M&M 3E - What we know so far! Index Updated 7/12/10

[Shadowchaser]

I'm re-editing this first post to keep as much info as possible in this first post with links to external sources of information.

1) Podcasts
Vigilance Press with Mike Lafferty
http://mikelaff.podbean.com/2010/05/16/%20...%20podcast-1/
http://mikelaff.podbean.com/2010/06/01/vigilance-podcast-4-interview-with-chris-mcglothlin/
http://mikelaff.podbean.com/2010/06/09/vigilance-cast-5-interview-with-steven-conan-trustum/
http://mikelaff.podbean.com/2010/06/17/vigilance-podcast-6-interview-with-jon-leitheusser/

The Gamer's Haven with Ethan Parker
With Steve Kenson
With Chris Pramas
With Jon Leitheusser

2) Interviews
Steve Kenson Interview at Comic Hero News
Chris Pramas at EN World


3) Posts in other threads
Colen says Hero Lab will support M&M 3E viewtopic.php?f=21&t=36451#p676939
Steve Kenson on Ability Ranks viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36624&p=680824#p681317
Kenson on PPs, PLs and Descriptors viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36440&start=210#p679686
Steve Kenson has confirmed the entire skill list for the game in this post: http://www.atomicthinktank.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36624&p=696859#p696859
Steve Kenson has answered a few questions in this thread, starting at this post


4) Design Journals
#1 http://mutantsandmasterminds.com/dc_adventures/2010/05/dc-adventures-design-journal-1.php
#2 http://mutantsandmasterminds.com/dc_adventures/2010/06/dc-adventures-design-journal-2.php
#3 http://mutantsandmasterminds.com/dc_adventures/2010/06/dc-adventures-design-journal-3.php
#4 (Green Lantern's Stats) http://mutantsandmasterminds.com/dc_adventures/2010/06/dc-adventures-design-journal-4.php
#5 Top Ten Changes http://mutantsandmasterminds.com/dc_adventures/2010/06/dc-adventures-design-journal-5.php
#6 Sample Combat with Batman! http://mutantsandmasterminds.com/dc_adventures/2010/06/dc-adventures-design-journal-6.php

PDF Previews (Holy Lavish Layouts, Batman!)
#1 Aquaman!!


Obviously I'll try and keep this thread updated, but if anyone spots something posted by Steve Kenson, JonL, Chris Pramas, or anyone else who's working on DC Adventures and/or M&M 3rd Edition, please feel free to post a note in this thread, and I'll try and add it to this index.



Over to you!

I'm going to re-edit this post as new information comes in and clarifies anything I may have stated earlier, so the first page of this will always have 'correct' information whenever possible. If a mod wants to come in and change things in my first post here, to reflect the best information, I welcome that as well. This thread is meant to be a resource for good information. I'll try to include links whenever possible/appropriate.

[Lass]

a. There was also mention that there will be a viable option to the Superlink license. The name of this new licensing escapes me atm.

[Shadowchaser]

a. There was also mention that there will be a viable option to the Superlink license. The name of this new licensing escapes me atm.

Yes, the new Superlink license will be known as "Super-Powered by M&M". Quoting from the front page:

M&M Superlink to Become Super-Powered by M&M
As longtime fans surely know, Green Ronin has been running one of the most successful OGL licensing programs, M&M Superlink, since the early days of Mutants & Masterminds. With the announcement of M&M third edition, Superlink publishers have naturally wanted to know if we'd be continuing the program. The short answer is yes, as we value the support of the M&M Superlink community. We are, however, going to make some changes. Don't worry—they should make things easier for everybody. I'm going to outline our plans here and then we'll be providing the new trademark license and logo as we get closer to launch. So here's what's happening:

•The new program is called Super-Powered by M&M. We are changing the name to make it crystal clear which products are compatible with Mutants & Masterminds third edition. If you see an M&M Superlink logo, you know that product is for an older edition.
•We are taking this opportunity to bring M&M's licensing program in line with that of True20 Adventure Roleplaying. This means there will be a Super-Powered by M&M Trademark License and publishers will need to sign that and mail it in. It also means that we'll be doing away with the approval part of the process. Publishers won't have to wait for a GR staffer to look over and approve products anymore. We trust that the community can look after itself.
•The Super-Powered by M&M Trademark License will be very similar to the True20 Adventure Roleplaying Trademark License, so you can take a look at that at http://true20.com/licensing-true20.php to get a sense of it. One clause we are adding regards companies that violated the M&M Superlink license. Basically, if we banned you from Superlink, you can't use the Super-Powered by M&M Trademark License.
•We will be ending the M&M Superlink program this summer. We will not be approving any products submitted after July 31, 2010. You can continue to sell your existing Superlink products.
•You'll be able to publish Super-Powered by M&M products starting January 1, 2011. We want to make sure everyone has a chance to digest the new rules before creating products for them.
•We suggest publishers who want to get a head start on products get the DC ADVENTURES Hero's Handbook this summer. Since it and M&M3 share the same rules, you'll be able to see the system in action before M&M3 proper comes out.
Those are the basics. Stay tuned for more news about Super-Powered by M&M in the coming months.

