A note to Loz, Pete and gang

[Nostrildamus]

Having read a bit over halfway through RQII, I have to say that I'm really impressed. I bought quite strongly into the first edition, Gloranthan material aside (have my own setting, etc) and, even though I wasn't happy about some of the rules issues (which have been discussed in plenty of depth previously), I found it playable. So, I also wasn't happy when I learned that, after all that expense, a completely new edition was coming out already. However, from the buzz I was hearing from those who had received the early copies of the new rules, I purchased the core book and took the plunge. I'm really happy that I did!

As I said, I haven't finished the book yet and therefor haven't actually played it, but I can already tell that it's a vast improvement on what came before. The system is elegant and thoroughly thought out, the presentation (from cover to layout) is fantastic, and overall this new edition really shows all the hard work I know you guys put into it. We've already uncovered some errata, but that's to be expected by anyone familiar with RPG publishing in general. Even the mighty WotC have published plenty of errata for D&D4, for instance. These things happen and shouldn't be counted as a real blemish. Most importantly, I can see that the rules work, and I feel that they're going to work really well.

I can't wait to start fresh with a new campaign (not going to try to port the existing one to the new system) and I'm eagerly awaiting the new monster book and GM screen (the main things I'd love to have right up front). From there, I'm sure I'll buy in heavily again, but I'm sure I'll feel that money is much better spent this time around. Picking up the torch of RQ in general is tough enough, what with all the people who bicker over whether it should even be called RQII, etc, so that's one hell of a bullet to bite and run with. Not being an older RQ player (grew up on D&D), I can't address those things, but I can say that I own both D&D4 and this new ruleset from you guys, and my choice is easy and clear to move forward with RQII.

So, coming to the point, I just wanted to give you guys props for putting together a fantastic edition that, in my mind (won't speak for others here), more than makes up for the flaws that drew so much criticism in the first edition and promises to be one of the better systems and therefor campaigns I've had the pleasure to run. I'm really looking forward to it. Cheers, guys - I'd buy you a pint but you have to come to the U.S. for that (or wait til I come visit the in-laws there!).

 

[Loz]

Thank you for such terrific feedback! Its much appreciated.

Cheers, guys - I'd buy you a pint but you have to come to the U.S. for that (or wait til I come visit the in-laws there!).

Well, I'm in Canada and Pete's in Sweden, but the offer's a good one and if we cross paths at one of the American cons I'll take you up on it (mine's a Guinness...).

Many thanks once again.

 

[Nostrildamus]

Well that makes it easier! Guiness it is.

 

[Mongoose Pete]

Many thanks from me too. Such feedback makes it all worthwhile.

I don't think I'll be getting to the States anytime soon. In fact I don't think I'll be getting out of my front door anytime soon either, with 50+cm of snow outside. But I'll make a rum toddy to be getting on with.

 

[Nostrildamus]

Many thanks from me too. Such feedback makes it all worthwhile.

I don't think I'll be getting to the States anytime soon. In fact I don't think I'll be getting out of my front door anytime soon either, with 50+cm of snow outside. But I'll make a rum toddy to be getting on with.

Yeah we got a pretty good snowing ourselves, considering I live in the South and we never get any to speak of anymore. However, in true Southern fashion, it warmed up today and mostly melted it away. Thus, I've still got to go to the office tomorrow (was sorta hoping to finish the book!). Sounds like you're fixed all the same!

 

[Vile]

Dammit, this is really not the sort of thing my wallet needs to hear ... :x

 

[PrinceYyrkoon]

Dammit, this is really not the sort of thing my wallet needs to hear ... :x

:lol: Same here. I have to have it.

 

[Nostrildamus]

I don't think either of you would be disappointed. It really is an incredible improvement over the original. I knew Pete and Loz had been working hard during the lifetime of the first edition, fixing rules, etc, and it's cool to see how they ran with this. The combat's going to be awesome with the maneuvers and especially with the lack of tables to reference. Some have seen combat maneuvers as possibly slowing it down, but I think that's only going to be true for the first few sessions, as GMs and players familiarize themselves with the options - once they get used to it, you have the clear potential to end fights early. For instance, if you score a Critical Success and they score a Failure (assuming you're the attacker), you get two maneuvers. One of the options is Choose Location. Another, if you score a Critical, is Maximize Damage. So you could choose to Maximize Damage and choose the Head location...

