Howdy gents, I am trying to get back into my Marvel mod, and as part of that process, I've been working on the strings.txt. I have hit a bit of a block with Starhawk, as his origin is freaking bonkers. It's worse than the Silver Age Black Canary origin, and that's saying something. I'm looking to rewrite it wholesale, streamlining it down into something that makes sense but keeps some of the grand cosmic scale. Does anyone have any ideas about how you could create something coherent out of the mess of his origins? I'm thinking something with a mutant with precognitive powers chosen as the vessel for a fraction of one of the cosmic beings' powers, but preferably not the Hawkgod, who doesn't really seem to fit into the cosmic pantheon.
-On another note, I need a title for Ghost Rider. For some reason, I'm drawing a blank. He's not got a distinctive of a title like Daredevil or Spider-Man. Any ideas?
-This update will include both the Shi'ar Gladiator and the Daredevil foe Gladiator, so I'd like to rename the latter. I'm thinking of "Cestus," for the Roman gladiators who fought with cesti, the spiked boxing gloves. It's not exactly sawblades, but it is recognizable and keeps the same theme. What do y'all think?
1. Well, the original Guardians of the Galaxy were all survivors from the Badoon invasion, right? Weren't they all from different planets, too? How about making him a survivor from Saturn? I believe Charlie-27 was from Jupiter, Martinex was from Pluto, Vance Astro was from Earth, and Nikki was from Mercury, so somebody being from Saturn would make sense. The only member that wouldn't be from our solar system would be Yondu, but that would be alright since he was part of Vance Astro's origin, wasn't he? I can't remember.
2. How about the "Spirit of Vengeance"? :P
3. For characters with the same name, I usually just put a little tag at the end of their name in FFEdit and then give them their real name in the strings.txt. For example, I would make the Imperial Guard Gladiator "ig_gladiator" and the Daredevil Gladiator "gladiator_dd" or just "gladiator". Then, in the strings.txt, I would name them both "Gladiator". In the Rumble Room, it will make the distinction when selecting characters, but when you're actually playing the game (in a mission, fighting in the rumble room, etc.), their names will be "Gladiator".
All solid suggestions Spyder!
If his renaming trick doesn't work out, you can always name the DD villain Melvin Potter
Thanks guys, I appreciate the thoughts!
The issue with Gladiator isn't about the game recognizing them, just me not wanting to have two characters who aren't related (like Flash I and Flash II), share a name.
Here's what I eventually came up with for Starhawk. What do y'all think?
"Starhawk was a precognative mutant named Stakar born on the planet Arcturus IV, where any genetic anomalies were hunted down by the vicious Reavers. the boy himself, seeming normal, was spared, but he eventually discovered his origins and sought vengeance on the Reavers. During his quest, Stakar was chosen by Eon to become his champion, the protector of the universe, and was granted great power. now he is Starhawk, and he uses his knowledge of the timestream to create a better tomorrow."
In the same vein, I need a good title for the Incredible Hulk. All I can think of is "Gamma Powered Rage Monster," but that seems a bit on the nose. ;)
Quote from: BentonGrey on July 11, 2015, 08:04:10 PM
Thanks guys, I appreciate the thoughts!
The issue with Gladiator isn't about the game recognizing them, just me not wanting to have two characters who aren't related (like Flash I and Flash II), share a name.
Here's what I eventually came up with for Starhawk. What do y'all think?
"Starhawk was a precognative mutant named Stakar born on the planet Arcturus IV, where any genetic anomalies were hunted down by the vicious Reavers. the boy himself, seeming normal, was spared, but he eventually discovered his origins and sought vengeance on the Reavers. During his quest, Stakar was chosen by Eon to become his champion, the protector of the universe, and was granted great power. now he is Starhawk, and he uses his knowledge of the timestream to create a better tomorrow."
