gojira
Double Digit Master
in a rubber monster suit.
Posts: 85 
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Post by gojira on Mar 30, 2014 1:02:43 GMT
I just noticed that someone (whose name I forget now) was taking over Hero Central. Also, the source code Hero Designer available for license, and the Hero Games website is no longer running Dan's proprietary code.
I don't want to start any rumors, but is Dan bowing out? He's been working for HG for a long time now, it hasn't been totally smooth sailing, and it couldn't have been hugely profitable either. (Face it, we're a very niche market.) He may have his own reasons for being less involved. But I thought I'd get some other opinions about the matter.
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Post by Chris Goodwin on Mar 30, 2014 21:04:30 GMT
I haven't heard anything, but I suppose it's possible.
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Post by rjcurrie on Mar 31, 2014 14:42:29 GMT
I suspect the change in the board software may just be a move to something easier to maintain and update. And I always suspected that most of the framework of the Hero Games site was provided by Cryptic's web people. It certainly showed a level of design not evident in Dan's other work. I believe the store was running on Dan's code but I'm not sure anything else was. The boards have also been run using a standard package -- although at one point, Dan had customized them a lot and even then, over time, he was reducing the amount of customization to make applying updates easier.
I would more describe Dan as working with Hero Games than working for Hero Games.
To be honest, I think they (Jason and Dan) simply found a software package that they liked that could handle everything (boards, store, news, etc.) rather than piecing together different packages.
As for HeroCentral, I suspect he may have just gotten tired of it.
And selling the code to Hero Designer may just be opening up another revenue stream -- in addition to making it easier for programs like the Hero Combat Manager to tie in with it.
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gojira
Double Digit Master
in a rubber monster suit.
Posts: 85
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Post by gojira on Mar 31, 2014 18:32:19 GMT
Right-o. And I don't want to spread rumors, this was entirely my own surmising. I just noticed changes and got to wondering. I (personally) definitely see a smaller footprint by Dan at HG lately though.
(As for working for/with, I assume he has a contract to maintain the website, and contract employees are employees, strictly speaking. That's what I meant.)
OK, back to idle speculation mode...
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Post by Tasha on Apr 1, 2014 5:54:35 GMT
Right-o. And I don't want to spread rumors, this was entirely my own surmising. I just noticed changes and got to wondering. I (personally) definitely see a smaller footprint by Dan at HG lately though. (As for working for/with, I assume he has a contract to maintain the website, and contract employees are employees, strictly speaking. That's what I meant.) OK, back to idle speculation mode... I wouldn't worry about it. I made a similar observation over on the Software Board HD Software Sub. I also wondered if Dan was starting to move away from HG. The fanbase certainly isn't very fond of the man. |
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kravenkor
Double Digit Master
"We're making a better world; all of them. Better worlds."
Posts: 92
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Post by kravenkor on Apr 2, 2014 18:58:52 GMT
All that aside, the man worked wonders with Hero Designer, if you ask me, and I cannot do anything but respect the man for that. What's that? You, in fact, did not ask me? Oh... well, uh... sorry about that.  |
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Post by Tasha on Apr 2, 2014 19:50:48 GMT
Honestly, I liked Creation Workshop more. There was better looking Character output with that product. It wasn't persnickety enough with the Rules for Steve and I think that DOJ wanted complete control over the Software.
I just never like the Super Hero centric view of both the rules and Hero Designer. Heroic level games have always been a something that DOJ ignored with Hero Designer. I think it comes from Steve's insistence that PC's pay for every little smidgen of ability they get. So it's VERY important to him that you stat out every weapon to the last power point in both Weapons list and when you build them in HD. Which adds a LOT of detail that most players don't need or want on their Character sheet.
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kravenkor
Double Digit Master
"We're making a better world; all of them. Better worlds."
Posts: 92
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Post by kravenkor on Apr 2, 2014 20:33:12 GMT
Eh, I have no issues with HD for Fantasy HERO. Turn on equipment tab, set template to Heroic, seems to work well enough for me, at any rate. The .PDF export was my favorite addition, though, as *none* of the export templates would ever work for me (especially if I wanted to print them out.)
And I like that everything you need to know about a power is right on the sheet, for the most part, though yes some can be a "wall of text."
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kravenkor
Double Digit Master
"We're making a better world; all of them. Better worlds."
Posts: 92
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Post by kravenkor on Apr 2, 2014 20:38:40 GMT
Heck I always made my own D20 sheets because the default ones didn't have enough information. I'd map out all my bonuses with various weapons or maneuvers, I'd make cliff's notes for all my spells so as not to have to dig in the book... might say there is no such thing, to me, as "too much information on the character sheet" until you hit about 3+ pages  |
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bluesguy
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Post by bluesguy on Apr 3, 2014 20:39:38 GMT
To be honest, I think they (Jason and Dan) simply found a software package that they liked that could handle everything (boards, store, news, etc.) rather than piecing together different packages. As for HeroCentral, I suspect he may have just gotten tired of it. And selling the code to Hero Designer may just be opening up another revenue stream -- in addition to making it easier for programs like the Hero Combat Manager to tie in with it. - Software for the site - I think you are 100% correct on that. Custom software is a pain in the butt. It isn't worth doing unless the software gives you a competitive edge.
- Wouldn't you be tired of dealing with it. I bet he did that for 'free'.
