Can't resist chippingin here. I am sure that I'll get shot down in flames by others, but am I bovvered?? :^)
> I haven't found much in the way of reviews for the latest HeroQuest
> stuff, and I'd like to canvas some opinions here.
RPG Net has reviews on Glorantha stuff, but I don't value those at all - they are generally written by fans, and they have a strong bias - so back to square 1!!
> A bit of background: my group are a bunch of unapologetic power
gamers
> (most definitely including yours truly) that have primarily played
D&D
> in the past (though also Shadowrun, various White Wolf nonsense,
> Champions, Traveller, and probably one or two others). Our
experiments
> with RuneQuest and HeroWars were very brief (largely because the
GM -
> me - didn't do a particularly good job of translating my interest
in
> Glorantha into something compelling).
There is a fundamental issue here; D&D Powergamers may not find a lot to get their teeth into with Heroquest if you give them scenario's they are used to in powergamey-D&D style but with Heroquest mechanics.
Might I suggest going for a game that emphasises moral crises, issues regarding relationships and conflict.
Personally I would suggest a scenario like 'Last Days at Skull Point' in Gathering Thunder. Its a scenario that brings out the best in Heroquest as a system in my opinion and its published and ready to run.
> But there is light at the end of the tunnel - one of the players is
> intrigued enough to try running a RuneQuest game, and I've been
given
> the go ahead to try a HeroQuest game. Since the other guy is going
to
> be running something Prax/Sartar based (the old Sun County and
River
> of Cradles stuff will probably get a look in),
Cool!
> I figured I'd try
> Lunars.
Ptuh yuk gag! Stinking Lunars!! Go with your inner feelings Luke, choose the Sartarites, not a bunch of crimson flouncy commie wannabees. But hey, maybe I am showing my bias! :^)
> Now, I'm a Gloranthan novice by the standards of mailing lists; I
own
> (and have read) most of the RQ2 and 3 stuff, King of Sartar, and so
> on; I own (but have not yet read) most of the current HeroQuest
> supplements.
You represent a lot of us probably. Oh yeah there are some super Gloranthan scholars, but that shouldn't stop you running a fun game. Think of the canon as a jumping off point and go where your game and your players take you!
> Given that:
> a) Not only the players but the GM will be HeroQuest novices.
Start slow. Maybe all theist and concentrated devotee's. Thats easiest in my book, and quite powerful to boot.
> b) The group will want to play powerful characters (not necessarily
> Heroes at the start, but not the "stickpicker" level - I personally
> don't mind that, but I know my group).
No probs. Give them 100 or 200 points and see what they do with it. I am confident they will have a decent spread without you having to impose arbitrary limits, but you'll have to feel that one out yourself.
> c) The little Gloranthan exposure any of us have previously had has
> been Orlanthi in Prax or Sartar.
Start familiar! I like it! I'll play!!
> d) The campaign will likely be run no more often than 1 3-4 hour
> session per month (we play LOTS of games). So I'll need something
> ideally with bite sized chunks; adventures that take several
sessions
> to play are fine, but they need to have reasonable break points.
Gathering Thunder is quite episodic. I liked the scenario's in the rulebook (bar the Heroquest) personally.
> What should we look for in terms of published adventures? I don't
like
> the idea of making my players read the Lunar handbook before play,
Quite right too. A right load of old tosh moonie propaganda in there! Oops bias alert!!
> either; anyone have any suggestions for a brief summary that will
at
> least kick us off into the "create-as-you-go" character generation?
>
> All suggestions greatly appreciated!
> --
> GAZZA
Nowt wrong with create as you go, in the right circumstances. Played
a very good game GM'd by none other than Greg Stafford at Continuum
2008!
I ran a convention scenario recently and we had 1 extra player. I asked him, if the character was male or female, how old, the culture was given, as was the occupation and magic. Thats three keywords right there with a character that just needs a bit of personalising. They can choose occupation, which informs the magic type basically so its not as tough as you think and they can add abilities as they see fit as they go along. Nae bother.
Maybe thats different from others, but its a point of view, and I hope it helps!
Very best
Rob
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