January QnA time! (Patreon)

Finally finished editing a 200 000 words document yesterday so now it is full Fallen Hero focus for a while!

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I apologise if this has been asked before but is the same sniper that shoots at MC and Ortega after the HG encounter the same sniper that took a shot at Chen? is there any correlation there at all or are they mutually exclusive events?

Let me put it this way, I might have been a bit vague about this in the past for various reasons, but yes. There is a correlation.

Would the Catastrofiend find someone with innate superpowers (like Argent's technopathy) tasty, or only those who gained their powers by taking the boost drug?

They would be equally tasty, though Argent would be disgusting due to the nanovores, but that's a different thing.

Is Snowball clever enough to intentionally take a longer "cooldown" to bait someone into acting when they think they're safe?

Snowball is very clever, and not above looking tired or innocent. She's just a lil' goat y'all. Not dangerous at all.

Silly question just for me as a followup from the spoon as chen's home/lockscreen answer: does chen use dating apps for hookups? and if he does, is his profile picture also a picture of spoon + what's his bio say? (if anything. chen is a man of few words.) or does he only meet people at bars or places where no one will recognise him as marshal etc for this purpose? 

I would say that Chen probably have used dating apps for hookups once or twice. He hasn't liked the experience, he knows that a lot of people would have hangups about his looks, so these days he sticks to meeting people in person. His profile was quite bland, probably a mish-mash of what others used at the time, with a profile picture that didn't show his face. Not Spoon. He was a bit self-conscious about his scars, it might have been a bicep or something. 

Since it sounds like Emperor and Overlord were different villains, what exactly did Overlord do to people that Sidestep had to fix? (I mean, "amateur with low-grade telepathy" or not, evidently it was serious enough to require telepathic correction?)

The thing is, it is a LOT easier to to great damage as an amateur. Something that Sidestep can do smoothly and seamlessly, like making someone not notice them by simply redirecting attention, Overlord would have done the telepathic version of punching someone in the visual cortex, leaving a lot of residual damage, maybe even permanent vision loss, memory issues, or a feeling of terror when returning to the scene they were forced to unsee. In FH game terms, Overlord would have had an alright Force, but no Subtlety. 

So, Step is "not there YET" compared to Void and the likes on the massacre path. So what you're saying is: there's a chance?

Oh yes. 

Will we be getting an option to further customize our armor in book 3? (Either in specifics or generalizations)

Unsure yet of when it's going to fall, but yes. Some of you might need some real repairs too.

Are there any armor themes that you wanted to add but didn't? Are there any themes you didn't add at the time but now wish you did?

Not really, I cut away some armor customization, but at this point I am happy I did. Enough variation already.

Could a telepath like Sidestep have forced Ace to have false/misleading precog events?

No, but they could have made Ace misremember/forget some precog events.

A bit gory, sorry, but if a Regene had a self-healing boost, would they be able to successfully flay all their tattoos off like Step tried to? 

Yes. Jumping into a vat of acid or a fire and staying there long enough would also do the job.

So the "ink" on the skin of a tattoo'd Regene looks like weird skin cells, but does the "ink" look different if applied to a nonorganic surface like a wall? 

Yes, it adapts to the surface. If you looked for it, you would see some similarities, but you would need to know what to look for.

I think it’s been mentioned that Ortega learns the important words (swears) first when it comes to new languages. Are there swears in the re-gene language?

Oh yes! And insults. I don't know what they are yet, but I think they will come up more now when we have a re-gene to talk to.

Are there any powers that you think couldn't be gained from Boosting?

Time related stuff. Other than that, I think the stronger boosts would just destroy the body before they could grow to full power.

Any heroes or villains we know of (major or minor) that really regret their choice of name? Ones who are going "why did past me think this name was cool?", associate the name with bad memories now, never liked it but couldn't think of anything better, realized too late that they'd doomed themselves to years of misspellings or bad puns on it...?

Look. We have all joked about "The Crack." That was an unfortunate choice, made by the media, and then it was far too late to change, especially for a villain who never spoke to the media and liked disappearing from the scene as soon as possible afterwards. Psychopathor might have had to suffer a lot of misnaming, like "Psychoraptor," but he's fine with it and find it funny. Emberfall was VERY put out when he realized that Ashfall existed, AND was getting more famous by working with the Rangers, so that sucked. One reason he changed his name to Lord Ember, which made Lady Argent's appearance infuriate him even more. Trademark infringement!

We often try to quantify and judge how "smart" (not really what I mean but I can't think of another word) Tactician!Step is by comparing them to characters like Chen and Mortum and so on. How would you try and quantify Fighter!Step's abilities? Comparable to Argent or Ortega? Reflexive or just generally faster than Tactician!Step? Things like that.

Fighter!Step is a better fighter than Argent by far, she relies a LOT on her nanovores, her fighting style is a team effort. I would say that depending on reach, Fighter!Step might be a better fighter than Ortega. They are well matched without powers, so a Tall!Step would have an edge due to reach, while Ortega would have the edge against Short!steps. Average!Step would be evenly matched I think.

Are there other Farms, either in the US or abroad?

No, there is only one site.

Will we have an option to refer to Shroud as "Sister" even if it's solely to annoy her?

That sounds like a great way to annoy her.

Do you ever see a snippet or tidbit from the discord's headcanons and ideas that you like and sneak into the books / patreon posts? 

Do you have any idea how much y'all post? And how little time I have? I read very little there, apart from discussions about the new demos, or some Retribution discussion about plots and plot points, so I have no idea what you get up to! I never go into the Sidestep channels. Honestly, I try to stay away from it as much as I can, same with fanfic and stuff. I know my story, whar you do with it is yours. The feedback and wishes come later, through the playtesting.

