Anti-glorantha rant to moongose.

[Jujitsudave]

None taken. I honestly have no real problem with Glorantha. If I was available as a player, I would try to look into it and give it a shot.

For running a game, I'm more into a real world setting. I'm glad that mongoose recognizes this too with Vikings.

It's just a shame that these days, Glorantha or not, the young generation is less and less interested in these kinds of games and gravitate more towards video games. Although these games are excellent, they simply can't do some things tabletop can.

 

[cerebro]

None taken. I honestly have no real problem with Glorantha. If I was available as a player, I would try to look into it and give it a shot.

For running a game, I'm more into a real world setting. I'm glad that mongoose recognizes this too with Vikings.

It's just a shame that these days, Glorantha or not, the young generation is less and less interested in these kinds of games and gravitate more towards video games. Although these games are excellent, they simply can't do some things tabletop can.

True.

 

[PhilHibbs]

Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlACgYHtWCI
This is how I see fights in Runequest. Characters that can cast magic and fight. Rich combat detailed.

There's something going on there that I've mentioned before in the context of kung fu movies - a build-up to a release of an extraordinary power. They start off with some fairly mundane exchanges and end up with summoning The Buring Hands Of God to dismember the opponent. Why didn't he open with that move? If I had that character, and I was fighting a bad-ass nasty, I'd at least have a go at him with that ranged fire blast from the pommel of my sword before closing. There's a build-up mechanism behind the scenes here that means you can't unleash your biggest can of whup-ass right at the start, and I'm burning for a roleplaying system that can give me this. Something like saving up Combat Manoeuvres, maybe. You save them up until you can spend them on something awesome, always with an eye that the enemy might start spending his CMs before you and cut you down before you can get to the good stuff.

 

[soltakss]

It could be that the character has a one-use ability or an ability that has a huge personal cost, so he wouldn't want to use it straight away. He seemed to draw on things from his past to fuel it, and that might have a serious emotional drain.

In the past, I have saved up mega-moves to the end, to be used in desperation if everything else has failed simply because, in the words of Vivian from the Young Ones "I've got a good trick, but I can only do it once".

Generally, if you were a Sword of Humakt, would you open with a Sever Spirit each time? No, because it would be a waste.

 

[Jujitsudave]

Saved combat manouvres for increased effect..... Interesting.

It would work well in a cinematic style game.

 

[Mark Mohrfield]

Note that back when Avalon Hill had the license for RQ and did try to seperate it from Glorantha, it was a failure despite two high-quality supplements (Vikings and Land of Ninja). You've got to feed the established fanbase before branching out to other settings.

 

[Loz]

One of the forthcoming RQII supplements is 'Monster Island' which Pete will be working on, but was one of my projects (and ideas) before I had to leave Mongoose. The premise is an island, complete in its own right, that can be slotted into any setting, and is populated with all manner of creatures that have their complete ecologies and habitats explained and contextualised to make Monster Island a fully living, breathing place.

One of my further ideas was then, at some stage, to build on a world containing Monster Island to create a distinct place that would cater for sandboxing and non-license RQII games. So there's already that kind of thinking going on and Monster Island may prove a catalyst for individuals to develop for themselves. OTOH, Pete may take it in a different direction..

Even though I've left Mongoose the chances are I'll return to do some work for them once my day-job schedule permits it (it doesn't, currently, which is why I had to leave the company) and so I may well float a more structured idea past Matt and work with Pete and others on developing a standalone world. Whether this would be done as a book or as something grown in S&P I don't know yet, but as there's an appetite for it here, I think its worth exploring once the various schedules, inside and outside Mongoose, allow it.

I do know Pete and I would create a kick-arse world. We've done it before in other projects...

 

[soltakss]

Its matters little if the lame monsters is so real it has social security number, legend o tradition behind it. It is still lame. And D&D having lame monster doesn't mean glorantha is cool. Is not D&D Vs Glorantha.

Every setting has lame monsters. Look at kobolds or halflings. RuneQuest has some good monsters and some bad ones. So what?

Is about using this great system for something better. I want people to understand that "but you can takes this setting and play in it." Is not an answer. I know that.

