February questions answered! (Patreon)

First of all, congratulations. The second book is a triumph, and I hope that you've been enjoying the response. Here's a question: I like Rosie and Boris equally. The different parts of Part 2 all seem to reach a point that feels like an opportunity to bring the one you didn't choose originally into the fold. Is that something you might consider just to have both of them available for storytelling purposes?  

I am not sure yet. I do know that you will meet the non-recruited one of them in book three, so you can see where life have taken them. But not sure how much interaction there will be, I am still planning those parts. It will probably depend on how fun it is to write, and how much it will complicate the story.

Having identified a visual styling for the Rat King in Part 2, any thought to revisiting Part 1 to add in similar where appropriate? 

I am currently making a big Rebirth update with little quality of life choices just like that. So the answer is yes.

Has Ortega ever seen the effects one of steps nightmares has had on other people?

Not at this point in time. Back in the day when Sidestep trusted enough to sleep around them, their powers were not this strong. This is a newish development.

How would Ortega react if one of said nightmares effects Tia Elena while we are recovering at the ranch? 

Oh I have plans...

How did sidestep first find out about Ortega's epilepsy? Was it first hand experience or heard (physically or telepathically)

Hmmm. I have not written it into the book yet, but I imagine it went something like this: Sidestep is bothered about the static. Suspects anti-telepathy drugs or something similar. Pickpockets Ortega and instead finds anti-epilepsy medication. Puts two and two together. But, this might change if I ever tell the story, I just feel like Sidestep might have been proactive enough to try to figure out if Ortega is a farm spy or not. 

Did Ortega have to revive the MC after car crash? If so, is that why their generator is messed up? 

Yes, Ortega did have to revive Sidestep after crash. You get hints of that in the nightmares around that event. But that's not why the generator is messed up.

How long did it take Ortega to recognize what the tattoos were?

Probably in the nervous hours between having revived Sidestep and spotted something, and Sidestep getting out of surgery. Probably took a while of trying to think of alternative things, but when being able to look at them closer when Sidestep was still out sealed the deal.

I have quite a few questions and i am sorry if they were asked before, i really tried digging through previous q&a’s, tumblr and the forums. In a tumblr post on the 7th of April 2018 you answer a question on the rangers height with the following:

I can’t remember if I said exactly before, but here we go. This is the new canon now. Ortega: 6’ Lady Argent: 5'8 Steel: 5'11" Herald: 5'9" Steel used to be shorter, his cybernetic prosthetics have added a couple of inches to his height. Herald feels taller, but he tends to hover. Not giving heights for the MC or the puppet.

is this still the case? because Argent being 172 cm is not that small, quite average. yet in Retribution, when the mc romances her - though a tall mc - it is commented several times that she is quite small.

Nope those are old numbers and before I added the variable heights for the MC! When I did I sat down and recalibrated the heights of everyone involved. 

The correct heights are Ortega 6' Chen 6'1 Danny 5'9 Mortum 5'7 Argent 5'3

Also, I will once more admit that my perception of height is skewed by my own experiences (I am around Chen's height, so Argent was small to me even before).

Will the mc ever be able to ask why Argent wears the cape (no matter stolen or given)? What the point is she wants to make by wearing it? And would Argent be honest in her reply? If not, can you tell us

Oh that would be a great scene to have. I have to include that one in the book. The reasons can vary.

In Retribution one can make a character and decide to give the cape to Argent. Is this something that will be added to the first game? This was hinted on the forum by a user.

The scene is written already, and it will be out once I finish with the rest of the Rebirth update.

Will the mc be able to learn more in regard to lady argent and the nanovores in following books? for example what she is ‘really capable of’?

Yes, that is one of the "revelations" in that book (even for the non-romance Sidesteps)

In addition to the question above: someone asked about if the li’s would want to live together with the mc. your reply in regards to argent was: ‘Doesn’t matter what she wants, she lives alone. that’s it.’ This has likely to do with the nanovores, will we at some point in the upcoming books get more clarity on this? 

Yeah, there will be an option for that talk later, and to nearn about the nanovores if you haven't already.

In another q&a you say about argent falling in love with Ortega that it takes time and work. is this the case for every ro in the whole series? or is it easier for let’s say Herald? probably not, but i am just curious

It is different depending on the RO. Argent is a bit on the demi side of the spectrum and doesn't open up fast. Herald is more the type to fall fast and hard for someone.

Will there be more interaction with the rat king possible? Just an innocent scene? Like a telepathic conversation or telepathicly petting the Rat King without it necessarily being in the middle of a fight?

I love the Rat King, I need to write this.

When you are writing anything about FH, do you have a go to snack or drink? Do you listen to music while writing? 

I always listen to music. So much of it. Music helps me get in the mood for writing (most often metal variants) but when I edit I need classical music. Beethoven is great for that. I tend to binge either tea or energy drinks, and do love to snack as well. Brain needs fuel.

I’m curious, in the ending where Sidestep is exposed as the villain if you’ve fulfilled the requirements for more than one of the Rangers to break you out will the one that does it tell the others? For example when Chen breaks Sidestep out he says he hasn’t told Ortega what he’s doing, will he tell them after your out or does he leave Ortega thinking you’ve possibly been taken by the Special Directive?

Some Rangers will speak to each other after the fact, some might pretend to be innocent. It depends on the relationships and circumstances. For example, If Chen breaks you out even though Ortega is also romanced (I think Chen is higher on the list, Ortega is busy shopping), then Chen would most likely tell Ortega once they started fretting. But if Argent broke you out, and Ortega thought you were a faker, Argent wouldn't say anything even if Ortega was legitimately worried about where you had gone.

I was reading an old lore post about how Re-Genes are made, you talked about how the process of boosting them can vary, have you set on a "canon" one for our sidestep, or is it up to headcanon? If not, will we be able to learn it?

This is something that we will get into in book four, once we truly start digging into the Farm. Things might change until then, but I think that I will most likely allow some modicum of choice. So far it's headcanon only.

Who was Riley? I saw a post answer about their reletionship with Ortega but maybe I missed a thing in there? Did their reletionship begin before Sidestep appears? Does Sidestep know about that? And what did they think?

Riley was one of the longer lasting relationships for Ortega during the Sidestep days. They were a business executive with a love of extreme sport. They had a lot of things in common, and hit it off. The relationship was not before Sidestep appeared, but it was before Sidestep started getting really important to Ortega. At the time, Sidestep just accepted it at another person Ortega dated. There was a lot of other speculations in the media, and I think Sidestep just assumed that there would always be one or more people in Ortega's life. 

What made Riley notable was that this was the relationship where Ortega started to get uncomfortable, and yet could not really step away easily. Riley would not take no for an answer and was not above using emotional blackmail. Combined with money and influence, Ortega found themselves on the back foot for once. Nothing bad enough that it would be easy to break off, and still the discomfort grew. Ghosting didn't work either. Add to that Sidestep, who Ortega was growing closer to. Where they could be themselves and not have to act. 

All this led to Ortega asking Sidestep for something they should not have, and Sidestep reacting accordingly. It was one of the few times when Ortega really admitted to themselves that they were out off their depth, and it is a painful memory. How Sidestep thinks about it (if at all) is up to you.

Mods and Boosts have slightly infertility and that also applied to Re-Gene. If in the future, Step and the ROs start a family, will they have a chance to have children?