How do the younger Rangers feel about discussing a villain named Anathema/Heartbreak with teammates who have such painful, personal connections to the name? How uncomfortable was that for the team to get used to?

Honestly, they both felt a bit protective, who the hell is this new villain to go out of their way to make his teammates feel bad and dredge up bad memories?

On a related note, where would the Rangers (or their PR team) draw the line on "I am NOT calling a villain that"? Profanity? Using the name of a living person? Just making it extremely weird (like, idk, making your villain name "Dad")?

Oh I am NOT giving you ideas. Though I bet there is a villain out there called "Dad," just for the laughs and the dad jokes. Probably has a suit including a pipe, hat and tie too.

Step references a threat they believe is coming soon. When exactly did they become aware of this threat?

I would say about halfway or later through their stay at the farm, I haven't set an exact time. Before their escape, surely.

And, when exactly did they realize just how big a threat it was/would be?

After thinking about it for a few weeks and adding things up. Sidestep is far too good at considering bad implications of things.

So the Truths story from 2020 is pretty old and set post-void encounter but Sunstream is still around - is this predating when you finalized the timeline that the Void compound raid and the Nanosurge happened (per "nothing is canon until it's in the books"), a smaller event with the void before the Nanosurge, or a third thing? 

A combination. One, this was before I finalized exactly when things happened, so it is a classic canon is not canon until it is in the book. But, I think this might be referring an earlier Void encounter, when they thought the villain was gone, but that turned out not to be true. The mood is way too light to fit the aftermath of the real Void finale. And, there had been many fights with Void leading up to the final showdown.

What's been your favorite character dynamic in FH to think/write about? Has it changed between writing rebirth, retribution, and now beginning on revelations?

I always loved Sidestep/Ortega arguments and competition. That was there since the start. I have been surprised and delighted by how writing Steel/Sidestep interaction has been, it is such a very different dynamic. I am never sure how those talks are going to go. Argent is a force of nature, superficially similar to Ortega, but she's fun to write with everyone. Can't wait for her and Mortum. The biggest surprise I think have been Ortega and Herald. There are some things there that might to deeply... weird. Those two I can't predict together.

I remember reading something about Sidestep being able to visit their own grave. But will Sidestep be able to desecrate their own gave?

Why not? I am sure some would want to.

In the old days, could Sidestep pirate a movie for others by going into the theater, watching it themselves, then "livestreaming" it to a group of people outside the theater?

Nope, wouldn't have the skills or focus for that. These days they could.

When Danny is floating/flying - is he more “vulnerable” to physical attacks in any way? For example, would he be “lighter”, and therefore have less resistance to being knocked around? Would this apply to objects and people he’s making “float”?

In theory. He definitely was that at the start of his career, and can still be if he's surprised. He's become better at countering it, especially if Sidestep is training him. 

Theoretically, can lingering psychic scars/imprints - such as the one in the Heartbreak site - turn into a "consciousness" of its own?

Hmmm good question. I would say yes.

Bit of a mouthful of a question but - Do the telepaths that the telepathic tracker tracked know that they were tracked? 

Nope. Maybe one or two, depending on their particular skillset, but not in general.

Is there a combo of tactician vs fighter and streetwise vs technician that the rangers find most dangerous?

Nope.

If Step is forthcoming about their failed suicide attempt/suicidal thoughts to Ortega, who do they tell or do they keep that bit of info to themselves?

Ortega would keep that to themselves in all cases but real emergencies. That's private stuff.

As a follow-up to the question about tactician/fighter + streetwise/tech-savvy builds: Did Steel find any of those skillsets particularly suspicious or strange, in light of his suspicions about Sidestep?

I would say that fighter/tech-savvy probably was the most suspicious one. Though tactician/streetwise was not far behind.

Is our telepathic tracker's code T135678?

No. A lot more limited than that.

What's Sidestep's IP Adress?

621.311.0.25.15.21. They don't have the same systems as we do.

For all the RO's do they do cereal first or milk first?

Everyone does cereal first, they are not freaks.

Did Danny ever write fan mail to sidestep? Did he ever send it?

You know what? I think he probably did. But he never sent it.

Would the presence of diseases in a patient affect the outcome of their boosting?

Yes, they can. Like everything else in the body.

Why doesn't Vera shit on people? I think it's quite a useful thing to do to people you don't like

Gross! She has hench-pigeons for that...

How did integrating nanovores into sidesteps armor come up? how did mortum originally take the suggestion? is this relevant to why mortum thinks the villain is a freak?

It is definitely related to why Mortum thinks the villain is a freak. Probably the main reason, apart from some puppet shenanigans. It was Sidestep that approached Mortum with the suggestion from the start, and Mortum couldn't say no to a challenge. Ironically, this has also led to Mortum assuming certain things about the villains contacts and allegiances that are not exactly true, which also colors the impression.

If Anathema had not dissolved during HB and they had stayed on with the Rangers. What would have been their reaction to Step turning up alive and well?

A big hug! And then a massive "what the hell dude (gn)." they would not have been as cautious as Ortega about confronting Sidestep.

What kind of actions would have raised Anathema clue?

No idea!

What were/are the presentation styles and scores for the former Rangers supporting cast? (Ashfall, Anathema, Sunstream, Sentinel)

Huh. No idea of the details at all. I would say that in presentation order they are from high to low: Sunstream, Ashfall, Sentinel, Anathema.

