Many people in existence do not know a horrible truth, and, unless a horrible accident takes place, they remain that way.
My people were not that lucky.
My people... my people were once proud and great. They had created magnificent spaceships, united the entire Earth, and formed a vast empire within the Milky Way. They were, however, peaceful people: only a few pirates threatened our life, and we possessed enough military weaponry to deal with them.
All of that changed when they attacked.
We never knew where they came from. They would appear with a few ships, strike our most defenseless planets and then disappear. They destroyed most of our colonies, and we were never able to strike back.
Until they attacked Earth.
We had placed many defenses there, and the battle around Earth was a very close affair, but we won. Not only that, but we managed take one of their ships, completely intact, along with their crewmen.
It was then when we learned who our enemy was. They called themselves "Acebees", and traveled between universes, breaking the barriers between them to subjugate other Earths, forming a brutal empire that spanned, not only stars, but also universes, taking every resource without any disruption. We were the first to defeat them in their entire history.
We managed to reverse-engineer that ship, and we started to fight back against them, traveling to other universes. When we found empty Earths, we would exploit them for natural resources. When there were local people, we ensured to make them unite, we armed them and provided them with ships and other technology to make sure they could fight off the Acebees if they appeared there.
For a hundred years, my people fought the Acebees, and in the end we showed them that we were too powerful for them to defeat, but at the same time, we could not defeat them, either. Thus, both sides signed a pact: neither side would attack each other, and neither side would directly influence other universes.
However, we soon realized that there were loopholes in the plan. The Acebees began to abduct people from other universes and subvert them to become their tools. We could not act directly, which would mean breaching the treaty. However, we could do something like them, and we created a group. We called it the Multiverse Exploratory Corps, and we tasked it with fighting the Acebees' tools and revert the damage caused by their actions. We recruited for it people that were either about to die or that would not be missed, healing them and restoring their youth, asking them to work for us. We provided them with ships able to travel the multiverse, and we gave them the chance to travel at free will between worlds, as long as they fought the Acebees.
I am a recruiter for the Multiverse Exploratory Corps. Some time ago, I recruited a team, which showed great promise. However, several of them died in an attempt to eliminate Acebee influence from a 19th century Japan that had been given mind-controlling devices, and the rest were sent to a safe place, to await a new chance.
My name is Milarqui. I come from Earth-1, The Hub. And this... this is my second chance to save the multiverse.
Welcome to...
CFC.COM, the MES/NES
A Second Chance
If you have already played the original CFC.COM, then many things in here you will already know. However, you should still read, because there are some changes around, and you will have to make sure to read everything. If you haven't played the original, read doubly carefully. The less questions that have to be made, the better.
This NES is not an actual NES, like many others you may see around the forum. This is an RPG NES, where each player will be able to create and control one character, working with other players to achieve your objectives and travel through the Multiverse, using your abilities to defeat those that face you, and just enjoying life as best as possible.
The first step for every player is to define their own character.
Defining Your Character
This part is important, as the way your character is built defines the way you are going to be playing. A character that uses magic will be completely different from a character that runs around with a sword and a bow. Thus, you have to make sure that you know how to use things.
This is an example character (please, make sure to be original, DO NOT copy my idea (that goes for you too, christos200)):
While several of these things are clear, I'll explain them anyway:
Spoiler:
[list][*]Name: This is how your character is called, and your own nickname. You are welcome to call your character however you want, as long as it fits your nation.[*]Origin: the timeline number (you can make it up), the local year in which you were recruited, your affiliation and what you did in your world.[*]Primary Stats: you have 450 points to spend between the seven primary stats. No value may be over 75 (so as to make sure that your characters are actually human).
Strength (STR): measures a PC's ability to use brute force in his dealings across space-time. For example, lifting a weight or throwing a punch.
Perception (PER): measures a PC's ability to use his senses to interact with his/her surroundings. For example, pointing a gun at an objective or smelling some kind of perfume.
