Families in Runequest

[mythusmage]

Any plans on expanding the paperwork available?

[Scott A]

I'm afraid that you're going to have to provide a little more context for your question, friend.

[mythusmage]

You don't know?

[Grievous]

We don't know what you're talking about. We could guess and perhaps be wrong, so maybe indeed some context might be helpful. Do you want more rules or more (or bigger) sheets?

[mythusmage]

I think the rules and sheets for family could be expanded.

[styopa]

Seems like you could just use plain old paper and it would work better than a form with a ton of wasted space?

Or, if you're really all about the family, there are a ton of online things (wiki tree, for example) where you can load that stuff in and get a 'family tree' style chart anyway?

[g33k]

5 hours ago, mythusmage said:

I think the rules and sheets for family could be expanded.

They could be; but there's a law-of-decreasing-returns coming into play.  I already see comments and questions along the lines of "can't I just skip this stuff and take a comparable suite of skills" and other shortcut queries.  Past a certain point, the more you elaborate upon character-generation, the more folks you lose...

I definitely see room/customers for what you are asking (I am probably one of them) but I'd see it as a very-optional (likely online / e-doc) supplementary process, not a core element.

And to get started, as @styopa suggests,  DIY approach looks fine.

It'd also work, I think, to create a "cousin" who was "as close as a brother/sister" or a "best friend," do THEIR family-background as if they were PC's, and include an alternate Loyalty/Passion that you gained just from being THAT close to them...

[styopa]

2 hours ago, g33k said:

It'd also work, I think, to create a "cousin" who was "as close as a brother/sister" or a "best friend," do THEIR family-background as if they were PC's, and include an alternate Loyalty/Passion that you gained just from being THAT close to them...

Careful what you roll.

[g33k]

2 hours ago, styopa said:

Careful what you roll.

Kissing cousins.

...

Or siblings.  Whatever.  All in the interests of a good story...

 

[g33k]

3 hours ago, styopa said:

 

Not liking edit via mobile ...

Edited July 3, 2018 by g33k
Double post

[Joerg]

Orlanthi families don't work like core families, anyway. It is quite common for children of career parents to be raised by uncles or aunts, together with a whole bunch of first cousins or even young uncles and aunts. If your father is a herder, odds are that he was away for all the summers of your childhood, and that your male role model was that uncle or cousin working at the stead.

I am a bit puzzled why "ancestral pride" is limited to direct ancestors, but it probably saves explaining Orlanthi family structures until far later in the learning process about them.

[jajagappa]

On ‎7‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 8:40 AM, mythusmage said:

I think the rules and sheets for family could be expanded.

Potentially, but likely players and GM's may vary on what they want to do.  In a heavy clan-based game, I often create lineage diagrams to give the players a sense of how their characters fit (and who is related to whom).  The Coming Storm has some nice Relationship maps, which some may find useful.  I'd simply suggest trying some ideas out yourself and seeing what works.  And if they do, post here in the Forums.

 

[David Scott]

there are lots of resources out there to base it on, have a look at Pendragon and my favourite - Central Casting:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Title-Central-Casting-Heroes-Legend/dp/0922335001

however I did just choke at the price...

[styopa]

6 hours ago, David Scott said:

there are lots of resources out there to base it on, have a look at Pendragon and my favourite - Central Casting:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Title-Central-Casting-Heroes-Legend/dp/0922335001

however I did just choke at the price...

http://rollforfantasy.com/tools/family-tree-creator.php

 

Free is pretty cheap.

[Jason D]

On 7/3/2018 at 2:40 PM, mythusmage said:

I think the rules and sheets for family could be expanded.

We are hearing the exact opposite from most newcomers, who find that a "four page character sheet"* is daunting. 

We may include something more expansive in a player's guide (which is not a scheduled product, but more a post-it-note with a list of topics it could cover), but right now the focus is on lowering and/or removing barriers to entry, instead of making the game seem even less accessible by implying players need to develop even more background information before they can adventure. 

That said, we welcome players and gamemasters to come up with (and share) their custom worksheets and play aids, and if there's anything we can do to support that, let us know. 

