What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

[The Main Man]

I'm reposting a line of thought I had regarding HERO's recent troubles as a thread in and of itself as recommended by Steve Long. I think I'll post it here, as I'm not sure where else it would truly be appropriate. Anyways, on with the thread...

 

While I'm not sure the HERO system is doomed so much as altering its organization and business model, what can we do as a community to sell people on the HERO system? I argue that demos and con games are not enough when compared to how many people that the internet can reach. Not that they don't help of course.

 

If one accepts that, if something can be done, what can the HERO community do to preserve HERO and ensure that it not only does not go quietly into the night, but remains a living system within the role-playing community? Can we band together to this end?

 

I think of NaNoWriMo and see potential reengineering to the HERO system's ends. I think of communities like those of Risus and FUDGE, in which all kinds of free material is by the community, for the community. We have this forum, but is it really enough? We need to reach out, shouldn't we?

 

I think the key is we need to systematically and periodically display HERO's greatest strength - its toolkit nature.

 

What if we had different "HERO Challenges" every month? This month, all participants have to build X, this month we all build a kind of character, this month we create a mini-setting - all in the name of material that helps all HERO players help support the system while enjoying toolkitting with it at the same time.

 

What ya got? Thoughts? Comments? Tomatoes? What are other ideas others may have?

[Hyper-Man]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

Come and get 'em

fresh Tomatoes!!!

 

[Hyper-Man]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

But seriously, I love helping with "how to build x" discussions. I'm not so good at some of the other stuff though.

 

Good thread idea!

[Ninja-Bear]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

Since you brought it up The Main Man, one thing important as I see it that we can do as posters, not (unitentionally) scare away potential new people, or lurkers. Here is an example of what I'm trying to say. Maybe two months or so, a new poster asked what do I need to play a fantasy game with Hero? One poster, who I believe was sincere of intent, wrote you need Both 6th ed books, Fantasy book, maybe a bestiry book, and hero designer would be a good buy too. Now I haven't check the going prices, but the poster was recommended over a $100 in stuff to drop on a system that he may only be causal gamer. I think that the tone is set is that the game is overly expensive and too complex. I recommended the Basic book. At the time I forgot that Hero games under their free stuff has the Hero system genre by genre. In it it has the basics of Fantasy, two character write ups and sample spells to boot. So I think that we can also point out this document to new people and use it to help them jump right into a game. And one way to show the flexibility of the system is to show that with little or no effort you can port one character from one genre to another. Building on the fantasy theme, you can also point out that the sample kung gu guy easily lifts from its "game" into the fantasy game. From Sci-Fi genre you have a lizard character and I believe a race template, so you have instant monsters or at least a fantastic race. From pulp you have an explorer, with a little rewording of skills and a couple of replacements such as Bows instead of pistols, you have another character. Now there are some higher point sample characters that need more adjustment to pull them down, but I think you get the point. Fwiw I don't know why but there are a few differences in the hero genre by genre that is free, and what is in Hero 5th rev.-just characters, nothing important. That's my big two cents.

[Tasha]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

Since you brought it up The Main Man' date=' one thing important as I see it that we can do as posters, not (unitentionally) scare away potential new people, or lurkers. Here is an example of what I'm trying to say. Maybe two months or so, a new poster asked what do I need to play a fantasy game with Hero? One poster, who I believe was sincere of intent, wrote you need Both 6th ed books, Fantasy book, maybe a bestiry book, and hero designer would be a good buy too. Now I haven't check the going prices, but the poster was recommended over a $100 in stuff to drop on a system that he may only be causal gamer. I think that the tone is set is that the game is overly expensive and too complex. I recommended the Basic book. At the time I forgot that Hero games under their free stuff has the Hero system genre by genre. In it it has the basics of Fantasy, two character write ups and sample spells to boot. So I think that we can also point out this document to new people and use it to help them jump right into a game. And one way to show the flexibility of the system is to show that with little or no effort you can port one character from one genre to another. Building on the fantasy theme, you can also point out that the sample kung gu guy easily lifts from its "game" into the fantasy game. From Sci-Fi genre you have a lizard character and I believe a race template, so you have instant monsters or at least a fantastic race. From pulp you have an explorer, with a little rewording of skills and a couple of replacements such as Bows instead of pistols, you have another character. Now there are some higher point sample characters that need more adjustment to pull them down, but I think you get the point. Fwiw I don't know why but there are a few differences in the hero genre by genre that is free, and what is in Hero 5th rev.-just characters, nothing important. That's my big two cents.[/quote']

 

That was probably me.

