Hero System 6th Edition
I came across this blog article while poking around the RPG Bloggers Network.
Essentially, Hero Games is putting out a new edition of their rules, and it will cost you $80 to get the two core books.
I'm wondering if Hero is pricing themselves out of reach. I know that cost is comparable for a DM needing the three core books for 4e, but a 4e player only needs the one. Plus, Hero doesn't have the name recognition or fan base that D&D does. In fact, I'd argue that Hero players tend to be more technically inclined and thus more able to go to other sources for the material when they come out. Roll for torrents, 14-.
I probably won't bother with HS6E unless I hear awesome reviews. The basics of the system has stayed the same for the roughly 30 years it has been around, I don't see shelling out $80 for some tweaks. That and many of my players are not fans of Hero. It is crunch intensive, not suited for more casual players, and combat bogs down despite being balanced. It is harder to run on the fly, though an experienced GM can do so. It's main appeal, IMO, is to combat-centric players, min-maxers, and architects (players that like to build characters in crunchy systems). I don't think that'll be a big enough paying player base to make the new edition successful.
Hopefully I'm wrong.
Essentially, Hero Games is putting out a new edition of their rules, and it will cost you $80 to get the two core books.
I'm wondering if Hero is pricing themselves out of reach. I know that cost is comparable for a DM needing the three core books for 4e, but a 4e player only needs the one. Plus, Hero doesn't have the name recognition or fan base that D&D does. In fact, I'd argue that Hero players tend to be more technically inclined and thus more able to go to other sources for the material when they come out. Roll for torrents, 14-.
I probably won't bother with HS6E unless I hear awesome reviews. The basics of the system has stayed the same for the roughly 30 years it has been around, I don't see shelling out $80 for some tweaks. That and many of my players are not fans of Hero. It is crunch intensive, not suited for more casual players, and combat bogs down despite being balanced. It is harder to run on the fly, though an experienced GM can do so. It's main appeal, IMO, is to combat-centric players, min-maxers, and architects (players that like to build characters in crunchy systems). I don't think that'll be a big enough paying player base to make the new edition successful.
Hopefully I'm wrong.
Labels: games
posted by Oz at 9:22 AM
7 Comments:
The price will be $70 if you buy both books together from Hero Games directly. Apparently, they will be making pricing available to retailers that will also let them sell the books at that price point, but of course, they can't control what price the retailers actually sell it at.
WotC sells the PHB and DMG for D&D 4e at $39.95 each. And Steve Jackson Games sells the 2 core books of GURPS 4e at $39.95 and $34.95.
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I am in a postion that spending $80 or even $70 on a product I wont be able to use will keep me from buying this product. I had looked into buying it after I started playing Champions online, But When I saw you had to buy both pretty much just to play I changed my mind. I am currently living In Indianapolis and cant find anyone to play D&D with much less find someone to play a game I havent played since the late 80's early 90's.
Game Books have always been pricey, but this new trend since WoTC bought out TSR is getting crazy. Books have increased at least $10 if not double the price since the Days of TSR, and it just isnt WoTC doing the price gouging.
Honestly at current prices I think pen and paper rpgs will become a thing of the past. What kid can afford them? Most likly not the target audience.
To shawn's comment, I think there is a higher number of people that are getting books and the like through the internet with digital copies, either pirated or not. Tabletop gaming is becoming a hybrid system with characters and books being used on computers, even more people rolling dice from programs on the computer or an ipod. With that knowledge, it is pretty safe to say that table top rpgs have been in a decline profit-wise and that could explain the price gouging, but that doesn't stop people from playing it. I haven't bought a single rpg book since I was turned off DnD after having bought almost every book for 3rd ed just to have them release 3.5, and all the books I have now are from friends and are all digital copies.
According to the inflation calculator at (http://www.westegg.com/inflation/)
Something that cost $20 in 1982 (when i purchased my original PHB) would cost 43.88.
When I purchased my D&D books I worked minimum wage for a little more than $2/hour if I remember correctly.
For the most part to convert all you need is the first book and the Hero generator software which if you bought it gives you free updates for two years. There are some very minor changes in the combat rules, most of the updates have to do with point cost and power balance which are covered in the first book. Looking over the rules changes I think it's worth the 35$ to convert especially if you want to introduce new players to the system as the new rules make character creation a lot simpler and the vocabulary more intuitive.
I've played 4th for years. Own 5th ed now. I agree that spending more $$ for 6th ed seems silly. Additionally, I've heard that 6th ed eliminates power frameworks.
The appeal Hero System has for me, is that I only need one set of rules to run ANY genre.
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