Digest Archives Vol 1 Issue 39
Desmarais, John
From: owner-champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Sent: Saturday, November 14, 1998 10:23 AM
To: champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Subject: champ-l-digest V1 #39
champ-l-digest Saturday, November 14 1998 Volume 01 : Number 039
In this issue:
Re: Feedback Sought
Re: Feedback Sought
Re: FH Anyone?
Re: Feedback Sought
Surbrook's Stuff to be moving
Re: Feedback Sought
Re: Feedback Sought
Re: Feedback Sought
Re: Feedback Sought
Re: Character Advancement
Re: FH Anyone?
Re: Intro
RE: unsub
Re: Favorite NPC's
Re: Feedback Sought
Re: Funky AID stuff
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 08:46:46 -0600 (CST)
From: Curt Hicks <exucurt@exu.ericsson.se>
Subject: Re: Feedback Sought
I think I'd prefer option 1. (Of course then I'll have comments on why you
picked character'x' for a full writeup, but not character 'y'.)
Curt
> From: Pat10355@aol.com
>
> Hi,
>
> We are preparing Denizens of San Angelo (working title), a sourcebook
> providing "normal" NPCs for the San Angelo: City of Heroes setting, and a
> format question has arisen. We are seeking your feedback before making a final
> decision.
>
> Essentially, we have two choices:
>
> 1) Provide a mix of condensed write-ups (stats in three lines, skills, powers
> and disads in paragraph form, and abbreviated text descriptions) and full
> write-ups (the format used in past Enemies books).
>
> The condensed write-ups will likely not include costs and point totals, but
> otherwise the two formats contain the same Hero System info.
>
> This has the advantage of allowing us to "spotlight" key NPCs and provide
> additional detail on their backgrounds, personalities, and so on. It has the
> drawback of reducing the number of NPCs that can be included in the book since
> longer write-ups take up more space.
>
> 2) Provide only condensed write-ups. This has the drawback of not allowing us
> to "spotlight" NPCs, but will allow us to fit far more NPCs into the same
> space.
>
> Unfortunately, simply expanding the size of the book isn't an option. We are
> going to make the book as big as we think feasible from a financial and
> marketing standpoint. Beyond that point, the book would cost more than people
> are probably willing to pay for a sourcebook of normals.
>
> We are interested in hearing what you, our readers and customers, would prefer
> for the book. Thanks for any feedback you can provide.
>
> Patrick Sweeney
> Continuity Editor
>
>
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 07:32:37 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Feedback Sought
At 08:46 AM 11/13/98 -0600, Curt Hicks wrote:
>I think I'd prefer option 1. (Of course then I'll have comments on why you
>picked character'x' for a full writeup, but not character 'y'.)
This is why I recommend that we give some suggestions on what criteria
to use in determining who gets a full writeup. :-]
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 10:41:28 EST
From: HeroGames@aol.com
Subject: Re: FH Anyone?
In a message dated 11/12/98 7:30:57 PM, jw_eiler@bellsouth.net writes:
>1: Is Hero Games planing on putting out more for their FH line?
Yes! We have Broken Kingdoms out now, a 392 page campaign setting for Fantasy
Hero, and a number of other books for Fantasy Hero in the works, including a
new edition of Fantasy Hero.
>2: Does anyone have advice on translating other company's NPC's,
>"monsters," and scenarios? I've done it by hand for several -- and let
>me
>tell you, there's got to be an easier way!
>3: Does anyone have any settings -- I've got some fairly basic plot ideas,
>
>but I can't seem to come up with the background "color."
>
You might check out the links section of the Hero Games web site
(www.herogames.com); there are some Fantasy Hero sites listed with a
tremendous amount of material.