In the same vein, I need a good title for the Incredible Hulk. All I can think of is "Gamma Powered Rage Monster," but that seems a bit on the nose. ;)
Sounds good, but where does Alita fit into this? She was a rather important part of his original origin, after-all. You take her out, and he might as well be a different character. (Maybe have Alita be a split-personality as a side-effect of his powers?)
Good question Kk! Given the limited space of the FF bios, I just didn't know how to get into it. I figure that if I ever get around to adding her to the roster, I'll give her a parallel story and maybe tweak this...though, honestly, the whole loving his adoptive sister thing was always pretty weird to me.
Quote from: BentonGrey on July 11, 2015, 08:04:10 PMThe issue with Gladiator isn't about the game recognizing them, just me not wanting to have two characters who aren't related (like Flash I and Flash II), share a name.
Well, in that case, "Cestus" is a great name. It sounds like an actual villain that was in the Marvel Universe around the 70's/80's.
Quote from: BentonGrey on July 11, 2015, 08:04:10 PMHere's what I eventually came up with for Starhawk. What do y'all think?
"Starhawk was a precognative mutant named Stakar born on the planet Arcturus IV, where any genetic anomalies were hunted down by the vicious Reavers. the boy himself, seeming normal, was spared, but he eventually discovered his origins and sought vengeance on the Reavers. During his quest, Stakar was chosen by Eon to become his champion, the protector of the universe, and was granted great power. now he is Starhawk, and he uses his knowledge of the timestream to create a better tomorrow."
I think that could be a good backstory for him. Kkhohoho mentioned Alita, but I know nothing about her. Wasn't she Starhawk's wife or something like that? Or was she his sister?
Quote from: BentonGrey on July 11, 2015, 08:04:10 PMIn the same vein, I need a good title for the Incredible Hulk. All I can think of is "Gamma Powered Rage Monster," but that seems a bit on the nose. ;)
Better than mine. All I can think of is "The Strongest There Is". :P
I'll have to keep thinking.
Quote from: spydermann93 on July 11, 2015, 08:26:31 PM
Well, in that case, "Cestus" is a great name. It sounds like an actual villain that was in the Marvel Universe around the 70's/80's.
Thanks Spyder! That's just what I'm going for!
Quote from: spydermann93 on July 11, 2015, 08:26:31 PM
I think that could be a good backstory for him. Kkhohoho mentioned Alita, but I know nothing about her. Wasn't she Starhawk's wife or something like that? Or was she his sister?
Yeah...that's sorta' the question... :P
Quote from: spydermann93 on July 11, 2015, 08:26:31 PM
Better than mine. All I can think of is "The Strongest There Is". :P
I'll have to keep thinking.
:D
Quote from: BentonGrey on July 11, 2015, 08:28:41 PMYeah...that's sorta' the question... :P
Oh dear :o
Well, after skimming a brief history of Aleta, I found that she is the adopted-sister (which means they aren't genetically related) who married him later. They had kids who were held hostage by Aleta's father, and while saved by the Guardians of the Galaxy and Starhawk, they later died due to rapid aging.
Aleta hated Stakar and then they split. Aleta later fell in love with Vance Astro (Major Victory) and married him.
Maybe Aleta was a refugee just like Stakar and that's how they know each other? Perhaps her family was killed by the Reavers and she blamed Stakar for that. Later, maybe they reconcile and she ends up joining the team or Stakar can leave for a while and she just takes his place, meets Major Victory and they can go from there?
Quote from: spydermann93 on July 11, 2015, 08:56:04 PM
Quote from: BentonGrey on July 11, 2015, 08:28:41 PMYeah...that's sorta' the question... :P
Oh dear :o
Well, after skimming a brief history of Aleta, I found that she is the adopted-sister (which means they aren't genetically related) who married him later. They had kids who were held hostage by Aleta's father, and while saved by the Guardians of the Galaxy and Starhawk, they later died due to rapid aging.
Aleta hated Stakar and then they split. Aleta later fell in love with Vance Astro (Major Victory) and married him.