 

[NulSyn]

I just got my copy in the mail today.

:shock: Wow. Its gorgeous. And what I've been able to read of the rules so far is really impressing me. The way it is written flows so smooth, and its very easy to grasp everything very quickly. One of the problems I had with MRQI was it didn't flow well for me, and some of the rules made it stutter. MRQII has really fixed all of that.

I love it! I can't wait to run it. And I am really excited to see new settign books that use it!

Good job guys.

 

[Christopher Graves]

When is the PDF going on sale?

 

[Nickbergquist]

Yeah, just want to add my .02 in and state that Runequest II is easily the best iteration of the game to date. All of my RQ buddies are ecstatic over the new system and its tweaks and adjustments, as well as the more coherent and dynamic combat and magic systems. This isn't just a winner, it's very much the first iteration of the game since RQIII to meet and exceed my expectations.

I am also not a Gloranthaphile...I have my own setting I prefer to use...and appreciate that the core of RQ2 remains setting neutral. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming core books. Keep up the great game design (and writing)!

 

[Ultor]

I completely agree with the OP and have posted a review of the new rules at my blog:

http://runeunderwater.blogspot.com/2010/02/review-runequest-ii-core-rulebook.html

 

[Loz]

Wow.

I'm stunned. Truly.

Thank you!

 

[NulSyn]

Wow.

I'm stunned. Truly.

Thank you!

You should be very proud of yourself. Now that I have been able to read and re-read through the book a few times, I can honestly say I have never read an RPG core book that flows more smooth than RQII's core.

The layout and your writing style is perfect for me. The rule changes and their presentation is awesome.

Thank you! You have a new fan.

 

[cjs65]

I completely agree with the sentiments being expressed here.

It's difficult to describe just how much better MRQ2 is than the previous attempt, which, I'm sad to say, I thought was a bit of a dog's dinner. I tried using it but hated it.

MRQ2 is, possibly, even better than the 'original' RQ2 that I played to death back in the early 80s. I'm dying to get a Glorantha campaign up and running, though I'll certainly be using a 3rd Age setting rather than 2nd...

 

[Mongoose Pete]

That was a very nice review, and has cheered up my morning considerably!

Thank you from me too!

 

[master of reality]

Dammit, this is really not the sort of thing my wallet needs to hear ... :x

My sentiments exactly. Based upon all the positive feedback on this forum, it looks like I'll go ahead and buy into MRQ2.

I had mixed feelings about Mongoose's plan to scrap MRQ1 and start from scratch. On the one hand, MRQ1 really needed an overhaul. As much as I was excited about a version of RuneQuest being published again, I wasn't entirely happy with the game mechanics. Sure, it wasn't something that a little house ruling couldn't fix, but I was annoyed that I even felt the need to do this in the first place. Although Mongoose tried to address some of these issues with the GM's guide, it really just amounted to a band aid solution. Rather than continue to provide band-aids, Mongoose apparently decided to start over. Assuming that the rewrite is a vast improvement over the original, then, IMO, redoing MRQ was the correct course of action. On the other hand, if I switch to MRQ2, then of the books that I own, the core book, companion, GM's guide, GM's screen, Monsters, Arms & Equipment, Cults of Glorantha Vol. 1&2, and Magic of Glorantha basically become obsolete. With appropriate stat conversions I can still run Blood of Orlanth and Tales of Tragic Europe. The source books Glorantha Second Age, Jurestela, DragonNewts, Trolls, and the Clanking City will undoubtedly get a rewrite (and of course Glorantha 2nd Age already has) that might include new material, but for the most part the info contained in these books is still usable. So, yes. Switching to MRQ2 will drain my wallet a bit more than I had originally planned, but if the new editions are as good as everyone says they are, it will be worth it. I look at it this way. The money I spent on these obsolete books helped a fledgling game company get on a sound footing to produce more good stuff. Of course if I don't want to spend the money, then there's nothing stopping me from continuing to use MRQ1, but I have to admit. MRQ2 sounds really good.

