seneschal Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 No, not really. Just a question. I know the game has stayed pretty much the same over its six editions. According to one rpg.net review, version 6 is really 5.5 with new formatting, and the major "recent" changes were between 5.5 and 5.0. But among Chaosium's boo-boo books is ver. 5.1.22 for $10.95 (as opposed to $30+ for ver. 6). Yeah, I'm a cheapskate, but my store of Innsmouth gold has run low since the Navy has stepped up its shore patrols (all the while claiming, of course, to be cruising the Persian Gulf). Other than the cover paintings, what are the differences between 5.1.22 and 6? Are the changes to the current edition worth an extra $20 or so? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rust Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 If the content of the English versions is identical to the content of the German versions, my answer would be a clear "No", at least there the differences are al- most without exception of a purely cosmetic kind. Unless there is a rules lawyer among your players who insists on the precise wording and literal meaning of each and every sentence, you would hardly be able realize which version you are playing, they are 99.99 % identical. Quote "Mind like parachute, function only when open." (Charlie Chan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baron Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 One thing I adore about Chaosium, specifically Cthulhu, is that the new editions consist of minor upgrades that always seem to be transparent and completely backwards-compatible. My players can each have their own printing of the rules, and we can all play together. That is why I will always remain a happy Cthulhu customer. Wish other games were similar. I just get fed up with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max_Writer Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 One thing I adore about Chaosium, specifically Cthulhu, is that the new editions consist of minor upgrades that always seem to be transparent and completely backwards-compatible. My players can each have their own printing of the rules, and we can all play together. That is why I will always remain a happy Cthulhu customer. Wish other games were similar. I just get fed up with them. Agreed. Quote Call of Cthulhu RPG Journals: http://www.yog-sothoth.com/blogs/2951 Other journals: http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/blog.php/8662-Max_Writer Youtube Page: http://www.youtube.com/user/MaxWriter Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MaxWriter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seneschal Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Next question, then. Since I already have the Big Gold Book, in all its optional glory, could I just add EDU and SAN to existing BRP characters and run with it? I wouldn't have the background info, of course, but stats for Mythos critters are available online, and I've got a hefty volume of Lovecraft stories (and a smattering of the other guys, such as Robert Howard, Arthur Machen, M.R. James, and some anthologies of stories by many authors). The main thing I'd miss would be the GM's advice, chase rules, and the expanded weapon and equipment charts. But I'm also looking at the 1920s Investigator's Companion, since I enjoy pulp adventure with or without cosmic creepy-crawlies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baron Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Sure. And you can get a quick-start for Cthulhu, I believe at no cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seneschal Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Sure. And you can get a quick-start for Cthulhu, I believe at no cost. Got it, and printed. I had it bundled and bound together with the BRP Quick-Start Edition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrippyHippy Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 (edited) It breaks down like this: Call of Cthulhu 5th edition was released about 1992 (and a hardback version came out about then too). The cover art wasn't very good, but the game inside was excellent and it had decent interior layout too. Call of Cthulhu 5.5 edition (1998) added a much nicer oil based painting of Cthulhu on it's cover, included the full Call of Cthulhu story for the first time as introductionary blurb, rewrote the Sanity section (to include a much more authentic and realistic breakdown of mental illness), added a Alien Technology section (rather than the excellent Forensics chapter), and made a few technical adjustments to the core system (Starting skills at 1% for example). There was also a hardback version (5.6) released in 1999 I think. Call of Cthulhu 20th Anniversary was released in 2001, and took 99% of the 5th core text (minus a humourous How to play CoC cartoon strip), and then reformatted the book to resemble an old occult tomb. It was designed by Pegasus Speile and it won awards for it's layout and design. The rules (and text) were identical to 5.5 edition. Call of Cthulhu 6th Edition (2004) simply took the interior design of the 20th Anniversary book (in a black and white interior, rather than the 'red ink' look of 20th) and reprinted the package with the same 5.5 cover, albeit with black borders and a new font for the title. It was initially released in hardback, then soft cover. The same interior text was then reprinted for a 25th Anniversary (featuring the 1st Edition hardback cover) and the 30th Anniversary Edition (brown leather cover). The text has largely remained identical since 1998. The interior design and layout since 2001. I think there is a good argument to be made for a 7th edition to polish up the game and refresh it's look - but realistically it ought not come out before 2013. Edited January 16, 2012 by TrippyHippy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodney418 Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Next question, then. Since I already have the Big Gold Book, in all its optional glory, could I just add EDU and SAN to existing BRP characters and run with it? I wouldn't have the background info, of course, but stats for Mythos critters are available online, and I've got a hefty volume of Lovecraft stories (and a smattering of the other guys, such as Robert Howard, Arthur Machen, M.R. James, and some anthologies of stories by many authors). That's exactly what I do. The mechanics of the BRP rules are more fleshed out than the CoC book, so I prefer them. I just use the CoC sourcebooks with BRP rules, works great with almost no conversion required at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max_Writer Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Without one of the main CoC books, you'll also be missing out on tomes and spells. That latter can be quite important in the course of the game. Quote Call of Cthulhu RPG Journals: http://www.yog-sothoth.com/blogs/2951 Other journals: http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/blog.php/8662-Max_Writer Youtube Page: http://www.youtube.com/user/MaxWriter Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MaxWriter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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