RuneQuest Companion

[GbajiTheDeceiver]

I think RMS's point stands very well too.

It's not really the number of books but the contents. Basic + Companion seems to cover, in much the same detail, everything that was in RQ3. This includes the MRQ analogues of Spirit Magic, Divine Magic and Sorcery (Magic Book); Character Generation with Cultural and Professional Backgrounds (Players Book); Travelling and so on (chunks of the GM book); some lightweight Gloranthan intro material (Glorantha Book); and a functional bestiary with workable generation rules (Creatures Book). The only thing really missing seems to be the item generation part of Ritual Magic.

And the Money Tree, of course.

And that's $45 or $50 (sure I saw Basic was once $20 too ), compared to $40 back in 1984, with (hopefully) much better and more durable binding.

 

[Lord Twig]

I am seeing RQ, RQ - Companion, and RQ - Monsters as similar to the PHB, DMG and MM from D&D. In the case of RQ that is $75 ($25 each, not $20 each). But compared to the $30 each for D&D, for a total of $90, that is fairly reasonable. Add in the two Glorantha books for $35 each and it comes to a total of $145. But how much would you have to spend to get the books for Eberron or Forgotten Realms? $80? $120? I think each book is like $40 each and there are probably quite a few books you can buy for the setting.

MRQ is not competing with old RQ, it is competing with D&D and I think Mongoose has taken that into consideration with their own pricing.

 

[atgxtg]

I am seeing RQ, RQ - Companion, and RQ - Monsters as similar to the PHB, DMG and MM from D&D. In the case of RQ that is $75 ($25 each, not $20 each). But compared to the $30 each for D&D, for a total of $90, that is fairly reasonable. Add in the two Glorantha books for $35 each and it comes to a total of $145. But how much would you have to spend to get the books for Eberron or Forgotten Realms? $80? $120? I think each book is like $40 each and there are probably quite a few books you can buy for the setting.

MRQ is not competing with old RQ, it is competing with D&D and I think Mongoose has taken that into consideration with their own pricing.

Except they are not going to be able to complete effectively with that strategy. D&D gets away with a 3 book intro structure becuase it can. Most other games, including D20 games produced by WotC, use a 1 book intro format. No one sheels out $90 to see a new game system. Aty least not yet.

It all boils down to how much is actually in the RueQuest main book,

 

[atgxtg]

I think RMS's point stands very well too.

It's not really the number of books but the contents. Basic + Companion seems to cover, in much the same detail, everything that was in RQ3. This includes the MRQ analogues of Spirit Magic, Divine Magic and Sorcery (Magic Book); Character Generation with Cultural and Professional Backgrounds (Players Book); Travelling and so on (chunks of the GM book); some lightweight Gloranthan intro material (Glorantha Book); and a functional bestiary with workable generation rules (Creatures Book). The only thing really missing seems to be the item generation part of Ritual Magic.

And the Money Tree, of course.

And that's $45 or $50 (sure I saw Basic was once $20 too ), compared to $40 back in 1984, with (hopefully) much better and more durable binding.

 

[atgxtg]

First off, lets get this pricing thing straightend out. Mongoose has upped the price from @20 to $25 for some of the books, like the main book. The older prices are still around for those who search. It also looks like the added 20 pages to the main book too.

Te Prices to play RQ:
Main Rulebook $25, Companion $25, Glorantha $35, + Monster Book $30, Cults of Glorantha $30


It is getting up there. Well past the point where they will pick up new players through the OGL. THat is why all OGL setting can be run with one book, or at most two. To run RQ, in any setting is going to require the same sort of expenditure that it takes to run in some of the offical D&D settings.

THe main book is going to make or break this game. If someone comes in and has to go through four or five books to write up a character, they probsbly won't bother and the game will go belly up.

MRQ is already fighting an uphill battle. If they make 5 books a requirment to run in GLorantha then they won't be adding any new players to the setting.

[/list]

 

[Lord Twig]

Well that is where MRQ is different than D&D. You can make a character and run a game with just the main rulebook. The extra stuff is just that, extra. I would say that it is fairly important extra stuff, but you can buy just the one book and play before you decide to buy the others, unlike D&D.

 

[SteveMND]

Except they are not going to be able to complete effectively with that strategy. D&D gets away with a 3 book intro structure becuase it can. Most other games, including D20 games produced by WotC, use a 1 book intro format. No one sheels out $90 to see a new game system. Aty least not yet.

Yes, but those d20 "1 book intro format" games -- like ALL d20 OGL games -- are already assuming that you have the Player's Handbook at the very least, and probably the Dungeon Master's Guide and possibly the Monster manual as well. In fact, that's the whole deal with OGL -- you can publish stuff, but certain key bits -- such as character generation -- must not be in the book, so that it requires the core book put out by WotC.

According to reports, MRQ's OGL is going to be similarly set up, so that if you want to publish a MRQ-OGL setting called "TwigWorld," your players will have to already own the MRQ Main Rule Book to create characters and play in it.

I think the anaology to the 3 D&D Core books to the 3 MRQ main books is spot on.

Well that is where MRQ is different than D&D. You can make a character and run a game with just the main rulebook. The extra stuff is just that, extra. I would say that it is fairly important extra stuff, but you can buy just the one book and play before you decide to buy the others, unlike D&D.

I'm not seeing much difference from what I've been able to glean so far.

