June Questions Answered! (Patreon)

Alright, taking a break from my vacation to answer this! Hope y'all have better weather than we have here...

....

What is the first dinosaur that comes to mind when you think of each of the rangers?

I was dinosaur obsessed as a kid, I approve of this question. Ortega: Allosaur. Argent: Microraptor. Herald: Hadrosaur (foulkii). Steel: Triceratops. Also, bonus Sidestep for a laugh (not exactly human, not exactly a dinosaur): Anurognathus

Is Boosting a specific consequence of the drug, or is gaining powers something that humans and other animals are naturally capable of and the drug just so happened to be very good at activating it?

Oooooh good question. I will say that with things like natural psychic sensitives going around (no boosting) and certain legends and tales from history, this might be something in humans and other animals that the drug finds and activates.

Is HG bored? Are they just going through the motions now that they've won? You've said Nocturne has much higher aspirations than HG these days, would HG like to retire now if not for that? 

Yeah. HG is bored. They are absolutely going through the motions. Honestly, Ortega might still be alive just because they at least liven things up a bit (also they are very hard to kill).

How active are Chen and Ortega in generic hero work? How often are they seen dealing with mundane criminals and low-level villains? 

Chen? Not at all these days. That's not to say he wouldn't punch a robber, but he's rarely in that position. Ortega absolutely is the one who wouldn't mind dealing with some mundane crime while restless. So they are a lot more active.

How custom are Chen's mods and armor? Would any sufficiently wealthy/tech-savvy person be able to match Marshall Steel? 

Yeah, with enough money you could. There's nothing there that's super unique, it's just expensive and specialized equipment.

Are Chen's prosthetics combat capable? If he had to fight without his armor would he perform better, the same, or worse than he did when it was just his hands? 

It varies depending on which prosthetics he currently has. Some of the more human looking ones are rather fragile, and would be worse. Most would be better.

How aware are ReGenes of where their downloaded knowledge comes from? For example would a techie Sidestep not know why they know mechanical engineering, or would they recognize that that knowledge is from the downloaded memory of a university student? 

They would know, especially at the start. Then it would be more like looking over someone's shoulder, watching them do it as you take an engine apart. But, the longer you have the memories, the more they become internalized and yours. These days it would take effort to try to figure out where you learned things. Sidestep might intellectually know that they learned Spanish from a downloaded memory, but it would feel like they have always known. No memory of the learning process remains.

Would Sidestep's nanovores be more effective against Catastrofiend than Argent's?

Hmmm they would be differently effective. More effective at kneecapping it by eating the blades.

any guess as to when we'll get to save our game in retribution? I really want to start on my second character but I don't want to lose all the things I did on my main.

Look. The way CoG do things these days, it will be when I submit Revelations for testing. And, at that point there might have been updates or bugfixes (I have a list of stuff). There is no use refraining from playing to preserve your character for now, chances are that build won't be viable anyway. An update might mess it up. Explore and have fun for now, at that point you might have an even more fun run to prepare for with your main. I am sorry, but I have no control over this.

Dr. Mortum mentioned that they were skewered by Owl. Did Owl kill opponents? How do the Rangers feel about vigilantes that kill?

Owl killed on occasion. She could be vicious. Some of the Rangers did NOT like that at all, but others saw the necessity. I think Herald is the one most opposed to it (he does not like Owl), as is Chen, because he knows how bad it can be.

How badly did Mecha lose her fight with Jake? Is she still alive?

She's still alive. Just bruised.

Do Ward and Pelayo have any idea that their boss is the reason a bunch of their colleagues got killed by Re-Genes? If not, will it be possible for them to find out?

They have no idea yet. Not sure if I will bring it up in game, Sidestep wouldn't. Though... hmmm... someone else might.

Was Argent intending to kill the MC in the sewer fight, or just hurt them badly?

You know, accidents happen...

If Anathema's first power hadn't been invulnerability, would their acid generation have immediately maimed or killed them? Have there been boosts that survived the drug only to die quickly from extremely dangerous and unstable powers?

If they hadn't already been invulnerable, they would absolutely be dead from the acid. And sadly, that is a common cause of death for boosts with things like fire generation, or the ability cause explosions and the like.

If Chen ever had to go somewhere for an extended period of time, who would he trust to dog sit Spoon? Or would he disqualify everyone as an appropriate dog sitter for some reason or another and put him in a kennel?

There probably is a very nice assistant working for him in his role as Marshal that absolutely is trusted with watching and taking care of Spoon. Sorry Rangers, none of you are stable enough to pass Chen's judgment there.

In paths where Chen regrets how he treated Step with suspicion in the past and wonders if he actions had some impact on how things played out post HB; does he have any doubts about his distrust in Argent? Does he ever wonder if he’s making the same mistake?

Oh yes. But she's also so damn suspicious...

Additionally does he ever have concerns that the trust issues in the team makes him a bad leader? Because not trusting his team members wouldn’t exactly encourage them to confide in him about any of the secrets going on.

He does. If it was up to Chen, he wouldn't be the Marshal. However, at this point he doesn't know who he would trust to be that. Certainly not some stranger brought in, no matter how highly recommended.

Probably not going to get a straight answer due to spoilers but; the way you’ve explained HG’s telepathy there’s not really any kind of awareness, like they can’t read or see into other people’s minds, and the only way they can really gauge their threading working is by observing the persons behavior. Because of this how does HG perceive the experience if Sidestep goes into their mind and there’s that kind of feedback loop; do they actually get an insight into Steps mind?

When Sidestep goes into someone's mind, they sometimes bring a hint of awareness with them that they need to take extra steps to remove at the end. Especially if the memories connect strongly. When things get interrupted in the middle, like with HG, things can stick around, like being awoken suddenly from a dream makes you less likely to remember it. It wouldn't be as clear as Sidestep perceives it, more of a blurry dream-like experience. Most people wouldn't get any additional insight into Sidestep's mind... whether HG did, I'm not gonna tell.

If so is this the first time they experience telepathy this way?

Yes.

Is Mortum still an RO? Whenever questions are asked and it's more geared towards the ROs, Mortum always is usually always left out. Or is it just to spoilery for them? 

