Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > GURPS

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-19-2019, 07:30 PM   #1
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default A World of Supers [Powers/Supers]

Let us imagine that, starting at 1000 AD, a cumulative 0.1% of people every year manifested supernatural powers across the globe. By 1500 AD, 39.4% of people would have manifested supernatural powers, meaning that super humans would probably be dominant over normal humans. By 2000 AD, 63.2% of people would have manifested supernatural powers, meaning that it would be a world of supers.

Let us further assume that a world of supers would be a world where super humans possess supernatural abilities, where normal humans manifest cinematic abilities, and where the 'average' person is 250 CP. How would you have had history diverge with such a change? What major events would have been prevented or occurred?

For example, in my conceptualization of the changes, the Northern Song Dynasty of China under Emperor Zhenzong would have quickly embraced the existence of super humans and used them to accelerate his consolidation of power. With his focus on Taoism in his court, the super humans would have been seen as chosen of the gods of China and would have been accorded great respect. The super humans would have prevented the weakening of the Northern Song and, when Mongols attempted to invade the Northern Song in 1279, the Mongols would have been crushed by the millions of Chinese super humans (22.2% of the population at that time). Genghis Khan would be a minor footnote in Chinese history, just another barbarian super human chieftain that attempted and failed to conquer China.
AlexanderHowl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-19-2019, 10:22 PM   #2
Refplace
 
Refplace's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Yukon, OK
Default Re: A World of Supers [Powers/Supers]

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post

Let us further assume that a world of supers would be a world where super humans possess supernatural abilities, where normal humans manifest cinematic abilities, and where the 'average' person is 250 CP. How would you have had history diverge with such a change? What major events would have been prevented or occurred?
Really depends on the type and scope of abilities. Technology could have been retarded due to less need or enhanced to try and keep up, especially with higher IQ and creative traits.
I think gangs and feudal systems would have lasted longer under powerful leaders.
__________________
My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more!
My GURPS fan contribution and blog:
REFPLace GURPS Landing Page
My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items)
My GURPS Wiki entries
Refplace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-19-2019, 10:58 PM   #3
Toptomcat
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Default Re: A World of Supers [Powers/Supers]

Okay, so the average human is 250 points. What's the statistical distribution look like? Are 16% of people 500+ points, or 2.2%, or 0.1%? Are unlucky 'negative supers' with packages that are undeniably supernatural but ultimately negative in point total extant or common? What's the demography like in terms of powers- what kinds of powers are most common or rarest? Does genetics, or any other discernible phenomenon in the material universe, govern or influence the strength or type of powers granted?

I suspect that most of the solution space for the parameters I'm discussing here would realistically either result in apocalypse or some manner of sociocultural singularity long before 2000, or indeed 1500.
Toptomcat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2019, 05:46 AM   #4
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Re: A World of Supers [Powers/Supers]

Let us assume that the distribution of capabilities is broader than ours. Our distribution is probably -500 CP (human vegetable) to 500 CP (most competent human alive). Their distribution would probably be -500 CP (normal human vegetable) to 1000 CP (one of the most powerful super humans alive). In other words, 500 CP will likely be 1:1,000, 750 CP will likely be 1:1,000,000, and 1,000 CP will likely be 1:1,000,000,000.

In order to focus things, we will posit a few rules about abilities. One, super humans may have a maximum of 75% of their point value in abilities. Two, super humans may not have more than 25% of their point value in a single ability. Three, Ultrapower does not exist, nor does Jumper or Snatcher (summoning items is Signature Gear with Summonable (+100%)). Four, any non-technological source, though they are just different facets of a universal source.

Genetics does play a roll in manifestation, with every super human parent increasing the chance of manifestation, and the spread of super humans is evidence of their genetic success.
AlexanderHowl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2019, 06:45 AM   #5
khorboth
 
khorboth's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Denver, CO
Default Re: A World of Supers [Powers/Supers]

My biggest questions would be around colonization. England in particular was able to leverage a small population with technology and geography to rule an absurdly large portion of the world population. Would they have been able to take India if the various Indian nations were resisting with super-powered individuals? I don't know much about the history of India at that time, but it could prove a very interesting setting.

China could likewise have potentially have resisted European influence longer. Perhaps leading to nastier opium wars. Again, not a part of history I'm super familiar with.

Generally, if guns aren't as big an advantage, then Europe isn't as overwhelming when they come knocking.