 

The issue what do you need at a minimum to play hero in any genre. That would be The Basic book. Of course then the GM has to build EVERYTHING. Which makes for a kind of unsatisfactory experience compared to a d20 game like D&D or Pathfinder. I think that new players are best served giving them both options. What they need at a minimum (ie Basic book and a Genre book) or what they need for the best experience which is 6e1 and 6e2, A Genre Book, a Setting book. Good extras that make ones life easier would be Hero Designer and Hero System Equipment guide.

 

For a 4e game I would recommend for the GM that they buy all 3 basic books, + a Setting book like Forgotten Realms, and a Subscription to WoTC's Character Gen program that comes with the Dragon Back issue database access along with the NPC generator and other cool GM utilities. If they wanted more stuff for the players then the "_ Power" books are a good thing to buy to give players more options also the expansions for their setting books as well.

 

Hero System is a game that requires a LOT of up front preparation by the GM. For Fantasy the GM really has to write up everything that would be in a D20 book (ie Spells, Armor, Animals, NPCs). So to tell a noob that they JUST need the Basic book is a rather large disservice that IMHO will do more to scare off potential GM's than hitting them with the list of everything they need to play.

[Sean Waters]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

I have to disagree (it is in my nature). Whilst I think that the greatest strength of Hero as a game I like to play is its toolkit nature, I think that is not a selling point for most people. Most people see a game that is complex and expensive and are put off.

 

Now I love Hero, and I do not think that the game is expensive for what you get, but I started playing games of this sort when I was at school aged about 12, and for someone of that age, the cost of a new game system is high. They are the people we need hooked though, because once the bug is in you it is likely to be in you for life.

 

I also think that the game presents itself as more complex than it is. A very simple example of this is that the first book is character creation, and the second is game mechanics. There is not a 'kickstart scenario' with pre-generated characters in there anywhere. I know that you have to make a decision about what goes in a book and there is a limited page count, but the system is prettier and easier to use than ever before but still not user friendly.

 

Again, a decision had to be made to sell to a new audience of us old lags. As an old lag I could still have used a well written kickstart scenario.

 

Our greatest strength is NOT the richness and complexity of the system, its toolkit nature and ability to realise almost anything you can imagine., at least not for a new player: that is a barrier to entry.

 

Our greatest strength is the ability to use the toolkit nature to build exciting and interesting games, that are simple to pick up and use and grab people's attention.

 

Let me use Apple computers as an example. Much as I, personally, am not a fan of the company, you have to admire what they do and how successful it has made them. They do not sell their graphics chips and memory. They sell what they can do, they sell the shiny shiny. You don't see how it works, you don't have that many options, but what you do have makes you gasp.

 

If Hero is going to become popular to new fans, we need some radical surgery. We need to cut out most of the character generation system. We need to present a streamlined and smooth version of the rules. We need to get rid of options and 'except with GM permission'. We need to use OUR knowledge of the full power and majesty of the system to build equally streamlined and slick games - and I don't just mean 'scenarios', I mean games - that are cheap and accessible, and easy to pick up.

 

There will be enough people entranced by what the system can do to actually want to buy the toolbox. The character generation system and all of the rules options and everything else should still be there and available for purchase - they just should not be the front line of the sales attack.

 

I know that sounds like suicide to some of you, but it is not death, it is evolution.

 

So, yes, I think we need a web campaign to attract people to the game. I think we need to present ways of playing that are instantly gratifying. I think we could do that now, but we don't, because what we as the greatest strength of Hero - the mighty engine that drives it - is not what the casual consumer looks for in a game: what they want is excitement and (in most cases and at first) not too much investment in time and money.

 

Another thing, and this could be a very real way forward: I do not have the know how, but it seems to me we should be moving into the apps market. Cheap apps that sell a lot make money. Hero combat planners. Character sheets so you can take favourite characters with you. Even scenarios that unfold page by page. Hell, some sort of memo system so that a GM can record stuff they come up with on the fly and incorporate it properly later.