Oh Mortum is still a RO! It might just be me that forgot, or sometimes the questions are all geared towards the Rangers and I get into that habit as I answer. Blame me. I do these in one go, sometimes I miss stuff, or misunderstands things. If so, sorry! I did a search on the last QnA and didn't find any where I had missed Mortum when ROs were asked for, but if there is a particular question I missed please re-post it! (did a search for ros)

I vaguely remember Sidestep being double boosted. If the nanovores were their first tbr, was Heartbreak their second? Or is that yet to come? 

We have two things here. Being double boosted is taking the boost drug twice. One could argue that Sidestep is that, the first one their creation as a Re-Gene, the second one by drinking Void blood. A traumatic boost response (tbr) is when your boosted power does a big leap in response to trauma. Sidestep had that happen at least twice. The Nanovores and Heartbreak.

Will Ortega's generator be a problem in the next book? It's said their electricity isn't working in the end, so I'm wondering if near the beginning of book 3 it'll still be a problem. 

We will go into Ortega's generator in book three.

When did Chen start having feelings for Sidestep? I've seen conflicting statements in game about it. In some runs he says not until after they came back and in Sidestep's mind it says it could pinpoint some looks Chen used to give them (other than suspicion)

It might vary in game, depending on the run and the Sidestep. For some, it might have been before Heartbreak even, but not for all.

What is the likelihood of the villains' nanovores unintentionally becoming un-neutered? Is even Mortum's handiwork something that step could accidentally "break," so to speak? With sufficiently strong or uncontrolled telepathy? I know it didn't work in book 1 if a ruthless step intentionally tried to... but i'm concerned with the addition of open gates (and the uncontrolled nature of the telepathy that occurs during the events that trigger them) would affect it at all

None. It would take tech, not telepathy.

How well known is the trauma boost response in universe? Do the rangers know about it? If so, do any think sidestep may have undergone it (or that it broke their powers if they lied about that)?

I would say that it is at least a commonly acknowledged theory among boosts. Most have stories of people who it happened to, and while there is little science backing up exactly how, the proof is there for all to see. And who among the Rangers who believes it is spoilers.

Is the anathema sidestep sees near death at all similar to the ghost of sidestep that Ortega saw during the time sidestep was gone? If not, could her consciousness have been 'absorbed' or 'preserved' by the HB site?

Hmmm I would say that it could be seen as similar in a way, yeah.

Would argent be able to tell the difference between a rat-king controlled suit and ordinary occupied villain suit?

Only through the lack of banter.

Is there a posibility for Mob boss/Anarchist sidestep to do all this power buildup/influencing politics for their fellow regenes? As you said motivations can change and we don't know everything yet, so I'm curious if this could be a one possibility? 

I mean, yeah. I can see some Sidesteps wanting this power to be able to change things for their kind. That's the only thing people listen to in the end. Power.

And first two books have been s big focus on rangers and sidestep's past with them. Will we in book 3 & 4 see more of Mortum and other villains? 

Yes, book two suffered that way by being cut off before it was planned to have come to a conclusion. It just grew too big. So there will be a lot more villain content in Revelations, especially during certain paths.

Does Mortum have any memories of their mother? 

Oh yes.

Also I would like to thank you for just writing a story that is so friendly for aromantic person! 💚

Thank my playtesters! They have really gone above and beyond with suggestions and explanations there. I am so grateful for them.

Would we have the opportunity for Step to have sex with Chen with his arm and legs detached in-game ? or just sleep (chastely) with. That seems to be a great symbol of complete trust.

That's a good thought, I hadn't thought about it yet, but you are right in that.

What is each RO's daily clothing style？

If we take a day off work, when they don't have to dress up for anyone, it's something like this. Ortega: Loose, comfortable clothes. Brand names, colorful shirts, likes linen and white. Looks dressed down but flashy. Chen: Military surplus, or some generic sport merchandise. Loose and roomy. Might wear shorts if he doesn't want to talk to people. Always a cap. Angie: Soft pastel dresses or jumpsuits, light and airy. Very feminine. Hats, shawls and sunglasses. A bit sixties celebrity. Daniel: Skinny jeans and an art-print t-shirt. Might wear minor designers he has befriended, especially when it comes to printed t-shirts. Sneakers. Mortum: Flashier than in the lab. Smart fitted suits in light fabrics. Looks expensive. Always the glasses, and a very expensive-looking watch of their own making. A touch of orange or other bright colors. Vera: Athleisure. Not above a bare midriff. Dresses down so nobody will recognize her when she dresses up. Expensive running shoes. Ben: Expensive jeans that have been around the block. Probably a tear or two or some oil stains. The tightest of t-shirts. Loose, open, short-sleeved overshirts to show off his arms. Luxurious hair.

I saw you answer in previous Q&A that we had a chance to see Chen truly be absolutely furious !(at Step i guess?)Can a Steel Romanced Step see such a view?

Absolutely. And it might not be at Sidestep...

What was Sky-Radier's hair color before he dyed it? Why dye his hair blonde? Does he change his hair color often? Is it possible to make him change his hair color in-game like changing Ortega's facial hair? And I'm curious if he would dye Step's hair.

Ben's original color is more of a mousy brown/dark blonde. That kind of color that is not rich enough to be proper brown, nor light enough to be really blonde. He has bleached/colored it for a long time, he had longish hair even in the military. Though he had to wear it in a ponytail, that was his one vanity in uniform. He's not adverse to color it other colors than blonde, but he likes how it looks. He could absolutely dye steps hair, probably fix it up too. He had to do it himself a lot on the field, couldn't just go to a hairdresser.

Does Chen have a attractive ass? I mean, when Step has dirty thoughts about Chen in inappropriate occasions, the center of the thoughts is always his ass. （eg.When the two of them were in the locker room,a conversation with Rosie in Revelation1.2.6）

It is in the eye of the beholder (and the artist) but Sidestep sure thinks so. So I would say yes!

Has Sidestep ever lost a tooth? Which ones?

Oh probably many. You lose teeth when you fight, especially the front ones. Luckily enough going to the dentist is something you can keep your clothes on for.

You said before that Skybright and Cavalier were always enemies/rivals, even before the Pentagon incident. Why? 

Some people just don't get along, and they were both powerful, famous heroes who worked for rival parts of the government. And, I think it was one of those things too were they both wondered if they could take the other, but neither of them wanted to find out. Also, the collateral damage would be bad. Cavalier thought Skybright was naive, and she thought that he wasn't a patriot.