It will be very hard, but since it will be beyond the scope of this book, I will not say that people can't headcanon it. Medtech is good, and there are always alternative ways. I won't forbid people to want that in their future, but it won't be in the books.

If Ortega retired from Ranger and so did the other ROs, what will they do to make money?

Good question. Both Ortega, and in a lesser way, Chen have bid debts and a need for a solid income to deal with mod upkeep. Chen could go back to the military, or to a military contractor and make a comfortable living, but I don't know if he'd want to. Might go private and hire out as a consultant with mod-training and adaption and the like. Could earn enough money for a quiet retirement then. 

Ortega on the other hand is not the retiring type. If they were not a Ranger, they would need some other wealthy sponsor. It's a tossup between going corporate/political or just going villain.

Argent could make a lot of money with her tech talents, she wouldn't have any problems there. Might invest in a few companies, don't ask where she got the money.

Herald might have a dream of getting a normal job, he'd like to be a teacher, or an artist, or a dozen other normal things. But he also have that hero instinct, so chances are he'd stick to that, just in a different form. Not going back east to manage the family business, that's for sure.

Any chances of the Rangers and the Special Directive having to work together again in the future?

I don't know. Maybe if the villain becomes bad enough ;)

Did Ortega believe Chen when he said he no longer has the autopsy evidence?

Nope. And they called bullshit at the time, but Chen stonewalled.

You've said that regenes don't have genital tattoos but what about boobs and butts?

Leaving that to people's own designs.

Does Elena have plot armor?

In book three.

On a scale from 1 to 10 with 1 being femme and 10 being butch, where would you place Julia, F!Mortum and Argent?

Hmmm not too fond of these scales, but Argent would be around a 3, Julia a 5 and f!Mortum a 6.

Does Ortega ever regret stepping down as the marshal, given that they eventually went back to the Rangers anyway, only for a worse pay and less influence?

Yes. But there are perks to being out of the spotlight.

Has Sky-Raider ever been seen without armor?

Yes.

Do any of the handlers, in their own twisted way, ever grow somewhat "fond" of their regenes?

Oh yes, in an isolated world like that, things turn weird.

Do bluegenes resent cuckoos? Since they likely partake in less deadly missions and have better chances of escaping

Yes, that is quite common.

Any choices you were surprised were popular among the players?

Yes. The amount of people pining for this long, and wanting longer secret crush romances with Ortega. I did not predict that! Imagine having that kind of self-control.

Out of curiosity, why was the suicide scar made into a tag in Retri?

Because I wanted a more flexible solution. I also wanted the option to set it in Retribution, and not rely on a single choice path in Rebirth. It is a painful and interesting thing to write about, and I felt that it stuck out from the other scars enough that it deserved it's own flag.

What does book 2 title refer to? Who, exactly, is getting this retribution?

It's not that specific. It is a general term for Sidestep lashing out against a world that they believe has wronged them. 

Would Ortega's father have disapproved of sapphic chargestep as much as he would've of the male version of the couple? 

Yes, but in a different way.

will there be consequences for the rangers down the line (from sources other than sidestep, like their higher ups/potentially hg)? e.g for things like argent killing the civilian/moonlighting, ortega’s own “off the record” escapades, or anything else they Might get up to in the future? 

Oh yes. Some people can end up in a LOT of trouble, I keep track of things, but since Sidestep doesn't know yet, it hasn't shown up in the books.

has the pr team ever had to cover up a ranger-related disaster and Not been successful? 

I mean, partially successful might be the best description then. But the news cycle is fast, and things move on.

what is chen most afraid of? why?

Failing the people he cares about (and Spoon).

in order of most to least how scared are the rangers of dying on the job?

Herald, Argent, Chen, Ortega.

what does the future look like to the hg trio? a changed system? do they envision it together, staying the path of crime or perhaps something different entirely?

I think they have slightly different ideas. For HG, this is pretty great. No need to rock the boat. I think Nocturne would like to push the envelope further and go more legit, getting real political power. Jake is worried everything is going too smoothly. Don't bite off more than you can chew.

what does regina’s mindscape look like?

Oh that is spoilers.

what does a typical day look like for her? does she spend much time outside of the farm?

She has business trips, and can be away from the Farm for a week or two at a time, but mostly her job is on-site. She's in charge, so these days there's a lot more meetings and travel than she would like. She misses the simplicity of the lab.

How has the community response been to the release of Retribution?

Absolutely ridiculous beyond expectations. I'm still blown away. There's been a criticism or two that I agree with and taking with me to the next game, but on the whole I am just... this is unreal.

What are the rangers' favourite foods and how good are they each at cooking? 

Argent likes sweet things. Loves everything baked and and loaded with carbs. I think fresh bread out of the oven might be a contender, covered with butter melting into it and maybe a strong cheese. She's good at cooking, but better at baking.

Ortega likes traditional Mexican/Texan cooking. Has a preference for meat, but also the one most likely to eat lots of veg and salads. I think a nice barbecued steak is a contender, or maybe even just barbecued bacon might be a favorite. Something about eating things fresh from the grill. That smoky flavor. Ortega is veryg ood at cooking and does it often.

Dr. Mortum is a notoriously bad eater, subsisting on fast food a lot of the time. Honestly, I think the humble macaroni gratin might be a favorite, though they would say something fancier if asked. Can't cook, but likes to order good food in restaurants and knows the ones with the best chefs.

Chen has a sensitive stomach after many injuries, so he can't eat a lot of the things he used to love. These days his favorite food are variations of congee, because that's one of the things he can almost always stomach. He's an average cook, but mostly for the things he can eat.

Herald likes to experiment with food, and is currently a fan of eastern European cuisine. He's often hungry, and likes filling, hearty meals. I think his current favorite is those rich meat stews, with a good rustic bread. He can cook, and actively tries new things.

Would Ortega ever participate in the equivalent of celebrity hero master chef? 

Oh you know Ortega would be all over that! Adore every second of it, disasters and all.

Did Ortega ever try cooking random food using their electricity powers?

I mean... who wouldn't? But, like exploding things in the microwave, it's not really conductive to good food. They have exploded a sausage or two.

We know Herald likes art but does he have any creative hobbies himself?

Herald draws and paints. He has a lot of sketchbooks filled with things, mostly in charcoal and pen. He also have a small "studio" in his apartment, where he's playing around with proper painting again, mostly acrylics. He's not really happy with the results, he's still trying to find out what he wants to say. He's a lot more comfortable with the sketching. He spends a lot of his free time just flying around the city, sketching places and people.

I want to pet the rat king. Can we make it a tiny little robot body to control so we can pet it?

The Rat King would love a body, so I think that is coming.

Is there any content that you ever decided to cut from either rebirth or from retribution? And if so why

Yes, I cut the "Ortega breaking up with Sidestep over the Puppet" path that was in the early Retribution demo. The repercussions just cascaded through the entire game, and since there were so few people that would ever happen to I didn't think it was worth the work. I didn't want to just half-ass it. I also decided to cut/change a few small instances of more violent interaction with Ortega because I didn't have time to delve into it properly at the time. I want to have a discussion about the habitual violence between them eventually, but it didn't fit where I had it.

There are probably other minor things I have cut as well that I don't remember on the top of my head. In general, things that have already been written gets cut because I didn't foresee the effect it would have on the story down the line, or because I didn't like writing the consequences and what it turned the story into.

