Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

[phoenix240]

I don't know the protocol for referring to different boards but I thought this thread might be of interest here. Particularly the last few pages where methods to save Hero System come up.

[Starcloud]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

Hero System doesn't need 'saving'. What it needs is sales and interest.

As long as it has those, it'll weather this economic storm and emerge later.

 

About the ONLY thing I'd agree with in that thread is that genre books help focus players and game masters when setting up a campaign.

[LordGhee]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

link please

[concord]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

The word thread in the first post is a link...

[phoenix240]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

link please

 

It's in my opening post in the word "thread".

[Tasha]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

There's some good bits in that thread, but most of the discussion was people arguing stuff and ignoring reality (ie Changes cost money). Other people mouthing stuff about hero that isn't true and just a ton of crud.

[phoenix240]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

I think they're being a little quick shovel dirt on Hero System's coffin, that's for sure.

[Chris Goodwin]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

Other people mouthing stuff about hero that isn't true and just a ton of crud.

 

In particular at least one who has a loooooong history (8 years or more) of doing just that, and almost singlehandedly the cause of the Hero wars there.

[Lucius]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

"I'm not dead yet!"

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Monty Python and the Palindromedary

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

I think they're being a little quick shovel dirt on Hero System's coffin' date=' that's for sure.[/quote']

 

This kind of thing makes me nervous. The same kind of BS occurred before GDW closed its doors for good back in (IIRC) 1996; people were spreading unfounded rumors that the company was "dead" long before it actually shut down, and as a result of those rumors, retailers quit ordering from them. Rumor-mongering wasn't the sole reason the company went down, but it was a contributing factor.

 

I've seen more than a little of this here on the Hero forum as well, in the various "Changes at Hero Games" discussion threads, and believe me, the posters doing it are not helping. One of the most important ways to keep Hero alive at this point is fighting the rumors that it's dead, and letting people know that it's still alive. If you see/hear anyone spreading rumors to the effect of "Hero is dead" or something similar, the best thing you can do is let them know that: 1) They're mistaken; and 2) They're not helping.

 

I'm sorry to hear there are still Hero-haters at rpg.net. I had heard things were improving over there in recent years, but I quit visiting the site a long time ago. I guess some things never change....

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

I only started going back over there recently, and I didn't see a lot of HERO bashing. Mostly they just ignored it. I assumed that it was because those who were inclined to discuss HERO came here.

[memorax300]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

I don't think anyone is really bashing the system in that thread. Maybe one or two yet beyond that it's been most discussing stuff back and forth. Hard as it may be to understand for some just because someone does not post "Hero system rocks on Toast!" all the time is not a hater. While I'm not one of those to toss dirt on Hero coffin I'm not sure if the system with all it's complexity can still be as profitable and as popular as it used to be. It takes more than goodwill to keep an rpg company afloat. Or maybe I'm wrong and I'm worrying for nothing and the system will survive as is. It's how I feel and I ask that be resepcted.

 

Another thing how does hiding out over here and take cheapshots at those over at rpg.net make you any better. You engaging in the same type of behavior your accusing those of rpg.net of doing. I know your "defending" the system but you also not helping the cause either.

[phoenix240]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

What "cheap shots"? No one has insulted the posters on the other thread. There's been disagreement and comments about past behavior of rpg.net (from people that post there as well) but I think saying people hiding here and attacking the other thread is a bit of a stretch.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

Another thing how does hiding out over here and take cheapshots at those over at rpg.net make you any better. You engaging in the same type of behavior your accusing those of rpg.net of doing. I know your "defending" the system but you also not helping the cause either.

I think you're comparing apples and oranges. The point of what "isn't helping" is the spreading of the "Hero is dead" rumors. It's not about whether posters there are attacking the system (or whether posters here are defending it, or even insulting them, though I haven't seen the latter, really).

[memorax300]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

Sorry but I dont like being grouped as a Hero Hater. Espcially from someone who froms the look of it could not even be bothered to actually go read the thread and seems to be relying on second hand information. Im not saying rpg.net is a saint is beyond reproach. Im just tired of people making it worse than it is.

 

As for Hero is dead rumours I cant blame people for thinking so. With Steve and Darren gone about 90-95% of their output is gone. Hero is not dead but its not doing as well as it used to. Time will tell and I hope they can go back to being as productive.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

If "not doing as well as it used to" is the standard, then everything is dead...

[phoenix240]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

Eh, IMO, rpg.net is kind of toxic, occasionally interesting or useful for getting a wider point of view but not a very pleasant place overall. But whatever you think of rpg.nt Derek has it right. Hero System is going through the some changes and almost no one in the industry is doing as well as it was before. It's a little early for flowers and eulogies, IMO.

[Chris Goodwin]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

Sorry but I dont like being grouped as a Hero Hater. Espcially from someone who froms the look of it could not even be bothered to actually go read the thread and seems to be relying on second hand information. Im not saying rpg.net is a saint is beyond reproach. Im just tired of people making it worse than it is.

 

Where did this come from? No one has called you a Hero hater.