If someone had one eye closed when Nocturne uses her powers, would the other eye be blinded and the closed one be fine?

Oh I love this clever, clever question. The other eye would be blinded, but the closed one would be fine. As long as you kept it closed, so... good luck.

From a previous QnA: Blaze didn’t get into the hero business to be liked. So what leg does he have left to stand on when people like Ortega more than him? 

Oh that is a sore point, please leave the poor man some legs. No need to kneecap him entirely. His life would be so much better if he stopped comparing himself to Ortega.

Does the HG trio have any skill in patching up wounds? What kind of expertise would they be at, if they do? 

Jake is pretty good at it. He has taken some classes even, that's just something that's good to know in his job. HG doesn't, but their powers could help. Nocturne would not touch a wound if she could help it. Gross.

If HG threaded someone with amnesia and say ‘You are [Insert Name]’, would the personality that comes back be from the actual person they were before their amnesia? Or the person HG perceives them to be? Or something else?

Hmmmmm. I would say it depended on the cause of the amnesia. If it is from brain damage, the person would believe they were [name], but they wouldn't have recovered any memories. If the memories are suppressed due to trauma or similar, they would be flooding back.

If Sidestep won ‘Hottest Bachelor(ette) of Los Diablos’ would HG be proud? Or block out the fact that a lot of people want to sleep with a Sidestep they consider to be their little sibling?

Proud!

On a similar note, if Lord Ember developed a crush on Sidestep, would HG see it as an opportunity to gain the upper hand on him by leveraging that somehow? (E.g. Promising a hot date with Step if he just did x) Or would that be too awkward to play around with?

Look. Then Lord Ember needs to be put down for good.

What is Lord Ember’s type? 

Argent.

Was it thanks to Arde that Dove learned that Re-Genes are also people, or did she know before?

No, Arde was her first experience with Re-Genes.

Did Dove ask to learn Re-Gene signs, or did Arde ask to teach her?

I think she asked what the signs were, and it took a while before Arde warmed up enough to actually reveal they were words and not just ticks. It's not something you share easily, that is a secret language.

Does Dove know any Re-Genes other than Arde?

Not other than Sidestep.

What is Shroud's relation to her gender? Does she have any hangups, or think it's odd like Arde? Or has being a cuckoo given a different perspective?

Shrouds relation to her gender would be the same as her humanity. She sees herself as a monster, but likes playing with the feminine and terrifying.

Could it be possible that Sidestep chose that name based on their Re-Gene name?

Of course! I'm probably not going to go into what Sidestep's Re-Gene name was.

Will any of the ROs ask Step to teach them Re-Gene signs, or will Step be the one who offers?

I'm not sure, we'll see.

If we can shift rivals again in the next game, will Hollow Ground be an option?

Hell yes!

Do Re-genes still get periods or did sterilization take care of that?

Periods still happen sadly, I don't think ovaries are removed for most (unless that somehow interferes with powers or mods).

Were cuckoos ever allowed to grow out their hair to blend on missions better or just given wigs?

I think some had hair, though very short or shaved was common. Wigs were used.

Probably spoilers, but will it be possible for Ortega and HG to begrudgingly tolerate each other for Sidestep’s sake or is there too much bad blood?

I think they might come around. But I am an optimist.

Is there a specific reason why HG hasn’t had Charge killed yet? Is it cause it hasn’t worked before? HG attacked their apartment in the past, was that really just a warning shot?

Yeah, there are reasons. Some of them are as simple as the fact that Charge livens things up. Others are that you know what you have, but not what you get instead. Also, keeping this a tense, cold war works. If HG REALLY tried to kill Ortega but failed, then Ortega might try to return the favor, and HG doesn't like those odds.

Has Anathema ever met Tia Elena? 

Yes.

I remember the possibility of a more detailed post about Los Diablos in the future but wanted to ask about the architecture; how similar is it to Los Angeles? Has it changed and possibly taken a different direction after the Big One? Was it build with a specific style in mind?

The big one happened before many of the defining buildings of the eighties. So imagine the base this is built on are what was there in the late seventies, but with a functioning subway/light rail (it was never torn down). (a bit of a view: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alc5FQI76dM&t=8s). It is also important to note that this was before earthquake proofing, so many of the buildings were either damaged or ruined entirely, either by quake or the tsunami (much smaller here than in cascadia). The rebuilt city looks very different from the LA today, it has a much more modern vibe since basically nothing was bult there during the eighties and nineties. Only past the 2000's did the building boom really take off for larger buildings like highrises or statement pieces. And, since many of those buildings were built by companies or rich individuals out to make a statement about who and what they were, they are a lot more showy and ornate. Definitely some Art Deco vibes there, back when the bankers wanted to show off their wealth. In a weird way I think the architecture is more like some stuff you can see in Dubai and other cities who built themselves up from nearly nothing with vast amounts of money.

What would've ignoring HG's invitation/path been like if it was added? Also to be a bug in the room when they realized Sidestep ignored them 

I don't know! But it would have meant HG going after and attacking the puppet as retaliation, which would have led to a similar crash scene.

HG's gender mirrors sidesteps, but what about the dead sibling step supposedly looks like? Are they also a match (say Nb step Nb sib), same agab, different, or entirely up to headcanon?

I think the sibling matches Sidesteps current gender/presentation, but I might change my mind.

What happened to the other Cuckoo model Re-genes? I think somewhere it said they are all dead/gone or whatever, so what happened to em, ya know, if it's not spoilers.

Oh they are not all dead and gone!

If they felt so inclined for whatever reason, would the SD fake someone's death and hard how would it be for them to do so?

The SD could quite easily fake someone's death. That's not hard at all.

In a friendly or more relationship with argent, would she be able to direct her nanovores to cover up Sidestep to hide them? Without harming Sidestep? 

Oh boy. Could you theoretically throw a grenade in a garbage can to use it as a rocket? You can certainly try.

Which real world movie do you think would be Argent's favorite?

Argento's Phenomena.

Is Sidestep aware of how many open and closed gates there are in their head?

Not consciously, no.

Did Ortega ever investigate whether Hollow Ground had any connection to the heartbreak incident? If so, was it because of something he noticed or because of his general paranoia.

Yeah, Ortega did that rather sloppily in the aftermath. Just because it would be nice to hate someone you could see. They had to admit they found no proof. Sadly.