This may be a silly question but has there been other people riding around in Sidestep's head without their knowledge?

Spoilers.

Is it possible for the original Ace to regain personhood?

Spoilers.

Is the Handyman/Leo going to become a more prominent character in the next book?

Yep, especially in certain paths.

How do all the love interests feel about kids? (like having their own or just in general.)

Ortega: Everyone's favorite uncle/aunt, but has not really pictured them in their life yet.

Chen: A little uncomfortable these days. They are so fragile, and occasionally gets scared of him.

Argent: Never says no to autographs, or fan pictures from children. Ever. Adults might get the finger.

Herald: It's complicated. Doesn't really know how to act around them. As he would say, he wasn't really comfortable around children even when he was a child. But he would also say that he'd just need practice.

If everyone didn't become heroes what else would they be doing?

Ortega would have either become a sports/movie star or died at 25 from a terrible accident.

Chen would still be in the army, and probably promoted to command by now.

Argent would be working in a bank or business, on the tech side.

Herald would be a business executive.

I was wondering if you had a timeline for the next book yet? No rush or anything like that, I'm just curious.

Nope, I will get into that once I am done with the Rebirth update.

How do you go about writing stories with so many branching paths?

By making a very rough sketch on paper with arrows and explanation marks, then proceed to not follow it once I start writing. I am a terrible role model when it comes to this, I keep it all in my head, and explores what is fun to write. I am so bad at planning, I like exploring more.

Would you support or be interested in someone making a wiki for the fallen hero series? something people could find descriptions of characters and bits of lore that are involved/available in the free versions and pictures of characters that the community or you have made/commisioned? 

I would love it! I support all fan endeavors, go and have fun!

will we get the mitchell’s guide to anathema now :p? 

Once the Void thing is over, yes. Then the big secrets will have come out!

Do regenes grow and lose baby teeth?

Yes, it is a basic biological process.

How common are facial injuries for the Rangers and other heroes? Has Ortega ever had to have surgery to repair their face or mouth? 

Sadly for people not wearing helmets, facial injuries are common. Both Ortega and Herald have had to have surgery for that more than once. Their uniforms do include helmets for the more dangerous opponents, but that doesn't help if you're not expecting things. Both prefers to go helmetless by default.

Does Hollow Ground have a canon name? Can we learn it? Also not a question, sorry, but looking back at the past Q&As I saw there was some Book 3 HG snippet where they found out that Sidestep was related to them through a lab test? I looked through ficlets and snippets and couldn't find anything. thanks if anyone can help :) 

Hollow Ground doesn't have a canon name, it will be chosen by the player. And I did share a book three snippet on discord about that, but it has not been in any officially published things yet. You did not dream it ;)

Man I had so many questions until Q&A opened XD but one I remembered is is how aware is sidestep of the 'Ai' part of his mind? Are they completely mentaly merged or quite seperate? Would  another telepath sense it in his mindscape? Would it be weird? Alien? Is the ai part how he manages to 'telepath' the nanovores at all or could other telepaths potentialy do this?

Alright. Sidestep is not aware of the 'AI' part, nor is any ReGene. It is an integral part of their being, and completely merged. It might have feel weird right at the start of their existence, but that fades fast as memories are integrated. Another telepath might sense it if they are good and go deep enough. It would feel disjointed and strange, yes. A bit like watching a photo when someone has pasted two left halves of a face together, one of them mirrored. It is a face. It is a person. It is also... odd. And yes, the AI part was how Sidestep was able to interface with the nanovores, it is doubtful any other telepaths would have managed.

How much HG know about The Farm ?  Do they aware that their youngest sibling is part of The Farm's experiment   ? 

Nothing at all.

has heartbreak’s true identity been mentioned to us before? (either in game or in lore posts, discord etc)

Hmmm. I don't think so. Just vague suggestions.

Apologies if this has been asked before, but would the Special Directive be bold enough to use samples from well known boosted/heroes for their Re-Genes? We know they collected Sidestep post Heartbreak, so it got me thinking if they would have tried to take Anathema (or what was left of them) or anyone else of interest that has passed/disappeared. 

Oh yes the SD would be bold enough. Hero genes are free real estate, and not that hard to get a hold of if you have the right contacts. 

how immediately recognizable are sidesteps tattoos as regene tattoos? to a civilian? to a hero who hasnt worked with regenes? to heros who have? how much of them would someone have to see to recognize them? could they be mistaken for something else?

The normal civilian wouldn't recognize them if they saw an arm or a leg or a hint. A more "nerdy" civilian, or a hero who hasn't worked with ReGenes would recognize a full body thing, but might be confused by the human skintone. A hero who has worked with ReGenes would spot them immediately, but might hesitate because of the skin color if they didn't know about cuckoos. Might be able to bluff it off as an art/tattoo thing. Sidestep is a bit more paranoid than is realistic about their chance of discovery.

At the moment, the game seems more geared towards the redemptive/reluctant villain sidestep route, will there be more in depth options geared towards those not interested in being an anti-villain/revel more in destruction and the villainous lifestyle? it would be fun to play a truly remorseless sidestep.

That is in the plans, sadly some parts there got cut off when I had to cut Rebirth in two, but they will be at the start of Revelations instead, so you'll seen them soonish. That to be said, you can do some pretty gruesome things in Retribution if you take those paths.

will there be more fights in revelations, compared to retri? 

Hard to say. I still struggle with writing longer fights, it's easy to write an argument or discussion that goes on for pages, but fights tends to end so fast when Sidestep is involved. I need to figure out how to extend them without getting boring.

Hai! I'm new here! I just started getting into the FH series and I love them! But I have like so many questions so I'll just ask a couple for now. Also there are a lot of names I do not recognize. Where they in books?  Did I just misread them or is that content here on Patreon? 

There are years of questions and answers here on Patreon as well as lore posts where I have expanded the world and the people that live in it. So yes, there are many people who have never and will never appear in the books, but people have grown fond of them and asks questions all the same. I recommend starting from the beginning and read through, then you will discover then in the same order as everyone else has.

Which kinda leads me to my second question, who is the void? I must have missed that. 

The Void is mentioned in a quick flashback in Retribution, when Sidestep is reminiscing sitting in a safehouse near the Mexican border, waiting for Ortega's batteries to reload and hoping the Void won't find them until then. I have talked a lot about the Void in past FAQ's too. It is not something in the current books, or in future ones. But since the Void is one of the biggest/weirdest villains of Sidestep's past, people are interested.

My last question is regarding m! Ortega. He seems to know a lot more than he lets on. But I don't quite understand why my SS and Ortega rather hate each other. Like my SS blames Ricardo to an extent of not I guess rescuing her. And Ricardo blames my SS for not telling him she was alive. I guess I don't get the hate. Even though they seem to be OTP. My Sidestep is romancing Ricardo. But does he actually love SS or is he just pretending to ? I have more questions but I'll save those for another time 

Hate is a strong word, and it will vary depending on the path and the Sidestep. If we take the harshest Sidesteps, the ones that truly hate Ortega, it might be because of something like this: Ortega was one of the people that befriended Sidestep back in the day, and showed them the world. Made them soft. Made them think they could be human. Could have a life. Showed them hope. And all that did in the end was to make the fall and capture more terrible. Having something and losing it is worse than never having it in the first place. And then Sidestep spent years in captivity, first thinking Ortega would rescue them like always, but they never came. And the Farm was working hard to make Sidestep think that Ortega had just forgotten about them and moved on, showing magazines and pictures about how happy Ortega's life was now whe Sidestep wasn't there to drag it down. The Farm kindled the fires of hate there, because losing hope of the future was useful to them.

