The Future of the Conan rpg

[rabindranath72]

I think Ichabod covered pretty much everything. I will add that (high level) NPC creation is a chore for the DM, who is supposed to spend lots of time detailing characters which 99% of the time are going to bite the dust, and use only a fraction of all the abilities they have.
This aspect has had a strong impact on published material, with pages and pages of worthless crap. Look at the Tito's handbook: pages upon pages of stats for MERCHANTS?!?! Are you kidding me? Or the Conan Compendium, where simple low level guards each are fully statted like PCs.
That's a totally, absolutely, wrong way to approach the NPC creation problem. NPCs should only be functional to their role, not to all of the possible roles and things they could be able to do were they PCs. 4e at least got this aspect right, much like the previous versions of D&D.
Personally, even when playing 3e, I don't bother with NPCs stats at all unless they serve some purpose.
A soldier type needs only AC, bonus to hit, saving throws, damage for weapon used.
That's all.
I wonder why didn't publishers do the same (well, the obvious answer is that this "filler" increases the page count, and hence the price, without any creative effort to do.)

 

[Teodric]

MGP.

The question is this,at least for me, What can a new company do that MG has not done?. The setting is pretty complete. I say you don't need another system unless you really hate d20.

Well why does anyone update a old rpg by rules or setting? For the fun of it. To make it go on. Create new interest. To adjust it to the better etc.

I would say that after reading some of the setting books they have a lot of meaningless fillermaterial and detail about boring subjects that does not have anything to do with howardian adventure. Of course much material are inspirational and evocative. But I think both Mongoose or some other company could do a lot better on the setting since its far from perfect.

There is always another angle.

 

[Spectator]

THe next system would be the castles and crusaders system.
It's like first ed. ADnD but better thought out.
The sorcery could be revamped and some of the classes and you would have a very fun, fast, and easy to administer system.

 

[HyborianAge]

Hi ya
MGP Conan RPG is the closest reconstruction of how Howard wrote and probably imagined [if he had lived] what an RPG about his works would be like. I also imagine he would loved the Basic D&D and AD&D 1s Ed.

I like this thread, so I will post, IMMHO, my views:

Feats
Give feats at each level but allow the player to choose a different feat if so desired [yes, like good old D&D Basic and AD&D 1st Ed.]

Magic system
Absolutely Fabulous, leave it!

Skills
Give skills at each level but alow players to choose different Skills if so desired [yes, like good old D&D Basic]

Classes
Add Fighter/Warrior Class
Barbarian Class for Northern Nordhiemer/Cimmerian Races only!
Add Savage Class for the Black Kingdoms and Picts only!
Add Bandit Class for the Afghulis and Wazulis etc ...
Thus leaving the remainder for the Fighter/Warrior Class.
Add Sorceror Class, leaving the Scholar Class for those who would be the Sages of the Hyborian Age [Scholars could still "Dabble" with Sorcery].
Add Bard Class, but heavily amended with NO Magic!
Add Knight Class, for the Aquilonians etc ...

Dodge/Parry Defence
Love it, Works perfectly, leave it! WoTC should have gone in this direction!

rabindranath72 wrote:
Create four racial "prototypes": Barbarian, Nomadic, Civilised, Decadent. Essentially these races replace all of the existing ones; the actual race is only flavour.

I agree, but allow the "Sub Race" ie Cimmerian, Hyrkanian, Nemedian, Archeronian etc.

RPG's are about using our "IMAGINATION"! Let's get back to what Gary Gygax started and that all of us oldies (and YOU newbies would) Love, our Imagination! No Battle Grids, No Expensive Plastic Mini's (OK if you like them)
Read the complete Conan Works by REH (if you really need to), really read! Smells the Smells, feel the Fear, Marvel in the construction of the ancient structures. And of course, charge into battle with Conan

Speed should be Movement (Move): Average 120 ft. per turn 40 ft. per round

Flanking? Let the GM adjudicate!
Manoeuvers, Let the GM adjudicate!
Finesse, get rid of it, or make it a feat/skill by class.

Flat-Footed? Use good old Surprise! Base it on a DC but modified by Skills/Feats/Natural Abilities by both partys

Alignment? Goes without saying, and WoTC should have done the same once it morphed D&D and AD&D into v3.0 and v3.5.

