From: rhwolfe1@ix.netcom.com
Date: Mon 10 Aug 1998 - 21:24:34 EEST
Brian stirred the hornet's nest again, expressing dire predictions
about the fate of Gloranthan gaming. I have to say, I share his
concerns. While I'll admit (and he does, too) that there's plenty
of fan-based material out there, I think that doesn't really
address the central problem with every incarnation of Gloranthan
role-playing so far... lack of OFFICIALLY PUBLISHED AND APPROVED
material. To put it bluntly, Chaosium and AH have always done
a f**king pathetic job of supporting Glorantha. You young
whippersnappers may not remember the bad old days of RQ II, but
I was working at a gaming store at the time. I remember laughing
my ass off every time we got a Chaosium publishing schedule. It
didn't take long to figure out that "Coming in August" meant
"Maybe by Christmas," "Coming Soon" meant "Coming in a Year or
Two if You're Lucky," and "In the Works" meant "Ain't Gonna
Happen." We used to joke that Chaosium was the best named
company in the history of companies.
Everyone's discussed the problems with AH's RQ III publishing
Now, just for the sake of argument, let's compare that to D&D.
Now I'm not saying Chaosium can put out that kind of volume.
strategy (or lack thereof) ad naseum. We've had two perfectly
good gaming systems (I started playing RQ2 for the system, not
the world), both of which died because of lack of support from
their publishers. Now we're about to go around the merry-go-round
one more time. And I for one don't have much faith that this time
things will be any better. Fan generated material is great, but
it doesn't cut the mustard when it comes to generating and
maintaining interest in a product. I've never seen a fan generated
product on the FRP shelves of my local Barnes and Noble, and even the
local gaming store (Aero Hobbies, Santa Monica and Yale, Santa Monica
CA. Free plug, Hey, Gary) only gets in one or two copies of
Tales (when it comes out, once or twice a year). Forget about
Enclosure or RQ Adventures. Sorry, but you've got to be already
sold on the game to have even heard of those products.
Two major magazines, each with twelve issues a year. A new scenario
or product EVERY MONTH (at least, when I was working in the business),
novels (yeah, that's plural, folks), calenders, computer games, etc.,
etc., etc. And that's all official, mass-produced, full-color cover,
professional printed and illustrated stuff which you can buy at
your local Borders (or Virgin Megastore for you Brits).
But one or two supplements a year (or one supplement every two
years) just won't cut it, guys. HW needs to be supported by
FREQUENT high-quality supplements or it won't stand a chance.
Publish or perish.
So here's what I want from HW and what it will need (IMO) to
1. A game system that's at least as good as RQ (which didn't die
2. Frequent supplements, including a high quantity of playable
make it:
because it sucked, but because it was starved to death from
lack of support).
out-of-the-box scenarios for the munchkins and lazy old
bastards like me who don't have time to write their own
scenarios anymore.
3. High-quality presentation and packaging. Professional
4. A regular, reliable publishing schedule.
illustrations.
Now, given Chaosium's track record, I'm somewhat optomistic about #1.
But numbers 2, 3, & 4? Sigh. I suppose it could happen. I mean,
anything can happen.
On a side note, Alex Ferguson wrote:
> Alex Ferguson The Ticklish question of RQ...
Hey, Alex, we stopped making fun of Brian's last name when he turned
fifteen and shot up about six inches and gained fifty pounds. In high
school, when we used to play pick-up football games (the 'merican kind,
yuh understand, but on asphalt without the pads.) Brian used to play
halfback and scored most of his goals on steam-train-coming-straight-
at-ya-get-the-hell-outa-the-way intimidation alone.
Tread lightly, Fergie.
Trotsky responds to Brian saying...
> I don't see any reason to be that pessimistic. You *may* be right, but
>I'm seriously unconvinced.
See above. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Given the history, I don't see any reason to be that optimistic.
> Issaries intend to sell Gloranthan fiction through the book trade as well
>as through normal gaming outlets. They have apparently had positive responses
>to this, so it could very well be on the horizon.
I'll believe it when I see it. Issaries can _intend_ to conquer the world,
but I wouldn't stake _my_ money on it.
> Just out of interest, is this just general gloom (and if it is, you're
>clearly entitled to your opinions and there isn't really a lot of point
>arguing about it at length) or do you have suggestions as to how the situation
>could be improved? Given that RQ isn't profitable enough to be sold at
>present, that is.
But it could've been. It should have been. It had its chance, not once,
Misters Stafford, Henisoo, and Appel, you're welcome to prove me wrong.
but twice. General gloom is entirely justified, if you ask me.
In fact, I hope you do. I'm rooting for you. Hell, I'll be buying your
products, if and when they come out. But I won't be buying any shares of
your company.
------------------------------
End of The Glorantha Digest V6 #98
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