And then Sidestep met Ortega again, and could maybe start to realize that the truth was a hit different than it was presented, but the feelings were still there. The anger. The hate. The frustration. And above all, the fear. Fool me once. What if Sidestep would grow soft again? Trust Ortega? Be betrayed again? These feelings are something Sidestep has to navigate, and people will move in different directions.

Ortega on the hand had no idea that Sidestep was alive. They thought Sidestep was dead. Grieved. Nearly destroyed themselves. Finally got back on their feet and made a new, bleaker and less happy life for themselves. And then, suddenly, there is Sidestep back. Alive. And Ortega was happy and overjoyed, and also deeply angry. Why had Sidestep pretended to be dead? Why let Ortega carry that burden? The guilt? And now they are back, with all their secrets, and Ortega has no idea how to feel. Love. Anger. Frustration. All in one. You can love someone and still be furious about their decisions.

Ortega and Sidestep are complicated people. There is nothing easy there. But the feeelings are real. Not always justified. But there.

Is it possible to romance or befriend Ortega without having them know that Step is a villain at the end of Retribution if they meet HG in person and end up in the crash? So far I've only had luck with that if Step and Ortega are distant, or if they're friends but no one knows that the villain is a telepath. 

Oh yes, the OC stat is not tied to romance. However, the closer you get, and the more like Sidestep your villain is, the more clues will happen. But it can be done, I know there are guides out there.

What choices and actions affects Ortega's suspicion level?

There are guides out there, I might link them on my patreon too as soon as I ask the creators for permission.

What were the main points that you wanted to focus on when developing Sidestep's main stats and the relationship variables and stats?

Basically, the stats are there to help me form a bespoke story for every Sidestep. The main stats are all tied to the flavors I want to write in the text. Do I need different text if Sidestep is a vicious villain or a softie? Guess I need a villainy stat (originally called ruthlessness). Some will brag and be confident, while others secretive? Guess I need the arrogance/anonymity. The caution/daring is the one that is mainly for skillchecks, to set how you usually fight. There are two flavors of telepathy because I realized early on I wanted a variation there. I have had more stats and removed them, or reduced them to on/off flags like tactician/fighter. I decided early on to only have stats that I saw a use for, if not, remove them.

When it comes to the relationship stats, I go a bit weird. I have a "friendship" percentage level. It is not what Sidestep thinks, but a measure of the connection between Sidestep and the other person. As such, it is a mutual thing, and can sometimes go up and down without direct Sidestep knowledge. When it's high, people are close, they get each other, but it also gets harder to keep secrets. You can have genuinely fun with someone at 50%, but you don't know them that well. You can be utterly furious at someone with 80%, but you get each other. 

Since I was using the "friendship" in such an abstract way, the "relationship" text is what I most often use in text. There I just wanted fun names that described people's relationships.

Separate to this I have the pure "flirting" tags, the "pastflirting" tags, the "secret crush", the "kiss" tags and so on. This details the other relationships, and makes things easier to write in text. It doesn't matter if people are flirting, dating or lovers, I can just use the "flirting" tag in the text for things like a kiss on the cheek and so on.

Basically, all stats are born when I find a use for them in the story, they are not pre-planned.

How would HG react if they were unable to help someone they care about?

Devastated. It has happened in the past and it nearly broke them.

What are HG, Nocturne’s, and Jake’s pet peeves?

HG: Ass-kissers. People who don't understand when they're not wanted.

Nocturne: People pushing blame on others for things they failed to do.

Jake: Braggarts.

What kind of reactions did Nocturne notice on HG during the meeting with Sidestep?

The tension and absolute focus.

Around what age is the Crack?

I would say 30-40 or so.

Between the Crack and Deadeye, which of them is the better sniper? 

Deadeye

What were HG's older brothers like? 

I think we will get into that in Revelations, so spoilers for details. HG loved them.

In the aquarium memory there's a line: “It’s the best day of your life, you didn’t think…” how would that sentence have finished?

Spoilers. There's a lot of wonky shit with memories in this game that we will be getting into.

Sidestep can potentially read the emotions on HG and Nocturne if they turn down HG's offer but did Nocturne, Jake, or HG have any verbal thoughts going across their minds?

Only HG. "That figures."

How much money did Nocturne and HG lose if Sidestep successfully robbed the auction? Did it vary depending on if Sidestep kept things quiet or went on to cause mayhem and havoc?

A lot. And definitely more of Sidestep went mayhem and havoc. I have no numbers.

Did Tina cause the Nanosurge? 

What a thing to accuse an honest aquarium director of...

In one of the Q&A's there was a mention of possible new villain romance (or two) and if the characters are developed enough, is it possible to hear a what kind of characters they might be?

Do they have any powers? Any descriptions on their personalities? Are they active or retired villains? Are they independent villains or affiliated with someone? Even if there isn't romance, are they potential allies or friends to Sidesteps who are more interested looking allies outside the law?

Alright. You have already met one, Sky-Raider. He's Benjamin "Ben" Garret, tall, outgoing and loves being a pirate. White, blonde from a bottle, flamboyant hair. Ex military with an upgraded armor. He owes Dr. Mortum a few favors, so you got a sneak preview in Retribution when he can rescue you from the hospital.

The other one I still need a better villain name for. She was called "Birdbrain" in the original book. Her real name is Vera Saleh. Lanky woman in her late twenties with long limbs and skinny jeans. Mixed race, Lebanese dad, Mexican mom, born in Mexico. Controls pigeons, can see through their eyes, and turn into one with a bit of effort. Can't do it if she's eaten recently. She has glasses, and that pattern passes over to her pidgeons

What relationship between Dr . Mortum and Vitruvian? Only business partnership or something more?  

Business partners. Lab partners. Science bros. No romantic relationship, but they were close.

What mean " partner"  between Dr. Mortum and Sidestep If they are RO ? Is it different "partner" with Vitruvian?

It is different, partner can be both with and without sex. But for Mortum it is mostly an expression of closeness.

Does HG always put Red thread on their partnership ? Or have specific reason ?      

Only when they warrant it. But they wouldn't meet in person if Sidestep wasn't interesting enough to warant threading.

In book 3 Can we gain Telepath Stat. more ?  

Yes, and perhaps lose some as well...

Are we free to write fanfiction based off of FH to satiate yourselves in wait for the 3rd book? I have so many little ideas swirling 

Go wild, fanfic and fanart is wonderful, enjoy yourself with my blessing!

Will the readers get to see\interact with Ortega's mother? happy family reunion!

Yes.

What kinds of weapons would be available to sidestep during his vigilante/hero era?

Pretty much whatever Ortega could check out from the Ranger's armory and get away with. Most were returned after use though.

Will we get more 'flashbacks'?

Oh yes.

Hi! I just wanted to ask a few questions. I’ve tried looking through the old q&as but I might have missed the answers. Are Regenes (normal and cuckoo variants) made the same way? 

They are made exactly the same way, the blue skin comes later.

And is it possible that cuckoos are made from human corpses?  

I mean in the sense that there might be genetic material taken from them, yes. But that breaks down fast.

