schir1964

I was doing some searching on the internet and somehow I came across these two items that I never knew existed.
It's probably old news to some of you (since it is technically old news).
But I found the information quite interesting.
The first link is an article articulating highlights/lowlights of the history of the Hero System.
The second link is a thread dedicated to discussing the Hero 4th Edition (BBB).
 
The Age Of Hero
 
Hero Lets Read The Big Blue Book
 

I was doing some searching on the internet and somehow I came across these two items that I never knew existed.
It's probably old news to some of you (since it is technically old news).
But I found the information quite interesting.
The first link is an article articulating highlights/lowlights of the history of the Hero System.
The second link is a thread dedicated to discussing the Hero 4th Edition (BBB).
 
The Age Of Hero
 
Hero Lets Read The Big Blue Book
 

I was doing some searching on the internet and somehow I came across these two items that I never knew existed.
It's probably old news to some of you (since it is technically old news).
But I found the information quite interesting.
The first link is an article articulating highlights/lowlights of the history of the Hero System.
The second link is a thread dedicated to discussing the Hero 4th Edition (BBB).
 
The Age Of Hero
 
Hero Lets Read The Big Blue Book
 

I was doing some searching on the internet and somehow I came across these two items that I never knew existed.
It's probably old news to some of you (since it is technically old news).
But I found the information quite interesting.
The first link is an article articulating highlights/lowlights of the history of the Hero System.
The second link is a thread dedicated to discussing the Hero 4th Edition (BBB).
 
The Age Of Hero
 
Hero Lets Read The Big Blue Book
 

It appears to me there two different ideas competing to solve the issue of the barrier for new players (at least it seems like it to me but I could be completely wrong).
 
The first has to do with streamlining certain mechanics that have been core to the system since the beginning (as far I can tell from these posts).
Making these mechanics more unified / consistent with each other would lower the barrier to those who are looking for a new or better game system.
 
The second has to do with presenting a complete game universe whole cloth so that only those mechanics relevant to that universe are included.
Making such a product would lower the barrier to those who are looking for a new or better game system.
 
The second one is less problematic since you simply are taking the mechanics that currently exist and skinning them or modifying/replacing them as needed to create a cohesive game universe.
It benefits the GM and Players alike since it can be used like other game systems that exist.
The amount of work to create such a product is the major obstacle.
 
The first one faces the problem of established mechanics be replaced with new ones (which would become the established mechanics going forward).
The benefit is to make some aspects easier for anyone who doing math on the fly is considered less fun during play.
 
Now personally, I don't have a problem with either of these being done.
Both of these would make things easier for me as a GM.
It would certainly make things easier for my kids.
 
However, concerning the first idea above, I am not qualified to suggest that changing the core mechanics would be beneficial for the company and would have the desired effect of pulling in enough new players to make it worth it.
It might but then again it might not. I don't know.
 
Either of these ideas would have to be fully embraced by the current owners in order to have a lasting impact though.
 
 
 
 
 

The only reason I'm considering this is to make things easier for my kids (11 Years Old) who haven't played any pen and paper games.  My daughter especially has trouble with doing math in her head.
Also, I'm not the quickest at doing it myself, but I can rely on pre-generated/pre-calculated tables and programs to shore that up.
But I want to introduce them to the Hero System and hopefully have some fun Father Son/Daughter time with them.
 
That's why I snagged the Champions Begins once I found out what it was. Perfect timing.
 
So my situation is somewhat an edge case I think.

The only reason I'm considering this is to make things easier for my kids (11 Years Old) who haven't played any pen and paper games.  My daughter especially has trouble with doing math in her head.
Also, I'm not the quickest at doing it myself, but I can rely on pre-generated/pre-calculated tables and programs to shore that up.
But I want to introduce them to the Hero System and hopefully have some fun Father Son/Daughter time with them.
 
That's why I snagged the Champions Begins once I found out what it was. Perfect timing.
 
So my situation is somewhat an edge case I think.

I'm not sure why but the idea just popped into my head and I wondered if anyone else had tried it.
 
I'm not surprised by Jack's experience and like you I also could see this being a large advantage for faster characters.
 
I'm not ready to try this for my games yet though. I'd like to hear about your experience if you ever try this out Duke.

A lot depends on the style you want. You say you looking for one for newer players. Does that mean you want less detail?

As far as I can tell nearly everything is optional. The only reason for uploading the character data is that there is a tool that allows the GM to track phases and who is in the lineup. Brennel has created a video that details all the tools that are currently available. The tracking of stat levels and such are actually manual and every player needs to take responsibility for adjusting them (if you are even bothering using that tool). The dice rollers are nice and the common log window shows all dice rolls made.

