Upcoming Glorantha publications (Old thread 2015-2022)

[SDLeary]

9 hours ago, David Scott said:

for a moment I was happy, but then Eldorad and daughters of darkness reared their heads again...

Eldarad wasn't "bad". It certainly wasn't up to normal Chaosium standards, but was a hell of a lot better than much of the drek that was coming out for other systems at the time. 

SDLeary

[Steve]

19 hours ago, Rick Meints said:

And wouldn't you know it, I was wrong. I always thought that was the case, but I then did something very simple. I looked at each of the RQ3 books and you will see, without exception, that they are all Copyrighted by Chaosium. Even Eldarad is copyright 1990 by Chaosium, Inc. Thus, we do have the rights to all of the Chaosium/Avalon Hill material...

I just looked at a copy of Eldarad (ow, my eyes!) and it says "(c) Avalon Hill" on the main map of the city and the "lands beyond". Same with the colour map in DoD.

Edited March 5, 2016 by Steve

[David Scott]

@SDLeary, in comparison with other products maybe yes. I was very disappointed as it was not what I expected. Released the same year as Eldorad was TORG, another of my all time favourite games, that did distract me from my RQ publication fix for a while (and still does).

[hkokko]

On 4 March 2016 at 7:06 PM, David Scott said:

for a moment I was happy, but then Eldorad and daughters of darkness reared their heads again...

OMG - No, not again.... Then again - Eldarad has not received RQ Encounter Generator treatment - yet.... Where is my asbestos suit and long tongs. Might require shoulder length safety gloves as well. 

Edited March 6, 2016 by hkokko

[Pentallion]

I love Eldarad because you can take all those treasure sites and fill The Big Rubble with them. 

[David Scott]

On 7 March 2016 at 7:49 AM, Pentallion said:

I love Eldarad because you can take all those treasure sites and fill The Big Rubble with them. 

I do actually agree with you on that, I put the tombs in Griffin Mountain. I also used Ferry Village for Borni's Landing and Soldier ferry. However that's only 5% of the books. The rest was junk. 

[The Hooded Claw]

What is the deciding factor in whether to produce a sourcebook or campaign as a HeroQuest item or as part of the new RuneQuest line? 

[Rick Meints]

18 hours ago, Addison said:

What is the deciding factor in whether to produce a sourcebook or campaign as a HeroQuest item or as part of the new RuneQuest line? 

The deciding factor is whether the author of the book proposes to write a HeroQuest book or a RuneQuest book. Most of our books are written by freelancers, and we respond to what they want to write.

Edited June 15, 2016 by Rick Meints

[The Hooded Claw]

What happens if there is crossover - eg someone wants to write Big Rubble (a la HQ Pavis) for HeroQuest, someone wants to write it for Runequest? Now that you have two systems covering the same milieu, is there a priority at Chaosium?

[Rick Meints]

For any Gloranthan topic we would be overjoyed to even have one author ask to write about it. Unfortunately, we have very very few authors asking to write Gloranthan material for us for either system. Many find the task too daunting for one reason or another.

We have thought about doing "conversion" packs for HeroQuest books so they could be used for RuneQuest, and vice versa. We have no interest in doing dual stat books. These conversion packs would probably be a free or very inexpensive PDF that contained what you would need to use the book for the other system (mainly stat blocks). Those packs wouldn't be printed and sold as paper books by us, though. PDF only.

[BigJackBrass]

8 hours ago, Rick Meints said:

We have thought about doing "conversion" packs for HeroQuest books so they could be used for RuneQuest, and vice versa.... PDF only.

This is the best approach I've seen, similar to that taken by Green Ronin with  their Freeport book a few years ago. Big stat blocks equal less content for me; having them collected separately, in a PDF for easy printing, is much more useful. Given the range of different Glorantha systems now clamouring for support it seems like an effective and efficient compromise. 

[Mankcam]

I think I may like many Gloranthan resources to be system-free if possible, like the G2G.

Obiviously this depends on what is published, but some setting books may not need game stats

Looking at the HQ Sartar and Pavis books this is a distinct posdibility as they are 85-90% stat free already.

Even scenarios and campaigns are more plot driven in this setting than the usual 'hack'n'slay' scenarios on offer from many rpg companies.

The books could be released in hard covers +pdf, and the HQ and RQ stat books accompanying them could be additionally purchased in pdf-only format, so GMs could just print what they need. 

Although I love RQ/BRP, I am aware that Glorantha also attracts GMs from other rpg systems. Especially now that the G2G is doing the rounds. The 13th Age Glorantha project shows that many D&D players may consider Glorantha as an alternative to Forgotten Realms or Ebberon.

I have a good mate who quite likes Glorantha, but would likely run a game session using one of his favourite rpg systems, either Rolemaster or HARP Fantasy. So someone in his situation is likely to buy system-free resources and tinker away with whatever favourite system is preferable to run.

Glorantha is certainly detailed enough to attract those from other rpg systems, and it is also rich enough to exist beyond the rpg industry.

Glorantha is up there with the great settings of Fantasy fiction.

Edited June 16, 2016 by Mankcam

[David Scott]

Speaking as someone writing a HeroQuest Glorantha book, the idea at the moment of doing an new edition RQ version is very daunting. Even the drop in pack seems like a lot of work to me. Naturally some one else could do it. Most of a HQG book is stat free so it would be stuff like cults, encounters, major NPCs and adventures that would be most if not all of the work. Stat blocks make me cringe ...

