2012 Release Schedule

[gojira]

My expectation is that VH will be too large for mini-settings. Mini-settings tend to be more appropriate for subgenre books like PAH, UFH, and the forthcoming Cyber Hero. But ya never know.

I follow. But since I am greedy about some things I wouldn't want to see Steam Hero as a mini-setting.

Assuming Steve is correct, I'd be interested in a few mini-settings published separately, like the Hero Pulp Adventures available for $3-$5. Yes, not exactly what you are asking for, but better than nothing at all. Again, just casually making conversation here and tossing ideas out.


Pulp Hero was a pretty good book, but it was a tad too crunchy for me. There were a few things that could have been tightened up or cut down. Thinking about HPA above... I wonder if Hero Games would consider releasing some information via PDF instead of putting absolutely every last thing in a printed form. This could reduce printing and shipping costs, and if the material was available as a free download... well "free" is probably the most powerful word in marketing. It wouldn't take much of an increase in sales to offset bandwidth costs. Or so I think. Anyhoo, you get the idea, I'll cut further examples short. Same comment re. "casual conversation" made above applies here also.

[MPT]

I don't get to GM as much as I used to (and my players have gone off the Hero System ... sorry ) but I will still buy some of these for my own interest and to convert to other systems.

The Martial World: Possible purchase, but unlikely.

HERO System Vehicles: Will not purchase (I never use vehicles enough to make it worth while)

Horror Hero: Yes, Yes, Yes! (This could even get my players interested in the system again ) I just hope that the 'Spirit world' rules from the original edition are not retained (perhaps modify computer avatar rules from the old CyberHero).

Cyber Hero: Possible purchase.

Victorian Hero: Almost certain Yes.

Millennium City: No (have 5th Ed version)

Profit And Purity: Possible purchase, but unlikely.

Cthulhu Hero: Yes, Yes, Yes! (See Horror Hero).

I also am interested in an Anime Hero and Steampunk Hero (I have just read page 1 so sorry if this has been ruled out in the other pages)

[ghost-angel]

I also am interested in an Anime Hero and Steampunk Hero (I have just read page 1 so sorry if this has been ruled out in the other pages)

Anime Hero will never happen - it's not a genre, it's a meta-style. It would be like "Movie Hero"

Steampunk - will be almost definitely included in Victorian Hero.

[Steve Long]

I just hope that the 'Spirit world' rules from the original edition are not retained (perhaps modify computer avatar rules from the old CyberHero).

They're not going to be. I see no need for them. I think the HERO System rules can already handle spirits and ghosts and other such weirdnesses just fine.

[Spence]

Anime Hero will never happen - it's not a genre, it's a meta-style. It would be like "Movie Hero"

.

You just made me snort coffee through my nose.

One of the things I'll never understand, that statement applies to half of Heroes published 'settings' with stand out examples like Teen Champions, Champions TAS or Post Apocalyptic Hero. Pretty much every book besides the broad core books (Star Hero, Champions, Fantasy Hero) falls into the same 'not a genre' but a 'meta-style', even my favorite, Pulp Hero is just style applied to a core concept.

The key point is that in the past Steve said he had no interest in doing it. And so it will probably never be made, not because of redefining words, but because Steve said so, and in the end it's his call. But you never know, there are a few other books that were relegated to the 'never happen' list that now sit on my shelf.

But if we are going to redefine words and the dictionary for personal preference we need to be balanced and cancel Cthulhu Hero, after all it is simply one authors 'style' of Horror.

But I'll not argue the point because I know I'll be getting a lot of hate PM's and probably an admonishment from a Mod for being mean.

Well I have to get ready for a character building session for my new game.

[Lord Liaden]

Well, I think I understand what ghost-angel is getting at. Supers, fantasy, sci-fi, pulp, horror, even post-apoc, each contain a number of common themes, tropes, and motifs which distinguish them as unique genres. Steve Long has often referred to books like, for example, Urban Fantasy HERO or Teen Champions as "sub-genre" books, taking one subset of the conventions of fantasy or supers and giving them more intensive coverage.

OTOH Japanese manga/anime deal with historically-based drama, urban fantasy, hard sci-fi, adolescent adventure, post-apoc, modern-day crime drama, romance, supers, satirical humor, hard-core sex... aside from a common visual storytelling style, there's little in the way of subject matter, characterization, or tone that unifies anime.

[ghost-angel]

You just made me snort coffee through my nose.

One of the things I'll never understand, that statement applies to half of Heroes published 'settings' with stand out examples like Teen Champions, Champions TAS or Post Apocalyptic Hero. Pretty much every book besides the broad core books (Star Hero, Champions, Fantasy Hero) falls into the same 'not a genre' but a 'meta-style', even my favorite, Pulp Hero is just style applied to a core concept.