What does Ljungstrand(probably didn't spell that right) think about the gates? Or what would he think, if he knew about them? 

Compartmentalization.

Did the cult of the green sky make any attempts to recruit Ortega during the years they thought Sidestep was dead?

No. That drive died with the Void. The current remains of the cult (The New Flesh) doesn't care.

Are most cases where people get Boosted and immediately die caused by their body immediately going into TBR and feedback looping until it's fatal?

I wouldn't say most. Most are due to the changes brought being incompatible with human life, or purse systemic shock. But it can certainly be a factor in some cases.

Would HG want to learn the Regene sign language from a sibling-coded Sidestep?

Hmmm I am torn. On one hand it sounds like work, on the other hand it might be useful. And bonding.

Has Snowball ever been injured or sick? Or is she invincible like Anathema?

Snowball is not invincible like Anathema, but so far she has not had any major injuries or sickness.

Has Sentinel ever done the feat from Avatar: Legend of Korra where an airbender kills someone by airbending all the air out of their lungs?

No, it's far easier to just fling them into a wall, or barrage them with rubble.

Is the Boost drug permeable through skin? Like one could get Boosted by dipping a finger into a pot of it, without ingesting, injecting or having an open cut for blood contact?

Not really. Though to be fair, it might work if you fell into a vat, Joker-style. It's generally injected or ingested.

Does the regenerator use nanovores in its healing?

I guess you'll find out soon.

Do the nanovores prefer to snack on boosted individuals over unboosted individuals? (Ie: if given a choice, would they always pick a boosted or an unboosted individual) 

No preference. Some boosts might be less palatable though.

What powers would a Boosted Emu get?

Hard to say, it's as random and weird as with everyone else. Though flight would be funny.

Is there anything in the higher spaces that would've eaten the Void and thought they were tasty?

Hmm. Hmmmmmmmm. I... don't think so.

Will the other Rangers learn about the regenerator prior to its use or is that strictly an Argent, Step, Mortum plot line?

At this point in time, it's strictly Argent/Step/Mortum. I might change my mind later though, it is not written in stone. Just on my flowchart, and as we all know, those are subject to change.

Do Spiders direct combat Re-Genes as a part of their role, or are they mainly working with organizing and directing other humans in the military? Do combat Re-Genes have different opinions on cuckoos if they've had to work with them before? Better or worse opinions?

Alright, let's have a talk about the possible cuckoo variants I plan to let you choose between eventually. For people not in the know, that's where the term "spider" comes from. I had a list of four variants, focusing on different things like information gathering, communication, impersonation, and even outright covert killing and other things. None of these roles (whatever they turn out to be eventually) are official Farm names, or indeed certain roles that all cuckoos have. They were just a way for me to give some depth and variation to what jobs Sidestep used to do for the farm. So there is no "Spider" class, there are just Sidesteps who were used in more of a coordination and communication role. And for a Sidestep in that role, they would have worked mostly with humans. There is no need for a cuckoo in that role with other Re-Genes.

Hypothetical situation: what if Sidestep plays house and allies with HG, but ends up spending more time with Nocturne or Jake cause they like their brother/sister-in-law better? (Somehow I imagine Nocturne trying to avoid Sidestep cause she dislikes them lol) Would HG be jealous their baby sibling likes their lovers more than them? Could this potentially cause a rift between the HG trio?

Oh here we go with the hypotheticals again! It is an interesting question, but would you really want me to tell you that in a QnA? Wouldn't you rather have to experience something similar in game, and wonder how people would react? I'm not going to tell you how you will best be able to manipulate the HG trio, you're going to have to find that out for yourself.

Did the Void ever specify which pronouns to use for them, or did people just go with "they" because their gender was unknown/ambiguous?

The Void went with "they" for the ambiance, and because they truly felt they had transcended such piddling terms as human gender.

On the contrary, would Nocturne get jealous if Sidestep and HG spend too much time together or get along too well?

Guess you'll have to see! You don't get to find out before you fuck around...

How good an employer is the Farm, in terms of pay/benefits/working conditions? Security clearances aside, do they have any trouble attracting/retaining good employees?

They've got good pay/benefits. The working conditions are intense, so they do have issues with recruiting suitable employees. They often have to be gradually inducted in the layers of secrecy, and many end up leaving before they learn anything too incriminating. Once you have, leaving is... difficult.

In a previous QnA you said that HG's threading depends on what the threaded individual heard, not HG's intent. That suggests HG's threads are entirely open to the interpretation and perception of the individual being threaded. Has that ever caused them trouble? 

Ahaha. Oh yes. Language barriers, bad hearing, badly worded commands, silly misunderstandings... they have all messed up HG's plans on occasion. As an example, just take the little "Forget about me." Such an easy command, and very practical for HG to use. However, if the person is in a certain mindset it is very easy to hear it as "Forgot about me?" and have the person to absolutely mad hostess and make sure that HG is included in everything, and will be the center of the party they are at. Very awkward.

For example, Let's say HG is at a party and shakes hands with a party goer, saying 'You want to punch Todd Smith' with the intent of threading that individual into hopefully punching Todd Smith - an annoying upstart reporter. However, the person HG is threading thinks of Tod Smyth, their neighbor. Who is probably going to get punched in this scenario? The reporter Todd Smith or the neighbor Tod Smyth?

The neighbor, especially if he's got it coming already. The way to get around this, something that HG learned by practice, is to first talk to them about Todd Smith, to make sure that is the immediate association that will come to mind when the command is given. Probably talk about how Todd Smith has sexually harassed someone or something, and then go "Yeah, I can see it in your eyes (touch) you really want to punch Todd Smith. (remove touch) Same here. Someone should have the balls to do that."

Spoons been to Elenas ranch but its a bit of a drive from the city. How does Spoon do on long car rides?

If he falls asleep, fine. If not everyone better be ready for a fifteen minute break, because he will WHINE.

You said that you feel like you can't read fanfiction, but do you think that will change when the final book is out? Do you see yourself bingeing a whole load of fanfiction once you've finished your story?

Probably not. That might affect stuff if I do other things in the future. Here is the thing, fanfiction is for you! It's not for me. And that also means you're safe, I will never see what you get up to!

Does there come a point during the car rides to the ranch when Spoon realises where they're going? Does he start getting excited to see his farm friends?

