I know it's been done before but....

[BumblingBear]

My group calls these Avatar games since the character becomes an Avatar of the player.  We've done a few of these, most notably a Changeling The Lost game that took place in Chicago and was pretty damn epic, as well as a DC 'verse game where we played super powered versions of ourselves.

They were "balanced" in the fact that we all got the same amount of points to build our characters, though.  Of course, different powers are more and less useful in different situations, so even if you have the same amount of point, differentiation allows for characters to shine at their own niche.

On the whole it doesn't really accomplish that much to try and be "realistic" with differing power levels.  Just give everyone the same amount of points and make sure they tailor their character to fit their own unique skill set.

Ok sounds good to me.

This seems to be the consensus of the community, and I will bow to ya'all's superior experience in this realm.

Thank you so much.

[Drachasor]

Somewhat related to this, has anyone here ever played Universalis?  It's kind of a group story-telling game where there's no GM.  You use coins to declare facts about the game world, establish conventions, create bad guys, etc.  In a number of ways they are rather like Fate Points.  I've kind of wondered how combining some of the Universalis rules with Fate would work out...maybe you could eliminate the GM, give everyone their own character, and use the Universalis rules to handle stuff.  Might be a lot of fun.  Of course, most Universalis games I played got very silly (but that's because the players were all very silly), but with a little discipline that's avoidable, easily enough.

[fantazero]

Somewhat related to this, has anyone here ever played Universalis?  It's kind of a group story-telling game where there's no GM.  You use coins to declare facts about the game world, establish conventions, create bad guys, etc.  In a number of ways they are rather like Fate Points.  I've kind of wondered how combining some of the Universalis rules with Fate would work out...maybe you could eliminate the GM, give everyone their own character, and use the Universalis rules to handle stuff.  Might be a lot of fun.  Of course, most Universalis games I played got very silly (but that's because the players were all very silly), but with a little discipline that's avoidable, easily enough.

Because I am Childish

Example
*Throws down coin*
"In this world, everyone sucks but me"
*Throws Down Coin*
"Also that Vampire is made of chocolate"
 

Quote
"I mean, someone who's been eating junk food, playing WoW, and working at Hollywood Video..."

Worked at Hollywood Video
Check, well only for a month
Eating Junk Food
When I worked at Hollywood yeah, but getting heathier now *Wings dont count*
Played Wow
Check, but not anymore

Finish College? No,
But I got 8 hours towards an associate Degree, 4 of which are for ceramics, and I kick ass at that.

I kid, I kid, sounds like an interesting way to do things. I have this idea for a Zombie RPG in my head where basically you write a journal for a week of your real life breaking down your day, whats going on blah blah blah, hand it in to GM, he goes okay well Thursday 3pm Zombies invade, according to your journal you were at the store, you were at work, and you were asleep, what do you do?
And you kinda play it from there.

Sorry for the thread hijack. good luck

[BumblingBear]

Because I am Childish

Example
*Throws down coin*
"In this world, everyone sucks but me"
*Throws Down Coin*
"Also that Vampire is made of chocolate"
 

Quote
"I mean, someone who's been eating junk food, playing WoW, and working at Hollywood Video..."

Worked at Hollywood Video
Check, well only for a month
Eating Junk Food
When I worked at Hollywood yeah, but getting heathier now *Wings dont count*
Played Wow
Check, but not anymore

Finish College? No,
But I got 8 hours towards an associate Degree, 4 of which are for ceramics, and I kick ass at that.

I kid, I kid, sounds like an interesting way to do things. I have this idea for a Zombie RPG in my head where basically you write a journal for a week of your real life breaking down your day, whats going on blah blah blah, hand it in to GM, he goes okay well Thursday 3pm Zombies invade, according to your journal you were at the store, you were at work, and you were asleep, what do you do?
And you kinda play it from there.

Sorry for the thread hijack. good luck

Pshhhhh  whatever.  You would not be helpless in a "real world" game lol

As for the zombie game... that actually sounds really fun/interesting!

All that said, I think with zombie games I really prefer LARPing.  There's nothing quite like backpedeling away from a 'zed and firing like crazy, only to trip over something and barely kill the zombie before it's on you.

Good times.