 

I'd buy that for a dollar.

[CptPatriot]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

Sean has a point. The system, as it is, is too complex for new people to just pick up and play. Even I had a period of transition between playing the randomly generated character game with AD&D before understanding the idea of making a character with a concept first. My characters before playing Hero System had always been to make that fighter or cleric then follow suit with a concept based how events occurred in-game.

[Greywind]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

First and foremost? Find out if anyone around you already knows, and possibly uses, the system already. Voice an interest in seeing in it use to get an idea of the system itself. This may get you invited into a game, or get the interest in a small game.

 

When I got my cousin interested he was kind of burned on D&D at the time and wanted to try something different. So I brought up Champions, as he had an interest in comic books. It started out with just me and him. He build one character as a test bed and liked it. He brought it up to another friend, who showed up at a later session. Eventually we had a pretty decent group going.

[Tech]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

For people you know and meet with, don't overlook some of the more obvious ways to get them interested: give them an older copy of the rulebook, even if it's 1st or 2nd edition. Get them to enjoy the game and learn it. They can always upgrade after they get the hang of the system.

[Ninja-Bear]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

Tasha I honestly can't remeber if it was you or not, kids are suppresing my memory. I agree though that we should be upfront woth posters too. I should make clear that my suggestion, I should make clear to the new person that this is a sample, or taste of what can be done with Hero system. Maybe I missed the point in the post that you made it clear that the extra books are helpful not essential to game play. I get the feeling though, and of course I could be misinterprete the posts, that for whatever brought you into Hero system, that is the only way to bring in people. I feel that people forget that with Hero system is broad enough to incorprorate a wide style of game styles. You can choose to go as detailed or minimalist as you (as in play group) choose to go. So as a responder try to address the needs of the poster.

[mkultra]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

For people you know and meet with' date=' don't overlook some of the more obvious ways to get them interested: give them an older copy of the rulebook, even if it's 1st or 2nd edition. Get them to enjoy the game and learn it. They can always upgrade after they get the hang of the system.[/quote']

 

I could never part with my precious historical documents

[megaplayboy]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

Off the top of my head:

1. Support what's already out there--Hero still has plenty of physical stock to sell, and most likely will be offering some bargains on older material. Buy it while you can, it helps keep the company going.

2. Support the kickstarter stuff--Steve and Darren are planning to do some work via kickstarter, and contributing towards those efforts helps put new product out there.

3. Support Third Party Hero stuff--whether it's Kazei 5, Gestalt, or another 3rd party product, buying this stuff also helps keep Hero products in the public eye

4. Create and Support Free Fan-created stuff--lots of people have been playing this game for decades and have plenty of ideas for stuff they'd like to see...so why not just write it up yourself and make it available gratis? Not everyone has the time or inclination to write a game sourcebook or supplement, but for those who do, this can be a good way to generate new and useful material, and helps to show newer players the full potential of the system.

5. Keep gaming--keep running hero-based campaigns and scenarios

6. Recruit new players--show new players the ropes, using the basic rules and pre-gens, then gradually getting them up to speed on the full rules.

7. Word of mouth--promote and defend hero on other rpg boards, but be sure not to disrespect other game systems in the process.

8. go to Cons and run demos--if you can show how characters can be created quickly, and combat can be run quickly and smoothly, you can win converts to the system

9. FLGS proselytizing--talk the system up at your FLGS when you can.

10. Keep posting on these boards--leadership by example is always good--if you're answering system questions and offering ideas on "how to build X" or feedback on scenarios or characters, then you're doing a good job of "selling" the system through the community associated with it.

[The Main Man]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

Interesting feedback so far. I think...

 

I find a certain appeal to hiding HERO behind a curtain. I think it would still need to be point-based, but that doesn't seem scare players anyway. So a bunch of pre-made powers would need to be made, since I would argue that the bulk of what makes HERO seem complex is Power creation. But since every power, even if pre-built, must be made from a set of genetic powers which must be functionally explained. That in and of itself could be the tipping point for creating greater interest in the system.