Hmmm probably. It's not that often they take long car rides anywhere else. Though he's usually asleep until they pull up on the gravel road. At that point he starts perking up.

How exactly does the power scaling in the subtle/forceful manipulation work? Is it linear? Is it exponential? Does it work somehow else?

It works on vibes! But I will say it is more like steps on a stairwell. There are certain platform steps I often use for stuff, and the big one is around 80. That's when things starts getting into overdrive.

Also, do you have an idea (not asking for specifics, just wondering if you know behind the scenes) of how having, say, 75 in subtle makes Sidestep in the top 1 in X telepaths, while having 85 in subtle puts them in the top 1 in Y telepaths? Or do you not compare Sidestep's power level to that of the general telepath population to that extent?

I don't compare. I have no general system for this, only what is needed in the book. But I will say that even a 75 Sidestep is bloody powerful, more powerful than most telepaths.

Does the federal government have a failsafe to disavow the Farm as a rogue element?

Of course.

Was the person who would become Heartbreak affected by Project Stripes?

Yes they were!

Has there even been a boosted US president? What about the heads of the governments of other countries?

No boosted US president, as for others... no comment (eyes the UK).

Did the Void ever drink their own blood to see what would happen?

You know what? Probably. But nothing happened.

Did Ortega notice any of the differences between the plans the Rangers approved and the finished home that Argent lives in?

Ortega? Noticing small details? That sounds unlikely, right? But what's even more unlikely is that they would ever bring it up. Just another fact on the pile.

Unlikely, but I'm curious; Could having all the gates open potentially be good for sidestep's mental health long term?

I mean... huh. Hmm. I mean. I suppose? Just gotta live long enough to get to long term.

What typically happens if a cuckoo starts misbehaving during a mission?

If it's bad enough, abort the mission and it will be a long time before the cuckoo was trusted on one again. Might lead to retraining or even scrubbing.

What was Spoon's initial impression of Sidestep? What about when he saw Chen sitting next to them and talking to them?

Spoon just saw another human and possible friend.

Malin, did you know that I appreciate you and your work greatly? Not really a question, but I wanted to say it.

Thank you!

Does Jake make any noise when he phases through stuff?

No, it is soundless. But now I kinda wish it made a silly little "pop".

Sidestep had Ortega, Locus had Poryphory, did Thundercloud have any close confidants? 

I don't think so. Not immune to her telepathy. I think that was one reason she went the way she did.

Does Jake ever phase through stuff while asleep?

No, it is a thing that requires concentration. If he had been a sleepwalker I think it might happen, but he's not. He has accidentally phased through stuff while drunk though.

What do Farm Re-Genes gossip about through the walls of their cells?

People. Their day. Guards. Stories of what they've seen on the outside. Just what normal people chitchat about, but less weather.

Is Armadillo as comfortable in their shifted form as their human form or does it cost them something to maintain it?

I would say almost more comfortable in their shifted form. It is comfortable. It's more of an effort to be small and soft.

What was the relationship between Dr. Ljungstrand and Dr. Jansen? Does Anna signing the first email responses with a "love" mean anything?

They did have a brief fling, yes. Didn't really last, they both work too much.

Did Dr. Mortum know Dr. Jansen?

Hm. No. But they've heard of her. Might have seen her at a conference.

Has there ever been a fiery showdown between captain Blaze and lord Ember?

Nope.

Where is each RO's favorite place to be kissed?

Oh boy. I don't know! Can you even have a favorite?

What purpose does the earring HG gives sidestep (in some outcomes of the meeting) have?

Three things. First, a powerplay. Look what I can do. Second, a sign that Sidestep is now one of us that others can see (you might get the offer voluntarily in book three). Third, it is a helpful reminder and focus for HG. All their piercings and jewelry are.

is lord ember’s ability to resist HG’s threads something that Blaze hypothetically could cultivate, or is it unique to Ember/his powers?

Hmm. Technically Blaze could.

if HG had prosthetic/modded hands would their powers still work?

You'd have to do the covid elbow touch greeting or kiss someone. It needs skin to skin.

You mentioned before that the hero drug gives abilities based on the mental state of the person taking it, but at what point? Is it their state of mind when the drug first kicks in? The average mental state through the initial effects of the drug? The point when it wears off?

A combination of the two first. But, this is not a sure process, in most cases it can only nudge the selection process slightly in sime directions.

Does Steel let Ortega find out that he chatted to puppet or Pelayo before they break Step out of the hospital and they talked him out of hanging around? Or does he keep quiet on that front to avoid angrytega? 

Oh keeping quiet for now.

Which of the rangers would be most likely to not notice a civilian caught in the crossfire during a fight with a villain like Blaze can?

Argent.

If you boosted a cassowary could you end up with a dinosaur?

If you boosted a human, you could end up with a dinosaur too.

How advanced is synthskin for mods? Is it mostly cosmetic, or are there upgrades out there that mimic human skin's elasticity and feel, or ones that can emit body temp warmth?

It is a good approximation of human skin. But, there are two variants of this. The first one is a synthetic skin substitute. This is used to transplant new skin, like for major burns and other things. Once in place, it will stick and grow like normal skin (if the process works fine). It will still be of a slightly different coloration (most likely), and have a certain unearthly smoothness and lack of pores to it. No hair follicles either. They have the same temperature and elasticity. The second one is the thin membrane used to camouflage mods and make them look like human flesh. Most are of a uniform color and lacks hair just as above. They feel different and don't have to be as flexible, as the mods underneath have less give than flesh does. However, advanced synthskin might have color variations, freckles, pores, even fake hair. These are often combined with mods which have a gel-covering mimicking the softness of human flesh, and includes mild electric heating to simulate body heat. These are very expensive, and most who are worried about looks go the way of clonegrown-limb transplantation instead.

You mentioned in the previous Q&A that there are boosts who are locked up in a coma and the authorities hope for the best. What kinds of powers do those people have? Do you have any specific ideas in mind?

No specific ideas, but any boosts that might be classified as weapons of mass destruction comes to mind. Or boosts with powers that would make them impossible to restrain.

Are cosmetic mods a thing? People getting modded purely for fashion over function?

Of course! People will be people.

Does Armadillo like their powers? Would they have preferred having something different?

Armadillo likes their powers, and there's no use wishing things were different anyway. That would only make you sad.

