Star Hero
Game Type: Roleplaying Game
Author: James Cambias & Steve Long
Publisher: DOJ dba Hero Games
Medium: 8.5” x 11” paperback, 322 pages (plus 4
additional pages for notes)
Price: $29.99
Star
Hero is the latest offering from Hero Games. It is a journey back to the science fiction genre for the
multi-genre game, Hero System Fifth Edition. This is the second time Star Hero has been released, but
this edition is not a rehash of the previous edition. This edition has more than twice the pages of the previous
edition, and well more than twice the information to assist a game master in
running a Star Hero game.
So
what is the purpose of this book?
This book is designed to be used as a tool for the game master wishing
to run a Star Hero game. While the
book will be a great assist for the game master, it is also useful for the
players. The discussion of
different genre of science fiction can help a player get their mind around the
campaign the game master is running.
The discussion of powers, equipment, vehicles, skills, disadvantages,
races, and other factors can also help spur the ideas of the players and the
game master.
As
the other Hero Games releases since the release of Hero System Fifth Edition,
the book hosts a good table of contents and an excellent index. Between these two sections are an
introduction, twelve chapters, and an extensive bibliography. Over one hundred sources are cited in
the bibliography.
Chapter
One despite being the shortest chapter in the book, is chock full of
information. This chapter
discusses different genres of science fiction, ranging from apocalyptic games
to utopias. The book gives a brief
discourse on the typical ideas behind the campaigns in the genre, as well as
providing guidance on the what kind of
power levels the characters are typically built on in the genre. In addition to the genres, this chapter
also discusses different elements which appear in science fiction, though not
all appear in the same campaigns.
Ranging from aliens to the concept of travel and exploration, further
ideas are touched upon to help the game master decide what fits in his
campaign, referring to later chapters in the book for more details on handling
these tropes in Star Hero. Also
discussed is the inclusion of meta-genres such as mystery, comedy, and
romance. Chapter One rounds out
with a discussion of crossing genres, such as a Champions Star Hero campaign,
or a Fantasy Star Hero campaign.
Chapter
Two is the one many players will spend time pouring over, examining all of the
crunchy bits of character creation goodness. The chapter provides many different packages, including
racial, professional, cultural, environmental, and size/weight. There are enough of these to fill the
first seventeen pages of the chapter.
Chapter Two goes on to discuss stats and skills, including a martial art
called “Energy Blade Fencing,” also known as light saber dueling. The chapter also covers uses of perks,
talents, powers, advantages, and disadvantages.
Chapters
Three, Four, and Five all discuss the setting of Star Hero. Not a particular campaign setting, but
the universe itself. Chapter Three
covers galaxies and stars, including some good scientific information to lend
credibility to your campaign creations if you don’t have an astronomy
background. Chapter Four goes over
planetary systems, providing enough material to create somewhat realistically
plausible planets. The chapter
rounds out discusses other stellar bodies such as asteroids, comets, space
stations, and Dyson Spheres.
Chapter Five takes a narrower focus and looks at our solar system. Facts about the planets and other
features in our solar system are discussed, providing more detail to allow a
non-interstellar game.
Chapter
Six moves the focus back toward the game master, though if players are allowed
more free reign in character creation, this is certainly a very usable chapter
by them. This chapter covers
civilizations, both alien and future.
The chapter also discusses creating alien species and civilizations,
ranging from how to build alien features to building package deals. Further discussion covers the systems
behind the scenes in the alien civilizations, such as forms of government,
economics, and culture.
Chapter
Seven is about technology in science fiction. The chapter opens with a discourse on tech levels, providing
the game master with an idea on how to create his own scale of tech levels
without dictating a set scale for Star Hero. The chapter goes on to discuss different weapon and defense
systems, including building them in Hero System Fifth Edition terms. Included in the weapons is the light
saber, to go along with the light saber dueling martial art in Chapter Two. A wide variety of weapons and defenses
are discussed and provided. But
the chapter doesn’t just focus on combat; the chapter goes on to cover other
areas of technology such as computers, cyberspace, robots, biotechnology,
nanotechnology, and others. One of
the more useful bits of the chapter comes in the last two pages, where tips are
provided for the game master on how to determine the ‘in-game’ price of items.
