What are the next books for Glorantha?

[Loz]

I had a friend who used to work for a large gaming company (I won't say which one) and he had said that the reason many companies had scaled back on adventures, especially the smaller scale one-shot module type adventures, is that they just don't make money.

I think this is true to a large degree. If you have a regular group then once you've run an adventure that's it; you won't need to return to it unless your group completely changes. Also, only the GM needs to buy the adventure, which instantly reduces the size of the market.

There's more value in books that combine adventures with a setting, or settings that have lots of scenario hooks, and this is what we've tried to do with Dara Happa, Pavis, and Cities of the YK.

But its still a smaller market, which reduces the revenue. Conversely, writing a scenario is a complex affair; writing a setting book is more straightforward.

 

[Ultor]

Indeed, the economics probably aren't there for Mongoose to produce a bunch of adventures, although more Dara Happa Stirs-like publications would be really welcome, I am sure.

Which all points more and more to a fan publication for RQII. What would be the mechanics for getting approval to use Mongoose's trademarks so we can say "An adventure for Wraith Recon" rather than "An adventure for fantasy special ops"?

And remember, a lot of the great Runequest Revival publications came out of fan publications, so Mongoose could pick up and republish items at significantly reduced cost.

 

[Loz]

What would be the mechanics for getting approval to use Mongoose's trademarks so we can say "An adventure for Wraith Recon" rather than "An adventure for fantasy special ops"?

Drop Matt Sprange an email. That's the first step.

However, if the fan publication is to feature Glorantha materials, then you'll also need to abide by the Issaries/Moon Design Fan Publication Policy. You can get a copy from the glorantha.com website.

There are two fan publications out there centred on Glorantha: 'Rule One', which is a webzine: http://ruleonemagazine.com/

And 'Hearts in Glorantha' which is hard copy and produced by Newt's D101 Games. Newt has permission from Matt to carry RQ articles as well as Glorantha ones, so perhaps contacting Newt via the D101 website, to see what experiences he's had, would be a good place to begin.

I think a dedicated RQ zine is a good idea, although I do wonder if you'll struggle for articles/content though. I know that Rule One and HiG have had issues - but then they are Glorantha-dedicated. However, Nick Middleton has tried producing a regular BRP fanzine, 'Uncounted Worlds' and had similar content problems (I think).

 

[Ultor]

Thanks, Loz. Rule #1 for non-profits (and this will be a non-profit!) is that you have to have a dedicated team willing to contribute. So I'll leave this thread and put a thread on the main board asking for a core of people who will be willing to contribute something each issue for a couple of issues to get it off the ground. I have a hunch that there are enough dedicated RQ types on this board who would like to see this work that we should be able to get something started.

I'm also going to ask Calithena of Fight On for tips. Fight On started off small but has gotten pretty big. Also, Newt and Jeff Richard (of course).

Next step, ask Matt...

 

[Newtus]

And 'Hearts in Glorantha' which is hard copy and produced by Newt's D101 Games. Newt has permission from Matt to carry RQ articles as well as Glorantha ones, so perhaps contacting Newt via the D101 website, to see what experiences he's had, would be a good place to begin.

To clarify, that's not true. Myself and Matt had an exchange of emails before HiG#1 came out in 2008 and it boiled down to that fan MRQ Glorantha stuff should go via Signs and Portents. The handful of D100 stuff I've published has either been for RQ3, which had Greg's approval, or OQ.

Whether Matt would be supportive of a MRQ Gloranthan Fanzine now, especially a printed one with a cover price, you would have to ask him.

 

[Newtus]

I think a dedicated RQ zine is a good idea, although I do wonder if you'll struggle for articles/content though. I know that Rule One and HiG have had issues

Another clarification, HiG has never struggled for content. If anything I'm currently sitting here with two issues worth at the moment

It has been slow of late, but only because I've been busy with a host of other publications and as much as I like to think I'm a great multi-tasker its very much a case of one thing at a time Once theBook of Glorious Joy (a 160 page + book about the Gloranthan West) is out ( early May ) its full steam ahead on HiG#5.

 

[Richard]

Good on you Newt. Just to say I recently bought the relatively generic Savage North and Life and Death scenario/background packs as PDFs and both look great. Okay the 'Newcastle', 'Soonderland' NE England name jokes and the god Wai-ai will definitely need changing (And the regional map scales are a little large but that's easy to fix) to preserve credibility but these are nicely judged products. The background is light and easily recast into another setting. The emphasis is on adventure opportunities for players and for anyone out their looking for scenarios and finding adaptable material thin on the ground or some published material too firmly entrenched in Glorantha they are a great purchase. The Openquest rules are straightforward and slot into RQ2 with little or no effort at all. I'll certainly be keeping a weather eye out for more of the same. Maybe Newt can meet this demand if a larger company like Mongoose feels it isn't viable.

 

[Ultor]

I agree on The Savage North. As a born-and-bred Mackem I can appreciate the jokes and shall include them if I ever run the adventure, although it will take a miracle for my Virginian players to get them.

I can also heartily recommend Newt's excellent adventure set Life and Death, which I review here: http://runeunderwater.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-life-and-death-d101-games.html

 

[The King]

I suspect that what Glorantha needs now is not more Splat Books, apart from the EWF book that is, but adventures/settings. The "Runequest Revival" books like Sun County provide a great example: useful scene-setting "splat" material but the core is a good, tight, well-tested campaign or set of adventures.

I think nothing better shows how Glorantha works than adventures, which is why Hero Wars/Heroquest 1 fizzled, I think - too much splat and not enough adventure. So far the Mongoose Glorantha adventures - Blood of Orlanth, Dara Happa Stirs and, from what I gather, Pavis Rises (still hoping to play that one!), do that.

