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PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?


Steve Long

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I don't want a history book. The Pulp Era is fictional' date=' so I would like the setting details to be as fantastic as possible. There are plenty of sources for the crunchy details on prohibition and the rise of Nazism for example. I'd be more interested in the state of tourism to Maple White Land, or whatever happened to King Kong's body after he died. Setting and history based on the source material, not on the real world.[/quote']

 

This approach hadn't occured to me. I like the idea. Maybe as sidebars in the historical timeline, or maybe as a sub-section. I'd even pay for it as a separate setting book for the Pulp genre.

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I'm sorry' date=' but I don't recall the conversation.[/quote']

 

My most abject apologies. Checking on the messages I posted last April I see that it was not you who suggested that I wait for Pulp HERO, but one of the other board members who suggested that you would probably be covering these issues in Dark Champions and Pulp HERO.

 

I'm still pushing my barrow, though. I want substantial reasons other than style for characters to use small .32 automatics, derringers, etc. rather than big military 9mms and .45s.

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I don't want a history book. The Pulp Era is fictional' date=' so I would like the setting details to be as fantastic as possible. There are plenty of sources for the crunchy details on prohibition and the rise of Nazism for example. I'd be more interested in the state of tourism to Maple White Land, or whatever happened to King Kong's body after he died. Setting and history based on the source material, not on the real world.[/quote']

 

I'm not sure if I'm mixing things up, but for me Pulp Fiction isn't an era at all. For me Pulp Fiction is more of an attitude. The reason why it often gets mixed up with a certain era is due to the fact that the genre was in print during that era.

 

As for which way to show the world I'm of mixed opinions. One hand this is genre book, not a setting book, so talking about King Kong (or similar stuff) seems a bit wrong. That kind of information would be better suited for "Thrilling Places" (scheduled for mid-2006). One the other hand, a fiction world is often more easy to base stories around. I liked the world presented in White Wolf’s Adventure!. I guess a good compromise would be to show the real world, but to have notes or sidebars with common twists (ideas, stories, and so on) of certain areas.

 

Speaking of areas, don’t forget to mention a few common fictional places, like habitable planets (Mars and Venus). A few "Thrilling Places" common in the genre could also make its way into the example setting at the end of the book.

 

I would also love a Pulp Fiction view on history (how the pulp fiction authors handle historical stories), or a more in depth view on Pulp Hero together with other genres. What I mean is that I want a more detailed view on how Pulp Hero affects other genres. Pulp Fiction has a more wide scope of what’s “in genre†than most other genres, and I would love to see that reflected in the meta-genre chapter.

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

or whatever happened to King Kong's body after he died.

part of my problem with this level of detail is King Kong might be a movie in your campaign, whilst it may be a "fact" in mine.

 

King Kongs body went the same place everything else went. Same warehouse as the Ark of the Covenant.......

 

 

Also Steve Just an FYI, you might want to look at the Mage the Ascension supplement for the Sons of Ether sold separately or bound together in the Songs of Science triple threat.

 

Getting my pulp addiction through WW rather than Hero....

 

tis a sad day....

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I'm still pushing my barrow' date=' though. I want substantial reasons other than style for characters to use small .32 automatics, derringers, etc. rather than big military 9mms and .45s.[/quote'](Shamelessly pushing Agemegos' barrow.)

 

As opposed to, Call of Cthulu, where players use the .45 cal automatic, the .45 cal Thompson submachinegun, the double-barrelled 12 gauge shotgun and the 30-06 rifle, because they'd be fools not to.

 

Sure there were great pulp heroes like the Spider who loved their blazing .45s. The big guns shouldn't be nerfed. But if a character likes, for example, the Walther Model 9 Pocket Pistol, they should be able to point to real game reasons for that preference other than considering it stylish to do less damage and have fewer shots available.

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Wow. I've been looking over that outline and all I can say is WOW.

 

Your already packing quite a bit into that book.

 

I know I'm getting my copy as soon as it's available.

 

As far as wanting to see anything in particular two professional packages come to mind: The Gumshoe and The Archeologist.

 

Thanks for listening.

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I am curious about one thing. Steve say's this will include a timeline to give everyone a historical feel. Is this a "real world" timeline or a "champions universe" timeline?