You mentioned Skill Rolls and Damage/Effect rolls.
Obviously INT and CON have Skill Rolls. Seems like you were suggesting they also had an Effect Roll in you games. Was curious as to what that was.
 
As far as the Perception Roll my opinion is that roll exists outside of INT. You can have  a perception roll without INT. I think there are actually examples of that with Automatons and Computers that have no INT but still have a Perception Roll depending on what they designed to do.
 
Anyway, it seems that these two Characteristics do not have an effect roll.
 
I thought you might be excluding the figured characteristics but how you worded your statement (all the other attributes) it was unclear.

And the peanut gallery watches, eating popcorn, with bated breath. (8^D)

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!
 
- Christopher Mullins

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!
 
- Christopher Mullins

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!
 
- Christopher Mullins

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!
 
- Christopher Mullins

I agree in general, but the whole idea of CSS was to have the HTML just be the data which is just tagged in various ways then the CSS styles it all which includes support for various types of media devices.
Plus printing an HTML page is one of the most common uses outside of viewing the page. You would think that would be a priority somewhere in their list of device types.

I didn't know Hero Designer used to have a PDF Print function.
 
I've found the print to PDF functionality on my computer generally does well enough. It's what I've used so far to test the exports I've been working on.
 
HeroGM is right though. Seems like the HTML/CSS support for Printing has not been a priority.
There are some nice style controls for printing that don't seem to be supported.
If they could support the Avoid setting for page breaks that would take care of 90% of printing issues.
Avoid prevents an element from being split in half at the page break. It pushes the whole element to the next page if it crosses the page break line.

Ah; got it.
 
I state this from time to time, because new members roll in and out, and long-lost members fall back in, and as we are, with a few exceptions, strangers behind a screen, I don't expect anyone to remember any particulars about me: I know that I am just a stranger behind a screen.
 
Still, I feel this is a good time to state it again:
 
I have cut sarcasm completely from life; I did it years ago.  After  living some years without it (and it's really hard to stop doing it, but once you make that a habit, it gets easier), I realized just how completely disgusted I had become by the cultural notion that sarcasm is considered a sign of intelligence in most "educated" circles.
 
I note that specifically because I used to be one of those people.  However, almost four decades ago, I absolutely _destroyed_ the warmest, most sincere, most caring, most supportive relationship I ever had with anyone-- and when I say _anyone_, I _mean_ it: the relationship I enjoy with my own _wife_-- as fulfilling as it is, is still second place to this relationship of long ago.
 
I destroyed it with sarcasm.
 
No; that's not a joke (remember: no sarcasm?)   I won't lie: there was a significant knowledge and education gap between us, but I never cared; I never even _noticed_.  And, like most people who wield sarcasm as a substitute for wit, I _assumed_ (incorrectly, as we _all_ do, but that's a story for later) that this indicated a fundamental intelligence gap-- again, I didn't care about that: the relationship was incredible.
 
But the sarcasm destroyed it.  See, every time I said something sarcastic-- like I generously assume many people do, I don't really mean it to be hurtful (Again: I _am_ being generous), but as sarcasm is, at it's heart, saying something that is not true or mockingly stating something that holds a grain of truth-- it's far, _far_ more easy than most people will ever accept to "take it wrong."  At the end of the day, _are_ they taking it wrong?  I mean, sarcasm _is_, ultimately, pointed, and it is thrown rather vigorously, and all-too-often, when someone has exposed a particularly vulnerable part of themselves.
 
I tried for four years to rekindle a relationship I ultimately had to accept was killed by my own hand-- well, my own tongue.  What can you _say_ to a person when they have become used to the idea that a chunk of what you say is the exact opposite of what you wish to express?  What words do you use to soothe and apologize to someone who has learned that your words cause pain?  How do you describe the depth of your soul to someone who is used to the idea that any amount of honest pontification is merely the careful stacking of a set of stones that you are going to take great delight in knocking down with a single blow?
 
No; it doesn't _matter_ that it's not directed at this person or that person or _any_ person, because how do they _know_ that?  You can't tell them, because they know your words aren't really what you mean.  
 
I spoke at great length with my brother D, to whom I am have always been closest; I sought comfort, repair, and of course guidance---  Ah!  This would have been immediately after realizing that it was over, of course.  His response was, quite clearly: "What did you expect?  You are an absolute @$$hole to pretty much everyone you meet."
 
I was rather taken aback, as I have never tried to be a jerk to anyone save my clearly-defined enemies.  I pressed him for explanations, and it all came back to one simple thing:
 
Sarcasm.
 
Sarcasm-- that "great and heady sign of a powerful intellect and a razor-sharp wit," is absolutely nothing more than pointless brutality to your fellow man.  If you want to hit them, roll a shoulder and plow one through 'em.  If you want to point something out, ignore your second-grade teacher and use that finger next to your thumb.  If you want to make a joke, then tell a joke, make an observation, whatever.  Sarcasm-- sarcasm is literally deciding you want to do one of these things, but with a grenade.  It doesn't matter how "on-point" your joke is; blowing up your friends is never funny.
 
