# Role-Playing Game Imitates The Dope
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/role-playing-game-imitates-the-dope/339206
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [January 9, 2006, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/role-playing-game-imitates-the-dope/339206 "2006-01-09T20:14:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2006, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/role-playing-game-imitates-the-dope/339206/1 "2006-01-09T20:14:04Z")
In the HERO System, the sourcebook _Dark Champions : The Animated Series_ - we meet a hero called ‘The Answer’ who is assisted in his crimefighting duties by the knowledgeable population of a messageboard dedicated to helping people find answers to whatever sort of questions they need to ask. Some of the prominent members are named, along with the posting styles and areas of expertise. This amused me greatly.
I wonder if Cecil owns a utility belt…
---
### Author:  [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2006, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/role-playing-game-imitates-the-dope/339206/2 "2006-01-10T01:45:43Z")
I’m curious, how does this work?
Posted January 9, 2006:
The Answer
Charter Member
There’s this crime wave in my city. All the robberies are proceeded by obscure riddles which reveal when the robberies takes place. Any ideas?
---
### Author:  [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/role-playing-game-imitates-the-dope/339206/3 "2006-01-10T02:15:23Z")
It’s not inconceivable. It’s the sort of in-joke I’d expect from Steve Long (the line developer), although Allen Thomas actually wrote that book.
Just for fun, though, I started a thread on the Hero Games discussion board [here](http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?p=936724#post936724), so we’ll see what turns up.
(with my luck there’ll be another, older thread that answered the same thing which my search-fu couldn’t elicit…)
---
### Author:  [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2006, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/role-playing-game-imitates-the-dope/339206/4 "2006-01-10T14:19:20Z")
> [@furryman](#):
>
> I’m curious, how does this work?
The backstory is that there’s the messageboard - dedicated to helping folks find answers in Hudson City, a fictional New Jersey metropolis. This fellow who would be the Answer came to town, and took notice of the messageboard. Occasionally, it was seeing people asking questions about things of a criminal nature… oh, for example, “I think I’m being stalked by the mafia. What should I do?”
The man got in touch with the messageboard administrators and established a relationship there - they send the crime-related questions and tips to him, and he uses them for research.
---
### Author:  [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2006, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/role-playing-game-imitates-the-dope/339206/5 "2006-01-10T14:35:19Z")
I wonder if there’s a membership fee?
---
### Author:  [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2006, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/role-playing-game-imitates-the-dope/339206/6 "2006-01-10T17:18:24Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#):
>
> I wonder if there’s a membership fee?
I wonder if there’s terribly inappropriate, nearly random advertising?