Re: The Glorantha Future

From: Kmnellist_at_aol.com
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 18:08:26 EDT


In a message dated 9/12/00 7:01:29PM, you write:

<< Glorantha is a shared world.>>

 agreed  

 << So if we want to continue to systematically explore Glorantha, and have the
 information available in some systematic way, what structures do we need to  build?>>

The point here is what purpose would be achieving with our strycture and system. Do we want an easy-to-play-in game world? (already too much detail for that). A another world that we can escape to? A world where we can enjoy creating something with others?  

<< If we set say, a ten year horizon, what are the goals we should be working
 towards?>>

I am not sure what sort of thing you would even start with; "all the clans of Sartar circa 1627 detailed to the last clansman"?, "the myths of Yinkin" extensively catalogued? "King of Fronela, King of Pent", and other equivalents of KoS for all regions. All of these seem silly.  

 <<Where will Glorantha be as a gaming world in ten years time? What are the  areas that need further development and exploration in that period? >>

I think the whole future of gaming would need to be understood, and would hopefully include Glorantha. I personally think online, multiplayer games are going to popular but who knows?  

 <<Where will Glorantha be as a literary/storytelling world in ten years time?>>

<< How we advance the quantity and quality of Gloranthan stories and myths?>>

<< Is Glorantha always going to always be a western, male, urban mythology? >>

It seems likely, IMO, as that is what most of us are. I do not know what might appeal to African, Asian, female, rural folk.(I'm not really sure about the urban bit anyway)

<<Should we try and encourage more literary and sophisticated types of stories, or
 should we comfortable that the template is, essentially, campaign writeups? >>

What other forms do you suggest? poetry? plays? films? novels? opera???  

<< Where will Glorantha be as a shared myth / joint world project in ten years
 time? Is there scope for exploring Gloratha for its own sake, *apart from  its gaming setting*?>>

I think so.

<< Can we set systematic paths of development for culture
 areas, so that we begin with broad essays on myth and history and culture  and end up in ten years time with a knowledge of say, detailed maps of every  city and descriptions of every clan and a basic vocab of the language and an  understanding of how say religious beliefs and cults build unique social  perspectives? Can we take templates further? Or is anarchy and creative  chaos perhaps the best way to progress?>>

I don't think detailed town plans should be a target, nor language (it is not a Gloranthan stength), I do not think we should detail every clan. I am probably opposed to templates because they could narrow vision (OTOH they might help inspire).  

<< Obviously Ossuaries and its plans are a big part of Glorantha's future.
 Greg's vision remains central. But if *you* were responsible for building  Glorantha over the next years, what priorities would you set? What would you  encourage? What might you do differently? How would you use technology?>>

I would, out of personal preference, investigate some of the history of Glorantha (as opposed to it's myths and 'current' Hero War predicament. I am not sure how I would use technology exactly (not being technically proficient in IT) but my feeling is that multi player interactive games should be possible.  

<< Who is going to organise the next generation of Gloranthacons? How can we
 recruit, and widen Glorantha's appeal? How can we sell the dream?>>

This is the most difficult question to answer. Who are the next generation of Glorantha fans. Who is going to be the fourteen year old who buys the 'Pavis' and ' Big Rubble' equivalent and is then a convert for life.  

<< In my own thinking, I'm toying with producing a purely internet/PDF
 Glorantha project or magazine. I'm a real convert to Acrobat/PDF, and the  fact that I can combine photos, photoshop art and text together in a  colourful way that can be easily distributed and printed but not changed.  Recent theoretical discussions have made me eager to describe some  Sartarite/Far Place clans (and bloodlines, and marriages :)) in a systematic  way, in enough detail that we can understand the effects of various customs  and practices.>>

See, in my opinion, you don't need to describe a clan you need to create a 'cyber' clan, with a player for each clan member, and have some sort of mechanism for this whole thing to be simulated almost in real time. Someone would need to administer it, introduce external challenges etc, but this sort of thing has been done before.  

 "Hallo? Mary Ford Clinic? I keep getting these crazy messages in front of my eyes! Should I respond or just try to ignore them?"  

 Keith N


Powered by hypermail