Steve's Chat Tonight (Thursday, May 19)

[Steve Long]

It's Thursday, so let's have a chat! Come on over to the Chat Room at 9:00 PM Eastern, 6:00 PM Pacific to hear the latest news, ask questions, and talk Hero!

[CptPatriot]

Steve Chat for Thursday, May 19, 2011

 

Please note spelling corrected except where humor is involved

 

Steven S. Long (07:57.46 PM)

Good evening folx!

Archie (07:57.57 PM)

Hey, Steve

Indiana Joe (07:58.07 PM)

Hi everyone

Archie (07:59.14 PM)

Are the Champs Beyond bundles up on the store yet?

Steven S. Long (07:59.40 PM)

No, we just released the PDF a few days ago. We don't have the printed books yet.

Archie (07:59.58 PM)

I don't mind pre-ordering, if y'all don't

Steven S. Long (08:00.53 PM)

Generally, we prefer to avoid that, due to legal and logistical concerns. We did preorders for Champions 25th because it was a high-cost special item, and we might try them again in the future, but for most books we'd rather wait until the book's on the way before taking orders.

Archie (08:01.45 PM)

np, right now Hero Games is my friendly local gaming store.

Steven S. Long (08:02.07 PM)

Well, we'll do our best to provide good customer service and minimize the gamer funk.

Archie (08:03.15 PM)

Before you get bogged down, Resistance for Champions Online was a blast, hope to get to see you soon in it.

Steven S. Long (08:03.55 PM)

I will see about hopping in and giving it a look-over. Glad you enjoyed it!

Archie (08:04.16 PM)

4 runs so far and counting

Steven S. Long (08:04.27 PM)

Cool, replay value's always a plus.

Archie (08:04.52 PM)

Certified put up a review today

Steven S. Long (08:05.51 PM)

I'll track it down and check it out.

So, it looks like it's about 5 past, so time for... announcements!!

First, as I mentioned earlier, CHAMPIONS BEYOND is now available in PDF form! So far it's selling well and seems to be garnering some excellent reviews among the fans.

Second, earlier this week we finall got THE HERO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT GUIDE in from the printer! You can now buy it in hardcopy from the Online Store or various other fine gaming retailers.

Shiva13 (08:07.29 PM)

Hi Steve

Steven S. Long (08:07.51 PM)

Darren's hard at work on the rest of the printing backlog; I'm not sure whether the HSG or CV3 is his next primary target. But we hope to get them all taken care of during the con season.

Hi, Shiva.

Third, I am hard at work editing and finalizing STAR HERO! Fred got it to me much quicker than expected; the work he'd allotted three weeks for he finished in eight hard-charging days.

Scott Bennie (08:08.40 PM)

Evenng folks.

Steven S. Long (08:08.48 PM)

So I'm busy reading over it, making and entering corrections, etc. Tomorrow I'm going to tackle the horrors of indexing.

Hi Scott!

Most of the art's not coming in until next week, but what I've seen so far is excellent. More to the point, Fred's done his usual excellent job with the layout; it flows really well. Moreso than any other genre book, I think, SH is just jam-packed with facts and info.

Just today I made some additions to the "Stars" chapter based on astronomy announcements from earlier this week!

Gregory (08:10.11 PM)

After all that what is the next book on the agenda?

Lord Liaden (08:10.27 PM)

Sorry I'm late -- had a computer hardware revolt to put down.

Steven S. Long (08:10.48 PM)

Ya read my mind, Gregory. Fifth, after I'm done with SH the next book on the docket is THE HERO SYSTEM ADVANCED PLAYER'S GUIDE 2: Electric Boogaloo!

Gregory (08:11.02 PM)

Steven S. Long (08:11.03 PM)

It'll be crammed to the gills with new rules and all sorts of other interesting stuffs.

Gregory (08:11.17 PM)

Gordon Feiner (08:11.31 PM)

please please tell me you're going to put Electric Boogaloo on the cover

Steven S. Long (08:11.39 PM)

Gordon: you'll just have to wait and see.

Gordon Feiner (08:11.51 PM)

well, damn.

Gregory (08:13.01 PM)

Anything special from the Hero crew for Origins and Gen-Con this year?

Steven S. Long (08:13.18 PM)

I think the most interesting parts of APG2 that I have planned so far are the social combat rules and the expanded rules for Focus, but there'll be lots of cool stuff between the covers.