— Steve Peterson, Hero Games
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 06:56:23 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Feedback Sought
At 02:40 AM 11/13/98 EST, Pat10355@aol.com wrote:
>Hi,
>
>We are preparing Denizens of San Angelo (working title), a sourcebook
>providing "normal" NPCs for the San Angelo: City of Heroes setting, and a
>format question has arisen. We are seeking your feedback before making a
final
>decision.
>
>Essentially, we have two choices:
>
>1) Provide a mix of condensed write-ups (stats in three lines, skills, powers
>and disads in paragraph form, and abbreviated text descriptions) and full
>write-ups (the format used in past Enemies books).
[snip]
>2) Provide only condensed write-ups. This has the drawback of not allowing us
>to "spotlight" NPCs, but will allow us to fit far more NPCs into the same
>space.
[snip]
I'd take #1, but with the caveat that full write-ups should be done only
for those characters for whom the more detailed character sheets would make
a difference, such as anyone the PCs (including heroic-level PCs) might get
into a fight with (against, alongside, or whatever). This (not necessarily
the later category) would include martial arts instructors, street punks,
beat cops, hackers, and possibly sports figures, but not (necessarily) the
reporters, scientists, inventors, medical personnel, politicians,
businessmen, cab drivers, squealers, and others that PCs might meet.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 11:36:26 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@access.digex.net>
Subject: Surbrook's Stuff to be moving
Surbrook's Stuff, which for the last 14 months or has lived at
www.access.digex.net, will be moving soon. As of yet, I do not have a new
site, but hope to have a new location sometime before the end ofthe month.
After December 1, neither
http://www.access.digex.net/~susano/index.html
or
susano@access.digex.net
will be valid addresses.
I hope to be able to have a new one for those who are interested very
soon. If, by some reason, the site has to close permenetly (or for an
extended period) I may see if I can find somone to host portions for me,
such as the 230+ character adaptions that live there... As it stands, the
site is about 5 MB of characters, articles, art and so on.
***************************************************************************
* "'Cause I'm the god of destruction, that's why!" - Susano Orbatos,Orion *
* Michael Surbrook / susano@access.digex.net *
* Visit "Surbrook's Stuff' the Hero Games resource site at: *
* http://www.access.digex.net/~susano/index.html *
* Attacked Mystification Police / AD Police / ESWAT *
* Society for Creative Anachronism / House ap Gwystl / Company of St.Mark *
***************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 10:52:34 -0600 (CST)
From: Curt Hicks <exucurt@exu.ericsson.se>
Subject: Re: Feedback Sought
> From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
>
> At 02:40 AM 11/13/98 EST, Pat10355@aol.com wrote:
> >Hi,
> >
> >We are preparing Denizens of San Angelo (working title), a sourcebook
> >providing "normal" NPCs for the San Angelo: City of Heroes setting, and a
> >format question has arisen. We are seeking your feedback before making a
> final
> >decision.
> >
> >Essentially, we have two choices:
> >
> >1) Provide a mix of condensed write-ups (stats in three lines, skills, powers
> >and disads in paragraph form, and abbreviated text descriptions) and full
> >write-ups (the format used in past Enemies books).
> [snip]
> >2) Provide only condensed write-ups. This has the drawback of not allowing us
> >to "spotlight" NPCs, but will allow us to fit far more NPCs into the same
> >space.
> [snip]
>
> I'd take #1, but with the caveat that full write-ups should be done only
> for those characters for whom the more detailed character sheets would make
> a difference, such as anyone the PCs (including heroic-level PCs) might get
> into a fight with (against, alongside, or whatever).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Hmmm. Actually, depending on the information in the full write-up, this
seems to be the opposite of what I'd go for. I think the 'full write-ups'
would be more valuable for NON-COMBAT perspectives, giving stuff like
character motivations, goals and the like.
