Updated Legend Rulebook PDF - Now with more Bookmarks

[Bifford]

Hey guys.

I would like to say a huge thank you to Mongoose for the update to the Legend Core Rulebook which now includes Bookmarks for every single sub-heading and spell etc within the book.

This is so much nicer to read through and jump to exactly the section that I need during character gen and game play.

Their email also says that this will be applied to all other books in the near future also so watch out for the emails regarding the free updates for those people who bought the PDFs on RPGnow/DriveThruRPG.

Big thanks again, Mongoose. You listened to our complaints and did something about it. That's what I call customer service Now I just need to buy the dead-tree version....lol

Sam / Bifford.

 

[jux]

It is good, but still so disappointed that they didn't get it done right in the first place (for physical books). This is not how to treat the greatest game system ever made.

I got the updated pdf thanks to the (redundant) purchase I made from DriveThruRPG. Later I bought the physical book with pdf from Leisure Games, but no information from them.

I myself would like to see deluxe version Legend core book: hardcover (so I can have the book open on table), proper index and some 20 monsters or so. Why not include spirit magic as well. And no need for cover art ... black is nice. This is not a children's book.

 

[Prime_Evil]

It is good, but still so disappointed that they didn't get it done right in the first place (for physical books). This is not how to treat the greatest game system ever made.

I think part of the problem is that Mongoose didn't expect Legend to be a hit. From the way I understand the situation, sales of MRQ II were lukewarm at best and the decision to keep the system in print after Mongoose lost the RQ license was a bit of a leap of faith on Matt's part. I think Mongoose knew that the system was solid and hoped that it would build up the audience it deserved, but printing Legend at all was seen as a risk. The decision to sell the core rulebook in PDF format for $1 was a stroke of genius and helped it to achieve wider exposure. Only time will tell if it builds up the critical mass needed to thrive though...

 

[Nickbergquist]

And no need for cover art ... black is nice. This is not a children's book.

I'd love a deluxe edition as well, but admit the ending sentence baffles me. I did not know cover art was limited to the domain of children's books. There are a metric ton of publishers out there right now who may be surprised to hear this...and frankly for an example of fantastic cover art go look at what they've got lined up for RQ6: http://www.thedesignmechanism.com/runequest.php

Seriously, I wish Mongoose could get some quality covers like this. I know they cost money unfortunately....but still, 1000 times better.

 

[strega]

Seriously, I wish Mongoose could get some quality covers like this. I know they cost money unfortunately....but still, 1000 times better.

The issue is money. Based on sales of MRQII Matt and the crew presumably thought that a low cost reprint of a tidied up book could at least help pay for the authors, editors etc. that they'd already paid for. A quick edit and reformat gave us Legend and at UKP10 and USD1 for the PDF it was a great move in the pile it high, sell it cheap model of marketing.

I'm guessing that the take up was sufficiently good that a reformat of A&E was quickly scheduled and then, to capitalise on the boost in Legend's fortunes, Arcania was released as a PDF and Pirates has been re-edited/reformatted to follow.

Presumably the cost of these has mostly been previously covered and the digest sized books are the cheapest, quickest option to get fresh product out while the iron is still hot and Legend has good press. Paying a thousand or two for a cover and waiting for it to be completed might have made the book a few dollars too much and I guess multiple days late.

 

[jux]

I'd love a deluxe edition as well, but admit the ending sentence baffles me. I did not know cover art was limited to the domain of children's books. There are a metric ton of publishers out there right now who may be surprised to hear this...and frankly for an example of fantastic cover art go look at what they've got lined up for RQ6: http://www.thedesignmechanism.com/runequest.php

You happened to find the one cover that is acceptable. 99,9% of RPG book covers look like children/anime books, including the Legend's book with cartoon-boy on it. And about RQ6 cover. We all want chicks at our gaming table, but does a woman (beyond beautiful) have to be on every RPG cover?

 

[strega]

The RQ6 cover is an homage to Louise Perrin's original RQ cover from back in the day. As such it's instantly recognisable to all those loooong time RQ grognards who are likely to be the purchasers of the material.

As an interesting aside I note that Issaries keep sales in-house to maximise their income until the costs of production are amortised before putting material out through distributors. This means that having a cover like the RQ6 one is unlikely to give rise to any extra/lost sales as it is not on general view in a game store or displayed somewhere like RPGNow.com. One has to go to a RQ/Glorantha specific site to even see the book, most RPG forums might know of a fresh release but many haven't seen the cover or don't bother to click on the link if it's offered.