Do Sentinel and Pyroclast differentiate their “civilian” styles from their more heroic ones?

Pyroclast does, I would say that Sentinel is pretty much the same.

Does Sentinel have any protégés or minor heroes he specifically trained/looked after akin to Hood and Ortega? 

He did take an interest in Daniel when he started out, but I can see that there's probably a bunch more interested in the environmental protection business he is in now.

Where would you place Sentinels current doubt score?

Very much spoilers.

IF Sunstream had made it with the gang to current days, what would her power ranking have been?

She would probably be alpha level at this point.

Who would’ve won between her and Pyroclast, and her v Sentinel?

Pyroclast would have won, but it would have been touch and go between her and Sentinel. He would have won through ruthlessness I think.

Since Jake can show up at Steps luxury base, does HG know where Step lives in the other bases or is the luxury one just the most conspicuous? Was insisting on meeting face to face partially based on confirming where Step lives?

Spoilers!

Do people that know step but doesn't know bout their re-gene thing think they're autistic?

I am sure some certainly do.

Currently it's possible to take Mortum to the gala as friends, but only if you were flirting when you asked them. Are there any plans to let players ask them as friends without flirting, or is that outside the scope of the update?

I'm gonna have a look at the code for that.

Given that cuckoos are made for infiltration but are still mostly covered in tattoos, I can't help but wonder if there's more to the markings. Do they serve any purpose beyond identification (both visually and via the barcodes)? Would there be any unforeseen ramifications if they were removed?

Spoilers!

If HG's love language is physical affection, what kind of gestures can someone who's loved by them expect from them?

Lots of stuff like shoulder claps and hugs. And now I am picturing HG trying to hug Sidestep, like one of those cats who hates being picked up but tolerates it for exactly ten seconds.

What's the largest number of surviving Re-Genes ever gotten from a single batch?

The size of the batch varies, but I think there's rarely more than two or three. 

How did Armadillo feel when they met HG for the first time? Were they surprised at their I-very-much-do-not-care-about-your-blue-skin behavior?

Oh Armadillo have never met HG out of "armor." And in armor form they are just another boost. Hired muscle. Vera did the talking.

How do you think would be more bearable to Ortega: HG, Nocturne, or Jake? And who would stand Ortega better?

Ortega and Nocturne could get along splendidly. Also most likely to kill each other.

What makes HG feel sad? What can someone do for them when they're feeling down?

Oh lots of things bring HG down, they are quite emotional and filled with anxieties. Sadly their powers doesn't work on themself. Usually a hug and affirming their ego does wonders.

Would Dove have been affected by Heartbreak?

Yes.

Would Dove have been affected by Heartbreak while transformed as a pigeon?

Hmmmmmmm... probably not, or at least to a weaker extent.

When it comes to rangerstuck steps, how curious is Vera about them? Does she feel a sense of camaraderie or responsibility towards step since Arde seems to regard step as family?

Now when certain things start to leak, yeah, Arde might start coming into the picture as more of a driving force....

What were the animals like during HB? Birds, rats, the normal urban jungle critters.

Birds stayed the fuck away. Rats were affected. Insects didn't notice.

If you had to guesstimate, how many big reveals do you think will come/you have planned for Revelations? Will there be a lot of readers' big questions answered in this book, or will lots of them be saved for book four? Will most of these revelations be about things that characters will discover (ex. Chen's crush on Ricardo, Ortega's relationship with their father, sidestep being a regene/villain, etc.) but readers might already know, or bigger overarching themes (heartbreak truth, the threat that's coming, etc)? 

The truth about Heartbreak is planned, as is the puppet story. We will earn more about the threat, I want that out before book four. When it comes to character interactions and reveals, that will depend on your playthrough. The Farm and the Core will be saved to book four, as is the Mayor.

Is there a particular reason why Ortega never really compliments Sidestep's appearance when romanced when they compliment Puppet's appearance  all the time?

Sidestep has been traditionally touchy about their appearance, that has probably led to arguments in the past. Might also be that Ortega feels the need to show that they did not fall for looks, and that Sidestep is different from the more casual/hot hookups they are known for in the media.

How would other higher level boosts like the Void or Catastrofiend have fared against HB's influence?

Catastrofiend would have been BAD. Wouldn't have killed them, but oh boy, gruesome. The Void would have been interesting. I really don't know what would have happened there, we might not have a west coast anymore.

How has writing Breaks influenced your work on Fallen Hero, and vice versa?

I started Breaks before Fallen Hero, so I would say that it has helped me writing snappy dialogue. Making a comic is such an exercise in moderation, you need to cut everything down to panels and speech bubbles, so you need timing. Figuring out two page spreads, where to cut, cliffhangers, how to pace dialogue. Comics are REALLY good for figuring out structure. I can truly recommend it to get some discipline in your writing. Also scene transitions.

How do the mob boss crew feel about the (hopefully) imminent transition from "small, tight-knit team" to "full-scale criminal empire"? Do they think they'll miss the current dynamic, or are they looking forward to the increased distance/professionalism of a large organization? Is anyone worried they'll be redundant once the boss has better options?

We will get into that, I'm not sure yet how people will react, and it will vary depending on their relationship with the boss.

And as a corollary: how many of the crew really expected their new boss to make it, in the long run, when they signed on?

Oh I don't think any of them did. They are all (with the exception of Nehal) used to mercenary work, where the boss might get taken down, but they can slink away and find a new paying job.

Do Regenes get medical training to perform field treatment for themselves or their handlers?

Yes, some do more than others.