+1 to all you've said!

I don't think I have enough time to join the editorial team, but count me in, anyway!

I agree with you too, though HeroQuest has now the Sartar book and the Sartar companion with a lot of adventures.

I generally believe it better to publish adventures, either in the form of a scenario book (i.e. with several adventures), a campaign (like blood of Orlanth) or a setting/region with adventures or a campaign (like Pavis rises).

However my question is about the Mongoose line. I read that Matt had said there would be less publications for Glorantha this year, but I'd like to know about these few. Loz, any hint?

 

[Loz]

Chaps, I'm flattered you might think that I have some knowledge of the production pipeline, but, I don't work for Mongoose any longer, so I honestly am not party to what's being planned.

 

[The King]

Chaps, I'm flattered you might think that I have some knowledge of the production pipeline, but, I don't work for Mongoose any longer, so I honestly am not party to what's being planned.

This I knew but may be you could have some insight or just tell what you've written for Mongoose before you left.

 

[Loz]

This I knew but may be you could have some insight or just tell what you've written for Mongoose before you left.

The last book I wrote was 'Cities of the Young Kingdoms'. I have nothing for Mongoose in the pipeline and, as I say, I'm afraid I don't have any insight into their plans for RQ or Glorantha during 2011.

Sorry!

But, I am working on something for Moon Design. I'm sure they'll issue more details in due course.

 

[The King]

But, I am working on something for Moon Design. I'm sure they'll issue more details in due course.

Interesting. Thank you for sharing your information anyway.

But I find this secrecy from publishing companis quite unnecessary. Many companies did published their schedule list before, even if some never saw the printer. Like say Chaosium on Runequest, where a book on Sartar and another on Heroquesting were scheduled in the 1980's or like Avalon Hill (under Chaosium licence) who wanted to relase a book on the Lunar Empire during Runequest "Renaissance" in the end 1980's.

So, there is no shame to present a schedule of future publications although some will be forgotten in the shadows of postponment.

Even Mongoose did so with Conan and the Shadows of the Sorcerer. This should have been their first campaign but it was never released. Anyway I don't mind about it even if I'd rather have had the book in my hands. Such unreleases aren't damageable for the market of for the company concerned.

 

[PrinceYyrkoon]

But, I am working on something for Moon Design. I'm sure they'll issue more details in due course.

Interesting. Thank you for sharing your information anyway.

But I find this secrecy from publishing companis quite unnecessary. Many companies did published their schedule list before, even if some never saw the printer. Like say Chaosium on Runequest, where a book on Sartar and another on Heroquesting were scheduled in the 1980's or like Avalon Hill (under Chaosium licence) who wanted to relase a book on the Lunar Empire during Runequest "Renaissance" in the end 1980's.

So, there is no shame to present a schedule of future publications although some will be forgotten in the shadows of postponment.

Even Mongoose did so with Conan and the Shadows of the Sorcerer. This should have been their first campaign but it was never released. Anyway I don't mind about it even if I'd rather have had the book in my hands. Such unreleases aren't damageable for the market of for the company concerned.

I'm afraid I disagree. It's certainly unwise for a company to advertise product that hasn't, actually, got very far along the schedule, proofreading, setting, etc., as many things can change before the release. I think it's certainly crazy for a company to advertise product that hasn't even been written yet! A sure way to confuse distributors and hack off customers left, right and centre. Advertising non-existent supplements is a waste of everyone's time, at best. ('The Sartar Campaign', anyone?).

 

[Loz]

Advertising non-existent supplements is a waste of everyone's time, at best. ('The Sartar Campaign', anyone?).

Quite so. Although one could argue that some of those books promised in the original RQ - The Hero Wars, HeroQuest, The Sartar Campaign... - did see print, albeit for a completely different rules system, from a different company and between 25 and 30 years later than anticipated...!



No idea what's happened to 'Masters of Luck and Death', mind you. Probably still being playtested.

 

[Darran]

No idea what's happened to 'Masters of Luck and Death', mind you. Probably still being playtested.

Masters of Luck and Death

 

[Loz]

Thanks Darran - I'd forgotten that one.

Mind you, 'MoLaD' was originally heralded as a board game...

 

[PrinceYyrkoon]

There was an entertaining thread on RPG.Net not so long ago all about vapourware.

I still remember adverts for Digest Group's 'A.I.' game in The Dragon magazine, all those years ago. And wasn't there going to be an 'Unhallowed' horror rpg for Gygax' Mythus system? Don't supose we'll ever see that now.

 

[Newtus]

The Openquest rules are straightforward and slot into RQ2 with little or no effort at all. I'll certainly be keeping a weather eye out for more of the same. Maybe Newt can meet this demand if a larger company like Mongoose feels it isn't viable.

Thanks for the kind words re:OpenQuest. You'll be happy to hear that I've got two complete books : Empires Rising & Here Be Dragons lined up for release this year. There's also the possibly of some smaller pdf adventure releases as well.

However, don't count Mongoose out yet. There's been pauses in their fearsome release scedule before

 

[The King]

I prefer to have some books announced which are never released than to see books published that are craps (I don't target anyone in particular).

During the "Runequest Renaissance" under Avalon Hill, Michael O'Brien (MOB) was to write (and it was so scheduled) a Lunar book after his excellent Sun County.
Before the book was published, the licence ran out - and there was also some other very unfortunate events which prevented the release of Runequest IV - Gateway to Adventures - but some of the material was released in other publications (this is also true for the Book on Pamaltela) and Runequest IV - Gateway to Adventures is quite easily available on the net.