Endurance (END): measures a PC's health and ability to resist illnesses and/or poisonings. It directly affects your HPs.
Charisma (CHA): measures a PC's ability to interact with other people through speech, as well as convincing other people of your opinion or to obey you.
Intelligence (INT): measures a PC's ability to use his/her mind to understand the world that surrounds them, as well as to use it for other intellectual things.
Agility (AGI): measures a PC's ability to move fast, as well as his/her reflexes and his/her jumping ability.
Luck (LCK): measures a PC's luck, which affects things that may be random.
[*]Secondary Stats: they depend on the Primary Stats. They will grow with the PS, and they also may be affected by bonuses from the abilities and disabilities.
Health Points (HP): measures how near the PC is to death. The higher it is, the best. Can be recovered by resting, eating and being healed. The maximum is 50+STR+END/2 (note the lack of parenthesis), rounded up.
Magic Points (MP): measures the PC's capacity to use magic. Of course, useless for characters that do not have magical abilities. Increases through resting, meditation and other methods. The maximum is 10+INT/5 (again, no parenthesis) rounded up.
Chrono Points (CP): the Chrono-Traveler's passage through the barriers of the multiverse make them particularly able to affect probabilities. In-game, one CP can be used to try a failed action again. They can be recovered with time and through incredibly successful actions. The maximum is 5+LCK/5 (no parenthesis).
[*]Abilities: upon creation, the character can have 5 abilities. 2 of them must be related to combat (weapon using and magic), while the remaining 3 must not be related to combat (using certain items, some specialized training, speaking non-mother languages...). All of them begin at Lvl 1. These abilities cannot be too general (for example, if you want to be good with all kinds of firearms, then you must have an ability for handguns, another for rifles, another for SMGs, etcetera: you can't use one ability to cover everything).[*]Disabilities: the character must have 2 disabilities. Just like Abilities are things your character is good at, the Disabilities are things that hinder your character. They are not "levelled", but they can be upgraded in certain circumstances.[*]Weapons: normally, the PC will carry a melée weapon and a long-range weapon (if either requires some kind of ammunition, it will have (x) next to the weapon name, with x being how many more times the weapon can be used). Magicians must carry a focus with which their magic can be used, which will replace one of the weapons. Characters can carry up to 4 weapons on their person at any given time, although they may own more than that.[*]Armor: the protection the character wears. It will protect characters from attacks, although the protection will depend on what the enemy uses to fight you. The character will only be able to carry what armor they wear.[*]Other Items: your character, upon creation, will have 4 distinct objects. Unless these objects are small (for example, a small bag of herbs, several of which may be carried in a bigger bag), each object will count as one. If you carry 3 grenades, it will count as 3 different items. Initially, a character can carry up to 8 objects, although in the future there will be chances to increase that number. Again, you can own more than those 8 objects you carry.[*]Injuries: unless they form part of the disabilities, your character initially lacks injuries. As you may surmise, injuries will burden your character and make it harder to carry out certain actions, and they can also provoke loss of health if untreated.
The issue of magic is one that was badly handled in the previous iteration of this NES. Now, after some working, I have managed to come up with an idea that will make magic more "real", so to speak, and less easy to corrupt. Essentially, there are 9 branches of magic, depending on how is that magic cast. Characters must also learn a spell before being able to use it. Each magic branch counts as a different combat ability, and a magician can initially have 3 spells of each branch they have an ability in. The branches are:
Spoiler:
Beastmaster: you have an affinity with animals, and you can use that affinity to have them aid you. You may not harm an animal unless it is in self-defense or because of great need, and you have to know what animals you are invoking, but you receive a familiar, and the animals you invoke are very powerful.
Missionary: you are a messenger of whatever god(s) you are following, and they task you with many things. You must spread the word of your god(s) every time you can, and you must obey your god(s) orders, but your god(s) will probably hear your prayers, and you will become more powerful as you convert more people to your religion.