What was the vibe of the "Marshal and the Menace" film mentioned with Argent?

Romantic action comedy.

How much of a tourism industry does the FEZ have? Are any parts of it considered desirable travel destinations, domestically or internationally?

I think it is starting to pick up. You have to remember that there's not as many lines of communications open, there are no huge passenger lines flying everywhere and the oceans are unsafe. The tourism tends to come from Mexico, or elsewhere in the western states. I would say it's part nostalgia tourism (come see the remains of hollywood) and Boost tourism (visit the city of heroes). The current Mayor certainly wants more tourism.

if you don’t have it planned out or don’t want to spoil please ignore this, but is it possible to have both puppetstuck and substantial HG (sib or otherwise close) content in one playthrough? or would these be mutually exclusive routes.

I plan to have the puppetstuck route resolved rather early, so I don't think they will be exclusive. Just different.

How did Ortega tell Argent and Herald about us? Was it gather round storytime type of deal? Oblique references to the past? A mixture?

It was a mixture over the years, Sidestep came up often enough, and Herald definetly would have kept asking.

Does 5 Pennies look like a clown? What's his physical appearance / costume like otherwise?

That is spoilers.

I noticed the parallels between the MC/Sidestep and MewTwo are quite striking. Were they partially inspired by MewTwo? If or if not what were the main inspirations in designing the MC/Sidestep character?

That's a pokemon thing, right? My only exposure to pokemon is reading "Manly Guys Doing Many Things" back in the day, so sadly I don't know MewTwo. That's the cat, right? Sidestep is more inspired by lots of media telepaths who I think never really got any interesting arcs and exploration of their talents. There's not really a single source, more vibes picked up from many sources and mashed together into Sidestep.

If sidestep’s relationship with any of the main cast is low/negative enough, would any of them threaten/give fleeting thought to reaching out to the special directive to “return” them? Would any have the invasive thought of doing it, while in the heat of the moment? 

Ehehe. Well. Push hard enough and be nasty enough and maybe you'll see.

Can we still meet Arde if we were Puppet stuck?

Yes.

Do the rangers receive any kind of "unofficial" promotional perks that they really enjoy? like tickets to concerts or sporting events in exchange for Being Seen There ™️

Oh TONS. Probably more than they can ever use, Ortega unloads a lot of stuff on their friends.

What was the least favorite sponsorship each of the Rangers have been dragged into out of obligation?

Argent and shampoo commercials. She HATES those. Brings home the point for her that she doesn't even have hair. Herald still have trauma about the old courier sponsorship stuff he had to do before he joined the Rangers. So corny. Ortega doesn't mind endorsements of products, but they hate the kind where they have to talk up organizations, and pretend to be interested in their goals. Steel hates them all and tries to get out of them by being bad at it. At this point, that's almost a selling point. There's probably a site somewhere out there consisting of nothing but clips of "Steel selling stuff badly" to the delight of his fans.

Have Rangers from other cities ever had to team up to beat a villain? If so, who was the villain?

Probably, but I don't know right now! I have too much focus on Los Diablos.

Has Marshal Dave ever collaborated with any Boosts he wishes he could’ve officially recruited, were it not for their legal personhood status in the greater Nevada [and USAmerican] area?

Oh what a clever way to put that question! Congratulations. I would say that the answer is yet, but not in the way you intended when you asked that question.

Are we going to see Owl's sword be wielded in game?

If you're unlucky, oh yes. She still practices.

If the Rangers don't suspect that Sidestep is the villain how would they react if they found out they got their money from something like reading the minds of rich people and stealing their credit card information? 

I think I can say in unison that it would depend on how rich Sidestep presents. If they aren't being too overt with their wealth, the reaction would be more pity, and you know, we can help you put, you don't need to do that. If Sidestep presented richer, them the reaction would be more harsh, oh shit, Sidestep has become a petty criminal and so on.

When Sidestep shows Argent their tattoos on their date Argent's immediate reaction is sympathy for their scars. Would Argent think Sidestep's scars reason enough to let them keep the regenerator even if they weren't a Re-Gene? 

As long as she gets a change to use it too. She's sympathetic, but also very aware that her injuries are far worse than scars.

Is Argent more interested in Julia or Ricardo? Are there gender combinations in the Step/Ortega/Argent poly she would be more or less interested in?

Hmmm I would say that given a choice, Julia might rank higher but not by much. There's more conflict with Ricardo, his machoness sets off some of her internal alarms. It's less about physical gender/appearance than what gender roles in society does to people. In a triad, it would matter less, the power dynamics would be more volatile.

What about Herald? More interested in Julia or Ricardo, more or less comfortable with certain gender combinations? Would Ricardo tease him and/or Sidestep about Sidestep's ability to make seemingly straight men realize they're bi? 

Herald would have a lot easier time with Julia. A lot less conflict, a lot more understanding. He has no issues with strong women (might even like it), and Julia is more in touch with her own baggage than Ricardo is. There would be a greater conflict between Ricardo and Daniel, probably to the point of raised voices at the least. Danny won't take Ric's bullshit for very long, Sidestep or not. Of course, that's also part of the draw for Daniel. Ricardo would absolutely tease Sidestep about that.

Do any of the people entering into a Sidestep/Ortega/poly feel insecure about being the third wheel to their obsession with each other? 

Hmmmm I would say that they are all aware of it from the start, and if they weren't prepared to deal with it, they wouldn't have. 

What is the difference between afraid and nemesis? Can a character be both? 

