atlascott

Re: Young Nerd Outreach Program I think you are right, Dust Raven! Maybe once I make my fortune in Chicago as a lawyer (still working on it) we can get a business going! My opinion is that you can make ANY business work and be profitable if you are willing to go above and beyond what others do, and exceed customer expectation every time. I have had a FLGS idea rolling int he back of my mind for years. Practicing law is time consuming and exhausting. I would LOVE to open a game store/hobby store. If you can make it a social center, you'll definitely make enough money to keep it open! Location is key--you need to be easily-accessed enough to a reasonably big potential gaming population, and a population with a decent number of the target audience. Then, blow the customers away with the experience, and they will return.

Re: How do you track END? Scratch paper? Is that that new software app that comes with tablet PC's? Made by some little company that got bought out by Microsoft? Are the system requirements really high? Do all of your players use laptops, or do track everyone's stats with this "scratch paper"?

Re: Young Nerd Outreach Program And here's another idea. Every weekend, pay your staff to run an 'open' or 'introductory' game of something new. They are sitting at the store anyway, why not have them run a game. Does that sound like the perfect job, or what? I would have died for a job like that as a teenager.

Re: Young Nerd Outreach Program One big problem is that the FLGS's are disappearing, and/or are misapprehending their place and importance. They should have game space, and be welcoming places. If I ever opened one, that's what I'd do. I'd also offer a monthly membership for 10 or 20 bucks, which would entitle you to a discount on product, and the right to reserve the game spaces (perhaps for a slight additional amount). I would encourage game companies to come in a and demo products. I'd hold tourneys, and competitions, have snack and soda machines as an additional source of revenue. Significantly, I would somehow wheedle young attractive girls to work at the game store--that's get us our young male audience pretty quick! The FLGS is 'neutral territory' where you can post for a group playing a particular game, maybe run a game in store, and decide who is compatible to continue running at your home. A young kid walking into a store like that would drop coin and come back again, and almost certainly make friends. Outside the home. Not in front of the tv, or computer. Heaven. And consider--this hobby is not like Magic-card crack--a $100 investment is all you ever need to run games, and for $20, you got Sidekick and some killer dice. Add pen and paper and you are a rock star. No other hobby comes close to cost-per hour of fun of a good RPG. Even if everyone kicks in $5 for pop/pizza/snacks, its a blast. I feel bad for all the kids out there who, again, are loners or socially inept, and awkward, who are not in this hobby, because they should be. In the heart of every one of these kids is a courageous, daring man or woman, waiting to find a way to express him/herself, and gaming can be a catalyst.

Re: Chi Poison "f I were building such an attack, though, I'd just use Transform to give the target a Suceptibility to using his Chi powers. That would inflict damage on him which wouldn't be stopped by his defenses, every time he uses Chi. Severity of that Disadvantage depending on how often this occurs and the amount of damage." Awesome. This is a great solution!

I guess this is only really a factor in superherioc games, since only supers really burn thru the END (ok, maybe mages as well...) I printed up a page with numbers listed sequentially, 10 per row, placed them in plastic covers and made sure grease pencils were available. Inelegant, but functional. But no one used them. Other players added and subtracted right on their sheet, but then, their sheets got all worn out from all the writing and erasing. Any exciting other ways people track END? Magic beans? Robots?

All this HERO talk has me re-reading the rules. Now this is a dumb (embarasssingly dumb) questions for a Hero fan from 2nd ED. On a Move By, the Mover does 1/2 STR plus V/5 in dice of damage. The rules state that he takes 1/3 of the damage himself. So if Mr. Move-By hits for, lets say, 30 Stun and 10 Body, does Target-Man take 30/10 and Mr. Move-By takes 10/3? Or is it 20/7 and 10/3? Or 20/6, 10/4? I used to run my old (17 years ago) Champs game using option 1 (Target-Man takes full rolled damage and Mr. Move-By takes additional damage based on 1/3 of the rolled damage). Which is it?

