Lysando Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Does anyone have information about what Solar Hero will be about? From what little I've seen (and I can't remember where I saw it, argh) it sounds like it could be something like Transhuman Space (GURPS). I've done a search on these boards but turned up nothing. Thank you! Lysando Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Re: Solar Hero I've moved this to the STAR HERO forum, where it more properly belongs. You might've seen it in the Hero Universe document (available on the Free Stuff page). Whenever we get around to writing and publishing it, Solar Hero will detail mankind's exploration of, and adventures in, his own galactic backyard -- the Sol System. It will include all sorts of cool tidbits, including detailed information on all the planets, secret/weird stuff out there among them (big black monoliths and what-all;)), and so on. I'm not intimately familiar with Transhuman Space, but from what I do know I'm pretty sure Solar Hero won't be anything like it. THS seems a little too fantastical and high-tech compared to what I conceive of Solar Hero as being. I wouldn't expect to have any Uplifted animals or suchlike, for instance. But the book hasn't even been outlined yet, much less written, so beyond such generalizations it's difficult to say exactly what it'll all be like. Fortunately, the longer it takes to write the book, the more material we have to draw on from the peregrinations of various probes, landers, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lysando Posted January 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Re: Solar Hero Sounds very cool. Space opera is fun, but I've noticed over the years that the books that I'm reading, and that most inspire me with gaming ideas are less and less space opera-ish and are based in settings that are more "realistic" ( ie no FTL, forcefields or humanoid aliens or other space opera tropes ) and usually take place on Earth or in our solar system. Thus my interest in Transhuman Space. So I'm excited to hear about this. Not that I expect it to be Transhuman Space HERO or anything, I just mentioned THS as a recent excellent example of a non-space opera realistic setting. It will be interesting to see your approach. Lysando Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edsel Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Re: Solar Hero If, and when, somebody does get around to writing Solar Hero I would recomend Planetes as part of their reading list. It's manga and the story is based no more than a 100 years in the future. It is hard science fiction and volume 4, in particular, has lots of interesting background about mankind's explotation of space. The difficulties and realities that will have to be faced. It's a very good read. The commercialization of space is addressed. The problems with various nations puting up their own hunter-killer satelites. The problem of debris in Earth orbit. The alternative fuel sources mankind is using and hoping to develope. There are eco-terrorists of a sort who don't want to see man strip the moons of their resources as he has done to earth, etc. How the rich nations have benefited from space and the poorer nations have not, etc. In the series the moon and mars have been exploited and the first Jovian mission is in route, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Re: Solar Hero I'd recommend Cowboy Beebop to watch as well It's all set in our solar system (mainly around Mars and Saturn) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulryk Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Re: Solar Hero Far more gritty, I would suggest outland. Sean Connery as a down-on-his-luck asteroid sheriff trying to stop a drug ring. Or at least it appears to be a drug ring, until he realizes the depth of the corruption. All very realistic and imaginable, but set on the contrasting unrealistic (for now) asteroid mining base providing for a remote and solitary experience. Maybe we could get some form of generic version of his character in the heroes section of the Solar hero book? (Remember, spacesuits and shotguns do not mix ! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Re: Solar Hero Only problem with Outland - humans don't explode in space - and certainly not after just a few seconds of exposure. But otherwise a good movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulryk Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Re: Solar Hero Rofl.. yea. Hollywood has a tendency to go with the most dramatic method accepted at the time. Freezing, Exploding, Eye bugging, Blood Boiling, etc. I guess he should have kept a pair of earplugs and his handy 9mm microthruster handy. "Truth is just an excuse for a lack of imagination " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Re: Solar Hero But very noir detective. Similar to Dark Champions in that regard (which is one of the few Hero products I don't own yet) There's not much out there on solar system colonisation, is there? I can't think of any others - anyone else out there better read than I? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Re: Solar Hero There's not much out there on solar system colonisation, is there? No, there's not, I think for a couple reasons: 1. A solar colonization setting tends to hew more toward Hard SF, and Hard SF is difficult to right, esp. for gaming. 