Curt
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 10:49:41 -0800
From: "Filksinger" <filksinger@usa.net>
Subject: Re: Feedback Sought
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
> I'd take #1, but with the caveat that full write-ups should be done only
>for those characters for whom the more detailed character sheets would make
>a difference, such as anyone the PCs (including heroic-level PCs) might get
>into a fight with (against, alongside, or whatever). This (not necessarily
>the later category) would include martial arts instructors, street punks,
>beat cops, hackers, and possibly sports figures, but not (necessarily) the
>reporters, scientists, inventors, medical personnel, politicians,
>businessmen, cab drivers, squealers, and others that PCs might meet.
Uh, the point calculations and such should be limited to such NPCs, true,
but not the descriptions. Thus, we have category 1a: Add detailed
information to characters, but only the information of significance. Point
totals for people the PCs might fight, additional details or even use
suggestions for people with whom they will interact in a particularly
significant way, and both for people who fit into both categories.
Filksinger
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1998 05:43:44 +1000
From: "Lockie" <jonesl@cqnet.com.au>
Subject: Re: Feedback Sought
>> I'd take #1, but with the caveat that full write-ups should be done
only
>> for those characters for whom the more detailed character sheets would
make
>> a difference, such as anyone the PCs (including heroic-level PCs) might
get
>> into a fight with (against, alongside, or whatever).
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>Hmmm. Actually, depending on the information in the full write-up, this
>seems to be the opposite of what I'd go for. I think the 'full write-ups'
>would be more valuable for NON-COMBAT perspectives, giving stuff like
>character motivations, goals and the like.
>
>
>Curt
well i assumed that they eman something like KOC, adn the extra suff was a
character sheet in more detail. But if not, i'd say just focus the
top-liners, wether
they're combat methods of history, whatever needs the space. #1, in other
words.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 16:15:09 -0600 (Central Standard Time)
From: Tim Gilberg <gilberg@ou.edu>
Subject: Re: Feedback Sought
> We are preparing Denizens of San Angelo (working title), a sourcebook
> providing "normal" NPCs for the San Angelo: City of Heroes setting, and a
> format question has arisen. We are seeking your feedback before making a final
> decision.
Hmmm. It really depends on if you are going to provide Heromaker
or Creation Workshop versions on the website. If so, get as much in there
as possible, as the full writeups will become available anyway.
-Tim Gilberg
-"English Majors of the World! Untie!"
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1998 18:18:49 -0800
From: jayphailey@juno.com (Jay P Hailey)
Subject: Re: Character Advancement
> Actually, I've done something like this in the past -- not doing away
>with experience points altogether, or even assigning all experience
points,
>but merely making recommendations about where points should be spent
>based on what the character's gone through recently:
> "Your character's been using that gun a lot on moving targets. It
>seems to me that another Combat Skill Level would make sense."
> "He's taken BODY damage quite a bit recently. Let's spend some
>points to increase his BODY, his PD, or -- better yet -- both."
> I've never had an argument.
Hmmm. now there's an approach that does, in fact make sense. You must
have some good players in your campaign.
Jay P. Hailey <Meow!>
___________________________________________________________________
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------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 22:24:29 -0800
From: jayphailey@juno.com (Jay P Hailey)
Subject: Re: FH Anyone?
>I've played (and GM'ed) several gaming systems, and like the
>Champions/Hero system the best. However, I'm a die-hard fantasy RPG
>player -- superhero, modern military, and sci-fi genres just don't
interest
>me much, nor the other players in our group.
>
>The problem is this -- Hero has a great product, but any actual
>adventuring we do has to come from other company's materials -- we
>usually end up loosely translating old Dungeon (TM -- yadda yadda)
magazine
>adventures, or try (with mixed success) to write our own.
Well, writing our own adventures for gaming is part of the fun for me and
my group. We rarely use modules.
Gee, about ten, fifteen years agoo gaming stores were lousy with generic
"Fantasy Role Playing" (e.g D&D, we could afford the liscence)
supplements. Some gaming stores have a used books section. search these.
one never knows what treasures one might unearth.