How about the Americas? Were they discovered by Europeans earlier due to more capable travelers? Or later because there was less pressure for the faster route to Asia?

Current estimates say that more than 90% of the native population of the Americas was wiped out by various European plagues after discovery. This, more than anything, has lead to the current domination of the Americas by other cultures. In your world, perhaps treatments for those diseases were developed by folk at the time and now we have much larger native populations. Or maybe.... ALL first nations people in the Americas have super powers because only they survived the plagues? And then they successfully contained colonization to the East coast once their population started to bounce back.
khorboth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2019, 07:16 AM   #6
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Re: A World of Supers [Powers/Supers]

Since the Northern Song would have stomped the Mongols flat, that changes a lot of trajectories. For example, that means that Islam does not really become dominant in Central Asia, the western part of East Asia, and the northern part of South Asia. It means that the Silk Road is not resurrected, the Islamic kingdoms of West Asia are not destroyed, and likely that the Black Plague does not occur (since its spread was related to the expansion of trade under the Mongols). With stronger Islamic dynasties, the Turks are capable of threatening Eastern Europe earlier and the conquest of Muslim Iberia likely stalls, meaning that Castile does not exist to fund Colombus in 1492.

The real question comes how to existing dynasties embrace super humans? In my conceptualization, the Northern Song embraced them due to their Taoist belief, but how would Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, and Pagan dynasties treat them? Those who embraced them would likely prosper while those that rejected them would likely fall.
AlexanderHowl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2019, 08:58 AM   #7
Donny Brook
 
Donny Brook's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Snoopy's basement
Default Re: A World of Supers [Powers/Supers]

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
Let us imagine that, starting at 1000 AD, a cumulative 0.1% of people every year manifested supernatural powers across the globe. By 1500 AD, 39.4% of people would have manifested supernatural powers, meaning that super humans would probably be dominant over normal humans. By 2000 AD, 63.2% of people would have manifested supernatural powers, meaning that it would be a world of supers. ...How would you have had history diverge with such a change? What major events would have been prevented or occurred?
I think by the time you reach 1050 history will have been so completely changed that anything we postulate about it would be fantasy rather than speculation.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
Let us assume that the distribution of capabilities is broader than ours. Our distribution is probably -500 CP (human vegetable) to 500 CP (most competent human alive). Their distribution would probably be -500 CP (normal human vegetable) to 1000 CP (one of the most powerful super humans alive). In other words, 500 CP will likely be 1:1,000, 750 CP will likely be 1:1,000,000, and 1,000 CP will likely be 1:1,000,000,000.
What's the distribution of lower CP values that gets you to an 'average' of 250CP?


Quote:
... (summoning items is Signature Gear with Summonable (+100%)).
Summonable is a modifier for Allies, not Signature Gear. The mind boggles at how it would work as a power. Why bother to make such a rule against Snatcher?

Last edited by Donny Brook; 09-20-2019 at 09:08 AM.
Donny Brook is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2019, 09:19 AM   #8
Flyndaran
Untagged
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Forest Grove, Beaverton, Oregon
Default Re: A World of Supers [Powers/Supers]

Genetic super powers would have to lead to "reasonable" royal breeding along with some monsters like those from The Hills Have Eyes and that mythical Scottish clan of cannibals.
__________________
Beware, poor communication skills. No offense intended. If offended, it just means that I failed my writing skill check.
Flyndaran is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2019, 12:44 PM   #9
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Re: A World of Supers [Powers/Supers]

Genetics influences manifestation, but it does not guarantee it, so why should super humans submit to line breeding? Now, I could almost guarantee you that super human women would become preferred wives of the upper class, regardless of their origins, though upper class super human women would likely become the preferred consorts of royalty. By 1250 AD, I imagine that the majority of the upper class in any nation that accepted super human would be super human, be married to super humans, and/or be descended from super humans.
AlexanderHowl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2019, 02:05 PM   #10
naloth
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Default Re: A World of Supers [Powers/Supers]

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
Genetics influences manifestation, but it does not guarantee it, so why should super humans submit to line breeding? Now, I could almost guarantee you that super human women would become preferred wives of the upper class, regardless of their origins, though upper class super human women would likely become the preferred consorts of royalty. By 1250 AD, I imagine that the majority of the upper class in any nation that accepted super human would be super human, be married to super humans, and/or be descended from super humans.
Empowering women as equally as men is certain to cause a shift the historical roles of both women and men. Women with powers might cause a year 1050 sexual revolution.
naloth is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
supers

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:40 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.