Mystic: the magic is something that comes from your body, your mind and your soul, and as such you are able to connect with them to cast spells. You have to meditate every day in order to maintain the connection, and you must learn spells before being able to use them, but in exchange you can create spells and the only thing you need is something to cast the magic with.
Shaman: you commune with the spirits of nature, and you are able to talk with them and ask them to do things. You do need to state the spirits' names to invoke them, and if you do not do small sacrifices for them from time to time they might not answer, but the spirits are very powerful, and they will help you a lot if you treat them well.
Sorceror: magic is part of the nature, including yourself, and you know how to gain access to it, but it is not completely within you, so you need a little extra. Requires you to carry the components and learn what each component does, but if you find new things you can create new spells and, since the magic is tied to something physical, then it is more powerful.
Summoner: there are beings of great power in an alternate dimension, which no mortal can reach unless they prove to be worth of being part of the group. A summoner needs to prove his worth before being able to invoke one summon, which they must know of before acting, but the beings are very powerful, and it requires relatively little magic to invoke them.
Technomancer: to you, magic is a science, something that can be studied and that can be worked with. You have to learn spells, and you must do your calculations on your head before casting the spell, but you can make up your own spells and can imbue spells in objects (even electronics).
Vancian: a Vancian magician is one that must prepare carefully every day for what may happen, but can become powerful if careful. You must prepare every spell you are going to use in the morning, and each spell has a limited use, but in exchange each spell only requires 1 MP to use, and if you find or make specially prepared parchment or paper, you can imbue them with spells to turn them into scrolls.
Wild Man: magic is a force of nature that you can control with your word and will. The spells you may cast can get out of control easily, and they require much magic to use, but you can limit the magic you use, and the only limit to your spells is your imagination.
In summary, when you create a character, you must do this:
Give the PC a Name, an Origin and, if you are up to it, a short Backstory.
Define its Primary Stats (450 points in total, no stat over 75).
5 Abilities, 2 related to combat, 3 that are not.
2 Disabilities.
2 Weapons (make sure they are actually related to your abilities!)
Armor that suits the character.
3 Items.
Please, be ORIGINAL. Don't make the next Terminator or Gandalf expy. I only accept human PCs, but if you are able to find a hilarious enough idea, I am willing to accept humanoids. If I see anything that seems to be out of order, I'll make sure to point it out.
Spoiler for Suggestions:
Harry Potter-type wizard.
Character from Kingdom of Loathing.
Character from Fanhunter (Spanish comic book).
The Actions, Or How To Deal With A Problem
With the character(s) created, you now may ask "How do I go at playing the game?" Well, that is through Actions. Every turn, a player can do five things that may or may not require use of an ability. When you use an ability, then I'll throw 2d10 and determine through them a number between 0 and 100, thus determining your level of success. To do this, the result will be compared with ATR, a number depending on the primary stats related to the action and your abilities and disabilities.
Spoiler:
0 = Gone Horribly Right: let's say that going overboard is NOT a good idea... -10 EXP.
1 = Critical Success: your ability has helped you succeed beyond all expectations! +10 EXP.
2 to 20% of ATR = That Was Great!: you did it really well! +5 EXP
21% to 50% of ATR = Quite Good: you do what you wanted. Not perfectly, but, well... +3 EXP
51% to 100% of ATR = Not So Bad: you did not do what you wanted, but it was so near... +1 EXP
ATR+1 to ATR+50% of DIF = So... Near...: well, you nearly managed to do it. You still failed, though.
ATR+51% of DIF to ATR+80% of DIF = Awww: it was not so easy, wasn't it? -1 EXP
ATR+81% of DIF to 98 = Dammit!: your failure gets compounded with something extra that screws you up. -3 EXP
99 = Epic Fail: you fail so hard that you wonder how it did not hurt more. -5 EXP
100 = Gone Horribly Wrong: well, here you might as well kiss your ass goodbye. -10 EXP
Each Ability has several levels, and each level provides a bonus of +5 to their use. However, increasingly difficult actions will have a greater malus, so those bonuses will be balancing the score.
