Adventure/Module Support

[tstetz]

Awesome news about the MHI handbook! I think the MHI universe will make an excellent RPG setting and am really looking forward to it.

 

My big question, which I always have with new games, is: will there be actual adventures/module support for the game?

 

It seems like most of the time I ask someone at a game company that I always get the "well, we provide plot hooks, or plot seeds, and that's the hard part, coming up with ideas" answer and usually I just keep walking at the cons when I hear it

 

Ideas aren't usually the problem, its having time to flesh them out that is. My gaming group is mostly in their 40's with kids. We work full time and barely squeek out a few hours a week to play. The less prep time needed the more likely we are to be able to play. I'm more than happy to pay someone else to put out fully fleshed modules for me. Even "one sheets" and short scenarios are great.

 

Honestly, in this case I'll probably buy the main book either way, because I'm a fan of Larry's work and want to see how MHI translates to roleplay (rather well I suspect), but for me to keep up with a game its got to have adventure support. Too many companies just seem to put our rulebooks and then never follow up with any other support. Definately hoping that MHI gets full support so we can actually play it!

[Haerandir]

Re: Adventure/Module Support

 

As I understand it, the reason most companies don't provide module support for their games is that they simply can't afford to. Unless you have the fanbase & financial resources enjoyed by the titans of the RPG industry (WotC, White Wolf, mayyyybe Games Workshop), you're very unlikely to break even on modules, much less turn a profit.

 

You'll note that even companies like White Wolf prefer rules expansions and splatbooks to adventure modules. The number of people who will buy a Player's Guide or a Compleat Book of MacGuffins is much higher than the number who will buy an adventure module (generally only collectors & a fraction of the GMs, who in turn represent a fraction of the fanbase to begin with).

[tstetz]

Re: Adventure/Module Support

 

Yeah, I've definitely heard that argument before and I do get it it to some degree, but the flip side is, as a consumer, I'm much less interested in purchasing a game that doesn't have follow up support to actually play it. I play with a couple different gaming groups and we're all in the same boat. Limited game time with work, kids, etc and we appreciate having ready to run adventures. And we support the companies that put them out.

 

I already put in for the Kickstarter because I'm an MHI fan but honestly, without follow on support I'll just keep it as part of my MHI collection and won't go any further. And if we don't play that means the rest of the guys in the gaming group don't get the interest to buy game books and supplements either. Maybe only one person in a gaming group buys adventures, that companies don't see as profitable, but if that one person does, and runs a game, then it gives the rest of the group a reason to go out and buy rule books which IS where companies make their money.

 

I dunno, maybe we're an anomaly, although I def run into folks at gaming Cons who seem to agree with us.

 

Some companies do get it and have great module support (Paizo springs to mind). Even simple one sheets, and short scenarios available as PDF's and available for download work great. Cost is mininaml with no printing and distribution to worry about, you can still charge something for them, and it gives folks material to work with and a reason to buy books. But without something to actually PLAY, the rules are relatively useless IMO.

[Bolon]

Re: Adventure/Module Support

 

I strongly agree. Companies should be trying to support with modules even if they have a system of players can produce one, get 5 free and sell them to others as PDF. The contributers get recognized and a few free modules. The company gets some free product and reason for others to purchase the modules and other products. The players get support and can play more with less prep time. The company could even cut some profit to the writer in royalties and might have a rating system so players can know if they are good versus crap. If I made a great scenario, I would love to have a way to put it out there and be recognized for it, maybe make a few bucks for my hard work. It sounds like a great plan.

[tstetz]

Re: Adventure/Module Support

 

I wondered about something like that too Bolon. A way for users to submit their own modules that would in turn become available to the community. That's another great possibility as well.

[Steve Long]

Re: Adventure/Module Support

 

will there be actual adventures/module support for the game?

 

It seems like most of the time I ask someone at a game company that I always get the "well, we provide plot hooks, or plot seeds, and that's the hard part, coming up with ideas" answer and usually I just keep walking at the cons when I hear it

 

Ideas aren't usually the problem, its having time to flesh them out that is. My gaming group is mostly in their 40's with kids. We work full time and barely squeek out a few hours a week to play. The less prep time needed the more likely we are to be able to play. I'm more than happy to pay someone else to put out fully fleshed modules for me. Even "one sheets" and short scenarios are great.

 

That's going to depend entirely on how well the Kickstarter does. If it continues to bring in pledges at the relatively strong rate it has been, we have some ideas for stretch goals and extras that may involve scenarios (potentially quite a few of them). We also have some other ideas that would involve building more of an "MHI RPG line" than is currently envisioned. We'll just have to see if the demand -- and the community size -- is there.

 

I can certainly understand your desire for published adventures, but the blunt truth is that they sell very, very poorly. To begin with they're only targeting approximately one-fifth of the audience (GMs), whereas most supplements target both players and GMs. Beyond that, many people simply prefer to create their own adventures. Hero Games's experience over the past decade is that modules simply aren't worth publishing. But as I say, we'll see.

