Use of the Hero System's Older Editions

[Christopher R Taylor]

I assumed Surrealone was comparing that to the cost of continuing to use 5ed, given that they already all have those books.

Not originally but yeah, that's what it turned into, which is a fair cop.

 

Originally complaint was the "6th edition costs too much!" which is very valid.  I still don't have a physical copy of the 6th edition two-volume uber rules set because I can't justify the expense.  But since you don't have to pay that any longer, its just a question of being willing to move to the new edition or not.

 

D&D fans buy the books for each edition, maybe with a grumble (particularly 4th) but without blinking.

[kukuli]

I have been playing Hero since the first edition of Champions.  Most of my GM experience has been in 5er.  I can PLAY in any version, the GM does the heavy lifting in most rules changes.  As a GM, I don't have the drive to completely rewrite my existing campaign for changes that don't really change the gaming experience for my players.  But, my game is a heroic, somewhat lighthearted, roleplay heavy game.  A Supers or heavy Scifi game might be different.

 

The only 6ed change I've made is changing the scale.  I handle the change by designing a hybrid hex grid with 2m hexes in black and  1m hexes in blue.  

[Marcus Impudite]

5th Edition all the way. While the idea of importing some things from 4th does appeal to me, I try to keep any materials I post in the downloads as close to vanilla 5er as is feasible to increase the chances that someone out there might get some use out of them. Not "upgrading" to 6th means I can pretty much forget about ever writing any officially licensed materials, though I would consider doing some fan-made (not for profit) stuff for 5th as free time allows.

[Tasha]

I have been playing Hero since the first edition of Champions.  Most of my GM experience has been in 5er.  I can PLAY in any version, the GM does the heavy lifting in most rules changes.  As a GM, I don't have the drive to completely rewrite my existing campaign for changes that don't really change the gaming experience for my players.  But, my game is a heroic, somewhat lighthearted, roleplay heavy game.  A Supers or heavy Scifi game might be different.

 

The only 6ed change I've made is changing the scale.  I handle the change by designing a hybrid hex grid with 2m hexes in black and  1m hexes in blue.  

 

6e the scale didn't change. You just have the ability as GM to define how big a Hex is. So you can just define a hex as 2m and keep playing.

[Doc Democracy]

D&D fans buy the books for each edition, maybe with a grumble (particularly 4th) but without blinking.

 

Next to my dice box I have a small money box.  Every time I play a game with my friends I put £2 into the box.  Kind of like paying to play.

 

The upshot is that I am paying myself.  Given the amount we spend on food and drinks on a game night (and on travelling), and additional £2 is nothing.  I play, on average, once a fortnight - or about 26 times a year.  That accumulates for me £52 a year.  not a fortune but it becomes guilt free game expenditure when I need/want it.

 

Given that I went a few years without anything I really wanted it to buy, that little nest egg more than paid for sixth edition.  :-)

 

I was also one of those who unquestioningly bought the next edition of D&D....until 4th edition.  It was not a game I wanted to buy and it did not feel like D&D to me.  The bad thing for Wizards is that when 5th came out, I did not buy that either - the habit was broken and I did not want the game enough to spend the money...even though I had it to spend.

 

 

Doc

[bigdamnhero]

6e the scale didn't change. You just have the ability as GM to define how big a Hex is. So you can just define a hex as 2m and keep playing.

I think the problem some people have is that then they're not sure how to handle odd distances, like say someone with a 7m half-move. Do you round down to 3 hexes? Round up to 4? My answer is to move them 3 1/2 hexes and leave the mini on the line between hexes, but some people (particularly folks with more of a minis background) seem to have an intense dislike of coloring outside the lines like that. One friend I've been gaming with for the better part of a decades still always has to ask "Which hex is this guy in?" and gets Does Not Compute Face when I tell him the figure belongs where it is.

[Spence]

I think the problem some people have is that then they're not sure how to handle odd distances, like say someone with a 7m half-move. Do you round down to 3 hexes? Round up to 4? My answer is to move them 3 1/2 hexes and leave the mini on the line between hexes, but some people (particularly folks with more of a minis background) seem to have an intense dislike of coloring outside the lines like that. One friend I've been gaming with for the better part of a decades still always has to ask "Which hex is this guy in?" and gets Does Not Compute Face when I tell him the figure belongs where it is.

 

I just don't use a hexed map

[Vondy]

I think the problem some people have is that then they're not sure how to handle odd distances, like say someone with a 7m half-move. Do you round down to 3 hexes? Round up to 4? My answer is to move them 3 1/2 hexes and leave the mini on the line between hexes, but some people (particularly folks with more of a minis background) seem to have an intense dislike of coloring outside the lines like that. One friend I've been gaming with for the better part of a decades still always has to ask "Which hex is this guy in?" and gets Does Not Compute Face when I tell him the figure belongs where it is.

 

The rules text allows explicitly states you can set your own hex size.

 

It just uses two meters as an easy default that provides continuity with previous editions.

[bigdamnhero]

I just don't use a hexed map

That works too.

