April questions are answered! (Patreon)

What are the chances of getting a villain reveal during a fight with one or more of the Rangers in Revelations?

I can't give you a percent, but I do know that is one planned option. Both accidental and planned. There are a few points in the story when it will be very fitting to take the helmet off and be "Hah, it was me all along!"

If Ortega found out that the villain was sidestep while fighting them, how would they react? Would it change the way he/she wants to handle the fight?

Of course it would change the way Ortega would handle that fight! However, I can't tell you how, that kind of tension will be revealed in game. Also, it will vary depending on how "bad" the villain is, and how close Ortega is to their old friend.

Really how would each of the love interests react in that situation is the better question. 

It would change very little for Steel, the fight comes first, the heart comes later. It would change things some for Argent, but in a limited range. Not very much. Herald would be the one who would react the strongest, potentially even stronger than Ortega. But once again, the exact reaction would depend on closeness, and how "bad" the villain is.

So, what is (or rather, if there is any at all) the ability/ies that has the highest potential of going apocalyptical, maybe even on a global scale? Whether the user is causing the catastrophe intentionally or not.

Speaking of the free western territories, the power most people are cautious about are geokinetics/petrokinetics (earth/stone manipulation) because at higher levels, they have the potential to trigger earthquakes and that's still a trauma for people put there. Has the faultlines stabilized? Or are there still massive aftershocks to come? People are scared. It's not a global scale, but certainly a regional.

Fire boosts in fire prone areas are also feared, but again, that's a regional threat.

I think so far, the only known type of boosts that have had the ability to affect things globally in a truly bad way are boosts that affects/creates/controls disease and infection. No powerful ones are known, but considering that a relatively minor one almost paralyzed London with the a virulent strain of cold called "sneezing syndrome" which was originally created to get away from pursuing police. The main symptom was repeated sneezes, sometimes so strong that ribs could be broken, and people were incapable of doing anything else as the spasms lasted. It rapidly infected the majority of London population, spreading quickly through subways and buses. It is known to have caused at least five deaths in unrelated accidents, and only the fact that it petered out fast saved the rest of the country (and the world) from becoming infected. The boost was named "the flu guy" in the newspapers, and has been in custody in a secure lab facility since then. Much like Typhoid Mary, he's too dangerous to be released.

Is there anyone out there who can 1. Nullify/silent/be immune to/counter-spell anyone else's abilities? or 2. Duplicate someone else's abilities? 3. Create/control nuclear reactions, be it fusion or fission?

1) Not widely, no. 2) Yes, to some extent. 3) None that survived long.

Will we get to meet some corporate heroes? I'm so interested in what they do! Are they basically walking brand ambassadors or something? Or are there corpo heroes who are secretly some sort of wetwork agents who murder or silent anyone who's threatening the corporates interest?

Corporate heroes can indeed be both, some are more like mascots, never seeing any active duty and mostly doing photo ops and shaking hands with children. Some are private security personnel, more of an unofficial police working corporate interests. And of course there are the wetwork agents, though they are not acknowledged openly. Assassins don't wear branded suits.

Have there been any other boosts whose power has gone from completely unremarkable to off-the-charts like Sidestep? 

Yes, it is not uncommon for powers to mature over time into something stronger. Most strong boosts are on a curve, with a weak boost growing into something stronger over several years. One reason for this is that the boosts who start out strong, are more likely to die fast and be overwhelmed by their powers as they don't have the experience to handle them.

However, what has happened to Sidestep is something known as Traumatic Boost Response, or TBR for short. This is similar to things like "hysterical strength" in the human body, where stress and adrenaline can make normal people perform almost supernatural acts, or live through things that should have killed them. In boosts, this can cause the boosted power to not only make an almost exponential leap in strength, but also sideways, into new variants. Some scientists have also theorized that the original advent of boost power is actually a trauma response from the human body as the boost drug slowly kills it. 

Exactly which boosts that have undergone TBR is hard to say since they are often known to the public only after their boost increase. I will however say that both Anathema, the Catastrofiend, Sentinel and Ashfall/Pyroclast have undergone TBR.

Are there any Alpha ReGenes? Are they desirable or are they too potentially uncontrollable and dangerous to be worth the risk?

Disregarding Sidestep, none are known at present. You can't plan for an Alpha power level boost, and the controlled circumstances of Re-Gene use is not conductive to the kind of disasters that might give rise to those power levels.

Why does Ortega immediately assume a killer Sidestep is a fake if they crash, but if they reveal themselves after Puppetcrash Ortega is always supportive even if they're certain Sidestep is the villain and they're a killer?

Because of the circumstances and Ortega's view of Sidestep. If a killer Sidestep is revealed in the crash as a Re-Gene, Ortega's first instinct is that this can't be true. This can't be their friend. It has less to do with being a Re-Gene, and more with knowing what the villain has done. Once Ortega has had time to think, their views might change, but this is the initial shock.

On the other hand, if Sidestep reveals that they are a Re-Gene to Ortega, they are still not unmasked as the villain. Ortega can't be certain that Sidestep is the horrible killer villain. In fact, once Ortega has time to think about things there, their suspicions might indeed go down, as they realize that their suspicions and thoughts was very off base. If they were wrong about Sidestep being HG's relative, maybe they are wrong about them being the villain too?

In therapy during the panic attack Sidestep has two "Climbing the stairs..." options but with different reactions. What do they mean? 

Basically, the second one of them is more focused on suicidal thoughts, while the first one is more focused on sharing the pain with the world.

What would Nocturne instinct say about Regina? 

Dangerous. Reveal nothing. Be uninteresting and pleasant.

What kind of plans does Nocturne has? 

Bigger ones than Hollow Ground... not gonna tell you what though.

What would Regina think about Hg and what would HG think about Regina?

It would be a discussion of cat and also cat, they would both see the other as very useful, and be overconfident about being able to use them.

What kind of handler Regina was? 

Regina wasn't a handler, she was a scientist.

Before HB incident did Sidestep have nightmares? 

Yeah, most people do. They got worse after it.

Did Sidestep have a name in re-gene language? Will they ever get a chance to tell it? 

Hmmmm Sidestep did, but I am not sure we'll get into that until book four. We'll see what happens.

Can Sidestep tell HG about their farm days?

Not sure yet. I will see how things feel when I write them. There needs to be trust for that.

Did Sidestep have any other re-genes they were close to at the farm? If so, were they aware of Sidestep re-capture? Did they have any feelings about it?

I haven't detailed that yet, we will get into that in book four. Like many things, it will vary depending on choice.

Is there any scenes/moments you look forward to writing in book 3?

YES. Not gonna give any details, but there is Chekov's gun floating around, Ortega's got an upcoming birthday party, and a voluntary villain reveal is gonna be sweet.

Depending how close Sidestep is with HG how would they feel not being able to red-thread Sidestep? 

Hmmm. I think that would add a certain edge to their interactions, even if HG likes them. However, if HG decides they are trustworthy, it won't matter.

In therapy angry Sidestep "started a gesture but you don't bother censoring yourself". Did Sidestep fall back to re-gene language in that scene? 

Yep. There are a few other instances of that in the book, just small moments and gestures.

What kind of fighting style does farm teach? Do other re-genes teach each other too? 

It is basically a version of what is taught in army special forces, focused on getting the job done more than anything else. If you want a name, I'd point to Krav Maga and similar ones. Re-Genes teach each other too.

Do the mob boss crew have any hobbies? 

I need to think about that, we'll see what comes up in game!

If Mob boss has base on the workplace what does Marcia think about Mob boss crew? 

Ahaha oh boy, Pelayo is a handsome gentleman she'd flirt with if she were twenty years younger, Ward makes her a bit nervous, ZaZa is such a funny young man, she likes him. Nehal gets asked about school a lot, and she tents to baby her somewhat. 

