Ah, that was not clear (to me, at least) from the conversation.
>
> *sigh* I wish people would understand this. I don't know that many
> ways to say it. I don't have a problem with the SYSTEM. I have a
> problem with how heavy the setting has become, and how the
connection
> between the prosaic background of the setting and its representation
> in the game is weak. I don't consider devotion of Orlanth
> Adventurous granting the Feat of Sunset Leap to be the "system".
The people I have run have not had problems with the system OR with the lack of 'spell descriptions' - I ask them what they think it does and most of them have some very keen ideas.
Most folks I encounter (but not all!) seem to like the idea of defining their own magic very much. Its certainly better than the endlessly lock-step and rigid spell and magic lists of D&D3D.
> > I fear I must disagree with you when I say that HeroQuest will be
> > very beginner friendly.
>
> Then will there be better support for understanding what ground the
> various magic and non-Earth mundane abilities cover? Once again, I
> don't have the benefit of growing up a Gloranthan with all its myths
> as my cultural makeup, so I have no way of knowing what various
> abilities derived from those myths are supposed to entail. But,
> there seems to be confusion on the part of people on what I mean by
Hmmm. Let me say this, "Read what is says on the side of the tin" and then follow the instructions?
> this. Allow me to use an example from Runequest. When I say I need
> a bit more description of various abilities, people seem to
interpret
> that as I'm asking for "Sun Spear does 4D6 of damage to the target
> with only its thinnest armor providing protection." I am NOT. I'm
That's pretty much what it looked like you were asking.
> asking for "Sun Spear calls down burning shaft of light from the
> Sun." That's not a "rule". That's a description. Put another way,
> I shouldn't pick up a gamebook (and these are supposed to be
> gamebooks, that's what they're being marketed them as), read it and
> wind up scratching my head wondering what an ability available to a
> character does.
To put in the descriptions of the 820 feats, talents and spells listed in the Hero Wars list (even at an impossible 1 line each) would add another 20 pages to the book. Its probably been suggested by others but you might want to read the 'Sunset Leap' story Greg wrote to realize that the same feat can be used in many DIFFERENT ways.
If there's one thing I absolutely hate about D&D is paging through 200 pages of spell descriptions I will never use or see to find the ONE that I might have to have memorized... but that is the opposite extreme.
> I keep running into things in the game that stem from things
> developed elsewhere, but not explained, even briefly, within the
> game. I shouldn't have to go to sources outside the game material
to
> understand the game material. I should only have to go to outside
You shouldn't. You should just see what you want.
> sources if I want more. For example, the ONLY reason I know what
> Wind of Above and Wind of Below are is because I've played King of
> Dragon Pass. To me, that's not "beginner friendly". If these
things
Are they? Wind from above and below could be whatever you want them to be.
We are very serous when we say, 'Your GLorantha May Vary' - its a shame to cast it in glass and forever preserve it as a static and lifeless thing...
> are being changed, then good. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like
> it.
>
> > But you're welcome to come to Gloranthacon in three weeks and
> debate
> > with us on that personally if you like. =)
>
> Sorry, I can't make it.
>
> Mike Ryan
Oh well. I can't really say more on this, I fear.
Jeff
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