Re: Character growth potential and speed questions Welcome to HERO. A huge difference is that there are no 'levels' or class restrictions that you might find in other game systems. Characters can spend XP as it is awarded, or they can save their XP to effect a quantum leap in character power. I had a PC do this in a Champions game. He saved ALOT of XP, and basically re-wrote his character. I can understand 'hitting the wall' with character advancement. Im running a D&D game where the PC's are of high enough level that I have to throw ridiculous things at them to even challenge them at all--doesnt make sense that in 5 years game time, these guys would esssentially becomes lords of the universe. In the HERO system, player BUILD abilities and skills as they see fit, gradually. In 30 game sessions of D&D, your PC's could basically become 10x more powerful than where they started. IN HERO, if they double their power in 30 game sessions, that's about right/. The slow evolution i what I like about the game--it is MUCH easier to focus on roleplaying, and it is much easier to actually plan some interesting scenarios which do not center around your trying to find a combat they wont laught at. Im happy you found HERO. Im betting you'll love it!

Re: Meta-game activities Most posts have been right on point, and offer great advice. Some are bizzare, or respond to something other than what I wrote. Overall, laughing and joking, as I wrote, is always welcome, and I agree that it is integral to the game, until it disrupts roleplaying and any discernible progress in the 6 hour game session. Usually, I joke around with the others, and a PLAYER will refocus the group, and get the game moving. Occasionally, we joke around too much and never get much done, of which other players in the group have complained bitterly. Some, with work, family and other responsibilities, only get to game once per month, or their gaming session is the one opportunity they have to get out with their friends, so they want to make real progress in the game. I agree that its a balance. Its ludicrous not to enjoy yourself, but if all you do is joke out of character and make snide comments, then there is no real roleplaying going on, and it is impossible to have anything but a straight dungeon crawl--no suspense, drama, etc., because so and so is just joking all the way thru it. That's the real danger of being too jokey at the game table. A boring experience is the other end of the spectrum. Neither is ideal. I was really surprised at some of the responses regarding mass combat mapped out using miniatures. SOme guys said it didnt matter. One fellow suggested it was ok for players to use their knowledge instead of a characters to 'offset the GM's advantage.' Well, the way I GM, I compartmentalize what my NPC's know--in fact, I am probably TOO strict and impermissive with what I assume NPC's know and can perceive. That's the key difference between a war game and a RPG. Perspective. I think you really lose a key element of the game by ignoring it. I lord no'advantage' over my players--because my goal is our mutual enjoyment. I really wanted to hear how others dealt with these problems, whether others have them, and what 'ideal' solutions we might come up with. Thanks to everyone for sharing your ideas, and keep em coming!

Re: Meta-game activities "2) With some of the extra powers that can be tossed about, the bird's eye view may be more accurate." That's the problem--a ground-based character cant see what's behind the building, but he moves with the perspective he has, not the perspective of the character. This really prejudices the flying characters, or those with enhanced senses who CAN see behind the building...

How do you guys handle these meta-game thinking/acting problems? 1. Speaking 'in character' and then claiming that the insult or joke or challenge just uttered was 'out of character' when there is some foreshadowing that it was not well received; 2. When using minis to map out complex combat, using 'bird's eye view' to decide what actions to take, rather than relying on actual character perception. WHile this is allowable in a war game, in an RPG or 'real life' no one can take in a whole mass melee as if one were a casual observer... 3. Interspering joking around (always welcome at my table) with formulating a plan for minutes and minutes (not welcome in a surprise situation). 4. Using personal knowledge not defined as knowledge in possession of the character (either from personal background or information that is generally known to PLAYERS ina campaign or scenario, but not their CHARACTERS). (For example: GM: You get a cell phone call from your brother to come over to his house right away. Player: Ok, Im going to get a suitcase and put all of the knifes in the kitchen drawer in there, and Im going to go out to the garage and bring the chainsaw, as well. And my handgun..."). I am interested in how others deal with this stuff. I usually just disallow it by explaining metagame activities...

Re: Classes of Minds I agree with the guys that say the 100 point tax is too steep. A little imagination is all it would take to balance this in-game, using the excellent suggestions already found in this thread--especially the ones about Mechanon--always pursuing perfection, he would almoist certainly want to take this PC apart and study its brain--esp if this PC does anything Mechanon doesn't or cant...