Will Sidestep revealed their Identity as Villain automatically in next book If they don't reveal themself to Ortega in Book 2 ?

No, you will be able to remain unrevealed for the entire game, even in book four.

Can we run into Lady Argent or other Ranger If Sidestep stuck as Puppet ? 

Yes, I can guarantee it.

How deep association between Mayor and HG?

Not as deep as the last one, but so far there has not been any conflict.

Have ever Sidestep and impostor  met before (I mean that while Sidestep still was Hero)?

That depends on who the impostor is, there can be three major variants depending on stats, and in once case it is definetly yes.

I’m sorry if this has been asked before but how exactly did Anathema use their acid powers if they were not immune to it?

The current theory is that they might have triggered one of the trauma boost responses I was talking to above due to interactions with Heartbreak, and that made their acid powerful enough to kill them. Or it could have been that their acid was that strong all along, but Anathema subconsciously limited the use to a point where it didn't hurt them.

So, could sidestep have successfully pretended to be a "replacement" for the sidestep from the heartbreak incident? I ask because Ortega refuses to believe that step is real and not a Re-gene and I just wondered if the others could have been manipulated into believe that step wasn't in control of their own machine body or something like that

We'll see how the story goes, this is one of the things I am not sure about yet.

A fun idea I thought about about, would it be possible at anypoint for Sidestep to get Mortum to redesign the villain suits aesthetics, specifically, to base it of off Sidestep's old suit?  

We will have some suit modding in book three (some Sidesteps also REALLY need the repairs) and I can see a revealed Sidestep maybe going that route, maybe even with a name change.

About the Skyraider and Vera romances: Are there any gender locks on them like for Steel? And would you consider either of them to be genderqueer in anyway?

No genderlocks for either of them. I am not sure about the preferences on the bi/pan scale yet, or if I would see them as some flavor of genderqueer. I need to write them more first, but I think I can safely say that if anybody is going into that territory it would me Sky-Raider.

Now that we'll have 3 villain ROs how do they stack up to each other in the ruthlessness department? Who's the most considerate and who's the most callous. (Also can we go to a Villain party with any of them? I heard those were a thing)

I am not sure about the villain party, we already have Ortega's birthday, but we'll see. It would be fun, but also time constraints. Maybe a smaller scene. 

The ruthlessness level from max to min is: Mortum - Sky-Raider - Vera.

When telling Ortega about the Farm stuff, there are some details that don't come up. Basically, does Ortega actually know how long Sidestep was held captive for? Does she know it was around 5 of those 7 years or is she wildly off the mark?

Ortega doesn't know how long, or any details. We will be able to get more into that in this book.

What does your research/world building look like? How much/little time do you typically spend researching places/concepts/theories, etc? 

I am a compulsive researcher, so I spend way too much doing that. Funnily enough, these days I do it mainly for the Patreon, since many of the things for the game is already worked out. But here I get to dive into things that will never gone up. However, I don't do very much comprehensive worldbuilding, where everything is worked out in detail and put in nice binder. It is very much an "as needed" activity, because otherwise I will never stop.

Hello! I hope everything goes smoothly in your transition process and that you have the opportunity to write as much as you'd like! If you get the philanthropist achievement, do the rangers know about that and are going to absolutely ruin our street cred? Slightly related, but will Mia's personal ideas about Sidestep (rabble-rouser, secretly hero, etc) play a larger role in the future, or is that just how she interacts with them? 

If any Rangers have contacts with Mia, or have contacts in the organizations that might have got the money, they might be able to work things out. But it's gonna take a bit of work, and is not a given. And as of right now, Mia's views are just her own, but she can have an influence on people and the media as time goes on.

When it comes to headcannoning or verifying what happened at the farm, will other choices similar to what post dates alluded to exist? Perhaps not in the same capacity but along the same lines. 

Oh yes, there will be many choices, and nothing bad need to have happened at all. Or bad things might have. It will be up to the personal Sidestep, there is no canon here.

Hello, hope you're doing well! I was wondering if there will be a chance to tell Herald about the farm alone in Revelations, I noticed the only way to tell him in Retribution is if you do a re-gene reveal at Danny's house for Ortega.

Yes, the small Farm talks so far have only been previews. There will be options to get into it deeper in this book, even if you have touched the subject before.

Will Steel/Sidestep/Sky-Raider poly be possible? 

No idea until I write them, I would not say it is impossible.

What kind of patients are the ROs? We all know Ortega can't sit still and will ditch diagnostics/check-ups, but what about everyone else?

Chen is an okay patient, he's a bit restless as well, but has had to get used to it. He's not going to risk his health too much. Daniel is a good patient up to the point where he starts to ditch follow up appointments because he feels okay, and is also bad keeping up with rehab. Argent is a model patient.

Out of curiosity, what was Danny and Chen doing during the casino arc?

I don't know. It hasn't come up, so I won't detail it as I might need it in the story later.

Ortega being an epileptic makes them resistant to telepathy. I'm wondering if, after you accidentally make Chen have a seizure when you are dethreading him, does Chen develop some resistance towards telepathy? Or does it leave him more vulnerable to future attacks/intrusions?

A very interesting question. The seizure has certainly had an effect, but I won't tell you what.

Does the fact that Regina and re-gene both sound the same intentional or just a coincidence???

Pure coincidence.

what value would chen’s heartbreak scar be, in rebirth and retribution?

Hmmm... I would say around 60 in Rebirth, and 50 in retribution.

is it well documented or at least well known that psychics can occur naturally?

Yes, it is a fact most scientists agree on.

what is mortum's thoughts and opinions on the heartbreak experiment, and the heartbreak incident? do they know it was a boost incident and not an attack? 

We might get into that in the story, so spoilers. Mortum knows things, at the very least that it's a coverup.

is sentinel currently threaded by hollow ground? how extensively was sentinel threaded in the past and/or present? 

Oh this is Spoilers. You don't get to know ;).

what does the rat king and spoon think of each other?

Fun! Friend!

who is argent's physical therapist?

I haven't detailed her yet, she hasn't appeared in the game in another role.

does daniel and sentinel still talk, since sentinel mentored him?

Yes, on occasion.

what's skyraider and vera's thoughts on each of the rangers? i'm especially curious to know if skyraider is aware that steel is chen!

Still figuring that out! Sky-Raider knows that Chen is Steel, for a long time. Vera's nemesis is Herald. Other than that I am not sure.

what was ben and chen's relationship like in the army?

They were in the same squad/special forces team so they were close. Colleagues. Trusted each other with their lives. Friends? Friends are dangerous in the army, better to keep people at arm's length because people die in war. They had both experienced that.

in what ways did being stuck in mortum's gun affect the catastrofiend? did anything change with it mentally, or abilitywise?

Oh it changed it a lot for the worse, both mentally and physically. Whether it can recover fully is unclear.

from the rumors about the catastrofiend in the urban legends of los diablos, how does it actually "disappear into thin air?" is it just extra sneaky or is there something more to it? an ability?

Spoilers.

does the catastrofiend have a “passenger” in its mind too?

Nope. Hmmm. Not really.

what kind of different planes/dimensions exist?? (the void cages/paths, the plane sidestep moves through when switching bodies, etc)

A lot of extra dimensions exists, the interesting thing is what people can interact with/influence. We eill get into that in game, Mortum is interested in this.

did ortega know that anathema grew up with the Green Sky?

Yes, but not for a long time. They learned it during the Void incident.

what's the actual name of the heartbreak experiment? what does the farm call it, or its name in official records?

Spoilers. Big spoilers.

does mortum know anyone/have contacts in the special directive or the farm?