Some people are trying, but writing for a setting could have licence issues. That's why a lot of third party products are for Historical Real World settings.

What would you suggest as an alternative to Glorantha?

Also, theres nothing in Glorantha that I think is too complex.

Agreed, Glorantha is detailed but not complex. It's simplicity is one of its strengths.

Is a game from the 70's. Where fantasy was not as develop as it is today visually. Is like comparing Old Traveller aliens Vs Startrek aliens visually.

No, not at all.

Glorantha started in the 70s but has evolved and changed since then. Some people think that it has changed and evolved too much, straying too far from its origins.

Trolls, Elves and Dwarves are fantasy staples but have an inventive and different twist in Glorantha. Beastmen are present. but are different to many other settings. Dragonewts and other draconic creatures are cool. Unicorns are different to many games. But a bestiary is a very minor part of a setting.

Glorantha's strength is in its treatment of mythology and history, of clashing cultures and individual magic. That has evolved over the years but is still as strong today as it was twenty years ago.

 

[Deleriad]

One of the forthcoming RQII supplements is 'Monster Island' which Pete will be working on, but was one of my projects (and ideas) before I had to leave Mongoose. The premise is an island, complete in its own right, that can be slotted into any setting, and is populated with all manner of creatures that have their complete ecologies and habitats explained and contextualised to make Monster Island a fully living, breathing place.

Neat. Looks like just the kind of thing that would have been a good second or third product for RQII.

Relatedly, I don't know how well Griffin Island sold for RQ3 but I reckon it would make a superb re-release for RQII.

 

[Mikko Leho]

There's something going on there that I've mentioned before in the context of kung fu movies - a build-up to a release of an extraordinary power.

I think just building a mechanic around that notion is kind of missing the point. Protagonists do not get power for getting slapped around, they gain it by having revelation about themselves, their enemies or sifu's teachings. For a finite length film or TV series building up the tension by ever more spectacular fight scenes is a valid trick. Each time characters release their special powers viewers should feel excited and possibly surprised. This is much more harder to achieve in RPGs as campaigns tend to last longer, and for a player I would not be pleased to have my character getting yet again slapped around few times before he can release "flaming claws of doom" for the 15th time. I do not mean to say that you should not look into this, but to make these power attacks work they should have personal meaning for each character and they should feel exciting to use each time.

 

[ThatGuy]

One of the forthcoming RQII supplements is 'Monster Island' which Pete will be working on, but was one of my projects (and ideas) before I had to leave Mongoose. The premise is an island, complete in its own right, that can be slotted into any setting, and is populated with all manner of creatures that have their complete ecologies and habitats explained and contextualised to make Monster Island a fully living, breathing place.

One of my further ideas was then, at some stage, to build on a world containing Monster Island to create a distinct place that would cater for sandboxing and non-license RQII games. So there's already that kind of thinking going on and Monster Island may prove a catalyst for individuals to develop for themselves. OTOH, Pete may take it in a different direction..

Even though I've left Mongoose the chances are I'll return to do some work for them once my day-job schedule permits it (it doesn't, currently, which is why I had to leave the company) and so I may well float a more structured idea past Matt and work with Pete and others on developing a standalone world. Whether this would be done as a book or as something grown in S&P I don't know yet, but as there's an appetite for it here, I think its worth exploring once the various schedules, inside and outside Mongoose, allow it.

I do know Pete and I would create a kick-arse world. We've done it before in other projects...

Dude, you are making my day.

You and Pete are a kick-ass team. You guys write stuff that is not only great gaming, but great reading as well. And P.S. Cults was great, as was Vikings (Pete). I think that "Monster Island" is exactly what a lot of folks on this thread are talking about wanting, so a good job of seeing into the future there.

I think that while some folks are looking for detailed adventures- and there is nothing wrong with that- I think it has to be acknowledged that the MRQ2 writers have given us a superb system and tons of material to build and create a GREAT campaign, no matter what your setting. Like some other folks here have pointed out- RQ is completely convertible, and almost all of the supplements have something you can use in YOUR game.

 

[PhilHibbs]

It could be that the character has a one-use ability or an ability that has a huge personal cost, so he wouldn't want to use it straight away. He seemed to draw on things from his past to fuel it, and that might have a serious emotional drain.

