Getting the word out?

[bigdamnhero]

I moved to Denver recently, and have been looking for Hero gamers. (Mighty thin, but I'm not writing to whine about that.)

 

What has surprised me is how many gamers, when I mention Hero, say something along the lines of: "Oh yeah, Champions! Fantasy Hero! Those were great games!"

 

Note the use of the past tense.

 

This is not a dig at DOJ, who I'm sure are doing the best they can with what is probably a fairly meagre advertising budget. It just worries me how many people seem genuinely surprised to learn that Hero is still around and people still play it.

 

For my part, I just ran a Star Hero game at BenCon here last weekend. Only drew 4 players, which I attribute to 1) BenCon is a fairly small convention, 2) I'm new to the area, so I don't have much name recognition, and 3) this is serious d20 country. Of the four, only one player had ever played Hero before, but everyone had a blast and I think I picked up a couple converts.

 

I'm hopefully going to run another game or two at Tacticon in the fall. My plan is to run a "Firefly" game, figuring to attract a few fans of the show even if they've never heard of me or the system. (The con is two weeks before the Serenity premiere!)

 

So, anyone have other suggestions what we as fans can/should be doing to promote our game? Yes, I'm in the Legion of Heroes. What else?

 

(BTW, thanks to Tina for the prize support!)

 

BigDamnHero

A Mile High

[Guest Black Lotus]

Re: Getting the word out?

 

Use a nice paint program to design a provocative poster with contact info, print out a couple of dozen copies, and ask permission to put them up in local game and hobby shops -- also bookstores and coffee shops, if you can manage it.

 

ALWAYS works for me. Never done it with HERO, but even using HERO, I guarantee you'll get a few takers.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Getting the word out?

 

Not sure what to do about it, but I'll echo your experience. I've had a lot of people say they played Champions way back, but never realized the system could be used for other genres (or never really considered doing so, anyway). Particularly with D&D players, I've run into a lot of, "We have a gaming system that works. Why change?" type attitudes.

[Guest Black Lotus]

Re: Getting the word out?

 

Not sure what to do about it' date=' but I'll echo your experience. I've had a lot of people say they played Champions way back, but never realized the system could be used for other genres (or never really considered doing so, anyway). Particularly with D&D players, I've run into a lot of, "We have a gaming system that works. Why change?" type attitudes.[/quote']

 

Funny, I used d20 extensively. I always knew it was, at its heart, a crap system, all smoke and mirrors. I know, roleplaying IS all smoke and mirrors, but I like the rules system to be solid.

 

Whether because of laziness, stubbornness, or foolish product loyalty based solely on the name of the franchise, people often stand by d20... but I personally believe even the lazy ones would end up enjoying HERO more than d20, if they'd only try it.

 

People stand by WotC because it's WotC, and D&D because it's D&D. I stand by HERO because it's solid and awesome, especially in comparison with the dozens of other rules systems with which I am familiar. *shrug* Their loss.

[teh bunneh]

Re: Getting the word out?

 

I moved to Denver recently, and have been looking for Hero gamers. (Mighty thin, but I'm not writing to whine about that.)

 

So, anyone have other suggestions what we as fans can/should be doing to promote our game? Yes, I'm in the Legion of Heroes. What else?

 

There's a few of us in Sunny CO, but we seem to be a rare breed. Welcome!

 

As for what to do... my wife and I are planning to start running once-a-month pickup games at the local hobby store. Bring some pre-gen characters, stage a con-style one-shot with whoever wants to play for a few hours. One month, we'll do Champs; the next, FH, then horror, or pulp, or whatever catches peoples' fancy. We're enlisting the owner's assistance, we're putting up flyers, and so on.

 

I figure, if I can get the Magic and d20 players to try it a few times, they'll be hooked.

 

Bill.

(Maybe I'll see you at Tacticon!)

[prestidigitator]

Re: Getting the word out?

 

Funny, I used d20 extensively. I always knew it was, at its heart, a crap system, all smoke and mirrors. I know, roleplaying IS all smoke and mirrors, but I like the rules system to be solid.

 

Whether because of laziness, stubbornness, or foolish product loyalty based solely on the name of the franchise, people often stand by d20... but I personally believe even the lazy ones would end up enjoying HERO more than d20, if they'd only try it.

 

People stand by WotC because it's WotC, and D&D because it's D&D. I stand by HERO because it's solid and awesome, especially in comparison with the dozens of other rules systems with which I am familiar. *shrug* Their loss.

Agreed. I came from 2nd ed. D&D and some WoD, and rolled my eyes when my friend Andrew talked so fondly of Hero. Then he put 4th ed. Champions in my hands one day and I decided to read through it. I was instantly hooked. I just wish I could get others to give it the same chance I did. I think they would really love it if only they would be open-minded for a brief stint.

[stan da ork]

Re: Getting the word out?

 

Another Denverite here (well, Aurora, to be precise), and I'll echo what others say about d20. Some people just seem to love it for no apparent reason. Two of the guys I used to game with stated it was the best roleplaying system ever designed. I just rolled my eyes at that. I despise d20 ever so much. I picked up the BBB when I was in college for free by subscribing to Shadis (that was a bitchin' magazine when it was still edited by Jolly), and I loved it. When I saw FREd at Attactix (gaming store in Aurora) I had to get it.

 

Incidentally, my gaming group kind of fell apart, as our schedules have just become too difficult to work together. If you're looking to form a Hero group (Champions, especially), I'd love a chance to join, depending on the logistics involved.

[bigdamnhero]

Re: Getting the word out?

 

As for what to do... my wife and I are planning to start running once-a-month pickup games at the local hobby store.

Excellent! I figured I couldn't be the only one on the front range thinking along those lines. Let me know where & when and if I can be of any help.

 

(Re: d20) Some people just seem to love it for no apparent reason.

In defense of my d20-playing friends, most of them don't seem particularly enamored of the system itself. It's more "There are a lot of cool games for d20 and everybody already knows the rules." That's why I'm thinking if we show them cool games, fun things they can't do in d20, they might give it a shot.

 

Incidentally' date=' my gaming group kind of fell apart, as our schedules have just become too difficult to work together. If you're looking to form a Hero group (Champions, especially), I'd love a chance to join, depending on the logistics involved.[/quote']

Definitely interested. Let's talk.

[CraterMaker]

Re: Getting the word out?

 

Definately put up fliers at ALL the hobby shops in Denver.. I lived there for three years, and can attest to the fact that HeroPhiles will travel a goodly distance for a game in that town.

 

=CraterMaker