Chris Pramas

[Shadowchaser]

Also, I figure I might as well link these podcasts here, so people can give them a listen.

Both of these podcasts cover both DC Adventures and Mutants and Masterminds third Edition, but they also cover other projects Steve Kenson is currently involved in, so listen sharply!


Vigilance Press with Mike Lafferty
http://mikelaff.podbean.com/2010/05/16/ ... podcast-1/

and

The Gamer's Haven with Ethan Parker
http://www.gamershavenpodcast.com/?p=1550

[Paragon]

Steve has also indicated "something" will be done to grapple, though he was not more specific than that.

[Shadowchaser]

Steve has also indicated "something" will be done to grapple, though he was not more specific than that.

Ah, yes, in one of the podcasts he indicated that the Grappling rules would "make sense" and be easier to use. I forget the exact quote.

[Shadowchaser]

Oh, and CSA Badass suggested I might link this somewhere useful, so...

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36602&p=680973#p680794

[TheFinalSon]

4) We also know from the same sources that we will no longer have both Ability Scores and Ability Bonuses. We are eschewing the redundancy for "Ability Ranks", which will do the job of an Ability bonus, but not require us to have a redundant stat to get that number. They will range from -5 to +20.

So, it will now no longer be possible to play as super-powerful characters with ability bonuses above that? They've now permanently enshrined in the rules that the boring, lower-level, non-cosmic style of play is the only type possible? Very disappointing.

[HunterD]

4) We also know from the same sources that we will no longer have both Ability Scores and Ability Bonuses. We are eschewing the redundancy for "Ability Ranks", which will do the job of an Ability bonus, but not require us to have a redundant stat to get that number. They will range from -5 to +20.

So, it will now no longer be possible to play as super-powerful characters with ability bonuses above that? They've now permanently enshrined in the rules that the boring, lower-level, non-cosmic style of play is the only type possible? Very disappointing.

I'd argue that non-cosmic isn't boring.

But anyway, we don't really know if the +20 is a 'hard limit' or not, it could be that they just stat it to +20 and let the GMs figure out what a modifier above that means.

Also, do note that the +20 would equal an Ability Score of 50.

(using MDSnowmans builds as a reference here)
The Incredible Hulk has a Strength modifier of +15
Silver Surfer has the same +15.
Superman has +19.

Now, I don't know how you define "Low Level" but I'd say "Able to outclass Hulk, Silver Surfer and Superman in a feat of strength" isn't 'low level'

[Steve Kenson]

But anyway, we don't really know if the +20 is a 'hard limit' or not...

It's not, you're just not going to find many characters with an ability higher than rank 20 who are not also PLX plot device characters. But there's nothing in M&M 3e that puts a "hard limit" on either ability rank or power level; they can go as high as you want to take them.

[TheFinalSon]

It's not, you're just not going to find many characters with an ability higher than rank 20 who are not also PLX plot device characters. But there's nothing in M&M 3e that puts a "hard limit" on either ability rank or power level; they can go as high as you want to take them.

Ah, thank you Steve, that's great to know. That really puts my mind at ease about 3e. I get the feeling now, it's really not going to lose any of the options that 2e had, it's only going to make them more simple and streamlined and awesome, isn't it? I'm going from pissed and not too happy about this to...happy, excited, and can't wait for it to come out!

[Cinder]

1) We know they couldn't use the Hero Lab software yet for character creation, because the way characters are built is sufficiently different from second edition. In other words, the math wouldn't work out the same.

I hope that they make a 3.0 version of hero lab. I love that program.

[Shadowchaser]

But anyway, we don't really know if the +20 is a 'hard limit' or not...

It's not, you're just not going to find many characters with an ability higher than rank 20 who are not also PLX plot device characters. But there's nothing in M&M 3e that puts a "hard limit" on either ability rank or power level; they can go as high as you want to take them.

Thanks for clarifying that, Steve, I thought that's what it sounded like you were trying to say in the podcast, but I didn't want to put words in your mouth. I'll edit my earlier statement to reflect this.

[madhatter]

Please to have Design studio journals and M&M 3ed previews.

Pretty please.

BTW thanx for the collection of facts. Very cool


-Jefferson

[Shadowchaser]

1) We know they couldn't use the Hero Lab software yet for character creation, because the way characters are built is sufficiently different from second edition. In other words, the math wouldn't work out the same.

I hope that they make a 3.0 version of hero lab. I love that program.

Over in the Hero Lab thread, Colen (one of the programmers/supporters of Hero Lab) has posted this:

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=36451#p676939

...which clearly states their intentions to support M&M 3E. They just didn't have the software ready for use when the authors were writing the books.