 

The rules text allows explicitly states you can set your own hex size.

Yes, well aware of that, thanks. (That was even referenced in Tasha's text that I quoted.) I was responding to kukuli's suggestion of using a hybrid map with both 1m and 2m hexes. Seems more trouble than it's worth to me personally, since I use hexes more as a way to measure distance than as discrete spaces per se, but I can see where some might find it helpful.

[LouisGoncey]

I played HERO for the first time in 1983 with Espionage. No powers, but I loved the game -- players had a great time esp. with the firefights.

 

Turn to 2012 - I picked up Champions Complete at my FLGS. Became a big fan of the system. Started a collecting rampage. Really liked the older editions. CHAMPIONS 3rd, STAR HERO, DANGER INTERNATIONAL, FANTASY HERO. Picked up the BBB and thought that was alittle to 'fiddly' for my tastes.

 

And here I am...

[Christopher R Taylor]

I think the problem some people have is that then they're not sure how to handle odd distances, like say someone with a 7m half-move. Do you round down to 3 hexes? 

That's not any different from having 2m hexes.  My half move of 15" is 7", do I round down to 6?  Do I put him halfway across the line?

[Alcamtar]

I like a lot of aspects of 6th edition, but in terms of the source material and feel, I think Hero peaked at 4th edition.

 

This sums it up for me too.

 

I am currently using Fantasy Hero Complete. When 6E was introduced I abandoned the Hero System, but CC/FHC persuaded me to give it a chance. 6E is not without good qualities, but it changed too much. The only reason I play Hero at all is because of 4E: lingering nostalgia and the ability to leverage years of experience. The more the system changes, the less relevant these become.

 

4E was homely and imperfect, but (or should I say "therefore"?) it was magic.

[pinecone]

Hello, all.

 

I'm curious about something, so I thought I'd throw out a general question for the boards.

 

Since shortly after I first encountered the Hero System, it's been my go-to system for pretty much every game I run, and over the years, I've bought a LOT of Hero books -- to the point of tracking down the editions that were out before that first encounter and building a collection that takes up 12+ linear feet on my bookshelves.

 

Though I've used material from all the game's editions, I've stuck with the 4th edition ruleset for actual play, converting material to that edition as needed.  System-wise, I've imported a few tweaks in the form of house rules, but that's about it.  I don't have a problem with any of the other editions, so don't think I'm turning my nose up at them or anything.  4th edition just seems to me the best balance between mechanical development and simplicity.

 

I'm wondering how many other people are using an older version of the rules.  Is just about everybody "latest and greatest," or is there a significant "old school" crowd?

Color me "Old school"

[bigdamnhero]

That's not any different from having 2m hexes.  My half move of 15" is 7", do I round down to 6?  Do I put him halfway across the line?

Oh absolutely. I like that 6ed makes this easier to handle (at least for me).

[assault]

That's not any different from having 2m hexes.  My half move of 15" is 7", do I round down to 6?  Do I put him halfway across the line?

 Your half move is 8" - round in the character's favour. That puts him in a specific hex.

[Vondy]

I just received a copy of the 4th ed. Champions of the North.

 

I forgot how cool this book was.

[Virtuoso]

Color me "Old school"

Let's hear it for Old School Hero!

 

Seriously, I'm glad to know there are still people playing the older editions -- which is pretty cool, especially considering how long those rules have been unavailable for purchase.  Makes me wonder what would happen if Hero would do reprints (premium, regular, or print-on-demand) or even sign off on a retro-clone!  (I know I'd buy a few copies.)

[Lord Liaden]

I just received a copy of the 4th ed. Champions of the North.

 

I forgot how cool this book was.

 

I'm a fan of Scott Bennie, and there's a lot about his 5th ed. COTN that I greatly appreciate... but there were some things I actually preferred in the 4th version. And I'm Canadian, so it's not just a "foreigner" thing.

[Vondy]

In a painfully groan-worthy footnote, my copy arrived with a bookmark at Ambrosia's write up.

[Lord Liaden]

Yeah, she was a sore point for some people.

[Vondy]

Yeah, she was a sore point for some people.

 

I think she's fine.

 

I just thought. "Gosh, I wonder what this fanboy was drooling over..."

[Ninja-Bear]

I think she's fine.

 

I just thought. "Gosh, I wonder what this fanboy was drooling over..."

Do you really want to know the answer to that?

[Vondy]

Do you really want to know the answer to that?

 

The book mark already gave it away...

[Lord Liaden]

The real issue some people had with Ambrosia wasn't her appearance, or even her style and attitude. It was that the only French person on Canada's national government team was an immigrant from France.

 

French-Canadian representation on the national level is still a touchy subject even today. More so in the early Nineties.

[Vondy]

The real issue some people had with Ambrosia wasn't her appearance, or even her style and attitude. It was that the only French person on Canada's national government team was an immigrant from France.

 

French-Canadian representation on the national level is still a touchy subject even today. More so in the early Nineties.

 

I frequently visited Montreal in the nineties (and Toronto less frequently).

 

I remember how impassioned the various sovereignty party protests got!