What did Ortega and Argent blow up in the innocent step escape to draw attention away from Daniel carrying Sidestep?

A car.

Has Steel ever gone drill Sargent on the Rangers and made them do weird punishments for messing up?

I think that would go VERY badly. They're all stubborn adults here.

What are the general vibes among the PR team when they have to deal with some scandal for each Ranger? Who are they most worried about slipping up?

I think most worried is a constant battle between the Argent team and the Ortega team. They probably have a betting pool going, not that it's a competition or anything, but they obviously have the most challenging job. Herald's team is chill, he probably brings them donuts. Steel's team is half trying to get him into more public appearances.

Did anyone on the team during the Void incident have theories about what happened after Ortega and Sidestep vanished? What were those theories? 

I prefer not going into that right now for reasons.

Do scientists and handlers live on-site at the Farm?

Yes.

How do Regenes generally escape?

They don't.

How common are hero-sidekick relationships? Do they get dragged as problematic because of the power dynamic? 

All famous people relationships gets dragged for being problematic eventually... It's like any workplace romance. Complicated, but it happens, because people who spend a lot of time together sometimes realize they like each other.

Does the farm keep mute Regenes?

Yeah, that's not a reason for recycling.

Do regenes ever come out wrong with things like missing or extra limbs or organs?

Oh yes. That's quite often, and can sometimes be surgically corrected, at other times might even be an advantage.

Are the other cities' Ranger teams as messed up as LD's in terms of secret pasts and intra-team drama? Or is LD's team a unique case?

I think all teams have drama. Just look at sports teams. Ortega would claim the LD team has the most drama because they are there, and knows hows to make things interesting.

Is there any Green Sky cult equivalent organization that's obsessed with Modding? Like Maelstrom from Cyberpunk 2077? 

Oh probably! Haven't detailed any yet.

Has Argent ever tested how far her control over her nanovores reaches before she can't control them anymore?

Kinda? She tests her limits, but she's also very careful of keeping it within what she can handle. So not fully, no.

Ortega implies it in the last lore post, but could they have really gotten to Sidestep in time if they hadn't stopped for Chen?

Probably.

If Sidestep managed to cure their chronic headaches, would that have any impact on their telepathy? If so, what impact would that be?

None.

How much Spanish does Ortega use in private when dealing with ghost from the past Step that denies being a telepath, dodges Ortega at every opportunity & won't see a therapist?

A lot.

What were some of the ways Ortega used to identify if they were talking to a ghost of Sidestep? 

Touch. But that was hard, since Sidestep often avoided touch even back in the day. Same with other people noticing, Sidestep tended to remain unseen. In the end, mostly food. Things like coffee, alcohol, sweets or cigarettes. Things Sidestep usually didn't pass up on. So the coffee at their first meeting in Rebirth was the BIG tell for Ortega. Like WTF?

would Chen like cuddling with an RO laying on top of him or is that uncomfortable for his stomach given his injuries? 

I think it would be comfortable, most of the weight won't be on the stomach if fully stretched out.

What does Argent's family think of her as a hero(without the context of knowing her real identity)

Spoilers.

Was Ortega's plasma core built specifically for them? Or was it repurposed from a different project?

Specifically for them.

From Chen's perspective, what are his team's strengths, weaknesses and fears in and out of combat?

Spoilers.

The lore post about the formation of the Guardians mentioned that conservatives might object to Blaze due to rumors about his sexuality. Was that mainly because Blaze was the leader/face of the team, or were there also concerns about Zephyr being openly nonbinary?

Mainly because Blaze was the face and leader. Zephyr only became leader once Blaze was dead, and I assume there were some discussions there too. But they were the most qualified one.

Meh, I'll give it a shot; will the gates variable go up while the MC is puppet stuck?

Hahaha good shot. Not answering that.

If a Sidestep were to accuse Argent of being an alien (something I unironically believed was the case until like my third or fourth run), would she play along and play into that theory?

Hmmmm space is not as big a thing here, but maybe? Certainly if she was accused of being a cryptid.

If Step resists HG's threading and refuses to work with them, HG is, naturally, a bit surprised. If you reveal your telepathy, they basically go "Oh, that explains it." However, they're still surprised when a known telepath Step resists threading. Are they simply that confident/arrogant that they can thread telepaths if they know what they're getting into, or is this a rare screw up on their part and they didn't think that through? 

They are that confident/arrogant. A bit like... it's worth a shot, maybe the dampeners will help?

Why is it that Sidestep can't feel the group mind of Argent's nanovores?

Oh Sidestep have sensed it many times in the books, but it's not what Sidestep would identify as the nanovore hivemind anymore. It has changed as much as Argent has. So Sidestep simply is not sure what they are picking up on.

Were any of Steps tattoos redone in their second stint at the Farm? For example if they had to cut thru the barcode in the surgery after the fall, or did they work around the tattoos?

No, some of the tattoos are broken now. Most of them heal back over, though.

Do Argent's nanovores keep her home sterile down to eating any single celled organisms that make their way into Argent's home?

Not normally. If they were starving, they might. But they do keep the place impeccably clean.

Does Precognition scale the same way as Force/Subtle (i.e. 1-100 with 50 as a baseline of usability and an advanced breakpoint at 80)? 

Not exactly, it is 1-100, but the breakpoints are in different places.

Has anyone ever tried to sabotage the The Farm through the implanted memory process or are they too good at selecting memory donation candidates for that to happen?

Too good at selecting subjects.

Are there any variants of the Boost drug that gives temporary powers?

No.

What's the most boosting one person has survived? 

I dunno, you should probably ask the Catastrofiend.

(Catastrofiend George, who eats boost drugs for every meal and snacktime, is an outlier and should only be noted) 

Shit, I answered before I read that. Hmmm I would say that there are probably one or two triple boosts or more out there. They might not be more powerful though.

Considering the Catastrofiend munches on boost drugs like they're regular degular breathmints, does it have any silly powers?

Not that I have come up with yet.

How many people, and in which departments work at Rangers HQ?

Ahahha I really have NO idea. NONE.

If Danny fired a gun while flying? Would his powers interfere with the bullet? Reducing its weight and making it more susceptible to wind? Increasing velocity out of the barrel?

Normally, no.

In terms of body counts(kills) how would you rank the current LD Rangers, including Sentinel, Anathema, Hood, and Ashfall from highest to lowest? 