It's a bit more complicated than that. While all of that's true, the thing is, Starhawk and Aleta were originally the same being, merged together by some sort of cosmic Hawk-entity. Aleta was a part of Starhawk, but every so often, Aleta's personality would fully come out, and their body would switch to that of Aleta's. (Don't ask me how they had children, because I've got no clue.) After their kids were killed, they did eventually split -- literally --and Aleta got jiggy with Astro.
It's an origin so f'ed up that it could only come from Steve Gerbert, the same man behind Howard the Duck, Omega the Unknown, and the 'space-guru' turning everyone into bozos' in the Defenders. I love his stuff, but it does make you wonder what you've been drinking lately.
Ha, yeah, it really seems like some pharmaceutical inspiration was involved in this origin.
I've got a new one: what is a good tag line for Whrilwind?
Quote from: BentonGrey on July 12, 2015, 01:39:49 AM
Ha, yeah, it really seems like some pharmaceutical inspiration was involved in this origin.
I've got a new one: what is a good tag line for Whrilwind?
"The Underwhelming Twister?" :P
Ha! That's great. :D
Howdy guys, I am bringing this thread back as I'm trying to finish my string entries. I'll post the ones that give me trouble here, and I'd really appreciate some help!
Currently I'm stuck on Stilt-Man. What should this loser's tagline be?
Quote from: BentonGrey on January 08, 2017, 06:32:35 PM
Howdy guys, I am bringing this thread back as I'm trying to finish my string entries. I'll post the ones that give me trouble here, and I'd really appreciate some help!
Currently I'm stuck on Stilt-Man. What should this loser's tagline be?
Hm...
"Wilbur Day was once a scientist who, upon stealing his employer's amazing designs, decided to use them to... make a pair of stilts. No, seriously. Stilts. Anyway, Day tried time and time again to rob banks and take on Daredevil with the power of... stilts. He continues to get his hieny thrashed again and again to this day. Sometimes with his own stilts. (Did we
really need to add this guy in?)"
Haha! Well, I aim for comprehensiveness in my universe mods. ;)
I'm looking for the description rather than the bio, though that's a pretty accurate bio! :P
Quote from: BentonGrey on January 08, 2017, 09:59:59 PM
Haha! Well, I aim for comprehensiveness in my universe mods. ;)
I'm looking for the description rather than the bio, though that's a pretty accurate bio! :P
Ah. In that case, how about 'That Guy With Stilts'? Honestly, I think it's pretty accurate. ;)
Haha, fair enough.
How about the original Nova?
Quote from: BentonGrey on January 08, 2017, 10:21:27 PM
Haha, fair enough.
How about the original Nova?
Hm... Oh, I know! 'That Boy With The Silly Hel--' [
Is shot]
Seriously though, how about 'The Human Rocket?' It's his official tagline anyway, so you might as well use it.
That's great, Kk; I didn't know that was his official tagline. Thanks!
Okay, how about the Green Goblin? I've got something, but I'm not super happy with it:
ghoulish and manically gleeful Halloween themed villain
Just seeing this so am going back to some to put in their actual nicknames or tagline:
Whirlwind - went by The Human Top and The Whirling Dervish
Stilt-man - refered to as The Tall Man...personally prefer The Human Elevator
The fix on the Shiar Gladiator and Dd's foe - call the Shiar one, Kallark. It's his actual name.
Green Goblin - "Chemically enhanced madman in green"? "The orighnal pumpkin tossing psycho"? "Gobbie"?
Thanks, DJ! Good ideas. 'The Human Elevator', ha! :D
What about Venom (Eddie Brock)? I've currently got: "reporter turned anti-heroic vigilante bonded with an alien symbiote"
"Psychotic Alien Symbiote bonded to a cameraman"
"Spidey's Second least favorite villain"
"Two minds, one body, all psychotic"
"Gooey black parasite lunching on a dude"
"Guy with Issues meets Symbiote with Issues"
Haha! I love all of those! I'm going to dragoon you into writing the rest of these for me. ;)
Oh...great...