[Christopher]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

The issue what do you need at a minimum to play hero in any genre. That would be The Basic book. Of course then the GM has to build EVERYTHING. Which makes for a kind of unsatisfactory experience compared to a d20 game like D&D or Pathfinder.

I think that is a very important part. A toolkit should always have a lot of examples. You need more generic characters and animals availible, even when you just bought the Basic Rulebook (either becuase it is part of the BR, or because it is free). Right now you need 6E1, 6E2 and Bestiary just to have the stats for a generic Wolf. Having more free examples of Animals, Mooks and the like (especially things that are in some books) would help any new GM a lot.

 

As with programming it's nice to see what a Language can do. But I need practical examples and pre-generated code/functions if I want to got anywhere in decent time. The current versions of C# .NET has so many examples and pre written code, I can make a decent Media Player* in about 15 Minutes - when I have access to the internet, at least.

*Okay, it uses the Windows Media Player Engine and requires .NET 4.0, but those are minor limitations in 95% of all cases

[Kraven Kor]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

Just keep converting your D20 groups

 

My group, a year ago, "hated HERO but were willing to try it for my sake."

 

Last session, the last hold-out, the biggest complainer, uttered these words: "OK, I actually like being a fighter type in this system."

 

And I think they are finally buying HERO Designer to toy with their own builds.

 

But I really do like the idea of Genre / Settings books that are built on the HERO System but contain everything you need to play, with tons of recommendations to buy the 'official' books for building your own powers (IE. I publish my setting, it has rules for magic in my setting, and has a "Fiery Explosion" spell built using HERO rules, but nowhere in my setting book are there rules for building a Blast - just references to "See HERO System 1 Page xxx for rules on building your own powers or spells.")

[Martin2]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

How do we serve Hero? We buy stuff. Who buys most of the stuff? The GM does.

 

6th apparantly is little different from 5th. How many people who up graded from 5th to 6th in Champions and bought the two rule books, champions book, champions background, Champions powers, biestry etc again?

 

How many players would buy beyond the basic rule book?

 

In the current climate of the economy going down hill all over the world who can afford to change from 5th to 6th?

 

How many have possibly bought 6th adventures and backed them to their version number instead of up grading to 6th?

 

I am new to Hero so have spent a lot of money on the main rule books. My players have not.

 

I have bought some 5th (VIPER, UNTIL and 2-3 scenarios) as they are cheaper to make up for the fact that I must have spent $150+ on the main rules plus other supliments.

 

So more people have to convert to 6th and buy books. If the books are not available a list of the people who want the books needs to be made so limited print runs, possibly with less art work to make them cheaper????

 

How do we get more players to buy more as the GM's are out of money???

 

Possibly a basic book with more character generation information in it (Call it the Hero Players Handbook so player will buy it instead of thinking it is just a book for the GM)???

 

Insist our players buy the basic book to support the industry?????

 

Don't buy the basic book as a PDF and circulate it to players????

 

Charge your players a session fee and when you get to a certain amount you buy another Hero book so keeping money going into the industry (most probably the APGI and APGII)?????

 

It is difficult with roleplaying games. The GM buys most of the stuff and the players buy little.

 

We have to have stuff that can be bought that is useful to the players. Most do not want to buy the rule books as the GM can tell them the rules and not all players want to do the number crunching for the character generation.

 

I do not think bringing out APG I and APG II was a good thing in the current climate. Only GM's will buy it but after spending lots on the main rules I am not going to buy them as they cost too much and I do not know whats in them to justify another few hundred pages of rules I may not use.

 

Just some thoughts from my point of view as a new to Hero GM (be gentle with me if you think I am wrong ).

[itsalwayssunny]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

I have to disagree (it is in my nature). Whilst I think that the greatest strength of Hero as a game I like to play is its toolkit nature, I think that is not a selling point for most people. Most people see a game that is complex and expensive and are put off.

 

Now I love Hero, and I do not think that the game is expensive for what you get, but I started playing games of this sort when I was at school aged about 12, and for someone of that age, the cost of a new game system is high. They are the people we need hooked though, because once the bug is in you it is likely to be in you for life.

 

I also think that the game presents itself as more complex than it is. A very simple example of this is that the first book is character creation, and the second is game mechanics. There is not a 'kickstart scenario' with pre-generated characters in there anywhere. I know that you have to make a decision about what goes in a book and there is a limited page count, but the system is prettier and easier to use than ever before but still not user friendly.