Steel - Sentinel - Hood - Argent - Ortega - Ashfall - Anathema - Herald

Seeing as Danny can toss Tega cross a room and slam Argent into a wall hard enough to crack it, does he violate Newton's second law?

Kinda.

Considering the most common (survivable) boost power seems to be regeneration, do people with serious illness or injuries often take it? Would they be less likely to survive anyway?

A fair number of people taking it are people who have some form of illness or disease they don't think they can recover from. A bit like a last resort, why not try? They are no less likely to survive than anybody else, but there is no guarantee that the powers they get might stop them from dying.

Did anyone else in Argent's family get minor powers from Project Stripes?

No.

If a Sidestep who romanced Argent made a big deal about her birthday, making sure to give her the best day they can with lot of affection and things she likes, how would she take that? Could we make her birthday a happy time for her once again, or would she be more likely to lash out at Sidestep for trying to do such a thing?

Bold of you to assume she'd tell you her birthday. The one in the system is fake.

What is the oldest anyone has been when taking the boost drug and surviving?

Probably in their sixties.

Does the strength of the boost affect how well Shroud is fed? If she nommed on someone with a non flashy/mundane power would it be less than that of someone with a more impressive/dangerous power? or is a boost a boost to her?

It varies greatly depending on the boost.

Is there trust between Shroud and Lord Ember or is their association purely business? Would Lord Ember ever have made her his right hand if he didn't feel he was safe from her death touch due to his fire powers?

Spoilers.

Has Daniel ever beaten any of the other Rangers while sparring?

Oh yeah. Just not regularly.

How solid is Argent, in a relaxed state? If she wasn't trying to stop you, could you push your hand all the way into or through her? (Setting aside both the risk of losing the hand and any solid bodily remnants of hers) 

You could push your hand in until you touched flesh if she let her. However, her default configuration is a stable and steady fused armor outer skin lattice.

Kinda NSFW, but does Julia generally wear lacy bras? That seems a bit uncomfortable.

Bad bras are uncomfortable no matter the materials. Good bras are comfy, even with lace. But, she varies.

Has Chen's leadership style changed any since they left active duty & became a Ranger or has it remained pretty much the same?

It has changed a LOT.

If you cut the Catfiend precisely in half, would the halves attempt to re-merge or would they regenerate into 2 separate Catfiends?

Re-merge. Or, worse, the bigger half will eat the other.

Does Argent have a sense of smell? If so, is it hers or do the nanovores also have their own sense of smell? Do the nanovores, when not controlled, have any sense of direction or do they just swarm indiscriminately?

She... kinda has. It's not just entirely hers. It is the nanovores that she taps into. They can "smell" and indeed partly navigate through sensing airborne molecules. Uncontrolled nanovores still have base programming, that is the one that decides what they do.

What did the Catfiend think of the taste of Void blood?

Nom.

Do cuckoos ever win in training spars against combat Re-Genes? Are they even expected to win?

It has probably happened, but they are not expected to.

Is Poland still under communist rule or did they break free like they did in our time line?

Hmmm I think they've broken away. Still aligned, a bit like Finland, but their own entity. Part of the "wall" of friendly but more neutral ground between the communist block and the EU.

Has Psychopathor had any other careers besides villainy?

Nah.

Did re-genes as a concept end up changing since early game development? I feel like I remember a demo where Sidestep viewed their minds as emptier than the current one, but I could be delusional.

I don't think they have? I can't remember having changed that, but I will also point out that Sidestep do suffer from some self-hatred and negative feelings about Re-Genes. They are not exactly a neutral observer.

How would Steel react to a baby being named after him and someone trying to show him? Just coming up and saying "this is my little babby Steel" while brandishing a child in his direction. 

"Oh that is very nice. He's very small. No, I can't hold him, I don't want to risk hurting him. Yes, you can take a selfie." A bit awkward.

Is it common for boosts to take up hobbies where their powers give them an edge (as an example, people with powers like Jake taking up urban exploring or caving because they can get into and out of places most other people can't)?

Of course! It's fun to use what you have. Though Jake would be like "why the hell should I crawl into a cave? There's just more dirt there."

Are there sports leagues for boosts with relevant powers (like marathon races for speedsters or MMA for boosts with superhuman strength)? Do those ever get televised?

I don't think so, there are not enough to really get it going. I do think there are shows and tournaments though, where you can have famous people competing to see who is the fastest and stuff. But not an organized league.

The public is vaguely aware of Regenes existing, but are they aware that cuckoos exist? 

No.

If the og rangers had the choice to, would they do the heartbreak mission over again? What would they change? 

Nuke the site from orbit.

How badly would Ortega have reacted if one of the other rangers had taken sidestep to base to help Argent at the start of rebirth. If they hadn't known sidestep was alive?

Pretty much the same! More hugs for the other Ranger too.

If the rangers got turned into animals what would they be? Would they still have their powers? (Would heralds powers still work if he was a bird?)

Just having fun here with what my brain decides right now. Argent would be a rabbit, Daniel a Kestrel Hawk, Ortega a sea otter and Chen would be a groundhog. They would all have their powers. Herald's powers would work.

We talk about Ortega and Chen having their own Heartbreak scars, but didn't we (Step) also inflict something similar upon Argent after possessing her? Or are those completely different?

That's different, and a lot milder.

What are your favorite TTRPGs?

RuneQuest. Not too fond of the basic roleplaying system it is based on, it is okay, but the world is gold. I've played in that world since the eighties, with 5 different systems now... and I don't think I ever will run out of things to play. They also have a big humble bundle on offer now for charity! It's a timed offer, so if you are curious, hurry. https://www.humblebundle.com/books/runequest-chaosium-inc-books

Was upgrading the generator Ortega's choice, or a choice made for them? If it was their choice what was their state of mind at the time?

It was their choice, but I wouldn't say they were in a right state of mind when they made it.

does ortega ever lie awake at night wondering how their life got so weird from being a kid doing adrenaline junkie stunts to a direct pipeline of a life of fighting cross-dimensional entities, boosted abominations, and more with one of their friends being host to a nanovore colony (assuming they Know) and their best friend being a regene/secret sibling to their worst enemy? 

Nah, that tracks.

Is Elena secretive with her recipes or does she share them freely?

I think she shares them!

Did Eisenhower give his speech about the Military-Industrial Complex in this world? And did the concept get altered in anyway by how the timeline diverges?