I thought there seemed to be a reactive feedback loop when Sidestep connected with HG, instead of a one-way memory. Is that possible? Thank you!

That is indeed a feedback loop, but from who to who is a question.

Does Chen feel more comfortable leaving some / most of his prosthetics off in his downtime? Or does he prefer to still have the mobility they afford at a moment's notice when he's just sitting around the house/ relaxing?

At home, when he's not expecting visitors, Chen prefers to not have his legs on. It works fine with the wheelchair, and it's nice to take the weight of what remains of his legs. Some days he can be very sore. He usually leaves his arm on until it's time to bed, because so much of that support structure is embedded in his shoulder. He switches to a simpler, lighter model though. He leaves the hands on, though the basic ones are quick-fit, he doesn't like how helpless he feels without them.

Will there be a ending in book 4 where Step stays in the puppet permanently

I dunno yet.

Has Tia Elena ever called up Ortega to yell at them for doing something particularly dangerous/reckless/stupid as a hero or just in general? 

Yes, on occasion. Some things look a lot scarier on the television, though Ortega is lucky that there is no camera most of the time.

Does Tía own and wear Ranger merch? 

I think she owns some, but I don't think she wears it very often.

Who are some of the heroes that have gained bad publicity because of their actions or persona?

I think the most high profile one was Five Pennies, who killed a reporter on live television, hard to get back from that. Cavalier turned traitor and blew up the Pentagon. Thunderhead got an unsavory reputation towards the end because of allegations of emotional control. There are more, but not on the top of my head.

How does Vernon know Ortega is obsessed with the new villain?

Vernon and Ortega shares some of the same contacts.

Would Nocturne's powers work on Themmy?

No.

Because I'm very curious Malin - what did the headlines say if Argent kissed Sidestep during the bridge fight?

It depends a lot on the reputation of the Villain, and whether they are known as a telepath. It might be things like "Mind Control once more? Is Lady Argent the weak spot of the Rangers?" for a revealed telepath. Or more saucy "Star-crossed lovers, a who is this new heartbreaker?" Especially funny if the villain is called Heartbreak. I am so bad at headlines.

How did Steel feel when he was requested to be Carter's bodyguard?

Annoyed.

Was the "Heartbreak" Sidestep saw the same person that Chen and Ortega saw?

It's complicated.

Was this "Heartbreak" Chen saw the same person that Ortega saw?

Yes.

Chen says "There's more to almost every major incident in this city." Did he also look into the nanosurge?

Yes, he did.

In what year was the old man in HGs epilogue threaded?

I don't know exactly, must be over two decades by now, it's a long-term thing.

Will it be possible to convince Dr. Mortum to join a mob boss pc's organization?

Not join, but be closely affiliated, yes. Mortum is very set on being their own boss.

Even though she's not modded, does Owl ever use prosthetics, or does she stick to her wheelchair? If not, was it out of choice, the state of her legs post nanosurge not making her a good fit for prosthetics, or both?

Owl likes her wheelchair, it is pretty kitted out. She has tried prosthetics, but she's not fond of using them for everyday life. It's mostly a choice, she didn't want that kind of medical debt, and she's not one of the people whose body easily accepts mods. She tried a smaller one early in her life, but it got infected and she had to remove it. 

Will there be a way to get into Ortega’s head without doing damage to them (psychic or physical)?

Spoilers.

Do Argent nanovores understand the concept of love? If Sidestep and Argent are dating, do they understand why Lady Argent is falling for Sidestep?

Nope, they do not.

I noticed Ortega's suspicion always increases if you puppetcrash and are mcstuck. Does Ortega always suspect that Step knows about the crash or plays some part in it? 

Ortega have their theories, yes.

Which of Ortega's kill do they regret the most? Which one do they stand by the firmest?

Ortega do regret Elyise, even though they saved her from a horrible death by nanovores. Still pops up in nightmares now and then, sometimes with Sidestep's face. The one they stand by the firmest is Daemon Darkly, an particularly unpleasant villain early in Ortega's career who had a habit of killing hostages and laughing about it.

How long ago did Daniel start sponsoring Marek’s investigation team?  How did they meet?

Quite a few years, I haven't decided exactly. Daniel became a fan of the show after moving to Los Diablos, and dropped by the office as a fan.

Adding on - why did Daniel decide to sponsor Marek's team? Was he hoping that they would look into the Heartbreak incident?

Among other things, there's a lot of stuff that Daniel is interested in. But he doesn't do many requests, he trusts Marek there.

Did Owl help create the Handyman's gadgets? Is his connection to Owl the reason why Step feels uneasy about pursuing him as a target? 

Yeah, they are a team. He would have access to a lot of old Owl tech, but also makes his own.

To what extent could fighting near bodies of water / in an aquarium / using water against Argent could sway the fight? Could it trigger the nanovores faster?

Possibly, but Argent is good at keeping control over that these days.

Owl seems to have kept an eye on things during retirement. Is she onto Sidestep (as a villain) in any way?

Spoilers, but she likes to keep in touch.

What was Sentinel and Owl's relationship like? Could they work together well now? Are they already?

Sentinel and Owl didn't really get along, they were both a little too stubborn and bristly and pushed each other's nerves a lot.

What's the likelihood of one of the Rangers (other then Ortega) calling a revealed Step's phone and them regretting not changing their number already?

Pretty darn high. 

What does Ortega think is Hollow Ground’s boost?

Doesn't think it's earthquakes, must be something mental if everyone else handily ignores them.

Is Ortega aware that possession is possible to develop with a powerful enough telepathy boost?

It's a theory.

Has Ortega connected the two dots and concluded that something as traumatic as HB, like the nanosurge, might have boosted Sidestep’s abilities further? 

Oh yeah.

Hypothetically, if Lady Argent had to choose an armor to make a villainous debut would she choose an armor that would be similar to Sidestep's armor or would she try something new?

Oh she would have her own, she's got style.

Is it considered tacky to use demon-based names in Los Diablos? Is it worse for heroes or villains, if so?

No tackier than any other name!

Can we keep dr mortum gun?

Hmmmm not sure yet.

Will we have a chance to meet other survivors of the Heart Break incident?

Yes.

Strange question- but can either Skybright or Cavalier dance? And what’re their heights? 

Huh, I have no idea! Probably? Enough official circumstances to warrant learning. I would say that Skybright is 5'7" and Cavalier was 5'11"

What were the first thoughts of every Ranger when they have heard that Sidestep had lost their telepathy? How did it change when Sidestep had stepped out of the Ranger's HQ?

Herald was devastated, how horrible. Once Sidestep have left, he started realizing the implications and suddenly became nervous for his own sake. Argent was relieved, she suspected Ortega's plan. Chen was suspicious at first, but later realized that was actually logical due to the trauma, and felt bad for suspecting.

Can Argent talk with her TV? 

She can turn it off and on, but it doesn't hold a conversation.

Has anyone ever stolen Argent’s food and lived to tell the tale?

Yes, Ortega.

Vernon doesn't want to tell Mia what he found. Was he threaded into this decision? If not, was he forcibly coerced not to tell her?

Vernon cares about Mia and doesn't like her risking her life.

Who are some heroes that Mia thinks deserved getting their butt kicked by a hero hunter (training them) Sidestep?

I don't know, but I certainly will make up some for the next book!

Do we know what kinda goat snowball is? Like is it your run of the mill goat or something funky like a Damascus goat?

