RuneQuest and Traveller

[Glyfair]

Gy questions for RuneQuest are about the same as Traveller. I did an ebay search and can't really locate any of the original versions I played in the 80's.

Here is RQ2, here is the 3rd edition update (the one put out by Avalon Hill) for a great price.

The Avalon Hill was an update, with some controversial changes that many ignored. Still, very few changes from RQ2 (the version you almost certainly played).

All of the books besides the rules have been reprinted recently in large collections. Each is between $50-$100, but has tons of information and new stuff in the collections. For example, Pavis and the Big Rubble are one book, all of the cults are in one book, etc. I had the main site for these, but am not sure where it is now. Steve Jackson's site has most of the readily available Glorantha stuff at the page I linked.

 

[Cardboard Carnage]

Thanks for the links... In looking over all of the info from you and previous posted, I can say almost certainly that I played RQ2 and the original Classic Traveller.

Right now, I am considering going with the new Mongoose versions and possibly picking up the original reprints.

D.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I would recommend the Mongoose Traveller - it feels like a nicely enriched version of classic traveller.

I wouldn't recommend Mongoose RQ though - they've made a number of changes to the mechanics in poor directions, and the books need major errata for contests between people with high skills and low skills! The supplements may be OK for information, but I've not looked at them.

I'd strongly recommend getting hold of the original RQ2 from ebay if you can. If you find you can't, then I'd recommend going for Chaosiums recently printed "Basic Role Playing" (not to be confused with the version from the early 80's - this is a thorough and detailed system based on RQ2 but extended for science fiction and superhero campaigning as well as fantasy campaigning.

Some other things that might be of some interest:

My campaign rules when I started running a RQ game set in the "Dark Sun" setting
Bookshelf - FRPG

My campaign rules when for our RQ2 campaigns
Bookshelf - FRPG

Cheers

 

[Achan hiArusa]

Additionally, Mongoose released the rules under the Open Game License. This means that any other company may produce material for the system (but not the setting). Other companies have already released star ships and book of additional careers. Reviews of such material have been overwhelmingly positive.

Thanks, downloaded and read. It has set the wheels turning.

 

[Cardboard Carnage]

Plane Sailing, thanks for the reply and info... I did read elsewhere that there was an issue with the Mongoose RuneQuest with skills hitting over 100% or something (not quite sure the deal since I haven't read any of the rules on it myself), you mentioned it needs some major errata, but did you mean it needs it (as in 'someone needs to do it'), or did you mean it like "there is a lot of errata you need to download and read to make it work?"

I'm just confused if it has been officially corrected/addressed by Mongoose, or if it is just a broken element of the rules that everyone just kind of avoids because it is either unfixable, or not easily fixable?

I'll check out your links as well!

Thanks,
D.

 

[RFisher]

Question for those of you who have purchased the reprints... what is the quality? Are they of a standard production quality or lower quality like cheap photocopies or something?

The quality is fine. (IIRC, Marc & his wife actually run a print shop as their day jobs.) The format is a bit unwieldy. (Binding on the short end.)

The reprints are great buy, though. Even adjusted for the cost of inflation, they’re still cheaper than the originals were. Much of it, I would think, could prove useful no matter what rules you went with. And MgT was aiming to be very close to cT.

 

[Cardboard Carnage]

Thanks for the reply and info RFisher, I assume the strange layout of the reprints is because the pages are printed next to eachother? Making the book longer than taller? I don't that would bother me too much...

I think I've decided to go with the new Mongoose version as the version we'll play, but purchase the reprinted "Classic" version that I remember playing in my teen years to have for reference and to bring back memories, give me ideas, etc.

With that being said, I have a few questions if you or anyone else can answer... Is there any benefit to having any of the books from the other editions? I am reading that there are MegaTraveller and GURPS and D20 editions out, whats the deal with them as far as having useful material? Are there any good adventures from any of these editions that would be worth getting to use as ideas on the new Mongoose version?

Thanks,
D.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

Plane Sailing already said it, but I'll weigh in with the same basic recommendations:

• Runequest 2, with the new BRP from Chaosium being a fallback position. (Avoid Mongoose RQ and AH RQ)
• Classic Traveller, with Mongoose Traveller being amazingly close

 

[RFisher]

Thanks for the reply and info RFisher, I assume the strange layout of the reprints is because the pages are printed next to eachother? Making the book longer than taller? I don't that would bother me too much...

Yep. Also, having a bunch of LBB in one BFB can make it harder to find the page you need quickly.

Is there any benefit to having any of the books from the other editions? I am reading that there are MegaTraveller and GURPS and D20 editions out, whats the deal with them as far as having useful material? Are there any good adventures from any of these editions that would be worth getting to use as ideas on the new Mongoose version?

Assuming that what works with cT works with MgT...

I have the MT core books & T20 main book. I never referenced them in the recent cT campaign.

But, I did use Personal Weapons of Charted Space published by the T20 company but dual-statted for cT & T20. I used a couple of the BITS books. (Which are intended to be edition-neutral through the BITS Task System.) I came very close to buying some of GT ship deck plans. The GT book on the Glisten system also looked useful.

So, there’s what I know...FWIW.

Has anyone pointed you to the Citizens of the Imperium forums yet? I found the cT forum useful when during my cT campaign.

 

[Cardboard Carnage]

Dang, I was holding out some good hope for the Mongoose RuneQuest, the PDF previews I saw looked pretty good. I am a bit bummed there is negative reactions to it because it seems like it is going to be kind of hard to track down the old versions of the game I used to play (the one before AH's version)... Is the AH version decent? I have seen a few of those items for sale and it may be an alternative.

I will check out the Citizens of the Imperium Forum, it looks like a place I could get some good info from.

D.