Darren Watts Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Hey guys! Please do check this book out- it's really excellent, and we'd love to continue doing more Pulp Hero support stuff, but we need to hear from you that there's an audience for it. It's available in the store in both hardcopy and PDF formats, as well as at your finer FLGS's everywhere. Thanks! dw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edsel Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! I've bought a copy even thought I am not running or playing Pulp Hero (I really wish I was though). It's a really cool resource. It includes several interesting locations in Hudson City so it's good background for Dark Champions as well as Pulp. Listen to Darren people, the book is worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemurion Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! I'm just waiting for the credit card to recover from the last 'Con I went to and then Thrilling Places is on the list. My FLGS didn't have it last time I checked or I'd already be the proud possessor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! I was waiting to pick one up at Dundracon, but I'll order a copy now. The pulp material has all been first rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! I'm just waiting for a payceck . . . your cool sale caused me to buy a buncha books from the bottom of my list instead of the top last month and that tapped me something good. I'll be ordering it Friday along with (hopefully) Masterminds And Madmen. Because I want to see the Pulp Line as big as the Champions line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mserabian Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! I bought the PDF on the first day it came out! It's as excellent as Masterminds and Madmen!! If you liked that book you will love this one. I'll be sure to pick up a hardcopy of the book this week at my FLGS in hopes of keeping this line going... Darren and Steve - does this mean the Pulp Hero line is in danger? Are the Pulp Resource Book and Lands of Mystery possibly up for cancelation? Please say it isn't so. Pulp Hero, Masterminds and Madmen, Thrilling Places, and the HPAs have been some of the best pulp rpg products ever produced and I (and I think many others) have been eagerly wanting more in this line of products. Certainly Lands of Mystery must not be canceled as it is a remake (with Aaron no less) of one of the best rpg supplements ever written! mal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Watts Posted October 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! Well, we love Pulp too, and Pulp Hero itself sold pretty darn well. But so far, to be honest, the supplements have been a bit of a disappointment sales-wise (which is a double shame, because Rob did a fabulous job on both.) So be sure to go out and spread the word on how cool these books are, because we'd really love to do more of them! dw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnTaber Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! I was a bad boy and bought one from Game Kastle (my friendly local game store). I got too excited when I flipped through it on the shelf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! Well' date=' we love Pulp too, and Pulp Hero itself sold pretty darn well. But so far, to be honest, the supplements have been a bit of a disappointment sales-wise (which is a double shame, because Rob did a fabulous job on both.) So be sure to go out and spread the word on how cool these books are, because we'd really love to do more of them! dw[/quote'] To be honest, I can't say I'm surprised that pulp supplements haven't been flying off the shelves. This development mirrors the course of the Star HERO line: genre book sells well, but the market for further products for the line is less than stellar (pun intended). And while there are some truly enthusiastic pulp gaming fans, it's even more of a niche market than sci-fi gaming. Given that precedent, what did surprise me was that Hero Games appeared to commit to putting out so many supplements for Pulp HERO so fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Questar Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! I might consider Thrilling Places if I were more certain of what was involved in the various places. Are there maps that can be blown up and printed out for play on a tabletop level? Are there imaginative and interesting touches to the various locations, or are the maps marked with a lot of "storage" and "barracks" locations (you know what I mean). Are there cool traps and secret passages, objects that provide interesting color (as well as good cover and possible combat advantages for the pc's.)? Is there a lot of history/background text about the places, or is the focus more on game-useful text that offers map keys and explanations about the physical aspects of the place? I would be very interested in getting it if it was a real game-aid product rather than something designed mainly to provide background color and atmosphere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the Evil DM Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! Is there a lot of history/background text about the places, or is the focus more on game-useful text that offers map keys and explanations about the physical aspects of the place? I would be very interested in getting it if it was a real game-aid product rather than something designed mainly to provide background color and atmosphere. I hear you. a lot of what I have seen lately is TOO generic. It's like the companies are trying to hedge their bets by trying to appeal to everyone. but what you end up getting is less a supplement than a watered down version of information you could glean off the net. they just gather it, repackage it and try and sell it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemurion Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! Well, I just picked up the PDF (about 10 minutes ago) and in the brief scan I've had time for it looks good. Depending on finances I may buy a paper copy or perhaps just print it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilDrPuma Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! It's worth it (I laud the decision to include a Lost World with Pleistocene megafauna instead of dinosaurs!