No.

does mortum know the farm exists?

Hmmm, not the exact extent, but that something is.

During the flashback dream you get if no one breaks you out of Ranger HQ on the guilty path, Regina consistently misgenders a trans Sidestep (the shit cherry on top of a terrible cake). In this case does she think Sidestep's transition was just done as a disguise? Will she be surprised to find out that Sidestep has kept up with their transition since the second escape?

With Regina it is less a question of what she believes, and more what effects the words she uses will have on Sidestep. In this case, the most hurtful ones.

Will Sidestep get the chance to tell their therapist they are a telepath/ get medicated? 

I have not decided yet. A lot of these things depends on trust, and it's hard to judge Sidestep's trust levels until I am at that point in the story. They have surprised me in the past (Argent auction reveal).

Since Ashfall often lost his clothes on missions, did he ever meet up with Sidestep after to borrow some of their many many layers? Or did he just have stashes dotted about the city just in case?

Ahaha oh that is just too cute, I can imagine that has happened. But yes, Ashfall as a vigilante tended to have a backpack with civilian easy to pull on clothes that they dumped close to the stakeout zone, or at the start of combat.

When did the Rangers move bases compared to HB/ Sentinel retiring? The thought of him losing a genderqueer Step and Themmie and then immediately moving to a base without gender neutral changing rooms hurts my heart😭

They moved into the new base around 2017, so it would have been a few years still in the old base.

I'm not sure if this has been asked before: does any of the ROs snore? Is Sidestep bothered by it? If not, how do they deal with it?

Snoring will he headcanon! But most people snore now and then.

Do you prefer writing in English or your own language? What are some differences you like or differences you find annoying?

Oh boy. Hmmm. I think the answer is that it depends. At this point I am a lot more used to writing in english, and as I live with my american partner, that's the language I talk and think in daily life. However, I could never write poetry in english. There's a rhytm and innovation with making new words in swedish that I truly miss when I write, and I have on more than one occasion simply bent english the way I want it to sound more than what would be grammatically correct. There are some things I really dislike about english (the capital letters everywhere messes up sentence flow for me so I ignore them in casual writing), but it is a very mutable language. I think I would have issues writing dialogue in swedish now, unless I go very working class. The more neutral/middle class dialogue swedish from movies and such sounds so unnatural to me.

Since some boosts exist without the use of boost drugs, are there some who have decided to use them to gain more powers and lived?

Good question. I am honestly not sure, but it feels like a risky spin of the roulette wheel for me.

What is the maximum amount a person has ever been boosted/taken the drugs and survived? Is such a person like that well known/have been documented? 

Oh that is the Catastrofiend. At this point it eats boost drugs for snacks, and it's doubtful it has ant further effects on them.

Of all the characters who have been looking into the bigger things happen ring behind the scenes (Vernon, Ortega, Steel, ect) who has the closest idea of what’s really going on or the most complete picture/puzzle pieces?

I would say each of them have a slightly different view of what the bigger picture is, but I would say it's a tie between Vernon and Steel. Ortega is not looking in that direction yet.

There are groups like the Green Sky, who believe boosting is the future of human evolution; but the boost drug is known to cause fertility issues. How they reconcile this fact with their ideology?

There are two differing views there, and it is indeed a thing up for a lot of debate in those circles. One side says that the boost drugs/boosts we have now are not pure enough yet, and once that threshold is reached, children can be conceived and will inherit the powers. This side often works on trying to further the boost drug research, and get to that point. There's a lot of waiting for the first child, and many attempts of trying to bolster fertility has been used.

The other side sees it as a butterfly/larvae thing. Humans will still be necessary for breeding, and the chosen ones children will be boosted and ascend as butterflies while the majority of humanity is stuck in larval stage. These people sees boosts as an individual achievement, and see no reason to worry about children. After all, children haven't achieved anything, the boost drugs are a path of trials to be taken by people old enough to know what they are doing. This is more in line with what the Green Sky believes, but people holding both views can be found in any cult/organization that subscribes to this idea.

Given Ortega seems to have a pretty poor view on how therapy has gone for them in the past why are they so insistent on Sidestep going? Do they actually think it will help Step; or is it a desperation thing or Ortega having ulterior motives?

Ortega is very aware that what doesn't work for them, can still help other people. It is truly a hope that it might help Sidestep that's the driving force here.

You’ve told us what presentability stats HG has, if Step has matching presentability and chooses to go the the meet in what they usually wear, what is the HG trios thoughts on Step dressing like HG on top of Step already looking like HG?

I think that would just ne icing on the cake that is resemblance.

If we chose to break all contact with Ortega as the puppet or did not have any kind of relationship as the puppet with them is Ortega still interested in that line of investigation if Sidestep is already revealed as the villain?

Not really. Perhaps if they think the puppet is involved with Sidestep, and might lead Ortega to their base, or provide information.

And if Sidestep is revealed as the villain would any of the Rangers use/slip up and use their real name instead of the villain persona name?

Some people are more prone to slip up/use it than others. In order from most likely to least: Ortega - Daniel - Chen - Argent

Would their view/relationship with the villain effect this; like if sympathetic would they use their name to try and get through to them or if they hated the villain would they not care about keeping the secret?

The first one, yes, but I feel that all of them would still be interested in keeping the secret. At least so far.

Do any of the characters figure out that Sidestep's tool set includes nanovores and if so what is their reaction to it?

Nope. Not as of book two. Some will figure it out fast in book three (especially if the Rangers have the villain armor), but the reactions will vary.

Do the rangers know ASL?

I think Daniel probably tried to learn it as a kid, but he's not very good since he doesn't get a lot of practice.

Does Daniel drink those energy drinks?

Yeah, I think that is one vice he has. 

Will we get scenes/choices revolving around Steps farm days? Regene/Handler interactions and their communication systems fascinate me.

Definitely in book four, I am not sure what might pop up in book three flashbacks yet. It depends on what can be used to cast a new light on the current point in the story.

How amused/How would the RO's react if they noticed Sidestep willing away fans, waitresses, etc. because they don't want interruptions on their time/conversation?

I think all of them would be amused, and a bit grateful. Ortega would tease, and Chen would disapprove but be grateful.

If Sidestep could read Ortegas mind how often would they catch them thinking things like Daniel does? Embarrassingly enamored thoughts or even things more spicy? 

Ahahahaha Ortega's mind is a ride. Not as spicy as one would think though, Ortega is a lot more sappy than spicy.

Do the rangers know where the MC lives and if so, when and what were their reactions.

Nobody does officially. If anybody has found out through underhanded means, that is spoilers. Sharing that information can be happening in book three.

In one of many endings, everybody(except Steel) believes the MC to be a regene. After using the machine, will we be able to trick everybody that the regene was just that, Another regene?

Using the machine can lead to many shenanigans. Exactly which ones I have not decided yet, it will depend on how complicated I can handle toe story getting.

Will there be a point where the MC will eventually be able to control both their and puppets body?

Spoilers.

Pretending to be "powerless" is by far my favorite choice I've seen. Will the MC go all the way with the lie? If not, will we be able to "awaken" our powers?

You can decide to do both, at least I am planning that. Since certain people already are convinced it is more of a mental block than physical change.

When starting a story, do u know the ending or make it up as you go along?

It depends. In some stories, the ending comes first, and I build back from that. But, more often, I get a flash of a scene somewhere early in the story, and then writes to see what happens. I am a discovery writer, I write to experience the story myself. I don't detail plan, that takes away from the fun of writing for me. For this story, I know the climax chapter of book four. But getting there is a labyrinth. And by the time I get there, things might have changed so much it won't even be included.

