The HERO System Advanced Player's Guide

[Steve Long]

Does the APG include alternate dice-rolling methods?

No, it does not.

Well, there's supposed to be a 2nd APG out next year--I suppose if someone starts a "what do you want to see" thread we could include alternate die roll methods

There will be an APG2 in 2011, but I guarantee you that if anyone starts a WDYWTS thread other than me, I will ignore it... particularly if they start it a year before I'm supposed to begin writing the book. When the time is right, I'll post a WDYWTS thread.

[ned-kogar]

There will be an APG2 in 2011, but I guarantee you that if anyone starts a WDYWTS thread other than me, I will ignore it... particularly if they start it a year before I'm supposed to begin writing the book. When the time is right, I'll post a WDYWTS thread.

Heh - I really like your imperturbable strictness Steve, here and in the Rules Questions. Always better for a fan-base to have clear guidelines and open communication, rather than mystery and fudge.

A second APG is an exciting prospect - the rationalisation of 6th Edition gives a really firm basis for tinkering.

[Barton]

Mr. Long, I can not wait for the thread to open. Hope new edition will even have MORE optional Hero System goodness in it (more pages).

[Steve Long]

Heh - I really like your imperturbable strictness Steve, here and in the Rules Questions. Always better for a fan-base to have clear guidelines and open communication, rather than mystery and fudge.

I hate to come across as dictatorial -- really all I'm trying to do is make sure that I don't miss out on any good suggestions! Sometimes the unfettered freedom of the Internet isn't the best way to go about these things, so I try to guide the process a bit.

Hope new edition will even have MORE optional Hero System goodness in it (more pages).

Well, I don't know about that. It depends on how much stuff I can think up, but I expect there's probably a limit to how much publish-worthy new optional rules can be compiled at any given time. Since APG1 already cherry-picks the existing 5E material for rules worth preserving, I'm either going to have to lower the bar a bit more, dig a bit harder, or take the time to create new stuff. Right now I'd be surprised if APG2 is as long as APG1, but at this point it's anybody's ballgame.

[ned-kogar]

I hate to come across as dictatorial -- really all I'm trying to do is make sure that I don't miss out on any good suggestions! Sometimes the unfettered freedom of the Internet isn't the best way to go about these things, so I try to guide the process a bit.

Nope, not at all dictatorial - I was genuinely praising your calm, clearly stated approach to the forum, which I think extends to the company. Most dictators are capricious and inconsistent.

[megaplayboy]

I hate to come across as dictatorial -- really all I'm trying to do is make sure that I don't miss out on any good suggestions! Sometimes the unfettered freedom of the Internet isn't the best way to go about these things, so I try to guide the process a bit.



Well, I don't know about that. It depends on how much stuff I can think up, but I expect there's probably a limit to how much publish-worthy new optional rules can be compiled at any given time. Since APG1 already cherry-picks the existing 5E material for rules worth preserving, I'm either going to have to lower the bar a bit more, dig a bit harder, or take the time to create new stuff. Right now I'd be surprised if APG2 is as long as APG1, but at this point it's anybody's ballgame.

Over the years here I've seen lots of interesting ideas thrown out there by some pretty sharp gamers(the "submit your own USPDB entry" thing comes to mind), so I think that's probably the way to go, if you're stumped for material to fill a second APG(or a third one, 2-3 years down the road).

[Steve Long]

Oh, I don't know that I'll be stumped necessarily, though I'll certainly throw the floor open for suggestions at the appropriate time. After all, I've got 1,246 pages' worth of discussion on the 6E forum that I can troll back through for ideas. Even after you subtract the approximately 120 pages wasted* on the discussion of whether Comeliness should be kept as a Characteristic, that's still over 1,000 pages of material that might yield useful nuggets... though I don't know how many of 'em I can read through in the allotted time.




*: Well, OK, the first 10 pages of that 120 were worthwhile; the remaining 110 seemed to just recycle the same arguments over and over.

[TotalerKrieg]

I have been buying the books, but I wont buy the PDF's, DOJ really overprices them, for about $10.00 more I can get a printed book most of the time, I just don't understand the price gouging with the pdf's with any company.

[ghost-angel]

Printing is one of the lesser costs of book production. It's not gouging.

[brionl]

I'm buying more PDFs these days. After 30+ years of accumulating RPG crap, I'm running out of room. Still have plenty of Hard Drive space though.

[megaplayboy]

I'm buying more PDFs these days. After 30+ years of accumulating RPG crap, I'm running out of room. Still have plenty of Hard Drive space though.

Yup. And once I get a tablet, every book will be at my fingertips momentarily.

[bobrunnicles]

Printing is one of the lesser costs of book production. It's not gouging.

Maybe not, but I definitely feel that the combo 'book and pdf' deals could be cheaper - I mean, you're essentially buying the same damn thing twice over! If I'm buying the hardcopy at the same time as the pdf, and the printing cost is not a major part of the overall price as you claim, is there any particular reason we should be paying more than $10 extra for the pdf? I mean I've bought the book itself, why pay so much extra for a pdf of the same thing?

On a separate but related note, I'll request again that combo deals for new release books & pdfs go up when the pdf does, even if it means having to wait for the physical book to be printed - there are half a dozen or so HERO books out right now I'm *dying* to get hold of, but I'm not going to pick up the pdf then six weeks later pay the full price for the hardcopy (even though it's the hardcopy I really want). It can't be THAT hard to put a disclaimer on the page saying that "THIS BOOK IS STILL AT THE PRINTERS - YOU WILL BE SENT A COPY AS SOON AS THEY ARRIVE AT THE WAREHOUSE" and let people place the order....

See to me, the hardcopy is the thing, the pdf is simply a nice luxury item I can use to print out the pieces I might need for a particular adventure without having to lug the whole book around. But I would pick up the combo deals (although ideally without paying so much extra for the pdf, see above!) the day they came out if I knew I could just pay the price, get the pdf instantly to look over on my computer and know that as soon as the book itself comes back from the printer it will be on it's way to me.

[dmjalund]

at My FLGS is is fairly common to see a sticker on a hardback book saying you get the PDF free when you buy it.

[bobrunnicles]

True, and in fact I have several examples on my shelf and PC like that, but I understand that HERO wants to make some money off them - I just think the current pricing structure is on the harsh side. The Champions Powers book is the prime example; hardcopy is $38, pdf is $28.50, combo deal is.....$60??? So you get a 'discount' of exactly $6.50 for buying them both??? That's....crazy.