phoenix240

Well, since my last post may have been misconstrued let me try to be clearer. If there is an official setting I'd think it should be designed to highlight Hero System innate flexibility and inclusiveness so cotain a variety of special effects, races, etc, similar to some of the more 'gonzo' setting like Rifts. I don't think the construction elements should be totally hidden or even jettisoned. Pared down or references more as suggestion and example than part and parcel with play but not abandoned as, IME, that was an is, still a major draw to Hero System over House Systems.

Does Sterica get the win?

I didn't meas Rifts specifically but a setting similar to it in how how includes such an extensive variety of things and abilities, "gonzo" for lack of a better term.

If there was going to be some sort of "official" Hero Setting I'd think it should be either Supers or something else sort of "gonzo" that includes a variety of things (high tech, different kinds of magic, psionics, etc) to highlight the flexibility of the rules and how buying a stack of books for such a setting isn't required. I don't think it should be totally 'black box' the the mechanics and construction hidden so Hero System comes across as just another House System like Palladium or d20. The idea that the purchaser can customize, expand and even make their own material without getting on supplement treadmill. When I've sold the system to people that has been a major part of the draw, even with the younger gamers. It doesn't have to be in the forefront but making it a part of the product when a good idea, IMO.

I actually laughed out loud at this. Well played!

There are also seems to be some divisive hostility between the two groups, unfortunately.

I'm trying to come up with something for this one but I keep getting hung up on how much the character resembles Dr. Strange.

Looks like you win it, Death Tribble!

Dr. Demonica: Evelyn Diablos (her actual name. It was a source of endless amusement to her peers in college and aggravation for Evelyn) was a promising resarcher for Horizon Technologies, the bleeding edge organization dedicated to pushing the boundaries of conventional and "fringe" science in hopes of developing new technologies for a brighter, better tomorrow. Her field was physics, specifically quantum and spatial physics. She hoped to discover new, clean and inexhaustible power sources and even material resources by studying the concept of Zero Point energy and so called "dark matter". Dr. Diablos was largely consumed by her research, foregoing a normal life and interests in pursuit of her passion. In the course of her research, she came across sign of an unusual anomaly, a fold or pocket in space/time or perhaps reality itself. The exact nature of this anomaly intrigued the doctor and she turned her considerable intellectual talents towards piercing one this Free Floating Singularity" as she dubbed it. It was fascinating, her calculations indicated that could have been as big as known Universe inside but generated nothing her instruments either conventional or the considerably more esoeteric resources avaiable to Horizon Tech could detect which only more. Evelyn was not a woman used to be stymied by anything intellectual and her curosity became as obsession. She vanished into her labs for montths. Finally, she thought she had a solution and using a somewhat unethical device that tapped into the powers of a clairvoyant subject (who endured significant discomfort but Evelyn paid her handsomely) she got her chance to see the inside of the FFS. Unfortunately for her. As it turned out it was a prison containing an entity so alien it might have been from a differnt universe completely or from some distant magical plane. It was bizarre, powerful, nearly mindless as human understood such things and malevolent. Sensing a Evelyn's intrusion, it attacked the doctor's projected awarness savagely out of pure malice and bestial instinct, trying to overtake and conquer it to have something to play with and torture. The horrifed scientist fought back with all her considerable will and intellect. The battle was intense, savage and over a few seconds. It was a draw. Evelyn's mind was left generally intact but tainted, partially merged with the malevolent alien's dark urges and mindset overwritting most of her morality and limits. Her attacker gained some of her intellect, awareness and mental nuance, became more human essentially which turned out to be someting of a curse as it was still trapped was aware of it and could feel bordome now and could only rage at it etneral confinement. One might suspect that "gift" was on purpose. Evelyn only smiles slightly at that suggesting that their battle had a victor after all. The dour, some might aloof even cold personality was replaced by an aggressively curious, amoral persona. Her sense of ethics even basic morality replaced with a ruthless drive to experiment. And she now had so many subjects. Evelyn had, deep down, always considered herself above most people, a breed apart though she didn't actively disdain them. Now most people, perhaps all people seemed like nothing more than fodder for her experiements, clever useful lab animals. Not just for simple scientific tests but for deeper exploration to jus what made and could break a person. For months, Evelyn subtly ran her tests at her place of work, quielty making her her co workers lives surrreal even Hellish. She's personally responsible for a number of the superhumans that can trace their origin to Horizon such as their corporate "Special Operatives" codenamed The Road crew. When she grew bored with subtly, Evelyn truly embraced the mad scientist persona after faking a disabling accident that forced Evelyn to "retire" and remerged as Dr. Demonica. A role that allows her to indulge her secret love of camp and meloadrama and play the cackling mad scientist to the hilt. WHich happens to cause her subjects to underestimate even dismiss her while they'e drawn deeper and deeper into the sadistic games she calls "experiments" which are ofen layered to the point its difficult for an observer to tell what their true purpose except the Doctor's perverse amusmement. Though Demonica effects infernal trappings and often makes mention of "dark forces" she has no real ties to the nether realms. Its yet another deflection and private joke.

