teh bunneh

Re: Origins Award Nomination

Actually' date=' it rarely does any of that. For the most part it has the effect of an "attaboy" (which is, let me assure you, no mean thing, especially in an industry where the financial rewards are slight). Many successful companies and designers have never won one. Nor is there any proof (other than anecdotal, and that sketchy) that being nominated for or winning an OA improves sales or provides any meaningful exposure.[/quote']

 

I stand corrected! (Actually, I sit corrected, but that's OK too).

 

FWIW That's why I print the monsters for next weeks session ahead of time from the SRD. Import from the .rtf into a .doc' date=' change to my heart's desire, and print. Can scribble on the paper as things change. Easier to find stuff too.[/quote']

 

I guess I've been out of the D&D loop for too long, but what is SRD? %)

 

And yes, writing the stats down (or printing them out) is the solution that I ended up going with, too. But that sort of confirms my point -- it's easier to print out/type up the monsters than to use the poorly-designed Monster Manual.

 

Bill.

Re: Origins Award Nomination

Just a short rant, ignore me if I go off...

I know the Origins Awards are an important marker of success in the gaming industry, and an award can boost sales and exposure, but ever since the Monster Manual won Best Graphic Design back in 2001, I've really had to wonder about how valid they really are.

As a person who works in graphic design, I can tell you that MM is a terrible example of the concept. A good design focuses on two things: beauty and functionality -- how pretty it looks, and how well it does what it was designed to do. They're both important, but beauty should always take second-tier to functionality.

I will grant you that the Monster Manual is very beautiful. Color pictures on every page, thick glossy paper, detailed watermarks, nice elements, and an ancient manuscript-looking paper design. Hold it 2 meters from your face, or flip through it rapidly, and you'll be stunned.

But quick! Tell me what the CR of a Neo-Otyugh is! What type of poison does a huge hornet have? On what page will I find the stats for a giant bat? I need a vampire for my game (starting in 5 minutes); where does it tell me what they are like? What's the ecology of a Salamander? How many XPs is an Owlbear worth to a 5th level party? Are the monsters arranged alphabetically, or do I need to search through the appendices to find what I want?

Functionally, it's a very poor layout; it's hard to find the info you need quickly. Back when I was running a long-term D&D3rd campaign, the game tended to grind to a halt whenever I needed to find a monster -- heck, I could have the page open to the monster I wanted and I still frequently found myself lost, looking for a particular stat. =:/

But hey, it shore is purty to look at. It makes me think that the gaming industry (in general) is about 10 years behind the rest of the graphic design industry -- form over function is *very* 1996. =

So congrats to the gang at Hero for their nomination; you deserve it and a whole lot more! But don't feel too bad that you didn't get more than just one -- it doesn't mean anything real. =

Bill.

I don't know if this has ever been asked before, but:

Dr. Lightning has 10 BODY and no Power Defense.

The Necromancer hits Dr. Lightning with a particularly nasty Drain BODY, and drops him down to -11 BODY.

1. Is the good Doctor dead, or does he recover 5 points every post-12 (effectively "coming back from the dead")?

2. If he starts to recover, does he lose BODY every phase from bleeding, shock, etc., or is he assumed to be stabilized?

Thanks!

Bill.

There's a fairly positive review of Fantasy Hero in this week's (October 18-October 25) Pyramid Magazine. Written by Ross Winn, it essentially says that there are genuine positives and real negatives, but the positives seem to win out. A brief quote from the review:

"Even with its flaws, Fantasy Hero is an amazing book. Let us be completely clear on this point. Not only does the book attempt a task no other RPG book has ever accomplished, it clearly succeeds on several levels. Unfortunately, the encyclopedic nature of the finished product is its most disappointing aspect. There is both so much here, and so clearly much more to be covered."

Bill.

Does anyone have any ideas on how one would duplicate the effects of a fever (or a disease that causes a fever)? How about any ideas on how to reproduce other common (real-world) ailments and symptoms?

Thanks!

Summon Base... I never even thought of that. Thanks guys! I knew that if anyone would have an answer... =

Bill.

Hey y'all!

I'm busy converting my long-running AD&D game into HERO (after considering it for years...) = So far so good, but one thing has me absolutely stumped, and my players aren't any help. One player, the party's wizard, has a favorite spell -- Leomund's Secure Shelter -- and I can't figure out how to convert it into Fantasy HERO. =:/

Not converting it isn't an option. Hardly an adventure goes by where he doesn't think of a way to make use of it. Darned clever players! =

Essentially the spell creates, out of thin air, a small stone cottage, granting all those things a small stone cottage would grant -- protection from the elements, defense against hostiles (thick walls and a barred door), a fireplace, cots to sleep on, a table and desk with chairs to sit on, and the like. The cottage lasts around 8-10 hours or so, then vanishes.

Can anyone help me think of some good ideas for this? One caveat -- the power (or powers) have to cost 75 points or less. I was thinking some combination of Change Environment with Force Wall, but there's got to be a more elegant way, right?

Thanks, y'all!

Bill.