Playtesting?

[Urox]

I learned a long time ago that internet communication is as much mis-communication. THat's why I don't get involved with a lot of the "he's being snarky" or "condesending" comments. Frankly, it is difficult to put tone and infelction down.

Yup, it's best to ignore. I happen to be lucky enough to be a profressional QA engineer, where I get to spend a lot of time finding holes in specifications. Part of my job is to argue the position of the customer in an adversarial manner, and I'm sure that comes across in my posts.

For instance, I for one hate the "skill having rule" for vales over 100%.

I don't think the intention is bad -- if a easy and clean solution could be worked out for the endless hit/parry cycle of very high skill combatants, that's probably not a bad thing.

But, at least from the implementaion that people are talking about, it seems fundamentally broken. This goes back to the original topic of Playtesting -- maybe someone knows how this works out.

Speaking of playtesting, I wonder what the opinions of the 3D6 Disruption that was mentioned were -- that seems pretty close to a Sever Spirit if it really does exist.

 

[atgxtg]

I learned a long time ago that internet communication is as much mis-communication. THat's why I don't get involved with a lot of the "he's being snarky" or "condesending" comments. Frankly, it is difficult to put tone and infelction down.

Yup, it's best to ignore. I happen to be lucky enough to be a profressional QA engineer, where I get to spend a lot of time finding holes in specifications. Part of my job is to argue the position of the customer in an adversarial manner, and I'm sure that comes across in my posts.

Aha! THat explains why I take your posts differently that some other peiople. I'm a "troubleshoot & repair" technician. My job generally consiting of hunting down things that are wrong and fixing them. I also had to deal with QC a lot. Generally, techs and QA people tend to take a "worst possible case" point of view, rather than the optomistic apporach the most others seems to prefer/expect. We're not negative so much as trying to head off the problems before they get out the door.

For instance, I for one hate the "skill having rule" for vales over 100%.

I don't think the intention is bad -- if a easy and clean solution could be worked out for the endless hit/parry cycle of very high skill combatants, that's probably not a bad thing.

But, at least from the implementaion that people are talking about, it seems fundamentally broken. This goes back to the original topic of Playtesting -- maybe someone knows how this works out.

I agree that the intentions were good. I think the "playtesting" thing probably reflects our points of view. People like you or I would run the system ragged and try to shake out the bugs. I think the latest generation of gamers is more looking at if it is fast and streamlined, and are not looking at the numbers, or even running enough sample combats to make the results statistically signficant. We'd playtest, they'd playtest.

Speaking of playtesting, I wonder what the opinions of the 3D6 Disruption that was mentioned were -- that seems pretty close to a Sever Spirit if it really does exist.

3D6 disrupt? In my opinion I don't want to be on the recieving end of one. Owww! I hope that is some sort of high end 3 MP+ version or some such. I'd hate to think that it is a 1 point spell. I suppose that with Hit Points being tracked differenlty and hp per location doubled disrupt will have to go up to 1D6.

 

[MongooseMatt]

I was just asking if anyone with vintage RQ experience had opinions on the changes from their experience playing MQ.

Aside from the guy who wrote the core rules?

 

[MongooseMatt]

Am I reading too much into this or does it imply some animosity between Mongoose and Chaosium? Can a "friend of Chaosium" not work for Mongoose without jeopardizing that friendship?

Way too much, I would say. Mr Krank and I had a long (and hopefully mutually beneficial) conversation in the gardens at Continuum last weekend. . .

 

[MongooseMatt]

Instead it is a group of d20 writers with the RuneQuest name and a new system.

Not to contradict you, but we do not employ D20 writers. We just employ writers. . .

 

[MongooseMatt]

I don't think that that means much. I mean, it was a group of RPG designerss at Continuium, not the Jerry Srpinger show. TOss in the fact the Charlie and Greg are up there in years, and I doubt it could have gotten very hostile.

They must have missed the part where I jumped Charlie in the lunch queue, pulled his shirt over his head and then smacked him in the face with a dinner tray. . .

