New Edition of RuneQuest

[Glyfair]

Apologies for my over-simplification; I didn't mean to imply that AH was responsible for the changes, just using a shorthand way of saying "the AH version" i.e. RQ3.

FWIW several of the RQ3 style changes appeared in Chaosium's 'Stormbringer' too - variable increase in skills, not using multiples of 5% for skills, eliminate defence and introduce dodge etc. Didn't like those rules either

Honestly, I liked all the rules changes in RQ3 in theory. In practice, many of them had too much bookkeeping.

Fatigue was the ideal example of this. If you were loaded down, you tended to tire out very fast in a fight (how many swords are you carrying?). When you were tired, you were much less effective. Unfortunately, it was such a pain to keep track of, that no one I know actually ever used it.

I had sort of the same problem with Hero Wars (haven't looked at the Heroquest update). I liked it in concept. I absolutely love the character generation system (I'll list it as the best ever). However, in practice, it never worked quite well. Too little structure and tactics were in the system for my group (including a newer gamer who focused more on roleplaying).

 

[buzz]

Posted on the General RPG news page: http://www.enworld.org/index.php?page=rpg

I'm dumbfounded. Honestly. How did Mongoose manage to get the license?

Also, will the new game be set in Glorantha? I'd think Issaries, Inc. would be putting the kibbosh on that.

I guess I'd better email them.

 

[SWBaxter]

Also, will the new game be set in Glorantha? I'd think Issaries, Inc. would be putting the kibbosh on that.

Apparently Mongoose has a licensing deal with Issaries:

http://www.glorantha.com/news/ann_05_05.html

Looks like the new RQ will be set in Glorantha, but the exact era isn't set yet.

 

[buzz]

Word on RPG.net from Mr. Sprange is that there will be a core book and a setting book, and then additional settings forthcoming. The next one being contemplated is a "realistic" Arthurian setting.

Divorcing Glorantha from RQ is not the greatest idea, IMO, but I'm no professional.

 

[WayneLigon]

Apparently Mongoose has a licensing deal with Issaries:

http://www.glorantha.com/news/ann_05_05.html

Looks like the new RQ will be set in Glorantha, but the exact era isn't set yet.

Oh, that changes everything. Glorantha combined with an RQ ruleset would be very nice indeed. I've always liked Glorantha but i was never too keen on learning the Issaries system, so I never picked up any of the new stuff.

 

[radferth]

I was in a long-running RQ game in Madison before I had to leave town. IMHO, the d% system is a good one, and scales much better than d20 at low- to mid-levels. Alas, at higher levels (when attacks and parries go well over 100%) it breaks down in a very profound way (at least when I've seen it). If Mongoose is going to make a d20 Glorantha anologous to what is did for d20 Conan, I'm all for it and will pre-order. If they are just making a non-level, skill-based d20 fantasy, I don't care. Just get RQ and divide everything by 5.

 

[sniffles]

Hmm, interesting! I've been pining for RQ lately - our RQ GM went back to school and works nights, and pretty much dropped out of gaming the past couple of years. I've been playing a lot of D&D and enjoying it, but RQ was my first intro to RPGs and I'll always have a soft spot for it. I really enjoyed having a system in which I could use all my poly dice.

It's funny to see everyone comparing the different editions. Our former GM had every one, including a copy of the unpublished RQ4, and he used to cherry-pick what he preferred from each one. Unfortunately that made it hard for the players to keep track, and the GM often forgot which rules set he was using for each situation!

 

[buzz]

If Mongoose is going to make a d20 Glorantha anologous to what is did for d20 Conan, I'm all for it and will pre-order. If they are just making a non-level, skill-based d20 fantasy, I don't care. Just get RQ and divide everything by 5.

It's not going to be d20. It's basically BRP at the core, with some revisions. Sprange mentioned on RPG.net that the goal was to capture the feel of RQ2, iirc, but with some improvements to the system.

 

[Garnfellow]

Mike Mearls has an interesting take on this news in his blog: http://www.livejournal.com/users/mearls/105311.html

Like many of Mike's sibylline entries on the gaming industry, this one is rather cryptic -- it seems likely he has some concrete example in mind but is at pains not to name any names. If I have correctly interpreted the oracle's words, he sees the movement of Mongoose, a big d20 company, away from d20 (and toward an ancient RPG engine) as a sign of fundamental weakness in the marketplace, and an indicator of desperation and thus, serious problems on the horizon. Basically, if game companies were smarter they would use d20 more effectively rather than messing with alternate engines, which is an extreme inefficiency.

Keep in mind this is only my read of Mike's elliptic blog. I'm not sure I fully agree with either his thesis or conclusion

It's either that or RuneQuest's return is a HARBINGER OF DOOM !!!

DOOM!!!

 

[Voadam]

Mike Mearls has an interesting take on this news in his blog: http://www.livejournal.com/users/mearls/105311.html

Like many of Mike's sibylline entries on the gaming industry, this one is rather cryptic -- it seems likely he has some concrete example in mind but is at pains not to name any names. If I have correctly interpreted the oracle's words, he sees the movement of Mongoose, a big d20 company, away from d20 (and toward an ancient RPG engine) as a sign of fundamental weakness in the marketplace, and an indicator of desperation and thus, serious problems on the horizon. Basically, if game companies were smarter they would use d20 more effectively rather than messing with alternate engines, which is an extreme inefficiency.

Keep in mind this is only my read of Mike's elliptic blog. I'm not sure I fully agree with either his thesis or conclusion

It's either that or RuneQuest's return is a HARBINGER OF DOOM !!!

DOOM!!!

So if this goes forward one great system will fall.