It took me considerable time to realize that what D had told me was the truth:  I had few friends, and when moving took place for one or the other of us, we never stayed in touch.  Or least, _they_ never stayed in touch.  It was the sarcasm: it takes a lot of work to tell if someone is saying what they mean, deciphering what they actually meant, and a lot of trust to accept that it isn't pointed at you.  Even then, catch enough grenades, and you start to wonder if you really are the target, and that all the "oh, no!  That wasn't meant for you!" was just to see how many times you would come back to catch grenades.
 
It took me, in earnest assessment, about a year to realize that "D was right.  I thought I was warm, gregarious, and funny, but I was just an @$$hole!"  I certainly didn't _think_ I was one; I never _tried_ or even _wanted_ to be one, but by sheer dint of my chosen form of humor, I _was_ one, and I was the problem in almost every relationship that developed a problem.  And the best one I ever had?  I couldn't fix it.
 
So I spent the next... maybe eighteen months?  Working hard-- insanely hard; you don't have any clue how often you use sarcasm-- changing everything about the way I communicate, the way I make observations, the way I tell jokes.  I worked my @$$ off-- and hopefully, worked out all the @$$hole I was-- in a vow that I would not use sarcasm to communicate ever again.  No matter how witty someone else thought sarcasm was, no matter how much of a dullard someone might assume I was since I didn't use or "appreciate" it, I was done.  I wasn't taking a chance on wrecking another relationship, and promised that I would never hurt another friend, even by accident.
 
 
Now I told you that so that I could tell you this:
 
If you _ever_ read something I say as being sarcastic, re-read it until it isn't, because there is no sarcasm there.  I go out of my way to ensure that.  Weird choices of vocabulary: that's on me (my passion for etymology developed during this self-imposed self-improvement); if I chose poorly, that wasn't sarcasm: that was crappy judgement. 
 
This is not to say that I won't be snide, or even insulting, rude, and condemnatory.  I just don't do it sarcastically.  For one, if I am irritated enough to insult someone, I want that person to specifically know that they are being insulted, and anyone else to know that they are not.  I've also gotten much better at it, as I don't have the crutch of sarcasm to fall back on. 
 
As for people who do use it:  you are not me, and you are not controlled by me.  Do what you want, of course.  Having avoided using it so long myself, I do get tripped up now and again by not catching it the first time, sometimes even the second.  Just know that this is a thing.
 
As for people who think it makes them intelligent:  Remember that you are saying something that you don't mean, in a way you don't mean, to make a point that most people are going to assume is insulting or otherwise derisive, and they are not always going to be clear who your target is.  You are literally throwing live grenades into the room to make what is generally a fairly trivial observation.  Why does that make you feel like you are more intelligent than someone else?
 
As for people who think it is a sign of intelligence, well re-read everything thus far.  Is any of this intelligent?
 
How did it work, long-term?
 
Sometimes, when my work schedules permit, I will pick up one or the other of the kids from school.  I will overhear parents being parents, and in some cases praising or scolding their children.  Quite often, the scolding includes sarcasm, and you can literally-- not "facebook literally,"  but genuine "this is a real thing that can be observed" literally-- see the child cringe each and every time such a  comment is made.  It makes me uncomfortable, and it makes my children uncomfortable.  My son once, when he was smaller, just hugged my leg tighter and later asked me if his friend Jonah was "being abused."  I had to tell him very honestly that I really didn't know.  I didn't know, but I knew it couldn't be good just by the way he wilted under it.
 
There is an old, _old_ proverb-- I _believe_ it's Turkish, but at this point I no longer remember.  My grandfather taught it to me once (there's a great example: this man literally _wrecked_ his own children with abuse both physical and verbal, but he didn't know it until it was far, far too late.  He became the greatest parent ever to his grandchildren, but died alone and unmourned by his own kids) and until my brother prompted me think about my use of sarcasm, I really didn't appreciate just what it meant:
 
An axe remembers nothing, but a tree cannot forget.  Literally, it refers to the way a tree heals (if it heals) and the scars, knots, etc that are the result of damage to that tree.  There will never be a point where that past damage is not obvious.  Figuratively-- well, you know where that is going.  Considering how messed up people have gotten since we decided that tight collars and tight-lipped etiquette were the only correct way to deal with one another, I have to give it considerable credence.  Who have any of us wronged that we can remember?  Who have any of us wronged that we _cannot_ remember?  Who here can honestly say he has forgotten a wrong that was done to him?
 
