TrippyHippy

The thing is, to me, there are four main pillars of generic gaming - fantasy, sci-fi, supers and modern occult. If you look at all the major gaming titles ever made, most of them seem to fit into these categories - and BRP core should account for all of them. Having just fantasy and sci-fi catered for undermines the 'genericness' of the game in my view. I could see an argument for removing Sorcery, and leaving just Magic (although I much prefer the former system for modern occult settings in particular - or even just for dark fantasy), and as I said, I'd have prefered them to integrate Mutations into the Powers section. To be honest though, there is no hard and fast rule as to where you you draw the line. It was suggested in playtesting to combine all the powers systems into a single unified whole - but it was rejected outright in playtesting. It is also worth noting that the BRP Magic monograph contains all the old RQ3 magic systems - which are totally different to the core!

The cover is indeed awesome! The Vitruvian man idea was indeed inspired and it makes the whole book really eye catching and classy looking. Absolutely a cut above the covers of other generic systems on the market.

1st edition used a basic points-spend magic system, which is as near as dammit to the basic magic system found in RuneQuest (they even called it 'Battle Magic' IIRC). I'd just use all the systems as is, myself, plus some of those found in other settings and supplements - a decent Alchemy system can be found in Clockwork and Chivalry for example; there is a good system of summoning demons and elementals in Elric, and you could take Necromancy from the supplement of course. 2nd edition developed a much more colourful and interesting system based upon Colleges of Magic. That would be quite hard to replicate.

I think the term "Basic" can be referred to any way you want, really. I would note that the original Basic Roleplaying booklet in 1981 was a very simple set of rules though (more than the Quickstart). I still think that the Character generation in BRP Goldbrick is too convoluted however. It's not that I don't want the options there, it's more to do with how they formatted them - so that somebody who wants a basic game of basic doesn't have to plow through it all to get there.

This is true enough. My feeling is that having sorcery and superpowers are necessary in the game, to be able to represent genres like modern occult and supers respectively, although I would have combined the Mutations into a collective system with the Powers. The major issue of complexity, however, lies in the character generation. They really have thrown in way too many options and a number of them are pretty convoluted in themselves. Points Buy Chargen for example, is terrible. Not only does it make a mountain of balancing complications, when a simple "spend 100 points" would have sufficed, but it actually penalises those character types depending on POW, INT and DEX stats - mainly spellcasters. Similar issues are found in the Personality stats bonuses (a good idea - but confuses you when it says it's only available for high powered campaigns. Why? Do low level characters not have personality?), and the finickety balancing and adding of skills based on Characteristics, working out how many skill points to spend, etc. Now these are all optional, and I do recognise that they are there for the most point as reference to older, disparate versions of the system. However, when you pick up a more focussed version of the game -like RuneQuest II, they come across like a breath of fresh air. It IS supposed to be a 'Basic' game, and you kinda feel that they should have made a default chargen system - a teeny bit more complex than the Quickplay - and then had everything else put in as sidebars. I actually think that the approach they used in The Laundry was excellent, myself. I wish this was the default chargen system for BRP and Cthulhu. That's my tuppenny's worth though. Oh, and combat has too many options too. EDIT: All that said, I do recognise that the current BRP is still a spendid package, not least for educating people on the history of BRP games, and the current edition won't be getting a revamp for a very long time.

Having read through the previews and quick plays of Hackmaster, to be honest, I don't really rate it all that highly as a product. I regard BRP as having better production standards. Sorry. I do like Castles and Crusades as a product, and would probably turn to that for a pure D&Desque experience (or maybe just for more action-orientated, rules lite play), rather than BRP, in the same way I might choose Traveller for sci-fi games. But I still couldn't/wouldn't use it for, say, modern espionage, or near future or historical realism campaigns. BRP would still be my choice for that sort of thing. Beyond that. I flatly refute this idea that BRP is in decline under the influence of games such as those highlighted above. There has been a lot of discussion as to why the game is not more popular here, but it's actually doing OK, considering the economic climate all companies exist in, and it is continuing to expand solidly enough. I mean, if we were talking about the impact of a really popular 'new' game like Pathfinder, that would worth considering, but Hackmaster ain't that.

Experience has shown me that the notion of what gamers find to be a 'playable system' is a purely subjective phenomena. I think it is safe to say that enough people find BRP playable enough. The comparisons you make with Kenzer's Hackmaster and the like are slightly off base as they aren't really comparable products. You could make a comparison if you wanted BRP solely as a retro AD&D substitute (a la Classic Fantasy), but it caters for so much more than this. In reality, the comparisons BRP should always be making with are the Generic Systems - HERO, GURPS and now Savage Worlds and FATE. D20 is broadly dead as a unifying system now. BRP's main selling points above these titles are that it is an 'original' (i.e it was the first universal, generic system), and that it's comparatively simple or straigtforward. A lot of gamers are familiar with it - especially through the association with Call of Cthulhu. You could argue that certain aspects of the system could be polished or modernised - although you could point to The Laundry as a title that does that, and maybe even RQII even though they aren't brand linked anymore. For me, the major issue is still about exposure and 'shelfspace' to supplements and gamegroups. The major problem is that the RPG hobby as a whole is struggling and changing right now, and creating a climate that is difficult for every game business to make progress in.

I would love to pick up a hardcover BRP. My only concern is where from though. I'm just concerned about all the hoo-ha Chaosium had about their online ordering system being vunerable, after I purchased the hardback Masks of Nyarlathotep. I dind't have anything taken from my account (so far), but it's a real concern. As it was, a hardback BRP would be an auto-purchase. I would also wait and see if they did a new edition of Call of Cthulhu towards the end of the year (they may surprise us) - but again, how can I order things securely?

Any more news on this? I'm curious as I was thinking of upping the power levels in a Call of Cthulhu game the other day to create a supers setting very much of the tone of the Watchmen comic. Is this the sort of thing you are reaching for?

For those interested in adapting a more freeform approach to magic(k) in BRP, akin to Mage's sphere system - would it be possible to get hold of the progenitor game system? Maelstrom (the 1984 Puffin book one). That clever little 16th century, swashbuckling game, which Mage got it's basic magic system from, is essentially a very similar percentile-based system at it's core. The setting's pretty good too, and it has been out of print for ages. I reckon it would make a great adaptation for either RQ or BRP.

I only allow two skills to be used: Make Sandwiches with soft cheese and cucumber slices. Do Anything (apart from making sandwiches with soft cheese and cucumber slices). It serves me well.

I would absolutely welcome a freeform magic system, and possibly even setting, like Mage: the Ascension, (or maybe Nobilis). I miss consensual reality as a game concept, and I miss the ability to create your own magical style in a game. Ars Magica's Verb and Noun/Spontaneous casting ideas could also be used too. It could be done with percentile Spheres - although the debate would be how do you categories 'reality'. Personally, I would possibly use effects: Space Death Forces Life Matter Mind Prime Spirit Time Mage the Awakening also has Fate, although I'd condense it to go with Time. The levels of effects could be graded by levels <15% <35%, <50%, <70%, <90% or something, which new effects/understanding dealt out at each level. While an overall Arete (or whatever), that can't be higher than the lowest Sphere rating used in the effect, could be rolled against to achieve the success. Critical failures (or failed matching dice) could lead to a Paradox. Actually, you could do an entire make over of the Mage game in BRP and I'd be very happy.

Cthulhu Rising is more Earth-based Transhumanist sci-fi than 'Aliens meets Cthulhu' (which is vaguely a conflict of terms, as both are 'aliens'). Once Men is more 'Cthulhu in space'. However, I'm more interested in a sci-fi setting that's it's own beast, rather than a CoC supplement.

Well, I'm not sure what level of discussion they have had on the matter with fans or otherwise - but flatly, I can't see the point of putting out another edition unless it's designed to appeal to a particular market. Lets face it, the last two editions were not commercial successes. If they publish a new version with a ready-made market established by a particular system - it's more likely to sell in my view. Beyond that, I think it would a missed opportunity for purely gaming reasons.

Both are owned by RedBrick, a New Zealand based company, that is currently publishing the new edition of EarthDawn with Mongoose. They are in partnership through the Rebellion group with both Mongoose and Cubicle 7 (just like Alephtar games are). They have mooted that both Fading Suns and Blue Planet will get new editions at some time. In my view, neither setting is especially married to their respective systems (Fading Suns is a pretty generic d20 roll under, and has been converted to D20 in the past; Blue Planet 1st edition originally had a percentile system, and has had three different systems in total - including GURPS). The real issue is whether Red Brick sees a potential market being bigger if they associate themselves with a game system like BRP. In my view, Blue Planet (which never really sold well on it's own, despite critical success) would definitely benefit. Actually, the more I think about it Blue Planet would make the perfect BRP sci-fi setting. Cerebral, detailed, a backstory with something to say, and with a rich immersionist setting that doesn't require heavy themed mechanics, but needs them to scale well. That's precisely what BRP offers. In fact, that is a marriage made in heaven! Who can we write to about it?

I think the major problem in determining a sci-fi setting for BRP is simply in the narrowing down of which one to choose - and which would be successful. Wistful thinking about setting it in the 'Worlds of Phillip K. Dick', as a similar cult novelist to the status of H.P. Lovecraft, are neutered somewhat by the vast diversity of his settings by comparison to the Arkham-centred worlds of the latter author. Of course we could argue that Call of Cthulhu itself is a sort of sci-fi setting, but most fans now regard it as purely of the horror genre, albeit flexible to all sorts of settings and eras. I don't necessarily think the game needs to be from a licensed setting per se, in the same way that Glorantha wasn't (originally, anyway). However, in this case, the only in-game settings that really would fit the bill would include things like WH40K or even Traveller's Imperium. Indeed, GURPS had a lot of success with it's version of Traveller (even though the rules gave it a different style of gameplay). Maybe there could be a BRP version of The Imperium too. On the other hand, I doubt that Mongoose would be likely to license that setting to anyone now (having worked so hard to get it). Doesn't even bare thinking about 40K.... So, I dunno - what about BRP Fading Suns or BRP Blue Planet?

Y'all know BRP. Famous for being the first commercial attempt at being a 'generic, universal' system. Established in 'classic' RPGs - RuneQuest, Call of Cthulhu, and to an extent Stormbringer too. Influenced many other games, especially Pendragon. Yet it never really put together a 'classic' sci-fi setting, that sticks in gamer memory. Why is this? I mean, I do know that there was a Ringworld adaptation, while some other sci-fi games appear to have used similar systems towards their designs over the years (Paranoia used a percentile based system originally, and I'm sure that there has been a percentile based Star Trek game along the line). I'm also aware that there are some sci-fi settings being written now, as well as Cthulhu scenarios. You could also argue that the W40KRP games are distant relatives of BRP too. Yet no real successful, or 'official' high profile BRP sci-fi game. I'm not complaining, as such. I have Traveller which tends to account for most of my needs - but it always seemed such an obvious omission in Chaosium's stable - with RQ and CoC counting as fairly archetypal, but distinctive games in the fantasy and horror genres respectively, why nothing for sci-fi? Should game companies seek to do anything about it now? What high profile licensed sci-fi setting would make an excellent BRP game, that manages to draw the best from it's qualities in the same manner that RQ and CoC do?

Actually, for RQ2, this isn't entirely true anymore. Unimportant NPCs can use total HP now, in order to speed up combat.

There is a substantial change between 5th and 5.5 editions in terms of the Mental Illness chapter, which was largely re-written by Bruce Ballon (a qualified psychiatrist), and moved away from unauthentic phobia based illnesses, and towards a more rounded discussion of the topic. There is also the inclusion of the entire Call of Cthulhu story, and Magic has a more elaborate introduction in terms of describing what it is. The rule changes were minor (1% starting skills, and some alteration of skill lists, etc), while some essays were added, and others removed to appear in other books. The differences between 5.5 and 6th editions, however, are purely in terms of graphical layout. The text is identical, for the most part.

Nice preview. Heh, 'Black' Jack Davy as a NPC. I like Steeleye Span too! Can we expect to see Long Lankin and Alison Gross as characters too!

You can subcategorise as much as you want to, but I regard sci-fi as a subcategory of fantasy anyway - just one with more modern or futuristic tropes. The extent that science is 'hard' or not is really a matter of individual style, and how far detached from reality the fantasy is. If somebody does a historical fantasy that roots itself very firmly in the real world then I'd view that view that as being 'hard' in the same way that a futuristic genre might strictly stick to real world physics. Various subgenres are over stated in their differences anyway - Cyberpunk tropes have been used in Space Opera for years now. So have Mecha and a multitude of other things too. Sometimes it's useful to categorise, and sometimes it isn't. Marketing makes good use of it, and sometimes it's nice to establish certain themes (like Fate vs Determinism in Time Travel stories, for example). For the record, I'd subdivide Fantasy and Sci Fi into these groups: High Fantasy - an entirely made up setting (like Middle Earth, Glorantha, etc) Low Fantasy - a setting more or less based upon a real world historical setting, with fantastic elements (eg Mythic Europe, Legendary Britain) Modern Fantasy - a setting more or less based on the world today, but with fantastic or frequently occultish elements (Harry Potter, Nephilim, Call of Cthulhu, Dracula) Time Travel - including alternate realities and dimension hopping (Dr. Who, The Terminator, Back to the Future, Moorecock's Multiverse in completeness) Dystopian Sci-Fi - Usually, but not always, near-future settings, involving dark satirical commentary on the world around us (Paranoia, Cyberpunk, 1984, Brave New World, Dawn of the Dead, Mad Max) Space Opera - Usually up-beat space faring adventures with varying degrees of detail, and a kitchen sink approach to including ideas from any source (Star Wars, Star Trek, Dune, Firefly).

I find Traveller chargen to be a breeze myself, but it's an altogether different type of process to BRP. Aside from the random element in characteristic rolls, BRP is for the most part about distributing points over selected skills. This can take as long as you want depending on how finickity you are.

I saw it again last weekend - in 3D this time. I have to say, I just got bored, and left halfway through. I found Sherlock Holmes much more entertaining.

I enjoyed having my back waxed more than I enjoyed Titanic. It didn't last as long....

The best version of BRP is the Pendragon rules - unless you wish to play in any genre other than Arthurian Romance, where you all play knights! :thumb: This is really the difference, though, between BRP and most of it's other incarnations: BRP is a broad church of ideas, collected over decades of games and brought into one place. Other specific games are more focused on a particular game style. This includes MRQ, which I agree definitely needed redevelopment after plenty of mistakes were made in the 1st edition. MRQ2 looks to have made some decent adjustments, according to the previews, but it's major advantages are basically that it's streamlined the design choices for the gamestyle it seeks. Character generation uses cultural/professional packages to build templated characters, the skill system is more integrated with the characteristics, the combat system is more cinematic and tactical in application by default, and it has different set of magic/power systems in operation. It also uses stuff like Hero Points, legendary abilities and combat maneuvers. To a degree, most of these things could be done with BRP too, but are only provided as options, meaning you have to sort out what you want or don't want in your own games. This can be a liberation for some, but a hassle for others.