Re: Hero System vs. d20 If a GM helps players generate their characters, then HERO is EASIER to run for new players than d20, with it's strange combat rules, inconsistent spell effects, etc. Efficient character takes the most 'nollij' of the HERO system. That has been my experience, anyway. And that old chestnut about HERO taking too long to resolve combat? Believe me, d20 has caught up and surpassed HERO in that regard--combat takes FOREVER in d20, and is faster in HERO.

Re: d20 to Hero project Forgotten Realms conversions by definition are not open content bc Forgotten Realms is TM'ed and copyrighted. WOTC can and probably would crucify you if you converted their proprietary content to run under HERO. Same as HERO would not be too happy if you converted, for example, their Alien War campaign into d20. The OGL for d20 exists so you can create you OWN content freely, using their rules as a backbone for your campaign world or scenario or whatever--not to convert other people's IP to a d20 rule system. The same cannot be said for HERO. Try to create a scenario and post it for free on the web, and, depending on what you include, that violates the HERO license. The HERO use license is MUCH more restrictive than the d20 OGL. Your best bet is to ask permission before you write, publish, or post anything having to do with HERO BEFOREHAND. If HERO gives you the green light, go for it. Otherwise, the license is written restrictively enough that something that you might think is perfectly innocuous and in fact SUPPORTIVE of the HERO system, actually violates the strictly limited license granted to you when you bought a copy of the rules. After all, if you post, for example, a "Western HERO" campaign world, and HERO games has been working on one and plans to release one, your 'good deed' infringes on HERO Games ability to earn a living from their official content, and their ownership of the game itself. That's not fair to HERO games.

Re: Presenting a genre using the toolkit Doc: I think it is a GREAT idea. It would get more people playing HERO without them even realizing it (at first), then, as they got more into the game, they could explore the intracacies.

Re: Flash: Inner ear/ Sense of Gravity/ Sense of Balence AHHHH!!! He used humor!!! He doesnt agree with my untenable position! I will ignore his civil posts and apology!!! He must be a TROLL!!!! I'm ignoring him! Go Away, Bad Troll!!! Go Away! Im going to Flash my sense of humor, flash my sense context, and Flash my sense of memory, so I can get away from this Eville Troll!!!!!

Re: Licensing Question That's what I said 2 posts ago--I would submit it to them first, because I respect their IP rights, especially in this day and age of electronic downloads, scanners, and fast internet.

Re: Licensing Question Of course they can. That's the joy of private property! Whether it is wise or not is certainly open to debate, but I agree that they can put whatever use restrictions on their products they choose. Don't mean I have to like it, tho. One might argue that opening up 'fair use' a bit might encourage more use of the core rules, which in turn would mena more people buying Sidekick, if not the whole shebang.

Re: Licensing Question Seems like a rather restrictive licensing policy to me. I would just submit everything to HERO before I published a web site anyway.

Ok, so let's say I put together a HERO-mod in a particular genre and campaign world. I put all my stuff--the rules mods, the campaing setting, statted-out equipment, package deals, modified character sheets, everything on the web, but the whole thing runs on HERO. Do I get sued or do I get kudos (nothing is for-pay--all free downloads).

Re: HERO System question "Since you can know the "true value" of items in HERO, it makes comparisons of items between players more likely. " Good point--it would actually make stocking dungeons with comparable magic items EASIER. And, I had never considered just doing a general balance. Good point. Maybe I am making it harder than it needs to be, like one fellow suggested. Just because I cut my teeth in the genre on D&D, doesn't mean thats the only or right way to do it...

Re: Presenting a genre using the toolkit In a genre specific game, esp if you are playing with folks new to the system, I'd suggest good PD's, which facilitate quick character construction. Of course, vets can customize to their heart's content. Nothing like seeing what the full system can do to motivate players to read more and more of the full system...

