Heroic Worlds

Posts: 342 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:52 pm

Everytime I get in a gaming collection I reach for my copy of heroic worlds. I'm sure almost everyone here has a copy, but Lawrence Schick's guide has been the single most useful reference work for gaming material I have ever come across. It need to be a multi-volume set now, but I ahven't come across anything in print that compares to it.

Posts: 1348 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:56 pm

It is useful, yes, but I often wish there were pictures associated -- a more visual reference work would be amazing. I also find it quite fun when I discover something that is not in the book.

Posts: 2130 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:57 pm

I have always heard about it but never got to own one. Is it expensive?

Posts: 342 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:03 pm

Blackmoor wrote:

I have always heard about it but never got to own one. Is it expensive?

I haven't seen one in awhile.They came out in 1991 and I don't believe there was anymore than that one printing

Posts: 342 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:04 pm

serleran wrote:

It is useful, yes, but I often wish there were pictures associated -- a more visual reference work would be amazing. I also find it quite fun when I discover something that is not in the book.

I'd love to see something on par with boardgamegeek but for RPGs. Any sites out there like that?

Posts: 1348 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:05 pm

Quote:

I'd love to see something on par with boardgamegeek but for RPGs. Any sites out there like that?

Almost

I wish there was a bit more information, such as printing details, but for pure visuals... it is great.

Posts: 1193 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:05 pm

Half.com has the paperback version for $15, you might be able to get it for less at an eBay auction. It's an invaluable resource for the early RPG collector, I would highly recommend getting one.

Posts: 1348 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:09 pm

Heroic Worlds is not expensive -- I got my copy for free from Crazy Egor (he let me have one of his personal copies) but then my fiancée found a copy online (I think at Amazon) for like $5.

Posts: 342 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:10 pm

mandalaymoon wrote:

Half.com has the paperback version for $15, you might be able to get it for less at an eBay auction. It's an invaluable resource for the early RPG collector, I would highly recommend getting one.

There was a hardback version?

Posts: 342 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:12 pm

serleran wrote:

Almost

I wish there was a bit more information, such as printing details, but for pure visuals... it is great.

Hadn't seen this site before. Have to see how to find the info. I can see the forums but is there an archive listing?

Posts: 2339 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:16 pm

JZavoda wrote:

Hadn't seen this site before. Have to see how to find the info. I can see the forums but is there an archive listing?

Right now the Tome is in a development stage. We are trying to list everything in the forums and then eventually get it into webpages, etc. The forums are organized with sections for discussion, TSR stuff, other RPGs, Wargames, Fanzines etc. Each section is sorted by company where some of the bigger companies have their threads listed first followed by smaller companies listed under each alphabet letter.

Posts: 2339 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:17 pm

JZavoda wrote:

There was a hardback version?

There is a hardcover and softcover edition of Heroic Worlds. Amazon usually has a few copies for sale. Looks like the cheapest used copy starts at $10.

Posts: 2339 · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:31 pm

serleran wrote:

I wish there was a bit more information, such as printing details, but for pure visuals... it is great.

It will come Serl, just be patient. One of the goals of the Tome is to get reliable printing information. I think that games such as Arduin and early TSR supplement games, etc were printed a few more times than most people realize. A year ago, I thought I had a good idea of what the different printings were but through the Tome, I have discovered there are more than initially thought.

Most of the listings are a work in progress but some are more complete than others. The TSR supplements, such as Tricolor, Panzer Warfare, etc I think are fairly complete but others such as Dungeon! and Empire of the Petal Throne still need work.

Also, I think Heroic Worlds is great starting place but by no means complete on information or 100% accurate. It does list some items that were never published and also skips out on printing differences as well.

Posts: 1348 · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:22 pm

Quote:

It does list some items that were never published

Would you have a list? I went through the book and made a "want list" for my museum idea, and it would be so much better if I could scratch off items that don't exist.