Cardboard Hero-type figures in adventure supplements?

**aylwin13** · Feb 25th, '03, 11:12 AM

I originally posted this in the Playtesting forum, and have already received one positive reply from Dave Mattingly, the DH editor himself. Here's the post:

I've been reading the Shades of Black playtest version, and had what might be an idea for an additional goodie in the package, as it were. Printing costs might preclude it from a printed book, but I think it would work in the e-books:

A PDF file with colored figures of the villians (and perhaps the main NPCs) incude with the manuscript ala the Wardroids in the FREE STUFF. These could be printed and pasted on cardboard and you'd have figures for all the characters in the book. I for one would love to have them. I have made these types of figures for all of my main PCs.

Well, what does everyone else think?

**Starwolf** · Feb 25th, '03, 01:11 PM

I hate me too posts, but ME TOO! I think this is a great idea.

**argent** · Mar 1st, '03, 08:57 AM

I love toys! This is a great idea!

On a related topic, does anyone know where I could find an online template for cardboard mini's? I'm looking for just the outline, so that I can put my own artwork (or Heromachine creations) into it and it will come out the proper scale (25mm, more or less) on my printer.

I would prefer the front and back style, per the 4th Ed. GM's screen, if possible. It's too hard to figure facing on the 3-sided ones, esp. w/the same image on all three sides.

**rjd59** · Mar 2nd, '03, 11:24 AM

I also agreed this would be a plus! In the past,I've scanned many of the 4th edition books characters into my computer and colored them in a paint program. I made a template so I could make them just like the one's from the old GM screen,where I can fit 26 figures on a 8 1/2" by 11" sheet of cardstock. This allows me to make what I want or need such as multiples of agents,the complete villian team and so forth. I then made my own pdf's of them and printed them out. I also create most of the pc's in Poser 4 and make the standups for them the same way. At the present time I have so many standup figures that I'll probably never use them all,but I've had tons of fun making them. If they were included in the new books and/or e-books, it sure would save some time! But then what would I do with all that extra time on my hands!!!!

**Lord Liaden** · Mar 2nd, '03, 05:28 PM

Say, rjd59: seeing as you have all that extra time, and templates made into .pdf files and all... have you ever considered scanning in some of the 5E characters, and maybe offering them to DOJ as a free download on the HERO website? I bet you'd make a lot of friends that way.

**rjd59** · Mar 2nd, '03, 08:20 PM

Unfortunately,I haven't been able to get any of the 5th ed books other than Fred. So at the moment , I don't have access to them. Hopefully though , I should be able to order Champions , CU , and CKC within the next couple of weeks. Once I get them I would glady begin doing that. I think it would be great if DOJ would post them as free downloads once I'm done or if anyone else does them first!! Cardboard standups are the least expensive way to go and easily replacible. They also go great with the produts that Microtactics makes. They make pdf's of cardstock cutout buildings! Every hero needs buildings to fight around! Really makes the combat portions more fun , at least for me anyway! In case you'd like to see what they have , here's their site http://www.microtactix.com/index.shtml

**aylwin13** · Mar 2nd, '03, 08:36 PM

Originally posted by Lord Liaden
Say, rjd59: seeing as you have all that extra time, and templates made into .pdf files and all... have you ever considered scanning in some of the 5E characters, and maybe offering them to DOJ as a free download on the HERO website? I bet you'd make a lot of friends that way.

I have to second the Lord's sentiment. If you still have all of those pdf's of your other characters, and want to share, the Free Stuff site would be a great place to put them. There are a lot of us GM's who don't have the free time to do them ourselves. Whattaya say?

**rjd59** · Mar 2nd, '03, 09:50 PM

Sure! Who do I contact in order to get the ok and what do I need to do in order to get them there?

What I have finished so far is all the characters from the following books...
The Big Blue Book
Classic Enemies
Enemies 1,2,and 3 (ones that weren't in CE)
Enemies International
Enemies: Villainy Unbound
Primus and Demon

Also have one with SAT agents from one of the early books (forgot which one)
And one with Viper figures that I created in Poser 4.

Among the others I've been working on I am also almost finished with a Police officers one. And almost finished with Deathstroke. Made the whole team from the original CU in Poser.

**Lord Liaden** · Mar 3rd, '03, 06:53 AM

Originally posted by rjd59
Sure! Who do I contact in order to get the ok and what do I need to do in order to get them there?

My suggestion for first contact would be Ben Seeman, the HERO Webmaster. You can e-mail him by clicking on the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page.

I really appreciate your enthusiasm, but one word of caution: Some of the older material you mention as already being finished (which I personally would love to see) may include characters and artwork which DOJ no longer has the right to, so they may hesitate to put it up on their website. OTOH, they've made a point of owning all their current characters, so that should cause fewer problems.

**rjd59** · Mar 3rd, '03, 05:29 PM

I didn't know that! I still have all the files that I used to make those pdf's so I could alter them however nessacary so unowned ones aren't in them. I will get ahold of Ben and talk this over with him to see what we can do.
Also got some great news today. The state of Massachusetts has graciously sent my state tax refund to me two weeks before I thought I'd get it! So that means I'll be ordering Champions, CU, CKC, and the Beastary<sp> much earlier than I had expected to. Once I get them into my grubby little hands and browse through them, I'll start working on the characters in them for standups.

**rjd59** · Mar 4th, '03, 06:07 PM

Ok,got some good news and some not so good news! First the really good news! Tonight I ordered Champions,Champions Universe,CKC,The Bestiary,and the Hero System: Resource Kit from FRP Games which you can find on the Hero Retailers page. They should arrive here within the next week!
Now for the not so good news...
I've sent an e-mail with some samples of what I've done to the powers that be and gotten a reply from Steve himself! In short form,he basically says due to many legal and logistical reasons,they do not wish to do anything like that with 4th edition characters. He also doesn't want me to give it to anyone else for the same reasons. I've replied to him that I completely understand and would comply. Sorry guys my hands are tied!

**Lord Liaden** · Mar 4th, '03, 09:02 PM

Congratulations on the books, rjd59! That's an impressive wad o' stuff; you're going to be immersed in very enjoyable reading for quite some time.

I can't say I'm surprised by Steve's position on the 4th Ed. stuff (nor that he would reply to your e-mail himself). Perchance did he say whether he'd be receptive to hosting any cutouts of the current characters that you might do in future?

***Steve Long*** · Mar 5th, '03, 02:47 AM

I told him if they were good enough we'd certainly consider working out a deal with him to pay him and sell them for a reasonable price. We're not going to just give 'em away.

**Grymlynn** · Mar 5th, '03, 09:20 AM

Sounds like a great idea! I would love to have all this work done for me, and of course, I'll pay for my lazyness. Get to work! :whipcrack!:

**rjd59** · Mar 5th, '03, 11:06 AM

Yes that is what Steve told me,I just didn't want to get any ones hopes up if things didn't work out with it by mentioning that here! But now that Steve has I will say that as soon as the books arrive,I'll begin working on the 5th edition stand-ups. Either way it works out,I have fun!
Guess I just was a little surprised that Steve himself replied to me. Sometimes I tend to forget that DOJ isn't like the company of old.