 

 

* actually two pages, a worksheet, and a family/ally sheet

[Mankcam]

I prefer quick character gen and  simple character sheets these days, so I would have preferred that as a default. I would have been happy with a sheet similar to OQ or MW, just add Runes and Motivations/Passions.

That way expansion books can always add intensive char gen and more extensive sheets; that works for me.

I do also love the extended family history life path char gen process, but just think that should not be the default core rules.

I feel that the default these days should be a simple sheet,  if you want to get numbers thru the gates. You can always add to it for those who want more.

Edited July 9, 2018 by Mankcam

[Jason D]

I'm working on a quick character generation system for the Gamemaster's Sourcebook. 

 

[Scott A]

There's some plans for a big clan based Dragon Pass campaign from Chaosium aren't there? Maybe that will have some expanded rules for handing legacy elements, pendragon-style.

[styopa]

6 hours ago, Jason Durall said:

I'm working on a quick character generation system for the Gamemaster's Sourcebook. 

I think it's a tough row to hoe.  On the one hand, part of the genuine attraction of RQ is the depth and texture of the setting.  I get that there was a strong impetus to weave that into the game (and the background stuff does do that).  Unfortunately, the strong implication is that stuff is REQUIRED which - let's be frank - Glorantha can be intimidating in its baroque-ness.

I think a "clean" supplemental char gen system is a great idea.

[Jason D]

17 hours ago, styopa said:

I think it's a tough row to hoe.  On the one hand, part of the genuine attraction of RQ is the depth and texture of the setting.  I get that there was a strong impetus to weave that into the game (and the background stuff does do that).  Unfortunately, the strong implication is that stuff is REQUIRED which - let's be frank - Glorantha can be intimidating in its baroque-ness.

I think a "clean" supplemental char gen system is a great idea.

It will basically be broken into six (I think) decisions based on six packages of attributes, homeland, background, profession, cult/runes, and an equipment pack, with a bunch of sample names, etc. and the chance to fine-tune with some skill distribution. You could technically roll randomly the whole time, as well. 

It is not intended to replace adventurer generation at all, but will let players come in quickly with "original" characters they have some decisions about. 

It's most suitable for convention games, demos, one-shots, and those instances where you need a new character pronto (unexpected character death, guest player, etc.). 

[styopa]

4 hours ago, Jason Durall said:

It will basically be broken into six (I think) decisions based on six packages of attributes, homeland, background, profession, cult/runes, and an equipment pack, with a bunch of sample names, etc. and the chance to fine-tune with some skill distribution. You could technically roll randomly the whole time, as well. 

It is not intended to replace adventurer generation at all, but will let players come in quickly with "original" characters they have some decisions about. 

It's most suitable for convention games, demos, one-shots, and those instances where you need a new character pronto (unexpected character death, guest player, etc.). 

Then I'll let you do the work.  I've been mulling over a campaign idea around Medieval Earth set around 1090 AD, in which 90 yrs ago a conjunction between Earth and Glorantha began (ie medieval Europeans with Glorantha as "the incomprehensible fantasy dimension" they keep going to), so I was toying with developing a sort of Europeanized version of chargen (nowhere near as detailed as a background as RQG, but more the barebones you're talking about).

But now that you're already working on the structure, I'll wait and see what scaffolding you build and hang my ideas on that.   Thanks

[Jason D]

It would have gone into the core rules, but we chose to emphasize the "full" system as the default/preferred mode of play. 

[Mankcam]

On 7/5/2018 at 6:58 PM, Jason Durall said:

I'm working on a quick character generation system for the Gamemaster's Sourcebook. 

Excellent, this sounds good!

[Mac]

On 7/7/2018 at 5:40 AM, Jason Durall said:

It would have gone into the core rules, but we chose to emphasize the "full" system as the default/preferred mode of play. 

IMHO you made the correct choice.  Add to that the sidebars that suggest quicker/ less involved development, and its not rocket science to shorten the process

[Zozotroll]

Anytime I have someone complain about making characters in any version of RQ, I simply have them make a PC or 2 for Rolemaster.  After they get out of therapy they are happy with RQ.