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

[MorpheousXO]

HERE HERE THIA!!! I'm quite excited about this (other than the fact that I only recently got Ultimate Martial Artist in hard copy T_T oh well, I'll get the new one too), and considering the comments in the other thread area thing supposedly they aren't rereleasing a bunch of stuff (at least as far as genre books goes) because it's pretty much not needed. I do think they'll need to rerelease the ultimates, sadly. Honestly, in that case, I hope they get a "HERO System: Expanded Skills" book out asap cause ultimate skill is my favorite ultimate.

In any case, I'm incredibly optimistic because I do believe that Steve's extra years of experience and the no holds barred aspect will make for a very good product that takes what HERO is and turns it into something even more amazing than it already is.

Oh, also, if any info on 6th ed. HD comes out could someone PM me a linky so I can get the low down on it? Thankee sai!

[Thia Halmades]

Exactly. No sacred cows means I am listening, not I am listening and I am going to implement every damn fool idea the llama presents.

Which, again, is why I'm just a little disillusioned. I honestly thought that people would (maybe I'm projecting again) embrace the idea of voicing opinions that until now fell smack on deaf ears.

"I don't answer design/philosphy questions" is now:

"Let's talk openly about design and philosophy, because I know what I think will make HERO better; I'd like to hear what you cats think."

[CourtFool]

Perhaps it is a fear that Steve will listen to someone other than themselves.

[nexus]

Perhaps it is a fear that Steve will listen to someone other than themselves.

Or listen and implement ideas that are game breakers for them regardless of who submitted them or perhaps even some of the suggestions that Steve Long himself has brought up don't appeal and might be used.

[CourtFool]

Fair enough.

[Akiva]

Just for the record, my bit about removing Superheroes is just that: a bit. It's a joke. There's no way I'd actually suggest limiting the game in such a way just because I happen to not like it. It's just part of my shtick here that I hate Superheroes much in the same way I hate olives and, boy, do I hate me some olives.

Also, it seems that many people have missed my point: I, like everyone else around here, welcome dissenting opinion. Without it, there's no innovation. What I was taking issue with was people who are just throwing up their hands in disgust and threatening to leave if 6E happens. What's constructive about that? And claiming that, 'I spent a ton of money on 5E books so I deserve to not have 6E published,' isn't constructive either: it's selfish. If you can't afford 6E books (or if you don't want to), then don't. Your 5E stuff is going to be worth its weight in gold for years and years to come. But, if that's all you have to offer to the conversation ('What? I'm not getting my way? Well, I QUIT!'), that's when I say, 'See ya.'

6E is going to happen. No matter what. So, I guess if you already have your mind made up, then there you go. You've got two years to buy up any 5E books that you don't already have, two years to look forward to some new 5E books that I'm sure will see publication before 6E happens, and the rest of your life to use those books with 5E while swapping and sharing several more reams of fan-produced 5E material. And, I seriously doubt Steve's going to suddenly end online 5E support; I expect he'll still be willing to answer questions about the game as he currently does.

Just have a little faith. And I don't mean that in a George Michaels kind of way.

[CourtFool]

Great. Now I have to call back the truck load of Black Death Ninja Robots that are on their way to your house.

[Akiva]

Dang. I need to have the moss pulled up from my back yard in preparation for spring seeding and Black Death Ninja Robots are perfect for that kind of work.

[CourtFool]

I’ll send the new orders.

[caris]

And, I seriously doubt Steve's going to suddenly end online 5E support; I expect he'll still be willing to answer questions about the game as he currently does.

Like he supports 4th Ed or references 5th Ed page numbers for those of us who did not feel that 5th Ed revised was what we needed? I'm sure he will until 6th is released, at that time all answers will be based on and geared toward 6th edition, just as with 5th and 5thR. To be honest, there is nothing wrong with that. It's appropriate.

I'm not angry that Hero Games is producing a 6th edition. Hero Games/DOJ do not owe me anything, but by the same token I don't owe them anything. I'm not obligated to buy their products. I'm not obligated to think that they are making the correct decisions. I'm also not required, in a general sense, to stop back seat driving and/or kibitzing because other people who are doing the same (i.e. you, Thia, Court Fool, Ghost-Angel, etc.) don't like that I don't share their position. Of course, DOJ is under no obligation to provide me with a forum to express that oppinion, and are freely able to ask me to leave this forum or force me to leave (asking would work just fine).

What really amuses me, is that even though I would leave, I do beleive that the best course of action with a 6th Edition, particularly if it is being done now, is to make so many radical changes that 6th Ed products are completely incompatible with 5th. Just be honest and up front. "Sorry guys, we love you, but we can not stay open indeffinitely with the current product line. We've pretty much brought in all the new blood we can with the current methodology and form of the rules. You all are not able to buy enough product to keep us going. We need to change things so much that new people will give this a serious look as something different than what has gone before." Optimally, I think they should break it off even more from the Hero brand, and call it a different system. Let Hero system go fallow for a while, give the market sometime off, and come back to Hero again later. Yeah, I'm saying that even after the Fuzion debacle. I think that one of the biggest mistakes that Fuzion made was trying to position itself as just another from of Hero, when it really wasn't.

OK, dropping the Hero line completely might be much, but perhaps reduce the output of Hero for a while maybe to 2 or 3 a year, while ramping up something different.

Of course, there is one very important concern to this do Darren and Steve want to run a generic gaming company or do they want to run Hero Gaming Company. In other words, is such a radical shift in the business plan going to change the nature of their jobs into something they don't want to do anymore?

[Thia Halmades]

I'm not upset that you don't agree, Caris; I'm saying that any extremism is kind of pointless.

[CourtFool]

Back seat drive and kibitz all you want. I certainly am. Disagreeing with you is not the same as wanting to silence you.

[Karmakaze]

I hate olives and, boy, do I hate me some olives.

Hooray! More for me!

[Akiva]

caris, although I don't agree with your idea of breaking out 6E into an entirely new system, your response was very well-put. In the absence of being able to actually provide you any rep, I'm giving it to you on the honor system which means that the next person who does give you rep, for whatever reason, actually comes from me. Just keep that in mind.

Also, as my LOL account stated above, I don't want you silenced but I don't see how 'I'm leaving!' is really helpful.

[MarkusDark]

I am going to do with Hero 6th ed like I do with any revision:

Give my input where I feel it is appropriate
Await the release of the game
Check out the system and see if I like it
If yes, I'll buy it, if no, I won't.

I have enough source material to run 5th Ed. games with my friends until doomsday. Besides, the only thing 99.95% of the support books do is give you someone else's creative look on things (and, in doing so, very little 'game mechanics' unlike new feats, classes, etc like D&D). I'll design my own worlds, groups, magic systems, etc.