Thanks for taking your time off your busy schedule and answering our questions. Love your writing style, love how realistic their reactions are to the MCs choices( you are so evil and i love it). Love how the story story's progressing but can we have some more "emotional damage" sprinked in? Its just soo good how you do it. Wishing you the best and whatever you put out will  no doubt be a banger.

Oh there will be emotional damage aplently for some in book three. But again, it depends a lot on your choices.

Could sidestep use their abilities to make foes see illusions,like they go right but who ever their fighting see's them go left?

Oh yes, that is classic Sidestep fighting! But I would say it is less of an illusion, and more a confusion of directions in the opponents' brain. Since the brain is what translates visual information, it is easy to nudge it to translate wrong.

Does Daniel like birds, given his history of naming himself after them? How does he feel about birdwatching?

Daniel likes birds, but that came after his powers of flight. It was never really a part of his life beforehand, but when you interact with them on their level, it's really interesting to see what they are up to. Birds doesn't always like him, though. He's treated a bit like a big bird of prey, or an owl. Birds can scream at him to drive him off.

If the MC fainted when Herald kidnapped them off the street, does Herald tell the rest of the rangers what happened? If MC is later revealed as the villain, will the fainting be taken into consideration when discussing ways to take them down?

Oh no, Herald will take that secret to his grave. He feels so bad and guilty about it.

If MC tells Ortega about numbers, will numbers be used by the Rangers against a known telepath villain?

Spoilers.

Will it be possible to kidnap Spoon?

No. 

What's Regina's view on Regene Liberation? Also, what’s Regina’s views on the Rangers in general? Is she a fan of any of them? Does she hate one of them more than the others?

Regina's views are her own, and they concern usability more than anything else. Emotions doesn't factor into it.

If the MC got subtle manipulations stat up to 100 or the high 90s, would they be able to do what Hollow Ground does with their threads? Or would it be even more powerful than that?

It would be more powerful, but also require more effort. Sidestep has some talents in that direction, as the sword of Damocles thing they did with Argent shows. But things decay a LOT faster than HG's, and work in a different way. It would be more like precision Shroud, removing certain inconvenient memories altogether.

Is Steels mind so hard to read/influence only because MC thinks it is? 

I mean, partly? Confidence and conviction are important for a telepath, if you think something will be hard, it's already become harder just because of that. But Steel has a trained mind that is hard to mess around with.

In the Hoots scene, if the MC has an alcohol vice, Ortega brings up how someone was concerned MC was drinking too much. Sidestep assumed it was Steel, but was it really? I had my suspicions it was Herald.

Oh yeah, it was Herald, 100%. Steel might agree, but wouldn't have brought it up to Ortega.

If Steel has high clue and MC killed blaze, the receptionist says she didn’t hear good things from Steel about MC and that she thought they were there to apologize. What did Steel say?

Nothing specific, and nothing that could be tied to the act. Mostly warning the receptionist to notify him immediately when the MC arrives next, but in a tone of voice that was clearly angry.

Is becoming a warlord/conqueror of Los Diablos and the greater part of the Free Western Territories in the cards for the future of some steps?

Oh yes.

If the puppet crashes, there’s a choice to place evidence that suggests the puppet was keeping an eye on the MC & tracking their movements for nefarious reasons. Does this also suggest to Ortega that puppet only got closer to them to get to the MC? And if it does, does it cast in a new light the questions he got asked about the MC by puppet if they went to the gala together?

Yes, that is indeed very true. We have not seen the fallout of that yet.

If we kidnap the MC as puppet and are romancing Ortega as both puppet & MC, is it possible to play the crazy lover card as the puppet? Like, the puppet saying that they wanted MC out of the way so they could be with Ortega? That would be hilarious.

I have no idea! We'll se!

Who would win in a fight between Shroud and the Catastrofiend?

The Catastrofiend, Shroud can't eat that.

Who was decanted first, Shroud or Sidestep?

Sidestep.

Could Shroud have won against Anathema back in the day?

No.

If still not revealed as a villain by next game, will Herald get a clue variable like the rest of the rangers?

More like an on/off flag, he's not going to wait until he's sure before bringing something up.

I remember what I wanted to ask!! Will we be able to visit our (and anathemas) grave at some point?

That is planned, yes.

You have said multiple times that having high telepathy stats may not be the best thing. Since Step can use the puppet's abilities, does this mean a certain someone that's piloting Step's body could potentially become an alpha telepath?

Oh you will have to wait and see there...

Can or has Ortega given themselves a seizure from their own lightning? If it looks like actual lightning when they use it.

I think that might have happened on at least one occasion. That's why normally their suit comes with eye protection. You haven't fought Ortega in their full hero suit yet. Sidestep was very good at avoiding that.

Where was Ortega when Argent got possessed in Rebirth? Since only Steel and Herald showed up to stop her.

Probably out on their own business. They are very busy.

Will we get to interact with the main cast more as the puppet if Step gets Puppetstuck in the next game? Not in the puppet crash version, I mean the broke Step out of the hospital successfully without getting caught version.

If you are puppetstuck you've got to do something with your time, right? The answer is yes.

And then, my final question that I probably already know the answer to but I just gotta ask. Were the autopsy photos Chen found for sure Sidestep or was it Hollow Ground's sibling?

Sidestep.

Are there any known boosts with a 'future sight' power?

(a repeat from an earlier ask) There are two notable ones that are known. The oldest one was Harriet Gould, a boosted precog living in Britain in the late seventies. She became famous when it was revealed that she had helped preventing several murders and terrorist attacks by calling in with tips to the local law enforcement departments. Once she had become public she had a brief and infamous tour in America which ended with her having a mental breakdown on stage during her Los Angeles appearance. She had to be hospitalized and was flown back to Britain a month later, catatonic and unresponsive. The Big One happened six months later. She died the next day, and is credited with having predicted the disaster though nobody understood her garbled warnings at the time. Her precognition seems to have been focused on disasters, deaths and accidents.

There other one was Aaron Williams, and he was employed by the US military There is still debate whether he was a true precog, his talents depended on the information he had access to. Given enough background information he could accurately predict events, and even individuals' actions. Even with very little information his predictions were surprisingly solid, and he was considered a major asset by the Pentagon. He had an honorary rank as Colonel, and a spotless record until he failed to predict the Cavalier turning traitor and attacking the Pentagon. He died in the attack, but the record of his past predictions and analysis is still used to dictate policy today.

Did Ortega really send the LDPD to harass Vernon after the funeral fiasco, as Mia suspects?

Nope. Mia doesn't have high opinions of Ortega.

Every time I get one of the hospital breakout scenes, I can't help but imagine the chaos if every eligible candidate for it showed up at once. Obviously that can't actually happen in game, but how do you think the Rangers would react if they walked in on a teammate staging the same breakout? Or Dr. Mortum and Sky-Raider, if he walked in on the same thing?

I truly don't know, but it might be the spiderman meme.

It's really interesting to me that Chen seems to almost involuntarily blurt out "Hollow Ground is a myth" whenever the subject is raised, even *while discussing* his suspicions that he's been mind controlled to believe that. Do the threads that make him believe HG is a myth also compel him to correct others on the subject, or is the belief simply so strong that he can't stand to let the "myth" go unchallenged when it comes up?

It is more like "Hollow Ground is a myth, and others are foolish to believe it." So it becomes  natural to correct people.

I'm not sure if this has been asked before, but if Sidestep wasn't revealed as a villain at the end of Retribution, will they automatically be in a future book? Or is it possible to play through the series without ever getting revealed as a villain?

You can play the whole series and keep both your villain secrets, and your regene secrets.

has chen ever worked with villains before?

Yes.

