Interrupting Cow (OOC)

[Gizmo]

Hey, Jack doesn't have a full five ranks of Inspire for nothing! It's not his fault that the team's been in like three on-screen fights total since forming.

[Avenger Assembled]

Lemme know when you guys have this one. ;)

[Heritage]

Is this thread and the spin-off threads it created actually taking place after June 20th? Grim's party takes place on the 20th, and I was under the perhaps mistaken impression that Avenger's test took place earlier in the month. If not, I might need to adjust some ideas.

[Avenger Assembled]

The second half of this thread takes place before the party, as far as I've heard?

[Heritage]

The second half of this thread takes place before the party, as far as I've heard?

That was my understanding; the only reason I bring it up is because while Cow is marked as taking place on 'June XX', it's placed on the timeline after the 20th. I wasn't sure if this was on purpose or it just sort of ended up there after more threads were added to the Timeline.

[Dr Archeville]

The second half of this thread happens after Bananaphone, The Sweet Science of Stabpunching, and Working The Bugs Out.

Avenger and I are still working out a few details on how the second part's going to go. For ow, you're all free to post your chars preparing for the Second Coming of the Avengerpocalypse.

[Heritage]

The second half of this thread happens after Bananaphone, The Sweet Science of Stabpunching, and Working The Bugs Out.

Avenger and I are still working out a few details on how the second part's going to go. For ow, you're all free to post your chars preparing for the Second Coming of the Avengerpocalypse.

Oh, I'm clear on that Doc, just not when it falls in the actual month; it's only an issue for me because of Grim's silly birthday party on the 20th.

June 20, 2010 Hellion and Psyche catch up on recent events at Psyche's new office. (Party Like It's 2010)

June XX, 2010: Doktor Archeville decided to test the security at the Interceptors' Brownstone, and hires Avenger to do so by breaking in. But when there's a bored vampire involved, things quickly spiral out of control. (Interrupting Cow) Between Avenger's first and second intrusion at the Brownstone, Avenger calls Jack of All Blades and arranges a meeting (with Phantom) to lay out some ground rules (Bananaphone). And the Scarab pays Doktor Archeville a visit, pointing out to him severl things he'd not noticed (Working The Bugs Out).

June 30, 2010 Hellion and Lady Winter meet and fight off some dimensional scouts. (Fire and Ice)

This would seem to indicate that IC, BP and WtBO all take place after the 20th, and that's what I was hoping to avoid. If that time table works better for everyone, I'll just make some mental adjusts in the Grimday thread.

[Dr Archeville]

I had thought all this had happened before Grim's b-day (which also seems to be what you want), say, at the very beginning of the month. I leave it up to y'all; once you decide, I'll edit the Timeline accordingly.

[quotemyname]

I personally have no preference, and would just say to go with what takes the least adjustment of plans an shuffling of timelines. DAMN CONTINUITY! :argh:

[Avenger Assembled]

Oh, and just to get any questions out of the way: you guys have full opportunities to make use of Master Plans, Inspires, sneaky plots, etc.

[Gizmo]

What does Vince have so far? Did we ever get around to making those improvements to the Underground?

[quotemyname]

Yea, they were all made.

[Gizmo]

How do I miss this stuff? Where are the new stats? I should get them put on Jack's sheet.

[quotemyname]

Well, I don't think points have actually been spent on them yet, unless Dynamo or Fulcrum included them in their edits for July. We had a campaign discussion about it, though so take a gander at that.

[Gizmo]

Well, if we haven't actually spent the points yet, are we allowed to use the planned improvements?

[Dr Archeville]

Actually, I think one of the proposed improvements (the Nullify Insubstantial field) is being debated in the RefCave. Some folks had issue with it. I'll poke the discussion along.

[Dr Archeville]

I'm making an executive decision and saying that, yes, for this part of the thread you all can use the planned improvements.

Also, the rest of you should get to posting your "Getting to battle stations/locking-and-loading" montages. ;)

[quotemyname]

Doc, can you please give us an updated list of the edits to the HQ that you are allowing us to have so we can put it up on our sheets when we get the points? We really need this spelled out for more than one reason, and I think it would sound all official if it came from you ;)

[Avenger Assembled]

Hmm, I think there was an OOC misinterpretation here. I'd asked the Interceptor players to actually make a list of what they wanted their headquarters to have for this thread and then run that by Doctor Archeville, not force Doc OOC to figure something out for them. In any event, since several threads are dependent on this one and are being held up, I'll move this one along in a real-time week from today if there's no further activity.

[quotemyname]

Well, we did make a list. But last time I checked that list was being debated by the refs, so I was really just asking for a confirmation of what made cut, and what we can actually use out of the things we wanted. It wasn't my intention to sound like I was asking him to do our job for us. Sorry.

[Gizmo]

Hey, you know what would totally take our minds off of rules and approvals? Jack's super-senses!

