Mankcam

Heh heh Now I see that, I can't unsee it! lol

I take your point regarding GURPS, heh heh

I spluttered so much I almost dropped my evening coffee when I read this, heh heh lol

The review that MOB originally posted has some pretty good praise for BRP, and great to see that the review came from Ken Hite, who is well known for his creativity in the rpg industry. (As an aside, I always though his gritty 'Fallout-style' setting 'The Day After Ragnarok' was much more suited to BRP than it was for HERO System, Savage Worlds and FATE). That article really makes you want to grab the BGB off the shelf and start converting your favourite setting straight away. Pretty much what I was doing for years with a collection of house rules that I had scrapped together from my various Chaosium rule sets. It was great to see it all collected again under one cover. I had missed the earlier boxed sets of the generic BRP rules, so I was quite happy when the BGB was released. Ken Hite's review was right on the money for me. I don't think the notion of a generic BRP rule set should be a perpetually pending project. Once the dust settles on the RQG releases, then a revamp of a generic rule set could be a good thing, as there are quite a few generic rules about at present, and they are on the rise. Off hand I can think of titles like Savage Worlds, GURPS, Cortex, Hero System, Fuzion, OpenD6, Masterbook, Unisystem, Cypher System, and FATE Core. I keep coming across new ones all the time, such as Other Worlds, Insight, Entropic Gaming System, and Genesys. Revolution D100 is a great game, I'm really happy with those rules. However it makes sense for Chaosium to jump back on the bandwagon again at some stage, as there is always an appeal in a generic rule set. I think the BGB should remain in pdf and PoD, but a refreshed Chaosium generic rule set could be a good thing. Not such a warts-and-all collection of various rule sets like the BGB, but something with a little more internal consistency. I think something that's more or less compatible with CoC 7E would be the logical step, for the sake of consistency. It's also less fiddily than classic RQ, which is probably the way to go for a generic set, leaving RQ as its own system specifically tailored for Glorantha. Probably time to rename it something other than BRP. Even the old boxed set called 'Worlds of Wonder' was a more evocative title for generic rules than the very functional title of 'Basic Roleplaying'. (which, by today's standards, is far from 'basic', being a medium-crunch ruleset). Perhaps just calling it 'The Chaosium Roleplaying System' would be more appropriate now, and 'CRP' works just as well as 'BRP' for shorthand. Anyway, just my thoughts on it all...

Well its such an easy convert from 6E to 7E that it'ld be a moot point with most experienced GMs. However I agree that it would be handy to have a collection of classic scenarios in one or two volumes, with some new art and 7E stats. Great for GMs who enter the fray from here on. I expect it's low on the priorities

One of the posts did actually say that MoN was due later this year. However Ab Chaos #54 has the most up-do-date info on it, and I don't think there is any date provided there as to when MoN will be released. I'm thinking it will be more likely next year, given the pretty hectic release schedule. In any case all this is great news!

I love the guy pointing. It's a bit like that Stormtrooper's classic line in Star Wars A New Hope: " Look sir, Droids!"

Yeah at the end of the day I guess it's all pretty much more or less the same at the gaming table, all BRP is reasonably compatible. I have retrapped many Stormbringer scenarios for RQ over the years, and it all ran well. I guess none of it is a big deal for me, as for Glorantha I have been using a BRP hybrid rules for years, pretty much a RQ2/RQ3/BGB/RQ6 mix that seems to have worked well I'm quite eager to port to the RQG mechanics if it does the trick, but if not then I'll just keep my old house rules in play. Either that, or just throw it all into OQ for the sake of simplicity

In my BRP house rules, once a skill is higher than 50%, I only award Skill Checks if they roll a Difficult success (half their score). Once a skill is higher than 70% then they need to roll a Special Success to get a Skill Check. Criticals Success always grant a Skill Check, and as a bonus a Crit provides 1D8% gain instead of the usual 1D6% gain. Additionally, only for skills under 50%, if a character fails in a skill, but it's a close call (within 5% of the skill score), then I award the chance for a Skill Check, although its only a 1D3% gain. This may all sound complex, but its quite simple at the gaming table, and it does allow some reward learning through failure for novices. I allocate Skill Checks pretty much the same way in all my BRP games and settings, I havd found that it works quite well.

