THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

[Steve Long]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

 

That reminds me: does Fantasy HERO 6E reprint all the ancient weapons from 5e, or were they saved for HSEG?

 

I chose to reprint all of them because the HSEG wouldn't be available for several months (and it's not like it's a huge number of weapons anyway). However, future genre books will probably see at least a slight reduction in their Equipment chapters and references to the HSEG; that's one of the purposes of the Core Library concept in general.

[The Main Man]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

 

What if HSEG had a section like Pulp HERO's "Weird Science" but dedicated to Steam/Diesel/Clockpunk? Thing is, a lot of Steam/Diesel/Clockwork Punk equipment really is a matter of SFX. So what if such a section didn't list very many original builds so much as it refers to others and simply "converted the SFX?"

 

Alternatively, what if many individual equipment entries suggested Steampunk, Dieselpunk, Clockpunk, and/or Weird Science SFX alternatives under "Options?" where appropriate?

[BobGreenwade]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

 

What if HSEG had a section like Pulp HERO's "Weird Science" but dedicated to Steam/Diesel/Clockpunk? Thing is, a lot of Steam/Diesel/Clockwork Punk equipment really is a matter of SFX. So what if such a section didn't list very many original builds so much as it refers to others and simply "converted the SFX?"

 

Alternatively, what if many individual equipment entries suggested Steampunk, Dieselpunk, Clockpunk, and/or Weird Science SFX alternatives under "Options?" where appropriate?

As I think you were indicating, a lot of this can be done the same way as I mentioned earlier for enchanted items: just give a couple of paragraphs in the Introduction pointing out that many such devices could be the same, with just a change in SFX and perhaps some shifts in Limitations.

 

Nonetheless, a few small steampunk gizmos like James West's boot daggers and sleeve holsters would be cool.

[The Main Man]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

 

As I think you were indicating, a lot of this can be done the same way as I mentioned earlier for enchanted items: just give a couple of paragraphs in the Introduction pointing out that many such devices could be the same, with just a change in SFX and perhaps some shifts in Limitations.

Perhaps. Now that you mention it, perhaps a single paragraph per special effect could work. A paragraph or so on how Steampunk tech works, one on Dieselpunk, one on Clockpunk, one on spy gadgets, etc, as well as how to possibly translate that from any thereafter equipment could go a long way for demonstrating HERO's flexibility and allowing HSEG to have more equipment than the sum of its entries.

 

Nonetheless, a few small steampunk gizmos like James West's boot daggers and sleeve holsters would be cool.

That reminds me of how I brought up spy gadgets earlier. I think that "Inobvious Foci" suggestions for equipment entries throughout HSEG would be cool. Come to think of it, could "Inaccessible Foci" suggestions be equally interesting?

[The Main Man]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

 

Also, I like that you'll add 19th century tech to HSEG, Mr. Long. Even though you said that there won't be a Victorian nor Western HERO game, I hope that you "backdoor" them in places where you can like this.

 

In fact, what if you slipped some Victorian/Western genre and history into a 6e Pulp HERO book (if you write one), since Pulp-era equipment will be in HSEG now?

[Steve Long]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

 

In fact, what if you slipped some Victorian/Western genre and history into a 6e Pulp HERO book (if you write one), since Pulp-era equipment will be in HSEG now?

 

Absolutely not. Equipment is equipment, regardless of era, and therefore appropriate for an Equipment Guide. Victorian and Western are not Pulp, and therefore will never appear in any edition of Pulp Hero that I have any control over. A place for everything Heroic, and everything Heroic in its place.

[The Main Man]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

 

Absolutely not. Equipment is equipment' date=' regardless of era, and therefore appropriate for an Equipment Guide. Victorian and Western are not Pulp, and therefore will never appear in any edition of [i']Pulp Hero[/i] that I have any control over. A place for everything Heroic, and everything Heroic in its place.

 

Okay... *slumps shoulders* But yeah, I figured it was worth a shot.

 

 

Anyways... What about relative price ranges for various equipment?