Yes, with RQ3 Divine Magic, most people would keep it until they were pretty sure they needed it. I haven't tried MRQ2 Divine Magic yet.

 

[havercake lad]

Different systems/settings have different merits, and people can always modify them to taste. My old gaming group always joking referred to any RPG we played as 'Changequest' as we could guarantee that some rules would always get altered by us.
That said I personally adore Glorantha and I am extremly impressed by the new basic rule set.

 

[languagegeek]

I do know Pete and I would create a kick-arse world. We've done it before in other projects...

Yep, you've kicked ass on the rules. Next on the list: to kick some more ass on a from-scratch world.

 

[danbuter]

Unfortunately, Runequest has to be saddled with Glorantha. That setting was "innovative" in ways that make a few hundred people really happy, and the rest of gamers very not interested. I'd LOVE to see a good western Europe style fantasy setting, something similar to Forgotten Realms or Greyhawk (actually successful sales-wise).

 

[AKAmra]

One of the forthcoming RQII supplements is 'Monster Island' which Pete will be working on, but was one of my projects (and ideas) before I had to leave Mongoose. The premise is an island, complete in its own right, that can be slotted into any setting, and is populated with all manner of creatures that have their complete ecologies and habitats explained and contextualised to make Monster Island a fully living, breathing place.

One of my further ideas was then, at some stage, to build on a world containing Monster Island to create a distinct place that would cater for sandboxing and non-license RQII games. So there's already that kind of thinking going on and Monster Island may prove a catalyst for individuals to develop for themselves. OTOH, Pete may take it in a different direction..

Even though I've left Mongoose the chances are I'll return to do some work for them once my day-job schedule permits it (it doesn't, currently, which is why I had to leave the company) and so I may well float a more structured idea past Matt and work with Pete and others on developing a standalone world. Whether this would be done as a book or as something grown in S&P I don't know yet, but as there's an appetite for it here, I think its worth exploring once the various schedules, inside and outside Mongoose, allow it.

I do know Pete and I would create a kick-arse world. We've done it before in other projects...

That sounds like a great idea. If the mini-setting takes off then build from there; makes me think of Green Ronin's Freeport, that original trilogy of adventures really created a lot of interest and generated additional product.

 

[AKAmra]

Note that back when Avalon Hill had the license for RQ and did try to seperate it from Glorantha, it was a failure despite two high-quality supplements (Vikings and Land of Ninja). You've got to feed the established fanbase before branching out to other settings.

You may be right, but I don't agree. I think RQII's current lackluster sales already includes the Glorantha fans and I don't think the setting will ever be a big draw. I see more interest from potential new customers in RQII as a system rather than Glorantha as a setting.

Again, I have no problem with RQII supporting Glorantha if it makes some money; but I think that for RQII to become really popular it needs to be marketed as a gritty, generic fantasy system and have a popular setting(s) in the line.

 

[simonh]

It's not as if Mongoose aren't publishing alternative settings to RQ. If you count Vikings, they have already published four (not including Lankhmar).

Wraith Recon is on it's way soon, which will make it five published and in fully supported mode. Actually WR looks quite interesting. The basic premise seemed a bit OTT power-gamey but I can definitely see it's got potential. I'm all for giving the players plenty of toys and throwing appropriately scaled challenges at them.

Simon Hibbs

 

[GianniVacca]

I'd LOVE to see a good western Europe style fantasy setting, something similar to Forgotten Realms or Greyhawk (actually successful sales-wise).

There is... if you can read Italian :twisted:

http://www.gdrshop.it/runequest/91-la-ruota-del-fato.html
(and with excellent art too)

 

[AKAmra]

I see Elric, Vikings and Deus Vult; what am I missing?

My favorite so far is Deus Vult, although there is a little too much 007 Q branch for me.

Mongoose is putting out alternate settings and will continue to do so; but the State of Mongoose seems to indicate that sales are lackluster. I don't think Glorantha is going to improve sales. RQII needs to be sold as a great fantasy system and it needs at least one popular setting to get it into people's hands.

I'm still hoping for RQII Conan.