QnA January 2022

How does the world of Fallen Hero match up against the likes of DC or Marvel in terms of power levels, general vibe and overall scale?

The problem here is that both Marvel and DC are huge and varied entities with stories and heroes going from street level to the cosmic scale. The same with the vibes. So I can't say anything general, but I can name some similarities:

Marvel: Daredevil, Heroes for Hire, Hawkeye, Black Panther, Spider-Man and any street level heroes. At times, X-men is adjacent, at least back in the Chris Claremont days. 

DC: Birds of Prey, Secret Six, Batman, Doom Patrol and other street level and weird heroes. 

When you take the step up to heroes/teams that operate on a country level like Avengers or Justice league you leave the levels I imagine my universe to be at.

(NSFW) Scaling the 5 ROs, who’s the most vanilla-kinkiest? If there isn’t much difference between the 5, are any of them interested in trying out any specific kinks/fantasies? How long did Steel have a crush on a male!Step? What was it about Sidestep that made Herald question his sexuality?

Not going to canonify any of the RO's sexuality. That is entirely up to the reader. Someone might be kinky as hell in someone's playtrough, and entirely vanilla in another. That's not up to me (I wouldn't be allowed by the apple store anyway).

Steel didn't start getting interested in m!/nb! Sidestep until Rebirth. At least that's what he claims, and I think I do believe him.

What it was that Herald saw in Sidestep depends a lot on the Sidestep. I can't give a single canon answer there.

Might be a potentially spoilery question, but how would the ROs react to MC's death? Would they seek vengeance if the MC was killed?

I think I can say that there's unanimous agreement there. Of course they would!

In the playable teaser, there is a moment where Side can reveal themselves to Argent as the villain. In response she then reveals her actual name, and immediately seems to blanche and tell us she doesn't know why she did that. Side can then use her name once and she winces and tells us not to do it again. Side thinks to themselves that they don't think they butchered the pronunciation. So the question if you don't think it's too spoilery to talk about motivations, did Side butcher it? or is there an association of her name on someone else's lips that caused that reaction?

It is a bit spoilery, but I'm going to share it anyway. It wasn't the pronunciation, it was the fact that hearing her old name brought her back to the person she was, and that hurt. A lot. She can't go back. Ever. And being called by her old name made her want to.

Will we have a chance to meet Ashfall in book 3?

Not sure yet. It is a possibility.

IS Ashfall possibly one of the unlucky people that has gotten punched by Ortega for Step? 

Yes. They had an actual fight, as in both of them legitimately tried to hurt each other. Ashfall won.

Can we get the list of 7 people (if i remember correctly) who got the taste of Ortegas fist for Sidestep?

I have no list! Seven was a good number in case I needed to fit people in there. Vernon, Ashfall and Chen is on it.

Is Chen really that easily manipulated by possible relationship? (He seems to be very lenient to romanced Sidestep)?

That depends entirely on what Sidestep does. Chen has crimes he can justify overlooking, and crimes he doesn't. Perhaps he's hoping he'll be a good influence and get Sidestep to stop before he goes to far. If so, when will be decide that enough is enough?

Is Anathemas backstory plot relevant? If it is, will we learn it in-game?

It is not plot relevant, and will probably not be touched on in-game, but it might. We'll see.

IN the intimate scene with Wei, he compliments Sidestep. My question is: Does he truly find Sidestep attractive or is he more attracted to the person (his personality, as hard as it is to believe for some Sidesteps), because he didn't like Sidestep pre HB?

Chen does find Sidestep attractive, there were enough embarrassing thoughts to listen into to be sure of that. But the person is part of it as well, can't separate one from the other.

Does Wei like it when his significant other is wearing his clothes?

Yes. It is very cute.

Did Sidestep ever go clubbing with someone from the team, who would be the most likely to teach Sidestep club dancing? How mortified was Sidestep at first? 