The MES, or how to travel between timelines
Now, we have to talk about the MES. MES stands Multiverse Exploratory Spaceship, and, as you can imagine, it's the method you will use to travel between alternate timelines. It will be your HQ everywhere you go, and thus it will be extremely important. However, you won't gain control of it until the second mission ends.
The MES has the following stats:
Spoiler:
Hull Points: 100/100
ATL Drive: 100%, 10/15
Propulsion Drive: 75%, 30, 50/100
Weapons: 1 Missile Launcher I (16), 2 Laser Beam I (95%, 70%)
Shields: Ion Shield I (50%), Countermeasures I (20%)
Rooms: Pilot Cabin, 2 Bunk Rooms, Meeting Room, 8 Rooms, Kitchen, Mechanic Workshop
Shuttles: Shuttle 1 (100%), Shuttle 2 (80%)
Stored: 100 units of food, 100 l of water, 20 l of beer, 20 l of vodka, 10 l of gin, 20 statues, 5 cloth baskets
Armory: 3 E-Guns, 2 E-Rifles, 100 E-Cells, 1 Sniper Rifle, 30 Sniper Bullets, 3 Steel Swords, 1 Axe
Once more, the explanation for these stats:
Spoiler:
Hull Points: the Hull status is basically the ship health. When it reaches 0, the MES goes KABOOM! Great loss of HP can result in loss of integrity. Current HP can be increased through reparations, while maximum HP can be increased through the use of better materials.
ATL Drive: what allows the ship to travel between TLs. The first number indicates status, and the lower it is, the lower the chance to reach your intended destination. The second number indicates the fuel you have, with each travel consuming 1 unit. Initially, you can do a maximum of 10 "jumps".
Propulsion Drive: this allows your ship to move within one universe. The first number indicates status, showing how efficient it is right now. The second indicates top speed, important when it comes to flying. The third indicates how much fuel you have left.
Weapons: there are three kinds of weapons: Missile Launchers, which shoot missiles (highly destructive against the hull, although it requires a supply of missiles), Laser Beams (which can hit hull and inner parts) and Ion Ball Shooters (which can disable systems and cause small damage). Initially, you get 2 of the three basic weapons (ML I, LB I and IBS I).
Shields: shields can help protect the ship against many external threats. Countermeasures protects against missiles, Ion Shields against ionic attacks and Reflectors against laser beams. The percentage determines how much it can keep protecting the ship. Initially, you can only get one of the shields.
Rooms: the parts of the ship you have with you. Initial rooms are the Pilot Cabin, 2 Bunk Dorms and the Meeting Room. The Armory, the Storage and the ATL and Propulsion Drive Rooms do not count. New rooms can be built by the players or bought at the Hub.
Shuttles: when you don't want to land with the CFC.com, you can use these to touch land and look less threatening. You can give them names, if you want. Also, each Shuttle has a health meter: if it reaches 0%, the shuttle becomes inoperative or explodes.
Stored: what you have in your ship. Previously, there was a stat that controlled how much space you had, but I have decided against it, because it was too complicated. Remember that your character must eat at least 1 food unit per day if they want to stay on their feet, and 3 to be well fed. Also, 2l of drink are required.
Armory: where the weapons are stored when they are not being used.
How To Play
At the beginning of each turn, players will state the actions they want their characters to make through a post in this thread. I will then throw dice and determine success or failure. If you want your actions to be a secret, then you can send me a message, but depending on what you want to do, the action will appear in the update (thus cluing the others into what you are doing) or not (which means no story about it).
Remember, you are a team in this, and thus you have to play like a team. Going on your own, becoming a cowboy cop or betraying the rest of the team is NOT A GOOD IDEA.