Hero System for FoundryVTT

[Legendsmiths]

Howdy folks! I've been anxious to share this news with you until I had more than just promises to share. 

 

I am developing the Hero System for FoundryVTT, under license with Hero Games, and I am just wrapping up on the foundation before moving into automation. My goal is to keep this as simple as possible, focus on automating the things that have greatest impact (e.g., using/tracking END), and allow others to build on it. 

 

Hero for Foundry will take 2 forms:

 

Hero 6E Basic will be a FREE ($0) system for FoundryVTT that will only include content from the Hero System 6E Basic Rulebook. You will be able to add skills, maneuvers, talents, powers etc from any Hero book, so you can do more than just what's in Hero Basic. The core functionality of the system will be present:

• Combat Status
• Dice Rolling (including counting BODY)
• Speed Chart/Turn Tracking
• Character input will be manual (type it in, drag/drop skills/perks/talents/powers) with no power calculation

 

Hero 6E Complete (name to be finalized) will be a PAID ($TBD) system for FoundryVTT will include content from 6E1 and 6E2, and will be built on Hero 6E Basic with the following additions:

• More automation 
• HeroDesigner Import
• Support for Complete Adventures
• Support for Content Packs (e.g., Star Hero, Fantasy Hero, Grimoire, etc.)

 

Once the Hero 6E Basic Foundry VTT System is complete enough I will release it. Timing is unclear, but should be around June/July timeframe, possibly earlier. At that point we will gather feedback, fix things that need fixing, and then start talking about Hero 6E Complete. 

 

Hero 6E Complete will be funded by a crowdfunding campaign. We will have stretch goals related to more complex functionality, content generation, and more. Once funded, we will begin work on that, providing backers license keys on completion and then offering Hero 6E Complete for sale in the Hero Games store (and possibly elsewhere). 

 

I am really excited to be doing this. I have long used MapTool as my primary VTT for Hero, and love it dearly. However, I think the fit and polish of Foundry is finally where it needs to be and I think Hero needs to be visible and successful on that platform. 

 

I have long been an advocate for Hero. My first attempt and bringing Hero to a broader audience as the publication of Narosia: Sea of Tears. Building on that, the Hero community needs a robust VTT that is easy to access, stable, and free of subscriptions. Lastly, with the completion of my NOVA6 Game (that is my next crowdfunding project now that it is ready), I've started work on Narosia 2nd Edition and my love letter to Post-Apocalyptic play: Atomic Sky. Atomic Sky is sandbox style PA adventuring with 240+ mutations, gear out the wazoo, and a QuickStart system to make characters and start playing in an hour.

 

Atomic Sky needs a slick VTT, so here we are. 

 

Feel free to ask any questions and I will do my best to answer. Keep an eye here for updates as we make more progress. 

[Nullcron]

Wow. I was about to start working on this for 5th edition.

I have already used the custom system builder to start playing a little, but to have it managing more stuff like phases and END, excellent.

Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

I am a professional developer and have been working with JS, CSS, HTML since the 1996.

I am also a graphic designer and have been using Illustrator and PhotoShop since 1993.

[Khymeria]

I am impressed with the no subscription model. I have never been skilled with the tech fiddly bits and use Roll20 but would definitely step up if my group was down.  Will there be any imports for current 6E Hero products? 

Edited April 12, 2023 by Khymeria
Forgot to type my question

[RobertT62]

Nullcron, would LOVE to see this for 5th edition!

[Carl Chmielewski]

I was hoping to see this one. Thanks for the hard work.

[Durzan Malakim]

I'm eagerly looking forward to these two releases. Having a web-based hero designer is an accomplishment by itself. Support for VTT play is also wonderful.

[Legendsmiths]

4 hours ago, Durzan Malakim said:

I'm eagerly looking forward to these two releases. Having a web-based hero designer is an accomplishment by itself. Support for VTT play is also wonderful.

Clarification: this is not a web-based Hero Designer. It won't replace Hero Designer.

The full version will allow you to import a Hero Designer export file so that the character in Foundry will be fully realized with all of the character's characteristics, skills, perks, talents, powers, complications, and background. You will be able to drag and drop powers/skills/perks/talents/etc. to build a character manually, but it won't do any power checking or calculations. Each object includes a field for active, real, and base costs (mimicking the cost fields in Hero Designer), but you have to update those fields manually. It will total your points (probably), that's about it. Think about it like a blank character sheet that you have to fill out: you can fill it out by hand, and do all the math yourself, or you can import a Hero Designer export file that will fill it out for you.

