Steve Long Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 While Andy waits for a couple more days until I have The Ultimate Brick ready for him to start layout on, I've been coming up with things for him to do. One idea I had for something he could work on that we could sell would be an expanded character sheet -- call it a Hero Character Portfolio. In essence it's a really detailed character sheet with lots of room for everything. Not sure yet what we'd sell it for (though it would be pretty cheap), or what formats we'd make it available in, but here's roughly the sort of things I thought it would contain: Page 1 -- Basic character/campaign info, Characteristics, character illustration Page 2 -- Combat Summary - CSLs, Combat/Martial Maneuvers, Hit Locations, and so on Page 3 -- attacks, defenses, and movement summaries Page 4 -- Skills Page 5 -- Perks and Talents Page 6 -- Powers (could also be used for equipment) Page 7 -- Equipment (could also be used for powers) Page 8 -- Disadvantages Later pages -- background, personality, other notes, etc. So, is this something that would interest you? Would you buy one? What else do you think would be appropriate for inclusion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobGreenwade Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? This sounds like a very cool product. If available as a download, I'd definitely buy it. If available in print, I'd get one for each player, and probably several so I could have my significant NPCs covered. As for what to include, how about some background and personality questionnaires? They'd have to be fairly generic, given the breadth of settings in which the HERO System is used, but they could be very useful nonetheless. (I even have some "Personality Typing" work I've done, about two-thirds of which is included in an article I wrote for EZ Hero. I think you have a copy of that....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoneDaddy Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? I'd like it in PDF format, with space to load in a character image. FASA had a nifty character creation questionaire in the Shadowrun main rules book. It could be a good source for inspiration in any character creation questionaire. Try 2d edition, IIRC. (And if FASA sells the rights to the SR series, scoop 'em up if you can - great campaign world already created...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattingly Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? I'd like to see a points-free one-page summary of the character sheet. So something like: 15 Fireball: Energy Blast 6d6, Explosion; OAF (wand, -1), 8 Charges (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) could be written as: Fireball: 6d6 Explosion; Wand, Gestures, Incantations [8c] I use a similar "cheat sheet" for convention games and newbies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Goodwin Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? I would like to see a Power design sheet similar to the spell design sheet from first edition Fantasy Hero. I use the heck out of that thing, and it makes it incredibly easy to design Powers by hand. If I were designing the Character Portfolio, I'd make it a four page document (basically one full 11x17" sheet folded in half) as follows: Front (page 1): Name, illustration Page 2: Character design. Characteristics, Skills, Perks, Talents, Powers, Disadvantages, all with point costs. It doesn't have to be fancy. Page 3: Combat data. Page 4: Background, character description (height, weight, etc.), powers, campaign use, quote, equipment, Hit Location chart, etc. What you'd end up with then would be, when the whole thing is opened up, one side with all of the character's abilities and combat info, and the other side with illustration, background, and so on. Players could, if they wanted, open it or close it to just the parts they need at the moment (combat info for combat, design sheet for "what Powers do you have?", and so on). Perhaps include the Power design sheet as an insert. I'd say it's probably not necessary to have separate sheets for Powers, Disadvantages, etc., but you could include one sheet that can do multiple duty for all of them, with a blank space at the top so people can write what it represents if they need a full page for it; they could also just use it as a single page with extra space for all of the stuff. This could go on the other side of the Power design sheet insert. I'd say, also, make them all two column. I greatly preferred the two column character sheet from third edition Champions over the three column one from fourth. Essentially, the first column on the design sheet has Characteristics at the top and Disadvantages at the bottom, and the second is just for Powers, Skills, and so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? I'd recommend something similar to the old Campaign Ground Rules sheet from the BBB: a place to put down the description of the game world, campaign tone, character building guidelines, campaign House Rules etc. that all the players can refer to during character creation and play. I agree with BoneDaddy as to the PDF format with image space, and with archer on the power design sheet. It would probably also be very useful to have a template importable to Hero Designer, so that it could be worked on directly in that program. Edit: I guess I really should make it clear that I personally wouldn't be interested in buying this. With all the forms I have from past Hero books, and the free spreadsheets and other aids that are already available on the website, I really don't have a need for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? Well to be honest, I wouldnt be interested in buying in such product -- HERO Designer already does all of that for me, and I can output any other variation of the items you mention as well without having to write it all down again. All of my players save one have HD v2 as well so I wouldnt even buy it to give them a copy. Sounds cool, but HD already has that base covered quite well for those who own it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? Equipment lists should have space for weight, cost, and location (where the character carries it). A chart for noting armor at each hit location would be useful, along with a section for noting wounds to each hit location (required whenever you take an Impairing or Disabling wound). For fantasy spellcasters, a section for noting all of the summary items from FHG spell listings (Effect, Duration, Casting Procedures, Roll, etc.) would be wonderful. And second the idea for a points-free version of the sheet. I'd certainly buy at least one, more depending on how useful I found them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i3ullseye Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? I am with the Killer on this one. My Excel is just fine for custom layouts and such. But if one is to be done, it might not be bad to list every combat