>There are Hero Systems people on this list, and (I assume) people who
>have the talent to write good adventures -- both short scenarios and
>campaigns. My questions are as follows:
>
>2: Does anyone have advice on translating other company's NPC's,
>"monsters," and scenarios? I've done it by hand for several -- and let
>me tell you, there's got to be an easier way!
The Hero System Bestiary has a good number of creature writeups. A real
good number. Using this as your guide It should be eaily possible to
diddle up variations on the Hero beastiary creatures to model AD&D
monsters. Although I can easily translate characters and monsters,
you're right, it is paperwork intensive.
I'll let you in on a dirty little secret of mine. Sometimes when the PC's
face a monster that I am GMing I don't even have a full character sheet.
How muich damage can it do, how much damage can it take and pretty clear
idea of what the creature acts like and what special abilities it has are
often enough for me. In short, I fake it.
With enough knowledge of my PC's, the game balance I am trying to
maintain and what the creature is, I rarely have problems. And my
players are a pretty forgiving lot when I do screw up and have to
Mulligan.
>3: Does anyone have any settings -- I've got some fairly basic plot
>ideas, but I can't seem to come up with the background "color."
>
>Any help is appreciated, but especially either points 2 or 3 -- I've
>got gamers who are threatening to acquaint me intimately with a sword if
I
>don't get some gaming ready for them! <g>
>
>J. W. Eiler
>
Well I have had similar problems myself. I am running adventures
centered around a place called "Porkville" for some young acquaintences
of mine (Age 10 and 12 respectively) The place is so named because it's
got a lot of pig farms in the area. You can get ham, bacon and sausage
for wholesale prices in Porkville.
The setting in the Fantasy Hero book itself is quite doable. Very nice,
in fact.
Fantasy settings occasionally have these cliche's involved-
A great war of the ancients. Who ever the ancients were, they were
powerful, mean and destructive. This litters the landscape with ruins
and abandoned strong holds and ancient artifacts.
Good and evil are clearly delineated Some races are good, and some races
are evil. That's just the way it is. Humans sometimes are seen to be all
over the map on this one, good guys and bad. But if you see a Goblin or
an Orc, then it's a pretty safe bet that he's eeeeevil.
The home kingdom is a nice place to the characters, some place that they
would like to defend.
An invasion by hordes of orcs, goblins, bug bears, what have you, usually
controlled by much darker powers behind the scene.
The Quest. If the PC's don't acquire MacGuffins 1, 2 and 3, then
something really bad is going to happen. These macguffins are usually
scattered in incovinient and dangerous places. Often evil creatures are
nearby with strong ideas about private property rights.
I came up with a fantasy setting myself, once. I wanted to justify the
existence of large sprawling dungeons. Large sprawling dungeons were
common when I stared FRPG's, but as to who bult them and why? Dunno.
But we got a copy of Central Casting's random Dungeon generator book.
Unlike the one in the ancient DM's guide, the Central Casting version had
a rational built into it. Underground labrynths and tunnels as
defensivce fortifications.
Okay.
So why would people build these? I came up witha fantasy world that
occasionally is bathed in terrible radiation. or something. The only
way for the Human population to survive intact is to dig in.
Now, inventing a reasonbaly plausible FRPG recycling, self sustaining
life support system for a dungeon was a treat, but I got some of the
details.
Anyhoo. The PCs represent the first group of people in two or three
generations to venture outside of their dungeon and start the process of
reclaiming the above ground world for their people. Of course the ruins
of their grandfather's above ground kingdom is there, but probably not in
too good a shape.
And the rulers and sages of the PC's warren will want to know what
happened to their historical neighbors and perhaps even get some help to
deal with the pesky Goblins, bug bears, orcs, what have you, who think
that underground dungeons are just a keen place to live, and even better
if you cn find one already dug. Or dig into it from your own set of
tunnels...