Huuurr.

I'm looking at stunting some sort of full-round, distracting deal that counters concealment, just for the start of the game, but I've never been clear if Avenger's brand of vampire even qualifies as 'magic' so far as Jackie B's Detect is concerned. This isn't something I'm married to, so if it's not gonna fly, no sweat. Just figuring out what his options are now rather than right in the middle of things.

[Dr Archeville]

Hmm, I think there was an OOC misinterpretation here.

There have been several misinterpretations, miscommunications, and misunderstandings, and this is the core problem.

The Interceptors started as an idea for a quasi-military thing, which none of the Refs wanted to see or handle. I stepped forward and offered Dok as an alternative for backing, since A) he had the resources to do so, and again, no one else really wanted to oversee a team composed of characters who are very... independent.

See, that's the other issue: the Interceptors is less a team, and more like a collection of heroes (or a group of people with powers), people that several others don't like or trust. A team is more than just a collection people, it's one of those "greater than the sum of its parts" deals. And while you may not care about other heroes (PC or otherwise) liking the group or its individual members, there does need to be some level of trust, of "professional courtesy." Giz and Quote, you're the prime offenders: I know Giz wants Jack of All Blades to come off as a Spider-Man-esque quipper, but most folks see him as a disrespectful grandstander (and Spidey's not known for being a team player anyway), while Colt is... well, Colt is a Quote expy, a char suited for Red Dead Redemption, not superhero comics. Grim and Dynamo (and to an extent Colt) are less "heroes" and more "people with powers."

Now, at first I thought the most straightforward way to try and change things for the better, for everyone involved, was to have Dok step in and take a more direct role in leadership, not just be the shadowy backer. And his status as a member of the Freedom League would mean he'd the ear of Captain Thunder and other long-time heroes who could offer mentorship and guidance (both to the group, and to Dok to help him become a better leader).

'Course, while the group wouldn't need to like Dok for him to be their mentor, they would need to trust him, and that's possibly on shaky ground given the revelation about him taking samples from you all over the months.

But then Fulcrum joined, and that threw a spanner in the works -- Dok could be her boss, or her lover, but he could not do both and do as good a job as would be needed at them. I don't want to end Dok & Fulcrum's relationship (it's the first romantic storyline I've ever done with a char, and Darius & I are still working on their first date, so I'd hate to end it before it really starts). He could ask her to lead the group (possibly with Dok acting as her adviser), which could help hone the inspirational and leadership qualities the heir to Centurion's mantle would need... or ask her to leave the group, and either resume solo work or maybe audition for the League... but that would, of course, be Darius' call. (And Dok telling her how to lead the group goes back to the "bossing your lover around" issue. And she's as much a loner as everyone else.) And since RL issues have prevented Darius from posting lately, there's another impasse.

But there is another....

Before getting to that, though, I want to hear from you; I've heard plenty from Refs and non-Refs about the negative points of the group and its members, now I want to hear your side.

What do you want the Interceptors to be? What is their objective, their goals, their standards of conduct? When the Bystander On The Street hears "the Interceptors," what should go through their mind? When the Freedom League or the 31st Century history archives talk about other superhero teams, what should they be saying about the Interceptors?

[N/A]

I know Giz wants Jack of All Blades to come off as a Spider-Man-esque quipper, but most folks see him as a disrespectful grandstander (and Spidey's not known for being a team player anyway)...

I like JackB. He makes me laugh as often as not. But I also hear a lot of complaints about him. When I actually go and read the threads in question, about half the time, I feel like the players/characters overreacted to fairly innocuous comments/gestures from him. And half the time, I think the complaints are legitimate. I suspect that it is a buildup of those legitimate complaints that then gives people such a thin skin that they overreact to even his most harmless quips.

Gizmo, my advice would be to try to focus more on insulting and dismissing villains, and less on JackB's fellow heroes. Tease the other heroes sparingly. Point out the absurdities in situations rather than in fellow heroes specifically. Use more indirect humor. You're a great writer, so I know you can pull that off. I think that kind of shift would go a long way toward improving JackB's OOC P.R., while still remaining true to the character.

[quotemyname]

Okay, first off, I had no clue that a lot of this was an actual issue. But I won't waste anymore time there. Let's just move on and fix things.

But before I start, one thing confuses me:

while Colt is... well, Colt is a Quote expy, a char suited for Red Dead Redemption, not superhero comics.

In that excerpt, does "Quote" refer to me, the player? Or is it supposed to be the word Quote itself? Or does it refer to something else I'm not familiar with?

EDIT: Why is the cowboy flavor a bad thing? Why is this character not suited for superhero comics? DC has that cowboy guy, after all.

---

What do you want the Interceptors to be?