[Steve Long]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

 

What about relative price ranges for various equipment?

 

Not in the HSEG. I prefer to save that sort of information for genre books, where I have the page space and other information necessary for an intelligent discussion of how GMs can create price lists and what they should consider. (And in the case of historical genres like Pulp, where I have the time to do research on actual prices, exchange rates, and so on.) I'd rather give gamers the tools to set their own prices if they want, and perhaps provide a sample price list, than try to convince them all to follow my One True Economic Way.

[The Main Man]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

 

Makes sense.

 

How about some of the newer tech that has come up or been tested since DC 5e was published? I mean stuff such as Heat Rays, Rail Guns, Remote Controlled Drones, Laser-Mounts for Jet Aircraft - that kinda stuff. True, they could be covered in SH instead, but their context makes them a better fit for Military Action and Technothriller games; plus, they're stronger and none of them are handheld like SH presents them.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

 

This will probably be a good candidate for Best Suggestion That Ain't Gonna Happen.

 

It would be fantastic if HSEG could get a treatment to make it the 6th Edition equivalent of The Ultimate Gadgeteer.

 

Other than rules suggestions already made, there are some specific ideas:

 

 

• Different kinds of gadget pools -- inventions on the fly, prescient equipping ("happening" to bring along exactly what's needed), the "walking department store" (having a virtually unlimited supply of common, everyday items), and so forth. These can all be served with different flavors of VPP.
  
• Various treatments for how a character can have the ability to "summon" an item out of thin air (or the effective equivalent, like pulling it from a parallel dimension). Transform is one way to do this, at least for mundane items, but I've also seen it with VPP, Entangle, the Create Object Power presented in Digital Hero (I forget which issue), and reduced value on the Focus Limitation; under 6th it could probably be done with Barrier.
  
• The different types of gadgeteers, as with other character archetypes in the Ultimate books.
  

Like I say, I don't have too much hope that these things will actually get into HSEG, but perhaps at least the "summon from thin air" discussion can get into APG2.

[The Main Man]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

 

This will probably be a good candidate for Best Suggestion That Ain't Gonna Happen.

 

It would be fantastic if HSEG could get a treatment to make it the 6th Edition equivalent of The Ultimate Gadgeteer.

 

Other than rules suggestions already made, there are some specific ideas:

 

• Different kinds of gadget pools -- inventions on the fly, prescient equipping ("happening" to bring along exactly what's needed), the "walking department store" (having a virtually unlimited supply of common, everyday items), and so forth. These can all be served with different flavors of VPP.
  
• Various treatments for how a character can have the ability to "summon" an item out of thin air (or the effective equivalent, like pulling it from a parallel dimension). Transform is one way to do this, at least for mundane items, but I've also seen it with VPP, Entangle, the Create Object Power presented in Digital Hero (I forget which issue), and reduced value on the Focus Limitation; under 6th it could probably be done with Barrier.
  
• The different types of gadgeteers, as with other character archetypes in the Ultimate books.
  

Like I say, I don't have too much hope that these things will actually get into HSEG, but perhaps at least the "summon from thin air" discussion can get into APG2.

Goldarnit, that would be really cool. The same can apply to Pulp HERO "gadget whizes," Fantasy HERO "artificers," Dark Champions "tech experts," etc. Darnit, darnit, darnit to heck that is a good idea and you're probably right!

[Steve Long]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

 

You're right, that ain't gonna happen. I would enjoy doing a book on gadgeteering and some related subjects one day, but time, page space, and a desire not to ruin the focus (no pun intended!) of HSEG mean it ain't this book.

[Steve Long]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

 

All right folx, at along last the HSEG is done! Thanx for all your suggestions and stay tuned for a WDYWTS thread for our next book.

[The Main Man]

Re: THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE -- What Would *You* Like To See?

 

All right folx' date=' at along last the HSEG is done! Thanx for all your suggestions and stay tuned for a WDYWTS thread for our next book. [/quote']

Can't wait for both.