I think Ortega and Ashfall dragged them along. (No clubs for Anathema). Ashfall would have taught dancing, because as he said, Ortega is too old for that life. Ortega claimed that was a dirty lie. Sidestep was honestly more overwhelmed than mortified, the crowd-mind in a club is overwhelming even for a baby telepath.

TRIGGER WARNING, dark question ahead. How are telepaths able to get people to do themselves in? What allows some people to resist and others to drop like flies? For example Sidestep can potentially do this to like a dozen people at once with seemingly the same effort it takes to snap their fingers. How many people could Sidestep just do that to if they ever just lost it?

It is related to how easy it is to make things do things in general. Let's say Sidestep wants to force someone to punch someone else. In some cases that's very easy, like with the cop at the start of Rebirth. Already annoyed with Steel, used to violence and being able to use it without repercussions. If it had been the receptionist at the Ranger's HG, it would have been MUCH harder. One, she knows and likes Steel, two, she's not used to violence, and three, she would be terrified of the repercussions.

It's the same with darker manipulations. The ones giving in are the ones who has already been struggling with thoughts like that in the past. However, at this point, Sidestep has become powerful enough to not just manipulate people's emotions, but to flood them with their own despair. And Sidestep has a lot of despair, pain and anger. Share that with people and things... happen. Just a little push. If Sidestep lost it it would be Heartbreak all over again. Or worse. Maybe even a lot worse.

If Sidestep decided that the Special Directive were too risky and tried to get the Rangers to handle Psychopathor, how would things generally have gone down? Could the Rangers have taken Psychopathor in the state Sidestep left them? Or at full power?

Well, this was before Sidestep started to dismantle the team, so they would be at full power. They could have dealt with Psychopathor, BUT Ortega would be a bigger risk than the Special Directive. Even if the latter was dangerous, their minds are still readable.

Considering that we can spend time at the RO's apartments, will we ever be able to invite them to our apartment if it's not our base?

Yes.

After sexy times with Ortega, Sidestep has the option to thank them for showing them that it doesn't have to be horrible. Would something similar be possible with the other ROs?

Yeah.

Morbid question, but say if someone tried to stab Anathema in the eyes. What would happen? 

Thonk! It would bounce. Or, more likely, twist and slide, which would be uncomfortable. Like an eyelash under your eyelid. Gross and uncomfortable, but not harming them.

Ignore if it’s spoilers, but is it possible to solve major problems in Los Diablos? E.g. Refugee problem, emaciated boosted/modded populations forsaken by the gov, major systemic issues, etc, irregardless of what type of villain we choose to be?

Depends. I don't think that what you pick in book two will cut you out from dealing with this, but there will be other choices later which might. Some paths are more straightforward than others. Both Anarchist and Boss are focused on a grander scale, and will have easier chances to affect grand changes (but for different reasons). Hunter and Thief are more individual/self-centered (with the exception of prepare_them Hunter) but might affect change anyway if they make the right contacts. Some Sidesteps might not care, but enable others who do to change stuff. I try not to cut people off from content early on.

Will we ever get to pet a kitty? 

That sounds like a good thing to add.

How do cats feel to Sidestep, do they like them? 

It depends on what mood Sidestep is in. Cats are more sensitive to that than dogs.

Are there other diorders, apart from epilepsy, that negate telepathy?

Probably a few, but not as common.

Sorry if it been cleared up before, but how are you handling RO's sexuality? I remember that you mentioned they'll be morę fluid since it's a game, but f!Step is supposed to be only a friend to Chen. Did you then simply meant Ortega and Herald Bi awakening?

The only hard lock I have is for F!Sidestep and Chen. Anything else is possible.

If it's not a spoiler. How would Psychopather react if he found out Sidestep had stolen his rats and become a villain? 

He would be livid. Frothing at the mouth bellowing "Sidestep?" livid. He'd never live that down.

What would some of the other villains think about Sidestep going villain?

Most would be incredulous. Even more so with the Imposing or Terrifying armor. The other two, they could see, but yeah... that is not something people saw coming.

