Wellspring : Origin

Greetings to all. I have resumed working on this project and related ventures (of which I am not currently at liberty to divulge details), and once again seek the support of the forum. As always, any and all feedback is welcome and appreciated.

About the game
Wellspring : Origin is an attempt to look beyond the monolithic tropes that generally define heroes and villains.To organically produce a more realistic MC. The user is in the driver’s seat for the development of the MC’s psyche, convictions, and motivations. You will not be shoved into a preset role. Hero, villain, something in between, its up to you. You can play as male, female, or non binary. There are many abilities to choose from, and many life paths to travel. Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Wellspring : Origin

**Due to popular demand, I will be providing information regarding the selection and development of abilities. This will not be completed all at once, however I will update this post regularly. Should you have any general questions regarding this information, please feel free to post on the main thread. Should you require details that may expose spoilers, please direct your inquiries to me via PM. Thank you for your continued interest.

General note regarding the Course Selections

Each main power will generate a specific Research Course set, a general Focus Course set, and a general Physical Course set, each containing five options. The Focus and Physical options will be the same for all powers. The Research options will consist of three power-specific courses, and two general courses. The two general courses are Biochemistry, and Evolutionary Biology. These two courses will be available to all power sets. The power-specific courses will add variety to the available ability options, while the two general Research courses will increase the overall effectiveness of said abilities. You will only be allowed to select three courses from each category (Research, Focus, Physical).

General note regarding Hobbies/Additional Study

Depending on your choices, you may have hobbies or additional areas of study available to you. While these options will ultimately assist you towards future goals, some may effect the wielding of your abilities. This effect will vary according to your chosen power set and story path.

General note regarding Additional Skills/Abilities

Depending on your chosen path and power set, you may have additional skills or abilities available to you. In some cases, you will be able to combine them with your powers for varied effects. Some examples of these are martial arts, weaponry, tactics, medical relief, and others. Additionally, (depending on your chosen power set) you may be presented with “style” options, which can be used to enhance combat, or influence others.

General note regarding Combat

Should you find yourself in a combat situation, you will make selections similar to those found in classic RPG’s. For offense, you will select the ability you wish to wield, long, mid, or close range, lethal or non lethal, and the “method” by which you complete your task. in some instances (depending on your previous choices) you will be able to execute multiple “wields” at once. Defense will be handled differently by each power set.

General note regarding Non-Combative Wielding

Not every path focuses on combat. Some paths will provide opportunity to lend your abilities to non-combative tasks such as providing medical assistance, food relief, manual labor, travel, surveillance, etc. The methods in which these tasks will be completed will vary according to the chosen power sets.

** Disclaimer **

The availability of the following options is highly stipulated by the choices made prior to their implementation. This is not an all inclusive guide to obtaining these abilities, but rather a general overview of possible options.

Technomancy

Core Abilities:

Forge - the ability to generate, weaponize, and equip technology

Requirements: Mechanical Engineering, Hoplology, Meditation, Mental Organization

Quantify - the ability to maximize the potential of any technology

Requirements: Quantum Computing, Mechanical Engineering, Mind Over Matter

Transmit - the ability to merge ones consciousness with technology

Requirements: Quantum Computing, Mindscape

Automate - the ability to create self propagating technology

Requirements: Quantum Computing, Mechanical Engineering, Hoplology, Mental Organization

Compute - the ability to incorporate complex A.I. functionality

Requirements: Quantum Computing, Mental Organization

Specialized Abilities:

Fortress - A personal traveling stronghold. This fortress usually hovers high overhead, and functions according to the user’s will. It can be used for transportation, battle, housing, or whatever else the user may desire. It’s size and functionality is based on the wielder’s ability level, however, it may be upgraded over time. It may grow to include shields, cloaking, reaper cannons, a drone fleet, etc. The user will be able to design their fortress. The exterior, for example, may be designed for intimidation, stealth, beauty, functionality, in any combination. The wielder has the option to stay safely ensconced within the fortress, and use drones or holograms as proxies in their interactions. They may opt to sit in a cockpit style console, or upon a grand throne (among other options).

Requirements: Forge, Transmit, Automate, external resonance

Battle Suit - A lightweight, upgradeable exo-suit made with a near indestructible material. This suit enhances physical abilities, grants flight and cloaking, and may be upgraded with various weapons/capabilities.

Requirements: Forge, Quantify, Motor Functions, Constitution

Battle Orbs - Floating multipurpose orbs made of a near indestructible material. These orbs can be programmed for many purposes, such as firing deconstruction beams, emitting disruptor pulses, producing containment fields, performing medical procedures, etc.

Requirements: Compute, Automate, Mindscape, Motor Functions

Organic Manipulation

Core Abilities:

Life Transfer - the ability to transfer life essence from one organism to another

Requirements: Structural Biology, Mindscape, Mental Organization

Viral Havoc - the ability to control viruses

Requirements: Microbiology, Mind Over Matter

Ruination - the ability to cause organic material to decay

Requirements: Biophysics, Mental Clarity

Bio Shock - the ability to control the bodily systems of others upon contact

Requirements: Life Transfer, Constitution, Motor Functions

Bio Read - the ability to analyze the physical properties of organisms on a sub-cellular level, exposing strengths, weaknesses, lies, intelligence, etc.