 
In fairness, I will still, from time to time, find a temptation far too juicy to resist, and crack wise with a sarcastic comment.  On such rare occasions, I try very hard to ensure that everyone understands it is sarcasm, and _precisely_ where it is directed, even if I have to label a diagram.
 
 
Now, as to the rest:
 
 
 
 
 
It did; don't fret that. (You noticed that laugh I gave it, right?)  It is simply that, as I noted above, I don't always catch it the first time through, simply because I have that most common of foils of logic: the tendency to use myself as the yardstick of humanity.  Seriously: sometimes I forget that sarcasm is as common as it is, and I don't look for it.  I genuinely spent fifteen minutes thumbing through my dictionary to make sure that one of the words I had used did not have a negative connotation of which I was unaware.  Then it hit me:  Ah; a joke.  Duh!  I missed it, but I got it now!.   I tagged a laugh to it (as it was amusing), but I totally forgot to answer the actual question.
 
That's all.
 
 
 
 
 
You are not wrong.  I _wanted_ to be; I watched several episodes before "I just can't watch another one" forced me to stop.  I have never made a secret of it, but in what I have learned is horrible internet etiquette, I don't go around bashing it every chance I get, either.     Right about the time I figured out that our main villains were going to be a race of intergalactic used car salesmen, I kind of wrote it off as something I just wasn't going to appreciate.  (Yes; I am aware that as the setting evolved, the used car salesmen became allies, etc, and in a huge nod to multiculturalism over racism, even the Klingons became allies, and we created the Borg so that the enemy could be everybody.  (See?  That was sarcastic )   (and tagged as such) ).
 
 
 
 
 
 
I am genuinely sorry to have put you to this concern, Tjack;  I really am.  (again: as a conscious choice in my life, I don't use sarcasm.)  I had thought the little laughing rep guy expressed it:
 
I got that you were being funny (eventually), I found it amusing, and we have _never_ not been good. 
 
 
 
 

Sorry it took so long. I tried various CSS tools to see what worked best.
It doesn't look exactly like your screenshot but it is close.
Also, if you set the character image in Hero Designer it will display it under the Hero System logo.
If you don't then it doesn't take up any space on the character sheet (basically it doesn't have place a holder for it).
You can download the ExportTemplateThreeColumnHtml5ezip file.
 
One gotcha about this export is that there are three CSS files that must reside wherever the HTML file is located.
You can edit the Export file to have the CSS within the HTML itself if you want and I can help you with that if needed.
 
Several things that pleases me about this export:
Uses a normalize.css file so that the character sheet should display the same way on different browsers. Customizing this export should be much easier due to how the HTML is sectioned off and tagged. Changing the styling (alignment, bolding, and so forth) should be fairly easy once you get used to how things are tagged and you only need to update the one CSS file not the HTML. I used Flex Box (HTML 5 CSS Standard) to handle the columns and as a side benefit it looks like the printing no longer splits the text in half. At least with the tests I ran. Has a separate Printer.css file that contains a page break so that new pages do in fact start on a new page when printing.  
This is my first attempt so feel free to point out improvements or ask questions. My goal was to make modifying this Template as easy as possible.
 
- Christopher Mullins

History of Grenadier Models Inc.
 
Grenadier Models Inc.

I've started a thread over in the Hero Designer forum. If you just want to post to that thread when you ready that would be fine.

I've purchased Hero Designer and find that it would fairly straight forward to create new export templates.
 
If anyone want a Custom Export Template built for Hero Designer let me know.
I would just need to have an example of what you are looking for as far as layout.

At the risk of sounding totally ignorant and crazy...
 
Perhaps an END Battery or whatever it's called now.
All deity powers are powered by the battery.
You can then have a limitation of causing the recovery time on the battery be increased however long or some other limitation to represent how the battery gets recharged.
The more powers you have the large the END Pool must be and the worse it is to recover (based on whatever limitation is applicable).
 
Just a thought.

Side Note
Building a character to concept may end up with several flavor limitations that on their own don't warrant a -1/4 limitation. However, if they were combined together they might be worth that -1/4 limitation.
 
Hero currently tends to favor the all or nothing approach. Perhaps some sort of paragraph explaining that the GM is encouraged to group flavor limitations to grant a -1/4 which might then encourage the player to flavor their character even more.
 
I think we need the existing method that exists to give that consistency and guide to what various powers/advantages/limitations are worth vs one another.
But there should be freedom to combine or change those values as needed for the specific campaign.
And there are even examples of this in some GM tips stating that some genre/setting limitations may be worth more or less depending on the campaign.
Power limited Only in Darkness may be worth -3/4 in standard campaigns, but might be worth only -1/4 in a "Mole People" campaign which is an underground civilization.
 
The GM needs to decide this as it stands so perhaps more guidelines on how to do this effectively may be worthwhile.