 

Oh, remember, not all of the Pulp action takes place in the savage wilds of the earth. Looking over the source material, a lot of it takes place in nightclubs and ballrooms. Is there a chance on going into detail on the "High Society" skill? I know "The Ultimate Skill" will do this as well, but some consideration is due here. On a related note, mention PS: Dancing. It's a good way to both stand out in a crowd or to blend into one, depending on how you do it. Mention the popular styles of the time, like ballroom, east coast swing, charleston, lindy hop, etc.

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

To "David Blue" one reason for using a "lighter" or smaller calibre pistol is the size of the character. If you are playing a lightly built teenager you are more likely to use a Walther PPK in 7.65 mm than a Colt 1911 a1 .45. Remember that only "weak" types used a pistol in two hands in those days and it was usually a sign that you wern't confident if you used a pistol in two hands ! Perhaps some simple rules for recoil of firearms could help simulate this ?

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

To "Sociotard" I agree about the "High society" type skills. An interesting class to play could be the "Dilettante"; the person (male or female) who has enough money to do whatever they want and would HAVE to have a "high society" skill. It would be an excuse for a player to have weird skills (such as "Knowledge : rare coins" ) which the referee could build an adventure around !

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

To "David Blue" one reason for using a "lighter" or smaller calibre pistol is the size of the character. If you are playing a lightly built teenager you are more likely to use a Walther PPK in 7.65 mm than a Colt 1911 a1 .45. Remember that only "weak" types used a pistol in two hands in those days and it was usually a sign that you wern't confident if you used a pistol in two hands ! Perhaps some simple rules for recoil of firearms could help simulate this ?
I like the "bang for your buck" that strength gives you in Hero. I don't want it reduced. But I don't want it increased either. If the main reason characters can't use more effective pistols is not the attactive ease of concealment or swiftness of draw of smaller, smoother pistols but lack of brawn, then strength in effect is giving you more "bang" in a new way.
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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Sure if you want to have a hero who runs around with a .45 automatic in each hand by all means construct your character that way. Like any character it becomes a trade off as to where you want to put the points and, if some sort of recoil rules for pistols are included it forces the characters to decide between a hero with greater strength who uses a larger gun (but therefore has less points in other areas of his character) or a person of lower strength who carries a lighter firearm but has more points in other characteristics. It all depends on what sort of character you are trying to create. If I want to create a dashing two fisted adventurer he will have high strength ( and possibly less academic skills), but if I want a brilliant lady librarian (like Evie out of "The Mummy") I will have a character who sacrifices strength for intelligence. If I am constructing my librarian I probably WON'T give her a Colt 1911 .45 automatic, but I might equip her with a Browning .32 auto, just because she knows that she might need it (and it fits neatly in a handbag !)

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

What would I like to see?

 

Well to start off with I want to see the classic stereotypes explored: the Strong-Jawed Hero, the Stalwart Lieutenant, the Great White Hunter, the Gumshoe Private Eye, etc., etc., etc.

 

On the weapons tables don't forget to list the year that they became available. It might also be useful to list a price for them as well.

 

Speaking of prices I definately want to see a fairly substantial price list for the era, at least a full page bur preferably 2 or even 3. I know that you'll have to list two prices (pre and post Black Tuesday) but I think that this will actually drive home the impact of the Great Depression better.

 

Also it might be a good idea to increase the cost of Wealth during the 30s. It took a lot more work to be rich then than it had in the 20s. Don't want to pay the increased cost? Oh well, your wealth has just dropped to what you've paid for. Thus if you have 0 points in wealth when the Market crashes you go from Middle income to Poor, likewise if your character was Poor he became Destitute, and so on.

 

On the subject of a timeline, I'd suggest having two running parallel along the page with one showing the events of the real world and the other showing where the Champions Universe diverges from it. Sort of like was done with the one from 4th Edition Golden Age Champions. The timeline should dovetail nicely with the one that will be in the 5E GAC.

 

Although this really isn't for the Pulp Hero genre book, please have a talk with Aaron Allston. He has a ton of material that was planned for JI which never made it out when JI's sales weren't as big as they'd expected. I'd buy the stuff as an e-book if that were the only way you could publish it, and I hate e-books but for this I'll buy them.

 

I may have more later but that's it for now.

 

And Thank you, Steve, I've been waiting a long time for this. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

As far as wanting to see anything in particular two professional packages come to mind: The Gumshoe and The Archeologist.

 

Already taken care of. I've been doing work out of order, whipping up some Package Deals this weekend so they'll be ready for a soon-to-start PH campaign 'round here.

