I was thinking of some stuff to add to this story i've been working on for a while and i started considering if my mains should keep what they are a secret (they have the possibility to become gods one day, but for now they just have an assortment of magical powers including the ability to travel an alternate world and "awaken" the powers within others)

I'm thinking that they would tell people but try to keep it quiet cause it would be annoying to be hounded all the time, and also later on it helps because they get competition for the god status.

but i've seen some stuff which i find odd, alot of the claims for having the two identities separate are for protection. you don't want the bad guy attacking you all the time, you don't want them to be able to find your family, etc.

then i watch power rangers and i've got to say the villain was the biggest idiot ever. he not only knows their identities, but he doesn't even try to take out a family member until said family member accidentally finds out his brother is a power ranger.

So i need to ask, if the villain knows the secret identity of the good guys does it matter if anyone else finds out?

Wow thats a long way to ask a simple question

If the evil is a clever evil and knows the "secret identity" of the good ones, I do hope he goes and eats them with potatoes

I, personally, wouldn't base any story-telling decisions on what I saw on the Power Rangers. The Power Rangers are, in my opinion, crap.

Now as to your question about whether it would really matter anymore who knew a superhero's secret identity if the villans found out... It depends. Are the superheros going to catch the villan before he tells the world? That happens all the time in movies and cartoons. Superhero fights a supervillan who somehow finds out who he really is, usually the villan will keep the advantage to himself for a while because villans are notoriously short-sighted and arrogant and want to destroy the superhero themselves (often using the information in some elaborate plan involving the a member of the superhero's family/friends). However this always backfires because the superhero always manages to defeat the villan (because, duh, he's the superhero!) and either kill him or incapacitate him in some way that would make it unlikely anyone would ever believe him if he told. Then all the superhero has to worry about is that one family member/friend who now knows, but they love him so much they always forgive him for lying and keeping secrets.

Of course, I think it'd be fun to write a story with a scenerio that didn't follow that formula... Where the superhero has to deal with the sudden complete loss of his 'normal' life and family and friends who actually feel betrayed by his lies and secrets on top of all the villans he's ever fought coming after him and his now slightly estranged family and friends all the time.

First, to answer your question: I liked how the first Spiderman demonstrated how a villan should treat knowing a hero's identity: All rules are off, EVERYBODY DIES! He only failed because he underestimated Spiderman's abilities (He should've dropped the kids then, held the girl and, while Spiderman JUST saved the kids, slit the throat of the girl. The deal with the grandmother was smart, though). A villan that plays games and lets the good guy have a chance either should not be THAT serious about winning or else needs a rewrite.

An idea for a slight spin on the matter: perhaps a reason why they want to hide is because the general world HATES the gods-to-be as much as they hate the villans. It can be a simple matter of "We know about what you're capable of and we don't like it. DIE all of you!".

Then give the people the ability to destroy a person that find out about. Maybe make sure the villans/heros aren't strong enough to handle lynch mobs and normal weapons yet.

Suddenly identity hiding becomes absolutely critical. If EITHER side knows who you are then they can just gather a mob of folks to tear you apart. Battles would be less "Mighy Morphin" and more "assassination and supsicion" style. The heros must, first, find out who the bad guys are and either gather enough evidence to convince the public or find a way to assassinate the buy guy without getting caught. The enemy, meanwhile, must do the same to survive. Both sides, meanwhile, are trying to become Gods and, thus, no longer will have to live in fear anymore.

As for how everyone will act towards each other? Go read the Taint Wars threads and imagine a third side as strong as the mafia but 'good' BUT still hated by the town. Everyone trying to become victorious and everyone more powerful than the Town but still fearing the town's power to kill.

You spelled heroes wrong.

concerning secret identities: Lois Lane is the most monumentally stupid woman in the DC universe. 'Nuff said

Wasn't she just?

I was only using Power Rangers as an example of a bad choice in this matter

lol in the other world every act of good ness makes the bad guys stronger (hehe balanced see)
Also i'm thinking the gods will slowly reveal who they are as they try to awaken mortals to take care of menial tasks like defending links between the worlds.

I am planning one part where they decide to call an assembly at their school and a "coincidental" storm brews as they "suggest" no one reveal their secret. one would probably say something along the lines of "we wouldn't like that very much" as lightning reduces a nearby shelter to ashes.