You can't be both. I would say that someone afraid of the villain is just that, afraid. Even though they might hate what the villain does, and want to stop them, there will be that hesitation in interactions. They might still be arch-enemies though. In contrast, someone with the Nemesis status might still be scared of a villain with terrifying armor for example, but their need to stop them overrides it. The fear does not drive the confrontation.

Was Sidestep more powerful after escaping than they were attacking the gala?

Lovely little trick question. I'll give it to you: Yes.

How would Herald take the memes about him essentially being the Benedict Cumberbatch of heroes? (Purposefully referring him to the wrong hero name: especially by using any long medical terminology starting with ‘h’) How would he feel about his friends/Sidestep occasionally joining in to tease him about it? 

Look. It could be worse. Expect many long-suffering sighs. It helps that he didn't pick his hero name. But he will be a good sport about it. 

Considering how desolate Reno is, with much of southern Nevada ruined, what do Dave and Jackrabbit do? Does the government need them to keep meeting a quota so they get to stick around in an official capacity?

Dave and Jackrabbit mostly hang out and drive around. It's a leisurely job, though they do rescue the occasional lost disaster tourist. The desolation makes it tempting for would-be villains to set up shop there though, so they always have things to do on their patrols. They have no quota, and some joke about that Dave must have some sort of blackmail material on someone to be allowed to behave as he does.

If your puppet has the mirror image, does Ortega also think they are related to hollow ground?

No, the resemblance is not that deep.

Did Ortega find the puppet's background?

Only the one that Sidestep planted.

In book three will there be a point of no return with relationships with the rangers? Such as there will be things that no matter if you promise to not do they will never forgive? Or will that be in book four?

Forgiveness is an interesting thing. And rarely easy. People you consider close to you can have done things you might never be able to forgive, but it might not be impossible to move on from there. Or perhaps it is. I have no specific points planned, relationships evolve as I write. I have no idea what will happen here.

Hypothetically, if the nanovores were released again, would present time Argent be able to control all of them like she controls the ones on her body? Or was that like a one-time fusion incident and she wouldn't be able to control wild nanovores?

She could control the ones close to her, but she doesn't have the range.

If we “agreed” to work with HG in book 2, could we hypothetically feed information to someone like Ortega? Edit: I know this might seem spoilery but I’m asking for character motivation purposes, thank you!

I mean, yes. Of course.

Is Chen aware Spoon is no longer his dog but OUR dog? 

Chen is okay with that.

In universe, did the Rangers costumes or superhero suits in general go through a design modernization? Example being Spiderman's first design being the simply designed, bright red and blue vs. his newer designs being more detailed with duller colors. Or do you picture people still wearing the calf high boots and underwear over the skinsuit?

Oh I can imagine the suits evolving over time, just like sport fashion. Looking at what people wore in the seventies is very different from what they wear today, though some things are similar. So suits and fashions do change, they probably look very different only over the time Sidestep was away from town.

When did Ortega's fear of getting older start? Is it a "I'm not young and beautiful anymore :'(" thing or is it a "my death gets closer every day" thing?

It is simpler than that. It is the feeling and knowledge that their body can't do what it used to do. Ortega is heavier, more muscles, not as fast. Climbing is harder. Flexibility is worse. Training and mods only do so much, and with cumulative injuries and other damage, Ortega is very aware that one day they will not be able to do what they love anymore. Will be too slow. Mess up. Probably die. It has nothing to do with beauty, silver and grizzled can be hot, but for someone who has defined their worth in their physical prowess since childhood, growing older sucks. Death is far less terrifying than that.

How do the blues for the Ranger costumes get chosen? Does the hero have a say in what shade of blue that get to wear or is it random? Also, do they reuse blues after a hero that wears it retires?

There is a suit-design team, the Ranger does have some impact, but it's mostly picking between different designs. The shade of blue can vary over the years, it's not tied to the individual, just the current suit.

So, when the Ratking is controlling the armor, are they the administrator of it? Do they have the highest form of control one could have over the armor?  Could they, oh I don't know, override any commands that someone else could give to it?

Hmmmm. I would say yes. If someone is actively trying to access it, there would be a fight for control.

What is Blaze's defining moment in his career? Like, the most important thing that Step did as Sidestep was stopping the nanovores or killing Void. What big thing did Blaze do that made him Captain of the Guardians material? Does he even have one?

Oh he probably does! I have just not come up with one yet.

This one is probably spoilers but least to most likely to believe that Step is actually in the Puppets body?

It will vary depending on clues and relationships.

I don't know if it's been asked before, but hypothetically if sidestep had told the original Rangers, before the HB incident, about being a re-gene, how would the Rangers have reacted?

We will never know! I'm not going to go into detail about that.

How gamechanging is the book 1 update gonna be? 

Not much, just housekeeping and bug fixes.

Also, if we choose the mob boss path, will we be able to name our gang/organization?

Oh yes, that's in book three. It was intended to be in book two until it got cut down.

If any of the rangers (past or present) had caught a glimpse of Sidestep's re-gene tattoos, would any of them have put two and two together? Who would have just forgotten or remained ignorant?

I think Ortega and Chen might have put two and two together. Chen in particular.

Has Sidestep met another cuckoo re-gene without realizing it (not counting Shroud being a potential candidate)?

Possibly, not sure.

Was there any particular inspiration behind the default names for Sidestep being Cynthia, Chris and Cyrus?

Cyrus was the name of the character in the original novel, just picked it... I don't even know why. Why not? Then Cynthia and Chris because they were C names. Almost had Charlie instead of Chris, but at that point Charlie had become too much my own personal Sidestep.

