Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.super-heroes (
More info?)
Fitz <pj_fitz@hotmail.com> wrote:
>On Mon, 02 Aug 2004 00:06:24 +0200, Peter Knutsen
><peter@knutsen.invalid> wrote:
>>A mask prevents you from utilizing facial expressions, e.g. to
>>communicate with (such as to defuse a tense situation, so as to
>>prevent combat). It follows from this that a mask that lets
>>facial expressions through would be more desirable than one that
>>doesn't. And shouldn't the same logic apply to a voice masking
>>device?
Not all masks cover the entire face. Lone Ranger type masks
only cover the eyes, giving plenty of opportunity for facial
expressions. Lots of masks only cover the top half of the face,
which is just as good since the mouth is freely visible. Even
full face masks aren't necessarily all that limiting in a
superhero world - various artists have managed to make Spiderman's
face remarkably descriptive even when he has the mask on.
It's too bad they couldn't pull that off in the second movie,
but I imagine it's tons easier to do in a static image than
on film. Still, though, I would never penalize a character with
a full face mask when it comes to non-verbal communication.
If nothing else, the rest of the body is visible, and lots
of nonverbal cues don't come from the face.
Thinking about it, I might have a full face mask have minor
social penalties, depending on who you're dealing with.
Children might be more afraid of someone whose face is
completely covered than they would of someone with at
least the bottom half of the face uncovered, for example.
Or not. It'd be strictly a role-playing thing, in my
opinion.
>If the sole use of the "voice-mask" is to maintain the character's
>Secret ID, then it's just a special effect attached to the Secret ID
>character disadvantage -- just like Clark Kent's ridiculous
>non-concealing spectacles, and just like the so-called masks of a
>million zillion other superhero characters.
Yeah. As long as the mask only changes the voice enough so that
it's not easily detectable as being the same voice as the Secret
ID, I don't think it's worth points. Spidey's mask has been
noted as muffling his voice enough to prevent identification,
for example.
On the other hand, the character's voice under the mask
should sound the same all the time. So even though no one
will be able to tell by voice that the Scarlet Wombat is
really up-and-coming physicist and supermodel Amber DeFonte,
they will be able to recognize the Scarlet Wombat's voice
when they hear it again. If you want to be able to reliably
use different voices with the mask, you need to buy some
kind of power or skill that allows that sort of thing.
> There's no reason to
>charge points for it unless it gives the character a measurable
>in-game advantage. Contrary to common belief, you *don't* have to cost
>out every single little facet of a Hero System character.
Right. Some of the old write-ups make that an easy point to forget,
though. I vaguely remember Dark Champions being especially bad
in that regard. Still, it can be fun to work out the cost of
every little thing sometimes.
Pete
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