Re: My first thoughts on HW

From: Wulf Corbett <wulfc_at_...>
Date: Sun, 21 May 2000 18:16:35 +0100

On Sun, 21 May 2000 17:47:47 +0100, "Alain Rameau" <karamo_at_...> wrote:

>Level of game : I really don't think a lot of new players will be able to
>gamemaster HW as their first (or so) RPG. The main reasons are that the name
>of the abilities and feats are too abstract for a gamemaster who does not
>know well Glorantha (for all magic interaction) or who is not able to refer
>to more mundane equivalences (for skill name for example).

Agreed. It takes a good talker, with a lot of knowledge and confidence, to ad lib his way through a game where he can't even be sure what is possible himself! I'm somewhat mollified by a good read through myself, far fewer things look vague than I had feared, but then I've been playing since RQ1! It's not just Theistic Feats either, Animistic systems can basically get ANY magical effect whatsoever, subject to the Narrator's decision of whether it fits into the Tradition, with NO other limits! It's not even as simple as Traditions either, an example is given of capturing a bear spirit to gain the Hibernate spirit from it... Splitting spirits?

>
>Extended contest system : this is presented as one of the keypoint of the
>system. In fact, as I understand, the extended system is only used for major
>events. For all the rest (90% of the game?), the standard ability tests and
>simple contests will be used, which tests are quite similar to most other
>RPG.
I LIKE the extended contest system...

>Combat : While, when I was young, I liked the attack/parry/hit location/
>weapon damage routine of RQ, I started losing interest in it, and I now
>prefer the more abstract Pendragon system. The HW system on this point is a
>bit too abstract.

I keep saying that too, then I remember I'm currently in a campaign of DP9's Tribe8, which has an even simpler system, with a poorer (IMO) task resolution system, and I LOVE it... Let's see, what would I add to HW combat...

1. location damage (not location hits, just effects) - that's just a Improv. penalty on attack, get a Wound, do location specific damage...
2. Quick Combat effects from Rank and Edges - still working on it, maybe replace Edge with Bonus from the same table, and add both this and Rank as bonus?...
3. more serious wounds (remember the hated D&D analogy? How about a system where the more experienced you are, the more hits you take, regardless of how nasty they are? That's how the AP system COULD be seen) - I'd make those Grievous Wounds Injuries instead.

And that's about it. No problems.

My old RQ characters converted (well, got re-written as semi-starter characters) no problem at all, in fact they all look better than ever. Of course, I've not tried to play OR Narrate it yet...

Wulf