keithcurtis

Actually, the 4th Edition Hero System Rulesbook was available as an electronic download for a while during the Cybergames era. When DoJ came on board, they wisely discontinued it so as not to detract from their new flagship product. I have the HSR 4th Ed pdf. I also have the full version of Acrobat and cross-indexed the snot out of it with links and bookmarks. I wish I could do that with 5th. I agree with the others, though. Go with Fifth. You'll appreciate it in the long run. Keith "Too little, too late" Curtis

Heh, I did an illustration for Ninja Hero that got cut (due to reasons we won't go into here). Anyway, it was basically "One character flipping another--Any genre". I chose the Caveman genre (a'la Clan of the Cave Bear) Keith "Well apparently she invented everything else!" Curtis

I thinks it's because Martial Arts is a meta genre. It is a describer that can be added to main genres Ex. Man martial arts movies are martial arts Fantasy, "Kung Fu" was a martial arts Western, "The Matrix" could be considered a martial arts Sci Fi movie and so on. Keith "Library Ninja" Curtis

Dude! They're like apes, man. And they can talk!!!! Keith "It's a Madhouse! A Madhoooouuuse!!!" Curtis

I think the Great Strength Debate has been around nearly as long as the GLD and others. I charge double for pre-gunpowder heroic level, simply because it is a FAR more useful characteristic in Fantasy Hero, where nearly all damage is strenth-dependant. As for the other suggested changes, I don't perceive them as a problem and have never considered them. I don't generally use HA anyway. Keith "I have a formula for changing the cost of DEX to 3.141592654..." Curtis

Buy two characters. The second could be a follower or just buy him as Linked to the first in all powers and abilities. Add in Mind Link and maybe a few Physical Lims like "must share one body" and poof! you're done. Keith "Only mostly tongue in cheek" Curtis

Hey Buzz, Bob! Quick, look--it's Elvis! Hey King! Keith "Now I'm first in line" Curtis

For racial and cultural packages, why not just treat them as suggestions? i.e. All Dwarves should have a minimum Mining 8-, but if the player has a compelling reason why not (example: raised in a city by a Dwarvish ambassador), he shouldn't be required to take it. It's a default, not a requirement. All the player needs is a reason not to have a part of the package. After all, there aren't bonus points for package deals anymore, so it's not like cheating. The package is there to give you a "standard" dwarf (or whatever) from which modifications can be made. Keith "apologies if this has been mentioned, I came into the conversation late" Curtis

But by that criterion, you would invalidate the votes of practically every election or public poll on earth. Few people take the time to really research whatever they vote on. For example, has anybody (besides Academy members) bothered to look up the requirements for each category to make sure even one game on the list qualifies? What points are the Academy judging by? And so on. A public vote (especially of this nature) is a popularity contest. If your game has been heard of enough for someone to vote for it, you deserve the vote. If someone is voting in a category about which they are totally clueless, ie.e flipping a coin, then that's wrong. That's probably why they have separate voting for Academy members and the general public. Keith "Only voted for games I've played" Curtis

We called our bulletproof spandex Kevlex. (Kevlar + Spandex) I agree with the poster who brought up Prometheum. Even worse than disregarding physics (and what super worth his cape doesn't do that sixt times before breakfast?), the writers never could seem to keep straight what it did and how it worked. Sometimes it worked as described. Sometimes it was a regenerating metal. And sometimes it was just another name for Adamantium. Keith "Looking for a material as protective as Spandex but as flexible as Kevlar" Curtis

That bad? No wonder I couldn't find it by searching. Keith "we may be contrary round these parts, but at least we're civil" Curtis

I'd like to read th thread, but Stupid rpg.net can never remember when I am logged in. It keeps telling me I don't have access to view the second page. This is not a unique occurence on their website. Keith "sigh..." Curtis

Ok...ok... White on slightly less light gray... about a 32% gray AAMOF. Not particularly dark. Keith "Still can't read it unless I select the text" Curtis PS. This is a completely spurious and facetious gripe for the humor-impaired. Go back to chopping off people's arms in bar fights.

I'd like to comment, but the white text on light grey background is unreadable. Keith "set in his ways" Curtis

Remember, just because a player has the points to buy something doesn't mean they should be allowed to do so. The fighter-type might have enough XP to buy 10 points of flight, but you wouldn't allow it because it is non-sensical within the game world. Limit spells likewise. Have a list of available spells. In order to learn new ones, the players must find, research or outright buy them with money. Then they can spend the points. If you go the research route, make it as difficult or expensive as you want the rarity of the spell to be. Perhaps 1 week for the first ten AP of the spell, then one month for a 20 AP spell and so on up the time chart. Adjust for suitability. There are other ways to limit availability: Maybe spells can only be learned at approved institutions of higher learning. Maybe they can only be granted by the gods after a great service is performed. Maybe each spell has only one teacher, or one discreet place where it can be learned. This could really promote cross-country travel. Maybe a Wizard can only know a certain number of spells and to learn new ones, he must forget old ones. Maybe magic is divided by types and a player can only learn a type for which he has spent a year of study. Or ten years. I'm sure you can think of many more. In closing, don't be afraid to impose a meta-game structure. That is, one which is imposed by GM fiat based on the world description and not supported by a game mechanic. None of the suggestions I have made should require any Power Limitation. Keith "Magicologist" Curtis

Thta's nice, but why would Commander Vimes want to know the orbital velocity of Earth's Moon? He lives on the Discworld. Keith "We now return you to your topic in progress" Curtis

I have voted. My wife, too. By this weekend, I should be able to add four more. Keith "Flurry of ballot-box stuffing" Curtis PS. I wrote in the Resource Kit for best role-playing aid. Couldn't hoit.

Doctor Who (Fourth Doctor) Episode "The Invasion of Time" Keith "I cheated" Curtis

Thanks! I have to admit, everytime I open up a comp copy of a new book, my joy at seeing my stuff in print is always tempered by awe and envy of everybody else in the book. Keith "Why could't I have done that?" Curtis

It's terrible, mate. Keith "Close enough" Curtis

No time to say much now, but suffice to say that page 52 will generate more board traffic than any other page in a DoJ product. And whose hands are those committing the heinous act? My guess: Steve Long's. Keith "Mr. Cryptic" Curtis

Re: Rules for Summoning vehicles = LOCO! Summoning a Ford Taurus mght be very useful, especially if you could summon it directly over someone's head. Keith "Incoming!" Curtis

I got it! I got it! I'd post a critique, but I have to read it first. I just wanted to post to say I got it. Keith "I got it!" Curtis PS. Love the cover.

Sounds like a classic Transformation attack (albeit a powerful one.) Figure out how many points a person gets for being a vampire and add 1/5 of them to the body score for the purposes of the target number of the attack. That covers the increase in power. It will probably require multiple attacks to succeed. 3 nights? Keith "I do not drink... blood" Curtis

Lots of necromantic spells. Egyptian culture was very Afterlife-oriented. Keith "Would like to date Bast" Curtis