MGP would be wise to:
Read the complete Conan Works by Robert E Howard again if necessary and don't loose sight of how and what REH wrote.
NOT move in the D&D v4.0 direction, an absolute travesty of the game IMMHO!

 

[cerebro]

I love the conan rpg as it is. Is not slow at all,if you know how to play d&d 3.5.

I think that they did a great job. And the adventures are amazing. Try one if you haven't. I recommend "Trial of Blood" and "The Betrayer of Asgard".

Except for the ghost bear encounter is flaw less.

 

[Arcadayn]

Personally, I could care less what system Conan is presented in. I will use whatever rule system strikes my fancy at the moment. I never used D20 for Conan, though I will say its implemetation of a crap system was the best one out there. I've had great success with Hyborian Rolemaster and Savage Worlds.

It's the source material that is truly important to me. MGP really nailed it with the first several books they published. Unfortunately, things began to slide drastically about half to 3/4 of the way through the publication of 1st edition. For example, the Argos and Shem books pale in comparison to Stygia. 2nd edition continued this unfortunate trend and added a whole bunch more problems. The map issues throughout the entire publication of Conan were inexcusable. If it had been any other licensed property, I would have bailed after the Shadizar debacle.

Pinnacle puts out awesome books (check out Solomon Kane), as does Paizo. From the looks of it though, no one is going to be getting the license anytime soon.

 

[Supplement Four]

From the looks of it though, no one is going to be getting the license anytime soon.

The movie is due out late this year. If its successful, maybe it will spur some interest.

 

[Teodric]

Just hope Paradox don´t pull any lunatic terms, like that a future Conan game have to adjust after the new movie. I´ve heard they did this with the never published new Mutant Chronicles RPG. Chilling thought since the new movie seems not either to be based on anything written by Howard, from what I´ve heard about it (except the concept of a barbarian named Conan and some other names)... OK I am way ahead of things here but it bothers me a little.

 

[Iron Guardian]

Hmmm, another version of the Cimmerian gaming-wise. To me, I am less concerned about who does it, just that they do it right. I do like the Savage Worlds system, the Dragon Age system, and to a degree, the TSR version from the mid-1980's (though the magic system was pretty bad...rushed it out too soon IMO).

I think I probably have about every version of Conan RPG's. I have the GURPS Conan stuff, the TSR boxed set (non-AD&D system used), one or two of the AD&D Conan modules from TSR, and the Mongoose 1st Edition stuff. Also had a Conan PC game that came out in the '80s IIRC for my old AppleII+ PC and the Conan console game for XBox360 that came out a couple of years back. Nope, no Age of Conan MMORPG though as I have heard many negative comments about it. Am also pretty ambivalent about the new movie coming in August as I don't think the actor playing Conan possesses the charisma of "The Ahhnold."

 

[Erekose]

Am also pretty ambivalent about the new movie coming in August as I don't think the actor playing Conan possesses the charisma of "The Ahhnold."

Possibly off topic but I couln't agree with you more!

 

[Iron Guardian]

I still might go see the film in August though I would hope they do a better trailer to entice me...and keep fingers crossed that it won't embarrass Conan and REH fans upon release. On a related note, I am still hoping the Solomon Kane film (with James Purefoy) made a while back and released in Europe makes it's way to the States, even if its just in DVD release. I know it doesn't seem to follow canon, but I still would love to see it.

Sorry about going off topic...Now back to our regularly scheduled Topic... 8)

 

[daddystabz]

The best thing that could happen is for the Conan license to go to Beyond Belief Games, for their Barbarians of Lemuria game system. BoL is the best sword & sorcery system bar none and is quick playing, action packed adventure that just screams Conan. I know it won't happen because they are indie and don't have the cash but I'm already using it to play Conan and it is superior to d20 and every way.

 

[HyborianAge]

Hi all,

Last post was some time ago but I will have my 2c worth lol
Well, as we all thought and dreaded, the remake ofConan the Barbarian was an absolute travesty! Jason [god bless him] did his bit, but the whole concept was fatally flawed. I guess we won't see a remake for some time now!

I had a chat with a chap at the REH estate, apparently the licence for any game has gone to a hollywood company which means whatever will be offered will be for kiddies only - I'm guessing 4e :x .

Wish I had millions, I would buy the licence, talk to the people - then put out a game that woud blow away anything to date [but thats my secret].

Any thoughts guys?

