The completion point of Conan

[MGBM]

In your opinion, when will you consider that this RPG has reached the point where everything important that could have been written already has been? At which point do you think Conan will be completed in terms of material published?

For me, it will be when all the regional sourcebooks of all regions are published. Why? Because Mongoose will also publish other sourcebooks about different topics other than regions. Since it will take a while until the last region is made into a sourcebook, I predict much material will be published inbetween regional sourcebooks to the point where almost everything that needed a sourcebook will have one.

However, others might not think that. For some, it will only be complete when a sourcebook about a specific topic is published. For others it will be when a certain number of adventures are published.

So, what do you think? When will Conan be considered complete?

 

[Azgulor]

1. When all regions have sourcebook treatments
2. When all possible adventures have been written
3. When Conan RPG fans stop buying/lose interest

In all seriousness, stamping "complete" on a creative endeavor such as a RPG is just a matter of personal taste. We're not talking about a TV series, a movie trilogy, or a series of novels where the story is 'left untold' when ended prematurely.

The Hyborian AGE encompasses so many cultures, themes, characters, and adventures that such a criteria is too subjective to be an effective marker.

Arguably, from a rules + setting standpoint, once you have a core rulebook and a setting book you have a "complete" game. You've been given the tools and can run with them from there.

From a Mongoose perspective, as long as the line and license are profitable and creatively satsifying, why stop?

From a GM/player perspective, so long as the products are a 'good buy', why stop? (Good buy being subjective as well but let's say a good value for your money as determined by the utility of the material to expand or enhance your game/character, grow your collection, or are just a good read.)

My question would be, what's the context behind your question? Are you hoping the line will go in another direction? That Mongoose will put more time and resources on another game/line/license? Or you just don't want to buy more books? (You don't have to, BTW)

As an example, some people play D&D with just the core rulebooks. Others buy every D&D supplement that they can afford.

 

[MGBM]

My question would be, what's the context behind your question? Are you hoping the line will go in another direction? That Mongoose will put more time and resources on another game/line/license? Or you just don't want to buy more books? (You don't have to, BTW)

Well, I'm a completist, have all the Conan books that have been released and will buy them all as long as they're published. They're good quality and some of the best I've ever read in my 20 years as a GM, especially Vincent's works.

Don't want the line to go in another direction, it's fine as it is as long as Vincent keeps writing sourcebooks.

The context behind my question was really just curiosity in knowing what people consider to be the point of completion, the point where they say that everything that could be covered is covered.

 

[Hervé]

I guess "When Conan RPG fans stop buying/lose interest" is the correct answer. MGP cannot possibly go on editing books if only a hardcore handful of fans buy them.

I said it before and I say it again: buy the books and Mongoose will keep editing more!

 

[Yogah of Yag]

All that's necessary (ATL Ed.; RoK) has been published. All else is merely icing on the cake. With each new publication they have to hype it more (read: beg) to get us to buy it. Diminishing returns, and suchlike.

 

[Spectator]

I tend to agree, I think a lot has been made to make people think that the World is not complete unless you have a rule for everything, a stat for everything, and a map for every damn sh*thole of a Zamorian village.


The problem with this is it leaves the world subject to other's interpretation and NOT YOUR IMAGINATION.

Personally, I know we all don't thave time to make a map of Larsha, or figure the stats out for the Giant Slug, but do you need Vincent D and Erik R. to do it for you? (Guys no disrespect intended, your stuff's great!)

What happens if your PCs get the same damn book and they know the map to Larsha like the back of their hands?

Or they know the stats of the giant slug?

My point is simply this: Too much info makes it into someone else's reality and not your fantasy.

OK Now I'm guilty of buying ROK, Ruins of Hyb., Stygia, Shadizar, and Across Thunder River (wow that many!!!) and also buying the Skrolls of skelos. But the more I think about it I really only needed to buy ROK!

The GMs job is to be the fantasy maker, not a recorded message box of other peoples visions.

What made me completely crazy about 2 years ago was when people started throwing hissy fits over the Shadizar Bogus Map. I could not understand it. I was wondering with all that whining they could have done a map for every town in Zamora, blueprints for the king's harem, and god knows what else.