Going off from an answer in a previous QnA: theoretically, would it be possible to defeat/kill Argent by causing so much damage too many of her nanos die off and her body can no longer be sustained? Would that "death by a thousand cuts" kind of strategy be viable, or is the nanos ability to "regenerate" themselves too fast for that to work?

There is a reason Argent is afraid of fighting fire users...

In endings where Sidestep isn't able to don their villain suit, would the time they have to spend away from the headlines possibly lower their reputation/fanclub? :(

Depending on how you deal with it, maybe.

Do residents of Los Diablos pay any taxes, local or federal, or is the West really entirely tax-free? What about the Rangers, since they're employed by the federal government?

Oh it is entirely tax free! However, there are a lot of "fees" that the cynical person would say is actually a tax. I think the biggest difference is that taxes are collected into one big pot, and then the government takes from that to pay for various things. In Los Diablos you have things like "road service fee" if you have a car, and "fire insurance" if you own a house. So you pay for the exact things you use, rather than let the government decide. It is a lot less efficient, but some people are happy they don't have to pay for schools if they don't have children for example. The Rangers are paid by the federal government, and pays taxes to them. It counts as if they are stationed in Los Diablos, but their job lies elsewhere. This also lead to them getting paid for apartments, living expenses and a lot of other things.

How did Sidestep make a living back in the day? Did they steal or have a side job of some sort, or did they have a way of earning money as a vigilante?

It will vary in the Sidestep, and they might have gone through several of these things. Some might have started with shoplifting, then had odd jobs. Some might steal from the criminals they stop, or get rewards put up by local business to stop certain things.

So when *is* Ortega going to take the puppet on that kitten-rescuing date, anyway? Or did that happen off-screen at some point? (I'm mostly joking—but only mostly.)

I think that happened off stage, but we'll see.

What is HG’s opinion on Mayor Alvarez?

So far, useful and not in the way.

What do Vera and Sky-Raider perceive as their best/worst quality?

Vera: Responsible/Bad judgment. Sky-Raider: Friendly/Cracks under pressure.

How would Nocturne react or feel if Mayor Alvarez was killed or reputation destroyed by Sidestep?

It would depend on who's next in line.

Curious, but is there possibility for some kind of rivalry or tension to arise between anarchist Sidestep and Nocturne, depending on the plans both of them have?

Oh yes.

How would Jake have felt about arriving to Los Diablos during the tumultuous times of Nanosurge, Void, and Heartbreak? 

Country boy in a big city feeling, like.... is America okay? The answer is clearly no, but still...

Has Vera ever met Jake or Nocturne or does she solely deal with HG? Does she meet with HG in person or does she use her pigeons as messenger birds? 

She has met them all. She most often uses her pigeons, HG is not big on personal meetings.

How heavily is Vera red-threaded?

Not as much as you'd think.

Bit silly question, but has HG ever tried to red-thread one of Vera’s pigeons?

See, here is the thing. Bird brains work on an entirely different wavelength than humans. It is completely different, and one reason Sidestep is side-eyeing seagulls so badly. HG can't thread birds.

How capable fighters are Vera and Sky-Raider? Are they fighters, tacticians or preferring to avoid fighting part?

Sky-Raider is an ex-soldier, so he's good at fighting in his armor. He doesn't like to, though. He's had enough of that if he can help it, and would rather make a run for it. Vera is more of a tactician, but also prefers not to fight if she doesn't have to do it to defend something she wants to protect. Vera might have fun "play fighting" where the stakes are not too high, but she's not Argent or Ortega.

What was your process when it came to developing the Fallen Hero’s plot?

Basically the core plot is the emotional one. A former hero who sacrificed a lot for other people/the world who has now turned villain. Why? How? Then the physical/political one was wrapped around it, but it's still an afterthought compared to the central tenet of digging into Sidestep and figure out what's at the core.

How did you decide/figure out what characters you wanted to use and explore in the story? Did all of the characters form clearly or were there any characters that needed to develop/figure out further before deciding to write them into the story?

Originally, the book was set in a different world, still about a telepath, but with a different trauma. Sidestep was there at the core, as was the puppet, Lady Argent, Dr. Mortum, Anathema and Herald. There were other characters (Rick and Porphyry) vaguely filling the Ortega and Steel roles. I weren't happy with those two. So, when I remade it into interactive fiction I stole Ortega and Steel from another unfinished book, as well as Sentinel, Hood, Los Diablos and the west coast after the big disaster idea. I rolled forward the timeline twenty years, and everything started slotting together.

The characters were pretty clear from the moment I started writing them (Rick and Porphyry were not, which is why they were dropped), but I still discover layers as I write. A lot of my character work comes as I write, the characters reacts a certain way, and I start wondering why that was, and suddenly a new bit of background slots in. Making a story is a lot about discovering characters to me, who are they? Why are they like 'that'?. That's why a lot of the time I can only answer things like "we'll see when I write them" because I can't be sure exactly how they will react until I am in the moment. Fun fact, Rick has been party repurposed as Zephyr, and Porphyry is also in the Guardians. 

What was your process to figuring out what the characters in the story want? 

I write scenes without a goal in mind and see how they react. I think with my fingertips, the story will reveal them to me. Or I take a drive, a swim or a walk and they will start monologuing. Especially driving is perfect for solving sticky issues.

What duties does the Marshal of the Rangers have?

Basically a cross between representatives of the US government to the city government, a rapid response task force to take down major threats (especially ones that can affect US interests), and goodwill ambassadors to the people.

Did HG plan for Sentinel to become the Marshal of the Rangers?

Yes. HG thought that was the likely outcome.

What did HG and Nocturne think when they found out Ortega retired as the Marshal of the Rangers? What were their reactions when they returned as a member of the Rangers? 

Relief, and not surprise sadly.

What about the Long Beach Heroes/Skybright made Lady Argent a fan of them?

Argent surfed as a kid, it is a lot more of an extreme sport in Los Diablos than Los Angeles. So of course surfer heroes would be something she admired.  Skybright is a beautiful, powerful woman who takes no shit. She looked up to that.

I've been listening to Magnus Archives and can't help but to be curious and wondered if have listened the podcast: Which Entity's avatar each of the Rangers, Dr. Mortum, HG, Nocturne, and/or Jake would be? 

Think I have talked about this in the discord once but I don't remember what I said, so here we go again!

Ortega/The Hunt, Steel/The Buried, Argent/The Corruption, Herald/The Vast, Dr. Mortum/The Eye, Nocturne/The Web, HG/The Stranger, Jake/The Lonely.

If Argent were to swish her hair back with her hand or like rub her arm, would it make noise? Like a knife sliding on a sharpener?

No, it is a smoother, softer sound. A bit like swishing silk, or optical fibers.

Was the Special Directive waiting for Heartbreak at the site and just so happened to get Sidestep instead?

Yep.

Which power would be better prepared against someone that had super speed, telepathy or precognition?

Invulnerability is always fun.

ALSO, I'm putting on my tinfoil hat this time. I think I remember you saying that the Farm doesn't know about the gates so does that mean that the Heartbreak experiment was done by a different organization/group of people completely separate from the Farm??? And Regina was a part of it??

Ehehehehe surely an interesting thought there.

Can you still turn a ranger or at the very least get them to stay out of your way if you have a poor relationship with them but still got their doubt stat very high looks at Argent 

Yes, some Rangers might not like you, but understand your goals.

Who is more Ruthless between Ben and Vera and by how much as in what is the worst thing they have done

Ben (Sky-Raider) is the most ruthless one. He has been in the military and done a lot of bad shit he regrets. 

Does Mortum's gun operate using Void blood? Is that the real reason Mortum couldn't just replace it and not because they "didn't know how" to? 

It is a fair theory.

Is Step's blood still dangerous?

No.