 

Again, a decision had to be made to sell to a new audience of us old lags. As an old lag I could still have used a well written kickstart scenario.

 

Our greatest strength is NOT the richness and complexity of the system, its toolkit nature and ability to realise almost anything you can imagine., at least not for a new player: that is a barrier to entry.

 

 

I'll tell you something, I resisted the Hero System for a long time simply because it seemed so daunting. I would flip thru the book and it was so thick with so many rules (many of which I now know are optional) and the price point was high compared to what I was used to for an RPG.

 

I only ended up getting into the game system after I found a beat-up used copy of Champions (2nd edition) for $2.00. I figured I could invest that much and see if it was good or not. I discovered that I loved it and thought (and still think) it's the best game of all time for super hero roleplaying (and I've played probably 20 or more superhero games since that's my preferred genre).

 

If I were a kid today and I was interested in trying an RPG, I probably wouldn't go for Hero System for two reasons: (1) it comes off as incredibly complex and difficult to digest when you just flip thru it casually--it's not until playing it that the beauty of the system is revealed (at least I think so!), and (2) 6th edition requires a huge investment in heavy hardcover books just to get started. Given the price of online "RPGs," it's no wonder a kid would sooner get into those than a real RPG like Hero System.

 

I'm still daunted by the high prices of the books. I'm interested in D&D but can't see spending hundreds of dollars to get the Player's Handbook (and there are 3 now, very confusing), the Dungeon Master's Guide (at least 2 of those), and Monster Manual (again, there are a lot of them) for a basic game. I've basically been pushed out of the new games market; I can only afford to buy used games now. Example: I got 5th edition Hero System for $10.00 used, the cover price says something like $40.00. I bought an old hardcover Call of Cthulhu for $6.00 vs. cover price of at least $25.00 (I think). I wish I could buy the new books if only so I was actually supporting the companies I enjoy, like the publishers of Hero System.

 

--Kap

[itsalwayssunny]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

How do we serve Hero? We buy stuff. Who buys most of the stuff? The GM does.

 

6th apparantly is little different from 5th. How many people who up graded from 5th to 6th in Champions and bought the two rule books, champions book, champions background, Champions powers, biestry etc again?

 

How many players would buy beyond the basic rule book?

 

In the current climate of the economy going down hill all over the world who can afford to change from 5th to 6th?

 

How many have possibly bought 6th adventures and backed them to their version number instead of up grading to 6th?

 

I am new to Hero so have spent a lot of money on the main rule books. My players have not.

 

I have bought some 5th (VIPER, UNTIL and 2-3 scenarios) as they are cheaper to make up for the fact that I must have spent $150+ on the main rules plus other supliments.

 

So more people have to convert to 6th and buy books. If the books are not available a list of the people who want the books needs to be made so limited print runs, possibly with less art work to make them cheaper????

 

How do we get more players to buy more as the GM's are out of money???

 

Possibly a basic book with more character generation information in it (Call it the Hero Players Handbook so player will buy it instead of thinking it is just a book for the GM)???

 

Insist our players buy the basic book to support the industry?????

 

Don't buy the basic book as a PDF and circulate it to players????

 

Charge your players a session fee and when you get to a certain amount you buy another Hero book so keeping money going into the industry (most probably the APGI and APGII)?????

 

It is difficult with roleplaying games. The GM buys most of the stuff and the players buy little.

 

We have to have stuff that can be bought that is useful to the players. Most do not want to buy the rule books as the GM can tell them the rules and not all players want to do the number crunching for the character generation.

 

I do not think bringing out APG I and APG II was a good thing in the current climate. Only GM's will buy it but after spending lots on the main rules I am not going to buy them as they cost too much and I do not know whats in them to justify another few hundred pages of rules I may not use.

 

Just some thoughts from my point of view as a new to Hero GM (be gentle with me if you think I am wrong ).

 

My friends and I split the cost of new books that we're all interested in using. And I usually get to keep them at my house since I GM 99% of the time. You might try that system.

