Question about Pulp Hero

[JmOz]

DOes it include anything on a Star/Pulp campeign (Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, etc...). And if so how much, or is this more a Star Hero thing?

[Prometheus]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

Off the top of my head I can't say that there's anything really geared to that campaign setting in Pulp Hero, but you'll find an excellent setting in Solar Smith and the Sky-Pirates of Arcturus.

 

Ships, ray guns, evil emperors- it's all there. I highly recommend it.

[JakSpade]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

Pulp Hero mainly focuses on pre- to post-war Earth, but there are various bits of a Flash Gordon like adventure, such as Ray Guns and the like listed in equipment section. But, running a pulp space adventure isn't that difficult. You can easily mix the strange aliens from Star Hero with your Pulp Hero game, if you wanted to do so.

 

I've been thinking about something like this ever since they advertised Flash Gordon on the Sci-Fi Channel...

 

:thumbup:jak

[Steve Long]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

One of these days I need to get around to writing that big "planetary romance" world I have vague ideas for for the Solar Smith setting. (You know the type -- heroes get stranded on the world and have to trek halfway across it to get to a place where they can get offworld again, that sort of thing.) Just waiting for the right inspiration to strike, I s'pose.

[Doc Shadow]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

I don't think you're gonna get it by watching Flash Gordon on SciFi.

 

Maybe you should try reading some of ERB's Carson of Venus series.

 

Or watch the old Filmation Flash Gordon cartoon series. There was so much pulp in that, it got caught between your teeth. :earth:

[ghost-angel]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

The Pulp Hero book has a small bit on creating a Star Pulp game, but not a tremendous amount. Likewise Star Hero has a little bit on Pulp SF, but not much.

 

However - getting both genre books should get you enough on each side to create a good Pulp SF game.

[Spence]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

Off the top of my head I can't say that there's anything really geared to that campaign setting in Pulp Hero' date=' but you'll find an excellent setting in Solar Smith and the Sky-Pirates of Arcturus.

 

Ships, ray guns, evil emperors- it's all there. I highly recommend it.

 

I have to say the Hero Plus line of PDF adventures are really good. They are actually the first PDF gaming items I ever bought. After waiting a long time for Steve & company to crack and combine them in to a book, which never happened .

 

 

 

I don't think you're gonna get it by watching Flash Gordon on SciFi.

 

Maybe you should try reading some of ERB's Carson of Venus series.

 

Or watch the old Filmation Flash Gordon cartoon series. There was so much pulp in that, it got caught between your teeth. :earth:

 

Try Carters two series Callisto and Green Star.

[Doc Shadow]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

I have all the Callisto books but they're more Pulp/Fantasy than Pulp/SciFi.

 

Still enjoyed them although the first three are the best of the lot.

 

Haven't been able to find the Green Star ones although I did have an idea for a series of seven Fantasy/Action movies based on the name.

 

I'll go into it tomorrow. Right now bed is calling.

[Doc Shadow]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

OK I'm back now.

 

I have been told that my Green Star series idea bares a distinct resemblance to quite a few Fantasy stories, the vast majority of which I've never read. But to be quite honest the theme is by no means a new one, nor are the variations. They're just put together in a way that is pleasing to me.

 

Basically we have a none too extraordinary man (a 150 pt. Standard Hero), Eric Carter, who is a writer (non-fiction military history & historical novels), a mid-level martial artist (about 8-12 pts), and a pretty good fencer (10-15 pts). He's in decent shape but is not Arnold or The Rock by any stretch of the imagination.

 

An aged wizard, in answer to a prophecy from a thousand years ago, summons him to the world of the Green Star. The prophecy foretold that when the stars were in a particular alignment, a hero would be summoned who would lead the enslaved people of the Empire to freedom.

 

At first Carter is reluctant to assume his destined role, wanting only to return his quiet home in the Sierras, but after witnessing the cruelty of the Empire first hand he pledges to help bring it down. The fact that there’s this really hot chick named Jaleesa, wearing the stereotypical chain-mail bikini, there doesn’t hurt either.