I don't know if this me just reading into things too much, but do trans sidesteps have an aversion to actually using the term to describe themself? They never seem to use it either in their mental monologue or in conversation with those who know. Is because it's a 'human' term or something like that?

I hadn't thought about that. I think it's just comes from my own experience, I am very averse to thinking about myself in labels in my head, like... I don't go around thinking "i'm trans," or "i'm bisexual." For me, those are labels others use on me, or that I might use to tell others things. When it comes to internal dialogue they don't come natural to me, hence me not using them much in the book. It would feel weird. So... my hangup, let your Sidestep have what reason you want!

How soon until Ortega is up for some "oh no looks the evil villain has caught me 😏" in-armor flirting?

Depending on how "evil" the villain is, but we all know Ortega would get there pretty fast...

Would Ortega develop a Crush on a best-friend Sidestep that doesn't have a secret crush? If so, would they ever confess?

Some would say that might already have happened, but if Ortega never confesses nobody will ever know.

When short!Step kisses Ortega in Retri, they think it must not be comfortable for them due to having to crane their neck. Now does Ortega actually have a preference for tall and average Steps? 

No preference, you can always put shortsteps on a chair!

Building off a previous question, given how sensitive Ortega is about aging, have they ever considered getting plastic surgery or filler to seem younger, at least outwardly?

No, that's not the part that bothers them.

If Anathema had survived Heartbreak and was still active, while Sidestep was captured, would Chen show the photos to them? If so, how would they react? 

Hmmmm. I think Chen might have done that. Anathema was a lot more stable than Ortega, so Chen might have used that to get a second opinion.

Will we ever get a chance to see phsycopather again or did the SD get him for good?

He still has a role to play.

Chen seems to surprised to hear that Step saw medical equipment around HB. Had Ortega never talked to him about the state they found HB in?

Spoilers, we will see what happened in book three!

Any chances of Julia returning the favor and braiding f!Step's hair? 

Okay that is very cute!

Just like boosts above alpha are sometimes called omega, is there another classification for mods with who've been modded to the point where class A is too much of an understatement?

I don't think it's an official designation, but they are often referred to as "WMD's" Weapons of Mass Destruction. That would be things like the Catastrofiend and Dread Reactor.

Can Ricardo braid hair or just Julia?

Ricardo is also good with his hands!

Which of the ROs sees marriage as a thing they'd like to do? Do any of them have any big hangups or would it just be dependant on step?

I leave marriage entirely to headcanon, it won't be brought up in game, so go wild!

Exactly how judgmental is Ortega of Regenes? Does he dislike them as much as Sidestep thinks he does or are Ortega's excuses of just being slightly uncomfortable at their lack of humanity the whole truth?

I do think that Sidestep is overthinking it a lot. As with many things, Sidestep is often painting his own insecurities on other people, which becomes even more true for Ortega, who they can't read. Also, even if Ortega would have deep feelings about re-genes, things would be different if it was a re-gene they knew. You know, the good old classic "you're okay, I know you."

If Sidestep wants to kill his handlers and the higher-ups of The Farm, which of the ROs would understand this and which of them would heavily discourage it (in a path where you told them about the Farm and about you being a Regene)?

That is spoilers, not going to let you know what reactions you will get when you eventually bring it up.

Since sidestep have the power of mind is special than other. If sidestep power can reach to >95%，will it unlock any special choice  base on  their power?

Generally I have 80+ as the cutoff for BIG stuff, except for extremely specific circumstances.

Can sidestep mind control  main ROs  (of course no Ortega) with the high level of mind power?

Yeah, but the level might vary. Argent might have gotten wise to you by now and developed countermeasures.

Will sidestep have a chance to mind control other hero and villain?Even HG？

It is Sidestep's main weapon, so I think it's fair to say that will come up.

With regards to the autopsy tapes, how did Chen feel about initially seeing the physical state of Sidestep? The person he thought was an intelligence operative dying to help the Rangers?

He was devastated. The video was horrifying and disgusting, and it left him questioning a lot of things. He wishes he had never seen it, because it's a hard thing to forget.

Also, was Sidestep conscious there? Was it one of the instances they recall of being "turned off", or were they genuinely unconscious from injury?

Sidestep looked dead on the tapes.

Sorry if this is long... Based on the recent escape snippet: While 'Step is at that first motel, there's a line about someone smoking a cigarette until it burnt their fingers, then later the fire department shows up due to a fire starting in a bed. My initial interpretation is that the fire could have been caused by someone falling asleep while smoking. Next thought, given that 'Step is struggling to contain their powers at this point, did they have any influence on this occurrence?

Good spotting! 

Which leads to a funny head-cannon interaction, in a hypothetical future where a tobacco vice 'Step survives the main story, and later is forced to quit smoking, could they potentially 'ride' someone else smoking to get some relief of withdrawal symptoms? potentially depending on the type of addiction, which may be headcanon, but how might telepathy, and/or the ability to posses people interact with a psychological addiction?

That sounds like interesting headcanons! But smoking is a VERY physical addiction, nikotine is a bastard like that.

Sidestep thinks negatively of seagull minds at the dog park (understandable). What happened the first time Sidestep interacted with a seagull’s mind, before they knew better?

It's just a maelstrom of hunger, greed, anger and vertigo. Very alien, always on the move for new opportunities, very invasive vibes. Not mammal at all, probably made Sidestep throw up, possibly stumble and convulse.

Which vice do the Rangers + Mortum dislike/worry about the most?

A tie between Alcohol and Cigarettes.

