i3ullseye Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 Ok, just an observation/question here, that might make some people a bit cranky at me. It may have been stated before, but I was wondering just how many books can be released presenting much of the same information yet again. What do I mean? The combat book for example, seems to add quite a bit of maneuvers and rules for combat. Fine, but how many of them are turly new rules, and how many are ways to interpret what is already in the main rules? Ultimate Martial Artis and Ninja HERO have quite a bit of crossover also. Both add quite a bit to the game, but there is some heavy overlap there to me when I read them. I guess the overall feel I get form the line of books is that (as we all know) none of them are turly neccessary. Certain books however add a huge new set of rules for the game, like Ultimate Martial Artist did. But do many people feel an Equipment of Vehicle guide really added that much? Did it feel like new stuff, or was it just time savings for not having to stat out your own items? Now, a book that is just pre-built time saving devices is not a bad thing if you want that. But I get a general feel off most of the books that it is repackaging of many of the same things. I could be wrong, but thats how each new book feels to me. I know, the content in Genre books has a lot of background, and story, and locales... thats all great. I guess what I am looking at most is the Equipment and Vehicle type books. They are like the Grimoires i suppose, but they just don't feel as new and exciting. And with a system as already detailed as the HERO system is, i can't really see how the combat book adds much mroe than what has already been presented in other offerrings. Is there something I am missing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hancock.tom Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 Re: How much is too much? I don't think you are missing anything. I think the combat book is basically a reference tool that pulls all the combat rules into one easy to use volume. If you don't like them, don't buy them. The beauty of HERO is that you can very easily come up with your own stuff. Newbies might want a vehicle book as a time saver or to show them how things are done. If HERO can make money that way, all the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 Re: How much is too much? I have no problem seeing things like the Combat book and Sidekick on the shelves. They are time savers and good reference books for easy HERO doings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Hiemforth Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 Re: How much is too much? Is there something I am missing?No. The point of books like the Combat Handbook and the Equipment Guide is so people don't have to rummage around in multiple books to get all the info; they consolidate it in one place. If you don't feel the need for such centralized references, then you're not in the target demographic for those books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eosin Posted December 15, 2005 Report Share Posted December 15, 2005 Re: How much is too much? In reference to the combat book or equipment guide - they are nice and bring a whole slew of stuff into one book. The other things you mention add tons of depth to the game. My most frequented books are the Ultimate Mentalist, The Ultimate Martial Artist, The Ultimate Mystic, USPD, DEMON, and the Grimoires. Those books are a godsend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erkenfresh Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 Re: How much is too much? I have no problem seeing things like the Combat book and Sidekick on the shelves. They are time savers and good reference books for easy HERO doings. I never see Sidekick on the shelves. I wish I did. I'd buy several. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest daeudi_454 Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 Re: How much is too much? My only issue with the rehashing is that they cease to be a complete toolkit the instant another genre book comes out. There isn't likely to be another or revised version of the Equipment Book, or the Combat Book, for oh... Pulp Hero, Victorian Hero, Golden Age, Psychic Wars, Or Horror Hero. Its a shame they chose to market a 'complete' resource guide before all the other books were out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Anomaly Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 Re: How much is too much? Its a shame they chose to market a 'complete' resource guide before all the other books were out. Well, if all the books are out, that means DOJ isn't publishing anything new, so HERO would effectively be dead...and I don't want that, so I'm glad they didn't use that criteria as to when to publish the resource guide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erkenfresh Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 Re: How much is too much? I've been pleased with all the source books I've gotten so far. I own Fred, Star Hero, Terran Empires, Champions, Millenium City, Fantasy Hero, Fantasy Hero Grimoire, and Hero Bestiary. I wish I had Sidekick, but I had it on backorder for like two months so I just bought another Fred instead. I'm probably going to get Ultimate Martial Artist soon since I don't know anything about martial arts and it seems a good area to expand the flavor of Hero. So I say, crank the books out. They'll certainly have a hard time surpassing D&D's mountain of books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadmaster Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 