I was actually very happy with what they were, but that was before I knew there were issues. I like the fact that we're a loosely bound group of heroes that has been given a reason to stick together other than just being best buds. I like that our team was formed from heroes that otherwise would have no place being in the same room as each other, yet once given incentive, and time to adjust and adapt, they have become very good friends and (in the case of Grimcolt) sometimes lovers. As my time on the team progressed, the "stipend" that each character was to be given in exchange for their full-time hero-ing services has become less and less of an incentive, and the growing friendship between the characters has become the leading incentive (at least for my character) to be on this team. As previously stated, I'm pleased with the current state of affairs, and for my part, would like for things to remain status quo in the brownstone.

What is their objective, their goals, their standards of conduct?

More and more I begin to see the Interceptors as Disaster Control. Two of their biggest team threads were the Invasion threads. Another big team thread was Zombie Powder, which could be called a disaster of sorts. When you consider their vehicle the MAVERIC, you notice that it is well suited (and originally purposed) for civilian rescue and transport, as well as being a single vehicle able to transport the less mobile members of the team. Also note the team name. The Interceptors was picked because they were originally supposed to seek out super villain problems on a full time schedule, and deal with them before they escalated. (We have done less of this than I would have liked, but there's not always time for as many threads as I would like to see). I think these orriginal purposes can and should stay in tact. As far as our standards go, none of our characters have had problems of upholding the line between KO's and kills. Even Colt, who uses guns, fires non-lethal rounds almost exclusively (he originally a bounty hunter who wanted his targets alive, after all). However, that said, we have used some pretty big booms to get the job done (see Colt's power stunt in No Mercy), even if those booms are as Selective as possible. In short, the Interceptors do what must be done, while attempting to cause as little lasting damage to people and property as possible.

In short:

Objective & goals: Proactive superteam looking to end citywide (or at least west end neighborhood-wide) threats before they escalate

Standards of conduct: Authorized use of extreme force when necessary. Exercise restraint in all cases.

When the Bystander On The Street hears "the Interceptors," what should go through their mind?

My answer to this stems from the nature of the characters on the team, and my previous response to question 1. Many of us have been said to be typed as Lightning Bruisers (Colt), Strikers(Jack), or Fragile Speedsters(Dynamo), etc. We're a fast and furious team, especially since the closest thing we have to a Brick is Fulcrum. When bystanders hear the interceptors are coming, it is most likely because there is some ongoing catastrophe to which the Interceptors have been dispatched in order to relieve the situation. Bystanders should be relieved, because due to the speedy nature of our team, bystanders will know that when the Interceptors arrive on scene, the problem will be resolved with as much haste as possible. Get in, get the job done, and get out.

When the Freedom League or the 31st Century history archives talk about other superhero teams, what should they be saying about the Interceptors?

I imagine future observers would be compelled to notice the militaristic elements of the team. We are very adept at fighting, and dealing with direct combative threats. We are less adept to dealing with disaster situations aside from those that require civilian transport (via MAVERIC). Fulcrum is really the only member of our team with any level of "Heavy Lifting" utility, both literally and figuratively, whereas every member of the team can qualify as a brutal combatant in their own right. They may also notice how the group is comprised of drastically different personas as previously mentioned. However, this may be a lesser item as the details of the Interceptors' individual personalities will likely fade with time.

My general comments on this issue are as follows:

When did this come up? This is the first I've heard of it.

What comments have the refs brought to the table?

I have no problems with the Doc/Fulcrum relationship, even IF either one of them takes on more of a leadership role.

I have no problems with Doc collecting samples of the team. I've always seen it as necessary comic relief, rather than a trust issue.

Given a choice, I don't think I would want much about the team to change, and therefore I am not inclined to personally alter its structure in any way.

I'm not sure I see a swift resolution to this, unless Doc or another Ref decides to lay down the law and tell us explicitly what changes must be made to team dynamics and such. Doc: If you want this team to be a certain way, or you want to change something, just tell us what it is. Your the admin, (and the financial coordinator In Character). If it has to be, it has to be. Let's not waste time dancing around these issues. If you want a change, just make it. The rest of us will be able to deal just fine, I think.

[Dr Archeville]

I'm not sure I see a swift resolution to this, unless Doc or another Ref decides to lay down the law and tell us explicitly what changes must be made to team dynamics and such. Doc: If you want this team to be a certain way, or you want to change something, just tell us what it is. Your the admin, (and the financial coordinator In Character). If it has to be, it has to be. Let's not waste time dancing around these issues. If you want a change, just make it. The rest of us will be able to deal just fine, I think.

This is why I left my last post open for you all to tell me things: clearly there have been poor communications, on several sides (you yourself said you had no idea there were concerns), and clearly things have gone quite wrong for it to get to this point.

But before any changes can be decided upon, I want to make sure everyone's on the same page, to make sure everyone knows not just what is being changed but why, and how best to make those changes. I know what the non-Interceptors think, now I need to know what you think; I'm not going to make sweeping changes to you all without giving you a chance to present your side of the issue.