The key point is that in the past Steve said he had no interest in doing it. And so it will probably never be made, not because of redefining words, but because Steve said so, and in the end it's his call. But you never know, there are a few other books that were relegated to the 'never happen' list that now sit on my shelf.

But if we are going to redefine words and the dictionary for personal preference we need to be balanced and cancel Cthulhu Hero, after all it is simply one authors 'style' of Horror.

But I'll not argue the point because I know I'll be getting a lot of hate PM's and probably an admonishment from a Mod for being mean.

Well I have to get ready for a character building session for my new game.

Fine - it's not a meta-genre. It's a Media Type. That better?

Either way, it's not a "genre" you can define, the book would be one sentence: "Take favorite genre, apply Japanese culture conventions."

There isn't even a single style of animation to fall back on - there are literally a dozen different anime styles of art one can follow from very 'cartoonish' to 'extremely realistic' and not all of anime even falls into the "big eyes" convention of art. The best you can get is a guide to Japanese culture conventions as they've embedded their own culture into Anime the same way Hollywood has embedded American Culture into its movies...

[DreadDomain]

Let's go at it again.

The Martial World:

Hmmm. I think so.

HERO System Vehicles:

Maybe if the book brings a lot to the table (not that I have anything in mind).

Horror Hero:

Of course!

Cyber Hero:

Another yes!

Victorian Hero:

Absolutely!

Millennium City:

Maybe depending on content and looks.

Profit And Purity:

Probably not.

Cthulhu Hero:

Sure.

4 yes, 3 maybe. Not bad.

[gojira]

Steve Long has often referred to books like, for example, Urban Fantasy HERO or Teen Champions as "sub-genre" books, taking one subset of the conventions of fantasy or supers and giving them more intensive coverage.

OTOH, we've had at least one "movie" book by Hero Games: Champions The Animated Series. I think more such books could be done, if desired. There are certainly other genres besides superheroes that could get an anime sub-genre book. Science Fiction anime alone is huge. Space Battleship Yamato, Gundam, Cowboy Bebop, Akira all come immediately to mind, although each is rather different. The whole of SF Anime could fill multiple volumes. By contrast, Urban Fantasy Hero was reasonably well scoped and managed to hit the major themes of urban fantasy with just four mini-settings.

I think perhaps what Spence is not understanding is that "anime" is in fact too huge to ever write a single book about. It would have to cover SciFi, Fantasy, Horror, Social/Romance, etc. Each of these could also fill several volumes. Any work that tries to bill itself as "Anime RPG" would fall short and disappoint its fans because there's just no way to cover everyone's interests.

I'd like to hear from Spence what sort of examples he thinks "Anime Hero" should cover. I bet it would be easy to show how much is actually missing from such a list.

[TheQuestionMan]

The Martial World: Yes

HERO System Vehicles: Maybe, depends on how useful it is.

Horror Hero: Yes, better late than never.

Cyber Hero: Yes, but get help.

Victorian Hero: Yes, ask SCMctyre.

Millennium City: Yes, but you better add better maps.

Profit And Purity: Yes, IHA and Argent. Hmmm... how they deal with Hunted's!

Cthulhu Hero: No, not my cup of tea. It doesn't matter if your character is 25 points or 250,000 you all taste the same to Great Cthulhu.


LOL


QM

[noxsis]

i wonder if Qliphothic creatures will be included in cthulu hero theres so little info in the subject and it would make sense to put it in there after all they seem to induce insanity be there mere presense just like cthulu(Qliphothic things are one of my favirout part of Hero to bad there aint that much) i wonder if there will ever be qlipothic hero or somthing like it one can only dream(or have nightmares )

[Steve Long]

i wonder if Qliphothic creatures will be included in cthulu hero

Absolutely not. They weren't created by H.P. Lovecraft or any other contributor to the Cthulhu Mythos -- they're not a part of it at all. Similar they may be, but Cthulhu Hero must maintain focus!

Hopefully we'll get to cover Qliphothic stuff more at some point... though it's also worth considering that the whole concept remains creepier if not looked at too closely....

[noxsis]

i find it hard to run a campain involving qliphothic as main focus if there is very little to no info on the subject

[BobGreenwade]

Absolutely not. They weren't created by H.P. Lovecraft or any other contributor to the Cthulhu Mythos -- they're not a part of it at all.

Horror Hero, perhaps?

[gojira]

i find it hard to run a campain involving qliphothic as main focus if there is very little to no info on the subject

I think however that Steve is saying that there will be write-ups for Cthulhu monsters and creatures. I guess that doesn't help if you want Qliphothic critters but the Cthulhu ones should be similar enough to let you borrow the write-ups. Or even just play Cthulhu instead.