Re: How much is too much? I think you miss the point of the books you mention. Really once you have the book of FRED all the other books are unnessessary from a must have standpoint. Each book has a value somewhere, I don't really care for the supers genre so I bought Champions but none of the other supers line (well not really true, I did get a few useful for other genres like the USPD). The Ultimate series is very good but the Ultimate Mentalist will be pretty much useless for somebody who exclusively plays a straight WW2 game. Nobody expects you to buy every book ,although some do and I'm sure DOJ wishes all of us did. If it really came down to a only buy the new books you "need", I'd probably still be using my 4th ed set since I was quite happy with it. It sounds like you expect every book to be 100% new and exciting, its just not going to happen, some books are useful but dull, really how interesting can an equipment book be, its about as exciting as the SEARS catalog, but can be pretty darn useful, particularly as a starting point. As far as repeating rules over and over I think that is done to avoid the opposite argument that DOJ is making books that require you to buy another book (as it is that is an argument I have seen once or twice), Martial Arts and Ninja HERO, compliment each other well, but are still stand alone products that can be used just fine without the other. Its a fine line between too much repetition and not enough. I have never seen an equipment, powers, or magic book for a generic game that wasn't kind of dull, they are intended to inspire, and provide examples, they can only provide a bare minimum to players who won't add to it with their own stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erkenfresh Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 Re: How much is too much? Oh c'mon, you've all seen it: Duplication;Hero Games Text Only (-2) Does that mean only a third of the book is useful? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemurion Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 Re: How much is too much? I personally have Fred, FH, the Grimoire and the Bestiary, plus PDF versions of Champions, Sidekick, Champions Universe, Dark Champions, Hudson City and Dark Champions, the Animated series. I know there's overlap even in that small selection, but they're handy, and Sidekick is short enough that you can buy the PDF for a measly $7.00 and just print out a copy for reference. I know there's overlap in what I've bought, but it's USEFUL, and I've never yet felt ripped off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted December 17, 2005 Report Share Posted December 17, 2005 Re: How much is too much? No. The point of books like the Combat Handbook and the Equipment Guide is so people don't have to rummage around in multiple books to get all the info; they consolidate it in one place. If you don't feel the need for such centralized references' date=' then you're not in the target demographic for those books. [/quote'] Those of us who have played Rolemaster understand the need to have all the information consolidated into one source. A game with so many charts it has a 'Depression Critical Hits' chart definitely needs consolidation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Anomaly Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 Re: How much is too much? Oh c'mon, you've all seen it: Duplication;Hero Games Text Only (-2) Does that mean only a third of the book is useful? Right outa left field...I think I must have a Physical Lim of some kind: "Never sees things like that coming." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radioKAOS Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 Re: How much is too much? I never see Sidekick on the shelves. I wish I did. I'd buy several. lol, ask the Question Man, he has 6! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Anomaly Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 Re: How much is too much? lol' date=' ask the Question Man, he has 6![/quote'] Er...isn't that a little excessive? I mean, really! How does he keep up with them all? Don't they run him ragged? Ohhhh...you mean the book Sidekick, don't you? Oopsie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radioKAOS Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 Re: How much is too much? Er...isn't that a little excessive? I mean' date=' really! How does he keep [i']up[/i] with them all? Don't they run him ragged? Ohhhh...you mean the book Sidekick, don't you? Oopsie! No, you mean my character, Orion, he had a lot of sidekicks... every other player in the game [kidding guys, kidding!!!] Yeah, 6 is alot but they are usually out on loan, in an attempt to convince others to start playing... they should pay him for advertising for them, really... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Squirrel Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 Re: How much is too much? Right outa left field...I think I must have a Physical Lim of some kind: "Never sees things like that coming." Images to Hearing Group; Set Effect (Giggles; -1), NCC (-2) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Anomaly Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 Re: How much is too much? Images to Hearing Group; Set Effect (Giggles; -1)' date=' NCC (-2)[/quote'] You've just been all over the place the last couple of nights, SS! Are they having a two-for-one sale on posts or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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