She's a nigerian dwarf goat, mostly white but with some black.

Were Sidestep's tattoos always orange?

Yes.

Is there a history of aquatic villains or heroes? We know fliers like Herald or Sky Raider are common enough to be their own “thing”, but what about swimmers?

There are in Portland, yes. For some reason they rarely last long in Los Diablos...

Did Tia Elena attend Sidestep's funeral?

Yes.

After Sidestep's second escape, did the farm put personnel to watch the Rangers Sidestep was close with pre-HB in case Step run to them?

Oh yes. But as that didn't happen, they were withdrawn over a year or so.

Sidestep says that their dreams have been getting worse. What are they dreaming about? Is this influenced by the awakening imposter?

Varying things. Old bad memories and weird unrecognizable things. Hallucinatory nightmares. Things remembered and best left forgotten in the morning.

I can't believe I'm asking this but. Malin, in your opinion - Is Void or Ortega hotter? Who is the hottest (not literal) character in FH?

I am no judge on hotness, that is very personal.

You mention that Tina would want to let the west heal 'uninterrupted', would she be willing to go completely scorched earth, eliminating all human and non-human life from the area, in order to have a fresh start?

That would be the simplest solution.

What are the Rangers +Mortum's go to Karaoke songs?

I have no idea! I am a metalhead, and that's rarely on the karaoke rooster.

Is Skyraiders suit modified from his own military suit? 

No, but a similar model.

Could Sidestep possess an animal?

Sidestep has never tried.

Did Step snap out of their "heartbreak vision" the moment they crashed out of the window? 

No.

If so - did this "snapping out of it" coincide with the moment Chen felt the pressure stop too?

No.

Does Step remember reaching out for Ortega's hand?

Yes, though some might have repressed it.

When the Sidestep scar acts out badly, does Ortega fall with Sidestep in their hallucination? I feel like this would resonate with some of their own deep-seated fears.

Yeah, that might happen.

Did Sidestep ever unknowingly get into Ortega's mind or read their thoughts? Especially during events where Sidestep's telepathy is at an "all-time high" like the Nanosurge and Heartbreak.

I will very quietly whisper spoilers to that.

The New Flesh feeds on boosted flesh; did the Green Sky, thanks to the Void's powers and the Choir "feed" on the boosted in other ways, like something located in the mind? Is Sidestep a good sacrament because they're a boost? 

They fed on filtered Void blood, by feeding Void's blood to people, and then drinking their blood in turn. It was still very physical. And yes, Sidestep was good for that, boosts survive the Void blood better.

Just spoilers How does ortega reconcile sidestep's ability to fight/tactics expertise with their belief that sidestep is HG's younger sibling during sidestep days?

Oh those go very well together, of course they would have training.

After all that Sidestep did to help out in the Nanosurge, Void fight, and who knows how many other things - why was Chen still so distrustful? Was Step's telepathy and unwillingness to submit ot the background checks such a big reason that it overruled all the times their actions could have proven their loyalty?

I mean Steel became less distrustful as time went on, but yeah, there was something that he felt was a little off about Sidestep the whole time. And Ortega acted weird around them.

How well is it known to the public that it was Sidestep who stopped the nanosurge? I mean, we know it's known to the heroes, but what about the civilian?

No, to the public it was a concerted hero effort.

In terms of percentages, how similar is Step's Heartbreak nightmare in Rebirth to their first encoded memory of the actual Heartbreak event?

Maybe... 75%? It's pretty close but condensed.

If Lancaster is still around in FH… is Edwards AFB being used still? :hmmmmm:

The Edwards Air Force Base is one if the small military installations that are allowed in the Free Western territories.

Have any unsuspecting folks ever walked up to the farm while on a hike or a drive? How has the Farm dealt with them?

No, it's not hiking terrain, and the road is blocked a long time before it reaches the farm.

Has the Ranger HQ ever been attacked before or was Sky Raider breaking Step out a first?

It has happened now and then, but not as often as you'd think.

Does Dr. Halabi have a family? Spouse? Kids? ... pets?

She has an estranged spouse, they are not divorced yet, but they live apart. She has two cats and a workaholic habit.

What was Ortega's reaction if we bolt after leaving Parkfield and go across traffic successfully

Suspicion, frustration and admiration.

Which book do you think that the politics stat will start being check

Book three.

MALIN DOES SKYRAIDER LIKE JIMMY BUFFETT

I don't know. Maybe?

Back in the past, how did those who made the hiring decisions for the rangers feel about Sidestep? ignoring Steps unwillingness to submit to the background checks, were they considered a good candidate? 

A little underpowered, most were happy to have them as an associate. The Nanosurge changed this, and had Sidestep wanted they might have gotten in if they have the "hero" status from the past.

The powers of FH seem to go deeper than they appear, given that: is Nocturne’s ability to take people’s sight just the temporary removal to various degrees or does she gain anything from that?

Spoilers.

What’s Alaska like? What about Hawaii? How is the US dealing with its western extremities now that there is an FEZ in the way?

Alaska is cold, and mostly depopulated. Some stay on, but the oil industry is mostly in Texas now. The indigenous people have mostly retaken the land, and there have been discussions about making a bid for their own country, but nobody wants to rock the boat.

Hawaii had to live through several years of isolation, and is a lot less reliant on tourism than it was. It has a very suspicious stance towards the rest of the US, and there were discussions early on to join the free western territories. It didn't happen, but the sentiment is still there. If it wasn't for a large fleet presence, it might already have happened.

Can we potentially have a bigger fan club than Charge :bigcrimes:

Why do you think I am tracking the fanclub stat? One day perhaps.

Do all the threads in HG's mind have a common origin point? 

Can a sufficiently powerful step snap most/all the threads from this origin point?

I think it is more spread out, but there are focal clumps.

Is Nehal enrolled in any kind of education, or is she just going to the School of Villainy™️?

School of villainy, education is expensive.

Would it be possible for Sidestep and/or Mortum to "teach" Argent's nanovores how to regulate sensory input better? Is that something she'd be open to trying in lieu of skin?

It is possible that something like that could be attempted with Mortum's help.

What did Argent and Herald think when they first learned Step stopped the nanosurge?  When/how did they find out?

They learned it in Ranger orientation, when they get to know a lot of classified shit. Herald was very impressed.

Would we be able to cut the string that mortum has from HG

If Mortum ever trusts you.

Have any of HG strings been accidentally cut somehow? Is that even possible? 

Yes, it is possible. They fade and grow weak in time if they are not renewed. They can break due to forgetting, and from being confronted with conflicting information if they are weak enough.

On hero fanclubs? Do they operate much like Fandoms? Do they have fan names or do  Herald and Argent get fan art of each other and do people "ship" Any of the Rangers with other heros, much to their amusement/annoyance? 

Yeah, they are pretty much fandom, think a cross between sports fandoms and old Star Trek. Remember that the internet is a bit behind in the FH world due to being behind with satellites and an open world wide web. It is more like the days of netscape around the turn of the century. Thus most fan interactions are message boards rather than tiktok videos.

Would Dr. Halabi  punch us if they found out that we are using dr mortum. 

No, she's not a violent person. But she would not be happy.

Has Argent ever talked to the chip in our head? Does she know what it is?

She has not spoken to it. She is aware that it's there, but not the details.

How aware was Sidestep while they were in the vat post-boosting but pre-memory implant? Did they get taken out for mental testing before they were officially decanted?