maneuver, martial or otherwise, on one sheet with checkmarks and costs next to them... along with a line for custom name like the name the maneuver has in the particular art it is taken in. This wasy an advanced martial artist has everything they need, and just writes in the flavor name and the cost. A character figure with specific armor value listings for piecemeal armor would not be bad, so the various values can be written in on say each leg, each arm, etc... A small encumberance/lifting chart so strength values can be figured out, and maybe movement rates can be broken down by phase, by turn, by MHP, etc... also woudl be nice to have on hand immediately. I do like the idea of the main sheet being shorthand form, and then each successive page can get way more detailed on each topic than a standard character sheet, so it would fill both roles. You hand it to someone at a convention table and they have all they need on sheet 1, but if they want to understand how all that got there, you have the following 7 sheets to explain it in ultra detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devlin1 Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? Well to be honest, I wouldnt be interested in buying in such product -- HERO Designer already does all of that for me, and I can output any other variation of the items you mention as well without having to write it all down again. All of my players save one have HD v2 as well so I wouldnt even buy it to give them a copy. Sounds cool, but HD already has that base covered quite well for those who own it. Ditto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawksmoor Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? To be honest I wouldn't just buy the product. If it was included as a freebie in something else OK, but EXCEL and the soon to arrive (crosses fingers) HD v2 can do everything I need. But if you are going to do it I would like to see a full or 3/4 page wide block of ruled lines for inputing Powers. With the 350 point character and the loads of skills I buy I need that room to record my PC. a 1/3 width column just does not cut it. Ideally though this would be a Love gift to devoted fans posted on the forum. Hawksmoor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_azrad Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? STEVE- If you want to go crazy you could include a special base and vehicle sections. Unfortunatly I have to agree with most of the other posters, that I too have become addicted to Hero Designer and might not be interested in the "Ulitimate Character Sheet" (hehehe). Although a custom export template for Hero Designer might be nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Neilson Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? Unlike many posters, I don't use Hero Designer. However, I am comfortable with my own "homegrown" character sheets. In my group, I think we have a split of players who would kep using HD and players who would keep using their custom sheets, so I suspect we wouldn't be much of a market for this product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? I'm with the other HD folks -- having got used to HD I can't see myself going back to paper forms. It's just too convenient. On the other hand, the people who hang out here are not a representative sample of the player base when it comes to this issue. We're all using computers after all and that'd be a pretty significant factor when it comes to who would or would not buy this. I'd also note that unless this is a dirt cheap item, it'll likely be used as a master for photocopying. I don't know if I could bring myself to use pen on a $5 (and that's Canadian money) item for a single character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattingly Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? Steve, Is this going to be freely photocopyable by the purchasers? If so, I'd really like some of the old drawing templates mixed in there, so that I can whip up some quick n dirty artwork for my characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? I'd have to see it to decide if it was worth the effort. After all, I can scribble a character sheet from memory. Hard to think of things that aren't already on there and that weren't mentioned above. At least not without getting into the 2-3 page category (which I try to avoid) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wormhole Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? A nice idea, but I already do all my character sheets in Quark XPress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sociotard Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? I knew a gm a while back who did the questionaire thing. It was actually pretty cool, and helped cement character concepts. While the questions are pretty specific for the campaign (set in the wheel of time universe), they could give some good ideas for a more general questionaire What would you like your characters full name, titles, heraldry to be at the end of your epic? What type of literary archetype do you want you character to emulate? Would you want you character to become infamous, famous or remain anonymous? What is the Arch of your character's story? What type of story hook will your character have to encourage him to adventure? What is the major difference in personality between you and the player character you are going to portray? What is the biggest similarity in personality shared by you and the player character you are going to portray? What secret does you character keep that he fears anyone discovering? (Must have one) What was the event that made your character become an adventurer? How did that event change your character’s previous outlook? What do you do for a living? Why did you choose this vocation? What are you trying to do? Why are you trying to do that? How do you measure your degree of success or failure? What will you do if you fail? What do you consider the greatest obstacles to your success? What are you doing to ensure that you overcome these obstacles? If you could change one thing about the world, what would that be? If you could change one thing about yourself, what would that be? Do you fear anything? How would others describe you? How would you describe yourself? (Give 3 traits two general and one contradictory trait) Are there any individuals you trust or rely on? Are there any individuals who trust or rely upon you? Do you enjoy the company of others or do you prefer to be alone? Do you have servants or employees? How do you gain their cooperation? Are you a servant or employee? How does this relationship benefit your personal interests? How do you spend your leisure time? What do you like to wear? What do you enjoy most about your work? What do you like to eat? Do you collect anything? Do you have any pets? Where did you live before you came to (insert GM’s starting point)? Why did you live there? What is your daily routine? How do you protect yourself? What is