Post originally by Harrek at 2003-10-17 11:10:21
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Nice review, Tim, and fair too. It's good to hear what a newbie thinks of the game. That accessibility has always been a concern of mine with Glorantha.
For anyone else who is trying to wrap their head around the game, please post your questions in Roleplaying Open. Gloranthans are a friendly, helpful bunch for the most part, and we want you to like this game.
(Oh, we won't twist your arm into liking it, either. It's not going to appeal to everyone, but then no game does.)
Post originally by Wulf Corbett at 2003-10-17 12:30:49
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Just thought I'd add my own thoughts on HQ and the the HQ magic systems. I've written my own review on HQ, but that was from the first week of ownership. Fine for comparison with Hero Wars (which was my intention), but there's a lot of new material too. And one of the biggest is magic. I've found that, even after a dozen or more readings, I am STILL uncertain exactly what a beginner character should have for the various (and multitudinous) different types of 'previous experience'. The terminology lies thick on the page and not all of it makes sense (is 'Spiritist' really a word?), the examples and rules secions are too mixed up with the regular text. I've decided to simply not even mention Common Magic and unconcentrated magic as an alternative to character generation. It's a great way to cripple your character's development and waste away all your experience points, but unless the character concept absolutely DEMANDS such indecision and magic-retardedness (and some do) it's a wasted character. Anyone who wants it can figure it out for themselves.
Two total newcomers to HeroQuest and Glorantha have joined my regular group, they're normally D20 players (they claim to like Narrativist play, but I've decided they're more Character-Exploration Simulationists... erm... wrong website...). They seem just fine with the system in general (augments are providing fun), and I can provide all the background info they might need (often too much in fact, must calm it down a bit), barring a few troublesome points. One objects to the 'low roll wins' instead of 'furthest from the skill rating', which I find odd, but both have problems with the lack of a concrete initiative sequence. I'm working on exactly how to impliment one for the upcoming fight this weekend (there's a timely thread on it in the open forum).
Post originally by Jason L Blair at 2003-10-17 12:37:33
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Yeah, this is straight-pimpin' but it's relevant pimpin', at least.
There's an interview with Glorantha creator Greg Stafford and piece about Thed, Goddess of Rape, by Ron Edwards in the Fall 2003 issue of DAEDALUS magazine.
You can read it in HTML or PDF at http://www.chimera.info/daedalus
Post originally by Voriof at 2003-10-17 12:53:26
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Yeah, the map..
...that's the original map from RuneQuest I, published back in 1978 by the late William Church. I think its a bit of homage by Greg to "what has gone before."
That being said, I have to agree that a better map would have been a great idea - and a better map is on the way as a part of the now-off-to-the-printers "Dragon Pass: Land of Thunder" book. Rumor has it that it will have a map like the old Pendragon supplements did - except in colour. However, I don't know the details.
Post originally by Tim Gray at 2003-10-17 13:07:47
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"Spiritist" is a real word. But then, according to the same page spread, so are spinose, spirant, splake and splanchnic. Which goes to show you should never turn your back on a live language.
(Bearing many spines; another word for fricative - uh-huh; a kind of trout; of or relating to the viscera.)
I think with magic you need to get the character concept. If they want to do out-and-out magic, suggest concentrating magic and ignoring common magic. If they want to focus on skill-type stuff and have no intention of going into magic, emphasise common magic as a source of simple augments.
Post originally by Wulf Corbett at 2003-10-17 13:14:24
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Your comments on magic are true, the problem is, in Glorantha, he who has least magic has the least chance of becoming a Hero capital 'H'). Or at least, that's how it's presented. HQ does make this vastly more likely, in fact, since magic is vastly more effective against 'the world' (want to leap over a tree? 14 resistance. No, it doesn't matter what height...).
Post originally by Tim Gray at 2003-10-17 13:28:39
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Hmm, yes. Just read that interview with Greg Stafford and he's going on about mythology and spirituality (which is great), but the book says several times that people in Glorantha worship various entities mainly to get as much magic as possible so they can trounce their enemies etc.
Post originally by Ron Edwards at 2003-10-17 13:53:13
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Hello,
I say hands-down that HeroQuest is the go-to role-playing game. That means, I think it is a wonderful and profoundly appropriate game for people to discover role-playing with.
Post originally by Wulf Corbett at 2003-10-17 14:09:57
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To be fair, both are true. The average Gloranthan is never going to get much magical power, nor do much trouncing of enemies. Just like few people in a D&D world ever get above 1st level. But Player Characters are exceptional, and should - must, even - have exceptional powers.
Besides, it's called HEROQuest, not "Pleasant bloke who lived a happy life Quest"...
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