 

 

I strongly agree. Companies should be trying to support with modules even if they have a system of players can produce one, get 5 free and sell them to others as PDF. The contributers get recognized and a few free modules. The company gets some free product and reason for others to purchase the modules and other products. The players get support and can play more with less prep time. The company could even cut some profit to the writer in royalties and might have a rating system so players can know if they are good versus crap. If I made a great scenario, I would love to have a way to put it out there and be recognized for it, maybe make a few bucks for my hard work. It sounds like a great plan.

 

It sounds like a great plan, but it isn't. Hero Games does have a Free Stuff page, and the company's always willing to accept an adventure for inclusion on that page if someone wants to send one in. Over the past decade, though, the company's gotten almost no such submissions.

 

Even if a lot of people wanted to write up scenarios for the MHI RPG, the fact remains that quality control is an issue. If Hero Games were to actually sell them, as you suggest, it would have to exercise some sort of quality control. It would also have to devote time and resources to laying them out and making them look sufficiently professional that it could justify charging money for them. And I can tell you from extensive personal experience as HERO System Line Developer for ten years that very, very few people, including most professional RPG writers and most long-time HERO fans, can write HERO System material well. It might be a little easier with the MHI RPG stuff, but even then I suspect a lot of editorial work would be required.

 

Here's what I suggest: Hero Games now has a very generous licensing policy. If any of you are strongly in favor of there being modules for the MHI RPG, and you think there's enough consumer interest, write them and sell them yourself! That's the best of both worlds: customers get adventures, and you make some money.

[tstetz]

Re: Adventure/Module Support

 

Appreciate the honest appraisal of the likelihood of any sort of modules Steve.

 

I'm going to have to hold out hope of Kickstarter bonus material I suspect.

 

I'd love to see community created material but I know I'm not in the position to do it myself. Heck, if I had the time for that I wouldn't be looking for other people to provide modules now. I do seriously hope someone takes you up on the prospect though or that MHI makes enough of a splash for Hero Games to put some stuff out itself.

 

I suspect that basic missions wouldn't be too bad to do. Without tying them in to an overarching campaign story there could be a myriad of MHI "jobs" that could be done as one shot adventures. Go to X location, meet up with Y customers, kill what troubles them, and collect the PUFF bounty.

 

Guess we'll see what happens but I'll hope for the best!

[Bolon]

Re: Adventure/Module Support

 

If the issue is that most scenarios or adventures have a degree of poor quality since writing HERO system material is so difficult, maybe something should be done to make it easier. What are the secrets or keys to making good scenarios? Are there shortcuts or things that you as a Line Developer look for? Is there a template or a format you use that makes it clear and easy to use/read? Do you have a link to such on a website? Has it ever been included in a supplement?

 

There is a segment who are looking for adventures that are easy to run and fun. Some are looking to save time and have things so they don't need to do prep-work to cut from the fun. Some are looking for examples to copy or emulate when they make their own games. If it is an issue of quality control, then how about just encourage those who post great stuff on the forum to post it on the Free Stuff page? If you make it easier, more will try and do it. If more do, more will enjoy and buy more. "Built it and they will come" or something like that.

 

Recently I have been seeing alternative media such as gaming being used to teach the youth. Education is still falling back to old methods when today's youth are about electronic media, TV, video games and movies. Literature and storytelling are now using diverse medias. Why can't HERO be one of those medias? It might just require a format or a few basic techniques to open this version of storytelling wide open. I would hail a new age of gaming where gamers might return to the creativity and community and away from the business that is Milton Bradley.

 

I might have gone on a tangent there, sorry but the point is a need needs to be filled.

[Steve Long]

Re: Adventure/Module Support

 

I suspect that basic missions wouldn't be too bad to do. Without tying them in to an overarching campaign story there could be a myriad of MHI "jobs" that could be done as one shot adventures. Go to X location, meet up with Y customers, kill what troubles them, and collect the PUFF bounty.

 

Something like that might be possible. To make it work, though, I'd probably have to crib maps and such from other Hero Games products. I'll give it some thought, at least.

[Darq]

It could be as simple as putting up wanted posters regularly, with information about who, what, where and dirty details.

 

I am willing to bet a lot of these adventures would be available from the fan base, should the gaming companies facilitate the process. Yes, this would incur some overhead on their part to review, edit and format the material, but nearly as high as paying staff writers from the get-go.

 

Best product line support I can recall was Black Industries support of Dark Heresey before it was taken away from them. They had new material on the web site weekly. It didn't have to be huge amounts - an NPC write up, write up of a new location. Roughly monthly they put out a new adventure consisting of a half dozen to a dozen pages, a map or two and the NPC character sheets.

 

I have to agree with the OP. I have the money to pay other people to do the setup work for me, I just don't have the time. I would be curious as to what the market share is currently for P&P RPGs. I am guessing it is moving more and more in that direction.