Some of the neighbors will be fine, others won't. Some will view a group
of outsiders with suspicion, some will great them with open arms. Some
will greet them with open cook pots...
And then there are the poor, twisted survivors of the people and animals
left out on the surface, not to mention all the fauna and fora that's in
show room fresh condition and still pretty dangerous for all that.
I could run with that one for a while, but eventually we'd run out of
things for the PCs to go and fetch or explore. Maybe.
Jay P. Hailey <Meow!>
___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 07:04:04 +0000
From: "J. W. Eiler" <jw_eiler@bellsouth.net>
Subject: Re: Intro
From: "J. W. Eiler" <jw_eiler@bellsouth.net>
Organization: Earthstar Coven
Dear friends, I will be off the internet completely -- probably until
January, or so. I hope to be back to the list eventually.
Thanks to everyone for all your help -- especially on the campaign
ideas.
J. W. Eiler
It is his Disciple who shall tell us how
Much the master would have scratched
Had he lived till now.
What he would have modified of what he said before,
It is his disciple shall do all this, and more!
Rudyard Kipling -- The Disciple
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1998 09:13:06 -0500
From: "John Desmarais" <john.desmarais@ibm.net>
Subject: RE: unsub
On Sun, 8 Nov 1998 22:04:06 -0800, Filksinger wrote:
>owner-champ-l@sysabend.org
>> Subject: Re: unsub
><snip>
>> To unsubscribe from the Champions Mailing List send an email to
>> <champ-l-request@sysabend.org> with UNSUBSCRIBE as the body
>> of the message.
>>
>> Have a nice day.
>>
>>
>> -= John Desmarais <champ-l-owner@sysabend.org> =-
>> -=
>> -= Keeper of the Champions Mailing List.
>> -= http://www.sysabend.org/champions
>
>Maybe we should post this information to the list once a month, or
>week even. It seems to get asked for a lot. We could also include the
>mailing list FAQ address and other useful information.
It's all posted up on the list web site (plus, one would think that if you can figure out how
to subscribe, unsubscribing would be pretty obvious - oh well).
- -= John Desmarais <champ-l-owner@sysabend.org> =-
- -=
- -= Keeper of the Champions Mailing List.
- -= http://www.sysabend.org/champions
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1998 09:25:56 -0500
From: "John Desmarais" <john.desmarais@ibm.net>
Subject: Re: Favorite NPC's
As the player of said bard, all I can say is Thag cut quite the dashing figure in a silk
tunic (and rings on his horns).
On Thu, 12 Nov 1998 14:37:44 -0800 (PST), Ell Egyptoid wrote:
>ah yes, Thag the Minotaur. still talked about 7 years later:
>
>In a fantasy game the PC's were deep inna dungeon, a vicious one,
>acid pits, hordes of lizard men, evil overlord chasing them down.
>
>The PC's ain't gonna make it, it's getting tough, outlook grim.
>So they're behind the main throne room of ye evil overlord,
>and they find out that his bodyguard squad is a bunch of huge
>hulking minotaurs. bad news. but...
>
>the good news was that they had arrived during the guards lunch break.
>all the minotaurs were away feasting except Thag, the stupid one, and
>he'd been left alone. So the PC bard sidles up to Thag, and says Hey!
>what's a nice minotaur like you doing in a sicko dungeon like this?
>He sets Thag at ease and they have a nice talk. Thag seems like a nice
>guy, etc. Bard slowly talks Thag out of wanting to kill and eat the
>PC's.
>Bard asks Thag: "You don't eat people, do you?"
>Thag's answer: "Does dwarf-babies count?" This gets a chuckle.
>Q: You don't like what the evil Lord Krattam does, do ya Thag?
>A: Me not know, Thag only pawn in game of life.
>So the Bard turns Thag all around, gets him mad at the bigger minotaurs
>what always picked on him, didn't give him his fair share, made him eat
>lunch late, etc. So when the other minotaur guards come back, Thag
>joins in with the PC's and they win the fight. They invite Thag along,
>and he adventured with them for a long while.
