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View Full Version : Parasite Eve 4E: MITOCHONDRIA DO NOT WORK THAT WAY!



Leliel
2009-04-13, 07:15 PM
Ok, that title was just a way of telling people that PE is a work of fiction, and it's creators failed Biology 101. So, just giving you the update-and possibly an idea for a drinking game (take a sip when you sense a college professor crying. Not a shot, unless you think you can live without a liver).

Anyway, I think that system for 4E DnD, with the addition of guns and a bit of reflavouring, could easily serve as a good way to translate Parasite Eve into a tabletop game: Casters are those whose Parasite Energy manifest in the "setting people on fire" sense, physical classes as biokenisis, and magic items as..as...uh...Help?

So, besides the whole lack of inventivness in regards to magic itms, what do you suggest?

AgentPaper
2009-04-13, 08:38 PM
I don't know anything about parasite eve or if this would be relevant, but if you want a variant on magic items, without abandoning the system altogether, you might like this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108520) system I came up with. (post 5, specifically) If nothing else, it might give you ideas. The magic item system, stripped to the fundamentals, is actually quite malleable, really.

Leliel
2009-04-14, 06:39 PM
Seriously, people.

In all of 259 or so veiws, you could have at least relplied once (except for AgentPaper, you get a pogo stick-cookies for the reference).

golentan
2009-04-14, 06:52 PM
I don't know. It seems a bit... silly.

I would run it as a homebrew D20 modern, or True20 personally. Easier to adapt existing rules. If you're set on 4e, you're going to have your work cut out for you. Designing weapons shouldn't be that hard, and some of the monsters are doable, but...

Also, how many people have powers? I was under the impression they were few and far between, and pretty much entirely bad guys (main characters being exceptions). Forgive me for my ignorance, but all my knowledge is second hand.

Myrmex
2009-04-14, 06:53 PM
You ranted about something no one knows about, then ambiguously asked help with something.

So I looked, decided I had no clue what you were on about, and moved on.

Sorry.

Starbuck_II
2009-04-14, 07:22 PM
Ok, that title was just a way of telling people that PE is a work of fiction, and it's creators failed Biology 101. So, just giving you the update-and possibly an idea for a drinking game (take a sip when you sense a college professor crying. Not a shot, unless you think you can live without a liver).

Anyway, I think that system for 4E DnD, with the addition of guns and a bit of reflavouring, could easily serve as a good way to translate Parasite Eve into a tabletop game: Casters are those whose Parasite Energy manifest in the "setting people on fire" sense, physical classes as biokenisis, and magic items as..as...uh...Help?

So, besides the whole lack of inventivness in regards to magic itms, what do you suggest?


I've only played the first game.
Technically, if Mitochandria did come sentient I believe they could do it: but I doubt we could test that theory as currently mitochondria* are dependent mutually upon the host organism.
* They believe to be bacteria that were captured and somehow mutually depended upon each other.

Leliel
2009-04-14, 08:14 PM
You ranted about something no one knows about, then ambiguously asked help with something.

So I looked, decided I had no clue what you were on about, and moved on.

Sorry.

I know.

It made sense to people who play the game.

To wit: in it, a piece of a cell-not a bacterium, a bit of the human cell-is aparrently sentient and self-aware. And not only that, but it's responsible for the creation of the BBEG. That, and a few other things-mitochondria are passed down form the mother alone (the father's are used up and die), they have long since lost the distinction between symbiote and host-makes a biologist like me get major wall-induced head injuries.

Myrmex
2009-04-14, 08:18 PM
But flippant breakage of thermodynamic's second law didn't?

Maerok
2009-04-14, 08:53 PM
I know.

It made sense to people who play the game.

To wit: in it, a piece of a cell-not a bacterium, a bit of the human cell-is aparrently sentient and self-aware. And not only that, but it's responsible for the creation of the BBEG. That, and a few other things-mitochondria are passed down form the mother alone (the father's are used up and die), they have long since lost the distinction between symbiote and host-makes a biologist like me get major wall-induced head injuries.

Do high doses of radiation still give people superpowers? :smallbiggrin:

What's the difference between Parasite Eve and Resident Evil/Silent Hill?

Logalmier
2009-04-14, 09:06 PM
Do high doses of radiation still give people superpowers? :smallbiggrin:

What's the difference between Parasite Eve and Resident Evil/Silent Hill?