Cheers
Grant

 

[Supplement Four]

Any thoughts guys?

First, thanks for helping me keep discussion about this game alive. Sometimes I feel like me and three others in the world are playing it.

As for a remake, it does seem likely that we won't see another Conan movie in our lifetimes. Then again, you never know what's going to happen. Hollywood is rebooting Spiderman and Transformers when both franchises aren't that old. The Punisher has had three or four attempts (all failed, in my book).

Maybe....something will happen with Conan one of these days. It's doubtful, sure. But...maybe. There's always the 1% piece of hope.




As far as the rights to an RPG: If, indeed, the rights have passed to a Hollywood company (probably the one that produced the 2010 Conan film, I'm guessing), then I don't think it will be a 4E game. It will either be 5E or use a system all its own.

 

[Supplement Four]

Trying to pretend it not matter that the ship can sail directly from Messantia to the Vilayet Sea is just pushing it....

If it helps, the novelization of the film clears up a lot of these filmic problems. For example, taking the chick home mean sailing to Argos or Zingara or somewhere along the coast where they could get inland a bit, then going over land to Hyrkania. There is no Vilayet involved.

(Though I found 2nd edition lacking the true spirit of the game)

I play 2E. Out of couriosity, what do you find liacking the true spirit of Conan in 2E?

 

[LucaCherstich]

In theory I play 2e too...but I found the whole Atlantean vs 2e problem a bit meaningless.
I can use every Altlantean product with 2e.
It's not like D&D 3.5 and D&D 4 which are 2 different games.
However, it must be said that the real problem with 2e is not the Core Manual but the later books.
The 2e series started with masterpieces (Return to the RoK) and ended in useless stuff (Cities of Hyboria) or badly chosen subjects (Cimmeria and Khitai).

 

[Supplement Four]

However, it must be said that the real problem with 2e is not the Core Manual but the later books.

The 2e series started with masterpieces (Return to the RoK) and ended in useless stuff (Cities of Hyboria) or badly chosen subjects (Cimmeria and Khitai).

Agree, but I think Cimmeria was a good choice, just not executed as well as I had hoped.

 

[LucaCherstich]

I remember in these forums more than one voice screaming: "TURAN & HYRKANIA!!"
But nobody listened....however, unfortunately what is done, is done, and it is such a pity V.Darlage had a "Jewels of the Vilayet" sourcebook almost ready to be published...

 

[Supplement Four]

Yes, I would have loved to have seen a Turan & Hyrkania supplement. I don't know why Khitai was written other than maybe CPI was pushing for it because the Age of Conan MMO was released the Khitai adventure setting and wanted the two to tie together a bit.

 

[HyborianAge]

I have 5 different product on Arnie's Conan the Barbarian and will try and buy each version of this film that it is brought out and place on the shelves instantly to encourage this.

Arnies (original) Conan was absolutely the best movie in the early eighties, the sequel was edited by the studio and turned out to be a pale comparison as to what it should have been, that is another great movie by de Laurentiis and Stone (thats oliver stone of "platoon" fame).

I picked up the AD&D 1st ed (TSR not WoTC) Conan series of modules which were brilliant (at the time), with very little change to the core game concept. In fact we still play the odd AD&D 1st ed Conan module every now and again! Great Fun!

It proves that the sincerity and spirit of the writers before who where dedicated to the concept of Howard's world was lost.

Totally agree, my constant moan (I know it sounds petty) but does anyone read REH, I mean really read! REH was a prolific writer and the 1e was almost spot on with the way REH wrote the Conan novels/stories. If anyone does pick up the torch and run with a Conan RPG "I pray" that they read All of the REH Conan novels/stories. REH based his stories on his Myth of the Hyborian Age, like Tolkien did with LoTR. It was consistant in its own fabulous way. The real guts of Conan is Sword & Sorcery!

I think 3.5/d20 is still the best system to use, D&D was originally a "role playing game", after reading almost everying in D&D 4E I have come to the conclusion that it is really just a board game of bashing the monster and take the treasure - there doesn't appear to be any room for true role playing. :shock:

I await D&D 5E system with trepidation - Could WoTC reverse my ingrained hatred with everything WoTC or confirm that they are the worst publisher of the D&D or for that matter any role playing game. :roll:

I've looked at the savage worlds Slaine system, it is a bit too basic for Conan.

Cheers Grant