TrippyHippy

It's a surprise to me that Chaosium are choosing to do their next BRP booklet based on the RQ6 rules. It seems like more effort on their part. If they do it based on RQ6 rules, in 32 pages, I'd imagine that there will be no room for any of the magic systems. Hit locations and Combat Manoeuvers may take up too much space so they might resort to total HP and straight forward attacks only. The method of calculating base Skill Stats based on combining Characteristic scores may be simplified a bit for newbies who want to save time not having to calculate much. They may alter the skill list a bit to account for different genres, and possibly do away with Advanced skills as a stipulation. Y know, at a Basic level, there might not be much difference between RQ rules and BRP....

My feeling is, currently, that the games will flourish if each of them has a clear direction and people can just settle into long term support (or not as is their choice). Having RuneQuest re-married to the Glorantha setting makes absolute sense, considering it's history....but that aspect has been confused since, well RuneQuest 3 back in the 80s and it's use as a generic ruleset since. Having BRP return as a simple booklet that acts as a gatekeeper to any number of settings and supplements, in the spirit of Worlds of Wonder, makes absolute sense....but that aspect has been confused over the various spins of BRP-esque systems out there that don't necessarily correspond to that exact ruleset and whose licensing arrangements go in and out of favour. The trouble is that there has been a lot of confusion in the past few years over the whole direction of Chaosium and ex-Chaosium games. This is why people are confused going into the future too. Really what all these lines need is some stability. That is what will bring confidence back to the Chaosium customer.

Thanks to those comments by Rick and Loz, my feelings about BRP's future are reassured. If I could just find out how they intend to move forward with RuneQuest, post the Chaosium edition but also in relation to my current RQ6 materials (and the stuff still to arrive over the next year) then I'd be assured for that too. I know the system is essentially unchanged, but the magic will be more specific to Glorantha and the whole layout design and content remain a mystery, as does how Loz and Pete will be employed in the future to create Gloranthan and non-Glorathan supplements. One of my big hopes for RQ6 was a series of Mythic Historic books, like Mythic Britain or Mythic Greece. I wish I knew whether that is on or off the cards now. That said, I just bought a POD of King Arthur Pendragon 5.1 edition and The Great Pendragon Campaign (having sold on my original copies before emigrating about 8 years ago, much to my regret since). I then went on to the Nocturnal forum only to find that they're now considering a 6th Edition Pendragon. I'm a sap.

Considering the announcement of the BRP Essentials book came from the same press release that discussed the moving forward of BRP as a line into the future, I find it strange that people doubt it will be based on BRP. However, it would be nice if it was streamlined to the degree that Magic World was, and maybe have linked conversion notes to both RQ and CoC.

Seems like a lot of work for whoever to get it done though, and it still wouldn't be directly compatible with their biggest branded game: Call of Cthulhu. My feeling is that a more likely scenario is that they've simply lifted the name 'Essentials', but it's more likely to be the current BRP Quickstart with a new cover and layout. Do note that the suggestion we previously had is to open up the entire BRP back catalogue on pdf/pod - including the BRP Gold book. As such, they'll be wanting to keep something with the moniker 'BRP' compatible with all of that stuff. If they incorporate RQ6 stuff, or CoC7E stuff for that matter, it will be a bonus. However, I see it more of an inexpensive nod to BRP players to see the system stay in print somehow.

It's probably worth noting that the current RuneQuest Essentials is about 200 pages, so a BRP Essentials at 32 pages is hardly going to be a reprint. Moreover, I can't see how it would include all the combat manoeuvres and things like hit locations, let alone the RQ magic systems, so it's unlikely to be the same.

I actually see this as positive news. The BRP Gold Book will still be available for those who want it on POD, and there is continuation of a sort with the BRP Essentials book. I agree that Basic Role Playing should be simple, so 32 pages looks about right to me - although it will be little more than the Quick Play booklet we already have (maybe with less adventures in it, and a basic magic system or the like). It's good to see Mythic Iceland getting attention as it really is a gem, but I'd also like to see how it connects to the Call of Cthulhu line as it's also mentioned in Cthulhu Through the Ages as a proposed historical background. I actually thought a new edition was going to go wholeheartedly as a CoC supplement. Moreover, how will the new BRP Essentials account for rule changes in Call of Cthulhu 7E? The final mystery, for me, is what is happening with RuneQuest? Over on The Design Mechanism site, Loz seems adamant that the rules of RQ6 aren't changing and under no circumstances should we describe the new Chaosium RuneQuest as a 7th e......ahem..... But in the snippets we've had, the book looks like it is going to be more concise possibly (was 350 pages mooted by someone?), will be a Gloranthan based game, and will accordingly have more specific systems for magic (Sorcery especially). If it's anything like HeroQuest: Glorantha, then it will primarily serve as an introduction to Glorantha to be used in tandem with the Guide to Glorantha set. Jeff Richard is certainly involved. Is this book also meant to be the basis for hanging other settings on, or is that now going to be the remit of BRP Essentials instead now? If so, again, how will BRP Essentials account for the differences in the respective systems to be backwards compatible with things like Mythic Britain or Luther Arkwright? If the system for Mysticism (martial arts) is cut from RuneQuest, which seems a distinct possibility, then where else will it end up? Mythic Constantinople was one book I had a lot of excited anticipation for - but where does it stand now? Will we ever see a Mythic Greece title by Pete Nash? All questions I'd like to know the answer to. In the meantime, if any publisher out there is hoping to present a game setting based on BRP/RQ rules I strongly recommend that they make these games self contained with their own full rules included from now on. It would cut out a lot of the uncertainty. If BRP Essentials can be boiled down to 32 pages, why can't it just be inserted as an appendix into each applicable supplement?

John Snead is a pretty good writer for this sort of thing, and it should chime in well with his Enlightened Magic supplement too. I do see the connection with Shadowrun, but my immediate connection was with Vampire: The Masquerade - albeit with the True Blood conceit of vampires being ‘outed’ in society at large. It could make for a great dark urban fantasy campaign. For me, I’m going to hold out for PDF releases, however. With all the recent announcements made by Chaosium/Moon Design/Design Mechanism about the futures of BRP/RQ I’m in a bit of a spin. So I’m generally putting a freeze on all physical purchases till I know how each line is going to be approached in the future.

Well, I did say it’s too soon to tell, but if they are limiting the page count to 320pp then it’s hard to see how they wouldn’t be editing it in some manner unless they do something like a coffee table book. Note that HeroQuest Glorantha has a similar interior design to GtG, but it still reverts to a two column layout.

Having a more concise introduction to Glorantha - and the RuneQuest rules - might not be a bad thing. The Heroquest Glorantha book is only 260 pages long, although it’s system is not as space consuming as the RuneQuest set. The layout also incorporates more (full colour) art, that is of the same ilk as the Guides to Glorantha. I hope a future RuneQuest game looks as good. With regards to editing down, it may just be a case of being more specific to the setting - having a Gloranthan bestiary and examples of play. Less advice for campaign and world creation, and instead more specific detail about Gloranthan cultures. The major issues would be fitting in all five magic systems, should they choose to do so, as well as the changes they will make to them (Gloranthan Sorcery is meant to be a modified freeform system, for example). With all these things, however, it is too soon to tell.

My gut feeling is that the emergence of RuneQuest (7!) as a Glorantha game, allows for the option of a new BRP game. Ben did mention in passing, somewhere, that he was looking into creating a more stripped down BRP core rulebook - which wouldn’t be dissimilar to the RuneQuest Essentials book in effect. It is worth noting that both CoC and RQ are not really the same ruleset as BRP anymore, though related. So creating a ‘generic game’ niche set aside for just BRP might be a direction they are considering. To do that, they would need to quash the confusion of having RQ6 doing the same sort of thing. That said, they also said that BRP wasn’t a priority currently too. The major jist of all of this is that CoC and Glorantha are the major IPs and everything else is secondary.

With respect, the post I responded to had been making what amounted to personal attacks on Moon Design, Robin Laws, Greg Stafford and others. Saying ‘whiney’ was probably not the best choice of language, admittedly. However, nobody has really addressed my core question about what is it that Moon Design have done to Glorantha that makes people feel it isn’t the same as the Glorantha as old?

You weren’t clear on how Glorantha has changed under Moon Design? EDIT: And I apologise if you took offence. My feelings are that it’s still quite a lot of melodrama based upon, what is currently just a load of speculation as it stands though. Just keep playing the games you like, and lets see how things pan out is my view. There isn’t anything in this announcement that stops anybody from doing that.

People are entitled to their views, and certainly their tastes, but the last post just strikes me as incredibly whiney. RQ6 doesn’t have to be crunchy at all - the fundamentals of the game run on the same core engine as BRP ever did. There is a tactical element in the combat, and some development in other subsystems, but it’s just a straightforward % system when it comes down to it. Perhaps some of the mooted upcoming supplements, like Classic Fantasy will put a different emphasis on the rules presented. I don’t play HQ either, and was also underwhelmed by the 7E Call of Cthulhu rules development. I also know that some of the people involved in creating RQ and CoC in the first place feel the same way too, but there are still alternatives that exist. With regards to BRP, they haven’t said they are dropping it, merely that it isn’t a priority because of comparatively weak sales. There is some strategic thinking that needs to be done around how to manage all these disparate versions of BRP that exist currently as there has been a degree of pointless fragmentation if we are honest, when all a lot of us really want is just one commonly shared language for all our RPGs. With new management, now is the time to start sorting this out. I didn’t play in Glorantha back in the day, and for the most part my experience lies solely with what I have experienced from the Moon Design team. That said, they are officially endorsed by Greg Stafford for their work and from all accounts are huge fans of the setting from the beginning too. I don’t know what you are referring to when you suggest that they are presenting a different world. Specifically, what is different?

I prefer one sheet, with a visual layout that encourages the eyes towards key information at the game table. In the case of BRP, having a full list of the available skills is useful at character generation, while the Characteristics ought to have space for multiplied values. The rest of the detail depends upon the options taken or needed for each respective genre. That is tricky of course.

Actually, RuneQuest is technically the mother of BRP……. Personally, I think they should merge the different sub forums - to consolidate the subject discussion a little bit. There isn’t enough traffic currently for a number of sub-forums and to be frank, much of the differences between game lines is more to do with branding rather than non-compatability.

I was having a quick browse on the Chaosium catalogue, when I noticed a BRP banner featuring various supplements like Blood Tide, Mythic Iceland and Enlightened Magic…..and another title I hadn’t seen before: "After the Vampire Wars” http://www.chaosium.com/basic-roleplaying/ (scroll to the bottom to see the advert banner) The picture looked like a gothic urban fantasy of some type…..anybody got a clue about this as a potential upcoming release?

Renaissance not deluxe is free of course: http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/97426/Renaissance--D100-black-powder-SRD?term=Renaissance Clockwork & Cthulhu and Dark Streets are really well done Cthulhu supplements, including some very atmospheric illustrations in their respective bestiaries. There is also the, as of yet, unreleased but successfully Kickstarted Raiders of R’lyeh RPG. This is set in the 1910s, as a standalone game that also is based upon the OpenQuest system.

Yes - to a degree. Sometimes you don’t go into a horror game with an intent that it’ll be funny in play, but there is a fine line between horror and comedy a lot of the time - a point which these films exploit well.

The comedy genre is well represented: The Bride of Frankenstein, The Evil Dead (especially Evil Dead II), American Werewolf in London, Shawn of the Dead, Gremlins.....

Oh, I dunno. Type it all out, do a quick spell check and then send it to the printers…….how hard can it be!!! …OK, I’ll just get my coat….

Roughly then…… how ’bout tomorrow?

It would not take much to convert it to RQ6 as it stands. POD from Drivethrurpg might be a viable way to go to.

These are my thoughts regarding 7E as it stands (as a play test draft before editing at least) i may end up posting this on the Chaosium site (as I’ve been invited to). My ideal Call of Cthulhu would have an unobtrusive system that was basically tidy in play, without drawing attention to itself. The core mechanic would be ‘roll high for success, below the skill score’ which would resolve contested rolls. Criticals would be based on matching dice (00, 11, 22, etc) below or above the skill score (with fumbles being over) and maybe having ’00’ being low rather than high to keep the maths balanced. I’d have less, more consolidated skills and some sort of link between Characteristics and Skills, along with Characteristics being translated in % scores as necessary. The game would remain as backwards comparable in terms of character profile as possible however. I’d disassociate Sanity with Power, and provide a mechanism for spending Magic or Power points as some sort of luck/fate mechanic if necessary. I’m not dogmatic in these wishes, and would quite happily accommodate different approaches within the game. That said, I find much of the rules approach taken in this edition to be quite heavy handed. ‘Pushing the roll’ is fine by me, although the bonus/penalty dice is more clunky than the application used in D&D5e which bears some similarity. Having a ‘tri-stat’ notation for every skill and characteristic seems like an over proliferation of data to myself, and the provision of a table to help work these things out along with an automatic ‘x5%’ conversion for all these stats, tends to belie any notion that the game is simplified in any practical way. Indeed, it’s really just become a more complicated system overall. I’m honestly not that interested in the new Chase rules (an entire chapter!) particularly, while the rational for the provision of this set of rules (along with a full combat chapter for the first time) tends to give away the perspective of the game that has driven all these changes: the game designers feel that CoC needs more support to be an action game. It’s an irritant to me, therefore, that this new material has been included at the expense of less ‘gamey’ content like Lovecraft’s original eponymous story and the ‘De Rerum Supernatura’ chapter. In short, less cerebral atmospherics and more action rules. I appreciate the art and the full colour presentation, and note that this is still the same game as previous editions (at a fundamental level). However, the rules revision itself is a bit mediocre, unfortunately, for me.

For me, the major flavour thing with running Stormbringer, Elric et al, was that the stories were epic and doomed. One of my earliest experiences of roleplaying was when our group switched from D&D to Stormbringer after we had bought it for some variation, and mainly because of the artwork (this was the GW 1986 edition - which had a stunning cover). The system and play were all straightforward enough - but I was disappointed with my GMs adventure - which was a ho-hum D&Desque dungeon bash without much narrative drive. So I told him, and he got a bit annoyed with the criticism. For the next session, he had prepared a much more detailed and dangerous campaign - elaborated on from one of the scenarios in the corebook. Everybody died, or got mutated or had some other horrible fate. He thought it would serve as a good lesson to us all, and we should be careful what we wished for. Little did he know, I thought it was the best adventure he had ever run and loved it! You don’t need to have happy endings to have a good time, and in my view the anti-hero aspects of the Elric saga are a good example of it.