Steve Long
Feb 11th, '08, 05:52 AM
Hi folx! As I mentioned in the Introduction, there are some rules for the 6E discussion board that go beyond what we normally use for the boards as a whole. Please follow them as scrupulously as you can so the discussion remains as productive as possible for me. They’re listed in no particular order.
These rules have the same force and effect as the overall Rules of Conduct for the Hero Discussion Boards. So, if you violate them, you may get warnings or infractions. I don’t like to be harsh about things, but if this conversation isn’t conducted in a reasonable, civil manner it’s not going to be of any use to me.
1. This discussion is for RULES ISSUES ONLY. At this time I’m not interested in discussing any issues pertaining to topics such as presentation, artwork, hardcover vs. softcover, or anything else like that. Right now we are discussing rules, and rules only. If we think it will be helpful we’ll start a separate discussion about other issues at a future date.
(If your response to this is, “But I can’t discuss so-and-so without knowing thus-and-so!,” then you should consider how to reformulate your post or whether you should be posting it at all. There’s no post appropriate for this forum that requires you to know anything other than the HERO System rules.)
2. If you’re new to a particular discussion, read everything in that thread before posting. Please don’t waste your time or mine posting something that’s already been said.
(If your response to this is, “But I don’t have time to read the whole thread!”, then don’t post. This is a serious discussion for people who think seriously about these issues and are willing to take the time and energy to participate properly.)
3. Likewise, please try to keep “me too” or “I agree” posts to a minimum. Obviously we want to know what people are thinking, but too much of this sort of thing clogs up the boards. A “me too!” is best when it adds something other than just agreement. ;)
4. Please make your suggestions and ideas as specific as possible, and if you point out something you think is a problem, offer a solution or a suggestion to go with that observation. “Ideas” like “Make the game better for Heroic-level characters” are absolutely no help to me — a post like that should say why you think the game isn’t good for Heroic characters and should specify what you think can be done to make the game better for them.
5. Similarly, please let’s all refrain from a lot of philosophical maundering about the system. I love talking about all the ins and outs of the HERO System and even proposing all sorts of radical ideas for changing it. But as much as we can I’d prefer to stick to specific, concrete suggestions for improving the HERO System and rules proposals that you think are worth including in the core rules and have a reasonable chance of catching my attention. This isn’t the place to trot out every single house rule you’ve ever used or every crackpot idea you’ve ever heard about changing HERO. ;)
6. Politeness, both toward myself and toward other posters, is absolutely mandatory. We’re all adults here and capable of expressing ourselves in a mature, civil manner. Rudeness, incivility, insults, and similar conduct will not be tolerated.
7. Sarcasm, cynicism, and snideness are not appropriate. If you can’t participate in this discussion without some optimism, some respect, some diplomacy, or at least the ability to keep your negative personality traits to yourself, you’re not going to be allowed to keep taking part. This needs to be a constructive dialogue, not a destructive one.
8. Hyperbole is at best a poor way to express yourself and tends to make me doubt the validity of your opinions and your judgment. If you can’t restrain yourself and have a little perspective, you shouldn’t participate. This is a game, not a Mideast peace conference. There’s nothing so serious on the line here that we can’t all talk about it without resorting to absolutes. ;)
9. Don’t express your opinion as if it were fact. The classic example here is, “STR is broken at 1 point per point,” but there are plenty of others I could name. We all know the difference between opinion and fact and can keep it in mind as we post here. Prefacing your statements with “I think or “I believe” or “In my experience” goes a long way toward convincing me you’re a rational person who’s thought about these issues and can express himself about them in a reasonable manner worthy of my consideration.
