What is FREd?

[Rerednaw]

I've seen several references to this and I was wondering what it is. I take it is an acronym for a supplement of some kind.

Cheers.

[Hermit]

Fifth Rules Edition... but it's name actually started off as a tongue in cheek comment by Steve who said "You can call it Fred for all I care" :) Or something like that

[Agent Escafarc]

To make a "Long" story short(if you want the full storie do a search and you will find a mor detailed report)
Fred stands for Fifth Rules EDtion

By the way like the sig.

[Derek Hiemforth]

I actually like "Fantastic Roleplaying Encyclopedia by DOJ." ;)

Here's a more complete history that I wrote for the Haymaker APAzine a while back...


For the benefit of anyone who hasn’t heard the etymology of the nickname “FREd” for the HERO System 5th Edition (or FRED or Fred, etc.), here’s the story…

As it became clear that DOJ was actually going to publish this blasted book, a thread sprang up on the message boards at herogames.com concerning what its nickname should be (in the manner that "BBB" became the nickname for the 4th Edition Champions hardcover). Steve Long posted a reply at one point, offering his thoughts and then saying, "Heck, as long as you buy a copy, you can call it "Fred" as far as I'm concerned. :)"

The name stuck.

In an effort to tie the new nickname to the actual product, acronyms were retroactively applied. The two that appear to be the most popular are "Fifth Rules EDition" and "Fifth Revised EDition."

[Hermit]

Paul Harvey Voice: "And now you know the rest of the story . Good day!"

[TheImperialKhan]

It's a silly name that Steve unfortunately blurted out without realizing how far it would go.:p

Derek very kindly printed the long explanation above. He's such a good egg. :)

Myself I perfer the term 5E for 5th Edition. It has fewer letters and a much less convoluted explanation. It also doesn't make non-gamers look at me funny when I call it that. :D

[Acroyear]

I'm one of the "5th" snobs.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Originally posted by TheImperialKhan
Derek very kindly printed the long explanation above. He's such a good egg. :)Whew! Now I won't be joining Veruca Salt in the garbage chute. :)


Myself I perfer the term 5E for 5th Edition.I do too, generally. (Or H5E.) :)

[Hermit]

Originally posted by TheImperialKhan

It also doesn't make non-gamers look at me funny when I call it that. :D
Bah, that's part of the fun! :)
Though admitedly when you talk about 'selling FREd' or 'buying FREd' some wonder what kinky #$#$ you've gotten into.

"Fred says so"

[TheImperialKhan]

Originally posted by Derek Hiemforth
Whew! Now I won't be joining Veruca Salt in the garbage chute. :)

Much as I hate to admit it you've just gone waaaaayyyyy over my head with that one.

What is Veruca Salt and why is it in the garbage chute? :confused:

[Hermit]

Originally posted by TheImperialKhan
Much as I hate to admit it you've just gone waaaaayyyyy over my head with that one.

What is Veruca Salt and why is it in the garbage chute? :confused:
Think "Willy Wonka" :)

[TheImperialKhan]

Originally posted by Hermit
Bah, that's part of the fun! :)
Though admitedly when you talk about 'selling FREd' or 'buying FREd' some wonder what kinky #$#$ you've gotten into.

"Fred says so"

To be honest I wouldn't dare try it in public. :D

I guess my problem is it seems kinda childish to me.

It's one of the things that makes my friend MisterBaldy look at me and exclaim "Khan, you're a dinosaur!"

To which I invariably reply "And damn proud of it, Baldy Boy!" :D

[TheImperialKhan]

Originally posted by Hermit
Think "Willy Wonka" :)

Haven't seen it in years but I think I get the picture.

Thanks, Hermit

BTW you don't have a friend named Herman do you? :D

And if you get the reference then you're almost as old as I am.

And I'm older than dirt! Everyone says so. :D

[Hermit]

Originally posted by TheImperialKhan
Haven't seen it in years but I think I get the picture.

Thanks, Hermit

BTW you don't have a friend named Herman do you? :D

And if you get the reference then you're almost as old as I am.

And I'm older than dirt! Everyone says so. :D
Never cared for Pee Wee's Play house... the Barney of his time.
Or do you mean the poor guy who had a TV show about his head?
If I date myself any more, folks will think my relationship is serious.

[TheImperialKhan]

Originally posted by Hermit
Never cared for Pee Wee's Play house... the Barney of his time.
Or do you mean the poor guy who had a TV show about his head?
If I date myself any more, folks will think my relationship is serious.

Actually I was thinking of a British musical group of my long-lost youth. Back before they lit the sun. You know back in the 60s. :D

The group was called "Herman's Hermits". The funny thing was there was nobody named Herman in it. :confused:

[Derek Hiemforth]

In the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, there's a very spoiled little bratty girl named Veruca Salt (from whence the band gets its name). In one scene, there are geese that lay golden eggs, and a device that analyzes each egg to see if it's good or not. Veruca gets up on the device, it judges her to be a "bad egg," and she goes down the garbage chute. :)

[KA.]

Originally posted by TheImperialKhan
Actually I was thinking of a British musical group of my long-lost youth. Back before they lit the sun. You know back in the 60s. :D

The group was called "Herman's Hermits". The funny thing was there was nobody named Herman in it. :confused:

I am Henery the Eighth, I am!:)

KA.

[lemming]

Originally posted by Acroyear
I'm one of the "5th" snobs.

I'll be in the library drinking a fine scotch while reading my 5th.

[TheImperialKhan]

Originally posted by Derek Hiemforth
In the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, there's a very spoiled little bratty girl named Veruca Salt (from whence the band gets its name). In one scene, there are geese that lay golden eggs, and a device that analyzes each egg to see if it's good or not. Veruca gets up on the device, it judges her to be a "bad egg," and she goes down the garbage chute. :)

Gee I can't possibly see why :confused: :D :D :D

[TheImperialKhan]

Originally posted by KA.
I am Henery the Eighth, I am!:)

KA.

KA You mean you were around then too?

Back when the sun was just a cloud of gas and all the 1st and 2nd generation suns were making fun of him, saying he was too small to amount to anything. :D

[JmOz]

Funny, I thought it was a refrence to "Yogi's First Christmas" where one of the "villains" of the piece is a Hermit named Herman (I think, it has been YEARS)

[keithcurtis]

Just to muddy the waters, I say "5E" when I speak of the latest rules revision and "FREd" when I mean the physical rulebook.

Keith "Veruca is Latin for wart" Curtis

[Crimson-Hawk]

Originally posted by keithcurtis
Keith "Veruca is Latin for wart" Curtis

Keith, that scares me. It scares me that they could have made oblique references like that fully knowing that only a true scholar like yourself would catch it. ;)

[lemming]

Originally posted by Crimson-Hawk
Keith, that scares me. It scares me that they could have made oblique references like that fully knowing that only a true scholar like yourself would catch it. ;)

Willy Wonka Facts (http://www.borg.com/~superman/Facts.html)

Roald Dahl was a strange guy.