The Future of the Conan rpg

[EricKRod1]

So, coming up soon we will see the 'lease' for the rights to publishing the Conan rpg become available to any game company interested. We won't be privy to all the ends and outs of the bidding and behind the door dealing. We really won't know who, what where, when, why and how of the process and who offers the most to Paradox for those publishing rights.

I just want to know which game company you all think would make a great match for the Conan genre and why? Please include Mongoose, lets not cancel them as a viable choice.

I just want to hear all the pro's and con's about each game company and whether or not you think there existing game system is best for Conan or if you simply like the company but think they need to create a whole new system?
:?:
Eric in WA

 

[tarkhan bey]

I love the quality of the product from Fantasy Flight Games but they don't have the system. Pinnacle stuff looks pretty as well and the Savage Worlds system would be a pretty good fit.
If it came down to it though, it would have to be dear old MGP. Everything hasn't always been smooth and there have been occasional complaints about the quality of the end product(for assorted reasons-I never did recieve my Shadizar Map :roll: )
However, for six or so years they have produced a solid, and often inspired, line for my favourite fantasy setting.
So, for me, the license should be retained by Mongoose but the system should be switched to MRQ2.

 

[Spectator]

Hmmm, great question.

My first choice has to be MGP.
THey are the only company that I know that when they make a mistake (and a few were made) they HAVE ALWAYS DONE THE RIGHT THING!
THat means so much to me. The fact that they also respond to our questions on this board (Thanks MSPrange) means a boat-load to me.
The level of enthusiasm had for the product was really evident from the get-go as opposed to some corporate guys just pushing a product.

If MGP does not get it, I'd really like to see it being taken up by the Castles-n-Crusaders gang. I really love that system and it would complement the Conan line very well.

I am sure there are other companies out there that would be a great fit, but my knowledge only extends to these guys.

 

[Cimmerian Bard]

Would very much like to see Mongoose keep the line -- it's truly the best D20 derivative out there, bar none. Then again, it helps that it's an awesome, time-honored, setting (thanks to the talented, if short-lived, Mr. Howard!) with plenty of detail, inspiration, and endless adventure.

Apart from MGP, perhaps Green Ronin could take a decent stab of it or possibly even the Cortex system (used in the Serenity RPG). A hearty "hellz no!" goes to WotC, not that they'd be interested in a gritty, sometimes Politically Incorrect, setting of utter awesome-ness.

But, to reitereate, would really like to see MGP somehow hold on to the rights to the line. Ah, my kingdom for a Genie's Wish...or just a kingdom, for that matter.

 

[Yogah of Yag]

The game should be totally overhauled to suit a simpler ruleset to ensure a wider target demographic. The d20 system is far too much accounting and too light on role-playing.

* A variety of people online are rewriting Classic Traveller for Fantasy/S&S use. This might work, with liberal alteration of rules.

* Eden's Unisystem (Cinematic or Classic) is fun and does not have a steep learning-curve, compared to much else out there.

* The Crafty Lads have something called Mastercraft which--rumour has it-- may work. (Note, I know nothing of the system...yet.)

IOW, there's *got* to be something better than d20. Something which can appeal to more people who have no desire to get bogged down in character-builds and number-crunch.

 

[strategos14]

I'm never changing from the current ruleset. EVER lol.

 

[Phobos]

I would like that MGP keep creating and selling the Conan line, specially for books like the Darlage´s ones. And really, I´ll love to see a book of Hyrkania & Turan.

 

[rabindranath72]

Green Ronin and the new AGE system, which works wonderfully well in their Dragon Age game. The system strikes a perfect balance between crunch and flavour. It has skills and talents, but it's not as bloated as d20 Conan.
It has a flavourful stunt-based combat system which is very dynamic yet it does not require maps.
I started working on a conversion of Conan to the AGE system but Real Life intruded. :evil:

 

[Supplement Four]

My hope is that Mongoose keeps the line, and we are returned to full color art, incredible adventures and campaigns, and breath-taking support books.

 

[The King]

The only company which could compete with Mongoose in this field is IMO Fantasy Flight Games (short FFG) but I guess the books they would publish would be much more expensive than what Mongoose used to offer.
Wizards of the Coast is long lost in its miniatures games and to me they don't produce any RPG's anymore, but mere tabletop or board games. :roll:

 

[PrinceYyrkoon]

Cubicle 7, perhaps?

 

[Strom]

My first choice is Mongoose if they go back to the quality and commitment to the line they had when they originally launched the game. Mongoose needs to show they want Conan. IMO, the last few years they "shelved" the game a bit (poor quality, inconsistent support) and they need to show recommitment.

That said:

rabindranath72 Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 3:45 am

Green Ronin and the new AGE system, which works wonderfully well in their Dragon Age game. The system strikes a perfect balance between crunch and flavour. It has skills and talents, but it's not as bloated as d20 Conan.
It has a flavourful stunt-based combat system which is very dynamic yet it does not require maps.
I started working on a conversion of Conan to the AGE system but Real Life intruded.