 

I am curious about one thing. Steve say's this will include a timeline to give everyone a historical feel. Is this a "real world" timeline or a "champions universe" timeline?

 

Real world, and nothing but, for two reasons. First, the CU can't even be said to exist until very late in the pulp era. Second, this is a genre book, not a fictional setting book. To properly get across the nature, feel, and adventure opportunities of the period, I have to explain what the world was really like back then -- the history, the daily life, and so on. I'm not going to write a textbook on the subject, but it's got to be covered in sufficient detail that people not well-versed in the era can at least make a stab at pretending to be. ;)

 

Fictional Pulp Hero settings will get coverage in our supplements. Thrilling Places certainly has some setting material, though it's more of a "cool locations" book than a setting book like CU, MC, or HC. Similarly, Masterminds And Madmen will have character sheets for a couple of pulp-era villains who've been mentioned in both Champions and Dark Champions supplements, such as Dr. Fang and his Legion of Evil. For a thoroughly fleshed-out Pulp setting, you'll have to wait until I can muster the energy to write Hudson City 1935. :hex:

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

On the weapons tables don't forget to list the year that they became available. It might also be useful to list a price for them as well.
Vehicles too.

 

Although this really isn't for the Pulp Hero genre book' date=' please have a talk with Aaron Allston. He has a ton of material that was planned for [b']JI[/b] which never made it out when JI's sales weren't as big as they'd expected.
Aaron Allston's Lands of Mystery is a masterpiece. If there's more where that came from, it's of interest.
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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Perhaps some simple rules for recoil of firearms could help simulate this ?

 

I think STR Minimums for firearms already cover this to some extent. :: since Dark Champs was already on my computer desk, flips to those weapon charts :: The Thompson M-1928 has a STR Min of 14, but only weighs about 5 kilos. No way it takes a 14 STR to carry the thing ... but controlling it in use, that's different.

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

For a thoroughly fleshed-out Pulp setting' date=' you'll have to wait until I can muster the energy to write [i']Hudson City 1935.[/i] :hex:

 

If HC:TUA is any indication it's sure to be fantastic.

 

I don't gush praise very often but I really think this is the best setting book I've ever seen by far.

 

The downside is that other material just doesn't seem so good in comparison. (Sorry, Darren, but HC blows MC completely away.) And of course there is now that extremely high level of quality and completeness to attain in future sourcebooks.

 

So, Steve, about when do you think you're gonna get to Hudson City 1935?

 

I did a quick and dirty adaptation of Justice, Not Law some years back but it was more or less a stand alone. Follow the link and scroll down towards the bottom of the page for a look:

 

http://www.geocities.com/blademaster01757/dochawkstar.html

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

So, Steve, about when do you think you're gonna get to Hudson City 1935?

 

Well, it isn't on the 2006 schedule, so it'd be 2007 at the earliest. It's all a question of how well the PH line does. If the genre book and initial supplements sell well, then we'll plan others for 2007; chief among the titles under consideration would be a new Lands Of Mystery (which I've already discussed, albeit ultra-briefly, with Aaron) and HC1935.

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

To "Koshka" Using strength minimums would work. However I was thinking of the sort of thing that happenned in "The Mummy" when Evie picked up and fired Rick's large shotgun, and was knocked flat on her back by the recoil ! It might be fun to be able to simulate that with a dice roll .

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

To "Koshka" Using strength minimums would work. However I was thinking of the sort of thing that happenned in "The Mummy" when Evie picked up and fired Rick's large shotgun' date=' and was knocked flat on her back by the recoil ! It might be fun to be able to simulate that with a dice roll .[/quote']

 

I took that to be her unluck in action.

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I don't think it has been mentioned yet, but I'd like to see some discussion into pulp inventions. You have your big and clunky inventions that have important pieces that unscrew and fit in your pocket. You have the fancy potions that have nasty side-effects. You have complex chemical labs with complex chemical and electronic dohickeys.

 

And don't forget pulp critters. Any chance in the history, the Titanic was sunk by a sea serpent? :)

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Re: PULP HERO -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Have not read all the comments yet BUT:

 

To me Pulp can almost be considered a meta genre effecting all other genre's:

 

Pulp Sci Fi get's you Flash Gordon

Pulp Supers gets you the shadow

Pulp westerns

Pulp Action

etc...

 

As such a sizeable chunk seems to me should be dedicated to combining pulp with other genres, probably not a real section but a theme running through the book...

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