Paraphrased:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nawara
But, still, more than 15 experience points would have been a welcome addition to the Rules As Written.
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I have to, respectfully, disagree with you on this subject. Not the entirety of your previous post, hence the paraphrase, but this particular point. For your style of play this would have been a welcome addition, and I'm sure that for a lot of gamers this would have been a welcome addition. However, the "thing" that makes Hollow Earth Expedition stand out from the games that you mention by name:
Spirit of the Century, Adventure!, Savage Worlds, and Pulp HERO
is that Hollow Earth Expedition doesn't have to start characters at the same level of competence as those games do, and in fact, I strongly believe that the unique charm and elegance of Hollow Earth Expedition draws upon the very fact that unlike those games it does the exact opposite and allows characters to begin their adventures as less than pulp super stars, and instead begin as the everyman. From these humble beginnings spring forth the most amazing of adventures, tales, and heroic deeds. When a character is not overly competent their victories mean that much more, they have that much more intensity, and they are that much more satisfying.
It means very little when a great man accomplishes a great thing, but when a normal man or woman, the every man (you or me or our cousin or whoever), accomplishes the same great thing it is that much greater for it. Also, from the humble beginnings comes the most interesting and exciting role playing moments. Success is the reward in itself, but in Hollow Earth Expedition failure can be just as rewarding as it makes the story that much more interesting, and of course when a character rises from the fdepths of failure and gains the pinnacle of success the climb was that much more exciting.
I have run a session or two of Hollow Earth Expedition, and I can honestly say that 15 points provide a well rounded character. I believe it can provide a player with a competent officer in the military. I don't believe that it will provide a character that will be able to single handily solve an entire groups worth of problems, but I do know that the character would be a major asset to any group.
Even the example of a competent military officer does leave one with the opinion, at least this someone, that the character is probably not a starting level character in any game. An officer, even one that is merely competent and not great, has to learn how to become competent. If the background you write states that the character has progressed to earn higher ranks, or has learned from his experiences then he should start at a higher point total.
Where you see a problem with Hollow Earth Expedition that these other games that you mention don't suffer from I see the exact opposite.Where you see a problem I see an opportunity that leads to more fun.
You're right:
Spirit of the Century, Adventure!, Savage Worlds, and Pulp HERO all start their characters out being much more competent than the Hollow Earth Expedition characters, but that doesn't stop Hollow Earth Expedition from being a game that drives characters to do the most amazing things, that drives a level of excitement rarely seen in RPGS these days, and it does it all while having less competent characters.
Less is more.