REBOOT INFORMATION; what you've been waiting for

[capemods]

Hello, C&C! We are in the homestretch now; the reboot is upon us. This post contains the details of reboot; the WHATS, WHOS, WHERES, WHENS, and WHYS, so to speak. Below the cut you'll find basic summaries and information, explanation of function, intended mechanic changes, and dates. Comments and questions will be welcome at this time, from either current or prospective players, as this post is open to the public.

Details on C&C's final plot chapter, the one that will conclude this story arc and bring us into the next -- the part one endgame, as it were -- will be forthcoming later this week. Following that post, will also be another reboot-relevant post on the 12th to coordinate housing, what characters may bring from C&C 1.0 into the new setting, jobs, activity goals during the workshopping, and other minor details for current characters and players that would normally be covered through the application process.

Thank you again for your patience during this transition.

You feel that something's... wrong. You don't quite remember what you were doing the moments before you now find your eyes trying to adjust to the darkness, the cold; you're somewhere underground, soldiers milling all around you. There are dog tags around your neck and some kind of digital imprinting on your wrist that seems to glow in the dark and reads: REGISTERED HERO.

"So, hero," says a woman's voice, her face in shadows as a machine hums into glowing blue life behind her. "You're about to be a part of something bigger than yourself; I hope you're up for it." Before you can answer, you're ushered somehow upward, leaving you with only her final words -- "Don't worry. We're the good guys." -- before you're enveloped in blue light and suddenly blinking the bright Florida sunlight from your eyes. A soldier escorts you to a car, where she proceeds to debrief you on the situation as she drives you to your lodgings. Your home, for now.

The file she passes to you tells you your name, your powers -- which if you didn't have before, you have them now -- and your new address, located on a military base in some city you've probably never heard of. If anyone asks, you've just moved there on business, or you've been relocated by the military... neither is exactly a lie. No one has come out and said it but you can get the impression this is all confidential. Vigilantism and superheroism is illegal (she tells you) but you've been brought here for a reason; a reason that must also be confidential, because she doesn't tell you that part.

Settle into your new house, your new job, get used to your powers, make some friends, keep your ear to the ground. Or, if that's not your style, get your villain hat on and cause some real mayhem, or put on a costume and bring back the era of the caped crusader... just be careful how you do it. This is bigger than you, and you didn't ask to be recruited. What you do next is up to you.

Cape and Cowl: Mask or Menace is inspired by the graphic novel New Frontier, and will mix superhero mythos with government/military intrigue, mayhem with mystery. Characters will arrive in Cape Canaveral, Florida, by way of a (perhaps familiar looking) Porter, and upon their debriefing will be assigned both housing in a small Florida town -- appropriately named Heropa -- nearby the military base they arrive in, and a job based on their skills or experience. (Yes, characters can move or turn down their jobs, but retaining their military assignments will allow them to also retain their military benefits.) Vigilante heroism is illegal (though still, of course, possible), but the military encourages characters to work with them to pursue their heroic dreams legally. Government-sponsored heroes are everything you'd expect a hero to be in appearance and message, the catch of course being when they want you somewhere, you'd better go.

The tattoo, you'll find, doesn't show up in the light, and it'll adjust automatically depending on certain choices your character makes (anything from REGISTERED HERO -- the default, whether or not you pursue a "heroic" career" -- to UNSETTLED HERO to VIGILANTE to CRIMINAL to AWOL). Characters that comply with the government by staying in their assigned housing (or formally requesting a reassignment to another city) and giving the appearance of playing by the rules will maintain the benefits they're granted upon arrival: free housing, free health care, and government sanction to freely perform superheroic duties. It is optional to accept the job they assign you, but if you turn it down you are on your own in finding a new one. It is also optional to stay in the government housing, but to move against assignment forfeits the aforementioned government benefits. The government doesn't mind: they don't mean to trap you, but they'll only give free rides to those that comply. There are certain freedoms that come from complying with them and certain freedoms that come from separation; it is up to you. Choose a side, change sides, sit somewhere in the middle; be the hero, the villain, or the civilian that you are or always wanted to be.

Part of the game's plot will involve the motives of the people you're now working for (or perhaps not working for), but that isn't all. There's a lot more to what they tell you, things you are meant to stop, things you are meant to fix, and things you are perhaps not meant to know but will inevitably find out. Each month, they will give out assignments (mini-plots in effect, some big, some small) that will progress the plot along between chapters or simply fulfill short-term needs; players can sign up characters for these and will often get randomly assigned with other characters to carry these assignments out. This is also not to say there will be no room for player plots or character downtime, though it may sound like a lot; plot chapters and assignments will be structured and scheduled in ways that allow for plenty of player freedom in between. Heropa, though smaller than New York City, will offer as much flexibility and even more creative license than the City did -- everything you've been able to do between or even during plots in capeandcowl you will continue to be able to do now, with acknowledgement that the plot schedule and structures will differ from how they were before.