From the demo there is non-enhanced vigilante. How common are non-enhanced vigilantes?   What about non enhanced heroes and villains? 

There are a few, especially vigilantes. There are some heroes and villains as well, a well-made armor can even the scales quite a bit. But most have some minor enhancements, especially neural connections to better connect to their armor and equipment. 

If fallen hero were to get a live-action adaptation, who would you cast as which characters?

I am terrible at faces and names, I have no idea who I would cast. That's what casting directors are for!

If Alpha Level Telepath Sidestep joined the Rangers, what would the PR team have proposed renaming their hero name to, if they didn’t need to keep their telepathy a secret?

OOOOOhhhh. I could see something like "Nexus" or "Psion". Something simple and sleek, avoiding the more manipulative hints.

What is Ortega’s father’s name? How old was he when he died?

Enrique Salvador García Trevino. Sometimes called Rico by his friends. He was 55 when he died.

What piece (of his art) is Herald most proud of?

I think it's his Los Diablos sketches. That's something he does in his spare time, charcoal and pencil, often from weird vantage points up high. He keeps wanting to make something more elaborate, but he lacks the confidence right now since it's been years. Oil is cool but also permanent.

This may have been answered before:  What are the highest the Subtle Manipulation and Strength of Mind stats can get in Book 1 and again in Book 2?  Are they exclusive of each other or can they both be raised?

Honestly? I am not sure. Everything I think I know, someone manages another percent. High eighties for sure, think someone managed 90+ in Subtle. They are not exclusive, but in general, you get higher if you focus on one. It is slightly easier to raise Subtle. They both have their uses, and having both balanced can also be good. A high value can be dangerous as well as powerful. 

Are Re-genes able to have biological children? Are they sterilized just to make sure things like that aren’t a worry in the first place? I could imagine that menstrual cycles could be a bother, and something that the scientists don’t want to have to deal with, so how are those handled?

Re-Genes, like most boosts, tends to be sterile, or have problems with miscarrying. Menstrual cycles are controlled with hormones, and with the stressful life of Re-Genes, most stop having them.

A while ago you listed some comics and media that gave some inspo for fhr. I zoomed through a good portion of those comics/shows and think doom patrol and zenith were my favs! 

What about those comics did you particularly like/are there any more comics you recommend? Thank you for all the good reading material by the way!!!

What do I like about them? I mean that's a long discussion, but both have a combination of good character writing, art, dealing with characters outside the norm, nice dialogue and some serious worldbendy curveballs. I love comics that teases my imagination. Also words. Good words.

Some other comics worth checking out that are adjacent to my Fallen Hero mood:

One Punch Man (One), but read the webcomic, not the prettified manga! Seriously, the raw energy and panel design is amazing, and I feel like that gets lost when other people draw it.

Hellblazer (mostly the Jamie Delano original run) for the mood.

Nemesis the Warlock (Pat Mills), for the attitude.

Charlie's War (Pat Mills), probably my favorite war comic.

Tekkonkinkreet (Taiyō Matsumoto), think it was known as Black and White in the US.

Mister X (Jaime Hernandez and others), because of the City.

Nextwave, Agents of H.A.T.E (Warren Ellis), for the style.

Bratpack (Rick Veitch), tear down your heroes.

Hawkeye (David Aja and Matt fraction), the mood and visual design is on point.

Anime (since I didn't have this last time)

Paranoia Agent (even if you don't watch it, look up the intro on youtube. Just DO IT.)

Tiger and Bunny (a classic, this is corporate heroes indeed)

Concrete Revolution (got the ending truncated, but still a cool superhero treatise the Japanese way. very political.)

Deca-Dence (not spoiling anything, but it is relevant and good)

Fire Force (also a manga, which I binged). The fight scenes are tasty, and the manga gets seriously weird.

How is Psychopathor pronounced? Psycho-PATHOR? PSYCHO-pather? Psy-KOPA-thor? Psychopa-THOR?

