Why We're Creating The 6th Edition -- Please Read Before Posting

[rjcurrie]

If I wanted to attract new players, I think I would publish an inexpensive, slim, perfect-bound book comparable to Sidekick to sell them on it, rather than push out a 2-enormous-volume hardcover set of rules with every persnickitty thing 27-year veterans of the system have been arguing about for 27 years.

When the very succesful release of d20 was done with D&D, they put just enough in the Players Handbook to play the game, and sold it as a loss leader. And that was a system that most people knew (or easily found out) you needed three books to play. Hero has managed to gain a reputation as a one-book system.

Well, the Hero System Basic Rulebook is scheduled to come out the month after 6th edition and Champions.

Edited Correction: The Basic Rulebook is coming out two months after 6th edition.

[Opal]

A good sign. Basic book, then Champions, then, later, the two ubervolumes might be better, IMHO, judging only from the success of other game rollouts.

[rjcurrie]

A good sign. Basic book, then Champions, then, later, the two ubervolumes might be better, IMHO, judging only from the success of other game rollouts.

Maybe but they probably want the big books out for Gen Con and Champions too. I also think they may want to avoid people thinking that the Basic Rulebook is the real 6th edition book. Also, people who are deciding between buying the 2 volumes and the Basic Rulebook may just buy the 2 volumes if they're available first. If the Basic is available first, they may just buy that and never buy the 2 volume set. From a sales point of view, which do you think Hero Games would prefer.

Also, from a practical point of view, the 2 volume set really needs to be written first so that it ensures that the Basic Rulebook is accurate. So, putting out Basic first would mean that Steve would have to have all 4 books written before Basic and Champions could go to the printer. By putting out the 2 volume set first, Steve can give himself a little more time to create the Basic Rulebook.

[casualplayer]

As one of the crusty old-timers who has been playing since before Champions II, I relish Steve's take on HERO System with Sixth Ed. So much of this game currently is patches that have been mistaken for core principles. I would love for someone to take the game to foundation and rebuild from there, and I'm hard pressed to think of a more likely candidate than Mr. Long. I've seen what he can do when creating a rules system from scratch: elegant, efficient and effortless works of beauty. There was a reverent tentativeness in making Fifth Ed that I wish he would have avoided and I have high hopes that won't be the case again.

Just sequester the gun fetish stuff in Dark Champions, ok?

[James Gillen]

If I wanted to attract new players, I think I would publish an inexpensive, slim, perfect-bound book comparable to Sidekick to sell them on it, rather than push out a 2-enormous-volume hardcover set of rules with every persnickitty thing 27-year veterans of the system have been arguing about for 27 years.

I keep saying that and nobody listens to me....

jg

[GamePhil]

A good sign. Basic book, then Champions, then, later, the two ubervolumes might be better, IMHO, judging only from the success of other game rollouts.

Uhm, this is Hero. Do you really believe that would go over well?

[zaras]

I am very nervous about possible interactions between the champions MMORG and such directing the design ethic for 6th Ed. Acess to a new fanbase is nice for Herogames, not necesarily for your current fanbase.

That said if its anything like the quality of previous editions my worries will have been unfounded.

Meh, mentioning the MMORG in the same post as 6th ed made alarm bells ring.

[archermoo]

I am very nervous about possible interactions between the champions MMORG and such directing the design ethic for 6th Ed. Acess to a new fanbase is nice for Herogames, not necesarily for your current fanbase.

That said if its anything like the quality of previous editions my worries will have been unfounded.

Meh, mentioning the MMORG in the same post as 6th ed made alarm bells ring.

Steve and Darren both stated at the Monday Dundracon announcement that that would not be the case. Steve was in specific VERY adamant about it.

Champions Online will certainly effect the Champions Universe, as Cryptic now owns it and can make changes as they see fit. Much like DoJ made changes as they saw fit when they bought the IP. But that doesn't mean that it will have any effect on the core rules themselves.

[Egyptoid]

on many topics you have to say follow the money

[Supreme Serpent]

Uhm, this is Hero. Do you really believe that would go over well?

Sure! Just do the first book as HE and the second one as RO.

[Opal]

Uhm, this is Hero. Do you really believe that would go over well?

With potential new players, yes, a smaller, inexpensive, book as a lead in could work very well. In fact, something along the lines of 3rd Edition. With a Champions II and III that added more powers, skills, advantages, limitations & disads, could work very well indeed. It's against the Hero philsophy, but it's a proven marketting strategy.

[GamePhil]

With potential new players, yes, a smaller, inexpensive, book as a lead in could work very well. In fact, something along the lines of 3rd Edition. With a Champions II and III that added more powers, skills, advantages, limitations & disads, could work very well indeed. It's against the Hero philsophy, but it's a proven marketting strategy.

I just personally like the order they're doing it in, as long as the simplified system is released within a month as planned. I'd prefer to have the "real" system out first, since it's what the simplifies one will be based on.

[Vondy]

Okay, I'm confused.

The hero system rulebook will be two volumes. Or does "two volumes" refer to the rulebook and some other book?

[Supreme Serpent]

The second book will focus on the rules for Adding Damage.

[GamePhil]

The hero system rulebook will be two volumes. Or does "two volumes" refer to the rulebook and some other book?

Well, sort of. One book will go over character building, the other everything else.