 

[soltakss]

We all want chicks at our gaming table, but does a woman (beyond beautiful) have to be on every RPG cover?

Yes.

 

[rust]

We all want chicks at our gaming table, but does a woman (beyond beautiful) have to be on every RPG cover?

Yes.

The covers of Moon Design's Glorantha reprints must be
most disappointing for you ... :lol:

 

[Prime_Evil]

Personally, I'd love to see an artist like Antonio José Manzanedo do some covers for the Legend line - somebody whose art has a slightly gritty feel. Take a look at this example to get a sense of what I mean:

 

[warlock1971]

Sweet, you can almost feel the mood.

 

[Prime_Evil]

Should I start an inspirational art thread like the one in the Traveller forum

 

[jux]

We all want chicks at our gaming table, but does a woman (beyond beautiful) have to be on every RPG cover?

Yes.

why?

 

[soltakss]

We all want chicks at our gaming table, but does a woman (beyond beautiful) have to be on every RPG cover?

Yes.

why?

Why not?

 

[Old timer]

Because it could be seen as sexist, and i dont buy RPGs because they have good looking women on their front cover. Good looking man though.....

 

[jux]

We all want chicks at our gaming table, but does a woman (beyond beautiful) have to be on every RPG cover?

Why not?

Because characters with size and strength of 6 are not so badass as they appear on the cover. But why not babies?

 

[TrippyHippy]

It is good, but still so disappointed that they didn't get it done right in the first place (for physical books). This is not how to treat the greatest game system ever made.

I got the updated pdf thanks to the (redundant) purchase I made from DriveThruRPG. Later I bought the physical book with pdf from Leisure Games, but no information from them.

I myself would like to see deluxe version Legend core book: hardcover (so I can have the book open on table), proper index and some 20 monsters or so. Why not include spirit magic as well. And no need for cover art ... black is nice. This is not a children's book.

I think that version will be called RuneQuest 6, in effect.

The way I look at it is this - Mongoose always needed a strong system to replace d20, once the D&D 4th edition came out and the OGL went into limbo. They never quite convinced enough people of the merits of their own RuneQuest and RuneQuest II publications, which is a shame, but finally struck lucky in producing Legend.

This product works because of the format, the price and the content (the system is now as polished as any out there, and it's very flexible). People are buying it in really good amounts, which allows them to promote all their supporting supplements and settings - including all the ones that are in their back catalogue under a new, appealing format.

RuneQuest grognards will be enthused enough to see it also as a promotion of the upcoming RuneQuest 6, in effect, as this game will still be 95% compatible, but tweaked and expanded a little further along with a nice cover etc ("if you like what you see in Legend, come and get the full version in RQ6!"). It also incidentally, kinda resolves the friction between RuneQuest and Chaosium's BRP insofar that RuneQuest 6 is a bit like an 'art house' project, in the same way as Pendragon 5th edition or Call of Cthulhu - selling these games on their historical 'classic' status as much as anything else.

Just because you might have the BRP goldbrick, doesn't mean you wouldn't want a copy of Legend and RuneQuest 6 (and Pendragon and Call of Cthulhu) to go with it. The game systems are all related, and cross-fertalisable - and the situation is the closest thing we have seen to a new OGL to replace d20. That is worth celebrating, I think. I'd like to see people pull together as a community around this idea.

It would be nice to be able to see Mongoose, as an example perhaps, be able to go back to the Conan licensers, and say "look, the Legend market is pretty demonstrably big now - why not make an exciting new Conan RPG based on it!".

Oh, and make a new pocket version of Elric, too. That'd be cool. 8)

 

[jux]

I think that version will be called RuneQuest 6, in effect.

Yeah, RQ6 is highly anticipated, but I am not so avid fan of Glorantha setting. I now RQ6 will be a little lighter with the setting, but I really like how Legend is completely setting neutral. For fluff I want setting books or just adventure books with their own little settings.

 

[Deleriad]

Yeah, RQ6 is highly anticipated, but I am not so avid fan of Glorantha setting. I now RQ6 will be a little lighter with the setting, but I really like how Legend is completely setting neutral. For fluff I want setting books or just adventure books with their own little settings.

My understanding is that RQ6 will be completely setting neutral. According to Loz's posts there will be no Gloranthan creatures in the rulebook (no ducks), no Gloranthan magic (just the same stuff as in Legend plus a new mysticism magic system), no Gloranthan background, no Gloranthan cults and the examples are drawn from a swords and sorcery/ancient world setting. So it's hard to see how it could be any more setting neutral than that.

 

[TrippyHippy]

Yep, RuneQuest 6 will be setting neutral.