How about this one:

Does Christopher get it?

Huh, its about the same length as summer dresses I've seen on girls that locally.

A family portrait from one of the games in our collective Wyldstrike games. Stonewall, her girlfriend Gaia and their daughter (an alien/mutant hybrid... long story) Crystal.

I think I've seen that one. Remember not caring for it unfortunately.

There is definitely allot of gray area involved based on context and any number of other modifiers. Some truly great cons have been pulled off in a couple or even single meetings. Another thing one could consider is the "normal person" in game/narrative terms could have Mind Control with modifiers that reflects supremely capable sfx. It wouldn't even have to be invisible power effects since there is no Mental Awareness in the 'real' world to detect it. I'd like to see someone take a stab at a dedicated social resolution system for Hero System one day.

You bring up a good point that I've seen come up in many other discussions of similar topics. Social skills to tend to held to higher standards of "realism" than other skills. There seems to generally be more willingness to accept amazing mental and physical feats over social ones. To some degree this may be the potential power of amazing social actions and their scope. Killing a powerful opponent is impressive, potentially converting them to an ally though is more of a game changer.

I think many people really underestimate how much a person can be swayed by effective manipulators and orators. Con men, cult leaders, politicians, etc generally make individuals act outside their best interests, change their minds and even do "stupid" things in real life a great deal. But from an audience perspective its much easier to Armchair quarter back. We have access to information the subjects don't (knowing its fictional story among them), we are under no pressure or stress and not really the target of the attempt at persuasion, manipulation, etc.

Just as personal preference, not as an attempt to 'save' it but just things you'd like to see. Dream as big as you like! I'd like see more construction guide style books that detail how to use Hero System interesting ways to get the game you want. More genre books, more character type guides (loved the Ultimate books), books detailing eras like "The Wild West" and Ancient Rome with prebuilt equipment, weaponry and maps. Though its really an expensive pipe dream, books on licensed settings. I'd love to see Supernatural or The Expanse or Game of Thrones sourcebook in Hero System. Books detailing variant magical systems, superpower types and other interesting system implementation would be cool even "homages" to certain settings like how to represent Aberrant's taint/quantum style superpower special effects. Character books can be useful as long as they aren't wedded to a particular setting. Character books for other genres aside from superheroes might be interesting as well.

Who's up?

Nice snark. I'm not trying to be dismissive but to participate the discussion (which I started). But that doesn't address my question. The proposed idea doesn't give prospective players a taste of what is, IMO, the meat of the system; what makes it something to engage. That aspect seem done and hidden behind the scenes (like most other systems). Pregen characters with some selectable options, the bare minimum of mechanics (likely mostly how to handle combat), some have proposed that the costs be hidden. These books sound like even using the Hero System with them is practically optional. Which as I said, is fine if the goal is selling books but selling the system seems like it might take something more involved. That's my concern with the current gist of the proposals.'I mean its all blue skying unless someone here is planning on buying rights to the Hero System but I thought we could discuss differing opinions politely.

I guess I am severely out of touch. IME, most gamers want to make their own characters. While some prefer simpler chargen systems they want the ability to "roll their own" for extended play. The flexibility possible with Hero's char gen has been the major selling point for the game with people I've recruited. Frankly, there's much else about that is that stand out anymore.

This was something I was wondering about, if I insert my nostalgia blinded out of touch grognard's POV. How do you bridge new people from the Beginner's box, pregenerated campaigns and modules to the whole system, mainly the character creation aspect which is, IMO, where Hero System really shines and sets itself apart. As far as income goes, it doesn't matter if purchasers use these things with Hero System or Icon or Cortex Plus, of course but it would be a shame (to me) if the core special aspects of the system went unused and ignored.

This could be played up as a feature not bug!

Those don't seem so much bad tasting as tooth achingly sweet to eat more than one an hour.

Nice.