[Mankcam]

In some ways doing game stats may stifle your creativity, unless mechanics are your thing. If it is predominantly a setting book, then I'ld much rather it be stat-free if this allows a writer to create a richer narrative content.

Edited June 16, 2016 by Mankcam

[jajagappa]

16 hours ago, David Scott said:

Speaking as someone writing a HeroQuest Glorantha book, the idea at the moment of doing an new edition RQ version is very daunting. Even the drop in pack seems like a lot of work to me. Naturally some one else could do it. Most of a HQG book is stat free so it would be stuff like cults, encounters, major NPCs and adventures that would be most if not all of the work. Stat blocks make me cringe ...

Having written a lot of stat blocks for my old unpublished RQ Imther material, I fully agree with David's opinion on them.

The Nochet material I'm working on is HQG, but any of the setting content should be fully usable with RQ.

[g33k]

Given the coexistence of HQ and RQ -- and soon to be 13A! -- as "official" Gloranthan games, mechanically-agnostic setting-books (and/or minimally-mechanical, but with mechanical bits foir other games available as free supplements) would seem like a glaringly-obvious way to go.

OTOH, stat-blocks aren't really creatively-rewarding, and tend to get the anal-retentive nit-pickers hopping-mad and/or bitingly snarky over the littlest things....  :-P

As I recently suggested in another thread (for RQ-Next CRQ4/RQ7/RQ:G, officially "the Runequest that shall not be Numbered") for "Family Backgrounds" set in other "non-core" places and times:  this looks like a perfect item for Crowd-Sourcing.  Once Chaosium produces a sample "Conversion Pack" or two, to provide examples to work from and define the standard layout/etc (together with a "Permission Granted to convert game-mechanical content to any of these other systems" free license), I bet that this could be turned loose to Fandom, to produce collaboratively...

[Ainda]

I remember reading a post in the Google+ board probably a week and a half a go that said The Coming Storm would be available in PDF fairly soon; any word on this?

Edited July 2, 2016 by Ainda

[Camphibian]

It's great seeing all the reprints coming but what I'd really like is fresh material in the form of more background, scenarios and mini campaigns.

System agnostic is fine by me, some customisation is inevitably required to balance my wing-nut ideas and party strength.

Also I am fed up with the plethora of rule systems. HeroQuest is great for narrative, some prefer the grit of RQ-X. I like both but really after RQ5 then RQ 6 and now Chaosium is doing what? Taking back RQ? I'm currently using RQ3 with stances from RQ6, SAN from Call of Cthulhu and heroic masteries from HQ1

Some sessions we just talk, sometimes we have detailed conflicts, sometimes we roll dice and sometimes we get drunk. I'd like to see a rule system that can adapt to our stupor.

Otherwise, I'm glad Chaosium is back.

[Steve]

On 05/07/2016 at 10:55 AM, Camphibian said:

It's great seeing all the reprints coming but what I'd really like is fresh material in the form of more background, scenarios and mini campaigns.

There's a lot of new background/scenarios/campaigns coming, according to the original post in this thread - e.g. The Coming Storm, The Eleven Lights, the Glorantha sourcebook (moving the timescale on to 1625), updated Trollpack (not just a reprint), Nochet guidebook, Casino Town/Holy Country book, Riders of the Storm, plus various other things too.

 

[Camphibian]

I await eagerly...

I'm running a campaign circa 1625 in elder wilds with a tribe of militant feminist radical Aldryami intent on launching the new Green Age. Whilst Trolls get their own source pack, I've had to flesh out the wing nut eco fanaticism of these Er'Oring Green Elves, who by the way have an High Elf Queen. I hope some of the overlooked corners and elder races get a buff.

 

[7Tigers]

At http://www.glorantha.com/docs/heroquest-voices/ we have

Quote

While this material is great (except for the Puma People, who are now ignored, or worse), it will be revised after the release of the Guide to Glorantha to incorporate the new discoveries. In particular, Seshnela needs heavy revision.

I confirm it would be very nice to get an updated HeroQuest Voices 2016 please !

[7Tigers]

And even if I own the physical book, I guess a lot of people would be happy to buy the pdf (or lulu printed version) of the old 2000 Deluxe Hero Wars collection of Gloranthan stories: Gloranthan Visions

[Darius West]

I seek 800 physical pages of Guide to Glorantha.  Eagerly awaiting the reprint.

[rudolpht]

On 3/3/2016 at 3:57 PM, Rick Meints said:

As I have said, it is very unlikely that Gloranthan Classic Volume 1: Pavis & Big Rubble will get reprinted again, especially in Hardcover. I had it for sale for 7 years. Sorry.

Do we have a status on this?  Especially the hardback

[Rick Meints]

Reprinting any version of Gloranthan Classic Volume 1: Pavis & Big Rubble is not currently on the production schedule. As I have consistently said a number of times, we do NOT have good electronic files to use for printing this book. It was done at the end of the era where printers still used film instead of PDFs to print books. Thus, the official status is "not in 2017".

That does not mean it will never get reprinted. After we have redone Pavis and Big Rubble as separate RuneQuest Classic books in early 2017, we at least will have recreated all the files and good art scans again. I don't like to say never, but I must be clear that reprinting the hardcover version of P&BR is an extremely low priority because we might only sell a few hundred of it. If you really want to buy it, I suggest following Ebay. It comes up for sale at least a few times per year.