- I don't know how long Dan was thinking about selling a license for the HD code but I do know he and I were talking about some of the things I would like to do with HCM down the road (like begin able to read directly from the HD character files instead of a generated Combat Record) and that it would be hard to do without access to the actual code. Within a month or so the code became available for licensing purposes.
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bluesguy
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Post by bluesguy on Apr 3, 2014 20:45:42 GMT
I would guess that Dan's ROI on developing, supporting and maintaining HD is pretty darn low. That plus a long list of repeated (dumb/ignorant/stupid) questions which are answered either in the user manual or in a previously posed question on the forum, would tend to make anyone "cranky".
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kravenkor
Double Digit Master
"We're making a better world; all of them. Better worlds."
Posts: 92
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Post by kravenkor on Apr 3, 2014 21:22:08 GMT
I would guess that Dan's ROI on developing, supporting and maintaining HD is pretty darn low. That plus a long list of repeated (dumb/ignorant/stupid) questions which are answered either in the user manual or in a previously posed question on the forum, would tend to make anyone "cranky". No offense, but if that is your take on it, your choices are to either fix the human species as a whole, or get out of the business where you have to interact with them. Any product you make is going to have the same likelihood for just that kind of behavior or problem. I work in Tech Support and have for 15+ years. I know exactly how easy it is to get frustrated with a "stupid user." But it never serves anyone to do so. It pisses off the user, it gets you yelled at by your boss, it loses you customers, etc. And yeah, sometimes I still slip, but then I apologize, I repair the situation, and I turn a PR Nightmare into a PR Win. I have taken a customer / user who was practically screaming profanity at me for "treating them like they are tarded" (their words, not mine) and I apologized, I explained myself, I discussed the issue with the user, and we came to an understanding such that by the time I was done, they thanked me and sent a note to my boss. And I've had many similar situations. When you try to patch things up with Dan... well, again, I tried to sort things out, I do not feel any of my questions or suggestions were worthy of the level of anger and hostility he responded with, neither in the original postings that led to the problems, nor in the PM's I sent trying to extend an olive branch. His every response was essentially "shut up and do as you are told." I don't want to hate on the guy or talk shit about him, here or anywhere. I want HERO System to succeed, to grow, and I want to be a part of the online community. In no way, shape, or form did I deserve moderation, threats of banination, nor the hostility and insult his responses on the matter offer. Normally, this is where I apologize for making waves or whatever, but I am done apologizing. Someone else needs to do the apologizing this time. |
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bluesguy
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Post by bluesguy on Apr 4, 2014 14:21:41 GMT
I would guess that Dan's ROI on developing, supporting and maintaining HD is pretty darn low. That plus a long list of repeated (dumb/ignorant/stupid) questions which are answered either in the user manual or in a previously posed question on the forum, would tend to make anyone "cranky". No offense, but if that is your take on it, your choices are to either fix the human species as a whole, or get out of the business where you have to interact with them. Any product you make is going to have the same likelihood for just that kind of behavior or problem. I am not offended. I am a Project Manager working for a consulting company. When things go bad on a project guess where the fingers point?  I think you would be a great person to have on a team because you get how to work with people. My comments about Dan are intended to present him in the best possible light - just like I try to do with everyone I meet. My personal interactions over the last couple of years with Dan have been very good. |
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kravenkor
Double Digit Master
"We're making a better world; all of them. Better worlds."
Posts: 92
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Post by kravenkor on Apr 4, 2014 16:52:08 GMT
Up until I set him off, deserved or not, I had always defended him. Wasn't even upset over the various times he told me I was wrong and likely mentally deficient in regards to a few HD questions or problems I posted (I was wrong, and likely am mentally deficient, when it comes to computer programming at the least.) I had zero problems until he decided he had it in for me, it seems.
And since then, I've been basically persona non grata on the HERO Forums. Hell, these forums were created specifically due to the fallout of that event when I ran to the HERO System Fan Group and asked WTF? and half the group said "Yup, them's the breaks." Even before the ban threats he'd jump all over me any time I came into HERO chat, just... I don't know, I want to believe he was trying to pick a fight but I don't know the guy and cannot speak for why he was acting the way he was.
If it were up to me, I'd say "Hey man, sorry" and he'd say "Yeah, was having a bad day that day" and we'd leave it at that and be, if not friends, at least not enemies.
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Post by rjcurrie on Apr 4, 2014 17:35:26 GMT
Honestly, I liked Creation Workshop more. There was better looking Character output with that product. It wasn't persnickety enough with the Rules for Steve and I think that DOJ wanted complete control over the Software. I just never like the Super Hero centric view of both the rules and Hero Designer. Heroic level games have always been a something that DOJ ignored with Hero Designer. I think it comes from Steve's insistence that PC's pay for every little smidgen of ability they get. So it's VERY important to him that you stat out every weapon to the last power point in both Weapons list and when you build them in HD. Which adds a LOT of detail that most players don't need or want on their Character sheet. When it comes to pre-existing equipment, I just enter it on the Equipment tab as a Custom Power with the name of the weapon in the Name field and the stats in the Display field. It will look like this: .30-06 (Springfield M1903): +1 OCV, +2 RMod, Dmg: 2d6+1, STUNx: +1, Shots: 5 |
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I think you would be a great person to have on a team because you get how to work with people.