Chapter
Eight moves into the realm of vehicles.
The chapter discusses in great length the design and building of
vehicles, focusing initially on spacecraft. Weapons systems, defense systems, and a many other
considerations in spacecraft design are discussed. The chapter moves on to cover ground based vehicles, mecha,
and space stations. Next is a
space combat system in Hero System Fifth Edition terms, including options for
realistic and dramatic movement of ships.
Chapter Eight rounds out the following example vehicles: three
spacecraft, one mech, and two space stations.
Chapter Nine considers the concepts
of time travel and the ways to work it into campaigns. The chapter helps the game master consider
the types of time travel, as well as the implications of time travel. Discussion is also given to campaigns
based around time travel.
Chapter Ten is all about the mind,
psionics that is. From the initial
considerations of how powerful should psionics be, to the ramifications of a
psionics society, this chapter covers it.
Various powers that are attributed to psionics are discussed, as well as
setting psionics in frameworks.
Psionic campaigns and different campaign types for psionics are also
covered. The chapter rounds out
with an example campaign setting for psionics in a Terran Empire, providing a
good framework for considerations on including psionics in your own campaign.
Chapter Eleven is primarily the
game master chapter, simply because it is about creating and running a Star
Hero campaign. While the other
chapters provide a wide basis of information and tools, this chapter helps the
game master bring all of it into a cohesive ball. Further discussion is given to the subgenres, themes, and
setting. Guidance on plotting out
storylines is given, along with a random plot generator for the times when
writer’s block is manifesting.
Tips are given on handling potential issues in the game, as well as using
a character’s disadvantages to enhance and bring life to the game. The chapter also gives more detail on
the effects of the environment in Star Hero. Ranging from gravity levels and how it affects encumbrance
to the effects of vacuum on living tissue, the potential hazards of a Star Hero
game are discussed. The chapter
winds up with a discussion on villains and nonplayer characters. Plot hooks and motivation templates are
provided to help bring the secondary cast of the game to life.
Chapter Twelve is the least generic
of the chapters, but that is because it provides a group of heroes and villains
as an example. The setting is the
Terran Empire, which is in a sourcebook that has yet to be released. Five heroes are provided as well as
five villains. The chapter rounds
out with a few generic nonplayer characters: a doctor, a merchant, a scientist,
and a security officer.
I would be remiss if I did not
mention the art. The cover is the
first thing you will notice about this book, and the cover art is one of the
best roleplaying game covers I have seen.
Jason Engle did a masterful job in capturing the scope of Star Hero in a
single image. The interior art
ranges from good to excellent, with very few pieces that are below good. The art inside captures different feels
of science fiction, from pulpy sci-fi to high tech cyberspace. The art is complementary to the
material being presented, without being intrusive.
Overall, this book is an excellent
resource for a Hero System game master considering running a science fiction
game; or a modern to near future game as well. While I initially thought this book was going to be strictly
for the game master, I also saw a lot of usefulness for the player as
well. This book will help both the
player and the game master flesh out their characters and setting. This resource does not dictate how the
setting is or works, but helps the game master and determine this on his own,
with the assistance of a supporting hand.
Ratings
Playability: **** (provides
many different examples that may be lifted straight from the book)
Game Mechanics: *****
(uses Hero System mechanics extremely well)
Character Creation
& Advancement: ***** (very well thought out guidelines, useful for both
game master and player)
Setting: **
(there is not a default setting provided, with only small amounts mentioned,
but the equipment could all be considered setting material)
Presentation: ****
(this is a beautiful book, and enjoyable read, and an excellent resource)
Originally written 12/24/2002
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