Why do we need a rule for everything? Why must it be printed?
Why should my PCs know what/where/how I will run my adventures.
For example in Ruins of Hyboria Vinncent D made the Ghoul City floorplan out of whole cloth, and the Ghouls of Zingara are quite possibly the baddest bunch of humanoids/ undead that ever walked on earth (I think they were all min 7th level).
So does that mean if you run your PCs through the Zingara woods their doomed every time? Of course not.

Ok so this turned into a rant, I just want to say I love reading about others versions/ interpretations of REH, but I use them as a basis for my reality.

 

[Spectator]

I tend to agree, I think a lot has been made to make people think that the World is not complete unless you have a rule for everything, a stat for everything, and a map for every damn sh*thole of a Zamorian village.


The problem with this is it leaves the world subject to other's interpretation and NOT YOUR IMAGINATION.

Personally, I know we all don't thave time to make a map of Larsha, or figure the stats out for the Giant Slug, but do you need Vincent D and Erik R. to do it for you? (Guys no disrespect intended, your stuff's great!)

What happens if your PCs get the same damn book and they know the map to Larsha like the back of their hands?

Or they know the stats of the giant slug?

My point is simply this: Too much info makes it into someone else's reality and not your fantasy.

OK Now I'm guilty of buying ROK, Ruins of Hyb., Stygia, Shadizar, and Across Thunder River (wow that many!!!) and also buying the Skrolls of skelos. But the more I think about it I really only needed to buy ROK!

The GMs job is to be the fantasy maker, not a recorded message box of other peoples visions.

What made me completely crazy about 2 years ago was when people started throwing hissy fits over the Shadizar Bogus Map. I could not understand it. I was wondering with all that whining they could have done a map for every town in Zamora, blueprints for the king's harem, and god knows what else.

Why do we need a rule for everything? Why must it be printed?
Why should my PCs know what/where/how I will run my adventures.
For example in Ruins of Hyboria Vinncent D made the Ghoul City floorplan out of whole cloth, and the Ghouls of Zingara are quite possibly the baddest bunch of humanoids/ undead that ever walked on earth (I think they were all min 7th level).
So does that mean if you run your PCs through the Zingara woods their doomed every time? Of course not.

Ok so this turned into a rant, I just want to say I love reading about others versions/ interpretations of REH, but I use them as a basis for my reality.

 

[Strom]

Mongoose has the license for another 4 years (maybe 3.5 by now) and I can see them filling those years with plenty of supplements, adventures and campaigns. So that puts us around 2011 and who knows what will happen in the gaming industry by then which could impact the Conan RPG and Mongoose (different topic already discussed).

Excellent points by Spectator and a definite alternative to not purchasing the upcoming supplements. No one needs to buy them, however, there is a mentality to buy everything that comes out for a game because we like it or want to support it. That is another alternative.

Looking at the amount of material that has come out for the game already it's impressive. But the amount that hasn't been covered even more impressive. More than half the map hasn't been covered yet. What about Acheron or the Thurian Age? Or Mu?

With the second edition, Mongoose has even started to redo some of the books that have already been done, with books like Return to the Road of Kings and Secrets of Skeols. Updated and improved no doubt, but add in single modules and campaigns every year and Mongoose will no doubt have more material than they can print in the remaining years left with the license.

I hope Mongoose has great success with the line and the license is renewed in 2011. Just in time for 3rd edition Conan. :lol:

I just don't see them running out of material any time soon.

 

[toothill man]

the major hardback campain each year is a big draw for me 8)

 

[Harlock]

Well, it is true that only so much regional material is needed, though it could be the outer dark covers a lotta territory (but still should only be 1 or 2 books at most). The real potential for neverending source material is adventures. Personally I dont mind the idea of a a bunch of published adventures, its the one thing I miss in games from the past 10 years or so, at least up to a point. Others have mentioned and I agree that people shouldnt rely solely on published source books and adventures. Where such material is especially usefull is newer gamers, and those of us who find ourselves short of time can use such material to fillout our campaigns where needed.

 

[thulsa]

I tend to agree, I think a lot has been made to make people think that the World is not complete unless you have a rule for everything, a stat for everything, and a map for every damn sh*thole of a Zamorian village.

Like FRS (Forgotten Realms Syndrome) ?

To make it even worse, all the (NPC) good guys in FR kick more ass than the bad guys, so there is really no reason for the PCs to do anything. That's what I love about the Hyborian Age, there are (almost) no good guys!

- thulsa