Requirements: Life Transfer, dual resonance

Specialized Abilities:

Blood Puppet - the ability to completely control the physical actions of any being that comes into contact with the wielder’s blood. For ranged use, the wielder emits a mist comprised of their blood molecules. Each molecule is imprinted with the user’s will, thus, the user does not need to be present for the effect to take hold.

Requirements: Life Transfer, Bio Shock, Meditation, external resonance

Legion - the ability to create and control Swamp Golems, or Homonculi. Swamp Golems are large, malleable, masses of organic material that are formed into inexhaustible minions. These unthinking golems are entirely driven by the creator’s will. Homunculi are smaller, more streamlined minions, connected by a hive-mind. Though bound by their creator’s will, these creatures are more autonomous, and can be controlled directly, or by designated generals. They also have the ability to control the Swamp Golems. Each Golem or Homunculus can be given additional abilities or skills (generate electric fields, weapons training, etc.) by infusing them with nano drones.

Requirements: Life Transfer, Mind Over Matter, external resonance

Rejuvenation - the ability to instantly heal one’s self and others. Though Organic Manipulators have somewhat of a natural healing factor, Rejuvenation multiplies its potential exponentially. This ability allows the user to enhance aspects/properties of their body, and (at the highest levels) extend their life span indefinitely.

Requirements: Life Transfer, Bio Shock, Bio Read, Biophysics, Meditation, dual resonance

Gravity Manipulation

Core Abilities:

Fold - the ability to create, and separate “pockets” of gravity with differing directional pulls, and levels of force

Requirements: Quantum Mechanics, Mental Organization

Warp - the ability to control the gravitational pull of specific objects

Requirements: Dynamics, Mind Over Matter

Orbit - the ability to commune with the Earth’s gravitational field

Requirements: Geophysics, Mindscape

Shift - the ability to set gravitational fields into motion

Requirements: Dynamics Meditation

Repel - the ability to exert gravitational force directly from the wielder’s body

Requires: Acrobatics (only for flight capabilities), Constitution, Mindscape

Specialized Abilities:

Battle Sphere - a sphere comprised of near indestructible nano drones, tuned to react to the wielder’s gravitational signature. This is a multipurpose weapon, and can reshaped according to the user’s needs (impenetrable wall, sharp projectiles, hovering throne, etc.). This sphere can amplify the wielder’s abilities 100 fold.

Requires: Fold, Warp, Shift, Motor Functions

Phase - the ability to control gravity on a subatomic level. The wielder uses gravitons to cause objects to experience a “dimensional shift”, which renders them intangible.

Requirements: Fold, Warp, Mental Clarity, Constitution

Distort - the ability to use gravitational force to distort space. Gravitational waves are shaped into a tesseract, causing a hyperbolic shift in the space of a given area. In essence, the wielder controls aspects of reality with a Mobious Strip- like effect.

Requirements: Fold, Warp, Phase, external resonance

Next Up:

  • Empathic Manipulation
  • Absorption
  • Pyrokenisis

Additional power sets soon to come.

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It’s interesting so far only thing is you should add an option to skip the list of enhanced people we review. It’s gonna be hard to replay if everytime we have to go through that section.

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Thanks, should be good to go now

Thanks for the feedback! It will be hard to do, as that section contains many character defining choices, but I will try to think of a work around.

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Maybe you can add a skip button and have some summary questions and answers about the characters personality?

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I’ll give that a try.

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I’m curious as to how this story will differentiate itself from the other super hero cogs!

Anyways some thoughts.
The first half read more like a history article than I would enjoy. I understand that this is a new universe with its own divergent politics and sciences but perhaps shorten that chapter? Perhaps you could involve us in said history instead. Maybe with differing (temporary) viewpoints from certain characters, to capture our attention! Hook the player first, then slowly weave the history into the narrative along with the player.

If it must be truly unbiased though you could always add a nifty little lore section under the stats page!

Anyways, I already liked that we could choose our own alignments so early in the story, so keep that up. Good luck.

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Very insightful! I will certainly attempt to relay the history in a more cohesive way. Thanks!

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Ok I’m officially hopping on this hype train, the demo is great! though I’m not sure how you will handle the different abilities in the future and the interactions, perhaps there’s need to cut down a few of the options to save some work?

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Thanks for the feedback! I actually have everything story boarded, the abilities didn’t pose too much of a problem, each one offers different options in the end game. When you say interactions are you referring to the relationship list?

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oh I meant resonance, but it’s fine if it doesn’t really pose any problems ^.^

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How far does the demo go on each chosen background?

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The demo has the prologue and the first chapter. All paths should end after the entrance exam.

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Oh. Both my slums attempts didn’t make it to the entrance exam. I probably should have screened my error notifications.

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Thanks for letting me know, I’ll check right now. Which slum paths did you take? Do you recall where they ended?

I found the error, thanks so much for pointing it out, it should be working now if you’d like to try again!

I went middle class and after reviewing superheroes, it sends me to the beginning.

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Thanks for letting me know! I corrected an error in the middle class path, but I’m not sure if it’s the one you mentioned. Which middle class path did you take? Where exactly did you end up?

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I took the path of researching powers. It took me to the part where it talks about the facility in south america for the first time