 

 

[RPMiller]

6 minutes ago, Legendsmiths said:

The full version will allow you to import a Hero Designer export file

During our playtesting of the module one thing that we kept wishing for was that it would bring in the character portrait as portrait in Foundry. Is that something that you add by any chance? I'm thinking probably not since it is a separate file, but it would be awesome if he can pull it just like when you run an Export from HD.

[Legendsmiths]

Yes. The export can export the image into a field that will get imported.

 

The token image will default to the portrait image. However, you will be able to change the token image independent of the portrait as well.

[RPMiller]

1 hour ago, Legendsmiths said:

Yes. The export can export the image into a field that will get imported.

 

The token image will default to the portrait image. However, you will be able to change the token image independent of the portrait as well.

SWEET! Thanks!

[megaplayboy]

Sweet!  Any plans for Advanced Players Guide content packs?  I know I'll be waiting forever to see HD updated to incorporate APG material, but it'd be nice to see it in a format, well, anywhere.  

[Legendsmiths]

9 hours ago, megaplayboy said:

Sweet!  Any plans for Advanced Players Guide content packs?  I know I'll be waiting forever to see HD updated to incorporate APG material, but it'd be nice to see it in a format, well, anywhere.  

I suppose that will depend on stretch goals, but other than funding/time there's no reason it can't be.

[Carl Chmielewski]

FancyCreb on the Foundry site has a package for an unofficial Hero System 6e. Do you two talk to each other?

[Legendsmiths]

17 hours ago, Carl Chmielewski said:

FancyCreb on the Foundry site has a package for an unofficial Hero System 6e. Do you two talk to each other?

No. I think he isn’t working on it anymore. Someone else forked it and I am talking to him. 
 

The biggest difference is I have a license so I can include actual rules text in the content. 

[AReiter]

This news makes me quite happy.

[Legendsmiths]

The last 5 weeks were extremely busy for me outside of game development (work/vacation combo), but now I'm back to more "normal".

I just sent another round of revisions to the dev team, and turn around is pretty quick. I'm thinking another few weeks and I'll be able to review with the Hero Games team, identify any last major bugs, and then we can release for wider use/testing.

Please be kind and patient once we do that. I am funding this privately, and want it to be a reliable solution, but as feedback comes it, it may take some time to address any issues. We will be using GitHub (requirement for Foundry) so there will be a process there to submit bug reports and feature requests. We will not be accepting any such items here in the forums (too messy to track).

 

I have been fielding some questions here and there so I will summarize my responses for the rest of you. Remember, our objective is something that will work as well (or better) than a hand-written character sheet, support HD imports (making it super easy/fast to use), and automating the most critical parts of the game (in the Basic version) and then enhancing that in the Full version.

I do intend to support Custom Characteristics, but only probably in the Full version.

Part of what is taking time is setting things up in a modular fashion so that anyone, private or for profit (with an appropriate license from Hero Games), can create equipment, power, skill, talent, perk, or complication packs. That means we have to have a flexible infrastructure for Foundry "items" that can be detailed as desired.

When those items end up on the character, we want them to be 1-click for effects and END tracking.

Encumbrance (RAW) will be in Basic. Hit Locations will not be in Basic. The Basic Rulebook is the guide for the Basic version. Full will have that. I also want to, where possible, support alternate encumbrance systems (it's on the list, but not a priority).

Release Cadence

• First: Basic Version
• Collect feedback, bugs, and feature requests
• Fix immediate issues
• Use this feedback to inform the dev effort for the Full Version and refine the Kickstarter budget
• Fund the Kickstarter
• Incorporate any features/improvements appropriate for the Basic version
• Add additional features, functionality, and content for the Full version

As will all software endeavors with this small a team, this will be iterative and we will do our best to address things and find a way to support everyone's play style where feasible.

Foundry Version 11 just dropped, and we have been developing for Version 10, so that is also an effort we have to consider.

 

My goal is to be using this in my next Hero Game I'm developing (Atomic Sky) before the end of the summer. I can't say what the timing for the release of the Full Version will be, but I intend to put together a larger team that can help build that out more quickly, especially since it is building off the Basic Version. Aside from some key features (e.g., Hero Designer import, Hit Locations, Attack automation, Damage automation), most of what we are adding is content (skills, talents, perks, powers). Then I would expect content packs to come out based on demand (Bestiary, Martial Arts, Equipment Guide, Villains, etc... probably in that order).