Re: HERO System question These conversations sort of confirm my hesitancy in running a HERO system fantasy game. In a d20 game (he shudders in revulsion), the GM just sort of tries to make sure everyone ends up with something, in an round about way. My current group has an elaborate "pay gold shares for magic equipment we'd otherwise sell" so PC's are compensated in gold for items that stay in the group. In HERO system, I have to make my PC's pay for what they encounter and get through their adventuring--so, they are paying twice. Once by risk and derring-do in obtaining the item, and again, in effectively docking them XP to pay for what they've already earned. It is cumbersome and inelegant. Also problematic is the idea of letting them have massively-point-effective items without SOME balancing consequence. The idea that I award little or no magic, or cripple all powerful magic items is a workable solution, I suppose, but how are they going to react when in every adventure they obtain on average at least one decent item, and here, nothing? What if I WANT to simulate a high-magic campaign world? This underscores, for me, why HERO is GREAT for supers and sci-fi, and even for Modern (I ran a modern game about 4 game sessions, and HERO worked GREAT) but not so much for Fantasy. Gamers of all stripes sort of expect certain things from a fantasy setting, and Im not sure there are any really flexible workarounds for them in the Fantasy setting. The fact that modifications and work arounds are necesdsary may be elegant proof that it is a setting ill-suited to the rules.

Re: HERO system observations and beefs "Okay...now I am really intrigued. Let the conspiracy theorist begin. Who are the two unknown benefactors of Hero?" My votes are: (1) Hitler's Brain; and (2) Mister Rogers.

Re: HERO system observations and beefs "Star Wars, Star Trek, Traveller, B5, and a few others have got the science fiction genre so wrapped up that as good as Star Hero is its sales aren’t enough to warrant HERO doing much in the science fiction genre." I disagree. As a HUGE SCi-Fi fan who has purchased basically every sci-fi RPG, they have all left me cold. The rules were terrible, the stats did not reflect the series, basically terrible. Cyberpunk comes closest to being playable on a sustained basis, and has a nice mix of rules and content. You read the rule book, and really FEEL IMMERSED in the world. If I had to run a sci-fi game and couldnt use Hero, I might dig out my old FGU Space Opera rules. Sci-Fi, while nowherer NEAR as popular as Fantasy, is not all sewn up. d20 Star Wars is TERRIBLE. I LOVE the idea of Firefly or BSG in HERO flavor! It is my impression that those guys would want so much $ to do it, that HERO could never do it. I also have to take exception to what has become the 'art - content' dichotomy on this thread. I never began this thread by saying more art and less content (or the reverse) was desirable. My criticisms regarding content were that, if I buy a setting book, I EXPECT it to immerse me in that particular game world, not be a 'tool-kit.' Star HERO is a toolkit. Fine. But dont label campaign books as books with source content, and then fail to deliver a fully-fleshed out game world, with lots of gadgets, etc. As an example, I thought the 3rd Edition FOrgotten Realms book did just that. Neither 'campaign' or setting book for star Hero did that for me, though admittedly, there is a fair amount of good stuff in both. As regards art, my main complains wasnt that the art SUCKED, just that it was not consistent in style, tone, etc. Even in an RPG that requires IMAGINATION, if I but a campaign setting, I expect to have a consistent visual style to the universe. Could anyone mistake the look fo a stormtrooper? Or the snap-hiss of a light saber? Or the look of an X-wing? Or of the Enterprise? Or a phaser? THIS sort of visual consistency is ESSENTIAL if you are going to immerse people in a game world. Instead, what we really got in TE and AW was some cartoony-looking art (all well drawn) and some technical looking stuff (all well drawn) and some more abstract shaded stuff. No consistent appearance of troops or even of Xenovores. I mean, what sdo the military marking look like? What do the various faction flags look like? How does a UE trooper vary in appearance from Anti-Spinward forces? These visual details are necessary and are not too much to expect, and simply were not present. I didn't mean to disparage the artists. If you dont have an art director for a book, and you go to 3 different artists, you'll get 3 different styles and ideas--you cant just throw them all together and expect magic. I agree with the guys that say content is the most important. But, I want more hard content when I buy a book. I want a dozen ships, a dozen ground vehicles, illustrations of all the different types of troops, and a huge variety of weapons, illustrated. THESE are the sorts of details and visuals that make a world more real. Making the produce a success requires neat visuals. Iif your focus is on getting more people into the game, you could produce a phone-book sized rule book for half price, and no one is going to buy it. People want something that LOOKS fun and IS FUN. One without the other will not endure.