10. I’ve organized the discussion into multiple topics to keep things organized, and thus make it easier for me to review posts when the time comes. Please post in the proper thread. If you’re not sure which thread a post belongs in, take your best guess and post. If you think a post is equally on-topic for two threads, pick one and post there; please don’t post the same thing to two or more threads, or a link from one thread to another (unless I ask for it). Please don’t waste my time or yours asking where a post should go; you’re a smart person and can rely on your own informed judgment. ;)
Similarly, please don’t start new threads unless you feel it’s absolutely necessary. The threads I’ve already started should cover pretty much everything that needs to be covered here. Thread proliferation will be counterproductive for me.
11. Please don’t post a response referring me to some other thread outside the 6E forum, to another website, or what have you. If it’s important enough to be a part of this discussion it’s important enough to post in full here, in the 6E forum. I will ignore posts and threads outside this forum when it comes time to review fan input during the writing and design of the book.
12. We will not under any circumstances be returning to the 4th Edition (or earlier) way of doing things. If it worked before I would have kept it. So please don’t suggest reverting to the old forms of Regeneration, Instant Change, Damage Shield, or anything else — it will not happen, and asking for it just wastes everyone’s time and bandwidth.
13. If I say that discussion on a topic is closed, stop posting about it immediately. The final decision on the content of the 6E rules rests with me, and me alone; this book is not being written or designed by committee. Once I’ve made up my mind there’s not point in anyone wasting time talking about it further.
14. No individual credit or attribution will be given in the 6E book to any individual poster here, for two reasons. First, I don’t have the time to keep track of what everyone says and/or pester people for their real names. Second, generally speaking you’re not the first person to have or express any given idea. There’s not much new under the sun, folx, and we have no intention about getting into any arguments about who thought of what first. ;)
15. Related to No. 10 above, as with other parts of the boards anything posted here becomes the property of DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. If you’re going to get all upset about us supposedly “stealing” your ideas, please just don’t post them. Very few ideas posted here are likely to be 100% new/original or not to have occurred to me (and other people) at some point, and I don’t want to waste any time quibbling over who came up with what.
16. Please don’t expect an immediate response to me about everything, or even most things. If I try to follow every conversation and post my every thought, the 6E forum is likely to eat up a big chunk of my time and delay the production of books. I’ll keep my eye on things, but a full and thorough review is going to have to wait for when I’m ready to begin writing.
These rules have the same force and effect as the overall Rules of Conduct for the Hero Discussion Boards. So, if you violate them, you may get warnings or infractions. I don’t like to be harsh about things, but if this conversation isn’t conducted in a reasonable, civil manner it’s not going to be of any use to me.
1. This discussion is for RULES ISSUES ONLY. At this time I’m not interested in discussing any issues pertaining to topics such as presentation, artwork, hardcover vs. softcover, or anything else like that. Right now we are discussing rules, and rules only. If we think it will be helpful we’ll start a separate discussion about other issues at a future date.
(If your response to this is, “But I can’t discuss so-and-so without knowing thus-and-so!,” then you should consider how to reformulate your post or whether you should be posting it at all. There’s no post appropriate for this forum that requires you to know anything other than the HERO System rules.)
2. If you’re new to a particular discussion, read everything in that thread before posting. Please don’t waste your time or mine posting something that’s already been said.
(If your response to this is, “But I don’t have time to read the whole thread!”, then don’t post. This is a serious discussion for people who think seriously about these issues and are willing to take the time and energy to participate properly.)
3. Likewise, please try to keep “me too” or “I agree” posts to a minimum. Obviously we want to know what people are thinking, but too much of this sort of thing clogs up the boards. A “me too!” is best when it adds something other than just agreement. ;)
4. Please make your suggestions and ideas as specific as possible, and if you point out something you think is a problem, offer a solution or a suggestion to go with that observation. “Ideas” like “Make the game better for Heroic-level characters” are absolutely no help to me — a post like that should say why you think the game isn’t good for Heroic characters and should specify what you think can be done to make the game better for them.