 

[Loz]

On the other hand, if I switch to MRQ2, then of the books that I own, the core book, companion, GM's guide, GM's screen, Monsters, Arms & Equipment, Cults of Glorantha Vol. 1&2, and Magic of Glorantha basically become obsolete. With appropriate stat conversions I can still run Blood of Orlanth and Tales of Tragic Europe. The source books Glorantha Second Age, Jurestela, DragonNewts, Trolls, and the Clanking City will undoubtedly get a rewrite (and of course Glorantha 2nd Age already has) that might include new material, but for the most part the info contained in these books is still usable. So, yes. Switching to MRQ2 will drain my wallet a bit more than I had originally planned, but if the new editions are as good as everyone says they are, it will be worth it. I look at it this way. The money I spent on these obsolete books helped a fledgling game company get on a sound footing to produce more good stuff. Of course if I don't want to spend the money, then there's nothing stopping me from continuing to use MRQ1, but I have to admit. MRQ2 sounds really good.

You're not going to find any of those books obsolete. RQII was deliberately designed to maintain as much backwards compatibility as possible; and, to be frank, a lot of the subtle changes you'll find in RQII are to be found in those very books.

Of course, its your choice whether to invest in the new editions or not; it obviously helps Mongoose if you do. But in reality you will find that its not a hard an fast necessity. We haven't junked whole swathes of previous work to clear the decks for RQII. Instead, we've changed the system's operating boundaries so that the crucial changes are how things are explained and done, rather than replacing existing material just because we could.

The Conversion guide available from the Mongoose site, gives you everything you need to change things over. The only caveat I would offer is that Cults of Glorantha will change the older volumes quite considerably so that it better reflects both Glorantha and the RQII magic systems. But that's the biggest change by far.

 

[drdentista]

I feel that I have to second the overwhelming reviews you get here. I, too, hesitated quite a bit from MRQ2, since I already invested serious money in the previous edition. I got the book two weeks ago, and while I haven't read it through porperly due to "real life" issues, I must say that I really like what I see I mean REALLY REALLY like!

Layout and production are superb. The rules are streamlined and very well written, clear and concise. And no more physical runes! Thank you :wink:

Fact is, that the book gives me the same feeling as when I first picked up the original RQ2 a long time ago...

Well done guys! I look forward for the coming products

 

[master of reality]

On the other hand, if I switch to MRQ2, then of the books that I own, the core book, companion, GM's guide, GM's screen, Monsters, Arms & Equipment, Cults of Glorantha Vol. 1&2, and Magic of Glorantha basically become obsolete. With appropriate stat conversions I can still run Blood of Orlanth and Tales of Tragic Europe. The source books Glorantha Second Age, Jurestela, DragonNewts, Trolls, and the Clanking City will undoubtedly get a rewrite (and of course Glorantha 2nd Age already has) that might include new material, but for the most part the info contained in these books is still usable. So, yes. Switching to MRQ2 will drain my wallet a bit more than I had originally planned, but if the new editions are as good as everyone says they are, it will be worth it. I look at it this way. The money I spent on these obsolete books helped a fledgling game company get on a sound footing to produce more good stuff. Of course if I don't want to spend the money, then there's nothing stopping me from continuing to use MRQ1, but I have to admit. MRQ2 sounds really good.

You're not going to find any of those books obsolete. RQII was deliberately designed to maintain as much backwards compatibility as possible; and, to be frank, a lot of the subtle changes you'll find in RQII are to be found in those very books.

Of course, its your choice whether to invest in the new editions or not; it obviously helps Mongoose if you do. But in reality you will find that its not a hard an fast necessity. We haven't junked whole swathes of previous work to clear the decks for RQII. Instead, we've changed the system's operating boundaries so that the crucial changes are how things are explained and done, rather than replacing existing material just because we could.

The Conversion guide available from the Mongoose site, gives you everything you need to change things over. The only caveat I would offer is that Cults of Glorantha will change the older volumes quite considerably so that it better reflects both Glorantha and the RQII magic systems. But that's the biggest change by far.

While the MRQ conversion pdf provides details about changes in magic and the stat conversions necessary to convert, say, Blood of Orlanth and Tales of Tragic Europe to MRQ2, it mentions nothing about combat maneuvers or overall changes in combat in general. I will undoubtedly buy the MRQ2 core book (in fact I'll do it right now). A couple of my friends are a little annoyed with the recent decision to scrap MRQ1 and start from scratch after the purchases they have made. Personally I see the logic of Mongoose's decision. Hopefully, my ownership of this book combined with possession of the conversion pdf by my friends should ease our transition to MRQ2 without a significant burden on our wallets.