FAO my RQ group - what do you think

[mike]

Hi Guys,

Since most of you had never played RQ before, and we've now had a few sessions, I thought it might be informative to get your initial views.

So, I would appriciate it if you would be so kind as to check the option above that best indicates your views.

Also, if you want to leave more detailed feedback, feel free to comment in the thread - don't worry, I won't be offended it

Regards
Mike

[joeoe18]

I'm fairly familiar with the system from Cthulhu, and I think it's pretty good.

I don't dislike the setting, although I can't say I'm massively fond of it either.

I'm enjoying the game though, which is the main thing.

[mike]

Wot - only one response
After two whole days

Am I to conclude that nobody really cares?

[Legionnaire]

Sorry Mike, had missed out on that post due to being busy mucking around elsewhere on the forum. I have now done my duty and put my vote down.

The Swede.

[sapper]

Mike

Sorry for my tardiness in voting. More about getting the feedback right than anything else.

Speaking personally, I was/am very grateful to you for getting the RPG ball rolling. However, I would always have preferred D&D to RQ but was happy to give the RQ a go.

I like my role-playing to involve dungeons, underground lairs and lots of monsters. I'm afraid that I found fighting human bandits and having pots and pans stolen too mundane for my tastes. Especially as we play relatively infrequently, I think the action needs to be more intense, more concentrated and more detached from our own reality.

As far as RQ itself is concerned, I actually missed the clear-cut class attributes you get in D&D. I like to know I'm a ranger, or a fighter or whatever. I find the nuanced approach of RQ, with abilities across the board, though more sophisticated and 'realistic' than the D&D approach, less satisfying in a fantasy game context. I also missed the levelling up experience. Again, I know that for many the D&D concept of levels is a blunt instrument and doesn't reflect the way people actually learn and develop. But this is a fantasy world. I like the anticipation of levelling up and choosing new abilities and getting more hit points etc.

To end of a +ve note, I enjoyed our games of RQ. It was a good group and well run. Thanks.
Martyn

[Stephen Mawson]

I’d missed this topic as well, which is why I’d not posted a response before now.

For myself I was interested to play Rune Quest as I hadn’t played any of the games that use the same basic system, and it’s always nice to try something new.

In terms of fantasy my preference is generally for the magic, hero’s and monsters style. Mighty almost god like warriors, all powerful wizards, and plenty of Dragons, Trolls, and other monsters for them to take on. I like the idea that heroes should be heroic, capable of facing the most hideous of monsters and triumphing almost single handed.

I’m afraid the Rune Quest setting is just a bit too much grounded in reality for a fantasy game for my tastes.

I’m a long term D&D player and with one or two small exceptions I really like the way it works. I like the clear distinctions between the various classes, with how they define how your character is heroic, partly as it gives a distinct focus to your character, and partly as it means that your character is distinct from the other heroes in your party.

I also like the levelling and XP system, it’s clear, it’s simple and straightforward and it gives you a very visible view of how your character is improving.

In contrast I found the Rune Quest system much more nebulous and vague. It’s definitely a more realistic system compared to D&D, people learn and improve slowly over time, not in sudden dramatic bursts, and anyone can become skilled in any task if they devote enough time and practice to it. However I’m not sure I want my fantasy to be realistic, I want it to be fantasy, and I have to say it really felt like my RQ character was not really changing or improving much despite a few percentage points picked up here or there as they didn’t really change much how good my character was at anything.

Some of the problem there probably was that we were only playing once a month, which coupled with the slow continual improvement nature of the system meant that to get a significant change in a character I guess we’d have needed to be playing for a year or two real time.

I also found the combat system slow and fiddly, and much, much too suddenly lethal in result. Again it might be realistic, but I don’t want to play a hero that can be killed by a single lucky (or unlucky) sword thrust.

Before this starts to sound to negative I have to say I don’t think there is anything wrong with the system, I think it would work very well in some other settings. I’m sure Call of Cthulhu suits it very well, as that is much more about investigation and character interaction than actual fighting, and the homogeneous skill system where anyone can be skilled to some extent in nearly anything would be a big advantage there. I’m just not sure it fits a fantasy setting as well.

I also have to say that I have enjoyed playing the game, and that I’m extremely grateful to Mike for giving me a change to try Rune Quest, even if having done so I think I’ve decided that it’s not really to my tastes.