 

And the thread over there hasn't devolved into the old Hero Wars; no one is saying that, either.

 

One of the old time Usual Suspects from the bad old days is over there spouting off the usual drivel from the bad old days. And no one is bothering to take the bait, mainly because most folks have him on their ignore list, have thicker skins, or both.

 

I've been participating on that thread. I was also around RPG.net and here during the bad old days, and it was not pretty. No one dared to talk about the HERO System over there, because literally the same four or five people would jump into any Hero thread and begin trashing, several of us would get het up, and then there would be bannings. That doesn't happen anymore, I think in part because of a subtle change in the moderation policies, but whatever the reason for it -- while it doesn't happen often, it's possible to discuss Hero over there without flames happening.

[phoenix240]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

As far Hero System goes, its much better than it used to be. HS will out sell D and D before it becomes an rpg.net darling but at least topics about it don't turn into a insane flame wars anymore.

[Steve]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

I think Hero is just going through a regrouping for now, and thankfully it's not going away like R. Talsorian did for quite a while. It will just be lighter for a while, but as long as the core books can keep selling, it isn't dead.

 

I haven't done more than skim through a few pages over at the rpg.net forum, but I didn't see the frothing hatred that the mere mention of Hero had generated in prior years.

[Vondy]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

Hero isn't dead. Its just moving to a paradigm - at least for now - where motivated writers kick-back licensing fees to the parent company to produce new books at a somewhat slower rate. Steve and Darren aren't "gone," just writing for themselves as they see fit. Others can join them. It might even serve to add some interesting variety.

 

As for me, my ideal system would be the 4th edition soft-cover hero rules with some minor tweaks and editing, and a few of the better ideas from 5ER and 6E ported backward into it. Overall, I think such an edition would run 250-270 pages of crunch.

 

But that's not where the system is at and discussions like the one going on at RPG net are interesting in theory, but not very useful in Hero's current situation. More product with substantial new content using 6E as the base is the way forward.

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

As far Hero System goes' date=' its much better than it used to be. HS will out sell D and D before it becomes an rpg.net darling but at least topics about it don't turn into a insane flame wars anymore.[/quote']

 

I met one of the mods from rpg.net at a convention last summer. Someone at the gaming table (not me, I was just there to game) remarked on how much things have improved on their forum. From the conversation that followed, I gathered that the rpg.net mods have been working on this "civility" thing and making it a priority there. Apparently there was a change in management sometime after I put their entire forum on my "ignore forever" list. I realize that's probably old news to anyone who follows rpg.net, though.

[memorax300]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

Where did this come from? No one has called you a Hero hater.

 

And the thread over there hasn't devolved into the old Hero Wars; no one is saying that, either.

 

One of the old time Usual Suspects from the bad old days is over there spouting off the usual drivel from the bad old days. And no one is bothering to take the bait, mainly because most folks have him on their ignore list, have thicker skins, or both.

 

I've been participating on that thread. I was also around RPG.net and here during the bad old days, and it was not pretty. No one dared to talk about the HERO System over there, because literally the same four or five people would jump into any Hero thread and begin trashing, several of us would get het up, and then there would be bannings. That doesn't happen anymore, I think in part because of a subtle change in the moderation policies, but whatever the reason for it -- while it doesn't happen often, it's possible to discuss Hero over there without flames happening.

 

Just tired of hearing "rpg.net full of haters" etc. As I said its not the best place certainly not the worst. Much better then it used to be espcially with regards to rpg such as the HS. As for the perosna non grata that people keep referring to he is pretty much being ignored. Still been a bad start of the week for me personally and I kind of took it out here. Which was uncalled for. I apologize for my overreaction.

[Chris Goodwin]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

Just tired of hearing "rpg.net full of haters" etc. As I said its not the best place certainly not the worst. Much better then it used to be espcially with regards to rpg such as the HS. As for the perosna non grata that people keep referring to he is pretty much being ignored. Still been a bad start of the week for me personally and I kind of took it out here. Which was uncalled for. I apologize for my overreaction.

 

No worries -- I apologize for any prickliness from my end also.

 

I voluntarily went "scope down" at RPG.net for a period of time (I think it was about a year) partly due to being disgusted with the bad old days. When I went back, things really had changed, a lot, and for the better. Discussions like "Which would you rather use for fantasy, GURPS or HERO?" can pop up over there and be civil, from start to finish. I used to rag on their moderation style, but I think it was more to do with the policies than how they were being enforced. (Now that I think about it, I don't see a whole lot of "ur game sux therefor u sux too" type threads over there.)

[memorax300]

Re: Interesting discussio on the future of Hero System on rpg.net

 

Now that I think about it' date=' I don't see a whole lot of "ur game sux therefor u sux too" type threads over there.[/quote']

 

You have them yet the consensus is if you start a thread and add either a + or - is that those witha + are for only postive answers for posters. Where a - is a negative answer. The more serious offenders get banned.

 

As an aside a thread that might interest some in answering: http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?604822-Would-you-prefer-GURPS-or-HERO-to-run-a-fantasy-campaign .