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spence Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! I received my copy of Thrilling Places last week, but hadn’t had a chance to actually read it until the last couple of days and it has really opened up my game. In my opinion it is outstanding and exactly the type of adventure book I look for and rarely find. Each location contained the descriptive information in separate distinct sections clearly labeled. For example the “Grant Building” has the sections Description, Infrastructure, Layout (map key), Tenants (by floor). K’Hull Island has sections for Geography, Weather, Climate, Wildlife and so on. Each of the sections delivers all the info I need as a GM without a lot of useless word-fluff. Each location has a map which is detailed enough to be great for the GM without so much detail that it can’t be used for other purposes. I won’t have to remind anyone to ignore the computer on the desk which hadn’t been invented yet or that truck isn’t there. The next thing I like are the write-ups for creatures and NPC’s, package deals, equipment and so on that are not available elsewhere. Each of the locations could just be dropped into an existing game with very little to no prep. In fact the Pharaoh Club and the Royal Viridian Theater arrived at the best time to save me creating them for my new Pulp campaign I started last month. Since I am using Dr. Fang Shen from M&M as my hidden evil mastermind (yes I could have made my own, but time was short and he was perfect with only a couple of tweeks), the Street of the Emerald Bird was gold. In my Pulp game the PC’s are based out of HC, but the starter adventure has them in Hong Kong. When they return home and start using their information contacts, will be one of the Shop Keepers off of the SotEB. A double agent contact . All in all TP is one of the more directly useful to my game supplements I’ve bought recently. Great book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GestaltBennie Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! Bought it, love it, recommend it highlly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Questar Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! I received my copy of Thrilling Places last week, but hadn’t had a chance to actually read it until the last couple of days and it has really opened up my game. In my opinion it is outstanding and exactly the type of adventure book I look for and rarely find. Each location contained the descriptive information in separate distinct sections clearly labeled. For example the “Grant Building” has the sections Description, Infrastructure, Layout (map key), Tenants (by floor). K’Hull Island has sections for Geography, Weather, Climate, Wildlife and so on. Each of the sections delivers all the info I need as a GM without a lot of useless word-fluff. Each location has a map which is detailed enough to be great for the GM without so much detail that it can’t be used for other purposes. I won’t have to remind anyone to ignore the computer on the desk which hadn’t been invented yet or that truck isn’t there. The next thing I like are the write-ups for creatures and NPC’s, package deals, equipment and so on that are not available elsewhere. Each of the locations could just be dropped into an existing game with very little to no prep. In fact the Pharaoh Club and the Royal Viridian Theater arrived at the best time to save me creating them for my new Pulp campaign I started last month. Since I am using Dr. Fang Shen from M&M as my hidden evil mastermind (yes I could have made my own, but time was short and he was perfect with only a couple of tweeks), the Street of the Emerald Bird was gold. In my Pulp game the PC’s are based out of HC, but the starter adventure has them in Hong Kong. When they return home and start using their information contacts, will be one of the Shop Keepers off of the SotEB. A double agent contact . All in all TP is one of the more directly useful to my game supplements I’ve bought recently. Great book. I appreciate hearing your detailed comments on the book. From what I can glean, it sounds like the focus is less on the maps and physical aspects of the places, and more on the background with NPC's and package deals, climate, etc. That is sort of what I expected. I'm not criticizing that approach, it certainly worked for you. But it's not of as much interest to me as something that would be a set of detailed floor plans, maps, etc with pulp-like flavor. There are many sorts of what I'm seeking for fantasy campaigns, (castles and manors and what not) but outside of a lighthouse island, I haven't found much available for pulp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vondy Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! I love all things pulp. On the other hand, I'm not a very good market sample. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savinien Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! I am buying it at the FLGS tonight! Happy Birthday to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mraley Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! From what I can glean' date=' it sounds like the focus is less on the maps and physical aspects of the places, and more on the background with NPC's and package deals, climate, etc.