Gregory -- sure. GenCon is our big release of the year, of course -- STAR HERO.

Shiva13 (08:14.02 PM)

Social combat rules have my interest

Scott Bennie (08:14.11 PM)

Social combat? That explains how to be a good rules lawyer, right?

Steven S. Long (08:14.14 PM)

For Origins not sure which book will count as "newest," based on what Darren gets printed, but there'll be something fun there. We're not really planning anything special for the 30th anniversary, but I may try to pull a rabbit out of my hat at the last minute.

Indiana Joe (08:14.27 PM)

That trick never works!

Gregory (08:14.41 PM)

Cake and ice cream??????????

Steven S. Long (08:14.51 PM)

Nope, we did cake for the 25th anniversary.

Gregory (08:15.20 PM)

Adult beverages then...?

Steven S. Long (08:15.29 PM)

Against convention center regs, sorry.

Gordon Feiner (08:15.51 PM)

crashing DnD4E games....

Shiva13 (08:16.43 PM)

well you could always so an ultra rare special print run of the Hero System Rulebooks printed on Kevlar

Steven S. Long (08:17.09 PM)

No, that we can't do. That's a little out of our budgetary restrictions, sorry. Perhaps some other anniversary.

Lord Liaden (08:17.32 PM)

If you're carrying Hero rulebooks you don't need kevlar. That's been empirically proven.

Indiana Joe (08:18.05 PM)

Yeah, they're already bulletproof. (I should send this one to Mythbusters.)

Shiva13 (08:18.06 PM)

I was just thinking that if you wanted to repel a LAW rocket.....

Scott Bennie (08:18.22 PM)

By the way Steve, picked up Champions Beyond and loved it. Kudos to all involved.

Steven S. Long (08:18.43 PM)

Thanx Scott! Glad you liked it. It was certainly fun to write.

Lord Liaden (08:19.03 PM)

Yeah, Scott, did you get the Revenger data you needed for your scenario?

Steven S. Long (08:19.04 PM)

If sales are strong enough I certainly have plenty of leftover ideas for villains 'n' stuff that I could turn into an enemies book.

Scott Bennie (08:19.48 PM)

Yes, LL. That'll play into the followup scenario when they go to the moon to explore his base.

Steven S. Long (08:20.18 PM)

MWAH hah hah hah hah!!!

Gordon Feiner (08:20.53 PM)

Steve, just sent you an email, Delay Indexing Plan A.

Lord Liaden (08:21.04 PM)

With all the stuff on the Moon you don't even need to travel farther for all manner of close encounters.

Steven S. Long (08:21.27 PM)

Coolness! Perfect timing there Gordon.

Gordon Feiner (08:21.40 PM)

I figured as much, I finished about 10 minutes ago.

Scott Bennie (08:21.56 PM)

Stevem we need to drag you and Scott into a Resistance run on CO.

Steven S. Long (08:22.03 PM)

Now our main holdup will be the art. I am just itching to see Tyler's cover illo.

Ha! That would be fun, though I'm sorely out of practice I'm sure.

Scott Bennie (08:23.31 PM)

I'll contact Scott and Albert and see when we can arrange something.

Steven S. Long (08:23.52 PM)

Sounds good. Are there any pre-req missions or whatnot I would have to do first?

Lord Liaden (08:24.03 PM)

Resistance is generally well received on the CO forums. Very encouraging -- that's often a really critical fandom.

Shiva13 (08:24.16 PM)

No. Resistance is easy to get to. You just talk to Defender

Scott Bennie (08:24.45 PM)

Nope. It's an AP. It's a tough one, but sneaking around should be up Harbinger's alley.

Steven S. Long (08:25.09 PM)

In fact, I have a power called Sneaking Up On People, Then Shooting Them In The Head.

Scott Bennie (08:25.32 PM)

*laughs*

Steven S. Long (08:25.48 PM)

I miss getting to play Harbinger. I haven't executed any villains in *years.* ::sigh::

Scott Bennie (08:26.35 PM)

That's because you killed them all! Hudson City is a wasteland of mob widows and sobbing children!

Lord Liaden (08:26.46 PM)

Maybe Harbinger should move to Texas? The odds seem better there.

Steven S. Long (08:26.57 PM)

For that matter, I miss getting to play *any* beloved character extensively. Too few GMs around here, and too many other distractions.