I just wish there was some consistency with the current BRP rule sets, I think it makes sense that some rule mechanics could have been similar to CoC 7E; that way my players only have to learn one core system. On the other hand, I can see the benefits of RQG having back compatbility with the RQ2 stat block, so that the RQ2 reprints dont go to waste.

Thanks for the low-down David, it's greatly appreciated, given our anticipation for RQG

As an aside, I actually think a GoG reboot like this would be a great idea. Heavy on lore, and high on production standards. A beautiful double-tome, coffee-table conversation piece to compliment the G2G. Then Chaosium could roll out different pdf or PoD versions of stat-splat pantheon or cult books for RQG, HQG, and 13AG. Something like that would be cool.

Fair enough. I love the NPC artwork in both books, its just a shame that the portrayal of the culture is visually inconsistent.

Well it would be the only thing that could explain it, as the art direction has purposely steered away from this flavour in recent years. It's a shame that its getting a bit jumbled again with this publication. I don't mind either interpretation, as long as its consistent. However I'm still leaning a bit more towards the Mycenanan Age analogies rather than Anglo-Saxon ones.

Wow thats some excellent reviews of the RQG drafts, the finished product sounds like its going to be great !!!

Ok this is not a question about the errata, but it does pertain to The Eleven Lights. I'm just a little confused regarding the art direction for the Orlanthi. In the first volume, The Coming Storm, the Sartarites look very Mycenaean Age influenced. Lots of nods towards Thracian, Achaean, and Minoan cultures, with some Dacian influence here and there; I suspect Thracians were probably the closest analogy. This feels consistent with the G2G, HQG, and the Prince of Sartar comic, as well as my early RQ2 impressions of the Sartarites (which also influenced my interpretation of Theyalans when reading KoS). Yet in this second volume they appear much more Saxon influenced, similar to depictions of Orlanthi that were common in the late RQ3 era products up until the G2G was published within recent years. A significant amount of colour artwork in this book reminds me of the artwork from the KoDP computer game (it could even be artwork from that game). Some B&W artwork that appears later in the book does look more consistent with The Coming Storm depictions, but most of the colour artwork does go against this to some extent. Just wondering why the change in direction again? Either works for me; the Anglo-Saxon flavour obviously has had a big impact on designing Orlanthi (for example, just look at the social class titles of Cottar, Carl, Thane, etc, as well as the Fyrd and Wyter). However many of the visual portrayals in this second volume feel somewhat inconsistent with all the discussions regarding Theyalans that we had after the release of the G2G, indicating that Mycenaean cultures were a closer analogy. Just wondering what happened?

Now that is a good outcome for all involved !!!

On the other hand, I really liked this little Easter Egg hunt, and seeing cover art for the new MoN was just icing on the cake. Having it era-specific may have been better, but it was intriguing in any case. As far as the flavour for MoN, I really like the whole rollicking adventure investigation flavour it has going, I think it will work well if especially tailored for the Pulp Cthulhu rules. Horses for courses I guess

This is great news !!! Yes it's totally not necessary, but there are a few 'Grand Campaigns' that are always raved about. These campaigns are what brings the punters, even if they aren't particularly after the pure Lovecraftian experience. Masks of Nylathotep is pretty much on the top of the list, followed by Beyond The Mountains of Madness and Horror On The Orient Express. All of these campaigns made current in CoC 7E format makes sense, especially if there is advice on how to spice up the action flow for Pulp Cthulhu rules, considering they are all in the more pulpy spectrum of CoC gaming. I don't need another edition of MoN, but I'll probably be one of the first to order it to see it done with a mix of old and new artwork, especially some colourful pieces and in a thick hardcover. I like the mention of several other releases, some of which are Pulp Cthulhu. Alternating Pulp Cthulhu releases with Lovecraft Country releases is a good thing, as they both are polar opposites in flavour, with Lovecraft Country appealing to Purist play. All this news sounds great to me!