Given that Locus and Porphyry caused so much trouble for HG in the past, were Zephyr and Blaze threaded/influenced to lead to the LBH fallout/blaming Locus for it? 

Hehehe now that sounds exactly like something HG would do, wouldn't it?

What does Sentinel's wife think about Sentinel coming back to LD?

Oh she's not happy about that one bit.

How do the dampeners work? We know HG and Shroud and their touch based abilities don't seem to be affected by it. But Sidestep's bodyhopping isn't exactly touch based. So why can Sidestep just merrily control bodies? Is it just because of their sheer strength? Or does it have anything to do with the after effects of the Void blood? In that the bodyhopping actually has absolutely nothing to do with telepathy, but Sidestep just thinks it does? 

I would say that the latter is correct enough. The bodyhopping operates on a different "wavelength" I suppose you could call it.

in a parallel question to the ruthless/hg-rep question, is it possible for high empathy or nokill steps to maintain a high hg-rep 

I have no idea! But it would depend on what they do.

Do all the people dosed with void blood get green eyes? Or did Sidestep’s green eyes come from something other; and in that case, what was it? 

Yes, that is the initial reaction.

What would HG think of a Step they adopt as a sibling who abandons villainy/returns to heroism?

Family can be annoying at times.

Was Regina’s promotion to director in 2014 in anyway hastened/enabled by the start of (or results from) a ‘prize project’?

Or, well, by the failures of other projects...

Was anybody else going for the position?

Of course.

Did she make any major changes to staffing or projects after her promotion?

Some, but she was patient and took her time.

You mentioned that some Re-Genes who were truly influential have their names remembered. Have there been any legends or myths for Re-Genes? 👀 Is Sidestep’s one set in stone?

What other re-genes think of Sidestep is a spoiler (and might vary).

Did Sentinel grow up in LD? If not, when did he arrive? How did the Big One impact him and his heroism going forward? 

Sentinel was born in Colfax, east of Sacramento before the Big One. He arrived in Los Diablos back when Hood did back in 1992. It was meant to be a short stop, but they ended up staying. Sentinel wouldn't have been a hero if it wasn't for the Big One, he was an active kid and good at sports, but losing everything tends to get you to re-prioritize your life. Everything Sentinel was and is was formed by the Big One. He feels increasingly alienated from what Los Diablos has become, and it's one of the reasons he decided to move away.

Is Chen’s heartbreak scar tied to his sense of duty?

Partly, yeah. Duty and self-sacrifice.

Did Hollow Ground try to thread Vernon when they met?

That might be smart if HG thought Vernon was on to something.

How effective would heartbreak have been against step at their current alpha level of telepathy?

Oh boy. Would depend on Sidestep stats, but Sidestep would definitely have defenses and a good chance at returning the favor.

When we close a gate that has prior been opened, is this gate more susceptible being opened again than a gate that has not been opened before?

Nope, not keeping track of that.

Can we turn an unthreaded Jake against Hollow Ground?

Possibly.

do regene names tend to be human names (like john, lucy, etc) or something more ambitious/descriptive? I'm not sure how to explain that, but along the lines of a (cooler) thou-shalt-not-commit-adultery pulsifer or like a blood of eden name from the locked tomb series? I was curious since you said regene could incorporate fellows names, is that always posthumous or can that be a symbol of dedication as well? is it possible that back on the farm, someone has incorporated our sidesteps name?

It would not follow normal human names most of the time, and would be more descriptive. It is also mutable, and things can be added to it. The older a re-gene gets, the longer their name can be. Names can be incorporated for close bonding, and is not always posthumous. They are often shorted to one part of their name as it is signed. 

In addition to this, what do you imagine some Re-Gene names might look like?

Spider namesake-breadwinner-Thornsister (shortened to Spider). Truckfoot-thrice scarred (shortened to Truck). Grass Sun the Cleansed (shortened to Grass).

Herald was impressed… How did Argent feel, upon finding out that Sidestep ended the Nanosurge? What about her friends? 

Both angry and grateful. It's a complicated feeling for her.

More of an authory question: What are you saddest had to be cut from Retribution/Rebirth (not counting things pushed from Retri into Revelations)? What cut are you happiest with?

I am sad I had to cut the Ortega breaks up with Sidestep and picks the Puppet instead, but it simply changed too many reactions going forth. I couldn't do it justice. And I have cut many small things that didn't give the effect I wanted it to, can't remember any on the top of my head. But I am grateful for playtesters for pointing them out!

Sidestep’s memories of Steel pre-rebirth are very harsh and skewed… is that just the result of resentment, distance and trauma, or did the farm actively fuck with Sidestep’s memories of the Rangers?

Mostly the former, but they did actively manipulate some memories.

Is argent magnetic? 🧲

No.

It’s been mentioned that a lot of the Rangers project on to/read into Sidestep with their own issues.  What was/is Sentinel’s opinion or perception of Sidestep?

Someone who is not a teamplayer who desperately wants to be one to belong.

What did Ashfall project onto Sidestep? Is it different from what Pyroclast project onto Sidestep (memory of them) now?

A fellow vigilante out to prove themselves. These days it is more focused on the fact that Sidestep died, and he didn't.

How fine a filter would be required to keep Pyroclast’s ash form from freely flowing through, or rather: could effectively slow him down?

Would a high-spec filter’s efficiency in catching particles, thus clogging faster, make it easier for him to get through? Or would it require more finesse to work through the clog?

Basically whatever would filter out volcanic ash. The particles are not super fine. The filter would clog fast, which is effective if you want to ruin an armor or machine, but an annoyance if you want to sneak into a building. These days Pyroclast would simply increase their temperature and burn through the filter if they wanted to get through.

Has ashfall ever had to leave a significant or very noticeable portion of himself behind while in ash form due to circumstances going out of control? If yes, how did it affect him? 

Not anything more substantial than would be about a percent or two of bodymass. It affected him badly, a bit like coming down with a heavy flu and weakness.

Is Locus more of a tactician or a fighter? How skilled is she in hand to hand combat?

Locus is a tactician, she's not a very good fighter. She doesn't need to be.

!mobbossSidestep mentions using an internal communicator to talk to their team that Argent can't hear. Given Argent's abilities, can she hear it being used?

Oh Argent can hear it alright. But she has no interest in sharing what she can truly pick up.

Is pediatric modding a thing? What is the youngest age someone can be reliably modded from? 

It has been known to happen to save people's lives, as a stopgap measure. But more often a temporary mod is placed to keep someone alive and well until a proper replacement organ/limb can be grown. Since children grow and change, any form of modding is a very temporary measure and tends to be avoided if at all possible.

Are there hero nepo babies? Do rich parents buy their kids mods? Has there ever been a case of a parent boosting their kid?

Hero nepo babies exists when it comes to mods. It is one of the more common origin of mods. In fact, for heavily modded young people it would very often be either military, company or rich parents who fronted the money. And yes, Ortega can be seen as a nepo baby in some people's eyes. Boosting is too unreliable to be used like that.

Is there a blind or deaf hero / villain in your LD lore brain? If yes, can you tell us more about their powerset and how they use it? Do any people from the cast we know have hearing or vision impairments--are some modded for it?

Things gets complicated when it comes to that. In the FH world, there exists more options to regain functions than it does in ours. However, these don't work for everyone. For example, it is reasonably simple to either fit grown organic eyes, or modded ones (cheaper) if you can't see. However, the first takes money which not everybody has, and the second runs the risk of rejection and other mod-related issues. This is one of the reasons why Owl doesn't have modded legs, for example. So blindness is not eliminated, not by a long shot. However, if you can't tolerate/afford mods, then you can't be a modded hero, so that is a lot less common since only surviving boosts would remain blind. The same goes for deafness, though the price of those mods is a lot less.