[/quote'] Actually, there are very good maps of all the locations, ranging from larger scale maps (for K'hull Island) to room-by-room maps and descriptions for single locations (the Royal Viridian Theater, Schloss Eisenwolf, the Pharoah Club), as well as detailed descriptions (most room-by-room) of each location (the description of the PI's office in the Grant Building includes where his plants are). The NPC write-ups are relatively brief (stat blocks, some skills/disads, and a note about personality, motivation and so on). The sections for more "Hudson City-ish" locations don't include background on climate, etc., but do include some details making it easier to set a "real world" location into your pulp game. The more distant locales do have more information about climate, flora/fauna, population, and so on (since not everyone has been to Siberia, Bavaria, Greenland, or the South Pacific) as well as tidbits of information to help add color to your narration. (And trust me, the real-world information on these places is as accurate as research can make it. If I never hear another debate on the relative merits of WWI era Russian planes or how many miles of paved roads there were in Louisiana in 1930, it will be far too soon.) While I am (understandably) somewhat biased in my opinion (the author is my husband), I think this is a well written and valuable source book. I've been gaming (both as a player and a GM) for almost thirty years, and it's one of the best I've ever seen. Mary Ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheQuestionMan Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! Im sure I ll love it when I get it if it is anything like Masterminds And Madmen. http://www.herogames.com/Products/MnM.htm See my Review of Masterminds And Madmen http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41790&highlight=%5BReview%5D+Masterminds+Madmen QM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Questar Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! Actually, there are very good maps of all the locations, ranging from larger scale maps (for K'hull Island) to room-by-room maps and descriptions for single locations (the Royal Viridian Theater, Schloss Eisenwolf, the Pharoah Club), as well as detailed descriptions (most room-by-room) of each location (the description of the PI's office in the Grant Building includes where his plants are). The NPC write-ups are relatively brief (stat blocks, some skills/disads, and a note about personality, motivation and so on). The sections for more "Hudson City-ish" locations don't include background on climate, etc., but do include some details making it easier to set a "real world" location into your pulp game. The more distant locales do have more information about climate, flora/fauna, population, and so on (since not everyone has been to Siberia, Bavaria, Greenland, or the South Pacific) as well as tidbits of information to help add color to your narration. (And trust me, the real-world information on these places is as accurate as research can make it. If I never hear another debate on the relative merits of WWI era Russian planes or how many miles of paved roads there were in Louisiana in 1930, it will be far too soon.) While I am (understandably) somewhat biased in my opinion (the author is my husband), I think this is a well written and valuable source book. I've been gaming (both as a player and a GM) for almost thirty years, and it's one of the best I've ever seen. Mary Ann Well, you make a persuasive case, and I probably will pick it up before long. I like to support HERO, but often I find that I have a somewhat different set of desires than the readers HERO targets. I have quite a few HERO books that sit on my shelf or hard drive and never find use in my campaigns ... or that provide me with one or two bits, but never justify the price I paid for them. Not that they are poorly done, they just don't fit my particular needs. Still, I like to support the company. It's just nice to occasionally get something that is really useful to me. I very much want to start up a pulp campaign, but my little forays into the genre have me pretty much convinced that I need a faster, more steamlined system than HERO to really get the action-packed flavor of the pulps. I am looking at a couple of other systems right now, but I'm assuming that this book would work well with other systems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! Thrilling Places was just ordered! unfortunately I couldn't afford Masterminds and Mandmen along with it this month (I went overboard for my wife's birthday as was appropriate) so that will wait for next month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spence Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! I appreciate hearing your detailed comments on the book. From what I can glean' date=' it sounds like the focus is less on the maps and physical aspects of the places, and more on the background with NPC's and package deals, climate, etc. That is sort of what I expected. I'm not criticizing that approach, it certainly worked for you. But it's not of as much interest to me as something that would be a set of detailed floor plans, maps, etc with pulp-like flavor. There are many sorts of what I'm seeking for fantasy campaigns, (castles and manors and what not) but outside of a lighthouse island, I haven't found much available for pulp.[/quote'] I think I may have given you the wrong idea. TP does have detailed maps of the locations. I just like a map without useless widgets. I really hate a warehouse map that has a forklift drawn on it. If I want a forklift I'll add it or use something to represent it. If it is drawn in it cannot move, and if you are playing an era that predates forklifts the map just throws the game off. The included maps can be used for DC, Ch or PH equally, and the write-ups need little to no tweeks to change genre. Some of them actually cross right over to FH too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savinien Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! I am buying it at the FLGS tonight! Happy Birthday to me! Got it in my grubby paws. Jury is still out on its usefulness for my Pulp Game, AotM. I should just play in the CU with CU standards. My life would be easier, maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Re: Thrilling Places! Got it in my grubby paws. Jury is still out on its usefulness for my Pulp Game' date=' AotM. I should just play in the CU with CU standards. My life would be easier, maybe?[/quote'] Nah. Home brew is more fun. That said, you can always borrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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