[Legionnaire]

To elaborate on my voting as some of the other players. I come from a different background than them, haven't really liked D&D, levels and such. As far as combat goes, I kind of enjoy the possibility that a lucky/ unlucky roll can get you into a world of hurt. That's a bit how it works out in the "real" word. Though I've never played RQ specifically before, the system was not entirely new, other games I've played have had much in common with it, especially in the beginning of my RPG days.

The largest issues I have with it was, even if I don't shun playing characters not on world striding levels, it still was too mundane for my taste. Prime example are the pots-and-pans stealing thieves, must have been really desperate! And I feel that is was a lot of transporting without a lot of opportunities to actually role-play encounters and such. Mostly Combat point A, Duke point B, cross the river point C etc. Which, unfortunately, made me loose interest in the campaign.

Despite all this I had the opportunity to try something I've not played before and it's always nice to add games to your list.

The Swede.

[mike]

OK people, we appear to have a consensus - and the consensus is we ain't having fun

That being the case I don't see much point continuing with the campaign

I must admit, that's sort of what I expected. I put the poll up largely because I was getting quite a few negative comments and not many positive ones and I wanted to gauge the groups' real feelings.

Regarding the system

RQ is very different to D&D and if you really like the D&D class and level system you're probably never gonna be happy with RQ's skill based approach.

I think Steve put it best when he refered to RQ as "more nebulous and vague" when compared to D&D. You're quite right Steve, it is, and that's largely the point - you're not supposed to know extactly how tough you are, and therefore whether or not you can easily kill the highwayman with the heavy crossbow.

That having been said, RQ doesn't preclude heroic actions - and such actions are all the more heroic precisely because (unlike in D&D) you really can get killed.

Oh, and while we're on the subject, nor does it preclude monsters (and there are some really nasty ones in the RQ Creature Book) - it's just that until you're better kitted out (heavier armour, better defensive / healing spells, etc) you just wouldn't have survived them.

Regarding the setting

A lot of the negitive comments I've had revolve around the fact that it being somewhat restrictive, and I grant that it is. That was something I decided on very early in the process for two main reasons: firstly it's more "realistic" (medieval societies were at best dictatorial and at worst just plain despotic) and secondly it tied in nicely with the story arc I was planning.

That having been said, RQ will run perfectly well with almost any setting and/or society we care to devise.

Where do we go from here?

Clearly most of you aren't having much fun with this, so I see no point continuing this campaign. After all, that's the primary goal here - systems, settings, societies and story arcs all come a very poor second.

With Maurice's D&D starting up, our role-playing addiction should be sated for the time being at least.

And if some of you really want to carry on with RQ, I can always start up another campaign (in a somewhat less restrictive setting) at a later date.

[joeoe18]

I was still having fun with it, and I appear to be a bit more fond of the system than some others.

I think I'm close to the Ove school of roleplaying than the Steve and Martyn academy - I like some meaty character interaction.

I think the system, as Steve suggested, did suit Cthulhu very well as that was mostly about investigating and interaction with PCs and NPCs. Also if you got into a fight there was more than a 50% chance that you were going to die, or at least something very horrible and maddening was going to happen to everyone involved. Personally I thought that was great, but the D&D crowd may not be so keen on it.

Having said that I'm very much looking forward to letting my uber-warrior combat side loose on the upcoming D&D game.

[mike]

Nov 6, 2008 18:59:34 GMT joeoe18 said:

I was still having fun with it, and I appear to be a bit more fond of the system than some others.

I think I'm close to the Ove school of roleplaying than the Steve and Martyn academy - I like some meaty character interaction.

Yes Joe, I'm with you and Ove on that, but that doesn't seen to be the consensus from the others ('though I've not heard from Maurice yet).

Unfortunately the story arc I had in mind just ain't gonna get done by two knights and a peasant (eventually you're gonna need at least one wizard). With Dave having dropped out and Steve less than impressed with the system the whole thing is no longer tenable.

Since you will never be able finish the campaign, I see point continuing - that's no fun for anybody.

If you and Ove are still interested, I'm happy to run another RQ game (I'll just need a little time to sort out another campaign).

If you're around on Sunday we'll talk then.