Some time ago I read a thread on rpg.net (now, there's a surprise) about Dawn of Legends (DoL), a new Super Hero addition to Savage Worlds. Someone in the thread asked if DoL could support higher level characters, like Superman or the Flash.
The reply was that it definately was possible. However, the solution left me a bit less than enthusiastic. Basically, it was a multi-step-process. First you had to buy high levels of the Strength attribute. This in itself wasn't enough, but after that you had to buy Edges (I may be wrong on the terminology here) to increase damage, increase lifting capacity, make his punches armour penetrating etc.
This is not the first time I've encountered this line of thinking. A few years ago, I was a in a forum thread talking about Gurps Supers. The question was basically the same: How do you simulate a super-strong characters punches. The semi-official word was that you might as well buy it as a separate attack with a range of Touch. So, just getting a decent amount of strength wasn't enough, I also had to buy other things around the character to properly be able to reflect what I want him to do.
I find both these examples to be flawed. This is not from a simulationist point of view (which it might be if you asked me a few years ago), but from a usability point of view.
There are many usability guidlines that state that you should follow the users internal/ mental modell or expectations on how things work. It is natural, intuitive that if I buy a high level of strength (for intance) certain things follow with that. I shouldn't need to add a lot of details / extra feats on top of that, it should be included from start.
Normally I have the same opinion about to many feats in DnD, for instance. In order to build a decent fighter, I need to know that there are a multitude of different Feats that is more or less necessary for building the fighter.
Feats or Edges or whatever should be used to add specialties or tweaks to a character, but when they are more or less mandatory for a fairly straight up build, I think it's a sign of at least a partly flawed game design in the first place.
The reply was that it definately was possible. However, the solution left me a bit less than enthusiastic. Basically, it was a multi-step-process. First you had to buy high levels of the Strength attribute. This in itself wasn't enough, but after that you had to buy Edges (I may be wrong on the terminology here) to increase damage, increase lifting capacity, make his punches armour penetrating etc.
This is not the first time I've encountered this line of thinking. A few years ago, I was a in a forum thread talking about Gurps Supers. The question was basically the same: How do you simulate a super-strong characters punches. The semi-official word was that you might as well buy it as a separate attack with a range of Touch. So, just getting a decent amount of strength wasn't enough, I also had to buy other things around the character to properly be able to reflect what I want him to do.
I find both these examples to be flawed. This is not from a simulationist point of view (which it might be if you asked me a few years ago), but from a usability point of view.
There are many usability guidlines that state that you should follow the users internal/ mental modell or expectations on how things work. It is natural, intuitive that if I buy a high level of strength (for intance) certain things follow with that. I shouldn't need to add a lot of details / extra feats on top of that, it should be included from start.
Normally I have the same opinion about to many feats in DnD, for instance. In order to build a decent fighter, I need to know that there are a multitude of different Feats that is more or less necessary for building the fighter.
Feats or Edges or whatever should be used to add specialties or tweaks to a character, but when they are more or less mandatory for a fairly straight up build, I think it's a sign of at least a partly flawed game design in the first place.
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