Book layouts

[Bartman]

I was just reading Brand Robbin's review of Star Hero (http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/9/9305.phtml) and saw one thing I think deserves comment.

However, there are times when the simple layout of Star Hero does make it more difficult to use in game, and that I cannot forgive. The chapter “Example Vehicles” is a good example of this. The stats for the vehicles run into each other with only a single black line and a bold title to separate them. This makes the pages look jammed and intelligent, but also makes it difficult to tell at a single glance which stat-block for which ship you are looking at. Twice in playtest I nearly confused the Merchant Ship’s Computer’s stats with the main stats for the Fighter, because they are right next to each other on the page with clear break.
I fully and wholeheartedly agree with this. I realize there are very good reasons why characters, etc. are done they way they are in the 5th Ed books. And as a whole I love the current layout style. But the current character layout is very hard to read. And I find it to be something that reduces the value of the books for me. As further books are put together I would strongly encourage Hero to develop a more readable character style.

Just my 2¢ of course. But I figure there is nothing wrong with offering some feedback.

[Lord Liaden]

I mentioned this just today on another board: I've seen Brand Robbins make this comment before, in reference to how the character stats of the villains in Conquerors, Killers and Crooks may run over multiple pages and sometimes abut each other without a readily-visible separation. I also think that this is a point worth considering. Many GMs like to run major characters in-game reading them from the books they appear in. As Brand pointed out, making up separate character sheets with the pertinent info and then printing them out is time-consuming.

You're right, Bartman, there may be good and sufficient reason for Hero to do it this way, but if it could be kept in mind for future products, it would help make great books even better. :)

[Al_Beddow]

I've been going through and inputting all the characters, vehicles and stuff I want to use into HeroDesigner. This allows me to just print off a standard character sheet without a problem.

[Bartman]

Originally posted by Al_Beddow
I've been going through and inputting all the characters, vehicles and stuff I want to use into HeroDesigner. This allows me to just print off a standard character sheet without a problem.

Yes which means you have put extra money (into HD) and time into something that you really shouldn't need to. If I use Classic Enemies, I can just toss a sticky note into the book to record stun/body/end and to mark the page. Or even better exercise fair use and photocopy the villian of the evening. (S)He is all on one page in an already usable format. With CKC for many of the characters this is not a viable option.

[Derek Hiemforth]

I actually prefer the current model. I find that it allows the overall layout of the book to flow better, because it doesn't require that it be broken up or contrived to allow for big immobile boxes. YMMV. :)

[JohnTaber]

I'm actually reading CKC now so this topic is...um...topical for me. :)

I agree with Bartman. It would be nice if the stuff in CKC (and Star Hero) was easier to photocopy out. I often do this so I can write on the sheets to add EP and such. With overlapping pages it makes it tougher.

I dunno...I know this is not TOTALLY related but I'm also a big one for SHORTER stories and such. I would rather see Enemies material closer to the old style (i.e. limited to 1 or 2 pages each). That way you can fit more per book, you can taylor them to fit your world, and they are easier to photocopy. I know I'm probably in the minority here but I wanted to throw out my $0.02...

[Talon]

I have to say that I really really like the new standard for story length. More is better.

I think it would be nice if the stats themselves were more friendly to photocopying and/or running out of the book, even though it's not something that would stop me (I'd either buy the HD pack or enter it myself).

Actually, I'd lobby even stronger for some sort of summary block, like the summary info for equipment that crept into Terran Empire and Star Hero, which would give you the basics of the character without all the points. /That/ could be made small enough to photocopy, with the full writeup serving as a reference.

[AndyM]

I'm currently working on a way to better display the information in Hero books. We will not be cutting down on the information given -- but changes will be made to make the informaiton easier to access. (As well as making the pages flow better.)

Most likely, you won't see any changes until Fantasy Hero or the FH Grimoire.

I'm probably going to be asking for suggestions in the near future. Watch this space ... or something like that.

Thanks -- Andy Mathews

[Talon]

<Mr. Burns>

Excellent.

</Mr. Burns>

[Bartman]

Good news. Thanks Andy.

[keithcurtis]

Thanks Andy, I'm sure the teeming hordes will be pleased.

Keith "teem-teem-teem" Curtis

[Lord Liaden]

Gotta love the responsiveness of management around here. :D

Much appreciated, Mr. Mathews. I'll be watching this and other spaces.

[JohnTaber]

Thanks Andy! As usual...Hero listens.

[Nato]

I picked up Freedom City a few weeks ago, and thought that the way the characters were laid on in the back of the book was somewhat confusing. People complained about CKC because some of the pictures didn't land on the same page as the write-ups. Well in Freedom City, hardly ANY of the portraits were on the same write-ups. And some of the were hard at first to match up with the proper write-up. At least on a casual flip through the pages. I think if they had put the name of the character under the portrait it would have solved the problem. What this has to do with Hero layout I have no clue. I just had a gripe about part of the book and thought It somewhat fit here. Now I'm rambling. Heh. Anyway, I'm all for fitting things on one page, or maybe even a double-page spread. Since most of the CKC write-ups were more than a page, maybe this a two-page spread per character would work. Have the Mechanical write-up on the left page. Then start the background write-up which would take up a collumn in on the left page and flow to the right page. Then plop the portrait on the right collumn of the second page. Then when I want to use a character in game, I could just open the book and have all the character info on those two page spreads. If that makes any sense. Oh well, keep up the good work Andy.

[Killer Shrike]

A few points:

{clears throat; realises thats pointless; cracks fingers}

The new clean & crisp layout makes me happy. On particularly sad days I sometimes sit down with all of my HERO books and just lay them open randomly. The ordered layout brings calm to the chaos which is life and eases stress in an almost magical way. Occasionally I even rub my face across the pages in a (futile) attempt to absorb some of thier gloriously organized perfection into myself, hoping against hope that some of it will 'rub off' on me.

However, though I obviously dearly love each and everyone of my little HERO System pets I will agree that at times some of the page breaks and layout decisions do cause me occasional distress. Sometimes this distress leaves me cursing and swearing, with Ill admit some sporadic rampaging and perhaps a smidge of abuse meted out on inanimate objects. At such times I usually just hug my Questionite-constructed FREd to my chest and rock back and forth in the fetal position until my unseemly ire has passed.


All that aside, for in game I usually will run copies off from Hero Designer's Character Packs. Works great. ;)