I pronounce it as the first one, but I am Swedish and probably wrong.

What do SD regenes do when they are not on duty? What are living conditions like for working regenes? 

They are confined to their base/quarters. The living conditions are spartan, and they are always on duty. They have very little time for themselves. Idle hands and all that...

Do the ROs celebrate Valentines day?  What do they like to do? Who would still celebrate if they were single? 

Once again, my lack of knowledge of holiday things strikes. I really have no idea how people in general celebrate that, it's not a big thing here. But I think we can all agree that Ortega would make a production of it.

Will we have the choice to take the Boost drug again? 

No. That's outside the scope of this story.

what does being a corporate hero entail? what's in a typical workday for them?

It's a bit of a cross between being an influencer, paid spokesperson and security guard. Depending on the company, the focus will be more on one part of the other. There is no typical workday. Some might spend most their time in scheduled promotion events, never seeing much real action. Others might be more akin to bodyguards, protecting company properties or personnel. Some are close to free agents or vigilantes, fighting crime with a sponsorship.

If we mess up enough in the future, will we possibly lose even more body parts?

Probably.

Who debuted first Sidestep or Ashfall?

Ashfall, but not by much.

The Los Diablos rangers have had three different marshals over the years: marshal Hood (late), marshal Charge (former) and marshal Steel (current). I imagine that being the Marshal is quite different from being only a "regular" ranger (If such a thing exists, they all seem very unique) and I've been wanting to know more about the following:

How did each marshals style of leadership differ from their precursors/successors? Was any marshal more/less popular with the team/public/government and why?

Hood was very much rooted in the disaster years post the Big One. He was big on cooperation, building bridges with the city government and making Los Diablos a better place to live. A lot of construction efforts and disaster mitigation too. Charge became a lot more focused on fighting actual Villains, in no small part because of Hood's death. Less focused on Los Diablos, and more on taking down the people that threatened civilians. Here teamwork became more mutable, with many smaller teams within the team. Steel has tried to rebuild the political connections, and get the Rangers back in order after Heartbreak. A lot has been damage mitigation, and taking more of a backseat role for the team. It's hard to judge popularity, but Charge switched between most/least popular fast. The public liked them best, because hey, Ortega. Hood had been there since the start, so he was seen as a fixture. Best liked by the team because he genuinely tried to work with everybody's strengths. Steel is the most anonymous, but best liked by the government since he makes an effort to work with them.

During which years did each marshal lead the rangers, what made them accept the position as team leader and which was the biggest crisis they each had to resolve during their time in command? Do/did they have a nemesis?

Hood accepted because he saw the need for the Rangers, and the funds he could get through the program. Better to be inside and control the direction. Charge accepted because they wanted revenge, and this gave them a position of power. Steel accepted because he realized there was nobody else, unless they would bring in a complete outsider. And he didn't want that.

The biggest crisis for Hood was The Void's attempt at taking over Los Diablos early on. For Charge it was the Nanosurge. For Steel it was the Heartbreak fallout. Both in his injuries, the team's near collapse, and the massive outbreak of violence that followed in Heartbreak's wake. Hood's nemesis would be The Void, Charge has Hollow Ground, and Steel tries to avoid all that.

Who do you consider the most effective marshal and for what reason? What were their different strengths and weaknesses as a leader?

The most effective Marshal was Hood. Mainly because he was focused, a good leader, and a powerful enough boosts that even the companies and politicians were forced to listen. Got a lot of things done through... well, not exactly threats, because he was nice about it. But he's an imposing man, and you don't mess with earth powers.

Hood was a good leader, but sometimes didn't see the trees for the forest. Charge was a charismatic tactician, who could punch above their weight class and make others do the same. Lacked an overview of the bigger picture though. Steel thinks before he acts, and has more pull than people think. He rarely uses what leverage he's got however.

What was Step's telepathic range pre-Heartbreak?

Pre-Nanosurge, perhaps a 100 yards or so. After, maybe 300 yards, but a longer when picking up threats intensely focuse on them or their friends (like a sniper).