your name? How old are you? Where were you born and raised? Did you know your parents (if they did not play a significant role supplement who did, and in what respect for all parent/sibling questions)? How did you feel about them? Are your parents alive? Do you have any brothers or sisters? If yes do you know where they are? Did you have any friends in your youth? What role did you family play in your upbringing? Are you married if yes, what do (es) your spouse(s) do for a living? Do you ever want to get married? Do you have any children? How many? What ages? Do you ever want to have children? What is your race (include background)? Did you receive formal education? How did you learn to do what you are doing now? Did you have a mentor? What has been your greatest achievement? What has been your greatest disappointment? Who are your influential acquaintances? Who are your personal enemies? Who do you interact with on a daily basis? What do you look like? What aspect of your physical appearance is most distinctive or easiest to identify you? What is your allegiance ? What are your most developed skills? (These do not refer to game mechanics) What are your least developed skills? How did you come to be in (insert GM Starting point)? Why have you come to the (insert GM starting point)? What is there in your life that is worth living for? What is there in your life that is worth dying for? What do you refuse to eat? What are your sleeping habits? (lay abed all day, light sleeper, insomniac) Do you have any signature habits. (Thumb your earlobes and hum at pretty women, appraise the price of everything valuable etc.) Do you like to dance? Can you dance? What are three things that always make you angry What actions do you consider good/evil outside of the social norm? What individuals do you consider good/evil outside of the social norm? Are there any organizations you wish to belong too? Are there any organizations you mistrust? Are there any organizations you Hate? Is there a particular background of people you are unsure of? (ie. Nationalities, Races, Religeons) What would the person your character is most likely to fall in love with be like? Under what terms would you become a 'Bad Guy' This list is property of Steve Russell and is used with his expressed permission. Many of these questions were adapted from books owned by WoTC and are not the original property of Steven Russell or creation. Do not repost or use publicly without his permission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pruttm Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? I'd be interested in this if the characters included a full-color picture that I could display to my players. Obviously, I'd like the pictures to be included separate from the character sheet or of high enough quality that I could remove the character myself with software. Truly, I just wish a picture file can with each hero designer character pack. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Raven Posted April 10, 2004 Report Share Posted April 10, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? I would not buy something like this, as cool as it may be. One of the things that turned me off of AD&D was that they actually sold character sheets. They're great to find at the back of a book, or as a free download, but I'll never pay for one, no matter how cool or detailed it is (I could always make my own, free from copyrights). The only exception would be a template for HD that I could download. The price had better be cheap unless it's bundled with a bunch of other stuff (like expanded Vehicle, Follow and Base character sheets. I remember the old 4th ed GM's Screen (at the 5th ed resource kit) came with a number of spiffy character sheets, but only in addition to other useful products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeroGM Posted April 10, 2004 Report Share Posted April 10, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? sorry, but I wouldn't be intreasted in it either. I've seen it for other games (L5R and BESM being the big ones) and yeah it's a big aid to bluebooking. The downside is though your paying for a notebook with nice graphics and charts. Once it's written in you (exp in pen) you have to go out and buy a new one. I'd rather pay my money to see an Alston worldbook or another good Hero book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketchpad Posted April 10, 2004 Report Share Posted April 10, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? Personally, I'd take a look at it ... I've worked on portfolios in the past and I think that making some genre specific would be an interesting idea For example, for Star Hero, customize the title fonts to something a bit more sci-fi and maybe putting some nice streamlined lines would enhance it. A Fantasy Hero one, on the other hand, would be interesting with a more scripty font and maybe some hand-drawn lines for seperating areas. I think an interesting application of this would be to make a portfolio pack for HDv2 ... have the sheets be more graphic and longer, formatted for printing and allowing people to write added material (basically like log pages, allies page, etc). IMHO, this is a better way to go (Heck, if I could figure out how to do, I probably would have done it a while ago ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osprey Posted April 10, 2004 Report Share Posted April 10, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? I am not much of a market for anything. I'm so poor that I have not yet purchased :drool: FrEd or even sidekick! I Love a good Character Sheet. I once found a great Excel sheet somewhere to download, Where I can't say . I go so far as to use actual Psych books for the personailty stuff. So that's good. It might be better as a freebie. Though if it will save me time I might actually buy it. (When I actually have time to game again) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starwolf Posted April 10, 2004 Report Share Posted April 10, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? I like the idea of Character Portfolios that are genre specific with HDv2 support as templates, with paper versions for those that prefer that option. I would even pay a nominal fee....as like so many others I am afflicted with a psych lim: Must own all things Hero, Frequently, Greatly Impairing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yamamura Posted April 10, 2004 Report Share Posted April 10, 2004 Re: Hero Character Portfolio -- What Do *You* Want To See? Being a fan of Hero Designer I would have to say that I would not buy this product. BUT if it came with a disk of of pictures done by the excellent artists of Herodom in jpeg/gif format sized to 240x348 then I would buy it in a minute. As for extra fields for background, Life Questions and such, sounds like a great little add on for Hero Designer. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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