Like in real life, things that are dealt with are not noticed. A hearing aid implant is small and unobtrusive, a bit like glasses are in our world. Blind or heavily visually impaired people who don't go the operation or mod route, still have access to advanced aids. For example, a common tool for the visually impaired is what's called a "radar glove" on the street. It is either a large bracelet or a full glove (the latter is more precise) fitted with a local sonar emitter. The reflected waves are turned into a pressure pattern on the wearers skin, and by moving the hand, the wearer can feel walls and their surroundings. The pressure changes from moving objects, so they can determine if things come towards them, or is traveling in another direction. The same goes for the material that is reflected, a human feels different than someone clad in armor, grass is different than asphalt. Someone used to this can navigate the city quite freely, especially since touch screens are not as common here. It is also often fitted with a reading function, which scans and translates signs and text to sound, which can be heard in a simple earplug accessory. 

I don't have any blind or deaf heroes/villains in my head right now, especially for boosts it can very easily be... I don't know how to describe it. You know the whole "the hero is blind, but compensated fully for it by their radar sense/telepathy/super smell whatever"? I don't know how to feel about that, I would like to think about things a little more.

Do the regenes have a name for their Regene language?

No. It's just language.

How does "physical" danger work during mindmelding / when Sidestep enters another mindscape? We encounter Argent's sharks in Rebirth, and her "mind" nanovores in Retribution, and Sidestep flees; could they be truly hurt by them, or would they just be thrown out? Would that hurt be mental and lasting? Could it translate physically? Steel's telepathic kiss is felt, so... say, for example, if Sidestep had visited or mindmelded with Anathema, and the telepathic iteration of Anathema had used their powers during that visit, would that "projection" of acid "touch" Sidestep in any way? (or any other cases of someone "attacking" Sidestep, with their powers or just with physical strength). 

Mind melding can cause actual, physical damage. But not of the type given inside the mind. Let's say you get your head cut off inside someone's mind during combat. Your own head wouldn't fall off, but you might get a heart attack, or a stroke from the shock if you're lucky. Pain is felt, but pain is as much mental as it is physical. Other bodily reactions like nausea, stomach problems, rash or headaches are common.

How aware is the police force of hollow grounds organisation? Could they be used against HG-s organisation if sidestep decides to go against them (via anonymous tips, or motivated via bribes, blackmail etc.)? Or have higher ups in the police force already been threaded?

Oh the police is truly pacified by HG. To use them as a tool would mean abolish them completly and rebuild from the ground up.

Would HG's sibling have survived being dosed with void blood?

Hard to say. Maybe? It also depends on the circumstances.

Is the graffiti that Chen saw in the void compound similar in design to the graffitied eyes surrounding the Heartbreak epicenter?

No, it was a lot more professional.

Tagging along with Anjie's question: Is the graffiti in the Void compound done by the same person as the Heartbreak epicenter? And is the graffiti done around the city of Sidestep's villainsona done by the same person as the Void compound graffiti and/or the Heartbreak epicenter?

Nope, this is many different people.

If the Farm developed the Rat King, have they tried/are they trying something similar with human brains?

That might be seen as the natural endgame here, animal testing always comes first.

Did the pain gate help staunch things like nausea and fatigue, Have some steps had to figure out alternative solutions to that kind of thing? Or was it never a factor?

Not nausea, that work differently. It helped with fatigue though. Might be a reason for that coffee addiction now.

Do you have a ballpark for how much cash each financial status has in their bank account? (ie poor, comfortable, wealthy, etc)

Ortega: Comfortable, Herald: Wealthy, Argent: Wealthy, Steel: Comfortable.

Argent can buy merch of Sidestep and wear/use it… what about the others? 👀 And for what reason? What sort of merch would they get if they would, even if it’s just to tease Sidestep?

Back in the day, Ortega used Sidestep merch to teas with, but seriously, this is not the time for that and Ortega hasn't dared to do that since they returned. Chen stays away from that. Daniel might buy it more as a collection thing, he doesn't wear the clothes, but might like a cool statue.

Are all Re-Genes ‘uploaded’ with the same language set?

The same basic one of English and Spanish. Additional ones are added later depending on deployment area and need.

Is body hopping / possession a known power? I.e. has someone before Sidestep gotten those powers from Boosting?

Not anybody known to the public, at least.

Assuming Psychopathor does not know Step was behind it, who does he think sent the SD after him/why does he think they showed up?

He would most likely blame someone in the wolfpack for leaking, talking too much. He's not surprised the SD shows up, he has things cooking that might warrant it.

Where was sidestep treated for their injuries after being picked up at the HB site?  We’re they taken directly back to the farm or was it like with the regenes in the psychopathor fight who were treated locally by local surgeons with a farm contract?

The ambulance was equipped with life support, the rest is spoilers.

Individually, what does the crew + Bo/Rosie think of a romance between their boss and a Ranger? What about the Marshal? 

Ahahah that is something you will find out in the book, but it would vary from "go for it!" to "you're nuts".

Shroud's powers take longer to "digest" Boosts. Does this apply to all Enhanced or would someone who is only Modded last as long as a normal?

Mods lasts as long as normal people. It's boosts that lasts longer.

hi! this might be too specific but, i have a mccrash guilty puppetstuck mc,,,,next time i meet lady argent is she going to try to scar me like she does in guilty ending and can i stop her 

That is something you have to sweat over and see in game! But I won't let any major things like that happen to your real body without letting you have some input.

second question is if its possible to help with the regenerator while we're puppetstuck/even if we decide we don't want to use it? because I doubt she's that patient about it... 

That will most likely be possible.

Did you ever consider having a multi ranger guilty breakout? Like multiple Rangers either planning to or coincidentally working to break out a revealed villain Sidestep? Or would that have added to many new end cases?

None of them would have talked to anybody else about it, so the interesting thing was just who got there first. Others might have planned to do it, but come too late (sorry Ortega).

What do heroes in general who knows about re-genes think about them. 

If they are aware of them, they see them as military weapons. They have swallowed the lie.

What kind of horror do you enjoy writing the most

Twisting reality, paranoia, gore.

Can we get any more upgrades to the armor in the next two books

I am seriously considering it.

What ideas got cut for being too ambitious

Lots of armor options and equipment stuff.

When writing the game, do you think of it as chapters in a book, scenes in a movie, or something like that? Do you get ideas for specific scenes and then find a way to link them together, or is it a chronological thing?

I think of it as a book. I often gets strong ideas for specific scenes and then sit forever and agonize about what the hell should link them to the narrative.

Given that the regenerator seems to undergo full cellular rejuvenation, it is possible that it repairs the damage done by the Hero Drug? Would using it diminish or even remove powers granted by Boosting?

Nope, that is a permanent change.

Is the old man known to some or all of HG's family members, or only to HG?

HG is the only surviving one.

If sidestep destroyed their own mannequin back in the rebirth debut, how did the rangers react to it?

At the time, it was seen as just one among many, but in retrospect some might start to think about it.

Is HG's relationship with the old man mutually beneficial or one-sided?

I would call it somewhat mutual.

Have Regina and Mortum ever worked together, or crossed paths, for example during their academic careers?

I don't think so.

Can, say… epileptic minds be affected by telepathic nightmare leakage when sleeping?

Nope. Ortega has to settle for their own nightmares.

What would Argent do if she found out who was behind the Nanosurge. Would she "disappear" them like she did to Oryx

I think the answer to that is yes.

How does Psychopathor know so much about the SD / the Farm's organisation? Has he worked with them before? 

Hmmmm. Not exactly, but they've had adjacent conflict.

Sidestep can say of Los Diablos "This is where I can find everything I need". Did we find everything we needed in Rebirth, or is there something(s) else?