This world is not unlike our own, but it's not exactly like it, either. The Florida town characters are shipped to by default, for instance, does not exist in our world, and neither do the three cities (in North Carolina, Virginia, and Pennsylvania) that characters may commute to for work, be sent to on assignment, or even move to. The year is 2014 but compared to the real world it may be a little jarring the way this one seems like the 50s and the future had a baby. It's nothing as drastic as the Jetsons, but cars that don't look like models more recent than 1965 come in both "standard" and "hover," phone booths are back in vogue, and you can sync your iPod to any barroom jukebox. The anti-hero sentiment floating around resembles in some part the era of McCarthy, but even with vigilantism outlawed, imPorts are well-received and even welcomed by the world at large. A brief look into the history books will tell you that you aren't the first imPorts that have been here, either; a long time ago they were regarded with wariness much like the heroes are now, but were accepted at last when they began to prove their worth, effect on their economy, and that if there was trouble from one of them other imPorts would usually put a stop to it. Of course, there's more to this story, but no one's telling you that part yet. It's obvious your purpose here is more than just a coincidence.

The game will open as planned, structured to function "small" but with flexibility to match however the playerbase may grow. Should new player interest be very low but current player interest remain strong, we will consider transitioning to a private game with applications open by invitation or on a bi-monthly basis -- this is, however, not our goal and simply a plan B. Much of the present details of this setting have been finalized to their current state based on the polled info from this post -- we thank you again for taking the time to vote! Although many of our info pages are still in varying states of progress, more thorough information can be found at the following links:

SETTING INFORMATION | FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS | GAME/WORLD HISTORY
LOCATIONS | CALENDAR

Other mechanic changes that will be implemented:

• APPLICATIONS: Among other changes being made to the application in light of the new setting, as of the reboot.
  ⒈ history sections can be written out or linked and summarized,
  ⒉ original characters (fully original or setting native to players with at least one character in game) will be acceptable to app,
  ⒊ one sample may be supplemented with a test drive meme link (lacking a recent one, a musebox thread can be substituted).
  
• APP CYCLES AND INTROS: Once applications reopen they will remain open indefinitely for the time being. Then, once the game finds new rhythm, they will open on a once-or-twice (TBD) a month basis and be processed at a rate to allow for an intro mingle log system.
  
• ACTIVITY CHECK: Activity check will remain what it is, with one slight change; as of the reboot, posts will be tagged not only for the character making the post, but also the characters tagging it. With the game size smaller this is now feasible, and will make tracking activity by threads simpler.
  
• NETWORK: There are two ways characters will be able to access the network, as of the reboot.
  ⒈ the normal, manual way via a handheld communicator device that all characters will be given on arrival, and
  ⒉ a deliberate mental access, triggered by the digital tattoos (which will act as the access code/wifi signal, so to speak); a character will be able to deliberately call up the network in their mind in a kind of bluetooth/picture-in-picture way (that's only visible to them, obviously).
  
• HELPSTAFF: Once the reboot workshopping begins, there will be a couple of changes in how management and helpstaff functions in the game. Helpstaff -- current members if interested (we will PM you!), and however many new members we take on once we open helpstaff applications in the upcoming weeks -- will be promoted to helper mods, of which there will be two kinds:
  ⒈ list management helper mods, who will perform tasks such as keeping the reserves, drops, registration, contact, and/or taken lists up-to-date, and
  ⒉ worldbuild assistant helper mods, who will perform tasks such as creating/controlling certain NPCs as needed and controlling/developing details and mini-events for one of the three significant cities (creating plots will not be a requirement) among other similar worldbuild-relevant duties, more information of which will be provided when we open helper mod applications! If a helper mod feels up to the task of maintaing a list and worldbuild responsibility they may do both, but it is not a requirement. We ask that anyone interested please only volunteer if they will follow through with the responsibilities that come with the job.

As a reminder, once the reboot begins the game will remain locked for a three week "workshop" period, where we will kick things into gear with our current playerbase but also keep all our eyes and ears open to what works well for players and what doesn't, mechanic-wise, so we can streamline any setting issues and make changes appropriately before applications reopen to the public; we will have a feedback post/HMD pinned to the top of the community for players to bring their input to us.

That said, this three week period will be game canon and upon the game's official opening establishing posts and logs made during this time will be unlocked. To allow for any discrepancies caused by adjustments that may be made based on player feedback, before this happens we will set up a post that players can use to "retcon" what they deem necessary before the game opens and the canon solidifies.

Needless to say, some changes in mechanics or setting details may apply between now and the game's reopening, and all info posts will be edited accordingly if that is the case. However, this is the backbone, the premise, and what we will be working within from here on out.

The workshop will last from Jan. 15th until Feb. 9th (12:00 AM EST).
An open test drive meme will go live on Feb. 1st.
Applications will open Monday, Feb. 10th, 12:01 AM (EST).
Reserves are open now.

Your new communities from January 15th forward are:
maskormenace | maskormenacelogs | maskormenaceooc | etcelsior

Thank you for reading. We once again appreciate all your efforts, input, and patience and we hope you continue to stick with us.

Comments

[incywincyhero]

Question -- I already filled out the current player census, but belatedly decided that I'd like to change Peter's username in moving games. Since I haven't yet joined any of the comms, would that be a problem as long as I edit/add to my census comment with the new username, so you know who's trying to join?

[capemods]

That won't be a problem! Thank you for letting us know.

[incywincyhero]

Thanks! I'll go get that straightened out now.