I gave up on radiation a long time ago. Now I get all my superpowers from dragons. And mcdonalds happy meals. They're roughly equivalent.

erikun
2009-04-14, 09:40 PM
To wit: in it, a piece of a cell-not a bacterium, a bit of the human cell-is aparrently sentient and self-aware. And not only that, but it's responsible for the creation of the BBEG. That, and a few other things-mitochondria are passed down form the mother alone (the father's are used up and die), they have long since lost the distinction between symbiote and host-makes a biologist like me get major wall-induced head injuries.
So, half of a human cell that can make a concious decision to make monsters, can turn body enzymes into chain-fireballs, mysteriously dies out from Y-chromosomes... and the oddest thing to you is the symbiote/host question? :P Don't look up the relations between some fungus and varieties of fungus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant-fungus_mutualism), okay?

As for the matter at hand, note that 4e is really good for a lot of things... it's just that making new classes isn't one of them. I can think of a sharpshooter (striker), a riot guard (defender), a... medic (leader??) and a magic-user-whatever (controller???). If you're giving up on the combat roles, it gives you a bit more leeway, but you'll still need to design all the powers for each class.

Or are you thinking a fantasy, Swords `n` Sorcery with funky psychokinesis?

Leliel
2009-04-14, 10:03 PM
So, half of a human cell that can make a concious decision to make monsters, can turn body enzymes into chain-fireballs, mysteriously dies out from Y-chromosomes... and the oddest thing to you is the symbiote/host question? :P Don't look up the relations between some fungus and varieties of fungus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant-fungus_mutualism), okay?

Well, that too, but those parts of PE can be chalked up to "creative liscense" (it wouldn't be fun if there was no superpowers). It's just the parts where they have faulty basis in reality and can't justify them by the Rule of Fun that gets me going.

As for the matter at hand, note that 4e is really good for a lot of things... it's just that making new classes isn't one of them. I can think of a sharpshooter (striker), a riot guard (defender), a... medic (leader??) and a magic-user-whatever (controller???). If you're giving up on the combat roles, it gives you a bit more leeway, but you'll still need to design all the powers for each class.

Or are you thinking a fantasy, Swords `n` Sorcery with funky psychokinesis?

Like I said, reflavouring. The core classes are incredibly basic, and with a bit of power renaming and re-fluffing, it could work, with less work on my part. Path of least resistance, and all that.

To Myrmax: Well, as I said, I'm a biologist. Energy physics is not my area of expertise, only chemistry, so violation of those laws take precedent.

Starbuck_II
2009-04-14, 10:04 PM
So, half of a human cell that can make a concious decision to make monsters, can turn body enzymes into chain-fireballs, mysteriously dies out from Y-chromosomes... and the oddest thing to you is the symbiote/host question? :P Don't look up the relations between some fungus and varieties of fungus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant-fungus_mutualism), okay?


Not to mention that recent studiues show that the so called mutualism Mycorrhizae aren't always mutualistic. In fact, 60% are actually parasitic.

erikun
2009-04-14, 10:14 PM
Not to mention that recent studiues show that the so called mutualism Mycorrhizae aren't always mutualistic. In fact, 60% are actually parasitic.
AAAHHH!!! The 'shrooms are attacking! They're taking over our miiiiinds! :smallbiggrin:


@Leliel: Best of luck in that endeavor. I guess I'm not that familiar with PE to notice the different; my only experience was watching a friend play the first game a bit. My biggest impression was "throw fireballs and shoot things with guns", which doesn't seem to model well from the 4e PHB. Still, if you can make it work, best of luck! I hope you find some other like-minded fans.

warmachine
2009-04-15, 11:45 AM
Sentient mitochondria? I feel your pain. If an author wants to invent some new ability or power, he should invent a new term rather than abuse the English language. :smallfurious:

Yeah, yeah! Fiction writers have artistic license. I know.

Myrmex
2009-04-15, 12:14 PM
Mitochondria is only inherited from your mother. Does Parasite Eve do it differently?

Tengu_temp
2009-04-15, 01:19 PM
What's the difference between Parasite Eve and Resident Evil/Silent Hill?

Mostly the fact that RE/SH are survival horror games, while PE is an RPG. And no, I haven't played it, so I can't say anything on the topic.

SurlySeraph
2009-04-15, 07:55 PM
Mitochondria is only inherited from your mother. Does Parasite Eve do it differently?

It doesn't change that part, but it does make mitochondria sentient beings that can turn people into fireball-throwing monsters. Which is a bit worse.

Starbuck_II
2009-04-15, 08:27 PM
It doesn't change that part, but it does make mitochondria sentient beings that can turn people into fireball-throwing monsters. Which is a bit worse.

Although, the revival of dead dinosaur bones part was a bit more of a strain than fireball shooting.

Stupid disc never got pass that it froze; someday I'll beat that game.