Quote from: Deaths Jester on January 18, 2017, 10:02:52 PM
"Psychotic Alien Symbiote bonded to a cameraman"
"Spidey's Second least favorite villain"
"Two minds, one body, all psychotic"
"Gooey black parasite lunching on a dude"
"Guy with Issues meets Symbiote with Issues"
I like the last one the best.
Here's another one, Adam Warlock.
I know he's got some titles, but I can't remember any of them well enough to create something.
"The guy who used to be Him"?
Actually, seems like I've seen "Savior of Two Worlds" before he got all cosmic.
For a time he was called "The Perfect Man" but I'd also go with "Galatic Magnus" if you go with the newer stuff.
Once was "The agent of Order and Chaos" very early on. If he has the soul gem still "The Soulless Man". "Benevolent Construct of the Enclave", if you do his early times...the two worlds Glob mentions are Earth and Counter Earth..."Savior and Destroyer of the Universal Church of Truth"...for a time he was believed to be the "agent of life" and "enemy of death's agent, Thanos" too.
Actually, Agent of Order and Chaos sounds pretty good.
Thanks for the great ideas, guys! I think Agent of Order and Chaos sounds like a catchy one.
Okay, is this too much? Groot: "He is Groot"?
He had that one for a short time due to the Magus' tinkering which caused the In-Betweener to bring Warlock before Order and Chaos where they "opened" his mind and such...it was a loopy run but most of Warlock's stuff has been loopy...
As for Groot - "Prince/King of the Dendritics" is actually one of his titles. Wish I could find...ah.."The tree that speaks it's name"...no...where is that comic...rrr...
Could always fall back on a regular GotG line, "Hey, it's Groot!"
...or "Who's turn is it to water Groot?"
Haha, never having read any of those, I'm completely lost, but that one sounds cool. I'll change it if folks think it should be something else.
I like 'The Tree that Speaks its Name'! Ha, that's fun.
I've got a list of new ones. These should make up the last batch that I'm working on that I think will give me trouble.
Wonder Man
Dazzler
Psylocke
Arnim Zola
She Hulk
Miss Marvel
Star Lord
There are many more entries to write, but I went through and hit the descriptions to see which ones I needed help with.
Stan would probably call it The Tree That Walks Like A Man.
Dazzler - Disco dancing mutant lightshow
She Hulk - "Like the Hulk but female", "Gamma-powered lawyer", "Green skinned, super strong bombshell"
Psylocke - if you use the ninja/asian version, "British telepathy stuck in an Asian body". Otherwise, "Purple haired model who knows what's on your mind"
Arnim Zola - "Nazi geneticist's mind in a headless body", "He Who Has A Television Chest", "Mad scientist plus flat screen tv"
Wonder Man - "Ionic powered Hollywood stuntman", "Beast's Wingman", "Ionic hasbeen actor"
Star Lord- "Spartan prince gone rogue", "Master of the Element Gun"...got to hit the comics for this and Ms Marvel...
Man, DJ, you've really got a knack for this. That's a lot of great suggestions. Thanks man, I really do appreciate the help!
I only have a knack when it comes to Marvel characters. My Dc one's aren't as good.
Ms Marvel - Kree/human hybrid Air Force officer...that's what first comes to mind for Carol but I don't like it...seems to spot on...
Could also do "Half Kree, half human, all military" or "Human with alien genes and a superiority complex" for Carol. Also, "Partial kree superheroine with unreliable powers" if you use her during her times of doubt/when Rogue affected her/many other times.
Star Lord - "Peter Quill, galavanting space hero looking for love"? That might fit Starfox better...
Zola - Mobile flat screen tv, only recieves the nazi geneticist channel
Ms. Marvel - The Female Fury! (so says the early covers)