"Basic Box Sets". Does Hero NEED Them To Get New Players?

[Beast]

we have CC at 40$/20$ for the pdf
the basic rules are 14.99 as a pdf or 19.99 for a dead tree version

Champions (setting )20.00 for the pdf

the basic rules don't have everything

so your going to have to by the full rules anyway
 

So if you go the CC pdf 20$

Millennium City pdf 8.50$(5th ed)

Champions (setting )20.00$

Champions Villains 2 pdf(teams)20.00$(give you the best mix of leaders  and followers for your buck

for 88.50$

 

you could do with out these 2 if you have run an RPG before

Millennium City pdf 8.50$(5th ed)

Champions (setting )20.00$

but pretty much if you want it to cost less
you would have to go w/ Wildstrike upgraded to 6th ed

 

 

Setting is king. I agree about that. I also think asking $40 for a 'beginners book' is a bit to much. I do not consider Champions Complete to be an entery level book. That is because it replaces 6ed p1 and p2, in an economical package, and is not designed as a 'welcome to Champions' book. Same for the upcoming Fantasy Hero Complete.

[Old Man]

The other way to go is the board game route. Board games are enjoying something of a renaissance and there are many such games that are really thinly disguised RPGs with minis and a map. High price tags are almost expected in that area. You could then almost package Hero as an expansion to the board game.

[NuSoardGraphite]

The .pdf i uploaded here is an example of how i present my designs to my players. in my heroic level games where they arent paying points for equipment (even the special or magical stuff) they dont need the "gobbledygook". they get straight stats they need for the gameplay and a basic description of the weapon/equipment and away they go. i think this is the approach HERO needs to take with its campaign settings.

Dark_Universe_Laser_weapons.pdf

[Christopher R Taylor]

Its true that boardgames are experiencing a renewal of interest, I think its largely related to kickstarter and other crowdfunding efforts

[Old Man]

Hmm, kickstarter.  Maybe we could crowdfund a new version of Fantasy Hero. 

[zslane]

I think you will see Fantasy Hero Complete appeal to the existing Hero System fan base, but I won't be surprised if it fails to substantially reach the non-Hero audience out there. I'm not even sure it is really intended to do so. At the end of the day, FHC is of the Read & Build tradition and not really aimed at the Read & Play crowd.

[randian]

The question seems rather premature now that Hero is pretty much no longer on retailer's shelves. Hard to get players without eyes on the product. I see DC and Heroes Unlimited (both of which I thought were pretty dead) on the shelves these days taking Hero's proper place. I remember when Hero dominated the game conventions I attended. Only a few years, and it mysteriously died as quickly as it ascended, but it was great while it lasted.

[Eisenmann]

I think you will see Fantasy Hero Complete appeal to the existing Hero System fan base, but I won't be surprised if it fails to substantially reach the non-Hero audience out there. I'm not even sure it is really intended to do so. At the end of the day, FHC is of the Read & Build tradition and not really aimed at the Read & Play crowd.

 

I'm not sure if I'm part of the existing Hero fan base as I've never played the game. Fantasy Hero Complete has caught my attention because I checked out Champions Complete at my FLGS. Champions Complete looked a heck of a lot more accessible than the big books and I'm hoping the same for FHC.

[Christopher R Taylor]

The question seems rather premature now that Hero is pretty much no longer on retailer's shelves. Hard to get players without eyes on the product. 

 

That's kind of why I'm asking the question to begin with.  And as you said, games thought long-gone have returned, so its never too late to rebuild the product.

[zslane]

I'm not sure if I'm part of the existing Hero fan base as I've never played the game. Fantasy Hero Complete has caught my attention because I checked out Champions Complete at my FLGS. Champions Complete looked a heck of a lot more accessible than the big books and I'm hoping the same for FHC.

That's very encouraging. Now imagine how many more FRPG fans would be attracted to a killer product line that fits the Read & Play Setting structure described earlier. FHC may reach a handful non-Hero gamers, but I don't expect the numbers to be substantial. And to be "substantial," I feel the numbers need to be close to whatever fantasy game is coming in third behind D&D and Pathfinder. Anything worse than that is still getting lost in the noise of the myriad marginal players in the industry.

[Chris Goodwin]

That's very encouraging. Now imagine how many more FRPG fans would be attracted to a killer product line that fits the Read & Play Setting structure described earlier. FHC may reach a handful non-Hero gamers, but I don't expect the numbers to be substantial. And to be "substantial," I feel the numbers need to be close to whatever fantasy game is coming in third behind D&D and Pathfinder. Anything worse than that is still getting lost in the noise of the myriad marginal players in the industry.

 

The thing we're running into is that the HERO System is not a game, it's a system.  Champions, Fantasy Hero, Star Hero, &c., are all giant how-to manuals on building a game.  D&D, Pathfinder, the World of Darkness, &c., are all games.  GURPS may very well be a system as well, but at least SJG sells lots of games-in-a-book you can buy.  

 

A game can be in more than one book, but at some point we need to start selling games.  Hopefully, FHC fills the niche of game, especially with the Kickstarter extras, and if they're successful in that then hopefully they'll publish those for general sales as well.

[Lucius]

The thing we're running into is that the HERO System is not a game, it's a system.  Champions, Fantasy Hero, Star Hero, &c., are all giant how-to manuals on building a game.  D&D, Pathfinder, the World of Darkness, &c., are all games.  GURPS may very well be a system as well, but at least SJG sells lots of games-in-a-book you can buy.  

 

A game can be in more than one book, but at some point we need to start selling games.  Hopefully, FHC fills the niche of game, especially with the Kickstarter extras, and if they're successful in that then hopefully they'll publish those for general sales as well.

 

I've often said, in recent years, that Hero is a Build Your Own Game Kit. It took me decades to realize that.

 

As far as I know, that makes it unique.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Using a Build Your Own Palindromedary Tagline Kit

[Chris Goodwin]

I should point out that PS238, Lucha Libre Hero, Monster Hunters International, and most likely Narosia are all games as well.

[bluesguy]

One of the things I keep hearing is that Hero needs pre-built adventures, pre-built PCs, and settings.

 

Instead of just saying this is what Hero needs to do - create them yourself and see if you can sell them as PDFs (here, drivethru, rpgnow, etc.)

[Christopher R Taylor]

Yep that's been my approach.  What I see the game needs, I'm trying to provide.

[zslane]

One of the things I keep hearing is that Hero needs pre-built adventures, pre-built PCs, and settings.

 

Instead of just saying this is what Hero needs to do - create them yourself and see if you can sell them as PDFs (here, drivethru, rpgnow, etc.)

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I have neither the time nor the talent to produce the quality nor the quantity of material needed to achieve the goals stated (by me anyway) in these threads. What I envision is not something just anyone with Hero System experience and an itch to build worlds and write content can do competently, myself included.