I'm excited about this idea - currently playing Dragon Age on PS3 and having fun and just picked up the box set through a trade and read the rulebook. Green Ronin and AGE is a good call. Fantasy Flight would be my third choice - better start saving now!

 

[AKAmra]

Mongoose with the RQ II rules would be my first choice because if they republished the current line in RQ II I would be a very happy gamer. Most of the text is done, just new rules and more fluff for all the extra space d20 rules stuff takes up.

The other systems I'd be interested in (GURPS, BRP) aren't realistic to hope for.

I'd look at the Green Ronin AGE system, or another new system. I'd pass on Cortex or SW.

 

[Hervé]

MGP would also be my favourite choice, as it seems a Darlage RQ Conan and a SaWo Conan were already designed, as well as a good part of the legendary 13 tomes Atlas...

Actually I'll go for any publisher that has the good sense of keeping top writers like Darlage or Whithaker in their team and get rid of this lousy Dead20 system...

Wizards of the Coast is long lost in its miniatures games and to me they don't produce any RPG's anymore, but mere tabletop or board games

.

Actually, they 're also giving up some of their miniature games, like Star Wars Miniatures, as well as the SW RPG. Hasbro/WoC would probably be one of the worst choices for a Conan licence. Anyway, I doubt they are interested. Furthermore the rule changes would not be drastic enough (class, level, feats and D20) and the game would stay even more stereotypical than it is today.

 

[Jotenbjorn]

As much as I like Mongoose's treatment of Conan, I'd rather they not get the license. I don't want to play Runequest.

I'd prefer Green Ronin give it the same treatment as its Mythic Vistas series.

 

[The King]

Anyway, I doubt they are interested. Furthermore the rule changes would not be drastic enough (class, level, feats and D20) and the game would stay even more stereotypical than it is today.

I know but I only considered the 2 companies who had the experience and the quality management to produce Conan stuff. This was of course my personal opinion.

Mongoose did a great treatment (the best thing IMO being the pulp paper they used for the 1st edition books which really had the feel of these magazines of old). One (or two) things they could and should have improved (again IMO) is the quality of the illustrations and the maps. In fact I'm still wondering how it could happen that such sourcebooks as Shem, Argos & Zingara and Stygia had no map at all of the regions described.

 

[Dark Mistress]

Honestly i don't care who gets it. I just hope who ever gets it, makes a great game and fully supports it. Which ever company is willing and able to do that is who i hope gets it.

 

[EricKRod1]

Thanks to everyone for the great feedback and opinions. It seems that, in general, most just want the game done well and it really doesn't matter so much who does it. Let's hope thats the case.

Eric in WA

 

[Teodric]

I would really like to see Mongoose being able to continue with Conan. But others who I think could manage is Green Ronin, Pinnacle and Cubicle7.

I would like a new Conan game. Now when the d20 boom(when everything was turning d20 like on some principle) is over I don’t see why not move Conan away from it. At least in the 3,5 form. No I’m not bashing d20 but D&D 3,5,even with the revisions for Conan RPG, sucks on howardian sword&sorcery (but I do admit that some things are better handled than in BRP for sure). But a A Conan d20 that moved away from 3,5 more over to lesser complex incarnations of the d20 system like Castles&Crusades would also be fine and would not be that much of a leap from D20 Conan.

I like BRP but a Savage Worlds version also seems appealing. I don´t play under that system right now and I started out playing various BRP-mutations(and still do). But SW seem to be a rules light fast paced system that is fitting for the genre. Or that is my overall impression. BRP is not that fast paced really and easy becomes quite static with a "ping-pong-effect” in combat. But I would like a MRQ version which is nice to tie in with material from CoC more straight from the book. Maybe try to scale it down a little? And BRP is easier to have laying in the background and not as in-your-face and more subtile. But that is a personal opinion.

But a SW version brings Conan under the same system as Solomon Kane, Realms of Cthulhu, the pseudo-barsoomian setting Mars. It’s a win-win for me. A really good fit would be Barbarians of Lemuria or Dragon Age (or dare I say…maybe even Lone Wolf). I don´t care that much about the system per se, just it is not encumbered to much by rules (as I see the current version) and supports fast action sword&sorcey style playing with streamlined mechanics. I want a game that just by reading it spawnes dussins of adventure hooks and howardian flavor every time I open the book and help me set up a game in so time. Heck why not create a whole new system created just for Conan?

But I understand if MG feels that they want to make it MRQ and tie it in with their own 'house system'. I would buy it and could be happy with as long as it is done right on the lines of:"How do we make MRQ fit Conan" rather than the other way around.

As I´ve understood there has been problem for MG with moving Conan away from d20. But as I said further up... Maybe changing it away from 3,5 but still within the d20 spectrum? More in the lines with a more rulelight bend on the OGL system (C&C, Treu20 etc. come to mind) and focus it more to flexible rules leaning more to improvised and narrative gaming style than crunsch, but would still be easy to convert with minimal effort ?

 

[superc0ntra]

My only issue with MRQ2 would be that it would be hard to be the uber-barbarian laying waste to scores of foes since the sysem in itself is rather deadly/"realistic"