Gordon Feiner (08:27.40 PM)

Steve - when was CyberHero slated for again?

Lord Liaden (08:27.48 PM)

I've found that when you become professionally in a hobby you love, the part you love often seems to get squeezed.

Steven S. Long (08:27.57 PM)

Early next year. I'm doing yet more "research reading" for it these days.

Wow, 40 players, that's pretty darn impressive.

I am definitely looking forward to tackling CH. I have plenty of stories and novels to read first though.

Gordon Feiner (08:28.32 PM)

oh good, a recent discussion on the boards has me putting together a list of Recent CP books/authors.

Steven S. Long (08:28.56 PM)

I think I made note of that discussion somewhere in my files.

Scott Bennie (08:29.33 PM)

It was chaos, but those playing the vilains were so much fun that it made up for the madness. Anyhow, going to head back online, then work on more Gestalt 6e conversions (it's finally happening.)

Gordon Feiner (08:29.35 PM)

yeah, I'm actually dividing out CP by Pre-Snowcrash; Post-Snowcrash and 21st Century. (aka 80s, 90s, 00s(

Steven S. Long (08:29.50 PM)

Cya Scott!

Lord Liaden (08:30.12 PM)

Good night, Mr. B.

Steven S. Long (08:30.19 PM)

That's as good an organizational scheme as any I suppose, Gordon.

Gordon Feiner (08:30.57 PM)

Yeah, I was looking through all my books and realized there is a definite dividing line in the works. Snowcrash was a huge turning point.

I'm trying to find out if there was a single work that changed things from the 90s CP to the more modern stuff, which is definitely different.

Steven S. Long (08:31.34 PM)

One could argue in fact that SNOW CRASH was sort of the true end, in that it was both manifesting and mocking the subgenre, and that everything after that isn't quite the same anymore.

Gordon Feiner (08:31.50 PM)

I've made that exact same argument actually.

I just refuse to acknowledge "post-cyberpunk" as a legit term, but the early 00s produced a new breed of CP that kicked a little life back into it

Steven S. Long (08:33.51 PM)

Sorry for the blip; been having cable troubles.

Send me your list when you're done; if nothing else it'll make an interesting addendum to Bruce Sterling's often pompously-worded one.

Gordon Feiner (08:34.44 PM)

No kidding, I can't even read Sterling anymore, dude's so full of himself there's no room for anything but his Ego.

Steven S. Long (08:35.12 PM)

Every time he refers to "the Movement" I want to tell him "Get off my lawn you damn hippie."

Gordon Feiner (08:35.53 PM)

LOL

Steven S. Long (08:36.30 PM)

It's not a "movement." It's a failed attempt to repudiate/abandon the tenets of traditional Campbellian Hard Science Fiction, just like the Futurians and the New Wave before it.

Gordon Feiner (08:36.43 PM)

Gibson is a much more interesting person to engage in conversation. He has, somewhere, a list of stuff I'll try and dig out.

Steven S. Long (08:36.52 PM)

It's enjoyable literature, not a political statement.

Gordon Feiner (08:37.25 PM)

William, not Walter.

Steven S. Long (08:37.33 PM)

I certainly enjoy his books more. Obviously, the Sprawl Trilogy is what most gamers think of "Cyberpunk" as being... a lot of the rest of the subgenre is largely un-game-able.

I still maintain I could write a great Shadow/Molly Millions crossover story. -

Gordon Feiner (08:38.11 PM)

There's a definite break down what is good for Gaming and what is actually CP Literature. Which is where I usually get into frothing arguments on game boards....

Indiana Joe (08:38.35 PM)

That's what they're for, isn't it?

Steven S. Long (08:38.38 PM)

That's a good way to put it... Cyberpunk Literature.

Gordon Feiner (08:38.44 PM)

Did you ever read "City Come A Walkin'" by John Shirley, apparently very early inspiration for Molly.

Steven S. Long (08:39.22 PM)

Nope, haven't come across that one. I like his story "Freezone," though.

Shiva13 (08:39.39 PM)

The issue I have found with Cyberpunk is that the players tend to leap on heavy weapons and just turn it into a first person shooter, than actually care about the setting or the flavor. It's something that always disappointed me in Cyberpunk gaming.