Normally, a ReGene does not remember any of their time in the vat, even if they are aware of things happening. It is before the brain knows how to recognize and know about things. It's like we don't remember our time in the womb, or the early years afterwards. However, things were different for Sidestep (and any ReGenes with similar capabilities). Due to telepathy, they begun to get sensory and mental input after they had been boosted, and thus could start retaining memories from a time when they should have been a blank slate. They were aware, and more important, they remembered some of it.

A ReGene is taken out of the vat post-boosting for testing and classification. This could be once, or several times depending on the ReGene. Some undergo surgery during this time to correct for boosting errors, and others simply need more time to stabilize properly. The speed-growth process is not perfect, surgical corrections are common during the growth phase for things like vestigial tails, fused fingers and other variations usually corrected in newborns.

Did the Special Directive wipe/try to wipe Sidestep's mind after they said 'no' prior to their memories being implanted? Was their first rebellion kept secret for the good of the project?

They saw it more as a curiosity at the time. Was it a mental artifact from the researcher? Was Sidestep just parroting words without understanding them? It was seen as a fascinating opportunity to look into early ReGene development, and there were a few scientists that were very disappointed when Sidestep was fitted with the AI chip and ruined their research.

Were there any other regenes who displayed hints of consciousness/preference (eg. who refused needles) prior to implantation? How common [or not] was it among mental boosts?

It was not uncommon in mental boosts of a certain kind, and in the occasional other ReGene who had remote sensory experiences prior to decanting. It did not seem to impact AI chip implantation in any way.

Will we have more time to go into the other aspects of being a mob boss besides robbing places😄 and hanging out with a crew in book 3 or is that going to be a book 4 thing 

Book three and four.

Would Nehal want to go to school (again) if Sidestep were to offer the option? (If yes, in what field?)

Nehal is not the school going type.

Following up on what Void would think of current!day Sidestep, what about Pyroclast?

Void would be proud and impressed.

what kind of music does danny like.

I know too little of non-metal music. That's all headcanon.

What was HB's mindscape like? How did it change after the experiment?

I think that before the experiment, it was pleasant and open, probably a bit urban but friendly. After, it was a hellhole vortex of shards and blackness.

Can you tell us more about Chen's heartbreak scar?

Nope. Not yet.

Had they been active at the same time, would Vera have a rivalry with Owl like she does Daniel?

Oh yes.

What does Tina think of Kirk Witt?

Spoilers.

How do you keep yourself from going back and rewriting things over and over and over and over until they match what you imagined perfectly? 

Experience. You can't finish a long work until you get to the point where you accept "good enough". Because nothing will ever be perfect, and the more you write, the more you learn, and your past texts will be unlike what you have written today. It helps to remember that 80% of a book is not remembered, but the 20% that are is what gives people the taste and flavor and which they love. Yes, I made those numbers up, but the point remains. 

Focus more in finishing than perfection, once you have finished you will be tired enough of the story that you only have the energy to rewrite the parts that really needs to be. So remember, NO BIG REWRITES UNTIL FINISHED. That should solve a lot of problems.

Who is the most possessive/jealous among the ROs and how would they react if placed in such a situation?

I honestly don't know. Things like that is really hard for me to figure out until I write a situation where they react like that. It is especially hard for me personally since I don't understand or get jealousy in the way it seems to be portrayed by media. I remember when I was writing a couple of years back I had some people on another discord server sit down and try to explain it to me, and the closest I understood it was that it was about fear. I am still faintly confused. I don't see any of the RO's as very possessive or jealous, but who knows?

How did you get started writing a choice game? How did you decide what characters were going to be ROs, which ones just central to the plot, which potential paths there are, which endings are possible, etc?

Basically, in 2014/2015, Choice of Robots went viral on tumblr. I was interested and checked it out since I love the old choose your own adventure books back when I was a kid. I played a few of the CoG games and liked them, and when the job I was working at the time moved (I had to move with it) I was stuck alone in a stopgap apartment for about six months until my partner could move here too. During those months I decided to start writing a choicescript game because I was bored, and it looked interesting.

I had a few unfinished novels at the time, and tried to figure out which one might work as choicescript. I looked at what was popular in media at the time and which I predicted would remain so, which was superheroes, zombies and urban supernatural. I had book ideas for all, but there was already a really popular and good CoG games for zombies, and the zombie story I had was a collaboration with another writer. So that one was out. 

In the end, I picked the supervillain one because I really missed writing the main character, and liked the premise of old hero turns villain, fights old friends. This was where Sidestep, Argent, Mortum, Hollow Ground and Herald came from. However, I needed a new world, since the old one was based faintly on my partner's superhero comic script. I stole the world from a more post-apocalypse/cyberpunk book I had started, set it a few decades later and fused it with superheroes. This was the book where Ortega and Chen came from, and why Ortega truly has main character syndrome. They are just in the wrong book. I also stole a lot of the main character from my urban supernatural story, and a lot of the writing tricks I had used for that (it was about dreams and nightmares).

I started out by picking two RO's, which was the minimum I could get away with. I did not want the story to get away from me, this was my first foray into this and I wanted to make sure I could finish. I picked Ortega and Mortum, which had the other two major part of the story, and were on opposite sides. As Rebirth was a success, and I had learned a lot, I decided to add some more in the next game. Yes, this was in part to player wishes, but I only added them because I felt that each romance would let me dig into a different part of Sidestep. I don't have them because of romance, I have them because it makes for interesting character studies. This is also the same reasons why there are two new ones in book three, we will explore the villain side a bit more, so there are room for villain RO's.

I had a basic overview of the main plot since it was based on an (unfinished) book. This meant that I had a few what I term "climax scenes", to hang the story on. Like the museum assault, or the pist HG crash. Rebirth sticks very close to the original book, it has a linear structure because that was what I felt I was capable of at the time. Finish the book. Make sure it is cohesive. Don't overreach. There was one main ending with the museum, not much deviation. It was also ended earlier than I had planned, because interactive fiction took a lot more words than normal fiction.

In book two, I decided to really have fun with the interactivity and went a bit wild. I planned a normal run, then branched from there. My planning was not very good though, things got expanded, moved around and there was a lot of trial and error. For the longest time I did not want to use the bodyswitching thing in the crash that was in the book, but I decided to actually do it. However, the length expanded even more, so I had to cut it in two, which meant that all of a sudden you get a cliffhanger ending which I had never planned.

In short, do your planning, but be ready for it to change as you write. Maybe book three will be smoother, as I have learned more now.

Does/did Chen's armor ever have a body cam so there was a reliable recording of event on missions? If so, did he have one for HB and did it survive the bombing? Where would it be now?

Yes, Chen's armor does include that capability. It was often used, but not always. Sometimes it was turned off because there can sometimes be issues having certain things recorded, but often it was because cameras often malfunction around Ortega. A very handy talent I am sure everybody can agree on. The camera was running when Heartbreak happened, but it was destroyed in the collapse of the building, and no footage was recovered.

Is Rahim threaded by HG?

Spoilers.

Is there any way Jake’s powers could negate/work around HG’s threads on their own?

Possibly in time, they are a bit weird, but Jake has no reason to question his loyalty.

And also: would he trade his enforcer position for a nice lieutenant position with benefits?

It's a tough sell, not saying it's impossible, but almost.

Can you tell us more about Nightstalker? I want to know all about the person that got the top ranking spot for vigilantes. 

