Alcamtar Posted March 17, 2023 Report Share Posted March 17, 2023 Fantasy Hero was an awesome name in 1985, it perfectly captured the genre and flavor of the game, and tied it to the larger hero ecosystem. These days, in the age of the web, I find it is virtually impossible to find Fantasy Hero content on web search engines. I get an endless list of computer games, other RPGs, articles, artwork... nearly anything except the fantasy RPG from Hero Games. Maybe smart search like Bing+ChatGPT will make that easier, but it is interesting how a name that was perfect for the non-digital age is almost perfectly designed to be invisible in the digital age. Just an observation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Neilson Posted March 17, 2023 Report Share Posted March 17, 2023 I was on the Hero mailing list back in the '80s. Fantasy Hero was a working title - they asked for name suggestions. No "X & Y" names was the sole request. They didn't get anything they liked, could not think of anything better, and it got released as Fantasy Hero. Or so they said at the time, anyway. Scott Ruggels 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher R Taylor Posted March 17, 2023 Report Share Posted March 17, 2023 While I agree, its a bit of a misunderstanding of the Hero System. Its not your fault, its the fault of how Hero has been presented. Hero isn't a game, its a game system, and Fantasy Hero isn't the game, its how to build the game. There are multiple Fantasy Hero campaigns out there with other names and presentations including my own Jolrhos Campaign. Fantasy Hero is what the GM buys to build his own campaign. The campaign settings are what you get when you want a brand name or someone else's campaign. As an aside, I think it all should have been "Champions" not "Hero". So you had "Fantasy Champions" to help tie into the most popular game title. archer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted March 17, 2023 Report Share Posted March 17, 2023 2 hours ago, Alcamtar said: Fantasy Hero was an awesome name in 1985, it perfectly captured the genre and flavor of the game, and tied it to the larger hero ecosystem. These days, in the age of the web, I find it is virtually impossible to find Fantasy Hero content on web search engines. I get an endless list of computer games, other RPGs, articles, artwork... nearly anything except the fantasy RPG from Hero Games. Maybe smart search like Bing+ChatGPT will make that easier, but it is interesting how a name that was perfect for the non-digital age is almost perfectly designed to be invisible in the digital age. Just an observation. To be fair, Fantasy Hero predated Google and almost the internet. But you're right in that it's become invisible online due to its generic name and its lack of critical mass. Champions is almost as bad. The hard part is giving a unique name to a generic system without tying the system to a particular piece of IP. Through the years Hero has done its level best to avoid that in the name of being The System That Can Do Anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcamtar Posted March 17, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2023 I actually think it's a great name and perfect for its era, even if it was "named by default." The whole "X Hero" thing became a tradition and recognizable brand identity, and I always felt that the name emphasized the heroic aspect of the game, something that makes it unique from all other games. It's just changing times and changing technologies. There is something to be said for being first to market and trademarking that generic name. Microsoft got a trademark on Windows which is a very bland generic name. Anyone else who wants to compete with that has to come up with a euphemistic synonym that isn't quite as punchy or descriptive. As a name, Fantasy Hero is in that category. On the other hand, my ex wife used to poke good-natured fun at me. She knew Fantasy Hero was my favorite game and would rib me about wishing I really was a "fantasy hero." I didn't appreciate the joke but have to admit it was low-hanging fruit. 😅 Chris Goodwin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher R Taylor Posted March 17, 2023 Report Share Posted March 17, 2023 Quote To be fair, Fantasy Hero predated Google and almost the internet. But you're right in that it's become invisible online due to its generic name and its lack of critical mass. Champions is almost as bad. That's why these games have subtitles: Champions the SUPER RPG. Western Hero: Rough and Ready Role Playing. That kind of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GDShore Posted March 18, 2023 Report Share Posted March 18, 2023 I have a somewhat twisty mind, so I went and tried a search, use the following Hero game system Fantasy Hero. It will give you better results. Lord Liaden 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted March 18, 2023 Report Share Posted March 18, 2023 That's what I've discovered with Internet searches -- adding more terms narrows down the results. Khymeria 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khymeria Posted March 18, 2023 Report Share Posted March 18, 2023 20 hours ago, Christopher R Taylor said: That's why these games have subtitles: Champions the SUPER RPG. Western Hero: Rough and Ready Role Playing. That kind of thing. Gaslight: Horror and Heroics in the Victorian Era….keywords nailed. Shameless plug. Christopher R Taylor, Joe Walsh and Scott Ruggels 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher R Taylor Posted March 18, 2023 Report Share Posted March 18, 2023 When is that coming out? *bated breath* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khymeria Posted March 18, 2023 Report Share Posted March 18, 2023 Just now, Christopher R Taylor said: When is that coming out? *bated breath* I will try to narrow an answer. I’ve seen some excellent artwork and a beautiful cover piece. I will get back to you on that. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1corpus christopher Posted March 19, 2023 Report Share Posted March 19, 2023 Having a rich Hero Games library is fun: Recently I had my Princess Cherokee Shamaness Super Hero PC (refer to 5th edition Club for her background) involved in an old Challenges For Champions scenario. The Red Herring. Shamaness has already run thru Battlegrounds (2008 I presume) and that led into the Widows and Orphans adventure (Hero Plus 1997) which had so many gang connects that I brought in some prime characters from Dark Champions- i.e. Artemis from Underworld Enemies (1993) and Card Shark as depicted in the Dark Champions 4th ed. book. The Red Herring scenario doesn’t have enough power to be a real challenge for Sham as written, so I had a couple of helpers to make it more fun for her. Ankylosaur from Conquerors, Killers and Crooks got in (2002); and Merry Andrew-The Buffoon (Classic Organizations 1991) was also brought in for comic relief as the sandwich truck driver of the scene. At one point Shamaness had summoned 10 giant snakes (see Fantasy Hero Bestiary 4th ed write-up) and 2 "Thunder Rocs" (see Fantasy Hero Bestiary 6th ed, but at about half the size of the write-up, 60 pts worth in 5th ed. Rule terms. The talons & beaks of these Rocs are still formidable at 6d6 & 8d6 HKAs w/STR, reduced penetration, respectively) As all these beasts are pressing the attack, the bad guys are fleeing. Buffoon was in the driver's seat of the get-away truck as Shamaness teleports over and takes a swing at him with her "Lightning Tomahawk" (6 & 1/2 d6 HKA w/ STR respectively) Merry Andrew's head is not fully covered by his suit, his face is exposed- he has used his gadget pool to make his suit into Resistant Armor at a 10 PD/ED with a 14 or less activation roll. So, as Shamaness attacks Buffoon, I kick in the optional hit location rules that are really more a Fantasy Hero mainstay. It's a high shot (see 5th ed Hero System rulebook pg 277) because he's sitting in the driver's seat as Sham swings at him. Roll 2d6 and add one for the hit location of the hit; Shamaness has successfully hit Buffoon, now where? She rolls a 4 on the dice, that's 4 + 1 = 5. Buffoon's head. I still wanted to give this CLOWN a chance, so I GMed on the fly, "If he gets a 9 or less he still gets the Armor to activate" I the GM roll 11. Sham rolls 21 BODY on her Tomahawk. In the face. Times 2 for thr head is 42 Body damage, Buffoon has 10 BODY. Bye, bye CLOWN boy! An example of Hero Game Systems rules with Fantasy Hero in the mix😉 DentArthurDent, Khymeria and Duke Bushido 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Bushido Posted March 19, 2023 Report Share Posted March 19, 2023 7 hours ago, 1corpus christopher said: Bye, bye CLOWN boy! An example of Hero Game Systems rules with Fantasy Hero in the mix😉 Ah, yes... They should redo CLOWN for every edition. My players _never_ get tired of findinf ways to,accidentally kill them, even if they have to report to jail and make new characters. And i never get tired of letting them. Chris Goodwin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted March 19, 2023 Report Share Posted March 19, 2023 I suspect CLOWN is responsible for more buy-offs of Code vs Killing than any other Champions publication. Duke Bushido, Khymeria and Scott Ruggels 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Bushido Posted March 19, 2023 Report Share Posted March 19, 2023 Dude, I cant believe that Wings of the Valkyrie will never again see the light of day, and yet CLOWN is still something I can pop over to the HERO store and buy... archer, Khymeria, Scott Ruggels and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1corpus christopher Posted March 20, 2023 Report Share Posted March 20, 2023 13 hours ago, Duke Bushido said: Dude, I cant believe that Wings od the Valkyrie will never again see the light of day, and yet CLOWN is still something I can pop over to the HERO store and buy... 13 hours ago, Lord Liaden said: I suspect CLOWN is responsible for more buy-offs of Code vs Killing than any other Champions publication. Buffoon was under the impression that nobody was supposed to die. Along with driving a tasty ride, Merry Andrew was trying out some new "confetti-cyclone" gauntlets he had built. It should all be fun. Tee-heh! The job was set up by a individual who seemed both convincing and unemotional to Merry Andrew. The outcome should lead to no innocents being killed. The predicted involvement of law enforcement and a very likely hero (Cherokee Shamaness) would be easy to circumvent because of her gullible nature. The general brilliance of trickery of the mission will take law enforcement on the scene by surprise and leave them looking like imbeciles. There would also be a handsome reward for merchandise procured during this job. This scenario was a sub-plot of Champions Presents 2 (1993) I think you understand if you know the literature 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1corpus christopher Posted March 20, 2023 Report Share Posted March 20, 2023 39 minutes ago, 1corpus christopher said: Buffoon was under the impression that nobody was supposed to die. Along with driving a tasty ride, Merry Andrew was trying out some new "confetti-cyclone" gauntlets he had built. It should all be fun. Tee-heh! The job was set up by a individual who seemed both convincing and unemotional to Merry Andrew. The outcome should lead to no innocents being killed. The predicted involvement of law enforcement and a very likely hero (Cherokee Shamaness) would be easy to circumvent because of her gullible nature. The general brilliance of trickery of the mission will take law enforcement on the scene by surprise and leave them looking like imbeciles. There would also be a handsome reward for merchandise procured during this job. This scenario was a sub-plot of Champions Presents 2 (1993) I think you understand if you know the literature 😉 ...And the "modification" to the scenario: The Cooper Station about halfway between Meriquai Falls and Kansas City on the Meriquai River. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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