omnius

LOL. Thanks Simon for your help, I'm all up and running now. User error on my part, like usual.

Not sure if mine is the same issue. I re-downloaded Java and used the javafix link but I'm still getting the following error message: Unable to install Java There are errors in the following switches: "C:\Users\myname\Desktop\HERODesigner\HD6.jar";. Check that the commands are valid and try again. Thanks for your help!

Re: Fantasy Economies: How closely should we examine them? sorry about my little rant there... I got off track. But to your point Weapon,the; I think you and I are in agreement. Magic is, in some measure, like tech in our world. A new thingy or way of performing a function can radically effect a society and an economy but wont actually "wreck" it. so how would a fantasy society or culture keep individuals in check who became ultra-powerful within the context of their particular region or whatever? An even more powerful police force? instilled mores and a concrete value structure? (or has this already been brought up--I was lazy and didn't read all 10pgs of posts).

Re: Fantasy Economies: How closely should we examine them? I'm not familiar with Thomas Carlyle. Was he dissappointed with economics because it gave rational proof that we (blacks, WASPS, and the irish) are indeed more alike than he desired? My late 1800's social comentary liturature knowledge is a bit non-existant. But your bit of trivia inspired me to check him out in wikipedia. As wikipedia points out, Carlyle believed in a revolution of the spirit. I find if quite strange that people who believe that society needs to change, that somehow that manner of change must spring from what that specific individual believes. They, at once dispise the social structure, and at the same time want to enforce their own structure on the rest of us. Reformer, reform yourself... and leave the rest of us alone!

Re: What Are You Listening To Right Now? "so what" --Miles Davis

Re: Help me grok HERO! Doc makes a great point... something that as a newbie Hero system guy myself, I often forget. What does it look like in the game, what is the effect or what is affected by the power or ability. I think that seemingly backward approach to designing a power or the like is difficult to do. Hopefully it gets easier the more familiar you become with the system, but right now it's like eating soup with a fork!

Re: Fantasy Economies: How closely should we examine them? I think economics gets a pretty bad rap from people in general, no one really wants to spend time (especially while gaming) thinking about how markets work and how they're influenced by governments or in the case of a fantasy game, how they are influenced by magic, gobs of gold, and piles of jewels. Dispite the common quote of referring to economics as the "dismal" science, I find it to be intriguing and far reaching and with dynamic consequences even for a fantasy setting. When you boil it all down, economics is really just markets and markets are just two or more people involved in mutually benificial exchanges. Sure, both (or everyone) is trying to get the upper hand in the deal, but both (or more) people want what the other is offering so some deal is likely to be struck and it will likely be to the benifit of both (or more) people. Plus, I'm not really sure how badly magic can destroy an economy. If food can be created out of thin air, sure farmers, cooks, and the like will need to find skills that will serve their current situation better, but beyond that? It's like when any technology creates efficiencies in a system, it has ripple effects outward (loss of jobs, fewer labor requirements, etc), it also expands the market for that particular product, usually by decreasing the price bringing those who earn less into that products market. I think magic would act in many ways, like advancing technology... which is why I always define my magic systems thoroughly so that I (as GM) can regulate how the fantasy society develops and toward what direction.

Re: 6E - Low Fantasy Hero - Game Balance Issues - Advice Requested Killer and Hugh, you guys make some great points. I always found it useful to scour the PC sheets and take notes on likely weaknesses, blind-spots, and the like. Things that as a GM I can take advantage of, or rather an NPC can take advantage of. I figure life takes everyone down a notch from time to time; no reason PC hero's shouldn't get their due on occasion. And I really like the idea of pre-defined cultural templates for characters. They work as a good platform for creating a "real" character and gives the GM some room to roam outside to combat scenario's. I'll be stealing your idea Killer Shrike, if you don't mind!?

Re: 6E - Low Fantasy Hero - Game Balance Issues - Advice Requested hey, thanks for all the advice, Pegasus, i'll check out the Scrivener and the Clinic books... they both sound usefull. And I'll throw one out that I've found pretty helpful while building this game: fractal terrain pro. A great program for creating worlds. it takes a bit of fine-tuning to get the land-masses to look the way I want, but the software is pretty handing and fairly easy to use, though the manual and help files aren't very helpfull---mostly trial and error. Then once the map is generated you can zoom in or out pretty far; it also details Height, climate, Rainfall, Temperature, distances, etc.... very handy. I also have the Campaign Cartographer, which i haven't messed with too much, I found I actually like useing the GIMP shareware better for purposes of labelling the map, showing trade networks and the like. If I remember right, the Fractal Terrain Pro was something like $30-40 and its a product of somewhere in northern europe (I think?).

Re: 6E - Low Fantasy Hero - Game Balance Issues - Advice Requested I've been thinking about running a low-Fantasy Hero game at my local game shop and you all have given me quite a bit to think over. It's been about 16 or so years since I've even gamed, and having been a huge fan of Hero Champions back in the 80's, I went out and bought the Basic Rules and the double-blue-monster pair of books along with the Fantasy Hero book (all 6th)... Anyhow, good lord its a lot to process, but breaking it all down into bit-sized portions as has been suggested in one way or another has given me hope that I can weed through it all and put out a good campaign for some suckers at the game shop to enjoy!

Re: 6th Edition Character Sheet thanks folks for all the great sheets.... you make my life so much easier!

Re: Fantasy Economies: How closely should we examine them? In regards to the original post, I tend to shy away from magicks like transformation and summoning just to avoid clashes with basic economies... but then I prefer a low magic type setting anyway with very definate magical laws. I guess for me I think magic should have a "scientific" basis, where a character can only effect/affect that which he/she has a knowledgable understanding of. (ew, i think i just ended that sentence with a preposition!) Whether that knowledge is purely observational or practicle only affects the range or scope of an ability or effect of a spell. And those with inaccurate knowledge usually end up fried in one way or another. I suppose it all just comes down to personal taste. I think someone earlier said something about not many people wanting to play in an economically real and brutish medival setting... I'm one of those weird few I guess.