Sadly I have no idea at this point in time! My brain drew a blank.

Are the nanovores comprising Argent’s body sensitive to temperatures in any potentially-compromising ways?

No, but Argent is. One reason she doesn't like fire powers.

Why did dr. mortum have sidestep on a shortlist of possible villain identities if they were presumed dead from the heartbreak incident?

Now see, this is a very good question...

Would the infection in the core be more like a viral infection or bacterial? Or possibly even fungal? If that metaphor even holds up

Not connected at all.

Could you describe Rosie’s boost? What type of damage is she better at resisting in terms of being “bulletproof”?

Basically piercing damage, and also blunt trauma to a lesser degree. A high speed rifle bullet would leave a bruise, a laser some reddening of the skin, an explosion small burns and bruises. A knife or sword would bounce. This also includes things like her eyes. Her weak point would be blunt trauma to the head, she might be knocked out there even though the actual damage would not be much. However, it would still take more than a normal person could take.

What is the state of video gaming in Fallen Hero? Are any of the main cast particularly interested? 

Cartridge and CD style games, no internet capabilities. You buy a game and play it. Expensive but cool. Might have really good graphics and interactivity with your body. VR stuff. No multiplay, only LAN. Lots of military games. Don't think any of the cast is really into it.

What would Hollow Grounds' reaction have been if they'd noticed the threading hadn't worked then and there? 

I mean in some cases they do notice...

Does Ortega's theory of us being a clone of the original Sidestep with implanted memories hold any merit?

In Ortega's head it does. If they are angry enough.

When did streetwise Sidestep have the opportunity to become streetwise, was it a part of their Farm training or did they figure it out very fast on their own after they broke out?

I think it's just part of their interest, the knowledge can have been received both ways.

How has transplant science advanced? Is the need for anti-rejection meds still the same as in the real world, and what's the success rate of artificial transplants (like lab grown organs or mechanic organs)? 

It is a lot more advanced than today. There is still a need for anti-rejection meds if you choose human transplants, but there are better meds. Basically they are more focused on a narrow band of rejection sensitive receptors rather than the broadband nuke the immune system with all the drawbacks. Note that these are not medical terms. However, it is far more common to use lab grown organs, which can be tailored to be as acceptable as possible to the body they are inserted in. There are also functional artificial organs, which tends to be what is used when speed is of the essence, or for cost-saving purposes. They have a good success rate, comparable to the more advanced heart surgeries today. The lungs are still the trickiest ones.

What kind of dialyses (or the equivalent of ecmo) exist? 

They classic external dialysis still exists, but is more of a placeholder procedure before a new organ (or internal dialysis support) can be fitted. This is often solved not by removing the malfunctioning organs, but by implanting support "filter organs" that can work as internal dialysis filters, and be easily serviced once every few months or so. If you have the money, you wait for a homegrown organ for a full transplant.

How many organs could be removed from a person while still keeping them alive on machinery alone and for how long? Has the Farm tested the limits of this? Are there any regene used as part of these experiments still alive?

There is no strict limit there, it is very dependent on the body. Some go into shock easily, others can be almost disassembled before being put together again. There have been experiments with removing the brain into a full robot body, but that tends to lead to madness and death. Exactly why is still unclear. And yes, of course the Farm would have tested these things. I am not sure if any of the ReGenes involved are alive, it is doubtful. You don't use the useful ones for things like this.

This might be spoilers, but would Ortega be up to seeing the Sidestep pictures and recording Chen has/had? Or would that be too hard for them?

Oh Ortega would watch if they had the chance. 

Does Argent ever have nightmares about the Nanosurge?

Yes. Those are the bad nights, and one reason why Sidestep can't stay at her place.

Isn't that why she has sharks in her mind?

Yes, exactly.

If Step is Wealthy or Rich, where are they keeping their money? Do they have a bank account somewhere or strictly using DS?

It is probably a combination of a bank account under a fake identity for "offical spending", a bunch of cash store at their base, and some DS for Dr. Mortum and criminal purchases.

Why cant we hide our tattoos with a sleeve tattoo. And pass the color as ink?

It would have been possible to tattoo the flesh, but the ink falls off the actual tattoos. It's like the tattoos shed any damage or thing meant to cover them. Sidestep does not know why. However, they could certainly have added tattoos and fake it being a real one, but Sidestep is very paranoid about being found out. They are convinced that a glimpse of the tattoos means they will be spotted, it's not an entirely rational feeling.

If we're playing as a killer step, will we be able to get a hold of weapons (like swords, guns, etc) or will we be raw-knuckling it through the entire series?

Yes, weapons will be in book three. Even some familiar ones...

When ‘testing’ new Re-Genes by forcing them to fight and catalyse their boosts, what measures does the Farm have in place to keep them from (whether accidentally or not) killing each other?

Mainly armored guards, and certain older, trusted ReGenes with suitable powers. 

I'm not sure how to phrase this but - how does "reprogramming" regenes usually work? Say, the regene has already built neuronal connections in their brain based on what the learnt/the personality they showed signs of developing. When these are erased/reprogrammed, do they remove the memory while neural connections remain? Or are these neurons themselves cut out?

There are two stages to reprogramming. The easy one is just wiping and reprogramming the AI chip. This is usually enough for a very young ReGene without very many experienced memories. This is often done when a ReGene reacts badly to the memory set they have received, and a new one is inserted to see if it works better for them. Any neuronal connections built are just left to fade on their own as the new memories take hold.

If a ReGene is older, have experienced the outside world and as you say, have built many neuronal connections in their flesh brain, things are harder. This requires full insertion into the Core, where those connections will be changed and adapted as well. This takes a long time, and runs the risk of a full mental collapse. It is only done if the ReGene is valuable enough.

Did HG ever consider trying to thread Sidestep back when they were active as a Hero?

No.

Compared to other precognitive boosts, how strong are Ace/the Puppet's powers? What would be their designation on the Alpha, Beta, etc scale, and how much room for growth do you see their powers having?

It depends, you have a precognition stat for a reason. There is a lot of possibility for growth.

Considering the mental nature of both Step and Ace's powers, do you see it ever being possible to access one power set in the other body, or is it something fundamentally tied to the biology of each body?

You might find out soon.

Was anyone who knew Ace prior to their demise (not Shroud) aware of their status as boost? If so did any of them know what their specific power set was? 

Nope.

Did Ace hit other casinos outside of Lord Ember's purview? If so, did the people running them notice their extreme luck and did they have their own plans for dealing with them (for example, Hollow Ground)?

Yes she did, she moved around a lot though. Most of the time, precognition kept them one step ahead but they slipped up with Lord Ember.

Are Common Law Marriages a recognized thing in the FEZ?

Yes they are.

You’ve mentioned that these days the farm work on boosting via certain stimuli during the process to try and create the desired boost effect.  What were the conditions for Shroud’s batch?  What kind of boost were they aiming for?

They were aiming for telepaths, and were using the classic sensory deprivation technique.

Has Argent’s family seen her, even if they don’t know it’s her they’re seeing?

Yes.

Have any of the Rangers (past or current) been back to the HB site?

Argent and Herald has.

Is the apartment number "412" that we see in the heartbreak vision significant to Heartbreak, or Sidestep? 

Heartbreak.

Is there a reason that heartbreak stopped instead of continuing moving?

Oh yes. Very much so.