What were the Rangers’ first impressions of Sidestep? 

Squirrely little thing, well-trained, but needs to eat more. Possibly homeless. Weird.

Is Lord Ember's real name Francis?

That sounds like a lame name for a villain, doesn't it? The kind of name you'd like to keep secret.

Ok, i know that it'll be.. a strange one. But someone should ask that... if I remember correctly, Step's nightmares can affect others. But will Step's horny dreams affect others in any way? 

It might already have done so. But, joking aside, it is probably best for their surroundings that Sidestep has spent so little time sleeping.

I know we can't know what the inscription on Sidestep's grave is yet... but can we know who wrote it? 

Ortega. They saw what the media team had suggested, crumpled the paper and supplied their own.

Is Vitruvian really dead? 

Yes. Very dead. If not, Dr. Mortum would have had a new project on top of their list of priorities.

May we hug and/or reunite [in a friendly way] with Pyroclast? Can we thank him for caring like we did Ortega?

I am planning to bring him in eventually, and if I do, that will be one of the possible reactions.

Are we ever gonna find out what happened to/meet back up with Sunstream?

Who knows? It's not a main part of the book. I have no plans, but plans might change.

The scene where Sidestep meets Ortega again for the first time in Rebirth is deceptively subtle in the text, but Sidestep is still experiencing very strong emotions. Did Sidestep unwittingly deal some psychic damage to the customers in that coffee-shop as a result?

Certainly to the more sensitive ones. Though, damage might not be the right word. Anxiety, fear and maybe that wistful wish to reconnect with that friend you haven't seen in ages. Maybe Sidestep actually caused some people to reach out that wouldn't have done so otherwise.

Sorry if this has been answered elsewhere, but how long (months, years?) was Heartbreak held by the people who experimented on them?

A nice and subtle question, which I won't answer, because the answer might reveal/affirm certain theories.

What kinda boosting process did Step go through? 

We'll get into that in the game, so be patient.

What does the typical farm meal schedule in a week look like?

The meals is probably the best way to tell time, because the schedule repeats. It's three meals a day, 07.00, 12.00 and 18.00. The morning meals are always the same, oatmeal with soy milk and a protein shake. Vitamins and medications given separately to ensure they are taken. 

The noon meal is always vegetarian, rice with beans and vegetables. 

The evening meals rotate on the following schedule: Day 1, rice and seafood. Day 2, pasta and reconstituted meat stew.

Day 3, potatoes and chicken. Then repeat.

The meals are not bad, if not very spicy. They are the greatest source of joy at the Farm, and a major punishment is to be barred from mealtime and be fed separately. Then the food is tasteless but nutritious, various pastes and the like. If the Farm uses any carrots, the food is it. On occasion, special treats can be rewarded for good behavior or exemplary performance. Bread is the most common. A Re-Gene probably eats more animal protein than the average Los Diablos citizen.

That lore post about re-genes makes me think... "Retirement" re-genes, when their AI chip is extracted, are they still conscious until the very end? Or, after extracting the chip, they already, in fact, do not live, do not remember and do not realize anything?

They are "retired" before the AI chip is extracted. That's a procedure that's almost certainly lethal anyway.

I know you said that there are extra factors influencing non-regene boosts, but I’m curious which stimuli would most closely correspond to the stressors boosts such as Herald and Argent were under at the point of their boosts kicking in?

Epinephrine injections to simulate adrenaline response. Applying physical damage. 

Does any external recording of the HB incident exist (camera, sound, whatever), or will we only ever explore it through the subjective perspective of the people involved?

Yes. Yes it does.

What was Anathema's fighting style? Did they train often, or was that not really necessary?

Like all the Rangers, Anathema trained for hand to hand combat. However, they were never really good, they were rather clumsy in fact. Still, they were a good target dummy.

Look.... I have to know: if Ortega stuck a fork in an outlet, what would happen.

Quick charge for their batteries.

