Sure, and to a certain extent I can appreciate why HQ2 Glorantha is taking this direction, and as far as Gloranthan material is concerned I will usually buy it, digest it, and slot some of it into the world I envision.
I think it boils down to that age old question of "need" in RPG publishing. Experienced role-players don't really need a great deal of guidance to play in ways that they are familiar with or within a setting that they are familiar with. Those of us that have been playing in Glorantha since the 80's will tend to de-construct new methods and setting detail and put them back together in a manner that suits our own preference. But new iterations of the rules are not really aimed at us old-timers.
On the other hand HQ2 can be played in a very paired-down manner which really doesn't need alteration, and I personally find that very appealing. And in many ways the core HQ2 game already has a very clear vision regards what the players do, and any alterations inevitably move this in a new direction.
Furthermore, my preference is to play with only a subset of the HQ2 rules and see the extra parts as available tools only if a specific need arises, so I tend to view rules expansions for genre packs as guidance, but unless they really hit the nail on the head I wouldn't use them.
For a specific example, my games have always been relatively flexible on the membership of religions. The HQ1 and HW rules limitations on being a devotee and an initiate didn't fit with that style, so I adjusted them, allowing for cultural compatibilities that were reasonably uncontroversial within the setting but barred by the rules. The rules made sense and were a close fit to the Glorantha I was used to, but once you have a feel for the way the rules operate you also have a feel for the ones that can be bent or discarded.
Now, with HQ2 Glorantha, the Rune Affinity idea doesn't work for me, I like the general idea, but the restrictions placed on religious choice again don't quite suit the kind of game I want and the way I view the setting, even within a single cult the restrictions feel a touch artificial to me. If a player has a character concept that seems correct to me but is restricted or disallowed by the rules I will make careful and informed changes adapting and changing to suit.
Note however, far from finding new rule sets frustrating I am always interested in their take; they always challenge my views and often change them. I have a very different view of Orlanthi society and religion to the one I had back when I first played RQ, and I certainly have a very different view of the ideal RPG.
Jamie
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