Planning my initial Event

[Duck Call Lass]

I'm going to be running a custom-built Event for the start of my new ongoing campaign locally. The heroes will be based out of Los Angeles -- I'm in southern California and I like the idea of setting my game here.

I am used to less structured games, both super-hero and otherwise, so it's stretching some mostly unexercised muscles by prepping for this Event. For that reason, I am going to do some of my planning out loud here. More to come in subsequent posts.

[Duck Call Lass]

Here are the initial Milestones for this introductory Event. I'm going to work up some unlockables related to each.

COME TOGETHER

This milestone relates to forming a team of super-heroes using the name of a previously existing Marvel Universe team.

1 xp … when you work with another hero in a scene.
3 xp … when you create an Asset for another hero to use.
10 xp … when you form a super-hero team named “Champions of Los Angeles,” “West Coast Avengers,” or “Force Works.”

SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE MY ONLY FRIEND IS THE CITY I LIVE IN, THE CITY OF ANGELS

You are a local hero who champions the cause of Los Angeles.

1 xp … when you use a Scene Distinction while in the greater Los Angeles area.
3 xp … when you work with the Los Angeles police department, the fire department, or another municipal government agency, or visit a unique Los Angeles landmark.
10 xp … when you are made an official hero of the city of Los Angeles or when you give up on Los Angeles and move out of the state.

EVERYONE IS AN ASPIRING ACTOR

While being a super-hero is a good thing, you'd much rather be a television and movie star.

1 xp … when you call your agent and see if she's got any leads.
3 xp … when you give up an acting gig because you're busy being a super-hero, or when you don't do something heroic because you're busy with your acting career.
10 xp … when you hit the big time as an actor and give up being a super-hero, or when you decide that being a hero is more important and give up your dream of being an actor.

I USED TO BE AN AVENGER

You still hold reserve status as an Avenger, and have a high security clearance with the Avengers and SHIELD.

1 xp … when you inform someone that you used to be an Avenger.
3 xp … when you use your Avengers connections to get assistance, or when you refuse to assist another Avenger because you're busy.
10 xp … when you lose or relinquish up your reserve Avengers status, or when you quit a team because it's not as good as the Avengers.

A MATTER OF PRIDE

An unknown someone (or someones) in the Los Angeles underworld is pulling all the strings, and they're tightening around you. The mob has struck at you before, and now you're striking back.

1 xp … when you investigate a crime and find connections to a larger plot.
3 xp … when you shut down an organized crime operation, or when the mob tries to get revenge against you.
10 xp … when you discover and shut down the head(s) of organized crime in Los Angeles, or when you end up dead in a storm drain.

[Duck Call Lass]

Another one for new heroes:

ON THE JOB TRAINING

You're inexperienced and untrained. You might be as dangerous as the villains you're fighting.

1 xp … when you use a distinction related to your inexperience or incompetence.
3 xp … when your inexperience causes you to let a villain get away or hurt innocent bystanders.
10 xp … when you convince another hero to train you, or when you give up on being a super-hero because you're terrible at it.

[Supplanter]

Awesome.

FWIW, Unlockables were the thing I most struggled with when designing my first event, X-Men: Eloi.


Jim

[Spatula]

Wow, great milestones! Weren't you saying before that you didn't feel you were good at designing them?

I saw another milestone (I think in Supplanter's silver age thread over at RPG.net) that gave XP for fighting other heroes before teaming up, which I thought was very appropriate for Marvel and good for an initial meet-up adventure.

[chaosnet]

Those are some AWESOME Milestones DCL! Mind if I add them into my "List O' Milestones"?

Good Show!

[Duck Call Lass]

Those are some AWESOME Milestones DCL! Mind if I add them into my "List O' Milestones"?

Good Show!

Sure, go ahead. Thanks!

[Duck Call Lass]

Okay, here are some unlockables keyed to each Milestone:

COME TOGETHER

Unlockables:

[5 XP] Official sanction: A founding member of the group you've chosen endorses your use of the name.
[10 XP] Official sanction: All still-active former members of the group you've chosen endorse your use of the name.
[5 XP] Positive press: An article about your group appears in the Los Angeles Times, and news reports about your activities are shown on television.
[10 XP] Positive press: A major local media outlet wants to interview your group.
[15 XP] Positive press: A national or international media outlet wants to feature your group in an extended news report.
[5 XP] Champions Headquarters: Your team can use the Champions Building as your headquarters (Champions of Los Angeles only). You must unlock Official Sanction first.
[10 XP] Force Works Headquarters: Your team can use The Works as your headquarters (Force Works only). You must unlock Official Sanction first.
[15 XP] West Coast Avengers Headquarters: Your team can use the West Coast Avengers complex as your headquarters (West Coast Avengers only). You must unlock Official Sanction first.
[5 XP] Transportation (Motorcycles): Everyone on your team has access to a high tech motorcycle.
[5 XP] Transportation (Helicopter): Your team has the use of a helicopter.
[10 XP] Transportation (Quinjet): Your team has the use of a quinjet (West Coast Avengers only). You must unlock Official Sanction first.


SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE MY ONLY FRIEND IS THE CITY I LIVE IN, THE CITY OF ANGELS

Unlockables:

[5 XP] Positive press: An article about you appears in the Los Angeles Times, and news reports about your activities are shown on television.
[10 XP] Positive press: A major local media outlet wants to interview you.
[5 XP] Deputized: You become a reserve member of a local law enforcement agency.
[10 XP] Deputized: You become an active member of a local law enforcement agency.
[5 XP] Hero of the People: When you interact with ordinary residents of Los Angeles, you can use the distinction Hero of the People d8.
[10 XP] Hero of the People: When you interact with ordinary residents of Los Angeles, you can use the distinction Hero of the People 2d8.


EVERYONE IS AN ASPIRING ACTOR

Unlockables:

[5 XP] Positive press: An article about you appears in a local paper, and news reports about your activities are shown on television.
[10 XP] Positive press: A major local media outlet wants to interview you group.
[15 XP] Positive press: A national or international media outlet wants to feature you in an extended feature report.
[5 XP] Thespian: When you do acting of any kind, you can use the distinction Thespian d8.
[10 XP] Thespian: When you do acting of any kind, you can use the distinction Thespian 2d8.


I USED TO BE AN AVENGER

Unlockables:

[5 XP] Information Access: You can access the Avengers' data files during a Transition Scene.
[10 XP] Information Access: You can access SHIELD's data files during a Transition Scene.
[10 XP] Transportation (Quinjet): You have the use of a quinjet.
[5 XP] Respected Hero: When you interact with the authorities, you can use the distinction Respected Hero d8.
[10 XP] Respected Hero: When you interact with the authorities, you can use the distinction Respected Hero 2d8.


A MATTER OF PRIDE

Unlockables:

[5 XP] Snitch: You have a mole who is a low-level gang member.
[10 XP] Snitch: You have a mole who is an important figure in local organized crime.
[5 XP] Tip: You get an anonymous tip that allows you to know a minor crime the mob is planning.
[10 XP] Tip: You get an anonymous tip that allows you to know a major crime the mob is planning.
[5 XP] Law Enforcement Ally: You gain an ally in the police force who is a beat cop.
[10 XP] Law Enforcement Ally: You gain an ally in the police force who is a detective or SWAT team officer.
[5 XP] Mob Hit: You receive a tip about an assassin has been hired to kill you.


ON THE JOB TRAINING

Unlockables:

[5 XP] Combat Training: You add the specialty Combat Novice d6.
[10 XP] Combat Training: You step up your Combat Novice d6 to Combat Expert d8.
[5 XP] Advice: If you contact your mentor during a Transition Scene, you can spend 1 PP and gain a d6 resource based on one of your mentor's Specialties.
[10 XP] Advice: If you contact your mentor during a Transition Scene, you can spend 1 PP and gain a d8 resource based one of your mentor's Master-level Specialties.
[5 XP] Beginner's Luck: You can add the Second Chance SFX to one of your power sets.
[5 XP] Practice Makes Perfect: You can add the Focus SFX to one of your power sets.
[5 XP] Creative Use of Powers: You can add the Versatile SFX to one of your power traits.

[Duck Call Lass]

My initial bad guys are going to be the Night Shift. They're not very high powered so it should be a relatively easy win, and that's okay as I'll have a number of new players on Tuesday.

I just need to figure out what kind of crime the Night Shift are up to. Ideally it should be something that ties in with the Los Angeles location of the campaign.

[Duck Call Lass]

Oh, I decided it's going to start with an earthquake, one triggered by the villains somehow, and they use the cover of that to stage a daring heist or assassination or something.

As you can see I haven't got it all worked out yet. I'd better come up with it soon, since I run my game in 2 days!

Who are some earth-powered villains or other people (e.g. Graviton) who could conceivably create an earthquake?

What's a good, flashy crime that would get superhero attention if committed by supervillains during an earthquake? I will probably use a different team of villains than the Night Shift and save them for later, since they're not exactly loud and explodey, and I want some explosions!