 

There are the usual rebel leaders, the aged wizard (who burned through most of his magic bringing Carter here), and of course, comic relief sidekick (Jaleesa’s kid brother) who grows in competence throughout the series although he remains unlucky. The third major character (behind Carter & Jaleesa), however, is the Empress Zandara. Zandara is even more beautiful than Jaleesa, intelligent, and highly skilled in a multitude of arts and sciences. She is also completely and irredeemably evil. Think Ilsa: She-Wolf of the SS crossed with Augustus Caesar and you’re pretty close to Zandara.

 

In the first story – Beneath the Green Star, all the characters are established and Carter leads the rebels to their first victory, mainly through advanced tactics. The tech is basically around 17th/18th century so both sides have flintlocks and cannon, but swords and armor haven’t disappeared yet. The swords, however are still longswords and broadswords, modern fencing has never been developed here so the sword fighting is still the brute strength type typical in most fantasy settings. Carter’s fencing skill gives him a real advantage over those guys that offsets his lack of muscular strength.

 

In the Light of the Green Star picks up the story a few months later as the rebels begin a major campaign to free a large part of the Empire. They’ve been holding their own since the last movie while their gunsmiths begin churning out the first cap-and-ball revolvers and adapting their old flintlocks over to caplock rifles and the minie-ball. Those two major technological advantages allow the rebels to succeed in freeing about a quarter of the Empire.

 

In By the Green Star’s Glow the Empress, enraged by the very existence of the newborn Republic, assembles and personally leads an army determined to crush the rebellion and re-establish her supremacy. She has managed to acquire enough samples that the Empire now has caplocks and revolvers in addition to a much larger army. The battle is furious but Carter’s latest innovation, grapeshot, evens the odds. In the final battle Carter and Zandara face one another in a running gun and sword fight all the way back to her palace where he finally kills her. Then negotiates a cease-fire with the young Princess Zathra’s regents. He and Jaleesa marry and live happily ever after …

 

Well … not quite.

 

But that’s another post.

[JakSpade]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

I have to say the Hero Plus line of PDF adventures are really good. They are actually the first PDF gaming items I ever bought. After waiting a long time for Steve & company to crack and combine them in to a book' date=' which never happened . [/quote']

 

Hmmmm.... Pulp Hero Battlegrounds?

 

 

jak

[Spence]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

Hmmmm.... Pulp Hero Battlegrounds?

 

 

jak

 

WOOT!

 

Great Idea!

[JakSpade]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

WOOT!

 

Great Idea!

 

Now you would have to either 1) come up with a whole new batch of linked adventures, or just use a handful of the HPAs and come up with some common tie that binds them all together, and place a BIG fight at the ending, and Viola!

 

 

jak

[Dr. Hercules]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

Here's some products that might help for a pulp space opera ( it's d20 but it should be inspiring)

 

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=29398&it=1

 

I might have to pick these up for the pulp space ideas i have forming in my own little head;)

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

There's a nice little article on the conventions of pulp sci-fi and how to use them in role-playing (especially with HERO) in issue #5 of Digital Hero: "Rayguns And Rocketships" by Leah Watts.

 

You may also draw inspiration from the extensive campaign logs of this classic Pulp HERO fan website, The Empire Club. Chapters 23 through 29 of "The Amazing Adventures of the Empire Club" is a Flash Gordon-esque story arc.

[Spence]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

Here's some products that might help for a pulp space opera ( it's d20 but it should be inspiring)

 

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=29398&it=1

 

I might have to pick these up for the pulp space ideas i have forming in my own little head;)

 

I was intersted in the Rocketship one but....

 

Do you know if the ships have any deck plans? I can whip out a rocket ship in a few minutes if it is just stats. Deckplans are whaty makes a ship useful for a RPG. Even if you don't use it on the table, a good plan allowes everyone to visualize things better.

 

So....

