I will post all the game specific Questions and Answers for Age of Heroes here.  These are taken from the comment sections of the game pages and the private messages between myself and the players that I deem appropriate for this page.  In most cases the questions and answers are expanded here for clarification.  My goal is for player to understand, in a more general sense, how I am treating the game and it's rules so that they can play unhindered by future questions.   Basically: if it makes sense, is not too much of a stretch, and it does not upset the game balance, it can probably happen.  

Q: What are the general limits on Kyle's Portal power?  Can he make it smaller, bigger?  Can he open it up, put an arm through and grab something or does he have to go all the way through to affect something on the other side?

A: Generally speaking, I want things to make sense and bring some "realism" to the game in terms of how powers work in the game, if the term "realism" can be applied to a superhero game at all.  In every comic book I've ever read where someone has this type of power it has been used for far more than just transportation.  So he can make it as small as he wants but not bigger than the stated size limitation.  He can reach a hand through and grab something from the other side.  

He cannot attack through the portal.  It may not make sense, but I have to have some limitations.  At it's base it should be no bigger than to allow a single person to comfortably walk through.  We are using the power rank for size at -2 at its starting size, which is six feet (imperial distance on the chart for power rank -2).  You can increase its maximum size for 1 flat rate point spent per rank increase in size.  This means that for 1 point the size changes to a portal 15 feet across. 2 points makes it 30 feet across. At 3 points Kyle will be at Rank 1 and have a portal with a maximum diameter of 60 feet across.

Per our conversation, the portal looks exactly like the portal between worlds.  It is a mirrored surface on one side and an opening on the other.  It is circular.  It's edge does not affect the world around it like the giant portal between worlds does.  You can spend a point to make it cross the dimensional barrier between worlds but it will be at the same location geographically on the other world whereas the giant portal links locations between the two worlds that are not the same geographic location.

Powers such as telepathy, clairvoyance, mind reading and teleportation can be used across the portal and can therefore help to extend the range for those powers.  As noted before, no attacks are allowed through the portal.

****Kyle opens the portal initially as a Free Action in a given round.  In order to keep the portal open, Kyle must use a Standard Action each round.****

As for the Extended and Easy extras, here is what the book has to say (copied and pasted from page 131):
Easy: You are not dazed or vulnerable when making extended teleports (following). +1 cost per rank.
Extended: You can take two move actions to make an extended teleport with a distance rank equal to your effect
rank +8. You are dazed and vulnerable for one round after an extended teleport. +1 cost per rank.

Q:  Issues regarding Kyle's Communication with Technology power:

A:  Kyle should be able to start Callista's car as long as he can touch the car. He should be able to open the doors as well.

Q: Issues regarding Kyle's healing power:

A: I thought about the healing power and how much I expanded it's capabilities when Kyle used it on Judith Sheppard. I didn't mean to give him the ability to just make people younger, but that he could heal all the damage that time had done to her. I just figured the appearance of a 45 year old is about the best he could do.

I don't think it will be disruptive to the game to keep it like that but if it becomes an issue we can revisit this later. I included an ability to detect and understand the injuries a person has as well, which is not in the base power, but makes sense (at least in my mind anyway).
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He will not be able to regenerate a limb or bring someone back to life. He can heal almost any other wound or injury. I say Almost because, well, just because I cannot think of anything now does not mean it won't crop up later.

Q: Regarding Danny's telepathy and visual images

A: I am limiting visual images (to and from) for those who have been affected by the portal's power.  So you will not be able to do this with normal people.

Q: Attacks in the game:

A: When anyone makes an attack in the game, be sure to include the result of an attack roll so I have something to work with.  Just use the die roller to the left of the screen and post the result in [brackets].  I have the DCs and such at hand so that is not a problem. If there is something not immediately apparent about what the character is doing, be sure to clarify it for me. 


Q: Working with colored text in the game:

A: (From Lem) To get the color right, you have to select each paragraph and pick the color one at a time. You can't do more than one paragraph at a time. You'll see it that way in the editor if you do, but it won't show up right when you save it.


Q: Regarding Danny's Telepathy:

A: Your Mental Communication power has a "State-Wide or Small Nation" range.   For this, or for the lack of a better measuring stick, we will use 1000 miles. That is something we can all understand.   And we will use the concept of "Familiarity" for your ability to communicate with people out of your perception range.  If you know them personally or have communicated with them before, you should be able to use your mental communication on them if they are within 1000 miles.

He cannot do a general broadcast to everyone within range but he can buy the Area effect later.

As you may have already guessed by now, those who have been affected by the portal have some connection to one another. As part of that connection, if you want to expand on your mind reading powers a little bit when Danny is in physical contact with one of them (villain or hero) feel free to do so.
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I mean an automatic success for picking up emotions and a general sense of their surface thoughts....am I making sense here? You would also be able to more easily project your thoughts into the hero or villain you are touching with telepathy. Normally they can merely ignore you if they want as far as telepathy goes. If you are touching a hero or villain you will be allowed an opposed check to force them to listen.

Q: Editing other people's posts:

A:  I  encourage it for the purposes of spelling and other obvious mistakes. When I re-read my own stuff I often catch mistakes and go back and edit them. I assume you do as well. Feel free to edit my writing when I make stupid and simple mistakes and I want to be sure it's ok to do so with yours. I have done so already once or twice actually, but just now thought to say something about it.

***I got an affirmative from the players****

Q:  What happened to Knockback from the 2e system:

A: Knockback is used in this game: dl.dropbox.com/u/19594207/Knockback%20Rules.docx

Q: I'm not sure how much detail you want concerning the surrounding area and what not.  Also, how much leeway do we have in describing the characters?

A: You have a great deal of leeway, actually. If there are any boundaries crossed concerning the environment or characters I will either point them out and the player can make the correction or I will just make the needed changes.  This is one of the advantage to our format.

Q:  Regarding the speed of sound and the Sonic Boom affect: 

A: The speed of sound is generally 761 MPH at sea level.  At the start of the game it may have an affect for descriptive role playing because it's fun, but it is not intended to be an obstacle or used as an attack.  For that people will have to spend points.  As the characters learn to use their powers they will find that they can avoid making a sonic boom as they fly or run faster than the speed of sound.

Here is some interesting reading about the speed of sound:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_boom


mailvarun.blogspot.com/2008/03/why-flying-with-superman-is-dangerous.html