Narl

Is the direction for Moon Design all HQ?

Is releasing a version of RQ in the works?

I'd get that! I'd ask for a synopsis, but I see you can't hide from your players here...

I don't want to spoil anything, but the adventure Rich is working on really is a lot of fun. The basic premise is clever, yet familiar. I can't say anything else.

It will be a great adventure for any groups wanting to get started with R&R.

I'm glad to hear RuneQuest is out of Mongoose's hands. They always rubbed me wrong as a company anyway.

I also believe there are too many BRP systems out there. The last thing I want to see is one more with Wayfarer. I'd rather all the great supplements and settings out there just work with Chaosium BRP. All these different BRP rules sets just amount to a pile of house rules anyway.

No info, but I really hope it isn't just Basic Magic with a prettier cover.

Just to give standard humans a higher minimum and higher average for those particular stats. Other races or human variations may have different formulas for each stat.

For most games, unless you want to have very average characters, I'd recommend using the Higher Starting Characteristics option and roll 2D6+6 for all the stats.

Awesome! Congratulations!

Can you say a bit more about it? What power systems are spells included for? Magic? Sorcery?

There is a post with a good combat example here:

http://basicroleplaying.com/showthread.php/1687-How-Could-BRP-Be-More-Popular...?p=31516#post31516

I'll second the Classic Fantasy recommendation. I should have mentioned it in my initial reply. If you really want the D&D feel it is absolutely the way to go.

The nice mail lady just delivered my hard cover BRP rules. The book looks great and seems quite sturdy. The paper has a slight gloss finish that isn't shiny enough to be distracting.

I did a check for all the official errata from the wiki, and it is all included.

Nice work, Chaosium!

If you want to keep it simple, use the Skill Modifier in the armor table as a skill penalty if you are using Magic.

Any update on the release of Merrie England for BRP? I see Cubicle 7 has it on preorder for March. Is it shipping yet?

March 10th on Twitter:

Ab_Chaosium Chaosium

Still expecting two books to arrive "any day now" according to sources in Hayward: BRP Hardcover & Cthulhu Invictus Companion. - Dustin

My mom and I had a talk about how I couldn't possibly have an I.Q. of 150, despite what my aptitude and intelligence tests say.

Dredj, I think we should be discussing the real issue, which is why does your mom think you aren't as smart as the tests show?

Reading through the armor descriptions, in the helmets section on page 260 it says:

If a helmet is not worn, reduce the armor value by –1 for a light helmet, and –2 for a heavy helmet. If using a random value armor system, modify the range by -1 or -2 as appropriate.

Based on what I see elsewhere in the book, I believe this statement to be incorrect. In the creatures section, the dwarf, orc, and knight all have armor with helms listed, and the helms add to the base armor amount in all three cases.

I also noted the random armor values in the table seem very close to Stormbringer 5 random armor values without helms. I would think you would add the helm to those values.

Should this be added to the errata section of the wiki?

I agree with those who stated above that the last thing I want to see is new rules.

Though I don't generally run pre-made scenarios, I think they are a great way to provide that the intended feel of the setting is.

I see here:

http://www.chaosium.com/article.php?story_id=479

That the hardcover is 384 pages, while the softcover is 400. Wonder what is being left out? Maybe the reference stuff in the back?

One more try. Have you looked at Hackmaster Basic? It is no longer associated with D&D, and is quite serious as a contender. Believe it, the joke rpg status is over. It is essentially the same system (or a close cousin, in BRP terms as close as SB1 and SB5, perhaps) as Aces and Eights...you know, that prize winning Western rpg Kenzer did a few years ago? And which happens to be one of the prettiest rpgs out there as well as very, very playable?

It's not an issue of playability except in that HB is now as playable, but is also presented in a more attractive package which will be more aggressively marketed. And has the capability for being generic. And has a more dynamic combat mechanic with all the trimmings. I always thought the selling point of some rpgs being more generic and better able to handle multiple genres a bit spurious anyway. I think the end result for BRP is likely obscurity unless something changes. No matter how good a system it is.

Sticking one's head in the sand and pretending games like Advanced Hackmaster, C&C, and Shattered Empires don't exist won't change the continued decline for BRP. And the BGB is not the most attractive or approachable option on the shelf at my local gamestore even now.

That is all I have to say on the subject. If you still don't understand OK and 'meh'.

I've read HMB and really don't see it as a competitor to BRP. It is just too different from BRP to be compared to it. Though it isn't the parody HM4 was, it does still have a lot of silliness in the quirks, flaws, spell names, and the ties to KotDT. It is also at its core class and level based, which BRP abandoned over 30 years ago. And HMB is a D&D-type fantasy game as far as the genre and isn't at all generic. Not that I'm knocking it, I think it may be the best at what it does, I really like the rules, and I would want to play it at some point, but it isn't anything like BRP.

TrippyHippy had it right when he said that the comparable games to BRP are generic games like GURPS, Savage Worlds, Hero, and Fate. Each is going to have appeal to different sorts of gamers, and are more suited to particular genres. They are all quite different and I believe each has its own audience.

I like to create my own settings, and the BGB is wonderful for that. I've always loved all the various BRP games, and I'm glad that I have a toolkit that makes it easy to adapt it to my own settings, regardless of what genre. I don't see how that can be considered "spurious". I've found that even with games that are tied to a particular genre and not a setting, that the genre is so specific and defined it may as well be a setting.

I stopped by Chaosium last week and picked up a copy of CoFE.

Can you actually stop by their office and buy stuff? Or was that by special arrangement? I'm in California for business a few times a year and would be cool to stop by.

I hope to be ordering my copy of CoFE tomorrow.

Rich - You'll really like Madison and it is a great place to raise kids. Lots of gaming as well.

Mike - Thanks for the invite. I'll PM you after the holiday craziness is over!

I'm in Madison as well. I don't currently have a BRP group so let me know if you guys want to put something together.

Narl

Nick,

Really enjoyed issue #2.

Uncounted Worlds really does bring me back to the early RPG magazines/fanzines. No commercialization, lots of inspiration!

Thanks,

Narl

P.S. Just curious, why isn't the cover included with the PDF version?

Awesome that Chaosium is doing a hardcover!

I would love to see a GM screen as well.

I agree. I don't think of farming, hunting, fishing, or soldiering as crafts. I do think of brewing, knitting, or blacksmithing as crafts since they involve making something. Profession, trade, occupation, or even vocation would all work better than craft for a general skill term.

One minor point - Dodge (being a Physical skill) is penalized by armor, while parry (a Combat skill) is not. So a warrior wearing chain is going to have a -20% penalty to Dodge. If you use the Encumbrance rules, he will also be penalized 1% off Dodge for each point of ENC he is carrying, not including the armor. Probably another -5% off Dodge for a total of -25%.

Spotted Cow from New Glarus Brewery. Unfortunately for many of you, it is deliberately not sold outside Wisconsin!