 

Did you notice if they have deckplans

[Dr. Hercules]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

Actually, I have no idea:confused:

 

I did find this about the product:

 

This supplement has includes:

• Technology Compatibility from PL 4 to PL 9
  
• All New rules for Rocketship Types and Subtypes
  
• Ship Alteration Templates
  
• Common Ships In The Sol System, Chronan Ships & Venusian Saucers
  
• All New Rocketship Defensive & Offensive Systems
  
• All New Universal, Chronan & Venusian Technology
  
• All New Rocketship Feats including Alien Diplomacy & Nimble Piloting
  
• All New Races of The Solar System: The Chronans and Venusians
  
• Colonies In The Solar System & Interplanetary Trade

So it really doesn't say. I would think it would need to, like you said RPGs and all. But D20 Future had alot of ship stats, no deck plans so who knows.

 

You might want to check out TSR's old Buck Rogers XXV stuff. I have Mars in the 25th Centry supplement and they had a Martian Rocket Ship with deck plans. They probably have some supplements some where that has a bunch of rocketship deck plans. More than likely in the original boxed set. And they are pretty cheap when you find them (both my supplements were like $3-5 bucks.

[Spence]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

Actually, I have no idea:confused:

 

I did find this about the product:

 

This supplement has includes:

• Technology Compatibility from PL 4 to PL 9
  
• All New rules for Rocketship Types and Subtypes
  
• Ship Alteration Templates
  
• Common Ships In The Sol System, Chronan Ships & Venusian Saucers
  
• All New Rocketship Defensive & Offensive Systems
  
• All New Universal, Chronan & Venusian Technology
  
• All New Rocketship Feats including Alien Diplomacy & Nimble Piloting
  
• All New Races of The Solar System: The Chronans and Venusians
  
• Colonies In The Solar System & Interplanetary Trade

So it really doesn't say. I would think it would need to, like you said RPGs and all. But D20 Future had alot of ship stats, no deck plans so who knows.

 

You might want to check out TSR's old Buck Rogers XXV stuff. I have Mars in the 25th Centry supplement and they had a Martian Rocket Ship with deck plans. They probably have some supplements some where that has a bunch of rocketship deck plans. More than likely in the original boxed set. And they are pretty cheap when you find them (both my supplements were like $3-5 bucks.

 

I went ahead and bought Rocketships of Pulp Destruction and while it is OK. Not a single deckplan, or worse not a single pic/drawing anywhere. It was pretty generic in tone, but very specific toward the games system. The Hero Plus adventure Solar Smith and the Skypirates of Acturus only devotes 10 pages (one of them line drawings) to Rocketships and has more usable crunch IMO.

 

On a 1 to 10 scale RoPD is a meh.

 

 

Can you post or email me a scan of the deckplans? Not a fully blown-up I can play with it scan. But a small one so I can get an general idea of the type of rocketship they were using? Even just part of one page will do. Before I go on a crusade I'd like an idea of what the treasure looks like.

 

Spence "possessor of vast piles of c*ap that sounded good on the cover".

[Trebuchet]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

OK I'm back now.

 

I have been told that my Green Star series idea bares a distinct resemblance to quite a few Fantasy stories, the vast majority of which I've never read. But to be quite honest the theme is by no means a new one, nor are the variations. They're just put together in a way that is pleasing to me.

 

Basically we have a none too extraordinary man (a 150 pt. Standard Hero), Eric Carter, who is a writer (non-fiction military history & historical novels), a mid-level martial artist (about 8-12 pts), and a pretty good fencer (10-15 pts). He's in decent shape but is not Arnold or The Rock by any stretch of the imagination.

 

An aged wizard, in answer to a prophecy from a thousand years ago, summons him to the world of the Green Star. The prophecy foretold that when the stars were in a particular alignment, a hero would be summoned who would lead the enslaved people of the Empire to freedom.

 

At first Carter is reluctant to assume his destined role, wanting only to return his quiet home in the Sierras, but after witnessing the cruelty of the Empire first hand he pledges to help bring it down. The fact that there’s this really hot chick named Jaleesa, wearing the stereotypical chain-mail bikini, there doesn’t hurt either.

