effectively be harmed by long range artillery. That and Super robots are in-story, simply much more cost-effective and efficient than simply throwing waves of men, machines and ammunition at one.

edited 28th Aug '13 1:23:02 AM by Strigon

Imposing a height and weight limit for mecha seems like an unnecessary limitation. Though I say this more since it limits what a person can do for their mecha and its not like most people are going to consider height when they're writing a post anyways. Though I'm not sure how punching a hole in reality makes radiation. Then again, the laws of reality around Xenomech rifts and/or areas constantly exposed to rifts would be unstable & broken. That should probably be taken in account, so I say the effects around rifts are less pre-set and more unpredictable since its broken physics. So while one rift area is totally fine with communication and ranged weapons, another completely messes those up while yet another has almost zero gravity. I would vote for this way, since it allows us to make all kinds of fancy Xenomech fights and we can impose all the limits we want without making them standard. That and it'll keep the Guardian Force on their toes, since they wouldn't know what kind of things could happen in the next rift area.

I would of figured 14, just so a seven year old would have the maximum PLUS abilities while also getting to be a pilot. Though if this'll be twenty years instead, I'll save all my suggestions and whatnot for a confirmation of that. Though regarding the pyrokinetic, not really. Been somewhat in a mood for taking things to logical extents (or what I see as logical extents), and I figured someone who doesn't have an enhanced healing factor that generates mass to become a draconian creature would shed all that since its easier than trying to figure out a way to compact it into his body. Though whats your personal opinion about the dragony bits? I'm really just trying to take his core characterization for here, so anything beyond that is unnecessary to bring over.

The too quick and tough to be harmed by long range bombardment makes very little sense, we have guided weaponry and if we can mount weapons that harm them on robots, we can scale that up and make a big ass gun of "fuck you" to shoot them into bits from a very long range, if it stays still for a second then it can be hit and wrecked as long as computer-assisted targeting still works or we use personnel on the area for laser targeting. I don't even like Bayformers, but that boat railgun from the second one? That's basically what'd happen, why engage when you can hit them with a robot-sized weapon from across the world. Building a giant gun and ammunition is far cheaper than building a functional robot. I'll understand if we reduce this into "Screw you, rule of cool. Super robots, man, I ain't gotta make sense" and apologize for trying to bring logic into a super robot thing. It slips by me sometimes.

I more or less agree with weight guidelines being an unnecessary complication, since we know all of the robots weight somewhere between a whole lot and an assload and they already break so many laws of physics that accurately gauging what they should weight is a bit of a crapshoot. However, actual size is rather important. A standard Gundam or Big-O, which is 30 feet taller more or less, could easily be grabbed and smashed by King J-Der and its 100 meters, or easily evaporated if they're ever hit by its weapons, just because of the sheer size of them.

I like xenomech portals having a variety of effects on the area where they materialize, it can make for some fun. Would the effects always be benefitial to the xenomech? It'd be more super roboty if they were, since it's always villains that prepare terrain and plan ahead while heroes mostly charge ahead and punch things until they break. Then again, it's a risk, since why don't they just make an increased gravity zone and crush everyone in it to death or something like that.

Well, its a hole in reality that's connecting two very different universes. I don't think anyone has any sort of control over what happens around a Xenomech rift. In fact, I figure Xenomechs more often try to leave the area they materialize then stick around because of the uncertainty. Either way, the rift areas being like this means you have to be on your toes and thus gives reason to have both melee & ranged mecha. It also further justifies a wide variety of mecha types (besides the enemy Xenomechs), since if the rift areas had a constant standard with no extra element then wouldn't the Guardian Force solely focus their mecha designs to work best in that condition?

When it comes to games, I do prefer a variety then a bunch of the same things. In some old RP Gs I've run I pretty much enforced that there's only one player of each class, otherwise everyone would just use the same class. So I would prefer not all Xenomechs have super speed/reaction/durability. Besides, maybe that's how the time before and shortly after peace is? Humanity has powerful enough long-ranged weapons to take out the Xenomechs, and they take this three year break to improve themselves so they're not one-shotted by those weapons. It would give reason why the Xenomechs would stop attacking at all if they were getting killed in one shot.

Here's an idea. Why don't we just call the super robots...super robots. No really, so many series try so hard in giving their machines fancy designations in latin and german and whatnot. So, instead of using that or going full Japanese, why don't we just call em...super robots? It's a good term, people familiar with the fandom can understand it, it can be an in-universe joke. And then, if anyone wants a fancy designation and/or title to go along with their unit because it's built in a specific way, they can totally do that, and it'll be an "insert fancy name or designation" Super Robot.

So uh, how bout it, then?

EDIT: uh, otherwise go for Saviour Machines. It's essentially what they are to mankind, it might've started as a civilian nickname that quickly grew into common use because of its uplifting nature. For the pilots inside, I dunno. Machinery Knights? A bit tacky and too european I guess.

edited 28th Aug '13 12:55:49 PM by Z3R0H3X

Hmm... Well all the organizations in The Humongous Mecha RP just called them mecha, and the world was/is pretty much our own so they would know about manga & anime. So yeah, it would be vastly simpler and actually logical to just call them super robots or mecha assuming Guardian Force's world was/is like our own. Lots of people would already know what they are, and even if they gave them names there would still be people simply calling them mecha or super robots. So, just calling them mecha/super robots would avoid all the petty squabbles that would come from people arguing about the naming and when you're on the brink of extinction you really want to be as unified as possible.

edited 28th Aug '13 1:00:15 PM by Kkutwar