Gordon Feiner (08:40.18 PM)

City Come A Walkin is the closest thing I've ever seen to "Punk Rock As Reading"

Steven S. Long (08:40.38 PM)

Reasonable, given that Shirley was in a band before becoming a writer, as I understand it.

Gordon Feiner (08:40.58 PM)

Yep, and this was written while he was still in said band.

Steven S. Long (08:40.59 PM)

I think he also wrote a story that was very inspirational for SHADOWRUN, but don't know the title and haven't come across it.

Gordon Feiner (08:41.38 PM)

his band was the Panther Moderns.

Steven S. Long (08:41.58 PM)

Not a bad name for a band. Doesn't sound like a band I'd enjoy, but I like the name.

Gordon Feiner (08:42.33 PM)

It's kind of punk, kind of... just weird actually.

Indiana Joe (08:42.58 PM)

Gibson's definitely heard of them. I think the Panther Moderns aere a gang in Neromanccer.

Nueromancer

Narf the Mouse (08:43.14 PM)

Eh, you make your PCs be chased by heavily-armed goons, out-numbered and out-equipped, they're going to loot, level-up and fight back.

Indiana Joe (08:43.16 PM)

Neuromancer (darnit)

Steven S. Long (08:43.49 PM)

That's entirely possible; they're friends I believe. They collaborated on at least one good story, "Red Star, Winter Orbit."

Narf the Mouse (08:43.58 PM)

Johnny Mnemonic wasn't a PC, or he'd be sporting two machine guns and a chromed-out body by the end of the movie.

Steven S. Long (08:44.22 PM)

If there's a PC in that story, I'd say Molly's the most likely candidate.

Gordon Feiner (08:44.50 PM)

Molly is the main character, despite the story being from Johnny's POV

which was, in all honesty, my disappointment with the movie.

Shiva13 (08:45.19 PM)

yes, well I would love to play in a cyberpunk genre game where the setting is actually appreciated as more than a backdrop to blow things up.

Gordon Feiner (08:45.52 PM)

someday I'll run a CP game again. Maybe I'll get my stuff in gear and run one on HeroCentral

Steven S. Long (08:45.59 PM)

There were some good bits in the movie, but overall I agree, sadly disappointing.

Narf the Mouse (08:47.03 PM)

@Gordon: That makes more sense; Johnny's the NPC "Guard Objective".

Robb Boros (08:49.28 PM)

Anytime line on the Mythic Heroes?

Steven S. Long (08:50.21 PM)

Robb -- no new news, really. Haven't plinked away at it much recently. I did send the Norse Mythology chapter to Darren, who is "playtesting" it in his Golden Age Champions campaign.

Lately I have spent most of my spare time writing fiction. I have no idea why that particular bug bit me at this particular time, but so it goes.

Robb Boros (08:51.23 PM)

If I could only write dialog

Gordon Feiner (08:52.14 PM)

yep, found my Panther Moderns stuff in my collection... definitely written on heavy doses of drugs.

Steven S. Long (08:52.35 PM)

I didn't necessarily say I was good at it, just that I've been doing it. I haven't shown any of it to anyone (well, except one story to my friend Jim Lowder), so I have no way of gauging what other people think. But I write the sort of Fantasy *I* like, so the odds are agin' me in today's market.

Gordon Feiner (08:53.12 PM)

I bet Angry Robot would take a chance on your stuff. They're almost all about finding new talent.

Steven S. Long (08:53.31 PM)

What's Angry Robot?

I am not up on today's hip modern lingo.

Gordon Feiner (08:53.47 PM)

a tiny little Publishing company out of the UK.

Steven S. Long (08:54.08 PM)

Huh. I will go look them up, if for no other reason than to learn something new. Thanx!

Gordon Feiner (08:54.31 PM)

http://angryrobotbooks.com/

their preferred genre seems to be "stuff major publishing houses won't touch, and they can suck it."

Steven S. Long (08:55.34 PM)

Well, I like the attitude at least.

OK, folx, time for me to vamoose. Gotta get up early and keep workin' on STAR HERO. See you next week!

Gordon Feiner (08:55.56 PM)

see ya Steve.

Steven S. Long (08:56.03 PM)

For those who are Raptured on Saturday, please send me your stuff before you go.

Gordon Feiner (08:56.19 PM)

I can't be Raptured, I'm waiting to see the final of Star Hero