 

There are the usual rebel leaders, the aged wizard (who burned through most of his magic bringing Carter here), and of course, comic relief sidekick (Jaleesa’s kid brother) who grows in competence throughout the series although he remains unlucky. The third major character (behind Carter & Jaleesa), however, is the Empress Zandara. Zandara is even more beautiful than Jaleesa, intelligent, and highly skilled in a multitude of arts and sciences. She is also completely and irredeemably evil. Think Ilsa: She-Wolf of the SS crossed with Augustus Caesar and you’re pretty close to Zandara.

 

In the first story – Beneath the Green Star, all the characters are established and Carter leads the rebels to their first victory, mainly through advanced tactics. The tech is basically around 17th/18th century so both sides have flintlocks and cannon, but swords and armor haven’t disappeared yet. The swords, however are still longswords and broadswords, modern fencing has never been developed here so the sword fighting is still the brute strength type typical in most fantasy settings. Carter’s fencing skill gives him a real advantage over those guys that offsets his lack of muscular strength.

 

In the Light of the Green Star picks up the story a few months later as the rebels begin a major campaign to free a large part of the Empire. They’ve been holding their own since the last movie while their gunsmiths begin churning out the first cap-and-ball revolvers and adapting their old flintlocks over to caplock rifles and the minie-ball. Those two major technological advantages allow the rebels to succeed in freeing about a quarter of the Empire.

 

In By the Green Star’s Glow the Empress, enraged by the very existence of the newborn Republic, assembles and personally leads an army determined to crush the rebellion and re-establish her supremacy. She has managed to acquire enough samples that the Empire now has caplocks and revolvers in addition to a much larger army. The battle is furious but Carter’s latest innovation, grapeshot, evens the odds. In the final battle Carter and Zandara face one another in a running gun and sword fight all the way back to her palace where he finally kills her. Then negotiates a cease-fire with the young Princess Zathra’s regents. He and Jaleesa marry and live happily ever after …

 

Well … not quite.

 

But that’s another post.

Sound like fun reads. Are these available online anywhere?

[Doc Shadow]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

Unfortunately not.

 

At the moment they only exist in my imagination. Although if I had enough players I'd be real tempted to run a campaign based around the idea, and if I could I'd love make them into a movie series.

 

The Lin Carter books that they were inspired by are currently out of print but you might be able to find them in some used bookstores somewhere.

[Dr. Hercules]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

Really, the Rocketship didn't have even picture of different designs? I thought it would have had at least that:o Shows, what I know!

 

Can you post or email me a scan of the deckplans?

 

I went and dug out my Mars in The 25th Century, and sadly I was mistaken. It had been a while since I looked at it, but even though it does have a small martian rocketship fighter, no deck plans. I was getting it mixed up with the Earth supplement which has the "deck plans" for a space station.

 

The rocketship is printed on large cardstock with a picture on the front and info on the back. These are set up just the way TSR used to do SpellJammer ships, with deckplans on the back of the card stock.

 

This being a fighter they may not needed deck plans, but their other supplements might actually have deck plans, since it follows the same model.

 

Sounds like a new thread question,hmmmm.

[Spence]

Re: Question about Pulp Hero

 

Really, the Rocketship didn't have even picture of different designs? I thought it would have had at least that:o Shows, what I know!

 

 

 

I went and dug out my Mars in The 25th Century, and sadly I was mistaken. It had been a while since I looked at it, but even though it does have a small martian rocketship fighter, no deck plans. I was getting it mixed up with the Earth supplement which has the "deck plans" for a space station.

 

The rocketship is printed on large cardstock with a picture on the front and info on the back. These are set up just the way TSR used to do SpellJammer ships, with deckplans on the back of the card stock.

 

This being a fighter they may not needed deck plans, but their other supplements might actually have deck plans, since it follows the same model.

 

Sounds like a new thread question,hmmmm.

 

Nope, not a single drawing

 

and Darn! about the deckplans

 

I am in the process of relearning Campaign Cartographer enough to map a deck plan. I have some basic sketches of the two basic types I have found in the old serial and books. Basically horizontal and vertical. Horizontal is like Flash Gordon rockets. Vertical are the ones that look like a rocket and have multiple layers like a cake and land upright on their fins. I have several ideas for mapping them out, but I am still having problems with CC.