In D&D, you can create a character and get the basic system down with just the Player's Handbook, and the DM will need the Dungeon Master's Guide to properly run a campaign. Throw in the Monster Manual for some pre-made monsters, and you're good to go.

Looks to me that in MRQ you can create a character and get the basic system down with just the Main Rulebook, and the GM will need the MRQ Companion to properly run a campaign. Throw in the MRQ Monsters Book for some pre-made monsters, and you're good to go.

I'm not seeing a lot of difference here.

 

[atgxtg]

Well that is where MRQ is different than D&D. You can make a character and run a game with just the main rulebook. The extra stuff is just that, extra. I would say that it is fairly important extra stuff, but you can buy just the one book and play before you decide to buy the others, unlike D&D.

Depends on how much character generation stuff is in the main book. As long as they have more than one culture and enough professions to cover things then yopu can make a character and run with the main book. Even if they leave a "create you own" choice for professions and let people assign some points.

On the otherhand, if you need the companion book to write up a soldier or hunter then the main book won't be enough. Same with the magic and creatues stuff. You don't need Walktalkpus stats in the main book, but you do need stats for horses.

I just don't want to see RQ turn into a "collectable RPG" like D&D with relaleases like THe Quintessential Baker.

 

[andakitty]

To me the MRQ book looks equivalent to the RQ2 book. About the same length, coverage, everything. I think it could be used alone, unlike D20. So I have to disagree with you, Steve. If the format stays true to previews we have 30-40 monster entries. RQ2 was about 120 pages too, wasn't it? The Companion looks like an extension of the rules, nice but not necessary. Ditto the monster book. The Rune magic looks easy to expand into a full magic system. I probably will not want the Glorantha book, never did really grok the setting. So I am sitting pretty, with a solid one book core and plenty of options. Others' mileage will, of course, vary a great deal.

 

[Enpeze]

I probably will not want the Glorantha book, never did really grok the setting.

I think I will take the Glorantha book, just for the collection. Like yourself I am not that fond of the Glorantha setting. But if it is well written, one can surely take one or another idea, culture, gods, monsters etc.

 

[SteveMND]

To me the MRQ book looks equivalent to the RQ2 book. About the same length, coverage, everything. I think it could be used alone, unlike D20. So I have to disagree with you, Steve.

Well, the description of the Companion book seemed to me to include a lot of stuff that sound pretty integral to a campaign, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

 

[andakitty]

Yep, for sure. I am thinking more along the lines of one-shots right now, though. Also thinking of 'padding' MRQ with BRP. Mileage and all.

 

[RMS]

First off, lets get this pricing thing straightend out. Mongoose has upped the price from @20 to $25 for some of the books, like the main book. The older prices are still around for those who search. It also looks like the added 20 pages to the main book too.

I don't know if Mongoose changed or if it's the standard case of Amazaon having prices below list. I pulled my prices from Amazon. I do see that the monster book is a fair amount more than the Main Book and the Companion.

 

[GbajiTheDeceiver]

To me the MRQ book looks equivalent to the RQ2 book.

Me too. It's probably a bit lighter (one magic system, maybe strip the appendices), but in terms of usability you can do much the same with it. To be honest, virtually everything extra can be either picked up from any GM-ing guide, or is very much setting-dependent.

It's blatantly obvious Mongoose are setting themselves up to have a pot-shot at d20 with this...

 

[atgxtg]

I don't know if Mongoose changed or if it's the standard case of Amazaon having prices below list. I pulled my prices from Amazon. I do see that the monster book is a fair amount more than the Main Book and the Companion.

I believed Mongoose upped it. I have alreadly preorder/prepaid for this at my local gaming store, and we pulled the price off on the websight and from the shop keepers order catalogs for Game Trade, Diamond Comics and such. There is was listed as $19.95 and 100 pages-just like on Amazon. I gonna have to give the shop owener and extra $5.25 tomorrow. (I guess in a way, I've already boght my copy of the game)

Now it is $25 and 120 page. Looks like they decided to add something to the game. Considering the D&D 3E comapsions being made, it mmight be a "quick-start" sections like the one in the first printing of the D&D 3E PHB.

Or it could be 20 pages or variant character sheet!

 

[atgxtg]

Yes, but those d20 "1 book intro format" games -- like ALL d20 OGL games -- are already assuming that you have the Player's Handbook at the very least, and probably the Dungeon Master's Guide and possibly the Monster manual as well. In fact, that's the whole deal with OGL -- you can publish stuff, but certain key bits -- such as character generation -- must not be in the book, so that it requires the core book put out by WotC.

No. WotC has two differnet liscense for D20/OGL. The "d20" liscense works just as you descibed.

But the "OGL" liscense allows companies to print stand alone RPGs based on d20 with complete rules. For example, Mongoose's OGL Ancients. It has a complete game with character classes, combat rules, cretures and two magic systems. It is also not quite compatable with other D20 products.

Likewise, WotC's D20 Modern and D20 Star Wars are stand along games that do not require the piurchase of the D&D PHB, DMG, and MM.


I'm hoping that the RQ Main Book is closer in design to an OGL product than a d20 one. THe RQ2 analogy would be great. RQ2 really only required 3 purchases to make a decent Glorantha setting: THe RQ2 Rules, Cults of Prax, and one of the Box Set campaign packs.

 

[andakitty]

Gbaji, all I have to say if Mongoose is settting up to take a potshot at D20 (and WOTC) is;

GO, MONGOOSE, GO!!!