5. Similarly, please let’s all refrain from a lot of philosophical maundering about the system. I love talking about all the ins and outs of the HERO System and even proposing all sorts of radical ideas for changing it. But as much as we can I’d prefer to stick to specific, concrete suggestions for improving the HERO System and rules proposals that you think are worth including in the core rules and have a reasonable chance of catching my attention. This isn’t the place to trot out every single house rule you’ve ever used or every crackpot idea you’ve ever heard about changing HERO. ;)
6. Politeness, both toward myself and toward other posters, is absolutely mandatory. We’re all adults here and capable of expressing ourselves in a mature, civil manner. Rudeness, incivility, insults, and similar conduct will not be tolerated.
7. Sarcasm, cynicism, and snideness are not appropriate. If you can’t participate in this discussion without some optimism, some respect, some diplomacy, or at least the ability to keep your negative personality traits to yourself, you’re not going to be allowed to keep taking part. This needs to be a constructive dialogue, not a destructive one.
8. Hyperbole is at best a poor way to express yourself and tends to make me doubt the validity of your opinions and your judgment. If you can’t restrain yourself and have a little perspective, you shouldn’t participate. This is a game, not a Mideast peace conference. There’s nothing so serious on the line here that we can’t all talk about it without resorting to absolutes. ;)
9. Don’t express your opinion as if it were fact. The classic example here is, “STR is broken at 1 point per point,” but there are plenty of others I could name. We all know the difference between opinion and fact and can keep it in mind as we post here. Prefacing your statements with “I think or “I believe” or “In my experience” goes a long way toward convincing me you’re a rational person who’s thought about these issues and can express himself about them in a reasonable manner worthy of my consideration.
10. I’ve organized the discussion into multiple topics to keep things organized, and thus make it easier for me to review posts when the time comes. Please post in the proper thread. If you’re not sure which thread a post belongs in, take your best guess and post. If you think a post is equally on-topic for two threads, pick one and post there; please don’t post the same thing to two or more threads, or a link from one thread to another (unless I ask for it). Please don’t waste my time or yours asking where a post should go; you’re a smart person and can rely on your own informed judgment. ;)
Similarly, please don’t start new threads unless you feel it’s absolutely necessary. The threads I’ve already started should cover pretty much everything that needs to be covered here. Thread proliferation will be counterproductive for me.
11. Please don’t post a response referring me to some other thread outside the 6E forum, to another website, or what have you. If it’s important enough to be a part of this discussion it’s important enough to post in full here, in the 6E forum. I will ignore posts and threads outside this forum when it comes time to review fan input during the writing and design of the book.
12. We will not under any circumstances be returning to the 4th Edition (or earlier) way of doing things. If it worked before I would have kept it. So please don’t suggest reverting to the old forms of Regeneration, Instant Change, Damage Shield, or anything else — it will not happen, and asking for it just wastes everyone’s time and bandwidth.
13. If I say that discussion on a topic is closed, stop posting about it immediately. The final decision on the content of the 6E rules rests with me, and me alone; this book is not being written or designed by committee. Once I’ve made up my mind there’s not point in anyone wasting time talking about it further.
14. No individual credit or attribution will be given in the 6E book to any individual poster here, for two reasons. First, I don’t have the time to keep track of what everyone says and/or pester people for their real names. Second, generally speaking you’re not the first person to have or express any given idea. There’s not much new under the sun, folx, and we have no intention about getting into any arguments about who thought of what first. ;)
15. Related to No. 10 above, as with other parts of the boards anything posted here becomes the property of DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. If you’re going to get all upset about us supposedly “stealing” your ideas, please just don’t post them. Very few ideas posted here are likely to be 100% new/original or not to have occurred to me (and other people) at some point, and I don’t want to waste any time quibbling over who came up with what.
16. Please don’t expect an immediate response to me about everything, or even most things. If I try to follow every conversation and post my every thought, the 6E forum is likely to eat up a big chunk of my time and delay the production of books. I’ll keep my eye on things, but a full and thorough review is going to have to wait for when I’m ready to begin writing.