From: c/o tsl@cs.mu.OZ.AU (tsl@cs.mu.OZ.AU))
Date: Thu 07 May 1992 - 09:56:33 EEST
SUN COUNTY is the newest RuneQuest release destined to hit the shelves, and
the first to be completed under the direction of that venerable game-sage,
the "Rune-Czar" Ken Rolston. Ken's arrival on the RQ scene is probably the
best thing to happen to RQ in a decade. It is unnecessary for me to
chronicle here the fading fortunes of RQ over recent years - TALES OF THE
REACHING MOON covered that adequately enough in our special editorial
"RuinedQuest?" (issue #5), as did my previous rantings on the topic in
RQ DIGEST - suffice it to say RuneQuest players, gamemasters, writers and fans
were very unhappy with the state of affairs. We said in the editorial that for
RQ to be resurrected, the game needed someone like Greg Stafford; an
experienced person prepared to put in a great deal of work, enthusiasm and
energy. Ken's immediate predecessor perhaps had the enthusiasm (at least
initially), but lacked the experience and imagination to realise RQ's full
potential, and it showed in the quality of the products he brought out.
Fortunately for RQ though, he was replaced by Ken Rolston - exactly the sort
of person we were looking for. The dealings I have had with him over the
last three months have convinced me of this. Ken's game design credits
are extensive and his RQ credentials stretch back to the halcyon days of Pavis
Borderlands and Big Rubble. His appointment promises a resurgence of interest
in RuneQuest, and I'm very excited that the first release to get the ball
rolling is my own SUN COUNTY.
SUN COUNTY is set of course in the River of Cradles region of Prax, although
Sun County itself could serve as a model for similar Sun Dome Temple lands
across Glorantha. I chose to write about Sun County because Chaosium had
already published background material about this area in Pavis, Borderlands
etc. That way, I could expand on the ideas presented and lessen the risk of
conflicting with Greg Stafford's concept. You can do what you want in your
own campaigns, but it is my experience that if you wish to get your Glorantha
material published, it's got to fit in with Greg's preconceived notions.
Either that, or be so mind-bogglingly dazzling to change his mind.
I chose the less risky option.
My manuscript was sent to Avalon Hill some twelve months before Ken's
appointment. As it was a Glorantha manuscript, it had to be cleared for
publication by Greg Stafford. Non-Gloranthan RQ material can be published
without his sanction, which goes a long way to explaining the quality of such
releases as Eldarad and Daughters of Darkness. I had already discussed the
make-up of the SUN COUNTY manuscript with Greg, because I wanted to use and
draw upon some previously published material of his. Also, I didn't really
want to work on what became a 70,000 word manuscript without a reasonable
expectation that Greg would give it the green light. He seemed keen, so I
was fairly confident that he would okay the manuscript after I had
submitted it; nevertheless, I waited with some apprehension until I heard
that he had!
I initially presented my manuscript to Avalon Hill in a camera-ready format.
That is, as if ready for publication, with side bars, borders, boxes, table
of contents, art placement etc. Hell, I even offered front and back cover
designs, advertising copy and ideas for the art assignment! To do this I
used a desktop publishing program; the same one in fact I knocked up this
issue of MOON with. I went to this trouble mainly to show Ken's predecessor
just what could be done to his layouts with a little imagination, and
also because there was no submissions guide - something I believe Ken will
be redressing very shortly. Ken's predecessor dismissed this layout
(which had the same style and feel as this issue of TALES) as
" a very good amateur effort", but "not up to our usual standard": a pretty
crass comment in my view (although he may have had a point had he not
compared it to his own meagre efforts). However, I was pleased to
find out that Ken was highly impressed by my suggested layout: he said it made
reviewing, developing and playtesting the manuscript a "billion times easier"
than if he had to wade through page after page of double-spaced typing.
I don't know what Ken will say in his submissions guide, but if the above is
any indication, it may be well worth your while to present your freelance
submissions to AH in this way, if you've got access to a desktop publishing
program.
All my contract and payment negotiations were carried out in the pre-Rolston
era, so I can't tell you what Ken's plans are. In this area Avalon Hill's
professionalism shone through, possibly because after the initial haggling,
negotiations were carried out by the AH management. AH originally offered me
something in the vicinity of 1.75 cents a word for all rights to my manuscript,
a paltry sum. After some persistent bargaining on my part the rate was finally
upped to 3.5 cents and a royalty on the second print run (so get out there and
buy your copy now, buy six copies!). I was also able to move the time of
payment to "upon acceptance of the final manuscript" from "upon publication",
and in fact received my first cheque soon after. I was fortunate enough to
know details about the arrangements Chaosium make with their freelance
authors, and used this as my yardstick in my bargaining. All told I might get
about $3000 out of SUN COUNTY, not too bad for a previously unpublished
author. The word amongst game writers is that although AH don't pay all that
well, they at least pay what is promised on time. The contract AH sent me
was written in plain language and contained no surprises (except the clause
that I would have to write an article about "strategy" for THE GENERAL
magazine).
More than anything, RuneQuesters were disappointed with the excremental
quality of the artwork in the Avalon Hill releases from Troll Gods onwards.
Before Ken Rolston came on the scene I dreaded what the artwork in SUN COUNTY
might look like. Graphics and visual presentation of information was one of
the key features of Chaosium RQ, and one that Ken hopes to match or even
better in Avalon Hill RQ. Ken has resolved to fix the problem by using
professional-standard freelance artists, and giving them plenty of direction.
He asked me to write an art design guide for the SUN COUNTY artists.
This way, we would ensure the details of clothing, structures and setting
fitted the text and accurately captured the atmosphere. This guide eventually
ran to dozens of pages, including pencilled sketches, computer-generated
graphics, written descriptions and xeroxed reference photos from art and
history books.
The only artwork I have yet seen for SUN COUNTY is the front cover, though I
hope by the time you are reading this the book has been out on the game store
shelves for some time (buy now; an ideal gift!). [Not around here at least,
although my local gaming store has placed an order and it is expected in
June or July --ACB] The cover, by Roger Raupp, is wonderful. Roger took my
pathetic pencilled sketches and long-winded written description and turned it
into something quite beautiful. I'm sure you'll all agree.
SUN COUNTY was based partially on a RQ club campaign Trevor Ackerly and I ran
for a university roleplaying association a number of years ago. Since then,
the manuscript has undergone considerable playtesting and refinement. When it
finally got into Ken's hands, the reviewing, developing and playtesting of
the manuscript continued, and I was pleased to find that my input was still
sought after and heeded. Although the original layout I submitted to
Avalon Hill was 70 pages long; the final version may even be double this
with all the changes and additional material we have incorporated.
SUN COUNTY is the first Glorantha release to be produced in nearly ten years
that features all new scenarios. It will be accessible to gamers new to RQ,
yet provide enough sustenance for the experienced Glorantha hacks. It marks
the beginning of the resurgence of RuneQuest under its talented new editor.
I urge all of you out there to buy it, and not just because I wrote it! SUN
COUNTY ought to be a boost to many a RuneQuest campaign, and a sign to all
RQ aficionados that things are finally on the improve.
M.O'Brien
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