In reality it doesn't always take a great hit to take someone down, especially if a weapon is used. A lot comes down to what is being used to cause damage, just as much as the combatant's skill at fighting. I think RQ models this well when you look at it. A fist strike needs to be a good hit to take someone completely out of a fight, yet only an average sword strike could potentially incapacitate or kill an opponent. The old 'blind man with a shotgun' sort of thing. I tend to base RQ games around a regional or urban fantasy setting like Pavis, Jonstown, Notchet etc, where most combat is fist fights, or perhaps knives and cudgels. Guards with axes and swords are feared and respected. Then when I shift the campaign to a wilderness setting there is a real sense of vulnerability of being exposed to things which really can take a character down quite quickly, such as accident injury, wild beasts, bandits, etc. Storming a dungeon or an encampment becomes a big thing, with people ensuring they are well prepared as much as possible with armour and magic. A caravan protection contract or perhaps a treasure-seeking venture into The Big Rubble holds alot of danger and risk, and it's very unclear if anyone will return. Likewise surviving a major battle is very unpredictable. I guess the brutal nature of the combat system really adds to that edge that you see in the Cromwell/Martin books, which I feel suits Glorantha quite well.

Just pointing out that although plate armour was 8AP in RQ3, and only is listed as 6AP in RQ2/RQG, this is not a big issue. It can be layered over 1AP and 2AP under garnments, so you can still get up to 8AP if need be. Not that it protects all that mich more, as the system remains pretty lethal. One of the most common RQ house rules is to treat Limb HP as thresholds rather than HP, which is how I tend to play. If the Limb thresholds are breached then it's RAW, but otherwise the Limb HP remains undepleted until breached. Overall it doesn't change things too much, as Total HP gets whittled down as usual. However treating Limb HP as thresholds just means there is,a little less dismemberment, and there's slightly less bookeeping until a major hit has occurred. Even with this rule you'll find that RQ still remains much more lethal than most games. I find the PC vulnerability to be a feature rather than a flaw. If I want to play a pulpy cinematic genre, then these days I prefer FATE or HQ. If I want to go gritty and simulationist, then BRP really shines. RQ isn't RQ to me if it doesn't keep its sense of lethality.

Astounding Adventures was designed to accompany the BRP BGB, just like Pulp Cthulhu accompanies CoC 7E. Most things of use in AA has been superseded by the Pulp Cthulhu rules. I still use the Pulp plot generator and the Mook rules from Astounding Adventures, so I think the PDF version is worth it for that, but I certainly wouldn't rush out to buy the printed version. However I still love the cover art of that book

Well the logo must be hot stuff at present - I have been responding via phone, and just realised I am posting in two separate threads about the same issue, heh heh This must be what the Media refers to as a 'trending' topic. One day we will look back and say "Where were you during the Logo Crisis?"

The new RQG logo really isn't too far from the embossed logo on the old RQ2 hardcover ( under the dust jacket). This font was also a bit 'Tolkieny', and I think the if the new RQG logo is altered to have gold letters on a red background then this may evoke some familarity with RQ2. Even the more recent RQ2 reprint (RQ Classic, hardcover with dust jacket) had a similar logo on the book itself. Keeping the new logo against a grey stone background just feels a bit like MRQ1 or Legend for some reason. Here is the old RQ2 hardcover without its iconic dust jacket art

If you already have the 6E version, then get the Thru The Ages booklet; it has the 7E conversions for various eras and settings, including Dark Ages.