I would love to be playing Atomic Sky next summer with the ability to drag and drop monsters from the Bestiary, modify them with the mutations I need, and go.

[Durzan Malakim]

I look forward to the Basic Version and the follow up Kickstarter.

[Jkeown]

I cannot wait for this. Dream come true! 

[Bezzeb]

I'm so freaking excited...  Are you willing to comment on how the first basic objective will compare with the Roll20 script? 

 

For info, we rely on 2 aspects at roll20 in our game group:  Combat turn tracker and the Power "attack buttons" which draw from character sheet modifiers. 

 

On the latter, for Hero Vets and Newbies alike, it keeps everyone in the flow instead of pausing all the time to do math. The secret to a great Hero System module in my eyes is making OCV/DCV modifiers easy and intuitive for players to manipulate.  The guy who designed the Roll20 script and character sheet did a decent job of it.

 

And no joke, the Roll20 script has been VITAL for letting me bring in players who are new to Hero System.  As GM i say "Let them play first, learn later."  With the roll20 scripts, takes me 5 minutes to teach how to click the modifier option buttons and how to pick an attack on their powers page which I've prepared before hand - then we're gaming.  They pick up the math and logic along the way.  If your new FoundryVTT module meets or exceeds in this area of making it less daunting for newbies, then we could see some growth in the number Hero System gamers.

[RPMiller]

3 hours ago, Bezzeb said:

I'm so freaking excited...  Are you willing to comment on how the first basic objective will compare with the Roll20 script? 

 

For info, we rely on 2 aspects at roll20 in our game group:  Combat turn tracker and the Power "attack buttons" which draw from character sheet modifiers. 

 

On the latter, for Hero Vets and Newbies alike, it keeps everyone in the flow instead of pausing all the time to do math. The secret to a great Hero System module in my eyes is making OCV/DCV modifiers easy and intuitive for players to manipulate.  The guy who designed the Roll20 script and character sheet did a decent job of it.

 

And no joke, the Roll20 script has been VITAL for letting me bring in players who are new to Hero System.  As GM i say "Let them play first, learn later."  With the roll20 scripts, takes me 5 minutes to teach how to click the modifier option buttons and how to pick an attack on their powers page which I've prepared before hand - then we're gaming.  They pick up the math and logic along the way.  If your new FoundryVTT module meets or exceeds in this area of making it less daunting for newbies, then we could see some growth in the number Hero System gamers.

I can tell you that I introduced my son's entire gaming group to Hero using an earlier iteration of this, and they were able to start using it on their own after only a couple sessions to learn the mechanics, so I'm sure with the newer version it should meet your needs given that they had only ever played D&D.

[Legendsmiths]

@Bezzeb I will take a look at Roll20 for inspiration, but we aren't looking to duplicate anything just because.

I am always leery of too much automation as you can spend more time trying to make the automation work than just rolling the dice. I love all the modifiers and maneuver options in Hero, so please don't assume I hand wave anything, but my objective is to enable a player to declare an action, roll dice, and apply those effects as quickly as possible. If precision is too fastidious (e.g., click this then select all these options and select a token to target and apply all of the effects), and something breaks it can be very distracting.

 

I've been running on VTTs for over 10 years, and experience weekly (running 2 games) what provides value to the gameplay experience and what distracts from it. I do want to see more people engage with Hero, and I think Foundry will help that a lot. But I want to avoid the videogamification of the interface, favoring ease of use over comprehensive minutia. Dice rolling, status tracking (stunned, etc.), damage and resource tracking, movement, and general speed-to-effect are priorities. Since it is Foundry it can be modified as well, so if someone wants to build a dependent mod that enhances a certain element of gameplay, they can, and anyone can use that mod as fits their play stile.

[WalkingParadox]

This is incredibly exciting and I look forward to buying it!

[techogre]

Will it be for Foundry VTT v10 or the new v11?

[Legendsmiths]

The full version will definitely be v11 (we will incorporate that into the dev of that version). Basic may only be v10 for now, but will be updated to v11 when we do the full version.

[techogre]

Do you have an ETA for the basic version? Can we start taking a look at it to test it?