What happened to Step's energy caster?

You'll know in book three.

Have the research for putting minds/brains into mechanical bodies continued, or have they halted with the regene project having more success?

It has continued, but there has been no major breakthrough. It's rumored that the EU has some interesting new theories.

When were the Guardians formed?

2018

Silly question time, back in the day when Sentinel would scoop Step off the streets, what was his preferred carry method?  Huggy cling?  Piggyback?  Bridal style?  Something else? 

Huggy cling if unprepared, but piggyback for longer rides. It's rather chaotic riding the wind, and it's easy to interfere with his wingsuit. It's not needed for flight, but it helps a lot with effort and stability.

What was Anathema's civilian name?

Classified.

I can't hold it in anymore, I have to ask, was Bo the Crack??

Not exactly.

Can you tell us more about Vernon? What happened to the people he cared about? What does he do now? Does he still have... on-going projects?

Vernon lost a lot of friends when he lost his job. He's not an easy person to be around, and it's testament to Mia's thick skin that she has. He's got plenty of projects, but few people to talk about them to. The people that knew him think that he has spiraled into bitter paranoia and conspiracy theories.

i was digging around in the art gallery scene and now you've got me wondering, is there a time when Danny has given out a fake name and it's backfired? And if he doesn't like to use fake names, but also wants to go unrecognised, what on earth does he do when he wants to like place an order for something?

I think it most certainly has backfired. Danny isn't that good at running separate identities, he fells very awkward trying to do so. He tends to accept that he gets recognized and trying to deal with it as it comes. It can be annoying, but it's simpler in the long run. 

How far has AI tech gone? How are AI’s created? Is it say feasible to create an AI that acts/behaves like someone else?

How much of regenes is the AI chip v a brain doing whatever is it that brains do to conceptualize a sense of self?

Have there been experiments to implement an AI chip in a non-regene brain before? If yes, what kind of effect did it have? 

This is probably a whole lore post coming eventually, but essentially what is called functioning AI are advanced logarithms that can function without human input for longer periods of time. Outside the EU, the US army is the greatest user of AI. It's mostly implemented in aerial vehicles, because the size can be dropped when you don't have to account for a soldier. For example, the army has hive AI's running drone swarms that can fly in and scout areas without a signal to guide them, adjust for changing circumstances, and make decisions whether to return or eliminate. AI is heavily used in the financial market, for research and development, and for long range simulations.

A simpler version of the Re-Gene AI is the various neural chips people use to connect directly to machinery. While not technically AI, they are more "assisted intelligence," closer to what the anonymous nervous system is for unmodded humans.

There are experiments connecting human minds to an outside AI through a neural link, to enable them to draw on the AI's vast resource of knowledge and computation capacity.

It is theorized that the Re-Gene's AI chip gets less important as time passes, and the organic neural network takes over the load. It has been shown that older Re-Genes are far more flexible and capable than newly trained one, even though their AI is the same.

Does argent ever morph her features into things that are less for immediate function and more just for fun? Like could she change her face into something that'd fall under the uncanny valley, or something resembling a mask, for example?

Yes, she could, but she changes only her hair and limbs. Never her facial features. She could, though.

What's the story behind that time Step had to cauterize Ortega's wound with a dagger? 👀

Oh that was during the fight with the Void. Not the best times. Might tell the story eventually, but not here.

What were Rosie and Bo up to during the Heartbreak and Nanovore incident? If they were around, how do they remember it?

They were running for their lives with everyone else that tries to evacuate the city. It was terrifying, too many people, no way out, and knowing that was coming for you.

Not sure if this has ever been asked, but what are the Rangers, Mortum, and the HG trios favorite color? My bet is Mortum likes orange

Mortum: Orange. Ortega: Red. Chen: Red. Herald: Blue. Argent: Pink. HG: Maroon. Nocturne: Gold. Jake: Green.

Is Mitchell boosted in a way that helps him create and keep his files?

No.

Did HB escape from the Core?

