Heroquest program for solo playing

[Patroclus]

Hi to all! I have created a program for Hero Quest, for solo or party playing without the need of GM, with pre-made maps, map editor for new ones, and the capability to upload maps from friends. The program does not replace the need of the box and its components, because it is designed only to hide the unexplored parts of the map, the secret doors and the “events” from the players.
I have tested it and the feeling of exploration is awesome. I put my brother to create a simple map with some events and secret rooms. After that, he send me the file and I’ve upload it on my client. I placed the laptop on the table next to the board, I press “Play” and the first room with the stairs appeared. I placed everything on the board (the heroes, the stairs, and the first door). I roll the dices (physically) and when I’ve opened the door I press a click on the first square out of the door at client’s map to show me what I see. Fast and easy! And my brother’s adventure was very nice, with a lot of text on every event! ... But he overdoes it with the number of monsters and the amount of secret rooms.

How legal it is if I’ll try to make a small amount of money from it? (For the time I’ve spend on this project.)

ps: soz for my english

[gravaillon]

this soft already exists. It's called game master and it's free. So i don't think that you can't earn money for your program. Give it just for glory... You know, glory... Yes I know, it's sad, but life is cruel.

I'm very interested by your program, curious to see if it is better than the game master... If you could make it in free dowload, or just a demo if you think that you could earn money for this (but good luck my friend !)

[Ryno]

That sounds amazing, especially if you could develop it for iPhone/iPod touch/iPad - I think then you could make a little bit of money. But for computers it would be much harder to make money off of it. Perhaps you could let us beta test it and give you feedback to help improve?

[drathe]

If this was for Android phones, I'd certainly pay $5. Maybe even $10 if it's good enough.

[HeroQuestFrance]

There are around 5 free programs to play HQ + video games of the nineties.
2 are great, one from Holland and it exists since 1999 !
The other made by lurchbrick (3D iso) is coming with editor & more expansions.
None of them ask money since it's old boardgame and mainly a passion.
Anyway if you ask money it will be no.
A royal no from games workshop which never authorizes fan made things (even if the space hulk game was excellent few years ago ) using their copyrighted figurine design.
A royal no from Hasbro who owns the other part & exploitation licence of the brand name.
You'll win (may be) a court with the owner of HeroQuest name, the role playing game.

You will loose more than expected.

[Patroclus]

lol, I didn’t know about the Game Master program... But, I test it and it was nice and colorful, but I found two weaknesses. 1) It is complex and difficult to find monsters and items, 2) you have to move all the heroes and it is a waste of time to move them twice (in the program and on the board). In mine the visuals are like the original, with the original colors and I am also thinking to add a print to Printer function (for those who want to play as GM normally) so the output will be exactly as the original (it is very crucial for me to look like the original).

In my program the enemies does not have AI and the heroes does not showed in the client. This was my decision because I want to leave the true gameplay ON the board (home rules, etc) and not in the pc-screen. The computer is used only to show where to place the game pieces after entering a room, or a corridor, or for the searching of the secret doors. And the events are only text that could say “you hear a scream ‘kill them!’ and for now on every roll you should put 1D6 orcs at the room with the stairs”. The players are responsible to roll the dices and put the orcs, and not the computer... The players should also choose what the enemies will do and where to attack, because the program does not know where the heroes are. But I think it is ok if the attack is random by rolling 1D4 and reroll if someone has died.

For iPhone/iPod touch/iPad I could try it if I had one... :/ ... I’ve heard that if you want to develop a game for iPhone, etc, you should own one of these devices... But I’ve heard so many things for these devices that I am starting to thinking to buy one. Maybe the best option is a site on internet with silverlight, so everyone can play by phone (if he has wifi).

Yes drathe, I am thinking about that amount of money, not more... But as HQFrance says it is difficult to have a positive answer. I don’t know… Maybe it is a different thing to make copies of a game and sell them, and a very different thing to just create a map maker… I am not sure… Maybe if we had a lawyer in the community could say.

[gravaillon]

i'm agree with you dear patroclus. Moving heroes in game master is very boring. But it's essentials for the traps to say to computer where the heroes are. Monsters AI is very useful ! I like it... It's like having a real game master in the game. Your program seems to be very simple, so it will be hard to be payed for it (except if you can make it on I Phone station).

I have already made a program like you, who just say where the elements are on the map and also treasure and secret doors. I think that a program like that can not be sold. I understand you, easy money, and you have spend time on it, but just give your program to the community, it is very grateful too you know (being a part of giant heroquest fan made)

[Patroclus]

Well, it is not exactly as you said… It is worth a pay for sure. It is simple because I want it simple. I want it as a tool and not as a stand alone video game. Maybe I could put an option for battle if people really want it. But this is not the problem, the problem is that if I want to be legal I should contact Hasbro and Games Workshop. And as HQFrance says, it is very difficult to give me the OK (use the trademark, etc, etc). The question is that Mona Lisa can be printed on books, t-shirts, cups, etc, because no one could ask about the rights, it is part and belongs to the history. What about Hero Quest? It is 20 years now from its last publish… ???

[gravaillon]

normally it takes 5O years before a thing comes in public domain.
But you can cheat. Sell your product with another name (don't use Heroquest but Meroquest for example). Redraw every icon of the maps in different way... etc. If you do so as well as it can't look like the original game, you will not need any rights understand? But I know that you want your product look like the original and respect it, but you must do a choice...

It's the only way for not be soumitted to any copyright : 100% creation, that's mathematic

[drathe]

If it was on android, or iphone, you could utilize the touch screen and trace the route the heroes plan on moving, then the program could let them know about the first trap they may hit.