John hits the nail on the head

From: Nick Effingham <wal_at_eff.u-net.com>
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 1996 23:20:24 +0100


John Brown raises important points when he mentioned the keyword, "HeroQuest":

>I think the way to go for HeroQuest would be to combine it with a type of
>Super RuneQuest and a more fluid type of storytelling game structure. To
>actually suggest that we as players actually go on a heroquest while playing
>seems silly and, yes, a little dangerous.

 Hokay, the Hyper-Nazi-Christians *would* have a field day with the new HQ ideas. However, I think the idea is more to experience the same realm of emotions as your character -- in other words, you begin to care about what actually happens. I've had players who do this, when their closest and dearest get kidnapped they actually get angry, they get pissed off and they set out to stop this. This is the reaction I just love from my players, and I know I'm in the right hobby.
 BUT they walk away happy, merry and don't think about it until we play again. Whilst they feel the emotions, they can distinguish between them. This is what *mature* roleplaying is about.  

 About HQ being a combination of Super-HQ and storyteeling, you're damn right. Many people speak about "a pure combination of macrocosmic mythology and inner being" and other crap like that. Their problem is, of course, that there's no way that they could either (a) figure out how to convert their mythological idealism and inconsequential soul searching changes via almost delusionary storylines into anything that even resembles roleplaying and (b) run a game. In other words, they're being pretentious whankers to put it bluntly.
 Roleplaying is about having FUN, remember that? If running around dungeons as an Uroxi chasing fabled broo is your idea of fun, do it. Just ask the Seattlite Farmers have fun, or even better check out the campaign write-ups, and I'm sure you'll agree that they have as much of a good time as anybody else. Trying to involve psychological/philosophical/mythological truths in your gaming is a bit useless, as it's doubtful your players will notice. HQ should be an advancement on the RQ rules to create a sense of Gloranthan atmosphere, a connection between a Hero and his community and, yes I'll admit it, a Path to power (of course a farmer will see power as a good crop yield and a warrior will see it as a seven foot long Sword of Mountain Shattering :) ).

 I hope I haven't just offended half the Gloranthan community,

Nick E.

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Nick the Shaman of Thed
E-Mail:wal_at_eff.u-net.com
http://www.u-net.com/~eff/
I thought Britain was Dorastor without broo, but then Sandy made it all clear to me.
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