>
>He was invaluable, but still a chaotic bloodthirsty beast.
>But the Bard worked on this, and essentially Transformed Thag
>into a good guy. He and the mage "erased" all of Thag's bad psych
>disads (I had to make a character sheet for him) and replaced
>them with good ones. Soon Thag fit right in, still dumb, but not
>a loose cannon anymore.
>
>Later, the party was in the wilderness, and I maxed out the encounter
>roll. They got stampeded by an entire herd of wild boars. Like 40 of
>them, or whatever max was on the charts. Boars aren't dragons, but they
>aren't pushovers either, and 40 is a lot. In its way, this was the most
>vicious fight they ever fought and that I ever GMed. Every player and
>NPC had like 5 boars on them at once. The mage went down, and Thag went
>totally berzerk. But pushing his STR, Thag's axe cleaved a path to
>safety.
>Thag and the biggest male boars were obscured in a huge cloud of dust.
>When the fight was over, the PC's were amazed to hear singing coming
>over
>the next hill. Here's come Thag, his axe slung over his back, it and he
>totally slathered with blood, and he's got 2 big boars under each arm,
>and he's belting out a joyous tune: (i made it up on the spot)
> BEAT A LOTTA PIGGIES, HAD A BIG FIGHT,
> MINOTAUR IS HAPPY, EVERYTHING'S ALRIGHT,
> CAUSE THERE'S SAUSAGE IN THE KINGDOM TONIGHT!
>and indeed, the PC's had bacon & sausage rations for about 10 weeks.
>
>Later, PC's began donating points to Thag so he could keep up. Thag got
>more and more rude combat-wise, and even he had a follower. Eventually,
>Thag reached god-head and now wanders the Astral Plane with his pet
>tiger,
>kind of an elemental force, a sort of demi-god of good, cause he just
>hacks the crap out of anything evil he chances across.
>
>sigh.
>==
> Elliott aka Egyptoid
>_________________________________________________________
>DO YOU YAHOO!?
>Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
>
>
- -= John Desmarais <champ-l-owner@sysabend.org> =-
- -=
- -= Keeper of the Champions Mailing List.
- -= http://www.sysabend.org/champions
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1998 09:53:37 -0500 (EST)
From: Jason Sullivan <ravanos@njcu.edu>
Subject: Re: Feedback Sought
On Fri, 13 Nov 1998 Pat10355@aol.com wrote:
Why not just make very small print? Certain fonts are very
legiable, even small, and you can cram more of a CS on a page with a
smaller font. This is especially handy on a large NPC page, for these
pages can be enlarged and merriment can be had by all.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1998 09:51:37 -0500 (EST)
From: Jason Sullivan <ravanos@njcu.edu>
Subject: Re: Funky AID stuff
> OK. Here's a power I'd like to detail. The SFX are by and large
> unimportant: what I want the power to do is twofold:
>
> 1) Make a particular power (or group of powers) more powerful.
> 2) Make those same powers harder to control.
>
> An example would be a psi-enhancing drug that increased someones (say)
> Pyrokinesis levels, but the person would have trouble setting a small
> fire, tending instead to produce massive conflagrations.
>
> 'More powerful' is easily enough defined - I want the powers affected to
> have higher active point totals - this suggests Aid as a base.
Beam Attack (maxium power level) UAO? :)
Honestly, the only way I can see doing this is with a
Transformation linked with an AID (with the limitation that the
Transformation must be sucessful for the AID to work).
Transform normal hero's power levels into limited hero's power
levels (i.e. you can keep the point totals, but it now has the Beam Attack
disadvantage. So Captain Thrust must fly at 36", Captain Zap has to use
his entire 8d6 lightning bolt, and Captain Push needs to use his 60 STR TK
full power).
------------------------------
End of champ-l-digest V1 #39
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