2. A solar colonization setting tends to hew more toward Low SF, and most gamers who prefer SF favor Space Opera and the like -- FTL, cool tech toys, lots of alien species for PCs, etc. I think the idea has a lot of potential, and would be damn fun to research and write. But arguably the reason it hasn't already been done a lot is that there's no market for it. Hence it gets moved further back in the queue after our Space Opera setting #1, our Military SF setting, and so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulryk Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Re: Solar Hero Similar to Dark Champions in that regard (which is one of the few Hero products I don't own yet) Definately pick it up. if you're strapped for cash just eat ramen noodles for a while. It's an incredibly good title, and abundantly useful for just about every genre out so far except fantasy. It, like the vehicle book, is second only to the core book in usefulness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Re: Solar Hero I'm also thinking it's got lots of useful stuff I can use for my New Crobuzon conversion - and not just stuff about guns My local gaming store (the only one in my city, not counting Games Workshop, but then, who does?) is a bit lean, however - so I may have to order again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lysando Posted January 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Re: Solar Hero I think the idea has a lot of potential, and would be damn fun to research and write. But arguably the reason it hasn't already been done a lot is that there's no market for it. I think some things you make because you expect there to be a market for them, and some things because you hope to make a market for them. THS for example appears to me to be an example of the latter. Again I understand that THS is different than what you would be doing, but it does demonstrate that there is a demand out there for innovative nonspace-opera SF settings. THS went to 10 or so books. Actually there is another GURPS product which might be more applicable, and that is GURPS Mars. I have no idea how well it did, but it is a good book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savinien Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Re: Solar Hero Two words... Solar Colonies by Keith Curtis. I don't have the URL but it is in his sig. Very cool stuff and any Solar Campaign GM could learn some cool things from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheImperialKhan Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Re: Solar Hero This might also be of use to you: http://www.geocities.com/blademaster01757/orionshist.html Just plop yourself at any point in that timeline that strikes your fancy and go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchellS Posted January 14, 2005 Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Re: Solar Hero I think some things you make because you expect there to be a market for them, and some things because you hope to make a market for them. THS for example appears to me to be an example of the latter. Again I understand that THS is different than what you would be doing, but it does demonstrate that there is a demand out there for innovative nonspace-opera SF settings. THS went to 10 or so books. Actually there is another GURPS product which might be more applicable, and that is GURPS Mars. I have no idea how well it did, but it is a good book. I think Hero Games attempted that "make the market" philosophy with the entire Star Hero line, and unfortunately it failed. Part of that could be due to their choices of campaign worlds but I think mostly it stems from the fact that Hero fans are a relatively small group and there is not enough of them who do not play in Champions games to support most other genres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxiekins Posted January 15, 2005 Report Share Posted January 15, 2005 Re: Solar Hero In my opinion, you don't have to have FTL for the Solar System to be interesting... I've been contemplating a Sci-Fi background for a while now, with FTL travel as a relatively new technology, but the period in the timeline just prior to its development might be a good period for adventure as well... The key technological development was Reactionless Drive... While it doesn't involve momentum or acceleration, it isn't Faster Than Light either... Ships could travel at half the speed of light for sustained periods, with a substantial portion of their mass tied up in engines and dedicated power plants, while a minimal portion of their mass so allocated would let ships travel at 10% of lightspeed... This meant that any ship could travel anywhere in the solar system in around 4 days or so at most, while fast ones could do it in less than a day... Covering a distance of one AU took a bit under an hour and a half at most, or a bit over 15 minutes for the fastest ships... From the existing meager space platforms, lunar colony, and orbital habitats, mankind exploded out into the Solar System... And interesting times ensued... Just imagine people EVERYWHERE, being themselves and causing trouble... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austenandrews Posted January 23, 2005 Report Share Posted January 23, 2005 Re: Solar Hero From the existing meager space platforms' date=' lunar colony, and orbital habitats, mankind exploded out into the Solar System... And interesting times ensued... Just imagine people EVERYWHERE, being themselves and causing trouble...[/quote'] Sounds a bit like a slice of the campaign I'm working up now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
levi Posted January 23, 2005 Report Share Posted January 23, 2005 Re: Solar Hero Another alternative to being strictly in the solar system would be set a thousand years in the future, but mankind never attains FTL, Inertial Dampeners or Artificial Gravity and have simply had a steady expansion into the heavens using Bio-Stasis for long hauls betwen systems. At near-light speeds (solar sails, reactionless drives, etc...) in a thousand years you could cover a HUGE radius, of course communictaion and reinforcements would be extremely hard to come by. This setup has a few advantages in that it doesn't have to be set in this Solar system and as such you aren't tied to the hard SF "realities" of this solar system and are free to have more creative license. How to make it fit in the "Hero-verse"? The first explorers found a "stable wormhole" just beyond the solar system that deposited the entrants into an alternate Hero-verse where the magic ebb doesn't come back around so quickly (ie, 3000 AD with no supers). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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