Spoilers.

Another question from a friend. Will it be possible for Step to keep seeing a therapist out of their own initiative or anything like that? Not solely at Ortega's insistence 

I think so. Some Sidesteps might truly start to want to heal.

If the Rat King and Sidestep are close and got separated from each other, can either of them telepathically ‘call out’ so the other can try and find them?

Yes.

If we ever decide to embrace our Regene identity in the later books and go public, can we paint our tattoos on the armor?

That is a sweet idea!

In Rebirth, if I'm not mistaken, it doesn't seem like a long time elapses between your call to the farm (Regina?) and the moment the SD descends on Psychopathor's ass. How does that work; are there farm offshoots/ factioned battle operatives ready to attack in LD, or did they come all the way from Nevada?

They did not come all the way from Nevada, there are often caches of operatives stationed close to places of interest for the farm. Sidestep had most likely checked out if there was any presence here before deciding to do the call.

If you are ghosting / mad at Ortega (or vice versa) but are close to Daniel or Steel, and since they're both meddly little meddlers, do you think either of them would try to mend your friendship with Ortega in any way, or is that not something that would come up in game? 

They are meddly little meddlers. But they can also respect your decision.

Did the bomb collapse the roof helipad in Carter's home, or did something else cause it?

The bomb.

In Rebirth, it gets tracked (albeit temporarily) when you decide not to use the bomb to blow up the museum and use the nanovores instead. What actually happened to that bomb, considering it never got mentioned again? 

Probably found and defused.

Was the void classified as an omega class boost? or were they still in the upper echelons of alpha class?

The Void would still have been seel as alpha, though whether that was the right call or not is unsure.

In the guilty villain reveal, Sidestep mentions that they've tried hiding from the farm in the past and they've been found every time. How many times did they escape between their first and final escape, and how far did they get each of them?

I don't think those first attempts were truly serious, it was more like taking an opportunity and trying to get lost, but being found within the day. 

If the Mob Boss crew’s criminal past was wiped clean, and they got the chance to start over as normal civilians (with no threat of law enforcement or enemies hanging over their heads), what would they do?

Oh boy. I'm not sure either of them would stay on the straight and narrow, it's easy money as long as you don't screw up.

Is the person/people who ordered for Chen's shooting the same person/people who bombed Ortega's apartment?

No.

anathema’s acid powers during the heartbreak. did anathema know before the heartbreak that they were the only one (one of few) who could kill themself? was this ability always there or was it a result of interaction with the heartbreak? 

Anathema did not know this, it was most likely the interaction with Heartbreak that did it as I speculated earlier.

Did anyone look for the sleepwalker mentioned in the heartbreak experiment? If so, did they find anything?

Oh yes, they were found. Just disrupted the experiment.

Can Argent talk to claw machines into helping her get prizes? 👀 Or even the machines at a casino into helping her win?

Try describing to a claw what a pink bunny looks like, and how it's different from a gree frog. It wouldn't be easy. A slot machine would be easy though.

Notwithstanding the probably bullshit descriptions of Sidestep's dream; was apartment 412 empty, or was there any decor in it? If there was, what was there?

It was mostly empty, as if the people there had moved, or just moved in.

Is the tree picture sidestep sees in Finch's office the same tree seen in the Heartbreak vision?

Sure is similar.

Considering what we know now of Ortega’s Sidestep scar, did they start having hallucinations about Sidestep shortly after HB? Or were the hallucinations something that manifested gradually over time?

Shortly after, and then ongoing, but with slowly fading frequency.

Why did the Catastrofiend take the boost drugs? Was regeneration its first power? 

Spoilers.

Does Chen know who was responsible for the Nanosurge?

No. He has some suspicions, but nothing but vague ideas.

is being able to break through dampeners possible for most alpha level telepaths or is that a exclusively sidestep thing? If that’s another sidestep special, is it possible that will be noted in the future?

It might be possible for other alpha telepaths too, but the means might vary.

Since it’s in the plans of the government, what would “boost registration” entail exactly if it was implemented in the FEZ?

That is classified.

Is the old man free to roam around LD, or held in an area under HG's jurisdiction?

Free to go where he wants to.

Do the goals of the current mayor align with the goals of the old (assassinated) mayor?

Nope.

Could you give us information about what kind of projects Carter was overseeing? Could it have any connection to anti-attack / city protection measures?

It certainly could.

Steel is in Carter’s manor to protect Carter, admittedly, but he’s kind of dragging his feet. Did he get conflicting directives regarding that mission? Could it be that his bosses told him that “losing” Carter wasn’t that much a problem?

Steel had conflicting feelings there, that is very much the case.

Where about in LD did argent live when she was growing up?

In the northern parts, one of those mostly self-regulated communities on the outskirts of town with their own water supply, electricity and security force.

We know boosts are sterile, but are there any specific predispositions that hint at a higher likelihood of natural boosts?  Or are “natural” boosts a relatively new phenomena?

Natural boosts have always occurred. So far nobody has tracked down who or why.

Also: given that it was safe enough for Argent to be surfing during the Nanosurge, how are the ocean’s salinity/toxicity levels at this time?

Salinity is fine, the toxicity is okay as long as the bottom silt layer is not disturbed. It can be iffy after strong storms, which is why the best waves should be surfed before it hits, not after when the water is bad again. It is safest to shower immediately after exiting the water, and to not spend too much time in there. Definitely not swallow. There are flags for water quality, and for the presence of water predators like the laser dolphins.

Last qna you said when the gates open they open linearly.  Given mentions of 9 gates, could it be theorised they might open in the order of the telepathic control classification: 1 gate being “emotional control”, 2 then opening up “rational control” and so on?

Nope, that is just a coincidence.

If that were the case, does opening these gates give some influence over these functions in step to someone/something else behind the gates?

Nope, just superficial similarites of numbers.

Building on that - when the gates open linearly, do the gates closest to step open first, or do the gates closest to the "imposter" open first?

Closest to step opens first.

Will it be possible to body hop into porthole?

Oh hell, that would be weird and possibly bad.

What Heartbreak scar did Chen get? Anathema?

No, related to himself, his failure and sense of duty.

Was the weird warping effect that heartbreak had similar to the effect that void had?

Similar enough, yeah.

If Step (telepathically) freaks out during Chen's date + picture reveal, what exactly does Chen see/feel/experience in that moment? Considering his suspicion increases. 

Spoilers.

Are there any government heroes that Regina would love to meet in person? Whether alive or dead

Cavalier.

Have there been any successful Animal-Re-Gene hybrids?

No.

Does the farm have any plans for Tina?

No.

Will we be able to talk about politics in therapy?

Maybe. That's not the subject though.

Does HG feel something when Step possesses Jake?  If so, how does the sensation come across?

Nope.

Rebirth Heartbreak dream, lab part (see attached screenshot). Was it actually the Heartbreak’s memories or memories of someone they (she in my case) had eaten them before?

Heheh memories are weird, aren't they? You're not getting a clear answer here.

Has Ortega noted that Chen's denial of HG's existence is weird? What is their theory on that? (Is he corrupted/bribed?)

Ortega thinks Chen is contrary because that's how he is.

Can we unthread the old man?

Maybe eventually.

Does Heartbreak know the Sleepwalker?

Not in the way you would normally call knowing.

Does Cavalier know the truth behind Re-Genes? Or does he see them as what the Farm wants the world to see them as: AI/super soldiers?

Cavalier knew a lot of things. Most of them very close to the truth.

Is the farm any closer to succeeding in their goals regarding the heartbreak experiment?

Baby steps.

Where is the tracker's (the one that tracks the telepaths in LD) base of operation?

Not going to tell you that!