On 7/16/07, Greg Stafford <Greg_at_5hYbyvfmJKR3n2t0jEpMRteyl_eAd4vbnLxgZrisBuOGdvBCRpY9irZ_uFHhBKIrnbGAp701yyyHz7UU.yahoo.invalid> wrote:
> HOWEVER, I am curious to know what peoples' reactions would be to
> this, which is something of a major change.
> A lot of people are still whining about the differences between RQ and
> HQ imposed by a change in the entire system. This would be a change
> within the system.
HQ brought me back to Glorantha, so read the rest of this message with
that in mind.
> I am not asking for everyone to get into a debate with each other
> about the virtues of this or that. I would like to see individual
> reactions to changes being made int he rules.
I propose that there are two categories into which HQ changes can be
divided (among many more divisions): 1) Glorantha emulation, and 2)
Game play.
- For Glorantha emulation, that's your call. I don't know if
initiates with active magic fit your vision of Glorantha.
- For game play, I favor making the magic system simpler and more
appealing to the potential Glorantha gamer, both those part of and not
part of the Glorantha community.* (And simplifying other items in the
rules, but I'll leave that for now, except to say that the lengthly
experience point cost tables should be put up against the wall and
shot.)
Some explanation that may go beyond what you asked: When I'm running
games at conventions or at home, I'm rarely running those games for
Glorantha experts.** Since I want to explain the game rules and the
setting on the fly, I've learned to avoid concentration and all its
baggage.*** I just give the players a character sheet and let them use
their magic as active abilities (or as augments if appropriate, just
like any other ability). At home, even the most narrative player seems
to prefer "real" abilities, where "real" means "active." ****
- I suspect that the Gloranthaphiles will pick it up anyway, and
fiddle and argue and ...
** Though occasionally someone will have played RuneQuest or picked up
and read some Glorantha material in the past.
*** It really makes their eyes glaze, hands twitch, etc., but maybe
that's just my poor delivery. It also seems to be disappointing to
learn that your cool-sounding magic can't do anything directly.
**** My experience is with a majority of gamers not enjoying the
augment hunt (because of the math, the delay of narrative to scan for
abilities, the competitive aspect of squeezing everything out of the
character sheet, etc.), and the accompanying lack of reason to raise
"augment-only" abilities (past the magic 15, 5w1, etc. numbers). Also,
since I move a lot, I'm referring to more than one home gaming group.
My narration experiences probably vary. My gaming group composition
probably varies. Etc.
Thanks,
Andy