The way you can keep denaibility with you being a villain, can the same be done with the puppet? 

Oh yeah, nobody ever needs to know about Sidestep and the puppet.

And will we be able to bring up Chen's distrust of us and our telepathy? Especially in a mutual attraction? He seems to think Sidestep can just switch it off, and seems disgusted (for lack of a better word) by near any use of it in the QnA's

Yeah. Chen doesn't truly understand what telepathy is or how it works. He thinks it's both more and less powerful than it really is, and it's that lack of understanding which makes him so wary. It's possible that will change once he and Sidestep gets closer, and he has more experiences withit.

Taking into consideration that void blood works as a form of boosting process, and how Sidestep's powers evolved after the void, and since Sidestep's powers are classified as Alpha level telepath and bodysnatcher then Sidestep can be considered a double boost or something close to that?

Bingo. Sidestep could be considered a double boost.

If Ortega has no previous same sex experience and is romanced by an opposite sex Step, would they accept Step's offer for them to be free to explore with people of the same gender, as long as things remain purely physical? Assuming of course that Ortega would at some point tell opposite sex Steps they're bi

I do want to have Ortega having a bi conversation with an opposite sex Sidestep at one point, I just need to see where I can fit it in and not make it look weird. It's not something you casually break out over coffee.

What does Daniel think about tattoos/scarification in general? Especially ones that mark and hint at little details of one’s life: both major and minor, to tell an overarching story of what they’ve experienced throughout their whole body? 

Oh I think it is fair to say that at this point there is no secret that Daniel is kinda into scars.

What was it about Alvarez that makes the HG trio think she’s useful, beyond her obvious power in her position? Do they always go out of their way to try and get a new mayor under their thumb? 

Of course they do! The Mayor is extremely useful for a crimelord who doesn't want to be openly out and about.

How *does* Alvarez feel about their arrangement with Hollow Ground? 

Enemy of my enemy.

What did Nocturne think of the whole ‘no taxes’ system going on, before she made the decision to stay with HG? How has that changed since then?

Oh she thought it was irrational, and still does. Sure, fines are useful, but you can't really do anything big with it. The whole transport system is a mess, and that's not something you can fix with bridge and road fees, you don't make money building railways, you make money by having infrastructure.

If you eventually get the regenerator working  and remove the regene tattoos, will their be an option to get our own tattoos as a sort of statement? 

I think so! Why not?

Also, this one is suuuuuper important. What’s Ortega’s favorite fruit? And if you can’t think of a favorite, what’s one they really enjoy?

I am not going to say avocado. The one that popped into my head is cherimoya, so I am going with that! It's ridiculously tasty.

Since you said that Julia and Ricardo feel slightly different to you, is it the same for female and male Steps? 

No. They feel the same. And the same goes for Dr. Mortum.

In an earlier QnA, you mentioned that Ortega would have ‘the Hunt’ per a Magnus Archives question. 👀 Is Ortega really afraid of ‘becoming prey?’

I mean... not going to deny that. We all have things we fear.

I know you said diagnosis will be left to head canons but do autistic steps know they are autistic or do they attribute their peculiarities to being a regene?

That can go both ways, depending on your headcanons.

Why does Ortega want Sidestep's help with Hollow Ground but not Catfiend? Do they really think they can handle Catfiend or are they worried Sidestep would get themselves killed?

They are worried Sidestep will get themselves killed! Hollow Ground is different because it's family. Ortega doesn't think HG would really hurt Sidestep. 

Hi! I was wondering what Ortega would do (or what it would look like) had Sidestep approached them about working together against HG prior to the events at the hospital (or if Sidestep was innocent/not yet caught).

Oh that might happen in some paths! So you'll see...

What do the Rangers and Mortum consider their younger selves to have been like?

I think all of them would see their younger selves as a bit naive, but driven. None of them are too angry at them, and they don't really think they could have been much different than they were at the time.

Jake was mentioned to appreciate most about Nocturne the fact she challenges him, how does she challenge him exactly?

She pushes him to take more responsibilities, take charge and be more of a proactive leader in many occasions. She doesn't just have him be a dumb bodyguard but actually wants his views on things.

Earlier Q&A also said HG appreciates most about Nocturne the fact she keeps them human, what would HG be like if they didn't have Nocturne by their side?

Either a lot more terrifying or a lot more flakey. Would have been hard keeping a balance.

During the Memorial Park confrontation between Ortega and Sidestep, there's a possibility for Sidestep to end up thinking they've managed to make Ortega think they were doing fine, did Ortega actually believe Sidestep in the moment or were they pretending?

That is between Ortega and their unreadable brain.

What does HG consider their weaknesses/strengths to be as a leader compared to their oldest brother?

Not really the big strong lead from the front and beat people up type. Which is both a drawback, since some people respect you less, while also an advantage since you are less likely to get caught or killed. They are trying to use secrecy to compensate for their lack of physical prowess.

Is it possible for Sidestep to try and restore HG's memories of their younger sibling?

HG has never lost those memories.

In one Q&A it was mentioned Argent is both angry and grateful Sidestep stopped the nanosurge. What is the anger for? Is it her own anger or are the nanovores influencing her in that regard (and is she aware of it if that's the case)?

It is a mixture of her anger and the nanovores anger. Argent personally can't help but wonder if it wouldn't have been better if she had died. 

How threatened/worried Nocturne would have been if she had known streetwise Sidesteps has heard rumors she's HG's right-hand woman? Would rumors be enough to make her be on guard or would there need to be something more concrete?

She would be... not worried, but cautious. People who know things are dangerous.