Oh yes! And I would urge anybody who don't know what is to go check it out. I think the speech would essentially have been unchanged, but the background would have been slightly different. Less focus on atomic bombs and rockets, and more on human modification and warmachines.

When talking about Los Diablos is it roughly the equivalent of L.A. the city, L.A. the county, or the Greater L.A. metro area? And if it’s 1 of the latter have any or all of the cities sprawled together into 1 supercity or is there still a noticeable distinction between them?

I would say it is more L.A the city, but with a lot less population. First of all, we need to remember that L.A in the eighties had about three quarters of the population it has today, (9,5 - 12,5 for the metro area), and the L.A of the FH world never had the chance to go through the changes and growth of L.A in the eighties since the big one happened so early. And a lot of people died or was evacuated after the big one, and I would say it is only in the last decade or two that there has been any serious population growth. So, Los Diablos is surrounded by a lot of "independent suburbs" which would be located in the county or the greater metro area. These suburbs have proper names, and some treat them as independent urban centers while others treat them as part of the greater Los Diablos area. Most are very determined to stay independent, they are not governed by the Mayor and the Council, they often have their own electricity plant, water plant, school, doctors and so on. Some still remain independent, even though the urban sprawl of Los Diablos has caught up to them and in some cases surrounded them. Owl lives in such an area, and Sidestep's Waterplant base is in the ruins separating one such area from LD proper. Buses are commonly used as transport between hubs.

Is it more common for heroes to be like the Long Beach Heroes & mainly do their thing in a specific area or to just drift around/go where they’re told?

Most heroes/vigilantes tends to be local. Their power level influences how large the local area is. But, most heroes who start out wanting to protect something will start with their local neighborhood. Like Daredevil in Hell's Kitchen. Some have stepped up to a city wide arena, but most remain in their territories. Some can be quite aggressive towards interlopers.

Was there any lynchpin breakthrough in Modding that let cybernetics jump ahead of what we have for prosthetics irl?

Not to go into detail with my fake science, but there were two discoveries that really changed the game. The first one was finding a way to keep the mods integrated with flesh and bone. New materials functioning like titanium, where the body will mostly accept it. This enabled things like strengthening the skeleton to accept heavier burdens, implanting muscle weaves or other support systems to enhance the flesh part of the metal-flesh system. This could also be done without adding a cybernetic limb. Ortega is an example of some really skillful work there, a thoroughly modded body without any of the limb replacement. Everything is below the skin enhancements. The second one was being able to integrate the control system with the nervous system, and with muscle fibers. This enabled fine motor control, and direct neural connection to things like power armor. Once these two issues were solved, the sky was the limit.

Are there any healing boosts that work on other people? It seems like at the very least there are none available in Los Diablos, since they seem like they could solve quite a few of our cast's problems.

I think there are, but they would be very rare. And anybody with the luck to get them would be highly sought after, and could have the most lucrative career as a medical specialist. Its these kinds of powers that would be celebrated even on the east coast, and in the EU. So I doubt any remain on the west coast. They could live the dream elsewhere, especially in places that would have moral qualms about things such as clone-organs and limbs.

What did the other Rangers think about Chen setting up the fridge shelf for Sidesteps' civilian identity? How does this change with each romance and poly option? Who chips in to help set it up and stock it? 

I don't think Chen told anybody. So people might think other people did it, and people friendly to Sidestep (varies) might help stock it.

Was the accident a necessity or a lucky happenstance for the impostor? If the impostor had somehow hijacked Sidestep's body while they were piloting Argent what would happen to Sidestep?

Lucky happenstance. They needed a catastrophic thing. Just Sidestep being "out" wouldn't be enough.

Of the characters we currently know, who sleeps with a nightlight? Surely there's at least one...

Argent.

Does Argent have the same voice she had pre nanos? Did she try to make it similar? Does her voice sounds like a normal human or is there a metallic/otherwise non human tone in there? Are nanovores capable of making any sound on their own?

She does not have the same voice. I always pictured it rougher, a bit more whiskey in it. She sounds like a normal human. Nanovores make no sound of their own.

Could anyone else drive Mortum's car or is it only drivable by them?

Argent could. Ortega could after frying some systems.

If Spoon understood that Sidestep had telepathy and could understand him and read his thoughts, would he have any messages for Chen?

No, he would be convinced that Chen can already understand him perfectly.

None of the options that have a threshold for a certain level of telepathy seem to take the amount of open gates into account, but if opening gates is meant to make Sidestep more powerful, why is that the case?

Opening the gates is not meant to make Sidestep more powerful. On occasion, the same event that opens a gate might also increase Sidestep's telepathy, but that's correlation, not causation. Also, opening a gate doesn't necessarily mean using what is in there...

Does The Truth that justice motivated PCs want to expose have any strong connection to whatever the prepare them hunter is prepping for?

Yeah, but a wider scope.

Has there ever been an observed case of someone taking the hero drug and having zero effects? As in, not only did they not manifest any powers, but processed it like a placebo?

Probably. But it's hard knowing if that wasn't the drug being fake, or that the person have gained powers of a sort that's not readily discernible to humans.

We know Sentinel was close to Hood but was he close with any of the other og Rangers, before or after Hood's death?

I think the second closest would would have been with Chen.

So how often does the Farm kidnap people only to find out they are escaped Regenes? 

Once.

In honor of the USA's Independence Day, is the day of the FEZ's ratification and implementation a holiday within the FEZ itself? Like do the various corporations, mafias and governments celebrate the creation of the FEZ as if it was their Independence Day?

OH yeah!! I can imagine that is the big holiday these days!

Did the person who started the Nanosurge have any contigencies to stop it when they thought it was "done" or got out of control?

Yes. Would they have worked? Hmmm... doubtful.

If Vera hurts herself in bird form, does that injury stay when she turns human again? Or does it go away once human? What about vice versa?

It goes away. However, if she turns back quickly, the injury will return.

Are the nanovores edible? Like if I had a pile of dead specimens, could I munch on them like chips?

I mean technically you can eat dirt too if you're in the mood...

Did Sidestep ever interface with the nanovores during their second farm stay?

Oh clever, clever. Hmm. How to put this without spoiling too much. I think I will simply say: Yes. Yes they did. Make of that what you will, I won't elaborate...