 

[MongooseMatt]

In my case, the ads got me to spend $50 on MRQ and the MRQ Companion, sight unseen, but I suspect they will be the last Mongoose products that I buy "blind".

If it is worth anything to you, I suspect they won't. . .

 

[Rurik]

They must have missed the part where I jumped Charlie in the lunch queue, pulled his shirt over his head and then smacked him in the face with a dinner tray. . .

Are you signing up for the Volleyball game? I think the Mongoose team could could use someone like you, the current roster doesn't seem to have quite your fire...

 

[atgxtg]

I don't think that that means much. I mean, it was a group of RPG designerss at Continuium, not the Jerry Srpinger show. TOss in the fact the Charlie and Greg are up there in years, and I doubt it could have gotten very hostile.

They must have missed the part where I jumped Charlie in the lunch queue, pulled his shirt over his head and then smacked him in the face with a dinner tray. . .

LOL. I don't suppose anyone got that on a video camera! It certainly sound morelively that some of the rpg seminar I've seen. More of that and you can get G4Tech TV to cover gaming conventions.


I can just visualize the old AD&D set demonstrating why Cleric don't need edged weapons.

 

[atgxtg]

I was just asking if anyone with vintage RQ experience had opinions on the changes from their experience playing MQ.

Aside from the guy who wrote the core rules?

Please, by all means, speak up. I am sure we would all love to hear your MRQ thoughts, plans, rule clarification and impressions.

PS. When you get to the impression, don't forget to do a duck, that one just slays me.

 

[Turloigh]

(snip)... I think Steve Perrin was involved at the beginning, but I may be hallucinating. ... (snip)

Not quite. Here's what I know.

Steve Perrin was one of the "early playtesters" (like myself). He also wrote a draft of the Rune Magic system which, apparently, was NOT used for the final rulebook. I do not know if for sure if he was in other ways involved with the project, but lacking evidence, I suppose he wasn't.

That's all I can tell without entering the realm of hearsay.

 

[burdock]

I don't know if Steve Perrin has even been made aware of the existence of MRQ, let alone watching over the desgin process.

The wikipedia entry for Runequest states: "developed under the watchful eyes of Messrs Stafford and Perrin". However, Steve Perrin was no longer associated with the Mongoose RuneQuest project as of December 2005."

Steve Perrins part in this was one of the things that aroused my strong interest also.

 

[atgxtg]

(snip)... I think Steve Perrin was involved at the beginning, but I may be hallucinating. ... (snip)

Not quite. Here's what I know.

Steve Perrin was one of the "early playtesters" (like myself). He also wrote a draft of the Rune Magic system which, apparently, was NOT used for the final rulebook. I do not know if for sure if he was in other ways involved with the project, but lacking evidence, I suppose he wasn't.

That's all I can tell without entering the realm of hearsay.

So why do all the ads for MRQ claim that it was developed under the "watchful" eyes of Stafford & Perrin?

Anybody can werite a wiki, so I don't blame Mongoose for that, but who was responsible for the ads in the trade mags and at the on-line shops?

 

[Mugen]

He also wrote a draft of the Rune Magic system which, apparently, was NOT used for the final rulebook.

The final Rune Magic system does use Mr Perrin's Runic powers table and the idea of "integrating runes".

 

[atgxtg]

He also wrote a draft of the Rune Magic system which, apparently, was NOT used for the final rulebook.

The final Rune Magic system does use Mr Perrin's Runic powers table and the idea of "integrating runes".

:? Help! I've been befuddled. :?

 

[CharlieMonster]

Wading in late as usual with my two penn'th :lol:

Skill use experience checks have been the number one praise I have encountered when talking about Runequest, (and its progeny).

I am surprised they changed it at all.

I agree to a certain degree, but one of the problems I felt it suffered from was "skill-check fishing". As a GM I always tried to control it, but there were always "munchkins" out to get as many skill checks per session as possible, often to the detriment of the adventure. The switch to awarded advances is that it removes the distraction. Of course if you like the old way, there really is nothing stopping you putting 'em back as a house rule.