How does HG conceptualize their red-threads?

HG doesn't. They just ask for stuff and it happens, the red thread is entirely Sidestep's ways of seeing it.

Does Nocturne have some kind of mental image for her red-threads?

I think she would see the changes as armor. Like her dresses or jewelry.

One past Q&A stated past Steel would be disappointed in who he is today. What about his current day self the Past Chen would have been disappointed by?

That it looks like he has accepted that life sucks and he will live and die alone.

If HG allowed Sidestep to leave the meeting despite Sidestep rejecting their "offer" to work together, especially if they shook hands, what did Nocturne think about it?

This is new. This is bad. This definitely needs investigating further.

I feel like the answer for this might kind of given, but asking it anyway: is it possible to get a good ending for Sidestep without having the Rangers involved in their life?

I mean the Rangers are in the book, you're not gonna be able to play book four without them being there. But if you mean if you need the Rangers as allies for Sidesteps plans to work out to their best extent, the answer is no.

What's one thing the Rangers, Mortum, HG trio, possibly Vera and/or Sky-Raider wouldn't want people to find out about them and why? (If the answers are too spoilery, funny/lighthearted answers would be fun to read as well if any come to mind)

Gonna be a mix of serious and lighthearted, just going on what pops into my head and not saying why: Ortega - their painkiller problem, Chen - that he's gay, Argent - her nanovores habit of eating bad guys, Herald - What happened between him and his brother, Mortum - That they are [REDACTED] and why, HG - that they have a glass jaw, Nocturne - how she used to be, Jake - the nature of his relationship with HG.

Would Nocturne's powers on Sidestep if they were wearing an armor?

Yes.

Is it possible for mob boss Sidestep's plans for proper criminal organization to crumble, especially if the crew betrays them?

Of course!

For the Rangers, Mortum, HG trio, Vera and/or Sky-Raider: what keeps them going? What do they live for?

That's a bloody philosophical question, I have no idea!

What was HG's reaction when Nocturne wanted to stay in the Los Diablos and get involved with their crime organization?

Relief. Gratitude.

How do the Rangers and Dr. Mortum want to be seen by other people? What about HG trio, and possibly Vera and Sky-Raider?

You're seeing how they want to be seen in game. That's how they project, with some you might get to see other sides eventually. Like Argent's softer side, or Chen at the dog park.

On the DnD alignment system Nocturne, Argent, Herald, and Jake were labeled as "lawful", what kind of possible rule etc they consider important for themselves? (If I understood the lawful correctly) Also quick note: really liked the way you labeled the good/bad in the DnD system as altruistic/selfish

Lawful is not about the rule of law, or a specific rule,  it is if you like systems and can work within them. They all do that, they prefer to have rules and patterns to follow, and thinks life would be easier if everyone did that. They work well with giving and taking orders, and expect that to work.

If Sidestep managed to use telepathy to hurt Nocturne,  did that shake Nocturne's or/and HG's confidence on their ability to shield themselves from telepathic attacks?

No, only in their vulnerability to unexpected surprises. They'd be better prepared next time.

Actually if Sidestep did use telepathy to injure Nocturne, did HG or Nocturne realize it was due to a telepathic attack?

Not unless Sidestep is a known telepath. At the time it could have been any of a number of things. 

So we learn that Argent and Herald’s relationship was for show. What did keeping up that front for the press entail, in practice? What was the public reaction to the breakup? How did Angie and Danny feel about the whole thing? Were there any actual feelings involved on either side?

It was an awkward thing from the start. Argent was putting up a front, and Herald was trying to adapt to it, which only made Argent angrier. Also, her nanovores thought Herald looked very tasty, so she needed to keep him at arms length. If they had been left to their own devices they might have become close on their own accord, but with the media team pushing it down their throat things soured fast. It was the usual, being a couple in public and on galas and the like. 

Did the PR team try to arrange something similar for previous Rangers? For example, would Julia and Chen ever have gotten roped into something like that? (though I can’t imagine Chen playing along)

Not in Los Diablos, but it had been proven a success in other cities. When Ortega was young and active, they filled that role on their own accord, so it wasn't needed.

On that note, is an Argent/Herald/Sidestep poly a possibility? What about getting Chen and Ricardo together without Sidestep romancing either of them?

We will see! Those things I need to write first. 

Prompted by the Puppet-Ortega gala conversation, does Ortega have any idea of who/what the Catastrofiend used to be?

Not really. Ortega has theories, but they don't have more depth than a random mercenary.

A bit of a fun question, will we be able to shave Ortega's beard ourselves if he is our romance option? 

That sounds hot.

when & how was anathema inducted into the cult? 

Grew up there, brought in as a young kid.

For now opposite sex puppets have been used mostly as a source of trans angst but will it be possible for them to be a source of gay angst too when, for example, getting close to a, seemingly, straight Ortega or Dr Mortum? 

One could argue that is already the case, though we see it mostly after the fact, when talking about why with Mortum. In retrospect, it might have been nice with some of those thoughts too.

I'm asking cause I've noticed that while the option for trans anguish comes up often, Step doesn't really seem to have any particular thoughts or feel any type of way about being gay. Was that a conscious choice? Is Step, as a character, canonically meant to not experience discomfort surrounding same sex attraction? 

I think once again, that comes down a bit to what's in my head. My gender was always the big bugbear, the bisexuality was just life and never really cause for angst at all. So... blame me for that, it's not canonical, it's authorial.

Back to the ghosts question: where does Skyraider rank?

Ghosts question? I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean?