NDCowdy

I'm personally partial to the idea of using Illusion magics as a way of achieving invisibility. In my own games I like to treat illusions more along the lines of messing with the viewers minds rather than actually creating a thing pretending to be another thing (this second way does allow some systems to allow illusions to cause physical damage). In this case the subject of an invisibility illusion isn't actually invisible but in the minds (in the minds of those who fail their tests at least) their senses are overruled and the subject is ignored and unseen. It's quite fun sometimes to have players who failed to see through such an illusion to have flashbacks or emerging memories of what was really behind an illusion later on.

I've just been having a ponder of this area again now my current game is coming to an end and am planning the next. And I finally got around to looking at MRQ1 SRD (I realise now that wasn't the version of RQ I'd played), it does actually have a variable movement in the varying number of combat actions based on DEX. If I've read it right, a basic human has a move of 4m and two actions meaning a maximum potential running movement of 16m (a character with ramped up DEX could manage 32m) every five seconds as opposed to the maximum running speed with OQ of 45m in the same time (free action 15m + run or charge of 30m) Olymipc 100m sprinter speeds which are impressive as potentially doable by someone armed and armoured bimbling around a dungeon, maybe with a Shoggoth behind them Seriously thinking of using, or at least using a version of the RQ combat action system. I'm guessing the extra depth adds some complexity to each round and players will almost certainly all end up with high DEX. But I think it will also be a simpler way of having some variation in speed between individuals and include actions as well as just distance covered. Will have to give some more thought, I love the simplicity of OQ, will love it even more if I can work out how best to use the combat system

I discovered OQ too late to get in on the backing OQ2 malarky, but having started to use the system in my current games I'm really looking forward to eventually seeing whats been tweaked. Wealth skill mentioned in the preview has me really thinking. Wondering whether it's just a version of CoC's credit rating, while hoping it's a well thought out abstract way of dealing with money, possessions and shopping.

Cheers for the feedback guys. Even this relatively small straw poll has shown that people are quite likely to treat rules like this in fairly different ways, using them in ways that fit their groups playing style. I'm thinking it will be better to offer an alternative rule for GM's/ groups to choose from rather than just a single altered one. My first crack at OpenQuest (a mid season Cthulhu Rising switch) we just scaled the measurements down, funnily enough like tzunder 3m to a space. The little pedant in my head still gets niggled by the idea of covering 15m in 5 sec (basically jogging) and still being able to shoot (or other actions) as well as if you were stood still (something I am not without experience of). I'd also have to disagree on peoples speeds not being much different. Even day to day negotiating of footpath traffic shows variation and I'm pretty sure an Olympic sprinter could move a tad faster than me. The real question though would be much more, does trying to represent such a difference make the game experience more interesting without slowing it down. My experimental rule has just seen it's forth session and is working well, for my group at least. Without any noticeable slowing down of play it's added some tactical choice of speed over accuracy. And in character development players are liking having an option to invest in making characters more mobile. The SR count down rule previously mentioned was something I thought sounded a great way of recreating taking time to cover space, potentially being a target at points and allowing enemies time to react to a charge, but I thought it was one of rules that fell into the trap of adding realism over keeping combat moving quickly.

Cheers Newt If I remember right BRP inherited almost the same rule, but made it an elastic measure, letting the GM decide what that distance was on the ground depending on playing style and situation. Showing my ignorance, I had to look up what MRQ1 was , I've played it just didn't recognise it shortened. Having played a lot of RPG's purley narratively and then in recent years playing in and running a few with mini's, I'm definatley an advocate of using miniatures. Everyone being able to see where various characters are, what cover is available, where they are going to be able to get to in a turn I find saves soo many questions and misunderstandings. Requires a touch more planning, but I' a glutton for punishment

Hi Guys, I wish to pick peoples brains over the movement rules & use of miniatures in OpenQuest. Given there is version 2 working its way out it might be an odd time to query the old rules, but I am currently using OpenQuest to run a game in the Cthulhu Rising setting and in the process of writing a conversion for a Western setting. I have a preference for using miniatures and floor-plans in encounters and found the core movement rules a little excessive in the amount of movement (15m) that was allowed in a 5 second combat round with no penalty to actions. I have also felt that having everyone on the exact same movement rate was a bit of an oversimplification. What are others experiences of this rule and do you use miniatures? I imagine these may not be an issue in a more narrative style of play were distances might be more abstract. I have been experimenting with having characters movement rates being a derived attribute currently based on DEX (1m/3) and Athletics (1m/20) (and a penalty if SIZ is greater than STR) so that movement speeds reflect physical differences. Most characters come out with a movement of 5 to 8. Then allowing each rounds action a move of; half with no penalty to tests, full with a -25 to tests or run up to double movement. I am conscious that one of the main charms of OQ is keeping things simple, but so far I have found this modification to add an extra dimension to characters & combat without slowing it down.

I too really like the idea of how the BRP improvement system functions, the idea that characters get better through actually using their skills. But in practice I actualy much prefer OpenQuests version. I find the players desire to get ticks in skills encourages skill rolls that might not really be needed and adds more rolling after quests, lots of dice rolls that arn't really that important to the game play. I also find it can really restrict players fom taking the path they really want to follow.