[The Main Man]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

I think the most common idea is that the Basic rules book needs to be more exposed to the prospective new player. I don't disagree with the notion, not by a longshot, but I think it requires a new marketing approach, and maybe revision for slightly more "completion." I think an approach like that of Magic: The Gathering's "Basic, Advanced, and Expert" levels could help that along.

[Christopher]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

Two more things I noticed:

There is not one free adventure with pre generated characters out there. Every other RPG has such a promotional adventure. At worst they sell it for the print cost, but in 90% it's a free downloadable PDF. (I know a new game system that has an entire adventure Series availible for free, and than one is only on the german market - about 5 magnitudes smaller than where HERO is).

It doesn't needs to be much (20-40 pages pdf, including short rules), just enough to play the game without having to invest 100+ $ into Rulebooks and Adventures first.

 

No Podcast, No Interviews:

Somebdoy asked for podcast or webcast about a game session some time ago:

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php/47357-Any-Good-Hero-System-Podcasts-out-there

Googling for it revelaed: There is nothing. On short podcast (bad quality at that). And the fourth google hit was the Thread itself.

 

As long as there aren't even the basic level of free promotional material, there is no wonder people don't buy the system. Nobody wants to invest 100$ only to end up with a Pig in a Poke.

[Jhaierr]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

Maybe a website with resources specifically for the beginner to the Hero System. Adventures, character write-ups, power write-ups, a link to purchase the Basic Rules, etc.

[ayinde]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

Hi I don't know if this is a good option but why not create a serries of generic books one could have basic but common nonpowerd npc types with common stats for them broken down by genera and story role . Next book could be weapons next vehicles then organizations and finely bases here on forem maybe post some kick start adventures using these books if these do well move on to power or archtype books fallowed by archtype adventures this way with the basic book you could just dive in if you have a odd power to model you just advance to the full toolkit books you already made . One of the great parts of this system is you can build anything the pit fall is you have to build everything. There are a million ways you can do things in this game these books pair it down to just one if you don't care for one of the builds by the tool kit make one you do. Just my thought and I hope I'm

Not speaking out of turn.

[megaplayboy]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

I kinda like the idea of fans putting together a free series of books, like say a "100 X" series--100 heroes(for non-superhero games), 100 superheroes, 100 vehicles, 100 bases, 100 followers, 100 power sets, 100 adventure ideas, 100 options--Powers, 100 options--Skills, 100 options--Combat, 100 campaign setting ideas, etc. If you put out a bunch of these, then essentially you are creating a huge public database of free writeups, that new and existing players and GMs can reference and use in their games. The catch is you have to have 1) people willing to do it for free, and 2) enough people to sustain such a series over time.

[Christopher]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

I kinda like the idea of fans putting together a free series of books' date=' like say a "100 X" series--100 heroes(for non-superhero games), 100 superheroes, 100 vehicles, 100 bases, 100 followers, 100 power sets, 100 adventure ideas, 100 options--Powers, 100 options--Skills, 100 options--Combat, 100 campaign setting ideas, etc. If you put out a bunch of these, then essentially you are creating a huge public database of free writeups, that new and existing players and GMs can reference and use in their games. The catch is you have to have 1) people willing to do it for free, and 2) enough people to sustain such a series over time.[/quote']

Perhaps we should aim a little bit smaler. Start with something a single person can do. Ideas that are not feasible won't solve anything, because they are never done.

[megaplayboy]

Re: What Can We Do To Serve HERO?

 

Perhaps we should aim a little bit smaler. Start with something a single person can do. Ideas that are not feasible won't solve anything' date=' because they are never done.[/quote']

 

Well, what a single person can do is going to vary based on who that person is. I think 20-30 pages is probably a good minimum size for a fan-produced product--it's enough to get across a basic idea with some detail(rule options or adventure ideas or a new organization, or a writeup for a villain team) but not so long that the fan's going to need months to write it. Something that could be written up in a week or weekend is probably an ideal minimum size, while something that might take 2-3 people working together several months is probably more the maximum. Obviously, you're not likely to get artwork or fancy fonts, just basic content, but I think it would still have value if we had a place we could point noobs to and say "hey, look, there's 10-100 free little sourcebooks of all sorts available, to help supplement the stuff you bought and help you get started with Hero System." And veteran gamers appreciate stuff too--less stuff to have to think up all on your own.