As much as anybody can.

Would Ortega choose to be modded if they had more of a choice in the matter and they knew where their life would lead? (e.g. they knew they would be saddled w/ debt and that heartbreak would happen, etc.)

If they knew the good parts too, the would have. In a heartbeat.

You've said before that Sidestep is visually-oriented — that they see mindscapes as they do because they think in symbols and landscapes. Off the top of your head, if the characters of the main cast had the same powers as Sidestep, how would they "see" mindscapes? How do they think? 

Herald would be the most similar, he's also very visual. Argent would sense more than see, she'd know things but be unable to say how. Ortega would see it as a lot more abstract, facts and words connecting. Would probably see everything filtered through their own mindscape. More words than pictures. Chen wouldn't enter someone's mind, he'd see more overlay on the real world, revealing moods or thoughts. Like augmented reality. Mortum would be full immersion, putting themselves in the other person's memories and reliving as their own.

When did Ashfall debut on the LD vigilante scene?

2008, slightly before Sidestep.

For Steps who panicked and passed out when Herald picked them up that first time, is that information he'd ever use against a revealed villain Step?

You really think Herald would do that to you?

How long after decanting do shiny new regenes tend to go out on their first mission?  Does it vary between combat regenes and cuckoos?

It varies a lot. It could be six months for some, two years for others. What matters is that they pass muster, learn how to use their powers and act as a team.

In the Mitchell’s guide entry on Bo, Tina talks about him letting his enhancements go to waste and he says he couldn’t afford to keep them all running.  Which does he keep running?  And if it’s not too spoilery, could you maybe tell us about any that are no longer relevant to his current career?

The ones still active are the scanner/GPS ones, enhanced reflexes, and the mods needed to connect to the car. In short, things usable for his current job as a driver. Maybe we'll get into the others in game, not going to talk about them here.

How long was Herald working as a vigilante before he landed his first corporate gig?

Not long, a few months.

How long did it take Step to get back to LD after their second escape?

A while. Probably a couple of months. Could be more depending on the Sidestep.

What's the first thing the rangers + mortum notice when meeting someone new?

Ortega: Are they relaxed or not?

Chen: Stance. Threat level.

Argent: Roving eyes?

Herald: Do they meet his eyes?

Mortum: Mods. Glasses scans automatically.

Have there been experiments of removing a regenes AI chip? Especially with ones who have been given time where their brains sorta “acclimate” to the chip?

No, they are too expensive to ruin for frivolous experiments.

If they know someone's "mindvoice" or imprint, could Sidestep track them by parsing through/filtering the others and focusing on what they're looking for? If yes, what's the approximate extent of their radius? Could they track a static brain (pinpointing void in the noise)? Could they track Locus's mind, despite having not "heard" her mind in a while? 

Yes. The Radius depends on the Force value, the skill in finding the track is Subtle Manipulations. Sidestep tracks "thought voids" in the encounter with the Special Directive. However, these are not truly static minds, they are just heavily drugged and shielded. Ortega would be a lot harder. Locus might be trackable, but telepaths tends to be heavily shielded, so it would be nearly impossible. 

Could the paingate technology be used to block other things related to the brain? Memories, reactions, telepathic abilities, etc?

Possibly other sensory experiences, but pain is the simplest.

If it’s not too much in the way of spoilers, could we get some Sullivan family lore?

Oh that is entirely spoilers I'm afraid.

Who are they that Daniel expected step would recognize the name?

See the answer above.

What is the Rangers' policy in the event of civilian deaths directly caused by one of the team members? What about infrastructure damage? Have Steel, Ortega, Sentinel or Anathema been involved in civilian deaths or collateral damage public scandals, like Argent has / can be?

They are insured, and in fact, Hood in particular was very into rebuilding damage done regardless of whether they were responsible or not. But yeah, all that comes from the PR budget. There has been incidents and accidents, it's a violent world, but it tends to go away with enough money. Most of the time it's easier to contain than what Argent did.